Lucinda Brightwater is beginning to feel as though time is her enemy. Besides the clinic, she desperately wants a child, but how likely is that for a single thirty-four-year-old who works long hours-with no man on the horizon?So when a man who's hard to resist makes her an offer that's hard to refuse, Lucinda agrees to marry Holden Fortune for one million dollars. The notorious bachelor needs a "respectable" wife in order to claim his inheritance. Lucinda needs her clinic. The terms? One year. In name only. No strings.No strings, maybe, but there's a lot of heat, making it hard for cooler heads to prevail, especially since it appears Lucinda's other dream is now on its way....

    But this time it's personal. The Fortune scion has just been handed an ultimatum: marry or lose his claim on the family business. Luckily, the perfect bride is only a cubicle away. Who better to complete the marriage merger of the year than his loyal assistant, Deanna Gurney?Being Drew's fake fiancee has its advantages...especially since Deanna's been in love with her heartbreakingly handsome boss forever. Drew may have made it clear he isn't in it for the long haul. But with another Fortune wedding in the offing, Deanna just might succeed in turning a temporary business arrangement into a permanent takeover...of a certain reticent playboy's heart!

    But dire circumstances forced levelheaded Caroline Fortune to proposition this compelling stranger…with marriage. Her family's fate rested in Nick's capable hands—and brilliant mind. Yet her proper upbringing hadn't prepared this reluctant bride for her husband's soul-stirring embrace. And neither expected that their practical union would lead them to dark hours of danger…and the ultimate surrender.

    But in one terrifying moment, a freak tornado had taken down the Red Rock airport, leaving Scott trapped beneath the rubble. Fate had stranded him with quirky, unforgettable Christina Hastings, and in those death-defying moments, the wealthy bachelor fell in love.A snack-bar waitress with a heartbreaking past, Christina knew better than to believe in fairy tales. She'd found safety, even passion, in Scott's strong arms, but happy endings just didn't happen to a girl like her—especially with a man like Scott. Yet she was finding it harder and harder to resist the Southern gentleman's many charms….

    Yet the rugged Texan who suddenly appeared at Jane Gilliam's side was real enough...and so was the soul-scorching kiss they shared as the bells chimed on New Year's Eve. Only Jorge Mendoza wasn't the happily-ever-after type. Or was he?As the confirmed bachelor of the Mendoza clan, Jorge had a reputation to uphold. Until he tasted the sweet passion this far-from-plain Jane was offering. It started as an innocent dare. But was it blossoming into a love that was tempting the commitment-shy playboy to change his wandering ways forever?

    She has an adorable baby girl, Piper; supportive parents; good friends. Best of them all is Colton Foster, her longtime neighbor from the ranch next door. He always seems to be around when she needs him. Trouble is, she may be starting to need him a bit too much.She's off-limits, Colton keeps telling himself. The tall, muscular rancher turns to mush every time he sees Stacey. But falling for his little sister's best friend seems wrong on so many levels. She's on the rebound. She's got a baby. She's...complicated. What's a big-hearted cowboy to do?

    But trying to break down the walls that surround Chase Fortune is almost as challenging as motherhood....A Home for Christmasby Barbara BoswellAs CEO of a major corporation, Ryder Fortune has little time for romance--until the magic of the holiday season works its way into his hardened heart. And so does his assistant, Joanna Chandler....The Christmas Childby Linda TurnerA skilled tracker, Hunter Fortune has never prayed so hard for a case to have a happy ending. But with Naomi Windsong's little girl missing, and her biological father the prime suspect, time becomes his greatest enemy...and love the only thing that will set him free.

