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The Gate
By Natsume Soseki, Pico Iyer, William F. Sibley. 2013
An NYRB Calssics OriginalA humble clerk and his loving wife scrape out a quiet existence on the margins of Tokyo.…
Resigned, following years of exile and misfortune, to the bitter consequences of having married without their families' consent, and unable to have children of their own, Sōsuke and Oyone find the delicate equilibrium of their household upset by a new obligation to meet the educational expenses of Sōsuke's brash younger brother. While an unlikely new friendship appears to offer a way out of this bind, it also soon threatens to dredge up a past that could once again force them to flee the capital. Desperate and torn, Sōsuke finally resolves to travel to a remote Zen mountain monastery to see if perhaps there, through meditation, he can find a way out of his predicament. This moving and deceptively simple story, a melancholy tale shot through with glimmers of joy, beauty, and gentle wit, is an understated masterpiece by one of Japan's greatest writers. At the end of his life, Natsume Sōseki declared The Gate, originally published in 1910, to be his favorite among all his novels. This new translation captures the oblique grace of the original while correcting numerous errors and omissions that marred the first English version.Take This Man: A Give & Take 3.5 Novella (Give & Take)
By Kelli Maine. 2014
Return to the irresistibly seductive setting of Turtle Tear Island in this sexy new novella in Kelli Maine's bestselling Give…
& Take series.Taken to paradise. Given to passion. A man never wanted a woman as much as he wants her.Merrick Rocha is the kind of man who makes a woman yearn for more. And for Rachael DeSalvo, he's the kind of man who could easily fit into her picture of happily-ever-after. With each touch, each kiss, her body is thrilled as she never knows what to expect next. Their wedding day - and night - are no exception. Now, as they come together as one, free to trust as deeply as their bodies connect, Rachael is finally ready to...take this man.Don't miss the rest of the sensual series: Taken, No Takebacks, Taken By Storm, Take Me Back and Given.All That I Leave Behind: A powerful, heart-breaking story of family secrets
By Alison Walsh. 2015
'A powerful story ... Walsh shows an innate understanding of people's lives, and the emotional truths that underpin them' Kathleen…
MacMahonIt hadn't been Rosie's idea - a 'quaint' wedding at her childhood home in the Irish countryside. Nevertheless she finds herself back in Monasterard after a decade away, with her American fiancé on her arm and a smile fixed to her face.As expected, the welcome from her siblings isn't exactly warm. Mary-Pat, the one who practically raised Rosie, is avoiding her. June is preoccupied with maintaining the illusion of her perfect family. And Pius, who still counts the years since their mother left, is hiding from the world. Each of them is struggling with the weight of things unsaid.In the end, it's their father who, on the day of Rosie's wedding, exposes what has remained hidden for so long. And as the O'Connor siblings piece together the secrets at the heart of their family, they begin to forgive the woman who abandoned them all those years ago.Given: A Give & Take Novel (Give & Take)
By Kelli Maine. 2014
Return to the irresistibly seductive setting of Turtle Tear Island in this sexy new novel in Kelli Maine's bestselling Give…
& Take series.POSSESSION: For Merrick and Rachael, Turtle Tear Island has become their own private paradise. But their happiness is shattered when Merrick's daughter, Nadia, suddenly becomes increasingly demanding of his time and devotion, forcing him to make an agonizing choice between the woman whose love saved his tortured soul, or the daughter he never knew existed...REVELATION: Rachael can't stand the thought of losing Merrick after everything she's sacrificed to be with him. She had thought that the passion that burned so brightly between them had forged an unbreakable connection, but now the love they've fought so desperately to protect may not be enough to save their relationship...Taken to paradise. Given to passion. Don't miss the rest of the spellbinding Give & Take series with Taken, No Takebacks, Taken By Storm and Take Me Back.For All Time: Nantucket Brides Book 2 (Nantucket Brides)
By Jude Deveraux. 2014
For All Time continues New York Times bestselling author Jude Deveraux's breathtaking Nantucket Brides trilogy, introducing characters from a new…
