New Releases by Brenda Novak

Jenna Livingston: age 32. Divorced. Mother of 8-year-old Ryan. And…pregnant. She''s pregnant by her ex-husband. A man she has reason to fear… With her son, Ryan, Jenna''s moved back to Mendocino, where she''s living and working at the Victoriana Bed and Breakfast. It''s owned the by elderly Durhams—whose grandsom, Adam, was her first love. And, in some ways, her last…. But that was fifteen years ago, before Adam abandoned her and his family for the bright lights and big city. For a successful career and a fast-track life. When Adam and Jenna rediscover each other, he wants her back. But much as Jenna knows she could love him again, she also knows there are too many obstacles between them. Too much history. Too many expectations. And now…her baby. But Adam;s a very determined man. A man she had reason to love…

When Presley Christensen returns to Whiskey Creek with her little boy, and a dark secret, all she wants to do is spend time with her sister, but thoughts of past flame Aaron Amos keep getting in the way.

Jaclyn Wentworth estaba sola al cuidado de sus tres hijos. Había estado casada con el niño bonito de la pequeña ciudad de Nevada en la que había vivido. Su matrimonio había resultado un desastre porque su marido no había conseguido madurar y menos aún convertirse en un buen padre. Ahora Jaclyn vivía en Reno y allí un día se encontró ni más ni menos que con Cole Perrini, que siempre había sido el máximo enemigo de su exmarido y el dueño de la peor reputación de Nevada. Y parecía seguir siendo muy diferente a su inmaduro esposo…

RT READER''S CHOICE WINNER Sometimes home is the refuge you need—and sometimes it isn''t Adelaide Davies, who''s been living in Sacramento, returns to Whiskey Creek, the place she once called home. She''s there to take care of her aging grandmother and to help with Gran''s restaurant, Just Like Mom''s. But Adelaide isn''t happy to be back. There are too many people here she''d rather avoid, people who were involved in that terrible June night fifteen years ago. Ever since the graduation party that changed her life, she''s wanted to go to the police and make sure the boys responsible—men now—are punished. But she can''t, not without revealing an even darker secret. So it''s better to pretend…. Noah Rackham, popular, attractive, successful, is shocked when Adelaide won''t have anything to do with him. He has no idea that his very presence reminds her of something she''d rather forget. He only knows that he''s finally met a woman he could love. www.brendanovak.com

The people of Stillwater, Mississippi, are asking questions about murder. Again. Twenty years ago Madeline Barker''s father disappeared. Despite what everyone else thinks, Madeline''s convinced her stepfamily had nothing to do with it. But the recent discovery of his car finally proves he didn''t just drive away. Worse, the police find something in the trunk that says there''s more to this case than murder. With no other recourse, Madeline decides to hire a private investigator—even if the cops don''t like it. Even if her family doesn''t like it. But when P.I. Hunter Solozano begins to uncover some shocking evidence, someone in Stillwater is determined to put a stop to Madeline''s search for the truth. And that means putting a stop to her. Permanently.

Four years ago… Skye Kellerman was attacked in her own bed. She managed to fend off her knife-wielding assailant, but the trauma changed everything about her life. As a result of that night, she joined two friends—also survivors—in starting The Last Stand, an organization to help victims of crime. But now… Her would-be rapist is getting out of prison. Skye knows that Dr. Oliver Burke hasn''t forgotten that her testimony cost him his reputation—and his freedom. Sacramento detective David Willis, who investigated her case, believes Burke is a clear and present danger—and guilty of at least two unsolved murders. And now Burke is free to terrorize Skye again. Unless David can stop him. Unless Skye can fight back. Because Oliver Burke has every intention of finishing what he started. And that''s a promise. Trust me.

Who was the real killer? Romain Fornier lost his reason for living when his daughter was kidnapped and murdered. He used a cop''s gun to mete out his own justice and spent the next few years in prison. Once he was freed, he returned to his Cajun roots in small-town Louisiana. But now he learns that he might have killed the wrong man. Jasmine Stratford, a psychological profiler, is convinced his daughter''s killer is still alive—and that she and Romain have something in common. She believes the same man kidnapped her sister, Kimberly, sixteen years ago. What happens next? Jasmine is determined to track him down when she receives an anonymous package, postmarked New Orleans—the bracelet she gave Kimberly for her eighth birthday. She approaches Romain because she knows he can help her…if he chooses. But searching for the man who irrevocably changed both their lives means they have to rise to a killer''s challenge: stop me.

