Kyle Hicks started with nothing. Now he’s a self-made man. And as luck would have it, his latest project as a real estate developer lands him in Cliffside Bay with his very best friends, The Dogs. At the end of his grueling work days, Kyle’s got just enough time left for his buddies and not much else. Except maybe another of his many no-strings-attached trysts with whatever sexy lady catches his eye.
Violet Ellis is struggling. She’s a single mother, the proprietor of a near-failing shop, and a champion for the historical integrity of her dear Cliffside Bay. She has enough to deal with between her three-year-old son and her languishing business, but she’s still prepared to take on real estate mogul Kyle Hicks to save the charm of the place she calls home.
When a twist of fate forces these two to put aside their differences and rely on one another, they just might find that sometimes the strongest love grows out of the hurts and the scars that we carry with us always.
The fourth installment of The Cliffside Bay Series by bestselling author Tess Thompson follows the interwoven stories of five best friends, the beach community they love, and the women who captivate them. Prepare to get lost in a wave of small town charm, men you want to take home to your mother, and smart, resilient heroines you wished lived next door.
And check out the first book in the Cliffside Bay Series, Traded – it’s currently FREE! Plus, all the books can be read as standalones!
Brody Mullen is the best quarterback in the AFL, and his Super Bowl win only confirms what he’s suspected his entire career: romantic entanglements are bad for his game. No women. No sex. No problems. But after hiring a beautiful nurse to care for his mother, his resolve begins to weaken.
The small coastal town of Cliffside Bay, California seems like the perfect place to start over for Kara Eaton. Shielded by her new identity from the Witness Protection Program, she takes a job as a nurse and commits to never speaking of her past, lest she risk losing her life. The only problem? Falling for the handsome football player who hires her.
The first installment of The Cliffside Bay Series by bestselling author Tess Thompson follows the interwoven stories of five best friends, the beach community they love, and the women who captivate them. Prepare to get lost in a wave of small town charm, men you want to take home to your mother, and smart, resilient heroines you wished lived next door.
The Cliffside Bay Series will include multiple volumes of sweet romance, all of which may be read and enjoyed as standalones!
Jackson Waller has loved Maggie Keene since they were six years old, but their dueling dreams ultimately tore them apart. First love—true love—wasn’t enough to overcome their individual desires to pursue dreams on opposite coasts. When Jackson learns of Maggie’s tragic death on her way to college on the east coast, his heartbreak, compounded by grief, renews his focus on his own future. He vows to do nothing but work toward his goal of becoming a doctor, and maybe enjoy the companionship of his new college buddies, The Dogs.
Maggie Keene left Cliffside Bay with two things: a broken heart and her ambition. For twelve years she relentlessly pursues her dream of a musical theater career in New York City, but when she learns her father is dying, she returns home to find the truth about her family’s ugly past. There, she discovers two things that will change everything: one, the bitter old man has spread a wild rumor that she has been dead for over a decade; and two, Doctor Jackson Waller is also back in Cliffside Bay—with his brand-new fiancée.
The second installment of The Cliffside Bay Series by bestselling author Tess Thompson follows the interwoven stories of five best friends, the beach community they love, and the women who captivate them. Prepare to get lost in a wave of small town charm, men you would love to take home to your mother, and smart, resilient heroines you wished lived next door.
Zane Shaw no longer believes in love. Since his fiancée ran off with the husband of her maid-of-honor, Zane’s given up on women and has returned home to Cliffside Bay to run his father’s bar and grill. Between days spent on his surfboard, nights filled with running his thriving establishment, and the loving presence of his old college buddies, The Dogs, Zane’s life is about as good as it can get. That is, until Honor Sullivan arrives in town.
Honor Sullivan has it made. An abused and neglected kid from the foster system, she’s fought her way to the top. Now the assistant to professional quarterback Brody Mullen, Honor’s head for business has her running the athlete’s life with precision and grace. She has a beautiful home, a jet-setting life, and most importantly, no romantic entanglements. Men do nothing but spread pain. But when Zane Shaw melts her heart, she’ll have to decide whether she can risk being vulnerable—to anyone—again.
