However, the universe has other plans, which include a tough lesson that will rock the unsuspecting new mother's world. Protect your children or lose them to the streets. Far removed from her care, and now being raised by two gay men, Shayla, Louise's daughter, spends her time daydreaming about living the lifestyle of her favorite movie actresses. But her daydreaming stops short after she's shoved into the world of prostitution, physical abuse and crime, well before she becomes a woman. By the time Shayla is 18, she's mastered the art of seduction and completely changes the lives of the men she entertains. Some for the better and some for the worst. Until one particular customer sells her a new brand of aspiration. A love, life and happiness outside the Ho House. But with Ajax, her dangerous Pimp, also the man who raised her, lurking in the background is it too late? For them both?

    He was a sought after young architect. She was a struggling college student. He was sensuality personified and she was undeniably intrigued. Amon wasn’t thrilled by their ten-year age gap, but he found Patrice impossible to ignore. For a time, she forgot her past. She forgot that in college, there were always back doors that resulted in secrets best kept hidden. Those secrets would haunt her longer than she could ever imagine.

    She thought marrying would liven him up, but after twenty-five years he's just as boring as the day she married him , and now she wants to lead her own life. Her newly-married daughter, Olive, is shocked, but Hilda is adamant. Meanwhile, a heavy East End gang has moved into the area from Shoreditch, and has established a lucrative protection racket, bringing drama and anxiety to this closely-knit neighbourhood.

     Marley and Drexel had been dating for two years, and best friends for even longer. On paper they made sense, on paper they were the ideal goals, but in her heart, she knew they were never supposed to be. Drexel didn’t give her butterflies. He didn’t make her heart race. Her body flush with heat or her sex thump. No, he didn’t ignite her desire. He didn’t make her choose recklessness over common sense. Risk over safety. No one man could do that and do it so well. Well… Demetri Savant. The walking embodiment of pure unadulterated sex. The only man to make her abandon every bit of her morals. The only person to singlehandedly challenge the life she settled for. He was a risk she craved, but she was used to safety. Torn between her heart and hurting another, what will Marley choose? Better yet, who will she choose?

    But he isn’t prepared to fall in love…Jenny always dreamed of finding the perfect man, but Chance, with his hellion, if lovable, son and his unbending grudge against her family, doesn’t exactly fit the picture. She knows he has a one-track mind—but is it just her imagination, or is he starting to feel something more? The Cowgirl & The Unexpected Wedding Lizzy Adams had long since stolen rancher Hank Robbins’s heart. And then one night, passion overcame common sense and left them both with more than just wonderful memories—there’s a baby on the way. Both are determined to “do the right thing.” For Lizzy, that means not roping the rugged rancher into marriage. But Hank has other plans…

    Elrod's picked 15 of her favorite short works for this multi-genre collection spanning 15 years of publication.Also included is a never before published VAMPIRE FILES story, featuring her urban fantasy vampire PI, Jack Fleming!Each story has been polished afresh for this anthology, with pages of new material added.More information -- and previews of the stories! -- may be found at her website vampwriter-dot-com.Titles:1. A Night at the (Horse) Opera (Vampire Files, Fleming)2. The Breath of Bast (Vampire Files), Ecsott)3. Bossman (Original mystery, no vamps)4. Slaughter (Vampire Files, Fleming & Gordy)5. The Devil's Mark (Original historical vampire)6. You'll Catch Your Death (Vampire Files)7. Izzy's Shoe-In (Historical mystery introducing Izzy DeLeon, fearless girl reporter)8. The Quick Way Down (Vampire Files, Fleming and Gordy)9. The Scottish Ploy (Original romance/mystery)10. Grave-Robbed (Vampire Files, Fleming)11. The Company You Keep (Vampire Files, Gabriel Kroun)12. Death in Dover (Jonathan Barrett before he got vamped, historical mystery)13. Drawing Dead (ALL NEW VAMPIRE FILES, Fleming)14. King of Shreds and Patches (Hamlet from a different point of view, mystery)15. Fugitive (Science fiction/space opera)16. BONUS STORY! The Wind Breathes Cold (Quincey Morris: Vampire)

    Unbeknownst to him, his wife, Cherise, and younger brother, Vincent, have ignited a passionate love affair. Overcome with guilt, the pair ends the relationship even though they still possess an undeniable attraction to one another. Years later, as Mason decides he's ready for a career change that would give him more time to spend with his family, he's asked to participate in a huge drug case. He concludes that one last job won't hurt, and it might allow him to leave at the top of his game. Besides, Mason realizes that if things get too tough and he has to be away for too long, he can always count on his brother to step in and take care of his family while he's undercover. What Mason doesn't realize is that putting Vincent and Cherise back together again could be as dangerous as his assignment—and tear his family apart once and for all. Darrien Lee takes readers on a roller coaster of emotions as lives, a marriage, and family ties are at stake. Brotherly Love is a book that readers will contemplate long after turning the last page.

