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By Jo Middleton. 2019
A hilarious and totally relatable book about the adventures of a single mum, for fans of Catastrophe and Motherland. Readers…
of Why Mummy Drinks, Unmumsy Mum and The Single Mum's Wish List will love this debut novel from parenting blogger Slummy Single Mummy.'You'll end up warming to Frankie so much that you'll be wishing you could crack open a bottle of prosecco with her in real life!' MIKE GAYLE, bestselling author of The Man I Think I Know________________________________January 3rdJaffa Cakes - 7. Times I was forced to watch a small child do a dance involving a dusty piece of ribbon found under the sofa - 4. Inappropriate thoughts about Zac Efron - undisclosed. Single mum Frankie’s whole life revolves around her kids. But when your toddler has a more active social life, something has to change. Forget ‘me-time’, Frankie would settle for some adult conversation, and watching something other than the Disney channel. The local playgroup may be ruled by Instagram mums with perfect husbands but Frankie accidentally forms a splinter group of single parents. After all, Mummy really needs a playdate of her own. (Now pass the prosecco.)________________________________WHAT READERS ARE SAYING'As a mum of three I could totally relate to this novel on so many levels' - Titian'Hilarious - made me laugh out loud' - Dominique'Lots of funny anecdotes parents will recognise!' - Claire'With shades of Bridget Jones, Frankie stumbles through life as a single mum' - Ann'A very funny and realistic look at motherhood' - KatrinaBy Jilly Cooper Obe. 1986
Christmas is looming:- Will your mother-in-law present you with yet another hideous jersey this year? - How are you going…
to cope with Granny's peke or the undesirable in-laws? - Has the row about where to spend the holiday already started, and it's only August?Jilly Cooper has the answer to everything. Whether you should seek refuge in the cooking sherry or suggest a wholesome family walk, Jilly offers advice in the way that only Jilly can.By Hillary Yablon. 2024
'Hilarious, heartwarming and delightfully refreshing' CAROL KIRKWOOD'Will put a twinkle in your eye and a spring in your step. Fabulous…
fun!' VERONICA HENRY'Wickedly funny and utterly engaging. Sylvia is our queen!' ALEX BROWN'Joyful, feel-good fun with a feisty heroine you can't help but love!' FANNY BLAKEGrowing older doesn't just mean growing wiser.But it does mean a lot of fun...When 63-year-old Sylvia finds her husband in bed with another woman, she's shocked and furious . . . at first. But by the time her head stops spinning, Sylvia realises she hates the retirement community she's living in - it's for old people. And she certainly doesn't feel old!So, she enlists the help of her best friend, glamorous 70-year-old widow Evie, and the pair flee to Manhattan to start a new life in the city that never sleeps. Sylvia's husband may have lost her life savings, but they're scrappy and determined - and they weren't born yesterday...Before long, Sylvia is reviving her wedding planning business and even finds herself back in the dating game! And no matter what her meddling daughter thinks, it's her time now - and she's determined that in this glorious second act, the best is yet to come!Hilarious, heartwarming and utterly feel-good, Sylvia's Second Act is perfect for fans of Heartburn by Nora Ephron, Grace & Frankie, and Sex and the City. ***Praise for Sylvia's Second Act:'A feel-good read, we love Sylvia' HEAT'A first-rate novel of second chances that will have you laughing right from the start. Sylvia will show you that it's never too late to reinvent yourself, especially if you have a good friend by' STEVEN ROWLEY'Novelist Hillary Yablon gives readers hungry for a midlife romance a fizzy, delicious story we didn't know we needed. Take a bow, Sylvia, cause readers are gonna give this laugh-out-loud female buddy story made in Manhattan a standing ovation' MARY KAY ANDREWS'Sylvia's story hit all of my favorite notes - laugh out loud