Life’s biggest dilemmas can provide its sweetest rewards Anna McNichol knows how to take charge. Raised by a single mother, she’s worked to ensure her three children have every advantage she didn’t. And while her marriage has its problems, she values commitment and believes in "till death do us part." Now an empty nester, she’s at the peak of her career and ready to seize the opportunity to focus on her future. But life can change in an instant, and when her husband dies suddenly, Anna’s carefully constructed world falls apart. The mysterious young woman at the memorial service confirms her husband had been keeping secrets, and Anna is determined to get to the truth. For once, she doesn’t have the answers. Her kids are struggling with their grief, her mother’s health is in decline and Anna needs closure. Faced with one challenge after another, she finds support from an unexpected source. And as she puts her life back together, Anna realizes the McNichols may not be perfect but they’ll always be family, and family is forever. Don't miss Robyn Carr's next uplifting novel, The Friendship Club, where four women come together at a tumultuous time in their lives, forging an unbreakable bond that will leave them all forever changed—available January 2024! Look no further for even more great summer beach reads from Robyn Carr: Sunrise On Half Moon Bay The View From Alameda Island The Summer That Made Us Never Too Late
Real Families aren't always the ones you know about... Harry Blacksworth is rich, handsome, the ultimate playboy with a killer smile and a clever wit. He's fought it, denied it, ignored it, but the damn truth won't go away: He's fallen in love. And just when he's accepted that fact, Greta Servensen, the only woman he's ever trusted, breaks his heart. But Harry’s not the only one with relationship troubles... Christine Blacksworth and Nate Desantro beat the odds when they fell in love and married. But staying married is threatened when the foundation behind every good relationship--trust--is challenged. Angelo "Pop" Benito is The Godfather of Magdalena. Nothing happens in that town without his knowledge or approval. And Pop doesn't do anything without a long sit-down with his dead wife, Lucy, and a half dozen pizzelles by his side. He'll need a lot of lung power and a tray of his favorite treat to help Nate and Christine out of a real mess. And he may need the help of his checkers buddy and Magdalena's shining star, Lily Desantro.. Truth in Lies Series: Book One: A Family Affair Book Two: A Family Affair: Spring Book Three: A Family Affair: Summer Book Four: A Family Affair: Fall Book Five: A Family Affair: Christmas, a novella Book Six: A Family Affair: Winter Book Seven: A Family Affair: The Promise Book Eight: A Family Affair: The Secret Book Nine: A Family Affair: The Wish Book Ten: A Family Affair: The Gift Book Eleven: A Family Affair: The Weddings, a novella Book Twelve: A Family Affair: The Cabin, a novella Book Thirteen: A Family Affair: The Return Book Fourteen: A Family Affair: The Choice Book Fifteen: A Family Affair: The Proposal Book Sixteen: A Family Affair: Bonus Scenes Book Seventeen: A Family Affair: The Homecoming Book Eighteen: A Family Affair: The Decision Meals From Magdalena: A Family Affair Cookbook And more... BONUS: Also included in this eBook is the first chapter of A Family Affair: Summer, Truth in Lies, Book Three.
Kathy Garver, the teenage heartthrob from the hit series Family Affair (1966–1971), was no one-hit wonder, but a journeywoman actress who appeared in such classic films as Night of the Hunter and The Ten Commandments long before she became a television icon. This memoir is a recollection of a working actress’s experiences, from the many films, television shows, and stage plays in which she performed, to her second career as a voice-over specialist in popular animated films and audiobooks. Featuring anecdotes, Hollywood history, and details of her relationships with such stars as Charlton Heston and Jon Provost, Surviving Cissy is a veritable quilt of Kathy’s exciting life.
