If his grandsons don’t settle down soon, he’ll sell controlling interest in the family business. After losing a coin toss to his twin brother, Zach, Cole's gotta go first. On the hunt for a bride, Cole crashes a high society wedding and comes face-to-face with his high school pal, Tess Morgan. The formerly shy, overweight bookworm is no longer the pushover who did Cole’s homework for him. At the reception, Tess goads him into a game of pool. Just to keep things interesting, Cole suggests a wager. If he wins, she must help him find the perfect woman to wed. Losing the bet is one thing, but playing matchmaker for the heartthrob who still causes her pulse to race is another matter entirely. Does Tess stand a chance of convincing Cole that she’s the one he’s been waiting for all along?

    Or romance, for that matter. She is weeks away from opening her own catering business, the most important part of her plan to provide her certified genius daughter Patty with all the wonderful things she deserves.Except Patty doesn't want to go to a fancy boarding school. She wants a father and when she meets bartender Murphy O'Rourke at her fourth grade Career Day presentation, she knows she's met the man of her mother's dreams!But can she convince her Mrs. Scrooge of a mom that it was time to give Christmas -- and love -- a second chance?Acclaim for the novels of Barbara Bretton“Bretton’s characters are always real and their conflicts believable.”— Chicago Sun-Times“Soul warming... A powerful relationship drama [for] anyone who enjoys a passionate look inside the hearts and souls of the prime players.”— Midwest Book Review“[Bretton] excels in her portrayal of the sometimes sweet, sometimes stifling ties of a small community. The town’s tight network of loving, eccentric friends and family infuses the tale with a gently comic note that perfectly balances the darker dramas of the romance.”— Publishers Weekly“A tender love story about two people who, when they find something special, will go to any length to keep it.”— Booklist“Honest, witty... absolutely unforgettable.”— Rendezvous“A classic adult fairy tale.”— Affaire de Coeur“Dialogue flows easily and characters spring quickly to life.”— Rocky Mountain News

    Her presence interrupts their daily routine, and one brother in particular makes his annoyance well known: Graham.As the oldest of seven brothers, Graham Hastings takes his role as leader of the family business seriously. Not only does he keep the family ranch running, but he also keeps a tight rope on all his brothers. But when Julia McComas winds up living in his guest house, her presence shakes up more than just ranch life. It shakes up his heart.Can Julia learn the ways of the ranch? Can Graham let go of the reins enough to let love into his heart?

    And they all know the sexy, rascally rancher is not the marrying kind. So how is it that our town's most notorious bachelor has wound up engaged on a Western reality TV show?We here at the Gazette are pleased The Great Roundup has chosen our hometown heartbreaker as a contestant. And we are definitely rooting for Travis's unexpected union with childhood friend Brenna O'Reilly, the one girl we believe can keep this cowboy on his toes. But is it true this betrothal is strictly a fabrication for the cameras? Pass the popcorn, dear readers. We suspect this made-for-TV romance could be headed straight for a Hollywood happy ending!

    But tragedy has brought them back together in Benevolence, Washington, where they’re finding generosity, surprising revelations—and unexpected love . . .   Sullivan Bradshaw is in way over his head. A car crash killed his brother, Matthias, and critically injured his sister-in-law. It’s Sullivan's turn to care for the couple’s six children and the ancestral farm, but the die-hard bachelor and art professor is hardly family-man material. What he needs is the perfect nanny-miracle worker-saint. What he gets is pretty Rumer Truehart, a free spirit who will change everything he ever thought he wanted . . .   Rumer learned the hard way that nothing is for sure, much less forever. And she certainly  understands why Sullivan’s unhappy childhood makes him a strictly no-commitments kind of guy. But she can't help being drawn to this thoughtful, gentle man. And when trouble strikes, she’s determined to win his trust—and show him love can be a promise for keeps.   Praise for Shirlee McCoy’s Sweet Haven   “Fans of Debbie Macomber will appreciate McCoy’s sweet, funny, heartwarming romance with its friendly, small-town setting.”  --Booklist (starred review)    “A delicious small‑town treat.” ‑‑Library Journal

    . .Detective Matthew Dunn was unlike any man Clare Harmon had ever known -- bitter, cynical, and yet more compelling than she cared to admit, even to herself. And though he was trying to stop her from carrying out her life's work, she couldn't keep him from haunting her very dreams. He believed her life was at risk every second she stayed in this bleak inner-city neighborhood, and she could scarcely deny it. But she was beginning to wonder if the true danger was this man who made her long to brush away the dark shadows she saw in his eyes -- and make a place for him in her fragile heart!