     This boxed set contains the previously published: Layers Inner Core Layers: According to Hayley love is a subject of ridicule, a myth created by hopeless romantics. When Hayley makes a resolution to declare her loose lifestyle era R.I.P, it’s all good in theory… That is until she meets Daniel Stark, a well-respected, mid-thirties business man who is known for his short temper, lack of steady relationships as well as his strict preserve of his private life. Opinionated, sharp tongued Hayley accidently steps into his office leaving Daniel resolved to put Hayley in her place and have her in his bed. Both Hayley and Daniel can’t avoid the immediate instigation of the attraction between them. In a unanimously agreed upon verdict by Hayley and her two best friends, Ian the gay self-absorbed, aspiring model and Natasha the witty, borderline neurotic soul mate, Daniel Stark is to be Hayley’s pure physical attraction, emotions aside era closure. Will it indeed be a closure, or a beginning to something neither Hayley nor Daniel ever bargained for… Inner Core: When Hayley makes a resolution to take back the control over her life, and declare their relationship R.I.P, it’s all good in theory… That is until Daniel decides to prove her wrong and get her back. Together, Hayley and Daniel seem to have it all. But can love ever be enough when two strong personalities collide and while reality takes the lead? Faced with more obstacles than she could have ever bargain for when it comes to Daniel, struggling to keep her own identity while sharing a life with her man. Buds of doubt start rooting in Hayley’s confidence, making her rethink her decision. And just when it seems that they might make it together after all, life happens. Bringing a threat that neither Hayley nor Daniel could ever anticipate, a threat that could break them apart forever . . .

    Not even when you want it to. After five years and every medical procedure possible, Pamela and Dave still haven't been able to get pregnant. Their baby longing has become a dark cloud that hovers over their marriage, which is now so rocky that they need hiking boots just to negotiate dinner. It's probably not the best time for them to up and move out of London so that Dave can follow his dream of running an organic strawberry farm. Especially when Pamela's so vulnerable and their new neighbor is devastatingly handsome farmer Lachlan Murray. While Dave seems content to follow his bliss -- taking up weeding and becoming obsessed with manure -- Pamela's tempted to hitch a lift in Lachlan's 4 x 4 and ride off into the sunset. Although there is Lachlan's wife, Rosie, to consider. Pamela's London friends think she's gone insane -- contemplating infidelity with a farmer! -- but they don't know just how far she's prepared to go for a baby. Does she?

    Two leading experts provide an authoritative and reassuring guide to the issues and concerns of adoptive and birth families through all stages of the open adoption relationship.

    Cooking Light® Slow Cooker Tonight! is your perfect source for recipes that transform simple ingredients into filling, flavorful dishes. Inside you'll find:140 delicious dishes ranging from appetizers and beveragesto meats, poultry, sides, and desserts.Dozens of ingredient and technique tips throughout toensure superior slow-cooker recipes every time you cook.A nutritional analysis with each recipe to help you makesmart, healthful choices that fit your lifestyle.A special Cooking Class chapter focusing on how to makethe most of your slow cooker-including how to shop for the bestequipment, keep your foods safe, and quickly clean your pot.

    These sweet, spicy, and aromatic dishes prove that living the gluten-free lifestyle can be not only fun and easy, but delicious and nutritious too! This practical, guide shows you how to select the right ingredients and prepare classic healthy dishes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. You'll find out what you can and can't use in gluten-free cooking, learn to spot the hidden gluten in foods, discover surprising ways to save money when you go shopping, and even manage your weight. You'll also learn how to convert your current favorite recipes to gluten-free delights using ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. Discover how to:Prepare your kitchen for gluten-free cooking Shop for gluten-free products Boost nutrition and flavor in your dishes Get the kids involved in gluten-free cooking Make any meal gluten free Add color and nutrition at the same time Cook gluten-free without a recipe Do the "impossible"-- gluten-free baking Make gluten-free sandwiches, wraps, and pizzas Create fabulous gluten-free fish, chicken, and meat dishes Go gluten-free and vegetarian, too Complete with delightful lists of gluten-free comfort foods, kid's favorites, and ways to eat gluten-free while traveling Gluten-Free Cooking For Dummies is the best way yet to stay happy, healthy, well-fed, and wheatless!

    Save time, money, and energy when you serve a nutritious homemade dinner for two with The Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook for Two. Watching your weight? Short on time? Looking for a slow cooker cookbook that features healthy, flavor-packed, ridiculously simple recipes that are truly "fix-and-forget"? Look no further than The Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook for Two, where you'll find nutritious, flavorful, no-fuss slow cooker recipes that will easily transform into mouth-watering meals―perfectly scaled for two.The Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook for Two preps you for hands-off cooking, with: Over 100 Recipes using affordable and natural ingredients Hands-Off Prep featuring easy-to-follow recipes with fewer than 15 minutes of prep time for most dishes Healthy and Helpful Tips for substituting ingredients to suit low-sodium, low-carb, and low-cal diets, plus nutrition labels to suit specific dietary conditions for every dish Recipes include: Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal, Ginger Carrot Bisque, Chicken Pot Pie, Cuban-Style Pork Street Tacos, Tempeh-Stuffed Bell Peppers, Barley Primavera, and much more!The must-have slow cooker cookbook for health-conscious couples and busy professionals.

    He wanted so badly to find someone who loved him for who he was, not for what he had.After getting his heart broken, he met Sarah. She had the most beautiful, long, dark, shiny hair that draped perfectly across her shoulders. Her eyes were the most vivid blue he had ever seen. She thought he was just a regular guy she was falling for. Little did she know, he was a billionaire looking for love.Keeping Love (Billionaire Romance #2) Chris was a handsome billionaire. Sarah was the love of his life. When she found out something about his past, she didn't know how to handle it. He knew he had to do whatever it would take to get her back. Would Chris be able to prove his love to Sarah, or would he just push her further away?Saving Love (Billionaire Romance #3) When Chris, a handsome billionaire, made an unforgivable mistake, and his beautiful fiance had no idea how to react. He vowed to do whatever it would take to prove his love and keep her in his life. Chris showed up unannounced and discovered something in Sarah's life that changed everything for him. He decided it was time to move on in his life without her.Would he be able to walk away and give up everything he had with her? Would Chris end up making the hugest mistake of his life?