Author: Duane Simolke
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 0595389880
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 166
Book Description
In this comical and magical novel, a young swordswoman learns that, sometimes, going home is the most dangerous adventure of all!
The Return of Innocence
Author: Duane Simolke
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 0595389880
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 166
Book Description
In this comical and magical novel, a young swordswoman learns that, sometimes, going home is the most dangerous adventure of all!
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 0595389880
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 166
Book Description
In this comical and magical novel, a young swordswoman learns that, sometimes, going home is the most dangerous adventure of all!
A Return to Innocence
Author: Jeffrey M. Schwartz
Publisher: Harper
ISBN: 9780060392406
Category : Self-Help
Languages : en
Pages : 320
Book Description
On the verge of a new millennium, in an age of unprecedented affluence, personal freedom and scientific power, millions of us--young and not so young--find ourselves emotionally and morally adrift. Even as our mastery of the material world reaches new heights almost daily, mastery of the inner world--of our own actions, emotions, and deepest hopes--often tragically eludes our grasp. As families come apart, adults become bitter and emotionally detached. Children fall prey to a "culture" of sex and drugs, cynical materialism, and self-destructive nihilism. It increasingly seems that, in the piercing words of Jesus, we have "gained the whole world, and lost our own souls." In A Return to Innocence, psychiatrist and neuroscientist Jeffrey M. Schwartz--a Jewish student of both Buddhist meditation and Christian philosophy--combines 3,000 years of wisdom with cutting edge brain and behavioral research to guide us in recovering our souls, our safety, our integrity and our capacity to love. After a 35-year experiment in unbridled self-gratification that has left a burden of tremendous suffering in its wake, at last we are ready to understand that innocence--in its original meaning of "not harming"--is actually the highest and most difficult of human achievements. The lost art of self-command that empowers us not to harm ourselves or one another is the core teaching of humanity's greatest spiritual masters, including Moses, Jesus, and Buddha. If we value our children, our culture, even our very freedom, we must return to true innocence as our source of inner lightness, clarity and spiritual power. A practical path to this wellspring of inner purity was mapped out 2,500 years ago by Gotama Buddha--in Dr. Schwartz's view the greatest psychologist who ever lived--whose still-fresh insights into human nature can serve as a bridge joining the wisdom of the Bible to the discoveries of 21st century science. A deeply felt, thought-provoking exchange of letters between "spiritual coach" Dr. Schwartz and sixteen-year-old Patrick Buckley, the son of a single mother, frames this fascinating, powerful code for living that shows how the best in each of us can thrive. Spiritual and philosophical ideas become hands-on tools for dealing with real-life dilemmas as Dr. Schwartz addresses Patrick's urgent questions about morality, responsibility, and freedom of choice. This book offers an empowering combination of hope, inspiration, accurate information about the biology of human nature, as well as desperately-needed guidance for keeping that nature on a life-affirming path. To everyone--young and old--A Return to Innocence offers dynamic, concrete solutions for the pain in our hearts, the fear in our streets, and the cynicism that has corroded our ideals. It speaks directly to our longing for a decent, meaningful, and fulfilling life. The traditional values that made civilization possible were thought to be outrageously radical and daring when they were first introduced by revolutionaries like Moses, Buddha, Jesus and Mohammed. . . . Yet those codes of behavior became "traditional"--that is, they got handed down from generation to generation--for one simple reason: they work. And they work because they're based on a highly sophisticated and deeply wise understanding of human nature. We often hear the phrase "Knowledge is power"--but nowhere is it truer than when it comes to knowledge of ourselves. Are we humans primarily driven, or "drivers"? Are we blameless puppets of our genes, our hormones, our childhoods, or do we have the power, and so the responsibility, to choose what we will do? In our day and age, everyone wants to be, or at least appear to be, streetwise, experienced, cool, and cynical. What people don't realize is that the source of the word "innocent" is a place of great power. It comes from the Latin words for "not" and "to harm." True innocence is the highest of human accomplishments. Not doing harm requires the utmost in awareness, effort, and courage. The state of the world begins right here--in the state of your mind.
