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An Uncertain Choice
by Jody HedlundDue to her parents’ promise at her birth, Lady Rosemarie has been prepared to become a nun on the day she turns eighteen. Then, shortly before her birthday, a friend of her father’s enters the kingdom and proclaims her parents’ will left a second choice—if Rosemarie can marry before the eve of her eighteenth year, she will be exempt from the ancient vow. Before long, Rosemarie is presented with the three most handsome and brave knights in the land. But when the knights’ arrival results in a series of attacks within her land, she begins to wonder if the convent is the best place after all. If only one of the knights—the one who appears the most guilty—had not already captured her heart.
An Uncertain Future: Voices Of A French Jewish Community, 1940-2012
by Robert I. Weiner Richard E. SharplessThis contemporary oral history, based on interviews conducted over an 18-year period, is the first of its kind in English. The interviews, some repeated with the same subjects over years, demonstrate how the Jewish community of Dijon has evolved over time in response to challenges both internal and external. The authors provide an introduction to the series of interviews as well as a detailed history of the community. A chronology, a map of Dijon, and photos of many interviewees are included. The book also provides an update on recent events in the community, a suggested reading list, and a bibliography.
An Uncertain Glory: India and its Contradictions
by Amartya Sen Jean DrèzeWhy India's problems won't be solved by rapid economic growth aloneWhen India became independent in 1947 after two centuries of colonial rule, it immediately adopted a firmly democratic political system, with multiple parties, freedom of speech, and extensive political rights. The famines of the British era disappeared, and steady economic growth replaced the economic stagnation of the Raj. The growth of the Indian economy quickened further over the last three decades and became the second fastest among large economies. Despite a recent dip, it is still one of the highest in the world.Maintaining rapid as well as environmentally sustainable growth remains an important and achievable goal for India. In An Uncertain Glory, two of India's leading economists argue that the country's main problems lie in the lack of attention paid to the essential needs of the people, especially of the poor, and often of women. There have been major failures both to foster participatory growth and to make good use of the public resources generated by economic growth to enhance people's living conditions. There is also a continued inadequacy of social services such as schooling and medical care as well as of physical services such as safe water, electricity, drainage, transportation, and sanitation. In the long run, even the feasibility of high economic growth is threatened by the underdevelopment of social and physical infrastructure and the neglect of human capabilities, in contrast with the Asian approach of simultaneous pursuit of economic growth and human development, as pioneered by Japan, South Korea, and China.In a democratic system, which India has great reason to value, addressing these failures requires not only significant policy rethinking by the government, but also a clearer public understanding of the abysmal extent of social and economic deprivations in the country. The deep inequalities in Indian society tend to constrict public discussion, confining it largely to the lives and concerns of the relatively affluent. Drèze and Sen present a powerful analysis of these deprivations and inequalities as well as the possibility of change through democratic practice.
An Uncertain Inheritance: Writers on Caring for Ill Family Members
by Nell CaseyIn this eloquent collection of essays—from the editor of the national bestseller Unholy Ghost: Writers on Depression—contributors reveal their experiences in caring for family through illness and deathToday, thirty million people look after frail family members in their own homes. This number will increase drastically over the next decade—as baby boomers tiptoe toward old age; as soldiers return home from war wounded, mentally and physically; as a growing number of Americans find themselves caught between the needs of elderly parents and young children; as medical advances extend lives and health insurance fails to cover them. This compelling book offers both literary solace and guidance to the people who find themselves witness to—and participants in—the fading lives of their intimates.Some of the country's most accomplished writers offer frank insights and revelations about this complex relationship. Julia Glass describes the tension between giving care—to her two young sons—and needing care after being diagnosed with breast cancer; Ann Harleman explores her decision to place her husband in an institution; Sam Lipsyte alternates between dark humor and profound understanding in telling the story of his mother's battle with cancer; Ann Hood wishes she'd had more time as a caregiver, to prepare herself for the loss of her daughter; Andrew Solomon examines the humbling experience of returning as an adult to be cared for by his father; cartoonist Stan Mack offers an illustrated piece about the humor and hell of making his way through the medical bureaucracy alongside his partner, Janet; Julia Alvarez writes about the competition between her and her three sisters to be the best daughter as they tend to their ailing parents. An Uncertain Inheritance examines the caregiving relationship from every angle—children caring for parents; parents caring for children; sib-lings, spouses, and close friends, all looking after one another—to reveal the pain, intimacy, and grace that take place in this meaningful connection.
