Bøger udgivet af Sourcebooks Casablanca

Collin Morgan, Earl of Penderdale, has discovered that someone is committing crimes in his name, leaving him suspended from his work in the war office. Elizabeth Essex is the daughter of a well-respected professor at Cambridge University and longs to be recognized for her own scholarship, which could ruin her family's good name. Morgan tracks his impersonator to Cambridge, leading him to an old friend, Elizabeth's father. The pair is forced into close proximity, with Elizabeth's secret threatened and Morgan's confrontation with his adversaries at a fever pitch.

Can she have the man of her dreams and the life she's always wanted?It's love at first sight when head pastry chef Brendan Pope meets private investigator Harley Banks at Serenity Inn for her latest investigation. But unknown to them both, Harley has a hitman after her, courtesy of the wrong-doer she put behind bars on her last case. The FBI gets involved to clean up the loose ends so Harley can continue the investigation at the inn. But after nearly losing her, Brendan will stop at nothing to make sure Harley is safe and the criminals get their comeuppance.Praise for New York Times bestseller Sharon Sala's thrilling romantic suspense: "Emotionally wrenching, sensually appealing, edgy and suspenseful, and hopeful and endearing."--USA Today for Going Gone"Vivid, gripping...this thriller keeps the pages turning."--Library Journal for Torn Apart"Skillfully balancing suspense and romance, Sala gives readers a nonstop breath-holding adventure."--Publishers Weekly for Going Once

"Caroline Wilton is "dying" to get off Starfall Point, but if she leaves the island, there's a good chance she'll literally die. For centuries, any Wilton who ventured off the island immediately perished in some freak accident. Caroline, like every Wilton before her, has accepted this "curse" and made peace with running the Wilted Rose Tavern, living vicariously through her customer's adventures. When gorgeous physician Ben Hoult-the high school sweetheart who left without so much of a goodbye-returns to the island to take over the medical clinic with two frustratingly likeable teenagers in tow, Caroline feels the calm waters of her life begin to churn. Practical, sensible Ben didn't believe in her family curse then, and Caroline has no interest in trying to convince him now. Besides, Caroline has enough excitement in her life for now. After joining a coven with her friends Riley Everett and Alice Seastairs, Caroline can now see ghosts-especially the angry woman in eighteen-century garb occupying her tavern with a menacing glare. At night, Caroline suffers from dark dreams of being at Vixen's Fall, a cliff-face on the far side of the island. During the day, she can't seem to avoid running into-and quarreling with-Ben, but at the same time, her heart stirs when she's with him. When Caroline, Riley, and Alice finally visit Vixen's Fall, they discover the angry family ghost as one of the island's most sinister legends-information that could be the key to breaking the Wilton curse and finding lasting true love with Ben"--

An Instant USA Today BestsellerThree Powerfully Alluring Vampire Men and One Queen to Rule Them All. All Mina ever wanted was to escape her father's control. Half human, half vampire, she lived eternally torn between two worlds, never fully experiencing the pleasures of either--until her father chose her as the pawn in his latest political move, gifting her to the darkly powerful and dangerously seductive Malachi Zion.Malachi is not a vampire to be trifled with. He rules with an iron fist and has a reputation for the darkest of sins. But the longer Mina spends with him, the more she realizes he's not the monster she first thought--and as fear bleeds into lust, then trust, then something more, Malachi opens Mina up to a world she never knew could be hers for the taking: including the love of Malachi's two closest friends and companions.Now surrounded by all three men, the center of their shockingly seductive world, Mina may finally have the power to face down her father and take back the life--and crown--that by all rights should be hers.More Unspeakably Hot Books by Katee Robert: Neon Gods (Hades & Persephone)Electric Idol (Eros & Psyche)Wicked Beauty (Achilles & Patroclus & Helen)Radiant Sin (Apollo & Cassandra)

"Vivid and beautifully emotional." Elle Kennedy, NYT Bestselling AuthorThey say some people aren't meant to be together.That Graham and I were too different to ever make any sense. I was driven by emotion; he kept his walls high. I dreamed of a brighter future; he passed his days in nightmares.Despite all that, we sometimes shared seconds. Seconds when our eyes locked and we saw each other's secrets. Seconds when his lips tasted my fears, and I breathed in his pain. Seconds when we both imagined what it would be like to love one another.But Graham Russell wasn't a man who knew how to love, and I wasn't a woman who knew how to stay. Yet if I had the chance to fall again, I'd fall with him forever.Even if we were always destined to crash against solid ground.The Elements Series: The Air He Breathes, book 1The Fire Between High & Lo, book 2The Silent Waters, book 3The Gravity of Us, book 4

