AND MOMMY MAKES THREE In her seventeenth summer Darcy Beckett discovered true love. So she gave herself, body and soul, to hell-raising ranch hand Joe Tyler. Darcy saw a future of babies and bliss. But her grandfather saw red–and sent Darcy packing. Away from the ranch–and into a monied but loveless marriage. Now, ten years later, her grandfather's will has brought Darcy back to the ranch. Back to Joe. And to his adorable six-year-old son, who wanted a mommy for Christmas. Darcy secretly pined for the rakish cowboy and his enchanting little sidekick. But she and Joe had grown worlds apart. And only a miracle–or the True Love Ranch–could give their hungry hearts a home….

TRULY A FAMILY? What was it that made rugged mountain man Garret Boyd so irresistible to Toni Carlton? Could it be the tenderness she'd glimpsed in his blue eyes whenever he swept his orphaned niece into his strong, sheltering arms? Or was it the heat Toni saw simmering in his gaze from the moment she'd come to his cozy home? In no time Toni had put a smile in Garret's heart–and a burning need in his wounded soul. And suddenly the brooding loner knew the only way to give little Angie a family was to believe that a strong, silent daddy and his vivacious new nanny were truly meant to be….

Hired: one wife! Annabelle Forrester has only ever loved one man–Rand Dumbarton. The gorgeous tycoon had swept her off her feet and proposed marriage. But their whirlwind courtship had ended bitterly. Annabelle had been unable to forgive him for trying to make her choose between him and her job. The pint-size private eye is, however, shocked when her latest client turns out to be none other than Rand Dumbarton. It seems to Annabelle a cruel twist of fate that the man who couldn't accept her occupation now needs her help. But does Rand want her for business–or as his bride? Love Undercover Their mission was marriage!

BACHELOR TERRITORY She's his client Roman Lufka is a rough, tough private investigator. He's been hired to protect Brittany Langford. The easiest way to be by her side, twenty-four hours a day, is to go undercover–as Brittany's husband. …and his wife! But if protecting his "wife" is easy, living with her isn't. They're perfect strangers–and for Roman, Brit is all too perfect. It seems this confirmed bachelor is facing his toughest assignment yet–falling in love! "Rebecca Winters writes from the heart…" –Debbi Macomber There are two sides to every story…and now it's his turn!

THE RIGHT HUSBAND… In two weeks, Lacey McCade was supposed to walk down the aisle and say "I do" to the man of every woman's dreams…except her own. So when she heard about a short-term position at Black's Bluff Ranch, Lacey knew the live-in-job would give her time to think. But think was all she could do…about Ethan Black, her very sexy employer…. From the tender way he cared for his little charges to the tough way he tended to the land, Ethan made Lacey's heart stop, swell and swoon. But the proud, half Native-American rancher had closed his own heart to loving again. Still, something in Ethan's searing, soul-searching gaze dared Lacey to hope he'd make her wedding dreams come true….

JUNE BRIDES HIS MEANT-TO-BE BRIDE When doe-eyed, all gowned-up-and-no-groom-in-sight Megan Morison sought refuge in his arms, bachelor John Vermont offered her a roof over her head, a job to pay the bills and his rugged shoulder to lean on…. HER DESTINED GROOM Megan had had her fill of people trying to run her life, but with strong, silent, steely-eyed John Vermont, she felt truly safe, accepted…and dare she believed loved? But John claimed that marriage wasn't for him, though his longing looks and heated kisses suggested otherwise. And now Megan wished this gorgeous albeit gruff ship captain would take the gift destiny offered and make her his lawfully wedded wife…. Celebrate a month of joyful marriages with Silhouette Romance!

Bachelor Gulch The Bachelor: Wyatt McCully, dedicated–and extremely eligible–town sheriff. Though husband-hungry women were flocking to Jasper Gulch, there was only one single gal Wyatt wanted. The Bride: Lisa Markman, a woman with a yearning for marriage, and with a secret. She couldn't dare consider lawman Wyatt as a potential groom. The sexy sheriff could tell when a woman was interested, and Lisa had all the signs of succumbing to his charming ways. So why did she refuse to take his heartfelt proposals seriously? Wyatt decided he had to uncover everything about the mysterious woman he intended to claim as his wife, and set out to make the pursuit his pleasure…and hers! Bachelor Gulch. This little town wanted women–but are these bachelors ready for marriage?

