Learn to use AWS IoT services to build your connected applications with the help of this comprehensive guide. About This Book ? Gets you started with AWS IoT and its functionalities ? Learn different modules of AWS IoT with practical use cases. ? Learn to secure your IoT communication Who This Book Is For This book is for anyone who wants to get started with the AWS IoT Suite and implement it with practical use cases. This book acts as an extensive guide, on completion of which you will be in a position to start building IoT projects using AWS IoT platform and using cloud services for your projects. What You Will Learn ? Implement AWS IoT on IoT projects ? Learn the technical capabilities of AWS IoT and IoT devices ? Create IoT-based AWS IoT projects ? Choose IoT devices and AWS IoT platforms to use based on the kind of project you need to build ? Deploy AWS Greengrass and AWS Lambda ? Develop program for AWS IoT Button ? Visualize IoT AWS data ? Build predictive analytics using AWS IoT and AWS Machine Learning In Detail The Internet of Things market increased a lot in the past few years and IoT development and its adoption have showed an upward trend. Analysis and predictions say that Enterprise IoT platforms are the future of IoT. AWS IoT is currently leading the market with its wide range of device support SDKs and versatile management console. This book initially introduces you to the IoT platforms, and how it makes our IoT development easy. It then covers the complete AWS IoT Suite and how it can be used to develop secure communication between internet-connected things such as sensors, actuators, embedded devices, smart applications, and so on. The book also covers the various modules of AWS: AWS Greengrass, AWS device SDKs, AWS IoT Platform, AWS Button, AWS Management consoles, AWS-related CLI, and API references, all with practical use cases. Near the end, the book supplies security-related best practices to make bi-directional communication more secure. When you've finished this book, you'll be up-and-running with the AWS IoT Suite, and building IoT projects. Style and approach This book is a step-by-step practical guide that helps you learn AWS IoT quickly.

Learn how to write scalable and concurrent programs in Scala, a language that grows with you. About This Book ? Get a grip on the functional features of the Scala programming language ? Understand and develop optimal applications using object-oriented and functional Scala constructs ? Learn reactive principles with Scala and work with the Akka framework Who This Book Is For This book is for programmers who choose to get a grip over Scala to write concurrent, scalable, and reactive programs. No prior experience with any programming language is required to learn the concepts explained in this book. Knowledge of any programming language would help the reader understanding concepts faster though. What You Will Learn ? Get to know the reasons for choosing Scala: its use and the advantages it provides over other languages ? Bring together functional and object-oriented programming constructs to make a manageable application ? Master basic to advanced Scala constructs ? Test your applications using advanced testing methodologies such as TDD ? Select preferred language constructs from the wide variety of constructs provided by Scala ? Make the transition from the object-oriented paradigm to the functional programming paradigm ? Write clean, concise, and powerful code with a functional mindset ? Create concurrent, scalable, and reactive applications utilizing the advantages of Scala In Detail Scala is a general-purpose programming language that supports both functional and object-oriented programming paradigms. Due to its concise design and versatility, Scala's applications have been extended to a wide variety of fields such as data science and cluster computing. You will learn to write highly scalable, concurrent, and testable programs to meet everyday software requirements. We will begin by understanding the language basics, syntax, core data types, literals, variables, and more. From here you will be introduced to data structures with Scala and you will learn to work with higher-order functions. Scala's powerful collections framework will help you get the best out of immutable data structures and utilize them effectively. You will then be introduced to concepts such as pattern matching, case classes, and functional programming features. From here, you will learn to work with Scala's object-oriented features. Going forward, you will learn about asynchronous and reactive programming with Scala, where you will be introduced to the Akka framework. Finally, you will learn the interoperability of Scala and Java. After reading this book, you'll be well versed with this language and its features, and you will be able to write scalable, concurrent, and reactive programs in Scala. Style and approach This book is for programmers who want to master Scala to write concurrent, scalable, and reactive programs. Though no experience with any programming language is needed, some basic knowledge would help understand concepts faster.

