Stolen Beauty

Color illustration and map on lining papers.

“A powerful and important tale of love and war, art and family…I was transported.” —Allison Pataki, New York Times bestselling author “Albanese artfully weaves Adele’s story with Maria’s harrowing life under the Nazis, but it’s hard to read Stolen Beauty without seeing ugly echoes in today’s headlines. Seven decades after World War II, have we learned nothing?” —USA TODAY From the dawn of the twentieth century to the devastation of World War II, this exhilarating novel of love, war, art, and family gives voice to two extraordinary women and brings to life the true story behind the creation and near destruction of Gustav Klimt’s most remarkable paintings. In the dazzling glitter of 1903 Vienna, Adele Bloch-Bauer—young, beautiful, brilliant, and Jewish—meets painter Gustav Klimt. Wealthy in everything but freedom, Adele embraces Klimt’s renegade genius as the two awaken to the erotic possibilities on the canvas and beyond. Though they enjoy a life where sex and art are just beginning to break through the façade of conventional society, the city is also troubled by a disturbing increase in anti-Semitism as political hatred simmers in the shadows of Adele’s coffeehouse afternoons and cultural salons. Nearly forty years later, Adele’s niece Maria Altmann is a newlywed when the Nazis invade Austria—and overnight, her beloved Vienna becomes a war zone. When her husband is arrested and her family is forced out of their stately home, Maria must summon the courage and resilience that is her aunt’s legacy if she is to survive and keep her loved ones—and their history—alive. Will Maria and her family escape the grip of Nazi rule? And what will become of the paintings for which her aunt sacrificed nearly everything? Impeccably researched and a “must-read for fans of Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale and Paula McLain’s Circling the Sun” (Christina Baker Kline, #1 New York Times bestselling author), Stolen Beauty juxtaposes passion and discovery against hatred and despair, and shines a light on our ability to love, to destroy, and above all, to endure.

At a young age, author A. L. Madden was exposed to the kind of inconceivable treatment no one, let alone a defenseless child, should endure. A brutal stepfather with a murky and painful history of his own found himself in an environment in which he continued the cycle of trauma, committing unspeakable acts of sexual and emotional abuse against Madden and her siblings. Meanwhile, her struggling, overworked mother didnt see the pain and damage being inflicted on her children. Madden felt ashamed, hurt, angry, and, most of all, unable to talkto anyoneabout what was happening. She felt as though it was her fault. The only route to dealing with the anguish was to submerge herself in a distrustful, insecure, depressed state. As have many survivors of abuse, Madden felt abandoned, unable to see who she really was, unable to hold on to any glimmer of hope. Only through a long soul-searching process that involved a combination of therapy, study, prayer, and the eventual strong faith in the power of her own inner strength and spiritthe innocence and beauty she had once possessed as a childwas Madden fi nally able to reach a place of understanding and peace. Stolen Beauty tells a poignant story for anyone who seeks guidance through his or her own recovery from abuse or for anyone who works to help survivors and abusers alike.

A dark romance from USA Today bestselling author Julia Sykes Valentina hates me. That doesn't stop me from kidnapping her, stealing her away for myself. She was brought into my home when we were teenagers, her virgin body sold to my father to pay a debt. She became the only light in my dark criminal underworld, and I couldn't help loving her. Now, ten years have separated us, and I've established my reputation as the most notorious, sadistic drug lord on the west coast. I don't care if she's grown to hate me. I'm finally powerful enough to claim Valentina for myself, and no one can stop me. A decade hasn't dulled my obsessive need for her. I'll kill anyone who tries to take her from me. Valentina was always meant to be mine. Nothing will stop me from possessing her, body and soul. Keywords: dark romance, capture fantasy, antihero, kidnapping, romantic suspense, standalone

