Simply the Best Read online

  Table of Contents

  Synopsis

  Praise for the works of Karin Kallmaker

  Other Bella Books by Karin Kallmaker

  About the Author

  Acknowledgments

  Dedication

  Part One Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Part Two Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Part Three Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Part Four Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Part Five Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Chapter Twenty-three

  Chapter Twenty-four

  Part Six Chapter Twenty-five

  Chapter Twenty-six

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  Chapter Twenty-eight

  Chapter Twenty-nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-one

  Chapter Thirty-two

  Part Seven Chapter Thirty-three

  Chapter Thirty-four

  Chapter Thirty-five

  Chapter Thirty-six

  Chapter Thirty-seven

  Chapter Thirty-eight

  Chapter Thirty-nine

  Part Eight Chapter Forty

  Chapter Forty-one

  Chapter Forty-two

  Chapter Forty-three

  Chapter Forty-four

  Chapter Forty-five

  Chapter Forty-six

  Chapter Forty-seven

  Chapter Forty-eight

  Chapter Forty-nine

  Bella Books

  Synopsis

  Simply the Worst…Alice Cabot’s only great love is science, but a lapse in judgment has exiled the New York journalist to the glitzy Gallerias and vapid bubble-babble of Beverly Hills. The assignment to do a flattering feature series on Simply the Best and the superficial nonsense it sells threatens to crush what little is left of her spirit.

  Simply the Best…Pepper Addington can’t believe she’s moved up from grunt intern to personal assistant for Helene Jolie, the celebrity socialite founder of SimplytheBest.com. Succeeding at the job she worked so hard to get is her only priority. Keep a cynical know-it-all reporter in check? She promises Helene that she can.

  Simply Irresistible…Expecting nothing but games from the beach-blond surfer girl that Helene Jolie has assigned to keep an eye on her, Alice is fully prepared to resist any and all of California’s charms. Or so she thinks.

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  Praise for the works of Karin Kallmaker

  Because I Said So

  Readers looking for a layered romance full of complicated feelings and a perfect ending will want to pick up this one. It might just be my favourite book from Kallmaker and it’s one I’ll come back to again.

  -The Lesbian Review

  —“Because I Said So,” was an incredibly fun read with some extra helpings of angst, internal and external, to elevate it to a true romance drama. Plus, I utterly enjoyed Kallmaker’s mischievous play with irony when it came to the implications of the “love at first sight” experience! Sneaky!

  I recommend it to fans who enjoy a richly portrayed, well-written, well-researched tale of romance with a slightly different, eccentric, exotic and an all-around fun, flavour to it! I, for one, had a blast with it!

  -Bugs Cheeky, NetGalley

  Because I Said So by Karin Kallmaker is a beautiful, though angst-filled love story. As a veteran author with some thirty books to her name, Karin is obviously skilled in writing great stories, and this book is a great example of her work.

  This is a character/relationship driven novel, you will not find a lot of action or adventure here. For this kind of story, you really need well-defined characters, and Ms. Kallmaker has provided exactly that. These characters have depth. There is also a great deal of chemistry, especially between Kesa and Shannon. Their attraction crackles with electricity from their first meeting to the last page. Josie and Paz present as first loves with all the youthful enthusiasm you expect from this age, including the flashes of immaturity young adults sometime display. The characters make this story, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading their tale. If you enjoy a good romance with great characters and a fair bit of angst in the story, then this book is for you.

  -Betty H., NetGalley

  My Lady Lipstick

  Kallmaker fans and newcomers, both, will delight in this new tale. It has a well-written plot with innovative character drama and a love story that doesn’t disappoint. The romance sparkles, the characters are enchanting, and their struggles are fascinating. Don’t miss the distinctive pink cover, likely a tongue-in-cheek reference to “Anita’s” grumble about her own covers! My Lady Lipstick is an intelligent and charming work that’s sure to please.

  -Lambda Literary Review

  My Lady Lipstick is one heck of a ride and I loved every page. There were so many lovely touches that added layers to the story. I especially loved the gaming references, the baking and cooking and the depth of the characters. Both characters are expertly drawn and easy to love. I appreciated that Kallmaker made one a wonderfully complex and relatable butch. We need more butch women who are more than just one-dimensional characters. There is also something particularly special about this book. I can’t quite put my finger on what it is, but there is no doubt that this going to be one of my favourites.

  -The Lesbian Review

  Karin Kallmaker writes exceedingly good romances, and this one is a masterful mixture of a fun tale, delightful characters and her wicked sense of humour. It isn’t full of laugh out loud moments, but the more subtle wit that raises a smile at the play on words and the sarcastic banter. Add in Shakespearean character flaws along with the essential growth of our leading ladies and we have a classic. The whole is a perfectly wrapped bundle of enjoyment for anyone who likes a good romance.

