From the start, it is clearly a case of foul play, but every thread toward the culprit leads to a fresh tangle. Is the local lord involved? The uni students camping on the land? Criminals hunting for a lost treasure?Fortunately, Conall has a secret weapon to cut through to the truth: his eccentric, genius cousin, Shay. But even then, will the pair survive what they uncover in the dark of the night?

    And certainly what Melville did for whaling Austen does for marriage--tracing the intricacies (not to mention the economics) of 19th-century British mating rituals with a sure hand and an unblinking eye. As usual, Austen trains her sights on a country village and a few families--in this case, the Bennets, the Philips, and the Lucases. Into their midst comes Mr. Bingley, a single man of good fortune, and his friend, Mr. Darcy, who is even richer. Mrs. Bennet, who married above her station, sees their arrival as an opportunity to marry off at least one of her five daughters. Bingley is complaisant and easily charmed by the eldest Bennet girl, Jane; Darcy, however, is harder to please. Put off by Mrs. Bennet's vulgarity and the untoward behavior of the three younger daughters, he is unable to see the true worth of the older girls, Jane and Elizabeth. His excessive pride offends Lizzy, who is more than willing to believe the worst that other people have to say of him; when George Wickham, a soldier stationed in the village, does indeed have a discreditable tale to tell, his words fall on fertile ground. Having set up the central misunderstanding of the novel, Austen then brings in her cast of fascinating secondary characters: Mr. Collins, the sycophantic clergyman who aspires to Lizzy's hand but settles for her best friend, Charlotte, instead; Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Mr. Darcy's insufferably snobbish aunt; and the Gardiners, Jane and Elizabeth's low-born but noble-hearted aunt and uncle. Some of Austen's best comedy comes from mixing and matching these representatives of different classes and economic strata, demonstrating the hypocrisy at the heart of so many social interactions. And though the novel is rife with romantic misunderstandings, rejected proposals, disastrous elopements, and a requisite happy ending for those who deserve one, Austen never gets so carried away with the romance that she loses sight of the hard economic realities of 19th-century matrimonial maneuvering. Good marriages for penniless girls such as the Bennets are hard to come by, and even Lizzy, who comes to sincerely value Mr. Darcy, remarks when asked when she first began to love him: "It has been coming on so gradually, that I hardly know when it began. But I believe I must date it from my first seeing his beautiful grounds at Pemberley." She may be joking, but there's more than a little truth to her sentiment, as well. Jane Austen considered Elizabeth Bennet "as delightful a creature as ever appeared in print". Readers of Pride and Prejudice would be hard-pressed to disagree. --Alix Wilber

     Four lonely shifters looking for love while they battle a mysterious enemy. Trained to be protective guardians, their skills are intimidating and their desire to find a mate is unmatched. Tall, growly and ready to tear apart anything that threatens their fated one, these bears will stop at nothing as they fight the Agency for their lives, and those of the ones they love. Danger, betrayal and violence have been the hallmarks of their lives so far, but from here on out, their stubborn, no-nonsense mates will force them to temper that with love, passion and desire, forging them into the weapon that will lay their enemies low and stoke the fires of a love everlasting. Connor, Justin, Josh and Jared’s stories are all contained in this one convenient, low-priced bundle for your reading pleasure. Follow along as they fight for love, honor and life. Stories contained in this bundle: Bravo Bear Blackblood Bear Silverbullet Bear Kingpin Bear

    They are easier to fight for than principles'In Casino Royale, the first of Fleming's 007 adventures, a game of cards is James Bond's only chance to bring down the desperate SMERSH agent Le Chiffre. But Bond soon discovers that there is far more at stake than money.Live and Let Die'You start to die the moment you are born'Live and Let Die, Ian Fleming's second 007 novel, takes Bond from Harlem to Jamaica in a frenzied hunt for the deadly gangster Mr Big and his macabre network of associates.

