Edward Carnarvon III is rich, handsome and hers. But at the final fitting of her wedding gown, one of the seamstresses pricks her and a tiny blood spot appears on the outrageously expensive gown. Its famous designer fires the clumsy seamstress on the spot, whereupon the girl puts a curse on the dress and storms out. Kate doesn't believe in curses. She’s modern, American and in love with the perfect guy. What could go wrong? But that very evening she meets a man who makes her question her future. And then she discovers that Edward has been hiding a secret or two… and before you can say, “This dress is so cursed,” she’s on the run from Edward, his family, her mother, the paparazzi and the person she thought she was. When the man who discovers her hiding place turns out to be the last man she should trust, it’s time to throw her cautious good sense out with the satin shoes she won’t be wearing. Playing it safe hasn’t done her much good. Maybe it’s time to play by a new set of rules. Her rules. Sometimes Prince Charming is the one who turns out to be the frog, and true love appears in the most unexpected places. Follow the cursed dress through five sets of bridal hands as four more women join The Almost Wives Club. These are complete novels. Watch for: Secondhand Bride coming in April, 2015 Bridesmaid for Hire coming in May, 2015 The Wedding Flight in June, 2015 If the Dress Fits in July 2015

    . .Raquel Ezra loves to fish. With so many fish in the sea, she’s never had a problem baiting the hook or reeling them in. Raquel is a good actress, she can be anyone’s fantasy for a single night as long as they agree to be hers. Which is why she doesn’t think twice about spending an evening in nowhere Tennessee with a smokin’ hot, well-mannered, and intriguing sheriff’s deputy by the name of Jackson James.Except, when the time comes, Raquel discovers that reality might just be better than any fantasy, and maybe she’s not ready to release this catch.JUST FOLKING AROUND is a 16k words, contemporary romance, a complete standalone, and is the prequel to TOTALLY FOLKED, book #1 in the Good Folk: Modern Folktales series.

    This New Year’s Eve she’s going to tell Rob the truth about her feelings.Her plan is derailed when she discovers a lump in her breast—and it’s not “nothing to worry about”. How can she ask Rob to take a chance on love when her future is so uncertain?Rob has spent his entire life chasing his dream, but when Zoey reaches out to him, he realizes he’s been running the wrong race. His biggest challenge, though, is convincing his best friend that he’s in it for the long haul.

    Although it means giving up her dreams of a career and husband, she needs to be there for Grams. Carson Ford vows to take care of his elderly aunt after buying her ranch. Comfortable with all aspects of his life, his world turns upside down when he meets a woman who's impossible to forget. They find themselves in the midst of a plot by two scheming old women determined to make them fall in love. Valentine Bride is a funny, sweet romance novella given a liberal dose of humor through a cast of colorful characters intertwined around a heartwarming love story.

    Perhaps this individual is simply sleeping there to stay warm. Whoever this individual is, they clean up before they leave. So Hannah plans, with Norman's help, to catch the intruder in the act (and they do). What unwinds is a tale of innocence and a dysfunctional family who is reunited due to Hannah's understanding and sense of fairness.

    Morris’s house twice a week, soaking up every moment with the reclusive ex-soldier she secretly loves. Blake Morris knows he’s scarred both inside and out and is no good for the beautiful young woman who cleans his house to pay for college. But when Erin walks in on Blake touching himself and moaning her name, all bets are off.

    And it was the worst mistake of my life.So when she shows up to play Santa for my daughter’s preschool Christmas party, you’re damn right I’m going to try to get her back.Except Kaitlyn Holly’s lost all of her Christmas cheer. Which means it’s my job to help her get it back. No matter what it takes.Exes and Ho Ho Hos is a short, sexy, standalone Christmas romance told in alternating first person, complete with reindeer, a Santa brawl, and a little mishap on the most iconic skating rink in New York City. It stands alone and has a merrily ever after.

    Strong characters, believable storyline and true romance makes Some Kind of Wonderful, well, wonderful!" — Romance Readers ConnectionWhen investigative reporter and determined bachelor, Matt Winters, discovers a newborn baby girl on his doorstep, he desperately turns to his temptingly pretty neighbor Caitlyn Devereaux for help. Caitlyn's aching vulnerability as she holds the precious baby piques his curiosity. Clearly, she has secrets. But then so does he…Caitlyn doesn’t need a man or a baby in her life. Despite the fact that she designs wedding dresses for a living, marriage and motherhood are not for her. But as the sweet baby binds Matt and Caitlyn together, they are both tempted with the image of a future they are afraid to believe in. The baby has a mother somewhere, and she might be coming back. Falling in love with the baby, with each other, could break both their hearts. Is either one willing to take the risk to find happily ever after?#1 NYT Bestselling Author Barbara Freethy is known for her unforgettable stories, where ordinary people find extraordinary love--and where unexpected soulmates are sometimes found right next door...PRAISE FOR BARBARA FREETHY BOOKS"An emotional roller-coaster, SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL is also tender and charming." — Heartstrings Reviews"The title says it all: SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL is exactly that. Ms. Freethy delivers another powerful and moving story that includes a touch of the paranormal for a very poignant and satisfying ending. But start this book early — it’s an all-nighter!" — AOL Fiction ForumDon't miss Barbara's other popular standalone contemporary novels:ALMOST HOMEASK MARIAHDANIEL'S GIFTJUST THE WAY YOU ARELOVE WILL FIND A WAYONE TRUE LOVERYAN'S RETURNTHE SWEETEST THING

    So when it comes to women, all he wants is a good time. But once Rain Alexander walks into his life, there’s no denying that this woman could be worth much more than a one-night stand….Rain’s lifelong regret is having left her sister Darcy alone years ago with a guardian who turned out to be abusive. So when Darcy’s boyfriend publicly humiliates her in a cruel way, Rain’s overprotective instincts kick in and she follows him to Club 39—where she meets a guy who just might be her perfect match.The chemistry between Rain and Craig is explosive, but Rain is out for revenge, and refuses to be sidetracked by flirtation. As things between them heat up, she’ll have to make a heartbreaking choice between giving in to the man of her dreams or putting her sister’s happiness first….

