The girl was new. She hadn’t been there for the past three days the way that everything else had. I was sitting under a tree looking out at the ocean. It was probably the Pacific Ocean. I didn’t know for sure. When she got closer, she called out, but not loudly. It sounded something like, “Aquilala soma towatsina.” Or something like that. I didn’t understand a word of it. It was a nice language though. I liked the sound of it. She looked like some kind of cave girl, fur bikini and everything. If she didn’t try to kill me, maybe I’d at least have some company. This was weird. I was calmly accepting, and maybe actually embracing the idea that I was stranded on the edge of a jungle with no way home. Maybe there was a village with a telephone on the other side of the trees. In a way, I hoped not. I felt happy to see her, but not exactly excited. It wasn’t like I thought, “Oh my gosh, I’m rescued!” It was more like, “Hey, she’s kind of cute. Nice bikini. Nice tan too.” When she was about 50 feet away I stood up and stepped onto the sand.

    He has one job left, then his debts will be paid, and his loyalty will only be to himself. When he gets to his last job and finds a damsel in distress, he chooses to prioritize her life over his freedom… and only time will tell if it costs him his life.In the streets of Memphis, Joy Dixon is known as Trouble. Trouble has seemed to follow her and her mother all the days of her life. The night Joy thinks her life is about to end, she’s rescued by Caliber. Used to men expecting a lot of something for nothing, Joy expects Caliber to demand the world. It catches her by surprise when he doesn’t ask for anything in return. In fact, he only offers to keep her safe. When she finds out exactly who he is, Joy embarks upon the hard journey of trusting and finding solace in her gangster… the gentleman.

    

    Having lost her father during the Great War and her mother, a famous French impressionist painter, in a tragic accident, Aimee is brought up by her troubled grandparents on the banks of the river Mersey. She works hard at her art lessons and is encouraged to believe she has inherited her mother's gift, but it is her childhood friend and fellow student Frankie Hopkins who shows greater talent. When Frankie joins the Kendrick's textile mill to work on new fabric designs, Aimee begs her grandfather to teach her how to run the business. Working together, Aimee and Frankie become much more than friends but then they find themselves involved in family problems and it is impossible to know what the future holds.

    While similarities aren't considered weaknesses, it's the sole possessions of one human than attracts them to another... that one thing that someone their opposite can find inside of their core, but not within themselves. It's what attaches them, intrigues them as a flame does a moth. It's the bridge that gaps them together in a manner that other's may be ignorant to, while the details are in plain sight for the two basking in the afterglow. Ripleigh, a young single mother, has been beat down by the biggest villain of all. Life has gutted her of her most valuable vessel, the heart. After suffering through the death of her counterpart, and daughter's father, she's left with merely a shell to call home for the rest of the organs that are keeping her amongst the living. Ripleigh packed her things and moved down south for a more modest living and to place the pain of loss as many miles behind her as she could. While life seemed to be plentiful closer to the boarder, Ripleigh's funds were diminishing. Quick on her feet, she reduced her pride and laced up her highest heels to tread the stage of ILLUSION, the most sought out dwelling for upscale nightlife. Semaaj, prominent medical provider and face of Northcross Pediatric Care, stumbles into a dimly lit atmosphere full of hookah smoke, chest rocking base, and clad women with insane skills and enough strength to help him lay the final bricks to his newly purchased children's clinic. Though he feels as if he's worlds away from his comfort zone, he feels a familiar tugging of his heartstrings after setting his eyes on the talented Blyss. Semaaj, later, finds himself frequenting the underworld at an alarming rate, and the staff soon knows him by name. His request is simple, Blyss. Two strangers, two completely different worlds, two bizarre parties discover that there is likeness even in their oppositions. While Ripleigh decides to run, Semaaj exchanges his stethoscope and lab coat for joggers and tennis shoes. He accepts the challenge of digging up Ripleigh's, as known as Blyss, heart -the vessel that had been buried along with her previous lover. Bruised, cut, leaking, and dysfunctional as it may come packaged, he cares nothing for it's appearance. The purity of it's inside is what he's most desirable of.

