Nothing but friends. Yet, when Nikolai returned from the mission trip last year, Sage’s feelings for him exploded and her pact gets harder to keep. Then on April fool’s day, she receives a letter from a secret admirer. A joke from her twin siblings. Nikolai’s life changed after the mission trip. One thing he has to face is his feelings for Sage. Pact or no pact, he needs to let her know how he feels. Overhearing Sage and Moi talk about how they wished they received real love letters, Nikolai comes up with the perfect solution. He sends her an anonymous love letter, but instead of love, he reaps the wild, whirlwind of Sage who is already angry about being made a fool of once and won’t stand for being the fool twice. Secretly In Love was formerly titled, Fool Me Once, Fool Me Twice and was part of the April Fools Love novella collection.

    In the process, she simply needs to not lose herself - and hopefully win the Heart of the King

     (No previous DEAD CLOWN BARBECUE reading experience required.) This 21,000-word collection contains the first-ever publication of "Gave Up The Ghost," the basis for the horror/comedy short movie directed by Gregory Lamberson, that will appear in the upcoming anthology film CREEPERS. In addition to a report from the movie set, this collection contains... "The Car." A pair of vampires get together for an evening of vicious fun. "The Loneliest Jackalope." Bunnies with antlers! You can't go wrong with bunnies with antlers. "Inside the Boxes." Whatever is in there can't be good... "A Bit of Christmas Mayhem." Andrew Mayhem vs. a trio of axe-wielding Santa Clauses. "Scrumptious Bone Bread." It's not just for giants anymore. "A Flawed Fantasy." Sometimes, two girls at once isn't the best idea. "Tin Cans." What will you hear when you put one to your ear?

    She seeks refuge at The Starlight Inn. Though the inn is full, an elderly guest offers to share her room. Accepting the kind offer, Ella soon realizes Tillie Spencer isn’t your average “little old lady.” She knows things nobody else does, and appears to come and go on a whim. Nick Wallace runs the inn along with sister, Fran. The attraction Nick feels for Ella is instantaneous and unexpected, but with the miles that separate them, and both busy with their careers, Nick doubts much will come of their Christmas Eve meeting. Tillie, on the other hand, holds a much different view. Though Tillie won’t admit to being an angel, Nick and Ella think otherwise. How else can they explain the twists and turns that began at The Starlight Inn.

    Then, he meets his best friend's sister, Julia Sinclair, and Jake believes he's found the woman of his dreams. But she's promised to another. When Julia makes an unexpected confession on Christmas Day, Jake shares his secret with her, and it looks as though happily-ever-after will make a holiday appearance. But what will she think when she discovers his vow?Somehow, everyone in the tiny town of Starlight suddenly learns Jake’s secret, and he's instantly transformed from town hero to laughingstock. Did Julia reveal his secret? Can Jake forget the humiliation and find his way under the mistletoe to share a forever kiss with Julia?

    And sometimes, mercy comes at the worst possible moment. At least, Lucy thinks so.After the death of her parents, sixteen-year-old Lucy Richter struggles to keep a promise to her father--to save what remains of her family. Lucy fails tragically but won't allow her dwindling family to disappear. She shanghais her twin siblings, Goody and Mercy, from a Wisconsin orphanage to a Colorado peach ranch and an aunt who is a less-than-welcoming stranger. Lucy is prepared to keep the peace with her aunt, but will her sister's gifts draw unwanted attention and crush Lucy's dream of family?And World War II rages on. Absent men strain the running of Honey Sweet Ranch and force alliances of the most intriguing and unlikely kind, including German POWs. Within these relationships, Lucy is given the chance to discover an unfamiliar and healing faith.With her defining style, Patti Hill tells a story of love and loss with one of America's darkest times as a backdrop. Hill's characters resonate, and her descriptions draw the reader into a drama that is perfectly paced and infused with a wondrous hope.

    But she was young once with her own struggles. In 1963 Deborah Byler is twenty-one and has turned down seven marriage proposals from hopeful suitors in Millersburg, Ohio. At her parent’s request, she goes to live with relatives in the new Amish settlement in Smicksburg, Pennsylvania, praying she’ll find a match.Jeb Weaver lives in a strict Swartzentruber Amish settlement, and he can no longer abide under the rules of the Ordnung. His older brother left the family farm and settled in Smicksburg, and convinces Jeb to do the same. When Jeb meets Deborah, he finds her too liberal and outspoken. Deborah thinks Jeb’s judgmental and a complete stick in the mud. Their constant clashing makes sparks fly. Will an African American man, who hitchhikes around the country to attend Martin Luther King Jr. marches, help Jeb and Deborah see their own prejudices?

