C.J.'s Fate

Celebrate the joys of the holiday season with a trio of exquisitely crafted, richly romantic tales by three of the brightest stars in contemporary fiction. Filled with passion, drama, and a touch of magic, this festive gathering of classic Christmas stories—available for the first time in ten years—tells about the lives and loves of one unforgettable family and the enchanted heirloom that links one generation to the next.

Banner Clairmont hated the idea of her beloved Lyonsgate Plantation being sold, even to dashing Rory Stewart, who seemed to know so much about her. But as they toured the grounds before that evening's costume ball, she sensed the house welcoming the intruder, sharing its ghostly secrets. Rory was fascinated by the estate, and even more by his lovely guide. But who, he wondered aloud, were the early guests?

At first he heard only her voice in the darkness. Then, when the lights clicked on, Noah Thorne knew he was in for something just a little wild! The revelation that interior designer Alex Bennet had been a lion tamer for four years both delighted him--and put him on guard. But it was the siren look in her green eyes that promised to cage his heart forever. Alex was a woman whose past held more than one delicious secret, more than one unusual gift.

Josie Douglas came to the isolated country cottage with her research, a good alibi, and a gun. She hoped that she'd have enough time to unravel the facts behind the tragedy that, years before, had shattered her life. Instead, she found herself in a house haunted by its own dark history.

With her fallen-angel smile, Serena Jameson looked like a cross between a temptress and a teenager, but she could be gently ruthless when it came to getting Brian Ashford to make his move! The handsome industrialist was determined to play Galahad and protect her from danger--in the form of rakish playboy Joshua Long. But when Serena pleaded with Brian to teach her how to seduce a man, she ignited a primitive heat that shattered his control…and hers.

From best-selling author Kay Hooper comes a thrilling tale with a paranormal bent and a touch of romance. Cassie Neill has a powerful but troubling gift. She can see inside the minds of serial killers as they are planning their crimes. Tormented by her ability, she takes refuge in a secluded North Carolina town. But there’s no escaping her visions, and when a body surfaces just where she predicted, Cassie is suddenly a suspect.

Joanna Flynn was lucky to be alive. But when the doctors told her she would suffer no lasting effects from the near-fatal accident, they were wrong. For that night the nightmares about Caroline began. As the dreams become more torturous, Joanna sets out to investigate this mysterious woman - a journey that takes her 3,000 miles from home to a picturesque town where everybody seems to have a conflicting opinion of the woman who haunts her dreams.

Eve St. Clair desperately needs help sorting reality from her fearful imaginings when ghostly voices seem to haunt the Victorian house in Sunderland, England, that she inherited from her uncle. Online research leads to a group that claims to offer just the aid she’s seeking. But can Ransom King’s handpicked team of investigators truly banish Eve’s night terrors?

A secret government unit is formed under the oversight of Adam Harrison, famed paranormal investigator. The case: In a historic mansion in New Orleans’ French Quarter, a senator’s wife falls to her death from a balcony. Most think she jumped, distraught over the loss of her young son. Some say she was pushed. And yet others believe she was beckoned by the ghostly spirits that inhabit the house - once the site of a serial killer’s grisly work.

Decades ago in the small town of Fogg Lake, The Incident occurred: an explosion in the cave system that released unknown gases. The residents slept for two days. When they woke up they discovered that things had changed - they had changed. Some started having visions. Others heard ominous voices. And then, scientists from a mysterious government agency arrived. Determined not to become research subjects of strange experiments, the residents of Fogg Lake blamed their "hallucinations" on food poisoning, and the story worked. Now the eerie effects are showing up in Fogg Lake descendants.

Enjoy two classic Western romances from New York Times best-selling author Diana Palmer! Maggie's Dad: Hot-tempered rancher Powell Long had once stolen Antonia Hayes’ heart. But their love had faced too many obstacles, and Antonia fled. Now she’s back, finding Powell raising a daughter alone. Champagne Girl: Though Catherine Blake maintained a carefree facade, a sense of duty to her widowed mother brought her back home to the family ranch. Once she's there, Matt Kincaid wants her to stay under his watchful eye.

Abby Clark is sick of being treated like a child. Sure, handsome Calhoun Ballenger and his brother took her in when she was just a girl, but that was a long time ago. She's not like the worldly girlfriends Calhoun usually dates, but Abby is determined to win his heart. Can she show the man of her dreams she could be the woman he's always wanted? Shelby Jacobs never meant to hurt Justin Ballenger when she broke their engagement—and his heart—six years ago. Truth is, she loves him more than ever…and she'd had her reasons for pushing him away.

