In doing so, they sparked a rivalry like no other; Messi vs Ronaldo.The seasons that have followed have been truly spectacular, the battle for supremacy increasing in profile and intensity all the while. Their styles, personalities and footballing allegiances continue to divide opinion, but their dominance of the record books has now put one claim beyond debate - this is football's greatest ever head-to-head.Acclaimed football writer Luca Caioli draws on invaluable testimonies from those closest to the two stars, with exclusive insights from friends, families, teammates and managers, to tell the inside story of this fascinating rivalry.

    

    But just before she sets off for a fun-filled New York hen party weekend, she finds a letter addressed to her sister Caroline. Dated only weeks before Caroline died in a tragic accident, it contains some startling information which forces Ellie to face some truths about herself, Caroline's death - and even her forthcoming marriage. Ellie has spent the three years since Caroline's death running from the truth. But as the weekend in New York comes to a close, she makes a drastic decision. As Ellie finally lays old ghosts to rest, she realises that the truth can set you free. But will she be willing to take the risk?

    The coroner is performing an autopsy on the woman and shares some details about the case. The woman might be a long-missing victim of a local strangler.She goes to the library to find research material, only to find another mystery in where the bound books have gone. However, the story doesn’t stop at the page for Emma. She meets an expert on the strangler, but a mysterious force makes three separate attacks on her and those involved in the case.As the clues start to come together about the mysterious corpse, Emma finds her life in danger and wonders if she’ll be alive to finish the book based on this case.

    So, when she is introduced to Stefan, the Gold's captain, she is determinedly not interested.Stefan is sexy, charming, and has a publicly documented list of conquests a mile long. Brit is unwilling to risk mixing business with pleasure, even when that business is wrapped up in a six-foot-plus, gorgeously muscled package.When management pushes Brit and Stefan together in an effort to gain good press for the beleaguered team, Brit finds that her carefully calculated disinterest doesn’t mask her body's desires. The more she falls for Stefan, the more she risks her career.Will she be able to have it all—a starting position and the heart of the captain? Or will she lose everything?BackhandMike Stewart is a bad boy. Sleeping around. Boozing. Fighting with teammates.Name a bad behavior and he’s done it—done it so well, in fact, that he almost tanked his career as a starting defensemen for the NHL’s San Francisco Gold.But Mike is done with all that. He’s starting with a fresh foot forward and putting his past behind him.That is, until his past quite literally reappears before his eyes.Sara Jetty is just as beautiful as she was a decade before, but Mike hasn’t seen her since she scored a gold medal in women’s figure skating. Now something has put shadows in her eyes, a familiar type of hurt he is all too well-versed in.This Sara wants nothing to do with him. Their easy friendship is gone and in its place is a hardened woman who’s nothing like the girl from his past.Still, Mike hasn’t become a top defensemen in the NHL by being afraid of hard work, and he isn’t about to let Sara push him away. Come hell or high water, he’s going to crack her tough outer shell and find the sweet, innocent woman he’s lusted after and loved, in equal measure, for more than ten years.BoardingMuscles. Mandy’s work was supposed to be regulated to muscles. Well, muscles and ligaments and tendons . . . and general body health and—Blane was her fantasy—literally her nightly fantasy. He was sexy, strong, talented, and normally she would have thrown herself at his feet and begged for a night—or, cough, more—showing him exactly what that fantasy was.But that would mean she would get fired . . . and worse, so would he.She couldn’t have that on her conscience, not when Blane was a gifted player for the San Francisco Gold. Plus, he was a professional athlete and their relationships were doomed to fail. Mandy knew that firsthand and she also knew she couldn’t live that life. Always being the one left behind, always way down on the priority list.Hockey was his job and it was all consuming. That was reality and everything was fine—Until Blane got hurt. Until she was spending more time with him. Much more time.Until Blane told her she was his fantasy too.Empty Net (never before released novella)Empty. That was her life—What? No. Shannon had been referring to the other half of the duplex she lived in, the half that her best friend and fabulous baker of a business partner, Molly, had moved out of when she’d reunited with the love of her life.But, if she was being truthful, Shannon’s life was a little empty. She had a steady and growing business, even helping Molly expand their joint venture into the Gold Mine, arena for the San Francisco Gold, but she was bored and well . . . a little empty.Until Evan moved into the other half of the duplex and tall, dark, and brooding took over her life with the ease of a fire alarm blaring through the quiet, night air.

