Last in the New Orleans Nights series, in which psychologist Daphne Brookes gets too chose to some of the teen clients she meets with every week and sLast in the New Orleans Nights series, in which psychologist Daphne Brookes gets too chose to some of the teen clients she meets with every week and suspects they may be involved in voodoo such that they are in danger.
Keeping them safe may be her first intention, but not dying from poison soon becomes artist Skeeter Harwood's job. He's in love with Daffy, but he can't seem to convince her that commitment to him isn't a bad idea. After all, what she observed between her parents has definitely scarred her and convinced her that relationships are not for her.
Who will win out here? The voodoo queen who is really engaging in criminal activity under the guise of those voodoo gatherings? Will Daffy succumb to that poison? Will Skeeter convince her that they should be married? Great way to end a good series....more
Second in the New Orleans Nights series, in which psychologist Antoinette Deveraux is asked to hypnotize a young child after she is rescued from a higSecond in the New Orleans Nights series, in which psychologist Antoinette Deveraux is asked to hypnotize a young child after she is rescued from a high-rise fire. Detective Sam Long wants to know if the child can provide him clues to identifying the arsonist. But what is discovered brings the criminal much closer to his bayou family members than he wants to consider.
Then there's the attraction between Antoinette and Sam that neither feels will go anywhere. Not that she doesn't want it to. But Sam has convinced himself that he's not marriage material and rather than hurt Antoinette, he is determined to push her away. Until he can't.
But will he be too late to save her when she happens upon the people who caused the previous fire after she's been dropped off in a mini-island in the middle of the bayou and a storm is coming her way? Intriguing characters throughout....more
First in the New Orleans Nights series, in which psychologist Joshua Martane becomes too close to his patient, a young woman found near death who has First in the New Orleans Nights series, in which psychologist Joshua Martane becomes too close to his patient, a young woman found near death who has no idea who she is or why she was found where the police discovered her.
As Joshua tries to help "Maggie" recover her memory, both discover that their past experiences continue to prevent them from moving forward until a series of events that increase her danger also place him in the cross-hairs of the criminal intent on killing Maggie.
But when her memory suddenly returns, the discovery that her wealthy father is not dead also serves as a fence around Maggie and what she wants. Or will she break free at last? And will Josh show her how he really feels about her or hold off in order not to be hurt again?...more
What makes a mother or even a grandmother? The birth of a baby triggers questions about who is a mother and who is not but could be. After Graham's deWhat makes a mother or even a grandmother? The birth of a baby triggers questions about who is a mother and who is not but could be. After Graham's death, Lilia and Marina each vie to become or remain little Toby's guardian and maybe mother, in spite of the interferences by Ellen, who never really knew how to mother but now wants to be grandmother to Toby. But can she? Should she? And what about Marina? After all, she gave up the baby early on. Does she deserve a second chance with him?
For all that angst, the strength of Lilia as she works through what she's going to do shines through. A story that is a testament to graciousness, to a willingness to share. But is she making a mistake?...more
Cassie Costas is desperate to reconnect with her stepdaughter after the death of the girl's father and her husband and returning to the town where CasCassie Costas is desperate to reconnect with her stepdaughter after the death of the girl's father and her husband and returning to the town where Cassie grew up--with her large Greek family around--is part of her chance to do so. Not that Savannah appreciates her efforts. And when her actions result in the moving into their house a single mom, Amber, and her teen son, Will, Savannah is certain her life will never be normal again.
Over time, the two teens decide that finding Will's father--whom her mother tells him precious little about--will be their goal. But little do they know that doing so may place everyone in danger. And when that danger suddenly shows up at the restaurant Savannah's great-grandmother owns, will anyone come out of it alive? A compelling tale of the many complications that link people in myriad ways....more
Another in the Four Corners Ranch series, in which Rory Sullivan decides to prove to everyone else (and maybe even herself) that she isn't the invisibAnother in the Four Corners Ranch series, in which Rory Sullivan decides to prove to everyone else (and maybe even herself) that she isn't the invisible person she has felt she has been all her life. When the hero of Pyrite Falls, Gideon Payne, comes home to buy back the ranch where he was raised before he left for the Army, Gideon encounters Rory, who has had a secret crush on him since their school days, something he never really knew or acknowledged.
But that was then; now he's a very different person and she wants to be a different person, too. But what soon becomes clear is that they each begin to help the other achieve the goals they've set for themselves without really know what those goals might be. But then Rory takes a job in Boston; will she leave Four Corners Ranch and take that job when she really prefers to stay home and what is Gideon going to do about her departure now that he realizes his life isn't the same without her?...more
Frankie Lane is everybody's helper. Whether they want it or not, particularly in the area of finding their forever person. Trouble is, she isn't helpiFrankie Lane is everybody's helper. Whether they want it or not, particularly in the area of finding their forever person. Trouble is, she isn't helping herself and soon begins to see that her help isn't always what is truly helpful. Then she learns that her employee begins to come out of her shell--with Frankie's help--but directs her gaze on the very man that Frankie considers her best male friend. And Mitch seems to reciprocate Elinor's interest. Now what is Frankie going to do? Roll over and lose her best friend, or fight through the fears that have held her back for so many years since her late husband's death?
