Garden of Lies. Eileen Goudge. 1989. 528p. Viking. Sylvie gives birth to a dark-haired baby she knows is the child of her lover. Tormented by fear that her doting, wealthy husband Gerald will leave her when he learns the truth. When a fire rages through the hospital that night, she claims a newborn blonde baby of a dead woman as her own, leaving her real daughter to be raised by strangers. This is the story of those two children and their lives into adulthood, ending in a courtroom drama where the dark secret is revealed at last.

Gathering Place. Marisa Carroll. 1988. 299p. (Harlequin Superromance #318). Harlequin.

Gemstone. Bonnie Drake (a/k/a Barbara Delinsky). 1983. Dell. New York Times bestselling author Barbara Delinsky shares her special magic in this poignant tale, first published in 1983, of past mistakes and second chances.It’s been eight years since Sara McCray has seen her ex-husband, Jeff Parker, after she fled their San Francisco mansion and stifling life controlled by his domineering mother. But the naive young bride has returned a confident woman with her own business. Jeff, too, has changed. Since his mother’s death he’s become his own man, masterfully in control of the family business and estate.When they meet, the strong attraction that brought them together long ago is reawakened. But when Jeff asks Sara to stay, his offer has little to do with romance. Now Sara must decide: Does she dare be just a business partner with a man she’s never stopped loving? Or does she turn her back on what may be her one chance for happiness?

Gentian Violet: A Romance of Political Life. Edward Hyams. 1953. 250p. Longmans Green & Co. A Conservative MP and a Labour MP compete for the favours of Gentian Violet, orphaned daughter of a charwoman, adopted heiress of a best-selling author.

Gentle Rain, A. Deborah Smith. 2007. 345p. BelleBooks. A Connecticut heiress learns she’s adopted and travels to northern Florida “cracker” cattle ranch to find her birth parents. There she also finds unexpected romance with the ranch’s owner.

Ghost Moon. Karen Robards. 2000. 313p. Delacorte Press. Nine years after leaving in disgrace, Olivia Morrison is coming home again with her eight-year-old, Sara, to put things right with the Archer clan. But there is no welcome for the prodigal daughter at the lavish Louisiana estate. Her stepcousin, Seth, once her only comfort, is icy, dangerously attractive—and engaged. Her formidable stepgrandfather collapses with a heart attack at the sight of her, gasping her dead mother’s name: “Selena!” The bayou echoes with memories of her mother’s mysterious death. Suicide by drowning, they said. But Olivia’s terrifying nightmares suggest another story. She is determined to learn the truth, and to face a newly ignited passion for Seth, who is too close for comfort, despite his vows. When a new danger threatens her and her daughter, Olivia must find the courage to confront her old demons ... and uncover a shocking secret buried in the long-forgotten past.

Gideon’s Baby. KN Casper. 2001. 304p. (Harlequin Superromance #1022). Harlequin. Gideon First has found the woman he loves, wants to marry and spend the rest of his life with. But wedded bliss may not be his after an ex-girlfriend charges that the child she secretly gave birth to is Gideon’s. Of course the news that her husband-to-be has fathered a child out of wedlock stuns Lupe Amorado. But what really shocks her is that Gideon considers putting his adorable little daughter up for adoption. He has his reasons, but Lupe’s not sure she even wants to hear them. Suddenly Gideon and Lupe have two crises to deal with—Gideon’s baby and a wedding that’s been put on hold.

Glass Virgin, The. Catherine Cookson. 1969. 356p. Bobbs-Merrill. From Kirkus Reviews: A sheltered life is shattered. Seven-year-old Annabella Lagrange overhears enough of the servants’ whispered conversation to know that her parents are unhappily married. Her own life is tranquil enough, limited by strict supervision and inflexible routines, and she knows nothing of the world outside the iron gates of Redford Hall—until the starving children of striking mineworkers raid the estate garden. Her horrified nursemaid, a smug girl who has never known hunger or want, drags her charge away, saying only that the children are shiftless. It’s then that Annabella begins to understand what hypocrisy is. Redford Hall runs on it: her father, Edmund, is a handsome libertine, financially dependent on his pious wife who must beg her rich relations for money to keep up appearances. Edmund lives apart from his wife and only child in a nearby house in order to indulge his carnal appetites. When Annabella wanders over there, she’s a hidden witness to a debauched scene of seduction. Who is the naked lady and why is Papa feeding her strawberries? The little girl vomits and faints. When she recovers, Edmund explains that it is all a bad dream. But his wife, Rosina, can’t be so easily put off, and her simmering resentment explodes some years later. It seems that she was forced to adopt Annabella, the daughter of another of Edmund’s mistresses, tolerating the child more from Christian forbearance than love. Stay tuned, though, for even more shocking revelations: Vintage Cookson, in fine form.

Goblin Hill. Essie Summers. 1977. 187p. (Harlequin Romance #2068). Harlequin. After the tragic deaths of her adoptive parents, Faith went to New Zealand in search of her real father. But a problem was her father’s stepson Gareth, who could not forget the family scandal—or forgive Faith for it!

Gods Return, The. Pamela Hill. 2000. 192p. Robert Hale (UK). The Victorian era is a surprisingly suitable milieu for the adventures of the enchanting Sophy, adopted in childhood by a rich old commercial potter because she resembles his longdead mistress. Aaron Masterson leaves a will which complicates matters for Sophy, as to inherit his money she has to choose between his two grandsons for a husband. One is the amiable but not very bright Charley, son of a lord; the other is the handsome, gifted but cruel Ivor, son of a bishop. Sophy goes her own way to fulfill the terms of the old man’s will, and it involves, among other adventures, a brief encounter with Prince Albert at the Great Exhibition of 1851. Both he a Sophy know they have met before in another life, and Queen Victoria is not amused.

Golden Echo. Rena McKay. 1985. 180p. (Silhouette Romance #347). Harlequin. Rebecca didn’t understand why her appearance caused such a stir among the Kincaid brothers until she saw photos of Cara, her sister, who’d been given up for adoption at birth.

Gown of Spanish Lace, A. Janette Oke. 1995. 256p. Bethany House Publishers. Ariana loves her life her parents, her little town, her job as the town’s schoolteacher, her students. But one evening after classes are done and she prepares to hurry home before a blizzard hits, her whole life changes in an instant. The two rough-looking men who abduct her and take her far from home and family make no response to her frantic questions “Why me? What are you going to do? Where are you taking me?” Held hostage in a camp of bandits, Ariana’s emotions swing between terror and boredom as days stretch into weeks. And then the boss’s son appears in the doorway of her cabin. Does this mean she will never see her mother and father again, the two who had so lovingly adopted her as an infant and raised her as their own? Will she ever wear the wedding dress so carefully saved for her her one link with her birth parents, now long dead?

Gypsy. Margaret P Kirk. 1987. 537p. Atheneum. Micah, the ragged Gypsy boy, becomes Michael, successful businessman and adopted son of dancers Anna and Felix Abramsky. He marries Gabriella (Anna’s daughter, conceived when she was raped by a German soldier), has two beautiful children, and tries to forget his Gypsy or “Rom” past. But his past keeps interfering with his present: His brother Dui constantly demands money; his sister Rose needs medical care; his son, Simon, longs to join the Gypsies and is in constant trouble. And Farah, his childhood sweetheart, now a beautiful and passionate flamenco dancer and leader of his old Gypsy clan, tempts and torments him, threatening to destroy his perfect world. Kirk (Always a Stranger) has written an engrossing tale of love, hate, power, and passion.

Halfway to Forever. Karen Kingsbury. 2002. 352p. (Forever Faithful). Multnomah. Halfway to Forever brings back two of Karen Kingsbury’s favorite couples—Waiting for Morning’s Matt and Hannah, and Jade and Tanner from A Moment of Weakness—who once again face traumatic issues. Matt and Hannah risk losing another daughter as they invest their emotions in a risky adoption, and Tanner dreads losing Jade when brain cancer threatens her first pregnancy. Kingsbury’s latest heart-wringing novel tells of two familiar, beloved couples learning to depend on God daily, regardless of trials and troubles that mark the path halfway to forever.