Can love survive the ultimate test? Brett Rutland, Carter Engineering's top troubleshooter, is sent to the L.A. office to crack a case of embezzlement. Brett's a hard man, so it hit him like a sledgehammer when he fell in love with Tessa Conway. Half the men in the office had been in love with her for years, but Brett was the first she'd loved in return. Their love is perfect, too perfect to last. And when Brett discovers the identity of the embezzler, his whole world is about to come crashing down.

Sharon Harrison and Tony Morelli were never able to control the powerful chemistry between them. It led first to heart-stopping passion, then to marriage and children. They thought they had it all, but under pressure their happy home became an explosive battleground. Even divorce, however, can't completely separate them. Spending alternate days in their home with their children, they have an unorthodox arrangement that keeps them in close contact. And keeps the desire alive...

When renowned anthropologist Kasey Wyatt agreed to help best-selling writer Jordan Taylor research his next novel, she expected long hours of work and discussion - what she gets are nights full of passion and a love that takes her completely by surprise.

With her fallen-angel smile, Serena Jameson looked like a cross between a temptress and a teenager, but she could be gently ruthless when it came to getting Brian Ashford to make his move! The handsome industrialist was determined to play Galahad and protect her from danger--in the form of rakish playboy Joshua Long. But when Serena pleaded with Brian to teach her how to seduce a man, she ignited a primitive heat that shattered his control…and hers.

Can love survive the ultimate test? Brett Rutland, Carter Engineering's top troubleshooter, is sent to the L.A. office to crack a case of embezzlement. Brett's a hard man, so it hit him like a sledgehammer when he fell in love with Tessa Conway. Half the men in the office had been in love with her for years, but Brett was the first she'd loved in return. Their love is perfect, too perfect to last. And when Brett discovers the identity of the embezzler, his whole world is about to come crashing down.

Sharon Harrison and Tony Morelli were never able to control the powerful chemistry between them. It led first to heart-stopping passion, then to marriage and children. They thought they had it all, but under pressure their happy home became an explosive battleground. Even divorce, however, can't completely separate them. Spending alternate days in their home with their children, they have an unorthodox arrangement that keeps them in close contact. And keeps the desire alive...

For artist and free spirit Naomi Logan, sexy radio call-in host Rufus Meade is the wrong man at the wrong time. His conservative views drive her crazy—especially his theories about working women. But after telling him what she thinks—on the air—the last thing she expects is to see him standing on her doorstep…handsome, outspoken and sexier than any man has a right to be.

After a terrible accident, Blake Remington struggles to regain the ability to walk. Therapist Dione Kelly is his final hope - if he can bring himself to trust the woman whose past is shrouded in mystery. Dione's soul is as paralyzed as Blake's body. Dione wants only to help Blake recover, but as his strength returns, so does his desire to unearth her secrets. When they give in to the passion that flares between them, Dione just might find that her patient is the only one who can heal her private pain.

Idealistic good girl Madelyn Grayson believes in doing what's right. Even as a high-powered executive in the mad world of advertising, she doesn' t cut corners, making her ad campaigns sizzle without having to burn anyone along the way. Rival exec Zack Douglas never wastes an opportunity to land the next big deal - especially when it benefits him. A bad boy with a reputation to match, he has no qualms about doing whatever it takes to get ahead, no matter who gets in the way.

Home alone on the night of her 25th birthday, Air Force Sergeant Christine Canady yearned for something to cure her loneliness. After drinking too much champagne, she recited a divine invocation to revive her humdrum life. But how was she to know the spell would actually work? When her plane crashes into the ocean, CC's life changes forever. She awakens, bewildered, to find herself in a legendary time and place ruled by magic - and in the body of the mythic mermaid Undine.

After her marriage ends in bitter divorce, all Lorren Jacobs wants is to leave California behind. Returning to her roots in Texas seems to be just what the doctor ordered...until she meets real-life physician Justin Madaris. Lorren has vowed never to give her heart to another man, but she can't stop herself from responding to the handsome widower's sensuous whispers of love. Justin thought no woman could ever move him as deeply as his wife had. Until Lorren.