What happens when destiny ignores the rules? Gina Servetti was raised to believe she wasn’t enough—not thin enough, not pretty enough, not clever enough. She’s more comfortable with a spreadsheet than a conversation and doesn’t trust easily, especially where men are concerned, most notably the good-looking, smooth-talking ones like Ben Reed. When city boy Ben Reed arrives in Magdalena, he’s not planning a long-term stay in a town filled with too many busybodies and too little excitement. He just needs things to settle down in Philly for a few months before he returns to his old life and his plan to win back his ex-wife. But once he gets to know the people in this town, he starts to care about them: one in particular—Gina Servetti. The longer he’s around her, the more he realizes she’s so much more than a woman with a scowl and a sharp tongue. She’s real and honest, and as afraid of trusting as he is. Can Ben and Gina open up and take a risk for a chance at real love? See you in Magdalena! Truth in Lies Series: Book One: A Family Affair Book Two: A Family Affair: Spring Book Three: A Family Affair: Summer Book Four: A Family Affair: Fall Book Five: A Family Affair: Christmas, a novella Book Six: A Family Affair: Winter Book Seven: A Family Affair: The Promise Book Eight: A Family Affair: The Secret Book Nine: A Family Affair: The Wish Book Ten: A Family Affair: The Gift Book Eleven: A Family Affair: The Weddings, a novella Book Twelve: A Family Affair: The Cabin, a novella Book Thirteen: A Family Affair: The Return Book Fourteen: A Family Affair: The Choice Book Fifteen: A Family Affair: The Proposal Book Sixteen: A Family Affair: Bonus Scenes Book Seventeen: A Family Affair: The Homecoming Book Eighteen: A Family Affair: The Decision Meals From Magdalena: A Family Affair Cookbook And more... The story before the story… What happened before A Family Affair began? Find out in the Park Bench series, short stories that will make the perfect park-bench read and are named after the signature park bench covers. Bonus Material: Included in this e-book is the first chapter of A Family Affair: Christmas, Truth in Lies, Book 5.
Heartache. Betrayal. Forgiveness. Redemption. Real families aren’t always the ones you know about… A Family Affair Boxed Set 2, Books 4–6, is about so much more than a secret family. Set in the small town of Magdalena, New York, the people have big hearts and good intentions…at least most of them do! Magdalena is a place of family, forgiveness, redemption, and second chances. And hope. Lots of hope. This town, and the people in it are about helping others get through the tough times and broken dreams, and doing it with the help of family, friends, sometimes even strangers. A Family Affair: Fall Heartache. Betrayal. Forgiveness. Redemption. It’s time to head back to Magdalena, New York, and spend a little time with the people we love to love and even a few we love to hate. Gina Servetti was raised to believe she wasn’t enough—not thin enough, not pretty enough, not clever enough. She’s more comfortable with a spreadsheet than a conversation and doesn’t trust easily, especially where men are concerned, most notably the good-looking, smooth-talking ones like Ben Reed. When city boy Ben Reed arrives in Magdalena, he’s not planning a long-term stay in a town filled with too many busybodies and too little excitement. He just needs things to settle down in Philly for a few months before he returns to his old life and his plan to win back his ex-wife. But once he gets to know the people in this town, he starts to care about them: one in particular—Gina Servetti. The longer he’s around her, the more he realizes she’s so much more than a woman with a scowl and a sharp tongue. She’s real and honest, and as afraid of trusting as he is. But can Ben and Gina open up and take a risk for a chance at real love? Well, if the rest of the town has anything to say about it, and they always do, this couple will take the big leap and end with an “I do”! A Family Affair: Christmas It’s time to head back to Magdalena in this holiday novella… The town is preparing to celebrate the holidays when a snowstorm hits and threatens to ruin the festivities. But that’s not the only threat blowing into town…Pop’s son is here from California to enjoy Christmas with his father, but when he leaves, he’s taking Pop with him…or is he? Will the town give up the Godfather of Magdalena, or will they show Pop’s son that when we open our hearts, anything is possible…even second chances? A Family Affair: Winter They should have been married and working on their “happily ever after” but fate intervened and stole their chance. Can the residents of Magdalena help them get it back and give them a second chance? On the day Michael Androvich stands at the altar before family, friends, and most of the town of Restalline, Pennsylvania, he’s prepared to pledge his life, love, and fidelity to the woman who owns his heart. There’s only one thing missing—the bride. Elise Pentani loves Michael Androvich truly and completely, but there’s a tiny piece of her that believes he’ll fall back into his “bad boy” ways. When a threat from his past visits her, Elise lets doubt rule and skips her own wedding. Nursing a broken heart and determined to forget the woman he can’t forget, Michael heads to Magdalena, New York to secure a business deal for his family’s lumber company. He’s not prepared for the endless questions and inquisitive nature of