Get to grips with the essentials of deep learning by leveraging the power of Python About This Book ? Your one-stop solution to get started with the essentials of deep learning and neural network modeling ? Train different kinds of neural networks to tackle various problems in Natural Language Processing, computer vision, speech recognition, and more ? Covers popular Python libraries such as Tensorflow, Keras, and more, along with tips on training, deploying and optimizing your deep learning models in the best possible manner Who This Book Is For Aspiring data scientists and machine learning experts who have limited or no exposure to deep learning will find this book to be very useful. If you are looking for a resource that gets you up and running with the fundamentals of deep learning and neural networks, this book is for you. As the models in the book are trained using the popular Python-based libraries such as Tensorflow and Keras, it would be useful to have sound programming knowledge of Python. What You Will Learn ? Get to grips with the core concepts of deep learning and neural networks ? Set up deep learning library such as TensorFlow ? Fine-tune your deep learning models for NLP and Computer Vision applications ? Unify different information sources, such as images, text, and speech through deep learning ? Optimize and fine-tune your deep learning models for better performance ? Train a deep reinforcement learning model that plays a game better than humans ? Learn how to make your models get the best out of your GPU or CPU In Detail Deep Learning a trending topic in the field of Artificial Intelligence today and can be considered to be an advanced form of machine learning, which is quite tricky to master. This book will help you take your first steps in training efficient deep learning models and applying them in various practical scenarios. You will model, train, and deploy different kinds of neural networks such as Convolutional Neural Network, Recurrent Neural Network, and will see some of their applications in real-world domains including computer vision, natural language processing, speech recognition, and so on. You will build practical projects such as chatbots, implement reinforcement learning to build smart games, and develop expert systems for image captioning and processing. Popular Python library such as TensorFlow is used in this book to build the models. This book also covers solutions for different problems you might come across while training models, such as noisy datasets, small datasets, and more. This book does not assume any prior knowledge of deep learning. By the end of this book, you will have a firm understanding of the basics of deep learning and neural network modeling, along with their practical applications. Style and approach This step-by-step guide is filled with real-world practical examples and use cases to solve various deep learning problems.

Learn, develop, and design applications using the new features in Microsoft Dynamics CRM About This Book ? Implement business logic using processes, plugins, and client-side *s with MS Dynamics 365 ? Develop custom CRM solutions to improve your business applications ? A comprehensive guide that covers the new features of Microsoft Dynamics 365 and increasingly advanced topics. Who This Book Is For This book targets skilled developers who are looking to build business-solution software and are new to application development in Microsoft Dynamics 365, especially for CRM. What You Will Learn ? Discover new designers tools included in Dynamics 365 CRM ? Develop apps using the platform-agnostic Web API ? Leverage Azure Extensions to design cloud-aware applications ? Learn how to implement CRUD operation ? Create integrated real-world apps using Microsoft PowerApps and Flow by combining services such as Twitter, Facebook, and SharePoint ? Configure and use Artificial Intelligence Azure Cognitive Services for Recommendation and Text Analytic services In Detail Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM is the most trusted name in enterprise-level customer relationship management. Thelatest version of Dynamics CRM comes with the important addition of exciting features guaranteed to make your life easier. It comes straight off the shelf with a whole new frontier of updated business rules, process enhancements, SDK methods, and other enhancements. This book will introduce you to the components of the new designer tools, such as SiteMap, App Module, and Visual Designer for Business Processes. Going deeper, this book teaches you how to develop custom SaaS applications leveraging the features of PowerApps available in Dynamics 365.Further, you will learn how to automate business processes using Microsoft Flow, and then we explore Web API, the most important platform update in Dynamics 365 CRM. Here, you'll also learn how to implement Web API in custom applications. You will learn how to write an Azure-aware plugin to design and integrate cloud-aware solutions. The book concludes with configuring services using newly released features such as Editable grids, Data Export Service, LinkedIn Integration, Relationship Insights, and Live Assist. Style and approach The book takes a pragmatic approach, exploring Dynamics 365 and its CRM features with the help of real-world scenarios.

