- Table View
- List View
The 14th Day
by K. C. FrederickA Kafkaesque novel set in an unnamed Eastern European country, centers around Petir, a clerk in a state-run banking/insurance business, whose job it is to prevent handicapped people from collecting disability or insurance payments by tying them up in bureaucratic doubletalk and red tape. One of his claimants, a psychotic dwarf who Petir uncharacteristically tries to help, sees him, unfairly, as an enemy and begins to stalk him.
14th Deadly Sin (Women's Murder Club Ser. #Bk. 14)
by James Patterson Maxine PaetroWith San Francisco under siege and every cop a suspect, the Women's Murder Club must risk their lives to save the city-and each other. With a beautiful baby daughter and a devoted husband, Detective Lindsay Boxer can safely say that her life has never been better. In fact (for a change), things seem to be going well for all the members of the Women's Murder Club as they gather to celebrate San Francisco Medical Examiner Claire Washburn's birthday. But the party is cut short when Lindsay is called to a gruesome crime scene, where a woman has been murdered in broad daylight. As Lindsay investigates, shocking video footage of another crime surfaces. A video so horrific that it shakes the city to its core. Their faces obscured by masks, the cold blooded criminals on the tape could be anyone-and now all of Lindsay's co-workers are suspects. As a rash of violence sweeps through San Francisco, and public fear and anger grows, Lindsay and her friends must risk their lives in the name of justice-before it's too late. With shocking twists and riveting suspense, 14TH DEADLY SIN, proves yet again that when it comes to suspense fiction, in the words of Jeffrey Deaver: "nobody does it better" than James Patterson.
15 Miles
by Rob ScottSamuel 'Sailor' Doyle has transferred from Vice to Homicide in the Virginia State Police. He has a mistress, an alcohol problem, a prescription drug dependency, and a burgeoning self-loathing that alienates his wife and family.On Friday 3 July, the rookie investigator is assigned to a double homicide on a rural farm some 15 miles outside Richmond. One of the victims has been interred in a makeshift tomb, while the other is stuck half-in, half-out of a hope chest overflowing with cat litter. And the farm is covered with dead bodies: dozens of cats, sheep, goats, cows, and one dead horse. The mentally handicapped daughter of the victims, Carl and Claire Bruckner, is missing.Doyle soon discovers that Bruckner was a Marine captain who lost his leg in Vietnam thanks to the incompetence of his commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Robert Lake - now retired General Robert Lake, and Republican Party presidential hopeful, who will be speaking in Richmond on July fourth - the following evening. What Doyle fails to realise as he follows the various clues is that wherever he goes, he is spreading disease - and not just any disease, but Yersinia pestis. The plague.Is the dead Marine planning revenge, even from beyond the grave?
15 Miles
by Rob ScottSamuel 'Sailor' Doyle has transferred from Vice to Homicide in the Virginia State Police. He has a mistress, an alcohol problem, a prescription drug dependency, and a burgeoning self-loathing that alienates his wife and family.On Friday 3 July, the rookie investigator is assigned to a double homicide on a rural farm some 15 miles outside Richmond. One of the victims has been interred in a makeshift tomb, while the other is stuck half-in, half-out of a hope chest overflowing with cat litter. And the farm is covered with dead bodies: dozens of cats, sheep, goats, cows, and one dead horse. The mentally handicapped daughter of the victims, Carl and Claire Bruckner, is missing.Doyle soon discovers that Bruckner was a Marine captain who lost his leg in Vietnam thanks to the incompetence of his commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Robert Lake - now retired General Robert Lake, and Republican Party presidential hopeful, who will be speaking in Richmond on July fourth - the following evening. What Doyle fails to realise as he follows the various clues is that wherever he goes, he is spreading disease - and not just any disease, but Yersinia pestis. The plague.Is the dead Marine planning revenge, even from beyond the grave?
15 Minutes
by Steve YoungIt's not that Casey Little is always late. It's just that everything starts a little too early. But when Casey discovers a weird little time machine, he figures he'll never be late again. Unfortunately, it's not a very good time machine. It can only go back 15 minutes. And it seems to have a mind of its own. Still -- what could possibly go wrong?
