When her world is shattered, a single mother must summon every ounce of strength and determination to rebuild a future for herself and her five precious boys. Can she save her Montana ranch and protect her babies? Stella I'm a mother above all else. My boys are my life and my heart. When I'm suddenly raising them alone, I must face the possibility of selling the ranch that's been in my family for generations. The last thing on my mind is finding a second chance at love. Yet, when a buttoned-up banker offers his assistance, I can't help but say yes. Will the man in a suit and leather loafers be the key to my next chapter? Jasper When I agreed to open a bank branch in a small town in western Montana, I had no idea how much I would love life in a sleepy community full of cowboys and cowgirls. Things get even more interesting when I meet Stella. She's a mother of...

How easily can an open heart unlock the door to happily-ever-after? When Miss Quinn Cooper arrives in Emerson Pass, Colorado, her entire life is packed into one small suitcase. Her family is depending upon her for their survival back home in Boston, and the self-appointed mayor of the rugged mountain community is counting on Miss Cooper to prove herself a fitting teacher for the entire town. Lord Alexander Barnes is determined to bring a bit of English civility to the wild terrain of Emerson Pass. Using his own resources, the widower and father of five builds a schoolhouse and recruits a young teacher from the east, and all is well until necessity forces the lovely, young newcomer to also take a room in the Barnes' home. While the five Barnes children are sure the new schoolmarm is the perfect woman for their lonely father, and the duo have been forced together by every possible circumstance, the threat of violence upon the untamed town...

After sending Walter Green off to fight in World War I, Josephine Barnes dutifully writes to her love to keep his spirits up on the front lines. As word arrives that Walter was killed in action, Josephine is consumed by her grief. Declaring herself a spinster forever, she focuses not on her pain but on her love of books and building Emerson Pass's first library. And when the war finally ends, and her twin brothers safely return home, Josephine is finally ready to put the past behind her. Surely she can find all of the love she will ever need in her large, gregarious family. With his service over and his entire life ahead of him, Philip Baker is haunted by his guilt. Surviving the horrific days and nights on the front lines of the war was difficult enough. The weight of his betrayals is nearly crippling. As an orphan with no one at home to return to, he couldn't stop himself from secretly reading the lovely letters written to his friend Walter by a charming young woman...

1921 Estelle Cast out and alone, I lost everything weeks before my wedding—my betrothed, my family, my future. With nowhere to turn, I accept the help of a compassionate stranger, not knowing it may lead me towards a path I swore never to tread. Percival After my wife succumbed to a psychotic break, I placed her in an asylum, a decision that haunts me as I raise our daughter alone. Hope for her recovery wanes with each passing year. I've vowed to uphold my marital duty, yet the arrival of a mysterious woman tempts me with forbidden possibilities. My father's dishonorable legacy is a constant reminder of the man I refuse to become. Set in the tumultuous early 1920s, "When Stars Fall at Midnight" is the first installment in Tess Thompson's romantic family saga. Join USA Today Bestselling author in this tale of resilience, redemption, and unexpected love, where second chances arise from the...

Random circumstances brought them together. Love made them family. When a terrible accident takes Madeline Kirby's husband and only child, the school guidance counselor is sure she can't go on. Left behind with nothing but her work and an empty heart, she vows to survive Christmas by reaching out to comfort someone else who knows similar pain.Fostering four motherless children for the holidays is supposed to be temporary, but as Maddie tends to defensive Stevie, distrustful Jo, delicate Alissa, and frightened little Hailey, the ache in her own heart slowly becomes bearable. And before the season of giving comes to an end, it becomes clear that life intended for them to find each other. Enjoy these soul sisters' first Christmas together in Christmas Sisters, a prologue novella - then catch up with each of them individually, fifteen years later.Don't miss a Soul Sisters book!Book 1: Christmas Sisters – Prolougue...

Random circumstances brought them together. Love made them family. Kind, funny, successful, and adoring, Jed Marsh is the man of Alissa Mann's dreams. But Jed's parents don't think Alissa, who supplements her kindergarten teacher's salary as a cocktail waitress at a gentlemen's club, is good enough for their son. And his controlling mother will stop at nothing to keep them from getting married. When Mrs. Marsh threatens to reveal Alissa's secret side job to the school administration and the meddling moms who run the PTA, Jed and Alissa reluctantly call off their intimate mountain wedding. But even after the nuptials are canceled, Alissa agrees to meet her sisters and mother at the beautiful Cedar Mountain Lodge. And in the loving arms of her own family, Alissa just might figure out how to move forward — with or without Jed. Fans of small-town stories, heartwarming holiday tales, sweet second chances, and whimsical winter weddings...

