When Ethan Montgomery is forced to return home to run the New York City branch of Montgomery International, the last thing he expects is to find is that the Board of Directors have hired forensic accountant, Rachel Sullivan, to review the bank’s records. Ethan fell for Rachel thirteen years ago, but she chose Ryan, his best friend since childhood. Now, after Ryan’s sudden and tragic death, Rachel is alone again. Seeing her brings back feelings Ethan believed died a long time ago.
Worse, giving in to those feelings threatens to expose a secret Rachel should never know, one that involves Ryan and the past and might endanger her life.
Rachel Sullivan is stunned when Ethan Montgomery suddenly returns to New York City after years away in Europe, and, heaven help her, those feelings she once had for him, before she had to marry Ryan, are back and stronger than ever. But being with Ethan is a conflict of interest and threatens to annihilate everything she’s worked toward over the last few years, including her independence and painstakingly rebuilt financial security destroyed by Ryan’s death.
Will circumstances force them to once again sacrifice their true feelings, or will Rachel and Ethan conquer the odds and give love a second chance? Views: 12
In recent years serial killer novels and films have become something of a cliche. It's a genre which has been done to death with only a few works standing above the herd. So Hawksmoor was a very refreshing change. A novel set in London, with two threads, one in the 1800's and one in contemporary times. The novel opens in the period following the Great Fire of London, with one Nicholas Dyer, an assistant surveyor in scotland yard who eventually becomes an apprentice to Christopher Wren. He is commissioned to rebuilt the lost churches of London. In the present we are introduced to a series of characters, including a young boy and a vagrant, whose stories are painted with a lavish brush, before we meet the eponymous hero of the novel. Hawksmoor is the detective investigating a series of serial killings, located in the vicinity of a number of churches across London. It is here that the various sub plots are brought together, the story centring on Hawksmoor attempts at unravelling the mystery. All the while the story of Dyer's architectural plans and the rebuilding of London unravel simultaneously. His true character is gradually exposed, revealing unexpected connections between the two disparate storylines. The conclusion of the novel is both unexpected and uncomfortable, a brilliant conclusion to a work with a great psychological presence. Ackroyd brings the personalities of his characters to the fore, places them in a lushly drawn backdrop, and shows the story through their eyes. One of the most impressive things about the novel is the way Ackroyd treats the serial killer storyline, keeping it very much in the background, shown only through the eyes of the characters and the ensuing investigation. It never dominates the proceedings, and Ackroyd instead concentrates his energy on exploring the eighteenth century events that hold a key to the present day. It is both chilling and filled with an aura of corruption, a reinvention of history and a fresh look at the present through the eyes of history. It has been a while since I have read a novel this satisfying, an enthralling story on all levels with an ending that stays with you long after you've finished it. Views: 12
Named to the Bluebonnet Award and Mark Twain Award Master Lists: Cole isn't happy about his great-uncle coming to live with his family . . . until Daney's in danger of losing his beloved horseCole Tatro has never met his great-uncle Daney. But after he's injured in a logging accident, he comes to live with Cole's family on their Vermont farm. Cole isn't sure how he's going to feel about having a stranger around all the time. Then he meets Daney's horse, Nip. A big red workhorse with a tousled blond mane and a sleepy face, Nip is the pride of Daney's life. Except Daney no longer has a job. Cole's parents work hard—his dad at a paper mill and his mom sewing doll dresses at a local factory—but they aren't sure they have the money to take care of Nip. That's when Daney comes up with the perfect solution. But he'll need Cole's help to carry it out. Uncle Daney's Way is a story of grit, determination, and one family's ingenuity... Views: 12
Winner of the 2009 Janet Frame Fiction AwardIt is 1905 and brothers Yung and Shun eke out a living as green grocers near Wellington's bustling Chinatown. The pair work to support their families back in China, but know they must adapt if they are to survive and prosper in their adopted home.Nearby, Katherine McKechnie struggles to raise her rebellious son and daughter following the death of her husband Donald. A strident right-wing newspaperman, Donald terrorised his family, though was idolised by his son.Chancing upon Yung's grocery store one day, Katherine is touched by the Chinaman's unexpected generosity. In time, a clandestine relationship develops between the immigrant and the widow, a relationship Katherine's son Robbie cannot abide...As World War I rolls on, and young men are swept up on a tide of macho patriotism, Robbie takes his family's honour into his own hands. In doing so, he places his mother at the heart of a tragedy that... Views: 12
The Egoist by George Meredith recounts the story of self-absorbed Sir Willoughby Patterne and his attempts at marriage; jilted by his first bride-to-be, he vacillates between the sentimental Laetitia Dale and the strong-willed Clara Middleton. More importantly, the novel follows Clara's attempts to escape from her engagement to Sir Willoughby, who desires women to serve as a mirror for him and consequently cannot understand why she would not want to marry him. Thus, The Egoist dramatizes the difficulty contingent upon being a woman in Victorian society, when women's bodies and minds are trafficked between fathers and husbands to cement male bonds. Views: 11
When a film crew descends on Dedley to resurrect an old soap opera for the big screen, the team at Serious go undercover to catch a murderer. One member short, the detectives find themselves in the spotlight for the wrong reasons. Brough and Miller are back for this fast-moving and funny investigation, their sixth but not their last. Views: 11
SUMMARY:The second book in the highly acclaimed Pellinor series Maerad is a girl with a tragic and bitter past, but her powers grow stronger by the day. Now she and her mentor, Cadvan, pursued by both the Light and the Dark, are seeking the Riddle of the Treesong - the key to restoring peace in the ravaged kingdom. But is Maerad herself the greatest riddle of them all? Maerad's epic quest continues as she travels from terrifying seas to vast stretches of glacial wilderness, drawn ever closer to her enemy the Winterking - the strongest ally of the Nameless One and the greatest tyrant of them all. Views: 11
