Although Sharla is not the angelic child Addy Shadd had pictured when she agreed to look after her, the two soon forge a deep bond. To Addy's surprise, Sharla's presence brings back memories of her own childhood in Rusholme, a town settled by fugitive slaves in the mid-1800s. She reminisces about her family, her first love, and the painful experience that drove her away from home. Brilliantly structured -- and achingly lyrical, this is a story about the redeeming power of love and memory, and about two unlikely people who transform each other's lives forever.

    Inside, the TV is on and a half-eaten meal waits on the table. My heart stops when I find our little girl is alone in the house and our babysitter, Sasha, is missing…Days later, when I’m arrested for Sasha’s murder and torn away from my perfect little family, I’ll wish I had told someone about the threatening note I received that morning.I’ll hate myself for not finding out who the gift hidden inside my husband’s wardrobe was for.I’ll scream from the rooftops that I’m innocent – but no one will listen.I will realise I was completely wrong about everything that happened that night…But will you believe me?

    An unexpected event sends her reeling - even more so when a pregnant mistress steps forward. Marcel survives a divorce, but there’s no solace when he loses his only child. Love has caused Donna and Marcel nothing but pain, but it may be the only thing powerful enough to heal their broken hearts. ●●●●● EXCERPT ●●●●● She cried out in shock and reflexively wrapped her legs around his waist. Marcel backed her against the counter and set her on top of it. Now they were the same height. He looked into her eyes and smiled when he saw Donna’s expression of shock and wonderment. Her legs were spread wide to accommodate him. With the counter supporting her, he was able to release her ass and undo the buttons on his shirt. Donna watched, still somewhat in a daze. She barely felt him lift her off the tiles. And she wasn’t a small woman. She knew he was strong, but… Marcel got his shirt off, and everything became crystal clear. Of course he didn’t have any trouble lifting her. Under the bright lights in the kitchen, Donna saw that every muscle he’d been hiding under his tee-shirts was as beautifully sculpted as she imagined. His massive pectorals were the most impressive, but his arms and shoulders were equally enticing. Every bulge fought for her attention. Donna wasn’t aware that her mouth hung open. Marcel stepped closer, and she held both hands up – not to stop him, but to feel the goose bumps that were scattered across his chest. She sucked air between her teeth the moment her hands came in contact with his dark flesh. He was so hot. And hard! She felt his powerful muscles ripple beneath her fingertips. She felt his heart thumping strong against his sternum. Her bottom lip slipped into her own mouth as she fondled him at will. His nipples were big and dark. She couldn’t resist tasting them. Marcel’s hand moved to the back of her neck as she ducked down and suckled his nipple unexpectedly. He looked up to the ceiling and took a deep, slow breath. Donna licked one nipple, and then the other. She sucked them both and nibbled them softly. She stopped when the heaving of his chest became more pronounced. She looked up at him, her lips wet, her face flushed with heat. “I want you,” he said. “I need you. Now.” His eyes were low and drunk with passion. The yearning between Donna’s legs was white hot. She nodded and grabbed hold of his shoulders, so he could help her off the counter. ●●●●● © Keith Thomas Walker

    But just like the stormy Christmas Eve when she left, her mother's homecoming is bittersweet. It's only when Apple meets someone more lost than she is that she begins to see things as they really are.A story about sad endings.A story about happy beginnings.A story to make you realise who is special.

    She ran away from home at sixteen, escaping parents more interested in drugs than their daughter. She doesn’t have loving siblings or an adorable pet. Her only family is the five other runaway kids who shared her junkyard home. Life pulled them all in separate directions, taking her to Boston. For a short time, she thought she’d found something permanent. But after a devastating divorce, she’s running away again, this time to find a lost friend. She’s driving across the country in her convertible. As a teenager, the rusty car was her shelter. As an adult, it’s her ride to freedom. Except one flat tire derails her trip. Her life collides with Brooks Cohen. They walked away from the first crash. The second might destroy them both.

    But between the nearby town with the strange, disconcerting feel, the deputy sheriff who is equal parts intriguing and suspicious, and the discovery that their new home holds a dark and violent past, Scarlett soon begins to question her rash decision. She is shaken and afraid by the screams that echo in the walls and the drumbeat that arises from the surrounding woods where the ghost of an indigenous man is said to roam, seeking vengeance. Her fear is also personal, because Scarlett knew one of the girls who attended the school, a friend who escaped into those woods and was never seen again. They all thought she was a rebellious runaway who later encountered foul play, but perhaps the truth is far more sinister. As Scarlett’s extraordinary daughter Haddie becomes consumed by the eerie figure who weaves and beckons through the forest fog, and a legacy of secrets reveal themselves, it becomes clear both Scarlett and Haddie are in grave danger. When the past intersects with the present, they will come face to face with the true evil of Lilith House. An evil that has lasted for more than a century.

