Showing results by narrator "Melissa" in All Categories

Growing up Amish and leaving the fold, Emma Gingerich left her Amish community in Eagleville, Missouri, at the age of 18. Her memoir Runaway Amish Girl: The Great Escape captivates even the timid listener. Disagreeing with the beliefs of Amish traditions and upbringing, the pressure became too much for her to bear. Forced to make a personal decision, Emma found the courage to leave the only life she had ever known. She had no idea the emotional turmoil she'd inflict on her family and friends.  

Jessica Morrison had made some mistakes in her life. Of all of them, one had caused her to lose the woman she had once thought she would spend the rest of her life with, along with the friends Jessica had thought of as family. Venice Russo had somehow found herself in the company of a lot of beautiful, famous women. Dani Wilder, Peyton Gloss, Lennox Owen, Kenzie Smyth, and Maddox Delaney were now all her friends. That didn’t stop Venice, who preferred to be called Val, from feeling a little out of place.

Raven's secrets have shaped the woman she is: solitary and closed off. After being let down by the one person that should have always been there, Raven has built her walls up so high, nobody could possibly scale them. She takes care of herself. She has her own back. She might live surrounded by her brother's club, the Fallen Lords MC, but the family and brotherhood they preach is a load of crap and she isn't buying any of it.

Everyone knows how all those fairy tales go. The princess gets beautiful, nabs her prince, falls instantly in love, lives happily ever after and leaves her evil stepsisters in the dust. But what happens when you're the ugly stepsister and your obnoxiously perfect - read pretty, smart, and, worst of all, sickeningly nice - stepsister is dating the charming, tall, devastatingly handsome guy you've had a thing for since you were nine years old? Quirky, artistic and snarky Mattie Lowe does not lead a charmed life. Her mother is constantly belittling her on Skype.

Everything you need to know about laundry, cleaning, and basic home repairs—from the TikTok star who made bluing a thing, showed you how to fold a fitted sheet, and taught you to properly use your (caulk) gun. “[Melissa Pateras] makes chores enjoyable in her bawdy debut. . . . Doing laundry...

Now an official Witch Apprentice, Amalie is back to work and busier than ever. With the new school year on the horizon, she's got PTA meetings and parent-teacher conferences, on top of all her magical responsibilities. Oh, and Taylin is being possessed by ghosts, boyfriend Reese is a temporary houseguest, and Amalie has been recruited as a chaperone on Taylin's next field trip. When the head of the PTA, Becky, is found dead after Amalie serving her lunch, both Amalie and Taylin are tossed into a murder investigation of the human variety this time.

Burnt-out social worker Amalie Holmes thinks she's finally caught a lucky break in the form of a free cottage from her mystery great aunt. With nothing to lose, Amalie heads for the hills, or, in this case, the mountains. Turns out the cottage comes with a big family secret: Amalie is from a long line of witches. She quickly discovers that living in a new town isn't easy, especially when lightning strikes whenever she loses her temper! When an orphaned 11-year-old stands accused of murder, Amalie's social worker instincts compel her to solve the case and clear the child.

Adara has no idea who she is. What she is. That doesn't stop danger from stalking her. It also does nothing to stem the nightmares. Caught in her dreams of darkness, Adara attracts the attention of a werewolf and a vampire and wonders if she's losing her mind. They can't exist, and her mind says forget. But she wants to remember. However, if she does, will the truth shatter her?

A young widow inherits a run-down farmhouse and a whole new beginning in Virginia in this charming and emotional novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Summerhouse. Quiet, unassuming, and overweight, Lillian did anything and everything to please her husband of twenty years, the...

Avery Nichols knows how to wear the mask. Perfect student, perfect daughter, and perfect friend. Nobody would ever guess that inside, Avery is a prisoner to her own self-loathing. Then she meets him...and everything changes. Handsome, charming, and self-assured, Jake Matthews sweeps Avery off her feet in an effortless fashion. Avery knows Jake is everything she needs and all she has ever wanted. She would destroy herself to be loved by him...until he walks away.

