Smart, Michelle, Claiming His Christmas Consequence

Smart, Michelle, Claiming His Christmas Consequence (One Night With Consequences, Book 24),  (Richmond, Surrey:  Harlequin (UK) Limited, 2016).

Title:  Claiming His Christmas Consequence (One Night With Consequences, Book 24)

Author:  Michelle Smart

Imprint:  Presents (Modern)

Issues:  Parenthood; Revenge; Self Esteem

Blurb:

“You have one new message…”

“Know this, Catalina. You might be a princess, you might be wearing my ring, you might have taken 200,000 euros of my money…but you are carrying my child, and I will find you.”

Catalina had never stepped out of line, until one stolen Christmas night of irresistible passion with French billionaire Nathanial Giroud changed her life forever.

Now, hidden in the Pyrenees, Catalina is determined to protect the small life growing within her from the anguish of her own royal upbringing. Even if she has to defy the husband she so desperately craves!

When one night…leads to pregnancy!

Schield, Cat, The Black Sheep’s Secret Child

Schield, Cat, The Black Sheep’s Secret Child (Billionaires and Babies, Book 74),  (Richmond, Surrey:  Harlequin (UK) Limited, 2016).

Title:  The Black Sheep’s Secret Child (Billionaires and Babies, Book 74)

Author:  Cat Schield

Imprint:  Desire

Issues:  Parenthood;

Blurb:

A second chance with her son’s secret father!

Widow Savannah Caldwell faces the challenge of her life: begging Trent Caldwell—her former fling and late husband’s brother—to save the family’s ailing music business. That she’s still attracted to Trent makes things hard; that Trent is her son’s secret father makes things impossible!

Trent is fiercely proud of making his own fortune, despite his controlling father. And he’s always believed his brother got the girl who should have been Trent’s. Now he’ll have the family business, and his brother’s widow in the bargain. But will their romantic reunion be waylaid by Savannah’s shocking baby secret?

Dear Reader,

I’m delighted to be back in Las Vegas for The Black Sheep’s Secret Child, and it was nice to revisit some characters from my original Las Vegas Nights series to see what they’re up to.  I’d like to thank my senior editor, Stacy Boyd, for suggesting a series set in the fascinating world of Vegas nightclubs.  The first book in the Club T’s Las Vegas Nights series, which is also a Billionaires and Babies novel, is both a reunion and a secret baby story.  I hope you enjoy Savannah and Trent’s second chance at love.

Happy reading,

Cat Schield

Sasson, Sophia, The Senator’s Daughter

Sasson, Sophia, The Senator’s Daughter (State of the Union, Book 1),  (Richmond, Surrey:  Harlequin (UK) Limited, 2016).

Title:  The Senator’s Daughter (State of the Union, Book 1)

Author:  Sophia Sasson

Imprint:  Heartwarming

Issues:  Interracial Relationship; Parenthood; POC

Blurb:

He can play the game, but she’ll make the rules

Political science professor Kat Driscoll will not be “handled” by anyone. Certainly not by Alex Santiago, the suave, savvy and handsome campaign manager for Senator Roberts, the man recently revealed to be her father. Alex clearly sees the sudden revelation of his candidate’s long-lost daughter as an unfortunate glitch in their race for reelection. One that needs to be carefully spun and managed. But Kat isn’t about to play along, or comply with Alex’s ridiculous attempts to make her more media friendly. He’ll have to deal with the real Kat. And maybe, in the process, she can discover the real Alex…

Dear Reader,

As a resident of the Washington, DC, area, I am constantly fascinated by the family lives of elected officials and those around them.  I see Capitol Hill staffers work themselves to the bone, sacrificing friendships and love because they believe in their leader.  While TV shows sensationalize political deal-making, the staffers who advise our elected officials are no different from you and me.  They make tough calls, and sometimes they make mistakes.  For the most part, they’re trying to do the right thing.

