Denise Hunter – författare

Now a Hallmark Channel movie!

From bestselling author Denise Hunter comes a classic love story filled with the spirit of Christmas where a fake engagement leads to real feelings.

What started as a whim turned into an accidental--and very public--engagement. Can Layla and Seth keep up the façade in Chapel Springs this holiday season--for the sake of her career . . . and his heart?

Under normal circumstances, Seth Murphy--the best friend of Layla O''Reilly''s ex-fiancé--would be the last person she''d marry. But the news of their upcoming (and phony) nuptials convinces a big client that Layla may be high-society enough to work for his agency--a coup that would put her fledgling home-staging business on the map.

Seth has secretly loved Layla for years, even when she was dating his best friend. Maybe she''ll never forgive him for the way he hurt her back then, but he has to try. And Layla is willing to keep up their engagement farce until she''s landed her client.

For Layla, it''s the chance to save her career. But for Seth, it''s his last chance to win her heart.

A December Bride is a heartwarming romance novella that will captivate your heart. It is part of a series of clean, no spice romances that will leave you feeling uplifted and inspired. Perfect for fans of sweet love stories and unforgettable characters. A year''s worth of novellas from twelve inspirational romance authors. Happily ever after guaranteed.

Cozy up by the fireplace for three heartwarming stories of love and weddings in the wintertime.

The honor of your presence is requested at three winter weddings . . .

A December Bride by Denise Hunter

When Layla O''Reilly and Seth Murphy make their engagement public, she knows it''s only to convince a major client that she''s high-society enough to work for his agency. Seth has secretly loved Layla for years, but she’s never given him the time of day. For Layla, this engagement of convenience is the chance to save her career. And for Seth, it''s the chance to finally win her heart.

A January Bride by Deborah Raney

Novelist Madeleine Houser arranges a temporary office in a local bed and breakfast to escape the distracting renovations on her own house. Although she''s never laid eyes on the inn''s owner, an unlikely friendship blossoms between them as they leave daily notes for each other, and before long, Maddie finds herself falling for her mysterious host—a man likely many years her senior—and a man she''s never even met.

A February Bride by Betsy St. Amant

History repeats itself when Allie Andrews escapes the church on her wedding day—wearing the same wedding dress passed down for generations of women in her family, all women with histories of failed marriages. Allie loves Marcus but fears she''s destined to repeat her family''s mistakes. When thrown unexpectedly together for a wedding months later, Allie and Marcus discover their own story might be far from over.

Happily ever after begins today. The honor of your presence is requested at a year of weddings . . .

A January Bride

Madeleine Houser’s pen-pal friendship with a lonely widower has taken an unexpected turn.

A February Bride

Allie left the love of her life at the altar—to save him from her family curse.

A March Bride

Susanna found her prince, and happily ever after is just around the corner. But first, they must pass one final test.

An April Bride

Weeks away from the wedding, Stella and Marshall must choose between faith in their past love or a very different future than either imagined.

A May Bride

Ellie has prepared for her wedding all her life . . . but she''s forgotten the most important part.

A June Bride

The reality show ended with an engagement, so why doesn’t this feel like the fairy tale Wynne thought it would be?

A July Bride

In a moment of total panic, Brendan left Alyssa at the altar. What will it take for him to win her back?

An August Bride

As far as Kelsey Wilcox is concerned, her last cowboy was the last cowboy.

A September Bride

Annie is ready to call this new town home, but one handsome policeman is ready to stand in her way . . . even if it means walking her down the aisle.

An October Bride

What if the only way to make your father’s last wish come true . . . was to marry the man of your dreams?

A November Bride

Can a decades-long friendship marred by romantic missteps ever lead to happily ever after for Sadie and Erik?

A December Bride

What started as a whim turned into an accidental—and very public—engagement in Chapel Springs this holiday season.

Enjoy Denise Hunter''s Big Sky novels as an e-book collection!

A Cowboy''s Touch

Abigail is just in Moose Creek, Montana for the summer to temporarily care for her great aunt. But a tender-hearted cowboy beckons her to stay.

The Accidental Bride

When a wedding reenactment turns real, Shay finds she''s an accidental bride.

The Trouble with Cowboys

Only one pair of boots--and the cowboy wearing them--can get Annie out of the mess she''s in.