    Yet they remain anonymous to you like aliens from a different world. Their existence is non-extant. Yet they influence you without your knowledge. Sometimes they too are oblivious to the reality, like the railway tracks which run parallel to each other but never meet. The moment the tracks meet, there is bound to be a disaster.She is a simple girl from Thailand and he is one of the top business magnates of India. She claims to be his daughter and a year later she is found killed.A Managing Editor of a leading newspaper and a CBI Investigating Officer team up to unearth the truth. How far do they go to uncover the mystery?Delve into the timeless journey that promises to keep you hooked from the beginning to the end….without a blink!

    Everything goes downhill from there as two Space Marines are arrested and accused of dealing China Mike—a highly addictive and illegal synthetic drug—and Fortis is forced to either get involved in the war against the cartel or abandon his Marines to the local legal system.However, as their involvement in the drug war deepens, Fortis suspects the platoon has been plunged into the middle of something much bigger. Rumors of a growing resistance movement against the colonial government abound, and it appears his men are being used to do the security force’s dirty work of putting it down.As Fortis navigates his way between the corrupt colonial government, a corporate espionage agent, intergalactic mercenaries, and his own chain of command, he has to find the truth of the situation and answer one important question—is there any way for Third Platoon to be successful when everyone else on the planet wants them to fail?

    She lived to create and enjoy her carefree bohemian lifestyle. Life was good, until her father died leaving her to continue his legacy of Thornton Industries. She was an engineer, not some corporate shark. Therefore, she didn’t know where to begin, especially managing the day-to-day operations of retaining TI's successful multi-million dollar status. Before she could regroup to handle the inherited responsibilities, she started receiving personal threats against her life. When they escalated into life-threatening attacks, she had to accept around-the-clock protection from a man whose nearness was dangerous to her self-imposed celibacy. Olen Davidson was assigned to protect Zulayka. From the beginning, he made it known he was not happy with what he called "a babysitting assignment," but he went along "taking one for the team." He was even more disappointed when he met the woman in person. She was a twenty-first century hippie, with a high IQ, a smart mouth, and an eccentric personality. The easy assignment soon turned into international espionage with Zulayka’s company as the targeted prize. Olen’s cavalier attitude in protecting Zulayka almost caused her serious injuries. Now Olen is determined to put his life on the line to protect her. What he hadn’t asked for were the feelings he was starting to have for the unconventional nerd who wasn't his type. Hadn't watching her prevented him from a reunion with the woman who held his heart?

    With an absentee mother and alcoholic father Logan has the weight of the world on her shoulders. All Logan can really count on are her crazy ass friends Margo, April and her secret crush Ameer Sanchez to keep her sane. Ameer Sanchez is a young rich, and in demand. With a small circle that consists of his best friends Jacob and Daniel, he doesn’t need much else to hold him down, well except for that special someone. He's fine as hell and on his way to living out his dreams. He also has everything he wants and can have any girl he wants but ever since he laid eyes on Logan he knew that he had to have her. Unfortunately, for this bunch, life isn’t always as simple as it should be. Ameer is struggling to keep his head right, and do right by Logan but life keeps getting in the way. Keeping his past in the past is not working out as simple as he thought it would be. Friendships and relationships are challenged, and some may not survive. Not to mention that the streets are invading their circle with a vengeance. Roman is the plug that Jacob and Daniel work for and he has an offer that they can’t refuse, even if they should be running from it. With Roman about to step down will the guys step up and take his place or will unforeseen circumstances make it impossible. Will Ameer be able to handle a relationship and running the streets? Will Logan be understanding of his constant demanding schedule? Will outside forces as well as, the ones closest to them try to tear them apart? And ultimately, is being Addicted to the Hustle really worth it?

    She was a member of the Crystal Blue Pack. She was the punching bag in her pack, as people usually walked all over her, literally. She was the weakling, the outcast, the loner who no one ever bothered to get to know.Until the night of her birthday when she overheard a conversation that left her with no other decision but to leave and never look back. She had never been outside the pack territory, so she had no idea what was lurking in the woods.She ran into the most handsome man that she had ever seen in her entire life and he uttered one word, four letters that changed her life forever."Mine"Jayden King was the alpha of the North Pack. He was the most feared alpha and was oftentimes referred to as the alpha of all alphas. No one who trespassed on his land ever lived long enough to tell the tale.He was a very cold and heartless man. Until the night he ran into someone he had long ago lost hope of finding. Now he has her and instead of being the mate that she had always hoped for, he ignores her.