"Dee Kwan's secrets for a happy life: Always remain positive, no matter the cost; Realize that every setback is a hidden opportunity; Accept compliments graciously, especially when given by mega-hot rivals; Never, ever question whether any of these mantras actually work. For Dee Kwan, every day is the perfect day. No, really. She has a house she loves, a job she adores, and a ridiculously attractive "nemesis" who never seems to mind when she wins their favorite online game. How can life possibly get better? (It can't, obviously. It can only get much, much worse.) Soon Dee is forced to share her adorably cozy home with her parents and prickly estranged grandmother. Then she's tossed into the deep end, tasked with cleaning up a scandal for intimidatingly chic luxury fashion firm Celeste. If that weren't enough, she discovers her hot-nemesis works there, too...and Teddy is nothing like the man she thought she knew. Before she can cry foul, Teddy comes clean about his double life: he's the heir to the CEO and he needs her help to make Celeste a better place-for everyone. But that means taking down the old guard-including his father-intent on standing in their way. Now in the center of a dizzying corporate coup, Dee is forced to decide whether she's ready to stop watching the world through rose-colored glasses and instead face the truth: about herself, about her feelings for Teddy, and about what she's willing to do to truly make a difference"--

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Carolyn Brown sends readers on a wild ride in this enemies to lovers romance between a rugged rodeo cowboy and a fierce competitor who thinks it's time for a woman to take the crown.Gemma O'Donnell was incensed when she wasn't the first woman to win the PRCA (Professional Rodeo Championship Association) buckle for bronc riding. This year, she heads out on the PRCA ProRodeo Tour burning to be the second.First stop is Cody, Wyoming where her stiffest competition is Trace Coleman, who already has a jump on her. A tall, dark-haired cowboy with a sexy grin and a swagger, he doesn't really give a damn about the trophy belt buckle-he wants the purse to buy a ranch he has his eye on. He damn sure doesn't have time for a sassy bit of Irish baggage who can evidently ride anything with four legs and make anything with two legs want to take her to bed.Gemma wins a few; Trace wins a few. In the end they both qualify for the final cut in Las Vegas. But when it comes down to the wire, only one can win the bronc-riding competition and take home one helluva prize. But in this competition, it just might be loser takes all...

"Twelve years ago, tragedy struck a sleepy Texas town. Only a small number of those impacted survived-a group the media dubbed The Ones Who Got Away. This is their story. Her secret shame: The world knows Rebecca Lindt as a survivor, but that impression would crumble if people discovered her secret...and realized she didn't deserve to be the one who got away. But nothing can change the past, so she's thrown herself into her work. She can't dwell if she never slows down. His uncertain future: Wes Garrett is trying to get back on his feet after losing his dream restaurant, his money, and half his damn mind in a vicious divorce. But when he intervenes in a mugging and saves Rebecca - the attorney who helped his ex ruin him - his simple life gets a hell of a lot more complicated. Their attraction is inconvenient and neither wants more than a fling. But when Rebecca's secret is put at risk, both discover they could lose everything, including the one thing they never realized they needed: each other. By turns heart-wrenching and deeply romantic, this award-winning spicy contemporary romance will challenge the way you see life, love, and happily ever after"--

Everything that was lost will be found again.Jubilee PD Officer Wiley Pope thinks he's ruined things with Linette Elgin. He hasn't seen or heard from the local nurse since their first date went disastrously wrong. But when Wiley walks in on a bank robbery with Linette as one of the hostages, his training and protective instincts kick into full gear. A heroic bullet to his armor-protected chest is enough for Linette to forgive Wiley's past mistakes and be willing to begin anew.While his love for Linette grows daily, Wiley finds himself in over his head when a murder investigation is linked to Pope Mountain. If that wasn't enough, a woman from Wiley's father's past abandons her seven-year-old daughter at the police station in an attempted money scheme. But the minute the woman signs over her parental rights, Wiley and Linette welcome the wary little girl into their family and show her what real love looks like.Praise for New York Times bestseller Sharon Sala's thrilling romantic suspense:"Emotionally wrenching, sensually appealing, edgy and suspenseful, and hopeful and endearing."-USA Today for Going Gone"Vivid, gripping...this thriller keeps the pages turning."-Library Journal for Torn Apart"Skillfully balancing suspense and romance, Sala gives readers a nonstop breath-holding adventure."-Publishers Weekly for Going Once

