Heartsong Presents

No more charity cases for Raine Montrose. No more selfless acts of devotion. She'd paid her dues, or at least her missionary parents had. After her mother's untimely death in Haiti, Raine and her father settle on a small ranch in Alberta, Canada. Now at last she can live her own life and dream her own dreams. When she meets the mysterious, darkly handsome Alan Decker, her missionary instincts return. Badly scarred from a fire that claimed his young wife, Dek is also at a crossroads in his life. Together Raine and Dek form a friendship based on mutual need...until the need becomes commitment.

When Laura returns to the Ozarktown of Hunnington, Arkansas, as a first-year teacher, her lack of experience is obvious in dealing with her high school students. But life experience is also missing from Laura's resume. When the dark and mysterious Gerald Eads returns from Laura's past to complete with handsome coach Charles Hurd for her attention, she is both flattered and confused. Time and again, her inexperience throws her into more than one difficult situation. Will Laura's faith and reliance on the Lord save her from making a tragic mistake?

Of all the foolish things Myles Trent has ever done, falling in love with his boss's daughter is undoubtedly the worst. Everyone in town knows that Beulah will marry Al Moore someday. Everyone. But if that's true, why does Beulah seem to work so hard at attracting Myles's attention? Why does she light up whenever he is near? No matter what common sense might tell him, Myles cannot give up hope that someday Beulah Fairfield will be his. Beulah can't help admiring this mysterious hired man. What secrets does Myles hide? No one knows his past. He could be from anywhere--a bank robber or desperado. And why is Myles so bitter toward God? Surely Beulah cannot love a man who doesn't serve her Lord... yet a woman's heart seldom listens to reason. Is Beulah putting herself at risk? What happens when Myles's shadowy past draws him away from the woman he loves?

Taffie Carini enjoys working in her family’s candy store on the Atlantic City boardwalk. But when her parents begin planning their retirement, Taffie's not sure she has the moxie or the know-how to manage Carini’s Confections on her own. When repairman Ryan Antonelli makes a service call at Carini's, he’s irresistibly drawn to more than just the candy. Although his marketing degree has hardly prepared him to fix a taffy-making machine, Ryan will do anything to help Taffie, with the hopes of winning her heart. When a business mogul wants to buy Carini’s property to build a new casino, Taffie’s family’s future is threatened. Can Ryan help Taffie save Carini’s Confections? Will they find sweet love together in the process?

Addie Hyde spent four years waiting to see if the high-spirited husband she had married in haste would come back after the South lost the war. Yet Kirby Hyde was never among the Confederates in rags and tatters straggling through Arkansas. Addie always had spunk, but now she also had a young son, two foster children she cherished, and trouble. Deserters and drifters were making Addie's isolated farmhouse a dangerous place for a pretty woman without a man--until John Tallman showed up in town. He asked about Addie, he watched for her, and suddenly he was using his guns and fists to protect her. His kindness showed Addie not to fear him. Her heart soon told her more. John Tallman had a shadow about him that even love might not chase away. And although yesteryear was gone, it could take all a woman's caring, and all her courage, to make tomorrow theirs...

All Lilly Brown ever wanted is a family of her own to love. When a strange man arrives with information about the mother Lilly never knew, her heart burns with hope. But how can an orphan girl claim a birthright in one of the wealthiest families in New Orleans? Marie Bordeaux will have nothing of it. To protect herself and her fortune, she relies on her lawyer, Andrew Desmond, a longtime friend and loyal advocate. Yet something in Lilly's outrageous proclamation rings true in Andrew's ears--and in his heart. Can Andrew discover the truth behind Lilly's buried past? Will he be able to convince Lilly that her dream of love for the future can come true?

Preparing to travel west to begin a new life, Byler Crane has thought of everything. Everything, that is, except a wife. An impromptu ad placed in the local mercantile brings Maggie Malone--and a whole lot more than he bargained for--into his life. Before the ink on their marriage certificate dries, the feisty new bride has managed to add a foundling girl and a young boy to the "family. " But this family is like no other, with each member full of secrets, surprises, and fears. Will their journey west meld them into a real family? Will the old Bible that Crane's mother entrusted to him help them find healing for their broken pasts?

