Trish Milburn

Christmas is the perfect time for romance with a cowboy! Enjoy this holiday novella from Harlequin American Romance

When Talia Ardmore inherits her family's run–down ranch in Blue Falls, Texas, all she wants is to sell the place and get back to the life she's made for herself in California. But then she hires her high school crush Jake Monroe to fix up the house, and now she can't help dreaming of what might have been.

Jake's happy to see Talia, but he's hurt she never told him why she ran away all those years ago. Still, with Christmas on the way and his daughter Mia's medical bills piling up, the widowed rancher can use the extra work. The last thing he expects is for Talia to ignite a fire in him that he thought had gone out forever….

It's not long before Talia's head over heels for Jake–and his little girl. But Talia must face her past before they can both receive the gift of a future together and a lifetime of happy holiday seasons.

Safe at home.

Leah Murphy just wants to feel safe again after a violent break–in. So she moves to Blue Falls, Texas, and rents the bunkhouse from rancher Tyler Lowe. But Leah is uneasy around the handsome cowboy, despite his kindness.

Tyler knows how difficult it is to rebuild trust. He's trying to help his niece heal from her own dark memories and when he sees how Maddie responds to Leah, he can't help feeling attracted to the beautiful woman. He knows he has to move slowly to win her heart, but he also knows Leah's worth the wait.

Friends to roommates...to lovers?

Living with the Cupid of Blue Falls, Texas – her aunt, Verona – Elissa Mason should be married and pregnant by now. Or so her friends tease. But Elissa's baby is Paradise Garden, the family nursery she's turned into a success. Following a devastating tornado, she has to rebuild and nothing's going to distract her. Not even her strange, new feelings for neighbour–turned–roommate Pete Kayne.

Deputy Sheriff Pete Kayne understands having a dream and doesn't want to get in Elissa's way. Especially after the tornado has taken his house, his truck, everything but his horse and his friends. All he's got left to share is his heart. Pete has his own ambition – to join the ultimate in law enforcement – the Texas Rangers. Elissa was his friend. That would have to be enough…

A New Plan 

Skyler Harrington is a planner. After the tumult of her childhood, she's built a life for herself in Blue Falls, Texas, that's comfortable, predictable, safe. The last thing she needs is to go gaga over a rodeo cowboy. It felt great to let her hair down with sexy Logan Bradshaw, but she'll be happy if their paths never cross again. 

A surprise pregnancy is something neither expected. Skyler has no intention of letting her baby grow up the way she did, with an unreliable father. She's willing to raise their child alone, but Logan is determined to prove there's more to him than being a devil–may–care risk taker. He's daddy material!

When Linnea Holland's plans for her dream wedding collapse, she flees to her best friend's family ranch, where nobody asks for details. The Brody boys just welcome her with open arms and a whole lot of brotherly love.

Trouble is, the feelings between Linnea and Owen Brody are a little warmer than that and his protective instincts kick in when he sees how much Linnea is hurting. He's the perfect antidote to her lying ex–fiancé. But can their feelings be love – or is Owen simply a guy she can rely on for the rebound?

Risking her heart!

Sloane Hartley is deeply rooted to her family's ranch, so she isn't about to risk falling for a tempting tumbleweed like Jason Till. To Sloane, Jason is a handsome heartbreak waiting to happen. If she ever let herself love again, she certainly wouldn't pick a rodeo cowboy like him!

Jason only has eyes for one prize – the steer–wrestling championship. He can't afford any distractions, certainly not a blonde beauty with trust issues like Sloane. But when he's with her, Jason can't remember why winning seemed so important…

A cowboy at heart.

Austin Bryant has come back to Blue Falls to get his grandfather's ranch ready to sell. He just can't stand all the junk his grandparents collected, and he wants it gone.

Ella Garcia is thrilled to haul away the trash from the Bryant ranch – her business is turning trash into treasure. But she can't understand why Austin is so anxious to throw away his family's memories. He seems so at home on the ranch, and Ella can't help but wonder if there's more country in this city boy than he realises.

The only place she feels safe...

After her capture by human traffickers, international reporter Arden Wilkes should have felt safe back in her small hometown. Blue Falls, Texas, feels comfortingly familiar–and painfully foreign. Disoriented, Arden struggles to regain her sense of self and deal with the aftermath…only to find a sense of safety in the last place she ever expected. 

Rancher Neil Hartley knows too well the kind of scars that trauma can bring. However, what started out as warm friendship with Arden is quickly turning into a deepening attraction. But despite Arden's slow recovery–and the promise of love–her old life still awaits her return. Now Arden must choose between the woman she used to be…and the safety of her rancher's arms.

A time for love!

Single mother Angel Hartley has her priorities straight - building her career as a photographer and making sure her young daughter, Julia, will never suffer the pain of being abandoned, a pain Angel herself knows too well. Dating can wait, even though she suddenly can't stop thinking about Hunter Millbrook, who happens to be the handsomest rancher in Blue Falls, Texas.

Hunter also has a full plate. How can he juggle a relationship with running his family's ranch and looking after his mother as her memory slips away? He's just too busy for love... no matter how long he's had a crush on Angel. But as Hunter begins to suspect, hearts don't wait for the perfect moment!

He Wants To Serve and Protect ... Still, Keri Mehler wants nothing to do with Sheriff Simon Teague. Keri has lost almost her entire family, her brother Carter is who–knows–where, and now she is sole guardian of her late sister's ten–month–old girl. She doesn't need her old crush coming around and stirring things up even more! Everyone in Blue Falls, Texas, might find the cowboy sheriff charming, but Keri knows the truth. Simon was the reason her brother ran off for a life of trouble, and he's the last person she would turn to for comfort. But the lawman seems determined to help her and her little niece. Keri is equally determined to keep Simon at arm's length. She wants to hate him, but his charm may finally be getting to her, too.

Third time's a charm!

Retired bull rider Cole Davis has come home to work on the family ranch and build his budding art career – and steer clear of anything serious when it comes to women. But when he overhears Devon Newberry being bullied by her pushy mother, he comes up with a plan to help the pretty shopkeeper.

The blue-eyed cowboy's proposal of a fake relationship is working perfectly...until Devon's feelings become all too real. She knows Cole's heart isn't available, but she can't help hoping she can change his mind!