Margins
Harbor Falls Romance book cover 1
Harbor Falls Romance book cover 2
Harbor Falls Romance book cover 3
Harbor Falls Romance
Series · 15
books · 1998-2020

Books in series

All of My Heart book cover
#1

All of My Heart

2017

When Suzie Hart inherited the lakeside Victorian cottage that would soon become Sweet Hart Inn, she imagined her life all planned out ahead of her. She would run the inn, write her recipes, and pick up an occasional catering job with her cousin Sydney. What she didn't plan on was Brad Matthews. Suzie Hart has it all. A beautiful home, friends and family, and the sweetest job in the world. She's the best darned cook in Harbor Falls, North Carolina, and has the street cred to prove it. She runs her own bed and breakfast, writes a food blog, and is working on her first cookbook. Life is perfect. Right? Wrong. You see, Suzie has a secret. And when that secret rides up to her doorstep on a bad-ass Harley and tosses her not-so-perfect little world into some kind of big, bad tumble, happy-go-lucky Suzie panics. Brad Matthews doesn't have a secret, he has a plan—and that plan includes luring Suzie back into his life. When she worked as his sous chef in Asheville, he had no intention of falling in love with the sassy chef, or any woman for that matter. No room in his life for romance. But when Suzie disappeared and took Brad's heart with her, his good intentions shattered. Now that he's found her again, he's not about to let her alter the new path he's set out for his life—and hers. Previously published as Bed, Breakfast & You by Maddie James. Updated and revised.
Take My Heart book cover
#2

Take My Heart

2017

When Shelley Hart ran off and married her sister's fiancé, the whole town of Harbor Falls was in a twitter. A few years later, with her husband deceased and two little girls to take care of, Shelley realizes her only recourse is to go home. The last thing Shelley Hart wants is to go home for the holidays. She left her hometown of Harbor Falls, North Carolina nearly years earlier and hasn't returned. Her leaving humiliated her entire family and caused friction with her older sister Suzie. Who could blame Suzie for being upset? After all, Shelley ran off and married Suzie's fiancé, Cliff. But everything has changed now—and going home is her only option. Harbor Falls Police Officer Matt Branson values being alone, even during the holidays. Dubbed the town hermit, he prefers the solitude of his mountain cabin to socializing with friends—friends who say he still pines after the woman who got away. But the snowy day he pulls over an older model sedan speeding into Harbor Falls, things change. His gut slams against his backbone as a tearful woman rolls down the car window. His heart melts when she looks up into his eyes. Shelley Hart is back in town—the woman who sent him into his cave in the first place. Previously published as Home for the Holidays by Maddie James. Updated and revised.
Dance into My Heart book cover
#3

Dance into My Heart

2017

Gracie Hart lives a quiet life in Harbor Falls, North Carolina, until the renters next door move in and begin to wreak havoc in her life—and in her heart. Gracie Hart is healing from the tragedy that robbed her of the two things she loved the most and will never get back—her fiancé and ballet. The former ballerina now spends her time running a successful boutique gift shop called Romantically Yours, located in the heart of downtown Harbor Falls, North Carolina. With romance her business, who would guess she never intends fall in love again, no matter how loud her biological clock keeps ticking? Rick Price only seeks a new life for himself and his young daughter—he’s not in the market for a girlfriend or a mother for Izzie. Weary of juggling a demanding, although profitable, law career, and being a responsible father, he makes a bold move to leave his law position and rent a storefront property in the small town of Harbor Falls. He is eager to open a new business and start that new life. But neither Rick’s nor Gracie’s plans hold up. When Rick and Izzie seem intent on wreaking havoc in Gracie’s life—she realizes she has to face her past, in order to grab on to her future. Then Rick discovers his new life doesn’t fix everything—his heart is still empty. Is Gracie the woman to put back the missing piece of his heart?
The Christmas Nanny book cover
#4

The Christmas Nanny

2017

When yet another acting rejection stuns Wynter Holly, she decides to give up acting altogether—until her friends’ set her up for potential success with an unconventional, and perhaps unsuitable, intervention. All Wynter Holly, aka stage name Wyn Hall, wants for Christmas is to be cast in a significant role in the upcoming Harbor Falls Actor’s Playhouse production. What she gets is a gig playing nanny to four children who happen to be attached to the casting director of the play—the casting director who doesn’t think she’s suitable for any role in the play. All Rob Black wants for Christmas is happy children and to be home. After all, he promised his brother and sister-in-law he would take good care of their kids while they enjoyed a second honeymoon, and that he’d provide them with a special Christmas. His niece and three nephews deserve a great Christmas but unfortunately, Rob has to fly off to California to satisfy his business partner, and can’t deliver on his promise. Can the nanny come to his rescue? And can Wyn play-act her way through this nanny business? A series of twisted tales set both Wyn and Rob on a path of untruths they finally have to face. Have they both been cast in unsuitable roles? Or are they each exactly where they need to be? an the nanny come to his rescue? A series of twisted tales set both Wyn and Rob on a path of untruths they finally have to face. Have they both been cast in unsuitable roles? Or are they each exactly where they need to be?
Match My Heart book cover
#5