Enhance your organization’s secure posture by improving your attack and defense strategies About This Book ? Gain a clear understanding of the attack methods, and patterns to recognize abnormal behavior within your organization with Blue Team tactics. ? Learn to unique techniques to gather exploitation intelligence, identify risk and demonstrate impact with Red Team and Blue Team strategies. ? A practical guide that will give you hands-on experience to mitigate risks and prevent attackers from infiltrating your system. Who This Book Is For This book aims at IT professional who want to venture the IT security domain. IT pentester, Security consultants, and ethical hackers will also find this course useful. Prior knowledge of penetration testing would be beneficial. What You Will Learn ? Learn the importance of having a solid foundation for your security posture ? Understand the attack strategy using cyber security kill chain ? Learn how to enhance your defense strategy by improving your security policies, hardening your network, implementing active sensors, and leveraging threat intelligence ? Learn how to perform an incident investigation ? Get an in-depth understanding of the recovery process ? Understand continuous security monitoring and how to implement a vulnerability management strategy ? Learn how to perform log analysis to identify suspicious activities In Detail The book will start talking about the security posture before moving to Red Team tactics, where you will learn the basic syntax for the Windows and Linux tools that are commonly used to perform the necessary operations. You will also gain hands-on experience of using new Red Team techniques with powerful tools such as python and PowerShell, which will enable you to discover vulnerabilities in your system and how to exploit them. Moving on, you will learn how a system is usually compromised by adversaries, and how they hack user's identity, and the various tools used by the Red Team to find vulnerabilities in a system. In the next section, you will learn about the defense strategies followed by the Blue Team to enhance the overall security of a system. You will also learn about an in-depth strategy to ensure that there are security controls in each network layer, and how you can carry out the recovery process of a compromised system. Finally, you will learn how to create a vulnerability management strategy and the different techniques for manual log analysis. By the end of this book, you will be well-versed with Red Team and Blue Team techniques and will have learned the techniques used nowadays to attack and defend systems. Style and approach This book uses a practical approach of the cybersecurity kill chain to explain the different phases of the attack, which includes the rationale behind each phase, followed by scenarios and examples that brings the theory into practice.

Explore the concepts and tools you need to discover the world of microservices with various design patterns About This Book ? Get to grips with the microservice architecture and build enterprise-ready microservice applications ? Learn design patterns and the best practices while building a microservice application ? Obtain hands-on techniques and tools to create high-performing microservices resilient to possible fails Who This Book Is For This book is for architects and senior developers who would like implement microservice design patterns in their enterprise application development. The book assumes some prior programming knowledge. What You Will Learn ? How to break monolithic application into microservices ? Implement caching strategies, CQRS and event sourcing, and circuit breaker patterns ? Incorporate different microservice design patterns, such as shared data, aggregator, proxy, and chained ? Utilize consolidate testing patterns such as integration, signature, and monkey tests ? Secure microservices with JWT, API gateway, and single sign on ? Deploy microservices with continuous integration or delivery, Blue-Green deployment In Detail Microservices are a hot trend in the development world right now. Many enterprises have adopted this approach to achieve agility and the continuous delivery of applications to gain a competitive advantage. This book will take you through different design patterns at different stages of the microservice application development along with their best practices. Microservice Patterns and Best Practices starts with the learning of microservices key concepts and showing how to make the right choices while designing microservices. You will then move onto internal microservices application patterns, such as caching strategy, asynchronism, CQRS and event sourcing, circuit breaker, and bulkheads. As you progress, you'll learn the design patterns of microservices. The book will guide you on where to use the perfect design pattern at the application development stage and how to break monolithic application into microservices. You will also be taken through the best practices and patterns involved while testing, securing, and deploying your microservice application. At the end of the book, you will easily be able to create interoperable microservices, which are testable and prepared for optimum performance. Style and approach Comprehensive guide that uses architectural patterns with the best choices involved in application development

This sweeping historical novel tells the dramatic tale of that most intriguing of Renaissance women, Lucrezia Borgia. Incest. Poison. Betrayal. Three wedding presents for the Borgia bride… Italy 1492 Pope Alexander VI is elected. And so begins the Borgia reign of terror. Alexander murders, bribes and betrays to establish his dynasty. No one is immune. Rome is a hotbed of accusation and conspiracy. Every day, the River Tiber is full of new bodies. Sancha de Aragon, daughter of King Alfonso II of Naples, arrives in Rome newly wed to Alexander’s youngest son, Jofre. Their marriage protects Naples against the ambitions of the French King Louis and gains Spanish support for the Borgias. But Rome is very different to her beloved Naples. The debauchery of the Borgia inner-circle is notorious: every lust is indulged and every indiscretion overlooked. Sancha is no innocent: she possesses an indomitable spirit which allows her to survive in the snake-pit, but her ancestors once rivalled the Borgias in cruelty and Sancha’s greatest fear is that blood will out. Lucrezia Borgia’s vicious jealously stings Sancha at first, but gradually the two young women develop a cautious friendship. Lucrezia, adored by her father but used ruthlessly as a political tool, seems deceptively innocent and sympathetic, and their bond strengthens when Lucrezia is married to Sancha’s treasured brother, Alfonso. But when Sancha falls in love with Cesare Borgia, her husband’s enigmatic older brother, she has no idea of how bizarre and internecine are the family's true ties. Alexander is rather more than an indulgent father; Lucrezia not the innocent she appears; and Cesare’s ambition burns wildly. The only safe relationship with the Borgias is none at all: as Sancha, her brother and Naples are soon to discover…