    She’d spent every summer in the Hamptons with his family as a kid, fantasizing about kissing him. But she’s shocked to discover that the confident boy who’d given Amber her first taste of love has become a man who mocks its very existence.Parker can’t believe the girl who used to follow him around has grown into a beautiful woman—one with some very naughty ideas when she fits him for his tux. But Amber also knows why he’s shut everyone out of his life. She’s not the kind of woman Parker gets involved with…even if he can’t keep his hands off her.Amber doesn’t do one-night stands or casual hookups, but she’s wanted Parker long enough to make him an exception—especially if she can convince him he needs love in his life, too.

    A single father. A woman in pursuit of freedom.Garner Bradford, heir to the troubled Bradford Shipping empire, doesn't know much about babies. But he's going to have to learn fast because he's just become a single father to his newborn daughter. As he confesses through his journal entries, he's not entirely sure how to keep a newborn alive, whether or not he'll ever patch together his shattered heart, or how to forgive himself for his mistakes.Career girl Kathleen Burke is wholly uninterested in settling down. She has big dreams, and none of them include Garner and his small hometown in Washington State. Yet she can't seem to get her handsome boss out of her head or her heart. There's something extraordinarily tempting about his beautifully sad green eyes. . . . Told through journal entries, phone conversations, and letters, Then Came You is a unique, heart-stirring romance novella by acclaimed author Becky Wade.

    But when it came to wife, he was always quick to express his love and devotion. Sophie’s lovable, animated soul complemented his strong, silent demeanor perfectly. Together, Sophie and Bobby were a match made in heaven. Their uncomplicated marriage was full love, trust, and unconditional support. But when life-altering news threatens to change the simplicity of their lives, only they will be able to decide if they can accept this new change with love, or with fear and doubt. Finally see inside the love that first welcomed us into Harper’s Crossing… *Author’s Note: Each book in The Crossroads Series can be read as a stand-alone.* **Intended for adults 18+**

    Slow and Steady collides with Ms. Full-Speed-Ahead they're both in for the wildest ride of their lives.The forecast is smooth sailing for Oliver Chancellor, scion of Galveston's premier financier. Destined to take his place in the hallowed marble corridors of his family's bank, Chance is content with the future that's been mapped out for him, right down to his upcoming engagement to a prim debutante enthusiastically approved by his socialite mother.But when beautiful Rory St. Claire crosses his path, Chance recklessly plunges into uncharted territory with nothing but his heart to guide him-and a beautiful woman to tempt him.Propelled by a lifelong goal to buy the island home reportedly haunted by her colorful ancestors, Rory desperately needs Chance's help in securing a business loan, and she won't take no for an answer. In the midst of convincing the hesitant blue blood to take a chance on her dream, Rory unexpectedly lands in Chance's arms, stunned by his red-blooded passion-and her own awakened desire. Now, the mismatched pair can't keep their hands off one another, and something tells Rory she's headed for trouble-trouble in the name of love."I had a blast reading Falling for You... As long as Julie Ortolon is writing books like this, romantic comedy is in good hands." --All About Romance"A thoroughly delightful, fast-paced romance about what happens when opposites attract. And the setting is so vividly drawn, you feel part of the surroundings. A lovely story!" --Old Barn Gazette"Full of humor... Very entertaining and well worth your time!" --Huntress Book Reviews

    Maddy Bainbridge left her Jersey Shore home town right after high school, determined to put as many miles as possible between herself and her many meddling relatives.Now she's back in Paradise Point -- an unemployed single mother whose only option is to accept her mother Rose's offer of a job and a place to live.But it doesn't take Maddy long to discover that the things about your mother that made you crazy at 17 make you even crazier at 32. Rose's critical comments bring out Maddy's inner teenager and by the beginning of December, the end is in sight. Maddy would stay there at the Candlelight Inn, her mother's popular B&B, through Christmas for her daughter Hannah's sake, but once the New Year rolled around… And then fate, in the form of an online auction battle over a Russian samovar that looks like Aladdin's lamp, brings home-town hero Aidan O'Malley into her life and suddenly Maddy begins to believe anything is possible.A child's dreams, an old woman's memories, the joys and heartaches that come with being part of a family, the thrill of new love and the deep comfort of love that stood the test of time -- it all comes together that one special holiday season when even the most battered hearts open just wide enough to let a miracle or two slip through.USA Today bestselling author Barbara Bretton has been hailed as a "monumental talent" (Affaire de Coeur) and now she delves deeply into the mysteries of family and shows us that even the most independent woman is still a daughter at heart.Home: it's where your story starts.(Previously published by Berkley Books)

    . . ahem . . . complicated start. By comparison, meeting the parents should be an absolute breeze, right?But from the moment the pair lands in London, new snags just keep cropping up: a disapproving mother-in-law-to-be, more than one (mostly) minor mishap, and the realization that perhaps they aren't quite as ready for their future as they thought.As it turns out, the only thing harder than finding love is keeping it.