Theodora is fourteen when her father Elkanah has a mysterious vision. Soon after, he leaves his family and goes to live with his first wife Pearl. It is up to Theodora and her half-brother Samuel to bring him back. Meanwhile, Samuel's grandfather Elias is dying, and Theodora begins to see a black cat that could not possibly be real. As present-day events collide with stories from a distant past, the world begins to seem a more complex place, full of uncertainty, great wonder and inspiration.

In 1852, when prestigious Alabama plantation owner Cornelius Allen gives his daughter Clarissa's hand in marriage, she takes with her a gift: Sarah—her slave and her half-sister. Raised by an educated mother, Clarissa is not the proper Southern belle she appears to be, with ambitions of loving whom she chooses. Sarah equally hides behind the façade of being a docile house slave as she plots to escape. Both women bring these tumultuous secrets and desires with them to their new home, igniting events that spiral into a tale beyond what you ever imagined possible. Told through the alternating viewpoints of Sarah and Theodora Allen, Cornelius' wife, Marlen Suyapa Bodden's The Wedding Gift is an intimate portrait of slavery and the 19th Century South that will leave readers breathless.

Saturday 8th May. Emergency!It is 11:30 p.m. and I am suffering from an incredibly intense chocolate craving that will not leave me in spite of prayer, distraction activities and half a loaf of bread and butter. Got out of bed and searched the flat. No luck. Not even a bourbon biscuit. Not even a cream egg left from Easter. All the shops are closed so no nipping out to replenish supplies. Nothing else for it. I’m reduced to the chocoholic’s equivalent of meths—cooking chocolate.It’s been one of those days for Theodora. Her mother has become the Greek equivalent of Delia Smith, her boyfriend would rather watch 22 men kick a ball around a field than go shopping with her, and chintzy Charity Hubble wants to pray for her. And of course, the crowning insult is her utter lack of chocolate. Join in her daily life with all of its challenges and joys, tears and laughter.“Theodora’s Diary is a hilarious and realistic peek into the life of a sprightly Christian sister living ‘across the pond.’ I found myself laughing out loud and thinking, ‘Yes, life is just like this!’ Penny Culliford is a welcome new voice in inspirational fiction.” --Angela Hunt, author of The Debt.

An Italian historian’s prize-winning biography of the sixth-century Byzantine empress. Theodora of Byzantium rose from humble beginnings to become one of the most powerful women of the ancient world. As the wife of Emperor Justinian, she was more than a mere figurehead, acting as Justinian’s partner in both politics and life. Though she was ruthlessly criticized by her contemporaries, historian and biographer Paolo Cesaretti shows her to be an ambitious woman and brilliant ruler whose cunning saved the empire time and again. She defied the conventions of her time and triumphed over those who sought to defame and destroy her. This meticulously researched and richly detailed biography won Italy’s prestigious Ginzano Cavour Prize.

Under the Texas moon, Karen Leabo explores the deep longings that lead to romance in a poignant tale of young love and faraway memories, tender promises and revealing truths. His soul was at home in the West—whether riding a bull at a rodeo or working the family ranch—but his heart belonged to her. Though Sam Sanger had always planned on sharing his life with Callie Calloway, he understood, even in high school, that loving this woman might mean letting her go. He lost her when she chose college, refusing to walk a day in his boots. It was just a carnival fortuneteller’s silly prediction—that Callie was destined to marry Sam. Still, Callie pulled away, afraid of sacrificing her own dreams. Ten years later, having become the editor of the local newspaper, she’s finally ready to wonder: Was she wrong about Sam? When tragedy strikes, Callie and Sam are thrown together again, alarmed by the force of a first love that still burns with hurt feelings and unrequited desire. Only now, Callie will have to see if she’s brave enough to make her own destiny. Includes a special message from the editor, as well as excerpts from these Loveswept titles: Deep Autumn Heat, The Last Warrior, and Kevin’s Story.

"A bravura performance: a witty, moving, sexy book that bursts with as much color and excitement as the city of Constantinople itself." -Financial Times Roman historian Procopius publicly praised Theodora of Constantinople for her piety-while secretly detailing her salacious stage act and maligning her as ruthless and power hungry. So who was this woman who rose from humble beginnings as a dancer to become the empress of Rome and a saint in the Orthodox Church? Award-winning novelist Stella Duffy vividly recreates the life and times of a woman who left her mark on one of the ancient world's most powerful empires. Theodora: Actress, Empress, Whore is a sexy, captivating novel that resurrects an extraordinary, little-known figure from the dusty pages of history.