A partner she loves, five amazing kids and a house by the sea. But life is never simple and there is more than a little emotional baggage coming along for the ride.Starting with that tw*t of an ex-husband who doesn't pull his weight. Then there's the untrained puppy, the work/life balance, a custody battle for the children and all the everyday ups and downs and chaos of being a patchwork family.Surrounded by family dramas and mums who seem to have all their sh*t together, Jo must find a way to make friends and make it work in this new town.Barbecues on the beach and dog walks open up new conversations, but as Jo gets to know everyone better, the picture perfect families might be in need of more help than she first thought...When normal is not an option, surprises can lead to a different kind of happy family.

    But as a penniless and partnerless house-painter with an expired lease on her flat and a twelve-year-old daughter, she could hardly turn down her parents' offer to take them on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the Caribbean. She'd just have to put up with her sister Theresa (making no secret of preferring Tuscany as a holiday destination) and brother Simon (worrying that there might be some sinister agenda behind their parents' wish to take them all away) with their various spouses, teenagers, young children and au pair. In a luxury hotel, with bright sunshine, swimming, diving, glorious food and friendly locals, any family tensions should have melted away in the fabulous heat. The children should have been angelic, the teenagers cheerful, the adults relaxed and happy. But...some problems just refuse to be left at home.

    A mysterious email sends Kayla to a Maryland beach town and her grandmother’s home, Seacliff House. There, Kayla hopes to discover who she is and why her past has been shrouded in mystery.When Tanner Bishop discovers an old diary among his grandfather’s possessions, his interest is piqued. Some of the entries speak of Pearl, a young woman who abandoned her son and fled Maine for Maryland in 1958. The journalist in Tanner wants to know what became of Pearl once she found her way to Seacliff House. But as the woman’s great-grandson, he needs to know.Kayla quickly learns the whereabouts of her father and meets her formidable grandmother, while Tanner investigates his own connection to Seacliff House.Through a mutual interest in searching out their roots, romance blossoms. But events that cannot be stopped are quickly set in motion—including murder—to reveal secrets of the past that threaten the couple’s hopeful future.

    We're small and easy-going with a lot of community pride and camaraderie. What we don't have a lot of is crime. A close-knit laid-back little borough, so close to the southern border of Pennsylvania we're almost in West Virginia. Townsfolk like to say: "We're south enough to lend credence to our slight drawl, but sufficiently north of the Mason-Dixon to be 'damn Yankees'." None of us were prepared for murder ... especially involving a teenager.

    Things are bound to get hot when the men of Crimson Security are involved. Book 1 My name is Darby Connors and I’m in deep. Maybe too deep for me to make it out alive. It isn’t the first time I’ve been in trouble while doing my job, but this time feels different. Something is coming for me. Someone is coming for me. Hendrix Crimson is assigned to guard my body, and guard it, he does. Caught up in the mess I’ve made, he tries to help me solve the case I’m working on so he only has to worry about one killer coming after me. Book 2 My name is Lacey Holt and I do not need help from Jagger Crimson. Someone is messing with my family, and my ranch, trying to drag up painful family memories. They’ve convinced my dad that my brother’s murderer is back and ready to pick off the rest of our family. I know better. I know that I can take care of it without Jagger, too. He’s a constant distraction and all he’ll do is get in my way. Convincing my dad of that is another story. When it becomes clear that the threat is directed at me, he is ready to ship me off to safety. I’m an adult, though. I’m tough. There’s nothing that this hidden bully can do to run me off my family land. Except for kidnap me and lock me away. So, maybe I do need Jagger after all. Not that I’d ever want to admit that to him. Book 3 Left an orphan after a rough childhood, I was taken in by the president of a rough Motorcycle Club. Given plenty of room to grow, I was treated like a princess. Until I wasn’t. When things in the club change and a new president takes his throne, I’m in more danger than ever. Sold and then saved by Jackson, I owe him my life. It’s not anything he’s interested in, though. Jackson comes with baggage, but I get it. I have my own. Who can help that when we unpack it, things get a little messy? Book 4 I’m not who I used to be. Detective Rain Willows died while being held captive by a very bad man. Now, I don’t know who I am. I’m not a cop. I’m barely a human some days. I’m scared. I lost everything. I gained some scars. The bad man is still after me. Thad Brooks has an ax to grind with me, but he feels like the only thing standing between me and death. I don’t want to admit that I’m afraid, or that I need help, but when things get bad enough, I’m not too stubborn to wave the white flag. Book 5 My only desire in life is to get my daughter back. At any cost, including my life. My name is Clara Crimson and I’m not a good person. I live with a monster and I have killed. I don’t deserve to be happy, but she does. Cash Crimson, my ex-husband, has every reason to hate me and he does. He probably would like to watch me die, but he thinks he needs me to find our daughter. What we find isn’t what we expected, though. I’m not sure either of us will survive it. I’m not sure I want to. We have to keep our daughter safe. We have to get close and remember we’re on the same team. It's time to bring down the man who destroyed us.

