Showing results by author "Susan Mallery" in All Categories

When Nissa Lang’s house sitting job falls through, she’s left with no place to stay for the summer. While she’s figuring out what to do, her old family friend Desmond Stilling hears about her dilemma and invites her to stay on his palatial estate. Trouble is, Nissa’s always had a crush on Desmond, so she’ll have to keep her feelings under wraps....

Returning to her home town of Wishing Tree is definitely temporary for Camryn. She can’t wait to leave and get back to her ‘real life’. Until she meets Jake. Suddenly Camryn starts to see the town, and its Christmas traditions, differently. She thought she’d put her future on hold…but maybe her real life was here all along, waiting for her to come home. New in town, River is charmed by Wishing Tree’s Christmas traditions and warm-hearted people, especially Dylan Tucker whose snow melting kisses bring her to the brink of love.

A year since she was dumped by her fiancé, the last thing Reggie Somerville wants is to come back home for Christmas. But when her parents announce their plans for a lavish Christmas wedding, she has no choice. She expects to face town gossip; she does not expect to run into her first love, Toby, or deal with the feelings he stirs in her.

After five years as a stay-at-home mom, Gabby Schaefer can't wait to return to work. Oh, to use the bathroom in peace! No twins clamoring at the door, no husband barging in, no stepdaughter throwing a tantrum. But when her plans are derailed by some shocking news and her husband's crushing expectations, Gabby must fight for the right to have a life of her own.

Julie Parker’s children are her greatest gift. Still, she’s not exactly heartbroken when they ask to skip a big Christmas. Her son, Nick, is taking a belated honeymoon with his wife, while Julie’s daughter, Dana, is recovering from another breakup. Julie feels practically giddy for one-on-one holiday time with Heath, the (much) younger man she’s secretly dating. But her plans go from cosy to chaotic when Nick and Dana plead for Christmas at the family cabin in memory of their late father, Julie’s ex.

In her youth, Molly Anderson couldn't help crushing on gorgeous bad-boy Dylan Black - even though he only had eyes for her older sister. When things didn't work out between them, he said goodbye to Molly as well, vowing they'd have a great adventure when she grew up. Years later, dumped by her fiancé just before Christmas, she's finally ready to take Dylan up on his promise. A guarded Dylan always had a weakness for Molly, and when she waltzes back into his life - grown-up and gorgeous - he's stunned.

Nicole Lord wants to be a good wife, but there's a difference between being supportive and supporting her husband, who quit his job to write a screenplay she's never seen. He won't even help take care of their son, leaving Nicole to run the house and work full-time at her Mischief Bay Pilates studio. Can she say enough is enough without losing the man she loves?

Life is meant to be savored, but that’s not easy with no family, limited prospects, and a past you’d rather not talk about. Still, Callie Smith doesn’t know how to feel when she discovers she has a brother and a sister - Malcolm, who grew up with affection, wealth, and privilege, and Keira, a streetwise 12-year-old. Despite her trepidation, she moves into the grand family home with her siblings and grandfather on the shores of Lake Washington, hoping just maybe this will be the start of a whole new life. But starting over can be messy.

As the owner of Twisted, Seattle’s best salon, Erica knows that the sharpest cuts come from the people we love. She’s terrified that she’s losing her teen daughter to her ‘other’ family as Summer grows closer to her stepmum, Allison. All it takes to blow up Allison’s happy life is one call. From prison. Her husband, Peter, has been arrested, leaving Allison pregnant, scared and alone with a toddler, with no money for rent or food. So her stepdaughter rushes to the last person Allison wants to ask for help – her husband’s battle-axe ex.

Finola, a popular LA morning-show host, is famously upbeat until she’s blindsided on live TV by the news that her husband is sleeping with a young pop sensation. While avoiding the tabloids and pretending she’s just fine, she’s crumbling inside. Zennie’s breakup is no big loss. Although the world insists she pair up, she’d rather be surfing. So agreeing to be the surrogate for her best friend is a no-brainer. Ali is used to being overlooked, but when her fiancé sends his disapproving brother to call off the wedding, it’s a new low.

