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Patrick Parker's Progress
Mavis Cheek - 2004
Audrey Wapshott, born at the same time, feels her destiny is to become the wife of handsome, brilliant Patrick. But Patrick has other plans and Audrey, miserable and abandoned, is left to follow her own journey to self-fulfilment beginning in Paris, and sinfulness, in the arms of a much older man. When their paths cross years later, wicked Audrey plots a grand and satisfying retribution.
The Perfect Son
Barbara Claypole White - 2015
But, obsessed with order and routine, he’s a prisoner to perfection. Disengaged from the emotional life of his North Carolina family, Felix has let his wife, Ella, deal with their special-needs son by herself.A talented jewelry designer turned full-time mother, Ella is the family rock…until her heart attack shatters their carefully structured existence. Now Harry, a gifted teen grappling with the chaos of Tourette’s, confronts a world outside his parents’ control, one that tests his desire for independence.As Harry searches for his future, and Ella adapts to the limits of her failing health, Felix struggles with his past and present roles. To prevent the family from being ripped apart, they must each bend with the inevitability of change and reinforce the ties that bind.
Where There's Smoke
Jodi Picoult - 2014
Now, in this original short story, available exclusively as an eBook, Picoult introduces Serenity Jones, one of the fascinating characters from her eagerly awaited new novel, Leaving Time. Even as a child, Serenity Jones knew she possessed unusual psychic gifts. Now, decades later, she’s an acclaimed medium and host of her own widely viewed TV show, where she delivers messages to the living from loved ones who have passed. Lately, though, her efforts to boost ratings and garner fame have compromised her clairvoyant instincts. When Serenity books a young war widow to appear as a guest, the episode quickly unravels, stirring up a troubling controversy. And as she tries to undo the damage—to both her reputation and her show—Serenity finds that pride comes at a high price.
Rosie
Bill Whiting - 2018
His two children work abroad and he is alone after the funeral and grows deliberately recluse. A few weeks later he’s puzzled and annoyed when a lady arrives at his home delivering a schnauzer puppy. Called Rosie, it was ordered by his wife to be delivered to him after her death, together with a note from her. His wife had always wanted a dog but Will didn’t like them and had never agreed. But after a very difficult initial spell, he gradually grows to love Rosie and appreciate the companionship his little new friend brings to his life. Rosie also helps him overcome his grief and appreciate more than ever the wise and loving foresight of his wife. Two travel adventures follow in Switzerland and Austria where doggie-centred dramas ensue - including the injury and loss of Rosie. All dogs have a small monetary market value and many are worth nothing at all. But to their loving owners they are priceless.
Father of the Rain
Lily King - 2010
Nixon is about to be impeached, his wife is leaving him, and his worldview is rapidly becoming outdated. His daughter, Daley, has spent the first eleven years of her life carefully negotiating her parents’ conflicting worlds: the liberal, socially committed realm of her mother, and the conservative, liquor-soaked life of her father. But when they divorce, and Gardiner’s basest impulses are unleashed, the chasm quickly widens and Daley feels herself stretched thinly across it.As she grows into adulthood, Daley rejects the narrow world that nourished her father’s fears and prejudices, and embarks on her own separate life—until he hits rock bottom. Lured back home by the dream of getting her father sober and rebuilding a trust that was broken years ago, Daley risks losing everything she has found beyond him, including her new love, Jonathan, who represents so much of what Daley’s father claims to hate, and who has given her so much of what he could never provide.Intimate in its detail yet epic in range, Father of the Rain is a raw, compelling journey into the emotional complexities, mercurial contours, and magnetic pull of family. It is also the stunning portrait of a deeply complex man and his daughter’s fierce, primal attachment to him.
Switched at Bid
Nicole Falls - 2019
The decision to split was a mutual one, but left residual feelings of longing on both sides of the chasm between them. Miscommunication led to the breakdown, but Maurice is determined to mend the rift and reunite the two of them permanently. Alecia, however, is not so much on the same plan as Maurice.After being being drafted to participate in a bachelor auction to help raise funds for the revitalization of his old neighborhood, Maurice sees the pieces of trying to reconnect with Alecia falling into place. Enlisting the help of their other best friend— and Maurice's twin—Monica, a plan is hatched to bring Alecia and Maurice back together again; for good this time. Author’s Note: These characters first appear in the short story, Pucker Up, which can be found in Sparks Fly by me! The story provides some context, but does not necessarily need to be read to enjoy this novella.