Straddling humour, trivia and sport, ‘Notorious’ brings together for the first time one hundred of the most potty sportsmen in history. From boxing to cycling, soccer to baseball, and most sports in between, here are the hard-men and the criminals, the psychos and the loonies, that make up the sporting madness hall of shame. Among the prime candidates for sporting lunacy in this book: Prinya Charoenpal, one of the most talented kick-boxers in the sport’s history, who wore make-up and pink nail polish, broke down when asked to strip for the weigh-in, pummelled the opponent who made the mistake of mocking her with a camp embrace, and who fought solely to get the money for a sex-change operation. Jack ‘Hacksaw’ Reynolds, the San Francisco 49-ers linebacker during the 80s, who once got plastered after losing a college game, went out to the car park with a hacksaw, and cut someone’s car in half. The Brazilian football star Edmundo, infamous on the pitch for beating up fans, referees and journalists, and making his name off it by crashing his truck and killing three people, and being arrested for force-feeding beer to a chimpanzee at his son’s birthday party. And there’s more. The rugby league hard-man with a predilection for sticking a rigid digit finger up opponents’ rears on the field of play; the baseball Hall of Famer who wielded his bat to beat up unsuspecting victims; the golfer hospitalised three times for alcohol poisoning, who came through two suicide attempts, three divorces, plus countless hotel room trashings and suspensions; the Irish jockey involved in an air rage incident who copped 110 hours of community service… And closer to home, the likes of Roy Keane, Alex Higgins, Vinnie Jones and Paul Gascoigne are also featured in this wildly captivating, and often shocking, collection of crazed sports celebrities.

A massive tale of secrets, corruption and magic between two feuding families – the powerful Gearys and the shadowy Barbarossas. EVERY FAMILY HAS A SECRET As rich as the Rockefellers, as glamorous as the Kennedys, the Geary dynasty has held subtle sway over American life since the Civil War, brilliantly concealing the depths of its corruption. All that is about to change. For the Gearys are at war. Their enemies are another dynasty – the Barbarossas – whose origins lie not in history but in myth. When the prodigal prince of the Barbarossa clan, Galilee, falls in love with Rachel Geary, the pent-up loathing between the families erupts in a mutually destructive frenzy. Adulteries are laid bare. Secrets creep out. And insanity reigns. Galilee is a massive tale, mingling the sharp realism of Barker’s bestseller Sacrament with the dark invention for which he’s known worldwide, and surpassing both with an epic tale which will surely rank as the crowning achievement of his career.

Is happiness catching? Are your friends making you fat? Can your sibling make you smart? Is wealth contagious? Where is true love found? Does free will exist? Based on exciting discoveries in mathematics, genetics, psychology and sociology, ‘Connected’ is an innovative and fascinating exploration of how social networks operate. Think it's all about who you know? It is. But not the way you think. Turns out your colleague's husband's sister can make you fat, even if you don't know her. And a happy friend is more relevant to your happiness than a bigger income. Our connections – our friends, their friends, and even their friends' friends – have an astonishing power to influence everything from what we eat to who we sleep with. And we, in turn, influence others. Our actions can change the behaviours, the beliefs, and even the basic health of people we've never met. In this brilliantly original and effortlessly engaging exploration of how much we truly influence one another. Pre-eminent social scientists Nicholas Christakis and James Fowler explain why obesity is contagious, why the rich get richer, even how we find and choose our partners. Intriguing and entertaining, with revelatory implications for everything from our notion of the individual to ideas about public health initiatives, ‘Connected’ will change the way you think about every aspect of your life, and how you live it.

