Böcker av Jeanne Hardt

Olivia has lived her entire life behind the walls of Padrida, a kingdom unknown to the rest of the world. As the king and queen's only heir, she is destined to rule. Although given all that she needs, she wants only one thing. Freedom. Boredom plagues Prince Sebastian of Basilia. The realms have been at peace for more than a century, and he has little to occupy his time. He journeys to Black Wood, seeking adventure. The dense forest has a dark reputation, and Sebastian intends to uncover the truth of the many horrific tales that have troubled him since childhood. He finds something else entirely.

In this sequel to Hidden in the Blue Ridge Mountains, twenty years have passed.It's 1918. A year of conflict. Charles Williams believes his mother is anxious over the possibility of him being sent overseas to fight in the war. He soon learns that most of her concern is for something closer to home. Charles has the perfect distraction for all the ugliness happening in the world-he's in love. Better still, Teanna Lorenz just agreed to be his wife. His joy vanishes when his mother presents him with a letter from his deceased father. Charles always idolized the man, but because of the letter's revelations, he now sees him as a stranger and someone he no longer respects. The content of the letter compels him to call off his engagement. Teanna loves Charles and doesn't understand why he no longer wants to marry her. However, secrets from her own past prevent her from being completely honest with him. Both are unwilling to share their hidden truths, and a wedge is created that they may never overcome. With a shattered spirit, Charles travels to the Blue Ridge Mountains, hoping to discover the entire truth of his father's history. Though heartbroken, Teanna encourages him to go, praying he'll find his answers, yet she fears she'll never see him again. Not only will the journey test the strength of their love, but it will also challenge their ability to forgive.

Twenty years have passed since the war between the North and South ended, and life in Cades Cove, Tennessee has somewhat returned to normal. Livelihoods have been rebuilt, families have once again grown, and everyone is striving to overcome the pain of loss. But the lasting effects of the war remain. Noah Henry is approaching his twentieth birthday and still lives at home with his folks and eight siblings. He struggles to find privacy, and as a grown man, he's ready for a family of his own. Years ago, he and Opal Jacobson made a promise to marry. However, Opal lives in Asheville, North Carolina, and seeing each other isn't easy. They've kept their relationship alive over the years through correspondence, but her letters have stopped coming, and Noah needs to know why. He decides it's time for an official proposal, so he sets off for Asheville, hoping she's as ready as he is to finally tie the knot. Opal has other ideas. She spends her days helping her father tend the general store; she's a business woman, not a farmer's wife. The thought of living anywhere else doesn't appeal to her, but a mysterious man, who arrives in town seeking employment, does. A promise is a promise. Yet sometimes, the best-laid promise may be impossible to keep.

As much as sixteen-year-old Emily Franklin likes going to school, she should be enjoying her summer break. It's nearly impossible with a serial killer in the city, preying on young girls. Everyone is on edge. Emily starts a job at a pharmacy lunch counter where she meets Jacob Arnold. He's a geek like her who loves books and research, and they instantly click. Jacob overhears his rookie-cop brother talking on the phone, and he reveals something about the murders that the news media hasn't yet exposed. The information leads Jacob and Emily into some sleuthing of their own, and they stumble onto a secret not even the local police know. They consider telling what they've learned, but it's so far-fetched that they fear they might be put away themselves ... for insanity.

Jason Williams is fortunate to be a stable worker at Biltmore Estate--one of the most luxurious homes in the country. He's a troubled soul, and he's hiding something. The obscurity of the Blue Ridge Mountains seemed like the perfect place. However, now that Mr. Vanderbilt, the owner of the estate, has married a woman who brings countless newcomers to the manor, Jason fears that what he has hidden will be unearthed. Maisy Fulton, a kind and caring laundress, is intrigued by Jason. He's handsome and dedicated to his work, but he avoids interaction with others as much as possible. He rarely speaks to anyone. She's determined to find out why, even though her desire to befriend him isn't well received. Her loving heart pushes her to persevere, yet she soon discovers that the mystery of Mr. Williams may never be solved. Secrets and lies, heartache and loss, plague their lives and compound their troubled friendship. Only when the stakes are at their highest do their revelations heal the past and forge a path toward an unexpected future.

Lily Larsen is given no choice but to leave her beloved home in Cades Cove, Tennessee. She's sent to St. Louis to live with her uppity aunt, who's determined to turn Lily into a proper young woman. Brokenhearted, Lily succumbs to her aunt and uncle's odd ways, though she can't understand why her estranged relatives suddenly care about her. She's schooled in etiquette and groomed for the purpose of marrying into wealth. However, she remains guarded, fearing that her secrets will be discovered and ruin any chance for happiness. Violet Larsen desperately misses her beloved sister. She carries the burden of family secrets and wishes that she'd been the one sent away. Her feelings change when a dear childhood friend returns from war. His battle scars are evident, but she's determined to help him mend his body and more importantly, his heart. Caleb and Rebecca Henry struggle with a marriage that should be happy. They love each other and enjoy raising their beautiful baby girl, yet something's missing. Caleb knows exactly why they're having difficulties, but if he tells his wife the truth, it could ruin everything. Secrets abound. The fear of discovery keeps everyone hushed into silence.

The saga continues . . . It's sometimes difficult for a woman to decide which man she should spend the rest of her life with, especially when she has a confused heart. Running off to Bridgeport allows Grace and Veronica to escape their romantic troubles for a short while, but eventually they must return to Mobile and confront their choices. Time away gives them the opportunity to evaluate their true feelings, and for the first time, no doubt remains. But when they try to express their hearts' deepest desires to those who matter the most, nothing comes out as it should. Misconceptions lead everyone down the wrong road. Tragedy strikes and old wounds are reopened. The love of their family is the only thing that can keep them strong and help them move forward.

