How hard can that be?My best friend is deployed and he worries about his little sister being alone. But I don’t mind taking her out for her birthday. I just have to remember one thing. 1) Keep my hands off her ridiculously curvy body.But there’s just one problem. Mara has her own ideas about what we should do for her birthday. And she wants a lot more than a Hallmark card.

    Not sure if it was the scent of coffee lackadaisically meandering across the Serengeti that brought us to our serendipitous moment (do big cats drink coffee?), or if it was that she had told me she'd be here soon. I generally don't have conversations with animals- other than the human kind. I suppose if the dialogue occurs while dreaming you aren't crazy, right? As far as how I came about to live just inside Kenya at the Tanzanian border overlooking the Serengeti, well, that is another lifetime dappled with hurt and a lost love elsewhere in the world- I won't bore you with the details. I wanted to get as far away from that pain as I could. The 'geti is about as distant as I could travel. Funny, no matter how far one travels the past is just a moment, just a thought away. I will not taint this story with that past. This is a story of a more recent past, of a friendship- the most important friendship I've ever had. I live east of a village. I am the only white man for probably twenty miles or more. I suppose there could be a few around or many in town but I haven't seen any. This life can be hard to adapt to, especially when one is accustomed to the rote American life of excess for its own sake. Pressure. That is part of the reason why I left. No, this is a lie. It's not why I left, but I promised I wouldn't scar this story with my American past. There may be a trace of it betrayed here and there but I will do my best to check such impulses. Where was I, oh yes- life is slower here; not in a dimwitted way, but in a take-a-deep-breath-and-live kind of way. Speaking of breaths, I promised that I wouldn't start smoking again. But that was in my old life. I made a lot of promises then, this is now. I don't smoke processed cigarettes- Western market contraband. No, my good friend Abasi is a tobacco farmer. Did I say he is a good friend; he's a great friend, genuine, forthright and not afraid to smack the hell out of you when you need it, or deserve it. More often than not I am the latter. Who would have known I'd have to travel half way around the world to find a friend that wasn't a sycophant. One of his virtues is that he doesn't know the meaning of the word. I teach Absko, his son, English in exchange for fresh tobacco, among other things. Truth told I'd do it for free. He knows this. Sometimes I work the fields with him. Wielding a machete and tying bundles is unbearably taxing at times but I try not to let it show on my face- though everyone knows, I'm not fooling anyone. One could say I'm paying for my deep-seated American complacency I suppose. I must make one point very clear: I am not "anti-American-way." Far from it. This is, like I said, just a different way of life. It is nothing here to slaughter your own food or dig your own latrine, or hear of children starving to death, despite Doctors Without Borders. Unsheltered is what I'm saying. Far from texting and Ipods. I will one day go back. Maybe.

    Come on down to PerryLake, Kansas, little spot of parade. Here, you'll find mystery, adventure, and possibly love. "A story about the Not Quit Mail-Order Husband sort of tale" Faith DOESN'T NEED love. She doesn't need  the aid of a former lawless man who's wordsseemed to call a place in herself she'd already abandoned long ago - to fellin LOVE AGAIN! Too bad Marshal Joshua Reaper can't help but to disagree. As a former outlaw who turned Marshal, Joshua believed a second chance is givento him to mend his old ways by the grace of God. He sees his blessing for what it is, but is having trouble convincing Faith ofthe same. But outside of the five young reasons, there is ONE utmost REASON Faith rejectsJoshua . . . She is BARREN! Faith can never give a man children of his own. Will these two ever find the happily ever after that's intended for them? . . . "A timeless piece of work, full of love, hope, and moving on.". . . This is a sweet and CLEAN WESTERN ROMANCE short story. Each installment is designed to be read in around two hours, so they're perfect for when you're waiting at appointments or have a few extra minutes to spare. Each short story can be read as a stand alone but if you wish to read about the story of Katherine and Faith in order the first two books are available for just $0.99 or FREE on Kindle Unlimited.Brides of Perry Lake:Book 1 Katherine's Story- The Big Feisty Bride tamed by Her Scarred Banker Book 2: Mark's Story- The Barren Bride Claimed by Her Bad Wild MarshalDiscover other series by Faye Sonja:Brides of Salt Lake CityBrides of Haines PressThree Brides for Three War ComradesBrides of El PasoMail Order Brides of Western RomanceBrides of Perry Lake seriesThe Archer Sisters of Goldrush

