Left standing in the church porch with three redundant bridesmaids dressed in black and no groom in sight, it’s no wonder she isn’t feeling festive. Asked to run The Ginger Cat café in the Sussex village of Charnley Acre while the owners are away, Isla seizes the chance to escape from Nottingham with its constant reminders of what might have been. But running a busy café isn’t as easy it sounds, especially when one staff member is out of action with a broken ankle, and the rest of the team consists of eighty-something Horace, as grumpy as they come, and dreamy, lovesick teenager, Molly. When Harry Anderton pitches up in a campervan, Isla finds the perfect solution to her staff problem. Harry isn’t ‘doing Christmas’ either. Fresh from a traumatic break-up, he’d rather sit this one out, thank you very much. Then Isla discovers that as proprietor of The Ginger Cat, there are certain traditions she’s expected to uphold, and her carefully orchestrated non-Christmas looks like becoming, well… Christmas. With Harry by her side, can she hold back her own feelings and give the people around her the celebrations they deserve? And what happens afterwards? Harry’s moving on with his life; can Isla do the same, or is she destined to remain forever looking backwards?

    Although she hates having to go to the city, when a dear friend makes plans to come visit, Cassie makes the drive to the airport to get her friend. While waiting at the airport, an event occurs that will change her life forever. She is over a hundred miles from home when the power fails, cell phones die, cars cease working, and planes begin falling from the skies. As a disabled veteran who relies on an electric wheelchair to get around, Cassie and her service dog, Petra, must find a way to get home in spite the challenges of distance, lawlessness, and weather. She knows getting home might be the biggest challenge of her life. Will she be able to overcome the challenges to see her family again or will she become yet another victim? Excerpt Cassie reached over and turned the knob on the radio until music floated through the van. “There’s enough bad news in the world right now, and I’m tired of hearing about it,” she told the passenger sitting in the front seat. The passenger just looked at her without responding. “What’s the matter, Petra? You didn’t want to listen to that, did you? I know you’d rather listen to music while we’re driving.” Petra gave a small bark and went back to watching out the window. Cassie reached over and gave Petra a fond scratch behind her ears, causing the three-year-old German Shepherd to bark again. “What do you think, Petra, should we sing along to the music?” Petra barked once in response, bringing a grin to Cassie’s face. “That sounded like a yes to me.” Cassie began to sing along with the radio, and soon Petra was howling along with her. Petra was so much more than just a dog to Cassie. She was a best friend, a companion, and at times, a lifesaver. As a result, Cassie often treated Petra more like a human than a pet. She would hold long conversations with Petra, talking through some of her problems. Petra was a great listener, and even offered a bark or two in response to whatever her human was saying. After a while, the song ended and both Cassie and Petra became quiet. “We’re almost there, girl. Not too much longer now. Are you ready to get some breakfast and see Jen?” Petra barked with excitement, although Cassie wasn’t really sure if it was at the thought of breakfast or seeing Cassie’s friend. The sun was barely over the horizon as Cassie turned into the airport parking garage. Jen’s flight was not due to arrive for about an hour and a half, but Cassie liked to get places early. She hated being late, and she especially hated having to rush. Her plan was to settle down in one of the restaurants near the baggage claim area and enjoy a good breakfast while she waited. Traffic in the airport was light and Cassie was happy to find a handicapped parking space right up front next to the baggage claim area. After parking her van, she took a minute to look in the mirror. The face looking back at her was pleasant enough in a wholesome sort of way. She wore no make-up, but her deep blue eyes were shining with excitement. Her nose was straight, and lightly dusted with freckles. She wore her long dark hair in a single braid down her back. Dressed in a flannel shirt, jeans, and boots, Cassie was slender, but muscular. She quickly adjusted a few stray hairs and applied lip gloss, and decided she was as ready as she was going to get. She quickly activated the controls on her electric wheelchair and undid the safety strap that held it in place on the driver’s side of the vehicle. After turning the chair around, she opened the door and pressed the button for the ramp to deploy. Petra remained quietly in her seat until Cassie called, “Petra, come.” At that command, Petra jumped over the seat and hopped out of the van.

    

    

    One afternoon, while her new family is out fishing, Violet is awakened by some stray dogs who chase poor Violet into a corner. Luckily, George and Zippity arrive home just in time to help.

