Folly Beach, South Carolina, has survived despite hurricanes and war. But it’s the personal battles of Folly Beach’s residents that have left the most scars, and they are why a young widow has been beckoned there to heal her own. To most people, Folly Beach is simply the last barrier island before reaching the great Atlantic. To some, it’s a sanctuary for lost souls, which is why Emmy Hamilton’s mother encourages her to buy a local bookstore, Folly’s Finds, hoping it will distract Emmy fro...

American author Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hour" was written in April of 1894 and originally published in Vogue in December of that year. The title refers to the time elapsed between the moments at which the protagonist, Louise Mallard, hears that her husband is dead, then discovers that he is alive after all. The short story is a mainstay of feminist literary study.

Cassie Madison has it all: a high-powered advertising career, a stylish Manhattan apartment, and a sophisticated, rich, and gorgeous fiance. It's a far cry from her childhood in Walton, Georgia, home of the annual Kudzu Festival and hot, sticky summers. And then there are all the bad memories, the heartache. When Cassie's estranged sister calls to say that her father is dying, Cassie knows it's time to set aside her feelings and go home and face the sister she hasn't seen in 15 years. When...

In "The One," Margaret Gordon, a once-prominent surgeon, finds herself back in her hometown after a tragic accident, seeking solace with only her horse as company. Unexpectedly, widowed Joe Wilde arrives one morning with a teenage boy and a horse that needs help, reigniting memories of their past. As they work together to tame the temperamental horse, sparks fly between them, despite Joe's belief that Margaret has always despised him. However, life's twists and turns lead them to discover ...

She's my first love. She's also my father's mistress's daughter.I'm Duke Wilder, and this is my story.I left Wildflower Canyon and Wilder Ranch ten years ago, away from my father and Elena—the girl I loved before I found out she was the daughter of my father's mistress.Now my father is gone, and he's left the ranch to me. I come back ready to sell it off piece by piece, to destroy his so-called legacy, and finally get revenge on the land that failed...

In her twenties, Emily Wilson was on top of the world: she had a bestselling novel, a husband plucked from the pages of GQ, and a one-way ticket to happily ever after. Ten years later, the tide has turned on Emily's good fortune. So when her great-aunt Bee invites her to spend the month of March on Bainbridge Island in Washington State, Emily accepts, longing to be healed by the sea. Researching her next book, Emily discovers a red velvet diary, dated 1943, whose contents reveal startling ...

It started with a crush. The best stories always do.Our story sounds predictable, short-lived, and destined for failure.Lincoln Beckett is the star wide receiver at Brighton University—smart, funny, and, like many would guess, heartbreak shines in his dark eyes and is etched across his jaw.He's popular, a guaranteed draft pick, and, worst of all, my brother's best friend.I tried not to like him. I have an entire list of reasons. Reas...

"A captivating tale filled with heartwarming characters and an undertone of hope for readers of all ages."Eleven-year-old Lydia Green doesn’t want anything to change. She lives happily in Mulberry Glen with her mismatched family of a fairy guardian, a philosopher, and twin troublemakers known as the Zs. But now, rumors swirl about The Darkness, a powerful force that dwells in the forest Tenebrae.Lydia knows The Darkness is nothing to be trifled with, but when a foolish choi...

Meredith's family's annual game of assassin at Martha's Vineyard during a summer wedding is the perfect chance to honor her sister's legacy, and finally join the world again. But when she forms an alliance with a cute groomsman, she's at risk of losing both the game . . . and her heart.When Meredith Fox lost her sister, Claire, eighteen months ago, she shut everyone out. But this summer she's determined to join the world again.The annual family vacation to ...

A Hunger Artist is a short story by Franz Kafka first published in 1922. The protagonist, a hunger artist who experiences the decline in appreciation of his craft, is typically Kafkaesque: an individual marginalized and victimized by society at large. A Hunger Artist explores themes such as death, art, isolation, asceticism, spiritual poverty, futility, personal failure and the corruption of human relationships.

A Dog's Tale is a short story, told from the standpoint of a loyal household pet, written by Mark Twain. It first appeared in the December 1903 issue of Harper's magazine. In January of the following year it was extracted into a stand-alone pamphlet published for the National Anti-Vivisection Society. Still later in 1904, it was expanded into a book.

Summer, set in New England, is a novel by Edith Wharton published in 1917. The novel details the sexual awakening of its protagonist, eighteen year-old, Charity Royall, and her cruel treatment by the father of her child. Only moderately well received when originally published, Summer has had a resurgence in critical popularity since the 1960s.