But Alexander Stone brought out much more than just Esther's maternal instincts. And she knew that loving the tall, dark loner would make her need a fix-it person of her own ....Alexander Stone didn't know if he agreed with that old saying about having loved and lost--he just knew he'd never love again. But how could he resist a warm, sexy woman who always had a minute to smile and two little boys who made him remember what it was like to laugh... or to long for a family to call his own?

    Just when she thinks the nightmare can’t get any worse, her father is charged with the crime. Rachel will do anything to prove his innocence, but her loyalty is tested to the limits when she crosses paths with Nicholas Hunter, the ruthless prosecutor bent on sending her father to prison… Nick Hunter is thirsty for justice, a man made cynical by the horrors he experienced in childhood. He shows mercy to no one…until he encounters Rachel Calloway, the first woman ever to make him question his convictions. From the moment they meet, a forbidden attraction sizzles between them that neither can ignore.As danger lurks in the shadows, Rachel soon finds herself in the biggest fight for her heart…and her life.Ghosts of Fire is a 97,000 word romantic suspense novel that was originally published in 2002.Praise for the Romantic Suspense Novels of Maureen Smith“…a haunting, suspenseful story that documents Maureen Smith as a writer of considerable promise and ability” — Midwest Book Review on Ghosts of Fire “Few authors pen work that is so thoroughly engrossing the characters leave a lasting impression” — Romantic Times on With Every Breath“…keeps you guessing and hoping that these two will get together and find the perpetrators responsible…one of the best romantic suspense stories I’ve read in a long time” — The Romance Readers Connection on A Heartbeat Away“With a deft touch and solid cast of characters, Smith gives equal credence to spicy romance and nail-biting suspense on her way to an explosive conclusion” — Publishers Weekly on Whisper My Name“Smith weaves a captivating tale of mayhem and murder…a romantic suspense thriller that will stay with you long after you turn the final page” — San Antonio Express-News on Whisper My Name“…a tense page-turner that will further enhance Smith’s reputation in the romantic suspense genre—a reputation that is well deserved” — Romantic Times on Like No One Else

    To escape that lifestyle, Ruby answers a mail order bride ad of a man in Waterhole, Texas looking for someone with upstanding morals to help clean up his town.When Ruby arrives in town, dressed in a saloon gown and toting her younger brother, Timmy, Seth thinks he's been duped and the last thing he wants is a child in his life, having recently lost his own.Will time spent together prove to him that Ruby is who she said she was and can Seth learn to love again?

    Especially when it’s to his beautiful ranch manager and former high school sweetheart.When Derrick returns home after retiring from years on the circuit, Penelope Martinez explains that the fake engagement was just a way to get her dangerous ex off her back. Now she begs him to continue the ruse, but Derrick wants none of it—it's too risky being around the girl that broke his heart. Until he realizes how vital Penelope is to the success of his ranch. So he cuts her a deal: if she stays through the birthing season, he’ll agree to a fake engagement. Penelope is on board, however she has one more condition: absolutely, positively no kissing.What was she thinking? No kissing the sexiest cowboy she’s ever known? Turns out that’s a rule that was made to be broken. More than once. To make the engagement seem real, Penelope moves into the ranch house where working closely together with Derrick makes it almost impossible to keep their relationship all business. Soon enough, they’re rekindling the old flame. Being with Derrick is wonderful—at first. But then he starts putting up barriers and pushing her away, leaving Penelope more than confused and wondering if what they have is real at all. It’s almost as if he’s hiding something from her…She wants them to be together, but is her love strong enough to get past whatever is holding them apart?

    After eight years spent trapped in a miserable marriage, he's made a vow to never take the plunge again. The only problem is, he didn't have a plan in place to protect his heart from Chloe Delaney. COMING FULL CIRCLE Ethan Prewitt dreamed of escaping the small town of Pembrooke and building a life where he didn't have to depend on anyone but himself. What he never expected was for his friendship with Eliza Anderson to grow into something that would change everything for him. A BROKEN SOUL Quinn Mallick already had his happily-ever-after, and in the blink of an eye it was ripped away from him. He's convinced he doesn't deserve a second chance. But when the town's beautiful dance teacher, Lilly Mathewson turns her sights on him, he finds himself questioning everything.

