When I open them, I think it might really be there in front of me.’ After three tours of duty in Afghanistan, Liam Andrews is home safe in Queensland. His weekly life drawing class, full of colourful local artists, helps him manage his post-traumatic stress disorder. But he’s struggling to open up about a past that still haunts him. Belourine ‘Billy’ is an Afghan refugee who lost everything before arriving in Australia as a child. She finds joy in her daily swims in the lake. After years of upheaval, she’s still searching for a place to call home. But her past makes it hard to trust people. When Liam and Billy meet, they form an instant connection. But will they ever overcome the past? And will it be together? ‘Rhonda is one talented Aussie author….’ Chapterichi.com ‘When I read Rhonda’s work, I think "authentic". There is no pretence. No fakeness. Just raw, honest and beautifully crafted characters and dialogue.” The MadHatter Book Reviewer

    Her father, Ngoc, is desperate and with help from a young Australian volunteer overcomes his years of reluctance and writes a letter to his father, a retired American army officer. Ngoc’s letter shocks Peter Trutch. Torn between his sense of honor toward this unknown son and his contentedly pleasant life in Seattle with his devoted wife Catherine, he hurls himself into his past and back to a country and memories that he had left behind forty years earlier. Lien is sold to a brothel in Cambodia and, in his frantic search for her, Trutch confronts not only his past but a seedy, corrupt world where bad cops, pimps and the destitute, clash with courageous international prevention workers and a few honest officials. Along with Trutch, the reader will be outraged at the worldwide plague of sex trafficking.

    Fall in love with the Suit. Hide away with the Artist. Feel your heart race with these sexy brothers, and the kick ass heroines they fall in-love with, all in one fabulous boxset! AUSTIN “Tell me a secret,” I ask. “I’m falling for you.” Austin Sexton is a bad-boy media mogul and heir to the Sexton Empire. On the outside, he’s a whiskey-slinging bachelor with the world on a string. Problem is, strings break easily. Deep within lies a war hero who refuses accolades. He buries his pain with his vices, and against my better judgment, I’ve become one of them. No matter how hard I try to push him away, his secrets draw me in. This man, who appears careless, has passion. If I were looking for someone in my life, I could see myself falling for a guy like him. Good thing love is the last thing I’m looking for. BRYCE “Truth or dare?” “I’ll take your dare.” “Kiss me.” I don’t believe in Prince Charming, but when I met a handsome stranger on a rooftop his words intrigued me and his dares left nothing but temptation. Then I learned the truth. His name is Bryce Sexton. Media mogul, workaholic and a heart of stone. He’s broody AF and yet every woman in San Francisco wants him. So why won’t he leave me alone? Wherever I go, he’s there, trying to force his way into my world. What he doesn’t know is I already have a man in my life. A tiny redhead who loves Legos and Superheroes. With every push, Bryce pulls me in further. Our pasts are laced with betrayal. Our futures are unpredictable. Our chemistry is explosive. With each dare I uncover a truth, but he's exactly what I don’t need right now. So why did I have to go and kiss him? TANNER We’re two strangers on a train, knowing whatever we decide in the next moment might dictate our fate for the rest of our lives. “A kiss was all I needed.” “Looks like you got what you wished for.” “Yes. About that…” My plan: find a finely dressed businessman, have a one-night stand, and forget about my failed relationship. Like a bad joke, my ex walks into the bar. That’s when a gorgeous man wearing street clothes, messy hair, and the sexiest smile I’ve ever seen lays a kiss on me. It’s meant to rile up my ex but leaves me breathless and wanting more instead. Then he’s gone. So, I do what any rational person would. I chase after him onto the subway and embark on a wild night in New York City with a complete stranger. No matter how much I fight it, this mysterious man painted his soul onto my skin. If it’s not meant to be, why can’t I forget about him?

     Her two daughters, from a previous relationship, are now both adult. Jo, ambitious and independent, is pursuing a career as a barrister. Jo’s younger sister is very different. Shelley, just 20, sweet natured, trusting and innocent, still lives at home and works at a local animal clinic. They are a normal, happy family - and then Shelley meets Sam on the street and everything changes. Martha struggles to accept Shelley’s choice of boyfriend as, with increasing anger, she witnesses the erosion of all Shelley’s values under Sam’s influence. When Martha’s efforts to persuade Shelley to give Sam up fail, she decides on a more direct approach. The consequences of her actions are devastating for everyone and change the course of Martha’s life forever. “After I’d gone up to bed that night, leaving Gabe amidst the carnage I had created in the living room, I formulated my plan. But it was pure chance that I met Sam on Putney Bridge some three weeks later and I went ahead with it.”

