Merwin --Magic barrel / Bernard Malamud --About marriage / Denise Levertov --from Jane Austen / Virginia Woolf --Princess and the tin box / James Thurber.

    Even more exciting, each of these stories will spin off into a series of its own. Maggie Shayne’s CHRISTMAS BLUESA true believer returns the music to a lonesome drifter’s soul.Miranda’s Shayne’s FINDING CHRISTMASA small-town coffee shop owner melts a humbug hero’s wounded heart.River Shayne’s A HERO FOR HANNAHCan a woman in grave danger learn to trust one more time?Jessica Lewis’s THE SOLDIER’S CHRISTMAS BABYA lonely serviceman comes home for a holiday he’ll never forget.Grab a cup of eggnog, curl up near the tree, and fall in love with the holidays all over again!

    Because just as Sadie Matthews is giving notice, Ethan Hart, CEO of his family’s chocolate business, receives surprise guardianship of a baby girl. Now he needs his trusted assistant more than ever. Sadie can’t leave Ethan in the lurch. But sharing close quarters means the hidden spark between them just might ignite!

    All of that changes when a strange golden space ship crash lands on it. Now, Abby has to deal with a golden ship, a tortured alien, and an insane local sheriff.Zoran Reykill knew he had to find a safe place to heal after he escapes from a Curizan military post. When his symbiosis Mothership takes him to an unknown planet he finds more than he expects – he finds his true mate. The only problems are Abby doesn’t understand a thing he says and the local sheriff wants her, too. There is only one thing the King of Valdier can do, abduct his true mate.Now Zoran has his hands full trying to keep his true mate safe in his own world while trying to help her accept her new life. He will need all the help he can get to help his stubborn human accept she can make a life in a place other than her mountain back on Earth. He just needs to keep her alive long enough to enjoy it and away from the other males on his planet who wouldn’t mind helping her accept her new sensual body. One thing he knows he will never regret – abducting Abby. Book 2: Capturing Cara Cara Truman is a pint-size pistol whose inquisitive nature has gotten her into trouble on more than one occasion. Her next adventure takes her farther than she ever expected when she ends up on a journey out of this world.Trelon Reykill thought he had his hands full. A militant group of Curizans had captured his brother Zoran, and he was busy trying to fortify the Valdier defenses against the Sarafin Warriors, even as his dragon was roaring for him to find a mate. He was furious about the first, excited about the second, and pissed about the last. The last thing he expected to find on the primitive planet his brother has taken refuge on was his true mate.Now, he has a whole new set of problems… capturing Cara long enough to make her his. His symbiot loves her, his dragon wants her, and he can’t catch her. On top of all that, someone is trying to kill her.His solution: Capture Cara and love her so well she will never want to escape him—if he can. Book 3: Tracking Trisha Trisha Grove enjoyed her job as a pilot for Boswell International but realized something was still missing from her life—her family. She is ready to call it quits and head back home to Wyoming where her father lives. She never expected her last flight for Boswell would end with an unplanned trip out of this world. Trisha isn’t sure at first what is real and what isn’t; all she knows is that she is determined to get back to her dad no matter what it takes.Kelan Reykill is the fourth son in the royal line of Valdier. Commander of the V’ager, one of the largest Valdier warships, he prides himself on his strict self-discipline, his ability to remain in command in any situation, and his skill at handling any challenge. That is, until he meets a stubborn human female from the primitive planet his older brother sought refuge on. Now, all he can think about is how to get the female into his bed and under his control while staying in one piece.When she is taken from him, Kelan will track Trisha to the ends of the universe and farther, because he knows one thing. She is his true mate, and he will do anything, kill anyone, who tries to harm her.

     With Joy, Love and a Little Trepidation, Courtney, Sienna and Rachel Invite You to the Most Emotional Wedding of the Year… Their Mother's Courtney ~ The Misfit ~ As the awkward one, Courtney Watson may not be as together as her sisters, but she excels at one thing—keeping secrets, including her white-hot affair with a sexy music producer. Planning Mom's wedding exposes her startling hidden life, changing her family's view of her—and how she views herself—forever. Sienna ~ The Free Spirit ~ When Sienna's boyfriend proposes—in front of her mom and sisters, for crying out loud—he takes her by surprise. She already has two broken engagements under her belt. Should she say “I do” even if she's not sure she does? Rachel ~ The Cynic ~ Rachel thought love would last forever…right up until her divorce. As Mom's wedding day draws near and her ex begs for a second chance, she's forced to acknowledge some uncomfortable truths about why her marriage failed, and decide if she'll let pride stand in the way of her own happily-ever-after. A must-read for anyone who has survived the wedding of a sister, a mother, a daughter—as told by the master storyteller of the genre.

