A Life Awakening is a chronicle about the troubled life of a young man named Ethan Elliot, as told by his spirit guide, William. In the first of this series, Whispers from Within, we join Ethan as he feels he finally has found his soul mate in his relationship with Jennifer. Little does Ethan realize that his entire world is about to be turned upside down.A Life Awakening is a chronicle about the troubled life of a young man named Ethan Elliot, as told by his spirit guide, William. In the first of this series, Whispers from Within, we join Ethan as he feels he finally has found his soul mate in his relationship with Jennifer. Little does Ethan realize that his entire world is about to be turned upside down. Yet, as Ethan's spirit guide, and with minimal intervention, William will guide Ethan to places he never expected to go, and to people he never expected to meet.Ethan's story begins in New York, when problems developed in his relationship with Jennifer. Heartbroken, Ethan, with the aid of divine intervention, decides to move on, in the hope of finding greener pastures and a new life. What Ethan discovers about himself is an important milestone, as it is to all of us when we awaken to the myriad of possibilities in the lives our souls chose to live.As Ethan listens to stories of the many people he meets from all walks of life, he slowly begins to re-evaluate his own true purpose in life. With the progression of both time and maturity, Ethan discovers the very essence of life itself, as well as the importance of those whom he considers true friends.Have you ever experienced a moment in your life when you thought everything was perfect, only to discover that circumstances were about to change abruptly? Whispers from Within will open your eyes to possibilities that at first blush you never would have considered, as you follow Ethan through his journey. All too often in our lives, we develop a preconceived notion of what the ideal should be in a life partner, a family, a job, or any of the many situations that require decisions on a daily basis. We make those decisions based on a number of factors, often just by watching what our friends and family are doing with their lives. But in life’s grand scheme of things one size doesn't fit all, so we adjust our lives based on our own life experiences.Whispers from Within, for both Ethan and the reader, celebrates life, with its many paths that lie before us. An entirely new world of options for living one’s life can be found once we drop the pretense of believing we always know what we want out of life. With the aid of your spirit guide, you will gain the ability to quiet the noise of daily life, while going deep within yourself to discover your truest motivations. Like Ethan, eventually you will begin to stop fighting the life your soul chose this time around, and begin to live a life of joy that others could only envy. In time, Ethan learns an important lesson, that a life well-lived has its own rewards, and neither Ethan, nor the lives he touches, will ever be the same.

**A full-length, standalone novel set in the world of the BIG GIRLS DO IT series** I was finally fulfilling my life-long dream of studying at Oxford University in England. I had a thesis. I had an apartment. The one thing I didn’t have was time for a man. Especially not one as sexy and intriguing and distracting as Ian Stirling. Okay, I mean, maybe I did have a little time for a man. After all, it’s not every day a ripped British sex-god sweeps you off your feet and does dirty, delicious things to you. Again and again. And again. For days. The problem is, Ian was just supposed to be a hunky distraction, but now my heart is craving him like my mouth craves cupcakes. Full Big Girls/Rock Stars Do It series reading order: Book 1: Big Girls Do It Better Book 2: Big Girls Do It Wetter Book 3: Big Girls Do It Wilder Book 4: Big Girls Do It On Top Book 5: Big Girls Do It Married Book 6: Big Girls Do It On Christmas Book 7: Rock Stars Do It Harder Book 8: Rock Stars Do It Dirty Book 9 Rock Stars Do It Forever Book 10: Big Girls Do It Pregnant Book 11: Big Love Abroad

“Being raised in an unstable household makes you understand that the world doesn’t exist to accommodate you, which, in Hannah’s observation, is something a lot of people struggle to understand well into adulthood.”–from The Man of My Dreams In her acclaimed debut novel, Prep, Curtis Sittenfeld created a touchstone with her pitch-perfect portrayal of adolescence. Her prose is as intensely realistic and compelling as ever in The Man of My Dreams, a disarmingly candid and sympathetic novel about the collision of a young woman’s fantasies of family and love with the challenges and realities of adult life. Hannah Gavener is fourteen in the summer of 1991. In the magazines she reads, celebrities plan elaborate weddings; in Hannah’s own life, her parents’ marriage is crumbling. And somewhere in between these two extremes–just maybe–lie the answers to love’s most bewildering questions. But over the next decade and a half, as she moves from Philadelphia to Boston to Albuquerque, Hannah finds that the questions become more rather than less complicated: At what point can you no longer blame your adult failures on your messed-up childhood? Is settling for someone who’s not your soul mate an act of maturity or an admission of defeat? And if you move to another state for a guy who might not love you back, are you being plucky–or just pathetic? None of the relationships in Hannah’s life are without complications. There’s her father, whose stubbornness Hannah realizes she’s unfortunately inherited; her gorgeous cousin, Fig, whose misbehavior alternately intrigues and irritates Hannah; Henry, whom Hannah first falls for in college, while he’s dating Fig; and the boyfriends who love her more or less than she deserves, who adore her or break her heart. By the time she’s in her late twenties, Hannah has finally figured out what she wants most–but she doesn’t yet know whether she’ll find the courage to go after it.

