The modern quest for love is a tangle of pitfalls where obstacles and suffering are mistaken for true love. While most pop culture advice about finding true love focuses on how to identify the perfect love object or on how to make yourself into such an object, the triangular and mimetic (imitative) nature of desire is rarely acknowledged, leaving the seeker feeling frustrated, hopeless, and somehow incapable of love. In The Wicked Truth About Love: The Tangles of Desire, author Suzanne Ross guides the reader in an engaging exploration of their personal romantic patterns using a survey based on the triangular nature of desire. Six patterns of desire are identified to reveal the readers mimetic pitfalls. Whimsical illustrations, examples in contemporary entertainment, original music downloads and witty wisdom allows the reader to understand and dismantle their romantic tangles, leaving them free to discover the gift that love can be.

Scorching heat, laugh-out-loud humor, and swoon-worthy moments abound in this sexy standalone romance by New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Melissa Foster. What happens when you’re not looking for love, but it walks in the door? Madigan Wicked’s heart is not up for grabs. She’s been there, done that, and she’s not going back for seconds. She pours her heart and soul into her family, her puppetry and storytelling performances, and her greeting card line. But she’s not opposed to having a night of fun, and the gruff, sinfully hot, definitely-not-looking-for-love mysterious stranger she runs into at a bar might be just the right man to enjoy it with. Ex-con Tobias Riggs has lost enough for one lifetime. The only family member in his corner doesn’t remember him, and the people he thought would always be in his life walked away. He’s just trying to make it through each day, and the last thing he’s looking for is any sort of connection. When chemistry ignites with the snarky, sexy storyteller whose lips he can’t stop thinking about, he gives in to a night of passion. Though neither is open to love, it’s been known to bully its way into even the most resisting hearts. But can it survive the wicked truth of Tobias’s dark past? About The Wickeds: Dark Knights at Bayside Set on the sandy shores of Cape Cod, the Wickeds feature fiercely protective heroes, strong heroines, and unbreakable family bonds. If you think bikers are all the same, you haven’t met the Dark Knights. The Dark Knights are a motorcycle club, not a gang. Their members stick together like family and will stop at nothing to keep their communities safe. These men are wickedly alpha and intensely loyal, but they are not alphaholes. *** Want more WICKED sexy love stories? A Little Bit Wicked (Justin and Chloe) The Wicked Aftermath (Tank and Leah) Crazy, Wicked Love The Wicked Truth His Wicked Ways Meet the WHISKEYS: DARK KNIGHTS AT PEACEFUL HARBOR Now available for your binge-reading pleasure! Tru Blue Truly, Madly, Whiskey Driving Whiskey Wild Wicked Whiskey Love Mad About Moon Taming My Whiskey The Gritty Truth In for a Penny Running on Diesel Find out more about these and many other steamy romance series in Melissa Foster’s big-family contemporary romance collection, Love in Bloom, featuring characters from all walks of life, from billionaires to blue-collar workers. You’ll love her fun, sexy, and relatable characters, and their real-life issues. Best of all, you’re always guaranteed a happily ever after. "Melissa Foster is synonymous with sexy, swoony, heartfelt romance!" NYT Bestseller Lauren Blakely "Melissa Foster writes worlds that draw you in, with strong heroes and brave heroines surrounded by a community that makes you want to crawl right on through the page and live there. - NYT bestseller Julia Kent "When it comes to contemporary romances with realistic characters, an emotional love story and smokin' hot sex, author Melissa Foster always delivers!" The Romance Reviews "I highly recommend the Snow Sisters all the Braden and Remington books....They remind me of the McCarthy of Gansett series and The Green Mountain series." - I Love NY, Reviewer "Foster writes characters that are complex and loyal, and each new story brings further depth and development to a redefined concept of family." - RT Book Reviews "Emotional and sincere. Sweet and sexy. Hot and intense! More Whiskey please!!!" - Aaly and The Books "Love, Strength and Loyalty. Those Whiskey boys are something else. WOW!" - Dirty South Books "You can never go wrong with the heroes that Melissa Foster creates. She hasn't made one yet that I haven't fallen in love with." - Natalie the Biblioholic *** Melissa Foster is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Melissa's emotional journeys are lovingly erotic and always family oriented--perfect beach reads for contemporary romance lovers who enjoy reading about loyal heroes and smart, sassy heroines with complex and relatable issues. Foster's love stories are perfect steamy romance beach reads for fans of big-family, small-town romance. The characters are romantic and loyal, some are billionaires, others are not, and you're always guaranteed a happily ever after. 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Scorching heat, laugh-out-loud humor, and swoon-worthy moments abound in this sexy new standalone romance by New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Melissa Foster. What happens when you're not looking for love, but it walks in the door? When a mysterious stranger crosses paths with Madigan Wicked, their connection is undeniable, yet neither is open to love. He's on a road to redemption, and she's been hurt before. But love has been known to bully its way into even the most resisting hearts. When the wicked truth of his dark past is revealed, will it be too much for them to overcome?