Krissy Hancock is staying in her adopted hometown of Pine Hills, Ohio, for Christmas this year - and she even has a whole week off from her combination bookstore-cafe. Unfortunately, she's been roped into filling in for a sick elf in the local holiday musical extravaganza. With a demanding director, backstage gossip, and two men in fierce competition for the starring role, it isn't all sweetness and Christmas lights. Then a murder puts a stop to the production, and Krissy is faced with a pageant of suspects.

Maddie thought her spontaneous kiss with a gorgeous stranger at an exclusive club was just that—a momentary spark with a man she’d never see again. But when she arrives at her new job the next Monday, she’s stunned to find that her mystery man is actually Ian Hastings, her new boss…and their chemistry is far from a one-time thing.

Remy Devereux is an ace homicide detective with the SFPD. At work, she's embroiled in a months-long murder investigation that has yet to show any signs of breaking. At home, she's on the skids with her soon-to-be ex-girlfriend, while nightmares of the gruesome murder scene keep her up at night.

After a long, snowy winter on Daybreak Island, Maddie and her cat cafe crew are finally ready to embrace the spring, though life is anything but calm. With Val and Ethan's wedding taking center stage, Maddie finds herself juggling wedding plans alongside a new and unexpected venture—a generous donation has made her the co-owner of a traveling cat cafe truck. To kick off the new chapter, she seizes the chance to take the truck on its inaugural trip to a cat literary festival in Provincetown, accompanied by her family and some of the shelter crew.

Jake Matthews understands loss. In just one year, he lost his mother, his first love, his career, and now his cousin and best friend. But loss is the very thing that allows him to see the amazing woman he's always overlooked. And for the very first time, Jake wants to be worthy of such a pure love. Naomi Bennett spent the last year finding herself. Running away to Portugal was more than just a trip to find culture, but also an escape from the first man she ever gave her heart to. Now home, the last thing Naomi wants is to catch the eye of notorious playboy Jake Matthews.

Brielle Durand is a key defender and hunter for her people's peace-loving French settlement in the Canadian mountains. When a foreigner wanders too near to their secret homes, she has no choice but to disarm and capture him. She won't allow another massacre like the one that killed her mother a dozen years before. But now, what to do with this man who looks at her in a strange way?

To escape exile, Aidan Paytah has had to prove himself worthy - every second of every damn day. He fought with everything he had to earn his precarious place on the Huracán team of dragon-shifter enforcers. He can’t fail or afford distractions, no matter how temptingly sweet. Total loyalty to the clans and dedication to his team is the only way. Sera Morrison lost her parents and her husband in short order, leaving her a single mother running her family winery alone. Nothing could ever have prepared her for the discovery that she’s a destined dragon mate.

The murder of police captain Rob Porter sends shockwaves through the small town of Himmel. And when a member of Rob's own department is arrested for the crime, everyone is stunned. But journalist Leah Nash isn't buying it. To her, the motive isn't plausible, the evidence is thin, and the investigation smacks of an overconfident detective eager to solve a high-profile murder. So when Leah's asked to do some digging for the defense, she jumps at the chance.

Toxic: very harmful or unpleasant in an invasive or sinister way. One word. Two consonants. Five letters. Two people. Quinn James Carter met Solei Shayne Rodriguez his senior year of high school. At first, he tried to stay away from her. But the heart wants what the heart wants, and if there were two people in this world who were meant to be together, it was Shayne and him. Sadly, life doesn’t work out like you plan.

Thanks to Winnie's new cider shop, Smythe Orchards is out of the red and folks can get their fix of the produce and other delectable products they love all year round. The locals are even booking the shop for events, including a June wedding! Winnie couldn't be happier to see the barn filled to the rafters for the big bash - until her doting ex, Hank, is caught in a heated argument with the groom. Winnie plans to scold Hank after the party, but spots him running off instead. And when the groom turns up dead, apparently hit by the honeymoon getaway car, Hank is the main suspect.