The Golden Boy: A Doctor's Journey with Addiction


Grant Matheson - 2017
    Respected physician, loving husband, devoted father, and trusted friend. Grant was a straight-laced kid who grew up to be a clean-living adult. No drinking, no smoking, and certainly no drugs. It took everyone by surprise, most of all himself, when he became addicted to narcotics in his 30s. His story hit local press when he was found guilty of professional misconduct related to his addition, including over-prescribing painkillers to patients so he could buy them back--an infraction that caused his physician license to be suspended.Matheson's memoir is a gritty account of his narcotic addiction and all that it cost him: various relationships, his career, and almost his life. The Golden Boy takes the reader from the very first day of Matheson's drug addiction to that moment when he decided to rebuild his life through rehab and recovery.

Valencia and Valentine


Suzy Krause - 2019
    To confront those fears, Valencia’s therapist suggests that she fly somewhere—anywhere—before her upcoming birthday. And as Valencia begins a telephone romance with a man from New York, she suddenly has a destination in mind. There’s only one problem—he might not actually exist.Mrs. Valentine is an eccentric old woman desperate for company, be it from neighbors, telemarketers, or even the funeral director (when you’re her age, you go to a lot of funerals). So she’s thrilled when the new cleaning girl provides a listening ear for her life’s story—a tale of storybook love and incredible adventures around the world with her husband before his mysterious and sudden disappearance.The stories of Valencia and Mrs. Valentine may at first appear to have nothing in common…but then again, nothing in life is as straightforward as it seems.

The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women


Kate Moore - 2017
    From body lotion to tonic water, the popular new element shines bright in the otherwise dark years of the First World War.Meanwhile, hundreds of girls toil amidst the glowing dust of the radium-dial factories. The glittering chemical covers their bodies from head to toe; they light up the night like industrious fireflies. With such a coveted job, these "shining girls" are the luckiest alive—until they begin to fall mysteriously ill.But the factories that once offered golden opportunities are now ignoring all claims of the gruesome side effects, and the women's cries of corruption. And as the fatal poison of the radium takes hold, the brave shining girls find themselves embroiled in one of the biggest scandals of America's early 20th century, and in a groundbreaking battle for workers' rights that will echo for centuries to come.Written with a sparkling voice and breakneck pace, The Radium Girls fully illuminates the inspiring young women exposed to the "wonder" substance of radium, and their awe-inspiring strength in the face of almost impossible circumstances. Their courage and tenacity led to life-changing regulations, research into nuclear bombing, and ultimately saved hundreds of thousands of lives.

Women Behaving Badly


Frances Garrood - 2012
     Mavis is juggling caring for her elderly, confused mother alongside her long-standing affair with a hypochondriac father-of-two. And Gabs is a high-class escort who’s fallen in love with someone completely unattainable. All three women are behaving in ways very much frowned upon by the Catholic Church. But their priest, Father Cuthbert is determined to reform them. As the three women strike up an unlikely friendship, each re-evaluates what is most important them. And it seems the not-so-holy trinity of Alice, Mavis, and Gabs can’t be ‘cured’ that easily… WOMEN BEHAVING BADLY is an uplifting romantic comedy about women finding their identities and learning the value of female friendships. It is a holiday read about sex & relationships that is full of humour, wit and tear-jerking reality, from a strong voice in women’s fiction. ‘a deftly painted and witty story’ – Eliza Graham ‘an interesting story well told, with just the right amount of humour’ – librarianwithsecrets.blogspot.co.uk ‘Funny, clever, wry and poignant’ - randomthingsthroughmyletterbox.blogspot.co.uk ‘Frances Garrood is a magnificent writer’ - thebookbag.co.uk

Life and Other Near-Death Experiences


Camille Pagán - 2015
    Despite her new sunny locale, her plans go awry when she finds that she can’t quite outrun the past or bring herself to face an unknowable future. Every day of tropical bliss may be an invitation to disaster, but with her twin brother on her trail and a new relationship on the horizon, Libby is determined to forget about fate. Will she risk it all to live—and love—a little longer?From critically acclaimed author Camille Pagán comes a hilarious and hopeful story about a woman choosing between a “perfect” life and actually living.