     One unlikely friendship When Bethany and Kate first meet they have nothing in common, but their lives soon intertwine as they both embark on the journey of a lifetime.

    As the mountain of lies come tumbling down and the drama unfolds, Amanda is forced to hold a mirror to herself and come to terms with a reflection she struggles to accept.

    Marriage was never in the picture. But when her grandfather is tricked into signing a binding marriage contract to a man she finds repugnant, she has one choice: Run away. Her flight ends with a fortuitous meeting with Zayid Hasan, Crown Prince of Raihan, who offers the perfect solution to Laila’s predicament: marry him and solve both their problems. Zayid’s younger brother must marry his pregnant fiancé, and ancient laws dictate the oldest brother is required to marry first. Desperate for a way to protect both her grandfather and herself, Laila agrees. After all, their marriage will last only until Zayid’s brother can marry—and her marriage to the brooding, handsome prince isn’t much of a sacrifice. It’s not like she’s going to be foolish enough to fall in love…Zayid doesn’t know what to think about his new half-American wife. He doesn’t really want to think about her at all, but for some reason, he can’t stop himself. Strangely enough, all the royal functions that used to bore him silly are now entertaining with Laila by his side—even though he knows she’d much rather be alone creating her art. Though the marriage of convenience was his idea, he can’t help but start to wish it was the real deal. No way can he ignore the simmering chemistry that’s driving them both a bit crazy. He’s much better at ignoring what’s in his heart—until he realizes it just might break if he can’t convince Laila to stay with him forever…

    After missing the Olympic team because of injury, and being shut out by her ‘winning is everything’ father, she’s built a career as a top notch, award-winning coach. When a serious student injury propels her to the outside of the gymnastics world, she finds herself broke and alone – until a bequest from a mysterious and unknown aunt takes her on an unexpected journey. Who was Aunt Winnie, and what does the equally mysterious and unknown Mr. Boudreaux have to do with it? Army veteran, Cole Boudreaux, has returned home a hero to Cardinal Point, Texas, but a few things went wrong with his homecoming. His fiancée cut him loose, and he lost his position as a police officer because a wartime injury left him nearly deaf. Then, the woman who was like a mother to him dies suddenly. Cole knows God has a plan, and if he could settle Winnie’s estate and grow his budding security business, he just might figure out what it is. Winnie’s niece is not making it easy. She’s rolled into town with a ton of baggage and secrets she’s not willing to share. Why is Jacey so distant, and why is she so determined to not let him in?

    The court, the country and the world are waiting to meet his fiancée. The trouble is, he hasn’t got one. He needs a fake, and fast.Rhian Rothe is trapped. With her dreams of stage stardom in tatters, she needs a new opportunity—enough to agree to play Cinderella to an arrogant prince. But this is no fairytale, and Rhian’s not the one who needs to be rescued. If Prince Less-Than-Charming wants her help, he’d better start acting like it.Sparks fly as soon as the pair meet at the palace, and it turns out that the only thing Cor hates more than lying to his country is working with Rhian. But nothing is as it seems in the royal court—and, no matter what, the show must go on.Rescuing the Prince is a sweet contemporary romance novel for fans of fairytales, tiaras and happy endings.

    The first time in print, these two sweet romances showcase the heartwarming Hale family, beloved by readers.THE HOLIDAY SERENADEProfessional gambler and millionaire Rhett Butler Blaylock is everything Martha Stewart wannabe Abbie Maven doesn't want in a man-flamboyant, flashy, and unreserved. After a horrible experience in her youth, she has spent her life trying to make all the right choices, pouring her energy into being the best possible single mother to her son. Rhett's determined to show Abbie he can be the man of her dreams. As Christmas approaches, he prepares a special surprise for her, hoping the holiday will work its magic and grant him a miracle. Will his holiday serenade heal Abbie's heart and convince her to give love a second chance?THE TOWN SQUAREArthur Hale returns to his hometown of Dare Valley, Colorado to start a new newspaper that will channel the voice of the West. But the bigger the dream, the higher the price. Arthur's ambition and drive isolate him, and the only person who can break through his self-imposed solitude is Harriet Jenkins, his talented and mysterious secretary. What he doesn't know is that Harriet Jenkins is actually Harriet Wentworth. A newspaper article ruined her father and sullied her family name, and now she's out for revenge on the journalist who wrote it: Arthur Hale. Soon the impossible happens, and Harriet finds herself falling for the man she set out to destroy, but can the two build a future on a foundation of lies and ugly truths?(love story, contemporary romance, alpha males, heroes, sweet romance, bad boys, falling in love, women's fiction, holiday, cooking)Author's Note: All books can easily be read as stand-alone stories.The Small Town Dare Valley series: Book 1: NORA ROBERTS LAND (Meredith & Tanner) Book 2: FRENCH ROAST (Jill & Brian) Book 3: THE GRAND OPENING (Peggy & Mac) Book 4: THE HOLIDAY SERENADE (Abbie & Rhett) Book 5: THE TOWN SQUARE (Arthur & Harriet) Book 6: THE PARK OF SUNSET DREAMS (Jane & Matt) coming Spring 2014

