Sam is the most promising swordsman among this year’s crop of Paladin trainees...and knows it. Brash, cocky, and unbeatable with a sword (well, almost), Sam is the kingdom of Thule’s best hope against the violence wrought by demons. The only problem is that Sam is really Lady Samantha, daughter of the seventeenth Duke of Haywood, and if her father has his way, she’ll be marrying a Paladin, not becoming one. But Sam has never held much interest in playing damsel-in-distress, and so she rescues herself from a lifetime of boredom and matrimonial drudgery. Pity that Tristan Lyons, the Paladin assigned to train her, is none other than the hero of her childhood. He hasn’t recognized her as Lady Samantha--yet-- but if he does, he’ll take away her sword and send her packing. Sam is not the only trainee hiding secrets: Braeden is a half-demon with a dark past that might be unforgivable. Sam, Braeden and Tristan set out for the western coast, charged with rooting out an infestation of demons that has made the West unlivable. As they travel, they uncover a deep-seated corruption of power that threatens to derail everything they stand for. Rebellion stirs, led by a rival faction of warriors who tempt Sam to join them with an irresistible offer. A war between men is coming, and Sam must pick a side. Will saving the kingdom cost her life -- or just her heart? Reminiscent of Mulan, but with a medieval fantasy twist, Paladin is a tale of adventure, action, and romance.

girlxgirl HIGHEST RANKING(S): #1 IN GIRLONGIRL #1 IN GIRLS #1 IN TEACHER #5 IN GXG An emotionally battered woman with a craving for a attention and a high-school senior who has been more through more than her fair share of trying events. What happens when these two are put right next door to one another? Lexi is a young, beautiful senior whose past has forced her to grow up quicker than most. From losing her father, to being moved into another man's house at her mother's desire, to being outed to the entire high school... she's built up some pretty thick skin. When her path crosses with a woman who is pushing through a quickly-deteriorating marriage, there is a connection made that cannot be ignored. Lexi fills a void in Evan with her constant willingness to give and satisfy, while Evan is slowly patches up the holes that other's have left in Lexi along the road. The complications with their relationship are numerous: a marriage, age, unaccepting parents, and the fact that the two are in the same high school every day of the week. If at all, how can two individuals with their own personal struggles overcome these obstacles to get to one another?