She's thrilled to be able to meet the band backstage, and when the guitarist takes her aside, the sparks that fly between them could light a bonfire...He's a lead guitarist who can't shake his inner demons.Julian Bremmer is a musician struggling with alcohol and his band's newfound success. Girls throw themselves at him because he's a rock star, but all of the attention doesn't stop him from feeling empty inside. When he meets Shannon, he can't help but wonder if she's just the next girl who wants him for his fame...Fate has thrown them together, but will the world pull them apart?Warning: This 13,000 word story includes explicit sexual content!

    Moving back home to Chaos, Texas wasn't working out quite the way Noelle had planned. The last thing she expected was a seasonal job that included dressing up as Mrs. Claus while ringing a bell for charity, but thanks to Cash McCain, she wasn't left much of a choice. Cash can't believe what ten years can do for a woman. The last time he'd seen Noelle, she'd been all knees and elbows. Now a woman grown yet still ten years his junior, thus too young for him, Noelle has filled out in a way that should be illegal. When Cash refuses her a job at Raising Cain, a Texas honky-tonk run by the McCain siblings, she takes it upon herself to make his life miserable. Who could have imagined the damage a tiny, tinkling bell could cause to a man's sanity? But when things heat up, Cash begins to think that raising a little cane with the likes of Noelle might not be such a bad thing after all.

    It seemed as if every single citizen of Fiddler Creek wanted something from the wealthy rancher. He’d learned early on not many cared to see past his looks and sour attitude and discover the man beneath.So when the generously curved Mary Carter hit him up for a loan to save her fledgling business, he made her a short-term proposition she couldn’t refuse. Only the more time the reluctant rancher spends with the lovely Mary, the more he starts to think about a long-term relationship.Mary Carter had fantasized about Luke Tanner since her first glimpse of the veritable mountain of a man with a perpetual scowl. She’d never been brave enough to approach him until circumstances forces her to seek his help.The Reluctant Rancher is the story of two individuals who have never experienced the soul stirring passion of true love – until they find each other.

    Easier said than done for Ashley who finds herself inexplicably drawn to the gorgeous stranger. When she decides to spend the evening doing things she normally wouldn't--like letting herself be seduced by this enigmatic man she only knows as Xander--she unknowing opens her world up to the lavish lifestyle of beautiful mansions, fast cars, and expensive clothes, because when billionaire Xander Boone wants something, he gets it. Part of his worldAs Ashley enters Xander's world of champagne and lavish gifts, they find themselves unable to deny the attraction they feel for each other. But when Xander's past comes back to haunt him, will he follow his heart or run from the feelings he has for her.

     He found her. He’s keeping her. No one, not even her, is going to keep him from doing just that.

    Now contains a never before published bonus scene!Ruby Scott's favorite holiday is here, all she needs is a moderately good excuse to throw a party. With the help of her best friend Amalie--and Amalie's fiance's budget--the two of them throw a Halloween-inspired fundraiser. But no event goes off without a couple hitches...

    Now three bestselling Harlequin authors honor these remarkable women with stories inspired by their extraordinary contributions.Everyone thinks brilliant designer Chris Kessler is the playboy of the architectural world. Truth is, he's strictly a one-woman man. But how can he reveal his feelings when Ali Montalvo's his fiercest rival for junior partner? And now they've been teamed up to volunteer at one of Pittsburgh's most popular charities.In addition to helping underprivileged kids celebrate their special day, there's something else at the top of Ali's wish list. If only she and Chris didn't clash on just about everything! Now he's planning a circus outing—this from a man who never had a birthday party. That's when Ali comes up with a surprise of her own. Because it's never too late to give the gift of love…Look for Never Too Late by Christi Barth, along with two more free ebooks inspired by real-life heroines: A Wing & A Prayer by Andrea Laurence and A Place in Her Heart by Trish Milburn. Visit the Harlequin More Than Words website at www.harlequinmorethanwords.com, or your favorite ebook retailer, to download these free novellas today.164 KB

    He wants her forever.Hayden Summers just landed the job of a lifetime taking pictures for Time magazine, but she’s determined to leave with no regrets. The first thing on her list? Erase the memory of her cheating ex with a wild night of anonymous sex. The second? Figure out why her best friend, sexy bar owner Jace Jennings, stopped speaking to her the night she told him about the job. Jace has a problem. Hayden isn’t just leaving the country, she’s risking her life—just when he’s realized he’s in love with her. When fate traps them in the storage room of his bar together, barely contained desire simmers to surface. In one last attempt to keep her, Jace offers Hayden the one thing she wants: a night of hot sex, no strings attached. But when the night is over, will Jace be able to let her go? And will Hayden leave with her heart intact?

    When the pair journey to Indianapolis to spend Christmas Eve with Merle and her family, will an ex-hitman learn the true meaning of Christmas? Or just get drunk on eggnog?