In the beautiful mountain setting of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, something unusual is about to happen... Traci Oliver may be a best-selling romance author, but for the first time in her writing career she can't type a word on the blank page. Book number fifty is supposed to be her best ever-her golden book-but inspiration joined her husband in the grave. How can she write about love with a shattered heart? At the precise moment of the anniversary of his death, a knock on her door changes everything. Characters from her books take on human form and tell her that they've come to help her. Of course, she doubts her sanity. Are they real, or has she lost her mind? When she lands smack dab in the middle of one of her own love scenes, she assumes the latter. Her doctor says grieving is a process, but she never dreamed that part of the process would bring her heroes to life. She wonders if all people experience this kind of thing, or is it a weird phenomenon reserved solely for romance writers? Truthfully, the only hero she wants is her husband, and she can never be with him again. Or maybe she can ...

A seventeen-year-old's dying wish to fall in love comes alive in her dreams and blurs the lines between fantasy and reality...Amber wants nothing more than to experience all life has to offer, but without hope of remission, it seems pointless.Regret makes her miserable. She

Based on a true story . . .Eight-year-old, Vern Harpole, wakes up on the front porch of a bakery he's never seen before. The frightened boy is discovered by the kind baker who returns him to the hotel where he'd been staying with his mother and young sister, only to learn they've left and have no intention of returning. With no trace of where they've gone or by what means they're traveling, a search is impossible. Even the authorities have little help to offer.Being childless, the baker and his wife decide to give Vern a home. Initially, they see him as a means of cheap labor. But over time, a bond of love grows between them, and they find joy as a family. Yet Vern can't dismiss the hurtful feelings of abandonment, as well as many unanswered questions about his mother.Margaret Jordan has recently immigrated from Ireland to America. Like Vern, she's troubled by painful reminders of traumatic experiences that have irrevocably altered her life. She settles in Kansas City, where she finds employment at a local restaurant. When she and Vern cross paths, he immediately recognizes her pain and wants to help her, but it will take more than kindness to break through the protective walls she's built around herself.Determination pushes him to be persistent, needing to believe that love can be something more than forsaken.

The saga begins...The country has just endured its most atrocious war, and people are trying to find ways to rebuild their lives. Happy endings aren't always attainable, but determination pushes these resilient people forward. A little more than six years have passed since the end of the War Between the States, and life in Mobile, Alabama isn't easy. Claire Montgomery is twenty-five and unmarried. After years of listening to her mama's caution regarding men, she's determined to stay single. Until Dr. Andrew Fletcher arrives in her little town on the bay and she's irresistibly smitten. Andrew tends to the elite at Mobile City Hospital, but also cares for the poor Negroes in a less desirable part of the city. Despite criticism from the hospital administrator, he's determined to stand by his principles and help anyone in need. Regardless of the color of their skin. Their whirlwind romance is quickly followed by a wedding proposal, but Claire's world crashes around her when she discovers a painful truth. With no choice but to run away, she leaves Mobile and soon realizes she's carrying Andrew's child. Every decision Claire makes changes the lives of those she loves. The secrets and deceptions she creates blur the line between lies and truth, until she can't discern one from the other.

Lily Larsen has never been afraid of anything, yet the effects of the war are wearing her down.Her beautiful home in Cades Cove, Tennessee, lies deep in the Smoky Mountains. For decades, her family has farmed and lived peacefully, until the soldiers came and made every day a struggle to survive.Whether they wear gray or blue, the men in uniform arrive unexpectedly and take whatever they want. Not only do they steal food and livestock, but some believe they can help themselves to anything they desire. Lily now has something to fear.Caleb Henry is running from his own battles, bleeding and broken. He seeks refuge in the cove and literally runs into Lily. Because he's injured, she shows compassion and sneaks him into her cabin, trusting her folks to tend him.But there's more to Caleb than they see on the surface. His arrival changes their lives, and what happens going forward can never be undone.

Lily Larsen's life has taken more turns than she ever thought possible. Humiliated and scorned, she wants nothing more than to be back in the cove with her son. However, her folks will never allow her to return home after shaming the Larsen name. With the unexpected help of some dear friends, she moves to Asheville, North Carolina to work as a nanny. Though the family's four children work their way into her heart, they can't replace the emptiness left by the absence of her own child. Violet and Gideon Myers are happy newlyweds. When Gideon continues to struggle with physical limitations, Violet is determined to show him that he's capable of almost anything. But when sickness comes to the cove and threatens those he loves, Gideon must face his biggest fears of all. Caleb and Rebecca Henry have finally settled into their marriage. They've found joy and contentment in each other and their family, but unexpected visitors change everything. Hushed secrets become louder, until everyone can hear the murmurs in the mountains.

Five years have passed since the end of the war, and the families in Cades Cove have finally returned to a sense of normalcy. The very thing Lucas Larsen hates. He's tried his best to accept life as a farmer, but he's restless and wants something more.His sister, Lily, knows just how unsettled he is. His poor behavior is affecting all of them, and she and Caleb fear he'll have a negative influence on their children. They encourage him to visit Water's Rest in St. Louis, hoping Luke and Francine Waters can help Lucas find peace and purpose. He makes the journey, but comes face to face with more than one of his former demons.Though Lucas is no longer causing difficulties in the cove, the peaceful valley is not without its share of troubles.From the day Alice Henry arrived, Buck Larsen fell hard, and his feelings were eagerly reciprocated. When he finally decides to act on them, his deceased wife mysteriously raises objections. Both families are saddened by his sudden disinterest in Alice, and when they learn his reasoning, believe he's lost his mind.War is no more, yet conflict most certainly remains. Only the love of family can sustain them and pull everyone through.