generation of Montgomery-Taggerts, the beloved family from her classic novels.At the wedding of Alix Madsen and Jared Montgomery, Jared's cousin Graydon can't look away from bridesmaid, Toby Wyndam. It's not just her quiet beauty or humour - Toby possesses the truly remarkable ability of being able to distinguish Graydon from his identical twin brother, Rory. According to family legend, such a gift marks her as Graydon's True Love.Graydon is heir to the Lanconian throne and must to marry a noble woman who has been chosen for him. Yet, intrigued by Toby, he asks her to help him hide on Nantucket for a week away from regal responsibilities. Knowing their union to be impossible, they promise to simply be friends.But there are forces at work beyond their control, which are ruled by time itself and a seductive spell is cast over Graydon and Toby. If they are to be together, they must change what once was, as well as what will be.Jude Deveraux. Love stories to enchant you.Read Alix and Jared's unforgettable love story in True Love, the first in the Nantucket Brides trilogy and look for the third gorgeous romance in Ever After.Keeping Mum
By Emma Hannigan. 2012
A holiday is coming at just the right time for three mothers and their daughters . . .Mia hopes a…
week away with her youngest, Felicity, will bridge the gap she feels has grown since her only daughter left for college in Dublin.Meanwhile Ava is desperate to convince her newly-engaged daughter Daisy that her forthcoming nuptials are a huge mistake. But why is she so against the marriage?Greta has long accepted that she and her daughter Tally are very different people. The holiday was her husband's plan to bring mother and daughter together. But will a week in the sun be enough for them to work through their differences?As the mothers struggle to come to terms with their daughters growing up, they learn that loving someone means letting go - and always being there to pick up the pieces . . .After the War is Over: A heart-warming story from the queen of saga writing
By Maureen Lee. 2012
A heart-warming tale set in Liverpool and London during the post-war years, from bestselling author Maureen Lee'Queen of saga writing'…
My WeeklyLiverpool, 1945. Three women, firm friends, return home from the war and try to fit back into their old lives after they've been demobbed. They've been thrown together by the war, and have shared all sorts of good and bad times. Now their old lives seem dull in comparison. But not for long...The younger women, Maggie and Nell, are both twenty-one and are full of hope and excitement; Iris, on the other hand, is feeling apprehensive about returning to civilian life. At the age of thirty,her only wish in life is to have a baby, but sadly this wish has yet to come true.When one of the women falls pregnant, there begins a dramatic sequence of events so far-reaching that the three friends' lives will become more intricately interwoven than they could ever have imagined. Over the next quarter of a century, this story of three remarkable - and very different - women unfolds into an uplifting tale of how three ordinary families become extraordinary.This Wedding Is Doomed!
By Stephanie Draven, Jeannie Lin, Shawntelle Madison, Amanda Berry. 2015
If you adore Tracy Bloom, Cathy Bramley, Holly Martin and Lindsey Kelk, then this delighfully fun and flirty book is…
for you. At this wonderfully wacky wedding, you'll be treated to stolen kisses, saucy secrets, and happy endings when you least expect them... A perfectionist wedding planner and a troublemaking uncle end up in a sticky situation, and more than sparks fly...Two lifelong best friends are accidentally trapped in a wine cellar, and resort to sampling the wine - and each other...After years of covering the groom's many misdeeds, the best man must choose between loyalty and the love of a wedding singer.And a runaway bride, a hunky caterer and a stolen wedding cake hit the road in a hijacked van, and head towards a happy-ever-after. Don't miss the wedding of the year, where everyone has the chance of falling in love.Looking For Eliza
By Leaf Arbuthnot. 2020
'Clever, warm and funny' - ADAM KAY'Beautifully rendered, thoughtful and original' - Pandora Sykes'A marvellous read' - Ruth HoganAda is…
a widowed writer, navigating loneliness in Oxford after the death of her husband. She has no children. No grandchildren. She fears she is becoming peripheral, another invisible woman. Eliza is a student at the university. She finds it difficult to form meaningful relationships after the estrangement of her mother and breakup with her girlfriend.After meeting through Ada's new venture, 'Rent-a-Gran', and bonding over Lapsang Souchong tea and Primo Levi, they begin to find what they're looking for in each other. But can they cast off their isolation for good? An exquisite story of connection and loss, and how a person can change another person's life. Full of heartache yet joyful and life-affirming, this is for fans of Normal People, Expectation and Sarah Winman's Tin Man.'Leaf's writing is warm and lyrically funny - she has an eye for details both sublime and ridiculous.Looking for Eliza is an intelligent and big-hearted read with the human condition at its core.' - Harriet Walker, The TimesThe Girl Most Likely To...
