Showing results by narrator "Ann Gideon" in All Categories

Julia Dorning is about to lose it. Between her over-the-top wedding that her sister, Anna, took upon herself to create and the understaffed popular bakery she runs, she can barely find time to breathe. All Julia ever wanted was a quaint wedding on the beach with family and friends. But now, Julia has to contend with not only her sister's plans, but those of her future mother-in-law, as well. Not wanting to step on anyone's toes, especially her mother-in-law's, Julia just goes along with it. She can only take so much, though.

Miranda Brooks grew up in the stacks of her eccentric uncle Billy’s bookstore, solving the inventive scavenger hunts he created just for her. But on Miranda’s 12th birthday, Billy has a mysterious falling-out with her mother and suddenly disappears from Miranda’s life. She doesn’t hear about him again until 16 years later when she receives unexpected news: Billy has died and left her Prospero Books, which is teetering on bankruptcy, and one final scavenger hunt.

Jemma Nox has learned that she is not the only witch in the family, but it's far from a prestigious pedigree. And she's not the only one whose past is coming to call. Mama B has been many things, guardian and mentor being foremost, but perfect isn't one of them. Since her tutelage began, Jemma has learned that Mama B's history is streaked like a polecat with tragedy, but things are about to get quite a bit more interesting. The sins of the father may be visited upon the third and fourth generation, but what about the sins of the mother?

Esther Pinnett has a two-year-long crush on the billionaire pineapple plantation owner she drives to and from work every day. But when she decides to give him a puzzle book for his birthday, he starts to see her as more than his chauffeur. Marshall Robison has been running the Hawaiian pineapple empire for years, and it will become his in just two more. After a marriage that ended badly eight years ago, he's closed himself off to dating or finding love...until Esther's birthday gift literally lands in his lap.

Inspired by Sarah DiGregorio’s harrowing experience giving birth to her premature daughter, Early is a compelling and empathetic blend of memoir and rigorous reporting that tells the story of neonatology - and explores the questions raised by premature birth. The heart of many hospitals is the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). It is a place where humanity, ethics, and science collide in dramatic and deeply personal ways as parents, doctors and nurses grapple with sometimes unanswerable questions: When does life begin? When and how should life end?

Brooklyn Prescott (if that's even her real name) is the new girl at The Rosewood Academy for Academic Excellence, now that she's moved back to the States after two years living in London. Rosewood, a boarding school for children of the rich and famous and known for its celebutantes, is missing just one element important to any junior's education: boys. But luckily for Brooklyn, and the rest of the Rosewood girls, there's a boys' boarding school, The Westwood Academy, just a few miles away.

Leedswick Castle has housed the Alnwick family in the English countryside for generations, despite a family curse determined to destroy their legacy and erase them from history. Three beloved authors share stories of the Alnwick family through the generations, revealing how love and war can change a place—but only its people can unshackle it from the misdeeds of the past.

Erin Walsh arrives home to tiny New Belford, Kentucky, from college only to clash with her young stepmother, Shelby Rae. When Shelby Rae is kidnapped and a dear friend of the family is murdered, Erin discovers that both victims had secrets connected to the violent death of her mother seven years earlier. In a small town the pool of suspects is limited, but it also means the danger to Erin's own life is deathly close.

Young attorney Abby Coleridge opens her home to a troubled law student after a fire destroys the woman's apartment. When the student disappears, leaving behind a blood-splattered note and a stash of cryptic flash-drives, Abby sets out to find her. Soon, a murderous arsonist threatens them both. Law student Victor Rutledge, a former Navy officer, knows more than he's telling. So much so that his offers to help Abby seem suspicious. When police reveal his scandalous past, Abby doesn't know who to trust. Trouble, the black cat detective, lands in Tallahassee in the nick of time.

As the fourth daughter of the perpetually in-mourning Queen Victoria, Princess Louise’s life is more a gilded prison than a fairy tale. Expected to sit quietly next to her mother with down-cast eyes, Louise vows to escape the stultifying royal court. Blessed with beauty, artistic talent, and a common touch, she creates a life outside the walled-in existence of the palace grounds by attending the National Art Training School—where she shockingly learns to sculpt nude models while falling passionately in love with famed sculptor Joseph Edgar Boehm.