Everyone is searching for Mason. Zeus sent Hermes, and the Oracles have used their magic, with no success. A sparkle of hope arises when Eris, the goddess of Chaos, sends an invitation to her wedding engagement party. She’s holding Mason hostage, and Skylar and her friends only need permission to enter Eris’s world to rescue him. At the party, Eris gives them one condition: In exchange for Mason, they must travel to the Land of Reverse and bring back the bottle of gold water King Midas used to wash himself free of his gift. Further chaos follows when Eris not only sets up a hunt in the Labyrinth of Crete, but makes a bargain with the Titans she rescued. The Titans possess power more than anyone anticipated, and Cronus is hungry for revenge after his own children locked him up in Tartarus. No one is safe. Not even the humans.

He is a man of simple tastes—and complex pleasures... Cameron Mackenzie is a man who loves only horses and women—in that order—or so his mistresses say. Ainsley Douglas is a woman with a strong sense of justice and the desire to help others—even if that means sneaking around a rakish man's bedchamber. Which is exactly where Cam finds her—six years after he caught her the first time. Only then, she convinced Cam she was seeking a liaison, but couldn't go through with it because of her husband. Now a widow, she's on a mission to retrieve letters that could prove embarrassing to the queen. Cam has no interest in Ainsley's subterfuge, but he vows to finish what they started those many years ago. One game, one kiss at a time, he plans to seduce her. And what starts out as a lusty diversion may break Cam's own rules—and heal the scars of a dark and damaging past...

I’m over men. I’m done with them. Or at least the ones that work in my kitchen. Fine, one man in particular. Wyatt Shaw is cocky and condescending and so far out of his element that he doesn’t know which way is up. Or how to run his brand new kitchen all by himself. That’s where I come in. Sous chef extraordinaire. Second in command. Bane of his existence. I am the reason Wyatt’s doing so well as the new executive chef of one of our city’s most prestigious restaurants. He has me to thank for his glowing accolades and five-star write-ups. Only if you were to ask him, he’d say I’m his biggest problem. Despite his discouragement and bullish behavior, I’ve set two goals for myself. The first? I’m going to fight my way to the top of this male-dominated industry and claim my own award-winning kitchen. The second? I’m going to do whatever it takes to ignore Wyatt and his rare smiles and the thickening tension that’s started to simmer between us. Wyatt Shaw might be Durham’s new shining star. He might be up for a James Beard Award. He might be my new boss and key to my future success, but he’s also in my way. So he can keep his smoldering looks and secret kisses. And he can be the one that figures out how to make it through service without getting distracted by me. I’m not the problem. The problem is him.

A little sin can be deadly... Jessie Darker goes to high school during the day, but at night she helps with the family investigation business. Cheating husbands and stolen inheritances? They're your girls—but their specialty is a bit darker. Zombie in your garage? Pesky Poltergeist living in your pool? They'll have the problem solved in a magical minute. For a nominal fee, of course... When gorgeous new client Lukas Scott saunters into the office requesting their help to find a stolen box, it sounds like a simple case—until the truth comes out. The box is full of Sin. Seven deadly ones, in fact. They've got five days to recapture the Sins before they're recalled by the box, taking seven hijacked human bodies with them. Easy peasy—except for one thing... There's a spell that will allow the Sins to remain free, causing chaos forever. When the key ingredient threatens the life of someone she knows, Jessie must make the ultimate choice between love and family—or lose everything.

What happens when love turns toxic? Sam and Sandy had the best of starts. Their friends still think they’re perfect for each other. But behind the public façade lurks a skeleton in the closet: one of them is emotionally abusing the other, making them live in constant fear and guilt. Which one, and why does the other stay? Told from the author’s own experience of a controlling relationship.What happens when love turns toxic? Sam and Sandy had the best of starts. Most of their friends still think they’re perfect for each other. But behind the public façade lurks a skeleton in the closet: one of them is emotionally abusing the other, making their partner live in constant fear and guilt. Which one, and why does the other stay? Told from the author’s personal experience of a controlling relationship, ‘A Toxic Affair’ examines the ins and outs of emotional abuse and how something as innocent as young love can swiftly become something more sinister.

All Three books in one read...When Tammy Miller is forced to live in Ashville Manor, she quickly learns that nothing is quite as it seems. The Renaldo family are hiding a big secret but can Tammy find it out???When Tammy Miller is forced to live in Ashville Manor, she quickly learns that nothing is quite as it seems. “A vampire?” Tammy said slowly, not really sure how to make sense of it. He didn't look like anything she had read about. His skin was a little too pale, but so was hers. He didn't have weird looking eyes or fangs. She reached out and pressed her hand on his chest. His heart was beating just like hers. Dante watched her reaction, he knew she was checking him out. Trying to figure out if he was about to jump her and suck her body dry. He wasn't like that, that was just fiction written in books by people who had no idea about real vampires.Her hand moved from his chest and gently touched his hand; his skin wasn't cold. He was definitely living and not dead. Weren't vampires Immortal?? She leaned a little closer. “You're not dead!”