By Susan Donovan. 2008
Fans of Jill Shalvis, Rachel Gibson, Susan Andersen and Carly Phillips will adore this fun, flirty and irresistibly sexy read…
from New York Times bestseller Susan Donovan, author of The Kept Woman and He Loves Lucy. Kat Cavanaugh was sixteen when she hitchhiked out of West Virginia vowing never to return. Who could blame her? She'd stumbled on her father's affair, discovered she was pregnant, got dumped and kicked out of school - all in a single afternoon.Twenty years later, Kat's back - gorgeous, rich and after an apology from just about everyone. First on her list is Riley Bohland, the boy who broke her heart before she could tell him about the baby.But Kat didn't count on Riley's own anger, or that he'd be just as delicious as he was back then. And when a passion is ignited intense enough to burn through two decades of secrets and lies, it's time to question everything they thought they knew about their past...Don't miss Susan Donovan's sublime Bayberry Island series. In Sea of Love, The Sweetest Summer and Moondance Beach, escape to a special island where, legend has it, a bronze mermaid statue grants true love...Winging It: The hilarious and relatable lockdown read for all mums
By Anna Jefferson. 2019
'If you've ever felt like everyone else knows what they're doing when it comes to their baby while you struggle…
to change a nappy, then this hilarious and all-too relatable novel is for you!' Fabulous ----Emily is sure she's getting this baby stuff all wrong. Why does everyone else look like they're smashing motherhood when she's barely made it out of her maternity leggings and out of the house? Her other half tries to say all the right things (can't he just keep making her toast?). Her mum is brilliant (but on the other side of the country). Her two new mum-friends seem to feel like misfits too - but there's really just one person she wants to open up to . . . only Emily hasn't spoken to her for fifteen years. Lonely but not alone, Emily's about to discover that when you're starting a family, what you really need are your friends.Hilariously funny and excruciatingly relatable - perfect for fans of THE UNMUMSY MUM, Louise Pentland and Gill Sims.----Readers love the relatable, funny honesty of WINGING IT, giving it a 5-star recommendation:'A frank and funny look at motherhood' *****'I didn't want to put this down!' *****'From page one she had me hooked' *****'Loved, loved, loved this book' *****'It has been a long time since I laughed (and cried!) so much at a book' *****Corregidora (Virago Modern Classics #785)
By Gayl Jones. 1975
'No novel about any black woman could ever be the same after this' TONI MORRISON'Corregidora is the most brutally honest…
and painful revelation of what has occurred, and is occurring, in the souls of Black men and women' JAMES BALDWINUpon publication in 1975, Corregidora was hailed as a masterpiece, winning acclaim from writers including James Baldwin, Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison and John Updike. Exploring themes such as race, sexuality and the long repercussions of slavery, this powerful novel paved the way for Beloved and The Colour Purple. Now, this lost classic is published for a new generation of readers.Blues singer Ursa is consumed by her hatred of Corregidora, the nineteenth-century slave master who fathered both her mother and grandmother. Charged with 'making generations' to bear witness to the abuse embodied in the family name, Ursa Corregidora finds herself unable to keep alive this legacy when she is made sterile in a violent fight with her husband. Haunted by the ghosts of a Brazilian plantation, pained by a present of lovelessness and despair, Ursa slowly and firmly strikes her own terms with womanhood.AS HEARD ON THE BACKLISTED PODCAST'A literary giant, and one of my absolute favourite writers' TAYARI JONES, author of AN AMERICAN MARRIAGEAlso new to the VMC list: Eva's Man and The Healing by Gayl Jones.'An American writer with a powerful sense of vital inheritance, of history in the blood' JOHN UPDIKE'Gayl Jones's first novel, Corregidora (1975), was both shocking and ground-breaking in its probing of the psychological legacy of slavery and sexual ownership through the life of a Kentucky blues singer ... it predated Alice Walker's The Color Purple and Toni Morrison's Beloved, revealing an unfinished emancipation and the power of historical memory to shape lives. It also marked a shift in African-American literature that made women, and relationships between black people, central' MAYA JAGGI, Guardian'Corregidora's survey of trauma and overcoming has become even better and more relevant with the passage of time. It remains an indispensable point of entry into the tradition of African American writing that Gayl Jones reshaped and enriched' PAUL GILROYThe Mummy Lessons: The laugh-out-loud novel for all exhausted parents and parents-to-be
By Helen Wallen. 2019
THE RULES1) Try to sleep when the baby sleeps. (SO NEVER. EVER. UNTIL YOU ARE AN EMPTY WINE-SOAKED HUSK AND…
FALL DOWN DEAD IN THE BABY AISLE AT TESCO)2) Try to eat when the baby sleeps. (SEE POINT ABOVE)3) Try to get basic household chores done when the baby sleeps. (ABOVE!!)4) Batch cook food and freeze in individual portions for easy re-heating. (OR DELIVEROO . . . WITH WINE. AND CRYING)5) Try hiring a cleaner to take the pressure off. (OR JUST USE BABY WIPES)6) Take time to shower or bathe in the evenings when you can leave the baby with your partner. (OR JUST USE BABY WIPES)7) Make tea or coffee in the Thermos so it stays hot. (WHAT IS THIS 'HOT' OFWHICH YOU SPEAK?!)8) Don't be afraid to ask for help, or ask people to leave. (COMMUNICATION VIA WHATSAPP ONLY)9) Remember to look after and take time for yourself. (AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA)After a tough pregnancy, Emily is determined to tackle motherhood like a pro. But she quickly learns that Insta-Perfect-Parenting (and sleep) is hard to come by, no matter how much money you spend in Mothercare. Irritatingly, her friend Molly seems to be breezing it. But with a business venture as well as a baby, is she taking on too much?Liz looks as though she might have it all worked out. But when a tragedy derails her new relationship, she has some serious decisions to make. Celebrating female friendship, the highs and lows of motherhood, and the lifesaving power of a jumperoo, THE MUMMY LESSONS follows a year of highs and lows for Emily, Molly and Liz as they learn the hardest lesson of all: life doesn't always follow the rules . . .***********What readers are saying about Helen Wallen's BABY BOOM!'Funny, sweet, real and relatable. Couldn't put it down.''Hilarious, witty and so easy to get lost in! This book shows the real life before and after your baby has been born!''Loved it! Great read for mums and dads who want to keep it real!''If you've had kids, you'll laugh out loud!''Fantastic!!! I couldn't put this book down'Conditional Love
By Cathy Bramley. 2016
One dream house. Two possible futures. One big risk.Thirty-something Sophie Stone's life is safe and predictable, which is just the…
way she likes it. But when a mysterious benefactor leaves her an inheritance, Sophie has to accept that change is in the air. There is just one big catch: in order to inherit, Sophie must agree to see the father she has never met.Saying 'yes' means the chance to build her own dream home, but she'll also have to face the past and hear some uncomfortable truths...With interference from an evil boss, warring parents, an unreliable boyfriend and an architect who puts his foot in it every time he opens his mouth, will Sophie be able to build a future on her own terms - and maybe even find love along the way?***Readers are captivated by Cathy Bramley's heartwarming stories:'Funny and sweet and as satisfying as a homemade apple pie' Milly Johnson 'As comforting as hot tea and toast made on the Aga!' Veronica Henry 'A delicious tale of friendship, family and baking... I loved its warmth and charm' Cathy Woodman 'Delightfully warm with plenty twists and turns' Trisha AshleyAbsolutely Smashing It: When #fml means family
By Kathryn Wallace. 2018
