A rugged, bearded mechanic becomes my knight in shining armor. Traveling three hours to make my twin daughter's Christmas come true. I never expected him. We are the complete opposites and he infuriates me like no one else. Love was never on the cards for me. A blizzard holds up my plans and I end up staying the night with him. Everything I never thought I wanted. I thought being stranded at Christmas was the only surprise I was in for. How wrong was I?

Forget the jelly doughnuts. Hanukkah's about to get spicy.... Benji Roth couldn't be happier. His bakery in the small town of Serenity, Pennsylvania is thriving, and he doesn’t even mind being the only Jewish person in town. Except when his cousin, Issac, comes to visit, of course. Everyone is friendly—well, almost everyone. Gorgeous Gil Navarro, the owner of the spice shop across the street, comes in every morning for a muffin but barely looks at him and never says a word.

Detective Quinn Hughes doesn't have many regrets in life, but Sebastian Devlin is the biggest. As a cop and a defense lawyer, the deck was stacked against them to start with, but Quinn was the one who left a burning inferno behind him. Missing his chance with ex-Special Forces Commando Peyton Sinclair is a close second on his regrets list, but Quinn isn't going to ruin the happiness Peyton has found with fellow police officer Will McMahon for anything—not even a chance at his own happiness.

Art evaluator Miles Tate is finally about to start living his dream . . . that is if he can get the funding in place to open his own art gallery in New York. But when an unexpected turn of events finds every one of Miles's perfectly-planned dreams turned upside-down, it's time to escape Manhattan and reluctantly take up a well-paid job in the tiny seaside town of Hope's Bluff, Georgia. For Miles, it's his only chance to make some money, claw back what little dignity he has left, and figure out what the hell to do with his life.

Grace was one of the most decorated sharpshooters in the Marines. He's fiercely committed to righting the wrongs that plague the world and protecting the innocent. But there are too many rules and strict orders in the armed forces the Ravens don't have. Mirage left his world without a trace. He has a brilliant mind and more degrees in science and medicine than one person could ever hope to obtain.

Evan Shaw has wanted to be a photographer for as long as he can remember, and Pine Valley is the place to go to make that happen. What he didn't expect was to be sworn into a secret society with a dark history—or to fall in love with a man so filled with anger there might never be hope for them. Alek Anders doesn't believe in love, nor does he have the time for it. He can't chase his dreams like all the rich college kids around him; he has his family to look after and food to keep on the table. Then comes Evan. Everything he's not, he pushes all of Alek's buttons.

Fred Brennan's father was a brutal man, both professionally and personally. When the kingpin died, Fred welcomed it, but not the brutal role he was thrust into. As a doctor, he's devoted his life to helping people. The last thing he wants is to fill his father's shoes, but after three years, he's no closer to offloading his dad's title onto someone else. As a mafia boss, he's forced to deal with the elite assassin organization, Lex Talionis . . . bringing him face to face with the man who runs it.

My path to success never included an enemy as a teammate, especially one as infuriating as Quinton de Haas. Clawing under my skin is his favorite pastime, only feeding the animosity between us as the years pass. We’re as completely opposite as two people can be; the golden boy and the black sheep. Constantly at odds or at each other’s throats. The only thing we can agree on is hockey is our true love, and we’ll do whatever it takes to come out on top. I never imagined that drive would lead me to do the unthinkable: falling into bed with my not-so-straight rival.

When Kel Taylor’s life changes irrevocably, he finds himself alone in the world. He might have rebelled a little against his parents, but that didn’t mean he was ready to lose them. Unable to cope with his grief and feelings of guilt, he turns to booze, but before he hits rock bottom, someone dives into the murky waters to save him.

As a high school hockey star, I was on track for greatness. Until an opponent attacked me on the ice, leaving me half blind. For the past twenty-seven years, I’ve avoided hockey and its painful memories. But when my old teammates get back together to play in a local recreational league, I realize it could be a chance to rewrite history. The only person standing in my way is Jack Gross.