    Two missions that must be fulfilled by any means. But at what price? In a distant galaxy, under twin suns and a purple sky, a team of Earth scientists explores a jungle planet hopeful they have at last found a suitable new home for their people. Set upon by aliens they soon learn these warriors aren't quite what they seem. They have a mission of their own and the female scientists who are remarkably like them, are much too tempting to ignore. Whisked away to a far-off world, the Odyssey's crew find themselves mated to these powerful men. Expected to comply with the rules of both an old-fashioned and yet surprisingly advanced society, the women struggle with their new roles by testing limits, denying their fates, and ultimately escaping. Brought together again through an interstellar treaty, both the scientists and the warriors must face down the challenges of integrating their two differently-minded societies. Can there be a solution to the ill-fated futures of both Earth and Primaria?

    Literally. Pepper has one job. It’s a pity she can’t remember what it is! Waking up in a strange cabin, well everything is strange when you’ve lost your memory, she learns to trust Bas, even if he is a lawyer! Things get stranger when she learns what she was wearing when Bas found her. Something is amok! Join Bas and Pepper, as they put the pieces back together in this fun-filled, holiday romp. Warning, includes two flying reindeer, a sleigh, a sexy bear shifter, Krampus and maybe a Christmas Elf or two. Unsuitable for those who do not believe in Christmas Magic! You have been warned! Claused Bear shifter Kain, who also happens to be a lawyer, has just met his mate. There’s just one problem, she’s crazy. Like, two sandwiches short of a picnic crazy. Why? Because his mate, a wonderfully curvy woman, named Marraine Le Fey, thinks someone has stolen her magic wand. That’s right. Her. Magic. Wand. And why does she have a magic wand? Because she’s a fairy godmother of course! None of this alters the fact that she’s his bonded mate, so he’s going to get Marra out of jail, and find her some help. Only she doesn’t want psychiatric help, that would be too easy. Instead, Marra wants Kain to assist her in her role, as a wandless fairy godmother. For Marraine Le Fey has a Cinderella, who needs her help. If you want to know who gets to go to the ball—Well, it’s not really a ball, more of a business presentation. This is the twenty-first century, after all— Come join the fun, in Claused. Because once you make a fairy godmother a promise, there’s no getting out of it. Wrapped Asher has taken on numerous roles while working undercover, but this might be his most difficult yet, because it involves family. Not his family, he never knew his own mom, and spent his early years in foster homes—until he ran away, knowing he was different, and afraid of how bad that different was. One man saved him, one man took him in and taught him what it was to be a shifter. One man, Carlisle, who accepted him, even though he is a wolf, and Asher is a bear. Now, Carlisle, the man who became his adoptive father, wants him to help figure out what happened to Jeremiah, the alpha of his old pack in Timber Rest, who is lying in a coma. But Carlisle hasn’t been back there for years, and things change. Will they be welcomed, or run out of town? Especially when the pack find out that Asher is a bear shifter. Kelli has been asked by her aunt to help figure out what happened to her uncle, the pack leader, Jeremiah. She travels to the pack home of Timber Rest immediately, no one can ignore the call, even if she was supposed to be lying on a hot beach somewhere with her girlfriends. When Asher and Kelli meet, their attraction is intense, and their true mate bond can’t be ignored. But they have work to do, and together the aim to work out what happened to Jeremiah, and how to get him out of his mysterious coma. However, neither of them are prepared for what is revealed in a cave, high up in the Mistletoe Mountains. A leprechaun, and a fairy, no less. This is Wrapped, after all, you didn’t expect normal, did you?

