Family by Choice Series

Dr. Brittany Anthony is no stranger to set backs, but she never lets anything stop her--not even a life-threatening disease. As head of obstetrics, Brittany goes after everything she wants--even when life tries to knock her back down.  But when she collides with an arrogant and stubborn pediatrician, she meets her match. Pediatric Surgeon Tommy Williams lives for his work, and taking care of children is his only priority--and a feisty OBGYN isn't going to deter him from his job. As the two doctors grow closer, Brittany's life is on the line. But this time, the enemies can't be cured--they're out for blood.  When Brittany and Tommy finally demolish the walls that surround them, it's time for more healing than either of them ever imagined.  Suddenly, their pasts threaten the very future they were both afraid to face.  Are these two doctors more afraid of pain than the patients they treat or can they handle a little agony for a lifetime of love? 

Who cares if they're not normal? Neither am I. Life has not been easy for Alex Winters since he used his pyrokinetic powers to take control of the Russian district. Violence and betrayal have become a way of life, but he's somehow managed to keep the gangsters in line. At barely sixteen, he thinks he's seen it all. He hasn't. Things spiral out of control when the latest double cross takes a turn for the supernatural. The new group muscling in on his territory turns out to be a brutal gang of vampires. Can Alex defeat an enemy even more powerful than himself? Can he keep his people safe and his boss happy? Can Alex survive in a world that just keeps getting more dangerous?

It's been over a year since the events of Brothers In Arms. Alex and his super-powered friends knew that GenEx wasn't really gone, but they've been living peacefully since escaping them, and haven't given it much thought. Now, not only is GenEx back, but Alex and his friends receive a message from the future telling them that much more may be at stake than their own lives. Are super-powers really enough for someone to save the world? Kindred Spirits is book 3 in the Family by Choice series. Praise for the Family by Choice series: "The writing was great, and the characterization, especially of Alex, was spot on. It's been a long time since I encountered a character who I liked so much. (...) I loved this. If you like dark fiction, supernatural, and a good dose of action, then try out this series. You will not be disappointed." I Heart Reading book reviews "Alex is a great character. He's complicated, and has many different layers. The story was good, and the writing was spot on the entire time. I was drawn into this book from the first page, and enjoyed it very much." Forever Book Lover reviews "Caroline Fréchette is one of my favourite fantasy writers in the National Capital Region. (...) If you are a fan of fantasy I would definitely encourage you to pick up both of these books. The story has a great pace and the strong writing makes them an easy read. As well, Alex Winters is a very interesting character." Alejandro Bustos, Apartment 613 "While I find this series to be a quick read, it is also an incredibly good read. (...) I highly recommend it for your summer reading list." Geeky Godmother reviews

It's been five years. Five years since GenEx. Five years since the world was completely changed. And now Alex feels responsible for integrating extrahumans with the "normals." He must also take care of the gravely-ill Mister Lupino. When his son, Nicholas, suddenly reappears in his life under tragic circumstances, Alex doesn't know if he can take it. Maybe that's why he starts seeing people that aren't there, and hearing sobs in the night. Maybe it's all of the stress. Or, maybe, it's something else.

Am I losing my mind, or my power? Right now, I'm not sure which would be worse. A little over a year after the events of Blood Relations, Alex Winters is doing well, with a relatively comfortable home life with his girlfriend and baby. Although his position as underboss for the Lupino group is starting to weigh on him, he truly thinks the most difficult times of his life are behind him. When he is approached by GenEx, and discovers that there are others with special abilities like him, he finds out just how wrong he is.

Tommy and Brittany have been through everything. They have survived problems that would level the strongest of couples. They continue to rely on each other and their love to get through every struggle and up until now, they have made it. When Brittany goes into labor, everything they know to be true about their love and faith in each other is tested. Tommy can't bear to lose his daughter, but his wife's life is on the line. Can he make the ultimate choice? Heaven's Tiny Tears shows us the lengths people will go for those they love, and how simply powerful we can become when faced with the unthinkable. Like every book in the series, this family knows what they are capable of, and what power they have. It is up to them to call upon those strengths. Tommy needs to find it in his heart to do right by his girls. Jack and Stephanie try to help, as does Bill and Julie, but another secret is uncovered about someone's past that throws ever bit of calm they may have into chaos. This just might be the one obstacle they simply cannot overcome.

