On the day he went to buy an engagement ring, something was telling him no. Good thing because he drove straight to his best friend Alec's place and caught Tiffany in his bed. Turned out it was a blessing in disguise.Kiera Bing was a first-year law student. The workload was daunting, and the long study hours were even worse, so one night a week, Kiera allowed herself a break by hanging with her best friend and roommate at their favorite bar. The last thing on her mind was finding love. But when Kiera meets Ward, he changes her mind about everything. Ward and Kiera spend almost every waking moment together. Ward knew he would walk through fire for Kiera, and he just might have to. Tiffany tried to burn Ward's world to the ground once, and it looks like she’s trying to shatter it again. But sometimes, the most obvious answer will lead you in the wrong direction because if you put your trust in the wrong people, you could get burned.And the reburn could destroy it all.

    But when a hit and run driver nearly kills her, she realizes she’s not the only one after the treasure. And is Drew, the handsome helicopter pilot who found her bleeding in a ditch, really a hero, or one of the enemy?Erin isn’t sure she can trust Drew with her heart, but she’ll need his help to track down the treasure. She heads into the New Mexico wilderness with her brainy best friend Camie and a feisty orange cat. The wilderness holds its own dangers, from wild animals to sudden storms. Plus, the sinister men hunting Erin are determined to follow her all the way to the treasure, no matter where the twisted trail leads. Erin won’t give up an important historical find without a fight, but is she ready to risk her life—and her heart?Just how far will Erin go to find the treasure and discover what she’s really made of?

    Her mother, Alyssa Buchanan, is wild with rage and regret for placing her trust in her husband Seth, a former pro surfer who has a drug problem. Seth is adamant that he was clean the night of Nevaeh’sdeath, yet a dirty drug test contradicts his story. His parental rights ripped and criminal charges looming, he battles to prove his innocence, love, and family devotion. Adding to the couple’s grief, their five-year-old daughter Daisy hasn’t uttered a word since her sister’s death. Alyssa turns to childhood friends and local police officer, Greg Wallace, for comfort and support. Although Greg portrays heroic devotion and justice, inwardly he swims with loss, narcissism, and explosive rage. He has long despised Seth and is more than willingto meet Alyssa’s needs that reach far beyond friendship.Into this fragile scene steps therapist Katherine Middlebrook. Her practice consumes nearly all her time–time that is even more precious now that her mother’s cancer has returned. She hesitantly accepts three new clients­–Greg Wallace, and Seth & Alyssa Buchanan, unaware oftheir intertwined history. Buried deep in Katherine’s past is the loss of her own child. She’s sure she can keep the boundaries of her past and her clients’ lives clear until their intersecting tragedies awaken old demons.An award winner in the South West Writer’s Contest for literary and mainstream novel, Out of Breath is an exploration of parental grief, addiction, compassion fatigue, and suicide; it’s the prodigal story of grace undeserved. Salluce’s expertise as a psychotherapist and grief specialist enables her to create dynamic characters that will leave you breathless as you jeer their shadow sides and cheer their heroic journeys.

    He hides the darkness in his past, content to run an island adventure company in the Caribbean with members of his former SEAL team—until resort guest Emma Richardson targets him for a vacation fling. Her fresh innocence and insistence on seeing hero material in Dex where none exists makes him yearn to be the man she deserves. And that terrifies Dex more than any war zone he's ever faced, until he discovers Emma has demons of her own…

    He was always the unpredictable one, the one who would be brash enough to make it big self-publishing horror novels on the internet. He promised never to tell, but everyone knows you can never trust an Outlaw.Then a year later, in the middle of the night, she receives a phone call at Tulane. Her aunt, who took her in after her mother’s death, is in a coma under suspicious circumstances. Now she has to face that one person who knows all about what she did that summer—sexy Booker. Returning to Hope Parish to be with her aunt, stirs up all those ugly memories. When Aubree starts getting threats, she can’t help but wonder if what she did last summer was tied to her aunt’s “accident.” Afraid, she turns to the only person who knows the truth and Booker doesn’t hesitate to offer his broad shoulder for her to lean on. But Booker has a secret of his own that could crush their fledgling relationship.As the hot, sultry summer days move on, she finds that even a perfectly smart girl can lose her heart to a perfectly bad boy. What is she going to do when someone starts asking questions Aubree doesn’t want to answer? She’s knee deep into a terribly dangerous, wholly life changing, who-can-she-really-depend-on perfect mess.A Perfect Series: Three perfect girls, three perfect secrets, one unholy trinityA Perfect Mess, Book #1 – the girl most likely to succeed, an unpredictable Outlaw, and a dangerous secret that could be the death of her.A Perfect Mistake, Book #2 – A preacher’s daughter, a reckless Outlaw, and a secret that will change her life forever.A Perfect Dilemma, Book #3 – The town’s poor little rich girl, a sweet-talking Outlaw, and a secret that will ruin all that she holds dear

    She moved north to Pittsburgh, started a successful clothing business, and began a new life. Now, eight years later, another death mysteriously summons her home. But her family is not pleased by her sudden reappearance, and no one will admit to sending her the telegram informing her of her brother Alec's death. When Nick, Alec's twin, hints that the death was no accident, Karen's search to uncover the truth leads her deep into a web of deceit and family secrets. To make matters worse, when Karen begins to have "accidents" of her own, she finds that the only person she can trust is the irritating but seemingly honest stable manager, Greg Slater . . .

