Mary Barton is the first novel by English author Elizabeth Gaskell, published in 1848. The story is set in the English city of Manchester between 1839 and 1842, and deals with the difficulties faced by the Victorian lower class. It is subtitled 'A Tale of Manchester Life'.

When a mysterious illness begins to sweep through Noctem Falls affecting the children, Eleanor Kimball is called to the city to see if she can determine what is wrong. As a pediatrician Eleanor loves children and desires many of her own, however, after several dating disasters she has not only sworn off men, but has given up her dream of a family, and the promise of a destined mate. After discovering Grant in Noctem Falls she is faced with her own insecurities and finds it hard to believe in his love. Grant Douglas is a man of few words and doesn’t do well surrounded by others. He is scared to death of finding a mate. He believes the harshness of his past, where he struggled to survive, didn’t cultivate a gentle heart. After a series of terrifying nightmares where his mate is at risk, Grant has decided he doesn’t want a mate at all. When he meets Ellie, he realizes there are some things worth fighting for. Even if it means putting himself out there by becoming the Alpha he was born to be and facing the power he desperately tries to hide. As Ellie starts to believe in Grant’s love it will take every ounce their combined strength to discover why the shifter children are suddenly falling ill before it’s too late.

Retired military colonel Caleb Edgington has spent two long years trying to achieve the most important mission objective of his life—but not behind enemy lines. He’s trying to capture a woman with a broken heart. Having lost at love once, he understands being gun shy. The residual fears from Carlotta Buckley’s nasty divorce have stood between them, but he’s done with that. And he’s got the perfect strategy to lure her in… Carlotta never thought she’d fall in love again. Once bitten, she’s now more than twice shy. And Caleb is everything she can’t handle—fierce, relentless, uncompromising…sexual. She’s managed to mostly avoid him, but now his son and her daughter need their help. Can Caleb and the spirit of the season convince her that she’s ready to take a chance on love again?

This story is for all my readers who have been impacted by the current political SNAFU – and for anyone else who might need to enjoy a free story in these difficult times. “Shutdown”, will be available free for the duration of the government shutdown. Once the government is back in business then the short story will no longer be available on line, at least not until my publisher and I figure out what we might want to do with it. But for right now, while we’re all wondering how it got to this point, here’s a brand new Anita Blake short story, featuring our favorite bad boy werewolf, yep, I mean Richard Zeeman. Hey, I’ve been telling you, he’s been working his therapy: read on to see the results that hard work and being brave enough to own your whole self can get you.

AN ALL-NEW PLAY-BY-PLAY NOVELLANew York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jaci Burton’s “must-read” (Fresh Fiction) Play-By-Play series now arouses the sexy holiday spirit as a passionate young couple discovers the boundless rewards of pleasure.All Elizabeth and Gavin Riley want for Christmas is a baby. Despite over a year of trying, conception hasn’t been successful. But for a high-achiever like Elizabeth, she must succeed at everything. That means making the very most of every opportunity with her husband. And when it comes to nonstop sex Gavin’s not really complaining. Exhausted, maybe...Unfortunately, this holiday season they’re not exactly given a lot of private time. Elizabeth is hosting the holiday, Gavin’s sister is getting married, and the house is wall-to-wall with family. For Elizabeth and Gavin the nights may be chilly, but the urge is still hot. And they’re not about to let any distraction get in the way of their necessary pleasures during a holiday game that yields so many unexpected surprises. Includes a preview of Jaci Burton's upcoming novels Melting the Ice and Hope Flames. 

Divorce attorney Harper James can't catch a break. Bad enough that she runs into her ex-hubby, Nick, at her sister's destination wedding, but now, by a cruel twist of fate, she's being forced to make a cross-country road trip with him. And her almost-fiancé back at home is not likely to be sympathetic.Harper can't help that Nick has come blazing back into her life in all of his frustratingly appealing, gorgeous architect glory. But in Nick's eyes, Harper's always been the one. If they can only get it right this time, forever might be waiting—just around the bend.

When Nora's young lover Nico admits he's always wanted to celebrate a real American Halloween, she summons him to Halloween Town, USA—a.k.a. Salem, Massachusetts—for two nights of nothing but candy, sex, and mischief. If necessary, they can skip the candy.

Suspicion and seduction collide in this suspenseful novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts.When Autumn Gallagher returns to her aunt's rural inn, she is surprised to find Lucas McLean. He'd broken her heart three years earlier, yet Autumn cannot deny the love still blazing inside her. When a guest of the inn is found dead, Lucas becomes a suspect. Can she risk listening to her heart again to help Lucas clear his name?

Murdoch Wroth will stop at nothing to claim Daniela - the delicate Valkyrie who makes his heart beat for the first time in three hundred years. Yet the exquisite Danii is part ice fey, and her freezing skin can't be touched by anyone but her own kind without inflicting pain beyond measure. Can they conquer an agony of frustration and slake the overwhelming desire burning between them?

