Family life fiction / Stories about family

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Book SynopsisIn this first novel in the internationally bestselling trilogy, One Step to You, two teenagers spend the best days of their lives together, but belonging to opposite worlds may eventually tear them apart forever.Just as in every other place in the world, teenagers in Rome, Italy, forge their own path separate from their parents. Some are hardworking and studious like Babi, a young girl waiting to find the love of her life. Then there are bad boys like Step, who are from the wrong side of the tracks. The Romeo and Juliet of their time, Babi and Step are from different worlds, want different things, but cannot help falling in love. Although their relationship won't be easy, their love may be the best thing to ever happen to them.

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Book SynopsisIn this second novel about the "deep, passionate romance that transcends time and age" (Booklist), Federico Moccia delights readers with an enchanting novel about making wishes, second chances at love, and following dreams.After leaving Rome with a broken heart, Step Mancini returns from America two long years later. He's told himself that he's put his first love behind him, but now that he's home, he can no longer deny his need to see Babi Gervasi again. So he's completely blindsided when he finds himself trading flirtatious barbs with fledgling actress Genevra Biro. Bold, streetwise, and funny, Gin is everything that Babi is not. She offers Step a new beginning, a second chance at the love of a lifetime.But even his romance with Gin can't completely erase the past. Trouble still follows his friends, and he and his mother remain estranged. For now he can outrun his problems as he and Gin discover Rome together, from Capitoline Hill to the Ponte Milvio bridge, where the pair attack a padlock to the lamppost and throw the key into the Tiber River, ensuring that their love will last forever.But forever is a very long time. And their love is about to be tested.

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Book SynopsisFrom an internationally bestselling author comes the powerful and poignant final book in his Rome Novels trilogy, following two soulmates whose lives will be intertwined forever-perfect for fans of Reminders of Him and In Five Years. Step Mancini has more than any man has a right to ask for. He has succeeded beyond his wildest dreams as a television producer and can afford to surround himself with beautiful things, including his lawyer wife. And now his life is even more perfect because they have a baby on the way.But there's nothing like the magic of first love. When Babi Gervasi suddenly reappears in Step's life, she brings back tender memories along with a shocking request for his help. Step knows that his wife can never find out, and so he begins a double life, torn between the two women he cares about most in the world.

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Book SynopsisWhen bakery owner Hannah Eicher finds an infant in the barn on Christmas Eve, it seemed like her prayers for a family of her own were answered. She's been fostering little Grace for nearly a year now and soon the adoption will be final.Anxious to find the baby his late sister abandoned in Hope's Haven, paramedic Mike Colder sets out to his childhood hometown. But the trail he follows leads not to his nephew but to a sweet baby girl and the Amish woman caring for her.Though there is a growing attraction between Hannah and Mike, both are aware of the different worlds they come from and know it can't lead anywhere. Before long Mike begins to feel a tug for the simple lifestyle he left behind all those years ago and begins to wonder if perhaps he can return to it. But as Christmas nears, long buried secrets come to light. Can these two work though all the obstacles to claim their Christmas Miracle -- a happily ever after together?

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Book SynopsisKit Blakemore is ready to live again. After her husband died while serving in the military, she was in a haze of grief. Now she wants to reclaim her former self-finish her degree and find a better career to provide for their sweet little boy, Oliver. To do that, she'll need to sell her late husband's dilapidated Victorian in Seashell Harbor. But first, Kit intends to give Ollie the kind of unforgettable seaside summer she had growing up, making lifelong memories and friendships.Of course, nothing goes exactly as she planned. Ollie is struggling with his confidence, and frankly, so is Kit. But everything changes when her husband's best friend, Alex de la Cruz, returns to town, offering to help her renovate. She doesn't expect Alex to temporarily move in...or for him to bond with Ollie...or for her numb heart to begin thawing. Slowly he's helping Kit and Ollie heal, and it scares her to death.Kit swore she wouldn't leave herself open to the pain of loss again. But if she's going to teach her son to be brave and move forward, Kit must first face her own fears.

