His plans don't change when quarterback Will Kent bets him to contact his first love and try to rekindle the flame, because his first love is happily married with two kids. What Leon didn't count on was rescuing his back-door neighbor and junior-high crush, Sadie Jones from a dog attack. His friends then double-dog-dare Leon to bring Sadie to the block party, and Leon never backs down from a dare. The dare leads to a kiss, and Leon is swept away by things he'd forgotten about Sadie. Things he didn't realized he wanted.All Sadie Jones wants is a quiet Christmas to finish her business proposal and forget her jerk of an ex, Brian. When she hears Leon and his buddies in their back yard she goes over to tell them to shut up so she can work, but ends up getting attacked by a dog, and saved by Leon. When he asks her to the block party she accepts. When he kisses her she slaps him. When he decides to make it his personal mission to help her rekindle her inspiration for writing she begins to remember why she had a crush on him all growing up, and why she keeps saying yes when he asks her out.When Sadie's ex tries to take her proposal, and Leon sends his massive Twitter following after the guy, everything falls apart. Can they put their own issues aside and salvage their budding relationship, or will the Grinch get his way?

    (Books 2.5 & 3.5) THE CHRISTMAS COTTAGE A story of love, moving on, and a dog named Louie Veterinarian Holly Thompson accepts a temporary position in Comfort Crossing in an effort to escape all things Christmas. What she finds is a small town that embraces all things Christmas and a handsome neighbor with a small son who both capture her heart. Add to that their adorable pup, and she knows the holidays are not going to be what she planned. At all. Steve Bergeron is quite content being a single father. He’s not willing to risk his heart — or his son’s — on another woman who is sure to leave them. It’s quite clear Holly will be gone by the new year. But he finds himself willing to do anything to chase away the sadness that lurks in the depths of Holly’s eyes. This isn’t part of his carefully laid out plans. At all. When an accident on Christmas Eve forces them both to question their choices, can the magic of the season warm their hearts and bring love and joy back into their lives? THE CHRISTMAS SCARF Sometimes, Christmas wishes bring their own special magic… Missy Sherwood has always wished for one thing, to be a country singer. After trying to make it for years in Nashville, she returns to her hometown of Comfort Crossing, Mississippi, feeling like a misfit and a failure. But there’s no use in telling anyone the truth just yet—she’s here for longer than the holidays, she's home for good. Right? Dylan Rivers is glad to see his old friend return to town, not only to help him with the children’s Christmas pageant, but because her homecoming sparks long-forgotten but never acted upon feelings. But there is no use in acting on those feelings, she’s soon to head back to her fabulous career in Nashville. Right? Then a stranger comes to town and has Missy re-examining her dreams. She gets one final chance at stardom, and her life-long wish is within her grasp. Is there really magic in the stranger’s scarf, or is it in the power of knowing her heart’s true wish?

    She’s stuck in a dead-end job and struggling to make ends meet when a fateful ice cream disaster results in her meeting Charlie Evans, a well-off photographer with the cutest little daughter she’s ever seen.Charlie Evans was thrust unexpectedly into fatherhood. With his roots in Pecan Grove, but an itch to get back on the road, he’s shocked when he meets the flame-haired widow. Sparks and tempers fly at their first meeting, but as time goes on, he realizes Cleo is getting under his skin. When he tries to pursue her, though, he realizes her heart is buried under layers of icy protection.Can Charlie chaw Cleo’s frozen heart in time for Christmas? Or will Cleo continue to hide her true feelings away in order to protect herself from tragedy again? Find out in this sweet Christmas romance!

    Dr. Charlie Yang has just had the strangest first date ever: Caroling, hot chocolate, and an abandoned baby in a manger. Plans with her sexy date must be put on hold as her first priority is caring for the infant. She takes on temporary guardianship, but the big surprise is that her date wants to see her again—baby and all.Dave Ricker is still finding his feet after life as a SEAL. Working in Jewell Cove puts him closer to his young daughter, and being a better dad is his first priority. But the local doc knows how to raise his temperature, too. One date—no matter how unusual—is not enough.Planner and perfectionist Charlie is learning how to “go with the flow,” and that includes falling for Dave. But she wants promises he can’t make, security he can’t offer. When the baby’s mother is located, Charlie’s world falls apart. Dave gives her comfort, but can he offer her forever, in time for a perfect Christmas?

