Before their old master died, her family lived in comfortable servants' quarters beside a garden where birdsong echoed through the day. But the new young master turned them out, and now Olive, her parents, and her five-year-old brother Jimmy are struggling to get by. In their cold and desolate tenement, Olive sings to Jimmy about the birds of the garden, trying to cling to hope. Things go from bad to worse when Father succumbs to consumption. Without his job at the docks, the family can't get by. They try to survive on the streets, but it's an impossible task for a destitute mother and her two small children. Olive embarks on a journey of loss and survival in the brutal setting of Victorian London. She has to survive the deaths of loved ones, the appalling conditions in the slums of Old Nichol, and worst of all, the horrors of a match factory and the deadly diseases lurking inside. But one bright thread runs through her story: a kind and handsome boy who gives her bread and whistles just like a nightingale. Might he be the thread by which she can pull herself back up into a better life?

    Erica learns that falling in love with a Rude Boy isn’t easy. The boundaries of her relationship are tested when outsiders seek to destroy the love she’s found. Will love withstand the test, or will she fold under the pressure? Erica isn’t the only one who falls for a Rude Boy. Jade finds herself slowly falling in love with the handsome, yet mysterious Detective Keenan Elba. The loving and doting father of three managed to sneak past the wall she built around her heart. There’s just one problem standing in the way of their chemistry… his wife! Will these ladies truly find happiness or will Falling in Love with a Rude Boy prove to be more complicated than they ever imagined????

    But when her con man cousin Nick suddenly disappears, Kate’s own plans are put on hold as she is forced to deal with bounty hunters, criminals, and a relentless private detective, all looking for Nick - and looking to Kate for answers. Spurred on by family loyalty and her reluctant curiosity, Kate wades into the murky waters of Nick’s illegal activities and finds herself facing her greatest challenge yet: office work.Fresh and very funny, Happy Endings wraps up the Kate McCall series, which features a fearless and impulsive young woman absolutely determined to make a success of her business on her own terms and in her own way. Written for fans of humorous fiction as well as those who like imperfect female PIs and quirky cases, this lighthearted series will also appeal to anyone who enjoys a great read, memorable characters and a happy ending.

    Lexus is the middle daughter and being Big Jim’s princess has been nothing shy of perfect for her, until she meets Xavier, or Zay, as he’s known in the streets. Zay is a new soldier who was hired by her brother, Princeton to work for their family. As soon as Lexus and Zay meet there’s an instant attraction, especially since he played hero for her and her best friend, Malaysia. Zay feels the attraction to Lexus almost immediately, but has been warned by her brother that she is off limits. Malaysia is the jealous best friend who wants what Lexus has, by any means necessary. What is she willing to do to get what she wants? Princeton is the only son, who plans to follow in his dad’s footsteps. The tension between he and Big Jim is seen by everyone on the crew. As their beef continues to boil out of control, Princeton begins his plans to take over the empire. But will he wait for his dad to step down before he takes his spot as king of Brooklyn? Will Lexus and Zay be able to fight their feelings for each other or will they act on those feelings despite the warnings from her family? Will Malaysia be the best friend she portrays herself to be or will her jealousy drive a wedge between her and Lexus? Will Princeton’s drama take him to the top or will it be his downfall? Find out how this family gets down as everyone tries to claim what’s theirs, even when it belongs to someone else.

    Chris tells the remarkable story of the magazine, from the tatty rag produced in his Newcastle bedroom to becoming one of the bestselling magazines in the UK.Chris was the creator of many of the characters and was responsible for all the magazine’s written content. Characters from the magazine, such as Sid the Sexist and the Fat Slags, are now household names.This is an engaging tale told in Chris’s unique, wry way. Chris takes us from his train-spotting childhood in the ’70s through to setting up the magazine with family and friends, and struggling to sell even a few copies of Viz in the local pub. The comic’s success swiftly grew, however, and remarkable events ensued, such as how Chris was invited to tea by Prince Charles, taken in for questioning by New Scotland Yard's Anti-Terrorist Branch and caught his wife up to no good with Keith Richards in Peter Cook's attic.Chris includes many original drawings in this integrated book as well as some fascinating images of early Viz creations.