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Book SynopsisAfter spending the last few years beating cancer, author Darla Manning is ready for a fresh start-she's already got a new teaching position in California for the fall. But first, she has some loose ends to tie up over the summer, like finishing her latest novel and selling her oceanfront home. Darla doesn't expect her ex-husband, contractor Nick Cammareri, to top her list of unfinished business. He was only supposed to do a few quick renovation jobs around the house, not temporarily move in and stir up feelings she thought were long gone.?While Darla tries to focus on making the most of her last Seashell Harbor summer, she can't help noticing how much Nick has changed. Her immature-but-seriously-cute high school sweetheart is now a motivated-and-seriously-sexy man who's earning his MBA and running the family business. Plus, he seems determined to make her remember how-and why-they first fell in love. Darla believed moving on meant moving away, but could her hometown hold the key to a new beginning for her . . . with Nick?

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Book SynopsisVincent, having grown up as the privileged daughter of artists, has a lovely life in many ways. At forty-four, she enjoys strolling the streets of Paris and teaching at the modern art museum; she has a vibrant group of friends; and she's even caught the eye of a young, charismatic man named Loup. But Vincent is also in Paris to escape a painful betrayal: her husband, Cillian, has published a bestselling book divulging secrets about their marriage and his own past, hinting that when he was a teenager, he may have had a child with a young woman back in Dublin-before he moved to California and never returned.Now estranged from her husband, Vincent has agreed to see Cillian again at their son's wedding the following summer, but Loup introduces new complications. Soon they begin an intense affair, and somewhere between dinners made together, cigarettes smoked in the moonlight, hazy evenings in nightclubs, and long, starry walks along the Seine, Vincent feels herself loosening and blossoming.In a journey that is both transportive and intimate, Half-Blown Rose traverses Paris, art, travel, liminal spaces, and the messy complexities of relationships and romance, with excerpts from Cillian's novel, playlists, and journal entries woven throughout. As Cillian does all he can to win her back, Vincent must decide what she wants . . . and who she will be.

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Book SynopsisI wanted to lose myself in the small town of Pelion, Maine. To forget everything I had left behind. The sound of rain. The blood. The coldness of a gun against my skin. For six months, each breath has been a reminder that I survived--and my dad didn't. I'm almost safe again. But the moment I meet Archer Hale, my entire world tilts on its axis . . . and never rights itself again.Until I trespass into his strange, silent, and isolated world, Archer communicates with no one. Yet in his whiskey-coloured eyes, something intangible happens between us. There's so much more to him than just his beauty, his presence, or the ways his hands communicate with me. On me. But this town is mired in secrets and betrayals, and Archer is the explosive centre of it all.So much passion. And so much hurt. But it's only in Archer's silence that we might just find what we need to heal . . . and live.Includes an exclusive extended epilogue from Archer's POV!A Goodread's "Top Romance Novel of All Time"A New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestseller

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Book SynopsisFrom the Amazon Charts and Washington Post bestselling author of True Places comes an emotional novel of love, secrets, and obsession. Psychology professor Jackie Strelitz thinks she’s over Harlan Crispin, her ex-lover and colleague. Why should she care if Harlan springs a new “friend” on her? After all, Jackie has everything she ever wanted: a loving husband and a thriving career. Still, she can’t help but be curious about Harlan’s latest. Nasira Amari is graceful, smart, and appallingly young. Worse, she’s the newest member of Jackie’s research team. For five years, Harlan enforced rules limiting his relationship with Jackie. With Nasira, he’s breaking every single one. Why her? Fixated by the couple, Jackie’s curiosity becomes obsession. But she soon learns that nothing is quite what it seems and that to her surprise—and peril—she may not be the only one who can’t let go.Trade Review“Stories We Never Told is a beautifully told story of love and obsession, a gradual unearthing of long-held secrets that can unravel even the happiest of marriages. Yoerg has a real talent for creating compelling and complex characters who wrestle with real-life situations, leaving the reader wondering who to root for until the very end. Yoerg should be on every reader’s radar.” —Kimberly Belle, New York Times bestselling author of Dear Wife “It’s a rare psychological thriller that shows both the dark depths our obsessions can lead to and the unlikely breakthroughs that can let the light in. Sonja Yoerg’s Stories We Never Told does just that, deftly introducing a brilliant cast of characters for whom detachment and intimacy can be equally terrifying. A taut, clever, and satisfying read.” —Jessica Strawser, bestselling author of Not That I Could Tell “Sonja Yoerg expands her literary repertoire into suspense with Stories We Never Told, a tale of obsession, love, secrets, marriage, and the lies we tell ourselves. The prose is lyrical and immersive, and the story builds delicious tension. But the characters are where Yoerg truly shines: they’re all so keenly developed, so realistic, and so surprising with their own crackling takes on relationships, academia, and each other that the story itself starts to feel almost immaterial. Until, of course, it shocks the living hell out of you.” —Kate Moretti, New York Times bestselling author of The Vanishing Year and In Her Bones “Obsession, jealousy, and secrets smolder into a deadly fire in Yoerg’s latest, as a woman’s marriage and career implode at the same time her ex’s life seems to be on the rise. Astutely observed and beautifully written with echoes of Highsmith’s Ripley, this one’s got a deliciously diabolical villain to die for.” —Emily Carpenter, bestselling author of Burying the Honeysuckle Girls and Until the Day I Die “Truth and trust relentlessly collide in this beautifully written and riveting page-turner. Talented storyteller Sonja Yoerg will ensnare you from page one—and her determined and endearing main character, twisted by love and betrayed by expectations, will keep you turning pages as fast as you can. Loved this!” —Hank Phillippi Ryan, nationally bestselling author of The Murder List “Stories We Never Told is Sonja Yoerg at her best—gripping characters, sizzling suspense, brilliantly written. I raced through the pages. Bravo!” —Kaira Rouda, international bestselling author of The Favorite Daughter “Stories We Never Told is a superb, slow-burn suspense that brilliantly ratchets up the tension and character development notch by notch, layer by layer, culminating in a chilling, emotional ending. Sonja Yoerg is a master at creating characters you fall into, and her writing is stunning. A must read!” —Samantha M. Bailey, author of Woman on the Edge

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Book SynopsisMelissa Payne, bestselling author of The Secrets of Lost Stones, returns with another haunting and hopeful novel about redemption, the power of memory, and a woman’s will to reclaim her life. My name is Claire. I’m thirty-six years old. It’s September. I know what I’m doing and why I am here…for now. Ten years ago, Claire Hines lost her unborn child—and her short-term memory—following a heartrending tragedy. With notebooks, calendars, to-do lists, fractured pieces of the past, and her father’s support, Claire makes it through each day, hour by hour, with relative confidence. She also has a close-knit community of friends in the remote Alaskan town where she teaches guitar to the local children. It’s there, in the reminders. As determined as Claire is to regain all that’s disappeared, she’d prefer to live without some memories of her before life—especially those of her mother, Alice, who abandoned her, and Tate, the ex-boyfriend who broke her heart. But when Alice and Tate return from the past, there’ll be so much more for Claire to relive. And to discover for the very first time. Through healing, forgiveness, and second chances, Claire may realize that what’s most important might not be re-creating the person she was, but embracing the possibilities of being the person she is.Trade Review“Masterfully plotted with a narrative voice reminiscent of What Alice Forgot and How the Penguins Saved Veronica, Memories in the Drift shines.” —Booklist (starred review) “Memories in the Drift is an unforgettable story about forgiveness, compassion, and the incredible power of community, offering us a poignant reminder of what real courage looks like, and what it truly means to fight for the life you were meant to live.” —Barbara Davis, bestselling author of The Last of the Moon Girls “A stunning story of Claire’s attempt to unravel her sharpest, defining moments as her memory resets each day, erasing both new hurts and kindness. Set within a small, Alaskan town, as beautiful as it is unforgiving, Memories in the Drift is your next emotional must-read.” —Kristin Fields, author of A Lily in the Light and A Frenzy of Sparks

