Courage

"Natasha Parsons is a ride-along mental health clinician attached to the local police department. She charges into danger without a gun or badge to de-escalate crises. She’s quick on her feet and confident in her opinions. If only she could convince her by-the-book, humorless partner that she’s an asset, not the enemy. Being a cop is in Tommy Finch’s blood. She comes from a long line of cops and grew up learning how to protect and serve with honor and integrity. Getting saddled with a shrink who’s reckless and brash isn’t something Tommy signed up for. How can she do her job when she’s responsible for the safety of an unarmed civilian? No matter how often they clash on the job, an undeniable attraction simmers just beneath the surface. Can they find the courage to change so love has room to grow?" -- Back cover When your life falls apart, couldn't you just be someone else? Especially if that someone else was you all along anyway? Seventeen-year-old Chrissy Taylor is orphaned to a stepmama who squandered their sizable inheritance on drinking and drugging. Now, with their ranch lost, they squat in a run-down, rented trailer on the outskirts of small-town-podunkville where Chrissy cares for her nine-year-old half sister, Luce. But landing on the wrong side of the tracks puts them on the radar of the local sheriff and social services. There's one saving grace to losing everything and moving away. Nobody knows her. Chris can now live who he truly is. As Chris Taylor, he knows he'll have to cowboy up to make enough money to keep his stepmama out of jail and his half sister out of foster care. There's only one way a kid growing up in the shadow of a world champion bull rider can earn that kind of cash. But Chris never expected to chase a championship title of his own, even with a lifetime of training on bulls. "Seventeen-year-old Chrissy Taylor is orphaned to a stepmama who squandered their sizable inheritance on drinking and drugging. Now, with their ranch lost, they squat in a run-down, rented trailer on the outskirts of small-town-podunkville where Chrissy cares for her nine-year-old half sister, Luce. But landing on the wrong side of the tracks puts them on the radar of the local sheriff and social services. There's one saving grace to losing everything and moving away. Nobody knows her. Chris can now live who he truly is. As Chris Taylor, he knows he'll have to cowboy up to make enough money to keep his stepmama out of jail and his half sister out of foster care. There's only one way a kid growing up in the shadow of a world champion bull rider can earn that kind of cash. But Chris never expected to chase a championship title of his own, even with a lifetime of training on bulls"-- Back cover In this second book of the Rainbow Gap Lesbian Family Saga, MJ Beaudry, an angry, brilliant, abused runaway, is dumped in Rainbow Gap, Florida, and almost immediately discovers an aptitude for crime. The lesbian cop who catches her expects good-hearted lovers Jaudon Vicker and Berry Garland to save the kid. Although Jaudon's business has suffered a killing blow and she's frantic to make it right, she was once a besieged gay kid herself and reaches out, only to find herself in cahoots with MJ. Berry is left in the dark, her own big dream on hold, and fears losing her love as Jaudon is swallowed by work and guilt. Berry, salt-of-the-earth Gran, besotted-with-MJ Vonnie Lowe, Allison the social justice warrior, and scofflaws Shady and Tad all stand behind Jaudon, but are they enough? Or will it take this next generation of lesbians—MJ and Vonnie—to lead the way? "When Franklin -Fin - Ness makes up his mind it tends to stay made. Running, med school, and caring for his healing mother are things Fin never second-guesses. More stubborn than his mind, his heart picked Orion a long time ago. Seeing Orion again proves his heart is still invested, but his temper and fears about their past repeating have Fin wondering if following his heart is worth losing his mind. Musician and drifter Orion Starr expects ghosts at his mother's funeral in his rural Georgia town. He never expects one to be his former crush, Fin. Especially since he ghosted the guy in college. The surprises keep coming as Orion waits to spread his mother's ashes. He runs into friends, an old bully, and the cops, but the redheaded Fin threatens to make Orion do something he hasn't done in years -- look forward to the future." -- Back cover When FranklinFinNess makes up his mind it tends to stay made. Running, med school, and caring for his ailing mother are things Fin never second-guesses. More stubborn than his mind, his heart picked Orion a long time ago. Seeing Orion again proves his heart is still invested, but his temper and fears about their past repeating have Fin wondering if following his heart is worth losing his mind. Musician and drifter Orion Starr expects ghosts at his mothers funeral in his rural Georgia town. He never expects one to be his former crush, Fin. Especially since he ghosted the guy in college. The surprises keep coming as Orion waits to spread his mothers ashes. He runs into friends, an old bully, and the cops, but the redheaded Fin threatens to make Orion do something he hasnt done in yearslook forward to the future. Lieutenant-Colonel Greyson Walsden returns to her hometown of Gloucester after a fulfilling career as an Army doctor. She takes a position as a general practitioner while pursuing ordination as an Anglican priest. Overworked and naturally reserved, she doesn't have time or patience for socializing, let alone for falling in love. For Angela Arlingham, life as she knows it is over. God played a cruel trick on her by robbing her of her daughter, Sybil, and Angela refuses to believe in Him any longer. When she meets Greyson Walsden, she's impressed by the handsome doctor, but struggling with her loss makes falling in love with a priest all but impossible. As circumstances throw them together again and again, the choice to follow their hearts may be the most difficult one of all. "When Dovana was a child in Lithuania, Roze saved her life. Roze is a Laume, a type of Lithuanian fae. The two became fast friends, staying in touch by leaving a letter and a present for the other every year. Now, Dovana is in college in Toronto, and while those letters still mean the world to her, she wants to see Roze again. She investigates everything she can think of to learn more about the fae and stumbles upon a hidden society of fiends. Meanwhile, Roze has been focusing on her duties of saving children in danger, while trying to prevent the fate that she knows Dovana is destined for, but nothing she does seems to change it. When she comes to Toronto to save Dovana from her own investigation, she finds she can't avoid destiny... or love any longer."--Page 4 of cover When Dovana was a child in Lithuania, Roze saved her life. Roze is a Laume, a type of Lithuanian fae. The two became fast friends, staying in touch by leaving a letter and a present for the other every year. Now, Dovana is in college in Toronto, and while those letters still mean the world to her, she wants to see Roze again. She investigates everything she can think of to learn more about the fae and stumbles upon a hidden society of fiends. Meanwhile, Roze has been focusing on her duties of saving children in danger, while trying to prevent the fate that she knows Dovana is destined for, but nothing she does seems to change it. When she has to come to Toronto to save Dovana from her own investigation, she finds that she can't avoid destiny...or love any longer. The kingdom of Venostes is in upheaval. Her sister's cure in hand, Jastyn races home to find her family in chains. The Dark Fae has grown more powerful, and malevolent forces reign. When Jastyn is forced to work alongside the Diarmaids, things become even more complicated. Aurelia is dragged back to Venostes to confront not only her brother's killer, but her own parents' dark past. As evil takes hold of her kingdom, Aurelia fights to destroy the Dark Fae and his masters once and for all. Together, Jastyn and Aurelia face unimaginable dangers. Can they take back Venostes? Even more, can two people as different as they--a princess and an Odium-be together? Are they destined for one another, as Aurelia hopes? Or, as Jastyn fears, are they simply impossible?