I am convinced that at birth the cake is already baked. Nurture is the nuts or frosting, but if you’re a spice cake, you’re a spice cake, and nothing is going to change you into an angel food.
Tall, slender Violet Mathers is growing up in the Great Depression, which could just as well define her state of mind. Abandoned by her mother as a child, mistreated by her father, and teased by her schoolmates (“Hey, Olive Oyl, where’s...

Caroline Sweeney has always done the right thing -- the responsible, dependable thing -- unlike her mother who abandoned the family. But when her best friend challenges her to accept an exciting job in Barcelona, Spain, Caroline says "yes" to destiny.

Stuck in Group A with the kids who can't read, upbeat first grader Lupe Lopez is made fun of by a rival but refuses to let that stop her from becoming a reading rock star.

"From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Wish comes a poignant love story about risking everything for a dream-and whether it's possible to leave the past behind. Colby Mills once felt destined for a musical career, until tragedy grounded his aspirations. Now the head of a small family farm in North Carolina, he spontaneously takes a gig playing at a bar in St. Pete's Beach, Florida, seeking a rare break from his duties at home. But when...

"From New York Times bestselling author Rachel Hawkins comes a deliciously wicked gothic suspense, set at an Italian villa with a dark history, for fans of Lucy Foley and Ruth Ware. As kids, Emily and Chess were inseparable. But by their 30s, their bond has been strained by the demands of their adult lives. So when Chess suggests a girls trip to Italy, Emily jumps at the chance to reconnect with her best friend. Villa Aestas in Orvieto is a high-end...

Ruth Rose, Josh, and Dink attend a concert during which someone steals the star's diamond pendant, and they are soon on the trail of the thief.

"When Summer's music career crumbles, she returns to the place where secrets, wounds, and fears destroyed her closest friendships. It will take a reckoning with her past and the friends she lost to help her gain the closure she needs to move forward"--

"Four years after getting the biggest break of his life, Cameron Lee's music career has taken a nosedive, leaving him two options: become a sellout or give up on his lifelong dream. He reluctantly returns home for his sister's wedding, hoping to avoid his past and find his love for music again. Single mom Lexie Walters has suffered her fair share of tragedies and setbacks, but she has finally scraped together the money to achieve her dream of going...

When boring Mr. Loring retires, A.J.'s class gets a new music teacher who raps, break-dances, and thinks he has what it takes to become a famous musician.

"When Jesselynn Wyatt catches the ear of rock 'n roll superstar, Brandon Vant, her boring life becomes a whirlwind of high energy concerts. It's a dream come true for the former Wyoming cowgirl to be background singer for the handsome celebrity. But, someone doesn't want Brandon to revive his career. Tabloid gossip plagues the musicians, a small irritant at first. Then the revenge becomes personal. Jesse wonders if she should forget a solo career...