But the 'better life' the sisters are promised in this new and exciting country turns out to be a lie.It seems everyone who ever stood up for them, who ever said 'trust me', somehow betrays that trust: their parents, teachers and the sisters at the convent. But then Dulcie meets Ross, another orphanage survivor, and finds a kindred spirit. Can Dulcie ever get over the pain of the past and learn to trust again? And does she have the strength to fight for her own happiness as well as that of her sister?

    Knowing she can't marry a man she can't trust, Lily leaves Dylan at the altar and heads to Oklahoma to clear her head and mend her wounded heart.She resolves never to trust a man again. Not even Jesse, her best friend Marcy's brother. Especially since Jesse knows just how to infuriate her, bait her, make her laugh and even bring the glitter back into her eyes. And he's a farmer, the very type of man with whom she vowed she'd never fall in love with. As the daughter of a farmer she knows that she doesn't want that kind of life.That's just fine with Jesse because he's going to marry a tall blond angel who loves farming as much as he does. And Lily is too short, her hair is too curly, her eyes are too light and she never smiles. She doesn't have one appealing quality except her cooking, which is spectacular... and she can plow a field better than anyone he's ever known. But that wasn't enough to build a relationship on. Maybe a friendship if she'd thaw out a little. But that's definitely as far as it can go.Or is it?

    This is an unforgettable love story, at once heartbreaking and full of hope.James Patterson has written a love story!--a powerfully moving and suspenseful novel about families, loss, new love, and hope. Katie Wilkinson has found her perfect man at last. He's a writer, a house painter, an original thinker--everything she's imagined she wanted in a partner. But one day, without explanation, he disappears from her life, leaving behind only a diary for her to read. This diary is a love letter written by a new mother named Suzanne for her baby son, Nicholas. In it she pours out her heart about how she and the boy's father met, about her hopes for marriage and family, and about the unparalleled joy that having a baby has brought into her life. As Katie reads this touching document, it becomes clear that the lover who has just left her is the husband and father in this young family. She reads on, filled with terror and hope, as she struggles to understand what has happened--and whether her new love has a prayer of surviving. Written with James Patterson's perfect pitch for emotion and suspense, Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas captures beautifully the joys of a new family as it builds to an overwhelmingly moving climax. This is an unforgettable love story, at once heartbreaking and full of hope.

    There, Jennifer will discover new meaning in life and experience not one, but two of the most amazing love stories ever.

    And her heart belongs to her beloved cousin, Michael. Polly knows that one day they'll be man and wife. But a terrible secret is to change everything: Michael is her half-brother, the fruit of an incestuous relationship between her father and his own sister; Michael's mother. The lovers are rent apart and Polly is left to bear the responsibility of the farm alone; for her father kills himself, unable to live with his shame. Life is now a battle for survival, and Polly wonders if she will ever find happiness. But the answer to her prayers is closer than she thinks...

    1999.Carly Cooper is 30, single, and after coming close to saying ‘I Do’ to six different men, she’s wondering if she accidentally said ‘goodbye' to Mr Right.But there is a problem:Her ex-boyfriends are scattered all over the world and Carly lives in 1999; an era before Facebook, Google, smartphones, 4G and Broadband, when it was impossible to track people down with a few clicks of a mouse.On a mission to discover if she walked away from her 'happy ever after', Carly quits her job, her flat, her whole life and sets off on a quest to track down all the men she has ever loved.Her Mr Right is out there, but can she find him?And what if he’s moved on from the ex-girlfriend who said goodbye?

