Beloved of her father, King Dacian, and adored by her people, the Scarlet Princess Monet endeavored to serve her kingdom well-for the people of the Kingdom of Karvana were good and worthy of service. Long Monet had known that even her marriage would serve her people. Her husband would be chosen for her, for this was the way of royal existence. Still, as any woman does-peasant or princess-Monet dreamt of owning true love-of owning choice in love. Thus, each time the raven-haired, sapphire-eyed Crimson Knight of Karvana rode near, Monet knew regret-for in secret, she loved him, and she could not choose him. As an arrogant king from another kingdom began to wage war against Karvana, Karvana's king, knights, and soldiers answered the challenge. The Princess Monet would also know battle. As the Crimson Knight battled with armor and blade, so the Scarlet Princess would battle in sacrifice and with secrets held. Thus, when the charge was given to preserve the heart of Karvana, Monet endeavored to serve her kingdom and forget her secreted love. Yet love is not so easily forgotten...

Abducted Forcibly taken from her home in New Orleans, Cristabel Albay found herself a prisoner aboard an enemy ship-and soon thereafter, transferred into the vile hands of blood-thirsty pirates War waged between the newly liberated United States and King George. Still, Cristabel would soon discover that British sailors were the very least of her worries-for the pirate captain, Bully Booth, owned no loyalty-no sympathy for those he captured. Yet hope was not entirely lost-for where there was found one crew of pirates-there was ever found another. Though Cristabel Albay would never have dreamed that she may find fortune in being captured by one pirate captain only to be taken by another-she did Bully Booth took no man alive-let no woman live long. But the pirate Navarrone was known for his clemency. Thus, Cristabel's hope in knowing her life's continuance was restored. Nonetheless, as Cristabel's heart began to yearn for the affections of her handsome, beguiling captor-she wondered if Captain Navarrone had only saved her life to execute her poor heart

Journey through generations of adventure and romance as three Marcia Lynn McClure favorites blend perfectly in The McCall Trilogy The roundup begins with The Foundling (formerly released as Desert Fire). She opened her eyes and beheld, for the first time, the face of Jackson McCall... Posse up with the next generation of McCall heroes inTo Echo the Past. Stripped of her heart's hopes and dreams, she knew true loneliness-until an ordinary day revealed a heavenly oasis in the desert-Michael McCall... And finally, ride away to dreams come true with a modern-day McCall heroine in An Old-Fashioned Romance. Life went along simply, if not rather monotonously, for Breck McCall. She longed for something-something that seemed to be missing... The McCall Trilogy ...a romantic escape into cowboys, courtship, and kissing the way only Marcia Lynn McClure can deliver

Rivers Brighton was a wanderer-having nothing and belonging to no one. Still, by chance, Rivers found herself harboring for a time beneath the roof of the kind-hearted Jolee Gray and her remarkably attractive yet ever-grumbling brother, Paxton. Jolee had taken Rivers in, and Rivers had stayed.Helplessly drawn to Paxton's alluring presence and unable to escape his astonishing hold over her, however, Rivers knew she was in danger of enduring great heartbreak and pain. Paxton appeared to find Rivers no more interesting than a brief cloudburst. Yet the man's spirit seemed to tether some great and devastating storm-a powerful tempest bridled within, waiting for the moment when it could rage full and free, perhaps destroying everything and everyone in its wake-particularly Rivers.Could Rivers capture Paxton's attention long enough to make his heart her own? Or would the storm brewing within him destroy her hopes and dreams of belonging to the only man she had ever loved?

