An Innocent Charade


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The Dating Charade


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Cassie is fed up with online dating, but just when she’s finally decided to give up, firefighter Jett Bentley takes her on an amazing first date. But when they both go home and find three children dropped in their laps—each—they independently decide to do the right and mature thing: hide the kids from each other while sorting it all out. What could go wrong? Cassie Everson is an expert at escaping bad first dates. And, after years of meeting, greeting, and running from the men who try to woo her, Cassie is almost ready to retire her hopes for a husband—and children—altogether. But fate has other plans, and Cassie’s online dating profile catches the eye of firefighter Jett Bentley. In Jett’s memory, Cassie Everson is the unreachable girl-of-legend from their high school days. Nervously, he messages her, setting off a chain of events that forces a reluctant Cassie back into the dating game. No one is more surprised than Cassie when her first date with Jett is a knockout—but when Cassie finds herself caring for three sisters in an emergency foster placement, she decides to hide them from Jett to avoid scaring him off. When Jett’s sister’s addiction issues land her three children at his home, he decides the last thing Cassie needs to know about is his family drama. Neither dares to tell the other about their unexpected and possibly permanent family members for fear of scaring away their potential soulmate, especially since they both listed "no kids” on their profiles! With six children between them and secrets mounting, can Cassie and Jett find a way forward? Melissa Ferguson’s warmhearted debut reminds us that love can come in very small packages—and that sometimes our best-laid plans aren’t nearly as rewarding and fun as the surprises that come our way. Praise for The Dating Charade: “Melissa Ferguson is a sparkling new voice in contemporary rom-com. Though her novel tackles meaningful struggles—social work, child abandonment, adoption—it’s also fresh, flirty, and laugh-out-loud funny. Ferguson is going to win fans with this one!”—Lauren Denton, bestselling author of The Hideaway and Glory Road “The Dating Charade will keep you smiling the entire read. Ferguson not only delights us with new love, with all its attendant mishaps and misunderstandings, but she takes us deeper in the hearts and minds of vulnerable children as Cassie and Jett work out their families—then their dating lives. An absolute treat!”—Katherine Reay, bestselling author of The Printed Letter Bookshop Stand-alone contemporary romance Full-length novel (76,000 words) Includes discussion questions for book clubs




An Innocent Charade


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The Spiritglass Charade


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Evaline Stoker and Mina Holmes never meant to get into the family business. But when you're the sister of Bram and the niece of Sherlock, vampire hunting and mystery solving are in your blood, so to speak. After the Affair of the Clockwork Scarab, Evaline Stoker and Mina Holmes are eager to help Princess Alix with a new case. Seventeen-year-old Willa Aston is obsessed with spiritual mediums, convinced she is speaking with her mother from beyond the grave. What seems like a case of spiritualist fraud quickly devolves into something far more menacing: someone is trying to make Willa appear lunatic using an innocent-looking spiritglass to control her. The list of clues piles up: an unexpected murder, a gang of pickpockets, and the return of vampires to London. But are these events connected? As Uncle Sherlock would say, there are no coincidences. It will take all of Mina's wit and Evaline's muscle to keep London's sinister underground at bay... “This book has it all…the vivid setting and the finely drawn, compelling heroines make this a fine choice for readers who like their stories with steampunk spice and smart, strong women.” –School Library Journal “The mishmash of popular tropes (steampunk! Vampires! Sherlock Holmes!) will bring readers in, but it’s the friendship between the two girls that will keep them.” –Kirkus Reviews “The author’s writing exudes energy, romance, and humor, and she gives her heroines strong, vibrant personalities as they puzzle out the expansive mystery unfolding before them.” –Publishers Weekly “If Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Sherlock Holmes ever met, this book would be the result. If you loved ‘Nancy Drew’ or ‘The Hardy Boys’ as a kid, you’re going to love this sci-fi/fantasy mystery series.” —SLJ Teen




The Charade


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Honor, freedom, liberty...those were mere words to Katie Armstrong, a savvy thief and indentured servant on the run in colonial Boston. For the sake of survival, she agreed to a British lord's bribe: unmask the identity of the patriot known as John Smith, or be returned to her brutal master. But soon the cagey John Smith was making the same threat -- unless she spied for him. Katie planned to play both men against each other...until, masquerading as Smith's mistress, she lost her heart to the seductive stranger she had set out to undo. Ethan Harding's steely heart was ready to risk anything to end British tyranny -- even if it meant taking on the false identity of John Smith, putting his own life in jeopardy, or blackmailing a beautiful and terrified young woman. And if that woman's angelic face made other men spill their secrets, so much the better. But now, Katie Armstrong's charms were about to betray his heart and his cause -- and his desire for the elusive temptress would turn the tables on everyone and everything he had pledged to protect.




