Bøker av Carla Laureano

"Ever since Olivia Quinn lost her husband to a plane crash, she's been focused on one thing--making a stable life for her teen stepdaughter, Taylor, of whom she's the sole guardian. But when she loses her job as a children's book editor because she refuses to relocate to New York, three years of hard-won stability are shattered. Then the opportunity arises to open Liv's dream bookshop in Haven Ridge. The venture offers not only the solution to her financial problems, but a chance to bond with her stepdaughter and become a real family for the first time. Soon, the wild idea transforms into a thriving nonprofit, thanks to the generosity and enthusiasm of the town--and a handsome contractor who stirs feelings in Liv she thought might be gone forever. But just as she begins to lean into the new life she's made for herself, a figure from her late husband's past puts the life she's been building with Taylor in jeopardy. And Liv must face the possibility that following her heart might just cost her a daughter"--

Welcome to Haven Ridge, Colorado-a fading town that might just have a little magic left...Travel writer Mallory Adams accepted her latest assignment on the mountain towns of southern Colorado in the hopes it would offer an escape from all the recent failures in her life-quitting her history graduate studies, losing her apartment, being dumped by her boyfriend for another woman. So when a series of mishaps lands her in the dying town of Haven Ridge, it feels more like a punishment than an opportunity.Thomas Rivas returned home after a personal tragedy to find Haven Ridge much diminished. But when a plucky and beautiful writer blows into his family's cafe-something that his mystic-minded Granny Pearl claims is no accident-it seems like the chance to put the town back on the map. Soon Thomas makes it his mission to make Mallory fall in love with Haven Ridge and its fascinating, forgotten past-he just doesn't expect to lose his own heart in the bargain.With its quirky cast of characters, sweet love-after-loss romance, and small-town mystery, The Brick House Cafe reminds us that it's never too late to believe in the magic of second chances.

"When Gemma left her hometown of Haven Ridge, Colorado, she swore she'd never return. And she's kept that promise, leaving old shadows behind and building her reputation as one of LA's preeminent family law attorneys. But when her lifelong best friend begs Gemma to come stay with her teen stepdaughter while she's on a business trip, she doesn't have the heart to refuse. She'll simply keep a low profile, do her honorary aunt duties for Taylor, and be gone before anyone notices. But Haven Ridge seems to have a mind of its own, and before she knows it, Gemma finds herself caught up with new friends and old rivalries. When Taylor is targeted by teen bullies, Gemma does the only thing she knows how to do: ply her honorary niece with baked goods and words of affirmation. Soon her temporary lodgings are ground zero for teenage girls seeking sugar and consolation for shockingly adult problems--which the girls soon dub the Broken Hearts Bakery. Complicating matters is an unexpected reunion with Gemma's high school sweetheart, Stephen, who is determined to change her mind about him, the town, and the nature of love itself. Because as it turns out, her niece isn't the only one nursing a broken heart."--Provided by publisher.

"Recently widowed Serena MacDonald Stewart focuses on her children to the exclusion of her career, her art, and her sanity. When her brothers ask her to oversee the family guest house on the Isle of Skye, it's a chance to dust off her long-ignored business skills and make a new start. But her hopes for a smooth transition are dashed when the hotel manager, Malcolm Blake, turns out to be irritating, condescending . . . and incredibly attractive. Malcolm Blake gave up everything-his home, his girlfriend, and his career-to return to Skye and raise his late sister's teenage daughter. With few job opportunities available on the island, he signs on as the manager of the MacDonald family hotel, which he's soon running successfully without interference from the owners. That is, until Serena shows up, challenging his authority and his conviction that there's nothing missing from his new life on Skye. Before long, Serena and Malcolm have to admit the spark between them is more than mere irritation. But as single parents, there's more on the line than their own hearts. Will their commitment to family be the thing that draws them together or the only thing that could keep them apart?"--

Analyn Sanchez can handle the long hours and arrogant clients that come with her job as a crisis management associate at Denver's largest publicity firm. The high-powered job, expensive condo, and designer wardrobe are all part of her plan to prove to her family that her life choices haven't been in vain. But when she's asked to cover up a client's misdeeds with serious moral and legal ramifications, she can no longer sacrifice her conscience for her career . . . and the cost is no less than her job. Ever since a devastating climbing accident in South America eight months ago, and a bad decision that dried up his sponsorships, professional rock climber Bryan Shaw has found himself at similar loose ends. When the opportunity to buy a coffee farm in Colombia arises, he jumps on it -- only to discover his wandering ways have left him utterly unprepared to run a business. When Bryan returns home and offers Ana a role in his company as a solution to both their problems, she's desperate enough to consider working with the far-too-flippant and far-too-handsome climber, even though he's the polar opposite of her type A nature. As they delve deeper into the business, however, she begins to suspect there's much more to Bryan than she's given him credit for . . . and that sometimes the best plans are the ones you never see coming.

Irish photojournalist Grace Brennan travels the world's war zones documenting the helpless and forgotten. After the death of her friend and colleague, Grace is shaken.She returns to London hoping to rekindle the spark with the only man she ever loved-Scottish businessman Ian MacDonald. But he gave up his championship rowing career and dreams of Olympic gold years ago for Grace . . . only for her to choose photography over him. Will life's tides bring them back together . . . or tear them apart for good this time?

RITA award winner!Andrea Sullivan is so consumed by her hospitality-consultant job that she's forgotten what brings her joy. She dreads her new assignment-a last chance to snag a high-profile client in Scotland. Yet the lush Isle of Skye transcends her preconceptions. As does the man she must impress, the rugged, blue-eyed Scotsman James MacDonald.He's passionate about cooking, but after six restaurants, four cookbooks, and his own television show, he's grown weary of the scrutiny that comes with living in the public eye.Soon Andrea and James begin to sense these five days in Skye together may just be God's wild invitation into deeper life . . . and truer love.

Denver chef Rachel Bishop has accomplished everything she's dreamed and some things she never dared hope, like winning a James Beard Award and heading up her own fine-dining restaurant. But when a targeted smear campaign causes her to be pushed out of the business by her partners, she vows to do whatever it takes to get her life back.