Her destiny must be fulfilled . . . Ranwen refuses to take orders from anyone -- even the Shining Ones, the ancient gods whose power is feared throughout the land. They want her as their Chosen One, destined to save her country from the Saxons. But Branwen doubts she's truly ready to be...  more

Her destiny must be fulfilled . . . Ranwen refuses to take orders from anyone -- even the Shining Ones, the ancient gods whose power is feared throughout the land. They want her as their Chosen One, destined to save her country from the Saxons. But Branwen doubts she's truly ready to be a leader. Then a messenger from the skies shows her a vision of a bleak and violent future -- a future in which Branwen has abandoned her destiny, and those most dear to her suffer unspeakable horrors. There's a blurry line between good and evil, and those Branwen trusts the most are capable of the greatest betrayal. The Shining Ones have spoken. Will Branwen answer their call?

Who will be the last man standing? New York Times bestselling author Victoria Alexander's delicious series about four men desperately trying to avoid matrimony continues... Lady Cordelia Bannister simply cannot marry a man she has not chosen herself, no matter what her father...  more

Who will be the last man standing? New York Times bestselling author Victoria Alexander's delicious series about four men desperately trying to avoid matrimony continues... Lady Cordelia Bannister simply cannot marry a man she has not chosen herself, no matter what her father decrees. So, pretending to be her own companion, she decides to seek out information about her intended by meeting with his secretary -- a man who soon beguiles her. But Lady Cordelia doesn't know the truth -- the man she can't resist is really her intended, Daniel Sinclair. Daniel has nearly won the wager he made with three of London's most eligible bachelors. While two of his compatriots have surrendered to the shackles of marriage, he's remained free to woo any woman he chooses. Yet duty forces him to consider Lady Cordelia, so, determined to find a way to escape honor intact, he continues the masquerade he started. Each finds the other completely irresistible, but when they uncover their mutual mistaken identities, Daniel and Cordelia must make the most important choice of all...

An American classic, the moving story set in the 1900's, about a young girl's coming of age at the turn of the century, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn follows the lives of 11-year-old Francie Nolan, her younger brother Neely, and their parents, Irish immigrants who have settled in the...  more

An American classic, the moving story set in the 1900's, about a young girl's coming of age at the turn of the century, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn follows the lives of 11-year-old Francie Nolan, her younger brother Neely, and their parents, Irish immigrants who have settled in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. Johnny Nolan is as loving and fanciful as they come, but he is also often drunk and out of work, unable to find his place in the land of opportunity. His wife Katie scrubs floors to put food on the table and clothes on her childrens' backs, instilling in them the values of being practical and planning ahead.  When Johnny dies, leaving Katie pregnant, Francie, smart, pensive and hoping for something better, cannot believe that life can carry on as before. But with her own determination, and that of her mother behind her, Francie is able to move toward the future of her dreams, completing her education and heading oft to college, always carrying the beloved Brooklyn of her childhood in her heart.

Princess Malva -- the Princetta of Galnicia -- flees her kingdom and an arranged marriage, only to find herself betrayed by the very man who promised to help her. Orpheus is the son of a sea-captain-turned-pirate and is determined to make a name of his own commanding a ship in Galnicia's...  more

Princess Malva -- the Princetta of Galnicia -- flees her kingdom and an arranged marriage, only to find herself betrayed by the very man who promised to help her. Orpheus is the son of a sea-captain-turned-pirate and is determined to make a name of his own commanding a ship in Galnicia's royal armada. But when their paths cross on the high seas, so do their destinies. Together the Princetta and Orpheus will travel to edges of the Known World and beyond . . . a journey from which only one of them will return alive. Shipwrecks, shark attacks, barbarians, and mysterious archipelagos await readers in this lavish fantasy-adventure written by one of France's most celebrated authors.

