Book picks similar to
Tough Skin by Sarah Eaton


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But You Deserve Better


B. Love - 2017
    Because of his deep relationship with his sisters and mother, he knew all that it took to make a woman feel loved and appreciated. Because he watched heartbreak lead one of his sisters to kill herself with the use of drugs and alcohol, he knew all that it took to break a woman. Lianne Rodgers is the epitome of a gifted soul. Her love for music blessed her with a record deal at the age of seventeen, and since then she’s been traveling the world for years gracing stage after stage with her tremendous talent. As much as she loves what she does, she’s tired – mentally, physically, and emotionally. When Lianne returns to Memphis for a break, she falls in love with Jabari’s cooking after a visit to his restaurant. She ordered the food to go and ate it at home to avoid being seen and recognized, but the food was so good she made her way back to his restaurant to meet the man behind the best meal she’d ever had in her life. Jabari is used to people singing his praises for his food, but Lianne’s praises touch him in a different way. A different place. And when she asks him to be her personal chef during her stay in Memphis he happily agrees just for the chance to be near her. They say food nourishes the soul, and Jabari uses his culinary skills to reach Lianne in a way that no man ever has. There’s just one problem – she’s in a relationship with her manager. When her break is over, Lianne is committed to returning to her man, her life, and her career… but after waiting for a woman like Lianne for years… Jabari has no plans of letting her get away from Memphis or him that easily.

From Ink Lake: Canadian Stories Selected By Michael Ondaatje


Michael Ondaatje - 1990
    He has chosen 49 stories by a wide array of writers including Alistair MacLeod, Margaret Laurence, Carol Shields, Dionne Brand, Mavis Gallant, Stephen Leacock, Glenn Gould, Alice Munro, Rohinton Mistry, David Adams Richards and many more. Full of diversity and surprise, these writings reveal the geographical, emotional and literary range of the country. Above all, Michael Ondaatje's personal selection offers good reading and great entertainment.

The Dhow House: A Novel


Jean McNeil - 2017
    It’s a world of all-night beach parties and constant cocktail receptions, and within its languorous embrace her attraction for her much younger cousin grows.But the gilded lives of her aunt Julia’s family and their fellow white Africans on the coast are under threat — Islamist terror attacks are on the rise and Rebecca knows more about this violence than she is prepared to reveal. Will she be able to save her newfound family from the violence that encroaches on their seductive lives? Or, amidst growing unrest, will the true reason for her hasty exit from her posting be unmasked? Rebecca finds herself torn between the family she hardly knows and a past she dares not divulge.

The Little Light (The Guardians of the Lore #1)


Dipa Sanatani - 2019
    But they’re going to have to put their differences aside to help the Little Light - a wise soul, imbued with insight and curiosity - prepare for its birth on Planet Earth, where it has a great and far-reaching destiny... “A part of the Sun will always shine inside the Little Light, come what may. Life can be full of pain, suffering and strife, but this spark will always remain untouched because it belongs to the source of all life on earth. Nothing and no one can take it away because it is a gift from the father to all his children. It can never be tarnished or spoilt. It exists and will continue to burn bright till the death of the physical body.” In her debut novel The Little Light, Dipa Sanatani takes the reader on a voyage of awakening and discovery, ideal for lovers of mythology, spirituality, folklore and fairy tales. On the eve of its birth, The Little Light finds itself in the topsy-turvy world of the Planet Party, hosted in the Cosmic Womb. Here, anything is possible, and anything could happen… and the Little Light must do all it can to listen, learn, and ready itself for the path which will lead it to its destiny on earth. Along the way the Little Light meets Mercury, who bristles at being constantly overshadowed (literally!) by his father, The Sun, a flamboyant figure who wears a gold ring on every finger and bright yellow loafers. As the rest of the Celestial Beings gather, they have to contend with Havah and Dag, the Guardians of the Lore, who know that the Little Light will soon be a tiny baby in a cold, hard world where it will have to struggle for its survival. Alongside the Little Light, we learn there is more to explore in the heavens and on this earth than anybody could ever imagine possible. Endless lives, perpetual cycles of death and rebirth, infinite possibilities for love, happiness, renewal, enlightenment and wisdom… it’s all out there, waiting to be discovered, and waiting to make a change deep within us all.