    Just like his diet and sleep routines, celibacy is part of Anton Petrov’s on-ice mojo. Or so they say. Anton stays mum on the subject. If the world thinks he chooses to abstain from sex, so be it. Better that than the truth getting out: there is a woman he burns for, but he can never have her. She’s his teammate’s wife, after all.Mia Marceau is finally on her own. Now that she and her husband are living apart, she’s finding the peace she was desperate for. She spends her days in classes and late nights bartending, making her own way in the world at last. After what she’s been through, as long as her husband leaves her alone, she doesn’t plan to rock the boat. He still has the power to hurt those dearest to her, and she can’t demand a divorce with such a high cost.A chance encounter with Mia has Anton hoping for a shot he never thought he’d get. And while she’s drawn to the intense, serious hockey center, Mia’s leery about playing with fire. That’s all Anton has ever known for Mia, though—a living, burning desire that won’t be denied—no matter the cost. Book 2 - Luca AbbyI only have one love now—the home furnishings business I’m building into an empire. Maybe money and success can’t love me back, but they keep what’s left of my heart safe. One-night stands are my way of scratching the occasional itch I get for something more. And no one’s better for that than a sexy as sin hockey player I’ll never see again after one very hot night together.LucaI used to love two things: hockey and women. But now my nieces and nephew are my top priority, because I’m raising them after tragedy stole their parents. Somehow I balance single parenthood and my career as a forward for the Chicago Blaze. There’s no time for women, until I get knocked on my ass by Abby Daniels. She’s everything I’ve ever wanted, but her devastating past may end us before we even get started.Read the entire Chicago Blaze series:ANTONLUCAVICTORKNOXALEXEIEASYJONAHKITOLIVIER

    Rafael “Rafe” Tiero has it bad for Callie, his half-brother’s woman. He thinks that’s the kind of woman he needs, sweet and mild-tempered. How did that potty-mouthed barista called Jax, with her funky ways, nails, and attitude get under his skin? Jaclyn “Jax” Vasquez has a problem. Her parents are in town for a surprise visit. If they see her boyfriend, Scotty, the proverbial $h1t will hit the fan! She needs help and chooses the first—and only—option, the indigo-eyed stranger in the corner. What could possibly make this worse? He’s a white tiger shifter, and she’s got a secret. Sparks and fur fly! Forgotten Anya Masenti is a passionate, curvy white tiger shifter bodyguard nicknamed the Ice Princess. Bryson Courtland is a leopard shifter billionaire who needs a specific bodyguard. Problem? Anya wants nothing to do with the job. Problem escalation? Their sexual attraction could be the death of them. That’s not even mentioning the secrets that follow Anya from Bear Canyon Valley. Forsaken Sophie and Niko Niko’s spent eight years in Sigma Eps Special Operations. He’s one of the best special ops soldiers around. He was. Now it looks like he’s a babysitter for a beautiful, curvy, headstrong tigress shifter with a secret. Sophie’s running away. From everything. From the truth. From her family. From her reality. Who’d have thought her new reality would include a black panther shifter with a crooked sexy smile and a sinful build of muscle on muscle. He’s a shifter with a secret of his own. And his secret pushes her over the edge. Foreplay Curvy Maia’s got a secret and she goes to extraordinary lengths to keep it. Even if those lengths include stripping for men in a seedy club in Rome. Sexy, silent black panther shifter Franco could spell devastation or be the answer to a prayer. But he’s got the cash to pay for infinite private dances… BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance If hot sex skeeves you out, you may want to pass on this book. If freaky, downright dirty sexy talk bothers you, yeah, for sure you gotta pass on this one. We believe in sex--hot, dirty, delicious sex. Yup, make it sweaty, too. It's not just sex, it's about the romance. But good romance has sex, and we keep the doors open! Oh, and the lights on! ;)

    Not because Billie's talent is in question, but because Billie is a woman. And though these are modern times, some of the local guys still have a problem letting a girl into their 'men's club.'Soon, Billie is at the center of a small town battle of the sexes, with everyone choosing sides. Her sisters. The townsfolk. Her friends. And yet, the only person whose opinion she cares about doesn't seem to care much at all. Logan Forest, the man who broke her heart when she was eighteen and the man she now shares the bench with every Friday night. She's got a lot to prove and though Billie Jo Barker scores on the ice, will this girl ever score with the man of her dreams?

    Having lost everything in the divorce, Jane now finds herself sharing an apartment with two elderly ladies and their quirky cat. But there is no time to despair. A man is murdered in the cupcake store, and now Jane and her sister, Rebecca, are the prime suspects. Enter brooding detective Damon McCloud, a Scot with a tragic past and a desire for justice. Can Jane solve the murder, wrangle her new roommates, and stop herself from falling for the detective? Or will she never get her new life on track? PREVIOUS CONFECTIONS (BOOK 2) The last thing Jane expects is to meet Cherri, her ex-husband’s new wife, but that’s exactly what happens. Worse still, Cherri wants Jane’s help in solving a murder. It’s bad enough that Jane’s Amish sister has a broken arm, so Jane has to run the cupcake store with dubious help from Matilda, Eleanor, and naughty little cat, Mr. Crumbles. Will Jane be able to solve the murder, keep the cupcake store from crumbling apart, and keep a level head around Detective Damon McCloud, or will it all end not so sweetly? CONFECTION IS GOOD FOR THE SOUL (BOOK 3) When her sweet Amish sister is accused of murder, it’s the start of another thrilling mystery for Jane Delight! Judy Jenkins, part-time cupcake book author and full-time bully, is dead—and Jane's sister, Rebecca, is the main suspect. Jane is eager to clear Rebecca's name, but with brooding Detective Damon McCloud warning her to stay away from the suspects, she’s in for the adventure of a lifetime. Can Jane, Mr. Crumbles the cat, and the feisty octogenarians, Matilda and Eleanor, save the day? Or is this mystery going to end in heart-bake?

