The stories and sketches in this collection penetrate to the heart of human experience with the passion and intelligence readers have come to expect of Doris Lessing. Most of the piece are set in contemporary London, a city the author loves for its variety, its diversity, its transitoriness, the way it connects the life of animals and birds in the parks to the streets. Lessing's fiction also explores the darker corners of relationships between women and men, as in the rich and emotionally complex title story, in which she uncovers a more parlous reality behind the facade of the most conventional relationship between the sexes.

Welcome to Hartwell, a quiet seaside escape where uncovering old secrets could lead one woman to discover the meaning of a love that lasts… While Doctor Jessica Huntington engages with the inmates at the women’s correctional facility where she works, she’s always careful to avoid emotional attachments in her personal life. Loss and betrayal taught her that lesson long ago. But when she comes across a set of old love letters in the prison’s library and visits the picturesque town of Hartwell to deliver them to their intended recipient, she finds herself unable to resist the town’s charm—and her attraction to the sexy owner of a local bar proves equally hard to deny. Since his divorce from his unfaithful ex-wife, Cooper Lawson has focused on what really matters: his family and the boardwalk pub they’ve owned for generations. But the first time Jessica steps into his bar, Cooper is beyond tempted to risk his heart on her. Yet as their attraction grows hotter and Jessica remains stubbornly closed off, he begins to realize it will take more than just passion to convince her there’s only one real thing in life worth fighting for….

Gundar is just another alien living on earth trying to make ends meet. He is working hard to make his club, The Black Hole, successful enough to franchise it, but to what end? Find out what Gundar really has in store for the people of earth."Sadie Stories" is a virtual peephole into the lives of the denizens of the idyllic village of Sadie, Connecticut. Focusing primarily on gay teenager Corey Evans, a Seventeen year old import from San Francisco who relocates to the small town after his Mother's untimely death and finds himself a little more than startled at the bizarre reality that encompasses Sadie; a town of perpetual happiness and blissful ignorance regarding anything beyond it's boarders. However, beneath the exterior of perfectly aligned tract houses and well manicured lawns, a delicate web of personal eccentricities, dashed dreams, wounded souls and dark secrets lay quietly in wait. During that last magical summer, on the cusp of adulthood, Corey finds himself an unwitting harbinger of change, as his very presence rocks the very delicate balance they cherish. Treasured friendships are forged and consequentially challenged, the ties that bind families, once thought impenetrable, are torn, and decisions are made that will change the course of lives forever. Chronicling that period in our lives when we each find our crossroads, Sadie Stories offers a unique glimpse into the very real events that mold us as human beings, offering distinctive portrayals of Men and Women, both young and old, from all walks of life- ultimately celebrating the tenacity of the human spirit.

Allison McDonald has a thriving massage practice and a spot on the local roller derby team. When an amazing woman swipes right on her dating profile, life couldn’t be more perfect. Perfection turns out to be illusion when she finds out she’s been catfished by someone using the photo of the actress, Geena. Determined to protect others from heartbreak, she contacts the dating site and Geena about the fraud. Virginia Harris’s fans know her as “Geena,” the lesbian star of a popular web series. Playing the role of Geena, and protecting her identity, is Virginia’s latest way of keeping real life—and real love—at arm’s length. Until the woman of her dreams walks into her life. But is it Geena she’s really interested in? Their attraction is immediate, but when Allison looks at Virginia, she struggles not to see the woman she thought she was in love with. As the lines between fantasy and reality blur, will they know the real thing?

Short story, 17 pages. When Charles Lawson (aka God) is forty and enjoying a career as a troubleshooter for coin fraud, he goes to Maralinga in South Australia to determine the authenticity of a mysterious coin found there after the British atomic explosions of 1960. Here he meets 25-year old Jamie Stanborough, chief archeologist on the coin dig. Jamie sets out to seduce Lawson for his own ends.Short story, 17 pages. When Charles Lawson (aka God) is forty and enjoying a career as a troubleshooter for coin fraud, he goes to Maralinga in South Australia to determine the authenticity of a mysterious coin found there after the British atomic explosions of 1960. Here he meets twenty-five-year old Jamie Stanborough, chief archeologist on the coin dig. Jamie sets out to seduce Lawson for his own ends. 5,885 words.

When Roman decides to follow his heart and bail out on a lucrative job, he sets in motion a chain of events that threatens to unravel years of work. His only option may be to bury his newfound conscience before someone buries him. The Real Thing is a fast paced pulp cyberpunk novel set in a near future Japan where corporate greed runs amok and life is lived on a knife edge.

