Do you have to give God two-weeks’ notice when you quit the ministry? After a lifetime of being her father's right-hand girl, Ezra gets a small taste of freedom during her friend's honeymoon visit to the Suamalie islands and decides enough is enough. All she needs is to find a replacement secretary, teacher, project manager, accountant... et cetera. In fact, what he needs is a wife . Scott Keil intended to serve the Lord on St. Alyn Island for life. He just never intended to do it without his wife. So, when his daughter begins balking at being saddled with a ministry she never signed up for, he knows he needs to find a replacement for her. And well, she's right. A wife who loves organization and serving the Lord would be the perfect solution. But only one woman interests him and loves his ministry nearly as much as he does. Natalie Dershem—the event planner at St. Alyn's newest resort. Why did she have to be nearly as young as his daughter... and so intriguing? Under the Hibiscus is the introductory Christmas “noella” in the brand-new, Suamalie Islands Series from Celebrate Lit Publishing. Grab this May/December Christmas romance today.

Two stories…thirty years apart. Will solving the mystery of the past provide the key to the present? Scott Connelly arrives in the Suamalie Islands determined to acquire property for his father and leave as soon as possible. But he doesn’t count on the animosity of the residents, the fascinating local legend of a sunken Spanish treasure ship, or the highly unavailable waitress who comes to his rescue. The fabled treasure promises to buy his freedom, but even seeking it may be a dangerous risk. News of her father’s death precedes Tavia Connelly’s arrival in the Suamalie Islands. Despite the hatred of the island residents, Tavia’s determined to settle her father’s affairs and return immediately to assume her role as head of the family company. But her father’s wishes require her to find out what happened long ago, given only Scott’s mumbled clues, crazy rumors, and a centuries-old fable. Tavia should be safe after all those years, but her presence attracts a lot of resentment, and the ghosts of Scott’s enemies may still lie in wait for someone to come searching for a treasure that may have never existed. But what if it did? Take a trip to the Suamalie Islands where palm trees sway, the sand and sea pulse with life, and the people will steal your heart.

All he wants to do is help people, but local women want to help themselves… to him! When Henri Tupuola returned to Suamalie to open his holistic mental health clinic, he had no idea what he was getting into. After ten years in Australia getting his degree and practical experience under his mentor, the locals had all but forgotten the quiet “boy” who had always made them feel like he could see right through them. Not anymore! The ladies of Lafoina are eager to meet the island’s therapist and spend hours staring deeply into his eyes on their weekly dates… ahem, sessions. Desperate for relief, he hightails it down to The Title Wave and begs Ezra to order him a couple dozen copies of his own book. Yes, author copies would be cheaper, but he needs these things fast. Maybe if he hands out his book like an old-time quack handed out pills, the ladies will get the hint and leave him alone. But when he tells his troubles to Ezra (who’s the therapist now?), and she jokes at how much her father would love to have people flocking to his “sessions” so to speak, Henri gets an idea that could save his sanity… if only Ezra will agree. Take a trip to the Suamalie Islands where palm trees sway, the sand and sea pulse with life, and the people will steal your heart.

Will a heart for news get a scoop on love? Though Margo Durand invests her whole heart into working for her family’s newspaper, her father refuses to modernize, and she harbors a secret fear of approaching interviewees and all things dangerous—except riding her Vespa everywhere. But when Margo follows evidence that two government officials are corrupt, Margo discovers danger, intrigue, and a legal sort of blackmail. Professional race car driver, Steve Grayson, arrives to finish recuperating and overcome his fear of getting back on the track while pursuing his desire to open a race car driving school on Le Cadeau Île. If he can find the money and convince the owner to sell. When Margo’s best friend sets Margo up with Steve as a tour guide, conveniently forgetting to tell him Margo is a reporter, they tour the islands until Steve is willingly dragged into the investigation. The investigation only opens new questions, creates new trials, and has the potential to destroy their budding romance. Does pursuing a relationship just before he leaves to take part in one last racing season even make sense? Take a trip to the Suamalie Islands where palm trees sway, the sand and sea pulse with life, and the people will steal your heart.

God gave her peace then; maybe He’ll do it again. When Amy Lee’s son heads off to college, the bed and breakfast owner finds life even lonelier and emptier than she had after losing her husband. She needs something to occupy her mind and heart while she reinvents her life again. What more could she ask for than an after-school program for local children and a renewed interest in painting? Then the arrival of a professor of archeology shakes her world and makes her yearn for the way things were only a few short months ago. Still grieving the loss of his beloved wife, and ignoring the warnings and protests of his grown children, Professor Walker Standish escapes on a six-month sabbatical. His heart, barely beating these past months, jerks to life again when he finds more than a room at a B & B. Where an ocean meets the shore, love has room for one more. Take a trip to the Suamalie Islands where palm trees sway, the sand and sea pulse with life, and the people will steal your heart.

