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Totlandia: Book 7 (Contemporary Romance): The Twosies - Spring
Josie Brown - 2017
Each book completes a story arc, but it includes a series cliffhanger that connects Books 1-4; And then Books 5-8. IN BOOK 7 OF THE TOTLANDIA EPISODIC SERIES: For the women of Totlandia, spring brings new life and emotional renewal: A big question for Bettina is whether she'll succumb to an easy fix for her problems, or will she embrace the challenge that may lead to the financial and emotional freedom she craves... At the same time, Bettina's mysterious disappearances are adding to Lorna's anxieties to keep the club on an even keel up until she delivers her twins. Little does she know that a cruel trick by the power-hungry Kelly will curdle Lorna's relationship with her mother-in-law, Eleanor; Jillian is fighting her former mother-in-law for custody of her deceased ex-husband's infant child. The good news: Caleb has taken to his new role as über-dad with gusto. The bad news: it’s causing trouble in the Pacific Heights Moms & Tots Club; As for Jade, she is given an opportunity of a lifetime to prove herself: both as an academic researcher, and as the perfect partner for her fiánce, Reggie. But will his assistant Samantha's attentions come between them? And Brady's quest to reunite Ally with her father may be the one thing that will tear their relationship apart; Last but not least: Top Moms are in full revolt. They know that their only hope of getting out from under Bettina’s thumb is to secure their secrets-filled files hidden deep within a sculpture to be auctioned off with the rest of her possessions. Let the bidding begin! REVIEWS FOR THE TOTLANDIA SERIES “I love a good mommy send-up as much as the next gal, and this peek into the ridiculousness of the San Francisco uppercrust is delightful. Whether or not you’ve ever had the pleasure (or pain) of joining a playgroup, Brown’s tale is as charming as it is cringeworthy. I laughed, I winced, I kept scrolling.” —Romantic Times “With affairs, pending divorces, secret jobs and unsavory pasts, each wannabe member hides something that could blow her chances for good.Like the characters in reality shows such as “Dance Moms,” the women in Pacific Heights might be over-the-top, but in the end the best interests of their kids are (almost) always at heart. Laugh-out-loud funny and sometimes touching, the “Totlandia” novellas serve as the perfect quick read for busy moms or anyone looking to escape with some gossipy fun.” —Examiner.com “Josie Brown writes Totlandia with her usual storytelling flair. The dialogue is smooth and flowing. The characters are easy to side with or become angry with, depending on each situation. The scenery is easy to visualize. And we mustn’t forget all the sex (blushworthy, at that) and scandal that is a staple of a true Josie Brown novel. Totlandia: The Onesies (book one) kept me entertained and on my toes the entire time. It showed that there are mothers who are human and sometimes screw up even with the best intentions at hand. It’s like a soap opera for mommies. Guilty pleasure, anyone?!? I look forward to reading book two next and will share my thoughts on that one, as well!”—Melissa Amster, ChickLitCentral.com “This book is wonderfully written and has more than just drama. There are touching moments, parts that made me laugh out loud, and as I read the story I felt like I was reading a television show!”—Divine Secrets of a Domestic Goddess
The Unexpected Path
Barbara Hinske - 2021
Convincing her well-intentioned but misinformed coworkers that she’s as capable as ever is her biggest challenge…until Connor shows up on her door. Can they heal old wounds and give their fledgling marriage a fresh start?Meanwhile, tragedy strikes young Zoe, and Emily has a life-changing choice to make.Follow along as Garth and Emily step out, together, to meet every challenge.
The Favorite Daughter
Patti Callahan Henry - 2019
Though now a freelance travel writer, the one place she rarely goes is home--until she learns of her dad's failing health.Returning to Watersend means seeing the sister she has avoided for a decade and the brother who runs the family's Irish pub and has borne the burden of his sisters' rift. While Alzheimer's slowly steals their father's memories, the siblings rush to preserve his life in stories and in photographs. As his secret past brings Lena's own childhood into focus, it sends her on a journey to discover the true meaning of home.
