When Rachel challenged me to pick my favorite books with the most romantic love ever that I had written it was obvious which one I would choose.
Boy Banned. This story is close to my heart featuring a young man on the spectrum who finds love, set against a singing talent show. I loved writing that book because you know, being autistic isn't always about finding the same love as others, it's about finding a love that gives you the space to be you.
But then, I loved writing The Bucket List. That was the story of a man fulfilling his brother's dying wishes to do some of the things on the bucket list that the dying man wouldn't achieve. A sad start, but a hopeful story and a new love that was rooted in childhood. BUT… what about Oracle? That was my first ever novel to write, and I still get excited when I think about that romance, with a man who has powers and the man who was his destiny. This to me was love found against action-adventure, and it's still my baby.
But hang on… Moments, oh my god, i love that book, the child movie star who loses focus as an adult, based loosely on the trials of Robert Downey Junior's life, and Full Circle, book 5 in my Sanctuary Series where Manny-the-agent finally finds love, and The Rancher's Son when amnesia means that our hero doesn't recall an old love. Not to mention Single where being a single dad means love seems impossible when you are placing your baby first, only to find love with the doctor next door!
And finally, what about Texas Wedding? That moment we all heard that same-sex marriage was going to be legal in the US, gave me the reason to create Jack and Riley's second wedding, a beautiful expression of timeless love.
So, I managed to trim it down to 9 books out of 140+, and I swear I could have added more because I haven't even started on The Christmas Throwaway, or Back Home, or The Winter Cowboy or or or ….
RJ XXX
#COMPETITION
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Sharing the love this Valentines, here are 9 of my favorite books that I've written <3
For your chance to win ebooks of all 9 books leave a comment with the most romantic book you've read (don't forget to check back on Feb 15 to see if you've won).
Boy Banned
The judges of the reality television show, SING UK, create a boy band from near-miss hopefuls. Agreeing to become part of the new band means Corey has to hide who he is and what Angel has come to mean to him. Is winning worth the price Corey and Angel have to pay?
Reuben “Angel” Jacobs is one step away from giving it all up. Losing a place in the live finals of Sing UK almost kills him. He has no choice but to go home and work for the family business, even though it means giving up his dreams and proving his old bullies right.
Corey Dixon is a rocker at heart. Being on the spectrum means that making sense of other people’s ‘normal’ is hard in itself, let alone in the chaos of a high-powered competition. Singing is his safe space, the only way he can think through the noise in his head. Messing up his audition for the live shows means his journey is over, and it’s the worst day of his life.
The judges throw them a lifeline and create a boy band from the near-miss hopefuls. Angel, Corey, and three others are put together in a room and offered the chance to sing as a group. Agreeing to become part of the new band means Corey has to hide who he is and what Angel has come to mean to him.
Is winning worth the price Corey and Angel have to pay?
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The Bucket List
Did he plan for his best friend and his brother to fall in love?
Schoolteacher Jason has been left a bucket list of places and things that his brother, Andrew, wanted to visit or do, but never had a chance to. Attending a school reunion, going to England, and visiting London and Stonehenge, are all on the list. Jason is determined to cross everything off and, at the same time, work through his grief at his brother's death.
Closeted soap actor Mark Wesley is shocked when a blast from the past looks him up and devastated when he realizes he will never have a chance to make things right between him and an old friend. When he left town he'd never looked back, and is firmly in the closet, working on a soap opera and living a lie. Losing his friend is a shock to his system and forces him to re-evaluate where his life is going.
Together Jason and Mark agree to work on Andrew's bucket list, only Jason and Mark grow closer and passion turns to love. Was this Andrew's plan all along? That his little brother and his best friend should fall in love?
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Oracle
An ancient relic threatens to destroy the world, and a tattooed man with no memory begins an adventure cloaked in mystery.
Alex Sheridan has powers. He never questions why he can manipulate locks, phase out of sight, or read people’s emotions; he just knows that he can. With his abilities, he’s an expert at stealing rare items to order, and does it without guilt. But with his adoptive parents dead, his partner murdered, and no idea who he really is, he journeys to Greece to face his past. Only instead of finding family and the reason for the scars he’s covered in tattoos; he’s pulled into the mystery of an ancient story and a new love.
