His impeccable record should speak for itself but he wasn’t taking any chances. When his commander volunteers him to head the annual Toys-For-Toddlers Christmas gala, saying no wasn’t an option. It seemed as though Sal had pulled off the impossible, even with only sixty days to do so. But at the last minute, things seemed to unravel and he found himself in over his head. Party planner was never going on his resume. Gloria, (Rori) Boudreau loved the holidays. Her business as a photographer and graphic designer was booming. Yet she needed to think about January, when it stalls out. When a part-time dispatcher position opened up at the police department, she grabs it. Timing was horrible, but it fit her schedule and it paid enough to ensure she could continue chasing her dream next year and that was all that mattered. Through the lens of Rori’s camera, everyone except Salvatore seemed to be enjoying the Christmas fundraiser. This was her reputation on line as well, and she needed it to be picture perfect. One way or another, she was determined to get a smile out of Salvatore. In the end, Salvatore lands more than a promotion. It might not be what he wanted for Christmas, but one moment, can change a lifetime. And he can’t wait until Christmas to unwrap this gift. Was what he had to offer enough for Rori? Salvatore didn’t want his love to end up amongst her unwanted gifts to return.

    She hasn’t just been let down time and time again, she has been betrayed in the most horrific way possible. Believing the past will haunt her future, she depends on dying at the hands of the Kings of Blood MC when she walks into their clubhouse and shoots their president dead...who happens to be her father. Devlin Ashby is a brother from a rival MC and not only does he save her countless times from her enemies, he’s determined to save her from the internal battle she fights alone. She hardly talks and she shuts down when he asks too many questions, but he won’t stop trying to save her. He ingrains himself into her life, into her mind, body and soul and desperately tries to prove she can trust him. When you’ve seen true horror and you know how unimaginable fear can cripple every second of every day, whether asleep or awake, to die or to live is a serious question you ask yourself every day.

     Her family massacred, her home destroyed, she escapes with nothing but her mother’s heirloom and the desire for vengeance. When she’s found by Dormael, a Warlock of the Conclave, she learns that her mother’s keepsake—the very reason her family was killed—holds the power to unleash boundless destruction. Dormael and Shawna must flee for their lives before a vengeful enemy and guard against the deadly secret it seeks to unearth. Some secrets are best left buried, and vengeance must be pulled from the fists of the gods. With danger closing in around them, Shawna and Dormael are left with little choice. Will they escape, or will they drown beneath a tide of blood? From book two, The Knife in the Dark:Sanctuary beckons, but hides a deadly secret within. Dormael and D’Jenn bring a dangerous artifact home to the Conclave, hoping to answer the riddle behind an ancient mystery. But their homecoming only raises more questions as they discover an undercurrent of lies beneath the surface—lies that have been eating at the foundation of the Conclave itself, and subverting all they’ve sworn to uphold. Caught in a web of treachery, they must uncover the truth to free themselves, and keep an ancient weapon from falling into the wrong hands. To survive, Dormael and D’Jenn may have to sacrifice everything. With their home crumbling around them, they’re forced to make a dreadful choice. Will they navigate the waters of intrigue steeping the Conclave in turmoil, or be crushed by the cold heels of their enemies?From book three, The Old Man of the Temple:An archaic power awakens, but the shadows of antiquity conceal a terrible truth. Fugitives from the Conclave, Dormael and his friends flee with the armlet in their possession. Hounded by their former allies, they undertake a dangerous trek to an ancient ruin—a place where the only things older than the stones are the secrets buried beneath them. Pain and darkness wait in the halls of the dead, but something worse may be closing in from behind. With evil stirring, the fate of the world hangs in the balance. Will Dormael and his friends uncover the mystery of the artifact, or be destroyed by those who wish its power for themselves? For Dormael, D’Jenn, and Shawna, failure could mean the destruction of everything they know. The war is just beginning, and the gods will weigh the price in blood.