    You see, I'm inviting you to my home and my town of Cedar Cove because I want you to meet my family, friends and neighbors. Come and hear their stories—maybe even their secrets!I have to admit that my own secrets are pretty open. My marriage failed some years ago, and I have a rather…difficult relationship with my daughter, Justine. Then there's my mother, Charlotte, who has plenty of opinions and is always willing to share them.Here's an example. I'm a family court judge and she likes to drop in on my courtroom. Recently I was hearing a divorce petition. In my mother's view, young Cecilia and Ian Randall hadn't tried hard enough to make their marriage work—and I actually agreed. So I rendered my judgment: Divorce Denied.Well, you wouldn't believe the reaction! Thanks to an article by Jack Griffin, the editor of our local paper (and a man I wouldn't mind seeing more of), everyone's talking.Cedar Cove—people love it and sometimes they leave it, but they never forget it!See you soon….Olivia

    Brave. Bold. Brainy. One woman reached for the gold, one for the law, one for the university, and one ran as far from home as possible. But often, the best laid plans fall apart, and Starting Over is the only thing to do. True-Blue Texan, Book 1 -- A fish out of water. University instructor, Katherine Kirby, reluctantly faces a new city and a new job. How could she, who was used to teaching eager undergraduates at a prestigious college, relate to a class of adult high school dropouts seeking an equivalency diploma? She has no family, no love in her life, and no choice but to jump into her new position and do the best she can. After all, it's only temporary while she gets her career back on track. Her new students, however, begin to touch her heart. Especially the tall, dark Texan in the second row. Nick Martinelli's presence in her class is a secret -- from his parents, his customers and the entire city. But his interest in Katherine is no secret. In his desire to teach the teacher, however, Nick learns a little something himself.

    a step at a time. Nikki Quinn is devastated when her best friend Barbara is knocked down and killed by a hit-and-run driver who claims diplomatic immunity. But Nikki has her work and her lover, fellow lawyer Jack Nolan, to keep her going, whereas Barbara's mother, Myra, has nothing. Festering in a sea of recriminations and hatred, unable to gain a sense of perspective, Myra is lost...until one day she switches on the evening news and sees Marie Lewellen, mother of a murder victim, take matters into her own hands and stab her daughter's killer. An idea is born, and within months Myra and Nikki have drawn together a group of women who have one thing in common: they have been failed by the American justice system, they're down but they're not out, and they're ready to find their nemeses and make them pay. First up is Kathryn, a long-distance truck driver who was raped at a road stop by three motorcyclists as her paralysed husband watched, helpless. Banding together, the Sisterhood plot the ultimate revenge -- but with dissension from inside the group and out, there's no saying if the plan will work until the moment of truth arrives.

    However, when she is seduced by a travelling actor, a handsome rogue she meets at the market, they are forced to marry, and Helen’s family disowns her. After several unhappy years, Helen and her husband escape to Europe, but their fortunes take a turn for the worse, and soon Helen is alone and responsible for both herself and their son. Two years later, in the picturesque Italian town of Serugia, Helen meets Charles Carnforth. An older man, he falls deeply in love with her… but he’s not the only one trying to win Helen’s heart. Can a new romance find its way into her life, with all the complications and turmoil that brings? Seasons of Love is both a remarkable story of a woman fighting for her independence and a deeply moving saga that will tug at the heartstrings. Penned by one of Britain’s best-loved novelists, Anna Jacobs, it is ideal also for fans of Gill Paul or Kitty Neale.

    Claire, Elizabeth, Karen, and Julia meet every Thursday for breakfast to share the events that are happening in their lives, from a painful divorce to an unexpected pregnancy, and to offer each other undying support, love, and encouragement.

    Missy had been his first love, and Miles fervently believes she will be his last. As a deputy in the North Carolina town of New Bern, Miles Ryan not only grieves for Missy, but also longs to bring the unknown driver to justice. Then Miles meets Sarah Andrews. The second grade teacher of his son, Jonah, Sarah had left Baltimore after a difficult divorce to start over in the gentler surroundings of New Bern. Perhaps it's her own emotional wounds that make her sensitive to the hurt she first sees in Jonah's eyes, and then his father's. Tentatively, Sarah and Miles reach out to each other. Soon they are both laughing for the first time in years . . . and falling in love. Neither will be able to guess how closely linked they are to a shocking secret -- one that will force them to question everything they ever believed in . . . and make a heartbreaking choice that will change their lives forever.

