How far would you go to secure the wedding of your dreams? Would you go to the extreme of hiring a homeless old woman from the local city streets to pretend to be the granny you never had, for the whole Christmas period? What if your only chance to pay for your nuptials meant you had to play host to a proper family Christmas. That meant you had to spin a web of secrets and lies without becoming tangled up and feeling trapped. Whilst having the best intentions at heart for everyone to simply have a wonderful Christmas time. Esme is getting extra visitors to stay over this Christmas whether she likes it or not so her cup is full, pity it is not with mulled wine to help her through it. This of course will lead to a farcical and fabulously fun Yuletide yarn as it turns into a chaotic Christmas. The comedic situations in this fast-paced Christmas romp were to become the most stressful thing Esme could have imagined for a festive fiasco. Could Esme lose her own home, her fiancé and put the most precious person of all in peril as a result? This is a British, feel good fiction novel to count your blessings with on this coming holiday season. Will poor old Esme get the happiest ever after in the end, if she does manage by some miracle to pull off the perfect Christmas? Would Esme still think it a blessing if her wishes were granted? There is only one-way to find out, read the book!
Winner of the 2020 Porchlight Business Book of the Year Award One of The Guardian's Best Books of 2020. Finalist for the 2020 Royal Science Society Book Prize and the 2020 Porchlight Business Book Awards. Longlisted for the 2020 Financial Times & McKinsey Business Book of the Year “Linda Scott shines a light on women’s essential and often invisible contributions to our global economy—while combining insight, analysis, and interdisciplinary data to make a compelling and actionable case for unleashing women’s economic power.” —Melinda Gates, author of The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World A leading thinker's groundbreaking examination of women's economic empowerment Linda Scott coined the phrase “Double X Economy” to address the systemic exclusion of women from the world financial order. In The Double X Economy, Scott argues on the strength of hard data and on-the-ground experience that removing those barriers to women’s success is a win for everyone, regardless of gender. Scott opens our eyes to the myriad economic injustices that constrain women throughout the world: fathers buying and selling daughters against their will; husbands burning brides whose dowries have been spent; men appropriating women’s earnings and widows’ land; banks discriminating against women applying for loans; corporations paying women less than men; men treating women as their intellectual inferiors due to primitive notions of female brain development; governments depriving women of affordable childcare; and so much more. As Scott takes us from the streets of Accra, where sex trafficking is widespread, to American business schools, where women are routinely patronized, the pervasiveness of the Double X Economy becomes glaringly obvious. But Scott believes that this rampant problem can be solved. She proposes concrete actions and urges her readers to rise up and join the global movement for women’s economic empowerment that is gaining momentum by the day.
Kids will love this cumulative and hysterical read-aloud that features a free downloadable song "I was walking down the road and I saw... a donkey, Hee Haw And he only had three legs He was a wonky donkey." Children will be in fits of laughter with this perfect read-aloud tale of an endearing donkey. By the book's final page, readers end up with a spunky hanky-panky cranky stinky-dinky lanky honky-tonky winky wonky donkey Download the free song at www.scholastic.com/wonkydonkey.
