Saving myself for marriage, not hardly. Saving myself for someone who will make my heart race, most definitely. In theory it's a good plan, however even the best-laid plans fall through. Seeing him, being around him, alerts all my senses and I dream about being his, wrapping myself in his arms and never letting go. The only problem - he sees me as his sister. My name's Ava Evans and I'm in love with my older brother's best friend, Nate Garrison. Burying myself in work for the past two years, avoiding any thought of her, has worked, until now. She's everywhere, in my dreams, in my gym, and in my heart. I'm not sure when I fell in love with Ava Evans, but I am completely in love with my best friends baby sister. At first she was too young for me and that made it easy to stay away. Now, it's a struggle to keep my distance. How am I supposed to resist her when I can't escape her? If he ever found out, it would ruin our friendship. Even with that knowledge all she would have to do is... Just Say When. 18+"
Even a hard man needs a soft side.Marko Sendoa isn't a beach man. He's not an Auckland man. He's a hard man. Born Basque tough, raised in the heart of New Zealand's Southern Alps, and bred on hard work, discipline, and getting the job done. It's not easy for a rugby flanker who's played 13 bruising seasons to make it to age 32 at the top of his game, but he's done it. Next year is the Rugby World Cup, and he'll do whatever it takes to be on the field in the black jersey when the anthems are sung. He doesn't need a kitten. He doesn't need a pregnant cousin.He definitely doesn't need a too-short, distractingly curvy, totally unimpressed Maori barista and part-time pet portraitist who fills his house and his life with too much color, too much chaos, and too many secrets.He's getting them anyway.
Whether he's leading a company or leading the call for a better nation, storied New York businessman and philanthropist Bernard Schwartz believes in the power of optimism. Bernard Schwartz has dined with world leaders, cut a multi billion-dollar deal on the back of a napkin, and led a Fortune 200 corporation. From humble beginnings that saw his family moving regularly from apartment to apartment to take advantage of new lease discounts to his dramatic rise to CEO of a major aerospace innovator, the author's story is a narrative on the importance of character, intelligence, and a lot of good luck. In a time when stories about corrupt CEOs and unethical banking practices flood the news, Schwartz offers the notion that doing the right thing is a more rewarding road to accomplishment, and that when applied for immoral purposes even the sharpest skills will likely lead to a fall. As Americans today await the return of economic stability and politicians wage battle over the future of government programs, opportunity seems out of reach. But Schwartz, who grew up in Depression-era Brooklyn, believes that there are steps we can take as a nation to bring about a recovery and even growth. As a child, he watched men dress for work each day whether they held a job or not. He remembers the widespread deprivation that filled everyday scenes and the streets with breadlines. But he also recalls a hopeful people; a citizenry united in the pursuit of education, homeownership, proprietorship, and community improvement. Today, he champions investments in job creation, infrastructure, technology, and innovation as the means to get us back on track. With measured insight on the role the federal government can play in creating pathways to prosperity, the author discusses how the United States can again be a land of opportunity for all. In this inspiring example of a life well lived, Bernard Schwartz invites readers to look at their own opportunities, their own ideas, and even their fellow Americans and Just Say Yes.
Fresh for the holidays, this hilarious and warm-hearted review of the top holiday stories of the last two millennia (with a special focus on Christmas Present) sparkles with dozens of shiny, new Christmas tales and tidbits, including vital stats on eating, shopping and other manifestations of the Christmas spirit, the Santa controversy, and much more.
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER From Academy Award winner and bestselling author Diane Keaton comes a candid, hilarious, and deeply affecting look at beauty, aging, and the importance of staying true to yourself—no matter what anyone else thinks. Diane Keaton has spent a lifetime coloring outside the lines of the conventional notion of beauty. In Let’s Just Say It Wasn’t Pretty, she shares the wisdom she’s accumulated through the years as a mother, daughter, actress, artist, and international style icon. This is a book only Diane Keaton could write—a smart and funny chronicle of the ups and downs of living and working in a world obsessed with beauty. In her one-of-a-kind voice, Keaton offers up a message of empowerment for anyone who’s ever dreamed of kicking back against the “should”s and “supposed to”s that undermine our pursuit of beauty in all its forms. From a mortifying encounter with a makeup artist who tells her she needs to get her eyes fixed to an awkward excursion to Victoria’s Secret with her teenage daughter, Keaton shares funny and not-so-funny moments from her life in and out of the public eye. For Diane Keaton, being beautiful starts with being true to who you are, and in this book she also offers self-knowing commentary on the bold personal choices she’s made through the years: the wide-brimmed hats, outrageous shoes, and all-weather turtlenecks that have made her an inspiration to anyone who cherishes truly individual style—and catnip to paparazzi worldwide. She recounts her experiences with the many men in her life—including Warren Beatty, Jack Nicholson, Al Pacino, and Sam Shepard—shows how our ideals of beauty change as we age, and explains why a life well lived may be the most beautiful thing of all. Wryly observant and as fiercely original as Diane Keaton herself, Let’s Just Say It Wasn’t Pretty is a head-turner of a book that holds up a mirror to our beauty obsessions—and encourages us to like what we see. Praise for Let's Just Say It Wasn't Pretty “Behind the sterling movie credits and tomboyish wardrobe, we see a soulful and deep woman contemplating the narrative arc of her own life.”—Newsweek “Delicious writing . . . This book is like a dishy lunch with the movie star you thought you’d never be lucky enough to meet. . . . Diane Keaton is in a class by herself and this book is good for the soul.”—Liz Smith, Chicago Tribune “She’s talented, iconic, quirky . . . and wonderfully blunt. This is just a small sampling of the reasons we love Diane Keaton, and they all permeate the pages of her new memoir.”—Elle “As disarming and personable as the actress herself.”—The Huffington Post “Wise, witty, thoughtful, uplifting, the truth, unvarnished—and very funny.”—Toronto Star
An invaluable book that does for parents and their young children what You Just Don't Understand did for men and women Did you know that when you say "How many times have I told you not to?" your toddler thinks you are actually changing the subject rather than reiterating a question? Based on years of clinical experience and original child development research, What Did I Just Say!?! shows how conventional communication styles actually prevent parents from saying what they mean and cause children to hear something entirely different than what was intended. The authors demonstrate how a simple understanding of the logic of language and of childhood thinking can dramatically improve parent-child communication. Among the subjects covered are understanding the complex experiential world of young children; putting structure, rules, and boundaries into children's lives while still fostering individuality; encouraging healthy emotional responsiveness and interpersonal sensitivity while decreasing anger and aggression; focusing a child's attention; and foiling behaviors such as tuning out and forgetting. By helping parents understand the very different linguistic and experiential world of children, What Did I Just Say!?! offers a foundation for parent-child communication that will last a lifetime.
Manhattan journalist Michelle Michaels just can't seem to get a break when she finds herself the subject of false rumors. Now she's being blindsided by her own boss. Wrongly suspecting her of trading sex for scoops, he's caved in to the shady newsroom gossip and sent Michelle quietly packing on a leave of absence to her hometown of Detroit where some family secrets still lurk. With a career on the DL and a love life at low-ebb, Michelle's hit rock bottom-until she meets dark, dimpled, and delicious Wesley Abbott... Detroit reporter Wesley Abbott's plate is full investigating a corrupt local judge. Now he's got something else to investigate-and she's the sweetest thing to sashay into the Herald in years. But Michelle and Wesley have more in common than they ever imagined, and it's not just mellow vibes. In fact, it's a scandal! And when these two bodies bump, so does trouble-with a capital T...