A broke, big-hearted retail associate. Unexpected consequences. Anna Sharpe has suffered too much loss. In spite of that, she's still hopeful and believes in Christmas miracles. Her retail job has been a second home even though she could, and should, make more money somewhere else. The holiday season at Montgomery's Department Store is fun and she's looking forward to another year of joy at work. Michael Montgomery has also suffered loss. As the sole owner of the legacy left to him by his father and grandfather, he feels pressure to grow his business. But things in his comfy corner corporate office aren't so rosy. Struggles from within and worries about profits make him realize he needs to make some changes. He hears he's out of touch. One snap decision should help him remedy that problem. Going undercover, he poses as a new associate in his flagship store. Thinking he'll get insight into the business that will help him make better decisions, he's shocked at some of what he learns. But the biggest surprise of all is Anna Sharpe. He never saw her coming. Will Michael's secret be the thing that drives Anna away even though it's the very thing that brought them together?

    And certainly what Melville did for whaling Austen does for marriage--tracing the intricacies (not to mention the economics) of 19th-century British mating rituals with a sure hand and an unblinking eye. As usual, Austen trains her sights on a country village and a few families--in this case, the Bennets, the Philips, and the Lucases. Into their midst comes Mr. Bingley, a single man of good fortune, and his friend, Mr. Darcy, who is even richer. Mrs. Bennet, who married above her station, sees their arrival as an opportunity to marry off at least one of her five daughters. Bingley is complaisant and easily charmed by the eldest Bennet girl, Jane; Darcy, however, is harder to please. Put off by Mrs. Bennet's vulgarity and the untoward behavior of the three younger daughters, he is unable to see the true worth of the older girls, Jane and Elizabeth. His excessive pride offends Lizzy, who is more than willing to believe the worst that other people have to say of him; when George Wickham, a soldier stationed in the village, does indeed have a discreditable tale to tell, his words fall on fertile ground. Having set up the central misunderstanding of the novel, Austen then brings in her cast of fascinating secondary characters: Mr. Collins, the sycophantic clergyman who aspires to Lizzy's hand but settles for her best friend, Charlotte, instead; Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Mr. Darcy's insufferably snobbish aunt; and the Gardiners, Jane and Elizabeth's low-born but noble-hearted aunt and uncle. Some of Austen's best comedy comes from mixing and matching these representatives of different classes and economic strata, demonstrating the hypocrisy at the heart of so many social interactions. And though the novel is rife with romantic misunderstandings, rejected proposals, disastrous elopements, and a requisite happy ending for those who deserve one, Austen never gets so carried away with the romance that she loses sight of the hard economic realities of 19th-century matrimonial maneuvering. Good marriages for penniless girls such as the Bennets are hard to come by, and even Lizzy, who comes to sincerely value Mr. Darcy, remarks when asked when she first began to love him: "It has been coming on so gradually, that I hardly know when it began. But I believe I must date it from my first seeing his beautiful grounds at Pemberley." She may be joking, but there's more than a little truth to her sentiment, as well. Jane Austen considered Elizabeth Bennet "as delightful a creature as ever appeared in print". Readers of Pride and Prejudice would be hard-pressed to disagree. --Alix Wilber

    Introduction by Robert Silverberg. Afterwords by Norman Spinrad, Vonda N McIntyre, Robert Sheckley, Philip Jose Farmer, Thomas M Disch, and Edward Bryant.

    She meets a handsome skier who sets fire to her heart. But is this sexy ski bum hot enough to keep her warm on long winter nights?In Natalie Dunbar's Knight On A Just Ski, Alexis Calhoun works on a secluded island. After nearly drowning, she is rescued by a hunky actor on a jet ski. Will their passion survive once they are off the island? Seressia Glass's Regina Lieberman in Rode Hard is in a rut. She agrees to take a ride on the back of a studly man;s custom-made motorcycle. Can these two unexpected lover keep moving when a secret threatens to derail their desire?Enjoy the Ride by Kelley Nyrae presents Evangeline Sinclair blowing off steam after passing her bar exam. She heats thes lops with a hot snowboarder in a affair hot enough to melt snow off the mountains. But will their fling last longer than a thrilling down hilll ride?SImone Harlow's Robey Wade is a girl in control of every aspect of her life until she she takes her first surfing lesson. She meets a handsome surfer who takes her on the wave of a lifetime. Will this mismatched couple learm to go with the Flow and let love rule?

    Horrible boss. Every day it seems to get worse. Daisy, Ivy, Marilee and Tony work at “Janice’s”, a truck stop diner in Kentucky. The owner uses any excuse to dock their pay, steals their tips and just makes their lives miserable. One day, they go out and, just as a fluke, combine their money and buy a lottery ticket. Sipping cheap wine and staring at the stars, they dream about what they would do if they won. The following morning, they wake up to find…they won! They’d won the massive jackpot! $1.6 BILLION dollars! After taxes, they are now each worth over $200 Million! This is the story about how they spend that money…and how they decide to make the world a better place.