    Experience the incredible exploits of this young elk as he grows to become a great leader of his kind. His life is one of challenge and near tragedy as he struggles to survive the often violent life that is nature. Under the guidance of great bulls and mysterious spirit guides, this brave young bull grows to understand the never-ending circle of life and the oneness that he and all living things share. Enter the brutally honest world that is nature, and walk the journey of this courageous young bull as by his grandeur he brings all four-legged ones to a great oneness with their most feared enemy, man. You will laugh and cry as this young elk grows to become that which you an I hope someday to be.

    So when I walked into his office one night offering him a business proposition I was sure he couldn’t refuse, I was surprised when he offered me one: Paige’s freedom in exchange for a date. Dinner was the easy part; it was an elevator ride that had us both falling… Quickies Series #2: Snowed In: After breaking up with my long-term boyfriend, I decided to forego our annual spring break trip to Mexico, instead picking a location as far away from sandy beaches as I could possibly get: the mountains of Colorado. My best friend made me promise to have a little fun, and there's nothing like a one-night stand to heal the sting of a broken heart. I had no idea there would be so much more to the gorgeous mystery man I met in the lobby of the lodge where I was staying. When a storm hit, things between us got hot enough to melt snow... Quickies Series #3: Coming Clean Chris Mitchell was the one that got away. We met in high school during a long, hot summer, and never acted on the attraction that sizzled just below the surface. When I run into him at a restaurant where I’m sitting alone after being stood up for a date, he smiles at me, and it’s like we’re teenagers again. After a few glasses of wine and a romantic candlelit dinner, we start talking about what could’ve been, and before we know it we’re both coming clean… The Quickies Series are short, sexy stories you can read in one sitting!

    The love of her life was out of reach, so she walked away and never looked back. Now, visiting the beautiful, snowy village of Glen Avich for Christmas, Viola is shocked to find him here, staying only metres away. Can she risk heartbreak again?Inary Monteith's life is at a turning point - a surprise baby has come to upset her plans and open the door to a whole new world. But as her bump grows, fear trumps over love and Inary feels completely inadequate to her new role. As she and her cousins, Eilidh and Viola, gather for Christmas lunch, no one could expect what lies ahead, least of all the arrival of a mysterious visitor who delivers a gift for them all...

    Includes: Summer Unplugged Bayleigh is addicted to her cell phone and her mom has had enough. 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. Autumn Unlocked After a summer grounded from technology, Bayleigh is back home and rebuilding her relationship with her mother. Her boyfriend Jace keeps his promise and stays in Texas, where he works at a local motocross track. Knowing her relationship with Jace is something special and not like all the guys before him, Bayleigh is determined to keep their love strong, despite his notorious fame in the motocross world and the dozens of girls throwing themselves at him in his new job. Winter Untold When Jace accepts a job that has him traveling all over the country, Bayleigh wonders how their relationship can survive on random text messages and intermitent phone calls. Frustrated by his popularity on Facebook and jealous of all the parties he's attending, she finds comfort and friendship in Chase, the guy who just moved in next door. Spring Unleashed Bayleigh graduates from high school and with her boyfriend Jace by her side, she feels like life can't get any better. That is until Jace and her mom suggest some plans for Bayleigh's future that she's not too thrilled about. As long as she can win them over to seeing things her way, life will be great again. Or so she thinks.

    For years, she has navigated the suffocating constraints of boarding school and chaperoned dances, and she is ready to detour from the perfect path her parents set her on. Luke Carrington is the swoon-worthy stranger who arrives to spice up the party, convincing Lexi that it's okay to ditch her uniform and spread her wings. Despite Luke's charm and intelligence, Lexi's family shrugs him off and refuses to tell her why. In her mind, the man has more to offer than any gel-headed boy she's met. Not only does he share her interest in Greek mythology, but he has devoted his life to helping people cope with death. What could be more admirable than that? When Lexi learns that her life has been a big fat lie, and the people claiming to be her family aren't who they say they are, she turns to Luke for solace. He is the only one who has not betrayed her, and he helps Lexi prove she isn't a little girl anymore. Once Luke's earns her trust and her heart, Lexi is willing to follow him anywhere to keep him close-even into the underworld.