Having seen the devastation of broken promises firsthand, Laureen Baker determines never to break a child's heart. She loves her job at Barnabas Home, a refuge for orphaned boys. Pete Long also knows devastation. Specifically, the havoc wreaked on his uncle's family by the adoption of a troubled child. So Pete orders his next-door neighbors, the kids of Barnabas Home: Keep out of my yard and my life. But God works in mysterious ways, and before he knows it, Pete finds himself enjoying those boys and their beautiful supervisor. Will past hurts cause his feelings for Laureen to fade, or will the truth of God's love allow her and one special little boy to remain forever in his heart? Fall in love with this inspiring love story and our entire collection of Christian romance novels from Heartsong Presents!

When famine ravages Ireland, Brigit Murphy and her family are forced to move to America. There, Brigit becomes a maid in the Newcomb home, where the mistress of the house, Emily Newcomb, is determined to marry off her brother, Duncan. When Duncan, a ship's captain, discovers he's fallen in love with the maid, he plans to tell her his feelings and make her his wife. But when some things come up missing from the Newcomb house, Brigit becomes the chief suspect. Will Duncan obey his sister's orders to rid the household of Brigit's presence? Or will the captain's heart determine his next course?

Hanna thought she had forgiven Mark Alexander-but when Mark joins Hanna's church staff as youth minister, she finds herself working closely with him-and past feelings resurface. Her old pain and insecurity return, the emotions all to familiar and all too distressing. Does she still have crush on Mark? Has she truly forgiven him? How can she trust him again-or her feelings? Has she changed only in appearance from the overweight schoolgirl she used to be? Hanna doesn't have the answers to these nagging questions. But she does know one thing for certain: Nothing will ever again stand in the way of God's will for her life!

When Audra moves to frontier Colorado to marry the local pastor, she is assured a life of adventure. She never realizes how much adventure until her stagecoach is robbed—and she learns it's her future husband's twin brother who committed the crime. Through his life, Caleb Windsor has been blamed for the sins of his brother. But when he tries to stop his twin's outlaw lifestyle by arranging a marriage for him, Caleb doesn't realize how it will affect his own heart—especially when it seems Audra is much better suited to himself. Could Audra ever love a renegade husband? Can Caleb clear his name in time?

Torey Mitchell witnessed the cold-blooded murder of a man she didn't know - and her stepfather, who committed the crime, tries to convince her that what she saw makes her just as guilty as he. Terrified, she runs away - and ends up in the loving home of the recently widowed Mrs. Crawford. The older woman's love of the Lord prompts Torey to tell the truth about what troubles her so. Simon Crawford is on a mission - to locate and bring to justice his father's murderer. He finds it more than a little strange that this homeless girl would be spying on his mother only weeks after his father was stabbed. Even stranger is the way Torey has captured his heart. Can both Torey and Simon learn forgiveness through God's love?

"When Charla Rae Thacker and her bridesmaids show up at Andi's soap shop in Greenburg, Tennessee, for a morning of pre-wedding pampering, Andi bends over backwards to make it a pleasant experience for them all. But then Charla keels over and dies from anaphylactic shock after she uses Andi's personally blended cherries jubilee facial scrub. Andi suspects sabotage and murder when she discovers strawberries - a lethal allergen for Charla - in the scrub. Now, Andi must save her business and her reputation" -- p. of cover.

Already frustrated by the incorrigible students she teaches on the Kansas frontier, Tarah is further troubled when Anthony Greene, the one man she has always loved, returns to town. And she is certainly not ready to graciously accept his apparent preference for the simpering Louisa Thomas, the banker's daughter who obviously has designs for the handsome young preacher. But the appearance of two abused children in the community changes everyone. How will Tarah be able to win the trust of Laney and Ben and help them to build a new life? Will she be able to accept the gifts of friendship from Anthony, if that is all he is willing to offer? And will her heart be open to lessons God has for her in a situation that seems to offer only heartache and loneliness?

