Random House Canada

She''s bound by tradition, but maybe they''re destined for love... Priya Solanki is a ''Dalit'' or ''untouchable,'' the lowest echelon of Indian castes-a stigma that follows individuals from birth to death, and as Priya learns, beyond oceans and continents. Traditionally assigned to occupations considered dishonorable for higher-caste communities, Priya''s father comes from generations of cremators. Deciding to honour his heritage, he opens a funeral home after immigrating to Canada. Determined to free herself from a label that deems her less worthy, less capable, and less intelligent, Priya leaves home against her parents'' wishes. But a failed romance lands her back in the spot she tried so hard to leave-home-and her parents consider her return a cosmic lesson in accepting her fate. Trapped between her parents'' expectations and their caste-assigned family business, she''s desperate to escape. But her plan takes a nosedive when Hollywood''s hottest heartthrob, Ethan Knight, rents out their funeral home to prepare for an upcoming role. And Ethan isn''t just any superstar-he was the boy next door, Priya''s secret teenage crush long before his brooding magnetism seduced millions. When her parents leave to go husband-hunting for her, Priya is left alone with Ethan, and old flames reignite. But cosying up to Ethan means stepping out of the shadows and into the paparazzi flashes-a terrifying prospect. If she can''t see herself as his equal, the world surely won''t. And even if Priya dares to follow her heart, she risks losing everything: her parents'' trust, her chance to break free from the funeral home, and Ethan.

Dimitri Abramovich may have won back the throne of Novo-Svitsevo, but even after defeating his former husband, the usurper Alexey Balakin, he seems no closer to securing lasting peace for his people. Enemies are closing in on all sides, and pressure is mounting for Dimitri to play the one card he has left in a bid for stability - offering his hand in marriage for a second time. But Dimitri is still healing from the tragedies of the war, his return to the throne, and Alexey''s years of torment. Vasily Sokolov is the only person with whom he feels safe, and giving up the comfort of their budding relationship feels unfathomable, even if it''s the only way to sever the alliances being formed among the countries surrounding Novo-Svitsevo. So as Dimitri and Vasily reckon with political treachery, the lasting consequences of Dimitri''s resurrection, and the sinister legacy of Alexey''s use of the Holy Science, they must also work to understand what it means to love each other even as they prepare to let each other go - which might prove the most difficult of all.

Pete Crighton came of age in the early/mid 1980s in the shadow of HIV/AIDS. Growing up in Toronto, he was terrified that his friends and schoolmates would find out that he was ''different'' at a time when being gay felt like a death sentence. His only comfort was music, the songs a balm to his painful adolescence. Struggling to make sense of his sexuality and fear of the disease stifled Crighton as a sexual being. Instead of exploring sex, he began curating a massive music library. He then took what he thought was a safepath and entered into two long-term monogamous relationships, both doomed to fail. Finally, in his 40s, Crighton decided to ignore his fear and live his queer life to the fullest. The Vinyl Diaries is the story of Crighton''s mid-life sexual awakening. From one-night trysts to friendships resulting from app-based hookups, Crighton is honest and unapologetic as he chronicles the pursuit of his erotic desires. Each new connection and lover is linked to an artist, song, or album from his vast collection and backdrops the stories Crighton tells about his life, interconnected with the artists'' work and histories. Kate Bush, the B-52s, Prince, The Smiths, Yoko Ono, and Stevie Nicks are just a few of the artists who provide an extraordinary soundtrack to Crighton''s adventures. Big-hearted, funny, thoughtful, and wildly entertaining, The Vinyl Diaries is a celebration of sex, music and the discovery of our true selves.