15 Minutes of Flame (Nantucket Candle Maker Mystery #3)
by Christin BrecherAs Stella Wright&’s Nantucket candle store thrives, her knack for solving mysteries burns equally bright—especially when a Halloween haunted house uncovers evidence of a centuries-old murder . . . When Stella&’s friend inherits a creaky, abandoned home in Nantucket, she knows it&’s the perfect setting for the town&’s annual Halloween fundraiser. A deserted, boarded-up building on the property—once used as a candle-making shop—adds to the creepy ambiance. But as Stella explores the shack&’s dilapidated walls, she discovers a terrible secret: the skeleton of a Quaker woman, wrapped in blood-soaked clothing and hidden deep within a stone hearth . . . While police investigate, Stella wastes no time asking for help from friends with long ties to Nantucket&’s intricate history. The key to the murder may lie within a scorching 18th century love triangle that pit two best friends against one another over a dubious man. But before the case is solved, another life will be claimed—leaving Stella to wonder who in Nantucket is friend, and who is foe . . . Praise for Murder&’s No Votive Confidence &“A charming mystery with believable, likeable characters. Check it out.&”—Suspense Magazine
15 Seconds
by Andrew Gross15 seconds can tear your life apart . . .Henry Steadman didn't know what was about to hit him when he pulled up to a red light. A successful Florida plastic surgeon, he is in town to deliver a keynote address at a conference when suddenly his life becomes an unrelenting chase to stay alive. Stopped by the police for a minor traffic violation, the situation escalates and he is pulled from his vehicle, handcuffed and told he is under arrest. Several other police cars arrive and the questioning turns scary, but just as Henry is released and about to move on, a blue sedan pulls up and the officer is suddenly killed. As the car speeds away, there is only one suspect left behind-Henry. In that moment, his idyllic life becomes a free fall into hell as he becomes the target of a police manhunt, as well as being pursued by a cunning, unnamed perpetrator bent on some kind of vengeance.When Henry turns to a close friend for help, and he, too, ends up dead, Henry realizes he's being elaborately framed. But in a chilling twist, the stakes grow even darker, and he is unable to go to the police to clear his name, without bringing on dire and deadly consequences. With breakneck pacing and nonstop action, 15 Seconds shows what can happen when even the best life is turned upside down in an instant. It is also the story of an innocent man, framed for murder, who has to save the person he loves the most, all while being drawn closer and closer to an inevitable face-to-face standoff with a man determined to destroy his life.
15 Secrets to Survival
by Natalie D. RichardsNew York Times bestselling author Natalie D. Richards's middle grade debut about a group of four classmates forced to navigate the wilderness for an extra credit project with nothing but the pages of a survival handbook—and each other—to save them. When classmates Baxter, Abigail, Turner and Emerson break a school rule, they&’re forced to travel to the middle of nowhere for an extra credit project. They think things can&’t get much worse. After all, how will learning to survive in the wilderness help them stay out of trouble in school? What starts off as a weekend of team building takes a scary turn when their instructor goes missing and they are given nothing but pages of a survival guide to complete a series of challenges. They soon learn the woods around them have unexpected surprises. Will they discover a way to work together to find their teacher and overcome the dangers of winter in the mountains? A recommended choice for classroom discussions on earth science and educators looking for survival books for kids.
15 Summers Later: A Feel-Good Beach Read
by RaeAnne Thayne15 summers ago, everything changed…Ava Howell seemed to have it all. She moved away from Emerald Creek, Idaho, married the love of her life and published a bestselling memoir. But she never expected that her husband would feel so betrayed by a secret from her past—the truth of what happened to her and her sister all those years ago—that he&’d walk away. Now Ava is back home and trying to move on with the only person who can truly understand…Following years of healing, Madison Howell is finally happy. After college she built a no-kill shelter where she works with animals every day, and she&’s in love with the town veterinarian, Dr. Luke Gentry. But she can&’t ever bring herself to tell him. Years ago, his dad died protecting Madi and her sister, so how could he ever love her back? With the truth laid bare, and the past that Ava and Madison have worked so hard to leave behind threatening everything they have built for themselves, the Howell sisters&’ reunion is bittersweet. And as Ava and Madi attempt to remedy the rifts in their lives and reconcile their futures, they must face the demons of their past together.&“I&’m always eager to dive into a good story about sisters—and that&’s exactly what this book is! If you like heartfelt stories, you&’ll devour 15 Summers Later!&”—Brenda Novak, New York Times bestselling authorGet lost in more heartfelt stories by New York Times bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne: The December Market - Coming soon! Christmas at the Shelter Inn The Café at Beach End All is Bright Summer at the Cape
15 Ways to Stay Alive
by Daphne GottliebBroken hearts, scattered dreams, postpunk politics, and postmodern cut-up collages spiral and flow in award-winning poet Daphne Gottlieb's latest collection of startling new works that explore survival after personal or communal disasters and the renewal that follows. Whether she's writing about unanticipated outcomes ("After the Midway Ride Collapsed"), her mother's passing ("Somewhere, Over"), or absurd situations ("Preoccupation"), Gottlieb's deeply personal insights into the complex areas where life and contemporary culture collide offer readers a unique, thought-provoking perspective."I Have Always Confused Desire with Apocalypse"We met over a smallearthquake. Now, my kneesshake wheneveryou come aroundand I've noticed your handhas a slight tremor.Daphne Gottlieb is the award-winning author of seven books including the critically acclaimed poetry collection Final Girl (Soft Skull Press) and the graphic novel Jokes and the Unconscious (Cleis Press), illustrated by Diane DiMassa. Gottlieb has performed and taught creative writing workshops throughout the United States. She received her MFA from Mills College, and currently resides in San Francisco.
