THE LONELY POLE - A TWO PART MEGA NOVEL BY TAKERRA ALLEN! We’ve all got dreams… How far are you willing to go for yours? Baby, Nyema, Portia, and Rocsi couldn’t have any less in common than what meets the eye. But under dire circumstances and through different walks of life, they all end up in the same place. Dreamz, a seedy strip joint in the backstreets of Dirty Jerz, conceals some of the darkest secrets and holds captive the souls of many pretty girls lost. In a day and age where the strip life is glamourized and celebrated, take a walk with four women who will tell the tale a bit differently.Lost loves, broken hearts, dreams deferred, all in the name of the almighty dollar and it’s only a pop, twerk, and grind away. But how far is too far, and when do you know you’ve gotten there? And even more important, how can you find your way back? At the sad realization that the pole has no mercy, these women must come to grips with their reality. The pole is cold, the pole is greedy, the pole is wicked, the pole is deceiving, the pole… is lonely.

    As Elaine prepares for a future without her beloved husband, their solace is interrupted. Carson's mother, Greta, has set loose a neighbor's herd of alpacas and landed herself in police custody. While Carson, remarkably, sees humor in the situation, Elaine can only question what her obligations are—and will be—to a woman who hasn't spoken to her in more than twenty years.In the wake of Carson's death, Elaine and their grown son, Mick, are thrust into the maelstrom of Greta, the mother-in-law and grandmother who never accepted either of them. Just as they are trying to figure out their new roles in the family, Mick uncovers unexpected questions of his own. A long-ago teenage relationship with a local girl may have left him with more than just memories, and he must get to the bottom of Greta's surprising accusations that he's not Carson's son at all.

    These people tell us the truth–not only about themselves, their relationships, and their lives, but about ourselves as well. A Perfect Stranger powerfully and affectingly examines the complex, intricate network of experiences that binds us to one another. These stories are tender, raw, lovely, fine–and they reaffirm Roxana Robinson’s place at the forefront of modern literature.

    The Food of Love offers diners the possibility of friendship (and maybe more) as well as a delicious meal. And even though Emily has sworn off romance forever, it doesn't stop her hoping for happiness for her regulars, like widower Bill who hides a troubling secret, single mum Heather who ran away from home as a teenager, and gentle Astrid whose past is darker than any of her friends know.Then, out of the blue, Emily receives a letter from her ex. He's returning home to Ireland and wants to see her. Is Emily brave enough to give love a second chance -- or wise enough to figure out where it's truly to be found?

    Some unlikely people gather around him to help him back into life, and then he meets a woman who touches his heart and who may be the key to his unknown past

    During a surprise visit from Australia, a long-lost aunt lets slip a family secret that unsettles her fragile world.In shock, and feeling betrayed by her whole family, Tessa confides in her ex-husband just as he reveals he has a new woman in his life.Struck unexpectedly by jealousy; balancing her own turmoil against the demands of parenting, Tessa tries to trace her birth father, with devastating results. Yet she fails to see how this is a crucial moment in her children's lives. If she gets things wrong, the consequences could be fatal.This ebook edition contains extra book club discussion questions penned by the author.

    What is art? What’s true courage? I could not put it down.’ —Melissa Ashley,bestselling author of THE BIRDMAN’S WIFELotti lives under the shadow of a genius: her father George Coates is a brilliant and celebrated Australian painter.When Lotti meets the outcast waif Kyla at a suburban Canberra school, two worlds are set to collide. Slowly Kyla is drawn into the orbit of the Coates family. Or is it the other way around?As Lotti and Kyla navigate their way towards adulthood, dark secrets start to unravel, with devastating consequences …WE WERE NEVER FRIENDS is unforgettable novel about friendship, the pursuit of a creative life and the legacies we leave behind.‘Margaret Bearman’s intimate, unsettling novel of family dysfunction perfectly captures the ambivalent passions of girlhood while offering an incisive critiqueof the cult of artistic genius. Sharp and subtle at the same time, refusing any easy certainties, WE WERE NEVER FRIENDS is a haunting portrait of the humancapacity for cruelty and love in equal measure.’ —Kirsten Tranter, bestselling author of THE LEGACY

    With heaven’s memories erased, his romantic quest teaches him that the heart often sees clearer than the eyes—and that not everyone has ordered the same items from The Menu. Evidence that love stories come in many different forms, The Menu is a spiritual journey involving more than just a man and a woman; it is a modern-day tale that reaches far beyond the boundaries of reason.

