Microfinance began as the disbursement of tiny loans to the poor, which they could use to undertake informal income-generating activities. It went on to become one of the most popular international development policies of all time and a mainstay of local development and antipoverty programs across the Global South. The contributors to this multidisciplinary volume consider the origins, evolution, and outcomes of microfinance from a variety of perspectives and contend that it has been an unsuccessful approach to development. The contributors contend that over the last twenty years, microfinance policies have exacerbated poverty and exclusion, undermined gender empowerment, underpinned a massive growth in inequality, destroyed solidarity and trust in the community, and, overall, manifestly weakened those local economies of the Global South where it reached critical mass. They use qualitative anthropological, economic, and political-economic research to unpack the ideas and values that have allowed microfinance to “seduce” the world and blind so many to its corrosive effects.

A vivid and provocative literary criticism of famous women writers from Virginia Woolf to Zelda Fitzgerald by a “gifted miniaturist biographer” (Joyce Carol Oates) The novelist and essayist Elizabeth Hardwick is one of contemporary America’s most brilliant writers, and Seduction and Betrayal, in which she considers the careers of women writers as well as the larger question of the presence of women in literature, is her most passionate and concentrated work of criticism. A gallery of unforgettable portraits—of Virginia Woolf and Zelda Fitzgerald, Dorothy Wordsworth and Jane Carlyle—as well as a provocative reading of such works as Wuthering Heights, Hedda Gabler, and the poems of Sylvia Plath, Seduction and Betrayal is a virtuoso performance, a major writer’s reckoning with the relations between men and women, women and writing, writing and life.

Ten years ago, Zeke Blackstone was a smokin' hot bad boy actor, and his co-star, 18-year-old Ariel Cameron, was America's TV sweetheart. Their chemistry was instant. Now, twenty-five years later, Zeke is still smokin' hot, Ariel is one of the most respected actresses in America, and neither has willingly occupied the same room together since their divorce. But their beloved daughter is getting married and all she asks is that her estranged parents "make nice" for the wedding. Thrown together for the wedding festivities, the act of "making nice" turns into "something more," and the wildfire attraction between Zeke and Ariel reignites, stronger than ever. REVIEWS: "A poignant tale of tempestuous love that even time cannot defuse." ~Romantic Times "...true-to-life characters who forge a bond strong enough to carry them into the future." ~A Little Romance "A terrific love story..." ~Rendezvous THE HOLLYWOOD NIGHTS, in series order Lovers & Strangers Seduced & Betrayed Passion & Scandal OTHER TITLES by Candace Schuler One Night With You (The Heart of the City, Book 1) The Night Remembers (Heart of the City, Book 2) All Night Long (Heart of the City, Book 3)

My life sucks.All the other human breeders have males who are head over heels for them, but do I get that? Nope. Not even close. My alien is the future king of the Dravian race and believe me, he acts like a royal jerk.Yeah, sure, he's hot as hell, but that is not the point.Anyway, I'm still trying to figure out how to get him to do what I want when I stumble onto plans for an assassination. I decide to get involved because if anyone is going to kill the sexy prince it's going to be me. Especially if he calls me his "namori" one more time. Whatever that means.So now I'm trying to keep us alive, but he's making everything difficult with his kisses and his... well let's just say I better keep my mind focused and my legs, er... mouth closed.House of Kaimar Series:Book 1: The Commander's Captive (Lia & Varek)Book 2: The Monarch's Mate (Morgan & Zaden)Book 3: The Bodyguard's Breeder (Eleanor & Kade)Book 4: The Legislator's Lover (Natalie & Kolton)Book 5: The Healer Hellion (Skylar & Braxton) *It's not necessary, but highly recommended that the series be read in order.

"We're having sex until we're out of each other's system." Lucy is what the "Agency" made her: deadly, ruthless and calculating. It's stripped away much of the girl she used to be, but fear and lust remain. Troy inspires both. He always has—even when he hijacked Lucy's life and gave it to a shadowy government agency operating outside the law. In a world where every day is an op and every op could be your last, there's no room for emotion. Whatever gets you through—the training, the thrills, the sex—you take and are grateful. Even as fellow agents are culled by unknown assassins, Lucy and Troy remain locked in a breathless clinch of deception, distrust and desire. At any moment, one could be tasked to kill the other, and at the Agency, protocol rules. And cancellation is forever.

