Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Sample Book Insights: #1 I was always the lowest-ranking member of the family. I was never in any doubt about my position. Everything that went wrong in the house was my fault. When our cat escaped out the back door just before our mother was going to take him to the vet, it was my fault. #2 I was born in 1945, while my father was still stationed in Burma fighting with the Marines. My parents were very different: my father was a kind man who got the rough edge of my mother’s tongue, while I was unwanted and unloved. #3 I was a small child, and I hated green vegetables. I never had a big appetite, but I especially hated sprouts. I would sit there all afternoon, waiting for my vegetables to be finished so I could go to the bathroom and throw up. #4 I knew from an early age that my mother never wanted me, and never loved me. I didn’t feel anyone loved me, and I began to fantasize that my real mother was out there somewhere, waiting to take me away.

Cassie was just a little girl who wanted to be loved. Betrayed by her mother in the most horrific manner, and abused by her 'uncle', she had to fight to survive the demons of her past.

Enjoy all three Outlaw Hartes stories together for the first time! New York Times bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne brings readers along on three heartwarming romantic journeys as the Harte siblings find their happily ever after. Originally titled The Valentine Two-Step, Taming Jesse James, and Cassidy Harte and the Comeback Kid. Star Valley Winter Single father Matt Harte learned the hard way not to trust women. His wife left him because she couldn’t deal with ranch life—so the last thing he wants to do is plan the annual Valentine’s Day dance. His daughter, Lucy, has plans for her father; she’s determined to get him to fall for beautiful vet and recent Salt River transplant Ellie Webster. Ellie knows that Matt doesn’t want her in his town, let alone on the too-small dance committee of two. It’s not as if she wants to spend all that one-on-one time with the rugged rancher, imagining what it would be like to be his partner—for real… Springtime in Salt River Jesse James Harte grew up as wild and untamed as his Old West namesake, but now he’s the law in this stretch of the Wyoming high country. That meant trouble is his business—and if he’d ever seen somebody in trouble, it was the town’s new schoolteacher, Sarah McKenzie. She is as beautiful as a mountain meadow in springtime. But the haunted look in her eyes says she’s running from something—something that might be catching up with her. He ached to protect her, to take that look away—and make her his forever. Return to Star Valley Ten years ago, Cassidy Harte had stood at the altar waiting for Zach Slater. And when he didn’t show up—and was said to have disappeared with her brother’s flirtatious wife—she did the only thing she could do. Held her head up high. Helped raise her motherless niece. And swore never to get involved with a man again. And then back into her life walked Zach—with an “I’m sorry” on his lips, an explanation she refused to hear and the vow that he would make her his once again. And this was one vow he was determined to keep....

As a teenager Brittany experienced situations she knew wasn't appropriate for her age. Because of this she grew up blaming herself, due to her failure to tell an adult what had been going on. The continuous visions she encountered became too much after it became physical. Twelve years after the dramatic event occurred, Lawrence realized that she needed to tell her story. Her goal is to help others overcome their past history of sexual abuse. It was a specific life-altering event that caused her to write a book entitled: "Come Sit on my Lap: A guide to teaching children how to identify early signs of child molestation." In the book she recalls memories of the abuse and the power of forgiveness. The purpose of Lawrence's book is to educate parents and children about child sexual abuse and get closure to her own pain and suffering.

FEATURED ON THE SUNDAY TIMES' CRIME BOOKS OF THE YEAR LIST - 'SUPERB' JOAN SMITH, SUNDAY TIMES **DON'T MISS CASSIE RAVEN'S NEWEST MYSTERY, DEAD FALL, AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER NOW!** 'I LOVE THIS SERIES!' ELLY GRIFFITHS 'ENGROSSING, SHARP, UTTERLY ORIGINAL' TAMMY COHEN 'A MUST-READ SERIES' JAMES OSWALD 'CASSIE RAVEN IS MY FAVOURITE NEW CHARACTER' WILLIAM SHAW 'WARM, ENGAGING AND ORIGINAL' MARI HANNAH 'AN ENGROSSING AND INTRIGUING READ' FAITH MARTIN 'TWISTY AND TREMENDOUS' MARA TIMON Camden mortuary technician Cassie Raven returns to solve another ingenious forensic mystery. Perfect for fans of Tess Gerritsen, Patricia Cornwell and Kathy Reichs. Families can be murder . . . Mortuary technician Cassie Raven was raised as an orphan, which might explain her affinity with the dead. But she's just made a devastating discovery: her father is alive, but served jail time for killing her mother. He swears he didn't do it - and Cassie wants to believe him. Desperate to find the truth, she seeks help from Phyllida Flyte, the uptight Camden detective who intrigues Cassie as much as she infuriates her. As the two women close in on the truth they will encounter true evil, and someone prepared to kill again. PRAISE FOR THE CASSIE RAVEN SERIES: 'Spellbinding storytelling' Val McDermid 'Like Silent Witness but more believable' Susi Holliday 'Blackly humorous, with a fabulously one-of-a-kind protagonist' Heat Magazine '[A] gritty novel with an engaging heroine' Sunday Times 'Ingenious and sardonically written' Financial Times 'Cassie Raven is an utterly compelling contemporary forensic heroine' Isabelle Grey 'A fresh and exciting new series' Claire McGowan 'One of the best series openers I've read in years' Jane Casey 'Cassie Raven is a blast of fresh air, striding onto the crime scene like a punk superstar' Sarah Hilary

