Growing up, she quickly learned to fend for herself, and after a hellish night in high school, she knows the only way to keep her heart safe is to keep everybody else out.Ryan Porter considers himself married to the military. After losing his father and brother at a young age and witnessing the subsequent downfall of his mother, Ryan has sworn off any semblance of love.After Ryan helps Haylee out of a sticky situation, the two find themselves growing closer, but with Ryan's impending deployment and Haylee's trust issues, they vow to never let it become something more.However, Ryan quickly finds himself falling for Haylee, and Haylee is unable to deny that Ryan makes her happier than she's been in a long time. Will the two of them be able to overcome their pasts and open their hearts? Or will they always be determined to keep everyone at a safe distance?Librarian's note: See alternate cover edition of ASIN B01075HQCM here.

    She's on her honeymoon with a husband who isn't what he seems. They're both in the wacky world of New York Times bestselling author Katie MacAlister's paranormal Otherworld.On his first day of vacation, Jim ended up naked, alone, and banished to limbo. Things went downhill from there.In a wild ride through Finland with very non-Shakespearean Titania, double-dealing Oberon, and a plethora of militant nymphs bent on revenge, The Perils of Effrijim is loaded with quirky characters, a fast-paced story, and an adorable demon who just wants to be with his beloved.In Cat Got Your Tongue Joy Randall thought her honeymoon with husband Raphael was going to fulfill all her expectations, but almost immediately they run into a decades-old curse, a spurned ghostly first wife, and a long-dead randy Scottish Laird. As if the odd inhabitants of their castle wasn't enough, Joy finds she isn't going to get the honeymoon she deserves until she settles an ancient feud...which uncovers some pretty shocking secrets about her new husband.This collection of two short stories and assorted mini short pieces were published previously, and gathered here for the first time. The Perils of Effrijim collection also includes excerpts of the two books that launched the characters in the stories: You Slay Me and A Girl's Guide to Vampires.

    Smooth-talking ex-SEALs need not apply... Ex-Navy SEAL Caleb Hardy is desperate to atone for past mistakes by helping the old woman whose letters got him through the war. When he and his band of brothers drop into her sweet, dying Texas town, only one thing stands in the way of his redemption.Superstition Springs native Havana Nixon is convinced letting a big developer into their tiny Texas oasis is the only way to save the town and she’s not about to let a newcomer—no matter how gorgeous—derail her plans. Especially after her aunt tosses out one of her famous “love predictions” matching her with the most infuriating man on the planet.If only these enemies could stop fighting long enough to admit they’re falling for each other… Welcome to Superstition Springs, the place where destiny is the ultimate matchmaker. All you have to do is believe.

    The Official love spell from the Marriage to a Billionaire series And an exclusive short story with Nick and Alexa from the bestseller The Marriage Bargain.

    Shifters claim their mates, and leprechauns pay unusual gambling debts. Undercover operative solving crime? Advertising executive seducing the boss? All business as usual at Lucky O'Reilly's.

    How had her life come to this?Then, from across the room, she spots Jared. A tall, muscular, tattooed ex-Navy Seal. Little did she know from that point on wards, she would be owned by him.Warning: This 5,000 word story contains a steamy romance between a young woman and a gorgeous Navy Seal and explicit scenes too passionate for some readers to handle!

