Venice, 1745—an age of reckless pleasures, playful artifice, and baroque excess. An accident has reduced Tito Amato’s glorious singing voice to a husky croak. A tragedy— but also an opportunity. The once celebrated male soprano is now determined to prove himself as a director. With the theater losing subscribers to a rival company headed by an unscrupulous impresario, San Marco’s Maestro Torani charges Tito with locating the perfect opera to fill the seats in time for the opening of Carnival.Surprisingly, a second-rate composer provides the very thing—an opera so replete with gorgeous melodies the public speculates it was written by the late Antonio Vivaldi. Even more disconcerting are the rumors swirling around Angeletto, a male soprano imported from Naples to sing the lead. Is the singer truly a castrato or a female soprano engaging in a daring but lucrative masquerade?Both matters lead the perplexed Tito into dangerous waters that turn murderous when Maestro Torani undergoes a series of increasingly vicious attacks ending in his death. And Tito is the prime suspect. His own life as well as the future of Teatro San Marco now depend on his skills as a sleuth…. ** Views: 5
Beautiful, flirtatious and romantic Valeria Montford is used to attracting admiring glances from the most eligible young men in Society. But galloping through the French countryside she discovers that pride definitely comes before a fall. A confident horsewoman, she is mortified when she is thrown in full view of Lord Charles Waterford. Embarrassed, and missing the usual praise for her equine skills, she decides that she hates Lord Waterford for making her feel humiliated.Then she meets Sir Peter Cousins – devastatingly handsome, exciting and slightly dangerous. Enchanted by Sir Peter's charm and obvious admiration Valeria becomes even more contemptuous of Lord Waterford's quieter nature.Back in England, Valeria's beloved father sadly confesses that a cad has defrauded him of his fortune. He can see only one way to pay his creditors and escape total financial ruin – Valeria must make a good marriage, and he already has a prospective suitor in mind.Still... Views: 5
1911, Long Island, New York Faced With an Uncertain Future, SometimesAll You Have Left is the Courage to DreamBrianna and Colleen O'Leary know their Irish immigrant father expects them to marry well. Recently he's put even more pressure on them, insinuating that the very future of their Long Island horse farm, Irish Meadows, rests in their ability to land prosperous husbands. Both girls, however, have different visions for their futures.Brianna, a quiet girl with a quick mind, dreams of attending college. Vivacious Colleen, meanwhile, is happy to marry—as long as her father's choice meets her exacting standards of the ideal groom. When former stable hand Gilbert Whelan returns from business school and distant relative Rylan Montgomery visits Long Island during his seminary training, the two men quickly complicate everyone's plans. As the farm slips ever closer to ruin, James O'Leary grows more desperate. It will take every ounce of... Views: 5
FOR THE BACHELOR AND THE BLUESTOCKING...Certain that no man wants a bluestocking for a wife, Miss Jane Lowndes is careful to wield her books and her spectacles as weapons against matrimony. Convincing her ambitious mama that she's content to stay a spinster is easier said than done, however. It's a good thing Jane is not above a bit of manufactured scandal if it will keep her from the altar, and the argumentative, contrary Lord Garrett Upton... ROMANCE IS NEVER BY THE BOOKWith the war over, Garrett is determined to enjoy his bachelor's life while he can, even when it means attending a house party in celebration of a friend's wedding—and suffering Jane's notorious disdain. But when a masquerade ball leads to a mistaken kiss, he's surprised to learn that Jane's bookish exterior hides a truly passionate soul. When two such headstrong people are determined to remain unattached, can love lead to a happy ending? Views: 5
A shy young lady courts danger, intrigue, and a notorious rake in this mysterious regency romance from the USA Today–bestselling author. Emmalyn Hathaway's quiet life is spent in pleasant companionship with her artist uncle and her beautiful, if somewhat flighty, cousin Marisol. So when this tranquility is upset by a disgruntled suitor of Marisol's, Emma decides to take matters into her own hands. Her quest for protection leads her to Restell Gardner, a notorious rake with a reputation for sleuthing out secrets. Even though Restell is exactly the kind of man Emma would rather avoid, and she the kind of lady he would never pursue, the two find more than just a common cause in their hours spent together. But as their attraction grows, so does the danger. Because there is something sinister going on in Emma's household—and Restell may be the only one who can save her . . . "Authentic characters and a... Views: 5
The battle was raging, the air hot with smoke, loud with rifle fire. Then the air turned dim with an eerie mist, and for Jason Tarkenton, captain of the Confederate cavalry, the true nightmare began. Vickie Knox was today's woman dressed like yesterday's, wearing Yankee garb to play a part. But playacting ended when a Reb stepped out of the mist and took her prisoner-for real. They never should have met, never should have battled-never should have loved. But something had gone wrong with time itself, weaving together past and present like torn threads of a tattered tapestry. Something had gone wrong, and in mending such shredded silk, their love-and their lives-might be the final sacrifice. Views: 5
Knitting together many of the major characters and stories in Michael Moorcock's unparalleled creation of the Eternal Champion, this new novel depicts Elric, the White Wolf, at the end of his thousand-year dream quest, where he will be caught in a breathtaking chase across eras, worlds, and realities...One summer day in Yorkshire, young Oonagh von Bek finds herself on an extraordinary and perilous adventure. The earth outside her family home breaks open, and she is chased into the subterranean realms of the Middle March by a pair of dangerous men.Her grandmother and grandfather - Oona, the Dreamthief's Daughter, and Elric, the last sorcerer of Melnibone - follow, encountering other important avatars of the Eternal Champion and seeking Elric's son. Fanning out across the infinite realms of existence and time, they hope to stop Oonagh's would-be kidnappers, Gaynor the Damned and his allies. All paths will converge in the dark empire of Granbretan, a land of cruel tyranny and wicked magic, where defilers and murderers plan the ultimate arrogance: to re-create the entire Multiverse - and replace the Cosmic Balance with themselves as eternal overlords. Views: 5
Every night Detective Devan Burke drives through the Naughty Latte espresso bar. Bikini barista, Luci Lombart, gives him what he wants, coffee poured into a rich fantasy life. Her innocent smile reminds him of a time before he used a cane to walk. When her latte stand is robbed, the suspect escapes but takes her purse with her personal info with him. Devan fears he may come after Luci and complete the interrupted attack.
Luci is careful not to let anyone get too close, especially not the handsome detective in a violent profession. But Luci's drawn to Devan, a wounded soul with a big heart. Committed to always be self-reliant, to never be under anyone's control, Luci is determined to finish her medical degree with or without her barista job. With her holistic training, is she the one who can heal Devan inside and out? Views: 5
