In part one of “It was always You” Nehemiah and Slim committed themselves to each other, no matter the cost. In part two, their loyalty is tested. When secrets are revealed, and betrayal is made known, the roles reverse. It is no longer Nehemiah who has reservations about their commitment, but Slim. Fatima has secrets of her own. Secrets that make it almost impossible for her to accept love from Quentin or anyone else. Known as a man who always gets what he wants, Quentin is up against the biggest fight of his life – choosing to love a woman through her pain, even if it causes him pain in the process, or letting her go and wondering... what if? Both couples battle their pasts and secrets threatening their futures. Both couples can say, “It was always you,” but in the end... they must decide... if love is really worth it.

Every woman (and perhaps every man) longs to be loved, to be tenaciously pursued by someone who simply will not give up until they have owned the other's heart. We need to know that this love is unconditional and will not become disillusioned or lose its intensity. We need the security of forever. Have you ever found yourself in a spiritual pit, feeling lost, unloved, unlovable, and unsure of just who you are? If you long for a passionate love relationship that you can hang your identity on forever; if you have never understood that the entire Bible from cover to cover is a love story of God's relentless pursuit of you; if you need to know that you have a covenant partner whose love for you has no limits; if you long for a solid, stable place to throw down an anchor for your soul, this is where your yearnings will at long last be satiated. You will never be the same.

Their souls had tied them to one another before their mouths exchanged their first words. Nehemiah Walker and Monroe “Slim” Campbell have gone to the same church for years, but it isn’t until Slim’s life is placed on the line at work that they speak to each other. Instantly, a bond binds their souls together in a way that neither expected or desire to break loose from. Even though their union has increased their happiness, it has wreaked havoc for those around them – mainly Nehemiah’s family and the mother of his three children. Church musician by day and drug dealer by night, Nehemiah has had no desire to leave the game behind or cut ties with his scheming, controlling father and the church or his unfaithful and unappreciative baby mama. It isn’t until he met Monroe that that changed. With Nehemiah carrying so many secrets for his father and the church, enemies and threats surface from the most unexpected places, but Nehemiah is willing to go to hell and back to secure the small piece of peace and heaven he’s found in Monroe.

Have you ever regretted a lost love? Karan and Shruti are a happily married couple. Until Karan's ex resurfaces into his life one day. Soon Karan finds himself getting nostalgic over matters of the heart and thinking fondly of his first romance. Will he put his steady and seemingly perfect marriage at stake for his ex-girlfriend? Meanwhile his best friend Aditya finds his own relationship with his wife Jasmine going through an emotional turmoil. Will both friends work towards keeping their marriage afloat, or make a decision they would later regret?

A drama club geek and a consummate jock—hardly a formula for friendship. Yet Caleb Richards and Kevin O’Brien have been best friends since high school. Kevin’s free spirited ways brought Caleb out of his shell, and Caleb introduced Kevin to a world outside of sports. When Kevin came out to Caleb as gay, all the things he’d thought were wrong about himself suddenly seemed right…except for his inability to say the four words that could open the door to his ultimate happiness: I love you, Kevin. Years later, when Caleb finally faced his fear and plans to finally tell Kevin, “It was always you,” he’s a bit too late: Kevin tells him he’s found someone. How will a friendship ever become more now? Publisher’s note: It Was Always You was originally published in the Friends to Lovers anthology/

Simon McCoy can’t forget Margot Banks and the summer they became friends and, almost… something more. But then she stood him up and got back together with her boyfriend. He needs a girlfriend… Simon McCoy overheard Margot Banks claiming he’s her boyfriend and lawyer. A gentleman wouldn’t take advantage of her embarrassment. But Simon isn’t a gentleman. Especially where she’s concerned. He makes her a deal. He’ll be her lawyer, if she’ll be his date to his sister’s wedding. Margot is the one that got away, and this time Simon is going to catch her. A few weeks will get her out of his system. If what his exes say is true, he doesn’t have a heart to lose. The problem with his plan? He realizes that maybe his heart was Margot’s years ago and he’s looking for more than a fling. As much as he knows about seducing women, that’s how little he knows about having a real relationship. She needs a lawyer… After a disastrous marriage, Margot’s done with fairy tales. She just wants to make a decent life for her son. But when her philandering ex-husband decides he wants custody of their son, she needs a knight in shining armor (and a law degree). And Simon McCoy steps up. There’s a problem with this simple and mutually beneficial arrangement. When Simon kisses her, he reawakens more than just her passion. He makes her want a life that’s better than just decent. But trusting anything, even her own heart, feels impossible. If they want a chance for a fairy-tale ending together then they’ll have to battle the demons in their pasts and fight for their happily-ever-after. Can this fake relationship lead to a real-life fairy-tale ending? This is the seventh book in the Magnolia Valley series. It can be read as a standalone or as part of a larger story line.