    That lasts until a mysterious note arrives in her mailbox: Your mother didn’t die of cancer.
 And your father isn’t who you think he is. With her brother away with his fiancée and Alastair Stone on the other side of the world, Verity sets off on her own to track down the note’s sender. But finding the secrets of murder and betrayal buried in her past isn’t the worst part. Someone doesn’t want her to know the truth—and they’re willing to kill to make sure she never learns it. An Unexpected Truth takes place following the novel The Madness Below and the novella Boys' Night (Way) Out. Don't miss the rest of the series: Stone and a Hard Place The Forgotten The Threshold The Source Core of Stone Blood and Stone Heart of Stone Flesh and Stone The Infernal Heart The Other Side Path of Stone Necessary Sacrifices Game of Stone Steel and Stone Stone and Claw The Seventh Stone Gathering Storm House of Stone Circle of Stone The Madness Below Boys' Night (Way) Out (novella) and four standalone tales: Turn to Stone Shadows and Stone Devil's Bargain Stone for the Holidays

    One night when Zoe's cousin invites her out to stop moping, live a little, and have some fun; fate steps in with both feet and offers up a remedy. West Jameson is a typical ladies man, who is out for a good time, has no clue what it means to be in a relationship or in love. But one memorable one night stand, for both good and bad reasons, sends Zoe and West down a spiraling path neither one of them has anticipated. Take this journey with these two as they discover that love isn't always easy but it's worth it. Chances are never given, they're taken...& sometimes love happens purely...By Chance

    

    

    Her childhood friend Tracie is a computer expert whose personal vendetta backfires. Eva is a jurist but uses men to hide her pain and mask her childhood tragedy, and her cousin Tina wears a sweet exterior but takes risks that threaten to jeopardize her professional career. Kevin and Aaron are sexy twins who go to great lengths to get the women they want; and Angelo, gorgeous and ambitious, lets nothing stand in his way to accomplish his career goals, even at the expense of friends.Pilar is a beautiful but naive orphan who overnight is catapulted to fame; and Denene, a woman scorned, is determined to wreak havoc in the lives of those she feels has wronged her in some way. From the heart of Los Angeles to the South of France, In Laws and Play Cousins tells a story about love and heartbreak, success and envy and the price it ultimately commands.

    Power. Prestige. Pastor Hilton Wilds has it all, but will temptation take it all away from him? Everyone at Endless Love Baptist Church adores Pastor Wilds, including women he has no business cavorting with, but the good pastor has one potentially fatal flaw – he loves women and never misses an opportunity to let lust lead him astray. Vonda Wilds was born to be the First Lady. Her strict upbringing set the stage for a life lived according to the virtues the Bible teaches, so marrying a pastor seemed like the ideal situation. But even the strongest and devout women can be fooled by the men they love. Pastor Wilds proclivity for women who aren’t his wife are about to cost him the life he and his devoted wife built together and shatter their tight-knit congregation. Both have serious decisions to make. Will they continue to pretend all is well or will they face the issues head on or will the temptation be too much for Pastor Wilds? Will his lust override his duty to the church and his marriage vows?

    He has left behind nearly a million words of text, but his life is still a mystery. This book is an engaging introduction to a subject that students will certainly encounter many times throughout their education—and their lives. Lucid language and dramatic illustrations re-create the Bard's world of kings and queens, fairies and potions, and bloody beheadings. It imparts an amazing amount of vivid, interesting material about place, period and background of Shakespeare. This sweeping account is a biography, a history, and a retelling of some of Shakespeare’s most famous plays—all in one approachable volume. Salient Features: • Shakespeare's Early Life • Life as Playwright and Actor • Theatre Companies • Style of Presentation • Last Years of Life • England of Shakespeare's Days • Drama in Shakespeare's Days • Shakespeare's Greatness as a Poet • Shakespeare's Influence • Works of Shakespeare in detail • Principal Facts of Shakespeare's Life