funny, action packed and ultimately redemptive. It's a love song to women of a certain age, and I'll be humming it for years to come' ANNABEL MONAGHAN'A gem! Every page of this book is a delight' KJ DELL'ANTONIA'I'm ready to audition real-life candidates for the Sylvia to my Evie (or the Evie to my Sylvia)... These two are living the dream and getting up to exactly the level of post-retirement fun I want to have one day. Pure delight!' MARY LAURA PHILPOTT'I'm ready to audition real-life candidates for the Sylvia to my Evie (or the Evie to my Sylvia)... These two are living the dream and getting up to exactly the level of post-retirement fun I want to have one day. Pure delight!' JESSE Q. SUTANTOBy Hillary Yablon. 2024
'Hilarious, heartwarming and delightfully refreshing' CAROL KIRKWOOD'Will put a twinkle in your eye and a spring in your step. Fabulous…
fun!' VERONICA HENRY'Wickedly funny and utterly engaging. Sylvia is our queen!' ALEX BROWN'Joyful, feel-good fun with a feisty heroine you can't help but love!' FANNY BLAKEGrowing older doesn't just mean growing wiser.But it does mean a lot of fun...When 63-year-old Sylvia finds her husband in bed with another woman, she's shocked and furious . . . at first. But by the time her head stops spinning, Sylvia realises she hates the retirement community she's living in - it's for old people. And she certainly doesn't feel old!So, she enlists the help of her best friend, glamorous 70-year-old widow Evie, and the pair flee to Manhattan to start a new life in the city that never sleeps. Sylvia's husband may have lost her life savings, but they're scrappy and determined - and they weren't born yesterday...Before long, Sylvia is reviving her wedding planning business and even finds herself back in the dating game! And no matter what her meddling daughter thinks, it's her time now - and she's determined that in this glorious second act, the best is yet to come!Hilarious, heartwarming and utterly feel-good, Sylvia's Second Act is perfect for fans of Heartburn by Nora Ephron, Grace & Frankie, and Sex and the City. ***Praise for Sylvia's Second Act:'A feel-good read, we love Sylvia' BELLA'A first-rate novel of second chances that will have you laughing right from the start. Sylvia will show you that it's never too late to reinvent yourself, especially if you have a good friend by' STEVEN ROWLEY'Novelist Hillary Yablon gives readers hungry for a midlife romance a fizzy, delicious story we didn't know we needed. Take a bow, Sylvia, cause readers are gonna give this laugh-out-loud female buddy story made in Manhattan a standing ovation' MARY KAY ANDREWS'Sylvia's story hit all of my favorite notes - laugh out loud funny, action packed and ultimately redemptive. It's a love song to women of a certain age, and I'll be humming it for years to come' ANNABEL MONAGHAN'A gem! Every page of this book is a delight' KJ DELL'ANTONIA'I'm ready to audition real-life candidates for the Sylvia to my Evie (or the Evie to my Sylvia)... These two are living the dream and getting up to exactly the level of post-retirement fun I want to have one day. Pure delight!' MARY LAURA PHILPOTT'I'm ready to audition real-life candidates for the Sylvia to my Evie (or the Evie to my Sylvia)... These two are living the dream and getting up to exactly the level of post-retirement fun I want to have one day. Pure delight!' JESSE Q. SUTANTOBy Clare Chambers. 2020
LONGLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2021'A WORD-OF-MOUTH HIT' Evening Standard 'A very fine book... It's witty and sharp…
