2022 Wrap-up

Wow. I worked my butt off this year.

I love these end-of-year wrap-ups because they give you a chance to pause and really look at all you’ve accomplished in a given year.

I didn’t feel like I accomplished much this year because there’s always more I want to do and that leaves me constantly feeling behind, but look at this shelf. This is a whole career’s worth of work, and I did all of it in 2022.

I didn’t do it all myself, of course. Some of this is collaborative work. To the left, the beautiful hardback editions of Filthy Elites that Mystic Box did (along with the artwork that went with my book), the gorgeous edition of Even if it Hurts that Bookish Buys made for their September box, the stunning hardcover and paperback special editions of Untouchable Cover to Cover did for their Frozen Dreams box, and the lovely special edition of Untouchable that Dark Heart Romance Book Box did in June.

Stitches got an anniversary edition this year (which includes the short story featuring our throuple that is in A Valentine’s Day Treat so you have all the Seb/Moira/Griff words all in one place).

I combined my Christmas stories in The Christmas Collection so you could have them all in one bundle.

I finally made my Irreparable duet available in paperback.

Irreparable Damage
Irreparable Lives

This year’s bestseller Descent got a gorgeous discreet cover to match its people cover.

I also wrote a dark, steamy book featuring a stalkery obsessed hero with one of my best friends.

Bully God was where I debuted Gemma and Hayden’s story Undertow, and then it released on its own with a beautiful discreet cover option. (And now it’s available in audio!)

Dare and Aubrey were first introduced in Filthy Elites, then got their solo release Even if it Hurts which has my very favorite discreet cover I’ve ever seen. (We’ll see if next year’s Coastal Elite discreets give them any competition.)

Finally, Resisting Mr. Granville. Probably my last forbidden romance (other than any I already have planned in other series) but definitely one of the hottest books I’ve ever written.

I made the USA Today bestseller list this year.
I published my 30^th book this year.
I also went to ApollyCon and Shameless this year and got to meet so many of my awesome readers.

Overall, I think I can say it was a pretty successful year.

I couldn’t have done any of it without you, so thank you.
Thank you so much for reading my books, for sharing and telling your friends about them. For all you do to make book world a generally awesome place. You’re the best!

So, now, I can say Happy New Year.

See you in 2023!

Top 4 of 2022!

I released quite a few books in 2022, but I published the last couple so late in the year, some of my highest performing older titles were able to beat them out for third and fourth place!

These are my most popular books this year. How many have you read?

𝙏𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩, 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙚𝙖𝙧. 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙮 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙝𝙚𝙧. 𝙄’𝙢 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙮 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙝𝙚𝙧, 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙮 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙧 𝙣𝙤𝙩.

1. Descent: A Dark Billionaire Romance

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3YQwH5z

Discreet paperback cover: https://amzn.to/3PYCke2

𝙏𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙨𝙤 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙙, 𝙨𝙤 𝙖𝙜𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙮… 𝙞𝙩’𝙨 𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤𝙭𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙩𝙤𝙤.

2. Even if it Hurts (Coastal Elite, #1)

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vm4Dtq

Discreet paperback cover: https://amzn.to/3vj7eUU

“𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙪𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙥𝙪𝙩𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙡𝙚𝙚𝙥. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙢𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙖𝙙𝙢𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙩, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙢𝙮 𝙛*𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙙𝙖𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙚. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙧𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙮 𝙙𝙚𝙥𝙧𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙩𝙮. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙖 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙜𝙪𝙮, 𝙕𝙤𝙚𝙮. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙢𝙚.”

3. Untouchable: A Dark Bully Romance

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3GnY6ok

𝙄𝙩’𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙙, 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧, 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙄’𝙢 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙤𝙧 𝙬𝙚’𝙡𝙡 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙞𝙩.

4. The Boy on the Bridge: A Second-Chance Bully Romance

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3js1up3

SOPHIE’S SURRENDER is LIVE!!

𝙎𝙤𝙥𝙝𝙞𝙚’𝙨 𝙎𝙪𝙧𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧 is LIVE and I am so freaking excited!!

I can’t wait to see what you think of Silvan and Sophie’s story. I think you’re gonna love them. Silvan is 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐥𝐲 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 and Sophie 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞. It’s hard to feel too bad for her, though, because this man is GENEROUS, if you know what I mean.

Sophie’s Surrender is in KU, but don’t sleep on this one! It will only be available for a limited time in this format. Next year, Silvan and Sophie will be officially joining my Coastal Elite series (and the story rebranded to just 𝙎𝙪𝙧𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧 with some added content featuring another Coastal Elite couple), but their story by itself can be read as a standalone, so you can read their book even if you’re not reading my Coastal Elite series (you totally should though, Dare is cray cray and it’s a lot of fun).