The third installment of The Cliffside Bay Series by bestselling author Tess Thompson follows the interwoven stories of five best friends, the beach community they love, and the women who captivate them. Prepare to get lost in a wave of small town charm, men you would love to take home to your mother, and smart, resilient heroines you wished lived next door.
“Honor, what can we do to help with the baby?”
“Baby 101, that’s what,” Honor said as they followed her into the elevator. “We had one of the staff go out and get formula and diapers.” She put a keycard into a slot and punched the top floor button.
The elevator moved. Dakota squealed. “Elevator, Mama.”
Violet’s stomach lurched as they came to a stop. They all exited into a hallway. A plush, sage-green carpet felt wonderful under her feet, like walking on a firm mattress. She would love to take off her shoes and let it soothe her tired feet. The scent of lilies from a vase on a rectangular table tickled her nose. Where did he get lilies this time of year? Probably flown in from some third world country for exorbitant amounts of money. None of which trickled down to the poor farmers who grew them.
“Dakota, this is a very special floor,” Honor said. “Kyle’s a part owner so he stays in the very nicest suite in the whole resort.”
“Wow,” Dakota said.
“He’s not Superman,” Violet said under her breath.
Honor shot her a look. “Be nice. You have the power right now.”
“I’ll try not to let it go to my head,” Violet said.
“Stop being so grumpy,” Honor said. “Wait until you see this baby. She’s precious. Seriously, you’ll want to eat her up.”
“Eat a baby?” Dakota asked.
“Not really,” Honor said. “It just means she’s yummy. I mean, she’s pretty and I just want to kiss her all over.”
“Oh,” Dakota said. “That’s weird.”
“I have a thing for babies,” Honor said. “What can I say?”
Violet flushed with shame. Honor couldn’t have a baby of her own. Seeing a newborn must hurt. And here was cavalier Kyle Hicks with one just dropped into his lap like everything else in the man’s life.
They reached the door of the suite. Honor didn’t bother to knock; she simply pressed the keycard against the door and entered, gesturing for Violet and Dakota to follow.
“Don’t be loud,” Violet said to Dakota. “The baby might be sleeping.”
Dakota mimicked her finger to her lips and made a shushing sound.
When they entered the suite, Violet had to physically restrain herself from gasping out loud. The suite was magnificent. The same white marble floors as the lobby shone under the light of a chandelier made of sparkling glass. Posh, richly hued furniture in greens and purples, fluffy rugs, and glass tabletops with silver trim were arranged in geometric perfection. Paintings of various bright and vibrant flowers decorated the creamy sage walls. The bank of windows looked out on the entire town of Cliffside Bay, surrounding country roads, forests, and meadows. If it weren’t foggy today, or you would be able to see the endless waters of the Pacific.
She quickly forgot all of that at the sight of Kyle Hicks with a baby in his arms. A spot of sunshine had broken through the gray sky and washed the room and the man in a warm glow. She drew closer, mesmerized. He cradled the baby against his chest and softly sang “You Are My Sunshine.” Kyle Hicks knew a lullaby. Go figure.
Like most of her characters, Tess Thompson hails from a small town and will always feel like a small town girl, despite the fact she’s lived in Seattle for over twenty-five years. She loves music and dancing, books and bubble baths, cooking and wine, movies and snuggling. She cries at sappy commercials and thinks kissing in the rain should be done whenever possible. Although she tries to act like a lady, there may or may not have been a few times in the last several years when she’s gotten slightly carried away watching the Seattle Seahawks play, but that could also just be a nasty rumor.
She currently lives in a suburb of Seattle, Washington with her brand new husband, the hero of her own love story, and their Brady Bunch clan of two sons, two daughters and five cats, all of whom keep her too busy, often confused, but always amazed. Yes, that’s four kids and five cats. Pray for her.
