Karen’s Books

Lizzie Quinlan lives in the shadow of her past...
Everyone in Orchard Hill knows Lizzy's reputation and won't let her forget it. But in the summer of 1959, Billy Ray Davenport, an itinerant minister's son, arrives in town. He discovers an indomitable strength behind the allure his father says is “designed to lead men astray.” Lizzie spouts quirky bursts of wisdom and exudes an effortless sensuality that calls to him like a siren's song. Billy Ray thinks he could be the one who helps her swim against the tide of disapproval; he could free her once and for all. But a stormy path awaits the unlikely pair. Lizzie's past cannot help but shape her future, and ready or not, this beautiful, complex mystery girl is about to change Billy Ray's life. As society's sands shift under his feet, Billy Ray navigates the tide of approaching adulthood—a journey as ever-changing and ancient as the ocean itself.

Elizabeth Bennet, a rookie counterintelligence officer, lands an intriguing first assignment—investigating the CIA's legendary William Darcy, who is suspected of being a double agent.

Darcy’s charmed existence seems at an end as he fights for his career and struggles against his love for the young woman he doesn’t know is watching his every move.
Elizabeth’s confidence dissolves as nothing is like she planned—and the more she discovers about Darcy, the more she finds herself in an ever-tightening web of danger.

Unexpected twists abound in this suspenseful Cold War-era romance inspired by Jane Austen’s classic tale.

Mountain Laurel Elliot is like her name—she blooms best in the cool comfort of shade, hidden in the Kentucky foothills of Appalachia. Alone on her mountain, she lives a private existence with only her pottery—and her regrets—for company.
James Marshall had a secret dream and Laurel was part of it, but dreams sometimes lead to unexpected places. James’s heart broke when Laurel cut him loose, but he moved on—and became successful beyond his wildest dreams.
For one glorious summer, James and Laurel had each other, but life has kept them far apart.

Until now.

“Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich…”

Thus began Jane Austen’s classic, a light and lively tale set in an English village two hundred years ago. Yet every era has its share of Emmas: young women trying to find themselves in their own corners of the world. I Could Write a Book is the story of a self-proclaimed modern woman: Emma Katherine Woodhouse, a 1970s co-ed whose life is pleasant, ordered, and predictable if a bit confining.
Her friend George Knightley is a man of the world who has come home to fulfill his destiny: run his father’s thriving law practice and oversee the sprawling Donwell Farms, his family legacy in Central Kentucky horse country. Since childhood, George’s and Emma’s lives have meshed and separated time and again. But now they’re adults with grown-up challenges and obligations. As Emma orchestrates life in quaint Highbury, George becomes less amused with her antics and struggles with a growing attraction to the young woman she’s become.
Rich with humor, poignancy, and the camaraderie of life in a small, Southern town, I Could Write a Book is a coming-of-age romance with side helpings of self-discovery, friendship, and finding true love in the most unlikely places.

1932, Karen M Cox’s award-winning debut novel, is a matchless variation on Jane Austen’s classic tale.