A Civil Rights Activist in the Sixties and Seventies, she has spent most of her adult life attending marches, giving speeches, and lending a hand to anyone in need.But on the very evening she is to be acknowledged with a Lifetime Achievement Award for her humanitarian efforts, a stroke leaves her partially paralyzed and unable to speak. Now Adelle's in the care of a ruthless hospice nurse, who sees not a hero before her, but the cause of her many hardships growing up as a child of interracial parents, someone who decides to give Adelle her very own brand of "Physical Therapy" consisting of pain and suffering, mental cruelty and torture.And now, after a lifetime of helping others, Adelle needs help, quickly, before another round of brutal treatment snuffs out her life.

    But being blamed for her first love’s suicide? That destroyed every part of who she was. Gone were the days of innocence, happiness, and dreams. Now her days simply meant attempting to survive. In her mind, her only means for that was replacing her grief with men, booze and the fast life. And for five years, it worked. When an opportunity to leave the nightmares of her past in Australia opens up, she takes it. Los Angeles beckons - with hopes of late nights, new beginnings, and the promise of a string of endless men to distract her, she can’t wait to dive in. One thing she didn’t count on was meeting her match. In the eyes of outsiders, Tate Connors has it all; the ultimate LA bachelor who is content with his lifestyle of wild nights, women and one night stands. He's Mr. Unpredictable with looks that could destroy any woman with one glance. The craziness of Los Angeles throws them into the chaotic path of each other. Savannah becomes the perfect game, and Tate becomes the ultimate prey. Lines are crossed, emotions are smashed, and the idea of who they truly are begins to be tangled. However, one thing will become clear.They are more alike than either one could ever have imagined.

     This boxed set contains the previously published: Layers Inner Core Layers: According to Hayley love is a subject of ridicule, a myth created by hopeless romantics. When Hayley makes a resolution to declare her loose lifestyle era R.I.P, it’s all good in theory… That is until she meets Daniel Stark, a well-respected, mid-thirties business man who is known for his short temper, lack of steady relationships as well as his strict preserve of his private life. Opinionated, sharp tongued Hayley accidently steps into his office leaving Daniel resolved to put Hayley in her place and have her in his bed. Both Hayley and Daniel can’t avoid the immediate instigation of the attraction between them. In a unanimously agreed upon verdict by Hayley and her two best friends, Ian the gay self-absorbed, aspiring model and Natasha the witty, borderline neurotic soul mate, Daniel Stark is to be Hayley’s pure physical attraction, emotions aside era closure. Will it indeed be a closure, or a beginning to something neither Hayley nor Daniel ever bargained for… Inner Core: When Hayley makes a resolution to take back the control over her life, and declare their relationship R.I.P, it’s all good in theory… That is until Daniel decides to prove her wrong and get her back. Together, Hayley and Daniel seem to have it all. But can love ever be enough when two strong personalities collide and while reality takes the lead? Faced with more obstacles than she could have ever bargain for when it comes to Daniel, struggling to keep her own identity while sharing a life with her man. Buds of doubt start rooting in Hayley’s confidence, making her rethink her decision. And just when it seems that they might make it together after all, life happens. Bringing a threat that neither Hayley nor Daniel could ever anticipate, a threat that could break them apart forever . . .

    The killer has left behind a clue connecting the two cases to First Date, a popular online dating service, and Flann McIlroy, an eccentric, publicity-seeking homicide detective, is convinced that only Ellie can help him pursue his terrifying theory: someone is using the lure of the Internet and the promise of love to launch a killing spree against the women of New York City.   To catch the killer, Ellie must enter a high-tech world of stolen identities where no one is who they appear to be. And for her, the investigation quickly becomes personal: she fits the profile of the victims, and she knows firsthand what pursuing a sociopath can do to a cop--back home in Wichita, Kansas, her father lost his life trying to catch a notorious serial murderer.   When the First Date killer begins to mimic the monster who destroyed her father, Ellie knows the game has become personal for him, too. Both hunter and prey, she must find the killer before he claims his next victim--who could very well be her.   Expertly plotted and perfectly paced, Dead Connection advances Alafair Burke to the front ranks of American thriller writers.

