She’s a free spirit. He’s bound by the rules. A school trip is going to change everything. Gracie Porter was born an artist. But then her mom goes back to work and Gracie suddenly finds herself taking care of her six younger siblings, with no time for herself. When Gracie is offered a spot on a weeklong school trip, she jumps at the chance. She didn’t count on the cute, but nerdy, Markus Brown being there as well. Markus Brown is too smart for his own good. At least, that’s how everyone else sees him. In reality, he’s living the life his father paved for him. When Markus ends up on the same school trip as Gracie, his secret crush, he finally feels like he has permission to be himself, and to go after the girl of his dreams. But he’s been entrenched in his father’s thinking far too long, and there are some old habits that won’t die without a fight. Gracie and Markus have one week to open their hearts, learn to trust each other, and realize that life is better when they don’t try to do it alone. Off Limits: The Smarty Pants is the second book in the Off Limits series. If you like geeky boys, sweet kisses, and coming-of-age moments, you’ll love this romance. Grab Off Limits: The Smarty Pants and read this sweet YA romantic comedy today! Young Adult, YA romance, Romantic Comedy, Funny, Humorous, Hallmark, Sweet Romance, Clean Romance, Teen Romance, Friendship, Romance Series, Inspirational Romance, Teen Love, Best Friends

She’s the high school klutz. He’s the best friend. But it wasn’t enough. Alexa Parker’s only goal is to get into the best pre-med program in the country. No big deal. Except that nothing in her life ever goes as planned. If an ice cream machine is going to explode, it will be her pulling the handle. If a cactus is going to be sat on, it will be her butt that will be full of needles. The only thing going right is the fact that her lifelong—and only—friend, Charlie, has stuck by her side through it all. Until Alex realizes she likes him more than a friend, and she manages to mess that up too. Off Limits: The Best Friend is the first book in a YA romantic comedy series. If you like awkward moments, first kisses, and laugh-out loud moments, you’ll love this sweet romance. Grab Off Limits: The Best Friend for FREE and discover this fun YA romance series today! Young Adult, YA romance, Romantic Comedy, Funny, Humorous, Hallmark, Sweet Romance, Clean Romance, Teen Romance, Friendship, Romance Series, Inspirational Romance, free book

Off Limits: The Duet contains the first two books in the Off Limits YA romantic comedy series. If you like awkward situations, first kisses, and laugh-out loud moments, you’ll love these sweet romances. Off Limits: The Best Friend: She’s the high school klutz. He’s the best friend. But it wasn’t enough. Alexa Parker’s only goal is to get into the best pre-med program in the country. No big deal. Except that nothing in her life ever goes as planned. If an ice cream machine is going to explode, it will be her pulling the handle. If a cactus is going to be sat on, it will be her butt that will be full of needles. The only thing going right is the fact that her lifelong—and only—friend, Charlie, has stuck by her side through it all. Until Alex realizes she likes him more than a friend, and she manages to mess that up too. Off Limits: The Smarty Pants: She’s a free spirit. He’s bound by the rules. A school trip is going to change everything. Gracie Porter was born an artist. But then her mom goes back to work and Gracie suddenly finds herself taking care of her six younger siblings, with no time for herself. When Gracie is offered a spot on a weeklong school trip, she jumps at the chance. She didn’t count on the cute, but nerdy, Markus Brown being there as well. Markus Brown is too smart for his own good. At least, that’s how everyone else sees him. In reality, he’s living the life his father paved for him. When Markus ends up on the same school trip as Gracie, his secret crush, he finally feels like he has permission to be himself, and to go after the girl of his dreams. But he’s been entrenched in his father’s thinking far too long, and there are some old habits that won’t die without a fight. Gracie and Markus have one week to open their hearts, learn to trust each other, and realize that life is better when they don't try to do it alone. Young Adult, YA romance, Romantic Comedy, Funny, Humorous, Hallmark, Sweet Romance, Clean Romance, Teen Romance, Friendship, Romance Series, Inspirational Romance, Teen Love, Best Friends, Boxed Set, Collection

He’s a star swimmer. She’s in the drama club. One prank will upend everything. After star swimmer, Cameron Taylor, pulls a prank that manages to both terrify the drama club and cancel his swim meet, he’s unable to escape punishment. Suspended from the swim team, he thinks it can’t get worse…until he’s cast as young Scrooge in the school play. If he refuses? He’ll be kicked off the team permanently. No matter what Amanda Barrett auditions for, she never makes the cut. Just once she’d like someone to notice her. But when she finally lands a role in The Christmas Carol as Belle, Scrooge’s ex-fiancée, she doesn’t even have time to celebrate before she realizes her character’s love interest is the obnoxiously arrogant and rude (though, admittedly hot) captain of the swim team. As their Christmas performance draws near, Amanda and Cameron will need to put aside their differences and figure out—before it’s too late—they are meant to be much more than rivals. Off Limits: The Scrooge is the third book in the Off Limits YA romantic comedy series. If you like pranksters, witty banter, and stolen kisses, you’ll love this laugh-out-loud holiday romance. Read Off Limits: The Scrooge and enjoy this sweet YA romance today! Young Adult, YA romance, Romantic Comedy, Funny, Humorous, Hallmark, Sweet Romance, Clean Romance, Teen Romance, Friendship, Romance Series, Inspirational Romance, Teen Love, Christmas romance, Holiday Romance, Enemies to Lovers, Class Differences