the residents who remind him an awful lot of his hometown. Just when Michael has gotten the town to accept the fact that he’s not talking about his past or the reason for his surly disposition, his ex-fiancée shows up with an apology he doesn’t want to hear and certainly doesn’t want to believe. But there’s no way the residents of Magdalena can ignore these two broken-hearted souls. Michael and Elise have “need help” and “belong together” stamped all over their sad faces. Add that to Pop Benito’s determined matchmaking skills and Lily Desantro’s clever curiosity, and this couple might just get that second chance… Truth in Lies Series Book One: A Family Affair Book Two: A Family Affair: Spring Book Three: A Family Affair: Summer Book Four: A Family Affair: Fall Book Five: A Family Affair: Christmas Book Six: A Family Affair: Winter Book Seven: A Family Affair: The Promise Book Eight: A Family Affair: The Secret Book Nine: A Family Affair: The Wish Book Ten: A Family Affair: The Gift Book Eleven: A Family Affair: The Weddings, a novella Book Twelve: A Family Affair: The Cabin, a novella Book Thirteen: A Family Affair: The Return Book Fourteen: A Family Affair: The Choice Book Fifteen: A Family Affair: The Proposal A Family Affair Boxed Set:Books 1-3 A Family Affair Boxed Set 2: Books 4-6 Meals From Magdalena: A Family Affair Cookbook NEW: Park Bench series: What happened before A Family Affairbegan? These questions are answered in my new Park Bench series. These short stories make the perfect park-bench read and are named after the signature park-bench covers. Book One: A Family Affair Shorts: Destiny Book Two: A Family Affair Shorts: Regret Book Three: A Family Affair Shorts: Love Book Four: A Family Affair Shorts: Heartbreak Book Five: A Family Affair Shorts: Peace
I love reading bonus scenes or watching bonus clips on television. If someone told me I could read about or watch Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet get married, I would be beyond excited. Imagination is great, but there are times when I don’t want to imagine or guess—I want to know! I even want to know when storylines change and what might have been... That’s why I’m providing bonus scenes and extras from several of the A Family Affair books. I loved writing these scenes and now I want to share them with you. Enjoy! Nate & Christine’s Wedding - A Family Affair Wouldn't you like to know what Nate Desantro was thinking right before he married Christine? For a man of few words, there was a lot going on in his head. And how about discovering Harry Blacksworth’s thoughts as he prepares to give Christine away? That’s definitely one you won’t want to miss. Lily is still one of my favorites and she’ll warm your heart with her innocent and yet spot-on observations about the wedding, life, and love in Magdalena. Always a Heartbeat Away - A Family Affair: Summer I started A Family Affair: Summer several times as I tried to get a feel for Tess and her backstory. I knew it would involve heartache, just as I knew that deep down, she still loved Cash. But the rest? I wanted to find a way to take her as far from the life she thought she’d have as possible. Initially, that involved a calm, quiet man and a dog named Henry. That storyline changed and I decided not to use it, but it's a great bonus scene to let you see the possibilities, maybe even wonder how the story might have been different. Who is Sasha Rishkov? - A Family Affair: The Secret What if Angie Sorrento’s father turns up in Magdalena to visit his daughter and risks running into the only woman he’s ever loved, Angie’s mother, the one she thought died years ago? He’ll come so close to discovering the truth... The Future Godfather - A Family Affair: The Wish This is a conversation you won’t want to miss! Pop tells Harry that when the time comes, Harry will be the new Godfather of Magdalena, and he’ll make a darn good one. Of course, Harry doesn’t agree... When Harry meets Stephanie - A Family Affair: The Gift Harry Blacksworth is nobody’s fool and while he might once have been the playboy-good-for-nothing younger brother of Charles, he's come into his own as a well-respected and generous member of Magdalena’s community. When Cash and Tess hit a roadblock named Stephanie Richmond, Harry's not going to let anything jeopardize their happiness. Don't miss When Harry Meets Stephanie and read firsthand how he deals with the woman who thinks she can leverage a child to gain security. The Real Stephanie Richmond - A Family Affair: The Gift And because first drafts and ideas change, I'm including a scene I once considered using for the storyline. In this version, Stephanie isn’t as soft and guileless as she appears in the final version of the book, but straightforward and intent on letting Cash know exactly what she wants. While I like the final outcome, this is still an interesting read and portrays Stephanie Richmond’s true personality. Who’s in the Cabin? - A Family Affair: The Cabin Nate and Christine Desantro head to the cabin one last time before they sell it and discover an uninvited guest! Elissa Cerdi has snuck away to the Blacksworths’ cabin for quiet and a chance to consider her future with or without a controlling ex-boyfriend. Her innocent and trusting ways prevent her from seeing that she’s put herself in danger by choosing a secluded cabin. Of course, Nate and Christine aren’t about to risk her safety, even if she was Gloria Blacksworth’s friend and confidante!
