Jasmine’s sixteenth birthday was the worst ever… All in one day, her dad died, she met a demon, and her mother rejected her existence forever. After all, the demon who killed her dad was there to take her, and all because of her stupid powers—the ability to conjure blue flames. Two years later, she’s happy. But happy never lasts… After moving to Idaho to live with her grandparents, Jasmine has a new life. Almost nobody knows about her powers, and she’s just a normal teenager with normal problems. Then comes her eighteenth birthday—and the earthquake that changes her world forever. An army of demons rise from Hell. And Jasmine is right in the middle of the battle… When demons claw their way to Earth, Jasmine is surrounded by hundreds of fire-eyed beasts. Worse, she is captured by a big-shot demon named Bael. He’s a tricky foe with a chip on his shoulder—and the desire to make Jasmine use her powers for evil. Amon is a fallen angel with an attitude—and everything to lose. Successfully escaping the underworld undetected, Amon is on a quest to regain God’s grace when he rescues Jasmine from the clutches of a particularly nasty demon he knows all too well. The attraction between him and the not-entirely-human captive is instantaneous. Heavenly sparks fly, but ideas of romance will have to wait. First they have to stop the demon race from wiping out the mortal realm. Humanity’s fate rests in their hands. Can two fallen angels rise above the flames to ensure a future for mankind? Or will Jasmine and Amon’s souls be bound together—in hell?** Views: 65
As the Pacific Northwest is rocked by a string of brutal murders, Nora Scott is caught up in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse. The body count is rising and Nora fears the next victim has already been taken. It's been two weeks since anyone has heard from her best friend, and despite the profile that doesn't match, Nora refuses to believe Emily's disappearance is a coincidence. While authorities try to reassure the community of Bellingham, Washington that the killer isn't hunting in their town, the killer begins leaving clues behind for Nora that prove her best friend is right in the middle of it all. Will Emily be the key to finding the killer before it's too late, or will he end the game and take the prize he really wants? Who can Nora trust when everyone is a suspect, including the guy she fears she may be falling for?
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As a favor to her brother, Marnie McLaughlan has agreed to spend Christmas at the lovely Mirabel Inn—as a mystery guest. But Marnie knows this favor is bound to be complicated because the owners need a confidential report immediately. Marnie's impressions could affect their decision to sell.From the outset, the inn is not what she expects…and neither is the manager, Luke Harrison. She quickly develops a rapport with this very attractive widower and his adorable little boy. He knows something is up, yet she can't tell him that the inn—which is home to Luke and his son—is in danger. Marnie's torn between her obligation to her brother and her growing love for Luke. Fortunately, things have a way of working out at Christmas!About the AuthorStella MacLean takes great delight in creating contemporary stories with characters willing to risk everything in their search for love and happiness. Stella MacLean's books all seek to explore the idea that love brings out the best in us, that laughter is the balm that soothes the inevitable detours in life. As a nurse, Stella has experienced the power of love on healing and on happiness first hand. Stella can be reached through her website: www.stellamaclean.com Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.Eleven days until Christmas and Marnie McLaughlan hadn't finished her shopping, but that was the least of her worries. She eased open the back door of the salon. The only sounds were the comforting hum of the refrigerator in the staff room and the clacking of a keyboard in the office to her right. She waited for the familiar click telling her the door had locked behind her before she headed for the office.This was the day she'd wished for and worried over.She was about to sell her half interest in Total Elegance, the hair-and-aesthetics salon she and her partner, Shane Walker, had co-owned for the past ten years. Her brothers, the superachiever foursome, would jump out of their jock straps if they knew she was in the process of selling her part of the business without their input. She had come in today to get her copy of the agreement to go over with her lawyer before signing. She was quite proud of the fact that her brothers wouldn't be involved. Their best-before date as inquisitive overseers had long since passed.At the door of the office she had shared with Shane through all the growing pains of their business she hesitated. This was it. She would read the agreement one more time, then take