Oak Grove, Volume 1 — Nancy Stopper

ONE LAST RISK: A guilt-driven firefighter, a widowed mother, neither is ready for love, but love has other plans. Firefighter Lucas Bennett had the carefree life he'd always wanted until a deadly blaze took the life of his company mate and best friend. Blaming himself was easy but pulling himself from the tailspin of guilt proved to be much harder. A fire took almost everything from Sarah Robinson—her husband and her home—leaving her to raise their precious daughter alone. Everywhere she looked held memories of her husband, pouring salt on her ever-present wound. All Sarah needed was the chance to start a new life for her and her daughter. A car accident on a dark, rainy night put Lucas and Sarah on a collision course neither of them expected... with questions they're not ready to answer. Can a single mother open her broken heart for a second chance at love? Will a broken firefighter risk his heart for what might be his only chance at forever? Are each of them willing to take one last risk to be together? His risk. Her reward. Together, they'll mend each other's broken hearts.ONE LAST DANCE: A sophisticated city girl, a small town guy. Will their differences drive them apart or will they discover that home is where the heart is? When the only girl Joey Bennett ever loved stole his heart and sped off to the city lights, he swore he'd never again surrender his heart or be measured by someone's big city ideals. Love is for chumps. But when a beautiful stranger dances into his bar, he takes up the challenge to prove that his hometown is different. Brittany Carlson hates small towns after growing up where the old boy's network turned a blind eye to her father's abuse, destroying her mother's life... and her own. She left that hell in the rear-view mirror the minute she turned eighteen. But a weekend visit to Oak Grove and one dance with a sexy local threatens to change... everything. Joey is not like any guy she's ever met. And she likes that. Long nights stoke Joey and Brittany's desire to stay together, but reality is different when exposed to the harsh light of day. Can she take the small town out of Joey, or can the love of a good man become her new home?ONE LAST CHANCE: She's escaped an abusive relationship, he's hiding from the horrors that followed him home. Can the two of them find the courage to face their pain, heal, and find love? Rachel Bennett has had enough. She's finally found the strength to leave her bastard of a boyfriend with the help of her childhood friend and deputy sheriff, Sawyer. But the hurt runs deep, as do the family secrets that drove her down the spiral of self-destruction. She's determined to start life fresh. Sawyer Truman has loved Rachel as long as he can remember. He joined the Army Reserves after high school to prove to himself—and Rachel—he's the right man for her. He returns from Afghanistan, demons hot on his trail, to find Rachel shacking up with a new boyfriend. He fears he's lost his one chance with Rachel. It doesn't take long before he sees what no one wants to admit—Rachel is being abused. After one too many calls to her house, he convinces Rachel to leave Shane. What he didn't expect to happen was to find her living in his guest room. As Rachel heals from her abusive relationship, Sawyer and Rachel grow closer. But will a lingering family secret threaten to ruin Rachel's fragile psyche? Will Sawyer's unspoken love for Rachel survive and grow?