Consequences of Their Wedding Charade


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From fake relationship to baby bombshell! Lose yourself in this unforgettable pregnancy romance from USA TODAY bestselling author Cathy Williams. The deal: a date with the tycoon The consequence: her nine-month secret! One flash of Curtis Hamilton’s mesmerizing smile and Jess Carr’s traitorous body overrules her sensible head. What was she thinking, agreeing to accompany the notorious playboy to an A-list wedding in the French Alps? Curtis’s last fling left his name splashed over the media, his reputation tarnished. Striking a just-for-show arrangement with Jess, Curtis hopes the innocent beauty on his arm can keep both gold diggers and photographers at bay. But will the paparazzi uncover their charade—or that Jess is now expecting his baby? From Harlequin Presents: Escape to exotic locations where passion knows no bounds.




A Scandalous Charade


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A Regency Historical Novel - Book Two of the Scandalous Series... Handsome ladies' man Lucas Beckford has agreed to help his friend, an impoverished baron, win the affections of an icy heiress. It should be a simple task, especially for a seducer of his reputation. However when Luke catches sight of the enchanting lady, he is captivated with her pretty brown eyes, quick wit, and sharp tongue; and his desire to see his friend marry the girl quickly evaporates. Now he just has to find a way to convince the penniless lord to turn his attentions elsewhere-leaving the Ice Princess to him. Lady Juliet St. Claire has always believed that her fortune would protect her from ever having to relinquish her freedom in marriage. Though fortune hunters endlessly hound her, Juliet's outwardly cold demeanor keeps most of them at bay, licking their wounds or patching up their pride. However when Luke charms his way into her life, he easily melts more than just her heart. Unfortunately, the rogue is of the love 'em and leave 'em variety, and leaves Juliet's tender heart in pieces. But when her fortune lands her in danger from an unscrupulous foe, Luke returns to her side, offering his help and protection. Now Juliet has to decide if her heart is strong enough to trust the rogue a second time. Plus! Bonus Novella - A Scandalous Secret Chester Peyton, the Marquess of Astwick, has never forgotten his first love. Nor has he ever gotten over her. But now thirteen years later, time has come for him to finally settle down and do his duty as far as both his title and his dragon of a mother are concerned. Everything would be so much easier if Chet's heart didn't still belong to the enchanting Scot he gave it to once upon a time. After following her late-husband's regiment from one end of the continent to the other, Lady Hannah Campbell returns to London a very different woman than the naive lass she once was. With her two sons in tow, she now has to navigate the waters of the ton, which seem more foreign than the lands she has traversed the last dozen years. And all the while, she has to keep hidden the scandalous secret that made her flee England so very ago."




INNOCENT ABROAD


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One stormy night Regina “Reggie” Barrington received a call from a mysterious stranger named Severo Cardenosa, who demanded she reappear in South America to keep up her end of a bargain. Having no idea what he’s talking about, Reggie confronts her sister, Bella, who had been in South America the previous month. It turns out that Bella promised Severo she’d play the part of his fianc?e to ease his ill grandfather's mind about his future. Bella ran away from her responsibility, and now Reggie feels compelled to take her place. Reggie is in love with someone else, so when she meets Severo she is not impressed. Will love blossom between the two? Can Reggie look past her misconceptions to see Severo for who he is?




Unholy Charade


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Could it be that the one who is smiling at you as he hands you the offering plate is abusing his wife at home? What if your Sunday school teacher, who knows so much about the Bible, is abusing his family behind closed doors? Is it possible that one of the elders or even the pastor of your church is practicing an unholy charade? If the spouse of one of these abusers comes to you for help, would you even be able to recognize the signs? How will you understand the dynamics of this deceiving evil? Pastor and author Jeff Crippen presents Christ's body with a work steeped in Scripture that lays before us a map of the abusive mind, the tactics of abuse, the effects abuse has on its victims, and the tragic way our churches have failed the victims of this sin. He issues a clarion call for those who love Christ to answer the call to love the oppressed and speak for the victims, as Proverbs 31:9 says: "Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy." Together we can root out the wolves in the midst of the flock and unmask the domestic abuser in the church hiding in our pews.




Rushed to the Altar


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From New York Times bestselling author Jane Feather comes the first of a wonderful new trilogy, The Blackwater Brides, set in the sensually im-proper Georgian period, in which three noble brothers discover they will be forced to find brides under highly unusual circumstances. Jasper Sullivan, Earl of Blackwater, needs a prostitute. Not in the usual way, however. His wealthy uncle’s will promises to divide his huge fortune among his nephews if each rescues a fallen woman . . . by marrying her! And since Jasper’s estates were already mortgaged to the hilt before he inherited them, when he catches a pretty young prostitute trying to pick his pocket, he immediately makes his proposal. Clarissa Astley is not at all what Jasper believes. The orphaned daughter of a prosperous merchant, she is searching the seedier districts of London for her young brother, abducted by their evil guardian, who wants the little boy’s inheritance. But she needs powerful help, and the darkly handsome Earl of Blackwater is certainly that. So she pretends to be exactly what he assumed— a risky charade for an innocent virgin. But when passion flares between Jasper and Clarissa, the deception becomes even more difficult to handle. . . .