Ever since her father died, Elizabeth had been ostracized by London high society because of the unfounded rumors that she is a loose and vulgar woman. But she had one friend who believed her?Terry. In order to protect her reputation, Terry even proposed to her! Terry’s uncle, the Earl of Havington, flew into a rage when he heard of the proposal and confronted Elizabeth, giving her a terrifying ultimatum. She must disappear from Terry’s life or the earl will take any measure necessary to make her disappear.

This book documents the story of the Colloquium on Violence & Religion (COV&R), founded at Stanford University in 1990. COV&R brings together international scholars and educators in various fields who are dedicated to the exploration, criticism, and development of Rene Girard's mimetic model of the relationship between violence and religion in the genesis and maintenance of culture. Girard's work has generated a diversity of interdisciplinary research programs. The book recounts the history of COV&R's meetings and the research of its members and friends that have had a special role in the adventure of ideas flowing from Girard's mimetic theory. (Series: Beitrage zur mimetischen Theorie. Religion - Gewalt - Kommunikation - Weltordnung - Vol. 32)

Desperate emails from a friend in a life-and-death struggle with leukemia revealed her deep-seated need for clarity about God and Christianity. All the author''s research had a meaningful outlet in assisting his friend in becoming better acquainted with the Almighty. This led to the creation of Truth About Love. The initial emails were answered with a short discussion about truth in general. Truth based in fact was contrasted with relative truth, virtual truth (virtual reality), and lies. Ultimately, it is impossible to produce an example of relative truth that is not also simultaneously opinion. Christian truth cannot be relative either. Jesus did not offer a multiple choice version of the Faith. Instead, he offered one easy Path to God. It is clear that God offers salvation to all, but not everyone is saved. A brief discussion refutes the claim from some popular modern-day ministers that everyone, no matter how evil, goes to Heaven. That claim is completely false and blasphemous.Since the beginning, humans have struggled with Evil. People love to love, but they can''t seem to remain virtuous for long. The Race is addicted to the wild, animal side within. However, those who believe and trust in the Lord seem to have a much easier time with self-control. Nevertheless, there are many God-fearing people who are guilty of using and abusing others in modern capitalistic society. This has been the problem for a long time. This was why Jesus was needed: to teach people how to live truthful lives filled with love.While people appear to be basically good at heart, there seem to be a growing number of humans who enjoy being and doing evil. These morally questionable people and their actions can be due to sickness, mental illness, drug abuse, as well as the influence of Evil. Whatever the cause, one must remember to love people, not necessarily their deeds. Jesus obtained redemption and salvation for the worst of humanity through his self-sacrifice on the cross. Believing in the Lord, loving God and others, and repentance are the only prerequisites for salvation. However, some believe that God is wrong and more is required: that the Lord must be continually appeased or that additional levels of salvation must be won. God made salvation easy at the cost of His Son''s life. Nothing more is required. Believing anything else lessens the power and significance of Jesus'' act of eternal and compassionate forgiveness.Humans are very faith-conscious beings. Considering the large number of gods and other supernatural creatures that people have worshiped or believed existed throughout the ages, it is interesting that everything boiled down to the One God, who has a number of names: Yahweh, Allah, Jehovah, the Great Spirit, El Shaddai, and many others. But it eventually became clear that some kind of proof was necessary to support the various claims of Faith. This revealed some concepts as being suspect, like purgatory. With all the dogma removed from Christianity, believers find that Jesus and the Apostles were completely against legalism and religious rules. The salvation from the Son of God was given freely, and it can be secured without many conditions at all.To receive all the benefits the Lord has promised, people need to love, lose doubt, know a little about God, and accept the salvation Jesus provided for all. Understanding the