Warm Nights in Magnolia Bay
Babette de Jongh - 2021
With nowhere else to go, she lands on her Aunt Reva’s doorstep at Buckaroo Barn, home to a motley assortment of rescue animals. Reva, a telepathic animal communicator, gives Abby time to reinvent herself by leaving Abby in charge of the farm while she's away. Abby immerses herself in caring for the animals and running educational programs to teach kids to appreciate and relate to them. Just when Abby is finally starting to feel like herself again, a sexy new neighbor moves in next door, determined to find some peace and quiet, and challenging Abby in ways she never expected. Can she convince her stubborn new neighbor to give the noisy petting zoo next door...and her...a chance?You’ll fall in love right along with Abby as animals and humans alike find unexpected ways to connect, nurture each other, and thrive.
The Book Lover
Maryann McFadden - 2012
For thirty years she's devoted her life to her book store, trying to bury her painful past. But now the store is in jeopardy, and the past is catching up with her. Lucinda Barrett lost everything in a life-shattering betrayal. Desperate, she goes after one last dream—to be an author. Alone and broke, she embarks on a journey, eventually landing on Ruth's doorstep. Ruth takes Lucy under her wing, championing her book and even offering her refuge at a nearby lake cabin. In return, she wants Lucy to keep an eye on her son, Colin, who's recovering from a war injury. As the two women grow closer and begin to face the past, neither has any idea that their toughest decisions lie ahead—or that their friendship is about to fall apart because of a little white lie.
To Have and to Hold
Tracie Peterson - 2011
But they arrive to find wealthy investors buying up land to build a grand resort on the secluded island—and they want the Cunninghams' acreage.Contractor Marshall Graham can't imagine why the former drinking buddy of his deceased father would beckon him to Bridal Veil Island. And when Boyd Cunningham asks him to watch over Audrey, Marshall is even more confused. He has no desire to be saddled with caring for this fiery young woman who is openly hostile toward him. But when Audrey seems to be falling for another man—one who has two little girls Audrey adores—Marshall realizes she holds more of his heart than he realized. Which man will Audrey choose? And can she hold on to her ancestral property in the face of overwhelming odds?
The Sweet By and By
Todd Johnson - 2009
First-time author Todd Johnson—who was a co-producer with Oprah Winfrey of Broadway’s The Color Purple—makes an indelible literary mark with a debut novel that bestselling author Adriana Trigiani (Very Valentine) calls, “heartfelt and stunning.” People magazine chose The Sweet By and By as one of its “Great Reads for Your Book Club,” saying, “Steel Magnolias fans will love this one.”
The Gandy Dancer
Jeff Andrews - 2012
His ex-wife is demanding more money. A woman he can’t even remember accuses him of fathering her child. Newspaper reporter Mitch Corsini shrugs and takes another drink. However, when his estranged teenaged daughter mysteriously disappears, his life finally has a purpose: find the child he's neglected for too long and rekindle the love they once shared. Mitch’s quest takes him to the Virginia mountains and his ancestral home. There, he finds himself locked in a life or death struggle to save his daughter as seventy-year-old family secrets and the fate of a long-forgotten railroad worker combine to shatter the very foundations of his world.
A Body in the Bargain
Charlotte Moore - 2016
She writes, paints watercolor landscapes and reads Jane Austen over and over. Kylie’s been married since she was 19, has twin boys and loves hunting for bargains and selling her crafts on-line. Kate and Kylie have been best friends since third grade at River Valley Elementary School. When Kate inherits her grandmother’s old house and decides to move back to peaceful River Valley, she finds there’s anything but peace in the Valley. First, she arrives to find that all her late grandmother’s old furniture has been stolen. Kylie comes to the rescue, and just a few days later the two of them are right in the middle of a murder investigation. Through it all, with Kylie’s help, Kate’s turning the old house into her own home with yard sale and thrift shop bargains and getting to know two very different men. From the author of the Hunter Jones mystery series, A Body in the Bargain is about people you might know and one or two you might just want to avoid.
