Bøker av Diane M. Pratt

The day Macy realizes her dream of owning her own store is never going to come true, she knows the only thing that's going to help her feel better is a large brownie sundae, complete with whipped cream and a cherry. She imagines how delicious it's going to taste, and once the sundae is cradled in her hands, she knows nothing is going to come between her and her favorite comfort food. Except something, or someone, does and suddenly she is covered in whipped cream. As is the man standing right in front of her, who hadn't been there a second ago.All Tanner wants is a lousy ice cream to help him forget his lousy day, but before he's even stepped into one of the lines at the shop, his shirt is covered in something wet, cold, and sticky. Meeting the eyes of the woman who'd just tried to drown him with a sundae, he waits for an apology that never comes. Heading home, his ice cream forgotten, he hopes he'll never run into her again, but if by some freak coincidence he does happen to see her, he'll run the other way.Except he does see her again. And he realizes running away is the last thing he wants to do.

Olivia knows on paper she has a good life; a condo near the beach, a faithful car, a boyfriend, and a position as personal assistant to a VP. And she is only a week away from her long-awaited vacation, a road trip through New England with her boyfriend. As Olivia is on the verge of setting off, her boss assigns one more task, meaning a delay of the start of her vacation, which results in Olivia's boyfriend dumping her as he considers the demand "the last straw". Little does Olivia know, but consequences of "the last straw" are about to affect the rest of her life.Mick, back home on Scandia Island after another successful trip, is gearing up with the rest of the islanders for two Nor'easters headed their way, and he knows his increasing discontent isn't due to the weather. When the ferries are grounded and one of the stranded appears in seek of lodging, one look at her is all it takes to make him realize the storm could be a blessing in disguise. Until their first conversation, and their second, and third. Because he and the sassy Olivia can no more agree on anything under the sun than he can stop the storms from raging. Or so he thinks.

Briana has been passed over for promotion one too many times, and the interview she scores at Venzaar seems like the answer to all her problems. Her professional problems, anyway. When she learns her competition for the dream job is none other than her sister's smart aleck neighbor, she is even more determined to beat him and land the job. Unfortunately, he seems to have the same idea.Noah has run out of patience, what little he possesses, with his boss, and the time has come for him to win the director's job at Venzaar. Either that or move to Alaska and become a recluse. Then he discovers who else is after the job that is clearly meant for him, and he knows nothing is going to prevent him from getting what he wants.

Tenley reaches a turning point in her life when a date calls her chubby, and she decides it is time to lose the date and the weight. Her goal is to be able to fit into her jeans from high school and she enlists her friends to help her. Thomas, a colleague and friend, strikes her as the athletic type, and during lunch in the Starling Engineering cafeteria she discusses his weekend activities of running, hiking, and biking, and decides if she takes up dieting and strenuous activity, she'll be able to reach her goal.Thomas has admired Tenley from afar since she started working at Starling three years ago. When he starts having lunch with her and her friends and realizes his chance to be closer to her has arrived because of her decision to lose a few pounds, he enlists his friends to join the lunch group. Soon they are all hiking trails on weekends, and Thomas wonders if it's too soon to tell Tenley he wants more from her than friendship. Then comes the day she tells him he's her BGFF, best guy friend forever, and he knows the time has come to risk her friendship and tell her how he feels.

Driving around town on yet another errand for her boss, this time to bring a Bichon Frise for her puppy spa day, Colby finds herself on an unfamiliar road, and once she sees a replica of a beautiful antique saltbox, a perfect miniature of the house, perched proudly on the home's mailbox, she knows she has to have a replica of her parents' house built as a special surprise for them. Marching herself up the long driveway to a red barn complete with workshop, she discovers Lawson Briggs, the man responsible for building the miniatures. The only difficulty is, he refuses to make one for Colby, giving her the flimsy excuse that he's too busy, but there is no way she's going to take no for an answer.Lawson has enough carpentry work to keep him busy for the next six months, and when Colby Michaels comes into his workshop with her honey-colored hair, red lips, and high heels, he tells her he doesn't have time to waste on her request, hoping she'll get the message and leave him alone so he can finish his special order by the deadline. When she doesn't get the message, he sends her off with an assignment he knows she won't be able to complete, knowing that will be the end of that.Except it isn't the end, because she's back in his shop in a week, and now she's even more determined to get her way. When he finally caves, his troubles really begin, then he realizes he is in way over his head.