I hope you enjoy this twisted little romance that Laura Lovett and I cooked up! I know we did!

Add to Goodreads

BLURB

Men have always committed atrocities chasing after their desires.

The men in my family have it down to an art form.

Personally, I’ve never experienced a desire that ran so deep it poisoned my soul.

Until the night I laid eyes on her.

It’s really too bad she didn’t feel the same way. It could have been a fairytale.

I guess our story was meant to be something a little more twisted.

No matter.

I desire Sophie Bradwell, and I don’t care how many terrible things I have to do to get her… and keep her.

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3Fq473g

Universal: https://books2read.com/sophies-surrender

Meet my co-author, Laura Lovett

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The Christmas Collection is LIVE!

The Christmas Collection is a bundle of all 3 of my books that take place around Christmas. 𝙃𝙞𝙩𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙎𝙩𝙤𝙡𝙚 𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙢𝙖𝙨 is one of my favorite standalones

I love the way it works out because there are 3 different length stories depending on what you’re in the mood for. In the mood for a quick read? Wrapped in Red is a short novella. Want a medium-length story? Mistletoe Kisses is a long novella. In the mood for a full-length romance? How the Hitman Stole Christmas is full-length!

Wrapped in Red will not be released on its own, so if you want to own that one, either this Christmas collection or the Meet Me Under the Mistletoe anthology are the only places to get it. The Christmas Collection will not be in KindleUnlimited.

The Christmas Collection will be available in ebook and paperback. This is not a limited edition item, so once the book is live, you’ll be able to get it anytime. 

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/thechristmascollection-TBR

BLURB

The complete Sam Mariano Christmas romance collection

An invitation to a Christmas ball changes everything for hopelessly devoted office assistant Georgia and her handsome but emotionally unavailable boss. He didn’t set out to make her fall in love with him, and she didn’t set out to make him jealous enough to sabotage all of her potential relationships, but that’s where these two lovebirds find themselves in Wrapped in Red.

In How the Hitman Stole Christmas, charmingly crazy mafia hitman Jasper Harding finds himself in need of a date to take home for the holidays. Autumn finds herself stranded on the side of the road in a city she’s never been to with a car full of presents for a family that isn’t hers. Love at first sight? No. Love at first kidnapping? You’ll have to read to find out!

And for fans of teacher-student romance, Noelle’s frighteningly hot teacher has his eye on her—in fact, he can’t seem to take them off her. When this ruthless rule-breaker decides to force his star pupil to take some unnecessary “private tutoring” lessons with him after school, he might be the one who learns a thing or two. Co-written with Isabella Starling, Mistletoe Kisses is a scrumptious forbidden holiday romance that will melt your panties… and your heart.

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3O2ovds

Universal: https://books2read.com/the-christmas-collection

Resisting Mr. Granville is LIVE!

I can’t believe it’s release day again, but here we are!!

Resisting Mr. Granville is a very steamy age-gap forbidden romance with taboo elements. It is part of the Blurred Lines multi-author series (and I took the “Blurred Lines” aspect pretty seriously, hahaha) but the books aren’t connected, so you don’t have to read anything before you read this one. I hope you enjoy it!

BLURB

I found love where I wasn’t supposed to find it…

The night I met Mr. Granville, he was slipping out of my mother’s bedroom.
She was passed out drunk and I was on my own, but that was nothing new. It wasn’t even the first time one of her boyfriends looked at me for a little too long—just the first time I felt anything like interest in return.
My mother and I had never been close, but I knew I had to pretend not to notice his hot gaze lingering on me when he was supposed to be there to see her, had to resist the temptation to lap up all the attention he offered me.
Until the one night I didn’t.

After they broke up, I thought I’d never see Milo Granville again.
But my less-than-impressive grade in chemistry had me striking a deal with his brilliant son: he would help me bring up my grade, and I would pretend to be his girlfriend so he could get the attention of the girl he actually liked.

Pretending to date the youngest Granville has me spending a lot of time with the Granville men, and while he loves having me around again, seeing me with his son is not something Mr. Granville enjoys.
He seems determined to remind me of the night that changed everything between us…
As if I could ever forget.
Milo is devilishly handsome and too commanding for his own good, but I have to resist the attraction raging between us.
Too bad Mr. Granville is just as intent on tempting me at every turn.


Resisting Mr. Granville is a full-length standalone forbidden romance. It is not a dark romance, though it does contain some dark and sensitive subject matter. Refer to the author’s note in the beginning of the book for additional details.

