In Her Shoes by Jennifer Weiner

Weiner delighted readers with Good in Bed, the story—by turns deeply hilarious and richly empowering—of Cannie Shapiro's self-discovery. For her second novel, Weiner offers three new heroines to love: Maggie Feller, whose lifelong quest for stardom peaked when her left hip appeared in a Will Smith video; her sister, Rose, a powerful attorney hopelessly devoted to the wrong man; and their grandmother, Ella Hirsch, whose ceaseless volunteerism is a penance for her daughter's death. Funny, touching, and wonderfully believable, In Her Shoes is a smart and tender testament to the power of connection.

Faking It by Jennifer Crusie

Dedicated academic, proud and vocal feminist, lifelong resident of Ohio: Crusie hardly fits the hyperglam image projected by some of her fellow romance writers. Nevertheless, her books are fast-paced, very funny, peopled with great characters, and delightfully lusty. Crusie sold her first romance novella while working on her Ph.D., and her first novels, Tell Me Lies and Crazy for You, were based on stories she wrote for her master's thesis on women's roles in fiction. Her newest novel is the story of the Goodnight clan, art dealers with a slightly embarrassing family secret, and Davy Dempsey, a semi-reformed con man. Faking It sparkles with the same humor and lively intelligence that has earned Crusie a loyal and rapidly growing flock of fans.

On Thin Ice by Susan Andersen

With books like All Shook Up and Head Over Heels, Andersen has proven her ability to mix mystery with just enough humor and sensuality to create outstanding romantic suspense. Anderson takes a turn for the intense with On Thin Ice. Professional figure skater Sasha Miller travels from city to city, perfecting her performance as she tries to escape her past. It is her past, however, that holds the secret to catching a killer who stalks the ice arenas. When undercover agent Mick Vinicor begins to guess what Sasha isn't saying, he realizes that he will have to overcome her mistrust and her painful history. He also learns that getting close to the beautiful skater feels more personal than professional. Once again, Andersen delivers believable characters, white-hot passion, and palpable chills.

Fishbowl by Sarah Mlynowski

When Jodine and Emma move into Allison's apartment, their dream of a nonstop slumber party quickly devolves into a collective yearning for privacy. A small fire, though, leaves these roomies with no choice but to work together: The repairs they need to save their apartment cost too much for them to go it alone. Raising the money will require all the camaraderie—and all the imagination—they can muster. Fishbowl is Mlynowski's ambitious follow-up to Milkrun, her debut. In this new novel, she gives each of her characters a chance to narrate, creating a distinctive voice for each. Fishbowl is an original and very funny celebration of friendship between women.

Knock Me Off My Feet by Susan Donovan

Autumn Adams never thought of herself as the kind of woman who needed protecting, until threatening letters start to turn up in her mailbox. Detective Stacey Quinn never expected to fall for someone like Audie, but when he takes the assignment of keeping her alive, he discovers that she becomes a little bit more alluring every day. As he examines her history for clues to the identity of her stalker, he turns up a string of ex-boyfriends. Can he convince Audie that her unhappy romantic past doesn't doom her to a future without love? Sassy and hot, Knock Me off My Feet is a charming debut.

Gentleman Caller by Bobby Hutchinson

Maxine Bleckner knew what men wanted from her: a little giggling, a little moaning, and maybe an impassioned cry or two. She just needed to accept a few calls a day; phone sex barely interrupted her otherwise ordinary life of changing diapers and making grilled cheese sandwiches. Everything changed, though, when the man on the other end of the line wanted to know the real Maxine—not just the throaty voice, but the whole woman. Harry Watson wasn't calling for fun: He was an investigative reporter covering the seamier side of life to support his 3-year-old girl. Once he gets to know the woman behind the 1-900 persona, he has to extricate himself from his own professional guise. Hutchinson turns a fresh, inventive scenario into a very steamy story with vividly real characters.