Evergreen

From the spectacular storyteller, Buck Turner, - a coming-of-age tale – with a twist. Cole Mercer is a young man angry at the world... and for good reason. After the sudden loss of his father, Cole's mother moves them hundreds of miles away from all that is familiar to the sleepy town of Evergreen, North Carolina. He struggles to settle in, but navigating difficult classmates is offset by the beautiful girl next door. And he begins to understand there's something different about this small southern town and the forest that surrounds it, which seems to have more of a presence than it should. Nothing in Evergreen is quite what it seems. Readers will fall in love with Evergreen's southern charm and the love story at its center which transcends time. Perfect for fans of • Sarah Addison Allen • first love • Southern fiction • Surprise endings

Since Hank Calder's four-year-old niece, Josie, came to live with him, his life has been plenty dramatic, thank you, and the last thing he needs is a swishy, flaming twinkie to complicate things. But when Justin, the daycare worker at his gym, offers to do something incredibly nice for Hank-and for Josie-Hank is forced to reconsider. Justin may be flamboyant in his speech and gestures, but his heart and kindness are as rock steady and dependable as anyone, even Hank, could ask for. Can Hank trust in his dramatic "turkey in the snow" to offer his heart the joy he and Josie have never known?

Thomas Derrik is about to have the worst Christmas of his life. Three days before the holiday, he finds out the father he doesn't get along with is arriving on Christmas Eve, his ex-lover and new brother-in-law will be staying at his estate until the New Year, and his beloved brother, Edmund, has died. Luckily, Edmund's last holiday scheme may well save Thomas's Christmas: Henry Appleby, a young lord fresh from the Continent, has arranged to court Thomas. But the family tragedy and jealous exes may put an end to the romance before it begins.

Crotchety and cranky Rudy-aka Santa-is in a foul mood every Christmas season. He talks to lots of children and even more parents but not with guys looking for dates. Only when his best helper makes him a very special gift does he meet someone to his liking. Kind of. Because that someone is made of flour and spices-and to impress him, Rudy seriously has to work on his seduction skills.

When a funeral calls his friend Martin away, sunbelt resident Chris is left alone in Martin's cabin in the dead of winter-and in a blizzard to boot. When the power goes out, Chris thinks he's going to freeze to death. Luckily, Horace drops in to check on him-and then runs out after a few kisses, leaving Chris upset and feeling used. Horace does come back with explanations, but is their time together keeping each other warm enough for them to see they belong together? Or are these sudden emotions the product of being snowbound?

Baker Brockton's lover, Coby Darling, left town last year because Baker was afraid to come out and admit Coby was more than a friend. Baker's been miserable ever since, but now Coby's home for the holidays, and Baker thinks they might have a chance until Coby hints that he might move back to town if Baker can give him what he wants. Baker is furious about another ultimatum-is he willing to compromise if it means they'll be together?

The Yule festival of Twelfth Night is a time when servants are the masters and vice versa, and tension and humor fill the air. Dan and his partner, Taj, have busy lives even without their duties as members of the Society for Creative Anachronism. When Taj is selected to coordinate the holiday activities and assigned the title Lord of Misrule, it encroaches on their time as a couple-until they negotiate their way to a happy holiday.

After his Aunt Dee Dee sends him a windfall, Ethan decides to bail on the family holiday drama and go on a college skiing trip instead. Then a reservation snafu lands him in the same room as Henry, another student on the trip, and Ethan stumbles onto a bonus present of another kind: one that could last through Christmas and beyond.