Bøker av Stephanie Ruth

Jacqueline O'Neil has a recurring dream that she's on fire, and not in a good way.Concealing her nightmare past and less-than-auspicious upbringing with a veneer of high-end clothing, Jac's determined to prove herself the antithesis of her alcoholic mother. On a long overdue holiday in the heart of Otago, the clothing designer has stolen precious time to re-evaluate her life, but the instant the downstairs tenant arrives all thoughts of relaxing go up in flames. Jonno Thompson-builder and one time one-night stand-has been the proverbial pain in Jac's ass for two years now, and it looks like he's just been warming up. What the hell does he think he's doing, crashing her vacation?If Jonno had known he'd be met at the door by a feisty hell-cat wielding a kitchen knife, he might have re-evaluated his need to escape his all-femme family. Forced proximity fuels the powder keg just itching to explode between these two polar opposites, but the more information Jonno coerces out of the self-made, take-no-prisoners redhead, the more he realises they're alike... Much more alike than either of them would like to admit.Gritty secrets are enticing to unfold, but they can also unravel the very fabric of a person and tear them apart. What's that saying about courting danger? Oh, yes... 'Feel the fear and do it anyway...' And Jac is about to become a master at it.

"People who maintain there are six degrees of separation have clearly never been to Aotearoa. Make it two, and you're getting warmer..." - Stephanie Ruth Six addictive short stories by award winning New Zealand writer, Stephanie Ruth, celebrating warmth of connection, and the Kiwi phenomenon of one-degree-of-separation. Linked to the Otago Waters series, these quirky romance tidbits can all be read as standalone. A beginning and ending for Poppy and Clementine, torn apart by distance, but stoutly stitched back together with shared history. The Bit That Means Something is concluded in Lead a Horse to Water. Katie weathers a stinky pheromone experiment in Scent, Not Sensibility, a newbie gardener learns all about life's laterals in Heads or Tails, and identities and intentions are not what they seem in Second Act. Fancy a spot of baking? Perhaps not from Talulah's kitchen! She refuses to follow the recipe in Heaped Teaspoons. Add a Splash of Love is the first anthology of short stories in Stephanie Ruth's Otago Waters series, set in the beautiful South Island of New Zealand. You can sign on to Stephanie's newsletter to receive a exclusive short stories, bonus prologues, epilogues, and cut scenes with all the characters you love, at www.stephanie-ruth.com For the first full length novel in this series, read Mako Bay.

What does it take to shift deep-seated betrayal? Adele Fergus switched back to her maiden name with plans to never look back-never think about her naïve, short-lived marriage to James Montague. But that was before he turned up on her Wānaka doorstep with her missing diamonds, an unlikely backstory, and persistent requests for visitation with his ex-stepdaughter. Adele's hell-bent on keeping James at arms-length, but it's not easy with old attractions still running hot. What's more, she's beginning to suspect she may have left him on false information. Divorce was never in James' game-plan, so when his ex-wife's jewellery comes to light, it's excuse enough to be drawn back to her-welcome or not-and he isn't leaving until he has all the answers. The more the exes re-learn to trust each other, the more they come to realise someone was intent on dragging them apart from the very beginning. Someone close. Is it worth risking everything to start again? Authors note: Though this story ends with an HEA, it also includes references to a historical miscarriage, depression, and suicide. Please read at your own discretion. Winner of both the Daphne Clair de Jong First Kiss and RWNZ Great Beginnings competition, LAKE TAIMANA is a contemporary love story set in the stunning Lakes District in southern New Zealand. The third novel by emerging Kiwi writer, Stephanie Ruth, it can be read as a standalone, or in conjunction with two other linked love stories in the OTAGO WATERS series. Intended for readers who enjoy their feel-good, slow-burn romance on the steamy side. Sign on to Stephanie Ruth's newsletter to receive bonus short stories, prologues, epilogues, and cut scenes set in the same world, with the characters you love. www.stephanie-ruth.com

First impressions are hard to shake...>Kanako is everything Daniel isn't, and nothing he's used to. Commitment doesn't come easily to a player who's been burnt so publicly before, but if he can't learn to trust this fresh-faced, quirky artist-in-residence, he could well lose her altogether. Like the swallows, Kanako's only in Otago for the season. But willing or not, the self-proclaimed introvert is being slowly absorbed into small town life on the lake, and she's in grave danger of falling in love with it. RUBY ISLAND is the second story in Stephanie Ruth's Otago Waters series, set in the beautiful South Island of Aotearoa, New Zealand. Each book stands alone, but reading them in order provides a deeper experience. Intended for readers who enjoy their slow-burn, feel-good romance on the steamy side, and promising a happily ever after. Authors note: Though this story ends with an HEA, it also includes references to a historical drowning, and addiction. Please read at your own discretion. Sign on to Stephanie Ruth's newsletter to receive bonus short stories, prologues, epilogues, and cut scenes set in the same world at www.stephanie-ruth.com

Shal Hoffner's back in Dunedin after eight years of self-imposed exile. Setting up a new fashion boutique, and juggling bridesmaid duties for her best friend's upcoming wedding, she's determined to forget her ripped-up past, soulless love-life, and the guy who broke her heart. She should've known it wouldn't be that simple. Assuming the proximity of Cameron Dante (builder, guitarist, surf-buddy, and old flatmate) the least of her worries? Big mistake. Huge. Because there's more to the past than Shal knows, on a collision course with her immediate future, and if she can't stick to friends-with-benefits there's a chance she could snap. Just like before. 'No promises, no commitment, and no exclusive rights.' Shal's mantra is fast losing traction, and it's all Cam's fault. He's not the shy surfer-down-the-hall he once was, and he's out to prove something, no matter the cost. He's been in love with Shal forever, so what's he got to lose? His new-found roots, his music career, his very heart and soul... Pretty much everything, actually. Winner of the Daphne Clair de Jong First Kiss award and finalist in the Koru Award of Excellence, MAKO BAY is the first story in Stephanie Ruth's Otago Waters series, set in the beautiful South Island of Aotearoa, New Zealand. Each book stands alone, but reading them in order provides a deeper experience. Intended for readers who enjoy their slow-burn, feel-good romance on the steamy side, with the promise of a happily ever after. Reader discretion advised, this novel deals with the trauma of a past car accident. Sign on to Stephanie Ruth's newsletter to receive bonus short stories, prologues, epilogues, and cut scenes set in the same world, with the characters you love. www.stephanie-ruth.com