    . .It’s 1981. Eleven-year-old Sadie adores her beautiful and vibrant mother, Connie, whose dreams of making it big as a singer fill their tiny house in Leeds. It’s always been just the two of them. Until the unthinkable happens.Jean hasn’t seen her good-for-nothing daughter Connie since she ran away from the family home in Harlow – or Pram Town as its inhabitants affectionately call it – aged seventeen and pregnant.But in the wake of the Royal Wedding, Jean gets a life-changing call: could she please come and collect the granddaughter she’s never met?We all know how Charles and Diana turned out, and Jean and Sadie are hardly a match made in heaven – but is there hope of a happy ending for them?Written in Joanna Nadin’s trademark dazzling prose, The Talk of Pram Town tells the story of three generations of Earnshaws and asks whether it always has to be like mother, like daughter . .

    After all, he'd left her to raise their daughter alone.The bed and breakfast inn she ran from their home provided a comfortable life for her and Prudence - until the bank's loan officer, Mason Raber, called in their final payment. A balloon. One she couldn't possibly afford. The odious man threatened to take away everything she had.It didn't matter how hard she tried to save her business, he stopped her at every turn, putting up roadblocks and insinuating she wasn't competent enough to take care of herself.Eve was determined to fight him to the bitter end. But Mason wasn't easy to keep at arm's length. Either as her loan officer, or as a man.*****This is the exciting new best-selling Amish Romance Series by #1 inspirational author, Emma Schwartz. The saga of Hope Valley, Iowa starts with The Amish Inn, Book #1. All Emma Schwartz's Amish Romance books are clean, wholesome and filled with family values. This standalone, Amish romance novel contains no cliffhanger and a joyful happily ever after.Download now!

    And trust. They want things just so. And, sometimes, they do not want to come inside. But a little patience and a little attention can make all the difference . . .Here’s a loving tribute to feline companionship, sure to warm human and kitty hearts—because cat company is worth waiting for!

    Alma the cat lives with Madame SoSo, an opera diva. When Madame rehearses, Alma softly sings along. Madame doesn’t know Alma’s secret—in fact, she doesn’t pay Alma much attention at all. But on the night of the big performance, Madame comes down with laryngitis . . . and at last Alma is given a chance to prove she is no ordinary animal. Accompanied by vivid, detail-filled illustrations, this story will resonate with anyone—feline or human—who has ever longed for a moment in the spotlight.

    The dog's name is Cookie, and although fun-loving Gabby enjoys Cookie's company, grouchy Bud does not. In fact, Bud gets so fed up with Cookie that he kicks her out of the house. "No dogs allowed " he declares. But when a big black rain cloud approaches and Gabby looks worried, will Bud have a change of heart? Greeting card artist Anne Davis offers sly humor and bold, expressive art in a story that is pitch-"purrfect" in every way.

    Reflecting an unusual mix of design influences (Baroque, rococo, neoclassical and Art Deco) and personal taste, its style is luxurious, playful, and wholly original. In "The Paris Apartment, " Claudia Strasser, the founder and owner of the shop, offers readers the quintessential guide to achieving this romantic Parisian look without having to spend a fortune. With easy-to-follow instructions and helpful advice, she shows readers how they can transform their homes into a living environment that reflects both their personal style and timeless French elegance. Laid out in the form of an entertaining diary, the book helps Francophiles define their fantasy home, find inspiration, select a color palette and use light creatively. She also includes instructions for making canopies and valances; advice on dyeing fabrics and restyling furniture; tips on budgeting; guidance on shopping at flea markets and auctions; and a glossary of terms. Color photographs throughout illustrate the ideas and techniques shown in the book.As interest in the home experiences a resurgence, and as Americans become more careful about their spending, nesting has become the pastime of the '90s. People want luxury homes without spending a fortune. With its unbeatable combination of style and solid practicality, "The Paris Apartment" is a home-decorating guide to treasure and draw inspiration from for many years to come.Visit The Paris Apartment online.

    Named Muffler, and raised by simple goat herders, Muffler seems all set to lead a perfectly normal and peaceful life- except that he has the power to talk to animals. This leads him into a friendship with Grimbold, a black cat who knows a lot more than he lets on. Enemies in the world of night continue to conspire against Muffler and his long-lost family, and since cats are the only creatures, apart from poets, who can slip between the mundane and magical realms, Grimbold soon emerges as Muffler's ally in a struggle beyond his wildest dreams.

    He asks if he can take some pictures of her cat for a pet food commercial. When they develop the pictures, Franny and Jason are stunned by what they see... ... the ghost of a little girl.

    Important Symbolist painters were at work in places as remote from one another as Munch in Oslo, Klimt in Vienna, and the young Picasso in Barcelona. It is through Symbolism, too, that the relationship between the English painting of the later nineteenth century and what was taking place in Europe can be explained. Edward Lucie-Smith's important study throws light upon the origins of Modernism, and upon the development of painting and sculpture in the final years of the century. 185 illus., 24 in color. Bibliography and index.