Carolina Johnson had the life everyone wanted. A solid marriage of twenty years. A gorgeous house in the most desirable neighborhood. Friends at the country club. Yet, somehow, she always felt the other shoe would drop. And drop it did! When she discovered her husband’s affair with a girl half his age. Even more devastating, she’s pregnant. Now divorced, she has to start over in a lake house with too many issues to list, a neighbor who doesn’t like her and zero friends. To make matters worse, her outrageously rude former mother-in-law shows up and expects to spend a few days. At forty years of age, Carolina has to start her life over from scratch and draw on the last vestiges of strength she has to make a life for herself. A new life, new problems, and new relationships…can Carolina find out what matters the most in life and discover what true love really looks like? Or will she refuse to let go of the past and the bitterness that threatens to steal her happiness? This women’s divorce fiction book will have you rooting for the heroine and everything she has to overcome. Welcome to Laurel Cove and all the loveable, quirky characters that live here!
Welcome to the small town of Harland Creek! Heartwarming romance, secrets and drama, and compelling characters in this special collection of the first three novels of the series, including a bonus novella! PROMISE KEPT **Such a hopeful and beautiful read**~Reviewer Lying on her job application wasn’t the best way to kick off her fresh start in a small town, but Heather Smith is out of options. She desperately needs the job, or she will soon be without a place to live. Now, if she could just figure out why a local farmer keeps casting suspicious glares her way... Sure, Grayson McCade has his hands full with his farm. The second he learns a newcomer has been hired to care for Elizabeth, he worries the kind-hearted old woman is being scammed.Will the secrets revealed tarnish Heather’s new start before it even begins? PROMISE MADE **Beautifully written**~reviewer Olivia McCade prefers flowers to people. Other than the occasional thorn poke, she figures plants are far less likely to hurt her. It was that realization that caused her to leave her nursing career behind and settle into the calming aromas of her flower shop. The plan worked great... until a huge wedding contract put her face to face with the man who broke her heart and shattered her dreams. Needing someone at her side to help her through this, Olivia turns to Sam Hunter.But Sam has a secret all his own.Now, as she looks to him for comfort, Sam must find a way to juggle her fragile heart and his own stirring emotions. PROMISE FOREVER **Wonderfully written!**~reviewer Growing up in Harland Creek, Gabriela Jackson was the girl all the guys wanted and all the girls wanted to be. Until one tragic night that rocks the entire town and leaves her the object of scorn. Unable to stay in a place where the entire town hates her, she signs a modeling contract with an elite New York agency just to get away. She soon discovered the darker side of beauty. After refusing to compromise her morals, she’s labeled as difficult and black balled in the industry. With nowhere else to turn, she returns to Harland Creek. But her homecoming is far from warm. Judgmental stares. Incessant gossip behind her back. Hurtful preconceived notions. Now, more than ever, Gabriela is determined to prove only she can define who she is as a person. Colin Bennet left his scandal-riddled family in England to forge his own respectable path in life. The small town charm of Harland Creek seemed the perfect place to open a book store, and focus on penning his first novel. Turns out that second part would be far easier if American women weren’t falling all over him simply because of his accent. But there is one who seems uninterested in his worldly charms. An intoxicating beauty with razor sharp wit, striking intelligence and a damaged reputation. But are they willing to risk it all for a chance at true happiness? CHRISTMAS IN HARLAND CREEK **Charming Christmas Story!**~reviewer Christmas magic comes to Harland Creek! Ever the introverted bookworm, Eliza Ross has read many love stories set to a backdrop of sleigh bells and snow flurries. But turning the pages of her favorite authors’ latest release is the closest she’s ever come to that kind of romance. Convinced it would be yet another holiday full of itchy Christmas sweaters and family gatherings, Eliza takes a break from her college courses and ventures home to the small town of Harland Creek. Little does she know more than tinsel and holly berries await her there. For as long as she can remember, Eliza has had a crush on Jake Denton. Not that he even knew she existed... or so she thought. Yet when a winter storm traps them together, they learn they have more in common than Eliza ever could have imagined. While the weather outside is frightful, seeing the softer side of Jake is truly delightful. Will the blinding blizzard open their eyes to the magical connection between them?
Hannah Reece is facing the first Christmas without her husband, James, since his untimely death. He was one in a million, and due to his generosity, the local hospital is dedicating a wing in his honor. It should be a time of celebration, but when Hannah receives an anonymous letter threatening to reveal James’ crime of embezzlement if she doesn’t pay up, the sinister mystery throws her into turmoil. Caught between protecting their children and his legacy and wanting to discover the truth, Hannah sets out to see for herself if the allegations are true. She won’t be alone as she enlists the help of her new friend, Carolina Johnson, to help her discover who penned the horrid letter. Will Hannah uncover a devious plot to smear her husband’s reputation, or will she make an unexpected discovery and realize he might not be the man she thought she had married? Lakehouse Secrets is the second book in the Laurel Cove series that follows the lives of unforgettable women who live on the cozy lake house community in North Carolina. Readers love these characters who face life’s difficulties with unwavering strength, a few tears, and a hint of humor. For readers who love engaging stories full of hope, friendship, and romance…welcome to Laurel Cove.