    Raise my son. Keep moving to stay ahead of my abusive ex. Last thing I need is some arrogant jerk making my day worse. Reid is so hot. Big, muscular, built like the soldier he was until an ambush claimed the rest of his unit leaving him to live with the guilt. Maybe that’s why he has such a short fuse. That doesn’t explain why I can’t tell him no. Why I keep letting him peel off my clothes and make me scream. I can’t resist him, until he has a PTSD nightmare and frightens me. I’ve never felt this way. But it’s hard to trust after what my ex did to me. Now my ex is back, stalking us, threatening us. He’ll take my son. I might never see my little boy again. Reid is the only one I can turn to. He can keep us safe. I need him now like I’ve never needed anyone before. Can I trust him with our lives? With my heart?

    When criminals kidnap the beautiful wedding singer, he knows that he must rescue her, at all costs, if need be.Darci O'Shea jumped at the opportunity for a little adventure when she took the job of wedding singer in the tropics, but she didn't expect to be kidnapped by a band of thieves. Nor did she expect her rescuer to be a groomsman who could handle a gun as if he'd been born with it.Will the battle between their inner demons be the hardest one to fight, or will they find rescue in each other's arms?Content Warning: Sexual content

    But when tourists start dying under suspicious circumstances, she never imagines that the biggest battle she’d have to fight is within her own department. That is, until her friend, Dominic Burel, and the FBI Task Force he’s a part of, prove she’s right to be concerned.As an FBI agent and former PJ with the elite Air Force Pararescue Unit, Dominic Burel has been happy to move through life solely focused on work. But when a family visit leaves him shaken, he realizes his friendship with Anika could, and should, be so much more. Now he has to change her mind about them and he’s not above using his investigative skills to finagle his way into her case—and life—to do it.As Anika and Dominic hunt a killer, they quickly realize they’ve uncovered something much more sinister. The simple murders aren’t so simple and there’s a much grander plan at play. And when they find they aren’t the only ones hunting, it will take everything they have to stay out of the true killer’s crosshairs.If you revel in escaping into a story, this friends-to-lovers romantic suspense will keep you turning the pages.

    On a lonely, wine-laden Christmas night, she gives into her body’s demands. Former Marine Grafton Parks knows Kendall Herrington is pregnant, she’s just too stubborn to admit it to herself. As they struggle to come to terms with each other, an unexpected danger threatens their very lives. Will they survive long enough for him to be...Her Forever Hero? SEAL's LOST DREAM - Former Navy SEAL K9 handler Joe Flynn lost his partner in the war and doesn’t want anything to do with animals, but every stray in Denver heads his way. Luscious veterinarian Willow James doesn’t mind taking care of everything he finds. She's even willing to take him on with all his ghosts, but is he ready to let them go for her? UNBREAKABLE SEAL — Maxwell Tate fights against a psychotic dream world, his sense of reality warped until he no longer knows what’s real and what’s not. Lacey Adams knows she can’t save all of her cases, but Max appeals to her more than any other. Can she salvage the Unbreakable SEAL?

    A senator has been shot, his wife beaten and his kids are in the wind. It's up to Harrison to find the answers everyone is looking for. Including finding the senator's ex-military and pissed at the world daughter. Only she doesn't want anything to do with him. Zoe is on a mission. There's no room in her world for heroes - especially not Harrison. But he won't take no for an answer. Only Zoe has angered the wrong people, and they won't stop until they put an end to her meddling or better yet - to her. With so much going on, Harrison struggles to pull the pieces together - before their world is completely blown apart - permanently. Saul's Sweetheart Helping a friend in need is never a wrong move. And Saul knows the value of his friends. When he's called to find Benji's missing brother, Daniel - he's on it. Only Daniel might be involved in something a lot darker than avoiding his brother's phone calls. At least according to Rebel who's been haunting Daniel's apartment, looking for her missing girlfriend. When the bodies start showing up, Rebel is terrified her friend will be next... And that's not something she's going to sit by and allow. No matter if Saul thinks she should. He needs to get out of her way or she'll run right over him. The trouble is, it doesn't take long for her to realize he'd like that - and so would she. Now if only they could save their friends...before the entire mess blows up and takes them all out. Dakota's Delight When a young woman darts into traffic and into Dakota's path, life takes a dark turn for both of them. Bailey, recovering from the loss of her husband, retreated from life. Going to work and coming home was the extent of her days and weeks. Until she walks into work early one morning, witnesses a murder and flees into traffic, nearly getting killed. The near death experience awakens the spark of life inside of her. So does the man in the car. A different kind of a spark. For her safety, Dakota persuades her to move into the compound with him and the rest of the Legendary family while they track down the killers. Bailey is forced to accept Dakota's help. But can she stay safe long enough for the police to track down the killer? Or is the man who almost ran her over going to steal her heart?

