"Deborah Smith's novels are filled to the brim with wonderful characters, complex and rich emotions, tragedy and hope." -- Romantic Times Her Harvard-student son just eloped with the First Daughter. CNN is parked on the road to her apple orchards. Secret Service agents have commandeered her country kitchen. The irate First Parents are threatening to have her taxes audited. The President's handsome, tough, ex-military nephew is setting up camp in her guest room. Hush McGillan's quiet Appalachian world of heirloom apples, country festivals, and carefully guarded family secrets has just been flipped like one of her famous Sweet Hush Apple Turnovers. What do you do when your brand-new in-laws are the First Family, and they don't like you any more than you like them? And what happens next when you find yourself falling in love with the man they sent to unearth all your secrets? From the White House to the apple house, from humor to tears and sorrow to laughter, get ready to fall in love with Sweet Hush. Optioned for Disney Films by the producer of The Princess Diaries. Deborah Smith is the New York Times bestselling author of A Place To Call Home, The Crossroads Cafe, A Gentle Rain and many others. Visit her at www.bellebooks.com and www.deborah-smith.com ### From Publishers Weekly Smith's beguiling brand of Southern contemporary romance (Sweet Hush, etc.) takes a satirical turn in her ninth novel. When Schwarzeneggeresque action star Stone Senterra arrives in Dahlonega, Ga., the only thing standing in the way of his making a film about real-life local hero Harper Vance is Vance's exâ€"beauty queen widow armed with a truckload of gravel, a potted orchid named "Dancer" and a will of steel. Charming Grace stops at nothing to ensure that her husband's memory does not become fodder for yet another bad movie. Having defied her wealthy father to befriend and then marry the backwoods bad boy turned GBI (Georgia Bureau of Investigation) agent, she is more than ready to face down Hollywood. What she isn't prepared for are the feelings aroused by Senterra's troubleshooting bodyguard, Cajun-born ex-con Boone Noleene, like Vance a gallant-hearted tough guy and like Senterra abandoned by his father at an early age. The novel alternates points of view: first we hear from the rebel belle, then from the brash bodyguard. The battling duo are backed up by a larger-than-life cast of secondary characters, including Senterra's baby sister co-star, Diamond, voted sexiest movie babe by Gun and Knife magazine, and Senterra's son the computer geek, who falls for Grace's black niece from Detroit. Smith blends Southern charm and Hollywood brass, kicking up the satire with Stone's script notes, full of cliches, paranoia and celluloid-deep emotion. Her unflagging energy, forgiving spirit and mischievous imagination compel the reader to delight with her in the frailty of heroes on-screen and off, proving that Smith is one romance novelist who just keeps getting better. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. ### From Booklist *Starred Review* Grace Bagshaw Vance will do whatever it takes to stop Stone Senterra. One of Hollywood's most popular action/adventure stars, Senterra wants to direct a film based on the life of Grace's late husband, Harp, a Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent who was killed stopping the Turn-Key Bomber. Grace, however, is certain Senterra's brand of mindless, testosterone-drenched movies will disgrace Harp's memory. Armed with a shotgun and a load of gravel, Grace concocts a plan to put a halt to the production only to find herself up against Boone Noleene, Senterra's intensely loyal bodyguard. While they first seem to be on opposite sides, both Grace and Boone soon find they have quite a bit in common, something that worries Grace since the more she finds herself getting to know Boone, the more it seems she is letting go of her beloved Harp. Writing with an easy charm and sassy wit, Smith deftly fashions a splendid story of love and honor. Blessed with an abundance of delightfully eccentric characters and a plot that gracefully moves between past and present, this is a romance to treasure. *John Charles* *Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved*

The most soulful Kavanagh brother tackles the challenge of a lifetime—with a little help from the girl of his dreams. "Fans of Lori Foster's SBC Fighters series will love the MMA atmosphere of [Sarah] Robinson's Legends."—Library Journal A topnotch manager and agent, Quinn Kavanagh pictures a life outside of his family's renowned MMA gym. Beneath his sleek exterior, Quinn has a secret passion for sculpting. But after a nearly fatal motorcycle accident, he's struggling just to walk again, let alone get back to the studio—and it doesn't help that the doctor in charge of his physical therapy is his childhood crush. Quinn's always ready for a fight, but the bittersweet sting of unrequited love has him begging for mercy. Dr. Kiera Finley is determined to make her medical residency a success. Six years ago, she gave in and shared a single passionate night with Quinn. Now she's just hoping the cocky lover from her past doesn't...

