Böcker av Roxie Clarke

Frankie I'm honored when the Tyler Creek Park and Recreation District ask me to run the Christmas at the Caverns holiday market. As the owner of the Snowdrift Christmas Shop in downtown Tyler Creek, Christmas is my business and my life.Unfortunately, the "enchanted" caverns where the holiday market is held are proving to be cursed instead. Two weeks into December and the Santas keep quitting on me. Whether it be illness, a minor accident, or a scheduling mishap, I can't keep a single holly-jolly behind in Santa's sleigh.When my friend and fellow shop owner, Liv, suggests her brother Luca for the Santa position, I have to question Liv's intentions. Luca hates Christmas and everyone in Tyler Creek knows it. In fact, despite going on three wonderful dates, Luca and I decided we could never work because of his distaste for my absolute favorite thing.Yet, when he survives and apparently enjoys his first time playing Santa, I begin to wonder if Luca and I might get a second chance at love. It would be my Christmas wish come true.

Monica Hunter and I were a duet both on and off stage at Tyler Creek high school until he left me broken-hearted to follow his Broadway dreams.Fifteen years later, I've made peace with my decision to stay behind in our hometown. I've become a drama teacher and am building a business with my best friend, Darcie.However, when Hunter returns to star in a benefit production for the local community theater and Darcie casts me as his love interest, our hearts are once again singing love songs.But Hunter and I have been here before multiple times over the years and he always, always chooses his acting career over building a life with me in Tyler Creek.It's going to take a whole lot of convincing and groveling from him to make me believe he's here to stay.

Jamie Ward, part-time employee extraordinaire, is living the low-key single life when his boss at the Pinwheel Plant Shop asks him to attend her wedding with a plus one, her friend, greenhouse owner and mother-to-be, Meghan Day.Growing up parented by two moms has made Jamie empathetic to the female plight and if there is anyone who would be comfortable going on a date with a pregnant woman, it's him. What he's not comfortable with is how much he enjoys Meghan's company and the time he spends with her leading up to the wedding.Meghan is positive it's hormones that are making her so attracted to Jamie. What other explanation could there be for the way she feels whenever she's around him? Sure, they both love plants and board games and burritos, but that's nothing to get all worked up about.None of their indecision matters when two things happen- Meghan doesn't feel well and calls Jamie to take her to the hospital and her ex, the baby's father Caleb, comes slinking back. A casual period of getting to know one another suddenly becomes a question of how committed Jamie and Meghan are to each other.Will Jamie and Meghan fight for a future neither of them knew they wanted or give in to the forces keeping them apart?

Haunted by events during his recent deployment to Afghanistan, Tom Franklin arrives home in Braverton eager to see his big sister Layla and to figure out where he belongs in the regular world after five years in the Army. Sydney Mills, Army brat and owner of Braveheart Yoga, longs to create community and a calming environment far removed from her chaotic and transient upbringing. Which would be a heck of a lot easier if Sydney's receptionist hadn't stolen from her, making her question her instincts. The next person Sydney hires needs vetting, and although she hates to admit it, to her there's no one more trustworthy than a soldier.After bumping into one another at the Pinwheel Plant Shop, Sydney offers Tom a job and a chance to ease himself back into civilian life. Although Tom doesn't need work, he needs to be around someone who understands the nuances of a military man.At least that's what Tom tells himself. Taking the job has nothing to do with his attraction to his new boss. No matter what his sister says.As the two grow closer, Tom lets Sydney glimpse him in his darkest moments. She fears she isn't enough to open him up to the light and calls in reinforcements, which drives Tom to retreat into himself.Can Tom and Sydney find their way back to each other or will Tom's need to go it alone ruin what could have been?

