As he struggles to cope with their strained love, a mysterious stranger appears, bearing a journal about Chip’s grandfather who parachuted into French Indochina at the end of World War II. As the words of the journal reveal a life that Chip never knew, he begins to understand the depth of love and sacrifice needed in order to have a second chance with Thuy. Part historical fiction, part contemporary love story, The Reach of the Banyan Tree explores the effects of war, love, culture, and family obligation in twentieth century Vietnam through the eyes of three generations of American men, who each lost their soul in the tangled reach of the banyan tree.

    Or the second. Now in her third marriage, Angelia is hoping for her happily-ever-after with former pro-football player Darren Holley. But soon after they move into their sprawling mini-mansion, Darren’s new job as a high school football coach in a trophy-hungry Texas town consumes him, leaving Angelia feeling like a single mother to her two children as well as Darren’s twin diva-daughters. Not to mention the drama from Darren’s mother, who can’t get over the fact that her son has married a woman with so much baggage. When Angelia confides in a few ladies from the local church, their nice, sweet, holy-wife advice may prove ineffective and too burdensome. Should Angelia cut her losses and get out before the ink settles on their marriage certificate, or will she finally learn the true meaning of marriage as she and Darren attempt to blend two very different backgrounds in the face of adversity and nosy church folk? A New Beginning is the first book in the Blended Blessings series by newcomer CaSandra McLaughin and bestselling author Michelle Stimpson.

    He is also a recently freed felon. It's not easy to make things whole again under the rules of the halfway house to which he's been released, especially since his parole officer would like nothing more than to send him back to prison. Amp is bound and determined to make sure that will never happen.Like most felons, Amp has a hell of a time finding and keeping a job because of his record. When all else fails, he uses his body, letting women look for a price. If they're willing to pay more, they can even touch. Under the supervision of savvy club owner Madam Fox, Amp becomes one of the hottest male exotic dancers at Club Eden.Everything is strictly business until the club's attractive female DJ catches Amp's attention. Will either one of them be able to avoid the taboo of mixing business with pleasure? Ladies Night is an intense, thrilling, scandalous, and, at times, funny look at the transition of Amp Anthony from ex-con to exotic dancer, as he struggles to put the pieces of his life back together and escape the past that put him in prison in the first place.

    Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida, is tormented by the thought that maybe his aunt is lying to him about how his mother died. To find the truth he has to overcome his fears: the local bully, the large dark shapes that he imagines in the middle of the dock at night, and the thought that maybe his brother is right, he's just a warped kid who thinks too much. Will he find the courage to stand and fight? Q&A with Lawton Paul Q: What sparked this novel? A: Two things. One: I wanted my kids to know where I came from. The very southern setting—North Florida on the St. Johns river, is where I grew up. And I wanted to give them a feel for that time and place. Watching the sunrise on a stinky crab boat in the St. Johns—what could be better? And the second thing: When I'm not writing, I'm teaching kids. I see a lot of young people who have such promise but for some reason or another, give up right before they're about to make headway. I see my own kids struggling at certain points in their lives. And one thought keeps coming back: don't give up. So I wanted Jesse (main character in Seagull) to really have some heavy issues to navigate through: the death of his mother, Johnny the bully, and of course, the girl, Hailey. You'll have to read the book (savvy marketing ploy alert!) to find out how it all turned out for Jesse. Q: Why should readers give this novel a try? A: If I've done my job well, you'll enjoy the ride and maybe even get that little happy-glow feeling at the end like you just watched Rocky again, or someone said your hair looks nice, or you got an “A” on a pre-calc test. (Another genius bit of marketing there.) Q: What kind of book is Seagull? A: It's a coming of age southern novel with a young main character that should appeal to fiction readers of all ages. Younger readers will sympathize with our teen heroes Jesse and Matty and adult readers will be taken back to earlier days. My style has a literary feel, but the story is plot-driven and suspenseful, especially at the end. And even has a hint of romance. Thanks for giving Seagull a try. Please let me know what you thought of it. —Lawton Paul

    Recognizing this as a chance to start over, Charley and her eleven-year-old daughter, Micah, say good-bye to Los Angeles.They arrive just in time for growing season but no amount of planning can prepare Charley for a Louisiana that’s mired in the past: as her judgmental but big-hearted grandmother tells her, cane farming is always going to be a white man’s business. As the sweltering summer unfolds, Charley must balance the overwhelming challenges of her farm with the demands of a homesick daughter, a bitter and troubled brother, and the startling desires of her own heart.Penguin has a rich tradition of publishing strong Southern debut fiction—from Sue Monk Kidd to Kathryn Stockett to Beth Hoffman. In Queen Sugar, we now have a debut from the African American point of view. Stirring in its storytelling of one woman against the odds and intimate in its exploration of the complexities of contemporary southern life, Queen Sugar is an unforgettable tale of endurance and hope.