Luke MacKinnon is a professor of ancient languages, and he instinctively knows Alex is no ordinary man. The first time they meet, Luke is intrigued by Alex’s tattoos written in a language long forgotten, and his eyes that hold a millennium of secrets. When their paths cross for a second time, he’s told that Alex is his soulmate, but even if he believed that, what kind of god would put him together with a criminal who steals the very things that Alex wants to study?
When they work together to locate the Oracle, it’s only because both men have targets on their backs. Despite the evil that wants the Oracle, can Alex and Luke find love, or is finding the truth the end of them both?
This MM Gay Paranormal Romantic Suspense from RJ Scott includes soulmates who would die for each other, secrets and lies, murder, an ancient curse, and of course a happily ever after.
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Kyle
Two men destroyed by the past learn to live—and love—again.
Kyle Braden has nowhere else to go. With no money and no prospects, he turns to the only man who promises him help. Jack Campbell-Hayes wants to show Kyle that he can be more than he ever thought.
Kyle begins to see how far he’s come from being the scarred man who shut everyone out, when the first person through the doors of Legacy Ranch is Jason; a young man with nightmares that follow him when he's awake.
Lost in the system and with three years on the streets marking every inch of his body, Jason Smith is scared. His life is an evil mess of hate and despair, and even the offer of a fresh start and a clean bed isn’t enough for him to feel safe. Until Kyle comes into his life and shows him that it's okay not to be in control.
For these broken men, Legacy Ranch offers more than a place to live and work.
It offers hope.
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Moments
Actor Jacob Riley is a typical former Hollywood child star with serious issues. He has already done prison time, and at the age of twenty-six has been arrested for possession yet again.
Quietly working to make the world a better place, Ethan Myers is the owner and manager of Macs, an education center for local, low-income families. Losing his partner to cancer has left him lost and alone, and he buries himself in his work in the hope it will mend his broken heart.
Sparks fly when Jacob is forced to complete his community service at Macs. Despite their best efforts to resist, the two men find themselves growing closer as a spoiled Jacob gains his first glimpse at the real world.
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The Rancher's Son
A man without memories and a heartbroken cop who never gave up hope.
Waking up in the hospital after a brutal beating, John Doe has no memory of who he is or who attacked him. The police find no clues to his identity, and he can't recall anything useful—except for the name Ethan and a recurring image of a place from his dreams: Crooked Tree. These two cryptic words are his only lead.
With his family at the center of a loss, Detective Ethan Allens has never stopped working on the cold case of two boys who vanished twelve years ago. When a report with potential new leads crosses his desk, Ethan heads to the hospital. The man he finds isn't his brother, but he holds the key to unraveling the mystery of the past.
As they delve into a web of forgotten memories and hidden truths, they must confront the real demons of the past. Against all odds, a connection forms between them, but if they find the truth, will it destroy their future?
Set against the rugged backdrop of Crooked Tree Ranch, Montana, this is a story of hope, resilience, and unexpected love.
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Full Circle
Sanctuary witness protection has failed Josh, and Manny risks everything to save him
After evading his Sanctuary agent, Josh is determined to confront his lying former boyfriend, and discover once and for all what turned his dad into a murderer. Shamed by his father's actions, he's determined to help bring the Bullen family to justice, and he's not going to be able to do that until he confronts his past.
Manny is better at breaking code than breaking heads, but he's proud of the set of ninja-cool skills that Sanctuary has taught him. When surveillance catches images of Josh entering the lion's den, there are no other agents available, and it's up to Manny to save him.
Manny risks his life. Could it be time for Josh to risk his heart?
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Texas Wedding
Sometimes, Riley and Jack find themselves stepping into the fray, fighting for what’s right—not just for themselves, but for others.
As the nation waits for a landmark SCOTUS decision on same-sex marriage, Riley and Jack face life-changing choices of their own. But just as hope shines bright, distressing family news and the looming threat of long-buried secrets surfacing test their resilience like never before.
Through the highs and lows—children, family milestones, laughter, and heartbreak—Riley and Jack's bond remains unshakable. This chapter in the Texas series weaves together every challenge they face, proving once again that their love is the foundation of everything they hold dear.
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Single
Reeling from the painful rejection of a man he thought he loved, Asher is left holding the baby.