***Unmissable, hilarious and kind, this is the first novel from Kathryn Wallace, who blogs as I Know, I Need to…
Stop Talking***"SAM! AVA! Get downstairs, NOW. Have you done your TEETH? HAIR? SHOES? Come on, come on, come on, we're going to be bastarding late again. No, I haven't seen Lego Optimus Prime, and nor do I give a shit about his whereabouts. Sam, will you stop winding your sister up and take this model of the Shard that I painstakingly sat up and created for you last night so that I wouldn't be in trouble with your teacher. I mean, so that you wouldn't be in trouble with your teacher. No, it doesn't smell of 'dirty wine'. Well, maybe it does a little bit. Look, Sam, I haven't got time to argue. Just hold your nose and get in the car, okay? AVA! TEETH! HAIR! SHOES!" Gemma is only just holding it together - she's a single parent, she's turning 40 and her seven-year-old daughter has drawn a cruelly accurate picture which locates Gemma's boobs somewhere around her knees. So when her new next-door neighbour, Becky, suggests that Gemma should start dating again, it takes a lot of self-control not to laugh in her face. But Becky is very persuasive and before long Gemma finds herself juggling a full-time job, the increasingly insane demands of the school mums' Facebook group and the tricky etiquette of a new dating world. Not only that, but Gemma has to manage her attraction to her daughter's teacher, Tom, who has swapped his life in the City for teaching thirty six to seven year olds spelling, grammar, basic fractions - and why it's not ok to call your classmate a stinky poo-bum...It's going to be a long year - and one in which Gemma and Becky will learn a really crucial lesson: that in the end, being a good parent is just about being good enough.Readers love this hilarious, fast paced slice of family life:***** Utterly hysterical - NetGalley Reader***** Brilliant... Funny, touching and modern... just amazing - NetGalley Reader***** I have been a mum at the school gates and the observations in this book are spot on. I shall be recommending it to all the school mums I know - NetGalley Reader**** A perfect read to snort with laughter over whilst lying in a bath with a glass of bubbles (if you can get the kids to stay out of the bathroom for long enough)! - NetGalley Reader**** Kathryn Wallace has Absolutely Smashed It with this novel. I loved it and couldn't put it down... had me properly laughing out loud several times - NetGalley Reader**** This will make you giggle about life as a parent where we are all spinning plates of different sizes and at different speeds. I would recommend wholeheartedly to fellow friends who are also spinning their own plates! - NetGalley Reader***** A hilariously, honest, open, recognisable and highly relatable story - NetGalley Reader***** A light hearted but honest look at mummies, yummy mummies and can't quite manage everything mummies - NetGalley ReaderThe Gifted School: 'Snapping with tension' Shari Lapena
By Bruce Holsinger. 2019
Ambitious parents, wilful kids, and the pursuit of prestige... A gripping page-turner, perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty's Big Little…
Lies.'More than a touch of Liane Moriarty's Big Little Lies' OBSERVERHow far would you go to protect your child's future?In the peaceful, privileged community of Crystal, Colorado, a group of close friends are raising their families in harmony.Until one day, news begins to spread that a 'gifted school' will be opening its doors in their town. There are only a few places, and the competition will be ferocious.As parents and children begin to compete, cracks start to show in their picturesque community as long-buried secrets threaten to detonate under the pressure...Praise for The Gifted School:'Snapping with tension' SHARI LAPENA'Wise and addictive' NEW YORK TIMES'Timely and relevant'OPRAHMAG'On the pulse of modern times'MAGIC BOOK CLUB'Relevant and relatable' i PAPER'Exposes how easily a mix of good intentions, self-delusions, and minor sins can escalate' THE NEW YORKER'Absolutely loved this book' 5* NetGalley ReviewerIs there anything you wouldn't do for your children? Obviously be a parent governor…
