Singletree

My sister Juliet has always gotten everything she wants. It's fine though. I never wanted the spotlight. That was my sister's domain. And now that she's America's most popular starlet? She can have it. But when Gran-the feisty woman who raised us, and who I cannot seem to wean off video games, an afternoon doobie, or her daily Manhattan-has a huge party to celebrate her 90th birthday, Juliet brings the Hollywood madness straight to Maryland. In the form of my ultimate movie-star crush, Ryan McDonnell. I can barely form a sentence around the guy (at least I don't still have a poster of him on my wall). And I definitely can't get over the fact that he's Juliet's new boyfriend. I just need to get through the weekend with them-and with the magazine people who are covering them and the party for a feature. I just need to stay away from Ryan and his warm curious eyes, his perfectly chiseled arms, and the impossibly sexy things that come out of his mouth when we're alone together. It's only one weekend, and I just need to remember that Ryan is an actor. A good one. Because I almost believe him when he tells me we have a chance together. Contains mature themes.

Juliet Manchester is America's best-loved movie starlet. But when a nasty divorce and a sex-tape scandal threaten to tarnish her spotless good-girl reputation, she turns to costar Ryan McDonnell to help distract the media with a passionate (and completely fake) new romance. The only problem? They're both in love with other people. Going home for Gran's ninetieth in Maryland was something I normally would've been looking forward to. But the timing is terrible. My ex is dragging me through a media scandal, and if I had my way, I'd stay out of the spotlight entirely. But America's Sweetheart has to be okay, and my agent is positive the best way to convince America that I'm not in the midst of a breakdown is to date my latest co-star. He's hot. He's sweet. And he's willing. But he's not the man I'm in love with. The former Marine bodyguard who's been stationed inside my house by the private security firm I employ is nothing like a movie star. He's rough around the edges, from the wrong side of the tracks... and one-hundred percent exactly my type. I just need to remember that Jace Morgan is here to protect me. Not to love me. Contains mature themes.

I'll just admit it right up front-I don't love the holidays. In fact, Christmas makes me downright cranky. Call me the Grinch if you must, but if your dad chose that day to decide he was wrong about that whole wanting a family thing, you'd grow up miffed about mistletoe too. Every candy cane, ugly sweater, and falalalala reminds me of the worst day of my life. So when my uncle-a bigwig network executive-gives me one last shot to salvage my disastrous TV production career on a show called Holiday Homes, I've got no choice but to suck it up, head to the small town of Singletree, and fake festive. The problem? Callan Whitewood. The sexy, sullen former pro-soccer player might be the one person on earth who hates the holidays more than I do. After a devastating injury ended his career, he's left with a limp, no idea what to do with his future, and a cheerless attitude worthy of Ebenezer Scrooge. But I've got a time limit to convince the gorgeous grump to allow his home to be featured as the pinnacle of the Christmas episode of the show that's going to save my career. That is, if I can keep my hands off him... but I'm having a bit of trouble sticking to the task. Contains mature themes.

Sometimes love makes plans for you while you're busy making plans of your own . . . Finding myself over thirty and divorced, living in the same small town where I grew up, was not exactly the fast track to personal success. So I took action. I landed a job with a bigger practice in a big city where I'd find more opportunities at work, and hopefully in my social life. I was ready to move on. But when Cormac Whitewood and his adorable daughters came into my life, suddenly my big plans didn't seem so shiny and exciting. Suddenly, I was finding myself drawn to the lonely widower, wishing for more time with him. The thing is, Cormac made it clear he wasn't over his late wife-and I'd never force my way into someone else's family. Besides, I'd already made my plans. So why do they feel so wrong? Contains mature themes.

I had it all. Killer job, to-die-for apartment overlooking the Hudson, and the successful, doting boyfriend. Well, he was successful, at least. Guys who dote don't break up with you via Post-It. After that, I did the one thing I swore I'd never do. I went home to the smallest small town there is-a place so backward my family was still engaging in a hundreds-of-years-old feud with the Tuckers. Maybe it had evolved from the days of shooting one another to slightly more benign things, like filling family stores with crickets and moving a two-ton moose around town. But still. This was not NYC. It was meant to be a stop-over. But when a little old lady died suddenly and left her dilapidated haunted house to me, things got complicated. Because she didn't just leave the house to me. She left it to me and Michael Tucker jointly. Because who doesn't want to live in a haunted house with their sworn enemy? Only I'm not sure Michael Tucker is my enemy. In fact, he's turning out to be kind of ... hot. In a strong single dad kind of way. And I'm not sure how much I really want to get back to New York City, anyway. Contains mature themes.