All Along

When Reese Mackenzie—Smitten, Vermont’s finest planner—falls for her best friend Griffen, she hatches a scheme to capture his romantic attention. She asks him to help her win back her old-flame, thinking the time pretending to be a couple will help him see her in a new light. But it turns out Griffen can see through “his favorite girl.”

 Love Blooms

Nursery owner Clare Thomas is tired of being called predictable. So she throws caution to the wind and hires the scruffy , good-looking guy who rides in on a motorcycle. Is trusting her instincts the most foolish thing she’s ever done . . . or the smartest?

Happily Ever After

Molly may not be the Smitten Book Club''s biggest reader, but her new friend Gage seems to read her like an open book. When Gage Turner offers to help Molly with her failing business, Molly wonders if his motives are pure. After all, his business could easily absorb her customer base. But Gage has admired Molly for years and has been hoping for a way to connect with her. Will his efforts prove fruitful or will Molly''s pride get in the way of her own happily ever after?

Eden Martelli is too busy fleeing the clutches of danger to realize she’s running straight into the arms of a new love. Beau will go to the ends of the earth to keep Eden safe. But who’s going to protect his heart from a woman who can’t seem to trust again?

Speeding north through rural Maine, Eden Martelli wonders how her life came to this—on the run with her mute five-year-old son dozing fitfully in the passenger seat. When a breakdown leaves them stranded in Summer Harbor, Eden has no choice but to stay put through Christmas . . . even though they have no place to lay their heads.

Beau Callahan is a habitual problem solver—for other people anyway. He left the sheriff’s department to take over his family’s Christmas tree farm, but he’s still haunted by the loss of his parents and struggling to handle his first Christmas alone.

When Eden shows up looking for work just as Beau’s feisty aunt gets out of the hospital, Beau thinks he’s finally caught a break. Eden is competent and dedicated—if a little guarded—and a knockout to boot. But, as he soon finds out, she also comes with a boatload of secrets.

Eden has been through too much to trust her heart to another man, but Beau is impossible to resist, and the feeling seems to be mutual. As Christmas Eve approaches, Eden’s past catches up to her.

Beau will go to the ends of the earth to keep her safe. But who’s going to protect his heart from a woman who can’t seem to trust again?

Zac knows that if he follows his heart he’ll win back the love of his life—but if Lucy’s memory returns, his would-be bride might say goodbye forever. Now a Hallmark Original movie!

She only remembers loving him. But he can’t forget the way she left.

Lucy Lovett can’t remember the last seven months of her life. She doesn’t remember leaving her fiancé Zac Callahan weeks before their wedding or moving to Portland, Maine. And she sure doesn’t remember getting engaged to another man. All she remembers is loving Zac more than life itself.

Zac was just beginning to get his life back on track after Lucy left him with no explanation. And now she’s back—vulnerable, homeless, and still in love with him. Has he been given a second chance with the only woman who stirs his passion and haunts his dreams?

Lucy knows she must unlock those missing months and discover why she threw everything away.

“I’ve been a longtime fan of Denise Hunter’s, and The Goodbye Bride has everything I’ve come to love about her romances: a plucky heroine with lots of backstory, a yummy hero, and a terrific setting. Highly recommended!” —Colleen Coble USA TODAY bestselling author of the Lavender Tides and Hope Beach series

“Can romance be any more complicated than a bride who doesn’t remember running away from her groom? Denise Hunter’s take on a woman’s attempt to find her way back to happily ever after again is sweetly endearing. Readers will keep turning pages, wanting to know how true love ever went so wrong . . . and if The Goodbye Bride gets her chance to say “I do.” —Beth K. Vogt, 2015 RITA® Finalist and author of Crazy Little Thing Called Love

“Denise Hunter has done it once again, placing herself solidly on my must-read list! The Goodbye Bride is a tender, thoughtful look at the role memories play in a romance. The clever plot kept me up way past my bedtime—and happy to be so!” —Deborah Raney, award-winning author of the Chicory Inn Novels series

“The Goodbye Bride highlights the abandonment that so many have experienced. More importantly, within the context of a wonderful Summer Harbor romance, the author deftly illustrates that there is One who will never abandon us, and when we trust Him, we can in turn trust the people He places in our lives. All this packaged inside one heart-stopping, page-turning romance that will leave the pickiest romance reader delighted and asking for just a few more pages.” —Cara C. Putman, award-winning author of Where Treetops Glisten and Shadowed by Grace

Riley Callahan has plans to finally reveal his secret feelings for his best friend (who just happens to be his brother’s ex). But tragedy strikes and derails his plans.