    Of course, her friends and family think she's gone mad. But when they arrive in Deaconsbridge, a small market town on the edge of the Peak District, Clara and Ned become drawn into the lives of the locals. Two in particular seem destined to get under Clara's skin—Gabriel Liberty, a cranky widower who terrifies his family, and Archie Merryman, a local dealer in second-hand furniture, who possesses a heart of gold. Then Clara finds herself having to confront a problem much closer to home, and one she had hoped she would never have to face

    Princesses rejoice!

    But Katherine agrees because she adores Darla's daughter, Chelsea, and feels this is a good opportunity to give the young teen a real home. Living with Darla is not easy. She parties too much, sleeps around, and speaks her mind without apology. To conservative Katherine and shy Denise, Darla’s behavior is intolerable. Then, Darla is diagnosed with AIDS, and the household is turned upside-down. Katherine finds herself thrown into Darla's life, first as her caregiver, then as her companion as she explores the devastating lives of AIDS sufferers. Katherine's fledgling writing career flourishes as she shares the experiences of Darla's AIDS group in newspaper articles across the country. And Denise finds true love for the first time, but struggles with the inappropriate timing of her personal happiness. Surprisingly, Darla also finds love−real love−in a time when she needs it the most. As the household struggles with the stress of living with a terminal illness, Katherine, Denise, and Darla learn just how strong their bond of friendship, and sisterhood, is.If you are a sister or best friend, you will love this story.

    Not any more! But there is one nagging doubt: does Oliver REALLY love her? Would he have married her if she hadn't done the proposing herself?Cora Flynn, Oliver's bitter mother, has boycotted the wedding. She is determined that her detested new daughter-in-law will not become the number one woman in her son's life.Wedding guest Lorna Morgan can't wait to shake the dust of Kilronan off her shoes. She's destined for bright city lights, unlike her stick-in-the-mud cousin, Heather Williams, who was only invited to the 'afters' with her clodhopper boyfriend, Neil. But then, in Lorna's eyes, Heather's just an 'afters' sort of person and always will be.But worms turn, and what a difference a year makes. In Dublin, London and New York there is no respite for Noreen, Lorna or Heather. Only in Kilronan can the Pandora's box that was opened at Oliver Flynn's wedding finally be closed.

    On the same day, Lily also meets Eddie Tessler, a man fleeing fame who just might have the ability to change her world in unimaginable ways. But her childhood friend Dan has his own reasons for not wanting Lily to get too carried away by Eddie's attentions.Before long, secrets begin to emerge and Lily's friends and family become involved. In the beautiful Cotswold village of Stanton Langley, nothing will ever be the same again...

    As she and Clea and Skye gathered at Firefly Hill, their childhood home, Caroline thought that they had all put the past behind them. But as summer gets under way, a mysterious man arrives—a man who has the power to bring it all back....Joe Connor was only six when his father died at Firefly Hill. Though he and Caroline had never met, the five-year-old girl reached out to him. They became pen pals and friends, until a teenaged Joe finally learned the truth about what had happened to his father that night. Now, after years of silence, Joe is suddenly here ... and Caroline still feels a connection. But she can't help but wonder if this handsome man holds the key to her family's healing—or its destruction. And in his presence, how long will she be able to guard her heart?

    Now they are about to embark on a bittersweet journey into the unknown; an odyssey of promise and forgiveness, of loss and rediscovery.Jillian, Beatrice and Rose have gathered for the funeral of their younger sister, Meredith. Her death, and the legacy she leaves them, will trigger a cross-country journey in search of a stranger - a stranger with the power to mend their shattered lives. As the emotions of the past reverberate into the present, Jilly, Birdie and Rose search for the girls they once were - in hopes of finding what they had really lost: they women they were meant to be.

    Now she is a famous talk show host. Her daughter Ruby is a struggling comedienne. The two haven’t spoken in more than a decade. Then a scandal from Nora’s past is exposed, and Ruby is offered a fortune to write a tell-all about her mother. Reluctantly, she returns to the family house on Summer Island, a home filled with frayed memories of joy and heartache. Confronting a past that includes a never-forgotten love, a sick best friend, and a mother who has harbored terrible family secrets, Ruby finally begins to understand the complex ties that bind a mother and daughter—and the healing that comes with forgiveness.From the Paperback edition.

