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Under a Tuscan Sky
Karen Aldous - 2017
Perfect for fans of Erica James and Cathy Kelly.
A summer she’ll never forget… When Olivia Montague’s grandmother passes away, she decides it’s finally time to make some changes in her own life. So she breaks up with her ‘going nowhere’ boyfriend and embarks on a journey to her Nonna’s home in Tuscany.Until now, Olivia has always believed that she’s incapable of love, after being abandoned by her parents as a baby. But with each day spent at the gorgeous villa nestled in the rolling Italian hills, she feels her heart begin to flutter…And when handsome antiques dealer Hugh St. James arrives on the scene, she realises things might be about to change forever! Praise for Karen Aldous: ‘A story of relationships, love and the importance of family, a romantic tale that leaves the reader with a glow.’ Postcard Reviews‘I could have been lost in this book for months on end and I wouldn't have noticed the days slipping by…’ Becca’s Books‘Light, easy to read and entertaining, perfect for a summer holiday read.’ Portybelle‘A perfect book for these final summer days, to indulge in with a glass of wine or two.’ Paris Baker (Amazon Reviewer)‘Escapism with more than a touch of reality…Karen Aldous is an author that you need on “auto order”!’ Crooks on Books‘A great holiday read – quick, easy and entertaining!’ Ginger Cat Blog‘Gently paced and seductively built…a great summer read.’ Brizzlelass Books‘Gloriously escapist, wonderfully entertaining and absolutely impossible to put down! Sure to appeal to fans of Cathy Kelly and Erica James.’ Bookish Jottings‘Fascinating, heartwarming, engaging, romantic and utterly compelling.’ Sparkly Words
Ladakh in Pictures
Praveen Venkiteswara Annu - 2014
These photographs were captured during a road trip from Manali to Leh, one of the most challenging drives in the world. The photographs are accompanied by a short description of the place where they were clicked and have been arranged in the order they were clicked so as to give the reader a realistic idea of how the landscape changes during the journey from Manali to Leh.
Living the Dream: in the Algarve, Portugal
Alyson Sheldrake - 2020
Follow them as they battle with the Portuguese language, set up their own businesses, adopt a rescue dog and navigate the 'expat' world.Part guidebook, mostly memoir; this book is for anyone who has ever wondered what moving abroad is really like; and is essential reading for anyone considering moving to Portugal.
The American / The Assassin / The Invisible / The Exile
Andrew Britton - 2011
Former U.S. soldier Jason March, one of the world's deadliest assassins and Ryan's former protégé, is now working with a powerful terror network whose goal is nothing less than the total annihilation of the United States. Ryan puts together the pieces of a terrifying puzzle. With the fate of the country resting on his shoulders, he finds himself caught in a desperate game of cat-and-mouse with the most cunning opponent he's ever faced, a man who won't be denied the ultimate act of evil and who is all the more deadly for being one of our own. "Well-written and exciting. . .perfect escape reading!" --Tampa Tribune "Absorbing. . .extraordinarily hard to put down." --Charlotte Observer "A gripping saga ripped out of the latest headlines." --News & Record (Greensboro, NC) "Like Tom Clancy, [Britton] has produced a thriller that makes current terrorist threats all too real. . .Highly recommended." --Library Journal (starred review)
More Phenomenal Praise For The American
"Britton has delivered a level of storytelling excellence most writers spend a lifetime trying to achieve. . .a sizzling page-turner!" --Brad Thor "A riveting and compelling debut. . .the surprise of the month and maybe the year." ---bookreporter.com
New York Times Bestseller
Andrew Britton delivers a taut, electrifying read in his new novel The Assassin. Maverick CIA agent Ryan Kealey must fight against his own agency while the clock is ticking on a devastating terrorist attack on U.S. soil. . . More than a year has passed since Ryan Kealey prevented the assassination of multiple world leaders in the nation's capital. While his work is brilliant, he's considered damaged goods. Now he's about to become a key player in a plot of unimaginable scale. For something big is about to go down in New York City. When a top Iranian source reveals that Iran is planning to bomb the United Nations, U.S. Intelligence begins counter-measures. Only Kealey sees it as a smokescreen for another, far more involved plot. But getting anyone to believe him isn't going to be easy. With only his ally, London's newest assistant chief, Naomi Kharmai, by his side, Ryan will have to operate