Short Family

What do you do when your new stepmother is a lying psychopath, your best friend is out of the country, and the father who once loved you more than life itself kicks you out of the house at the beginning of Thanksgiving break? Well, you probably cry for a few hours and then crash at the first place that offers you a sofa. And if you’re me, that place happens to be a house of seven boys. Don’t get me wrong, I’m really glad I don’t have to sleep in my car until Alya gets back from her cruise. But staying with half a dozen strangers and some guy I once had a math class with was not how ...

Ruth Raber, an elderly Old Order Amish woman, has led a lonely life. She never married, never sang with a boy at one of her community's gatherings, and ruined the only relationship she could've had. And worst of all, she doesn't understand why any of that happened. Or does she? Every year around Christmas, a series of memories haunt her, and this Christmas is no different. When the nearby townspeople and the Amish and Mennonites in the area gather at Christmas Eve and invite Ruth, not only will she be challenged by her memories, she'll be challenged by a lesson from her mother, now passed ...

Family is complicated...but that's okay... Resolute is the second novella in the ongoing Andersen Family Saga. Noah Andersen had built his successful company from the ground up. He isn’t thrilled that several of his conference rooms have become a home-away-from-home for a team of government auditors trying to ferret out evidence to back up the anonymous tip received pointing in his direction. Noah knows where the tip came from. And now that he’s got his sister safely ensconced with their aunt he’s ready to take on the person responsible, her husband. But if he turns his brother-in-law...

In this singular and imaginative story collection, Cecelia Ahern explores the endless ways in which women blaze through adversity with wit, resourcefulness, and compassion. Ahern takes the familiar aspects of women's lives—the routines, the embarrassments, the desires—and elevates these moments to the outlandish and hilarious with her astute blend of magical realism and social insight.

Five tales which range from the jungles of India to the frozen emptiness of the North... In all of them, Kipling's extraordinary powers of description and ability to identify with human aspiration and animal survival are vividly shown. Rikki-Tikki-Tavi must battle with Nag, the cobra, in his territory; Toomai has a unique glimpse of the elephant world, Kotick, the White Seal, searches for sanctuary, while Kotuko has to find food for his starving Eskimo village. Above all, Kipling's love of life in all its variety shines through.

Annamae Hartman shouldn’t be alive. After nearly dying from a fever that addled her brain, she doesn’t take anything for granted and has found joy again in the simple things. No matter how much Sawyer Mills brings her joy, he is not simple! When she refuses to see him after a botched proposal, the last thing she expected was to be quarantined with him, alone, with the same fever that nearly claimed her life. When the minister insists, Annamae marries Sawyer for proprietary’s sake. She does it reluctantly and ends up half-married to a man who has no recollection of the wedding!

Set mostly in Appalachian country, backwood characters will leave you laughing in pain and gasping in horror. You will learn something new about Weston's horrific mountain tales every time you listen. They are not for the feint of heart.

From the author of My Documents and Chilean Poet, a wise, humorous, and captivating literary exploration of the delights and absurdities of childhood, fatherhood, and family life.

Wide ranging stories to add wonder and mindfulness to your day...but short stories and poetry? Yes! These are bite-size chunks of fun, weirdness, introspection, and narrative. Sort of like M&Ms, but with more letters. I even have a category of Very Short Stories, for those that want a quick read. The following are extracts from a couple of them—but I have lighter stuff too! The group of newfound friends steadfastly neared the top of the mountain. A shaft of light penetrated the foliage. They felt the yellow warmth on their head and the top of their dry eyes. Looking up, they saw the beam ...

Grace had never been more terrified...the pain was relentless. Nothing in her life prepared her for this. She desperately needed somewhere safe...someplace she could hide. Someone she could trust with her life. It was dark...and getting darker. Ronan Hendricks didn’t recognize her voice. Not family...not friends. Probably not an enemy. But he didn’t need the years he’d spent as a detective to recognize what he did hear... Fear. In a desperate moment of hope, a single number saved her life. Then a complete stranger opened his home offering safety yet Grace knew danger surrounded them.....

They say the best way to get over a broken heart is a random hook-up. So my new BFF is dragging me to a bar. All I have to do is wear a slutty dress, choose a dude, and do the deed, right? The thing is, this isn't me. I'm the good girl - the one who has sex for love. But, since the love of my life is shacked up with someone else, I guess it's time to move on. One night, one time. That's all. I'll have a clean slate. A guy with a sketch pad, sitting alone, catches my eye.

