Best of
Contemporary

2003

As Long as We Both Shall Live


Lurlene McDaniel - 2003
    Be prepared. But how could she be prepared for the news that she has an inoperable brain tumor? April’s life will never be the same. Then she meets handsome Mark Gianni. Mark has cystic fibrosis, but he also has a passion for life . . . and for April. When he asks April to marry him, she’s happier than she’s ever been.April thought she and Mark would be together forever. But since Mark’s death, April has never felt more alone. Then Brandon Benedict comes into her life. Brandon is lonely and angry—he and April have a lot in common. But April cannot tell Brandon about her illness. When April’s medical problems suddenly return, she must decide what to tell Brandon. Can the love she’s felt before help her now?

A Rush of Wings


Kristen Heitzmann - 2003
    Her sanctuary is a horse ranch, where she discovers solace in the breathtaking scenery she paints. But as the attentions of two brothers slowly soften the wall she hides behind, the past she yearns to escape becomes a menacing threat she cannot deny. Will Noelle find courage to give her broken heart to the One whose perfect love casts out all fear? Kristen Heitzmann skillfully creates a story resonating with emotion and a poignant spiritual journey.

Wedding of the Century


Patricia McLinn - 2003
    He’s a well-to-do groom. Their botched wedding is only the start of their storybook romance.Annette Trevetti felt like a modern-day Cinderella as she walked down the aisle towards her first love and the heir to a small fortune. But her wedding day bliss screeched to a halt when an extremely pregnant woman crashed the ceremony claiming her prince charming was the father. Devastated, Annette shakes the dust of her small town off her boots and starts a seven-year climb up the corporate ladder to claim her own fortune. But when her brother gets injured on the job, she has no choice but to return to her hometown and risk exposing the feelings she still has for the man who broke her heart.Single dad Steve Corbett’s biggest regret is tied up with his greatest joy. When Annette returns to town seven years after she left him at the altar, his love for her hasn't changed one bit. And if his match-making daughter and their one-of-a-kind elderly relative have it their way, they’d pick the romance up right where it left off. Working alongside Annette on her brother’s construction project, Steve senses the flicker of their old flame. But he knows it will take a lot of sweat and tears to rebuild the crumbling trust for a second chance at happily ever after.With years and heartache between them, can Annette and Steve learn to have faith in each other and rebuild a new future together?Wedding of the Century is a contemporary romance about second chances. If you like fiery chemistry, precocious children, quirky matchmakers and emotional journeys of the heart, then you’ll love USA Today bestselling author Patricia McLinn’s small-town romance.

Cry No More


Linda Howard - 2003
    Traveling to a small village in Mexico on a reliable tip, Milla begins to uncover the dire fate of countless children who have disappeared in the labyrinth of a sinister baby-smuggling ring. The key to nailing down the organization may rest with an elusive one-eyed man. As Milla’s search for him intensifies, the mission becomes more treacherous. For the ring is part of something far larger and more dangerous, reaching the highest echelons of power. Racing into peril, Milla suddenly finds herself the hunted—in the crosshairs of an invisible, lethal assassin who aims to silence her permanently.

Out of the Dark


Sharon Sala - 2003
    For the fifteen years since she escaped his grasp, she has survived by living on the streets and never putting down roots. Ex-cop Luke Kelly knows his friend Sam Cochrane wants nothing more than to find his daughter, Jade, who was taken from him as a child. So Luke uses all his connections to make that happen, not knowing that by reuniting Jade with her father he is exposing her to a deadly peril.

The Battle of Jericho


Sharon M. Draper - 2003
    Draper’s Jericho Trilogy.When Jericho is invited to pledge for the Warriors of Distinction, he thinks his life can’t get any better. As the most exclusive club in school, the Warriors give the best parties, go out with the hottest girls, and great grades are a given. When Arielle, one of the finest girls in his class, starts coming on to him once the pledge announcements are made, Jericho is determined to do anything to become a member… But as the initiation week becomes progressively harrowing, Jericho is forced to make choices he’s not entirely comfortable with. And one member seems to have it in for the sole female pledge in the group…a pledge who will stop at nothing to show she can handle the pressure. But when is she being pushed too far, and when should Jericho and his friends step in and risk losing their places in the pledging process? As Jericho becomes increasingly uneasy, his cousin Joshua breezes through the initiation, never thinking of the consequences, even when the fine line between fun and games, and life and death is crossed.

Change of Season


Anna Jacobs - 2003
    But he’s called away to deal with a crisis in Hong Kong and she’s left to settle into a new country on her own. One by one, her three grown-up children need help with major life problems and there’s only her to help them, because as usual, Paul puts his job first. Then she finds out that her husband's been unfaithful for years, and it’s the final blow to their marriage, especially as she’s met another man she finds attractive and kind. Her confidence grows as she wins acclaim as an embroidery artist and then she comes into an inheritance. Will her loyalty keep her with her husband, as it has before, or will Paul get more than he’d bargained for with the new, independent Rosalind?

Say No To Joe?


Lori Foster - 2003
    Now, the Winston brothers' seductive, bad-boy cousin is back and up against a woman who's immune to his considerable charms. . .or so it seems. . .Irresistible Force--Meet Immovable ObjectJoe Winston has a routine with women: he exists; they swoon; roll credits. With his smoldering looks, macho style, and irrepressible charm, Joe can have any woman--except the one he really wants. Secretly, Luna Clark may lust after Joe, but she's made it clear that she's too smart to fall for him. He can just keep holding his breath, thank you very much. But now, Luna's inherited two kids who need more than she alone can give in a small town that seems hell-bent on driving them away. She needs someone to help out. . .someone who can't be intimidated. . .someone just like Joe. Becoming an instant family wasn't exactly what Joe had in mind, but hey, it's a start, and you can't blame a guy for trying every angle. After all, where there's a Joe, there's a way. . .straight into a woman's heart.

