New Releases by Joan Johnston

Tempers rise and sparks fly as the Whitelaws of Hawk''s Way meet their matches in these two unforgettable classic stories from Joan Johnston! THE HEADSTRONG BRIDE Callen Whitelaw had one surefire way to soften up a rugged rancher out for revenge against her beloved clan. The headstrong bride would marry Sam Longstreet--come hell or high water! THE DISOBEDIENT BRIDE Zach Whitelaw chose his \"convenient\" wife for one reason only--to provide him with a brood of little Whitelaws. But no matter how many long, lazy days he and Rebecca spend in their marriage bed, his disobedient bride refuses to get pregnant.

The cowboy takes a wife: Desiree Parrish seeks Carter Preston''s help in protecting her from her abusive ex-husband... Carter has one nonnegotiable condition- Desiree will have to share his name and his bed!

Back in her Texas hometown, a young woman gets a second chance at first love in this “compelling, emotionally satisfying romance” (Library Journal). Delia Carson was only sixteen when she fled Texas. She left behind a web of lies that destroyed her family . . . and Marsh North, the irresistible bad boy she’d fallen in love with. Now, eleven years later, a family crisis forces Delia to return home—back to the mystery, back to the shadows . . . back to Marsh. His bad-boy reputation behind him, Marsh is now a respected, prizewinning journalist. And he’s never forgotten Delia or the youthful love they shared. Determined not to lose her again, Marsh sets out to prove to Delia that they belong together. But will the dark secrets from Delia’s past keep them apart?

New York Times bestselling author Joan Johnston returns to Texas with a captivating story of justice, secrets, and a love that can heal all wounds Dedicated Texas Ranger Jack Kittrick is hard on the trail of a killer who is preying on the helpless in a large San Antonio hospital . . . a hunt that leads him to Maggie Wainwright, the beautiful, enigmatic legal eagle who had access to the victims—and a motive for the crimes. The more Jack learns about Maggie, the more this secretive lady—who makes his spurs tangle and his heart run wild—enthralls and perplexes him. When her own son becomes the killer''s target, Maggie can no longer keep silent about her painful, shadowy past. With everything she truly cares about at stake, Maggie must cast her fate to the Texas winds . . . and trust her future, and her love, to the determined lawman who has more questions for her than she has answers.

He vowed to wed, bed, and abandon her. But love got in the way... Joan Johnston sweeps you back to Regency era England and Scotland with a love story that will take your breath away. Here is romance at its best as Johnston brings back unforgettable characters from her bestsellers Captive, After the Kiss, and The Bodyguard in a spellbinding novel of seduction and betrayal. She was the reigning belle of the ton for the fourth Season in a row, but Lady Regina Wharton, the Duke of Blackthorne''s daughter, was determined to avoid the perils of marriage. She had already seen enough to distrust all men. Then Clay Bannister, the dashing Earl of Carlisle, dared to steal a kiss and stir new and exciting desires. Scarred by tragedy, Carlisle intrigued her with his mysterious past and his dark, dangerous charm. She never suspected she was about to marry her father''s most vengeful enemy—or that her greatest defense would be the passions he could not resist....

Sworn to protect her, he was forbidden to touch her....Joan Johnston is a masterful creator of unforgettable characters and stories that make you feel as if you''re falling in love again. Now she sweeps you back to Regency-era Scotland, where a determined young woman challenges a man''s world—even as she embraces the outsider who protects her life and steals her heart....When the tall, rugged stranger stepped out of the shadows and rescued her from a fate worse than death, Katherine MacKinnon knew she had found her bodyguard. With his steely arms and reckless courage, he would shield her from her clansmen, who refused to accept her as laird, and from the hated Duke of Blackthorne, who controlled her family''s lands. As her desire grew for the mysterious man who was constantly by her side, she had no idea that she was falling in love with the enemy himself....