    But when Izzy becomes pregnant, Jillian fears that future is lost. Worse, she must confront her own secret past and hope the decisions she's made don't drown their whole family.Izzy can't believe God let this happen to her. She knew the risks, but who thinks about that when they're in love? Now she has to face the consequences--and the disappointed stares from everyone who thought she was the perfect Christian girl. At least she has the baby's father, Travis. Nothing can tear them apart, right?Margaret Owens had determined dreams for her son. She's furious that Izzy's pregnancy jeopardizes his college baseball scholarship and terrified that Travis will be trapped in a life of struggle and poverty--the life she's tried so hard to save him from. She'll do anything to protect him--even if it means forcing him to leave Izzy.Stacey Frey is aching for a child of her own. But the son she was meant to adopt was taken before she could hold him in her arms. It feels like she'll never stop mourning; even the move to this new town hasn't distracted her from the pain. How can she and her husband find peace? Is there any hope of a family in their future?And in the midst of all this . . . an unborn baby. Whose arms will hold him in the end?

    But it isn’t quite that easy....Amanda Lambright loves Wyman Brubaker, and after four years as a single mother, she is grateful for his support and for this new chance at happiness as his wife. She’s confident that their children will get along just fine. But once Amanda’s clan moves into Wyman’s home, the tight quarters and Wyman’s reluctance to make changes to accommodate Amanda cause friction. The older kids are squabbling. The little ones are frequently in tears. Tiny Alice Ann isn’t speaking at all. Amanda and Wyman can’t find any privacy. And Amanda wonders if she’ll ever have a chance to pursue the pottery making that means so much to her. Amanda believes that family lies at the center of any well-lived Amish life. Can she find the wisdom to guide the reluctant members of her new extended family toward the love that will bind them together?

    In hopes of rejuvenating her spirit and attitude, she embarks on a new project for her blog. On the night of breaking up with his long-term girlfriend, Trevor Stockton meets Lauren and is instantly intrigued by her, but jumping into another relationship is the last thing on his mind—no matter how much he enjoyed their time together. When their paths cross again, will Table for One become a part of Lauren’s past? A standalone inspirational novella from a USA Today Bestseller.

     A detective has the chance to solve cases that have baffled her colleagues for decades. But only if she can work out who he is, before he gets to her. Because - in a story where not everything is what it seems - not even murder is black and white. Killing Kind is a tense novella with a twist that will stay with you. From UK and US bestselling author Gregg Dunnett.

    With her father threatening to kick her out of his home, Sonja impulsively responds, offering to travel west to be a substitute bride. At the same time, Louis’s railroad promotion sends him back to Michigan, the one place on earth he’d hoped to never return—where Christmas past was full of pain. A mysterious stranger leaves him marked copies of “A Christmas Carol” as he considers romancing Sonja in Christmas present. Will Louis discern the best choices for Christmas future? Does it include the Poor House, again? Even so—will God bring healing and love to him this year?

    The Sacred Bond series spotlights four former delinquents who grow up to become heroes due to a bond they made as teenagers. A Christmas Bond Romance between enemies . . . In this Christian romance, war hero John Moretti sees the delinquent boys he mentors as the sons he never had, and he wants to give them every opportunity to reform. Crime victim Annie Bauer views them as dangerous threats to her elderly grandma, who lives next door to the boys’ residential school. When the Baby Jesus is stolen from Grandma’s yard nativity scene, the boys’ potential involvement may send them straight to hard-core juvie, and break the fragile connection that’s building between Annie and John. Until the so-called delinquents join together to make a sacred bond… His Baby Bond Battle for a Baby . . . In this Christian romance novel, poor-but-proud Kendra Forrester doesn’t need an arrogant millionaire to tell her how to raise her sister’s baby. But when handsome Zeke King arrives at her Colorado cabin demanding custody of his brother’s child, strategy dictates that she let him stick around. Battling mountain weather and the baby’s illness brings these two opposites together, but their own insecurities, their dead siblings’ secrets, and a jealous former boyfriend threaten their tentative bond. Only the Lord and the Sacred Bond Brotherhood can help Kendra and Zeke form a family for their baby. The Bride's Broken Bond A Runaway Bride . . . As the wedding music starts playing, poor little rich girl Hope DeMille learns that her husband-to-be loves someone else, but her domineering, high-society father won’t let her back out of the expensive wedding he’s funded. Enter Rock Anderson, a former inner-city kid mentored by Hope’s parents, who’s always wanted Hope. After helping Hope escape, Rock gets her a job at his urban mission and helps her find meaning in her life. But when Hope’s powerful father seeks revenge and one of the inner-city kids goes missing, it’ll take the best efforts of the Sacred Bond brotherhood to help this opposite-sides-of-the-tracks couple overcome their differences and commit to love. Her Reunion Bond The single dad blues . . . Ever since she lost her unborn child and the use of her leg in an accident, Wendy Smith has given up on romance and focused on kids—her own foster kids, and those she teaches. Daniel Masterson, Wendy’s high school boyfriend, has been earning money hand-over-fist in the entertainment industry, but his wife’s death showed him how shallow his life is—especially now that he’s raising his daughter alone. With the encouragement of his Sacred Bond brothers, Daniel returns to Pittsburgh to do a fund-raising campaign for Wendy’s school, and he rents a house adjacent to Wendy’s.Now the two families are forced to spend time together, and Wendy and Daniel’s attraction reignites. The only problem is that Wendy’s never told him the truth about the baby she lost… The Doctor's Bond Bad Boone McDermitt is back in Pleasant Haven, Florida to help his troubled nephews ... not to romance the preacher’s daughter! But the handsome doctor sees a kindred spirit in restless, talented Abby Smith, and he’s drawn to her spirituality as much as to her beauty. The problem is, Boone doesn’t think he’s good enough for Abby, and a few small-minded church people agree. As for Abby, she must choose between a dutiful life with the clean-cut minister dear old dad’s chosen for her and the dangerous, passionate freedom Boone represents. It’ll take a lot of prayer and an assist from the Sacred Bond brothers to teach Boone and Abby that sometimes, the biggest risk is in not following your heart.

