The revelry of the ton is a reminder of Christmas four years ago, when his first love, Thomas Bennett, broke his heart and fled to New York without a word. So when he encounters Thomas at a holiday ball, Alexander is determined not to let on how much he still hurts. Thomas has returned for one reason only: Alexander. Having finally come to terms with his forbidden desires, he will do whatever he must to convince Alexander to give their love another chance. But instead of the happy, carefree man Thomas once knew, Alexander is now hard and cynical. Saddened to know he's to blame for the man's bitterness, Thomas resolves to reignite the passion he knows lies hidden behind the wall of disdain...28,000 wordsAlso part of the Men Under the Mistletoe Anthology

    The banal cheerfulness. The asinine party games. And, worst of all, the obligatory trip to the countryside. His grandmother, however, loves the holiday - and Adam loves his grandmother, so he'll brave the fiercest snowstorm to please her. But when their carriage wheel snaps, they're forced to seek shelter at the home of the most maddening, infuriating, and utterly beguiling woman he's ever met....Sarah St. John really rather loathes rakes. The self-satisfied smirks. The sly predatory gazes. Oh, and the constant witty banter rife with double meaning. But in the spirit of the season, she'll welcome this admittedly handsome viscount into her home. But as the snowstorm rages, the Yule log crackles, and the tension rises, Sarah and Adam find themselves locked in a fiery, passionate kiss. If love is the true meaning of Christmas, it's the one gift this mismatched pair can't wait to unwrap.

    Now, he’s overcome his challenges and is eager for the future, especially when his oldest and dearest friend, Bianca, needs help to save the annual holiday party. Ash has a plan to rescue the event, but when the bullies from his youth are up to their old tricks, he must risk everything to put the past behind him and find true love.Furious when her brother refuses to host the St. Stephen’s Day party, Lady Bianca Stafford is committed to giving the villagers their celebration. In Ash, she sees salvation for their local tradition, and perhaps a future she never expected. But her brother has other plans for her—a Season and marriage, and not to Ash. When disaster strikes, everything she cares about is threatened and it will take a miracle—or a hero—to save the day.The Red Hot Earl is inspired by the song and story, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

    Each year, the close-knit community gathers in the town square to decorate and light a massive tree. Carols are sung, hot chocolate is shared—and a surprise left under the Christmas tree is about to bring two special people together! Midnight Confessions Holiday kisses don't end with Christmas—there's still the New Year's Eve party at Jack's Bar to attend. Locals and newcomers alike find themselves eager for that special countdown…and that midnight kiss. So join us in Virgin River this year, where Robyn Carr's trademark humor, warmth and sincerity will have you celebrating the festive season in your favorite mountain town.the festive season in your favorite mountain town.

    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!

    Every single Appleton sister has met her husband at their parent’s annual Christmas ball. Every single sister except for Honora, that is. Determined to maintain her independence, the last thing the youngest Appleton sister wants is to be caught kissing a marquess under the mistletoe. She’s quite happy sipping warm cider and watching everyone else fall in love, thank you very much. Then a handsome stranger arrives and suddenly the cider is no longer the hottest thing in the room. As sparks begin to fly, will Honora be the first in her family to break tradition…or follow in her sister’s footsteps and run towards the nearest mistletoe? Find out in Marquess Under the Mistletoe, a delightful Regency Christmas novella by best-selling author Jillian Eaton!

    He prefers to live in the London townhouse, far away from Brockwell Court, the old family secret that haunts him, and the shadows of his past mistakes. But then his mother threatens to stop funding his carefree life--unless he comes home for Christmas. Out of options, he sets out for Ivy Hill, planning to be back on a coach bound for London and his unencumbered bachelor life as soon as the festivities are over.But Christmas in the country presents unforeseen surprises, including encounters with an orphaned apprentice, the first love he disappointed years ago, and Arabella Awdry, a young lady who is far more appealing than he recalled . . . and determined to have nothing to do with him.Will Christmastime in Ivy Hill, with its village charm, kissing boughs, joyous songs, and divine hope, work its magic in his heart . . . and hers as well?

