Kennebec Large Print Superior Collection

October 8, 1871—One small spark ignites the entire city of Chicago, sending its residents into panic. But amid the chaos, a case of mistaken identity leads to an unexpected new love.As the historic fire ignites across town, Kathleen O'Leary finds herself dressed in borrowed diamonds and silk, enjoying a lavish masquerade. The penniless maid has caught the eye of Dylan Francis Kennedy, the rich, handsome gentleman all of high society has been speculating about. The night feels alive with magic...and ripe with promise.Then fire sweeps through the city, cornering the young lovers with no hope of rescue. Desperate to share their last moments together, Kathleen and Dylan impulsively marry. Incredibly, they survive. Now, as the fire burns down to cold ash, Kathleen must tell Chicago's most eligible bachelor that he has married a fraud. But the joke's on her. For this gentleman is no gentleman. While Kathleen had hoped to win Dylan's love, he had planned only to capture her heart and steal her fortune. Dylan Kennedy—con artist, gambler, and ne'er-do-well—has been unwittingly caught in his own game. Now the real sparks are about to fly.

Set amid the bustle of 19th-century Philadelphia is a sweeping saga of three generations of strong, indomitable women. At its center is young Lilly Armstrong, a beauty on the brink of womanhood, too brave and fearless to settle for the status quo. Lilly aspires to carve out lives of independent freedom for herself and her women kin--lives not dependent on men. But one man would move heaven and earth to help Lilly realize her dreams.

Seven-year-old Keighly Barrow never forgot the night she spied a boy her own age at her grandmother's Redemption, Nevada, mansion. He was staring back at her form an antique mirror in the ballroom, standing among gaudily dressed women in an old-time western saloon. Keighly could only discover that his name was Darby Elder--and that he lived a century ago. Twenty years later, engaged to be married, Keighly inherited her grandmother's house. Back before the ballroom mirror, she faces a handsome cowboy whose roughish air radiates trouble. Keighly senses the spirit of Darby Elder--along with an electric charge of passion passing through the glass and into her heart. But old news clips declare this outlaw son of a local madam would die in a shoot-out. Keighly's magical connection to Darby is too strong not to try and save his life--or, if history will not bend, to love him as fiercely as the fleeting moments will allow....

When Jeanette Brioche helped launch The Corner Spa in Serenity, South Carolina, she found a whole lot more than professional satisfaction. She discovered the deep and loyal friendships that had been missing from her life. But even the Sweet Magnolias can't mend the terrible rift between Jeanette and her family or persuade her that the holidays are anything more than a season of misery.Pushed into working on the town's much-loved annual Christmas festival, Jeanette teams up with the sexy new town manager. Tom McDonald may be the only person in Serenity who's less enthused about family and the holidays than she is. But with tree decorations going up on the town square and a bit of romance in the air, Jeanette and Tom take a fresh look at the past and a hopeful look into the future. Together they discover that this just may be a season of miracles after all.

A deceptive environmentalist in Queensland cost American environmental journalist Judith Theresa Bryan the job she loved. But in Tasmania, she gets a new chance, albeit one tainted by the fact that the same man will be involved in the story. Judith's plum assignment is to document the search for the elusive Tasmanian tiger, with unrestricted access to the expedition's leader, expert Bevan Keene. Problem: Keene dislikes and distrusts all journalists.

Charlene Dugan started her day as usual--single. Then, all in the space of a few hours:-- Her daughter announced she doesn't want to "end up like her"-- Her absentminded mother got lost in a parking lot-- Her ex-husband accused her of being afraid of commitmentNow her decision to utter those three little words--let's get married--has everyone around her in a tailspin. The maid of honor is in a tempest over a man fifteen years her junior. Her daughter, the official bridesmaid, has decided to reinvent herself. The groom is spending all of his free time with the wedding consultant. And her ex-husband, a man who still drives her crazy, is making some pretty convincing arguments for a second chance.The wedding party is out of control, they're calling for rain and the bride has cold feet. This isn't exactly what Charlene had in mind.

One night, Inspector Montalbano dreams of a stormy sea, which he knows represents unease and loss of control. The next day, a boat is found in the port of Vigata, and within it, the body of a disfigured corpse. The waterfront has also drawn in an eighty-five-foot luxury boat passengered by fifty carefree souls and a somewhat shadowy crew. They will have to stay in Vigata until the investigation is over--the man, it seems, was poisoned. However, right now, it is the yacht's owner and sailors Montalbano is focused on.

