The land in which the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Meet Falen. She’s grown up in the infamous Fifth Ward and life has never been easy. Her crack addicted mother left she and her sister years ago to fend for themselves. Now at nineteen Falen is left homeless and hopeless. Along with her best friend Toya the two try to climb out of the gutter. Tino is one of the biggest ballers in Fifth Ward. He’s pushing major weight. The ladies love him and he loves the ladies. He’s a sucker for a nice round rump accompanied with a pretty face. So, when he encounters a troubled Falen sparks ignite instantly. She’s everything he never knew he wanted and he’s everything she’s always been afraid of. Even as Tino tries to assist Falen she just can’t elude misfortune. Problems take on a new meaning until she stumbles across a drop being made. After consideration Falen and Toya make a brash decision to step in during a small window of opportunity and steal what they think is cash. To their complete and utter shock they ended up snatching ten kilos of cocaine. With their backs against the wall they have no choice but to get out in the streets and hustle. In this story of love, lust, and betrayal friendships will end and bonds will be broken. Money is the root of all evil and it can turn the most innocent person into a ruthless conniver. Taking ten kilos from a hustler can change lives forever, especially when no one seems to know who’s at fault. With an all-out war promising to rear its ugly head, will Tino be able to save Falen? Or will both their futures cease to exist?

    Fleeing boredom, bad marriages, and dead-end jobs, these adventurers wander south to Playa Paraiso—a lush, unspoiled village on Mexico’s idyllic Caribbean coast. There they find the unpredictable, hedonistic, and sometimes frightening world of the tropics.At the center of this extraordinary group is Poppa, the irreverent and savvy owner of the local beach bar. As he tries to make sense of his own vagabond existence, he offers his fellow expats booze, advice, and the occasional helping hand. It is Poppa who tells the tales of these intriguing runaways, as together they encounter true loves, vicious drug dealers, charming rogues, clueless do-gooders, and a devastating hurricane. Against a backdrop of stunning blue water and endless white sand, they experience the heart’s tug of war between the need for a place to call home and the desire for the freedom to roam.Author Anthony Lee Head is very familiar with the dream of living in paradise portrayed in Driftwood: Stories from the Margarita Road. After leaving a long career as a San Francisco trial lawyer, he moved to Playa del Carmen, Mexico where for ten years he ran a small hotel and margarita bar near the beach.Travelers, wanderers, explorers and dreamers alike will see themselves in these unforgettable characters, all the while craving an icy boat drink on a sprawling beach. But be careful: if you stick your feet in the sand and come along on this journey, you may not want to go home again."... Joseph Conrad collides with Jimmy Buffett in a journey through the dark heart of Mexico's Riviera Maya."~ Bob Calhoun, bestselling author and journalist"Truly wonderful and moving tales; the author is a writer to watch."~ Kirkus Reviews (starred review)"Beneath the 'palm and balmy breezes' tone, a deep, empathetic humanity affords each character and event vivid authenticity."~ Peter Coyote, bestselling author and actor

    Los Angeles-based cosmetics tycoon Steven Chase has come a long way from his humble beginnings. Steven's family, including socialite wife, Janet, and four grown children, live a life of privilege in exclusive View Park. But when Steven wants to expand his empire by adding a chain of hair salons, one woman stands in his way. Once Steven realizes he can't seduce her with money, he tries a different approach: his handsome attorney son, Carter... Meanwhile, spoiled debutante Haley Chase is busy getting into high-profile trouble on her lover's yacht, pediatrician Leigh Chase is determined to start a free clinic—against her parents' wishes—and Michael Chase is busy doing Daddy's dirty work. His only soft spot is for his wife, Kimberly, who has her own ambitions—plans that may one day shake the very foundations of the Chase dynasty—and change their view from the top forever...

