Not Perfect


Elizabeth LaBan - 2018
    She’d confess her situation to her friends—if it wasn’t for those dreadful words of warning in his goodbye note: “I’ll tell them what you did.”Instead, she does her best to keep up appearances, even as months pass and she can barely put food on the table—much less replace a light bulb. While she looks for a job, she lives in fear that someone will see her stuffing toilet paper into her handbag or pinching basil from a neighbor’s window box.Soon, blindsided by catastrophe, surprised by romance, and stunned by the kindness of a stranger, Tabitha realizes she can’t keep her secrets forever. Sooner or later, someone is bound to figure out that her life is far from perfect.

Beyond Nostalgia


Tom Winton - 2011
    They both come from dysfunctional families at the bottom rungs of the social ladder, where happiness never comes easy. Theresa's father was shot dead at a bank robbery a few years ago. Dean's father is alive, but he has a mean temper and a nasty tongue that constantly cuts into the heart of his family. And as if all that isn't enough to deal with, Dean's mother is a paranoid schizophrenic and Theresa's is a hardcore alcoholic.But on a cold, damp night in the spring of 1967, things suddenly look up for the underprivileged kids. It seems fate is finally in a benevolent mood when the free-spirited Dean and downright gorgeous Theresa meet at a high school dance. From there things only get better.For the next year the youths, who've always been knocked around, bring the light of hope into each other's hearts. Together they manage to beat back all the negativity that keeps coming at them, and they have the time of their lives.Unfortunately, though, fate is an unpredictable force. And when Dean's better judgement lapses, just one time, the mistake he makes causes Theresa to be pulled from his arms. After that the years slip away and the two lovers push on with their lives the best they can. They both get married, and Dean has two lovely kids, but the sun never sets on a day that they don't think of one another.Is it possible that destiny might reunite Dean and Theresa someday? If it does, what would the consequences be for them and their families? If it doesn't, could they ever be truly happy again?

Sugar Crash


Elena Aitken - 2012
    With the help of new friends and Cam, a man who believes in her, Darci finds the strength to challenge the stereotypes and make a difference for her daughter. But letting Cam get close also means being vulnerable. Is Darci willing to face her own demons and take that risk once again?~The Escape Collection~Unwind and let the world fade away while you escape with a good book.Single Titles For You To Enjoy:* Nothing Stays In Vegas* Drawing Free* Composing Myself* Sugar Crash* Betty & Veronica –Short Story

Swim


Jennifer Weiner - 2006
    When she’s not working, she’s swimming—lap after lap at the local indoor pool, in a desperate attempt to wash away the sting of professional failure and heartbreak that she can’t seem to shake. It takes an unexpected client to show her that appearances can be deceiving, and that sometimes the bravest thing you can do is simply dive back in.

Waiting on Hope


T.M. Souders - 2011
    While chasing her desire of a fast paced life in the city, and the obscurity of urban life, she is shaken to her very core by an act of violence that leaves her betrayed, broken, and pregnant-and with nowhere to go but home. Seeking refuge and facing gut wrenching decisions, she is confronted not only with the past she left behind, but also with a love that never died-a love waiting for something to stoke the flames. Told from the perspective of four characters, Waiting on Hope will stay with you well after the last page has been turned.

A Hearth in Candlewood


Delia Parr - 2006
    She finds her purpose in caring for her guests, ministering to them with a generous dose of wisdom and humor. But when a "runaway grandma" lands on her doorstep, Emma's need to fix every wrong places her in the midst of a family feud.Emma's concerns heighten when her attorney, Zachary Breckenwith, delivers life-changing news, leaving Emma reeling from the implications. With her future suddenly uncertain, Emma longs to restore the peace of Hill House--for her guests and within her own heart.FIND A WELCOME RETREAT IN CANDLEWOOD AS YOU EXPERIENCE THE BEAUTY, FRIENDSHIP, AND FAITH IN THE LIVES OF ITS QUAINT AND COLORFUL CHARACTERS.

Wolves


C. Gockel - 2012
    Galaxies away Loki is waking up in a prison cell, strangely without a hangover, and with no idea what he’s done wrong — this time anyway. But he does know Thor is hiding something, Odin is up to something wicked, and there seems to be something he’s forgotten...In this tale that is equal parts “Another Fine Myth,” “American Gods,” and “Once Upon a Time,” a very nice midwestern girl and a jaded, still very mischievous Loki must join forces to outwit gods, elves, magic sniffing cats, and nosy neighbors. If Loki can remember exactly what he’s forgotten and Amy can convince him not to be too distracted by Earthly gadgets, her boobs, or three day benders, they just might pull it off...This first volume of "I Bring the Fire" is for anyone who suspects chaos and mischief makers might have their own redeeming qualities, and anyone who just wants a good fantasy romp through modern Earth, ancient Asgard, and beyond!