In 1944 Paris, British office clerk Constance stumles into a prominent family that entertain the German elite, while in 1998 France, Emilie inherits a chateau. Can the chateau help Emilie discover what really happened to her family during the war?

As according to synopsis: >The moment Marian Larsen sees the patrol car stop outside her house, she feels a shiver of foreboding. The news is even worse than she feared. Marian's husband and young daughter have been in a snowmobile crash. Dan is paralyzed and Laura is dead, her body broken on the icy ground...with a chilling secret. Friends and colleagues in Marian's Minnesota hometown rally around to try and ease her grief. But soon there are more horrible accidents. Then the rumors start - that these are not coincidences at all, that someone is picking off victims one by one. And as winter deepens, the search for answers will reveal a killer whose blood runs colder than the blinding snow....

Young Vieve Donelle cannot forget her meeting with Captain Tyson Gervais, and despite his attempts to deal in business rather than pleasure, the two are irresistably drawn together.

When Clark surprises Marty with a trip to visit Missie and Willie LaHaye at their new home. Marty is filled with excitement. She and Missie have so much to catch up on. Marty meets Missie's friend Maria, she gets to see the little sod house, she even meets Missie's children. But when tragedy strikes, will Marty regret ever coming west?

When Olivia's life exploded--after she found out she was not the adopted child of a privileged Chicago family but of a notorious pair of convicted serial killers--she found a refuge in the secluded but oddly welcoming town of Cainsville, Illinois. Working with Gabriel Walsh, a fiendishly successful criminal lawyer with links to the town, she discovered the truth about her parents' crimes in an investigation that also revealed the darker forces at work in the place that had offered her a haven. As if that wasn't enough, she also found out that she, Gabriel and her biker boyfriend Ricky were not caught in an ordinary sort of love triangle, but were hereditary actors in an ancient drama in which the elders of Cainsville and the mysterious Huntsmen who opposed them had a huge stake. Now someone is killing street kids in the city, and the police have tied Ricky to the crimes. Setting out with Gabriel's help to clear Ricky's name, Olivia once again finds her own life at risk. Soon the three are tangled in a web of betrayals that threatens their uneasy equilibrium and is pushing them toward a hard choice: either they fulfill their destinies by trusting each other and staying true to their real bonds, or they succumb to the extraordinary forces trying to win an eternal war by tearing them apart.

A young woman's heartbreaking decision! It had been one of those short wartime engagements. The wedding gifts were still unwrapped and the wedding cake was yet to be cut when Finella's young husband Darley Martington was recalled by his regiment and shipped off to war just two hours after the wedding. During five long and lonely years Finella had grown up, become more independent - and met handsome Gilfred Bryte. Finella was a wife in name only - and everyone knew it, including, headstrong Gil. He also knew how to court a woman... how to win her love and respect. Neither he nor Finella thought of the future... they were having too good a time. But then reality intruded - Darley was coming home again. Of course, now that her husband returned, she knew that she must choose between the two men. Was it strong, self-confident Gil she loved, or the gentle husband she had almost forgotten? But how could she make that choice... and who would it be?

Belinda, Marty and Clark Davis's "surprise child," has always had a tender and compassionate heart toward anything hurt and broken. Her parents watch with both misgivings and genuine pride as Belinda's older brother, Doctor Luke, influences her toward nursing. Will she have the inward strength to face the "hurt and broken" people whose bodies, minds, and emotions need mending? Belinda's niece, who is also a teenager, comes to live with the Davis family to finish her schooling. How will Melissa's arrival affect Belinda's lifelong friendship with Amy Jo? And what happens when all three fall for the same nice fellow?

Belinda Davis had trained as a nurse to assist her older brother, Doctor Luke. But as time goes by and she sees those she's grown up with getting married and settling into their own lives, Belinda becomes restless. What had seemed exciting and fresh becomes dull and routine. When she meets an elderly woman who needs nursing care, Belinda jumps at the invitation to go to Boston--a large, "civilized" city with cultural opportunities she's never even dreamed of in her little prairie town. But in spite of financial security and countless new experiences, Belinda finds herself restless, lonely, and empty inside.