A Sweet 20th Century Historical Romance When their mother dies in childbirth, the responsibility of caring for her baby sister falls squarely on Luci's twelve-year-old shoulders. And the difficult task is made nearly impossible by their father's drinking and love of gambling. Desperate for help of any kind, Luci accepts the generosity of a wealthy local. But what she doesn't know about his family, or about her own mother, is certain to come back and haunt her. A single act of kindness — giving food to Luci and her infant sister — costs sixteen-year-old Wesley much more than he bargains for. Forbidden by his parents from ever helping the girls again, the privileged young man soon finds himself at boarding school. When he finally returns home a grown man with his own fortune, he must face the family secrets that still threaten him. And as he discovers both Luci and her baby sister survived in his absence, he is determined to uncover the...

He's a small-town veterinarian with a love for animals and naps. Haunted by a childhood trauma, she's terrified of men. Can the truth about her past bring them closer together or tear them apart forever? Breck Stokes is back where he belongs. After years at university, he's returned to Emerson Pass and taken over his mother's veterinarian practice. He loves the small ski community, spending time with his buddies and healing big and small animals. The moment he meets lovely but reserved Tiffany Birt, he's drawn to her in ways he can't explain. Can he break through her walls to win her heart? Tiffany Birt is Emerson Pass's favorite wedding planner. She's accepted she'll never be a bride herself but loves helping couples plan their perfect small-town wedding. In addition, she has good friends and her precious dog, Muffy. However, her well-ordered exterior hides a painful past. One she must keep hidden or risk being pulled back into the cult she ran...

The presents are wrapped. The stockings are hung. And two precious miracles are preparing to make their debuts. The most wonderful time of the year becomes even more joyous for Zane and Honor when their surrogate, Sophie, gifts them with an extra special delivery. And Brody and Kara's dreams come true when their son arrives just in time for Christmas. Return to your favorite small town and visit the whole gang, including Minnie the cat, in this heartwarming holiday novella from USA Today bestselling author Tess Thompson!

Merry Christmas from Emerson Pass in this surprise bonus novella full of holiday cheer, romance, and family. Flynn Barnes and his wife Shannon have had an idyllic marriage. Until she discovers the dangerous secret he kept from her. One that threatens to ruin their marriage and the stability of a happy home for their two little girls. When his siblings suggest a way to gain back Shannon's love and trust, they embark on a seven-day journey to do so. Can Flynn win back her love before it's too late? Along with their focus on Flynn, the family is also helping plan Cymbeline's wedding to Viktor. Will Emerson Pass's favorite tomboy embrace a traditional wedding with all the trimmings? Her sisters are determined to make sure she does. Join the Barnes family for this bonus novella in the bestselling Emerson Pass Historicals. Christmas joy abounds as the family does what they do best, stick together no matter what happens. Don't...

One career-ending mistake sends Lance Mullen home to Cliffside Bay in search of a fresh start. And in no time at all, home begins to feel like the place he was always meant to be. With his beautiful new beach house, his friends and family close by, and a profitable business to grow, life really is good. That is until his heart tries to wreck everything... again. After losing her mother, child and marriage, Mary Hansen has built a nearly impenetrable wall around her heart. She's convinced her dream job, a few growing friendships, and a never-ending stream of books to fill her evenings are enough for a contented if not all together joyous life. Though she's on guard not to get too close to anyone, one careless moment with Lance will shatter her prospects for an uncomplicated future. The fifth installment of The Cliffside Bay Series by bestselling author Tess Thompson follows the interwoven stories of five best friends, the beach community they love, and the women...

From USA Today bestselling author Tess Thompson, visit Blue Mountain yet again in this standalone tale that celebrates underdogs, family secrets, and forbidden love. Charlotte Wilde's life is a flop. She gives her heart to the wrong men, her first published book is a failure, and now she's dead broke too. Desperate to pay the bills, she takes a job caring for an elderly woman who is recovering from a broken hip, hopeful the position will leave her with plenty of time to focus on her writing. Yet as Charlotte gets to work, dutifully helping Mrs. Lanigan sort through a box of old letters, distractions abound. For one thing, both women immediately become consumed with a mystery unfolding in the correspondence. And to complicate matters further, Charlotte finds herself drawn to her charge's son, Ardan, like they've known each other forever. Will he become another of her mistakes or has she finally found the one? In the third volume of the...