In the picturesque town of Hopeton, where the snowflakes twirl and the holiday spirit is infectious, Rebecca Sims is still struggling to find joy after her world fell. Five years ago her husband abandoned her for her own sister, Julie, Rebecca's heart shattered, leaving her to pick up the pieces alone. Battling through the storm of divorce, she clung to her job as a determined bank loan officer, rebuilding her life one penny at a time. Just when Rebecca thought she was finding her footing, her world is turned upside down once more by an unexpected visitor – Julie, returning for Christmas. Panic sets in, threatening to undo all the progress Rebecca fought so hard for. Desperate for stability, she decides to open her home, taking a leap of faith and renting out a room in her charming lake house on Laurel Cove. Enter the older stranger who walks through her door, bringing with her an air of mystery and a sprinkle of courage. Together, they navigate the complexities of life, teaching Rebecca that healing comes in unexpected forms. As she grapples with her past and the painful betrayals, Rebecca learns to confront her trials head-on, embracing the power of friendship and the promise of new beginnings. In this heartwarming tale of resilience and redemption, Rebecca embarks on a journey of self-discovery, letting go of the past to embrace the present. With the support of newfound friends, she discovers the strength to live her best life, finding love and laughter in the most unexpected places. "Lakehouse Christmas" is a touching story of hope, forgiveness, and the enduring power of female friendship, reminding us all that sometimes, the most beautiful transformations come from the harshest winters.
Get started with distributed computing using PySpark, a single unified framework to solve end-to-end data analytics at scale Key FeaturesDiscover how to convert huge amounts of raw data into meaningful and actionable insightsUse Spark's unified analytics engine for end-to-end analytics, from data preparation to predictive analyticsPerform data ingestion, cleansing, and integration for ML, data analytics, and data visualizationBook Description Apache Spark is a unified data analytics engine designed to process huge volumes of data quickly and efficiently. PySpark is Apache Spark's Python language API, which offers Python developers an easy-to-use scalable data analytics framework. Essential PySpark for Scalable Data Analytics starts by exploring the distributed computing paradigm and provides a high-level overview of Apache Spark. You'll begin your analytics journey with the data engineering process, learning how to perform data ingestion, cleansing, and integration at scale. This book helps you build real-time analytics pipelines that help you gain insights faster. You'll then discover methods for building cloud-based data lakes, and explore Delta Lake, which brings reliability to data lakes. The book also covers Data Lakehouse, an emerging paradigm, which combines the structure and performance of a data warehouse with the scalability of cloud-based data lakes. Later, you'll perform scalable data science and machine learning tasks using PySpark, such as data preparation, feature engineering, and model training and productionization. Finally, you'll learn ways to scale out standard Python ML libraries along with a new pandas API on top of PySpark called Koalas. By the end of this PySpark book, you'll be able to harness the power of PySpark to solve business problems. What you will learnUnderstand the role of distributed computing in the world of big dataGain an appreciation for Apache Spark as the de facto go-to for big data processingScale out your data analytics process using Apache SparkBuild data pipelines using data lakes, and perform data visualization with PySpark and Spark SQLLeverage the cloud to build truly scalable and real-time data analytics applicationsExplore the applications of data science and scalable machine learning with PySparkIntegrate your clean and curated data with BI and SQL analysis toolsWho this book is for This book is for practicing data engineers, data scientists, data analysts, and data enthusiasts who are already using data analytics to explore distributed and scalable data analytics. Basic to intermediate knowledge of the disciplines of data engineering, data science, and SQL analytics is expected. General proficiency in using any programming language, especially Python, and working knowledge of performing data analytics using frameworks such as pandas and SQL will help you to get the most out of this book.
From the New York Times bestselling author of Homecoming comes a “moody, suspenseful page-turner” (People, Best Book Pick) filled with mystery and spellbinding secrets. Living on her family’s idyllic lakeside estate in Cornwall, England, Alice Edevane is a bright, inquisitive, and precociously talented sixteen-year-old who loves to write stories. One midsummer’s eve, after a beautiful party drawing hundreds of guests to the estate has ended, the Edevanes discover that their youngest child, eleven-month-old Theo, has vanished without a trace. He is never found, and the family is torn apart, the house abandoned. Decades later, Alice is living in London, having enjoyed a long successful career as a novelist. Miles away, Sadie Sparrow, a young detective in the London police force, is staying at her grandfather’s house in Cornwall. While out walking one day, she stumbles upon the old Edevane estate—now crumbling and covered with vines. Her curiosity is sparked, setting off a series of events that will bring her and Alice together and reveal shocking truths about a past long gone...yet more present than ever. A lush, atmospheric tale of intertwined destinies from a masterful storyteller, The Lake House is an enthralling, thoroughly satisfying read.
