Adult

Twins Virginia and Tommy Matthews have been on their own since they were orphaned at the age of five, surviving a merciless foster care system by relying on each other. Twelve years later, the world begins to collapse around them as a deadly contagion steadily wipes out entire populations and a devastating world war rages on. When Tommy is drafted for the war, the twins are faced with a choice: accept their fate of almost certain death, or dodge the draft. Virginia and Tommy flee into the dark night. Armed with only a pistol and their fierce will to survive, the twins set forth in search of a new beginning. They must navigate the dangers and wonders of this changed world as they try to outrun the demons of their past.

Kait Whittier has built her magazine column into a hugely respected read. She loves her work and adores her grown children. But after two marriages, she prefers to avoid the complications and uncertainties of a new love. Then, after a chance meeting with television producer Zack Winter, everything changes. Inspired by the true story of her own indomitable grandmother, Kait creates the storyline for a TV series. And when she shares her work with Zack, he decides to make this his next big-budget project. Within weeks, Kait is plunged into a colorful world of actors and industry pros who will bring her vision to life. But in the midst of this charmed year, she is suddenly forced to confront the greatest challenge a mother could ever know.

The Lowcountry of South Carolina is where BY INVITATION ONLY begins at a barbecue engagement party thrown by Diane English Stiftel to celebrate her son’s engagement. The bride’s father, Alejandro Cambria, discovers the limits and possibilities of cell phone range, while the mother of the bride, Susan Kennedy Cambria, learns about moonshine and dangerous liaisons. Soon the novel zooms to Chicago, where the unraveling accelerates. Nearly a thousand miles away from her comfortable, familiar world, Diane is the antithesis of the bright lights and super-sophisticated guests attending her son Fred’s second engagement party.

The Carls just appeared. Coming home from work at 3am, 23-year-old April May stumbles across a giant sculpture. Delighted by its appearance and craftsmanship, April and her friend Andy make a video with it, which Andy uploads to YouTube. The next day April wakes up to a viral video and a new life. News quickly spreads that there are Carls in dozens of cities around the world, and April, as their first documentarian, finds herself at the center of an intense international media spotlight. Now April has to deal with the pressure on her relationships, her identity and her safety that this new position brings, all while being on the front lines of the quest to find out not just what the Carls are, but what they want from us.

When five hyper-successful women agree to appear on a reality series, the producers never expect the season will end in murder. Brett is the fan favorite. The meteoric success of her spin studio --- and her recent engagement to her girlfriend --- has made her the object of jealousy and vitriol from her castmates. Kelly is Brett’s older sister and business partner. The golden child growing up, she defers to Brett now --- a role that requires her to protect their shocking secret. Stephanie, the first black cast member, is a successful bestselling author of erotic novels. There have long been whispers about her husband and his wandering eye, but this season the focus is on the rift that has opened between her and Brett --- and resentment soon breeds contempt.

Nicole Hennessy’s world revolves around her Boston Zendo, to the chagrin of her Irish Catholic family. As she struggles to break free from a psychological and sexual entanglement with her mentor, her past finally catches up with her. A spellbinding confession of what it means to abandon one life for another, THE DEVOTED asks what it takes, and what you’ll sacrifice, to find enlightenment.

Barely 19, Minnie knows that her station in life as a Danish princess is to leave her family and enter into a royal marriage. The winds of fortune bring her to Russia, where she marries the Romanov heir, Alexander, and becomes empress. When resistance to his reign strikes at the heart of her family and the tsar sets out to crush all who oppose him, Minnie --- now called Maria --- must tread a perilous path of compromise in a country she has come to love. Her husband’s death leaves their son Nicholas as the inexperienced ruler of a deeply divided and crumbling empire. As the unstoppable wave of revolution rises anew to engulf Russia, Maria will face her most dangerous challenge and her greatest heartache.

Callie Smith doesn’t know how to feel when she discovers she has a brother and a sister --- Malcolm, who grew up with affection, wealth and privilege, and Keira, a streetwise 12-year-old. Despite her trepidation, she moves into the grand family home with her siblings and grandfather. Callie and Keira fit in with each other, but not with their posh new lifestyle, leaving Malcolm feeling like the odd man out in his own home. He can’t figure out how to help his new sisters feel secure. Becoming a family will take patience, humor, a little bit of wine and a whole lot of love. But love isn’t Malcolm’s strong suit…until a beautiful barista teaches him that an open heart, like the family table, can always make room for more.

Rosemary Peterson has lived in Brixton, London, all her life, but everything is changing. The library where she used to work has closed. The family grocery store has become a trendy bar. And now the lido, an outdoor pool where she has swum daily since its opening, is threatened with closure by a local housing developer. Twentysomething Kate Matthews has moved to Brixton and feels desperately alone. A once promising writer, she now covers forgettable stories for her local paper. That is, until she is assigned to write about the lido’s closing. As Rosemary slowly opens up to Kate, both women are nourished and transformed in ways they never thought possible.

Mackenzie Cooper took her eyes off the road for just a moment, but the resulting collision was enough to rob her not only of her beloved daughter but ultimately of her marriage, family and friends. Now she lives in Vermont under the name Maggie Reid. She’s thankful for the new friends she’s made, though she can’t risk telling them too much. But she isn’t the only one in this peaceful town with secrets. When a friend’s teenage son is thrust into the national spotlight, accused of hacking a powerful man’s Twitter account, Maggie is torn between pulling away and protecting herself --- or stepping into the glare to be at their side. As the stunning truth behind their case is slowly revealed, Maggie’s own carefully constructed story begins to unravel as well.