At age forty, Esther Young had a comfortable routine, despite her sister's never-ending attempts at match-making. But when Tom Pearson stepped into her office, Esther's life suddenly changed. With their relationship moving along so quickly - and so well - Esther begins to entertain dreams of marriage and motherhood. But, all too soon, she realizes that her hopes don't match the plans Tom has for their future. Would God have brought all this about just to show Esther what she could have had - if only she'd submitted to His will earlier in life? Or might this be a case of God's timing differing from man's?

Having endured a grueling voyage from the British Islands, Mariam arrives at the Chance brothers' ranch expecting to help her sister care for two children and six men. But Miriam is shocked to learn that her sister has died and her two nieces have been neglected. When the Chance brothers order Miriam to take the next ship back to her home, she digs in her heels. Her place is with her nieces-even if that reduces her chances of marriage to about one in a million. But as the months pass, will Miriam come to believe that maybe one Chance is all she needs?

Neighbors call her "Ramshackle Rose." But they've grown to accept her and learned to love her for the kindness of her generous heart. Rose, in turn, loves the folks of Buttonhole, Virginia. If her friends don't know much about her past, Rose doesn't mind. She prefers to keep some things to herself. Everything changes, though, with the arrival of Garret Diamond, debonair new owner of the mercantile and immediately the town's most eligible bachelor. When Garret discovers one of Rose's most tightly held secrets, she is terrified. Will he spoil Rose's pleasant life in Buttonhole and force her to move where no one knows her past? Or will the business partnership they've formed lead to a lifetime union?

THE BRIDE'S SECOND CHANCE Two years ago, Olivia Shea was trying on her wedding gown, dreaming of marriage and motherhood. But her fisherman fiancé was lost at sea and Olivia fled, unable to stay in the New England fishing village. Now she's back in Fairport, determined to face her fears by working on a whale boat tour. But the charter's captain is the sole survivor of her fiancé's ill-fated voyage-a man of danger and memories. Jonathan Barrotta's scars from the night he nearly died run as deep as the vast Atlantic. To prove himself and to honor his friend's memory, he vows to fulfill his dream of piloting his own boat. But a life at sea means a life without Olivia-the woman he's always secretly loved. How can he ask her to be a fisherman's wife? Only with the Lord guiding their way will Jonathan and Olivia chart a course toward home-together.

Jeb will never settle down. At least that's what Beth's husband-to-be always said about his cowboy brother, Jeb. Since Harland's death, Beth has worked to create a home for Harland's two young children, Cassie and Lucas. Now, it seems that Jeb is coming to claim the only family he has left - and Beth's heart is broken at her loss. When Jeb rides into town, though, Beth's traitorous heart pushes aside all questions of his wanderlust, and she enjoys getting to know this exciting man. Will Jeb live up to his reputation and uproot the children Beth has come to love - as well as her affections? Or can he be persuaded to call Roswell home?

Though eight years have passed, Mandy remembers as if it were yesterday the pain of turning down Jason's marriage proposal. But she knows her decision was right, and she's learned to live without him. But when his grandfather's heart attack brings Jason back to their small town in the mountains of North Carolina, Mandy discovers that living without Jason is much easier when he's far away in New York City. Will Mandy find peace while facing the ghosts of dashed dreams every day?

Abigail's future looks bleak. Although a member of Britain's aristocracy, Abigail has led a sheltered life in her father's country manor house. The news that he has arranged for her to marry Lord Sutton, a titled man known for his profligate behavior, changes everything. Desperate, Abigail arranges to elope in the middle of the night with a neighbor she has dreamed of since childhood. When the plan goes awry and Abigail becomes deathly ill, she is rescued by a kindly stranger - whom she soon learns is Lord Sutton. Tedric is nothing like the rake she has heard is Lord Sutton. Are the rumors false? Or is she truly bound to a man who values nothing about her except her family name?

Reece Parker wants to give his four-year-old sister, Connie, opportunities he never had growing up. He hopes that an inheritance left to him by his aunt Agnes will go a long way toward providing for the little girl. Stipulations spelled out in the aunt's will, however, require Reece to solve a string of cryptic, biblical clues even before he can learn what - or how much - he is inheriting. When the puzzles appear impossible to solve, Reece solicits the aid of church secretary Enid Garson, the person to whom Agnes entrusted the first clue. Will Enid's insights lead Reece to his promised inheritance? Or will they discover a far more precious treasure together?

