Secrets

      Robin Jones Gunn
     Secrets

The Glenbrooke Series Jessica ran from her past...but can she hide from love? Jessica Morgan wants desperately to forget the past and begin a new life. She chooses a small, peaceful town tucked away in Oregon’s Willamette Valley as the place to start over—Glenbrooke. Once there, Jessica conceals her identity from the intriguing personalities she meets—including the compassionate paramedic who desires to protect her and the jealous woman who wants nothing more than to destroy her. Will Jessica’s deceit ruin all hope for the future? Or will she find a deeper peace that allows her to stop hiding the truth from those who love her most of all? This heartwarming bestseller, book one in the Glenbrooke series, introduces the fascinating people of Glenbrooke in a compelling tale of romance and spiritual truth. From the Trade Paperback edition.

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    Rosa and the Frozen Tears - short fairytale

      Pen Clements
     Rosa and the Frozen Tears - short fairytale

Prince Roderick loves Rosa. He always has and he always will. But Rosa wants to sail the Seven Seas and climb the Mountains of the Sun. Roderick’s sorrow is everlasting. It freezes roses, tears and time. What will it take to thaw him?A short, sweet fairytale with a twist.Prince Roderick loves Rosa. He always has and he always will. But Rosa wants to sail the Seven Seas. and climb the Mountains of the Sun. Roderick wants four children - he's already named them. But Rosa wants to climb the Mountains of the Sun and meet the dragons there.Roderick’s sorrow is everlasting. It freezes roses, tears and time. What will it take to thaw him?A short, sweet fairytale with a twist.

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    It Ends With Revelations

      Dodie Smith
     It Ends With Revelations

During a summer festival in an English spa town Miles Quentin, a distinguished actor, and his devoted wife become friendly with the local MP Geoffrey Thornton, and his young daughters Robin and Kit. All of these attractive, intelligent and busy people seem untroubled at first. But the surface of their lives conceals problems which start to come to light after the Quentin's return to their London theatre world and the Thornton's to their Westminster home. This leads to an unconventional love story in which loyalty may prove more important than love. It Ends with Revelations deals with complex issues of love and commitment, while retaining elements of the light hearted comedy of I Capture The Castle and the nostalgic charm of The Town in Full Bloom. As ever, the vivacity of Dodie Smith's writing and the warmth of her characters will keep readers guessing until the last page.

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    Garden Spells

      Sarah Addison Allen
     Garden Spells

The women of the Waverley family -- whether they like it or not -- are heirs to an unusual legacy, one that grows in a fenced plot behind their Queen Anne home on Pendland Street in Bascom, North Carolina. There, an apple tree bearing fruit of magical properties looms over a garden filled with herbs and edible flowers that possess the power to affect in curious ways anyone who eats them. For nearly a decade, 34-year-old Claire Waverley, at peace with her family inheritance, has lived in the house alone, embracing the spirit of the grandmother who raised her, ruing her mother's unfortunate destiny and seemingly unconcerned about the fate of her rebellious sister, Sydney, who freed herself long ago from their small town's constraints. Using her grandmother's mystical culinary traditions, Claire has built a successful catering business -- and a carefully controlled, utterly predictable life -- upon the family's peculiar gift for making life-altering delicacies: lilac jelly to engender humility, for instance, or rose geranium wine to call up fond memories. Garden Spells reveals what happens when Sydney returns to Bascom with her young daughter, turning Claire's routine existence upside down. With Sydney's homecoming, the magic that the quiet caterer has measured into recipes to shape the thoughts and moods of others begins to influence Claire's own emotions in terrifying and delightful ways. As the sisters reconnect and learn to support one another, each finds romance where she least expects it, while Sydney's child, Bay, discovers both the safe home she has longed for and her own surprising gifts. With the help of their elderly cousin Evanelle, endowed with her own uncanny skills, the Waverley women redeem the past, embrace the present, and take a joyful leap into the future.