There's no place like home… Unless, like Kaarl, you are a demon and your home is Hell…literally! While the rest of Hell enjoys cruel games, Kaarl is looking for a new challenge. So he makes a deal with the devil himself: time in the Mortal Realm in return for human souls… The Mortal Realm offers a taste of freedom he could never experience in Hell and Kaarl jumps at the chance to fulfil his dream. But gathering human souls comes with a cost and as more and more souls lose their way, Kaarl realises that he is creating Hell on his beloved Earth. Now to save the Mortal Realm, Kaarl's going to have to switch sides… Praise for JL Morris 'This was a great read. Very entertaining.' - Koeur's Book Reviews 'A great story from a young author who has, I believe, a strong future in the literary world if he can produce more books like this.' - Fiona's Book Reviews

A single father who yearns to be a family man, Logan O'Donnell is determined to create the perfect Christmas for his son, Charlie. The entire O’Donnell clan arrives to spend the holidays in Avalon, a postcard-pretty town on the shores of Willow Lake, a place for the family to reconnect and rediscover the special gifts of the season. One of the guests is a newcomer to Willow Lake–Darcy Fitzgerald. Sharp-witted, independent and intent on guarding her heart, she’s the last person Logan can see himself falling for. And Darcy is convinced that a relationship is the last thing she needs this Christmas. Yet between the snowy silence of the winter woods, and toasty moments by a crackling fire, their two lonely hearts collide. The magic of the season brings them each a gift neither ever expected–a love to last a lifetime.

Vaughn Donnelly's work has taken him to many different villages over the years, and he's never regretted saying goodbye to anyone in them. Until he promises to help Darcy Keegan rescue an orphaned boy from prison. Darcy dreams of a family, a home, a husband… But can Vaughn offer Darcy what she needs?

A FAMILY'S GIFT When they were young, cousins Ella, Rachel and Jo were always together at their family’s lake house. As they grew up, though, they grew apart… until now, as the three must band together to grant a beloved aunt's dying wish: to finish the quilt she began as a gift for her daughter's Christmas wedding. LET IT SNOW Searching for vintage quilting fabric, independent Jo is reunited with the man she thought she’d marry. And proves that sometimes the second time's the charm… YOU BETTER WATCH OUT Ella is desperate when the unfinished quilt goes missing in her care. But a cocky lawyer might just help her find it – and find love. “Nine Ladies Dancing” by Sarah Mayberry – Shy Rachel risks exposing her secret life when she falls for her quilting teacher's seemingly perfect son, in this novella by Janice Kay Johnson. Together, Jo, Ella and Rachel create a Christmas heirloom that's both a wish and promise – of happiness, hope and love everlasting.

Fast Fiction Paranormal - quick reads to transport you to another world Erika Cenov has dreams where someone dies - and then it comes true. Her latest nightmare has a young girl being abducted and the man she once loved, Lazlo Brennan, being shot and turning into a wolf. Erika doesn't want to believe her vision. Then a child goes missing and the detective on the case is Lazlo Brennan. Erika knows Lazlo will die. Unless, for the first time, she can change the outcome of her dreams…and save them all.

ON THE WAY TO A WEDDING… BORROWED BRIDE Dark and devastating P.I. Nick Claiborne's love 'em and leave 'em policy was suddenly in jeopardy. Because his new client, Analise Brewster, not only insisted on "helping" him uncover the mystery of her fiancé's past, her irrepressible spirit tempted Nick to forget his vows to stay single–and hers to wed another…. Spending time with a lively, loving woman usually made Nick want to run–but this time he found himself taking Analise with him. Yet once they'd found Analise's gift for her groom, would Nick be the one walking down the aisle? Long-lost twins discover their perfect grooms!