    This book ends on a cliffhanger, but the entire series is available in a bundle called Searching for Love: The Complete Story.Newly divorced and deeply wounded, all Reese Montgomery wants is to find true love. After her ex-husband tells her she no longer measures up and then unceremoniously dumps her, she realizes her background--a father in prison, an alcoholic mother--makes her undesirable. When she meets Brody Ford on a beach in Malibu, her attraction is instant, as is her certainty that they are all wrong for each other.Brody, a self-made man from a close-knit family, is lonely. After losing the woman he loves in a car accident, he believes he'll never love again. When a chance encounter brings Reese into his life, something about her touches him. And he wants more. But her reluctance to open her heart forces him to work harder to win her over than he's ever had to work before.Will they be able to heal the hurts each carries, or are they too wounded to find the love they're searching for?Falling for You is a sweet, clean contemporary romance.Books in the Searching for Love romance series (4 books total)Falling for YouFinding ReeseSurrender My HeartBring Me Home

    He also hopes to get a chance to talk to Jillian Moore, the attractive psychiatrist at the nursing home, about Walter's condition.Instead of a dour Walter, mourning the disabilities left him by a recent stroke, James finds his friend excited to tell him about a compelling dream he had the previous night. In that dream, and many dreams that follow, Walter believes he is seeing a day in the life of Jesus. And it was a day in which a great multitude came to him, with a whole range of physical and spiritual ailments, and he healed them all.For Walter this means a new reason to live. For both Jillian and James the dreams become a fascinating revelation of the unbounded grace and mercy of the one who perfectly reflected the image of a loving heavenly Father.That revelation challenges James to break out of his self-sufficient life without church or the faith of his childhood. With Walter and Jillian by his side he has to navigate the meaning of the dreams as well as the condition of his own soul.

     After a mugging in grad school left her with an irrational fear of the night not even her PhD in psychology has helped overcome, Sadie Wren is sure she’s found an idyllic, safe place in Cottonbloom. When a break-in at her house shatters her sense of safety, gruff, protective Thaddeus Preston storms into her life. On the surface, they have little in common, but a loneliness she’s only too familiar with hides behind his infrequent smiles. But based on her knowledge of the human psyche, Sadie is convinced her infatuation with Thad will burn out as quickly as it flared. As the Chief of Police of Cottonbloom, Mississippi, Thaddeus Preston maintains a strict control on everything in the small town—himself included. With an older brother serving time for a crime Thad committed when he was just a kid, he lives a life of penance, not allowing anyone to get close. When a reported lurker turns into a real threat, Thad is determined to restore order as quickly as possible and get back to his virtual jail. But Thad’s brother gets out on probation just as Sadie and the town turns to him for protection. His tidy, barren life spins into chaos, and the only thing that makes sense is the one woman who shouldn’t.

    Coming back to Magnolia Sound to celebrate her great-grandfather’s birthday provides the perfect opportunity to show Jake that she’s no longer a child. The last thing Jake expected to do at his mentor’s birthday party was to find himself kissing Mallory under the moonlight. Though he’s known her for years, the thought of kissing her never crossed his mind. But the shy tomboy he once knew is gone, and in her place is a woman he can’t resist. They have one summer before they go their separate ways. Insecurity wars with the possibility of a future together, but it could all come to an end before it even has a chance to start.

    New to LA with a couple mil to flip, Grey opens South Beach, the newest addition to the Los Angeles club scene. In the midst of starting his business, he meets an exotic beauty by the name of Nakami. Enamored by her beauty and fiery personality, Grey courts her not knowing that her father, Hero, is the biggest drug lord on the West Coast. Nakami and her father prove to be the connect that Grey needs in order to get back to his hustle. But at what cost? Kimani Summers, Grey's younger brother, is making a name for himself in the modeling industry and is also pursuing a career in acting. When he hears that his brother has relocated to LA, he's not happy. Knowing Grey and the trouble that tends to follow behind him, Kimani is reluctant to interact with the brother he hasn't seen or talked to in over five years. Hesitantly taking Grey up on the invitation to attend the grand opening of his new club, Kimani meets Nakami's best friend, Blu. After losing the last woman he loved tragically, Kimani doesn't want to fall for Blu, but he can't help it. When these four lives are intertwined, things get crazy! And when everything is all said and done, friends will become enemies, business and personal relationships will crumble, and lines will be crossed that will affect the lives of all parties involved.

    Today, it's a fine pair of lacy slippers crafted by the renowned Ella's Establishment. To be picture perfect for her presentation to the queen, Charlotte will survive crashed ceilings and falling bricks. Yet, has she met her match in the conservative merchant, whose autumn-colored eyes make her pulse race, especially when he says no? Caught between the glittering world of the ton and the respectable profession of selling shoes, Edwin Cinder can't understand the lady's persistence or the fire lighting her blue eyes when she's challenged. With his lack of pedigree, there's no chance for this common God-fearing man to win her hand, but he'll risk all to save the duchess from the ravages of a London gale. Swept Away is a Regency retelling of Cinderella with a twist.