It was supposed to be a night to forget. Fate disagreed. Jamie I have no tolerance for men who leave and as far as I can tell, they all do. My dad destroyed our family in exchange for a new wife, a woman the same age as me. Even sizzling hot Darby, with whom I shared one night of passion, is probably a cheater under that nice guy persona. Not that I have time for a relationship anyway. Running my newly rebuilt inn after a fire destroyed everything is more than a full-time job. Regardless, I aim to keep my heart safe. The last thing I want it to turn into my mother. Darby I moved to Emerson Pass nursing a broken heart after my fiancé dumped me for my best friend. I'm content teaching English at the local high school and doing a little construction on the side. Am I surprised to find the woman I spent one amazing night with lives in the same small town? Yes. Even...

Death came between them in high school. Will solving a painful cold case bring them together at last?Carlie Webster remains haunted by the past. After a messy failed marriage sends her packing for her small hometown, she relives the memories of her sister's thirty-year-old unsolved murder. But when rekindled sparks fly with the suspected killer's brother, Carlie must clear his sibling's name if she wants a shot at second-chance love.Cole Paisley has never shaken his family's dark reputation. Finally returning after merciless rumors forced them out three decades ago, the recent divorcé is stunned to discover the girl who stole his heart is also back home and available. And when she finds a secret diary in the walls of her childhood house, he's determined to help her catch the killer and prove his brother's innocence.Desperate for closure in her sister's tragic story, the amateur sleuth feels growing comfort in the man she always believed was her...

Falling in love was the last thing they wanted. Can they resist their feelings to protect the ones they care about? Estelle After the trauma of my family's abandonment and the forced adoption of my baby, I find solace in New York City, living in a fine apartment, thanks to my benefactor, Percival Bancroft. He asks for nothing in return except for one thing – dinner once a week. All would be well if it weren't for my growing feelings for the kind man who rescued me from a life on the streets. He is not mine to love, as he belongs to another. Percival This is not the life I wanted, but it's the one I have, and I must make the best of it. Thankfully, I have Estelle safely tucked away in an apartment in the city. If only I hadn't fallen in love with her, all would be well. With my wife committed to an insane asylum with no hope of recovery, there is no...

Fiona Barnes has a secret. One so big she's afraid it will destroy everything she holds dear. Not even her music can save her. Li Wu has faced prejudice his entire life. Despite the love and acceptance he's always received from the Barnes family, he yearns for his one true love. Will forbidden love find a way or will societal conventions ruin all involved? Join the Barnes family of Emerson Pass in the fifth installment of the heartwarming family saga set on the American frontier.

Return to the beloved beach town of Cliffside Bay, where USA Today bestseller Tess Thompson spins another emotional, intriguing tale about overcoming adversity and finding strength in love in this standalone story about Lisa and Rafael.After years of struggling as a starving actor, Lisa Perry's dreams are finally coming true. Splitting her time between Los Angeles and Cliffside Bay, the young beauty has a successful television miniseries, her first movie role, and quality time with her best friends Maggie and Pepper. Everything is coming up roses until a single tragic moment changes Lisa forever.Haunted by unshakable memories and near-crippling anxiety, Lisa must face a publicity tour full of crowds and interviews in order to move her budding career forward. And with the help of Rafael Soto, the head of security for Brody and Kara Mullen, she finally begins to relax. Though the pair are as different as night and day, something about her temporary bodyguard...

True love requires commitment, and many times unending sacrifice. . . At the tender age of eighteen, Brandi Vargas watched the love of her life drive out of Emerson Pass, presumably for good. Though she and Trapper Barnes dreamed of attending college and starting their lives together, she was sure she would only get in the way of Trapper's future as a hockey star. Breaking his heart, and her own in the process, was the only way to ensure he pursued his destiny. Her fate was the small town life she'd always known, her own bakery, and an endless stream of regret.After a decade of playing hockey, a single injury ended Trapper Barnes' career. And while the past he left behind always haunted him, he still returns to Emerson Pass to start the next chapter of his life in the place his ancestors built more than a century before. But when he discovers that the woman who owns the local bakery is the girl who once shattered his dreams, the painful...

