Michelle Pennington Books in Order

Ashley Wright finishes college in Utah disappointed that love has not accompanied her degree. Returning home shortly before Christmas, she hopes time with her family will ease her loneliness and help her forget the man she still wishes she could have.

Rylie is delighted when her longtime crush invites her to senior prom, but she must earn money for a dress. A babysitting job seems the perfect solution until an unexpected encounter and a moonlit lullaby change what she wants from romance.

High-school photographer Sienna Whitfield uses her camera to challenge the social behavior of a popular classmate. The experiment creates more trouble than she expected, while her attraction to new student Lee Franklin becomes another secret she must keep from her mother.

After her photography experiment leaves her injured, Sienna Whitfield finally gains permission to date Lee Franklin. His promising basketball career and her own ambitions pull them toward different futures, testing their relationship as further trouble threatens Sienna's plans.

Designer Ava Grisham plans to leave her employer after the holiday season and start her own company. Hiring handyman Hunter Newman disrupts those plans, while his efforts to restore her enjoyment of Christmas challenge her resistance to his carefree personality.

Charlotte Mabry moves to Alabama with her son after a marriage damaged by her husband's obsession with money. Billionaire Nate Haverton, her son's t-ball coach, wants a relationship, but his wealth and well-meant interventions threaten her willingness to trust him.

Assistant Kate Ryan resigns before Christmas because working for billionaire Christopher Warren has become painful while she secretly loves him. Determined to keep her, Christopher spends time with Kate at a mountain cabin and discovers feelings his previous relationships never awakened.

Reclusive author Julie mentions musician Ryland in a video for her readers, and he responds with an interest in meeting her. Their connection asks Julie to confront her anxiety and step outside her sheltered life, where other threats also await.

Cookie-shop owner Ruth Haynes faces new competition when former high-school crush Mason Baker opens a chocolate store next door. Renewed attraction becomes difficult to separate from business rivalry, especially when both pursue a catering contract Ruth needs to keep her shop secure.

Siren Narissa wants a peaceful life on land instead of luring human men into the sea for her people. Falling for River leads her to seek Poseidon's help, but the choice draws him into a dangerous underwater world she hoped to escape.

Hannah Rhodes becomes nanny to billionaire Carter Ellis's daughter while hiding that she owns the beachfront property he wants to buy. Seeing his devotion as a father deepens her attraction, but their conflicting plans for the land put trust at risk.

Consultant Jill Harris wants to prove her place in her father's firm and avoid romantic distractions. An assignment with billionaire Blake McDaniel complicates both goals, while his reluctance to date a career-focused woman challenges the attraction developing between them.

With college approaching, Kat wants her first kiss to be with Tate, her best friend's older brother. Keeping that crush secret protects her friendship, but a summer dare pushes her to consider taking the romantic chance she has avoided for years.

A book-loving young woman wants her first romance to lead to something lasting, rather than a brief summer fling. Asking charming friend Dante for help attracts her to the very man she believes is least interested in the future she imagines.

Kara hides her pregnancy from an ex-husband whose dealings frighten her, then seeks help from longtime love Warren. He offers marriage and refuge aboard his yacht to protect her and her baby, but keeping his feelings concealed becomes increasingly difficult.

Actress Veronica Pantoni faces damaging rumors that she broke up co-star Chris Sanderson's relationship. Cast together again, they struggle to contain an attraction neither wants to acknowledge, while danger beyond Hollywood gossip threatens their chance of a future together.

Fashion designer Serenity still loves Prince Alexios, whose political engagement appears to rule out their future. A threat from her past sends her to his palace for safety, even though designing his bride's wedding dress means confronting the relationship she lost.

Gavin and Holly resist their attraction because their boss forbids employees from dating and pursues Holly himself. When Gavin intervenes to protect her, an early snowstorm traps them in the boss's remote cabin shortly before Christmas, testing their restraint.

A misplaced love note threatens Patience's reputation after a rake's attention seemed irresistible. As her feelings turn toward Lord Stanton, the prospect of scandal and her lack of a dowry complicate whether the proper nobleman could ever choose to marry her.

A summer that brings romance to her friends leaves a young woman unexpectedly spending time with Zane, a boy she finds unbearably annoying. Helping with his scheme changes their connection, making a kiss seem like a dangerous step beyond their familiar rivalry.

A sporty young woman bets a friend that she can meet someone new and experience her first kiss before summer ends. Turning to best friend Cooper for advice creates unexpected confusion as his strange behavior suggests their relationship is changing too.

A woman expects a memorable goodnight kiss with Logan Jennings to be their farewell. His arrival at her office instead puts him in charge of decisions affecting her company and job, complicating their attraction during a brief and consequential visit.

After repeated disastrous first kisses, Rian tries to focus on work and renovating houses with best friend Troy. Attraction to a new colleague makes solving her kissing problem urgent, but Troy's offer of practice risks changing their friendship into something more.

A woman reluctantly agrees to accompany her neighbor and landlord Damien to a family wedding in exchange for a favor. Pretending to date him means navigating his matchmaking mother and scheming former girlfriend, while their growing friendship makes the performance increasingly complicated.

Newly divorced Grace moves to a Willow Falls apartment with her young daughter, determined to create Christmas on a limited budget. Discovering former love Sam across the hall revives old feelings, but regret and responsibility make a second chance difficult to accept.

A young divorced mother juggles studying, bills, and childcare when her first love returns to Willow Falls for Christmas. Matt's growing country-music fame seems to put him beyond reach, yet his wish to see her again challenges her fear of renewed heartbreak.

Angela is attracted to Adam, a new colleague at Booms and Nibbles, but her best friend secures a date with him first. Their disagreements over work and his guarded behavior complicate Angela's determination to discover whether he returns her feelings.

Celebrity assistant Everly hires reluctant bodyguard Jack Prescot to protect her threatened employer, Harlow Kline. A summer retreat brings Everly and Jack closer, but her hidden wounds, loyalty to Harlow, and the danger following them complicate their growing relationship.

Determined to escape her family’s control, Aubrey recruits food truck owner Lane as a pretend boyfriend before Willow Falls’ Christmas ball. Real feelings threaten her plan to leave just as a promising job offers the independence she wants.

Ren claims a new colleague is her ex before discovering he is the company’s incoming chief executive. Matthew uses their pretend history against his scheming cousin, but their shared deception becomes complicated when his performance starts feeling real.

Pennington examines how scene tropes can strengthen romantic chemistry, develop characters, and keep a plot moving. More than 250 examples help writers address stalled middles and writer’s block while building emotional tension between their central couple.