Bücher veröffentlicht von TOTALLY BOUND PUBLISHING

Within the tangled vines of a forgotten garden, can a blossoming new love overcome an ancient evil that threatens both the living and the dead?After losing her brother in the trenches of the Great War, Cecily James is a prisoner of Whitmore Hall, the respected but remote boys’ school where her brutish husband reigns as headmaster. With its forsaken walled garden, a hauntingly tragic past, and midnight footsteps heard from an unoccupied clocktower, Whitmore Hall is a place where the dead are rumored to walk. Whitmore Hall is a place filled with mysteries and as a ghost garden emerges from the sun-bleached soil, long-buried secrets cry out to be told. When new teacher Raf de Chastelaine blunders into an impromptu seance, Cecily finds an unlikely and eccentric ally. In a world of discipline and respectability, barefoot Raf is unlike any teacher Cecily has ever met. With his tales of the Carpathian mountains and a love of midnight gardening, he shakes Whitmore Hall to its foundations. Could there be more to Raf than meets the eye? And as he and Cecily realise that their feelings run deeper than friendship, dare they dream of a world beyond Whitmore Hall?As Cecily and Raf team up to unite long-dead lovers and do battle with an ancient evil that has long haunted Whitmore Hall, Cecily finds her chance of happiness threatened by her tyrannical husband. But is the controlling headmaster acting of his own free will, or is he the puppet of a malevolent power from beyond the grave?

When danger forces close quarters, can love survive?Sergeant Detective Derek Savvas is attracted to the woman he met in the hospital. He wants to pursue these feelings, but this professor is harder to crack than some of the cases he’s worked.Shai Monroe has been getting odd calls and letters. One night when someone nearly runs her off the freeway, she calls a man she’s been trying to avoid, solely because of her attraction to him. And his profession.Unwilling to allow her to continue to risk her life, Derek issues an ultimatum. Either he moves her to a safe house, or she allows him to move in with her.When it all settles will they still be standing, or will one of them have said goodbye?

Arcanium's fun and games until someone takes it all away.Neve's getting into the creepy, sexy spirit of demon hands in inappropriate places-claws, teeth and an incubus who agrees to just date for a while. Despite her initial trepidation, the dark circus of Arcanium is growing on her.But Arcanium's a slice of heaven meant to be a hell, and a demon sneakier and more powerful than Bell Madoc slithers into the circus with his eye fixed on Neve for his own. When he tears everything away from Bell, leaving him weak in the wake, the entire cast and crew land in a new Arcanium with a new Master who has much darker intentions for its inhabitants.A stadium with glass rooms for display… Leather and metal stained with blood… A horde of monsters who have been waiting for Arcanium to fall… And a red-skinned, black-hearted demon who lusts for his new pet's pleasure and pain…

Oh, what a tangled web she weaves…One moment, Elizabeth is the modest, religiously devout nanny who accidentally brings her four charges to a slightly inappropriate circus filled with all the things a phobic like her could ever fear. The next, she's sucked into the demonic world of Arcanium and transformed into Arcanium's newest oddity, the Spider.Her anxieties and phobias quickly attract the attention of the Creature, the gargoyle-like guardian of the haunted funhouse, who feeds on fear—and she offers a veritable feast from which he can relieve her, especially after she's been locked in a glass box with giant spiders crawling over her eight-limbed body all day.However, she also catches the eye of her jealous ex-lover, who helped make her into the scared, secretive woman she's become, a woman who wrapped herself in the piety of her childhood cult just to escape him.Between Arcanium and her own personal demons, Elizabeth has all four of her hands full.

Two wounded souls discover each other on a romantic getaway…until an imminent terrorist attack turns their world upside down.Marc Blanchard’s short, ill-fated marriage and the death of Nikki Alvarez’s fiancé sent them both to very dark places, causing them to close their hearts to future love of any kind, the risk of devastation more than they were willing to face.But Fate likes to play tricks on people, like bringing these two badly wounded souls together at their most vulnerable and showing them the possibility of a future.A romantic getaway is supposed to help them find the answers…until they stumble onto a plot of a major terrorist attack. Before they can contemplate a future together, they have to save their own lives—and those of several thousand others.