and reads like something by Barbara Pym or Anita Brookner, without ever feeling like a pastiche'David Nicholls'Perfect'India Knight 'Beautiful' Jessie Burton'Wonderful'Richard Osman 'Miraculous'Tracy Chevalier 'A wonderful novel. I loved it'Nina Stibbe 'Effortless to read, but every sentence lingers in the mind' Lissa Evans 'This is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. I honestly don't want you to be without it'Lucy Mangan'Gorgeous... If you're looking for something escapist and bittersweet, I could not recommend more' Pandora Sykes'Remarkable... Small Pleasures is no small pleasure'The Times'An irresistible novel - wry, perceptive and quietly devastating'Mail on Sunday'Chambers' eye for undemonstrative details achieves a Larkin-esque lucidity' Guardian'An almost flawlessly written tale of genuine, grown-up romantic anguish' The Sunday Times 1957, the suburbs of South East London. Jean Swinney is a journalist on a local paper, trapped in a life of duty and disappointment from which there is no likelihood of escape. When a young woman, Gretchen Tilbury, contacts the paper to claim that her daughter is the result of a virgin birth, it is down to Jean to discover whether she is a miracle or a fraud. As the investigation turns her quiet life inside out, Jean is suddenly given an unexpected chance at friendship, love and - possibly - happiness. But there will, inevitably, be a price to pay.Book of the Year for: The Times, Daily Telegraph, Evening Standard, Daily Express, Metro, Spectator, Red Magazine and Good HousekeepingBy Elizabeth LaBan. 2016
Lila's husband, Sam, takes his job as a restaurant critic too seriously. To protect his professional credibility, he's determined to…
remain anonymous and that preoccupation takes over their lives. Meanwhile, Lisa craves adult conversation and relief from her homemaker role. With her husband obsessed with anonymity, Lila begins to wonder if her own identity has disappeared. Adult. UnratedBy Laurence Yep. 1995
Teddy hates the fact that his little brother Bobby is so well behaved. He always tries to get a rise…
out of Bobby by giving him unlikable birthday presents, but this year Teddy's mother insists he buy Bobby a turtle. Teddy compromises by buying Bobby a baby alligator. To Teddy's surprise, Bobby loves his new pet! For grades 3-6By Lois Lowry. 1996
Four-year-old Sam Krupnik comes home from school delighted with a set of fangs that makes him look disgusting. His mother…
won't let him wear them in the house, so Sam decides to run away to Alaska. But after Sam leaves home, he needs food and a drink of water--and maybe there isn't any reason to hurry to Alaska. For grades 3-6By Jerry Spinelli. 1995
Tooter Pepperday is hopping mad. Her family is moving to her aunt's farm where there are no Big Macs and…
no pizza delivery. Once there, Tooter is even more outraged when she's told to baby-sit an abandoned egg and to turn it each day until it hatches. For grades 2-4By John Fitzgerald, Diane DeGroat. 1995
In this final book about the Great Brain (the manuscript was found after the author's death), J.D. narrates eight more…
tales about how his big brother, Tom, now thirteen, continues to swindle people out of their money. Tom convinces J.D. to sell bars of soap, he almost outwits Polly Reagan in the spelling bee, and he helps rescue a gang of outlaws. For grades 4-7By Kimberly Holt. 1998
Louisiana, 1950s. Twelve-year-old Tiger Ann Parker begins to feel embarrassed in front of the other kids about the "slowness" of…
her parents. Her grandmother is the one who keeps the family intact. After Granny dies, Tiger has a chance to move to the city with her sophisticated aunt, but she is reluctant to abandon the parents who love her. For grades 6-9By Erik P. Kraft. 2002
Twin brothers Lenny and Mel celebrate holidays in some unusual ways. After eating Thanksgiving turkey for a week, the boys…
put the remains under Mel's pillow for the Leftover Fairy to exchange for money. Beginning chapter book. For grades 2-4. 2002By Gloria Whelan. 2006
Michigan, 1942. With their parents working for the war effort, Mirabelle and her siblings travel to live with their grandparents…
on Turtle Island. Fourteen-year-old Belle is resentful when her more sophisticated fifteen-year-old cousin Caroline joins them, but during the summer they become real family. For grades 6-9. 2006By Anna Pasternak. 2007
Daisy Dooley, a thirty-nine-year-old divorced Londoner living with her dachshund-breeder mum, rejoins the dating world. For support, Daisy relies on…
