New York Times best-selling novelist Nora Roberts captivates millions of fans with her provocative blend of scorching passion and chilling suspense. With Carnal Innocence, she creates a gripping tale of murder, infatuation, and true love in a small southern town. After beautiful concert violinist Caroline Waverly breaks up with her conductor and lover Luis, she escapes to her late grandmother’s home in Innocence, Mississippi.

When Alicia moves back to Pine Valley to help her mom through a serious addiction, the last person she wants to see is her teenage crush, Jeff Finch, who destroyed their friendship in one single disastrous night. Alicia is determined to not let anything about Jeff affect her, especially since she hasn't seen him in 10 years. All she knows is that he's living a successful and charmed life, and she is more than happy to keep anything between them in the past. But when he shows up with a date at the restaurant where she works, Alicia realizes she's still not over her feelings.

Studious and sensible, the only thing Molly Wakefield wants to do is get through senior year and graduate. That, and hit the beach in her spare time. Maybe even read a book or two. And things are going great—until the day she catches Weston McGrath, handsome star athlete and scholar, spying on her in study hall. A tad creepy? Maybe. Thrilling? Absolutely. Why? Because Weston McGrath is one guy no one can get close to. Despite her efforts to avoid him, Molly and Weston form an unlikely friendship. But it's a friendship that comes with a price—because Weston cannot stop screwing up.

Miller "Buck" Butterson has been banging his way through life ever since a puck to the face fixed his messed-up front teeth. After five years in the NHL, deflecting goals on the ice and scoring them with puck bunnies, Miller has decided he's ready for a girlfriend. A real, nonbunny girlfriend to take on dates and not jump into bed with after five seconds of conversation. Miller thinks he's found that woman in his teammate's sister.

I've sworn off men. All men. Famous last words, right? You're expecting some epic tale of reluctant love and my dramatic change of heart? Well, you're not going to get it. I'm stubborn. And headstrong. And I've just survived the worst three years of my life. After escaping an abusive boyfriend to live in hostels and cheap hotels while I worked my way across Europe, I've come to two conclusions. The first? Now that I'm back home, I'm going to squander my expensive culinary degree on a food truck that caters to the late night drunk crowd.

Lily LeBlanc isn't versed in the art of casual sex, but after seven years in an on-again, off-again relationship, she's definitely willing to give it a shot. And who better to try it with than her best friend's boyfriend's best friend? What could possibly go wrong? NHL player Randy Ballistic lives up to his last name on the ice and in the bedroom. His best friend and teammate has recently given up the puck bunnies and traded them in for a real girlfriend. And she just happens to have a seriously feisty, extra-hot best friend on the rebound.