Arthur turned and strode toward us. He was magnificent, and I will never forget that, in that moment, I first loved him. And I believe--had I known what the future held for us: all the trouble, torment, battle, and grief of our lives--I still believe that I would have yielded my heart into his...  more

Arthur turned and strode toward us. He was magnificent, and I will never forget that, in that moment, I first loved him. And I believe--had I known what the future held for us: all the trouble, torment, battle, and grief of our lives--I still believe that I would have yielded my heart into his keeping as I did then . . .In a sweeping epic of the imagination, Alice Borchardt enters the wondrous realm of Arthurian legend and makes it her own. The Dragon Queen is the first volume in a trilogy of novels that boldly re-imagines Camelot--and casts Guinevere as a shrewd, strong-willed, magical warrior queen.Born into a world of terrible strife, where war is constant and weapons are never far from the hands of men or women, Guinevere, daughter of a mighty pagan queen, is a threat to her people and a prize to the dreaded sorcerer Merlin. Sent into hiding, she grows up under the protection of a shapeshifting man-wolf and an ornery Druid. But even on the remote coast of Scotland, where dragons feed and watch over her, she is not safe from the all-seeing High Druid Merlin. He knows the young beauty's destiny, and he will stop at nothing to prevent what has been foretold. For if Guinevere becomes Queen and Arthur, King, they will bring a peace to the land that will leave the power-hungry Merlin a shriveled magician in a weary cloak.Yet Guinevere possesses power of her own--dazzling power to rival even that of Merlin. Summoned from her home by forces she cannot fathom, she travels from the Underworld to an Otherworld of the Past, at each step calling on ancient powers to aid her way. When young Guinevere proves her mettle to an embarrassed Merlin, even her faithful dragon protectors cannot prevent the evil that the sorcerer rains down. Seeking revenge, Merlin banishes Arthur to a world from which the only escape is death. Now Guinevere must face Merlin's wrath without him--and prove that she is worthy of being Arthur's Queen.From the glass-roofed Great Hall at Tintigal to the lush garden forts of Wales, Alice Borchardt details the travels of Guinevere in a rich fabric of prose. The Dragon Queen is a novel of great emotional depth, timeless romance, and soul-stirring adventure.

One bachelor down... three more to go. Four most desirable gentlemen have wagered one shilling apiece and a bottle of cognac that will go to the last unmarried man standing... Nigel Cavendish knows he'll marry one day, but hopefully that day is many years -- and many women -- in the...  more

One bachelor down... three more to go. Four most desirable gentlemen have wagered one shilling apiece and a bottle of cognac that will go to the last unmarried man standing... Nigel Cavendish knows he'll marry one day, but hopefully that day is many years -- and many women -- in the future! Until then, the handsome, unrepentant rake intends to enjoy life's pleasures to the fullest! From the moment Lady Felicity Melville spies the adventurous scoundrel climbing from a neighbor's window -- with his comely conquest's husband in hot pursuit -- she knows Nigel is the answer to her prayers... with a little reformation, of course! Felicity craves excitement and who in all of London is more exciting than the infamous Mr. Cavendish? So what's a girl to do but hatch a scheme to win what she so fervently desires. But her plan works too well when a game of chance and an errant pistol shot abruptly make them husband and wife -- but in a way neither wanted. Now Felicity has to prove to her wayward husband that she's the only woman he could ever want... or need!

As competition for customers is constantly increasing, contemporary restaurants must distinguish themselves by offering consistent, high-quality service. Service and hospitality can mean different things to different foodservice operations, and this book addresses the service needs of a wide...  more

As competition for customers is constantly increasing, contemporary restaurants must distinguish themselves by offering consistent, high-quality service. Service and hospitality can mean different things to different foodservice operations, and this book addresses the service needs of a wide range of dining establishments, from casual and outdoor dining to upscale restaurants and catering operations. Chapters cover everything from training and hiring staff, preparation for service, and front-door hospitality to money handling, styles of modern table service, and the relationship between the front and back of the house. Remarkable Service is the most comprehensive guide to service and hospitality on the market, and this new edition includes the most up-to-date information available on serving customers in the contemporary restaurant world.