He made a promise…and someone out there is about to discover what that means. The front door hinges creaked, the faint sound traveling through the still night. Two more steps and I would’ve been inside the bathroom with the door closed because I’m an odd bird and even when home alone, I close the bathroom door. Seconds later, and everything would’ve happened differently. Seconds later, and I’d be dead. My brother trained me. Told me what to do if I was ever in danger. I’d thought he was paranoid, a side effect of his life in the military. Before the explosion, he left instructions. I followed those instructions carefully, straight to his best friend’s door. A man I haven’t seen in ages. A man who didn’t show up to my brother’s funeral. An ex-SEAL I knew before his Navy days. A boy I crushed on back then, but now…it’s a different era. My sister is missing, and I need his help to find her. There’s a chance the man who broke into my home succeeded in getting her. All my focus needs to be on finding her, but yet I’m growing closer to him. Who am I kidding? I’m crushing all over again. When two killers find me, he’s there to protect me. I don’t know why they’re coming for me, but it doesn’t seem like they’ll stop. How much can I let him risk? And how much can I? Someone out there wants to take everything. But some things can’t be taken. Stolen Beauty is the first standalone romance in the Beauty trilogy and the fourth romantic suspense novel within the Arrow Tactical Series. This steamy, suspenseful standalone romance is full of heat and mystery and can be read and enjoyed on its own. Topics: contemporary romance, military romance, series, romantic suspense series, mystery, modern romance, California, Santa Barbara, San Diego, California romance, international mystery, wealthy, city romance, smart romance, mystery, dogs in romance, romance, hot romance, proposal, proposal romance, engagement, engagement romance, sexy, heartwarming, heart-warming, family, love, love books, kissing books, emotional journey, contemporary, contemporary romance, romance series, long series, long romance series, former military, strong heroine, captivating romance, hot, hot romance, forbidden love, sparks, loyalty, swoon, contemporary, rescue, shelter, claiming, defending, protect, damsel in distress, hospital, drama, action and adventure, action romance, veteran, former soldier, soldier, romantic, Emotional, HEA, virgin romance, protector romance

“When he robbed the casino, he left with more than money. He took me and stole a night of my life.” A DARK ROMANCE SERIES Ian Hart is the most wanted fugitive in the country. His gang is linked to the riskiest and biggest heists in the history of the continent. His identity is an enigma to everyone except me, because the night he robbed the casino, he set his sights on a different target. He took something other than money and gemstones. He took me. He stole my lust and then my life. All I have left is my love. I would’ve given it freely, but thieves will do what thieves do best. Note: The Beauty in the Stolen box set includes Stolen Lust (Book 1), Stolen Life (Book 2), and Stolen Love (Book 3) and is Cas and Ian's complete story. This dark romance trilogy is part of the Diamond Magnate Collection. You don't have to read the other books to follow the story. The Diamond Magnate collection in order: Standalone Novels (Dark Arranged Marriage & Mistaken Identity Romance) Beauty in Deception Beauty in the Broken Diamonds are Forever Trilogy (Dark Mafia / Kidnapping Romance) Diamonds in the Dust (Book 1) Diamonds in the Rough (Book 2) Diamonds are Forever (Book 3) Beauty in the Stolen Trilogy (Dark Heist Romance) Stolen Lust (Book 1) Stolen Life (Book 2) Stolen Love (Book 3) Beauty in Imperfection Duology (Dark Arranged Marriage Romance) Imperfect Intentions (Book 1) Imperfect Affections (Book 2)

Stolen Beauty is the first adult coloring book with a mission: to inform the public about the problem of art theft while raising awareness of what the world's great stolen art looks like. This awareness is key to combating a multi-billion-dollar illicit industry. Stolen Beauty features some of the world's most important missing paintings. From Raphael to Van Gogh to Vermeer, paintings valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars remain missing throughout the world, and few people are aware of the scope of the problem. This coloring book combines the artistic skills of acclaimed artist and graphic novelist Karl Stevens with the art crime expertise of bestselling author and renowned art theft investigator Anthony M. Amore.

June 1934: the depths of the Great Depression. Reckless with anger and spoiling for a fight, seventeen-year-old Samuel Hewitt and his Shuswap friend Charleyboy conspire to steal a prize stallion and disappear into the blistered, unforgiving terrain of British Columbia’s Thompson River Valley. The boys are looking for a fresh start—and for somewhere to belong. But what they find is a hardscrabble existence enlivened by ruthless criminals and boxcar bums ... until they come upon the denizens of a once-majestic travelling circus struggling to survive in an era in which even marvels have lost their capacity to charm. In this surreal, ramshackle environment, Samuel develops an unexpected kinship with the failing ringmaster and his enigmatic daughter. But violence and treachery are prevalent in the shadows of the Big Top, and Samuel may well find himself on the run once more. In The Ballad of Samuel Hewitt, Nick Tooke presents an uncommon coming-of-age story as well as a thoughtful examination of the meaning of home and family.