    Over the years, she's turned her intuition into a successful matchmaking service for the ultra wealthy: Billionaire Marriage Brokers. While she specializes in "business" marriages -- paring people off because of their skills, education, or training -- she can spot a potential love match a mile away. When Pamela has a "good feeling" about a bride and groom, a business marriage can become so much more. The Academic Bride Janel Fendrick is a go-getter. She'll accomplish her goal of excavating a Mayan temple even if it means taking a job as a bride. One year of marriage is a small price to pay to have all her dreams come true. What she doesn't realize, is that she's about to get more than she ever dreamed of. The Organized Bride MaKayla thought taking a job as an event planner for a high-end hotel would be a wonderful lead into opening her own events business. However, a one year no-contact clause leaves her clientless if she quits. With nowhere to go, she is intrigued with Pamela's offer for a one-year contract running charities and overseeing contributions--until she finds out that to take her dream job, she also has to take Gabe...for better or worse. The Professional Bride Amber Appleby is not the blushing bride. She makes a career out of being a wife—a business wife that is. After signing divorce papers with her third husband, Pamela Jones calls her into the office to ask a favor. Pamela explains that her life-long friend has passed away leaving a world-class ski resort and extensive financial holdings to his grandson, Rym, with the stipulation that he marry a BMB bride to coach him through his first year as a billionaire. Amber’s up for the assignment but Rym turns out to be a maverick—and a gorgeous one at that. Amber’s skills as a life coach are tested at every turn right along with her heart. Marriage was much simpler when love wasn’t involved. The Country Bride Paige Baker is bound and determined to start her own horse training business. While at an auction where she plans to purchase the horse of her dreams, she meets Pamela Jones and is suddenly on a whole new path in life. Caught up in a whirlwind of wedding plans, Paige wonders what she can bring to the marriage and if her background as a camp counselor and a rodeo star has really prepared her for marriage to the handsome and aloof Mr. Walker. Paige is everything Cody and his daughter need and so much more. Can he stay true to his first wife’s memory and care for Paige or will he allow this angel to slip through his fingers and lose the only mother his daughter, Addison, has ever known? The Resilient Bride Kiera Martin has done the Billionaire Marriage Brokers arrangement once before and it didn’t turn out well. She left her verbally abusive husband and BMB behind to nurse her mom through cancer treatments—expensive cancer treatments. Three years later, with few financial options left, still carrying baggage from her first marriage, and her mom in remission, Kiera gives Pamela one more chance. What she thinks will be the fast road to debt reduction turns out to be the hardest path she’s ever trod as Liam’s diagnosis looms over their every minute together. He showers her with enough love to last eternity, which is good because eternity may be all they have to look forward to.

    He never thought he’d find love again after the death of his wife and son. Natalie Porter and her son, Tommy are traveling to Chicago so that she can give birth to a child that she can’t keep. When Tommy goes missing on the train, Natalie and Ken cross paths in the search to find her son, but end up finding so much more in each other. When Natalie is forced to get off the train after going in labor, Kenneth decides to go with her, offering her a whole new life if she’ll only let him. Will Natalie accept his offer to be her husband and adopt the baby she so desperately wants to keep? Could the love that bloomed between them in such a short amount of time, be real?

    Though it broke Daisy's heart to hand over control of her family's horse farm to him, she had no alternative—she was in Dante's debt up to her ears!Part of the deal included Daisy relocating to Dante's ranch in Argentina. Daisy knew she was far too ordinary to ever become the count's wife. But could she resist Dante's demands that she repay her dues in his bed?

    Then he met Teddy Spencer. She was smart, sexy...and terrified of commitment. But she also needed him--to play the role of her lover at the company Christmas party. Austin was willing to take the job...as long as he could convince her to make it a full-time position!

    However, she didn’t count on falling for the youngest of the clan, Hawk Pattel. Hawk is wealthy, handsome, intelligent and charming. Raven tries to resist him, but when a Pattel wants something, nothing will stand in his way. Just when Hawk is on the verge of convincing Raven that the two of them could have something special, something real, all of his skeletons start falling out of the closet, one ugly bone at a time. Self-preservation takes over for Raven, and the only thing she can do is run. But Hawk is determined not to give up. He’ll break down the walls she’s had time to rebuild one brick at a time if he has to. However, old hurts and secrets are revealed that will test Hawk and Raven beyond anything they’ve come up against. Will they be strong enough to withstand a storm a second time? The Pattels: Hawk and Raven II is the continuation of the first book in the hot new series by National Best Selling author S.K. Hardy. It’s sexy, thrilling, and intriguing, all of the elements that S.K. is known for. This exciting saga is a story that will engage every one of your emotions: anger, happiness, laughter, and fear. The Pattels is a spin off of S.K.’s previous bestseller, The Sin City Heat Series. However, it is not necessary to have read Sin City Heat in order to start this new series. **Warning: This book is an erotic romance novel. It contains strong sexual language and themes that is not appropriate for anyone under the age of 18.