Not your average girl next door… As Hollywood’s hottest leading lady, Maggie Tate is a master of illusions—so much so that she’s even managed to convince the world she’s perfectly happy. But when her estranged aunt leaves her a run-down beach house in sleepy Long Shores, Oregon, she jumps at the chance to escape the bubble of her perfect life. What better place to lay low than the tiny coastal town where she used to spend her summers? But when Maggie arrives in Long Shores, nothing is quite like she remembered…including the boy next door. The unforgettable boy next door… Ian Summer was the first boy Maggie ever kissed, but he’s all grown up now, with a daughter of his own. She knows she should keep her distance—no matter how rugged and manly he’s turned out. With her disastrous relationship track record, she’s sworn off men, but she’s never been able to resist the emotionally unavailable ones. Ian isn’t the ambitious musician he was when Maggie knew him.  He’s got his daughter to think of now, and a steady job as the town handyman.  He doesn’t need a diva actress coming in and rocking the boat—but the more time he spends with Maggie, the more glimpses he catches of the girl he used to know.  And the more right it feels. Could this be love? Maggie can play the love interest like no one else, but with Ian it isn’t an act. After a lifetime of Hollywood illusions, could this finally be the real thing?

What do you do when your life isn't living up to your dreams? When the man you love is unavailable, and yet you long for a family, a home? What is the cost of compromising until the real thing comes along?      Reading Elizabeth Berg is like having a friend sit down and talk with you about the deepest truths and most perplexing issues in life, and in this exquisite new novel the bestselling author of Talk Before Sleep and The Pull of the Moon once again gives us superb fiction about a passionate woman who solves life's problems in a way that is far from traditional, but close to the wise dictums of the heart.         Patty Ann Murphy says she's "Ms. Runner-Up" in life. Rarely the bridesmaid, never mind the bride, Patty sells houses for a living (well, she's sold one house so far), longs to be married and have a family, but is irresistibly drawn to the wrong man. Ethan seems perfect for Patty--handsome, generous, and sensitive--but he's hopelessly unavailable. Patty's frustration leads her to feelings she doesn't admire--jealousy of her beautiful best friend, Elaine, for instance, about whom she says, "Find me one woman who doesn't withhold just a bit from another woman who looks like that." She's also worried about her mother, with whom she's very close but who is beginning to act strangely. Patty longs more and more for the consolation of loving and being loved, but for the moment feels she must content herself with waiting--until she can wait no more.    Andre Dubus said about Elizabeth Berg's Durable Goods, "Elizabeth Berg writes with humor and a big heart about resilience, loneliness, love and hope. And the transcendence that redeems." And the same will be said about Until the Real Thing Comes Along. From the Hardcover edition.

Not your average girl next door...As Hollywood's hottest leading lady, Maggie Tate is a master of illusions—so much so that she's even managed to convince the world she's perfectly happy. But when her estranged aunt leaves her a run-down beach house in sleepy Long Shores, Oregon, she jumps at the chance to escape the bubble of her perfect life. What better place to lay low than the tiny coastal town where she used to spend her summers?But when Maggie arrives in Long Shores, nothing is quite like she remembered...including the boy next door.The unforgettable boy next door...Ian Summer was the first boy Maggie ever kissed, but he's all grown up now, with a daughter of his own. She knows she should keep her distance—no matter how rugged and manly he's turned out. With her disastrous relationship track record, she's sworn off men, but she's never been able to resist the emotionally unavailable ones.Ian isn't the ambitious musician he...

