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What can a child make of a small-town culture in which love is a given, but intimacy is repeatedly deemed "sinful"? What does a shy adult do when he finds out his great-grandmother ran a bordello? How does a stubborn individual resist labels and remain the "gentleman" he was raised to be? Growing up gay and Catholic in the state of Kentucky in the mid-twentieth century, author and Broadway performer Kevin Lane Dearinger was puzzled by what he heard about sex: the sneers, lies, misrepresentations, distortions, guilt, and secrecy. Some of his experiences were traumatic, but most just contributed to a life-saving sense of the absurd. The natural was made unnatural by gossip and judgment, fear and cruelty, and sex was "bad" in Kentucky, but language, humor, and time have provided protection and perspective. Bad Sex in Kentucky is about seeking grace under pressure, even at the risk of a pratfall. It is about place, family, and heritage. It is about survival at a price and a kind of ferocious forgiveness. It is about the search for identity within the tangled intersection of sex and love.

Lexington, Kentucky, has been called "the cradle of the legitimate theatre west of the Appalachians" since the opening of its first theatre in 1808. Not long after that opening, a fledgling resident acting company presented Macbeth, the town's first professional production of a Shakespearean play. Since then, the local and traveling stars committed to drama drove Lexington's live theatrical glamour to thrive impressively into the twentieth century. Many of the actors who performed in Lexington in the plays of Shakespeare have been forgotten, but their vivid personalities and devotion to their art were once an integral part of American popular culture. The history of their careers and their lives is an important part of theatre history, of Kentucky history, and of American history. This study presents detailed accounts of individual actors in the order of their first appearances in Lexington. Early chapters explore the range of exposure to Shakespeare's plays and players experienced by the town of Lexington and investigate the cultural climate that affected and was affected by that experience. Because Lexington's theatrical history provides a template for what so many mid-American towns experienced in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, a section of the book explores how hundreds of American cities connected by the early turnpikes and railroads constituted a community of theatre towns that cherished Shakespeare as a keystone of American culture. Remaining chapters are devoted to the lives and careers of the inspiring performers who brought Shakespeare's words to life over the centuries. Reviews published in Lexington, supplemented with details from newspapers of New York and other cities, have provided source material. In addition, theatrical biographies, histories, historical photographs, programs, advertisements, theatrical journals, scrapbooks, film, and even primitive sound recordings are examined in an attempt to reconstruct something of what Lexington saw and heard of Shakespeare on its local stages.

Clyde Fitch (1865-1909) was the most successful and prolific dramatist of his time, producing nearly sixty plays in a twenty-year career. He wrote witty comedies, chaotic farces, homespun dramas, star vehicles, historical works, stark melodramas, and adaptations of European successes, but he was best known for his society plays, mirroring themes found in the novels of Henry James and Edith Wharton. In fact, Fitch collaborated with Wharton on a stage adaptation of her House of Mirth. He was also a gay man, although that gentler adjective was not the term of his time. He was bullied in school and baited by critics throughout his career for what they supposed of his private life. He responded with impressive strength and integrity. He was, at least for a short time, Oscar Wilde's lover, and Wilde influenced his early plays, but Fitch's study of Ibsen and other European dramatists inspired him to pursue the course of naturalism. As he became more successful, he took greater control of the staging and design of his plays. He was a complete man of the theatre and among the first names enrolled in New York's theatrical hall of fame.

Biography; 315 pages, illustrations.

Asylums were first established to care for the unfortunates of society. It was only later they acquired a negative image. In Kentucky's First Asylum, author Alma Wynelle Deese explores this issue by dissecting the inner workings of the Eastern Kentucky Asylum, Kentucky's first asylum and the second state-supported asylum to be established in the United States. She describes the people who were involved in the creation and maintenance of a medical school, law department, and lunatic asylum in Lexington, Kentucky. Using historical data, Deese presents a fictionalized narrative to explore this institution's history from 1817 to the 1990s including a chapter dedicated to 1906, a pivotal year for Eastern Kentucky Asylum. That year, four employees were charged in the murder of a patient, and this incident set the stage for the past and present history of this facility. Kentucky's First Asylum provides a historical understanding of one early asylum that became a state hospital and serves to give broader context for the understanding of the current mental health system. It provides a platform to better comprehend the problems and processes of American psychiatric care.

Compare Lexington of the past from postcards with current buildings and scenery using current color photography. The author collected most of the postcards, researched them, and wrote the text to reflect the places that are landmarks in Lexington. See the downtown streets of long ago and their development today. Learn about postcard history while enjoying a block-by-block tour of the city and its gardens and cemetery. Old timers will recognize places from the postcards, while Baby Boomers and beyond will delight in the progress Lexington reflects today in new pictures.

