Sold Into Marriage

In 1973 a sixteen-year-old Irish schoolgirl was sold into marriage by her father. Her groom was a farmer almost four times her age. Despite a pre-nuptial agreement guaranteeing that there would be no sex, her husband raped her repeatedly. He also beat her. Although she made desperate pleas for help, the legal system, the police and the clergy failed to come to her aid. Sold into Marriage is the story of that girl's loveless marriage, as told to journalist Sean Boyne, her rape, subsequent pregnancy and suicide attempt and her eventual escape to London and freedom.

THE WRONG BROTHER? Christmas Eve. Paris. Two strangers' eyes meet. So romantic. Yet Josie didn't know her encounter with Adam Ryder was far from accidental. She could not regret the passionate evening she and Adam had shared- until she learned he was her boyfriend's brother, sent to ruin their relationship. What was she to do now that she was pregnant? Adam was arrogantly insisting on marriage. But there would be no convenience in wedding a man she loathed...and yet desperately desired....

Lord Sebastian Griffiths would do anything for his beloved dying mother. But he didnt see this one coming: to see him married before she died. Sebastian, a 38-year-old confirmed bachelor, liked things done his way and his way only. Sebastian considered a wife to be an embarrassing, time-consuming, meddling and unnecessary addition to his life. After consulting with Dennis Burrows, a solicitor and good friend from university, he forms a plan to buy a temporary wife that could be paid off when his mother died. Isabel couldnt believe her own father could sell her into marriage. After spending nine years in debtors prison looking after him, Isabel had become a strong, independent woman. It was that or fall apart and die from hunger. But Isabel wasnt ready for Sebastian. He was an attractive, arrogant, dangerous pig, yet shed gone ahead with the marriage, for the love of her father, and the chance to get him out of the hellhole they had been living in for the last nine years. Sebastian is caught unawares by the passion he experiences with Isabel. After his mother dies, and he leaves Isabel for the second time, he realises hes truly fallen in love with his own wife. Miserable and drowning his sorrows, he is rescued by Burrows, who knows his friend has to pull himself together for the sake of his unborn child, something Sebastian has yet to discover. Will Sebastian be able to find the courage to go back to Isabel and win her heart, or will she turn him out like the rat hes been?

When Meadow’s guardian can’t afford his taxes, the foul tempered man instead offers her into the service of the crown—as a slave. But the commander of a passing troop intervenes and pays a bride price for Meadow, and within a few hours she finds herself married to the stern, intimidating man known as Commander Varron. Her new husband proves to be dominant but caring, and her heart eventually softens to the handsome stranger who bought her. But is there any hope of him loving her in return? Commander Varron wanted Meadow from the moment he looked into her pretty blue eyes, but he expects his new wife’s obedience and doesn’t hesitate to turn her over his knee and redden her bottom when she’s been naughty. The little lass has a tendency to lose her temper, and he sets out to tame her with firm but loving scoldings, spankings, and even more intimate punishments that leave her blushing yet aching for his touch. But their happiness may be short-lived. As they travel to Varron’s homeland, an unexpected danger arises on the high seas, threatening their future together. Are they doomed to remain forever apart, or will Varron finally be reunited with the sweet lass who has stolen his heart?

Real estate mogul Sullivan Bradford’s family is pushing hard for him to get married. When his mom sets up an appointment for him with a matchmaker, he seizes the opportunity. A business arrangement with a suitable candidate is just the thing to get his parents off his back. The last thing Kinsley Taylor was looking for was a husband, but she can’t afford to turn down the deal Sullivan is offering. Not when becoming his bride will give her the money she needs to save her brother. Love and babies weren’t part of the agreement...but some contracts were meant to be broken. Each book in the Bought by the Billionaire series is STANDALONE: * Bought for Marriage * Bought for Love * Bought for Protection

“After years of debate and inquiry, the key to a great marriage remained shrouded in mystery. Until now...”—Carol Dweck, author of Mindset: The New Psychology of Success Eli J. Finkel's insightful and ground-breaking investigation of marriage clearly shows that the best marriages today are better than the best marriages of earlier eras. Indeed, they are the best marriages the world has ever known. He presents his findings here for the first time in this lucid, inspiring guide to modern marital bliss. The All-or-Nothing Marriage reverse engineers fulfilling marriages—from the “traditional” to the utterly nontraditional—and shows how any marriage can be better. The primary function of marriage from 1620 to 1850 was food, shelter, and protection from violence; from 1850 to 1965, the purpose revolved around love and companionship. But today, a new kind of marriage has emerged, one oriented toward self-discover, self-esteem, and personal growth. Finkel combines cutting-edge scientific research with practical advice; he considers paths to better communication and responsiveness; he offers guidance on when to recalibrate our expectations; and he even introduces a set of must-try “lovehacks.” This is a book for the newlywed to the empty nester, for those thinking about getting married or remarried, and for anyone looking for illuminating advice that will make a real difference to getting the most out of marriage today.

Full of practical advice, this bestselling book by Nicky and Sila Lee is easy to read and designed to prepare, build, and even mend marriages. The Marriage Book is essential reading for any married or engaged couple. This resource addresses questions like: How can we be happily married to one person for our entire life? How do we resolve conflict? How can we discover and rediscover sexual intimacy? The Marriage Course is a series of seven sessions, designed to help couples invest in their relationship and build a strong marriage. It serves as a bridge between the church and local community by recognizing the need to go beyond the social, as well as physical, walls of the church to help couples with their relationships. Marriage Course is easy to run; the talks are available on DVD (sold separately) and each guest and leader receives a manual. If you enjoy hosting people and have a passion for strengthening family life, you could run a course!