Happy Father’s Day. Barbara Faith. 1996. 250p. (Silhouette Special Edition #1033). Silhouette. Fernando Iberra was a sexy, sophisticated, handsome lawyer. He was also the father of six adopted children! Kristin Fielding hadn’t known how a bachelor could win a Father-of-the-year Award—until she realized Fernando’s heart was as open as his arms. But Kristin’s troubled childhood had convinced her she didn’t want even one child! Still, when Fernando took her in his embrace and showed her the wonders of love, she realize that he just might persuade her to become the mother of a ready-made brood ... and more!

Happy Hour. Michele Scott. 2009. 318p. CreateSpace. Four friends working in Napa Valley, Sundays are for fellowship, good food and wine. Jamie is editor-in-chief at Wine Lover’s Magazine, and a single mother. Before her husband died, she lived a fairy tale life. Guilt from his death keeps her from moving forward. Kat is a sommelier, and co-owner of a restaurant with her chef husband Christian. Although deeply in love they deal with a myriad of issues, including ex-spouses, Kat’s teenage sons and her new age mother Venus. Danielle is a vintner who finds herself entrenched in both an identity and family crises when her eldest daughter returns home from college with a bombshell of a secret. Alyssa is an artist and gallery owner. When a tragic past event catches up with her, she must face the skeleton in her closet and rely on her friends to see her through her darkest hours. These women discover that friendship is the right prescription to get through the hard times as well as for enjoying the wonderful moments together. About the Author: Michele Scott is the author of the popular Wine Lover’s Mystery series and The Michaela Bancroft mysteries. With over 100,000 copies in print and her mysteries reaching bestseller lists, Ms. Scott has a popular following. The author has been featured in The Writer, Romantic Times Book Club, San Diego Magazine, Touring & Tasting, WineCountry.com, The HorseChannel.com, America’s Horse, as well as on Good Morning, Texas, and hundreds of radio shows nationally. Ms. Scott lives in San Diego with her husband, children and their many animals. You can visit her at http://www.michelescott.com for reading guides, contest info., event news and exciting new information.

Heart’s Yearning, The. Ginna Gray. 1985. 252p. (Silhouette Special Edition No. 265). Silhouette. Fourteen years after she gave her baby up for adoption, Laura Phillips still yearned to fill her aching arms with her son’s warmth. Not one day had passed that she hadn’t agonized over her choice, so she finally followed her heart to Oakridge, Texas, just to see her child.

Hellion, The. LaVyrle Spencer. 1984. 336p. Harlequin. Rachel, the image of elegance, social standing, and beauty, had barely recovered from her husband’s death when the wildest, most passionate flame of her youth stepped into her life, once again... Tommy Lee. The all-time hellraiser of Russellville, Alabama, he had three marriages behind him and a string of fast cars and women. The townsfalk said he’d never change. But Rachel knew differently.... Once they were high school sweethearts, too young and reckless to handle the consequences of their love. Now, 24 years later, Tommy Lee could still excite Rachel like no other man. Maybe this time, they could make it work. In spite of his wild reputation ... the local gossip ... or Rachel’s questioning heart.

Her Daughter’s Father. Anna Adams. 2000. 296p. (Harlequin Superromance #896). Harlequin. India Stuart gave up the right to know her child fifteen years ago. Still, she’s compelled to make sure her daughter is safe and happy with her adoptive parents. India has a simple plan—sneak into town and observe from a distance. Things don’t work out that way. Before she knows it, she’s involved in her child’s life—and falling in love with her daughter’s widowed father. India’s daughter, Colleen, has a plan, too. Get her father and India together. Deep down, India knows Colleen’s plan can never work. Once the truth is out, no one will fogive her for lying.

Her First Mother. Kayla Daniels. 1998. 256p. (Silhouette Intimate Moments #844). Silhouette. Amanda adored her adopted daughter more than anything in the world, so she was crushed when Jamie’s biological mother wanted her back. Jamie was three when her biological mother Paige got custody of her. Now almost three-and-a-half years later Paige’s brother shows up at her door step and asks her to marry him. Ross recently found out that his grandfather bribed the judge that gave Paige custody. Ross now raising his niece thought that the best way to keep her was to marry Amanda. Ross did not want to take the chance of losing Amanda if the custody case was reopened. Ross, of course, does not tell Amanda about the bribed judge. Amanda agrees to marry Ross believing it is the only way that she can be a mother to Amanda again. The question is, can there little family get over the past in order to have a future? And, what happens when Amand learns the truth?

Her Mother’s Arms. Kelsey Roberts. 1998. 256p. (Intrigue #455). Harlequin. After her parents’ deaths, Hannah discovers that she was adopted, but she’s not at all convinced that sexy cowboy Ian MacPhearson is the man to help her unravel the mystery surrounding her birth. Despite an instant fiery attraction, his quick wit can’t hide the deep scars that render his heart forever sealed. But someone is following Hannah—someone who apparently wants her dead. And Ian, an ex-CIA agent, just might come in handy, if she can keep her distance—and her heart.

Her Own Rules. Barbara Taylor Bradford. 1996. 310p. HarperCollins. A successful, talented woman’s search for her true identity is at the heart of Barbara Taylor Bradford’s suspenseful new novel, Her Own Rules. As always, the bestselling novelist, beloved the world over, has captured expertly the soul of her accomplished strong-willed heroine, while infusing her page-turning narrative with unexpected events and taut psychological surprises. Meredith Stratton us, in many ways, a self- made woman. As the hardworking founder of Havens, Inc., a group of luxury inns in New England, England, and France, she heads a thriving multinational company that is poised for further expansion. A single mother now in her forties, Meredith has raised two gifted children, Cat, an illustrator, and Jonathan, a law student at Yale. But, despite her achievements, Meredith is haunted by an unhappy childhood, much of which she no longer remembers. As usual, Barbara Taylor Bradford seamlessly weaves extensive research into her narrative to lend her story an unequaled verisimilitude. Focusing on her native Yorkshire, the author recreates a world that holds special meaning not only for her characters, but for the novelist herself. Her Own Rules is vintage Barbara Taylor Bradford—an enduring story of a remarkable woman. About the Author: Barbara Taylor Bradford was born in Leeds, Yorkshire, and was a reporter for the Yorkshire Evening Post at 16. By the age of 20 she had graduated to London’s Fleet Street as both an editor and columnist. In 1979, she wrote her first novel, A Woman of Substance, and that enduring bestseller was followed by 12 others: Voice of the Heart, Hold the Dream, Act of Will, To Be the Best, The Women in His Life, Remember, Angel, Everything to Gain, Dangerous to Know, Love in Another Town, Her Own Rules and A Secret Affair. Of these titles, 10 have been made into television miniseries or are currently in production. Her novels have sold more than 56 million copies worldwide in more than 88 countries and 38 languages. Barbara Taylor Bradford lives in New York City and Connecticut with her husband, film producer Robert Bradford. Her most recent novel, Power of a Woman, is on sale now.

Hidden Leaves. VC Andrews. 2003. 288p. Simon & Schuster. After the tragic death of her adoptive father, Willow De Beers receives an unexpected gift: a family diary that unlocks all the secrets of her world—and shatters the life she’s known in glitzy Palm Beach, Florida. At last, Willow learns the identity of her real father, and unearths his secret love affair with her real mother. She discovers the reasons for her adoptive mother’s cruelty...and the truth about the mysterious woman who couldn’t keep her, but would love her forever.

His Child or Hers?. Dawn Stewardson. 2001. 304p. (Harlequin Superromance #993). Harlequin. He has the little boy she wants. NYPD detective Hank Ballantyne figues that for a single father, he’s got his life running smoothly. And the disaster strikes—in the form of his adopted son’s birth mother. Dr. Natalie Lawson lost track of her son while she was hospitalized after an earthquake in Guatemala. He was mistakenly identified as an orphan and brought to the United States for adoption. Now that she’s found him, she wants him back. The two people who love this little boy want to do the best thing for their child. But deciding what that is won’t be easy—especially after Hank and Natalie acknowledge that they want each other, too.