    Now he's the new Alpha of his clan, and in charge of Timber Bear Ranch. He soon discovers that his father left the ranch in so much debt that he and his brothers might be forced to sell everything. As if that's not tough enough, the new auditor examining his books is his mate! A difficult assignment... Sylvia Barker is ready to settle down, but not with any of the terrible dates her mom keeps arranging. A shifter-human dating website matches her to Leland, and their chemistry is immediate - but the next day, she finds out she's auditing him. If he loses the ranch, it could wreck things between them! A sinister agenda... As Leland works to uncover his father's secrets, Sylvia is targeted lurking enemies. Can Leland save his mate and his ranch, or will he lose them all? Saw Bear (Timber Bear Ranch #2) Can Love Heal? A loyal man... Buck Kincaid runs his family's timber business on Fate Mountain. He's hardworking, steady, and ready to settle down. It won't be that easy, though - the morning after a human-shifter dating app finally finds his match, his mate sends him a message that they can never meet! A wounded woman... Maria Reyes knows her sister is happily mated to a bear shifter... but Maria doesn't feel worthy of a forever love. And that's before she's attacked by a mountain lion shifter. Hiding in the woods, scared and sick, she attacks Buck when he tries to help her! A dangerous game... Buck won't give up on Maria, no matter how many times she tries to drive him away. She's his mate, and that's that. But when she's abducted, Buck has to save her from more than her own torment. Will he find Maria in time - and if he does, can he persuade her to trust him? Mountain Bear (Timber Bear Ranch #3) Love isn't always obvious... A solitary man... Cyrus Kincaid has been living in the woods since the Great War ended. In tune with the elements and his shifter nature, he's content to be alone... mostly. His longing for a mate, however, won't be silenced! An unhappy woman... Daisy Danes is the stepdaughter of a Mafia boss. She loves pink designer suits, her Yorkshire terrier Fifi, and shopping. What she doesn't love is the fact that her stepfather plans to marry her off to a hyena shifter in exchange for a shipment of drugs. In a desperate act of rebellion, she signs up for a shifter-human dating site and learns that she does have a mate - a bear shifter who lives in a remote cabin on Fate Mountain... A perilous path... When the hyena shifter tries to double-cross her stepfather, Daisy escapes (with Fifi) and flees through the forest - straight into Cyrus's arms. Despite their being mates, it's anything but love at first sight for this unlikely couple, and things get even more dangerous when a dark figure from Cyrus's past resurfaces. Can they overcome their differences in time to defeat their enemies and find a happy ending? Mechanic Bear (Timber Bear Ranch #4) Sometimes fate works in mysterious ways... A desperate woman... Fox shifter Dana Myers is on the run. After two years of indentured servitude to the Updike hyena pack on Fate Mountain, she finally makes her escape in a stolen car. When it breaks down, she discovers that mechanic and bear shifter Jessie Kincaid is her match on a shifter dating website. Out of options, she asks her unknown mate for help... A reluctant man... Jessie is in no hurry to settle down. Playing the field is fun - and besides, he saw how his dad fell apart after his mom’s death, and he never wants to be that vulnerable. But knowing that Dana is his mate changes everything. He’s determined to take care of her… and she’ll need all the help she can get! A dangerous dilemma... The car she used for her getaway has a body in the trunk, making Dana the prime suspect in a murder case. Jessie knows she’s innocent, but all the evidence is pointing her way. Can he clear her name in time, or will he lose his mate to a deadly plot?

    Innocent women need to watch out for the ruthless alpha males in these novels. From forced marriages to embracing past battle scars, there are a lot of hurdles to be overcome in these stories. Find out what happens when you stalk a dangerous dragon shifter in exchange for free cookies. Worse yet, what happens when the only way to escape terrorists is to run into the arms of a terrifying giant? This box set includes three Onyx Dragons and an exclusive bonus short story. ONYX DRAGONS: MALACHITE Dragon shifter CEO, Malachite, has no choice but to marry a human. If not, then he’d have to return to his home planet. Could his mysterious intern, Cheryl, be the one to produce his dragonlets? Cheryl sets his soul on fire, and she needs to respond to his marriage proposal. Will she say yes? ONYX DRAGONS: PYROCHLORE Stalking the dangerous dragon shifter may not have been the smartest idea. Pyrochlore is a bad boy dragon VP and Amy has been studying him through binoculars. It was the only way for the starving student teacher to get free cookies. It’s hard for Amy to maintain her focus, especially when Pyrochlore whisks her away to Vegas for a very indecent proposal. ONYX DRAGONS: KYANITE Kyanite’s hardened scars make him a monster. Perhaps, that’s what nursing intern, Laura, likes about him. She has embraced the dragon shifter security chief. Her understanding of the hard and terrifying giant is deepening. No wonder she runs into his arms when terrorists target her, but can she really trust her instinct and let the warrior into her heart? The drama is never-ending, and the only way to escape it is to let it abduct you first. It also includes the happily ever after stories "Mal's First Birthday," "Pyro's Wedding Day," and "Kyan's Housewarming Party" as well as the bonus story "The Ultrasound" that's exclusive to this boxed set.

