A young woman disappears. A husband is suspected of murder.Stirring times for all the neighborhood. At twenty-three and a bluestocking to boot, Miss Lavender Brabantfeels her chances of marriage have passed her by. But the problemisn't that she's never met a man to make her pulse race. It's thatshe's an admiral's daughter—and the man of her dreams is ashopkeeper's son.Barnabas Hammond has the looks and confidence to mingle with allcircles of society. And to Lavender's amazement he is both well-readand a superlative swordsman. Could it be that this unlikely suitor ismore suitable than he at first appears?

After years of caring for others, Nola Burns is ready for her own dream— running a Nantucket tearoom. And it will take more than charm for dashing entrepreneur Harrison Starbuck to buy her out. After all, what proper lady could trust a man who thinks the theater is a suitable venue for God's word? All Harry offers is a business proposition. So why should it bother him when Nola receives threatening notes? He has no reason to be concerned for the vivid, spirited woman…does he? Yet as the threats escalate, Harry's plans shift. Now this unexpected suitor only wants to keep Nola safe— and cherished—for a lifetime.

When sparks fly between a good Amish girl and a hunky member of the Hollywood elite, even matchmaking innkeepers Esther and Lizzie know better than to fan the flames. Evelyn Schrock has dismissed the attempts of every young man in her small Amish community to court her. She’s willing to wait for a suitor who shares her curiosities about life and faith. The only reason Jayce Clarkson is in Amish country hefting equipment for his famous father’s movie production company is for the paycheck. The homestyle cooking at the Peony Inn is a perk though, as is his friendship with Evelyn Schrock. If Jayce can endure his dad’s put-downs for a month, he’ll finally be in a position to make a fresh start—somewhere away from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles and the shadow of his checkered past. To matchmakers Esther and Lizzie, the widowed sisters who operate the inn, Jayce seems like a good man stuck in a life he doesn’t want. But the boy isn’t Amish, and that leaves far too much room for broken hearts. Despite that, Jayce and Evelyn start to realize that they can’t deny their growing attraction. Any path forward seems impossible, and they will have to learn what the future will look like when they leave their fate in Gott’s hands. “Beth Wiseman’s An Unlikely Match will keep you turning the pages as you are pulled into this heartwarming and unpredictable Amish romance story about Evelyn and Jayce, two interesting and compelling characters. Beth doesn't disappoint keeping you guessing as to how this story will end.” —Molly Jebber, bestselling Amish inspirational historical romance author “This was such a sweet story. I cheered on Evelyn and Jayce the whole way. Jayce is having issues with his difficult father, who’s brought a Hollywood crew to Amish country to film a scene in a nearby cave. Evelyn has a strong, supportive family, so she feels for Jayce immediately. As they grow closer and help each other overcome fears and phobias, they know this can’t last. But God, and two persnickety Amish sisters, Lizzie and Esther, have other plans. Can a Hollywood boy fall for an Amish girl and make it work? Find out. Read this delightful, heartwarming story!” —Lenora Worth, author of Their Amish Reunion Sweet Amish romance Part of the The Amish Inn Novels—Book 1: A Picture of Love; Book 2: An Unlikely Match; Book 3: A Season of Change Book length: 85,000 words Includes discussion questions for book clubs

1895 Newport: During the summer social season, an Italian dressmaker, her impulsive sister, and a crippled socialite deal with unlikely suitors and a web of secrets and sacrifice.

With her marriage prospects getting slimmer, Amanda Cornfeld, a forty-year-old single woman, must choose from among three suitors that her mother has selected for her to consider for marriage. They all must pass a series of trials; brave her fierce dog, escape the limits of time, and give her something priceless. Which one will she choose, the unscrupulous lawyer who wants to dominate her; the artistic impresario who needs her or the unlikely blind date who rescues her from depression? Amanda is haunted by all three in her dreams. Only her will to determine her own fate leads her to her final choice. With her faithful Rottweiler by her side, she travels to strange cities and far-off shores in her quest for a mate. A gold ring, a freak fire, and an ancient water ritual are some of the barriers she encounters along the way.

When Cornelia Greystock received a proposal from Sir James Hawkston, she couldn’t bear it. It had been inspired, she knew, from pity and remorse—not love. Unable to face him afterward, she leaped at an offer of employment from the Countess, Lady Du’Breven. Serving as her companion, Cornelia struggles to adjust to the change in her social status, but the hard work distracts her from her broken heart. That is, until the Countess decides to hold a summer house party at her family estate and invites Sir James. Sir James has never recovered from his disappointment when Miss Greystock refused his proposal and then fled. When he grudgingly accepts an invitation to Lady Du’Breven’s house party, however, he is astounded to find Miss Greystock there. One thing is certain—this time he’ll court her the way he always should have. He is almost certain she returns his feelings, but he must tread carefully. If she refuses his proposal a second time, it would not be gentlemanly to ask a third. As time grows short and she continues to hold him at arms-length, will he find a way to at last win her hand?

Spend a season in glamorous 1895 Newport with three women looking for purpose and love.Lucy Scarpelli, an Italian dressmaker from New York, befriends socialite Rowena Langdon as she's making her summer wardrobe. It's an unlikely friendship, but one that Rowena encourages by inviting Lucy to the family mansion in Newport, Rhode Island. Grateful for Lucy's skill in creating clothes that hide her physical injury, Rowena encourages Lucy to dream of a better future. One day Lucy encounters an intriguing man on the Cliff Walk, and love begins to blossom. Yet Lucy resists, for what Newport man would be interested in an Italian dressmaker working to support her family? Rowena faces an arranged marriage to a wealthy heir she doesn't love. Dare a crippled girl hope for better?And Lucy's teenage sister, Sofia, takes up with a man of dubious character. Can love blossom? Should it?As the lives of three young women-and their unlikely suitors-become entangled in a web of secrets and sacrifice, will the season end with any of them finding true happiness?

Christina Rossetti was considered the ideal female poet of her time. Her poetry was devotional, moral, and spoke of frustrated affection. Dolores Rosenblum presents a fresh reading of Rossetti's works and places them in the context of her life. Rosenblum shows that what was ostensibly devotional, moral, and loveless, was actually what Luce Irigaray calls "mimetism," a subtle parody and diversion of the male tradition of literature. Rossetti's work was unified, Rosenblum argues, because she was a deliberate poet, and by accepting the "burden of womanhood," she played out what men only symbolized as female in their art. By her mimicry and revision of the male tradition of literature, Christina Rossetti engaged the patriarchal tradition in ways that make it usable for the female experience, and that provide a critique of the male objectification of women in art. -- From publisher's description.

This volume is a tribute to the life and work of Hazel Rowley, internationally acclaimed biographer who died unexpectedly in March 2011. Her passions were many and varied: biography, politics, questions of race and sexuality, the ways in which couples negotiate the dilemmas posed by the need to retain their individuality while building a life as a couple, the deleterious effects of imposing a corporate mentality on universities – all these, and more, were subjects of intense interest to her. This collection combines essays responding to many of those interests with creative writing to honour the complexity and variety of her own magnificent contribution. Hazel Rowley, whose life and work are honoured in this collection, was the author of many articles and essays and four outstanding biographies, Christina Stead: A Biography, Richard Wright: The Life and Times, Tête-à-Tête: Simone de Beauvoir and Jean Paul Sartre, and Franklin and Eleanor: An Extraordinary Marriage.

Thirty Hopi tales about Coyote the Trickster, Medicine Man badger, and the Chipmunk Girls reflect Hopi attitudes towards such issues as courtship, friendship, courage, healing, and the treatment of children.