There's never been a time when I haven't been in love with Yelena Melnikov.ValentinShe was a temptation that I was powerless to resist. I gave her my heart when we were kids, knowing we'd have to hide our love. We hid it for years until one night of careless passion led to a pregnancy.For me, this changes nothing. Yelena as my wife, Yelena as the mother of my children… that was always the plan.I thought telling our family wo...

It's time to bring Alina home.AlinaWhen I was young, I fell in love with a dark-eyed boy. I never grew out of that crush. Not even when the teenage boy grew up to be a very dangerous man.Every year, it just grew stronger until I finally turned eighteen and forced him to see me as the woman I'd become and not just as his best friend's little sister.We were so happy together, but then I was taken. Ripped from him in the cruele...

First comes hate. Second comes a forced marriage. And third, comes bringing Vitaly Melnikov to his knees.VitalyI'm used to women wanting me, not hating me, but my wife looks at me like she's hoping my next breath will be my last.Our marriage wasn't by choice, but when I vowed to be her husband, I meant it. I never go back on my word, so we're married whether she likes it or not. At least for the moment.The plan was for me to...

She saved my life… and she's never going to let me forget it.VityaIf I ever lay my hands on Svetlana Melnikov, her dad has made it abundantly clear what will happen to me. It involves a dull blade and the loss of my favorite body part. Even with that threat hanging over me, I want her.I want her more than I've ever wanted anything, and now I'm in a mess and need her help. I swore I'd never cross the line with her, but she's determin...

He may look like an angel, but he's all sin.EvieAn abusive father and a job as a night janitor. Yeah, life doesn't get much better than this.I'm convinced my future is a bleak one, but then I accidentally rear-end an Aston Martin. The driver is the most gorgeous man I've ever seen.Valeri Medvedev is a man I would happily fall on my knees to worship. I had no idea he was a dangerous Bratva boss. All I saw was the sexy smile, ...

This book explores far-right authoritarian and exclusionary interpretations of environmental crises that are gaining traction globally.While research on the political ecology of the far right has grown substantially over the last decade, it has largely focused on ‘Western’, especially European, actors and contexts. As far-right ideas increasingly circulate worldwide, there is an urgent need to ‘provincialize Europe’ and approach current developments from a global perspective. This ...

The architectural history of the Middle Ages is full of surprises It is hard to imagine today that relatively few construction plans have been found for the impressive churches and cathedrals of the Romanesque and Gothic periods. Where did most of the drawings go? Were the plans destroyed or lost over time? Or were they never made at all? Although there were very few architectural drawings, there were numerous compasses. What were they used for and how? Was it possible to design complex bu...

Cultivate a purposeful school culture and climate to unlock every student′s learning potentialIt′s tempting to fall for quick educational fixes instead of doing deep sustainable work, but, as school leaders, you know that creating spaces where every student and teacher feels valued and ready to learn is both a rewarding journey and the ultimate goal. Grounded in Visible Learning research, this guidebook helps you tackle school improvement planning by focusing on wh...

Ella has always believed she knows who she is.But when she learns she was adopted, a desperate search for answers leads her to a forgotten photograph, a troubled past, and a stranger she never expected to trust.Journalist Chase Walker has spent years chasing missing-person cases, haunted by a tragedy he couldn't prevent. When Ella's search for her biological family crosses paths with an unsolved child abduction that has haunted him for decades, he becomes convinced the two ...

Hilda Ihben grew up on a farm in East Frisia. After losing her father at a very young age, she later moved away from the farm with her mother to live with her mother's new partner. Now eighteen, Hilda experiences her first crush; what starts as a fleeting infatuation slowly turns into something more. Jurino Pollmann is twenty years old and the youngest of three brothers; he lives with his family on a dairy farm in Großheide. Hilda and Jurino find each other and eventually discover that the...

She grew up in a family where secrets ruled the atmosphere, distorting everything they touched. What felt "normal" from the inside was a slow breakdown of truth, safety, and self-worth. In a home where affection came in unpredictable bursts and honesty carried consequences, she learned early to make herself small. With a narcissistic alcoholic parent shaping the chaos, her needs became "too much," her feelings inconvenient, and her unspoken role was to absorb the emotional fallout no one e...

This brief addresses the urgent global challenge of politically, religiously, ethnically, and other ideologically motivated extremism and violent radicalization. It critically examines the effectiveness of existing psychosocial prevention strategies and provides insights into resilience against extremism. Drawing on research from 31 countries and the evaluation of l prevention programs, the book offers a comprehensive look at how psychosocial programs can reduce radicalization. The volume ...