In the nineteenth century, several institutions were established in the United States to house and care for the mentally ill. By 1880, 139 "asylums" and "mental hospitals" had been created using both private and public funds, and by 1890, every state had built one or more publicly supported mental hospitals. Although early American asylums were often underfunded and crowded, they were often one of the few options for those suffering from mental illness. These large and grandiose facilities could therefore serve as a place of refuge. In addition, these asylums were significant places for research and teaching in early medicine, psychiatry, and psychology. Postcard production blossomed in the late 1800s and early 1900s, coinciding with the establishment of many "state lunatic hospitals." Featuring more than 300 images of early public and private asylums as presented in picture postcards, this book offers a fascinating view of these grand structures, the expansive grounds and gardens they occupied, and their unique architectural features. The images are accompanied by brief historical descriptions of each institution, along with information about their current status. Together, the images and text offer the reader an opportunity to explore the space and places of early mental health care of the United States.

In this book, vintage postcards are compared with recent photographs to paint a new view of St. Petersburgs past and present. Over 200 beautiful images showcase St. Petersburg, Florida, as a growing city with a history. It provides invaluable information to new and long-time residents and tourists alike. Postcard collectors worldwide will also find the book invaluable for their collections.

Series: Postcard History Series. 126 pages; chiefly illustrations; map.

Known for its pleasant climate and inviting gulf coast waters, St. Petersburg, Florida, has always attracted sun-seekers in search of their own piece of paradise. As with many Florida cities nestled next to the Gulf of Mexico, St. Petersburg has experienced growth and change that has left few reminders of the once easy-going lifestyle that defined the city. Featuring a collection of stunning images, this evocative new book harkens back to those enchanting days. As early as 1905, the city of St. Petersburg began creating postcards to attract not only tourists, but also business-minded individuals seeking an opportunity to take part in the area's growth. Depicting the area's beloved beaches and other sources of natural beauty, as well as a number of local businesses, these surviving postcards offer a glimpse of St. Petersburg in a golden age that is often forgotten. St. Petersburg, Florida: A Visual History, by St. Petersburg resident Wynelle Deese revisits a treasured time in St. Petersburg's past through the vintage postcards of this fascinating Florida destination. The images depicted in these postcards allow readers to travel back to the St. Petersburg of the early twentieth century and relive the early innocence of the Sunshine City.

The Montgomery/Taggert series, book 1 (chronological order). Darkly handsome and rich beyond imagining, the bold English conqueror was called "the Black Lyon" for his lion like ferocity. He had no match among enemies, or women . . . until he met Lyonene, the green-eyed beauty whose fiery spirit equaled his own.

The Montgomery/Taggert series, book 2 (chronological order). He was wise, strong, and brave. His destiny was to be king. She was young and beautiful, a warrior princess. Her destiny was to love him. But when first they met, it was not as princess and king--it was as man and woman only, consumed by a passion so sudden, so deep that the very world exploded with one kiss. Only later, with his touch still burning on her lips, did Jura discover that the knight of her secret tryst had been none other than the hated Prince Rowan.

The Montgomery/Taggert series, book 3 (chronological order). All of England rejoiced on her wedding day. But Judith vowed that her husband would get only what he took from her! At the flower-bedecked altar, the first touch of their hands ignited an all-consuming passion. Gavin Montgomery looked deep into her golden eyes and burned with desire for her...but his heart had been pledged to another. Humiliated and alone in a strange castle, Judith resolved to hate this husband who took her body, but rejected her love...never admitting her fear of losing him.

The Montgomery/Taggert series, book 4 (chronological order). Montgomery Annals, book 1. Bronwyn MacArran was a proud Scot. Stephen Montgomery was one of the hated English. He came to Scotland as a conqueror, saw her beauty and was vanquished. But still she would abhor him. She became his reason to live, his reason to love. And still she would deny him. But while clan fought clan, while brother took up sword against brother, and the highlands ran with blood--their destiny was made...and this mighty warrior pledged himself to his woman's pride, her honor and her name--and made of their love a torch to burn through the ages.

The Montgomery/Taggert series, book 5 (chronological order). With her father murdered, her home burned, lovely Alyx Blackelt fled to the woods -- and sanctuary in the camp of Raine Montgomery, a nobleman outlawed by the king's edict. There she hid her beauty in the guise of a boy, and her sorrow in her work as Montgomery's squire. But how long could such loveliness as hers be hidden?

The Montgomery/Taggert series, book 6 (chronological order). She came to him as a precious gift, a naked angel rolled in a rug. Once he gazed into her green eyes, saw her tangle of honey blonde hair, he was undone with passion. Elizabeth would never surrender. He was a hated Montgomery -- she was a Chatworth -- and the blood war between their families raged on, a wildfire of rape, murder, and betrayal. Elizabeth vowed to fight the handsome lord, to resist the burning desire in his eyes -- no matter how great the temptation.

