After losing her job as a teacher, she finds herself broke, unemployed, and tricked into accepting a date from a department store Santa Claus. When new opportunities and new love interests present themselves, will Hailey choose a career and a man she's always admired, or will she wait for the identity of her Secret Santa to be revealed?

    (Return to Welcome)Max Whyte moves to Welcome WA to live closer to his daughters after their mother remarries. He wants to fix up an old home, settle into his new position at an IT firm, and try not to think about turning forty alone.Burned by a single mother in the past, he vows not to get tangled with another woman with children. When he saves the life of a small boy, he finds himself tangled in more ways than he could imagine.When the boy’s mother turns out to be the perfect person to do his renovations, Max has trouble keeping his personal feelings out of their employer/employee relationship.Kaylin Simpson has returned to Welcome to give her boys the kind of home she wanted as a child. She needs a fresh, stable start and wants to run her own business. Her three-year-old twins keep her hopping, but after she finishes the renovations for Max, she hopes to have her life well in hand.Max is drawn to Kaylin and her adorable twin boys. Her wit and feisty spirit pull at his heartstrings until he realizes being a stepfather is never what he wanted.Christmas in Welcome can be a time to heal and move forward and Max and Kaylin must set aside their old hurts to allow love to blossom.

    Trey swore never again to be beguiled by a beautiful face, but as governess Seraphina gets close to his unruly, motherless children, he wants the festive joy she brings to stay well beyond Christmas Day...."Governess to Christmas Bride" by Annie BurrowsLord Chepstow hasn't seen Honeysuckle Miller since she was a plain, awkward schoolgirl. Now she's not so plain and is looking after the host's children at a lavish Christmas house party. And the last thing Lord Chepstow expected to want on his Christmas list is the prim governess!"Duchess by Christmas" by Marguerite KayeMasquerading as a governess to help the brooding Duke of Blairmore find a wife is "not" how Regan Stuart expected to spend Christmas! Then he steals an unexpected kiss, endangering Regan's heart...unless Gabriel can see beyond her dowdy costume and realize "she's" his perfect Christmas bride!

    Three rare, historical romance novellas by acclaimed writers Patricia Rice, Mary Jo Putney, and Susan King are collected together here for the first time in this exclusive eBook, Christmas Roses. "The Snow Rose", "The Black Beast of Belleterre", and "The Kissing Bough" weave tales of the joy of unexpected Love, at a special time of year, Christmas - as only these talented writers can. Discovery in the midst of a clash of clans, hidden desires from an unexpected suitor, and a love once lost and found combine for a truly romantic journey through history. This tantalizing collection of historical romances also includes all-new introductions and recipes to add to the delight of the season. Authors: Patricia Rice With several million books in print and New York Times and USA Today's bestseller lists under her belt, former CPA Patricia Rice is one of romance's hottest authors. Her emotionally-charged contemporary and historical romances have won numerous awards, including the RT Book Reviews Reviewers Choice and Career Achievement Awards. Her books have been honored as Romance Writers of America RITA® finalists in the historical, regency and contemporary categories. A firm believer in happily-ever-after, Patricia Rice is married to her high school sweetheart and has two children. A native of Kentucky and New York, a past resident of North Carolina, she currently resides in Southern California, and now does accounting only for herself. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, the Authors Guild, and Novelists, Inc. Mary Jo Putney A New York Times bestselling author, Mary Jo Putney was born in Upstate New York with a reading addiction, a condition with no known cure. Her entire writing career is an accidental byproduct of buying a computer for other purposes. Most of her books contain history, romance, and cats. Her current Lost Lords series include No Longer a Gentleman, May 2012, and Sometimes a Rogue, September 2013. October sees the release of the mass market edition of Mischief and Mistletoe, a Christmas anthology by the eight authors of the Word Wenches blog. She has had ten RWA RITA nominations, two RITA wins, and in 2013 is the recipient of the Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award. Susan King Susan King is the bestselling, award-winning author of 22 historical novels and novellas praised for historical accuracy and lyrical writing. Writing as Susan King and Sarah Gabriel, she is the author of several historical romances for major publishing houses; as Susan Fraser King, she writes highly acclaimed historical fiction, including Lady Macbeth and Queen Hereafter, published by Random House. Her backlist novels are now being released in e-book form and she is currently working on new fiction. A founding member of the successful author blog Word Wenches, Susan holds a B.A. in fine arts and an M.A. in art history, and did her Ph.D. work in medieval art history. She lives in Maryland with her family.

