Showing results by narrator "Nicole" in All Categories

Wynter Thompson, divorced with a young child, struggles to balance the demands of her surgical residency with the responsibilities of motherhood - and between the two, discovers there is little time left for anything else. She manages to convince herself that she has everything she needs, because another chance at love is definitely not in her game plan. Pearce Rifkin is a woman with a plan, and it doesn’t include a serious relationship. Chief Surgical Resident is just a stepping stone to her lifelong goal.

Raised as an atheist, Sara Miles lived an enthusiastically secular life as a restaurant cook and a writer. Then early one winter morning, for no earthly reason, she wandered into a church. "I was certainly not interested in becoming a Christian," she writes, "or, as I thought of it rather less politely, a religious nut." But she ate a piece of bread, took a sip of wine, and found herself radically transformed.

When a big, strong, handsome soldier tells off a customer who was treating her poorly, pastry chef Rosie Perez soon finds herself baking cookies for her rescuer... and calling him daddy. Tex is the kind of daddy who will cuddle her when she's upset. He's also the kind who will take his little girl over his knee and spank her bare bottom very soundly when she's been naughty, then bathe her, and put her to bed in her nursery to remind her that she's not a big girl anymore.

A New York Times notable book and winner of the Northern California Book Award for Best Short Fiction, these nine brave, wise, and spellbinding stories make up this debut.

As a Rock Chick, Shirleen Jackson lived through all the kidnappings and explosions. Along the way, she also watched the dramatic love stories that came with those rides unfold. But long ago, Shirleen made her choice. It affected who she was and would always be. She decided to settle for what she had and not want more. She had good friends. She was raising two fine young men who weren't hers, but she loved them anyway. She was good. And then Moses Richardson crashed into her life, literally...and deliberately.

Michelle knows being the first lady of Mount Zion Baptist Church is an important and much-coveted position, so she always gives thanks for a dutiful husband and a prosperous life. But she also prays for Darvin to spend more time with her, talking about something other than Mount Zion's affairs. Michelle's faith is further put to the test when the seductive vixen Daphne Carlton arrives on the steps of their church, determined to make Michelle's life a living hell so she can get rid of Michelle and assume her role as the first lady.

My name is Leah, and I am a Cazador. Trained to hunt and kill vampires over 300 years ago, my training became essential once I became one of those monsters. The underbelly of the supernatural world has begun to bleed into the human world, and journalist Rachel Sambrook is asking too many dangerous questions. Unwittingly, she's revealed a conspiracy I had hoped would never become a reality: using vampire blood for human experiments. As I attempt to contain her, she's by my side, and the truth of just how deep the darkness goes is exposed.

My name is Callie Penrose - and I'm a rookie spell-slinger from Kansas City. I work part-time for the Vatican Shepherds, hunting monsters for them, but you won't find me in the pews on Sundays. Not really my thing. But when my boss is injured by a werewolf, it's time for me to put my big girl pants on. Because the Spear of Longinus - the one that allegedly stabbed Jesus on the Cross - has surfaced, and it's going up for auction.

Can an infected tooth play matchmaker? Desperate, Luna approaches Dr. Graham for help. She’s noticed his compassion and caring for others. Homeless and penniless, she hopes he’ll allow her to repay him with hard work. Sebastian Graham is immediately concerned about the young woman’s swollen jaw. Unwilling to allow anyone to be in such pain, he immediately brushes away her concerns about payment and begins to treat her. Something about this young woman tells him Luna may be the little girl he’s been trying to find.

Tensions escalate across the Imperium Empire. Dwerves hunt for new Krackus worlds to raid. The Imperium executors hope to put an end to the huge armed ship’s rampage, and they delegate the duty to those imperators with the most experience against the empire’s invaders.

Roxy Stevens thought she had the perfect life complete with a Daddy and time to create beautiful paintings. Everything comes crashing down around her when her Daddy throws her out into the streets. Homeless and afraid, she takes shelter in the alley near a beautiful, old hotel. Miguel Herrera has been searching for his Little girl for a long time. The wealthy hotel owner follows his instincts to care for the homeless woman who sets off all his protective instincts. He will fight to make her his.