He is a steady, scheduled, reclusive writer-professor and she is something he has never seen before in his life. She brings fire, excitement and a fresh view into his life. But, perhaps she is too much for him to handle. Perhaps he is never going to be ready for someone like her.He is a steady, scheduled, reclusive writer-professor and she is something he has never seen before in his life. She brings fire, excitement and a fresh view into his life. But, perhaps she is too much for him to handle. Perhaps he is never going to be ready for someone like her. Among the ancient tomes, the carved wood desks and the musty air of academia is there a place for pure, unbridled lust? Oh, I image we can slip it in, between classes.

Lilly is a shy girl, forced to live out her romantic fantasies through the characters of her books. That all changes when she meets Charlie. The world Charlie comes from is much different than Earth. The government is controlling, but the belief that God chooses your soul mate is sacrosanct. Even though a relationship with an Earthan is forbidden, Charlie wonders if Lilly could be the One?He was created for only one person. She was never supposed to be the One.It is 1988, Clear Lake, Texas. Lilly Garcia is not looking forward to her senior year of high school. She is a shy, studious, band geek with a non-existent social life, who lives out her romantic fantasies through the fictional characters of her books. But all that changes when she issues a spur of the moment invitation to a strange, new student.Charlie isn't happy about returning to Earth and he resents having to attend high school to blend in. His father has been recruited for another mission to spy on the Earthans and make sure they have no idea of the existence of the Sentrian civilization. The Sentrian leaders are not only paranoid and disdainful of the Earthans, but also controlling and suspicious of their own people. Almost every aspect of a Sentrian's life is under the supervision of the State. Their religious beliefs are the one exception. Sentrians do not have free will, and all the people believe in the existence of God. Their belief that God chooses your soul mate is their most sacred law. While on Sentria, Charlie never found his chosen, and when he develops an attraction to an Earthan, he is torn. Should he ignore his feelings for Lilly, feelings he knows are wrong, or should he pursue a doomed relationship with the only person who has ever mattered to him?Lilly finds Charlie interesting. They have a lot in common, especially their love of books. She's falling for him, but there's something off about him, something she can't explain. When she becomes an involuntary witness to his supernatural abilities, Charlie is forced to admit he is not from her world. Lilly is fearful at first, but soon realizes she wants to be with Charlie no matter what.Unfortunately their happiness is threatened when a Sentrian from Charlie's past is put in a position of authority over him. Evelyn, a power-hungry elite, believes it is her duty to make sure all the Sentrian youth comply with their strict code of laws. Almost immediately she becomes suspicious of Charlie and his contact with the Earthan girl, Lilly. After tracking Charlie's movements, Evelyn's worst suspicions are confirmed. A relationship with an Earthan is considered blasphemy and Charlie must return to Sentria to go on trial for his moral crimes. This leads Charlie and Lilly to a desperate choice: accept the decision of the Sentrian rulers and never see each other again, or risk everything to stay together.

"This was supposed to be my best summer yet, the one I've been working toward since practically forever. Now I'm being banished from everything I know and love, and it just doesn't make any sense." Having recently discarded her dorky image--and the best friend that went with it--Colby Cavendish is looking forward to a long hot season of parties, beach BBQ's, and hopefully, more hook-ups with Levi Bonham, the hottest guy in school. But her world comes crashing down when her parents send her away to spend the summer in Greece with her crazy aunt Tally. Stranded on a boring island with no malls, no cell phone reception, and an aunt who talks to her plants, Colby worries that her new friends have forgotten all about her. But when she meets Yannis, a cute Greek local, everything changes. She experiences something deeper and more intense than a summer fling, and it forces her to see herself, and the life she left behind, in a whole new way, in Alyson Noël 's *Cruel Summer. *

He ignored his deepest needs for a hundred years… Mastyr Vampire Jude has kept his distance from all women because he lost his wife and daughter to an enemy attack a hundred years ago. He won’t go through that kind of loss again. And he won’t jeopardize another woman’s life while the deadly Invictus wraith-pairs still pose a threat in the Nine Realms. But when Hannah saves his life by creating unexpected fire from the palms of her hands, he knows that something ‘very realm’ is going on with her and he can no longer ignore his long-suppressed desire for the beautiful owner of the Gold Rush bar. When his cravings for her blood and her body drive him to take her to bed and tap into her vein, his world shifts forever. But can Hannah make the adjustment to a life lived on the frontlines of an ongoing war? And if anything should happen to her, how could Jude ever live with himself?

The War Between the States may be over for the rest of the country, but not for Kit Weston. Disguised as a boy, she's come to New York City to kill Baron Cain, the man who stands between her and Risen Glory, the South Carolina home she loves. But unknown to Kit, the Yankee war hero is more than her bitterest enemy—he's also her guardian. And he'll be a lot harder to kill than she's figured on . . . Believing that Kit's a boy, Cain offers the grubby rapscallion a job in his stable. But he has no idea what he's in for, and it's not long before the hero of Missionary Ridge discovers the truth. His scamp of a stable boy is a strong-willed, violet-eyed beauty who's hell-bent on driving him crazy. Two hard-headed, passionate people . . . Two stubborn opponents with tender souls . . . Sometimes wars of the heart can only be won through the sweetest of surrenders.