The first three books in John Broughton's series of historical novels, now available in one volume! Saints And Sinners: In seventh century England, tribes and kings vie for power. Based on true stories, the first book in the series shines a light on the murky Dark Ages, and recreates a Britain on the cusp of momentous change. Mixed Blessings: The English Midlands, 8th Century A.D. Having created much-needed stability within his domain, Æthelbald, King of Mierce now aspires to take the surrounding kingdoms to expand and fortify his own. As his reign grows and strengthens, so too does the authority of the church. Offa - Rex Merciorum: In 8th century Mercia, King Offa lusts for power. Amid societal changes, he has to navigate power struggles, revolts and alliances in the tumultuous Anglo-Saxon Britain. But who is the real force in his reign?There is little concrete evidence, but in OFFA - REX MERCIORUM, John Broughton breaks through the veil of time and provides an entertaining, well-researched historical tale.

GEMMAHe stole my first kiss?and now he thinks everything else is his.I said no to the one person no one at this school dares to refuse.Now I'm targeted by jealous girls, guys that compete to be the first to "break the prude", and by him. After one kiss, the king of the school hunts me down like I'm a conquest to win. He'll have to fight harder than that, because I'm no one's trophy.They all want a piece of me, but I will not bend or break for them.LUCASNo one refuses the king.One case of mistaken identity and a hasty kiss turned my world upside down.The new girl refused me. Not only that, she threw down the gauntlet. That won't stand. No one ever says no to me. This school is mine and she'll learn her place as a loyal follower or her life is going up in flames.I'll make her say yes. She'll be screaming it before I'm finished breaking her.

This provocative account of the persecution of the Catholic Church in Mexico in the 1920s and 1930s tells the stories of eight pivotal players. The saints are now honored as martyrs by the Catholic Church, and the sinners were political and military leaders who were accomplices in the persecution. The saintly standouts are Anacleto González Flores, whose non-violent demonstrations ended with his death after a day of brutal torture; Archbishop Francisco Orozco y Jiménez, who ran his vast archdiocese from hiding while on the run from the Mexican government; Fr. Toribio Romo González, who was shot in his bed one morning simply for being a Catholic priest; and Fr. Miguel Pro, the famous Jesuit who kept slipping through the hands of the military police in Mexico City despite being on the "most wanted" list for sixteen months. The four sinners are Melchor Ocampo, the powerful politician who believed that Catholicism was the cause of Mexico's problems; President Plutarco Elías Calles, the fanatical atheist who brutally persecuted the Church; José Reyes Vega, the priest who ignored the orders of his archbishop and became a general in the Cristero army; and Tomás Garrido Canabal, a farmer-turned-politician who became known as the "Scourge of Tabasco". This cast of characters is presented in a compelling narrative of the Cristero War that engages the reader like a gripping novel while it unfolds a largely unknown chapter in the history of America.

With her inimitable gift for describing the workings of the heart and mind, Edna O'Brien introduces us to a vivid new cast of restless, searching people who-whether in the Irish countryside or London or New York-remind us of our own humanity. In Send My Roots Rain, Miss Gilhooley, a librarian, waits in the lobby of a posh Dublin hotel-expecting to meet a celebrated poet while reflecting on the great love who disappointed her. The Irish workers of "The Shovel Kings" have pipe dreams of becoming millionaires in London, but long for their quickly changing homeland-exiles in both places. "Green Georgette" is a searing anatomy of class, through the eyes of a little girl; "Old Wounds" illuminates the importance of family and memory in old age. In language that is always bold and vital, Edna O'Brien pays tribute to the universal forces that rule our lives.