When I open them, I think it might really be there in front of me.’ After three tours of duty in Afghanistan, Liam Andrews is home safe in Queensland. His weekly life drawing class, full of colourful local artists, helps him manage his post-traumatic stress disorder. But he’s struggling to open up about a past that still haunts him. Belourine ‘Billy’ is an Afghan refugee who lost everything before arriving in Australia as a child. She finds joy in her daily swims in the lake. After years of upheaval, she’s still searching for a place to call home. But her past makes it hard to trust people. When Liam and Billy meet, they form an instant connection. But will they ever overcome the past? And will it be together? ‘Rhonda is one talented Aussie author….’ Chapterichi.com ‘When I read Rhonda’s work, I think "authentic". There is no pretence. No fakeness. Just raw, honest and beautifully crafted characters and dialogue.” The MadHatter Book Reviewer

    Dionne's music mogul husband, Rod Knight, is having an affair with a stripper/rap artist named Peach. Sydney's turning thirty, and Lucas, her old flame from medical school is trying his best to get back in her good graces. It's going to be a long road for Lucas, because Sydney can't get the image of him cheating with her sorority sister out of her mind. Oldest sister, Camille has named and claimed a financial blessing straight from the throne of grace. So what if the blessing came from the Bingo table and the slot machine? That doesn't mean it wasn't God, right?When the lies and alibis come to light and spiral out of control, it's going to take a lot of prayer to put everything back together again. Lies and Alibis is a novella.

    Despite the worst of humanity every day – her madrassa running father selling her mother's body and beating her sister – Rania remains the 'Troublemaker', unable to give up on her dreams.When an Indian filmmaker encourages her to enrol in a music contest that can take her to New York, her dreams take flight. But even as she wins the hearts of her listeners, a family secret threatens to bring her life in Heera Mandi back in sharp relief, upending the new life she has built for herself.From the oppressive walls of religious hypocrisy to the orange jumpsuits of American prisons, Skyfall is a tender, piercing debut that teaches us the strength of human endeavour and our desire for love in a time of hate.

    The young girl’s resolve is strengthened when she learns that Justin Roberts is headed there for a summer job at the local sawmill. Her sudden appearance causes turmoil. The mere sight of Lisa-Marie upsets the relationship Liam Collins has with trauma counsellor, Izzy Montgomery. All he wants to do is love Izzy, putter in the garden and mind the chickens. Bethany struggles with her own issues as Beulah hits a brick wall in her efforts to keep the organic bakery and her own life running smoothly. A native elder and a young boy who possesses a rare gift show up seeking family. A mystery writer arrives to rent the guest cabin and a former client returns looking for Izzy’s help. Life is never dull for those who live on the secluded shores of Crater Lake. Set against the backdrop of Northern Vancouver Island, The Light Never Lies is a story of heartbreaking need and desperate measures. People grapple with the loss of cherished ideals to discover that love comes through the unique family ties they create as they go.

    Four broken pasts. Four chances at redemption. Heat Five years ago, that arrogant pr*ck played me like a fool and broke my heart. Hudson Banks - the dominant, tattooed, womanizing, ex-Marine-turned-billionaire who runs God-knows-what at my late father’s company. Oh, and he’s sexy as all f**k, and he damn well knows it. He’s like a gasoline fire; a scorchingly hot disaster, and if I’m not careful, I’m going to get burned. Burn Tempting. Volatile. Off-limits. He’s the hottest thing that never should have happened to me. It was supposed to be a one-time thing; my one one-night stand - the tattooed, bareknuckle fighter with a body built for sin who I found beaten and bloodied in my elevator that night. He's the one I patched up, the one I took care of, and the one I apparently couldn’t say no to when his mouth touched mine… A one night stand. Just one night, right? Yeah, wrong. He’s my new boss. He’s the best man in this wedding. He’s everywhere, and I can’t escape him. No matter how wrong it might be… Scorch Why does it feel so good to be so bad... The dark, dominant, tattooed Spaniard has all the arrogant machismo of a bullfighter and a body carved out of steel. In my sister’s fairytale romance, he almost destroyed my family. He’s the devil, and I hate him. Until he saves my life, and changed everything. Javier f**king Toro is the last man in the world I expect to find pulling me out of the way of danger. Bad boy? Yeah, no, there’s nothing “boy” about Javier. He’s a man. A very, very bad man. And I can’t resist him, no matter the consequences. Roar I don’t give a f**k if I die tomorrow, as long as I get her tonight. I’ve been to war. I’ve lived in the streets. I’ve beaten the needle, and I’ve looked death in the face and laughed. So what the f*ck do I want with a sassy, smart-mouthed spitfire like Peyton Rivers? There are a thousand reasons I should stay away, beyond the fact that she’s my best friend’s sister. She’s just as broken as me. She’s seen the face of the devil and taken the time to spit in it, and she’s got scars like mine to prove it. Oh, and we’ve been down that road before, and it ended in blood and rain. But like I said, I’m a fighter. You gotta fight for what you want. And Peyton -- the sassy, hard-knocks girl from my past with a body made for sin -- is gonna be mine.