The ultimate in delicious, fresh food from the company who are dedicated to growing, producing and cooking real food. The Daylesford recipe for delicious eating is simple - organic produce of the utmost quality. Ingredients from local producers, seasonal crops, humanely-reared meat and a simplified supply chain guarantees food that’s fresh, ethically-produced and, most importantly, full of flavour. This beautiful book will help you make Daylesford's award-winning recipes at home, showing you how to live healthily and simply throughout the food calendar year. With everything – from seven-seed sourdough bread to quintessentially English spiced apple cake, as well as delicious meat and game dishes, including Daylesford’s favourite rabbit, cider and mustard pie – the principles of good wholesome food and seasonality lie behind each carefully crafted dish. Mark every season, with ideas on how to use a glut of vegetables from your garden, tasty jams and relishes to stock your winter larder and mouth-watering fruit confections for the summer months. This is the essential cookery book for organic food lovers everywhere.

WINNER OF THE 2013 SAMUEL JOHNSON PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION WINNER OF THE 2013 DUFF COOPER PRIZE WINNER OF THE POLITICAL BOOK AWARDS POLITICAL BIOGRAPHY OF THE YEAR 2014 WINNER OF THE 2013 COSTA BOOK AWARDS BIOGRAPHY OF THE YEAR The story of Gabriele D’Annunzio, poet, daredevil – and Fascist. In September 1919 Gabriele D’Annunzio, successful poet and occasional politician, declared himself Commandante of the city of Fiume in modern day Croatia. His intention – to establish a utopia based on his fascist and artistic ideals. It was the dramatic pinnacle to an outrageous career. Lucy Hughes-Hallett charts the controversial life of D’Annunzio, the debauched artist who became a national hero. His evolution from idealist Romantic to radical right-wing revolutionary is a political parable. Through his ideological journey, culminating in the failure of the Fiume endeavour, we witness the political turbulence of early 20th century Europe and the emergence of fascism. In ‘The Pike’, Hughes-Hallett addresses the cult of nationalism and the origins of political extremism – and at the centre of the book stands the charismatic D’Annunzio: a figure as deplorable as he is fascinating.

Following the successes of Café Paradiso and the award-winning Paradiso Seasons, Denis Cotter is back with an evocative, witty collection of tales and a superb range of exciting and delicious vegetarian recipes. Wild Garlic, Gooseberries and Me cajoles, informs and questions our relationship to the land and the vegetables we eat. We go on a personal journey with Denis as he shares his passion for his favourite foods. Denis drags us into muddy fields and introduces us to the growers of the best produce imaginable. Through heart-felt and charming text, he informs and amuses. The excitement of a robust blackberry jam becomes a passionate argument for us to go out into the countryside, the dazzling sight of high-trailing borlotti beans ignites a discussion on the future of artisan growing. Whether creating a restaurant masterpiece or foraging in hedgerows and woods, Denis searches for a new connection between food, people and land … oh, and he also teaches you how to search for mushrooms, wild greens and sloes, how to cook asparagus and take on an artichoke with attitude. Divided into four themed chapters, 'It's a Green Thing', 'Wild Pickings', 'A Passionate Pursuit' and 'Growing in the Dark', each including information and anecdotes about the vegetables that feature as well as many delicious recipes. There are simple salads and soups as well as more challenging main meals and mouth-watering desserts. Recipes include: Fresh Pasta with Abyssinian Cabbage, Pine Nuts & Sheep's Dressing; Courgette Flower, Pea and Chive Risotto; Samphire Tempura with Coriander Yoghurt; Grilled Portobello Mushrooms with Potato Pancakes and Tarragon Cream; Cabbage Timbale of Celeriac and Chestnuts with Porcini and Oyster Mushroom Sauce Stunning images of the landscape, the food and the finished recipes complete this delightful read and unique recipe book.

Top-notch forensic scientist Alexandra Forsythe returned to Athena to prove that the death of her dearest friend had been no accident. Armed with only her razor-sharp mind and coolness under fire–and the memory of a desperate call for help–Alex set out to uncover a truth that could shake the foundations of the academy that had trained her. Her digging provoked deadly retaliation and the attentions of a stranger who might lead her toward the truth–or her death. Because in the race for final proof, only the most determined would survive….

Accomplished Admiral Harrison Monteque deemed lady-in-waiting Gwendolyn Corbin an ice maiden. Until the two worked closely to search for a missing prince and her warmth began to melt his hard-edged heart. However, the eye-catching admiral feared that the tender beauty would want more than one night of passion. Raised to fight for his country and as the handsome head of the Royal Navy, Harrison had a protocol to follow–don't get involved emotionally. But rules were made to be broken, and the strapping soldier slowly discovered that while he could lead an army into battle, Gwendolyn's grace and grandeur only made him want to surrender his soul to her.