His Daddy’s Eyes. Debra Salonen. 2000. 304p. (Harlequin Superromance #934). Harlequin. Superior Court Judge Lawrence Bishop III finds his job tedious unlike his father who loved his profession. Only for the sake of pleasing his mother, Babe, is Ren at the bench today. Moreover, it is because of Babe’s dream to have her son run for Senator that Ren asks an old friend, Bo Lester, who happens to be a private investigator, to find Jewel, the woman Ren had a one-night stand with two years ago. The information Bo discovers lands a punch in Ren’s gut. Jewel was actually a married woman by the name of Julia Carsten Hovant and she died in a speedboat accident. The revelation that totally floors Ren is that Julia gave birth to a child who may just be result of Ren and Julia’s one-night stand. The fifteen-month-old boy is now being raised by his maternal aunt, Sara Carsten. Since Ren has not been approached by Sara—or Julia—in all this time, technically he realizes he is free to consider the door closed on that chapter of his life as far as his or rather, his mother’s political aspirations are concerned. However, his conscience bothers him and the need for closure drives him to approach Sara Carsten to find out once and for all if the child is indeed his. What he will do if the boy is his, he doesn’t know. What he finds is a serene woman caring for a delightful child. He comes face to face with a strong attraction for Sara that rocks his world off its axis. Yet, in the face of the career that is mapped out for him, and his existing engagement to television news reporter, Eve Masterson, can this mind-blowing attraction survive?

Home Before Dark. Susan Wiggs. 2003. 384p. Mira (CA). In her career as a photojournalist, free-spirited Jessie Ryder has seen the world through her camera lens. But she’s never traveled far enough to escape a painful moment that has haunted her for the past sixteen years: the day she gave her baby daughter away. Now, facing a life-altering crisis, she’s decided to fix the broken pieces of her heart and seek out Lila, even if it means she has to upset the world of Lila’s adoptive mother ... her very own sister, Luz. Like a Technicolor tornado bursting into Luz’s picture-perfect life, Jessie returns to her Texas hometown with a shattering request. She wants to tell Lila the truth. As Luz and her husband struggle with what Jessie’s return may mean to the rebellious Lila, their seemingly solid marriage falter. Old secret are exposed. Then, just as Jessie comes to terms with the past, life’s bittersweet irony plays its hand. She meets Dustin Matlock, a young father who has survived a devastating loss. And Jessie begins to see the hopeful possibilities that lie buried in the most wrenching tragedies. Though she aches to reach out to those she loves, Jessie stands at the crossroads. She is leaving behind the only life she knows and leaping blindly into the unknown. Now the choice she makes will affect the life of her daughter and challenge the meaning of sisterhood. As Jessie and Luz examine the true meaning of love, loyalty and family, they are drawn into a emotional tug-of-war filled with moments of unexpected humor, surprising sweetness and unbearable sadness. But as the pain, regrets and mistakes of the past slowly rise to the surface, a new picture emerges—a picture filled with hope and promise and the redeeming power of the human heart.

Homeward Borne. Ruth Chatterton. 1950. 312p. Simon & Schuster. Homeward Bourne is the story of a woman —Pax Littleton, a moral, good-hearted American with a son of her own, wanting intensely to do what is right—and a child—a boy who survived the concentration camps of WW II—whom Pax takes into her home. She soon discovers that it will take more than good intentions, kind words and a well-balanced diet to rescue the boy from his past. About the Author: Ruth Chatterton (1893-1961) was an American actress. She began her distinguished stage career in 1909 in Merely Mary Ann. Her film debut was made in Sins of the Fathers (1928), after which she played starring roles in many films. She published several novels including Homeward Borne (1950); The Pride of the Peacock (1954); The Betrayers (1953); and The Southern Wild (1958).

Hot & Irresistible. Dianne Castell. 2009. 352p. Brava. In a city of history, mystery, and more than a few ghosts, four best friends who have never fit in anywhere except with each other are about to get close—and closer still—to four sexy bachelors with some very alluring secrets. Bebe Fitzpatrick’s hard upbringing taught her how to take care of herself, how to tell true friends from false, and how to be a good cop. She can also sweet-talk a man like she means it ... until she stumbles into the arms of a damn sexy Yankee who’s gunning for Savannah’s favorite shady entrepreneur. As far as Donovan McCabe is concerned, the main obstacle to his investigation is the one thing he can’t help wanting in his way. Bebe’s smart, sassy, and utterly oblivious to her own appeal. Add the fact that a Boston cop trying to arrest one of Savannah’s best-loved citizens is about as popular as the reincarnation of General Grant. What Donovan needs is a better game plan. What he’s about to get is southern “hospitality” that’ll make his toes curl.

House of Many Rooms. Marius Gabriel. 1998. 369p. Bantam Books. The Florio family, a rich society couple with two beautiful adopted daughters, is hiding dark secrets beneath a facade of love and care. But the fabric of the family is slowly unraveling under the weight of Barbara Florio’s chronic drinking and drug abuse as well as the youngest daughter’s penchant for arson. After the divorce of Michael and Barbara Florio, Therese’s psychological problems escalate and when she sets fire to her expensive collection of dolls, it seems an eerie prophecy of the fire that soon after takes her drugged and unconscious mother. Under the suspicion that his daughter has indeed killed her mother, Michael Florio whisks both Therese and her older sister, Devon, away to his remote country house in the Italian province of Umbria. But one woman is determined to help Therese overcome her psychological problems and uncover the truth: her biological mother, Rebecca will stop at nothing to extricate Therese from what she views as a dangerous situation. Rebecca infiltrates the Florio family, posing as a nanny in search of work, and then finds herself passionately drawn to Michael Florio. But as Rebecca grows more and more attracted to Michael, Devon begins to act out. And Rebecca begins to wonder if Michael Florio is a master of mind-control and his two daughters pawns in his sinister games. Taking her daughter, Rebecca flees and turns to the only person who may be able to help: Therese’s biological father, Ryan Foster, who is practicing medicine in a remote Mexican town and whom she hasn’t seen in years. But Michael Florio refuses to simply let Therese disappear from the Florio family. He follows the fugitives to Foster’s house where Rebecca must finally decide whether her passion for Michael has blinded her to the truth about him.

I, Keturah: A Novel. Ruth Wolff (1909-1972). 1963. 285p. John Day Co. Keturah, a girl who starts life with a nameless orphan, becomes a person who enriches her world by her prescence. Her warmth, compassion and steadfastness of heart are reflected in her own words. “The orphanage will always be part of me, and the Dennys, but I wouldn’t be where I am if it weren’t for them.” Ruth Wolff’s story has that distinctive quality of indivifdual projection that is all too rarely found and makes the appearance of this novel a publishing event. The novel was retitled as Hawthorne upon subsequent publication.

I, Roberta. Elizabeth Gray Vining. 1967. 224p. JB Lippincott. Riveting portrait of a sexually passionate, arrogantlly lonely woman. Was she seduced, or seducer? Did he leave her or did she drive him away?

Illusions. Katherine Stone. 1994. 364p. Kensington Books. Katherine Stone spins a captivating tale of passion, hope, and dreams. Spanning from California to Bora Bora to France, here is the spell-binding story of twin sons cruelly separated at birth—and decades later, brought together by fate.

Impulsive Proposal. Jeneth Murrey. 1990. 189p. Harlequin. What possessed her to propose to Gideon?! Now a rich widow, Ellis had returned with her adopted son, Davey, to the Welsh home where once she’d been a woebegone foster child. Back then she’d suffered the contempt of her foster cousin, Gideon. And here she was, offering herself in marriage to him! Secretly, Ellis felt she owed it to little Davey to ensure his rightful place in Gideon’s family. And she concealed from the aloof Welshman the perturbing truth about the child’s roots. She also hid the aching, one-sided love she’d always borne for Gideon. But her pain only increased when Davey’s real mother turned up.

