Willow Creek Series by Lily Graison

On the run from her ex-lover, jilted by a no-show husband and now mistaken for a whore in the Diamond Back saloon, Abigail Thornton doesn’t think things can get any worse. That is until a single slap to a man’s face starts a barroom brawl that lands her in the last place she expected to be. Town Marshal Morgan Avery wants nothing more than to wash away the trail-dust and sleep for a week, preferably with a soft, willing woman by his side... moreOn the run from her ex-lover, jilted by a no-show husband and now mistaken for a whore in the Diamond Back saloon, Abigail Thornton doesn’t think things can get any worse. That is until a single slap to a man’s face starts a barroom brawl that lands her in the last place she expected to be. Town Marshal Morgan Avery wants nothing more than to wash away the trail-dust and sleep for a week, preferably with a soft, willing woman by his side. Instead, he gets Abigail Thornton – all one hundred pounds of her thrust at him seconds before a fist connects with his face. Breaking up the fight takes more effort than he wants to admit and when the last man falls he finds Abigail still standing and not looking the least bit contrite. Throwing her into the town jail for the night would salve his wounded pride and then he will let her go. Or that was the plan. When morning comes he finds himself oddly reluctant to do so. Miss Thornton is hiding something and he aims to find out what, even if he has to bed her to do so. But will one night in her bed be enough? less

Sarah Hartford always dreamed of a grand adventure. She just never expected to find it in the arms of an outlaw.When her father’s bank is robbed, Sarah doesn’t make the gunslingers’ escape easy. Putting her own safety behind those she hopes to protect backfires when she’s kidnapped by one of the escaping men. Now her only hope for survival lies with the same arrogant man who laughed at her while staring down the barrel of her gun... moreSarah Hartford always dreamed of a grand adventure. She just never expected to find it in the arms of an outlaw.When her father’s bank is robbed, Sarah doesn’t make the gunslingers’ escape easy. Putting her own safety behind those she hopes to protect backfires when she’s kidnapped by one of the escaping men. Now her only hope for survival lies with the same arrogant man who laughed at her while staring down the barrel of her gun. Colton Avery spent months planning the perfect heist, every detail fine tuned and executed with precise timing. Nothing could go wrong. That is until he comes face to face with a determined woman holding a shotgun. She aimed at his head and never flinched when she took a shot at him. He wanted her the moment the smoke cleared and he saw her face. Robbing the bank, and handing over the gang of notorious outlaws to US Marshals, would be routine and boring. Sarah Hartford made it anything but. Taming the woman who stole his heart the instant he saw her was a challenge he was more than willing to take on. All he has to do now is escape the gang of outlaws he just double-crossed, hideout from an Indian raiding party and elude the town marshal who just happens to be his little hellion’s new fiancé. less

Emmaline Hunt only had one thing she could call her own. A piece of land that held a secret not even her drunken stepfather knew about. When he gambles it away in a high stakes poker game, Emmaline does the only thing she can. She tries to steal the land deed back. Tristan Avery has seen his share of bloodshed while sitting at a gaming table and knows its time to lay low when he wins a wad of cash and a piece of land. Especially after his opponent ends up dead at his feet... moreEmmaline Hunt only had one thing she could call her own. A piece of land that held a secret not even her drunken stepfather knew about. When he gambles it away in a high stakes poker game, Emmaline does the only thing she can. She tries to steal the land deed back. Tristan Avery has seen his share of bloodshed while sitting at a gaming table and knows its time to lay low when he wins a wad of cash and a piece of land. Especially after his opponent ends up dead at his feet. High tailing it out of town is his only option but things take a drastic turn when he finds a woman in his hotel room trying to rob him blind. The botched robbery attempt is only the start of his troubles when Tristan finds his new land occupied by the same girl who tried to rob him. When he realizes he’s left her homeless, and killed her stepfather, his conscience forces him to do the right thing. Taking her to his hometown and setting her up with a new life will make up for all he’s taken from her. But Emmaline has other plans. She wants her land, and Tristan’s money, and she’ll do whatever it takes to get them. All she has to do is convince him she’s there to stay, outwit him, find a way back home and not let a single soul know she has a gold mine bursting at the seems with untapped wealth. less