What is the real story beneath shadow lake? In an instant Anna Collins loses control of her car and careens into isolated Shadow Lake. Near death, she's rescued by a man named Jack Fairbanks. But how could that be? Everyone says that the reclusive Fairbanks, scion of a powerful political family, is dead. Anna is sure Jack's astonishing appearance is related to the hit-and-run that killed her son and destroyed her marriage. But when her friend's body is discovered in Anna's waterlogged trunk, she's not sure what to believe anymore. How did the body get there? Is Anna actually a murderer? Only one person knows, but finding him threatens to expose Anna to a deadly encounter on the banks of Shadow Lake.

There are a lot of things worse than being SLIGHTLY ENGAGED…being entirely broke, completely alone and wholly perplexed. It's been a year and a half since Tracey and Jack moved in together, and everything's totally perfect–well, okay, almost perfect. There's still Tracey's mom, who says they're "living in sin," and her friends, who are all smug, married and totally sure that there would already be a ring on Tracey's finger if she hadn't been in such a rush to cosign a lease. Even Tracey is beginning to wonder whether Jack really is looking for a permanent relationship, or whether she's just renting space in his heart. But just when Tracey's doubts are seriously raging out of control, Jack's mom lets her in on a secret–he's just taken an heirloom diamond out of the family's safe-deposit box, which must mean that he's going to propose any day now. Okay, any week now… Any month now?

Top Two Don'ts for the Office Party Don't dress in a revealing manner. (Translation: Don't wear the sexy scarlet, size-eight dress you couldn't fit into three months ago. The one that flaunts your firmed-up cleavage and newly discovered collarbones.) Don't make a spectacle of yourself. (Translation: Don't get drunk and make out with a really cute stranger for the whole company to see; he could turn out to be your boss's roommate.) I didn't follow those tips, and here I am with a hot new man in my life, Jack. But my friends are asking if I really want to bump into my boss in his boxers in the hallway of their apartment. After all, I am aiming for a promotion. And now, not only does my ex want me back, but the guy I used to think was Mr. Right just kissed me! Three months ago I couldn't hold on to one guy. Now three want me. When did my life become so complicated?

It seemed exciting at first, but after two and a half years in New York, Tracey has to admit her life… well, sucks. Sure, she makes a decent living as a copywriter, but Blaire Barnett Advertising is a cutthroat world that basically swallows her life. If she does manage to get home before nine, she's usually greeted by husband Jack's best bud, an almost-permanent fixture in their tiny, unaffordable apartment. Add the circus freaks stomping around upstairs, and Tracey decides it's time to move. After quitting her job, she and Jack take the plunge into the nearby suburbs of Westchester and quickly discover they're in way over their heads. Their fixer-upper is unfixable, the stay-at-home yoga moms are a bore and Tracey yearns for her old friends–she even misses work! So which life does she really want? Other than Jack's wife, who is she? If Tracey merely has to find her own Slightly Suburban niche, it had better be just around the corner, because there're no subways here!

Is her chance to have it all shrinking along with her waistline? All Evelyn Mays wants is to be the perfect bride in a size 8 Vera Wang wedding dress. Call her superficial, but when your boyfriend has turned up at your office and dramatically proposed–your green-with-envy colleagues watching in astonishment–there's a certain image to live up to! Evie senses that her supposedly fast-track career is spiraling away from her, but at least there's something she can control: her Big Day. She just has to transform herself from a cuddly brunette into a svelte blonde…. But changing her appearance proves addictive; Evie develops a taste for experimenting: new friends…new men? Her best friend, convinced that Mr. Right is just an urban legend anyway, eggs her on to have one last fling. Only, is Evie discovering her true self, or playing a game of chance that will end in trouble?

Busted! When Pepper Merriweather's superwealthy daddy is arrested for fraud–and the family fortune is kaput–just before the holidays, Pepper suddenly finds herself in need of a job. Despite her high-society connections, no one wants to give her a chance–no one except gorgeous billionaire recluse Robert Macintyre. When he proposes a position that comes with more strings attached than a symphony orchestra, Pepper knows it's an offer she should refuse. But beggars can't be choosers. Besides, Pepper knows she has what it takes to rise to the challenge–but does she have what it takes to keep her hands off her irresistible new boss?