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“Mariano delivers addictively unputdownable plots like nobody else… Resisting Mr. Granville is deliciously steamy and completely addictive.” – Book Boyfriend and Husband Make Three

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Amazon US https://amzn.to/3ziH7Qh

Amazon Universal: https://books2read.com/ResistingMrGranville

Undertow: (Coastal Elite, #2) is LIVE!

I’m so excited that the second Coastal Elite book is finally available! I know a lot of you have been waiting on it. It’s finally here!

Hayden and Gemma’s story was in the Bully God anthology in early 2022 so you may have read it there. This is the same story, but there is bonus content in this solo release. At the end of the book, I included an extra bonus chapter/scene between Landon and Parker to further set up Contempt and give you another little taste of them. 🙂
During release week, Undertow will only be $2.99!

(This is release week only pricing for anyone who wants to grab it while it’s brand-new. The price will go up a dollar once release week is over.)

💙 Undertow (Coastal Elite, #2)

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3D3KStR

Universal link: https://books2read.com/undertow

(Available in #KindleUnlimited)

Blurb

𝐇𝐀𝐘𝐃𝐄𝐍⁣⁣⁣

Cheerful, doe-eyed, mildly neurotic—Gemma Cane is not at all my type, but when the brown-eyed beauty stormed into my office, all fired up and wearing the garb of a belly dancer, I couldn’t tear my gaze away.⁣⁣⁣

She was seeking justice, but I had something else in mind.⁣⁣⁣

She couldn’t afford me, but I had other ideas about that, too…⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

𝐆𝐄𝐌𝐌𝐀⁣⁣⁣

Arrogant, cocky, an outright bully—Hayden Atwater is the sort of man I usually go out of my way to avoid, but when my horrible neighbor stepped way over the line, I wanted to crush him, and to do that, I knew I’d have to fight fire with even hotter fire.⁣⁣⁣

The notoriously cutthroat lawyer was the first weapon I could think of, but the last man I should trust. I realized that as my anger subsided and I registered the predatory gleam in his stormy ocean eyes.⁣⁣⁣

I left his office empty-handed, but now, he won’t leave me alone.⁣⁣⁣

I know there can never be anything between us and we are completely impossible, but that word isn’t in Hayden’s vocabulary. If there’s no room for him in my life, he’ll make room.⁣⁣⁣

But then, disaster strikes.⁣⁣⁣

Surely now, even Hayden can see that some things really are impossible, and maybe we’re one of them. ⁣⁣⁣

This is the same story that was published in the Bully God anthology, but with a bonus scene at the end between Parker and Landon to further set up their book and give you another little taste of them. that you can only find here.⁣⁣⁣

💜 Undertow: Discreet/Special Edition

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3sm9oS7

Universal link: https://books2read.com/undertow-discreet

And to celebrate the latest Coastal Elite book’s release, I’ve reduced the price of Even if it Hurts for release week so you can grab both books in the series for a bit cheaper! The next Coastal Elite book is Contempt, and you do need to have read both Even if it Hurts and Undertow before reading that one. 😊

🖤 Even if it Hurts

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3MY8954

Universal link: https://books2read.com/even-if-it-hurts

UNDERTOW ALTERNATE COVER REVEAL & NOW LIVE!

I am thrilled to finally be able to show off this BEAUTIFUL cover!

Cover Designer: ⁣

Alternate cover designer: Clarise Tan at CT Cover Creations​

Blurb

HAYDEN

Cheerful, doe-eyed, mildly neurotic—Gemma Cane is not at all my type, but when the brown-eyed beauty stormed into my office, all fired up and wearing the garb of a belly dancer, I couldn’t tear my gaze away.

She was seeking justice, but I had something else in mind.

She couldn’t afford me, but I had other ideas about that, too…

GEMMA

Arrogant, cocky, an outright bully—Hayden Atwater is the sort of man I usually go out of my way to avoid, but when my horrible neighbor stepped way over the line, I wanted to crush him, and to do that, I knew I’d have to fight fire with even hotter fire.

The notoriously cutthroat lawyer was the first weapon I could think of, but the last man I should trust. I realized that as my anger subsided and I registered the predatory gleam in his stormy ocean eyes.

I left his office empty-handed, but now, he won’t leave me alone.

I know there can never be anything between us and we are completely impossible, but that word isn’t in Hayden’s vocabulary. If there’s no room for him in my life, he’ll make room.

But then, disaster strikes.

Surely now, even Hayden can see that some things really are impossible, and maybe we’re one of them.

💜 Discreet Paperback⁣

https://books2read.com/undertow-discreet⁣

💜 #Ebook releasing October 27th⁣

https://books2read.com/undertow

And if you haven’t started the series yet, I’ve reduced the price of EVEN IF IT HURTS for UNDERTOW’s release week so you can grab both books and dive into my delicious Coastal Elite world! 