Watching the love of his life fall for his brother was enough to send Riley straight to boot camp. But over a year later, he’s officially a marine, and Beau and Paige are no longer an item. When Riley’s tour in Afghanistan is up, he intends to confess his feelings to Paige and win his best friend’s heart once and for all.

But all that changes when an IED takes the life of a comrade and leaves Riley an amputee. Now he’s heading home, injured and troubled. His plans to win Paige are a distant dream. She deserves so much more than the man that’s left. All he can do now is put some healthy distance between them. But upon his return he discovers his family has arranged for him to stay with Paige.

Paige is a nurturer at heart and happy to take care of her best buddy. By all appearances Riley is adjusting miraculously well to his disability. But as the days pass, Paige begins to see that the smiles and laughter are just a mask for the pain he’s hiding. To make matters worse, her job is in serious jeopardy. The animal shelter that she’s poured her heart into has lost its funding, and she has three months to come up with the money needed to save it.

As the weeks wear on, Paige’s feelings for Riley begin to shift into uncharted territory. Why is she suddenly noticing his arm muscles and the way his lips curl at the corners? Will she be able to deny her feelings for another Callahan brother? And will Riley let his heart heal so he can let Paige in?

Enjoy the Smitten novels as an e-book collection from popular romance novelists—and real-life BFFs—Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Diann Hunt, and Denise Hunter.

Smitten

Welcome to Smitten, Vermont. With the help of four friends, it’s about to become the most romantic town in America.

Secretly Smitten

Summer, fall, winter, spring—Smitten, Vermont, is the place for love . . . and mystery!

Smitten Book Club

The century-old Gentlewoman’s Guide to Love and Courtship is no ordinary book club choice. But for the little book club in Smitten, Vermont, it might be their best pick yet!

Denise Hunter''s beloved Chapel Springs Romance series—collected together for the first time!

“Denise Hunter knows how to warm up an inspirational romance with sizzling chemistry.” —Kristin Billerbeck, bestselling author of What a Girl Wants

Barefoot Summer

Madison’s heart has been closed for years. But one summer with Beckett changes everything.

Dancing with Fireflies

Jade returns home to Chapel Springs after years of protecting her fragile heart. Then along comes Daniel, making her long to dance again.

The Wishing Season

Living side-by-side to fight for their dream, a fledgling chef and a big-hearted contractor find a delicious attraction.

Married ''til Monday

With a big anniversary party in the works for her parents, Ryan agrees to pretend to be Abby''s husband for one last weekend.

"The Wishing Season is a beautiful story—poignant and heartwarming, filled with delightful characters and intense emotion. Chapel Springs is a place anyone would love to call home.” —RaeAnne Thayne, New York Times bestselling author

They thought their love story was over. They thought their divorce was final. They were wrong.

Following his divorce, Noah gave up his dream job and settled at a remote horse ranch in the Blue Ridge Mountains of northern Georgia, putting much-needed distance between himself and the former love of his life. But then Noah gets a letter from the IRS claiming he and Josephine are still married. When he confronts Josephine, they discover that she missed the final step in filing the paperwork and they are, in fact, still married.

Josephine is no happier about the news than Noah. Maybe the failed marriage—and botched divorce—was her fault, but her heart was shattered right alongside his, more than he would ever believe. The sooner they put this marriage behind them, the better for both of their sakes.

But when Josephine delivers the final paperwork to his ranch, the two become stranded in his cottage during the worst spring snowstorm in a decade. Being trapped with Josephine is a test of Noah’s endurance. He wrestles with resentment and an unmistakable pull to his wife—still beautiful, still brave, and still more intriguing than any woman he’s ever known.

As they find themselves confronted with each other and their shared past, old wounds surface and tempers flare. But when they are forced out into the storm, they must rely on each other in a way they never have before. Josephine finally opens up about her tragic past, and Noah realizes she’s never been loved unconditionally by anyone—including him. Will Noah accept the challenge to pursue Josephine’s heart? And can she finally find the courage to trust Noah?

