He'd fought in wars, survived firefights in forsaken hell-holes and moved like a ghost in foreign countries. His team performed missions flawlessly. He'd never regretted an assignment, until he met her. The sweet, brilliant code breaker who'd devastated not only the enemy’s communication cyphers, but also his heart. For Cassie Valentine, life was anything but hearts and chocolates--starvation and physical abuse at the hands of her father and uncle was the norm. Her intellectual genius at solving code brought her to the attention of Guardian and a man who showed her what life could have been like. A cruel glimpse at happiness that she could never obtain. Compelled by a threat to her mother, Cassie returned to the shack in the Bitterroot Mountains. Without a word, she vanished, leaving Van Wheeler, the man who loved her, to forever wonder why she'd left. A year later, battered, broken, and protecting her child, she fled her family's cabin at the top of the Bitterroot Mountains. Cassie knew she and her tiny son would share the fate of her dead mother if she didn't escape. On foot and ill-prepared, she set out into the wilderness of mountainous Montana, unaware that fate, in the form of a Guardian, was about to intervene.

    In “Christmas in Shelter Bay,” New York Times bestselling author JoAnn Ross returns to Shelter Bay, where Kelli has long tried to keep her feelings for her friend Cole a secret. But when the local matchmakers conspire to send them to a secluded lakeside cabin, the two friends soon discover that a little love will keep them warm.TV producer Nathaniel Ravelle knows the Bayberry Island mermaid legend is a joke— how could a statue grant a wish for true love? But when a Christmas Nor’easter lands him in close quarters with local Annie Parker, they see magic at work in matters of the heart in New York Times bestselling author Susan Donovan’s “A Seaside Christmas.”In LuAnn McLane’s “Mistletoe on Main Street,” Clint isn’t sure how to rekindle his romance with high school sweetheart Ava—until his father bows out of playing Santa at the annual Cricket Creek holiday parade and Clint gets the chance to make this Christmas one to remember. And in Alexis Morgan’s “The Christmas Gift”, business is booming at Bridey Roke’s pastry shop. Everyone in town stops in to sample her holiday treats. But in her spare moments, she’s perfecting a special recipe to charm the handsome new neighbor—who has his own surprise gift for her come Christmas Eve!

    He spent his youth sowing his oats and living life for the moment. Then he met Amber and after one incredible night, Raylan was ready to give up his wild ways. But then a call from his ex turned his world upside down. Raylan sacrificed his tender new feelings and left town to raise a son he’d never even known existed. All the while, dreams of a beautiful brown haired girl haunted his dreams. Amber Atkins had given everything to Raylan. Her virginity and her soul. Convinced she could tame the notorious bad boy, she was devastated when he left without a word. Now six years later, Raylan has returned to Mercy to convince Amber that they can’t live without each other. But can Amber find the strength to trust again? As a stalker grows bolder, Amber’s life is in danger and she’s forced to turn to one man for help – Raylan Wilde. In order to survive, she must trust the man that nearly destroyed her with her body and soul.

    Read in any order and enjoy!Book 1: Santa’s SecretPrevious published by Lyrical Press. Will the magic still be there when they wake on Christmas morning? Rudi comes to Santa’s Secret Village in the Arctic Circle looking to sell the resort, having long since lost his Christmas spirit. His seven-year-old daughter already knows the truth about Santa, and neither of them is in the mood for the festive season.But then they meet Eva, struggling with a suitcase that bursts and scatters her underwear in the snow. Practically a recluse since the death of her husband eighteen months before, Eva’s not looking for romance and is there to try to make Christmas more festive this year for her young son. But she brings an unexpected sparkle to Rudi and Isabel’s lives that renews their belief in the magic of Christmas.As the weather grows colder, things heat up between Rudi and Eva. But will the magic still be there when they wake on Christmas morning?Warning: contains hot and sexy scenes in a Finnish sauna and a huge dollop of Christmas magic.