The Sparks Brothers Romance Collection
Liwen Y. Ho - 2020
Five full-length novels in one wonderful collection. Why reviewers love the Spark brothers:“These Spark brothers sure do set a girl's heart on fire.”“I absolutely LOVE this series. This is an awesome family of five brothers all who have a strong faith.”“I know I enjoy books when they feel real and after this series, I wish the Spark brothers were real. Thank you, Liwen Y. Ho, for writing stories to remind me that God wastes nothing and is always at work. Now please excuse me while I go reread the series.”A Single Spark (Book One): A pop singer running from his past. A deejay who's given up on men. Will the sparks igniting between them end up in flames or romance?A Sudden Spark (Book Two): A writer too shy to speak to women. A single mom who’s sworn off men. Will a marriage of convenience end their friendship or spark a lasting romance? The Sweetest Spark (Book Three): A fun-loving ice cream shop owner looking for more than a fling. A straight-laced food critic too scared for love. Will an accident be the spark that drives them apart for good or gives them their sweetest taste of romance yet?At First Spark (Book Four): A tender-hearted firefighter who’s been burned by love. An optimistic bookstore owner determined to heal his heart. Will the spark that drew them to each other be enough to keep their love burning or will their short-lived romance go down in flames?An Extra Spark (Book Five): An actor pressured to risk everything for his job. An actress struggling to fit into the Hollywood scene. Will the hazards of show business spark new insecurities or strengthen their bond of trust?Grab your copy and fall in love with the Spark brothers today!
Road To Love
Leah Atwood - 2017
Sing Me Home by Belle Calhoune: Rain Santos and her best friends are embarking on a ten-week road trip. The first destination is Nashville, where Rain hopes to explore her lifelong singing aspirations. When she comes face to face with her country singer ex-boyfriend, Luke Avery, Rain has to deal with their painful past. Luke Avery is seeking redemption for the pain he caused Rain in their relationship. As the two reconnect and Luke helps Rain with her singing aspirations, they find themselves falling into familiar rhythms. Can true love conquer all? Hitched In Hot Springs by Kristen Ethridge: Bridget Vaughan left a childhood of abuse behind and used the adversity to make her stronger, becoming a multi-millionaire small business coach in the years since she left Treasure Harbor. James Cromberg would do just about anything to help his mom, including leaving the military career he loved in order to come home and help her run her family's historic business and take care of his ailing father. When a woman running away from her past connects with a man who fears his own future, is there a way for them to find their way to a present happily-ever-after? Romancing the Storm by Patrica Pacjac Carroll: Lark Morgan is drifting through life. Even though her father’s advice of trust the Lord and enjoy the journey sounds fun, she’s lost the joy not to mention her job. Cody Merrill has amends to make, but he’s a new man and determined to set things right. As the owner of Storm Rangers, he takes people on adventures to see tornadoes. He loves the storms, but something is missing. Or maybe it’s someone. Journey to Her Past by Angel Moore: Jessica Stinson wants to find the man who left her eight years ago with no explanation. Griffin Renfroe’s world turned upside down when he learned he’d been stolen from the hospital on the day he was born. He made decisions he’s come to regret. When Jessica shows up in Amarillo, he knows convincing her of his love will be almost impossible in the face of his new name – and identity. Can Jessica trust the love she still holds for a man who no longer exists? Restore My Heart: Cassidy Frey’s life falls to pieces in the aftermath of her father’s political scandal. Out of a job and ostracized from her current friends, she jumps at the chance for a road trip with her childhood friends. Joel Kingston’s dream of owning a motel along Route 66 is threatened by a shortage of money, but his discouragement doesn’t stop him from helping a group of stranded motorists. Could a broken-down SUV lead to restoration—of hearts and motels?
The Spinster Series: Books 1-3
Becky Monson - 2019
She has no social life, hates her career, and lives in her parent's basement with her cat, Charlie.With the arrival of Jared Moody, the new hire at work, Julia's mundane life is suddenly turned upside down. Her instant (and totally ridiculous) crush on the new guy causes Julia to finally make some long-overdue changes, in hopes to find a life that includes more than baking and hanging out with Charlie.But when the biggest and most unexpected change comes, will the new and improved Julia be able to overcome it? Or will she go back to her spinster ways?
THIRTY-THREE GOING ON GIRLFRIEND
Julia Dorning thought she would die a lonely spinster. That was until nine months ago, when her world was turned upside down. Now she’s got a dream career as a bakery owner, and a relationship with handsome Jared Moody—a life she never thought possible.Just as she’s starting to feel comfortable in her new life, Julia is invited to battle it out on national television making cupcakes. An amazing opportunity, if she can muster up the confidence to do it, that is. Then, out of the blue, Jared goes and throws a rather large wrench in their relationship causing Julia to have to make some big decisions. With her two trusted confidants off in wedding la la land, Julia is on her own to figure everything out.Left to her own devices, will Julia be able to work things out for herself? Or will she make a disaster of it all?
THIRTY-TWO GOING ON BRIDE
Julia Dorning is about to lose it. Between her over-the-top wedding that her sister, Anna, took upon herself to create, and the under-staffed popular bakery that she runs, she can barely find time to breathe.All Julia ever wanted was a quaint wedding on the beach with family and friends. But now Julia has to contend with not only her sister's plans, but those of her future mother-in-law, as well. Not wanting to step on anyone's toes, especially her mother-in-law's, Julia just goes along with it.She can only take so much, though, and when her newest employee, Kate, makes things harder at the bakery, Julia has to find a way to simplify her life.Can she do it or will she end up a basket case?
