Cover & Excerpt Reveal A SUMMER TO SHINE by Michelle Ruoff Series: Cedar Falls #2 Release Date: September 24, 2026 Genre: Small Town Romance Tropes: Runaway bride, workplace romance, grumpy/sunshine, found family, forced proximity, one bed, only soft for her/can't say no to her, reluctant cat dad Cover Design: Sam Palencia Synopsis Laylah McPherson never planned to be a runaway bride. She definitely never planned to crash into a moose on a stormy night and end up stranded in a lakeside town she's never heard of. But when her car needs months of repairs, she begs the town's infuriating (infuriatingly attractive) bar owner for a job while she hides from the life she left at the altar. Lucas Hanson has no interest in being anyone's hero. A betrayal cost him his career, and he's rebuilt a quieter life in Cedar Falls – one with no drama, and definitely no room for a bubbly socialite who has too many ideas, wears too much pink, and somehow convinces him to adopt a stray bar cat. Unfortunately, she's impossible to say no to. Just as Laylah starts to build a life that's finally her own, the controlling past she escaped catches up to her. She'll have to choose: the life that was chosen for her … or risk everything for the one she's chosen for herself. A slow-burn, small town romance with a grumpy bar owner, a runaway bride, and one bed neither of them asked for. Add to Goodreads Want to Read Shelf Excerpt Lucas narrowed his eyes at her challenging expression and lifted his hand from her shoulder to cup the side of her face. His thumb gently traced her plump bottom lip, unfairly sticking out. She shivered at the contact and leaned into the hand cradling her face. "Tell me exactly what it is you want, and I'll consider it." Her eyes widened, and she grinned. "I want you to make me come. I don't care how, but I desperately need someone to take charge of the mess that is my life right now, because I can't seem to." Her words went straight to his dick. This woman was dangerous to his self-control, especially since she was so willing to freely hand over the reins to him within hours of meeting him. "I see we still need to work on your self-preservation skills, Kitten." "Is that a yes?" He moved his hand to grip the back of her neck and draw her near. She stumbled closer and turned her face up to his, her lips parted. She shuddered when he squeezed her neck, her breath coming out in a shaky exhale. "You're sure about this?" She nodded enthusiastically. With her consent, he hauled her through the doorway and into the office. He slammed the door shut and pressed her against it, giving them the privacy they needed. She fisted his shirt in her hands, and he glanced down at the huge, twinkling diamond mocking him. "Do I need to worry about that ring on your finger?" "No," she breathed. "Then take it off, and I'll make you come the way he never could." Without hesitation, she twisted the ring off, slipped it into her pocket, then wiggled her naked fingers in front of his face for good measure. "Good girl." Reserve Your Copy Preorder on Amazon (Kindle) ARC Giveaway Enter the Giveaway Other Books Within the Series Read on Amazon Kindle & Kindle Unlimited About the Author Michelle Ruoff writes steamy small-town romance. She is a technical writer turned romance author based in Florida. After earning her BA in English from the University of Florida and her MA in Professional Communication from Clemson University, she spent a decade in the tech industry before following her heart to romance. She loves all romance tropes, but single-parent, childhood friends-to-lovers, and why-choose stories hold a special place in her reader heart. When she's not writing, you'll find her deep in an omegaverse (IYKYK), binge-watching Love Island, or pulling tarot cards with an iced coffee in hand. She lives in Orlando with her husband, Ben, and dog, Sage, the true love of her life and constant writing companion. Connect with Michelle Ruoff Website: https://www.michelleruoff.com/ Newsletter: https://geni.us/ma7Wg Facebook: https://geni.us/6BnyI6 Goodreads: https://geni.us/B0GH9 Instagram: https://geni.us/Q2VBUhe TikTok: https://geni.us/X9iWQAp Amazon: https://amzn.to/46j0Zmu BookBub: https://geni.us/kYiPCB Promotion support provided by Foreword PR & Marketing for Romance Authors, specializing in reader-focused book launches and long-term author visibility.