The Montgomery/Taggert series, book 7 (chronological order). Jamie Montgomery, an impoverished Norman knight, is assigned to escort Axia, the Lancaster heiress, to the castle of her betrothed. But she proceeds to make his life a misery, sneaking off, nearly breaking her neck on a runaway horse - and then Jamie realizes he has fallen for his defiant ward.

The Montgomery/Taggert series, book 8 (chronological order). In colonial New England, the British are hunting a fearless, masked patriot whose daring foils them at every turn. He's known simply as the Raider. Jessica Taggert, a proud-tempered beauty, thrills to the Raider's scorching midnight embrace, but despises Alexander Montgomery, the drunken town buffoon. In truth, the cleverly disguised Montgomery lives two lives...and only his triumph over the hated Redcoats will free him, at last, to know the full pleasure of Jessica's love.

The Montgomery/Taggert series, book 9 (chronological order). On the raucous American frontier, a genteel, scornful woman of class confronts a California gold miner who is accustomed to doing things his own way.

The Montgomery/Taggert series, book 10 (chronological order). Carrie Montgomery had grown up with seven adoring older brothers, and she was used to getting her way rather easily. Joshua Greene was only looking for a hardworking, practical mail-order bride to help with the farm and feed and clothe his children. Yet from the moment Carrie saw his photograph, saw his devastatingly handsome, sorrowful smile, the petite and pampered beauty knew she was the perfect wife for him. Josh didn't see it that way.

The Montgomery/Taggert series, book 11 (chronological order). In order to secure her inheritance from her grandfather, Clair Willoughby has agreed to marry Harry Montgomery, but when she goes to meet his family at Bramley Castle, she meets the fascinating and very mysterious Trevelyan.

The Montgomery/Taggert series, book 12 (chronological order). While dreaming of practicing medicine, Blair falls in love with her placid sister's fianceé, himself a doctor. Blair's impetuous spirit has won her a medical degree in a man's world -- and captured Lee Westfield's heart. But even as the couple's ardor grows, there are nights when Lee disappears only to return exhausted, haunted. His silence imperils their love, but the truth would imperil her life.

The Montgomery/Taggert series, book 13 (chronological order). Happily betrothed to Dr. Lee Westfield, Houston is every bit the good girl she was raised to be. So when faced with Kane Taggert's brash marriage proposal, Houston is outwardly shocked. But beneath her gracious demeanor lies a woman of hidden longings -- and her defenses begin to melt the second this rugged stranger touches his hungry lips to hers.

The Montgomery/Taggert series, book 14 (chronological order). With a daughter as strong-willed and independent as Christiana, her father is certain she won't come home on her own--so he decides to send two men to bring her back. So, with the blazing spirit of a true Montgomery, heiress and newspaper reporter Christiana Montgomery Mathison bravely defies the two men who abduct her.

The Montgomery/Taggert series, book 15 (chronological order). Jace Montgomery was a stranger in Chandler, Colorado. Tall, proud, and rugged, he would make any woman's heart beat faster--even shy, sweet Nellie Grayson's. Nellie, who has always been pleasantly plump, worked tirelessly to help her beautiful younger sister, Terel, to become the belle of the town. But it is Nellie who catches Jace's eye.

The Montgomery/Taggert series, book 16 (chronological order). Amanda Caulden led a sheltered life on her father's California ranch -- until the day Hank Montgomery stormed into town. A hot-blooded union organizer -- and a natural-born ladies' man -- Hank sensed the fire that smoldered beneath Amanda's prim beauty...and he vowed to make her his own.

The Montgomery/Taggert series, book 17 (chronological order). After years of nonstop excitement--traveling around the globe in a chaotic rags-to-riches-to-rags whirl with her late husband, Charley--Jackie has returned to Eternity, Colorado, near her hometown. She wants to put down roots, start a business, maybe someday fall in love again. But she never dreamed that the man who might make all her wishes come true is William Montgomery...little Billy, the lovesick boy who dogged her every step when she was a teenager.

The Montgomery/Taggert series, book 18 (chronological order). Aria, a beautiful, arrogant princess from a small European kingdom, is stranded in a storm of intrigue near the Florida Keys. Swept ashore and into the arms of dashing J.T. Montgomery, an officer of the United States Navy, she is disdainful at first; but Aria is secretly tantalized by the handsome Lieutenant's brash independence and beneath her proud reserve, J.T. discovers a woman of sensuous fire. To escape her enemies, they return to her royal domain. But if their daring charade succeeds, Aria will have to choose between the kingdom she was born to rule, and the man she was destined to love...