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Book SynopsisBestselling author Keiichiro Hirano offers a timeless ode to love’s fragility and its resilience in this delicate, award-winning novel. Classical guitarist Satoshi Makino has toured the world and is at the height of his career when he first lays eyes on journalist Yoko Komine. Their bond forms instantly. Upon their first meeting, after Makino’s concert in Tokyo, they begin a conversation that will go on for years, with long spells of silence broken by powerful moments of connection. She’s drawn by Makino’s tender music and his sensitivity, and he is intrigued by Yoko’s refinement and intellect. But neither knows enough about love to see it blooming nor has the confidence to make the first move. Will their connection endure, weaving them back together like instruments in a symphony, or will fate lead them apart? Blending the harmonies of Kazuo Ishiguro’s Nocturnes and the sensuality of Ian McEwan’s Enduring Love, At the End of the Matinee is an enchanting and thought-provoking love story.Trade ReviewPraise for At the End of the Matinee “A love story with a classic trajectory: Boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy finds girl…At the End of the Matinee, though, is distinguished by the toniness of its particular boy and girl.” —The New York Times “Yet what sets this book apart is how Hirano painstakingly renders the backdrop of their story, providing readers with a detailed view of politics, culture, and economics at the start of the 21st century…Reading At the End of the Matinee feels like being transported back to a time and place that illuminates the present. The struggles faced by the lovers—Satoshi Makino, a multilingual journalist, and Yoko Komine, a renowned classical guitarist—become an allegorical investigation into humanity’s search for completeness against a constant stream of setbacks and pain…In the same vein, the novel is also a study in how our own perceptions of the past frequently change and therefore alter our futures, and this romance, seemingly about two individuals, becomes a love letter to humanity on the glorious possibilities that are still to come, in the evenings of our lives, despite our many sufferings.” —The Japan Times “A major bestseller in Japan already turned into a feature film, this is Hirano’s second anglophoned export, greatly benefiting from Carpenter’s impeccable translation that ensures a leisurely, against-so-many-odds romance for globally aware audiences.” —Booklist “At the End of the Matinee, Japanese author Keiichiro Hirano’s new novel, depicts a torturous and suspenseful journey of two people in love whose lives bisect at the exact moment they are prepared to unite. It’s like two trains passing, each going in opposite directions.” —Authorlink “Deftly translated into English by Juliet Winters Carpenter, At the End of the Matinee by Japanese author Keiichiro Hirano is an extraordinary and compelling read throughout. Destined to be acknowledged as a literary classic, At the End of the Matinee is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to community, college, and university library Cultural Heritage, Family Life, and Contemporary Literary Fiction collections.” —Midwest Book Review “Like the luminous personalities in Hirano’s books, no culture is one thing, no language ever holds still, and no story cannot travel across waves and landscapes of interpretation, spinning and turning in dividual ways that depend on your perception as the reader.” —Publishing Perspectives “The powerful backdrop of this romantic tale is marked by worldwide historic events of the late 2000s and early 2010s, including the Iraq war, refugee issues, the financial crisis, and the Great East Japan earthquake…At the End of the Matinee is a sophisticated and elegant reflection on the connections between love and art, passion and music, and the source of creative inspiration.” —Brooklyn Digest “The literary and social merit of At the End of the Matinee emanates from how ‘internationalist’ the book is at its core. Hirano moves away from the Sinocentrism featured in many classical Japanese novels. Instead, Hirano’s multiracial and multicultural characters exist in a world far greater than their respective home countries. Women characters such as Yoko are also depicted as complex, independent, and intrinsically talented.” —Asia Media International Praise for A Man “Hirano’s English-language debut is a shape-shifting psychological thriller…As back-alley gritty and entertaining as a Raymond Chandler novel, the book asks what it means to be ‘you’ and suggests that the answer means nothing at all. Hirano’s stylish, suspenseful noir should earn him a stateside audience.” —Publishers Weekly “Keiichiro Hirano’s A Man has all the trappings of a gripping detective story: a bereaved wife, a dead man whose name belongs to someone else, mysterious coded letters, a lawyer intent on uncovering the truth. Together with a willfully understated title, however, these features belie a deeply thoughtful novel whose mystery premise gives way to an examination of the most profound questions of identity and artistic creation. In a work so rooted in Japanese cultural history, the questions posed by the author become distinctly literary, moving ultimately to address the very practice of novel writing.” —The Arts Desk “A riveting examination of desire and identity, A Man patiently unpicks the nature of unfulfilled aspirations. Keiichiro Hirano has written a multilayered tale of human reinvention, at once eminently readable and deeply moving.” —Tash Aw, author of The Harmony Silk Factory and Five Star Billionaire “There is no doubt that Keiichiro Hirano is an author with an extremely pioneering and modern spirit. His works have opened up a very imaginative space in analyzing and exploring the spiritual world of humanity.” —Sheng Keyi, author of Northern Girls and Death Fugue Praise for Keiichiro Hirano “Hirano has continued to grapple with new themes ever since his debut. In this work, he has arrived at the primal question of what validates human existence.” —Yōko Ogawa, author of The Memory Police

