No journalist, reporter or talk show host had been granted the privilege to interview the 86-year-old recluse throughout her 21-book career. Julia's intrigue as to why she's the chosen one sends her packing and on a plane headed South in a hurry. Nestled among a canopy of banyan trees and palms, beneath the roof of Mrs. Van Buren's gingerbread island cottage, Julia finds one last unpublished manuscript. As the fragile old woman reads aloud to Julia from delicate pages that take us back to 1930s Macon, Georgia, and on up the road to Atlanta during days of the "Gone with the Wind" premier, secrets that have been held captive for over half a century surface that connect these women in more ways than either of them ever imagined.

     Learning he’s the biological son of the wealthy rancher he’s grown up hating, Reese Cooper’s entire world comes crumbling down around him. To add salt to the wound the woman who has haunted his dreams, Avery Templeton, the rancher’s lawyer, delivers the disturbing news. Avery has returned to Wild Creek, to the Circle Starr Ranch, under difficult circumstances. Her law firm has put her on leave pending an investigation. All she wants to do is lick her wounds and wait it out. When Chuck Starr, the man who is like a second father, puts her in the middle of a family crisis, she has no choice but to get involved. Problem is, the cowboy she finds herself getting involved with is Reese Cooper, Chuck Starr’s greatest enemy . . . and only child. “Leo writes wonderful, relatable characters in small-town settings with stories that are fun and entertaining to read . . . laugh-out-loud funny moments.” —RT Book Reviews What Amazon readers say about Mary Leo's books: ★★★★★ "Heartwarming and entertaining and romantic!!" ★★★★★ "A BEAUTIFUL LOVE STORY. YOU CAN'T LAY IT DOWN!" ★★★★★ "Such a great read. The storyline just flowed perfectly." ★★★★★ "Mary Leo brings you wonder when you read her books." ★★★★★ "I love the way this woman writes western romance, and I'm so glad I got to read this story!" ★★★★★ "Mary Leo is a fantastic author and each book leaves you happy, yet wanting even more!" ★★★★★ "Love this author's books. I think you will too. Would read again."

    Now I'm not only mortified from Malcolm's cold feet, I'm stuck in front of my peers, putting on a smile as if I'm as strong as my parents desire for me to be. Little did I know, the bartender my parents hired would be a steamy blast from the past, and Malcolm's most despised college acquaintance. Pouring drinks never looked so sexy on Josh Titlist, especially when having a quick fling with him could help cure the sting of being ditched. That is if the chemistry we shared in the past won't create another explosion... This is the first book in the Wicked Wedding Series.

    So, why can’t she just hate him?Previously published as "Inn with You."Zoe has dedicated her life to working at the family inn, where she lives with her son, but the business has fallen on hard times. She has ideas about how to turn things around; but, her father owns the place and he’s stuck in his ways.To make matters worse, Zoe learns that her father has a silent partner, Ethan’s father. Ethan has a trust fund, but Zoe’s not impressed when he comes to town with his own ideas about what’s best for the inn, as well as an ultimatum from his father. If the inn doesn’t start turning a profit, he’ll force a sale.Tensions rise as the two struggle to agree on anything. But, neither can deny that they’re starting to fall for one another. As Zoe and Ethan struggle with their feelings, and their plans to save the inn, Ethan realizes he can’t carry out his father’s wishes without risking whatever it is he has with Zoe.Will Ethan help Zoe save the inn or will family obligations get in the way? Enjoy this first in series, enemies to lovers romance!Then, once you fall in love with Camden Cove, you can enjoy the rest of this sweet, shoretown romance series:The Inn by the CoveThe Farmhouse by the CoveThe Restaurant by the CoveThe Christmas Cottage by the CoveThe Bakery by the CoveAlso, check out Ellen Joy's sweet western romance series, Prairie Valley:Her Second Chance CowboyHer Next Door CowboyHer Pretend CowboyHer Fresh Start CowboyHer Christmas Cowboy Her Last Chance Cowboy

    After their first meeting, Edith “Edie” Carmichael would have been content to never lay eyes on Lucas Brown again.She thinks he’s no more than the grumpy owner of Pine Creek’s lumber company, and he thinks she’s a know-it-all lady doctor intent on putting folks in their place.The two must quickly form a truce when suspicious accidents and theft at the sawmill threaten both his livelihood and the lives of his men, but can Lucas ever learn to trust a woman after a lifetime of being abandoned by them? Can Edie be content running the clinic in the hometown she thinks she’s outgrown, or will her dreams prove more powerful than her growing feelings? And when the world around them goes up in flames, will Edie and Lucas make it out alive?