What happens when you do all you can, you give all you are, and you fight with all you have, and it simply isn't enough? What do you have left when everything is taken from you? Sometimes, all that remains is the core of who we are as individuals; the basic of all needs and wants. The Unexpected is the continued story of Tommy, Brittany, Bill, Julie, Jack and Stephanie; their hopes, desires, struggles and challenges. They are strong together, but what happens when an evil from the past threatens all they know to be true?

How much is too much for a human being to handle? What is it about the human spirit that enables us to push on through insurmountable odds? When it is easier to simply give up? For Julie and Bill, that question loomed over their heads. Serving his second tour in Iraq left Bill with more questions than answers and the possibility of never seeing his wife or newborn son was again was an ache he felt every minute of every day. He had to get home, he promised he would come back to her, but he never meant for it to happen in this way. He never meant for this. Tommy and Brittany thought they had turned a corner. Things were finally on track after so much turmoil and they both began to look at a future filled with possibilities. That was before an obsessed nurse went after Tommy, by going after his heart and soul. Tommy was forced to make the ultimate decision and in doing so, gave up a piece of him. How would life ever be the same for them? For Tommy and Brittany and Bill and Julie it was a question they all needed to know. Can love survive the hardest of trials? Can your soul mate hear you in your darkest hour? Can love endure?

One instant. Everything changes in one instant. What was once a beautiful morning becomes a violent reminder of how fleeting our time can be. For Tommy and Brittany, they both learned that lesson more times than most. They have been through trials and tribulations that would level the strongest of people. They were happy. They were in love. They were expecting a miracle baby. And then there was darkness. What will happen when nothing can be done to fix what was lost? How does a family move forward when the darkness seems suffocating? It will take everyone she knows and everything she is to help Brittany find the light, or else all she built with Tommy will be lost forever.

Bill and Brittany. Brother and sister. They grew up so close, yet so far apart and it was a mix of luck and fate that brought them together. Suddenly, in a flash, in a moment of heroism, both of their lives are forever changed. It isn't the event as much as our reaction that defines who we are as people. Brittany has always reacted with grace and dignity when confronted with trauma. Sometimes, everyone has their breaking point, and for her, what happens to Bill causes a response no one saw coming. Courage Lies Within is the story of a family fractured after being pushed to the limit. Sometimes, even when we know what's right, we still choose a different path. Sometimes, it's the only way to survive. Sometimes it can have devastating consequences.

A school dance. A new romance beginning to grow. A moment in time that can never be changed. The results are tragic. The happiness is gone. Their lives are shattered. Now it’s time to pick up the pieces and figure out how to move forward. If only it were that simple. Unfortunately, the past begins to rear its ugly head and questions nobody wanted to answer are asked. It’s not simply a matter of talking about it. For David and Bill, it’s a conversation a lifetime in the making. For Sabrina and David, it’s a rift that might never be healed. For Tommy and Brittany, it’s a wound that has finally healed. Now it is ripped open again, with no warning. Ian is destroyed. Cassie comes home. How can the family help each other heal when everything has been Shattered.

Jack and Stephanie. When they found each other, their lives were empty and their hearts were as well. It took love and strength and passion for them to come together and create the bond that helped form their family of choice. Now, in an instant, it all fell apart. Jack and Stephanie were solid. They were the anchors. They were the couple who were strong and who everyone else leaned on. They had a beautiful and spunky daughter and a son on the way. They had survived the trials and tribulations a new marriage can bring and they were the epitome of strength and love. Their future was shining the brightest. When they went to the bank that morning to support their family, they could never have imagined the horror they would face. The gunshot, the blood, and the moment everything changed. Who is Jack without his heart and soul? How can Sabrina grow up without a mother? How will this family survive? And just what was in the safe deposit box? For Jack and Tommy and Bill, it's about protecting those they love. It's about ending the threats once and for all. It's time to settle the score.

Julie. Throughout everything, Julie has been the reason this family survived. She is the glue that holds them all together, as her brothers like to tell everyone. She is the mother of two strong teenagers who adore and need her. She is the wife of a hero; one who embodies strength and courage. Julie is hope. She is also tenacious and protective. What happens to her catches everyone off guard. Bill blames himself. The threats against this family have always been relentless and for the most part, they have been contained. This one came out of nowhere. Julie has no choice but to fight. For her life.