Four old friends confront their darkest secrets in this fantasy steeped in nostalgia, folklore, religion, and the seductive landscape of Southern Italy—by the Italian Neil Gaiman. “A tale of adventure, mystery, friendship and heart-wrenching beauty that will make you re-examine what is holy, what is true, and what is beyond the realm of possibility.” —BookPage Four old school friends have a pact: to meet up every year in the small town in Puglia they grew up in. Art, the charismatic leader of the group and creator of the pact, insists that the agreement must remain unshakable and enduring. But this year, he never shows up. A visit to his house increases the friends’ worry: Art is farming marijuana. In Southern Italy doing that kind of thing can be very dangerous. They can’t go to the Carabinieri so must make enquiries of their own. This is how they come across the rumors about Art—bizarre and unbelievable rumors that he miraculously cured the local mafia boss’ daughter of terminal leukemia. And among the chaos of his house, they find a document written by Art, “The Book of Hidden Things”, that promises to reveal dark secrets and wonders beyond anything previously known. Set in the beguiling and seductive world of Southern Italy, Francesco Dimitri’s first novel in English is a story friendship, landscape, love, betrayal, and mystery that will entrance fans of Elena Ferrante, Neil Gaiman, and Donna Tartt.

Rock star drummer Bishop Riley just needs a few months to relax and detox before his band’s next tour. But the last place he expected to do it is in Seldon, Alaska. And the last person he wants to do it with is Penny Jones. Fiery, headstrong Penny has zero in common with the cocky, too-hot-for-his-own-good Bishop, and she’d like to keep it that way. But the more Bishop gets under her skin, the more she wants to let him in. And the more Penny lets him see, the more Bishop wants to know this stubborn girl with the killer body and soulful eyes. The simmering heat between them won’t go away, no matter how hard either of them tries. Their time together in Alaska may be running out—but so is their resolve for not taking a chance on love.

At the age of nine, Hope Daniels walked into Stoke Newington Police Station with her little brothers and asked to be taken into care. Home life was intolerable: both of Hope's parents were alcoholics and her mum was a prostitute. The year was 1983. As London emerged into a new era of wealth and opportunity, the Daniels children lived in desperate poverty, neglected and barely nourished. Hounded by vigilante neighbours and vulnerable to the drunken behaviour of her parents' friends, Hope had to draw on her inner strength. Hackney Child is Hope's gripping story of physical and emotional survival - and the lifeline given to her by the support of professionals working in the care system. Despite all the challenges she faced, Hope never lost compassion for her parents, particularly her alcoholic father. Her experiences make essential reading and show that, with the right help, the least fortunate children have the potential not only to recover but to thrive.

Before there were bats like Shade, Marina or even Goth, there was a young chiropter—a small arboreal glider—named Dusk. . . . It is 65 million years ago, during a cataclysmic moment in the earth’s evolution, and Dusk, just months old, has no way of knowing he will play a pivotal role in creating a new world. What he does know is that he is different from the other newborn chiropters. Not content to use his large sails to glide down from the giant sequoia tree, Dusk discovers that if he flaps quickly enough, he can fly. But this strange gift that makes him feel like an outcast from the colony will also make him its saviour. After most of the colony is savagely massacred by the felids—the earth’s first mammalian carnivores—Dusk must lead his fellow chiropters to a new home, and a new life. Against a tableau of disappearing dinosaurs and the ascent of the mammal kingdom, Oppel has created an adventure fantasy that sets the stage for the birth of the bats, the story of the forebears of Shade, the beloved hero of the Silverwing series. As with all Silverwing books, it is impossible to simply read Oppel’s Darkwing; each of us enters a world of convincing characters, warring theologies, incredible natural history and a story that roars through head, heart and imagination. A tale that can be read as a stand- lone or as a prequel, Darkwing will be a welcome new classic for the millions of Kenneth Oppel fans.

LAWMAN’S HEART Schoolteacher Sarah McKenzie is desperate to help one of her students who walks around with a haunted look in his eyes. With no one else to turn to she reluctantly asks Jesse James Harte, the handsome police chief, for help. Jesse unnerves her in more ways than one, especially when he turns his intense gaze her way. Jesse grew up as wild and untamed as his Old West namesake, but now he’s the law in this stretch of the Wyoming high country. That means trouble is his business—and if he’s ever seen somebody in trouble, it’s Sarah. Jesse can tell she’s running from something—something that might be catching up with her. Jesse will risk everything, even his heart, to keep Sarah safe. First published as Taming Jesse James by Silhouette Intimate Moments in 2002. FREE BONUS STORY INCLUDED IN THIS VOLUME! Love Thine Enemy by USA TODAY bestselling author Patricia Davids An unexpected storm leaves Cheryl Steele stranded with Sam Hardin and his two daughters. It’s a temporary situation, but the longer Cheryl stays with Sam, the more his family feels like home… Previously published.