LuAnn McLane

Cricket Creek, Kentucky, is a sweet river town known for its theater, shopping, and cuisine. But tough times are crushing tourism--until a hard-swinging baseball team and three hometown heroes begin revitalizing the community one inning at a time. Determined to prove her independence, Mia Monroe is no longer Daddy's little rich girl. Buying an old car with the last of her money, she sets out for who knows where...until her clunker clunks out in Cricket Creek. With no plan and no credit cards, Mia has to find more resilience than she's ever needed before. And a little help from an attractive new acquaintance wouldn't hurt... As first baseman for the Cricket Creek Cougars, Cameron Patrick has two jobs: win games and stay out of trouble. If he can do both, he might just make it back to the minor leagues. He knows Mia is trouble from the moment she catches his eye--but he can't stop looking. And maybe her kind of trouble is exactly what he needs.

Top Chicago chef Jessica Robinson is back in Cricket Creek-and making her aunt's diner the go-to place for comfy gourmet fare. Former major leaguer Ty McKenna is no stranger to Jessica's cooking. At the Chicago hotspot where she worked, he was a regular-with a different girl on his arm every night. Now he's the manager for the Cricket Creek Cougars. And convincing the mouthwatering chef that's a one-woman man may be harder than getting his team ready for opening day.

Olivia Lawson is peeved when ex-ace pitcher turned soap opera star Noah Falcon roars back into Cricket Creek, Kentucky, after all these years, to take the lead opposite her in the community theater's summer play. Noah's beloved hometown is having major financial woes and needs his status to turn this small-town play into a big-time hit. But Noah has bigger plans for this small town. And this time he's determined to show Olivia he's not just playing around-he's playing for keeps.

Raised by her widowed father, Jolie Russell could keep up with any man?that is, until wealthy and sexy land developer Cody Dean struts into her life. Cody buys the Russell farm with an impossible-to-refuse multimillion-dollar offer, then relocates Jolie and her dad to the Copper Creek Estates. But the country club atmosphere isn't ready for Jolie's kind of country. As her two worlds collide, Jolie wonders how she can ever hope to capture Cody's heart without giving up her grits.

"LuAnn McLane makes the pages sizzle"( Roundtable Reviews) with this adrenaline-fueled romance set in the world of motocross racing. Only one man could make her heart race Daredevil stunts and dangerous accidents are par for the course in the world of motocross racing. Just ask Alexia Spencer, who almost lost her high school sweetheart in a near-fatal accident. But when she asked him to give up racing, Jayden Michaels rode off without even a goodbye, leaving Alexia heartbroken. Ten years later, Jayden's back--determined to prove he's over Alexia. But it's impossible to ignore the irresistible woman she's become. And it isn't long before Jayden finds himself on Alexia's doorstep, driven by his insatiable desire, hoping he can tempt the woman he still loves into letting herself feel the heat--and taking a risk with her heart.

Twelve all-new stories of women's resilience, empowerment, and fulfillment, by bestselling and award-winning authors. In this engaging anthology of never-before published stories, twelve authors are united by their unique visions of the female experience. A young woman is torn between the security of her fianc and the excitement of an old flame; a desperate wife is forced into the workplace for the first time in her life; an ambitious professional woman finally finds the courage to take control of her career; and her man; an emotionally fragile divorcee finds resolve in the ethereal visitations of an archangel... These are just some of the women who discover and rediscover their own wonderfully fallible but ultimately strong selves in the shadow of love, romantic love, platonic love, new love, and lost love. Readers will be touched, inspired, charmed, and entertained by these original stories of disparate longings, unsettled lives, and the power of love. Includes 12 stories by New York Times Bestselling Author Lori Foster and Erin McCarthy, Toni Blake, Dianne Castell, Karen Kelley, Rosemary Laurey, Janice Maynard, LuAnn McLane, Lucy Monroe, Patricia Sargeant, Kay Stockham, and J. C. Wilder. A PORTION OF THE PROCEEDS FROM THE POWER OF LOVE GOES TO THE BATTERED WOMEN'S SHELTER OF CINCINNATI