Shortly after her violent, drunken father is killed in a fight, Pearl's elder brothers are sent to prison leaving her, still a child herself, to care for her baby brothers. Pearl's mother brings her 'clients' to the house, one of whom has a penchant for little girls... Terrified and hurt, Pearl runs away from home and is found, feverish and near death, by Romany gypsies. But this is far from the end of Pearl's struggles. Years pass, and as Pearl reaches womanhood she begins to wonder if she is simply born to trouble or will she find happiness one day?

    Her father replaced his first family with a second, and now her mother, moving on to yet another man, begs Mac for attention and money. Mac's foundation is jostled again moments before an important wedding planning meeting when she bumps into the bride-to-be's brother...an encounter that has them both seeing stars.Carter Maguire is definitely not her type: he's stable, and he's safe. He's even an English teacher at their high school alma mater. There's something about him that makes Mac think a casual fling is just what she needs to take her mind off dealing with bridezillas and screening her mother's phone calls. But a casual fling can turn into something more when you least expect it. And with the help of her three best friends—and business partners—Mac must learn how to make her own happy memories.

    Her already rocky marriage is over.Determined to save Willowbrook and protect her disabled daughter, Amy, from a father who doesn’t love her, Ella works hard to build the farm into a successful B&B. And when Cameron O’Neal arrives in the Wiltshire village and offers to help Ella, she suddenly finds herself torn between a fear of getting hurt again and a powerful attraction to a man whom both she and Amy are falling for.With a determined and vindictive Miles plaguing her efforts, Ella must find the courage to trust Cameron if she hopes to save her home. An emotional contemporary saga of love and family perfect for fans of Maeve Binchy

    What begins as an earnest spring clean of unwanted household debris - a never-touched omelette maker here, a hideous collection of chintz ornaments there - soon spirals out of control. Before long Lou is hiring giant skips, in which to dump the copious amounts of junk she never knew she had. Lou's loved ones grow concerned - and not a little disgruntled. Where has all this energy come from, her husband Phil wonders? Why is clearing out cupboards suddenly more important than making his breakfast? And since when does quiet, meek, down-trodden Lou snap rude retorts at his sister, her mother, and even Phil himself? The truth is, the more skips Lou fills, the more rubbish she lets go off, the more light and air can get to those painful, closed-up places at the centre of her house: a lovingly prepared room for a baby she would never have; an empty space her best friend Deb once occupied; and a gaping wound left by her husband's affair three years ago.Even lovely Tom Broom, the man who delivers Lou's skips, starts to grow worried about his best customer. But Lou is a woman on a mission, and not even she knows where it will end ...

    Not by any ordinary guy, no...Daisy has a secret in her past that she won't even tell her best friend, Holly. She's given up on men - and on her own family. But life still has to be lived and where better to recover than as far away from home as possible. Grabbing a chance to see the world, Daisy packs her bags and joins the team catering to the world's highest-paid, supercharged racing drivers on the Formula 1 Grand Prix circuit. From Brazil to Italy, from Melbourne to Monte Carlo, life passes in a dizzying whirlwind. But nothing - and no one - can stop Daisy from falling again...this time for a man who is prepared to risk his life, and his heart, for the sake of speed, danger and ultimate success.

    Alice must reconstruct the events of a lost decade, and find out whether it’s possible to reconstruct her life at the same time. She has to figure out why her sister hardly talks to her, and how is it that she’s become one of those super skinny moms with really expensive clothes. Ultimately, Alice must discover whether forgetting is a blessing or a curse, and whether it’s possible to start over.

    Then one day Will collapses on his way into work and he decides he's never going back.So it is that, three months later, Amy is standing outside Helmshill Grange, a sullen monstrosity of a house, deep in the Yorkshire moors, with their own land as far as the eye can see. It's what William says he's always wanted, which is slightly worrying as he couldn't be bothered to do his own gardening in Notting Hill, and would rather pick up a book than a spade. Within days, Will's traded in their brand new Audi for a clapped out Land Rover, and brought home chickens, goats, sheep, a serial-killer cat and a mad dog. Then tragedy strikes and Amy learns that it's one thing living the dream, but when the dream's not your own, how long can it last?

    Then a freak injury during a trip already marred by tragedy forces her to begin her greatest adventure of all. Located high in the New Mexico mountains, Las Ladronas has become a magnet for the very wealthy and very hip, but once upon a time it was the setting of a childhood trauma Tessa can only half remember. Now, as she rediscovers both her old hometown and her past, Tessa is drawn to search-and-rescue worker Vince Grasso. The handsome widower isn’t her type. No more inclined to settle down than Tessa, Vince is the father of three, including an eight-year-old girl as lost as Tessa herself. But Tessa and Vince are both drawn to the town’s most beloved eatery–100 Breakfasts–and to each other. For Tessa, the restaurant is not only the key to the mystery that has haunted her life but a chance to find the home and the family she’s never known.

    Original.It's been years since Abby O'Brien Winters set foot in Chesapeake Shores. The Maryland town her father built has too many sad memories and Abby too few spare moments, thanks to her demanding Wall Street career, the crumbling of her marriage and energetic twin daughters. Then one panicked phone call from her youngest sister brings her racing back home to protect Jess's dream of renovating the charming Inn at Eagle Point.But saving the inn from foreclosure means dealing not only with her own fractured family, but also with Trace Riley, the man Abby left ten years ago. Trace can be a roadblock to her plans...or proof that second chances happen in the most unexpected ways.

    And this time, the message is urgent and impossible to ignore--River requires open-heart surgery, and Isabelle and her sisters are needed at home to run the family bakery and take care of their brother and ailing grandmother. Isabelle has worked hard to leave Trillium River, Oregon, behind as she travels the globe taking award-winning photographs. It's not that Isabelle hates her family. On the contrary, she and her sisters Cecilia, an outspoken kindergarten teacher, and Janie, a bestselling author, share a deep, loving bond. And all of them adore their brother, Henry, whose disabilities haven't stopped him from helping out at the bakery and bringing good cheer to everyone in town. But going home again has a way of forcing open the secrets and hurts that the Bommaritos would rather keep tightly closed. Working together to look after Henry and save their flagging bakery, Isabelle and her sisters begin to find answers to questions they never knew existed, unexpected ways to salve the wounds of their childhoods, and the courage to grasp surprising new chances at happiness. . .

    But what she doesn't realize is that it's not going to be all Kumbaya sing-alongs and gooey s'mores. If Ashley, the alpha queen of Whispering Pines, doesn't ruin Sam's summer, then her raging crush on the surfer-blond and flirtatious Hunter just might. At least she has playful Cole, who's always teasing her, but is oh-so-comfortable to hang out with, and the singular gang of girls that become fast friends with Sam-they call themselves the Sleepaway Girls.

    All of Titanville will be buzzing. Not that she has any other choice. Faced with exactly thirty days to come up with two million dollars, she is out of options. Marry Cruz Rodriguez or lose everything - the successful day spa she built herself, her tyrant of a father's respect. And the long-standing competition with her sisters for the family business.Cruz has money, success, smoldering good looks - everything but the blue blood needed to become a true member of Texas society. If Lexi agrees to be his fiancée for six months, lending him her famous father's influence and connections, he'll hand her a check on the spot. And in six months they'll go their separate ways.But neither one is prepared for their long-ago shared passion to throw a wrench into what would seem to be the perfect deal....

