What makes for the ideal woman? How should she look, love, and be? In this vibrant, high-spirited history, medievalist Eleanor Janega turns to the Middle Ages, the era that bridged the ancient world and modern society, to unfurl its suppositions about women and reveal what’s shifted over time — and what hasn’t. Enshrined medieval thinkers, almost always male, subscribed to a blend of classical Greek and Roman philosophy and Christian theology for their concepts of the sexes. For the height of female attractiveness, they chose the mythical Helen of Troy, whose imagined pear shape, small breasts, and golden hair served as beauty’s epitome. Casting Eve’s shadow over medieval women, they derided them as oversexed sinners, inherently lustful, insatiable, and weak. And, unless a nun, a woman was to be the embodiment of perfect motherhood. In contrast, drawing on accounts of remarkable and subversive medieval women like Eleanor of Aquitaine and Hildegard of Bingen, along with others hidden in documents and court cases, Janega shows us how real women of the era lived. While often mothers, they were industrious farmers, brewers, textile workers, artists, and artisans and paved the way for new ideas about women’s nature, intellect, and ability. In The Once and Future Sex, Janega unravels the restricting expectations on medieval women and the ones on women today. She boldly questions why, if our ideas of women have changed drastically over time, we cannot reimagine them now to create a more equitable future.

-Joelle- You know what they say about enemies. * Know the enemy * Keep the enemy close * Outsmart the enemy * Make out with the enemy Okay, maybe not that last part. And maybe that’s what got me in trouble with Vaughan Thompson. But in my defense, he started it. That city boy should have known better than to act a fool in these parts. I don't get mad. I get even. ______________________________ -Vaughan- None of this would have happened if an armadillo hadn't wrecked my car. That was my welcome home to Maren, Texas. The other half of the welcoming committee was a five-foot-three pile of sass and pure evil. Too bad everyone else in Joelle Reed’s life was completely smitten with her. But not me. Jo was the incarnation of evil in a pretty package. A pretty hot package. I wasn’t at fault for what transpired. The she-devil started it. ______________________________ Cry About It is a standalone enemies to lovers romance with moments so hot they’ll melt your Kindle and a swoony happily ever after. Get ready to laugh your head off, and be prepared for an excessive amount of canned ravioli, topless bull riding, and to fall in love with the world's worst guard dog.

Butting heads leads to knocking boots in this wildly sexy enemies-to-lovers, grumpy/sunshine, small town cowboy romance by Jessica Peterson. My dad and I have been estranged for years. But as his only living relative, it’s no surprise I inherit his massive cattle ranch when he dies. Something that is a surprise? The stipulation in his will, which requires me to live on the ranch and actively manage it for a year before I can access my inheritance money. I haven’t stepped foot in Hartsville, Texas, population one thousand, since my parents split when I was six. Now a city girl through and through, I never imagined having to move back to cowboy country. But I need the money to invest in my company, and a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do. There’s just one giant roadblock to my plan: the ranch’s foreman, grumpy cowboy Cash Rivers. I don’t care how good he looks in his Wranglers and chaps. He’s rude, he’s growly, and he wants me gone. I’d fire him in a heartbeat, but I need this cowboy to teach me the ropes of running a ranch. We’re enemies from the get-go. But turns out, Cash is really good at this ranch thing. He’s got strong hands, an intelligent mind, and let’s just say everything really is bigger in Texas. Working alongside him leads to conversations beneath the stars. Throw in some cheek-to-cheek dancing at the local dive bar, and it all feels so right that I start to fall in love with life on the ranch. And maybe with him, too. But my stay in Hartsville is only temporary. And you know what they say about cowboys: they may break horses, but they also break hearts. If only Cash hadn’t already lassoed mine… CASH is the first standalone book in the brand new steamy, interconnected Lucky River Ranch Series.

Every good baker has secret recipes, but that’s not the secret that could put Annie in danger. To her quaint New England community, she’s the sweet owner of Annie’s Pies, but the world knows Annie Smith as someone else entirely. When the threat moves closer to home, Annie must choose between life as she knows it or the unknown. Miles Zhou is no stranger to a fight. A decade in the ring as an MMA fighter taught him a thing or two about adversity—and how to take down a threat quickly and quietly. He’s the perfect addition to the executive protection team at Keller & Associates. Playing bodyguard to a small-town baker shouldn’t be a difficult job, but Annie Smith isn’t sugar and spice and everything nice. She’s pies, lies, and in disguise. _____________________ An ode to the romance genre with some fourth-wall-breaking goodness! Get ready for Miles (a Croc-rocking, pink-drink-wielding, anytime-is-the-time-for-swim-trunks sunshine hero) to knock Annie (an anxiety-fueled ball of sarcastic nerves) on her rear. Literally. 100 Lifetimes of Us is a charming, low-angst rom-com that’ll have you laughing, crying, fanning yourself, and everything in between.

—Christian— Rule Number 1: You ride in my truck; you let me open the door. Another problem was the last thing I needed. Unfortunately, Cassandra Parker was mine. But the biggest problem of all? It wasn’t the beautiful stranger sticking her nose in my operations. It wasn’t the bulldozer she was driving over my way of life. And it definitely wasn’t the fact that she was living in my house. My biggest problem? The engagement ring on her finger. —Cassandra— Rule Number 1: If you’re going to kill someone, make it look like an accident, cry at the funeral, admit to nothing, and deny everything. To be clear, I didn’t want to be Christian Griffith’s problem. But there I was: exiled from New York, stranded on a cattle ranch, and desperate to salvage what was left of my career. Living with a single dad and his children was a downgrade from my high-rise office and city comforts, but I agreed to it for one simple reason: to save my job. A hot cowboy wasn’t going to lasso me into staying a second longer than necessary.