Publisher: Harper
ISBN: 9780060392406
Category : Self-Help
Languages : en
Pages : 320
Book Description
On the verge of a new millennium, in an age of unprecedented affluence, personal freedom and scientific power, millions of us--young and not so young--find ourselves emotionally and morally adrift. Even as our mastery of the material world reaches new heights almost daily, mastery of the inner world--of our own actions, emotions, and deepest hopes--often tragically eludes our grasp. As families come apart, adults become bitter and emotionally detached. Children fall prey to a "culture" of sex and drugs, cynical materialism, and self-destructive nihilism. It increasingly seems that, in the piercing words of Jesus, we have "gained the whole world, and lost our own souls." In A Return to Innocence, psychiatrist and neuroscientist Jeffrey M. Schwartz--a Jewish student of both Buddhist meditation and Christian philosophy--combines 3,000 years of wisdom with cutting edge brain and behavioral research to guide us in recovering our souls, our safety, our integrity and our capacity to love. After a 35-year experiment in unbridled self-gratification that has left a burden of tremendous suffering in its wake, at last we are ready to understand that innocence--in its original meaning of "not harming"--is actually the highest and most difficult of human achievements. The lost art of self-command that empowers us not to harm ourselves or one another is the core teaching of humanity's greatest spiritual masters, including Moses, Jesus, and Buddha. If we value our children, our culture, even our very freedom, we must return to true innocence as our source of inner lightness, clarity and spiritual power. A practical path to this wellspring of inner purity was mapped out 2,500 years ago by Gotama Buddha--in Dr. Schwartz's view the greatest psychologist who ever lived--whose still-fresh insights into human nature can serve as a bridge joining the wisdom of the Bible to the discoveries of 21st century science. A deeply felt, thought-provoking exchange of letters between "spiritual coach" Dr. Schwartz and sixteen-year-old Patrick Buckley, the son of a single mother, frames this fascinating, powerful code for living that shows how the best in each of us can thrive. Spiritual and philosophical ideas become hands-on tools for dealing with real-life dilemmas as Dr. Schwartz addresses Patrick's urgent questions about morality, responsibility, and freedom of choice. This book offers an empowering combination of hope, inspiration, accurate information about the biology of human nature, as well as desperately-needed guidance for keeping that nature on a life-affirming path. To everyone--young and old--A Return to Innocence offers dynamic, concrete solutions for the pain in our hearts, the fear in our streets, and the cynicism that has corroded our ideals. It speaks directly to our longing for a decent, meaningful, and fulfilling life. The traditional values that made civilization possible were thought to be outrageously radical and daring when they were first introduced by revolutionaries like Moses, Buddha, Jesus and Mohammed. . . . Yet those codes of behavior became "traditional"--that is, they got handed down from generation to generation--for one simple reason: they work. And they work because they're based on a highly sophisticated and deeply wise understanding of human nature. We often hear the phrase "Knowledge is power"--but nowhere is it truer than when it comes to knowledge of ourselves. Are we humans primarily driven, or "drivers"? Are we blameless puppets of our genes, our hormones, our childhoods, or do we have the power, and so the responsibility, to choose what we will do? In our day and age, everyone wants to be, or at least appear to be, streetwise, experienced, cool, and cynical. What people don't realize is that the source of the word "innocent" is a place of great power. It comes from the Latin words for "not" and "to harm." True innocence is the highest of human accomplishments. Not doing harm requires the utmost in awareness, effort, and courage. The state of the world begins right here--in the state of your mind.
A Return to Innocence
Author: Kathleen Beales
Publisher: Xlibris Corporation
ISBN: 1453518983
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 364
Book Description
In the summer of 1974, after losing his mom to cancer, Billy McMillon, an inquisitive eight-year-old boy with an innate need to be near nature, goes on a sailing expedition with his eccentric grandfather, a famous scientist who is on a mission to uncover the truth behind a mysterious illness plaguing pods of bottlenose dolphins. Suddenly, tragedy strikes, and young Billy’s life is turned upside down for a second time. He’s back in New York, living with his Nana and shedding the memories of his extraordinary adventure with his grandfather. Years later, Bill finds himself looking back on his accomplishments. A marine architect, he seems to have it all—a great career, a beautiful home in New York, a loving wife, and two healthy, well-adjusted daughters. By all accounts, he’s a success. Why should it matter that he hasn’t set foot on a boat in over twenty years, he prefers the countryside to the big city, or that he’s quite reclusive and distant toward his family? When his curious seven-year old daughter, Brooke, urges him to explain the contents of a mysterious box she finds, Bill comes face-to-face with his past, and suddenly, everything matters. A reflective tale of one man’s attempt to build a relationship with his daughter through sharing stories from his unconventional childhood, rich with a bounty of unusual characters set amidst the beautiful canvas of the British Virgin Islands, A Return to Innocence is a whirlwind full of emotion, imagination, and adventure.