    With a little brother who has cancer, it's all she ever hears about. And in order to help Jeremy, she will go to the ends of the earth (or at least as far as Hollywood) to help him believe he can survive his upcoming surgery. But Annika's plan to convince Jeremy that a magic genie will grant him any wish throws her a curveball when he unexpectedly wishes that his television idol would visit him. Annika suddenly finds herself in the desperate predicament of getting access to a hunky star actor and convincing him to come home with her. Piece of cake, right? Janette Rallison's proven talent for laugh-out-loud humor, teen romance, and deep-hearted storytelling shines in a novel that will have readers laughing and crying at the same time.

    Every expectant parent will tell you that they don't want a perfect baby, just a healthy one. Charlotte and Sean O'Keefe would have asked for a healthy baby, too, if they'd been given the choice. Instead, their lives are made up of sleepless nights, mounting bills, the pitying stares of "luckier" parents, and maybe worst of all, the what-ifs. What if their child had been born healthy? But it's all worth it because Willow is, funny as it seems, perfect. She's smart as a whip, on her way to being as pretty as her mother, kind, brave, and for a five-year-old an unexpectedly deep source of wisdom. Willow is Willow, in sickness and in health.Everything changes, though, after a series of events forces Charlotte and her husband to confront the most serious what-ifs of all. What if Charlotte had known earlier of Willow's illness? What if things could have been different? What if their beloved Willow had never been born? To do Willow justice, Charlotte must ask herself these questions and one more. What constitutes a valuable life?

    With the luminous writing and unforgettable characters that are her trademarks, she tells the story of three sisters whose once-solid world is broken apart by jealousy, betrayal, and the kind of passion that rarely comes along.The Grey sisters have always been close. After their mother's death, the girls banded together, becoming best friends. Their stern, disapproving father cares less about his children than about his reputation. To Henry Grey, appearances are everything, and years later, he still demands that his daughters reflect his standing in the community.Winona, the oldest, needs her father's approval most of all. An overweight bookworm who never felt at home on the sprawling horse ranch that has been in her family for three generations, she knows that she doesn't have the qualities her father values. But as the best lawyer in town, she's determined to someday find a way to prove her worth to him.Aurora, the middle sister, is the family peacemaker. She brokers every dispute and tries to keep them all happy, even as she hides her own secret pain.Vivi Ann is the undisputed star of the family. A stunningly beautiful dreamer with a heart as big as the ocean in front of her house, she is adored by all who know her. Everything comes easily for Vivi Ann, until a stranger comes to town. . . .In a matter of moments, everything will change. The Grey sisters will be pitted against one another in ways that none could have imagined. Loyalties will be tested and secrets revealed, and a terrible, shocking crime will shatter both their family and their beloved town.With breathtaking pace and penetrating emotional insight, True Colors is an unforgettable novel about sisters, rivalry, forgiveness, redemption—and ultimately, what it means to be a family.

    For starters, beautiful Carla Berlusconi the Italian-American waitress is causing a stir and Dom's ice-blonde girlfriend Tanya wants her off her patch. While one of Dom's best customers, doctor PJ O'Sullivan still grives for his wife, sure that he will never find love again. But then he meets Charlotte Keating, the perfect wife, the perfect mother and now the perfectly behaved divorcee ... As the restaurant chases its first Michelin star, Dom is about to learn that when love is the dish of the day, it's a recipe for trouble.

    A few years later, she still has to keep convincing people that they were never together! Then one day, she finds out he’s getting married—to someone she'd just met once! All of a sudden, things aren’t so clear-cut anymore. Can Jasmine sort out her feelings (sometimes, she can't even tell real from pretend when it comes to her and Zack) before it's too late?

    Yet no one befriends or even fully trusts the beautiful young woman. They seek her out in times of trouble--to heal their sick children or soothe their own ailments--but she is otherwise regarded with superstition and unease. Since her grandmother died, Meghan has carried on, finding solace and peace in the cultivation of the wild herbs she uses to create her healing medicines.When Conner Hendrickson needs help for his sweet baby daughter Bonnie, Meghan's formerly solitary life is suddenly full of spark and zest. She's wary of getting too close as she knows that a life with Conner cannot be hers. He comes from a life of privilege, having grown up in London's high society. Conner is the owner of the Sapphire Yogo mine and employs most of the citizens of Pig Eye Gulch, and Meghan knows that his aspirations will take him far beyond her rough-hewn Montana mining town. But try as she might, Meghan's love for both Conner and Bonnie deepens each day as she nears the precipice of losing them both.

    1) I’d have to shave my legs – even in winter2) Couldn’t get away with wearing big knickers3) Or having spaghetti hoops for tea4) He’d have to meet my mother5) My boss is my ex and no man could accept that6) Single mums are about as attractive to men as syphilis7) ‘I’ll Never Fall in Love Again’ is my theme tune8) Last time I was dumped for a weathergirl9) I no longer trust menAnd most importantly…10) Can’t risk Alfie getting hurt againJo Gilroy gave her heart away once.She won’t be making the same mistake twice.In fact, she’s got 10 reasons not to fall in love.Until Dan Brady comes along,with some reasons of his own…

    Now they stand to lose it all ... Fame, fashion and scandal, the Trevellyan heiresses are the height of success, glamour and style.But when it comes to …… WEALTH: Jemima's indulgent lifestyle knows no limits; Tara’s one purpose in life, no matter the sacrifice, is to be financially independent of her family and husband; and Poppy wants to escape its trappings without losing the comfort their family money brings.… LUST: Jemima's obsession relieves the boredom of her marriage; while Tara’s seemingly ‘perfect’ life doesn’t allow for such indulgences; and Poppy, spoiled by attention and love throughout her life, has yet to expose herself to the thrill of really living and loving dangerously.… FAMILY: it's all they’ve ever known, and now the legacy of their parents, a vast and ailing perfume empire, has been left in their trust. But will they be able to turn their passion into profit? And in making a fresh start, can they face their family’s past?

    But for some, it's one seriously bumpy ride! A heartwarming new romantic comedy from the bestselling author of A WINTER'S TALE. Growing up in the beautiful Lancashire village of Neatslake, Josie Gray and her childhood sweetheart, Ben Richards, always dreamt of living a life of rural bliss. And when Josie inherits her beloved Grandmother's cottage, it seems they might just have got what they wished for. Josie throws herself into her wedding cake business, whilst Ben gains increasing acclaim as an artist. But the tranquil village turns into a hive of activity when Josie's childhood friend, Libby Martin - now a wealthy widow - returns to the village, planning a lavish wedding to rival any celeb bash. The day goes with a bang, and soon Libby and Josie are hard at work at their fledgling wedding business, hiring out Libby's beautiful Elizabethan home for ceremonies, with Josie creating all manner of wonderful cakes. But amidst all this romance, Josie's fairytale relationship with Ben turns into a nightmare, and she quickly becomes Love's number one cynic - until charming wedding photographer Noah Sephton arrives in Neatslake with a very different outlook on love! Can this hopeless romantic persuade pessimistic Josie to give romance another try? Or will it be a case of always the cake maker, never the bride!? A charming, witty and feelgood novel, ideal for fans of Katie Fforde and Harriet Evans.

