Those words adorned every building in Livingston, Virginia during the summer of 1963 confusing and angering five-year-old Stephen Phillips. Those words told him that what he felt for his colored neighbor Ruthie was wrong. As a teenager, Ruthie becomes the only ray of sunshine in his abusive life and he is not willing to let her go without a fight, a fight that could lead to murder.

    We both looked after Sophie and her baby. We had to. It’s not like Sophie was going to look after that baby herself. All she was interested in was weeping and wailing for her dead husband. She was so busy weeping and wailing for her dead husband that she rejected his baby who was right in front of her.When Olga’s friend Lara becomes a grandmother, Olga helps out whenever she can. After all, it’s a big imposition on Lara, looking after her bereaved daughter and the baby. And the new mother is not exactly considerate.But smoldering beneath Olga’s sensible support and loving generosity is a deep jealous need to be the centre of Lara’s attention and affection—a need that soon becomes a consuming, dangerous and ultimately tragic obsession.Gigi Fenster’s A Good Winter is an enthralling psychological thriller, a dark and complex portrait of a troubled mind.

    They grew up together and were inseparable from the time they were in diapers until it was time to leave for college. Simon moved to the city, hoping to realize his dream of being a successful doctor, while Jamie stayed in their little no-name town, going to community college and taking care of her sick mother. And though they had promised to keep in touch so nothing would chance between them, their last night together is the last night they see each other for a long time. It's been seven years since then, and neither of them can honestly say that they are completely happy with they way their lives have turned out. But when Simon comes back home for his first visit in seven years, Jamie's feelings for him come back with a vengeance, despite how angry she is at him for essentially cutting her out of his life. She knows that it's not going to go anywhere, not when he's got money and new friends and a fancy life a couple hundred miles away, but for two weeks, she wants to pretend like they have a chance. When a drunken accident results in more than either of them were bargaining for, they will be forced to examine their relationship and see what's there to salvage.

    As party invitations pile up in the mailbox, Rebecca Rather is up to her elbows in sticky meringue, creamy chocolate, and a sleigh full of savory treats to meet the entertaining needs of her neighbors.In The Pastry Queen Christmas, Rebecca shares nearly 100 traditional recipes reflecting her made-with-love-from-scratch philosophy and the tastes of small-town Texas. Show-off desserts such as Chocolate Cookie Crusted Eggnog Cheesecake, Sticky Toffee Pudding with Brandy Butterscotch Sauce, and Warm Pear Ginger Upside-Down Cake with Amaretto Whipped Cream are the perfect toppers to a family-style feast of Texas Spice-Rubbed Roast Pork, Baked Apple Pear Chutney, Brown Sugar Bacon, and No-Peeking Popovers. Still hungry the next morning? No problem-this country girl does an impressive breakfast, too: Bite-Sized Sticky Buns, Sweet Potato Scones, Cast-Iron Skillet Potatoes, and Mexican Ranch Chilaquiles ought to fill you up.And if you're still looking for excuses to entertain this season, you'll find ooey-gooey baked goods wrapped up as gifts, homemade craft and décor ideas to make your home sparkle, and holiday-worthy menus guaranteed to make your gathering a Texas-sized success. Tree-trimming, cookie decorating, and Santas running down Main Street . . . Christmastime is here.

    Losing high-stakes poker has its consequences, but he’d repeatedly face them just to hear Lacey Douglas sing. Drake sees Lacey light up the stage, and he has to have her. But his intentions for being on her side of town turn out to be the reason he can’t. Chicago native Lacey has dreams of the opera, but life has its obstacles. Lacey has come to know her hardships as part of living in the real world and accepts them fully. When Lacey meets the intense and invigorating Drake, a fire is lit inside her, unleashing those dreams again.Two paths that should have never crossed prove to create the exact pairing the other needs. But when their worlds take time to catch up, everything they have is tested. Finding the space between the two sides that challenge them will be hard, but it’s the only place that will keep them together.THE DIVIDING LINE:Set to the backdrops of Paris and Chicago, Drake and Lacey’s story continues in The Dividing Line. When more than distance proves to be between them, Drake and Lacey must discover who they are in order to establish what they are together.DRAKE'S DESTINY (formerly titled: HEART & SEOUL):They’ve been through heartache, loss, and tragedy. But what lies in Seoul, South Korea is a whole new journey. Drake's Destiny is a novella to the new adult multicultural romance, The Dividing Line.