Publisher: Xlibris Corporation
ISBN: 1453518983
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 364
Book Description
In the summer of 1974, after losing his mom to cancer, Billy McMillon, an inquisitive eight-year-old boy with an innate need to be near nature, goes on a sailing expedition with his eccentric grandfather, a famous scientist who is on a mission to uncover the truth behind a mysterious illness plaguing pods of bottlenose dolphins. Suddenly, tragedy strikes, and young Billy’s life is turned upside down for a second time. He’s back in New York, living with his Nana and shedding the memories of his extraordinary adventure with his grandfather. Years later, Bill finds himself looking back on his accomplishments. A marine architect, he seems to have it all—a great career, a beautiful home in New York, a loving wife, and two healthy, well-adjusted daughters. By all accounts, he’s a success. Why should it matter that he hasn’t set foot on a boat in over twenty years, he prefers the countryside to the big city, or that he’s quite reclusive and distant toward his family? When his curious seven-year old daughter, Brooke, urges him to explain the contents of a mysterious box she finds, Bill comes face-to-face with his past, and suddenly, everything matters. A reflective tale of one man’s attempt to build a relationship with his daughter through sharing stories from his unconventional childhood, rich with a bounty of unusual characters set amidst the beautiful canvas of the British Virgin Islands, A Return to Innocence is a whirlwind full of emotion, imagination, and adventure.
Beyond 'Innocence': Amis Aboriginal Song in Taiwan as an Ecosystem
Author: ShzrEe Tan
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1351574094
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 312
Book Description
Taiwan aboriginal song has received extensive media coverage since the launch and settlement of a copyright lawsuit following pop group Enigma's allegedly unauthorized use of Amis voices in the 1996 Olympics hit, Return To Innocence. Taking as her starting point the ripple effects of this case, Shzr Ee Tan explores the relationship of this song culture to contemporary Amis society. She presents Amis song in its multiple manifestations as an ecosystem, symbiotic components of which interact and feed back upon one another in cross-cutting platforms of village life, festival celebration, cultural performance, popular song, art music and Christian hymnody. Tan's investigation hinges upon drawing a conceptual line between ladhiw, the Amis term for 'song' - a word vested with connotations of life-force, tradition, ritual and taboo - and the foreign term of yinyue ('music' - borrowed from Mandarin). This difference forms the basis of how Amis song is (re)constructed through processes of modernization, Christianization and politico-economic change. A single Amis melody, for example, can exist in several guises that are contextually exclusive but functionally mutually-supportive. Thus, a weeding song (ladhiw), which may have lost its traditional context of existence following advancements in farming technology, becomes sustained within a larger ecosystem, finding new life on the interacting platforms of Amis Catholic hymnody, karaoke and tourist shows. The latter genres (collectively, yinyue) may not rely on traditional livelihoods for survival, but thrive on a traditional melody's deeper associations to local memory and idealized Amis identities. While these new and old genres are stylistically separate, they feed into each other and back into themselves - through transforming contexts and cross-referenced memes - in organic and developing cycles of song activity. Drawing from fieldwork conducted from 2000-2010 as well as a background in ethnomusicology and journalism, Ta
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1351574094
Category : Music
Languages : en
Pages : 312
Book Description
Taiwan aboriginal song has received extensive media coverage since the launch and settlement of a copyright lawsuit following pop group Enigma's allegedly unauthorized use of Amis voices in the 1996 Olympics hit, Return To Innocence. Taking as her starting point the ripple effects of this case, Shzr Ee Tan explores the relationship of this song culture to contemporary Amis society. She presents Amis song in its multiple manifestations as an ecosystem, symbiotic components of which interact and feed back upon one another in cross-cutting platforms of village life, festival celebration, cultural performance, popular song, art music and Christian hymnody. Tan's investigation hinges upon drawing a conceptual line between ladhiw, the Amis term for 'song' - a word vested with connotations of life-force, tradition, ritual and taboo - and the foreign term of yinyue ('music' - borrowed from Mandarin). This difference forms the basis of how Amis song is (re)constructed through processes of modernization, Christianization and politico-economic change. A single Amis melody, for example, can exist in several guises that are contextually exclusive but