Hot Under the Collar

Name: Hot Under the Collar
Author: Hazel Mayes

57 pages

Book #2 in the Nine Lives Club Romance Series—a cozy, small-town romance with heat, history, and just enough kitten chaos.

Years ago, on Halloween night—Leo March’s twenty-first birthday—one reckless mistake changed everything between him and Lynne O’Donnell.
These days, Lynne keeps her life as contained as the bar she runs in Autumn Ridge—no mess, no drama. At least until Fred, the town’s most infamous tomcat (and proud pet of one Leo March), sneaks in and leaves behind more than mischief: a feral mama cat and a litter of kittens hidden in her storage room.
Suddenly Lynne’s spending far too many late nights with the one man she swore she wouldn’t fall for again—bottle-feeding strays, making viral cat videos, and trying very hard not to remember why she fell for him in the first place. Leo’s all heat and heart. Lynne’s all calm and control. But stuck co-fostering the feline fallout, old sparks don’t just reignite—they spread.

Now Lynne and Leo have to face the truth: some fires refuse to burn out… and some second chances are impossible to resist.

Tropes you’ll find inside:
Firefighter romance
Second‑chance / age‑gap (older woman, younger man)
Forced proximity
Golden‑retriever energy
Small‑town charm
Cat‑assisted matchmaking
Found family: The Nine Lives Club #2

This sexy, feel‑good romance is a complete standalone with its own happily‑ever‑after—and a return to Autumn Ridge just in time for Halloween.

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