Imperfect Love


Isabella White - 2015
    Everything a girl could want; a beautiful man, a stunning home, as well as being in the midst of preparing for the wedding of her dreams. This all vanishes the night she catches her fiancé, Brandon Morgan, in bed with her worst nightmare, Donna Sinclair, just a week before Holly is set to walk down the aisle. Attempting to recover from his betrayal, Holly swears off the affections of men in order to pick up the pieces of her crumbling life. Unfortunately, meeting Jake 'Hooligan' Peters is not part of her plan. The tall, dark-haired and handsome as hell med student, sweeps Holly away from the pain of her past and reveals to her the bright future that lies ahead. That is, until she falls pregnant just as Jake begins his internship at P&E; his family's hospital. Will this love at first sight lead her to the fairytale she has always craved? Or, will she fall victim to a betrayal of the heart yet again?

Not My Daughter


Barbara Delinsky - 2010
    A single mother, she has struggled to do everything right. She sees the pregnancy as an unimaginable tragedy for both Lily and herself. Then comes word of two more pregnancies among high school juniors who happen to be Lily's best friends-and the town turns to talk of a pact. As fingers start pointing, the most ardent criticism is directed at Susan. As principal of the high school, she has always been held up as a role model of hard work and core values. Now her detractors accuse her of being a lax mother, perhaps not worthy of the job of shepherding impressionable students. As Susan struggles with the implications of her daughter's pregnancy, her job, financial independence, and long-fought-for dreams are all at risk. The emotional ties between mothers and daughters are stretched to breaking in this emotionally wrenching story of love and forgiveness. Once again, Barbara Delinsky has given us a powerful novel, one that asks a central question: What does it take to be a good mother?

Montana Mail Order Brides Box Set: Books 4 - 6


Linda Bridey - 2014
    Books 4 -6 in the series that critics describe as “a wonderful blend of hope, humor, passion, romance, and forgiveness.” Westward Destiny Jamie Collins doesn’t have much to live for in Walhalla, North Dakota. Her husband passed away two years ago and she has been working as a housekeeper on a ranch. Jamie’s employers are difficult people to work for and she dreams of getting away from them and Cypress. She has a history with men and is ostracized by many of the townspeople. Jamie wants a better life but has no way to make that happen. Jamie comes across an ad in The Walhalla Press for mail-order-brides. She jumps at the chance to find a good man and secure a happy future. Ever the realist, she knows that the chances of making a love-match are slim, but she’ll settle for a good man who is a good provider. She finds an advertisement from a younger Montana ranch hand that catches her eye and she sets her sights on him. It should be easy to wrap him around her little finger. Luke Samuels has had a rough couple of years. He’s been jilted by the girl of his dreams and laid off from his employment with a local Dawson County, Montana ranch. His cousin Dean Samuels hires Luke on as a ranch hand. Luke sees how happy Dean and Tessa are together and wants that kind of happiness for himself. Even though he’s painfully gun shy about the opposite sex, he’s willing to take a chance to find a bride who’s a sure thing. Leaving nothing to chance, he enlists the help of his cousin Marcus Samuels to help him write the perfect ad that will entice a willing female to come to Montana. When they meet, Luke is bowled over by the beauty with the emerald green eyes and auburn hair, but is instantly tongue-tied. Jamie is not sure how they’re going to develop a relationship when he can barely talk to her, but she sets out to seduce the handsome man with the soulful brown eyes and sweet smile. A game of cat and mouse ensues and Jamie finds out that marrying Luke is easy, but capturing his heart is going to be harder than she anticipates. Westward Fortune Lacey Reagan’s father, Amos, is a violent alcoholic who takes out his frustrations on his daughter. Lacey knows it’s only a matter of time until he kills her, so when an opportunity arises to run away, she takes it. After answering a mail-order-bride advertisement out of desperation, a gallant stranger offers her his assistance in escaping her life of fear and misery. Joe Dwyer, family friend to Luke Samuels and company, receives Lacey’s frantic plea for help, and can’t ignore it. The playboy with a heart of gold provides Lacey with the means to make the trip from North Dakota to Montana, but doesn’t have entirely altruistic motives. In order to gain his inheritance and get rid of his own hated father, Joe needs a wife. When they meet, neither of them intends for their relationship to be anything other than a business arrangement, but as they get to know each other that begins to change. Tragedy strikes, threatening to break their hearts and destroy the bliss they’ve found with each other. With their future together on the line, Lacey and Joe must decide if they have what it takes to make their marriage one that’s real or keep it just business between them. Westward Justice Mitch Taylor, the new sheriff in Dawson is looking for a wife. Sammi Jameson is looking for a husband like Mitch. Their relationship begins with a bang, but amid danger and desire, their marriage may fizzle if they can’t overcome broken promises and heartache. Will they last together or fall victim to lost love?