    “How did it happen?”“How did what happen?”The growl in his voice probably cowed a great many folks. She didn’t happen to be one of them. Even if he was big and intense and talked about delivering death like it was the mail. “Your leg.”He didn’t respond. Instead, he stood at the sink and stared out into the storm.“Is it a state secret?” she wanted to know. “A matter of national security? An injury suffered while on a clandestine mission that you can’t talk about under penalty of death? Did they make you swear on a Bible?”“You’re a piece of work,” he said. “I know.” When he turned to glower at her, she smiled. “It’s a gift.”His gaze fell to her mouth, and awareness speared through her, a hot, electric slide that made her cheeks burn. He was attracted to her, the same way she was attracted to him. And he didn’t like it.Not one bit.You and me both, bucko...◆◆◆When a local bank robbery brings newly elected Sheriff Beau Greystone to Wynn Owens’ front door, she has only two things to give him: the endless bounty of her caustic wit and a one-finger salute. Wynn has history with the law, none of it good. And the notion that one of her elderly tenants might have something to do with the robbery is just plain crazy.A former DEA agent, Beau owes his newly minted badge solely to his meddling aunt and his own foolish indifference. Recovering from the murder of his wife—and the debilitating injury caused by the explosion that killed her—Beau has been happily checked out for some time. But the people of Blossom Hills are counting on him to do his job, and bringing a bank robber to justice is a fine place to start…until the killer that's haunted the town for the last decade abruptly returns. Wynn has a tenant to exonerate; Beau, a killer to catch. Neither is prepared for the compelling but unwelcome current between them, or the unexpected circumstances that will force them to reassess the rules by which they live. But the clock is ticking, and they must decide: adapt and evolve, or surrender to the past and the dark malevolence that has risen within it…. A dark, edgy, steamy thriller with characters you won't forget…contemporary romantic suspense at its best.

    She used to be a successful career woman in control of her life and with her husband's undivided attention. But now her control is slipping away. Motherhood is devouring her life. She is desperate to reclaim her sense of self, even if that means thinking the unthinkable.

    Susan Isaacs has praised The Dieter as "a delightful novel, intelligent, witty, and very moving". Available in mid-January.

    No matter how many albums he’s released or tours he’s led, he still can’t shake the feeling that he has failed at life. So the critically acclaimed, endlessly heartbroken singer-songwriter checks himself into a ten-day silent retreat. As those silent days unfold, Jaina attempts to rewire his own brain in a burst of unpredictable digressions and unsent love letters, musings on the miracles of science and the fallen heroes of popular music. Get It While You Can is a late-night ode to the pursuit of sanity.

    . . Hanging by a Moment—Krista Lynne Jensen Kendal Johnson-Bauer needs a break. After a year on her own, Kendal is in desperate need of a getaway, and the British Virgin Islands provide the ideal escape from reality. She is ready for sun, sand, and relaxation—but what she’s not prepared for is an unexpected encounter with Bret—the one who got away. Even years after their college friendship, the old romantic tension is still there . . . but is Kendal really ready to love again? A Raven’s Heart—Anita Stansfield London, 1869: Stella Hollingberry has reached an unhappy fork in the road, and her meager options seem to spell certain misery. Should she marry for security rather than love or be consigned to hard labor in the factories? Just when she feels hope slipping through her fingers, Stella is stunned to receive the news that she is the heiress of Ravenswood—the estate, it seems, is to be her salvation. Little does she know that it is not only freedom that awaits her there, but also a most unexpected love. . . . Count My Heart—Sheryl C. S. Johnson A series of bumps in the road has led Trisha Pearson here: struggling with her most unique predicament yet and desperate for assistance, she relies on the aid of a helpful—and handsome—stranger. Nate Arden is just in town on business, but he’s more than happy to help a damsel in distress—especially one so beautiful. . . . When the two part ways after their misadventure, they assume it will be forever. But when chance brings her charming knight in shining armor back into her life, Trisha realizes that the twists and turns of fate may just lead her to happily ever after. . . .

    Set in Paris and Ireland, this is a moving story about a woman in her forties, dealing with her sexuality, a damaged daughter and a fear of returning to her roots.

    Inspired by happy visions of building churches and seeing beautiful beaches, she gladly escapes her complicated love life back home. Six weeks into the trip, a conflict that has been simmering for years flames to deadly life on the nearby island of Ambon. Before they can leave, Cori and her teammates find themselves caught up in the destructive wave of violence washing over the Christian and Muslim villages in the area. Within days the church they helped build is a smoldering pile of ashes, its pastor and many of the villagers are dead, and the six teenagers are forced to flee into the hazardous refuge of the jungle with only the pastor's son to guide them. Lisa McKay is a forensic psychologist who combines her world-traveling experiences with her training expertise to weave a character driven story that will become a part of you.