Not marriage, not a brood of squalling brats, and certainly not love, thank you very much!But freedom is a rare commodity in 19th-century London, where girls are expected to spend their lives sitting at home, fully occupied with looking pretty. Lilly is at her wits’ end—until a chance encounter with a dark, dangerous and powerful stranger changes her life forever...Enter the world of Mr Rikkard Ambrose, where the only rule is: Knowledge is power is time is money!

    All that changes when he meets Minoru and Tane—two brothers, many years apart in age—who ask him to teach them how to make his delicious food! It’s not long before Yutaka finds himself falling hard for the meals they share together—and falling in love!

    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.

    You're not a damsel. You're just in distress but I won't be saving you. Save yourself."

    He already looks pained, and Grantaire hasn't even opened his mouth yet. That's got to be a record, even for them."I need a favor," he says at last."With what?" says Grantaire. "Ooh, are you forming a cult? Can I join? I'd be awesome at cults, I just know it." He ticks off his qualifications on his fingers. "I love chanting, I look great in robes—"(High school AU. Grantaire the disaffected stoner is pulled into a cause bigger than himself. Or: in which there are pretend boyfriends for great justice.)Words: 185796 complete

    After passing out on the side of a road, he is found by Nao, a young baker, who is trying to revitalize his father's bakery. As Asada helps Nao resurrect the bakery, he finds himself falling for him-but unable to admit his feelings, he decides to end their friendship. Three years later, Asada finds himself in need of Nao's help. Will Nao be able to forgive Asada?

    At only eighteen her life takes a very different turn, yet many of the same characters, adventures and villains accompany her as she journeys through her life as wife, mother and widow. As her heart heals from the premature death of her husband, she learns to love again finding the strength to protect her family and win the love of her lost husband's best friend, Fitzwilliam Darcy. But can their growing and often thwarted understanding survive the villainous plotting of George Wickham.

    As Christmas approaches, she dreads what was once her favorite holiday, knowing that this Christmas was supposed to be the first one she and Albrecht shared together. Then, one December morning, Lucy discovers a Christmas card from an anonymous sender on her doorstep. Lucy receives more cards, all personal, all tender, all comforting. Who in the shadows is thinking of her at Christmas?Andy Peachey was born with a rare genetic disorder. Coming to grips with his predicament makes him feel a profound connection to Lucy Yoder. Seeking meaning in life, he uses his talents to give Christmas cheer. Will Andy's efforts touch Lucy's heart and allow her to smile again? Or will Lucy, herself, get in his way? The Christmas Cards is a story of loss and love and the ability to find yourself again in someone else. Instead of waiting for each part to be released, enjoy the entire Christmas Cards series in this exclusive collection!

    Keyon, Aaron, and Randi are back, picking right up where Can’t Trust These Bitches left off. Randi is still distraught that she seemed to lose her baby’s daddy to her supposed friend, Aaron. Keyon and Aaron take a legitimate stab at a relationship, but she soon realizes that a bitter Randi are the least of her problems. Keyon has baby mama drama like no other, and they’ll stop at nothing to tear their relationship apart. Their love will be continuously tested, as well as Aaron’s patience.Baby has always watched his cousin Keyon from the sidelines, and after everything he’s witnessed he vows to keep love out of the equation. Sye, Aaron’s cousin, has Baby’s attention, and he could see their full potential, chilling. The problem is that Sye is already taken. Being a hustler in the game seems like small potatoes when Sye’s man is NBA bound, but Baby is no stranger to adversity. Sye’s loyalty keeps her in an unhealthy situation, until she one day decides that she’s had enough, but at that point will Baby’s interest still be there?Sex, love, drugs, scandal, and more sex is the recipe in this racy follow-up to Can’t Trust These Bitches. With the stakes higher than ever who can be trusted? And who will fold under pressure?

    Their return finds Rosings swathed in mourning. In death, Anne is revealed as having lived a rich life of the mind, and she plotted rather constantly to escape her loathsome mother, Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Anne’s journal—spirited into the hands of Elizabeth and Charlotte Collins—holds her candid observations on life and her family. It also exposes her final, and sadly fatal, means of outwitting her mother. Anne’s Last Will and Testament, with its peculiar bequests, sends Lady Catherine into a tailspin and throws into turmoil every relationship amongst the Bennets, Darcys, Fitzwilliams, Collinses, and even the Bingleys! Was Anne de bourgh a shrewder judge of character than Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy combined?Includes mature content.

    Still, Yuuta finds himself unable to give up his lingering attachment to baseball. The one person who can truly understand him is Ritsu. But there's something Yuuta himself doesn't understand... Does he think of Ritsu as his partner in the way that a teammate would, or is the affection between them something stronger?

    But when events conspire to strand them on a deserted island, with no one but each other to depend on for their survival, priorities are forced to change. Set in 1816, Stranded With Mr Darcy is a Pride and Prejudice variation romantic comedy. 82,360 words

    How does Richard handle becoming a father?"A glimpse into Richard and Katy's future. Reading the book The Contract first is highly recommended.Contains spoilers.

    Trying to do better for his remaining wards, Mr. Phillips moves them to London. Elizabeth is happy enough to visit London with her uncle and sisters, until town life throws her into the company of Mr. Darcy. She met him the autumn before, when he and his friends visited Hertfordshire, and found him thoroughly disagreeable. Now, it seems she must be in his company nearly every day. Darcy is aware that Miss Elizabeth Bennet doesn’t care for him, which suits him perfectly. After all, he has no intention of courting the aggravating country miss. Even so, he must see her often and they develop a tentative friendship. Both make it clear to each other that it is friendship, not love. As those around them seek their help for their romantic relationships, Darcy and Elizabeth are steadfast in avoiding romantic involvement with each other. Or are they? This is a Pride and Prejudice variation novel of approximately 59,000 words. Renata McMann and Summer Hanford began writing Pride and Prejudice Variations together in 2014 and have since become immersed in the amazing world Jane Austen created. Whether you’re a fan of Darcy and Elizabeth specifically or of clean Regency Romance in general, you will enjoy both McMann’s ability to imagine variations of this classic love story and Hanford’s skill in turning these variations of Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth Bennet, and their enduring love into entertaining stories.

    So when she begins a new after-school program and no one knows who her family is, Rory realizes something is different. After she ends up fighting a fire-breathing dragon on her first day, she realizes the situation is more unusual than she could have imagined. It turns out the only fame that matters at Ever After School is the kind of fame earned from stories Rory thought were fictional. But as Rory soon learns, fairy tales are very real—and she is destined to star in one of her own.This first installment of The Ever Afters series reimagines classic fairy tale characters in a modern context, merging familiar fantasy with the everyday realities of middle-grade existence.