Joe didn't actually realize that he was searching for his birthday gifts, as his grandfather asked him to help him find a key as well as a ball of string that he had misplaced, but in unraveling these clues and searching for these objects, he discovered a bicycle and some computer games as well.Joe's birthday was coming up, but instead of just giving him his presents, his grandfather who was a detective, gave him some clues to search for instead. His grandfather also spun him a story about a lost key and an illusive ball of string and along the way Joe managed to unravel the clues and also find a bicycle and some cool computer games.

Four years ago, Gabriel Preston, Duke of Beckhampton prepared to ask for the hand of his love, Lady Eliza Clayton. Then she vanished. Rumors ran rampant through Polite Society, each one suggesting a different theory, yet all resulted in the same conclusion: Lady Eliza didn't love him. Vowing never to bare his soul to a woman again, Beck locked himself away on his estate. After protesting, cajoling, and crying daily for four years, Lady Eliza has finally convinced her mother to allow them to return to England from Boston, where they'd been "visiting" family. She knew the true reason for their voyage, despite Mama's denials. Her parents refused to allow her to marry the Duke of Beckhampton. Yet after all this time apart, Eliza still loved him. Beck is shocked when Eliza appears in Society once more, and even more surprised to discover he desires her after all the pain she caused him. He's feeling the Christmas spirit for the first time in years....

Marry a stranger? Who does that?!? Taylor Thompson's mother is haranguing her to get married, but she's working too hard to fund her dream—the best cupcake shop in town—to have time for romance. Nathan Fletcher's movie star grandmother has only months left to live. Her death bed wish? To see him married before she dies. So they strike a deal—if Taylor will pretend to be his girlfriend, Nathan will fund her shop. When his excited grandmother takes over planning the wedding, they can't bear to disappoint her so they decide to go through with it—and have it annulled after Grandma's gone. Except nothing after "I do" goes as planned. What happens when you fall in love with a stranger? Join Tayler on her enchanting journey in Tying the Knot, the fifth heartwarming installment in USA Today bestselling author Heather Horrocks' beloved Love on Christmas Street series. If you adore the laughter and warmth of holiday rom-coms,...

** Nadia ** ****Being dumped right before the holidays is the worst. The last thing I wanted to do was head off to a big family dinner where I could hear all about why I was suddenly single. My mom wasn't taking no for an answer.  The last person I expected to see was the one man I'd always wanted, the one who'd never given me a second look. But there he was, eyes smiling with promise, right in front of me. Could this be happening? God, I hope so. **Sam** I was at loose ends, and figured why not? When my grandmother invited me to a Thanksgiving family dinner with her old friend, I was hoping to see my first love. And then, there she was, arms full of pie, right in front of me.  Pie everywhere and the sexiest woman I've ever met? Break out the whipped cream. **Hot Apple Pie is part of Second Helpings, a group of ten short stories released by acclaimed romance authors. Each book is a second-chance romance that takes place during Thanksgiving. All guaranteed sweeter than sweet potato pie and dirtier than a sink full of dishes! Check out all the fun and quick holiday stories by these other incredible authors: Sierra Hill, Alexis Adaire, Tessa Blake, Laney Powell, Vivian Ward, Derek Masters, Dori Lavelle, Sher Dillard and Tracy Lorraine.**

In the Ancient Lands of the Pemiwegasset consists of two short stories about life in the Pemigewasset wilderness of central New Hampshire. The stories surround the misadventures of the author and two young men as they explore the rugged wilderness along the Kancamagus River.The church choirs of St. Cyril's and St. Cyprian's are run by former friends, now bitter rivals since their school days. Forced by a threatened clash of performance dates to co-ordinate arrangements, they are induced to co-operate more closely by an offer of sponsorship from a local business. Their first joint engagement at the home of an émigré Russian oligarch gains not entirely unwelcome publicity from the murder of their host during the evening. A later joint performance, with an orchestra supported by their own sponsor's American counterpart, leads to a discovery ending the quarrel between the two choir leaders.

Kane: Elspeth Crandall is the most delectable morsel in the room, and I am a starving man. Nevertheless, I'm surprised when she accepts my offer to spend some one-on-one time together at my place. She doesn't seem like a vixen, but she's got what I'm craving, and who am I to question fate?In our short time together, I realize she is more than I ever dreamed of, and like a fool, I let her walk out the door.Elspeth: Kane Raventon is walking sex on a stick. He's not the kind of guy who notices girls like me. When he comes to my rescue with an invitation to escape a crappy situation, I don't resist. He's nothing like I expected. Then a voice from my past reminds me of how this will end, and I know what I have to do.I won't keep making the same mistakes - not even for Kane Raventon.

Happy Fourth of July! Welcome to Milltown, Co, population 15,000, where the only things hotter than the annual fireworks show are the men in uniform looking for love and the women who want to light their fuses. Join the authors of Flirt Club with The Fireworks Series of stories that celebrate summertime, bbqs, and all things that end with a bang!Where will you be when the fireworks go off?-------Serena:Nothing like being the only one standing at the altar to make you want to move somewhere new and start all over. That also means no more men–I'm going to be all business, all the time. The perfect opportunity comes to me via a friend–I love my Spar Island girls–and I end up going for a dream and buying my own bakery in Milltown, Colorado, just in time for the town's big fireworks celebration.And everything is great until he walks in.Nate:I thought the fireworks show and the various fires were the hottest things I had to deal with after coming home to Milltown. That is until I met Serena, who just bought the bakery that's right down the street from the firehouse where I'm working. Calling her a distraction is an understatement.And her buttercream frosting isn't the only thing that melts in my mouth.It won't take much to light this fuse.

Scanned, converted, re-formatted, proofed, custom book cover and eBook creation by Jerry.

Scared of spiders? This short story will help you to overcome this fear and maybe you'll even begin to take an interest in the spiders in your garden and document your findings. Its all about how a little bit of knowledge can change our perceptions of the things we fear most.Lola, the spider lady, came to the club to introduce the women to the world of spiders. She knew she would have to win them over by telling them about some of the interesting techniques that spiders used to catch their prey but it threw her a bit when one woman screamed at the sight of a big hairy spider and another person got up and ran from the room. Trying harder now, she showed them some slides and soon a few of the women came over to view Goldie, the big hairy spider that had initially scared them.The woman who had run from the room returned and soon asked a few questions and in no time at all she became Lola's biggest fan and even started a spider diary of her own. Here she recorded the activities of the spiders in her own garden and also introduced her family to the world of spiders.So if you have a fear of spiders, this short story might help you to overcome it.