it to her lawyer. She took a deep breath and tapped lightly. He glanced up, his spiked mullet bobbing like a rooster's comb as he stood to greet her. "Hey, great to see you," he said, all brightness and light. Marnie had only one wish where her soon-to-be-ex-partner was concerned. She'd like him to change his hairstyle. When she first met him he'd styled his dark hair to frame his face, softening his angular features, and now the vertical spike of hair only made his nose appear longer, his chin more pointed. Worst of all, his haircut made him look dated.It was a word that everyone who was anyone in the beauty industry hated to hear, and Marnie didn't have the heart to tell him. Then again, maybe he knew and just didn't care. But why should she worry about it, anyway? In mere weeks, she'd be able to put Shane's hair, and all the other issues that came with running a salon, out of her mind. "Freedom thirty-five," she'd dubbed her decision."It's great to see you, too," she said, crossing the narrow space and sitting down in what passed for the guest chair—a warped, plastic lawn chair she'd pilfered from her parents' garage."So, are we ready to sign?" he inquired, his eyebrows doing an odd dance over his forehead, a rather peculiar move for a man, and one that had left questions in the minds of some of their patrons as to his sexual orientation. But those in doubt didn't know Shane's history where women were concerned. He was a consummate professional at work and a regular tomcat at night—that is until a particularly clever feline had put an end to his roaming ways.Her name was Gina, and Shane planned to marry her, which was why he'd offered to buy Marnie's half of the business. Gina, it turned out, was also a hairdresser and she and Shane were working on more than marriage plans."Slow down, Shane. Like I told you yesterday, I want my lawyer to read it before I sign." She reached for the document, intending to pop it into her oversized bag."Sorry. It's just that I'm so anxious, you know. God!" He sandwiched his head between his hands. "I've never felt like this before! We'll be celebrating our three-month anniversary in a week, can you believe that?" he asked, giving her the same wide-eyed look she'd seen at least a dozen times a day for the past few months.If he launched into yet another of his long-winded sagas about the wonders of love at first sight, about his plans for marriage and a future with the soon-to-be Gina Walker, she was going to have to slap him. She'd never slapped anyone except her brother Scott for telling Andy Capson she wanted to go out with him. But if Shane didn't stop talking about how great love felt, how happy he was… As far as Marnie was concerned, love was nothing more than a word in the dictionary somewhere between lovat—a tweed of muted green—and low—inferior or depressed.All the boyfriends she'd had to date could be slotted into one of two categories: they either had issues around commitment, or they bordered on being illiterate. And if that wasn't bad enough, they'd all turned out to be liars. Every man with whom she'd had a relationship had been dishonest in one way or another."Your three-month anniversary?" she repeated idly, as she skimmed the opening paragraphs of the sales agreement, glad to see the main terms of the agreement in writing, especially the financial ones. There was a non-competition clause, restricting her from opening a salon in the city, which was fine with her.Shane put his hand on her shoulder. "Look, take your time and read through carefully, but I would like to have it all settled before Christmas. Is that possible?"She looked up from the document as she considered what he'd said. As much as she loved the business, she'd often wished for something more. She was a good manager, and she wanted a bigger challenge in her life, but he hadn't considered acting on her discontent until Gina had started at the salon. The unfortunate truth was that she couldn't work with the woman. She was bossy and overbearing.Marnie hadn't busted her butt for ten years to end up taking orders from a woman whose only qualification, other than that of hairdresser, was that she had snagged the other owner. And with the cash from the buyout Marnie would be able to start a different business. She didn't know what yet, but she'd figure it out. All she needed was a little time."Before Christmas? I don't see why that should be a problem," she said."Great. I'll go out and put the coffee on so we can have a cup to celebrate. I brought a bag of these special beans Gina loves. They're from Costa Rica. I'll go grind them and be right back. Do you want a cappuccino? Or just regular?""Why don't we splurge and have a cappuccino?"He winked at her and smiled the goofy smile he'd recently acquired. "You got it."After he left, Marnie skipped through the legalese to the important parts of the agreement, and made sure they said what Shane had promised.She sat