functionally mutually-supportive. Thus, a weeding song (ladhiw), which may have lost its traditional context of existence following advancements in farming technology, becomes sustained within a larger ecosystem, finding new life on the interacting platforms of Amis Catholic hymnody, karaoke and tourist shows. The latter genres (collectively, yinyue) may not rely on traditional livelihoods for survival, but thrive on a traditional melody's deeper associations to local memory and idealized Amis identities. While these new and old genres are stylistically separate, they feed into each other and back into themselves - through transforming contexts and cross-referenced memes - in organic and developing cycles of song activity. Drawing from fieldwork conducted from 2000-2010 as well as a background in ethnomusicology and journalism, Ta
Songs of Innocence
Author: William Blake
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Illumination of books and manuscripts
Languages : en
Pages : 35
Book Description
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Illumination of books and manuscripts
Languages : en
Pages : 35
Book Description
Return to Innocence
Author: Travis Hill
Publisher: Travis Hill
ISBN:
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 119
Book Description
An unexpected visit from Elian's closest companion reveals a frightening tale that is impossible to believe. Except Davis is becoming mortal again, and the The Ellensburg Group, the ancient enemy of night walkers, is behind the "infection" that goes far beyond any threat immortals have faced before. When Davis comes up missing, Elian travels to the Ellensburg's compound near Missoula, Montana to exact revenge. The Ellensburgs have laid numerous traps, but Zedira, Elian's maker and an original Priestess of Alem, along with a small group of other immortals in the area, arrive to lend a hand, hoping to destroy their ancient enemy once and for all. Zedira's revelation of true supernatural power evens the odds, but The Ellensburg Group has always played the long game. 31,307 word vampire novella
Publisher: Travis Hill
ISBN:
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 119
Book Description
An unexpected visit from Elian's closest companion reveals a frightening tale that is impossible to believe. Except Davis is becoming mortal again, and the The Ellensburg Group, the ancient enemy of night walkers, is behind the "infection" that goes far beyond any threat immortals have faced before. When Davis comes up missing, Elian travels to the Ellensburg's compound near Missoula, Montana to exact revenge. The Ellensburgs have laid numerous traps, but Zedira, Elian's maker and an original Priestess of Alem, along with a small group of other immortals in the area, arrive to lend a hand, hoping to destroy their ancient enemy once and for all. Zedira's revelation of true supernatural power evens the odds, but The Ellensburg Group has always played the long game. 31,307 word vampire novella
Beyond Innocence
Author: Emma Holly
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1101214406
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 305
Book Description
Emma Holly turns up the heat in this sinfully sensuous story of a family plagued by scandal—and a shy young woman who discovers a passion beyond her wildest dreams… When her beloved father passes away, Florence Fairleigh finds herself alone in the world. All she wants is a man who will treat her kindly and support her financially—and she’s come to London to find him… Edward Burbrooke thinks marriage is the only way to save his brother Freddie—and their family—from scandalous ruin. As head of the family, Edward has vowed to find Freddie a bride—and fast… Thrown together by Edward, Florence and Freddie make a perfect pair—until Edward realizes he has feelings for his brother’s betrothed. The sight of her nubile young body makes his blood burn with lust. The sound of her voice makes his heart warm with love. And the sweet taste of her kiss makes him wonder if he isn’t making a terrible mistake….
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1101214406
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 305
Book Description
Emma Holly turns up the heat in this sinfully sensuous story of a family plagued by scandal—and a shy young woman who discovers a passion beyond her wildest dreams… When her beloved father passes away, Florence Fairleigh finds herself alone in the world. All she wants is a man who will treat her kindly and support her financially—and she’s come to London to find him… Edward Burbrooke thinks marriage is the only way to save his brother Freddie—and their family—from scandalous ruin. As head of the family, Edward has vowed to find Freddie a bride—and fast… Thrown together by Edward, Florence and Freddie make a perfect pair—until Edward realizes he has feelings for his brother’s betrothed. The sight of her nubile young body makes his blood burn with lust. The sound of her voice makes his heart warm with love. And the sweet taste of her kiss makes him wonder if he isn’t making a terrible mistake….