    

    If you read them there, you do not need to re-purchase as they are the same stories. A Princess for Cale by Susan Stoker Katelin Kriss comes from nothing—literally. A lifetime in foster care has ensured she’s used to little notice. So when she develops a crush on a real-life prince, she expects him to remain her favorite fantasy. After all, what can she possibly offer a man who has everything? Prince Cale Alexander and his twin brother, Cain, noticed Katelin and her best friend weeks ago, in a local bar, and both have been wanting from afar ever since. Before Cale can approach his shy beauty, the women are caught in a dangerous situation that thrusts Katelin first into his arms…and then into his bed. Cale will never be king, but he still wants the fairy tale…with his princess, Katelin. A Princess for Cain by Becca Jameson As a royal prince, Cain Alexander has everything he could possibly want at his disposal. But he and his twin brother have always felt something was lacking. After spending their childhood under the watchful eye of the royal court, the two of them break the mold and head to America where dreams are made. Shayla Peters had a rough start in life. Raised primarily in foster care, she and her closest friend have aged out of the system, gotten jobs, found an apartment, and forged a life. What neither Cain and his brother nor Shayla and her friend can easily control is finding the right person to spend their lives with. They come from different worlds. They have incomparable backgrounds. But love doesn’t care. It worms its way into the soul without invitation. Is it enough though? The probability of two such different people coming together in a parallel path is slim. Do Cain and Shayla have what it takes to defy the odds? Warning: This pair of books is over-the-top dirty. If you like your romance with possessive alphas who have very bossy mouths, then this book is for you! Susan steps outside her usual romantic suspense genre to try her hand at writing baby-making smut while Becca sticks to what she does best...hot, intense relationships with a bit of drama thrown in for good measure.

    VERNAL (Book One)Sheltered, and unable to escape her bloodline, Serena St. Michael has spent the last two years training at the Royal Protector Academy. Struggling with a dark past, Tristan Gallagher's current assignment is to protect a lifetime of secrets. One chance encounter will change everything. Serena must decide if she will follow her heart, forsaking all she's ever known and risking a future worse than non-existence. Tristan will break every rule to save Serena, even if he can't keep her. In their world of darkness, one love will ignite an ancient war. When pasts collide with the present, and secrets are revealed, will love be enough? Or will one lie destroy it all? When you've hidden behind a mask for so long, would you reveal yourself for love? ***** 2017 Penned Con Award Nominee for Best Audiobook *****AEQUUS (Book Two)What if the person you were meant to be with could never be yours? For Serena St. Michael and Tristan Gallagher, this is reality. Tristan has accepted his impending nuptials. He's returned to his realm and his betrothed. Their unification will create peace. Serena is still struggling with her protector's choice. With a firm resolve, she will forsake her own future in order to save him. Their love will trigger an ancient war. Can Serena and Tristan rewrite their destinies? Or will the Vergina Sun prophecy be fulfilled, and the lovers fall to fate? Welcome back to the Royal Protector Academy.*****2017 UTOPiA Award Nominee for Best Bestie or Buddy*****NOX (Book Three)What if rewriting your destiny means that you must sacrifice the one you love? Serena St. Michael has forsaken her future-for him. Tristan Gallagher has renounced the throne-for her. The Vergina Sun prophecy has been fulfilled, but at what cost? Their love has renewed an ancient war. With Serena gone, will Tristan save her in time? Or will the dark army of Diablo Fairies descend upon the Royal Protector Academy, destroying the London clan's legacy and ending the existence of the gargoyle race forever?*****2018 OUAB Award Nominee for Swoon Worthy Romance**********2018 UTOPiA Award Nominee for Best Supernatural Lead*****This dangerously exciting and darkly romantic series will take your breath away. It can be read as a stand-alone trilogy or after the bestselling Revelation series. Intended for mature readers (18+) due to language, mild violence, and sexual situations.