    Ten years ago, Hadleigh Stevens was eighteen and this close to saying "I do," when Tripp Galloway interrupted her walk down the aisle. Now that she's recovered from her youthful mistake and Tripp's interference, Hadleigh and her single friends form a marriage pact. She doesn't expect Tripp to meddle with her new plan to find Mr. Right—or to discover that she's more attracted to him than ever! Divorced and eager to reconnect with his cowboy roots, Tripp returns to Bliss County to save his ailing father's ranch. He's not looking for another wife—certainly not his best friend's little sister. But he's never been able to forget Hadleigh. And this time, if she ends up in his arms, he won't be walking away!

    Returning to civilian life hasn't been easy, but Parker's new job with Corps Security and Investigations gives him purpose again--if he can keep Bailey alive. The privileged governor's daughter has been receiving threats--and they've just escalated into dangerous territory. Someone close to her wants her dead. Parker can handle any adversary, but handling Bailey proves more difficult--the stubborn, independent beauty stirs the passion Parker had thought long buried. Passion has no place in war, and the enemy is always watching, waiting. Now with desire blurring his objectivity, Parker must face the fact that the greatest danger to Bailey just may be him....

    So when she hears that her family's property, Christmas Ranch, is set to be shut down forever, a determined Hope heads home. She refuses to let anything ruin her holiday--this will be the most memorable ranch Christmas ever! And thanks to hunky former navy SEAL Rafe Santiago and his adorable nephew, she might just pull off that miracle.Plus a heartwarming RaeAnne Thayne favorite from the Cowboys of Cold Creek series, A Cold Creek Holiday, also included in this book!"A richly plotted story with characters that are easy to care about, this one is as emotional as it is funny."--RT Book Reviews on A Cold Creek Holiday

    Problem is, there's no heat in the relationship. Not even a spark. And worse still, Mimi is having some seriously sexy, panties-ablaze dreams-and the star looks a lot like  Xander McKinley, the hunky firefighter next door. Mimi's dreams might be due to the strange tea she drank. Or the predictions from the fortune cookie she ate. Or they could be due to Xander's smokin' hotness. But whether it's magic or just old-fashioned fireworks, Mimi is about to break all of the rules-including her own!

    He never met a case he couldn't solve or a woman he couldn't charm. But this smooth-talking Texan is about to meet the one woman who'll lasso him--body and soul Don't miss the classic tale by Diana Palmer Carrera's Bride included in this book Notorious Marcus Carrera instills fear in friends and foes alike--but one woman can see beyond the formidable veneer to his gruffly tender heart. When she needs his help, can he risk it all to make her his beloved bride?

    She’s too busy running her mother’s diner and raising her wild teenage sister. She doesn’t like to dwell on the dreams she once had, dreams she put on hold. Then Owen Miller walks into her diner and changes her life.She doesn’t know what to think when Owen hands her a letter from her father—a father she thought was dead—requesting they meet. As if that wasn’t enough, her sister has become more than she can handle. It’s time for Willa to figure out what’s happened to her life. And maybe, with Owen around, she can finally believe in happily ever after…Originally published in 2005.

    From matchmaking parrots to proposing puppies, the animals in these enchanting stories are determined to lend a helping paw on the road to happily ever after. Don't miss these never-before-published "tails" of couples whose pets give them a new leash on love!The authors are donating all of their proceeds from Love Bites to the Animal Adoption Foundation of Hamilton, OH, a charitable organization.Anthology includes:Love Unleashed by New York Times bestselling author Lori FosterSmookie and the Bandit by New York Times bestselling author Brenda JacksonDog Tags by USA TODAY bestselling author Catherine MannMane Haven by Jules BennettMolly Wants a Hero by Virna DePaul

    Then Gabrielle discovered she and Paul shared a good deal more than the rent?including one outrageous claw-footed bathtub located smack in the middle of the kitchen?and things started heating up!For Gabrielle, the most irresistible distraction of all was the sexy, blue-eyed renovator himself. Paul was the most romantic man she’d ever met! Suddenly, practical, down-to-earth Gabrielle was dreaming of magical nights spent in Paul’s arms. What had come over her? Was it the man, the moon?or love?