In the Midnight Rain. Ruth Wind. 2000. 320p. Harper. Looking For The Past...Could Mean Finding Her Future. Ellie Connor is a biographer with a special talent for piecing together fragments of the past. Her latest project, though, promises to be her most challenging—and personal. Not only is she researching the life of a blues singer who disappeared mysteriously forty years ago, but Ellie is also trying to find the truth about the parents she never knew. The love child of a restless woman who died young and an anonymous father, Ellie has little to go on but a faded postcard her mother sent from a small East Texas town—the hometown of her latest subject. It is there that Ellie meets Blue Reynard, a man with deep roots and wide connections who may help her find answers. With a piercing gaze and cool grin, Blue is as sultry and seductive as the Southern night air. Beneath his charming surface, however, lies a soul damaged by loss. Despite her better judgment, Ellie finds herself irresistibly drawn to Blue’s passion—and his pain. But Ellie’s been lured by sweet talk and hot kisses before. How can she possibly stay with blue when every instinct tells her to run?

In Want of a Wife. Arlene James. 2000. (Silhouette Romance, 1466). Silhouette. Channing Hawkins was a millionaire willing to share his wealth with the right woman. His stipulation? That she be good mommy material for his adopted daughter. True, the child was difficult.

Jane, The Courageous. Katheryn Kimbrough (Pseudonym of John M Kimbro). 1975. (Saga of the Phenwick Women #2). Popular Library. When young, breathtakingly lovely Jane Munsk was adopted into the Phenwick family, she was told she should be grateful for the gift bestowed on her. Now the motherless girl would bear the proud Phenwick name, and be heiress to the Phenwick wealth, power and position. But from the moment the great doors of Phenwick closed behind her, Jane realized how perilous her new place in life would be. For in this home of many secrets and dark violence, she was a puppet in the hands of the tyrannical mistress of the manor—and enslaved by a helpless passion for the handsome, haunted man who was her brother in name only, and who led her down a twisting path of danger to the ultimate betrayal of her love. Had she been given the Phenwick name only to be offered to the devil as his bride?

Jarrett’s Jade. Frank Yerby. 1959. 288p. Dial Press. James Jarrett, last of the Jarrett line in Scotland, and the first of the Georgia Jarretts. Founder of the clan, he was a Lord, and his heritage was proud, but his inheritance was not. At ten his father took him to Edinburgh to give him a new start in life, and within a week he had been adopted by a wealthy merchant. Edinburgh, London, then The New World, his life would take him into strange and different places he never could have imagined as a boy in Scotland.

Joined at the Heart. Nance Vizedom. 1994. 153p. Northwest Publishing, Inc. Joined at the Heart is a compelling saga of love and determination to overcome insurmountable odds. It is a story of a birth mother and an adoptive mother who become Joined at the heart by a child they both love. This story is an inspiration guide to those struggling with issues in adoption, substance abuse, or loss of a loved one, Nance Vizedom offers hope and courage to anyone whose life has been touched by grief and personal turmoil. The insights this book offers may change your life. If you have been touched by adoption or are thinking of searching for a loved one lost by the adoption process, this book is a must read. About the Author: Nance Vizedom, a secondary teacher with her master’s degree, advocates education to combat the detrimental factors of drug and alcohol abuse and issues of milti-faceted family life including families separated by divorce or by adoption. She supports reform of the exclusive use of closed adoption and closed records. She advocates participation in organizations providing support and encouragement to those searching for loved ones lost through the adoption process.

Just Another Heartbeat: A Novel. Susan Clayton-Goldner. 1997. 282p. Ballard Avenue.

Just Desserts. Barbara Bretton. 2008. 320p. Jove. Hayley Goldstein has been offered the chance of a lifetime: to bake a cake for a world-famous rock star. But she’s shocked to discover that she’s actually the aging rocker’s long-lost daughter. With her world turned upside down, Hayley will need help letting down her guard and hanging onto the things that matter most. And the rocker’s lawyer, Finn Rafferty, may just be the man for the job.

Justifiable Means. Shannon Guymon. 2003. 188p. Bonneville Books. Nikki Truman triumphed over a childhood of abuse with her spirit intact. She has a happy disposition and an incredible determination to make her and her brother’s lives as normal as she possibly can. Hired on as Rory McNiel’s housekeeper and cook, she’s well on her way to making that happen. Changing Rory’s “couch potato” ways and his unhealthy eating habits are a snap compared to over-hauling his damaged self-esteem. However, when Rory’s mother sees Nikki cooking her way into her son’s heart, battle lines are drawn. Nikki knows a dark secret stands in the way of her bright future and her growing love for Rory. That secret doesn’t want to be kept in the closet—in fact, it’s practically on her doorstep. It won’t rest until it has claimed her brother, but Nikki will do anything to protect Casey. Anything by justifiable means.

Kaleidoscope. Danelle Steele. 1989. 432p. Delacorte. When a beautiful young Frenchwoman and a brilliant American actor meet in wartime Paris, their love begins like a fairy tale but ends in tragedy. Suddenly orphaned, their three children are cruelly separated. Megan, the baby, adopted by a family of comfortable means, becomes a doctor in the rural Appalachia. Alexandra, raised in lavish wealth, marries a powerful man whose pride is in his pedigree and who assumes that Alexandra is her parents’ natural offspring.

Kids by Christmas. Janice Kay Johnson. 2006. 304p. (Harlequin Superromance). Harlequin. Adopting one child is challenge enough for a single woman like Suzanne Chauvin. Now that she has the chance to adopt a brother and sister who shouldn’t be separated, she has to keep her life as simple as possible. Which means she doesn’t have time for an added complication in the form of her neighbor Tom Stefanec. Tom knows too much about Suzanne’s past...and she knows nothing about his.

Last Chance Ranch. Ruth Wind (pseudonym of Barbara Samuel). 1995. 256p. (Special Edition #977). Silhouette. Tanya Bishop finds her birth son Antonio, after being jailed ffor 11 years or killing his father, but she also finds that his adoptive father Ramon has passion for her in his eyes.

Last Word, The. Kathy Herman. 2009. 400p. David C Cook. When Vanessa Jessup returns home from her sophomore year of college, her mother, Police Chief Brill Jessup, is stunned to see that she’s pregnant—by one of her professors. Brill is glad Vanessa rejected the father’s abortion ultimatum, but hurt that she ignored her upbringing and angry that the professor has disappeared without a trace. But that’s not all Brill’s got on her plate. One of her detectives has been killed, and the attacker has threatened to come for her next. When a second cop is wounded, public criticism mounts as Brill attempts to stay alive long enough to catch the perp. And she’s trying to find that deadbeat dad as Vanessa struggles to make decisions about her future. The killer seems to be everywhere and nowhere. How can a police chief—and a mother—do her job with her life on the line? In a show of grace under pressure, Brill will manage to have the last word, even if it kills her. About the Author: Best-selling suspense novelist Kathy Herman has written fourteen novels, including Tested by Fire, All Things Hidden, and The Real Enemy since retiring from her family’s Christian bookstore business. Kathy and her husband, Paul, have three grown children and live in Tyler, TX.

Leftover Love. Janet Dailey. 1984. 288p. (Silhouette Special Edition #150). Silhouette. Layne’s search for her birth mother takes her to a Nebraska ranch and Creed Dawson, its owner. While teaching her to rope and ride she realized she was falling in love and decided she would be the one to bring out the passion in Creed.

Like Father, Like Daughter. Judith Bowen. 1998. 296p. (Harlequin Superromance #791). Harlequin. Adam Garrick is an ex-rodeo cowboy, now divorced, and owner of the Double O Ranch near Glory, Alberta. Unexpectedly, he receives a letter from Caroline Carter, the widow of his closest friend. He hasn’t seen Caroline in years, but she’s coming to visit him, bringing her adopted daughter, Rosie. The adoption was arranged by her husband, and Caroline has never known the name of the biological father. But Adam knows. Can he keep this secret? Should he?

Love Like Gold. Valrie Parv.1992. 189p. Harlequin. As a child, Anne Fleming had been devastated by the fickle nature of the film industry. But she had moved on since then. She was now a successful Gold Geologist in a small outback community-and loving every minute of it. She had no intention of letting anyone rate up her past-least of all film director Tom Callander! Anne knew she had to help him if for secret was to be safe. But that didn’t mean she had to like him! And she was determined to ignore the chemistry that flared between them-if only he would let her!

