by Sharon Kendrick (2011)
Waitress Zara Evans doesn't belong in glittering high society. That is until she finds herself unexpectedly at an exclusive party, and manages to captivate the most sought-after man in the room, Russian oligarch Nikolai Komarov. For Nikolai, there's something about Zara's beauty that makes her stand out from the first-class crowd. Experience has taught him all women have their price, but he has never encountered anyone like Zara, a young woman who is too proud, too independent, too willful to be bought.
edited and with a story by Stephanie Perkins
Summer is the perfect time for love to bloom, and these short stories of teenagers facing the confusing maze of first love will have you dreaming of sunset strolls by the lake. The selections range from heartfelt to outlandish, as the characters find passion in some very unexpected places.
Renee Andrews
Part-time college student and full-time single mom Jessica Bowman returns to Alabama to raise her little boy, Nathan, in the only home she's ever known. The last person she expects to see is Chad Martin, her first love. He doesn't know that Jessica's been keeping a secret from him. What he does know is that he never stopped loving her. But Jessica realizes that her silence stands in the way of their reunion. If she takes a leap of faith and reveals the truth, will she find that love and forgiveness are the sweetest Valentine gifts of all?
Shana Galen
Tired of being wooed for her dowry, Lady Madeleine Castleigh has given up on finding true love. But on her way to elope with a boring but honorable philanthropist, her carriage is seized by a nobleman on the run. Maddie is alarmed, especially when she catches sight of Jack Martingale, Marquess of Blackthorne, exactly the sort of wickedly attractive man she's sworn to avoid. Chased by a powerful duke with revenge on his mind and a private army in tow, Jack has no choice but to confiscate Madeleine's carriage. He promises to take his leave once they arrive at the wedding in Gretna Green but doesn't count on his growing desire for the blue-eyed beauty. When the unexpected appearance of Maddie's father and the mistakes of a drunken priest alter everyone's plans, Maddie is furious—until she discovers that Blackthorne's kisses arouse a passion in her she'd long ago stopped praying for.
Regina Scott
What was his brother's widow - his first love - doing on a ship full of prospective brides headed out West? Clay Howard had been tasked with escorting the Boston belle home, but he didn't anticipate Allegra being so strong-willed - or that he'd wind up traveling with her just to keep her from leaving without him! Allegra Banks Howard isn't going to let Clay interfere with her plans for a new life with her daughter on the frontier. True, Allegra needs his wilderness savvy, but if Clay thinks he can rekindle what they once shared, he had better think again. Because risking her heart for a second chance at being his bride isn't something she'll undertake lightly... .