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Book SynopsisIn this international bestseller, a woman comes of age in a poignant novel about forgiveness, pain, and self-discovery. Mona’s demanding mother ruled their home until a car crash took her life and changed their family forever. Left to tend to a distant father and a needy younger brother, Mona finds her new role almost too much to bear. And when a new stepmother, troubled and depressed, adds yet another crack to the family portrait, Mona’s forced to shoulder an even greater share of the emotional burden. Somewhere between her responsibility to her family and to her own life, Mona finds a route of escape: in a theater career she craves. But for every challenge ahead—romantic, professional, sexual, and familial—Mona wonders how much of her future has already been defined by the challenges of her past. An emotional, funny, and universal novel about the people, experiences, and choices that make us who we are, Mona in Three Acts is a revelatory journey of a woman’s self-discovery, forgiveness, and courage to finally speak her truth.Trade Review“Griet Op de Beeck writes books that affect your organs: the lungs skip a breath, the stomach knots up, the heart leaps. Her characters hit incredibly close to home.” —De Standaard

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Book SynopsisFrom bestselling author Nancy Star comes a deeply moving novel about the truths we hide from others and the lies we tell ourselves. To the outside world, beloved advice columnist Lane Meckler has all the answers. What no one knows is that she also has a secret: her life is a disaster, and it’s just gotten worse. Her husband, whom she was planning to leave, has died in a freak accident. Her six-year-old son, Henry, has stopped speaking to everyone but her. Lane’s solution? Move. Growing up, that was what her family did best. But when she and Henry pack up and leave, Lane realizes that their next home is no better, and she finally begins to ask herself some hard questions. What made her family move so often? Why has she always felt like an outsider? How can she get Henry to speak? On a journey to help her son find his voice, Lane discovers that somewhere along the way she lost her own. If she wants to help him, she’ll need to find the courage to face the past and to speak the truth she’s been hiding from for years.Trade Review“With Rules for Moving, Nancy Star takes us beyond the paywall to ask what happens when our favorite internet advice columnist needs help of her own. A tender exploration of family, friendship, and what it means to be the black sheep.” —Julia Phillips, National Book Award finalist, author of Disappearing Earth “Nancy Star’s delightful and wise Rules for Moving could have been called Rules for Living. Advice columnist Lane offers her readers the help we would be lucky to receive: kind but unwaveringly honest, unexpected but utterly sensible. While Lane makes a boatload of mistakes, she never wavers in her fierce dedication to understanding and protecting her sweet but troubled young son, who Star paints with humor and rare insight. Readers will be transformed by watching Lane surmount her own tragedies with the grace and courage we dearly wish for ourselves.” —Lisa Gornick, author of The Peacock Feast and Louisa Meets Bear “Rules for Moving highlights once again Nancy Star’s sense of humor and empathy for tenderhearted people who are struggling to find a place in the world. I rooted for Lane Meckler, the snappy advice columnist who has no quick comeback when her six-year-old son goes silent with everyone but her. The novel is as suspenseful as a mystery and as wise as an Elizabeth Strout book.” —Alice Elliott Dark, author of In the Gloaming and Think of England “An advice columnist in desperate need of advice. A son who won’t talk. A rented house unfit for habitation. Nancy Star’s poignant novel Rules for Moving captures the chaos and heartbreak that is life—and also the wonder and joy.” —Marcy Dermansky, author of Very Nice “Nancy Star has written a beautiful, luminous novel filled with quirky characters so real you want to bring them home with you and give them some tea and a hug. This book has it all: an advice columnist who is struggling to follow her own best advice; an adorable little boy who has decided to stop talking; and an eccentric family that is burdened with secrets and rules. There is love and laughter and sweetness—and Star’s insightful writing and humor sweep us right to the heart of things. I loved every page!” —Maddie Dawson, Washington Post bestselling author of Matchmaking for Beginners