her friends--bachelorette Jess, seemingly happily married Lucy, and commitment-phobic Miles--as she navigates the singles scene searching for true love. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 2007By Gary D. Schmidt. 2007
Long Island, 1967. Seventh-grader Holling Hoodhood knows that Mrs. Baker "hates his guts" because she would have Wednesday afternoons free…
if he went to catechism or Hebrew school like his classmates. Mrs. Baker worries about her husband in Vietnam and introduces a reluctant Holling to Shakespeare. For grades 5-8. Newbery Honor. 2007By Dan Greenburg. 1996
Ten-year-old Zack goes to the animal shelter to find a pet. He returns with a scruffy tomcat, who not only…
talks but claims to be the reincarnation of Zack's great-grandpa Julius. For grades 2-4. 1996By Kirby Larson. 2014
When her family is forced into a Japanese internment camp, Mitsi Kashino is separated from her home, her classmates, and…
her beloved dog, Dash. Heartbroken, Mitsi clings to her one connection to Dash: the letters from the kindly neighbor who is caring for him. For grades 3-6. 2014By Kirby Larson. 2016
New Orleans, 1940s. Polio-survivor Fish Elliot and his neighbor Olympia team up in order to save a starving stray dog…
they call Liberty, and they find other unlikely allies willing to help. For grades 3-6. 2016By Deborah Rodriguez. 2023
THE LONG-AWAITED SEQUEL TO THE LITTLE COFFEE SHOP OF KABUL, THE BESTSELLER THAT CAPTURED THE HEARTS OF MILLIONS WORLDWIDE Kabul,…
August 2021 Sunny Tedder is back in her beloved coffee shop. After eight years away, she's thrilled to reunite with her Kabul 'family': Yazmina now runs a pair of women's shelters from the old cafe, and dreams of a bright future for her two young daughters. Her sister Layla has become an outspoken women's rights activist and, thanks to social media, is quite the celebrity. Kat, Sunny's friend from America, is wrapping up her year-long stay in the land of her birth, but is facing some unfinished business. And finally there's elderly den mother Halajan, whose secret new hobby is itself an act of rebellion. Then the US troops begin to withdraw - and the women watch in horror as the Taliban advance on the capital at ferocious speed...Set against the terrifying fall of Kabul in 2021, Deborah Rodriguez concludes her bestselling Little Coffee Shop trilogy with a heart-stopping story of resilience, courage and, most importantly, hope.Praise for Deborah Rodriguez'Eye-opening and uplifting' - Grazia 'Restores belief in humanity' - Daily Telegraph 'Heart-warming' - Cosmopolitan'Beguiling' - Woman 'Captivating and addictive' - Take a Break'Full of heart and intelligence' - Look Magazine'Honest, funny, clever, it sparkles with witty, wry observations on modern life. I loved it' Marian Keyes--------------------An uplifting story about…
one mother trying to hold it all together - told with Cathy Kelly's trademark sparkling warmth, humour and honesty.--------------------Freya Abalone has a big, messy, wonderful family. She has an exciting career as a celebrity chef. She has a new home that makes her feel safe.But behind the happy front, Freya feels pulled in a hundred directions. Life has thrown Freya some lemons - and she's learned how to juggle! But she's keeping a secret from her family, and soon something is going to crashing down...All families have their struggles and strengths. So can Freya pull everyone - and herself - together when they need it most?--------------------You'll love Cathy Kelly's feel-good, relatable stories of family life! 'Honest, funny, clever, it sparkles with witty, wry observations' Marian Keyes'This book is full of joy' Milly Johnson'A lovely story of life and change' Prima'The perfect comfort read for a cold autumn afternoon' Jo Finney, Good Housekeeping'Cathy Kelly shines an insightful light on female insecurity and, through Freya's journey, shows the healing power of self-belief and family support' Woman & HomeEscape with a comforting, relatable and funny story about real family life - perfect for fans of Marian Keyes, Milly Johnson, Shari Low and Ruth Jones.