Butcher and Stephanie Tyler and Larissa Ione, writing as Sydney Croft. Sydney Croft's special forces couple, Annika and Creed, work for the Agency for Covert Rare Operatives (ACRO), all of whose members have special powers, while Shannon K. Butcher's hero is an ex-Navy SEAL. But these fighting men and women have a gentler, protective side; hard-edged weapons when on active duty, they can be caring lovers, of special forces teammates or the civilians they protect.

    . . A BABY FOR CHRISTMAS * Lisa Jackson The uneventful Christmas Annie McFarlane expected is suddenly anything but. First, there's the adorable baby left on the snowy doorstep of her Oregon cabin. Second, there's the extremely attractive, yet extremely angry man claiming to be the father. Liam O'Shaughnessy may be intimidating, but this is one precious gift Annie isn't giving up so easily . . .WHAT THE COWBOY WANTS FOR CHRISTMAS * Maisey Yates When Meg O'Neill's longtime boyfriend lets her down, again, on Christmas no less, she braves an Oregon blizzard to get to her best friend Noah's comforting arms. But this time Noah's not telling her what she wants to hear--he's telling her the truth, from his heart . . .SNOWED IN * Stacy Finz Rachel Johnson has found the perfect spot for her second Tart Me Up bakery in Glory Junction, California. Except she's in fierce competition with hunky bar owner Boden Farmer. Worse, while the icy rivals await the city's decision, they end up catering the same Christmas Eve mountaintop wedding--and getting snowed in . . .A COWBOY WEDDING FOR CHRISTMAS * Nicole Helm Big city art teacher Lindsay Tyler isn't just back home in Colorado for her brother's wedding at the Barton Christmas Tree Farm and Ranch. She's back for good. She just hasn't told anyone yet--including Cal Barton, the ex-boyfriend she left behind . . .

    Leland isn’t just his boss, though. He’s the son of the company’s CEO. And Brian has fallen in love. Hurt by too many stolen kisses and nooners at seedy hotels, Brian finally broke off their secret affair two weeks ago. Leland isn’t ready to let Brian go and he isn’t above seducing Brian — again — to give them both what they really want for Christmas: each other.This free short story was originally written for the Goodreads M/M Romance Group's 2010 holiday event and appears in the event's Stuff My Stocking: M/M Romance Stories that are Nice and… Naughty anthology.

    Kenner Feeling Hot by Elle Kennedy More Than Want You by Shayla Black Survival of the Richest by Skye Warren The Space Between by Kate Canterbary Her Seductive Dare by Lena Hart Black Edge by Charlotte Byrd Bidding on Brooks by Katy Regnery

    Just her and her boys while her husband serves overseas. But her blue Christmas turns merry when things start rockin’ under the mistletoe thanks to a surprise gift from her naughty Santa.

    Bricker. -- the perfect gift to yourself or someone else at this most wonderfully stressful time of year. In "Once Upon a Jingle Bell", a Bah! Humbug cruise to the Mexican Riviera is Joss Snow's answer to this year's quest to avoid the holidays completely; at least until she's rebooked on a different kind of cruise altogether. Candy canes, holly wreaths, reindeer and ornaments seem to be stalking her on the 12 Days of Christmas holiday cruise extravaganza. An escape back to land is her only goal . . . until she meets a kindred spirit in rugged Irishman Patrick Brenneman, and then the game is on! Avoid Christmas festivities at all costs . . . except maybe for that one stop under the mistletoe. In "It Came Upon a Midnight Deer", Reese's guilt over abandoning best friend Joss on their holiday tradition of avoiding all things Christmas is trumped by the joy of her recent engagement. Meeting Damian's family for the first time on idyllic Sugarloaf Mountain is about as far from that Bah! Humbug cruise as she can get, and Reese can hardly wait to get there. But from the moment they hit that deer in the road just two miles from the cabin, everything seems to go wrong. There are no drummers drumming or pipers piping this particular year! And once she sets her future in-laws' family cabin ablaze, she's pretty sure there won't be even ONE golden ring in her future.

    Maybe a little too easily. She’s always liked people better from afar. But Reagan doesn’t want her grandpa to be alone for Christmas this year—he’s already spent too much time on his own in 2020. So she heads back to her hometown with a dish of holiday Jell-O salad, hoping they can have a little normalcy. Hoping it will be safe…She isn’t expecting to run into the boy next door. Mason is all grown up now. He’s considerate. He’s funny. He doesn’t mind how prickly Reagan is—he maybe even likes it. And it makes Reagan feel like her defenses are falling. She needs her defenses, doesn’t she? In a time when six feet is close enough, how long can they keep their distance?

    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.

