Over a century after Coco and Antoinette Chanel opened their first hat shop in Paris, Chanel is without a doubt still the most iconic fashion brand in the world. Award winning author Judithe Little has crafted a stunning historical novel that traces the struggle of the sisters as they rise from orphan hood and poverty, always knowing they were destined for something more. THE CHANEL SISTERS is told from the point of view of younger sister, Antoinette, a particularly authentic narrator who knew Coco in the intimate way only a sister can. Set from 1897 to 1921, Antoinette takes readers though the humble beginnings and ambitious rise of the sisters against the backdrop of Parisian life, as they come to create what we know today as the timeless and endlessly elegant international fashion label.

Abandoned by their family years before, Antoinette and Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel grow up in a convent under the guidance of pious nuns preparing them for simple lives as the wives of tradesmen or shopkeepers. Beneath their floorboards lives a secret stash of romantic novels and magazine cutouts that they devour by night and are all they have to keep their dreams of the future alive.

When they're finally of age, Antoinette and Coco set out together with a fierce determination to prove themselves worthy to a society that has never accepted them. Their journey propels them out of poverty and to the stylish cafés of Moulins, the dazzling performance halls of Vichy—and to a small hat shop on the rue Cambon in Paris, where a business takes hold and expands to the glamorous French resort towns. But when World War I breaks out, their lives are irrevocably changed, and the sisters must gather the courage to fashion their own places in the world, even if apart from each other.

A sweeping story of women challenging social conventions, of the longing for love and recognition, of survival, loss, and triumph, THE CHANEL SISTERS explores the genesis of what we know today as the ubiquitous brand, the enduring illusion: Chanel.

Perfect for fans of Therese Anne Fowler, Marie Benedict’s The Only Woman in the Room, and Paula McLain’s The Paris Wife, this beguiling work of historical fiction is a feminist tale for the ages.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

JUDITHE LITTLE is the award-winning author of Wickwythe Hall. She earned a BA in foreign affairs from the University of Virginia and a law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law. She grew up in Virginia and now lives with her husband, three teenagers, and three dogs in Houston, Texas. Find her on Instagram, @judithelittle, and on Facebook, facebook.com/judithelittle.

David A. Andelman, longtime columnist for CNN and veteran correspondent for The New York Times and CBS News, astutely combines history and global politics in his new book, A Red Line in the Sand: Diplomacy, Strategy, and the History of Wars That Might Still Happen in an effort to examine the present and draw lessons for the future through the prism of the past.

A Red Line in the Sand is the story of barriers – physical, diplomatic, military, and existential – that have proliferated in years across every continent and, in recent years, have reached a toxic apex in numbers and virulence. Andelman asserts that there have never been more red lines at any one point in history than today. While some of this responsibility must fall to America’s president, Donald Trump, his too often quixotic approach to international troubles should not be the only explanation for many of these pernicious divisions.

David A. Andelman is a veteran New York Times and CBS News correspondent and executive director of The Red Lines Project. He is an award-winning columnist for CNN and contributor to NBC News/Think. He has served as the editor and publisher of World Policy Journal, as an Executive Editor of Forbes, and news editor at Bloomberg. He is the author of The Peacemakers, The Fourth World War: Diplomacy and Espionage in the Age of Terrorism with the Count de Marenches, and A Shattered Peace: Versailles, 1919 and the Price We Pay Today. He is a graduate of Harvard University and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He lives in Canadensis, Pennsylvania and Paris, France.

Brian Wheat is far from your typical rock star. As bassist for the multi-platinum band, Tesla, he’s enjoyed the spoils of success and lived the sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle to the hilt. But it came at a cost, one that took years to repair.

In this deeply honest and utterly revealing memoir, Wheat sheds light on the many challenges he faces, including bulimia, weight issues, and the crippling anxiety and depression caused by his conditions. Just like the songs his legendary band made, this is no-nonsense, blue-collar storytelling at its best. While revealing the vulnerable human behind the bass guitar, this autobiography also offers tremendous stories of life on the road, and collaborations and encounters with legendary figures like his pals in Def Leppard, David Lee Roth, Alice Cooper, and Paul McCartney. Son of a Milkman will entertain, surprise, and inspire longtime fans of this enduring band.

