Top Chicago chef Jessica Robinson is back in Cricket Creek-and making her aunt's diner the go-to place for comfy gourmet fare. Former major leaguer Ty McKenna is no stranger to Jessica's cooking. At the Chicago hotspot where she worked, he was a regular-with a different girl on his arm every night. Now he's the manager for the Cricket Creek Cougars. And convincing the mouthwatering chef that's a one-woman man may be harder than getting his team ready for opening day.

Olivia Lawson is peeved when ex-ace pitcher turned soap opera star Noah Falcon roars back into Cricket Creek, Kentucky, after all these years, to take the lead opposite her in the community theater's summer play. Noah's beloved hometown is having major financial woes and needs his status to turn this small-town play into a big-time hit. But Noah has bigger plans for this small town. And this time he's determined to show Olivia he's not just playing around-he's playing for keeps.

Three popular erotic romance authors heat up the holidays with all- new stories.

Three bestselling authors steam up the pages with sexy tales of women who earn spots on Santa's naughty list...

In LuAnn McLane's Hot Whisper, a woman is stranded in a small town when a sexy local offers her lodging, eggnog-and more-to wait out the cold winter night.

In Susanna Carr's Hot for the Holidays, corporate rivals become lovers, thanks to an office Christmas party gone wild.

And in Janice Maynard's Hot Arctic Nights, a B&B in the far reaches of Alaska promises bed, breakfast and beyond for the new female manager and a hot tenant.

Raised by her widowed father, Jolie Russell could keep up with any man—that is, until wealthy and sexy land developer Cody Dean struts into her life.

Cody buys the Russell farm with an impossible-to-refuse multimillion-dollar offer, then relocates Jolie and her dad to the Copper Creek Estates. But the country club atmosphere isn’t ready for Jolie’s kind of country. As her two worlds collide, Jolie wonders how she can ever hope to capture Cody’s heart without giving up her grits.

Only one man could make her heart race... Daredevil stunts and dangerous accidents are par for the course in the world of motocross racing. Just ask Alexia Spencer, who almost lost her high school sweetheart in a near-fatal accident. But when she asked him to give up racing, Jayden Michaels rode off without even a goodbye, leaving Alexia heartbroken.
Ten years later, Jayden's back—determined to prove he's over Alexia. But it's impossible to ignore the irresistible woman she's become. And it isn't long before Jayden finds himself on Alexia's doorstep, driven by his insatiable desire, hoping he can tempt the woman he still loves into letting herself feel the heat—and taking a risk with her heart.
Biography
LuAnn McLane enjoys watching "chick flicks" with her daughter and tries to keep up with her three active sons when she takes breaks from writing.

Author(s): Lori Foster, Erin McCarthy, Rosemary Laurey, Kay Stockham, Toni Blake, Lucy Monroe, Dianne Castell, Patricia Sargeant, Luanne McLane, Karen Kelley, Janice Maynard and J.C. Wilder

Twelve all-new stories of women’s resilience, empowerment, and fulfillment, by bestselling and award-winning authors. In this engaging anthology of never-beforepublished stories, twelve authors are united by their unique visions of the female experience… A young woman is torn between the security of her fiancé and the excitement of an old flame…a desperate wife is forced into the workplace for the first time in her life…an ambitious professional woman finally finds the courage to take control of her career—and her man…an emotionally fragile divorcee finds resolve in the ethereal visitations of an archangel... These are just some of the women who discover and rediscover their own wonderfully fallible but ultimately strong selves in the shadow of love— romantic love, platonic love, new love, and lost love. Readers will be touched, inspired, charmed, and entertained by these original stories of disparate longings, unsettled lives, and the power of love.