The Best Of The Bargain

A twelve day inaugural journey by President-elect Abraham Lincoln in 1861 took him through Western New York (WNY) for a two night visit. The crowds along the way were large, excited and, at times, seemingly out of control. Arrival at Buffalo's Exchange Street Station produced near hysteria as thousands attempted to get a better view of Lincoln. The depot crowd, 10,000 strong and intent on witnessing history, overwhelmed the small security force protecting the President. Despite the aggressive and boisterous atmosphere, Lincoln eventually made his way out of the building - a bit roughed up but unscathed and unharmed. During his stay in the region, Lincoln met with a former President, several political leaders and a German immigrant group. However, his story in WNY also included connections with several individuals. He met the lady who gave up her room at the hotel for him; a little girl who gave him flowers, and in quite possibly the most famous Lincoln story of all, another little girl who wrote him a letter suggesting he grow a beard. There was even a rare photograph taken of him on the rear platform of the train, which has yet to make its way into the public eye. With a nearly out-of-control yet enthusiastic public, a pickpocket's heaven, and even the occasional snowball, the Lincoln visit to Buffalo was for many years afterwards a memorable moment in local history. The Best of the Bargain will take you back to a long neglected story of Western New York.

From the bestselling, World Fantasy Award-winning author of Witchmark comes a sweeping, romantic new fantasy set in a world reminiscent of Regency England, where women’s magic is taken from them when they marry. A sorceress must balance her desire to become the first great female magician against her duty to her family. Beatrice Clayborn is a sorceress who practices magic in secret, terrified of the day she will be locked into a marital collar that will cut off her powers to protect her unborn children. She dreams of becoming a full-fledged Magus and pursuing magic as her calling as men do, but her family has staked everything to equip her for Bargaining Season, when young men and women of means descend upon the city to negotiate the best marriages. The Clayborns are in severe debt, and only she can save them, by securing an advantageous match before their creditors come calling. In a stroke of luck, Beatrice finds a grimoire that contains the key to becoming a Magus, but before she can purchase it, a rival sorceress swindles the book right out of her hands. Beatrice summons a spirit to help her get it back, but her new ally exacts a price: Beatrice’s first kiss . . . with her adversary’s brother, the handsome, compassionate, and fabulously wealthy Ianthe Lavan. The more Beatrice is entangled with the Lavan siblings, the harder her decision becomes: If she casts the spell to become a Magus, she will devastate her family and lose the only man to ever see her for who she is; but if she marries—even for love—she will sacrifice her magic, her identity, and her dreams. But how can she choose just one, knowing she will forever regret the path not taken?

Olivia Lincoln has a plan guaranteed to get her life back on track. A plan that involves her best friend, Danny. And he’s on board, too...until she blurts out that they’re engaged and expecting a baby, and the news spreads like wildfire. The problem? Danny doesn’t do marriage. Or family. And everyone knows it, including Olivia. As irritated as he might be, protecting Olivia is what Danny does. But put best friends under one roof, add house rules begging to be broken, accidental nakedness, and pancakes in bed, and what started as a marriage between friends threatens to turn into the real deal...which would ruin everything. Each book in the Kissed in the Sand series is a standalone, full-length story that can be enjoyed out of order. Series Order: Book #1 Keeping Mr. Right Now Book #2 Blame it on the Kiss Book #3 The Best Friend Bargain

From the author of the bestselling Red, White and Drunk All Over, this book will amuse and enthrall with its character sketches of obsessive personalities, travel to lovely settings, mouth-watering descriptions, of food and wine, "hidden" wine education and neurotic humor. Standing firmly against wine snobbery by insisting that good wine doesn't have to be expensive, award-winning wine writer Natalie MacLean travels the globe on an uncompromising quest to find fabulous wine bargains.

After her long-time boyfriend breaks up with her, Sloane Chatfield’s well-meaning friends are so determined to put her back in the saddle that they’re borderline obnoxious. When Sloane insists she’s waiting for Jamie Fraser to come along, her friends surprise her with a trip to Scotland... to find her a new boyfriend. In order not to have her vacation ruined, Sloane is determined to pre-empt them. All she has to do is find the most remote part of the Highlands, get there first, find a Scot who will pretend to be her boyfriend, then break-up before they arrive. She figures no friend will try and match her up while she’s nursing a second broken heart. Galen Buchanan has his hands full trying to keep the family pub afloat in a remote Highland village. Everything is falling apart, he’s running out of money, and now there’s a buttoned-up American princess that has, for some reason, landed on his doorstep.... and takes his best table and hogs his wifi all day. She may be cute, but she’s also full of free advice and doesn’t like the way they do things in the Highlands. Then she proposes something completely outrageous—that he be her pretend boyfriend...and offers him enough money to save the pub. It's only for a few days, he figures. What's the worst that could happen?

Pre-publication subtitle: Soviet-German military cooperation in the interwar period.

Canada's machinery of government is out of joint. In Breaking the Bargain, Donald J. Savoie reveals how the traditional deal struck between politicians and career officials that underpins the workings of our national political and administrative process is today being challenged. He argues that the role of bureaucracy within the Canadian political machine has never been properly defined, that the relationship between elected and permanent government officials is increasingly problematic, and that the public service cannot function if it is expected to be both independent of, and subordinate to, elected officials. While the public service attempts to define its own political sphere, the House of Commons is also in flux: the prime minister and his close advisors wield ever more power, and cabinet no longer occupies the policy ground to which it is entitled. Ministers, who have traditionally been able to develop their own roles, have increasingly lost their autonomy. Federal departmental structures are crumbling, giving way to a new model that eschews boundaries in favour of sharing policy and program space with outsiders. The implications of this functional shift are profound, having a deep impact on how public policies are struck, how government operates, and, ultimately, the capacity for accountability.