So Close

In So Close, the internationally renowned writer Hélène Cixous recounts a return to her native Algeria after a more than thirty-year absence. Before she can decide to go, she must sift through large parts of her past in a land where she never felt at home and, from a young age, knew she must leave. Above all, she must confront the depths of her mother’s rejection of the country that had rejected her despite years of devotion to the poor women of Algiers. As she is struggling with this decision, she receives a message from Zohra Drif, with whom she has had no contact since their school days, which was just before Zohra joined the Algerian FLN and become a heroine in the uprising against French rule in her homeland. They meet in Paris for the first time in more than fifty years and soon afterward the narrator departs for Algiers. The latter part of the narrative brings a rush of sensations, impressions, memories, and new encounters as the narrator revisits sites from her past in Algiers and especially in Oran, the city of her birth, the city of the family’s happiness before her father’s death when she was a young girl. The quest to find his grave again in the overgrown Jewish cemetery of Algiers leads to a startlingly moving scene that closes the voyage and the book.

The inn is her life. He needs to tear it down. Auburn Campbell loves Beachcrest Inn. Working there saved her sanity as a teenager and got her back on her feet after a controlling relationship. So when Trey Xavier shows up, threatening to demolish Beachcrest, she’s ready to fight. Nothing riles her up like a hot guy in an expensive suit on a power trip—in the worst and best ways. Trey screwed up. And now he needs this land deal or he’ll lose his business. He built his company from scratch so he could take care of his family the way his dad never did. But it would be a lot easier for Trey to stand his ground if Auburn didn’t tempt him so badly. He hasn’t wanted anyone like this in a long time. Maybe ever. After a few days of summer sun, Auburn and Trey are both losing their heads—and maybe their hearts, too. Except they’re both out of practice at losing. Only one thing’s certain: The Fourth of July in Tierney Bay will have plenty of fireworks this year. Praise for So Close “A beautifully written slow burn romance, jam-packed with sexual tension, snappy dialogue, and a cast of clever and charming characters. Get ready to fall in love with Trey and Auburn!" —Karen Booth, Author of Tempted by Scandal “I loved this book. I loved the story line. I loved the characters. I loved the chemistry. I loved the friendships and family love. … The entire thing was fantastic.” —Andrea, Avid Reader “So Close is a feel good romance brimming with heart, humor, drama, and romance. I loved watching these two go toe-to-toe and try to fight the sparks …” —Misty, Red’s Romance Reviews

There will be a moment in time when you're forced through a door you never opened, with no chance of turning back. You've never experienced anything like it, can't entirely anticipate it, much less hasten or delay its timing. It's out of your control. The majority of people ignore this door, some do everything in their power to run from it, while others waste their entire lives fearing it. But no one will avoid it. Annie had assumed the door wasn't ready to be opened. She had her whole life ahead of her. But while she was happily living in denial, unbeknownst to her she was surrounded by loved ones anxiously awaiting and expecting the door to open at any moment. She had been so very close. So close to joining them, so close to changing her mind, so close to putting her life on pause just long enough to remember what was important in life. But so close was now so very far away. She was sleeping when those she loved went through their open door, and by the time she awakened, the moment was over, the door had closed, and her nightmare had begun. So Close is the haunting, frightening story of Annie's next twenty-four hours. Will her experience end up mimicking your missed chance, or will it awaken a desire within you to anticipate your open door?

From the No 1 Sunday Times bestselling author of the Crossfire saga comes the beginning of a twisty tale of obsession and fury, as a trinity of women protect what they covet at any cost. 'Domestic suspense at its sexiest' SAMANTHA DOWNING You can't believe all of them, but can you trust any of them? Widower Kane Black remains ruinously married to his late wife, Lily. Grief has hollowed him ... until he sees a woman with his wife's inimitable beauty on Manhattan's streets. He whisks her up to his towering penthouse, protectively guarded, nestling her in dark opulence where Lily's memory is a possessive, beguiling force. Aliyah, Kane's mother, deals in science. There are too many questions, too few answers, and too much at stake. "Lily" has dangerous control over Kane and there can be only one queen on this throne. Amy, Kane's sister-in-law, has been bloodied by deceit and betrayal, and she's devolving into murderous rage. She's paid too high a price and now intends to claim what she's owed. Three women, linked by buried secrets, circle the man who unquestioningly accepts the return of his beloved long-dead wife. Kane is happier than he's ever been, and he'll do anything to stay that way. A lushly gothic novel of domestic suspense, So Close is an emotionally intense and scorchingly sensual story of love, greed and ambition from multimillion-copy international bestseller Sylvia Day.

A tribute to the bravest, craziest, unluckiest, most ridiculous defeats in Australian sporting history. Typically, there?s only one way to win ? by being the best. But there are countless ways of having victory snatched from your grasp. Remember Pat Rafter?s 2001 Wimbledon final against the enigmatic Goran Ivanisevic. Think of Allan Border and Jeff Thomson?s titanic last-wicket partnership against England in 1982 that nearly won one of the closest-fought Tests ever. Look no further than Australian walker Jane Saville, only a few hundred metres from a gold medal at Sydney 2000 when she was tragically disqualified. And yet, as Adam Scott shows, a devastating defeat can sometimes spur a champion on to glory. From the calamitous to the hilarious, from the poignant to the absurd, sport is about so much more than gold medals, premiership trophies and urns filled with ashes. And in So Close, some of those sportspeople will finally get the recognition they deserve.

How well do you know the Holy Spirit? How clearly do you hear His voice? How real is He in your everyday life? Bestselling author and creator of the Midnight Mom Devotional community Becky Thompson invites you into a closer relationship with the Holy Spirit by scripturally unpacking who he is and how he moves in and through the life of a believer. In God So Close, Thompson wants to lead you into a deeper understanding of the Holy Spirit so you can have a closer connection with God. Becky will help you explore who the Holy Spirit is and why He is important become aware of God moving around you and within you learn how to listen for the prompting of the Holy Spirit discern when God is leading you Long gone are the days of believing that the Spirit of God only attends certain church services or speaks to or through particular people. God So Close shows you are a carrier of his Spirit and have been filled with his power and presence. It's for His glory that you've been given gifts to impact the world and reveal the message of Jesus.

Thirteen-year-old Quinn and her friends can't believe their luck when spring break is extended an extra two weeks—even if it's because of some virus. But when the impact of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic becomes apparent, everyone, not just the students, has to learn to adjust to their new reality. Quinn’s father is an ER doctor and has to self-isolate to protect his family from the virus. Isaac’s mother is the chief of police and now has to enforce new physical-distancing bylaws. Reese can’t visit her grandmother in her care home anymore. And their entire school has moved to online classes. Sacrifices have to be made to keep everyone safe, but there’s more to life than rules and scary news reports. In an effort to find some good in all this uncertainty, Quinn comes up with an idea that she hopes will bring the entire community together.