Love Match, The. Marion Chesney. 1989. Ballentine Books. The third book in The Waverley Women. No young lady was more devoted to the teachings of that infamous bluestocking Mrs. Waverley than her adopted daughter Felicity. However, unlike her mentor, she vowed to stay unmarried and true to the cause. In fact, she was the secret author of a scandalous new novel, the tale of a lady “Rake” and her romantic exploits.

Love Without Wings. Margaret Malcolm (Pseudonym of Edith Lyman Kuether). 1961. Mills & Boon. Barbie Carstairs and Justin Latimer had been adopted as youngsters by Justin’s uncle, Dandy, after their parents’ deaths. It seemed natural when Dandy died that Justin should want to protect Barbie by proposing marriage. A rising young surgeon, he had his own reasons for wanting to marry Barbie, but love was not one of them. Having once been jilted, Justin confessed he was marrying her out of fondness, unblinded by passion—a deliberate choice. Barbie failed to realize just how deliberate until she learned, too late, the terms of Dandy’s will. Pictured: Harlequin’s retitled edition.

Loving & Losing. Pamela Oldfield. 2007. 217p. Severn House Publishers. From Publishers Weekly: Oldfield’s novel of grief and compassion in WWI London is among the latest titles by the British author to see U.S. release. As the war nears its conclusion, Eve Randall eagerly awaits the return of her army-scientist husband Harvey, who is in the States working on a cure for a fatal influenza that has struck hundreds of young soldiers. But when the disease claims Harvey, Eve’s dreams of reunion and motherhood are upended; soon, she opts to adopt two neighborhood children orphaned by the virus. At the same time, James Ferber, an army pathologist who lost his wife to the pandemic, fatefully enters Eve’s life, delivering a letter Harvey had written her during his final days. Veteran author Oldfield (Fateful Voyage) shines, swiftly moving her story between London and Camp Devens in the States, and segueing seamlessly to memorable descriptions of the English countryside for the book’s latter half. Oldfield’s lofty writing aptly captures both the era and the subject, making this a worthwhile introduction for American readers. © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Make Way For Babies!. Laurie Paige. 2000. 256p. (Special Edition #1317). Silhouette. One steamy teenage encounter had been enough to keep Ally in Spencer’s mind all through college. And it was enough to keep Spence far from home and family when Ally married his brother. But now that she was alone with adopted newborn twins, the draw of Ally in need was too powerful to resist. The proud, independent beauty still stoked Spence’s desire, but was the confirmed bachelor finding it much too easy to step into the role of father/lover/husband?

Marriage Betrayed, A. Emma Darcy. 1999. Harlequin. Adopted, but now alone, Kristy went in search of her natural family. When Armand Dutournier burst into her life, accusing her of betrayals she had not committed, Kristy could only wonder—did she have a perfect double? Could she possibly have a twin?

Marriage of Convenience, A. Georgia Bockoven. 1991. 409p. HarperCollins. Diana willingly sacrifices a good career and the freedom of single life to raise the infant son of her deceased sister, but when the boy’s real father shows up five years later, she and the father are forced into a marriage of convenience. About the Author: Georgia Bockoven is an award-winning author who began writing fiction after a successful career as a freelance journalist and photographer. Her books have sold more than four million copies worldwide. The mother of two, she resides in Northern California with her husband, John. By the Same Author: An Unspoken Promise.

Marriage Promise, The. Sharon DeVita. 2000. 256p. (Special Edition #1313). Silhouette. Cynical ex-soldier Cutter Blackwell left Texas on a mission: find his adopted brother’s long-lost sister and bring her home. But the moment Cutter met shy schoolteacher Sara Gunter, something unbearably tender wrapped around his battle-scarred heart. She was everything a confirmed bachelor shouldn’t want. A gentle-hearted beauty who believed in fairy-tale endings. An innocent rose who had never experienced the pleasure of a man’s kiss. Yet something about Sara’s smile made the avowed loner want her as his own. But once she learned who he really was, could he regain Sara’s trust and make her realize that she was meant to be his?

Marrying MacAllister, The. Joan Elliott Pickart. 2003. 256p. (Silhouette Special Edition #1579). Silhouette. Caitlin Cunningham was about to make the most heart-wrenching decision of her life. Thanks to a bureaucratic mix-up at the Chinese orphanage, this fiercely independent single mom had to choose between two orphaned sisters. The situation seemed hopeless. Until another solution presented itself—marrying fellow traveler Matt MacAllister.

Meant to Be. Edie Claire. 2004. 400p. Warner Forever. From Publishers Weekly: An absorbing family mystery propels Claire’s newest offering, which follows 30-year-old Meara O’Rourke as she tries to piece together the circumstances surrounding her birth and adoption. Before she died, Meara’s birth mother whispered an ominous message: “I was protecting you. Rosemary died. Stay....” Afterward, Meara learns she has inherited half ownership of Laurel Ridge, an estate that belonged to her birth mother’s newly acquired husband, Mitchell Black. Mitchell’s icy son Fletcher isn’t willing to let a virtual stranger claim half of his childhood home, but he allows Meara to stay at Laurel Ridge while she solves the mystery of her mother’s baffling words. Fletcher slowly warms toward Meara as the story progresses, but there’s never any doubt the two will get together; after all, they both love nature, children and homemade pie. Fortunately, the fascinating family puzzle at the center of the novel compensates for the lack of romantic tension. Claire reveals the details of Meara’s adoption morsel by morsel, which can be maddening, and her protagonists possess all the vivacity of cooked pasta. Still, there’s no denying that this story is suspenseful, which should go a long way in appeasing readers. © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Meant to Be Married. Ruth Wind (pseudonym of Barbara Samuel). 1998. 256p. (Special Edition #1194). Silhouette. Beautiful Sarah Greenwood returns to Taos, New Mexico after a twelve-year absence. Her father is ill, and despite their estrangement Sarah can’t refuse her mother’s plea for her return. Coming home means not only facing her father but also Elias Santiago—the true love kept from her by an age-old family feud. Both Elias and Sarah have thrived professionally—Elias as a successful businessman, Sarah as a world-famous fashion photographer—but neither of their hearts have healed, and when thrown together once again they discover that their feelings have only grown deeper over the years. The war between their families rages on, and if there is to be a happy ending for Elias and Sarah, both sides will need to overcome a lifetime of prejudice and hatred in order to make room for love. Generously seasoned with the flavors of the beautiful American Southwest, Meant to be Married is a touching tribute to the healing power of love. — Lois Faye Dyer

Merry Christmas. Emma Darcy. 1997. 188p. (Harlequin Presents #1923). Harlequin. As a pregnant teenager, Meredith Palmer had been devastated to discover from Nick Hamilton’s sister that he’d had an accident and had no memory of their golden summer romance. Bereft, Meredith had brokenly accepted Denise’s offer to adopt Kimberly. But now, twelve years later, Denise is dead—and Nick has become the girl’s guardian. Kimberly’s eagerness to meet her real mother has brought Nick to Meredith’s doorstep this Christmas. He can’t remember haivng seen this intensely alluring woman before, but there is something about her—some tantalizing glimmer of a dream, a memory—that he must pursue.