Heartache. Betrayal. Forgiveness. Redemption... Real families aren’t always the ones you know about… A Family Affair Boxed Set 4, Books 10-12, is about so much more than a secret family. Set in the small town of Magdalena, New York, the people have big hearts and good intentions…at least most of them do! Magdalena is a place of family, forgiveness, redemption, and second chances. And hope. Lots of hope. This town, and the people in it are about helping others get through the tough times and broken dreams, and doing it with the help of family, friends, sometimes even strangers. This boxed set includes A Family Affair: The Gift, A Family Affair: The Weddings, and A Family Affair: The Cabin. A FAMILY AFFAIR: THE GIFT Only one thing is missing from Tess and Daniel “Cash” Casherdon’s perfect life—a child. Oh, how they long for one to make their life complete. But what is it people say about being careful what you wish for…? Their wish will come true, but not in the way they think. Daniel Casherdon’s past is about to catch up with him. It’s bad enough when a woman arrives in Magdalena with a nine-year-old boy she claims is his, but confessing to a terminal illness and asking Tess and Cash to raise the boy when she’s gone? Well, that’s going to require a big leap of faith that won’t be easy or without repercussions. How can anyone refuse a dying mother such a heartbreaking request? Tess is torn between doing right by the child and acknowledging that another woman has given the man she loves something she may never be able to—a child. As the woman pulls Cash closer into her emotional circle, it is Tess who becomes the outsider, and soon she wonders if the woman has secrets she’s not telling. More than one resident is suspicious of anyone who drives a wedge between one of Magdalena’s favorite couples. The newcomer may look and act like the girl next door, but something isn’t right, and Pop Benito is going to gather ammunition and find out what that something is. But he’d better do it fast, before it’s too late. A FAMILY AFFAIR: THE WEDDINGS What’s more charming than a Christmas wedding? How about two Christmas weddings? Join us as we head back to Magdalena in this holiday novella and witness two couples head down the road of happily-ever-after. But don’t expect that road to be nice and smooth. Is anything worthwhile ever easy? Still, I’m betting on this town to help these couples through the rough patches and a good amount of snow to get to their happily-ever-after. So, are you wondering who these couples might be? There are quite a few possibilities, but I’ve decided to give you the true gift of a good surprise! A FAMILY AFFAIR: THE CABIN He’s lost his fortune… She’s nursing a broken heart…When fate steps in, will love prevail? Pete Finnegan had it all—money, power, status, a future wife, until he lost it all in one huge financial “gamble.” Now he’s back in his hometown of Magdalena, trying to figure out what to do with his life. When Nate Desantro offers him a job fixing up a cabin one hundred miles away, he jumps at the opportunity. Peace and solitude in the woods away from busybodies and do-gooders is exactly what he needs to contemplate his future. But Pete doesn’t expect to find a beautiful woman staying at the cabin. Elissa Cerdi has escaped to the Blacksworth cabin to heal her broken heart. As Gloria Blacksworth’s former caregiver, she’s agreed to honor the dead woman’s last request by mailing letters to select residents of Magdalena. When Elissa meets Pete, she doesn’t know he has ties to Magdalena, and she certainly doesn’t know the final letter she plans to mail is about his father. Pete and Elissa are both in need of healing and maybe that’s why they agree to shut down the outside world and pretend nothing exists but what’s inside the cabin. Could that also be why they’re able to open up to one another, talk about disappointments, hurts, betrayals, and hopes? Because it’s all pretend? Is that why passion consumes them, burns them with a need they’ve never felt before? Is it so powerful because it isn’t real? Except it is. When Pete uncovers the truth about Elissa’s part in Gloria Blacksworth’s cruel scheme for vengeance, he feels betrayed and questions everything that happened in the cabin. As weeks pass and the couple forge separate lives, Pete must decide if he can open his heart once again to forgiveness and love.