Twisted in a Positive Way
Author: Chikamso C Efobi
Publisher: Doxa Consulting Limited
ISBN: 9780993354205
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 238
Book Description
Spanning decades in the heart of Mushin, Lagos Nigeria, this coming-of-age tale of a charming heroine unfolds delicately and is based on the story of a young girl, Adaugo who faces difficult odds. The loss of a loved one and navigating cultural expectations and gender roles are major themes in this personal narrative documenting the growth and learning of a young girl with big dreams. As Adaugo listens to the still small voice within her, her growth from a young girl in boarding school to a precocious brave woman is studded with precious gems of divine insight. Her journey is one that any person, young or old will learn from as it illustrates the beauty and triumph of dreaming big and never giving up.
Publisher: Doxa Consulting Limited
ISBN: 9780993354205
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 238
Book Description
Spanning decades in the heart of Mushin, Lagos Nigeria, this coming-of-age tale of a charming heroine unfolds delicately and is based on the story of a young girl, Adaugo who faces difficult odds. The loss of a loved one and navigating cultural expectations and gender roles are major themes in this personal narrative documenting the growth and learning of a young girl with big dreams. As Adaugo listens to the still small voice within her, her growth from a young girl in boarding school to a precocious brave woman is studded with precious gems of divine insight. Her journey is one that any person, young or old will learn from as it illustrates the beauty and triumph of dreaming big and never giving up.
Innocence Lost
Author: ROBERT V ANGEL-LITTLE
Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc
ISBN: 1647018870
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 471
Book Description
Innocence Lost sweeps the reader up into the adventures of a boy who, from an unknown entity, manages to become his junior high's supreme leader, followed by a small transitional period of limited conflicts with the regime's Secret Service and culminates with the struggles of freedom out into the streets of Bucharest Romania in late December 1989. The book describes in detail every single thing that the author has experienced during the last six years of socialism of one of the most brutal dictatorships in Eastern Europe. Every aspect of schooling, education, military training, battlegrounds, and personal private life of the author has been described in order to let the readers know what could happen or could have happened if they were to live in socialism. The book also describes Romania's history, economics, cultural, and social life along with some of the author's favorite vacation spots. Robert V. Angel-Little gets elected to lead the masses of pioneers (students) and works tirelessly to consolidate his position not only as a feared leader, but also as a trustworthy person within his community. After he resigns his duties as junior high leader, he enrolls into the country's National Guard program and takes his admission tests at the high school of his choice. At both institutions, he comes into an open conflict with the elite forces of the Secret Service, who plays its part similarly to Nazi Germany's state police, the Gestapo. As both good and unfortunate events take their courses, the author and his friends manage to survive both institutions at great costs: the disappearances of some friends and also expulsions from both institutions. The latter, along with all the other mishaps that took place in the past, has been the trigger point of revenge of both the author and his friends which culminates with their actions during the late December 1989 Romanian Revolution. Innocence Lost is a boy's testament to the world and is dedicated to all those who have lived and died fighting for freedoms from the clutches of socialist and communist oppression.
Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc
ISBN: 1647018870
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 471
Book Description
Innocence Lost sweeps the reader up into the adventures of a boy who, from an unknown entity, manages to become his junior high's supreme leader, followed by a small transitional period of limited conflicts with the regime's Secret Service and culminates with the struggles of freedom out into the streets of Bucharest Romania in late December 1989. The book describes in detail every single thing that the author has experienced during the last six years of socialism of one of the most brutal dictatorships in Eastern Europe. Every aspect of schooling, education, military training, battlegrounds, and personal private life of the author has been described in order to let the readers know what could happen or could have happened if they were to live in socialism. The book also describes Romania's history, economics, cultural, and social life along with some of the author's favorite vacation spots. Robert V. Angel-Little gets elected to lead the masses of pioneers (students) and works tirelessly to consolidate his position not only as a feared leader, but also as a trustworthy person within his community. After he resigns his duties as junior high leader, he enrolls into the country's National Guard program and takes his admission tests at the high school of his choice. At both institutions, he comes into an open conflict with the elite forces of the Secret Service, who plays its part similarly to Nazi Germany's state police, the Gestapo. As both good and unfortunate events take their courses, the author and his friends manage to survive both institutions at great costs: the disappearances of some friends and also expulsions from both institutions. The latter, along with all the other mishaps that took place in the past, has been the trigger point of revenge of both the author and his friends which culminates with their actions during the late December 1989 Romanian Revolution. Innocence Lost is a boy's testament to the world and is dedicated to all those who have lived and died fighting for freedoms from the clutches of socialist and communist oppression.
