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Comedy can soothe our pain, vent our anger, make us feel less alone, and provide the answer to life's most difficult questions, such as What do you call a man with a seagull on his head?* It's a social glue, but it can also be divisive, and the joke is on us if we don't understand how it works. So what are the rules? How does comedy do its magic, and why does it matter? Join professional comedy writer Joel Morris on a hilarious journey into the hidden world of shared laughter, where he reveals the mechanisms that make jokes work and what comedy can teach us about ourselves. Offering astute analysis of everything from stand-up to slapstick and sitcom to spoof, Morris examines comedic patterns, rhythms, and dynamics to uncover the algorithms that secretly underpin comedy. Packed with gags and examples of comedy at its best—plus some invaluable tips on how to master that b'dum tish timing—Be Funny or Die is a fascinating investigation into how our species has developed and mastered this essential art form where laughter is the universal language and only the funniest survive. *Cliff.
'This book is my happy place!' Ali Hazelwood, author of The Love Hypothesis When Libby Nicholls arrives in London, broken-hearted and with her life in tatters, the first person she meets on the bus is elderly pensioner Frank. He tells her about the time in 1962 he met a girl on the number 88 bus with beautiful red hair just like her own. They made plans for a date, but Frank lost the ticket with her number written on it. For the past sixty years, he's ridden the same bus trying to find her. Libby is inspired by the story and, with the help of an unlikely companion, she makes it her mission to continue Frank's search. As she begins to open her guarded heart to strangers and new connections, Libby's tightly controlled world expands. But with Frank's dementia progressing quickly, their chance of finding the girl on the 88 bus is slipping away . . . More than anything, Libby wants Frank to see his lost love one more time. But their quest also shows Libby just how important it is to embrace her own chance for happiness - before it's too late.
""Very good writers have an ability to make you understand what they're feeling. But the very best writers have an ability to make you understand what you're feeling. And that's where Michael Arceneaux sits, and that's what he does in this new book. It's like he's crawling around inside your head opening file cabinets and telling you what the gibberish you've scribbled on each page in each file means. What a great, fun read.""— Shea Serrano, #1 New York Times bestselling author New York Times bestselling author Michael Arceneaux returns with a hilarious collection of essays about making your voice heard in an increasingly noisy and chaotic world. In his books I Can't Date Jesus and I Don't Want to Die Poor, Michael Arceneaux established himself as one of the most beloved and entertaining writers of his generation, touching upon such hot-button topics as race, class, sexuality, labor, debt, and, of course, paying homage to the power and wisdom of Beyoncé. In this collection, Arceneaux takes stock of how far he has traveled—and how much ground he still has to cover in this patriarchal, heteronormative society. He explores the opportunities afforded to Black creatives but also the doors that remain shut or ever-so-slightly ajar; the confounding challenges of dating in a time when social media has made everything both more accessible and more unreliable; and the allure of returning home while still pushing yourself to seek opportunity elsewhere. I Finally Bought Some Jordans is both a corrective to, and a balm for, these troubling times, revealing a sharply funny and keen-eyed storyteller working at the height of his craft.
A struggling event planner and a sinfully hot astronaut must decide if their fake relationship is worth a shot at happily-ever-after, in this starry debut. Risk-averse event planner Amerie Price is jobless, newly single, and about to lose her apartment. With no choice but to gamble on her shaky start-up, the last thing she needed was to run into her smug ex and his new, less complicated girlfriend at Amerie's favorite coffee shop. Panicked, she pretends to be dating the annoyingly sexy man she met by spilling Americano all over his abs. He plays along—for a price. Half the single men in Houston claim to be astronauts, but Vincent Rogers turns out to be the real deal. What started as a one-off lie morphs into a plan: for the three months leading up to his mission, Amerie will play Vincent's doting partner in front of his loving but overly invested family. In exchange, she gets a rent-free room in his house and can put every penny toward her struggling business. What Amerie doesn't plan for is Vincent's gravitational pull. While her mind tells her a future with this astronaut is too unpredictable, her heart says he's exactly what she needs. As their time together counts down, Amerie must decide if she'll settle for the safe life—or shoot for the stars.
