Humorous fiction

Book SynopsisINTRODUCED BY LISSA EVANS''I envy anyone yet to discover the joy of Monica Dickens. She''s beady eyed, big hearted and blissfully funny'' NINA STIBBE ''Wherever her eye falls, it finds the exact, significant detail, and her ear for dialogue is unerring'' OBSERVER ''Monica''s naked curiosity and general bolshiness are easy to identify with'' LISSA EVANS Poppy, newly recruited cub reporter at the Downingham Post, is determined to prove to the editor that he''s wrong in his belief that ''Women are a nuisance in the office''. He certainly doesn''t think she''s a nuisance when it''s time for the tea round - a job which never fails to fall to the only female reporter.What Poppy lacks in experience, she makes up for in spirit and ambition. She''ll make the Downingham Post the best regional newspaper there is - even if she occasionally gets the names wrong in court hearings. Life for a single professional womaTrade ReviewWherever her eye falls, it finds the exact, significant detail, and her ear for dialogue is unerring * Observer *I envy anyone yet to discover the joy of Monica Dickens. She's beady eyed, big hearted and blissfully funny -- Nina StibbeOne of the most affectionate and humorous observers of the English scene, particularly of the pretensions of genteel suburban life, that we have. Not only this, but she can always tell a good story -- John BetjemanMonica Dickens is an author who needs to be rediscovered in a modern age -- Jacqui Howchin * Hunts Post *Monica's naked curiosity and general bolshiness are easy to identify with, and as a narrator she always tells us what we're longing to know - it's like listening to a friend's anecdote, and egging them on -- Lissa Evans

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Book SynopsisIt turns out that two is a million more kids than one.Adam Mansbach famously gave voice to two of parenting's primal struggles in Go the Fuck to Sleep and You Have to Fucking Eat. Now Fuck, Now There Are Two of You tackles a new addition to the family and all the fears and frustrations attendant to the simple, math-defying fact that two is a million more kids than one. As you probably know by now, you shouldn't read it to a child.Trade ReviewPraise for Go the Fuck to Sleep: Bedtime stories will never be the same again -- Viv Groskop * * The Guardian * *A new Bible for weary parents * * New York Times * *An instantly recognisable and timeless theme tune for bleary-eyed parents everywhere - a hymn to the horrors of bedtime. Beautifully crafted, rhythmical, affectionate, profane and searingly honest, it is very funny * * The Times * *A gleeful howl of blasphemy . . . for the exhausted parent, nudged to the brink of sanity by lack of sleep, GTFTS is more than a reason to snigger - it's a gesture of compassion * * Daily Telegraph * *Nothing has driven home a certain truth about my generation, which is approaching the apex of its childbearing years, quite like this deranged book * * New Yorker * *A children's book for grown-ups! I really did laugh out loud - hilarious! -- DAVID BYRNE, musician, father of oneTotal genius -- JONATHAN LETHEM, author of MOTHERLESS BROOKLYN, father of twoAn anthem for profane parents * * Time * *Beautiful, brilliant, funny as fuck. A new Contented Little Baby Book for the discontented parent -- HELEN WALSH, author of GO TO SLEEP, mother of oneThis is the most honest children's book ever written. And it's f*cking hilarious -- A.J. JACOBS, author of THE YEAR OF LIVING BIBLICALLY, father of three

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Book SynopsisIt’s the most anticipated event of the decade: Big Lou and Fat Bob’s wedding and everyone is invited! After a wonderful day, Big Lou crashes back down to earth and finds that she is a victim of her own success. The lure of those famous bacon rolls is preventing her from leaving hungry customers without their daily dose of deliciousness – even to go for a long-awaited honeymoon. Will Big Lou find the happiness she so richly deserves? Everyone in Scotland Street hopes so, but, as Burns warned, the best laid plans ... The relative peace and tranquillity of 44 Scotland Street is about to be disrupted. Irene is to return for a two-month stay, consigning Bertie to a summer camp. Not satisfied with that, she somehow manages to come between the enigmatic nun, Sister Maria-Fiore dei Fiori di Montagna, and her friend, the hagiographer, Antonia Collie. Can a person really change, even after being struck by lightning? Bruce’s metamorphosis and new-found outlook on life is put to the test as he prepares to leave his creature comforts for the monastic simplicity of Pluscarden Abbey. His house sitter, meanwhile, gets a little too comfortable in his new life and discovers that the talented Bruce Anderson’s shoes are all too easy to slip into. With great taste comes great responsibility. Come and discover The Enigma of Garlic and join the delightful denizens of Edinburgh’s most famous address. This latest instalment of the much-loved 44 Scotland Street series is wise, witty, and full of warmth.Trade Review'Shines with wisdom and humour about the human heart' -- Kate Green * Country Life *'Many plots are artfully woven into this instalment of the 44 Scotland Street series, proving to be as reflective and reliable as ever. Devour this on a winter's eve' -- Megan Amato * Scottish Field *'In this delightful new book, Alexander explores all these topics and many more in his inimitable and insightful way. And most importantly there are ladlefuls of gentle humour' -- Jenny Itzcovitz * Sixtyplussurfers *'Alexander McCall Smith’s impressive literary output shows no sign of slowing as he publishes the latest volume in the Scotland Street series and celebrates 25 years of The No1 Ladies’ Detective Agency' * Dundee Courier *

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Book SynopsisHow do you fall in love with someone who can't remember you from one day until the next?Absolutely hilarious, engaging and fun' ????? Reader reviewNewly single lawyer Gwen Baker needs a family Christmas to bury her woes, with festive films, country walks and a mountain of chocolate.Her teenage crush Dev is back in their small village as well and it turns out he's just as kind, funny and good-looking as she remembers.But then Gwen wakes up to discover it's Christmas all over again. She's trapped in a snowy Groundhog Day. But would repeat meet-cutes with Dev really be so bad for a heart that needs mending?READERS LOVE LINDSEY KELK:A festive romance with a twist . . . with plenty of funny moments and a whole load of emotion' ?????The perfect antidote to these dark evenings, full of warmth, humour, deep insights and feel-good prose' ?????If you read one Christmas book this year . . . let it be this one!' ?????Everything you want for a Christmas read' ?????Warm-hearted, funny and so enjoyaTrade ReviewPRAISE FOR THE CHRISTMAS WISH: ’Sparkles with wit and warmth . . . I’ll read anything Lindsey writes, but this one might just be my new favourite of her novels’ BETH O’LEARY ‘Brimming with wit, humour and festive sparkle’ SARAH MORGAN ’The Christmas Wish is Lindsey Kelk’s best yet. I couldn’t have loved this romantic, festive, brilliantly funny novel more’ ROSIE WALSH ‘Absolutely screamingly hilarious, full of Christmas-y sparkle and a lovely boy-next-door romance, but with some serious depth to bring you all the feels’ LIZZY DENT ‘Reading this book felt like opening a box of Quality Streets, getting out the Christmas edition of the Radio Times, then popping on a Santa Hat’ SOPHIE COUSENS PRAISE FOR LINDSEY KELK’S ROMCOMS: ‘So uplifting and wildly romantic’ MARIAN KEYES ‘Funny, engaging and sparkly’ JANE FALLON ‘The literary equivalent of opening a glass of wine with your best friend’ MHAIRI MCFARLANE ‘The kind of book you can’t put down, but also want to last forever’ EMILY HENRY ‘Swoops you up and fills your heart with such joy’ GIOVANNA FLETCHER ‘Sparkling and gorgeously romantic’ SARAH MORGAN ‘Touching, hugely romantic and properly laugh-out-loud funny’ SOPHIA MONEY-COUTTS ‘I laughed and cried with every chapter, I never wanted it to end’ LUCY VINE ‘Utterly brilliant: super smart, achingly funny and just impossible to put down’ ROSIE WALSH ‘The perfect balance between sparkly escapism and big-hearted realness’ SOPHIE RANALD ‘As warm as a hug but as funny as a night out with the girls’ LAURA JANE WILLIAMS ‘Perfect, escapist fiction’ LIA LOUIS ‘You will not want to miss your invite to this ball’ CRESSIDA MCLAUGHLIN ‘Full of Lindsey’s trademark warmth and wit’ ALEX BROWN ‘Everything a perfect and iconic romcom should be’ CARMEL HARRINGTON ‘You cannot spell romcom without Lindsey Kelk’ LAUREN HO

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Book SynopsisA visionary, a craftsman, a comedian and as serious as it is possible to be without accidentally writing a religious text. He can do anything with a piece of prose, and it is a humbling experience to see him go to work on what has passed up till now as modern fiction. He''s so modern he''s in a different time-space continuum from the rest of us. Goddamn him'' Zadie SmithThe mysterious disappearance of her great- grandmother and twenty-five other elderly inmates from a Shaker Heights nursing home has left Lenore Stonecipher Beadsman emotionally stranded on the edge of the Great Ohio Desert. But that is simply one problem of many for the hapless switchboard operator, seriously compounded by her ongoing affair with boss Rick Vigorous; the TV stardom of her talking cockatiel, Vlad the Impaler; and other minor catastrophes that threaten to elevate Lenore''s search for love and self-detemination to new heights of spasmodic weirdness.Trade Review'Daring...hilarious...enigmatic...wonderfully odd... a zany picaresque adventure of contemporary America run amok' NEW YORK TIMES 'Dazzling...exhilarating...bizarre...sweepingly successful...engaging and haunting... a remarkable book with lots of prestidigitation in it... Wallace's talent is consistently impressive' SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

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Book Synopsis'Smart and funny' Ruth Hogan, author of The Keeper of Lost ThingsThe first step was learning to read, but if she really wants to turn her life around, Maggsie is going to have to trust other people – and that might just be the hardest lesson she’s ever faced . . . Small and dyslexic, with a short fuse, bad teeth, a prison record and something to prove, Marguerite McNaughton – Maggsie – doesn't need anybody or anything, thank you very much. She's more than capable of looking after herself. She’s also about to discover that everyone needs someone, sometimes. Even her. The thing about trusting others, though, is that not everyone is trustworthy... It starts when a fellow inmate gives Maggsie reading lessons. Then she's offered a job in London as a kitchen assistant, together with supported accommodation and a colleague who seems determined to befriend Maggsie, no matter what.At first, Maggsie is convinced nothing will change. Especially her. But maybe this time can be different? Maybe Maggsie can be different – if she can just put her previous mistakes behind her and her trust in the right people. Maggsie McNaughton's Second Chance, by Frances Maynard, is an uplifting, heartwarming novel about the power of friendship and the written word, perfect for fans of Eleanor Oliphant, Three Things about Elsie and Elizabeth is Missing.Trade ReviewSmart and funny -- Ruth Hogan, author of The Keeper of Lost Things and Queenie Malone's Paradise HotelGuaranteed to melt the hardest of hearts * Red Magazine *A joy from start to finish: quirky, real and moving, with unforgettable characters you’ll root for from the very beginning -- Katy Regan, author of Little Big LoveFinished Maggsie McNaughton's Second Chance and I feel bereft. A wonderful, uplifting read -- Jenny Quintana, author of The Missing GirlBig-hearted and charming -- James Hannah, author of The A to Z of You and Me, on The Seven Imperfect Rules of Elvira CarrWonderful -- Rosie Walsh, author of The Man Who Didn't Call, on The Seven Imperfect Rules of Elvira Carr

