A novella of loyalty and survival—in which three soldiers must survive active duty before they can find their true loves in the town of Snowberry Creek, Washington… Best friends Nick, Spence, and Leif are counting down the last days of their third deployment as members of the U.S. Army, and their first in Afghanistan. But when one of them receives heartbreaking news from home, their camaraderie will be tested both under fire and under the strain of nearly unbearable emotional pain. Then, while on patrol in a dangerous sector, the strangest thing happens—a stray dog appears from nowhere, alerting them to a coming ambush, and saves their lives. And as the three soldiers struggle to rescue the pooch from the firefight, each of the friends finds a little lost piece of himself—and a part of themselves they need to carry home… Includes a preview of the upcoming full-length novel set in the Snowberry Creek series, A Time for Home.

Welcome to the small rustic town of Snowberry Creek.... As Nick Jenkins travels from the war zones of Afghanistan to his comrade’s hometown, the kinds of wounds he carries with him have little to do with the shrapnel damage to his arm. Burdened with the guilt of failing to save his friend Spence, Nick is nonetheless determined to find a home for the dog that had been Spence’s constant companion. Callie Redding, Spence’s childhood best friend, was shocked to learn he left her his old Victorian home. She’s even more surprised when one of his war buddies shows up with a dog at his side—and a heavy weight on his shoulders. As a tribute to their friend’s life, Nick agrees to help Callie turn her inheritance into a welcoming bed-and-breakfast for the town of Snowberry Creek. But as they work through their grief together, they also share something far more precious—the belief that love is worth fighting for....

‘Tis the season to fall in love in these four small towns. In “Christmas in Shelter Bay,” New York Times bestselling author JoAnn Ross returns to Shelter Bay, where Kelli has long tried to keep her feelings for her friend Cole a secret. But when the local matchmakers conspire to send them to a secluded lakeside cabin, the two friends soon discover that a little love will keep them warm. TV producer Nathaniel Ravelle knows the Bayberry Island mermaid legend is a joke—how could a statue grant a wish for true love? But when a Christmas Nor’easter lands him in close quarters with local Annie Parker, they see magic at work in matters of the heart in New York Times bestselling author Susan Donovan’s “A Seaside Christmas.” In LuAnn McLane’s “Mistletoe on Main Street,” Clint isn’t sure how to rekindle his romance with high school sweetheart Ava—until his father bows out of playing Santa at the annual Cricket Creek holiday parade and Clint gets the chance to make this Christmas one to remember. And in Alexis Morgan’s “The Christmas Gift”, business is booming at Bridey Roke’s pastry shop. Everyone in town stops in to sample her holiday treats. But in her spare moments, she’s perfecting a special recipe to charm the handsome new neighbor—who has his own surprise gift for her come Christmas Eve!

In the town of Snowberry Creek, there is always hope.... Wounded in combat, Leif Brevik is haunted by survivor’s guilt. For the first time in his life—unsure if he still has a military career in his future—he feels completely lost. So when a war buddy calls for help with restoration of their fallen brother’s house, he jumps at the chance to regain a sense of purpose. Zoe Phillips is assigned to monitor Leif’s physical therapy while he’s in town. But she’s a former military nurse, and she senses that his wounds are more than just physical. As she pushes the handsome soldier to open up, the connection between them deepens beyond the professional facade she tries to maintain. And as Leif begins to put down roots in her beloved hometown, Zoe realizes that maybe having him around is exactly what she needs to heal her own wounded heart as well....

All roads lead home in Snowberry Creek… After a devastating tour in Afghanistan, all Spencer Lang wants is for life to return to normal. But when he rides into his hometown on his Harley, he learns that his friends and family have tried to move past their heartbreak since he was reported killed-in-action—and the woman he loved is about to marry his best friend. Now, all he can do is pick up the pieces of his life. Years ago Melanie Wolfe left town, with no intention of ever coming back. But when her father dies, she reluctantly returns home to salvage the family business. Reuniting with Spencer, her high school crush, complicates the already thorny situation, especially when she begins losing her heart to him all over again. As Spencer and Melanie work to restore order to her family’s company, two damaged hearts face an unexpected new future that is filled with possibilities…and love.