It's early October 1923, and three interesting things are going on in the generally dull town of Rosedale, New Mexico: the fall cattle drive, the fall rodeo, and a tent revival. Annabelle Blue is excited about the first two events. The last one might be okay if it weren't for the Reverend Milo Strickland's sister, Esther, whose ethereal loveliness has captivated all the men in town, including Annabelle's long-time beau, Phil Gunderson. Still, Annabelle pitches in and helps prepare for the rodeo, which is always accompanied by a community-wide party and barbecue. This year's rodeo and barbecue are being held at the Gundersons' ranch. And although Phil seems to hang around with Esther a lot more than Annabelle deems proper, she enjoys the rodeo with her best friend, Myrtle Hall, until one of the stars of the rodeo, Kenny Sawyer, falls ill and later dies. Shocked to learn that Kenny was poisoned, Annabelle begins to do some snooping. There is a plethora of suspects to choose from. Unfortunately, those suspects include her own brother-in-law, who appears to be enamored of a woman other than Annabelle's sister; Kenny Sawyer's erstwhile lady love; and even Annabelle's horrid twelve-year-old brother, Jack. Then Hazel Fish, the worst gossip in Rosedale becomes downright frightening.--From front cover flap.

Three years later, we rejoin the Davis family in the pages of Love's Enduring Promise, the sequel to Love Come Softly. Missie is now five years old, and quite excited about the prospect of a school being built in town. Marty is expecting a third child, while Clare is growing into a healthy young boy. As hardships are placed upon the shoulders of neighbors and friends, Marty and Clark reach out their hands to help in any way they can. And when the community finds a need for a teacher, and a pastor, will they find who they are looking for, or will all their hard work be in vain?

"Daisy Gumm Majesty is back and she s up to her ears again. Not only does she have to deal with her husband Billy's declining health and her dog Spike's obedience training, but she's been hired by Lola de la Monica, a fabulously spoiled silent-screen beauty, to be her spiritual advisor on the set of her next picture. As if this wasn t already enough, a friend asks her to find out who's been sending him poison-pen letters. Her problems only multiply when Sam Rotondo, Billy's best friend and Daisy's worst nightmare, is stationed on the same picture set as she!"-- Cover verso.

They've been best friends since seventh grade. But this summer, teetering on the threshold of thirty, four women are going to need each other more than ever. Cassie is still looking Mr. Forever ; Julie married her highschool sweetheart too young. Marty's firefighter husband has forgotten all about romance, and Beth, a busy doctor, is trapped in a body that has betrayed her again. Life can change in an instant ... or a summer. Having old friends to lean on can only up the chances of happily ever after.

After a year of teaching in a one-room schoolhouse on the western frontier, Elizabeth plans her wedding to Wynn Delaney, a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. As they begin their new life together at his isolated outpost in the far north, Elizabeth is unprepared for the loneliness she feels and the rigors of life without any of the conveniences she's accustomed to. Her deep love for Wynn and her faith in God seem like all she has. But will that be enough?

In a trio of holiday romance tales set in Regency England and Scotland, a debutante falls for a mysterious driver, a spinster finds refuge at the home of a curmudgeonly aristocrat, and a lord meets a young lady trying to escape from home.

Will lovely Jane Arleth leave behind her old-fashioned ways - and handsome John Sherwood - to marry a man of great wealth? Chance Encounter The young man across the aisle from Jane Arleth could not take his eyes from her face. Everything about her placed her in a class of wealth and culture, and yet there was about her a look of strength, self-reliance, and sweet character that was rare. Just then her handbag slid from her lap, landing impertinently at his feet. Jane swung around and reached for it just as the man grasped the bag, and their fingers came in light contact as he handed her possession over with a bow. "Oh, thank you," said Jane, her cheeks glowing with sudden embarrassment. Her eyes met the stranger's gray ones in one quick pleasant look. She had a fleeting impression of a nice strong face, keen young yes, and an interesting smile...

Savannah is more than happy to help her good friend, Detective Sergeant Dirk Coulter investigate the death of the wife of Dr. Robert Wellman, owner of a popular weightloss clinic. She was found dead at the bottom of a cliff outside the Wellman's seaside estate--and it's clear she didn't go down without a fight.