The Senator’s Daughter is the story of Katerina Driscoll, who has lived her life in the shadow of her obligations until her father’s identity brings her into the political limelight.  It’s also the story of Alex Santiago, a first-generation American for whom politics is about power; the power to change lives and to change how the world sees people like him and his mother.  The book is about confronting the inner demons that keep us from being happy, set in the midst of Washington, DC, politics.

I am tickled to share my hometown with you.  To get free book extras, including some Washington, DC, insider information, visit my website at sophiasasson.com.  I love hearing from readers, so please find me on Twitter (@SophiaSasson) or Facebook (SophieSassonAuthor), or email me at Readers@SophiaSasson.com.

Enjoy!

Sophia

Robinson, Lauri, Unwrapping the Rancher’s Secret

Robinson, Lauri, Unwrapping the Rancher’s Secret,  (Richmond, Surrey:  Harlequin (UK) Limited, 2016).

Title:  Unwrapping the Rancher’s Secret

Author:  Lauri Robinson

Imprint:  Historical

Issues:  Gendered Expectations (Women); Revenge

Blurb:

A ghost of Christmas past…

Heiress Sara Johnson is shocked when the stepbrother she believed was dead returns to Colorado to claim his inheritance! It might be the season of goodwill, but Crofton Parks seems determined to destroy his late father’s empire.

Sparks fly as Crofton and Sara are forced to work together, and soon she begins to uncover the secrets behind his disappearance and need for revenge. But a far more unsettling discovery is the desire he awakens in Sara. This roguish rancher might just claim her heart by Christmas!

Author Note,

Ideas for stories come to me in many ways.  I dedicated this book to one of my granddaughters because she was the inspiration for Unwrapping the Rancher’s Secret.  While she was at our house one day, we watched a cute cartoon about a little girl whose mother married a king, turning the little girl from a commoner to a princess overnight.  I found that concept intriguing, and that gave birth to Sara Johnson Parks, a girl who was born in a dirt dugout in Kansas and didn’t own a pair of shoes until she was five, when her mother married a lumber baron.  Upon the death of her stepfather, Sara becomes the richest woman in Royalton, Colorado, but that is also when Crofton Parks appears.  The stepbrother she believed had died as a child.

I hope you enjoy Sara and Crofton’s story!

Roberts, Alison, Their First Family Christmas

Roberts, Alison, Their First Family Christmas,  (Richmond, Surrey:  Harlequin (UK) Limited, 2016).

Title:  Their First Family Christmas

Author:  Alison Roberts

Imprint:  Medical

Issues:  Bereavement; Grief; Parenthood

Blurb:

Her Christmas past becomes her Christmas present!

When Dr. Emma Matthews was entrusted with the guardianship of her best friend’s daughter, she promised that every Christmas would be special But this Christmas Eve, Jack Reynolds – her old flame and Lily’s uncle – has walked back into their lives.

Both Emma and Jack still bear the scars of this time last year. But now Jack wants to start again:  being there for his adorable niece, picking up where he and Emma left off, and giving them all the family Christmas they deserve!

Riker, Leigh, The Reluctant Rancher

Riker, Leigh, The Reluctant Rancher,  (Richmond, Surrey:  Harlequin (UK) Limited, 2016).

Title:  The Reluctant Rancher

Author:  Leigh Riker

Imprint:  Heartwarming

Issues:  Parenthood

Blurb:

She can’t stay for long

She just needs a place to hide. Now. Pregnant and on the run, Blossom Kennedy jumps at the opportunity to work as a caregiver to an injured, elderly rancher. While she tends to the man, his handsome grandson takes over at the Circle H. Logan Hunter is tough, loyal and a wonderful father to his young son. But Blossom needs a port in a storm more than she needs love, and soon enough she’ll be moving on. Unless she’s somehow stumbled into the exact place she and her unborn child are supposed to be…by Logan’s side.

Dear Reader,

How much fun can a writer have?  I loved fitting all the pieces together for The Reluctant Rancher.  As a bonus, I got to write about cowboys – always a favorite!

In his “real life,” Logan Hunter is a test pilot who needs an upcoming promotion with higher pay so he can fight for custody of his younger son.  But when the grandfather who raised Logan gets hurt on the family ranch, Logan becomes a temporary cowboy again.

