At twenty-two, Celeste worked at Katherine’s bakery, and hoped to buy the business once Katherine took early retirement. But when Katherine reconsidered that decision, Celeste fled to culinary school in New York—only to return two months later, a shadow of the girl who’d stormed out the door.Katherine knows the signs of secret heartbreak. Years ago, she gave up her baby son for adoption—a regret she’s never shared with either her ex-husband or Celeste. She longs for Celeste to confide in her now. But it will be a stranger in town—an engaging young wanderer named Zach Fitzgerald—who spurs them toward healing. As both women are drawn into Zach’s questioning heart, they also rediscover their own appetites for truth and for love—and gain the courage to face the past without being imprisoned by it.Uplifting, emotionally rich, and deeply satisfying, A Measure of Happiness illuminates the nature of friendship, motherhood, hope—and the gifts of second chances. Advance Praise “In this absorbing, emotional novel about family secrets, Lorrie Thomson demonstrates that having the courage to open our hearts to love is the true measure of happiness.” --Holly Robinson, author of Beach Plum Island and Haven Lake “ A Measure of Happiness is about many things – finding home, facing fears, and making choices among them. But more than anything, it’s the book you’ll reach for when you want to recall that perfect love can still be found in an imperfect world.” – Therese Walsh, author of The Moon Sisters

    Like a doomed moth drawn helplessly toward an enticing yet lethal flame, Sam Spielman also falls helplessly under her spell. The two could not be more different – and more alike – and more in love.Guided by Sam’s clever mentoring, Coco begins her meteoric rise to the very pinnacle of the international fashion trade. She proves to be as wily and intelligent as she is beautiful as she swiftly adapts to the jet setting world of haute couture. She segues her supermodel status into a blossoming acting career, remaining glued to the fast track of a world of power and privilege.For the better part of a decade, Coco balances life on the edge of a deadly and enticing razor. It’s a dangerous game with its own set of nasty rules. Although she plays it with a master’s touch, Coco knows full well that one mistake could cost her everything. Then the unthinkable happens.From the exotic African svelte lands of Kenya to the breathtakingly beautiful sands of Barbados, Coco rides the golden bullet, hanging on for dear life until finally and inevitably, the gold begins to tarnish.In the end, Sam Spielman is forced to choose between the unthinkable and the impossible. Would he rather pay the ultimate price for the most grievous of this world’s sins, or go on living in the darkness of his own creation? Seemingly trapped with a one way ticket on the voyage of the damned, can Coco and Sam find the only way out?Coco finally reaches for redemption in the barren deserts of Nevada. Hanging in the balance is a modern day fortune which rivals the worth of King Solomon’s Mines. In a riveting conclusion with a surprising twist, perhaps the wages of sin can be spent more wisely than even they would have believed possible.

    . .Simply IrresistibleAfter losing her boyfriend and her job, Maddie leaves L.A. to claim her inheritance-a ramshackle inn nestled in the little town of Lucky Harbor, Washington. She sees the potential for a new home and a new career-if she can give the inn the makeover it needs. Enter Jax, a tall, handsome contractor who knows exactly what Maddie needs...The Sweetest ThingHelping her sister set up the family inn is just the thing to make Tara forget her ex-husband and focus on her new life. Until she meets a sexy, green-eyed sailor determined to keep her hot, bothered, and in his bed. When her ex reappears, Tara must confront her past and decide what she really wants.If the sisters are lucky, they might just find that everything their hearts desire is right here in Lucky Harbor.

    Each December, families can celebrate the coming of Jesus by opening the book to see a stunning 13-inch, three-dimensional Jesse Tree pop up from the page. At its foot are 25 doors, one for each day of Advent, which hide meaningful, beautifully detailed ornaments--including the Christmas star--that are ready to be hung on the tree. Also inside is a simple devotional book with a reading for each ornament. Create precious holiday memories with The Jesse Tree Pop-Up Book and recapture the sacredness of the Advent season as you celebrate the epic pageantry of the coming of the Messiah.

    

    We should not be satisfied with being almost Christian but rather strive towards being altogether a Christian.In Almost Christmas: A Wesleyan Advent Experience, author and pastor Magrey deVega leads a group of authors to explore how we can make the same commitment to Christ during Advent, connecting our Wesleyan heritage with the traditional Advent themes of Love, Hope, Joy, and Peace.In this book, perfect for Advent, deVega and the other authors break down the barriers that prevent us from experiencing an “altogether” love, hope, joy, and peace in Christ in our lives and in the world around us. They demonstrate the promises God offers to us that makes those longings a reality, inviting us to claim those promises for ourselves this Advent and celebrate an altogether Christmas.Chapters include: Altogether Love Altogether Hope Altogether Joy Altogether Peace Additional components for a four-week study include a DVD featuring Magrey deVega and the other writers and a comprehensive Leader Guide, as well as nativity hymns by Charles Wesley, litanies for lighting the Advent wreath, and prayers that can be incorporated into both worship and small group settings. A daily devotional and a youth study book are also available.

    David McPhail's inspirational holiday story emphasizes the importance of literacy while reminding readers that with patience and practice, you can achieve just about anything.

