Penny Marshall wanted to move to Lakeview (a fictitious city) because she wanted to escape from her present circumstances, which reminded her of her past. She felt like she had to be perfect, and she couldn't live up to people's expectations. The suspense starts to build when Penny came home and found a body in her bathtub. Penny stared at the body and dashed out of her place and down to Abby's apartment. After Abby helped Penny calm down, they returned to Penny's place, but as they approached the door, they heard a sound inside, so they turned and dashed back to Abby's apartment. A few minutes later, they entered Penny's apartment and found that the body had disappeared, so they returned to Abby's place and called the police.

“Her energy level is higher than a charged particle.” —People “Her manner is down-to-earth and reassuring.... She tries to make people feel better, value themselves, trust their instincts.” —Ladies’ Home Journal In today’s world of instant gratification people have lost the knack for keeping romance alive. Rather than take the time to rekindle the flame that once burned so brightly, we let the fire die out, thinking we’ll find something more lasting with someone else. Often, the result is that we find ourselves repeating the same pattern over and over again or giving up on romance altogether. But true romance never really dies it only goes into hibernation, waiting for somebody to wake it up. Are you bored with your relationship? Does your love life seem routine? Don’t throw in the towel! Let “Americas star sexologist” (TV Guide), Dr. Ruth Westheimer shows you how to inspire a romantic Renaissance in your relationship. With the help of self-exams and easy exercises, she shows you how to: Rate the romance in your relationship Renew respect and commitment Spice up your sex life Find time for Romance in everyday situations Plan a romantic getaway Full of straight-talk about real-life relationship issues and peppered with helpful and inspiring anecdotes from her years couples counseling, Rekindling Romance For Dummies helps you: Find the sources of stress in your relationship and address them constructively Discover the importance of communication in overcoming potential sore spots Understand the roles that conflict and mutual respect play in a successful relationship Use proven techniques for strengthening your relationship, including renewal ceremonies, romantic escapes, and more Overcome boredom and insecurity in the bedroom and supercharge your sex-life together, well into your golden years Work through common stresses that can afflict romance, including financial conflict, pregnancy, and childrearing Recognize how common medical problems can impact the state of your relationship and know when to seek professional help Don’t let a good thing fade away. Let Dr. Ruth show you how to “embrace the art of romance” and keep the fire burning in your relationship.

A curious figure stalks the pages of a distinct subset of mass-market romance novels, aptly called “desert romances.” Animalistic yet sensitive, dark and attractive, the desert prince or sheikh emanates manliness and raw, sexual power. In the years since September 11, 2001, the sheikh character has steadily risen in popularity in romance novels, even while depictions of Arab masculinity as backward and violent in nature have dominated the cultural landscape. An Imperialist Love Story contributes to the broader conversation about the legacy of orientalist representations of Arabs in Western popular culture. Combining close readings of novels, discursive analysis of blogs and forums, and interviews with authors, Jarmakani explores popular investments in the war on terror by examining the collisions between fantasy and reality in desert romances. Focusing on issues of security, freedom, and liberal multiculturalism, she foregrounds the role that desire plays in contemporary formations of U.S. imperialism. Drawing on transnational feminist theory and cultural studies, An Imperialist Love Story offers a radical reinterpretation of the war on terror, demonstrating romance to be a powerful framework for understanding how it works, and how it perseveres.

Harlequin Romantic Suspense brings you four new titles for one great price, available now! Looking for heart-racing romance and high-stakes suspense? This Harlequin Romantic Suspense bundle includes Lone Wolf Standing by NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author Carla Cassidy, Secret Service Rescue by Elle James, Hot on the Hunt by Melissa Cutler and The Manhattan Encounter by Addison Fox. Look for 4 new compelling stories every month from Harlequin Romantic Suspense!

