Art of Love

A new term begins at the Worcester Institute of Fine Art, where the world-famous paintings aren’t the only thing catching attention. Professor Philip Denton, the strikingly handsome art historian, notices a young student lurking in the shadows. But this isn’t just any student: she’s destined to become a master of fine art. Behind her baggy clothes and quiet demeanour, though, lies a web of secrets Philip has yet to uncover.

Meanwhile, the seductive and manipulative Alexia Millward has plans of her own. Determined to keep the divine professor for herself, she uses every wicked trick in the book to ensnare him. Amidst these schemes, Olivia Whitmore, a lonely, isolated teenager burdened by tragedy, wonders if she will ever find the happiness and love she’s never dared to dream of. Will her life ever be normal again, or is she caught in a drama far more dangerous than she realizes?

The Bittersweet Voyage of the Golden Ship Hatteras

THE BITTERSWEET VOYAGE OF THE GOLDEN SHIP HATTERAS

By Ira David Wood III

A deeply moving love story

set on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

A writer’s loving tribute

to a place, its history, and its people.

“An absolutely beautifully written love story! David Wood writes with the grace of the greats in this compelling novel about life on the Outer Banks of North Carolina in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Every word and page is to be savored in this historically authentic novel that will make you smile, laugh, sigh, cry, and cheer. The characters are colorful and believable, and perfectly placed in the narrative. This is more than a love story. It’s a rich and lively history lesson from an author who has spent much of his life listening to the people who have lived in this magical place.”

Bill Leslie, composer of ten musical albums and author of the 2008 book Blue Ridge Reunion.

“Love should dance,’ an unforgettable woman says toward the end of this powerful book, David Wood’s timeless love song to the Outer Banks, a book where his words dance. Wood, a wonderful director and actor, once again brings his storytelling art to the novel genre in this fine book. It’s the real thing.”

John Railey, author of the Outer Banks top-sellers The Lost Colony Murder on the Outer Banks: Seeking Justice for Brenda Joyce Holland and Andy Griffith’s Manteo: His Real Mayberry.

Olivia

Olivia is restless at home. Finally, her father agrees that she can go on a journey with a friend. They travel to Africa, but it does not go as expected. In her desperate longing for adventure, Olivia recklessly runs away. While on the run she is kidnapped by a disreputable sheikh. The intrigue deepens and Olivia gets enlightened in areas she least expected.

Rock Me Baby

Young nurses navigating life away from home in the vibrant 70s, where the music is groovy, and men in uniform are hard to resist. Friendships, romance, and wild adventures await as they juggle their dreams and desires. In this whirlwind of freedom and temptation, what could possibly go wrong?

La Libre Rose

In the quaint village of Dorset, where the past and present intertwine, Liberty finds herself at the crossroads of a new beginning. Retired and seeking solace in the comfort of her cottage, Cuphea’s Nest, she discovers that life has more chapters waiting to be written.

Amidst the backdrop of a harsh winter, Liberty’s routine life is gently disrupted by her neighbour, Joseph Beam, a widower grappling with his own sea of grief. As they navigate their daily lives, an unexpected friendship blossoms, offering them a chance at healing and rediscovery.

But La Libre Rose is more than a tale of newfound companionship. It is a journey through time, where magical realms speak of undying love, and historical echoes remind us of the resilience of the human spirit. From the enchanting whispers of fairies in the holly tree to the poignant memories of a world torn by war, this novel weaves a rich narrative of love, loss, and the enduring hope for a better tomorrow.

As Liberty and Joseph find solace in each other’s company, they are unwittingly guided by the mystical forces of the universe, leading them to uncover the true meaning of home and heart. Will the magic of Dorset and the legacy of the past empower Liberty to embrace her future?

Starnberg Series Book 8: Yesterday When I Was Young

In the eighth and final book of the Starnberg set series, no couple escapes the grip of misfortune. From a terrifying cancer scare and a child’s meningitis to a life-altering car crash in distant Toronto and the unravelling of a once-strong love, this year is a true battleground.

As they confront these challenges, their bonds of friendship and support deepen, providing a lifeline through the storm. Amid the turmoil, an older love rekindles: Sybilla’s mother, Emmeline Mertens, faces a family tragedy and rediscovers her first love, the formidable divorce lawyer Magdalena von Reichenbach. Will anyone emerge unscathed?

Rachel

Rachel continues Margot’s riveting story from the first book of the trilogy. Now happily married to Matthew and reunited with her daughter Mary, Margot’s life seems complete – until her dear friend Rachel vanishes in the woods while picking mushrooms.

Margot races against time with Edward and Rachel’s father to track her whereabouts. But they discover the unthinkable – Rachel has already been smuggled onto a ship headed for France. Margot is determined to rescue Rachel from the unknown fate that awaits her, but will she and Edward unravel the mystery and bring Rachel home before it’s too late?