Think being a romance writer makes the road to true love smoother? Think again.Canadian romance writer Rebecca Fairfax thinks a few months living in an English castle will allow her to test out her research theories about the place and get new material for her writing. Oh, and she’ll be able to carry out her Brass Ring Sorority sisters’ dare to kiss a duke, too. Only, the whole experience ends up changing her life in a way she could never have seen coming…Ash Piers isn’t interested in peerage and titles. He’s a freewheeling playboy who’s adopted a hedonistic lifestyle after a disastrous love affair. He thinks the upstart Canadian is a gold-digger of the worst kind, kissing his father, the Duke of Piers, on first greeting, then getting engaged to him a moment later! But, damn, he’s attracted to the woman who’s living in his home for the summer. How’s he, a red-blooded Englishman, supposed to keep his hands off her as propriety and family demand?But with the castle lurching from one crisis to another, Ash and Rebecca have to work together to ensure his family make it through events that threaten to tear everyone apart. And when an ancient and deadly danger looms, both Ash and Rebecca are forced to conquer all fear—physical and emotional…Part madcap caper, part serious treasure hunting, the Brass Ringers never fail to entertain or get their way!

Hunting a murderer is hot work, in more ways than one.Lindsey Califaro, second in command at Elite Marketing, is suspicious when her boss is killed in a one car accident. She's had a funny feeling about things around the agency for a while and now her spidey senses are going haywire. Something is wrong and she's determined to find out what.John Martino, highly sought after forensic accountant, is sent by Arroyo to dig into Elite's books and see if there is an answer there. He expects problems but what he doesn't expect is to find a super smart hot female who pushes all his buttons and sends his sex drive into overload.As the two dig into Elite's books and Craig's private life, they uncover a sordid trail of sex trafficking and drugs so extensive it shocks them. As they draw closer to the real head of the operation the heat between them rises in temperature and their feelings for each other explode.As they work to blow open the criminal enterprise, their relationship intensifies and John knows he must do everything to protect Lindsey from a master criminal.

A shy sexy artist and a man tormented by his past are thrown together for protection and security.Cassandra Wilson's world was just turned upside down. Someone broke into her studio and destroyed the art she'd put her heart and soul into. Pressure from her older brother and her Alpha has her accepting protection from the Beta's brother. She finds the ex-military non-shifter a sexy distraction. But when reality breaks through and reminds her that someone is after her, will Max be able to save her?Max Lawson knows he needs to get his act together. The last mission that forced him from the military still haunts him at night. When he's asked to help guard one of the woman in the Pack, Max isn't sure he's the right man for the job. He's never really felt like he belonged with the others since he is the only non-shifter around. But he owes his brother and accepts the job. Cassandra isn't anything like he'd imagined. She's strong and stubborn and he finds himself falling for her.Max needs to fix himself before he can even think about being the kind of man that Cassandra deserves. Resisting the sweet sexy artist, however, is easier said than done. When danger threatens to take her away before Max even has a chance to prove himself to her, he must fight with everything inside him-being able to shift...or not.

No one knows who’s telling the truth.For Liam Benedict, the merging of Software By Design into the Arroyo mega-conglomerate is a dream come true—until someone on his staff screws with critical software and puts the company and its future in grave jeopardy.Suddenly life is not so euphoric for Liam. His contract with a defense contractor is now on shaky ground, he doesn’t know who to trust on his staff and there is a distinct possibility that a foreign power is behind the whole thing.When forensic data analyst Eric Braun discovers who it is and how they did it, he is killed before he can tell Liam he’s discovered the mole. Framed by the killer, Liam is arrested for the murder.It will take the combined resources of beautiful criminal defense attorney Sydney Alfiore, the woman Liam loves, and the huge Arroyo Corporation to solve the riddle…but can they do it in time?

Nicole Masterson will do anything for her husband—anything but stay living without him.Can two people find love through lies and secrets? Nicole Masterson discovers that true love doesn’t happen to the faint of heart. Instead, she finds that to hold her husband, she’ll have to expose not only who she really is but also what she really wants—and needs.Ian Hutchinson had loved his wife long before he was assigned to protect her. His marriage was a cover, a means to keep her safe from the insane gangster Devon Blackmore. But, for Ian, it was always much more.When Nicole dies in a plane crash, Ian’s world falls apart—until he hears a rumor that Nicole is alive. He grabs it—and her—with both hands and offers her not only his heart but also the truth.Can Ian and Nicole keep this fragile love alive with Devon Blackmore also aware that she lives?