truth of the God of Love changes the relationship with the Lord into a far simpler, more personal bond than the more business-like one taught by most churches. In the end, those who establish a loving partnership with the Lord will receive all His promised benefits for eternity. However, many of the faithful find that they cannot easily summarize their faith in Jesus and in God. To assist people with this problem, Truth About Love offers thirty concepts that guide a believer in a proper understanding of the Faith. Twelve additional scriptural notations provide evidence for the relationship between God and people, the salvation offered by Jesus, the powers of believers, and proof that Jesus did not want Christianity filled with Old Testament rules and laws. In addition to the Holy Bible, there are more than eighty-five sources used as expert references or proofs in this book. These include works by people of renown such as St. Anselm, C. S. Lewis, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Some of the citations include scientific texts and psychological magazines as well as religious and spiritual entries. The Holy Bible supplies more than two hundred and fifty separate verses or collection of verses to support the claims and spiritual suggestions within this book. Without exception, Truth About Love is based on spiritually and intellectually reliable works and authors. Credit for ideas and concepts have been carefully researched and scrupulously given to the respective writers and sources.

In the midst of the many hardships we endure in our daily lives, it can be difficult to define the true meaning of love, let alone find it. Yet living without such love can leave us empty and unfulfilled. Consolatus C. Okorondu can help. Drawing on her personal relationship with God and many of her life experiences, Okorondu explores the supreme definition of love and how it can offer us liberation from the darkness within our souls. With an in-depth look at scriptures from the Holy Bible, Okorondu shares how true love will always lead you to peace and harmony toward God, others, and yourself. Learn how the fruits of love-patience, understanding, acceptance, consideration, honesty, forgiveness, and communication-are the key to successful relationships with others, whether it be your family, your spouse, your friends, or even your co-workers. Okorondu also shares different personal interpretations of love from others to reveal how the common human experience unites us all. But at its heart, Discover the Secret of True Love shows the awesome love that God has for each of his children. Find inner peace with the love from our almighty Father and renew your spirit!

A captivatingly funny and deeply emotional romance by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster. When the Dark Knights at Bayside and the cast of Bayside Summers collide, sparks fly, and trouble—or maybe love—is not far behind. . Set on the sandy shores of Cape Cod, the Wickeds feature fiercely protective heroes, strong heroines, and unbreakable family bonds. If you think bikers are all the same, you haven't met the Dark Knights. The Dark Knights are a motorcycle club, not a gang. Their members stick together like family and will stop at nothing to keep their communities safe. Their stories are told in the same loving, passionate voice readers have come to adore from Melissa. Some of the Wickeds’ love stories will be hilariously fun, others will tear at your heartstrings with injections of humor, but they will all leave you wishing you could climb between the pages and join them! In USA Today Bestseller A LITTLE BIT WICKED What do a cocky biker and a businesswoman who has sworn off dating bad boys have in common? According to Chloe Mallery, not much. But she couldn't be more wrong... Justin came into the Wicked family after a harsh upbringing by a thieving father. He’s gone through a lot to become a true Wicked, and he’s made them proud. Now he’s ready to show the woman he loves exactly what type of man he is. But Chloe has worked hard to move past her difficult upbringing, and she's wary of getting involved with a man who looks like he's walked right out of it. When tragedy strikes, will their trying pasts draw them together, or will Justin’s protective nature be too much for Chloe’s independent heart to accept? Buckle up for a spectacular ride, and fall in love with Justin and Chloe, in A Little Bit Wicked, a fun, sexy standalone romance. ** MORE WICKED LOVE STORIES COMING SOON! Crazy, Wicked Love The Wicked Aftermath The Wicked Truth His Wicked Ways MEET THE WHISKEYS (cousins of the Wickeds)! Now