North Country Romance Series by Ruth Logan Herne

Running a sheep farm alone isn’t easy, but North Country shepherd Sarah Slocum is determined to be successful. She’s fought drought and disease, and she’s turning out bountiful crops of lambs several times a year. Like many start-up farmers, Sarah is working a side job, too, and managing— barely. But when a family crisis hits, Sarah takes in her two nieces and a nephew, kids who’ve never been subjected to the rigors, sights, sounds and smells of farm life... moreRunning a sheep farm alone isn’t easy, but North Country shepherd Sarah Slocum is determined to be successful. She’s fought drought and disease, and she’s turning out bountiful crops of lambs several times a year. Like many start-up farmers, Sarah is working a side job, too, and managing— barely. But when a family crisis hits, Sarah takes in her two nieces and a nephew, kids who’ve never been subjected to the rigors, sights, sounds and smells of farm life. And when the to-die-for handsome local veterinarian moves in across the street, the veterinarian who has an aversion to sheep and a grudge against Slocums, Sarah’s pretty sure things couldn’t get worse. Until they do.Dr. Craig Macklin is blindsided when he realizes he’s building his long-awaited house across the road from Sarah Slocum’s sheep farm. It’s his fault for falling in love with the generous slope and not back-checking the neighbors before he cut a deal, but as Craig gets to know Sarah, he’s drawn to her. She’s nothing like the women he’s dated. She’s nothing like any woman he’s known, and the urge to protect her and care for her only grows when a mid-summer storm threatens her life. But Sarah’s life hasn’t been easy, and while forgiveness is a Christian mandate, the concept has tested her patience lately. Can she move beyond the cruelties of her past to embrace the future God’s laid out for her? A future with Craig? less

Former Delta Commander Brooks Harriman crashed and burned when his fiance betrayed him with his very own brother. With the intervention of God and a really great Baltimore cop, Brooks became a recovering alcoholic. He left Baltimore, the O's, baseball, church and his family to seek a life of quiet faith and solitude in the North Country. Now a woodcrafter, a talent and trade passed on from his father, Brooks has created a steady, non-drama life. Just what he wants... moreFormer Delta Commander Brooks Harriman crashed and burned when his fiance betrayed him with his very own brother. With the intervention of God and a really great Baltimore cop, Brooks became a recovering alcoholic. He left Baltimore, the O's, baseball, church and his family to seek a life of quiet faith and solitude in the North Country. Now a woodcrafter, a talent and trade passed on from his father, Brooks has created a steady, non-drama life. Just what he wants. But when Rita Slocum works to conquer her own addiction, and when he sees the struggle of a single mother overcoming addiction in a small town, Brooks wants to help, but he hasn't let anyone in, anyone really close for a lot of years. Does he dare start now? With Rita? She's been betrayed by her husband and her brother-in-law and is dealing with three kids, one of whom is a-- he hates to say it-- brat. When a stray dog rattles his well-guarded quiet life, and three kids bring love and chaos to his ordered existence, the former operative realizes that maybe this is the second chance he doesn't think he deserves... but maybe--Just maybe--He does. less

Kayla Doherty has plans and dreams. Dreams that have nothing to do with staying in the crisp cold of elongated North Country winters. Plans that have everything to do with warmth and fresh air and sunshine and gardens. Pretty gardens, welcoming the warmth and joys of rebirth, but first she needs to finish out the final months of her North Country hospice nurse contract, and that means dealing with somewhat surly and antagonistic Marc DeHollander... moreKayla Doherty has plans and dreams. Dreams that have nothing to do with staying in the crisp cold of elongated North Country winters. Plans that have everything to do with warmth and fresh air and sunshine and gardens. Pretty gardens, welcoming the warmth and joys of rebirth, but first she needs to finish out the final months of her North Country hospice nurse contract, and that means dealing with somewhat surly and antagonistic Marc DeHollander. The young rancher is about to lose his father, he's got a fourteen-year-old sister to raise, their mother abandoned the family years ago and he's got cattle to tend, a farm store to oversee and no time to breathe. Of course he's surly...But Kayla's dealt with difficult people before. She understands that death and hospice can put enormous strain on people. Saying goodbye is never easy and her job is to make it less painful for the patient and the family. But Marc seems determined to put her to the test, a test she's mostly ready for...If she can bite her tongue.Kayla brings warmth, wisdom and wit to the farm and as Pete's condition worsens, she's a mainstay in their home and their hearts. What she doesn't expect is to find an unknown connection between her and the DeHollanders... and that Marc sees beyond the pretty smile and cute clothes to the fractured girl within the professional nurse's body. Two messed up lives and dysfunctional families can't bring happiness...Or can they? In a story filled with love, loss, faith, joy and emotion, Herne brings her characters to life in what was her debut novel for Love Inspired Books "Winter's End". She hopes you love it as much as she does. less