Afraid to spend the Christmas holiday alone, an aging widower hires a woman to keep him company...when these two lonely souls meet, the result is a heartwarming and redeeming weekend that will change both of their lives forever. In this and other stories in The Christmas Wife, distinguished author and four-time recipient of the prestigious O. Henry Award Helen Norris expertly blends the poignant and bittersweet in moments that quietly resonate beyond the page. Emotional and moving, Norris's stories masterfully celebrate the heart and soul's triumph over loss, regret, and the nameless longings common to all. With a new introduction by Kaye Gibbons, author of Ellen Foster, A Virtuous Woman, and more, this edition also includes the DVD of the film The Christmas Wife, starring Academy Award-winning actor Jason Robards and Tony Award-winning actress Julie Harris. Book jacket.

Molly has returned to Serenity for Homecoming…but will she stay forever? Beau Julander, a single father of two, is having trouble juggling the responsibilities of career, home and family. And his work for the Homecoming Week Committee makes this time of year really busy—but not too busy to get reacquainted with Molly Shepherd, a girl he barely knew in high school. His attraction to Molly and her obvious interest in him soothe the damage done to his ego when his ex-wife walked out on him, but he’s keenly aware of how his kids have been hurt by the divorce, and he doesn’t want to make things worse for them by becoming involved in a relationship that’s only temporary. But Beau and his kids soon find out that Molly is not a temporary kind of woman—she’s in for the long run.

Toymaker, Deacon Stone, needs a wife. If he isn't married in less than a week his grandmother will sell her shares of the family business, and everything Deacon has worked his entire life for will be taken from him. He isn't the husband type but he'll do whatever it takes to keep control of the family business. Single mother, Claire Brooks, dreamed of being an actress, not a maid to the wealthy. But with an eviction notice, an empty bank account, and Christmas just around the corner, she's barely making ends meet. When her daughter accidentally breaks a priceless statue belonging to her employer - the gorgeous and aloof toymaker - Claire has no choice but to accept Deacon Stone's proposal. Marry him for thirty days, convince his grandmother that they're in love, and he'll give her a hundred grand and the chance to finally give her daughter the life she deserves. Claire's determined to give the performance of her life. But when Deacon's kisses ignite a scorching hot chemistry between them, the line between make-believe and the truth starts to blur.

It’s a convenient Christmas arrangement... Until he wants her – forever! After their secret marriage ended in heartbreak, billionaire Travis Sanders never wanted to see Imogen Gantry again. Yet when Imogen faints in the cold New York snow, Travis is called to her very public rescue! To avoid a media scandal, they must agree to a temporary reconciliation – at least until Christmas. But with their intense heat still burning, Travis is tempted to reclaim his wife – for good!

Set against the backdrop of an eerie island town in the dead of winter, The Wife and the Widow is a mystery/thriller told from two perspectives: Kate, a widow whose grief is compounded by what she learns about her dead husband’s secret life; and Abby, an island local whose world is turned upside down when she’s forced to confront the evidence that her husband is a murderer. But nothing on this island is quite as it seems, and only when these women come together can they discover the whole story about the men in their lives. Brilliant and beguiling, The Wife and the Widow takes you to a cliff edge and asks the question: how well do we really know the people we love?

A makeshift Christmas family Might be just what he needs Injured and widowed after an accident, Joshua Miller desperately needs help caring for his four children. So when he proposes a marriage of convenience to their housekeeper, Esther King, she is thrilled. She’s always wanted a family of her own, but it’s never come to be. Now her heart is open to the children, but her new husband is a different story. Joshua’s still reeling from the death of his wife. And Esther’s got a secret that stands between them. Can a marriage of convenience become a love match this Christmas? From Love Inspired: Uplifting stories of faith, forgiveness and hope.

A family Christmas! Charli McKenna runs a business that specializes in organizing all those annoying domestic details of life, from dinner parties to laundry. Christmas is her specialty! Max Taylor wants a full-time wife. A wife will also get him a seat on the board. That last thing he wants is messy emotional ties. He'd even prefer a make-believe wife—and Charli is the ideal candidate. Charli can't exactly say why she has agreed to pretend to be Max's wife—his smile, perhaps? But since she has agreed, she's going to make a go of it. She's determined to have a real tree, a real turkey and…a real husband!