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

    

    One night when Zoe's cousin invites her out to stop moping, live a little, and have some fun; fate steps in with both feet and offers up a remedy. West Jameson is a typical ladies man, who is out for a good time, has no clue what it means to be in a relationship or in love. But one memorable one night stand, for both good and bad reasons, sends Zoe and West down a spiraling path neither one of them has anticipated. Take this journey with these two as they discover that love isn't always easy but it's worth it. Chances are never given, they're taken...& sometimes love happens purely...By Chance

    He opened her heart to love again. Almost four years later, their wedding day finally arrives. Family and friends travel from near and far to witness them promise each other forever. Kyler may not have been her first love, but he plans on being her last.

    than an actual investigator.But when her file fell in my lap, I knew I couldn't walk away. Not yet.She had the body of a vixen and the eyes of a killer.I was terrified.And yet strangely attracted to the woman. Was it sane? Not at all. Every time I saw her, I was sure I would end up dead.But there were worse ways to go...LoreleiI was finally free.Well, almost. My husband had left me with a bit of a mess. And his kids...don't even get me started on them. All I wanted was my money, but that wasn't going to happen until I could get my hands on my dearly departed husband's trust.In the meantime, I needed someplace new to live. So, I pointed my finger at the map and ended up in the cutest little town.I just needed to make some friends, to blend in.I could do that, and I knew just where to start...

    Determined to liberate five quirky, ragtag orphans not likely to be adopted by caring people, they vowed the children would not end up as they had fourteen years ago. Back then, Merry and Polly and the two boys adopted with them from that orphan train worked as slaves. They received little food, substandard living quarters, and insufficient clothing to protect against the cold winters. Mary and Polly’s children love their new home and family at the sisters’ Mockingbird boarding house. The rescue idea appears to have been a great success—until the supervisor from the Children’s Protection Society arrives. Single women are not allowed to adopt. Merry and Polly each has five days to find a suitable husband who won’t steal her share of the boarding house. Two award winning and bestselling authors conspired to bring readers these two heartwarming stories, A Family For Merry and A Family For Polly in the duet, Orphan Train Brides. In addition to Orphan Train Brides, the authors have in their future projects a duet about the two brothers, Bart and Newton Bird.(The two novellas in Orphan Train Brides are expanded from previous inclusion in the Under A Mulberry Moon anthology.)

    

    In Brooklyn, he grows an unexpected friendship with Aaron, a young ultra-orthodox Jew that helps him find a job and invites him to his home. Jeff meets Eva, a successful businesswoman, who works as a broker at the World Trade Center. When Rebecca, Aaron’s ultra-orthodox sister, falls in love with Jeff, she throws her life, and his, into a swirl.A touching and mind-opening novel that will catch your attention from the very first page.Broken Leaves of Autumn is a fascinating and many-folded love affair that takes the reader from small-town Arizona to the Ultra-Orthodox Jewish community of Brooklyn NY, and from World Trade Center “ground zero” to Israel. It is a delicate and absorbing love story which will not leave you indifferent.A sensitive and perfectly written story the holds an unexpected surprise.A young man trying to build a new life for himself while dealing with his family secrets; A beautiful young woman exiled from her community after her passion is exposed; A handsome broker, pregnant with two, caught in the World Trade Center in 9/11. All these are brilliantly and skillfully brought together into a page turning novel that will catch you by the heart.

    Marcos Allende finally had his secretary where he wanted her. Virginia would play the role of his lover while he conducted the deal of his life and then he’d make the pretence a reality. But he didn’t know she had a secret…

    Now, Dylan James, in-house counsel for a D.C. lobbyist firm is once again face-to-face with Cristine Palmer, defense attorney from New York. The passion that had been on a low simmer because of prior relationships is now on full blast. But Dylan has a dark side that he’s certain Cristine will not understand. Cristine has not come this far to walk away from her feelings for Dylan again, so following him to Chicago and bidding for the lover she’s always dreamed of is her only option. This novella is part of the Distinguished Gentlemen Series. It is 1 of 14 novellas that are connected by an event—The Southlake Park Bachelor Auction at the Book Euphoria Weekend Block Party. Here is a list of all the books in this series: The Alpha Bid by Ty Young The Rival Bid by Reese Ryan The Reluctant Bid by Sheryl Lister Losing the Bid by Suzette Riddick Invitation to Bid by Angela Seals The Contingency Bid by Sherelle Green The Renegade Bid by Kelsey Green The Birthday Bid by Suzette D. Harrison An Outlandish Bid by E.J. Brock A Bid on Forever by Joy Avery Switched At Bid by Nicole Falls The Closing Bid by Elle Wright The Bid Catcher by Anita Davis Each novella can be read as a standalone, so please do not feel as if you are committed to purchasing and reading each novella in the series. However, I can safely say that you might be missing out on 14 fantastic stories if you don’t.

    But is it possible that a human...could be his mate? And how will he keep her from unraveling the mystery that has kept his clan safe from the public eye for generations?Book 2: Ranger TrentThree brutal murders were committed in Acadia, and Trent is on the case. Or is he? When Blanca, a fiesty, curvy FBI agent, tries to take over the investigation, she challenges the desires of Trent's inner bear--in more ways than one.Book 3: Ranger RamonFrom the moment they met, there was no denying the fire that blazed between Acadia's biologist, Ramon, and Min, a visiting entomologist. But what is she doing in Acadia in the first place? Could this brainy beauty be responsible for sabotaging their clan, or will she prove to be their greatest ally?Book 4: Ranger DrewFighting fires is Drew's duty at Acadia, but the day he met Kathleen, nothing could have prepared him for the fiery passion that would ignite between them. But would her betrayal of his trust extinguish the flames between them once and for all?  ON SALE FOR ONLY 99 CENTS THROUGH APRIL 18! Werebears Of Acadia is a collection of four 30,000 word novellas with steamy shifter scenes intended for readers 18+. The Kindle edition features additional bonuses for your reading pleasure.

    My best friend. My future.Just when I think I finally have my life figured out,I get the surprise of a lifetime.It seems my ex not only has the nerve to still exist,but he also has the audacity to become my new neighbor!He’s even sexier than before (which I didn’t think was possible),and close enough to touch (I can’t believe this is happening).I won’t look at him.I refuse to acknowledge him.And I absolutely won’t let him break my heart again.One stupid trip to Vegas laterand I may have just ruined my life forever.But what if our love really does deserve a second chance?

     Pilot Scamo. World-famous photographer. Billionaire. Drop-dead gorgeous man. Broken man. He’s nearly twice my age but I’ve never felt this connection before … I feel it everywhere, my heart, my head, my body. It’s like electricity when he touches me, kisses me, When he makes passionate love to me. He’s intoxicating and all I want now is to hold him, Protect him, love him. Will they let us be? We both have so much dark history, so many people against us. I’ll fight for you, Pilot, even if it costs me everything … I’ll fight for you… Grab your copy of "The Virgin’s Dance" and enjoy Four brand new stories not published before. All stories have a happily ever after, no cliffhanger, no cheating, and plenty of steam. Bonus stories available. 1. Dance of Love (A BDSM Romance) 2. Old Habits (A Doctor’s Romance) 3. Dressing The Billionaire (An office Romance) 4. Dancing at a Distance (A Daddy Next Door Romance)