outside the lines in order to prevent a terrible attack in a city on lockdown. A weapon of catastrophic power has been stolen from war-torn Iraq and has made its way to the U.S. The man who has it is Kealey's nemesis, William Vanderveen, an international criminal mastermind who has no objective other than pure terror and who will stop at nothing to achieve it. Making matters worse, Vanderveen's being helped by someone on the inside with high-ranking security clearance. Even the halls of the CIA are no longer safe from possible espionage and treason. Now, as Kealey and Kharmai race to put the pieces together, they will confront a ghost from the past and be forced to question the people they trust most in a desperate investigation where only this is for certain--time is running out. Like The American, The Assassin is a supercharged, fiercely intelligent, action-packed international thriller, where no one can be trusted--and the shocks are felt until the very last page. With searing narrative twists, The Invisible plunges us headlong into today's shadowy, fever-pitched battle between terrorism and intelligence, as a covert counterterrorism operative risks everything, including the woman he loves, to save the life of one person. . . For more than a decade, Ryan Kealey has been a key player in the war on terror. First, as a captain in the U.S. Army's third Special Forces Group, then as a contract operative with the CIA. His actions have saved thousands of lives, including that of the U.S. President. Now once again, Kealey receives the call of duty--only this time, the odds for success are slim to none. . . Tensions between Pakistan and India are at an all-time high. To complicate matters, twelve American climbers have disappeared in the snow-capped peaks of Pakistan's Hindu Kush range. The President is demanding answers, but neither government is supplying them. As the conflict escalates, Brynn Fitzgerald departs Washington D.C. on her first official trip as acting secretary of state. Her goal is to serve as an intermediary between the leaders of both nations as well as to ensure all efforts are being made in the search for the missing American climbers. But when Fitzgerald's motorcade is ambushed on the outskirts of Islamabad, her back-up team arrives to discover a disastrous scene: dozens are dead, including seven diplomatic security agents, and the secretary of state has vanished without a trace. In the wake of the unprecedented attack, Kealey's operation goes into high gear. Once again, he is joined by Naomi Kharmai, the British-born analyst who has taken on a daring new role with the Agency. But Kharmai is becoming as unpredictable as the man they're going after, and as they work their way toward the target, it becomes clear to Kealey that anyone is fair game--and no one can be trusted. Thundering to a stark and chilling climax, The Invisible raises the stakes on every page. Like Andrew Britton's The Assassin, it is a super-charged, fiercely intelligent international thriller filled with shocking betrayal and, ultimately, revenge. The shocks are felt until the very last page. Born in England, Andrew Britton moved with his family to the United States when he was seven, settling in Michigan, then North Carolina. After serving in the Army as a combat engineer, Andrew entered the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he is pursuing a double major in economics and psychology. For the President of the United States, the daily horror of life in West Darfur's killing fields just hit heartbreakingly close to home. His niece, Lily, has been targeted and savagely murdered by a corps of fearsome government-backed militiamen. With the situation too explosive for diplomatic or military solutions, yet with the President and the public thirsting for revenge, America is out of options. Except one: Ryan Kealey, ex-Special Forces, former CIA, and unrivaled counterterrorism expert.Kealey has been central to the war on terror for over a decade. But after the Agency hung him out to dry-and let his lover die-he turned his back. Until now. For the government has revealed its trump card, the one thing Kealey will risk everything for. Soon, from the lawless streets of Sudan to the highest levels of the American government, Kealey unearths secrets and betrayals that shock even his war-tempered sensibilities-and ignite a conflagration with unknowable global consequences. "In this age of terrorism, [Britton's] plots seem to jump straight out of the headlines...he may well give Tom Clancy a run for the money." -St. Louis Post-Dispatch on The Invisible "The Assassin is the 'best' of Tom Clancy, Michael Connelly, and Robert Ludlum all rolled into a single book." --armchairinterviews.com "Brilliantly well-written with plotting sharper than a fence full of razor wire, a sizzling page-turner." -Brad Thor, New York Times bestselling author on The American
