and the danger inherent in blaming God for the hurt.With December's approach, Rylie enlists Zach's help for a special undertaking -- a Christmas formal for one of the pediatric units. As they work together on the project, she hopes to show him that, even when it's painful, love is worth the risk...

    From sweet to sultry—and spiced with suspense—each of these standalone reads demonstrates why Jennifer Blake has been such an enduring voice in romance for 50 years. LANCELOT OF THE PINES Chivalry lives in the sultry South! Mandy can take care of herself; she doesn’t need a deputy to do it for her. Lance is determined to keep her safe. Thrown together on the run, can they survive bullets and betrayals—or their forbidden attraction? SHAMELESS Whispers, lurid gossip, rampant suspicion—small towns love something to talk about… Camilla must uncover long-buried secrets behind an infamous family blood feud—but the one person who can help is a military hero who’s been her enemy since childhood. THE TUSCAN'S REVENGE WEDDING Revenge can indeed be sweet. Nico never approved his sister's choice in husband, and now that Carita’s in a coma due to her fiancé's recklessness, he’s resurrecting an old custom of revenge: seducing a sister for a sister. But Nico’s too civilized to follow through—isn’t he? LOVE AND SMOKE Riva Staulet triumphed over past betrayal to become one of the wealthiest and most influential women in New Orleans. Now she must risk everything, including exposure of dangerous secrets, to prevent a ruthless politician from destroying all she holds dear. LOVE AT SEA Passport to love ... How can Maura concentrate on island romance when her thoughts keep turning to an arrogant but devilishly handsome Greek lover? THE RENT-A-GROOM (a novella) Thinking her best friend hired Texas cowboy Race to be her substitute groom after Gina's wedding plans are cancelled, Gina goes along with the fun—at first. But is Race really who he seems? And just how far is Gina prepared to go with Race on their "honeymoon"?

    If not for Jackson Carter, her childhood best friend and the only boy she’s ever loved, she’s sure she would have run away years ago. But when Jackson loses his father and a future basketball career within months of each other, his faith is so shattered, he shuts out everyone, including Lily. After months of heartache, Lily begins to piece together a life without Jackson, and while vacationing at the beach on a beautiful island off the Georgia coast, she begins a long-distance romance with Alex Walker, a police officer with a quick wit and a cocky grin. He revives her hope in love again, but their intense attraction and his devastating secret test Lily’s commitment to save herself for marriage. Through her struggles to remain true to her principles, an agonizing choice between Alex and Jackson, and a series of terrifying events that threaten all of them, Lily must endure losing everything she’s been grasping so tightly. Only then will she discover the depth of the love that already surrounds her.

     For three years, Kaci has steadfastly guarded her heart to keep it from thinking she will ever dance again, somehow pushing what she really wants under what she needs to do to be successful in life. Then a chance walk down a side street ignites the fire to dance once again. Can Kaci keep her passion reined in, especially when the studio owner's son seems determined to drag it out of her no matter what she tries to keep it under wraps? Josh Garrison hates to dance. He has ever since he was made fun of for it ten years ago. But Josh is in dire straits financially, and if he has to dance to make life work, maybe he has no real choice. Unfortunately, his partner in this venture is a headstrong, obstinate former prima ballerina who loves to dance but absolutely refuses to let herself love it. She want to focus on steps and technique when his spirit has always wanted only to soar on the dance floor. Can two polar opposites in life find common ground when they hit the dance floor together? Find out in USA Today Best Selling Christian Author, Staci Stallings, contemporary Christian Romance, “Dance with Me.” *~* “Dance with Me” is a contemporary Christian romance novel filled to the brim and overflowing with real romance. The dance sequences create a poetry all their own, and the relationship between Kaci and Josh is both magical and challenging. Both have their way of dancing and living, and they are determined to prove their way is the only way. However, as the masks come off and their true realities begin to be unveiled, what appeared to be differences just might not turn out to be so different after all. Inspirational, hopeful, and heartbreakingly romantic, “Dance with Me” will surely find its way into reader’s hearts and onto their to-be-read-again-and-again shelves.

