Heart Throbs #10

Jane Howard has spent her whole life paralyzed by social anxiety, coddled by protective parents who sheltered her from the world—but when her boyfriend Johnny insists she join a party at his house, she's forced to confront the fears that have kept her isolated. As Jane struggles to connect with Johnny's cousins and friends, her worst insecurities threaten to destroy the one relationship that matters most to her.

Naida Wallis rules her privileged social circle with calculated flair, but when the rugged rancher Kim McAllister arrives as a guest at one of her elaborate parties, he proves utterly immune to her charms—and worse, calls out the emptiness beneath all her carefully crafted uniqueness. As Kim's brutally honest words and a stolen kiss ignite something real in Naida, she finds herself chasing his attention across the city's party circuit, only to discover that true connection demands she stop performing and start being herself. When Kim extends an unexpected invitation to his Nevada ranch, Naida faces a choice between her pride and the genuine life—and genuine love—waiting for her if she's brave enough to claim it.

Nan Shelby has earned her "Tomboy" nickname honestly—she'd rather play sports with the boys than worry about makeup or romance. But when she meets Gary Barlow at her uncle's farm, something shifts; suddenly she's thinking about feminine wiles instead of athletic challenges, especially after overhearing him dismiss her as "too much of a tomboy" for a formal dance. Determined to prove him wrong, Nan launches a transformation that will test whether she can win Gary's heart by becoming someone new—or if the real game is learning who she actually wants to be.

When Susan McKay's engagement to Dave Edwards is tested by the arrival of Mona Randall—a beautiful, flirtatious houseguest staying with Dave's mother—Susan watches helplessly as the scheming newcomer works her charms on the man she loves. As weeks pass and Mona becomes an ever-present third wheel on their dates and plans, Susan's jealousy builds to a breaking point, forcing her to confront what she fears most. A heartbreaking tale of romance threatened by ambition and a rival's calculated charm.