     Julie has lived next door to the Martins her entire life, but the days of backyard barbecues and lake vacations ended six years ago. That’s when the feud began. Now, returning to her hometown for the holidays, she has to face not only her parents’ exhausting bitterness, but the agonizing realization that the irresistible guy who just asked her out is in fact a Martin, and therefore off limits. Left to choose between family loyalty and a man who just might be perfect for her, Julie decides she can date Drew as long as they keep things under wraps. But secrets have a way of coming out and love for her family may require the sacrifice of what her heart wants most. Inspired by Romeo and Juliet (but without all the death), the sweet, romantic story of Julie and Drew’s relationship will make you laugh out loud on one page and make your heart ache on the next. It’s a story about loving family, loving yourself, and loving your soulmate—and choosing which one to put first. All That Stands Between Us is a clean and wholesome contemporary romance novel for both teenagers and adults. If you’re looking for an inspirational read about a new adult returning from college for the holidays, this romantic comedy is a great read and promises to be a favorite best seller. Annette K. Larsen is one of the most popular sweet romance authors of recent years. Writing for teen and tween girls, young adults, and women alike, her books can be shared from mother to daughter to grandmother. Any book of hers would be a great gift idea for the book-loving women in your life. Whether she’s writing a historical fantasy series about princesses, or a romantic suspense thriller full of action and adventure, all of her novels have a guaranteed happy ending and plenty of swoon-worthy kisses.

    (Return to Welcome)Max Whyte moves to Welcome WA to live closer to his daughters after their mother remarries. He wants to fix up an old home, settle into his new position at an IT firm, and try not to think about turning forty alone.Burned by a single mother in the past, he vows not to get tangled with another woman with children. When he saves the life of a small boy, he finds himself tangled in more ways than he could imagine.When the boy’s mother turns out to be the perfect person to do his renovations, Max has trouble keeping his personal feelings out of their employer/employee relationship.Kaylin Simpson has returned to Welcome to give her boys the kind of home she wanted as a child. She needs a fresh, stable start and wants to run her own business. Her three-year-old twins keep her hopping, but after she finishes the renovations for Max, she hopes to have her life well in hand.Max is drawn to Kaylin and her adorable twin boys. Her wit and feisty spirit pull at his heartstrings until he realizes being a stepfather is never what he wanted.Christmas in Welcome can be a time to heal and move forward and Max and Kaylin must set aside their old hurts to allow love to blossom.

    Yet when she meets a dashing, tall, dark and handsome man at a charity event, she falls head over heels. She’s swept away with fabulous dates from a hot air balloon ride to a fantastic weekend away. Could this be forever love? Family first at all costs When Sheikh Taliq discovers his younger cousin is involved again with another gold digger, he makes plans to lure the woman away from his cousin, lavish her with attention–and trinkets–until she chooses him as a wealthy prospect. Then he will repudiate her–showing his cousin her true colors. Tangled web To Taliq’s utter astonishment, his cousin announces his engagement to another women. What of Laura? Has he been totally mistaken about her? Has he lost any chance with a woman he was growing to love?

    Stay with me. Just until I don’t need you anymore…’ When Willa Henderson flew to Chicago, she was just supposed to pack up her brother’s apartment and ship everything inside it back to LA. That included packing up his roommate's things up as well. It was a big ask, but Dave was her big brother, so Willa agreed. The last thing she was expecting was to run into said roommate - the intense German named, André Bauer, a photojournalist who was supposed to be in Afghanistan working for the next few weeks - on her first night there. She also wasn’t expecting him to throw her out on her a** without even trying to let her explain who she was and why she was there. Let’s just say it was…hate at first sight. From the moment they met, they didn’t like each other, and neither of them really had any interest in changing that fact. But one thing they did know, was that they were unequivocally attracted, and it didn’t take too long for them to collide. With both of them screwed up by their pasts, neither of them could handle a relationship if they tried - André is a self-confessed a**hole. Willa is a self-confessed commitment-phone and gets angry whenever she feels. Then there's Willa’s brother, who could very well kill André if he found out he’d slept with his sister. But, when desires go unchecked, there’s little that can change the outcome, and eventually Willa and André agreed to give in – just until they got each other out of their system. They expected it would take a week, maybe two. Then they could walk away without anyone getting hurt. Before each other, that arrangement might have worked out, but there was something there - an intensity they couldn't explain. As layers are peeled back and secrets are revealed, they find themselves in a state of need that neither was prepared for... Before You is a standalone contemporary romance with no cliffhanger and its own HEA.

    Her new job as a summer nanny to the ultra-wealthy could make all the difference.Richard manages international relations for his family’s massive candy company, and coming back to the family’s New Hampshire lake house for the summer is like coming home. But this time the house contains more than just family—his sister has brought along a nanny. A cute nanny.When circumstances pull Richard’s sister back to the West Coast, Richard and Emma agree to share responsibility for the kids.As attraction flares, Emma and Richard have to face their differences and decide: Is this just a summer sizzle, or can they each change perspective enough to make whatever’s between them last?