Sometimes things happen in life that truly shake your core beliefs. Sometimes you live through tragedies that make you question everything you believed to be true in life. Sometimes you learn that life throws you curve balls and if you don’t swing, you suffer a direct hit. Tommy had learned those lessons. He had been through the worst in life. He had suffered incredible trauma and had made a life that was meaningful and full of love. He had a wife who was the love of his life. He had a daughter who was the light of his life. Everything was as it should be. And then it wasn’t. A danger he never saw coming struck without warning. He was suddenly in a fight for his life and his daughter was being used as bait. There was no time left. He wasn’t going to get away. His only goal… Save his daughter.

Cassie has lived through horrors she will never forget. She has served her Country for almost two decades and she is finally home for good. She is done fighting. She is done running. Her life is finally right where it should be and she is ready for the next chapter to begin. Until one man brings a gun and goes after her husband. It’s not war. It’s her home, and she never expected to face a crisis like this. One gunshot and everything is over. But for Cassie, it’s just the beginning. 

Josie. How do you ask for a miracle when you’ve already received so many? How do you come to terms with a diagnosis that punches you in the gut? What do you do when it’s your child? Bill and Julie have stronger faith than most. They have been tested and tested again and they always push through. They have seen the worst that life has to offer and they have also known the best. But this battle is one they are not prepared for and they don’t know how to begin to fight. As if that weren’t enough, Tommy is still struggling to heal from his ordeal. He worries that life will never be the same and for him, that might be the case. His career may be over. Brittany is trying to help him, but she is struggling with her own demons. Their daughter’s budding romance brings out the press and for the first time in years, they once again have a target on their back. Nothing is easy. But then again, for this family, it never is.

There is nothing worse than a child being injured or sick. When you have a family of doctors, the inability to help can be suffocating. Jack and Stephanie are dealing with Tessa's complications the best way they can. It's excruciating to know your child is in pain and there is nothing you can do to fix it. Bill and Julie are trying to help their children through the senseless loss of a best friend while dealing with David's injuries which suddenly become much more serious. The kids are also growing and becoming their own individuals, with a mix of their parent's convictions and their own. It's easy to get caught up in the day to day struggles. It's easy to forget that for some of us, those struggles are never ending. Tommy and Brittany have learned that lesson over and over again. Naomi is blossoming into a beautiful and intelligent young woman. They are coming to terms with their new normal, now that Tommy can't operate. Things get pushed aside. Minor aches and pains get ignored. When we don't make time to listen to our bodies, our bodies force us to hear them. Brittany has ignored things for too long. Her life is about to take a tragic turn. Suddenly, those five words keep coming to mind. Till death do us part.

Jade. A beautiful, strong crystal that symbolizes strength and healing. A perfect name for a powerful woman who has battled against the odds her entire life. Sometimes, the best we can do is simply not enough. Life doesn't care if you're a mother or a wife, if you have young children who need you or friends who adore you. Life doesn't care if your husband would be lost without you. Life reminds us, over and over again, how little control we have. Jade is needed and loved and important and vibrant. None of that matters when her heart gives out. A second transplant is not an option. Time is not on her side. The family gathers to bid farewell. Sometimes, despite everything, we have no control over what is meant to be.

Nothing matters, if only love endures the unexpected darkness. A simple sentence that launched the first five books in the Family by Choice series. Brittany and Tommy. Jack and Stephanie. Julie and Bill. These characters have become my family and it has been an honor and a privilege to write them into existence. But it's time for this chapter to end. Brittany and Tommy's story was always about love and family. Two broken souls in need of awakening. Jack and Stephanie were the ignition. Julie and Bill were the glue. Tommy and Brittany were the reason. When approaching the final installment of the series, I wanted to be sure to honor the characters and give them an ending worthy of their importance. There will be tears and laughter. Some will never be the same. But there is always, always hope. It's not just about the life we lead, but the impact we make on the world. Brittany always wanted that impact to matter. What's left behind is her legacy.

Choices. We all have them. We all make them. Sometimes, the choices we make lead us down a path of hope and love and sometimes, one choice can destroy it all. For Mike and Jade, it all comes down to choices. Even when done for the right reasons, a choice can destroy the love of a lifetime. What happens when you choose the wrong path?