She’s a loner who can’t get a date. He’s a rockstar who needs fewer dates. A summer job might solve both their problems. For Julianna Barrow, working at a resort for the summer is the easiest decision she’s ever made. Anything to escape her small town and avoid the bleak future that awaits her back home. Unfortunately, when she arrives it turns out the job is less resort and more wannabe ranch. Then Scott Dallenforth, the rockstar/actor/anything-that-will-make-him-money, shows up, dressed in a flannel shirt and a cowboy hat, as if he expects to rope steer for the next three months. And he expects Julianna to help. Scott Dallenforth’s rise to fame as a musician three years earlier gives him the life most teenagers only dream of. And yet his parents think he should “work” for the summer, because he’s “lost touch with reality.” They aren’t the only ones who feel this way. Julianna, an opinionated co-worker isn’t afraid of sharing her opinion about him or his lifestyle. He’ll just have to prove everyone wrong so he can get back to the life he loves. With one summer to learn to look past what they think they know, Julianna and Scott need to allow the other to help them rediscover what truly matters in their search for happiness and love. Off Limits: The Celebrity is the fifth book in the Off Limits series. If you like celebrity romance, laugh out loud moments, and sweet kisses, you’ll love this YA romantic comedy. Grab Off Limits: The Celebrity and start reading today! young adult romance, teen romance, romantic comedy, children's books, romance novels, ya romance, Hallmark, celebrity romance, teen romance books, ya romance books, romance books

There is only one thing standing between Blair and the girl of his dreams. His mom. It used to be easy for Blair Howell to get a date. He had a new girlfriend every couple of weeks. Until his mom became principal at his high school. Now girls don’t give him a second glance. Not with his mother hovering over him like a pinstripe-clad overlord. Then Blair met Sandra. But with her spiked bracelets and Day of the Dead t-shirts, his mom would run Sandra off before she ever made it through the front door. There was only one solution. Make sure his mom never found out. Off Limits: The Principal’s Son is the fourth book in the Off Limits YA romantic comedy series. If you like irresistible love stories, forbidden kisses, and happily ever afters, you’ll love this sweet romance. Grab Off Limits: The Principal’s Son and fall in love with Sandra and Blair’s story today! Young Adult, YA romance, Romantic Comedy, Funny, Humorous, Hallmark, Sweet Romance, Clean Romance, Teen Romance, Friendship, Romance Series, Inspirational Romance, Teen Love, School romance, Day of the Dead

Two years ago, Emily Burnham, had an epiphany about the shallowness of her life. And she made it her mission to become a different person…a better woman. Out from under the controlling thumb of her mother, Emily is tasting the real world for the first time. And she likes it. Nixon Caldwell has served his time in the Marine Corps, surviving two brutal tours in Afghanistan. He is back home, surrounded by what he likes best…isolation. It's certainly the easiest way to avoid confrontation of the consuming guilt that is weighing him down. When an accident brings Emily and Nix together, he soon learns he is not the master of his own fate. Struggling with his own pain, Nix tries to guard himself against Emily’s charms. He wants her in his bed, but he doesn’t want her in his heart. Having grabbed life by the horns, Emily wants it all. But is she willing to accept just the small part of himself that Nix is offering? Or can she reach the part of his soul that he has deemed to be Off Limits?

A tour of high-stakes sports betting by a key insider profiles The Brain Trust, one of the world's top gambling operations, and describes the author's participation in the cloak-and-dagger milieu of hidden identities and offshore banking.

Helen Baker, a young vivacious divorcee is brutally murdered. Ted, the ex husband, a Vietnam War hero, is cohabiting with a beautiful young air hostess nine years his junior. There is bad blood between father and son, Chris, who’s life has been torn apart by the embarrassing divorce and the unhappiness and insecurity of his beloved mother. Baker is going through a tough time, with his ex wife forever demanding more alimony and Trish Taylor his defacto threatening to leave him if he doesn’t do something about it. He has the perfect motive! The Forensic and circumstantial evidence is overwhelming and an innocent man is convicted of a crime he never committed. But who is the real murderer? Baker fights to clear his name with dramatic and unbelievable results. A twist that will leave you stunned forever.

Exemplars show what rubrics tell about assessment criteria. When exemplars complement rubrics, a proven tool for describing expectations, students are able to appreciate writing standards in a more concrete way.--back cover.