What do the Minotaur, Rasputin, the first man hung for murder in America, and the Countess of Blood all have in common? No, they aren't related. They all appeared on the Bombay Family's Hit List! In this collection of Bombay Bedtime Stories, you'll find out what Bombays did before Gin Bombay came along. From pet dodo birds to Ancient Greece and twentieth century Russia, get the stories Bombay children have been told for thousands of years. Stories that have been shrouded in blood - sworn to secrecy . . . until now!

People come to Kiss County to fall in love. But who has time for that? I'm juggling two jobs to save my family’s inn. Falling in love? Not on my to-do list. But then Carter Cartwright, a handsome bachelor, rolls into Small Town and books a room. Suddenly, I'm feeling things I didn’t plan for. I don’t have time for love. But Carter is determined to make time for me. His advances are hard to resist, but I’m not about to open up to a man just passing through on his way to Big City dreams. Welcome to Kiss County, where saving my family’s inn might just mean losing my heart. The Hot ...

Step into a world of forbidden temptation with Grandpa's House, a collection that explores the limits of taboo attraction. This bundle includes:Grandpa's Farm: A countryside getaway brings more than fresh air and hard work when boundaries blur. Grandpa's Secret: A hidden side of Grandpa's life comes to light, sparking an unexpected connection. Visiting Grandpa: A surprise visit turns into a weekend of passion between three generations of men. Dive into this bundle, where compelling storytelling meets intense eroticism as men young and old explore what happens when they dare to cross taboo ...

He's better than a corned beef sandwich! I'm meeting my sister Mel for St's St. Patrick's day. She said she ordered takeout, but I wasn't expecting a naked celtic warrior in my cauldron. Even if he does come with an extra large pickle. Join the powerful Delazney clan for a magical holiday meal and remember--the extra large pickle goes on the side. Or does it? This is a short, quick read, perfect for a relaxing break or a little ME-time.

A cozy mystery that weaves together the timeless allure of vintage fashion with a fun touch of magical intrigue. In the small town of Sweethaven, nestled among the rolling hills and surrounded by a canopy of old oak trees, lies a charming vintage store named The Time Traveler’s Trunk. Run by a young, energetic woman named Lucia Vega, the store is a treasure trove of beautiful vintage clothing. Seraphina Wilde, a reclusive dressmaker, has an uncanny ability to find the most exquisite and unique vintage dresses, each with its own story to tell. It's not just the beauty of the dresses that ...

Blended families are weird, am I right? None more so than when horny fifty-year-old Rachel calls her favorite escort service for a date and is surprised when she arrives—it’s Melanie, her stepdaughter. Not interested in Melanie’s proposal that she render services, Rachel’s resistance is quickly worn down. Will she succumb to Melanie’s dirty fantasy and have a sexual tryst with her stepdaughter? And if she does, what happens when Billy, her stepson from a previous marriage, comes home? Find out in this second multi-generational, bisexual step-family taboo ménage à trois tale that...

Traditional and progressive meet in ruby red west-central Texas... Emmie Warren is a middle school teacher who is trying not to rock the boat until she can finish her Master’s Degree and find the courage to move herself and her son away from sleepy Sweetwater to diverse, vibrant Austin, the only place in Texas she ever felt free to be herself. She’s been hiding her truth for years. She doesn’t see any reason to change that before she can make a clean break of things and start all over. Cass Prater is a brash cowgirl who lives life out loud, wherever she lives. She's got a plan and she...

Stories that will make you laugh, cry, and feel a thousand emotions in between. Following on the heels of his critically acclaimed first book of short works, A Flamingo Under the Carousel, William John Rostron continues with this second compilation of published works that utilizes multiple genres. Again, the reader is treated to tales of fiction, non-fiction, and his unique style of “almost fiction.” He spans the globe with stories that take place in London, Paris, and Rome…not to mention the oceans of the world and outer space. Rostron’s imagination brings you to the mysterious ...

Family meant everything to Ayden Stratton. It always had even when he didn’t always allow it to show. Because of that, he understood the fury in Tobias Blaise’s eyes when they learned that his sister had been dragged out the backdoor of her restaurant despite every effort to stop her from being kidnapped. Fury didn’t begin to describe what he saw in his brother’s face. Cassidy Blaise might be Tobias’s sister, but she was Benjamin’s entire world. Tobias Blaise never expected to find any woman he wanted to spend his life with, let alone one who looked at him the way Ellis did, ...