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Book Synopsis'Tragic, comic and completely bonkers all in one, I'd go as far as to call her something of a neglected genius' LUCY SCHOLES, GUARDIAN 'It is hard not to believe that Barbara Comyns's own adventures are entangled in her fiction' JANE GARDAM, SPECTATOR'All of her books read as if she wrote them effortlessly' URSULA HOLDEN On the banks of the River Avon, five sisters are born. The seasons come and go, the girls take their lessons under the ash tree and there is always the sound of water swirling through the weir. Then, unexpectedly, an air of decay descends upon the house: ivy grows unchecked over the windows, angry shouts split the summer air, the milk sours in the larder and their father takes out his gun. Tragedy strikes the family, and before long the furniture is being auctioned off and the sisters dispersed among relatives. In her daring first novel, originally published in 1947, Barbara Comyns' unique young heroine relates the vivid, funny and bittersweet story of a childhood.Trade ReviewTragic, comic and completely bonkers all in one, I'd go as far as to call her something of a neglected genius -- Lucy Scholes * Guardian *A vision that shifts between savagery, lyricism and tragic wit. A true original * Independent *It is hard not to believe that Barbara Comyns's own adventures are entangled in her fiction. Sisters by a River, which she wrote for her own children -- Jane Gardam * Spectator *Quite simply, Comyns' writes like no one else -- Maggie O'Farrell

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Book SynopsisPretty, impecunious Mary Preston, newly arrived as a guest of her Aunt Agnes at the magnificent wooded estate of Rushwater, falls head over heels for handsome playboy David Leslie. Meanwhile, Agnes and her mother, the eccentric matriarch Lady Emily, have hopes of a different, more suitable match for Mary. At the lavish Rushwater dance party, her future happiness hangs in the balance . . .Trade ReviewCharming, very funny indeed. Angela Thirkell is perhaps the most Pym-like of any twentieth-century author, after Pym herself -- Alexander McCall SmithIf you like Nancy Mitford you'll love this * Elle Decoration *A witty romantic comedy and a warm and inviting piece of social satire from this sharply observant and popular writer * Good Book Guide *With touches of Nancy Mitford, Barbara Pym and PG Wodehouse, Angela Thirkell's sparkling prose recounts misunderstandings and mishaps in a particularly English way. * Spectator *Charming, very funny indeed. Angela Thirkell is perhaps the most Pym-like of any twentieth-century author, after Pym herself. -- Alexander McCall SmithAppealing. * Glasgow Sunday Herald *If you like Nancy Mitford you'll love this * Elle Decoration *A witty romantic comedy and a warm and inviting piece of social satire from this sharply observant and popular writer * Good Book Guide *

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Book Synopsis'The best new writer of fiction in America. The best.' – John Irving'Outstanding' – John Boyne, The Irish Times'The best thing a reviewer can do when faced with a novel of this calibre and breadth is to urge you to read it for yourselves.' – The GuardianNathan Hill's brilliant debut, The Nix, journeys from the rural Midwest of the 1960s, to New York City during Occupy Wall Street; from Chicago in 1968, to wartime Norway: home of the mysterious Nix.Meet Samuel: stalled writer, bored teacher at a local college, obsessive player of online video games. He hasn't seen his mother, Faye, in decades, not since she abandoned her family when he was a boy. Now she has suddenly reappeared, having committed an absurd politically motivated crime that electrifies the nightly news, beguiles the Internet, and inflames a divided America.The media paints Faye as a radical hippie with a sordid past, but as far as Samuel knows, his mother was an ordinary girl who married her high-school sweetheart. Which version of his mother is true? Two facts are certain: she's facing some serious charges, and she needs Samuel's help.As Samuel begins to excavate his mother's, and his country's, history, he will unexpectedly find that he has to rethink everything he ever knew about her - a woman with an epic story of her own, a story she has kept hidden from the world.Trade ReviewImpressive that a debutant, Nathan Hill, with his scintillating The Nix has given us a character who comes close to out-Trumping Trump . . . Just one of the many pleasures of this engaging story of a mother and son whose private travails become front-page news. -- New Year Highlights * Observer *Alarmingly good . . . both a Great American Novel as well as a great American novel... aches with all-new relevance. * Guardian *A superb debut novel . . . could well be the most ambitious novel of the year... It seems like Hill is a writer who can do pretty much what he wants. * Daily Telegraph *Compulsive and crazily entertaining -- Anthony Quinn * Observer *We're in the presence of a major new comic novelist . . . a brilliant, endearing writer . . . Readers . . . will be dazzled. * Washington Post *The best new writer of fiction in America. The best. -- John IrvingI got a big kick out of Nathan Hill's impressive first novel, The Nix (Picador), out in the UK next year. Hill's zeitgeisty portrayals of video game addiction and customer-oriented university education are brilliant. -- Lionel Shriver, 'Books of the Year 2016' * Observer *Wonderful. Everything that doesn't involve reading this book is a nuisance and a distraction. -- Sarah Jessica ParkerHill has so much talent to burn that he can pull off just about any style, imagine himself into any person and convincingly portray any place or time. The Nix is hugely entertaining and unfailingly smart, and the author seems incapable of writing a pedestrian sentence or spinning a boring story * New York Times Book Review *There is an accidental topicality in Hill's debut, about an estranged mother and son whose fates hinge on two mirror-image political events - the Democratic Convention of 1968 and the Republican Convention of 2004. But beyond that hook lies a high-risk, high-reward playfulness with structure and tone: comic set pieces, digressions into myth, and formal larks that call to mind Jennifer Egan's A Visit From the Goon Squad. * New York Magazine *It broke my heart, this book. Time after time. It made me laugh just as often. I loved it on the first page as powerfully as I did on the last . . . Nathan Hill? . . . He's gonna be famous. -- National Public RadioThis is a book to get one excited not only about Hill and his future as a novelist, but also about the power of writing to blot out background-noise banality and vault us forward into the new and wondrous. * San Francisco Chronicle *Nathan Hill Is Compared to John Irving. Irving Compares Him to Dickens. * New York Times *Hill skillfully blends humor and darkness, imagery and observation. He also excels at describing technology, addition, cultural milestones, and childhood ordeals. Cameos by [the famous] add heart and perspective to this rich, lively take on American social conflict, real and invented, over the last half-century. * Publishers' Weekly, starred and boxed review *This guy has chops -- Jay McInerneyA great sprawling feast of a first novel . . . both darkly satirical and uproariously funny . . . Hill writes with an astonishingly sure hand for a young author . . . Let's just call him the real thing. * Newsday *Dazzling . . . rich and multilayered . . . the debut of an important new writer, able to variously make readers laugh out loud while providing a melancholy, resonant tale that argues "there is no greater ache than this: guilt and regret in equal measure." * USA Today *The Nix is a timely mass-media and political satire, a family saga and two bildungsromans rolled into one ? and, in each facet, Nathan Hill crafts a hilarious, observant, unputdownable tale. * Huffington Post *By turns, wickedly funny, shockingly wise, touching and thought-provoking . . . a rich buffet of a novel. * Toronto Star *A fantastic novel about love, betrayal, politics and pop culture - as good as the best Michael Chabon or Jonathan Franzen. * People *A stunning debut . . . the first book I’ve read in two decades that earns the title Great American Novel. -- Liesl Schillinger, 'What’s the Best Book, New or Old, You Read This Year?' * New York Times *Not only dramatising America’s great tussle between minority interests and Midwestern grievances, [The Nix] even features a rogue presidential candidate who talks about immigrants as though they are coyotes damaging crops . . . But it’s the human drama of a relationship between a son and his mother (too busy protesting in the Sixties to bring him up) that will keep you hooked while you think. * GQ *This self-assured, sprawling debut is about the relationship between a college professor and his mother. It's a dense, satirical piece of fiction which offers commentary on the American history and modern technology. This novel is more relevant than ever in these tech-crazed times of mass media and political turmoil. With J.J. Abrams adapting it for a miniseries starring none other than Meryl Streep, The Nix is definitely one of the highlights of 2017 * Wales Arts Review *I have not read anything like this since . . . Jonathan Franzen . . . Gripping and funny. * Evening Standard *My favourite novel of our solipsistic times is easily The Nix by Nathan Hill. Laura Pottsdam is a student caught plagiarising by her literature professor, the protagonist of the novel Samuel Andresen-Anderson. Pottsdam is the crushing embodiment of our Trumpian age... If his debut is anything to go by, Hill may well one day be seen as the Charles Dickens of our self-obsessed age. -- Will Storr * Guardian *To make sense of what is going on Portland, USA today, refer back to Nathan Hill’s The Nix - published four years ago. Hill captures the soul of the US through a handful of characters. He unlocks the code to the current state of the country - the hubris of polarisation; a way of life played as a zero-sum game . . .The Great American Novel is a myth, much like the baseball World Series, and is the myth that undermines the nation. There can, of course, be a North American great novel. The Nix certainly is that, and even better: it is a great novel. * Daily Maverick *

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Book SynopsisThe acclaimed international bestseller now a MAJOR MOTION PICTURE starring Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh and Gemma Chan!When Rachel Chu agrees to spend the summer in Singapore with her boyfriend, Nicholas Young, she envisions a humble family home and time with the man she might one day marry. What she doesn't know is that Nick's family home happens to look like a palace, that she'll ride in more private planes than cars and that she is about to encounter the strangest, craziest group of people in existence. Uproarious, addictive, and filled with jaw-dropping opulence, Crazy Rich Asians is an insider's look at the Asian jet set; a perfect depiction of the clash between old money and new money - and a fabulous novel about what it means to be young, in love, and gloriously, crazily rich.Trade ReviewOriginal and fun, Crazy Rich Asians is quite a roller coaster trip. I loved it! -- Jackie CollinsMordantly funny -- Anna WintourUnputdownably funny... a Chinese Dallas meets Pride and Prejudice -- Plum Sykes, bestselling author of BERGDORF BLONDESThis summer's Bergdorf Blondes, over-the-top funny and a novelty to boot. Mr. Kwan delivers nonstop hoots about a whole new breed of rich, vulgar, brand-name-dropping conspicuous consumers -- Janet Maslin, New York TimesIf your definition of a beach read is a book version of Vogue, then this is the book for you -- Emma G Keller, 'Best Beach Reads' 2013 * Guardian.co.uk *This is fun, superficial escapism that hooks and reels in even the reluctant reader: Dynasty among the filthy-rich Chinese community -- Independent

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Book SynopsisOn a crowded bus at midday, the narrator observes one man accusing another of jostling him deliberately. When a seat is vacated, the first man takes it. Later, in another part of town, the man is spotted again, while being advised by a friend to have another button sewn onto his overcoat. Exercises in Style retells this apparently unremarkable tale ninety-nine times, employing a variety of styles, ranging from sonnet to cockney to mathematical formula. Too funny to be merely a pedantic thesis, this virtuoso set of themes and variations is a linguistic rustremover, a guide to literary forms and a demonstration of imagery and inventiveness.Trade ReviewWitty, playful, ingenious, it manages to transcend its own sophistication by a sort of verbal slapstick which Miss Wright translated into pure Groucho Marxism. * The Guardian * Midway between Lewis Carroll and Jacques Derrida, in a deliriously witty dimension of its own, lies Queneau's Exercises in Style... Barbara Wright's dazzling translation matches this oddball classic step by step, pun by pun. * The Independent * A pointless anecdote told in 99 different ways, or a work of genius in a brilliant translation by Barbara Wright. In fact it's both. Endlessly fascinating and very funny. -- Philip Pullman I've loved Exercises in Style for years. This translation is impeccable, extraordinary. -- Philip Pullman

