"Former pop star Heather Wells has settled nicely into her new life as assistant dorm director at New York College—a career that does not require her to drape her size 12 body in embarrassingly skimpy outfits. She can even cope (sort of) with her rocker ex-boyfriend's upcoming nuptials, which the press has dubbed The Celebrity Wedding of the Decade. But she's definitely having a hard time dealing with the situation in the dormitory kitchen—where a cheerleader has lost her head on the first day of the semester. (Actually, her head is accounted for—it's her torso that's AWOL.)
Surrounded by hysterical students—with her ex-con father on her doorstep and her ex-love bombarding her with unwanted phone calls—Heather welcomes the opportunity to play detective . . . again. If it gets her mind off her personal problems—and teams her up again with the gorgeous P.I. who owns the brownstone where she lives—it's all good. But the murder trail is leading the average-sized amateur investigator into a shadowy world. And if she doesn't watch her step, Heather will soon be singing her swan song!"
"Cause Celeb is the debut novel from Helen Fielding, the bestselling author of Bridget Jones’s Diary.
Disillusioned by her glitzy life in London and her desirable but cruel TV-presenter boyfriend, Rosie Richardson chucks it all in and spends four years running a refugee camp in Africa. Then famine strikes in a nearby province and an influx of starving refugees threatens to overwhelm the camp. Frustrated by the cautious response of the aid agencies, Rosie decides on a drastic short-term solution. She returns to London, breaks back into the celebrity circuit and brings the celebs out to Africa for a star-studded TV emergency appeal."
"A dazzlingly urban satire on modern relationships?
An ironic, tragic insight into the demise of the nuclear family?
Or the confused ramblings of a pissed thirty-something?
As Bridget documents her struggles through the social minefield of her thirties and tries to weigh up the eternal question (Daniel Cleaver or Mark Darcy?), she turns for support to four indispensable friends: Shazzer, Jude, Tom and a bottle of Chardonnay.
Welcome to Bridget's first diary: mercilessly funny, endlessly touching and utterly addictive.
Helen Fielding's first Bridget Jones novel, Bridget Jones's Diary, sparked a phenomenon that has seen three books, newspaper columns and the smash-hit film series Bridget Jones' Diary, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason and Bridget Jones's Baby."
"“Wonderful. . . . A must read come holiday time.”—Roanoke Times
“Nobody does Christmas like Mary Kay Andrews.” — Debbie Macomber
New York Times bestselling author Mary Kay Andrews's rollicking Christmas tale featuring the beloved characters from Savannah Blues and Savannah Breeze
'Tis the week before Christmas, and antiques dealer Weezie Foley is in a frenzy to do up her shop right for the Savannah historical district decorating contest, which she fully intends to win. Her motif is Graceland Blue Christmas, with lots of tinsel, an aluminum tree, and enough tacky retro doodads to fill the Grand Ole Opry. But no sooner is she certain she's one-upped the trendy shop around the corner when Weezie notices things going strangely missing from her display.
Despite the petty burglaries of her mysterious midnight visitor, Weezie still has high hopes for the holiday. Perhaps even an engagement ring is in the offing from her chef boyfriend, though Daniel, usually moody around the yuletide, seems even more distant than ever. Throw in some seasonal eccentricities from Weezie's decidedly odd family, a miraculous 1950s Christmas-tree pin, and a little help from the King (Elvis!) himself, and even Scrooge would have to agree there's real magic in the Savannah air this Christmas."
"On Wednesday, Quinn McKenzie changes her life. On Thursday, she tries to get somebody to notice. On Thursday night, somebody does.
Quinn McKenzie is dating the world’s nicest guy, she has a good job as a high school art teacher, she’s surrounded by family and friends who rely on her, and she’s bored to the point of insanity. But when Quinn decides to change her life by adopting a stray dog over everyone’s objections, everything begins to spiral out of control. Now she’s coping with dognapping, breaking and entering, seduction, sabotage, stalking, more secrets than she really wants to know, and two men who are suddenly crazy…for her."
