Amanda was only seventeen at the time, but she should have been there that night, and she blames herself for her sister’s death… Now, on the twentieth anniversary of the drowning, Amanda goes back to Lake George to face her past and unexpectedly meets Summer McBride. Summer is a beautiful, vivacious, carefree woman--everything Amanda isn’t--and Amanda begins to fall for her until she learns Summer’s dark secret. Can love heal all wounds?

     The last person she expected to form a friendship with was her former high school English teacher, but when she runs into Elizabeth Fitzgerald, their connection is instant. Natalie's crush from fourteen years ago is as beautiful as ever and recently divorced. Natalie struggles to push those old feelings aside and focus on their new friendship, but when Liz tells her the reason for her divorce, she finds it harder and harder to stay away, especially on those long winter nights.

    With plans for renovations dancing in her head, she looks forward to breathing life into her old cottage by the beach and most importantly, herself. Not used to being on her own, she sets out on a new chapter of her life hoping to find friends and happiness. Inspired by some of her favorite books, Nadia discovers adventures are just a wine bottle away, but it's the friendship forming in her neighbor, Laine Montgomery, that has Nadia grateful for the move. With a bit of good-natured Southern meddling from Laine's best friend, Susannah, could more than friendship be on the horizon between Nadia and Laine?

    That, and the fact she’s hopelessly in love with her best friend Leah. When Leah needs help extricating herself from an awkward one-night stand, Ashley runs to the rescue. An innocent touch turns electric, and Ashley has to come clean about her charade or risk losing the woman she loves.Words: 14,600

     ***The Christmas Grump*** For Rachel Lewis, a security guard at the mall, the Christmas holiday season is one big headache. She wants nothing to do with the celebration of love, peace, and family harmony. Her disenchantment with the holiday slowly begins to change when she meets seven-year-old Tyler and his mother. ***Kissing Ms. Santa Claus*** Rachel is counting the days until she and Lillian celebrate their first Christmas together as a couple. She is filled with longing for only one thing to make her holiday complete: a long-term commitment from Lillian. She sets out to find the perfect gift that will reflect her love and devotion. ***The Christmas Elf*** After her home state finally recognizes same-sex marriages, Rachel wants to propose to Lillian. Rachel is confident she has it all covered. She plans to take a second job as the mall Santa Claus to earn the money for Lillian's ring. But luck is not on her side, so Rachel finds herself with bells on her toes, playing a Christmas Elf. Note: "The Christmas Grump" and "Kissing Ms. Santa Claus" have been previously published in the anthology "Gingerbread Hearts".

    Hanna, an English teacher at the local high school, falls for Jo. Literally. She falls over right in front of Jo one morning in the school's foyer.17,200 words; novelette

    James, political problem solver, is tasked with fixing the issue. Used to dealing with all kinds of legal ramifications and potential publicity nightmares, Lindsay has never had much trouble resolving these situations in the past. When she enlists the help of a sassy but all too lovely superior court judge, she finds her focus blurred for the first time in her life. Mid-election, it’s the exact wrong time for a fixer to lose sight of the end goal, and the mayor doesn’t help matters by changing political strategy. As Lindsay’s personal life is firing up, her professional life starts crumbling around her. Will this be the first professional problem she’s unable to fix? Or will she need to choose where to point her focus? NOTE: The first eight chapters of Out of Order were previously published in the anthology, Finally, under the title, Objection. Out of Order is an expanded short, which includes six all new chapters.

    She delights in the anticipation of her patients and finds satisfaction in watching new families be born, and families she's helped for years continue to grow. Still, something is missing in the doctor's life. Busy with her work, Brooke is determined to avoid romantic attachments. Tess Sinclair is a single mom raising two incredibly energetic children, Davey and Dani. Every day Tess delivers packages to Salem Women's Health Center hoping to catch a glimpse of an attractive doctor named Brooke Campbell. A chance encounter in a pizza parlor will change the direction of both women's lives forever. The doctor who has spent her life delivering bundles of happiness for others just got an unexpected SPECIAL DELIVERY of her own.

    Length: approx. 40,000 words.Ellie Anderson has given up on love. Her philosophy is “Why let someone in when all they do is leave?” So instead, she fills her life with work and dodges her sister’s matchmaking. Then she meets Charlie—a gorgeous, brown-eyed Border Terrier. Charlie is in need of love and a home, prompting Ellie to open the doors to feeling once again. However, she isn't the only one who is falling for the pup's charms. Emily Carson is her rival for Charlie's affection, thus starting what can only be classed as a working relationship. By allowing herself to love Charlie, can Ellie open her heart to anyone else?

     Connie Parker isn’t convinced by this falling in love lark. Falling hurts, you end up with bruises and scars. She has the perfect answer: she’ll write about love instead. But what happens when the novel-in-progress describes more about Connie’s own dull existence than she wants to admit? And when will she realise that her hero is beginning to resemble her new best friend Maria—a woman who seems to turn every simple outing with their 3-year-olds into a fun-filled adventure for them all? In trying to make sense of the puzzle of her life, Connie learns there is no perfect person. Just that person who'll fit you perfectly.

    There’s sugar, balloons, games—all the makings for fun; that is unless it’s the first toddler birthday party you’ve ever planned in your life.It can’t be that hard, Anna Foster decides; and when she’s decided something, that’s it. The ones she attended as a guest were a blast, and surely there’s nothing that over organisation, a checklist or three, and a Type A personality can’t fix, right?Though the smirk her mother keeps throwing her way is a little off-putting.Maybe four checklists would be better. Or maybe a glass of wine.

    Why mess with the heart when it isn't broken? Being alone means never dealing with hurtful ex-girlfriends, or parents who have shunned her for being gay. Being alone has its perks - she's just fine on her own. Or so she thinks until the young, vivacious and sexy Toni Vincent enters her life. In one moment, Toni quickly unlocks Beth’s heart and the two women plan a future together. But when Beth learns that Toni may not want the same type of happy ending she had in mind, fate steps in yet again to steal her happily-ever-after. Toni wants things that Beth might not be able to provide. When an interested new woman steps into the picture, chaos erupts. Can Beth fix things before it’s too late, or will she lose Toni forever? Travel with Beth on this funny and heartbreaking journey to true love.

    She jumps at the chance to guide a group of foster children through a community haunted house—never suspecting that her partner Kim will provide her with a trick and treat of her own.This short story, “A Treat for Halloween Tricksters,” takes place after the events in the novel "L.A. Metro."Join Jess McKenna and Kim Donovan as they celebrate their first Halloween as a couple.

    A few doors down, Rachel Chauvin is looking for the same, but her conservative style hasn’t yielded any keepers, either. Neither woman is willing to consider the other as a prospective partner, mostly because they’ve hated each other for nearly four decades.Change is in the air, and spring is giving way to The Summer of Our Discontent.

    She isn’t human. Her evergreen body harbors a weathered soul, jaded and no longer thriving. That is, until fascinating student Nicole Stark walks into her classroom and awakens something within.Nicole is different and alluring in ways Louise can’t quite put her finger on. Who is this mysterious, enticing woman? What is she hiding? Louise would love to lose herself in those knowing eyes and that teasing smile, and find out everything.A supernatural lesbian romance about embracing secrets and being true to ourselves.approx. 4,000 words; short story