The Promise In A Kiss

The promise in a kiss: a Christmas novel/ Stephanie Laurens.

Egypt, 1815. A reluctant hero. When cash-strapped adventurer Harry Tremayne accepts five thousand pounds to locate Lady Hester Morden in Egypt, he knows he's in for a rough ride. The headstrong mapmaker has been a source of irritation--and forbidden attraction--for years. A damsel in distress? Lady Hester doesn't need rescuing. She's far too busy enjoying her freedom to return to the stuffy confines of London. Besides, handsome scoundrel Harry Tremayne is the last man she wants to see; she's still plagued by the memory of their one, unforgettable kiss. A deadly curse. When Hester discovers a necklace in the sand--one which may or may not be cursed by an ancient Egyptian goddess--the two are thrust into an adventure that takes them from the desert's seductive heat to the perils of Napoleonic France. Can they ignore their inconvenient attraction long enough to save the world? The answer may just lie in the promise of a single kiss . . . Perfect for readers who love Loretta Chase, Julia Quinn, Caroline Linden, Janna MacGregor, Scarlett Peckham, Laura Kinsale, Kerrigan Byrne, Lisa Kleypas, Courtney Milan, Tessa Dare, Eloisa James, Grace Burrowes, Madeline Hunter, Lenora Bell, Sophie Jordan, Lorraine Heath, Eva Leigh, Mary Jo Putney, Jo Beverley, Joanna Shupe, Sarah MacLean, Shana Galen, Stephanie Laurens and Sabrina Jeffries. Keywords: Historical romance, Regency romance, Victorian romance, action-adventure, sexy, bodyguard, best friend’s sister, enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, second chance romance, Napoleonic romance, Egypt, fake relationship, marriage of convenience, Sexy, Spicy, funny, charming, spies, bow street runner, Bestseller, Kindle, Nook, Ebook

Robin Constantine's New Jersey romance The Promise of Amazing is a sexy, poignant, funny, and authentic debut novel that will appeal to fans of books by Stephanie Perkins, Sarah Mlynowski, and Jennifer E. Smith. Wren Caswell is average. Ranked in the middle of her class at Sacred Heart, she's not popular, not a social misfit. Wren is the quiet good girl who's always done what she's supposed to—only now, in her junior year, this passive strategy is backfiring. She wants to change but doesn't know how. Grayson Barrett was the king of St. Gabe's: star of the lacrosse team, top of his class, and on the fast track to a brilliant future—until he was expelled for being a "term-paper pimp." Now Gray is in a downward spiral and needs to change but doesn't know how. One fateful night, their paths cross at Wren's family's Arthurian-themed catering hall. What follows is the complicated, awkward, hilarious, and tender tale of two teens shedding their pasts, figuring out who they are—and falling in love.

Josie has lived on her boat Promise her whole life. She finds it easier to walk on deck than she does to walk on land. But Promise has been condemned and in turn Josie is condemned to live on dry land - in a grotty flat - without her best friend Bella. Then she meets Leon, a boy from her neighbourhood. He dares Josie to do something that might mean she can live on a boat again. But that would mean leaving Leon, just when Josie is getting close to him...