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    Birds of Prey

      Wilbur Smith
     Birds of Prey

The year is 1667; Sir Francis Courteney and his son Hal are on patrol in their fighting caravel off the Agulhas Cape of South Africa. They are lying in wait for one of the treasure-laden galleons of the Dutch East India Company returning from the Orient. So begins a quest for adventure and the spoils of war that sweeps them from the settlement of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa to the Great Horn of Ethiopia far to the north - at a time when international maritime law permitted acts of piracy, rape, and murder otherwise punishable by death. Wilbur Smith introduces a generation of the indomitable Courteneys and thrillingly re-creates their part in the struggle for supremacy and riches on the high seas.

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    The Viking Takes a Knight

      Sandra Hill
     The Viking Takes a Knight

The Viking Is a Princess . . . All Ingrith wants is refuge for herself and a group of orphans from a vicious Saxon commander who would harm the children and destroy her honor. At her age, she no longer expects to find a husband, or even a lover, especially not the arrogant Lord of the Bees! John of Hawk's Lair longs for peace and quiet, not a nagging wife and noisy children. As a knight in the king's service, he spends his cherished time at home working on his beekeeping experiments. So when an irksome Viking princess comes barging into his castle with a horde of orphans, he does everything he can to get rid of her. But then a sexual attraction sparks between them, despite their differences, one that soon has them making honey, rather than war . . .

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    Becoming Rain

      K. A. Tucker
     Becoming Rain

Luke Boone doesn't know exactly what his uncle Rust is involved in but he wants in on it-the cars, the money, the women. And it looks like he's finally getting his wish. When Rust hands him the managerial keys to the garage, they come with a second set—one that opens up the door to tons of cash and opportunity. Though it's not exactly legal, Luke's never been one to worry about that sort of thing. Especially when it puts him behind the wheel of a Porsche 911 and onto the radar of gorgeous socialite named Rain. Clara Bertelli is at the top of her game—at only twenty-six years old, she's one of the most successful undercover officers in the Washington D.C. major crime unit, and she's just been handed a case that could catapult her career and expose one of the west coast's most notorious car theft rings. But, in order to do it, she'll need to go deep undercover as Rain Martines. Her target? The twenty-four-year old nephew of a key player who appears ready to follow in his uncle's footsteps. As Clara drifts deeper into the luxurious lifestyle of Rain, and further into the arms of her very attractive and charming target, the lines between right and wrong start to blur, making her wonder if she'll be able to leave it all behind. Or if she'll even want to.

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    A Common Life: The Wedding Story

      Jan Karon
     A Common Life: The Wedding Story

The sixth novel in the beloved Mitford series, by the bestselling author of At Home in Mitford  and  Somebody Safe with Somebody Good  Laughter and wedding bells ring as Jan Karon takes her millions of fans back in time to the most cherished event in Mitford! Mitford's Lord's Chapel seats barely two hundred souls, yet millions of Jan Karon's fans will be there for the most joyful event in years: the wedding of Father Tim Kavanagh and Cynthia Coppersmith. Here at last is A Common Life, and the long-awaited answers to these deeply probing questions: Will Father Tim fall apart when he takes his vows? Will Cynthia make it to the church on time? Who'll arrange the flowers and bake the wedding cake? And will Uncle Billy's prayers for a great joke be answered in time for the reception? All the beloved Mitford characters will be there: Dooley Barlowe, Miss Sadie and Louella, Emma Newland, the mayor; in short, everybody who's anybody in the little town with the big heart. A Common Life is the perfect gift for Mother's Day, Father's Day, anniversaries, and for a bride or groom to give to his or her beloved. In truth, it's perfect for anyone who believes in laughter, relies on hope, and celebrates love.

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    I Pick You

      Jettie Woodruff
     I Pick You

When I left Nashville, Tennessee, I knew deep in my heart I wouldn't be back. I knew I would never be heard on every country music station around the world, and I would never step foot on the Grand Ole Opry stage. Cold hard guilt and responsibilities that I didn't want forced me on a different path. Me being responsible for an eighteen-month-old was a horrible idea. Me being a second grade teacher in a catholic school was plain ludicrous. Life sucked, love hurt, and I didn't know who to pick.