The weight of the legacy I carry is a constant tug in my mind, with the ghosts of the generations before me always whispering for me to push harder, train longer, be better. In the eight seconds I have to ride, everything else falls away, and my sole focus is on doing what I do best. I am Shooter Graham, consecutive three-time world champion bronc rider. No one has ever come close to taking the title since I've had it… until him. Sterling Addams. The new cowboy in town with dark hair, eyes like honey, and a taste for me he likes to pretend he doesn't have.

I'm the starting quarterback for the Portland Pirates, and I have a thing for my son's teacher. Except I didn't know the cute blond on the beach with the giant dog was my kid's teacher until two months later at Open House. Christian took my breath away during my vacation and introduced me to things I never knew could feel so good and be so right. I think he just might be the one who inspires me to tell the world that this NFL quarterback is bisexual and in love with a man.

Chris Gardner has a good life in New Orleans. He owns a club in the French Quarter, has a wonderful crew of people who call it home, loyal, caring friends, and even gets his kid fix by helping to take care of his chef’s daughter. What he doesn’t have is that special someone to share his days and nights with. He thought he did, once upon a time, but that man left to find fame and fortune, became a rockstar, and never returned. And that’s fine. Life isn’t a fairy tale. Now if only he could find a band to play music in his club at night, that would be a Christmas miracle.

Just the sight of Nico ‘Stix’ Jamieson makes me want to hurt something. Between his stupid smiles on that annoyingly handsome face and the constant drumming of anything that makes a sound with those drumsticks of his, I want to throttle him. No one is that happy. I don’t trust it. Even when my hate for him is clear, he throws it back in my face with a smile and wave. And how he loves to push my buttons when he’s feeling especially obnoxious. If I hate him, then why am I obsessed with him?

Oakley Farrow is your typical high school senior. He stays up late, cramming for finals. He has impossible deadlines to meet. He worries about his future as graduation lurks just around the corner. He has to defend himself from his abusive uncle. He has to keep his sister safe. He has to survive the constant torture from his bully, Asher Brooks—the seemingly arrogant and cruel star quarterback. Okay… so maybe not your typical high school senior.

A rugged, bearded mechanic becomes my knight in shining armor. Traveling three hours to make my twin daughter's Christmas come true. I never expected him. We are the complete opposites and he infuriates me like no one else. Love was never on the cards for me. A blizzard holds up my plans and I end up staying the night with him. Everything I never thought I wanted. I thought being stranded at Christmas was the only surprise I was in for. How wrong was I?

Welcome to Big Bend—my nightmare and my home, all in one. I don't fit in here. I don't fit in anywhere. I've made so many mistakes. Over and over. Two of those mistakes haunt me. One, being responsible for a friend losing his job and reputation in this town. And two, well, that one is even worse. I ruined so many lives with one stupid decision I barely even remember. And now, I'm going to pay for it.

Mason keeps to himself. His best friend, JJ, is the only one he chooses to be close to, plus his job keeps him busy. Excitement isn't something he needs or wants in his life. One night, that all changes when he's cornered, and his life is threatened. His saviors? Well, they turn out to be just as dangerous, and the mysteries surrounding them soon flip Mason's world upside down. Gabe and his brothers spend their lives making sure those who deserve death get what's coming to them. The one person they never see coming is Mason.

Sometimes you meet someone and you just know they're going to mean something to you. That's what happened with Col Langdon. Sure, he's a cranky, uptight New Yorker who seems strangely immune to my serenading, but he's been living rent-free in my head since the night we met. I'm the king of casual. But with Col . . . it's different.

