Whip-smart, hilarious, and unapologetically honest, Rachael Lucas's The State of Grace is a heartwarming story of one girl trying to work out where she fits in, and whether she even wants to. “Sometimes I feel like everyone else was handed a copy of the rules for life and mine got lost.” Grace is autistic and has her own way of looking at the world. She's got a horse and a best friend who understand her, and that's pretty much all she needs. But when Grace kisses Gabe and things start to change at home, the world doesn't make much sense to her any more. Suddenly everything threatens to fall apart, and it's up to Grace to fix it on her own.
NATIONAL BOOK AWARD NOMINEE • This "beautifully crafted" (The New York Times Book Review), haunting, profoundly disquieting novel manages to be at once sparse and lush, to combine Biblical simplicity with Gothic intensity and strangeness. It is the story of Kate, despised by her mother, bound to her father by ties stronger and darker than blood. It is the story of her attempted escapes—in detached sexual encounters, at a Southern college populated by spoiled and perverse beauties, and in a doomed marriage to a man who cannot understand what she is running from. Witty, erotic, searing acute, State of Grace bears the inimitable stamp of one of our finest and most provocative writers.
Christmas at the White House Wouldn’t Be Complete Without a Murder or Two… The holiday season is under way in Washington, D.C., but Metro Police Lieutenant Sam Holland is busier than ever as she contends with the murder of a well-liked wife, mother and businesswoman found bound, gagged and dead for quite some time inside her minivan, miles from her home. Who could’ve wanted her dead badly enough to make her suffer for days before she died? Sam is determined to close the vexing case before a much-needed vacation with her family, but the universe has other ideas when a second murder—this one someone she knows—has her wondering if the vacation is going to happen. Meanwhile, Sam’s husband, President Nick Cappuano, deals with the first national tragedy on his watch, forcing him on the record on a contentious issue as he fills the role of comforter-in-chief to a nation reeling from another senseless act of violence. All the while, a custody battle for the twins he and Sam took in after their parents’ murder is looming, casting a dark cloud over everything this holiday season. With chaos swirling all around them, will Sam and Nick be able to pull off a big family Christmas at the White House? As always, Sam and Nick turn to each other for comfort in the storm that is their life together. Join Sam, Nick, Scotty, Elijah, Aubrey, Alden and Skippy, the First Dog, as they celebrate a Christmas like no other.
Winner of a 2021 Carol Award There's a lot of irony in hitting rock bottom After a heartbreak leaves her reeling, January Sanders is open to anything--including moving into a cabin on her aunt's wedding-venue property and accepting a temporary position at her aunt's church despite being a lifelong skeptic of faith. Choosing to keep her doubts to herself, she's determined to give her all to supporting Grace Community's overworked staff while helping herself move on. What she doesn't count on is meeting the church's handsome and charming guitarist. It's a match set for disaster, and yet January has no ability to stay away, even if it means pretending to have faith in a God she doesn't believe in. Only this time, keeping her secret isn't as easy as she thought it would be. Especially when she's constantly running into her aunt's landscape architect, who seems to know everything about her past-and-present sins and makes no apologies about pushing her to deal with feelings she'd rather keep buried. Torn between two worlds that can't coexist, can January find the healing that's eluded her, or will her resistance to the truth ruin any chance of happiness? "In this touching inspirational from Gray, a faithless woman gets more than she bargained for as she rebounds from a broken heart. . . . Gray's entertaining tale showcases the power of love and faith in unexpected places."--Publishers Weekly "Once Jan opens up her heart to God, a family rift starts to mend, and she finds love and a place she belongs. Gray has crafted a sweet story."--Library Journal "I found this book to be both enjoyable and entertaining. There is quite a bit of well-written humor that is dispersed within the story. The plot is believable, and the characters are realistic. Love and a Little White Lie by Tammy L. Gray is a quick, easy read that would be perfect for reading beside the pool or at the beach. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys sweet romance novels."--Fresh Fiction
By the time an agathos woman reaches 25, she's supposed to be one thing, and one thing only: Bonded. I'm zero for four soul bonds, a disgrace to my family, and the black sheep of my community. It had me feeling reckless. Impulsive. Daring. In a moment of weakness, I let the darkness lurking inside of me rule, and it changed everything. I was supposed to embrace the light, but how could I fear the dark, when it brought me Riot? Run Riot is the first book in the State of Grace series. It is a slow burn reverse harem romance (MMFMM) suitable for readers 18+
Growing up in Centralia wasn't easy for Grace, who was just four years old at the time of the coal mine eruption that nearly destroyed her hometown and took her father with it. Her days were clouded with ash and despair until her mother, Rita, fell for the warm and heroic Bill. Together, Bill and Rita had a child of their own, a boy named Sam, who quickly became the light in Grace's eyes. The pair grew up together in a world of uncertainty, until fate decided it had other plans: Sam slipped into one of the many sinkholes in the crumbled town, which led to the still-burning hellfire below him. As tragedy envelops her family and her sanity again, Grace fights to make it out into the real world outside of Centralia. But where will she go, and what will she do? With a college scholarship, the help of her new friends, and the opportunities of academia, Grace struggles forward, trying to find a balance between letting go of the past and honoring where she came from.
"Every night of her life, Ive visited my Amazing Grace in her dreams. Every morning, she wakes up with zero recollection of it.Does it hurt? Well, a little, honestly. But that doesnt matter because the time has come for us to meet in real life. This is our moment. Im ready to show her all the reasons why Im her best soul bondsorry not sorry, Riot.But it seems the Goddess of Night doesn't love me and my girl as much as I thought she did because just when everything was starting to work out, things get complicated. The paths that were open to Grace continue to close, and the agathos arent backing down.I have a job to do, and Im not leaving until Ive done it. If the gods want to take me from Grace, theyll have to come and claim me themselves.Silver Bullet is the second book in the State of Grace series. It is a slow burn reverse harem (MMFMM) romance suitable for readers 18+ "--Author's website.
Grace Purdy, mother of two and part-time business professor, is facing a crisis in both her marital and professional life. As an expatriate American living in London, she is doing her best to survive a divorce--both physically and financially--all while navigating the English legal system. Grace spends her days working on her legal case while running between business lectures and collecting her sons from the school bus. Her soon to be ex-husband won't take any money out of his business, leaving Grace to pay the bills. Additionally, she has given up having child care so she can pay for a lawyer in her battle to keep the marital home. During Grace's journey she confronts the predicament of so many other mothers who have learned that no matter how much they give or "lean in" now it can be unbelievably challenging not to feel exhausted and broken.
