Melissa Foster is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of more than 100 novels. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance and women’s fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Melissa’s emotional journeys are lovingly erotic, always family oriented, and feature fiercely loyal heroes, smart, sassy heroines, and complex relatable issues.
Melissa also writes sweet romance under the pen name, Addison Cole here: https://addisoncole.com
Melissa loves to hear from readers! Feel free to send her an email or chat with her on social media.
Melissa welcomes the opportunity to chat with book clubs and other reading groups.
"What sets Melissa Foster apart are her compelling characters who you care about... desperately...I dare you to read the first chapter and not be hooked." International bestseller, M.J. Rose
"Melissa Foster is a wonderful connector of readers and books, a friend of authors, and a tireless advocate for women. She is the real deal"--Author Jennie Shortridge
Romance trope: small town/close-knit family Length: 23615 locations (approximately 1,834 pages)
Collection includes:
Swept Into Love by Melissa Foster - Gage is Sally's best friend and has been an absolute rock for her for the past five or six years while she's been recovering from her husband's death (we first met the husband in Sisters in Love). He's made no secret of the fact that he's in love with her, though, and when they go to Las Vegas for a work function, after copious alcohol, they end up married. This is a bit of a surprise when they wake up, and Sally isn't happy about it at first, but through the course of the story, Gage manages to convince Sally that seeking happiness for herself doesn't diminish her worth as a mother, friend, or coworker. (part of the Love in Bloom/The Ryders series) 300 pages
I'll be honest - I didn't much like the heroine from the first book in the series, Sisters in Love, where we first met Sally and her (now-dead) husband Dave. That heroine was such a twit and I wasn't sure if I should bother with this one. But while Sally was a little maddening at times (you're the mom - you tell your son what's going to happen, not the other way around! Also, he's away at college, nominally on his own. Yes, I'm a mom and I get it, but what, is she going to be lonely forever? When does she get to be a woman with a life again?), she didn't shy away from the truth and she was good about thinking about the consequences, taking into account both her feelings and Gage's. Gage was almost too good to be true. He barely allowed himself to be frustrated. I think I'm a pretty patient person, but no way could I have dealt with Sally without snapping at some point. But he loved her so he waited for her - without losing his marbles. He was pretty smug and gleeful when they woke up married, though, and I felt happy for him1
Tinsel by Devney Perry - Sofia has had a horrible day. She thought being in the magazine shoot would boost her cred as a socialite, but instead, the writer focuses on her failed marriages and lack of purpose. They present her as shallow and make her look bad. She takes off to visit her brother in Montana and maybe lick her wounds. Her sister-in-law leaves her in the care of Dakota, who is essentially the bar manager. He's not too thrilled to be babysitting a spoiled princess, but once he stops to really look at her, he sees something that everyone else has missed. (part of the Lark Cove series) 386 pages
I feel like there was a missed opportunity here within the family structure. Sofia became the party girl princess because she couldn't get attention from anyone in her family. Her father ignored her, her brother and sister walked all over her and pushed her aside, and her mother was sympathetic but encouraged her to hide who she truly was (not being so emotional where people could see). But there was no talk of that. We see how great her brother is (and I realize he's a H from another book, so of course he's wonderful - we're not going to come in after the fact and make him a bad guy, but...), but her sister and dad are still pretty terrible and it would have been nice for the rest of the family to get clued in to how they made her the person she became - how they, in effect, damaged her. She wanted to be someone worth loving though - she just didn't know how to change herself and that's where Dakota came in. Dakota could help guide Sofia, but he had his own problems with which she couldn't exactly reciprocate. Culture (and the preservation of) can be tricky in a modern pluralistic society, and having a hero struggle with that, so that the conflict is not something necessarily within the control of the couple, was an interesting bit of layering. (I do think it's a little strange that a man from one Native nation is named after another Native people.) This is the first novel I've read from this author, and I enjoyed her writing style. I also enjoyed the way she structured the timeline. So often, a romance story moves so fast, and it's a short time from start to finish. Here we didn't have the start of a conclusion until a year in - she wasn't afraid to keep the main characters apart (and not because they broke up, but just because of life!).
