Melody Carlson

With holidays approaching in the charming town of Appleton, and Daphne Ballinger's deadline to "get hitched" drawing closer, Daphne finds herself happily distracted with the unexpected tasks of "motherhood." Young Mabel is enjoying the attention, but the clock is ticking and unless love comes her way, Daphne's delightful life will start unraveling by spring.

Follows Maggie Carpenter and her son as they get used to their new community and become involved in a young runaway girl's traumatic search for her missing father.

When Daphne's man changes his mind about marriage, Daphne focused on a good life for herself and her new daughter, leaving what will be up to God. Daphne Ballinger has to marry by a deadline to inherit her aunt's estate-- and it looks like she isn't going to make it. Her first date with Jake may be the last, since he's thinking of moving to Miami to be closer to his daughter, since his ex-wife and her new husband have custody. As Daphne and her adopted...

Meg Lancaster hasn't been to Crandale, a sleepy Oregon town, since the day of her beloved grandfather's funeral twenty years before-the day she argued bitterly with her grandmother and her mother. But when life begins to feel overwhelming, Meg is drawn back to the place her grandfather loved the most:the cranberry bogs of Briar Hedge, the family estate. In Meg's heart, Briar Hedge has always been home.

"It's official: Brynna Phillips is done with men. They only break your heart. But just when she makes this declaration, her friend Jan convinces Brynna to join her on a camping vacation in Sonoma Wine Country. As they wind their way toward their destination, spanking-new mini camper in tow, Brynna recalls her teenage camp romance with a boy named Leroy. How can it have been nearly 30 years ago? All she remembers is that Leroy was a genuinely good...

"After heartache and loss, Simone Winthrop discovers a letter from her French great-grandmother, which seems to suggest that she is heir to a family treasure. Simone assumes the claim is baseless, but her best friend encourages her to find out for sure. During a long flight to Paris, Simone meets Kyle Larsson. Though they abruptly part ways, an unexpected rendezvous in the French Alps at Simone's family's clock factory may lead to the discovery of...

"December 7, 1941, San Francisco is on high alert following the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Mulligan family is grappling with the news that Peter, beloved son and brother, is among the missing. Each of the Mulligan sisters strives to find her place and love in the rapidly changing world in the early days of World War II"--

"By 1943 the world is in the thick of war and the home-front continues to play a vital role. The Mulligans of San Francisco do their part in the war effort, but hardships and deprivations are taking a toll and each the four Mulligan sisters are tested in their own way"--

Now in its third year, World War II still rages, taking its toll on everyone. On the home front, the Mulligans continue to face war-related challenges . . . and patience wears thin.

"When her only child leaves home for college, widowed Gwen Sullivan discovers just how lonely an empty nest can be. How will she adjust and fill her empty days? At the urging of friends, Gwen takes a job with an interior designer whom she soon discovers to be domineering and jealous of Gwen's creativity. Suddenly she's stuck doing menial tasks. When a sleazy client starts to harass her, Gwen begins to wonder if she's cut out for the working world....