"Felicity Pax loves her job. She craves excitement, and being a bounty hunter gives her that in spades. So when her estranged mother disappears with a small fortune in tow, Felicity chases her like she would any other skip. Too bad she didn't barter on having increasingly infuriating (and infuriatingly hot) PI Bennett Green on her tail. Bennett's got a job to do, and if that means shadowing Felicity...well...he's had worse assignments. Even if he's 99% sure the increasingly intriguing bounty hunter is leading him on a wild goose chase through the Rockies. If she has to drag her PI tail through endless quirky mountain towns in order to shake him, that's what she's determined to do...but it isn't long before Felicity's intended distraction turns up a mystery worth solving-and Bennett becomes the unexpected partner she never realized she needed. As things heat up, Felicity will have to decide what's most important to her: staying one step ahead of the "enemy" or giving herself freedom to experience the adventure of a lifetime."--

*Now an original series from Netflix**International bestseller*Two heartbroken people from totally different worlds go on a fake-dating vacation of a lifetime. What could possibly go wrong?Margot Ortega always struggled to be the princess in her own fairytale: a successful career, a huge salary, a gorgeous apartment, and a perfect fiancé. But on her wedding day, she suffers a major panic attack and has to call it off.Devastated and ashamed, Margot decides to drown her sufferings in a mad night of alcohol and dancing. The next day, she goes back to the sleazy club to retrieve her sister's cell phone, and has a crazy encounter with David Sánchez, the handsome, fun-loving bartender who persuades her to pretend to be his new girlfriend in order to make his ex jealous. David recognizes the sadness in her eyes, and together they conspire to help each other get their exes back. Little do they know how much fun they'll have and how much they'll complicate their lives.A trip to Greece together that Margot sees as a much-needed getaway creates an unexpected connection and depth of intimacy between two people who belong to two totally different worlds. What starts as a simple escape for fun and adventure becomes complicated and devastating when the depth of their feelings pulls the two lovers in different directions and forces them to make a life-altering decision. Full of joy, angst, and heartfelt humor, A Perfect Story is perfect for fans of:Opposites attract romanceFake dating (but it feels so real)Sizzling heat and fiery passionBooks that make you cry and laughA fun, sexy vacation to the MediterraneanEmotional romances by Lucy Score and Abby Jimenez

"He's not just rich...he's filthy rich. When Daisy Bennett started working at Salacious Players' Club, she never expected to end up on the auction block ready to grant a date to the highest bidder. She only took the waitressing job to learn more about a mysterious man from her mother's past-Ronan Kade. So when Ronan, the richest man at the club, wins the date, Daisy can't say no. But he's too old. Too rich. Too cocky. And, oh yeah...he once dated Daisy's mother. Ronan knows there's something about Daisy he can't get enough of, but he has no idea who she is or why they seem to have an undeniable connection. All he can say for sure is that he loves the way she calls him Daddy. One date inevitably leads to more, and Ronan is ready to put his heart on the line, but both he and Daisy will have to be honest about the secrets they've been keeping if they want their chance at something real..."--

He's a tempting heap of Texas trouble...Mercy Spenser promised her friend and roommate she'd spend her vacation in west Texas for a charitable mission-she didn't agree to the oppressive heat, massive spiders, or the rowdy cantina next door drowning out her gospel singing. She's not the type to sit idly by, so when she clashes with the sexy-as-hell man who runs the place, her temper is hot enough to nearly burn down the entire town.Despite refusing to turn down his jukebox and inviting Miss Mercy to leave his cantina alone, Hunter Wilson can't get that gospel singer with the ice-blue eyes out of his mind. Finding her again in their tiny town isn't the problem. Convincing her that he's interested-well, that's another story. But if Mercy will give Hunter one more chance to show his true feelings, they just might find the love of a lifetime.Praise for Carolyn Brown:"Brown's characters easily inspire readers to care what happens to them."-Publishers Weekly for Bride For a Day"A sweet story about building family out of what life hands you."-Kirkus Reviews for Talk Cowboy to Me"Fresh, funny, and sexy tale filled with likable, down-to-earth characters."-Booklist for Love Drunk CowboyPreviously published as An Old Love's Shadow.

