"[A] colorful cast of luminaries and rogues . . . This biography provides an intriguing glimpse into the beginnings of computer science and a reminder that character is destiny."­­Wall Street Journal Known in her day as an "enchantress of numbers," Ada Byron, Lady Lovelace, daughter of the poet Lord Byron, was one of the most fascinating women of the 19th century. In collaboration with Charles Babbage, inventor of the mechanical "thinking machine" that anticipated by more than a century the invention of the computer, Ada devised a method of using punch cards to calculate Bernoulli numbers and thus became the mother of computer programming. It was in her honor that, in 1980, the U.S. Department of Defense named its computer language "Ada." In this critically acclaimed biography, Benjamin Woolley, author of The Queen's Conjurer, portrays Ada Byron's life as the embodiment of the schism between the worlds of romanticism and scientific rationalism. He describes how Ada's efforts to bridge these opposites with a "poetical science" was the driving force behind one of the most remarkable careers of the Victorian Age.

AD 1215: The year of Magna Carta - and Robin Hood's greatest battle The yoke of tyranny King John is scheming to reclaim his ancestral lands in Europe, raising the money for new armies by bleeding dry peasants and nobles alike, not least the Earl of Locksley - the former outlaw Robin Hood - and his loyal man Sir Alan Dale. The call to arms As rebellion brews across the country and Robin Hood and his men are dragged into the war against the French in Flanders, a plan is hatched that will bring the former outlaws and their families to the brink of catastrophe - a plan to kill the King. The roar of revolution England explodes into bloody civil war and Alan and Robin must decide who to trust - and who to slaughter. And while Magna Carta might be the answer their prayers for peace, first they will have to force the King to submit to the will of his people . . .

"Let other people volunteer to be brides and join the alien sausage party," says mom with a deep frown."Okay, first of all, please don't ever use the term 'sausage party' again. And secondly, Mom, my mind is made up. This might be our only chance. I will convince them to cure her. And I will be on a spaceship -- with aliens!" responds Maya.Maya Arnold was leading a normal life, working and helping care for her sister, until the Cerasteans arrived. Offering a cure for cancer if enough women volunteer as brides, Maya jumped at the chance. Saving her sister was her only goal. She never expected to actually fall in love with an alien, or find best friends in the other bride volunteers.Since the mysterious destruction of Ceraste, Commander D'Avii and the surviving males have been searching the galaxy for a new home. Finding Earth and its women was a miracle. Like most Cerasteans, he finds humans to be fascinating creatures -- none more so than bride volunteer Maya. His attraction to her is instant and intense. Still he knows Maya can never choose him, a warrior, with so many higher-caste scientists seeking their own mates. To do so would shame the scientists and tear the last of his people apart. Yet he aches at the loss of something he never even had.

Helen Hoang's three deliciously steamy romances in one convenient set. The Kiss Quotient It's high time for Stella Lane to settle down and find a husband - or so her mother tells her. But that's not such an easy task when you're on the autistic spectrum. To overcome her lack of dating experience, Stella decides to hire a male escort to teach her how to be a good girlfriend. Meanwhile, Michael uses his good looks and charm to make extra cash on the side. He has a very firm no repeat customer policy, but he's tempted to bend that rule when Stella approaches him with an unconventional proposal. The more time they spend together, the harder Michael falls for this disarming woman with a beautiful mind, while Stella discovers that love defies logic. The Bride Test Khai Diep thinks he's defective. His family knows better - that his autism means he just processes emotions differently. When he steadfastly refuses to consider a relationship, his mother heads to Vietnam to find him the perfect bride. Esme Tran has always felt out of place. So she can't turn down the opportunity to go to America and meet a potential husband, she can't turn it down. But seducing Khai doesn't g as planned. Esme's lessons in love seem to be working... but only on herself. She's hopelessly smitten with a man who's convinced he can never return her affection. As Esme's time in the United States dwindles, will Khai find the strength to let go, and let love in? The Heart Principle When violinist Anna Sun accidentally achieves career success with a viral YouTube video, she soon finds herself burned out. And when her longtime boyfriend announces he wants an open relationship before making a final commitment, a hurt and angry Anna decides to embark on a string of one-night stands. That's where tattooed, motorcycle-riding Quan Diep comes in. But being with Quan is more than sex - he accepts Anna on an unconditional level. Anna and Quan have to fight for their chance at love, but to do that, they also have to fight for themselves.

Winner take all . . . Sebastien Deville, the debauched, dangerously handsome illegitimate son of the Duke of Grandien, has waited his whole life for revenge—and suddenly it is there for the taking. A competition sponsored by the ing has all the ton talking. The winner will receive an immense fortune, a newly created title, sponsorship, and a well-born bride—everything Sebastien needs to reclaim his mother's stolen lands and to wield the colossal power itching beneath his fingertips. His victory is all but assured . . . until he meets Caroline. Caroline Martin knows all about Sebastien, the legendary heartbreaker who leaves women weeping in his wake, and she is determined not to see him win the competition in which he would claim her friend as his bride. Yet sabotage is so very hard to concentrate on when the target's searing glances promise incredible pleasure and his skillful hands vow unimaginable desire. She knows the danger he presents, the temptation he offers, yet she is willing to risk everything for all she holds dear. But Sebastien Deville will do anything to win . . . and Caroline's heart may become the ultimate prize.

"A fascinating look at Ada Lovelace, the pioneering computer programmer and the daughter of the poet Lord Byron." --