    

    Or rather, she did. She'd spent the first few years of her life being shifted from one foster home to another, never really finding that special place to make her feel home. When she finds a small envelope on the ground on a side street in Boston, and opens it, her heart plummets. She recognizes the description of the contents and knows what it will mean to the little girl if the promise of this gift is not fulfilled. But when the CEO of Holden Industries, Derek Holden, accuses her of stealing the money inside the envelope, she's determined to go the distance and not only fulfill the gift herself, but to prove to the dashingly handsome millionaire that there is more to life than just money. The day his family lost their fortune and his world fell apart, Derek Holden swore he'd make his family fortune back. All good things in life came with sacrifice and hard work and he wasn't afraid of it. He'd built a financial empire all on his own and didn't need the simple conventions of life...until he met Allison Jones. The incredibly sweet designer with beautiful hair flowing down her back was much more than he'd originally thought when he'd accused her of stealing the money from the envelope he'd given the courier earlier that day. He'd intended the money to be a small donation to a local charity event. But he soon learned that a bank account full of money was no match for a heart full of love...and there was only one special woman who could teach him. Please look for other books in the FATE WITH A HELPING HAND series: All I Want for Christmas is You The Marriage Contract The Knight and Maggie's Baby The Gift The Gift is a contemporary romance short story prequel to THE MARRIAGE CONTRACT.

    The only thing that crosses his mind is “Challenge accepted.” Finally sitting at the helm of his family's oil company, James is ready to conquer the industry. The gorgeous, mysterious woman who keeps crossing his path looks like the perfect distraction from the stress of his new role. He’ll have to choose between having her in his corner at West Oil or taking her to his bed.Libby Saint-Jane has been living a lie. One she intends to protect at any cost. When she finds herself in over her head and on the verge of failure, will her boss, James West, bail her out or kick her to the curb? He may not be the solution for all her troubles but might be the adventure she’s been waiting for. Book 1: Fierce LoveBook 2: Wild Eyes Book 3: Crazy NightsLove revisiting the characters through other books? Don't miss the connected series by Ruth Cardello and Jeannette Winters. More characters set in the same world. Ruth Cardello:Book 1: Always Mine Book 2: Stolen Kisses Book 3: Trade It All Jeannette Winters:Book 1: One White LieBook 2: Table For TwoBook 3: One White Lie

     Trevor “Hawk” Hawkins and Olivia Grayson are finally going to marry, but she’s finishing up a film before they say “I do.” When someone starts stalking her, Hawk must go overseas to protect the woman he loves—but a ghost from his past may draw him away from HERO Force forever. This is a novella, not a full-length book.

    Seeking quiet for the holidays, Shea returns to the snowy mountains where she grew up to make peace with her past and spend time with her estranged family. She never expected old flame J.C. Royce—now a hockey star—would return to their hometown, too. After weathering a tough year, J.C. sees Shea's arrival in Cloud Spin, Vermont, as a holiday miracle after the way he broke things off with her long ago. JC hopes that Shea will give him another chance to explore the chemistry still simmering between them. When two hearts with a history have a chance to reconnect at Christmas, will love get one last shot?

    She’s a calm, capable nurse saving lives in a busy London hospital, but healthy men give her heart palpitations. When larger-than-life rugby player “Little” John Sheldon convinces her to bid on him in his team’s fundraising auction, she discovers how pleasurable heart palpitations can be.A rugby player was stirring, with desire no one could douse…John has wanted Gwen since he first saw her, but when he’s injured in a match just before Christmas he suddenly needs her too. Not only can the sexy nurse help him recover, but she might be able to help him look after his daughter—a shy ten-year-old who speaks only French.But will it be a Happy Christmas for all, and for all a good night?From decorating the Christmas tree to ice skating at the Tower of London, Gwen helps father and daughter open up and bond with each other—and she bonds right along with them. But when John’s agent calls with a life-changing offer, Gwen has to decide how far she’s willing to go for her perfect match. Will their first Noël also be their last?

    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

    All she want to do is get to her families Christmas Eve dinner for once on time. Instead, she gets stuck in her office's elevator with a tall, stranger in the dark.When she meets Carsten ,will Josiane find that holiday romance may come in the strangest places?

