Yes, And


Cindy Gunderson - 2020
    Yes, she is old. Yes, she sometimes forgets where she put her glasses, or her heart medication. But doesn't everyone? That doesn't give workers--paid to assist her, mind you--the right to rifle through her personal belongings, or "accidentally" forget something of hers in their pocket. It definitely does not give them the right to embezzle thousands of dollars from her family trust.Just when she is most desperate, a young neighbor takes her by surprise. Bonding over their shared love of soap operas, Jo and Toby engage in old-school reconnaissance to find answers. Together, they brave roller skates, walks along uneven ground, and even downtown parking on what may be Jo's most exciting adventure in forty years."Yes, And" is a feel-good story that explores the hearts of two misunderstood, kindred spirits, connected just when they need each other most.

Serpent of Old


T.R. Pearson - 2019
    When a decent, regular guy does his thieving neighbor a favor by driving him out to a long-neglected farm to steal an old panel truck, the two accidentally spark the ire of the hidden, quasi-occult residents of the place who prove eager to inflict Old Testament vengeance on just about every male within reach.  It's Me Too gone feral in a story of moral anxiety, misguided romance, and the age-old wages of sin.

Sunsets Never Wait


Jonathan Cullen - 2020
    The isolation is all but unbearable until a mysterious tenant moves into the house at the bottom of the hill. James Dunford has come from America but he won’t say why. He spends his days fixing up the old cottage and walking the beach with a stray dog that showed up on his doorstep.As the weeks pass, Tara tries to get to know James, but he resists her at every turn. And it's not until a local villager recognizes him from the news that she realizes his visit might be about more than just a vacation. On the night of a big storm, Tara finally confronts James about why he is there. But how can she expect him to be honest when she, too, is hiding her own dark secret?Set against the backdrop of the Hunger Strikes in Northern Ireland, Sunsets Never Wait is a story about love, loss, and the risks of hanging on to the past. No matter how much the world has let you down, there’s always a possibility for second chances.

Sarah Morris


D.E. Stevenson - 2019
    Decisive, resourceful and independent, Sarah faces challenges in love and friendship from those around her and the wider circumstances of the war as she travels across the cities and countrysides of England and Scotland. Often described as gentle romances, D. E. Stevenson novels are neither overblown nor unduly tragic, populated with characters who quietly make those around them better simply because of their existence. Consistently satisfying, there is a good reason why Stevenson has amassed a devoted following.

Rebecca's Children: A saga of love & betrayal in 19th Century Wales


Kate Dunn - 2016
    For fans of Nadine Dorries, Maeve Binchy, Freda Lightfoot and Dilly Court. Lives are on the line as the workers fight back in the Welsh countryside… 1829, Wales For centuries. generations of the Jenkins family have eked out a living from their Carmarthenshire hill farm. But when a fire destroys virtually all of their possessions the children witness their lives crumbling around them. Mary and William find they have barely enough land left to provide for their basic needs. Their only option is to take on more work, but William longs for action, and Mary begins to suspect that he has become embroiled with the Rebecca-ites, a shadowy group of nationalists pitted against the English landowners whose tolls have bankrupted so many Welshman. As tensions mount, Mary becomes ever more torn between her mistrust of the rebels’ violence and her growing attraction to Jac Tŷ Isha, one of their leaders. And when the British government decides to put a stop to the revolt, the danger to the men she loves increases a hundredfold… REBECCA’S CHILDREN is a poignant, beautifully crafted saga of love and betrayal, set against the background of Wales in mid-1800s – a country aflame with political and social unrest. "An accomplished first novel." - The Times "A well-handled tale of passion, social injustice and nationalist fervour in nineteenth century Wales." - The Liverpool Post “Kate Dunn is a fine storyteller.” - Ben Elton

Morality for Beautiful Girls by Alexander McCall Smith l Summary & Study Guide


BookRags - 2011
    This study guide includes the following sections: Plot Summary, Chapter Summaries & Analysis, Characters, Objects/Places, Themes, Style, Quotes, and Topics for Discussion.

Pappy Moses' Peanut Plantation


Michael Edwin Q. - 2014
    For appearances, his white son-in-law, Josh, plays the part of Master of the plantation when strangers are about. Together they make a success of the plantation. Their main goal is to use the money they make to buy slaves, but not just any slaves – they’re buying family members. The plan is, when they gather the entire family, they’ll exodus north to freedom. Problem is, just as they leave, other landowners catch on and hunt them, so they could take possession of the Plantation and its slaves.

Mattie's Girl: An Appalachian Childhood


Celia H. Miles - 2002
     In stories deeply rooted in 1940s Appalachia, June chronicles the years between meeting the irrepressible PeeDee and losing her. She struggles to understand her mother's indifference, her father's divided love, her grandmother's sudden death, her grandfather's being institutionalized. Three years later, PeeDee, riding the rails west, brings a final gift and the truth about Cade's murder. In this world forever gone, June survives and triumphs through the grace of family and friendship. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Celia H. Miles, a native of Jackson County in western North Carolina, now lives in Asheville. She attended Brevard College and Berea College and has graduate degrees from UNC-Chapel Hill and Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP). She taught at Brevard College and Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College. A long-time instructor of English, she now spends her time writing, photographing old mills and stone circles, and traveling. She has co-authored a college textbook, has published romance novels, historical and contemporary novels, along with stories and poems in various markets, and co-edited three women’s writing anthologies. Some of this material has been published in modified form in the following: “The Big Sycamore” in Cricket (October 2000) “Selling the Grit” in Yesterday’s Magazette (July-October 1998) “Backsliding” in Victoria Press (2000) “Going to the Dentist” in Victoria Press (1999)

The Chieftains of South Boston


Stephen Burke - 2011
    His two older brothers never left and are at the top of their respective games—politics and the Irish Mafia. At the wedding, family fireworks go off in spectacular fashion and end with an incident that sends the whole city of Boston into turmoil. An intense seven-day drama creates the ultimate test for the three brothers: how to be loyal to family, to friends and to a place called home.