The Reverend Lee Barker went missing nineteen years ago… And the people of Stillwater, Mississippi, believe they know why. They''re convinced he was murdered—by his stepson, Clay Montgomery. But only Clay—and his mother and sisters—can say for sure. They were the only ones there that fateful night, the only ones who know what really happened. And they''re not talking. Allie McCormick is a cold-case detective from Chicago. After a particularly difficult divorce, she''s returned to Stillwater with her six-year-old daughter to find the peace she once knew in her hometown, and to work for the local police force while she''s starting over. But when Clay''s powerful enemies join forces to put him behind bars, Allie feels duty bound to uncover the truth. Her instincts tell her he didn''t murder the Reverend Lee Barker. Maybe Clay''s a dark and brooding man with more than his share of secrets, but he was just sixteen at the time. And he''s not a cold-blooded killer. At least, that''s what Allie believes—until she finds proof that behind the preacher''s pious demeanor lurked the heart of a monster. Then she has to ask herself whether justice has already been done….

A mother faces her greatest fear One afternoon in May, Zoe Duncan''s thirteen-year-old daughter goes missing from her own backyard. The police think Samantha ran away because she''s unhappy about her mother''s upcoming marriage—but Zoe doesn''t believe it. In fact, she''s willing to do anything to bring Sam home, even if it means losing her job, her beautiful home, her fiancé. Even if it means divulging all her secrets to a private investigator. A detective faces his hardest case Jonathan Stivers is a P.I. who donates his time to The Last Stand, a victims'' charity in Sacramento. He''s good at what he does, the best. But never has he had fewer leads to work with—or been more attracted to a client. Jonathan''s sure of only one thing: Sam was taken by someone close to the family. He doesn''t know how close until he realizes that the "perfect" couple next door is anything but….

What''s a daughter to do? Three brand-new stories…three exasperating moms Abby Ashton''s roommate-from-hell…her mother. If she doesn''t get her parents back together, she''ll go crazy. So Abby schemes to get them to Mexico with her, hoping the vacation will lead to romance. And it does—for Abby and race-car driver \"Gunner\" Stevens! Tall, dark and charming Jason Lawrence keeps visiting Mel Anders''s veterinary clinic—with everything from a drooling St. Bernard to a potbelly pig. And the man doesn''t even seem to like animals. Hmm…Mel is mighty suspicious—but she never suspects her mom…. Avery Rice is way too overprotective of her widowed mother. So when Mom gets a new man in her life, she enlists her cute tenant, David Marks, to keep Avery off the trail. And of course she''s matchmaking. She''s Mom!

You''re invited to a wedding in Whiskey Creek, Heart of the Gold Country Unfortunately, it''s the wrong wedding. Olivia Arnold is arranging the festivities—and it''s the hardest thing she''s ever done. Because she should be marrying Kyle Houseman. They were together for more than a year…. But her jealous sister, Noelle, stole him away—and now she''s pregnant. All their friends in Whiskey Creek know as well as Olivia does that Kyle''s making a mistake. His stepbrother, Brandon, knows it, too. But Kyle''s determined to go through with it, for his child''s sake. Olivia''s devastated, but surprisingly Brandon—the black sheep of the family—is there to provide comfort and consolation. The intensity between them, both physical and emotional, shows Olivia that maybe Kyle wasn''t the right man for her…. But is Brandon?

An anthology of three novellas celebrating real-life heroines--women who have changed lives through good deeds.

Jaclyn Wentworth is on her own with three little kids. She used to be married to the golden boy of their small Nevada town, but the marriage was a disaster because the golden boy never grew up. And he sure wasn''t much of a daddy. Now Jaclyn''s living in Reno, making it on her own. And who, of all people, does she run into there but Cole Perrini, bad boy of Feld, Nevada. Or should she say former bad boy? He was always her ex-husband''s opposite in every way—and he still is. Because Cole''s made good in every sense of the word. Jaclyn and Cole both have their reasons for being cautious, but with a love like theirs it''s bound to be a special holiday season.

The car accident was Hannah Price''s fault–a few seconds of inattention that changed Gabe Holbrook''s life forever, destroying everything he''d been or ever wanted to be.

Virgil Skinner served fourteen years for a murder he didn''t commit. He''s finally been exonerated, but he can''t escape the gang he joined in order to survive. They''ll do anything to keep him from telling what he knows. And if they can''t get to Virgil they''ll go after his sister and her kids. The California Department of Corrections needs someone to infiltrate another gang, one that''s taking control of the state''s most notorious supermax. Virgil agrees to do it under an alias—in exchange for his sister''s protection. Chief Deputy Warden Peyton Adams is opposed to having Virgil in her prison. How will she protect him if things go bad? Besides, she''s far too attracted to him; she might even be falling in love with him. That makes her all the more desperate to keep him safe—and it gives him someone else to lose.