    Which is why her mother, Janine, reluctantly agreed to let her go on the weekend camping trip with her Brownie troop. But when Janine arrives to pick up Sophie after the trip, her daughter is not among the others. Somehow, along the forested route from West Virginia, Sophie has disappeared.Sophie is no ordinary 8 year old. She suffers from a rare disease, and Janine has recently enrolled her in an experimental treatment as a last effort to save her life - despite the vehement objections of her ex-husband, Joe, who believes conventional medicine is the only route to take. The only person to support Janine in her decision is Lucas Trowell, someone familiar with the herbs used in the treatment. Lucas has been encouraging Janine to keep Sophie in the program, and, indeed, the little girl has been showing remarkable improvement. All her mother's instincts tell Janine that Sophie is alive, but time is running out. Without her treatment, it's only a matter of days before Sophie's illness will claim her life. As Janine, Joe and Lucas embark on a desperate search to find Sophie, envy and suspicion grow between the two men, casting doubts on each other's true motives for helping Janine.Deep in the forest, another drama unfolds. Sophie has found refuge in a remote cabin inhabited by a woman who wants nothing to do with the little girl. She's desperate to help her own daughter, who has been wrongly imprisoned for murder and who, after escaping, is on her way to join her mother. Sophie's arrival puts in jeopardy her daughter's future, but the mysterious woman is as determined to save her daughter as Janine is to save Sophie.Only one of them can succeed.

    But this one had ended differently, with Sage gone from their Connecticut home the next morning, leaving behind only a brief note: ""I have to go."" Daisy tried not to overreact, tried to remind herself this was different from what had happened thirteen years earlier to Sage's twin brother, Jake. This was different from a three-year-old boy disappearing in the canyons of Wyoming, never to be found. Sage was sixteen and resourceful. She would be found. Years ago Daisy had traveled to Wyoming's Wind River Mountains in search of inspiration for her art and had found a man with the wilderness inside him. James Tucker was a rancher, bound to the wild land he loved, and together he and Daisy created a small paradise for their family--until the day their little boy vanished without a trace. Now, as their daughter makes a dangerous cross-country pilgrimage to the father she longs for, Daisy will return to the place that took everything she had.... Filled with a wild and unpredictable beauty, Dream Country""is a novel you'll never want to end--even as you can't wait to finish it. "From the Trade Paperback edition."

    50,000), and is properly horrified. Also: paparazzi, Algebra, an unethical beau, and a wholly inappropriate Sidecar recipe.In Volume II, Mia takes matters into her own hands by calling her first press conference. Also: a secret admirer, an unexpected elopement (but not by Mia!), and a surprise ending fit for New York's most reluctant royal.Immortalized by the silver screen, The Princess Diaries' Princess Amelia Mignonette Grimaldi Thermopolis Renaldo has a life most can only dream of. Now read in her own words the (fictional) story of a real American princess.

    Banning me from the phone and restricting my computer privileges are the most tyrannical parental gestures I can think of. Don’t they realize that Hope’s the only one who keeps me sane? I don’t see how things could get any worse.”When her best friend, Hope Weaver, moves away from Pineville, New Jersey, hyperobservant sixteen-year-old Jessica Darling is devastated. A fish out of water at school and a stranger at home, Jessica feels more lost than ever now that the only person with whom she could really communicate has gone. How is she supposed to deal with the boy- and shopping-crazy girls at school, her dad’s obsession with her track meets, her mother salivating over big sister Bethany’s lavish wedding, and her nonexistent love life?A fresh, funny, utterly compelling fiction debut by first-time novelist Megan McCafferty, Sloppy Firsts is an insightful, true-to-life look at Jessica’s predicament as she embarks on another year of teenage torment--from the dark days of Hope’s departure through her months as a type-A personality turned insomniac to her completely mixed-up feelings about Marcus Flutie, the intelligent and mysterious “Dreg” who works his way into her heart. Like a John Hughes for the twenty-first century, Megan McCafferty taps into the inherent humor and drama of the teen experience. This poignant, hilarious novel is sure to appeal to readers who are still going through it, as well as those who are grateful that they don’t have to go back and grow up all over again.