A sharp, emotional novel about a tough-minded bar owner who makes a deal with a devil of a cowboy—and might just get burned… Moving to Montana to buy a dive bar with her two best friends sounds like a can’t-miss idea to Charly Henwood. The scenery is breathtaking, and the cowboys aren’t bad-looking either. Not that Charly’s interested. Her heart is as unmovable as the surrounding mountains. After her cheating ex-boyfriend destroyed their relationship and their nightclub, she’s determined to take care of herself, her friends and their bar. But it turns out the regulars resent newcomers swapping their craft beer for an extensive cocktail menu. One is particularly not happy—The Naked Moose’s previous owner, Jaxon Reed. The last thing Charly needs is a cocky cowboy telling her how to run her bar, or her life. But maybe she can use Jaxon to her advantage. If he’ll agree to be the prize in a charity auction, Charly will make the bar a little more cowboy-friendly. When that plan backfires, Charly finds herself doing battle with the biggest temptation in Timber Falls. A man who has made it his mission to win her over, using every infernal means at his disposal. And if her resolve goes up in flames, her heart is sure to follow…

—Christian— Rule Number 1: You ride in my truck; you let me open the door. Another problem was the last thing I needed. Unfortunately, Cassandra Parker was mine. But the biggest problem of all? It wasn’t the beautiful stranger sticking her nose in my operations. It wasn’t the bulldozer she was driving over my way of life. And it definitely wasn’t the fact that she was living in my house. My biggest problem? The engagement ring on her finger. —Cassandra— Rule Number 1: If you’re going to kill someone, make it look like an accident, cry at the funeral, admit to nothing, and deny everything. To be clear, I didn’t want to be Christian Griffith’s problem. But there I was: exiled from New York, stranded on a cattle ranch, and desperate to salvage what was left of my career. Living with a single dad and his children was a downgrade from my high-rise office and city comforts, but I agreed to it for one simple reason: to save my job. A hot cowboy wasn’t going to lasso me into staying a second longer than necessary.

The last place city girl Cecily Kennedy expected to end up was a cattle ranch. But she needs a job—and refuge from her abusive soon-to-be-ex-husband. If only her new boss, Austin Wells, would make it clear whether he hates her or wants her. His gaze makes her feel things she hasn’t in years. Though getting over her ex by getting under her grumpy boss isn’t worth the potential fallout. Austin’s a gruff, no-nonsense rancher who’s seriously regretting letting his head cook hire her own help. As far as he’s concerned, Cecily won’t be sticking around for long. Nobody ever stays. And the wedding ring indent still on her finger makes her more trouble than she’s worth. When Cecily’s past catches up with her, Austin discovers that she’s already placed a branding iron on his heart. He wants her to stay. First, he needs to keep her safe. CW/TW: DOMESTIC VIOLENCE (ON PAGE), PHYSICAL VIOLENCE (ON PAGE), DEATH OF PARENT AND GRANDPARENT (DISCUSSED), TROUBLED PARENT-ADULT CHILD RELATIONSHIP (DISCUSSED), ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION (ON PAGE), RANCHING ACTIVITIES (BRANDING, CASTRATION, VACCINATION, ROPING - ON PAGE), EXPLICIT SEX SCENES

She’s here to sell my ranch, but now I think she might steal my heart. Rory Jones prided herself on the successful life she’d built as a wellness influencer and author - until she walked in on her boyfriend with another woman after a family funeral. Forced to run away to her late great aunt’s ranch in Colorado, Rory’s hoping that fixing up and selling the place will help her find her confidence and inspiration to write again. But Wyatt Hensley, the grumpy head rancher, isn’t willing to hand over the reins to the job he gave everything up for. Especially not to a yoga-loving, manifestation guru who doesn’t even know how to ride a horse. Yet, with a past that’s taught him to not bother dreaming anymore, even Wyatt knows he can’t hold on forever. Until one day they strike a deal that might just save both of their careers – help Rory turn the ranch into a wellness retreat and Wyatt can stay. With Rory’s shattered self-confidence and Wyatt’s last drop of hope also on the line, staying professional is a must. But can they ignore the sizzling tension growing between them that could jeopardise it all? Especially when the rocky path ahead seems a lot easier with the other riding beside them.

In this steamy cowboy romance, a woman returns to her family's ranch after a broken engagement and finds herself falling for her brother's best friend—the first novel in the Silver Pines Ranch series. Take a deep breath and let go of the reins. Cecilia “CeCe” Ashby is finally escaping the toxic relationship that has consumed her entire adult life. She's returning to her hometown of Laurel Creek, Kentucky, and to her family’s equestrian ranch, unsure of what the future holds. Nash Carter, the newly retired superstar of the Dallas Stars, is Laurel Creek's hometown hero, local business owner, and notorious bachelor. He’s also the unofficial fourth sibling in the Ashby clan. It’s been years since his days of tormenting CeCe with her older brothers Wade and Cole. So, when CeCe needs a job, he feels drawn to help her. Nash can’t seem to take his eyes off of his best friend's sister, and it seems she’s been staring right back, not without animosity left over from his childish teasing back in the day. Despite their initial reluctance, the fire between them ignites and it isn't long before they jump into the flames.