Books with author James Brookes

If you knew anything about Justin Wilde, you'd know he lived up to his last name. He was the reckless one… the one who went looking for trouble. He had lived in New York for six years, but he recently moved back home to Lexington accompanied by his young daughter and rumors of past trouble.I didn't mind that he had a little girl. As long as he was single, I had hope that he would notice me one day. He had kissed me once years ago, and I remembered it like it was yesterday.I had seen Justin several times since he returned and it seemed as if he had completely forgotten about that kiss. In fact, it was like he actually went out of his way to avoid me. You would think this would dissuade me from liking him. He was the ultimate bad boy and he wasn't interested in me at all. But maybe that was the very thing that made him irresistible.

Ivy Lewis went home to Memphis in the summer of 1965 unaware of the adventure that awaited her. She was content to go through the motions of her predictable routines back home while safeguarding a few little secrets about her life in Nashville. In her mind, the two worlds weren't meant to intersect.Then Michael Bishop entered the picture. He had just moved to Memphis from Detroit in hopes of expanding his motorcycle company. He appeared to be nothing more than an outlaw and a menace to the community. Any type of relationship between them was sure to be met with resistance from Ivy's family and friends.But Michael Bishop was too great of a temptation for Ivy.The summer of 1965 would be one of first impressions, first dances, and forbidden love.

Zoe Etheridge packed her bags and said goodbye to her small town Texas life. Her dad's dying wish was that she followed her dreams in New York City, and she was bound and determined to make that happen. It was only a day or so into her trip when she realized she might have bitten off more than she could chew.Zoe assumed that the Shower & Shelter Artist Collective was open to any artist who needed a place to live in the city. She had no idea that landing a spot in the house was highly competitive, and seeing how she wasn't a formally trained artist, she wasn't quite sure how to compete.She called the collective on her way into the city and spoke with the manager, Lane Alexander. He quickly made her realize she was in a David versus Goliath type situation, but decided to meet with her nonetheless. She knew she had to impress him when they met, but she assumed it would be with her unique approach to painting. It wasn't until she stared into his baby blues that she realized she wanted him to be impressed by more than just her art.

Liam Kennedy was on a flight to Los Angeles, bound for his cousin's wedding. He was fresh out of a relationship that he had been trying to end for months and was looking forward to having a great trip with his family while relaxing in his reclaimed status as a bachelor. When his flight landed and he discovered his luggage was missing, Liam knew it would be a little while longer before he could truly relax.Scrambling for a new suit to wear to the wedding wasn't part of the itinerary. Neither was having an encounter with Taylor Quinn. She was a breathtaking brunette, and she instantly struck him as being different from any other woman he had known. She was intensely focused on her career and not at all interested in Liam, or any man for that matter. She also happened to be having a really rough day.Liam, being the gentleman he was, offered to give her a sympathetic hug. As the old saying goes, never hug someone unless you plan on falling in love. Okay, maybe that's not a saying—but in this case, it's exactly what happened.

What do you do when your best friend calls and says she's getting married in a matter of days on a different continent? You hop on a plane and go to be with her, of course.Lu Osborne was doing precisely that. She boarded a flight that was headed for Ireland on only a few days notice despite the fact that she had a lot of irons in the fire.Other than witnessing a fairytale wedding and maybe doing a little sightseeing, Lu didn't expect anything to come from the trip. She certainly didn't expect to fall in love with her best friend's brother, Joe.

Tabitha thought moving to New York City would be the chance of a lifetime, but now she was left wondering if she had made a huge mistake. The responsibilities of being a single mom and pursuing her career were becoming overwhelming. Needless to say, falling in love wasn't on her agenda.So when a handsome photographer named Drake Salinger entered the picture, Tabitha struggled with her budding affection for him. Under normal circumstances, she might have given in to the temptation. But Tabitha was a protective mom, and there was no way she'd risk having her daughter's heart broken by some guy.Thankfully, Drake wasn't just some guy. He felt an uncontrollable urge to protect and care for Tabitha and her young daughter and would stop at nothing to do so.