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Book SynopsisTHE FUNNY AND ADDICTIVELY ROMANTIC FEEL-GOOD TIKTOK SENSATION''My forecast: read it, and you''ll be on cloud nine'' ALI HAZELWOOD, Sunday Times bestselling author of THE LOVE HYPOTHESIS''A sexy storm of a book'' Sophie Cousens''Probably my favourite romcom ever'' 5* Reader Review*BUSINESS OR PLEASURE, the sizzling new rom com from Rachel Lynn Solomon is available to buy now!*________Ari Abrams loves working as a TV meteorologist. But unfortunately, her boss is so busy fighting with her ex - who happens to be the station''s news director - that there''s always a storm brewing inside the newsroom!So after a particularly explosive showdown, Ari and shy sports reporter Russell hatch a plan to get their bosses back together, fast . . .As they work to help the sparring exes fall back in love, Ari finds herself telling Russell things that she has always kept hidden - and soon realiseTrade ReviewA magical story that celebrates hope, resilience, and love. My forecast: read it, and you'll be on cloud nine -- Ali Hazelwood, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Love HypothesisA sharp, witty romance full of heart. Rachel's writing zips off the page. A sexy storm of a book -- Sophie Cousens, New York Times bestselling author of This Time Next YearThe forecast predicts a 100% chance of heartfelt rom-com charm * Kirkus Reviews *That feeling you get when you curl up on the couch on a rainy Saturday, with a great book in one hand and a spiked hot chocolate in the other: that's the feeling you get when you read Weather Girl. This book is cozy, comforting, thought provoking, and it'll make you feel warm from the inside out -- Jasmine Guillory, New York Times bestselling author of While We Were DatingA delightful romance. Perfect for rainy days and sunny days and everything in between -- Helen Hoang, New York Times bestselling author of The Heart PrincipleA tender, hilarious, and heartfelt love story you'll read in one sitting! -- Tessa Bailey, New York Times bestselling author of It Happened One SummerWryly funny and sweetly sexy, Rachel Lynn Solomon's Weather Girl is as comforting as a weighted blanket and as carefully considered as one of Ari's forecasts. For everyone who's ever believed themself too much to love, this book offers both solace and a gentle promise: If you allow yourself to be truly known, you may find someone who'll adore you on even your darkest days -- Olivia Dade, author of Spoiler AlertWith Rachel Lynn Solomon's trademark brand of humour and charm, Weather Girl is a love letter to every woman who's ever felt they had to hide their stormy days behind a sunshine exterior. With a tender romance at its center, this story will heat you up, melt your heart, and affirm the incredible beauty of being loved for exactly who you are -- Sonia Hartl, author of Heartbreak for HireWeather Girl is warm and deeply romantic. Once again, Rachel Lynn Solomon has created a cast of characters that we fall in love with from the moment we meet them -- Annette Christie, author of The Rehearsals[Solomon's] realistic portrayal of the internal struggles that come with the highs and lows of optimism and depression, and how it affects sex and relationships, is an important one. Paired with humorous dialogue and many swoon-worthy moments, this romance book has all the joy you need * BuzzFeed *Sparkles with quirky humour * Apple Books *Humorous, captivating, and delightful * USA Today *Heartfelt charm, memorable characters, steamy moments...this rom-com has it all * Women's World *

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Book Synopsis''Brilliant. A Citizen Kane of a novel'' Daily Telegraph__________________________________Meet John James Todd:Scotsman, auteur, Rousseau-fanatic - and ''subversive element''Born in 1899, John James Todd is one of the great, failed geniuses of the last century. His reminiscences, collected in The New Confessions, take us from Edinburgh to the Western Front, the Berlin film-world in the Twenties to Hollywood in the Thirties, Forties and beyond. Suffering imprisonment, shooting, marriage, fatherhood, divorce and McCarthyism, Todd is a hostage to good fortune, ill-judgement, bad luck, the vast sweep of history and the cruel, cruel hand of fate . . .__________________________________''A magnificent feat of storytelling and panoramic reconstruction'' Observer''Paced and plotted with sinewy, unfailing skill . . . Boyd has given us a work of rich, ripe and immensely enj

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Book Synopsis'The perfect fireside read. Veronica McCreedy will capture your heart' TRISHA ASHLEY, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Christmas Invitation'This gorgeous book has everything! Mysteries, misunderstandings, arguments, reconciliations, kindness, love and lots of PENGUINS!'CLARE POOLEY, author of The Authenticity ProjectA delightfully feel-good novel from the author of the Richard & Judy Book Club pick Away With the Penguins. _____Veronica McCreedy can't resist the promise of adventure . . .Nine-year-old Daisy and nearly ninety-year-old Veronica make an unlikely pair of friends. Fiercely independent and impeccably dressed, Veronica has lived an incredible 87 years. Most of them alone, in her huge house by the sea. But with the arrival of brave and resilient Daisy into her life, Veronica finds she has a renewed thirst for adventure - and that they both share a passion for penguins!So when Veronica and Daisy are invited to travel to the other side of the world together and visit the penguins of the southern hemisphere, they both jump at the chance.Veronica had thought her days of new friendships, family and love were over, but perhaps it's never too late for one more adventure?_____Readers are falling in love with Call of the Penguins!***** 'A life-affirming, warm, comforting book to help you feel cosy'***** 'A cockle-warming joy from start to finish'***** 'Emotional, funny, and uplifting'***** 'This story really warmed my heart'***** 'A book to lift the spirits'***** 'Light hearted and absolutely delightful'The brand-new gorgeously feel-good novel from Hazel, Life and Otter Miracles, is available to pre-order now! Trade ReviewThis gorgeous book has everything! Mysteries, misunderstandings, arguments, reconciliations, kindness, love and lots of PENGUINS! * Clare Pooley, author of The Authenticity Project *Just what the doctor ordered . . . Funny, wise, touching. I loved it. * TRACY REES, author of The Hourglass, a Richard & Judy Summer Read *The perfect fireside read. Veronica McCreedy will capture your heart. * Trisha Ashley, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Christmas Invitation *So beautifully written by a born storyteller. * Lorraine Kelly *So many readers are set to fall in love with this charming story. * Prima *Call of the Penguins sparkles with wit, courage and kindness. This is a heart-warming journey into the highs and lows of human nature. I loved it! * Celia Anderson, author of 59 Memory Lane *A wonderful story, full of twists and turns. Outstanding. * Samantha Tonge, author of Summer Secrets at Streamside Cottage *This year's Eleanor Oliphant . . . Funny, bittersweet and wholly original. * Daily Express (on Away with the Penguins) *A glorious, life-affirming story. I read it in a day. * Clare Mackintosh (on Away with the Penguins) *A touching, uplifting tale. * Jo Whiley, Radio 2 Book Club (on Away with the Penguins) *A gorgeous read full of hope, with a cast of characters who will delight! * Helen Paris, author of LOST PROPERTY *The perfect pick-me-up for right now, a warm-hearted, humorous and emotional read. * Phaedra Patrick, author of The Library of Lost and Found *

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Book SynopsisNow in his seventies, Robert Parkin is stunned to find himself the unlikely sex symbol of the village gardening club.Living in happy solitude with his cat Isaac Mewton in the Devon village of Millbrook, entertained by his mischievous chickens and goats, Robert has never figured out the rules of romance. But as the local ladies vie for his company, it soon becomes clear that Robert’s Victoria Sponge cake is the lure, and as his baking prowess grows, so does his confidence.Cheesecakes, meringues, puddings, Robert can do it all, but his real masterpieces are his scones – ginger, rosemary, coconut, fruit, his recipes are inspired and soon come to the attention of the local media. Which county does the best cream tea – Devon or Cornwall? It’s time for an age-old debate to be settled with a competition.Robert’s sisters Bunty and Hattie are both at crossroads in their lives, so news of their brother’s baking competition is the perfect excuse to bring them to Millbrook. And as the siblings relish each other’s company, and Robert relishes being at the heart of his community, a summer of scones may just light the way to long-lasting happiness for them all.Enjoy Judy Leigh’s wonderful world of family, friendship and feasting in this perfect feel-good story for all fans of Maddie Please, Dawn French and Caroline James.'What a happy, uplifting book this is. Set in Devon with a skilful look at village life, second chances and finally finding happiness in unexpected places, Judy Leigh conjures up a wonderful story and some unforgettable characters. Highly recommended!' Maddie Please‘I thoroughly enjoyed this gentle romantic comedy which made me laugh a lot and cry a little. No one says it better than Judy - it’s never too late to find love.’ Julia JarmanReaders love Judy Leigh:‘I have been a fan of Judy's work for quite a while now. I love the way in which she writes such fun, feel good, heart-warming and uplifting stories.’‘Judy Leigh is a refreshing writer that writes about older characters… and I have to say that I do not hesitate to pick up a book when Judy has written it. They are always such delightful reads that teach us that life doesn't have to become boring when you get old… A true pleasure to read.’‘Judy Leigh’s writing is special. She understands people and relationships; she writes of strong, authentic, inspirational women. She realises that becoming older brings health concerns but it’s not all doom and gloom, the women in her books shine! They don’t have perfect lives, but they are survivors, they keep going and achieve new things.’‘What an absolutely heart-warming story about lifelong friendships set in a wonderful community in a delightful village. The central characters are strong but gentle who support each other through life's ups and downs as well as supporting others in need. This was such a great story that I would save and read again.’‘The Golden Oldies’ Book Club is an entertaining read, written with warmth, humour and a message not to let chances slip by. Themes of friendship, community and navigating life and its opportunities run throughout.’‘A lovely warm read about family and closeness. This author never disappoints, always a joy to find one of her books which I haven’t read.’‘Such a good read. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and their lives as we are gradually introduced. It's refreshing to have a cast of older characters in the lead - reminds everyone that life isn't over when you reach middle age and beyond.’‘A captivating cosy read written with warmth and humour—friendship, emotion, love, joy, and laughter are abundant throughout the pages of this wonderful story.’Praise for Judy Leigh:‘Brilliantly funny, emotional and uplifting’ Miranda Dickinson'Lovely . . . a book that assures that life is far from over at seventy' Cathy Hopkins bestselling author of The Kicking the Bucket List'Brimming with warmth, humour and a love of life… a wonderful escapade’ Fiona Gibson

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Book Synopsis''A formidably intelligent, gentle, comic genius'' A.N. Wilson''Gardam is a brilliantly subtle comedian who can keep the reader enraptured until the last page'' The TimesSet during the post-war summer of 1946, The Flight of the Maidens follows the growing-up of three young women in the months between leaving school and taking up their scholarships at university. Una Vane, whose widowed mother runs a hairdressing salon in her front room (''Maison Vane Glory - Where Permanent Waves are Permanent''), goes bicycling with Ray, the boy who delivers the fish and milk. Hetty Fallowes struggles to become independent of her possessive, loving, tactless mother. And Lieselotte Klein, who had arrived in 1939 on a train from Hamburg, uncovers tragedy in the past and magic in the present.Rooted in the north of England, The Flight of the Maidens is peopled with extraordinary characters, who are evoked with all the humour, compassion and eye for detail that marked Jane Gardam as one of Britain''s most gifted and original novelists.Trade ReviewA formidably intelligent, gentle, comic genius ... In a hundred years she will be read as Mrs Gaskell is read * A. N. Wilson SPECTATOR *Gardam ... has written another jewel. This tale of the three young women is made with a concentrate of humour and compassion. Gardam is a brilliantly subtle comedian who can keep the reader enraptured until the last page * THE TIMES *Jane Gardam has captured the burgeoning renaissance of post-war Britain in her novel THE FLIGHT OF THE MAIDENS. Writing with her usual deft and sensitive touch... Gardam paints scenes like a watercolour and every stroke adds depth and subtlety. The characters are rounded and appealing and humour often bubbles beneath the surface. * Christina McLoughlin, AMAZON.CO.UK REVIEW *Gardam has a pleasant, accessible style well-suited to a reassuring tale of regeneration and optimism after adversity. * OBSERVER *As a celebration of the rites of passage it rings diamond true. It is light, witty, sharp, yet understanding and sympathetic. It is also thoroughly enjoyable * SCOTSMAN *Gardam blends memory and imagination, intellect and humour, to evoke unsentimentally a vanished England, setting it in the context of the wider world and capturing the bittersweet excitement of leaving childhood behind * DAILY TELEGRAPH *Jane Gardam, as ever, shapes her narrative with wit and aplomb ... intelligent, inspiriting and entertaining * INDEPENDENT *She does fiction as it should be done, with confidence and insight -- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie * Observer *