After the Fire


Kathryn Shay - 2003
    Read the firefighter romance novels that resulted from her intense relationship with firefighters! “Inspiring and emotionally invigorating…a true hero’s tale.” RT Book Reviews Three firefighters from the Malvaso family are trapped in a burning building and almost lose their lives. After they are rescued, they decide to change the way they’ve been living. Mitch, the eldest, wants to make some decisions about his dysfunctional marriage and spend more time with his troubled teenagers. Jenn decides to have a baby—with her best friend, Grady. And Zach, the bad boy of the group, vows to make up for his past sins and become a better man. Read the whole family saga romance in these exciting stories. Praise for AFTER THE FIRE: “This powerful, emotionally realistic book is the first of Shay's new series about the men and women who put their lives on the line every day and how that dedication and commitment affect all those around them. Poignant and compelling, this novel reinforces Shay's well-earned reputation as a first-rate storyteller.” Shelley Mosley, American Library Association. “A superb contemporary romance that grabs you in the prologue and won’t let go until you’ve read the final page. Bravo, Ms. Shay!” The Romance Readers Connection Also available: Don’t miss the rest of the firefighter romance series ON THE LINE, NOTHING MORE TO LOSE, AMERICA’S BRAVEST, IT HAD TO BE YOU, CHASING THE FIRE, THE FIRE INSIDE

The Perfect Lie


Dinah McCall - 2003
    Her sister, Macie Blaine, informs Johan the missing boy is his son, and asks for his help in the search.

The Sparkling One


Susan Mallery - 2003
    There's only one hitch: the father of the groom, Zach Stryker, who is adamantly opposed to his son marrying so young. Now, despite her instant attraction to the handsome, arrogant attorney, Katie must approach with caution: Zach, who hired Katie for a major fund-raiser, holds the fate of her business in his hands -- and how can she trust a man who is willing to break her sister's heart? It will take a passionate battle of wills to determine if wedding bells will ring for a Marcelli bride, and to unlock the deepest desires -- for family, love, and home -- inside a strong-willed man's heart. Meet the Marcelli family in a wonderful series that's warm, witty, and stunningly sensual. Look for The Sassy One, The Seductive One, and The Marcelli Bride, all available from Pocket Star Books!

We Need to Talk About Kevin


Lionel Shriver - 2003
    Now, two years later, it is time for her to come to terms with marriage, career, family, parenthood, and Kevin's horrific rampage in a series of startlingly direct correspondences with her estranged husband, Franklin. Uneasy with the sacrifices and social demotion of motherhood from the start, Eva fears that her alarming dislike for her own son may be responsible for driving him so nihilistically off the rails.

The Shop on Blossom Street


Debbie Macomber - 2003
    The owner of the shop and her three students produce more than blankets, knitting together bonds of solidarity, friendship, love, hope, and renewal. The book even includes the pattern for the blanket, which was created by premier knitting designer Ann Norling. When Lydia Hoffman, a cancer survivor and owner of A Good Yarn, starts a knitting class for her patrons, she forms a special friendship and bond with three extraordinary women--Jacqueline, Carol, and Alix--and together they share laughter, heartbreak, and dreams.

Sundowners


Lesley Lokko - 2003
    She just needs someone to pay for it...Then a chance encounter changes everything - and for Rianne and her friends, nothing is going to be the same again...

Tall, Dark and Dangerous Collection Volume 1: Prince Joe / Forever Blue / Frisco's Kid


Suzanne Brockmann - 2003
    John is facing the challenge of a lifetime. The media consultant has two days to teach a rugged Navy SEAL to impersonate a European prince who has been targeted by terrorists. It's a tough assignment, but Veronica is sure she's up to the task -- until she actually meets Joe.Despite his physical resemblance to the handsome prince, Lieutenant Joe Catalanofto is nothing like the stuffy aristocrat. Everything about the combat-hardened Navy SEAL -- from the arrogant gleam in his eyes and streetwise attitude to the New York accent -- says regular guy, not royalty. One conversation and Veronica knows nothing could turn this military man into nobility. Joe, on the other hand, is confident he's got what it takes to complete his duty.But neither of them expects their assignment to include falling in love . . .Forever BlueBlue McCoy was once the hero of Lucy Tait's teenaged dreams -- quiet, dart and dangerous. After high school he left Hatboro Creek, South Carolina, to join the military. Years later, now a Navy Seal, Blue was a man who embodied all of Lucy's fantasies. Now Blue is back in town, and Lucy is not the person he remembered. She's a no-nonsense police officer -- and a woman Blue can't take his eyes off. But then Blue is accused of murder. And Lucy is assigned his case. Now their brief affair has became part of an extensive investigation, where what's at stake is critical -- Blue's future . . . and maybe Lucy's heart.Frisco's KidShe couldn't mend his wounded body . . . but could she heal his heart? Being a navy SEAL is more than a career to Alan "Frisco" Francisco -- it is his whole identity. But now a bullet has threatened that existence. How can he function in combat when he can barely walk? Still, despite the doctor's warnings, Frisco is determined to achieve a full recovery. But the unexpected appearance of his abandoned niece leaves Frisco with little time for anything but dealing with the five-year-old girl. He knows even less about parenting than about how to mend his broken body. And there is no way he's going to accept offers of help from his neighbor Mia Summerton. He doesn't need anyone's help . . . not to care for his niece, not to learn to accept his limitations and certainly not to fall in love.

