Persuasion, Captain Wentworth and cracklin' cornbread

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Teresa Medeiros

Teresa Medeiros makes her hardcover debut in this magnificently sensual and romantic tale filled with passion, humor, and suspense. It is the unforgettable story of two indomitable characters whose love affair is the stuff of which legends are made....Gwendolyn Wilder did not believe in dragons. But the superstitious villagers of Ballybliss did, and so Gwendolyn found herself bound to a post as a sacrificial offering to the Dragon who haunted the ruins of Castle Weyrcraig. Fifteen years earlier, someone had betrayed the Laird of Weyrcraig and his handsome young heir to the English for a thousand pounds in gold. Now the Dragon was demanding that very amount. The frightened Highlanders hoped that instead of gold, the fair virgin would satisfy the beast's insatiable appetite. As for Gwendolyn, she never doubted that the so-called Dragon was a fraud. She knew there was a perfectly good explanation for the mysterious lights seen flickering in the crumbling castle and the unsettling sound of bagpipes drifting through the glens. But as she waited for whoever-or whatever-to claim his prize, she could not help trembling as a furious storm lashed about her...and she saw what appeared to be dark wings and a stream of silver smoke emerge from the shadows. Rumor had it that the Dragon could take the form of a man, and so he did with Gwendolyn-a man who would not show her his face. He carried her into his lair and made her his prisoner, his pampered pet. And while she didn't expect to be eaten by the fire-breathing Dragon of Weyrcraig, neither did she expect to be warmed by his sensuous caresses or devoured by his passionate kisses. The Dragon had demanded gold and the fools had given him this golden-haired maiden. She was the very last thing he expected-and now there was no way he could let her go. She could never know that he was no monster but a flesh-and-blood man who had just laid eyes on the one woman who could slay him. Still, this supremely handsome man of devastating virility was more dangerous than any dragon. He would take it upon himself to enchant the practical Gwendolyn as she had enchanted him. He would weave a spell of sensuous magic around her that would defy all her commonsense notions and tempt her to believe in something even more unlikely than dragons and more powerful than the past that threatened them both-true love.From the Hardcover edition.

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Amabile Giusti

"As her thirtieth birthday approaches, spirited and unconventional Carlotta is a little nervous. She's just been fired because of her irrepressible frankness, her family is a mess, and her love life is nonexistent. Plus, living in Rome isn't cheap, so she's forced to rent out a room in her apartment to make ends meet. Her new roommate, Luca, a gorgeous writer who can match her wicked sense of humor, has a lot of cons: he's sloppy, he smokes too much, and he has a nasty habit of bringing home a different woman every night. Carlotta doesn't want to admit it, but she's beginning to fall for the charming novelist whose bedroom seems to have a revolving door. After they share an unexpected kiss, she'll do anything to suppress her passion and protect her heart. With her crazy relatives and a new job to deal with, can she muster the courage to confess her true feelings? And will Carlotta find happiness in this rented romance?"--Back cover.

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Debra White Smith

Come with me. Come with me. We'll fly to the stars. Lawton's soft invitation lingers in Jacquelyn's mind as she grapples with his abrupt disappearance, his desperate phone call, and the dread filling her heart. Drawing on her detective skills, Jac Lightfoot locates her secret love. But when another attempt is made on his life, Jac and Lawton spring into action. Uncovering a 35-year-old mystery, they plunge into a dark tangle of greed and vengeance. Drawn together for survival, they wrestle with their feelings for each other--and the past that keeps them apart.

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Grace Livingston Hill

Marion Warren spent the past 5 years caring for first her mother, then her father before each passed away. Now she hopes to pick up life and continue her education with the goal of becoming a teacher. However, her brother and sister-in-law have other plans for her. They act almost immediately to sell the family home and move to a farm, with Marion being counted on to help with housework and raising her nieces and nephews. Marion, knowing that this life would stifle her, willingly surrenders her inheritance and makes plans of her own to stay in the city, where she'd have access to museums, libraries and other opportunities for learning and growth. Her family is outraged and moves, thinking that she'll soon come to her senses and come crawling back. Through her Sunday School superintendent, Marion has introductions to a potential employer and a gentleman who becomes a friend. In the meantime, Marion scrimps to buy a season ticket to her first symphony. A gorgeous crimson rose is left on her seat at the second and succeeding performances, giving her a feeling that Someone cares about her. Marion sees how God watches over her, especially when a jealous acquaintance carries out a dangerous plan to ruin Marion's reputation and a friend comes to her rescue. Marion's family is eventually reconciled and forgiven.