A past poisoned by lies. Toxins expert Eden Foster was trained never to get close to anyone. She’s only broken that rule twice, and each time it ended in heartbreak. Her mentor was murdered in front of her, and now the man she was forced to deceive and leave behind has suddenly become a threat. She wants justice, but the only way she’ll get it is by joining forces with the only man to pose a threat to her guarded heart—the CIA contractor tasked with capturing and turning her in. Risking a second chance could cost them everything. Zack Maguire has spent his entire adult life serving his country, but this time, he’s torn between duty and his heart. Eden might not be the woman he thought she was, but he refuses to accept that everything between them was a lie. If she’s being hunted, he’s all in. He won’t sit back and do nothing when her life is on the line. As the danger mounts, he’ll do anything to protect her. And when their enemies close in, the only way they’ll live long enough to have a second chance is to let go of the past and learn to trust each other.

Danger is closing in. Kerrigan Whitaker has spent the past two years reinventing herself into the strong, independent woman she’s always wanted to be, and running her first ultra marathon is the chance to prove to herself and everyone else how far she’s come. Her failed marriage made her wary of relationships, so she’s not ready to get involved with anyone else. Not even the man she secretly fantasizes about—who also happens to be her brother’s best friend. But when people she works closely with are murdered, she goes to the only place she feels safe—Crimson Point, and the man who tempts her like no other. And the killer is closer than they realize. Air National Guard Pararescueman Travis Masterson loves his career and has dedicated his life to saving and protecting others. There’s only one thing missing. Kerrigan—but she’s determined to keep walls up between them. He understands why she’s gun shy, but he can’t let her go. Not when every instinct is screaming that she’s it for him. After a shocking attack leaves her in the crosshairs of a cold-blooded killer, Travis is the only one who can save her. With her life in his hands, he’ll risk it all to stop the killer and protect the woman he can’t live without. For fans of: alpha male heroes, military heroes, athletes, small town romance, Crimson Point Series, friends to lovers, best friend's sister romance

She’s looking to reinvent herself. After the worst two years of her life, Aspen Savich has just moved across the country to the Outer Banks, looking to start over and leave her painful past behind. But it follows her anyway, bringing consequences she never could have imagined. Someone is watching her. Targeting her—and they don’t care who gets in the way. She has no one to turn to except the sexy local mechanic who has found a way past all her defenses, never dreaming the kind of danger they’re up against. He’s about to have his world turned upside down. Tragedy made Coast Guard veteran Bowie Davenport withdraw from the world around him. He’s lived in Kill Devil Hills his whole life, focusing on work and family. Being alone is something he made peace with long ago—until the sexiest woman he’s ever seen pulls up to his garage in a little red Woody asking for help. There’s no way he can say no, even with his unwanted attraction to her. He tries to fight it, but soon he’s fallen completely under her spell. And when the unthinkable happens, he won’t hesitate to stand between her and the deranged enemy bent on taking her life. For fans of: Military romance, alpha heroes, small town romance, opposites attract, military heroes, Outer Banks, tattooed heroes, mechanic heroes, retro heroines.

Star-crossed lovers… Driven by her traumatic past, Nadia Bishop has dedicated her life to helping children orphaned by war around the globe. She won’t let anything stand in her way—not even the sexy former soldier she left back in the U.S. As one of the most experienced workers in her relief organization, she’s their top choice to send to Kabul as the security situation in Afghanistan teeters on the verge of collapse. She’s helping get children to safety when Callum shows up unexpectedly, igniting an intense longing that makes her question the life she thought she wanted. Then things suddenly spin out of control, and Nadia is forced to make an impossible choice. Now there’s no turning back. Nowhere to run. And her only chance at survival is the man she’s been trying not to fall in love with. …are about to face the maelstrom of war together. Former Delta operator Callum Falconer had his fill of combat. Now a highly skilled and respected security contractor, he gets to call the shots and choose the jobs he takes. So when a contract comes up in Kabul, a place he hoped never to see again, he volunteers to lead the security detail for one reason: Nadia. She changed his whole world when they met, making him feel things he never thought possible. Yet the more he wants to hold onto her, the farther she slips out of reach. Then things turn deadly, and nothing else matters but her safety. With Nadia’s life in imminent danger there’s nothing he won’t risk, and no rule he won’t break to get her out alive. For fans of: small town romance, second chance romance, military hero, military romance, romantic suspense, international romance, alpha hero, bodyguard romance

BOOKS 5-8 OF THE CRIMSON POINT SERIES: ROCKY GROUND A single mother who has been hurt too many times… And the former Royal Marine determined to capture her heart. BROKEN BONDS Autumn winds and rain have returned to Crimson Point. But this year a different kind of storm is looming. DEADLY VALOR She’s been targeted by a killer. He’s the only man who can save her. DANGEROUS SURVIVOR She’s come back to face her demons. He’s the only man who can keep her safe.

A diehard romantic looking to start over in a small town. Dr. Nina Benitez might be an astrophysicist and a scientist down to her bones, but she also believes in true love and happily ever after—and won’t settle for anything less. After a rocky end to her first semester teaching at the University of Montana, she’s looking forward to a new school year and a fresh start in the small town of Rifle Creek. When she meets her roommate’s work partner, a sexy, hard-edged detective, Nina is immediately intrigued. However, it’s soon clear they’re like oil and water. But when she’s confronted by the painful past event she wanted to forget, she faces an even greater danger. A predator is bent on silencing her forever, and Nina’s only hope of survival is the unattainable man who’s captured her heart. A cynical cop determined to guard his heart. Tate Baldwin has dedicated his life to serving and protecting, first in the military, and now as a detective in Rifle Creek. Badly burned by his last relationship, he isn’t looking to get involved with anyone, especially a brilliant college professor who seems to have her head in the clouds. Yet even Tate can’t deny the attraction between them that soon grows into something more. And when a secret from her past triggers a lethal threat, Tate will risk everything to stand between her and the monster who wants her dead.

What defines pop music? Why do we consider some styles as easier listening than others? Arranged in three parts: Aesthetics and Authenticity - Groove, Sampling and Industry - Subjectivity, Ethnicity and Politics, this collection of essays by a group of international scholars deals with these questions in diverse ways. This volume prepares the reader for the debates around pop's intricate historical, aesthetic and cultural roots. The intellectual perspectives on offer present the interdisciplinary aspects of studying music and, spanning more than twenty-five years, these essays form a snapshot of some of the authorial voices that have shaped the specific subject matter of pop criticism within the broader field of popular music studies. A common thread running through these essays is the topic of interpretation and its relation to conceptions of musicality, subjectivity and aesthetics. The principle aim of this collection is to demonstrate that pop music needs to be evaluated on its own terms within the cultural contexts that make it meaningful.