From Wall Street Journal & USA Bestselling Author M. Robinson NYT Bestselling Author Rachel Van Dyken comes a full length, standalone romantic suspense novel Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou, Romeo?Can you get anymore cliche? I'd heard that damn phrase my entire life.Most of the time, it was when a woman was mid-orgasm-or, when I was about to take someone's life.You see, we all have our demons.Apparently, my name was mine. Though it didn't help me get my answers any faster.I nodded when I was supposed to.I smirked when I needed to.I complimented when the timing was right.Then... I'd send them to hell after giving them nothing but heaven.I should've felt guilt.I didn't.Because I was good at what I did.Making people believe what I wanted them to was an art I perfected. In a world where nothing mattered but staying at the top, I made sure no one slipped through my fingers.Except for her. She was gorgeous.One might say she was the female version of me.I lost her once.I wouldn't lose twice.Now was the time... To let the games begin. Full length Standalone Romantic Suspense Novel
Described by Melvin Lasky as "one of the great journalists of our time," Luigi Barzini was also one of the great cultural historians of modern Italy. From Caesar to the Mafia brings together his finest essays, roughly half of them never before published in the English language. Whether discussing the deep Italian roots of Julius Caesar, Casanova's contribution to the art of living big, or Camillo Cavour's contribution to a democratic as well as integrated nation, Barzini makes Italian culture come alive. Whether he is dealing with heroes or villains, he never loses sight of how Italy became a distinct nation. From Caesar to the Mafia is not only about people, but also focuses on places and problems. When Barzini discusses the Sicilians, the Isle of Capri, or his birthplace of Milan, he has the distinct capacity to capture what is universal as well as what is intimate in each place. An innate sense of psychological profiling enriches these intimate sketches. Because Barzini had such a keen appreciation of Anglo-American culture he emphasizes people and places known to travelers to Italy, as well as readers of Italian literature. What makes the volume so special is Barzini's careful maneuvering between sentimentality on one side and brutality on the other. Italy is not only a state of mind for Barzini, but also a political culture. By discussing the exaggerated mannerism of Mussolini or the unusual capacity of Gramsci to grasp the principles of revolution making in an underdeveloped country, he helps us better understand the operations of fascism and communism as system and ideology. The final essays give voice to Barzini's ability as a political analyst. His examination of the Italian Communist Party's multiple personality disorders, the Christian Democrats as working compromise, the Mafia as a system of power designed not so much to kill as to intimidate and to rule in the absence of popular resistance, tells the reader about modern, postwar Italy. This is a volume not just to be read, but to be savored. Luigi Barzini (1908-1984) was the author of an incomparable set of books on the United States, Europe, and Italy, including Americans are Alone in the World, and The Italians. He served as a foreign correspondent for Corriere della Sera, and later as a liberal deputy in the Italian Parliament. He was described by the late Cyril Connolly as "a philosopher and master of the English language." Michael Ledeen is a distinguished senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, and himself a learned scholar in Italian politics and letters. He has written widely on Machiavelli, D'Annunzio, and Italian fascism.
From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Rachel Van Dyken comes a new story in her Mafia Royals series… One of the first rules they give you when you're undercover—never fall for the enemy. I didn't just fall for the enemy. I became what I was supposed to hate. What's worse: I fell in love with one. I live a double life, and both sides know it's only a matter of time before I'm forced to choose. Rebirth through mafia blood. Or death at the hands of the very government I swore to protect. I have one more job before my time's up. I just wish it was anything but babysitting a mafia princess who's half my size but knows how to pack such a brutal punch I worry about my ability to have children. Tin's small but terrifying. And I'm her new bodyguard while we all go on a much-needed vacation. I just have to stick to the plan. And remember rule number one. And stop kissing her. **Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you'll enjoy each one as much as we do.** Reviews for Mafia King: “I knew when I read the blurb I couldn't wait to read it and it did not disappoint in the least. This was so good! I'd definitely recommend it.” - Give Me All the Books “Love me some Mafia Royal. Rachel Van Dyken has done it again! 5 star and a must read!” - Reads to Breathe “This is a well written flawless fast paced story, which is filled with angst, secrets, loyalty, engaging and relatable characters, and love, which all leads to a steamy and enjoyable all-consuming read.” - Wendy’s Book Blog “For a novella there was a lot packed into these pages. I never tire of these five families!” - Mom’s Guilty Pleasure “This novella is filled with love, friendships, angst, twists, secrets and humour and I am certain that like me, you’ll not want to put this story down once you’ve started reading it.” - Literary Lust
In Casanova, noted author Ian Kelly traces the life of Giacomo Casanova, a man whose very name is synonymous with sensuality, seduction and sexual prowess. But Casanova was more than just a great lover. A businessman, diplomat, spy, and philosopher, he authored more than twenty books, including a translation of The Iliad. Confidant to many infamous characters—including Madame de Pompadour, Voltaire, and Catherine the Great—Casanova was undoubtedly charismatic. But how exactly did he seduce himself into infamy? In this richly drawn portrait, Casanova emerges as very much a product of eighteenth-century Venice. He reveled in its commedia del arte and Kelly posits that his successes as both a libertine and a libertarian grew from his careful study of its artifice and illusion. Food, travel, sex: Casanova’s great passions are timeless ones and Kelly brings to life in full flavor the grandeur of his exploits. He also articulates the fascinating personal philosophy that inspired Casanova’s quest to bed all manner of women. A riveting look at the life of the most legendary lover of all time, this is destined to become the definitive biography of Giacomo Casanova.
