The action of this period romantic mystery takes place in the city of Newcastle-upon-Tyne two years after the end of the war, as Britain is caught in the grip of the worst winter in a thousand years. As blizzards rage and the country grinds to a frozen standstill, on Tyneside a young German woman, Elsa Platten, goes on trial for her life, accused of deliberately burning a man to death... Alexander Galbraith is the lawyer hired to defend her, a man undergoing a personal crisis of his own, since his vengeful wife, Virginia, has discovered evidence of a homosexual affair and is threatening to ruin him... Jack Raisbeck is the owner of the Tyneside shipyard where the murdered man, a Dutchman called Jeroen van Rijn, worked. Jack is a physically scarred and cynical survivor of the war in the North Atlantic but his developing romantic relationship with Elsa in the months before the murder has rejuvenated him. Yet, as Elsa begins her trial, Jack is also struggling to keep his shipyard business alive, beset with a rebellious workforce led by union leader Ernie Wilmot, and with the financial future of his yard hanging in the balance after a recent arson attack and an act of embezzlement by his former chief accountant, George Hetherington. As the evidence against Elsa unfolds in the course of the trial, she re-lives her past life in Germany and Holland: the rise of the Nazis and the invasion of Holland, her subsequent betrayal and deportation to the East, and her escape and struggle to survive the fall of Berlin. Jack and Alexander Galbraith both believe in Elsa’s innocence but that belief is strongly tested as the evidence against her grows. The trail to find the truth leads both men in unexpected directions. For Jack it leads to a confrontation with his brother-in-law on a frozen cliff top, and to other disturbing family revelations. For Galbraith it is something even worse - he has to make the ultimate choice between preserving his own career and reputation, or saving his client from the hangman...

    Races operating within their own planetary systems are to be left alone until they begin to develop the ability to travel at FTL (faster than light speeds). When the ability to travel at FTL becomes apparent, one of the members of the Federation is nominated to help ease the newcomer through the Galactic citizenship process. Unfortunately, not all the galaxies systems belong to the Federation, and some of those systems are much less than friendly. The last several decades have seen the development of war like societies that systematically loot developing planets. They take the water, and other precious resources, including slaves, leaving the remaining native inhabitants a barren planet. Without resources the population simply dies a slow death. The Egolari are here because we, meaning the people of Earth, happen to possess a skill set and an aptitude that is critical to the needs of the Federation. The major problem within the Federation is that virtually all the members have, for centuries been living in peace. They have developed a society that is not well suited to counter the growing violence presented by the nonaligned races. In short, they have no way to protect themselves, let alone protect the fledgling races just arriving on the galactic scene. Enter Earth. Of all the emerging races to become future galactic members, one has a superior potential to face the violence threatened by the nonaligned races. You guessed it, Humanity. The Federation realized that to continue to function as an organized galactic society, they would have to develop a military arm that could provide the Federation and emerging systems the protection of a fleet of space vessels and marines. Humanity was the race most capable of leading the development of that military organization because we had not progressed so far that our war like tendencies had begun to erode. Although we were not yet ready for galactic membership, we were a necessity that could fill the need, thus we were getting a crash course in how to travel the galaxy, protecting ourselves and the Federation with the full expectation that we would go where no human has gone before, and kick some alien ass.

    

