Darlene Panzera – författare

First published as a short story in Debbie Macomber's Family Affair

In Darlene Panzera's debut full-length romance, an entire town places a bet on just whom pretty Jenny O'Brien will marry . . . and her choice surprises them all!

Marry her and win

When tall, handsome out-of-towner Nick Chandler first sets eyes on Jenny O'Brien, she's storming into the Bets & Burgers Café, wielding a broom and threatening the safety of every man in sight. Hey, he figures, she's got the right to be annoyed—the whole town seems to be laying bets on whom Jenny will marry.

Nick's annoyed as well. He didn't think he'd have to propose to romance the land away from her, but to save his sister and his ill-fated business, he jumps into the fray and bets $10,000 that Jenny will marry him.

Now the only thing stopping him from seizing her land . . . may be his own heart.

Everyone knows business and pleasure don''t mix . . . or do they?

Andi Burke has a dream—a kitchen big enough to dance in, regular income to support her daughter, and a chance to find true love. So when she enlists her sister Kim and their bubbly best friend Rachel to help open Creative Cupcakes, it all seems perfect.

Especially when hunky local reporter Jake Hartman offers to finance the store for them. Andi hasn''t dated since her divorce, but the way Jake keeps looking at her might make her change her mind. After all, what could go wrong?

Plenty! There''s a shady tattoo parlor behind their shop, a crowd of crazy Zumba dancers out front (chanting "Lose the fat, dance with Pat!"), and about the only thing going right is Andi''s romance . . . until Jake''s media crew captures a story that could shut the two of them down forever.

For fans of Debbie Macomber comes Recipe for Love, the second installment in the Cupcake Diaries series

Relationships can be tricky, but will Mike the magician convince Rachel to break her two-date rule?

Rachel Donovan believes first dates are fabulous, second dates are fun, but third dates? She never sees a guy three times in a row for fear he'll break her heart, but she's tempted to make an exception when her coworkers, Andi and Kim, hire Mike Palmer to drive their Cupcake Mobile.

Mike meets Rachel when he's wearing his black-masked magician costume at a Creative Cupcakes birthday party and then tries to saw her in half. He draws closer while helping Rachel devise promotion plans to outsmart the arrogant new French pastry chef threatening to put the shop out of business.

When a rat runs through the middle of her glitzy promo party and the video is uploaded to YouTube, Rachel fears she won't be able to save the shop, help her mother pay for her grandfather's medical treatment, or win back the heart of the one guy she's come to love . . . or will she?

For fans of Debbie Macomber comes Taste of Romance, the third installment in the Cupcake Diaries series

Kimberly Burke has avoided all types of risk since her mother's deadly plane crash—including risky relationships. Seems like everyone is always leaving her behind: her ex-boyfriend, her mother, and now her sister Andi and best friend Rachel—who have each found the man of her dreams.

Then she meets Nathaniel when she mistakes his backyard for the new community park. He loves her passion, and when he learns of her wistful desire to travel, he takes her up in a hot air balloon, hoping to overcome her fear of flying so that she can accompany him abroad.

But before he leaves, they must catch the Cupcake Bandit and replace the money stolen from Creative Cupcakes before the shop is shut down. Will discovering the thief's identity persuade Kim to take a risk on love . . . or will she stay behind and let Nathaniel fly off without her?

For fans of Debbie Macomber comes Spoonful of Christmas, the fourth installment in the popular Cupcake Diaries series.

Andi, Rachel, and Kim each have their own reasons for wanting this Christmas at Creative Cupcakes to be special.

Andi is scared that Jake''s job offer with another newspaper will move them to a different state.

Rachel, set to marry Mike on Christmas Eve, is afraid her cousin Stacey will ruin the wedding.

Kim fears she''ll never get a ring and Nathaniel will leave her after the holidays are over.

What they didn''t count on was having a modern-day Grinch try to steal Christmas away from them. Can they unmask the culprit before it''s too late ... or will this be a Christmas to remember for all the wrong reasons?

Fans of Debbie Macomber will adore the fifth installment in Darlene Panzera's sweet Cupcake Diaries series … a tale of sand, sun, and summer love!

Stacey McIntyre thinks she'll pay off her debt in no time when Andi, Rachel, and Kim ask her to manage Creative Cupcakes' stand on the beach. But selling cupcakes isn't as easy as it seems. Especially when Dave Wright, the handsome owner of an ice cream truck, proves he's as determined as the dive-bombing seagulls to take away her sales.

Dave's done with dating and done with beautiful, headstrong women like Stacey. Then the refrigeration system in his truck breaks, and instead of gloating, Stacey helps him out of a tight spot … and is rewarded with a kiss.

Now Stacey isn't sure where they stand. Will Dave push her back into the role of rival? Or can she convince Mr. Wright that working together will lead to sweeter rewards?

Darlene Panzera continues her heartwarming Western series with a roughed-up cowboy, the feisty girl next door, and the deal that brings them together

If it wasn''t for an injury to his leg, Luke Collins would be riding rodeo broncos all day, every day. Until he heals, he''s determined to help his family''s guest ranch bring in money any way he can. But when a cranky neighbor gets in the way of his goal, Luke turns to the only person he knows can help: the gorgeous, rodeo-barrel-racing spitfire next door.

It''s no secret: Sammy Jo''s father is a pain in the neck. But if anyone can persuade him, it''s her. So when Luke asks for help, Sammy Jo is more than willing to make a deal with the handsome cowboy. The cost? He''s gotta get back up on that horse—with Sammy Jo''s help, of course.

As teamwork reveals a deeper connection, Luke finds himself falling for the beautiful girl next door. But to win her heart? He''ll just have to do whatever it takes.