$150,000 Rugelach
by Allison Marks Wayne Marks"This sweet story is a delightful, quick read with a wonderfully charming cast of characters. The delicious descriptions of baked goods are sure to make readers' mouths water; fortunately, three recipes are included. A refreshing and uplifting book filled with friendship, heartache, and a generous sprinkling of love." -- Kirkus Reviews"The Markses excel at creating goofy but appealing characters: extrovert Jack seems beyond embarrassment, yet he honors Jillian's wish to keep her mom's story private; Grandma Rita has no cooking skills, but she rocks at martial arts and plumbing repairs; and Phineas Farnsworth exploits everyone he encounters but has a soft spot for the memory of the nanny who raised him." -- Kay Weisman, BooklistA delicious tale of rivalry, friendship, heartache, and dessert! Fame-obsessed Jack and somber Jillian, who is mourning the loss of her mother, become a mismatched duo selected to compete for $150,000 in a high-stakes baking contest jam-packed with hilarious high jinks.Exploding with loud, rock 'n' roll attitude, eleven-year-old Jack Fineman dreams of becoming the greatest pastry chef who ever lived. His plans are thrown off course when his butterscotch basil brownies are upstaged at his sixth-grade holiday party by a simple plate of chocolate rugelach brought in by Jillian Mermelstein-the new girl at school whose mother has just died and who only wants to be left alone.These budding bakers' lives are mixed together when they are selected to compete as teammates in a nationally televised competition. For Jack, this is his chance to advance one step closer to culinary greatness. For Jillian, it's an opportunity to help her father by winning her share of the $150,000 top prize.Preparing to face bakers from the city's other middle schools, Jack and Jillian struggle to find the right recipe for working together. Along the way, they make the world's most irresistible oatmeal cricket cookies, battle Jack's checkered-pants-wearing brother for miniature golf supremacy, and discover the troubling reasons why each of them was chosen for the contest.
150 Pounds: A Novel of Waists and Measures
by Kate RocklandA smartly-written novel by author, Kate Rockland, of two women starting at opposite ends of the scale--and finding compromise and friendship in their journey towards 150 poundsIn the fast paced life of blogging, two women stand out: Alexis Allbright, of Skinny Chick, and Shoshana Weiner, who writes Fat and Fabulous. Both have over five million loyal readers. Both are hungry for success. But the similarities stop there. With over 100 pounds on the scale separating them, weight isn't their only difference. Alexis is a loner who is so bitchy the only person who can stand her company is her gay best friend Billy. She gives neurotic New Yorkers a run for their money with her strict daily workout routine, and weighing of food. Shoshana is Alexis's opposite. Living in Jersey with rowdy roommates, she is someone who "collects friends," as her mother puts it; and treasures a life of expanding circles...and waistlines.When both appear as panelists on a popular talk show, their lives intersect in ways neither could have imagined. In turns comedic, heartwarming--and familiar to any woman who's ever stepped on a scale--Alexis and Shoshana realize they have far more in common than either could have possibly imagined, and more importantly, something to offer.
