For the last year, Maddie's been trying to get Noah's attention, but to no avail. Until a busted light bulb, a broken ladder and a concussion lend a hand. Now with the holidays right around the corner, she's hopeful that she'll finally get her wish to kiss her sexy neighbor as way to kick off the new year. **This is a Christmas holiday short story that was originally part of the Christmas in the City Anthology. It is a standalone story of 20K words.**

    First to arrive are the bride’s parents, Maggie and Nick. Their daughter’s marriage is a milestone they are determined to celebrate wholeheartedly, but they are hiding a huge secret of their own: they are on the brink of divorce. After living apart for the last six months, the last thing they need is to be trapped together in an irresistibly romantic winter wonderland.Rosie’s older sister, Katie, is also dreading the wedding. Worried that impulsive, sweet-hearted Rosie is making a mistake, Katie is determined to save her sister from herself! If only the irritatingly good-looking best man, Jordan, would stop interfering with her plans…Bride-to-be Rosie loves her fiancé but is having serious second thoughts. Except everyone has arrived—how can she tell them she’s not sure? As the big day gets closer, and emotions run even higher, this is one White family Christmas none of them will ever forget!

    Which was why his insistence that they date made no sense to Christine. Yet, if she wanted that mysterious box he'd outbid her on during the town auction, having dinner with the sexy Texan seemed her only recourse.Christine vowed she'd find something to throw Mr. Thorne-in-her-side's attention off her plan. Like the newly made-over Christine. And by his reaction to her little black dress, she'd found just the thing to keep his interest while she worked on a plan to steal away her prize. But was it possible catching Thorne would be her ultimate reward?

    Hightower Enterprises, one of their biggest donors since way back when Olivia’s grandmother ran the charity, has been taken over by Ebenezer Scrooge the Second, aka CFO Guy Hightower, and he’s declared there will be no more money coming to Christmas from the Heart.Guy is simply being practical. Hightower Enterprises needs to tighten its belt, and when you don’t have money to spare, you don’t have money to share. You’d think even the pushy Olivia Berg could understand that.With charitable donations dwindling, Olivia’s Christmas budget depends on Hightower’s contribution. She’s focused her whole life on helping this small town, even putting her love life on hold to support her mission.When Guy’s Maserati breaks down at the edge of the Cascade foothills, he’s relieved to be rescued by a pretty young woman who drives him to the nearby town of Pine River. Until he realizes his rescuer is none other than Olivia Berg. What’s a Scrooge to do? Plug his nose and eat fruitcake and hope she doesn’t learn his true identity before he can get out of town. What could go wrong?

    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.

    When it comes to finding someone to share it with, however, she just can't seem to get it right.After yet another relationship ends, Anne comes across a business card for what she thinks is a dating service, and she pockets it just in case. When her best friend, Sarah, announces she's engaged, Anne can't help feeling envious. On an impulse, she decides to give the service a try because maybe she could use a little assistance in finding the right man. But Anne soon discovers the company isn't a dating service; it's an exclusive, and pricey, arranged marriage service. She initially rejects the idea, but the more she thinks about it -- and the company's success rate -- the more it appeals to her. After all, arranged marriages are the norm for millions of women around the world, so why wouldn't it work for her?A few months later, Anne is travelling to a Mexican resort, where in one short weekend she will meet and marry Jack. And against all odds, it seems to be working out -- until Anne learns that Jack, and the company that arranged their marriage, are not what they seem at all.

    . . "The Snow Man" by Diana Palmer Meadow Dawson needs Santa to deliver a solution to her management of the Colorado ranch she's inherited. Cattleman Dal Blake just wants his pretty neighbor's dog to quit digging under his fence. This Christmas, the unexpected gift of love will surprise them both. "Kassie's Cowboy" by Lindsay McKenna A brutal blue norther is battering Wyoming just in time for Christmas when solitary former Marine Travis Grant finds his childhood sweetheart, Kassie Murphy, injured in her car just beyond the ranch where he works. For Travis and Kassie, this snowy silent night will be one last chance to put the painful past behind them--and treat the wounds only love can heal. "Her Outback Husband" by Margaret Way Scott and Darcey MacArthur were the perfect couple, devoted to their life together on the family cattle ranch. With one blistering rumor, it ended in heartbreak--but Scott's mother has a scheme that will reunite them in the Outback for a holiday that will prove it's the season for forgiveness.

