Hannah and her sister, Megan, have been given the trip of a lifetime. They are cruising the Mediterranean Sea. Starting at Rome, they are working their way counter-clockwise through Florence, Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Sardinia, Sicily, and Pompeii. Life is their playground. And then Hannah meets Brandon. Brandon is strong, intelligent, loyal, and everything Hannah could possibly dream of in a man. He has also just walked in on his fiancee in bed with his best friend. Hannah is willing to wait as long as it takes for him to work his way through this betrayal. And then all Hell breaks loose ... Half of the author's proceeds of all Ophelia Sikes books benefit battered women's shelters. Love's Heat is the first novella in the Italian Nights series. Due to the strong sexual content and adult situations, this book is recommended for readers aged 17+. The first four novellas have cliff-hanger endings, which lead to the final novella with a happily-ever-after. I come from a family which adores Italy. My parents strive to go every year, and I’ve been several times there myself. I took this very cruise through the Mediterranean Sea and wrote my notes while I traveled. The sights, sounds, aromas, and atmosphere of this exotic region are just as I personally experienced them. If you haven’t been to Italy, Monaco, Spain, or France, I highly recommend it. Even if you have to save a little each year to make it a trip of a lifetime, it is well worth it. These locations are the cradle of civilization. The art, food, and culture created here resonate throughout time. In the meantime, enjoy this virtual vacation written from my first-hand experiences!

BOOK 1 Las Vegas. Sin City. Heidi stepped off that plane ready to re-invent herself. Ready to delve into the glitz, glamour, and fantastical unreality which defines the mantra, "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas." What she wasn't ready for was Aedan. Billionaire playboy. Supermodels dripping down his well-muscled body. He seemed to have it all. But for some reason he kept appearing where she least expected. And he made her feel a way she swore she never would again. Like she could trust him. Until the dark revelation that threatens to destroy her ... Half of all proceeds of this novella benefit battered women's shelters. Hardened is the first novella in the Vegas Nights series. Due to the strong sexual content and adult situations, this book is recommended for readers aged 17+. Vegas is a spectacular place. I’ve been there many times. It’s a world of exploring exotic fantasy and releasing submerged desires. It boasts gorgeous, jaw-dropping artwork and bass-pounding nightclubs. But Vegas is also a place with its dark side. Many are lured in by the bright lights and become lost in the shadows. One only has to look at the beggars lining the bridges, or the homeless found only blocks away from the shine of the strip, to see what can happen when gambling, drugs, drinking, and other vices run their course unchecked.

BOOK 1 Sonya thought she was finally free. Her controlling, fault-finding parents had sold the family home in St. Louis and moved down to retire to Florida. Sonya's life could begin anew! But instead, she found herself lonelier than ever, missing her older brother who had escaped to California the moment he'd graduated from high school. So when her parents offered to fly her down to see the new condo and go on a six-day cruise, Sonya hesitantly agreed. After all, how bad could it be being stuck on a boat with her parents for a week? Oh. The sole shining light was the bevy of stunningly handsome gay men she tumbled into the care of. They offered laughter, fun, and everything she could ever have dreamed of. And Dylan's arms around her could have been all she desired in life. If only it could be real. Half of all proceeds of this novella benefit battered women's shelters. Key West Dreams is the first novella in the Cozumel Nights series. Due to the strong sexual content and adult situations, this book is recommended for readers aged 17+. All of my books are written personally by me and are set in locations I have personally been. I took this cruise and wrote the first book while on board. My goal is to bring the sights, sounds, and textures of the location to life for you, so you can enjoy a virtual vacation!

Amanda desperately needed to get away. Her whole life had been about pleasing others - her straight-laced parents, her rule-bound teachers. When her best friend, Kayla, suggested they hop a cruise from Boston to Bermuda, Amanda leapt at the chance. This was her one chance to light the night on fire. And then Evan stepped on stage. Evan was exactly the type her country-club parents would have disapproved of. Ripped abs and soul-deep eyes. Lightning-fast fists. One glance and she knew she had to be his - if just for these seven brief, torturously-exquisite days. And, oh, Evan could play her. His fingers were connoisseurs of her body, drawing out her deeper notes, sending her soaring to heights she barely knew existed. She lost all sense of self, of rules. Until the day she saw what she was never meant to see - and her world changed forever. * * * Half of all proceeds of this novella benefit battered women's shelters. Resonating Souls is the first of four novellas in the Bermuda Nights series. Due to the strong sexual content and adult situations, this romantic suspense story is recommended for readers aged 17+. The first three novellas have cliff-hanger endings, which lead to the final novella with a happily-ever-after. Ophelia adores Boston and has lived in the region for nearly all her adult life. She's worked in Cambridge, hanging out at the Irish pubs and watching sculling on the Charles. She was at the first Celtics game at the Fleet Center and has pub-hopped her way down Lansdowne Street behind Fenway Park. She's seen the Nutcracker at the Wang and savored Locke-Ober before they closed. Ophelia’s been on the Boston to Bermuda cruise ship run three times and highly recommends the adventure! Most of all, Ophelia cherishes the spirit of Boston - a unique city unlike any other in the world. Boston Strong.

Kate's life sucks. She's tending bar at a run-down dive. Her immoral boss fondles every co-ed within reach. The clientele is made up of TV-glazed zombies, drunkards, and ... who is that in the corner? The Thunderbolt Hits. She hadn't thought it was real. But when she looks into Sean's eyes, the force of the connection staggers her. Her mind desperately seeks to pull her back - he's an ex-felon. Far too talented with those rippled muscles and toned fists. He's everything she should be staying away from. She craves him from the depths of her soul. His touch smolders her skin; his fingers expose her to worlds she never dreamt existed. But when his secret is ripped free from the dark shadows, their lives teeter on the brink of destruction. * * * Half of all proceeds of this novella benefit battered women's shelters. Dwell in Possibility is the first of four novellas in the Worcester Nights series. Due to the strong sexual content and adult situations, this romantic suspense story is recommended for readers aged 17+. The first three novellas have cliff-hanger endings, which lead to the final novella with a happily-ever-after. Ophelia adores Worcester, Massachusetts with all its gritty streets, rows of muted-colored three-deckers, and tough-as-nails can-do attitude. She’s lived in this area since college, with only a few brief flings in other locations. No matter where else she travels, the powerful allure of Worcester pulls her home again. Worcester's a mere hour west of Boston, with many of the same traditions of Irish culture and fierce pride. Boston Strong.

The novella was an important medieval and Renaissance prose narrative form that developed out of exempla and didactic literature and contributed to modern narrative forms. This is the first collection of essays dedicated to comprehensive scholarship on the Italian novella. The essays range from work on the Decameron , the epitome of the genre, to studies of sixteenth century authors who often utilized transgressive or sexual themes in their novellas.