Carlton’s an oddity within the New Canton Republic: a human raised by one of the aliens everyone calls monsters. He’s used to the ways of monsters and magic, but when he meets a monster named Mathis, he doesn’t expect the way his magic, or his body, responds. Carlton fires the blood of Mathis’s monster and stirs up every mating instinct Mathis has. Mathis wants Carlton, and he’ll do whatever it takes to have him, even barter with another of his kind. Then he discovers just who Carlton is. Carlton’s not afraid of monsters. But maybe he should be… Because Mathis has decided, why barter for what he can steal?

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"Bartered Lives" is the tale of two married couples from different economic, religious, and social strata. Their relationships, based on mutual trust and love, break the barriers laid down by caste and community. Though their paths keep crossing, all have to face huge challenges and moments of extreme conflict due to the independent choices they make. The story juxtaposes once-tolerant Hindus against Muslims and other minorities, encouraged by ruthless politicians. The vacuum created by indifferent governance is filled by the slum lord, "Commando," who creates his own rules of reward and punishment. He is a self-made man, charismatic, often crude and vulgar, generous, helpful, brutal, and very wealthy. He pays no taxes but governs the Basti with an iron fist. In particular, it is the story of Shaku, a teacher from a rich Brahmin home, that employs as servants Durgi and her daughter Gulabo, both from the lower castes. Their large family has to seek ethically variant ways of earning to keep their stomachs full. Their actions clash with the very conservative rules set by the higher classes. Shaku understands this and tries to share her privileges with Durgi's family. Her journey into Afghanistan to educate her cousin-in-law Aziza is catastrophic. One of India's dream projects to help the very poor, the Aanganwadi, is described in realistic detail as an example of the state's failure and apathy. The narrative explores differences between education provided for well-to-do children in private schools as compared to those from the slums. This is a portrait of twenty-first-century India, whose youth are educated but have no jobs, whose government creates food programmes but is defeated by its own corruption and selfishness. It is the tale of many who seek a place in the sun but cannot due to paucity of funds, space, and jobs. And yet, through it all, India smiles and is hospitable to a fault!

Marriage... To the highest bidder Lady Lydia Barton cannot seem to avoid Owen Wolfe since he’s returned after being wrongly transported for stealing her family’s jewels! But Lydia has more pressing problems, like her impending arranged marriage. Until Owen makes her father a counteroffer for her hand. Is Owen purely after her society connections, or dare Lydia hope that the charming stable boy she once loved is still within her ruthless, wealthy new husband? “Virginia Heath’s writing is as warm, witty, and insightful as ever...one of the best authors of historical romance around.” —All About Romance on The Determined Lord Hadleigh “I loved every minute of this story along with the wonderful witty moments that I have come to love from Virginia Heath’s writing.” —Rae Reads on The Determined Lord Hadleigh From Harlequin Historical: Your romantic escape to the past.

Most people like to travel in comfort: they stay in fancy hotels, never leave tourist spots, and stay away from the locals. Michael Wigge isn’t like most people, though. After travelling the world without money for 150 days while writing How to Travel the World for Free, his next challenge: turn an apple into a house in Hawaii. Wigge goes around fourteen countries and six continents exchanging goods for more valuable ones, and he meets an array of good-humored people who take his deals. Taking on his Barterman persona, he trades the apple for sixteen cigarettes in Germany; a couple of trades later in India, he fixes up a motorized rickshaw and trades it for silk; in Australia, a millionaire amuses himself by offering him an art piece for the silk if Wigge feeds a wild crocodile. Finally, he arrives in Hawaii armed with two bicycles, a surfboard, Portuguese porcelain, three solid-gold coins, a Porsche wristwatch, a record by musician Coati Mundi and accompanying contract for 25 percent of the proceeds from his next single, a voucher for a two-night stay in a mansion in L.A., and a piece of original artwork by painter Alex Stenzel—now he just has to find someone to give him a house in exchange. On the 200-day journey around the world, Wigge makes forty-two trades and meets strange, kind, funny, friendly, eccentric, and good-natured people who help him in his quest. It’s a journey you won’t want to miss!