The Montgomery/Taggert series, book 19 (chronological order). Montgomery Annals, book 11. Dougless Montgomery tried to be the ultimate American woman--but somehow she always ended up the victim of family jokes. On what was supposed to be a romantic vacation for herself and her lover, Dougless finds instead disappointment, heartbreak and abandonment. What she needed now was a knight in shining armor.

The Montgomery/Taggert series, book 20 (chronological order). It was her father's dying wish that Samantha Elliot search for her grandmother, who'd disappeared from Louisville when she was a baby. Michael Taggert was Samantha's landlord--and she was charmed by this handsome, life-loving man. Yet every time Mike tried to get closer to Samantha, he ran into a brick wall. Now, as he helps her unravel her grandmother's past--and the dangerous truth about a fateful spring night in 1928 and a seductive jazz singer--Mike slowly reawakens the joy and affection Samantha had buried long ago.

The Montogmery/Taggert series, book 24 (chronological order). A rising star at a Manhattan corporation, Fiona Burkenhalter is a New Yorker through and through, with a New Yorker's disdain for anywhere but the city's bustling streets. When her boss inexplicably sends her to handle a new account in the Florida Everglades, it may as well be another planet to city slicker Fiona. But this is no ordinary business meeting: Fiona is to join her client on a rustic fishing expedition, accompanied by a guide with the larger-than-life name of Ace Montgomery.

The Montgomery/Taggert series, book 25 (chronological order). To attract the attention of a certain wealthy man, Holly enlists the assistance of a stable-hand to aid her in her quest, only to find herself falling for the wrong man.

The Montgomery/Taggert series, book 26 (chronological order). Montgomery Annals, book 13. Still grieving three years after his fiancée's mysterious suicide, Jace Montgomery discovers a clue about her death that leads him to purchase an English fortress, where he encounters a headstrong ghost who died under similar circumstances.

The Montgomery/Taggert series. Forever Trilogy, book 1 (chronological order). Darci Monroe overcame a childhood of neglect with an ebullient spirit, a positive attitude and extraordinary determination. Now the resourceful young woman, hired as Adam Montgomery's personal assistant, devotes more than just professional attention to this devastatingly handsome millionaire. But one thing bars Adam from accepting Darci's love: he is intent on discovering the secret of his parents' disappearance, for she possesses the otherworldly abilities needed to help him fight a terrifying mistress of the dark arts.

The Montgomery/Tagger series. Forever Trilogy, book 2 (chronological order). When her beloved husband vanishes after a strange accident, grief-stricken Darci Monroe is left to raise their young daughter alone. But she can't help but suspect that the reports of his death are untrue. When the FBI enlists her intuitive talents to solve a heinous crime, she agrees--if they help to uncover the truth about her husband. It may be a tougher deal than Darci imagined: she must go head-to-head with a criminal whose mind power matches hers at every turn.

The Montgomery/Taggert series. Forever Trilogy, book 3 (chronological order). When Darci Monroe is enlisted by the FBI to help locate the missing father of undercover agent Jack Rose, she doesn't realize that her attraction to Jack will lead her into an era long past.

The Montgomery/Taggert series. Nantucket Brides Trilogy, book 1 (chronological order). Just as Alix Madsen is finishing up architectural school, Adelaide Kingsley dies and wills her, for one year, the use of a charming nineteenth-century Nantucket house. It seems that Adelaide Kingsley had a rather specific task for Alix: to solve the strange disappearance of one of the Kingsley women, Valentina, more than two hundred years ago. If that wasn't troubling enough, Alix must deal with the arrogant (and extremely good-looking) architect Jared Montgomery, who is living in the property's guesthouse.

The Montgomery/Taggert series. Nantucket Brides trilogy book 2 (chronological order). The wedding of Alix Madsen and Jared Montgomery is a glorious affair. While most guests are fixed on the happy couple, Jared's cousin Graydon can't look away from a bridesmaid, Toby Wyndam. Toby possesses the truly remarkable ability of being able to distinguish Graydon from his identical twin brother, Rory. According to family legend, such a gift marks her as Graydon's True Love. But Graydon knows there is no possible way that they can ever be together, for he is heir to the Lanconian throne and is to marry a noble woman who has been chosen for him.

The Montgomery/Taggert series. Nantucket Brides trilogy book 3 (chronological order). Life is anything but perfect for Hallie Hartley, a young physical therapist who has given up nearly everything for her beautiful blonde stepsister, Shelly. Though Shelly's acting career has never taken off, she has certainly perfected the crocodile tears to get what she wants--which all too often means Hallie's boyfriends. When Hallie arrives home early from work one fateful day, she makes two startling discoveries that will turn her life upside down: Not only has a mysterious relative left Hallie a house on Nantucket, but Shelly has been trying to steal it.

