Excerpt: Autumn gasped as she looked up to see the third cowboy, slumping in his saddle. Blood was streaming from a wound in his left leg and had begun to dry on his chaps. His shirt was soaked with blood at the left shoulder, and more dried blood was matting the hair on his forehead, eyebrows, and cheek. “My apologies, mister,” the cowboy mumbled. “Nothin’ to apologize for, son,” Ransom said. “But you better get on down here so Doc Sullivan can look you over.” “Yes, sir,” the cowboy said. Then, as he attempted to dismount, the full depth of his weakness from injury and no...

Youthful beauty, naïve innocence, a romantic imagination thirsting for adventure…an apt description of Vaden Valmont, who would soon find the adventure and mystery she had always longed to experience…in the form of a man. A somber recluse, Ransom Lake descended from his solitary concealment in the mountains, wholly disinterested in people and their trivial affairs. And somehow, young Vaden managed to be ever in his way…either by accident or because of her own unique ability to stumble into a quandary. Yet the enigmatic Ransom Lake would involuntarily become Vaden’s unwitting tutor....

She opened her eyes and beheld, for the first time, the face of Jackson McCall. Ruggedly handsome and her noble rescuer, she knew in that moment he would forever hold captive her heart, as he then held her life in his protective arms. Yet she was a nameless beauty, haunted by wisps of visions of the past. How could she ever hope he would return the passionate, devotional love she secreted for him when her very existence was a riddle? Would Jackson McCall (handsome, fascinating, brooding) ever see her as anything more than a foundling-a burden to himself and his family? And with no memory of...

Lark Lawrence was alone. In all the world there was no one who cared for her. Still, there were worse things than independence—and Lark had grown quite capable of providing for herself. Nevertheless, as winter loomed, she suddenly found herself with no means by which to afford food and shelter—destitute. Yet, Tom Evans was a kind and compassionate man. When Lark Lawrence appeared on his porch, without pause he hired her to keep house and cook for himself and his cantankerous elder brother, Slater. And although Tom had befriended Lark first, it would be Slater Evans—handsome, brooding ...

A chambermaid in the house of Tremeshton, Faris Shayhan well knew torment, despair and trepidation. To Faris it seemed the future stretched long and desolate before her—bleak and as dark as a lonesome midnight path. Still, the moon oft casts hopeful luminosity to light one’s way. So it was that Lady Maranda Rockrimmon cast hope upon Faris—set Faris upon a different path—a path of happiness, serenity and love. Thus, Faris abandoned the tainted air of Tremeshton in favor of the amethyst sunsets of Loch Loland Castle and her new mistress Lady Rockrimmon. Further, it was on the very ...

Genieva Bankmans had willfully agreed to the arrangement. She had given her word and she would not dishonor it. But when she saw, for the first time, the man whose advertisement she had answered…she was desperately intimidated. The handsome and commanding Brevan McLean was not what she had expected. He was not the sort of man she had reconciled herself to marrying. This man, this stranger whose name Genieva now bore, was strong-willed, quick-tempered and expectant of much from his new wife. Brevan McLean did not deny he had married her for very practical reasons only. He merely wanted any...

Excerpt: “Grandma?” Cozy called as she closed the front door behind her. She inhaled a deep breath—bathing in the warm, inviting scent of banana nut bread baking in the oven. “Grandma? Are you in here?” “Cozy!” her grandma called in a loud whisper. “I’m in the kitchen. Hurry!” Cozy frowned—her heart leapt as worry consumed her for a moment. Yet, as she hurried to the kitchen to find her grandma kneeling at the window that faced the new neighbors yard, and peering out with a pair of binoculars, she exhaled a sigh of relief. “Grandma! You’re still spying on him?” ...

A man tethered by pain and guilt borne of past tragedy, A young woman with the soul of a guardian angel, And an unspeakable evil about to be unleashed. As Cricket lay in the soft comfort of her bed, continuing to let her mind nest on thoughts of how truly wonderfully attractive Texas Ranger Thibodaux was, she giggled, thinking that looking at him was more refreshing than swimming naked on a summer Sunday afternoon. He was a tall drink of water—far taller than most of the other men in town—and his shoulders were as broad as the state of Texas itself. Sky-blue eyes, bronze skin, square ...

One of the most beloved Marcia Lynn McClure books: Excerpt… “It won’t change your life ...” he said, his voice low and rich like a warm drink laced with molasses. “And it sure won’t be the best kiss you’ll ever have,” he added. Her body erupted into goose bumps as his thumb traveled slowly over her lower lip. “But I’ll try to make it worth your time ...

Angelina Hunter was seriously minded, and it was a good thing. Her father’s ranch needed a woman who could endure the strenuous work of ranch life. Since her mother’s death, Angelina had been that woman. She had no time for frivolity; no time for a less severe side of life. Not when there was so much to be done—hired hands to feed, a widower father to care for and an often ridiculously lighted-hearted younger sister to worry about. No. Angelina Hunter had no time for the things most young women her age enjoyed. And yet, Angelina had not always been so hardened. There had been a time ...