Lieutenant Eli Williams was supposed to be dead. In the two years since his shipwreck, his friends and family mourned him, his brother spent his savings, and his fiancée married someone else. So when he turns up in the middle of the London social season, he quickly becomes the talk of the town. All Eli wants is to set his life back in order and reconnect with Jane Bishop, a friend who has always meant so much more to him, before returning to sea. Jane refuses to waste any more of her life pining over Eli, who chose her cousin instead of her. She needs to focus on gaining her financial independence by establishing a ladies' gambling club. Never mind that Eli keeps trying to atone for his past mistake by bringing in new members. He's obviously keeping secrets about his disappearance, which means that she can't trust him with her heart even if she did kiss him in a moment of weakness. Or three. As Eli works to regain her trust, Jane's defensive walls begin to crumble. But when Eli faces a court of inquiry on suspicion of desertion, Jane must decide if she can let go of the past to build a future with Eli or if she's willing to risk losing him for good.
College exes break all the rules when they reunite years later in this enemies to lovers, second-chance romance, the highly anticipated companion novel to the TikTok sensation The Cheat Sheet —from the New York Times bestselling author of Practice Makes Perfect . “A really fun, chemistry-filled sports romance you don’t want to miss!”—Hannah Grace, author of Icebreaker Nora Mackenzie’s entire career lies in the hands of famous NFL tight end Derek Pender, who also happens to be her extremely hot college ex-boyfriend. Nora didn’t end things as gracefully as she could have back then, and now it has come back to haunt her. Derek is her first client as an official full-time sports agent and he’s holding a grudge. Derek has set his sights on a little friendly revenge. If Nora Mackenzie, the first girl to ever break his heart, wants to be his agent, oh, he’ll let her be his agent. The plan is simple: make Nora’s life absolutely miserable. But if Derek knows anything about the woman he once loved—she won’t quit easily. Instead of giving in, Nora starts a scheme of her own. But then a wild night in Vegas leads to Nora and Derek in bed the next morning married. With their rule book out the window, could this new relationship save their careers or spark the romance of a lifetime?.
Fibs and squabbles and spells . . . oh my! A small, magical town tucked away in rural Ohio, Moonville is the perfect place for floral witch Romina Tempest to use the language of flowers to help the hopeful manifest love in their lives. After giving up on her own big romance eleven years ago, at least she can bask in others' happily ever afters. When the shop’s potential financier shares news of his wedding, Romina jumps at the opportunity to discuss the business . . . even if it means she has to fake-date her chaotic colleague Trevor to get an invitation. But all hell breaks loose when she discovers Trevor’s soon-to-be stepbrother is none other than Alex King: her high school sweetheart. Her greatest love. The boy who broke her heart. What starts as an innocent misunderstanding becomes a weeklong fake-dating scheme, as Romina quickly finds out she can’t deny her connection with Alex. Caught between her livelihood and her heart, Romina must decide if taking a second chance on first love is worth the risk.
Harriet the Spy meets Front Desk in this funny, surprising audiobook by Booki Vivat, author-illustrator of the New York Times bestselling Frazzled series. Aspiring artist Kacie spends most of her time on Mercer Street with her best friend, Nisha, people-watching and doodling whatever is happening in their neighborhood. But when she comes back from a summer away, the local corner store is boarded up, the adults in town are all on edge, and Nisha is nowhere to be found! Everything is changing, and Kacie's not sure what to do about it. Especially without Nisha to help her. But Kacie has a knack for noticing things, and with her sketchbooks and observational skills, she just might have what it takes to figure out what's really happening on Mercer Street.
He crossed an ocean, and it still wasn't enough to escape his lifelong nemesis. Now he has to work with her. Successful screenwriter Finn Masters just landed his dream job writing for Neighbors, one of Hollywood's highest-rated, longest-running sitcoms. The only downside? It will put him back in proximity of the show's universally adored, optimistic, altruistic star, Lavender Rhodes, who has been inadvertently ruining his life since they were school chums in England. But she doesn't even know she destroyed his acting career and wrecked his relationship with the love of his life. He's not about to let this woman yank yet another dream out from under his feet. In fact, he realizes he's been given the ideal opportunity to plot his payback: spinning her character in shocking new directions. What could go wrong? Only everything. As Finn's not-so-brilliant plot backfires one scene after the next, catching him in the blasts, he's forced to think about this impossible, infuriating... and maybe even lovable woman in an entirely new light. Bestselling author Melissa Ferguson is back with a laugh-out-loud romantic comedy for the stars.