     Wes stretched me beyond what I thought possible. One second I was breathing a sigh of relief and the next moment I was gasping for air. It was all too much. The way our lives delicately balanced pleasure and pain was like walking a slippery slope. We had our sights set on turning professional poker player, Vance Cruz, into a superstar, but the media had other plans to distract us from our daily affairs. The walls around me were closing in. And fast. I wanted to run. Wes kept his grip firm, not letting me get too far. Despite his brute strength, they were after me, and they were after Wes. Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, the walls were breached. My nerves were raw and I was fatigued. I needed a break. A way out of the chaos surrounding my life. Sheila had her ideas of what I should do, and so did Julia Mabel. And when I flew home to Minnesota thinking that Wes and I were done for good, I learned something that might just save me from losing the love of my life forever. Mature audience only. 18+ This story is planned to unfold over several stories and Vol. 5 ends on a cliffhanger.

    

    When the legitimacy of her twin babies with Edgar is called into question, the tiny infants are taken from Beth and sent far away. James is adopted by Edgar's uncle, the very wealthy Lord Redfern, master of Redfern Abbey. But little Daisy is sent to a cold-hearted childless couple who raise her to be a maid rather than a daughter. When Daisy, at 16, finally escapes her hard life with her adoptive brother Boyd, they arrive at the Abbey to seek work and refuge. Little does Daisy know that her flesh and blood is the next in line to be Lord of the Abbey. There is a strange connection between Daisy and James, something they can neither explain nor ignore. But will the truth be discovered in time?

    After the death of her mother, Dolly ran away from her sleazy step father Arthur, only to find herself living on the streets. When Jack discovers her hiding in the back yard of The Crown, he persuades his mother Nellie Larkin, to take Dolly in.But Dolly has a secret - a very valuable secret - and Arthur is determined to get his clutches on her at any cost. And when local hard-man Ezra Morton joins in the hunt, the Larkins may have to risk everything to keep Dolly safe… The Queen of the Black Country sagas is back with a page-turning, heart-warming, laugh-out-loud story to remember. Perfect for fans of Val Wood and Lyn Andrews. Praise for Lindsey Hutchinson: 'A great story with a great mix of characters, well written and keeps you hooked with each page turn!' Sarah Davies, NetGalley'A wonderful read ... The author writes so well, it's a really hard novel to put down!' Grace Smith, NetGalley.'Make sure to read this book where you won't be disturbed because once it gets going, you won't want to put it down' Andrea Ruiz, NetGalley'A very poignant, feel-good-factor novel' Shelia Easson, NetGalley'Excellent story!' Stephanie Collins, NetGalley'The story will linger in your mind long after you finish it' The Avid Reader.

    It was reduced to dust. Soon I had to admit that there were things far beyond the scope of my rational mind.' What is it that draws one to a mystic? What is it like to know at close quarters a man whose powers are beyond the conscious mind? What does it feel like to be fulfilled spiritually, to feel understood, to stand revealed? As Ismita Tandon and Swami Vidyananda Om explore their feelings for Om Swami, their baffling experiences with him, a secret world of mystical phenomena lights up. They talk about the intimacy of their daily lives with Swami, observing his sheer power, his simplicity, his empathy for every living creature he encounters and the care with which he chooses every word he speaks, no matter how big or small the matter. They speak of his beauty, his divinity. What emerges is a moving portrait of devotion and trust, and the startling image of a saint who was able to inspire such depth of feeling.

