Shelf Nine, Happily Ever After

Alison Hughes, 30, the owner of Happily Ever After Books, is the queen of romance…except in her own life. Still stinging a year after she discovered her ex cheated on her, she's immersed herself in the pretty pink world of her romance-themed bookstore and the company of her Shih Tzu, Bella, and her best friend, Melissa. 

Jack Morrison, 32, is the cynical author of the online Love Is A Scam column and devoted cat dad to a Maine Coon named Mac. Still emotionally and financially reeling from being left at the altar over a year ago, he's less than thrilled when his editor assigns him to write a Valentine's Day-themed business profile of Alison's shop.

When Jack insults her store and accidentally ruins a book that he can't afford to replace, Alison gives him a choice: work for her until Valentine's Day and write a glowing profile of Happily Ever After Books, or see her in court. So begins Jack's multi-week romance purgatory of special events, complete with a kilt and non-stop harassment from his best friend, Robb.

Can a hopeless romantic and a dedicated curmudgeon survive five weeks of working together without ending up in court?
This sweet, light-hearted romance combines the coziness of a bookstore and the prickliness of a grumpy/sunshine tale, dropping them both into the real-life arts district of Huntsville, Alabama.

Approx. 200 pages