    Savannah Bondurant, a marriage and relationship columnist for the Savannah Sun Times, just signed her divorce papers. Brody McAlister, the elusive and smoking hot gym boy, has finally recovered from his divorce three years ago. Be it spurred by loneliness or sheer attraction, the two slip into the sheets for a memorable one-night stand. Savannah's pesky ex-husband continues to try and worm his way back into her life, insisting they remain friends, even though he is living with his jealous new girlfriend. An up-and-coming woodworker artist, Brody has every socialite cougar in town promising him success and riches, for a price, of course. With two advice-giving older sisters, one fiercely single and one seemingly happily married, Savannah learns her parents' long and successful relationship does not come without its own secrets. Why should she believe in happily ever after? Her constant overanalyzing and skepticism bodes well in her profession as a journalist, but proves counterproductive in her personal life. Divorce, guilt, suspicion, holding on to the past—can Savannah trust in Brody to help her Let It Go...

    Twenty-four year old NaTaysia is convinced the only man that is capable of loving her is her handsome, sophisticated husband JaMel Taylor. JaMel is the only man she has known emotionally, physically and mentally. That is, until she runs into the notorious De’Carlos Banks, known to the streets as Mega. His cockiness, craziness, and thug demeanor is just too much for her to resist. NaTaysia finds herself head over heels for Mega when he opens her eyes to a life only one can imagine. JaMel is a businessman who has a few secrets of his own. He loves NaTaysia more than he loves himself but finds himself in a world of trouble when his manly instincts takes over and he can no longer fight temptation. Mega is a known Boss in every city he touches down in. Owning the drug game for over a decade, he has the world in his possession. The only thing missing is someone to share it with. After being captivated by NaTaysia, he is determined for them to be together by any means.

    Not that he cares. After recovering from being shot and surviving the rough streets of Lindenwood, he doesn’t care about anyone or anything, much less how the rest of his life will play out.Golden girl Nandy Smith has spent most of her life building the pristine image that it takes to fit in when it comes to her hometown Pacific Hills where image is everything. After learning that her parents are taking in a troubled teen boy, Nandy fears her summer plans, as well as her reputation, will go up in flames. Now with Trice living under the same roof, the wall between their bedrooms feels as thin as the line between love and hate. Beneath the angst, their growing attraction won’t be denied. Through time, Trice brings Nandy out of her shell, and Nandy attempts to melt the ice that’s taken Trice’s heart and being. Only, with the ever-present pull back to the Lindenwood streets, it’ll be a wonder if Trice makes it through this summer at all.

    Yet on the faire grounds he becomes a different person, flirting freely with Emily when she's in her revealing wench's costume. But is this attraction real, or just part of the characters they're portraying?This summer was only ever supposed to be a pit stop on the way to somewhere else for Emily, but soon she can't seem to shake the fantasy of establishing something more with Simon, or a permanent home of her own in Willow Creek.

    Xavier is headed to college in the fall, and after years of single parenting, Valerie is facing the prospect of an empty nest. All is well until the Whitmans move in next door - an apparently traditional family with new money, ambition, and a secretly troubled teenaged daughter.Thanks to his thriving local business, Brad Whitman is something of a celebrity around town, and he's made a small fortune on his customer service and charm, while his wife, Julia, escaped her trailer park upbringing for the security of marriage and homemaking. Their new house is more than she ever imagined for herself, and who wouldn't want to live in Oak Knoll? With little in common except a property line, these two very different families quickly find themselves at odds: first, over an historic oak tree in Valerie's yard, and soon after, the blossoming romance between their two teenagers. Told from multiple points of view, A Good Neighborhood asks big questions about life in America today―What does it mean to be a good neighbor? How do we live alongside each other when we don't see eye to eye?―as it explores the effects of class, race, and heartrending star-crossed love in a story that’s as provocative as it is powerful.

    But when Maddie calls him over to help fix her faulty sink, he’s a goner. Too bad the fiercely independent interior designer wants nothing to do with him. Even worse, he’s forced to rely on the advice of his nosy brothers — and his five-year-old nephew! — to figure out how to make her give him a shot.

    Only small cover alterations, and minor editing updates to the story, have been made.* * * * *Friends for much longer than they’ve been lovers, Taryn and Richard enjoy each other’s company while looking for “Mr. Right”. When they meet Caleb the attraction is instant and mutual–for all three.Caleb wines and dines them then shows them how good it can be if they trust him to lead the way. One night is all it takes to prove that the three of them are a perfect match, at least in the bedroom. Taryn has to decide if explosive sex and the feelings that are quickly overtaking her are worth the risk of losing it all - she knows only too well that you can’t count on fate to always go your way. Richard sees Caleb and Taryn as the perfect couple - but isn’t so sure there will always be room for him. Caleb has to suppress his urge to tie them both to the bed until they understand that they belong with him, - but if they don’t come around soon, he’ll be pulling those ropes out after all.

    

    Scones? Child’s play. Cupcakes? I’ll frost them so good you won’t know what hit you. Donuts? Please.You’re talking to a master baker.But there’s one egg I’ve never been able to crack.My best friend.Correction: My former best friend.She’s the apple in my pie. The whip in my cream. The lemon in my meringue. The wish in my bone.She’s the one who got away.After ten years in the military, she’s back. She’s bruised and battered by life, but she’s back.Except she’s not my second chance. She’s gone to the dark side.Running a rival bakery in a town not big enough for two.So now I have to decide—which do I want more?My bakery?Or the woman I never should’ve let go of in the first place?Master Baker is a deliciously fun friends-to-enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy featuring a smooth-talking baker, the one who got away, and a goat with more matchmaking tendencies than a nosy old grandpa. It stands alone with no cheating or cliffhangers.