150 Years of Stats Canada!: A Guide to Canada's Greatest Country
by Stats CanadaCanada's funniest online sensation is back to celebrate the country's 150th anniversary--bigger, bolder, and only 10% reused material!Want to know what the hottest new Canadian apps are? Need a handy chart to help you decide what Can-Con music to listen to? How about the top Google searches across the nation? In this handy guide to Canada, the tireless experts at @stats_canada reveal all the must-know quirks from coast to coast to frigid coast. From helpful tips on the Vancouver housing market to planning the ultimate Montreal bachelor party, Stats Can is on the case. And discover just how Canadian you are with the official checklist, not to mention the Tim Hortons etiquette quiz. With crucial updates about Canada on its big birthday, and all the stats, charts, and graphs to back them up, 150 Years of Stats Canada! is the perfect way to celebrate everything we love about this great country. Disclaimer: still 100.6% not affiliated with Statistics Canada
151 Days (Tales from Foster High (Harmony Ink) #5)
by John GoodeSequel to End of the Innocence Tales from Foster High: Book ThreeWith just 151 days left until the school year ends, Kyle Stilleno is running out of time to fulfill the promise he made and change Foster, Texas, for the better. But Kyle and his boyfriend, Brad Graymark, have more than just intolerance to deal with. Life, college, love, and sex have a way of distracting them, and they're realizing Foster is a bigger place than they thought. When someone from their past returns at the worst possible moment, graduation becomes the least of their worries.
151 Days (Foster High series #3)
by John GoodeTales from Foster High: Book ThreeWith just 151 days left until the school year ends, Kyle Stilleno is running out of time to fulfill the promise he made and change Foster, Texas, for the better. But he and his boyfriend, Brad Graymark, have more than just intolerance to deal with. Life, college, love, and sex have a way of distracting them, and they’re realizing Foster is a bigger place than they thought. When someone from their past returns at the worst possible moment, graduation becomes the least of their worries.
#1544
by Simone KellyGo on a suspenseful and mystical ride in this twist‑filled thriller about a father and daughter with supernaturalabilities...Daddy&’s little girl is not all she claims to be. Ty Carter is at the prime of his career, making millions in Atlanta real estate, and his Cuban‑Jamaican good looks and charmmake him a hit with the ladies. One would think he was on top of the world; however, things are not always what they seem. Recently divorced, he&’s taking care of his grandfather, who suffers from dementia, and he is also trying to keep his sexual addiction under wraps. Just when he thinks he&’s got things under control, Ty is knocked down by a surprise visit from his past. Journey Salazar, his 22‑year‑old daughter, is eager to learn about her family roots and build a relationship with her father. Ty and Journey realize they have a lot more in common than just looks. They both possess some unique supernatural traits. Their abilities of telepathy and astral projection help deepen a bond between them, but Ty will soon realize that Journey likes to get what she wants, sometimes abusing her gift if necessary. As Journey demands to weave herself into his life, Ty will see things rapidly unravel before his eyes. Journey soon shows him that she is the master of control and manipulation.
The 156-Story Treehouse: Holiday Havoc! (The Treehouse Books #12)
by Andy GriffithsNew York Times-bestselling team Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton invite readers to come hang out with them in their 156-Story Treehouse—the twelfth book in the illustrated chapter book series filled with Andy and Terry's signature slapstick humor!Andy and Terry live in a 156-story treehouse. (It used to be a 143-story treehouse, but they added 13 more levels.) It has a wishing well, a super-stinky stuff level, a bouldering alley (it’s just like bowling, except you use boulders instead of balls), an enigma engine, a TV quiz show level hosted by Quizzy the quizzical robot, and the amazing mind-reading sandwich-making machine that knows exactly what sort of sandwich you want and makes it for you.It’s the night before Christmas but Andy and Terry aren’t ready yet! They haven’t written their letters to Santa, they haven’t sung any carols or hung their stockings, and now Mr. Big Nose wants their next book done by tomorrow. When Santa Claus’s sleigh crash-lands in the treehouse, the reindeer become tangled in the branches and Santa falls into the cloning machine. With dozens of Santas running around and no way to tell which one’s the real one, who’s going to deliver all the presents? It’s up to Andy, Terry, and Jill to work together to save Christmas—and maybe even finish their book on time! Praise for Andy Griffiths and the Treehouse series:"Anarchic absurdity at its best. . . . Denton's manic cartooning captures every twist and turn in hilarious detail." —Publishers Weekly, starred review, on The 13-Story Treehouse"Will appeal to fans of Jeff Kinney and Dav Pilkey. . . . The wonderfully random slapstick humor is tailor-made for reluctant readers. . . . A treat for all." —Booklist on The 13-Story TreehouseRead the whole series!The 13-Story TreehouseThe 26-Story TreehouseThe 39-Story TreehouseThe 52-Story TreehouseThe 65-Story TreehouseThe 78-Story TreehouseThe 91-Story TreehouseThe 104-Story TreehouseThe 117-Story TreehouseThe 130-Story TreehouseThe 143-Story TreehouseThe 156-Story Treehouse
The 158-Pound Marriage (Black Swan Ser.)
