These long, sad stories of heartbreak and betrayal, violence and love, have been sung for generations by the descendents of those who settled the Appalachian mountains in the 1700s. As they raised their children, they taught them first to sing, for the songs told the children everything they needed to know about life. So it was with the Stanton family living in Marshall, North Carolina, during the 1800s. Even Larkin Stanton, just a baby when his parents die and he's taken in by his cousin Arty, starts humming before he starts talking. As he grows up, he hungrily learns every song he can, and goes head-to-head with his cousin Hackley for the best voice, and, of course, the best attentions of the women. It's not long before the two boys find themselves pursuing the affections of the same lovely girl, Mary, who eventually chooses Hackley for her husband. But, just as in the most tragic ballads, there is no stowing away of emotions. And when Hackley leaves his wife under his cousin's care in the midst of the Civil War, Larkin finds himself drawn back to the woman who's held his heart for years. What he does about that love defies all his learning of family and loyalty and reminds us that those mournful ballads didn't just come from the imagination, but from the imperfections of the heart.

    From a brutal upbringing and tumultuous life growing up in the 1960s to modern day, Cora Jean's simple heart and strength of character shine through in a story of love, loss and ultimate grace that speaks volumes to us all.

    She just wants a quiet, safe place for her and her daughter, Sadie, where the mistakes of her past can stay hidden. But then drought comes to Wise, and Perla is pulled into the turmoil of a town desperately in need of a miracle.Casewell Phillips has resigned himself to life as a bachelor...until he meets Perla. She's everything he's sought in a woman, but he can't get past the sense that she's hiding something. As the drought worsens, Perla's unique gift divides the town in two, bringing both gratitude and condemnation, and placing the pair in the middle of a storm of anger and forgiveness, fear and faith.

    Hey, we never said it was easy to marry a Bridgerton, just that it was fun.

    But Matt returns with an assassin on his trail. When he encounters a young woman with secrets, a woman he is drawn to and who needs him, he must choose between helping her or endangering her.Miranda (Randi) Richards, a young meteorologist, takes a job in a remote area near the Olympic National Park to nurse her wounds after her parents brutally disowned her when she converted to Christianity at college. When Randi, a world-class, middle-distance runner literally runs into Matt on a park trail, she believes she's found someone who can help heal her heart. But she learns Matt has secrets that threaten both her heart and her life. No Safe Place is an action-filled, romantic-suspense story that races from the scenic beaches of the Olympic National Park to the beauty of Lake Chelan in Central Washington State, a story of courage, honor, faith and love.

    Scarlett O'Hara, the beautiful, spoiled daughter of a well-to-do Georgia plantation owner, must use every means at her disposal to claw her way out of the poverty she finds herself in after Sherman's March to the Sea.

    She knows God handed her a life of hardship, especially when her Dad gives her away in marriage to a man she doesn't know. However, she proves to be a true mountain girl with spirit, determination, feistiness and fiery spunk. Laine's unabashed account of events, before and during the first months of her marriage, draws the reader spellbound into a story that will linger like mists shrouding distant mountains.

    When she begins to notice words jumping off the page, she's determined not to spend the rest of her life in the lab. Everything goes awry when her plan to intentionally fail her test backfires —badly. Can she make her escape with only her wits and her newfound reading skills? And will she make it in the big world outside the lab's walls? This is a short story prequel to The Kitten Files mystery series, and takes place several weeks before "The Case of the Tabloid Tattler." Average read time is approximately 20 minutes.

    Thus begins an intense relationship that will shape both of their lives for decades to come. Though Lisbeth leads a life of privilege, she finds nothing but loneliness in the company of her overwhelmed mother and her distant, slave-owning father. As she grows older, Mattie becomes more like family to Lisbeth than her own kin and the girl’s visits to the slaves’ quarters—and their lively and loving community—bring them closer together than ever. But can two women in such disparate circumstances form a bond like theirs without consequence? This deeply moving tale of unlikely love traces the journey of these very different women as each searches for freedom and dignity. Revised edition: This edition of Yellow Crocus includes editorial revisions.