When Pinwheel Plant Shop delivery driver, Amos Finch, who is hard of hearing, accidentally mixes up the cards on two Valentine's Day deliveries, he ends up giving wannabe ASL interpreter Petra Dylan a heartleaf philodendron from a secret admirer who isn't admiring her.Which Amos thinks is a shame, because Petra is just the kind of woman he admires.Petra, whose "for now" job is at the Secondhand Rose vintage thrift shop, has noticed cute deaf guy Amos around Old Town before and much to her surprise, he's noticed her too. As a fat woman, Petra is used to being the recipient of more disgusted glares than interested glances.The two spend Valentine's Day together, delivering plants and food, strolling through residential Old Town Braverton, visiting friends, and talking, talking, talking. Things take a turn when the conversation veers toward being viewed as other by society, something Amos and Petra have both experienced, but in different ways, and they find for the first time that day they can't agree.Can what began as their weirdest and most wonderful Valentine's Day be salvaged despite them using their mouths to offend when they could be kissing?

Read the first three novellas + two holiday short stories in the Old Town Braverton series. This collection contains a sweet single dad, a brooding billionaire, an unlikely pair of board game geeks falling in love, and two tearful wedding stories with holiday happily ever afters.

Ten years ago, Maryann, the quirky owner of the Secondhand Rose Vintage Thrift Shop, called off her wedding to the proprietor of the Burrito Barn, Luis.Back then, she didn't think marriage was for her-her family had zero successful examples of what a good marriage looked like-and at thirty-eight she thought she was too set in her ways to be someone's wife, even if Luis was her soulmate.Now that Maryann is pushing fifty, she has a lot of regret about not marrying Luis. She still loves him, but knows he has every right to never speak to her again.Yet, when the Burrito Barn burns to the ground and he not-so-subtly parks his temporary taco truck in front of her shop, Maryann questions if the spark she feels between them could ignite their second chance at love.If anyone could make what was old new again, it's her.

When widower Ryan Tupper walks into the Pinwheel Plant Shop, owner Avery Wheeler is surprised to see her brother's best friend from high school and confused by her attraction to him.It's only been six months since Avery's husband died in a car accident and she's had zero desire to date again, but Ryan knows what it's like to be the spouse left behind. While he's been adjusting to his new life as a single dad, Avery's been trying to get up to speed on the business side of the plant shop-something her late husband always took care of-but she's in serious debt and could lose the store.In what should be a win-win opportunity, Ryan asks Avery to co-host a call-in radio show with him all about houseplants. He's a popular morning show host who knows nothing about plants, and she's a plant whisperer in need of extra funds. See? Win-win.That is until people ask if they're together together, instead of how much and how often they should water their begonias.Caught between missing her husband and missing out on a budding relationship with Ryan, Avery must mourn or move on and both choices terrify her.

DaphneLighting up the gorgeous items in the window of Secondhand Rose is something Daphne can do with her eyes closed. But shining a light on herself? She's not so good at that. Not until the local event planner, who she's been secretly crushing on, asks for her help. They make a great team and, infected by wedding energy, Daphne takes a chance and kisses Tabitha…TabithaPlanning other people's joyful events at the Braverton Botanical Garden is where Tabitha's skills blossom. She's so invested in making sure other people are happy she hasn't made space to fulfill her own desires-because her desires could cause trouble with the conservative board at the Garden. And when she gives in to her attraction to Daphne, her own event turns unhappy very quickly.

Three years ago, billionaire Belle Walden was sent on a secret mission to Braverton by her vengeful grandfather. But instead of acting on his wishes, Belle fell in love with small town life, her job at the Secondhand Rose, and the person she's become while undercover. When billionaire Tyler Day recognizes her at a party, she fears he'll call her out, but surprises her when he invites her to be his date at a charity gala. As they spend more and more time together, Belle questions if there's a better way to be a billionaire or if her feelings for Tyler are clouding her judgement. Either way, her time in Braverton is ending, and she has to choose between family and fortune, or love and community, and Tyler isn't making her decision any easier.

