but perhaps some things are not in our power to stop.1989: Jess's daughter, Jamie, dreams of a simple life - marriage, children, stability - then she meets a struggling musician and suddenly the future becomes wilder and complex.2017: When Jamie's daughter, CJ, brings home trouble in the form of the coolest boy at school, the worlds of these three women turn upside down ... and the past returns to haunt them.Spanning the trauma of the Vietnam War to the bright lights of Nashville, the epidemic of teenage self-harm to the tragedy of incurable illness, Love and Other Battles is the heart-wrenching story of three generations of Australian women, who learn that true love is not always where you seek it.If you loved The Notebook, this is a novel for you.PRAISE FOR LOVE AND OTHER BATTLES'Emotional, compelling' Carina Bruce, Herald Sun'A warm and affecting tale about love and family conquering all' Who Weekly'Compulsively readable' Kate Cuthbert, Books + Publishing'Utterly unputdownable, Love and Other Battles is equal parts heartwarming and heart-wrenching. Featuring stunningly real multilayered characters, Tess Woods weaves a bittersweet story of family secrets, epic love and heartache in this absolutely gorgeous new novel' Nicola Moriarty, author'I loved these strong, flawed and totally relatable women. The way their decisions, past and present, hooked in the reader, is a testament to Tess Woods' writing' Melina Marchetta, author'Tess Woods has written a timeless story of love's strength and endurance. A must-read for all fiction lovers' Cheryl Akle, Director, Better Reading'Tess Woods has done it again with emotionally engaging Aussie fiction. Smiling with tears - five stars' Renee Conoulty, Hey Said Renee'This is contemporary fiction at its finest and I am so grateful to Tess Woods for her bravery in writing a novel that takes readers right into the crux of current social and medical issues, things that so many of us are dealing with but keep quiet about for fear of judgment and contempt' Theresa Smith Writes'a writer who is a clear figurehead and spokeswoman of our times' Mrs B's Book Reviews

    Her mother is a celebrated artist, known for her bohemian lifestyle. Her father, long estranged from the family, is a respected poet and academic. Sylvie’s two beautiful sisters and her big brother are also making their mark in the design world. Sylvie hasn’t an artistic bone in her body. On the verge of turning thirty, back living in the family home in Sydney and working for her mother and sisters, she feels stuck in a major rut. Then her brother Sebastian steps in with a rescue plan. He offers her a room in his Melbourne apartment for as long as she likes, on one condition. In an updated version of a treasure hunting game they played as children, she has to follow his instructions and go exploring the city. Within days, she’s doing things she’s never done before, going to places she’s never been and beginning to think of ideas for a new career. She is also getting to know a very lovely man. Life is looking up. Then Sebastian reveals one final challenge…

    He had written off love after losing his wife years ago. A chance meeting changes these two lives forever.JOURNEY OF GRACE is book one of the tightly woven Christian romance series entitled JOURNEY OF LOVE by T.K. Chapin. Follow the lives of three grown siblings as they face challenges of faith, love, and heartache. The JOURNEY OF LOVE series is a spin-off of the best-selling DIAMOND LAKE SERIES. When Grace Anderson left Newport, Washington, she thought it was for good. But now she's back and trying to start a new life after running away from her abusive husband. Even surrounded by the love of her family, she can't help but cling to the pieces of her past that hurt the most.Owen McBride never dreamed of finding love again after losing his wife. The dashing Newport High School history teacher had written off love and was solely focused on living a life devoted to God and teaching children. That is, until he met Grace Anderson.Will these two find love in each other's arms? Or will God's will be something completely different?From the best-selling Christian Romance author T.K. Chapin comes a love story that will keep you reading until the very last page. Heartfelt, inspirational, and clean, Journey of Grace will remind you how God can work in the lives of those who place their trust in Him.

    Between her demanding job at Stoltzfus Bakery, bridesmaid duties in Amish bridezilla Mercy’s wedding, and her unwanted position as mediator during Jakob and Mercy’s many quarrels, Hannah is ready for a break! However, Hannah receives more rest time than she’d bargained for when an accident causes her to nearly lose her baby, and lands her on bed rest. Can her marriage really survive in sickness and in health? Will Hannah recover in time to stand in Mercy’s wedding? And can Hannah regain her strength and give birth to a healthy baby?