Christmas Inn Love by Samantha Chase - Cassidy has just taken over her parent's B&B; it's all she's ever wanted to do. But the place is run down and she's currently closed, working on renovations, and trying to do the majority of the work herself. Beckham is a former football player who is on a cross-country journey with his new dog in order to honor his recently deceased father. He has an accident in Silver Bell Falls and even though she's not opened yet, Cassidy takes in Beck and his dog. Even though both of them are feeling a little put-out, for different reasons, they quickly discover that they weren't looking for the right things but found the right person anyway. (part of the Silver Bell Falls series) 251 pages
Cassidy seemed a little neurotic - I mean, her mood swings (all of them connected to wanting to do everything around the inn completely by herself) were epic. But Beckham was a total sweetheart. He was grieving - not just this father but the loss of his career (which, just to be clear, was his decision, but still). Beyond the first night when he showed up grumpy as can be, he was so sweet and aware of Cass and what she needed. This was another story where they spent some time apart and it was solely because they were being mature adults. I did think the little drama at the end with who was paying the contractors was just manufactured conflict, but other than that, this was a good story. Very low steam though. I thought it was going to go ftb all the way for a while there, but it might as well have (just to be clear - not a clean read, just cleaner than my normal). There's a market for everything though, so maybe that's your jam!
You're Still The One by Erika Kelly - Griffin lives a solid life, running his auto shop and taking care of his friend's son while the friend is on a deployment. But then his ex Stella blows back into town. He's never gotten over her. Their relationship broke apart largely because of her impulsivity and his need for control. She's back and has jumped right back into that reckless, impulsive role, and while she's doing it to help him, he can't help but wonder if this is a good idea. He has someone who depends on him now and as much as his heart yearns for Stella, she might not be the best thing for him. (part of the Calamity Falls series) 410 pages
I've read one other Erika Kelley/Calamity Falls story - the one with Fin Bowie in it. I have the same problem with that one as I do with this one. In both stories: the couple was young but all loved up. Then the hero messed up (in Keep on Loving You Fin ditched her again and again for his brothers; in this one, he broke up with her after she did something impulsive ("we're done")) and the heroine broke up with him, took off, and found someone for a while. She comes back, they end up back together, and then the hero messes up in the exact same way he did before, after swearing he would never do it again. Even more, he did the same thing again after articulating that he understood now and would never do that and make her feel that way ever ever again. Griffin said he hated that she had been out there thinking he didn't believe in her and love and support her, etc. He said he would never make her feel that way again. Then when she did a thing that irritated him, instead of talking to her like a normal person, he freaked out and broke up with her, saying "We're done." She started out strong - left him with no hint of a reunion. But then he made a big gesture and she gave in. I don't understand that plot (in either book). Why would you keep taking someone back over and over, especially when they do the exact same thing each time? It's not like it's a series of unrelated or varied mistakes. It's the exact same thing two or three times. Stella definitely had her faults (her relationships with her family were messed up and her impulse control needed a leash, and the whole incident with the party was just dumb), and Griffin seemed like a good guy. But good guy or not, he wasn't good with Stella. It's like he felt like loving her and her loving him should give him some special latitude to make mistakes. Normally, I would say yes, but in this case, the mistake is hurting her over and over. It's worse that he knows what hurts her most and then keeps doing it. I really don't like this version of second-chance.
Entice Me by Kelly Elliott - Nash is getting over a bad relationship with a shallow golddigger when he meets his sister's new friend/business partner, Kaelynn. She just moved to Austin from Utah, and while they dance around each other for a while, Nash's biggest hesitation is that he thinks she's hiding something from him. She is, in fact, not exactly who she said. But when he learned her secret and finds out her reasons, will it be enough to keep them together? (part of the Austin Singles series) 245 pages
Not gonna lie, by the end of this story, I was mad. She was hiding a secret from you? Nah, not really. She used her mother's maiden name (not exactly witness protection-level name changing there, buddy). She didn't tell you that or the fact that her family is megawealthy because she's only known you for a couple of weeks. Everyone was mad at her - Nash, his sister/her friend, her sister, everyone. But why does she owe him every secret the minute they meet? Or even after a few dates? That actually didn't have anything to do with Nash, but the fact that he obviously had a chip on his shoulder with respect to money meant she wanted to tell him even less. I just feel like she did nothing wrong and people were acting out of proportion. But also, her taking off like she did at the wedding? I would have stayed to confront him! Of course, that would have shortened the book considerably.