    Moving away from her family support system so Gideon can attend a special school seems like the right choice, even if it means her entire life is about to change. The satisfaction of helping children and being a part of their lives is one reason Aaron Randall loves his job as a music therapist. When Hope Academy instills a dating policy, he doesn't give it a second thought. Until the new coworker who'd caught his attention turns out to be the parent of one of his students.A love they never expected is just out of reach. With Aaron's job and Gideon's education hanging in the balance, they'll have to rely on faith to find their way.

    The Wedding Series continues to unfold with THE FORGOTTEN PRINCE. “A must read series” – 5* The free spirit: Paul Monroe Book 1 - Prelude to a Wedding Charming Paul Monroe has the Peter Pan thing down pat. As an antique toy appraiser, even his work involves play. Which is fine, unless your job is to keep his Chicago business running smoothly . . . and all that charm, humor -- and sexiness -- is aimed at you. Organization and reliability are Bette Wharton's hallmarks. She handles the toughest clients with aplomb, until Paul provides a challenge that goes way beyond the office. She has a plan and a timetable. How can she let herself fall for Mr. Live-for-the-Moment when all he offers is Love-for-the-Moment? The best man: Michael Dickinson Book 2 - Wedding Party Michael Dickinson is delighted to be best man at his friend's wedding - but there's one complication. Tris Donlin is a standing up for the bride. He's wanted Tris for longer than he cares to remember, but to her, he's just good old Michael - college pal, confidant, best buddy ... Would a few days of wedding celebration let him finally get her out of his system once and for all? Her cousin Paul's wedding party has Tris' head and heart full of memories of college days with him, Michael, and their friend Grady. Grady was her college crush and Michael was her buddy. Now that they're all grown up, my how things have changed. She's certain she's found the best man for her . . . if only she can convince him that friends can make the best lovers. The last bachelor: Grady Roberts Book 3 - Grady's Wedding Grady Roberts has never been the marrying kind - and he still isn't. But after watching his best friends walk down the aisle to their brides and even start families, flipping through his little black book and ordering take-out for one suddenly seem boring ...and lonely. Yet the one woman who intrigues him keeps him at arm's length. Leslie Craig is human. She feels the full effect of handsome, intelligent, wealthy, successful Grady's attraction . . . and his loneliness. It's the last element that snags her heart. She's developed a knack for helping people with problems and sorrows without ever revealing her own. Can she do that for Grady? "This trilogy was fun and serious all at the same time" - 5* "These three stories were perfect. The characters were multi-dimensional and played off each other in warm, thoughtful, loving ways. Each couple faced a different situation and overcame their obstacles together and with the insightful comments of their friends. ...Heart-warming." - 5* "Great love stories! Must read all books in the series! Really enjoyed each of them. I laughed and cried! Must read." - 5* THE WEDDING SERIES Prelude to a Wedding* Wedding Party* Grady’s Wedding* The Runaway Bride The Christmas Princess Hoops (prequel to The Surprise Princess) The Surprise Princess Not a Family Man (prequel to The Forgotten Prince) The Forgotten Prince *Get all three books at a discount in one volume in The Wedding Series boxed set.

     3 books in 1, including a novella

    She's good at it, too—she’s all about health and healing. Tox Ellis, on the other hand, is the hazmat expert at the Darling Bay Fire Department. Why can't he seem to stay away from Grace, the woman who seems to think he needs fixing? Is Darling Bay ready for the chemical reaction Grace and Tox generate whenever they're in the same place at the same time? And who will be standing by to put out the flames? Fire at Dawn: Lexie Tindall knows a few things about herself. She's a great fire dispatcher. She looks good in cowboy boots. And she'll never date a firefighter. Coin Keefe has been in love with Lexie since he first met her in dispatch when he was still a rookie firefighter. Now he realizes he can tell her everything except the truth—that he can't think about anyone else. When Lexie and Coin make a bet on love with a tropical island vacation as a reward, who will win big and who will lose everything? Fire at Dusk: Samantha Rowe’s never scared of anything, even when she should be. Now she’s opening a martial arts classroom in tiny Darling Bay, helping women protect themselves from attack, she’s fearless in everything except love. The only thing she really needs is an attacker to help her train the students. Hank Coffee is way more used to putting on a fire helmet than a padded one, but when Samantha needs help with her new business, he’s willing to be kicked and hit in the name of helping someone stay safe. How will Samantha deal with this full-frontal assault on her heart? And will Hank find a way to make Sam follow the rules of the game?

