It is doubtful that Bennett could have made up the eccentric Miss Shepherd if he tried, but his poignant, funny but unsentimental account of their strange relationship is akin to his best fictional screen writing.Bennett concedes that "One seldom was able to do her a good turn without some thoughts of strangulation", but as the plastic bags build up, the years pass by and Miss Shepherd moves into Bennett's driveway, a relationship is established which defines a certain moment in late 20th-century London life which has probably gone forever. The dissenting, liberal, middle-class world of Bennett and his peers comes into hilarious but also telling collision with the world of Miss Shepherd: "there was a gap between our social position and our social obligations. It was in this gap that Miss Shepherd (in her van) was able to live". Bennett recounts Miss Shepherd's bizarre escapades in his inimitable style, from her letter to the Argentinean Embassy at the height of the Falklands War, to her attempts to stand for Parliament and wangle an electric wheelchair out of the Social Services. Beautifully observed, The Lady in the Van is as notable for Bennett's attempts to uncover the enigmatic history of Miss Shepherd, as it is for its amusing account of her eccentric escapades. --Jerry Brotton

    Within its golden gates, death, American-style, is wrapped up and sold like a package holiday. There, Dennis enters the fragile and bizarre world of Aimée, the naïve Californian corpse beautician, and Mr Joyboy, the master of the embalmer's art...A dark and savage satire on the Anglo-American cultural divide, The Loved One depicts a world where love, reputation, and death cost a very great deal.This is an alternate cover edition: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3....

    McQueen (no relation, unfortunately) seems to have a knack for bad luck. But a failed marriage, a stalled career, a judgmental ex-wife, a distant daughter, a horrid little studio apartment in the far reaches of the London suburbs-all these pathetic elements seem to pale in the chiseled face of his newest tormentor: the Twelfth Sexiest Man in the World, Josh Harper.Josh is the star of Mad, Bad, and Dangerous to Know, a biographical play about Lord Byron-and Stephen is his understudy. Not only is Josh fantastically, infuriatingly good-looking, internationally renowned, and remarkably talented, he's also frustratingly healthy. No matter how many all-night booze-and-coke benders Josh goes on, he always shows up at the stage door for his call like clockwork. Stephen doubts he'll ever get his chance to slip on the puffy shirt and tight breeches of Byron and tread the boards in the role that would certainly be the break he's always waited for.And just when Stephen's sure he couldn't resent Josh more, he meets Josh's witty, restless American wife, Nora . . . and discovers he likes her a little too much. Another man might curse his luck at finding that his potential dream woman is a rival's wife, but at this point, Stephen would expect nothing else. Caught between his stirring feelings for Nora, the demands of an insistent and secretive Josh, and his lifelong desire for a real career in show business, Stephen must make a terrible decision: Will it be the girl or the fame?A hapless, bumbling bloke in love, an arrogant megastar with a potpourri of addictions, a sexy married woman out of her element in the fast lane-David Nicholls brings them all together in this knockout romantic comedy.From the Hardcover edition.