A sharp and scintillating summer novel that will make readers laugh out loud and cry happy tears from the New York Times bestselling author of Yours Truly. Justin has a curse, and thanks to a Reddit thread, it's now all over the internet. Every woman he dates goes on to find their soul mate the second they break up. When a woman slides into his DMs with the same problem, they come up with a plan: They'll date each other and break up. Their curses will cancel each other's out, and they'll both go on to find the love of their lives. It's a bonkers idea... and it just might work. Emma hadn't planned that her next assignment as a traveling nurse would be in Minnesota, but she and her best friend agree that dating Justin is too good of an opportunity to pass up, especially when they get to rent an adorable cottage on a private island on Lake Minnetonka. It's supposed to be a quick fling, just for the summer. But when Emma's toxic mother shows up and Justin has to assume guardianship of his three siblings, they're suddenly navigating a lot more than they expected—including catching real feelings for each other. What if this time Fate has actually brought the perfect pair together?.
Eight-year-old Jasmine and her family travel to Hiroshima to visit her grandma and cousin Akari. After finally building a good relationship with her older sister, Sophie, Jasmine couldn't be more excited to spend time together in Japan — and make a new friend in Akari. But Akari seems to only want to play with Sophie, and Jasmine's jealousy threatens to upend their visit. Can Jasmine befriend Akari and keep the peace? With humor and warmth, Debbi Michiko Florence tells a relatable story of new experiences, family drama, and kindness at every corner. Paired with Elizabet Vukovic's playful illustrations, readers can't help but root for Jasmine as you explore Japan alongside her.
What should have been a family celebration of Chinese New Year descends into chaos when longtime foes crash the party in this hilariously entertaining novel by Jesse Q. Sutanto, bestselling author of Dial A for Aunties. After an ultra-romantic honeymoon across Europe, Meddy Chan and her husband Nathan have landed in Jakarta to spend Chinese New Year with her entire extended family. Chinese New Year, already the biggest celebration of the Lunar calendar, gets even more festive when a former beau of Second Aunt’s shows up at the Chan residence bearing extravagant gifts—he’s determined to rekindle his romance with Second Aunt and the gifts are his way of announcing his courtship. His grand gesture goes awry however, when it’s discovered that not all the gifts were meant for Second Aunt and the Chans—one particular gift was intended for a business rival to cement their alliance and included by accident. Of course the Aunties agree that it’s only right to return the gift—after all, anyone would forgive an honest mistake, right? But what should have been a simple retrieval turns disastrous and suddenly Meddy and the Aunties are helpless pawns in a decades-long war between Jakarta’s most powerful business factions. The fighting turns personal, however, when Nathan and the Aunties are endangered and it’s up to Meddy to come up with a plan to save them all. Determined to rescue her loved ones, Meddy embarks on an impossible mission—but with the Aunties by her side, nothing is truly impossible….
சோனாசலம் தன் இரண்டாவது பெண் ஹேமாவிற்கு அவள் காதலிக்கும் ஜனாவையே கல்யாணம் செய்து வைக்கிறார். அவரது குடும்ப விஷயத்தில் அடிக்கடி மூக்கை நுழைக்கும் துப்பறியும் புலியான பெரிய மாப்பிள்ளை டாக் நரசிம்மன் ஜனாவைப்பற்றி அவதூறாகக் கூறி அவனையும் ஹேமாவையும் பிரிக்க நினைக்கிறார். முதலிரவை தடுத்து நிறுத்துகிறார். தன் மேல் அபாண்டமாக பழி சுமத்தி பெரிய மாப்பிள்ளையை படாதபாடு படுத்த ஹைதராபாத் செல்கிறான் ஜனா. அவர் வீட்டிலேயே செந்தமிழ் பேசத் தெரிந்த சமையல்காரனாக வேலைக்கு சேருகிறான். நிஷா என்ற பெண்ணை கடத்தியதில் பெரிய மாப்பிள்ளை மாட்டிக் கொண்டு விட, ஜனா அவரை பிளாக்மெயில் செய்கிறான். P.M. (பெரிய மாப்பிள்ளை) யை தன் வாயாலேயே C.M. (சின்ன மாப்பிள்ளை) நல்லவர் என்று கூற வைக்கிறான்.