    A woman helps to heal the wounded heart of a soldier. A couple finds that true love knows no distance. And a young widow learns that there can be two great loves in a lifetime. Love, romance and passion come together in this collection of four seasonal shorts. Anthology includes: This Time Next Year by Alison KentA Rare Gift by Jaci BurtonIt's Not Christmas Without You by HelenKay DimonMistletoe and Margaritas by Shannon Stacey

    In this new novel by New York Times bestselling author Fern Michaels, the holidays are also the time to discover a future that, like the perfect gift, is as satisfying as it is surprising . . .   Joy Preston misses her beloved late grandmother dearly. But when she learns the terms of Nana’s will, she’s shocked—and more than a little irked. Joy moved to Colorado years ago and is now CEO of a successful nail polish company. Her life and career are in Denver. How can Nana have expected her to give that up, even temporarily, to take over a bed and breakfast in North Carolina for six months?   Yet there’s no denying Heart and Soul’s charm, especially at holiday time. The B&B is always elaborately decorated for the season, with themed guest rooms and dazzling lawn displays created for the annual Parade of Homes competition. The entire town takes part in the festivities, and soon Joy, too, is joining in the gingerbread house contest and letting her reservations melt away.   There’s another special reason for Heart and Soul’s popularity. Rumor has it that, during holiday season, guests can be reunited with the spirit of a loved one who’s passed on. Joy’s skeptical, yet she feels her beloved Nana’s influence all around her . . . perhaps even indulging in a little matchmaking between Joy and handsome estate attorney Will Drake.   A special homecoming and the glow of new beginnings will combine to make the holiday magical . . .

    The last thing he needs is any personal complications slowing his pace—least of all nurse Becky Averill, a beautiful widow with twin baby girls. Callum’s past has convinced him he’s not cut out for commitment. Yet, drawn to Becky in ways he can’t understand, Callum is torn between moving on…and moving in!

    Her mother blames her for her father’s death, and her brothers want her out of their way. When Evangeline learns she’s solely responsible for their failing ranch—putting her family’s future squarely on her shoulders—she’ll have to find a creative way to save their home before they lose it all.She’ll have her reckoning...Her only ally: the cop who sent her away. Chris Chambers is positive she went to prison to protect someone else. He strikes a deal: help him track down the real criminals in exchange for clearing her name. But the closer Evangeline and Chris get to exposing the truth—and to each other—the deeper Evangeline is drawn into a dangerous sting that could finally bring her justice…or put her dreams on hold permanently.She’ll fight for the life she always wanted…Everyone’s lives moved on while Evangeline’s stood still. Now she has a chance to rebuild her family ranch, her life, and expose the people who put her away, so she can become the woman she was always meant to be.