An Uncertain Place
by Fred VargasAdamsberg travels to London, where a routine conference draws him into a disturbing investigation. Commissaire Adamsberg leaves Paris for a three-day conference in London. With him are a young sergeant, Estalère, and Commandant Danglard, who is terrified at the idea of travelling beneath the Channel. It is the break they all need, until a macabre and brutal case comes to the attention of their colleague Radstock from New Scotland Yard. Just outside the baroque and romantic old Highgate cemetery a pile of shoes is found. Not so strange in itself, but the shoes contain severed feet. As Scotland Yard's investigation begins, Adamsberg and his colleagues return home and are confronted with a massacre in a suburban home. Adamsberg and Danglard are drawn in to a trail of vampires and vampire-hunters that leads them all the way to Serbia, a place where the old certainties no longer apply.
An Uncertain Safety: Integrative Health Care for the 21st Century Refugees
by Thomas Wenzel Boris DrožđekThis book addresses the psychosocial and medical issues of forced migration due to war, major disasters and political as well as climate changes. The topics are discussed in the context of public health and linked to organizational, legal and practical strategies that can offer guidance to professionals, as well as governmental and non-governmental organizations. Both internal and international displacement present substantial challenges that require new solutions and integrated approaches. Issues covered include an overview of current health challenges in the new refugee crises: medicine and mental health in disaster areas, long-term displacement and mental health, integration of legal, medical, social and health economic issues, children and unaccompanied minors, ethical challenges in service provision, short and long-term issues in host countries, models of crises intervention, critical issues, such as suicide prevention, new basic and “minimal” intervention models adapted to limited resources in psychosocial and mental health care, rebuilding of health care in post-disaster/conflict countries, training and burn-out prevention. The book was developed in collaboration with the World Psychiatric Association, and is endorsed by Fabio Grandi (UN High Commissioner for Refugees), Manfred Nowak (former UN Special Rapporteur for Torture), and Jorge Aroche (President of IRCT).
An Unchosen People: Jewish Political Reckoning in Interwar Poland
by Kenneth B. MossA revisionist account of interwar Europe’s largest Jewish community that upends histories of Jewish agency to rediscover reckonings with nationalism’s pathologies, diaspora’s fragility, Zionism’s promises, and the necessity of choice. What did the future hold for interwar Europe’s largest Jewish community, the font of global Jewish hopes? When intrepid analysts asked these questions on the cusp of the 1930s, they discovered a Polish Jewry reckoning with “no tomorrow.” Assailed by antisemitism and witnessing liberalism’s collapse, some Polish Jews looked past progressive hopes or religious certainties to investigate what the nation-state was becoming, what powers minority communities really possessed, and where a future might be found—and for whom. The story of modern Jewry is often told as one of creativity and contestation. Kenneth B. Moss traces instead a late Jewish reckoning with diasporic vulnerability, nationalism’s terrible potencies, Zionism’s promises, and the necessity of choice. Moss examines the works of Polish Jewry’s most searching thinkers as they confronted political irrationality, state crisis, and the limits of resistance. He reconstructs the desperate creativity of activists seeking to counter despair where they could not redress its causes. And he recovers a lost grassroots history of critical thought and political searching among ordinary Jews, young and powerless, as they struggled to find a viable future for themselves—in Palestine if not in Poland, individually if not communally. Focusing not on ideals but on a search for realism, Moss recasts the history of modern Jewish political thought. Where much scholarship seeks Jewish agency over a collective future, An Unchosen People recovers a darker tradition characterized by painful tradeoffs amid a harrowing political reality, making Polish Jewry a paradigmatic example of the minority experience endemic to the nation-state.