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    At Large

      E. W. Hornung
     At Large

The creator of Raffles brings this adventuresome Australian mystery to an exciting conclusion.Ernest William Hornung (1866-1921) was an English author and brother-in-law to Arthur Conan Doyle. An accomplished writer, Hornung is most famous for writing the Raffles series of novels about a gentleman thief in late Victorian London.This unexpurgated edition contains the complete text, with minor errors and omissions corrected.

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    The Hundredth Chance

      Ethel M. Dell
     The Hundredth Chance

BEGGARS"My dear Maud, I hope I am not lacking in proper pride. But it is an accepted--though painful--fact that beggars cannot be choosers."Lady Brian spoke with plaintive emphasis the while she drew an elaborate initial in the sand at her feet with the point of her parasol."I cannot live in want," she said, after a thoughtful moment or two. "Besides, there is poor little Bunny to be considered." Another thoughtful pause; then: "What did you say, dear?"Lady Brian's daughter made an abrupt movement without taking her eyes off the clear-cut horizon; beautiful eyes of darkest, deepest blue under straight black brows that gave them a somewhat forbidding look. There was nothing remarkable about the rest of her face. It was thin and sallow and at the moment rather drawn, not a contented face, and yet possessing a quality indefinable that made it sad rather than bitter. Her smile was not very frequent, but when it came it transfigured her utterly. No one ever pictured that smile of hers beforehand. It came so brilliantly, so suddenly, like a burst of sunshine over a brown and desolate landscape, making so vast a difference that all who saw it for the first time marvelled at the unexpected glow.But it was very far from her face just now. In fact she looked as if she could never smile again as she said: "Bunny would sooner die of starvation than have you do this thing. And so would I.""You are so unpractical," sighed Lady Brian. "And really, you know, dear, I think you are just a wee bit snobbish too, you and Bunny. Mr. Sheppard may be a self-made man, but he is highly respectable.""Oh, is he?" said Maud, with a twist of the lips that made her look years older than the woman beside her."I'm sure I don't know why you should question it," protested Lady Brian. "He is extremely respectable. He is also extremely kind,--in fact, a friend in need.""And a beast!" broke in her daughter, with sudden passionate vehemence. "A hateful, familiar beast! Mother, how can you endure the man? How can you for a single moment demean yourself by the bare idea of--of marrying him?"Lady Brian sighed again. "It isn't as if I had asked you to marry him," she pointed out. "I never even asked you to marry Lord Saltash, although--as you must now admit--it was the one great chance of your life."Again Maud made that curious, sharp movement of hers that was as if some inner force urged her strongly to spring up and run away."We won't discuss Lord Saltash," she said, with lips that were suddenly a little hard."Then I don't see why we should discuss Giles Sheppard either," said Lady Brian, with a touch of querulousness. "Of course I know he doesn't compare well with your poor father. Second husbands so seldom do--which to my mind is one of the principal objections to marrying twice. But--as I said before--beggars cannot be choosers and something has got to be sacrificed, so there is an end of the matter."CONTENTSBeggarsThe IdolThe New AcquaintanceThe Accepted SuitorIn the DarkThe Unwilling GuestThe MagicianThe OfferThe Real ManThe Head of the FamilyThe Declaration of WarThe ReckoningThe Only PortThe Way of EscapeThe Closed DoorThe ChampionThe Wedding MorningThe Wedding NightThe Day AfterA Friend of the FamilyThe Old LifeThe Faithful WidowerThe Narrowing CircleBrothersMisadventureThe Word UnspokenThe TokenThe VisitorHer Other SelfThe Rising CurrentLight ReliefThe Only SolutionThe FurnaceThe SacrificeThe Offer of FreedomThe BondHusksThe Poison PlantConfidencesThe LetterRebellionThe ProblemThe Land of MoonshineThe WarningThe InvitationThe MistakeThe ReasonRefugeThe Lamp before the AltarThe Open DoorThe Downward PathThe RevelationThe Last ChanceThe WhirlpoolThe Outer DarknessDeliveranceThe Poison FruitThe LoserThe Storm WindThe Great BurdenThe BlowThe Deed of GiftThe ImpossibleThe First of the VulturesThe Dutiful WifeThe Lane of FireThe New BossOld ScoresThe Finish

