Dalton is sure he can win Patrice, and she's sure she can resist him. When he asks her to take a chance on him, she agrees; conditionally. Her terms are simple: if he can win her heart in one week, then she'll be his forever. The Playa of Guilford County... Dalton Dunn is the playboy son of the wealthiest family in Climax Creek. His reputation for being a serial dater is well known, and in the past has been a point of pride for him. Now, with all his siblings paired off and in relationship bliss, he's beginning to rethink the way he's been living his life. But if the infamous Dalton Dunn is going to settle down with a woman, not just any woman will do. She has to be his equal. A Woman Who Knows Her Worth... Patrice Nelson leads a pretty quiet life, working at Minnie's Marvelous Blooms and dreaming of a career in interior design. She enjoys the company of gentlemen, and dates as widely as her high standards will allow. She's never looked at Dalton as more than an acquaintance, but when he approaches her with an intriguing offer to be the woman on his arm, she's somehow drawn into his plan. Not one to back down, she lays out her own challenge... Reader Review: ★★★★★ "Patrice had just what it took to make Dalton turn in his "Player" card! But Dalton surprised her when he burned it and devoted himself!" - C. Taylor

The Darling of the Founding Family Valerie Ridgeway is the granddaughter of Ridgeway's founder, and the sole heir to the town's ownership. A tall, graceful beauty, she's had a slew of suitors- most every eligible man within fifty miles of town has come courting for her. Despite her loveliness, however, Valerie has developed a reputation for rejecting men with her icy demeanor. Only a select few of the townsfolk know the secret shame that fuels her bitterness. Approaching thirty, she's given up on the fairy tale of marriage, choosing instead to give her time and effort to the betterment of the race. The Keeper of the Peace Noah Rogers, Ridgeway's sheriff, takes his job very seriously. An intense man by nature, he bears the responsibility of the safety of the townsfolk, with only a single deputy to aid him. He's eschewed romantic entanglements in order to give his full focus to his very important work- that is, until he lay eyes on Miss Ridgeway. He's desired her from afar, biding his time, watching as she cut down a string of "suitable men," one after another. He's aware of her reputation; still, he senses a vulnerable, radiant creature beneath all the sass and ire, one he intends to discover. A Budding Love... A Town in Jeopardy Just as Noah begins to woo Valerie, a rash of crimes invades the usually peaceful environment of Ridgeway. When the safety of the innocent citizens of town becomes more threatened than ever before, Noah must find a way to protect them, and the woman he loves. But when shocking violence, loss, and grief threaten to unravel their hard-won courtship, will they find a way to overcome it all, so that Valerie can truly begin loving the lawman?

A Woman Who Knows Her Own Mind Prudence Emerson doesn't have time for romantic entanglements. She's taken a job at the mercantile and is saving money to attend school at Oberlin. That is until the Reverend Derrick Chase rides into town to start a new church. Her good friend Lilly Warren invites her to a service at Enduring Faith Moravian church, and the die is cast. She can't deny her attraction to him, and the handsome mulatto preacher obviously returns the feelings. Should she change her plans to explore a relationship with him? Or will being the preacher's paramour lead to nothing but pain? A Man of The Cloth- With A Past Reverend Derrick Chase, a Moravian pastor, is newly settled in Ridgeway, over 3,000 miles away from where he grew up in North Carolina. He came to California hoping to put distance between himself, and a dark past he has no desire to revisit. But the tall, beautiful Prudence Emerson gets his heart pounding every time she's near. She's an honorable woman, and he won't soil her reputation. But another thing he won't do is let her slip through his fingers. Can he love her without drawing her into the dangerous web of his secret past?

A Time of Change In the fall of 1888, the tiny hamlet of Ridgeway is gearing up for elections on the local and national level. On the national stage, Grover Cleveland is campaigning for re-election against Benjamin Harrison; locally, two men are vying for the mayor's seat being vacated by the retiring Bernard Ridgeway. A Woman Ahead of Her Time Saloon owner Angel May Lane is an unconventional woman in every sense of the word. When she's not tending the bar at the Crazy Eights Saloon, she's caring for her elderly aunt, or out with her friends agitating for women's suffrage. Her activities make her a thorn in the side of some folks, but she's determined to see the day when women and men have equal rights- even if it's only in her own small town. Arrested by the town's deputy sheriff, she finds herself both outraged and intrigued by the man who's taken her into custody. A Man Anchored in Tradition Deputy Gregory Simmons isn't interested in politics. His main concern is keeping the peace, and that's become an even more complex job since Sheriff Noah Rogers announced his candidacy for mayor. Angel May and her cohorts are causing a ruckus, so he hauls her in. She turns out to be the most enchanting prisoner he's ever had, and before he can stop himself, he's falling for her. She's as troublesome a woman as they come, but he can't deny the way she makes him feel. Love Among the Chaos The issues of race and women's rights are dividing the town, pitting husbands against wives and neighbor against neighbor. In the midst of it all, Angel and Gregory must decide if their budding love is worth opening their hearts and changing their minds, in a way they never imagined before.

