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These childhood best friends swore they’d never speak again. But a surprise summer reunion changes everything when it gives them the chance to turn up the heat. Effie Olsen thought she’d never live on the tiny Maine island where she grew up, but she’s returning from sixteen years as a professional chef in far-flung countries for one summer and one summer only. Her hometown boasts one of the best restaurants in the US, and lucky for her, Brown Butter needs a sous chef. Effie's eager for a chance at redemption after her last job went up in flames, but reluctant to set down roots in a place that reminds her of the ghosts of her past. Until, that is, she runs into Ernie Callahan, her onetime best friend who now works in the very same restaurant. Early morning swims and late-night games of truth or dare with Ernie remind her of what she’s been missing while traveling the world. He knows her better than anyone, and it doesn’t hurt that his smile lights her up brighter than the lighthouses dotting the craggy coastline. But their restaurant has a secret that’s bursting at the seams, and if Effie doesn’t keep it, her job will vanish into the foggy Maine air. As summer draws to a close, her dream job and the perfect guy are both within reach. Her salty seaside hometown might be the key to Effie’s sweet ending...if she can learn to let her heart lead the way in time.
A New York Public Library Best Book of 2023 A Most Anticipated Summer Read by Today ∙ Barnes & Noble ∙ BookRiot ∙ GoodReads ∙ Culturess ∙ and more! A starry-eyed romantic, a cynical writer, and (the ashes of) an elderly woman take the road trip of a lifetime that just might upend everything they believe about true love. Millicent Watts-Cohen is on a mission. When she promised her elderly best friend that she’d reunite her with the woman she fell in love with nearly eighty years ago, she never imagined that would mean traveling from D.C. to Key West with three tablespoons of Mrs. Nash’s remains in her backpack. But Millie’s determined to give her friend a symbolic happily-ever-after, before it’s (really) too late—and hopefully reassure herself of love’s lasting power in the process. She just didn’t expect to have a living travel companion. After a computer glitch grounds flights, Millie is forced to catch a ride with Hollis Hollenbeck, an also-stranded acquaintance from her ex’s MFA program. Hollis certainly does not believe in happily-ever-afters—symbolic or otherwise—and makes it quite clear that he can’t fathom Millie’s plan ending well for anyone. But as they contend with peculiar bed-and-breakfasts, unusual small-town festivals, and deer with a death wish, Millie begins to suspect that her reluctant travel partner might enjoy her company more than he lets on. Because for someone who supposedly doesn’t share her views on romance, Hollis sure is becoming invested in the success of their journey. And the closer they get to their destination, the more Millie has to admit that maybe this trip isn’t just about Mrs. Nash’s love story after all—maybe it’s also about her own.
A playful romantic comedy featuring dueling delis, fake dating, a shockingly awesome ex, and just the right amount of amnesia “[A] delightfully tropey rom-com . . . This is a sweet confection.”— Publishers Weekly Ellie Greco wishes she weren’t stuck in Milborough. For a few brief, shining years, she escaped her hometown to pursue her dream career—designing beautiful, elaborate costumes for theater—until her father's death five years ago called her home to run the family's decades-old deli. Yes, she loves the place, but she’d always thought she was meant for more exciting things than stocking the right tinned fish. But when Ellie hears that a local landlord is planning to rent to Mangia, the glitzy gourmet food department store, the very existence of Greco’s Deli is suddenly in jeopardy. She tries to plead her case to Theo Taylor, scion of the property management firm that is about to put her out of business, but their meeting goes from bad (it’s not her fault he’s infuriating) to worse (no one expects the ceiling to literally fall in). With Theo out cold, Ellie panics and claims to be his fiancée . . . and almost passes out herself when amnesia means Theo seems to actually believe her. Soon, the effects of the head injury wear off, but Theo proposes that their “engagement” stick around. If they manage to convince enough people, they might both get what they want: an end to the Mangia deal. Ellie doesn’t trust him (after all, if Theo Taylor wants it, how can it be good for her?) but seeing no other option, she reluctantly agrees. And miraculously, the fake engagement seems to be working—even Ted, Theo’s shrewd, cold father seems convinced—that is, until Sam, Theo’s ex-fiancée, reappears on the scene. Not only does she see through their ruse, but she proposes an arrangement of her own, forcing Ellie to decide between a blossoming friendship, her family legacy, and the burgeoning romance she frankly never asked for.