Comical Vacations 2 Three-Book Bundle Contents The Finch Family Holiday 3 It is that time of year again folks, yes summer is here so batten down the hatches because the Finch family are heading for Cornwall to stay in a holiday home by the sea with its own secluded beach. Sounds idyllic, sounds relaxing and sounds like a lot of fun in the sun so one out of three is not bad since all is not what it seems and how is Kitty Finch supposed to chill out when there are certain people winding her up from start to finish. As extra members of the clan are joining them for the ten-day humorous adventure, sparks could fly if someone lit a match to ignite the tension, sexual or otherwise. There are days out to look forward to in Cornwall where the Finch family discover new things, try out new stuff and resort to old tricks when needed. Will Kitty’s cousin get the better of her on this comical vacation? Will Kitty Finch be involved in any holiday romances or just watching from the sidelines, as per usual? Will a cardboard figure and a knitted scarecrow survive the vacation to go on another one? So come along and catch up with the funny Finches as they show you what having a British family holiday is about. The Finch Family Holiday 4 This year’s Finch family holiday finds them flying off to France for ten days in the rural French countryside. Only Kitty Finch seems to spend her vacation time searching for something whether it is a home for a pet, a handbag or a holiday romance. Not to mention the mystery man and his yellow socks that bring trouble her way. All whilst avoiding the unwanted advances of a certain somebody who does not know when to take no for an answer but should know better. As the Finch family comes across plenty of people to share their time with including German neighbours, English expats and even a French farmer to name a few. One of the men Kitty meets is special enough to take her fancy for a French fling, so start reading this funny French farce to see if she succeeds despite the exes who are hijacking her holiday fun. Whether it comes to randy rabbits, randy monkeys or randy men it is all part of the experience. The Finch Family Holiday 5 Who wants to go on holiday when they are ill in bed? Kitty Finch does not so she does her best to get out of the annual family holiday but no, her parents are having none of it so she is going to Turkey whether she likes it or not. Since they will probably kidnap her if she does not comply and come willingly while she never imagined part of that sentence actually coming true on this trip. Anyway, they are soon off to the airport where her nightmares begin and not for the only time on this holiday does Kitty wish that she had stayed in bed and had not bothered getting up. Not that she wants to appear ungrateful about going on a five-day all-inclusive package holiday in the sun during the school half-term in October, it is just that she will be face-to-face with her ex-husband who she hasn't seen since the wedding fiasco and the less said about that the better. Despite not feeling up to a holiday with the family, it is not all doom and gloom for poor old Kitty because she does get to experience things in Turkey that she never would have had she not gone there and some aspects of it she even enjoys. As this is what a British family holidaying abroad gets up to when left to their own devices. Only do not expect this laugh-out-loud saga to end there because the funny Finches will be back for yet more shenanigans in the next book.
Comical Vacations 1 Three-Book Bundle Contents The Finch Family Short Break (Book 0 Prequel) This British funny fiction is the prequel in the Comical Vacations series that takes place the year of Kitty’s divorce and before the first Finch Family Holiday kicks off. We find Kitty Finch trying to get to grips with life without Mason after seeking a friend on-line to share her time and troubles with but he turns out to be more trouble than he is worth. When things get weird she tries to end their friendship, only he is not having it so she persuades her sister-in-law that she needs a short break. However, it does not remain just the three of them going on an Amsterdam adventure when other Finch family members also wangle a ticket to ride. How will she handle the fact that her ex-husband is coming along too and who is the mystery woman with him? It was not all fun and games for Kitty when she discovers that things are not going her way no matter how hard she tries to deal with stuff that could prevent her enjoyment and talk about unrequited love, for it is catching on. Especially when Kitty ends up gate-crashing a hen party and pretending to be someone else just so she can join in. There is also the Red Light District to contend with, where all her worst fears came true. Overall, it was a memorable stay in the end and to find out more just read this hilarious story of one woman’s quest to keep her sanity and her sanitary towels intact. The Finch Family Holiday 1 WISH YOU WERE HERE would be the words written on a dirty postcard from Blackpool that Kitty Finch would send home to the rest of her family, if only, they were not already there with her. The Finch family are going to a Blackpool campsite for a typically British seaside holiday. Will Kitty be able to enjoy the excursions, when plagued with the arthritis she suffers from? On the other hand, will she want to end it all off the top of The Blackpool Tower through embarrassment before their final day is done? Will everyone else survive the holiday, come to that? There are a couple of surprises joining them for the ride and plenty of comedic complications to overcome. Can Kitty really put her marriage to Mason behind her since the divorce and perhaps, have a holiday romance with someone new? Read this funny, feel good fiction to find out. The Finch Family Holiday 2 Fancy a fun British holiday with the wacky Finch family in The Lake District then you are very welcome to join them for another zany outing. In this laughter-filled story, Kitty has found herself a boyfriend that she met through the internet and she has invited the current man in her life to come along with them. Does her ex-husband approve of this new dude and does Kitty care if Mason cares? Will Kitty’s continuing battle with her health issues interfere somewhat with them having a good time, not to mention the mishaps, misunderstandings and general mayhem all round? Everyone tries their best to bond together on this exciting trip, only to rub each other up the wrong way. While a blast from the past manages to upset an excursion and causes Kitty yet more grief. Kitty wonders if the local myths truly exist and is there a monster lurking at the bottom of the lake. Moreover, can a witch really put a curse on Kitty when she is made of stone? This is the least of her woes when she suspects a real post office robbery has taken place. Is it a crime to want this ten-day stint away from home, not to end up a complete disaster? Go on; I dare you to crack open the cover of this holiday story to find out what they did on their vacation.