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Book Synopsis'An electrifying debut, and the perfect summer read... A million out of five stars!' Ali Hazelwood, The Love Hypothesis'Swoony, sexy, funny, and profoundly moving' Ava Wilder, How to Fake it in Hollywood'This road trip romance is guaranteed to sweep you off your feet!' Amy Lea, Set on You'Stunningly heartfelt and sexy beyond words' Rachel Lynn Solomon, The Ex Talk---Two weeks on the road... stuck in a car with your high-school enemy.Noelle Shepard is grieving the loss of her beloved grandmother when she discovers decades-old photos and letters that hint to a forbidden love in her gram's past. Needing to know the full story, she creates a TikTok video appealing for information - and it goes viral.Through her video, she manages to track down her grandmother's secret love, Paul, who offers to take her on the honeymoon road-trip he and Gram planned but never got to go on.Noelle jumps at the chance to make this one last connection with her grandmother. There's just one problem - Paul's grandson is Noelle's frustratingly handsome high-school rival Theo.And Theo has to come, too.It's only two weeks. Surely Noelle can survive that long? But with one car between them - and often only one bed - it doesn't take long for things to heat up...---Readers are loving You, With a View'I can't wait for everyone to scream about this... Absolute romance perfection''This was a couldn't-put-it-down/read-almost-in-one-sitting read for me... A true romance novel where my heart was left a mushy happy mess''EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS BOOK IS PERFECT TO ME''An absolute stunner of a debut. The banter between the two characters is top-notch and hilarious''Do yourself a favour and add this to your TBR immediately!'Trade ReviewJessica Joyce has gifted all of us with an electrifying debut, and the perfect summer read! If you love your flirting paired with a healthy dose of roasting, rivals turned lovers, road trips that become journeys of self discovery, hilarious but sexy banter, and steamy love stories, this is the beach read you want to pick up! A million out of five stars!' * Ali Hazelwood, bestselling author of Love, Theoretically *A stunningly emotional debut that wrapped itself around my heart from page one... this road trip romance is guaranteed to sweep you off your feet! * Amy Lea, author of Set on You *You, with a View is the total package: swoony, sexy, funny, and profoundly moving. Noelle and Theo's irresistible chemistry had me tearing through the pages, and the depth and beauty of Jessica Joyce's writing lingered with me long after I finished. This is a book that nestles deep into your heart and stays there * Ava Wilder, author of How to Fake it in Hollywood *Sometimes all it takes to get back on track is a road trip with your oldest rival . . . Jessica Joyce's debut, You, with a View, stole my heart and had me absolutely sweating at the chemistry between Theo and Noelle. I will never see a vintage red Bronco, a TikTok travel video, or a man's thighs the same way again * Alicia Thompson, author of Love in the Time of Serial Killers *Stunningly heartfelt and sexy beyond words. Jessica Joyce writes with a deeply empathetic pen, drawing each character with profound tenderness and crafting the perfect amount of rivals-to-reluctant-road-trip-companions-to-lovers tension - incidentally, my new favorite trope. I want to live inside this book * Rachel Lynn Solomon, author of The Ex Talk *A complete joy of a book. It's tender, swoony, sexy and endlessly witty * Culturefly *You, with a View is a sexy-as-hell romance that I couldn't put down, a heartfelt tribute to the love of grandparents, and an achingly relatable exploration of the search for "success" in your twenties. Noelle and Theo's road trip is as epic as their emotional journey, leaving my heart a happy, mushy mess by the end. I love this book. * Anita Kelly, author of Love & Other Disasters and Something Wild & Wonderful *You, with a View is angsty, atmospheric perfection. While navigating grief's pain as well as its transformative power, this road trip romance is an unforgettable journey of tenderhearted healing, scorching chemistry, and divinely witty banter * Chloe Liese, author of Two Wrongs Make a Right *Simultaneously escapist and deeply intimate, You, with a View is a love story about soulmates-both romantic and familial-and the importance of seizing the present while honoring the past. Debut author Jessica Joyce's prose and voice shine on every page, threading her leads' simmering tension and tangible chemistry through a vividly drawn travel adventure. The result is a soul-satisfying romance about the genesis of beautiful things out of grief, and of two people discovering that what they truly seek has been there on the journey with them all along * Jen Devon, author of Bend Toward the Sun *

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Book SynopsisB.K. Borison is the author of cozy, contemporary romances featuring emotionally vulnerable characters and swoon-worthy settings. When she's not daydreaming about fictional characters doing fictional things, she's at home with her family, more than likely buying books she doesn't have room for. Lovelight Farms was her debut novel.Trade ReviewSweet and sexy. Everything you’d ever need in a romance. I’ll buy everything B.K Borison writes. - Hannah Grace, Sunday Times bestselling author of ICEBREAKER'Small town swoon' - Tessa Bailey, #1 New York Times bestselling author of IT HAPPENED ONE SUMMER'A delicious dwindling-days-of-summer indulgence' - Chloe Liese, author of TWO WRONGS MAKE A RIGHT 'The Lovelight series is my happy place' - Sarah Adams, author of THE CHEAT SHEET

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Book SynopsisFrom the Booker-shortlisted author of To Rise Again at a Decent Hour comes a hilarious novel about fathers, sons, thwarted dreams and confronting the reality of who we really are''This is a fine American novel about family, love, and a decent but flawed man trying to be better. In dark times like these, I can''t recommend this book too highly. It''s strong'' Stephen King on Twitter___________________________________Charlie Barnes is a mid-century man devoted to his newspaper and his landline. But Charlie is about to get dragged into our troubled age by his storyteller son, who has a different idea of him than he has of himself. Then there are his other children, his ex-wives, present wife, business clients, friends and acquaintances, all of whom have their competing opinions of Charlie.He certainly seems simple enough: he''s a striver, a romantic, and a thoroughgoing capitalist. But suddenly blindsidTrade ReviewA hilarious skewering of the American Dream by the man who must be the funniest writer we have -- Sathnam Sanghera * Guardian, Best Books of 2021 *This is a fine American novel about family, love, and a decent but flawed man trying to be better. In dark times like these, I can't recommend this book too highly -- Stephen KingSplendid . . . it is hard to be genuinely funny in a novel but the final 50 or so pages, in which Charlie's family confront Jake Barnes, the fourth wall-breaking narrator of the novel, over the content of the tell-all memoir, was easily the most hilarious chapter of a novel I read all year -- Martin Chilton * Independent, 20 Best Books of 2021 *Until I read A Calling For Charlie Barnes, Joshua Ferris's virtuosic third novel, I couldn't recall the last time a book caused me to both laugh and gasp aloud. Madly funny and bristling with intelligence, this is the story of a man in later life wallowing in the detritus of the American Dream and of the children witnessing his decline -- Megan Nolan * New Statesman, Books of the Year *Simultaneously narratively courageous and utterly hilarious . . . where it leaves the reader feels special and unique * Sunday Times *In Ferris's admirably risk-taking hands, this novel becomes so much more than simply another story of failed American dreams. Ferris has made himself into the leading writer of the American workplace . . . He understands both its absurdities (and this is another very funny book) and its rewards, but most of all he understands how it shapes modern America * Observer *Ferris could write enthralling realist fiction in his sleep but it's the ideas and formal ingenuity that really set this novel apart . . . [he considers] the role of storytelling in families, the myths we create and the possibility that there is no such thing as telling it straight * i *Brilliant, funny, heartbreaking . . . Family, memory, ambition and death, all told with dervishing glee. Not just a daredevil of a novel, but something truly new -- Andrew Sean Greer, author of LessFerris is on his finest deadpan form here, skewering contemporary America and the shallow values it embodied in the heat of the 2008 financial crash * Spectator *Inventive and witty, tender and wise. It's a portrait of life, love and death, and much else besides * Daily Mail *This is the story of one disappointed idealist told by another, of one unreliable narrator described by another, and it is animated by filial love . . . funny, moving - and surprising * Guardian *This novel is funny - Ferris has lovely comic timing and a great way with the sheer silliness of a family's mental and physical bric-a-brac - and very moving * Guardian *Dazzling . . . A more tender novel than Ferris's others, but that doesn't keep it from being murderously funny . . . [he has found] precisely the right way to meld memoir with satire, to do this with bracing originality and to keep heads spinning from this novel's first page to its last . . . he's risen to the top of his game * New York Times *Funny, moving, and formally a work of genius, A Calling for Charlie Barnes is quite literally the book Joshua Ferris was born to write. -- Garth Risk Hallberg, author of City on FireDazzling. Mind-blowing. About as much fun as you can have without risking arrest * Richard Russo, author of Empire Falls *A deeply funny, very moving book . . . Ferris's hijinks are serious; his play is profound. There is magic in these pages -- Ayad Akhtar, author of Homeland ElegiesA touching tale about the love between fathers and sons * The Times *A passionate, well-constructed, often hilarious and, at times, profound plunge into grief, both civic and intimate, as well as a culmination (so far) of the literary explorations he has been undertaking since he arrived -- Sam Lipsyte * New York Times Book Review *A Calling for Charlie Barnes is wonderful: fast and deep, urgent and brilliant . . . A hilarious, intimate, and scathing takedown of so many American vanities -- Dana Spiotta, author of Stone ArabiaHe has proved that he's one of the best American authors of comic fiction working today. His humour is on full display but so are his intelligence and compassion. It's a masterpiece that shines a revealing light on both family and fiction itself * NPR *Ferris's work cuts to the heart of who we are by focusing very painfully on who one man was . . . Consider this book not just a work of grief or love or memoir, then, but a work of hope, too. * Publishers Weekly *A warmly bullish but measured and reflectful voice that brings out all the humour and wisdom of the novel * The Times, Audiobook of the Week *Intriguing and intelligent . . . the humour throughout is exquisitely judged . . . and the descent into metafiction, the novel's true crowning glory, is extremely well done without ever feeling hammy or clunky * Irish Times *A relentlessly self-reflective book * FT *Joshua Ferris has proved his astonishing ability to spin gold from ordinary air . . . As brave and adept as any writer out there * New York Times Book Review on To Rise Again at a Decent Hour *Not too many authors have written the Great American Office Novel... Then We Came to the End feels like a readymade classic of the genre. . . . A truly affecting novel about work, trust, love, and loneliness * Michael Upchurch, Seattle Times on Then We Came to the End *Dismayingly funny in the way that only really serious books can be * Guardian, on 'To Rise Again at a Decent Hour' *Brilliant, funny, stomach-turningly accurate * Observer, on 'Then We Came to the End' *Very funny, intense and exhilarating * The Times, on 'Then We Came to the End' *

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Book SynopsisA Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian is bestselling author Marina Lewycka''s hilarious and award winning debut novel, now available as a Penguin Essential for the first time. ''Two years after my mother died, my father fell in love with a glamorous blonde Ukrainian divorcée. He was eighty-four and she was thirty-six. She exploded into our lives like a fluffy pink grenade, churning up the murky water, bringing to the surface a sludge of sloughed-off memories, giving the family ghosts a kick up the backside.'' Sisters Vera and Nadezhda must aside a lifetime of feuding to save their émigré engineer father from voluptuous gold-digger Valentina. With her proclivity for green satin underwear and boil-in-the-bag cuisine, she will stop at nothing in her pursuit of Western wealth.But the sisters'' campaign to oust Valentina unearths family secrets, uncovers fifty years of Europe''s darkest history and sends them back to roots they''d much rather forget . . .''It''s rare to find a first novel that gets so much right . . . Lewycka is a seriously talented comic writer'' Time Out''Hugely enjoyable . . . yields a golden harvest of family truths'' Daily Telegraph''Delightful, funny, touching'' SpectatorTrade ReviewIt's rare to find a first novel that gets so much right . . . Lewycka is a seriously talented comic writer * Time Out *More than just a jolly romp with political undertones is the way it captures the peculiar flavour of Eastern European immigrant life . . . a very rich mixture indeed, as well as very enjoyable reading * Daily Express *Funny, gritty, original ... one I adore * Independent *Remarkable, a lovely novel * Sunday Telegraph *An extraordinary read . . . nothing short of amazing. A rare treat, all too easy to gulp down in one greedy sitting * Spectator *Outstanding * Literary Review *Extremely funny * The Times *Intelligent, lively, well written and compassionate * Financial Times *Ploughs a rich comic furrow * Daily Telegraph *A clever, touching story * Economist *Mad and hilarious * Grazia *Hilarious * The Times *A delightful first novel . . . an understanding of history, a profundity, and yet a lightness of touch, that are a joy... funny and touching * The Daily Mail *Hugely enjoyable . . . yields a golden harvest of family truths * The Times *Memorably inventive, unexpectedly moving * Daily Telegraph *Wit, humour, sparkling dialogue, vivid characterization and generous spirit. Food for thought and a great read * Daily Mail *Enthralling * Sunday Times *Thought-provoking, uproariously funny, a comic feast. A riotous oil painting of senility, lust and greed * TLS *More than just a jolly romp with political undertones is the way it captures the peculiar flavour of Eastern European immigrant life . . . a very rich mixture indeed, as well as very enjoyable reading * The Times *A delightful first novel . . . an understanding of history, a profundity, and yet a lightness of touch, that are a joy . . . funny, touching and completely convincing * The Spectator *

