Books

Out Now!

An Amazon Best-Selling Holiday Romance Short Story

One Step over the Mistletoe Line

Second Edition

A cozy cabin, hot chocolate, and two hearts that belong together. They just need to take that step over the mistletoe line.

Just days before Christmas and her boyfriend’s proposal, an accidental moment under the mistletoe with her close friend RJ changes everything for Claire.

To avoid one man when she has feelings for another, Claire takes drastic measures to avoid Christmas.

But her escape plan to clear her head goes awry when a snowstorm sends the man on her mind, RJ, to her hideout. RJ is seeking shelter after a failed attempt to pursue a crook in a Santa suit who stole his new dog, Rosco.

As if a Christmas Eve in the cold Cascade Mountains couldn’t get any more dangerous with a manhunt underway for the puppy-stealing bad Santa, Claire’s heart is in hazardous territory as she weighs the consequences of telling her friend RJ of her feelings for him and risk destroying their friendship.

Or is it possible that RJ feels the same way?

A short and sweet holiday romance set in the Pacific Northwest.

“Carmine Valentine’s ‘One Step Over the Mistletoe Line’ comes around the final turn with a nail-biting window-steamer that lunges gloriously over the finish line.”

–InD’tale Magazine

AMAZON

Each book in the series is a romance wrapped with dangerous intrigue for one of the friends in the Barefoot by Moonlight writers’ group who dare each other to write their best book in a setting the others will choose.

One by one each friend accepts the dare and has their own story where, upon arriving at the chosen location, they discover that there’s no time for writing when they find themselves in an unfolding mystery and growing romance.

The Barefoot by Moonlight Series

All Fired Up

Book 1, Second Edition

He needs a room.

She needs his bad-guy hunting skills.

When Marianne and Jack meet on the ferry to Orcas Island, it couldn’t be more awkward—for Marianne, that is. Jack has no problem with a woman landing on top of him. It’s a case of opposites attract. Although they each have their reasons not to get involved, fate has other plans. On this small island, avoiding each other isn’t to be.

When an old tale of stolen jewels resurfaces, revealing a dangerous secret kept by both of their grandfathers, it will take Marianne and Jack together to uncover the truth before one of them gets hurt. But solving the mystery means working out an arrangement. Jack needs a place to stay. Marianne has rooms to spare.

In close quarters, it’s soon apparent that solving the mystery might be easier than trying not to fall for each other as they realize that they both long for the same thing.

Who says nothing ever happens in a small island town?

Romance and intrigue on a Pacific Northwest Island.

BUY ON AMAZON

Buy on BARNES&NOBLE

Buy from APPLE KOBO SMASHWORDS

Coming in 2026

Book 2

All You Desire

“… a brilliantly woven web of threats, kidnappings, and long-held secrets … A dramatic love story with a heart of gold, All Fired Up is a suspenseful, slow-burn romance where the bonds of family, loyalty, and love are tested by betrayal and the shadow of violence.”

A 5-star review and recommended read from Indies Today
“Ms. Valentine has a way of making the tiny hairs on one’s nape stand on end because of the way she effectively describes the setting, and it is difficult not to like this book for that reason alone.”

InD’tale Magazine
“Valentine writes with a mix of tongue in cheek humor and suspense, enough to almost consider this a cozy mystery as the loose ends are gathered and tied up in the book's satisfying conclusion. If you like romance books with a mystery, All Fired Up is a sure winner!”

USA Today Bestselling Author and Produced Screenwriter, Kim Hornsby
"I'd recommend this book to readers who love cozy mysteries, small town settings, and slow-burn romances with heartfelt moments. If you want something that mixes danger with tenderness and a little island charm, this will be right up your alley."

5-Star Review from Literary Titan
“… Valentine’s prose is descriptive but not overindulgent; her settings pulse with atmosphere. You can practically feel the salty air of the ferry ride, the creak of the old Perrigo Mansion, and the cold mist rolling off the harbor. The Pacific Northwest becomes more than a backdrop; it’s a living part of the story, moody and mysterious, mirroring Marianne’s own emotional journey …”

5-Star Review from Seattle Book Review
“ …Readers who enjoy romantic suspense with heart will find All Fired Up deeply satisfying. Fans of authors like Nora Roberts, Barbara Freethy, or Christina Dodd’s Pacific Northwest series will feel right at home. It’s also a great pick for cozy mystery lovers who want a touch of danger without the grit of darker thrillers. The book’s second edition shows Valentine’s polish as a storyteller: it’s confident, witty, and layered with emotional truth beneath the romantic tension …”

5-Star Review from Seattle Book Review

Short Stories

The Last Blind Date

When Mimi’s best friend sets her up with Derek on a blind date, not in her wildest imagination could she have foreseen how the evening would play out.

She soon discovers that she’s been set up in more ways than one on this champagne-fueled evening complete with a handsome detective and a crook intent on spoiling the fun.

Hang on for this ride through the shadowy foothills of the Cascade Mountains, set in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

“The Last Blind Date’ is energetic and highly readable. Mimi is a spunky, endearing heroine readers will root for.”