Match My Heart

2018

Suzie Hart Matthews is hard at work on her new cookbook, Perfectly Matched, when she asks the local wallflower, Mary Lou Picketts, to help her with a project. Mary Lou fantasizes about falling in love with country music star Nash Rhodes, but is ready to settle for Barry Phillips down the street. After all, Barry is her real boyfriend and he has actually popped the question. The likelihood that Nash Rhodes ever will, is slim-to-none. Nash is nothing more than a celebrity crush waiting to never happen. Nash Rhodes enjoys his newfound status in the country music world—after all, it is what he’s worked toward for years—but he longs for a break in the action to ground himself in home and family after months of touring, night-after-night of concert halls, and days-upon-end of sleeping in his traveling bus. And while he also enjoys his adoring fans, and knows his career is dependent upon them, he’s grown weary of being followed. Just when he has made plans to head home to Louisiana for a long weekend, the chance to play a benefit concert presents itself and he’s not sure he can refuse. When Nash comes to Harbor Falls for the music benefit to support the local children’s hospital, Suzie wonders if she can perfectly match the miss-matched couple of Mary Lou Picketts and Nash Rhodes. After all, they seem perfect for each other, and she had managed to hook her little sister, Shelley, back up with her old high school boyfriend, Matt, hadn’t she? Can she do it again?
Tame My Heart book cover
#6

Tame My Heart

2018

What’s a small town cop to do when the love of his life runs away when he pops the question? Call in the matchmaker for backup, of course! Katie Long is not about to be saddled with commitment. She has dreams, plans, and she’s working hard to fulfill them. Her relationship with local Harbor Falls police officer Chris Marks is fine just the way it is. Why does he think they need to change it up? She knows why. She just doesn’t want to deal with reality. But when Chris pops the question, reality hits her square in the face and she panics. After Chris exhausts all hope of reasoning with Katie, he hires Suzie Hart to set him up with a romantic dinner for two, hoping she will work some of her matchmaking magic. Suzie does all she can to set the mood but Katie isn’t about to be wooed. Then Suzie learns something about Katie and supplies Chris with a couple of items that might tame her wild heart, after all. Will Katie react differently this time, when Chris pops the question?
The Dating Game book cover
#7

The Dating Game

2018

Suzie Hart is earning quite the reputation as a matchmaking chef in the small town of Harbor Falls, North Carolina. Can she navigate the dating game for Lyssa Larkin? When puppy nanny, Lyssa Larkin, tells her friends she has given up on dating and is devoting her life to dogs, Suzie realizes it’s time to take matters into her own hands. She sets up a series of speed dating lunches for Lyssa at Sweet Hart Inn, designed to help the former Harbor Falls High Homecoming Queen meet as many men as possible in a short time period. Suzie knows Lyssa needs a push and some confidence—but soon realizes she may have bitten off more than she can chew. Lyssa inspects and rejects her dates in two bites and sends them on their way. Suzie wonders if Lyssa really wants to date or just eat double lunches, and worries that soon Lyssa’s hips won’t fit her dainty dining room chairs. That is until Suzie is approached by a potential suitor who is falling for Lyssa hard and fast—one who isn’t on Suzie’s original radar screen—and can’t help working her matchmaking magic behind the speed dating scene. But will Lyssa reject this suitor as well? The Dating Game continues the Harbor Falls, Sweet Hart Inn romance series featuring Suzie Hart’s matchmaking antics. If you like a little humor with your romance, a bit of culinary expertise mashed up with snappy dialogue, imperfect characters, and a happily-ever-after ending, then perhaps The Dating Game is for you.
Miss Matched Hearts book cover
#8

Miss Matched Hearts

2018

As local celebrity chef Suzie Hart starts to step out of her regional fame and into the bigger world, she launches her debut cooking show with some local flavor—a blind date matchmaking sketch with a friend that goes south quicker than geese in winter…. Becca North doesn’t want a boyfriend—she is so off men. Her best friend Nora, however, makes boyfriend hunting a sport. When Nora, owner of the Harbor Falls’ bookstore, Nora’s Novel Niche, meets Suzie the matchmaking chef during a book signing at her store, she finagles her way into a romantic picnic blind date lunch on Suzie’s new television show. Nora drags a reluctant Becca along for moral support. Thing is, Nora’s blind date would rather check out Becca. Sam Ackerman understands the hazards of being childhood friends with Suzie Hart. Suzie has a way of convincing friends to do her bidding—whether they want to or not. How the landscaper gets finagled into this blind date scenario with a local book store owner is all Suzie’s doings—and the fact that he is caught up in a matchmaking scheme is not lost on him. Still, Suzie is persistent and he caves—but only as a favor. He’s not interested in dating right now, let alone get joined at the hip with some blind date, husband-hunting, boyfriend-seeker. He’s off women. And then he spies Becca.
The Husband List book cover
#9