LUCKY CHARM SISTERS KATE MAGGIE SUSAN DESPERATELY SEEKING CINDERELLA… Susan Greenwood had expected a tip, not an offer of marriage! But how could the down-on-her-luck beauty resist when rich-as-a-prince Zach Lowery proposed to her in the middle of the Lucky Charm Diner? Then she got her answer–it was just a role she had to play to soothe Zach's dying grandfather. But Zach never expected his pretend wife to tie him in knots with her selfless gestures and warm embraces. And soon this cynical rancher found himself trying to find a way to make a real future…a real family…with his Cinderella bride. The Lucky Charm Sisters: A boss, a brain and a beauty. Three sisters marry for convenience…but will they find love?

Fabulous Fathers FOREVER A FATHER When single dad Stone Tyler first met the beautiful and free-spirited Dahlia nine years ago, he was a rough-edged cowboy with no intention of getting married–ever. But it wasn't long before he was asking for Dahlia's hand, certain their love would last forever. But then an unthinkable tragedy struck their blissful home and tore his family apart. Although Stone and Dahlia couldn't deny the love that brought them together, they were suddenly separated by a world of pain and grief. Now Stone had to find a way to save his family and somehow convince his wife a lifetime of love awaited them…. This ranchin' dad would do anything to save his family.

MERGER IN THE MAKING…? Powerful CEO Philip Ambercroft prized efficiency, order–and no temptation in the office. So when he needed a temporary assistant, he decided to hire a no-nonsense, matronly type. But then he met the most qualified candidate…. All-too-appealing Madalyn Wier had impeccable references and years of experience–and she soon had her handsome executive boss falling for her womanly charms. But Philip was determined to deny the attraction between them, especially since Madalyn was a single mother who had a daughter to consider. And the confirmed bachelor wasn't prepared to propose a marriage merger…was he?

Become an advanced practitioner with this progressive set of master classes on application-oriented machine learning About This Book ? Comprehensive coverage of key topics in machine learning with an emphasis on both the theoretical and practical aspects ? More than 15 open source Java tools in a wide range of techniques, with code and practical usage. ? More than 10 real-world case studies in machine learning highlighting techniques ranging from data ingestion up to analyzing the results of experiments, all preparing the user for the practical, real-world use of tools and data analysis. Who This Book Is For This book will appeal to anyone with a serious interest in topics in Data Science or those already working in related areas: ideally, intermediate-level data analysts and data scientists with experience in Java. Preferably, you will have experience with the fundamentals of machine learning and now have a desire to explore the area further, are up to grappling with the mathematical complexities of its algorithms, and you wish to learn the complete ins and outs of practical machine learning. What You Will Learn ? Master key Java machine learning libraries, and what kind of problem each can solve, with theory and practical guidance. ? Explore powerful techniques in each major category of machine learning such as classification, clustering, anomaly detection, graph modeling, and text mining. ? Apply machine learning to real-world data with methodologies, processes, applications, and analysis. ? Techniques and experiments developed around the latest specializations in machine learning, such as deep learning, stream data mining, and active and semi-supervised learning. ? Build high-performing, real-time, adaptive predictive models for batch- and stream-based big data learning using the latest tools and methodologies. ? Get a deeper understanding of technologies leading towards a more powerful AI applicable in various domains such as Security, Financial Crime, Internet of Things, social networking, and so on. In Detail Java is one of the main languages used by practicing data scientists; much of the Hadoop ecosystem is Java-based, and it is certainly the language that most production systems in Data Science are written in. If you know Java, Mastering Machine Learning with Java is your next step on the path to becoming an advanced practitioner in Data Science. This book aims to introduce you to an array of advanced techniques in machine learning, including classification, clustering, anomaly detection, stream learning, active learning, semi-supervised learning, probabilistic graph modeling, text mining, deep learning, and big data batch and stream machine learning. Accompanying each chapter are illustrative examples and real-world case studies that show how to apply the newly learned techniques using sound methodologies and the best Java-based tools available today. On completing this book, you will have an understanding of the tools and techniques for building powerful machine learning models to solve data science problems in just about any domain. Style and approach A practical guide to help you explore machine learning—and an array of Java-based tools and frameworks—with the help of practical examples and real-world use cases.

