But how should I have known that stainless steel from Earth is toxic to him?And no matter what you do, don’t accept help from the alien that lingered in the shadows and watched the whole thing go down.Seriously, don’t.Dark-ish sci-fi romance. Contains the right alien to put the frosting on your cupcake. No cheating. HEA.

    Even his proposal had taken me by surprise when he got down on one knee in the shower. But now it was my turn to shock him at midnight on New Year’s Eve in Vegas, and it was going to be awesome!

    Four stories. Each one set in the enchanting world of the South. These are the kinds of stories your grandmother told you from a front porch swing. Ice Melts in Spring by Linda W. Yezak When Kerry Graham's boss forces her to return to the Gulf of Mexico where her husband drowned years ago, she feels only spring's chill and not the warmth of the Texas sun. Can the joy of a reclusive author and the compassion of a shrimp-boat preacher thaw Kerry's frigid heart? Lillie Beth in Summer by Eva Marie Everson With the untimely death of his wife, Dr. James Gillespie believes God has abandoned him. He also believes he's never met anyone like the young widow Lillie Beth, whose beloved Granny lies dying at home, and who sees a God who sweeps hope through a farmhouse window. Can a young woman whose husband died in Vietnam restore a faith that is all but dead. Through an Autumn Window by Claire Fullerton Because her larger than life mother Daphne Goodwyn is dead, forty-year-old Cate returns to Memphis with one thought in mind: something always goes wrong at a Southern funeral. But surrounded by the well-mannered society that raised her, the nostalgic rites of a three-day, autumn mourning bring the unexpected gift of the end of sibling rivalry. A Magnolia Blooms in Winter by Ane Mulligan With Broadway stardom within her reach, Morgan James returns home in winter to help an old friend. Maybe it s just nostalgia, but when she sees him again, an old flame rekindles. When she s called back to NYC to take the lead in a new musical, will fame be worth losing the man she loves?

    Nothing can happen.But when she's put into danger by my target, I know I have to make her mine. Will she accept me in time for me to keep her safe?Part of the In the Stars line of science fiction romance!

    Four Best-selling authors of Christian romance bring you heartwarming stories filled with holiday cheer and romance under the mistletoe. A Hope Valley Christmas by Belle Calhoune. Mallory Jefferson has returned to her hometown of Hope Valley to spend Christmas with her family. Having been let go from her teaching position and ending things with her boyfriend, Mallory is a bit adrift. When she runs into her high school crush, Colton James, Mallory is embarrassed about her attempts to win his heart back in the day. When Colton asks her to pretend to be his girlfriend to make his dying grandfather happy, Mallory finds herself impulsively saying yes. Colton James is a rancher who dreams of settling down and living out his dreams. When he runs into Mallory, Colton can’t believe how much she’s changed. When she agrees to be his pretend girlfriend, Colton is shocked to discover that his feelings for her are way deeper than he’d ever imagined possible. Can something pretend turn into something real just in time for a very Merry Christmas? Sugarplums and Second Chances by Jill Kemerer. Former NFL star, Chase McGill, invites his teammate's widow, Courtney Trudesta, to spend Christmas in his guest cottage after her mother dies. Courtney faithfully wrote him letters every week while he was in prison for attempting to avenge the murder of the mother of his son, Wyatt. Chase wants to be there for Courtney the way she was for him. But there's more to Christmas than sugarplums and wishful thinking. If they trust God's plan, they'll have a second chance at happiness...with each other. A Brilliant Christmas by Allie Pleiter. Zoe Walters pours her heart and soul into the community arts center she runs. Her kids could benefit so much from the brilliant talents of animator Nigel Langdon—if he weren’t such a legendary grump. The next six weeks of his artist-in-residency look like they’ll ruin Zoe’s Christmas for sure. And certainly, things get off to a rocky start until Zoe discovers the great big heart—and the deep hurt—Nigel’s been hiding under that crusty exterior. It turns out Nigel can see through to Zoe’s deepest wounds as well. When the arts center is threatened, Nigel and Zoe come together not only to save the organization, but to discover a love and the brilliant Christmas no one ever expected Seashell Santa by Lenora Worth. When high school sweethearts Rick Houston and Willa Kincaid reunite in Key West per a deathbed request, they discover that they didn't really know each other at all. But Christmas in paradise just might bring them together for good this time.

