The Bloomsbury Birthday Quids are small editions of short stories by major writers, in a format and style of the Bloomsbury Classics. Printed on high-quality paper, designed by Jeff Fisher, the books should become collectors' items. This title is She Wasn't Soft by T. Coraghessan-Boyle.
New Yorker, Luke Kite has been estranged from his multi-millionaire father, Jack, for years. The result of a one night stand, he has never been acknowledged as heir to his father's globally successful business, Kite Industries - unlike his English half-sister Megan, the apple of her daddy's eye. But when his father is mysteriously killed on Luke's 17th birthday, Luke and Megan are brought together as they uncover the dark secrets, and corruption at the heart of their father's multi-billion business empire. Jack's death was not an accident, nor was the hit and run incident that Megan herself, narrowly escaped the day he died...The threats don't end there, as Megan again becomes a target for killer when she's staying at Jack's London flat. Again she escapes death, and another girl is killed in her place, but now Megan is on the run. Using her best-friend's identity, she travels to New York, to Poland, and Tokyo in order to escape whoever wants her dead. Luke, too, is wary of all those around him, even his mother and his reliable Uncle Mike, his dad's brother. Who can he trust and how can he protect his half-sister? In a tense game of cat and mouse, Luke needs all his resources to narrow down his enemies and those of Megan...what he discovers destroys what little faith he has in his so-called family, and in his own identity as no one is quite who they seem. As the action draws to a nail-biting conclusion, Luke and Megan discover a bond that that will carry them through the danger and subterfuge they have ahead of them, and the Kite Identity is born...
Veteran urban author Erick S. Gray weaves a tale of college students exploring love in relationships that are exciting but might end up being more dangerous than they realize. Nea and Amber are two college freshmen attending Clinton Hill University in South Carolina. The roommates come from different worlds: Nea is from Brooklyn, New York, and Amber is from a small town called Tyron, North Carolina. They build a friendship in the first semester of school but take different directions regarding love. Nea is coming off the death of her boyfriend, who was murdered before her eyes two weeks before her first day of classes. She meets Van, a wealthy white boy and talented painter who becomes enamored by her, and she becomes his muse. Nea believes it’s love. However, everything isn’t what it appears. Amber is engaged to Henry, her hometown boyfriend from high school. However, when she meets Homando, an African American student at her school, she begins to doubt her relationship. Homando is intelligent, charismatic, outgoing, and different from what she’s used to—but he also sells drugs to support his way through school. The two create a bond, both sexual and mental, and she falls in love with Homando and becomes engrossed in his world. But some forces are against their interracial relationship and will stop at nothing to ruin Homando’s future and end their sexual tryst by any means necessary. And then there’s Tiffany, a rebellious student. Tiffany comes from a strict, religious family, and now that she is in college, her liberated, promiscuous side has come out to play. She begins a series of affairs, including one with her middle-aged professor. Tiffany juggles these three men in her life like she’s in a carnival act, forgoing her family and spiritual relationships because she’s having too much fun. But the same thing that makes you laugh will eventually make you cry.
In this compelling and heartfelt mystery story, Janae Marks—author of the acclaimed bestselling From the Desk of Zoe Washington—follows a young girl reshaping her meaning of home. Perfect for fans of Erin Entrada Kelly and Rebecca Stead. Two starred reviews! A Project Lit Club Book Club Selection, S&L Lead Title, and Kids' Indie Next List Pick! “Joyful. A book that kids will love.” —Rebecca Stead, Newbery Medal-winning author of When You Reach Me Joy Taylor has always believed home is the house she lived in her entire life. But then her dad lost his job, and suddenly, home becomes a tiny apartment with thin walls, shared bedrooms, and a place for tense arguments between Mom and Dad. Hardest of all, Joy doesn’t have her music to escape through anymore. Without enough funds, her dreams of becoming a great pianist—and one day, a film score composer—have been put on hold. A friendly new neighbor her age lets Joy in on the complex’s best-kept secret: the Hideout, a cozy refuge that only the kids know about. And it’s in this little hideaway that Joy starts exchanging secret messages with another kid in the building who also seems to be struggling, until—abruptly, they stop writing back. What if they’re in trouble? Joy is determined to find out who this mystery writer is, fast, but between trying to raise funds for her music lessons, keeping on a brave face for her little sister, and worrying about her parents’ marriage, Joy isn’t sure how to keep her own head above water. "Squeezes your heart in such a special way." —Lisa Moore Ramée, author of A Good Kind of Trouble and Something to Say “Readers will find hope in Joy’s courage, ingenuity, and fierce dedication to her friends.” —Kate Messner, author of Breakout and Chirp “A timely story about connection, loss and the spaces we need to understand one and brave the other.” —Paula Chase, author of Dough Boys and So Done
His mother calls him a worthless halfwit while his fellow drunks at the local bar ensure he's the butt of all their jokes. He spends his days whittling wood, counting pigeons and adding his own name to the list on the town war memorial. So how could Germain possibly anticipate what a casual encounter on a park bench with eighty-five-year old Margueritte might mean? In this touchingly comic tale of an unusual friendship, that first conversation opens a door into a world Germain has never imagined—the world of books and ideas—and gives both him and Margueritte the chance of a happiness they thought had passed them by.