He’s not looking for love.  And Blossom Kennedy, the caregiver he hires to help out, is clearly on the run.  She won’t stay long and neither will he.  But, of course, love has its own plans for these two.

I hope you’ll enjoy this ride on the Circle H ranch, where the buffalo still roam.  And there’s more good news:  The Reluctant Rancher is the first book in my new miniseries, Kansas Cowboys.

Happy reading!

Leigh

Reisz, Tiffany, Her Naughty Holiday

Reisz, Tiffany, Her Naughty Holiday (Men at Work, Book 2),  (Richmond, Surrey:  Harlequin (UK) Limited, 2016).

Title:  Her Naughty Holiday (Men at Work, Book 2)

Author:  Tiffany Reisz

Imprint:  Blaze

Issues:  Parenthood; Self Esteem

Blurb:

A feast she wasn’t expecting!

Clover Greene would sooner crawl into her oven than host family for Thanksgiving dinner. Yet another annual ritual of too much food, served with a side of criticism over “Clover’s Bad Life Choices.” This year, she needs to distract them all—with a handsome fake boyfriend. And she has the perfect guy in mind.

Contractor Erick Fields is the poster boy for sexy single dads, and Clover has been secretly crushing on him for ages. She certainly wasn’t expecting Erick to agree to her insane charade…or to add lots of hot, wicked sex to the deal. If they can pull it off, the worst Thanksgiving ever might give them something to be really thankful for!

Dear Reader,

When my husband and I moved out to Oregon, one of our first trips was up Mount Hood to check out the famous Timberline Lodge (as seen in The Shining), to Mount Hood National Forest and Lost Lake, which is the most photographed spot in the entire state.  Upon arriving at Lost Lake on a fine October afternoon, we realized why.  The view of the top of Mount Hood is glorious, and on a clear day you can see the snow-capped volcanic peak reflected in the deep dark blue waters of the lake.  I’d never seen anything like it before.  It was utterly romantic.  And when a romance writer sees a place that beautiful and that romantic, she has to write a book about it.  In fact, I wrote three books about it, and this is number two in the Men at Work trilogy of books set in and around Lost Lake and Mount Hood.

I hope you enjoy Her Naughty Holiday, featuring Clover Greene, who owns and operates a highly successful garden nursery, and Erick Fields, the father of Clover’s teenaged assistant, Ruthie, who is determined to get her nagging family off her back about her personal life this Thanksgiving.  Meanwhile Ruthie wants a cool stepmother and has decided Clover’s the woman for her.  But is Clover the right woman for Erick?  We’ll see…

Happy Reading!

Tiffany Reisz

Unofficial Ambassador to Mount Hood, Oregon

Reed, Terri, Identity Unknown

Reed, Terri, Identity Unknown (Northern Border Patrol, Book 5),  (Richmond, Surrey:  Harlequin (UK) Limited, 2016).

Title:  Identity Unknown (Northern Border Patrol, Book 5)

Author:  Terri Reed

Imprint:  Love Inspired Suspense

Issues:  Amnesia; Violence

Blurb:

Missing Memories

When a John Doe washes up on the shores of Calico Bay, no one knows who he is—including him. But one thing’s instantly clear to deputy sheriff Audrey Martin: the man’s marked for murder. And she’s the only one who can protect him from the assassins who lurk at every turn. The arrival of a team of men claiming he’s Canadian Border Services officer Nathanial Longhorn only further complicates the matter. As his memories slowly start drifting back, Nathanial’s determined to work with Audrey to uncover who wants him dead and why. But he’s tangled in something that threatens to submerge them both. And unless Audrey can help him figure out what, this Christmas might be their last.

Dear Reader,

Thank you for joining me in the last installment of the Northern Border Patrol series.  It was time to give Canadian officer Nathanial Longhorn his own book, and pairing him with strong and independent Deputy Sheriff Audrey Martin seemed like the perfect match.

