book recommendations 2020

Parenthood is hard. It's even harder when you're a single mother with a smart eight year old in your hand. Zoey Martinez has been doing well providing for both herself and her child. Things changed one day when she got a complaint from one of her son's teachers about him being disruptive. It has been eight years since that dreadful night. Almost a decade since they last saw each other. Eight years since Xavier Danvers rejected his own flesh and blood. What will happen when the universe brings them back together? Has their love survived after all these years?

"A talented and ambitious chef, Jaime Martinez knows the value of hard work. Now the executive chef at his best friend’s vineyard in Heron’s Landing, Jaime only wants to make his mark on the culinary world. Romance? Not in the cards for him. And definitely not with his best friend’s little sister, who’s recently grown into a beautiful young woman. A painter and an innocent, Grace Danvers is a temptation that would only end in disaster. Yet when Grace confesses her feelings for Jaime one night, he’s suddenly torn between his attraction to her and his loyalty to her brother. Soon that loyalty is tested when Jaime comes under scrutiny for a crime he didn’t commit, a crime that could jeopardize all of his hard work and his blossoming romance with Grace. As things heat to a boiling point between the forbidden lovers, Jaime must now decide if he’s willing to sacrifice everything for the woman he loves. This title was previously published as Tempt Me Tenderly. It’s been rereleased with a brand-new look and with lightly edited content."

Caitlin and Caleb awake in ancient Israel, in the year 33 A.D., and are amazed to find themselves in the time of Christ. <br><br>Ancient Israel is a place of holy sites, of ancient synagogues, of lost relics. It is the most spiritually charged place in the universe—and in 33 A.D., the year of Christ’s crucifixion, it is the most spiritually charged time. In the heart of its capitol, Jerusalem, lies the Holy Temple of Solomon, inside of which sits the Holy of Holies and the Ark of God. And in these streets, Christ will take his final steps to be crucified. <br><br>Jerusalem teems with people of all religious backgrounds and faiths, under the watchful eye of Roman soldiers, and their Prefect, Pontius Pilate. The city also has a dark side, with its labyrinthian streets and maze of alleyways leading to hidden secrets and Pagan temples. <br><br>Caitlin now, finally, has all four keys, but still, she must find her father. Her search takes her to Nazareth, to Capernaum, to Jerusalem, following a mystical trail of secrets and clues in the footsteps of Christ. It also takes her to the ancient Mount of Olives, to Aiden and his coven, and to more powerful secrets and relics than she’s ever known. At every turn, her father is just a step away. <br><br>But time is of the essence: Sam, turned to the dark side, has landed back in this time, too, and as he unites with Rexius, leader of the evil coven, they race to beat Caitlin to the Shield. Rexius will stop at nothing to destroy Caitlin and Caleb, and with Sam on his side, and a new army behind him, the odds are in his favor. <br><br>Making matters worse, Scarlet arrives back in time alone, separated from her parents. She roams the streets of Jerusalem on her own, with Ruth, and as she begins to discover her own powers, she also finds herself in graver danger than she’s ever been. Especially when she discovers that she is holding a great secret, too.

Caitlin Paine wakes to discover herself back in time. There, she learns of her destiny and her mission: to find her father and the ancient vampire Shield needed to save mankind. <br><br>But Caitlin’s heart still pines for her lost love: Caleb. She desperately needs to know if he has survived their trip back in time. She learns that her mission requires her to go to Florence, but if she wants to pursue matters of the heart, she must go to Venice. She chooses Venice. <br><br>Caitlin is overwhelmed at what she finds. Venice of the eighteenth century is a surreal place, men and women dressed in elaborate costumes and masks, celebrating an endless, lavish party. She is thrilled to discover and reunite with some of her close friends, and to be welcomed back into their coven. And she is excited to join them in Venice’s Grand Ball, the most important costume dance of the year, where she hopes, once again, to find Caleb. <br><br>But Caitlin is not the only one who can travel back in time: Kyle soon arrives, too, and is determined to hunt her down and kill her once and for all. Sam, too, arrives, determined to save his sister before it is too late. <br><br>At the Ball, Caitlin searches everywhere, and finds no sign of Caleb. That is, until the very last dance. She dances with a masked man who takes her heart away, and she feels certain that it is him. But as the partners change, she loses him again. Or does she? <br><br>Caitlin soon finds herself torn between the two loves of her life, and discovers that she has to be careful what she wishes for. Her joy at finding what she wants might just come mixed with tragedy and heartbreak. <br><br>In a climactic, action-packed ending, Caitlin finds herself up against true evil, Rome’s ancient vampire coven, and the most powerful vampire coven that ever existed. Surviving will demand all her skills, as she finds herself battling for her very life. She will have to sacrifice more than ever, if she is to save the one she loves….