Devon Carter was her first; now newly wed Ashley wants their passion to last. But her dreams of true love are crushed by the discovery that their marriage is another of Daddy's business deals. Her strategy: act the part of perfect wife and make Devon love her. But Devon misses the bubbly, no-holds-barred woman his wife used to be. Who is this Ashley with the steely demeanor of a society wife? And will he find a way to rekindle the fire in her eyes...especially now that she's pregnant?

No one had ever looked at her and seen perfection - until now. Delicate, titian-haired Theresa Noble has met her father’s associates in the past, but the gorgeous, Italian-born Sandro De Lucci leaves her speechless. Eighteen months into their marriage, however, Sandro has turned to ice. Desperate to escape a relationship that has proven to be as stubbornly passionate as it is cold and hateful, Theresa summons up the courage to ask for a divorce. But before he’ll grant her request, Sandro demands something from Theresa: a son.

Mystery writer Kimberly Sawyer lives alone and likes it that way. But when she is threatened by a hooded figure, and a blood-red rose with a needle thrust into its heart is left on her doorstep, she knows she needs protection. So it seems like perfect timing when Napa Valley vineyard owner Darius Cavenaugh returns to Kimberly's life, offering help and a place to stay. But how did he know she needed him? Was it the deep, intuitive intimacy of a soulmate... or was it witchcraft?

From Romance Writers of America comes a never-before-published collection of tales that showcases the breadth and complexity of the world's most popular genre of fiction!

Working late is nothing new for tycoon Alex - and it's the perfect excuse to get close to office-cleaner Rosie Gray. He's promised his ailing godfather he'll discover whether his long-lost granddaughter is a worthy heir. Intoxicated by the after-hours attention of this mysterious, suave businessman, Rosie finds her dreams destroyed with the slamming of the bedroom door on their one-night stand. Discovering she's pregnant, she goes to confront him - but no one at work has heard of Alex Kolovos.

Mark Holbrook was a legend. A tall, rugged, imposing legend. He'd won a Pulitzer, interviewed kings and queens, presidents, and movie stars. Carly Barnett, on the other hand, was a former-beauty-queen-turned-advice-columnist. Not exactly on the same level. Still, Carly was determined to prove that she was more than a pretty face. Mark wasn't sure the beautiful and spirited Carly had what it took to be a reporter, but he was sure that he wanted her. And Mark never denied himself what he wanted.

Was it her biker boots, her belligerent blue jeans...or her mean left hook? Jason Halloran never knew what hit him. But just as his perfectly predictable life seemed to be going nowhere, sassy, street-smart Dana Roberts began driving him up a wall! Dana Roberts had been on her own since age sixteen, and she intended to keep it that way. The last thing she wanted was some sexy, rich corporate VP playing Prince Charming and making her his helpless Cinderella. But what would she do if the shoe fit?

In the isolated sanctuary of her Montana ranch, no one could hurt Brooke Kennedy, whose gift had led her to build walls of ice around her heart. One person had stormed those barricades: her friend Pepper, who embraced the world and meddled in the lives of those she loved. Now Brooke needed help, and Pepper sent troubleshooter Cody Nash to melt the barriers Brooke had raised.

Joanna Flynn was lucky to be alive. But when the doctors told her she would suffer no lasting effects from the near-fatal accident, they were wrong. For that night the nightmares about Caroline began. As the dreams become more torturous, Joanna sets out to investigate this mysterious woman - a journey that takes her 3,000 miles from home to a picturesque town where everybody seems to have a conflicting opinion of the woman who haunts her dreams.

What she was doing was immoral, illegal, and could easily get her killed—but Troy Bennett wasn't apologizing to anyone. She'd been caught red-handed in the middle of a felony and she couldn't have picked a more dangerous man to be holding her fate in his hands. Not that straitlaced businessman Dallas Cameron intended to turn her over to the law. He had far more devious intentions for the sexy cat burglar.

From best-selling author Kay Hooper comes a thrilling tale with a paranormal bent and a touch of romance. Cassie Neill has a powerful but troubling gift. She can see inside the minds of serial killers as they are planning their crimes. Tormented by her ability, she takes refuge in a secluded North Carolina town. But there’s no escaping her visions, and when a body surfaces just where she predicted, Cassie is suddenly a suspect.

At first he heard only her voice in the darkness. Then, when the lights clicked on, Noah Thorne knew he was in for something just a little wild! The revelation that interior designer Alex Bennet had been a lion tamer for four years both delighted him--and put him on guard. But it was the siren look in her green eyes that promised to cage his heart forever. Alex was a woman whose past held more than one delicious secret, more than one unusual gift.