Giving Nathanial amnesia was such fun.  It was a delight to have him learning about himself as he fell in love with Audrey.  They both had painful issues from their past to overcome in order to have their happy ending.  Audrey’s mother shared a piece of wisdom with Nathanial – our greatest blessings lie beyond our greatest fears.  Do you believe that?

I do.  Sometimes in life we have to move past our fear in order to find the blessing.  I pray you will find your blessing this holiday season.

Keep watch for a new K-9 continuity series in 2017.  Check out my webpage at terrireed.com and sign up for my newsletter for updates on my new releases.

Merry Christmas and happy New Year!

Blessings, Terri Reed

Minton, Brenda, The Rancher’s Texas Match

Minton, Brenda, The Rancher’s Texas Match,  (Richmond, Surrey:  Harlequin (UK) Limited, 2016).

Title:  The Rancher’s Texas Match

Author:  Brenda Minton

Imprint:  Love Inspired

Issues:  Abandonment; Bereavement; Grief; Parenthood

Blurb:

A Rancher’s Mission

As a volunteer at the Lone Star Cowboy League Boys Ranch, Tanner Barstow helps the troubled young residents turn their lives around. When a local rancher dies and leaves his large property to the boys ranch, Tanner finds himself spending a lot of time with Macy Swanson, whose orphaned nephew, Colby, lives at the ranch. Tanner’s attracted to the newcomer, but she doesn’t fit his plans. Macy longs to have Colby come home with her, but the former city girl worries she won’t be the mother he deserves. Can Tanner help her see that the future she and Colby need is right here—with him?

Dear Reader,

I’m so glad to have another opportunity to participate in a continuity.  Lone Star Cowboy League:  Boys Ranch takes you to Haven, Texas, deep in the heart of Texas Hill Country.

The characters in this book quickly became special to me.  There were moments that their journey took me by surprise.  I hope that you’ll love Macy, Tanner and Colby as much as I do and that the lessons they learn about grief, faith and finding peace will touch your heart and life.

I know from experience that there are so many children in placements like the LSCL Boys Ranch.  They’re waiting to go home, waiting to find homes and trying to find peace.  If this book touches your heart, then allow your life to touch the lives of those children in the foster care system.

Brenda Minton

McKellen, Christy, A Countess for Christmas

McKellen, Christy, A Countess for Christmas (Maid Under the Mistletoe, Book 1),  (Richmond, Surrey:  Harlequin (UK) Limited, 2016).

Title:  A Countess for Christmas (Maid Under the Mistletoe, Book 1)

Author:  Christy McKellen

Imprint:  Romance (Cherish)

Issues:  Celebrity Culture; Scandal

Blurb:

The earl’s secret bride… 

Emma Carmichael is shocked when she sees who she’s waitressing for at a lavish party—Jack Westwood, the new Earl of Redminster. Her new life comes crashing down when Jack announces to the world that they’re married! 

Jack has never forgotten his first love despite the tragedy that tore them apart. When the paparazzi cameras intrude, he proposes they live as man and wife until the fuss dies down. Emma feels like Cinderella, masquerading as his countess…only, behind closed doors, their marriage feels tantalizingly real…

Dear Reader,

I count myself very lucky to have the friends that I do.  They’ve been absolute rocks through the tricky times in my life and have always been there for me with a sturdy shoulder to cry on should I need it.  I can’t imagine how I would feel to find out that those friends, whom I believed had my best interests at heart, had turned their backs on me the moment things got sticky.

Unfortunately for my heroine, Emma Carmichael, that’s exactly what happened to her after a scandal involving her late father ruined her family’s reputation and social standing.

In A Countess for Christmas, we meet Emma six years after this tragedy has played out, still living under the shadow of her father’s mistakes – until the shock reappearance of an old flame, Jack Westwood, throws her right back into the world she used to know, forcing her to confront the past.

With the support of the good and true friends she’s made in recent years, Emma finally begins to see hope for a new and exciting future – if only she can regain the love and trust of the man whose heart she once smashed to pieces.

I hope you enjoy Emma and Jack’s journey back to each other and the subsequent stories of her friends as they find their way to their own much-deserved happy-ever-afters.

With best wishes,

Christy x