"The perfect alchemy of romance, humor and quirky originality."— Sophie Cousens , New York Times bestselling author of This Time Next Year and The Good Part "A sincere and sincerely funny romance."—Alix E. Harrow, New York Times bestselling author of Starling House A clever con woman must convince a skeptical, sexy farmer of his property's resident real-life ghost if she's to save them all from a fate worse than death, in this delightful new novel from the author of Mrs. Nash's Ashes . Fake spirit medium Gretchen Acorn is happy to help when her best (read: wealthiest) client hires her to investigate the unexplained phenomena preventing the sale of her bridge partner’s struggling goat farm. Gretchen may be a fraud, but she'd like to think she’s a beneficent one. So if "cleansing" the property will help a nice old man finally retire and put some much-needed cash in her pockets at the same time, who's she to say no? Of course, it turns out said bridge partner isn't the kindly AARP member Gretchen imagined—Charlie Waybill is young, hot as hell, and extremely unconvinced that Gretchen can communicate with the dead. (Which, fair.) Except, to her surprise, Gretchen finds herself face-to-face with Everett: the very real, very chatty ghost that’s been wreaking havoc during every open house. And he wants her to help ensure Charlie avoids the same family curse that's had Everett haunting Gilded Creek since the 1920s. Now, Gretchen has one month to convince Charlie he can’t sell the property. Unfortunately, hard work and honesty seem to be the way to win over the stubborn farmer—not exactly Gretchen's strengths. But trust isn’t the only thing growing between them, and the risk of losing Charlie to the spirit realm looms over Gretchen almost as annoyingly as Everett himself. To save the goat farm, its friendly phantom, and the man she's beginning to love, Gretchen will need to pull off the greatest con of her life: being fully, genuinely herself. “Sarah Adler nails the ultimate rom-com alchemy.”—Carley Fortune, New York Times bestselling author of Every Summer After and Meet Me at the Lake.
With more than 34 million books sold, the My Weird School series really gets kids reading! Ella Mentry School has been taken over by a prank-palooza in this holiday-themed My Weird School Special from New York Times bestselling author Dan Gutman. A.J. and the gang are tired of Miss Banks and her constant pranks. They decide to get her back and, afterward, the principal, Mrs. Stoker, suggests a weeklong prank competition between the students and the teachers. If the kids manage to pull off a win, they'll get a candy party! And so begins the most epic prank war that Ella Mentry School has ever seen! But can the kids outprank their teachers before the week is up? With Dan Gutman's signature kid-friendly sense of humor, this is one weird April Fools' Day special you won't want to miss—featuring bonus trivia, games, puzzles, and more!.
Clever, popular, and deliciously shocking, the ladies' periodical Mrs. Goode's Magazine for Misses only employs women who are equal to the challenge—and sometimes the challenge includes romance ... As the daughter of a clergyman, Julia Addison knows she'll never be able to fulfill her lifelong dream of acting on the stage. But writing forthright reviews of the Season's most popular plays for Mrs. Goode's Magazine for Misses, popularly known as Goode's Guide to Misconduct, is surely the next best thing. Even better, she's got a ticket to Ransom Blackadder's latest irritating satire about English society. Best of all, she's sharing a theater box with the gruff but handsome Lord Dunstane, which is enough to make Julia call for an encore ... Graham McKay, the Earl of Dunstane, rarely leaves his home in the Scottish Highlands. Why would he? Nothing about London has ever held his interest—until he meets Julia. But when Graham realizes she is the critic who panned his last play—and she discovers he is, in fact, the man behind Blackadder's wicked pen will it bring down the curtain on their romance, not to mention the magazine that published the humiliating review? Or can an unexpected collaboration set the stage for a scandalous love affair?.