An Uncivil War: Taking Back Our Democracy in an Age of Trumpian Disinformation and Thunderdome Politics
by Greg SargentHow we got here, how to fix it: “One of the sharpest-eyed observers of contemporary American politics . . . exposes the dismal roots of our current moment.” —Daniel Ziblatt, New York Times–bestselling coauthor of How Democracies DieIn An Uncivil War, the Washington Post’s Greg Sargent sounds an urgent alarm about the deeper roots of our democratic backsliding—and how to turn things around before it’s too late.American democracy is facing a crisis as fraught as we’ve seen in decades. Donald Trump’s presidency and rhetoric has raised the specter of authoritarian rule. Extreme polarization and the scorched-earth war between the parties drags on with no end in sight. At the heart of this dangerous moment is a paradox: It took a figure as uniquely menacing as Trump to rivet the nation’s attention on the fragility of our democracy. Yet the causes of our dysfunction are long-running—they predate Trump, helped facilitate his rise, and, distressingly, will outlast him.Sargent reveals why we’ve fallen into the ditch—and how to get out of it. Drawing upon years of research and reporting, he exposes the unparalleled sophistication and ambition of GOP tactics, including computer-generated gerrymandering, underhanded voter suppression, and ever-escalating legislative hardball. All of this has been accompanied by foreign-government intervention and an unprecedented level of political disinformation that threatens to undermine the very possibility of shared agreement on facts—and poses profound new challenges to the media’s ability to inform the citizenry. Yet the Republican Party is only part of the problem. As Sargent provocatively reveals, Democrats share culpability for helping to accelerate this slide.But our plight is far from hopeless, and Sargent offers a series of doable prescriptions for saving our democracy, including a shift of focus toward state legislatures, creative voter registration policies, innovative approaches to fairer districting, and a new sense of purpose. The result is “a probing, sophisticated, very readable discussion of constitutional flaws and economic and ideological antagonisms, one that will give readers a deeper understanding of America’s political rot” (Publishers Weekly).“The author’s explanation is crystal-clear, if alarming . . . a solid appeal to small-r republican virtues and an altogether readable polemic.” —Kirkus Reviews
An Uncommon Alignment
by Ellie ThomasSequel to An Increasing EntanglementAfter the adventures of the spring of 1808 in Regency London, while beginning to fall in love, Clem Metcalfe, Abe Pengelly, and Humphrey Atkinson have the entire summer to consolidate their romantic relationship.But change is already afoot. Abe has distanced himself from his criminal past, now gainfully employed at the military headquarters of Horse Guards, sifting through valuable information to further the cause of the long war against France. Humphrey, at the whim of his beloved Aunt Cece, might have to depart from London and his lovers for the countryside together with the rest of high society. And Clem is studying hard for his longed-for reinstatement at Oxford University in the autumn, which will inevitably mean leaving his lovers at a distance.While the trio juggles their everyday routines, a shadow from the past reappears to threaten their harmony. Can Clem, Abe, and Humphrey thwart their mutual enemy for good? And might they finally have a chance to reach their happy ever after?
An Uncommon Cape: Researching the Histories and Mysteries of a Property (Excelsior Editions)
by Eleanor Phillips BrackbillWhen Eleanor Phillips Brackbill bought her suburban Westchester house in 2000, three mysteries came with it. First, from the former owner, came the information that the 1930s house was "a Sears house or something like that." Thrilled to think it might be a Sears, Roebuck & Co. mail-order house, Brackbill was determined to find evidence to prove it. She found instead a house pedigree of a different sort.Second, and even more provocative, was the discovery of several iron stakes protruding from the property's enormous granite outcropping, bigger in square footage than the house itself. When queried about them, the former owner told her, "Someone a long time ago kept monkeys there, chained to the stakes." Monkeys? Was this some kind of suburban legend? A third mystery came to light at closing, when a building inspector's letter contained a reference to the house having had, at one time, a different address. Why would the house have had another address? Her curiosity aroused, and intent upon finding the facts, Brackbill gradually peeled back layers of history, allowing the house and the land to tell their stories, and uncovering a past inextricably woven into four centuries of American history. At the same time, she found thirty-two owners, across 350 years, who had just one thing in common: ownership of a particular parcel of land.An Uncommon Cape not only tells the story of an eight-year odyssey of fact-finding and speculation but also answers the broader question: "What came before?" and, through material presented in twenty-two sidebars, offers readers insights and guidelines on how to find the stories behind their own homes.
An Uncommon Duke (Secret Lives of the Ton #2)
by Laurie BensonTo reclaim his wife’s heart—and rekindle their passionate love—a Duke must reveal his darkest secrets in this Regency romance.London, England, 1818. When the Duke of Winterbourne proposed to Olivia, she felt like the luckiest girl alive. Their happy marriage was the envy of the ton. But all that changed when Gabriel wasn’t there the night Olivia gave birth to their son . . . Gabriel’s life is rooted in darkness, and he’s learned the hard way not to trust anyone with the truth. Yet, now his wife wants to try for another child—and Gabriel must bare his secrets in order to bring Olivia back into his bed, and by his side, forever!