Lexi is excited about the new mystery shop opening next to hers, but the suspense is killing her. None of the other shop owners on Ocean Street have been able to discover just what the shop will be selling. Her attempts to find out the truth aren't going well, and she decides she can't wait another second. Braving the papered over windows and door of the new shop, she brings a box of sweets from the bakery as a welcome-to-the-neighborhood gift. She knows the mystery is about to be solved and can't wait to share the news with the other shop owners.Linc is hoping to pick up the pieces of his life after a career ending injury put paid to his life-long dream of making it to the Major Leagues, and he moves 700 miles away to leave his past behind and make a new start. Instead of feeling welcomed, he has an unpleasant encounter with one of the Bentley natives and wonders if he's made a huge mistake.Instead of the pleasant conversation she anticipates, Lexi receives the coldest of cold shoulders from her new neighbor, who doesn't even bother to introduce himself. Just because she accidentally throws a bag of garbage at him and drops a box of brownies on his feet is no reason for him to be all snippy with her. Then Lexi learns she will be partnered with the man, Linc Easton, in the Ocean Street Shops' Christmas fundraiser this year and she knows she's going to have to summon enough Christmas spirit for both of them. No matter how impossible it will be.

Melody meets Gabe at a liquor store and he asks her to be his plus one at a friend's wedding.Melody makes it a practice not to attend weddings with men she's never seen before, even gorgeous ones with almost irresistible curly locks, and declines the offer. Gabe accepts defeat with dignity, knowing he will incur the wrath of the bridezilla because he'd promised to appear with a date.When Gabe slips into the church after the start of the wedding, he thinks the stars must have aligned, because there in the bench beside him is none other than the woman from the liquor store.Melody is astonished to see the curly-haired one himself sitting with her, and when the bride and groom's unusual New Year's Eve request is announced, she finds herself sharing a kiss with him. A kiss that weakens her knees and leaves her gasping for air. And another kiss. Which is just one more reason to get out of that church before anyone sees her.Gabe watches the mystery woman leave without a word, but he knows he'll see her at the reception. He will have his plus one.Except he doesn't see her at the reception. He doesn't have his plus one.How does a man find a woman when he knows nothing about her, other than the certainty he must find her?

Jenny's week isn't going well. She loses both her job and her apartment and is forced to move back home with her parents. At least she'll be living in a loft over the garage instead of in a dreaded basement. Unable to get a job to suit her qualifications, she finds herself working at her father's hardware store, mixing and delivering paint to contractors. Thinking she couldn't possibly have a job more unsuited to her abilities, she soon realizes her mistake when she finds herself standing shoulder to shoulder with a cranky house painter who is impatiently explaining the intricacies of using a paint sprayer to her.Charles had been hearing stories for years about Jenny, aka Snow White, and when he finally meets the paragon, he realizes the stories were truer than he'd thought. Unfortunately, he and the paragon can't seem to get along, which is a problem since he needs her help or he won't be able to fulfill the biggest contract he's ever been given.

Bethany loves everything about Christmas and puts up her tree and decorations every year on the day after Halloween. Working as department head in Women's in Williston's department store at prestigious Prescott Place means she is surrounded by Christmas all day every day. The only thing marring her holiday season is the fact Lucas Mattsen, the annoying department head in Men's, won't stop reminding her if she doesn't reach her sales quota for the year, she will not be invited to the CEO's exclusive Christmas party. Again. She is determined to reach her numbers, just to show him.Lucas hears there will be an opening in the Electronics' department which would mean much more lucrative commissions and he is determined to be the one the CEO chooses for the position. When he hears the prickly Bethany Bedard is also after the job, he is even more determined to get it.Neither Bethany nor Lucas imagine stolen mannequins, a blizzard, and a trip to Urgent Care will be the perfect recipe for love.