When 25-year-old Bella Michaels is brutally murdered in the small town of Strathdee, the community is stunned and a media storm descends.Unwillingly thrust into the eye of that storm is Bella's beloved older sister, Chris, a barmaid at the local pub, whose apparent easygoing nature conceals hard-won wisdom and the kind of street-smarts only experience can bring.As Chris is plunged into despair and searches for answers, reasons, explanation - anything - that could make even the smallest sense of Bella's death, her ex-husband, friends and neighbours do their best to support her. But as the days tick by with no arrest, Chris's suspicion of those around her grows.An Isolated Incident is a psychological thriller about everyday violence, the media's obsession with pretty dead girls, the grip of grief and the myth of closure, and the difficulties of knowing the difference between a ghost and a memory, between a monster and a man.

Now a major motion picture starring Maggie Smith, Alan Bennett's famous and heartwarming story "The Lady in the Van," and more of Bennett's classic short-form workAlan Bennett has long been one of the world's most revered humorists. From his acclaimed story collection Smut to his hilarious and sharply observed The Uncommon Reader, Bennett has consistently remained one of literature's most acute observers of Britain and life's many absurdities.In this new collection, drawn from his wide-ranging career, you'll read some of Bennett's finest work, including the title story, the basis for a new feature film starring Maggie Smith. The book also includes the rollicking comic masterpiece "The Laying on of Hands" and the bittersweet "Father! Father! Burning Bright," Bennett's classic tale of the tense relationship between a man and his dying father.

The devastation of Pearl Harbor and the American victory at Midway were prelude to a greater challenge: rolling back the vast Japanese Pacific empire, island by island.This masterful history encompasses the heart of the Pacific War—the period between mid-1942 and mid-1944—when parallel Allied counteroffensives north and south of the equator washed over Japan's far-flung island empire like a "conquering tide," concluding with Japan's irreversible strategic defeat in the Marianas. It was the largest, bloodiest, most costly, most technically innovative and logistically complicated amphibious war in history, and it fostered bitter interservice rivalries, leaving wounds that even victory could not heal.Often overlooked, these are the years and fights that decided the Pacific War. Ian W. Toll's battle scenes—in the air, at sea, and in the jungles—are simply riveting. He also takes the reader into the wartime councils in Washington and Tokyo where...

A beautiful and haunting novel; longlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2012. Malaya, 1949. After a career spent helping to prosecute Japanese war criminals, Yun Ling Teoh, herself the scarred lone survivor of a brutal Japanese wartime camp, seeks solace among the jungle fringed plantations of Northern Malaya. There she meets the enigmatic Aritomo, exiled former gardener of the Emperor of Japan. Yun Ling asks Aritomo to create a garden in memory of her sister. But the Garden of Evening Mists is also a place of mystery, and the jungle holds secrets of its own - The Garden of Evening Mists deals with Malaysia's turbulent road to independence, a time of insurrection, uncertainty and terror. This recording is unabridged. Typically abridged audiobooks are not more than 60% of the author's work and as low as 30% with characters and plotlines removed.Review'Just as elegantly planted as his Man Booker longlisted debut The Gift of Rain, and even more tantalisingly evocative' THE INDEPENDENT

The secret is out —- DROON is the series that kids, parents, and teachers are talking about! There are now over 10 million DROON books in print. Eric has been wounded during an epic battle with Ko and his beasts. Now, the young wizard lies in a coma, trapped in a dream-state halfway between fantasy and reality. Desperate to find a cure, Neal, Julie, and Princess Keeah rush to Samarindo, a beautiful but dangerous city famous for its dark magic. But they are immediately attacked by a group of bandits. Can the friends track down the cure before it's too late?

