Book picks similar to
The Princess of Valencia by Susan Straight
short-stories
fiction
short-story
contemporary
True Confessions of Margaret Hilda Roberts Aged 14 ¼
Sue Townsend - 2013
Then got out of bed and had a brisk rub down with the pumice stone. I opened the curtains and saw that the sun was shining brightly. (A suspicion is growing in my mind that the BBC is not to be trusted.)Margaret Hilda Roberts is a rather ambitious 14 � year old grocer's daughter from Grantham. She can't abide laziness, finds four hours of chemistry homework delightful and believes she is of royal birth - or at least destined for great things. But Margaret knows that good things never come to those who wait . . .These are the secret diary entries of a girl born into an ordinary life, yet who might just go on to become something really rather extraordinary, and she is brilliantly brought vividly to life by bestselling author Sue Townsend, Britain's favourite comic writer for over three decades.'Essential reading for Mole followers' Times Educational Supplement'Wonderfully funny and sharp as knives' Sunday TimesSue Townsend is Britain's favourite comic author. Her hugely successful novels include eight Adrian Mole books, The Public Confessions of a Middle-Aged Woman (Aged 55�), Number Ten, Ghost Children, The Queen and I, Queen Camilla and The Woman Who Went to Bed For a Year, all of which are highly acclaimed bestsellers. She has also written numerous well-received plays. She lives in Leicester, where she was born and grew up.
Untamed Hearts
Melody Grace - 2013
Two restless hearts. But what happens when morning comes?A tantalizing new novella from the internationally best-selling Melody Grace. *Untamed Hearts is set 3 years before the events of Unafraid. It can be read before, after, or as a stand-alone novel.*Contains adult material, 17+
Sweetness
Lindsay Paige - 2011
But after moving to a new town with her dad, a charming boy makes it impossible for her to disappear. Despite her feelings of unworthiness, Emily soon finds herself drawn to the safety of Jake's world. Good looking and the star of the hockey team, Jake has a lot going for him. What most people don't see is the difficult life he has at home. When quiet Emily steals his heart, Jake vows to help her discover she is worthy of love. Just when the two of them realize the sweetness of their relationship, they are put to the test. Only together can they overcome their haunted pasts to fight for a future together
Under His Kilt
Melissa Blue - 2013
Her imagination runs wild and then fixates on Ian Baird. He'll be working at the Langston Museum for a short stint as a consulting curator. He's Scottish. He believes sex is fun to be had. He's the perfect choice for a fling. She only has to get him break his rule about sleeping with co-workers. Seducing a man was on her bucket list...Ian is no one's fool and knows exactly what Jocelyn wants—him. If she didn't work for the Langston Museum, he'd be more than happy to oblige any and every fantasy she desired, but she's the curator. She's sweet, inexperienced and well liked by everyone including the museum owner and director. Ian can't risk losing such an important contact for his consulting business. Not even when everything within in him craves a taste of her.When Jocelyn sets her sights on him, there's no way Ian can deny her. They agree their affair will end in thirty days. No emotions, no entanglements, just sex. The closer the end date looms, they start to question if it's possible to walk away. They'll either have to come to terms of what they've become or stick to their original agreement.
Virgil the Hound: Against All Odds, One Hound Breaks Away From the Pack
Tere Albanese - 2018
And it is how Virgil's point of view profoundly changed one of the hunter's point of view on hunting.
Miao Dao
Joyce Carol Oates - 2018
Her dad left. Boys at school can’t keep their hands to themselves. A lecherous stepfather has moved in. Her only refuge is an abandoned lot on her suburban cul-de-sac, crawling with feral felines—one of which follows Mia home. Ghostly white and affectionate, she is Mia’s new companion and—as Mia’s tormenters will soon discover—her fierce protector.Joyce Carol Oates’s Miao Dao is part of Dark Corners, a collection of seven heart-stopping short stories by bestselling authors who give you so many new reasons to be afraid. Each story can be read in a single sitting. Or, if you have the nerve, you can listen all by yourself in the dark.
Candace
Michelle Miller - 2019
He’s sharp, handsome, and kind—her mind can’t help racing to where it all will lead. Then the check arrives. It’s time to get real.Candace is part of The Fairer Sex, a collection of sexy, satirical, and sometimes harrowing short stories that explore the question: “What do women want?” The answer is different for every woman, but each can be read or listened to in a single sitting.
Leave the Window Open
Victoria Schwab - 2015
A free story from Wesley’s POV, set a few hours after the end of The Unbound.
Resisting Madness
Wesley Southard - 2019
You’ll discover how far a prisoner will go to be with his dying wife, and what lurks between the walls of that Louisiana jailhouse to keep him there. You’ll find out how deep a man can cut himself to dig out the past. You’ll meet a college professor whose fear of flying might be the least of his worries. And you’ll learn how a sister’s love for sweet treats can reunite a broken family…whether they want it or not. Aliens and lot lizards…disembodied lips…the voice of God Himself… Thirteen stories and a brand new novella from horror author Wesley Southard. Within these pages, we all go a little mad…
Summer Unplugged
Amy Sparling - 2013
After catching her sending a less than lady-like photo to a boy who barely knows her, Bayleigh's mom sends her away to her grandparent's house for the summer--sans cell phone, laptop and Ipod. Bayleigh thinks the summer will be torture without social media...that is until she meets the boy next door.
