Four heartwarming tales of Christmas cheer--and cats who play Cupid! These stories include: Julie Beard's "My True Love Gave to Me" in which a woman spends Christmas Eve searching for her black cat and finds a tall dark knightJo Beverley's "A Gift of Light" which tells of a tenacious tom courting a fiery feline at Christmas, as his master and her mistress follow suitBarbara Bretton's "Home for the Holidays" in which college sweethearts almost break up on Christmas Eve, but their wise old cat gets in the wayLynn Kurland's "The Gift of Christmas Past" in which a feline guardian angel has to pull his mistress back in time to a Christmas Eve long ago where she finds her own true love.

    Mix them up with an equal number of heroes until warm and sweet. Press together and add laughter. Set in delicious historical settings, seal with a kiss, and leave overnight. By morning, couples will have formed four delightful stories. Sprinkle liberally with... Mistletoe & Magic.stories:The Fairy Godmother by Lynsay SandsA Midnight Clear by Lisa CachAngels We Have Heard on High by Amy Elizabeth SaundersHer Comes Santa Claus by Stobie Piel

    With swords, through sorcery, and in the course of some of the hottest nights ever experienced on the Inner Hebrides, Scottish heroes stake their claims, both in the bedroom and out. Dreams come true and legends are born as ancient prophecies are fulfilled by time travelers from the future, in a Scotland where real historical figures exist side by side with Pagan magic and werewolves. Dashing lairds and Scottish barbarians fight for love and honor in a wild, magical world.Let Julianne MacLean, Patricia Grasso, Lois Greiman, Marta Acosta, Donna Grant, and many more lead you into the fierce, sexy, irresistible heart of a Scotland that is, was, ans might still be.

    The music is elegant, the food exquisite, and the guest list absolutely exclusive. Some come looking for love. Some will do almost anything to avoid it. But everyone wants to be there. No matter what their desires, amid the swirling gowns and soft glow of candlelight, magic tends to happen. And one dance, one kiss, one night can shape a new destiny.--from back coverFrom Emily Bryan's "My Lady Below Stairs," the story of a bastard servant girl called in to impersonate her missing aristocratic half-sister with results worthy of Shakespeare, to Ashley's "The Longest Night," in which a shapeshifting nobleman attempts to win the heart of the wary woman he loves while on the trail of a spy, to Alissa Johnson's "Traditions," the tale of an earl who sets out to woo one woman and falls for her intriguing companion instead, these light, entertaining romps are not typical holiday fare.

    But a trip to Scotland and one gorgeous phantom are about to prove her dead wrong . . .A self-employed tour guide, Mara is weary from leading her charges all over London. So she takes a breather at an antique shop—and spots perhaps the handsomest bed ever. Then she bumps into the handsomest man ever. He has a sexy Scottish burr, a fiery gaze, and a chip on his muscular shoulder. And despite a spat, Mara can't fight her yearning for the irresistible Highlander. Then she learns that she's inherited a Scottish castle, and the stipulations she must meet in order to keep her unexpected windfall will help her banish the hottie Scottie from her mind . . . she hopes.As a ghost, Sir Alexander Douglas has hated the name MacDougall for ages. Once a medieval knight betrothed to a stranger, he fell victim to her beau, a MacDougall, who tricked him into a curse that he would forever haunt the bed intended for his would-be bride. Now Alexander will stop at nothing to keep the magnificent four-poster out of MacDougall—or McDougall—hands. But when Mara buys the bed for her castle, he reckons she's nothing like his enemy. After all, no other MacDougall ever made him burn with passion and long for the one thing he never knew he missed: love.

    Ever since the fire that claimed his troubled wife's life and left him horribly disfigured, Dillon has shut out the world. With Christmas approaching, the spark between him and Jessica might light the future, but there are those who shared Dillon's wife's love of the occult . . . and their evil machinations may plunge the family into darkness -- unless a Christmas miracle occurs. . . .LADY OF THE LOCKET by MELANIE GEORGEThe echoes of history and romance lure Rachel Hudson to Glengarren, the Scottish castle where her parents met many Christmases ago. But it is the portrait of fierce Highlander Duncan MacGregor that sparks an inexplicable yearning inside her. On a storm-tossed night, as lightning cracks across the castle's turrets, Rachel finds herself face-to-face with MacGregor himself, astride a mighty stallion. Now, stepping into Rachel's time -- and her heart -- the warrior from the past is pursued by an ancient, evil enemy. . . .