Marty was overjoyed to be home again. Could anything disturb her joy? Marty and Clark Davis arrive home from a visit out west with their daughter Missie knowing there are changes ahead for them. But are they prepared for the changes that already have taken place while they were gone? Their children, though mature and independent, need their parents' wisdom now more than ever. Clare and Kate are eagerly anticipating their new baby, but what lies ahead will test their faith in ways they never expected. Luke wants to become a doctor, but his studies will take him far from home. Ellie has blossomed into a lovely young woman, but is there a young man around worthy of her hand? And then there's Nandry, who seems to be blaming God for Clark's accident. And then, what about the secret Marty is keeping from her family?

461 pages ; 19 cm

The loss of their close friend draws four women together. And a summer spent sorting through personal effects offers the perfect challenge--and the perfect escape.Sable--her bestselling novels have made her a star, but the woman who has everything, in fact, has nothing but a past she is desperate to hideElly--the intellectual who has hidden herself within the walls of academia, afraid to admit she is tired of being aloneBarbara Ann--the talent behind twenty-six romance novels wakes up one day to discover she's lost control of her career, her sanity and her familyBeth--her popular mysteries have become the only way she can fight against the secret tyranny of an abusive husbandIn the house on Olive Street, away from their troubles, the four women discover something marvelous: themselves. And along the way they realize a dream. For, in telling the story of a remarkable woman, their own lives begin to change.

The bestselling “offbeat, down-to- earth love story”(The Observer, London)— now available in the United StatesAn international sensation, this addictively readable tale asks the question: Why is it so impossible to get a relationship between two middle-aged misfits to work? The answer lies in the story of Shrimp, a young widowed librarian with a sharp intellect and a home so tidy that her jam jars are in alphabetical order; Benny, a gentle, overworked milk farmer who fears becoming the village’s Old Bachelor; and an unlikely love that should not be as complicated as it seems. Reminiscent of the works of Carol Shields, this quirky, humorous, beautifully told novel breathes new life into the age-old conundrum that is love.

When Stuart Font decides to throw a house warming party in his new flat he invites everyone in his building. The party will be one everyone remembers; but not for the right reasons. Living opposite, in reclusive isolation, is a young, beautiful Asian woman, christened Tigerlily by Stuart. As though from some strange urban fairytale, she emerges to exert a terrible spell on the occupants of Lichfield House.

Zachary Smith is finished with high-maintenance women, impossible clients, and paranormal adventures. But when he walks through a doorway into a different century and meets Mary de Piagethe knows his life isnt going to turn out quite the way he planned.

Food, love, and murder-Sicilian style-in the gripping eleventh installment of The New York Times bestselling Montalbano mystery series. Things are not going well for Inspector Salvo Montalbano. His relationship with Livia is once again on the rocks and-acutely aware of his age-he is beginning to grow weary of the endless violence he encounters. Then a young woman is found dead, her face half shot off and only a tattoo of a sphinx moth giving any hint of her identity. The tattoo links her to three similarly marked girls-all victims of the underworld sex trade-who have been rescued from the Mafia night-club circuit by a prominent Catholic charity. The problem is, Montalbano's inquiries elicit an outcry from the Church and the three other girls are all missing.

To break a centuries-old curse, beautiful, headstrong Lady Kathleen MacDavid knows she must ignore every rule of propriety by seducing—and marrying—the Earl of Norcroft. So she sets off for London, braving scandal and ruin to achieve her goal . . . until a crazy bump on the head makes her forget nearly everything. The thrill of winning a bet—that he'd be the last of his set to wed—hasn't eased the earl's pain of losing his friends to marriage. Still, he'd be willing to settle down if he could meet someone worthy of his love—and desire. But he has met no such woman, until Kathleen is brought to him. Suspicious of her motives, he's determined to resist her seductive ways. But sometimes even the most proper gentleman finds it expedient to act improperly . . .

Cecily White stands to inherit her father’s business empire, and she has no intention of taking a prince—until she meets the virile Earl of Greystone, and surrenders to him both her body and her heart.

A decade ago, Lady Olivia Rathbourne had expected to marry the Earl of Wyldewood, only to have happiness stolen from her. Now that the Earl has vowed to rescue her, will he finally flaunt society's conventions and do with her what he's always wanted?

