When wounded marine Devlin Sloane comes back to Aspen Creek, he's surprised by his late mother's will. His new business partner for the next six months is Beth Carrigan. His ex-wife. This might prove Dev's most difficult mission yet. He's never stopped loving the sweet bookstore owner, but his military career broke them apart. Now, as Beth and Dev work together helping others get a new start on life, Dev hopes that he can break down the walls between them. And explore the possibilities of a new life and love together.

The minister of Lydia Cantrell's dreams had another calling. As his secretary, she knew the church members adored him. But she was shocked to discover Pastor Malone's past as a Christian secret agent. Her shock turned to disbelief when he revealed he'd made some enemies– and that he and Lydia were in danger. As the kind, gentle pastor started leading her around corners and through dark alleys, Lydia wondered how she'd get through this. Sure, the stakes were high– and then there was the fact that she was head over heels in love with her secret agent minister.

A body in the bayou. Alligator conservationist Coco LeBlanc knew real fear when she found a body in the clutches of her beloved beasts. Fear turned to horror when she saw that it was one of the Trahan clan–and he'd been shot in the back. Her ex-boyfriend, Luc Trahan, had dumped Coco two years ago when she refused to give up her family's centuries-old voodoo traditions, and he didn't know about her newfound faith. Now, as they and their families become prime suspects in the grisly crime, they'll have to work together to clear their names before the Cajun killer strikes again.

Con games were unheard of in quiet Glory, North Carolina. But when the local church's financial secretary took some bad investment advice, a million bucks disappeared, someone died and now a local businessman faced murder charges. Undercover investigator Lori Dorsett thought getting to the bottom of this mystery would be easy. These small-town folk were no match for her city smarts! Yet the longer Lori snooped around, the more notice she attracted… from bachelor pastor Daniel Hartman and from those who had no intention of letting the beautiful city slicker uncover their darkest secrets.

"IF I CAN'T HAVE YOU, NO ONE WILL." Those words from her abusive ex-husband sent Faith Delange fleeing from everything familiar. And when a bus dropped her off in the small town of Sisters, Oregon, Faith immediately found room, board and a job on an isolated ranch. But she couldn't tell her handsome new boss, Luke Campbell, what had her jumping at shadows during the joy of the holiday season–or what kept her out of his arms. She'd only put his and his frail mother's lives at stake. Faith feared her past would never let her go. But neither would Luke.

Alone in a country she didn't know well, chased by men who were willing to kill to get what they wanted, Lakeview veterinarian Tori Riley would do anything to keep the daughter she gave up for adoption safe – even depend on a man who might not be telling her the truth. Called out of early retirement for one final job, former DEA agent Noah Stone didn't trust Tori's motives – what kind of vet gets herself tangled up with drug lords? But there was no time for questions, for every second brought an unscrupulous enemy closer to Tori's daughter….