    Tired of always dreaming and never doing, Cici, Lindsay, and Bridget make a life-altering decision. Uprooting themselves from their comfortable lives in the suburbs, the three friends buy a run-down mansion, nestled in the picturesque Shenandoah Valley. They christen their new home "Ladybug Farm," hoping that the name will bring them luck. As the friends take on a home improvement challenge of epic proportions, they encounter disaster after disaster, from renegade sheep and garden thieves to a seemingly ghostly inhabitant. Over the course of a year, overwhelming obstacles make the three women question their decision, but they ultimately learn that sometimes the best things can happen when everything goes wrong...

    Ostracised from their social circle, she flees to the wilds of Exmoor to nurse her broken heart. But despite the slower pace of life, she soon finds that she is not the only person whose life is in turmoil. There's Sebastian, enfant terrible of the British art scene, desperately trying to find his muse amongst the empty bottles. Then Fitch, who married the high-spirited Hayley thinking he would find wedded bliss, but instead has found marital hell. And finally Penny, local GP and recent divorcee, who is determined not to hurtle into middle age embittered and lonely. Over the long winter months, the four of them share advice, copious bottles of wine, laughter ... and maybe more.

    But then her grandfather falls ill, and Sarah must juggle horsemanship with school and hospital visits.Natasha, a young lawyer, is reeling after her failed marriage: her professional judgment is being questioned, her new boyfriend is a let-down, and she's forced to share her house with her charismatic ex-husband. Yet when the willful fourteen-year-old Sarah lands in her path, Natasha decides to take the girl under her wing.But Sarah is keeping a secret--a secret that will change the lives of everyone involved forever.

    Bringing together four lone parents for a support group which has the old biddies of the village scandalised, she tries her best to build bridges and forge friendships among her charges. Niamh Quigley's dream of a perfect life in the country was cut cruelly short with the death of her husband Seán. A woman on the verge of meltdown but with a kitchen island you might just kill for she has to find her way again without the man she never thought could hurt her. Ruth Byrne was left high and dry when her husband ran off with a younger woman. But could his desertion have been a blessing in disguise for Ruth and her children? Liam Dougherty doesn't think so. His wife is the younger woman in question and he would do anything to win her back ... or would he? Which leaves teen mum Ciara Boyle. Everyone is just dying to know who the father of her child is, but does she have a good reason for keeping her secret to herself? Apart from being parents, can the group find anything in common? Can they find happiness and confidence again? And can Detta really make the difference she wants to make?

    To boost her self-esteem, overweight Kate joins Slimforever'. Will it help her find herself again? Jenny longs for a baby but time is running out. If she lost weight, would it help her to conceive? She joins 'Slimforever' in a last-ditch attempt to beat her biological clock. Is it the answer to her prayers? Their friend Lauren, a beautiful ex-model, decides she could lose a few pounds too. Lauren appears to have it all – elegant Georgian home, barrister husband, two lovely children and a successful business as an interior decorator. But is it all as it seems? Meanwhile sexy, voluptuous Diana craves excitement and detests being buried in the backwoods of Ballyfern. She’ll stop at nothing to get what she wants – even if it’s another woman’s husband. Four women – different goals – can they all be winners?

    Jameson are lawyers who know the meaning of objection. A feminist to the bone, Payton has fought hard to succeed in a profession dominated by men. Born wealthy, privileged, and cocky, J.D. has fought hard to ignore her. Face-to-face, they're perfectly civil. They have to be. For eight years they have kept a safe distance and tolerated each other as coworkers for one reason: to make partner at the firm....There are no rules.But all bets are off when they're asked to join forces on a major case. Though apprehensive at first, they begin to appreciate each other's dedication to the law—and the sparks between them quickly turn into attraction. But the increasingly hot connection does not last long when they discover that only one of them will be named partner. Now it's an all-out war. And the battle between the sexes is bound to make these lawyers hot under the collar...

    Overnight, Lola's credit cards are refused, her fiance disappears and she finds herself locked out of her own Chelsea mews house. That same day, Evie is abruptly thrown out onto the streets.One woman lies behind their misfortune. With Lola's father lying helpless in a coma, her icy stepmother has seized control of the purse strings - and cut off her spoiled stepdaughter without a penny. The same stepmother who happens to be married to Evie's sugar daddy.Although the two girls loathe one another on sight, Lola and Evie must team up if they are to defeat their common enemy: the Ice Queen herself. Let battle commence.

     L.A. accountant Megan Greene has a successful job, a handsome cardiologist fiancé, and a doting father. Surely they make up for her estranged sister and hypochondriac mother...and a niggling sense that something, somewhere, got lost along the way. But then Megan's life falls spectacularly apart. Faced with the knowledge that neither her father nor her fiancé are the men she thought they were, she is loath to trust Travis -- the high school boyfriend who never quite left her heart. But his reappearance stirs dreams she once reluctantly packed away, and forces her to confront her relationship with her sister -- a bond that has been strained to the limit but has never quite broken. And amid the turmoil lies the promise of a future Megan never expected -- one that may turn out to contain everything she really needs....

    But is she brave enough to face the man who proposed, then immediately dumped her two Christmas Eve's before? Daniel Buchannan is not looking forward to Christmas - and even less when Stella reappears in the village. But this year will be different! Christmas Eve: Doorstep DeliveryPatrick Buchannan has to make Christmas special for his kids. Luckily, his son Alfie has a plan to make it happen. Alfie knows a lot about the magic of Christmas. And when snowflakes are falling, Christmas carols are ringing out, and the hills of the Lake District are shimmering in the snow, it's possible to believe in Christmas miracles.

    The gritty drama from the Sunday Times bestselling author of Nobody's Girl.

    It's our duty to interfere.' Kate O'Neill is ready to settle down, so when her commitment-phobic boyfriend Brian asks her to marry him, she accepts. Though she knows her close-knit family aren't fond of Brian, she feels sure they'll come round once they get to know him better.But Kate's eccentric mother, Grace, is determined to prevent Kate from making the biggest mistake of her life. She hatches a plot to scupper the engagement, urging the whole family to do everything in their power to encourage a break-up. She even ropes in Will Sargent, manager of ultra cool rock band Walking Wounded, and unrequited love of Kate's life, in the hope that she can lure Kate away from Brian.Reluctantly Will offers Kate a job as chef for Walking Wounded, and whisks her off to Tuscany for the summer, where they are working on their new album.As temperatures in the kitchen begin to heat up, will Kate's feelings for Will be rekindled – or will she decide Brian really is the man for her?