Emily Goodman feels trapped in her Connecticut hometown. As the nineteenth century dawns, the country is growing westward, and Emily's sister is moving with husband's family to western New York to cut a new home out of the wilderness. Jonathan Miller is part of that family. When Jonathan goes, Emily's heart will follow. Though no vow has passed between them, Jonathan is the only man ever to stir Emily's heart. Her mother would like to see Emily settle down as a prominent business owner's wife, while her father wishes only to see his daughter happy. Emily simply longs to know where God is calling her. When, at last, Emily has the opportunity to visit New York, will her parents allow her to make the trip? Will Jonathan welcome her presence? Will she ever want to return to her Connecticut home?

In 1825 New York, marriage and family are a common desire of most women. But for Liz, whose family is very dependent on her, she knows romance may be as fleeting as a summer dream. But that's before Stephen Ames arrives in town to become the new pastor. From the moment she first sees Stephen, Liz feels emotions she has never experienced before. Frantically, she strives to hide her growing attraction for Stephen, convinced it can only bring heartache. Then disaster strikes her small community, and Liz discovers qualities in herself that she never imagined existed. Will her life continue along the road she has always followed, or is Liz about to discover that a summer dream can become reality?

Hope has not time for God. Why should she? When her mother was dying, God didn't answer Hope's prayers. Now, Hope immerses herself in science, where the world is concrete and definite, unwilling to entertain faith ever again. Hope is dismayed to find that Rick, the interesting new man in her life, considers faith an important part of his existence. No matter how much she enjoys Rick's company, she determines he cannot be the man for her. Never again will she trust God the way she did before her mother's death. But the more Hope comes to know Rick, the harder he is to resist. And when she meets his family, she finds herself falling in love with them, as well. Hope's lonely heart longs to be part of this family forever--but that might require her to trust in God once again.

Elizabeth Lambert is on the fast track to success. Too bad she gets knocked off that track by one dashing, young forest ranger named Kavan Donovan. It seems the entire town of White Birch is pulling for Elizabeth and Kavan, but her goals don't include falling in love. She fights her attraction to Kavan, even as friends and family urge her to forget her dream of graduate school. Though problems at work prove distracting, Kavan is nevertheless captivated by Elizabeth. Is the Lord telling Elizabeth to let go of prideful ambitions? Might His direction lead to marriage instead of graduate school? Can Kavan convince Elizabeth that love is the finest ambition of all?

Isabella's parents are traditional, conservative Cubans. They would never dream of letting their daughter speak privately with a man; they would be furious to know he had held her hand and once nearly kissed her. Isabella doesn't want to dishonor her parents. But something draws her to Richard Southard, something she can't resist. When he employs her has his bookkeeper, she has more opportunity to watch him, to speak with him, to get to know him better. And the more she knows him, the more she finds herself falling helplessly in love. But Richard is a man of honor. Although he is as atracted to Isabella as she is to him, he will respect her culture's traditions. Only God knows the way for Isabella and Richard to honorably scale the barrier that lies between them.

Phillip McLean has been entrusted with the care of a family heirloom: a Christmas tree-topping angel ornament made by his grandmother. When disaster strikes - the poor angel is stained by coffee - Phillip calls upon Grace to help fix it before Granny finds out. But that's not the end of it. Every time Phillip turns around, it seems, something else is happening to the angel. This ornament that was supposed to be a blessing has become a curse - except that it keeps sending him to Grace ... Meanwhile, Grace's emotions are surging. She's liked Phillip for years. As Grace mends the crocheted angel, will her heart and Phillip's be knitted together?

Reeling from a broken engagement, Jeff doesn't feel like celebrating. Especially with his ex–fiancée's younger sister, Natasha Brickson. But Natasha is determined to immerse Jeff in Christmas cheer, and to his surprise, her tender care begins to mend his heart. Unlike his ex, Natasha's warm, compassionate, and lovely inside and out. Love is patient, love is kind.–1 Corinthians 13:4 Natasha's always stood in her sister's shadow, so she doesn't expect the man of her dreams to notice her. But when their friendship becomes something more, can Jeff convince Natasha he was engaged to the wrong sister...and give her the Christmas gift of a lifetime?