    With her life in danger and her past catching up to her, will she stay alive long enough to trust the one man she never forgot with her heart? With the promise to catch a killer and keep Lauren safe, Dane Bennet must now protect her from the evil in her past and present. A sick cult group with ties to the government and the rich and powerful are determined to use her powers for their own evil gain. Will Dane be able to protect the woman he loves or will he have his chance at happiness snatched away. Dane must use every ounce of his elite special forces training to keep her safe, even if it means breaking her heart. Determined to stop the evil that threatens the world and avenge the death of a friend, will Lauren and Dane be able to overcome their intense attraction to stop the people determined to end her life and start Armageddon or will their passion blind them. Nate Jones is unlucky in love. He’s watched his parents love story play out his entire life and wants that for himself. His whole world was rocked when he walks into a hospital room and falls head over heels in love with Skye and Noah. Skye Mitchell is a single mother to an exceptional young boy. Noah has a unique and terrifying gift, which in the hands of the wrong people, could risk his life. A life that is already under the shadow of a terrible disease. All she has ever wanted was her child healthy and to feel cherished by the man she loves. Skye and Nate are ready to take a chance on a once in a lifetime love but The Divine Watchers have other plans. With bullets flying and people dying, the race is on to find Noah before any harm can come to him. Will Nate and his team find Noah in time, or will his love for Skye get in the way? Can Nate and Skye use their intense attraction to get them through the most horrific time of their lives? A woman with a secret past! Lucy Bennett is not what she appears to be. When she overhears a devastating conversation she decides to fight the betrayal head on. To do that Lucy must let her past and present lives collide, face the hurt and guilt she buried years ago, and reveal the real Lucy to the world. A man with a gift. Jace Ward, Fortis operative and Ex-SAS soldier, is dealing with his new gift of hearing people's thoughts. All except the thoughts of the woman he loves! Jace has loved Lucy Bennett since he first laid eyes on her nearly twenty years ago. Her beauty, her love for those around her, and the fact that she is a badass makes her the perfect woman for him. Then tragedy strikes unexpectedly, and Lucy is left destroyed by the turn of events. Can Jace reach the woman he can't live without and bring her home? Can they stop this latest attack by the Divine Watchers before more people they care about die? Will their love make it? He will stop at nothing to keep those he loves safe! Zack Cunningham is the sexy, brooding leader of the Fortis team. He has spent most of his life fighting evil, first as an elite SAS operative, and now running Fortis, a group comprised of ex-special ops men and woman. Now he faces the biggest fight of his life. He must keep the woman who has haunted his dreams safe while he leads his team against the sick and twisted Divine Watchers. With trusts broken and relationships betrayed, can he convince the woman who haunts him that he is worth a chance or will he die trying? Ava Drake has spent her life living in a man’s world, and she knows she is strong enough to go it alone.

    

    They were flat broke. And he’s arranged her marriage to someone who can bail out his company.Seriously? This is going too far. She’s getting married to someone she’s never met. She is pissed off! So she does the first thing she can think of.She gets on a plane and flies to Bali.Yeah, it was immature as hell. But this is her last hurrah. She can go crazy one last time and then she’ll be the sacrificial bride her dad needs her to be. Only it doesn’t work like that. See that’s where she meets Matthew Samsons – the 32-year old CEO who is on vacation. They do the nasty together and she falls in love with him, hoping to see him in America.She does…because he’s the best man to the man she’s supposed to marry.Her family is counting on her to save them with this marriage. But her heart is saying no way. It wants the handsome white boy worth eight figures. What is she gonna do?Find out in this sizzling BWWM romance!

    If you like humorous cozy mysteries, get to know former TV actress and the eccentric residents of Westdale in the first 3 books of the Saints & Strangers cozy mysteries box set: A Dead End, Book 1 The Deep End, Book 2 The Bitter End, Book 3 Learn more about the author at keeleybates.com.