Tempting Dreams: A Spicy Small-Town Forced Proximity Romance

Lea Coll

Feb 2026 · The Sterling Brothers Book 3 · Lea Coll

About this ebook

No one warned me how hard it would be to keep my hands off the woman rebuilding her life.

When the pipe in Angela’s lingerie shop bursts, I’m the first one she calls. Fixing broken things is what I do. What I’m not prepared for?

Angela—fierce, independent, and standing in nothing but silk and defiance.

She’s off-limits. A client. A single mom who’s been through enough. The last thing she needs is a man like me complicating her fresh start.

But when her apartment floods and she and her daughter move into my rental, keeping my distance becomes impossible.

Late-night takeout turns into long conversations. Shared space turns into stolen glances. Every day we work side by side rebuilding her dream only pulls us closer. And every night, the temptation grows harder to ignore.

Then I walk in on her photo shoot.

Soft lighting. Silky lace. Confidence she doesn’t even realize she has.

And I’m done pretending I don’t want her.

The problem? Angela doesn’t trust easily. Her ex proved that promises can break as fast as pipes. And I’ve never let myself want more than the job in front of me.

But somewhere between fixing her shop and watching her fight for her future, I start wanting something I never saw coming.

Not just her body.

Not just her kisses.

A family.

Now I have to prove I’m not just the man who showed up when things fell apart…

I’m the man who’ll stay.

Tempting Dreams is a steamy forced proximity contemporary romance featuring a single mom heroine and protective hero, accidental temptation, roommates-to-lovers tension, small-town repair project bonding, found family feels, and high-heat lingerie photo shoot scenes—complete with emotional vulnerability, betrayal, angst, groveling, and a hard-won happily ever after. A heart-warming, feel-good small town contemporary romance.

If you loved Tempting Dreams, you're going to adore Broken Dreams, when a grumpy contractor returns to face the good girl bookstore owner he once stood up, old sparks reignite and second chances become impossible to ignore.

The Sterling Brothers Series

Book 1: Wildest Dreams

Book 2: Midnight Dreams

Book 3: Tempting Dreams

Book 4: Broken Dreams

Book 5: Sweet Dreams

Book 6: Forbidden Dreams

Ratings and reviews

I have a soft sport for single mom who find their forever and this newest release did not disappoint. The third book in the small town Sterling Brothers series brings Hudson and Angela story to life. Their story started off with an awkward yet steamy moment as she finds herself in need of his service. As their life gets more intertwined and their attraction heats up so does the chance at forever. Will this small town bring everything that they deserve for Angela and her daughter Ayla?

Hudson is the local plumber extrodinare, Angela is a single mom with a young daughter a new business selling lingerie. Unfortunately now she is also in need of Hudson's services as her business is flooding and she's in nothing but her underwear. It's a great beginning. The story is a bit of a slow burn but its not necessarily a slow paced romance either. It's fun and full of friendship. The whole community is their to support this romance, this couple, this new part of their family.

Tempting Dreams is single mum Angela McCallister and Hudson Sterling’s heartwarming romance set in Christmas Town. It’s book three in The Sterling Brothers and it’s a beautifully written holiday romance that’s movies are made from. Angela is desperate for her lingerie boutique to be a success but when a pipe bursts its seems her hopes could be dashed until contractor Hudson walks into her life. What follows is a heartwarming and entertaining romance as Hudson spends time with Angela

About the author

Lea Coll is a USA Today bestselling author who writes sweet and sexy happily ever afters. She worked as a trial attorney for over ten years. Now she stays home with her three children, plotting stories while fetching snacks and running them back and forth to activities. She enjoys the freedom of writing romance after years of legal writing.