the devil is a handsome man Audiobooks

It’s hard enough being barely above average, when your brothers include the deadliest swordsman of the realm, a saint, prodigies – and the greatest hero of the Middle Ages. But what if you haven’t seen your Queen of Love in years, and she's imprisoned by a one-armed religious zealot and lethal librarians? Even worse, your only allies are vicious killers, with rather bad manners and outsized appetites. Who all want to murder your heroic brother. The result – in a world of pedantic misrule, feckless magic, and courage both dauntless and daunted – is either High Adventure or an Identity Crisis. Or both.

In order to survive her childhood, Vanya Erickson was forced to become fluent in two languages: her Christian Scientist mother’s honeyed versions of the truth; and her rancher father’s hard-as-the-scrape-of-his-bootheels words, which stung like the back of his hand. Long version: From the outside, Vanya’s childhood of riding horses with her father in the solitude of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and attending flamboyant operas with her mother in the city looked idyllic. But life for Vanya was more about learning to gauge and survive her parents’ unpredictable actions - from being left to lie in her own blood-soaked diaper while her Christian Scientist mother prayed, refusing to get medical help, to watching her father writhe on his bed in the detox ward, his hands and feet tethered with leather straps. Vanya the only way she knew how: by immersing herself in the beauty and solitude of the wilderness around her.

She poured her heart out, yet he did not do the same. As infidelity befell her marriage, she was forced to divorce her husband with nothing left in her name. Overnight, she changed from the enviable position of Madam Larson to a pitiful, penniless wretch. She thought that she would not meet him again, yet fate played with her and they crossed paths once more. “Let me go, I beg you.”“Do you think I’ll do that again?”

An impressive debut mystery novel from Edgar award nominated author Brian Silverman Len Buonfiglio is a former New York bar owner and family man who has disappeared to a small island in the Caribbean. When a genial tour guide, Rawle "Big Tree" Johns is a suspect in an American woman's fall from a cliff, Johns' mother enlists Buonfiglio's help to free her son and prove his innocence. Conflicted by the need to spend time with his 16-year old daughter who he hasn't seen in years, Mr. Len as he's known on the island, reluctantly agrees to help. During his investigation he discovers there are other, much more powerful forces involved in the woman's death that threaten both his life and his family. Advance praise for Freedom Drop: "What a thrill to find Mystery Tribune, one of the best magazines in the business, launching a novel-publishing arm, and launching it with Brian Silverman's FREEDOM DROP. Silverman had me at the Caribbean setting, and held me with his fully human characters -- of both good and bad natures -- and their situation. Both the book and the publisher are welcome additions to the crime-writing world!" - SJ Rozan, Edgar-winning author of THE ART OF VIOLENCE" A mystery steeped in authentic Caribbean atmosphere. Silverman knows his territory, as does his hero, an ex-Marine-turned-sleuth who discovers that, even in paradise, things aren't always what they seem." - Wallace Stroby, author of HEAVEN'S A LIE and SOME DIE NAMELESS. "A buddy book, a whodunit, and a family drama, Freedom Drop is mystery magic." - Reed Farrel Coleman, New York Times Bestselling Author of WHAT YOU BREAK "Brian Silverman's Freedom Drop is an exciting and welcome new addition to the crime writing pantheon " - S.A. Cosby, Author of BLACKTOP WASTELAND "An impressive debut...Silverman capably captures the feel of his setting en route to a satisfying conclusion. A sequel is warranted." - Publisher's Weekly

Play It Forward details the remarkable journey of Joan Barnes, founder and former CEO of Gymboree, and how she learned to align her inner life with outward success. Forty years ago, Joan Barnes founded a play center in a church basement with $3,000. Determined to enable women to achieve personal and entrepreneurial success, Barnes led Gymboree to become an innovative leader in a new industry: activity-based early childhood development. The company eventually became a global billion-dollar brand. But this dramatic entrepreneurial memoir is also a cautionary tale and redemption story. When GymboreeÕs IPO became a phenomenal success story, Barnes was nowhere near Wall Street. She had left the company because of an eating disorder that threatened to destroy her and everything she built. Barnes overcame the disorder, charting a path that replaced demons with an enduring sense of worth and hope. She eventually resumed her business career on healthier terms with a line of yoga studios in an inspiring example of how women can triumph through reinvention. Published to coincide with GymboreeÕs 40th anniversary, Play It Forward offers readers a deeply honest perspective of the challenges of business building and seeking a work-life balance in tune with personal values.