"With compassion and clarity, Richard Gartner shares insights from years of working with male survivors. Among this book's greatest strengths is the extensive use of examples from Dr. Gartner's clinical practice to illustrate problems and solutions on the path to healing. Beyond Betrayal offers support, encouragement, and useful skills to men in recovery." --Mike Lew, M.Ed., author of Victims No Longer and Leaping upon the Mountains "If you have been sexually abused, this book will give you information, hope, direction, and most importantly, the assurance that you are not alone. Dr. Gartner has written an accessible, compassionate book that clearly lays out the healing process for men who were hurt or abused as children. Whether you were abused by a mother, a camp counselor, a neighborhood boy, or a priest, Beyond Betrayal will give you the tools you need to reclaim your life and move on. If you're going to take one book with you on the healing journey, this should be the one." --Laura Davis, coauthor of The Courage to Heal and author of The Courage to Heal Workbook "Compassionate, insightful, and hopeful, Beyond Betrayal shines a bright light. It is a must-read for anyone concerned." --Kenneth M. Adams, Ph.D., author of Silently Seduced "Beyond Betrayal cuts through the shame, confusion, misunderstanding, and fear that so often accompany the abuse of males and replaces them with clear information. I will begin to use it immediately with my patients and think that other clinicians will do so as well." --Christine A. Courtois, Ph.D., author of Healing the Incest Wound and Recollections of Sexual Abuse "Beyond Betrayal offers men straightforward words of hope and a meaningful way to overcome the invisibility, stigma, and shame they have endured. Many men and their families will find this book a healing aid." --Jack Drescher, M.D., author of Psychoanalytic Therapy and the Gay Man "Dr. Gartner writes in a manner any reader will find accessible. Not only does he understand the topic of males, sexual abuse, and recovery, but he can explain it to those who need to know." --Dr. Mic Hunter, author of Abused Boys and editor of Adult Survivors of Sexual Abuse: Treatment Innovations

In this irresistibly seductive Lords of the Underworld adventure, an immortal warrior's desire for the wrong woman may ignite the biggest war the heavens have ever witnessed. Original.

A gritty and emotional historical western romance by RITA-award winning and Bestselling author Molly O'Keefe. Melody Hurst's days as a Southern belle are over. Now she's widowed and alone in the foothills of the Rockies, struggling to make a life in a dangerous world. She's determined to secure a future by marrying - but love is out of the question. Cole Baywood has turned bounty hunter after serving in the horrors of the Civil War, but the ghosts of the men and women he's killed still haunt him. He's drawn to the beautiful widow trying to seduce him, only the darkness in his soul forces him to reject her. Is it possible that Melody's touch can heal the demons of his past? And how can he convince a woman who has lost so much to risk her heart?

A B&N's YA Book Club Pick * Walmart Buzz Pick * Indie Next Pick * Book of the Month Club YA Box A "joyously, riotously queer" (Kirkus) young adult fantasy from debut author Ryan La Sala, Reverie is a wildly imaginative story about dreams becoming reality, perfect for fans of Adam Silvera and Laini Taylor. A few weeks ago, Kane Montgomery was in an accident that robbed him of his memory. The only thing he knows for certain is that the police found him half-dead in the river. The world as he knows it feels different—reality seems different. And when strange things start happening around him, Kane isn't sure where to turn. And then three of his classmates show up, claiming to be his friends and the only people who can tell him what's truly going on. Kane doesn't know what to believe or who he can trust. But as he and the others are dragged into increasingly fantastical dream worlds drawn from imagination, it becomes clear that there is dark magic at work. Nothing in Kane's life is an accident, and only he can keep the world itself from unraveling. Reverie is an intricate and compelling LGBT young adult book about the secret worlds we hide within ourselves and what happens when they become real. Praise for Reverie: "This outstanding debut novel will light readers' imaginations on fire...Imaginative, bold, and full of queer representation, this is a must-purchase for YA collections."—School Library Journal *STARRED REVIEW* "This fantasy offers readers something wonderfully new and engaging...a gem of a novel that is as affirming as it is entertaining."—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books "The story's many LGBTQ characters are prominently represented and powerfully nuanced."—Publishers Weekly "A darkly imagined, riveting fantasy... thrilling."—Shelf Awareness "Joyously, riotously queer... The themes of creating one's own reality and fighting against the rules imposed by the world you're born into will ring powerfully true for many young readers."—Kirkus Reviews

Three shifters walk into a bar… After a few drinks, the black leopard shifter says, “I met my mate at the Middlemarch Ball. She wanted a one-night fling—one perfect night of passion, she said. One look was all I needed to know she was my fated mate. My Emily is a human, and she had no intention of taking a second chance on love.” “That’s nothing,” the dragon shifter retorted. “I had only one use for women, but my human mate had a long-term crush on me. Talk about determination. We ended up working on an investigation together—a fake engagement thing—and haven’t been apart since.” The leopard and the dragon turned to the polar bear. “I met my lady at a train station,” the bear shifter shared. “She came for a vacation in our small town, and she never left.” He grinned. “She calls me her alpha male, and I call her my fish-out-of-water.” You’ll love this paranormal shapeshifter romance box set because it contains sassy women who know what they want and strong, alpha men who will protect them to the end. Oh, and a little humor, a few secrets, and some danger and suspense to keep things interesting. Shifter Shenanigans contains: My Scarlet Woman, Middlemarch Shifters book 1 Blue Moon Dragon, Dragon Investigators book 1 Fiona’s Mates, Churchill Polar Bears book 1.