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A DESPERATE DECEPTION THE PROMISE OF FOREVER When Karl Norwood’s mail-order bride meets an untimely demise on the way to the Montana Territory, Hetty Wentworth steps in to take her place. Hetty has no idea how she’s going to pretend to be all the things she isn’t—including the mother of two kids. She only knows her deception is necessary if she’s going to save two orphans from the awful fate she suffered as a child. Karl smells a rat when a much younger woman than he was expecting arrives with two children who look nothing like her. But his mail-order bride is so beautiful, he doesn’t object—until he realizes that his charming new wife has been lying . . . about everything. Can a woman forced to keep secrets and a man hindered by distrust ever hope to find happily ever after in each other’s arms? Praise for Montana Bride “[A] swiftly paced romance.”—Publishers Weekly “Montana Bride is a compelling read and definitely a noteworthy addition to a great series.”—Fresh Fiction “Joan Johnston knows how to spin a story that will get to the readers every time. [Montana Bride] is no different. . . . It was emotional, heartfelt and real. It was honest. . . . It was simply magic from a master storyteller.”—Night Owl Reviews “If you are a fan of historicals, a fan of beautiful descriptive writing, and a fan of steamy romance, you won’t want to miss out on Montana Bride.”—Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews “Johnston has a keen eye for quirky circumstances that put her characters, and the reader, through a wringer. Laughing one moment and crying the next, you’ll always have such a great time getting to the happy-ever-after.”—Romance Junkies Reviews The passionate Westerns in Joan Johnston’s Bitter Creek series can be enjoyed together or separately, in any order: TEXAS BRIDE • WYOMING BRIDE • MONTANA BRIDE • SINFUL • SHAMELESS • BLACKTHORNE’S BRIDE • SULLIVAN’S PROMISE

New York Times bestselling author Joan Johnston has delighted millions of readers with her heartwarming tales set in the American West… Hope Hope Butler is about to watch the man of her dreams, Jake Whitelaw, marry another woman—unless she finds Faith Faith has always been more concerned with the happiness of others than with her own, and if she isn''t careful, she''s going to let the perfect match slip through her fingers. Charity Adopted at a young age, Charity Burnette never really had a home, and she''s not one for putting down roots—even if it means shutting out the man who''d love to call her his wife. When three sisters come together unexpectedly at Hawk''s Pride Ranch, the sparks fly. But each woman is about to learn something about herself, about family and about the love of a good man.

Five couples celebrating the holidays at the Bitter Creek Ranch in Texas share stories of their most memorable Christmas gift while awaiting the arrival of a long-lost brother.

Nine years ago Kate Grayhawk Pendelton walked into Wyatt Shaw''s life--and out of it the next morning. Now Wyatt''s back--and has the power to shatter Kate''s future with the man she loves. By reputation, Wyatt Shaw is a brutal killer who always gets what he wants. And he wants Kate and her twin eight-year-old sons. Texas Ranger Jack McKinley is hot on Wyatt Shaw''s trail. The presumed heir to the D''Amato crime syndicate is threatening to steal the woman he loves. Holly McKinley is fighting to keep Jack from leaving her for another woman. Now the secret she''s kept for over twenty years may save their son''s life, and cost her the only man she''s ever loved.

Her Past was a Mystery Angela Taylor owes her life to the Texas Ranger who rescued her from a band of no-good renegades. The problem is that he''d pulled her out of danger—and straight into the twentieth century. Now Angela''s as far from Texas, 1864, as she could be, stuck with a disbelieving man too handsome for her own good. But Was Her Future His to Claim? She''s either a woman out of time…or completely out of her mind. Dallas Masterson isn''t sure what to believe. From her crazy clothes to her feisty ways, he''s almost convinced that this sassy, smart-mouthed woman fought Comanches, buried her fiancé, ran from the law and stole to survive…especially when she steals his horse to try and get back to the cave where he found her. Now, both Angela and Dallas are discovering that when it comes to things like the past—and falling in love—there''s no place to go but the future.

Watch tempers rise and sparks fly as the Whitelaws of Hawk''s Way meet their matches in these two unforgettable classics! The Headstrong Bride Callen Whitelaw had one surefire way to soften up a rugged rancher out for revenge against her beloved clan. The headstrong bride would marry him! The Disobedient Bride Zach Whitelaw chose his \"convenient\" wife for one reason only—to provide him with a brood of little Whitelaws. But no matter how many long, lazy days they spend in their marriage bed, his disobedient bride refuses to get pregnant.

THE COWBOY AND THE PRINCESS Faron Whitelaw had some nerve calling Belinda Prescott a princess. A nearly bankrupt ranch was hardly a castle, and Faron, an ill-tempered cowboy who''d inherited half her kingdom, was certainly no prince. Faron became spitting mad when Belinda informed him about the truth of his parentage: he wasn''t one of the Whitelaws of Texas. He wanted to believe that she was nothing more than a gold digger, but all she seemed to want was him…. THE WRANGLER AND THE RICH GIRL Garth Whitelaw couldn''t understand why a rich Texas debutante like Candy Baylor would want to train horses. But she looked darn sexy in worn jeans with hay in her hair, so who was he to judge? Candy had no idea why Garth was suddenly so agreeable, but she wasn''t about to look a gift horse in the mouth. Besides, her instructors in school had never been so ruggedly handsome as this wrangler…and she wouldn''t mind engaging in some horseplay!