A practical guide to help you undertand the ability of Apache jMeter to load and performance test various server types in a more efficient way. About This Book ? Use jMeter to create and run tests to improve the performance of your webpages and applications ? Learn to build a test plan for your websites and analyze the results ? Unleash the power of various features and changes introduced in Apache jMeter 3.0 Who This Book Is For This book is for software professionals who want to understand and improve the performance of their applications with Apache jMeter. What You Will Learn ? See why performance testing is necessary and learn how to set up JMeter ? Record and test with JMeter ? Handle various form inputs in JMeter and parse results during testing ? Manage user sessions in web applications in the context of a JMeter test ? Monitor JMeter results in real time ? Perform distributed testing with JMeter ? Get acquainted with helpful tips and best practices for working with JMeter In Detail JMeter is a Java application designed to load and test performance for web application. JMeter extends to improve the functioning of various other static and dynamic resources. This book is a great starting point to learn about JMeter. It covers the new features introduced with JMeter 3 and enables you to dive deep into the new techniques needed for measuring your website performance. The book starts with the basics of performance testing and guides you through recording your first test scenario, before diving deeper into JMeter. You will also learn how to configure JMeter and browsers to help record test plans. Moving on, you will learn how to capture form submission in JMeter, dive into managing sessions with JMeter and see how to leverage some of the components provided by JMeter to handle web application HTTP sessions. You will also learn how JMeter can help monitor tests in real-time. Further, you will go in depth into distributed testing and see how to leverage the capabilities of JMeter to accomplish this. You will get acquainted with some tips and best practices with regard to performance testing. By the end of the book, you will have learned how to take full advantage of the real power behind Apache JMeter. Style and approach The book is a practical guide starting with introducing the readers to the importance of automated testing. It will then be a beginner’s journey from getting introduced to Apache jMeter to an in-detail discussion of more advanced features and possibilities with it.

Build Machine Learning models with a sound statistical understanding. About This Book ? Learn about the statistics behind powerful predictive models with p-value, ANOVA, and F- statistics. ? Implement statistical computations programmatically for supervised and unsupervised learning through K-means clustering. ? Master the statistical aspect of Machine Learning with the help of this example-rich guide to R and Python. Who This Book Is For This book is intended for developers with little to no background in statistics, who want to implement Machine Learning in their systems. Some programming knowledge in R or Python will be useful. What You Will Learn ? Understand the Statistical and Machine Learning fundamentals necessary to build models ? Understand the major differences and parallels between the statistical way and the Machine Learning way to solve problems ? Learn how to prepare data and feed models by using the appropriate Machine Learning algorithms from the more-than-adequate R and Python packages ? Analyze the results and tune the model appropriately to your own predictive goals ? Understand the concepts of required statistics for Machine Learning ? Introduce yourself to necessary fundamentals required for building supervised & unsupervised deep learning models ? Learn reinforcement learning and its application in the field of artificial intelligence domain In Detail Complex statistics in Machine Learning worry a lot of developers. Knowing statistics helps you build strong Machine Learning models that are optimized for a given problem statement. This book will teach you all it takes to perform complex statistical computations required for Machine Learning. You will gain information on statistics behind supervised learning, unsupervised learning, reinforcement learning, and more. Understand the real-world examples that discuss the statistical side of Machine Learning and familiarize yourself with it. You will also design programs for performing tasks such as model, parameter fitting, regression, classification, density collection, and more. By the end of the book, you will have mastered the required statistics for Machine Learning and will be able to apply your new skills to any sort of industry problem. Style and approach This practical, step-by-step guide will give you an understanding of the Statistical and Machine Learning fundamentals you'll need to build models.