available for your binge-reading pleasure! Tru Blue Truly, Madly, Whiskey Driving Whiskey Wild Wicked Whiskey Love Mad About Moon Taming My Whiskey The Gritty Truth In for a Penny Running on Diesel Find out more about these and many other steamy romance series in Melissa Foster’s big-family contemporary romance collection, Love in Bloom, featuring characters from all walks of life, from billionaires to blue-collar workers. You’ll love her fun, sexy, and relatable characters, and their real-life issues. Best of all, you’re always guaranteed a happily ever after. "Melissa Foster is synonymous with sexy, swoony, heartfelt romance!" New York Times Bestseller Lauren Blakely "You can always rely on Melissa Foster to deliver a story that's fresh, emotional and entertaining. Make sure you have all night, because once you start you won't want to stop reading. Every book's a winner!" NYT Bestselling Author Brenda Novak "Melissa Foster writes worlds that draw you in, with strong heroes and brave heroines surrounded by a community that makes you want to crawl right on through the page and live there. - New York Times bestselling author Julia Kent "When it comes to contemporary romances with realistic characters, an emotional love story and smokin' hot sex, author Melissa Foster always delivers!" The Romance Reviews "I highly recommend this book to fans of Nora Roberts (one of my personal faves) and fans of a sweet story filled with heat and heart." - Tia Bach, author (on Sisters in Love) "Melissa Foster is quickly becoming one of my favorites. Fated For Love was amazing. It kind of reminds me of Jill Shalvis' books and they are my benchmark for contemporary romance awesomeness." --Books Like Breathing "I highly recommend the Snow Sisters all the Braden and Remington books....They remind me of the McCarthy of Gansett series and The Green Mountain series. I am a huge fan of Marie Force. And now Melissa Foster has joined her ranks...." - I Love NY, Reviewer "Foster writes characters that are complex and loyal, and each new story brings further depth and development to a redefined concept of family." - RT Book Reviews "Emotional and sincere. Sweet and sexy. Hot and intense! More Whiskey please!!!" - Aaly and The Books "Love, Strength and Loyalty. Those Whiskey boys are something else. WOW!" - Dirty South Books "You can never go wrong with the heroes that Melissa Foster creates. She hasn't made one yet that I haven't fallen in love with." - Natalie the Biblioholic *** Melissa Foster is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Melissa's emotional journeys are lovingly erotic and always family oriented--perfect beach reads for contemporary romance lovers who enjoy reading about loyal heroes and smart, sassy heroines with complex and relatable issues. Foster's love stories are perfect steamy romance beach reads for fans of big-family, small-town romance. The characters are romantic and loyal, some are billionaires, others are not, and you're always guaranteed a happily ever after. This book will resonate with people looking to read: small-town romance, feel-good romance, contemporary romance, romantic comedy, series, romantic comedy series, racy, sexy, heartwarming, heart-warming romance, family, love, love books, kissing books, emotional journey, contemporary, contemporary romance, romance series, long series, long romance series, sassy, captivating romance, hot, hot romance, forbidden love, sparks, loyalty, swoon, beach romance, books for summer, books for the beach, beach series, sweetbriar, seaside, love in bloom, bradens, remingtons, ryders, whiskeys, wicked, dirty, fierce, alpha heroes, funny romance, laugh romance, modern romance, cape cod, cape cod romance, USA today, USA today bestseller, smart romance, something funny to read, billionaire, billionaire romance, love story, millionaire, wealthy heroes, happily ever after, happy ending, lighthearted romance, light romance, romance for adults, contemporary romance 2023, funny romance new, swoonworthy, romance series, romance books, beach reads, new adult, small-town, funny, female, stories, sensual, sensual romance, alpha male, dominant male, hot guy, fun summer reads, love and friendship, new romance series, hot romance series, new small-town series, beach reads 2023, new beach read, free beach house book, free beach romance, free summer romance, free vacation romance, free summer book, steamy romance, romance series, family romance, big family, friend romance, friends to lovers, contemporary crush, love story, romance love, new adult romance, contemporary romance and sex, romance billionaire series, friendship.