Failed attempts at sustaining his dream sends him back to Chicago where he knows his restaurant can thrive. Problem is, the prime location for his neighborhood is in major need of revitalization. A bachelor auction planned to raise the remaining funds necessary to restore the hood may be the remedy to Southlake’s problem, but there's no way Jeremy would ever agree to be a bachelor in the auction. Will his stubbornness cost him his restaurant dreams? Naima Grant has moved to Chicago for several reasons: to be closer to her favorite cousin; to spend more time with her grandmother; and to put as much distance as she can from the life she once shared with her ex-husband. Southlake Park may be her good luck charm, especially when she learns she’ll be spending some much-needed time with her childhood crush. Yet just like before, he only sees her as a friend, but she plans to make the most of their time together whether he’s ready for her or not.

    How else would beauty influencer, Senaé Dawson, wind up at a bachelor auction? Whisked away without a say, her besties treat her to a birthday bid at an auction featuring decadent Black men. Inevitably infected by the hype, Senaé’s excitement hits hyper drive until the blindfold’s removed from her eyes. She’s dumbstruck to discover she’s just “bought” her ex-husband. Lexington “Lex” Ryde turned his love for cars into a multi-million dollar private transportation business serving Black Hollywood’s A-list. His line of work taught Lex to be prepared at a moment’s notice. But seeing his ex-wife face-to-face for the first time in twenty years leaves him feeling as if “sucker-punched by Tyson and Holyfield.” Thanks to their problematic past, neither is pleased with this bachelor auction “ridiculousness”, or the instant flare of hot, sexual attraction erupting between them. But being Mama Peaches’ first foster child, Lex can’t renege. He's stuck with the auction results...and the unpleasant truth that he's still in love with his ex.   Take the ride with Senaé and Lex! They’ll confront a painful past, consider their present, and encounter an unwanted admirer who must be dealt with.

    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.

    She’ll do whatever it takes to help her sick, matchmaking mom. A freak accident throws them together, but will his big secret tear them apart?When Ryan Lawson’s business partners force him to go on a wilderness retreat to come to terms with a shocking diagnosis, the last thing on Ryan’s mind is romance. But when he’s stranded in the woods with a sweet young event planner, all thoughts of business take a back seat to her girl-next-door appeal.Fresh off a bad breakup, Zara Georgopoulos comes to Vermont to help her terminally ill mom work through her bucket list—not fall in love with a man who’s the exact opposite of her usual type. But when Ryan starts working his way into her heart with his kindness and generosity, she needs to make a decision: Trust the biotech billionaire not to walk all over her, or go back to guarding her heart.Stuck in the wilds of Vermont, they forge a tenuous connection. When Ryan finally shares the truth about his illness, will it bring them closer together . . . or shatter Zara’s trust in him for good? Inspired by 2 Corinthians 12:9, The Billionaire’s Secret is a sweet inspirational romance with a swoony hero, LOTS of entertaining banter, and a strong Christian message. Download your copy today!

    When she requests his presence at her neighborhood bachelor auction, he agrees—under one condition. His participation must be kept under wraps. He may be one of the best “closers” in the league, but the last thing he needs is a media circus. Unfortunately, the persistent woman who wins his company is a reporter. She stands for everything he tries to avoid, but their instant connection and her undeniable beauty are slowly breaking through his exterior whether he likes it or not. One night, one goal. That’s all sports journalist Ashton Joy (A.J.) Cook needs to land the exclusive interview of her dreams. She’s worked overtime to earn respect and interviewing the mysterious baseball player is an opportunity too delicious to pass up. Using her sly reporter skills, A.J. arranges the auction’s winning bid for Christian. Yet, the man behind the legend is infuriating in more ways than one. Their explosive chemistry is giving her whiplash and soon, A.J. must decide between doing what’s best for her career or following what she feels in her heart.

    When the second Iraq war breaks out, it is only natural that their newest generations should be represented in the ranks of British officers: at 24, Lieutenant Susie Anderson delays her wedding to handsome fellow-officer Callum and joins her regiment on the hot sands of Kuwait. Brother Francis, meanwhile, continues his cabaret career as Madam Fanny Fantoni, drag chanteuse and net-stockinged vamp, with a stinging line in repartee and the most remarkable falsetto top C in Clapham. As the neighbours agree, it must be terribly difficult for their poor parents, especially the General. Real difficulties come, though, when Callum comes home injured, altered and bitter, and Susie and her family feel as though their lives are shattered. The solution to this tangle comes from the most unlikely source of all. Set against a background of desert war, seedy clubs, a hippie sailing-ship and quiet English village life, Libby Purves' latest novel is a commentary on changing social roles, the nature of courage and the futility of prejudice.