Heartache. Betrayal. Forgiveness. Redemption. Real families aren’t always the ones you know about…. that’s the tagline for the first book in Mary Campisi’s bestselling Truth in Lies series, A Family Affair. But this book and the others in this series are about so much more than a secret family. Set in the small town of Magdalena, New York, the people have big hearts and good intentions…at least most of them do! Magdalena is a place of family, forgiveness, redemption, and second chances. And hope. Lots of hope. This town, and the people in it are about helping others get through the tough times and broken dreams, and doing it with the help of family, friends, sometimes even strangers. A Family Affair When Christine Blacksworth’s larger-than-life father is killed on an icy road in Magdalena, New York, a hundred miles from the ‘getaway’ cabin he visited every month, she discovers a secret that threatens everything she’s always held to be true. Her father has another family which includes a mistress and a daughter. Determined to uncover the truth behind her father’s secret life, Christine heads to Magdalena, prepared to hate the people who have caused her to question everything she thought she knew about her father. But what she finds is a woman who understands her, a half-sister who cherishes her, and a man who could love her if she’ll let him. The longer she’s around them, the more she questions which family is the real one. . . A Family Affair: Spring Harry Blacksworth is rich, handsome, the ultimate playboy with a killer smile and a clever wit. He’s fought it, denied it, ignored it, but the damn truth won’t go away: He’s fallen in love. And just when he’s accepted that fact, Greta Servensen, the only woman he’s ever trusted, breaks his heart. Christine Blacksworth and Nate Desantro beat the odds when they fell in love and married. But staying married is threatened when the foundation behind every good relationship—trust—is challenged. Angelo “Pop” Benito is The Godfather of Magdalena. Nothing happens in that town without his knowledge or approval. And Pop doesn’t do anything without a long sit-down with his dead wife, Lucy, and a half dozen pizzelles by his side. He’ll need a lot of lung power and a tray of his favorite treat to help Nate and Christine out of a real mess. And he may need the help of his checkers buddy and Magdalena’s shining star, Lily Desantro. A Family Affair: Summer Eight years ago, tragedy struck the town’s perfect couple, Daniel “Cash” Casherdon and Tess Carrick, days before their wedding. That tragedy shredded their dreams of a life together and sent them fleeing Magdalena. Now, destiny has brought them back and the town is determined to see this couple mend their differences. Angelo “Pop” Benito will lead the crusade to march Cash and Tess down the aisle with the help of The Bleeding Hearts Society, a garden group more interested in healing people’s hearts than helping a sick basil plant. But they’re not the only ones cheering for this couple’s second chance. Who would have thought Nate Desantro would be giving advice on relationships, love, and marriage? But when a man finds the right woman, anything is possible. Add a baby to the mix; well, that’s pure “hero” material. Christine will offer her share of support and wisdom to Tess and stand up to an old troublemaker in the name of family and friendship. Enjoy the journey as you catch up on the lives of the residents of Magdalena. They’re waiting for you!
BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Caprice Crane's With a Little Luck. When Layla Brennan married her high school sweetheart, Brett Foster, she finally got the big, loving family she’d always wanted: his. Now she’s closer to Brett’s parents than he is, partners with his sister in a successful pet-photography business, and confidant to his younger brother. She couldn’t be more of a Foster if she’d been born one. There’s just one problem: Brett wants a divorce. Stunned and heartbroken, Layla turns to the Fosters for comfort, only to realize that losing Brett means losing them as well. What else can she do but sue him for the most valuable thing he’s got– namely, his family. Breaking up may be hard to do, but for Layla and Brett it’s even harder to undo. Fresh, funny, poignant, and brimming with insight into what makes modern families tick–and what can blow them apart–Family Affair proves that in love and war, everything’s relative.
Wedding Bells in Magdalena! What’s more charming than a Christmas wedding? How about TWO Christmas weddings? Join us as we head back to Magdalena in this holiday novella and witness two couples head down the road of happily ever after. But don’t expect that road to be nice and smooth. Is anything worthwhile ever easy? Still, I’m betting on this town to help these couples through the rough patches and a good amount of snow to get to their happily-ever-after. So, are you wondering who these couples might be? There are quite a few possibilities, but I’ve decided to give you the true gift of a good surprise! Truth in Lies Series: Book One: A Family Affair Book Two: A Family Affair: Spring Book Three: A Family Affair: Summer Book Four: A Family Affair: Fall Book Five: A Family Affair: Christmas, a novella Book Six: A Family Affair: Winter Book Seven: A Family Affair: The Promise Book Eight: A Family Affair: The Secret Book Nine: A Family Affair: The Wish Book Ten: A Family Affair: The Gift Book Eleven: A Family Affair: The Weddings, a novella Book Twelve: A Family Affair: The Cabin, a novella Book Thirteen: A Family Affair: The Return Bonus Material: Included in this e-book is an excerpt from A Family Affair: The Cabin, the next book in the series.