Hiding in Park City


RaeAnne Thayne - 2003
    But it is just her luck that the possibility of the former threatens the latter: as the caretaker of the hunk-next-door with two broken legs, her ability to keep her distance is shaky. When she found out said hunk’s profession—FBI agent—it was downright demolished....Gage McKinnon spent most of his life trying to keep away from all things familial, so the last thing he needs is to have two adorable little girls take root next door. But it’s their mother who poses his greatest threat. For with Lisa he felt that door in his heart—the one that slammed shut twenty-five years ago—start to open, just a crack.

A Bridge to Love


Nancy Herkness - 2003
    When she discovers that her marriage was not what it seemed, her world is shattered. In her own unique revenge, Kate decides to spend one night with a man and then forget him. She finds the perfect candidate in notorious womanizer Randall Johnson. Magnetically attractive, he has a reputation for loving and leaving. But Randall's reputation is about to change.... Randall Johnson clawed his way up the ladder of success from a dirt-poor childhood. With no time for the complications of love, he prefers women who understand his rules. When Kate invites herself to dinner, his curiosity is piqued. When she kisses him, his self-control goes up in flames. And when she tells him he's just a one-night stand, he refuses to take "no" for an answer. Originally published by Berkley Books, Penguin Group USA

Birthright


Nora Roberts - 2003
    And she must cope with the presence of her irritating-but irresistible-ex-husband, Jake. Furthermore, when a stranger claims to know a secret about her privileged Boston childhood, she is forced to question her own past as well.A rich, thrilling, suspenseful tale, Birthright follows an inspiring heroine, an intriguing hero, and a cast of fascinating characters whose intertwined lives remind us that there is much more going on under the surface than meets the eye.

Taking The Heat


Brenda Novak - 2003
    Soon staying alive becomes the only thing that matters and the balance of power between them shifts as they're drawn together.It's a relationship that shouldn't exist...

Between Sisters


Kristin Hannah - 2003
    Meghann is now a highly successful attorney, and has put all thoughts of love completely behind her – until she meets the one man who believes he can change her mind. Claire has fallen in love for the first time in her life, and as her wedding day approaches she prepares to face her strong-willed older sister. Reunited after two decades, these two women who believe they have nothing in common will try to become what they never were: a family.Tender, funny, bittersweet and moving, Kristin Hannah's Between Sisters skilfully explores the profound joys and sorrows shared in a close relationship, the mistakes made in the name of love, and the promise of redemption."

Matthew and Son


Ruth Hamilton - 2003
    He was 16 when she died and he grieved as heavily as his father, Matthew, at her passing. He longed to prove himself to his father and offered to help with the family antique business, but his father seemed beyond help – obsessed with his loss. Tilly Povey watched the boy’s lonely existence with a heavy heart.Stella, Molly’s sister, had always loved Matthew and hoped that he would turn to her in need, but Matthew was gradually falling apart and not even those closest to him could help. But Tilly was determined to help this troubled family.

The Housekeeper and the Professor


Yōko Ogawa - 2003
    She is an astute young Housekeeper, with a ten-year-old son, who is hired to care for him. And every morning, as the Professor and the Housekeeper are introduced to each other anew, a strange and beautiful relationship blossoms between them. Though he cannot hold memories for long (his brain is like a tape that begins to erase itself every eighty minutes), the Professor’s mind is still alive with elegant equations from the past. And the numbers, in all of their articulate order, reveal a sheltering and poetic world to both the Housekeeper and her young son. The Professor is capable of discovering connections between the simplest of quantities--like the Housekeeper’s shoe size--and the universe at large, drawing their lives ever closer and more profoundly together, even as his memory slips away. The Housekeeper and the Professor is an enchanting story about what it means to live in the present, and about the curious equations that can create a family.

Bottled Up


Jaye Murray - 2003
    Anything and everything to avoid his smug teachers, his sweet but needy little brother, his difficult home life. Now he's been busted by Principal Giraldi and given an ultimatum: either he shows up for all his classes and sees a counselor after school, or he's expelled. Pip's freaked out; not because he might get kicked out of school, but by the thought that Giraldi might call his father. Because Pip will do anything to avoid his father.

Skyward


Mary Alice Monroe - 2003
    nurse Ella Majors has seen all the misery that she can handle. Burned-out and unsure of her next step, she accepts the temporary position as caregiver to Marion Henderson, a frightened five-year-old who suffers from juvenile diabetes. But Ella soon realizes there is more sorrow in the isolated home than the little girl’s illness can account for. Harris Henderson, a single father, seems better able to deal with the wild birds he rehabilitates in his birds-of-prey sanctuary than with his own daughter. Then something magical begins to happen: the timeless beauty of the South Carolina coast and the majestic grace of the wild birds weave a healing spell on the injured hearts at the sanctuary. But a troubled mother’s unexpected return will test the fragile bonds of trust and new love, and reveal the inherent risks and exhilarating beauty of flying free.

The Game: Short Stories about the Life


J.M. JosselJoylynn M. Jossel - 2003
    It's a mind journey that puts life's realitites into words. This anthology is the first of its kind to take such an array of authors, and their true to the life gritty tales, and allow their words to explode in one setting.

Trading Places


Fern Michaels - 2003
     Atlanta police detective Aggie Jade is still recovering from the raid that took the life of her partner and former boyfriend -- and nearly killed her and her beloved K-9. She's not ready to hit the streets again, but she's desperate to hunt down the cop killers who shattered her world. That's when she asks her identical twin sister to trade places with her.... Lizzie Jade is as flashy and fiery as Aggie is quiet and conservative -- and the high-rolling Vegas gambler loves a challenge: turning in her stiletto heels for a badge is the perfect role for Aggie's "wild card" sister. But the gutsy charade gets complicated when sexy investigative reporter Nathan Hawke senses something bold and new about "Aggie," who no longer shies away from his flirtations. As Lizzie and Nathan join forces to uncover a web of lies and corruption, Lizzie finds herself giving in to his charms. But how can she confess that she's not who he thinks she is? And how can she let herself fall in love when she and her twin might have to run for their lives?

