Most Popular Books by Kathryn Hewitt

How do you know, at fifteen, what love and affection really mean? Ruth learned all too soon that love is commitment, and affection has a price. But who will ultimately make the commitment, and who will pay the price? At fifteen, Ruth thought she had her life planned out. That is until she met Luke, a charming new cadet from the local military school. After entering into a seemingly harmless teenage romance, Lukes possessive attitude and subtle remarks begin to undermine Ruths confidence, sending her into an emotional tailspin. A beautiful young girl is suddenly lost in a grown-up world, trying desperately to hang on to a love she thought would last forever. Shattered dreams and hopeless tears become the bricks that build walls around Ruth; yet just below her broken heart, a beautiful vessel is being formed. Join Ruth on her wedding day, five years later, as her childhood friend helps her journey back to face the demons of her past.

Learn about the real lives of the daring and adventurous people who have sailed the seas, explored new worlds, and rocketed into space . . . You might know that Columbus discovered America, Lewis and Clark headed west with Sacajawea, and Sally Ride blasted into outer space. But what do you really know about these bold explorers? What were they like as kids? What pets or bad habits did they have? And what drove their passion to explore unknown parts of the world? With juicy tidbits about everything from favorite foods to first loves, Lives of the Explorers reveals these fascinating adventurers as both world-changers and real people. The entertaining style and solid research of this series of biographies have made it a favorite with families and educators for twenty years. This new volume takes readers through the centuries and across the globe, profiling the men and women whose curiosity and courage have led them to discover our world. Includes color illustrations and maps "Readers will enjoy delving into the exploits of intrepid explorers across time, and, literally, space." —Kirkus Reviews

A young man believes his sweetheart and her family are the silliest people in the world until he meets three others who are even sillier.

Three plucky dogs decide to break the rule of "No Dogs Allowed," borrow their owners'' clothing, and go to the deli, the beauty salon, and the park. But they make one big mistake at the public pool. Full color.

Luke Davis disappeared from Ruth''s life nearly four years ago, abandoning her and their unborn son. Alone and only sixteen, Ruth felt certain her renewed faith would carry her through whatever storms were certain to come her way. But brewing just below the surface of her adolescent smile, there was one storm Ruth would never see coming. When Luke walked away, he callously left behind unworthiness he''d so cunningly instilled in Ruth. Now, as she enters her second year of college, a devalued mindset remains carefully hidden behind the majestic clouds of an approaching storm. Sabotaging a future with James, the one man who accepted and loved her, Ruth endures the pelting rains as the storm begins. But just when she begins to feel like the storm is ending, a sexual assault hurls her viciously into a deeper depression than she''s ever known.Feeling hopeless and abandoned by everyone around her, Ruth embraces the violent winds setting course a path of her own self-destruction. With the storm raging and the last strands of her faith slowly unraveling, Ruth must break free from her circumstances and find the grace that has saved her once before.

Helped by her father, a young girl prepares a flower garden as a birthday surprise for her mother.

Cass was a Freshman in college when she was attacked in a park and sexually assaulted by an unknown assailant. As she lay in a hospital bed, physically recovering from being brutalized, she began an even more daunting journey: that of her psychological healing. With the support and companionship of her nurse turned confidant, and her therapist, Cass finally begins to see the possibility of a light on the other side of what feels like an infinity of darkness. Dealing with the effects of her trauma proves to be a daily struggle, one filled with triggers and fear, and debilitating anxiety. Reconciling her internal conflict as she examines her choice to bargain for the future, while attempting to own the loss of so much, still feels nearly impossible. Despite the daunting task of simply living, Cass is tired of being held hostage by her attacker. Deciding that she refuses to let him control her life any longer, Cass feels that she is ready to return to school. As she develops an unlikely friendship with another student and finds herself romantically drawn to a man who seems to be everything that she could dream of in a partner, she begins to discover herself. The simple act of having ventured out of her self-isolation feels like a huge step in Cass'' healing process, so hanging with her new friend Harrison, and admiring Charlie from afar, seems both remarkable and satisfyingly normal. As Cass embarks on her road to wellness, taking small steps out of her comfort zone proves to be rewarding, reinforcing her belief that surviving her attack was worth the trade-off of all that had been taken from her. But when Cass'' world is turned upside down, again, reconciling her progress with the harsh realities of the world threatens to be too much. Only by relying on her own rediscovered strength, can Cass fight her way back to the life that she had only just begun to realize she deserves.

Eve learned at a young age that those who were supposed to take care of you, weren''t guaranteed to do so. After suffering the ultimate betrayal, 17 year old Eve finds herself lost and with nowhere to turn. Desperation can lead to losing yourself, but for Eve, she had nothing left to lose. Those she loved abandoned her, and the one who didn''t, well his was a love she didn''t want. In a misguided attempt to right an atrocious wrong, Eve finds herself the villain, and at a crucial crossroads. Definitely at rock bottom, she is forced to become an unwilling participant in a state-mandated facility, designed to rehabilitate convicted juveniles who have been diagnosed with mental illness. Eve fits into these categories perfectly, but she doesn''t want rehabilitation, and detests this offer of redemption. Numb and utterly lost, Eve meets the handsome and mysterious Jack, a fellow "Camper". Against her best judgment, she is befriended by the quirky and overly enthusiastic Leia. Despite her desire to never be close to anyone again, and her best efforts, Eve can''t seem to alienate Leia and Jack. But loving Jack would require Eve to learn to love her most hated enemy, herself. Sometimes having nothing to lose helps us gain everything we thought never we''d get.