    Reunited after decades with her long-lost son, everything should have been perfect. Yet it wasn’t. Without the constant grief, she became aware of how empty her life was. Hoping that spending the Christmas holidays with her son and his new bride would improve her outlook, Sarah met an ill fate once more. With her carriage broken down in a snowstorm, she sets out on foot to reach the family home, not realizing just how treacherous the conditions are. Bransen Middlethorpe is also at loose ends. Since his brother’s untimely but mostly welcomed demise, it’s been his job to look after the estates… and his brother’s widow. To say that Sarah had resented his interference was to put it mildly. But with his nephew returned, looking after the estates and after her, are no longer his purview—that is until he encounters Sarah braving blizzard like conditions. Furious with her and terrified at what might have happened had he not found her; they are forced to take shelter for the night in his small cottage on the family estate. While they are trapped by a blanket of snow and ice, they are forced to face the truth. There is far more between them than simply shared history. In such an intimate setting, they have no choice but to acknowledge the desire they both feel… and the love they’ve been denying for decades.

    He has to find her, woo her, and wed her before he goes back to sea - all within a matter of days.Anne Lesley is a shy spinster with no prospects, and nothing and no one to recommend her but her own self. She accepts the lieutenant’s hasty offer only for the comfort and security it will bring. But when a midwinter storm snows her and Ian in, they both find they got much more than they bargained for - laughter, light, and a Christmas filled with honest to goodness true love...

    Will Maddox simply needed to kiss the Duke's daughter, a bluestocking and a wallflower. But the more time he spends with Lady Amelia Chase, the more he realizes he wants so much more."An Improper Christmas" by Amy Rose BennettWhen Miss Lily Godwin has a chance encounter with the mischievous Lord Nash at a Yuletide house party, she is sorely tempted. "The Duke and I" by Heather BoydThe Duke of Stapleton abhors Christmas nonsense, but could a kiss exchanged under mistletoe with his daughter's shy companion alter his opinion of the season?"Secluded with My Hellion" by Dawn BrowerIn the midst of the blizzard, Gavin Barrington, the Earl of Havenwood, and Lady Odessa Lynwood must overcome the earl's worst fears and figure out if their love can conquer the challenges they must face."Her Perfect Rogue" by Amanda MarielWhen Julia Honeyfield is sent away to a brothel, she runs away...only to find herself in the Duke of Selkirk's arms. Dare she trust him to protect her?"The Twelve Nights of Christmas" by Nina MasonRollo Gillingham has only twelve nights to win back Penelope Pembroke, the woman he left with his promise to return ten years before. Come Christmas Day, which will she choose--the man she loves or the man her parents want her to marry?"Bedded Under a Christmastide Moon" by Christina McKnightBrigham Clarke, Viscount Whitmore, has endlessly championed those less fortunate than himself by introducing social reform bills in London...all while his wife, Melloria, remains alone in Hertfordshire. When Brigham arrives for the Christmastide holiday, Melloria has only one thing on her mind--the seduction of her husband!"The Rogue's Seduction" by Lauren SmithLondon's favorite lady seeks the help and protection of London's most wicked devil to escape one marriage, only to fall into another.

    Miss Barrington knows her chances with the duke are incredibly good given what her close gypsy friend had once foretold, but a forgotten wager with her greatest nemesis, American millionaire, Mr. Redstone, is about to bring on complications and...chaos.Will she claim the dashing and respectable duke once foretold by the stars? Or will she fall for Mr. Redstone and go against destiny? Only the days leading up to Christmas will tell!

    When he gets into a tussle with her—and she can hold her own—Crispin knows he has finally met his match.Miss Gwen Prim is mortified that she attacked a duke, but even more concerning is the way her resolve melts when she's near him. She's never felt this way about a London gentleman in her life. And with the magic of Christmas in the air, she may end up with a proposal she didn't expect...in this delightful Regency gem, The Duke and Miss Christmas by New York Times bestselling author Amelia Grey.