In this electrifying novel from Cassie Mae, two close friends surprise themselves by shifting from platonic love to sexual attraction.Eric Matua has one friend—his best friend and childhood sweetheart, who needs a place to stay for the summer. Mia Johnson has thousands of friends—who live in her computer. Along with her email chats and Facebook notifications, Mia also devours romance novels, spending countless hours with fictional characters, dreaming of her own Romeo to sweep her off her feet. When she starts receiving supersweet messages from a stranger who thinks she’s someone else, Mia begins to believe that real love is possible outside her virtual world. When the two friends become roommates, Mia finds herself falling harder than she ever thought she could. But Eric keeps his desires locked away, unsure of himself and his ability to give his best friend what she deserves in a boyfriend. As her advances are continually spurned, Mia splits her time between Eric and her computer. But she soon realizes she’s about to lose the only real thing she’s ever had. *Advance praise for The Real Thing“Cassie Mae is awesome! The perfect balance between laugh-out-loud funny and achingly poignant, The Real Thing is the ultimate escapist read. I didn’t want it to end!”*—Lauren Layne, author of Isn’t She Lovely “Watching two best friends figure out how to fall in love makes The Real Thing a summer read of swoon-worthy perfection.”—Jolene Perry, author of *The Summer I Found You* “Cassie Mae’s The Real Thing made me want to close out every social media app and electronic device I have, but I couldn’t manage to stop reading!”—Rebecca Yarros, author of *Full Measures* Praise for Cassie Mae“Cassie Mae’s writing is fresh and original!”—Rachel Morgan, author of the Creepy Hollow series “A fabulous author who tugs on your heart strings as if she owns them.”—Jade Hart, author of *Coffee and Cockpits “Cassie Mae has a knack for developing characters who have you wanting to climb into the pages and become part of their world.”*—Theresa Paolo, author of (Never) Again“Cassie Mae’s books have become my latest guilty pleasure. Pleasure, because who doesn’t love to read a romantic comedy? And I say guilty because when I lay my hands on one, I tend to read them in one sitting and let all my other responsibilities go to the wayside. What dishes?”—Pauline Creeden, author of *Sanctuary“Mae is very good at getting me to chuckle throughout an entire book, because her heroines are quirky and unique.”*—Book NerdReview**Advance praise for **The Real Thing“Cassie Mae is awesome! The perfect balance between laugh-out-loud funny and achingly poignant, The Real Thing is the ultimate escapist read. I didn’t want it to end!”—Lauren Layne, author of Isn’t She Lovely “Watching two best friends figure out how to fall in love makes The Real Thing a summer read of swoon-worthy perfection.”—Jolene Perry, author of *The Summer I Found You* “Cassie Mae’s The Real Thing made me want to close out every social media app and electronic device I have, but I couldn’t manage to stop reading!”—Rebecca Yarros, author of *Full Measures* Praise for Cassie Mae“Cassie Mae’s writing is fresh and original!”—Rachel Morgan, author of the Creepy Hollow series* “A fabulous author who tugs on your heart strings as if she owns them.”*—Jade Hart, author of Coffee and Cockpits “Cassie Mae has a knack for developing characters who have you wanting to climb into the pages and become part of their world.”—Theresa Paolo, author of (Never) Again“Cassie Mae’s books have become my latest guilty pleasure. Pleasure, because who doesn’t love to read a romantic comedy? And I say guilty because when I lay my hands on one, I tend to read them in one sitting and let all my other responsibilities go to the wayside. What dishes?”*—Pauline Creeden, author of Sanctuary“Mae is very good at getting me to chuckle throughout an entire book, because her heroines are quirky and unique.”—*Book Nerd

In this electrifying novel from Cassie Mae, two close friends surprise themselves by shifting from platonic love to sexual attraction.Eric Matua has one friend-his best friend and childhood sweetheart, who needs a place to stay for the summer. Mia Johnson has thousands of friends-who live in her computer. Along with her email chats and Facebook notifications, Mia also devours romance novels, spending countless hours with fictional characters, dreaming of her own Romeo to sweep her off her feet. When she starts receiving supersweet messages from a stranger who thinks she's someone else, Mia begins to believe that real love is possible outside her virtual world. When the two friends become roommates, Mia finds herself falling harder than she ever thought she could. But Eric keeps his desires locked away, unsure of himself and his ability to give his best friend what she deserves in a boyfriend. As her advances are continually spurned, Mia splits her time between Eric and her computer. But she soon realizes she's about to lose the only real thing she's ever had.become roommates, Mia finds herself falling harder than she ever thought she could. But Eric keeps his desires locked away, unsure of himself and his ability to give his best friend what she deserves in a boyfriend. As her advances are continually spurned, Mia splits her time between Eric and her computer. But she soon realizes she's about to lose the only real thing she's ever had.

Copyright 2018 by Lexi Aurora - All rights reserved.All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.Disclaimer: This is a work of fictionNames, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. Broken. In tears. At my lowest point, when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned to see him, a handsome stranger, handing me back my grandmother’s ring. The only thing he asked in return was a small favor - pretend to be his girlfriend for a night. It seemed a small price to pay, but I had no idea what I was getting into. He’s hot as hell, with an arrogance to match. He’s elusive and secretive, but won’t tell me why. It’s for my own good, he tells me. I wonder if we’re in real danger, but I’m distracted. Because now I have a secret of my own. Will I ever have the chance to tell him? *The Real Thing: A Fake Boyfriend Secret Baby Romance does contain mature language and scenes. It is intended for adult readers. It is a standalone story with an HEA and zero cliffhangers.*

