Dare Island Novels
North Carolina Beach Reads! Heartwarming stories about family ties, second chances, the strength of community, and the power of love set on the Outer Banks.
Meet the Fletchers of Dare Island… Steady Matt, the son who stayed; ambitious Meg, the daughter who never looked back; and rebel Luke, the Marine who thought he’d never return.

Home to the Fletcher family for generations, Dare Island is a fishing village rocked by changing times–its traditions slipping away like sands of the North Carolina coast. Single dad and fishing boat captain Matt Fletcher deferred his own dreams to support his innkeeper parents and build a future for his sixteen-year-old son. Matt has learned to weather life’s storms by steering a steady emotional course…and keeping a commitment-free approach to love.
Newcomer Allison Carter came to Dare Island to escape the emotional demands of her wealthy family. The young teacher aims to build a life here, to make a lasting place for herself. She doesn’t want to be another Woman Who Once Dated Matt Fletcher. It’s both tempting and dangerous to believe she can be something more.
Then Matt’s brother Luke makes a sudden return home, with a child of his own–and a request that will change all their lives. With a child’s welfare at stake, Matt must turn to Allison to teach him to let go of the past, open his eyes…and follow his heart.

“Carolina Home is an excellent, entertaining, romantic read. Virginia Kantra has created a splendid new island series.” – Robyn Carr, NYT bestselling author of Virgin River

Meg Fletcher spent her childhood dreaming of escaping Dare Island—her family’s home for generations. So after she landed a high-powered job in New York City, she left and never looked back. But when she loses both her job and the support of her long-term, live-in boyfriend, she returns home to lick her wounds and reevaluate her life.
Helping out her parents at the family inn, she can’t avoid the reminders of the past she’d rather forget—especially charming and successful Sam Grady, her brother’s best friend. Their one disastrous night of teenage passion should have forever killed their childhood attraction, but Sam seems determined to reignite those long-buried embers. As Meg discovers the man he’s become, she’s tempted to open her vulnerable heart to him. But she has no intention of staying on Dare Island—no matter how seductive Sam’s embrace might be…

“Intimate and inviting… Contemporary romance at its most gratifying.” – USA Today

Marine Luke Fletcher is determined to do his duty—first to his country and now to his ten-year-old daughter, the unexpected legacy of a high school girlfriend. But his homecoming to Dare Island in North Carolina’s Outer Banks challenges his plans for the future and forces him to face everything that’s missing in his life. He wasn’t prepared to lose his heart to this child he never knew. Or to fall hard for coolly reserved small town lawyer Kate Dolan.
Former military brat Kate knows Marines can make lousy fathers…and she’s got the scars to prove it. Giving her heart to a man who’s bent on leaving seems one sure way to have it broken.
Now, no matter what it takes, Luke must prove to Kate and to his daughter that Semper Fi is more than a motto—and to himself that there’s more than one way to be a hero.

“Simply put, the Dare Island series is wonderful.” – Kirkus Reviews

Jack Rossi is Dare Island’s new police chief. The laid-back North Carolina community is just what he needs to recover from a rocky marriage and a big-city police department. He’s learned his lesson: no more high-profile women or high-pressure jobs. The last thing he wants is an unconventional alt girl rocking his world.
Grad student Lauren Patterson made headlines when she kept a bank robbery from going bad. She’s fled to Dare Island to clear her head and focus on writing her story. However, sexy Jack Rossi is a distraction that’s too hot to ignore, and it’s igniting an affair too combustible to resist—or quit.
But when their pasts come looking for them, Jack and Lauren find themselves fighting for the future they deserve, whatever the price.

“Filled with tender moments and sexy, sparkling exchanges.” – BookPage

After escaping a disastrous marriage, bakery owner Jane Clark has convinced herself that she has everything she needs—her precious son, a thriving business, and a roof over her head. But the arrival of a handsome stranger on the island shows her exactly what she’s been missing…
The only home Gabe Murphy ever had was the Marine Corps. He’s working hard to rebuild his life. It will take a special place, and a special woman, to make him want to stay.
Now Gabe is determined to prove that he’s worthy of Jane’s trust—and her love. But when her past reappears, that trust will be tested, and Jane and Gabe will have to fight hard to hold onto their love and make their dreams a reality…
WINNER Romance Writers of America RITA® Award

“Positively sizzles with sexual tension and hums with the rhythm of life on the island. I loved it.” – Mariah Stewart, NYT bestselling author of the Wyndham Beach series

A Dare Island Novella
Determined to leave her wild past behind her, Cynthie Lodge is forging a new life for herself and her daughters—one that’s man-free and drama-free. But not everyone is so eager to let go of the past.
When sexy loner Max Lewis returns to Dare Island, seeing Cynthie again rekindles his feelings for his high school crush. Now he must convince her to take another chance on love.
Previously Published in Ask Me Why

“Learn why many readers, myself included, have fallen in love with these wonderful characters and the island they call home.”—The Romance Dish
Also from Virginia…
Classic Romance and Romantic Suspense
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