Sarah Williams wants nothing to do with small-town life. But after the sudden death of her parents, she is forced to return home to Hopeton, North Carolina to raise her young brother, Johnny. All her ambitions of making it big as a singer in Hollywood are just that…dreams. Sarah is now forced to find an occupation that doesn’t stifle her creative nature. Finding a job like that in Hopeton is almost impossible. Things go from bad to worse when she learns Johnny is failing in school. Even the school officials don’t bother to hide the fact she is far from doing everything right when it comes to parenting. She must rely on her friends, young and old, to carve out a home out of Hopeton, and with a little help from destiny, get everything her heart desires. This is the third book in the heartwarming Laurel Cove Series! If you love unforgettable characters who prevail against the trials in life, this series is for you!
Master critical skills needed to deploy and use Databricks SQL and elevate your BI from the warehouse to the lakehouse with confidence Key FeaturesLearn about business intelligence on the lakehouse with features and functions of Databricks SQLMake the most of Databricks SQL by getting to grips with the enablers of its data warehousing capabilitiesA unique approach to teaching concepts and techniques with follow-along scenarios on real datasetsBook Description In this new era of data platform system design, data lakes and data warehouses are giving way to the lakehouse – a new type of data platform system that aims to unify all data analytics into a single platform. Databricks, with its Databricks SQL product suite, is the hottest lakehouse platform out there, harnessing the power of Apache Spark™, Delta Lake, and other innovations to enable data warehousing capabilities on the lakehouse with data lake economics. This book is a comprehensive hands-on guide that helps you explore all the advanced features, use cases, and technology components of Databricks SQL. You'll start with the lakehouse architecture fundamentals and understand how Databricks SQL fits into it. The book then shows you how to use the platform, from exploring data, executing queries, building reports, and using dashboards through to learning the administrative aspects of the lakehouse – data security, governance, and management of the computational power of the lakehouse. You'll also delve into the core technology enablers of Databricks SQL – Delta Lake and Photon. Finally, you'll get hands-on with advanced SQL commands for ingesting data and maintaining the lakehouse. By the end of this book, you'll have mastered Databricks SQL and be able to deploy and deliver fast, scalable business intelligence on the lakehouse. What you will learnUnderstand how Databricks SQL fits into the Databricks Lakehouse PlatformPerform everyday analytics with Databricks SQL Workbench and business intelligence toolsOrganize and catalog your data assetsProgram the data security model to protect and govern your dataTune SQL warehouses (computing clusters) for optimal query experienceTune the Delta Lake storage format for maximum query performanceDeliver extreme performance with the Photon query execution engineImplement advanced data ingestion patterns with Databricks SQLWho this book is for This book is for business intelligence practitioners, data warehouse administrators, and data engineers who are new to Databrick SQL and want to learn how to deliver high-quality insights unhindered by the scale of data or infrastructure. This book is also for anyone looking to study the advanced technologies that power Databricks SQL. Basic knowledge of data warehouses, SQL-based analytics, and ETL processes is recommended to effectively learn the concepts introduced in this book and appreciate the innovation behind the platform.
Growing up in Harland Creek, Gabriela Jackson was the girl all the guys wanted and all the girls wanted to be. Until one tragic night that rocks the entire town and leaves her the object of scorn. Unable to stay in a place where the entire town hates her, she signs a modeling contract with an elite New York agency just to get away. She soon discovered the darker side of beauty. After refusing to compromise her morals, she’s labeled as difficult and black balled in the industry. With nowhere else to turn, she returns to Harland Creek. But her homecoming is far from warm. Judgmental stares. Incessant gossip behind her back. Hurtful preconceived notions. Now, more than ever, Gabriela is determined to prove only she can define who she is as a person. Colin Bennet left his scandal-riddled family in England to forge his own respectable path in life. The small town charm of Harland Creek seemed the perfect place to open a book store, and focus on penning his first novel. Turns out that second part would be far easier if American women weren’t falling all over him simply because of his accent. But there is one who seems uninterested in his worldly charms. An intoxicating beauty with razor sharp wit, striking intelligence and a damaged reputation. But are they willing to risk it all for a chance at true happiness?
An opposites attract story. Impulsive, unpredictable, unexpected. Just a few words that describe Tabitha Miller. And those descriptions are exactly why she can’t find love in the small town of Harland Creek. But when she ends up on a blind date that quickly turns into a disaster, a familiar face from her past swoops in and saves the day…much to her chagrin. Cautious, predictable, prepared Neal McLean is nothing if not always prepared. From his job to his relationships. He has no desire for love but when he sees Tabitha in need of a hero, he can’t help but come to her rescue. Now they are stuck together trying to solve one of his biggest cases. Where some women would run from danger, Tabitha rushes in. Though their chemistry is undeniable, can they overcome their differences and find a love that will last a lifetime?