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Book SynopsisFrom the bestselling author of Matchmaking for Beginners comes a novel about love, loss, and the beautiful mess of family. Marnie MacGraw and Patrick Delaney have been in love for a few years now, enough to realize that they are imperfectly perfect together. Still, there are some things that maybe need a little attention. Marnie’s ebullient; he’s brooding. She thrives on change; he prefers stability. She sees marriage and parenthood in their future, but he can’t see beyond the shadow of an earlier tragedy. Then an eight-year-old surprise from Patrick’s past shows up on their doorstep, cartwheeling into their lives and spinning things in all directions. While it’s not exactly the change she envisioned, it looks like instant family to Marnie. But Patrick, afraid of being hurt again, retreats further into himself. Suddenly, two very different pieces of a beautiful puzzle find it harder and harder to fit. How can Marnie trust in the magic of the universe when it seems to be doing its best to knock her off her feet? But some love stories are worth waiting for. And what’s love without a little chaos anyway?Trade Review“Dawson has created a truly quirky story, filled with a little bit of magic (think unicorn glitter and sparkles) and a lot of love…An optimistic, feel-good story that celebrates love, community, goodness, and the creation of family, however it might appear.” —Kirkus Reviews “Alive with action, compelling and evolving characters, and screwball comedy, Dawson’s latest will appeal to readers looking for a story that is both pleasurable and substantial. Personal growth is achieved by overcoming obstacles, and the ending is honest and satisfying.” —Booklist “An inherently engaging and entertaining novel from cover to cover, A Happy Catastrophe by Maddie Dawson will prove to be an immediate and enduringly popular addition to community library Contemporary General Fiction collections.” —Midwest Book Review “The perfect effervescent antidote to these strange times, Dawson’s book sparkles with wonder, delight and a true sense of what love can mean and how it might reconfigure when faced with chaos. Honest to God, when I finished this novel, I put my hand on my heart and sighed.” —Caroline Leavitt, New York Times bestselling author of Cruel Beautiful World and With or Without You “In A Happy Catastrophe, author Maddie Dawson works magic on the page as she takes us into the life of bighearted Marnie MacGraw, a woman who can literally see the sparkle of love in the air. Marnie is surrounded by a constellation of vivid characters who, whether searching for connection or confronting loss, keep pressing on through the rich and wondrous catastrophe of life. A beautifully written testament to the tenacity of hope and the power of love.” —Nancy Star, bestselling author of Sisters One, Two, Three “If you enjoyed Matchmaking for Beginners as much as I did, prepare to be spellbound by A Happy Catastrophe—in which Marnie and the people closest to her discover that magic isn’t getting what you want, but rather in loving what life surprises you with. Maddie Dawson is at the top of her game in this charming and unputdownable novel.” —Camille Pagán, bestselling author of I’m Fine and Neither Are You “A triumphant tale about the redemptive magic of love—and the way life sometimes drags us through the muck before giving us what we never knew we wanted. Marnie is one of the most delightful heroines in contemporary fiction, and you won’t want to miss her!” —Kerry Anne King, bestselling author of Whisper Me This “I am a big, big fan of Maddie Dawson, and A Happy Catastrophe is one of those rare books—a sequel that is even more enjoyable than its stellar predecessor. In the follow-up to Matchmaking for Beginners, Maddie Dawson has taken her airy, madcap character on a walk through the hard work of not just falling in love, but staying the course with a man who has a few things to work out. And what results is a tale of great heart and insight—sprinkled with stardust and hope.” —Barbara O’Neal, author of When We Believed in Mermaids