    But Rosie is adamant. Four couples, each hosting a dinner party on a different night of the week, with a prize at the end for the best one. It'll be a good laugh, won't it? And a great way for everyone to get to know each other. What could possibly go wrong?What Rosie doesn't anticipate are the lengths her fellow hosts might be prepared to go to in order to claim the prize -- outlandish recipes, rare ingredients sourced from abroad, and a chocolate tart that looks just too good to be homemade… But perhaps she should be more worried about the mounting tension between the guests, as backbiting breaks out over the appetisers and a glass of wine too many leads to indiscreet flirtation. As the pressure in the kitchen rises, relationships begin to crack under strain, high-minded principles collide and the oven gloves come off… But that's all part of the fun. Isn't it?

    The first trip involved the last rites of her grandmother. The second involved a wedding, thankfully, but she returned home to her mother's funeral. She has never forgiven her mother for leaving her alone in a house full of men. Is there anyone at home she can share her deepest thoughts with? Anyone who can lend an ear to her endless relationship issues, manic obsessions and simple aspirations? Who's got the time? Kittu might live in a full house, but sometimes, she feels like she's all alone in the world. A House Full of Men is a novel about false starts and failed attempts, love and the importance of being understood.

    But with it has come the legend of a family curse. Now, according to the legend, the current far-flung Suslands are the last with a chance to lift the curse . . . whether they believe in it or not.To fulfill the legend’s demands, these cousins must face personal challenges and risk their hearts, all for the sake of … A Place Called HomeBook 1: Lost and Found GroomLost - And - Found Groom (A Place Called Home, #1)Currently ReadingMy rating:1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars[ 4 of 5 stars ]5 of 5 starsLost - And - Found Groom (A Place Called Home #1)by Patricia McLinn (Goodreads Author)3.54 of 5 stars 3.54 · rating details · 59 ratings · 12 reviewsLOST-AND-FOUND GROOM is Book 1 in "A Place Called Home" trilogy from SpecialEdition. Book 2 is AT THE HEART'S COMMAND in September, and Book 3 is HIDDENIN A HEARTBEAT in October.Once and only once, hardheaded Kendra Jenner let down her defenses with a perfect stranger. In a foreign land, in a deadly storm, they shared life's most intimate act 151and created a baby. But Kendra's beloved stranger vanished into the night, and Kendra retreated to her family home in Wyoming to raise her son. Then, three years later, their lives collided once again when daring,breathtaking pilot Daniel Delligatti descended upon Kendra's ranch, wanting o claim his son�and to claim Kendra as his wife. How could Kendra risk her heart�and her child's future �on this beloved lost-then-found groom? Book 2: At the Heart's CommandColonel John Griffin Jr. is a good and honorable soldier, determined to protect Ellyn Sinclair at all costs – especially from himself.Once, he’d rejected a young Ellyn’s advances, because he could not give her the life she deserved. Instead, Grif stood up as best man when Ellyn married his best friend. Then, he became a member of the family, godfather to her children.But now Ellyn is a widow, back in Far Hills, Wyoming with her two young children, and having a tough time. And no matter what it costs him, Grif will do his duty – help Ellyn and her children, while ignoring that he has never stopped wanting her.Book 3: Hidden in a HeartbeatRebecca Dahlgren comes to Far Hills Ranch hoping for answers to her unknown heritage. But from the first moment, she finds foreman Luke Chandler hard to miss. The sexy cowboy with the sleepy eyes that aren't interested in sleeping means just the sort of trouble her patrician grandmother has always warned about.Luke has his own reasons for wanting to steer clear of anything like commitment. But the secrets behind Rebecca’s dark eyes keep luring him on … even if it means baring his own heart.

