A dispute over a great diva's will sets the stage for bloody vengeance Antonia Byrne awakes in a splendid hotel room, and finds she isn't alone. When she sees the circle of concerned faces surrounding her bed, she knows she's going to die, but she intends to leave this world with a flourish. After all, she's the greatest diva of her generation and has always known how to make an exit. But before she goes, Antonia needs to say goodbye to Richard, whom she has loved with a passion so fierce she never dared spoil it with marriage. She's made a new will, and she wants Richard to take charge of her most valued treasure. He accepts, and she dies with laughter on her lips. Returning to England, Antonia's entourage is forced to make an emergency landing in the snowbound Alps, where the revelation of the new will leads to jealousy, betrayal, and a sweeping tragedy suited to the legacy of Antonia Byrne. Views: 70
Leon Stapinopolous had never known defeat in the boardroom--or the bedroom! One of France's oldest perfume houses was to be another acquisition in his empire...not least because Leon insisted that perfume designer Sadie Roberts be included in the purchase price!Sadie was as adamant that he'd never own her. But Leon thrilled her senses more than the headiest fragrance, and even the knowledge that she had everything to lose couldn't keep Sadie from becoming intoxicated by Leon's blend of charm and passion... Views: 70
The gang heads to Vegas for Trinity's bachelorette party, and things get a little crazy. Two people kiss when they should keep their lips to themselves. The police catch Slade doing something deemed obscene. And Silke and Arsen say and do things they regret.Clementine and Ward are dancing around their relationship. It's clear Ward wants a happily ever after. But when Clementine still can't give that to him, Ward hurts. But will Clementine change her mind when she realizes every other girl in Manhattan wants him for her own? Views: 70
Five children meet on the first day of kindergarten. In the years that follow, they become friends and more than friends. Together, they will find strength, meet challenges, face life’s adventures, endure loss, face stark realities, and open their hearts. In this moving novel, #1 New York Times bestselling author Danielle Steel traces their unforgettable journey—full of tests and trials—as three boys and two girls discover the vital bonds that will last a lifetime.FRIENDS FOREVER Gabby, Billy, Izzie, Andy, and Sean—each bursting with their own personality, strikingly different looks and talents, in sports, science, and the arts. Each drawn by the magical spark of connection that happens to the young. At the exclusive Atwood School, on a bright September day, starting in kindergarten they become an inseparable group known to outsiders as the Big Five. In this rarefied world, five families grow closer, and five children bloom beside one another, unaware of the storms gathering around them.As they turn from grade-schoolers to teenagers, seemingly perfect lives are buffeted by unraveling families, unfortunate missteps, and losses and victories great and small. And, one by one, they turn back to the Big Five to regain their footing and their steady course. But as they emerge from Atwood and enter the college years, the way forward is neither safe nor clear. As their lives separate and diverge, the challenges and risks become greater, the losses sharper, and the right paths harder to choose, in a journey of friendship, survival, and love.In what may be her most intricate and emotionally powerful novel yet, Danielle Steel tells a heart-wrenching, ultimately triumphant story that spans decades, weaves together a vivid cast of characters, and captures the challenges we face in life—sometimes, if we’re lucky, with a friend forever by our side.About the AuthorDanielle Steel has been hailed as one of the world’s most popular authors, with over 600 million copies of her novels sold. Her many international bestsellers include Betrayal, Hotel Vendome, Happy Birthday, 44 Charles Street, Legacy, Family Ties, and other highly acclaimed novels. She is also the author of His Bright Light, the story of her son Nick Traina’s life and death. Views: 70
One of the first great British novels, Samuel Richardson's classic tale became a legend to his own age and remains so today. Defying her parents' desire for her to marry a loathsome man for his wealth, the virtuous Clarissa escapes into the dangerous arms of the charming rogue Lovelace, whose intentions are much less than honorable. This thought-provoking work, written entirely in intimate letters, exposes the delicacy and complexity of affairs of the human heart. The fatal attraction between villain and victim builds and unfolds into a relationship that haunts the imagination as fully as that of Romeo and Juliet or Tristan and Isolde. Abridged and with an Introduction by Sheila Ortiz-Taylor and a New Afterword by Lynn Shepherd Views: 70
As the bond between Alexandra and Branford deepens, they each have their hopes for the future. Branford aspires to lead his kingdom with both wisdom and a firm hand while Alexandra fervently wishes to give her husband an heir. As Alexandra learns to embrace her noble role, she finds friendship with the girl she rescued from an abusive owner. It seems as though their lives have finally rewarded them with the happiness they have sought. But happiness comes at a price, for war is on the horizon. The neighboring kingdom of Hadebrand has amassed an army, and against insurmountable odds, Branford must lead the fight for his people. Alexandra is terrified but cannot let her fear show for she must serve as an example to their kingdom. The war must eventually end, but there is only one thing on Branford’s mind—to continue the royal lineage. But how will Alexandra overcome her heartache when she can’t give her husband the one thing he must have? Views: 70
By the Light of My Father's Smile is Alice Walker's first novel in six years--a stunning, original, and important book by "one of the best American writers of today" (The Washington Post).A family from the United States goes to the remote Sierras in Mexico--the writer-to-be, Susannah; her sister, Magdalena; her father and mother. And there, amid an endangered band of mixed-race Blacks and Indians called the Mundo, they begin an encounter that will change them more than they could ever dream. Moving back and forth in time, and among unforgettable characters and their stories, Walker crosses conventional borders of all kinds as she explores in this magical novel the ways in which a woman's denied sexuality leads to the loss of the much prized and necessary original self; and how she regains that self, even as her family's past of lies and love is transformed.By the Light of My Father's Smile presents, as Alice Walker puts it, "a celebration of sexuality, its absolute usefulness in the accessing of one's mature spirituality, and the father's role in assuring joy or sorrow in this arena for his female children." It explores the richness and coherence of alternative culture, experience of sexuality as a celebration of life, of trust in Nature and the Spirit, even as it affirms the belief, as Walker says, "that it is the triumphant heart, not the conquered heart, that forgives. And that love is both timeless and beyond time." Views: 70