    Humor, drama, suspense, and military heroes abound. Fall in love with new characters from a series you've never read and learn more about characters from your favorite author's series you've been dying to hear about. Each book is EXCLUSIVE to the anthology and NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED. Help us support a cause near and dear to each author in the set and to so many we love. From NYT & USA Today Bestselling Authors & More! ~ Catherine Gayle​ ~ Mistletoe Misconduct ~ Portland Storm Series ~ He says everyone deserves a second chance. She thinks it’s high time for him to turn that idea around on himself. ~ Jami Davenport​ ~ Hearts On Ice ~ Game On Series ~ Drawn together by tragedy and broken apart by practicality, can two lost souls find each other again during a magical holiday season? ~ Riley J. Ford​ ~ Romance. Avalance.Love ~ Romance.Earthquake.Love sequel ~Feisty Brooke has finally met her match when she meets a sexy world traveler on Christmas Eve. Sparks fly during their steamy one-night encounter...but has she just met the love of her life? ~ Krystal Shannan writing as Emma Roman​ ~ The Runaway Sleigh ~ Somewhere, TX, Bachelors Series ~ Kidnapped from her front yard by Santa, a woman who hates Christmas finds unexpected joy in a holiday she swore to ignore for the rest of her life. ~ Allie K. Adams​ ~ Merry TREXmas ~ TREX Series ~Christmas turns to chaos when all the McKoys get together for the holidays. It takes a 12-yr-old autistic boy and his faithful companion to teach them all the true meaning of TREXmas. ~ Geri Foster​ ~ Holiday Mischief ~ Twisted Sisters Series ~The five Avery Sisters create a little Holiday Mischief and find romance in the process. ~ Tammy S. Falkner​ ~ Yes You ~ Reed Brothers Series ~You might remember them. They have two children named Reagan and Lincoln. Find out how their love story started in Yes, You. One bad boy, one good girl. The question - Who? Me? Yes. You. ~ Tawdra Kandle​ ~ Underneath My Christmas Tree ~ Always Series ~When two hearts ignite, the most unexpected gifts can turn up under the tree. ~ Chris Keniston​ ~ Love Walks In ~ Aloha Series ~Annette Deluca believes you only get one chance at the love of a lifetime. It's up to Michael Becker and his young autistic son to prove her wrong. ~ Katy Regnery​ ~ Marrying Mr. English ~ Blueberry Lane 1 - The English Brothers Series ~Long before the English brothers met their wives and girlfriends, their father, Tom, captured the heart of their mother, Eleanora. Travel back in time to Christmas 1981 and find out how it all began! ~ R.L. Syme writing as Becca Boyd ~ As We Dream By The Fire ~ Line of Fire Series ~Sadie never expected a handsome firefighter to crash into her living room on Christmas Eve, but when her tree catches on fire, he could save more than her life... ~Jodi Vaughn​ ~ Christmas In Cloverton ~ Cloverton Series ~A blizzard, a lost cat, and a little bit of Christmas destiny gives Eliza a chance with the man she's loved from afar for too long.

    They sorely need the quiet time alone—a break from the murder and violence that has defined so much of their lives. And for one blissful week, they are in paradise.But they should have known that their idyllic peace would come to an end. When their reclusive elderly neighbor disappears, the police find no evidence of foul play, but Hank would never leave his beloved Golden Retriever out in the cold all night. With the help of the faithful dog, Sean and Lucy retrace Hank’s steps and learn a dangerous truth that may turn their honeymoon into their funeral.Retired (Max Revere, #3.5)Nothing gets under investigative reporter Maxine Revere's skin like someone getting away with murder, especially when the victim is a harmless elderly woman. So when 82-year-old Lois Kershaw contacts her about a suspicious death at the posh Del Sol Retirement Community, Max agrees to go undercover as Lois’s granddaughter. Max is willing to go along with Lois’s wild theory — up to a point. Proving an octogenarian died of anything but natural causes is next to impossible, and soon Max wonders if the lonely widow is creating an elaborate mystery for attention. But as she digs deeper into the history of Del Sol, Max uncovers a dark secret and realizes that Lois—and other Del Sol residents—are in grave danger. Finding the truth will take all of Max’s cunning and street smarts—and a little help from her new friends.BONUS! Special preview of SHATTERED, a Lucy Kincaid/Maxine Revere crossover thriller, coming from Minotaur Books in August 2017!