The Husband List

2018

When Suzie Hart’s success as the matchmaking chef hits the national foodie scene, her publicist produces a list of requirements totally unrelated to Suzie’s newfound cooking show success. Interested more in Suzie’s matchmaking talents, Patricia Plum presents, The Husband List. Patricia Plum knows she’s attracted to commitment-phobic men. Worse, they are attracted to her. Unlucky on her own in the couples department, she asks her new client for help. If Suzie Hart is as good as everyone claims, Patricia feels confident this hot new chef-turned-matchmaker will deliver the husband of her dreams. Just to move things along, Patricia presents Suzie with a specific list of husband requirements. Ames Cooper is Patricia’s commitment-phonic ex-boyfriend who screwed up royally in the past (both literally and figuratively) and watched her walk out of his life. He’s a dozen years her junior and doesn’t meet any of the requirements on her husband list because he’s the exact opposite of every point on her list—not to mention the reason she compiled the list to begin with. When photographer, Ames Cooper, steps into the photo shoot for Suzie’s new cookbook and sees Patricia again, he realizes why his heart felt so empty these past three years. He regrets his past indiscretions and wonders how he can make things right with Patricia. Will Patricia let him get close enough to prove he can be husband material, after all? And can matchmaker, Suzie Hart, really deliver Patricia’s perfect mate to order?
The Heartbreaker book cover
#10

The Heartbreaker

1998

The heartbreaker is back in town. But whose heart will get broken this time? As athletic director for the Parks Department, Lucki Stevenson spends most of her time coaching unruly teenagers instead of giving her heart a much-needed pep talk. And when all-grown-up, boy-next-door, Dr. Sam Kirk moves back to town, Lucki wants to forfeit the game of love completely! Sam broke her heart once before, and she won't give him a chance to do it again... Returning home to care for his younger brother J.J., after his mother’s death, Sam is happy to accept Lucki's expert advice about kids—and even happier that the tomboy he remembers is now a beautiful woman. When Lucki agrees to help him with J.J., Sam is sure he's on the road to success as an instant parent, and possibly as a husband—but first he's got to convince Lucki that he's not the heartbreaker he once was, and that good guys do finish first...
Chase My Heart book cover
#11

Chase My Heart

2018

Suzie Hart is back in Harbor Falls after her television debut in New York. She and her cousin, Sydney, have a number of catering gigs lined up. She'd love to fix Sydney up with a date but when this new guy starts hanging around the bakery, her radar goes up. This guy is definitely not on Suzie's matchmaking list. Sydney, however, has other ideas. High tea or sweet tea? As long as there are scones, it doesn't matter. In fact, Suzie's cousin Sydney Hart, owner of Sydney's Sugar High Bakery, makes the best damn scones east of the Mississippi and south of the Mason Dixon, and there was an article written in Southern's Best magazine to prove it. All is well and life is good, until a mysterious stranger comes to town, stalking Sydney's scones, and attempting to romance her out of her famous recipe. Stone Kellerman isn't above romancing the scone recipe out of Ms. Sydney Hart. Although he has to admit he finds the woman attractive, and she appeals to him on a certain level, her scone recipe is what he is after. Her Double Orange Scone of Sinful Decadent Desire is among the best he has ever tasted. No wonder she stole the Best Scones of the South title from him. Stone's Scones of Atlanta had heralded that title for several years. But hanging around her bakery shifts his priority from recipe to the baker. He's intrigued with the lovely pastry chef and finds himself tangled in his own plot to finagle her winning recipe away from her. But will Stone romance Sydney out of more than her scone recipe? Previously published as Romancing the Scone by Maddie James. Revised and updated, 2018.
Star Crossed book cover
#12

Star Crossed

2014

When Jasmine Walker returns to Legend after a fifteen-year absence—she doesn’t expect her troubled teenage past to collide with her well-planned, professional future. \\\\ Ms. Addie Bynum leaves something for Jasmine Walker in her will, and Jasmine returns to Legend to meet with the attorney about the estate. She learns she’s been left with the contents of a safety deposit box and a letter explaining Ms. Addie’s wishes. A letter with requests Jasmine may not be able to fulfill. The thing is, Ms. Addie’s wishes do not align with Jasmine’s busy life in Atlanta. Neither does running into her old high school love, Jack Ackerman, who has his own requests from Ms. Addie.
One More Kiss book cover
#14