<h2>She's afraid to take risks. He's an incurable daredevil. When tragedy throws them together, will it spark a lasting devotion?</h2><p>Crystal Whalen isn't sure why she should go on. Two years after her husband's death on a ski trip, she's devastated when a fire destroys her quiet Colorado mountain home. And when she can't keep her hands off the gorgeous divorcé who's become her new temporary housemate, it only feeds her grief and growing guilt.</p><p>Garth Welty won't be burned again. After his ex-wife took most of his money, the downhill-skiing Olympic medalist is determined to keep things casual with the sexy woman he can't resist. But the more time they spend with each other, the harder it is to deny his burgeoning feelings.</p><p>As Crystal's longing for the rugged man's embrace grows, she worries that his dangerous lifestyle will steal him away. And although Garth believes she's his perfect girl, the specter of betrayal keeps a...

For Autumn Hickman, online dating has been an exercise in nothing more than coffee and failure. There simply isn't a man on the planet who can compare to her best friend, Trey Wattson. And while Trey is everything Autumn has ever wanted in a partner, she knows the man who loves life's most beautiful things could never cherish anything as scarred and mangled as her. Trey Wattson is in love with his best friend, but he can't seem to reach her. She's guarded, and for good reason, but Trey doesn't care. He knows Autumn's soul, and it's the most beautiful thing he's ever seen. Desperate to claim Autumn's heart for his own, Trey conspires with The Wolves to create a fake profile on the dating site Autumn frequents. But the more Autumn trusts Trey's online persona, the more it becomes clear that Trey is gambling with the very thing he wants most of all. Return to Tess Thompson's beloved Cliffside Bay and discover for yourself why true love is built on honesty and trust,...

It's supposed to be the wedding of Lisa's dreams: the picturesque ski town of Emerson Pass, Colorado, her closest family and very best friends, and the love of her life waiting for her at the altar. But when the mother of the groom sets out to rid her son, Rafael, of a family marriage curse before the big day, it seems that all of her best efforts do nothing but keep the curse alive. And when the mother of the bride drops a bombshell on her daughter the night before the ceremony, it seems the wedding Lisa has always wanted may never become a reality. Join the Wolves and their lovely ladies in snowy Colorado for this sweet, suspenseful installment of USA Today bestselling author Tess Thompson's much beloved Cliffside Bay Series. But please note that unlike the other books in the series, Christmas Wedding is not a standalone and is intended to be enjoyed after reading Missed: Rafael & Lisa. 

Rosa Soto hasn't been kissed in thirty-five years. Yet when the darling woman known as Mama Soto to half of Cliffside Bay meets the handsome Dominic Perry, she's suddenly ready for her dry spell to end. Even if the rich and powerful Dominic could never be serious about a nobody like her, Rosa is more than happy to have his company, and his kiss, for one New Year's Eve. But when the pair is still kissing in stolen moments almost a year later, Rosa has fallen for the big man with the chocolate eyes despite knowing he will eventually grow tired of her. Can she brace herself for the disappointment, or will a Christmas surprise save her from a broken heart?

Two hard-headed attorneys will retrace the steps of their shared past and learn to embrace forgiveness and second chances in this small-town romance from USA Today bestselling author Tess Thompson.Los Angeles attorneys Grant Perry and Liz Teeny were once in love, until youth and circumstance tore them apart. Ten years later, they're reunited while working on an important trial. He's successful and handsome, but childhood demons haunt him. Liz, lonely and driven, has devoted her life to work.When unexpected personal events bring them to River Valley, they learn of family secrets that could change their lives forever. How will what they learn impact their lives? Will these secrets bring healing or more heartbreak? Is it too late for a second chance?The fifth installment in Tess Thompson's beloved River Valley Series explores themes of family, home, and the way childhood trauma can follow you into adulthood....

It's Cliffside Bay and beyond in this heartwarming enemies-to-lovers romantic adventure from USA Today bestselling author Tess Thompson.Stone Hickman is the last of a dying breed. The former Marine believes in integrity, service to his country, a hard day's work, and taking care of his loved ones. When he meets the clever Pepper Griffin, their obvious attraction has him ready to count the stunning beauty among the people that he cares for. But Pepper doesn't share the instant connection. In fact, she wants nothing to do with him.  And for honest, straightforward Stone, not knowing why only makes the rejection worse.Pepper Griffin is the epitome of scrappy. For years she's struggled to make acting her career without any help at all from her famous father. While she's still accepting meager roles with little screen time, her best friend has steadily risen to the height of fame. To make matters worse, that very same friend is happily in love, newly engaged, and...