    Imprisoned for mass-murder, he escapes with the help of two strange men and a mysterious benefactor. Unfortunately for Drake, they don’t just want a piece of the action. They want it all. Gift Horse: Mutilated by rival convicts, Marco Vance is brought back from the brink of death. Outfitted with the latest cybernetic enhancements, he returns to the Regional Atlanta Metroplex as the conquering criminal kingpin. But, his savior demands that he deliver a message to repay his debt. A message that no one will forget.Money Is Everything: Street gangs hunt a deposed crime boss carrying a case of cash. Pursued and friendless, he can trust no one. Except someone he can buy. Luckily, Noose the genetically engineered dwarf mercenary is always for hire. But, what is his price?Total length about 15,000 words.Includes a free 8000 word excerpt of the full-length novel DEAD DWARVES DON'T DANCE.

     Dr. Moesha Kyle is a young, successful pediatric surgeon who is going through a divorce that gets stickier with each passing day. After her third miscarriage, her soon-to-be ex-husband, Aaron Kyle, steps out on her, and in result, gets his side-piece pregnant. Moesha drowns herself with work to avoid her emotions, stumbling upon Mr. Skylaire Watson. Skylaire is a single father whose son, Jacob, is suffering from brain cancer. Him and Moesha connect through Jacob, and they end up being each other’s unexpected peaceful distraction from their chaotic worlds. Peace never lasts long. A shocking turn of events with Jacob leaves Skylaire unsure of his newfound feelings for Dr. Kyle. Dr. Omery Steele is one of Moesha’s best friends and Aaron’s. Feeling stuck in the middle of their divorce, she leans on her husband, Adonis, for support. Ultimately, she sides with Moesha and steps back from Aaron. Omery is one of the top OBGYN’s in Houston, specializing in women of color. Her life is what some would call picture perfect. She has the job, dream house, support system, and mostly, the love of her life. Adonis treats Omery like any woman deserves to be treated, but he’s keeping one, life-threatening secret from her. Their world turns upside down once the secret is revealed, but the couple refuses to let it interfere with the foundation they have built.

    

    Matthew Lassiter will learn that lesson in many ways. At a crossroads, he wonders if being a high school coach is all there is for him, until…ribs, peach cobbler and Leah Saxton walks into his life. Leah Saxton has a father who believes a woman’s place is in the kitchen, and having babies. According to him, a brain is a terrible waste in a woman. Determined not to bow to his or any man’s will, she constantly battles to be a force in her father’s world, until…Matthew Lassiter walks into her life. Sexual tension explodes from the first kiss to the last as the two learn the road they are traveling leads to their destiny. Adonis: An everyday hero with an impressive punch.

    

    

    A is for Amorous (originally published in Love by the Letters ) and Architect of My Dreams (originally published in No Dukes Allowed .)A is for AmorousAdalicia Beauvais has no use for children, and even less use for most men. Plato wasn’t a bad sort, and Euclid was bright enough, but the modern variety of male holds no appeal for her. To earn ownership of a lovely country estate with a delightfully well stocked library, Ada must raise funds for an orphanage full of noisy, malodorous urchins.As if that isn’t challenge enough, her only ally in this endeavor, is the headmaster, Lord John, who loves children, referees cricket matches, and plucks Ada’s very, very last nerve, even though she knows his devotion to the children is genuine, as is the orphanage’s need for funds. Opposites don’t always attract, but in this case, they must work together for thirty days, or neither Ada’s nor John’s dreams will ever come true.Architect of My DreamsEugenia, Dowager Duchess of Tindale, travels to the Brighton shore for a respite from London’s din and crowding. She is both dismayed and curious to find that Adam Morecambe, the very architect whose building project has rendered her London street unbearably noisy, has also journeyed to Brighton. Adam is traveling on business—he’s always on business—though he’s also pleased to bump into the duchess who has the loveliest smile he’s ever seen.Genie has no intention of ever remarrying—once was bad enough—and Adam would never allow a romantic frolic to interfere with his busy schedule, but then he learns that Genie’s kisses are as sweet as her smiles, and all of his fixed notions about what the future might hold go flying out the nearest bedroom window.

    Instead of taking a job at a non-profit firm, defending humanitarian causes and the environment, as she had originally dreamed, she starts working for billionaire Richard De Marco. De Marco’s reputation as a ruthless businessman is well deserved and Grace is hesitant to work for him, but she is desperate to help her parents save their business and pay off the loans they took to help her pay for school. Despite their deep differences, De Marco and Grace are instantly drawn to each other. Their connection grows stronger and he attempts to mold her to fit into his world. Determined to hold tight to her values, Grace pushes him away. But De Marco is used to getting what he wants. Will Grace’s loyalty to her ideals break their bond forever or will it inspire De Marco and melt his cold heart? Clean, inspirational romance novella, with strong characters and a heartwarming happily ever after.