Deadly Ambition
Donna Foley Mabry - 2010
The public hates her and so does he. Locke decides that it would be easier for the President to win re-election if he were a grieving widower and plots her murder. Nothing goes according to plan, and the attempted assassination sets off a chain of events that puts Locke only one murder away from gaining the Oval Office for himself. The FBI, the Secret Service, and the CIA can't find the killer, but a veteran cop and the head of the President's security detail work together to unravel the clues. The question is, can they find the solution in time to save the next victim? Fresh as today's headlines, 'Deadly Ambition' takes you to the inside world of Washington D.C.'s power brokers and outrageous characters. There's the slovenly and pragmatic head of the DNC, a Vice President far too fond of women, some of them not old enough to drive, and the Presidential aide whose credit card bills have gotten so far ahead of him that he will do anything to pay them off. There's a Secret Service Agent willing to give his own life to protect his charge, and more than one assassin who believes that killing a President is easy, but knows that getting away with it is the hard part.
To Catch the Moon
Diana Dempsey - 2003
Charismatic TV reporter Milo Pappas shows up to cover the nation's top story, only to find himself even more intrigued by the beautiful assistant D.A. than by the courtroom drama.Ethics demand that Alicia and Milo keep their relationship strictly professional. But that's easier said than done when passion ignites ...This full-length novel was originally published by Onyx and was a Top Pick of Romantic Times.
Where or When
Anita Shreve - 1993
He is entranced by her image, flooded by memories of their teenage summer together, and utterly conpelled to make contact with her again. Charles sends Sian a letter, knowing all the while that "from the very first sentence of the very first note there was nothing innocent about it." Sian writes back - she is now a poet living with her husband and small child on an onion farm in Pennsylvania. She is intrigued that Charles has sought her out after so many years but wary of where their correspondence might lead. For Charles, troubled by financial woes, on the verge of losing his home, and concerned about the security of his family, the letters become a secret obsession and another source of instability in his already complicated life. Despite their reservations, the power of Charles and Sian's attraction leads them to meet again . . . and again. As Charles understands it, "for the two of them, eros is linked with time. It is the very urgency of time he dreads, the sense that their minutes together are short and numbered, that he must say what he has come to say before she leaves, that gestures and words cannot be wasted." Anita Shreve takes the classic theme of "Romeo and Juliet" and gives it an unusual twist: two lovers struggle against formidable odds, reaching across a lifetime to reclaim what they once lost. In doing so, they set in motion a tumultuous series of events that moves inexorably to a shocking conclusion.
A Cage of Desire
Shuchi Singh Kalra - 2018
You don't need the latter, because no matter what you do, you cannot make anyone love you back.'Renu had always craved for love and security, and her boring marriage, mundane existence somehow leads her to believe that, maybe, this is what love is all about. Maya, on the other hand, is a successful author who is infamous for her bold, erotic books.What do these two women have in common? How are their lives intertwined?Renu's thirst for love and longing takes her on a poignant journey of self-exploration. The answers come to her when she finds the courage to stand up for herself, to fight her inner demons and free herself from the cage of desires . . .
The Year We Turned Forty
Liz Fenton - 2016
This time around, she’s determined to bury the secret of Lucas’ paternity, and to repair the fissures that sent her wandering the first time. Gabriela regrets that she wasted her most fertile years in hot pursuit of a publishing career. Yes, she’s one of the biggest authors in the world, but maybe what she really wanted to create was a family. With a chance to do it again, she’s focused on convincing her husband, Colin, to give her the baby she desires. Claire is the only one who has made peace with her past: her twenty-two year old daughter, Emily, is finally on track after the turmoil of adolescence, and she's recently gotten engaged, with the two carat diamond on her finger to prove it. But if she’s being honest, Claire still fantasizes about her own missed opportunities: a chance to bond with her mother before it was too late, and the possibility of preventing her daughter from years of anguish. Plus, there’s the man who got away—the man who may have been her one true love. But it doesn’t take long for all three women to learn that re-living a life and making different decisions only leads to new problems and consequences—and that the mistakes they made may, in fact, have been the best choices of all…
Admission
Jean Hanff Korelitz - 2009
Admission. Aren't there two sides to the word? And two opposing sides...It's what we let in, but it's also what we let out." For years, 38-year-old Portia Nathan has avoided the past, hiding behind her busy (and sometimes punishing) career as a Princeton University admissions officer and her dependable domestic life. Her reluctance to confront the truth is suddenly overwhelmed by the resurfacing of a life-altering decision, and Portia is faced with an extraordinary test. Just as thousands of the nation's brightest students await her decision regarding their academic admission, so too must Portia decide whether to make her own ultimate admission. Admission is at once a fascinating look at the complex college admissions process and an emotional examination of what happens when the secrets of the past return and shake a woman's life to its core.