That Christmas Feeling (featuring 3 stories) A Dundee Christmas by Brenda Novak A woman seeking refuge in a strange town during a snowstorm is taken in by a man who helps her discover that home is where love is. We Need a Little Christmas by Kathleen O''Brien A prodigal son returning to his family ranch meets a woman with an unconventional way of bringing the holiday spirit into their town and hearts. Kiss Me, Santa by Karina Bliss The battle''s on between a reclusive widower and the single mum determined to open his heart and banish his Grinch-like behavior. Colorado Christmas by C.C. Coburn Judge Becky McBride has recently landed in the small town of Spruce Lake, Colorado, with her son, Nicolas, and she doesn''t want to stay there long. She can''t wait to leave the town and its eccentric residents - unless handsome and irrepressible Will O''Malley can convince her to stay... Also includes a bonus novella - The Chistmas Crush by Pamela Toth

Twelve people have been shot at point-blank range and left to rot in the desert sun. It''s Sophia St. Claire''s job to do something about it. She''s Bordertown, Arizona''s new chief of police—and she''s out of her depth. Help arrives in the form of Department 6 hired gun Roderick Guerrero. As far as Sophia''s concerned, his involvement only makes things worse. Maybe he''s managed to turn his life around. And maybe he''s a good investigator. But as the bastard son of a wealthy local rancher, he has a history he can''t get past. A history that includes her. Rod refuses to leave town until the killer is caught. He''s not worried about the danger posed by some vigilante. It''s Sophia who threatens him. Because he''s used to risking his life—but his heart is another story.

A dangerous cult has recently taken over the desert ghost town of Paradise, Arizona. Members worship at the feet—and in the bed—of its charismatic leader, Ethan Wycliff, and obey his orders blindly. They''ve already tried to murder one woman and they''re implicated in the disappearance of another. Nate Ferrentino, who works for private security contractor Department 6, has been assigned to infiltrate this group. It''s a challenge he welcomes—until he learns that colleague Rachel Jessop will be going undercover with him. Thanks to their shared history, he''d much rather go alone…. The problem is, only married couples can participate in cult rituals. So, like it or not—and they don''t—Rachel and Nate must pretend to be husband and wife. There''s no choice. Because if Wycliff isn''t exposed, if he isn''t stopped, more people will die. And Rachel might be one of them.

It happened one snowy night… When Chantel Miller gets lost during an unexpected snowstorm, a stranger named Dillon Broderick rescues her. In the hours they spend together they become very close and the intimacy of that night creates a special bond between them. But real life intervenes. The woman Chantel was on her way to see is her sister, Stacy. They''ve been estranged for 10 years and Chantel is determined to regain her affection. The woman Dillon was on his way to see is…Stacy. They''ve been friends for some time but now there''s an added complication. Stacy''s in love with him. Which means Chantel can''t pursue a relationship with Dillon. Even when she discovers she''s pregnant because of that snowy night…

Jaclyn Wentworth is on her own with three little kids. She used to be married to the golden boy—former golden boy—of their small Nevada town. The marriage was a disaster because her ex-husband never grew up. And he sure wasn''t much of a daddy. Now Jaclyn''s living in Reno. And who, of all people, does she run into there but Cole Perrini, bad boy of Feld, Nevada. Former bad boy. He was her ex-husband''s opposite in every way—and he still is. Because Cole''s made good in every sense of the word. Will Jaclyn and her children get the husband and father they deserve? Not a Scrooge, but a Santa!

Sometimes Mr. Right couldn''t be more wrong… Thanks to a devastating revelation about her husband, Reenie Holbrook''s once-perfect marriage is over. For eleven years she had the life she wanted—and now it''s gone. Sometimes Mr. Wrong couldn''t be more right… Reenie decides that the first step in recovering from her ordeal is to find work; after all, she has three young children to support. She''s thrilled when she lands a job at Dundee High teaching history—until Isaac Russell, the man who triggered the unraveling of her marriage, accepts a temporary position teaching science. Then she''s tempted to quit. Reenie doesn''t care if the whole town admires Isaac…and she won''t admit that, secretly, she admires him, too. She doesn''t want to see him or his sister in \"her\" town. But a friendship with the most unlikely woman leads to a relationship with the most unlikely man….

A second chance doesn''t mean second best! Elizabeth O''Connell has survived one of the worst betrayals a wife can imagine. Finding out that she wasn''t the only woman in her husband''s life meant the end of her marriage and a year of personal hell. Now she''s focusing on her new business and raising her two kids. Carter Hudson isn''t part of her plan. When he''s introduced to Liz by well-meaning friends, her dislike is instant. But as she spends time with him, Liz realizes she likes having Carter in her life—more than likes it. However, Carter has secrets in his past that he can''t seem to escape, secrets that apparently involve a woman. Liz is sure of one thing—she''ll never be \"the other woman\" again!