Keeper of Secrets


Anjuelle Floyd - 2007
    One truth begets another as a passionate tale of confrontation in a San Francisco restaurant travels from eyewitnesses to others. Each protagonist views the attack through an emotion-stained lens, the story taking on a life of its own as filtered through different individuals' pasts, present and futures. Each character unweaves and re-braids their hidden truths, and exposes a chain of inner mysteries that binds them."Karmic truth, the effect of our decisions with our secrets and our deepest loves, comes back and squeezes the hearts of these characters. The elegant, super-rich, super-accomplished African-Americans in Keeper of Secrets are as susceptible as anyone to conflicting passions, ones that may not be reconcilable in this world... Floyd pulls the reader into their lives without mercy." --Clive Matson, author of Let the Crazy Child Write! and First Ten SongsA linked novel centered around the inhabitants of a wealthy enclave of African Americans in the Bay Area. An attempted murder transforms each character. Told from eight different perspectives.

From the Top: Brief Transmissions from Tent Show Radio


Michael Perry - 2013
    I like to read Harper’s with a chaser of Varmint Hunter Magazine. Maybe that’s why I enjoy a good show under canvas. Here we sit, brain-deep in arts and culture, but we’re also just people hanging out in a tent, some of us wearing boots, a few of us wearing Birkenstocks, but best of all we’re breathing free fresh air filled with music.”From Scandihoovian Spanglish to snickering chickens, New York Times bestselling author and humorist Michael Perry navigates a wide range of topics in this collection of brief essays drawn from his weekly appearances on the nationally syndicated Tent Show Radio program. Fatherhood, dumpster therapy, dangerous wedding rings, Christmas trees, used cars, why you should have bacon in your stock portfolio, loggers in clogs—whatever the subject, Perry has a rare ability to touch both the funny bone and the heart.

Best Short Stories of the Modern Age


Douglas Angus - 1969
    Collected in this remarkable volume are twenty renowned writers of the modern age who brilliantly mastered the distinctive power and beauty of the form--each bringing his or her own unique vision to the page. This powerful collection includes the work of: Sherwood Anderson, Anton Chekov, Joseph Conrad, Shirley Jackson, D.H. Lawrence, Katherine Mansfield, Lionel Trilling, and many more.

When It Rained at Hembry Castle


Meredith Allard - 2021
    When the 8th Earl of Staton dies, his eldest son, the unreliable Richard, inherits the title and the family’s home—Hembry Castle. The Earl's niece, the American-born Daphne, is intrigued by Edward Ellis, a rising author with a first-hand knowledge of Hembry Castle—from the servants’ hall. And Edward, though captivated by the lovely Daphne, has his own hurdles he must overcome. Can Richard come to terms with his title before bringing ruin on his family? Will Edward and Daphne find their way to each other despite the obstacles of life at Hembry Castle? When It Rained at Hembry Castle is a page-turning, romantic novel with vivid characters and an engrossing story that will keep you guessing until the end.

Midnight Ice


Diane Vallere - 2012
    This is a standalone Madison Night Mystery novella which takes place prior to PILLOW STALK, Madison Night Mad for Mod Mystery #1. The overall story arc for the Madison Night Mysteries begins in PILLOW STALK. -- When interior decorator Madison Night crosses the country to distance herself from a recent breakup, she learns it's harder to escape her past than she thought, and diamonds are rarely a girl's best friend. -- (This novella was previously included in OTHER PEOPLE'S BAGGAGE.) The Madison Night Mysteries: #0 Midnight Ice #1 Pillow Stalk #2 That Touch of Ink #3 With Vics You Get Eggroll #4 The Decorator Who Knew Too Much #5 The Pajama Frame