Beach House Beginnings
Christie Ridgway - 2013
Meg Alexander has temporarily—and reluctantly—returned to her home of Crescent Cove, California. Last time she’d been on this beach she’d called herself Starr and saw only bright skies ahead. Then tragedy struck and she’d run from all that was familiar, the happy-go-lucky girl becoming a sadder-but-wiser woman. Now family obligations have brought her back and she’s determined to make it through the month with grit and grace. She only falters when one day she looks up—and loses her breath. Caleb McCall has never forgotten the summer he spent at Crescent Cove and the beautiful girl who’d laughed and played there. Eager for a break from his workaholic ways, he rents one of the surfside bungalows and discovers his landlady is none other than the one woman who has never faded from his memory. Clearly, though, Meg is wary and even their instant chemistry doesn’t let down her guard. But Caleb has learned there’s no time like the present to grab the opportunities life presents, so he’s willing to fight for what he wants…the total surrender of Meg’s heart. Get the whole series! Almost Wonderful (Almost Book 1) Almost Always (Almost Book 2), coming soon! Almost Everything (Almost Book 3), coming soon! Almost Paradise (Almost Book 4), coming soon! Christie Ridgway is the author of over 50 novels of contemporary romance. All her books are both sexy and emotional and tell about heroes and heroines who learn to believe in the power of love. A USA Today bestseller, Christie is a six-time RITA finalist and has won best contemporary romance of the year and career achievement awards from Romantic Times Book Reviews. A native of California, Christie now resides in the southern part of the state with her family. Inspired by the beaches, mountains, and cities that surround her, she writes tales of sunny days and steamy nights.
The Darkness: A Short Tale of Uncommon Daring & Ultimate Defiance
Justine Avery - 2015
Now, there's a reason to be.
Lux and his younger brother Lunam enjoy the full freedom of the simple life and all the childhood adventures offered by growing up in a small village in a picturesque glen. Life is tranquil, peaceful, and just about perfect—except for one formidable fact... Every day is followed by night. And, with the night, comes the DARKNESS. Slowly shrouding the valley and relentlessly seeping into every nook and cranny on its nightly rampage, the darkness returns to feast on its victims. No man, woman, child, animal—or even, insect—is safe. The darkness consumes all; the darkness's hunger is never satisfied. When the sun falls from the sky, the villagers, young and old, must take to arms, guarding their homes, loved ones, and livestock with every ray of light they can muster. Even young Lux and Lunam are well-soldiered in their responsibilities to safeguard themselves and their parents during the nightly vigil, the nightly fight to live to see another day. It's always been this way—the truths and ritual passed down from generation to generation since ancient times. No one dares question why. Nothing can change the frightening fact of the lives of the villagers or emancipate them from their singular foe—nothing, except a child's imagination and a curiosity as immutable as the darkness's own appetite.
There's just one truth guiding every man, woman, and child to strive to see another day: "Darkness Comes but Once a Night."
The Last Single Girl
Bria Quinlan - 2012
Last minute. Who doesn't already have plans on the busiest date night of the year.But, so far the best part of the search for a great date has been the cute café I found and the geeky-hot owner who keeps rescuing me from these crazy eLove.com dates. This should be easy-peasy. The internet is the home of all your hopes and needs, right?Spoiler Alert: it isn't.Between the bromance date and the crazed single dad who needs to hire a nanny and housekeeper, not get a date, I'm running out of options. If only a certain cutey didn't have a phone call with "sweetheart" every day.The weirder things get, the more I think just going solo is very I Am Woman, blah blah blah. Forget about the fact that my heart keeps bringing me back to a certain café even when I don't need to be there...I mean, my heart doesn't always get what it wants, does it?
"A DIARY FROM HELL": A CHILD BEING SOLD IN AMERICA
THERESA JENKINS - 2017
She was kept in a closet and beaten daily. Neglected, physically and mentally abused. Sometimes she was allowed to eat and sometimes she wasn't. She was left in the care of a family member who took her young innocents by selling her for sex to men at an early age. When most children are at the tender age of adolescents and playing at the playground she was living in a daily hell. The welfare system failed her many times. Sending her back to a home that only the devil could have occupied. By the age 11, she had attempted suicide seven times. With no success, she ran away to live on the streets of Cincinnati Ohio. Until she was caught and sent to many children's homes and foster homes. Read as she takes you through her journey as she recounts her 'Diary from hell"!
Sex with a Shooting Star
J.A. Kazimer - 2011
Benjamin Coleman is in love. Jodie Dean has a secret. Will either survive sex with a shooting star?