  -Lesbian Reading Room

  With this two likable characters, some great secondary characters and her usual mature writing style, Kallmaker told us a very interesting story of deception, loneliness, vulnerability, broken dreams (and bones), family… and, of course, love. …My Lady Lipstick is a well-written story that I really liked and can easily recommend. If you have never read any of Karin Kallmaker’s books (she has written nearly thirty novels; what are you waiting for!?), this one can be a good start.

  -Pin’s Reviews, goodreads

  I was also really happy with the pace of the book. I would say the book is slightly longer than average, but it never really lagged for me. I never felt bored, and really enjoyed the actual concept of the book. When it came to the romance, at first I thought maybe the characters had jumped into bed a little fast. But with how the rest of the story unfolded, I was okay with it. There was no rushing to say “I love you.” I actually really appreciate that as it seems to happen too often lately in lesfic romances. The romance instead felt like it progressed really organically. Not including the one angsty part, I actually felt the romance was one of the more realistic romances I have read in a while.

  This was absolutely the right romance at the right time for me.
I enjoyed this read and I hope others do as much as I did. If you are a Kallmaker fan, I believe you will be happy with this read.

  -Lex Kent’s Reviews, goodreads

  The Kiss That Counted

  For years CJ Roshe has lived with the fear that “The Gathering” would find her and make her pay for turning against them. Constantly looking over her shoulder she has meticulously created a new life with no room for close friends or lovers who might ask too many questions. But her carefully constructed life begins to unravel when she falls in love with the beautiful Karita… Full of suspense and mystery, award-winning Karin Kallmaker pens another page-turner that draws the reader in with her deeply moving characters and storytelling.

  -Cecilia Martin, Lambda Book Report

  The Kiss That Counted is Kallmaker at her finest—a not to be missed romance. She offers us characters with depth and dimension, along with a rich plot, peppered with an air of mystery to keep the reader turning pages long into the night. Read it to see if CJ will be able to take control of her past and if Karita will ever be able to let down her defenses to allow someone in again. Finally, read it to see if the kiss really counted.

  -Anna Furtado, Just About Write

  Kallmaker has used the darkness of Roshe and the glow of Hanssen to tell a story filled with mystery, excitement and danger. The Kiss That Counted is a gripping story that will delight Kallmaker fans, and win her many more.

  -R. Lynne, Just About Write

  There is a romance here, but there is also a bit of a mystery as the reader begins to wonder what CJ’s secret is and how she will resolve the problem once it is revealed. In the end, The Kiss That Counted is also a testimony to friendship and the changes it can cause in a person’s life. Kallmaker shows with the skill in this book why she deserves such a large fan following.

  -Lynne Pierce, Just About Write

  Love by the Numbers

  First class rom-com! A wonderful witty romance and a great tale of character development and growth… The romance is sweet and the sex is hot, all in all this had my dopamine, seratonin and oxytocin levels creeping higher and higher.

  -The Lesbian Reading Room

  The love story is engaging and is filled with just the right amount of tension to make the nerve endings buzz as Nicole and Lily learn to adapt to the inevitable result of their growing passion for one another. The characters are appealing in spite of—or perhaps because of—the secrets each one holds, preventing them from opening their hearts. The story line is appealing and draws the reader in. It’s also filled with that tongue-in-cheek, ever-so-sassy humor that Kallmaker does so well… Another win!

  -Lambda Literary Review

  Engrossing, Romantic and Sexy… Kallmaker’s writing is so vivid—she paints the picture so wonderfully it’s as if I’m right there with the characters, seeing what they are seeing, smelling the same aromas, tasting the same food. It’s wonderful! I’ve never been to the places Nicole and Lily visit, but that doesn’t matter. They are brought to life so beautifully I feel as if I have a scrapbook of my own… Love by the Numbers is another of Kallmaker’s books that has been added to my “re-read” pile.

  -Frivolous Views

  Maybe Next Time

  No “formula” romance, Maybe Next Time is an engrossing, compelling story of redemption, healing and surviving. Kallmaker has explored complicated themes and done so with heart and a touch of humor. In this reader’s opinion, it is one of her best novels.

  -Midwest Book Review

  Maybe Next Time, winner of a Lambda Literary Award for Romance, has everything readers expect from a love story, but with an edge… Filled with angst, sensitivity, intimacy, and joy, Maybe Next Time delivers a memorable tale. With flawed but likeable main characters, an intriguing plot with many surprises, award-winning prose and flawless editing, this five-star novel epitomizes great romantic fiction. And in this reader’s opinion, Karin Kallmaker tells it beautifully.

  -Just About Write

  Painted Moon

  Painted Moon is a classic that could very well become the next Curious Wine.

  -Lesbian Review of Books

  Painted Moon has what this reader considers classic Kallmaker elements with interesting characters, wry wit and steamy love scenes. (Some of the images of Jackie and Leah have lingered in my mind for years.) If you missed this title the first time around, or if you are new to Kallmaker’s novels, pick up a copy of Painted Moon and bask its glow.