    When her childhood pal, Ethan Webster, asks her to play the part of his girlfriend in order to test this theory, she reluctantly agrees. As a work-crazed fashion designer, boutique owner and soon-to-be reality show judge, Chloe has no time for a real boyfriend, but being part of a faux pair will do just fine. Not that she has any intention of trying to attract someone else.However…Opportunity unexpectedly knocks when Chloe meets fellow reality judge, William Shannon. Super successful and super sexy, this high-powered entrepreneur inspires Chloe to test Ethan’s theory herself. Now, on top of keeping her fashion business productive, carving out a new role as a television personality, maintaining a fake relationship and attempting to lay the groundwork for a future relationship, she’s lying to William, lying to her friends, lying to her family and quite possibly lying to herself. Will Chloe be able to keep it all together, or are things about to explode?

     Ashamed of his behaviour he hides away in his country seat, determined to become a sensible gentleman, no longer caught up by whichever eligible young lady catches his eye. The only problem? A beautiful tenant named Julia who is living in his gatehouse. William knows that he should have very little to do with his tenants but he simply cannot get her out of his mind. The more time he spends, the more he wants to know her despite their difference in status. A sudden accident leads to a whole new life for Julia, who is loathe to tell him much about herself, despite their intimate connection. When the truth finally comes out and Julia confesses all, William must decide what to do with the lady who has stolen his heart. Authors Note: This is a clean, stand-alone romance with an HEA. If you love clean Regency-era romances you will love The Viscount in Hiding!

    Readers of Liz Byrski, Monica McInerney, and Rachael Johns will love this book. A cruise – no matter how magical – can't change your life. Can it…? Clever, charming dressmaker Ketty Clift is embarking on her final cruise from Sydney before she must make serious changes in her life. Supported by the ship's all-powerful maitre d' Carlos, she has a mission: transform the lives of those who join her at her dining table every evening. Not only can Ketty turn Cinderellas into princesses with her legendary style–eye, but she has a gift for bringing people together. But this trip is different. As the glamour and indulgence of the cruise takes hold, and the ship sails further away from Sydney towards the Pacific Islands, it becomes clear that her fellow travelers – a troubled family, a grieving widower and an angry divorcee determined to wreak revenge on her ex – are going to be harder work than usual. As Ketty tries to deal with her own problems, including the unexpected arrival on board of her long-lost love, Leo – the man who broke her heart – as well as troubling news from home, she begins to realize this might be the one cruise that defeats her…A witty, warm and wise story of how embracing the new with an open heart can transform your life.