    Melody Tarleton is driving home for Christmas when a man--clad in Revolutionary War-era costume--appears out of nowhere, right in the path of her car. Shaken, she takes in the injured stranger, listening with concern to Jake Mallory's fantastic claim that he's a Patriot soldier, sentenced to death by British authorities. The last thing he remembers is the tug of the noose.Safe at her parents' house, Melody concocts a story to explain the handsome holiday guest with the courtly manners, strange clothes and nasty bump on the head. Mark, her close friend who wishes he were more, is skeptical and her family is fascinated--though not half so fascinated as Melody herself. Jake is passionate, charming and utterly unlike anyone she's ever met. Can he really be who he claims? And can a man from the distant past be the future she truly longs for?With the aid of enchanted petals, ancient potions and the peculiar magic of the season, Melody and Jake embark on an unimaginable Christmas adventure--and discover a love that transcends time.

    These stories--by writers such as Roberta Gellis, Bertice Small, Jennifer Ashley, Claire Delacroix, and Mary Jo Putney--honor Ireland's rich heritage as a land of poets, magic, and mystery. The publication will be just in time for St. Patrick's Day.THE BLUE PEBBLE by Shirley KennedyTHE BALLAD OF ROSAMUNDE by Claire DelacroixORACLE by Margo MaguireTHE TRIALS OF BRYAN MURPHY by Cat AdamsNIA AND THE BEAST OF KILLARNEY WOOD by Cindy MilesBEYOND THE VEIL by Patricia RiceSHIFTER MADE by Jennifer AshleyDAUGHTER OF THE SEA by Kathleen GivensTHE WARRIOR by Jenna MaclaineETERNAL STRIFE by Dara EnglandQUICKSILVER by Cindy HolbyTHE FEAST OF BEAUTY by Helen Scott TaylorCOMPEER by Roberta GellisON INISHMORE by Ciar CullenTHE MORRÍGAN’S DAUGHTER by Susan KrinardTARA’S FIND by Nadia WilliamsTHE SKRYING GLASS by Penelope NeriTHE HOUNDMASTER by Sandra NewgentTHE SEVENTH SISTER by Sue-Ellen WelfonderBY THE LIGHT OF MY HEART by Pat McDermott

    Four of today's hottest romance authors are gathered here with stories designed to arouse your imagination, titillate your senses--and leave you breathless . . .Naughty or Nice?Sherrilyn Kenyon heats up an office where two coworkers decide to spend the holidays together--only to find themselves surrendering completely to forbidden passion . . . "Love Bytes"Carly Phillips explores a "mistletoe moment" when a no-nonsense lawyer intent on seducing her boss meets his twin instead--and gives him a scintillating kiss that leaves him begging for more . . . "Naughty Under the Mistletoe"Patricia Ryan surprises a cynical P.I., who meets the kind of woman he never wanted--until she takes him on a journey of rapturous pleasure . . . "Santa, Baby"Kathryn Smith teases a pair of Regency lovers who once shared a night of white-hot passion with the temptation to forgo propriety for something scandalous and irresistible . . . "A Christmas Charade"

    In stories ranging from 1820s Regency England to present-day Washington state, readers will be treated to Christmas tales of an heirloom brooch passed from mother to daughter for almost two hundred years. Will the family legend claiming the brooch brings love to its recipient hold true for these women separated by the years but bonded together by the ties of family?In Kristi Ann Hunter's "Legacy of Love," Sarah Gooding never suspected returning a brooch to an elderly woman would lead to a job . . . and introduce her to the woman's grandson. While he may be far above her station, she can't help but notice that his desire to make this Christmas special for his grandmother matches her own.In Karen Witemeyer's "Gift of the Heart," widow Ruth Albright uses the family brooch as collateral for a loan from the local banker. But the more she comes to know the man behind the stern businessman, the more she hopes for a second chance at love as the holidays draw near.In Sarah Loudin Thomas's "A Shot at Love," Fleeta Brady's rough-and-tumble childhood means she prefers hunting to more feminine activities. She never expected her mother's brooch might be how a fellow hunter turns her attention from competition to romance one December.In Becky Wade's "Because of You," Maddie Winslow has spent years in love with a man whose heart was already spoken for. When a church Christmas project brings them together and she stumbles upon an old family brooch, might it finally be her turn for love?

     Let A Gift Of Love open the door to worlds of passion and adventure, where love -- and miracles -- are always in the air!

    The legend of Lady Winterson’s Christmas ball promises true love and happiness to one lucky couple. Four short tales. 1 1803 - The Seduction of a Duchess by Shana Galen Rowena Harcourt, Duchess of Valère, never forgot the handsome footman who helped her escape the French Revolution. For fourteen years, Gabriel Lamarque has loved Rowena. Now at Lady Winterson’s Christmas ball, has fate finally given him a chance to win her hand?2 1818 - One Kiss for Christmas by Vanessa Kelly Nigel Dash is London’s most reliable gentleman, a reputation he never minded until he fell in love with beautiful Amelia Easton. Amelia sees Nigel as a dependable friend, not a dashing suitor. At Lady Winterson’s Christmas ball, Nigel vows to change Amelia’s mind by sweeping her off her feet.3 1825 - His Christmas Cinderella by Anna Campbell At the season’s most glittering ball, a girl who has never dared to dream of forever after discovers a Christmas miracle.4 1830 - The Last First Kiss by Kate Noble Susannah Westforth always loved Sebastian Beckett, but he only sees her as a friend. When Sebastian takes his Grand Tour, Susannah transforms herself into a woman he must notice. Now Sebastian is back, just in time for Lady Winterson's Christmas ball and to see his little Susie, all grown up.