    Nearly 300 years later, a young lass hopes to re-write history... Soncerae is a Muir Witch whose destiny is to save these Highland warriors who refuse to leave Culloden's hallowed, forever-bloody ground. She can win back their lives, but only for a time. And in that time, she hopes to prove that a heart's true desire can mean so much more than revenge. This anthology contains the stories of Fraser, Rabby, and Macbeth. "These rough, braw men of mine... 'Tis more than just pride and injustice that keeps them tethered to the moor. But pride is what I'll use to get them to go on. Ye see, I've known for a long while I'll know no peace until they've found theirs." ~Soncerae Muir

    But some crabby bureaucrat is standing between him and the permits he needs. He's surprised to discover the culprit is actually beautiful, young Shannon Morgan, and even more shocked when fireworks ignite between them. Unmasking Love: Sparks fly when Julie Payne meets Trace Watkins at a costume party, and they end the night beneath the sheets while literally hiding behind their masks. When the holiday hook-up ends, their real identities present a serious snag: Trace manages the bank Julie happens to be suing. But will they turn this nasty trick of fate into a treat? Lights, Latkes, and Love: Non-profit CEO David Shay can't get enough of the December festivities. As manager of a large retail store, Hannah Jenkins, on the other hand, turns into a jaded Scrooge every year on Black Friday. Can a nice Jewish boy - with the help of some Christmas lights, a little girl, and a latke party - teach Hannah the true meaning of the season and guarantee them both a New Year's Eve kiss to remember? Ringing in Love: When entrepreneur and single mother Catherine Bennett leases office space in Dominic Russo's building, she can't keep her mind - or her eyes - off her new landlord. Only problem is, he happens to be a known womanizer . . . and her professional rival. Then he offers her an irresistible chance at winning a huge contract if she partners with his company. Catherine must decide whether mixing business with pleasure might not be such a bad idea this New Year's Eve. The Gift of Love: Isabella Rodriguez received the worst birthday gift ever - an eviction notice from her family home. Adrift, she accepts an unexpected promotion and transfers to Seattle where she meets Taylor Jordan at a business mixer. They're drawn to each other like candles to a cake. But when Taylor discovers Bella was behind one of the most humiliating experiences of his life, will they be able to find a future together? Thankful for Love: Rancher Jack Richardson needs someone to wrangle his two sons, and Quanna Morales needs a steady job to fund her education and help support her disabled brother. But despite a working relationship, the two can't fight their attraction, even though Quanna worries his family and friends won't accept her Indian heritage. When her worst fears come true and a feud erupts at the Thanksgiving table, will Jack be able to convince her that their love is strong enough to overcome any obstacle? Sensuality Level: Sensual

    He infiltrates the most hostile countries in the world, defeats our enemies' advanced security measures, and eliminates threats before they ever reach our shores. But now, his skills have left him. Sent overseas on a critical assignment, he fails, unable to pull the trigger. Absent his talents, Robie is a man without a mission, and without a purpose.To recover what he has lost, Robie must confront what he has tried to forget for over twenty years: his own past.THE GUILTYWill Robie escaped his small Gulf Coast hometown of Cantrell, Mississippi after high school, severing all personal ties, and never looked back. Not once. Not until the unimaginable occurs. His father, Dan Robie, has been arrested and charged with murder.Father and son haven't spoken or seen each other since the day Robie left town. In that time, Dan Robie-a local attorney and pillar of the community-has been elected town judge. Despite this, most of Cantrell is aligned against Dan. His guilt is assumed.To make matters worse, Dan has refused to do anything to defend himself. When Robie tries to help, his father responds only with anger and defiance. Could Dan really be guilty? With the equally formidable Jessica Reel at his side, Robie ignores his father's wishes and begins his own desperate investigation into the case. But Robie is now a stranger to his hometown, an outsider, a man who has forsaken his past and his family. His attempts to save his father are met with distrust and skepticism . . . and violence.Unlike the missions Robie undertook in the service of his country, where his target was clearly defined, digging into his father's case only reveals more questions. Robie is drawn into the hidden underside of Cantrell, where he must face the unexpected and possibly deadly consequences of the long-ago choices made by father and son. And this time, there may be no escape for either of them.