She was hurt—angry, too—but she didn't cry woe is me. Nope, she hired herself a top-notch lawyer and ended up with a cool $275 million. Having been raised in the church, she knew that when much is given much is expected, so she asked God to send her a purpose.The purpose turned out to be a town: Henry Adams, Kansas, one of the last surviving townships founded by freed slaves after the Civil War. The failing town had put itself up for sale on the Internet, so Bernadine bought it. Trent July is the mayor, and watching the town of his birth slide into debt and foreclosure is about the hardest thing he's ever done. When the buyer comes to town, he's impressed by her vision, strength, and the hope she wants to offer not only to the town and its few remaining residents, but to a handful of kids in desperate need of a second chance. Not everyone in town wants to get on board though; they don't want change. But Bernadine and Trent, along with his first love, Lily Fontaine, are determined to preserve the town's legacy while ushering in a new era with ties to its unique past and its promising future.

    But when the feisty photojournalist heads west to tackle her toughest assignment yet, she ignites a blaze that may be too hot to handle. Rugged firefighter Shane Westwood is tall, dark--and dangerous. And he's sending her heart straight into the line of fire....Shane loves the wide open spaces of Wyoming, loves living a life of risk. And when the petite fireball who's shadowing his every move enflames his deepest desires, the aroused smoke jumper is more than up for the challenge. But is Emogene ready for the most dangerous mission of all? To give in to the passion that's consuming everything in its path--that will brand them heart and soul?

    The only respite either of them have is their regular coffee dates, while working on shared projects at a very demanding law firm. Sick of hearing about Lena’s semi-disastrous attempts to couple-up, Quentin decides to fix her up. With his brother. Seems like a perfect solution; after all, his brother is a decent enough guy and Lena deserves that. A perfect solution ... at least until it appears that the fix-up might actually work. ** THIS BOOK CONTAINS PREVIOUSLY-RELEASED CONTENT, FROM THE E-BOOK COMPILATION 'BECAUSE MY HEART SAID SO' co-authored with Jacinta Howard, Rae Lamar and Lily Java. **

    The past nine years have brought her fame, fortune and supermodel status, but they haven't lessened her regret at leaving her high school sweetheart behind. A chance encounter proves that Austin Reynolds definitely hasn't forgiven her. But it also becomes clear that some flames just grow hotter with time… The handsome real estate mogul has one broken engagement on his résumé, but Janna was the only one to ever steal his heart. Their incredible connection reignites an undeniable passion in them both, and workaholic Austin rediscovers his lighter side. But soon another can't-refuse offer beckons Janna overseas. Will it be déjà vu…or is their love finally ready for the spotlight?

    A tough exterior is her claim to fame, and necessary for the life she lives. But even the toughest have been known to let their guard down at Christmastime. Hilarious by nature, Pharo is the perfect match for Des. And though he wasn’t exactly looking, fate doesn’t care about that. When chance encounters with a stranger happen twice in one day, it's too big to be a coincidence and he's smart enough to know it. Join these two on a hilarious, heart-filled, nutmeg scented journey to love in tight spaces!

    Her husband, Johnny, is suddenly hard to reach, distant, and works late too often for Geneva not to be suspicious. Is it because she’s been pressuring him about having a baby? Feeling lonely and neglected, Geneva bonds with Samuel Owens, a colleague who is having marital trouble of his own. Soon, their relationship blossoms into an uncontrollable affair.  Bored with her husband, Samuel, and dead set against having a child with him, Vivana Owens is biding her time until she’s ready to leave—and she’s spending it with Johnny Mayfield. It’s just a fling—until Vivana becomes obsessed with Johnny, especially once he tries to win back his wife. But affairs don’t end easy—and soon one of the unfaithfuls will end up dead, one will end up in jail, and one just might get away with murder… Praise for Playing the Hand You’re Dealt   “Will keep you guessing straight through to the explosive ending."—Victoria Christopher Murray   “Unforgettable characters and a page-turning storyline.”—Lutishia Lovely

    Traditionally a boys-only school, Saint Ambrose has just enrolled one hundred and forty female students for the first time. Even though most of the kids on the campus have all the privilege in the world, some are struggling, wounded by their parents’ bitter divorces, dealing with insecurity and loneliness. In such a heightened environment, even the smallest spark can become a raging fire.One day after the school’s annual Halloween event, a student lies in the hospital, her system poisoned by dangerous levels of alcohol. Everyone in this sheltered community—parents, teachers, students, police, and the media—are left trying to figure out what actually happened. Only the handful of students who were there when she was attacked truly know the answers and they have vowed to keep one another’s secrets. As details from the evening emerge, powerful families are forced to hire attorneys and less powerful families watch helplessly. Parents’ marriages are jeopardized, and students’ futures are impacted. No one at Saint Ambrose can escape the fallout of a life-altering event.In this compelling novel, Danielle Steel illuminates the dark side of one drunken night, with its tragic consequences, from every possible point of view. As the drama unfolds, the characters will reach a crossroads where they must choose between truth and lies, between what is easy and what is right, and find the moral compass they will need for the rest of their lives.

