Donna Alward

The first time Laurel kissed Aiden she was five. The second time Aiden kissed Laurel he was 18. Now adults, who will make the first move for a love of a lifetime?

Somebody Like You

Alexis Grayson is good at looking after herself--she's beendoing it all her life. So what if she's alone and pregnant?She'll cope! But gorgeous cowboy Connor Madsen seemsdetermined to take care of her. And Alexis can help him--he needs a temporary wife; she needs somewhere to liveuntil the baby's born. A short-term marriage will solve alltheir difficulties! As Alexis gets to know the courageous, honorableConnor, she realizes that she might have made thebiggest mistake of her life. Because all this wife-for-hire wants is a marriage for real!

Hired by the Cowboy

Prince Diego Navarro is the “spare” to his brother's "heir". While Raoul performs his crown prince duties with the appropriate sense of nobility and poise, Diego’s garnered a bit of a reputation as a playboy - despite the good he does behind the scenes with his favorite charities. But when tragedy strikes and his sister-in-law is killed in a car accident, Diego knows it's time for the playboy to step up. If not for his brother, then for his niece and nephew, who now find themselves without a mother. Which is where Rose Walters comes in. Rose isn't intimidated by money or glitz. The veteran nanny has worked for the rich and minimally famous, but a manor house is no comparison to a castle... or the handsome princes who live there. However, the worst thing she could possibly do is fall for the gorgeous playboy with a surprising heart of gold. He’s a prince; she’s the help. He lives in the tabloids; she loves her privacy. But when her two darling charges start to play matchmaker, Diego and Rose don’t stand a chance. The Playboy Prince and the Nanny is the first book in Donna Alward's royal duology.

The Playboy Prince and the Nanny

The playboy not looking for forever is about to meet his match when his best friend's little sister whirls back into his life with a cute and cuddly dog. What man could resist?

A Darling, VT Novel

Somebody's Baby

A Crown Prince gets a second chance at love with the woman who’s always been there - in the next book in the prince duology from Donna Alward! The Crown Prince of Marazur is suffering from a broken heart. After losing his wife and future queen, he knows he’ll never find love again with a partner as wonderful as her. He’s thrown himself into his duties and is trying to be a better father to his two children, but he’s lonely. Even though falling in love seems impossible, so does spending the rest of his life alone. Stephani has been Raoul’s assistant for years. Smart, loyal, and discreet, Stephani is fantastic at her job. Except for the fact that she’s been in love with her boss since her first week of employment, not that she would ever act on it. Besides, Raoul is first in line to the throne and she’s his assistant. If Raoul ever marries again, it’ll be with someone who can be a future queen. Not someone like Stephani. When Raoul’s date for a state dinner is unable to attend, he invites Stephani. She’s well-versed on the issues and castle protocol, and Raoul’s always been comfortable with her. But when Stephani arrives, Raoul hardly recognizes her. Is this stunning woman the same one who’s run his office for years? The Crown Prince’s Bride is the ultimate fairy tale for readers looking for Cinderella to get her prince—and be able to keep him past midnight.

The Crown Prince's Bride

Jennifer Crusie

Mandy Baxter

Previously published stories from New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Crusie, Mandy Baxter, and Donna Alward, these hot romantic stories share the spirit of love this season. It’s the most wonderful time of the year, when love is in the cold and frosty air—and desire reaches the boiling point... Hot Toy From New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Crusie comes a hilarious, sexy story about a determined shopper who grabs the last action figure off the shelf, only to find herself plunged into the arms of a sexy secret agent. Mayhem under the mistletoe ensues. Business as usual this Christmas season...right? Christmas with the Billionaire Rancher Nate wants to stay away from all the women who want his money in Mandy Baxter’s story set deep in the heart of Texas. But when gorgeous do-gooder Chloe Benson comes knocking at his door—in search of funds for her charity—Nate can’t ignore the passion he feels for her. Maybe love is priceless after all? Christmas at Seashell Cottage ’Tis the season in Jewell Cove when local doctor Charlie Yang finds her quiet, steady life disrupted by both an abandoned baby in the nativity manger and ex-SEAL Dave Ricker. Are these turn of events too good to be true? Or is Christmas working its magic—for real?

Three Holiday Stories

It Must Be Christmas

What do you do when the boy next door turns out to be the only man you've ever loved? When her sister is badly injured, Molly Schaeffer rushes home to look after her niece, Sara. Discovering that her ex, Jason, is living next door makes the task nearly impossible. Six years ago they'd been almost a family. He'd had their lives all mapped out - where they'd go to school, the house, the number of kids they'd have - but Molly refused his ring and broke off the relationship to pursue her own dreams. The last thing Jason expects is to have feelings for the woman who broke his heart so completely when she chose her career over a life together, but clearly things weren't as over as they thought. She's only home for a few weeks and they both know she's going back to her successful career. Still, neither manage to keep their distance as old sparks ignite a new flame. Can they learn from past mistakes and give their love a second chance, or is this goodbye for good?