'I absolutely loved this book. It hooked me and kept me turning the pages until I was done' Reader review, 5* ASSUMPTION 1: Every woman dreams of an epically grand, romantic proposal. Amy Perry doesn't believe in fairy-tale romances. Smart, savvy and a little bit cynical, she's much happier keeping things casual. She thought her good-looking, wealthy boyfriend felt the same way. But here she is, 1,000 feet up in the air, watching him get down on one knee... ASSUMPTION 2: Sexy lords only exist in Bridgerton . As if things couldn't get worse, after a messy break-up Amy is forced to relocate to her hometown to take up a new job opportunity - and runs into the last person she ever wanted to see again. Sam Ainsworth . Son of the local lord. The bane of her existence. Her first love. ASSUMPTION 3: Always trust your head, not your heart. Everything Amy believed about Sam turned out to be right when he broke her heart all those years ago. She's not looking to revisit the past. But everywhere she turns, Sam's there - with his irresistible molten brown eyes, wry smile and easy charm. Soon, Amy finds herself wondering: what if, after all this time, she's been wrong all along...? A simmering, small town enemies-to-lovers romance with big feels and lots of laughs from the bestselling author of Rachel Ryan's Resolutions . Perfect for fans of Beth O'Leary, Sophie Ranald and Portia MacIntosh. Readers are falling head over heels for Amy Perry's Assumptions : ' An entertaining, endearing book that will leave you wishing for a weekend in Rowton and a real-life RomFest' Reader review, 5* 'Full of sparkly banter and sexual tension' Reader review, 5* 'Excellent... Wow it was absolutely brilliant' Reader review, 5*.
Two friends reunite —and discover hidden feelings—while investigating a murder in this sensual, witty historical romance perfect for fans of Evie Dunmore and Netflix's Bridgerton ! Jane Halliwell once dreamed of a home of her own—but those dreams (and her dowry) died with her father. Now, she works as a governess, preparing her charge for a future no longer within her reach. When her employer is murdered during a house party, however, Jane is forced back into the world of the ton . But stepping in as hostess will require working with the same lord who once broke her girlish heart. Lord Adrian Fielding was too consumed with his job at the Foreign Office to pay young Jane much heed, but he always considered her a friend. Which is why he's confounded by her icy demeanor now. More troubling still is his desire to melt the tensions between them. But his mentor's murder means he must first find the culprit—and ensure Jane's safety as she manages a house full of foreign dignitaries. Only Jane insists on joining the investigation, and Adrian, despite all his diplomatic skills, finds himself seduced by her sharp wit and sparkling eyes. But with a vicious killer circling ever closer, will it soon be too late for their chance at forever?.
Don't miss this hilarious debut for fans of Beth O'Leary and Mhairi McFarlane. RACHEL THOUGHT THIS WAS HER YEAR. LIFE HAD OTHER PLANS. 1. Re-download Couch to 5K, and actually do the programme 2. Apply for promotion. Avoid projects about dog biscuits, 'miracle' grass seed, etc. 3. DO NOT agree to further dates with Laurence 4. Try to remember Mum means well (!!!) 5. Start using proper night cream with retinol As her mother likes to remind her, Rachel Ryan is thirty with no partner, hardly any savings and no mortgage. But when she makes her resolutions she's sure this is her year. By February things are not going to plan. Her career is in chaos as the new guy at work is none other than Jack Harper, who broke her heart at university - and despite herself the chemistry is still there. Plus her best friend has news that will change everything. As life starts to fall apart around her, will Rachel be able to move on from the past and make some very different resolutions? Maybe then she'll see what's right in front of her. 'A sparkling debut' - Zoë Folbigg, bestselling author of The Note What Readers are saying about Rachel Ryan's Resolutions : 'Funny, sweet and heartwarming. It was the perfect romcom ' - Mrsandmother 'This has been my favourite romantic comedy of the year !' - Karla_Bookishlife ' A breath of fresh air in the rom-com genre' - Nic_TheBookworm 'I absolutely loved this novel . Rachel Ryan was a fun, fiery protagonist and her cast of friends were multi-faceted and well-developed' - AfterEliza.