In a novel of high-riding adventure and long-simmering desire, New York Times bestselling author Joan Johnston brings to life a sweeping story of lost love, shattering secrets, and a passion waiting to be reclaimed. More than twenty years ago, young Verity Talbot made the ultimate sacrifice to protect the man she loved: She married the brute who''d threatened to kill him. Verity, now the Countess of Rushland, also kept a shattering secret, allowing the son of Miles Broderick, Viscount Linden, to be raised as another man’s heir. Now a widow, Verity and her grown son, Rand, arrive in the Wyoming Territory to begin a new life—only to face a reckoning. When Miles makes the stunning realization that he’s just saved the life of the only woman he has ever loved—who chose to marry another man—he is torn between anger at her betrayal and uncontrolled desire. Miles is shattered and rages against fate when he learns the truth about the son he never knew existed—until Rand is captured by a Sioux warrior. Suddenly, Miles realizes that the only future worth living is one with Verity—as they race to rescue their son and fulfill their dreams.

Texas Ranger Jake Kearney was astonished to discover that the \"Kid\" Calhoun he stalked, the same outlaw who saved him from ambush, was a woman--and an irresistible one at that! Now Anabeth Calhoun was an unwilling captive of the flinty-eyed Ranger as they pursued a gang of cold-blooded killers . . . and a cache of stolen gold that had mysteriously disappeared. But the lawman''s problems had only just begun. Fighting his desire for the outlaw he had sworn would not escape justice, Jake Kearney was soon torn between his duty . . . and his love. . . . Anabeth knew she had found her match in the rugged loner who taught her the joys of passion . . . while she taught him the exquisite perils of love. She also knew that Anabeth \"Kid\" Calhoun was one outlaw both willing and eager to fall into the long arms of the law!

When some of the top thriller writers in the world came together in Thriller: Stories to Keep You Up All Night, they became a part of one of the most successful short-story anthologies ever published. The highly anticipated Thriller 2: Stories You Just Can''t Put Down is even bigger. From Jeffery Deaver''s tale of international terrorism to Lisa Jackson''s dysfunctional family in the California wine country to Ridley Pearson''s horrifying serial killer, this collection has something for everyone. Twenty-three bestselling and hot new authors in the genre have submitted original stories to make up this unforgettable blockbuster.

In this breathtaking novel, New York Times bestselling author Joan Johnston weaves a beguiling tale of two feuding families—the Blackthornes and the Creeds—and of two extraordinary people: loner Owen Blackthorne and beautiful, headstrong Bayleigh Creed, irresistibly drawn to each other despite the desperate odds against their love. Owen Blackthorne is a lone wolf, a man who doesn’t need anyone. Then Bayleigh Creed appears on his doorstep, demanding his help in locating her missing brother. Together they head into the desolate West Texas wilderness, a Blackthorne and a Creed, mortal enemies obliged to join forces to survive. Neither counts on the unwanted attraction that draws them together, or the bitter truths that will force them apart—until the ruthless wilderness compels them to make life-and-death choices between family and duty and love.

The Blackthornes and the Creeds. Two powerful Texas dynasties–and lifelong enemies. Set in the heart of the modern-day West, New York Times bestselling author Joan Johnston brings to passionate life the clash of wills between Blackthorne and Creed . . . as a man and woman discover a love stronger than the forces trying to tear them apart. Summer Blackthorne swore she’d never forgive Billy Coburn for running out on her and their future together. But that was before she found out she wasn’t Jackson Blackthorne’s child–Billy was. And now the “Blackthorne Bastard” has come home for a final day of reckoning...to the town that damned him and the woman he had always wanted. Only Summer can satisfy the hunger burning deep within him. Only she can help him hold on to his own unwanted son. It will be a marriage of expedience only. Until doubts and mistrust vanish in the heat of passion...and a man and a woman who never stopped loving each other fight bitter blood and impossible odds for a glorious second chance.... BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from Joan Johnston''s Sinful.

Hawk''s Way Bachelors Will three incredibly strong and stubbon men of the land rethink their bachelor ways when love comes a-calling? The Rancher and the Runaway Bride When lovestruck virgin Tate Whitelaw becomes brawny Adam Philips''s adoring woman, her bossy brothers arrive with shotguns in hand! The Cowboy and the Princess Will the fiery discord between breathtaking beauty Belinda Prescott and ill-tempered cowboy Faron Whitelaw catch them off guard…? The Wrangler and the Rich Girl Tempting Texas debutante Candy Baylor makes potently masculine horse breeder Garth Whitelaw an offer he can''t possibly refuse!

Harriet Allistair came west to Montana to build a new life, convinced that inheriting her uncle''s farm offered the chance to prove herself to her family, to the world and most important, to herself. But that was before she met Nathan Hazard. The Hazard-Allistair feud had endured for generations--and Nathan understands why after meeting proud, stubborn Harriet. From his neighboring ranch, Nathan is counting the minutes till desperation drives her off his family''s land. But he hasn''t counted on this infuriating woman getting under his skin, making him wonder if ending the feud once and for all could mean a new beginning for them both.