    The friendly Londoners shake up the staid people of Hemshawe, and villagers see each other in a new and oh-so-appealing light. Suddenly long-sparring enemies become lovers, a town festival heralds a new start for a fallen woman and a dandy, and a man who has given up on love gets a second chance with the woman he never forgot. And the matchmaker herself? She won’t rest until she finds her own happily-ever-after… A Madness in Spring by Kate Noble Adam Sturridge has made Belinda Leonard’s blood boil since childhood, and the feeling is mutual. But when a would-be matchmaker arrives in the village of Hemshawe, she’d determined to erase the thin line between love and hate. Now, Belinda and Adam are faced with falling for someone they’ve always considered an enemy — can they overcome old prejudices and discover how to rub each other the right way? The Summer of Wine and Scandal by Shana Galen When viscount’s son and dandy Peregrine Lochley is temporarily exiled from London to the country for his misdeeds, the last thing he expects is to encounter an intriguing woman. But Caroline Martin has a secret to hide, and it just might be too scandalous for even this debauched rogue. Those Autumn Nights by Theresa Romain Ten years ago, wealthy Eliza Greenleaf broke lowly soldier Bertram Gage’s heart—but the last decade brought changes in fortune to them both. Now that he’s made his mark on the world, a twist of fate brings the Greenleaf family under his power. Will this war-hardened officer triumph over his former lover…or will Bertie and Eliza give love a second chance? The Season for Loving by Vanessa Kelly Miss Georgie Gage, matchmaker extraordinaire, is resigned to life as a spinster—almost. When notoriously aloof bachelor Fergus Haddon arrives from Scotland to spend Christmas with the Gage family, Georgie thinks she’s finally found her own perfect match—if, that is, she can get the handsome Highlander to agree!

    She escapes to her Somerset estate for a quiet Christmastide holiday with her family, away from society’s prying eyes. But before her parents can join her, a storm crashes down on Somerset to destroy any hope of Pippa’s white Christmas dream. The roads have flooded and travel is impossible, leaving her stranded and alone. But a muddied, angry and devilishly handsome lord appears at her door demanding shelter. Lucas Hartfeld, the Earl of Maddox, has been summoned by his parents, the Marquis and Marchioness of Bowmont, to attend a holiday party in the wilds of the country, far from his London townhouse. He suspects they command his attendance for far different reasons than a simple country party. When a storm strands his carriage, he’s forced to seek shelter at the only home for miles around, a local manor called Helton House. When Lady Pippa is reluctant to admit him, he does what he’s been raised to do—demand she provide him and his servants with shelter until the storm passes. But the beautiful woman draws his interest far more than he’s willing to admit. Can Lucas find a way out of the predicament his parents are planning?As Lady Pippa scrutinizes another arrogant, demanding lord, she is bombarded with memories of betrayals in her past. Can she forget those difficult life lessons to claim a Christmastide kiss from a perfect stranger?

    E. AYERS - A CHRISTMAS FAR FROM HOMEFar from home and with love in their hearts, a young Wyoming rancher and the daughter of a Montana railroad businessman learn the true joy of Christmas is in giving.LINDA CARROLL-BRADD - WISHES ON A STARWill a wish on a star foretell the future of a young suffragette and a visiting rancher?MJ FREDRICK - ABIGAIL'S CHRISTMAS ANGELA lonely widow and a lonelier marshal make peace with their past.DEBRA HOLLAND - THE GIFT OF MUSICCan two reserved people overcome their limitations and find love?DEBRA HOLLAND - A FAMILY FOR IKEAn orphaned boy finds an unexpected family.DEBRA HOLLAND - THE JOY OF CHRISTMASThe town banker learns that perhaps some things are more important than money.PATY JAGER - A CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBERIda doesn't remember the last two years, but her husband is determined to find her and reignite their love.JILL MARIE LANDIS - UPON A MIDNIGHT CLEARA spinster discovers it's never too late to embrace love and the surprises life has in store.TRISH MILBURN - A NEW HOME FOR CHRISTMASA woman scarred in face and heart finds love with a cowboy.LINDA MCLAUGHLIN - THE BEST PRESENTA grieving ten-year-old girl anticipating a sad Christmas receives some surprises.BEV PETTERSEN - THE CHRISTMAS CROSSINGWith a little Christmas magic, two searching hearts discover they can bridge much more than a raging river.TORI SCOTT - A PROMISE FOR CHRISTMASFaced with her first Montana winter without her husband, Rachel Tanner and her young son need a miracle.CYNTHIA WOOLF - SUGARPLUM DREAMSJulia Bosworth travels west to fulfill a special dream and finds her heart's desire.