     According to Stephanie, her last name is Tanner. According to everyone else, it’s not. According to Stephanie, her 22 year old son just simply vanished. According to everyone else, he did a little more than “vanish.” Has Stephanie lost touch with reality? Why can’t she figure out what happened between her and Jonathan? Perhaps returning to her old job (a job she apparently never had) and talking to her old friend Dave (who apparently never met her) could help uncover the clues necessary to answer her nagging question – What happened to her son & best friend Jonathan? It will keep you guessing up until the final page! This updated version of the original novel simply brings the story to more recent times, making it easier to relate to. For the most part, all the years in the timeline have changed, with minor changes throughout to keep the story properly connected. Scott McElhaney is the winner of the 2008 Christian Choice Book Award for his debut suspense novel "Mommy's Choice." With over 250,000 books downloaded worldwide, he is making nearly all of his novels available to Kindle readers at the very accessible price of only 99 cents. Scott is a veteran of the US Navy, a father of two teenage boys, and he has been happily married for more than 20 years. EDITORIAL REVIEWS: "McElhaney's story telling is deft, well-paced, and with an ear for conversation" ~ Beacon Journal Book Review "The author does a good job of sucking you into the moment and feeling as if you are the main character. The technology and scenarios are realistic enough for this sci fi fan and, if you like a good storyteller Mr. McElhaney knows how to do it." ~Top 50 Amazon Reviewer and Vine Voice Michael Gallagher

    Their idyllic, brief childhood together is short lived ending in hardship and heartbreak. Finding themselves alone in the world, both boys struggle to self-educate. Against the odds, Matthew Gray builds a global business empire and Luke Mbeki travels to England, in self-imposed exile, entangling himself in the anti-apartheid movement. With their paths crossing intermittently, it is only when Nelson Mandela is released from prison that Luke returns home continuing his fight for freedom alongside his comrades. Matt’s all-consuming business life continues but betrayal strikes. Leaving everything behind, he escapes to another world – an artist colony.This incredibly powerful and moving story tells how each man struggles to survive in a country deep in the throes of violent change, with friendship and families being torn apart. Matt and Luke's friendship is unimaginably tested so how does it survive in such terrifying and perilous times?

    At the same time, she is able to accept help and love from a handsome mystery boarder.

    Sure, she’s taken a few risks to try to stop the expansion of Skipjack Bay. And yes, okay, the first time she met with Austin to plead her case, she’d technically been trespassing. But this? His bed, his rules, his massive, let’s just say confidence. Not to mention his uncanny ability to make her come... completely undone. It’s all beyond crazy. Still, the chance to help the families in her hometown is something she can’t turn down. So, she agrees to his terms. Total surrender. Hers. To him. A simple business deal where they both get what they want. The absolute last thing Gina expects is for Austin to want her to surrender her heart to him, too. Previously published as Black Gold 1 & 2, (c) 2012 & (c) 2014 revised throughout with newly added content and an extended ending. Story Note: This steamy standalone includes cameos by a few characters from Tempted Beyond Reason (formerly titled Waking Up Her Curves, which has similarly been republished with revisions and new content), but not to worry, both stories are completely independent from each other.

    With a brilliant job in the corporate world, glamorous parties, and a beautiful condo overlooking Seattle, she is thrown into a world she doesn't want to claim. It's not until Jason crashes into her world that she realizes she's not really living. Facing his own demons, Jason attempts to piece his life back together after a personal tragedy. Damaged by his ghosts, Jason finally begins to forgive himself whenever Gabby's around. She makes him feel--alive, something he hasn't felt for a long time.It's only as their love grows and secrets are revealed that they realize a devastating connection from their past might actually tear them apart.------Dear reader:I hope you enjoy reading Gabby and Jason's story as much as I loved writing it. This is a completed story of Jason and Gabby and is the first in a new series. However, the book does end with a new story just beginning surrounding another couple, who I've gotten the joy of writing about. Their story continues in Beyond Doubt and is out now!Again, thank you for taking the time to read the first in the Beyond Love Series, and I hope you enjoy!~Karice

    Now it’s his turn to settle down, or so he thought. When his long-time girlfriend breaks up with him, he’s left with the perfect family home, just without the family.Erin Johnson grew up with very few possessions, the glamorous lives of her high school classmates out of reach. Right as she prepared to start her life, a family tragedy forces her to derail her plans. Ten years later, with her college diploma in hand, Erin’s ready for adventure and freedom from responsibility.When she meets Jake, she questions everything she thought she wanted. Is it possible to build new dreams when the right person comes along?(formerly published as Dreams Come True in Laguna. Story rewritten and intimacy removed.)