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Book SynopsisTwo mothers face the consequences of their choices in a gripping novel about friendship, family, and forgiveness by Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author Jamie Beck. Grace first met Mimi when she blew into their sons’ toddler playgroup like a warm bay breeze that loosened Grace’s tight spaces. Despite differing approaches to life and parenting, the fast friends raised their kids together while cementing a sisterlike bond that neither believed could be broken. But when a string of ill-fated decisions results in a teen party with a tragic outcome for Grace’s son, the friendship is ripped apart and an already-splintered community explodes. Accusations are leveled, litigation ensues, and the people of Potomac Point take sides, all of which threatens Mimi’s business and her current custody agreement. Her sole salvation is a young cop who just might be her second chance at love. That fact only antagonizes Grace, whose marriage is crumbling beneath the weight of blame and the echo of past mistakes. With their lives unraveling, the former friends stand to lose everything they love unless they learn to forgive—both themselves and each other.Trade Review“Women’s fiction readers and series fans will be pleased with this story of friendship, family, and forgiveness.” —Publishers Weekly “Like Little Fires Everywhere and Big Little Lies, this novel tackles the complicated dynamic between mothers.” —The Hollywood Reporter “An inherently reader-engaging and impressively original story of friendship, hardship, love, tragedy, and redemption.” —Midwest Book Review “For All She Knows is a must-read for book clubs! Jamie Beck’s latest novel is both an insightful examination of modern-day parenting mores, and a poignant reminder of the importance of friendship and forgiveness.” —Brenda Novak, New York Times bestselling author “Jamie Beck deftly crafts a riveting tale of parenthood, marriage, and friendship around a tragic event that unravels the threads that hold everything dear for two friends: their families and each other. As heart-wrenching as it is inspiring, For All She Knows reminds us that forgiveness is the first step to heal and Beck captures this brilliantly. A spring read every book club should pick up!” —Kerry Lonsdale, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post bestselling author

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Book SynopsisThey all lived through that terrible Christmas. The problem is, they remember it differently… Sisters Penny and Victoria seem to have nothing in common—except perhaps envy. Penny seems blessed with a perfect work-life balance, though only she knows how underpaid and underappreciated she is, while Victoria appears to have everything she could wish for—along with a growing list of neuroses that keep her teetering on the brink of breakdown. For years the sisters have been at odds for reasons they don’t quite understand. What they do know is that everything changed on Christmas Eve 1976, when a shocking chain of events fractured the family forever. But when a fresh tragedy strikes, it becomes clear that Victoria remembers a lot more about that horrific day than she’s letting on… As secrets from their childhood are forced to the surface, the sisters must confront the shadows of the past together. Because, as they come to learn, as long as the truth remains bottled up, their relationships with each other, and to the past, can never heal. Revised edition: This edition of The Bottle of Tears (also published as Let the Light Shine) includes editorial revisions.

