EVERYTHING HE WANTED. AND MORE THAN HE BARGAINED FOR. Innocent yet enticing, Isadora Chavez mesmerized tycoon Harrison Stone like no woman ever had. In fact, she nearly brought the sought-after bachelor to his knees. And that's when she made her shocking proposal: marry her—for one year—to secure her custody of her orphaned brother. Or else. Overnight, Harrison became a husband and father figure. But just who was his mysterious wife? A desperate big sister? Or a beautiful blackmailer with money on her mind? If it took twelve months, Harrison vowed to find out. He'd make Isadora wholly his. Or else.

She’s a day late and a dollar short… Lia Howard Pogue is flat broke and on the run. Her only hope for a new start is to rely on the kindness of strangers. One in particular—the rough and tough ex-Army Ranger who’s all hard muscle and soft heart. Jake Robbin is more than ready to put his wild youth behind him and settle down. If only he could skip the hassle of courtship and babies and messy emotions. What better time for Lia and her three kids to land on his doorstep! Seems marriage would solve both their problems. Until Lia’s ex shows up…and reminds her she could be making the same mistake all over again. NORTH COUNTRY STORIES This isn’t the end of the earth, but you can see it from here. Welcome back to Alouette, Michigan, the wonderful setting for Carrie Alexander’s RITA© Award-nominated story, A Family Christmas

Reprint of the original, first published in 1871.

The Cowboy Arrangement Susanne Collins has her hands full raising her four orphaned nieces and nephews and managing the family farm. So when her cowboy neighbor proposes he plant her crops in exchange for keeping his wild horses in her corrals, Susanne hesitantly takes the deal. Soon her reluctance to accept help ebbs, and she wonders if Tanner Harding will he prove to be the strong, solid man she's been hoping for... Half-Native American Tanner has always been adrift in a white man's world. Yet the beautiful stand-in mother and her ready-made family give him a sense of belonging for the very first time. But can he convince Susanne to take a chance and welcome him not just into her home but also into her heart? Montana Cowboys: These brothers live and love by the code of the West

A fresh start…? Tess Laing has suffered more heartbreak than most. So moving to Bellaroo Creek with her little orphaned niece and nephew is the start of a new life. Meeting tall, dark and deliciously handsome Cameron Manning starts an unexpected flutter in her heart… A new family! Cam is intrigued by Tess, and quickly becomes entangled in their lives when little Ty gets a clear case of hero-worship! They're the family he always dreamed of having himself—until the day a betrayal wiped his hopes in an instant. Perhaps now is the time to confront the past and discover a ready-made family is the key to this tortured cattleman finding a happy future…

Thunder Canyon Nugget Invasion of the Baby Mavericks What could be more of a handful than a babbling, bouncing baby? How about two? Sexy single dad Clayton Traub already has a full plate with adorable six-month-old Bennett. But now tipsters tell us Clay's got a new main squeeze in Antonia Wright. Yes, that Antonia--feisty, independent and eight months pregnant Antonia knows better than to fall for a wrangler bunking at her boardinghouse--particularly in her condition. But how can she resist Clay's magnetism when he's living so close? Never underestimate the power of a Traub, big or small. Stay tuned, rough riders, and see if the cowboy daddy can lasso Toni's heart

A Marriage of Necessity Gentlemen don't court feisty straight shooters like JoBeth McCoy. Just as she's resigned to a lifetime alone, a misunderstanding forces the spunky telegraph operator into a marriage of convenience. Wedding the town's handsome new marshal offers JoBeth a chance at motherhood, caring for the orphaned little girl she's come to love. Garrett Cain will lose guardianship of his niece, Cora, if he stays single, but he knows no woman could accept the secrets he's hidden about his past. The lawman can't jeopardize Cora's future by admitting the truth. Yet when unexpected danger in the small town threatens to expose Garrett's long-buried secret, only a leap of faith can turn a makeshift union into a real family.

"Category: home and family"--Page 4 of cover.