The Edilean series, book 1 (chronological order). Days of Gold is a romance set in Scotland in 1766. Angus McTern leads a life of humble respectability until Edilean Talbot arrives, pleading for his help. Angus can't deny the ache in his heart for the beautiful heiress, so when she tells him how her fortune was stolen, he agrees to risk everything and accompany her to America in search of the thief.

The Edilean series, book 2 (chronological order). Charleston, 1799. A daughter of Southern gentility and a gifted painter, Catherine Edilean Harcourt has no lack of suitors at home in Virginia, waiting to fulfill her dream of marriage and family. But Cay's adventurous spirit, fostered by growing up with her three brothers, is piqued while visiting her godfather in South Carolina. Bedridden with a broken leg, he asks Cay to fill in for him on an urgent task: on her way to a fancy dress ball, she must deliver a packed horse to an old friend's son--who also happens to be an escaped convict charged with murdering his wife! Cay agrees to the plan, which doesn't' go at all as planned.

The Edilean series, book 3 (chronological order). Ethne McTern knows exactly what she wants in life: to observe the world around her and write about it. The last thing she is looking for is a husband. Jamie Armitage is a son of one of the wealthiest men in the country. In order to avoid the arranged meetings with women his family wants him to marry, he escapes to the unchartered territories of America, becoming a renowned explorer. The two meet on the Armitage plantation in the most unlikely scenario and soon find themselves trying to unravel a murder mystery. Watch and read as you follow the story of Jamie and Ethne’s love. And connect with your friends and a community of romance readers through links to social media.

The Edilean series, book 4 (chronological order). Jocelyn Minton is a woman torn between two worlds. After her mother died when Joce was only five years old, her father remarried, and Joce became an outsider -- until she met Edilean Harcourt. When Miss Edi passes away, she leaves Joce all her worldly possessions, including an eighteenth-century house and a letter with clues to a mystery that began in 1941. In the letter, Miss Edi also mentions that she has found the perfect man for Joce -- a handsome young lawyer. Joce is shocked to learn that the mystery, the house, and the future love of her life are all in Edilean, a small town in Virginia that Miss Edi never told her about.

The Edilean series, book 5 (chronological order). In Edilean, Virginia, undercover detective Mike Newland uses Sara Shaw to track down a woman who is one of the most notorious criminals in the United States--and also happens to be the mother of Greg Anders, the man whom Sara plans to marry and who leaves her without explanation three weeks before the wedding.

The Edilean series, book 6 (chronological order). Gemma Ranford wants the job cataloging the documents of the Frazier family so much that she is ready to do battle to get it. Fascinated with history, and desperately trying to finish her dissertation, she's hoping against all hope that the papers will yield new information to invigorate her research. What she didn't expect to find is references to the Heartwishes Stone - believed by most to be pure legend - and said to grant wishes to anyone named Frazier.

The Edilean series, book 7 (chronological order). Eli and Chelsea lost touch with each other over the years, until Eli bought a house in his father's hometown of Edilean, Virginia, and invited Chelsea for a visit. She had her own life and was certain that a childhood friendship couldn't be anything more, but she went nonetheless and found herself quite unprepared for the changes she saw in Eli. And neither of them were prepared to run into a mystery with a family that needs to be rescued.

The Edilean series. The Moonlight Trilogy, book 1. Leaving New York City behind for the summer to pursue her passion for painting in Edilean's tightly knit artistic community, Jecca Layton is swept off her feet by the town's handsome doctor and they both must make a difficult decision when the summer ends.

The Edilean series. The Moonlight Trilogy, book 2. After being jilted at the altar, artist Sophie Kincaid hopes to start a new life in the small Virginia town of Edilean, where she finds herself being drawn to arrogant Dr. Reede Aldredge after he nearly hits her with his car.

The Edilean series. The Moonlight Trilogy, book 3. After being jilted at the altar, artist Sophie Kincaid hopes to start a new life in the small Virginia town of Edilean, where she finds herself being drawn to arrogant Dr. Reede Aldredge after he nearly hits her with his car.

The James River series, book 1 (chronological order). New York Times bestselling author Jude Deveraux's timeless historical romance set in the Kentucky wilderness featuring a woman whose life was changed forever in a few terrifying moments. When her wagon train is ambushed by renegade Shawnees, beautiful young Linnet Tyler is the sole adult survivor. Taken prisoner, alone in a harsh land, she faces an uncertain, terrifying future with a steely courage that belies her fragile beauty.