    With the help of the two meddling mamas, she's determined to show him she's "The One"—not that scrawny redhead who's rapidly becoming more than his casual "flavor of the month." Convincing Nick to stop thinking of her like his sister won't be easy, but Ellana's canoodling with the Italian Stallion, chef Giovanni Cavallini, to make Nick jealous. Of course, Giovanni's only too happy to oblige—he's got his own agenda—but now that she has Nick's attention, is it too late?With the matchmaking mamas doing their best to interfere, Ellana's stuck in a quandary: Which one of these tempting chefs will she choose?

    The talented jewelry designer would just make her own way. Or go down trying. Too bad her intended groom--maverick businessman and former crush Nathan Case--made her stubborn stance so difficult. The heat of his touch had her nearly betraying herself at every turn. Resisting Nathan and regaining her money were the name of the game--but meddling with this millionaire might land her right back in his arms!

    

     Set in the Blue Mountain’s town of Blackheath in New South Wales, Australia, the novel Heart of Eternity introduces two very different characters, Jay and Naida, who encounter each other at a challenging time in each of their lives. Their individual expressions of the feelings they provoke in each other give rise to a turmoil that could ultimately claim their lives. When two people understand so deeply the pain each other has faced will it force them into the abyss of darkness or will their combined need for healing allow love to enter both their hearts?

     This complete series box set includes The Chase, Volumes 1 through 4. The Chase, Volume 1 735 to 1. 735 = number of notches on his belt. 1 = the notch he couldn’t get. Who is he? Dean Chase. He loves the thrill. He loves the women. And above all, he loves the chase. But the one thing he doesn’t love is being tied down by a woman. To him, once the chase is over, it’s time to pull up his boxers and move on to the next target. That is until he meets Blair Parker. Blair is unlike any of the women under Dean’s belt. She’s confident, mysterious, and sassy. In Dean’s world, she’s the wicked curved ball he couldn’t figure out. She’s the first woman who always seems to be out of reach no matter how hard he chases. So when it comes to Blair, Dean couldn’t move on. Dean will need to change his ways in order to chase Blair down to make her the 736th notch on his belt. But will chasing after Blair become Dean’s undoing and end his love of the chase once and for all? The Chase, Volume 2 736 = the number of notches on my belt. 736 = the notch I can't get out of my head. 736 = the notch who leaves me wanting more than I’m prepared to give back. Who is 736? Blair Parker. She is unlike any women I have met before. She's powerful. She's feisty. She's headstrong. And above all, she’s the one I had to break my one and only rule to chase down. But there’s just one problem. She wants nothing to do with me before and after our night together. If that’s not enough, life then throws me another curve ball. I’m offered an opportunity of a lifetime. It’s an opportunity to achieve the success I’ve worked so hard for. It’s an opportunity anyone in my position would kill for. It’s an opportunity that I’d be crazy to say no to. But there is a catch. There is a price to pay. There is something I need to do in exchange for this opportunity. To be the youngest partner at the most prestigious international law firm, I need to make Blair the casualty of my success. The Chase, Volume 3 When the Blonde Bitch broke my heart ten years ago, I had vowed two things. One: I would never waste my time on loving someone again. Two: I would never have anything to do with the Blonde Bitch again. When I met my 736th notch, I broke that first vow. The minute I saw Blair, the second our eyes met, the microsecond I tasted her in my mouth, I knew that was the one vow I had to break. But the second vow, that I would keep. That vow I had control over. That vow I would take to my grave. But I couldn’t have been more wrong. Because Fate had other plans in mind. Fate was in on a cruel joke, and I was its target. The Chase, Volume 4 No one told me things would turn out this way. No one told me that to be honest with Blair, I had to break her heart.