Magic of the Heart


C.J. Harte - 2010
    People always want something for nothing from her, and she long ago decided it was better to use than be used. On a plane trip from hell, she’s seated next to an attractive woman and turns on her irresistible charm, expecting the usual weak-kneed compliance. But Susan doesn’t know who her sexy fellow traveler is and loses all interest once she finds out. The heat between them is instant, yet Susan can think of countless reasons to ignore the spark of attraction. She knows she should walk away, but when Maggie ends up stranded without her wallet and ID, she offers to help.Completely incompatible, they still can’t resist the magic that draws them together. Can they find a place between the glare of the media spotlight and the legacy of past betrayals where trust can grow and love might have a chance?

Worth the Risk


Crystal Chard - 2021
    Yet when CIS offer up a case with a mysterious female perp at the centre, she can't say no. The catch? Grace's speciality is undercover guidance – she now has to go all in.Nadia Florescu is nobody's fool. She's survived worse than the grim CIS cells and suffered in ways Grace cannot imagine. So giving up the names that CIS demands is a game she can play and win – no matter the cost.When their worlds collide, and Nadia's shocking story begins to unravel, professional lines blur. But is Nadia really who she says she is? And how many boundaries will Grace cross for justice – and an uncompromising and beautiful suspect?

A Convenient Arrangement


Jaime Clevenger - 2021
    She’s not sure it’s really her thing, but the assignment gives her the chance to write something more substantial than her usual fluff pieces. All she needs now is a willing lesbian.For Cody Dawson, signing up for Jess’s project is a no-brainer. She gets to date an interesting woman, enjoy her company, and not disrupt the tidy life she’s built for her son. Everything’s perfect until she starts falling for Jess. When she realizes she’s heart-deep in the feelings she’s agreed not to have, their convenient arrangement becomes anything but.

Hold Me Closer, Toni Danzig


Laura Henry - 2021
    There’s nothing she enjoys more than being out in the mountains leading adventure tours. On a well-deserved break over Thanksgiving weekend, she’s DJ-ing karaoke at the Dew Drop Inn when Audrey Adams takes the stage to sing the greatest middle finger break-up song ever, dedicated to her ex-girlfriend. It’s a perfect night that culminates in a transcendental experience in bed…before Audrey rushes out in the morning. Monday morning, the holidays are in full swing when Audrey’s worst nightmare comes true. After the most memorable night of her life, she’s thrust together with the one woman who she hasn’t been able to forget—on a strictly-professional consulting project for her family’s business. Meanwhile, Toni can’t believe her luck. Now she has the unexpected chance to win Audrey over, and she sets a goal to be someone worthy of this woman’s love and respect. Will they crash and burn like a bad karaoke performance—or will they be singing a duet before the holiday season is over?

For Now, Forever


Trin Denise - 2012
    After a full weekend of celebrating her birthday, she goes to work thinking it will be just another typical workday. That thought comes to a crashing halt when she flips the “Closed” sign to “Open” and finds an elderly mustachioed man standing at the door.Gordon LeVitt, Attorney at Law drops a bombshell that will flip Cassie’s life upside down. The man that she believed to be her father for the last thirty-three years is not really her father, and her recently deceased biological father Collin Masterson has named her as an heir in his Last Will and Testament. The catch: Her presence is required at the reading.Cassie heads to Masterson, West Virginia and has a blow-out that sends her car careening off the side of the road. With her heart racing in her chest, she is relieved when the most gorgeous creature she’s ever seen stops to help and then Cassie does something she has never done in her life—make mad passionate love with a complete stranger named Eelyn M. Carmichael who has agreed to drop Cassie off for her appointment.After Mr. LeVitt’s introductions, Cassie gets an even bigger shock when Eelyn comes strolling into the room and takes a seat next to Lenora, her father’s widow. Feeling sick to her stomach and thinking her world is crashing down, Cassie does the only thing she can—she runs with no intention of looking back. The one thing Cassie forgets is that things are seldom what they seem and Eelyn M. Carmichael has already made up her mind that Cassie Reynolds is not going to be the one who got away because some things that happen in the now, can and do last forever.

A Mistletoe Moment


Natasha West - 2016
    With a big promotion on the line and the ex that broke her heart at the gathering, the chances of actual fun are slim to none. Until the end of the night, when Sam collides with Tilda Banks, a hot bartender working the party. And all it takes is a sprig of mistletoe to make sparks fly... Just before Tilda, sacked in disgrace, is thrown out by the manager, destroying the moment and the chance to exchange numbersThe next day, neither woman can shake the memory of the brief kiss and both decide to track each other down. But it's not as easy it looks.Sam and Tilda race around the city in the countdown to Christmas, dealing with warring family, job interviews and big life decisions while they try to find one another.But what if they do find each other? Was it just a mistletoe moment? Or is it something worth chasing?

Asset Management


Annette Mori - 2015
    For the past eighteen months, they have been moving the assets of the rapacious bank executives to the more deserving coffers—at least in their minds—of the poor and middle class. When a mysterious woman keeps crossing paths with Toni, sparks fly. Is it a coincidence or all part of some greater master plan? Is she friend or foe? Add the Russian mob, the FBI, and an all-female covert organization and you have the perfect recipe for danger, intrigue, and even love. Does the trio join forces with the organization? Follow the twists and turns to the explosive conclusion. Not everything is black and white. There are many shades of gray and sometimes it’s difficult to decipher who is good and who is evil. No one is all virtue or all malevolence, but sometimes love helps us rise above.