    Celebrating at a summerhouse in Maine, Leslie Headrick, Madison Appleby, and Ellie Abbott are taking stock of their lives and loves, their wishes and choices. But none of them expect the gift that awaits them at the summerhouse: the chance for each of them to turn their “what-might-have-beens” into reality…Leslie, a suburban wife and mother, follows the career of a boy who pursued her in college wonders: what if she had chosen differently? Madison dropped a modeling career to help her high school boyfriend recover from an accident, even though he’d jilted her. But what if she had said “no” when her old boyfriend had called? Ellie became a famous novelist, but a bitter divorce wiped out her earnings—and shattered her belief in herself. Why had the “justice” system failed her? And could she prevent its happening the second time around?Now, a mysterious “Madame Zoya,” offers each of them a chance to relive any three weeks from the past. Will the road not taken prove a better path? Each woman will have to decide for herself as she follows the dream that got away…and each must choose the life that will truly satisfy the heart’s deepest longings.

    In The Grrl Genius Guide to Life, stand-up comic and Grrl Genius Club founder Cathryn Michon explains why she is a genius and demonstrates how you can become one, too, by following her easy twelve-step program.The first step in the program is the most important: Admit that you are a Grrl Genius. Acknowledge that you are beautiful, intelligent, and talented and that you are the only person in the world who can decide just how great you are. In subsequent steps, you will learn to embrace the domestic arts, love your Grrl Genius good looks, celebrate your sexuality, appreciate your Grrl Genius mother, and pass the Grrl Genius message on to others!Filled with little-known facts about such unacknowledged Grrl Geniuses as Mozart's younger sister Nannerl and Einstein's wife Mileva, as well as hilarious, embarrassing stories from Michon's own life, The Grrl Genius Guide to Life is a must-read for Grrl Geniuses and Enlightened Males everywhere. Michon shares her most humiliating memories -- singing show tunes at her aunt's funeral, crying uncontrollably in an airplane bathroom and holding up the flight -- as well as her moments of triumph, like attending the birth of her niece (a future Grrl Genius) and getting liposuction that not a single human being noticed. This is an uproarious roller-coaster ride through the life of a self-declared Genius -- in which Michon writes about everything from doughnuts to divorce, from physics to push-up bras -- and a comic inspirational guide for those aspiring to Grrl Geniushood.Cathryn Michon is a genius -- just because she says she is. Read her book, and you will become one, too. As with any twelve-step program, becoming a Grrl Genius takes work. All your life you have been telling yourself that your butt is too big, your ideas are too small, and your love for creme-filled doughnuts is inherently evil. With the help of The Grrl Genius Guide to Life, you will learn to recognize your own brilliance, shamelessly proclaim it to the rest of the world, and eat all the Krispy Kreme doughnuts you want. In case you need inspiration, Michon has included numerous Grrl Genius slogans and Little Pink Post-it Notes; in case you get hungry, she has included her recipe for the best chocolate chip cookies in the world. So go on -- take the first step. Read the book that is guaranteed to change your life forever (or at the very least to make you laugh yourself silly) -- and declare your Genius to yourself and the world!

    April, a single mother, has been doing any work she can get to survive. Until one day, in lieu of payment, she is given Cair Paravel, allegedly a champion greyhound. Soon, the two women, and the men they are involved with, will meet . . .

    She's twenty-nine, single and self-supporting. So, shouldn't she be out there every night, swilling Chardonnay and falling in love? Or, if she isn't, at least having a great time moaning about it with her best friends? Doesn't she know how to be a single woman?Trouble is, Ash likes things as they are. She doesn't do impulsive and relationships scare her to death. At the first hint of commitment, it's goodbye. No way is she going to let herself get hurt.But as Ash watched Dan Morland - who employed her to cook the ultimate dinner the night he proposed to his girlfriend - trying to sort out a life with the woman he loves, she begins to wonder if being Miss Self-Contained-and-Secure might also mean Missing Out...