Their marriage has been written in the stars. Three generations have waited for the union of the two families. But now it is time. Everyone is giddy with excitement, well, all except one. The groom. Feeling abandoned by his reluctant attitude towards their proposed wedding his future bride seeks comfort in the arms of his nephew. A tug of war ensues for Chloe's heart. To do her duty or chase a brand new love? All Chloe Black wants is a lover to call her own, what she steps foot in is a world that can claim her life instead.

"After his last tour in the Marines, Seth Thornton finds himself adrift when he returns to Fair Haven, Washington. A capable soldier who moved up the ranks, Seth struggles to find his place in a town he once called home as the memories of war continue to haunt him—until the day he encounters the beautiful Rose DiMarco. Seth saves Rose when a man accosts her, yet to his surprise, she spurns his help. Her beauty and her headstrong ways captivate him, and he can’t forget about her. When Rose becomes his new neighbor, she suddenly presents a temptation that the normally aloof Seth cannot resist. He wants her more than he’s ever wanted any woman. Rose DiMarco fled Seattle to escape from an ex-boyfriend who made her life hell. Fair Haven is supposed to be her haven, but her ex isn’t about to let her go. When he threatens her, she never expects her sexy new neighbor Seth to defend her and declare himself her protector. And she definitely doesn’t expect to long for Seth in every possible way: she wants his kiss, his embrace, his caress. His love. But as Rose’s ex-boyfriend vows to divulge all of her darkest secrets, she fears that Seth will never look at her the same way again when he knows the truth. While Rose must confront her demons, Seth must choose between returning to the horrors of war—or embracing a love that could set him free."

Twilight is a strong-willed she-wolf who is content with her life as an Alpha and raising her ex-mate's pup without him. Her world is turned upside down when he finds out, and even more so when she discovers they still have a bond. While trying to fight the pull of the bond, she crosses paths with an unmated alpha and persuades him to agree to a secret contract marriage. But Twilight has another secret: she didn't marry him for the benefit of both packs. She married him with plans to take his pack for herself and would go to any lengths to get what she wants. As she spends more time with him, she begins to see him in a new light. He is kind, gentle, and everything she had hoped for in a mate. She begins to question her motives for marrying him but is hesitant to get involved with him out of fear of getting hurt again. Unfortunately for her, her husband begins losing interest in the benefits of their marriage and yearns for her affection. Twilight's choices are complicated by the fact that she is a werewolf. In her world, mates are chosen by the Moon Goddess, and they are meant to be together forever. But what if the Moon Goddess has made a mistake? Will she take a chance on her old life with Takumi or choose the excitement of a new beginning with her mystery husband? Or neither? Find out in this story full of love, loss, and redemption that will keep you guessing until the very end. TRIGGER WARNING: There might be a sensitive topic or two.

So far Amberleigh Dubois rags to riches story hasn’t been much of a fairytale. Impregnated by billionaire Grayson Godwin, told pretty promises, only to be dumped when the railroad heir chose another. She found comfort in the arms of his best friend Leo Clemonte. But fate brought the three of them back together. And it became a love story that broke all the rules. Amber, Grayson, and Leo's happily ever after is threatened by their enemies.The evil Van Tessin empire must fall. The Godwin dynasty must unite in the face of those seeking to tear it apart. To make the world safe for their little princess.The trio will face more enemies than one as Grayson’s illness progresses. Is a new drug the miracle cure? Who will rise and who will fall? Life’s not a fairytale until you make it into one...