     Meet the silver foxes on the shores of Barefoot Bay, and each book in the collection celebrates that timeless love that happens later in life. Don’t miss these three full-length contemporary novels tell timeless stories of second chances and redemption. BAREFOOT AT SUNSET *Voted one of "The Most Romantic Books of All Time" by thousands of BookBub readers! Forty-eight year old widower Mark Solomon believes every person has only one soul mate…and he’s met, married, and buried his. Jaded, jilted, and jobless, advertising copywriter Emma DeWitt thinks that eves that love is a marketing concept created to sell fairy tales and expensive weddings. But when the sexy silver fox surprises Emma with an irresistible offer to pose as his fake fiancée, they discover that it’s possible they are both wrong…and completely right for each other. BAREFOOT AT MOONRISE As a firefighter, Captain Ken Cavanaugh wants to use his 25th high school reunion to finally put things right with Beth Endicott, the girl he loved and let go two and a half decades ago. But when an old incendiary passion changes their lives in the course of one single night, Ken and Beth learn they both have to walk through fire for a second chance at love. BAREFOOT AT MIDNIGHT *Nominated for a RITA Award for Best Contemporary Romance* Lawson Monroe’s life is about to change when his friend and mentor makes a deathbed promise to leave Law a beloved bar in Barefoot Bay. But Law’s big plans hit a gorgeous brick wall when yoga instructor Libby Chesterfield proves her claims to the place are stronger. Battling an attraction that sizzles hotter than one of Law's cast-iron skillets and uncovering long-buried secrets with more twists than one of Libby's yoga poses, they'll have find a way to both get what they want...especially if what they really want is each other. Praise for Barefoot Bay books: “Lively, light, pure entertainment! This Cinderella story is “Pretty Woman” on the beach!” - Carly Phillips, New York Times bestselling author “Fun and engaging...a celebration of family and forgiveness!” -Publishers Weekly “Plenty of heat, humor, and heart!” - USA Today Happy Ever After “A love story with genuinely flawed yet sympathetic characters filled with raw, real emotion, this will warm your heart as you turn the pages.” - RT Book Reviews “Fun, light-hearted, super sexy...fans of Jill Shalvis, Carly Phillips, and Susan Mallery will definitely want to check out this series.” - TheBookPushers.com ABOUT THE AUTHOR Published since 2003, Roxanne St. Claire is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than fifty romance and suspense novels. She has written several popular series, including The Dogfather, Barefoot Bay, the Guardian Angelinos, and the Bullet Catchers. In addition to being an ten-time nominee and one-time winner of the prestigious RITA™ Award for the best in romance writing, Roxanne has won the National Reader’s Choice Award for best romantic suspense four times, as well as the Maggie, the Daphne du Maurier Award, the HOLT Medallion, Booksellers Best, Book Buyers Best, the Award of Excellence, and many others. A mother of two but recent empty-nester, Roxanne lives in Florida with her husband.

    Driven by an insatiable hunger for flesh, they attack anyone who dares to go out.Anna is trapped as the zombie apocalypse rages outside her front door. Desperate and alone, she must find a way to get to her children who are with her Ex-partner. As Anna runs from the dead, she finds help from Rob and his fifteen-year-old brother, Jack, despite Rob’s better instincts. Together, they run the nightmare gauntlet that used to be their neighbourhood.Run from the Dead is the first book in a zombie apocalypse series, following ordinary people trying to stay alive no matter what the cost. Battling the dead and humans alike, the people left must become somebody new. Someone prepared to do whatever it takes to live.Anna must learn to survive this cruel new world, where the living can be just as terrifying as the dead.

    The barest of clues lead him on a desperate quest to hunt down the hidden ringleaders of the conspiracy and find evidence that might ultimately clear his name. As he goes along, Arkin begins to wrangle with the question of whether the group should, in the interest of the greater good of humanity, be left to its philanthropic but murderous ways.

    Too bad she's not interested...yet. Can Maddox win her over without spilling too many of his secrets in the process, or will his desire for her have him baring all?Billionaire's Vegas NightHow does happily ever after begin? While you can no doubt think up a million romantic ways for it to get started, getting sloppy drunk and passing out probably isn't one of them. Which is why Luna is so mortified to find herself waking up in her boss' bed in Vegas, her memory of the night before little more than sporadic flashes.While she is embarrassed, her billionaire boss, Gabriel, is unfazed. Unlike Luna, he remembers the night before--including their wedding, officiated by Blues Brothers impersonators. No, for Gabriel, everything is just fine. Until the police come knocking at the door of his hotel suite.And why are they knocking on the door of his hotel suite? Because not one, but two of his ex-girlfriends are in the same hotel as him--and they are both dead. Strangled to death during the night. And he is their number one suspect.And his alibi can't remember a thing.Will Luna and Gabriel be able to carve a path together?Billionaire's Best WomanShe didn't expect to fall in love with her best friend...On paper, Parker's life is amazing. His tech company is worth billions, he works just a few hours a day, calls the Florida Keys home, and has a smoking hot girlfriend. Sounds pretty sweet.And that doesn't even take into account that his best friend, Sienna, helps him keep his life both fun and grounded. But it is with her that things go a little sideways. He has felt himself attracted to her for some time, and she has long carried a torch for him, but neither let each other know. Is it too late?Billionaire BeastAfter Billionaire Aiden Walker lost his entire family in a tragic plane crash, he wanted nothing more than to be left alone, so much that he fired his entire staff.He mourned his loss by drowning himself in booze at a small bar on the wrong side of town, where the local bartender became his only friend.So just when he thinks life couldn't get any worse, one of the families involved in the tragic accident is determined to ruin him with a lawsuit that could take his sprawling Savannah estate.The two fall into bed, but will her lies destroy any chance for love once Aiden learns who she is?Billionaire's ValentineDeclan needs a new assistant because of his poor behavior. But as luck would have it, Emmi has also recently been chased off by a badly behaved boss.