Almost a Family

Rancher Bachelor

With shades of It’s a Wonderful Life, one man must face his past to find his future this Christmas. In the last year, George's life has drastically changed. The formerly homeless veteran now has a job he likes, a family in the residents of Darling, VT, and for the first time in years, a home. But while his present is good, he's still haunted by the past, a past that appears shortly before Christmas when the older sister of his brother-in-arms hunts him down and finds him in Darling, working at the Ladybug Garden Center. Amy’s looking for closure for her family after her brother's death in the Middle East, but the serious man she finds working in Vermont doesn’t resemble the soldier she remembers from years before. This man is hardened and yet somehow fragile, too, and in her desire to find out what really happened to her brother, she learns more about George than she ever expected. With a little Christmas magic and the whole town supporting them, can these two bruised hearts make a future together?

A Darling, VT Christmas Romance Novella

Deck the Halls

When Jonas Kirkpatrick left for the Special Forces six years ago, he left Shannyn with more than a broken heart. Pregnant and alone, Shannyn built a life for herself and their daughter. The last thing she wanted was for Jonas to come back out of obligation or worse, have to tell her daughter that her father was never coming back at all. But now Jonas has returned to the local base, no longer on active duty, and Shannyn's secret is out. And even if Jonas could possibly forgive her, he's not the same man who said goodbye all those years ago… An injury pulled Jonas from active duty as a special forces sniper, but adjusting to a new training position isn't the worst thing he has to deal with. He still isn't over the incident that nearly cost him his life, and now he discovers he's a father. He's angry with Shannyn and still having flashbacks, but the one bright spot is his sweet daughter Emma. His life might be a mess, but he wants to be a good dad. And that means seeing Shannyn and remembering how amazing it was between them that long-ago summer. Visitation means Shannyn and Jonas are spending more time together, and it's soon clear that their earlier chemistry is still off the charts. But Shannyn knows when Jonas is fully healed he's likely to leave again, and Jonas doesn't believe he deserves happiness. Can they find their way to a second chance, or are some wounds too deep to truly heal?

Back in the Soldier's Bed

Lily Germaine was expecting a best man...and got a brooding cowboy. Ex-soldier Noah Laramie left part of himself on the battlefield, and coming home to Lazy L Ranch feels too much like a consolation prize. Seeing his brother step into marital bliss isn't helping, either. Until he meets stubborn, beautiful Lily, the maid of honor and the woman who makes him feel alive again. Lily has worked hard to build a home for herself and a place in the community. Love was never in her plans, but Noah's strength in the face of adversity has her falling fast. A career opportunity would provide Noah with a sense of worth again, but is Lily brave enough to face this new challenge with him?

Cowboy's Heart

For Ella, marrying Devin had seemed like a good idea 12 years ago. Now it's time to put her past behind her. When she sees Devin standing on a charity auction block, she decides it's the perfect opportunity to finally get his signature on the divorce papers he never signed.

Sold to the Highest Bidder

"The latest offering in the Darling, Vermont series is an emotionally poignant, can’t-put-it-down, opposites-attract tearjerker. A true treasure from page one to the beautiful, touching ending. Alward’s witty dialogue drives this powerful tale, but it’s her little boy costars and her paradoxical, damaged hero and heroine that make hearts sing and rule every page of this sweet and steamy love story." - RT Bookreviews Top Pick! on Someone to Love SOME WISHES DO COME TRUE Ethan Gallagher is a firefighter in Darling, Vermont, who followed tradition and pledged his love on the Kissing Bridge to ensure lifelong happiness. A few years later, he’s a widower with two rambunctious boys who no longer believes in magic. But even he has to admit that free-spirited Willow Dunaway fills him with wonder...and an attraction he cannot deny. Willow’s come back to Darling a different girl than the one who left after high school. Overcoming her past and owning her own business has made her into a strong, independent woman. Single dad Ethan appeals to her in a way she didn’t expect, even though settling down is the last thing on her mind. But after fire destroys the local food bank, the town rallies, and a fling between Ethan and Willow leads to unintended consequences. Can they find a way out of their heartbreak to make a home in each other’s hearts?

Someone to Love

After a hard day's ranching, Wyatt Black wants to kick back with a cold beer. But when he steps onto his porch, he has unexpected company—his tiny abandoned niece! Against her better judgment, Wyatt's neighbor Elli Marchuk agrees to help him for a few days. Elli soon falls in love with baby Darcy, but it's the child's grouchy, gorgeous protector who's got her head over heels….