    At North Ridge High, Valentine's Day is only days away and love is in the air. This year the school is sponsoring a "Most Romantic Couple" contest. Everyone wants to win—including Jennifer, who's not about to be stopped by not having a boyfriend as she sets out to set that right. With lots of romantic twists and turns and comic mishaps along the way as she gets ready for the big event, you will find a lot to warm your heart as Jennifer sends Cupid to find Mr. Right as she gets ready for the big event. Will the right couples hook up so they can be in the contest for the Valentine's Dance and will Jennifer and her beau be the ones to win?

    Stuck in a grind where everyone’s ahead apart from her, she’s partied out, disillusioned, and massively in debt. If she’s dumped by another rock-band wannabe, squashed by anyone else at her cut-throat fashion job, or chased by any more bailiffs, Grace suspects she’ll fall apart …So when older, sexy and above all, wealthy art-dealer Vaughn appears, she’s intrigued against her will. Could she handle being a sugar daddy’s arm candy?Soon Grace is thrown into a world of money and privilege, at Vaughn’s beck and call in return for thousands of pounds in luxurious gifts, priceless clothes—and cash. Where’s the line between acting the trophy girlfriend, and selling yourself for money?And, more importantly: whatever happened to love?

    She was too young, he was hurt when she left him. Years later, Melissa becomes the target for a kidnap plot, a consequence of her father's ground-breaking energy-saving invention, and Will is the only man who can protect her. Now they're on the run, thrown together again by the pursuit of vengeance, will their passion for each other reignite?

    Seen through the eyes of Linda Lane, an unconventional heroine, Five-Star FLEECING strips the veil on the otherwise secret world of high-end hospitality. Escape with laughter into this madcap adventure filled with crazed colleagues, paparazzi and celebrities. A definite must-read for anyone willing to ROFLMAO.

    Get inside the glamour with Tasmina Perry!

    All Sasha Carrington has to do is beat the competition on the new TV show Heartbreak Hotel. The daily challenges test her creative flair and business acumen, but it's fellow contestant Mitchell Davenport who's pushing her emotions to the limit. Before they knew they'd be rivals, Mitchell and Sasha shared two smoldering, unforgettable nights in Antigua. Mitchell — as fine as he is ambitious — was immediately drawn to Sasha's warmth and earthy sensuality. Now, winning is the only thing that matters to both…but what are they willing to lose to get there?

    Can starting over be that simple?Tess Riddell reckons her beloved Freelander is more reliable than any man - especially her ex -fiancé, Olly Gray. She’s moving on from her old life and into the perfect cottage in the country.Miles Rattenbury’s passions? Old cars and new women! Romance? He's into fun rather than commitment. When Tess crashes the Freelander into his breakdown truck, they find that they’re nearly neighbours – yet worlds apart. Despite her overprotective parents and a suddenly attentive Olly, she discovers the joys of village life and even forms an unlikely friendship with Miles. Then, just as their relationship develops into something deeper, an old flame comes looking for him...Is their love strong enough to overcome the past? Or will it take more than either of them is prepared to give?

    Extra from Diana Peterfeund's website taking place about 3/4 into "Under the Rose", specifically, after the first scene in chapter 18, "Benefits".http://www.dianapeterfreund.com/books...

    When she discovers their hidden affair, she takes Byron and Meshia into a bizarre world, one of which they could never have dreamed of, not even in their worst of nightmares.

    Angry and bitter with the world over her life's failures, she goes on a sexual rampage and destroys everything in her path. She begins to slowly move in on one unsuspecting family with her sexual charms. She starts up a hot-and-heavy relationship with Carlos, a young music executive with big dreams and an even larger sexual appetite. Then she deflowers Carlos's wholesome brother, Jonathan, an up-and-coming basketball star. She's definitely on fire, but the summer is already hot for so many other reasons.Things get even more complicated when Carlos's mother is reunited with the love of her life. Eli is a recovering substance abuser and the father of her eldest child, Tarik, a talented neo-soul artist on the cusp of greatness. Thanks to Carlos's expert music management, Tarik was only seconds away from signing a major record deal - but Eli's unexpected arrival disrupts everything. Now that the family's core strength is completely weakened, Nicola can finally be her truly ruthless self.The summer continues to sizzle for this family as Nicola's grip tightens around the men who would sacrifice everything for her.

    He was soon to discover, however, that all the real drama was taking place off-stage ... Maria, trapped in a loveless marriage to an older man, makes an appalling discovery. If pushed, she knows she will do whatever it takes to protect her vulnerable son, Pat. But will she find the strength to do the one thing that would save them both? Her sister Ellen, scarred after a tragic motorbike accident, seeks comfort where she can find it. Will she finally come to terms with what happened . . . and, perhaps, open her heart to love again? Handsome, charming Robert glides through life. When Caroline threatens to take his sons away from him, however, he realises that everything he ever wanted was right under his nose. But is it too late? As the weeks pass, the cast members of Death by Dying are brought together and their lives intertwine. And, as opening night draws near, they learn that in life there's no such thing as a dress rehearsal.

    But with two grown-up children who treat the house like a hotel, a seventy-year-old mother who's just moved in and a father who's announced he's gay it's hardly surprising that her relationship with her husband Rick is beginning to suffer. Juliet's resigned to the fact that the only romance she's going to get is from the pages of her library books, so nothing prepares her for the unexpected return of Steven Aubrey. Last seen twenty-six years ago, when he jilted Juliet on their wedding day, he ignites a passion in her that she thought was long gone. But will Steven sweep her off her feet or can Rick remind her of the loving feeling that they've lost? There's only one way to find out...

    Sharman, including: No Worries: Witnessing her mother's murder put a label on Gypsy Lance that few people overlooked. Raised in foster homes, she spent her childhood yearning for love and acceptance. Nearly penniless, she arrives in Hagerstown, Maryland looking to put down roots and outrun a past she fears is about to catch up to her...Blue-collar, bad boy Rebel McCassey knows what it's like to try and escape your past. No longer the hellion he once was, he's never been able to shake his family's bad reputation. When he finds Gypsy lost in the woods, her unconditional trust and refusal to judge him by his infamous last name touch Rebel in a place he didn't know existed...his heart. When the demons chasing Gypsy are caught lurking in the shadows, Rebel vows to keep her safe, even if it means slipping back into his old ways... Preditors and Editors 2006 Reader's Poll, Best Romance Novel of The Year, Ecataromance Reviewers' Choice Award Winner, Whiskey Creek Press Number One Bestseller The Devil's Candy: Behind Angel Shelby's dancing eyes and mischievous smile, lie the razor sharp tongue and fearless attitude that have helped her conceal painful secrets. However, they aren't enough to save her this time—as she's issued a shocking ultimatum. Nicknamed, The Devil, Blackie McCassey's violent past keeps most people exactly where he likes them...at a distance. Sacrificing his freedom to repay an old debt, he agrees to marry Angel in name only, watch over her, and play peacemaker in the uncivilized bar she runs. Along with unexpected happiness, marriage brings surprises. Once wild and reckless, Blackie suddenly finds himself in the unfamiliar position of keeping someone else out of trouble...his wife. When a murder occurs, Blackie's forced to face his past one last time, risking his life to put an end to the chaos disrupting their lives. Unfortunately, victory comes at a price...2007 Ecataromance Reviewer's Choice Award Winner, Top Ten Award Preditors and Editors Reader's Poll, Top Ten Best Author Award Preditor's And Editor's Reader's Poll Dusty Rose: Dusty Zamora and her close-knit sisters were young—but far from innocent—when they abruptly left Hagerstown, Maryland ten years ago. Now, Dusty has returned. Alone. Judd McCassey spent most of his thirty-six years side-by-side with his brothers and cousins...on the wrong side of the law. His one regret...being powerless to help the only woman he ever loved when she needed it most. Judd knows they're headed for trouble when Dusty rides back into his life on a stolen outlaw biker's motorcycle, and is shocked when she refuses his help. Finally realizing that hiding her deadly secrets are harming—not helping—the man she loves, Dusty opens up to Judd, dropping a bombshell that sends him reeling, and her fleeing. Not until Dusty vanishes does Judd discover her deception was well-intended. Now, he must find her before it's too late for all of them... Top Five Finisher, 2008 Preditors and Editors Reader's Poll, Whiskey Creek Press Number One Bestseller GET THE COMPLETE FIRST THREE BOOKS OF THE SERIES IN THIS MEGABOOK RELEASE! Genre: Romance Suspense

