As Darby Dixon sits in a tiny Texas church bathroom on her wedding day holding a positive pregnancy test, she realizes that of all the bad decisions she's made in her life, marrying her abusive fiancé would be the worst. She's never been able to stand up for herself, but she'll sure as hell stand up for her baby. With just the cash she has on hand, she runs to get a bus ticket to the farthest place she can afford. Between her sheer grit and pageant-queen smile, she lands a job as a front desk clerk at the Colorado Springs Hotel. It's not a glamorous life, but she and her baby are all that matters. A former Marine, Scott "Trex" Trexler has worked in the most dangerous, corrupt, war-torn places on earth. Now he finally has a chance to return to the last place he'd felt at peace—Colorado Springs, Colorado, to take a new job with the Cheyenne Mountain Complex, a top-secret military installation buried deep within the granite. The moment Trex walks into the inn, Darby knows he's dangerous. There's no way she wants to get involved with another man who seems to be keeping way too many secrets. As charming and devastatingly gorgeous as Trex is, he clearly isn't telling her everything. But as wildfires rage on the mountain and Darby's ex-fiancé shows he isn't so willing to let her go, both she and Trex are soon to find out that what you don't know absolutely can hurt you.

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Beautiful Disaster comes a story of a fiercely independent widow who falls for a sexy firefighter in this gripping contemporary romance. From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Beautiful Disaster comes a story of a fiercely independent war widow who falls for a protective hotshot firefighter in this gripping contemporary romance. Widowed before thirty, Naomi Abrams has been through a lot. Her husband Matt sacrificed his life to save his Marine brothers. Daughter of the US modern militia's founder, heartbroken Naomi joins the Marines in Matt's place, too-ready to do anything to help protect his team—men who are like brothers to her now. Retiring together to the town of Colorado Springs, they've assembled to take on the job of security at the top-secret military base, the Cheyenne Mountain Complex. As they struggle to adjust to their civilian lives, they also discover new dangers. Zeke Lund has been alone since being bumped out of the foster system at age eighteen, and now his rag-tag family consists of his hotshot brothers and sisters. Shattered by his first love, Zeke never planned to fall for someone again, especially not during fire season in the Colorado mountains, but Naomi is unlike anyone he's ever met. She's strong, stubborn, and takes exactly zero crap from anyone. At the top of a freezing canyon, the fire glowing down below, Zeke finally admits he may have feelings for the widow with the foul mouth and broken soul. When his health begins to fail, he wonders if he should love her enough to let her go or let her fight with him—with the real possibility of burying another man she loves. Despite hurt, pain, fires, and illness, two strong people with fragile hearts struggle to beat the odds... and their love might just be strong enough to survive it all.

A beautifully crafted contemporary romance from #1 New York Times bestselling author Jamie McGuire. Karen “Mack” Mackenzie is just beginning to live again after her nightmarish relationship with Mason Hughes, one that left her far from home and carving a path forward while looking over her shoulder. Now residing in the Boston suburb of Quincy, her southern sass sets her apart, instantly drawing the attention of local hometown hero, Terrell Kitsch. A Marine Second Lieutenant on a thirty-day leave, Kitsch has returned to Massachusetts to breathe new life into his childhood home. A few days after his arrival, he manages to fall hopelessly in love with the first girl to slap some sense into him. Just a month later, he must report to his station at Camp Pendleton. Unable to live with the thought of leaving Mack behind when her past could catch up with her at any moment, a proposal is on the tip of his tongue. An impulsive wedding leads to a marriage that defies odds, as Kitsch and Mack navigate his assignment to a special operations unit. His job was to live to fight another day. But the real war begins when a shadow from Mack’s past darkens their doorstep, and Kitsch is faced with the agonizing task of protecting his family in the only way he can to ensure their safety. This enthralling love story spans two decades, captivating readers with unrepentant sacrifice, relentless suspense, undeniable passion, and unwavering loyalty and trust, one that survives fear, distance—and even death.