Laurel Montgomery wanted a new life, one that didn't include a man. She'd had enough of their pretty lies and broken promises but one night of reckless abandon weeks before taking a job as the new schoolteacher in Willow Creek would come back to haunt her. The man she thought to never see again turns out to be the father of one of her new students. A man so handsome and rugged he takes her breath away. Too bad she's sworn off men forever. If only the stubborn man would take no for an answer... moreLaurel Montgomery wanted a new life, one that didn't include a man. She'd had enough of their pretty lies and broken promises but one night of reckless abandon weeks before taking a job as the new schoolteacher in Willow Creek would come back to haunt her. The man she thought to never see again turns out to be the father of one of her new students. A man so handsome and rugged he takes her breath away. Too bad she's sworn off men forever. If only the stubborn man would take no for an answer. Holden Avery was love-struck the moment he saw Laurel Montgomery and cursed himself for a fool every waking minute since letting her walk out of his life. When she turns up in Willow Creek he's handed the second chance he didn't think he'd ever get but thoughts of pursuing Laurel are cut short when a stranger shows up in town. A man who claims to be Laurel's husband. When he starts to court Laurel in an attempt to win her back, Holden sets off to prove he's the man she wants. Convincing her to give him a chance is nearly impossible but he's waited too long to find her to give up now. One way or the other, Laurel Montgomery would be his wife. less

When Grace Kingston accepts a wedding proposal through a mail-order bride agency and travels across country to be married, she has no idea her bridegroom is a fourteen-year-old boy. There's no way she can accept his offer but with depleted funds, and winter coming on, Grace has little choice but to stay. Things go from bad to worse when she meets Jesse's older brother, Rafe. The attraction is immediate. He's surly, rude and downright pig-headed but he makes her pulse race with a single glance... moreWhen Grace Kingston accepts a wedding proposal through a mail-order bride agency and travels across country to be married, she has no idea her bridegroom is a fourteen-year-old boy. There's no way she can accept his offer but with depleted funds, and winter coming on, Grace has little choice but to stay. Things go from bad to worse when she meets Jesse's older brother, Rafe. The attraction is immediate. He's surly, rude and downright pig-headed but he makes her pulse race with a single glance. Rafe Samuels thought to teach his brother a lesson by making him take responsibility for his rash behavior but one look at Grace and his plans go up in smoke. She isn't the dowdy spinster he imagined and having her live in his house and not be able to have her is the worst kind of torment. But putting her out of his mind is impossible. As fall turns to winter, Grace finds that living with the two brothers isn't as simple a thing as she once thought. Jesse still thinks marriage is in the cards, and Rafe is a devilishly handsome distraction she doesn't need. She can't decide if he hates her or wants to kiss her. And how does she avoid breaking Jess's heart when it becomes clear that the attraction between her and Rafe is mutual? less

Widowed with two young children, Keri Hilam is desperate to escape her abusive brother-in-law, going so far as sneaking away in the dead of night in hopes of finding a better life. She never regrets leaving, not even when they find themselves stranded, starving, and alone. Fate brings them to Willow Creek, Montana, where they’re rescued by an unlikely hero, an ex-confederate soldier who seems more monster than man. The war leaves Noah Lloyd scarred and bitter... moreWidowed with two young children, Keri Hilam is desperate to escape her abusive brother-in-law, going so far as sneaking away in the dead of night in hopes of finding a better life. She never regrets leaving, not even when they find themselves stranded, starving, and alone. Fate brings them to Willow Creek, Montana, where they’re rescued by an unlikely hero, an ex-confederate soldier who seems more monster than man. The war leaves Noah Lloyd scarred and bitter. When the girl he left behind broke his heart, he turned his back on the life he used to know, and sought refuge in a dusty little town that afforded him the solitude he wanted. Finding a woman and her kids hunkered down in an abandoned line shack in the middle of a blizzard is the last thing he needs. They’re ragged, half starved and vulnerable, and he’s determined to leave the trio in the care of the town marshal. But the innocence of a child at Christmas breaks through Noah’s hard exterior and Keri’s tender care allows him to see that life may be worth living. All he has to do is let go of his past and let this unlikely family love him. less