Lonely Planet Sri Lanka
Lonely Planet - 1996
Follow in the footsteps of Buddha and modern-day pilgrims to the summit of Adam's Peak, wander the crumbling ruins and lost cities of the cultural triangle in the heart of the island or explore undiscovered beaches on the recently reopened east coast; all with your trusted travel companion. Get to the heart of Sri Lanka and begin your journey now!Inside Lonely Planet's Sri Lanka Travel Guide:Colour maps and images throughoutHighlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interestsInsider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spotsEssential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, pricesHonest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sight-seeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks missCultural insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - tea, cuisine, wildlife, historyMore than 50 mapsCovers Colombo, Galle, South, West and East coasts, the hill country, Jaffna, the ancient cities and moreAuthors: Written and researched by Lonely Planet, Ryan Ver Berkmoes, Stuart Butler, Iain Stewart.About Lonely Planet: Since 1973, Lonely Planet has become the world's leading travel media company with guidebooks to every destination, an award-winning website, mobile and digital travel products, and a dedicated traveller community. Lonely Planet covers must-see spots but also enables curious travellers to get off beaten paths to understand more of the culture of the places in which they find themselves.
Off the Beaten Track: My Crazy Year in Asia
Frank Kusy - 2014
Mine was 1989. In that year, I travelled the length and breadth of a chunk of South-East Asia, started a new business in India, wrote two travel guidebooks, got married in a Balinese village, nearly killed the King of Thailand, got attacked by giant spiders in Australia, had bombs raining down on me on the Cambodian border, and received the death penalty in Malaysia.That's what you get when you go off the beaten track...
No Fairytale
Ben Galley - 2019
In their place, an iron-fisted empire has arisen, one that has finally brought order to the war-torn lands. An empire that has outlawed magick for anyone but itself.At last, it seems that peace has come to Emaneska. Or, that is what the emperor would have Emaneska believe. On the fringes of the Arkan Empire, a different story is being written. Those who show magick talent must join the empire, live as an outlaw, or hang for their crimes.The Last War is still being fought, homestead by homestead, and a young peasant girl is about to be thrust into the violent world that exists beneath the lies of empire.Welcome back to Emaneska.
Countryman's Lot: Tales from the Dales
Max Hardcastle - 1991
One day, they'll sell their cramped city-centre antiques shop and the overflowing upstairs flat and relocate to the beautiful Yorkshire Dales. When a smallholding in a remote Dales village comes on the market, it seems like the answer to their prayers.
The Revealed Rome Handbook: Tips and Tricks for Exploring the Eternal City
Amanda Ruggeri - 2012
Written by Amanda Ruggeri, Rome resident, travel journalist, and the blogger behind www.revealedrome.com, it's full of advice to help you enjoy every aspect of your trip, including tips like:-how to pick an authentic Roman restaurant at a glance-budget accommodation options you may not have considered-how to skip the lines at the Colosseum and the Vatican-how to protect yourself from pickpocketing in Rome-which Roman dishes you have to try-where to find drinking water, and bathrooms, while out and about-how to navigate Rome's public transportation system-the best neighborhoods in Rome for shopping...and much more!Armed with these tips, both first-time and frequent visitors to Rome will come away feeling like true Rome insiders!
Wild Times
Brian Garfield - 1978
The nation knows him as a sharpshooter, buffalo hunter, moving pictures pioneer, and one-time proprietor of the greatest Wild West show the nation has ever seen. Some of the stories are true, some exaggerated, and some rank among the wildest of tall tales. But for a man who has lived like Colonel Cardiff, the facts trump the myth. In the spring of 1868, Denver is the richest, wildest city west of the Mississippi. When an overweight Easterner named Dr. Bogardus rolls into town to announce a shooting contest with a $1,000 prize, ears prick up. Young Hugh wins the shoot with an ancient muzzle-loading rifle, knocking glass balls out of the air and missing only four out of one hundred targets. He is famous at nineteen, and the Colonel’s wild life is just getting started.