    Unknown, Arizona. Great writing comes naturally to Kerry Reichs (she’s the daughter of New York Times bestselling author Kathy Reichs, whose Temperance Brennan forensic mysteries inspired the TV series Bones). With Leaving Unknown, Kerry has penned a bittersweet modern-day Odyssey that readers of Kristin Gore, Jennifer Crusie, Meg Cabot, and Jennifer Weiner will absolutely adore.

    But Jimmy is having trouble controlling himself when he drinks, someone is blackmailing her about a shameful secret from her past and her godfather Charlie has his own troubles running from his ex's powerful underworld father. Meanwhile her next-door neighbour, actress Lila, is worried that her age and fading beauty is making her Oscar-nominated husband Brett play away. Lila's friend, Maxi, is three times divorced but still desperate to get another ring on her finger - this time courtesy of her older Latin lover, singer Carlos. Then there is Grace, who as a journalist, wants to get to the bottom of all their stories. Set between London and Marbella in Spain, this mixes glamour with a dark plot that will keep you guessing to the end.

     Dr Kelly Blackman had come to Brittany to act as a locum doctor for three months. After the trauma she had suffered she needed time and peace to ensure that both body and mind were as good as they had been. She enjoyed working with Dr Luc Laforge and tried to ignore the occasional realisation that he was a very attractive man. Was he interested in her? It was hard to tell. And she did not want another catastrophic love affair. Perhaps though, there was an odd bond between them. Luc had suffered from an unsuccessful marriage. Now they both were cautious. Of all things it was Luc's daughter Jenny that brought them together, made them see that they were made for each other.

    So when she agrees to accompany her best friend Renee to a Southside ball game, her only concern is keeping her cool around the peeps. She's not there to ogle men like Renee, but the moment Jewel lays eyes on Roman Montgomery, she begins to wonder just what she's been missing. When it comes to men, Jewel's heard it all before, but suddenly it seems like Rome's working from a whole new script. . .Renee Nightingale loves to fall in love. Right now, she's got her sights set on landing a rock from her current main squeeze, Gregory. She's not getting any younger, and she sure isn't going to reach thirty still single. And to ensure no one plays her, she's always got a game going on. So when temptation comes calling in the form of a fine, young man with a chiseled physique, she can't resist--and why should she? What Gregory doesn't know, can't hurt them--or so she thinks. . .

    What else could she possibly need? Her husband, Jackson, an accountant at a prestigious Washington, DC, law firm, provides for her all the worldly things she could wish for. However, looks can be deceiving. Behind closed doors, there is a perfect storm brewing. Betrayals and her insatiable desire for intimacy are ripping her marriage apart at the seams.

    http://www.dianapeterfreund.com/books...

    This is a story for anyone who has ever loved, or lost, a house.

    do something!... is a story of great literary power, one that "might just change the way you look at life."

    Original.

    Nolwazi has a secret – one she can't share even with her closest friends, while Sade has found the perfect man, and a new life that will shut out the horrors of her past forever. Or will it...? Linda, Dikeledi, Nolwazi and Sade are about to discover more with the wisdom that comes with being a year older. After all, they’re young, gifted and black in a booming new South Africa.Author of the popular thriller, Red Ink, Angela Makholwa turns her humour and skill for page-turning suspense to the escapades and sexual misadventures of modern women as they search for happiness – and hope for love.

    Once the best of friends, the now somewhat estranged duo head off for college with plans to live life on their own terms. What price will they pay in the end to find true happiness? Anaya is determined to live life in the fast lane now that she is all grown up. Along the way she finds herself in one bad situation after the other, including an abusive relationship, an unplanned pregnancy, and a lucrative but less than admirable career. Just when shes about to lose it all, a man from her past comes to her rescue. In the end she must decide if she loves herself enough to be set free. Karen is trying her best to keep things low key. Things go crazy however, when the father of her miscarried child suddenly returns around the same time her fathers dangerous obsession is revealed. With dreams of getting married and starting a family, she heads down a dangerous path that makes her question everything she thought she knew about love. Will she rediscover her faith and stability before its too late?

    They're about to find out that things aren't always as they seem. Ver�nica takes a bite of forbidden fruit when she becomes romantically involved with her boss. The one-night fling leaves her pregnant with another man's child and headed straight to divorce court. Vict�ria can identify with her sister as she, too, harbors a secret love that goes against their strict upbringing. After the sudden death of their mother, Vict�ria enlists the help of her lover to unravel a decade's worth of deceit. Armed with letters written by their father, the sisters soon find out that deception runs deep, and their time here in America has been based on a lie. The man they once respected has become a symbol of fear with a hidden agenda, and he has no intentions of releasing them from a contract they didn't sign. Deep Deception demonstrates how greed and the love of money can twist perception. As the mystery unfolds, readers will be shocked by the consequences of these vices.

    Since this is Beverly's third engagement in the past five years, after breaking off the previous two at the last moment, everyone's happy that she's finally settling down. For Beverly and Julian, nothing could be better than being in love and planning their wedding. That is until Beverly's oldest sister's marriage falls apart and dampens the mood of what should have been the happiest time in Beverly's life. Now, second-guessing her impending nuptials, Beverly is forced to wonder if marriage really works. Will she stick it out? Or will her fears cloud her judgment once again?

    But the one relationship that often gets forgotten in the craziness of everyday life is the most important one of all - the one they have with God. This title features 52 devotions that address real life issues that women deal with.

    

    So she needs some sisterly advice, in between rolling dice and drinking frozen margaritas, as to her next move.While considering subtracting Spencer from her life, Georgia meets the very handsome Dave Hernandez. Unfortunately when a Bunco night gets a little out of hand, Georgia reveals more of herself to Dave than she intended. Now, as she helps the Babes prepare for a Bunco Black Tie fundraiser, she needs to search her heart?and keep her shirt on?long enough to decide if a love affair with Dave might be a dream come true.