    A NEW WORLD.EXCITEMENT. OPPORTUNITY. ADVENTURE.For the colonists on a terraformed Mars in 2454, that was the promise. For you though—Jess Flint, engineering prodigy and big-time dreamer—it is a promise unfulfilled. Excitement? Adventure? Somebody might be having ’em, but not in the one-horse-town you call home.And then it happens.In the depths of an abandoned alien junkyard, you stumble across the preserved hulk of legendary steam locomotive the Cannonball Express. Your jaw hits the Martian floor. This is it! Your ticket out! You rebuild the ancient loco, augmenting it with a hodgepodge of powerful alien super-tech.Almost before you know it, you’ve found yourself a crew:There’s Sally, the town’s glamorpuss, handy-with-her-fists saloon singer.There’s Vera, über-brainiac accountant-turned-adrenalin junkie.Oh, and there’s Dave. He’s from Staines.You drop an ad in the local paper—CANNONBALL EXPRESS (MARS) Ltd.Any CargoAnywhereAnytime—and WHAM! You just climbed aboard a bullet train to adventure.CANNONBALL EXPRESSLet's Roll!_______________________________Book 1 in Kit Kane’s CANNONBALL EXPRESS series, Railroads of Mars is steampunk adventure at full-throttle—a standalone sci-fi romp, brimming with action, suspense, comedy, and romance.

    Once again there are comical and insightful tales of life in wild and stunning locations.Readers will be further enlightened by the escapades of the unforgettable farmer Foteini: her unique take on life; her outrageous ‘fashions’, including a makeshift shoe design you will never forget, and her ‘haute couture’ offerings for Riko the donkey.As well as tales of the Peloponnese, there are stories from other Greek locations the couple have visited, including Pelion and the islands of Santorini and Corfu. This book also offers a fascinating glimpse into some of the author’s earliest trips to Greece with tales that have not been published before, including a year of teaching English in Athens during a dangerous time of political upheaval; a humorous story of facing up to bizarre religious relics in Corfu; and a long sabbatical in Crete that didn’t quite go to plan, with a hint of unexpected romance in an idyllic setting.This book also includes some of the author's photographs of her travels in Greece.

    . . Heroes are thought to be gone from the land. So why have the bards begun singing of them once more? For Fable newcomers and dedicated fans alike, Blood of Heroes delves into a never-before-glimpsed era, telling the tale of a band of adventurers who come together to defend a kingdom in desperate need.The city of Brightlodge is awash with Heroes from every corner of Albion, all eager for their next quest. When someone tries to burn down the Cock and Bard inn, four Heroes find themselves hastily thrown together, chasing outlaws through sewers, storming a riverboat full of smugglers, and placing their trust in a most unlikely ally. As the beginnings of a deadly plot are revealed, it becomes clear that Heroes have truly arrived—and so have villains.What connects the recent events in Brightlodge to rumors about a malicious ghost and a spate of unsolved deaths in the nearby mining town of Grayrock? Unless Albion’s bravest Heroes can find the answer, the dawn of a new age could be extinguished before it even begins.From the Trade Paperback edition.

    Ready for it?"God is here."It may sound obvious at first, but truly understanding these three words is the key to more happiness, less boredom, more rest, less rush, more love, less drama, more peace, less fear.A deeply satisfying life doesn't require a sabbatical, a mission trip, or a New Year's resolution. As long as God is glorious enough and near enough, you can enjoy the life that is truly life--not just the cheap substitutes we've settled for.This book will help you move from just enjoying the good moments in life to worshiping the God who is right here, right now. This movement will exponentially increase your happiness, peace, and contentment. It will allow you to shake off the guilt and shame of sin and see yourself as God sees you. Learn how to recognize God's impact on your life and find the joy he's been waiting to give you.

    NIMBUS is steampunk for people who don't know they like steampunk, as well as being steampunk for people who already love steampunk!--Seedy corporations and airship factions, demons and rogues, zealots and thieves…Nimbus is an epic tale of power, greed, and corruption.Jude Finley is a new recruit aboard the Gangly Dirigible, an airship that extracts water from rainclouds. While working aboard the ship, Jude and his friends uncover a secret which may or may not help them against a growing uprising that could spell doom for everyone on the planet. Meanwhile, Demetrius Rucca, the wheelchair-bound son of a prominent religious leader, begins recruiting followers for his own subversive cause. As allegiances are sworn to him and his followers grow, he begins to discover the new powers that lie within him. This power could be the salvation Demetrius is looking for–or it could be the destruction of the known world.

    The laughter continues to flow in Gina Kirkham's brilliant sequel to the hilarious Handcuffs, Truncheon and a Polyester Thong.Our hapless heroine, Constable Mavis Upton, is preparing to walk down the aisle with her fianc� Joe, but has to deal with her temperamental teen daughter, as well as investigate a serial flasher on a push bike.Throw a diva drag queen into the mix and you can expect more marvellous Mavis mishaps...Revel in Gina Kirkham's humorous, poignant, and moving stories of an everyday girl who one day followed a dream.

    He is, after all, a monster himself. Cursed in his errant past, his body now harbors a blazing fiend of pure, elemental chaos—kept in check by the bonds that smother his own magical abilities.But crime ever turns in the Clockwork City, and none are better suited to investigate those most sinister deeds of inscrutable sorcery than Corradon’s greatest detective magus. With his loyal apprentice, Keldon Veldanor, and a host of street-smart allies, Aldicus will face a crucible of sorcery and villainy with only his wits and the science of forensic alchemy to aid him.Yet, in the decaying depths of the Underworks far below the tick-tock city, there festers an even greater evil—a darkness that threatens not only the unsuspecting denizens of Corradon, but the fate of their entire world.

    But the bishop insists that May also marry her widowed brother-in-law, Thad Hochstedler--the beau who jilted her to wed her sister. Can May risk her heart long enough to learn the real reason for Thad's first marriage...and possibly rediscover their love?