Jodi Spears is fast approaching her thirtieth birthday, but it is not a date that she is looking forward to anymore. Since her world was turned upside down and rocked to its very core when her husband decided to jump off a cliff instead of staying with her to deal with the crippling debts that he had gotten himself into, that were unbeknownst to her at the time. She lost everything as a result, when the business went bankrupt and this included her home so she now lives in her car in-between house-sitting jobs and uses her wages to pay what she can off the money still owed. The latest abode where her boss at the agency sends her to, is on a cliff top which unfortunately for Jodi is very similar to the one which had claimed the life of her late husband. As her drinking increases, so does her growing attraction for a hunky guy that she met called Reece and at last things are starting to look up as Jodi sees a light at the end of the dark tunnel she has been trapped in for nine, long hard months. However, it is never going to be that easy for Jodi seeing as she suddenly gets a blast from the past walking right back into her life and nothing will ever be the same again.
What is a British girl to do when she is suddenly jobless, loveless and homeless all in the spate of an afternoon? Well she goes on holiday, which is what she does. This is the sorry situation, which Emma Brook finds herself in so if anyone deserves a vacation then Emma thinks it should be her and the destination chosen is exactly what she needs to get over her ex and move on with her life. So with the help and guidance of a family member and a new friend, Emma is set to prove to Gabe and herself that she is not ‘boringly normal’ like he’d cruelly insisted she was and she can be adventurous and daring. But it’s all not as easy as it sounds when the only man Emma falls for has a secret of his own, which he was trying to keep from her ever finding out about. So a spot of revenge/rebound sex is out of the question then, or is it? It all comes to a head when Emma returns home to face her ex and claims to her friends that she had a holiday romance with a Greek God lookalike to show that she was indeed over Gabe. Low and behold, this mystery man actually turns up to complicate matters further. Will Emma regret her white lie, or will it be the best thing that ever happened to her?
Comedy and romance is what happens to Sabrina as she's trying to get her head around becoming a young widow. Her great-aunt dies and Sabrina discovers a long lost relative, who is a bit of a challenge to say the least. Sabrina also suffers from a severe sleep disorder as she deals with her family, friends, ex-boyfriends and neighbours. Then throw in the street party from hell, just as something scary is found in a nearby shed. Sabrina starts off dating a doctor but swiftly falls for her mother's new husband. So she tries to hide this fact but when a couple of male escorts make her acquaintance, some secrets will tend to come out in the end. Only a decent night's sleep stands between her and a descent into a very deep hole. All in all, she'll be a lucky lady indeed to come out of it alive.
To: All Readers Subject: Let’s Get Physical Hello all, This is an email to tell you about Millie Reed’s story. She is an identical twin sister to Megan Fitzpatrick and they have not spoken for years because Megan stole the love of Millie’s life and married Milo. Millie returns home for the funeral of their grandmother. Well things are said, things are agreed and things are changed forever when they decide to do a sister swap and take on each other’s lives for one month. Will Millie be able to become Megan and make her proud? Will Millie, acting as Megan, manage to mend the marriage to Milo? Will Millie overcome obstacles preventing her happiness, or have regrets in the end at being more like Megan than she bargained for? They do say never work with children or animals and always leave your ego at the door so this just proves that theory as sound advice. Pity nobody followed it. Enjoy this British, humour filled novel and discover how physical appearance mixed with physical attraction can lead to physical exhaustion from the comical complications of trying to be like someone you will never quite be like, no matter how much you want it. Take care and speak again soon.
Wendy Walliams has one dream left and that’s to become an author. Every other aspect of her life is in tatters and out of her control. So Wendy thinks that if she can get this right, then everything else will simply fall into place. Only, It doesn't help when she’s forced to move back in with her father (who hates her) and convinces her husband (who seems to hate her too) that writing is a ‘proper job’, whilst trying to do her best for her son (who also hates her). But there are secrets and lies that lurk in the past and present, which can tear her world apart if she can’t get a grip on reality long enough to sort it all out. And she can do this, can’t she? This is a comedy of manners and not all of them, good!