"Toddlers, Julia remembered hearing someone say, were like big tyrants of tiny countries. Demanding, insatiably needy, and all ego and id, her son was still by far the best boss she’d ever had.Julia Einstein knew that being a stay-at-home mom had a lot in common with her former job as a celebrity publicist—endless, irrational demands, little to no appreciation, and constant hustle. But it isn’t until her husband is laid off from his job and she’s forced to go back to work and resurrect screen legend Mary Ford’s career that Julia realizes how very much she prefers an actual child to a formerly famous client.For example, her child doesn’t steal ten-thousand-dollar leather coats from photo shoots. Nor does he require a constant, fresh supply of a soda that is no longer in production. He doesn’t curse at Julia, pronounce her name “Einstein” with a thick layer of disdainful irony, or incessantly poke at her with his index finger while reciting odd variations on childlike rhymes like a psych patient on day pass. With a mortgage looming and three years out of the business, however, Julia knows she has no choice but to make Mary’s comeback a success. Even if it kills her.Which, at this pace, is a possibility. But if there is one thing Julia has learned from her time off from the office, it’s that sheer determination can solve almost everything. After all, if she can get through suburban living with its uncontrolled clutter and playground politics, how hard can it be to resuscitate the career of an aging, desperate has-been? And get over the fact that her husband is a better stay-at-home mom than Julia ever was?"
"With a spark of romance and a bevy of chaotic canines (Romantic Times), #1 New York Times bestselling author Fern Michaels delivers a wonderfully entertaining novel about the things we do to protect the ones we love and the happiness life can bring when we least expect it…
Olivia Lowell always believed her father’s claim that her mother died in childbirth, until the shocking day a lawyer informs her that her mother has just passed away, leaving her a fortune. However, the money comes with a caveat. In her will, Olivia’s mother reveals that she and two college friends committed a crime long ago, and now she wants Olivia to track down her accomplices and convince them to come clean.
Feeling betrayed by her father and unsure that she even wants her mother’s tainted money, Olivia must decide if she can handle the secrets of the past. Fulfilling her mother’s request won’t be easy, nor will mending her relationship with her father. But with the help and affections of a handsome young lawyer, and the sweet companionship of her beloved Yorkies, Olivia will come to understand who her mother really was, and who she, herself, was meant to be…."
"With her frayed jeans and cascade of tousled dark hair, Lynn Shaw looks more like one of the teenage residents of Horizon House than their counselor. So it’s no wonder State Senator Erik Gunther mistakes her for one. Not that he exactly fits the description of a politician, with his movie-star looks and athletic build. Even Lynn, cynical, stubborn, and decidedly not looking for a relationship, can’t ignore her body’s response to the man.
Allegedly, he’s come to defend Lynn from angry locals who don’t want her home for delinquent girls in their neighborhood. But as far as Lynn is concerned, he’s looking for a photo op, a chance to play the hero–the last thing either she or her troubled girls need.
What they need is understanding. Lynn knows teenage rebellion all too well. And she knows firsthand its heartbreaking price. She won’t touch the good senator with a ten-foot pole only to watch him disappear once he gets what he wants. Unfortunately, Erik refuses to go away.
The moment Erik looks into her emerald eyes, his interest in work falls into serious competition with his interest in Lynn Shaw. Her rejection of his assistance only intrigues him further. He is determined to know her–and to help her. If that means practically moving into Horizon House, so be it.
But as the two engage in a battle of hearts, it becomes clear that Lynn is waging a private war of her own, against demons of the past–and against her overwhelming desire for the one man who may be worth fighting for."
"Here is New York Times bestselling author Iris Johansen’s classic novel of unforgettable romance and unrelenting suspense–a ravishing thriller of a woman with a secret irresistibly drawn into the glittering world of a famous man whose past may be murder….