    Just in time for the Christmas season--four of romances best-loved writers contribute timeless, passionate stories created especially for this collection! Jill Barnett, Mary Jo Putney, Justine Dare, and Susan King set the pages on fire with love, as these exquisite stories capture the true spirit of this special time of year!

    Yet the wickedly handsome proprietor, Lord Stockton, refuses to let a lady enter his establishment. Now Pru needs a Christmas miracle to make her wish come true—and to resist succumbing to Stockton’s charms. Three French Hens Brinna’s life as a scullery maid changes with the arrival of the castle’s newest guest, Lady Joan. Desperate to escape an arranged marriage, Joan suggests that look-alike Brinna take her place at the Christmas festivities. Suddenly, Brinna finds herself being wooed by a true gentleman, and getting the best Christmas present of all: a new life. The Fairy Godmother Odel is told by her godmother that she must marry by Christmas, and even gives her fairy dust to separate the mice from the men. But Odel has sworn off love…until kind and generous Michel catches her eye. He shows Odel how good it can feel to fall in love, but will it be enough to convince Odel to trust her heart?

    It's Christmas 1933 and the hardest year yet of the grinding Depression. While all the couples agree to only do something small for the children, they secretly plot and plan to provide something for the one they love on Christmas morning. While not giving away any spoilers to the unreleased sixth book in the series, 1931 Caleb's Err, A Homespun Christmas features three new characters to enjoy. Two family additions and Jean's new friend. A surprise visit after Christmas dinner brings all the old cast together to celebrate family, friends and the season.

    Enjoy three romances of adventure and faith in one great bundle! A little girl longs for a new mother for Christmas so she convinces her single father to advertise for a mail-order wife, whose arrival offers them the chance to forge a real family. A would-be bride discovers her intended groom has abandoned her before she even arrives but then she unexpectedly falls for the groom's brother. A gruff rancher's marriage offer to a widowed single mother is based solely on convenience…until it becomes a matter of the heart. This bundle includes: MAIL-ORDER CHRISTMAS BRIDES MAIL-ORDER HOLIDAY BRIDES MAIL-ORDER MISTLETOE BRIDES

    In her dazzling first Season, Lady Meredith Hargreaves gave her heart to Alistair Wakefield, the Marquess of Chetwyn, only to have it shattered when he proposed to another. And now that he's free to pursue her? It matters little, because she's on her way to the altar, heartbreak be damned.Chetwyn once set aside his dreams in favor of duty and honor. But as Christmas approaches, he is determined to put his own desires first and lure Lady Meredith back into his arms, where she's always belonged.First he steals a dance; then he steals a kiss. But when they find themselves alone in an abandoned castle during a snowstorm, reignited passion consumes them both. And Chetwyn will have one last chance to steal back Meredith's heart, once and for all.