SEQUEL TO THE AMAZON TOP 20 PARANORMAL ROMANCE BESTSELLER! Jake Savage and Terry Contralto have been a couple for exactly two months when they get 'the call'. It's an unexpected one. "Darling, do you remember that silly little traditional shifter ceremony you went through with Tabitha Polson when you were fourteen?" His mother brays with nervous laughter. 'Turns out that it's binding after all." No shit. Thanks to a clause in shifter laws, Jake must marry the blonde and bimbo-esque Tabitha Polson by January or his father stands to lose his entire fortune, worth almost a million, to Tabitha's Dad. And what about Terry? She is his true mate, the one that he loves - shifter contracts be damned. There is only one thing that Jake can do. He and Terry must get a million dollars to bail his Dad out and set Jake free of marrying Tabitha. They must hatch a plan so devious (but law-abiding), so clever, and so fraught with shifting, ever-changing alliances, and physical and emotional perils that the odds of them succeeding are a thousand to one. Or more. Will they succeed? Just like its predecessor, you will not have read anything like this shifter romance before! Filled with laughter and fuzzy romance, this book is filled with more twists than a pretzel stick. See if you can spot them coming! BOOKS IN THIS SERIES The Pretend Marriage: A Werewolf Romance The Impending Marriage: A Werewolf Romance

In this sexy trilogy, Rachelle Vaughn introduces Ryan, Gavin, and Coop—three bad-boy heroes who smoothly mix hot hockey action and scorching sex appeal… Riley’s Rebel – Book One This bad boy’s heart is as guarded as the gated community he lives in and half as welcoming. Can Ryan convince Jenna that he’s ready for forever? Or will it be the other way around? Marlowe’s Maverick – Book Two Marin is sure she has no place in a community like Harlequin Hills, but Gavin knows differently. Marin belongs there with him and convincing this sexy, stubborn woman will be a challenge no bad boy could resist… Cooper’s Cougar – Book Three Charlie Cooper is the perfect package of sex appeal and silly goofball. Even better, he’s about to meet his match with the one woman who can see his true self behind all the humor…

He says we never had a proper honeymoon. So, instead, he’s giving me… a _prepper_ honeymoon? Who knew billionaire preppers were a thing? I guess I’m about to find out. — Julia Kent’s New York Times bestselling romantic comedy series continues in Shopping for a CEO’s Honeymoon as Andrew and Amanda settle in to married life… and so much more. Read what others are saying about Julia Kent: "Heartwarming and intensely emotional, Our Options Have Changed is witty, sexy and hilarious with a heroine you admire and a hero you can't help falling in love with." -- Helena Hunting, New York Times bestselling author "Reading a Julia Kent book is like taking a vacation with your best friends. They'll make you laugh, tug on your heartstrings, and leave you wanting more." -- New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster "Kent and Reed create rom com magic in this friends to lovers romance. Laughter, tears, and all the swoons." -- USA Today Best Selling author Daisy Prescott "Witty, sexy, funny and delightfully delicious--love it from beginning to end."-- USA Today bestselling author T Gephart "An utterly charming celebration of the messiness of love, life, and motherhood... every woman deserves a Nick." -- Laurelin Paige, New York Times bestselling author Reader and Blogger reviews: "Move over Sophie Kinsella and make way for Julia Kent. I haven't laughed so much since the Shopaholic series." -- Reader review "Shannon reminds me of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum character..." -- Reader review "Another best seller by the Queen of romantic comedy." -- Reader review "Kent took this fun, sexy tale and gave it a depth that made it so darn easy to read." -- Glass Paper Ink Bookblog "Nothing has made me laugh out loud this much since I read Bridget Jones' Diary many, many years ago." -- Reader review "This book is a MUST READ and I can't WAIT for the next one!!!" -- Reader review "...Julia Kent has once again brought the laugh until you cry scenes, but has added a new aspect to her writing..." -- Avid Reader Book Reviews "The characters in this book are absolutely magnetic and you can't help but be drawn into their lives." -- Reader review "This book is bursting at the seams with all the fun and witty banter!" -- Eargasms Audiobook Reviews Read the entire billionaire romance series, starting with the New York Times bestselling start! Shopping for a Billionaire 1 Shopping for a Billionaire 2 Shopping for a Billionaire 3 Shopping for a Billionaire 4 Christmas Shopping for a Billionaire Shopping for a Billionaire's Fiancee Shopping for a CEO Shopping for a Billionaire's Wife Shopping for a CEO's Fiancee Shopping for an Heir Shopping for a Billionaire's Honeymoon Shopping for a CEO's Wife Shopping for a Billionaire's Baby Shopping for a CEO's Honeymoon Shopping for a Baby's First Christmas Shopping for a CEO's Baby Shopping for a Yankee Swap Topics: contemporary romance, romantic comedy, shopping romance, billionaire romance, billionaire, series, romantic comedy series, comedy, comedy series, bbw romance, funny romance, laugh romance, modern romance, urban romance, boston, boston romance, wealthy, USA today, USA today bestseller, CEO romance, office romance, city romance, smart romance, mystery shopping, mystery shopping romance, dogs in romance, cats in romance, lighthearted romance, light romance, hot romance, julia kent, julia kent romance, wedding, wedding romance, vegas, vegas romance, vegas wedding, escape wedding, humor, humorous romance, satire, american humor, wedding romance, literature & fiction, entertainment, humor and comedy, romantic comedy Perfect for readers of Emma Chase, Penny Reid, Lauren Blakely, Sally Thorne, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Kendall Ryan, Kristan Higgins, Helena Hunting, Sophie Kinsella and Alice Clayton.