One More Kiss

2019

New Year’s Eve is just around the corner and Emma Jo Baker has tried every trick in the book to land a date for the annual New Year’s Eve Bash at Falls Lake Lodge. This year she doesn’t want to go alone. She even tries setting up a kissing booth at the Harbor Falls Elementary Winter Carnival to meet a potential new date (under the guise of a school fundraiser, of course) until the school principal promptly shuts her booth down, deeming it inappropriate. She would love to show him inappropriate! After eight years of teaching and five more in his role of principal, Will Craig knows he has just about seen it all. Between the students, their parents, and occasionally his teachers, school life is never dull. When he spies the kissing booth in the corner of the gym during the winter carnival, he knows things are about to get interesting—and he’s not at all surprised that Emma Baker is behind the supposed fund-raising effort. That woman has both intrigued and frustrated him for far too long. It’s about time he does something about it. There is one thing Will knows for certain—if Emma is passing out kisses, candy or real ones, he intends to be the first, and last, in line to sample the goods. And he definitely doesn’t want to sample them in front of the student body.
Not This Christmas book cover
#15

Not This Christmas

2015

A Legend, TN Christmas Short Story Nora Patterson (from Side Dish) crashes into the back end of Reverend Rock Peters' (from Dates Du Jour) SUV on a snowy Christmas Eve night, and finds herself snowbound with the attractive minister. She's prayed for someone to share her life—could Rock be the one? Or once again, will love pass her by this Christmas?
Harbor Falls Romance Box Set book cover
#1, 2

Harbor Falls Romance Box Set

2020

Welcome to Harbor Falls! This two-book bundle is your series starter into the 15-Book Harbor Falls Romance Series! In this set you are getting All of My Heart, Book 1, and Take My Heart, Book 2. All of My Heart - When Suzie Hart inherits the lakeside Victorian cottage that eventually becomes Sweet Hart Inn, she imagines life planned out ahead of her. She will run the inn, write her cookbooks, and pick up an occasional catering job with her cousin, who owns the local bakery. Her life in Harbor Falls is predictable—a welcome change from the chaos of recent months (when her sister ran off with her fiancé)—and that's the way she likes it. Until chaos rides his bad ass Harley up to her bed and breakfast doorstep—and her perfect, predictable, and well-planned world starts crumbling like yesterday's blueberry muffins. Brad Matthews has other ideas. When Suzie worked as his sous chef in Asheville months earlier, he had no intention of falling in love with the sassy chef—no room in his life for romance. But when she disappeared and took Brad's heart with her, his good intentions shattered. Even though Brad's plan to win Suzie back involves making the people of Harbor Falls a bit angry (Suzie included), it is part of his bigger plan to get his life and career on track, and to win Suzie Hart back into his arms—permanently. But can Suzie let go of their muddled past, and her well-planned future, in order to find happiness with hunky Chef Brad? Can Brad alter his own plan, in order to win Suzie back? Take My Heart - When Shelley Hart ran off and married her sister, Suzie's, fiancé, the whole town of Harbor Falls was in a twitter. A few years later, her husband deceased and with two little girls in tow, her only recourse is to go home for the holidays. Will Suzie, forgive her? What about that boy she left behind? Harbor Falls Police Officer Matt Branson values being alone. Dubbed the town hermit, he prefers the solitude of his mountain cabin to socializing with friends—friends who say he still pines after the woman who got away. But the snowy day he pulls over an older model sedan speeding into Harbor Falls, things change. His gut slams against his backbone as a tearful woman rolls down the car window. His heart melts when she looks up into his eyes. Shelley Hart is back in town—the woman who sent him into his cave in the first place.

Author

Maddie James
Maddie James
Author · 52 books

Voices in my head... Stories from the heart. Get the news of my latest releases, giveaways, and more by signing up for my newsletter at https://www.maddiejames.net/p/newsletter... The author of 50+ romantic novels, novellas, and short stories, Maddie James pens romance and suspense stories in contemporary and paranormal worlds. Her contemporary worlds often lean toward small towns and western settings, complete with cowboys, Alpha men, and strong, take-charge women. Her romance writing career launched in 1997 as a traditionally published author with Kensington Books. Currently publishing as an independent author, she writes full time from her Midwest, small town home, where she also gardens, cooks, and chases the dog. Affaire de Coeur says, “James shows a special talent for traditional romance,” and RT Book Reviews claims, “James deftly combines romance and suspense, so hop on for an exhilarating ride.”

548 Market St PMB 65688, San Francisco California 94104-5401 USA
© 2025 Paratext Inc. All rights reserved