    Instead, he hands me a wedding invitation - for two weeks from now! Even worse, I foolishly told him I’ll go... and bring my boyfriend.Too bad said boyfriend is nonexistent.When my best friend Declan offers to come as my fake date, my Grandma pressures me into accepting, telling me it’ll be a good way to move forward on my terms. Better than attending alone, I guess.Declan insists on getting me into the holiday spirit and out of my funk by signing us up for a Christmas contest. Practicing cooking, baking, and wrapping holiday gifts together sure feel like dates, even though they tend to end in disasters. Too bad he rejected me when we were in college, so he’s clearly not interested.But when I find out he’s got a Christmas Eve date? Well, I feel like my heart just got stomped for the second time in a week.Because it’s too hard to hide these feelings anymore. Being friends with Declan isn’t going to be enough.It’s going to take more than Santa to give me what I want this Christmas.This Christmas novella is a third in the East Village Christmas series. Each book can be read as a standalone in any order.This novella belongs to the collection, Holiday Fakeout: 22 Fake Holiday Dates to Heat Up the Season.

    Honor-bound and sworn to protect, they're about to meet their match in twelve feisty heroines. Amidst the wild Scottish mountains, the snow is falling deep, but twelve heart-warming stories of love await--one for each day of Christmas. Discover an embroidered partridge fuelling revenge, two turtle doves sealing an ill-fated match, a feathery Yuletide tale, the betrothal of a reluctant songbird, five golden rings forged in forbidden love, a pet goose who represents a second chance, a swan taking flight, a dairymaid with murder on her mind, nine ladies dancing in the moonlight, a duty-bound laird and a wayward lady, a beautiful piper, and a ghostly drummer playing matchmaker.Twelve historical romance tales set against the backdrop of snowy medieval Scotland at Christmas.Loving Her Highland Enemy - by Samantha HoltA revenge-obsessed lass keeps a depiction of her clan's partridge close to her heart in this passion-steeped enemies-to-lovers Yuletide tale.Highland Dove - by Elizabeth RoseWill Duncan MacLean be able to escape the English prison in time to fulfill his promise of marrying Mari Stewart on Hogmanay, before she weds another?The Kitchen Maid’s Tale - by Hildie McQueenRiding in the back of a cart down the center of the village could be quite embarrassing. Riding in the back of a cart, in a cage with three chickens, was mortifying.Brenna's Yuletide Song - by Cathy MacRaeHumor abounds in this rollicking tale of a pampered merchant’s daughter and the Highlander she must marry.Ringing in Yule - by Sky Purington Will years of forbidden love remind Tavish and Nessa what's at stake before she marries another?Highlander's Christmas - by Mariah StoneA secret child. A pet goose. And an unlikely couple who could get a second chance at love this Christmas—if he doesn’t kill her father.Highland Swan - by Anna MarklandDr. Pendray must save his patient’s life, though it means losing the woman he loves.The Lady's Guide to a Highlander's Heart - by Emmanuelle de MaupassantDisguised as a simple dairymaid, Lady Flora Dalreagh sneaks into the home of the warrior she believes murdered her father, intent on revenge.The Laird's Midnight Dancer - by Ashe BarkerA sacred stone circle, moonlight, and a bewitching midnight dancer to bring a laird to his knees…An Angel at the Highland Court - by Celeste Barclay A laird who fears making a mistake, and a lady whose made one mistake after another...innocence and experience, fire and ice make for one steamy Christmas.The Piper - by Lily BaldwinA battle-wounded laird whose sight has been stolen is soothed by the music of a beautiful piper who also bears scars of a tragic past.Scot Under the Mistletoe - by Caroline LeeA ghostly drummer turns out to be very much flesh and blood in this hilarious Yuletide romp featuring a second-chance romance, a mysterious little plant, and more than a few Henrys.