Why I Love New Orleans: A Collection of Blogs
Heather Graham - 2014
She has used the city as a setting for many of her novels and there are many reasons why. On her blog in 2013 she spent 30 days sharing what she loved about New Orleans. From favorite restaurants, to museums she loves to her most loved ghost stories, she shared what made New Orleans one of her favorite cities in the United States. Now she has compiled these blogs into this ebook that she wants to share with those who are going to New Orleans, those who have dreamed of the city and want to learn more, and those who might want to debate her choices. Why I Love New Orleans is a love story, it's the story of Heather's love for this magical city.
Kaine's Sanction
D.M. Pruden - 2022
Hayden Kaine, a brash young cadet, thinks his family's influence has guaranteed his destiny as a future leader of the Earth Confederation. But falling on the wrong side of an Admiral is never a good idea, and he soon finds himself posted to an outdated military starship at the farthest reaches of the galaxy.What at first appears to be a routine mission turns south when an unforseen disaster traps Kaine and the crew of the Scimitar at the edge of charted space, with no means to return home.Little do they appreciate the dangers that lurk in the dead system, and soon they find themselves fighting an unknown alien species, not only for their survival, but for the future of the empire itself.
Glorious Misadventures: Nikolai Rezanov and the Dream of a Russian America
Owen Matthews - 2013
The dreamer behind this great Imperial vision was Nikolai Rezanov – diplomat, adventurer, courtier, millionaire and gambler. His quest to plant Russian colonies from Siberia to California led him to San Francisco, where he was captivated by Conchita, the fifteen-year-old daughter of the Spanish Governor, who embodied his dreams of both love and empire. From the glittering court of Catherine the Great to the wilds of the New World, Matthews conjures a brilliantly original portrait of one of Russia's most eccentric Empire-builders.
A Holmes for the Czar
Gorg Huff - 2020
The new capital of the legitimate government of Russia, once a trading post in the far east, is now a fast-growing boom town. Into this maelstrom come peddlers and exotic dancers, criminals and craftsmen, nobles and assassins. Crime is running rampant and the city guards that passes for policemen don't have a clue how to handle it—and wouldn’t know a clue if they stumbled right over it. They can manage to walk a beat, at least in broad daylight. But solve a crime? Not a chance. And Czar Michael Romanov and his officials aren’t any help, since they’re pre-occupied with building a nation out of spit and bailing wire. But the bargirl who was murdered had friends who cared. And thosefriends call in Vasilii Lyapuno, an engineer working at the newly-founded Dacha in Ufa and loves up-timer murder mysteries. Can Vasilii track down the killer? Luckily for him, he has the assistance of another bargirl named Miroslava, who has a unique way of seeing the world. Together they might figure out who did what to whom and who was responsible for the crime. Crimes, rather. Murder starts adding up.
baguettes and bicycles: a cycling adventure across France
Steven Herrick - 2012
Beginning on the Atlantic coast of Brittany, the author follows the Loire Valley, the Saone River and numerous canal paths through vineyards, quiet forests and small villages, accompanied by his slow red bicycle, christened Craig after a well-known weight-loss guru. But does the author listen to slimming advice? Non! Adopting the intriguing mantra that 'cycling is just an interlude between meals,' Steven Herrick indulges in three courses for lunch and four courses for dinner, straining the bounds of lycra-clad good taste while testing the frame strength of his bicycle. Not content with crossing France from west to east and cycling over 1,200 kilometres, the author also decides to tackle the iconic mountains of the Tour de France. Mont Ventoux, Alpe d'Huez, Col du Galibier and more... in search of cycling nirvana and the perfect boulangerie.'baguettes and bicycles' is a travel adventure, a restaurant safari and a guidebook for those who enjoy slow food, easy cycling... and fast descents!