From the bestselling author of The Convenient Groom and A December Bride (now beloved Hallmark Original movies) comes this charming romance full of second chances and rekindled love.

“Sweetbriar Cottage is a wonderful story, full of emotional tension and evocative prose.” —Francine Rivers, New York Times bestselling author of Redeeming Love

“Sweetbriar Cottage is a story to fall in love with. True-to-life characters, high stakes, and powerful chemistry blend to tell an emotional story of reconciliation.” —Brenda Novak, New York Times bestselling author

Former free spirit Zoe Collins swore she''d never again set foot in Copper Creek or speak to the man who broke her heart. But return she must when she inherits a peach orchard nestled at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

When Zoe returns home with her young daughter and boyfriend Kyle, she finds that she''s the only person in town who doesn''t expect her to give up the life she''s established far away from Copper Creek. Everyone believes she was born to run the orchard, but how can she make it her home after so many years?

Cruz Huntley never quite got over his first love, Zoe Collins, the little sister of his best friend Brady. Not when she cheated on him during their "break," not when she took off to parts unknown with good-for-nothing Kyle Jenkins, and not even now—five years later.

As life-changing decisions and a history with Cruz hang over Zoe''s head, tensions rise between her and Kyle. Even as she comes to terms with the shifting relationships in her life, Zoe still isn''t sure if she can remain in Copper Creek with her new responsibilities . . . and her first love.

Brady Collins is juggling full-time fatherhood with the booming auto repair business he runs out of his barn. His ex-wife''s sudden death has shaken him, but the devastating news that follows leaves him reeling: Sam is not his biological son.

When Sam''s wealthy maternal grandparents decide they want custody of the child, Brady knows he''s in for the fight of his life. Brady''s attorney tips him off that one major life change would virtually assure him of winning guardianship of baby Sam at the final hearing: the stability of an impending marriage. And his friend Hope is willing to step in as the loving and devoted fiancée.

Local radio celebrity Hope Daniels has been driven by a solitary goal her entire life, and she''s finally been offered her dream job—in Atlanta. Unfortunately, her arrangement with Brady requires her presence in Copper Creek, and she is faced with missing the chance of a lifetime or standing in the way of a dear friend’s dreams.

Both Hope and Brady would give their lives for beautiful Sam. But can they give their trust to one another? With this new novel in the Blue Ridge Romance series, Honeysuckle Dreams shines light on the complicated and beautiful angles of love.

Falling in love with Daisy was easy for Jack. But finding the courage to tell her becomes problematic when his secret feelings lead to even bigger complications. 

From the bestselling author of The Convenient Groom and A December Bride (now beloved Hallmark Original movies) comes the final book in the Blue Ridge Romance series. 

After two years of counseling sessions with Daisy Pendleton, Pastor Jack McReady has earned a permanent spot in her life as a spiritual leader—and nothing more. Jack would never risk losing her trust by exposing the depths of his heart, but he’s hopelessly in love with her.

Daisy loves her southern small-town life and her job at her family-run flower shop, but she doesn’t have the thing she longs for most: someone to share it with. Her recent foray into online dating has been a disaster—until she meets TJ.

Jack could kill his friend Noah for using his initials and some indistinct photos to set up a profile on the dating app Daisy is using. But when he’s finally afforded the opportunity to show her a different side of himself, he’s sucked into the plan before he has time for second thoughts.

Online, Daisy shares some of her greatest fears with TJ, but in person, Jack and Daisy are spending more time together. When a devastating family secret surfaces, Daisy knows that only her trusted friend and counselor can bring her comfort. Jack wants nothing more than to be both men for Daisy, but revealing his secret will prove to be the ultimate test of Daisy’s grace. 