Kirkus Reviews calls The Promise one of the Best Books of Fiction, and of Literature in Translation, of the year! * Voted one of the Big Fall Books from Indies by Publishers Weekly & LitHub's Most Anticipated Books of 2019 "The world is ready for her blend of insane Angela Carter with the originality of Clarice Lispector."—Mariana Enriquez, LitHub "Both her debut story collection, Forgotten Journey, and her only novel, The Promise, are strikingly 20th-century texts, written in a high-modernist mode rarely found in contemporary fiction."—Lily Meyer, NPR A dying woman's attempt to recount the story of her life reveals the fragility of memory and the illusion of identity. "Of all the words that could define her, the most accurate is, I think, ingenious."—Jorge Luis Borges "I don't know of another writer who better captures the magic inside everyday rituals, the forbidden or hidden face that our mirrors don't show us."—Italo Calvino "Few writers have an eye for the small horrors of everyday life; fewer still see the everyday marvelous. Other than Silvina Ocampo, I cannot think of a single writer who, at any time in any language, has chronicled both with such wise and elegant humor."—Alberto Manguel "Art is the cure for death. A seminal work by an underread master. Required for all students of the human condition."—Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews "This haunting and vital final work from Ocampo, her only novel, is about a woman's life flashing before her eyes when she's stranded in the ocean. . . . the book’s true power is its depiction of the strength of the mind and the necessity of storytelling, which for the narrator is literally staving off death. Ocampo’s portrait of one woman’s interior life is forceful and full of hope."—Gabe Habash, Starred Review, Publishers Weekly "Ocampo is beyond great—she is necessary."—Hernan Diaz, author of In the Distance "I don't know of another writer who better captures the magic inside everyday rituals, the forbidden or hidden face that our mirrors don't show us."—Italo Calvino "These two newly translated books could make her a rediscovery on par with Clarice Lispector. . . . there has never been another voice like hers."—John Freeman, Executive Editor, LitHub "Like William Blake, Ocampo's first voice was that of a visual artist; in her writing she retains the will to unveil immaterial so that we might at least look at it if not touch it."—Helen Oyeyemi, author of Gingerbread A woman traveling on a transatlantic ship has fallen overboard. Adrift at sea, she makes a promise to Saint Rita, "arbiter of the impossible," that if she survives, she will write her life story. As she drifts, she wonders what she might include in the story of her life—a repertoire of miracles, threats, and people parade tumultuously through her mind. Little by little, her imagination begins to commandeer her memories, escaping the strictures of realism. Translated into English for the very first time, The Promise showcases Silvina Ocampo at her most feminist, idiosyncratic and subversive. Ocampo worked quietly to perfect this novella over the course of twenty-five years, nearly up until the time of her death in 1993.

*IPPY Award Silver Medalist Young Adult Fiction - General A medium desperate to save his town, a grieving brother wanting revenge, and a girl who's decided to end ghosts once and for all, converge in the town of St. Hilaire, where the spirits of the dead roam the streets and there's no such thing as resting in peace. Russ Griffin has always wanted to be a fantastic medium. Growing up in the town of St. Hilaire, where most residents make their living by speaking to the dead, means there's a lot of competition, and he's always held his own. But Russ knows the town he loves is corrupt, and he's determined to save it before the sinister ruling body, The Guild, ruins all he's ever wanted. Willow Rogers is St. Hilaire royalty. An orphan, raised by The Guild, she's powerful and mysterious. But she has secrets that might change everyone's fate. She's done with St. Hilaire, done with helping spirits move on. She wants to end the cycle for good and rid the town of ghosts, even if that means destroying the only home she's ever known. Asher Mullen lost his sister, and his parents can't get over her death. They sought answers in St. Hilaire and were turned away. Now they want revenge. Asher is tasked with infiltrating the town, and he does that by getting to know Russ. The only problem is, he might be falling for him, which will make betraying him that much harder. Russ, Willow, and Asher all have their own agendas for St. Hilaire, but one thing's for certain, no one will be resting in peace. Perfect for readers looking for: ghost town books young adult lgbt books atmospheric stories Praise for Prelude for Lost Souls: "Ghost story, love story, and mystery in equal measure, Helene Dunbar's Prelude for Lost Souls is filled with unforgettable characters who reveal the many ways a life can be haunted. Perfect for fans of The Raven Boys."—Lisa Maxwell, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Magician series "Dunbar invokes small-town intrigue and plentiful atmosphere with this haunting, romantic tale."—Publishers Weekly "A quietly compelling story."—Kirkus Reviews "Mesmerizing and haunting, Dunbar invites readers into a world of family secrets, anxious ghosts and a society's ruthless grasp for power that will leave you wanting more."—The Nerd Daily "Fantastic elements layered in with poignant, human moments of grief make this ghost story a solid sequel. "— Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (BCCB)