    Covered in tattoos and leather, he’s a smoking hot biker and nothing but trouble.As the president of the Dirty Aces MC, Malcolm is known for being cold and calculating. One bad decision – getting into business with the wrong person – is all it takes to bring down the entire MC. It’s happened before to his predecessor, which is why Malcolm refuses to let it happen again on his watch. He doesn’t trust anyone except for the few men who wear the same ace of spades patch on their back.And that’s exactly why he doesn’t ever take his eyes off of me – the new girl. I never intended to make an enemy out of Malcolm or the MC when I was sent to steal everything I could from them.~ DEVLIN ~As one of the enforcers for the Dirty Aces, sometimes I have to hurt people. Using my fists to get results is not something I enjoy – it’s just part of the job. My loyalty will always be to the MC and no one else.So just because Jetta James is a hot as hell girl I once hooked up with at a rock concert, it doesn’t mean I can give her brother a break on the gambling debt he owes to the Aces.When Jetta finds out I’m a member of the MC, she thinks I’m bad news; but her brother Sean is the one drowning in his bad decisions.~ NASH ~Whenever Nash Kincaid looks in the mirror, he only sees a monster who ruins lives. Thanks to his involvement with the Dirty Aces MC, there’s so much blood on his hands he’ll never wash them clean again. Violence is just part of the outlaw lifestyle. That’s why he’s not all that surprised when he’s hit with divorce papers three years after his wife walked out on him.The last thing Nash needs right now is a nosy new neighbor who refuses to leave him alone. If Lucy knew Nash’s dark secrets, he’s certain that she would run the other way rather than try her best to get into his bed. Thanks to a failed marriage, he knows he can never be the man Lucy needs him to be, not while he’s a member of the MC with a life sentence hanging over his head.~ SILAS ~A late-night attack at her home convinces Cora that leaving Carolina Beach behind to start over in witness protection is her only choice.What Cora doesn’t know is that the tough, no-nonsense FBI agent who swoops in to protect her is not who he says he is.In fact, he’s the last man she should ever trust.~ WIRTH ~After a patch-over party turns into a near-fatal shootout that injures several members, the Dirty Aces MC is left reeling.Wirth feels especially guilty since he wasn’t at the bar when his brothers needed him the most. Instead, he had left with a beautiful, mysterious woman, making some of the new members question his loyalty to the club.Needing to clear his own name, Wirth intends to find out who the rat is within the MC. Suspicious of the new girl, Maeve, he decides to try and get closer to her to determine where her true loyalties lie.~ FIASCO ~When he takes two bullets during a shooting, Fiasco nearly loses his life. And in a way, dying may have been the easy way out.But once he saw Joanna’s face, the angelic nurse doing everything she could to save his life, he wanted nothing more than to live.Overcoming his injuries is just the first obstacle Fiasco will have to face. If he can’t get back to his construction job soon, he’ll lose everything he’s worked so hard to have, along with all the people who depend on him.WARNING: THIS BOX SET CONTAINS SEXUALLY AND PHYSICALLY VIOLENT SCENES THAT MAY BE A TRIGGER FOR SOME INDIVIDUALS.

    Now, however, he’s forced to not only take over his late parents’ ranch, but also unexpectedly raise his cousin’s four-year-old daughter, Jade. 
 Sure, he can run the place for the year-long stipulation specified in his parents’ will, but take care of a kid? No way. Nothing in his life has prepared him to be the father of a four-year-old girl. Complicating matters, Lacey Cameron, his sweet and pretty housekeeper, is leaving to open up her own B&B. Lacey has always lived at the McCall ranch—she can’t leave now when he needs her most. Desperate, Trevor makes a deal with her: Stay and help him with little Jade and in return he’ll help her fix up the B&B. Lacey agrees, and as the two of them work together, Trevor quickly realizes the girl he’s known all his life has grown into a beautiful woman, one who, to his shock, manages to find a crack in his hardened heart. 
 The Cowboy’s Rescue Single mom Heather Browning will do anything to get away from her controlling ex-husband--including buying a rundown strawberry farm in Montana. Maybe the locals are right, maybe she is crazy. Still, she’ll do anything to keep her twin son and daughter safe and happy—and keep her ex out of the picture. When her only horse comes up lame, she calls local veterinarian Randy McCall. The sexy cowboy takes one look at her farm and dilapidated house and offers his help, but Heather is quick to say no. She doesn’t need anyone’s help—no matter how gorgeous and tempting Randy is. But after hurting her ankle and discovering her roof is riddled with leaks, she reluctantly agrees to temporarily move herself and the twins to the McCall Ranch. If Heather wanted a charming, sexy, man—which she does not—Randy would be perfect. Good thing she only wants to be friends… Even as Randy tells himself—over and over—that he’s not a relationship kind of guy, his stubborn heart doesn’t believe it. Knowing Heather has already been hurt by a man, he decides to stop things before they get out of hand. But can he stop himself from falling in love? The Cowboy’s Pregnant Sweetheart
 Karen Peterson has always known the rodeo was Carson McCall’s first and only love. She got proof of that when they were eighteen and he left her brokenhearted to join the rodeo circuit. She never got the chance to tell him she was pregnant—and never told him she lost the baby. Nine years later, he’s back home at the McCall Ranch nursing injuries from a bull-riding accident. When she sees him, she has a wonderful idea. Her sister’s autistic son, Devon, wants to learn to ride, and Carson is the perfect man to teach him. But Carson turns her down flat. Until the consequences of a barroom brawl require community service…teaching Devon to ride. Though Carson is the only cowboy she’ll ever love, she can shield her feelings for the sake of her nephew, even if Carson still makes her heart feel like it’s on a bucking bronco. Carson is completely at odds. All he wants to do is heal and return to his life, despite his doctors telling him he’ll never ride at the same level again. He hates that he’s not the man he was, hates that everyone pities the washed-up has-been rodeo star. The only bright part of his day is the hour he spends with Devon—and Karen. Carson never forgot her, never really got over her.