    She must save her home, Beargrass Hills Ranch. She also has no time for men. She already is boot-deep in blue-eyed cowboy trouble.City-boy, Cordell Morgan, isn't who he seems. His fancy suit and slow smile hide dark secrets. Secrets as to why his hands are callused, why he never stays around and why he has really come to Marietta, Montana.Between a shrewd old rancher, a cantankerous rodeo horse and a stud bull called Trouble, Payton and Cordell have no chance to lead separate lives. No matter how much their futures may depend upon them doing so.Can a sassy cowgirl lower her guard for a man who will soon be gone? And can a man who believes emotions are nothing but a liability take the ultimate risk?Wildflower Ranch SeriesBook 1: Cherish Me, CowboyBook 2: Her Mistletoe CowboyBook 3: Her Big Sky CowboyBook 4: His Outback CowgirlBook 5: Hold Me, CowboyBook 6: His Christmas Cowgirl   The 75th Copper Mountain Rodeo seriesBook 1: Tempt Me, Cowboy by Megan CraneBook 2: Marry Me, Cowboy by Lilian DarcyBook 3: Promise Me, Cowboy by CJ Carmichael (also the first book of The Carrigans of Circle C series)Book 4: Take Me, Cowboy by Jane PorterThe 76th Copper Mountain Rodeo seriesBook 1: Tease Me, Cowboy by Rachael JohnsBook 2: Cherish Me, Cowboy by Alissa Callen Book 3: Kiss Me, Cowboy by Melissa McClone Book 4: Please Me, Cowboy by Megan CraneThe 77th Copper Mountain Rodeo seriesBook 1: Claim Me, Cowboy by Charlene SandsBook 2: Hold Me, Cowboy by Alissa CallenBook 3: Keep Me, Cowboy by Nicole HelmBook 4: Choose Me, Cowboy by Barbara Ankrum

    Neither of these two damaged hearts was looking for a relationship—least of all with a colleague! When they're thrown together on a charity project aboard Finn's luxury yacht, the tension between them skyrockets. When Holly starts to feel unwell, she puts it down to seasickness, until the doctor confirms that Holly and Finn can expect two unplanned gifts this Christmas—Holly is pregnant with twins…!

    Montreux by Blair Babylon: Wulf von Hannover and Rae Stone are about to marry in Montreux, but Wulf’s aristocratic father makes one last attempt to derail the wedding. Home Bound by Olivia Rigal and Shannon Macallan: Trapped together by a storm, a voluptuous architect and a sexy TV news reporter melt the ice by a roaring fire. A Band of Heather by Sarah M. Cradit: Colleen and Noah belong to two very different worlds, but a band of heather changes their lives forever. Christmas on the Run by Daizie Draper: Wannabe rock star Tristan runs from a dangerous bookie and falls for the girl he’s only using as his perfect escape. Noel: A Blue Collar Christmas by J.C. Valentine: Nurse Noel Walker doesn’t date patients, but Officer Hunter Davis won’t give up until he slaps the cuffs on. Black Christmas by JC Andrijeski: Quintin Black vanishes, leaving Miri alone after a harrowing ordeal in Thailand. Will she forgive him in time for Christmas? Winter Tryst by Mira Bailee: One destroyed marriage. Two broken hearts. When Sean visits Lyla to say goodbye, winter’s magic forces the lovers to face the painful truth. Give and Take by Daisy Prescott: You never know who will show up at the Sip ’n Stroll in Langley. Someone’s pregnant. Someone’s engaged. And someone’s getting a puppy. Slow and Steady by V.J. Chambers: When danger interrupts Christmas shopping, Leigh and her husband Griffin sizzle. Take Me Home by Alison Foster: All my Christmas wishes were snatched away by an evil brute. What can you do when the man you hate most makes your mouth water? Bearfield Snowed In by Jacqueline Sweet: A hunter tracking her prey finds herself snowed in with a sexy shifter. Is he her mortal enemy or her fated mate? My Cowboy Soldier by Gillian Cherry: Holidays draw lovers and families together, except when war tears them apart. A Cub for Christmas by Ella Dominguez: This May-December romance burns up the pages when Aricelli realizes that unwrapping her Christmas package is only half the fun. Rosy Cheeks by Amity Wilde: Good things sometimes come in unlikely packages. When an online flirt stumbles into Karen’s very real life, he might be just what she needs. A Beary Merry Christmas by Jazzmyn Wolfe: After a season of frustration and pain, will curvy Kassandra and Brendan finally have a beary merry Christmas? Alec's First Christmas by Felicia Tatum: Daphne and Zander welcomed their baby Alec, and his first Christmas.

    Patrick Hunter was too attractive to stay mad at for long. Soon the two are making Thanksgiving dinner for their families.