Midnight Sun


Kat Martin - 2003
    The bleak beauty of Dead Horse Creek is a perfect place to get away from the world...a place where nothing exists to remind him of everything he's lost. His isolation is complete--until Charity Sinclair arrives fresh from New York City. Stunningly beautiful and stubbornly independent, she's also shamefully ignorant of the untamed wilderness...and the very real dangers she'll face if Call doesn't teach her a thing or two. But even with Call's grudging help, Charity's dream of life in the Yukon may have led her into something much more savage than the forest. A menace as endless as the long days that run together without darkness--and a killer who won't let anything come between him and perfect, deadly vengeance...

The Namesake


Jhumpa Lahiri - 2003
    Her stories are one of the very few debut works -- and only a handful of collections -- to have won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. Among the many other awards and honors it received were the New Yorker Debut of the Year award, the PEN/Hemingway Award, and the highest critical praise for its grace, acuity, and compassion in detailing lives transported from India to America.In The Namesake, Lahiri enriches the themes that made her collection an international bestseller: the immigrant experience, the clash of cultures, the conflicts of assimilation, and, most poignantly, the tangled ties between generations. Here again Lahiri displays her deft touch for the perfect detail — the fleeting moment, the turn of phrase — that opens whole worlds of emotion.The Namesake takes the Ganguli family from their tradition-bound life in Calcutta through their fraught transformation into Americans. On the heels of their arranged wedding, Ashoke and Ashima Ganguli settle together in Cambridge, Massachusetts. An engineer by training, Ashoke adapts far less warily than his wife, who resists all things American and pines for her family. When their son is born, the task of naming him betrays the vexed results of bringing old ways to the new world. Named for a Russian writer by his Indian parents in memory of a catastrophe years before, Gogol Ganguli knows only that he suffers the burden of his heritage as well as his odd, antic name. Lahiri brings great empathy to Gogol as he stumbles along the first-generation path, strewn with conflicting loyalties, comic detours, and wrenching love affairs. With penetrating insight, she reveals not only the defining power of the names and expectations bestowed upon us by our parents, but also the means by which we slowly, sometimes painfully, come to define ourselves.

Dropping Your Rock: Choosing Love Over Judgment


Nicole Johnson - 2003
    You can knock Goliath flat if your rock hits him in the right spot. Not bad, if your goal is to kill your enemy. You can express your moral outrage by joining the angry mob howling for a sinner to be stoned. But what if that sinner is your friend, and you would rather change their heart than shed their blood? We don't have to hurl the rocks we clutch in our judgmental hands.With tender words and touching photos, Nicole Johnson guides us toward the "flat thud of grace" that can change our lives when we drop our rocks and choose to love instead.This offering in the Faith/Hope/Love Trilogy by Nicole continues to be requested by audiences that saw her perform the dramatic sketch on the 2001 tour.

I'll Be Your Shelter


Giselle Carmichael - 2003
    Hunted by the gunmen, an attempt is made on her life and she is forced into police protection. Detective Harrison Blake, one of the city's finest, is appointed lead detective on the downtown murder case. Prepared as always for just about anthing when it comes to murder, the seasoned detective is completely caught off guard by his instant attraction to the witness. To make matters worse, she's the ex-wife of his nemesis, the district attorney. However, neither the differences in their races nor their painful pasts can keep the attraction between the two from blossoming. When another attempt is made on Jillian's life, Harrison will risk it all, even his most guarded secret, for the woman he loves in I'll Be Your Shelter.

Antonia's Choice


Nancy N. Rue - 2003
    But her commitments escalate as she deals with defiant behavior from five-year-old Ben and takes a niece into her home. Toni cuts her hours temporarily to part-time, terrified of "losing herself completely" to her family. Then she discovers that Ben has been photographed and molested by a child pornographer. Toni must finally make a choice that's not really a choice: "Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it" (Mark 8:35, NIV).

City of Angels


Sheralyn Pratt - 2003
    But when a seemingly open-and-closed embezzlement case goes awry, her on-again-off-again boyfriend starts fooling around behind her back, and some Mormon missionaries stop her on the street during a stakeout, Rhea realizes her life is anything but typical-even by her standards.http://rheajensenseriesbook1cityofang...

The Frederica Quartet


A.S. Byatt - 2003
    Four novels: The Virgin in the Garden; Still Life; Babel Tower; A Whistling Woman.

Into Danger


Gennita Low - 2003
    knows her name ... but little else."A tough Navy Seal with a reputation for efficiency, Steve McMillan has heard all the stories about the "world's most glamorous assassin." But nothing prepared him for the goddess in tight black leather who now stands before him. Marlena is his new assignment -- his superiors in the shadow world of secret missions want him to get information and then turn her over. McMillan is the consummate professional, but dealing with this beautiful enigma is playing with fire. To trust her would be crazy -- as crazy as following his burning desire for her to its passionate conclusion.Because there's something beyond the yearning in her eyes and the inviting softness of her lips. Dark clouds are circling around Marlena Maxwell, drawing Steve along with her into a lethal game of deception and betrayal. And perhaps the deadliest mistake they could both make would be to fall in love ...

Saving Francesca


Melina Marchetta - 2003
    If you know my mother, you'll sense there's an irony there, based on the fact that she is the Queen of the Limitation Placers in my life.Francesca battles her mother, Mia, constantly over what's best for her. All Francesca wants is her old friends and her old school, but instead Mia sends her to St. Sebastian's, an all-boys' school that has just opened its doors to girls. Now Francesca's surrounded by hundreds of boys, with only a few other girls for company. All of them weirdos or worse.Then one day, Mia is too depressed to get out of bed. One day turns into months, and as her family begins to fall apart, Francesca realises that without her mother's high spirits, she hardly knows who she is. But she doesn't yet realise that she's more like Mia than she thinks. With a little unlikely help from St. Sebastian's, she just might be able to save her family, her friends, and especially herself.