Thrilling adventure and sexy holiday fun in the Scottish Highlands. When a new she-wolf moves in next door, only one alpha wolf can give her everything she wants for Christmas and more.Edeen Campbell has heard many wild stories about the MacQuarrie clan living in the castle closest to her new home. She is determined-not even Lachlan MacQuarrie, the pack leader's brother, can ruin her holiday plans, no matter how hard he may try or how intrigued she is by him. But as Lachlan proves to her over and over that he is a wolf to be trusted, Edeen begins to change her mind about the pack and the very handsome wolf dedicated to making her first Highland Christmas a special one.Everyone loves Terry Spear's shifter romances!"Essential reading for werewolf romance fans."-Booklist for Alpha Wolf Need Not Apply"Spear takes readers on a pulse-pounding ride."-Publishers Weekly for SEAL Wolf Christmas"Plenty of action and romantic chemistry."-BookPage for A Very Jaguar Christmas"[A] feel-good holiday read."-Library Journal for Jingle Bell Wolf

"A few years after they broke up professionally and personally, the ex-screenwriting team of Kerri Williams and Jon Romano find their lives turned upside down when an old script is green-lit and they have to write together again. Now, for the month of December, Kerri must leave behind her life as a teacher in Brooklyn to return to sunny Hollywood and work with the man she used to love. Jon and Kerri just want to finish the film and get this awkward reunion over with. But Amari Rivers, the star of their movie, thinks they're engaged and wants them on set for moral support and love advice. Wanting to keep the star happy, Kerri and Jon pretend to love each other, bringing back all the old feelings they've been trying so hard to forget. Could this be the Christmas they finally get their own happy ending?"--

There's no better time than Christmas to open your heart Holt Callahan used to the love the holidays, but getting dumped on Christmas Eve with a ring tucked in your pocket would turn anyone into a Grinch. Now he hates Christmas and all the holly jolly shenanigans that go with it. When he moves back to his cousin's ranch in Creedence, Colorado, the last thing he expects is to come face to face with the one who got away and all of her holiday cheer.Lainey McBride is all about Christmas, and despite running her family's ranch festivities while her grandfather is in rehab, she hasn't lost her holiday spirit. Not even when the horse that was supposed to offer snowy sleigh rides can't be found. She couldn't be happier to see a cowboy riding up with her missing horse, or more shocked to see that cowboy is Holt Callahan. But the holidays have their own way of healing, and a Christmas in Creedence just might be the merry magic that brings these two broken hearts back together again.Praise for Jennie Marts's cowboy romances:"Full of hope, humor, and undeniable swoon."-A.J. Pine, USA Today bestselling author, for How to Cowboy"Funny, complicated, and irresistible. Sometimes a cowboy isn't perfect but you got to love him anyway."-Jodi Thomas, New York Times bestselling author, for Caught Up in a Cowboy"Deliciously steamy but still sweet, with a secret at its heart."-Joanne Kennedy for Wish Upon a Cowboy"The definition of a swoon-worthy, must-read romance."-Sara Richardson for Never Enough Cowboy

"Major Rufus d'Aumesty has unexpectedly become the Earl of Oxney, master of a remote Norman manor on the edge of the infamous Romney Marsh. There he's beset on all sides, his position contested both by his greedy uncle and by Luke Doomsday, son of a notorious smuggling clan. The earl and the smuggler should be natural enemies, but cocksure, enragingly competent Luke is a trained secretary and expert schemer--exactly the sort of man Rufus needs by his side. Before long, Luke becomes an unexpected ally ... and the lover Rufus had never hoped to find. But Luke came to Stone Manor with an ulterior motive, one he's desperate to keep hidden even from the lord he can't resist. As the lies accumulate and family secrets threaten to destroy everything they hold dear, master and man find themselves forced to decide whose side they're really on ... and what they're willing to do for love"--

"A fabulous storyteller who will keep you turning pages and wishing for just one more chapter at the end."-Carolyn Brown, New York Times bestselling authorA small town is the perfect place to find love-but first there's work to do...When a tornado tears through her hometown of Summertown, Illinois, wreaking havoc on the people she loves, social media manager Emma Woods has no choice but to head back home from her life in the big city to help rebuild. She's determined to use her social media savvy to put Summertown back on the map in time for the annual Garden Fest with rival town Middlebrook. Summertown really needs that prize money now. And if she can only avoid Matteo Rourke-the reason she left Summertown in the first place-all the better.Matteo can't help what happened that broke up his and Emma's relationship years ago. All he can do now that she's back in town is avoid her, but of course everywhere he goes, Emma is there...