    Having been caretaker to her for most of her teenage years, Amberlyn is inexperienced in many aspects of life. She hasn’t had time to live, have fun, or enjoy even the little things. It’s only when a letter from her mother, asking her to fulfill three things, sends her off to Ireland to live a life she never thought possible that she begins to heal.Declan O’Callaghan was born and raised in Ireland and has his family’s legendary whiskey in his veins. He’s shy and not a fan of the pressure and spotlight that comes with his family name, or the title he was given at birth—the Whiskey Prince. Declan knows just what he wants and that is to take over the family dynasty, but when his father gives him an ultimatum, everything he’s worked for could come undone in the blink of an eye.With six months to get married, the reclusive Declan spots Amberlyn across a lake and instantly feels the need to know her. Soon, the two find themselves traveling down a path neither expected. However, like any road, there are bumps and side streets to derail them. Can Declan help find the pieces that will make Amberlyn whole again? And will Amberlyn stay or run when she learns of Declan’s deadline of marriage?

    Not sure where to start, and sick of women who aren’t willing to commit, Brad signs up for Dr. Lachele Simpson’s Matchrimony service. Daphne’s life in King, Montana, is turned upside-down after her husband dies in a tragic accident. When Dr. Lachele learns of her dear friend’s loss, she insists on helping her find new love with a guy who recently signed up for her services. Dr. Lachele knows they will be perfect together, but can she convince Daphne and Brad that they can fall in love after they meet at the altar?

     A prodigal daughter returns to Brockenridge... Eleven years ago Ruby Aston left Brockenridge - and its small-town gossip - for the anonymity of the big city. Now, a grieving Ruby is forced to come home to the place she loathes. But it also means returning to someone she's always regretted leaving behind... Connor Delaney is determined to prove himself and not get by on his family name alone. To do this he needs to acquire the local roadhouse. He never anticipated the owner would be the same 'bad girl' who ditched him at the high school ball and was never heard from again. For Alisha Nathieson, the grief of suddenly losing her dear friend and employer Clara Aston has forced her to examine her choice to stay to support her aging parents. As she battles a growing need to explore her past, temptation wars with duty. And then there are her feelings for handsome chef Harry, who has secrets of his own... If Ruby follows her heart and saves her mother's legacy, will she lose the one man she's longed for all along?

    He rescues a beauty from the side of the road and never expected one night would change his life forever.Gabi needed an escape from her world in LA. When her rescuer found her and her wrecked vehicle, she thought he was an angel. She quickly discovers she can rescue him back in a different way.A holiday power outage still manages to shine light upon what matters most to Gabi and Jax—the people and the moments that define us.One accident.A one-night stand.Two hearts.And...some mistletoe. What happens when the ball drops on New Year’s?Kiss Me is a stand-alone in the Fairlane series. The series has crossover characters from each novel. It is not required to read the books in order but it is recommended to enhance the reading experience.Fairlane Series:1. Hollywood Redemption (Luke and Alex)2. Hollywood Fairytale (Luke and Alex)3. Unsteady in Love (Holden and Prue)4. Kiss Me (Jax and Gabi) *Previously in the Spiced Holiday Kisses Anthology.

    But when the super-cool Camilla moves to town, she surprises everyone by choosing to spend time with Sam's group. Suddenly they go from geek to chic, and find that not everything boils down to us and them. With their social lives in flux, Sam and Camilla spend more and more time together. They become the best of friends, and Sam finds that he's happier and more comfortable in his own skin than ever before. But eventually Sam must admit to himself that he's fallen in love. If he confesses his true feelings to Camilla, will everything change again?

    Flowers had always been a big part of her life. But delivery driver Dave brings more than just bouquets. Can he help Amy find happiness again? Will Amy get even more than she bargained for? Find out in this short story about love, loss, friendship and flowers. If you're looking for a quick read (only 5k words) with a sweet romantic feel, this is for you.