Hartley Wright is returning to Ruby Shores to help organise his father's funeral. He is not returning to reunite with his brothers. He is not returning to help save the family business. And he is definitely not returning for Kennedy Grace. When Kennedy Grace begins her investigation into Orson Wright's death, she will keep it professional. She will not get mixed up in the Wright brother's family drama. She will not question her moral compass. And she definitely will not allow Hart Wright back into her heart. An abusive father. A bond between five brothers. A love he thought he lost. A life he thought he never wanted.
Daphne Cardenas is the best wedding planner around, and everyone knows it. That's why her friend Greg hired her as an emergency replacement one month before his wedding—because he fears his fiancée Helen is falling for the guy they first hired for the job. Aaron Trinidad is new to the wedding industry but years of conference planning and loads of charm make him good at it. Really good at it. Planning the wedding of his friend Helen should be easy, and it is. To be unceremoniously fired isn't good for his new career, but the chance to learn from the best might be the silver lining. Aaron and Daphne have chemistry, but there’s history with Helen that at least one other person considers a threat. Who's the planner who can fix this impending disaster? (Part of the Chic Manila series, but can be read as a standalone.)
Welcome to the stories of a fun group of old friends as they navigate the challenges of midlife together. Life is hard, but forever friends make it better. Jackie Turner has never felt so invisible. As a top performer, the forty-eight-year-old is shocked when she’s passed over for a promotion at work. Has she become irrelevant? It’s a bitter pill, but she vows to keep her disappointment to herself as she travels back home to Minnesota for her thirty-year high school reunion. She deserves this unspoiled time to reconnect with her lifelong best friends. Their special friendship kicked off at summer camp when five young girls bonded over butterflies, a troubling accusation, and a simple craft project. They dubbed themselves the Kaleidoscope Girls, and not even their turbulent high school years could tear them apart. They promised to stay close, but life can thwart even the best of intentions. Decades later, Jackie realizes she needs her lifelong friends now more than ever. Who better to turn to for advice on navigating the highs and lows of midlife? Her career feels stale, her nest is empty, and her father is fighting a battle he can’t win. She needs a fresh start, and together with the rest of the Kaleidoscope Girls, Jackie will hit the road and experience what it feels like to have fun again. Experience the magic of female friendships in Better with Friends, the first book in The Kaleidoscope Girls women’s fiction series. Let Kimberly Diede, best-selling author of the popular Celia’s Gifts Whispering Pines series, give you a glimpse into the early years and bring you along as the next chapters unfold for these five amazing women. Their future journeys will be even richer, thanks to old friends. Let the Kaleidoscope Girls remind you that the best is yet to come. If you enjoy books by Hope Holloway, Fiona Baker, or Rebecca Regnier then join along in the fun with The Kaleidoscope Girls. THE KALEIDOSCOPE GIRLS series, in order Better with Friends Sunshine and Friends Five Golden Friends Gift of Friends (coming May 2024) Also by Kimberly Diede is the uplifting Gift of Whispering Pines women’s fiction series, where you will feel like part of an amazing family. GIFT OF WHISPERING PINES series in order Whispering Pines Tangled Beginnings Rebuilding Home Capturing Wishes Choosing Again Celia’s Gifts Celia’s Legacy First Summers at Whispering Pines (FREE novella, visit her website for more)
Growing Green Infrastructure in Contemporary Asian Cities examines to what extent green infrastructure (GI) is being implemented in East and Southeast Asian cities. The book reflects upon the integration of contemporary approaches to landscape planning alongside traditional forms of green space design and cultural understandings of the landscape in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea. Working from a multi-locational perspective, the book illustrates how political, socio-cultural, economic, and ecological factors influence the delivery of GI and the consequences of these decisions. The book provides a set of best practice recommendations for the design, development, and management of greener urban areas. It both explains how GI is being utilised in East and Southeast Asia to address climate change, promote economic prosperity, and support the development of more livable places, and identifies future trends in its use. It is a key resource for any practitioners, students, and academics working in landscape planning and green infrastructure in an Asian context.