Think being a PI is all dull divorce cases? Think again.Lacey Cameron, private investigator and treasure hunter, takes being headstrong and passionate to a whole new level. It takes exactly one morning in a school teaching young minds for her and her identical twin sister to break the whiteboard pointer in half, throw their keys onto the teacher's desk and heed the seductive call of wide-open spaces and awesome adventures.William James Thornton ?, a renaissance man and warrior poet who defended his country in Iraq and Afghanistan, knows he's got his hands full trying to get Lacey to see him as more than just a friend. He's ready to settle down, marry the woman of his dreams and make his mother a happy grandmother. Hell, he's got enough treasure in his bank account for two lifetimes.Things go from normal craziness to extremely dangerous in a heartbeat as hired killers are sent after Will and Lacey, who are getting too close to the truth in a murder case. If Will can get them out of this mess, he vows to lay all his cards on the table with Lacey. Get her to recognize what they can share as a couple. Passion. Love. And a commitment to blending her wild nature with his own-the perfect spicy combination. Even if it looks like it might just be the death of him.

A wife and mother’s worst nightmare…a bittersweet return home…a fresh look at love.Gayle Connolly’s dream life on the West Coast is snatched from her in the blink of an eye, forcing her to face her own worst fear—because she didn’t truly appreciate what she had, a senseless tragedy was somehow her fault. Now, she wakes up every single morning in her childhood bedroom in Michigan and wonders how she can even breathe, much less live a life devoid of everyone she loved.Noah Stokes’ dream of taking over his family’s landscaping business is dashed when the company goes bankrupt, thanks to his father’s gambling debts. That hard reality sends him spiraling downward, where he discovers himself making money in ways he’s ashamed to admit. When he leaves it all behind and returns home to Michigan, he’s determined to regain some semblance of normalcy, not to mention his dignity.For a while, Gayle and Noah’s smoking hot connection provides them both with distraction and solace. Until lust turns into something more—something they both resist for as long as they possibly can.

Alpha Council Representative Kurt Moore has his hands full with his investigation into the Church for Humanity… And that’s before he meets the woman who throws his world into chaos.Alpha Council Representative Kurt Moore is settling into the town of Lovington, California and his new position. He’s busy gathering information on the five chapters of the Church for Humanity. Making plans to take down the Church and protect his fellow wolves, he dedicates all his time and energy to his work. He’s content, happy, even if a little lonely. Then he meets Savannah Conley, the new deputy, and everything changes. Savannah is such a perfect match for him that Kurt starts to question himself and his needs.Savannah Conley accepted the open position for the sheriff’s department and was looking forward to putting down some roots. She’s instantly attracted to the quiet shifter she’s introduced to by her best friend and the more time she spends around Kurt, the more convinced she is that she and Kurt are meant to be. She might only be a human, but she knows deep down that the dark-haired shifter belongs to her. She doesn’t have a lot of time to persuade the stubborn shifter to get him on board, though.A wolf shifter who had gone undercover with the Church has disappeared and Kurt is on the hunt. Savannah does what she can through legal means but knows Kurt will do whatever he has to, to ensure the wolf’s safety.Enemies try to tear them apart, and Kurt and Savannah have to understand and show that they are stronger together.

Long-hidden secrets threaten to shatter their love…and the Kalquorian Empire.Cissy Salter is more than ready to shed Earth's repression when she moves to the planet Kalquor. She leaps headlong into drinking, partying and liaisons with young alien men. She would be having the time of her life if not for the disapproval of a certain rich, gorgeous Dramok she can't avoid. She'd love to despise him, but her heart has other ideas.Dramok Diltan sees the bawdy, unrefined Cissy as a thorn in his side. The last thing he needs is a woman who drives him crazy every time they meet. Yet the spark in her eyes kindles a fire he can't ignore. His enthralled clanmates Wal and Rolat are determined to get the two to stop fighting, at least long enough to explore the possibility of making Cissy part of their clan. When they discover Diltan's past misdeeds, Wal and Rolat issue an ultimatum-help them seduce the Earth-woman or face punishment.As Cissy and Clan Diltan discover each other's true natures and love blooms, the long-hidden secrets of Kalquor's leadership are revealed. An old conspiracy brought to light shatters Kalquor's peace, driving the Empire apart…and tearing Cissy from the arms of the three men she can no longer live without.