by John Irving"Irving looks cunningly beyond the eye-catching gyrations of the mating dance to the morning-after implications." --The Washington Post The darker vision and sexual ambiguities of this erotic, ironic tale about a ménage a quatre in a New England university town foreshadow those of The World According to Garp; but this very trim and precise novel is a marked departure from the author's generally robust, boisterous style. Though Mr. Irving's cool eye spares none of his foursome, he writes with genuine compassion for the sexual tests and illusions they perpetrate on each other; but the sexual intrigue between them demonstrates how even the kind can be ungenerous, and even the well-intentioned, destructive."One of the most remarkable things about John Irving's first three novels, viewed from the vantage of The World According to Garp, is that they can be read as one extended fictional enterprise. . . . The 158-Pound Marriage is as lean and concentrated as a mine shaft." --Terrence Des Pres
1588: A Novel in Five Books (The\hew Cullan Mysteries Ser. #6)
by Shirley McKayStories starring a sleuthing Scottish lawyer: &“McKay&’s command of plot, place and character makes these 16th century St Andrews-set mysteries a delight.&” —The Scotsman A grisly murder. A vanishing corpse. A secret romance. A ghostly tale. An innocent accused. Set in the year of the Armada, 1588: A Calendar of Crime brings together five short stories featuring Hew Cullan. From the gruesome murder of a candlemaker to Spanish ghosts on Hallowmas, Shirley McKay delivers five gripping tales of mystery that will keep you reading long into the night. &“A fascinating evocation of the everyday life of ordinary Scots in the 1500s as well as series of first-rate stories. Her use of language is a delight, the sinewy and expressive Scots words aiding the creation of Cullen's very realistic world. McKay is to be congratulated for the continued quality and inventiveness of her tales.&” —The National
1590s Drama and Militarism: Portrayals of War in Marlowe, Chapman and Shakespeare's Henry V
by Nina Taunton1590s Drama and Militarism is a fascinating interdisciplinary study of various textual interventions into the military realities of the late Elizabethan period. Its major strength is its insistence on the discursive nature of militarism, and the author convincingly uses literary and non-literary texts-including manuals and contemporary military correspondence-to reconstruct the particular anxieties which surrounded the military exigencies of the 1590s, a particularly fraught and unstable period of the aging queen's reign. The literature of the 'art of war' has been little studied by literary scholars, despite their richly rhetorical nature. Dr Taunton's analysis thus brings to light a neglected but culturally significant form of Renaissance textuality. In doing so she is able to shed new light on the Renaissance drama, which she shows to have responded sensitively (and sometimes critically) to these textual constructions of actual warfare, and problematised the anxious idealisations of the military manuals. The particular readings of plays here are richly rewarding for the scholar of Renaissance drama-the significance of Henry's nocturnal surveillance of his own camp on the eve of the battle of Agincourt, for example, benefits immeasurably from being contextualised in the light of contemporary theories of encampment. The role of the women in Tamburlaine's camp in Marlowe's plays is also given particular significance when viewed in the light of the contemporary proscriptions regarding the presence of women in camps during the military campaigns in the Low Countries. In this study Dr Taunton makes appropriate (and critically inflected) use of Foucault's theories of surveillance, Lefebvre's theories about the ideological production of social space, and Michel de Certeau's theories of social practice are put to good use in her analysis of military strategy. These theoretical perspectives are usefully combined with highly specific and well-documented historical analyses.