Michael’s Family. Kathryn Shay. 1997. (Harlequin Superromance #727). Harlequin. When his sixteen-year-old son Michael asks to meet his biological mother, Lucas Rayburn reluctantly agrees. Since his wife Sara’s death three years ago, Lucas has developed a closer bond with his son — a bond he’s terrified will be destroyed when Meredith Hunter enters their lives. Meredith is an assistant District Attorney with a bias against public defenders, something Lucas just happens to be. Despite their personal and professional clashes, Lucas is determined to make his son happy. Meredith gave up her son but she never forgot him. The circumstances of his birth are a horrible memory for her, but getting to know her teenage son brings more joy than Meredith ever hoped. True, the growing attraction to Lucas could become a problem — but she lost her son once and nothing, not even a handsome public defender, is going to tear her away from Michael again. Once again, Kathryn Shay blends realism and romance to flawless perfection. Her strength lies in her ability to capture the voice of children with thoughtful insight into how they think and what they feel. In this case, Michael Rayburn is the catalyst that brings Lucas and Meredith together. The love story is passionate and bittersweet. Lucas is torn between his feelings for Meredith, his duty to his son and the guilt of betraying his dead wife’s memory. Meredith has to reconcile her personal grudge against public defenders with the pull she feels toward Lucas while finding her place in her son’s life. Michael’s Family is a special story about love and what it means to be a family. Kathryn Shay’s characters are memorable and special! She has a unique talent for crafting stories that are down-to-earth and still hopelessly romantic! Michael’s Family is well-written and delightfully realistic! Kathryn Shay is off to a promising career in romance fiction! With three wonderful novels behind her, there’s no stopping this gifted author! — Kristina Wright. Copyright © 1994-97 Literary Times, Inc. All rights reserved.

Million Dollar Deception, The. RM Johnson. 2008. 320p. (Million Dollar Trilogy #2). Simon & Schuster. Almost five years after his critically acclaimed novel The Million Dollar Divorce, Essence bestselling author RM Johnson returns with the sequel that fans have been waiting for...and in The Million Dollar Deception, Nate Kenny, Lewis Waters, and Monica Kenny still have not buried the hatchet. When readers last closed the book on Nate Kenny, his scheming had backfired, and he not only lost a great fortune in a messy divorce but his wife ended up with the very man he paid off to seduce her into infidelity. Now, four years later, it’s time for payback. Meanwhile, Monica Kenny has a decision to make—stay with and marry Lewis Waters, the younger man she knows may not be right for her? Or leave him, venture out on her own, and face the possibility of falling for another man who may leave her as her ex-husband did, because she cannot bear children? Lewis Waters recognizes that he’s in a much better position than he ever was, now that he’s with Monica. She takes care of him and his daughter and provides them with financial stability; but Lewis fears she is also starting to notice the pair’s fundamental differences. In an attempt to repair the relationship, Lewis vows that he’ll never return to his former thuggish life—he intensifies life in the bedroom and promises to finish school and start a successful real estate business. But Nate is prepared to use all his cunning, expertise, and money to destroy Lewis, and take Monica back. Unbeknownst to all three, there will be life and death repercussions. A stirring saga of romance, loyalty, and friendship, The Million Dollar Deception is an explosive escapade of betrayal, sex, and suspense that will leave you breathless for the next, and final, installment. By the Same Author (Million Dollar Trilogy): The Million Dollar Divorce (2004); The Million Dollar Demise (2009).

Million Dollar Demise, The. RM Johnson. 2009. 320p. (Million Dollar Trilogy #3). Simon & Schuster. From Publishers Weekly: The crazed conclusion of Johnson’s Million Dollar trilogy opens with a literal bang. Freddy Ford shoots millionaire Nate Kenny and Nate’s ex-wife, Monica, at Nate’s Chicago mansion and kidnaps Nate’s three-year-old adopted son, Nathaniel. The reason? Nate reneged on rewarding him for his part in a blackmail scheme that led to the arrest of Freddy’s best friend, Lewis Waters, in the previous book, The Million Dollar Deception. Lewis was getting too cozy with Monica, whom Nate is eager to remarry. As a result of their serious gunshot wounds, Nate and Monica (who’s in a coma) miss Lewis’s hearing, at which he’s set free. In a weird twist of fate, Lewis agrees to help Nate find Freddy, who’s holding Nathaniel for $5 million ransom, if Nate will do Lewis a favor. Meanwhile, Nate’s spurned lover, Daphanie Coleman, pregnant with another man’s child, plots her revenge. The rushed ending suggests the duplicitous Nate could return to commit further mischief in a sequel. © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. By the Same Author (Million Dollar Trilogy): The Million Dollar Divorce (2004); The Million Dollar Deception (2008).

Million Dollar Divorce, The. RM Johnson. 2004. 304p. (Million Dollar Trilogy #1). Simon & Schuster. From Publishers Weekly: This contemporary tale of a woman wronged fails to chart new territory, but engages with its attractive, sympathetic heroine. Up-and-coming black Texas state representative Walter Carlson has a history of philandering, but when he dumps the baby he recently fathered with his latest mistress on his long-suffering (and infertile) wife, Vivian, it is the last straw. Livid, Vivian is forced into keeping the infant when her husband holds a press conference and announces that they have adopted a homeless baby. Soon, however, Vivian succumbs to her maternal needs and falls in love with the infant, whom she names Passion. She determines to leave Walter, taking Passion with her, and begins a struggle to maintain her law-student schedule, spend time with her baby and find adequate child care. Rescue comes in the form of Marc Kline, a divorced father and Pulitzer Prize-winning writer who teaches at the local university and is working on a book about adoption. A subplot about Passion’s birth mother adds suspense, as well as a touch of originality, to the otherwise pedestrian romance. Walter, who belatedly comprehends the value of a good woman and wants Vivian back in his life, gets a satisfying, if heavy-handed, comeuppance. © 2000 Cahners Business Information. By the Same Author (Million Dollar Trilogy): The Million Dollar Deception (2008); The Million Dollar Demise (2009).

Mission: Motherhood. Jule McBride. 1999. 246p. (American Romance #693). Harlequin. Years ago, seven mysterious matchmaking millionaires secretly started an adoption agency in Manhattan called Big Apple Babies. Now Nurse Dani Newland has a mission—to penetrate the agency’s security and the home of Jake Lucas, the sexy attorney who handled her baby’s adoption. Luckily, some missing quadruplets bring her face-to-face with handsome Jake, and two troublesome matchmakers—Jake’s young son and her elderly boss—are in cahoots to keep her there. Now Dani will do anything—for ababy she gave up—a baby she wants back—a baby that might belong to Jake! By the Same Author: Verdict: Parenthood; Diagnosis: Daddy; and AKA: Marriage.

Moments of Clarity. Michele Cameron. 2008. 304p. Genesis Press. Sasha Diamond, fresh out of a relationship with a cheating boyfriend, is ready to give up on love when she meets Sexton, an NBA star. Although she is immediately attracted to the handsome athlete, she is haunted by her doubts about men...doubts that are reinforced when her best friend, Tiara, finds out that her own husband has been frequenting prostitutes. Sexton persists, eventually wearing down Sasha’s resistance, but then she’s confronted with incontrovertible evidence that he’s betrayed her. Now Sasha must choose between trusting Sexton and giving him up for good.

Moon Shadow. Janice Kaiser. 1989. (Silhouette Desire #503). Silhouette. Beneath the shadowed moon, Kira Lowell found herself mesmerized by the fire she saw in Joshua Bearclaw’s eyes. The moment he touched her, she was lost in his exotic magic, a spell so powerful that she forgot he was the enemy. Joshua was her adopted childs natural father, and he had come to claim his son. When Joshua held Kira in his arms, he also felt the passion drawing them together. But he knew, and better than Kira, that they came from different worlds-he from the reservation, she from the city. Joshua was afraid that the fragile romance they shared by the moon silver light could never survive the Golden fire of day.

Moonlight & Mistletoe. Dawn Temple. 2009. 224p. (Silhouette Special Edition). Silhouette. Revisit author Dawn Temple’s picturesque world of Land’s Cross, Tennessee, where local color is as plentiful as ticks on a hound dog and the love bug bites hard, if given half a chance. Small town through and through, Shayna Miller believes she was squarely placed in the world to help people, a trait she learned from “Daddy”—a man she shared no blood tie with but who adopted her as a child, and raised and loved her like she was his own. Shayna’s biological parents, a sleazy get-rich-quick scheming mother and a megalomaniac father with a false reputation on the line come slithering back into her life and threaten to expose a secret she has kept for nearly two decades. The instrument of their lies and deceit is attorney Kyle Anderson. Kyle, who had no easy childhood himself, needs only to get Shayna to sign a contract for his biggest client and his partnership, heck his whole future, will be assured. With a million dollars to sweeten the pot, he feels certain that Shayna, who must surely be as corrupt as her parents, will give him no trouble. So the slick urbanite drives into an alternate universe, and encounters small town morals, small town pride, and small town stubbornness—and in Land’s Cross there ain’t nothing small about any of those things. Still, a man doesn’t easily set aside what he’s worked a lifetime to achieve. And a woman with a secret to protect won’t let the very person who threatens her world into her heart. Can a snowbound cabin and Santa suit change Kyle from a man who’s determined to achieve career success at any cost? Will Shayna learn to move past her stubborn pride and see the wounded man who needs her help? Can the Tennessee love bug bite again? Perhaps with a little help from moonlight and mistletoe!