    And don’t look back.My best friend told me to run, and I listened.My name is no longer Emily.I changed it to Emma and ran as fast I could.I found paradise with a little dash of family.I began rebuilding my life from the ashes.Then Liam walked into my new life.He was kind, smart and downright sexy, but trust wouldn’t come easy to me anymore.He said we could just be friends, but I know he wanted more.I wanted so much to lose myself in him.I wanted so much to forget.But some things can’t be forgotten.Some people can’t be banished.All I could hope is that by the time my past caught up with me, those I loved would be safe and sound.I had the worst luck in love.Women only saw my bank account when they dated me.I had a long sad history with gold diggers, and I was done.But then I saw Emma laugh.Her beauty struck deep within my tired soul and I knew I had to possess her.But I could tell she had a secret.I just never knew how dangerous that secret was.Now it is up to me to save her.If she will let me….When pain and misery litter the pages of our past, can we afford the price of love?Book 2: Lucky EncounterFive years ago, he broke my heart.I was a struggling waitress, down on her luck.He was rich, successful, hot, and charming. How could I keep saying no?But I was a fool to think he cared.When I got pregnant with his child, and he abandoned his responsibilities with a callous note, I vowed to remake myself and never be stupid enough to trust somebody like Noah Pryce again.Now our daughter is four, and I’ve worked my through grad school to build us a better life.When I get a job working at a high end security company for more money than I’ve ever seen, I think Bella and I have it made.But they didn’t tell me it’s Noah’s company.They didn’t tell me the man who abandoned us would be my boss.Somehow I’ve got to keep things professional and work for the bastard who almost ruined my life.Noah’s still gorgeous, still charming, and sometimes I think he might have changed.But for my daughter, I’ve got to keep my head on straight.Noah Pryce may have may have fooled me once, but I’m a different woman now.Book 3: Unexpected AdventureDeep in the Amazon Rainforest is the answer to all of her questions...Megan James has hated wealthy bad boy Andy Saxon ever since an accident that happened years ago.But, when Megan’s sister goes missing in the Amazon, Andy is the key to getting her back.Together, the unlikely duo concoct a plan to save the day.A fake wedding, a private jet, and a hidden heart of gold...Will Megan be able to overcome the past and learn to trust Andy?Will Andy ever find someone who loves him for more than his money?Can they rescue Megan’s sister from the jungle in time?What happens in the Amazon, certainly doesn’t stay in the Amazon...Book 4: Baking for the BillionaireA baking competition show isn’t exactly my thing. But when I find myself strapped for cash, that grand prize proves too hard to resist.Derek is charming, rich, and for some reason, interested in me.I know I should keep my distance, a contestant dating the show’s producer could be the ultimate scandal. Too bad I find the guy irresistible.As the competition heats up, so does our relationship, and I find myself falling head over heels for the man. But he’s got baggage in the form of a selfish ex-wife and I’m facing sabotage on the set.Can we move past our obstacles and find the recipe for love?Book 5: Keeping Her SafeI have a knack for finding trouble.This time, it’s landed me in the witness protection program.Now, I have a new name and a new life in Biloxi, Mississippi.I’ve barely settled in when a hurricane comes along to stir things up.I find myself stranded in the storm, desperate for shelter.Enter Ethan Kincaid.Sexy, rich, kind. He’s the total package.Suddenly, being stuck in the path of a tropical storm while hiding from a deranged killer doesn’t seem so bad.But I can’t forget about the danger that brought me here in the first place.And I can’t tell Ethan who I really am.Between the rain, the secrets, and the ever-lurking danger, I have a lot on my plate.Can I make room for love as well?It looks like I’ll have to, because I lost my heart to a billionaire while the storm raged.Book 6: My Perfect MatchMy trust in men had been destroyed by my previous employer.I wanted never to be a nanny again.But the story of a broken little girl caught at my heart.I accepted the job and made one unbreakable rule for myself -don’t ever let the boss get too close.Too bad this boss lived to break rules.I didn't want him. I didn't trust him.But he really didn't care.Loving him would mean risking the child who needed me.But how could I hate him when he made me feel so special?How could I resist the passion he was offering?If I throw caution to the wind, can we all come out the other side happier than we’ve ever been? Or will the flames burn everything to the ground? Book 7: Loving PursuitMy Hawaiian vacation turned into the perfect getaway when I met Marie.It only took one hot night for her to get under my skin.But I woke up alone the next morning.All I know is her name and the town she’s from.It’s enough to track her down, but should I bother?I can’t seem to help myself.I want her in my bed again. And again. And again.Before I know it, I’ve developed real feelings for her.But we come from different worlds.I’m a Beverly Hills billionaire. She’s a small-town princess.My father would never approve.Then, we get a shocking surprise that could change everything.Will we embrace change and come stronger on the other side?Is love enough to conquer all?Book 8: Return to MeOlivia Jacobs is the one that got away.It’s been ten years since life pulled us in different directions.In that time, I’ve become a billionaire with women falling at my feet.But none of them measure up.When an accident lands me in the hospital, I’m shocked to see Olivia there in scrubs.Sparks fly between us, but is it enough to reignite an old flame?Between my crazy ex and an opportunity that threatens to tear us apart again, there’s plenty to get in the way of happiness.Can we push through the obstacles and find a love that was always meant to be?

    With the sort of smart, persuasive voice associated with Simon Armitage and Michael Donaghy, these poems worry at the world in search of consolation, or else meet life's absurdity and strangeness half-way; whether sitting proudly atop an unexploded bomb, or injecting blood under the skin of a banana, playfulness and imagination are vehicles for confronting 'the fearful and forgotten things I've lied to myself about'. Here are poems which address anxiety about fatherhood, remorse for lost lovers and friends, or mourn for a miscarried sibling. Happiness is a collection preoccupied with the ephemerality of happiness itself, at the ever-present possibility of its departure, and the ways we try to grasp and keep hold of it. 'Every single thought I'm having is about LOVE', here meaning both the pleasure and panic of love, its peculiarity; love as a feeling of risk, love for one's own body, familiar yet estranged, of 'cack-handed LOVE at his console', love like 'pausing to move a snail somewhere safer in the rain'.

    She rejects the outside world and embarks on a contented existence of isolated self-indulgence. But when her nice neighbours Fred and Geraldine introduce her to the roguishly desirable actor Finbar Flynn the walls of the citadel begin to crack . . .