Kylara and her friends are back at the Lumos School, but Cassandra still holds her mother prisoner, and Ky will stop at nothing to rescue her. The school's mission is to help dragons and mages train their magic and learn new powers. But when an experimental trip to the pixie realm goes awry, a student ends up with a new magic that's as powerful as it is disturbing. And when that student loses control, everything is at risk. But Kylara is growing stronger, too. She's gaining new powers.

Dr. Chelli Lona Aphra, rogue archaeologist, is in trouble again. A pioneer in the field of criminal xenoarchaeology, Aphra recognizes no law, has no fear, and possesses no impulse control. To her, the true worth of the galactic relics she discovers isn’t found in a museum, but in an arsenal. This viewpoint has led to a lot of misunderstandings. After her latest plan goes horribly wrong, her roguish ways are on the verge of catching up to her, when suddenly Darth Vader, terror of the galaxy, swoops in with his lightsaber ignited and...saves her life?

Callie Penrose returns home to find a year has passed, and that everyone believes her long dead. Roland Haviar, once her mentor and now a Master Vampire, has become a bloodthirsty tyrant, fulfilling his vow to bathe the City of Fountains in blood until he avenges her death. And the Vatican Shepherds, once his brothers, stand in his way. In his quest for closure, Roland surrounds the city in a magical barrier that blocks all methods of escape - or help - giving him time to seek out an ancient artifact powerful enough to put an end to everyone and everything once and for all.

Dit is Simone se annus horribilis. Op vier en veertig stap sy vir die tweede keer uit n huwelik, bankrot, werkloos, moedeloos, verbrysel. Al wat sy het om van vier en veertig jaar te wys, is n bedenklike verlede, n tienerseun wat skaars met haar praat, en die besef van mislukking en ontoereikendheid wat soos n meulsteen om haar nek hang. Al waarheen sy het om te gaan, is die kleinburgerlike dorp op die Oos-Vrystaatse platteland waar sy grootgeword het, waar haar konserwatiewe ma en konvensionele suster haar gedurig aan haar tekortkominge kan herinner. Rock bottom, dis waar sy is.

Holly Hill (pseudonym) gave up her job at the behest of her wealthy boyfriend - and then found herself dumped and penniless. After spending six weeks in bed pining for her lost love, she was encouraged by a friend to be "open-minded" about her career choices - and ended up placing an online ad for a sugar daddy. She received an almost overwhelming response from all sorts of men, but most of them were married men whose wives had lost interest in sex. As Holly interviewed the men and settled on a candidate, she decided to record what happened next.

North Atlantic Ocean, 1912. Kate Royston is a witness to history as the RMS Carpathia responds to the Titanic’s desperate SOS. Kate plans to escape personal tragedy by fleeing to Europe, but everything changes when the Carpathia races to save the Titanic’s survivors. Forced to return to New York, Kate abandons her hope of escape and becomes embroiled as a vital witness in the high-profile Senate investigation of the disaster.

This collection includes four book-centered mystery novellas from four masters of the craft: The Scroll, Reconciliation Day, The Compendium of Srem, and The Mysterious Disappearance of the Reluctant Book Fairy.

Part memoir and part spirit guide, Wild Words is a book about the intersection of our creative soul with everything else, and how to make peace, make priorities, and ultimately, make progress by slowing down and embracing whatever season we’re in, right now.

If you want to get to heaven, you’ve got to raise a little hell.... Callie Penrose is struggling to find her special purpose in life. Rather than allying with any of the powerful supernatural groups begging to sign her up - the Vatican, the vampires, the shifters, or the Armies of both Heaven and Hell - Callie has been picking fights with all of them. But when she’s abducted by a host of angels, and a greater demon begins hunting her through the daytime streets of Kansas City, Callie learns that her past has come back to haunt her.