She can't stand him. He loathes her. Fate has other plans. When a snowstorm strands these enemies in an abandoned cabin, will they begin to see each other in a whole new way? After fighting her way out of poverty, Stormi Collins is finally going places. She's just taken a job at Emerson Pass Art Gallery and her wedding photography business is back to where it was before the forest fire took out half their town. Best of all? She can now quit her job as the photographer of their small-town newspaper working for the detestable Huck Clifton. Huck Clifton gave up his work as a war correspondent in Afghanistan to buy his hometown newspaper. Haunted by what he saw during the war, all he wants is a quiet life in his new home. But all that's thwarted when he and Stormi are stranded together during a snowstorm. Will the forced proximity make these enemies lovers? They say no. But destiny has a way of changing everything....

They've both been wounded by the past. Can their marriage of convenience bring the healing they need? Theo Barnes has been in love with Louisa Keller since they were kids. However, she's in love with his twin brother, Flynn. Sadly for Louisa, Flynn is in love with another woman and has no interest in her. When tragedy strikes Louisa's family and she's left penniless, she's forced to consider Theo's offer of marriage. They agree to a marriage of convenience with no bedroom privileges. He secretly hopes she'll change her mind once they're married but the marriage gets off to a rocky start. The Scholar is the third book in the heartwarming Emerson Pass historical romance series. If you like staunch heroines, emotional backdrops, and sweeping family sagas, then you'll adore Tess Thompson's wholesome tale. Preorder The Scholar to enjoy this next installment in the Barnes' family saga

Kyle Hicks started with nothing. Now he's a self-made man. And as luck would have it, his latest project as a real estate developer lands him in Cliffside Bay with his very best friends, The Dogs. At the end of his grueling work days, Kyle's got just enough time left for his buddies and not much else. Except maybe another of his many no-strings-attached trysts with whatever sexy lady catches his eye. Violet Ellis is struggling. She's a single mother, the proprietor of a near-failing shop, and a champion for the historical integrity of her dear Cliffside Bay. She has enough to deal with between her three-year-old son and her languishing business, but she's still prepared to take on real estate mogul Kyle Hicks to save the charm of the place she calls home. When a twist of fate forces these two to put aside their differences and rely on one another, they just might find that sometimes the strongest love grows out of the hurts and the scars that we carry with us...

A grumpy single dad, two adorable children and a jilted actress have hung their stockings...will Santa bring love for Christmas or chunks of coal? Famous actress Holly Turner arrives in Garland Grove with a bang when she crashes her sports car in the middle of the town square. Facing humiliation after getting very publicly dumped by her fiancé for another actress, she's looking for a place to escape. But when all the inns are full, she's forced to stay at the bed and breakfast run by the grumpiest of owners, Forest Sully. The bonus? His adorable niece and nephew. ​​​​​​​ Forest Sully has no use for spoiled actresses but when Holly needs a place to stay, he's only too happy to rent her a room at his empty bed and breakfast. Raising his parentless niece and nephew, he's desperate to save the family home for their sake. Given how things are going, he'll lose the place to the bank before the snow melts in the spring. Can a Christmas...

Cymbeline Barnes has been waiting for something exciting to happen her whole life. Instead, she's frustrated and lonely. Everyone seems to be moving on without her. Even her nemesis, Viktor. Viktor Olofsson has been entranced with the lovely Cymbeline Barnes for as long as he can remember only to be rebuked. When lovely Emma shows up in town, he decides it's time to finally give up on Cymbeline, Will she finally come to her senses once his affections are elsewhere?

All Tommy and Lee want for Christmas is another baby, but with his infertility, it would take a miracle. However, in River Valley during Christmas anything's possible. Join this cast of familiar River Valley heroes in a story of faith, friendship and love.

Despite being young and romantically inexperienced, Sophie Woods is an old soul who believes in true love, working hard at her bar, and always trusting her instincts. And from the moment she meets Nico, she knows without a doubt that he is her one-and-only. Twelve years her senior, the handsome architect is only sure of two things when it comes to Sophie: she's far too young for him, and he wants no part in upsetting her protective older brother. Broke and broken, Nico Bentley moves to Cliffside Bay for a fresh start at both work and play. But in a cruel twist of fate, it's the one woman he can't have whose captivating smile makes him forget all about his past. Yet when tragedy turns the vivacious Sophie into a shell of her former self, it will be Nico, and only Nico, who steps up to bring the joy back into her life. And in the process, the depth of his feelings for her can no longer be ignored. In this installment of USA Today bestselling author Tess...