He’s hidden himself away. Will Melissa be able to lead him out of the dark?After shifters became known to the public, Trent’s life changed drastically. He had no idea that his fellow cops and girlfriend would turn on him. Only his partner stood by his side. Then came the night of a burglary gone wrong. The other cops put off coming to Trent and Adam’s aid, causing Adam bleed out and die. Dating Melissa Bishop had Trent looking at a future he’d given up on. But when he needed her the most, she turned her back on him.Trent walked away and never looked back. Now the bad guys have come to Brookside to try to rid of the town of shifters, Trent will do anything to protect them. Even if that means working with the newly hired sheriff deputy.Melissa had made a lot of mistakes in her life, but nothing as horrible as sending Trent away. She’d spent years trying to make amends and getting taken on with the Brookside Sheriff Department will allow her to protect an entire town of shifters. She never expected to see Trent again.One look and Melissa knows she’s still in love with Trent. Too bad he’s warned her from going anywhere near him. When the threat to her new town escalates, Melissa has to prove to Trent and everyone in Brookside which side she’s on.It’ll take a team of specialized shifters and one feisty human to protect the town.

A sniper and a reporter—can they face danger together?Women are the best stress reliever for Delta Force sniper Beau Williams and variety is definitely the spice of his life—until he meets sexy, feisty sports reporter Megan Welles. The sparks between them are caused as much by the heated sexual attraction as by the force of their personalities. But the more time they spend together, the brighter the flame burns.Megan is working on the story of a lifetime—the unexplained deaths of several aging athletes who had stellar years. They only realize how dangerous her hunt is when she receives threatening texts and an attempt is made to take her out of the game.When everything explodes in a hostage situation, Beau and his Delta Force team leader save her, but Beau can’t deal with the way she put herself in jeopardy and she can’t handle what she sees as his controlling attitude. Can the Christmas season heal the breach between them?

Sam has lost faith in relationships and love. Will Mike be able to crack open her hard shell and teach her to feel again?As a part owner of Catered Affairs, Sam is a leader in the kitchen, advising the chefs about food, friends and lovers. But as her friends find Doms-and love-Sam stays steadfastly opposed to anything but one-night play scenes, never allowing a Dom to get to know who she really is deep inside.Mike, a private investigator, is intrigued by the beautiful yet haughty sub, but he's not interested in a superficial relationship. He becomes fully invested in anyone he plays with, giving them his rapt attention-and expecting it in return. His years in the Special Forces-and a near-death experience-has taught him to treasure every moment in life.One night, Mike entices Sam into a scene. Through a combination of absolute control and perfectly delivered pain, he takes the staunch masochist to places she has never achieved before, making her unable to resist playing with him again. Every time they meet, Mike pushes her further, laying bare her innermost desires. But Mike finds that Sam's reluctance to commit keeps pushing back.As Mike starts to discover why Sam is hesitant to trust anyone, he becomes more determined to shatter her defenses and show her what real surrender to the right Dom can provide her. But a dangerous job for an old Special Forces buddy threatens to put a damper on his efforts. Can their budding relationship survive his need to protect the daughter of a friend?

The shifter world has announced its presence…and must now deal with the consequences.Mike Jackson knew when the other members of his military unit started finding mates that his life would be heading for some major changes. The decision to leave the military was his, but now that Mike is free, he's wary and bored. When the call comes in to help a Pack facing dangerous threats, he's more than glad to help. He hopes getting back into the thick of things will calm him and his wolf.Becca Nelson's heart is breaking at the horrible fires plaguing her town. Someone is out to destroy her community and the Pack has no idea who it could be. Her father, the Alpha, makes a call for help and brings Mike into her life. Becca knows that Mike is the wolf for her the moment she meets him.With a direct threat against Becca, an ex showing up, and a kidnapping, Mike and Becca might not have the time to save both the town and each other.It'll take everything Mike has in him to keep the Pack Daughter safe and give him time to stake his claim. That is, if Becca doesn't rescue him first.

The best hunter for the wolf shifters has met his match when he is introduced to the small-town human who captures his attention and heart.Clint Price is enjoying his temporary assignment with the Alpha Council. The best part of every day is his morning visits to the local coffee shop and he soon finds himself enchanted by the human business owner.Sara Webb didn't know that shifters existed. And finding out that the large compound just outside town is full of them is a shock. One look at Clint and she is more than intrigued.When the town is invaded and Clint is threatened, the residents come together in support. With the help of their friends and family, Clint and Sara fight for their newfound love and shifter freedom. But the escalation of events might end their relationship too early. If Clint does make it out alive, he still has to figure out how to stay with Sara in the end.

