The fifth novel in the Secrets of the Zodiac, a series of full-length historical romances: Featuring sexy storylines, complex characters, and international intrigue, set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars. A lady haunted by nightmares, a duke chased by death, and an answer hidden in the night sky... Insomnia and a passion for astronomy keep Lady Violet Holloway awake all night. She’s content to remain alone with her telescopes and treatises, until an unexpected marriage proposal changes everything. Though she’s never met him, Violet is handed off to a lord whose name is only mentioned in whispers. Alexander Kenyon is the Duke of Dunmere...better known as the Duke of Death, after losing three wives under unusual circumstances. He’s learned his lesson about the dangers of falling in love, so this marriage is purely for convenience. He has no time for a bride anyway, no matter how intriguing she is. As an agent of the Zodiac, he tasked with solving a string of perplexing murders hinting at a political conspiracy. As the stars spin overhead, the date of the next murder draws near. Violet and Alex must work together to stop it, or risk losing the life they’ve found together.

“An insomniac’s ideal sleep aid—and that’s a compliment. With her collage of ruminations about sleeplessness, [Benjamin] promises no real cure . . . Her slim book is what the doctor ordered.”—The Atlantic Insomnia is on the rise. Villainous and unforgiving, it’s the enemy o f energy and focus, the thief of our repose. But can insomnia be an ally, too, a validator of the present moment, of edginess and creativity? Marina Benjamin takes on her personal experience of the condition—her struggles with it, her insomniac highs, and her dawning awareness that states of sleeplessness grant us valuable insights into the workings of our unconscious minds. Although insomnia is rarely entirely welcome, Benjamin treats it less as an affliction than as an encounter that she engages with and plumbs. She adds new dimensions to both our understanding of sleep (and going without it) and of night, and how we perceive darkness. Along the way, Insomnia trips through illuminating material from literature, art, philosophy, psychology, pop culture, and more. Benjamin pays particular attention to the relationship between women and sleep—Penelope up all night, unraveling her day’s weaving for Odysseus; the Pre–Raphaelite artists’ depictions of deeply sleeping women; and the worries that keep contemporary females awake. Insomnia is an intense, lyrical, witty, and humane exploration of a state we too often consider only superficially. “This is the song of insomnia, and I shall sing it,” Marina Benjamin declares.

The veteran producer and author of the bestseller Hello, He Lied takes a witty and critical look at the new Hollywood. Over the past decade, producer Lynda Obst gradually realized she was working in a Hollywood that was undergoing a drastic transformation. The industry where everything had once been familiar to her was suddenly disturbingly strange. Combining her own industry experience and interviews with the brightest minds in the business, Obst explains what has stalled the vast moviemaking machine. The calamitous DVD collapse helped usher in what she calls the New Abnormal (because Hollywood was never normal to begin with), where studios are now heavily dependent on foreign markets for profit, a situation which directly impacts the kind of entertainment we get to see. Can comedy survive if they don’t get our jokes in Seoul or allow them in China? Why are studios making fewer movies than ever—and why are they bigger, more expensive and nearly always sequels or recycled ideas? Obst writes with affection, regret, humor and hope, and her behind-the-scenes vantage point allows her to explore what has changed in Hollywood like no one else has. This candid, insightful account explains what has happened to the movie business and explores whether it’ll ever return to making the movies we love—the classics that make us laugh or cry, or that we just can’t stop talking about.

Betray not the heart Lady Domina is playing a daring game. After her father falls gravely ill, she hides the truth of his condition and continues to rule in his name. Then one of the king’s knights arrives on royal business, and she must find a way to deceive the arrogant, handsome intruder. Sir Luc of Braecon is fiercely loyal to the king. His battle scars prove it. When he is ordered to investigate reports of an insurrection, he swears to find the traitor. The first clues lead him directly to the Lady Domina. As the relentless knight exposes one secret after another, he finds that nothing about the tantalizing lady is what it seems. Soon Domina and Luc are locked in a dance of deception, lust, and betrayal, each turn bringing them closer to a finale where winner takes all. Considering the stakes, the real danger is falling in love… The second book in The Swordsworn Knights: A series of full-length historical romance novels set in the vivid and beguiling world of medieval Britannia.

Play with fire and you will get burned Malachy Salem is a fighter. He lets his brothers handle the spells and the sorcery—he just wants to rumble. He’s trained in mixed marital arts. He kills vampires, demons, and other nasties. Then he picks up a blonde for a one night stand, and gets gone before morning. Mal’s life is great…until the new, curvy, redheaded neighbor Cara shows up. She’s so not his type, but he can’t look away. Cara Michaels is not looking for romance. She just wants to finish the job she’s on, which is to restore a historic Victorian home to its former glory. Her dedication and talent means she knows how to handle a hammer, a wrench, or a chainsaw. Handling a ghost is something else. When the house Cara is working on erupts with paranormal activity, she finds out that Mal is not just a random, hot as hell neighbor. He and his brothers have been watching the house because there’s something very evil inside it. And it seems to want something from Cara. Mal’s finally got someone to fight for…if he can take the heat. The second novel in The Brothers Salem, a new contemporary paranormal romance series where a trio of demon hunters--armed with spells and snark--are on a mission to slay some demons, break some curses, and get their girls. Unless the girls get them first.