    Do you have any idea what animal can paint a recognizable figure on a canvass using a paintbrush? Do you know of any animal that can teach themselves how to open canned food? How about those that can play computer games, solve math problems and logical puzzles just like humans…or even better than humans? The fun does not stop there.Any idea what animal has razor sharp memory that can recognize the meaning of a word or a face from years ago? And of course there is the animal that communicates by singing lengthy songs. If another animal of the same species hears the song, it will repeat the exact same song as a response! And speaking of songs, let’s not forget the animal who can sing lullabies while nursing her young. This Book Has Amazing Facts & Photos of 15 Incredibly Smart Animals. For centuries, understanding how animals act and think has always been a very intriguing topic for scientists. After all, though humans are branded to be the most intelligent species on the planet, it is undeniable that our fellow occupants in the animal kingdom have their own fascinating brainpower, instincts and unique survival tactics to boast. Just as humans have a unique way to communicate; other creatures have also forged special ways to understand each other and to respond to their environments. Scientists did countless laboratory experiments to capture not just their communicating abilities but also their feelings and emotions, learning processes, memory capacity, and their ability to use tools or even to pick up a foreign language.This book is fully illustrated and has simple blocks of text that will make learning fun for your child.The following animals are featured: Spiders Ants Sea Lions Crows Raccoons Horses Falcons Cats Squirrels Elephants Dogs Whales Dolphins Pigs Chimpanzees Yours kids can have fun while learning!Prepare to learn the most astonishing facts about how these animals stand out from the rest in terms of intelligence.This book is part of a series called, "Weird & Wonderful Animals" all of which are great for bedtime reading. Collect the series!

    She would have suffered the same unpleasant fate had tall, dark, and mysterious stranger Max not intervened. Every night since Lissa, along with an elite group of fighters, trains and patrols the mostly abandoned streets around the city of Buffalo, NY. They quietly thwart the dastardly plans of rogue vampires and cursed shifters in an attempt to protect mankind.Having been told that all shifters are evil, Lissa is taken by surprise when she learns that there are good ones in the world - the Guardians. And she's bonded with one of them, an ultra-rare occurrence amongst Guardians in recent years and unheard of between a Guardian and a mortal. When a typically fatal injury threatens to end her, her bond-mate throws caution to the wind and uses his own blood to save her. The consequences could be disastrous when Lissa wakes up to find she is no longer human, and not only a shifter herself but the shifter queen.

    She always means well, but somehow trouble follows her wherever she goes. Bex thinks she's doing something nice when she blows out her birthday candles and wishes for fairies for her and each of her friends. The good news: Bex's wish comes true. The bad news: Maize, Blush, Olive, and Iris are not the fairies the girls were expecting.These fairies are allergic to pixie dust and afraid of heights. On top of that, every wish they grant ends up being a disaster. Bex thought fairies were supposed to make life easier. Between these fractured fairies, an aunt and a teacher who seem to hate her, and the perils of being the biggest kid in the sixth grade--will Bex survive?

    One daughter is flunking three subjects, and the other is riddled with tattoos.Already late for her Suddenly Single support group two nights before Christmas, Joanie rushes to the church only to run into her ex-husband, Mitchell, who claims to be there to meet Pastor Frank. But as they try to leave, the door is stuck, and the lock won’t budge. With escape on the mind, from the building and each other, Joanie and Mitchell scavenge for a way out, but what they find is a key to emotions that have been locked away and ignored too long.Back at home, Natalie is reprimanding Amelia for allowing her boyfriend to come over when no one else is home when suddenly the doorbell rings…and Pastor Frank is on the other side. Forced to entertain Pastor Frank while Amelia and her boyfriend hide, Natalie discovers that she can’t hold her family together herself, and Amelia realizes that she can’t afford to let her.

     It's Christmas, and the young elephants are very excited for Papa Red's annual visit! All the presents are ready, but this year Elmer has a special treat in store for the young elephants--if they can keep quiet and out of sight . . .

    The curmudgeonly Charles Drooms is perfectly content with his life as the owner of a successful accounting firm. However, when the beautiful widow, Lillian Hapsey, and her two young sons move down the hall from him, his narrow world is shaken. Three forces—Lillian, the Christmas season, and a mysterious little boy—converge to stir up powerful memories, pushing Drooms to make some life-altering decisions.

    But when the suave politician vacationing next door becomes the victim of a robbery—and kills the intruder in self-defense—Boizot gets an unexpected scoop.As Boizot dives into the investigation, however, it’s clear the politician isn’t telling the whole truth. Worse, the police can’t identify the thief’s dead body but seem willing to close the case anyway. As Boizot scrambles to uncover the true motives behind the crime, he reveals hints of a monstrous cover-up involving a French mining company with shadowy dealings in Africa.Soon, the journalist is scoring his biggest headlines ever and getting cozy with a mysterious blonde who could be part of the conspiracy. As his editor begs for more revelations, and as the dead bodies continue to pile up, Boizot must decide whom he can trust—and how much he’s willing to risk to get the real story.

    When she discovers that her beloved godfather has left her the grand (and crumbling) Ravenscourt House in the heart of Sussex, she soon has a project on her hands.Nathan sells delicious goodies at Mulberry Farm. When he meets Lorna at a Christmas market, neither of them can ignore the chemistry. But as they get to know one another, Lorna wants to know one thing – is he after her or the house?Together with Gloria – whose marriage to alcoholic Adrian has hit rock bottom, and Rosalind – struggling to deal with her womanising husband Ivan, the three friends hatch a plan. They’ll ditch their difficult husbands at Ravenscourt House and enjoy stress-free Christmases with their families. But nothing is ever that simple…Mary de Laszlo has had four novels published by Headline and has since had many others published by Hale. She lives in London and is an active member of the RNA. She was a fashion journalist with Vogue and now works as an occasional film extra when not writing.