    The blind date he’s hustled into for the Lost and Found Christmas Eve party ends up exceeding his expectations, though. Cassandra Jones is lush and lovely and more than any man could hope for. She seems totally unconcerned with his arm prosthetic and scars. Is it possible to fall in love within a night? Plus-sized graphic designer Cass is stunned when she realizes Roger really means the words he says. She’s never been on the receiving end of such devoted attention, and it makes her realize how barren her life has been for so long. Roger destroys all of the natural defenses around her heart with his love… and his mistletoe mischief! Plus, as a special treat, never before seen short-stories with some old favorites! See what happens to Gabe and Zeke and their families over Christmas!

    Problem is, her only ride to Lake Tahoe comes in the form of the annoyingly handsome Max Stranton, and his big, goofy, lovable dog Carl.Hours stuck in a truck with the dead sexy Max sounds like a fate worse than death (not), but Rory’s out of options. She’s had a crush on Max since high school and she knows he’s attracted to her, too. But they have history… and Max is the only one who knows why it went south.They’ve done a good job of ignoring their chemistry so far, but a long road trip in a massive blizzard might be just what they need to face their past… and one steamy, snowy night is all it takes to bring Max and Rory together at last.

    Three authors. Character cross-over. Binge reading at its best. Each novella can be enjoyed individually but reading them together weaves an exciting and unique experience. A Billionaire For Lexi: Holiday Novella by Ruth Cardello Clay Landon has never taken himself or his life of privilege seriously. He has spent his life going where he wanted, when he wanted, and keeping his relationships as casual and open as his lifestyle. It’s a pretty damn good life until he meets Lexi Chambers, an equally free spirit who is completely unimpressed by him or his wealth. Having her becomes his obsession. Lexi Chambers knows how to get into trouble and does so with a skill acquired by doing it a shit–Let’s just say a lot. Her sister, Willa, recently married into the wealthy Barrington family and Lexi is trying to stay on her best behavior.One too-sexy-for-his-own-good, Clay, will test her resolve. He’ll make her laugh and push her to, once again, believe in possibilities. Just in Thyme by Jeannette Winters World-renowned chef, Vincent Moretti, could have anyone, anything, anytime. Social events had a single agenda—build his business, which was why he couldn’t refuse the last-minute invite to the New Year’s charity event. When he learned his investors wouldn’t be there, he was angry he’d wasted his valuable time. Adventurous and loyal Renita Gallo had chosen to stay in Stowe, Vermont for one reason—her father. She wanted to be a teacher. He wanted her to follow in his footsteps and become a chef. When her father became ill and couldn’t cater the very important Barrington event at the Vermont resort, she was forced into a role she wasn’t prepared for, and into the presence of the most arrogant man she’d ever met. Renita was confounding, a woman who challenged Vincent, a woman so enchanting he couldn’t resist. Wouldn’t resist. She was also determined to ignore the allure of the devastatingly handsome Chef Moretti. Vincent ignited such passion within her that shook her steadfast sense of responsibility. Thrown together during a snow storm, more than food will be cooking in the kitchen. Midnight on the Slopes by Danielle StewartNolan Saint-Jane is a big enough person to pretend he’s happy his sister Libby has married a billionaire oilman. She deserves the best but the sudden change has taken the last piece of family from him. Having spent Christmas alone, brooding Nolan is determined that New Year’s Eve will be different. Holly McNamara travels light. She can’t be held down by anything when it’s time to run again. New Year’s Eve is the perfect time to make a break for it and a chance meeting with a stranger in a coffee shop gives her the opportunity she needs.When the snow starts to fall, the passion erupts and the truth comes out, Nolan and Holly will have to decide if the new year holds hope for the new life they both need. If you enjoyed reading these intertwined novellas, you’ll love our synchronized billionaire series. All the same fun, but with stand alone romances set in the same world with character cross over and plots that will have you laughing out loud, fanning your face, and staying up to see what happens next.