back and let her gaze move around the office, remembering the long hours she'd spent there, the worries she and Shane had had over the finances, whether they'd be able to grow their client list and hire the best hairdressers. But most of all she remembered the sense of accomplishment she'd felt when she and Shane had been written up in one of the local magazines, commended for their successful partnership. And now, as she faced the fact that this would all be over in a few weeks, she felt a sudden pang of longing.For ten years she'd lived and breathed Total Elegance. She'd borrowed her share of the start-up money, and then prayed that the salon would be enough of a success to pay off her loan. It was and she had. She'd proven to her family that she could succeed on her own terms, and it felt so good.Marnie swallowed against the hard lump in her throat. This was not the time for tears. She and Shane had had a good ride, but it would be fun to spend a few weeks considering her next venture, sleeping in until noon, shopping when she felt like it.Shane reappeared with two mugs in his hands, and with what had become his signature wide-body smile, only to come to a dead halt. "Hey, Marnie, is something wrong?"His words startled her. "no. Nothing. Why?"He passed her a cup with her usual two teaspoons of sugar and went to sit behind the desk, placing his mug on a coaster Marnie's mother had crocheted for the office—to give it a homey touch, as she'd put it. "For a minute, I thought I'd left something out of the agreement," he said, hefting his size-twelve shoes up onto the corner of the desk."Not at all." She took a sip of her coffee, letting the aroma infiltrate her nostrils while the caffeine hot-wired her mind."Well, what do you think? Is it all right?""I'm sure it is…. I'll miss this place."12 the christmas inn"I know you will, honey. If you'd like to work in the salon until you decide on a new career, that's fine by me," he offered, his words holding the nuance of a man who just realized that he should run the idea past his woman."Thanks. I appreciate it," she said. "But I think I'm going to concentrate on what I want to do next.""Have you considered going back to university?"Having flunked her first year, she didn't intend on repeating the experience. Besides, she didn't want to waste her hard-earned cash on learning things she'd never use. She was far too practical. Of course, not having made up her mind about her future would mean she'd have to sit through the next dozen or so family dinners, and be subjected to all sorts of unwanted advice."School isn't for me, at least not right—" A loud banging sound interrupted her."Someone's at the back door at this hour of the morning?" Shane asked, a frown on his face."I'll go and see," Marnie said, hopping up from her chair and heading out back. Deliveries didn't start until 9:00 a.m., and there was little chance that any of the staff would appear ahead of their shift. She peeked through the little hole in the middle of the door."No!" she moaned. Turning, she braced her back against the hard surface. She would unlock the door and let her nuisance of a brother into the salon when pigs wore roller skates. Scott couldn't be certain she was there, and besides, even if he persisted in banging on the door, she wasn't going to answer."Marnie. I know you're in there, and we need to talk."Luke Harrison ... Views: 65
When today's promises become tomorrow's lies, how can you believe in anything . . . or anyone?
Jaynie Cumberland has no idea how to trust again, so she’s given up on trying. Dumped in to the state foster care system at age fourteen, Jaynie spent three years treading water, just trying to get by.
Still, Jaynie always knew she was broken in some way. After all, why did her own mother abandon her? And following a harrowing experience at her first foster home, Jaynie’s worst fears are confirmed, leaving her feeling worthless and shattered.
Now Jaynie counts the days till she turns eighteen and can go out on her own. All she wants is to be free of everyone and everything. But before that can happen, she must make it through the next few months at one final foster home. There Jaynie meets a gorgeous, albeit rough-around-the-edges, boy who is dealing with the repercussions of his own turbulent past.
Flynn O'Neill is immediately taken with this new, fragile girl. He becomes determined to show Jaynie there is more to life than hurt and pain. Unfortunately, this new home they live in, one that promised to be a haven for unwanted kids, is more like a living hell.
So what do you do when you’re trapped and there’s no way out?
What if you fall in love and protecting the other person becomes the most important thing in your life?
What if something unthinkable happens, testing your love, and the stakes are raised higher than ever? Will you come out unscathed? Can today’s promises be kept? Or will they simply become more of tomorrow’s lies?