"you can be a warrior, if you choose to be." It takes just a moment for fifteen-year-old Branwen's life to change forever. In the blink of an eye the Saxons attack and her brother is killed. Almost as quickly, she is sent away from her home to a neighboring stronghold where she'll be safe...  more

"you can be a warrior, if you choose to be." It takes just a moment for fifteen-year-old Branwen's life to change forever. In the blink of an eye the Saxons attack and her brother is killed. Almost as quickly, she is sent away from her home to a neighboring stronghold where she'll be safe from harm. Now Branwen lives as a princess should?surrounded by exquisite things and lavish quarters. But deep down remains the soul of a warrior. Just when Branwen is sure she has been pushed to her limits, a chance encounter with a mystical woman in white forces her to question everything?and everyone?around her. With no time to lose, Branwen must make a choice: continue in the path her parents intended for her . . . or step into the role of true Warrior Princess.

Wanda Schwartz is raking in the dough selling Bobbie-Sue Cosmetics -- and she's a pro at recruiting new saleswomen. So, she's shocked when a man comes to one of her in-home parties -- a very hot man. Heath Jefferson is sure to put some extra spin into a lot of women's color...  more

Wanda Schwartz is raking in the dough selling Bobbie-Sue Cosmetics -- and she's a pro at recruiting new saleswomen. So, she's shocked when a man comes to one of her in-home parties -- a very hot man. Heath Jefferson is sure to put some extra spin into a lot of women's color wheels. When Wanda is diagnosed with a terminal illness, it doesn't have to be a death sentence. With a werewolf and a vampire for best friends, she has options that most ordinary people wouldn't. As Wanda ponders what to do about her mortality, Heath reveals he has secrets, and one of them is that his former bloodlust has turned into an old-fashioned lust -- for Wanda. And he's already given up too much to lose the love of his lifetimes.

Vampires in Chicago! You'd think headlines like that would have provoked the fine citizens of the Windy City to take up arms against us blood-sucking fiends. Instead, ten months later, we're enjoying a celebrity status reserved for the Hollywood elite -- fending off paparazzi, who are...  more

Vampires in Chicago! You'd think headlines like that would have provoked the fine citizens of the Windy City to take up arms against us blood-sucking fiends. Instead, ten months later, we're enjoying a celebrity status reserved for the Hollywood elite -- fending off paparazzi, who are only slightly less dangerous than cross- and stake-wielding slayers. Don't get me wrong. Joe Public isn't exactly thrilled to be living side by side with the undead, but at least they haven't stormed the castle... yet. All that will change once they learn about the Raves, mass feeding parties where vampires round up humans like cattle and drink themselves silly. Most civilized vampires frown on this behavior -- but that doesn't make good copy for a first-time reporter looking to impress his high-society family. So now my "master" -- centuries-old yet gorgeously well-preserved Ethan Sullivan -- wants me to reconnect with my own upper-class family and act as liaison between humans and vampires... and to keep the more unsavory aspects of our existence out of the media. But someone doesn't want people and vamps to play nicey-nice -- someone with an ancient grudge.

What's the old adage? Sex ruins friendship? Cassidy lives it every day as she fights the lingering feelings for her ex, Ian. Still secretly, desperately in love with him, she settles for sharing a house and a business. Their lives are intertwined in every way except the way she wants most....  more

What's the old adage? Sex ruins friendship? Cassidy lives it every day as she fights the lingering feelings for her ex, Ian. Still secretly, desperately in love with him, she settles for sharing a house and a business. Their lives are intertwined in every way except the way she wants most. Fear of commitment drove Ian to push their romance into the friendship zone. But things become decidedly uncomfortable when sexy Scotsman Kye McClellan enters the picture. Ian is faced with the sudden prospect of losing the thing most precious to him. As both Cassidy and Ian succumb to Kyes charms, she begins to wonder if she can have all shes ever wanted plus one. Then, just as things get white-hot, Kyes takes to his feet to avoid the burn. Ian and Cassidy are left with each other and an even bigger missing piece than before. All they can do is trust that love will somehow bring their gypsy-hearted lover home again.