    To describe her heart as broken would be an insult of its own because she was long past that word. Left to pick up the pieces in the wake of Knight’s absence, Charde can’t seem to get back to the girl she once was. Grief, anger and betrayal fills her heart and without her only friend at her side, there doesn’t seem to be a rainbow showing up after all of this rain. Leaving the streets behind was always the plan for Knight, but what happens when the streets refuse to stay a thing of the past? With so many issues calling for Knight’s attention, it’s hard to decide what takes priority. While he knows that he just wants to be happy with Charde at his side, Knight is also aware that a pregnant Ainsley won’t just go away. Add to that the fact that she seems to have a closet full of secrets that are constantly spilling out, Knight will soon realize that the life he’s been living has been a lie. Trapped in her own form of prison, Ju-Ju is in full survival mode as key players are exposed in Gemini’s twisted plans for her group of friends. Playing the role of the beautiful wife to an abusive kingpin is a hard job but Ju-Ju knows that her life depends on making it believable. With outside help, she gains hope that she will make it out of her situation alive. But, what is she returning home to? With her relationship with her and Gunna in the balance, Ju-Ju is left unsure on if they will ever get back to each other’s heart. In fact, she isn’t even sure that she wants to get back to what they had after the dust settles. In the finale of this explosive series, lines are drawn and crossed countless times by both friends and foe. Family ties are tested, and some bonds are better left broken. It’s been said that nobody wins when the family feuds, but the question remains, will there be anything left standing of the Bentley clan when the dust settles?

    readers, the story of his induction into the UFC Hall of Fame, fresh insights about his fighting career, never-before-told stories about his film and TV career, and a harrowing account of his fighting off attempted kidnappers while filming in South Africa, Quitters Never Win tells the incredible story of how he went from rough and humble beginnings and then on to a legendary mixed martial arts career capped by winning the Middleweight Championship in one of the greatest upsets in UFC history. “If I quit the first time I tasted defeat, I wouldn’t be here now,” Bisping once said. The ultimate UFC underdog, Bisping fought his way to Number One contender three times, only to be knocked back each time. But he refused to give in, clawing his way to his first World Title shot at the age of 37—and becoming the first ever British UFC world champion. Loaded with the humor and brutal honesty that first won him a following on the television show Ultimate Fighter 3, Bisping recounts his record setting 13-year fight career battling the likes of Anderson Silva, Georges St-Pierre, and Dan Henderson. The most engaging UFC color analyst in recent memory, and a budding film and television star, Bisping tells his story in a way that only he knows how.

    One of those things was the land that ran along Turnback Creek belonging to the Holt family. The only way to get such a prize was to make sure they met with an untimely death.Believing their small boy was away from home, he never bothered to tie up that one loose end. The day came when a lawman showed up, bent on taking back what was rightfully his, and bringing the man to justice who killed his parents.

    Nui Ba Dien or the “Black Virgin Mountain” served as a major staging area for the last finger of the infamous Ho Chi Minh trail as it crossed the Cambodian border just a few miles to the West. Honeycombed with hundreds of caves and fortified with elite NVA and Viet Cong soldiers, she stood as a “Thorn in the Side” of American military control of the region. The 25th Infantry Division held a communication site on her highest peak and also the land encircling her base but her slopes were voraciously defended by large numbers of elite enemy soldiers. Anytime any American unit undertook to engage her slopes, a hellacious battle was guaranteed with the “Angel of Death” always hovering near! These memoirs illuminate more than just the courage of battle but also the courage and inner strength that the soldiers of Vietnam had to shoulder upon their return home. Courage and dignity qualify all Vietnam Veterans such that the country that at one time turned their back on them now holds them in high esteem. This is my story, start to finish and it was written to enlighten the reader to a greater understanding of the American men and women and their struggles for survival in America’s most unpopular war!

     In desperation she pretends to be a boy and sneaks on board a freight train bound for Texas. Her situation becomes even grimmer on discovering the rail wagon she’s been hiding in has been shunted off the main line and left in the wilderness. Marshall Kyle Lovitt is ambushed and left for dead by outlaws. Jemma comes to his rescue and nurses him back to health. When Kyle discovers her gender, he insists they get married because he has compromised her. Will Kyle only ever feel gratitude and an obligation to do the gentlemanly thing by her, or can Jemma win his love?