At age 50, Maria Leonard Olsen drank her way out of her 25-year marriage. She had, against advice, put all her eggs in the motherhood basket, willfully derailing her successful law career. As teenagers, her precious children did not need her in the hands-on way they previously had. Her husband and she had grown apart because, among other things, they failed to nurture that important relationship. She was depressed and stuck. When she turned 50, she had the distinct feeling that she was on the downward slope of her life. Actuarially speaking, she was. So when she turned 50, her gift to herself was to go on a crusade to make the most of whatever time she had left. She set out to do 50 new things that were significant, at least to her. The list spanned physical challenges, adventure travel, and lifestyle changes. Each taught her something about herself and about how she wanted to lead the next years of her life to come. This work follows the work she did to accomplish those 50 new things and shows readers how to make their own action lists - whether it be joining a knitting club or hiking the Himalayas, every item has significance for each individual and speaks to her needs and desires. The list is the match to spark the fire that will light the years after 50. Readers will hear about Maria's adventures and the rewards of each. Accomplishing new things, learning new skills, deepening personal and spiritual relationships, and seeking out challenges will add the spice to a life that may feel repetitive, insignificant, inauthentic, or just plain boring.

She has her eye on the prize. He has his eyes on her. Former soldier, now rodeo cowboy, Huck Jones doesn’t believe in love or marriage. Still, a promise is a promise, and he’s prepared to honor his fallen team leader’s wish to walk his sister down the aisle in Marietta, Montana. When the groom bolts moments before the ceremony, Huck offers himself as her alternative groom. Barrel racer Willow McBride hates the cowboy code, and the soldier code is even more annoying. She’s pregnant, not helpless, so when her late brother’s sexy friend offers himself as a sacrificial husband, the answer is a resounding no. She wants love not duty. Plus, the 85th Copper Mountain Rodeo is looking to be her last as a competitor, and she intends to win. Huck may no longer be a soldier, but he still believes no man—or woman—should be left behind. He’ll need to woo the beautiful, stubbornly independent cowgirl and change her mind. Failure is never an option.

AN AMAZON BEST SELLING BOOK FOR KIDS! *2020-2021 One Book One School Book of the Year* **Purple Dragonfly Book Award First Place Winner** Should Sophie Stand Up to the School Bully or Become a Snitch? There's nothing worse than being a tattletale... That's what 10-year-old Sophie Washington thinks until she runs into Lanie Mitchell, a new girl at school. Lanie pushes Sophie and her friends around at their lockers, and even takes their lunch money in this entertaining chapter book for middle grade readers. If they tell, they are scared the other kids in their class will call them snitches and won't be their friends. And when you're in the fifth grade, nothing seems worse than that. Then a classmate gets seriously injured and Sophie needs to make a decision: fight back, or snitch? Here's what Goodreads reviewers say about Sophie Washington: The Snitch: "Great children's book that teaches children practical and valuable life lessons." "This would be a great book for the counselor, the library and the classroom ready for reading!" "I liked that, while a heavy subject matter, the book never felt preachy." "Good story about bullying and standing up for what's right." This is the second book in the Readers' Favorite five star rated Sophie Washington book series.

When the cynic... Fredi doesn’t believe in love. She might be a successful bridal gown designer but that’s just business. Sure, she’s watched her three best girlfriends fall head over heels with the men of their dreams but she’s certain that’s not in the cards for her. That doesn’t mean that she’s not interested in some fun with a handsome movie star––one who just happens to be her assigned date for her best friend’s wedding in Monaco. Meets the movie star... Zayn’s used to women falling at his feet so he’s utterly captivated by Fredi’s quick wit and her refusal to be impressed by him. Their chemistry is off the charts and their connection is something unexpected. Sparks are about to fly... With only a few days before Fredi disappears back to her life, Zayn is determined to convince her that she can trust him with the one thing she swore to never give anyone–her heart. Each book in the Girls Weekend Away series is STANDALONE: * What Happens in Vegas * Meet Me In San Francisco * The Nashville Bet * A Match Made in Monaco

After two years of fruitless devotion, Madison is callously dismissed by her now ex-lover, with a pitiful plea for her to 'do him a favor.' On the very day of her divorce, she unexpectedly ties the knot with the world's richest man, Ethan Grant. Her dramatic shift from an ordinary woman to an affluent matriarch, from a homemaker to a top-tier aviator, leaves the world in shock. Her ex-lover, filled with regret, attempts to make amends, only to find himself financially crippled by the wealthy Mr. Grant. When reporters inquired, "How do you feel about marrying a 'second-hand woman'?" Ethan's response was the talk of the town. "Firstly," he stated, "my wife is the only woman captain in domestic civil aviation and the youngest and most outstanding woman captain globally. Secondly, it is me who is unworthy of her." At that moment, someone shouted, "President Grant, your wife just landed with a passenger plane to pick you up!" The tycoon, holding his daughter, immediately dashed towards the rendezvous, exclaiming, "Let's go find Mommy!"