Wings. That was the nickname they gave me in the lead-up to the Winter Olympics. I was ready to take home the gold for figure skating, ready to make all my dreams come true . . . all but one . . . the dream of finding love. That dream ended the night I lost the only man I ever wanted. It was a moment that led to my downfall on the ice rink. And so I fled my hometown of Mulligan's Mill, determined never to return. That is until I get the call from Doc Morgan, letting me know that my sister's hoarding habit is getting out of control.

When I left Birchbark angry and heartbroken, I vowed never to return. Fate had other plans. The father I hate had a stroke, so now I'm back in the Upper Peninsula to take care of him. The locals treat Dad like royalty, while Dad vacillates between open anger and flat-out ignoring me. Throw in my messy relationship with my brothers, and being in Birchbark becomes unbearable.

Hockey was everything, but now I’m questioning if I’ll ever make it to the NHL. I need to find a life. In comes a stunning guy in designer jeans and hair so dark and silky, I struggle to keep my fingers to myself. We connect at an animal rescue, where I accidentally soak him with a hose. I give him my team shirt to make amends. The vision of him in my clothes stirs a primal urge in me. When he mentions he’s queer, my heart skips a beat. But he’s only interested in a hookup.

I’m in the best relationship of my life, which is ridiculous, because I'm absolutely miserable. My boyfriend of two years is a shark in the courtroom but more like a mythical creature at home, meaning he's never home. He doesn't exist here anymore. After months of him choosing to work late into the night, cancel our plans or simply not show up. I find my backbone and leave. I will not stay in another neglectful relationship or ignore the red flags any longer.

There are several principles of landscaping, but my favorite has always been simplicity. I'm a go-with-the-flow and keep-it-simple kind of guy. Always have been. Always will be. It's how I do my job and how I live my life. Of course, as luck would have it, it only takes one job and one indescribably hot stranger to change everything for me. Because one thing Dutton Collins is not... simple.

Seven years ago, a vile experience tore the two of them apart, leaving them shadows of their former selves. Ghosts to each other. A haunting. A haunting so deeply embedded that Linc now lives a reclusive life—hiding out in the Santa Monica mountains with his only friend, Ellis. A quiet existence.

Rafael owns my heart. He stole it with the first clumsy bump in a Parisian bookstore, and I never asked him to return it. He gifted me a night to remember, a night that shaped the person I would become. And then, I lost him. I lost every trace that could have helped me find him. Until fate meddled again and put Rafael and me on the same cross-European train through the Alps.

Detective Quinn Hughes doesn't have many regrets in life, but Sebastian Devlin is the biggest. As a cop and a defense lawyer, the deck was stacked against them to start with, but Quinn was the one who left a burning inferno behind him. Missing his chance with ex-Special Forces Commando Peyton Sinclair is a close second on his regrets list, but Quinn isn't going to ruin the happiness Peyton has found with fellow police officer Will McMahon for anything—not even a chance at his own happiness.

I was drowning in debt and my sister needed help, so I made a terrible choice. I borrowed money from the infamous Marchesi family, knowing I had no way to pay them back. Did I think I could evade them? Did I think I’d win the lottery? No, I didn’t think at all. I just acted. Now, a killer is at my door, a man known for his ruthlessness, his persistence, and the way he can bring a man to his knees–for business or pleasure. I’ve got to find a way to pay him back, and the only thing I own free and clear is my body.

Four years ago, we said goodbye. I’d always intended to come back for you, but life got in the way. All I have are cowardly excuses of being in school, fear of coming out, and thinking that too much time had passed. But fate? It’s a funny thing, because I’m now forced to spend the summer with you, working together. It’s my chance to make things right, but I know I have to prove myself to you. To show you I’m not afraid anymore. That I still burn hot and heavy for you. Can we work past our differences and try again?

All I want is to help those who need it the most. So when a devastatingly handsome stranger lands in Neon Nights, the gay bar where we spend our days and nights, I immediately know he's in trouble. I also know that we share an instant connection that comes once in a lifetime, but our clumsy kiss freaks him out and turns the night into a total disaster.