"A book to rival TWILIGHT and VAMPIRE DIARIES, and one that will have you wanting to keep reading until the very last page! If you are into adventure, love and vampires this book is the one for you!" <br>--Vampirebooksite.com (Turned)<br><br>CRAVED is Book #10 in the #1 Bestselling series THE VAMPIRE JOURNALS, which begins with Book #1, TURNED! <br><br>In CRAVED, 16 year old Scarlet Paine struggles to find out exactly what she’s becoming. Her erratic behavior has alienated her new boyfriend, Blake, and she struggles to make amends, and to make him understand. But the problem is, she can barely understand herself what’s happening to her. <br><br>At the same time, the new boy in school, the mysterious Sage, comes into her life. Their paths keep intertwining, and although she tries to avoid it, he directly pursues her, despite the objections of her best friend, Maria, who has her own eyes set on Sage. Scarlet finds herself swept away by Sage, who takes her into his world, past the gates of his family’s historic river mansion. As their relationship deepens, she begins to learn more about his mysterious past, his family, and the secrets he must hold. They spend the most romantic time she can imagine, on a secluded island in the Hudson, and she is convinced she has found the true love of her life. <br><br>But then she is devastated to learn Sage’s biggest secret of all: he is not human, either, and he has only a few weeks left to live. Tragically, just at the moment when destiny has brought her greatest love, it also seems fated to tear them apart. <br><br>As Scarlet returns to the high school parties leading up to the big dance, she ends up in a huge falling-out with her friends, who excommunicate her from their group. At the same time, Vivian rounds up the popular girls to make her life hell, leading to an unavoidable confrontation. Scarlet’s forced to sneak out, making matters worse with her parents, and soon finds pressure building from all sides. The only light in her life is Sage. But he is still holding back some of his secrets, and Blake resurfaces, determined to pursue her. <br><br>Caitlin, meanwhile, is determined to find a way to reverse Scarlet’s vampirism. What she finds leads her on a journey to find the antidote, deep into the darkest corners of rare libraries and bookstores—and to an ancient discovery she can hardly imagine. <br><br>But it may be too late. Scarlet is changing rapidly, barely able to control what she’s becoming. She wants to be with Sage—but fate seems set on tearing them apart. As the book culminates in an action-packed and shocking twist, Scarlet will be left with a monumental choice—one that will change the world forever. How much is she willing to risk for love?

Caitlin and Caleb find themselves, once again, back in time—this time, in the London of 1599. <br><br>London in 1599 is a wild place, filled with paradoxes: while on the one hand it is an incredibly enlightened, sophisticated time, breeding playwrights like Shakespeare, on the other, it is also barbaric and cruel, with daily public executions, torture, and heads of prisoners impaled on spikes. It is also a time of superstition and grave public danger, with a lack of sanitation, and the Bubonic Plague spreading in the streets, carried by rats. <br><br>In this environment Caitlin and Caleb land, on the search for her father, for the third key, for the mythical shield that can save humankind. Their mission takes them through a whirlwind of London’s most amazing medieval architecture, through the British countryside’s most breathtaking castles. It takes them back into the heart of London, where they just might meet Shakespeare himself, and see one of his plays live. It brings them to a little girl, Scarlet, who just might become their daughter. And all the while, Caitlin’s love for Caleb deepens, as finally they are together—and as Caleb might just finally find the perfect time, and place, to propose to her. <br><br>Sam and Polly have traveled back, too, and as they find themselves stuck together on their own journey, their relationship deepens, as they each, despite themselves, can’t help feeling more deeply for each other. <br><br>But all is not well. Kyle has come back, too, as has his evil sidekick, Sergei, and they are both intent on destroying everything good in Caitlin’s life. It will be a race to the finish, as Caitlin is forced to make some of the hardest decisions of her life if she is to save everyone who is dear to her, save her relationship with Caleb—and try to make it out alive.