    Now she can finally start a new life and figure out just who she really is. When her brother Matt dies suddenly, she takes a big risk and moves cross country to live in his house and take over his new business. This could be the chance she’s needed. There’s only one problem now. She can’t seem to escape the irresistible charm of her departed brother’s best friend.Todd Jordan just lost his best friend and business partner. Watching Matt’s sister move into town, his attraction to her is instant. Can he prove to her that all men are not the same, and resist his own desires as she learns to trust again? Overcoming the odds is just part of their journey. The two must first survive a fateful visit from Megan’s ex to have any chance at happiness.DISCOVERING PRIDELacey Jordan is a woman who knows what she wants…and she wants nothing to do with the new doctor in town. He has a perfect smile, perfectly tan muscles, and a way with people—her people! This is her town, her family, and her life, and he’s come here shaking everything up, including her heart.Aaron is running away from a tough breakup where heartbreak is the least of his concerns. All he wants now is to take over his grandfather’s medical practice, and make his new house a place he can call home. What he hadn’t counted on was crashing into a petite goddess with relentless powers of persuasion. When the two get a disturbing visit that could change their lives forever, Aaron must prove his love if they are to survive.RETURNING PRIDEEverything seems to be going Iian’s way, he has a successful restaurant, a beautiful home, family, and friends. He’s even overcome the loss of his hearing, but why does he still feels like something is missing.Allison has worked hard to make a name for herself in the art world, now all she wants is peace and quiet to work on her passion. But, with her mother overtaken by illness, she has less time than ever. When everything is stripped away in one tragic blow, and she’s being stalked by a mad-man, she’ll need the help of her hometown and an old flame, to turn everything around and find what she’s been looking for.LASTING PRIDERoberta Stanton had grown up a thief on the streets of Portland. Breaking into the old building had been easy, and she’d gotten away with it. Or so she thought. It had only cost her the lives of seven close friends. Years later now, Rob finds herself on the other side of the law.Ric Derby owns the Blue Spot art galleries. Murder and a million dollar theft bring them together. A personal vendetta from a dark figure threatens them both. Retreating to the safety of the small town of Pride, Ric must fight to protect the only person he’s ever truly loved.SERVING PRIDERobert Brogan was destined to be sheriff in the small town of Pride, Oregon. He moved to Pride when he was eight, after his mother’s mysterious disappearance. Always following the rules and sticking up for the weak, he had only one thing in mind after graduation, tracking down his mother. But, after almost ten years of looking, with no luck, he makes his way back to his home town. But when tragedy strikes he’s given the opportunity of a lifetime. Being sheriff in the small town of Pride he has the chance to pursue the girl he just couldn’t keep his mind off.Amelia Blake can never forget the boy that saved her from certain danger ten years ago. When she comes home after her father’s death, she only plans on a short visit, but because of her mother’s health and after seeing Robert again, she is persuaded to move back home. When sparks fly she can’t help finding herself falling fast for the new sheriff in town.

    Dwarves are mystical craftsmen, humans are big and strong, and halflings breed explosively, but none of them can match elves for sheer magical firepower.Angrod Veneanar is a young elf. He’s nearing the end of a long apprenticeship and looking forward to going home. As a nobleman he loves wine and women—he doesn’t care at all about shadow conspiracies, forgotten magics, or long-lost royal heirs. Unfortunately, there is a prophecy, and it looks like he’s in it.Now he’s on the run. Accused of murder, what seems like the entire kingdom wants him dead. He has knights, mages, and even arcane assassins on his trail. Worse, something is riding in his head and threatening to take over his body.To survive, Angrod must use all his skill in weapons and wizardry. He must find new allies and uncover fresh strength. And if he is to stand a chance of defeating his greatest enemy, he must rediscover a master spell that’s been lost for centuries. If he doesn’t, he’s just going home—to die.

     Part of the Storycuts series, this short story was previously published in the collection If You Liked School, You'll Love Work.

    Adamant the stronghold is returned to Scotland at once, he dispatches the ruthless Highlander warlord Cainnech MacKenzie to lay siege. If Cainnech can defeat the Nords and recapture the island by year's end, the land, castle, and titles that go with it will all belong to him. Cainnech expects to make war against a Viking jarl, but is shocked to discover the current master of Eilean Donnán is no man at all. The Viking is a woman... and the woman is rumored to be a witch. Lucia Ingegärd is an American of Italian and Nordic descent. Or at least she was an American until she was transported to a time long before her country existed. Desperate to return to the future before Christmas, Lucia puts her engineer's mind to the singular focus of going home. Her work is stalled when a huge, fierce-looking warrior surrounds her temporary home and gives her an ultimatum: surrender herself or she'll be shown no mercy.