Miss Amelia Stalwood may live in London at her absent guardian's townhouse, but she's never actually met any nobility; instead of aristocrats, her closest friends are servants. Quite by happenstance, she's introduced to the Hawthorne family and their close family friend, Anthony, the reformed Marquis of Raebourne. They welcome her into their world, but just as she's beginning to gain some confidence and even suspect that she may have caught Anthony's eye, she's blindsided by an unexpected twist in her situation accompanied by nasty rumors.

Want to sleep better, feel more energized, and reclaim a sense of your true self? The Hormone Balance Bible puts the power in your hands. In this essential guide, Dr. Shawn Tassone offers accessible, holistic strategies to help you work with your hormones to alleviate symptoms and unlock healing. Unlike many doctors who dismiss patients' symptoms if they come back as technically normal, Dr. Tassone takes every factor into account and has achieved remarkable success with his patients by harnessing the power of their life stories.

From the time she was a young girl, Luisa Voekler has loved solving puzzles and cracking codes. Brilliant and logical, she's expected to quickly climb the career ladder at the CIA. But while her coworkers have moved on to thrilling Cold War assignments--especially in the exhilarating era of the late 1980s--Luisa's work remains stuck in the past decoding messages from World War II. When Luisa Voekler discovers a secret cache of letters written by the father she has long presumed dead, she learns the truth about her grandfather's work, her father's identity, and why she has never progressed.

Jane Morris makes a living cleaning the houses of the wealthy residents of Pine Valley, and she tries hard not to judge their extravagant lifestyles. But when one of her clients goes through a devastating breakup with his fiancee, Jane finds herself in the middle of his emotional mess. She wants to help him, but Cameron Vance is a man to whom she could easily lose her heart. Yet, Jane agrees to be his date to the charity event of the year, organized by Cameron's mother. The magical night shows Jane that if she's a Cinderella, then Cameron is definitely a candidate for Prince Charming.

Karissa Newcomb is ready for a new start in a new neighborhood, as far away as she can get from Seattle, where her husband cheated on her with the neighbor who was supposed to be her best friend. She and her nine-year-old daughter are moving on to the city of Gig Harbor on the bay in Puget Sound. She even has a new job as an assistant at a small publishing company right in Gig Harbor. Her new boss seems like a bit of a curmudgeon, but a job is a job, she loves to read, and the idea of possibly meeting writers sounds fabulous.

From acclaimed authors Aimie K. Runyan, J'nell Ciesielski, and Rachel McMillan comes an evocative, three-part novel about a thread of connection during World War I--a single scarf that links three extraordinary women, each battling societal expectations, enduring the devastations of war, and striving for personal growth amidst the chaos.

Trouble, a savvy black cat with a penchant for sleuthing, has landed in the cream of Savannah society. So has a murderer and art thief. Julia Hampton comes from old family, old money, and old society, but her job as an art insurance investigator puts her at odds with her background - and with the killer. Julia is determined to stop him. US Deputy Marshal Mitch Lawson knows more than he's willing to let on. One thing is clear: Julia is in danger - because of secrets he won't share.

As a shy school librarian, Alexis Stone is comfortable keeping out of the spotlight. But when she’s dumped for being too meek — in bed! — the humiliation is a wake-up call. She decides she needs to change, and what better way to kick-start her new more adventurous life than with her first one-night stand?

Five-year-old Sloane McBride couldn’t sleep that night. Her parents were arguing again, their harsh words heating the cool autumn air. Then there was that other sound - the ominous thump before all went quiet. In the morning, her mother was gone. The official story was that she left. Her loving, devoted mother! That hadn’t sat any better at the time than it did when Sloane moved out at 18, anxious to leave her Texas hometown in search of anywhere else. But not even a fresh start working as a model in New York could keep the nightmares at bay. Or her fears that her father is deadly.

Ben orders daily room service while living in a five-star hotel. Olivia collects luxury-brand sneakers worn by celebrities. Dakota jets off to Rome when she needs to avoid drama at school. Welcome to the inner circle of New York’s richest families, where academia is an obsession, wealth does nothing to soothe status anxiety and parents will try just about anything to gain a competitive edge in the college admissions rat race.