“I have never read a romance by Denise Hunter that didn’t sweep me away into a happily ever after. Treat yourself!” —Robin Lee Hatcher, bestselling author of Who I Am with You 

“Move over You’ve Got Mail because in Denise Hunter’s On Magnolia Lane you’ve got an e-romance with enough RAM (romance and magic) not only to sputter your software, but to tug at your heart while touching your soul. Easily one of the top romance writers in the CBA, Hunter is a master at inspirational love stories that linger in one’s memory—and hard drive—long after the last page.” —Julie Lessman, award-winning author

From the bestselling author of The Convenient Groom (now a beloved Hallmark Original movie) comes a heartfelt story of family secrets, forgiveness, and unexpected romance. A summer of low tides could expose years of family secrets. . .

One of Southern Living''s “25 Beach Reads Perfect for Summer” and Woman''s World''s “Best New Books”

When her grandmother goes missing from the family beach house, Maddy and her estranged sisters converge in Sea Haven, North Carolina. Being with uptight Nora and free-spirited Emma in the home where their family broke apart is a struggle Maddy is not in the mood to face, especially since she''s recovering from her ex-boyfriend''s recent betrayal.

As the sisters wait for word of their grandmother, they begin to pack up the family belongings--and unpack memories of the idyllic summers of their childhood. But with those memories come long-buried secrets, and Maddy discovers that all was not as it appeared that last summer in Sea Haven. Meanwhile, Gram''s neighbor, Connor Sullivan, seems overly interested in Gram''s whereabouts. Maddy is drawn in by his quick smile and steady gaze in spite of herself.

Undercurrents of jealousy and resentment threaten to pull the family under again, maybe for good this time. As tensions rise, the sisters must find a way to accept each other for the women they''ve become—and Maddy must decide if falling in love again is worth the potential heartbreak.

Praise for Summer by the Tides:

"Denise Hunter once again proves she''s the queen of romantic drama. Summer by the Tides is both a perfect beach romance and a dramatic story of second chances as sisters unravel secrets that have torn them apart for years. This novel is Hunter at the top of her game. If you like Robyn Carr, you''ll love Denise Hunter.  I couldn''t put it down!"—Colleen Coble, USA Today bestselling author of the Lavender Tides series

"I have never read a romance by Denise Hunter that didn''t sweep me away into a happily ever after. Treat yourself!"—Robin Lee Hatcher, bestselling author of Who I Am With You

A young innkeeper falls in love with a reclusive novelist in a small North Carolina lake town. Past and present collide and old secrets beckon in this first installment of the Bluebell Inn Romance series.

When her parents die in a tragic accident, Molly Bennett and her siblings pull together to fulfill their parents’ dream of turning their historic Bluebell, North Carolina, home back into an inn. Staying in town would be temporary—three years at most—then they plan to sell the inn, and Molly can get back to chasing her own dreams.

Adam Bradford (aka bestselling author Nathaniel Quinn) is a reclusive novelist with a bad case of writer’s block. Desperate for inspiration as his deadline approaches, he travels to the setting of his next book, a North Carolina lake town. There, he meets his muse, a young innkeeper who fancies herself in love with his alter ego.

Molly and Adam strike up an instant friendship. When Molly finds a long-lost letter in the walls of her inn, she and Adam embark on a mission to find the star-crossed lovers and bring them the closure they deserve. But Adam has secrets he isn’t ready to share. Past and present collide as truths surface, and Molly and Adam will have to decide if love is worth trusting.

Praise for Lake Season:

“Nobody does summer romance better than Denise Hunter.” —Julie Lessman, award-winning author

A jilted bride falls in love with a struggling innkeeper during a romantic mountain getaway in this heartwarming second installment of the Bluebell Inn Romance series.

Rising Hollywood star Mia Emerson is looking for a safe place to land in the wake of a public breakup and celebrity scandal, and she finds it in the lake town of Bluebell, North Carolina—the location of her canceled honeymoon. She wants nothing more than to hide and wait for the tabloids to die down.

Soon after her arrival at the Bluebell Inn, Mia meets Levi Bennett, who runs the inn along with his two younger sisters. Drawn to one another from the start, Mia trusts Levi to keep her location from the press, and Levi confides in Mia about the precarious financial state of the inn—a secret he’s been keeping from his sisters.

When Mia and Levi discover an old journal that hints at a rare diamond necklace hidden in the inn, they set off on a treasure hunt to find the long-lost heirloom. What they don’t expect to surface are feelings they thought were safely locked away. Mia and Levi must decide if falling in love again is too big a risk—or if it will uncover a treasure of its own instead.