    

    A. Salvatore expands his sweeping fantasy epic to include a new generation of heroes and villains. Picking up where the first three books leave off, this convenient eBook bundle contains the follow-up novel and sequel trilogy that round out the beloved series:  MORTALISASCENDANCETRANSCENDENCEIMMORTALIS  The long struggle is over at last. The demon is no more, its dark sorceries shattered by the gemstone magic wielded by the woman known as Pony. But victory did not come easily. Many lives were lost, including Pony’s lover, the elf-trained ranger Elbryan Wyndon, and their son. And despite the demon’s demise, the kingdom still seethes in a cauldron of plots and machinations. When a deadly sickness suddenly appears among the people of Corona, Pony must undertake a pilgrimage that will test her powers—and her faith—as never before.   But unknown to Pony, her child never died. Instead, he is secretly raised to be a weapon. Stolen away by the queen of the elves, the headstrong Aydrian shows great promise in the arts of combat, and he is as powerful with the gemstone magic as Pony. Hungry for power, Aydrian soon joins forces with his own mother’s mortal enemy, setting himself on a collision course with destiny.  Praise for the DemonWars Saga   “An enthralling epic adventure story, it introduces memorable characters and an intricate scheme of magic the readers won’t soon forget.”—Terry Brooks, on The Demon Awakens  “R. A. Salvatore at his best—and even better.”—New York Times bestselling author Michael A. Stackpole, on Mortalis  “As R. A. Salvatore continues to build his detailed and complex history, his readership is sure to build as well.”—New York Times bestselling author Kevin J. Anderson, on Ascendance  “Outstanding . . . [Transcendance has] a first-rate female high-fantasy protagonist.”—Booklist   “Fans will dance with joy.”—Kirkus Reviews, on Immortalis

    It is an invitation to my thoughts

    Newly-hired Texas cop Shade Gruber agrees to drive his grandmother’s prize car from Chicago to his new home in Big Branch. He expects some car issues. He doesn’t expect to pick up a runaway bride. On the run from her mobster fiancé, Victoria Vaught dashes from the church thirty minutes before the I Do’s. Stranded in her bridal attire by an unreliable car, she starts walking, needing as far from Chicago as possible. Their road to love is filled with twists, turns and bumps. Hanging on to the one you love can be roller coaster ride with surprising results.

    Refusing to look back, she’s ready to put her time and focus on helping couples celebrate their happily ever after’s with a new position with Barefoot Brides. Just because she didn’t get her happy ending, doesn’t mean she’s given up on love. Unfortunately, one of the first couple’s she’s up to work with is her ex and the woman he cheated on her with!Max Santos knows every inch of the Casa Blanca Resort & Spa property like the back of his hand – basically because he’s the one responsible for it all. He loves his job. Loves his life on Mimosa Key but…he’s in a rut. Work has become his life and he’s almost desperate for something to come along and shake up his world a little bit. And when Ellie shows up in one of his equipment sheds cursing like a sailor while she’s clearly hiding out, his curiosity is instantly piqued. Soon, he’s helping her in the craziest – and sexiest - game of hide and seek all over Casa Blanca!Ellie knows she’ll never be able to truly move forward until she confronts her ex, but doing that means she won’t have any excuses to keep ‘running’ into Max. She thinks it’s too soon to start thinking about a future with him, but Max keeps proving time and time again that he’ll be there for her. And while Ellie’s been hiding from her past, Max has been anxiously seeking their future – their forever. Seeking Forever is part of Roxanne St. Claire's Barefoot Bay Kindle World

    They’ve just hung out their shingle when a disturbing case falls in their laps. Three young women have been kidnapped and are being brutally tortured live on webcams from somewhere in Miami Beach. While Austin initially shirks the idea of investigating, believing the police are in the best position to solve the case, it soon becomes apparent there is more going on than meets the eye. A conspiracy in the police department and false leads drive Austin and Maria deep into the disturbing world of the dark web. And when one of the girls is murdered live on camera, Austin must determine how far he’s willing to go to seek justice.