The River Rain Series by Kristen Ashley
From Kristen: “This series was started with the help of you, my readers, during the pandemic crisis of COVID-19. The first book in this series is free, a gift to my Chicklets for their loyalty and support over the years, and a project we all banded together to produce during a challenging time. Thank you for years of kindness and encouragement. I hope you enjoy what we built together.
And when this series continues, wait for itā¦because when I start writing it, Iām gonna rope you in again.”
1. After The Climb
They were the Three Amigos: Duncan Holloway, Imogen Swan and Corey Szabo. Two young boys with difficult lives at home banding together with a cool girl who didnāt mind mucking through the mud on their hikes.
They grew up to be Duncan Holloway, activist, CEO and face of the popular River Rain outdoor stores, Imogen Swan, award-winning actress and Americaās sweetheart, and Corey Szabo, ruthless tech billionaire.
Rich and very famous, they would learn the devastating knowledge of how the selfish acts of one would affect all their lives.
And the lives of those they loved.
Start the River Rain series with After the Climb, the story of Duncan and Imogen navigating their way back to each other, decades after a fierce betrayal.
And introduce yourself to their families, who will have their stories told when River Rain continues.
āNow he was fifty-four and no less glorious. Silver in his hair. Also his beard. Lines on his forehead, around his eyes. And maybe part of that heft he had was some weight in his middle, because Duncan was always active, but he loved his food. And oh, how much I would have treasured being beside him along the way to see him become the man who stood before me.ā
ā„Imogen & Duncanā„
2. From a very young age, Chloe Pierce was trained to look after the ones she loved. And she was trained by the best. But when the man who looked after her was no longer there, Chloe is cast adriftājust as the very foundation of her life crumbled to pieces. Then she runs into tall, lanky, unpretentious Judge Oakley, her exact opposite. She shops. He hikes. She drinks pink ladies. He drinks beer. Sheās a city girl. Heās a mountain guy. Obviously, this means they have a blowout fight upon meeting. Their second encounter doesnāt go a lot better. Judge is loving the challenge. Chloe is everything he doesnāt want in a woman, but he canāt stop finding ways to spend time with her. He knows sheās dealing with loss and change. He just doesnāt know how deep that goes. Or how ingrained it is for Chloe to care for those who have a place in her heart, how hard it will be to trust anyone to look after herā¦ And how much harder it is when itās his turn.
āThere is a man out there who will worship you. Not because heās intent to make you feel special. Because he understands to his bones that you already are.ā
ā„Chloe & Judgeā„
3. *Disabled hero*
Alexandra Sharp has been crushing on her co-worker, John āRixā Hendrix for years. Heās her perfect man, she knows it.
Sheās just not his perfect woman, and she knows that too.
Then Rix gives Alex a hint that maybe thereās a spark between them that, if she takes the leap, she might be able to fan into a flame. This leads to a crash and burn, and thatās all shy Alex needs to catch the hint never to take the risk again.
However, with undeniable timing, Rixās ex, who broke his heart, and Alexās family, who spent her lifetime breaking hers, rear their heads, gearing up to offer more drama. With the help of some matchmaking friends, Rix and Alex decide to face the onslaught togetherā¦
As a fake couple.
āNothing is permanent, Alex. Not peace. Not happiness. Not joyā¦ā
Also not permanent?ā
āHeartbreak. Or pain. Or fear.ā
āOnce you understand that everything comes and then it goes, you learn to take the leap.ā
ā„Alex & Rixā„
4. Decades ago, tennis superstar Tom Pierce and āIt Girlā Mika Stowe met at a party.
Mika fell in love. Tom was already in love with his wife. As badly as Tom wanted Mika as a friend, Mika knew it would hurt too much to be attracted to this amazing man and never be able to have him.
They parted ways for what they thought would be forever, only to reconnect just once, when unspeakable tragedy darkens Mikaās life.
Years later, the impossible happens.
A time comes when theyāre both unattached.
But now Tom has made a terrible mistake. A mistake so damaging to the ones he loves, he feels heāll never be redeemed.
Mika has never forgotten how far and how fast she fell when she met him, but Tomās transgression is holding her distant from reaching out.
There are matchmakers in their midst, however.
And when the plot has been unleashed to make that match, Tom and Mika are thrown into an international intrigue that pits them against a Goliath of the sports industry.
Now they face a massive battle at the same time theyāre navigating friendship, attraction, love, family, grief, redemption, two very different lives lived on two opposite sides of a continent and a box full of kittens.
āI caught him staring at you eight times during brunch. Eight times. I counted. That does not say āfriends.āā
ā„Tom & Mikaā„
Hale Wheeler inherited billions from his father. Heās decided to take those resources and change the world for the better. Heās married to his mission, so he doesnāt have time for love.
Thereās more lurking behind this decision. He hasnāt faced the tragic loss of his father, or the bitterness of his parentsā divorce. He doesnāt intend to follow in his fatherās footsteps, breaking a womanās heart in a way it will never mend. So he vows heāll never marry.
But Hale is intrigued when he meets Elsa Cohen, the ambitious celebrity news journalist who has been reporting on his famous family. He warns her off, but she makes him a deal. Sheāll pull back in exchange for an exclusive interview.
Elsa Cohen is married to her career, but she wants love, marriage, children. She also wants the impossibly handsome, fiercely loyal, tenderhearted Hale Wheeler.
They go head-to-head, both denying why there are fireworks every time they meet. But once they understand their undeniable attraction, Elsa canāt help but fall for the dynamic do-gooder.
As for Hale, he knows he needs to fight the pull of the beautiful, bold, loving Elsa Cohen, because breaking her would crush him.
āTomorrow,ā he said. āMy place. Nine. And Iām renting this space for you, and youāre going to move your ass into it, because you wonāt want to find out whatāll happen if you donāt.ā
ā„Hale & Elsaā„
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