Susan's books
Susan Donovan's novels have won accolades for being witty, sexy, and entertaining—“brain candy for smart women,” as she puts it. Susan is a former newspaper journalist with degrees from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and has worked as a reporter in Chicago, Albuquerque, and Indianapolis. Her other jobs have included fine arts fundraiser, freelance journalist, painted furniture artist, horse stall mucker, proposal writer, and aide to a U.S. Senator. Susan lives in rural Maryland with her family and dogs.
Now 35, Josie Sheehan has collected failed relationships the way some women collect designer handbags, and the only man who's been sharing her bed is her Labradoodle, Genghis. All that changes when she meets Rick Rousseau, a smart and sexy pet store CEO who falls head-over-heels for her. Just when Josie thinks she's found something more than puppy love, she discovers that Rick has a complicated past -- and a secret that could put her in danger.
This is the second in my trilogy of romantic comedies about the women in a San Francisco dog-walking group. (It is NOT the title of my autobiography. Just thought I'd clarify.) THE NIGHT SHE GOT LUCKY is the super-sexy story of Ginger Garrison and Lucio Montevez. Now forty and divorced, Ginger is certain she’d rather spend her nights with her spoiled Bichon Frise than waste another minute with a man who doesn’t adore her. Then she meets Lucio – or “Lucky” as his friends call him – a renowned nature photographer as famous for breaking hearts as he is for as taking pictures. Is Lucio capable of staying put? With one woman? Or will he be on the first plane to Bora Bora once he’s made Ginger his latest conquest?
The trilogy gets wrapped up with the story of professional man-hater Roxie Bloom and the sexy but seemingly aloof dog whisperer she asks to save her rescue mutt. Roxie and Eli Gallagher have been denying their mutual attraction for months, but when Roxie’s dog bites her ex-boyfriend – a powerful criminal defense lawyer bent on destroying her life – she must swallow her pride and ask for Eli’s help. Saving the dog will take patience and determination, but it also will require Roxie and Eli to open their hearts in ways they never thought possible.
Did you think you had life figured out when you were sixteen? I know I did. And in my latest book, THE GIRL MOST LIKELY TO . . . , sixteen-year-old Kat Cavanaugh hitchhikes out of Persuasion, West Virginia and vows never to return. Who could blame her? She’d just stumbled upon her father’s adulterous affair, found out she was pregnant, got dumped by her boyfriend, and kicked out of her house and school . . . all in a single afternoon. Twenty years have gone by and Kat’s back—gorgeous, rich, and looking for an apology from everyone who’d turned their backs on her. First on that list is Riley Bohland, the boy who broke her heart before she could tell him about the baby. But Kat didn’t count on Riley having his own axe to grind, or that he’d be just as delicious as he was at sixteen. She also didn’t count on her heart opening at the sight of him. When their anger ignites a passion intense enough to burn through two decades of secrets and lies, Kat must question everything she thought she knew about her past. And what about her future? The only place to find the answers may be in Riley’s arms…
Haven’t we all at least wondered about it? What would it be like to be a kept woman – your affections bought and paid for in exchange for a life of luxury? In my new novel THE KEPT WOMAN (why be subtle?) Samantha Monroe is a cash-strapped, single mom of three who finds herself in that exact situation. Click on the “Susan’s Books” link to read the entire first chapter!
Lucy Cunningham is a smart-mouthed couch potato hooked on Milk Duds. Theo Redmond is a hottie personal trainer to the stars. When they team up for a makeover publicity stunt that could make them both rich, they learn that nobody's perfect, beauty is more than skin deep, and true loves lies somewhere between pizza and Pilates.
Charlotte Tasker has always been a good girl, so she married the most decent, reliable man she could find even though their love life was a bit on the predictable side. Thirteen years later, she's a widowed mom who runs her company, prepares three vegetarian meals a day for her children, and volunteers for just about every good deed in town. But no one knows that Charlotte has a secret weakness for squirt cheese, erotic poetry-and the mystery man she lost her virginity to in a reckless roadside tryst, moments before she got engaged.
A neurotic, hairless dog has witnessed his owner's murder, and it's pet psychiatrist Emma Jenkins's job to discover what he knows. Unfortunately, the dog has been adopted by Thomas Tobin, a pessimistic investigator who spends his life posing as a hit-man.
Autumn Adams never planned to follow in her mother's footsteps as Chicago's answer to Martha Stewart—she can't cook, doesn't clean, and would rather play soccer than discuss the joys of white bathtub grout. Then some lunatic starts sending her threats in the mail and Audie finds herself under the protection of simmering, sexy Detective Stacey Quinn, a man determined to examine her every nook, cranny, and ex-boyfriend in his effort to find the stalker. A disarming combination of macho cop and sweet charmer, Quinn is hard to resist. But with Audie's bad luck at finding and holding on to Mr. Right, she think it's best to keep her distance.
The holiday Brava anthology from Kensington features novellas from Susan Donovan, Lori Foster, Donna Kauffman, Janelle Denison, Alison Kent and Nancy Warren.
Six tales of steamy romance by some wonderful writers. If you read this one at the beach, you may need to take a cooling dip in the surf!
If you're going to be stuck in the middle of nowhere, it might as well be with an intelligent, insightful, romantic hunk of a man who spends a lot of time in pajama pants, don't you think? That's where uptight Los Angeles exec Kate Dreyfuss finds herself after her boss sends her on a mandatory retreat to the New Mexico mountains. But because of a scheduling mixup, lodge owner Jorey Matheny isn't expecting anyone, let alone a beautiful woman going through a life crisis and caffeine-withdrawl. When a desert downpour floods the only road out, Kate is forced to stay put and slow down for a few days. With Jorey's help, Kate learns to unwind and let go in a way she never thought possible.