The James River series, book 2 (chronological order). Nicole Courtalain--a passionate French beauty--finds herself the victim of a case of mistaken identity when she is kidnapped by mistake and swept across turbulent seas to eighteenth century Virginia. There, she discovers the lush lands, rolling rivers, and astonishing plantations--and Clayton Armstrong, who awaited his English bride. What does their future have in store for them now that fate has changed their plans forever?

The James River series, book 3 (chronological order). Forsaken by her guardian and narrowly escaping marriage to a money-hungry suitor, Regan flees Weston Manor, the only home she's ever known, determined to rule her own destiny. When Travis Stanford, a big, rugged American, finds Regan on London's docks, he vows to protect her -- unaware of the magnificent, iron-willed beauty she would become, or the dangerous, passion-filled future that awaited them both.

The James River series, book 4 (chronological order). Handsome plantation owner Wesley Stanford would barely recall the poverty-stricken young girl named Leah Simmons who adored him from afar years ago. Now, in an unexpected twist of fate -- a chance encounter on the Virginia riverfront -- he will become Leah's reluctant husband. Determined to forge a new life in untamed Kentucky, Wesley discovers that the bride he hopes to abandon is passionate, proud, and brave -- and may be the woman he cannot live without.

The Peregrine Family series, book 1. In a tale set in the colorful and intrigue-filled world of fifteenth-century England, two people--wealthy heiress Liana Neville and notorious warrior Rogan Pergrine--struggle against all odds to have their love prevail.

The Peregrine Family series, book 2. Lovely Zared Peregrine was the pride of her family, a treasure her rough-hewn brothers would strive at any cost to protect from their ancient enemies, the Howards. Thus Zared's brothers trained her in the arts of war, and dressed her in boy's clothing. Beyond the castle walls, none knew that the youngest Peregrine was a girl.... Yet when the magnificent Knight Tearle Howard returned from a lengthy sojourn in France, it took him but one glance to discover that Zared was most definitely female, and beautiful.

The Legend series, book 1. Kady Ling, a celebrated chef, is about to married to a drop-dead gorgeous man. But an antique satin wedding dress first makes her dizzy and then transports her to 19th-century Colorado, where she winds up tricked into marrying a stranger to keep him from being hanged. The Legend series continues in "The Teacher" from Upon a Midnight Clear.

The Summerhouse series, book 1. Best friends for nearly twenty years, three women, all with the same birthday, plan to get together at a summerhouse in Maine to celebrate their approaching fortieth birthdays by taking stock of their lives, loves, choices, and dreams.

The Summerhouse series, book 2. Amy is perfectionist with a wonderful husband and two young boys, but when she suffers a miscarriage, she suddenly realizes her life isn't as ideal as it seems on the outside. Faith, is in her 30s but looks years older. Her husband died a year ago, but she is really mourning another man - one she let go years ago. And Zoe, a painter, who dresses in black and has multiple piercings, suffered a brain injury and can't recall anything after her high school prom. All she knows is that she did something so horrible that her entire hometown hates her. These three women, with nothing in common except for shared pain, are united one weekend in a summerhouse in Maine.

The Summerhouse series, book 3. One fateful summer, three very different women find themselves together in Summer Hill, Virginia, where they discover they have much more in common than they realized. Though each of them wound up at the summerhouse for separate reasons, it's not long before they begin to open up about their regrets, their wishes and their dreams. And when they're presented with the opportunity of a lifetime--a chance to right the wrongs of their past--all three discover what can happen when dreams really do come true.

The Endenton series, book 1. Eden Palmer knows how to make it on her own. The forty-something single mother has worked hard to raise her beloved daughter -- now twenty-seven and recently married. The offspring of a terrible event, Eden's daughter, Melissa, has long been the jewel of Eden's life, the one for whom she would sacrifice anything and everything. Torn between the desire to stay with her daughter and the need to build a separate life on her own, Eden opts for some distance and some much-needed perspective. But it's not long before she realizes that sometimes you have to go back before you can start over.

The Endenton series, book 2. Ariel and Sara never imagined their high-spirited attempt to step into each other's shoes would cause such upheaval. The lifelong pen pals, who look exactly alike, meet for the first time in their twenties and embark on a daring adventure of changing identities. Southern belle Ariel is determined to win the heart of a man who doesn't know she exists, while Sara yearns to leave behind her hardscrabble existence and taste the good life that fate has denied her.

The Summer Hill series, book 1. Chef Casey Reddick has had it up to here with men. When she arrives in the charming town of Summer Hill, Virginia, she leaves behind a demanding boss at a famous D.C. restaurant and a breakup with a boyfriend jealous of her success. Some peace and quiet on the picturesque Tattwell plantation is just what she needs to start fresh. But the tranquility is broken one misty morning when she sees a gorgeous naked man on the porch of her cottage.