Something So Irresistible by Natasha Madison - A few years ago, Max did something horrible to Allison's brother, and while they've all recovered, Max is still pretty much persona non grata with her family. Now that she's working for the hockey team that Max and Matthew (her brother) play for, she sees him every day. In fact, they keep running into each other (sometimes literally) until they realize that maybe they don't hate each other quite as much as they thought. (part of the Something So series) 242 pages
This was actually my favorite of the collection. I actually liked the writing style the least - the dialogue often sounded stilted because of the placement of (or more often, lack of) contractions. However, I enjoyed the story immensely. Max was a sweet cinnamon roll hero and had paid his dues with respect to the "feud." what he did:. He treated Allison so well and she gave him all the love she could find and then some. I don't normally like the hidden relationship trope, but in this case, I loved how they did it right under her brother's nose, with little inside jokes and acting like he was just giving her a ride home, and sure he would try to figure out if her new boyfriend was there waiting for her. This one was sweet with a couple that was loyal to each other and supportive all the time.
Christmas Inn Love - Samantha Chase Retired NFL superstar, Beckham, decided to mourn the death of his father by traveling cross country on a rode trip with his trusty side kick Maize. What he did not expect was to crash his van and end up in a small town of Silver Bell Falls. Cassidy has always loved her family's B&B but decided to close up during the holidays to make the renovations her dad always put off. With no where else to stay Beckham ends up staying with Cassidy, and an instant spark happens. But can they work through her renovation nightmares and his feelings of loss and trying to find himself? Can the holidays bring two unlikely people together with their HEA as an end result? Samantha Chase once again brings love back to Silver Falls and makes the Christmas holiday a joyous occasion for her characters. The town has a way of helping each other and bringing out the best in all of them.
Entice Me - Kelly Elliott I fell in love with Nash in the first book of the series and his heartbreaking tale needed a happier ending. Just when he thinks he will never find a woman worth his time he literally walks right into Kaelynn. Although an instant connection is felt it is not until baggage from both their lives comes into play and sets the romance into a standstill. Can Nash open his heart to someone who has similar circumstances to the one that destroyed him? Can Kaelynn help him understand that he is in fact good enough to love? Honest, emotional and filled with passion and understanding this was a fabulous read.
Just Beautiful! I just finished reading 'Swept into Love' in the 'Winter & Holiday Box Set' and it reminded me why I love Melissa Fosters's stories so much. It just flows from scene to scene and is filled with love, caring and heat. It clearly shows the true values of life. This one yanked at my heartstrings and it made me laugh and cry in all the right places. Thank you Melissa, for a delightful glimpse into Gage's and Sally's lives. I am sure the other stories in this box set will be just as entertaining. I received the Box Set as a free gift and my review is given voluntarily.
Prepare to find stories of love and challenge, complications and hot sexy scenes. I was familiar with a few of the authors and plan to be more familiar with the others. Fun and serious, family and protective instincts, proposals to make you go "awwwe" and actions you want to reach within the pages and smack some upside the head. A fun book which will keep you turning the pages. Bravo!!!
I received a free copy of this book via BookFunnel and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I did not read the complete box set however what I did read I did not like. I had read Tinsel before by Devney Perry, and it was okay.
Swept into Love by Melissa Foster and Christmas Inn Love by Samantha Chase I did not finish. If you're interested I did review each of the three books under their own title.
I did not read the last three books in this box set because I wasn't impressed with what I did read and did not wish to waste anymore time.
I always enjoy these collections and this one didn't disappoint. My favorite was the hockey romance between Max and Allison, written by Natasha Madison. Max, like all of us, is flawed and has made mistakes in the past. Allison and her family are full of love and support except for Mad Max. The steamy romance spans a hockey season where the sexual tension exceeds the competition on the ice.
I loved the big book particularly, the end! Don’t skip ahead or you’ll miss all the reason it meant so much! It was longer then I expected but, was well worth reading! I love Melissa’s books ! Needless to say I loved this book & would highly recommend reading this!