“I’m exactly where I want to
be right now,”
Verity murmured softly, and he felt himself leaning toward her. Leo imagined she had slightly leaned toward him. The urge to reach out and run his thumb along her cheek was so strong, he balled his hand into a fist. He didn’t know what was going on today, but he didn’t like it.
Leo was twelve years older than this young woman who’d begun to fascinate him. He’d never given a glance to younger women before. Not only was she younger, but Leo saw vulnerability and innocence in Verity’s eyes. He could be wrong, but he doubted it. No matter what her life story, it was safest for him to keep his distance.
That was exactly what he was going to do.
Dear Reader,
What is the best gift you ever received? Chances are it came from a loved one and reflects to some degree the love you share. Or maybe the gift was something like a cruise or a trip to an exotic locale that raised the hope of finding romance and lasting love. Well, it’s no different for this month’s heroes and heroines, who will all receive special gifts that extend beyond the holiday season to provide a lifetime of happiness.
Karen Rose Smith starts off this month’s offerings with Twelfth Night Proposal (#1794)—the final installment in the SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE continuity. Set during the holidays, the hero’s love enables the plain-Jane heroine to become the glowing beauty she was always meant to be. In The Dating Game (#1795) by Shirley Jump, a package delivered to the wrong address lands the heroine on a reality dating show. Julianna Morris writes a memorable romance with Meet Me under the Mistletoe (#1796), in which the heroine ends up giving a widower the son he “lost” when his mother died. Finally, in Donna Clayton’s stirring romance Bound by Honor (#1797), the heroine receives a “life present” when she saves the Native American hero’s life.
When you’re drawing up your New Year’s resolutions, be sure to put reading Silhouette Romance right at the top. After all, it’s the love these heroines discover that reminds us all of what truly matters most in life.
With all best wishes for the holidays and a happy and healthy 2006.
Ann Leslie Tuttle
Associate Senior Editor
Twelfth Night Proposal
Karen Rose Smith
To Jeanne Smith—Appreciation for the Bard was one of our first connections. Thanks for your friendship and support. With thanks to Stella Bagwell, my Texas Gulf authority.
Books by Karen Rose Smith
Silhouette Romance
*Adam’s Vow #1075
*Always Daddy#1102
*Shane’s Bride#1128
†Cowboy at the Wedding#1171
†Most Eligible Dad #1174
†A Groom and a Promise #1181
The Dad Who Saved Christmas #1267
‡Wealth, Power and a Proper Wife #1320
‡Love, Honor and a Pregnant Bride #1326
‡Promises, Pumpkins and Prince Charming #1332
The Night Before Baby #1348
‡Wishes, Waltzes and a Storybook Wedding #1407
Just the Man She Needed #1434
Just the Husband She Chose #1455
Her Honor-Bound Lawman #1480
Be My Bride? #1492
Tall, Dark & True #1506
Her Tycoon Boss #1523
Doctor in Demand #1536
A Husband in Her Eyes #1577
The Marriage Clause #1591
Searching for Her Prince #1612
With One Touch #1638
The Most Eligible Doctor #1692
Once Upon a Baby…#1737
Twelfth Night Proposal #1794
Silhouette Special Edition
Abigail and Mistletoe #930
The Sheriff’s Proposal #1074
His Little Girl’s Laughter #1426
Expecting the CEO’s Baby #1535
Their Baby Bond #1588
Take a Chance on Me #1599
Which Child Is Mine? #1655
Cabin Fever#1682
Silhouette Books
The Fortunes of Texas
Marry in Haste…
Logan’s Legacy
A Precious Gift
KAREN ROSE SMITH
award-winning author of over fifty published novels, enjoyed Shakespeare’s works when she studied them in college. As an English teacher, she particularly liked sharing them with her ninth and tenth graders, encouraging appreciation for the Bard’s plot lines, language and grasp of universal emotions. Then she never suspected crafting emotional and romantic stories would become her life’s work! Married for thirty-four years, she and her husband reside in Pennsylvania with their two cats, Ebbie and London. Readers can e-mail Karen through her Web site at www.karenrosesmith.com or write to her at P.O. Box 1545, Hanover, PA 17331.
Cast of Characters
Leo Montgomery (Lead Character)—This angst-ridden dad thought