Proud Rancher, Precious Bundle

Welcome back to Jewell Cove with this heartwarming novella, where this holiday season, there happens to be no room at the inn... When a December Nor'easter roars up the eastern seaboard, Jewell Cove cop Todd Smith spends his day off being a Good Samaritan to stranded holiday travelers. But when the roads close and Todd can't make his way home, he discovers that the Evergreen Inn is full up. Until another Good Samaritan opens her doors and offers him a place to stay... Lainey Price is not looking forward to Christmas, but just because she's not filled with the holiday spirit doesn't mean she's going to turn Todd out into the stormy night. Even if it means offering the handsome police officer the couch in her tiny cottage. But when the weather takes a turn for the worse, the two are snowed in for a wintry evening by the fire. With Christmas only a few days away, can Todd convince Lainey to open her heart to the season...and love?

A Jewell Cove Story

Christmas at Evergreen Inn

A week before Christmas, city girl Hope McKinnon finds herself snowbound with rugged rancher and all round do-gooder Blake Nelson. What is it about this handsome, generous man that has her blood boiling and her pulse racing? Blake knows his ranch is the last place that Hope wants to be, but somehow her presence feels so right! Hope is the first woman guarded Blake has wanted to be around for a long time. Her visit may be temporary, but he has one more night to convince her to stay….

Sleigh Ride with the Rancher

When a young woman inherits a rundown mansion, the last thing she expects to find is the key to her heart... Abby Foster is a fish out of water in the Maine coastal town of Jewell Cove. The crumbling Foster estate, left to her by a relative she never even knew, has everyone's eyes on her—an eerie reminder of the long-buried family secrets that have haunted her...forever. Single, stunning, and sometimes too strong-willed for her own good, Abby's plan is to sell the house and hightail it back to Nova Scotia. But another part of her is intrigued by the idea of starting over somewhere new—and finally learning the truth about her heritage. THE HOUSE ON BLACKBERRY HILL Enter Tom Arseneault. The best contractor in Jewell Cove, Tom is determined to restore the beauty and prestige of the Foster mansion—and maybe even work his charms on its beautiful new heir. The attraction between him and Abby is undeniable, and the more time Tom spends on the house the more he wants to be in it with her. But Abby's not sure she can trust him—or anyone in Jewell Cove who seems to know more about her family history than she does. Home: Is it really where the heart is after all? "Oh, my silly heart be still. This is a wonderful romance, packed with family drama, a sexy hero, an incredible old house. You'll fall in love from the very first page."—Debbie Macomber, #1 New York Times bestselling author

A Jewell Cove Novel

The House on Blackberry Hill

No one wants to take a risk on The Girl Most Likely To Have Fun...except the one person in the world she'd rather not ask. Katie Buick dreams of opening her own niche restaurant, but finding a financial backer for a reformed party girl is proving impossible. Until she makes a final desperate plea to Ric Emerson, former geek and high school friend turned successful businessman. Too bad they haven't spoken since she humiliated him before their prom. The last thing she expects is for him to say yes, or for him to have made such a complete transformation from old friend to heartthrob. But she learned the hard way that nothing good comes from mixing business with pleasure. Ric knows Katie's idea is brilliant, and with his business acumen and her work ethic, they're sure to be a success. Building the business brings Ric and Katie closer together. Chemistry still simmers between them, blurring the lines between personal and professional despite their best intentions. Ric trusts Katie to make their business a success, but can he trust her with his heart a second time?

The Girl Most Likely

What happens when a seasonal fling turns into the love of a lifetime? Lizzie Howard's life has always been adrenaline-charged. Top of her class at Harvard Med and now a gifted trauma doctor, Lizzie's medical career has always come before rest, relaxation, and especially romance. But when one careless mistake brings her future to a screeching halt, Lizzie's only chance at reviving it is to temporarily take over a friend's practice in Jewell Cove. The sleepy Maine coast, a world away from the bustling emergency room Lizzie knows and loves, leaves her feeling more lost than ever-until she meets widowed doctor Joshua Collins, and her heart starts beating a little bit faster... "Brimming with old family history, small-town secrets, and newfound passion, you'll want to pack up and move to Jewell Cove, Maine!" -Lily Everett Coming home to Jewell Cove was Josh's salvation after his wife died. Looking for peace among the familiar faces of friends and family, he's grateful to work in the town's small medical clinic by day and spend his nights trying to forget everything he's lost. Lizzie's big-city sensibilities are a brash reminder of the world he's pushed away, but he can't deny that together they've sparked a flame that crackles higher and brighter every day. Maybe love is the best medicine after all ... "Wonderful romance, packed with family drama, a sexy hero, an incredible old house. You'll fall in love from the very first page."-Debbie Macomber, #1 New York Times bestselling author on The House on Blackberry Hill

Donna Alward

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