Joan Sample is not living the life she expected. Now a widow and an empty-nester, she has become by her own admission something of a recluse. But after another birthday spent alone, she is finally inclined to listen to her sister, who has been begging Joan to reengage with the world. With her support, Joan gathers the courage to take some long-awaited steps: hiring someone to tame her overgrown garden, joining a grief support group, and even renting...

"In the middle of the year, in the middle of her life, Bethanne Hamlin takes a road trip with her daughter, Annie, and her former mother-in-law, Ruth. They're driving to Florida for Ruth's 50th high-school reunion. A longtime widow, Ruth would like to reconnect with Royce, the love of her teenage life. She's heard he's alone, too. Bethanne needs time to reflect on a decision she has to make - whether or not to reconcile with her ex-husband, Grant...

Family Affair : Keeping a low profile after a painful divorce, Lacey Lancaster spurns the advances of her handsome neighbor, Jack Walker, in spite of their cats' mutual attraction. The Bet: When a stubborn female horse owner rejects his buyout proposals, a desperate CEO plans to romance the land away from her by disguising himself as a local rancher and betting $10,000 she will marry him within 60 days.

The perfect Christmas: Thirty-three-year-old Cassie wants a husband and kids, and she turns to Simon Dodson, a professional matchmaker for help. Dodson assigns her three tasks to complete, and despite a number of comical mishaps, Cassie completes them all. Her Christmas match turns out to be a wonderful surprise. Can this be Christmas?: On a cold and snowy Christmas Eve, a group of strangers is stranded together at a ramshackle train depot in a small...

After a comedy of errors on Christmas Eve, a five-month pregnant woman, traveling to Cedar Cove to search for her child's father--who doesn't know she's pregnant--finds herself lodging in an apartment above a barn. The residents of Cedar Grove come to her rescue as an early labor begins.

Valerie rushes home to Orchard Valley, Oregon, when her father, David, suffers a heart attack. She and her two younger sisters, Stephanie and Norah, are gathering at his side, praying he'll live, fearing he'll die. At a time like this, falling in love with her father's heart surgeon is the last thing on Valerie's mind. Meanwhile Stephanie has other worries besides her father's health. She'd fled Orchard Valley three years earlier after her humiliating...

A novel of faith and self-discovery follows three women--all of whom join an order of nuns, and then leave--as they each embark on extraordinary journeys to discover their true place in the world.

First, drop in at 5-B Poppy Lane, where you'll get a chance to visit with Helen Shelton, her granddaughter Ruth and Ruth's husband, Paul. They'll offer you a cup of mulled cider and the story of how they met--and they'll share Helen's breathtaking adventures during the Second World War. Then drive out to Grace and Cliff Harding's place. They have a small horse ranch not far from Cedar Cove. Mary Jo Wyse and her little girl, Noelle, will be there,...