What happens when that first spark is undeniable?Pediatric oncologist Eva Monroe was finally heading for vacation in Puerto Vallarta to enjoy some much-needed rest, relaxation and sex. It was her goal to find someone to indulge in for the night-or the week, her choice.Emergency room surgeon and member of Doctors Without Borders Grant Harrison is having fun during his time at the beach when he spies Eva and the heat between them slams into him with incredible force. After he approaches her, they end up going back to his room. What begins as a hot, intense encounter grows to more as they spend the rest of her time there together. Learning about each other and becoming close.When they leave, neither want to end what they have started to build, but they're not exactly neighbors. They decide to try a long-distance relationship-she visits him in Arizona and he her in Iowa, but they want more. Who is going to be the one to give up what they have for the other?Someone has to make a choice. But when it comes, will it be too late?

What happens after all those years of sniping at one another when they are alone together?Beauregard Jackson has a reputation for being a ladies’ man. It’s never bothered him until an ex shows up from his past and makes his life hell. When she goes after the one woman he’s never dated but has loved truly, Beau takes action.Shannon ‘Mino’ Tumelo spent years putting off her own dreams to work at Theta Corps. After she quit, she went back to medical school—and now she’s months away from finishing when she’s yanked back into that world.While she and Beau work together, she struggles to fight her feelings for him, aware he’s not a long-term kind of man. Beau, however, wants to change her mind, because she’s the one he wants. Can he convince her of his love for her?

Embrace who he is... or lose everything.Six weeks ago, Kieran Smith learned that his DNA had been altered during his time as a captive to the shifters. Kieran has always known he’s a powerful Day Walker, but he’s having trouble dealing with the fact that even to other Walkers, he’s a freak.Just when he thinks things are finally settling down, Kieran learns that fate isn’t done messing with him. His lover, Dakota, saves three teenage shifters who need more help than he and Dakota can give. Not everyone has recovered from dealing with the shifters responsible for Kieran’s and others’ years of torture, and now two strange Day Walkers have come to town, attacking the local Pack and causing trouble.It doesn’t take long for Kieran and his friends to realize that the two Walkers have a connection to Kieran. A deep bond that is going to change everything.Kieran is either going to have to embrace his unique gifts and the things done to him or lose everyone he cares about. He won’t be able to hide anything any longer as his past collides with his future…

Tortured duke Gibb Alford has vowed never to love again…until a beautiful French knife-thrower brings him to his knees.When Gibb Alford, Duke of Menteith, saves a beautiful French knife-thrower from the unwanted attentions of a fellow aristocrat he is ill-prepared for the immediate tug of attraction to the beautiful Evangeline. Widowed, he has sworn off love forever, so he can well do without this temptation.Evangeline certainly doesn’t want the complication of being in the sights of one smoky-eyed Scottish Duke. She’s a lady on a mission, with no time for love or dalliance.However, fate and life have other plans and gradually Gibb and Evangeline become a couple.As each struggles with the demons of their past, Evangeline finds life in the ton difficult. The spurned aristocrat Gibb saved her from is not prepared to give in and retire gracefully. And while Gibb fights the man, he also declares war on his emotions. When Evangeline’s past is revealed to her, everything changes. She has a decision to make. Fight for Gibb—or flee to a safe but unfulfilled future.As for her Duke… All is fair in love and war—right?

One who rages like the fire and the only man who can tame her.Anabelle Lee Jackson is an assassin for Theta Corps. Not much can get under her skin aside from her boss, Masters. Their bickering has been years of foreplay for her, but neither of them step over that line—though they may have come close. Until they are on an op in Russia together and they erase that line completely.Masters and Anabelle Lee clash on everything, leading to her leaving. Will he show contrition for his behavior? Will she? Or will these two lovers only have their memories of what could have been to keep them warm at night?

Ten years after—can they rekindle the heat?One hot night with Gabe Carter has haunted Jill Danvers for ten years, almost as much as his decision to marry someone else.Now a successful journalist, she’s back in town to write about the city’s Bicentennial Celebration—and Gabe is the chairman.This time around he’s determined not to let other people control his life where Jill’s concerned, especially his vicious, vengeful ex. It might not be possible to get past ten years of pain, but as they work together on the article and solving the mystery of the undercurrents flowing beneath the surface of the town, they might just find a way back to each other.

