Beyond Paradise — Kathleen Mix

Even the deepest love needs an air supply…

Dive shop manager Marina Hernandez is carrying a heavy load as she tries to save the family business. On one shoulder rides a bucket of red ink. On the other, her father's age-old cultural belief that women belong in the kitchen.

Now that a cutthroat competitor has pushed her to the brink of bankruptcy, any chance she'll ever win her father's respect is fading fast. The last thing she can afford right now is the complication of a tempting man.

After years of building his practice, pediatrician Brett Sutherland has changed his focus. He seeks a more well-rounded life, including a woman who'll devote herself to caring for a family. Workaholics need not apply. Then he signs up for scuba lessons, and Marina's luminous eyes and spirited personality turn his neat, logical plan upside down.

Brett's dazzling looks heat her blood, and his compassionate nature makes her yearn to build her own life -- but not if it means letting the business collapse. A little harmless flirtation couldn't hurt, though.

Yet with every kiss, she's stretched thinner between the promise of Brett's love and her father's expectations. Until a critical decision pushes them both to the breaking point…

Warning: Contains a hunk in a swimsuit. May lead to spending your entire summer at a beach or pool ogling the male scenery.