Zane Shaw isn't the type to cower in a corner, until he meets Honor Sullivan. She's the most phenomenal woman he's ever met, but he's been burned before and so he's doomed to fall for her from a distance. If only his past hadn't left him so weary, perhaps he could be the man he was raised to be. Honor Sullivan has too much at stake to get distracted by a man. But Zane Shaw isn't just any man. He's smart, gorgeous, and a survivor like her. Which is why she knows, deep down, that he deserves someone better than her. Someone whole and undamaged. Yet she can't seem to contain the way he makes her feel. These two jaded souls with an instant connection just might find that true love is a joy best savored in the aftermath of life's hardships and pain. The third installment of The Cliffside Bay Series by bestselling author Tess Thompson follows the interwoven stories of five best friends, the beach community they love, and the women who captivate them. Prepare to...

Jackson Waller has loved Maggie Keene since they were six years old, but their dueling dreams ultimately tore them apart. First love—true love—wasn’t enough to overcome their individual desires to pursue dreams on opposite coasts. When Jackson learns of Maggie’s tragic death on her way to college on the east coast, his heartbreak, compounded by grief, renews his focus on his own future. He vows to do nothing but work toward his goal of becoming a doctor, and maybe enjoy the companionship of his new college buddies, The Dogs.Maggie Keene left Cliffside Bay with two things:  a broken heart and her ambition. For twelve years she relentlessly pursues her dream of a musical theater career in New York City, but when she learns her father is dying, she returns home to find the truth about her family’s ugly past. There, she discovers two things that will change everything:  one, the bitter old man has spread a wild rumor that...

Small town romance to warm your heart. Courageous heroines, heartwarming heroes, suspense, and drama abound in this multi-volume bestselling series about a revitalized community. Visit River Valley and experience every struggle and triumph that will have you turning pages and leave you smiling as you rediscover passion, hope, community, friendship and second chances. 

Growing up in a dysfunctional family is a bad start in life. Tess Dawson had a very bad start, a start that led to events that she didn't choose, including a daughter, Rachel. How did Rachel die? Tess can’t remember. But how her brother, Stephen, died she can remember – she just hasn’t told anyone. In fact, for months before, during and after her trial, she hasn’t spoken a word. Until, that is, she meets her therapist, Evelyn Doyle, and the whole story of her journey to west Wales to see her brother unfolds in the privacy of the therapy room. The telling of Tess’s story becomes a race against time as Peter Archer, Director of the progressive penal institution, has taken against her. Tess must, at all costs, be kept at the Unit until she’s told her story, and unlocked the dark and life-changing secret that she herself does not yet know.

Nothing is as it seemed in calm, quaint Legley Bay. Famous novelist Constance Mansfield lived a seemingly straightforward – if private – and somewhat predictable life. Friends, beloved daughter Sutton, a beautiful home, and all the success an author could wish for. A perfect life….but was it? When a hit and run accident suddenly takes her mother’s life, Sutton finds hidden secrets with her heartbreak. Emotional walls she assumed Constance had built to protect her privacy may have been to protect something – or someone – else entirely. Family and friends return home for support, including her own lost-love, Declan. He’s the first thing she craves to help her cope with her loss and the questions she’s left with, but he’s also the last person she wants to see. Will he be able to put down roots at last? Can the loss of true love be the making of a life, or is it destined to be the undoing of everything? When money, power and love combine across time, anything is possible. ### About the Author Tess Thompson is a novelist and playwright with a BFA in Drama from the University of Southern California. In 2011, she released her first novel, Riversong, which subsequently became a bestseller. Like the characters in Tea and Primroses, Tess is from a small town in Oregon. She currently lives in a suburb of Seattle, Washington with her two young daughters, Emerson and Ella, where she is inspired daily by the view of the Cascade Mountains from her home office window.

Brody Mullen is the best quarterback in the AFL, and his Super Bowl win only confirms what he's suspected his entire career:  romantic entanglements are bad for his game. No women. No sex. No problems. But after hiring a beautiful nurse to care for his mother, his resolve begins to weaken.The small coastal town of Cliffside Bay, California seems like the perfect place to start over for Kara Eaton. Shielded by her new identity from the Witness Protection Program, she takes a job as a nurse and commits to never speaking of her past, lest she risk losing her life. The only problem? Falling for the handsome, very public, football player who hires her.The first installment of The Cliffside Bay Series by bestselling author Tess Thompson follows the interwoven stories of five best friends, the beach community they love, and the women who captivate them. Prepare to get lost in a wave of small town charm, men you would love to take home to your...