The final Rough Riders book.Settle in for the hot McKay romance that started it all...The moment Carson McKay saw the sexy blonde at the dance hall, he wanted to throw her over his saddle and gallop hell-bent toward the closest church. Given his reputation as a lover and a fighter--not necessarily in that order--it wasn't surprising she gave him the cold shoulder. But he hadn't expected the mean right hook when he tried to steal a kiss.Carolyn West might look sweet and innocent, but she's no fool. The good-looking cowboy with the heart-stopping smile didn't really want to marry her; he just wanted to take her for a test ride. But when he kisses her a second time, she doesn't fight her burning attraction to him...until she learns he's one of the McKay cowboys she's been warned about.Carson doesn't care about the long-standing feud between their families; he knows that Carolyn was meant to be his. And the more intimate they become, the more Carolyn sees the real man behind the wild cowboy reputation--a man who wants the same forever kind of love she does...and who will lead her into a love story that spans fifty years.Warning: Crazy, hot, sexy and sweet--good girl meets bad boy cowboy and they prove lust can last a lifetime.

Dominic Corisi knew instantly that Abigail Dartley was just the distraction he was looking for, especially since having her took a bit more persuading than he was used to. So when business forces him to fly to China, he decides to take her with him, but on his terms. No promises. No complications. Just sex. Abby has always been the responsible one. She doesn't believe in taking risks; especially when it comes to men - until she meets Dominic. He's both infuriating and intoxicating, a heady combination. Their trip to China revives a long forgotten side of Abby, but also reveals a threat to bring down Dominic's company. With no time to explain her actions, Abby must either influence the outcome of his latest venture and save his company or accept her role as his mistress and leave his fate to chance. Does she love him enough to risk losing him for good?

#1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts delivers a thrilling story of family secrets and unexpected passions, set against the high-stakes world of championship thoroughbred racing… Kelsey Byden always believed that her mother was dead. But now, after all this time, she has discovered the truth: Naomi Chadwick is still alive—after spending years in prison for the murder of her lover. Now, at Naomi’s Virginia horse farm, Kelsey is trying to sort out a lifetime of deception—and her feelings about her mother. The bonds of love can be fragile...as Kelsey learned from her recently ended marriage. But as the two women rebuild their relationship—and Kelsey finds herself swept into an unsettling new romance—she must decide once and for all who she can trust, and who threatens to betray her...

When Police Lieutenant Eve Dallas investigates the murder of a top model, she is putting her career on the line, because the prime suspect is her best friend. Eve's investigations lead her into the glamorous world of high fashion.

She had vowed never to mix business with pleasure. But one look into the mesmerizing eyes of Parks Jones was all it took for Brooke Gordon. He was utterly desirable and completely off-limits - so Parks was going to have to break a few rules to convince her that love wasn't just a game to him, it meant forever...

When Caroline's company won an all expenses paid trip to Hawaii, little did she know her life would be turned upside down when she ran into Mark Selzer in the elevator.Expecting their one night of passion to be only that, Caroline is shocked when Mark shows up at her door two weeks later. Will she be able to open up enough to let him into her life?15,000 words.When Caroline's company won an all expenses paid trip to Hawaii, she thought all she'd be doing was lying on the beach drinking mai tais with her best friend Lisa. Little did she know her life would be turned upside down when she ran into Mark Selzer in the elevator.Expecting their one night of passion to be only that, Caroline is shocked when Mark shows up at her door two weeks later. Will she be able to open up enough to let him into her life? And how will she react when she finds out he's the heir to the largest resort company in the country?This 15,000 word story is the first instalment in The Billionaire's Command trilogy. Here's an excerpt:On the fourth day, Lisa and I were going to leave the resort and go find somewhere nice to eat along the main strip. We were just leaving the hotel when I realized I’d left my sunglasses in my room.“Crap. Can you wait for me in the lobby? It’s so bright out I don’t think I’ll be able to see anything if I don’t take my sunglasses.”“Yeah, sure,” Lisa replied, and I made my way back to the elevator. I was racking my brain trying to remember where I had put the sunglasses, so much so that I didn’t notice the man coming out of the elevators when the doors opened, and I barrelled straight into him.“Oh my God, I’m so sorry!” I exclaimed, embarrassed.“No, no, it was my fault. I apologize,” the man replied, grabbing my shoulders gently to steady me. His touch was strong, confident, and it sent a surge of electricity running through me. I looked up at the man, and my breath caught in my throat.Looking down at me was the most gorgeous man I’d ever seen in my life. High cheekbones, a day’s worth of dark brown stubble, hair that seemed to practically flow from his head in a polo shirt and jeans that looked formal somehow, here in Hawaii. I grabbed his arm to steady myself, the hard muscles of his biceps bulging against my skin.For the first time in my life, I found myself completely speechless. I wanted to say something, anything, but no words were coming out of my mouth. I was completely captivated, taken in by the man’s glistening blue eyes, like the deep waters here on the Hawaiian coast.“Are you alright?” he asked me, his voice kind, but deep.“Yes. Yes, I’m fine. Thank you,” I stammered, feeling like an idiot. The man smiled at me and I melted into a pool on the elevator floor.“Perfect. Sorry about that once more,” he told me, leaving the elevator. I watched as the man walked away and the doors closed behind me. As the elevator slid smoothly up to the 12th floor I had completely forgotten what I even came up here for. I couldn’t think about anything except that guy.