Sheila verbally, emotionally, and physically abused Ava for more than thirty years. Drinking lots of alcohol became Ava’s way of coping with the pain and loneliness, but she is ready for change.Ava's friend, Emily Rios, convinces her to spend two weeks at Emily’s vacation home in Ouray, Colorado. Ava is excited about being away from Houston and Sheila. She wants to clear her head and reimagine her life.Ava meets Emily’s friend and neighbor Melody Graves in Colorado. Emily asked Mel to encourage Ava to visit some interesting sites in and around Ouray. Mel is happy to help, but she didn’t expect to fall for Ava.Ava discovers a new love for the outdoors and finds confidence in herself as she and Mel become close.Ava returns to Houston feeling good about her life and ready to move forward, but Sheila is not giving up control. Ava must make some tough decisions to build a new life with the possibility of a relationship with Mel.

    County Sheriff’s detective Danny R. Smith put his life on the line for twenty-one years. His career covered some of L.A.’s darkest hours: a crack cocaine epidemic, unprecedented gang warfare, a spike in homicides that stunned the nation, flames lighting the skies while gunfire rang through the nights during the Rodney King riots. There were deadly encounters: fights, pursuits, shootings, and a beating that left him unconscious. A confrontation with a murderous gangster in a dark alley, where only the miraculous malfunction of a fully automatic weapon saved his life. Hardened by the years spent on the streets and the hundreds of deaths and untold numbers of tragedies he would witness, Smith’s frustrations with a dysfunctional system weighed heavily, and his continued pledge to see justice for the victims came at an astronomical personal cost.In this no-holds-barred memoir, Smith reveals the shocking imagery of fallen colleagues, murdered children, gang warfare, and a Native American who was tortured and burned alive by skinheads. And through his unique insights battling PTSD and being forced to leave the profession he loved, his story will offer new insight into the aftermath of working in law enforcement.Nothing Left to Prove is by turns shocking, terrifying, poignant, and thought-provoking. It’s the very personal story of one man’s career and its effect on his life afterwards, unveiled through Smith’s masterful storytelling. If you think you know cops, if you love compelling true-crime stories, then you’ll love Danny R. Smith’s powerful narrative.

    all of them.When he finds out he asks me for my favorite scene.It's a dangerous road to go down, these kind of dirty talks, because we're aboutto spend a LOT of time together working alone in his penthouse.At the rate things are heating up, though, we might not get any work done at all.

    With divorce papers instead of roses on the horizon, she says "au revoir" Paris and croissants, and "hello" cheap New Haven apartment and ramen noodles.With the encouragement of her friends, Sunny jumps into online dating, twenty-three years and twenty pounds after her last date. To her surprise she discovers dating might require a helmet, and occasionally armor to protect her heart, but after years of being ignored, her adventurous side craves fun and conversation. She’s middle-aged not dead. Then suddenly, on the way to reinventing herself, life takes a left turn when the one man she can't forget calls with an unexpected request.

    -Her son adores him. He was there when she needed him most. -He anticipates her every need. -He would never betray her like her first husband.The perfect husband. He checks all the boxes.The question is, why? Nina Garrity learned the hard way that her missing husband, Glen, had been leading a double life with another woman. But with Glen gone—presumably drowned while fishing on his boat—she couldn't confront him about the affair or find closure to the life he blew apart. Now, a year and a half later, Nina has found love again and hopes she can put her shattered world back together. Simon, a widower still grieving the death of his first wife, thinks he has found his dream girl in Nina, and his charm and affections help break through to a heart hardened by betrayal. Nina's teenage son, Connor, embraces Simon as the father he wishes his dad could have been, while her friends see a different side to him, and they aren't afraid to use the word obsession.Nina works hard to bridge the divide that’s come between her daughter and Simon. She wants so badly to believe her life is finally getting back on track, but she’ll soon discover that the greatest danger to herself and her children are the lies people tell themselves.

    The town of Darling, Vermont, has used Aiden’s image on the famed bridge—local legend has it that a kiss there results in everlasting love—as part of its tourism campaign. Now, twenty years later, Aiden is asked to recreate the moment with the woman he once kissed: Laurel Stone.Recently divorced, there’s nothing Laurel wants less than to pretend happily-ever-after with Aiden. As teenagers, their romance was no fairy tale—and Laurel has never quite forgiven Aiden for breaking her heart. But now that she is back in her hometown, and keeps bumping into police officer Aiden, Laurel can’t deny that there’s still a strong flicker between her and her old flame. Could it be that the Kissing Bridge is working its magic on Laurel and Aiden—and that all true love ever needed was a second chance?

    A Blue Ridge camping trip goes sideways for two young brothers and their minder in this sweet, brief novel of calamity and kindness.

    Four murders within six months, a record for the riverside community of Bullhead City. A serial killer is suspected by local police, the work of one maniac. But they can't do it alone. Is it a closeted homophobe or the desperate diversion of an abused girl-child?Eyes in the sky, she sees. Head in the clouds, she searches. Feet on the ground, she answers the call--Jena Halpern, the reluctant police consultant.   A mystery/thriller whose hidden characters, their secret motivations, and the unintended consequences are as real as it gets. Treat yourself to a twisted thrill ride, tonight.

