Riding Tall

Ricki Sparks knows she can make a mean red velvet cake but can't believe she's let herself be talked into a blind date. When she opens the door to see the man she's been secretly sweet on since the first day he walked into her bakery, she fears her heart will be demolished. With a past like his, private investigator Garrett McBride doesn't feel he's worthy of a good woman's love. Especially not Ricki, the sweet, beautiful baker. But it isn't long before he admits to himself that he wants her for his own. He never suspects that the greatest danger to her may come not from himself, but from the deceitful woman Ricki has befriended. Love may not be the only thing Ricki falls into along the way as she finds herself in a world of deceit and betrayal that may cost her life. Garrett must find her, before it's too late.

Clint McBride has spent seven long years running from his past, believing he was responsible for the death of his best friend. A chance layover leads him home, but he has no intention of staying. Ella Fisher can't believe Clint is back. She's furious with him for leaving without a word and for not letting anyone know he was even alive. Clint had been her big brother's best friend, and her teenage crush. She'd been devastated by not only her brother's death but the pain of Clint's disappearance from her life. Clint can't believe how his friend's sister is all grown up, no longer the kid who used to tag along with them. Ella is all woman...and he's afraid he won't be able to keep his hands off her. Clint struggles with making some hard decisions and Ella fears her heart is about to be ripped apart all over again.

Detective Kelley Petrova's life has been filled with one major challenge after another. The one constant in her adult life has been her career and the ability to make a difference. Having a capable and dedicated partner like Reese McBride, who also doesn't happen to be one bit hard on the eyes, only makes her job easier and more worthwhile. Detective Reese McBride knows his partner of two years is tough, smart, and determined. After Kelley is injured on the job, Reese can't keep his partner down and soon they're chasing after more than just a man and the girl he's kidnapped. Drugs and a human trafficking ring are exposed and soon Kelley and Reese are running out of time. The love that has developed between Kelley and Reese grows stronger with each day, before they are brutally torn apart. Reese must not only find and rescue the little girl, but he must save Kelley before the kidnappers sweep her across the Mexican border.

Much like Cinderella, Hollie Simmons was waiting for her Prince Charming but wondering if her life was meant to be anything but a fairy tale. A kindergarten teacher, Hollie was raised to be a lady by her southern mother who passed away when Hollie was young. After a speedy remarriage by her father and more losses than she can count, Hollie is alone in the world with only three cold, abusive stepbrothers. When John McBride, a police lieutenant, saves Hollie from a nasty fall, she thinks perhaps her prince has finally come in the guise of a man she's always wanted to get to know but was too shy. John has seen too many cop marriages fail. He's married to his job and doesn't have room or the desire to be tied down. Until Hollie. As a cop he's learned to trust his gut instinct. Perhaps he should have trusted it when it told him to approach her long ago. But he's not sure he's ready for the forever he sees in her eyes. When Hollie is framed for a murder she did not commit and the key to proving her innocence seems impossible to find, John must locate the shady character who committed the crime before Hollie is put behind bars. Their love must be strong enough to withstand every hardship to find their happy ending.