    Her cheating ex-husband traded her in for a newer model and she’s in over her head dealing with the drama that comes along with raising her twin teenage daughters.The last thing she is looking for or needs in her life is a man - or is it?Ben Wilder is the boy that Melanie loved to hate throughout high school, the boy that all the girls loved and the boy that didn't give Melanie the time of day, unless it was to tease her. When she runs into him once again she realizes...he’s not a boy anymore. Older and wiser, she’s determined not to fall for her secret crush from all those years ago. But sometimes our heart has different plans than our head. Will she finally get her happily ever after with the man she least expected to have it with?Take a humorous journey with Melanie and her daughters as their lives begin to parallel and they discover that although they may be separated by a generation their struggles are still the same.*Book 1 of The Three Of A Kind Series Expected Publication: 2015

    He’s crass. She wanted out of South Boston. He never wanted to leave. She keeps him at a distance. He refuses to leave her side. Together, Colleen Frasier and Bradley Patrick are ridiculous and juvenile. Apart, they’re just plain miserable.While Detective Bradley Patrick was keeping the streets of South Boston safe, Colleen Frasier was busy litigating late into the evening and admiring the view from her high-rise condo downtown. Her life was perfect– sort of. She spent too much time drinking her high-priced lattes and acquiring an impressive shoe collection and before she knew it she was 35 and time for all that other stuff she wanted, like a husband and children, was quickly passing her by. And then there’s that longtime rift that’s kept her and her childhood best friend, Bradley Patrick, at odds for over a decade.All of that changes on Colleen’s 35th birthday when she receives a surprise marriage proposal from Brad. One night. One birthday wish. Trouble is, he brings out the worst in Colleen. She can’t possibly marry him, can she? She’s never been very good at saying “no” to him, either. What was supposed to end the next day with an annulment takes on a life of its own when video of the wedding ends up on the internet and their families are overjoyed by the news. Fearing the shame of her Catholic family, Colleen has a proposal of her own: pretend the marriage is for real– and Brad is all too willing to play the doting husband.

    Victory Payne is the hottest lead guitar player on the night club scene of Hollywood's infamous Sunset Strip. With nothing but her car and her guitar, she's ready to claw her way to success. Victory never gives up. Then she breaks rock's cardinal rule. She falls in love with her lead singer, the gorgeous and brooding Scott Walker. That is mistake number one. Mistake number two is a roadblock named Kellan Burns. Kellan is primed to claim the title of hottest lead guitar player in Los Angeles with his rugged good looks and his own guitar slung as low as his tight jeans. Kellan isn't the kind of guy to let some upstart babe with a six string stand in his way. Victory Payne, meet Kellan Burns. BOOM. Ladies, you will need a fire extinguisher for this one. This edition collects the serialized novels Victory RUN 1, Victory RUN 2, and Victory RUN 3 into a single volume.

    This calling gives him a purpose and helps to cleanse the stains of a past he’d rather forget . . . at least until a previous mission returns to haunt them, thrusting him right back into the middle of his most painful memories . . . but this time, maybe he can find his way to salvation with the help of one tiny, beautiful, blonde package. Rebekah Keegan takes pride in being an independent woman. Orphaned as a child, she supports herself and her ailing grandfather, and it’s just them against the world—but even she can admit it would be nice to have someone to help shoulder the burden, especially when she starts to feel someone watching her. Little does she know she’s not as alone as she once thought. She had no idea she had a family, much less a long-lost cousin who is none other than John “Tex” Keegan, one of the most beloved and badass Navy SEALs of all-time. So who is this handsome stranger who claims her cousin sent him to save her? Can she trust him? Can she trust her heart? Ultimately, she may not have a choice. He’s there on a mission to protect her from the newest Kingpin of the deadly Mexican drug cartel that has put the Marines and SEAL team that took down his mentor, and everyone they care about, in his crosshairs. This leader is more brutal, more blood-thirsty, and more hellbent on revenge than his predecessor, and he’s already begun his devious plot of vengeance by contracting the most dangerous hacker around—the only one who can rival Tex, and who has already figured out how to hit the team where their heart is. ***Susan Stoker’s Navy SEALs combine with my United States Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance team in an explosive new love story as part of the exciting Special Forces: Operation Alpha World!