    Lee Butts! Legendary as the meanest, most fearless lawdog of the Old West, Hayden Tilden sometimes blurs the line between U.S. Marshal and hired assassin. His adventures all began with one murderous, cold-blooded bastard: Saginaw Bob Magruder. The depraved killer butchered Tilden’s entire family and hurled the young man into a ruthless, bloody crusade for vengeance and a career as a U. S. Marshal. Tracking down Magruder will be just the beginning of Tilden’s adventures, bringing his own brand of justice to the wild and lawless West. “Lawdog has it all. I couldn’t put it down.” —Jack Ballas, author of A Town Afraid “Lawdog should assume its rightful place beside other Western classics.” —Peter Brandvold, bestselling author of Once Hell Freezes Over About the Author: J. Lee Butts is the author of 22 published books and numerous magazine articles and short works. His book Brotherhood of Blood was runner-up for the Western Writers of America Spur Award in 2005. He’s worn many hats over the years (teacher, administrator, pool manager, IBM supervisor, and western author), and he and his late wife lived everywhere from Los Angeles to Dallas. Currently he’s hanging those hats back in White Hall, Arkansas.

    Chris stopped believing in it long ago. But Africa has a way of calling your bluff...On her wedding day, Reporter Roberta Bovi discovers that the man she has loved for years has been so faithless that she has lived a fictional life, happy only because she was blind.A journalistic assignment in Uganda saves her from facing the man she now needs to divorce: she is to cover a story about AIDS increasing in a country that had previously served as the model for Africa.Roberta has no more illusions about love and fidelity, and the writings of Christopher Burton, a doctor and evolutionary biologist she is going to interview, only convince her further that humans are just apes that shed some hair.Burton may have even fewer illusions than Roberta, but there is a heart beating beneath the white coat of a brave and very attractive doctor.As Roberta stays to help at the hospital where he works, they find it hard to keep away from each other, even as both understand that love always requires a leap of faith.Find out what happens when a woman loses everything, only to find what is truly important.

     Book 1 Cat has spent years trying to leave the disappearance of her fiancé in the past when out on a date with a new man, she receives a message that can only be from her former love. Jay immediately falls for a girl like Cat, but how can he win her over with the ghosts of the past still lingering? Moving on isn't easy and even those closest to you may not be who they seem. But through it all, love can always find a way. Book 2 Ethan’s spent his entire adult life haunted by his past. A new cold case file is pulled from the box and Ethan is shocked to see almost the exact same murder scene that he witnessed when he walked into his sister’s murder years before. Certain there’s a connection, Ethan begins to dig deeper into the murders in the hopes of finally putting his horrific memories to rest. Book 3 Another young babysitter had been murdered, that made three in only a short amount of time. Though no one seems to believe there’s a connection, Angie is certain that it can’t be coincidence. Only person she wishes she could confide in is her partner and boyfriend, Ethan, but he’s still working out his own demons. Striking out on her own is the only way Angie believes she can provide justice for these murdered girls. Book 4 Angie had been waiting patiently for her daddy to be released from prison, but not under the terms that he must help Jay in breaking up the mob. Sampson must go undercover to dig up as much as he can in order to send his old bosses to jail. But Angie isn’t going to let that happen without some major precautions.

    Nan thought she could easily drown in those gray eyes.Check into the Damselfly Inn and fall in love with Thornton, Vermont.When a late summer storm drops a tree branch through her roof, Thornton’s new innkeeper wonders if the quaint village is really as perfect as it seems.Nan Grady hasn’t had time for dating, never mind romance. Hospitality is her full time job, but she can’t deny her attraction to local contractor Joss Fuller.Joss prefers things simple, until Nan and her inn disrupt his steady, small-town routine.Now there’s a honeymoon suite to remodel, a woman from Joss’s past checked in on the second floor, and a mysterious vandal targeting the Damselfly Inn—all conspiring to tear Nan and Joss apart.Can the promise of new love hold them together?

    A decade later, a bit of fate has brought them back into each other’s lives. ** This is a short story. If you prefer longer stories, please check out another Té Russ title