Where I'll Find You


J.A. Owenby - 2018
    I protect my heart at all costs. But when Kaisen waltzes into my lifeSexy. Kind.Too good to be true.No matter how many times I turn him away,he keeps showing up.As hard as I try, I can’t resist him.I take the leap.Let him in.Give him my heart.Then one afternoon,one choice,one glimpse of a letter not meant for me,and everything is destroyed.Everything I thought I knew is a lie.He isn’t who he says he is.But neither am I.Dark secrets come to light.They’re not his, though.They’re mine.I had no idea. No clue I was being spoon fed lies my entire life.But do I have the strength to face my past?Or do I walk awayand leave behind the only man I’ve ever loved?

Sexton Brothers Box Set


Jeannine Colette - 2020
    Fall in love with the Suit. Hide away with the Artist. Feel your heart race with these sexy brothers, and the kick ass heroines they fall in-love with, all in one fabulous boxset! AUSTIN “Tell me a secret,” I ask. “I’m falling for you.” Austin Sexton is a bad-boy media mogul and heir to the Sexton Empire. On the outside, he’s a whiskey-slinging bachelor with the world on a string. Problem is, strings break easily. Deep within lies a war hero who refuses accolades. He buries his pain with his vices, and against my better judgment, I’ve become one of them. No matter how hard I try to push him away, his secrets draw me in. This man, who appears careless, has passion. If I were looking for someone in my life, I could see myself falling for a guy like him. Good thing love is the last thing I’m looking for. BRYCE “Truth or dare?” “I’ll take your dare.” “Kiss me.” I don’t believe in Prince Charming, but when I met a handsome stranger on a rooftop his words intrigued me and his dares left nothing but temptation. Then I learned the truth. His name is Bryce Sexton. Media mogul, workaholic and a heart of stone. He’s broody AF and yet every woman in San Francisco wants him. So why won’t he leave me alone? Wherever I go, he’s there, trying to force his way into my world. What he doesn’t know is I already have a man in my life. A tiny redhead who loves Legos and Superheroes. With every push, Bryce pulls me in further. Our pasts are laced with betrayal. Our futures are unpredictable. Our chemistry is explosive. With each dare I uncover a truth, but he's exactly what I don’t need right now. So why did I have to go and kiss him? TANNER We’re two strangers on a train, knowing whatever we decide in the next moment might dictate our fate for the rest of our lives. “A kiss was all I needed.” “Looks like you got what you wished for.” “Yes. About that…” My plan: find a finely dressed businessman, have a one-night stand, and forget about my failed relationship. Like a bad joke, my ex walks into the bar. That’s when a gorgeous man wearing street clothes, messy hair, and the sexiest smile I’ve ever seen lays a kiss on me. It’s meant to rile up my ex but leaves me breathless and wanting more instead. Then he’s gone. So, I do what any rational person would. I chase after him onto the subway and embark on a wild night in New York City with a complete stranger. No matter how much I fight it, this mysterious man painted his soul onto my skin. If it’s not meant to be, why can’t I forget about him?

Sweet Home Montana: An emotional and uplifting feel good romance to curl up with


Shann McPherson - 2020
    Having left her childhood sweetheart Colt at the altar before she fled, Quinn knows her homecoming will mean facing up to her past.But when Quinn runs into Colt on her family’s ranch and realises that the old sparks still fly between them, she begins to wonder whether it’s time to come home for good.As Quinn and Colt become closer, it’s clear they have unfinished business. But Colt is hiding something, and when his secret is revealed it will show Quinn just how much can change in ten long years—and how difficult it is to slot back in to a life that’s moved on without her…

Fat Chance


Nick Spalding - 2014
    Greg's rugby-playing days are well and truly behind him, thanks to countless pints of beer and chicken curry.When Elise, a radio DJ and Zoe's best friend, tells them about a new competition, it seems like the perfect opportunity to turn their lives around. Fat Chance will pit six hefty couples against one another to see who can collectively lose the most weight and walk away with a £50,000 prize.So begins six months of abject misery, tears, and frustration--that just might turn out to be the best thing that ever happened to them--in another laugh-out-loud look at the way we live now from bestselling author Nick Spalding.