When Katie McCormick finds out that her sister is marrying her ex, she finally agrees to a setup for the big day. To her surprise, Jackson is a catch. But when wedding catastrophe ensues, will their sparks fizzle or ignite into flames?

When Kari Asbury left Possum Landing, Texas, for New York City eight years ago, she was thinking only of the future—not of her ex-boyfriend, Gage, the one she left without saying goodbye. Gage Reynolds had planned to propose to Kari on the night of her prom but instead he finds himself jilted and abandoned without a word. Shocked and heartbroken, Gage does his best to move on, building a life in Possum Landing and working his way up to becoming the town sheriff. He’s all but forgotten Kari—until she comes back to sell her grandmother’s house and turns his carefully built world upside down.

Zoe Saldivar is more than just single - she's alone. She recently broke up with her longtime boyfriend, she works from home, and her best friend, Jen, is so obsessed with her baby that she has practically abandoned their friendship. The day Zoe accidentally traps herself in her attic with her hungry-looking cat, she realizes that it's up to her to stop living in isolation. Her seemingly empty life takes a sudden turn for the complicated.

As a single mum, Ellen Fox missed out on a lot, but she wouldn’t change a thing. Then she overhears her son saying he can’t leave home to go to college because she needs him too much. If she wants him to live his best life, she has to convince him she’s living hers. To help, Ellen’s best friend, Unity Leandre, creates a list of challenges to push Ellen out of her comfort zone. Unity will complete the list, too. Only to support her friend, not because she needs to change. She’s a perfectly fine 34-year-old widow who socialises at an old people’s home!

When Bree, Mikki and Ashley open The Boardwalk Bookshop on the Californian coast, it is a dream come true. But while their business is thriving, their personal lives are not. Bree has sworn to protect her heart at all costs, until an unexpected meeting with a bestselling author changes everything. Mikki has never moved on from her divorce, but knows something must change. And Ashley’s wedding fantasy is shattered when she discovers her boyfriend never wants to get married.

For Laurel, Paris and Cassie, this summer’s book club theme is simple. No. Sad. Books. Single mum Laurel’s skepticism of men seems to be – worryingly – rubbing off on her daughters. Meanwhile, Cassie is determined to stop running away from risk, and Paris’ ex-husband’s sudden re-appearance brings up painful past mistakes. For these three friends happiness seems out of reach, and romance books provide the perfect antidote and a chance to avoid the difficult choices of reality. When the Summer Book Club begins, it’s a place for all three women to share stories they love.

For Heather life is pretty perfect. She has a successful business, a cute but contemptuous cat, and best friends Daphne and Tori. Except one thing, the father she never knew. Should she find him, and risk heartache or be content not knowing why he left? When Daphne’s husband accuses her of having an affair her world is rocked. They used to be the closest couple she knew, until she wanted a baby and he wanted to wait. Can they find their way back to one another before it’s too late?

Noelle Perkins just got a second chance at life, and she intends to make the most of every minute. That's why she ditched a frustrating legal career to open her own store in Fool's Gold, California. The Christmas Attic celebrates everything that's magical about her favorite season. Business is booming, and as a bonus, gorgeous army doctor Gabriel Boylan has offered to help out during the holiday rush.

Sculptor Nick Mitchell grew up in a family of artists and learned from his volatile father that passion only leads to pain. As he waits on a new commission, he takes a day job as a humble carpenter at a theme wedding venue. The job has its perks - mainly the venue's captivating owner, Pallas Saunders. Although he won't let love consume him, for ecstasy with an expiration date, he's all in.

Robyn Caldwell needs a life plan. Fast. So when her beloved Aunt Lillian asks her to come to Santa Barbara for an overdue visit, Robyn jumps at the chance. In the sunshine, Robyn begins to see her life with a bit more clarity, and the more time she spends with free-spirited Lillian and mysterious author Mason Bishop, the man destined to inherit her aunt’s mansion, the more she sees the appeal in taking chances on dreams, and love. Life is meant to be lived with purpose. But when Robyn’s past catches up with her, can she muster the courage to take a chance on herself?