Determined to follow through with the surrogacy he started with his ex, Ash brings home baby Mia, vowing to be the best father he can be. His daughter is his whole world, and nothing—not even an unexpected attraction to the doctor next door—can distract him from that. But as his feelings for Sean deepen, and painful family memories resurface, Ash must confront the possibility that love isn’t something to be feared—it’s something to hold onto.
When ER doctor Sean moves in with his friends next door to the undeniably attractive single dad, the connection is instant. The chemistry between them is scorching, but Ash is convinced there’s no room in his heart for anyone but Mia. Yet Sean sees the fear beneath Ash’s resolve, and he’s determined to prove that love doesn’t take space away—it only makes the heart grow. Now, all he has to do is convince Ash that the three of them belong together.
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Always seems to be a book I’ve missed. You are always churning out books it seems. I’m so excited.
My guy flying out just to fix stuff around the farm for me.
I hate to say it, because the story is hokey, but my favorite romance story is not very romantic in one sense, but I like it: The Gift by Declan Rhodes. It is always nice when someone gets a second chance, and I mean that, in this case, in the hidden part of the story as well as the surface story.
For my 16 wedding anniversary Dave, my Heart made me a scrap book. It had pictures and stuff from the time I was a baby up until 2006. It had so much stuff in it having to do with my babies and our life together. By far the greatest gift ever.
Wow, Laurel, that was very thoughtful. Sounds like you got a keeper!
I attended my grandparents’ fiftieth anniversary. Imagine that commitment! I hope you receive the same!
Taking me to my first live NASCAR race even though he wasn’t a fan and had no desire to watch a race.
Getting married on the beach. It was beautiful and just us two. My best and favorite memory.
Flowers, champagne, chocolate. All good. But the day he promised to love me for a lifetime, nothing beats that.
When our son was first born and not yet sleeping through the night, my husband set his alarm to wake up before the baby so he could take the bottle time and I could sleep through without hearing them. He wanted to make sure I had one night of sound sleep.
Watching the sunrise from a mountain top was very romantic. It’s the quiet moments that mean a lot to me.
I always think of Pride and Prejudice as the most romantic book.
My hubby made me Valentine’scoupons for massages, hairbrushes, and painting my nails by him to redeem when I had a rough week at work.
The most romantic thing was a single purple tulip on our one year aniversery.
My DH making surprise hotel reservations for my birthday last year in the middle of the week at our favorite hotel and then dinner at one of my favorite places. 🙂 Plus he managed to pick up ds as well at college to join us for dinner since I was missing him a lot.
I was working out of state for several months and my guy drove 16 hours straight to surprise me with a weekend visit. He only stayed for 36 hours and had to turn around and drive 16 hours back to be at work on time. I’ve never had anyone go to that much trouble just to see me and spend some time with me. It made me feel so wanted.
To me, the Texas series is one of the more romantic series I’ve read. What is more romantic then sharing your life with someone you deeply love and like that also deeply loves and likes you, too? It is romantic building a partnership that shares a history of many years of love and friendship.
I always wanted rollers skates as a child and we could never afford them.
He bought them for me and held my hand as I learnt to use them.
Best gift and moments ever.
I was trying to get this boy’s attention, it was Halloween and he was working late. I went to his apartment and left a carved pumpkin outside his door with his favorite chocolate bar and a note saying he deserved a “treat”.
Hubby did for me. I came home from work, his car isn’t there (not unusual), I go to the bathroom. I’m midway through my business and music starts blaring from a speaker over the toilet (it was hidden up on the cabinet top). Air Supply. After a brief moment of startled what the hell, I start laugh and get all blushy and cute and he come in singing to me. Ended up hugging him with my fave buried against his stomach while still laughing because adrenaline. It was so cute and even though it happened in the restroom it was the best.
Ii loved Texas Wedding. I don’t really know if it’s romantic but my boyfriend actually paid for the upgrade for my cataract surgery with the new lenses that make it so I don’t need glasses aanymore.
I love The Rancher’s Son. So pleased Ethan and Adam found their way back to each other.
I think anytime my significant other shows his entire attention to me, is romantic.
Prolific writers make it hard to keep up 😉
Keep ’em coming.
Honestly, he just takes care of me every day and supports me in my endeavors. Falling in love is exciting, but remaining in love is a daily choice. I was healthy when we met, and now have a chronic illnesses. People say in sickness and in health, but you never actually know until it happens. I like to make jewelry and I know he gets me when he buys me tools, sends me to and art class, or is proud to show my work to people.