Her Night With Santa


Adriana Herrera - 2020
    For example, borrowing Santa’s secret beach villa for a solo getaway, even if it’s just for one night. And after the year she’s had, Farnaz Castillo is planning to enjoy every second she has in this gorgeous mansion. With a suitcase full of *ahem* all her favorite toys, she’s sure to have a very merry time before she has to join the rest of her family for their annual ski trip.Being the first woman to command Santa’s sleigh is exhausting work. By the time Christmas Day comes along, Kristina Kringle is usually more than ready for some solitary R&R at her Caribbean beach villa— where peace and quiet are the only thing on her agenda. But when Kristina walks into her bedroom and finds an unexpected and sexy guest making extremely good use of Santa’s California King bed, it occurs to Kristina that a night of fun with the fiery brunette is exactly what she needs.Kristina and Farnaz vow to make excellent use of their night together, but when morning comes and it’s time to say goodbye, will Santa be ready to let go of the best gift she’s ever gotten?This festive novelette is guaranteed to make your holiday reading extra naughty.

Skyclad


Max Ellendale - 2015
    Faced with difficult personal choices, will Ella break under the pressure of the existence that she's built for herself? Or will she allow Mae to lead her on a journey of self-exploration too tempting to ignore?

Thankful


Edie Bryant - 2017
    She has always tried to foster a decent relationship with her parents but despite this, there is a lot of tension between them. Tension that comes to a head when Danielle finds out that her parents have moved away from her hometown without even telling her, leaving her stranded at an empty house for the holidays. Fortunately, right across the street is Danielle's old best friend, Elise. They haven't seen each other in years, but when Elise sees Danielle alone and confused she takes hold of the opportunity to invite her to Elise's family's Thanksgiving. As grateful as Danielle is, the romantic feelings she had tried to hide for years start bubbling up inside her and she is not sure how to hold them back anymore. Needless to say, it's going to be an interesting Thanksgiving holiday. During this holiday season, Edie Bryant brings us a sweet Thanksgiving tale of love and reconnecting with those we're truly thankful for.

The X Ingredient


Roslyn Sinclair - 2019
     Laurie Holcombe is out of a job, out of luck, and out of time. When a prestigious law firm hires her as an assistant to one of its senior partners, it feels like she might finally get back on her feet. All she has to do is put up with the whims of her infuriatingly icy boss, Diana. How hard could that be? Diana Parker is Atlanta’s top lawyer and isn’t afraid to let everyone know it. She’s driven, ruthless, demanding, and stuck in a failing marriage. Too bad she can’t run her personal life as well as she runs her ordered office. When a young assistant shows up with bright blue eyes, a cute Southern accent, and a streak of pink hair, Diana’s sure she’s all wrong for the job. And yet something seems to be pulling her and Laurie Holcombe together, drawing them into a secret, thrilling dance that’s far too dangerous for a boss and employee. Can they make rules for this powerful attraction, a way to keep each other at arm’s length? But how do you resist the irresistible?

Tinsel


Kris Bryant - 2019
    Jessica Raymond isn't in love with her ex-girlfriend anymore; she just hates to emotionally limp through the holidays. When a cute gray kitten shows up on her doorstep, Jessica panics. She doesn’t have time for a pet. Finding sexy Veterinarian Dr. Taylor Mitchell intriguing isn’t part of the plan either, but both manage to turn her world upside down. Taylor Mitchell isn’t going to let a beautiful woman with a bad attitude bring her down. It’s the holidays and she’s determined to show some much-needed Christmas spirit and help a lonely cat find a good home. A few kitten-induced mishaps bring them closer and sharing the same space suddenly isn’t so bad. Chatting is actually pretty nice. Did this sweet kitten show up to help them find each other? Or is the holiday spirit to blame for their special connection?

Detour to Love


Amanda Radley - 2021
    She’ll make the trip, but she doesn’t have to like it, and she certainly doesn’t have to make nice with a stranger on a plane.Artist Lily Andersen is excited to finally meet her online crush, the only person in the world who truly gets her. She just needs to survive the eleven-hour flight from London to Japan with a testy seatmate who by turns annoys and fascinates her.Fate, upgrades, and a troupe of travelling clowns bring them together for a journey memorable for all the wrong reasons. Not only do they have nothing in common, they really can’t stand each other. But people are not always as they seem, and Celia and Lily are about to realise, there’s more than one path to love.Cover Artist: Tammy SeidickGenresContemporary / Romance

Taken by Surprise


Kenna White - 2011
    As winter gathers closer she wonders if it might finally be time to sell her getaway retreat. It’s only a few hours from Denver, true, but her career as a corporate lawyer has left her little time to enjoy it, and the years have ticked by, almost unnoticed.Snow and ice are part of Margo Tosch. She’s been on skis since she could strap them to her boots, and her love of the sport has taken her around the world. Now, as snowplow driver, ski instructor and shopkeeper, this Jill-of-all-trades has carved a life for herself and her daughter in the mountains she loves, where the isolation lets her keep her secrets to herself.When their paths cross in the high-mountain air, city-dweller Leigh is certain she has nothing in common with this rustic mountain woman named Margo. But even the frostiest of hearts can be taken by surprise.Bestselling author Kenna White warms the rugged mountains of Colorado with a smoldering love story.

A Christmas so Sweet


Liz Talley - 2018
    She has a new life, but Rose is missing one thing – someone to share it with. An opportunity Adam can’t pass up… Adam Bryan has a plan for his life, but everything changes when he gains custody of his young sister Daisy. Still, he’s determined to advance his career, and the boss’s daughter could be the perfect person to help him reach his goals. A love worth finding… As Christmas nears, old memories and new attractions intertwine, making Adam doubt what he wants in his life. Perhaps his meddling sister, sugar cookies, and the magic of a holiday festival can convince him what he’s been looking has been under his nose all along. *previously published as Second Chance Rose in Christmas Roses anthology