    

    

    These stories have accumulated over 100+ reviews and have been boxed together for the first time!Missed ConnectionsHow far would you go for revenge? Veronica Bauer isn't above homicide. Twelve years after a ruthless attack killed her mother and put her father in prison, she embarks on a mission to bring the real culprits to justice. As bodies start to drop, Detective Sheila Arden is assigned to the gruesome case, but she soon discovers that the truth is more complicated than she thought. In a riveting game of cat and mouse, each woman challenges the other to reach new heights.The ProfessorFollowing the mysterious disappearance of her history professor, Nicole Costello discovers that her prestigious university is home to an elite secret society with questionable moral standards. Can Nicole crack the case of her missing professor and finish her thesis paper, or will Nicole herself crack under the pressure?

    The strangers came first for the timber. Next they came for the coal. Now, they've returned-for Widows Hollow. Pick McKinley is cursed with a fear of strangers. The strangers taunt mountain people and call them Hillbillys. Now, newly orphaned, illiterate, and impoverished, Pick must leave her mountain home and go among the strangers in town to find work if she and her younger siblings are to survive. Maybe it won't be so bad. Her mama had worked among them, cleaning and mending. Pick could not have been more mistaken. Her first encounter with Dr. Stephen Stalworth, Ashford's favorite son and one of its wealthiest, most powerful citizens, almost cost Pick her life and would have but for intervening fate and her rescuer, Jan Vandeventer, the handsome Bluegrass Son of wealthy, world famous horse breeders. Pick is no hillbilly. She's a survivor who has survived against all odds. She must save herself, her siblings, and her community from Stalworth who has vowed to destroy them and she must do it with the only weapons she possesses; faith, and a fairy tale-- called Rosemillion. In her debut novel, J.Helen Elza has crafted a tale of struggle and survival that transcends reading. Rosemillion is a tale to experience and Widows Hollow, despite its poverty, is a place you will want to return to time and again; To fish with the feisty and unapologetic mountain man, Samuel Llewellyn Simpson, "Stump"; "Pay 'em no mind, Miss, they's hollower 'n a cane pole and not nearly so useful." Or to laugh at the fiery- tempered Early Mae, "Mama- John Johnson"; "What is you up to, Old Man? You a'grinnin like a possum in a hen house!" Or to commiserate with Jan who is caught between his world of ivy-league universities and world champion thoroughbreds and her world of illiteracy and poverty; "Jacques, if you want to end our friendship here and now, you call her a hillbilly one more time! I'm sick of it! You and any one of the rest of our so-called peers pick a label, any label, and it's official! Margaret and Victoria call Pick a hillbilly, so she's a hillbilly, right?" Or to grab your hanky and sob or to stand up and shout for sixteen-year old Pick McKinley; "You may call me white trash and hillbilly. You may hate me and my kind, BUT YOU AIN'T GONNA CAUSE THAT LITTLE BABY TO BE A DYIN!" Written as a woman's novel, Rosemillion also appeals to men: "I really did enjoy reading the book and thought Ms. Miller did a wonderful job of placing the reader in the moment. Also, her character development is superb. I've told friends that I never found myself bored reading Rosemillion as I often do when reading other books. Jerry Snow USN Retired Rosemillion will leave you cheering and wanting more. Fortunately, there is more. Rosemillion is book one in J. Helen Elza's Appalachian Trilogy. Look for book two "Return to Widows Hollow," and book three "The Red Amaryllis," coming soon to book stores and kindles near you.