White Collar Girl


Renée Rosen - 2015
    There’s a story out there buried in the muck, and Jordan Walsh, coming from a family of esteemed reporters, wants to be the one to dig it up. But it’s 1955, and the men who dominate the city room of the Chicago Tribune have no interest in making room for a female cub reporter. Instead Jordan is relegated to society news, reporting on Marilyn Monroe sightings at the Pump Room and interviewing secretaries for the White Collar Girl column.Even with her journalistic legacy and connections to luminaries like Mike Royko, Nelson Algren, and Ernest Hemingway, Jordan struggles to be taken seriously. Of course, that all changes the moment she establishes a secret source inside Mayor Daley’s office and gets her hands on some confidential information. Now careers and lives are hanging on Jordan’s every word. But if she succeeds in landing her stories on the front page, there’s no guarantee she’ll remain above the fold.…

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.

Drive for Five: The Remarkable Run of the 2016 Patriots


Christopher Price - 2017
    They become larger than life and bigger than anyone ever thought possible, leaping off the field, the court, or the diamond and into the annals of not only history, but the very fabric of the American milieu. We all just witnessed such a moment on February 5th, 2017, when the New England Patriots battled back from the largest deficit in Super Bowl history to once again become world champions and secure Tom Brady's legacy as the greatest quarterback of all time.Amid a season of controversy, turmoil, and the most tumultuous political climate of our lifetime, the Patriots won. In spite of becoming entangled in the national spotlight on several occasions, the Patriots won. And in spite of being faced with any number of circumstances that would sink almost every other franchise in the NFL, the Patriots won.The season began with the fallout around Deflategate and losing their MVP-caliber quarterback for the first four games of the season, but honestly, the Deflategate saga was just a small part of it all.This is the story of how the Patriots rallied together as a team to surpass their obstacles on and off the football field and how that led to a remarkable run to the title - and the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history.Complete with player interviews, behind-the-scenes stories never told before, and content provided by Patriots players themselves, Drive for Five provides a unique level of insight and access to the story behind the legendary New England Patriots' 2016 season.

Your Father Sends His Love


Stuart Evers - 2014
    His unforgettable characters illuminate familial love in all its forms: a single father goes to jail for avenging a hate crime perpetrated against his gay son; a mother returns home to her husband and children after an affair; an aging grandfather mediates between his quarreling son and his granddaughter; a man comes to New York to heal from the tragic death of his child. As emotionally acute as Lorrie Moore’s Birds of America, as unique and elegant as Jonathan Lethem’s 9 Inches, these stories of love, loss, estrangement, and the many names for family announce the arrival of a bold new literary talent.

Don't Follow Me, I'm Lost: A Memoir of Hampshire College in the Twilight of the '80s


Richard Rushfield - 2009
    Self- proclaimed nerd Richard Rushfield knew this progressive Massachusetts campus was the place for him, offering a chance to shed his squeaky-clean California upbringing. He was part of the freshman class of 1986, hiding out from Reagan-era excess in a liberal haven where overachievement and preppy clothes were banned. By turns hilarious, ironic, and steeped in history, Don't Follow Me, I'm Lost takes readers to a campus populated by Deadheads, club kids, poets, and insomniac filmmakers, at a time when America saw the rise of punk and grunge alongside neo-conservatism, earnest calls for political correctness, and Take Back the Night vigils. Shunned by all of the school's reigning subcultures, Rushfield joins the most hated clique on campus, the Supreme Dicks, navigates a dating scene where to express interest in anything is social suicide, and mostly avoids class where hippie professors blather on about post-structuralism. Culminating in a mad clash of slackers and yuppies, Don't Follow Me, I'm Lost captures a watershed moment for American youth in one hilarious and unforgettable trip.

An Invincible Summer


Betta Ferrendelli - 2015
    Jaime, however, is tormented by demons from her past.But when she learns that Leigh Roberts, a local reporter for a Denver daily newspaper, intends to have her mentally challenged daughter, Ashleigh, forcibly sterilized, something within Jaime stirs.Whether it is anger, pity, or simply the need to do what’s right, Jaime decides to turn her back on her promising career with the DA’s office to represent Ashleigh Roberts.With the odds stacked against them, Jaime and Ashleigh take their case to the courts in a battle that will ultimately resolve one woman’s past and one woman’s future.