The Summer Hill series, book 2. Terri Rayburn is a girl with a reputation. She doesn't deserve it but, having grown up on the outskirts of Summer Hill, she knows how small towns work. The only way to deal with vicious gossip is to ignore it. So she keeps to herself as she runs the summer resort on Lake Kissel. When she returns home from a short trip to find a handsome stranger living in her house, she smells a rat. Someone is trying to fix her up, and she has to admit that Nate Taggert is just her type. However, Nate is engaged to the daughter of the mayor and strictly off-limits.

The Medlar Mysteries, book 1. Sara Medlar is a household name in romance, with millions of books sold. But lately, retirement has been boring her and she's found herself back in her hometown of Lachlan, Florida, remodeling the grand old mansion she admired as a child. It's much too big for her alone, but she'd die before letting anyone in town know that. Then Sara's niece, Kate, is offered a job in Lachlan--a start in what could be a very successful career in real estate.

The Medlar Mysteries, book 2. The small town of Lachlan, Florida, was rocked last year when two bodies were uncovered in the roots of a fallen tree. Despite their lack of investigative experience, Sara Medlar; her niece, Kate; and Jack Wyatt found themselves at the center of the mystery, working together to reveal the truth behind a decades-old secret in the sleepy town.

The Medlar Mysteries, book 3. After solving two murder cases in their hometown of Lachlan, Florida, Sara Medlar, her niece Kate and their friend Jack need a change of scenery. Sara arranges for them to visit an old friend of hers in England. Upon arrival at Oxley Manor, a centuries-old estate that has been converted to a luxury hotel, Kate and Jack quickly realize that Sara is up to something.

Emily Jane Todd has just found her guardian angel. Actually, the small-town librarian had just been stood up by her fiancé when she ran into the errant angel with her car. And while he appears to be unscathed, Michael continues to insist that his heavenly pedigree is quite legitimate. Emily just hopes his brain hasn't been scrambled in the accident; besides, she's not inclined to believe that an angel could be so dangerously sexy.

Set against the backdrop of a Kentucky Christmas, The Blessing is a story of Jason Wilding, a rich, powerful New York businessman called to his brother's southern home for the holidays. His brother, it seems, needs help. Dr. David Wilding is in love with a young widow, Amy Thompkins. But the two cannot even so much as date because her troublesome infant takes up all of her time. So David talks a reluctant Jason into looking after the baby for a week.

Laura Taylor rebuilds a Spanish mission into a luxury resort.

For beautiful Morgan Wakefield, the enchanted land is the ranch in New Mexico her father has left her. But the only way for her to inherit is if she lives there for a year with a husband. And so Morgan proposes a marriage of convenience to a man she just met--handsomely rugged rancher Seth Colter. In Seth's powerful embrace, Morgan discovers a passion she never knew existed, and an unexpected new love blossoms between them. But devastating challenges and betrayal conspire against these lovers, and they will have to fight for a future together on this wild, enchanted land.

It's 1972 and times are changing. In the small farming community of Mason, Kansas. Vera and Kelly Exton are known for their ambitions. Vera is an activist who wants to join her boyfriend in the Peace Corps. But she is doing her duty caring for her widowed mother and younger sister until Kelly is firmly established. Kelly is studying to become a veterinarian. She plans to marry her childhood sweetheart and eventually take over his father's veterinary practice. But it's a tumultuous time and neither sister is entirely happy with the path that's been laid out for her.

Left nothing but a ramshackle farm house when her business titan husband dies, Lillian changes her identity to escape the press and wonders at the mysterious note left to her by her late husband that asks her to find out what happened.

Bestselling romance writer Hayden Lane has found her soul mate - or rather, created him: he's her latest fictional hero. And she's totally obsessed with him. Barely noticing when her real-life fiancé breaks their engagement, she visits a psychic to learn more about him - and is told that in a past life Hayden was Lady de Grey, a promiscuous woman of Edwardian England. Hayden can't resist submitting to a hypnotist's magic. But the trick goes wrong, and instead of merely remembering her past as Lady de Grey, Hayden is living it. Now she will discover quite a different story about a woman history considered a trollop, a spectacular, brooding man, and the rapturous love that would be hers if she dared open her heart to the most mysterious adventure of all.

At age twelve, Cassandra Madden fell in love with Jefferson Ames, a young man she met at one of her mother's business conferences. Over the years, during periods of loneliness and struggle, Cassie held on to this unrequited love in order to cope with her isolated heart and the pain of a cold mother. Even when Cassie grew up, went off to college, and met a man she thought she'd marry, her heart yearned for Jeff.In a decisive moment, she breaks off the pending engagement and travels to Williamsburg, Virginia, where the now-widowed Jeff lives with his young daughter. Cassie becomes the child's nanny, but, even though she sees the object of her desire every day, Jeff has yet to even notice her.

