The Italian S Christmas Passion

Carla Coulson had it all, or so everyone told her--a glamorous inner-city apartment, a successful business and a designer wardrobe. One lonely Christmas Eve, however, she realized what was missing: excitement, work she was passionate about and, most of all, love. So, Carla packed up her life and boarded a plane. Italy was her first port of call and became her true destination. With a camera and nothing to lose, she found herself immersed in Florence, tasting the food, learning the language, meeting the people, discovering a new career and country--and photographing her new life. Carla's evocative text and rich photographs bring alive the laughter, warmth and passion of Italy. We meet the people who have embraced her; we see the streets, bars, churches and markets that have enchanted her; and we feel her gioia (joy).

A far from silent night with a waitress one Christmas yields a big surprise for an Italian tycoon in this romance by a USA Today bestseller. Italian tycoon Vito Zaffari is waiting out the festive season while a family scandal fades from the press. So he’s come to his friend’s snow-covered English country cottage, determined to shut out the world. Until a beautiful bombshell dressed as Santa literally crashes into his Christmas! Innocent Holly Cleaver sneaks under Vito’s defenses—he wants her like no other before and decides he must have her. When Vito finds her gone the next day, he’s sure she’ll be easy to forget . . . until he discovers that their one night of passion has a shocking Christmas consequence!

A passionate night between an Italian billionaire and his English driver leads to drama nine months later in this holiday romance by a USA Today bestseller. When chauffeur Keira Ryan accidentally drives her car into a snowdrift, she and her devastatingly attractive passenger must find a hotel . . . only to discover they’ll be sharing a bed! Luckily, billionaire Matteo Valenti takes it upon himself to show virgin Keira just how to make the most of a bad situation—with the most sizzling experience of her life. It’s nearly Christmas again before Matteo uncovers Keira’s secret. He may have resisted commitment his whole life, but now it’s time to claim his son and heir . . . “Sharon Kendrick’s fabulous festive romance is a must-read, filled with sizzle, sparkle, and a secret baby!” —Lynne Graham

Be swept away by this festive and passionate holiday pregnancy romance by the USA Today–bestselling author of A Baby on the Greek’s Doorstep. One night before Christmas . . . Two babies for the Italian! Sevastiano Cantarelli can barely believe Amy Taylor is real. After the lifetime of betrayal he’s experienced, her surprising sweetness is the ultimate threat to his cynical worldview! Unwrapping her innocence was a gift he couldn’t forget . . . but one he knows it wouldn’t be fair to repeat. Their encounter left Amy exhilarated—and wanted for the first time. She knows that walking away from the commanding Italian is the safest way to keep her heart intact. Yet it’s the one thing she can’t do . . . because she’s pregnant with Sevastiano’s twins!

Dark, handsome and impossibly wealthy surgeonCarlo Santini can have any woman he wants.But working alongside nurse Suzannah Wilde atSt. Catherine's hospital, it's hard for him to denythe sexual attraction simmering between them!Zan knows Carlo is holding something backfrom her, but all the same invites him to spendthe festive season with her; only to discover thatthe caring baby doctor by day is a passionate,demanding lover by night….

Handel s oratorio Messiah is a phenomenon with no parallel in music history. No other work of music has been so popular for so long. Yet familiarity can sometimes breed contempt and also misunderstanding. This book by music expert Calvin Stapert will greatly increase understanding and appreciation of Handel s majestic Messiah, whether readers are old friends of this remarkable work or have only just discovered its magnificence. Stapert provides fascinating historical background, tracing not only Messiah s unlikely inception but also its amazing reception throughout history. The bulk of the book offers scene-by-scene musical and theological commentary on the whole work, focusing on the way Handel s music beautifully interprets and illuminates the biblical text. For anyone seeking to appreciate Handel s Messiah more, this informed yet accessible guide is the book to have and read. (Handel s Messiah: Comfort for God s People is the newest volume in the flourishing Calvin Institute of Christian Worship Liturgical Studies Series, edited by John D. Witvliet.)

At once hilarious and inspiring, CookFight is a one-of-a-kind cookbook that that pits the strategies and recipes of popular New York Times food reporters Julia Moskin and Kim Severson against each other as they take on the challenges today's home cook faces both in and out of the kitchen. An epic battle for kitchen dominance, CookFight features two well-seasoned cooks, 12 tough culinary challenges, and 125 mouth-watering recipes, plus a foreword by Frank Bruni, former chief restaurant critic of the New York Times. Fans of Mark Bittman, Melissa Clark, Ruth Reichl, and Dorie Greenspan, as well as top-rated cooking shows like Top Chef, Top Chef Masters, Iron Chef, and Hell's Kitchen, will be riveted by every round of this intense, no-punches-pulled CookFight until the final (dinner) bell!