    Unfortunately, barriers in the form of half-assed attempts at getting a college education, a less than supportive mother, and the lack of dance classes in her area stand in the way of achieving her ultimate goal. But that all changes once choreographer Blaise Anthony comes to town, bringing both his experience in the dance industry and a brand new dance studio. Malia is instantly captivated by the idea of not only being able to give her full attention to dance, but also to be trained by one of her idols in the process. But when the two finally collide on the dance floor, an undeniable chemistry that goes beyond an eight count arises. And while Malia might’ve thought she was coming to dance towards her dreams, she quickly learns that she’s actually rehearsing for a whole lot more...

    She cherishes the idea of happy couples and building lives and eventually a family together...knowing that for her, the reality was painfully different.Ten years before Ava walked out on her marriage when she and her ex-husband received the devastating news that she would never be able to have children...the one thing her ex wanted most. The intervening years have been marked by aborted relationships and by clinging to the belief that she will finally be able to claim happiness once she reaches the point in her life where she would not be expected to bear children...but she's only thirty-five years old and lonely, and 'that certain age' is still a good ten years away.Then, in the same remarkable evening, Ava encounters both an eight-year-old purse snatcher and an exciting new man in town. Alliances are formed, bonds that soon deepen into something more special than she's ever known. Could these two males be the key to her attaining...A Love of Her Own?

    But secrets started building, and ten years have passed since they’ve all been together—in fact, they’ve rarely spoken, and it broke their grandmother’s heart.Now she’s gone, leaving Annie’s Place to her granddaughters—twelve cabins, a small house, a café, a convenience store, and a lot of family memories. It’s where Dana, Harper, and Tawny once shared so many good times. They’ve returned, sharing only hidden regrets, a guarded mistrust, and haunting guilt. But now, in this healing summer place, the secrets that once drove them apart could bring them back together—especially when they discover that their grandmother may have been hiding something, too…To overcome the past and find future happiness, these “sometimes sisters” have one more chance to realize they are always family.

    Agonizing nightmares terrorize her by night as painful memories of a love lost haunt her by day. Ava has vowed never to love again, but she will soon find out that sometimes vows are made to be broken. Attorney Langston Warrington III is the one man that can make Ava love again. The only problem is . . . he's her archenemy! And to make matters worse, Langston has a secret of his own-a secret that will change Ava's life forever.

    He's never stopped thinking about her since that one hot night years ago. Now she's in his debt! Of course, he doesn't want her money....At first, Jade's outraged--pose as his fiancée for one week or he'll call the police! But then...how about some sweet revenge? So while he's playing Mr. Seducer, she'll be Miss Tease. Before the week is up, she'll have him on his knees--just before she walks away! That is, if she can convince her heart she's not still in love....

    She desperately needs something or someone to believe in. She plans her future around Marquise, the father of her toddler daughter. Devastatingly sexy, Marquise is currently in jail on drug charges. Terelle, however, is living for his imminent return and dreaming of the day they can start building a life together as a real family.A cunning seductress, Kai Montgomery is the bi-racial adopted daughter of a wealthy Caucasian couple. Rich, beautiful, and well-bred, Kai is Terelle's polar opposite. After being dumped by an affluent and very married physician, Kai is without a sex partner. When one of numerous trysts results in the best sex of her life, she becomes obsessed and is quickly set on a collision course destined to destroy many lives.

    In this hilarious, romantic comedy, two twenty-something neighbors embark on a zany mission to meet the founder of Starbucks, and in doing so, find each other.

    Their enthusiasm is soon to be rewarded with The Lemon Orchard, Rice’s romantic new love story between two people from seemingly different worlds.In the five years since Julia last visited her aunt and uncle’s home in Malibu, her life has been turned upside down by her daughter’s death. She expects to find nothing more than peace and solitude as she house-sits with only her dog, Bonnie, for company. But she finds herself drawn to the handsome man who oversees the lemon orchard. Roberto expertly tends the trees, using the money to support his extended Mexican family. What connection could these two people share? The answer comes as Roberto reveals the heartbreaking story of his own loss—a pain Julia knows all too well, but for one striking difference: Roberto’s daughter was lost but never found. And despite the odds he cannot bear to give up hope.Set in the sea and citrus-scented air of the breathtaking Santa Monica Mountains, The Lemon Orchard is an affirming story about the redemptive power of compassion and the kind of love that seems to find us when we need it most.