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    Diamonds by Brian Ritchie

      Brian Ritchie
     Diamonds by Brian Ritchie

Between the years 1977 to 1989 I had several friends and seemed to be out every night with one or all of them. The thing that didn’t occur to me then was they were all female but I had no intention of being anything other than a platonic friend with all of them and can’t think why.Each Sunday I would meet 3 girls at the café across the street from the church we attended and we would decide what adventures we would ‘get up to’ each week. If it was hot and sunny we could go to the seaside if not – which was more likely coming from Glasgow – we would visit places of local interest or just ‘hang out’ together.Being friends with them brought me into contact with several of their ‘other’ female friends and I found myself getting emotionally involved with them as well - but I had ‘fairly steady’ girlfriends most of the time so never thought of any of these girls as anything other than platonic acquaintances. One girl was Jewish – she rebelled against everything, her father, her religion, the world in general (when it suited her) and regarded the holocaust as a personal insult - although she knew nobody involved.One was a lesbian – the other girls tolerated her, because she was very funny and entertaining, as long as she kept her sexual preferences at a distance from them.One was a nymphomaniac – it wasn’t her fault, she often told me, she hated to sleep alone –and seldom did.One I met when she was 5 years old, then later when she was 11, and the last time when she was 16 and on her way to join a convent. She confessed she had a massive crush on me when we first met, which was re-kindled when my friends and I had helped her out when she was 11. She promised, the last time I saw her, to remember us all in her prayers.One was twice the age of the others, including me, and had been a ‘bit of a girl’ when she was younger and tried to convince all who came into contact with her that she ‘still had it’. Several of the girls doubted she ever had ‘it’ and no matter how hard she tried she was never likely to find ‘it’ again.One was, without doubt, the most beautiful girl I had ever met. A few years after I left their group she turned up in the local press and was lambasted by them when it emerged she was the mistress of a local businessman and dared to go to a prestigious function on the arm of a famous millionaire. They slaughtered her for about a week until the famous man quickly married his childhood sweetheart and she was never mentioned again. Each ‘Diamond’ in this adventure is based on several aspects of these ‘friends’. Their stories once told, their secrets once kept. Hopes and desires often shared - confessions and fantasies seldom overheard. Could it be it was all so simple then (The way we were)?

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    Chloe's Lyrics

      Yari Garcia
     Chloe's Lyrics

Chloe is a teen and a lesbian~ and majorly crushing on a girl named Lisa. She's taking the stage tonight, armed with nothing but her microphone and her lyrics to sing what she's been wanting to confess for so long. How will Lisa react to Chloe's lyrics?Evelyn Kent isn't the type to jump into Christmas feet first, but with her mother begging her for the "perfect" tree, Evelyn finds herself in the snowy middle of nowhere when a gorgeous, naked man appears out of thin air. Having witnessed his race fading away through the destruction of mankind, loneliness and despair forces the dryad into the human world, where he encounters a beautiful woman holding a chainsaw in front of his tree. Together, this Christmas will be one they’ll never forget.

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    Mitchell Parker's Anniversary Gift

      Jane Oldaker
     Mitchell Parker's Anniversary Gift

Mitchell Parker has acquired the greatest anniversary present in history, to unveil at the quiet but lavish evening he and Eileen had planned at their favourite hotel. However, the occasion isn't going as planned and he finds himself observing a table across the dining room. As he watches a young couple Mitchell Parker realizes he has another gift to offer in celebration.Mitchell Parker is a character from my novel Nothing Ventured. His role was just a cameo appearance; Molly sees him in the hotel dining room and flees in the hope that he won't see her there and report to her father, Patrick Malone. This short story gives Mitchell some depth, with a story of his own, and indirectly a larger role in Molly's relationship with Paul. Originally released in 2013, Mitchell Parker's Anniversary Gift has received excellent reviews on Library Thing and Goodreads. I am pleased to make it available via additional retailers in 2014.

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