    Donna Hill introduces sisters long divided by their mother's favoritism--now reunited in Washington, D.C., one sister's sudden illness is the catalyst for a long waited reconciliation.Carmen Green takes two very different sisters to beautiful Martha's Vineyard, where a week in the warm and healing sun brings mutual understanding.Jamice Sims unites two estranged sisters in new York City where their childhood loyalty is tested, a new life is welcomed--and a family restored. From three favorite authors, Sister, Sister brings you three short stories about the trials and bonds of sisterhood.

    Always make love, especially during sex. Would you like to make better relationship choices? Do you seem to choose the same type of mate? Are you in search of your soulmate? Do you find it difficult to meet people? Don't ignore the early warning signs. Before you pursue a relationship, use the rating chart inside this guide to determine if your prospective mate scores an A or F.

    Celebrating everything from Christmas to Kwanzaa to New Year's Eve, Rochelle Alers, Donna Hill, and Candice Poarch fill the season with stories of love and passion.

    But when she is introduced to a young man from Guyana, she decides to marry him and return to the Caribbean. But will this be another entrapment, another loss of self?

    She isn't finding it very easy to break into television broadcasting, and her parents' strained marriage has made living at home even more depressing. But when she meets Maurice, a promising basketball rookie, Nina feels as if she's found the one. She is determined to make the relationship work, despite evidence that Maurice isn't always faithful, which hurts Nina but doesn't surprise her. Her father cheated on her mother, and her brother cheats on his girlfriends thus she has low expectations of the men in her life.When Nina's chance encounter with Leo, a high school classmate who's become a successful rapper, sends Maurice into a jealous rage, it is not long before Nina's friends are urging her to let Maurice go. Even though she finds her dream job as a sports reporter for a local television station, Nina still can't keep Maurice out of her mind. To complicate matters, Leo seems to be everything Maurice is not. Nina must decide between a man she loves who treats her wrong and a man who is willing to do everything right. But all of this takes a backseat when her mother falls ill and Nina puts her life on hold to take care of her. As both mother and daughter examine their relationships with the men in their lives, and as Nina's mother finally confronts her husband about his mistreatment of her, Nina finds the strength to break the chain of heartache. In Hand-me-down Heartache, author Tajuana TJ Butler has crafted a heartwarming novel about the strength of relationships among women, be they family or friends.From the Hardcover edition.

    In fact, the only thing she hasn't tried is motherhood. And with sexy potter Nye on hand as a potential daddy - or at least donor - is it time for her to consider the biggest leap of all? It's either that or buy a cat . . .Wonderfully wry, heart-warming and life-affirming, Trisha Ashley's hilarious novel is perfect for fans of romantic comedies by Milly Johnson and Jill Mansell. And it contains recipes!**This novel was originally published in 2001 as The Urge to Jump.**

    On a photo shoot for a wedding brochure, her substitute male model turned out to be a beach bum. He suited her perfectly;no strings, no chance of involvement. After hours posing in the arms of Zack Hastings, and one look at the resulting photos, Kailani could sum up the experience in two words;Sexual Tension.

    Sarah has married and settled contentedly into small-town life. Maggie has spent fifteen years drifting around the world with a backpack. Now Maggie has come home to a dank, dull British winter, supposedly for just a few months. The Penn children are delighted to have their exciting aunt stay with them, but fate has an unexpected adventure in store. It rocks the whole family, bringing up dark shadows from their common past, and confronts Maggie with the hardest decision of her life.

    Having been reared by three older brothers, she is merely "one of the boys," and goes out of her way to prove it. When her twin nine-year-old nieces are kidnapped, Marty doesn't hesitate to track them alone--ready to confront whatever dangers lie in the way of bringing them safely home. Reece Keegan, an accomplished lawyer, is drawn to the spirited Marty. His hopes have many obstacles to overcome, however-not the least of which is repairing the damage done when he, as a court appointed official, took Marty's nieces. If he can earn her trust, maybe he can win her heart as well. But this proves difficult when Reece keeps finding himself at the wrong end of her gun. Marty has learned to trust only herself. Can she begin to trust anyone else--even God?