Hiding from a future she doesn’t want… When the new blacksmith in town announces they are to be married, Alexandra Avery does what any bride with cold feet would do. She disobeys her father, dresses in mens clothing, and sneaks away with the cattle drive he just sent east to avoid the inevitable. Little does she know, Jesse Samuels, the annoying boy who made her childhood nearly unbearable is the new trail boss and calling the shots... moreHiding from a future she doesn’t want… When the new blacksmith in town announces they are to be married, Alexandra Avery does what any bride with cold feet would do. She disobeys her father, dresses in mens clothing, and sneaks away with the cattle drive he just sent east to avoid the inevitable. Little does she know, Jesse Samuels, the annoying boy who made her childhood nearly unbearable is the new trail boss and calling the shots. How will she ever survive being bossed around by him for the next two months? Handed what he’s coveted the most… Entrusted with over seeing a cattle drive for the Avery Ranch is exactly what Jesse Samuels needed, especially after hearing Alexandra Avery, the girl he spent the last ten years of his life planning a future with is now engaged. He regrets not staying and fighting for her until he finds her stowed away pretending to be one of the crew. When the other cowboys realize there’s a woman amongst them, his protective instincts kick in. His plan to send her home is thwarted at every turn so he does the only thing he can to ensure her safety. He drags her kicking and screaming to the altar and marries her. Will love be enough to bind them… Alexandra and Jesse have always had a love-hate relationship but when the dangers of the open trail take a turn that could cost them their lives, they have to put aside their differences to keep everyone safe. Will the truce be enough to show them what everyone else has always known? Or will they lose each other forever? less

Elisabeth “Betsey” Atwater had plans as big as the Montana Sky. Marry the boy she’s loved since the day they met and become a famous singer. Getting Aaron Hilam to notice her took years of patience and when he did, life was so perfect she forgot all about singing. But dreams of spending her life with him were shattered when he left town and said he was never coming back. Her heart was broken beyond repair until she realized Aaron had left behind a piece of himself she could hold on to forever... moreElisabeth “Betsey” Atwater had plans as big as the Montana Sky. Marry the boy she’s loved since the day they met and become a famous singer. Getting Aaron Hilam to notice her took years of patience and when he did, life was so perfect she forgot all about singing. But dreams of spending her life with him were shattered when he left town and said he was never coming back. Her heart was broken beyond repair until she realized Aaron had left behind a piece of himself she could hold on to forever. Aaron Hilam’s growing feelings for his best friend’s little sister spooked him more than anything ever had. He’d spent the past twelve years trying to avoid her but now that she was full grown and the prettiest girl in all of Willow Creek, he had a hard time ignoring her, especially when those kisses she gave him led to things her brother would probably kill him for if he knew. When an argument at home has him mad at the world, he leaves town vowing to never come back but like most things in his life, trouble is never far behind him. When he returns home he has a lot of broken hearts to mend, one in particular. When Betsey spots Aaron riding into town, she’s heartsick when she sees he’s not alone. But her despair is short-lived when she meets a man who offers her a way past the heartache and a path straight to the other big dream she’s always yearned for. All she has to do is give up everything she’s ever held dear, and that includes Aaron Hilam. less

Running to escape a life of servitude may have taken her out of a bad situation but being a Native woman means she can never escape the way people see her. The prejudice Morning Dove faces is a daily reminder that she doesn’t really belong with these people but one man makes her forget she’s an outsider. Looking at him, she longs for things she never thought to have and all she has to do is reach out and grab them … if she could only get over her fear of speaking to him... moreRunning to escape a life of servitude may have taken her out of a bad situation but being a Native woman means she can never escape the way people see her. The prejudice Morning Dove faces is a daily reminder that she doesn’t really belong with these people but one man makes her forget she’s an outsider. Looking at him, she longs for things she never thought to have and all she has to do is reach out and grab them … if she could only get over her fear of speaking to him.Ben Atwater has more problems than any one man should and most of them he brought on by himself. The only bright spot in his life is a pretty Native girl who will barely look at him. Morning Dove is an enigma he wants to explore but his past has tainted his future. Will a woman like her want a man as miserable as him? And if so, can he keep her once he has her in his arms? less

Sophie Hilam craved adventure, but ending up riding with a gang of bandits wasn’t exactly what she had in mind. Nor was falling for one of them. Jackson Shaw was the type of man her parents would hate, but her rebel heart was drawn to him regardless of the fact he was a no-good, rotten scoundrel.Jackson Shaw lived each day as if it was his last because it very well could be... moreSophie Hilam craved adventure, but ending up riding with a gang of bandits wasn’t exactly what she had in mind. Nor was falling for one of them. Jackson Shaw was the type of man her parents would hate, but her rebel heart was drawn to him regardless of the fact he was a no-good, rotten scoundrel.Jackson Shaw lived each day as if it was his last because it very well could be. When he meets a beauty he can’t stop thinking about, fate throws him the chance of a lifetime and he isn’t going to waste it, but when his past comes back to haunt him, and the gang he’s trying to outrun catches up with him, it’s up to him to save the woman of his dreams. His only hope is she forgives him when she finds out who he really is. less