    Claire!Linda Lael Miller delivers a holiday miracle in the bittersweet tale of a young woman who can't hide her broken heart -- or her past -- when she returns to her hometown. But a sexy widower may just help her discover the true meaning of home in "Christmas of the Red Chiefs." Catherine Mulvany spins a fairy tale come true in "Once Upon a Christmas." They flirted as teenagers, but it takes time -- and some divine intervention -- to bring two star-crossed lovers together at last. Julie Leto pairs fire and ice in "Meltdown," the sensual tale of a Cuban-American PR whiz whose job description includes thawing out her CEO boss's frosty image. Will their sparks torch into flames of passion? Roxanne St. Claire unwraps the thrills of Christmas in New York, where a female bodyguard toys with a dangerous desire for a mysterious hunk while protecting his young daughter. It's a risky game with passion as the prize in "You Can Count on Me."

     Captain Lois Lang gave everything to save her crew—but lost her career as a rescue pilot. Without flight she faces a bleak future. How can she survive a life with no purpose. Flight trainer Kendall Clark’s soft spot for Lois stayed hidden for a long time. But when Lois decides to leave the Army she loves, he puts his foot down. The one truth he knows for sure: Night Stalkers Don’t Quit! Originally found in Way of the Warriors anthology

    She lost her job, her savings, and the support of her parents. But she has an idea that will put everything back on track. And she needs Meg Klein's help. The MatchBaker. When Claire attends her scheduled taste-testing at Meg's Bakery in Old Town Somewhere, TX, she doesn't expect to have company, let alone her first crush. And what a crush he was. Strapping fireman, town sports hero, all around hunky and currently quite single. So what is Aidan doing at a wedding cake tasting? Captain Aidan Conley doesn't get out much. He's been mostly in limbo, trying to avoid the town gossips who only want to talk about him and his late wife. When doing his sister a favor puts him in the path of Claire Milton, his high school best friend, he can't stop thinking about how much he wants to kiss her. But when a cold case at the fire house puts his career in jeopardy and Claire is the only person standing between him and a life sentence, he has to put his feelings aside and fight for his life. But a fireman who knows entirely too much about how to investigate fires must be under suspicion when his wife dies suddenly in a house fire. Even if they were the happiest couple on earth. So when Claire discovers evidence that they weren't as happy as they seem and it casts a light on Aidan she doesn't want to admit, she has to choose between her resurfacing feelings and her own safety...

    Then Lady Luck throws a wild card into the deck—Sydney Hart. Time and distance haven’t dulled the sharp edge of their attraction, but thanks to a long-ago promise, she will always be the forbidden fruit dangling just out of reach.Sydney wants to believe in fairy tales and happily ever after, but her past relationships leave her doubting such things exist. She’s ready to give up on love . . . until Levi walks into her bar. The man who’s always held the missing piece of her heart. Love may not be in the cards, but that doesn’t mean a girl can’t flirt.Neither expected passion this hot, this fast. Yet once the cards are dealt, the only thing left to do is play them out—and see if they have a winning hand.STRONG, SILENT TYPE by Lorelei JamesWyoming rancher Quinn McKay thought he'd only have to bide time until his levelheaded wife came to her senses and called a halt to this "trial separation." He never believed the marital rough patch would drag on for a coon's age.Libby McKay knew when she married the gruff, laid-back cowboy that he wasn't prone to blathering about his feelings. But three months have passed and her stubborn-as-a-mule husband is still living by himself in the horse trailer. It seems he'd rather hold onto his pride than hold onto her.Quinn realizes Libby is determined to move on if he doesn't loosen his tongue and he'll lose the only woman he's ever loved. In a last-ditch effort to keep her in his life, he offers her one weekend of uninterrupted sexual decadence.Re-igniting the passion is easy. The hard part comes after the sheets have cooled and they find out if what remains is strong enough to survive past mistakes.THE REAL DEAL by Niki GreenWilla Tate left Millbrook, Texas, years ago along with her future, her fiancee and her heart. Now, as one of the headlining acts at a hot burlesque club, she looks into the crowd, sees a familiar face staring up at her and her past comes crashing back.Chase Kiel has some hard questions for the former love of his life. He spent forever looking for her, and now he wants answers?even if he has to throw her over his shoulder and drag her back to Millbrook to get them.He'd find it a hell of a lot easier if the chemistry weren't still there. If they didn't still fit together like keg of dynamite and fuse. If he didn't want not only his answers?but her heart.Chase is still certain he and Willa belong together and convincing Willa of it will be his pleasure.