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Book SynopsisAn exclusive, never-before-collected selection of sparkling stories by Angela Thirkell that will charm, delight and entertain.Trade ReviewLaugh-out-loud funny and filled with memorable and realistically flawed characters * Stylist *Charming, very funny indeed. Angela Thirkell is perhaps the most Pym-like of any twentieth-century author, after Pym herself -- Alexander McCall SmithTo be so witty and charming yet also so brilliantly brusque and practical as Laura Morland is my new year's resolution -- Pippa Wright, author of The Foster HusbandHours of laugh-out-loud entertainment for all ages * The Lady *Charming, very funny indeed. Angela Thirkell is perhaps the most Pym-like of any twentieth-century author, after Pym herself -- Alexander McCall SmithThese stories are a seasonal delight ... they will provide hours of laugh-out-loud enjoyment for all ages * The Lady *To be so witty and charming yet also so brilliantly brusque and practical as Laura Morland is my new year's resolution -- Pippa Wright, author of The Foster Husband

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Book SynopsisTHE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERPRE-ORDER THE NEWEST NOVEL BY KEVIN KWAN, LIES AND WEDDINGS: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lies-Weddings-Kevin-Kwan/dp/1529152844'Flashy, funny ... Delicious ... A memorable, laugh-out-loud Asian glitz fest that's a pure pleasure to read' USA TodayNicholas Young's grandmother Su Yi is on her deathbed. While he rushes to be by her bedside, he's not the only one. The entire Shang-Young clan has convened from all corners of the globe to stake claim on their matriarch's massive fortune. With all parties vying to inherit a trophy estate in the heart of Singapore, Nicholas's childhood home turns into a hotbed of sabotage and scandal.Taking us from the elegantly appointed mansions of Manila to the secluded private islands in the Sulu Sea, Kevin Kwan's final installment in this irresistible trilogy reveals the long-buried secrets of Asia's most privileged families and their rich people problems.Trade ReviewFlashy, funny ... Delicious ... A memorable, laugh-out-loud Asian glitz fest that's a pure pleasure to read. * USA Today *Kevin Kwan has done it again. Mastermind ... [is] back at it with the series final installment ... Rest assured, it's just as enthralling as the trilogy's first two volumes. * InStyle *I gobbled all three volumes of Kevin Kwan's gossipy, name-droppy and wickedly funny Crazy Rich Asians trilogy as if they were popcorn. (Really fresh, still-warm popcorn, with that good European butter ... but I digress.) ... Irresistible. * The Seattle Times *Your next hit of over-the-top couture drama ... The perfect indulgent long-weekend read. * Elle.com *Something for everyone ... A smorgasbord of rich delights. * New York Journal of Books *

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Book Synopsis'Fresh, witty, and utterly romantic, this is the deliciously offbeat modern reimagining of When Harry Met Sally I never knew I needed' Ali Hazelwood, The Love Hypothesis'An enemies-to-lovers, New York-set romcom inspired by When Harry Met Sally? Yes, please! There are not enough superlatives for how much I adored You, Again' Sarra Manning, Red Magazine, Top 10 Books of September 2023'This is a romance sung in perfect pitch! A spectacular debut!' Christina Lauren, The Unhoneymooners'Every character is as sexy as they are gloriously messy... a masterclass in banter' Rosie Danan, The Roommate ----Ari, a free-spirited struggling comedian, likes to keep things casual, and never sleeps over after hooking up. Josh, born-and-bred Manhattanite, has ambitious plans to take the culinary world by storm, to find The One and live happily-ever-after.After a confrontational first meeting (at the apartment of the woman they are both sleeping with), Ari and Josh never expect their paths to cross again, but years later, as they're both reeling from ego-bruising breakups, a chance encounter leads to a surprising connection: friendship. Turns out, spending time with your former nemesis can be fun when you're both too sad and miserable to hate each other.And as odd as it seems, they become friends-without-benefits, finding comfort in late night Netflix binges, swiping through each other's online dating profiles, and bickering endlessly on their phones across boroughs. It's better than romance. Until one night, the unspoken boundaries of their platonic relationship begin to blur...With sharp observations and sizzling chemistry, YOU, AGAIN explores the dynamics of co-ed friendship in this sparkling romantic comedy of modern love in all its forms.Trade Review'An enemies to lovers, New York-set romcom inspired by When Harry Met Sally? Yes, please! There are not enough superlatives for how much I adored the edgy, sexy but also unashamedly romantic You, Again' * Sarra Manning, Red Magazine, Top 10 Books for September 2023 *Fresh, witty, and utterly romantic, this is the deliciously offbeat modern reimagining of When Harry Met Sally I never knew I needed. Kate Goldbeck is an absolute star! * Ali Hazelwood, author of The Love Hypothesis *This is a romance sung in perfect pitch! A spectacular debut! * Christina Lauren, author of The Unhoneymooners *Equal parts a studied homage and decisively modern, Kate Goldbeck debuts with a masterclass in banter. This is a luxurious contemporary romance to savor. Every character is as sexy as they are gloriously messy. I'm officially a fan and can't wait to see what Kate does next! * Rosie Danan, author of The Roommate *You, Again is a knockout. Ari and Josh are my favorite type of couple- funny, flawed, and complicated, with prickly exteriors hiding tender hearts. I'll be first in line for anything Kate Goldbeck writes from now on. * Ava Wilder, author of How to Fake it in Hollywood *One of those special, singular books you wish you could read for the first time again and again. It's funny and sharp, crackling with wit and chemistry, a clever homage to all the best parts of romantic comedies while making them feel new... I can't wait to revisit it every year as an ultimate comfort reread, like watching a favorite Nora Ephron movie' * Alicia Thompson, author of Love in the Time of Serial Killers *You, Again reads like a modern rom-com classic in the making, and Kate Goldbeck is my newest auto-buy author - what a voice! I've never read anything like it. This book is raw and sexy and radically vulnerable, and I'm already desperately missing Ari and Josh. * Rachel Lynn Solomon, author of The Ex Talk *The humor is sharp, the dialogue is equal parts poignant and fun, and the romance will make you giddy * Tarah DeWitt, author of Funny Feelings *Not your average romantic comedy. Ari and Josh's love story is raw, chaotic, unconventional, very funny and very sexy. An edgy, modern, slow-burn love story, with nipple piercings. * Georgia Clark, author of It Had To Be You *Kate Goldbeck is a genius. I laughed. I cried. I fell in love with her characters and her descriptions of New York and the food. Ari is complicated, messy and utterly believable. Josh is so more than just your typical grumpy suitor. This story has nuts and a big fat beating heart and I will be reading it over and over * Ericka Waller, author of Dog Days *A slow-burn homage to When Harry Met Sally. Readers who love [...] friends-to-lovers romances, will enjoy Goldbeck's tale of growing up, finding yourself, and stumbling into love along the way * Booklist *It's rare to find such a perfect balance of funny and emotional [...] Goldbeck is clearly a writer to watch, creating and building characters that feel like people you've known and loved [...] This debut romance ticks all the boxes of a must-read, with plenty of bite giving it edge * Kirkus *The course of enemies-to-friends-to-lovers never did run smooth, as Goldbeck proves in her affecting debut. The influence of When Harry Met Sally is clear, with Goldbeck updating the classic for the modern day. The result is witty, emotional, and deeply romantic * Publishers Weekly *This witty, emotionally intelligent story is set in New York and the sense of place is strong. I rooted for open, likeable Ari and grumpy, ambitious Josh from the start * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisGET COSY READING THE SWOONIEST, MOST HEARTWARMING WINTER ROM-COM OF 2024 . . .------It''s the perfect Christmas love story.Margot Murray is a newly single, high-flying businesswoman with no interest in a cutesy seasonal romance.Ben Gibson is an unlucky-in-love sweetheart in need of a woman to bring home for the holidays.Together, they make a pact: Margot gets a blissful week away from London in a picture-perfect manor, in exchange for posing as Ben''s girlfriend.The story can only go one way. Margot is sure to fall in love for real.And she does.With Ben''s sister, Ellie.What could possibly go wrong?Trade ReviewGloriously messy * DIVA *

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Book SynopsisDare you crack open the TerrorTome? (Mind the spine)When horror writer Nick Steen gets sucked into a cursed typewriter by the terrifying Type-Face, Dark Lord of the Prolix, the hellish visions inside his head are unleashed for real. Forced to fight his escaping imagination - now leaking out of his own brain - Nick must defend the town of Stalkford from his own fictional horrors, including avascular-necrosis-obsessed serial killer Nelson Strain and Nick's dreaded throppleganger, the Dark Third. Can he and Roz, his frequently incorrect female editor, hunt down these incarnate denizens of Nick's rampaging imaginata before they destroy Stalkford, outer Stalkford and possibly slightly further?From the twisted genius of horror master Garth Marenghi - Frighternerman, Darkscribe, Doomsage (plus Man-Shee) - come three dark tales from his long-lost multi-volume epic: TerrorTome.Can a brain leak? (Yes, it can)-------------------------------------------'Reads like Garth's classic oeuvre of paperback horrors crossed with the X-Files, Faustian myth and bits of Manimal. Plus the cover is embossed with genuine foil at his insistence and at your expense'Ken Hodder, Head of Hodder'These three tales of terror by Garth Marenghi are... quality'Queen Fang, NosFor(at)um.com'A strong beginning, deepening intrigue and a knockout ending'How to Write MagazineTrade ReviewBeautifully bonkers, with a razor-sharp understanding of the genre, Garth Marenghi's prose is schlocky, corny, cliché-ridden and over-written. Full of dread and deliberately dreadful - in other words, addictive and quite perfect * SciFi Bulletin *The mercurial horror maestro and star of Darkplace delivers a trio of blood curdling tales from his long-lost opus in this side-splittingly spot-on parody of grisly supernatural blockbusters * Waterstones *Read if you dare, but know that not one bone in your body will remain unchilled * Financial Times *Books like TerrorTome - so dense with brilliant jokes that it cannot safely be read while drinking hot liquid - are rare indeed. It is clear that Holness loves horror; like the recent Ladybird books and BBC Two's Philomena Cunk, this is a parody that knows and respects its source material. The result is something very bad - and very, very good * The i *A delight, whether you're a devotee of the shlocky 1980s horror genre or not. TerrorTome is a pitch-perfect parody of terrible genre writing, with overblown, clichéd prose and heavily signposted metaphor * Chortle *A new Garth Marenghi novel is like a new album by ZZ Top or Status Quo: you know what you're going to get, but by heck you'll love it * Buzz *Horrormeister Garth Marenghi makes a triumphant comeback with three linked tales of shuddersome, mind-bending fear . . . Top-notch spoofy spookiness * Financial Times, Best Books of 2022 *

