First Responders (Sleeman)

Hostage Situation When armed robbers strike her bank, hostage negotiator Skyler Brennan's life is on the line. Rescue comes from the last person she thought she could count on, the ex-boyfriend who chose his job over their relationship. FBI agent Logan Hunter knows how much is resting on this case. The promotion of his dreams...and the safety of the woman he's never been able to forget. But when an unexpected twist in the case pulls Logan in two separate directions, he'll have to make an impossible choice. Will he manage to have it all by Christmas, a career and love, or will he lose them both?

Race Against Time The last thing Krista Curry expected to find in a soccer stadium was a time bomb. When she alerts explosives expert Cash Dixon, she becomes a local hero. But the attention could expose her real name, and the infamous past she fought to escape. Cash promises Krista protection from the bomber's retaliation. Yet she hesitates to trust him as she sees his suspicion about her grow with every question she dodges. She can't expect Cash to continue to safeguard her unless she tells him the truth. Now Cash must decide if she's an innocent woman or guilty accomplice. But the clock is ticking down, and the real bomber is still on the loose...

Caught in the Crosshairs Held hostage on a train, ex-lawyer Morgan Thorsby finds her powers of persuasion failing her for the first time. Former marine sniper Brady Owens is her only hope, but his split-second hesitation on the trigger leaves her wounded. Yet when an obsessed stalker threatens Morgan, Brady steps up. Protecting someone so tough and beautiful is hardly a chore, but Brady pulls back every time they get close. Morgan isn't ready for the connection forming between them, either, but she knows she needs his help. Can Brady capture the culprit in time for Christmas? First Responders: Brave men and women alert and ready for danger and love.

Designated Target On her way to visit a little girl she recently helped save, paramedic Darcie Stephens is attacked by a stranger dead-set on killing her. She escapes unscathed when detective Noah Lockhart comes to her rescue, but an officer finds a hit list dropped by the assailant, and Darcie's name is next. Now with an assassin constantly on their heels, Darcie and Noah must uncover why somebody wants her dead. Noah fights hard to protect Darcie, but she's determined to keep the cop at arm's length. After all she's lost, she's afraid to love again, especially a handsome lawman with a guarded heart. And a murderer doesn't plan to let Darcie live long enough for any second chances.

A Hidden Enemy Emily Graves left everything behind to save her aunt's struggling bed-and-breakfast, but she's hardly through the door before she's the one who needs saving. Someone in Bridal Veil, Oregon, will go to any lengths, even murder, to keep her from making the B and B a success. Sheriff's deputy Archer Reed has made it his personal mission to bring down the culprit. But first he has to convince Emily to accept his protection...and determine why anyone would want to harm her. As Emily's unknown enemy becomes increasingly violent, Archer may be the only person who can keep her alive.

Witness in Jeopardy It's a typical day at Rachael Long's day-care center, until a masked gunman tries to abduct one of the children in her charge. First response commander Jake Marsh manages to defuse the situation before anyone is harmed...but not before Rachael unmasks the would-be kidnapper. Now Jake must lead a manhunt and protect Rachael from the criminal who's turned his focus on her. But the case is reawakening painful memories for Jake, and Rachael's treating emotional wounds of her own. And with danger mounting as Christmas nears, they must learn to let go of the past in order to outwit a killer...and find the peace that's always eluded them both.