Only three people in the entire world know the secret formula for Coca-Cola. So, when all three are kidnapped, the giant American corporation is in deep trouble. But the kidnappers didn't count on the extraordinary abilities of Fizzer Boyd from Glenfield High. Soon Fizzer and his friend Tupai White are in the middle of a thrilling adventure, as the search for the missing recipe becomes a matter of life and death.The Real Thing is bestselling and award-winning New Zealand author Brian Falkner's second novel. This fun, action-packed page-turner about superpowers was on the 2005 New Zealand Storylines Notable Junior Fiction Books list. Read about the other strange things happening at Glenfield High in The Flea Thing and The Super Freak. Visit Brian's website to learn more about the author and his books: brianfalkner.com/

United's under-twelves are in Poland for a tournament. Goal-keeper Tomasz is very excited to be playing in his home country, but team captain Ryan thinks Poland are rubbish - in fact, he thinks everything Polish is rubbish. Ryan's behaviour causes trouble both on and off the pitch. Can Ryan and Tomasz tackle their differences - or will Ryan's bullying foul United's chance of success?

The stories and sketches in this collection penetrate to the heart of human experience with the passion and intelligence readers have come to expect of Doris Lessing. Most of the pieces are set in contemporary London, a city the author loves for its variety, its diversity, its transitoriness, the way it connects the life of animals and birds in the parks to the streets. Lessing's fiction also explores the darker corners of relationships between women and men, as in the rich and emotionally complex title story, in which she uncovers a more parlous reality behind the facade of the most conventional relationship between the sexes.

It isn't every day you help murder someone with poison in an illegal casino, whisk his body halfway across town in a Rolls Royce, after robbing him, then bury his body in tonnes of concrete underneath an international airport–all more or less with the co-operation of two detectives. Les Norton is back in town!Trouble seems to follow Les like a blue heeler after a mob of sheep. Maybe it's his job–being a bouncer at the infamous and illegal Kelly Club in Kings Cross isn't exactly the stuff a quiet life is made of. Maybe it's his friends–like Price Galese, the urbane and well-connected owner of the Kelly Club, or Eddie Salita, the hitman who learned to kill in Vietnam, or Reg Campbell, struggling artist and dope dealer. But then again, maybe Les is just unlucky...

Sometimes you have to don a pair of cowgirl boots...Manda Marshall is ready to leave heartache behind when she marries Keith Black, a champion saddle bronc cowboy and man of her dreams. But going from the serenity of small town Tennessee to the exhilaration of the rodeo, nothing can prepare her for being a cowboy's wife. Becoming the new stepmom to Keith's little boy and teenaged daughter has Manda relying on her deep sense of longing for a family and budding love for her stepchildren to strengthen their bond.Manda's desire of being a rodeo cowboy's wife begins to take second place as she works to reinvent a life for herself and new family, but when mysterious phone calls from Keith's missing ex-wife dredge up the past, Manda finds her marriage and family in an unusual and heart wrenching dilemma. The life she had worked so hard to build is suddenly redefined and her commitment to her husband and family is tested. What Manda discovers has the power to heal or break her family...

Graduation from high school?A senior thesis?A betrayal by someone you love?A loss of innocence?The death of a parent?Losing the family you always wished you had?Facing a harsh reality?What's the line that separates childhood from the "real world"? And what happens when it's nothing you imagined it would be?Do you want to be a published author?The editors at HarperCollins invite you to submit a short story about a character who has to face the "real world" for the first time. The story must involve a single, life-changing event. First prize is the opportunity to be published alongside your favorite authors in the paperback edition of the No Such Thing as the Real World collection. All stories must be between 5,000 and 10,000 words long, and all contributing authors must be between fourteen and nineteen years old.

Iris Rainer Dart, bestselling author of BEACHES, brings you a hilarious, semiautobiographical story about a wary thirty-seven-year-old lady and a gorgeous younger man who's stealing her heart.

Jane and Mitch Devereaux have had what appeared to be an unshakable marriage—until now. Jane's sudden success as an author and Mitch's dissatisfaction with the changes in their life drive a wedge between them. When Jane uses their sex life to practice scenes for her novel, it's the last straw for Mitch. He doesn't intend to stay away, just spend the night somewhere else. But his injured ego won't let him walk back through the door. Jane is confused by his departure; Mitch only wants to have things back to the way they were. Their marriage teeters on the edge of disaster until they realize that sometimes love can be found in the most unexpected place—right where you left it.