    Readers will love this collection of six historical novellas, all centered around the Christmas season with one thing in common: Romance.In NY Times & USA Today’s bestselling author Lucinda Brant’s delightful novella, FAIRY CHRISTMAS, Kitty Aldershot is orphaned and forced to live on others’ charity. Offered a home under the generous roof of her relatives, the Earl of Salt Hendon and his countess, Kitty wants for nothing, not even the affections of Mr. Tom Allenby. But when Kitty stumbles across a letter written by Lady Caroline that reveals how Mr. Allenby would be ruined should he marry the likes of Kitty, she realizes she has been fooling herself all along. Kitty’s world crumbles around her as she recognizes she will forever be alone with no prospects at all.Sarah M. Eden’s charming romance novella A CHRISTMAS PROMISE, Sean Kirkpatrick is trying to get to his new place of employment, Kilkenny Castle, in order to start as the new stablehand. His only requirement is to drive a team of high-spirited nags from Dublin to Kilkenny in a certain amount of time. Unfortunately he winds up in a muddy field, stuck, lost, and running out of time. He’s about to lose the job before he can prove himself capable of finishing his first assignment. When Maeve Butler arrives on the scene, Sean isn’t sure if she’s intent on rescuing him or bent on torturing him with her fiery wit and lovely dark eyes.In Heather B. Moore’s enchanting novella, TWELVE MONTHS, Lucien Baxter’s best and most incorrigible friend, Will, dies unexpectedly, leaving behind his new bride and unborn child the week before Christmas. Will’s last request is that Lucien watches over Cora, not just as a benefactor, but as a husband. When Lucien does his duty and proposes to Cora, he’s turned down flat. But over the course of the next few days, Lucien discovers that marrying Cora wouldn’t be any sort of duty after all, but a matter of following his heart. In Lu Ann Staheli’s sweet romance novella, A FEZZIWIG CHRISTMAS, Dick Wilkins and his best friend Ebenezer Scrooge have been looking forward to the annual Fezziwig Christmas dance for weeks. Ebenezer is practically engaged to Annabelle Fezziwig, and Dick hopes to start courting her younger sister, Pricilla. Once the dance starts, and Pricilla arrives, as pretty and charming as ever, Dick discovers that he’s not the only man vying for her attention. His best friend advises Dick that he has to win Pricilla’s heart, as well as her mother’s favor. Losing his heart has suddenly become very complicated.A TASTE OF HOME, a captivating romance by Annette Lyon, we meet Claire Jennings, who’s on her way to spend Christmas with her family. As she rides the train with William Rhodes, who grew up across the street, memories of Christmases past flood her mind. He may be twenty-one now, but she can’t forget his torturous teasing from their school years. At the rail station, Claire discovers that her home is under quarantine because her little brother has measles. She's stuck in town, away from her family, on her favorite holiday. William stays behind with her, and as Christmas Day approaches and her homesickness deepens, she discovers that perhaps he has changed in more ways than one.Becca Wilhite’s entrancing novella, MY MODERN GIRL, follows Margie, who lands her dream job as a clerk at Macy’s department store in New York City. Margie might be new in town, but she’s determined to succeed and prove to Henry that moving to the city was the right decision. As the Christmas season approaches, Margie realizes that being a “modern girl” might not be all she had dreamed of and Henry might have more to offer than she ever imagined.

    *** Upon hearing screams, handsome rancher, Foster O’Donnell races to his barn and finds a stranger giving birth. When he tells her his name, she screams he can’t be Foster O’Donnell. Foster O’Donnell is the father of her baby. Can Christmas change their mutual distrust? Will Foster and Ginger find The Greatest Gift?

    Determined to stop the thief, Angus uses everything he’s got and more. This fast paced story will have you running alongside him right up until the surprise ending that you won’t see coming.(A Christmas short-story for kids 9-12 years.)

    When her family is threatened, she does the one thing she can to protect them: publishes a book exposing them all.After his disaster of a marriage, Liam Westwood, the Earl of Keswick, made a sacred pact: never fall in love again. Having spent his years abroad, he never expected to meet a vixen that would test his sanity and haunt his nights upon his return.With the Ton’s most scandalous secrets hiding between the pages of her book, Nora has no shortage of people who wish to see her suffer. And some are determined to see her ruined. When the manuscript falls in Liam’s hands, his feelings of betrayal are overshadowed by a single thing: a name that jumps out more than all the others put together. His.