Most Unsuitable Wife, A. Roberta Leigh. 1990. 188p. Harlequin. The loss of her brother made her painfully aware of how alone she was. Yet she couldn’t let her neice and nephew be shunted of to the custody of the grandparents who ignored them. So she was grateful whenher neighbor Jason Fletcher offered his help. He was the answer to every woman’s prayer but could dhe trust him?

Mother’s Wish, A. Karen Templeton. 2008. 224p. (Silhouette Special Edition Series #1916). Silhouette. Winnie Porter just couldn’t forget the child she’d given up for adoption all those years ago…or the wonderful family that had taken him in. Now it was finally time to see her son one last time. Still reeling from his wife’s untimely death, the last thing Aidan Black needed to deal with was the unwed mother who brought his beloved Robbie into the world. Especially when she was all grown up into a beautiful, vivacious young woman who’d immediately drawn his boy into her spell—not to mention Aidan himself. Would Winnie’s secret shatter Aidan’s family—or make it whole again? About the Author: Since 1998, RITA nominee and Waldenbooks bestselling author Karen Templeton has been writing richly humorous novels about real women, real men and real life. The mother of five sons, she currently lives in New Mexico with her husband and an ever-changing number of kids and pets.

Mother of His Child, The. Sandra Field. 2000. (Harlequin Presents #2144). Harlequin. Years ago, Marnie Carstairs had been forced to give up her baby for adoption—but it had broken her heart. Then Marnie found a vital clue leading her to find Kit, her little girl.It also led her to Cal Huntington, Kit’s adoptive father. Attraction sizzled between Marnie and the gorgeous widower but Cal made it perfectly clear he wanted Marnie in his bed—not in his daughter’s life. Could he have Marnie as his mistress, without Marnie becoming a mother to his child?

Mr. & Miss Anonymous. Fern Michaels. 2008. 336p. Kennsington. College senior Lily Madison is on her own and desperate to pay for her last semester of school. With nowhere to turn, she makes the difficult decision to donate her eggs to a fertility clinic. Sam Parker is also a penniless student who supplements his tuition money by visiting a sperm bank. One day, Lily and Sam meet at the clinic and talk about their secret. They agree that the clinic gives them an odd feeling, as if all is not as it seems. Despite their obvious attraction, Lily and Sam go their separate ways. Twenty years have passed and Lily often wonders if she has a child somewhere in the world. She also thinks a lot about Sam. Now a wealthy entrepreneur, Sam never forgot Lily either, and when he sees her in an airport one day, he falls for her all over again. But while they enjoy their unlikely reunion, a story on the news has them riveted. Two teenage boys are missing and their disappearance may be linked to the fertility clinic Sam and Lily visited in college. In a shocking twist, one of the boys looks exactly like Sam. Lily and Sam are now determined to find out what really went on at the clinic all those years ago. When the whole story comes out, the truth will be more than they bargained for. But they will discover that letting go of their secrets from the past is the best way to build a future worth fighting for. About the Author: Fern Michaels is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Fool Me Once, Sweet Revenge, The Nosy Neighbor, Pretty Woman, and dozens of other novels and novellas. There are over seventy million copies of her books in print. Michaels has built and funded several large day-care centers in her hometown, and is a passionate animal lover who has outfitted police dogs across the country with special bulletproof vests. She shares her home in South Carolina with her four dogs and a resident ghost named Mary Margaret.

My Best Friend’s Girl. Dorothy Koomson. 2008. 480p. Bantam Discovery. How far would you go for the best friend who broke your heart? This internationally bestselling novel tells an enchanting tale of life’s most unpredictable loves and heartaches, and the unforgettable bond between a single woman and an extraordinary five-year-old girl. From the moment they met in college, best friends Adele Brannon and Kamryn Matika thought nothing could come between them—until Adele did the unthinkable and slept with Kamryn’s fiancé, Nate. Now, after years of silence, the two women are reuniting, and Adele has a stunning request for her old friend: she wants Kamryn to adopt her five-year-old daughter, Tegan. Besides the difference in skin color—many will assume that headstrong, impulsive Kamryn is Tegan’s nanny—there’s the inconvenient truth that Kamryn is wholly unprepared to take care of anyone, especially someone who reminds her so much of Nate. With crises brewing at work and her love life in shambles, can Kamryn somehow become the mother a little girl needs her to be? About the Author: Dorothy Koomson is another year older (which she’s very happy about), but not much wiser. She is still a journalist as well as a novelist, and now lives in both London and Sydney, Australia. My Best Friend’s Girl is her third novel. She is currently working on her next novel and a screenplay.

Nappily Faithful: A Novel. Trisha R Thomas. 2008. 287p. St. Martin’s Griffin. From Kirkus Reviews: The soap opera never stops in the latest installment of Thomas’s Venus Johnston series. Venus, now Johnston-Parson, and husband Jake Parson surface in Atlanta, having survived the murder charges (and more) that chased them from L.A. But their new life with Venus’s beloved daughter Mya is already under threat. Venus’s ex, Airic Fisher, whom all believe to be Mya’s biological father, has married gospel singer Trevelle Doval. The TV and recording superstar believes her life won’t be complete until she and Airic have a daughter, and since she’s unable to conceive she’s set her sights on Mya. Framing this battle, which will bring up Jake’s rap past and Venus’s emotional tribulations as possible proof of parental unfitness, is the story of Judge Delma Hawkins. More than qualified for a higher position, she’s stuck handling routine domestic cases by virtue of her gender. She’s lonely, despite the companionship of Hudson, her handsome clerk, and she’s living with the secret of how she adopted her adored daughter Keisha. Thomas neatly weaves issues of family, parental and social responsibility into the domestic dramas, padding a skimpy story. She manages to give reasonably distinct voices to the major players, who alternately narrate events. But when things start to heat up, enjoyable African-American chick-lit degenerates into bad romance. The mix of down-home and steamy gets downright silly when Thomas has the judge confess that the “hypnotic glory of one man’s big long richness [made] her do things she was shamed to say out loud.” The fun runs out long before the plot devices do, and they’re hardly worth bothering with, since the resolution is trumpeted far inadvance. A popular series shows strain. About the Author: In addition to her Venus Johnston “Nappily” Series, Trisha R. Thomas is the author of Roadrunner and Would I Lie To You. The top-selling Nappily Ever After was a finalist for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work. Her debut novel was optioned by Halle Berry and Universal Pictures for adaptation to film. Trisha lives in Riverside, CA. By the Same Author: Nappily Ever After (2000), Nappily Married (2007), Nappily in Bloom (2009).

Natural Mother, A. Cathy Williams. 1997. Harlequin. At seventeen, Angela had no choice but to give up her baby daughter, Natasha, for adoption.

Never Again Good-Bye. Terri Blackstock. 2000. 240p. Zondervan Publishing House. Normally, Wes Grayson would have been attracted to the striking woman with the camera. But this woman has clearly been stalking Amy, his adoptive daughter and the center of his life. And a threat to Amy is a threat to Wes. Laney Fields has no desire to threaten anyone, just a longing to see the child she’d brought into the world six years ago and then been forced to release for adoption. But when she learns that Amy’s adoptive mother has died, Laney becomes determined to play a part in her daughter’s life. Between a man and woman torn by past losses, present fears, and the paradox of their growing fascination for each other, stands one small child. She could be the object of distrust that will drive them apart or the agent of faith in God that can bring them together. About the Author: Terri Blackstock is the best-selling author of the Newpointe 911 Series and SunCoast Chronicles suspense series, and other books. She coauthored Seasons Under Heaven and Showers in Season with Beverly LaHaye. She lives with her husband, Ken, in Mississippi.

