Showing results by narrator "Amanda Ronconi" in All Categories

Lumi Northrop is having the best summer of her life. She's earned the respect of the entire haven after her role in recovering Rudolph and saving Jack Frost, her family's reindeer sanctuary is thriving, and she's even got herself a date to the Summer Solstice Celebration. Life is sweeter than a bowl full of jelly. Right up until the beloved frost pixies start going full gremlins-after-midnight, wrecking havoc around the sanctuary, and threatening to invade the entire magical Christmas village. Can they save the pixies before they are lost forever?

Eleanor Ross has it all: fame, fortune - and Brian MacCafferty, the perfect combo of bodyguard and assistant who makes every day a breeze. MacCafferty anticipates her needs, puts out her fires, and - once upon a time - nearly put a ring on her finger. And when a scandal erupts that could ruin El, it’s Brian who rushes to the rescue and joins her in hiding. Will El discover there’s no hiding from true love? And is she finally ready to take a second chance for her own, real life happily ever after?

I’m usually the first person on my block to decorate for Christmas. This year? Humbug. My six-year-old son, Aidan, just had a meltdown after learning some hard truths from a drunk Santa impersonator, and I can no longer deny we both need help. Change is hard for Aidan, and right now he’s dealing with several big ones, including A) his father abandoning us, B) our move to Asheville, and C) the Santa snafu.

It’s July 1946, and after a decade of Depression and war, life in America is returning to normal. But for Charlotte and Mary Oswald, one tumultuous summer will unearth all their secrets and upend their world, once again. Charlotte Oswald’s life is dictated by rules. Where she can go. Whom she can speak to. How she can spend her long, dull summer days. It’s a small, closeted existence, but necessary to protect Charlotte, who has suffered from debilitating fits since childhood.

Moms can feel as if they are sprinting through life, crashing onto the pillow at day's end only to start again the next morning. In Breathe, Mama, Breathe, psychotherapist Shonda Moralis outlines the benefits of daily meditation and shows moms how to do it - in just five minutes.

Hello, grown-ups of all ages! Eclectic, bite-size bursts of advice abound in this playful guide to feeling like the grown-ups we all wanted to be as kids. From thoughts on the best way to open a champagne bottle to a short list of the kitchen tools you actually need, these tips and tricks reveal secrets that are attainable, not intimidating. Anyone can make a life upgrade using these insights alongside the traits they already have - their wits, creativity, and enthusiasm.

Sarah Martin had every intention of skipping her high school reunion. Once a popular girl and valedictorian, she's now pushing forty, divorced, and running a small bookstore in Nashville - not exactly an impressive life. But Sarah's best friend, Kristen, won't take no for an answer, and she won't let them return to Briley High without Roxanne, the missing third in their senior-high trio.

Brian Kateman coined the term "Reducetarian" - a person who is deliberately reducing his or her consumption of meat - and a global movement was born. In this book, Kateman, the founder of the Reducetarian Foundation, presents more than 70 original essays from influential thinkers on how the simple act of cutting 10 percent or more of the meat from one's diet can transform the life of the listener, animals, and the planet.

Delia Montgomery is on the worst date in the history of dates. The charming, funny version of Chip that she met online was an Internet mirage, dissolving to leave her with an overcoiffed raging douche canoe. Chip seems to be following some sort of handbook entitled How to Make Your Date Want to Stab You in the Face in Three Easy Steps. Between the backhanded compliments and "helpful" suggestions, Delia is seriously considering tunneling her way through the floor of Facile with a shrimp fork.

All Jason Parker wanted was to do was throw a nice anniversary dinner for his parents at Facile, just one nice dinner that his parents didn't end up planning, cooking, or funding. It's too bad that his family seems hell-bent on ruining it. Between his older brother stealing credit for the planning, his uncle stealing the silverware, and his sister' stealing everyone's joy, it's enough to send Jason running for the comfort of Facile's bourbon supply.

Kate Ravineux expected her romantic dinner at Facile to end in a proposal from her boyfriend, Scott. She did not expect to open that sacred little blue box to find a keychain. A keychain. Stinging from the realization that her boyfriend considers her a "fixer upper" worthy only of cohabitation he has to hide from his mama, Kate ditches Scott at the table and makes a run for the elevator.

Remy Billodeaux is the king of his kitchen, master of all he surveys. He is accustomed to praise and accolades, to female patrons lining up to be his "flavor of the evening". He is not accustomed to celebrity chefs, food critics, and wannabe chefs intruding on his kingdom. And Sabine Devereaux is just the cherry on the sundae of a bad night. She can't be intimidated. She can't be outsmarted or outcooked. And she's not falling for his usual flirty tricks.

Publicist EJ Lasher is not thrilled to hear that her ex-boyfriend, celebrity chef Morgan Jeffries, is visiting Facile, the latest restaurant she's promoting. She and Morgan did not leave things on a good note - well, technically, she left the note is his knife case, and he didn't notice it for weeks. And she doesn't look forward to facing Morgan's famous profanity-driven temper when he realizes she works for Facile.

The Facile Omnibus, Volume 2, offers an enchanting assortment of spicy, sassy heroines. In Steamed, hostess Abby gives a recently dumped customer the night of his life. Pastry artist Lydia takes no lip from the world's pickiest diner in Whipped, no matter how mouthwatering he may be. In Sizzled, food critic Lakshmi just wants to sate her hunger...for food and her delicious yet frazzled ex.

The final story in the Facile Restaurant series! Served, by Jacey Conrad and Gia Corona, gives you a look at each of the couples as they wrap up their steamy night's work.

Lee Broussard is just a nice guy doing a favor for a friend - delivering a gift to an anniversary dinner at Facile - and ends up seeing his girlfriend sucking chocolate mousse off some strange guy's finger. Shocked speechless and on the verge of dismantling the classy dining room with his bare hands, Lee is distracted by lovely seating hostess Abby DuLane, who yanks him into the nearest closet.

Facile's manager, Xavier Blackwell, has reputation for being ruthless, smart, and savvy with the ladies. While the first two descriptors are correct, the third portion of his reputation is not exactly accurate. While the posh London accent and prowling persona have garnered him many a lady's attention, for Xavier, there's been only one woman - one woman who seeped into his soul and left her mark on his heart. And she chose tonight, one of the most hectic, disastrous nights in Facile's history, to visit his restaurant.

Facile's chief pastry chef, Lydia Conner, has watched the jerk at table seventeen run her fellow kitchen staffers ragged all night with his special requests and substitutions. But she knows she can sweeten his sour mood with one of her legendary desserts. No man alive can resist her special flourless chocolate cake...except for the jerk at table seventeen.

Tessa thought her day had hit rock bottom when she came home to find her best friend riding her boyfriend like a bronco in the skank rodeo. And then she arrived for her shift at Facile to find that she would be waiting tables in the same section as gorgeous, conceited Colt. Colt, who considered himself God's gift to the sighted. Colt, who honestly seemed to think that diners came to Facile for him and not the delicious food.

Can you stand the heat? It's just another night in the French Quarter's newest restaurant. And, of course, at Facile that means complete chaos - a distracted head chef, a private party full of family dysfunction, and a visit from a celebrity chef trying to poach the best in the kitchen. Served: Facile Restaurant Omnibus, Volume 1 offers a range of hot heroes.