To Make A Child Smile Little Autumn barely speaks--and rarely smiles. So as a fresh start for both himself and his daughter, widowed doctor Matt Graham moves to a small Southern town. There they happen across a lovely young woman named Hannah Taylor. Something about Hannah awakens the girl, and suddenly Autumn is full of sweet chatter and laughter. In remission from the very illness that took so much from Matt and Autumn, Hannah seems to understand what the family of two needs. She's healed his daughter's heart. But can he open his enough to accept her love? Excerpt. All Rights Reserved. The display area, which had seemed expansive all morning, suddenly grew smaller as Hannah realized that she and Dr. Matt Graham were now alone. "Your name is Hannah?" he asked. She was a little embarrassed at the fact that she hadn't thought to introduce herself."Yes, Hannah Taylor." He shifted the curtain aside and glanced into the store. Then he let the thin navy fabric fall back into place. "I didn't want her to hear," he said softly. "But I want to explain." He breathed in, let it out. "Autumn hasn't smiled and has barely spoken since we lost her mother. So when she smiled at you, when she spoke to you." He pulled the curtain aside and glanced at his daughter again, then turned back to Hannah. "It was like watching a miracle. It's been two years." Two years. "I look like her mother?" In Hannah's mind, that was the only reasonable answer for why the child would have come out of her shell today. But he shook his head. "No. Rebecca had long curly red hair," he smiled, obviously remembering his wife. "And lots of freckles." Then his eyes seemed to be drawn to Hannah's shirt or more precisely to the small pin on her left chest. "Rebecca had breast cancer." Hannah swallowed past the lump in her throat, and her hand instinctively moved to the pink ribbon pin."You think she saw my pin from out there?" "I don't know, but somehow you reminded her of Rebecca." He indicated the pin. "You're a survivor, aren't you? You've had breast cancer too." "I am. Actually, my sister and I are both survivors," Hannah said. He tilted his head, curiosity at Autumn's awareness still evident on his face. "Well, for some reason, she was drawn to you, and you got more words from her in the last ten minutes than three child psychologists did in two years." He paused. "Or than I have, since her mama died." Hannah remembered her silent prayer, asking God to let her help this little girl. "Maybe because I'm meant to help her? God has His plans, you know." That made him smile, and Hannah couldn't deny the impact that his smile had on her heart. "Just now, when she told me that she loved me," he inhaled, let it out, and seemed too overwhelmed to finish. "She hasn't told you that she loves you," Hannah said, "in two years?" He shook his head, looked as though he wanted to say more, but remained silent. "Bless your heart," Hannah whispered. He stepped closer. "I know this will sound a little odd, but I think maybe the reason I picked this town, the reason Autumn and I are here is because of you." Hannah's mind reeled with the statement. What was she supposed to say? "I'm sorry.I can't imagine how that made you feel. It's just that I've been hoping for a breakthrough for so long, and then all of a sudden, here you are, and Autumn speaks. I'd have to say it's an answered prayer. And in all honesty, I haven't prayed a lot in the past two years. Didn't have a reason to trust in the power of it anymore." "But now?" she asked, still wondering what role God planned for her to have in his daughter's life. And, maybe, in this man's life?

Facing Her Past Single mother Kait Field is back home in the small Oklahoma town she left eight years ago. It’s time to empty the family home, close the door on the past and introduce her daughter, Jenna, to her daddy. Ryan Jones hasn’t quite forgiven his teenage sweetheart, who left him with unanswered questions and a broken heart. But Kait was never accepted by his controlling family, and they don’t seem any more welcoming this time around. Yet now Ryan and Kait are resolved that nothing will come between renewed promises of faith, forever—and the second chance that neither expected.

EVER FEEL LIKE SOMEONE’S WATCHING YOU? ME, TOO. BUT LATELY IT’S BEEN HAPPENING IN MY ROOM. WHEN I’M ALONE. A friend posted a video of me dancing online, and now I’m no longer Alicia Ruffino. I’m dancergirl. And suddenly it’s like me against the world— everyone’s got opinions. My admirers want more, the haters hate, my best friend Jacy—even he’s acting weird. And some stalker isn’t content to just watch anymore. Ali. Dancergirl. Whatever you know me as, however you’ve seen me online, I’ve trained my whole life to be the best dancer I can be. But if someone watching has their way, I could lose way more than just my love of dancing. I could lose my life.

Caring for her grandmother was a labor of love, but busy executive Christine Powers worried about the paper piling up in her office. And no sooner had she arrived on Mackinac Island during the frantic holiday season than her haughty attitude was challenged by Will Lambert, her grandmother's enigmatic boarder. His laid-back style grew on her, as did his steadfast faith in this season of joy and wonder. But an ultimatum to return to work or lose her job forced Christine to decide between her heart and her career.

Dust-covered men who smell like horses are the norm at Gil Sorrent's farm. Until a trip to Emily Montague's bath shop changes their lives. Suddenly, Gil's lovelorn farmhands are sparkling clean and attracting women instead of working! So Gil barges into the shop, surprised to find Emily, his pretty polar opposite, selling soap by the truckloads. Suddenly everyone in town is not only cleaner–they're nicer. And when our bluegrass hero tries out the soap for himself, love-shy Emily better watch out!

Shhh! Our Town's Secret Santa Is… Burke Burdett? The alpha brother in the pack of Burdett brothers? The handsome man who disappeared from my life last summer after some very complicated family business? Yet he's asking me, Dora Hoag, a workaholic with nowhere to go for Christmas, to help fulfill his mother's dying wish. She wanted Burke to take over as "Secret Santa" for Mt. Knott, South Carolina. To help the less fortunate find something extra in their forgotten stockings. How can I say no? Especially when what I want most for Christmas is another chance at forever with the man I love.