"The spirit of adventure and curiosity that dwelled within her bosom was passionate with excitement It was obvious there was something wildly interesting inside the gristmill, and Amoretta silently swore to herself she would discover what it was no matter what. She promised herself that nothing short of torture could keep her from seeing what was inside now that her feet were set on the path. "Is it frightening at all?" Calliope asked. "Shh," Blanche kindly scolded. But Winnie whispered, "I suppose it could be considered frightenin'...to some girls." "Is it a ghost?" Calliope asked in a softer whisper. "Oh heavens no " Sallie giggled. "It's ever so much more wonderful than a ghost " "Now everyone hush," Prudence whispered as she began to rather creep toward the back outer wall of the mill. "If they hear us...well...we don't want anyone to hear us is all." Slowly Amoretta and Calliope followed the others to a place where a board hung loosely from the rest of the wooden planks of the outer back wall of the gristmill. Blanche put a finger to her lips to remind everyone to be silent. Winnie smiled as she took hold of Amoretta's shoulders. "Just kneel here in the grass," she whispered. Sallie knelt down in the grass and took Calliope's hand to guide her to follow. Amoretta carefully knelt in the cool grass shaded by mill and trees. Once Prudence and Blanche had knelt down with the others, Prudence pointed to the low, loosely hanging board, indicating that Amoretta and Calliope should look through the open space it presented. Amoretta's heart was pounding like the rapids of some raging river What were they about to witness? Spirits roaming the old mill? Pirates? Outlaws? Her imagination couldn't list possibilities quickly enough. And then, all at once-in the space of a moment and a short gasp-Amoretta Ipswich knew exactly why the young ladies of Meadowlark Lake liked to sneak out to the gristmill and peep through the loose siding board. "Oh my-" Amoretta's exclamation of astonishment was silenced by Winnie's hand quickly covering her mouth.""

Sayler Christy knew chances were slim to none that any of her silly little daydreams would ever actually come true-especially any daydreams involving Mr. Booker, the new patient (the handsome, older patient) convalescing in her grandfather's rehabilitation center. Yet, working as a candy striper at Rawlings Rehab, Sayler couldn't help but dream of belonging to Mr. Booker-and Mr. Booker stole her heart-perhaps unintentionally-but with very little effort. Gorgeous, older, and entirely unobtainable-Sayler knew Mr. Booker would unknowingly enslave her heart for many years to come-for daydreams were nothing more than a cruel joke inflicted by life. All dreams-daydreams or otherwise-never came true. Did they?

Life experience had harshly turned its cruel countenance on the young Fallon Ashby. Her father deceased and her mother suffering with a fatal illness, Fallon was given over to her uncle, Charles Ashby, until she would reach the age of independence. Abused, neglected, and disheartened, Fallon found herself suddenly blessed with unexpected liberation at the hand of the mysterious Trader Donavon. A wealthy landowner and respected denizen of the town, Trader Donavon concealed his feature of face within the shadows of a black cowl. When Fallon's secretive deliverer offered two choices of true escape from her uncle, her captive heart chose its own path. Thus, Fallon married the enormous structure of mortal man-without having seen the horrid secret he hid beneath an ominous hood. But the malicious Charles Ashby, intent on avenging his own losses at Trader Donavon's hand, set out to destroy the husband that Fallon herself held secrets concerning. Would her wicked uncle succeed and perhaps annihilate the man that his niece secretly loved above all else?

Lark Lawrence was alone. In all the world there was no one who cared for her. Still, there were worse things than independence-and Lark had grown quite capable of providing for herself. Nevertheless, as winter loomed, she suddenly found herself with no means by which to afford food and shelter-destitute. Yet, Tom Evans was a kind and compassionate man. When Lark Lawrence appeared on his porch, without pause he hired her to keep house and cook for himself and his cantankerous elder brother, Slater. And although Tom had befriend Lark first, it would be Slater Evans-handsome, brooding and twelve years Lark's senior-who would unknowingly abduct her heart. Still, Lark's true age (which she concealed at first meeting the Evans brothers) was not the only truth she had kept from Slater and Tom Evans. Darker secrets lay imprisoned deep within her heart-and her past. However, it is that secrets are made to be found out-and Lark's secrets revealed would soon couple with the arrival of a woman from Slater's past to forever shatter her dreams of winning his love-or so it seemed. Would truth and passion mingle to capture Lark the love she'd never dared to hope for?

Libby smiled as she watched him drink from the mug of cocoa she'd prepared for him. It was all so exciting-the renovation, the hope of finding something hidden in the house that no one had ever found before, the fact that the handsome contractor would be in and out of her shop and her life for weeks to come. All of a sudden, Libby felt a surge of rejuvenation course through her limbs, for she loved when life brought unexpected pleasures. And seeing the likes of him every day certainly would be a pleasure.