15th Affair (Women's Murder Club Ser. #15)
by James Patterson Maxine Paetro<P>Detective Lindsay Boxer chases an elusive suspect...her husband. <P>As she settles into motherhood and a happy marriage, Lindsay Boxer thinks she has found domestic bliss. But when a beautiful, alluring blonde woman with links to the CIA disappears from the scene of a brutal murder at a downtown luxury hotel, Lindsay's life begins to unravel. <P>Before she can track down the woman for questioning, a plane crash plunges San Francisco into chaos and Lindsay's husband Joe vanishes. The deeper she digs, the more Lindsay suspects that Joe shares a secret past with the mystery blonde. Thrown into a tailspin and questioning everything she thought she knew, Lindsay turns to the Women's Murder Club for help as she tries to uncover the truth. <P> Filled with pulse-pounding international intrigue, 15TH AFFAIR proves that all is fair in love, war, and espionage. <P><b>A New York Times Bestseller</b>
16 Isn't Always Sweet
by Cassandra CarterFrom best friend to frenemy to flat-out enemy For her Sweet Sixteen, Jordan Wright gets rid of the frizzy hair, the conservative clothes, and finally likes the hip new girl smiling in the mirror. So when she hears about an open casting call for the hottest rapper's new video, she has the confidence to go for it. She and her best friend, Adrienne, try out with hundreds of hopefuls, but only Jordan makes it. Adrienne seems fine with it. But when Jordan starts getting some serious attention, Adrienne turns into a hater. And after Jordan has an innocent in-the-hall conversation with Adrienne's ex-boyfriend--they dated for one week, like four years ago!--Adrienne plots to ruin Jordan's life by spreading rumors, writing stuff on the bathroom walls and telling Jordan she'd be better off dead. Suddenly Jordan's popularity is fading. Forget sweet sixteen. She soon discovers that what she needs most is to find the strength to be herself.
16 Lighthouse Road (Cedar Cove #1)
by Debbie Macomber<P>Dear Reader, <P>You don't know me yet, but in a few hours that's going to change. You see, I'm inviting you to my home and my town of Cedar Cove because I want you to meet my family, friends and neighbors. Come and hear their stories-maybe even their secrets!I have to admit that my own secrets are pretty open. <P>My marriage failed some years ago, and I have a rather...difficult relationship with my daughter, Justine. Then there's my mother, Charlotte, who has plenty of opinions and is always willing to share them. <P>Here's an example. I'm a family court judge and she likes to drop in on my courtroom. Recently I was hearing a divorce petition. In my mother's view, young Cecilia and Ian Randall hadn't tried hard enough to make their marriage work-and I actually agreed. So I rendered my judgment: Divorce Denied. <P>Well, you wouldn't believe the reaction! Thanks to an article by Jack Griffin, the editor of our local paper (and a man I wouldn't mind seeing more of ), everyone's talking. <P>Cedar Cove-people love it and sometimes they leave it, but they never forget it! <P>See you soon... <P>Olivia <P><b>A New York Times Bestseller</b>
16 Lighthouse Road: A Small Town Romance Collection 16 Lighthouse Road Welcome To Moonlight Harbor No One But You The 10-year Reunion (Cedar Cove #1)
by Debbie MacomberWelcome to Cedar Cove, where the extraordinary bonds that hold family and friends together are only the beginning. Only from #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber.Family court judge Olivia Lockhart has seen a lot of couples in her courtroom. Most divorce petitions are open-and-shut, but when Olivia meets a young couple whose grief appears to be overshadowing their love, she makes a controversial ruling that gets everyone in her close-knit hometown talking. Olivia is no stranger to having family and friends weigh in on anything and everything. From her mother, to her best friend, to her daughter, navigating life and love in Cedar Cove has always taken a village. But when new-to-town newspaper editor Jack Griffin takes a personal interest in Olivia’s ruling—and in Olivia herself—she is surprised by just how welcome the attention is. Matters of the heart may be messy, and surprising, and more than a little complicated, but in Cedar Cove, they’re always unforgettable.Previously published.
16 Marsden Place
by Rachel BrimbleThere isnt a situation that cant be fixed by a coat of chocolate body paint or a liberal smear of Champagne Lick, right? Wrong Ever since her father was murdered by a gang of youths, Sienna Lloyd has named herself Potterfords protector-her sexy lingerie shop is a place where the towns women can visit and feel safe. But when that shop is in danger of closing, Sienna needs a solution that will keep her in Potterford, where she can always look out for her mother, friends, and clients. The answer? Move the shop to her home at 16 Marsden Place. The problem? Her new neighbor, the delicious but seriously uptight Jack Beaton. Oh, and his four-year-old twin girls. Jack has just moved to the tiny town of Potterford in a bid to start over. To build a new life that keeps his children safe from their violent and sex-crazed mother. So when he discovers his neighbor intends to open a sex shop right next door, Jack will do anything to ensure it doesnt happen...including fighting every ounce of his attraction to the shops owner and his innate need to trust again.