With a broken-down truck, miles to go and little money, single mother Melanie Hunter needs help. It comes in the handsome form of rancher Gabe Davidson. He'll pay for the three-week repair job and provide lodging for her and her boy - if she'll take coordinating the town barbecue off his busy hands. Melanie accepts, figuring she'll soon be on her way to her new life. But as she gets to know the kind townspeople - and the hardworking cowboy her son adores - she realizes she's found her home. Now if only her Rocky Mountain hero will ask her to stay.

What does a widowed father know about raising a preteen girl? Sheriff Tucker Grey is on top of basic needs, but when it comes to hair, clothes and first crushes, he's at a loss. Until Kate Lambert returns to Rosewood, Texas. His daughter's new Sunday School teacher seems exactly what the girl needs. Except when it comes to a mother. Tucker has loved and lost once and has no room in his heart for anyone. Especially a big-city gal like Kate. But she soon has this lone star lawman counting his blessings… herself included.

There were diamonds in that old family mine, Skye Blackbird was sure of it. She'd be able to prove it, too, and fulfill her Ojibwa chieftain father's dream, if it weren't for paleontologist Jake Baxter, who was searching for dinosaur bones in the very same spot. When sabotage occurred at the dig's site, Jake wasn't sure if it was angry locals or a rival paleontologist who had done it. But someone didn't want the earth disturbed, and as the body count mounted, it appeared that same someone might also want to add him and Skye to the tally….

Border Patrol agent Eli Carmichael knew the deaf child he'd found outside a Mexican orphanage was harboring a dark secret–she was carrying a bloodstained knife and was clearly traumatized. To keep her safe, he turned to trusted neighbor Isabel Valenzuela. A sense of duty had kept Eli close to his fellow agent's widow and her young son over the past year, and now Eli was spending more time with Isabel and the kids, trying to determine exactly what the girl had seen. Under Isabel's gentle care, the child began to open up. But the killers were close by, and determined to silence the girl forever….

A STOLEN STATUE, A CURIOUS COIN…AND A MURDER When Samantha Henderson ran into trouble recovering a lost statue in the Peruvian jungle, Daniel McCullough believed he'd made the right decision in not promoting her at Finders, Inc. But when forced to work together to track down the figurine–and the mysterious man who had it–Daniel and Sam came face-to-face with a network of dangerous suspects. Each day brought them closer to finding their silent enemy, even as their feelings for each other intensified.

MUSINGS FROM MIRANDA BLANCHARD This has been a year of family turmoil–and it's only June! Life hasn't been the same since I learned my long-presumed-dead mother is actually alive, and then my father was arrested for murder. I'm so thankful that Reverend Gregory Brown is here. My caring confidant is haunted by something from his own past, but Greg has put that aside to help me find my mother. I just pray we find her before it's too late!

HOMETOWN HERO RETURNS by Colleen Montgomery (staff reporter) U.S. Air Force captain Kenneth Vance is back in Colorado Springs on medical leave, and currently working for his old friend Quinn Montgomery's vandalism-plagued construction company. Sources say both families are being targeted for their roles in taking down that South American drug cartel a year ago. Ken has been seen around town with Julianna Red Feather, who has been busy training canine search-and-rescue teams. [Note: Mention Julianna's high school crush on Ken?] Each is at a turning point in their careers–and lives–and spending all this time together might lead to good news for the Vance family for the first time in months!

An unexpected windfall had greedy church choir members seeing green, taking sides and preparing for battle. Their weapon of choice? Practical jokes. And Emma McCall wanted no part of it…until a VW Bug appeared on her bed-and-breakfast's porch. The combatants' pranks were escalating, and only innkeeper Emma seemed to be taking them seriously. But before the pretty amateur could dust for fingerprints, an unexpected ally appeared: Glory's deputy police chief, Rafe Neilson. So when the antics became no laughing matter, the courageous single dad couldn't let impetuous Emma fight the pranksters alone….

Working deep undercover was dangerous. Mercenary turned DEA agent Hawke Morran found out just how dangerous when his cover was suddenly blown. His life hung in the balance–until a mysterious woman saved him from certain death. Hawke was a lone wolf–used to bringing down the bad guys by himself. Without a partner. Yet now he and Miranda Shelton were running for their lives, desperate to uncover the identity of Hawke's betrayor. Journeying from the mountains of Lakeview, Virginia, to the valleys of Thailand, Hawke vowed to protect the lovely Christian woman in his care.