Wounded FBI agent Gray Harper will honor his dead partner by returning to work—as soon as the Bureau shrink clears him for duty. In the meantime, a long vacation in his best friend’s hometown sounds like the perfect distraction. But Nate Mathis has another plan. His twin sister, Maggie, has a stalker, and Gray’s the only one Nate trusts to catch the bastard. Admitting she's scared would bring the cavalry, and Maggie Mathis has always taken care of herself. She certainly doesn't need a bodyguard. As far as she knows, Gray's in town to work as the Mathis family's new business manager. That she's always found her brother's friend handsome is something she'll keep to herself. Gray's real job would be a lot easier if he didn't have to keep his intentions from Maggie. It would also be easier if he didn't want to sleep with her. He certainly shouldn’t have kissed her good-night. There never should have been a second date. All too soon, the line between responsibility and pleasure blurs. Gray hates to think of Maggie in danger. He hates that he thinks about Maggie too much, and of the day he won't be there to protect her. Secrets aren’t easy to keep from those you love, but Gray needs to guard several with his life…before he risks losing Maggie forever.
With her hallmark blend of sparkling style and wit, intricate suspense, and steamy passion, Jayne Ann Krentz is truly one of a kind. One of today's premier storytellers, she has more than twenty-three million copies of her novels in print. Now the phenomenal New York Times bestselling author spins her latest scintillating tale: a story of two people bound together by that most binding of ties--a business contract. Elizabeth Cabot is all business. She knows how to maximize her investments and cut her losses--in both her career and her personal life. So when she discovers that Jack Fairfax has deceived her, she's determined to end their relationship. Putting a stop to their budding romance is easy. But breaking up their business deal will be more difficult. Despite all her efforts, she has no luck disentangling herself from Jack's client company, Excalibur. But the situation becomes even more strained when a new obstacle emerges: a lethal act of sabotage that could put both of them out of business for good. Elizabeth is no fool. If she can help Jack save Excalibur, she'll recoup her substantial investment plus millions in profit. Putting her emotions aside, she insists on helping him search for the scientist who's disappeared with a valuable new crystal that could revolutionize the high-tech industry. She'll go in, solve the problem--and get out. The trail leads Elizabeth and Jack to a fringe film festival, but their goal is as elusive as the shadowy black-and-white images from classic noir films. Life starts to imitate art, and double-dealing seems to be the name of the game. For these business adversaries turned reluctant partners, keeping an eye on each other--and the lid on a sizzling attraction--seems the only insurance against further treachery. But with millions at stake, trust can turn to betrayal in the blink of an eye.
About the Book When a teenage boy is accused of murder, one private investigator must find enough evidence to support a “justifiable homicide” defense. Hard Secrets, Soft Heart sheds light on the universal subject of child abuse, a topic is still often taboo, especially in the African American community. But no matter how shattering, if some secrets are kept, there can be even more dire consequences. About the Author R. E. Blythe is now in his fifties, but he has wanted to write a book ever since he was a young man with his dream being to become a professional author. Growing up, he was a computer geek. He left the corporate world to pursue his dream.
Obituary writer Max McQuinn runs into trouble when he falls for Daphne Swan, the seductive widow of Archie Gibbs, a thief who took the secret of an armored car heist with him to the grave. Daphne pleads ignorance about the money, but Archie’s crew suspect he told Daphne where to find it. Meanwhile, Max is getting in way too deep. He wants the story, but he also wants Daphne. And is willing to cover up murder because of her. But is she playing straight with him? Or is she just using him to protect her so she can find the treasure? Caught between deception and desire, Max learns the hard way that the next obit he writes may be his own.