An Uncommon Education: A Novel
by Elizabeth PercerFor fans of Prep, Dead Poets Society, and Special Topics in Calamity Physics comes an elegant and remarkably insightful coming-of-age debut, in which a young woman’s serendipitous discovery of her college’s underground Shakespeare Society leads to an unforgettable series of transformations. When Naomi finds herself among “the Shakes” at Wellesley, she finally lets herself embrace the passionate inner self she’s always kept locked away. But when a sudden scandal unfolds, she will be forced to learn the limits of the relationships that have sustained her. An intimate and enthralling narrative, Elizabeth Percer’s debut novel An Uncommon Education marks the emergence of a stunning new literary talent.
An Uncommon Friendship
by Sally Patterson Tubach Frederic C. Tubach Bernat RosnerIn 1944, 13-year-old Fritz Tubach was almost old enough to join the Hitler Youth in his German village of Kleinheubach. That same year in Tab, Hungary, 12-year-old Bernie Rosner was loaded onto a train with the rest of the village's Jewish inhabitants and taken to Auschwitz, where his whole family was murdered. Many years later, after enjoying successful lives in California, they met, became friends, and decided to share their intimate story--that of two boys trapped in evil and destructive times, who became men with the freedom to construct their own future, with each other and the world. In a new epilogue, the authors share how the publication of the book changed their lives and the lives of the countless people they have met as a result of publishing their story.
An Uncommon Gift
by James S. EvansThe following quote is taken from the side flaps of the book: "Jamie Evans knows the meaning of fear, but it is not a posture he accepts himself. Like millions of Americans, he suffers from dyslexia and hyperkinesia. In this remarkable story of his struggle to combat these difficulties, he meets obstacle after obstacle and knocks them down, one by one. He reveals what is going on inside the person who cannot sit still, who is frustrated by an inability to read, who stutters, whose behavior is generally disruptive. The son of Dr. Louis H. Evans, Jr., and Colleen Townsend Evans, Jamie was born into a nurturing family who offered him love and provided excellent educational opportunities. Still, he had to fight a lonely battle. Beyond academic problems, Jamie experienced a lack of esteem and self-love. He was an angry, controlling person. In AN UNCOMMON GIFT Jamie relates how he conquered his learning disabilities. He shows that through counseling and supportive relationships deep emotional scars began to heal. From an individual who demanded constant attention emerged a caring person who recognizes the special needs of others. This is also a story of enduring faith. The author believes that God would not have given him problems without providing the resources to cope with them. He describes experiencing the power of Christ, who remained with him during a healing process that went on for years. Forthright, compelling, fascinating to read, this story of a young man's inner and outer struggles and ultimate victory carries a special message for all those who face life with handicaps to overcome, as well as for the families and friends who stand with them."
An Uncommon Grace: A Novel
by Serena B. MillerA moving and inspirational novel about the power of faith, family and above all, love, as a young Amish man must turn to his Englisch neighbor for help after a devastating tragedy.Grace Connor, a military nurse formerly stationed in Afghanistan, hopes that moving to a farm in rural Ohio will help her recover from the ravages of war. Levi Troyer finds his pacifist beliefs challenged when he discovers his stepfather has been killed and his mother wounded by an unknown intruder. Levi and Grace are thrown together when she comes to his family’s rescue and saves his mother’s life. A deep attraction develops—even though a relationship between them is strictly forbidden. Levi belongs to the most conservative and isolated of all Amish sects—the Swartzentruber Amish. Even before meeting Grace, Levi had begun to question some of their teachings. He has considered leaving, but knows he will be banned forever from contact with his younger siblings and widowed mother—who need him to survive. He is torn between his love for Grace and his responsibility to his family. Grace considers leaving her beloved farm and reenlisting rather than continuing to live near the man she loves but cannot have. Levi must confront the Bann if he pursues Grace. And a murderer must be caught. When lifelong allegiances are tested, can love and justice prevail?