Escape to Sunrise Cottage: A Fabrian Books' feel-good novel


Zara Thorne - 2017
     When artist Violet Brooke leaves her engagement ring on top of a Chinese wedding cabinet and runs away from the trendy apartment in London’s Brick Lane, there’s only one place to go – Sunrise Cottage. All she wants is to cosy up in her rural retreat, concentrate on her painting, and forget about Jayden Fox, bad boy of the East End art scene – he’s certainly forgotten about her. The last thing she needs is romance. Then handsome antique dealer Max Finch shows up in the middle of a field and the problem is, he’s impossible to resist. For Max, meeting Violet – and falling in love with her at first sight – is a turning point. His ex-wife, Sarah, has bipolar, and Max still feels partly responsible for her well-being. But Sarah has others to care for her now, and Max knows that if he is to win Violet’s trust, he must put her first. Max is not the only complication in Violet’s rural idyll. Before long, she’s shocked to discover that somebody wants her gone from the village, and they’re making sure she knows about it. But who? And why? Is this Violet’s cue to head back to London and pick up her real life? Or is Sunrise Cottage – and Max Finch – as real as it gets?

The Strategist


William Cunningham - 2013
    . . and how long would you live? When a disgraced former top Wall Street strategist starts to suspect the U.S. employment data is being manipulated to influence the Presidential election, he knows no one is going to listen. But when several people show up dead, a provocative reporter, who happens to be his ex-fiancée, takes notice. As they uncover a web of secrets, lies, and corruption, they are forced to choose between ambition, loyalty and love to save their lives . . . and the global economy. Set in the aftermath of the financial crisis, The Strategist is a fast paced, plot twisting thriller straight from today's headlines by a former Wall Street insider. But could it be real? Read it, then look at the recent employment data and decide for yourself!

The Dog Got It All


Robert McCullough - 2015
    Phipps is “one of those rescues who are all the rage these days,” an upscale Manhattan dog with a rich owner, a great dog walker and an idyllic New York lifestyle. But his world is turned upside down when his owner, Angie DeSoto, suddenly passes from pancreatic cancer. The good news is that Angie leaves her millions to Mr. Phipps and he finds himself temporarily in the care of Devin McCloud, his dog walker and best bud. The bad news is that her adult children, a contentious clan at best, are furious about being left out in the cold, money-wise. And there's more. According to the terms of the will, Mr. Phipps and his millions will go to one of Angie's progeny, specifically the one best qualified to take care of him. After a brief trial period in which each one takes the dog, their efforts will be judged by a panel of dog experts – a famous, Cesar Millan-style dog trainer, a pet psychic and a renowned behaviorist. To further complicate matters, love will strike on several fronts as Mr. Phipps tells his story and his fate unfolds in this charming canine romantic comedy that reads like a date night version of "Marley and Me".

New Doctor at Chestnut House: A Fabrian Books' Feel-Good Novel (Bramblewick Book 1)


Sharon Booth - 2017
     Is home a place—or a person? Anna's about to leave Bramblewick behind. She's due to marry her childhood sweetheart in a few weeks, and then she'll be heading to Kent and a whole new life. Connor's a new arrival in Bramblewick. He's bringing with him a whole lot of baggage, and he's doubtful that this small village on the Yorkshire Moors is the ideal place for him and his daughter, Gracie. It's not easy for Anna, watching Connor move into her family home and take over from her beloved father at the local surgery, but she's determined to help him settle in and adjust to rural life, so that the villagers get the doctor they deserve. Connor's not convinced. This country practice is very different to what he's used to, and the locals have some strange expectations of their GP. Protective of Gracie and hiding behind self-constructed barriers, Connor struggles to adapt to life in Bramblewick. Can Anna convince him that this is the place where he and Gracie can finally find happiness? And can she convince herself that leaving Bramblewick is the right move for her?

Miss Alphie's Secret


David R. Johnson - 2010
    Now that secret is about to be revealed--with potentially catastrophic geopolitical consequences.

Centerville


Karen Osborn - 2012
    On a Saturday afternoon in Centerville, a sleepy Midwestern town, a disaffected husband enters a busy drugstore where his estranged wife works and sets a bag with a homemade bomb on the floor. Outside the drugstore, a fourteen-year-old girl places her hand on the door, then inexplicably turns away and keeps walking. Moments later, standing safely inside a bowling alley with her best friend, she hears a sound like thunder.With one devastating explosion, the town is changed forever. In the next few days, four lives become entwined, as the townspeople face sudden loss and new, unpredictable realities.Set against the backdrop of the Civil Rights Movement and the escalating Vietnam War, Centerville forms an engrossing meditation on the complex questions that arise in the wake of senseless violence.