    She finds she is ill prepared to deal with the plantation’s new owner who is overflowing with bitterness and distrust. Widowed and wounded, former Marine Corps Special Forces operative, Luke Barrett, has enough to handle with his little girl and an historic property to upkeep. The last thing he needs is a feisty, stubborn woman with whom to contend. Yet, Rachel’s determined spirit awakens something in Luke that he thought died a long time ago. Luke begins to capture Rachel’s heart until the night she uncovers evidence he may be keeping his plantation solvent by allowing cocaine to be smuggled along his coastline. Devastated by the possibility, Rachel must decide whether to confront him, even while she conceals secrets of her own. Can love survive a summer of deception?

    Researching the cool, blue-eyed and dashingly handsome man at the end of the bar stirred her senses more than she wanted to admit. But was this man of leather armor all he appeared to be?Playing White Knight to an innocent wasn't how Detective Jake Santos planned to spend his time under cover. But there was no way "CJ" was what she claimed to be and that nagging tightness in Jake's chest told him he'd better take her home to safety and leave it at that. Then the barroom exploded with gunfire, leaving a trail of dead that includes a notorious Providence crime boss and an undercover FBI agent. When Cassie's name is leaked to the media as the only witness to the grisly murders, Cassie insists she only trusts Jake to protect her.The FBI wants their star witness happy and will do anything to make sure Cassie testifies. But it is clear to Jake that the shooter isn't the only person who wants Cassie dead. Not knowing who to trust, he vows to protect Cassie at all cost despite the fact that guarding the beautiful novelist is a serious distraction. MATERIAL WITNESS is the follow-up Romantic Suspense Novel by Lisa Mondello's Yuletide Protector and is book 1 of her new Heroes of Providence series.

    Suspecting a serial killer, Avery joins forces with medical examiner Jackson Bryant to solve the crimes and prevent another murder. But it doesn't take long for them to realize that there is much more to the case than meets the eye. As they venture deep into a sinister world of human trafficking, Avery and Jackson are taken to the very edge of their abilities--and their hearts.Dangerous Passage exposes a fully-realized and frightening world where every layer peeled back reveals more challenges ahead. Romantic suspense fans will be hooked from the start by Lisa Harris's first installment of the new Southern Crimes series.

    When the FBI takes over the case, Vince agrees to take time off. Traveling to a small upstate New York town, he meets Holly Newman--a fragile woman whose sister was abducted and killed years ago. Convinced that Holly's sister's death is linked to the recent murders, he attempts to unearth clues hidden deep in Holly's mind.

    Chapin. Follow the lives of the men and women working for WIN bodyguard agency as they face the challenges of faith, love and life. The PROTECTED BY LOVE series is a spin-off of the best-selling DIAMOND LAKE series and the book IN HIS LOVE.Five years ago, Jessica and Kirk were headed the same direction but on two separate paths. Jessica claiming her independence; Kirk chasing a professional hockey career. Sharing more than just a car ride, they found themselves longing for something more but decided to part ways.Five years later.Jessica McColler focuses all her energy on her current job as a reporter for a Christian magazine. She has friends, supportive family and a job she finds purpose in, all seems perfect. Then one day everything changes when her life is suddenly shaken to its core.Enter Kirk Dekker. Hockey never happened for him, but he did find fulfillment in his life for a time. When the unthinkable happens and brings him to his knees, he questions if he'll ever overcome the pain. A lot can happen in five years. Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s bad.God's love can return to our lives when we allow Him into our hearts, minds and soul. It's only through the softening of our heart can we find the healing that we need.From the best-selling Christian Romance author T.K. Chapin comes a love story that will keep you turning the pages until the very end. Heartwarming and inspirational, Love's Return will remind you of the beauty of God's ultimate plan for each one of our lives.

    Now he has to find the lost heiress before anyone else and claim his stake in the Farrell family fortune... even if that means claiming her.

     Warm, unputdownable reading - you're sure to find the perfect holiday romance to cosy up with! 'Doesn't get much better than this sweet and romantic page-turner' (Closer) 'A jewel ... sparkling with warm, delightful characters' (Romantic Times)