She’s no one’s second choice ... Slater Highwater had his own reasons for coming home to Last Stand, Texas. And if anyone wants to know why a guy with a philosophy degree from an Ivy League school was now running the historic Last Stand Saloon, he has a stack of ready answers, none of which are completely true. But Joey Douglas never asked that question. Perhaps because she and Slater are always carrying on conversations no one else can follow. Or perhaps because she suspects she knows why he came home – her glamorous and calculating older sister broke his heart. Joey has longed for Slater since she first laid eyes on him, but her sister will always be an insurmountable barrier between them. Sure she and Slater click intellectually and sparks ignite whenever they’re in the same room, but Joey will never, ever settle for being Slater’s consolation prize no matter how much she loves him. Can Joey step out of her sister's shadow? Can Slater convince Joey she's his true soul mate?

No strings attached is pretty much Lucky McCord’s calling card in this reader favorite from USA TODAY bestselling author Delores Fossen Every family needs its black sheep, and Austin “Lucky” McCord is happy to oblige. The bad-boy bull rider lives fast and loose, until his business partner leaves him an unexpected bequest. Suddenly Lucky is sharing custody of two children with Cassie Weatherall, one of the few homegrown women he hasn’t bedded. And not from lack of trying… Cassie fled her messy past to become a celebrity therapist in LA. So why does it feel so right to come back and share parenting duties—and chrome-melting kisses—with a man she’s striven to avoid? Loving Lucky always seemed like a sure bet for heartache. But for this perfectly imperfect family, Cassie might just gamble with everything she’s got. Originally published in 2016

He never lets anything get to him. Except her. Police Chief Shane Highwater has the respect of the entire town of Last Stand, Texas, and they all believe he was blameless when an accident several months ago ended one life and tore apart another. All except reporter Liliana Jones, who blames him for her fiancé’s death. There's more to the story than she knows, secrets that might change her mind. Secrets Shane can't tell her. But oh, does he want to, because Lily Jones is the first woman he's been undeniably drawn to in a very long time. When a tragedy in town throws them together, Lily is forced to admit Shane is everything everyone said he was and ignoring the growing attraction is near impossible, and she’s no longer sure she wants to. Has her change of heart come too late?

A Christmas in Last Stand brings unexpected gifts to two very different people... Detective Sean Highwater may be one of the famous Highwaters, but he has always felt a half-step off because of the way his agile mind works. Only learning to focus has enabled him to not just survive, but thrive. Elena de la Cova is from a respected and highly regarded founding family, brought up with rather stringent expectations, but right now she is a widow trying to raise a son she doesn't understand. If Last Stand had royalty, in Sean's book it would be elegant Elena. He's willing to help her son as he had been helped, but being that close to Elena scares him to death since he’s been in awe of her for years. Elena is impressed both with the way Sean gets through to her son, and with his appreciation for the Christmas customs of her culture as much as his own. Their perceptions of each other shift, but will the passion that strikes between them be enough to overcome their perceptions of themselves?

Wrangler’s Creek’s most eligible bad boy has just become its most eligible single dad Dylan Granger could always count on his rebellious-cowboy charm to get his way—until the day his wife, Jordan, left him and joined the military. The realization that during a wild night he got her cousin pregnant is shocking enough. But the news that Jordan has come home to Texas to help raise the baby is the last thing he expects. Raising a baby with Dylan in Wrangler’s Creek is a life Jordan might’ve had years ago, but she doesn’t want regrets. She wants what’s best for the child—and to find out if there’s something deeper between her and her ex than blazing-hot chemistry. Getting closer means letting down her guard to Dylan again, but will he be able to accept the emotional scars on her heart?

A crisis brings a cowboy home, and his childhood crush might get him to stay, in this tender contemporary romance series launch by a USA Today bestseller. Cattleman Callen Laramie has no intention of returning to his hometown of Coldwater, Texas, until a Christmas wedding and a family secret convince him he has no choice. And when he’s reunited with his childhood crush, the girl who’d always been off-limits, Callen knows leaving might not be so easy this time. Shelby McCall is as pretty as a Christmas snowfall, and Callen wants to kiss her under the mistletoe . . . and the Christmas tree . . . and the stars. But once Shelby knows the whole truth behind this homecoming, will their holiday fling come to an abrupt end? Or will she accept the gift of his heart? Praise for Lone Star Christmas “Resplendent with quirky characters, buried secrets, and Christmas joy, the plot delivers just the right amount of emotional punch and happily ever after.” —Publishers Weekly

Money can't fix this dilemma—but love might No falling for the ex… Jake Monroe became the most eligible rancher in Wrangler's Creek,Texas, at the drop of an inheritance. With land, horses and a fortune to protect, he can'tlet gold diggers into his pockets. But he can let people believe he and his ex are backtogether while she's in town working on the ranch. Trouble is, faking a relationship withLily Rose Granger isn't nearly as hard as pretending their desire isn't real. No sleeping with the boss… Playing pretend isn't supposed to be so complicated, but Lily Rose won'tgive up. She's determined to prove to everyone that she's the best horse traineraround—and prove to herself that she;'s moved on from Jake. All she has to do is stay outof the cowboy's bed…or trust that this time around he's worth every risk.