    COLLIER CROMWELL loved God, his wife, and his country, though military life exacted a demanding toll. An unexpected deployment during the height of war sends Collier away for yet another year. Their lives tumble down a path marked with struggle, and fatalities.Burdened with unseen emotional wounds and crippled faith, Collier's homecoming only increases their trials. The angry, defeated hermit at Whitleigh's side barely resembles the loving, faithful hero she married two years earlier. Concerned about possible career repercussions, admitting his need for help proves difficult for Collier and his behavior worsens. Angry outbursts — and his cold, callous nature — isn't all that provokes Whitleigh to pack her bags. Collier seeks solace for his private suffering in the worst possible place leaving Whitleigh to walk away from shattered pieces of broken trust. Will Collier seek the healing he desperately needs in time to save their marriage, or is it over? Are there wounds too deep, marriages too broken, and lives so far gone they fall beyond even God's ability to restore?

    Telbat, we find an international thriller providing background to Corban Dowler and the COIL Organization. CIA Agent Corban Dowler has refused a kill order, therefore he is sanctioned for assassination by the very agency he has worked with for years. As Corban runs for his life, he must cut all ties and even abandon his wife in order to keep her alive. His new relationship with Jesus Christ may cost him everything . . . But Corban has a plan. He knows God's persecuted need his specialized skills, so he follows a lead to India, though poisonous clutches and a German hit squad are close behind. Disguised as a bearded Muslim weapons smuggler, Corban initiates a rescue in the midst of millions of Hindus participating in the Ganges River bathing festival. We also meet first-recruit ex-Mossad Agent Chloe Azmaveth and her husband as they brainstorm with Corban about a new organization to serve God's people worldwide. With Bonus Chapter One of Dark Liaison, Book One in the COIL Series, and cover art by Streetlight Graphics, Dark Edge will not disappoint as you follow the founder of COIL to the Edge of darkness. And we learn again, there is no redemption without sacrifice . . .

    At the beginning of the trip, a Mack truck wipes them off the road, nearly killing them. This near-death experience is a wake-up call for Cosmo, and he begins to question the life he’s been leading. He realizes that he’s not happy with his current life and wants to make a change. A number of encounters along the way reinforce this desire, but he’s afraid to leave the familiarity of his humdrum existence for the unknown. This book is the sequel to Olive Branches Don't Grow On Trees and the second book featuring the Greco family, although it can be read as a stand-alone. Reviewers such as Kirkus Reviews and Midwest Book Review have called this a poignant and well-drawn soaring story that opens readers eyes to new perspectives. Readers will feel that they are along on the ride in this soulful road story as the highly lovable Cosmo explores a vividly painted American landscape, encounters a cast of colorful characters and discovers what it takes to be truly happy.

     As maternity leave comes to an end for Heidi Elliott, so does virtually everything else she thought she knew. The substitute filling in for her high school Spanish classes has made a complete mess—not just with her students, but perhaps in a way more personal. Her husband is developing the disconcerting habit of going out of his way to help a beautiful and wealthy client who is all kinds of perky. And now, to further complicate matters, Heidi’s old boyfriend has moved back into the neighborhood. Fiercely independent, Heidi has never been one to ask for help. But when she discovers unexpected camaraderie with a Moms’ Group, Heidi finds herself in a sea of shoulder pads, big hair, and surprisingly strong women who just might hold the lifeline she didn’t think she needed.