Abducted! Forcibly taken from her home in New Orleans , Cristabel Albay found herself a prisoner aboard an enemy ship—and soon thereafter, transferred into the vile hands of blood-thirsty pirates! War waged between the newly liberated United States and King George. Still, Cristabel would soon discover that British sailors were the very least of her worries—for the pirate captain, Bully Booth, owned no loyalty—no sympathy for those he captured. Yet hope was not entirely lost—for where there was found one crew of pirates—there was ever found another. Though Cristabel Albay would ...

Excerpt: Blanche’s pretty forehead puckered with a slight frown. “You don’t like Fox as much as he likes you, do you, Calliope? You’re not in love with him.” Calliope silently scolded herself for having let her countenance and words reveal her secret to Blanche. The truth was that she was not as sweet on Fox Montrose as he was on her. Yet there were secrets in her heart that could never be revealed to anyone—not even to Blanche, not even to Calliope’s own sisters. Therefore, she chose a counter maneuver with which to distract Blanche and said, “Oh, I adore Fox! I just think ...

Broken—irreparably broken. The violent deaths of her father and the young man she’d been engaged to marry, had irrevocably broken Cedar Dale’s heart. Her mother’s heart had been broken, as well—shattered by the loss of her own true love. Thus, pain and anguish—fear and despair—found Cedar Dale, and her mother Flora, returned to the small western town where life had once been happy and filled with hope. Perhaps there, Cedar and her mother would find some resemblance of truly living life—instead of merely existing. And then, a chance meeting with a dream from her past—caused...

With the sea at its side, the beautiful township of Bostchelan was home to many—including the lovely Coquette de Bellamont, her three sisters, and her beloved father. In Bostchelan, Coquette knew happiness and as much contentment as a young woman whose heart had been broken years before could know. Thus, Coquette dwelt in gladness until the day her father returned from his travels with an astonishing tale to tell. Antoine de Bellamont returned from his travels by way of Roanan bearing a tale of such great adventure to hardly be believed. Further, at the center of Antoine’s story loomed ...

THE CHILD WAS STRAWBERRY-SWEET AND LOVING…BUT THE MAN WAS FORBIDDEN FRUIT. Annette Jordan had accepted the unavoidable reality that she must toil as a governess to provide for herself. Thankfully, her charge was a joy—a vision of youthful beauty, owning a spirit of delight. But it was Annette’s employer, Lord Gareth Barrett, who proved to be the trial—for she soon found herself living in the all-too-cliché governess’s dream of having fallen desperately in love with the man who provided her wages. The child loved her, but could she endure watching hopelessly as the beautiful woman...

Broken—irreparably broken. The violent deaths of her father and the young man she’d been engaged to marry, had irrevocably broken Cedar Dale’s heart. Her mother’s heart had been broken, as well—shattered by the loss of her own true love. Thus, pain and anguish—fear and despair—found Cedar Dale, and her mother Flora, returned to the small western town where life had once been happy and filled with hope. Perhaps there, Cedar and her mother would find some resemblance of truly living life—instead of merely existing. And then, a chance meeting with a dream from her past—caused...

Excerpt: Briney heard the jingle of spurs approaching but couldn’t seem to tear her attention away from the friendly horse nuzzling her arm. It wasn’t until the person drew nearer to her and spoke that every hair on the top of her head tingled—that every inch of her flesh broke into goose bumps. “Mornin’ there, ma’am,” the rich, smooth voice greeted, the same voice that had lulled Briney to sleep on several occasions since Mrs. Fletcher’s death. “I hear you’ve come lookin’ to buy a horse.”

She opened her eyes and beheld, for the first time, the face of Jackson McCall. Ruggedly handsome and her noble rescuer, she knew in that moment he would forever hold captive her heart, as he then held her life in his protective arms. Yet she was a nameless beauty, haunted by wisps of visions of the past. How could she ever hope he would return the passionate, devotional love she secreted for him when her very existence was a riddle? Would Jackson McCall (handsome, fascinating, brooding) ever see her as anything more than a foundling-a burden to himself and his family? And with no memory of...

Lark Lawrence was alone. In all the world there was no one who cared for her. Still, there were worse things than independence—and Lark had grown quite capable of providing for herself. Nevertheless, as winter loomed, she suddenly found herself with no means by which to afford food and shelter—destitute. Yet, Tom Evans was a kind and compassionate man. When Lark Lawrence appeared on his porch, without pause he hired her to keep house and cook for himself and his cantankerous elder brother, Slater. And although Tom had befriended Lark first, it would be Slater Evans—handsome, brooding ...

Excerpt: Haven could feel her mind beginning to dizzy, felt her face was red from the strain of her body not being able to breathe. Her panicked gaze still held the fierce one of the stranger through the instruction room window, and she saw his dark brows pucker in a frown. “She’s chokin’!” Oscar hollered. “Miss Abernathy is chokin’ on a lemon drop!” “Is this one of our manners lessons, Miss Abernathy?” Nancy inquired. Again, Haven’s body attempted to gasp as, all at once, the door leading from the outside boardwalk to the instruction room burst open, splintering ...