Something’s up in Suamalie, and it’s looking like love! When Kiana, Lulu, and Meilani decide it’s time for the islands to have affordable wedding options, Something Suamalie becomes the marriage of skills, friendship, and wedding splendor on the islands. Cruising around the island on a Moped in a business suit may seem incongruous, but Kiana knows how to blend practicality and professionalism, a strong work ethic and relaxation. With no time for mistakes or changes in plans, she’s also decided to forgo romance (for herself). There just isn’t enough time in the day. That is until the early arrival of one of the groomsmen of Something Suamalie’s first booking throws everything off balance, including her thoughts on long distance dating. Beau was perfectly content with his job and the growing attraction to a girl back home; however, he hadn’t figured in the sassy and sometimes unprofessional wedding planner. Seeing her world begin to unravel while she and her partners fumble with their first weddings tugs at his heart strings and leaves him second guessing his choices in the romance department. She’s a study in opposites. He’s attracted. So now what do they do? Take a trip to the Suamalie Islands where palm trees sway, the sand and sea pulse with life, and the people will steal your heart.

Being accused of murdering a client isn’t good for business. Tropical islands are popular for destination weddings. But Le Cadeau Île won’t be a popular destination for long if Detective Noa Tanielu can’t find out who is responsible for a ring of thefts occurring during weddings. When the thefts escalate to the murder of a bridezilla, the most likely suspect is the new wedding photographer. Wedding photographer Haley Marsh moved to the island to nurse her broken heart and start over after being dumped two days before her wedding. When she’s moved from the suspect list to the target list, a little white lie leads to a fake engagement. With Haley’s connections to the wedding business, it’s clear the key to solving this case lies in keeping up the charade. Noa and Haley must navigate the investigation and Noa’s mother’s attempts to make the engagement all too real…if they survive that is. Take a trip to the Suamalie Islands where palm trees sway, the sand and sea pulse with life, and the people will steal your heart.

What was that movie line about relationships built on intense experiences? Oh, yeah. They never work. I get paid to do my dream job, usually by wealthy men who thrive on adventure. But when their adrenaline rush is gone and vacation is over, I’m still here, on a tropical island, with people who mostly leave me alone. And I like it that way. Except for this guy. Seriously, Dan is the last man I want to get involved with. If he got Decompression Illness, the doctors would likely call it Mercedes Bends. He’s privileged and entitled and would never leave his city life behind for the challenges of living on a remote island. Which is a total relief, I’m telling you. Don’t get me wrong—he’s prime shark bait, but I’m not ready to fall deeply in love with someone who won’t stay. There’s no such thing as going “too deep” where spiritual things are concerned. But I’ll stay at the surface and snorkel rather than dive into the depths when it comes to relationships. Take a trip to the Suamalie Islands, where palm trees sway, the sand and sea pulse with life, and the people will steal your heart.

Protecting her without her knowledge might get them both killed. Grief has held Eve “Kensi” Kensington captive long enough. Determined to move on after the death of her fiancé six years ago, Kensi moves to St. Alyn to help Ezra with the new boat book business. That there’s a great therapist on the island is just a bonus. When the West Coast Agency learns that the former fiancée of a deceased informant is under the radar, Simon Garver is tasked to protect her—without her knowledge, if possible. Great. Listening in on her therapy sessions might be the worst thing he’s ever had to do as an agent. Nope… scrap that. Falling for his client takes the cake. When Kensi learns Simon has been keeping secrets from her, she’s done. Too bad the arrival of a guy sent to “take care of her” means she needs him. She’ll cooperate until she’s safe, toss the trust exercises her therapist has insisted on in the trash, and get back to her job on Ezra’s boat. If only her heart would listen to the plan… Take a trip to the Suamalie Islands where palm trees sway, the sand and sea pulse with life, and the people will steal your heart.

Not all weddings end in marriage. Not all hurting hearts remain broken. In the year since Something Suamalie started, the dynamic trio Kiana, Lulu, and Meilani have accumulated a glowing reputation at home and abroad for brides and their wedding day dreams. But when a triple-booked weekend forces Lulu to manage the wedding of the Onirique events coordinator by herself, panic sets in. Her lack of confidence and ADHD, not to mention the return of a devilishly handsome man, could easily spell disaster. When André left the Suamalie Islands to pursue a career in Paris, he never dreamed of returning. The islands hold a treasure chest of memories he wishes to keep locked away, but recent changes in his life force him to face those very things. And a choice for his future that will break more than one heart. With neither of them able to talk about their feelings, how will Lulu and André be able to set aside their pasts and move on? Take a trip to the Suamalie Islands where palm trees sway, the sand and sea pulse with life, and the people will steal your heart.