She will run the inn, write her cookbooks, and pick up an occasional catering job with her cousin, who owns the local bakery. Her life in Harbor Falls is predictable--a welcome change from the chaos of recent months (when her sister ran off with her fiancé)--and that's the way she likes it. Until chaos rides his bad ass Harley up to her bed and breakfast doorstep--and her perfect, predictable, and well-planned world starts crumbling like yesterday's blueberry muffins.Brad Matthews has other ideas. When Suzie worked as his sous chef in Asheville months earlier, he had no intention of falling in love with the sassy chef--no room in his life for romance. But when she disappeared and took Brad's heart with her, his good intentions shattered. Even though Brad's plan to win Suzie back involves making the people of Harbor Falls a bit angry (Suzie included), it is part of his bigger plan to get his life and career on track, and to win Suzie Hart back into his arms--permanently.But can Suzie let go of their muddled past, and her well-planned future, in order to find happiness with hunky Chef Brad? Can Brad alter his own plan, in order to win Suzie back? Take My Heart - When Shelley Hart ran off and married her sister, Suzie's, fiancé, the whole town of Harbor Falls was in a twitter. A few years later, her husband deceased and with two little girls in tow, her only recourse is to go home for the holidays. Will Suzie, forgive her? What about that boy she left behind?Harbor Falls Police Officer Matt Branson values being alone. Dubbed the town hermit, he prefers the solitude of his mountain cabin to socializing with friends--friends who say he still pines after the woman who got away. But the snowy day he pulls over an older model sedan speeding into Harbor Falls, things change. His gut slams against his backbone as a tearful woman rolls down the car window. His heart melts when she looks up into his eyes.Shelley Hart is back in town--the woman who sent him into his cave in the first place.

    See author's note, below Pulling Home (That Second Chance #1) It's taken nine years and a cross-country move, but Audra Valentine Wheyton has kept her secrets safe. She's created the perfect life: a husband who loves her, a daughter she adores, and a position as head writer for an award-winning daytime soap. When her husband dies suddenly, Audra returns to her hometown for the funeral and faces a community that has not forgotten her meager beginnings and the man who has never forgiven her for marrying his brother. Jack Wheyton is a successful pediatric neurosurgeon who is about to become engaged when Audra walks back into his life with her daughter. He forgave his brother long ago for taking something that had been his, something he hadn't even realized he wanted until it was gone. But forgiving Audra is another story...and forgetting her? Near impossible. When a shattering illness strikes Audra's daughter, she turns to Jack to save her child and risks exposing a secret that will change their lives forever. A Family Affair: The Promise (Truth in Lies #7) Grant Richot sprinted through life, a boy wonder with talent, intelligence, confidence, and charm. He never doubted the world awaited him, just as he never doubted the right woman would come into his life—but only when he was ready for her. Anyone before that was simply preparation for the one. How wrong he was. Years and a tragedy later, Grant arrives in Maggie Finnegan’s hometown of Magdalena, New York—broken, uncertain, and searching for that second chance with the woman he cast aside. But Maggie’s no longer naïve and impressionable; she’s a confident, competent widow with a child, who has more at risk than another broken heart… Note from Mary: I love secondary characters: writing them, reading about them, even watching them on the big screen. Secondary characters support the “stars”; make them more vibrant and compelling. But when the story ends, I’m often left wondering what they’d do if they were in the “spotlight”. That’s why I’ve created special boxed sets that were part of That Second Chance series and the Truth in Lies series. These boxed sets let the reader follow the before and after of select characters as they first appear in That Second Chance series and later in the fictional town of my bestselling Truth in Lies series. Boxed Set One contains Pulling Home and A Family Affair: The Promise. I invite you to follow their journey!