🖤 Grab 𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙞𝙛 𝙞𝙩 𝙃𝙪𝙧𝙩𝙨 for $4.99:

https://books2read.com/even-if-it-hurts​⁣

💙 𝐒𝐚𝐦’𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐁𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭⁣⁣

https://bit.ly/sm-master-blogger-list ⁣

EVEN IF IT HURTS Alternate Cover Reveal!

I am SO freaking excited to finally reveal this beautiful cover!! I love it so much. It’s especially stunning in person. I cannot wait to send out signed paperbacks of these. 😍

Blurb

He could have been my hero.

He saved my life that night, a beautiful dark angel slicing through my fear and the water, dragging me from its deadly clutches.

He 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 have been my hero.

I thought maybe he was.

Villains aren’t supposed to win, and good should always conquer evil, but in the elite coastal town I live in, the only purpose a label has is letting you know what something—𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦—costs. Good, bad; it’s all relative, and it hardly matters. Baymont, California is a land of beautiful villains and happy-ever-afters that are just out of reach.

Especially for me.

Until Dare moves the world beneath my feet, and even though I’m afraid to trust it—to trust 𝘩𝘪𝘮—boy, am I tempted.

In more ways than one.

Being with Dare is scary, but being without him is impossible.

He 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 it impossible.

Dare’s no hero, that much is clear, but maybe…

Maybe he’s mine.

♦️ This story contains triggers and is intended only for a mature, adult audience. See the opening author’s note for explicit triggers, but know this is a very dangerous relationship with a very dark hero. ♦️

Release Date: July 29, 2022

Genre/Tropes: Dark Romance/Bully Romance/Villain gets the girl/Psycho Hero

Alternate cover designer: Clarise Tan at CT Cover Creations

ADD IT TO GOODREADS

Fair warning, 𝘿𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙘𝙧𝙖𝙯𝙮…

𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩… 😏

𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙞𝙛 𝙞𝙩 𝙃𝙪𝙧𝙩𝙨 releases July 29th! 🥳

Descent: A Dark Billionaire Romance is LIVE!!

I am so proud of this book, and I’m so excited for you to read it! Please heed the warning, though. This is a 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 with 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬. There were times even I questioned, “Is this romance?”
If you’ve read Untouchable or the Morelli Family series, you should be fine. If you have not read any of my books yet, Calvin is a 𝙫𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙖𝙞𝙣 and also the book’s romantic hero. The book is problematic and twisted and totally nuts, and if you’re into all that, have a great time!

BLURB

Calvin will do anything for me… except leave me alone.

We were strangers, as far as I knew.
He saw me once, but didn’t introduce himself like he could have.
Calvin Cutler. Nice to meet you.
But there’s nothing nice about Calvin Cutler.
He’s ruthless and single-minded, and he zeroed in on me—a hapless target for his dark and twisted appetites.

In the depths of Hell, I first looked into his sinful brown eyes, felt the greedy touch of his demanding hands for the first time.
Not the last time, though.
He wanted more. So much more.
He wanted me, whether I wanted him or not.

WARNING: Descent is a standalone dark romance with an unrepentant bad guy hero. This book is intended for an adult audience only and contains subject matter (such as non-consent) some may find triggering.

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“This is truly a villain character with no moral compass who gets the girl by any means necessary. This book is red hot!”
-Kindle Customer, Amazon review

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DESCENT
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3qzp7fj
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09PGSD21H
Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B09PGSD21H
Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B09PGSD21H
Also available in KindleUnlimited.

Leaving KindleUnlimited!

My full-length unconventional Christmas romance How the Hitman Stole Christmas is leaving KindleUnlimited!

As a matter of fact, it’s leaving today.

Sorry for the short notice, but it has been in KU for an entire year (since I initially released it) and now it’s time to make it available in other places. 🙂

The good news is, if you prefer not to get your ebooks on Amazon, you will be able to get it on iBooks and Kobo, and other platforms soon!

There is still time to download it on KU, just not much. If you want to read it in KU, grab it now while you can. You don’t have to finish reading the book before it leaves. As long as you have downloaded the book, you will still be able to finish it even after it has been removed from the program.

𝙆𝙞𝙙𝙣𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙩 𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙢𝙖𝙨…

“This book is everything I love about Sam Mariano- a slightly unhinged, dominant alpha anti-hero, a softer, pliable heroine who easily (and mostly willingly) falls into his web, scorching steam, unusual relationship dynamics, and a highly unusual path to HEA and one that only really works for these two characters. Plus, it is in the Morelli world! AH- my favorite place to be.” – Katie, The Romantic Rush

𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗕 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗖𝗢𝗣𝗬 ↓
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3qCBKFU
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