End of the Innocence
Author: Alessandra Torre
Publisher: Diversion Books
ISBN: 1940941415
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 305
Book Description
He thought I owned him. He thought he loved me, that I was enough. But this animal, this sex god who could drive me crazy and steal my heart in the same breath, he would never fully be mine. It was impossible. No one ever owned a God... One year. I have one year to find out more about this man I am marrying. More about his family. More about our sex, and all of the dirty, delicious places it will take me. I thought I'd spend this year making a decision. I never thought the decision would be taken from me, snatched right from my naive little hands. The final book in the Innocence Trilogy. PRAISE: "Julia Campbell, a college intern in a law office, becomes sexually involved with Brad, one of the senior partners, while working for another. Evidently nonorgasmic before she met Brad, Julia is enjoying her sexual awakening with him in threesomes, sex parties, and anything and everything (except S and M)—until her boss is murdered, and she finds out that she’s on a hit list for having overheard a conversation involving his representation of Mob families. Brad, the son of one of those mobsters, though not involved in the family “business,” has to figure out how to protect her. Torre gives readers erotica with a plot, despite the bromide of the alpha male introducing the naïve young woman to sex and a variant of the marriage of convenience. Julia is a classic “spunky Suzy,” and unlike Fifty Shades of Grey, the story is plausible." —Mary K. Chelton, Booklist, on Masked Innocence (Book 2 in The Innocence Trilogy) "Torre’s erotic sequel to the indie digital hit Blindfolded Innocence returns to the dangerous, decadent world of divorce lawyer Brad De Luca and law student Julia Campbell. In the bedroom, Brad is slowly pushing Julia to the very edges of her sexual limits, including threesomes and sex parties. At the office, Julia accidentally overhears her boss, Brad’s business partner, engaging in a shady Mafia-related deal, and her new knowledge could get her killed. When she tells Brad about the conversation, it becomes clear that he’s hiding a big secret that could drive him and Julia apart forever. Will losing her inhibitions also mean losing her life? Despite a dead end or two and a cliffhanger conclusion, Torre keeps readers engaged with this fast-moving tale of deceit, treachery, and love." —Publishers Weekly on Masked Innocence (Book 2 in The Innocence Trilogy)
Publisher: Diversion Books
ISBN: 1940941415
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 305
Book Description
He thought I owned him. He thought he loved me, that I was enough. But this animal, this sex god who could drive me crazy and steal my heart in the same breath, he would never fully be mine. It was impossible. No one ever owned a God... One year. I have one year to find out more about this man I am marrying. More about his family. More about our sex, and all of the dirty, delicious places it will take me. I thought I'd spend this year making a decision. I never thought the decision would be taken from me, snatched right from my naive little hands. The final book in the Innocence Trilogy. PRAISE: "Julia Campbell, a college intern in a law office, becomes sexually involved with Brad, one of the senior partners, while working for another. Evidently nonorgasmic before she met Brad, Julia is enjoying her sexual awakening with him in threesomes, sex parties, and anything and everything (except S and M)—until her boss is murdered, and she finds out that she’s on a hit list for having overheard a conversation involving his representation of Mob families. Brad, the son of one of those mobsters, though not involved in the family “business,” has to figure out how to protect her. Torre gives readers erotica with a plot, despite the bromide of the alpha male introducing the naïve young woman to sex and a variant of the marriage of convenience. Julia is a classic “spunky Suzy,” and unlike Fifty Shades of Grey, the story is plausible." —Mary K. Chelton, Booklist, on Masked Innocence (Book 2 in The Innocence Trilogy) "Torre’s erotic sequel to the indie digital hit Blindfolded Innocence returns to the dangerous, decadent world of divorce lawyer Brad De Luca and law student Julia Campbell. In the bedroom, Brad is slowly pushing Julia to the very edges of her sexual limits, including threesomes and sex parties. At the office, Julia accidentally overhears her boss, Brad’s business partner, engaging in a shady Mafia-related deal, and her new knowledge could get her killed. When she tells Brad about the conversation, it becomes clear that he’s hiding a big secret that could drive him and Julia apart forever. Will losing her inhibitions also mean losing her life? Despite a dead end or two and a cliffhanger conclusion, Torre keeps readers engaged with this fast-moving tale of deceit, treachery, and love." —Publishers Weekly on Masked Innocence (Book 2 in The Innocence Trilogy)