     Rogue Star: Frozen Earth and Rogue Star New Worlds A DEAD STAR IS HEADED FOR EARTH... THE SHIFT IN EARTH'S ORBIT WILL UNLEASH A NEW ICE AGE... AND THIS SUMMER WILL BE OUR LAST Logan’s life is falling apart: he lost his job and found out that his wife is cheating on him all in the same day. Thinking that his world has ended, he checks into a hotel and turns on the TV to see that he's not far wrong—something big is headed for Earth at over 500 miles per second. Under Darkness (A Standalone Sci-Fi Thriller) THE SUN VANISHED AND DARKNESS FELL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY A dark shadow falls over the island of Kauai. Then the meteors begin to fall. Live news coverage shows a local anchorman fleeing from his hillside vantage point. His muffled screams are the last thing anyone hears before the signal is lost... Into the Unknown (A Standalone Sci-Fi Mystery) THEIR CRUISE SHIP JUMPED TO THE WRONG STAR SYSTEM... Liam Price and his family are traveling on the Starlit Dream to the exotic world of Aquaria. Soon after the voyage starts, they learn that they’ve somehow jumped to the wrong star system. Then the ship plunges into darkness, and they realize that something is on board hunting the passengers... In Time for Revenge (A Standalone Sci-Fi Murder Mystery) HE INVENTED A MACHINE TO TAKE PEOPLE TO THE FUTURE THEN HE WAS ACCUSED OF MURDER, BUT HE CAN'T REMEMBER KILLING ANYONE Billionaire genius Byron Gaines is accused of murdering his wife and her lover, but he swears he didn't do it. This couldn't have come at a worse moment: he is so close to a breakthrough in his research. He's about to invent a device that will change the world forever. The irony is, if only he had a little more time, he'd be able to make his legal problems disappear—along with himself.

    Waking up in the Great Savanna, James struggles with a less-than-useful interface before he comes across two creatures locked in battle. The shoulder high grass allows him glimpses of a lion-esque creature fending off a torrent of scales and claws. Sneaking up to steal a better look at the surreal situation, James discovers two things. 1. Getting hurt in the game.... well hurts! 2. This noble race of lion-men, named Martyrs, have almost been decimated by the scaled lizard creatures. By unwillingly saving the life of a Martyr cub, James is adopted into their village. He grows to love the beauty of the Great Savanna and his adopted game brother, whose life he saved... That is until PATRICK arrives, and the tranquility of the game is shattered. James embarks on a mission for answers to his steadily increasing list of questions. On the top of that list, "What the hell happened to the human race, and where is my damn brother!?" LitRPG Categories = Town Building & MOBA

    These stories have accumulated over 100+ reviews and have been boxed together for the first time!Missed ConnectionsHow far would you go for revenge? Veronica Bauer isn't above homicide. Twelve years after a ruthless attack killed her mother and put her father in prison, she embarks on a mission to bring the real culprits to justice. As bodies start to drop, Detective Sheila Arden is assigned to the gruesome case, but she soon discovers that the truth is more complicated than she thought. In a riveting game of cat and mouse, each woman challenges the other to reach new heights.The ProfessorFollowing the mysterious disappearance of her history professor, Nicole Costello discovers that her prestigious university is home to an elite secret society with questionable moral standards. Can Nicole crack the case of her missing professor and finish her thesis paper, or will Nicole herself crack under the pressure?