Taking the stage that evening, Daisy Justine had no idea that she was auditioning for her life. Watching from the darkness beyond the footlights was the world-famous composer Jason Hayes. The reclusive genius was seeking a new star to play the tragic heroine in his latest work, an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Othello.
From the moment he heard her sing, Jason knew he’d found the star he’d been searching for his whole life. But coaxing her from Geneva to the bright lights of Broadway wasn’t going to be easy. For she’d made a promise to another man that she couldn’t break–nor disclose to anyone, not even Jason.
Jason has only two weeks to change Daisy’s mind. But the closer he gets to her, the closer danger comes. For there’s more than just artistic temperament behind Jason’s legendary seclusion. He, too, is harboring a secret, stalked by a killer who’s followed him for decades. Now he’ll do anything to protect Daisy from the greatest threat of all–herself. Daisy’s determined to catch the ruthless sociopath who’ll stop at nothing to ruin their lives. And she’s baiting the trap with the one victim the killer can’t resist."
"Dear Reader,
As most of you probably know by now, I began my career writing series, or category, romance. I am very proud of my roots in romance, and consider myself lucky to have served a solid writing apprenticeship in a genre that allowed me to combine various elements in pursuit of a good story.
Because love stories can be told against the backdrop of history or within the framework of mystery, suspense, fantasy, paranormal, and even horror plots, I was able to exercise those writing muscles over time, undoubtedly leading to the suspense/thriller novels I’m writing today. Romance is no longer the central focus of what I write, but it remains at the heart of all my work.
So I give you here a romantic story with an edge of suspense, first published in 1989. Lara Callahan has come to the small town of Pinewood to start over–and to hide. Devon Shane has come looking for answers. When the wary woman and mysterious man take roles in a community theater production, they risk far more than the judgment of an audience. They risk their very lives.
Because both of them have secrets. Both are living a lie. And both know the first rule of survival is Tell no one. It’s a rule they’ll have to break.
Kay Hooper"
"In the expert hands of two of the mystery world's top storytellers, being a housewife takes on a whole new meaning. These original stories explore the dark side of the housewife psyche and are guaranteed to delight. But be cautioned: These stories—'GDMFSOB' by Nevada Barr (author of the Anna Pigeon series) and 'Acid Test' by Sara Paretsky (author of the V.I. Warshawski novels)—are meant to be listened to alone while sipping a glass of wine. Do not operate a motor vehicle or handle any kind of weapon for one hour after reading. Guaranteed to raise your blood pressure and your craving for revenge."
"One of the New York Times's 100 Best Books of the 21st Century
The extraordinary new novel from the acclaimed author of Bad Behavior and Two Girls, Fat and Thin, Veronica is about flesh and spirit, vanity, mortality, and mortal affection. Set mostly in Paris and Manhattan in the desperately glittering 1980s, it has the timeless depth and moral power of a fairy tale.
As a teenager on the streets of San Francisco, Alison is discovered by a photographer and swept into the world of fashion-modeling in Paris and Rome. When her career crashes and a love affair ends disastrously, she moves to New York City to build a new life. There she meets Veronica-an older wisecracking eccentric with her own ideas about style, a proofreader who comes to work with a personal "office kit" and a plaque that reads "Still Anal After All These Years." Improbably, the two women become friends. Their friendship will survive not only Alison's reentry into the seductive nocturnal realm of fashion, but also Veronica's terrible descent into the then-uncharted realm of AIDS. The memory of their friendship will continue to haunt Alison years later, when she, too, is aging and ill and is questioning the meaning of what she experienced and who she became during that time.
Masterfully layering time and space, thought and sensation, Mary Gaitskill dazzles the reader with psychological insight and a mystical sense of the soul's hurtling passage through the world. A novel unlike any other, Veronica is a tour de force about the fragility and mystery of human relationships, the failure of love, and love's abiding power. It shines on every page with depth of feeling and formal beauty."