"Tubati Alexander is a writer to watch!" —Emily Giffin One of Good Morning America's 15 books to read heading into spring and a SheReads and Zibby Mag Most Anticipated Book of the Year The author of Love Buzz follows her acclaimed first novel with a delightful Caribbean-set romp about an ambitious designer of apocalyptic video games with a strategy for (almost) everything who discovers what happens when her best-laid plans go off course . . . Sloane Cooper is up for her dream job as a designer for a top video game company. During the interview, though, she somehow promises the all-male panel that she'll remain single and fully dedicated to the work. It's actually fine—after her last boyfriend cheated on her, she vowed to focus on her career anyway. Enter Charlie, aka Hot Neighbor Guy, a near-stranger who shocks her with the offer of an all-inclusive trip to a Turks and Caicos resort. The catch? Charlie originally planned the trip with his ex, and asks Sloane to pose as his new girlfriend to make his old flame come running back. Against her better judgment, Sloane says yes; she can use the time away to develop a game design that will dazzle the Catapult team and get her a job offer. Despite sparks flying in paradise, the trip can't lead to more. As their connection deepens, Sloane is reminded that she can't fall for Charlie and get knocked off her professional path. Besides, he's trying to win back his true love. Can Sloane figure out a way to move past heartbreak, land the job of her dreams, and avoid catching feelings? The zombie apocalypse would be easier to solve—at least she's prepared for that.
“ Bridgerton lovers have found their next read. J. J. McAvoy is a welcome new voice in historical romance.”— New York Times bestselling author Sarah MacLean, on Aphrodite and the Duke Hathor Du Bell is on her own path to find love in the third installment of J. J. McAvoy's Regency romance series, following Aphrodite and the Duke and Verity and the Forbidden Suitor. Hathor Du Bell has always fought to break free from the shadow left by her revered older sister, Aphrodite. It has been two years since Hathor’s debut, and while Aphrodite has married a duke and become a duchess, Hathor has been left with the ton’s most mediocre suitors. With the London season coming to a close, Hathor’s anxieties reach a peak. Will she be the only Du Bell unable to find her perfect match? Then Hathor’s wildest dream comes true when the queen announces she’ll be presenting her nephew, Prince Wilhelm Augustus Karl Von Edward of Malrovia, during the weeklong society event at the Du Bells’ Belclere Castle. But the dream quickly crumbles when Hathor comes face-to-face with the prince, and he is nothing like she imagined. As a flirtatious rivalry sparks a genuine romance, Hathor fights to make a name of her own despite society’s expectations of her. Amidst the grand balls and growing feelings, the final events of the season promise to be the most romantic and shocking of them all.
A hilariously offbeat and tender comedy about one bipolar woman’s messy search for love at a seaside wedding where no one can stay afloat. Is she falling in love, or falling apart? Dee, Misa, and Matt were the "three musketeers" of the psych ward. A year after discharge, Dee is eager to convince everyone that she’s finally turning things around. But Matt and Misa are tying the knot in Turks and Caicos, surrounded by guests who have no idea where they met, and the secrecy isn’t sitting well with Dee, who has been hopelessly in love with Matt since before she got kicked out of the hospital. So, when Dee arrives at the swanky resort with her high-voltage sister, Tilley, it’s now or never to confess how she feels. But disrupting her best friends’ nuptials would jeopardize the entire support system that holds the trio together. When it comes to happily ever afters, how is a girl supposed to choose between love and recovery?.
One night. No strings. And a really good puck. Five years ago, Astrid O'Malley experienced the ultimate in public humiliation. Being dumped at the altar by her childhood sweetheart was horrifying enough. That fact that he was a professional hockey goalie and her dad was his coach? It was all anyone in sports could talk about. Eff hockey. Eff goalies. These days, Astrid lives a life (mostly) free of hockey and free to pursue whoever she wants with exactly zero shame in her game. Like tonight's hook-up. This guy's nailed the lumberjack aesthetic perfectly. Especially when he has the stamina and creativity to back it up. Because the rule is: it's one night only. Which is gonna be a problem because she's just discovered he lives in the apartment upstairs. And he's joined her dad's team. As the goalie coach. To train her ex. Now Astrid is in some kind of hockey hell—filled with her ex, her family, and the best sex of her life. And somehow she's been roped back onto the team. Puck my life.