A Cook for Caleb (Mail-Order Mama, #5)
Elissa Strati - 2021
How can he carry on without the woman he's loved since they were children themselves?Pearl's comfortable life was turned upside down with the death of her beloved husband. She has three children depending on her and cannot afford the mortgage. Her best friend Mattie shows her the listing in the newspaper: "Looking for a Spinster or Widow of good character who can cook and keep house and be a good mother to the children. Your children would be welcome, too." Have her prayers been answered?
The Almosts
Em Barrett - 2014
A new love that can never be. An unexpected pregnancy. A decision that changes everything. And all Lizzy Sutter ever wanted was a simple life… This new companion novel to Leaving Green Island follows the characters you love to places you never would have imagined. ** NOW AVAILABLE ON AMAZON ** http://www.amazon.com/Almosts-Em-Barr...{As a heads up, this book contains small amounts of underage drinking, explicit language and sexual content.}
The Beautiful Years
Katia Lief - 2016
Unfolding the story over seven years on three separate milestones—a graduation, a funeral, and a wedding— Katia Lief weaves between perspectives to reveal a tapestry rich in motive and emotion. The Beautiful Years is a dazzling rendering of hubris, consequence and the complexity of love.
Second Chances: A wonderful, warm novel about finding love where you least expect it
Minna Howard - 2017
Perfect for fans of Trisha Ashley and Katie Fforde.
Succumbing to a rather clichéd midlife crisis, Dan Haywood swaps his family for an expensive red sports car and a younger woman. After 24 years of marriage, his wife Sarah is left to pick up the pieces. Trying her best to re-style her life, comfort hurt children, make time for 'helpful' friends and maintain her burgeoning career as a dress designer, Sarah feels pulled in a hundred directions. And it doesn't help that obstacles – mostly in the form of other middle-aged men – seem to conspire against her. Proud of herself for moving house and starting to build an independent life, she is shocked when Robert Maynard, her rather dashing new next-door neighbour, insists that the house was promised to him. Now she is destined to be pulled into his life by events beyond her control. After one failed marriage, will she be able to find happiness again? And do second chances really come to those who wait?
This book was previously published as The Orchid Lover under the name Mary De Laszlo.
This One and Magic Life: A Novel of a Southern Family
Anne Carroll George - 1999
It is a wish that will unearth a terrible secret, one that will either tear her siblings and their offspring apart or allow them to accept buried memories, wounds , and love.In This and Magic Life, Anne Carroll George has created as brilliant portrait of a Southern family in all its glory, captured in a moment of searing intensity and lyric truth. Rich with wisdom and deep understanding this compelling saga the twentieth century -- and tells a story that is truly timeless.
Getting the Important Things Right
Padgett Gerler - 2012
While Colonel Tom physically and emotionally batters his family, Ma’am escapes the turmoil with alcohol. Their children, Percy, Sis and Oops, with no adult guidance, learn to sidestep their family minefields alone. Percy longs for a loving relationship with his father but is unwilling to compromise his aspirations of owning a motorcycle repair shop to win his father’s love. Sis wants a strong mother who will stand up to her abusive husband but finds herself in an abusive marriage, as well. Baby Oops escapes the chaos by teaching herself to read at three and retreating to her own world where abuse and parental neglect can’t reach her. Siblings Percy and Sis forge a loving bond that will sustain them through the most poignant and tragic of circumstances. Whether it’s eating an entire chocolate cake in one sitting, playing Cuss Scrabble, double dating to the drive-in movie, or stealing their father’s car to hotrod in the wee hours, the brother and sister find unbridled joy in their friendship, despite the dysfunction swirling around them. Told with captivating grit, humor, and insight, this tale of family discord carries the Albemarles through decades of turbulence until tragedy teaches them to forgive and understand by GETTING THE IMPORTANT THINGS RIGHT.