and chair the PTA. But how far are you really willing to go? You think your school run is tough? After her unoriginal husband leaves her for his secretary, Beverley finds her meticulously planned life crumbling around her. Now a single mum forced to send her children to the failing local primary school, her children's carefully crafted futures are disappearing. Desperate to turn things around Beverley sets out to make Harper Hill the best school it can be, but even the best laid plans can go awry. Thankfully Beverley isn't afraid to take matters into her own hands - but how far is she really willing to go to fight for her children's future? If you want something done right, do it yourself.The Getaway
By Maria Duffy. 2019
Will escaping for two weeks save her marriage? Or change her life?To the outside world, bestselling author Linda Costa has…
it all: a successful career, a wonderful marriage and two gorgeous children. But appearances can be deceiving ...The truth is Linda is not happy. She's feeling as though she's been taken for granted by her husband Rob, and her children. So, on the verge of a breakdown, she books herself a two-week holiday to Spain, determined to shake off the unsettling feeling she's been having about her marriage and her life. But as Linda relaxes by the pool, the idea of returning home to the chaos seems increasingly unappealing, especially when the handsome Kabir seems intent on showing her a good time ...Meanwhile, Linda's family soon discover that running a home isn't as easy as it looks. But will it be too late to show her just how much she means to them?Linda has some decisions to make. But will she choose the life she has? Or the one she thinks she wants?Unexpected: A sizzling, sexy friends-to-lovers romance (Start Up in the City #1)
By Kelly Rimmer. 2019
'Emotional, satisfying, sweet, and oh so good' Kylie ScottUnexpected is a unforgettable new friends-to-lovers romance from bestselling author Kelly Rimmer,…
in her Start Up in the City series, perfect for fans of Jill Shalvis and Nora Roberts.Co-parenting with her best friend. What could go wrong?Abby Herbert has her life carefully planned out. Best career ever? Check. Great friends and a stunning TriBeCa apartment? Check. Perfect man to share her dream family? Surely just a matter of time. But then she gets devastating news from her doctor - if she wants a baby, she needs to get started on that by...well, yesterday.Tech entrepreneur Marcus Ross has been harbouring decidedly more-than-friends feelings toward Abby. When he learns of her predicament, he promises to be there for her however she wants him to be, even if the idea of fatherhood is a little complicated for him right now. But it isn't long until boundaries start to blur, and a deal struck between friends starts to turn into something perilously close to feelings that could change everything...'Rimmer...showcases her talent with this sweet, lively contemporary set in New York City...the characters are wildly entertaining. This will delight fans of extremely modern romance' Publishers WeeklyThe Book of Wonders: The perfect feel-good novel for 2021
By Julien Sandrel. 2018
Open your heart to the most life-affirming and uplifting novel of the year...Thelma and Louis, it's always just been the…
two of them, Thelma and her beloved son, Louis.But when Louis is involved in an accident, their lives are turned upside down, as Louis falls into a coma. Feeling lost without him by her side, Thelma finds Louis' book of wonders - a bucket list of all the things he wants to accomplish in his life. She suddenly sees a way to feel close to him: she will fulfil Louis' dreams, living them out for him, in the hope that it will inspire him to survive.Thelma is about to set off on the adventure of a lifetime... and in a way, so is Louis...The Book of Wonders is a heart-warming and charming story about finding the joy in every moment of life and making each and every day count. Perfect for fans of The Keeper of Lost Things and A Man Called Ove.