A vivid and moving novel based on the incredible life of real estate magnate Josephine N. Leary--a previously untold story of passion, perseverance, and building a legacy after emancipation in North Carolina. Josephine N. Leary is determined to build a life of her own and a future for her family. When she moves to Edenton, North Carolina from the plantation where she was born, she is free, newly married, and ready to follow her dreams. As the demands of life pull Josephine's attention--deepening her marriage, mothering her daughters, supporting her grandmother--she struggles to balance her real estate aspirations with the realities of keeping life going every day. She teaches herself to be a business woman, to manage her finances, and to make smart investments in the local real estate market. But with each passing year, it grows more and more difficult to focus on building her legacy from the ground up. Moving and inspiring, Josephine Leary's untold story speaks to the part of us that dares to dream bigger, tear down whatever stands in our way, and build something better for the loved ones we leave behind.

A woman's work is never done...especially when she is fighting for those who will come after her. In 1881, Sarah Webster returns home to Fayetteville, NC for her mother's milestone birthday. Her suffrage work is unknown to her family. Carpenter Owen Markham is intrigued by Sarah, and her father is playing matchmaker. When Owen discovers Sarah's suffrage work, he's not sure a love match can be made. *This story originally appeared in Daughters of a Nation: A Black Suffragette Historical Romance Anthology. This is the only electronic version of A Radiant Soul currently available. *

In pre-Civil War America, the small town of Graham, in Adams County, Pennsylvania, lies just north of the Mason Dixon line. There are many secrets surrounding the town’s founding, but its mission is clear: to be a haven for citizens of all races. These erotic tales explore the blossoming love of three couples, during a time of upheaval and uncertainty. Meet the men who will risk everything to protect the women they love: The Passionate Protectors. Enraptured Deputy Andrew Powers is smitten with soiled dove turned waitress, Suzanne Lewis. Just as their courtship begins to take shape, fire destroys the town’s café. Suzanne is accused of arson in the café’s destruction. Can her innocence be proven, or will Andrew’s intuition fail him once again

From Heartbreak to New Beginnings In 1879, near the small northern California town of Ridgeway, Lilly Warren is a young woman who has recently lost her father. There is little time for mourning, though, as the responsibility of running the twenty-six-acre farm now belongs to her. To make matters even more complex, her father has deeded the house and the land to her in his will with an interesting condition: that she share the land with a person she's never met, or forfeit ownership. Leaving the Sea Behind for a New Love Ricardo Benigno is a Spanish captain of the Anna Juanita, a shipping vessel bringing spices and oils to the shores of California. Seeking out the farm of his old friend Leonard Warren, he discovers that the older man has passed away. To his surprise, Ricardo has also been willed joint ownership of Warren land, as long as he shares it with Lilly, Warren's only child. Will There be Romance, or Rebellion? The attraction between them is instant, and they both agree that marriage is the only acceptable way they can share the land. But can two people from such different worlds learn to love each other, or will Lilly's heart be broken if she dares to kiss the captain?

Ben O'Lee's exposé of captivating and thrilling short stories center on fate, relationships, adversity, providence, and social-political injustice. The Legend of the White Leopard and Other Stories foretells the future of people and captures the mysterious parallels of fate between man and wildlife. It's an unusual complex tale of love, infidelity, and personal schemes that threatens the ruin of families, a journey of self-discovery orchestrated by a grand universal design to fulfill individual destinies, as well as a remarkable display of loyalty and the triumph of the human spirit over adversity to drive social-political change.

With the social event of the year approaching, can Micheal and Ava find a way to settle their differences, or will their chance at bliss in each other's arms be lost forever? A Summer Storm... A holiday weekend is upon Climax Creek, and Ava Hutchens is ready for the break. She's looking forward to shuttering her antiques store for the three day weekend and getting in some reading and relaxing. Bad weather intervenes, and she finds herself trapped in the store with a last minute shopper- none other than the Too-Fine-For-Words Micheal Dunn. He's soaked to the bone, his clothes clinging to his muscular frame, and she can't seem to keep her eyes on his face. A Humid Encounter... Micheal Dunn needs to grab his mother's birthday gift ahead of her weekend birthday party, and in his haste, ventures out into the storm. As the winds, rain, and hail swirl, he decides to shelter in place. What started out as a quick shopping excursion becomes so much more, because before long, the close quarters and an already budding attraction lead to a mind-blowing night of lovemaking. A Complicated Affair... Ava can't resist Micheal's charms and carnal skills, but can't abide his attitude- he has no idea of the pain and rejection she's endured. Micheal wants to explore what he and Ava could have, but he can't seem to do right by her, and she keeps pushing him away. Their new relationship is as stormy as the weather during their first lovemaking session... Reader Review: (4 Stars) " I enjoyed this love story! Ms. Alexander weaved a passionate story that kept me attentive and wanting Ava to find herself emotionally despite her family disapproval and the man she allows in her heart! Great characters, awesome plot and sizzling attraction leaping off the pages - a dynamic story all in one!" - Tonya