    and love. Enjoy a summer journey to Italy with A Tuscan Legacy! When Isabella Rossi invites each of her adult grandchildren to her estate in the Tuscan hills for her eightieth birthday, she hopes to reunite a family fractured by distance, death, and secrets. The birthday gift of a painting, arriving unsigned and with no sender's details, rips open old heartbreak. One family secret has already been revealed, her youngest son Albertino's illegitimate English daughter. Now it seems there could be yet more secrets. Returning home, the cousins, scattered across three continents, each discover their lifetime love. When they gather again at the villa as summer ends, the remaining secrets are revealed. But can they be forgiven, or will the mistakes of the past be repeated? All nine of the original stories are included, plus a bonus tenth novella set the following year! Book 1 That’s Amore (That’s Love) by Marion Ueckermann When Rafaele and Jayne meet again in Tuscany, two years after dancing the night away together, is it a matter of fate or of faith? Book 2 Luna Rosa (Blushing Moon) by Elizabeth Maddrey When Nick, a piano tuner and closet composer, meets Louisiana, a diva-like pianist, will they be able to navigate diverging goals in order to play love’s duet? Book 3 Rapsodia (Rhapsody) by Alexa Verde A risk-taking photographer with a crushed spirit and a control-addicted pizzeria chain owner with a crushed heart... What will it take for them to trust in God and love again? Book 4 TI Amo (I Love You) by Marion Ueckermann American missionary Michael tells Alessa, the tour guide he's just met, that one day she'll be his wife, but she's vowed to remain single. Can anything sway her to fall in love? Book 5 La Fiamma Sacra (The Sacred Flame) by Clare Revell Forged in love’s sacred flame, can a firefighter and a widowed single mother find the path God has set for them? Book 6 Bella Notte (Beautiful Night) by Heather Gray Piero packs light, loves adventure, and sticks to a two-dates-only rule. Felicity’s job takes her around the world, but that's all the adventure she craves. She has little use for Piero the Playboy. Book 7 Solo Tu (Only You) by Narelle Atkins Sienna Rossi is torn between her new life in Australia and her longing for home. Aussie teacher Dave likes the freedom of his nomadic lifestyle. Can they risk everything for love? Book 8 Dolce Vita (Sweet Life) by Autumn Macarthur In the haze of a Tuscan summer, can teacher Rachel learn to surrender her fears and hurts, then embrace the life God intends for her? A sweeter life of love, with her old friend, Jon. Book 9 La Risposta (The Answer) by Autumn Macarthur When a wedding brings the family back to the the villa at summer's end, unexpected answers emerge. But is it too late to heal two broken hearts and renew a loveless marriage? BONUS NEW NOVELLA! Book 10 Innamorata (Sweetheart) by Autumn Macarthur Is eighty-one too old for romance? When a beau from her teens returns to Tuscany, widowed Isabella Rossi is about to find out! Don't miss this inspirational Christian romance series, brought

    A divorced mother of two, Kim resents her ex-husband for moving on with his life and living it up while she struggles to understand what went wrong. When her sons end up spending five weeks of summer vacation with their father, Kim's own father suggests a respite in the family vacation home on tiny Cedar Key Island. As Kim revisits her childhood memories and loves, she soon discovers that treasures in life are often buried, and mistakes--both past and present--become redeemable in God's hand.Readers will be swept away to an island retreat where they walk alongside Kim as she discovers that God's answers may not come easily, but they do come.