Rescuing Dr Macallister


Sarah Morgan - 2003
    Dr. Ben MacAllister is playing it cool but, the pace and excitement of the A&E department thrusts them together and reveals that Ben's growing attraction is as strong as hers.Then Ellie realises Ben has a secret that is holding him back, and she decides there is only one way to help him move on by offering herself as a distraction!

Anna Casey's Place in the World


Adrian Fogelin - 2003
    Feeling abandoned and alone, Anna turns to her closest companion, her explorer journal filled with drawn maps of her earlier neighborhoods and all the places that she has called home.Anna is determined to become part of a real family, and with the help of a scrawny new friend named Eb, an unconventional biology teacher in cowboy boots, a homeless Vietnam vet, and a motley crew of kids from the neighborhood, Anna discovers a sense of belonging...and her own place in the world.With warmth and humor, award-winning author Adrian Fogelin follows up her critically acclaimed novel Crossing Jordan with the story of a young girl's trials and triumphs as she tries to find a home.

Spit Against the Wind


Anna Smith - 2003
    Born to poverty and limited opportunities, they're able nonetheless to enjoy the largely innocent pleasures of childhood, but the adult world around them inevitably impinges. The narrator's elder sister falls pregnant and is sent to Ireland to have and give up the child; newcomer Tony and his mum are in danger of real violence at the hands of Tony's violent Polish stepfather; and no child who plays the part of altar boy at the chapel wants to be left alone with the local priest. Observant, clear-sighted in its portrayal of the darker side of life yet utterly warm-hearted, Spit Against the Wind reminds us of the wonders of childhood without sentimentality but with gentle humor and great charm.

Rockin' Around That Christmas Tree


Donna Hill - 2003
    As a matter of fact, it seems that is all she has been in the twenty-plus years she and her husband, Edward, have been married. But the kids are grown and out of the house, and she's ready to live a few dreams of her own. Edward, however, would like to keep things just the way they are, and Denise realizes that if she doesn't do something drastic, then all she will ever be is a mother and wife. When Denise drops the bomb at Thanksgiving dinner that she is leaving Edward and selling the house, everyone is stunned, and her announcement opens the door to Morrison Family Dysfunction 101. Edward moves in with his crazy Aunt Etta, their daughter Christine moves back home when she suspects her husband is cheating on her, and their son Anthony is simply dazed and confused. In the midst of it all, Edward hatches a plan to get his wife back. Not only does he plan to be back at home and in their bed, but he also knows that, come Christmas, he and Denise will be...Rockin' Around That Christmas Tree.

Big Guns Out of Uniform


Sherrilyn Kenyon - 2003
    But no matter how much their jobs require them to lay aside their personal lives, they can't deny that they have burning needs like any other man...In Sherrilyn Kenyon's "BAD to the Bone," teacher Marianne Webernec wins the "Hideaway Heroine Sweepstakes." Whisked away to a remote tropical island, Marianne's fantasies become real when Bureau of American Defense agent Kyle Foster kidnaps her and uncovers her every desire.In Liz Carlyle's "Let's Talk About Sex," Dr. Delia Sydney dishes out perfectly sound sex advice on the radio but is easily seduced by her bad-boy neighbor. Just what is it about Nick Woodruff, a smooth-talking sergeant, that makes Delia do anything when she's with him?Things get even hotter in Nicole Camden's "The Nekkid Truth" when crime scene photographer Debbie Valley loses the ability to recognize faces and must identify people by their bodies. Soon she finds that the wonders of Detective Marshall Scott' s body never cease...and that he needs her to help catch a killer.

The Devil Wears Prada / Everyone Worth Knowing


Lauren Weisberger - 2003
    

How Can I Be Down?


Brenda Hampton - 2003
    He's private, full of secrets, and running from a life of crime. If that's not enough, he's got more setbacks than any one man can handle: an arrogant troublesome brother, a sneaky playa-hating friend, a friend who turns to him for everything, and a woman who claims to have his back.After moving from Los Angeles to St. Louis, Kiley soon realizes that trouble follows him anywhere he goes. Fighting to stay on the right track, a secret from his horrifying past evolves and refuses to let him do so. And when Kiley's paranoia and desire for women start to take effect, the outcome of his decisions could very well be costly.

The Book of Joe


Jonathan Tropper - 2003
    Then he wrote a novel savaging everything in town, a novel that became a national bestseller and a huge hit movie. Fifteen years later, Joe is struggling to avoid the sophomore slump with his next novel when he gets a call: his father's had a stroke, so it's back to Bush Falls for the town's most famous pariah. His brother avoids him, his former classmates beat him up, and the members of the book club just hurl their copies of Bush Falls at his house. But with the help of some old friends, Joe discovers that coming home isn't all bad--and that maybe the best things in life are second chances.Fans of Nick Hornby and Jennifer Weiner will love this book, by turns howling funny, fiercely intelligent, and achingly poignant. As evidenced by The Book of Joe's success in both the foreign and movie markets, Jonathan Tropper has created a compelling, incredibly resonant story.

This Time for Keeps


Debbie Macomber - 2003
    New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber brings readers two classic stories filled with love, laughter, and unexpected brides! The Matchmaker & The Forgetful Bride.