    Conceived in a violent, drug-induced rampage, Pipa is being hunted by the man responsible. He wants her dead, and no matter how far Kelsey and Pipa run, the brewing storm is never far behind.Protection lies in Kelsey’s hometown of White Wattle Creek in the form of Ethan, the man who’d always been her safe place. The one she loved. And the one who broke her heart. But she not only has Ethan to face when she returns. The emotional abuse of her past and the truth surrounding Pipa’s existence both rain down on her from the clouds gathering overhead.When Kelsey finally opens her heart to Ethan, her nightmares tip over into reality, and with Pipa’s future hanging in the balance, Kelsey must find the strength within to fight for their right to happiness … before the storm breaks.

    HEA guaranteed!

    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

    He’s a confirmed bachelor, she’s a runaway bride who needs his help.After confirmed bachelor, Cole Tanner catches the garter at his friend’s wedding he finds a dazed and confused runaway bride limping along the back roads of his hometown of True Love, Texas and stops to help.Tulip Jones obviously can’t say no to public marriage proposals—this is her second time to be a runaway bride! She needs help in more ways than one—can Cole teach her how to become a confirmed bachelorette and learn to say no?They’re a perfect match until love gets in the way!The billionaire bachelors of True Love, Texas are about to meet their matches...

    What in the world did I do deserve this?The boy next door doesn’t let me sleep.And not just because he's loud...Jayson is a rockstar.He’s as skilled as he is hot.I never thought I’d be attracted to an alpha jerk like him.But Jayson is all I ever think about.I mean, what choice do I have, really?We're next door neighbors for goodness sake.He’s always on my mind (and in my ears).And now…I’m carrying a piece of him.I’m carrying his baby.No, he can’t find out.And no, I’m not saying a word about it to him.Jayson and I are poles apart.Our lives couldn’t be more different.He should be on the road, leaving me behind.Leaving my secret behind.And me?I should start preparing to mend my heart.To raise a baby that will forever remind me of him.

    The ego has landed.Can one woman change an age-old institution like publishing? Probably not, but Kate Mitchell sure wants to try. As a publicist with a large, respected New York publishing house, Kate finds herself at the mercy of a broken publishing system, books that don’t sell, and author egos that are often, well, as big as the island of Manhattan.Enter the star Editor, MacDermott Ellis: Tall, handsome, charismatic, married, and ready to save the day. Then there’s Allan Lavigne, once a revered author--now as forgotten as last year's bestsellers and his nephew Nick: Tall, gorgeous, sweet, single and ready to sweep Kate off her feet. Kate wants to do the right thing but her hormones seem to be driving her decisions. As Kate tries to navigate the landmine of publicity, over-the-top author expectations, and the careful dance of “I’m sorry, your book isn’t on the bestseller list this week,” she also finds authors who are painfully overlooked by a publisher wanting more sex, more celebrities, and more scandal.The story only an insider could tell.

    The only kind she’s willing to consider are friends-with-benefits and even a red-hot and sexy hockey player like Dave Martin isn’t going to change that. Right?When those chocolate brown eyes threaten to melt her defenses she has to remind herself that demons from her past could rise up at any moment. Which is going to be pretty hard to do, since she loses herself every time they touch.Dave used to love the benefits that came easily to professional athletes; especially when they were in the form of puck bunnies who only wanted one night. But when he meets the pint-sized girl with bewitching green eyes and sun-streaked auburn hair his outlook suddenly changes. He wants forever with Lauren. Now he just has to convince her.Can Lauren risk everything for the man she’s secretly been falling for? Or will her past stop her from taking a chance on love?Healthy Scratch—book #1 of the Tampa Suns Hockey Series—is a standalone romance whose main characters’ lives are intertwined with those introduced in The Clearing the Ice Trilogy. You don’t need to read the trilogy to enjoy Healthy Scratch. The book stands on its own, promises HEA, and no cliffhangers! To heighten your enjoyment of the Tampa Suns Hockey Series, you may wish to read The Clearing the Ice Trilogy.

    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.

    Work. Football. That’s my life summed up in three words.Sure, I used to be a pro NFL baller, but now I’m perfectly content with a quiet life in my small hometown of Peachtree Grove, Georgia.That is until Bree, a beautiful blonde dating expert, gets tackled at my Pee Wee football practice, knocking me off my game.I swore I’d never get involved again after my messy divorce left me reeling, but one date with Bree and I’m dropping all my hesitations—along with my jersey. Now she has me rethinking my plays.But will the tabloids, my ex, and Bree’s complicated past keep us in the friendzone?