What do you do when your world is suddenly turned upside down? Join author Tomacina Hochgurtel as she tells the inspiring story of her tumultuous journey into motherhood in Aunt Mommy. Not a typical child, Jordan Lee is an amazing little boy with Down syndrome. Tossed in the throes of a drug-infused environment, Jordan Lee is rescued from an unstable beginning, Jordan Lee soon finds himself thriving in the loving care of his Aunt Mommy.
When her twenty-nine year old sister suffered a stroke, L.A. businesswoman Laura Maher returned home to Boston. During the year her sister spent in recovery, Maher moved her eight-year-old nephew and six year old niece, to California. Because her fiance did not want to "raise someone else's kids," her relationship with him ended, and as a result, she did not have a home for her or the kids to live in. While on a road trip, they met a wealthy couple who invited them to live on their estate in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Auntie Mom is an inspiring true story of a single woman's yearlong adventure into motherhood. Maher weaves a rich tapestry of candid tales that speak to the heart of the age-old struggle every woman faces in her role as parent, as well as their search for self-identity. It's a story of faith, and family, and what can happen to any of us when faced with the unexpected challenges life throws us, and the transformation that often occurs along the way."
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “A novel to cure your Downton Abbey withdrawal . . . a delightful story about nontraditional romantic relationships, class snobbery and the everybody-knows-everybody complications of living in a small community.”—The Washington Post The bestselling author of Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand returns with a breathtaking novel of love on the eve of World War I that reaches far beyond the small English town in which it is set. NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE WASHINGTON POST AND NPR East Sussex, 1914. It is the end of England’s brief Edwardian summer, and everyone agrees that the weather has never been so beautiful. Hugh Grange, down from his medical studies, is visiting his Aunt Agatha, who lives with her husband in the small, idyllic coastal town of Rye. Agatha’s husband works in the Foreign Office, and she is certain he will ensure that the recent saber rattling over the Balkans won’t come to anything. And Agatha has more immediate concerns; she has just risked her carefully built reputation by pushing for the appointment of a woman to replace the Latin master. When Beatrice Nash arrives with one trunk and several large crates of books, it is clear she is significantly more freethinking—and attractive—than anyone believes a Latin teacher should be. For her part, mourning the death of her beloved father, who has left her penniless, Beatrice simply wants to be left alone to pursue her teaching and writing. But just as Beatrice comes alive to the beauty of the Sussex landscape and the colorful characters who populate Rye, the perfect summer is about to end. For despite Agatha’s reassurances, the unimaginable is coming. Soon the limits of progress, and the old ways, will be tested as this small Sussex town and its inhabitants go to war. Praise for The Summer Before the War “What begins as a study of a small-town society becomes a compelling account of war and its aftermath.”—Woman’s Day “This witty character study of how a small English town reacts to the 1914 arrival of its first female teacher offers gentle humor wrapped in a hauntingly detailed story.”—Good Housekeeping “Perfect for readers in a post–Downton Abbey slump . . . The gently teasing banter between two kindred spirits edging slowly into love is as delicately crafted as a bone-china teacup. . . . More than a high-toned romantic reverie for Anglophiles—though it serves the latter purpose, too.”—The Seattle Times
A New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestseller “This character-driven romance will enthrall [Rivers’s] many fans.” —Library Journal The New York Times bestselling author of Redeeming Love returns to her romance roots with this unexpected and redemptive love story, a probing tale that reminds us that mercy can shape even the most broken among us into an imperfect yet stunning masterpiece. A successful LA artist, Roman Velasco appears to have everything he could possibly want—money, women, fame. Only Grace Moore, his reluctant, newly hired personal assistant, knows how little he truly has. The demons of Roman’s past seem to echo through the halls of his empty mansion and out across his breathtaking Topanga Canyon view. But Grace doesn’t know how her boss secretly wrestles with those demons: by tagging buildings as the Bird, a notorious but unidentified graffiti artist—an alter ego that could destroy his career and land him in prison. Like Roman, Grace is wrestling with ghosts and secrets of her own. After a disastrous marriage threw her life completely off course, she vowed never to let love steal her dreams again. But as she gets to know the enigmatic man behind the reputation, it’s as if the jagged pieces of both of their pasts slowly begin to fit together . . . until something so unexpected happens that it changes the course of their relationship—and both their lives—forever. “Rivers deftly threads Roman’s and Grace’s lives together as they tiptoe around their emotional scars, eventually shifting into a dance of tentative steps toward a love neither can resist. Fans of Christian romance will delight in this tale of salvation through love.” —Kirkus Reviews “Richly detailed characters with traumatic pasts are woven together with biblical truths and redemptive themes. . . . This is an amazing, beautifully written tale to be savored and pondered and shared with others.” —Romantic Times “Readers will marvel at Rivers’s storytelling arc encompassing the reconciliation of gritty past misdeeds and the work in progress of a life of forgiveness.” —Booklist “Fans of Francine Rivers will eagerly devour The Masterpiece and find exactly what they are looking for: a beautifully written story of faith, romance, and the power that true freedom can bring.” —Bookreporter
It's one of the most controversial stories Marvel has ever produced! When friends May and Mary take on a summer job after high school, they meet brothers Ben and Richard--and summer lovin' ensues! Prepare for sand, sun...and lots of sex! High drama, infidelity and a pregancy! Innovative work by Mark Millar and Terry Dodson!