    These finely nuanced stories provide a rare glimpse into the complex and mysterious inner lives of human beings.Happy Birthday was longlisted for the prestigious Frank O'Connor Award 2014. It has also been voted the TOP title on Flipkart’s editors picks for this month: http://www.flipkart.com/books/~editor...A dedicated friend undertakes one last labour of love for a childless woman. Nadia - married into money - finds herself facing uncomfortable truths about her comfortably numb marriage. A Mumbai slum-girl dreams of speaking words valuable enough to be translated into English. An American tourist seeking nirvana sets off a sudden chain of events when his bag is stolen, and destiny plays her hand. A retired civil servant of modest means struggles to support his snooty foreign-returned daughter.Meghna Pant’s knife - sharp stories are compelling, emotionally intelligent and provide a rare glimpse into the strange workings of the human heart. They evade neat categorization andare the perfect read for all curious spirits."These are stories with a large heart and a keen eye, deeply aware of the complex, sometimes uncomfortable realities of India, its many layers. Meghna Pant knows how to create characters that will surprise and move you." – Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni "Deft, merciless and expertly-tuned parables for the new Indian century."– Jeet Thayil"Meghna Pant pierces one’s heart with the reality and depth of her stories, wrapping up her tales with unanticipated yet undeniable flourish. Exceptionally thought-provoking narratives that manage to be provocative and inspirational in the very same breath."– Ashwin Sanghi"These intimate stories juxtapose a range and register of aerial and emotional perspectives, with craft, delicacy and an intensely human sensibility."– Namita Gokhale

    He’s struggling to find her while also fighting charges that are trying to put him back in jail. Olivia is struggling to trust Kadar when all she wants to do is love him. She's given him her heart and a daughter, but still she feels it might never be enough. She finds comfort in Angel, Kadar’s new business partner, but dealing with him only leads to a whole new set of problems. Drew and Kadar find themselves disconnected and confused as to where they should be. Love has never been in question when it came to the people they loved, but it seems like it’s getting harder and harder to make it work. Highs and lows Drew, Aamil, Kadar and Olivia have experienced it all. Take one final ride with the crew and see if they can make it through the greatest storm yet? From paternity tests to separation this book will take you through many emotions. See who can weather the storm and who can’t in part two of Side Effects of Loving You.

    At a young age, Tyler was forced to grow up and become the man of his family. Always the protector and provider for his sister, Tyler turned to the streets early on in order to survive. Despite her beauty, Skyler is insecure and unsure of herself. With no one to turn to except her brother, she often feels lost in Tyler’s crazy lifestyle. Tori is Tyler’s ride or die, but like most young girls involved with a street nigga Tori is struggling to hold on to her sanity while trying to deal with all the b.s. and drama that comes with being Tyler’s leading lady, as well as dealing with her own demons. Friends will turn into enemies. Secrets will be revealed and love will be tested. Only the strong survive, so who will be left standing?

    But dreaming is as close as she has ever come to the happiness she longs for. Devastated by childlessness and divorce, she is isolated and deeply depressed. Then a package arrives on that fateful birthday. Inside is a picture straight out of her dream, a package of... tea? And a letter signed with her name: Emma Rae Wright. Add to that a phone call from a lawyer in California, and Emma is catapulted into a journey across country and across decades. How does a confirmed recluse juggle attractive men, priceless Russian jewels, ageless relatives, angry fathers, and tea that has rather... curious properties? From her grungy Michigan apartment to sun-dappled redwood forests, from a dead-end job to a partnership in an exotic and unusual company, Emma's life gets tangled beyond recognition. Desperate to make sense of ever more baffling circumstances, Emma is forced to face her own inner demons as well as the extraordinary legacy left behind by a woman who disappeared without a trace over ninety years ago.

    She prides herself on being a lady in public, but after she's dumped yet again for being a lady in the bedroom, she's ready to go back to school.Determined to find her inner sex diva, she enlists her childhood friend, Max Dalton, to tutor her after hours. Instead, she ends up in the wrong bed and gets a lesson in passion from Max's twin brother, Rhys Dalton, a man Melina's always secretly wanted but never thought she could have. Despite craving the occasional adventure, Melina's a small-town girl who wants roots and a family. Rhys and Max, on the other hand, are celebrities who travel from one city to another, changing bed partners as easily as plane flights. Rhys is outwardly the more reserved of the two but, unable to believe his good luck when he finds Melina waiting for him, he gives Melina her first taste of multiples right out the gate. Come morning, she's so mortified that she threw herself at Rhys that she blurts out the truth about her tutoring experiment. Not about to let her get away from him, Rhys convinces Melina that when it comes to sexual lessons, he's more than man enough for the job. His biggest challenge is teaching Melina that when it comes to pleasure, the key to his own is hers.Can a woman who's always longed for hearth and home find satisfaction with a man whose entire life has been about moving on to the next big thing?