Out of the ashes of ruined lives they finally find love.When Brock Fitzgerald is welcomed back into his family thanks to the sympathy of his sister-in-law Evelyn and the tolerance of his twin brother Austin, he understands that this may be the best he’ll ever get for himself. Years spent partying, drinking and screwing his way through life have left him drained, exhausted and accepting of his many weaknesses. He’s grateful for the second chance he’s been offered, even as he continues to battle his demons, including one that leads him back into co-dependency with his oldest girlfriend.Kayla Hettinger never imagined that once she declared herself clean after several near-overdoses of opiates she’d find herself tending bar for her brother’s fiancée Melody, and enjoying what life she’d managed to build. When she strikes up a friendship with Brock over shared experiences and ginger ale, she discovers something needier and more frightening inside herself—and in Brock—than either of them feels equipped to handle.Breaking through the clutter of addiction and despair only to find your soulmate waiting on the other side seems like the stuff of fairy tales—until Brock and Kayla accept that being dependent on one another is the only way they’ll survive.

When life hands you lemons, the right guy needs to be there to make the lemonade.Life isn’t just handing Mackenzie lemons—more like chucking them at her. With the recent tragic death of her baby sister, her best friends both getting married and her feeling even more alone than ever, Mackenzie has had about all she can take.Why can’t she find the right guy? Her besties, Molly and Tiffany, are determined to help her, but little do they know he may already have arrived. The man who had dashed all of Mackenzie’s dreams of the perfect happily ever after is back and this time for good. Gideon’s return flips her world upside down in more ways than she can count. Why does life have to be so darn complicated?Afternoon lattes and Friendship Fridays with her girlfriends are all that seem to help Mackenzie survive her insane rollercoaster of single life. Once worried that she’d wind up an old maid or a crazy cat lady, Mackenzie reluctantly finds herself back on the dating scene. She juggles some new romances and one not-so-new one, discovering that there’s A Latte of Love out there.

War has bled onto the streets worldwide with only one group standing between The Order and all mankind. Their newest recruit must now decide between loyalty and love.In the darkest corners of Van City, a deadly war rages between the darkness and the irregulars. With humanity on their knees, there is one group standing between them and their complete destruction—the Slayers. And now, their newest recruit, Bane, a Therian, must choose between his duty and his love.Viciously loyal, ruthless and deadly, Bane has given everything to become a member of the Slayers. But when fate intervenes, he discovers his loyalty rests elsewhere. Trapped between his love for Jessamine and the fate of mankind, Bane must decide between the lives of his fellow Slayers and that of the woman he loves—Jessamine, a Hunter and sister to the Calyph of The Rancor Order.Will true love win out—or will fate throw him another curveball and take his life?

This spy has fallen for the princess who helped save him.Ethan Jackson has been a prisoner for longer than he cares to think about. An opportunistic perimeter alarm allows him and one other to escape. Almost recaptured, they are saved by the timely arrival of his family. Now he just has to figure out who the woman with him is and where the man behind his own kidnapping has gone.Zahra ‘Rally’ Kidjo has a kinship with the man who saved her but her trust only goes so far. As the youngest child of a ruling royal family, she’s used to betrayal from the inside. Once brash and outspoken on her beliefs, she’s now reserved and soft-spoken.When this horrible ordeal is over, can Ethan keep this princess in his life or will he lose her to her familial obligations?

When he opened his mind, she opened his heart.Isla Gillingham is a beautiful, successful model, so she's bound to be a spoiled, selfish diva, right? At least that's what Kean Maguire presumes until he meets her. His impression changes in a heartbeat when he sees her dressed casually, eating fries, smiling and giggling.Not one for socializing, Kean is secretly happy to volunteer to take Isla and the photographer into the mountains for a photo shoot until Isla's manager, Tabitha Merchant, warns him that there is a powerful legal team ready to pounce the minute he slips up. A court battle will not only lose him his job, but also result in the closure of the Fielding Ranch.Isla is immediately taken with the Irish cowboy and thrilled when he leads their trek into the mountains. His demeanor is anything but friendly, however, and even worse when an accident occurs on a narrow ledge.Reluctantly, she allows Kean to offer her shelter at his cottage when the weather deteriorates. Given the chance to learn more about each other, can she persuade him that she is not the calculating bitch he assumes? And, is his heart really as cold as the ice outside or will it melt with the driven snow?As Isla admits that her life isn't quite as happy as it seems, Kean must disclose his unsavory past, despite knowing it could completely turn her against him. But their lives change entirely when they discover they are not the only ones keeping secrets.