    The country that had dazzled the world is now completely annihilated, and the Nile runs red with the blood of her people. Nefertiti's spirit walks the land and looks at the utter devastation she has unwittingly allowed to transpire. In desperation she cries out to the Gods, and they take pity on her. They send her forward into the future, so she may return later to correct her mistakes. This is the story of Nefertiti, of the life she has lived here as Kayla, unaware of her true identity until finally reunited with the man who is the living reincarnation of her murdered husband, Akhenaten. She is faced with a difficult choice. Return to Egypt and save her country and its people or stay here with the man who holds her heart. And if she returns to Egypt, will she remember her life as Kayla, so she may be returned to it before her life becomes forfeit in the past? Charline Ratcliff's tale is woven with likeable and believable characters, powerful visceral imagery, and a tapestry of combining old with new to create a masterful novel. Her debut novel is a stunning achievement that deftly envelops the reader.

    The free spirit enjoys running an organic gardening business on the island of Nantucket, thanks in large part to her spry grandmother Nona, who donated a portion of land on the family’s seaside compound to get Charlotte started. Though Charlotte’s skill with plants is bringing her success, cultivating something deeper with people–particularly her handsome neighbor Coop–might be more of a challenge. Nona’s generosity to Charlotte, secretly her favorite grandchild, doesn’t sit well with the rest of the Wheelwright clan, however, as they worry that Charlotte may be positioning herself to inherit the entire estate. With summer upon them, everyone is making their annual pilgrimage to the homestead–some with hopes of thwarting Charlotte’s dreams, others in anticipation of Nona’s latest pronouncements at the annual family meeting, and still others with surprising news of their own. Charlotte’s mother, Helen, a Wheelwright by marriage, brings a heavy heart. She once set aside her own ambitions to fit in with the Wheelwrights, but now she must confront a betrayal that threatens both her sense of place and her sense of self.As summer progresses, these three women–Charlotte, Nona, and Helen–come to terms with the decisions they have made. Revisiting the lives and loves that have crossed their paths and the possibilities of the roads not taken, they may just discover that what they’ve always sought was right in front of them all along.

    Bella is a 23-year-old who’s moved back home after college. This fic chronicles how they meet, fall in love, and struggle with the complexities of their relationship. Not nearly as maudlin as it sounds (I hope).Rated NC-17 for graphic (and sometimes non-romantic) sex, drug and alcohol use and abuse, profane language, and brief (very brief) suicidal ideation (although NO suicide attempts). No sexual assault, no cutting.

    Life is pure sun, sea and sand with a bit of work thrown in for good measure.But for newcomers Ed and Lauren and their two small children, the dream takes a sour turn when their paths cross with devious property dealer Jeremy and his frosty girlfriend Susannah. And they’re not the only ones who begin to question whether a life in the sun is all it’s cracked up to be…Becoming a travel rep in Crete is the best decision Georgie has ever made – especially when she starts a steamy affair with her landlord. However, when she bumps into an old adversary, she can’t resist a spot of sweet revenge and things soon start to get out of hand.Meanwhile, restaurant owners Becky and Yiannis are finding their love-struck teenaged daughter Sophia too much to handle. And their good friend, lonely artist Stafford, discovers there is one person who is the ongoing source of all their troubles – but will he be able to stop the culprit before it’s too late?

    Her company is floundering, her best friend and business partner has run off to Goa, the love of her life has dumped her and - oh, yes - she's being haunted by the spirit of her great-aunt Sadie in the form of a bold, demanding, Charleston-dancing girl.Tell Me No Secrets: Some secrets, it seems, can't remain buried, however much Grace Adams would like them to be. All it takes is one phone call from her old best friend, Orla - a woman she hasn't seen for over twenty years - and Grace is forced to face a moment from her past that shaped her life for ever.Love in Bloom: When it comes to love and relationships, Hope Walker is able to work magic through her expert flower arranging - for everyone but herself. Scarred from surgery and low in self esteem, Hope joins a gardening community and, through a growing friendship with two very different women, learns to love again.

    New apartment, new town, new job--it's all an adventure to Gina, but for Rae, each move is just one more friend lost, one more chance to feel like an outsider. When they arrive in Wisconsin, Gina promises to stay put until Rae graduates. Cautiously optimistic, she wades into the social whirl at Whitman High School, making a few friends and even earning a chance at love. But when the vice principal pairs her with a new student, Allison Daly, things go bad in a big way. It seems Allison was orphaned after her parents died in a suspicious house fire, leaving their daughter to bounce between relatives' homes. When a sleepover at Rae's house goes terribly wrong, Rae sees a troubling side of Allison--and learns a few secrets about her own mother in the process. Suddenly Rae is at risk of losing everything and everyone she cares about--unless she steps up and takes charge of her life once and for all.

    And the harder we fight to ignore them, the faster they weaken our defenses. Like hail on a weak roof, they pile up until the sky comes falling in.Counselor, author, and speaker Marilyn Meberg knows what rains down on us, and she's here to help. With words of encouragement, wit, and wisdom, Marilyn speaks to those issues that can cripple us or make us stronger. Adultery, depression, pornography, suicide, boundaries, addiction . . . She knows there's nothing too difficult for God, no one too shattered for his love. Through stories, humor, scripture, and her trademark conversational style, Marilyn can help you pick up the pieces―or avoid the cave-in altogether."This is a gutsy book! Marilyn tackles tough topics like addictions, pornography, divorce, and death but still manages to make me laugh. My favorite thing in life is to learn and still have a good time. I learned and I laughed while reading this book; great combination!" ―Luci Swindoll

    Things get complicated and events unfold quickly when the body of Tangerine's ex-lawyer is discovered and Tangerine disappears. Kate, aided by MJ, her tattooed, pierced, and fashion-challenged paralegal and Sam, her sometimes cross-dressing investigator, along with a cast of characters straight out of a John Waters movie, try to unravel the bizarre mystery and save Tangerine's life. The action is fast and fantastically funny, and Ms. Bartness proves once again that you can laugh at death.

    Just days before her wedding, Ruby Bohan stumbles upon a secret that promises to leave no one in her loving family unscathed-including her doting, adoptive Uncle Blaine. Ruby's discovery forces her mother, Ainsley, to tell the true story of her own past, which includes a troubled marriage, family tragedy and a passionate, forbidden encounter destined to follow her for the rest of her life. Once Ainsley's story is complete, the burden of truth passes from mother to daughter. Now, Ruby's happiness, and that of the people she loves, rests in her youthful hands. Her choices will either hold her family together or tear it apart-and, perhaps, give her mother one last chance at love. A compelling love story, MEN AMONG SIRENS takes readers on a 20-year journey from the Navy hub of Virginia Beach to the quaint, lakeside villages of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, a place whose rustic beauty remains a step removed from the breakneck-paced lives most of us lead. MEN AMONG SIRENS is Volume I in Jennifer Olmstead's VIRGINIA SOUTHERN POINT COLLECTION. Visit jenniferolmstead.net and FB: Jennifer Olmstead, Author.