    That is, until she reconnects with her childhood friend, Jen, and meets Alec Johnson.Alec is the kind of guy Lexy knows she needs to stay away from. He's the village flirt, ridiculously hot and very dangerous to her self control. But there's a problem – she can't seem to keep him out, even though she knows he'll break her heart. As Alec slowly strips away Lexy's defences and the two embark on a summer romance she never wanted, their feelings grow to more than either expected. But nothing lasts forever, and reality intrudes. As her world is shaken to it's core, Lexy's self made prediction comes true when she discovers she's spent six weeks surrounded by secrets. Kept out by her family and the only guy she's ever trusted, she falls apart. And when Grammy tells her that 'you might not end up where you wanted to be, but you'll always end up where you're meant to be,' she has to figure out if her meant to be is back home in London, or if it's been in Devon the whole time.HOLDING ON: Living in London after spending almost twenty years in a town with a population of three hundred would be hard on anyone – and Alec Johnson is no exception to the rule.When Alec followed Lexy to London, he knew his life would change drastically. He just didn’t know how much. With Lexy’s friends and admirer to contend with, he has to show there’s more to the country surfer boy than his ability to ride the waves. With his own shameless admirers, he has to keep Lexy’s trust – and despite her love for him, that’s no easy task.Beneath her tough girl exterior, all Jennifer Mason has ever wanted to do is paint. London’s School of Art can give her that, and she couldn’t be happier she’s finally breaking free from Lilac Bay. What she’s not happy about is having to leave Carl behind – or his reluctance to visit her while she’s studying.Their relationship is put to the test as living on her own for the first time and university take their toll on Jen. After all, three hundred miles is a long way to be away from your boyfriend when you’re eighteen years old.And it’s even harder when you can’t keep your eyes off your best friend’s older brother.ALWAYS REMEMBER: How long does it take for a long-distance relationship to break down? Sixteen months.When Jen and Carl put their relationship to rest after Christmas, Jen’s biggest problem is going back to London ten days earlier than planned – and her ever-present attraction to Samuel ‘Bing’ Edwards.Bing has no idea why Jen left Devon so fast. All he knows is that he wants her as much as he did the first day he laid eyes on her – so spending time with her while Lexy is still in Devon isn’t exactly a hardship for him. When he finds out she’s single, the only thing on his mind is finishing what they started at his dad’s fiftieth birthday party.Feelings that have been a long time building between the two explode, and they both find themselves sucked into an easy yet passionate relationship, with Bing determined to prove to Jen that she’s it for him. That she is The One.But in a city like London, the odds are stacked against them, and there’s always that one person ready to stir things up… And Jen doesn’t know how much of that she can take – even for the guy she loves more deeply than she ever imagined, and eventually she breaks.Bing isn’t down with that. He wants Jen, and he wants her by his side for good.Jennifer Mason must learn that Samuel Edwards doesn’t do giving up. Especially not when his forever girl is involved.**New Adult contemporary romances, not suitable for anyone under the age of 17 due to strong language and sexual situations.**

    But I got dumped that morning. Via text. And then one of my students hit on me. And the rest of the day was a complete mess. The beautifully single Mr. Drake McCain found me in my classroom, feeling sorry for myself. And not sixty seconds later he had me laughing and electricity racing through my blood.My family is broken and complicated. I literally don’t know my biological father’s name. My mother is absent and my half-brother barely knows who she is. But Drake? He’s not complicated. He’s sweet and kind and insanely adorable, and comes from a wonderful family. He is everything I want.The chemistry between us? It’s there in spades. I keep telling myself that I should be feeling really awful and depressed since I just got dumped a few days ago. But I keep getting this ridiculous smile on my face every time Drake is around and it’s kind of hard to keep telling myself that.I’m Kaylee Ray. I believe in fairy tales and happily ever after’s, and maybe the search for Prince Charming is over.Cue reality check.