     Dumped by her cheating husband, 44 year old Jenny King arrives in the remote island town of Pelican Cove. At her aunt’s urging, Jenny starts working at the Boardwalk Cafe, slowly rebuilding her life. Her delicious cakes and muffins make the town famous, drawing tourists from far and wide. Jenny will form lifelong friendships with the local women. And she might even dare to love again. This cozy mystery anthology brings you fast paced murder mysteries with twists and turns and plenty of suspects and red herrings. Every book in this set has been a bestseller and has entertained thousands of readers. STRAWBERRIES AND STRANGERS BOOK 1 5 stars - 'A great first book in a new Cozy series!' Exclusive beach party takes a murderous turn. When Jenny’s aunt, a local artist, is accused of killing a stranger, she is forced to set her apron aside and put on her sleuthing cap. Jenny battles with the cranky local sheriff and quirky local characters to get to the truth. CUPCAKES AND CELEBRITIES BOOK 2 5 stars - ‘A real page-turner and very hard to put down!’ Celebrity groom is prime suspect in shocking murder. Nothing's going right for Heather’s TV star cousin. Her wedding at the Pelican Cove Country Club is canceled. Her musician groom is being investigated in a suspicious death. Eager to tie the knot soon, she talks Jenny into helping her out. BERRIES AND BIRTHDAYS BOOK 3 5 stars - ‘Outstanding read. This series just keeps getting better.’ July 4th parade ends in 100 year old’s gruesome murder The Pelican Cove police are clueless about why anyone would murder a 100 year old man on his birthday. With most of the victim’s large family admitting they hated him, Jenny decides the obvious suspects are innocent. She will pursue the most unlikely string of clues to uncover a mystery that spans generations. Her startling discovery will shock the entire community. Can she apprehend the murderer in time? SPRINKLES AND SKELETONS BOOK 4 5 stars - ‘Couldn't ask for anything more in a book. Felt like I was in the book with the characters.’ Skeleton in rose garden halts celebrations at beach house. When an unexpected guest turns up at Jenny’s housewarming party, the turbulent history of Seaview is finally revealed. As more and more truths about the house surface, everyone except Jenny believes her house is jinxed. Jenny’s ownership of Seaview is questioned when the prodigal heir comes knocking. Jenny is a suspect in murder! >>> Read FREE with KINDLE UNLIMITED <<< Books in the series - Strawberries and Strangers Book 1 Cupcakes and Celebrities Book 2 Berries and Birthdays Book 3 Sprinkles and Skeletons Book 4 Waffles and Weekends Book 5 Muffins and Mobsters Book 6 Parfaits and Paramours Book 7 Truffles and Troubadours Book 8 Sundaes and Sinners Book 9

    She loved her roles as a homicide investigator and hostage negotiator with the NSW police force, but she never knew what her work day might bring. She might be investigating a crime scene; talking a suicidal woman down from a cliff; or trying to convince a deranged man not to slit the throat of his wife and children.As a negotiator, Belinda often found herself on cliff edges, waiting in doorways or out amongst the elements, persuading the murderous and suicidal to drop their weapons, stop terrorising their families, step back from the ledge.Belinda was so physically slight she needed help lifting on her ballistics vest, but her team never doubted her physical or mental courage. She was put forward for a bravery award and promoted to inspector but every time she stepped into a negotiation, her life was in danger, and over time the horrors she saw and her punishing schedule began to take their toll. After years of broken sleep, traumatic crime scenes and death, a series of disastrous events one weekend brought everything to a head.The next morning when she awoke, Belinda found she was shaking so badly she could not get out of bed. Unsure what was happening to her, she sought counselling but one day, shortly after, she saw the name of an old hostage-taking adversary in the paper; he had killed his ex-girlfriend. It was too much and as the continued stress took its toll, Belinda found herself contemplating jumping off a cliff in the Moreton Bay National Park. She had even written the suicide note.Under Siege shows us the remarkable job homicide investigators and hostage negotiators perform, and their endurance and courage in impossible circumstances. More than that, this courageous memoir reveals how the daily trauma and stress affected Belinda's roles as wife and mother, how she fought against the terrifying post-traumatic stress disorder that resulted to come back from a very dark place.'Her extraordinary journey juggling the roles of police negotiator, homicide investigator, wife and mother shines a light on this little-understood limb of law enforcement.' Mark Whittaker, Fairfax newspapers

    And then, very suddenly and without warning, there were three. Even though the fourth person hadn't made any noise at all in several months, the room got very quiet when she was gone. For a long time after that, we sat in silence, in the dark, each of us wondering what this meant for her and for us, and which of us would be the next in the box.NEVER GET IN THE CARFor years, best friends Sarah and Jennifer kept what they called the 'Never List': a list of actions to be avoided, for safety's sake, at all costs. But one night, they failed to follow their own rules.NEVER GO OUT ALONE AFTER DARKSarah has spent ten years trying to forget her ordeal. But now the FBI has news that forces her to confront her worst fears.NEVER TAKE RISKSIf she is to uncover the truth about what really happened to Jennifer, Sarah needs to work with the other women who shared her nightmare. But they won't be happy to hear from her. Because down there in the dark, Sarah wasn't just a victim.NEVER TRUST ANYONE

    But when her fiancé, James Donato, vanishes in a boating accident, her well-baked future is swept out to sea. Instead of walking down the aisle on their wedding day, Aimee is at James’s funeral—a funeral that leaves her more unsettled than at peace.As Aimee struggles to reconstruct her life, she delves deeper into James’s disappearance. What she uncovers is an ocean of secrets that make her question everything about the life they built together. And just below the surface is a truth that may set Aimee free…or shatter her forever.

    So much that she's prepared to kill for them. A succession of rich husbands has ensured she's never wanted for anything, but there are some itches that just can't be scratched.When she comes to realise that her current husband has reached the end of his usefulness there's only one thing for it…But plotting your husband's murder isn't quite as straightforward as you think...

    Now Sophia’s alone, and she can’t help but wonder. Will the magic be gone, or will this year’s love be even stronger? Brew a cup of tea, grab a Christmas cookie, and prepare for a treat. You won’t want to miss this one!