    He's sworn off the fairer sex and instead spends his waking hours overseeing the expansion of his family's hugely successful winery in the magnificent hills of Chianti, where he is happy to never see a model again, let alone date one.American supermodel Taylor McFarland might be blond, but she sure isn't dumb. And she's smart enough to know to avoid the shallow men who seem to migrate toward her type, the ones who presume that models are the wild women of the fashion industry who happily discard men like used tissues.Only Taylor's not that type at all; instead, she's intent on using the influence her position affords her to help those less fortunate than she.But when her good deeds means clashing with the quintessential heartless Italian player who she'd heard left model Gia Sandretti at the altar, well, she will happily give him a piece of her mind, and certainly not a piece of her heart.Black Sheep RomeoOn cloud wine...Sometimes trouble seems to find Matteo Romeo whether he seeks it out or not. Long regarded as the black sheep of the famed Romeo winemaking family, he's hardly surprised when he finds himself in yet another predicament, this time harboring an unauthorized farmhand who he's discovered hiding in a tool shed just as the grape harvest gets underway.Freespirited Lizzie Moretti has long prized her independence. Lizzie's been wandering around the world, working odd jobs to earn just enough money to keep on the go. Forced to flee an aggressive host in the middle of a rainy night while working on a farm in Tuscany, she seeks the shelter of a tool shed until she can figure out a plan. Alas, it happens to be on the estate of the wealthy Romeo family on the eve of the coveted grape harvest, when strangers like Lizzie are most unwelcome.She's never put down roots. And he can't seem to escape the roots that sometimes feel like they're strangling him. They both walked away from family, but can they find salvation in the very family they've tried to run from?Red Carpet RomeoLook who's grown up now...Valentina Romeo loved a romantic wedding, and couldn't wait to serve as an attendant in her favorite cousin Prince Luca of Monaforte's upcoming nuptials. She and Luca had reveled in childhood summers at the family estate on the Ligurian Sea. Many of her fondest memories were made there, along with one of her most humiliating, when Luca's college roommate Parker shunned her brave declaration of love.Investment banker Parker Hornsby hadn't been back to Monaforte since he was in college. Back then he'd spent a glorious summer enjoying idyllic days at his best friend Luca's family beach home. The fun was marred only by Luca's obtrusive younger cousin Valentina, who could barely mask her crush on Parker, forcing him to flatly cut her off before she got her hopes up. The last thing Parker wanted was to be accused of going after his friend's jailbait cousin, even if she was about the sweetest fourteen-year old girl he'd ever met.But when Parker shows up in Monaforte, paired in Luca's wedding with Valentina, all bets are off on whether he can restrain himself from the beautiful--and fully grown-up--heiress to the world-famous Romeo wine label, or whether he remains the nemesis she thinks he is.

    You'll get HOPEFUL COWBOY, OVERPROTECTIVE COWBOY, and RUGGED COWBOY, all of which feature a cowboy looking for a second chance at life, love, and happiness. These redemptive romances will have you swooning, sighing, and remembering that everyone deserves a second chance to make things right.Hopeful Cowboy: He's struggling to step into his new role as a single dad. She's trying to keep her ranch operational and her heart intact. Can Nate and Ginger build forever out of heartache?Overprotective Cowboy: Can Ted and Emma face their pasts so they can truly be ready to step into the future together? Or will everything between them fall apart once the truth comes out?Rugged Cowboy: He's a cowboy mechanic with two kids and an ex-wife on the run. She connects better to horses than humans. Can Dallas and Jess find their way to each other at Hope Eternal Ranch?Almost 600 reviews on the individual books!From Hopeful Cowboy, Book 1:★★★★★ "Once again, Elana Johnson delivers a spellbinding story full of hope." ~BradTL3, Amazon reviewer★★★★★ "Fantastic book: Elana Johnson starts this series with a very heartwarming story about a participant in a residential reentry program. The plot has enough intrigue and twists to hold your interest and makes one wonder how the characters would work things out in the end. The growth shown in the main characters with trust issues was definitely worth reading." ~Sandy, Amazon reviewer★★★★★ "Simply a great read! I loved this book! I felt as though I was right there on the ranch with them." ~Lynne, Amazon reviewer