THE RANCHER AND THE RUNAWAY BRIDE Tate Whitelaw has had enough of her older brothers interfering in her life. So she decides to split from the ranch and does what any young, red-blooded girl would do--run straight into the arms of rancher Adam Phillips. Adam''s in no mood to rescue a damsel in distress, but his heart has other ideas. Tate has no clue that her estranged brother, Jesse, is as close as the neighboring spread...and Adam has no intention of telling her. But when she discovers that Jesse is a ranch hand next door, Adam has some explaining ahead of him. Add in the three Whitelaw boys, who show up to make sure their sister''s an honest woman, and there''s nothing left to say except \"I do.\" THE BLUEST EYES IN TEXAS When debutante Lindsey Major came under the protection of Texas Ranger Burr Covington, she discovered her greatest challenge yet. Because Burr was determined not to succumb to her charms--despite the desire she saw simmering in his...

Honey and the Hired Hand Tall, dark and grumpy, Jesse Whitelaw could scare away cattle rustlers with a single growl. But wary widow Honey Farrell knew just how to tame the mysterious drifter. And it started with a kiss…. The Cowboy Takes a Wife To own a piece of land, Carter Prescott had to say \"I do\" and agree to protect Desiree Parrish from her abusive ex-husband. He''d thought he could handle being just a bodyguard—until he touched his new bride…. The Temporary Groom SIngle dad and \"no-good half-breed\" Billy Stonecreek and wild \"Whitelaw Brat\" Cherry Whitelaw met and married in a single night for all the right reasons—except love. Could a marriage begun in haste and seasoned with passion lead to forever?

Picking up a pretty woman, Grace, outside his favorite bar in Texas, FBI agent Breed Grayhawk is unaware that she has just finished a wrongful sentence for murdering her parents and is breaking into her late father''s colleagues'' homes in search of evidence that will clear her name. A best-selling novel. Reprint.

Two stories of love and heartache.

The prequel to the New York Times bestseller The Texan Sprawling 1840s Texas comes alive in the hands of Joan Johnston, New York Times bestselling author of The Cowboy and The Texan. Introducing the unforgettable Creed dynasty, transporting us back to a wild, lawless frontier, Johnston brings us a stirring, passionate story of Texas Ranger Jarrett Creed and the free-spirited beauty who captures his heart—a woman sworn to love no man. FRONTIER WOMAN Captured by Comanches as a boy, Jarrett Creed grew to manhood torn between two worlds. But with the young republic under siege from ravaging Mexican armies and marauding Indian tribes alike, he made his choice. Now, as a secret government mission brings the Texas Ranger to lovely Cricket Stewart’s door, he must choose again. The youngest daughter of a wealthy gentleman planter, Cricket lives life as she pleases and vows never to be a wife to any man. Until the day Jarrett Creed saves her from avenging Comanches . . . by claiming her as his bride. The last thing either expects is to fall in love. But as a traitorous conspiracy and a secret tragedy test their newfound union, a wild-spirited beauty and a Texas lawman will discover just how far they will go for their precious homeland—and for a love that could free them from the sorrows of the past.

New York Times bestselling author Joan Johnston brings to life an unforgettable love story between two strong-willed people from different worlds in her thrilling new novel featuring the Blackthornes of Bitter Creek, Texas, and their formidable rivals, the Grayhawks of Wyoming. Juggling single motherhood and her job as deputy sheriff of Teton County, Sarah Barndollar hasn''t lost hope of solving two cold cases of missing young women. When a third vanishes, all hell breaks loose -- because she''s the illegitimate daughter of Texas scion Clay Blackthorne and the granddaughter of his mortal enemy King Grayhawk. The crisis pits the two powerful families against each other in a race against time. Playboy Drew DeWitt, a Blackthorne cousin, insists on taking part in the search -- putting him on a collision course with Sarah. Her cop instincts tell her the sexy Texan is trouble. But when evidence emerges of a conspiracy against the U.S. government, Sarah accepts Drew''s high-powered help as she negotiates a shadowy landscape of hidden rivals and ruthless greed where every moment counts in saving lives, including her own.

''Breathless Seduction'' tells the story of three gorgeous men and three beautiful sisters. It is a story of smouldering desire and shocking secrets.

''Summer Desires'' contains three sexy, full-length, summer-themed novels in one volume.

Rebecca Hunter, a tomboyish rancher''s daughter, falls in love with Christopher Kincaid, the mysterious city-bred man she rescues from a band of Sioux.