A self-described “disappointed Author”, Charles Robert Maturin (1780-1824) has been largely relegated to the margins of literary history since his death in 1824. Yet, as this study demonstrates, he exerted a fundamental influence on the development of Irish fiction in the early nineteenth century. In particular, his novels dramatically underscore the continuing presence and deployment of the Gothic mode in Romantic Ireland – an influence now frequently overlooked in critical attention to the national and regional forms popularized in Ireland in the wake of Anglo-Irish Union (1801). Working from Jacques Derrida’s influential theory on ghosts, this study positions Maturin as the cornerstone on which to build a new paradigm of Irish Romantic fiction, one which accounts for the spectral traces of the past – cultural, social, and political – evident in early-nineteenth century Irish fiction. As it does so, it calls for renewed critical and popular attention to an author who himself continues spectrally to emerge in the works of his literary successors.

The thrilling conclusion to the Bad Boys of Hockey Trilogy! Charlie Cooper is the perfect package of sex appeal and silly goofball. Even better, he’s about to meet his match with the one woman who can see his true self behind all the humor… For Coop, filling the role of class clown always came easy. Making people laugh was second nature—growing up with four older sisters, a guy did what he had to do in order to get noticed—and he enjoyed putting smiles on his teammates’ faces. In the world of professional hockey, some guys filled the role of enforcer, some guys scored goals, and others, like Coop, provided the comic relief. Coop isn’t laughing when he meets the sexy new resident of Harlequin Hills. In fact, he’s a little smitten and a lot attracted to the smoldering carefree widow who has hair like a mermaid and curves like a goddess. And it’s here, in the arms of the most fascinating woman he’s ever met, that Coop will finally have a chance to prove that cracking jokes isn’t the only thing he’s good at…

The first in a sexy new series, Rachelle Vaughn introduces Ryan, Gavin, and Coop—three bad-boy heroes who smoothly mix hot hockey action and scorching sex appeal… Security guard Jenna Riley is a quintessential good girl. She works hard, stays out of trouble, and keeps the peace in the up-and-coming gated community of Harlequin Hills. Day after day she watches as residents drive in and out of the community in their pricy cars, all the while ignoring her curiosity about their glamorous lives. They are Red Valley’s wealthiest and include Ryan Wade, natural goal-scorer for the Ravens. He has heartbreaker written all over him and just when Jenna thinks the only glimpse she’ll get of the hockey player with the rugged good looks and killer smile is from afar, a cougar—a real-life, fang-bearing wildcat—starts prowling the neighborhood and all hell breaks loose. Ryan proves he has moves off the ice that are just as smooth as the ones he uses at the rink, but Jenna doubts she can fall for someone who keeps everyone pushed so far away. This bad boy’s heart is as guarded as the gated community he lives in and half as welcoming. Can Ryan convince her that he’s ready for forever? Or will it be the other way around?