Nothing is more powerful than a werewolf-excerpt perhaps a mighty warrior.Nothing surprises SWAT alpha Hale Delaney-he's seen almost everything since he became a werewolf. But when he goes head-to-head with Dallas's newest supernatural villain and is saved by the woman he loved and lost a decade ago, his world is turned upside down. Karissa Bonifay has always been fierce and capable, but now she's a sword-wielding warrior in her own right.The more time Hale and Karissa spend together hunting the dangerous supernaturals terrorizing the city, the closer they come to the truth about what really came between them all those years ago...Praise for Paige Tyler's paranormal romances:"A wild, hot, and sexy ride from beginning to end! I loved it!"-Terry Spear, USA Today bestselling author, for Her Perfect Mate"A steamy, action-packed walk on the wild side! The sexy wolves of SWAT are not to be missed!"-J.D. Tyler, bestselling author, for Wolf Trouble"Signature tongue-in-cheek humor, paranormal action, and plenty of sizzle."-Publishers Weekly for The Wolf Is Mine

What's a lady to do when the man standing in her way might also be the man of her dreams?Henry Deeping and Kate Meacham seem to clash every time they meet. Kate is frustrated by the change in her status following the death of her grandfather, a legendary figure in diplomatic circles. As a lone single woman, she is now effectively nobody, even though she knows everyone and has made important contributions to diplomacy in the past. Henry, just joining the Foreign Office, is wondering how to make his mark.They agree to an exchange-Henry will serve as Kate's escort to important events to which she is no longer invited, and Kate will introduce him to the important people she knows so well. But when they spot a foreign agent they thought had been apprehended, they decide to investigate on their own, enlisting a motley group of friends and relying on each other to uncover the truth...Praise for A Duke Too Far:"An effervescent Regency romantic mystery."-Kirkus Reviews"Superbly executed...a daringly different kind of Regency historical."-Booklist"Complex characters, subtle romance, and all the sparkling wit and flirtatious banter of a Georgette Heyer novel."-Publishers Weekly

"Ariadne Hui thrives on routine. So what if everything in her life is planned down to the minute: that's the way she likes it. If she's going to make partner in Toronto's most prestigious law firm, she needs to stay focused at all times. But when she comes home after yet another soul-sucking day to find an unfamiliar, gorgeous man camped out in her living room, focus is the last thing on her mind. Especially when her roommate explains this is Choi Jihoon, her cousin freshly arrived from Seoul to mend a broken heart. He just needs a few weeks to rest and heal; Ari will barely even know he's there. (Yeah, right.) Jihoon is kindness and chaos personified, and it isn't long before she's falling, hard. But when one wrong step leads to a shocking truth, Ari finds herself thrust onto the world stage: not as the competent, steely lawyer she's fought so hard to become, but as the mystery woman on the arm of a man the entire world claims to know. Now with her heart, her future, and her sense of self on the line, Ari will have to cut through all the pretty lies to find the truth of her relationship...and discover the Ariadne Hui she's finally ready to be"--

"I'm a voyeur--it means I like to watch. And in my line of work, that's a gift. As one of the four owners of the Salacious Players' Club, I'm comfortable on the sidelines. This is what I was made to do, and I work better alone. Until the day I stumble on a certain cam girl app and find myself watching the one person I should never have watched--my step-sister. There are three big problems with this. One, Mia and I can't stand each other. Two, she has no idea I'm the man on the other end of the video. And three...I'm hooked--on the app and on her. Now, Mia has me wanting and doing things I said I'd never do again, like opening up and getting attached. I'm falling for her, but she's falling for the mystery man I'm pretending to be. If I'm going to make this right, then I have to do more than just watch. But how far will I go to keep her eyes on me?" --Back cover.