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Book SynopsisJ.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy story about the adventures of a bewitched toy dog, written before The Hobbit.While on holiday in 1925, four-year-old Michael Tolkien lost his beloved toy dog on the beach at Filey in Yorkshire. To console him, his father, J.R.R.Tolkien, improvised a story about Rover, a real dog who is magically transformed into a toy and is forced to seek out the wizard who wronged him in order to be returned to normal.This charming tale, peopled by a sand-sorcerer and a terrible dragon, by the king of the sea and the Man-in-the-Moon, was Tolkien's first full-length children's book, written before The Hobbit. Now, nearly 90 years later, the adventures of Rover or, for reasons that become clear in the story, Roverandom' are published in this delightful pocket hardback edition. Rich in wit and wordplay, Roverandom is edited and introduced by Tolkien experts Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond, and includes Tolkien's own delightful illustrations.Trade Review‘This is an old-fashioned story, yet it still speaks freshly today… would leap to life when read aloud to a child’Independent ‘Lord of the Rings buffs will enjoy picking out bits of Nordic mythology and will relish Tolkien’s fabulous sense of landscape’The Times

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Book SynopsisIT''S TIME TO SWAP HAUTE COUTURE FOR HTML.On paper, Zoe Zeng has made it in New York''s fashion world . . . but life in the city isn''t quite what Zoe imagined.Her editor at Chic magazine wants to censor her opinions to please the big brands; she shares her ''quaint'' (read: small) apartment with three roommates who never let her store kimchi in the fridge; and how is she supposed to afford all the designer clothes on her meagre salary?When Zoe is offered a job at FitPick - a startup based in Silicon Valley - the salary and office perks are great, but moving across the country and leaving her best friends behind? Not so much.Taking a leap of faith, Zoe trades high fashion for high tech. But she soon realizes that in an industry claiming to change the world for the better, not everyone''s intentions are pure. And with an eight-figure investment on the line, Zoe must find a way to revamp the app''s image despi

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Book SynopsisThe second book in the multi-million copy bestselling No.1 Ladies'' Detective Agency seriesThe one where Precious gains a new familyMma Ramotswe of the No. 1 Ladies'' Detective Agency is hoping to set up home with Mr J.L.B. Maketoni. But first she must deal with his scheming, misbehaving maid. She also has to confront the most difficult case of her career so far: that of an American who went missing ten years ago, and about whom all leads have long since dried up. Then there are not one, but two sudden additions to Mma''s family . . .''One of the most memorable heroines in any modern fiction'' Newsweek''Soothing, full of hope'' Sunday Telegraph''Delightful'' Evening Standard''Enthralling... Mma Ramotswe is someone readers can''t help but love'' USA TodayTrade ReviewOne of the most memorable heroines in any modern fiction * Newsweek *Soothing, full of hope * Sunday Telegraph *Delightful * Evening Standard *Enthralling... Mma Ramotswe is someone readers can't help but love * USA Today *The Miss Marple of Botswana * New York Times Book Review *Among the greatest comfort-reads of all time * Sunday Times *McCall Smith's satire is as gentle as a warm bath * Sydney Morning Herald *Smart and sassy... Precious' progress is charted in passages that have the power to amuse or shock or touch the heart, sometimes all at once * Los Angeles Times *

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Book SynopsisOne of the best-known experimental novels of the 1960s, this uninhibited tale centres on the hapless members of a love triangle, and their sexual obsession and shared fascination with a mythic saint.Revolving around four central and intrinsically flawed characters, Beautiful Losers' is the frank and humorous story of a nameless narrator, his wife Edith, their domineering friend and mentor F' and Catherine Tekakwitha, a mythic 17th-century Mohawk virgin saint. The complexities of this three-way love, pain and lust are sent spiralling by the death of Edith and F' at the novel's start, leading the damaged narrator to question the nature of love, sexuality and spirituality in a series of explicit flashbacks.The extraordinary and inimitable singer-songwriter's classic novel, this is Leonard Cohen's most critically acclaimed literary work, echoing the dark poetry and wry humour of his timeless songs of loss, love, sex and religion.Not just an extremely funny novel, but an incredibly original and explicit examination of friendship, sex and spirituality.Trade Review‘A fantasied eroticism which is wildly funny…An exciting book.’ Sunday Times ‘The literary counterpart of “Hair” on the stage and “Easy Rider” on the screen.’ Daily Telegraph ‘The most vivid, fascinating and brave modern novel I have read.’ Michael Ondaatje ‘Gorgeously written…one comes out of it having seen terrible and beautiful visions.’ New York Times ‘Brilliant, explosive, a fountain of talent…James Joyce is not dead…he lives under the name of Cohen…writing from the point of view of Henry Miller.’ Boston Herald ‘Fuses sexuality with spirituality…mystical and profane, poetic and obscene…an invitation to play Russian roulette with a phallic pistol.’ Kirkus Reviews ‘Cohen assaults the reader with words, images, pyrotechnics and love. It’s a raging, poetic, highly personal and eminently readable book.’ Toronto Star

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Book SynopsisWhat happens when the one that got away comes back? Find out in this sparkling comedy from #1 bestseller Mhairi McFarlaneThink of the great duos of history. We''re just like them.'You mean like Kylie and Jason? Torvill and Dean? Sonny and Cher?'I think you've missed the point, Rachel.'Rachel and Ben. Ben and Rachel. It was them against the world. Until it all fell apart. It's been a decade since they last spoke, but when Rachel bumps into Ben one rainy day, the years melt away.They'd been partners in crime and the best of friends. But life has moved on: Ben is married. Rachel is not. Yet in that split second, Rachel feels the old friendship return. And along with it, the broken heart she's never been able to mend.Hilarious, heartbreaking and everything in between, you'll be hooked from their first hello'.Very very witty and funny. Left me in awe a total gem' Marian KeyesThe funniest, most romantic book I''ve read since One Day' Lisa JewellTrade Review‘Very very witty and funny. Left me in awe … a total gem’ Marian Keyes ‘The funniest, most romantic book I've read since One Day’ Lisa Jewell ‘I loved this book. It made me laugh and reminded me that anything's possible in love – and in everything else for that matter’ Minnie Driver ‘I loved this: an original, genuinely funny, genuinely moving, modern love story’ Katy Regan ‘Mhairi is darkly funny and quite, quite rude … You Had Me at Hello is a breath of tart, Northern air’ Sarra Manning ‘Bitingly sharp and achingly funny … guaranteed to have you bent double. I absolutely loved it!’ Claudia Carroll

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Book SynopsisA lost young woman returns to small-town New Hampshire under the strangest of circumstances in this one-of-a-kind novel of life, death, and whatever comes after from the acclaimed author of Rabbit Cake.''Bewitching!'' New York Times''Heartfelt, touching and delightfully quirky'' Good HousekeepingIt was a source of entertainment at Maple Street Cemetery. Both funny and sad, the kind of story we like best. Natural-born healer Emma Starling once had big plans for her life, but she''s lost her way. A medical school dropout, she''s come back to small-town Everton, New Hampshire, to care for her father, who is dying from a mysterious brain disease. Clive Starling has been hallucinating small animals, as well as having visions of the ghost of a long-dead naturalist, Ernest Harold Baynes, once known for letting wild animals live in his house. This ghost has been giving Clive some ideas on how to sTrade ReviewA wondrous and wonderful story filled with unforgettable characters, both living and dead . . . an instant classic * Jeff VanderMeer, New York Times bestselling author of the Southern Reach trilogy *Hartnett's whimsical storytelling casts a spell * Publishers Weekly *An absurdist, laugh-out-loud family drama about intergenerational healing * Kirkus Reviews *I devoured Annie Hartnett's Unlikely Animals. She's created a beautiful menagerie set inside a troubled household and their small New Hampshire town; a delightful mess of tenderness, grief, and despair, but most important, hope * Kristen Arnett, New York Times bestselling author of Mostly Dead Things and With Teeth *Unlikely Animals possesses such tenderness and empathy for a world that wears us down and ruins us, a world that sometimes offers a glimmer of hope, and Hartnett knows how to turn up the brilliance of that light and wield it to do magical things * Kevin Wilson, New York Times bestselling author of Nothing to See Here and The Family Fang *Hartnett masterfully balances a story of deep loss with the perfect amount of hilarity and tenderness * Booklist (starred review) *This is a big novel doing big things. It bears some similarity to Hartnett's much- loved first novel, Rabbit Cake. . . . But Unlikely Animals is a broader, brassier, and even more fiercely tender story. In this, her second novel, Hartnett lands an astonishing leap as a storyteller * The Rumpus *Wistfully charming . . . This unapologetically genre-bending tribute to life and death, and the beautiful weirdness found in both, has potential to spark exceptional book club discussions * Shelf Awareness *Bewitching! * New York Times *[A] a magical, soul-stirring read about family and the ways we put ourselves back together * The Washington Post *Heartfelt, touching and delightfully quirky * Good Housekeeping *A moving novel about family, friendship and loss that manages to be both at times quirkily surreal as well as rooted in the realities of small-town life * Choice *

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Book Synopsis'American storytelling at its era-spanning best . . . An immersive, multi-layered portrait of a marriage, Nathan Hill’s follow-up to The Nix is a work of quiet genius.' – The Observer'The incredible scope of this dazzlingly detailed state-of-the-nation satire almost defies description . . . Brilliant doesn’t begin to describe it, but I’ll say it anyway.' – Daily Mail'I doubt I'll enjoy many books this year as much as Wellness.' – The Times/Sunday Times, 'Books of the Year (So Far)'An Oprah's Book Club Pick.A powerfully affecting novel about how we change, grow and age, Wellness is a story of marriage, middle age, our tech-obsessed health culture, and the bonds that keep people together.When Jack and Elizabeth meet as college students in the 90s, the two quickly join forces and hold on tight, each eager to claim a Trade ReviewAmerican storytelling at its era-spanning best . . . An immersive, multi-layered portrait of a marriage, Nathan Hill’s follow-up to The Nix is a work of quiet genius . . . tackling a few big questions. What is truth? What is love? And therefore, inevitably, what is true love? * The Observer *The incredible scope of this dazzlingly detailed state-of-the-nation satire almost defies description . . . Brilliant doesn’t begin to describe it, but I’ll say it anyway. * Daily Mail *Future historians, read this book . . . a crackling, witty chronicle of the world of the urban creative classes frm the 1990s to now . . . I doubt I'll enjoy many books this year as much as Wellness. * The Times *A reader emerges from Hill’s world of Wellness with a keener eye for the tragicomic maladies of marriage, and a greater ear for the strangely affecting rhythms and algorithms of 21st-century life. * The Guardian *A bewitching, sophisticated book * Financial Times *Wellness is not some naive, crunchy-granola midlife-crisis novel . . . [it] is a clear-eyed look at the difficulty to live honestly in a world where authenticity may be the most challenged idea of all. * The Washington Post *A clever satire on America's self-deluding 'wellness' class . . . The variety and ingenuity of HIll's satirical prods – from real-estate development to Facebook algorithms – is impressive. * The Telegraph *This soulful satire takes aim at everything from gentrification to 'life hacks'. But it's also ambitious – and some nifty plotting by Hill reveals just how entangled contentment is with the stories we tell about ourselves. * The Mail on Sunday *This brilliant novel will leave you thinking about the truth of your own life and the stories we tell ourselves and each other. -- Oprah WinfreyA compassionate satire of messy America * i news *Hill's storytelling abilities are impressive . . . His novels vividly capture lonely Midwestern childhoods and real yearning for connection and understanding. * The New York Times *Wellness is a perfect novel for our age . . . It's beyond remarkable, both funny and heartbreaking, sometimes on the same page. * NPR *Hill is witty at exposing the ways intelligence and social background don’t necessarily make us more immune to manipulation * Los Angeles Times *I read Hill’s novel with excitement and close to a sense of disbelief that there is still a writer out there who is intrigued by amplitude and by what fiction can do if pushed far enough. -- Daphne Merkin, The AtlanticWellness brilliantly blends ideas about wellness culture, modern parenting, Internet algorithms, gentrification, and most importantly, love. * People *This new novel from the author of 2016 bestseller The Nix certainly packs a lot into its pages – parenting trends, the wellness industry, the meaning of art, conspiracy theories – all explored through scenes from the 20-year marriage between Elizabeth and Jack, as the pair grow together and apart again. Meaty but very readable * Good Housekeeping *A hilarious and moving exploration of a modern marriage that astounds in its breadth and intimacy. -- Brit Bennett, author of The Mothers and The Vanishing HalfNathan Hill has synthesized about a hundred years of that distinctly American delusion called self-improvement, and Wellness is the whip smart and gently comic result.' -- Joshua Ferris, author of Then We Came to the EndWellness is one of the funniest, saddest, smartest novels I’ve ever read . . . It's a flat-out masterpiece. -- Anthony Marra, author of A Constellation of Vital PhenomenaA beautiful, sometimes sad, sometimes satirical but most of all honest book about the many people a person becomes—the way a life, in time, inevitably upends itself. -- Omar El Akkad, author of American WarAmbitious, deeply engrossing, whip-smart and ultimately heartbreaking, Nathan Hill’s Wellness is all this and much more. -- Richard Russo, author of the North Bath TrilogyHill blends a family chronicle with cultural critique in his expansive and surprisingly tender latest . . . This stunning novel of ideas never loses sight of its humanity. * Publishers Weekly *From the acclaimed author of The Nix comes another hugely ambitious novel, about how we change, grow and age, a story of marriage, middle age, our tech-obsessed health culture, and the bonds that keep people together. * Sheerluxe *Witty and thought-provoking * Glamour *Funny and heartbreaking and exasperating . . . a book to spend time in, that will keep you musing long after the last page * The New Zealand Herlad *

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Book SynopsisWhen Ted accidentally discovers (don''t ask!) that his toilet allows him to travel back in time to any point in history, his (slightly soggy) discoveries are only just beginning. Join Ted on his fully immersive adventure into Roman life, as he flushes himself back to ancient times to find out all he can for his half term project from the Romans themselves!

