Showing results by author "Marcia Lynn McClure" in All Categories

Excerpt: It was cold—so miserably cold. Athena knew by the numbness in her own fingers and toes that Annabel’s, Marta’s, and Bronwen’s must be frozen stiff. Yet she hoped that their merriment—in singing Christmas carols on the doorsteps or in the parlors of those who opened their doors or invited them inside for a moment—would offset their discomfort. After all, a happy heart warmed many a frigid soul, as well as ice-cold appendages. As a child, Athena had adored caroling. It was with warm fondness that she thought back on all those Christmas seasons of the past when her entire ...

THE CHILD WAS STRAWBERRY-SWEET AND LOVING…BUT THE MAN WAS FORBIDDEN FRUIT. Annette Jordan had accepted the unavoidable reality that she must toil as a governess to provide for herself. Thankfully, her charge was a joy—a vision of youthful beauty, owning a spirit of delight. But it was Annette’s employer, Lord Gareth Barrett, who proved to be the trial—for she soon found herself living in the all-too-cliché governess’s dream of having fallen desperately in love with the man who provided her wages. The child loved her, but could she endure watching hopelessly as the beautiful woman...

Genieva Bankmans had willfully agreed to the arrangement. She had given her word and she would not dishonor it. But when she saw, for the first time, the man whose advertisement she had answered…she was desperately intimidated. The handsome and commanding Brevan McLean was not what she had expected. He was not the sort of man she had reconciled herself to marrying. This man, this stranger whose name Genieva now bore, was strong-willed, quick-tempered and expectant of much from his new wife. Brevan McLean did not deny he had married her for very practical reasons only. He merely wanted any...

Excerpt… “Boston ,” he mumbled. “I mean… Logan …he’s like the man of my dreams! Why would I blow it? What if…” Boston continued to babble. “ Boston ,” he said. The commanding sound of his voice caused Boston to cease in her prattling and look to him. “What?” she asked, somewhat grateful he’d interrupted her panic attack. He frowned and shook his head. “Shut up,” he said. “You’re all worked up about nothing.” He reached out, slipping one hand beneath her hair to the back of her neck. Boston was so startled by his touch, she couldn’t speak—she could ...

Life went along simply, if not rather monotonously, for Breck McCall. Her job was satisfying, and she had true friends. But she felt empty—as if part of her soul were detached and lost to her. She longed for something—something that seemed to be missing. Yet there were moments when Breck felt she might almost touch something wonderful. And most of those moments came while in the presence of her handsome yet seemingly haunted boss—Reese Thatcher.

Secretly, however, if Jilly ever allowed herself to be completely honest about it (which she tried to avoid), there was one other man in Mourning Dove who always crossed her mind when the subject of the handsomest man in town arose. Yet there was no lingering on thinking of that man - no sirree! Not for a moment! And so Jilly just kept telling Jack that he was the handsomest man in Mourning Dove Creek. Besides, it was almost true - being that the other man lived outside of town and not right in town the way Jack did.

Excerpt: But when she saw him take his own seat next to her—carefully eyeing him peripherally—she was wildly disconcerted when she felt goose bumps breaking over her arms. Although she had not had a good, solid look at him, she could sense he was very handsome. His voice alone revealed he was—the deep, rich nature of it. In truth, his voice made her feel—well, it somehow whisked her back—whisked her back four years, bathing her in memories of another supper and a voice she’d heard that night—a voice as deep and rich, as warm and wonderful as molasses taffy. “It seems we ...

Of a sudden, Minnette’s reminiscences were scattered when she heard a sound that was not native to the meadow. A whistled call of sorts—and definitely human. Sitting up—for she had indeed relaxed to near sprawling in the grass while caught up in her reverie—Minnette frowned when the next sound to reach her was that of shouting—a man shouting. Leaping to her feet, she looked to the tree line at the north border of the meadow in time to see a man come bursting from without the forest at a full run. He was tall—that much Minnette could distinguish from her distance—and he ...

EXCERPT: All at once, Talli felt the ball of her right foot catch on the pavement. As she stumbled forward, she tried to steady her footing, but it was too late. The downward slope of the paved path down to the field was just too steep, and she squealed a bit as she felt herself fall forward. As her stomach and chest collided with the ground, she felt her chin graze the pavement—felt her legs whip up over her back for a moment before she came to rest sprawled out like a cartoon character who had just hit a brick wall. “Hey! Are you all right?” a deep voice asked. Still struggling to ...