Lucas


Kevin Brooks - 2003
    British novelist Kevin Brooks's masterpiece is set on the island community of Hale over one summer, as 15-year-old Caitlin McCann realizes her small world is changing. Her brother is acting strangely, hanging out with the neighborhood reprobates and getting drunk, and her best friend follows his lead. To make matters worse, the son of an influential local has begun making lewd advances. And Caitlin feels she has no one in whom to confide: Her mother died in a car accident years ago, and her father, though loving and supportive, is a writer who spends much of his time holed up in his study.It's in this confusing context that Caitlin encounters Lucas, a lean, blond, blue-eyed stranger who mysteriously appears on the island. Caitlin feels drawn to him, but the other local kids are not: they call him a gypsy, and even throw rocks at him. Before long, Lucas is accused of a crime he did not commit, and Caitlin finds herself in a moral quandary.Lucas is filled with the kind of pain, love, and anguish that teenage readers adore. And Caitlin's quest to find her place in the world and to determine what's right is a struggle to which every teenager will relate. Why not start your own parent/teen book club with Lucas? Neither of you will be disappointed. (Summer 2003 Selection)

Meditations


Thanissaro Bhikkhu - 2003
    

Bareback


Chris Owen - 2003
    The only thorn in his side was a dark eyed cowboy named Tornado whose stubborn attitude brought frustration and confusion to Jake's mostly happy existence. A late spring rainstorm brings out hidden passions and unleashes a chain of events neither of them expected--and eventually brings about events that threaten to destroy them and what they worked to create. Strong wills and forceful personalities make for intense encounters...but is it enough to keep love alive?

The Gift of the King's Jewler


Steven L. Peck - 2003
    but to make it, he must defy the king. Should he risk his life? And if he does, what is to be done this this strange device?

Home Before Dark


Susan Wiggs - 2003
    But she's never traveled far enough to escape a painful moment that has haunted her for the past sixteen years: the day she gave her baby daughter away. Now, facing a life-altering crisis, she's decided to fix the broken pieces of her heart and seek out Lila, even if it means she has to upset the world of Lila's adoptive mother her very own sister, Luz. Like a Technicolor tornado bursting into Luz's picture-perfect life, Jessie returns to her Texas hometown with a shattering request. She wants to tell Lila the truth. As Luz and her husband struggle with what Jessie's return may mean to the rebellious Lila, their seemingly solid marriage falters. Old secrets are exposed. Then, just as Jessie comes to terms with the past, life's bittersweet irony plays its hand. She meets Dustin Matlock, a young father who has survived a devastating loss. And Jessie begins to see the hopeful possibilities that lie buried in the most wrenching tragedies. Though she aches to reach out to those she loves, Jessie stands at the crossroads. She is leaving behind the only life she knows and leaping blindly into the unknown. Now the choice she makes will affect the life of her daughter and challenge the meaning of sisterhood. As Jessie and Luz examine the true meaning of love, loyalty and family, they are drawn into an emotional tug-of-war filled with moments of unexpected humor, surprising sweetness and unbearable sadness. But as the pain, regrets and mistakes of the past slowly rise to the surface, a new picture emerges a picture filled with hope and promise and the redeeming power of the human heart.

Finding You/Knowing You


Maureen Child - 2003
    And though Mama's brood is all grown up, they still gather every Sunday around her kitchen table-where anyone who falls for a Candellano had better be prepared to share laughter, love...and the best lasagna in town...FINDING YOUCarla Candellano has faced a tragedy she'd like to put behind her, but no one has been able to penetrate the wall she has built around herself-until she meets six-year-old Reese Wyatt. Reese hasn't spoken since her mother died last year, and it's friendship at first sight for Carla and little Reese. But it's the girl's worried father, Jackson, who arouses Carla's curiosity, and passion, in ways she never imagined...KNOWING YOUEver since Stevie Ryan was a young girl, she was in love with her best friend Carla's older brother Nick Candellano. But Nick had to complicate things by growing up gorgeous-and breaking Stevie's heart. Now she's convinced that forgetting him is the way to go. And it's working out fine...until she and Nick's brother, Paul, spend one sultry night together. Has the right brother been under Stevie's nose all along?

Stepping Into the Ring: Fighting for Hope Over Despair in the Battle Against Breast Cancer


Nicole Johnson - 2003
    "Women have always had a unique fellowship of suffering," Nicole says. Where is the woman old or young who will not shed a tear and silently scream in her heart as she walks in these pages through the diagnosis of breast cancer and the devastation that ensues? While she focuses on the specific soul-chilling crisis, Nicole offers her readers broader insights for dealing with major losses of all kinds. She extends genuine hope and much-needed rays of light to those who are mired in hopelessness and despair. A "must" read for breast cancer patients and their loved ones.This second book in the Faith/Hope/Love Trilogy by Nicole follows the format of "Dropping Your Rock"with the poignant and artistic black and white photos.

Classical Mythology


Alice Mills - 2003
    Tales of unrequited love, revenge and forgiveness, creation and death were told and retold to explain the inexplicable, excite or soothe children, reinforce social codes and cultural identity, and more. Classical Mythology delves into the world of Zeus, Heracles, Medusa and Odysseus to present words of wisdom that are just as valid today has they were thousands of years ago.

False Facades


Maeven - 2003
    There's only one problem. Sam is a girl.

Detroit's Belle Isle: Island Park Gem


Michael Rodriguez - 2003
    In 1879, just as its population, land area, and industry were flourishing, the city of Detroit purchased this 700-acre island for use as a park. Famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted was soon commissioned to transform the island into an idyllic retreat from the industrial city. This book uses remarkable images drawn from the Walter P. Reuther Library to document Belle Isle's distinctive history. Throughout the city's periods of accomplishment, economic flux, and social turmoil, Belle Isle is revealed as a romantic haven where Detroit's many cultures came together to relax, celebrate, and play.