    

     This special edition bundle contains all five books in the acclaimed Blade Asunder Series. Bereaved and exiled from his homeland, Ganry ekes out a living as a wandering mercenary. A contract to protect a fifteen year old princess sees him embark on a quest across the kingdom. Confronted with danger at every turn, they get help from some unlikely companions. And Ganry discovers that there is more at stake than his own survival. Contains all five books in the series: Mercenary Guardian Warden Champion Sentinel

    Many had high hopes for John but as he grew up it became obvious he was not the mage his father was. Dismayed John agrees to join the army where he learns to control his special type of magic and mixes his fighting style with the sword. The Queen sees potential in John and Knights him as a favor to his father . When the Dragon Knights of Downey threaten Kirby's border they find an enemy waiting for them they had never faced who is far craftier than his father. Join John as he goes from outcast to the Knight Mage.

    Book 1: Secure DesireWill Ian and Cassie get their second chance at love, or will her secret destroy them both?After Navy SEAL Lieutenant Commander Ian Chase's last brutal tour in Afghanistan, he and his brother resumed control of their private security company and the rest of their international conglomerate, Chase Group. At a charity function, Ian has a chance meeting with art historian Cassiopeia Ellis and is surprised to learn she's undercover with the FBI. He's even more drawn to this enigmatic redhead than the first time he met her.An FBI agent specializing in uncovering stolen art, Cassie is plagued by nightmares and fear surrounding an unfathomable trauma she sustained six years earlier--the same night she originally met Ian Chase. Seeing him again stirs up the feelings she once had for him, along with ghosts from her past. The problem? She's repressed her memories of the crisis she endured that night.Cassie's enemies need to snuff her out before she can remember what happened that fateful night. Can Ian keep Cassie safe from harm, or will her desire to shield him from her past obliterate any chance of a happily ever after together? Book 2: Secure AgainWhen their lives are on the line, can love save them both?Dr. Elizabeth Reed, a trauma surgeon in Silverton, Iowa, prides herself on doing everything in her power to save every single patient who ends up on her table. When she notices a pattern of suspicious injuries to prisoners at the local jail, she sets off on a mission to uncover the truth.Former Navy SEAL Martin Bailey is settling into his new role as the CEO of Chase Security International when he’s called home to Iowa for a family emergency. His brother, Sergeant Austin Bailey of the Silverton PD, has been shot in the line of duty while investigating the assault of a young child.When Marty discovers his high school sweetheart, Elizabeth, is Austin's surgeon, old feelings resurface. When they both begin to suspect Austin's injuries are linked to the suspected prisoner abuse, danger mounts. Can the men and women of Chase Security solve the mystery before more lives are lost? And will Elizabeth and Marty rekindle their old flame before the complicated web of drug and human trafficking, illicit porn, and prisoner abuse ensnares them both? Book 3: Secure HerIs his heart full enough to fall in love again?Widowed for five years, former Navy SEAL Julian “Smooth” Dupart returns to San Diego as the new head of the Chase Group’s San Diego branch. He finds himself going through the motions after “breaking up” with his bottle of bourbon. In his first few days on the job, he discovers the Chase health center has distributed substandard and counterfeit medication.Holly Dupree Morrison, an indie performing artist, escaped an abusive childhood only to get involved with one wrong man after another. Her silver lining is her sassy four-year-old daughter, Sadie, who is facing surgery after bad medication from the Chase group health center further damaged her already compromised heart.After a stalker nearly kills Holly, she’s forced to hire Chase Security, and Julian, remorseful that his company hurt Sadie, vows to protect them both. His heart softens to the soulful singer and her precious girl, but can he face losing Sadie from the same illness that killed his wife? And can Holly trust her heart to another man?Not only is Holly in danger, but someone is gunning for Julian and Chase Security as well.