Best Friends and Bastards


Jaci Byrne - 2011
    Living on Sydney's sublime northern beaches, she's a well-respected Nurse Unit Manager of a busy obstetrics unit and married to a successful realtor. She should have ‘no worries mate’, as the Aussie saying goes.However, for Angie, this is far from the truth. Although she suspects her husband George of having had past dalliances, she chooses to live in complete denial, believing that a baby will solve this dilemma. Only problem: her biological clock is ticking, and there's no baby in sight. And her interfering mother constantly adds fuel to the proverbial marital fire.Booking a romantic holiday to Bali for her and George in order to reinvigorate their marriage, Angie soon finds herself in a situation far out of her comfort zone when her husband backs out of the holiday and her best friend Charlotte takes his place. After arguing with Charlotte, Angie calls 'time out' and travels to the Ubud Writers' Festival where she fortuitously meets the loveable larrikin Jack Ambrose. Consumed with guilt towards her feelings for Jack, Angie flees Bali.On her return to Australia, she desperately attempts to bury her feelings and concentrate on her marriage, but when she begins to suspect her husband of being a right bastard, her world is turned upside down. And her best friend is no help at all - indeed, Angie discovers that Charlotte is part of the problem.Written with splashes of compassion, streams of humour, rivers of emotion and oceans of passion, ‘Best Friends and Bastards,’ by Jaci Byrne is a waterfall of brilliant reading and a real page turner packed with action and intrigue.

Like Me


Hayley Phelan - 2022
    For nineteen-year-old Mickey, Instagram offers a tantalizing portal into the world she wishes she inhabited. Though beautiful, cunning and privileged, Mickey finds herself with a stalled modelling career, an escalating drinking problem, few friends and next to nothing in the bank. To numb her growing despair, she spends her days frantically refreshing her Instagram feed, obsessively tracking the movements of Insta-famous model Gemma Anton.Gemma is a perfected version of Mickey, living a seemingly perfect life: a skyrocketing career, a famous photographer boyfriend and adoring followers--the life Mickey wants more than anything for herself. She studies every detail Gemma offers through the window of her phone, trying to absorb, learn, mimic, become the object of her growing fascination.Then, a chance encounter thrusts Mickey into a world of opportunity, and she is met with surprising, and immediate, success. But as her online persona begins to take over her life, Mickey finds it increasingly difficult to separate reality from the fa�ade of Instagram.Engrossing, sharp and astute, Like Me is a shimmering portrait of infatuation, disconnection and identity in the digital age--and a dazzling introduction to a brilliant new voice in contemporary literature.

The End of Everything


Megan Abbott - 2011
    Then one afternoon, Evie disappears, and as a rabid, giddy panic spreads through the balmy suburban community, everyone turns to Lizzie for answers. Was Evie unhappy, troubled, or upset? Had she mentioned being followed? Would she have gotten into the car of a stranger?Compelled by curiosity, Lizzie takes up her own furtive pursuit of the truth. Haunted by dreams of her lost friend and titillated by her own new power as the center of the disappearance, Lizzie uncovers secret after secret and begins to wonder if she knew anything at all about her best friend.

Deception Bay


Chris Patchell - 2019
    He’s dangerous. Together, can they stop a killer from tearing a small island community apart? When wise-cracking cozy mystery author, Austin Martell, left his hometown on Whidbey Island for the bright lights of New York, he vowed he would never go back. But some promises are impossible to keep, and when Austin discovers that his mother has suffered a serious accident, he has no choice but to return. Austin soon learns that her accident may be no accident at all, and secrets that were laid to rest after his brother’s tragic death off the coast of Deception Bay, have now begun to surface. >>>As they close in on the killer, new dangers arise Austin finds himself in the center of a real-life murder mystery, when Police Chief Ellie Sharpe uncovers a curious connection between the author and the death of a local businessman. Born and raised on Whidbey and trained as a New York cop, Ellie is smart, and tough, and determined to solve the mystery behind the killing before more people die. Sparks fly as the two pair up to figure out who is responsible for the murder. The closer they come to discovering truth, the more desperate someone is to keep the sins of the past from coming to light. >>>Someone close to Austin harbors a deadly truth. Can Ellie unmask a killer before Austin becomes one more secret buried beneath the waves of Deception Bay? Scroll Up and Grab Your Copy Today!

The Last Strand


Van Krishna - 2013
    After all, Liz was still holding on to the last strand of life and taking a leap of faith at that point was a bit like sky diving without a parachute. But she couldn't resist Nick. She couldn't seem to help herself. Brave, no. Foolish, maybe. Because a man who says he is an FBI agent just dropped the biggest bombshell about her new, mysterious boyfriend and his whereabouts on the day of her parent's death....he's already made it for herFlying was his passion and the only thing stopping Nick from being a fighter pilot was a college degree. Should be a piece of cake compared to his last surveillance mission in Afghanistan or his last rescue mission in Brazil. Or so he thought, until he discovered his girlfriend Liz's knack of stumbling into trouble. The girl's got a bounty on her head, literally.Told in dual POV, The Last Strand is the first of a fast paced New-Adult series with gripping action, witty banter, teasing friendships, intense sexuality and an unpredictable story line.