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Book Synopsis''Sometimes I feel that I am destined always to be offstage whenever the main action occurs. That God has made me the victim of some cosmic practical joke, by assigning me little more than a walk-on part in my own life . . .''Coming of age in 1970s'' Birmingham, teenager Benjamin Trotter is about to discover the agonies and ecstasies of growing up. Whether it is first love or last rites, IRA bombs or industrial strife, prog versus punk rock, expectations of bad poetry or an unexpected life-changing experience involving lost swimming trunks, The Rotters'' Club is a heartfelt and hilarious portrait of a particular time and place featuring characters recognisable the world over . . .''Very funny, a compulsive and gripping read'' The Times ''Hugely entertaining'' The Observer ''A book to cherish, a book to reread, a book to buy for all your friends'' Independent on SundayWritten with his signature wit, Jonathan Coe''s unmissable new novel, The Proof of My Innocence is available now!Trade ReviewOne of those sweeping, ambitious yet hugely readable, moving and richly comic novels that you find all too rarely in English fiction ... a masterpiece * Daily Telegraph *Very funny ... a compulsive and gripping read. Coe has achieved that rare feat: a novel stuffed with characters you really care for * The Times *A book to cherish, a book to reread, a book to buy for all your friends * Independent on Sunday *

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Book SynopsisNow a major Hollywood film starring Daniel Radcliffe: read it first, if you dare ...Ignatius Perrish spent the night drunk and doing terrible things. He woke up the next morning with one hell of a hangover, a raging headache ... and a pair of horns growing from his temples.Once, Ig lived the life of the blessed: born into privilege, the second son of a renowned American musician, and the younger brother of a rising late-night TV star, Ig had security and wealth and a place in his community. Ig had it all, and more - he had the love of Merrin Williams, a love founded on shared daydreams, mutual daring, and unlikely midsummer magic.Then beautiful, vivacious Merrin was gone - raped and murdered, under inexplicable circumstances - with Ig the only suspect. He was never tried for the crime, but in the court of public opinion, Ig was and always would be guilty.Now Ig is possessed with a terrible new power - with just a touch he can see people''s darkTrade ReviewI've read it a few times over the years and each time I come out of the experience having a completely new interpretation. Out of everything he's written, from his numerous short stories to his novels to his comics, it's Horns I always circle back to. * Tor.com *Horns was a terrific read which helps to bolster Joe Hill's already high status in my personal pantheon of storytellers/writers. * SFF World *After you've watched the movie, I'd whole heartedly recommend checking out the novel, its well worth the read. * Pissed off Geek *An instant classic, Horns commands the reader's attention from the first page to the last and serves as an excellent starting point for Joe Hill virgins. I, for one, can't wait to see the film adaptation, despite the fact that the Ig in my head bears no resemblance to Daniel Radcliffe. This is a must-read, if you haven't already, and well worth a revisit if you have. * Reader Dad *On the whole, I really enjoyed this book, and would recommend it to anyone. It is wretched, witty, and enthralling. The writing is clever and masterful, despite the few faults I had. I think that if you are of a sensitive or conservative disposition, it might not be the book for you. It is a tragic love story, a murder mystery, and a supernatural fantasy with a dash of theological satire to sweeten the deal. * The Eloquent Page *'Simply put, Horns is fantastic - the author has managed to weave an incredible tale that combines elements of thriller, horror and fantasy and yet has become something very believable, convincing and utterly compelling.' ***** * SFBOOK *Horns is pretty damn awesome. I have read my fair share of supernatural trhillers over the years but with Horns Joe Hill introduces something not seen before, it's not a complete embodient of the devil but holds in the lines. A perfect story that will creep you out and play with your emotions. And at the heart of it all yes a love story, gone wrong. * The Book Plank *

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Book SynopsisA humorous, big-hearted romp through the apocalypse, where even a cowardly crow can become a hero. Perfect for fans of Dawn of the Dead and Isaac Marion''s Warm Bodies.''A thoroughly enjoyable account of the end of the world as we know it. The Secret Life of Pets meets The Walking Dead.'' Karen Joy Fowler''It''s transformative, poignant, and funny as hell. S.T. the irrepressible, cursing crow is my new favourite apocalyptic hero.'' Helen Macdonald, New York Times bestselling author of H Is for HawkS.T. is a domesticated crow. He is a bird of simple pleasures: hanging out with his owner Big Jim, trading insults with Seattle''s wild crows (those idiots) and enjoying the finest food humankind has to offer: Cheetos.But when Big Jim''s eyeball falls out of his head, S.T. starts to feel like something isn''t right. His Trade ReviewHollow Kingdom is a nature book for our own age, an exuberant, glittering, hard-hitting mashup of Dawn of the Dead and The Incredible Journey. It's an adventure lit by strange myths, brand-names, television and smartphone screens, a fable with teeth and claws about animals making new lives amongst the ruins of humanity. It's transformative, poignant, and funny as hell. S.T. the irrepressible, cursing crow is my new favourite apocalyptic hero. * Helen Macdonald, New York Times bestselling author of H Is for Hawk *Part ecological fable and part adventure story, but it's all very good * SciFi Now, ***** *A quirky zombie apocalypse romp * SFX *A plucky hero, a boisterous tale, startling prose and eerie events combine for a thoroughly enjoyable account of the end of the world as we know it. The Secret Life of Pets meets The Walking Dead. * Karen Joy Fowler, PEN/Faulkner Award-winning author of We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves *A funny and heartwarming book that stays with you long after you finish it * Gill Sims, author of Why Mummy Drinks *A wholesome and humorous tale of unlikely heroism. * Daily Express *Funny and sad, Buxton's fable is also full of purpose and meaning, and ultimately hopeful * Morning Star *Beguilingly different * Booklist, starred review *One of our favourite wacky reads this year * Magic Book Club *I love this book so much! I wanted to set it on fire while hugging it. I wanted to hasten the apocalypse just to see how my own pets fare in a more humane world without humans. Kira Jane Buxton's voice is fresh, like a newly dug grave, but so joyful and honest you'll laugh out loud, and then check to make sure you haven't lost an eyeball. Hollow Kingdom is a wildly original debut and a paean to my favorite city. * Jamie Ford, New York Times bestselling author of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet *Everything you're hearing about Kira Jane Buxton's Hollow Kingdom--that it's wildly original and inventive, funny and profane--is wonderfully true. But even better, this book is timely, smart, movingly written, and beautifully concluded. * Laurie Frankel, author of This is How It Always Is *If you've ever thought that humans were the ones in charge, Kira Jane Buxton's groundbreaking novel will have you thinking otherwise. Full of unforgettable humor, insight and beauty, Hollow Kingdom enriches our human experience by inhabiting the minds (and bellies!) of our non-human animal companions and reminding us that we're not alone here on this earth. * Ruth Ozeki, nationally bestselling author of A Tale for the Time Being *Buxton's quirky ideas and compelling nonhuman characters will satisfy literary fiction and zombie genre enthusiasts alike who are looking for something beguilingly different. * Booklist, starred review *The human apocalypse as only a crow can tell it. * Publishers Weekly *

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Book SynopsisWelcome to Merrywell. Population: small. Secrets: aplenty.Murder in Merrywell is an entertaining and engaging cozy mystery set against a beautiful backdrop.' Clare ChaseEx-journalist Violet Brewster is keen to make a good first impression in her new community, having just moved to the small village of Merrywell. When Violet hears about the mystery of Helen Slingsby, who disappeared from the village forty years earlier, she decides to help uncover what happened. But despite Violet's best efforts, she can find no trace of the missing woman.As Violet talks to the other residents, it becomes apparent that something sinister is lurking beneath the village's idyllic exterior.When a villager is found dead in their home, Violet becomes convinced that the murder is connected to Helen. Did Helen ever really leave Merrywell? Who in the village is hiding something? And can Violet finally solve this forty-year-old mystery before someone else gets hurt?An utterly gripping and page-turning English c

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Book Synopsis''One of the comic masterpieces'' Daily Telegraph ______________________________________Henderson Dores is an Englishman in New York - and completely out of his depth.He should be concentrating on his job as an art assessor, but his complicated personal life keeps intruding. And that''s before we even get to his sense of alienation, of being a fish out of water. For Henderson is a shy man lost in a country of extraverts and weirdos. Subway poets, loony millionaires, Bible-bashers and sharp-suited hoods stalk him wherever he goes. But it is only when he''s sent to America''s deep South to examine a rare collection of paintings that matters take a life-threatening turn. Still, if it doesn''t kill you, they say it can only make you stronger . . .______________________________________''Boyd''s humour, timed to a tee, always raps out the truth'' Mail on Sunday''Extremely funny. Boyd does not pass up

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Book Synopsis From Sunday Times and #1 New York Times bestselling author of Things We Never Got Over Gloria is due a happily ever after. She''s lost ten years to a toxic, dangerous relationship. Now that she''s finally free - and medicating with makeovers and margaritas in her mother''s kitchen - she has a long road ahead of her remembering who she really is.And just when she has sworn off men for at least a decade more, along comes larger-than-life, hometown hero Aldo Moretta. He''s saying all the right things and flirting in all the right ways, but he is leaving for six months.One dazzling kiss, and he''s gone. Or so Gloria thought . . .