    Three historical novellas and three contemporary novellas, all with romance, thrills, and chills. In Sarah M. Eden’s mysterious novella OF GHOSTS AND GARDENS, if Enid Pryce has one downfall, it’s that she talks to the ghost in her garden, which doesn’t make her too popular among society’s elite. In fact, she returns to her home in Wales after a Season in Bath with not one offer of marriage. Deeming herself a failure at the nearly-spinster age of nineteen, she is pleasantly surprised when an English gentleman shows up in her garden, apparently intent on finding out more about the ghost. Burke Kennard, grandson of an English marquess, quickly becomes utterly charmed by the young Welsh woman, but the ghost in the garden is more likely to push them apart than pull them together.In Annette Lyon’s enthralling story IT’S YOU, when Charlie and Anna both see the ghost of Nanny Mae, they think they’re losing their minds. Anna tries to find out more about the ghost and uncovers a decades’ old family secret. One that separated two people in love. Now, the ghost of Nanny Mae must set her wrongs to right. As Charlie and Anna explore the past, and the truth of what happened, they discover that the mistakes of the past might lead to love of the future.In SOPHIA’S CURSE, a suspenseful novella by Heather B. Moore, Joan grows up in an abbey in France, believing that she is an orphan. A chance encounter with the foreboding owner of a neighboring estate, alters everything she’s understood about her parents. She discovers she’s an integral part of changing a decades-old curse, and that her life, as well as the handsome and intriguing Simon Rousseau’s life, are both in danger unless she makes an enormous sacrifice that will change the course of her dreams. In Lisa Mangum’s haunting story THE SIRENS’ SONG, we meet recently widowed Oliver, the lead physician on a luxury cruise liner traveling to Greece. He hopes that the change of scenery will help ease his grief over his deceased wife, Cate. After falling overboard, though, he is captured by a siren and taken to a mystical island. Through the sirens' song, Oliver is able to relive his memories of Cate—both the good and the bad—as long as he gives away his memories of her. But can he sacrifice his best memory in exchange for one last chance to say good-bye?In Jordan McCollum’s thrilling novella THE MAN OF HER DREAMS, homicide detective Alexandra Steen dreams about real murders before they happen, seeing the crime through the eyes of the killers. But the dreams never contain enough clues to save the victim before it's too late. Then one dream ends before a murder occurs—in a place she knows. She finds herself racing against time to prevent the deadly act, only to discover that the intended victim is a man she thought she’d never see again. Seven years might have passed since her breakup with Nick, but the years haven’t changed her feelings for him. Now, she must convince Nick that her dreams are real and find a way to prevent his death.In Elana Johnson’s chilling story THE GHOST OF MILLHOUSE MANSION, Naomi knows her crush on Colt Jennings is unreasonable. When he invites her to his reclusive mansion to restore an old wooden rocking horse, Naomi can’t resist accepting the job. The more time Naomi spends touring his home, the more interested she becomes in Colt. Until she sees a man in the library who vanishes into thin air. She thinks she’s losing her mind until Colt tells her about the ghosts he’s been seeing for years.

    Attacked by a group of demon hunters, Adeline tries to flee her rescuer, vampire Lachann MacNachton. But escaping Lachann proves useless - as does denying the primal hunger he stirs deep within her...Alexandra Ivy - Taken By Darkness (Guardians of Eternity #7.5)The daughter of a witch, Juliet Lawrence has inherited magical powers - powers that could be quite useful to Victor, Marquess DeRosa, London's most powerful vampire. But that's not all Victor desires of Juliet. He wants the unpredictable beauty in his bed - and he is accustomed to getting what he wants...Kaitlin O'Riley - Immortal DreamsBeautiful widow Grace Sutton is haunted by recurring dreams of a past life and a mysterious, handsome stranger. When Grace meets Stuart Phillips, Lord Radcliffe - the vampire who has been searching for her for over a century - her sensual dreams soon come true in the most unforgettable way...

    When a plane crash strands brilliant scientist Grace Sutter on an icy mountaintop in Maine, she finds herself alone in the wilderness with the only other surviving passenger -- Greylen MacKeage, a sexy, medieval warrior who's been tossed through time to find the woman he's destined to love. Forced together to survive the harsh, wintry landscape, neither expects the fierce passion that flares between them. But Grace is not used to letting her heart take control, and Greylen will settle for nothing less than her heart's surrender....