Your Days Are Numbered…And Clay Ryker Knows It. Clay Ryker is a man with a dark past and an uncertain future. A failure in both business and marriage, he has come home after a decade away, hoping for a fresh start in the small Pacific Northwest town where he grew up. But Clay harbors a terrible secret, one that even those closest to him don’t know. When increasingly sinister notes appear in the folds of his morning paper, Clay realizes that the truth is not so secret after all. Then people around him start dying and, with a serial killer on the loose, he discovers a terrible gift: he can foresee the timing of a person’s death–his or her expiration date. As his newfound ability proves both a blessing and a curse, Clay’s foreknowledge could cost more than he can bear to lose. Working with ex-cop and investigator Vince Turney, Clay has no choice but to face up to the truth of his past. Will he find the courage to overcome an unspeakable evil, one that he himself may have empowered? From the Trade Paperback edition.ReviewEndorsements for EXPIRATION DATEBy Eric Wilson “With bravado and compelling prose, Eric Wilson is set to leave his mark on the world of fiction.” –Ted Dekker, best-selling author of Thr3e and Black “Eric Wilson is great addition to the ranks of Christian novelists. His exploration of God’s hidden workings and how they invade human lives is as needed as it is fun to read. Enjoy the adventure in Expiration Date, but don’t miss its ultimate question. Well done, Eric!”–Jefferson Scott, author of Operation: Firebrand–Deliverance  “Eric Wilson is creating his own genre: one part factual history, one part present-day fiction, along with a potent dash of spiritual conflict. With plot twists and revelations that will make you hungry for the next chapter, Expiration Date is more proof that Eric Wilson and his unique storytelling style are here for the long haul. This book will leave you wondering how he comes up with such great stories–and how long we have to wait for the next!”–Alison Strobel, author of Worlds Collide “Expiration Date was more than a great read. I experienced this powerful story with the characters, my stomach knotting with each riveting plot twist. Eric Wilson is a master at weaving an intricate tale in which the stakes rise at every turn. Just when I thought I knew what to expect, another level of this multi-layered story would reveal even greater spiritual proportions than first realized. Because of Expiration Date, Eric Wilson is now one of my favorite writers. I can’t wait to see what’s next from this talented novelist!”–Tricia Goyer, author of From Dust and Ashes and Night Song “With Expiration Date, Eric Wilson sets the bar even higher than he did with his debut novel, Dark To Mortal Eyes. Like a classic Hitchcock hero, Clay Ryker is an ordinary man caught in an extraordinary situation that forces him to risk everything to save his wife and child and even his own life. With a premise that won’t let go of you, Eric Wilson builds a story that twists and turns and keeps you going until the final, explosive climax.”–Steven Womack, Edgar Award-winning author of By Blood Written “Expiration Date is a first-rate thriller that provides page after page of skillful plots and sub-plots that climax to an electrifying conclusion. Eric Wilson is a masterful storyteller who lays a foundation of biblical truth on a canvas of contemporary culture and shows the clear blessings and consequences for those who follow or reject that truth.”–Hamp Morrison, publisher, *Nashville Christian Family Magazine *About the AuthorEric Wilson is the author of Dark to Mortal Eyes. A bible college graduate, he has a firm understanding of Scripture and doctrine, which he uses as a backdrop for the tough issues in his novels. Eric and his wife live with their two pre-teen daughters in Nashville, Tennessee.

Barbara Park’s New York Times bestselling chapter book series, Junie B. Jones, is a classroom favorite and has been keeping kids laughing—and reading—for more than twenty years. Over 60 million copies in print and now with a bright new look for a new generation! Meet the World’s Funniest Kindergartner—Junie B. Jones! A terrible thing happened to Junie B.! And it’s called—someone took her new black furry mittens! And they kept them! They didn’t even put them in the Lost and Found at school. So when Junie B. finds a wonderful pen on the floor, she should be allowed to keep it, too. Right? That’s fair. Right? Right?   USA Today : “Junie B. is the darling of the young-reader set.”   Publishers Weekly : “Park convinces beginning readers that Junie B.—and reading—are lots of fun.”   Kirkus Reviews : “Junie’s swarms of young fans will continue to delight in her unique take on the world. . . . A hilarious, first-rate read-aloud.”   Time : “Junie B. Jones is a feisty six-year-old with an endearing penchant for honesty.” From the Trade Paperback edition.