Heather Chavez thought to herself “would I get out if I was alone?” as she was sitting in the car at her kid’s school when something happened that gave her pause. Should she get out and help, possibly putting herself and her child in danger—or stay safe in the car? That became the inspiration for her debut novel, No Bad Deed.

Meet Cassie Larkin. She’s a mother, a wife, and a veterinarian—and her life is about to get turned upside down. Driving home one rainy night, Cassie sees a man and woman fighting on the side of the road. After calling 911, she makes a split-second decision that will throw her sedate suburban life into chaos. Against all reason, she gets out of her minivan and tries to help the woman. When Cassie physically tries to stop the assailant, he turns on her and spits out an ominous threat: “Let her die, and I’ll let you live.”

A graduate of UC Berkeley’s English literature program, Heather Chavez has worked as a newspaper reporter and editor. She lives in Santa Rosa, California, with her husband and children. No Bad Deed is her first book.

Mussolini's War: Fascist Italy from Triumph to Collapse: 1935-1943 is a remarkable new history from John Gooch, evoking the centrality of Italy to World War II. Outlining the brief rise and triumph of the Fascists, followed by the disastrous fall of the Italian military campaign.

While staying closely aligned with Hitler, Mussolini remained carefully neutral until the summer of 1940. At that moment, with the wholly unexpected and sudden collapse of the French and British armies, Mussolini declared war on the Allies in the hope of making territorial gains in southern France and Africa. This decision proved a horrifying miscalculation, dooming Italy to its own prolonged and unwinnable war, immense casualties, and an Allied invasion in 1943 that ushered in a terrible new era for the country.

John Gooch is one of the world's leading writers on Italy and the two world wars. His books include Mussolini and His Generals and The Italian Army and the First World War. He is Professor Emeritus at the University of Leeds. In 2010 the President of Italy appointed him Cavaliere dell'Ordine della Stella della Solidarieta' Italiana. John lives in England.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

A man wanted by two governments, Peter Ash has found a simple, low-profile life in Milwaukee, living with his girlfriend June and renovating old buildings with his friend Lewis. Staying out of trouble is the key to preserving this fragile peace . . . but when Peter spots a suspicious armed man walking into a crowded market, he knows he can't stand by and do nothing.

Peter does interrupt a crime, but it wasn't at all what he'd expected. The young gunman appeared to have one target and one mission--but when he escapes, and his victim vanishes before police arrive, it seems there is more to the encounter than meets the eye. Peter's hunch is proven correct when a powerful associate from his past appears with an interest in the crime, and an irresistible offer: if he and June solve this mystery, Peter's record will be scrubbed clean.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Nick Petrie is the author of five novels in the Peter Ash series, most recently The Wild One. His debut, The Drifter, won both the ITW Thriller award and the Barry Award for Best First Novel, and was a finalist for the Edgar, Anthony, and Hammett Awards. He lives in the Milwaukee area.

About OUR ITALIAN SUMMER

Workaholic and single mother Francesca Ferrari is one step away from a nervous breakdown when her studious, straight-laced, 17-year-old daughter Allegra is caught with illicit drugs. Allegra is sick of being ignored by her uptight mother whose one true love is her work. And Francesca’s mother, Sophia, knows that they’re all in trouble. Sophia is concerned that her family is falling apart in front of her eyes, and she also can’t seem to shake the feeling that her health is failing, fast. Sophia declares that a summer in Italy might just be the heart-mending cure they all need to keep their family from ripping apart at the seams.

What comes next is an adventure of a lifetime as the three women embark on a journey they’ll never forget. Filled with funny family bonding moments (that may or may not include a tumble down the Spanish Steps), a gorgeous Italian backdrop, and more than a few moments of sparkling romantic chemistry, OUR ITALIAN SUMMER is a dazzling escape to Italy with surprises around every turn.