    With a great job and a best friend who tries everything to get her to break out of her boring life, it’s not until her birthday present arrives at her door, opened by a stranger, that things finally start to get interesting.Alex Miller is ready for his second career after retiring from the military. He’s excited to start training contractors in safety issues and getting to know his daughter after being away for so many years.When a package addressed to him shows up on his doorstep, he is kind enough to deliver the box to the rightful owner. When Lexi opens the door, Alex quickly realizes that he’s found the beautiful woman he has been catching peeks of as she comes and goes from the building.From misunderstandings to new beginnings, Alex and Lexi come together, but a business trip threatens their future right before Valentine’s Day, and neither is sure they will ever be reunited.

    Underneath that fun-loving surface lurks a severe case of PTSD, his personal souvenir from the war on terror. After his young marriage breaks up, he bounces from girlfriend to girlfriend, never allowing himself to get too close, all while maintaining a friendship with his ex-wife, Samantha Colton. Everything changes when he meets Abby Jacobsen, a smart and sassy artist - but with love comes jealousy, and Abby doesn't stand for Jason's cozy friendship with Samantha. Two hours after a heated argument causes Jason to storm out of their apartment, Abby receives a phone call from the intensive care unit of a New Hampshire hospital. The hospital walls close in on Abby and Samantha as they are forced to make tough decisions while trying hard not to kill each other. The two form a rare bond when Emma Jane, Jason's mom, arrives on the scene. Three weeks after Jason's accident, Abby is left alone and hovering over a handful of positive pregnancy tests. During her pregnancy, Abby works with Samantha to dig up clues of Jason's past. As the truth is discovered, their worlds are irreversibly changed. An emotionally-moving look at PTSD and the intersection of three lives, Saving Jason is a riveting glimpse into unexpected friendships and the ripples we leave without our knowledge.

    But Camille is determined to have a life free from his strings. Out on her own, she's made mistakes, including one that found her clawing her way back after a stint in rehab and plenty of bad press. Now, after fighting so hard to be independent and happy, she finds her life threatened as a result of her father's ruthless business dealings. Caught between resentment and fear, Camille prepares herself for the measures her father will take to protect her. But nothing could prepare her for the ex-SAS sniper who crashes into her life.Jake Sharp resides in his own personal hell. He was distracted from duty once before, and the consequences were devastating--both personally and professionally. He vowed never to let that happen again. Accepting the job of bodyguard to Camille Logan isn't the kind of distraction from his demons he should take. Women and Jake don't mix well, yet protecting the heiress seems the lesser of two evils. But Jake soon discovers that she isn't the woman she's perceived to be. She's warm, compassionate, her presence settling, and his duty to protect her soon goes deeper than a well-paid job, no matter how hard he fights it. He needs absolution. He comes to need Camille. But he knows he can't have both.

    We received hundreds of entries, and while we wish we could include everyone, we’re thrilled to introduce you to these thirty-six incredible authors:Fiona Archer ~ Louisa Bacio ~ Laura M. Baird ~ Kait Ballenger ~ Asa Maria Bradley ~ Eden Bradley ~ Boone Brux ~ C.G. Burnette ~ Cara Carnes ~ Caraway Carter ~ Sierra Cartwright ~ S.A. Clayton ~ Katana Collins ~ Janie Crouch ~ Patricia D. Eddy ~ Zoey Ellis ~ Zoe Hill ~ Sara L. Hudson ~ Tracey Jerald ~ A.D. Justice ~ Terri E. Laine ~ Michelle Mars ~ Gina L. Maxwell ~ Kayt Miller ~ Dani René ~ Gen Ryan ~ Blue Saffire ~ Ella Sheridan ~ Mayra Statham ~ Delancey Stewart ~ Jen Talty ~ Mary Ting ~ Reina Torres ~ Magan Vernon ~ Jennifer Woodhull ~ Khloe WrenWe hope you love the stories as much as we do. If so, we encourage you to check out the other books by these wonderful authors. Each and every one is unique and special.