The car accident was Hannah Price''s fault--a few seconds of inattention that changed Gabe Holbrook''s life forever, destroying everything he''d been or ever wanted to be. He was a man who''d had it all. Intelligent, handsome, talented, rich, he''d been one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Now he''s come home to Dundee, the small town where he was raised, but he''s a stranger to the people who once knew him. Folks think he''s bitter and withdrawn; he knows he''s just focused on recovering. But thanks to Hannah Price, there are some things that can''t be fixed. Hannah has been struggling to recover from that fateful night, too. Unlike Gabe, she sustained only minor injuries. But she''s not sure she''ll ever be able to forgive herself for making a mistake with such far-reaching consequences. Especially when Gabe becomes her older son''s football coach, and she begins to fall in love with the man she nearly destroyed... Look for all eight books in Brenda...

The Birth Place gave her sanctuary Hope Tanner escaped from her polygamous community in Superior, Utah, ten years ago—pregnant and alone. She ended up at The Birth Place in Enchantment, New Mexico, where Lydia Kane, the clinic''s founder, handled the private adoption of her baby. A baby Hope never held…and never stopped thinking about. Now Hope briefly returns to her hometown to help her pregnant younger sister, Faith, escape, too. They need somewhere to go, a sanctuary. Where but The Birth Place? Faith can have her baby in safety and Hope can revisit old friends. Like Lydia—and the handsome Parker Reynolds. But Parker, the birth center''s administrator and a widowed single father, isn''t pleased to see Hope back in Enchantment. He''s even less pleased when Lydia offers her a job. Hope doesn''t understand his animosity. In fact, she almost wonders if he has something to hide….

When Lucky Caldwell was ten, her mother, Red--the best-known hooker in Dundee, Idaho--married Morris Caldwell, a wealthy and much older man. It didn''t last, of course, but Morris''s kindness was the highlight of Lucky''s life. Mike Hill, Morris''s grandson, doesn''t feel too well-disposed toward Red or her kids. He believes they alienated Morris from his family. Even Morris''s Victorian mansion, on the property next to the Hill ranch, wasn''t inherited by one of his grandchildren. Instead the house went to Lucky, who left it sitting empty for years. Now that Red and Morris are both dead, Lucky has finally come back to Dundee. She plans to restore the derelict place--and to look for her real father, who has to be one of three men named in her mother''s diary. That means Mike has a new neighbor. One he doesn''t want to like... Look for all eight books in Brenda Novak''s Dundee, Idaho series, available now. And don''t miss her new romantic Whiskey...

Les fugitifs, Brenda Novak Divorcée et mère d''une petite fille de treize mois, Gabrielle Hadley s''est installée à Florence, en plein cœur de l''Arizona, dans le but secret de se rapprocher de sa mère qui l''a abandonnée, vingt-cinq ans auparavant. Mais déchirée entre la rancœur, la peur et l''espoir, elle n''a pas encore trouvé le courage de prendre contact avec elle. En attendant, pour vivre, elle accepte un poste d''agent pénitentiaire à la prison de la ville. C''est là que son destin bascule, quand elle rencontre Randall Tucker, condamné sans preuve pour le meurtre de sa femme, et dont le regard profond, mystérieux et farouche, où semble couver quelque orage secret, provoque en elle un trouble dont elle est incapable de se défendre... Est-ce à cause de ce regard qu''elle se lance à la poursuite de Tucker lorsqu''il s''échappe, blessé, lors d''un transfert ? Ce qui est sûr, c''est qu''il lui faut à tout prix le sauver d''une mort certaine dans le désert brûlant, et le ramener aux autorités... Ce que Gabrielle ignore encore, c''est que, très vite, elle ne saura plus de quel côté elle se situe. Celui de la loi... ou celui du fugitif ?

When Katie Rogers returns to Dundee, Idaho, it''s not because she wants to. It''s because she''s disillusioned, broke -- and pregnant. She was going to make something of her life in the big city. Instead, she''s paying a high price for trusting the wrong man.

Somewhere, at this very moment, a woman''s caring and commitment is changing a life in her community...and changing the world. Five compassionate, dedicated women have been chosen from nominees across North America to become Harlequin More Than Words Award recipients, and their stories will move and inspire you.

A Husband Of Her Own by Brenda Novak released on Apr 24, 2003 is available now for purchase.