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Book SynopsisThe fun, flirty and steamy new romcom from Rachel Lynn Solomon, author of The Ex Talk and Weather Girl!''An unputdownable, sexy riot!'' Christina Lauren''The spice was unparalleled'' Reader Review *****''Delightfully addictive and downright red-hot spicy!'' Amy Lea''Just perfect. I loved this and I can''t wait to read it again'' Reader Review *****''Her sexiest novel yet . . . swoony, steamy, heart-wrenching, and healing'' Courtney Kae___________Chandler Cohen lies for a living.When she accepts her next ghostwriting gig penning a memoir for cult actor Finnegan Walsh, it should be a dream job.However, Chandler knows him best as something else: her worst-ever one-night stand . . .She''s determined to keep things professional. But when she finally admits to Finn that their night together wasn''t as mind-blowing as hTrade ReviewBoth wisecracking and wise, edgy and vulnerable, Business or Pleasure skillfully balances everything that makes romance great. Simply put, it is an unputdownable, sexy riot! Rachel Lynn Solomon is a romance virtuoso and her readers have the best seats in the house -- Christina Lauren, New York Times bestselling author of The Soulmate EquationA total delight. It's sexy, smart, and so freaking fun-I couldn't stop smiling! As always, Rachel's characters are rendered with tremendous love and care. You will fall hard for Chandler and Finn -- Carley Fortune, New York Times bestselling author of Every Summer AfterRachel Lynn Solomon is an auto-buy author for me, and Business or Pleasure might be her best yet! Chandler and Finn's story is so vulnerable and hot, and the way Solomon weaves serious, important topics throughout a warm and engaging romance is truly masterful. I already can't wait to read this book again and again -- Alicia Thompson, national bestselling author of Love in the Time of Serial KillersBusiness or Pleasure is an absolute pleasure, full stop. This funny, delightful book will pull you in from the first page - a big-hearted celebration of sex, consent, and love. Rachel Lynn Solomon knows exactly how to crank up the heat, and the chemistry between Chandler and Finn is hot hot hot. Solomon's voice shines in this sex-positive rom-com -- Elissa Sussman, national bestselling author of Funny You Should AskOnly Rachel Lynn Solomon could make a story about giving sex lessons to a celebrity feel this grounded and realistic. Chandler and Finn are equal parts smart and funny, charming and generous, thoughtful and endearing. Rachel takes the kind of risks that make romance as a genre so special and rewarding to read -- Rosie Danan, author of The RoommateI can always count on Rachel Lynn Solomon to deliver rapid-fire dialogue, intense chemistry, and lived-in yet fresh characters that feel like your oldest friends. Business or Pleasure is delightfully addictive and downright red-hot spicy! -- Amy Lea, international bestselling author of Exes and O'sRachel Lynn Solomon has a gift for looking directly into my soul and somehow giving me exactly the book I needed. Business or Pleasure is a perfect encapsulation of everything I love about Solomon's writing: depth, vulnerability, and thoughtfulness, topped off with laugh-out-loud banter and smoking hot (and in this case, hard-won) chemistry -- Ava Wilder, author of How to Fake it in HollywoodRachel Lynn Solomon is back with her sexiest novel yet, and the pleasure is all ours. A love letter to self-empowerment, discovery, and intimacy of all forms, Business or Pleasure will fill your soul with everything readers hope to find in a phenomenal romance novel. Swoony, steamy, heart-wrenching, and healing, this story will hug your heart long after the last page. Solomon is a shining star -- Courtney Kae, author of In the Event of LoveBusiness or Pleasure transcends sexy into something almost radical in this honest, raw, fresh, and hugely fun romp under the sheets and across the country with Chandler and Finn. Romantic, hilarious, sizzling, and heartfelt, Rachel Lynn Solomon's latest has taken its place as my new favorite romcom -- Carlyn Greenwald, author of Sizzle ReelSweet, steamy, and satisfying, this is sure to please readers * Library Journal *Praise for Rachel Lynn Solomon * : *My forecast: read it, and you'll be on cloud nine -- Ali Hazelwood, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Love HypothesisWith humorous dialogue and many swoon-worthy moments, this romance book has all the joy * BuzzFeed *A sexy storm of a book -- Sophie Cousens, New York Times bestselling author of This Time Next YearCozy, comforting, thought provoking, and it'll make you feel warm from the inside out -- Jasmine Guillory, New York Times bestselling author of While We Were DatingA delightful romance. Perfect for rainy days and sunny days and everything in between -- Helen Hoang, New York Times bestselling author of The Heart PrincipleSparkles with quirky humour * Apple Books *Humorous, captivating, and delightful * USA Today *

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Book SynopsisBoth cutting and laugh-out-loud, this is Sir Terry Pratchett at his best, shining a light upon the real world through a pageturning adventure across the streets of Ankh-Morpork''This book has so much more than most. Excellent read, absolutely worth your time'' Patrick Rothfuss, New York Times bestselling author of The Name of the Wind''Funny in a clever, scholarly, satire sort of way, with an occasional bad pun or lowbrow shot to keep you on your toes . . . If you, like me, have been living in a hole and ignoring Pratchett, then this is a good one with which to start'' Brandon Sanderson, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Stormlight Archive''Be a MAN in the City Watch! The City Watch needs MEN!''But what it''s got includes Corporal Carrot (technically a dwarf), Lance-constable Cuddy (really a dwarf), Lance-constable Detritus (a troll), Lance-constable Angua (a woman... most of the time) and Corpor

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Book SynopsisIn addition to a sparkling modern translation of Praise of Folly, this volume also includes other works by Erasmus: Pope Julius Barred from Heaven, Epigram against Pope Julius II and a selection of his Adages. Together with the extensive annotation of the texts, these help to set Erasmus’s masterpiece in an accessible context for the modern reader. A central text of the Renaissance, Praise of Folly is an essential part of the Western canon, without which much that has followed – in culture, theology and literature – would not exist. Deeply subversive in its time, the book, after the initial controversy it created, finally gained acceptance as theologians, philosophers and readers came to appreciate Erasmus’s lucid, playful and eloquent reasoning.Trade ReviewErasmus searched for reconciliation between Faith and Reason, refusing not only the dogmas of Faith, but the dogmas of Reason as well. -- Carlos FuentesPraise of Folly, still a masterpiece of slyly subversive wit, was in a sense the first best-seller, read covertly under desks and sniggered over by countless trainee monks and priests. -- Nicholas Lezard * The Guardian *I am well aware that what I have had to say on the problem of peace is not essentially new. It is my profound conviction that the solution lies in our rejecting war for an ethical reason; namely, that war makes us guilty of the crime of inhumanity. Erasmus of Rotterdam and several others after him have already proclaimed this as the truth around which we should rally. -- Albert Schweitzer in his 1952 Nobel Peace Prize lectureFrom the terrible hate storm of his age Erasmus has salvaged this intellectual gem, his faith in humanity, and on this small burning wick Spinoza, Lessing and Voltaire – and all Europeans past and present – could light their torch. -- Stefan Zweig

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Book SynopsisRead the most captivating historical debut of the year![A] scintillating, swash-buckling debut terrifically fun' SUNDAY TIMESSharp, modern and absolutely delicious' TAYLOR JENKINS REIDFans of Bridgerton will swoon' NITA PROSEKitty Talbot needs a fortune. Love is not requiredShe's got just twelve weeks to find a rich husband and save her sisters and she must use every ounce of cunning and ingenuity she possesses to climb London society if she is to succeed.The only person she can't fool is Lord Radcliffe, who sees straight through her plans, and is determined to stop her at any cost.There is not a day to lose and no one not even a lord will stand in her wayReaders LOVE A Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting:Like Bridgerton, but better' ?????The best book I have read in a long time' ?????Sassy, outrageous and bingeable' ?????MUST READ' ?????LOVED it!' ?????Sophie Irwin is going to be an author to watch' ?????An utter delight of a book' ?????Great fun and hugely entertaining' ?????What a chTrade Review‘[A] scintillating, swash-buckling debut … terrifically fun’ Sunday Times ‘Sharp, modern, and absolutely delicious … one of the most fun, romantic books I've read in a long time’ Taylor Jenkins Reid ‘What a sassy, witty, delicious tale [with] a fabulous, fearless heroine’ Sophie Kinsella ‘A thoroughly modern heroine with wit, style and energy … a formidable Austentacious talent’ Janice Hallett ‘Delicious – frothy, gossipy and glamorous’ Daily Mail ‘Charming, witty and infectiously exuberant’ Santa Montefiore ‘Divine – an utter delight’ Nina Stibbe ‘Will fill the Bridgerton-shaped hole in your life’ Red ‘Plucky, witty and bright … Readers of Austen and fans of Bridgerton will swoon’ Nita Prose ‘A diamond of the first water! Shades of Heyer with a dash of modern roguishness … Full of heart and swooningly romantic’ Beth Morrey ‘An addictive read’ Sunday Express ‘Utterly delightful and impossible to put down’ Louise O’Neill ‘[A] whip-smart, beautifully observed, sparkling romance’ Lindsey Kelk ‘Full of spirit and gumption … enormous fun: just what we all need’ AJ Pearce ‘Funny, fresh and original – you’ll want to put it straight on your dance card’ Cesca Major ‘Very clever and hugely entertaining’ Sarah Hilary ‘This is SO much fun. The most pleasing homage to Georgette Heyer with a thoroughly modern sensibility. Tremendous stuff’ Harriet Tyce ‘A huge, warm treat of a book. Refreshing, funny and sparklingly smart … The debut of the season’ Cressida McLaughlin 'A sparkling debut that reads like a turbo-charged Jane Austen’ Joanna Toye ‘I cheered for Kitty as she confronts polite society in her outrageous pursuit of a rich husband….an impressive debut’ Mary Balogh ‘Move over, Mr Darcy! [A] hilarious, sparkling debut! Utterly irresistible’ Eloisa James

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Book SynopsisMasachika Kuse sits next to Arya, a girl of Russian and Japanese descent. She’sbeautiful, haughty, and an exceptional student, while Masachika is nerdy and known forbeing a slacker. He’s an easy target for her comments in Russian, which she’s all toohappy to translate—except he can understand what she’s really saying!

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Book Synopsis"It's a fun, frothy quintessentially British romcom about a certified chaos demon and a stern brunch daddy with a heart of gold faking a relationship."-New York Times bestselling author Talia HibbertAMAZON BEST BOOK OF THE MONTHNamed a best book of the year by Oprah Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, Goodreads, The Washington Post, and more!WANTED:One (fake) boyfriendPractically perfect in every wayLuc O'Donnell is tangentially-and reluctantly-famous. His rock star parents split when he was young, and the father he's never met spent the next twenty years cruising in and out of rehab. Now that his dad's making a comeback, Luc's back in the public eye, and one compromising photo is enough to ruin everything.To clean up his image, Luc has to find a nice, normal relationship...and Oliver Blackwood is as nice and normal as they come. He's a barrister, an ethical vegetarian, and he's never inspired a moment of scandal in his life. In other words: perfect boyfriend material. Unfortunately, apart from being gay, single, and really, really in need of a date for a big event, Luc and Oliver have nothing in common. So they strike a deal to be publicity-friendly (fake) boyfriends until the dust has settled. Then they can go their separate ways and pretend it never happened.But the thing about fake-dating is that it can feel a lot like real-dating. And that's when you get used to someone. Start falling for them. Don't ever want to let them go.Discover the LGBT romance about exact opposites falling in perfectly imperfect love that New York Times and USA Today bestselling author CHRISTINA LAUREN calls "hilarious, witty, tender, and stunning."Trade Review"Alexis Hall's Boyfriend Material perfectly balances laugh-out-loud-while-reading-alone-in-an-empty-room with those-aren't-tears-in-my-eyes-just-allergies." - Kris Ripper, author of the Scientific Method Universe"FAKE DATING, REAL FEELINGS, BEST JOKES." - Olivia Waite, author of The Lady's Guide to Celestial Mechanics"Boyfriend Material is the joyfully queer British romcom escape book I didn't know I needed. It's absurdly funny and swoonily romantic, with a sharp edge of wit and observation that keeps the story bounding along. An unbridled 'one-more-chapter-oh-no-it's-3am' delight." - KJ Charles"How? How was this book written? My vote is witchcraft. What a study in character development. It's a how-to without even trying. I'm going to treat this novel like I do my favorite cardigan and buy 5 copies for when one wears out. Everyone needs to read this. Brilliance on every single page. Hilarious, witty, tender, and stunning. I LOVE THIS BOOK." - Christina Lauren, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author"Alexis Hall is the undisputed master of romantic comedy." - Jenny Holiday, USA Today bestselling author of Mermaid Inn"This is a triumph." - Publishers Weekly, STARRED Review"Downright hilarious...Hall achieves a true balance between romance and comedy, delightfully succeeding at both. " - Booklist, STARRED Review"I'm in awe of Alexis Hall's talent. I don't want the book to end." - Cathy Maxwell, New York Times bestselling author"Every once in a while you read a book that you want to SCREAM FROM ROOFTOPS about. I'm screaming, people!" - Sonali Dev, award-winning author of Pride, Prejudice and Other Flavors

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