On Mother’s Day. Andrea Edwards. 1996. 256p. (Special Edition #1029). Silhouette. A baby’s kiss. An infant’s cry. Warm milk and nightly cuddling. Taking those first steps. These were all things that Fiona Scott had missed learning about her own daughter. Moments that could never be recaptured. Then handsome Alex Rhinehart came to Fiona. And she discovered there was one more gift she could give the daughter she’d never known. Alex stood by Fiona as she faced down her past, but was the sexy detective doing it because he had to or because he wanted to?

Once in a Blue Moon. Eileen Goudge. 2009. 336p. Vanguard Press. Lindsay and Kerrie Ann are sisters who have known hardship from an early age. Without guidance from their neglectful mother, their only aid came from an unlikely source, a retired exotic dancer by the name of Miss Honi Love. When the girls’ mother was sent to prison, Miss Honi tried unsuccessfully to save them from being separated and sent into foster care. Thirty years later, Lindsay is still trying to reconnect with her sister. The owner of a bookstore in the sleepy California seaside town of Blue Moon Bay, she was lucky enough to have been adopted by a loving couple. Unbeknownst to her, Kerrie Ann has suffered a very different life. Bounced from one foster home to the next, she ran away as a teenager before becoming a drug-addicted single mother. Now, newly sober, Kerrie Ann is fighting to regain custody of the little girl who was taken from her. Neither sister’s expectations are met when they’re finally reunited. But as the two sisters engage in the fiercest battles of their lives, they are at last drawn together despite their differences, restoring belief in the unshakable bond of family. About the Author: Eileen Goudge is the New York Times bestselling author whose novels include The Diary, Domestic Affairs, Woman in Red, One Last Dance, Garden of Lies, and Thorns of Truth. There are more than five million copies of her books in print worldwide. She lives with her husband, entertainment reporter Sandy Kenyon, in New York City.

One More Knight. Kathleen Creighton. 1998. 256p. (Silhouette Intimate Moments #890). Silhouette. Years ago, Charlene “Charly” Phelps had been talked into leaving her hometown and her baby behind—to give her son the life she never could. Then, on a visit home, she saw a picture of a boy who seemed impossibly familiar—and knew she had to get out of town. Again. How she ended up in jail was another matter—the question was, how could she get out? She had only one phone call.which Troy Starr happened to answer. He knew that Charly had a reputation for trouble, but troubleshooting was Troy’s business. And though she acted as if he was the last man on earth she wanted to be near, Troy figured it was only a matter of time before this soft-at-the-core lady fell for him—and time was something Troy had plenty of.

One of the Family. Victoria Glenn. 1987. 189p. (Silhouette Romance #508). Silhouette. As an adopted child, science fiction writer Alexandra Reynolds had always dreamed of having a sibling.

One Small Thing. Jessica Barksdale Inclán. 2004. 256p. NAL Trade. At 28, Avery Tacconi has the career of her dreams, a husband she adores, and a beautiful suburban California home. She has all she ever wanted except for one small thing: a baby. And after two years of unsuccessful fertility treatments, hope is running thin. Then her husband, Dan, discovers he has a ten-year-old son he never knew about. With the boy’s mother now deceased, Dan is the new rightful guardian. He’s anxious to bring his son into their life. But for Avery, this child is a constant reminder of her own inability to conceive-and of Dan’s secret past, a sordid life she knew nothing about until now. Only when Avery is able to open her heart to all of life’s possibilities will she begin to appreciate her imperfect, unexpected family for what it truly is: a perfect blessing. About the Author: Jessica Barksdale Inclán teaches writing, mythology, and women’s literature at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, California. She was a 2002-03 recipient of an Artist’s Fellowship for Literature from the California Arts Council.

One Week in December. Holly Chamberlin. 2009. 352p. Kensington. The Rowans’ rambling Maine farmhouse is just big enough to contain the family members gathered there in the week before Christmas. Becca Rowan has driven north from Boston with one thought in mind—reclaiming the daughter she gave up when she was a frightened teenager. Raised by Becca’s older brother and his wife, Rain Rowan, now sixteen, has no idea she was adopted. And though Becca agreed not to reveal the truth until Rain turned twenty-one, lately that promise, along with all her career success, counts for little in the face of her loneliness and longing. But while Becca anticipates shock at her announcement, she’s unprepared for the depth of her family’s reactions. Her brother is angry and fearful of losing the daughter he adores; her sister Olivia, oblivious to her crumbling marriage, reveals long-buried resentments, while Becca’s parents are torn between concern and guilt. And as the Rowans’ neighbour, Alex, draws her deeper into an unexpected friendship, Becca begins to challenge her own preconceptions about family, about love, and about the courage needed to live with—and sometimes change—the decisions we make.

Open Secret. Janice Kay Johnson. 2006. 304p. (Harlequin Superromance #1332). Harlequin. Carrie St. John: Wealthy, privileged and... adopted? The idea would be preposterous, except...Carrie has never truly felt she belonged. Now she has a sister who wants to meet her and a brother no one can find. Not to mention adoptive parents she doesn’t seem to know anymore. With all the changes going on, it seems the only stable presence in her life is P.J. who tracked her down. Mark Kinkaid has become a trusted confidant and counselor, a good friend. Could it be love she’s feeling for him—or just need? Will she discard him once she’s sorted things out? That’s what he’d like to know.

Out of Danger. Beverly Barton. 1991. 186p. (Silhouette Desire Series #662). Silhouette. Tracking down an elusive ex-cop like Quent Yerby wasn’t easy, but Beck Kendrick needed his permission to adopt the little boy in her care. Unfortunately, the search led the sophisticated child psychologist to a gym filled with sweaty, muscular men, and Mr Yerby, with his bulging biceps and lazy drawl, was her worst nightmare! Quent informed Beck that he planned to get to know his nephew—and her—better. His infuriating self-assurance and frank appraisal of her physical attributes left Beck breathless—and positive that the last thing she needed was an overbearing man complicating her life. But Quent’s powerful masculine presence comforted Beck when danger surfaced. His fierce need to protect her sparked other, urgent needs... and was a risk she had to take.

Outback Baby. Barbara Hannay. 2000. 185p. Mills & Boon (Canada). Nell Ruthven thought she’d missed her chance to be a mom when, at age nineteen, she was forced to give up her baby for adoption. Now Nell’s discovered she has a tiny grandson in need of care. And her teenage sweetheart, cattleman Jacob Tucker, is in town. At thirty-nine, this couple never thought they’d be parents, let alone grandparents! They never even thought they’d see each other again. But taking care of baby Sam gives them a second chance--maybe even a second chance to fall in love. About the Author: Barbara Hannay’s first romance novel was published in 1999. She lives in Northern Australia, a fascinating and beautiful location that provides a rich setting for many of her books. When she’s not writing, Barbara enjoys refreshing her imagination by traveling with her writer husband to explore exciting new overseas destinations, or to revisit the awe-inspiring mystery of the Australian Outback.

Palomino. Danielle Steel. 1981. 463p. Dell Books. Samantha Taylor is shattered when her husband leaves her for another woman. She puts her advertising career on hold and seeks refuge at a friend’s California ranch, where she loses herself in the daily labor of ranch life. Here, she discovers the healing powers of trusted friends, simple joys, and hard work. She also meets Tate Jordan, the ranch foreman, and a tumultuous relation ensues. When Tate disappears and a fall from a horse changes Samantha’s life forever, she is confined to a wheelchair and must look dep inside herself to finds the courage to begin again. Now, fighting the battles of the handicapped, she finds new challenges, new loves, and even the adopted child she’s always longed for.

Promises of the Heart. Joann Jolley. 2000. Covenant Communications. For Paula Dunroe, this is the best time of her life-and the worst. She has found the gospel; her advertising business has never been more successful; and the love of her life is just around the corner. But peace eludes her as she struggles with grief over the death of her youngest son, TJ. Second of a series of related books; see also: Secrets of the Heart (1998) and Keepers of the Heart (2001).