My American Angel is the sixth and final installment of the Shower & Shelter Artist Collective series. It can also be read as a standalone.Theo Duval was born and raised in Montréal. He was only ten-years-old when he met a young American girl named Caroline at a public library near his home. Though there were some serious language barriers, the two of them quickly felt the first sparks of young love. Caroline's visit to Montréal was brief, and Theo was soon left with only the vivid memories of his first crush. They had haunted him for years, and he always felt like she was the one who got away.Caroline had a slightly different take on their encounter. In her mind, she clearly told Theo that if neither of them were married by the time they turned thirty, they'd reunite and ride off into the sunset. It never occurred to her that Theo might have agreed to her plan without understanding a single word of what she said.If you guessed that these two ultimately found each other again and got their happily ever after, then you'd be right. But the real fun is in finding out how, after twenty years of separation, it all came to pass.

Wes Bishop had a real sense of adventure. He left Memphis and moved to London as soon as he graduated high school. It had been nearly seven years since then, and even though Wes missed his family, he was doing really well in England. He had a budding career as a musician and had met the girl of his dreams. He really thought he had everything figured out. Then he met Jolene Wright.The two of them quickly formed a bond as friends. Wes was committed to his current girlfriend, but he realized he was beginning to learn a lot about himself from Jolene. She somehow made him feel closer to home—closer to everything he left behind all those years ago. When he was with her, everything felt natural. That’s when Wes realized that the girl of his dreams might just be a different girl.

Bad Medicine was one of television's most popular dramas, and Ethan Prescott was the show's biggest star. He was a talented actor and an all-around good guy. His quick wit, intelligence, and dashingly handsome appearance only added to his larger than life persona. And somehow, Macy Tillman ended up sitting right next to him at dinner.Macy was a gifted artist and former resident of the Shower & Shelter Artist Collective. Though she was still pursuing a career as an artist, she also devoted much of her time to caring for her young niece while her sister was at work. Her quirky personality, unique perspective on life, and stunning beauty captivated Ethan.Macy made Ethan experience feelings that he had never known. It was about more than just being attracted to her. Somehow, Macy inspired Ethan to want to be a better person. But those feelings were overwhelming, and they made it difficult for Ethan to decide whether or not he should follow his heart.

Most of Shelby Kennedy's friends were either married or in serious relationships. Her younger brother was about to get engaged, and two of her younger cousins were already married—not that she was counting. In reality, she hadn't given those facts much thought.She didn't mind her life the way it was. Being single really seemed to suit her. She had a charming house, a loyal dog, an enjoyable career, and she was surrounded by a loving family. Shelby's life wasn't lacking anything.Except for Isaac Charles. She was definitely lacking him.

Finally My Happy Ending, the third and final book in the Meant for Me series, can be read as a stand alone but will be enhanced by reading the first two books. Blind dates are for the birds. Trish Carmichael had been on enough of them to know they weren't her thing. She'd rather go about it naturally and meet someone on her own. The only problem was, it had been over a year since she broke up with her last boyfriend, and she hadn't found anyone yet.She was on her way home from a parculularly bad blind date (one she vowed would be her last) when she ran into Brock Rollins at a gas station. Brock had taken something from her in the past, and she harbored grudge against him because of it. She was typically the type to forgive and forget, but the bad date was fresh on her mind, and she ended up unloading on him.Burying the hatchet between the two of them seemed impossible. Seeing him as a love interest was out of the question. But sometimes even the most unlikely things happen.

Carly Howard fell for Micah Bennett the moment she laid eyes on him. She dreamed of their happily ever after and only hoped he felt the same way. Within hours, that dream was soon replaced with the reality that Carly would have to settle for someone else.Carly moved on, and Micah soon became a distant memory. When their paths unexpectedly crossed again, Carly hoped that second chances would make her dreams come true. Maybe this time, Micah thought the same thing too.