On the day of her wedding, she had been set up for adultery. Her reputation had been completely ruined, and she had left the house in disgrace. Four years later, she returned with her son! That domineering CEO suddenly wanted to be her child's father. "The son is mine! Don't even think about snatching it away! " Angry, she hugged her son and tried to run. The man blocked her way with a smile, "I won't snatch, your son is yours, you are mine ..."
I have always felt the hand of God. In 1991, God said, "You have a book to write." For years, my flesh wrestled with the idea. In 1999, God sent me on a spiritual journey to Hawaii, "my heaven on earth." In heaven, I walked and talked with God. The beautiful rainbows reminded me of His promise and He reminded me of the book I had to write. Uncertain what to write, I acknowledged Him and He directed my path. I vividly recalled my childhood memories, so I entitled the first attempt, "The Fruits of My Labor." However, my faith was immediately tested when a thief burglarized my home and stole the laptop that housed the book. In frustration, I concluded that God released me from the book. The devil is a liar. God said, "Someone stole your laptop, not your memories." I humbled myself, started over and patiently waited on God. Through many trials and tribulations, He never withdrew His hand. In 2007, sixteen years after God said I had a book to write, I didn't sleep for "7" days straight. The last day of my test measured perseverance. I experienced "hell on earth" like never before. I called saints and family members to pray and fast with me until the midnight hour. The battle lasted all day, and before midnight my elder and minister came by and prayed with me. I slept that night. The next morning God said, "Write" and I willingly obeyed His voice. He revealed my past, present and future as I birthed the 7 Days in the Fire chapters in one day. Biblically, the fire symbolizes judgment; the number "7" speaks of completion, finishing, and rest. My soul is at rest. God's outstretched hand brought me out of the fire as pure gold.
This book is designed for clinicians, educators, clergy, and nurses - anyone who is assisting children who have experienced the death of a loved one. This work offers a unique framework for helping children heal from the wounds created by the life process of death, a framework that has its defining basis in children's magical thought. Magical thought is motivated by the desire of a child with incomplete cognitive equipment to understand his world. Magical thought helps children develop inaccurate conclusions about many aspects of death and their own personal grief, often suggesting that they or someone else is responsible for the loss.
“Family is not an important thing. It is everything.” This is the mantra of the Gurin family until a dark secret from the past is revealed driving their relationships to the crossroads of tragedy. While having their usual family dinner, without warning, Sophie brutally assaults Frank, her husband. Her violent behavior is witnessed by her two daughters, Addie, six and Mary, eight, and her mother, Irina, an immigrant from Poznan, Poland. Committed to a hospital, Sophie delves into painful flashbacks and dreams that involve a faceless man abusing a child. It isn’t until some months later that she discovers through therapy that the little girl is her. Her shame about being abused forces her to keep it a secret from her family. The same is true for the humiliation she suffers about being a patient in a psychiatric unit for nearly a year. Sophie concocts a risky fictional account explaining her breakdown and hospitalization and demands that her mother and husband participate in this deception because she’s fearful the truth would forever change the love her daughters feel for her. Told from multiple points of view, the story takes place in Chicago in 1965, and spans twenty years. Delving into the relationships of the Gurin women as mothers and daughters, the reader experiences the tender undersides of their love as well as the sharp edges which nearly destroy them. The heart of this book touches on the genuine compassion mothers and daughters need to be capable of when their disappointments go beyond what appears to be unforgivable.
Life is made up of moments—that's all we have. Moments in time with the people we love, and then they're gone. Sometimes we find ourselves in situations that we never expected, and then we wonder how we are going to manage. Mom-ents is my experience caring for my mother while she faced the struggle of dementia and breast cancer. Together, we walked through the darkness and the unknown. We muddled through it, sometimes with skill, sometimes by guesswork, and a lot of times by accident. This is our real human journey of love, laughter, and tenderness that I recorded as we went where the path led us.
