A grifter looking to make good... Kat Harris is good at three things: lying, running, and listening to her con artist parents. All three collided when she fell for a man that was supposed to be a mark, forcing the Harris family to flee Sulla Valley forever. Five years later, her dad’s in jail and she’s back in search of a fresh start—and a new opportunity to rekindle an old romance. Problem is, the only family she has left isn’t so keen on going legit, and a criminal past like hers isn’t that easy to outrun. A billionaire tempted to break bad... Adam has no time for any woman with dollar signs in her eyes—especially since the girl he’d fallen for turned out to be a gold-digging hustler. So when she walks back into his life, he’s prepared to kick her right back to the curb her felonious family came from. If only he could forget how good they were together. Sometimes, two wrongs make a delicious right. Falling back into her world could cost him his reputation. Dragging him into her troubles will cost her what’s left of her pride. But if they take the risk, a reformed con artist and the billionaire she wants most might find something even more valuable... a chance at real love. Views: 45
Man & Beast features some of the greats of Australian literature, writing about the particular kinships they have with animals: the loves, the losses and the surprising turns those relationships can take.Les Carlyon writes about those strange beings, horse people. Robert Drewe's curious eye falls on everything from bull sharks to bull ants. Don Watson is a secret racehorse fancier. Shaun Micallef remembers the dog that might never have been and Paul Toohey laments the passing of the 'roo dog.Plus, Andrew Rule, Phillip Adams, Greg Baum, Tony Birch, John Birmingham, Anson Cameron, John Clarke, Greg Combet, Trent Dalton, John Elder, Jonathan Green, John Harms, Malcolm Knox, Garry Linnell, William McInnes, Bruce Pascoe, Liam Pieper, Frank Robson, Andrew Rule, John Silvester, Jeff Sparrow, Tony Wilson, Tony Wright share their memorable stories of the animals in their lives. Views: 45
I’ve been obsessed with Rafe Mason since I was thirteen. The twisted part of this story is that I still want him, even now. Now that he's holding me captive on an island. Rafe has his reasons for doing what he's doing, and if I'm honest, I can't blame him. I’m the girl who sent him to prison for a heinous crime he didn't commit. But now he's free and the tables have turned...now he's the one driven by obsession. TORRENT is a new adult dark romance with disturbing themes and explicit content, including sexual scenes and violence that may offend some. Intended for mature audiences. Part one of the CONDEMNED series. This is not a stand-alone read. Approximately 43,000 words.**About the AuthorGemma James (a pseudonym for Christina Jean Michaels) loves to explore the darker side of sex in her fiction. She's morbidly curious about anything dark and edgy and enjoys exploring the deviant side of human nature. Her stories have been described as being "not for the faint of heart." She lives with her husband and their four children--three rambunctious UFC/wrestling-loving boys and one girl who steals everyone's attention. Views: 45
David Leavitt's second collection of stories further confirms a talent deep and wonderfully creative in its empathy. A Place I've Never Been explores family relationships, friendships, and romantic relationships, among characters whose sexuality is fluid or uncertain — a barrier or under threat. A real estate agent happily married to a woman finds himself in love with another man in "Houses." A man entering a bold new world of gay hookups feels sheltered from the most intimidating attentions by his more attractive, charismatic friend. And Leavitt moves from the familiar American suburbs to Italy, where he's also spent time, to create a contrast with European concepts of loyalty and fidelity that transcends the usual stereotypes. A Place I've Never Been is clever and pleasurable, but also revelatory and wise. Views: 45
Born into a world of wealth and pleasure, Annette Vallon enjoys the privileges of aristocracy, but a burning curiosity and headstrong independence set her apart from other women of her class. Spoiled by the novels of Rousseau, she refuses to be married unless it is for passion. Her stubborn devotion to her romantic principles bears the sweetest fruit when William Wordsworth, a young English poet, enters her life. She will be his mistress, his muse, his obsession. But theirs is a love that will test Annette in unexpected ways, bringing great joy and gravest peril in a dark time of chaos, upheaval, and death.Set amid the terror and excitement of the French Revolution, Annette Vallon is an enthralling and evocative tale that captures the courageous spirit of a remarkable woman who, for too long, has been relegated to the shadows of history. Views: 45
Valerie's voice is as sweet as honey. She's the obvious choice to star in the Nativity. But this is Mississippi, 1964, and Valerie is the first black student to attend her school. Alice is torn between standing up for Valerie and being popular with the in-crowd. It takes a tragedy for Alice to find the courage to act. A truly resonant story about racism and doing the right thing, based on the author's own experiences. With internet links to recommended websites about the American Civil Rights Movement."A wonderful book about the power of friendship which will appeal to all ages." - School Librarian Journal Views: 45
Germany 1626: A War, a Witch, a Reckoning….Richard Treadwell is a young man who dreams of glory and honour on the battlefield—and the plunder and riches that would follow. With the help of his father, he journeys to Hamburg to seek his fortune as a mercenary in the Danish army when it intervenes in the vast war that rages in northern Germany between the Catholic Hapsburg empire and the Protestant princes of the north.But he brings with him an old secret—and the potential seed of his own destruction—as he descends into a horrific maelstrom of conflict and slaughter that quickly destroys his illusions of adventure, of right and wrong, and of good and evil. When his fate is foreshadowed by a young gypsy woman, he discovers that he cannot outrun what he left behind in England and he soon finds himself thrown headlong into a series of bloody skirmishes alongside the Danes that strip him of conscience and harden his heart. The opposing armies close for a battle that will be the turning point in the struggle for the kingdom—and in the war for his soul. But even as Treadwell steels himself for the final contest against the forces of the Holy Roman Emperor, an unseen enemy stalks him within his own camp.Fleeing the battlefield, his life takes an even darker turn when he stumbles upon a coven of peasant women dwelling deep in the forest of the Harz Mountains, women that have their own terrible secrets to protect—and a burning hatred to avenge.The hero of Gideon’s Angel returns to tell how his journey into the supernatural began. “They are attracted to you as salt attracts the beast in the field….”Praise for Gideon’s Angel:“…the plot never stops thickening and the galloping pace keeps it from clotting… All this plus sound historical settings, terrific supernatural set pieces and walk-on parts for D’Artagnan and John Milton. What’s not to like?”– The Daily Mail“Our exiled but secretly returned Cavalier hero faces the hard choice: Cromwell or the devil? Swashbuckling excitement in grimy 1653.” – The Daily Telegraph“…I took a look—and was hooked. Check it out. Fast-paced fantasy/historical adventure.” –Michael Moorcock “The sheer panache with which Clifford Beal brings together the past and the supernatural results in a headlong alt-history hybrid more potent than either aspect of the entire would be without the other”—Tor.com Views: 45