"Levi King has never met a woman he couldn't charm--until he meets Indigo Jameson. One of Brightwater Valley's newest citizens, the prickly woman gets under his skin like no one else ever has. Indigo doesn't trust people as a rule. She trusts men--especially handsome ones--least of all. And Levi is the handsomest man she's ever seen. Much to her chagrin, the gorgeous adventure guide seems intent on befriending her. Somehow, Levi manages to get past her defense and make her realize how great it could be to have a friend she can lean on. But beneath Levi's carefree, flirtatious exterior is a man badly damaged by his past. Can Indigo do for him what he's done for her and break down the walls around Levi's heart? --]cProvided by publisher.

"Iris Collins is the messy one in her family. The "chaos bunny." Her sisters are all wildly successful, while she can't balance her budget for a single month. It's no wonder she's in debt to her roommates. When she unexpectedly inherits a house from her great aunt, her plan to turn it into a B&B fails-as most of her plans do. She winds up renting rooms like a Victorian spinster, collecting other lost souls...and not all of them are "human." Eli Reese grew up as the nerdy outcast in school, but he got rich designing apps. Now he's successful by any standards. But he's never had the same luck in finding a real community or people who understand him. Over the years, he's never forgotten his first crush, so when he spots her at a cafâe, he takes it as a sign. Except then he gets sucked into the Iris-verse and somehow ends up renting one of her B&B rooms. As the days pass, Eli grows enchanted by the misfit boarders staying in the house...and even more so by Iris. Could Eli have finally found a person and a place to call "home"?"--

Shirley Wallace and her four sons come to her childhood home in Kentucky with a lifetime of hardship behind them, hoping to find peace and begin their lives anew. Eldest brother Aaron Pope returns to his life as a police officer and is settling in when an investigation into an attempted murder leads him to Dani Owens. Dani came to Kentucky to escape her own dark past, but she witnesses a crime and becomes embroiled in a drama she never expected. Aaron commits to protecting her and slowly they begin to build trust and understanding.

"Domenic Marino has become an expert at code-switching between the hypermasculine and ultrafeminine worlds of his two soon-to-be-wed best friends. But this summer-reeling from his own failed engagement and tasked with attending their bachelor and bachelorette parties-he's anxious over having to play both sides. The pressure is on. The bride wants Dom to keep things clean. The groom wants Dom to "let loose" with the guys. And Dom just wants to get out of this whole mess with his friendships intact. But once the rowdy groomsmen show up at the beach house-including a surprise visit from the groom's old frat brother, handsome and charming PGA star Bucky Graham-chaos (and unexpected romance) quickly ensues. By the time Dom returns for the bachelorette party, he's accumulated a laundry list of secrets that threaten to destroy everything-from the wedding, to Bucky's career, to the one thing Dom hasn't been paying nearly enough attention to lately: his own life"--

"Two wolves are better than one, but a pack of wolves beats trouble any day... Ski Lodge owner and gray wolf Kayla Wolff hasn't had the best romantic history, so dating Private Investigator and fellow pack mate Nate Grayson feels like she's hit the jackpot. When she thinks about the way her last relationship ended, Kayla worries that she'll screw up again and lose Nate too. When Nate's latest investigation puts Kayla in the crosshairs, the pack comes together to help while Nate stays by her side day and night to protect the wolf he loves. There's no doubt in his mind that Kayla is the mate for him, but does she feel the same way?"--Provided by publisher.

"Broke up with, broke, and with a vicious case of writer's block, romance writer Gracie Landing is a hot mess. She can hardly be blamed for drinking one (or a few) too many cocktails when out with her besties in an attempt to cheer herself up. Sometime in the foggy wee hours, she recklessly emails her unrequited high-school crush, Colin Yarmouth, who is now a successful attorney harboring regrets of his own. When she receives an intriguingly friendly (not to say flirty) response, her acute embarrassment is overcome only by her fervent curiosity--what would a hottie like Colin be like as a grown up? The two forge an unlikely friendship that's unmistakably headed for more. Colin's tales of his own woeful break-up become fodder for Gracie's fertile imagination and her current work-in-progress takes off. With the deadline looming and her checking account dwindling, Gracie has no idea that borrowing Colin's story could wreak havoc on her life, her career, and her own chance at happily-ever-after..."--