She's the devil's daughter, but once, she was my only friend. Everything changed fifteen years ago when her father killed mine. When she betrayed me. And every day since, all I've thought about is vengeance. Brutal, twisted revenge. I've been patient, rising from ruins, growing an empire with my brothers, waiting for my chance to take out her father, the boss of the Palermo crime family. The time has come. The devil will pay. I'm about to take the only one he has left: his daughter. She doesn't know I'm Dominic Cavaleri. The same boy she hurt. The one who loved her. But she'll know soon enough...right before I destroy everything she's ever known. She's nothing more than a game to me. And this time, I'm playing to win. Even if it means risking my heart.
From the Bestselling Author and Television Producer of MASTERS OF SEX, a True Story of Espionage and Mobsters, Based on the Never-Before-Released JFK Files, and Optioned by Warner Bros. Mafia Spies is the definitive account of America’s most remarkable espionage plots ever—with CIA agents, mob hitmen, “kompromat” sex, presidential indiscretion, and James Bond-like killing devices together in a top-secret mystery full of surprise twists and deadly intrigue. In the early 1960s, two top gangsters, Johnny Roselli and Sam Giancana, were hired by the CIA to kill Cuba’s Communist leader, Fidel Castro, only to wind up murdered themselves amidst Congressional hearings and a national debate about the JFK assassination. Mafia Spies revolves around the outlaw friendship of these two mob buddies and their fascinating world of CIA spies, fellow Mafioso in Chicago, Cuban exile commandos in Miami, beautiful Hollywood women, famous entertainers like Frank Sinatra’s Rat Pack in Las Vegas, Castro’s own spies in Havana and his double agents hidden in Florida, J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI snooping, and the Kennedy administration’s “Get Castro” obsession in Washington. Thomas Maier is among the first to take full advantage of the National Archives’ 2017–18 release of the long-suppressed JFK files, many of which deal with the CIA’s top secret anti-Castro operation in Florida and Cuba. With several new investigative findings, Mafia Spies is a spy exposé, murder mystery, and shocking true story that recounts America’s first foray into the assassination business, a tale with profound impact for today’s Trump era. Who killed Johnny and Sam—and why wasn’t Castro assassinated despite the CIA’s many clandestine efforts?
"You're mine."Her life changed the moment I gave the order. Two simple words. One powerful meaning.I waited until I couldn't wait anymore.My cruelty.My pleasure.My addiction to her.My need to claim her.Own her.I've always been the hero in my own story and the villain in hers.She. Was. Mine.I just had to prove it to her.
10 Things To Accomplish: Make him notice you. ? Differentiate yourself from other girls. ? Get an invite to a date. ? Make the said date memorable. ? Make him take you seriously. ? Ensure that he’s dating you exclusively. ? Snag an invite to meet his parents. ? Get a kiss – a sincere one. ? Be the best girlfriend he’s ever had. ? And finally, break his heart. In this mission, there is one and only one rule you must abide: Do not fall in love. If you break this rule, the mission will be considered a failure. Your punishment will be severe.
Rae I handed myself over. Now I'm back in the hands of the devil. In my own personal hell.I've escaped before, and I'll do it again. Princesses need a Prince to save them. I'm no princess, and this isn't my fairytale. Sometimes the Princess has to save herself.Only, a secret I'm holding is slowly destroying me.I can't let it go because it will destroy everyone around me.I thought I was broken before, but only now do I truly know what broken is. Ice I'm losing my mind trying to find my girl.I've claimed her to my club.I'll do anything to find her. Only with every day that passes, comes the realisation that Rae may be gone forever. She's back. Except she's not the girl I remember.She's hiding something.I let her go once thinking she deserved better. Now, I want answers. Only, no one was ready for the truth. WARNING: Adult content. Explicit sexual content and violence. This a dark romance don't expect a fairy tale. The second part of Captured.
“Thoroughly entertaining, with an offbeat sense of humor . . . There’s a solid mystery here, underneath the goofiness” (Booklist). Things have not been going well for journalist Sandy Bloomgarten. Her job went down the drain and her marriage quickly followed. After a lengthy bender, she awakens one morning to the stark realization that she is flat broke. Nonetheless, she’s still a crack reporter, and when a tabloid offers her a freelance assignment in Memphis—just a stone’s throw from her childhood home in Mesopotamia, Tennessee—she takes it. Though sent there for one story, she winds up tracking down another: someone is killing Elvis impersonators who perform at the annual Sing-the-King festival. The few available clues lead her to several unlikely characters: a cheating local minister constantly on the make, a strange band of misfits who only cover Elvis tunes, and a small-town private eye who blew himself up along with his crystal meth lab. As Sandy’s investigation closes, she realizes that she is sitting on what could be the story of the century. The only problem is she can never reveal what she has found . . . “The immortal shadow of Elvis Presley gyrates wildly through this satiric exploration of America’s fascination with tabloid journalism.” —Publishers Weekly