    She fled to the mountains with a hostage in tow, hoping to sleep through the holidays, which were a shit-show. A crash in a blizzard, and a hot mountain man, definitely wasn’t part of her evacuation plan. Santas, and stockings, and creepy nutcrackers too, everywhere she looks, it’s a crazy Christmas zoo. But there are hugs, and smiles, and a beautiful view,kisses and laughter, and no time to be blue. Maybe this family, with their hot mountain man, will make this a Christmas Allie can actually stand.

    L. CostaDead Wrong by Cindy GerardThe Fallout by Harper St. GeorgeHard To Breathe by Sylvia DayAll I Want by Erica RidleyCovering Her Skin by Laura KayeThe Long Way Home by Katy RegneryTheir Night Off by Allison BrennanFlying in the Face of Convention by Lex ValentineAn April Fool’s Forbidden Affair by Sabrina JeffriesWrong Address, Right Guy by Diane Kelly

    At the suggestion of his ill sister, Jacob takes a job as a Secret Santa at the mall, hoping to restore his Christmas spirit. Even that doesn't seem to work, until a special little boy ambles up to make a very special wish...Cheyenne Jensen is struggling to raise her two kids without the help of her ex-husband who refuses to acknowledge his daughter's existence and doesn't provide for the son he does. This Christmas is shaping up to be as heartbreaking as the last, until her son Ben's kind actions lead a stranger to them.Ah, but it's Christmas time and the magic has begun.When Jacob and Cheyenne meet, neither can deny their immediate attraction to one another. As situations arise that require they spend more time together, their feelings grow stronger and stronger.With Christmas fast approaching, the pair learn what matters most in life. Now, if only they could ditch the ghost of Christmases past.Maybe this holiday will bring some wishes come true—for everyone after all.

    What she doesn’t expect is the handsome, mysterious man who captures her attention, and seems determined to win her heart. Their attraction is undeniable, and as charming Sophia convinces Will to work with her, she slowly unwraps the secrets in his past that make this determined and soulful man still yearn for the childhood he never had.When the chaos of production starts, will Sophia be able to keep her promises to protect Will from being exploited, or will the bitter truth of reality television be a runaway train of disaster for both of them?Join Sophia, Will and his dog Romeo to enter the world of his enchanting holiday house where stars shine indoors and snow is always falling…365 days of the year.

    Until he issues an ultimatum, and Daisy suddenly realises that there might be a whole different world out there that she’s missing out on.Have Flo and Daisy come up with the perfect solution to escape festive heartbreak?Can a snowbound Christmas in Cheshire – with aristocratic, handsome Hugo as her neighbour, a house full of animals and a leaking roof – help Flo mend her broken heart, and remind her of what she really wants in life?Can a sunny break in beautiful Barcelona – with the dishy but brooding Javier, a never ending supply of cava, and a sea view to die for – prove to Daisy that playing safe isn’t always the answer?Love actually does seem to be all around this Christmas – and in the places Flo and Daisy least expect to find it, but where will they be for New Year?

     As dedicated a doctor as she is, Alexa Collins can’t help but feel exhausted trying to live up to her father’s expectations. And because of that unyielding commitment to her profession, Alexa has a built up a wall of defenses, especially when it comes to personal relationships. She simply hasn’t got the time—or the inclination. That was before she met pro football player Luke Thompson. Luke was passing through Serendipity looking for a good time. And he was determined to show Alexa how good it could be. For Alexa, a one-night stand was a promising diversion. After all, Luke would be gone in a few days, no strings attached. But she never imagined how quickly he’d break down her defenses, and leave her vulnerable to feelings she was hoping, with all her heart, to avoid. Now, how can she possibly say goodbye to so perfect a stranger as Luke? Praise for Carly Phillips: “There is a reason why Carly Phillips consistently finds her name on the top of the bestsellers’ lists. She delivers exactly what every romance reader wants.”—Fresh Fiction *The Book Reading Gals Includes a bonus excerpt of Carly Phillips’s Perfect Together Perfect Stranger was originally published in Hot Summer Nights Carly Phillips is the New York Times bestselling author of more than forty novels including the Serendipity series: Serendipity, Destiny, and Karma, and the Serendipity’s Finest series: Perfect Fit, Perfect Fling, and Perfect Together. She lives in New York, with her husband, two daughters, and their dogs.

    It is highly recommended that you start with DANE since A CHRISTMAS WISH takes up where that novella ends. The response to the MacKenzie Brothers Novellas has been overwhelming, and I can't tell you how much it warms my heart that you fell in love with this family. I've decided to revisit each of the brothers because of all the wonderful emails I've received over the past couple of years asking, "What happens next?" Back Cover Blurb:Dane MacKenzie has made mistakes, but despite them all, he's reconnected with the woman he's always loved and the son he never knew he had. But things haven't gone the way he hoped. Charlotte still hasn't set a wedding date, and he's a stranger to his son. The only thing Dane wants for Christmas is for them to be a real family. A carefully planned seduction, an old legend, and a family that never gives up on each other will give Dane the chance to get his Christmas wish.