Nine years ago Prince Andreas Karedes returned to his island kingdom of Aristo in the Mediterranean Sea to take up his regal duties, not knowing that Holly, the sweet Australian girl with whom he'd briefly fallen in love, had become pregnant…. Tragically, Holly lost their baby. She remained on her parents' farm to be near her tiny son's final resting place, wishing Andreas would return! A royal scandal is about to break: a dirt-digging journalist has discovered Holly's secret! Andreas's childhood sweetheart must come and face him. Passion runs high as Andreas issues an ultimatum—to avoid disgrace, Holly must become his bride!
From global phenomenon C. S. Pacat comes the first novel in her critically acclaimed Captive Prince romance trilogy. “A special, unforgettable series…Lush. Brutal. Unparalleled.”—Sarah J. Maas, #1 New York Times bestselling author Damen is a warrior hero to his people, and the rightful heir to the throne of Akielos. But when his half brother seizes power, Damen is captured, stripped of his identity, and sent to serve the prince of an enemy nation as a pleasure slave. Beautiful, manipulative, and deadly, his new master, Prince Laurent, epitomizes the worst of the court at Vere. But in the lethal political web of the Veretian court, nothing is as it seems, and when Damen finds himself caught up in a play for the throne, he must work together with Laurent to survive and save his country. For Damen, there is just one rule: never, ever reveal his true identity. Because the one man Damen needs is the one man who has more reason to hate him than anyone else... Includes a bonus short story!
The second novel in the critically acclaimed Captive Prince trilogy from global phenomenon C. S. Pacat. With their countries on the brink of war, Damen and his new master, Prince Laurent, must exchange the intrigues of the palace for the sweeping might of the battlefield as they travel to the border to avert a lethal plot. Forced to hide his identity, Damen finds himself increasingly drawn to the dangerous, charismatic Laurent. But as the fledgling trust between the two men deepens, the truth of secrets from both their pasts is poised to deal them a final devastating blow...
A sheikh blackmails the working-class woman who broke his heart in this royal romance by a USA Today–bestselling author. Tilda was living to regret that once she’d had a short-lived romance with Rashad, the Crown Prince of Bakhar. Now, not only had he gained possession of her impoverished family’s home, Rashad was also blackmailing her for the huge debt they owed him—and insisting she pay the price . . . as his concubine! Tilda was appalled—but in no position to refuse. Soon she was the arrogant sheikh’s captive, ready to be ravished in his faraway desert kingdom. But Rashad slipped up by publicly naming Tilda as his woman . . . and under the law of Bakhar this meant she and he were bound together forever . . . as husband and wife!
Save the land, or follow his heart? Time has run out for Lord Domlen. The Fortress of Rain has been cursed by the enemy Boa Visk, his people trapped as phantoms within its walls, and the rain ever falling across his lands. If he does not break the curse soon, the trapped spirits will become revenir, ghosts that feed upon the life force of the living. He needs a miracle. And he gets one. He learns of a ritual that can break the curse and free his people. But nothing comes without a price, and the price is one Lord Domlen cannot bring himself to pay: the ritual demands blood—royal blood. Desperate, he abducts Prince Falken of Teirlan to be his blood sacrifice on the night of the red moon and forces all gentle emotion far, far away. He must save his people, even at the cost of an innocent life. But as the time of the ritual draws near, how will he find the strength to kill an innocent man? Especially one who reignites all the emotions he believed he'd buried so deeply away? Prince Falken, sorcerer from Teirlan, needs his magic to escape the Fortress of Rain, but the shackles on his wrists have cut him off from his power. When he discovers the servants around him are actually spirits, he understands the stronghold is bound by dark forces—a curse that somehow revolves around his grim, noble captor. There is dark magic here, but how can he help the strong, enigmatic Domlen while he's trapped, his powers bound? There is greater magic than that of the curse, and Falken has resources beyond Domlen's ken. But when the ritual goes horribly wrong, how will Falken make his enemy trust him? And how will he save the man he's coming to love? Reader note: contains gay fantasy romance, enemies to lovers, male male love, and a happily ever after
For historical fiction readers, a tantalizing new novel from New York Times bestselling author Alison Weir about the passionate and notorious French queen, Eleanor of Aquitaine. Renowned for her highly acclaimed and bestselling British histories, Alison Weir has in recent years made a major impact on the fiction scene with her novels about Queen Elizabeth and Lady Jane Grey. In this latest offering, she imagines the world of Eleanor of Aquitaine, the beautiful twelfth-century woman who was Queen of France until she abandoned her royal husband for the younger man who would become King of England. In a relationship based on lust and a mutual desire for great power, Henry II and Eleanor took over the English throne in 1154, thus beginning one of the most influential reigns and tumultuous royal marriages in all of history. In this novel, Weir uses her extensive knowledge to paint a most vivid portrait of this fascinating woman.
A fearless writer confronts grief and transforms it into art, in a book of surprising beauty and love, "a masterpiece by a master” (Elizabeth McCracken, Vanity Fair). "Li has converted the messy and devastating stuff of life into a remarkable work of art.”—The Wall Street Journal WINNER OF THE PEN/JEAN STEIN AWARD • LONGLISTED FOR THE PEN/FAULKNER AWARD • NAMED ONE OF THE TEN BEST FICTION BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY TIME AND ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY Parul Seghal, The New York Times • NPR • The Guardian • The Paris Review The narrator of Where Reasons End writes, “I had but one delusion, which I held on to with all my willpower: We once gave Nikolai a life of flesh and blood; and I’m doing it over again, this time by words.” Yiyun Li meets life’s deepest sorrows as she imagines a conversation between a mother and child in a timeless world. Composed in the months after she lost a child to suicide, Where Reasons End trespasses into the space between life and death as mother and child talk, free from old images and narratives. Deeply moving, these conversations portray the love and complexity of a relationship. Written with originality, precision, and poise, Where Reasons End is suffused with intimacy, inescapable pain, and fierce love.
'Princes in the Land' is about a woman bringing up a family who is left at the end, when the children are on the verge of adulthood, asking herself not only what it was all for but what was her own life for? Yet the questions are asked subtly and readably.
Book three of the acclaimed Three Thieves graphic novel series begins with Dessa, Topper and Fisk, still on the run from the Queen's Dragons, stopping to make camp for the night. While collecting firewood, Dessa happens upon a kidnapping and manages to boldly rescue the captive boy and bring him to safety. Once out of harm's way, the boy reveals that he is Paladin, the crown prince of Medoria! Upon Paladin's safe return to his kingdom, his father, King Victor the Fourth, decrees three days of celebration in tribute to the three heroes who have saved his precious only son. Dessa, Topper and Fisk know they are taking a risk by remaining in the castle for all that time, but how can they refuse the king? And to make things trickier still, is the charming prince falling for Dessa? The cinematic artwork in this series offers a fully visual experience for young readers looking for an exciting tale of adventure, told in episodes. Dessa's derring-do is on display once again as she's seen swinging into action to save the prince's life (twice!), among other exploits. The fast pace alone is enough to keep young readers turning the pages. Creator Scott Chantler has also crafted a tremendously intriguing fantasy world in these books, fleshing out the intricacies a bit more with every installment. The layers and connections between characters promote critical thinking, while the masterful storytelling provides terrific opportunities for studying story components and literature.