    Some say that the Syldoon eat virgins and babies–or perhaps their own mothers. Arkamondos, a bookish young scribe, suspects that the Syldoon’s dire reputation may have grown in the retelling, but he’s about to find out for himself.Hired to chronicle the exploits of a band of rugged Syldoon warriors, Arki finds himself both frightened and fascinated by the men’s enigmatic leader, Captain Braylar Killcoin. A secretive, mercurial figure haunted by the memories of those he’s killed with his deadly flail, Braylar has already disposed of at least one impertinent scribe ... and Arki might be next.Archiving the mundane doings of millers and merchants was tedious, but at least it was safe. As Arki heads off on a mysterious mission into parts unknown, in the company of the coarse, bloody-minded Syldoon, he is promised a chance to finally record an historic adventure well worth the telling, but first he must survive the experience!A gripping military fantasy explores the brutal politics of Empire–and the searing impact of violence and dark magic on a man’s soul.

    I hand pick girls from the street who have no options left in life and give them an opportunity they can’t possibly refuse. They come to work in the Lafayette Club which is full of EXQUISITE DEBAUCHERY, where influential men come to conduct business and lap dances are considered a fine art. The girls are trained, they are morphed, they are educated, they follow the rules of the club and they know to submit to me. They live by my motto, no relationships, no love, just sex. They are never touched, only by me, they are never completely naked, only with me, and their personas are entirely anonymous. The only person who knows who they truly are, is me, Jett Colby. If these girls were ever seen on the streets of New Orleans, you would never know they were a Jett Girl.

    She’s saved every penny from her multiple jobs so she can dart out of there as soon as she graduates. But there's something else she wants so badly she's willing to spend every dime she has. Her senior class trip and the chance to seduce the senior hottie, Sean Dixon.Ryan Parker knows how much college means to his best friend, Lexie. He also knows Sean is a player on a search for how many girls he can get in his bed. So instead of letting Lexie drain out her piggy bank, he forks out the dough to get her on the senior ski trip. Not only because she’s his best friend, but because he’s face-planted in love with her.When Ryan and Lexie get jammed in the same cabin, with one king-sized bed and a whole lot of history, Ryan fights to keep his feelings hidden, while Lexie discovers some of hers.

    Living in a city crawling with Beasts – her own kind gone rogue and using their supernatural gift to prey on humans – she's a skilled fighter doubling as a bodyguard. She's prepared for anything, except the two civilian guys who bring hell on her head.Hunted by the most dangerous man in the city, they claim innocence. But as she's assigned to protect them no matter the cost, she can't help but question the enemy's true motives – and the humans' story. Especially when one of them gets dangerously close to becoming more than just a client.As the enemies threaten to destroy everything she holds dear, she will have to choose: keep running or take a final stand.Even if it means giving up her own life.Previously published as Sky Ghosts: All for One. This is a revised, updated edition with 4 new chapters.

    But Quincy isn’t the man he appears to be.When the woman whose body he once worshipped and whose heart he broke pleads for his help, Quincy knows he must either turn his back on her or risk revealing his dark secrets to the one woman who can—and will—tear open his old wounds.For years, struggling actress Eliza Tucker has tried to forget the decadent weeks she shared with Quincy Radcliffe. His smoldering good looks had drawn her in, while his British charm had enchanted her. But it was the wildness of his seduction and the ferocity of his passion that captured her. She’d given herself to him—and he’d shattered her like glass when he’d walked away.Now, he’s the only person who can help find her missing sister. She’ll use him because she has too. She’ll pay any sensual price he demands. But she won’t fall for him again.