    Conflict threatens to dissolve the country in bitter strife if North and South cannot peacefully settle their differences. The calm serenity of life at Oaklayne Plantation near Richmond, VA is suddenly replaced with passionate friction between family members, as each person struggles through perilous situations encountered by each of them during a very difficult time in our nation’s history. Colonel Adam Layne is devastated but remains strong in his loyalty to the Union, despite being banished from the plantation by his father and deserted by his fiancée. The balance of his family stands strong with their father's Southern allegiance. "Oaklayne, a Civil War Saga" is a historically accurate portrayal of a man struggling to serve both his family and his nation in a time when those things are in conflict. The sequel to this book entitled "Oaklayne, The Reconstruction", is now available for purchase in print or e-book version!

    When she discovers that their father's recent death was no accident, Lucy is eager to leave town. She accepts a proxy marriage she believes will provide safe refuge. But trouble follows her to Texas where her new husband is surprised to suddenly have a wife and children to care for.Nate Stanton always hoped he'd marry someday, but running the family ranch meant he had no time for romance. When his father deposits Lucy Marsh--a city girl--on his doorstep, with two siblings in the bargain, he expects ranch life will send her running on the first train out of town. But Lucy is made of tougher stuff than Nate imagined. When danger moves in, Nate finds he'd give anything to protect Lucy and the children he's grown to love. Even if it means giving up his ranch.Blue Moon Promise is a story of hope, romance, and suspense . . . immersing the reader in a rich historical tale set under Texas stars.

    She didn't know about the attached arranged marriage to a stranger. Will this enemy become a man she can love?For months Heaven Wharton has fought off marauders while caring for her blind sister. When a man charges the house, Heaven once again fires a warning shot. This time the bullet hits its mark. Can she and her sister save him?Travis Logan, a Civil War field doctor has sworn off both war and medicine. But when a man collapses at his feet, Travis lends his aid. But once again it’s not enough. Before the man dies, he makes Travis promise to take his land and what comes with it. As Travis and Heaven both struggle to control their destinies, will they learn that only a heart that follows God can find peace on earth?Bride's Dilemma in Friendship, Tennessee is a heartwarming Christian historical romance set at the end of the American Civil War. If you like happily ever after stories and lighthearted humor, then you'll love Diana Lesire Brandmeyer's entertaining tale.Read now to be transported into a timeless love story today!

    Together, they will fight a criminal organization that plans on sending a suspicious shipment from Latin America. In this dangerous mission, Lilith will meet a set of diverse New York characters, ones that will evoke both the lights and shadows of her past life in the 17th century Kingdom of Navarre.History and mythology, reality and fantasy, adventure and mystery: Akelarre in New York is the first book in a fascinating saga whose protagonist invites us, on every page, to join her in the search for her own truth.

    Ike Reeves shows up for a surprise Christmas visit, exhausted and filthy. Ike claims the right to escort Laura home and outlaws after Ike turn a simple ride into a fight for their lives. "A Town Called Christmas" by Ruth Logan HerneWhen gruff English pioneer Edward Stillwell offers a former prostitute a job, he gets more than he bargained for: a wagon train more! With winter rolling in, can Sylvie’s faith, hope and optimism be just what the guilt-laden Idaho rancher needs to love Christmas—and people-- again? "Designs on Love" by Myra Johnson. Ranch foreman Jacob Collins has had designs on Vera Mae Beasley since their schooldays. When the pretty seamstress returns home to settle her late family's affairs, Jacob hopes his Christmas surprise will win her heart and convince her to stay. "A Whisper of Hope" by Julie LessmanWith a husband dead set against adoption, Charity O’Connor Dennehy has barely a whisper of hope for more children, but if hope doesn’t disappoint … will it be enough to find a precious bundle under her tree?

    In 1789, General Isaac Fairchild crosses the Channel on a very special assignment. After surviving the American Revolution, he is now gathering information on life at King Louis XVI’s court at Versailles. But he must also find a countess and her grown daughter, then escort them back to England before revolution explodes in France. He knows the task before him is dangerous, but when he meets the beautiful Julienne, a new peril beckons—of even deeper intrigue than Versailles.