    However, that’s just what the doctor ordered especially when she lays eyes on the handsome chef, Justin Richardson. While sorting out her secret conflict of continuing her medical career, she falls for his mouth-watering charm, leaving her hungry for anything he has to offer.Justin is leery of doctors because a doctor’s negligence caused his mother’s death when he was twelve. He has put his focus and energy into his restaurant, which had been a dream he and his mother shared. Justin is immediately smitten by the cute, sassy food critic that has him cooking up different ways to please her appetite. But when things start to heat up, Shelbi learns of a shocking revelation that could extinguish the flame of their relationship. Will Justin be able to forget his pain and commit to the woman who has stolen his heart?Cooking Up Love is the first book in the Arrington Family Series.This a contemporary series romance novel. 50,200 words.

    Nancy works in the Whistling Kettle Cafe and Charlie is a DS in the Truro police. Charlie's a down to earth Cornishman, while Nancy, seemingly an ordinary member of her community, has an extraordinary gift. She is able to make psychic connections with those who have passed, and objects belonging to those still living.Charlie mostly tries to ignore that aspect of his wife's personality, he can’t abide all that ‘mumbo jumbo’ as he calls it. Then, out of the blue, Nancy leaves her job and decides her mission in life is to use her gift to help others. This is not what Charlie signed up for, and he lets Nancy know about his feelings in no uncertain terms. That is, until he realises she might be a very useful detective...Helping Charlie find a missing teenager boost Nancy’s confidence, and makes her determined to continue her work. People come to see her because they want her to find a long-lost friend or relative, an object that is dear to them, or a pet who’s gone missing. Helping people find happiness is Nancy’s main aim. Charlie, however, wants her to help him solve crimes.Will the couple find some common ground? Or will their connection be broken?The Cornish Connection - a beautifully told, thought-provoking and uplifting story. The perfect feel-good summer read!Perfect for fans of Emma Burstall, Fern Britton and Heidi Swain

    But she felt no different – not until she realised she was losing her innocence in a way that none of her friends could possibly imagine. Only a child robbed of her childhood can know too late what it means to be loved too little and loved too much…

     Her two daughters, from a previous relationship, are now both adult. Jo, ambitious and independent, is pursuing a career as a barrister. Jo’s younger sister is very different. Shelley, just 20, sweet natured, trusting and innocent, still lives at home and works at a local animal clinic. They are a normal, happy family - and then Shelley meets Sam on the street and everything changes. Martha struggles to accept Shelley’s choice of boyfriend as, with increasing anger, she witnesses the erosion of all Shelley’s values under Sam’s influence. When Martha’s efforts to persuade Shelley to give Sam up fail, she decides on a more direct approach. The consequences of her actions are devastating for everyone and change the course of Martha’s life forever. “After I’d gone up to bed that night, leaving Gabe amidst the carnage I had created in the living room, I formulated my plan. But it was pure chance that I met Sam on Putney Bridge some three weeks later and I went ahead with it.”

    

    Nineteen-year-old Finn has just arrived in the city with his irrepressible and volatile girlfriend, Dilly, determined to even the score with his older brother Jack for abandoning him in the UK in the aftermath of their parents’ deaths. Across town, successful gallery owner Leo Emerson is haunted by loneliness, unsettled by the contrast between his life and that of his brother-in-law and oldest friend Isidor, who is enviably contented in his faith and his marriage. When Finn wanders into Leo’s gallery, a series of unexpected and interconnected events unfold, changing the lives of all four men, for better or worse. Leo and Isidor’s settled existences are overturned by events outside of their control, while Jack and Finn’s complex relationship reaches its long overdue showdown. Beautifully orchestrated and richly comic, Men Like Air explores the romance and solitude of cosmopolitan life, the transformative power of art, and the impact we have on one another’s lives—and what happens when the ties that bind us are tested or broken. It is an intense and uplifting story of growth and renewal, mapping the complex workings of the human heart across the streets of New York City.

    She was born and raised in a Creole community that is still mending from a past which caused rifts between loved ones, who are forced to redefine their identities as a consequence of their collective history. A rare and educated young woman of promise with a heart of gold, oppressed by untold dysfunction within her own family, Lula Mae rebels and courageously carves out a life on her own with the help of her faith and with the one whom she trusts the most. Lula Mae seeks to find her purpose and embarks on a new life for herself in pursuit of her dreams to be a blessing to her children and family. However, Lula Mae is unknowingly being undermined every step of the way by the one closest to her heart. When confronted with the truth, Lula Mae must decide a way forward for her life, and must decide whether or not she should let go of the one nearest to her heart - and at what cost.