    Honor, duty, courage, passion . . . the men of the Navy SEALs are a special breed of hero, and in these stories by eighteen top romance authors the SEALs are celebrated not only as symbols of devoted service to their country but as the kind of man every woman wants to love. They'll rescue a damsel in distress and her lap dog, too. They'll battle hometown dramas and international bad guys. When it comes to giving away their hearts, they'll risk everything. All proceeds from sales of SEAL of My Dreams goes to the Veterans Research Corporation, a non-profit fundraiser for veterans' medical research.Among them, the authors of SEAL of My Dreams have won dozens of writing awards including multiple RITAs from Romance Writers of America. Their nearly 600 published novels have sold at least 25 million copies worldwide. The SEAL of My Dreams roster includes many of the best-known authors in modern romance fiction. In addition, many have strong family connections to the servicemen and women of our nation's military, and many specialize in novels featuring heroes and heroines from all branches of service. Visit the authors at www.sealofmydreams.com.Contents:Foreword by Robyn CarrComing Home by Jami AldenBaby I'm Back by Stephanie Bond -- Southern Roads #3.5SEALed Fates by Kylie BrantGoing Dark by Helen BrennaFinding Home by HelenKay DimonSEALed With a Kiss by Cindy Gerard -- Black Ops #6.5Panama Jack by Tara JanzenWrapped and SEALed by Leslie KellyWorth the Risk by Elle KennedyTwenty-one Hours by Alison Kent -- The Dalton Gang #0.5Not Waving But Drowning by Jo LeighHer Secret Pirate by Gennita Low -- Crossfire #4 SEALed by Fate by Marliss MeltonSigned, SEALed, Delivered...I'm Yours by Christie RidgwayDog Heart by Barbara SamuelWhirlwind by Roxanne St. ClaireHolding On by Stephanie Tyler -- Hold Trilogy #3.5Letters to Ellie by Loreth Anne White

    Swept up in the girl's story, and a need for justice, Kate and John begin looking into the mysterious disappearance.A Hidden Secret When a baby—only hours old—is discovered on the Amish bishop's front porch in Painter's Mill, Ohio, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is called in to investigate. The newborn is swaddled in an Amish crib quilt, and the only other item found with the child is a hand-carved wood rattle, which Kate also recognizes as Amish. With the rattle and quilt as the only clues, Kate must call upon her own Amish roots, and with the help of state agent John Tomasetti, search the Amish and "English" communities of Painters Mill for clues to unravel the poignant, puzzling mystery.Seeds of Deception Readers get a glimpse into Chief of Police Kate Burkholder's past and her Amish roots: Fourteen year old Katie Burkholder has been tasked with picking apples in Zimmerman’s Orchard with her best friend Mattie when a group of older “English” boys, known troublemakers, interrupt. Mattie, no stranger to trouble herself, disappears into the old barn with one of the boys, and moments after they both run out, the Zimmerman’s barn is consumed by fire. Katie suspects the boy had something to do with the blaze, but he denies it. When the facts don’t add up, Katie begins her own investigation—and she doesn’t like what she finds. Will her friendship with Mattie survive the truth?

    L. CostaDead Wrong by Cindy GerardThe Fallout by Harper St. GeorgeHard To Breathe by Sylvia DayAll I Want by Erica RidleyCovering Her Skin by Laura KayeThe Long Way Home by Katy RegneryTheir Night Off by Allison BrennanFlying in the Face of Convention by Lex ValentineAn April Fool’s Forbidden Affair by Sabrina JeffriesWrong Address, Right Guy by Diane Kelly