My now husband was wooing me online. I kept putting off meeting him but for my birthday he sent me a dozen roses with a dozen daisies in it and tiger lilies for Valentine day. We had never met.
I would love to be able to have a whole weekend to spend with my husband. I would devote it to giving him the unique experience he has always wanted and hopefully by the last day, he would have no doubt how much I love him and am extremely grateful to him for all he has done.
Favorite romance will always be Fifty Shades Darker.
My husband proposed to me on the street in Stockholm ?
A meal prepared just for me and ready when I came home.
My (now deceased), gorgeous hubby, was a Chief Petty Officer in the RN when I met him as a young Wren. I had to call him ‘Chief’, but when we married he told me I was now his ‘Chief’ and that’s what he called me, every day of our many years together – I always thought it very romantic. Our daughter read her Dad’s obituary and told the congregation how she always remembered her dad calling me his ‘Chief’. The most romantic book I have ever read is Katherine by Anya Seton, a romantic, story based on the life of an historic couple who are the ancestors of all our royal lines. But, more recently, Single has touched me deeply with its beautiful and touching simplicity of a young, single dad struggling single handedly with his baby daughter and finding true love in the process.
My (now deceased), gorgeous hubby, was a Chief Petty Officer in the RN when I met him as a young Wren. I had to call him ‘Chief’, but when we married he told me I was now his ‘Chief’ and that’s what he called me, every day of our many years together – I always thought it very romantic. Our daughter read her Dad’s obituary and told the congregation how she always remembered her dad calling me his ‘Chief’. The most romantic book I have ever read is Katherine by Anya Seton, a romantic story based on the life of an historic couple who are the ancestors of all our royal lines. But, more recently, Single has touched me deeply with its beautiful and touching simplicity of a young, single dad struggling single handedly with his baby daughter and finding true love in the process.
Some time ago I had a rash in my head, under my hair. It was quite itchy, and my doctor gave me some stuff I had to use to wash my head with, It was foul smelling and itchy as well, and I hated every time I had to do it. Well my boyfriend at the time used to wash my hair for me, while singing me funny songs or telling me stories to keep me entertained and distract me from the agony… it was so kind and sweet!
The most romantic thing would be hard for me to predict, since it would have to be very specific to the relationship…that said, there have been memorable mixtapes (given and received) and baked goods (given) in my past!
I witnessed a proposal on a dinner cruise. We were passing under the Sydney Harbour Bridge and after she said yes the entertainers (who were taking a break on deck) broke into a spontaneous love song for them.
It was amazing!
I am loving the Single Dad series!
my husband proposed to me under the rockafeller xmas tree
A special visit just when I needed it most.
On Valentine’s Day I took my husband to see his favorite singer at a theater. He did not know where we were going until he saw the theater’s marquee. His reaction was worth the price of admission!!
For Valentine’s day, my then boyfriend made a handmade rose out of paper. It was amazing.
Was working non stop for two weeks. My guy took the next week off to coincide with mine and flew us out of state to a beautiful resort in Hawaii. Massages down time. Just the thought and the planning was romantic enough no matter where we had gone!
No one has ever loved me, so I’ve never had or done anything romantic. I’d just like someone to hold me and stroke my hair.
My husband came to my work and surprised me with a sapphire ring I had wanted but we decided was too expensive.
A meal prepared for me that I didn’t have to cook.
I think the Texas series is very romantic.
He makes sure to tell me every day he
loves me, even after 26 years together.
I’d love to take someone on a surprise trip to their dream place <3
The most romantic book I’ve read is Four Ever by Sloane Kennedy. I loved EVERYTHING about it <3
My DH and I had just started dating. For my birthday, he drove to my apartment in the middle of the night/ early morning, tied balloons to my front door knob and drove back to his apartment. When I was leaving to go to work, there were these balloons. The fact that he took the time to show me he was thinking of me (especially since we drove to work together) melted my heart
Snuggling on the couch.. I know not very romantic but the small moments count
This guy I was once seeing couldn’t reach me because one of my roomies was hogging the phone so he sent a shout out to me through the radio. Fortunately I was listening at the time!
After showing to my boyfriend a ring that I liked in a market, the same evening, surprisingly, I found myself engaged and to plan our wedding. We have been married since 2011 …..