    That is if she can convince her protective older brothers, Dakota and Jericho, to loosen the apron strings and let her claim her granny’s land. With it, she just might have a chance at her own life.An ex-con, Tanner Jessup, needed a job—bad. Down to his last tank of gas, he has little option but to accept Nevada Sanders’ offer of work. Falsely accused of a crime he hadn’t committed once before by the daughter of a wealthy rancher he trusted, he planned to keep his distance from his new boss lady. But as he worked side by side with her through the long summer days, the attraction that sizzled between them was too hot to ignore.With the vast differences between them, was it time to move on? Or could he come to terms with his past and find a future with the woman who had stolen the heart right out of his chest?If you like cowboys who can't help but fall in love with curvy women, check out The Cowboy's Homecoming Series

    Now what?As May fits into her new life we meet her friend Pam and her husband Jack - but why is Pam terrified to tell Jack that she's pregnant?And then there's Denis and Bernard, May's next-door neighbours, going about their business oblivious to the deadly threat that lurks close by.There's Paddy, who lives on his own yet never seems to be at home.And Paul, three doors up, willing to risk everything for an affair with Carmel, the young teacher who has yet to learn that there's a price to pay for having something that shouldn't be yours.But what May can't figure out is who gave her the beautiful shell necklace and was it really meant for her?On this one particular week, all is about to change for the inhabitants of Kilpatrick and May discovers that while only love can break your heart, only love can put it back together.

    When Menage Discovers that he has a flare for flipping stolen cars into more cash then he can handle he befriends Dwight who helps him with his operation. What Menage soon learns is that when doing shady business, shady characters lurk where you least expect them. Follow Menage as he balls outta control, outrunning the law and bullets that may bear his name.

    Penelope was the love of his life, the woman of his dreams. Scarlet knew how far her best friend was going to fall and she had to catch him. Scarlet became Sean’s rock and helped him through a very painful breakup, but her own hidden desires bubbled to the surface in the process. When they finally gave in and slept together, she thought it was the start of their new relationship. Unfortunately, Sean didn’t feel the same.Humiliated and heartbroken, Scarlet moved across the country and found what she least expected. She rekindled her damaged relationship with her brother, who she hadn’t spoken to in a year, and her brother’s best friend was attractive and interesting. Their relationship was natural and unforced, and she was immediately drawn to him. Would she be able to get over Sean, forget about him, by sleeping with Cortland, or would that just be another repeated mistake?THIS IS NOT A CLIFFHANGER*Recommended for mature audiences 17+ due to strong language and sexual content.*

    Comes complete with a color photo section of scenes from the movie and a bio of the renowned film score composer John Barry.

    Finally, she left the hood that kept her captive to everything she tried to avoid; the same streets that raised her. Where her blood, sweat and tears were shed. She’s convinced that her new life in a new city would bring forth the happiness she’s always yearned for…But no matter where you go, you can’t avoid the cold world…..There’s a saying………..”You can take the girl out of the hood, but you can’t take the hood out of the girl”… Tiara proves that there are no boundaries when it comes to loyalty…..Will Tiara finally get her happy ending, or will the streets prove victorious over her life? Ride along with Tiara in “A Hood Chick’s Story pt. 3” The FINAL CHAPTER!

    That is, until she met Reed, Jesse's sexy as hell older brother, and ends up getting much more than what she'd bargained for.Reed Eddington assumed his future was settled until he met Sinclair, his brother's so-called "girlfriend," but the raw, sexual tension between them is hard to ignore. As he watches their ruse from the sidelines, he finds himself wanting to uncover more than just their amusing little facade.Due to sexual content and heavy subject matter, this book is recommended for ages 18+.