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Book SynopsisFrom the bestselling author of The Overdue Life of Amy Byler comes a fresh, funny, and thoughtful story about going off the grid in order to truly live. As one of the most popular influencers on social media, Mia Bell has lived her life online for years. With her celebrity dog and gorgeous fiancé, she is planning the ultimate virtual wedding—expensive, elaborate, and entirely paid for by sponsors. But off-camera, her world is far from picture perfect. After being jilted by her fiancé and faking her nuptials to please her sponsors, Mia finally has had enough. She heaves her phone off a cliff, ready to live—and maybe find love—offline for a change. Mia’s sudden absence doesn’t go unnoticed, especially by techie loner Paige Miller, who hacks Mia’s account and begins impersonating the internet celebrity. Paige has her reasons. Her half sister, Jessica, idolizes Mia and desperately needs something to believe in. If taking over Mia’s online persona is Paige’s only means of connecting to her sister, so be it. Creating a like-worthy life is more fun than Paige expected. But when she grows too bold and is caught in the act, a fiasco ensues that could forever change Mia, Paige, and the people who love them. Because somewhere amid the chaos is an invaluable lesson—one that only real life can teach.Trade Review“Refreshingly, each character is a true-to-life individual with complicated emotions and unique voices. A surprisingly easy read containing a little romance, a lot of personal growth, and an honest look at weighty topics.” —Kirkus Reviews “Witty, lively, and au courant, The Bright Side of Going Dark will make readers think twice about refreshing Instagram for the tenth time today. Tackling thornier questions of mental health and the toll of constant comparison, this will appeal to fans of Meg Wolitzer and Elin Hilderbrand, who’ll adore the intertwining lives of Mia, her followers, and those they encounter IRL.” —Booklist (starred review) “The Bright Side of Going Dark is about so much more than the moral quandary of screen time. It’s about grief and loss and anxiety. It’s about mothers and daughters—more anxiety—and about second and third chances. The Bright Side of Going Dark is as dark as it is bright, [and] full of humanity: mobile devices, warts, and all.” —BookTrib “Even casual users knows how absurd and unrealistic social media can be—yet keep logging on day after day. Kelly Harms takes this dichotomy to new heights in a clever and unputdownable story of two women whose so-called online lives collide IRL. I laughed, I cried, I came away from the experience with a newfound appreciation for life—which is to say The Bright Side of Going Dark is everything I’d hope for in a Kelly Harms novel, and more. I loved every page.” —Camille Pagán, bestselling author of I’m Fine and Neither Are You “Kelly Harms has once again knocked it out of the park with this charming, funny, topical novel about an online influencer who undergoes an unexpected transformation. I honestly had to put my whole life on hold while I read it—laughing and sighing through the clever twists and turns of this plot. Who among us hasn’t wondered what it takes to be a person who posts photographs fifty times a day? You’ll fall in love with @Mia&Mike as well as the whole cast of wonderful characters. A novel that shines with surprise—and will make you want to turn off your phone and go play with your dog.” —Maddie Dawson, Washington Post bestselling author of Matchmaking for Beginners

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Book SynopsisA razor-sharp novel of suspense about the lies families tell—and those we choose to believe—by the Amazon Charts bestselling author of Jane Doe. Lauren Abrams wants nothing to do with her damaged mother, whose spurious testimony sent Lauren’s father to prison for murder years ago. After a serial killer’s confession to the crime restored justice, Lauren chose to live with her father and grandmother. Now an adult, Lauren has come home to the Sacramento family estate for good, her mother’s lies be damned… It’s been decades since Donna made her cheating boyfriend pay, but she hasn’t forgotten the past. She knows her estranged daughter has made a terrible mistake by returning to the estate. There’s more to the story of the welcoming old homestead—and her childhood—than Lauren knows. As Lauren settles in, she is haunted by the questions of what really happened with her father, what her mother might be hiding, and what secrets the family ranch holds. It’s getting so dark, Lauren may not be able to see the truth to save her life.Trade Review“Stone gradually reveals her multifaceted characters’ secrets as the intricate, fast-paced plot builds to a surprising conclusion. Fans of dark, twisted tales of dysfunctional families will be satisfied.” —Publishers Weekly “The story gives just enough detail each chapter to keep the reader intrigued about where it is going to go next…family secrets will never be looked at the same.” —The Parkersburg News and Sentinel “The Last One Home is elegant and chilling, an indelible novel of family secrets. I couldn’t put it down until I learned the truth about these finely-drawn characters—the ending left me absolutely shocked and amazed, and I can’t stop thinking about it.” —Luanne Rice, New York Times bestselling author of The Shadow Box “Gripping and relentless, The Last One Home stalks you like the serial killer within its pages: you know danger is right around the corner, but you don’t know when it’ll strike. And just when you think you have the story figured out, Victoria Helen Stone rips the rug right out from under your feet. Highly recommended!” —Avery Bishop, author of Girl Gone Mad “In The Last One Home, Victoria Helen Stone weaves another sure-handed story, this one about mothers, the fierce love they have for their children, and just how far they will go to protect their progeny. This is a suspense novel that’s in part a love story, as well as a chilling mystery. But it’s the kind of tale that sneaks up on you, revealing discoveries in the last scorching chapters that flip the whole narrative on its head. Full of shifting family loyalties and recollections of the past, and creepy, alone-in-the-countryside vibes, this book held me, start to finish, in its mesmerizing thrall.” —Emily Carpenter, author of Reviving the Hawthorn Sisters

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