  -Midwest Book Review

  Warming Trend

  Kallmaker has given us insight into human emotion along with beautiful descriptions of the Alaskan glacial terrain. Warming Trend will teach as well as entertain, and the broken relationship between Eve and Ani will have the reader on tenterhooks until the end.

  -Anna Furtado, Just About Write

  Kallmaker has given her fans a beautifully written novel, complete with breathtaking descriptions of Alaska. Hers is not the Alaska of the cruise lines, but the heart of Alaska, with particular attention to its glaciers, ice, and northern lights… She has told her story with great language, wit, and warmth. She’s even included a very large, very lovable dog. If you’re a Kallmaker fan, or if you’re new to her work, Warming Trend is not to be missed.

  -R. Lynne Watson, Just About Write

  Substitute for Love

  Kallmaker is a genius. I loved the angst, the drama and the passion… The story construction is fantastic. You get a really personal point of view from both characters. This takes a gifted storyteller, but never fear Kallmaker is here.

  -The Lesbian Review

  What would you do for someone you loved? It’s easy to say you’d climb mountains and swim oceans, but when faced with a desperate choice, what would you do? That’s the dilemma facing Reyna in Karin Kallmaker’s newest, and I think, darkest novel… Kallmaker does a fine job exploring the anguish of Reyna’s life, and the second plot, concerning a mathematician, is equally well-developed. Her major and minor characters are credible and spirited, a pleasure to meet and, sometimes, to hate. Substitute for Love may just be the best Kallmaker I’ve read in a long time, and given her extraordinary talent, that’s saying something.

  -Deborah Pffeifer, Bay Area Reporter

  I’ve never been big on reading romance novels, which is why I’m so surprised to come to the revelation that I’m hooked on Karin Kallmaker’s books… Substitute for Love is no exception. It doesn’t seem likely for Holly, who is in a long-term straight relationship, to get involved with Reyna, who writes press releases and articles for a conservative, anti-gay Christian group, but it happens. As the story unfolds, Holly finds out some secrets about her past, while we find out the reason why Reyna has the job she has. This may be one of Karin Kallmaker’s best and most engrossing books yet.

  -Deborah DiRusso, Womyn’s Words

  Her plots are textured, her characters are engaging, her sex scenes are intense, and her prose style is better than workmanlike—she’s the lesbian hybrid of Joyce Carol Oates (if Oates wrote briefer, less bleak books) and Danielle Steele (if Steele wrote well). Substitute for Love continues Kallmaker’s string of darn good reads… That Kallmaker renders the tortuous travails of Holly and Reyna quite plausible is one of her novel’s many charms.

  -Richard LaBonte, Book Marks

  In Karin Kallmaker’s Substitute for Love, the undisputed Mistress of Romance skillfully weaves a tale of longing, need, and desire, creating a story complete with mystery, good guys, bad guys, tender moments, humor, and raw sexuality. Kallmaker continues her tradition of painstaking research in her latest work. Unlike some romance writers, she again creates new backgrounds and occupations for her heroines, while interweaving this information with their characters, interactions, and the storyline itself.

  -Therese Szymanski, Lambda Book Report

  Other Bella Books by Karin Kallmaker

  When you purchase from the publisher more of your dollars reach the women who write and produce the books you love. Karin thanks you for yo
ur support of stories for and about women who love women!

  18th & Castro

  Above Temptation

  All the Wrong Places

  Because I Said So

  Captain of Industry

  Car Pool

  Christabel

  The Dawning

  Embrace in Motion

  Finders Keepers

  Frosting on the Cake: The Original

  Frosting on the Cake: Second Helpings

  In Every Port

  Just Like That

  The Kiss that Counted

  Love by the Numbers

  Making Up for Lost Time

  Maybe Next Time

  My Lady Lipstick

  Night Vision

  One Degree of Separation

  Painted Moon

  Paperback Romance

  Roller Coaster

  Stepping Stone

  Substitute for Love

  Sugar

  Touchwood

  Unforgettable

  Warming Trend

  Watermark

  Wild Things

  About the Author

  Karin Kallmaker has been exclusively devoted to lesbian fiction since the publication of her first novel in 1989. As an author published by the storied Naiad Press, she worked with Barbara Grier and Donna McBride and has been fortunate to be mentored by a number of editors, including Katherine V. Forrest.

  In addition to multiple Lambda Literary Awards, she has been featured as a Stonewall Library and Archives Distinguished Author. Other accolades include the Ann Bannon Popular Choice and many other awards for her writing, as well as the selection as a Trailblazer by the Golden Crown Literary Society. She is best known for novels such as Painted Moon, My Lady Lipstick, Captain of Industry, Touchwood, and Because I Said So.