Tons of fun when the myriad thoughts of so many characters are revealed for belly laughs and insightful consideration....more
Another in the Painted Pony Creek series, in which Tessa Stafford thinks she's finally found a place where she can raise her 5-year-old daughter safelAnother in the Painted Pony Creek series, in which Tessa Stafford thinks she's finally found a place where she can raise her 5-year-old daughter safely, away from the grasping attempts of the baby daddy's stepmother. But staying there could be difficult, even though the chief of police assures her she's safe there and helps her find a waitress job and place to stay.
Jesse McKettrick also insists he'll keep her safe, even as he admits why he, a lawyer and rancher, really prefers to build things. But will he stay in Painted Pony Creek after his work for his brother is completed? Will Tessa's presence there change his mind about moving on?...more
Another in the Heroes of Dunbar Mountain series, in which bar owner, Shay Barnaby, is immediately attracted to Carli Walsh, an administrator at the elAnother in the Heroes of Dunbar Mountain series, in which bar owner, Shay Barnaby, is immediately attracted to Carli Walsh, an administrator at the elementary school that his new ward attends. That little boy becomes the catalyst for a continued relationship between Shay and Carli, even though both insist that they are just friends who care about the grieving child who misses his recently killed parents. The question then becomes, can Carli get closer to the child without also admitting what she wants with Shay? And can Shay see the error of his ways re: women before it's too late?...more
First in the Haw Springs Romance series, in which advertising phenom, Morgan West, comes home to help obtain funds that will enable Decker McBride to First in the Haw Springs Romance series, in which advertising phenom, Morgan West, comes home to help obtain funds that will enable Decker McBride to keep his therapeutic equine program going in exchange for getting special help for her 4-year-old son, who has autism.
But it's harder than she imagined when she realizes that the owner of the program is also the man she first fell in love with in high school and then lose when she went to college. Well, not exactly lost. He broke up with her out of fear that what happened with his mother would also happen with Morgan.
Now that they are together again--at least professionally--can he come clean about his fears and move forward with what he really wants with Morgan? Or will she go back to St. Louis and try to forget Decker? ...more
Another in the Meet Me at Niagara Falls series, in which wedding planner Minerva Lark decides to add matchmaking to her services with disastrous resulAnother in the Meet Me at Niagara Falls series, in which wedding planner Minerva Lark decides to add matchmaking to her services with disastrous results, so she decides to try again when park ranger Grant Hampton asks her to find him a plus-one date for his mother's upcoming nuptials. Sounds simple, right?
But Minnie finds herself beginning to think of Grant as more than a client and that will never do! After all, Grant is determined not to get involved personally with any woman after his disastrous divorce that robbed him of his wife and also his dog and convinced him he couldn't love anyone. Now he's beginning to think that Minnie is a lot closer to the woman he might fall for than the women she manages to set up for him for trial dates. What's a guy to do? And how can wedding planner extraordinaire stop wanting to do more than plan dates for the client she secretly prefers for herself?...more
Another in the Heroes of the Rockies series, in which widow Gina Williams is intent on keeping her three children safe even as she struggles to find aAnother in the Heroes of the Rockies series, in which widow Gina Williams is intent on keeping her three children safe even as she struggles to find a job that will give her time with her children. Thank goodness for her brother, his wife, and her mother, who have taken in the four Williams's.
But when Gina loses her parttime job, she's offered a better one when Ranger Ewan McAllister finds out she's available and she bakes great pies and other goodies. Perfect to help out his grandmother at her shop. But he helps run a center near the mountains that hold nothing but terror for Gina, given that her husband was killed in an avalanche while skiing with his pals.
How can she get over her fears and stop instilling in her children fears for the outdoors, too? That's where Ewan comes in. His approach is to teach the kids about things that might keep them safe or help them survive. But will Gina allow it? And will she ever let go of the fears that have governed her life after losing her spouse?...more
Will Lark Smith find her way after she's kicked off the Oncology service and bumped down to the ER because she weeps too much when her patient dies? MWill Lark Smith find her way after she's kicked off the Oncology service and bumped down to the ER because she weeps too much when her patient dies? Maybe, maybe not. Then she's approached by the unapproachable Dr. Satan, a surgeon renown for his skills with the scalpel and his inability to connect with people. But, he needs a fake girlfriend on his arm at his sister's upcoming wedding to make his dying grandmother happy, and Lark agrees. Not because Lorenzo's offer is something she likes; no, she feels badly for the grandmother.