She took two more steps and paused - squeezed her eyes tightly shut - and Ember gasped as she looked forward up the shore to see a man struggling in the water. He was coughing - spitting water from his mouth as he crawled from the water and onto the sand. As he collapsed face-down on the shore, Ember lifted her skirt and ran toward the man, dropping to her knees beside him.

Contemporary romance with lovable characters, lots of fun, and a Happily Ever After ambiance!

Excerpt: Blanche’s pretty forehead puckered with a slight frown. “You don’t like Fox as much as he likes you, do you, Calliope? You’re not in love with him.” Calliope silently scolded herself for having let her countenance and words reveal her secret to Blanche. The truth was that she was not as sweet on Fox Montrose as he was on her. Yet there were secrets in her heart that could never be revealed to anyone—not even to Blanche, not even to Calliope’s own sisters. Therefore, she chose a counter maneuver with which to distract Blanche and said, “Oh, I adore Fox! I just think ...

Black Jack Haley and his band of outlaws spent a lot of time in the town of Blue Water. Drinking, gambling, and keeping company with saloon girls, even the fact that retired Texas Ranger Arthur Ray lived nearby did nothing to discourage Black Jack and his boys from spending their time and stolen money in the small western town.

However, in an instant - in less than a breath or the bat of an eyelid - the elusive pepper spray hiding somewhere in her purse was all but forgotten. For standing before her, not three feet away, was the best-looking, most gorgeous, handsomest man she had ever seen in all her life!

With the sea at its side, the beautiful township of Bostchelan was home to many—including the lovely Coquette de Bellamont, her three sisters, and her beloved father. In Bostchelan, Coquette knew happiness and as much contentment as a young woman whose heart had been broken years before could know. Thus, Coquette dwelt in gladness until the day her father returned from his travels with an astonishing tale to tell. Antoine de Bellamont returned from his travels by way of Roanan bearing a tale of such great adventure to hardly be believed. Further, at the center of Antoine’s story loomed ...

Maria Castillo Holt was the only daughter of a valiant lord and his Spanish beauty. Following the tragic deaths of her parents, Maria found herself spirited away by conniving relatives to endure neglect and misery. However, rescued at the age of 13 by Brockton Thorton, the son of her father's devoted friend Lord Richard Thorton, Maria would at last find blessed reprieve. Further, Brockton Thorton became, from that day forth, ever the absolute center of Maria's very existence. Yet a fiendish plotting intruded....

Violet Fynne was haunted—haunted by memory. It had been nearly ten years since her father had moved the family from the tiny town of Rattler Rock to the city of Albany , New York . Yet the pain and guilt in Violet’s heart was as fresh and as haunting as ever it had been. It was true Violet had been only a child when her family moved. Still—though she had been unwillingly pulled away from Rattler Rock—pulled away from him she held most dear—her heart had never left—and her mind had never forgotten the promise she had made—a promise to a boy—to a boy she had loved—a boy she ...

Excerpt: Libby smiled as she watched him drink from the mug of cocoa she’d prepared for him. It was all so exciting—the renovation, the hope of finding something hidden in the house that no one had ever found before, the fact that the handsome contractor would be in and out of her shop and her life for weeks to come. All of a sudden, Libby felt a surge of rejuvenation course through her limbs, for she loved when life brought unexpected pleasures. And seeing the likes of him every day certainly would be a pleasure.

Excerpt: The stranger gasped, released her hand, and demanded angrily, “Who are you? What kind of trick is this?” “Sir, I assure you...I’m only here to help. My name is Lauryn Kensington. I’m bound for my home in Franklin, and I only—” she stammered. “Kensington? Franklin?” he mumbled, seeming confused. Then much to her dismay, he began tugging at the lighter patch that protected one eye. “Sir, please! I meant you no harm! I only wanted...” Lauryn began, tears unexpectedly filling her eyes and threatening to spill. He took her chin firmly in one hand, his thumb ...

Broken—irreparably broken. The violent deaths of her father and the young man she’d been engaged to marry, had irrevocably broken Cedar Dale’s heart. Her mother’s heart had been broken, as well—shattered by the loss of her own true love. Thus, pain and anguish—fear and despair—found Cedar Dale, and her mother Flora, returned to the small western town where life had once been happy and filled with hope. Perhaps there, Cedar and her mother would find some resemblance of truly living life—instead of merely existing. And then, a chance meeting with a dream from her past—caused...