     The second hardest thing would be watching my twelve-year-old daughter fall to her knees as they lowered her mother into the ground to rest. A heart-wrenching vision that will forever be etched in my mind. Claire was my best friend—she had been since we were barely old enough to talk. I always knew, one day, I would marry her. I think I may have even told her that a few times while we were growing up. Never did I think I would lose her so suddenly. I knew at that moment… Our life would never be the same again… JACKSON'S DESTINY - BOOK #2 Shaken to his core, the loss was excruciating… Jackson Sawyer was strong, confident, cocky, and arrogant, but when he loved, he loved hard. The Sawyer family was faced with a tragedy that rocked their foundation. Jackson, however, was hit the hardest. He’s the one who can't seem to rise above the grief. It has overtaken him… Until he finds Bailey Whitmore. She also has a darkness she just can't shake. Yet she hides it well—tucking her sadness away, and shadowing it with a spunky attitude. But those demons have a way of showing up when you least expect it… Love is intense. Loss is inevitable. Pain and anger are unavoidable. Will they find the strength to rebuild their tainted hearts together? Or will it go against…Jackson’s Destiny? NOAH'S JOURNEY - BOOK #3 The years that were taken can never be repaid. The memories stolen can never be returned. But I had to move forward…for him, my son. Noah had spent years wondering what he could have done differently. Wondering what he’d done wrong to make Stacey leave. The heartache from her absence and the what-ifs of their past eventually turned to anger—and then disgust. It took years for him to move on, and once he did, his past came thundering back, revealing a secret. A secret that would forever change his future. Alena had waited for the chance to have more with Noah. He was an enigma, a man of mystery, yet she wasn’t quite ready to give up on him. She knew there was more to him than what he allowed those around him to see. She was drawn to his charm and his calm nature. With an uprooted past of her own, she craved a little stability more than anything. But when things between them finally begin to grow into more, their relationship is tested. Will it all be too much for Alena to handle? Or will she decide to stay and be a part of…Noah’s Journey? OLIVIA'S RIDE - BOOK #4 Keeton Pearce hadn’t lived a life full of supportive, loving family… In fact, it was just the opposite. He had been on his own for so long he had no idea what it felt like to belong. He didn’t want to rehash the life he left behind, or even think about it. But the hate from his father followed him, slowly eating away at the life he had begun to build for himself. Olivia Sawyer had been prepped on how to deal with the advances of those college men she would encounter… After all, she had been surrounded by three alpha men who made sure she knew just how to handle herself. But when she met Keeton Pearce, all those words of warning flew right out the window.

    This is a best selling series with a combined 400+ five star reviews. It is intended for adult readers as it contains mature themes. ~Never Close Enough~ The last thing Ella Sinclair needed on her birthday was a cheating boyfriend, a broken heart, and a dead car battery in a remote beach town. At her greatest moment of need, a protective and sexy Porter Masters comes to her rescue. Ella takes a holiday week at the coast to discover herself and finds her attraction to Porter potent and undeniable. Uncertain of their future together, Ella struggles to open her heart to trust again. Porter Masters takes care of his own: his single mother, his company, and now he’s compelled to protect the beauty that walked into his world. Never one for relationships in his past, Porter discovers that he was waiting all along for Ella. As their time together comes to an end, will Porter fight for the woman who stole his heart? Porter will find a way to keep her, despite the obstacles. ~Never Far Away~ Ella wakes up to a world turned upside down, recovering both physically and emotionally from attacks she can't remember. Her only memory from the past weeks is a nameless voice that echoes in her mind, causing her heart to ache and her soul to seek "Him". Living a life without Ella is no life at all and Porter decides to do whatever it takes to remind her of their love. Recognizing Porter without remembering him, Ella reacquaints herself with this gorgeous man, their explosive chemistry, and the possibilities that lie ahead. As Ella's memories resurface so do demons of the couple's past, testing their strength and love. Porter is determined to fight for their future together but will Ella? As everything and everyone that Ella loves gets threatened, she must find a way to fight the darkness of yesterday so that she can live in the light of tomorrow. ~Never Giving Up~ Porter Masters wants nothing more than just to marry his love, Ella. Ella Sinclair dreams of the day she can call Porter her husband and wants nothing more than to give him a family. They have overcome many deep and dark obstacles and are finally ready to enjoy their “happily ever after.” The dream they share of marriage and a family, all hang in the balance as they encounter one more obstacle from their past that could ruin everything they have. With more on the line than ever before, Porter will stop at nothing to protect Ella – at all costs. The past year fighting for their love can’t even compare to the fight they have ahead of them. With their future happiness at risk, one thing remains true: they are never giving up.

    The Riley siblings don't stand a chance.MISTLETOE MISCHIEF: Christmas in July at the zoo is the last place single parents Eric Riley and Marissa Wilder expect to find love. Thanks to some mistletoe mischief in the form of their two young daughters and Santa, they discover mistletoe rules were not made to be broken.MISTLETOE MAGIC: Major Mark Riley plays Court Jester to Janelle Walsh's Snow Queen at the Christmas Parade and is instantly captivated by the cute redhead whose grandpa just happens to be Santa. When Mark learns she's the tenant he evicted from his newly purchased property, it's going to take a little bit of Santa's mistletoe magic to save their romance.MISTLETOE MATCH-UP: When Lisa Riley comes home for her brother Mark's Christmas Eve wedding, her high school rivalry with his wife Janelle's cousin, Derek Walsh, picks up right where it left off, only this time Derek has the upper hand. Santa bides his time as they battle it out because he's waited a whole year for this mistletoe match-up.Exclusive holiday bonus story, MISTLETOE RULES: When Benedict Riley first meets Susan Whitcomb at a college holiday dance, she’s engaged to be married to another man. In this story where mistletoe rules, you’ll learn how the Riley Family Mistletoe Rules all began one fateful Christmas, not too long ago…