From beloved mystery writer Tamar Myers comes an enthralling tale of duty, greed, danger, and miracles in equatorial Africa.The Congo beckons to young Amanda Brown in 1958, as she follows her missionary calling to the mysterious "dark continent" far from her South Carolina home. But her enthusiasm cannot cushion her from the shock of a very foreign culture-where competing missionaries are as plentiful as flies, and oppressive European overlords are busy stripping the land of its most valuable resource: diamonds.Little by little, Amanda is drawn into the lives of the villagers in tiny Belle Vue-and she is touched by the plight of the local witch doctor, a man known as Their Death, who has been forced to take a second job as a yardman to support his two wives. But when First Wife stumbles upon an impossibly enormous uncut gem, events are set in motion that threaten to devastate the lives of these people Amanda has come to admire and love-events that could lead to nothing less than murder.Richly evocative, written with warmth and humor, and based on the author's own experiences, Tamar Myers's The Witch Doctor's Wife is an unforgettable African journey with a spellbinding mystery at its heart.

The next Scrapbooking mystery takes readers back to New Orleans, where there are spookies, foodies-and crafty killers.Carmela, owner of Memory Mine scrapbook shop, and her best friend, owner of Juju Voodoo, have a big project. Melody Mayfeldt is converting an old mansion in the Faubourg-Marigny district into an unforgettable haunted house for those who flock to New Orleans for a creepy fix. She needs Carmela's crafty touch to make the Medusa Manor come to life in time for the upcoming horror convention.But Melody takes her house haunting too seriously-especially when her flaming body comes crashing through a tower window to ‘welcome' them to the job. Sure there's been an increased trend in murder lately, but someone specifically wanted Carmela's client very dead. Carmela's in some deep gumbo again and needs to crop out a killer from the throngs of people flocking to New Orleans. Then maybe it won't be so hard living in the Big Easy.

"When cat quilter Jillian Hart tracks down the owner of a gorgeous stray cat, the trail leads her to none other than fabulously wealthy, undeniably quirky Ritaestelle Longworth. The gossips are questioning Ritaestelle's sanity, and the high-society grande dame isn't helping matters with her wild accusations that someone is drugging her to keep her away from her beloved cat. Before Jillian can get to the bottom of Ritaesteel's charges, a body turns up in the lake behind her house - and her cat Chablis discovers Ritaestelle standing nearby"-- Cover verso.

"When teenager Allison Glenn is sent to prison for a heinous crime, she leaves behind her reputation as Linden Falls' golden girl forever. Her parents deny the existence of their once-perfect child. Her former friends exult her downfall. Her sister, Brynn, faces whispered rumors every day in the hallways of their small Iowa high school. It's Brynn--shy, quiet Brynn--who carries the burden of what really happened that night. All she wants is to forget Allison and the past that haunts her. But then Allison is released to a halfway house, and is more determined than ever to speak with her estranged sister. Now their legacy of secrets is focused on one little boy. And if the truth is revealed, the consequences will be unimaginable for the adoptive mother who loves him, the girl who tried to protect him and the two sisters who hold the key to all that is hidden"--Publisher's web site.

The Magic of Christmas Rafe Bowman has just arrived from America for his arranged meeting with Natalie, the very proper and beautiful daughter of Lady and Lord Blandford. His chiseled good looks and imposing physique are sure to impress the lady-in-waiting, and if it weren't for his shocking American ways and wild reputation, her hand would already be guaranteed. Before the courtship can begin, Rafe realizes he must learn the rules of London society. But when four former Wallflowers try their hand at matchmaking, no one knows what will happen... Begins Under the Mistletoe Winning a bride turns out to be more complicated than Rafe Bowman had anticipated, especially for a man accustomed to getting anything he wants. However, Christmas works in the most unexpected ways, changing a cynic to a romantic...and inspiring passion in the most timid of hearts.

In the midst of a sudden spring snowstorm, an unknown man armed with a gun walks into an elementary school classroom. Outside the school, the town of Broken Branch watches and waits. Officer Meg Barrett holds the responsibility for the town's children in her hands. Will Thwaite, reluctantly entrusted with the care of his two grandchildren by the daughter who left home years earlier, stands by helplessly and wonders if he has failed his child again. Trapped in her classroom, Evelyn Oliver watches for an opportunity to rescue the children in her care. And thirteen-year-old Augie Baker, already struggling with the aftermath of a terrible accident that has has brought her to Broken Branch, will risk her own safety to protect her little brother. As tension mounts with each passing minute, the hidden fears and grudges of the small town are revealed as the people of Broken Branch race to uncover the identity of the stranger who holds their children hostage.