It is 1909 and Temperance O'Neil is a woman ahead of her time. She's happy and devoted to her career helping single mothers on the streets of New York. But her new stepfather, Angus McCairn, does not approve. He makes her an unlikely offer: to go to Scotland, pose as housekeeper to his nephew James, and find him a wife, secretly. If she succeeds, he'll allow her back to New York. Temperance -- smart, passionate, as stubborn as her stepfather -- is determined at any cost to win her return passage. But she has taken on far more than she expected. James McCairn, Laird of Clan McCairn, is no cultured gentleman but a strapping, rough-mannered farmer, rude and brusque.

With 28 New York Times bestsellers to her name, Deveraux rates among the most beloved authors of this generation. In a story that ultimately comes to remind readers of life's endless possibilities for renewal and redemption, she introduces a wonderfully compelling pair of protagonists sure to captivate readers everywhere. A recently widowed novelist experiences a reawakening of his emotion in a new relationship with his assistant, in a romance set against a decades-old ghost story in North Carolina.

A Gift Of Love captures holiday magic as it transports us...to New York City, where a schoolteacher slips an antique gold ring on her finger and travels back in time to a man who desperately needs her love...to a village in Victorian England, where an embittered earl seeks a governess for a lovely, defiant little girl named Noelle...to a starry London night, on which a Christmas pony heralds a gift greater than any king's ransom...to the snow-covered hills of Virginia, where a young widow learns during a holiday trip that miracles really do come in the least expected packages...and to a reclusive tycoon's Newport estate, where a determined young woman sets out to unlock the secrets of a man's heart. Let A Gift Of Love open the door to worlds of passion and adventure, where love -- and miracles -- are always in the air!

In New York City in the late 1800s, a beautiful but clumsy angel turns a lonely man's life around...In medieval Scotland, the intrigues of a Christmas Mass imperil two Highland lovers...In Regency London, a world-weary lord receives an outrageous proposal...In modern-day Colorado, a daring and clever twelve-year-old plays matchmaker for his bighearted but impractical mother... Filled with drama, adventure, and sizzling romance, A Holiday of Love will transport you to a world where love always reigns supreme!

A Season in the Highlands contains five romance stories from Jude Deveraux, Jill Barnett, Geralyn Dawson, Patricia Cabot, and Pam Binder. With some of the best romance writers represented, these tales blessed with the misty magic and timeless passion of fair Scotland are sure to please.

In the snow-covered hills of Virginia, a young widow finds that miracles really do come in the least expected packages, in "Just Curious." "Change of Heart," set in modern-day Colorado, is the touching story of a clever twelve-year-old who plays matchmaker for his bighearted, impractical mother. Regency London comes to life in "Miracles," the enchanting tale of a world-weary lord -- and an outrageous proposal. In "Double Exposure," a determined young woman photographs a magnificent wedding at a reclusive tycoon's Newport estate, and manages to unlock the secrets of a man's heart.

A spirited Irishwoman comes to a rugged Colorado town to govern a young ruffian and learns a love lesson from the boy's father ... In the midst of a blizzard, a snowbound woman offers shelter to a mysterious stranger ... Home for the holidays, an artist proves opposites can attract when she falls for an unconventional doctor ... A holly berry-picking contest in the California hills brings two determined hearts together for the greatest prize of all ... A lively family reunion on a Montana ranch brings on a flurry of memories for a beautiful young writer -- and a winter storm that rekindles an old flame. Contents: The teacher (part of the "Legend" series) / Jude Deveraux -- Christmas magic / Margaret Allison -- Jolly holly / Stef Ann Holm -- If only in my dreams / Mariah Stewart -- White out / Linda Howard.

Poems; 25 pages.

Poems; 26 pages.

Poems; 23 pages.

Poetry.

Originally produced in 1995 on VHS. Reproduced in DVD-R format in 2013. This disc is a DVD-R and may fail to play on some DVD equipment. A look at homosexuality in Cuba, featuring interviews with lesbians and gay men.

DVD documentary; approx. 60 minutes. Interviews with and biographical sketch of Laura Whitehorn, who was convicted of the 1983 U.S. Capitol Bombing and spent 14 years in prison.

DVD documentary; approx. 56 minutes. Examines a controversial aspect of Israeli society -- the movement among Israeli soldiers to refuse to serve in the occupied territories, and among Israeli civilians to refuse to serve in the military at all as a protest against the occupation. Predominantly in English. Portions in Hebrew, with English voice-overs or subtitles.