     Easier said than done, especially when everyone in town believes she’s the reason for the divorce between her and town Golden Boy, Lance. Two years after her divorce, and with a push from her best friend Marcus, she’s taken the plunge into the dating pool. Rachel gets more than she can handle when every date is almost too good to be true, or so it seems. Now she must choose her perfect match, between him, him, him, him and him. The Christmas Hims is a light-hearted, clean holiday romance that will make you believe that true love does exist, especially at Christmas.

    Christensen is part of the Christmas Kisses: Echo Ridge Anthology. Read the bonus sneak peek of the newest Echo Ridge addition included! Anika Fletcher hates Christmas--its promises of good tidings and hope for the future are as tinseled as the ornaments on Kenworth's Hope Tree. Despite her feelings, Anika wants to maintain her daughter's faith in the magic of the season and gladly accepts a second job working with the handsome Carlos Rodriguez to restore Kenworth's old fashioned soda fountain. Carlos is no stranger to hard times and slowly shares his life of light and joy with Anika as they work together. Just as her fragile soul begins to feel hope again, an ill-timed act of charity changes everything. Anika isn't sure who she can trust or if hope is worth nurturing--especially at Christmas when it's easy to enjoy a kiss and believe love can last longer than the season.

    As the eldest daughter of a successful businessman, she's never wanted for anything. After graduating from a prestigious college in New York, she didn't have to draft résumés or suffer through stressful job interviews. Instead she went to work for her father creating updated interiors for his hotel flipping company.The only gray cloud in Bridget's personal sky is her father's ridiculous idea that his ex-Navy pilot protégé and his daughter constitute a match made in heaven. His less-than-tactful (and downright embarrassing) attempts to force her and Graham together have made it necessary to keep her engagement to the man she does love a secret. But it's only a temporary thing. She has no doubt about her ability to bring her father around to her way of thinking.The best laid plans, right? When destiny shuffles the cards and deals out a new hand, Bridget finds herself questioning both her heart and her loyalties.

    After escaping a dead-end relationship with a celebrity, she avoids her patient's grandson, a pro football player. When Arturo gradually thaws her frozen heart, can her Christmas wish for family and affection come true? Football is Arturo De La Vega's life, but he returns to his hometown to help his ailing grandfather. Lana challenges Arturo to reach for stars of faith and love. Is Arturo's quest for glory worth crushing Lana's dreams and sacrificing his heart's true desire?

    It was a short stopover to save money for her move to Paris – until she unexpectedly inherited the local pottery painting studio. In two years she's built the business into a soaring success. Unfortunately, her love life hasn't achieved the same stellar results. So when a break-up with her two-timing boyfriend comes on the heels of an offer to buy her shop, Emily decides it's finally time to make good on the move she's only dreamed about.Ben Nichols, a head-turningly handsome outdoor adventure guide, hasn't taken his eyes off Emily since the day she started work at the shop next to his apartment. But a disastrous date two years ago plunged him deep into the friend zone. Now that Emily is single again, Ben vows to use his second chance to win her over – but then her plan to move to Paris shifts into high gear. Can he charm his way into Emily's heart before she packs her bags?Dreaming of Forever is a standalone story in the Gold Creek series. If you like sweet, small town romances that feature strong, independent women and the ruggedly handsome men who love them, this series is perfect for you.Each book can be enjoyed on its own, but if you prefer to read the series in order:Book 1: Dreaming of Forever (Emily & Ben's story)Book 2: Flirting with Forever (Megan & Blake's story)Book 3: Promise Me Forever (Grace & Zach's story)Treat yourself to a visit to Gold Creek today!

     Having grown up in the shadow of her glamorous cousin, she has resigned herself to a life of solitude. Until she attracts the attention of someone she’d never dare dream of. For Jonathan Allen, Duke of Ekhard, being back in England means the resurgence of painful memories. When a Christmas ball finds him dancing with his best friend’s sister he realizes not only that his wounds are still fresh, but also that he is undeniably attracted to her. After a riding accident leaves Isolde injured, Jonathan comes to a startling conclusion: the thought of losing her is too much to bear. When her father announces her betrothal to his business partner, Isolde is left with a terrible choice: marry him or see her whole family ruined. And then, the fates deliver the final blow in the form of a terrible rumor: Jonathan has been playing her for a fool all along... *If you like powerful Dukes, loving Duchesses and a marvelous depiction of the majestic Regency and Victorian era, then A Mistletoe Match for the White Duchess is the novel for you. This is Patricia Haverton's 4th novel, a historical Regency romance novel of 80,000 words (around 400 pages). No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a sweet happily ever after. Pick up "A Mistletoe Match for the White Duchess" today to discover Patricia's captivating story!