An Uncommon Guide to Retirement: Finding God's Purpose for the Next Season of Life
by Jeff HaanenWhat am I going to do with my retirement?People talk about retirement like it&’s supposed to be an endless vacation. But what if, like the majority of those facing retirement, you can&’t afford such a luxury? Or, what if you just want something more from retirement? Some advocate for no retirement at all. But you&’ve worked for decades and a rest and reprieve do sound appealing. What should you do? Does God have a purpose for your retirement?Yes, He does. Learn how to discern what it is by taking an uncommon approach. Jeff Haanen looks biblically and practically at the need for rest and purpose in retirement. And teaches you how to:Take a sabbatical rest in early retirement Listen to God&’s voice for their calling in retirementRethink &“work&” in retirementUnderstand family systems and leaving a legacyPlanning retirement doesn&’t have to be distressing. Retire in a way that&’s God-honoring, purpose-filled, restful, and truly biblical.
An Uncommon Guide to Retirement: Finding God's Purpose for the Next Season of Life
by Jeff HaanenWhat am I going to do with my retirement?People talk about retirement like it&’s supposed to be an endless vacation. But what if, like the majority of those facing retirement, you can&’t afford such a luxury? Or, what if you just want something more from retirement? Some advocate for no retirement at all. But you&’ve worked for decades and a rest and reprieve do sound appealing. What should you do? Does God have a purpose for your retirement?Yes, He does. Learn how to discern what it is by taking an uncommon approach. Jeff Haanen looks biblically and practically at the need for rest and purpose in retirement. And teaches you how to:Take a sabbatical rest in early retirement Listen to God&’s voice for their calling in retirementRethink &“work&” in retirementUnderstand family systems and leaving a legacyPlanning retirement doesn&’t have to be distressing. Retire in a way that&’s God-honoring, purpose-filled, restful, and truly biblical.
An Uncommon Heroine
by Jamie Cox RoberstonOne is not born a woman, one becomes one. -Simone de BeauvoirLiterature has provided us with some of the most unforgettable women in history. From wives and mothers to daughters and lovers, these women all have one thing in common--they're uncommon heroines. This unique collection includes more than twenty great novel excerpts depicting women young and old, wise and weary, flamboyant and cunning such as:Emma Woodhouse in Emma by Jane AustenJane Eyre in Jane Eyre by Charlotte BronteHolly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman CapoteEvelyn Couch in Fried Green Tomatoes by Fannie FlaggCelie in The Color Purple by Alice WalkerThis book celebrates the women we envy, admire, and are inspired by--generation after generation.
An Uncommon Heroine: Scarlett, Edna, Sula--and More Than 20 Other of the Most Remarkable Women in Literature
by Jamie Cox RobertsonLiterature has provided us with some of the most unforgettable women in history. From wives and mothers to daughters and lovers, these women all have one thing in common--they're uncommon heroines. This unique collection includes more than twenty great novel excerpts depicting women young and old, wise and weary, flamboyant and cunning such as:Emma Woodhouse in Emma by Jane Austen, Jane Eyre in Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote, Evelyn Couch in Fried Green Tomatoes by Fannie Flagg, Celie in The Color Purple by Alice Walker. This book celebrates the women we envy, admire, and are inspired by--generation after generation.
An Uncommon History of Common Things
by Henry Petroski John Thompson Bethanne PatrickSometime about 30,000 years ago, somebody stuck a sharp rock into a split stick-and presto! The axe was born. Our inquisitive species just loves tinkering, testing, and pushing the limits, and this delightfully different book is a freewheeling reference to hundreds of customs, notions, and inventions that reflect human ingenuity throughout history.From hand tools to holidays to weapons to washing machines, An Uncommon History of Common Things features hundreds of colorful illustrations, timelines, sidebars, and more as it explores just about every subject under the sun. Who knew that indoor plumbing has been around for 4,600 years, but punctuation, capital letters, and the handy spaces between written words only date back to the Dark Ages? Or that ancient soldiers baked a kind of pizza on their shields-when they weren't busy flying kites to frighten their foes?Every page of this quirky compendium catalogs something fascinating, surprising, or serendipitous. A lively, incomparably browsable read for history buffs, pop culture lovers, and anyone who relishes the odd and extraordinary details hidden in the everyday, it will inform, amuse, astonish-and alter the way you think about the clever creatures we call humans.