    . .Addison Williams isn't looking for romance, but when she encounters an eavesdropping stranger on an adjoining hotel balcony, she figures she's due a little fun. She just hadn't reckoned on the "fun" escalating so quickly to "out of control." One minute she's flirting with a whiskey-graveled voice in the dark, the next that same voice is telling her to do things. Hot, wicked things.Cup-winning hockey player Ford "Killer" Callaghan can't believe he let the anonymous woman who blew his mind slip away into the night. He'll track her down because once could never be enough—even if discovering her identity places her strictly out of bounds.Stolen kisses. Secret hook-ups. Deliciously forbidden in every way. Can a passion that started in the dark find a lifetime of love in the light?Originally published in Hot on Ice: A Hockey Romance Anthology, this sexy prequel to the Chicago Rebels hockey series features an older, curvy woman, a younger, driven hero, and a happily-ever-after you'll swoon over.

    Her best friend, Dr. Zoe Millis, has been begging her to make the move from Maine to California. Taking a leap of faith, Lacey does just that. Living in San Diego definitely has its perks, such as, sunshine and beaches. The best part of moving to the west coast, however, is that Steven is still on the east coast. Catching your almost husband having sex with one of your bridesmaids on your wedding day would make even the strongest woman jaded. Therefore, Lacey has sworn off men for a while, especially men who travel a lot that have easy access to loose women.When Lacey meets the new enforcer for the San Diego Scorpions, she thinks she might be in trouble. But she is determined to fight her attraction to the sexy NHL hunk. And she is successful...for about a day.

    He gets to fulfill his dream playing professional hockey, has a loving family, and a tight group of friends. But the one thing missing in his life is a partner to come home to. He knows exactly who he wants to fill that position– the only woman he has ever loved. The one who got away, who constantly consumes his every thought. What it would take to get her to Just Say Yes to a second chance? Becca Phillips is an independent woman who has made her career as an ER nurse a priority in her life. She has a loving family and a best friend by her side, but she can’t seem to get over her first love, Scott. Insecurities led her to break up with him years ago when he started climbing the ranks in professional hockey and, for eight years, Becca has avoided Scott when he returns home each summer. Can she overcome her fears and allow love back into her life? All she has to do is Just Say Yes to the one and only man she has ever loved.

    Hooking was my penalty. It’s never something I set out to do, but it happens. After all, it’s hockey.Hockey is life. Getting traded was a kick to the nuts, but at least I was still playing. It was all that mattered.Until Sydney.Our relationship was forbidden, but I didn’t care—I hadn’t run from a fight yet.I had her right where I wanted her, until everything crashed around me. My past came back to bite me in the ass and I was faced with getting kicked off the team. Now, I’m trying to pick up the goddamn pieces.I’m not going to choose between her or hockey. I want it all. Because despite everything, she’s the best thing I’ve ever hooked.

    He ditched her – and their little town – just as some rather shocking photos showed up on the internet for the whole town to see. Miranda wasn't so lucky. Stuck in Bluebonnet and left to fend for herself, she’s never really shaken the scandal — or his betrayal. After nine long years, he's back, and she has the chance to turn the tables on Dane…It’s time she got even.Former NHL hotshot playboy Dane Croft has returned home to open a survival training school on an old ranch, and reinvent himself. When his former high school girlfriend enrolls in his school, he has no idea that Miranda's plan is to get him in a compromising position—not the one he’s imagining, anyway. But soon Miranda realizes that to carry out her deviously sexy revenge, she'll have to get up close and personal with Dane all over again. Being a good girl got her nowhere for nine years, and now it's time to be a little naughty. But falling in love with the man that broke her heart was never part of the plan….

    Full Iron-Distance races require such painstaking planning and sacrifice that it’s difficult to keep life in balance. The Half Iron-Distance is accessible, while remaining challenging.    Also known as the “70.3” for the sum of its 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike ride, and 13.1 mile run, the half-iron triathlon is not simply a race for which an athlete can use a full-iron training regimen chopped in half. Doing so would in no way approach maximizing an athlete’s performance. The races are performed at completely different intensity levels, with completely different approaches. As a result, the training is completely different.       IronFit Secrets to Half Iron-Distance Triathlon Success does for the half-iron what Be IronFit has done for the full-iron. It provides three sixteen-week training programs—Competitive, Intermediate, and “Just Finish”—and details everything an athlete needs to know to successfully prepare for and maximize performance at this racing distance. In as little as four months, any athlete can be physically and mentally ready for the world’s most popular triathlon challenge.