    Again. Last year, Hugh let her pretend their passionate kiss never happened, but this year he’s determined to make Anna admit she wants him as much as he wants her.Except, Hugh doesn’t know the office party is the only night of the year his friend lets her hair down. That every hour she’s away from the office is spent caring for her sickly mother. That her mother’s condition, early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, is hereditary.When Hugh finds out what she’s been hiding, he’s forced to do some serious soul-searching. It’s not fair to Anna or her mother for him to get involved casually, but casual relationships are all he knows. Can he prove to himself—and to Anna—that she’s all he wants for Christmas?

    When Liv Taylor met a handsome stranger at a friend's wedding, she decided to give in to temptation. It was lust at first site and when she followed the man she nicknamed Mr. Tongue into a room before the wedding ceremony, she experienced pleasure like she'd never experienced before. That was why she agreed to one night in his hotel room. One night of unbridled passion. That was all it was supposed to be. But then, her mystery man turned up after that night and his identity was no longer a mystery. It turns out that Liv's one night stand is about to get a whole lot more complicated and she has no idea what she's going to do. Because sometimes one night stands never end at one night. NOTE: This novella is a free steamy prequel to the full-length standalone novel One Night Stand, that will be released on January 5th. It will also be included in One Night Stand when it is released, so you can read it first as a free download or you can read it as part of the novel on release day.

    He digs into the snowman to discover two things: the weapon fits into the body just under the head, and the snowman was supposed to be the back drop for Lexi's next show.From this improbable beginning comes friendship. Can there be more for a woman who is afraid to get close again and a man who has shadows from his childhood?Families join together and hearts are healed as this couple goes walking in a winter wonderland.

    Fun, flirty, sweet and sassy - always with the perfect happy ending.Each story is 8,000 to 11,000 words in length (approximately 32-44 typical book pages in length. 53,000 words total, or 210 typical book pages.)The stories include:"The Hot Girl's Friend"How can a plain Jane find love when her best friend is a curvy blonde man magnet?Jane usually busies herself during a night on the town, fending off the men lusting after her gorgeous friend Miranda. When Brady the bartender overhears her inspired, ludicrous excuses, he resolves to hook up Jane with his friends. But Jane would be quite happy with him. Pine along as Jane tries to find her own happily ever after."Wrong Place, Right Guy"She's in the wrong place at the wrong time. Can the guy who saves her be Mr. Right? Or will his past keep them apart?When Kristen is jumped in a parking lot, Tony jumps in to save the day. While she thinks her hero could also be her heartthrob, Tony's worried his past is reason to stay apart. Will the good guy get the girl in the end?"Not You"One night with a stranger - gets even stranger the next day.Single, lonely Carly thinks the best way to handle her mother's third wedding is by throwing her own bachelorette-party-for-one the night before. What's the harm in her first one-night stand ever? She'll find out the next day."Desperately Seeking Cupid"Does she finally have the key for finding love?Brianna has tried everything to find love - with no luck. So she's turning to feng shui to bring romance to her world. Too bad the guy she's after thinks its bunk. Will her formula for love work - or blow up in her face?"Never Been Dumped"It's a relationship with an expiration date and it's going to go bad.Rachel hates breaking hearts. She's never been dumped, and she's tired of being the one to walk away. But a handsome stranger in town for the summer promises he'll dump her after their summer fling. Will they be able to say goodbye?Flirts! Five Romantic Short Stories to make you smile and swoon. Look for Beach Flirts! 5 Romantic Short Stories due out in late summer 2011.

    The Christmas Stocking by Fern MichaelsPhiladelphia businesswoman Amy Baran is determined to raise money for a new seniors' center by harvesting Christmas trees from the small-town Virginia farm she remembers from her childhood. Trouble is, Gus Moss has come home from California with his own ideas about saving the farm his father has neglected. Neither wants to give up, but when attraction turns to romance, they just might have to give in . 2. The Ghost of Christmas Past by Beverly BartonWounded Special Ops officer Mack MacKinnon doesn't have any reason to look forward to the holidays -- until he rescues pretty widow Katie Hadley from a raging blizzard. Now, in a season of miracles, he's falling as hard and fast as the Christmas Eve snow. 3. The Twelve Desserts of Christmas by Joanne FlukeTake two lovestruck teachers. Add a dollop of conspiring kids. Place in a boarding school over Christmas break. And add a little help -- and eight, great recipes -- from amateur sleuth Hannah Swenson, and you've got a romantic holiday tale that's sweet, delicious, and definitely served warm. 4. Twelve Days by Shirley JumpOf all the luck -- Natalie Harris can't believe she drew Jake Lyons as her Secret Santa pal! The dreamy hunk leaves her completely tongue-tied. But with twelve days of secret gifts, sweet notes, and steamy emails to go, she just may conquer her fear and discover something surprising under the tree.

    Craig Walker, but he's given up asking her out. She doesn't date cops...until a doctor's call makes her re-examine her priorities. Believing she has a brain tumor like the one that killed her father, she vows to make love to Craig Walker while she still has her full faculties. By the time the doctor realizes he's mixed up the scans, she's in way too deep.