Thus begins a journey that includes rethinking why she wants to be an oncologist, how that decision is linked to what happened to the little boy who took her to the nurse's office in kindergarten and what it means for her life when she is suddenly confronted by the firefighter who helped her when she most needed it and who happens to be Lorenzo's sometimes estranged brother. Oh my. What a story. ...more
Is divorce the end? Not necessarily, but writer Darla Manning learned from her mother that men can't be trusted, even as her heart tells her that NickIs divorce the end? Not necessarily, but writer Darla Manning learned from her mother that men can't be trusted, even as her heart tells her that Nick Cammareri is the exception to that rule.
As if that weren't enough to keep Darla up at night, her previous cancer diagnosis continues to plague her when she's asked to speak with a young woman newly diagnosed with the same cancer Darla has beaten. And when her latest mammogram shows something bothersome, Darla's fears escalate just as she's begun to think that she and Nick may really have a future after all.
What to do with all this angst? Nick doesn't give up on Darla, but will Darla give up once and for all on Nick?...more
Second in the Seashell Harbor series, in which widow Kit Blakemore needs to move on by moving out of her parents' home and moving forward with gettingSecond in the Seashell Harbor series, in which widow Kit Blakemore needs to move on by moving out of her parents' home and moving forward with getting her degree while caring for her 5-year-old, soon to begin kindergarten. What would help with all this is selling the fixer-upper Victorian that she inherited. But it needs to be repaired before going on the market.
Alex de la Cruz is home now after completing his Air Force deployment and time and is determined to honor his best friend's memory, Kit's late husband, by helping her to fix up the house. In doing so, both have to deal with feelings they have for each other, but can Kit let go of her husband's memory enough to love again? And, can Alex come clean with why he feels so guilty about Carson's death?...more
First in the Seashell Harbor series, in which PR professional Hadley Wells comes home to get over being publicly dumped by the Hollywood heartthrob shFirst in the Seashell Harbor series, in which PR professional Hadley Wells comes home to get over being publicly dumped by the Hollywood heartthrob she thought was her forever love. Once home, she runs into Tony Cammareri, her first love in high school, who's home to complete the healing of the injury that ended his pro football career. Now he's eager to build a restaurant as part of his new life, but the building he wants is owned by Hadley's grandmother, and Hadley doesn't want her to sell, especially not to Tony.
How this gets all worked out makes for a charming second-chance romance for more than Hadley and Tony. What remains to be seen/read about is who will be the next couple focused on in this series. Time to read the next installment in the series....more
Another in the Blue Cedar Falls series, in which Zoe's had a crush on Devin for years, but doesn't dare admit it to her mother, who insists that Zoe gAnother in the Blue Cedar Falls series, in which Zoe's had a crush on Devin for years, but doesn't dare admit it to her mother, who insists that Zoe get a good job and live a comfortable middle-class life, unlike what she endured after immigrating from China to the USA.
Devin has always liked Zoe, but he knows Zoe's big brother and Devin's best friend, would kill him if he knew how Devin really feels about Zoe.
But then they admit to each other how they feel. And then Uncle Arthur has a heart attack, which becomes the conduit that reveals their romance. How will the various family members react?...more
Talk about unexpected relationships, tangled and difficult ones as well as loving ones, and complicated even more by occurring during the Christmas hoTalk about unexpected relationships, tangled and difficult ones as well as loving ones, and complicated even more by occurring during the Christmas holidays when all are (mostly) stuck in a big cabin/house with snowstorms blowing outside.
Truly what seems to become a nightmare of increasing proportions as more and more people show up (some expected, others not so much), also begins to evolve into more caring and understanding. That is, all but Julie who insists on denying her feelings for Heath when he breaks her rule by declaring that he's in love with her. He's 12 years younger than her; but is that such a bad thing? And why can't Julie see that he's what she needs, even if she refuses to see it. Will all the other people in the cabin convince her otherwise?...more
Another in the Cowboy Brothers in Arms series, in which Lt. Col. Cal Donnelly is on leave before deciding if he will go back into the military after tAnother in the Cowboy Brothers in Arms series, in which Lt. Col. Cal Donnelly is on leave before deciding if he will go back into the military after the near-fatal suicide attempt of one of his childhood friends and military competitor. Coming home also means not only telling his family of his plans but also delivering a Dear John letter to a family friend for another of his military buddies (also a friend since they were children).
But when he sees Charlotte, it's clear to both of them that what previously was a friendship is now more than that, something neither of them acknowledged when Charlotte was with Noah. So... what are they going to do now? Especially in the face of Charlotte's decision to create a special Care B&B for wounded veterans needing time to heal away from their families? And how are his family, hers, and Noah going to deal with the decisions Cal and Charlotte must now make?...more
Occurring before the start of the Ukraine invasion by Russia, Medic Dare Mazur and Captain Ram Kozak have served together previously, but now their atOccurring before the start of the Ukraine invasion by Russia, Medic Dare Mazur and Captain Ram Kozak have served together previously, but now their attraction renders further sharing dangers if it means they can't concentrate on their military duties, particularly in a war zone.
Then they are called into the CO's office and their circumstances change in the face of the impending war. But will it be a good or bad change? And how might that affect how they feel about each other and what they want for themselves and each other?...more