    These scorching hot tales are page-turning reads, that will entrap you for hours on end. Let us guide you into the world of pure, heart-pounding stories where love has no boundaries.These alphas are downright possessive and fierce when it comes to the object of their desires.The stories in the compilation are exclusive and can't be found anywhere else. Don't wait, this box set will only be available for a limited time before it is gone forever!Note: This collection contains material for mature readers (18+ and older) only

    Although Sadie can’t pass up this chance to be in close proximity with her one true love, she harbors no delusions. Jake’s not built for settling down or small-town life. She’s betting he’ll rip off his apron and chuck the wedding band long before she has to admit to ordering up a fresh start for herself—one that can’t possibly include him.This is a novella about returning home after love and loss, taking chances and forging new beginnings, and, of course, grasping for a second chance with the one who got away!Ticket to True Love is a steamy contemporary romance series about new beginnings, second chances, and finding true love in unexpected places. Fall in love all over the world with bestselling and award winning authors JB Schroeder, Savannah Kade, Moni Boyce, Shirley Hailstock, Holland Rae, Julie Strauss & Jennifer Wilck. Start your next romance with Practically Persuaded in Pittsburgh now!

    Supernatural detective Jack Nightingale is called in to investigate a young girl who appears to be possessed by an evil spirit.

    The weather had been extreme that month: days of drenching rain, sudden showers of hail, temperatures passing record highs. Local children whispered that an angel had fallen to earth in a thunderstorm. There were roving groups who swore they had found signs. Footprints in the grass, black feathers, a campfire in the woods behind the high school where there were sparks of shimmering ash. One neighborhood boy vowed that he had seen a man in a black cloak rise above the earth and walk on air, and although no one believed his account, mothers began to keep their children home. They locked the doors, called in the dogs, kept the lights on after dusk..."Alice Hoffman is the New York Times bestselling author of Practical Magic, The Dovekeepers, and The Marriage of Opposites. Hoffman’s work has been published in more than twenty translations and more than one hundred foreign editions. Her novels have received mention as notable books of the year by The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, The Los Angeles Times, Library Journal, and People Magazine. She has also worked as a screenwriter and is the author of the original screenplay “Independence Day,” a film starring Kathleen Quinlan and Diane Wiest. Her teen novel Aquamarine was made into a film starring Emma Roberts. Her short fiction and non-fiction have appeared in The New York Times, The Boston Globe Magazine, Kenyon Review, The Los Angeles Times, Architectural Digest, Harvard Review, Ploughshares and other magazines.Flyleaf Journal Issue #15December 2014Illustrated by Timothy TangHand Lettering by Heidi Unkefer

    His one wish was to make his son believe in the power of Christmas before his eyes closed for the last time. With the help of his favorite elf, Patience, together, they would restore Nick’s faith. Patience Miller wasn't sure what Sana wanted her to do to help his son, but she often taught the children at her orphanage to always have hope. She had a plan and she hoped it would work. Only if she could get Nick to believe in the magic of Christmas.

    This edition brings together some of the best horror writers from the last few decades. Featuring stories from Ray Garton, Kelley Armstrong, Simon Clark, Gord Rollo, Chad Lutzke, Mike Duke, Christina Bergling, David Owain Hughes, P. Mattern & Kevin J. Kennedy.

    They narrowly escape his pursuit, and Trent is left feeling more hopeless than ever, thinking that if that had been the end of his life, he would have died totally and completely alone.  Crystal, meanwhile, is a young woman who's quickly grown jaded with the opposite sex. She's sworn them off for what must be the dozenth time, determined to keep her focus on her developing career as a lawyer. When Trent comes into the bar where she's working one night and sweeps her off her feet, however, she might just have to rethink her pledge to celibacy...  The two of them spend a night together and quickly become enamored with one another, and both feel happier than they have in a very long time. But Crystal begins to wonder whether she may just be another flavor of the month for Trent...  Will the billionaire's past end up coming back to haunt them both, in a very big way?

    Now three bestselling Harlequin authors honor these remarkable women with stories inspired by their extraordinary contributions.In A Place in Her Heart, Boston bakery owner and women's shelter volunteer Katy McShea has traveled far to overcome her traumatic past. But apparently not far enough, because Callum Walsh suddenly reenters her life. The handsome navy SEAL doesn't have a clue how she felt about him in high school…or what happened after he shipped out. Five years ago, Cal thought he was doing the right thing. Now Katy�along with her mouthwatering miniature cupcakes�are awakening feelings too irresistible to ignore. All Cal wants is to cherish and protect her. Or will his guilt and Katy's reluctance to trust keep their chance reunion from becoming a mission possible?Look for A Place in Her Heart by Trish Milburn, along with two more free ebooks inspired by real-life heroines: Never Too Late by Christi Barth, and A Wing & A Prayer by Andrea Laurence. Visit the Harlequin More Than Words website at www.harlequinmorethanwords.com, or your favorite ebook retailer, to download these free novellas today.

    

     Beware the poison of the Murder Blossom! When a desperate wizard sends Templeton Kane on an important quest, he's obliged to team up with a formidable woman named Lill. Not only is Lill an imposing physical specimen -- as are many in her tribe from the Glacial Wastes -- but she's also an Ink Mage, a woman whose magical tattoos give her extraordinary abilities. As they chase an ancient artifact, moving from danger to danger, they discover that legends are not always what they're cracked up to be. Occasional strong language, brief adult situations, and gritty sword-stabbing action. The Murder Blossom is a 25,000 word NOVELLA. A word about SideQuests: Ink Mage SideQuests are meant to be shorter works set in the world of Ink Mage. Think of them as "in between meal snacks" while waiting for the books in the main series. While the SideQuests are meant to stand on their own, characters and situations might (or might not) appear in the main novels.