Send Me (Joaquin & Nayeli Book 1)


B. Love - 2017
    In fact, even though she craves the all-consuming empty fullness only love can bring, her plan is to stay clear of it and men. She has one goal – to work and gamble her way into her dream business by any mean’s necessary – and love will simply get in the way. As an empath, Joaquin Wallace is forced on a daily basis to feel the emotions and energies of others. Because of his ability to feel deeply, understand greatly and fall in love quickly, Joaquin has closed himself off to love and committed to a life of singleness. He has one goal – to help his city heal as much as he can then leave for a life of solitude. Neither Joaquin or Nayeli want anything to do with love, but it seems to be magnetically pulling them towards each other from the day she steps foot in Memphis. Drawing them together and binding them like the invisible strings of a soul tie. Will they surrender to become one, or spend the rest of their days ignoring their bond and trying to unravel a tie that refuses to become undone?

A cobra's bite doesn't hurt


Anil Nijhawan - 2020
    When Babu, their ruthless gang master, murders his best friend Ramesh, Kalu - fearing for his own life - runs away to Kolkata. While still being pursued by Babu he meets and falls in love with with Tanya, an educated girl from an upper middle-class family.This powerful novel presents life in contemporary India with vivid realism. Evocative and beautifully written, it embraces a wide range of human emotions and has many intensely dramatic scenes.

Adulting


Liz Talley - 2021
    She’s been written off as a Hollywood casualty by almost everyone, including her own mother. But handsome superstar Spencer Rome has her back. So does an uncompromising stranger determined to start Chase at square one and help her pull her future into focus. If Chase is willing.Life coach Olivia Han is devoted to “adulting” boot camp therapy. It’s not just her professional specialty, though—it’s also one way to avoid focusing on building a life of her own. To escape the pressures of Tinseltown, the two women head to Olivia’s cabin in the wilds of Northern California. There they discover a place in need of TLC. As they work together to rehab the once-charming cabin, they create a refuge where Chase can come to terms with her unsettled past, and where Olivia has an unexpected reckoning with her own troubling history.For two women doing damage control, this is a time for second chances—in life, in finding love, in forgiving family, and in an emerging friendship that might be exactly what each of them needs to heal.

The Neuroscientist Who Lost Her Mind: My Tale of Madness and Recovery


Barbara K. Lipska - 2018
    As the cancer progressed and was treated, the author experienced behavioral and cognitive symptoms connected to a range of mental disorders, including her professional specialty, schizophrenia. Lipska's family and associates were alarmed by the changes in her behavior, which she failed to acknowledge herself. Gradually, after a course of immunotherapy, Lipska returned to normal functioning, recalled her experience and, through her knowledge of neuroscience, identified the ways in which her brain changed during treatment. Lipska admits her condition was unusual; after recovery she was able to return to her research and resume her athletic training and compete in a triathalon. Most patients with similar brain cancers rarely survive to describe their ordeal. Lipska's memoir, coauthored with journalist McArdle, shows that strength and courage but also a encouraging support network are vital to recovery

The Ticklemore Tattler


Liz Davies - 2021
    Up until now, she’s been concentrating on running the local newspaper and raising her daughter.But all that is about to change when Juliette is informed that the Ticklemore Tattler is to fold and that she’ll be out of a job. She begins to wonder whether she can buy the newspaper and try to make a go of it herself.Aware that she needs some advice she contacts Oliver Pascoe, little knowing that when her old colleague re-enters her life, his help isn’t the only thing she wants him for!As she begins to fall in love, however, what she doesn’t realise is that Oliver has something he’s keeping from her.

Under One Roof


Samantha Tonge - 2022
    After running away to London, she never expected to see her cantankerous mother, Faye, again. But when Faye has a fall, the two women are thrown together once more.The years apart have not made their hearts grow fonder and the ground between them is unsteady. Then Robin finds an unopened scroll – the last of the treasure hunts her much-missed father used to take them on every Sunday. A hunt he believed might change everything. Yet, not even this gift from her beloved father can smooth the way until Robin’s daughter, Amber, arrives to meet her grandmother for the first time. Amber is determined that the decades-old mystery be solved.Can a 30-year-old treasure hunt really 'change everything'?