     The first three books in the series, together in one set: Edge of Glory Jay Morningstar was an Olympic swimming legend. I had a poster of him wearing nothing more than his gold medals and a pair of man panties on my bedroom wall. Needless to say when Jay walked into my parents’ restaurant in the tiny town of Friendship, Texas, I made an idiot of myself. But somehow he likes me. Me, Lia Conti, the weird girl with strict Italian parents. Now if only I could get used to the fact that whatever I have with this superstar is real--no matter what the tabloids and other people seem to tell me. Rumor Has It Eddie Justice is the epitome of sexy with his dimpled smile and crooning country lyrics, but to me he’s just the boy next door. Now that we’re both back in Friendship, Texas in less than desirable circumstances, maybe it’s finally time I tell him how I feel. Of course fate has a way of f*cking things up. The last thing either of us expected were the ups and downs of falling in love with your best friend. Meet Virginia Everything in life has always come easily to me. Except Virginia, the art student studying abroad in Sicily where I’m helping at my cousin's restaurant. Now that I’ve met her, I can’t get her out of my head. She’s too good for me and we both know it. And even though it feels like it could be the worst thing for both of us, I can't help but want every part of her. Now if only we both knew how bad we were for eachother. This series is complete! Each book in the Friendship, Texas series can stand alone, but you'll see updates on your favorite characters throughout each book. 1. Edge of Glory 2. Rumor Has It 3. Meeting Virginia 4. Part of Me 5. The One That Got Away 6. Rumor Has It 7. Love Like Crazy

    A substantial one. It’s a fair exchange. His expertise in security for their money. Socialites. Diplomats. Famous athletes. He doesn’t ask questions once the check clears. No matter how screwed up the job gets, it’s still less stressful than his days as a homicide detective in Detroit. Roark had blurred the lines between right and wrong too many times to pick up his badge again. But his past won’t stay buried for long.

Demi Kay finds herself choking on a cloud of body spray in a bar crawling with college-aged kids. It was meant as a night of celebration but turns quickly to a nightmare she can’t wait to escape. The only silver lining is the attractive bodyguard who looks equally disappointed with the establishment.

Roark and Demi find they have far more in common than their mutual distain for the party scene. When Roark realizes Demi is a victim from a case he’d consulted on a decade ago, he knows trouble is just around the corner. Mysterious threats turn to violence and Roark is the only thing standing between Demi and danger. But will he be enough?
Book 2: The Way HomeThere are things, once put in motion, that can’t be stopped. Demi has found herself on the wrong side of danger. Everything she once thought to be true is suddenly in question.Roark has never let his feelings get in the way of his job. Protecting people requires the ability to keep his distance. Those rules flew out the window the moment he met Demi.Book 3: The Way BackAlexandria runs. She hides. She evades. The last ten years of her life have been spent trying to survive. The best strategy was to travel alone. People were liabilities and never worth the trouble. When her sister tracks her down and longs for a relationship, Alexandria knows it won’t end well. Especially when danger and death lurk around every corner.Charger won’t let up. The men who shot up his car and almost killed him have to pay for what they’ve done. The more he learns the more he realizes just how despicable they are. He planned for danger. He expected gunfire. But Charger hadn’t accounted for Alexandria and the whirlwind of drama that came with her.When there is no where else to turn and no roads left to run down, Alexandria must decide if she’ll embrace the safety of those who want to protect her, or set off on her own again.

     Eight-year-old Becca and twelve-year-old Hunter cling to each other and life after surviving a plane crash which stole their families. Two Souls Seeking Love. Each year, from the time she was old enough to travel on her own, Becca met up with Hunter on the island that altered their lives forever. Until he stopped showing. Her constant. Her link to the past. Gone in the blink of an eye. Two Lives Bound by Secret. Suffering more heartbreak, Hunter returns to the one place he’s always sought comfort, the island where he and Becca met. It was the place that stole from him, and in the same instance gave to him. He hasn't been back or spoken to Becca in four years. Though he’s sure she must hate him for disappearing, Hunter discovers the girl gone, now a woman in her place. Hunter is determined to prove to Becca he isn’t the same twelve-year-old boy of yesteryear. But someone isn't happy about their reunion... Strange things begin happening. Letters start showing up in their hotel rooms and at home with cryptic messages. Two Broken Hearts Heal as One. With the mystery unsolved, Hunter convinces Becca to spend the remainder of the summer back home with him, both for safety and to give them a chance to discover the adults they’ve now become. Will love get a chance to blossom, or will the past come back and tear the masterpiece of their love apart once and for all?

