Irresistible romance meets thrilling suspense in this historical short story from USA Today bestselling novelist Colleen Coble. At the turn of the 20th century, Elli Korpela boarded The Baltic as a mail order bride. But the threat she thought she was escaping somehow followed her to America . . . Escaping a forced engagement, Elli sought refuge in an arranged, mail-order marriage. Her betrothed is a Texan named Nathan White. As she glimpses her future husband and his darling niece at the train station, she instantly knows her risk will prove the best decision she's ever made. Nathan White never took an interest in marriage until he became the guardian of four-year-old Hannah. He’s arranged a mail order wife to love and care for his orphaned niece. But his mind changes when he first sees the beautiful Elli Korpela. After a glorious wedding ceremony in the gardens of a place called Butterfly Palace—the grandest estate Elli's ever seen—a peaceful beginning takes a disquieting turn. An intruder brutally attacks Elli. Nathan intervenes, but the devil escapes unidentified, leaving Elli to face two chilling possibilities: either the attack was arranged by strike workers in Nathan's employ or her shadowy past followed her across the sea. As the danger mounts, Elli and Nathan must face their enemy together, fighting for their newfound marriage—and for their lives. Historical romantic suspense Stand-alone story that includes characters from Butterfly Palace Story length: 20,000 words Includes discussion questions for book clubs

Linnea Didn't Dare Dream Of Her Future Though she happily cared for her elderly mother, she secretly yearned for more. But no man, especially not one as fine as Seth Gatlin, could ever love a woman with a life as tainted as her own…! Seth's Heart Was Heavy With The Past Still, he busied himself with helping his stepsister and her son, but he ached with emptiness—until he shocked the townspeople by courting Linnea Holmstrom. Though they whispered about her behind her back, she possessed a grace and courage that drew him to her—and broke the leaden prison around his heart…!

A woman is torn between a hardened frontiersman and a Comanche warrior in this blistering Western romance from the author of Virgin Fire. Stranded in the wilderness and desperate for survival, young Cassandra has nearly given up hope when muscular mustanger Alex Harte arrives as salvation. When the rugged wanderer rescues this beautiful seventeen-year-old damsel, he knows his journey is about to take a dramatic turn. Just when Cassandra’s fate seemed safe, Alex and his wild posse have a run-in with an even wilder Comanche. Counts Many Coup has stolen many things from the white man but now he has found the perfect prize: Cassandra. She is stranded again but between the loves of two enemies.

A cowboy is about to get a holiday gift he never knew he wanted: a city girl already wrapped up for a wedding—from the author of Second Chance Rancher. After being jilted at the altar, all Marissa Walker wants for Christmas is to escape her life. Fleeing to Bluebonnet Springs and the ailing grandfather she’s never known seems like the perfect solution. But when her limo breaks down, neighboring rancher Alex Palermo comes to her rescue. With his ranch in jeopardy, Alex can’t afford any distractions right now—until he sees a bedraggled runaway bride on the side of the road. Alex can’t turn his back on the spunky city girl, and soon his priority becomes convincing her to stay. Because Christmas—and his future—would be much merrier with Marissa as his bride. Praise for Brenda Minton “Brenda Minton has done her usual excellent job of showing us the quieter, more decent side of life. One could say she restores our faith in humanity.” —Fresh Fiction

"When a tornado provides Rosalyn with the opportunity to escape the gallows, she collects her daughter Lucy and flees. They travel far enough West that Rosalyn believes she's gone to the ends of the earth." -- cover.