With the stakes raised higher than ever before, this next instalment will immerse readers deeper into the compulsively readable world and relationships established in the first captivating book. Propelled by suspense and laced with hope, Rachel delivers another compelling journey about fighting for the ones you love.

Tuesday’s Trouble

Brian, an antique dealer with a long-standing fascination for the seventeenth century, stumbles upon an auction for a 1650s cottage in a remote location. Captivated by its period charm, he buys it sight unseen, fully aware that the property is uninhabitable.This centuries-old cottage, unoccupied for hundreds of years, is a treasure trove of historical mysteries waiting to be uncovered. As Brian delves into its secrets, he discovers an unexpected family connection, deepening his passion for the era and fueling his desire to collect objects from that time.

The Resurrection Men

The Resurrection Men draws inspiration from the notorious legend of Edinburgh’s infamous body snatchers, Burke and Hare. Set in the 1800s, this compelling tale serves as a sharp social critique, vividly portraying the poverty and deprivation endured by the lower classes. The novel exposes the callous exploitation by the upper echelons of society, highlighting how wealthy employers often neglected the welfare of their workers. Particularly, it sheds light on the appalling conditions faced by young children forced to work in the mines, where danger to life and limb was a daily reality.This powerful, grim historical novel employs gallows humour to bring its characters and their struggles to life. As the story unfolds, it raises profound questions: Can desperate circumstances fundamentally change a person’s behaviour? When subjected to extreme poverty, are all humans capable of heinous acts, regardless of their inherent nature? Above all, The Resurrection Men is a poignant love story that will captivate the imagination of any reader, leaving them both moved and reflective.

The Thai Girl

This is the true story of Anna, a Thai girl being raised in poverty in a poor area of Bangkok. This story is about real people and real events; it tells the tale of not only from rags to riches, but that of emotional trauma and how a beautiful child, and then woman, suffered throughout her life. Poverty such as Anna experienced is not an isolated event, it just happens to be one of which I became aware after meeting her and talking to her. As emails and messages flowed, the story of her life began to unravel.At times, her recount of events is tragic; the feeling of despair and pain, merely because she was raised on the wrong side of the tracks, is as heartbreaking as it is pathetic. As her story began to unfold, it didn’t feel real, it felt as though it was an imaginary tale, based on imaginary people… but the account and people are very real. It defied credibility. This is the story of Anna… a Thai girl.

An Appointment with Destiny

Born out of wedlock to a bitter and vindictive mother, Laura Ashleigh is a brilliant student with a gift for languages. Denied the opportunity to attend Yale College due to its men-only policy, she accepts a newly created position at the local library. The sudden death of her mother frees Laura from a life of servitude and daily criticisms, leaving her struggling to find purpose in her life.An advertisement in a mid-west newspaper catches her attention: a horse rancher in Colorado named Ben McCallister is seeking a wife. With destiny beckoning, Laura posts a reply. As she journeys across Nebraska, she begins to transform, emerging from the shadows as a vibrant, confident woman ready to embrace life’s challenges.When the Army supply wagons she is traveling with are threatened by a large band of Cheyenne Indians, a stranger saves them. To her surprise, the man who saved them is none other than Ben McCallister, the man she is destined to marry. He is more than she had dared to hope for—handsome and dangerous, moving with the lethal grace of a jungle cat. Laura will lead him down a different path and shape their future; together with his half-Indian brother Jake, they will forge a dynasty.

Love in Saint Tropez

Love in Saint Tropez is a captivating narrative of self-discovery, resilience, and renewal, woven with threads of love and hope. It delves deep into the soul’s journey, revealing the profound truth that, despite life’s tumultuous ebbs and flows, we possess the innate strength to rise anew. At the heart of this enlightening tale is Ana, a mirror to our own experiences, embodying the universal quest for meaning and belonging.Confronted with the timeless question of life’s unyielding constant, Ana embarks on a transformative journey back to the enchanting locales of her heritage: Saint Tropez and London. These places, rich in familial legacy and moments of profound inspiration, become the backdrop against which she rediscovers her capacity to love, shedding the restrictive chains of her history. With courage and an open heart, Ana ventures down the road of self-discovery, a journey poised to alter the course of her life in the most beautiful and unexpected ways.“Travels record stamps in passports, photo galleries in folders, magnets on refrigerators… Love in Saint Tropez is a story about the journey in which we discover ourselves and ‘stamp’ them in our personal passport of life. It is about the knowing that we are ready to stand up and rise in life and that there is no thing so precious as a personal passport that we filled with missed chances, new opportunities and remained eternally in love with life.”– Branko Rosic, bestselling author.“Jovana’s Love in Saint Tropez is a story about the power of love and how it can transform our lives and relationships. It’s a reminder that sometimes we just need to take a chance and let love in. It’s a beautiful reminder that real love does exist.”– Kosta Petrov, bestselling author.