    Start your binge read now!The men of tattoo shop Inked Hearts are brooding, bossy, and impossible to resist!Dive into this addicting series and see why readers say “Crystal Kaswell is the queen of broken bad boys.”This romance collection contains the first three books on the Inked Hearts series.TemptingHe's my best friend's brother. He's off limits. But when I find the brooding tattoo artist's sketchbook full of dirty drawings--drawings of me--I can't resist.Hooking UpSweet, booksmart grad student Iris and I have a friends with benefits arrangement with three simple rules. All fun. No strings. No falling in love. But then I've never been very good at following rules.Pretend You're MineI'm pretending I'm in love with my best friend. What could possibly go wrong?Leighton is my best friend. Pretending she's my girlfriend is a terrible idea, even if the entire world is expecting the breakdown of the year at my ex's wedding. Then she kisses me... and I forget we're pretending.

    Now, readers can enjoy all three books in one volume and experience for themselves as Dr. Delish / gentle Master D seduces and wins the heart of the sometimes-reluctant but hopelessly smitten Ms. Bennet.

    

    If you love small town western romances you'll love these stories of hope and second chances. COLORADO COWBOY CHRISTMAS Cynthia Welch has made a name for herself as one of Chicago’s top divorce attorneys at the expense of her personal life. Burnt out, she heads to Peaktop Guest Ranch for a couple of months of solitude over the holidays. AJ Coulter, a cowboy from Wyoming, has been a loner and a drifter ever since his divorce and his teenage daughters leaving for college. He finds a temporary job at Peaktop Ranch as the head wrangler. When their paths cross, Cynthia begins to question her life in Chicago, and AJ struggles to find a way to keep her in Colorado. Can the spirit of Christmas bring these two people from very different worlds together and help them find their way to true love? COLORADO GOLDEN SUNRISE Forty-three year old, Kelly Charm, feels her life slipping away in Prairie, Nebraska. A single mom, she longs for a better life for herself and her teenage son, Ethan. Having scoured online job ads for months, she finally finds an ad for a hardware store manager in picturesque Peakview, Colorado and decides to take a chance. Forty-six year old, Jake Midnight, is Peakview County’s most beloved EMT. He’s the best at what he does—professionally, that is. After a failed marriage, which ended over twenty years ago, he’s put his personal life on hold. He’s content to live alone. That is if you don’t count his three horses, two dogs, five cats, and two pigmy goats. When the unfamiliar high altitude of the Colorado Rockies causes Ethan to have an asthma attack, Jake is quick to jump to the conclusion that Kelly is an irresponsible parent. Kelly is furious at the arrogance of this man who know nothing about her or her son. Sparks fly, but there’s no denying the underlying attraction that sizzles between them. The warmth of the holiday season has been known to melt hearts, even one’s which have been closed for years. A PEAKVIEW CHRISTMAS Only five days until Christmas, and FAITH OWENS has had enough. Not willing to spend one more holiday with her abusive, alcoholic husband, she loads her two young daughters, Gracie and Hope, in her car and leaves her life in Scorpion, New Mexico behind. Newly divorced, ZANE WILDER, faces his first Christmas without his son, Ace. He can’t wait for the holiday to be over. To escape sitting home sulking, he travels from Montana to Colorado to spend the week training his young horse, Storm Cloud. When their paths collide at Hearts Haven Bed and Breakfast near scenic Peakview, Colorado, they find more than a place to rest. Two lonely, cautious hearts are brought together by the magic of Christmas, with a little help from Violet Crandall or maybe Santa himself. Will their budding romance continue when the holiday ends? Can two broken families find the missing pieces that lead to happiness? This Christmas, come home to Peakview, Colorado where everyone has a chance at love.

    But then she ends up working for the man. Her quick temper and sharp tongue keep landing her in hot water with him but no matter how hard she tries she can't deny her growing attraction for him. Then they go on a business trip to Jamaica - and her world is turned upside down.Lance is intrigued by the feisty woman who practically tells him off the first time they meet. When they begin working together he realizes how much he enjoys the challenge of taming the little tigress. But, before he knows it, he's the one caught in the snare of passion. The tables are turned - the tigress has tamed the lion.If you love the sizzle of a romance between two strong-willed individuals, follow Summer and Lance from Chicago to Jamaica and be swept away in the thrill of their hot summer.