Pillar's Fall


Ben Larken - 2003
    He didn’t know he was about to clash with a sadistic lunatic on Railston’s only suspension bridge. In one gut-wrenching moment, Pillar was forced to make a life-or-death choice that left the entire city shaken and set a madman’s plan into motion.Now, months later, it’s starting again . . .This time, Pillar’s investigating a string of rage-filled murders, and all the clues point to the most unlikely of suspects—a twelve-year-old named Seth Morrissey. The child seems nice, if a bit lonely, but something malevolent and demonic hides beneath his surface. While Pillar searches for answers, the thing inside Seth prepares for a showdown that will rip Pillar’s life to shreds and pave the way the hell on earth.As the body count rises and Pillar’s marriage begins to unravel, he races against time to stop the force that’s pulling all the strings. But how do you destroy the demon without killing the innocent child? This is Pillar’s dilemma. This is Pillar’s story. This is Pillar’s Fall.

The Jewish Political Tradition: Volume II: Membership


Michael Walzer - 2003
    . . . Every one of the chapters enacts a debate that should have a living resonance, not just for Jews, although obviously for them, but for everyone with a historical sense and a political conscience.”—Hilary Putnam, Boston Review “A vast and important resource which will be consulted for years to come by all interested in any aspect of Judaism and Jewish history.”—Ira Robinson, Journal of Religion & Culture (praise for the series)

A Mighty Love


Anita Doreen Diggs - 2003
    When a devastating tragedy shatters their seemingly perfect marriage, leading them in two very different directions, Adrienne and Mel Jordan must find a way to repair the damage and believe in the healing power of love.

Tropical Getaway


Roxanne St. Claire - 2003
    Claire brings to life the beauty and danger of the Caribbean in her stunning debut novel, blending intrigue with white-hot passion for a suspenseful, sultry read. Ava Santori is cooking up a storm in the family restaurant in Boston's North End when a call from the Coast Guard brings shattering news: her beloved brother was lost in a shipwreck. Determined to find out why the ship was steered into a hurricane, Ava packs her bags for the lush isle of St. Barts -- where she puts the blame squarely on the broad shoulders of the ship's owner.Dane Erikson built the luxurious Utopia Adventures cruise line from the ground up and he's not about to let it sink. Enlisting Ava to help discover the truth about the doomed "Paradisio," he finds himself unbearably tempted by this fiery, impetuous woman. And as their investigation causes danger to close in, he and Ava find their hearts leading them to the same place...straight into each other's arms.

The Gift of Christmas


R. Kent Hughes - 2003
    It is the story of salvation.This is the purpose of The Gift of Christmas: to retell the timeless story of Christ's birth in a way that will speak today with unique power. To that end, the book combines fine art with thoughtful meditations on the biblical story by R. Kent Hughes.It begins when the angel Gabriel appears to an old, childless man and tells him that his aged wife will bear a son who will prepare the way for the coming of the Savior.It tells how the angel again appears to an astonished young Jewish girl, telling her that she, as a virgin, will conceive and bear the long-awaited Savior of the world.It recounts the joy of Elizabeth and the magnificent song of Mary celebrating the salvation of the Lord.And when The Gift of Christmas turns to the birth of Christ, the familiar, ageless story comes to life, revealing the true meaning of the Incarnation in an unforgettable way.This is the gift of Christmas-the very Son of God-offered to all who will take the time to understand and accept what God has done to save us from our sin. With masterful art and writing, The Gift of Christmas celebrates God's perfect gift, retelling the story of eternity with freshness and vigor.

Hell Week at Grant-Williams High


Vera Nazarian - 2003
    In this hilarious original adventure that started it all, freshman Jimmy Ross and his senior sister Emily, together with all of their friends, fight to survive finals--also known as Hell Week--since all the faculty and staff turn into monsters that week, literally. Armed with their wits, Supernatural Protection kits, and plain dumb luck, the students battle vampires, werewolves, and various ghouls--an army of evil under the command of the Principal who this year is none other than the Prince of Lies Himself. First in the "Grant-Williams High" comic horror adventure series of connected works. [Publisher Note: Also available in the anthology

Solitary Pleasures


Nell Grey - 2003
    Any actress would love to play her.'The year is nineteen-ninety-five and Mattie, an original eccentric who lives on a decrepit houseboat called The Ark, has been in the habit of disappearing since she was a little girl. She calls these episodes of time to herself her Solitary Pleasures.She is now knocking seventy and the family have gathered in the luxurious setting of her nephew’s large mock-Tudor house to discuss what’s to be done about her latest escapade – falling into the canal and driving home stark naked.Mattie refuses to be bullied into behaving, but a shocking yet hilarious incident at an Animal Rights protest leads to Mattie’s arrest and results in her little dog Spike being wanted by the police. There’s nothing for it but to disappear again.As Spike and Mattie retrace her footsteps of twenty years earlier along the South Downs Way, tantalizing her family with a paper-trail of Mattie's dotty poems, only one thing is certain, and that is that no one in the story will ever be quite the same again.

The Gin Girl


River Jordan - 2003
    The new book of fiction from River Jordan, THE GIN GIRL, captures the essence of Florida and those who inhabit its salty marsh. Jordan "makes you care about the people she writes about, even the ones you might not like--but more then that, she makes you see them. Her literary spice rack has everything you need to put together a good book, and this was fun to taste" --Rick Bragg. Jordan's prose effectively paints images of Florida's sparsely inhabited landscape. Her images encompass characters "as haunted and lovely and endangered as the land they cherish"--Janis Owens.

