LAS

I know what I’m hiding. But the guy I left in bed after a steamy one-night stand…I haven’t a clue what’s going on behind those Clark Kent glasses of his. I’ve met his goofy dog Gomer, his social media-obsessed grandmother, and his sheep that lives in a palace. I know he wears a three-piece suit and a flannel shirt equally well–not to mention what he looks like underneath. I know he abruptly quit his job at that evil conglomerate.

Waking up hungover in the sheep pen is the least of my problems. The worst? A foreclosure notice for my family farm. Scratch that. The actual worst is the woman delivering the news: my ex, who broke my heart and left me behind for the big city. I’ve spent a decade trying to forget Lia Thorne, and now she’s the only one who can help my family dig ourselves out from our crushing debt and even stronger egos.

Cows are better than people–a fact I've sworn by until the irresistibly upbeat Molly comes barreling into my life, running my farm stand and bringing the summer heat with her. She's also working for Fork Lick’s most debt-ridden business: my family's farm. I try to stay out of that manure pile. Except the crush I have on her makes me think about doing things like smiling all day and patching up my relationship with my brother.

I hate Ripley Brewer. So, why am I cuddling on his lap, peering into his ocean-blue eyes while cameras record our every move? My best friend needs my help to save her career, and I would do anything for her. Besides, filming a reality show sounds fun … until Ripley shows up to play the role of my fake boyfriend. As always, we nearly come to blows within minutes of seeing each other. The playboy billionaire accuses me of a setup, but I insist I’d rather live in a world without carbs than spend a minute with him.

Love doesn’t break us; it makes us whole, my nana used to say. However, one minute, my world is set on fire, literally. The next, I am raising a six-year-old as a single mom without a clear path ahead of us. No place to live. No job. No money. I’m returning to Sterling Falls to claim what’s mine, then there will be no looking back on this beloved small town, a place I consider a handful of sand in the hourglass of my life. Then again, Clay Sylver has shaken up that ancient time clock. The silver fox in his forties is a bit cocky, but solid in every way that matters.

My name is Caroline "Candy" Cane, I own a country inn, date a man who runs a Christmas tree farm, and my mom's peppermint fudge wins first place at the Reindeer Corners' festival every year. Basically, I'm living every romance-loving girlie's small town dream. Until a last minute trip to New York City leads to catching my boyfriend banging a Rockette (in full elf costume). So, when I'm offered a chance to star in a hospitality-themed reality show, I jump at the chance to serve hot cocoa in roller skates on national television.

Halloween: it’s a holiday where people shed their boring everyday personalities and become fantastic beings ready for an epic party. Well, guess what? That’s Billy Boston 24/7, 365, baby! It’s who I was before I became a millionaire and it’s who I’ll always be. My beautiful next door neighbor, Donna, is a hardworking nurse who takes her job seriously and her fun even more so. All she wants is a no-strings arrangement and that’s fine by me. It’s Halloween for us every time we’re together because she likes to role play.

Vera Kruger has dyed her hair every color of the rainbow and she’s turned two very important parts of me blue for as long as I’ve known her. She’s so deep under my skin that she’s a part of me, just like the small town we grew up in. No matter where I go on tour, she’s the one I wish I could come home to. Even if it’s to argue with her about absolutely anything. When I return to Beacon Harbor for the holidays, I’m not a screwup anymore.

He’s hunting a killer so she won’t be next. Single dad Garrett Haven doesn’t have time for dating. With a teenage son and a high-stakes job in law enforcement, he has enough on his plate. Besides, he risked his heart once. He has no intention of doing it again. Until he meets her. Harper Tilburn brought her passion for baking to the small town of Tilikum to take over her aunt’s bakery. Anything else will have to wait, at least until her bad luck curse runs out.

Once upon a time I spent an evening flirting with a handsome stranger in a bar. But before we could finish what we started, I lost my nerve and fled. Months later, I’m minding my own business at work one morning when a stranger lets himself into the empty brewery. Panicked, I call 911, and the cops show up to slap on the handcuffs. In my defense, I have very good reasons to be afraid. Also in my defense, I’d never met my boss’s son.