Brought to you by Puffin. In No Brainer , book 18 of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series from #1 international bestselling author Jeff Kinney, it's up to Greg to save his crumbling school before it's shuttered for good. Up until now, middle school hasn't exactly been a joyride for Greg Heffley. So when the town threatens to close the crumbling building, he's not too broken up about it. But when Greg realizes this means he's going to be sent to a different school than his best friend, Rowley Jefferson, he changes his tune. Can Greg and his classmates save their school before it's shuttered for good? Or is this the start of a whole new chapter for Greg? © Jeff Kinney 2023 (P) Penguin Audio 2023.
'An immensely engaging writer: wry and witty, and insightful.' Sunday Times 'A vivid and meticulous writer.' Observer From the widely renowned author Andrew O'Hagan, a heartbreaking novel of an extraordinary lifelong friendship. Everyone has a Tully Dawson: the friend who defines your life. In the summer of 1986, in a small Scottish town, James and Tully ignite a brilliant friendship based on music, films and the rebel spirit. With school over and the locked world of their fathers before them, they rush towards the climax of their youth: a magical weekend in Manchester, the epicentre of everything that inspires them in working-class Britain. There, against the greatest soundtrack ever recorded, a vow is made: to go at life differently. Thirty years on, half a life away, the phone rings. Tully has news. Mayflies is a memorial to youth's euphorias and to everyday tragedy. A tender goodbye to an old union, it discovers the joy and the costs of love.
Brought to you by Penguin. Think of it like Tinder. Except your parents are the algorithm, and both parties are looking for a life-long commitment... Meghna has tried everything when it comes to dating: blind dates, apps, attempting to drum up conversations with strangers at bars (ew). Everything except arranged marriage. But then Seth, her best friend and the-one-who-got-away asks her to be his 'best man' and suddenly her parent's taste doesn't seem so bad... Which is how she meets the grumpy but handsome Karthik, who has seen enough of his parents' relationship to know marriage is not for him. Turns out, Meghna and Karhtik are a match made in heaven (if not the one their parents think they are making) - and a deal is struck. They will be fake-engaged for three months. That way Karthik will get out of the absurd number of arranged set-ups his mother has planned and Meghna will have a date to the wedding from her worst nightmares. But what will happen when the wedding is over? Maybe what they thought was fake is real after all? Brimming with characters you can't help but fall for and off-the-charts chemistry, SAY YOU'LL BE MY JAAN is both a trip back to the heyday of swoony nineties romantic comedies and a deep and poignant look at the effects of culture and family in our most intimate relationships. ©2024 Naina Kumar (P)2024 Penguin Audio.
"This could very well be the first great K-Pop literary phenomenon." — Debutiful , Most Anticipated Books of 2024 Perfect for fans of Mouth to Mouth and Black Buck , this whip-smart, darkly funny, and biting debut follows a psychologist with a savior complex who offers shelter to a recently cancelled K-pop idol on the run. Sang Duri is the eldest member and "visual" of a Korean boy band at the apex of global superstardom. But when his latest solo single accidentally leads to controversy, he's abruptly cancelled. To spare the band from fallout with obsessive fans and overbearing management, Duri disappears from the public eye by hiding out in the McMansion of a Chinese American woman he meets in a Los Angeles H-Mart. But his rescuer is both unhappily married with children and a psychologist with a savior complex, a combination that makes their potential union both seductive and incredibly problematic. Meanwhile, Duri's cancellation catapults not only a series of repressed memories from his music producer's earlier years about the original girl group whose tragic disbanding preceded his current success, but also a spiral of violent interactions that culminates in an award show event with reverberations that forever change the fates of both the band members and the music industry. In its indicting portrayal of mental health and public obsession, fandom, and cancel culture, The Band considers the many ways in which love and celebrity can devolve into something far more sinister when their demands are unmet.
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.
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.
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.