Use scikit-learn to apply machine learning to real-world problems About This Book ? Master popular machine learning models including k-nearest neighbors, random forests, logistic regression, k-means, naive Bayes, and artificial neural networks ? Learn how to build and evaluate performance of efficient models using scikit-learn ? Practical guide to master your basics and learn from real life applications of machine learning Who This Book Is For This book is intended for software engineers who want to understand how common machine learning algorithms work and develop an intuition for how to use them, and for data scientists who want to learn about the scikit-learn API. Familiarity with machine learning fundamentals and Python are helpful, but not required. What You Will Learn ? Review fundamental concepts such as bias and variance ? Extract features from categorical variables, text, and images ? Predict the values of continuous variables using linear regression and K Nearest Neighbors ? Classify documents and images using logistic regression and support vector machines ? Create ensembles of estimators using bagging and boosting techniques ? Discover hidden structures in data using K-Means clustering ? Evaluate the performance of machine learning systems in common tasks In Detail Machine learning is the buzzword bringing computer science and statistics together to build smart and efficient models. Using powerful algorithms and techniques offered by machine learning you can automate any analytical model. This book examines a variety of machine learning models including popular machine learning algorithms such as k-nearest neighbors, logistic regression, naive Bayes, k-means, decision trees, and artificial neural networks. It discusses data preprocessing, hyperparameter optimization, and ensemble methods. You will build systems that classify documents, recognize images, detect ads, and more. You will learn to use scikit-learn’s API to extract features from categorical variables, text and images; evaluate model performance, and develop an intuition for how to improve your model’s performance. By the end of this book, you will master all required concepts of scikit-learn to build efficient models at work to carry out advanced tasks with the practical approach. Style and approach This book is motivated by the belief that you do not understand something until you can describe it simply. Work through toy problems to develop your understanding of the learning algorithms and models, then apply your learnings to real-life problems.

Harness the power of Scala to program Spark and analyze tonnes of data in the blink of an eye! About This Book ? Learn Scala’s sophisticated type system that combines Functional Programming and object-oriented concepts ? Work on a wide array of applications, from simple batch jobs to stream processing and machine learning ? Explore the most common as well as some complex use-cases to perform large-scale data analysis with Spark Who This Book Is For Anyone who wishes to learn how to perform data analysis by harnessing the power of Spark will find this book extremely useful. No knowledge of Spark or Scala is assumed, although prior programming experience (especially with other JVM languages) will be useful to pick up concepts quicker. What You Will Learn ? Understand object-oriented & functional programming concepts of Scala ? In-depth understanding of Scala collection APIs ? Work with RDD and DataFrame to learn Spark’s core abstractions ? Analysing structured and unstructured data using SparkSQL and GraphX ? Scalable and fault-tolerant streaming application development using Spark structured streaming ? Learn machine-learning best practices for classification, regression, dimensionality reduction, and recommendation system to build predictive models with widely used algorithms in Spark MLlib & ML ? Build clustering models to cluster a vast amount of data ? Understand tuning, debugging, and monitoring Spark applications ? Deploy Spark applications on real clusters in Standalone, Mesos, and YARN In Detail Scala has been observing wide adoption over the past few years, especially in the field of data science and analytics. Spark, built on Scala, has gained a lot of recognition and is being used widely in productions. Thus, if you want to leverage the power of Scala and Spark to make sense of big data, this book is for you. The first part introduces you to Scala, helping you understand the object-oriented and functional programming concepts needed for Spark application development. It then moves on to Spark to cover the basic abstractions using RDD and DataFrame. This will help you develop scalable and fault-tolerant streaming applications by analyzing structured and unstructured data using SparkSQL, GraphX, and Spark structured streaming. Finally, the book moves on to some advanced topics, such as monitoring, configuration, debugging, testing, and deployment. You will also learn how to develop Spark applications using SparkR and PySpark APIs, interactive data analytics using Zeppelin, and in-memory data processing with Alluxio. By the end of this book, you will have a thorough understanding of Spark, and you will be able to perform full-stack data analytics with a feel that no amount of data is too big. Style and approach Filled with practical examples and use cases, this book will hot only help you get up and running with Spark, but will also take you farther down the road to becoming a data scientist.