    All of the ex-boyfriends, old jobs, former friends and anemic bank accounts. Those old "WTH" occurrences helped you to become the woman you are today. You tried so hard to disguise it, but even though the world saw you as this fierce, fly, fearless female who seemingly had it all together, beyond the facade you were about to fall apart. Meet Christian Cullen. She's a woman of many labels: entrepreneur, volunteer, daughter, sister, soror, friend and occasionally, significant other. She doesn't know it, but she's due for a breakthrough...and you get to be there when it happens. If you're in it for the long haul, maybe you can share in that breakthrough. So what is it that you need to do? Read her journal. Yes, you heard correctly, read her journal. It's alright, you're not eavesdropping...okay you kinda are but you're forgiven. This is honestly the best way to get to know her and to see who she really is. It's okay to laugh, life is a comedy of errors and God definitely has a sense of humor. Just try not to judge, she's only human. A woman in her thirties who's still coming of age, discovering her purpose, accepting her flaws and learning to simply let go and let God.

    Most have procrastinated to the last minute to buy gifts for their wives, mothers, sisters, daughters even their fiances. She gets a high from shopping, a rush from the lack of time, and finds pleasure on the women's faces when she pretends to be the delivery person as she drops the gift off at their door. Tiffany's favorite place to shop is Lauren & Co. on Rodeo Drive, where she meets the sharp-dressed jeweler, Nick Bennett. As Tiffany and Nick's relationship heats up, two of their old flames return. As the summer temperature rises in Southern California, so does the anticipation of which path Tiffany will take. Follow Tiffany on her hilarious and surprising adventure.

     On a career break in London, she lands a job as a cleaner which is right up her street just then. Her new boss is Sophia Brannigan – the fashionista girlfriend of gorgeous Fulton FC Premiership star, Dylan Summers, and her new place of work is their luxurious home, Summer Manor. Cara is determined to stay in the background, but life has other plans. Before she can say ‘Manolo’, she finds herself plunged in at the deep end of high fashion and posh parties. With a friendly father figure in gardener Sam and a delightful new arrival called Lola, Cara’s new life is set to be both fun and challenging. But as Sophia’s hunger for celebrity grows, so does Cara’s bond with Dylan Summers and soon everything she does at Summer Manor seems destined to land her deeper and deeper into trouble ...

    Then the children's American uncle, Ross Fabello, contacts her out of the blue, under family orders to take the children back to meet their father's family.Ross has money, time and, frankly, a formidable family that will not take no for an answer. So how come a mouthy nurse keeps managing to out-maneuver him? Danny’s niece and nephew are all the family she’s got. But, while she’d be the first to admit that Ross’s family seems a little unhinged, she’d still love to have them - minus their sarcastic eldest son, of course.So it’s game on for a titanic battle of the wills . . . and the most unfortunate, irresistible sexual attraction.In this brilliantly funny and poignant tale of modern love and misadventure, the spoils of war are family. And maybe, just maybe, something more.

    She sets out to craft her first novel, Winter's Truth. Hesitantly, she accepts the unexpected guidance from Craig, an unlikely man she meets at the coffee shop.Along her journey, Samantha picks up a new journal and titles it her "Positive Journal," declaring to only write positive thoughts in it. Samantha's life transforms from one of despair and loss to hope and faith as she navigates through new territory and explores the possibility of finding love over lattes.

    But hiding is hard in a house under construction! As a friendship blossoms with carpenter Guthrie Thomas, Hannah learns how to build a home--and love--of her own.Finally FoundTen years ago, Marco Da Palma left Spring Kirkland behind. What did a poor scholarship student have to offer her, anyway? But when Marco, now a successful doctor, finds Spring again, the pair has a second chance. If only Marco can release his fears, and see the happiness that's been waiting all along....

    Aspiring screenwriter Lelaina Zane finally lands a Hollywood break, but it's cut short when her dad has a heart attack and she has to return to her home town. Leaving LA for the first time in three years, she returns home to be with her family. And now that she's back, her parents want her to stay and join the family law firm. After three years of unsuccessfully trying to 'make it' in Hollywood, she thinks they might be right. But soon after settling into her new life, Hollywood calls with a potential offer. Lelaina has to decide if she'll stay for her ailing father and the promise of a successful life, or return to LA to pursue what she's always wanted. Torn between her two choices, the decision becomes even harder when her cheating ex -- her first love, first kiss and first... you know -- reappears with apologies and a proposition.

    While her fertility doctor, Chandy, is preoccupied with the destruction of the cosmopolitan Cape Town of her youth and her first love in apartheid-torn South Africa, believing all is lost, her niece, a young, married, overachieving attorney Summer Curtis, juggles zealous career ambitions, demanding bosses, and friction with her husband over family and fertility issues. They must confront the painful reality that, no matter what technology humans devise to manipulate reproduction, prolong life, and construct family units, they have not yet mastered control over their beginnings and endings.Thrown all into this is one story that can make or break. Are you up to it?

    Secret societies have seized control of the world’s governments through “stealth politics”, using a hierarchy of “spook” organizations as their police force. Rene, a brilliant and unorthodox technician, covertly travels back in time some 65 years to the time period of the Third World War (circa 2015). His mission is to save the woman he has fallen in love with (across time) from suicide. They join forces with our time traveling submarine and its 18th century refugees from the first Safety Factor book, but are forced to flee yet another 365 years into the future - to escape a world falling into unprecedented social turmoil. Is there anything they can do to stop the endless cycles of empire building, prosperity, decline, collapse and chaos that the human race has experienced since the beginning of time? This is the second book of The Safety Factor trilogy.

    Rebecca Vnuk categorizes and lists hundreds of popular women's fiction titles, but her scope is more current and more selective than that found other guides, the tone is lighter and more informal, annotations are shorter and livelier. Most important, the organization and approach are based on various appeal factors of the genre, rather than on the formal genres and subgenres adhered to by other guides.Use these lists to advise readers; to create thematic reading lists for library websites, flyers, and newsletters; and as checklists or reading plans for those who enjoy women's fiction. Buy two copies--one for the reference and readers advisory desk, and one to circulate!

    No one will be able to put it down until they have finished.Nicole Foster is the editor of fourteen best-selling volumes of lesbian erotica, including Wet.

    She lands a job as PA to Lady of the Manor - Mimi - having settled herself in a caravan in the sleepy little village of Lovers' Knot. But the trouble starts when the most beautiful boy in the world - Dylan - turns up on her doorstep drunk one night.

    A recent vacation at an Arizona dude ranch entices her to the state, and she accepts a position as a deputy county attorney in Phoenix. Within weeks of beginning her new position, Kate realizes that the Maricopa County Attorney's Office is not the employee haven she'd hoped it would be. Not only does her supervisor, County Attorney Stan Rantwist, claim he receives his orders from a higher power, but his sneaky assistant Alan White seems to have made it his life's work to spy on Kate's professional and personal activities. Worst of all, it looks like something illegal may be going on in the office. Kate enlists the help of her oddball assistants-the tattooed and pierced MJ Polowski and the germaphobic Marcus John Martinez-O'Reilly Ramirez, otherwise known as Sam-to help her investigate a series of grossly overcharged criminal cases.When investigation of the improper charges leads Kate and her crew to the discovery of more serious, widespread corruption Kate faces the difficult decision of who to trust. Can she be sure that the handsome Deputy Sheriff Bryan Turner is on her side when he offers to assist? One misstep and it could be more than her career at stake.