    But sometimes, they can’t.The only thing Alex ever wanted was to be left alone in his secluded cabin, away from people who judge him for the scars he wears as a badge of dishonor. He got used to living with it along with severe PTSD from his years in the Navy. And he likes it just like that: alone and quiet.The only thing Freya wants is to get her car fixed and get the hell away from Little Hope, where she got stuck thanks to a popped tire and “helpful” locals. Unfortunately, those friendly citizens of said town and fate have other plans for her: they like to stick their noses where the sun doesn’t shine. As a result, Freya becomes well acquainted (a little too well) with Alex, who is rude, messed up, and hot as hell with his huge, damaged body and hidden under the ever-present cap eyes.After just a few days, this weird little town in Maine begins to feel like home, and Alex starts to feel more like a man and not a growly bear people constantly warn her about. But everywhere she goes, her troublesome past follows.Will she stay at Little Hope, where bears are seemingly everywhere? No pun toward Alex intended…I think.They say All Roads Lead to Maine. But to they end there?...This slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers, contemporary romance is standalone, featuring an ex-military guy/jerk with a severe case of PTSD and anger issues and a woman on the run from her troublesome past. The steam level is boiling (eventually). Their life isn't easy, so some profanity is present. Has triggers (see above). It can be read as it is, but better if enjoyed as part of the series. Each book contains a story about a different couple.

    After being released from prison, she's wanted nothing more than to live a normal life: nice flat, steady job, even a few friends. But when one of those friends, Laura von Hoven--free-spirited beauty and wife of Nadja's boss--kills her lover and begs Nadja for her help, Nadja can't seem to refuse.The two women make for a remote house in the woods, the perfect place to bury a body. But their plan quickly falls apart and Nadja finds herself outplayed, a pawn in a bizarre game in which she is both the perfect victim and the perfect murderer...

    Thomas, Virgin Islands – as a paradise. But when his best friend is murdered and the case quickly buried by local police, Boise realizes how far paradise has fallen.With the aid of Dana Goode, a local reporter investigating the kidnapping of a real estate mogul’s daughter, Boise goes on the hunt for his friend’s killer. But he’ll find more than he bargained for – much more. Because in the once-sleepy island city of Charlotte Amalie, sun, sand, and surf have been replaced by madness, mayhem, and murder – and his friend’s death was just a warm-up.Going home again can literally be murder – especially when your home has changed from Heaven on Earth… to a Dark Paradise.#1 Bestseller in Hard-Boiled Fiction."Dark Paradise is the kind of island murder mystery that easily keeps the reader captivated, guessing, on their toes, and wanting more!" -- Jersey Girl Sizzling Book ReviewsDark Paradise is the first book in the hardboiled Boise Montague series by bestselling author Gene Desrochers. Readable as part of the series or a standalone story, Dark Paradise is perfect for fans of Agatha Christie, Michael Connelly, and Nick Sullivan looking for their next addictive beach read. Click “Buy Now” and grab your copy today!

    Ironically, recovering from her emotional and physical scars is not her biggest challenge. She is also haunted by Azrael, the angel of death. On the morning of the accident, Alex watches as Azrael takes the souls of her family. And the visions keep coming. A man with oily black hair in a pinstripe suit appears to Alex in the hospital, outside her high school, and in the woods near her campsite. She worries that she’s crazy, though Azrael appears to be just as threatened by her ability to see him. She confides in her doctor and friends and, while they appear to believe her, they are unable to help Alex banish death. Midway through the book, the narrative takes an unexpected twist and Alex’s recovery is overshadowed by the realization that she could bring her family back to life. But Azrael is determined to stop Alex’s meddling and she must enlist the help of her remaining family and friends if there is any hope for success.The Girl Who Cheated Death placed as a Semi-Finalist in the 2018 Faulkner Wisdom Competition

    Her memory loss is caused by an emotional trauma she knows nothing about, and only when handsome, quiet Grady Goodall arrives at the hospital does she learn she has a home, a career, and a wedding just two months away. What went wrong? Grady seems to care for her, but Lucie is no more sure of him than she is of anything. As she collects the clues of her past self, she unlocks the mystery of what happened to her. The painful secrets she uncovers could hold the key to her future—if she trusts her heart enough to guide her.

    All that’s required is to look pretty and hang on his every word. Sexual favours are optional.Though more than thirty years her senior, Gabe, a handsome corporate finance attorney, seems like the perfect candidate, and within a month, they are madly in love. At least, Nat is…Gabe already has a family, whom he has no intention of leaving.So when he abruptly ends things, Nat can’t let go. She begins drinking heavily and stalking him: watching him at work, spying on his wife, even befriending his daughter, who is not much younger than she is. But Gabe’s not about to let his sugar baby destroy his perfect life. What was supposed to be a mutually beneficial arrangement devolves into a nightmare of deception, obsession, and, when a body is found near Gabe’s posh Upper East Side apartment, murder.

    Property Attorney Mila Thomas will do anything to save three beloved buildings in her hometown—even ask Alec for help.Agent Alec Delaney had no intention of coming back to Granite Springs, but when he realizes the danger Mila’s in, he had to come.And . . . he wanted to come back. A kiss lingers between them—one he wouldn’t mind recreating. But Mila’s not going to let that happen.Things between them grow complicated when they get snowed in together at an old church building that doubles as the county archive over Christmas.With only 48 hours to find the information they need to save the buildings, snow piling up outside, untold dangers around every corner, and a buzzing attraction growing between them, Alec and Mila will need a Christmas miracle to get their happily ever.An enemies to lovers Christmas romance that will leave you swooning for more mistletoe and holly.