    Or is rescued by one. Dexter O’Reilly, a cold and ruthless businessman, meets Laura Witherow, a loving and compassionate individual on Christmas Eve. Recently orphaned, Laura faces her first Christmas alone. After taking a wrong turn down a deserted snowy road, she finds herself stranded deep in the Pennsylvania backroads. Then, as miracles would have it, she is sent someone to share the holiday with that cold fateful Christmas Eve. True, he might not be old Saint Nick, but he was her very own Scrooge. After their brief and unusual encounter, Dexter hopes never to lay eyes on the woman again. However, eight months later she unexpectedly shows up on his business doorstep seeking financial aid for a homeless shelter she operates after a series of unfortunate events leads her to financial ruin. Dexter scoffs at any charitable organization, as well as his growing attraction toward the obstinate woman who refused to give up. Laura is determined to conquer the past, the present and even the future to show Dexter that there was more to life than money and that she was the way to true happiness.

    Whip Tyler of all people! Hasn't their family lost enough at Whip's hands?Hasn't Paul Patterson caused enough damage in Whip's life? But if he won't take the job, Paul will get someone else - a developer who will rape the land and throw Kat's hopes to the wind. It would be easier if Whip didn't care. Or if that long-ago promise didn't stand between him and Kat.

    When “Diamond” Jim McCall gambles on a fixer-upper for sentimental reasons, his house of cards implodes – along with his health. Ruby’s ready for a job change but agreeing to become her first crush’s apprentice might be her biggest mistake. She doesn’t doubt they can “flip” the derelict ranch house and save Summit Construction, but at what cost to her heart? After all, Boone Fielding became the son her father never had when she left for college.  Man up. Helping Ruby McCall and her sisters flip Diamond Jim’s “money pit” makes sense financially, but he can’t partner with someone he doesn’t trust – and Boone hasn’t forgotten his last close encounter with Ruby. But every day on the job reminds him of why he fell in love with her in the first place.  How is he ever going to let her go when the job is done?

    The Coltons and Gages have feuded for generations; Carson is convinced the cowgirl is hiding his prime suspect on her ranch. But the beauty and her baby stir unwelcome yearnings in his calloused heart. After all, Carson has learned the hard way what vulnerability can cost. When Serena and her child become targets of a mysterious assailant, Carson’s protective urges take over. Can an irresistible attraction prove stronger than old family hatreds and help them capture a criminal?

    Julie Hatfield and Robert McCoy pray they never have to lay eyes on each other again. Not going to happen. The psychic and the FBI agent have just been named official partners in finding a missing child—the third in a string of abductions that cross state lines. Haunted by a shattering crime in his past, McCoy is skeptical of Hatfield’s special gifts—until she starts reliving the crime through the eyes of the eight-year-old girl. But it’s only the beginning. Because someone is targeting Hatfield . . . someone who knows everything about her, and not even McCoy might be able to protect the strangely compelling woman who is making him believe in love again. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Heather Graham, including rare photos from the author’s personal collection.

    Without recall, she insisted she was innocent, framed and the real killer after her. To the untrained eye, she looked mighty guilty. But to private investigator Jake Hawkins, she still looked damn good.Desire for Clancy had always burned inside Jake; so had anger. Ten years ago Clancy sleepwalked onto another crime scene and her testimony had put Jake's father behind bars. Now Jake didn't know if he wanted to prove his seductive client's innocence - or guilt. LAWMAN - There's nothing sexier than the strong arms of the law!

    Most Wanted by Diana Palmer released on Apr 24, 2000 is available now for purchase.

    She hardly knows the handsome Amish man who's come to help with her barn raising. Besides, they're both still mourning the loss of their spouses. But Mose Fischer needs a caretaker for his daughters, and Sarah needs to escape her father's oppressive rule. They agree to a marriage of convenience, but when Sarah moves to Mose's Amish community in Florida, she can't help falling for the strong, kind widower and his little girls. To create a family, they'll have to come to terms with their pasts…and the secret Sarah is unknowingly carrying.

    When Coach needs a volunteer to deliver donated football uniforms to the learning center in The Grid, River’s glad to go. What he hadn’t expected was the tiny woman with sparkling dark eyes and dreams bigger than the old schoolhouse she’s renting. He has no intention of falling for her, especially with his career on the ropes.After a disaster turns Soledad Marcos’ life upside down, she’s glad the learning center has given her and her daughter a stable life. She buries the secrets of her dark past and looks forward to the future⸻a future that doesn’t include a dashing football player and his desire to help. Her students love River so she’s forced to ignore the unease that has held her back for years.As Soledad draws closer to River, she learns his tough exterior masks a compassionate and tender soul she’ll resist at all costs, but turning her back on love means a bigger sacrifice that could cost more than a broken heart.