An Uncommon History of Common Things
by Patrick BethanneSometime about 30,000 years ago, somebody stuck a sharp rock into a split stick, and presto! The axe was born. Our inquisitive species just loves tinkering, testing, and pushing the limits, and this delightfully different book is a freewheeling reference to hundreds of customs, notions, and inventions that reflect human ingenuity throughout history. From hand tools to holidays to weapons to washing machines, An Uncommon History of Common Things features hundreds of colourful illustrations, timelines, sidebars, and more as it explores just about every subject under the sun. Who knew that indoor plumbing has been around for 4,600 years, but punctuation, capital letters, and the handy spaces between written words only date back to the Dark Ages? Or that ancient soldiers baked a kind of pizza on their shields - when they weren't busy flying kites to frighten their foes? A lively, incomparably browsable read for history buffs, pop culture lovers, and anyone who relishes the odd and extraordinary details hidden in the everyday, it will inform, amuse, astonish, and alter the way you think about the clever creatures we call humans.
An Uncommon History of Common Things, Volume 2
by National Geographic Henri PetroskiThis vivid, engrossing book reveals the fascinating stories behind the objects in your world, what you wear, what you eat, what entertains you, and more. Discover the history behind the world's tallest skyscrapers, find out when people first started drinking caffeine and why it wakes us up, and learn how GPS came to be. Short entries illustrated by full color photos will include quirky anecdotes about the history of everyday objects, including the personalities and pitfalls along the path to innovation and unusual facts behind things we frequently see and use. Smart, surprising, and informative, this book is the ultimate resource for history and trivia buffs alike.
An Uncommon History of Common Things, Volume 2
by National GeographicThis vivid, engrossing book reveals the fascinating stories behind the objects in your world, what you wear, what you eat, what entertains you, and more. Discover the history behind the world's tallest skyscrapers, find out when people first started drinking caffeine and why it wakes us up, and learn how GPS came to be. For those who loved the first installment of An Uncommon History of Commmon Things come even more short entries illustrated by full color photos. These incorporate quirky anecdotes about the history of everyday objects, including the personalities and pitfalls along the path to innovation and unusual facts behind things we frequently see and use. Smart, surprising, and informative, this book is the ultimate resource for history and trivia buffs alike. Dive into these entertaining pages and let your curiosity to run wild!
An Uncommon Honeymoon (Librarian/Spy Escapade #3)
by Susan MannShelve under: Spies, Russian, Librarian Spies, Conspiracies. Librarian and rookie CIA covert operative Quinn Ellington revises her honeymoon plans when she and her brand-new spy husband uncover a drug trafficking ring stretching from the Caribbean to St. Petersburg. Turquoise waters, white sand, and intra-agency relations provide a lush backdrop for raiding enemy strongholds, tailing movie stars, and dodging more than a few bullets. Meanwhile, Quinn’s unique skills prove indispensable in luring a dangerous villain into the proper trap.
An Uncommon Protector: The Loyal Heart, An Uncommon Protector, Love Held Captive (The Lone Star Heros' Love Stories #2)
by Shelley Shepard GrayOverwhelmed by the responsibilities of running a ranch on her own, Laurel Tracey decides to hire a convict—a man who&’s just scary enough to take care of squatters and just desperate enough to agree to a one year post.The years following the war have been hard on Laurel Tracey. Both her brother and her father died in battle, and her mother passed away shortly after receiving word of their demise. Laurel has been trying to run her two hundred acre ranch as best she can.When she discovers that squatters have settled in her north pasture and have no intention of leaving, Laurel decides to use the last of her money to free a prisoner from the local jail. If she agrees to offer him room and board for one year, he will have to work for her to pay off his debt.Former soldier Thomas Baker knows he&’s in trouble when he finds himself jailed because he couldn&’t pay a few fines. Laurel&’s offer might be his only ticket out. Though she&’s everything he ever dreamed of in a woman—sweet and tender-hearted, yet strong—he&’s determined to remain detached, work hard on her behalf, and count the days until he&’s free again.But when cattle start dying and Laurel&’s life is threatened, Thomas realizes more than just his freedom is on the line. Laurel needs someone to believe in her and protect her property. And it isn&’t long before Laurel realizes that Thomas Baker is far more than just a former soldier. He&’s a trustworthy hero, and he needs more than just his freedom—he needs her love and care too.