Skye Perry and Lucas Lee each have their reasons for sneaking in through the back door of the Pinwheel Plant Shop to attend a macramé class. Since her divorce, Skye goes nowhere without her dog, Rooster, and he's technically not allowed in the shop. Lucas (a.k.a. Lee Stone), well, he's a famous rock star lying low in Braverton until his stalker goes on trial in California.When Lucas' therapist suggests he enroll in a crafty class to take his mind off his trauma, he waits until the last minute and is stuck taking macramé (whatever that is) in the suburbs. Lucas expects his classmates to be women of a certain age. Instead, he's pleasantly surprised to find himself tying knots with a cute dog trainer who has no idea who rocker Lee Stone is.Skye would be perfectly fine hanging out in her studio apartment with Rooster or spending all her time at Girl's Best Friend-her dog adoption center specifically geared toward female identifying clientele. But her mom thought it was time she met some new humans and gave her a gift card to the Pinwheel for Christmas, so Skye signed up for a class. After Rooster falls asleep under Lucas' chair, Skye considers that maybe she was meant to meet just this one special human.Falling hard and fast for one another, Lucas and Skye throw caution to the wind and go on a date in public even though they're risking the wrong people discovering where Lucas is. When the inevitable happens, can the dog trainer and the rock star untangle themselves from their pasts to be together, or will they leave each other hanging?

Attending her first wedding since getting sober isn't what Pinwheel Plant Shop employee, Beatrix McCall, is nervous about. No, she's got more pressing issues. It's two days before Christmas and she doesn't have the money to cover her January rent. Bea needs a roommate, like, yesterday.Lewis Tryon, assistant craft brewer for Mojo Pizza and Brewery, has been sleeping on his mentor's couch. He says it's to be closer to work, but really, he can't spend another second living with his manipulative ex-girlfriend. As the new year nears, he's desperate to get out of Arthur's den, and into a more permanent living situation.When serendipity (a.k.a. Layla) intervenes, Bea and Lewis think all their problems are solved. So what if she's in recovery and he brews beer for a living? They're roommates, not lovers. With a few simple rules, they can make it work.Okay, except for the roommates, not lovers thing. And, like, rules one and two. They're solid on rule three. Wait, what was rule three, again?Will Bea and Lewis' burning love for one another be enough to withstand the trouble brewing in their hearts, or will their differences complicate what could've been?

On the day Layla Franklin is promoted to manager of the Pinwheel Plant Shop, she discovers her first business meeting will be with her billionaire ex-boyfriend, ceramicist Bradley Marconi.Five years prior, when Layla had to drop out of art school to support her disabled mom and her younger brother, Bradley broke off their relationship and broke her heart by saying they came from different worlds.Layla doesn't mind helping everyone in her life, really, she thrives on being useful. She'll even help Bradley make sense of the debacle the Wavelength Pottery P & L statements have become. But she wants compensation for her time and reassurance from Bradley he is learning to manage his business himself and working toward being his own man.When Bradley's overbearing mother demands he attend a dinner party at the family residence and that he brings a date, Layla insists that date be her. Not only does she want to encourage Bradley to stand up to his manipulative family, but Layla wants to prove to them she's found her own definition of success.Inspired by the dinner party date and remembering what they loved about one another, Layla and Bradley give their relationship another try. Everything is going well, until one night when the past and present collide, leaving Layla with little hope for their future and Bradley doubting they were ever meant to be.

Second chances aren't guaranteed...Motorcycle enthusiast, Mickey Diaz, loves the small town of Cataluma, CA where she grew up and now owns a successful tattoo shop. At twenty-eight, she hasn't found "The One" yet, and isn't sure she ever will, but she has plenty of non-romantic relationships that are fulfilling.Mostly.Besides, the only guy she ever loved was all wrong for her and broke her heart when they were seventeen. Mickey knows better than to go down that road again.Former golden boy turned hopeful hippie, Angus Ward, returns to his hometown of Cataluma, with a new name and the determination to make his vegan bakery a hit in the heart of cattle country.He may have changed his first name to Sequoia, but what hasn't changed is his need to prove himself to his rancher dad, and his desire to have a second chance with the one that got away, Mickey Diaz.Will these two find a way to work through their past so they can build a future together?