Bryce Duncan thinks hiring a party planner for his dad’s 60th birthday is downright silly. But when his mother leaves him no choice, he has to toss his idea—a family BBQ and a bucket of beers—in the trash. His mother, ever the meddler, hires party planner Lindsey Mackey, avibrant young woman with a gift and dedication for memorable events. From the moment he meets her, Bryce finds himself annoyed by her constantly upbeat attitude. It’s going to be a long month of planning… Lindsey Mackey finds the grumpy cowboy disagreeable, but at least he doesn’t talk much. Making sure the Duncan family’s party runs like a dream is as natural as breathing—going above and beyond to make sure people have a good time is her favorite part of the job. When she can’t get in touch with Bryce, she hunts him down on the family ranch and quickly realizes this job might be the toughest she’s ever faced. Bryce isn’t making things easy. But after an accidental kiss, she can’t stop thinking about him. As Lindsey’s feelings grow, Bryce seems to feel the same… until he messes up. He’s going to have to make things right… or lose her for good.

Maddie Burns is back in town. Happy to be teaching in the high school she’d attended, settling back into small town life feels familiar and safe. The fact that her high school sweetheart ex is still there isn’t even on her radar. She moved past him years ago and eventually got over her broken heart… sort of. Well, actually she still has flashes of anger when she thinks about how things went down. Cowboy Josh Duncan is thrilled his high school sweetheart is back in Rocky Ridge. Now that she’s back home, he naively believes they can be friends again. When they bump into each other in town, their reactions couldn’t be more different. He has no clue she’s still angry. She can’t believe he doesn’t understand how deeply he’d hurt her ten years ago. As he realizes the depth of his mistake, Maddie is having no part of the blissful reunion he’s trying to engineer. Josh showers her with big, gestures—generic as they are—to get her attention. It’s only when he takes the time to truly get to know who she is now that he gets it. He can’t buy his way back into her life. She needs sincerity and truth. Is it possible to fall in love again as the adults are today?

Sam Duncan expects to win the ranch challenge that would put a cool fifty grand in his pocket. Not lacking confidence, Sam works his parcel of land in the competition and is certain his win will be a slam dunk. What he doesn’t expect is that Whitney—the only woman ranch hand at Duncan Ranch—will give him a run for his money. He’s not happy about it and his disdain for her overflows. Every time he turns around, she’s there. Doing her part and taking the competition seriously. Whitney Wright works harder than any of the men ranch hands to secure her own future and she’s going to give everything she has to win the ranch challenge. The chance for her to build up more of a nest egg for her future is a burning need for Whitney. She only has herself to depend on and she simply can’t let herself down. These opportunities come around only once in a lifetime for ugly duckling girls like her. When she overhears a rude comment Sam makes, she’s hurt. She knows he doesn’t like her but to hear him say such mean things is more than she can bear. When his curiosity gets the better of him, he tries to find out more about her. Will he learn the secrets Whitney has kept hidden from everyone? Will she finally be able to be the woman she never thought was possible?

Lilliana’s ties to the Duncan family are strong. Losing her mother at a young age affected her deeply and she’s compensated for that loss by clinging to her women friends. The Duncan wives love her dearly and protect her when necessary. Pete’s been away at school and life at the ranch has gone on without him. He’s come home to be the ranch veterinarian and he wants to contribute as much to the ranch as his older brothers do. When Pete sees Lilliana at the family gathering, he wonders why she’s there. He wishes she hadn’t been invited. But more than that, he wishes she wasn’t so pretty. It would be easier to keep on disliking her if she wasn’t quite so perfect. Lilliana has no idea why Pete’s so cold to her. She doesn’t even know him. He’s been away at school for years so why is being so rude now? These two keep being thrown together and the sparks fly between them. They can’t get along, but the attraction is annoyingly present. Will either of them ever be bold enough to figure out how to get past the animosity and embrace all the ways they’re connected?

Felicity Duncan has had a crush on Jack Taylor since she was a teenager. She follows the rodeo because of him. When she finds out he’s in her cousin’s wedding she’s beside herself with nerves and excitement. Jack knows who his best friend’s cousin is, but he’s never really paid attention to her. He remembers her as just a kid. Now that she’s all grown up, he’s taken by surprise at how she’s changed. No longer the awkward teenager, she’s a stunner with a serene nature that draws him to her. When they’re paired up in the wedding party, they’re both quietly excited. When the wedding party is asked to join the bride and groom on the dance floor, Felicity is rigid with fear. She can’t dance at all. He promises to take the lead and that everything will be okay. She stomps on his feet the whole dance. She’s beyond embarrassed. And then when she apologizes, he just disappears. She has no idea what set him off or why he’d be gracious and kind one minute and avoid her the next. He’d told her he was planning to be at the ranch for the entire holiday. So was she. This was going to be a long holiday if her biggest crush avoided her like the plague just because she’d stepped on his toes. Literally. But things aren’t always be as they seem. Is it possible Jack is avoiding her for a reason she has no idea about? . . . \\\Originally published in the Christmas Wishes and Cowboy Kisses multi-author boxed set\\\ Includes an extra Duncan Family Christmas Epilogue!