Katie's Choice : A Novel


Tracey Langford - 2003
    This story portrays the longings of a girl born into the "seedier side" of life, with its promiscuity, addictions and poverty. When Katie finds herself pregnant, her hard-living mother, Daria, pressures her to get an abortion.As Katie attempts to move on with her life and start a career, her past haunts her. She finds herself loved by a young man and welcomed by his family, who aren't perfect but are living in the freedom of grace. Can she listen to that voice of grace calling in her dreams, forgive herself and let herself be loved?She thought she had chosen freedom and a future; but shame and regret haunt her and keep her inner life a closed book even to the man she loves. Love, truth and grace pursue Katie, though, until her defenses finally crumble.This moving tale of redemption chronicles an emotional journey out of self-loathing and spiritual denial into hope and life-changing love.

Grey Lady


Jenny Maxwell - 2003
    His mentor was Josiah Armstrong who had taken him in as an apprentice and who came to regard him as the son he'd wanted his own to be, but who flitted with all his savings. Ben's awkward courtship and early years of marriage to Faith eventually settles into a strong partnership, further enhanced with the birth of James. And it is James who discovers his father's true ancestry and learns how he has unwittingly followed the footprints of his forebears.

The Spirit of Buddhism: The Future of Dharma in the West


Sogyal Rinpoche - 2003
    How will Buddhism adapt and find a place in Western society? How can the full power and benefit of these ancient teachings be accessed today? And how can practitioners be trained and supported? Sogyal Rinpoche discusses the vital role of the mind in health, the effects of training the mind in meditation, and the ultimate healing wrought through a personal experience of the mind's very nature. He also gives priceless advice on how to survive on the spiritual path, where, perhaps more than anywhere else, it is crucial to unmask the everyday delusions and misunderstandings that can otherwise dominate our whole lives.

Samarkand and Other Markets I Have Known


Wole Soyinka - 2003
    They offer a global perspective on the last, troubled decade of the 20th century with meditations on the deaths of Francois Miterrand and the Nigerian dissident Ken Saro-Wiwa as well as invocations to fellow writers such as Josef Brodsky and Chinua Achebe. This collection unites Soyinka's public persona with insights into a much more private poetic search.

Using What You Got


Karen E. Quinones Miller - 2003
    Quinones Miller returns to her beloved Harlem to spin a dynamic tale that sparkles with the blush of first love and the hard-won lessons that endure." "Eighteen-year-old college student Tiara Bynum" is as pretty as a princess and just as spoiled. Her castle is the Harlem housing project where she lives with her younger sister, Jo-Jo, and her doting father, Reggie. Her fiefdom is the legion of men at her beck and call every time she snaps her perfectly manicured fingers. She has no qualms about flaunting her charms to get what she wants because she's "got it like that."Reggie -- a former professional gambler who was abandoned by his wife -- would do anything for his daughters, even if it means jeopardizing the family finances in favor of his girls' material happiness. Though Reggie's sister, Charlene -- a woman embittered by a disfiguring car accident -- pleads for restraint, her Thursday "family nights" pale in comparison to Reggie's Knicks tickets and shopping sprees.Blissfully unaware of the recklessness of her father's splurges, Tiara believes she's the toast of the world. Her greatest goal is to find a rich, handsome man who will spoil her just as much as he does -- or maybe even more. "Go for the glitter," she urges herself. "Who cares if it's gold?" When two suitors arrive on the scene, Tiara prepares to be smitten. But when the one she secretly adores doesn't like her attitude, Tiara's trademark confidence frays into embarrassment, shame, and confusion.Blindly determined to strike out on her own at any cost, Tiara lashes out against those who love her most. Yet the choices she makes, based on the way she's been raised,threaten to destroy not only Tiara, but her entire family.

Juvenile Orion: The Complete Series


Sakurako Gokurakuin - 2003
    

Summer Camp


Tabitha Black - 2003
    The camp disciplinarians are eager to give him and the other husbands pointers on how to lead a more successful marriage using domestic discipline and, happily, Jeremy doesn't have to wait until they return home to try at least one of them out!A bit milder than Tabitha's other ageplay stories, this four-parter is also ideal for those just beginning to have an interest in this genre. It contains lots of spanking, a bit of sex and, of course, a lot of love.Book Length: 11 Chapters /15,777 Words

Black Cherries


Grace Stone Coates - 2003
    Played out against the backdrop of rural hardship and deprivation on the family’s Kansas farm, the secret in her father’s previous life eventually explains his harsh treatment of the three older children and her mother’s bitterness over his countless misunderstandings and slights. When originally published in 1931, a reviewer of Black Cherries commented that there is “a sharpness about all impressions in the book, a keenness of sensuous and spiritual apprehension that leaves brilliant after-images with the reader.” Another described the series of sketches as “exquisite in texture and so faithful to the childish mind that one derives a warm impression of the imagined young narrator.” Grace Stone Coates (1881–1976) spent most of her life in the tiny ranching community of Martinsdale in southwestern Montana. During a seven-year period, twenty of Coates’s short stories were cited in the annual Best American Short Stories as Distinctive or Honor Roll stories, and John Updike chose Coates’s “Wild Plums” for inclusion in Best American Short Stories of the Century. Coates also published two collections of poetry.

Detroit's Paradise Valley


Ernest H. Borden - 2003
    history, Paradise Valley served as a social and cultural mecca for Detroit's black community from the 1920s through the 1950s. Now the site of stadiums and freeways, the area was once home to places like the Gotham Hotel and the Surf Club, and welcomed the likes of Billie Holiday, Joe Louis, and Sammy Davis Jr. This book uses more than 200 previously unpublished photographs to take readers on a rare tour of the entertainers, entrepreneurs, businesses, and events that made the now-lost Paradise Valley legendary.

No Traveller Returns


Vahni Capildeo - 2003
    The journey author Capildeo describes with ferocity and an ebullient, unexpected sense of fun is also emotional, and she entices the reader into traveling with her.