    From grief and loss, like a Phoenix rises from the ashes, he’s built his way to the top of his profession. He can have anything and anyone he wants in life. Except for the one thing he desires most: revenge on the man who killed his sister. Until, that is, a chance meeting brings him face to face with a beautiful and bewitching woman. Desperately in need of legal help, a mistake leads Chloe to Hendrix’s door. He’s fascinated by her at first, but when he finds out her connection to his haunted past, he knows she holds the key to the payback he’s craved for so long. But using Chloe to avenge his sister’s death will mean hurting Chloe, and Hendrix has to weigh up what he wants more: revenge on his enemy, or a ‘happily ever after’ with the woman of his dreams…

    What is the star of her favorite TV show doing in their tiny Pacific Coast town? Since Wynn is the only medical help for miles around, she has to stitch up his face—and also maybe his heart—all while protecting her own heart from the worldly charmer.Love on a Mission in Millcreek - JoAnn DurginAngelia Ford wonders if she’ll ever live down her unfortunate outburst at the end of the Millcreek Elementary Christmas program. Sixteen years later, she’s home to care for her grandfather and prays the town’s citizens have finally forgiven her youthful indiscretion.Millcreek’s newest resident, Nicholas Sanders, recognizes the beautiful blonde server at the local diner, but it’s clear Angel doesn’t remember him. What better time than the festive holiday season for Nick to reintroduce himself to the girl he’s never forgotten?The Bells of New Cheltenham - Chautona HavigWhen Justine Driscoll decides to enter a short story contest using a Christmas carol as the inspiration, she discovers love in the carols she investigates, in the story an ex-Army guy tells, and in the little tourist town of New Cheltenham.A Christmas Duet - Annette M. IrbyA breakup steals a cellist’s inspiration. How will she create new compositions for her ensemble’s next album? Perhaps the church’s handsome music director could help. Join Kate Fleming and Zach Tillmon as Christmas music brings them together on Whidbey Island, Washington.A Night Divine - Dawn KinzerOne chilly December night, a tragedy connects successful model Camryn Tate and outreach minister Trace Gardner. As they share a common mission serving the homeless on the streets of Seattle, they provide more than food—they offer hope. But as Christmas Eve approaches, secrets have the potential to break Camryn’s heart.To Hear the Angels Sing - Lesley Ann McDanielBeing guardian of her niece isn’t as easy as Devlin Welsh might hope. When her niece is invited to be in a church show, the free childcare is hard to pass up. But when Devlin admits to knowing how to sew, she’s enlisted as costume designer. How will she find the time?One of Jonah Ryan’s favorite parts of his job as worship leader is working on the kids’ Christmas musical. There’s something about the woman who’s volunteering to design costumes this year that gets him thinking. Could there be more to life than music?Prairie Rose - Sylvia StewartFor many years, Rose Morris has lived alone with her dog, Rusty. Mitch Foster, a handsome, un-married neighbor, brings her a bright red geranium, and insists on helping with chores. But who should drive into Rose’s farmyard? The scoundrel husband who had deserted her and her teenaged son years before. Later, a pre-teen runaway, found in her barn, adds his troubles to her own, so Rose decides to re-capture the peace and serenity of Christmas.

    Set in a summer villa, the story is tautly structured, taking place over a week in which a group of beautiful, flawed tourists in the French Riviera comes loose at the seams. Shortlisted for the 2012 Man Booker Prize.

    Symposium stars a perfectly evil young woman (a classic sweet-faced hair-raising Sparkian horror) who has married rich Hilda's son by hook or by crook, hooking him at the fruit counter of Harrod's. There is also spiritual conversation and the Bordeaux is superb. "The prevailing mood is urbane: the wine is poured, the talk continues, and all the time the ice on which the protagonists' world rests is being thinned from beneath, by boiling emotions and ugly motives. No living writer handles the tension between formality of expression and subversiveness of thought more elegantly." (The Independent on Sunday).

    Can Clementine save them all, or has she bitten off more than she can chew by stepping into the oddest little chocolate shop in London?

    Their book promises to take mid-life by its elasticated waist and give it a brisk going over with a stiff brush. At a time of constant uncertainty, what we all need is the wisdom and experience of two women who haven't got a clue what's happening either.

    In a bid for freedom a lone spaceship hurtled through space before crashing in the hills outside a small village in Spain. On Christmas Day a strong, silent man with blank eyes entered Bar Noche Azul. Only a 13-year-old boy could have guessed that there was any connection between the two.

    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.

    'There once was a man who, one night between the main course and the sweet at a dinner party, went upstairs and locked himself in one of the bedrooms of the house of the people who were giving the dinner party . . .' As time passes by and the consequences of this stranger's actions ripple outwards, touching the owners, the guests, the neighbours and the whole country, so Ali Smith draws us into a beautiful, strange place where everyone is so much more than they at first appear.There but for the was hailed as one of the best books of 2011 by Jeanette Winterson, A.S. Byatt, Patrick Ness, Sebastian Barry, Boyd Tonkin, Erica Wagner and Nick Barley. 'Dazzlingly inventive' A.S. Byatt 'Whimsically devastating. Playful, humorous, serious, profoundly clever and profoundly affecting' Guardian 'A real gem' Erica Wagner, The Times 'Eccentric, adventurous, intoxicating, dazzling. This is a novel with serious ambitions that remains huge fun to read' Literary Review 'If you liked Smith's earlier fiction, you will know that she enjoys setting up a situation before chucking in a literary Molotov cocktail then describing what happens' Sunday Express 'Wonderful, word-playful, compelling' Jeanette Winterson 'Smith can make anything happen, which is why she is one of our most exciting writers today' Daily Telegraph 'I take my hat off to Ali Smith. Her writing lifts the soul' Evening Standard