    It also becomes a reality for thirty year old Madison West. When young and law abiding citizen Madison West accidentally witnesses not one, but two murders, she finds that her life is no longer her own. And when police tell her that Ricardo Castillo, the man behind the shooting, is heavily involved in the sex trafficking of young women she whole- heartedly agrees to testify against him. And as her life continues to spiral out of control one thing remains constant, she is always protected. Crime lord Ricardo Castillo wants Madison to pay for her performance in front of the grand jury so he puts a contract out on her. After a violent shoot out, Madison is moved some fifteen hundred miles away. But when a freak occurrence uncovers her real identity, Madison knows that she is going to have to think fast on her feet if she has any intentions of getting on with her life. Because if she doesn’t she may have to deal with some severe retribution that will affect not only her, but those around her as well. Including Deputy Tristan Calloway, the United States Marshal assigned to protect her.

    Two feuding cities. One woman. One was born in our nations capital, Washington DC. The other is a native of Murder City, Baltimore. Despising the other's city made them rivalries before even meeting. It didn't matter that they both grew up on violent streets surrounded by drugs and poverty. Soon, need arises and they're forced to cross each other's paths. But when they do, hate from generations before them rises and their meeting becomes intense.Many years later... an opportunity presents itself for them to put their dislikes aside to make millions. They agree, and quickly become the richest men on the east coast. One has a quick temper... the other has quick wit and this combination makes them unstoppable. There alliance unites soldiers from both DC and Baltimore as they solidify their empire.Defying all enemies, their bond tightens and they become the best of friends. But what happens when a woman becomes involved whose beauty is so intoxicating, that to get another woman like her would be impossible? War. The Face That Launched a Thousand Bullets is a classic love story. The love of money. The love of power. The love of a woman.

    She’s everything he wants in a woman; gorgeous, generous, warm and she makes him smile every time he sees her. Unfortunately, she’s also his best friend’s little sister aka seriously off limits. He can’t have her. That is until heartbreak and drinking together leads to one unforgettable night of passion. Lex has an empire to run and a friendship to keep… so why can’t he get Freddie off his mind. She’s the one woman he shouldn’t want… so why can’t he forget how right she feels in his bed? Or how much he wants her there, not just for one night but forever? Being together might be against the rules… but being apart is impossible.

    Or so it seemed from my view. Being alone and facing the big 3-0 only seemed to reinforce the observation, especially when the best relationship I ever had turned out to be major a hoax. The pressure was on, and an evening of downtime in a crowded club sounded perfect. It was the last place I would ever dream of finding Mr. Right. How was I to know I would meet six feet-three inches of pure male sex appeal with eyes that made my panties melt? Only more surprising was the man behind the hot gaze was white, and, boy, was he intent on having lil-old me. [Publisher's Note: This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable: Anal play/intercourse, exhibitionism.]

    

    Echoes and shadows from their past dwarf this joyous and exciting time in their lives. Imani’s ex-husband’s family refuse to accept that she’s no longer a part of their world and make demands on her time and affections. Theo’s former girlfriend is pregnant with a child she claims is his and she’s not the only one. Seeking answers and paternity tests, Theo’s patience is running thin. One thing for certain, he knows Imani is the woman he’s been waiting for all of his life and refuses to allow anyone, not even Children of the Seed, to come between them.

    While he's generous with his money, he also makes the community work for it. He's the same with his family. No free handouts. What he gives has strings attached. Dax decides it's time for his fiercely independent, almost-thirty year old granddaughters to settle down. He wants them to find love and give him great-grandchildren before his lights go out. And he knows how to make it happen. Prompted by love, guilt and a desire to own their own business, the Dawson triplets -- Joy, Noelle and Christi -- enter into a Christmas contract that will change their lives forever. Finding true love is a unique adventure, so each girl has their own story. The outcome for all three, however, funnels into one giant happily-ever-after.

     Bo Montgomery had found great love once, but let the opinion's of his family stop him from getting what he truly wanted. A Valentine's Day curse (or miracle) finds Val off the beaten path and directly into harm's way and into Bo's strong arms. The arms of a big man who sees in Val his second chance. If only he can convince her to stay after only three days of unbridled passion... The Rescue is a novella that celebrates all things...LOVE.

     Now he's back for the holidays and thinks he can pick up where they left off. Not if she can help it. He broke her heart once. She can't let his cocky smirk weaken her defenses again. That is, until he tempts her with a Christmas gift she has no ability to deny. AUTHOR NOTE: This book was previously released as Down and Dusty - Brooke via Harlequin Escape. It has since been rewritten and revised.