    Holding an ice pack to her swollen face andstuck in a hospital elevator is not how she envisioned running into The Ex. She assesses the situation: Is she still in love with him? Is he still in love with her? They start kissing, then petting, then heavy petting, until she can feel his growing hardness against the inside of her thigh...The Spring Season is a continuation of Hannah’s fall from perfect twenty-something grace. Hannah’s run-in with The Ex is more about icing her nose than melting her heart. She seems to be making all the wrong decisions about all the right men; rejecting the doctor who makes her vagina quiver for Mr. Smyth who turns out to be tall, dark, and sophisticated...with just one problem. Theunexpected twists would drive any woman to the opposite side ofnice girl, which is exactly what happens to Hannah. But a bad girlcan have some fun along the way.

    Used Book in good condition. No missing/ torn pages. No stains. Note: The above used product classification has been solely undertaken by the seller. Amazon shall neither be liable nor responsible for any used product classification undertaken by the seller. A-to-Z Guarantee not applicable on used products.

    A quick trip to the lawyer to collect the trust fund that's rightfully his and he can wash his hands of the alcoholic father who disowned him years ago. A romp or two with the cellarmaster's assistant shouldn't complicate things. Francesca has given her heart and soul to Mill Tavern Vineyards, working tirelessly in its wine cellars. Now the greedy son of her stepfather is coming home to take it all from her. Manipulating her way into the playboy's bed may be the only way to save her home. But hot sex quickly becomes an affair of the heart as Francesca and Nick get tangled in lies and deceit trying to discover the truth behind the failing vineyard.

    From small, harmless white lies, to the more devious kind, they have come from the people that she should trust the most; her family, friends and teachers. Now 17, cynical and aloof, she finds little joy in life, until her boyfriend's best friend Jonah (Ian Nelson) comes to town. Unlike everyone else, Jonah doesn't lie. But is he really that squeaky-clean, or is he Dakota's arch-nemesis, a villain who has found a way to conceal his deceit from her?

    Enter Owen Byrne (Clark Kent minus the manky Y-fronts). He's sexy, dynamic and is everything a girl could wish for. The one fly in the ointment comes in the form of his horrendous teenage daughter, the seriously misnamed Angelica. The path of true love never runs smooth but for Frankie and Owen the road is particularly treacherous (a minefield would be safer). Family crises, interfering in-laws (or is that outlaws?) and a bittersweet tragedy all culminate to test their relationship while faces from the past threaten their future as a family. Second chances don't pop up very often and when they do it's best to grab them with both hands. Will Frankie and Owen have the courage to stand together and become a family with 2.4 children or is that 3.6 children?

    In the midst of this discontent, she meets Cha Ma, a guru. Immediately, she comes to believe that Cha Ma is an avatara human incarnationof the goddess Kali, the most malevolent, destructive of all Hindu deities. Spellbound, Maya runs off to India to live in Cha Mas ashram as a Hindu. Her choice hurls her parents, Paul and Marie, into a battle far beyond their wildest imagination for they must fight for their daughters life, and even her soul, as she teeters on the edge.

    But Plans Aren't Set In Stone. No drama, no problems--that's Tori Carter's idea of the good life. Her tendency to plan everything to the max has made her the most successful event coordinator in the business--and the number one problem solver for her family and friends. But when her perfect fiancé runs off with another woman, he leaves Tori without a Plan B-through-Z. . .or any idea what to do next. And now she's dealing with one surprise after another. Her well-meaning friends are delivering a rogue's gallery of bad-news dates. Her demanding boss expects Tori to work miracles with ever-more-impossible clients. And Tori's handsome neighbor Nelson is a chef who turns up the heat in ways she never imagined. Now Tori has to improvise, let loose--and get wise--if she's going to figure out who she is and what kind of happiness she really wants. . .

     The three plus-sized women in The Last Prejudice find support in one another during the ups and downs of their juicy romances and chaotic lives. Noreen Klein is more than comfortable inside the smooth curves a size-24 frame enables. She's an empowered diva who gets what she wants -- including hot men. On the other hand, Dahlia Ortega is a beautiful woman who is extremely insecure with her thick body. Recently coming out of an abusive marriage, the docile Dahlia is left with a raging thirst for dominance. Kat Davis once had a perfect body, but now has to contend with the additional sixty pounds she put on during her tumultuous pregnancy. She wrestles with releasing herself from a self-imposed emotional prison, to embrace the love she deserves. Follow these three women as they fulfill their insatiable sexual appetites and overcome the disheartening emotional challenges that trouble many full-figured women. Fresh, thoughtful, and endlessly provocative, The Last Prejudice proves how biases against voluptuous women don't exist when love and lust is in the air. Readers will be riveted by Rivera's fast-paced and passionate writing style -- a must-read for women of all sizes.

    Sparks fly from the moment they meet. Through the comedy of errors that their meeting triggers, they grow closer with every passing minute. Despite their many misunderstanding, Megan's new life with her handsome, enigmatic employer is everything she could ever have hoped for except for one thing: Bryan is engaged to another. Megan's head tells her all the reasons her new boss is out of bounds romantically. Her heart whispers a different story, one that dares dream of a happily ever after. Can she and Bryan ever build a future together, or is her harlequin heart making her a fool for love? Bryan has never met anyone like Megan, but he's already engaged to a woman everyone says is perfect for him. Why then does he feel like such a fool for ever having agreed to marry the glamorous Amanda? Only through his daring to risk all and open his heart and mind to love, to share the gift of joy and laughter with the beautiful woman Fate has presented him with, can Bryan find the courage to live a life of passion. Does Bryan dare risk all on his harlequin heart, which whispers to him that it's not yet too late to find real happiness with his one true love? Or will he try to do the honorable thing and keep his word to Amanda despite all he has learned about her, and let Megan walk out of his life forever? “Your role would be whatever you'd like to make it, Megan. I really don’t have to stand on ceremony and eat all my meals alone or with David in that tomb of a dining room, while your little family circle all sit in the kitchen eating baked beans on toast. "And don’t bother to deny it. I’ve seen the number of tins in the cupboard. I’m not an ogre, you know. No more pheasant and wild boar for me. We're all eating the same from now on.” Megan took his hand and climbed over. Once on the ground again, she gazed up at him, feeling as if her whole soul were rising up to meet his. He was so kind, so generous. It was a miracle. “I don’t know what to say.” “Then don’t say anything.” Tugging her shoulders upwards, he drew her into his arms and covered her mouth with his before she even knew what had happened. She gasped in surprise and tried to pull away, but his arms had already gone around her waist, trapping her against his lean hard maleness. Her body responded to the kiss, the thrilling contact, but her more rational side was still just about in control. He was her boss, he was engaged. He had been kind to the Haugheys, true. But why? Because he expected something from her? ..... Rating: Sensual Word Count: 75,000 ALSO BY THE AUTHOR Castles in the Air The Art of Love Italian Interlude Parisian Passion

    It offers an innovative and forward-looking perspective on femininity and the modern female self.