    Narrated in part by the animal characters in the book, the reader experiences Toby's world through his eyes and those of the animals he meets on his journey. Toby's life begins on a farm where the carefree, happy days he has known come to an abrupt end when his breeder decides to "dispose" of him and his sister Tara because of the color of their fur. With the help of a kind farmhand, the two puppies escape unharmed. After a tumultuous time during which Toby is shuffled from place to place, he is finally adopted, but he quickly realizes his new family has deep-seated issues that put him in danger, and what seemed like an ideal home, turns into another place he must escape from.As Toby struggles to find a forever home where he can feel safe and secure, he experiences some painful losses, but he also makes new friends--friends who will help him to trust humans again and teach him the power of love.Inspired by a true story, this middle grade/young adult novel can be enjoyed by dog lovers of all ages.

    Trapped in an industrial conspiracy that threatens to destabilize the Americas, the reluctant pair seeks to prevent an international terrorist strike aimed at the heart of the United States. Held captive in a remote Andean valley near the Bolivian border, the couple fights to save themselves and their respective counties. With action ranging from Havana, Cuba to Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, San Juan Puerto Rico and beyond this fast-paced narrative features unexpected plot twists, thrilling flight sequences, and emotionally charged confrontations.

    Recovering from a head injury and getting back on her feet takes all of Kate’s energy, but toddler Sam has left a hole in her heart – a hole that isn’t healed by the knowledge that Sam is being cared for by Kate’s mother. Estranged from her parents since she was eighteen, Kate soon discovers they took Sam home to Cornwall months ago, convinced Kate would never wake up ...By the time Kate is well enough to reclaim her son she is frantic with worry. Why hasn’t her mother brought Sam to see her? Why haven’t they replied to any of her letters? And why will no one talk to her about the circumstances around her injuries?

    Seth can’t let go of the past. Recent Wellesley College graduate Caroline Prescott’s future is set in stone. After Harvard Law School, she’ll step into place beside her two brothers in their father’s legendary Boston law firm. Caroline secretly longs for the quiet, peaceful life and a career designing jewelry with precious gemstones instead of life as a hotshot Boston attorney. On a hiking trip with her two best friends weeks before entering law school, Caroline meets Seth Barnes in charming Evergreen, Maine. A mineralogist and part-time college professor, Seth drives a truck sporting an I DIG ROCKS license plate, lives in hiking clothes, flannel shirts and jeans, and loves Jesus. Two years later, when they meet again, Caroline and Seth confront both the promise of possibility and the pain of past heartaches. What’s a girl to do when the man she secretly loves has a serious girlfriend and seems determined to hold her at arm’s length? And what’s a guy to do when he can’t stay away from a certain irresistible woman no matter how hard he tries? Does the Lord have His own design for their hearts? Heart’s Design, a story filled with faith, friendship, love, family, and the power of forgiveness.

    Twin sisters Shia and Leigh are trying to readjust to life, while caring for their baby sister Remi. With the exception of Leigh s angry, dramatic mood swings every now and then, everything seems to be going great. That is until Demetri; the mysterious stranger enters their midst, and falls right in the path of the newly single Shia. After dating Trent for so long, she is looking for a man to treat her like a queen, and Demetri is heaven sent...until inexplicable things begin to happen. When one of her sisters goes missing, and was last seen with Trent and Demetri, Shia suddenly realizes no one is who they appear to be. The seemingly normal world she and her sisters recreated is destroyed. Shia begins to realize that her parents' past deeds are coming back to haunt them all and no one can be trusted. It is unclear to Shia which man truly has her best interest - and safety - at heart. Staring at the wilted flower she calls life, she is slowly pulling back the layers to try to understand if He loves me, he loves you not...

    Hotshot twenty-something Talba Wallis knew exactly how to answer it. And thus was born the dynamic duo of New Orleans private detectives, one cynical, sixty-five-year-old Luddite white dude with street smarts, and one young, bright-eyed, Twenty-First century African-American female poet, performance artist, mistress of disguise, and computer jock extraordinaire. Think Queen Latifah and Danny DeVito.In Louisiana Hotshot, their job is to hunt down a sociopath and pedophile who’s molested the fourteen-year-old daughter of their client, hangs out on the ragged edges of the rap and recording industries, and has more powerful allies than a Cabinet member.But both detectives have unfinished business from the past—in Eddie’s case, something he deeply regrets; in Talba’s, a personal mystery, one so frightening no one will help her investigate. But she knows she won’t sleep till she solves it—and the truth will change her forever.