For true love, nothing is impossible. Robin was born poor in a rough, remote part of England. She survived only by disguising herself as a boy and learning to hunt on her own. Then the kindly de Vere family helped her become a proper, polite young woman…almost. Despite the family’s efforts, Robin’s heart is still wild, and when she learns that a valiant knight—one she’s always admired—needs her help, she finds her cause. There is no other knight in England quite like Octavian de Levant. Born in Africa, raised in the Holy Land, and trained by a military order, he’s a skilled fighter and a constant wanderer. Now, he’s sworn to aid the king in the war for the throne. The last thing he wants on his expedition is the company of the fiery and unpredictable Robin. But she is also the only person who knows how to get him to his destination. The unlikely pair venture deeper into the deadly landscape of the border between England and Wales, and soon find their uneasy alliance growing into something more passionate. Robin and Octavian can’t give in to those feelings, or they’ll be lost in a maze of broken promises and conflicting loyalties. A path to happiness seems impossible. But for true love, nothing is impossible. The fourth and final book in the Swordsworn Knights: a series of full-length historical romance novels set in the vivid and beguiling world of medieval England.

When a Scottish lord finds an enchanting stowaway in his stolen cargo, he decides to keep her… After failing to find a suitable wife, Lord Ian MacLachlan turns his attention to restoring his crumbling estate in the wild, remote Scottish Highlands. When his less scrupulous brothers rove the countryside, they bring back an unexpected prize: a beautiful woman wearing a priceless sapphire. The honorable Ian apologizes for the mistake and offers to return her home. Home is the last place Miranda Worth wants to be. It took all her courage to run away from her intolerable situation, and she believes a lie is her only defense…even though Ian’s eyes make her want to tell him everything. But if she waits too long for the truth, she may lose everything she loves. Lady in Sapphire is a stand-alone novella set in the Secrets of the Zodiac world.

A lord with two lives, a woman with a broken heart, a scandalous bargain, and a second chance for love… Cameron, Lord Deverall, appears to be a completely dissolute dandy, a favorite at London’s fanciest parties, relied upon to speak of nothing serious. In reality, he is a member of the Zodiac, England’s elite spy ring. He can’t let anyone close enough to him learn the truth—especially not his lovely, estranged wife. Unfortunately, he needs her for his next mission. Lady Genevieve hasn’t seen her maddening husband in three years. Heartbroken after catching him in a scandalous encounter, Gen tossed him out and turned her attention to her heart’s solace: helping London’s poorest children. If she can’t have a family of her own, she’ll be a mother to the world, without Cameron at her side. But fate brings Cameron and Genevieve together once again, when he offers her a deal she can’t refuse. All she needs to do is let Cameron back into her life for a little while…just long enough to uncover his darkest secrets. Just long enough to learn they’re being pursued by a shadowy nemesis. Just long enough to realize she’s never stopped loving him. A Most Relentless Gentleman is the seventh novel in the Secrets of the Zodiac, a series of historical romances featuring sexy storylines, complex characters, and international intrigue, set against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars.

Hunt demons for thrills, then Netflix and chill. Dominic Salem is many things: professional ghost hunter, curse breaker, and demon slayer to name a few. If there’s one thing he’s learned, it’s never pick up hitchhikers. Something about this one made him stop, though. Maybe he hasn't learned his lesson yet. Lavinia “Vinny” Wake doesn’t exactly trust her smoking hot ride. Her music is her sanctuary, the only thing she really believes in. But now, Vinny’s dreams have her all messed up, and the last one seemed too...real. Dom can tell Vinny’s nightmares aren’t just dreams—they’re way worse. Something or someone is drawing her into a trap, and Dom has to stop it. Turns out Vinny’s life isn’t the only thing at stake. Her soul is on the line, too. No pressure. The debut novel in The Brother Salem, a new contemporary paranormal romance series where a trio of demon hunters--armed with spells and snark--are on a mission to slay some demons, break some curses, and get their girls. Unless the girls get them first.

Claim your heart’s desire Lady Angelet has spent her whole life as a pawn, acquiescing to the wishes of others. She’s been a good daughter, a good wife, a good mother, and a good widow. The reward for her obedience is nothing more than a one-way journey to a nunnery. Outmaneuvered by her shrewd father-in-law, Angelet is forced to accept her fate. The knight who is hired to escort her has other plans. Now known as the undefeated Knight of the Raven, the low-born but charming Sir Rafe has had to fight for everything he’s ever had. When he sees Angelet, he’s more than willing to fight for her too. Rafe makes the soon-to-be cloistered lady a salacious offer: for the duration of the journey, she can spend every night with him, and she doesn’t have to be good at all. When a deadly pursuer threatens them, Rafe defends Angelet’s life even though it means revealing his dark side. But Rafe isn’t the only one with a secret, and now that she’s sampled the life she’s dreamed of, Angelet is done being a pawn… The third book in the Swordsworn Knights: A series of full-length historical romance novels set in the vivid and beguiling world of medieval Britannia during the period known as "The Anarchy".