OUR ITALIAN SUMMER contains a touch of Probst’s signature romantic style; both new and returning readers will fall head-over-heels for the Ferrari women and their delightful yet empowering journey.  Probst reminds readers to sit back, relax, and enjoy the trip—and to savor every taste of joy (and pasta, and wine, and cannoli) that life brings.

Probst’s first women’s fiction tale is loosely inspired by a trip to Italy that she took with her own female relatives several years ago. She weaves some hilarious moments from her own adventures into her storytelling in order to create a laugh-out-loud memorable novel that anyone who has ever traveled with their relatives will love.

Jennifer Probst is the New York Times bestselling author of the Billionaire Builders series, the Searching For . . . series, the Marriage to a Billionaire series, the Steele Brothers series, the Stay series, and the Sunshine Sisters series. Probst, along with her husband and two sons, calls New York’s Hudson Valley home. When she isn’t traveling to meet readers, she enjoys reading, watching “shameful reality television,” and visiting a local Hudson Valley animal shelter. Readers can follow her at JenniferProbst.com.

About THE PROPHETS:

Isaiah was Samuel’s and Samuel was Isaiah’s. That was the way it was since the beginning, and the way it was to be until the end. In the barn they tended to the animals, but also to each other, transforming the hollowed-out shed into a place of human refuge, a source of intimacy and hope in a world ruled by vicious masters. But when an older man—a fellow slave—seeks to gain favor by preaching the master’s gospel on the plantation, the enslaved begin to turn on their own. Isaiah and Samuel’s love, which was once so simple, is seen as sinful and a clear danger to the plantation’s harmony.

Jones fiercely summons the voices of slaver and enslaved alike to tell the story of these two men; from the preacher, Amos, to the calculating slave-master, to the long line of women who surround them, women who have carried the soul of the plantation on their shoulders. As tensions build and the weight of centuries—of ancestors and future generations to come—culminates in a climactic reckoning, THE PROPHETS reveals the pain and suffering of inheritance, shot through with hope, beauty, and truth, portraying the enormous, heroic power of love.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Robert Jones, Jr., was born and raised in New York City. He received his BFA in creative writing with honors and MFA in fiction from Brooklyn College. He has written for numerous publications, including The New York Times, Essence, OkayAfrica, The Feminist Wire, and The Grio. He is the creator of the social-justice social media community Son of Baldwin. Jones was recently featured in T Magazine’s cover story, “Black Male Writers of Our Time.” THE PROPHETS is his debut novel.

In AMERICAN TRAITOR Brad Taylor reveals it’s not really Hong Kong that is the end game for China—it’s Taiwan.  While the United States and the rest of the world would not tolerate an outright Chinese invasion of Taiwan, what if Taiwan were to attack China first?  What if Taiwan could be tricked through manipulation of A.I. into believing that China was mounting a full-scale invasion, and Taiwan acted pre-emptively?  Who would blame China for defending itself?  Entering a wilderness of mirrors, Series protagonist Pike Logan and the Taskforce must undertake daring reconnaissance, extraction, and killing missions at every turn while trying to adhere to the legal and moral rules that govern their conduct in the murky and deadly world they inhabit.  But one thing is certain: beyond all other considerations, Pike will never allow the killer of any member of his team to escape justice.

Lie, Lie Again (Lake Union, paperback) by Stacy Wise “starts with a bang—a body at the bottom of a staircase,” says bestselling author BFFs Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke. Combining the dramedy of the Netflix hit, Dead to Me with the scheming of the classic Melrose Place, Lie, Lie Again is a darkly funny, fast-paced suburban drama by award-winning novelist Stacy Wise, chronicling the dangerous entanglements of three women who live in the same apartment complex – and who all have a lot to hide.

Stacy Wise is the author of Maybe Someone Like You, winner of the YARWA Athena Award in 2019, and Beyond the Stars, winner of the Athena Award in 2017.  Prior to her writing career, she worked as an elementary school teacher and in television casting on shows including Party of Five, The X Files and Sabrina, the Teenage Witch. She lives in California with her husband, four children, and three dogs.