Tomorrow’s Lies is a beautiful story of an all-consuming love and broken people building a family out of nothing. It's about never giving up, even in the face of adversity. Views: 65
My billionaire stepbrother owes me.Years ago, James thoughtlessly gave me an IOU instead of a Christmas present.I thought I had pushed him out of my mind, but years later, I found myself sharing a home with him again.Just like before, he teased me at every turn. And just like before, it only made me want him more.In one moment, our relationship changed forever. I found out firsthand what had made all those girls moan while we had shared a wall years ago.Now it’s time to collect on that jerk’s IOU. Even though he's a billionaire, the thing that I want from him isn't money. I want a gift that will last me a lifetime...A baby. Views: 65
From two extraordinary authors comes a moving, exuberant, laugh-out-loud novel about friendship and family, told entirely in emails and letters.Avery Bloom, who's bookish, intense, and afraid of many things, particularly deep water, lives in New York City. Bett Devlin, who's fearless, outgoing, and loves all animals as well as the ocean, lives in California. What they have in common is that they are both twelve years old, and are both being raised by single, gay dads.When their dads fall in love, Bett and Avery are sent, against their will, to the same sleepaway camp. Their dads hope that they will find common ground and become friends—and possibly, one day, even sisters. But things soon go off the rails for the girls (and for their dads too), and they find themselves on a summer adventure that neither of them could have predicted. Now that they can't imagine life without each other, will the two girls (who sometimes call themselves Night Owl and... Views: 65
My life's not easy. I'll tell you that now. It's not neat. I don't fit into society the way most people expect me to and I don't color studiously between the lines, outside the lines is where I reside. The fringes of society is where I found my place, with the Sons of Templar MC. The life they lived gave me everything I wanted, and everything I needed. Most importantly, it gave me something I'd been lacking for over a decade--family. A place to belong. Club girl--that was my title. There were other words for what I was, but I preferred the less derogatory version. Sure, I'd love to be an Old Lady. It's the dream. But, as someone who escaped into fantasy worlds when life got too much, I knew the difference between dreams and reality. I had resigned myself to the fact, I'd always belong to the club. It didn't mean I didn't crave one man in particular to claim me. To put me on the back of his bike and ride off into the sunset with the man who'd captured my heart the first day I saw him--Hansen. The dream where he'd finally see me and make me his, existed strictly in Macy's world of wonder. Until now. Until somehow my fantasy world and reality world collided and he looks at me in the way I'd dreamt of for a year. Fairy tales usually had neat and happy endings once the hero and heroine got together. This wasn't a fairy tale. Hansen wasn't your traditional hero and I was the furthest you could get from a heroine. I feared my past might dictate my future. That my world outside the lines would go from messy to complete disaster. Outside the Lines is a 35,000 word novella that can be read as a standalone. HEA and no cliffhangers.** Views: 65
Ryan Timmons has lost every job and relationship because of his klutziness. He reached a new low when his father had to call in a favor for him to work at the Crazy Angle Ranch.Callum Leeman refuses to be topped from the bottom and breaks up with his boyfriend. Within five minutes of meeting Ryan, the man manages to trash two rooms, yet Callum is intrigued. A dying horse is dumped on Crazy Angle land and veterinarian Callum is shocked by what its injuries imply. When Callum’s fears are confirmed, it is Ryan’s ingenuity that saves the day and many horses. This story includes saving a man’s life, the conclusion of a woman we all love to hate, and Callum’s ex-boyfriend, whose words of acid have a devastated Ryan walking away from love. Never fear, fathers are here to save the day. Views: 65
Seven years ago, in the frosted beauty of an English country Christmas, Cate Hamilton and Ashe Carlisle fell hopelessly in love. But, as heir to a barony, Ashe was not from her world, and Cate returned to Australia brokenhearted, unknowingly carrying a secret that she keeps to this day.When a chance meeting in Sydney sees their paths cross once more, neither can deny the unwavering intensity of their love. But first Cate and Ashe must revisit the ghosts of their past. And Cate's revelation is about to change everything.... Views: 65