There is no greater gift than friendship. For the first time in fifty years, Lynette Howe’s financial struggles are behind her. Her wildly prosperous online boutique is now someone else’s headache. It wasn’t hard to bid farewell to the fast-paced lifestyle of New York City, but designing her new life in the quiet town she left decades ago isn’t working. Men used to find her intriguing—mysterious, even—when her role as a stylish CEO demanded most of her time. Women’s desire to emulate her only helped fuel her success. But now? Now she spends her days poking around the small town of Ruby Shores, talking to a cat. She isn’t the only one struggling. Her mother, Donna, remains by her side, but sometimes it feels like their roles have reversed. Even though they’ve accomplished great things together, both women harbor unspoken dreams. Will their codependency lead to regrets? Lynette welcomes the distraction of her annual girls’ trip with her four best friends. This year’s destination isn’t a plane ride away. Instead, they’ll go back to the peaceful solitude of Whispering Pines. It’ll feel like summer camp all over again . . . except for adults. She could use some girlish giggles, along with coffee on the dock at sunrise or wine around a sunset campfire. But unexpected guests bring turmoil to the resort. When long-hidden secrets come to light and unsettling news arrives from New York, not even the tranquility of Whispering Pines or the reassuring presence of her girlfriends can stop Lynette from questioning every decision she’s made during the past two years. Slip away with this uplifting group to the restful Minnesota lake resort of Whispering Pines in Gift of Friends by Kimberly Diede. You’re sure to catch their laughter floating on a warm lakeside breeze in this fourth book of the Kaleidoscope Girls women’s fiction series. Hopeful expectations, mixed with delicious surprises and shocking truths, will have you cheering on both daughter and mother in this colorful celebration of female friendships. If you enjoy books by Hope Holloway, Fiona Baker, or Rebecca Regnier then join along in the fun with the Kaleidoscope Girls. THE KALEIDOSCOPE GIRLS series, in order Better with Friends Sunshine and Friends Five Golden Friends Gift of Friends Life with Friends (available December 2024) Also by Kimberly Diede is the uplifting Gift of Whispering Pines women’s fiction series, where you will feel like part of an amazing family. GIFT OF WHISPERING PINES series in order Whispering Pines Tangled Beginnings Rebuilding Home Capturing Wishes Choosing Again Celia’s Gifts Celia’s Legacy First Summers at Whispering Pines (FREE novella, visit her website for more)
Come along for a fun girls' trip to Arizona with a group of old friends as they navigate the challenges of midlife together. Can these forever friends recapture their zest for life together? Annie Pierce knows the best part of turning fifty will be raising a glass in a toast with her oldest friends. As long as there is water, wine, and warmth, plus time to reminisce and reconnect, everyone should be happy. Fun with friends is a great way to escape life for a while. And Annie needs the escape. Will a week in Arizona be enough to quell her growing trepidation? She’d expected to enjoy her empty nest, but the house is too quiet and regrets are piling up over decisions made long ago. The rift within her blended family feels like a chasm. Her husband is pulling away, her ex is back, and loyalties are in question. Frustrations at work aren’t helping. A favorite student is making stupid choices and putting lives at risk. As she awaits her first grandchild, Annie would give anything to bring her family back together. How can this soon-to-be grandma muster the energy to save both her family and her students? She’ll need the support of her best friends if she’s going to move forward through these paralyzing midlife struggles. She used to be fearless. Now she’s frozen. Can Annie begin to thaw under the Arizona sun with a little help from her friends? Enjoy a fun-filled girls’ trip with this welcoming group in Five Golden Friends, book three of The Kaleidoscope Girls women’s friendship series by Kimberly Diede. Life is a compilation of yesterday’s choices, but hard-earned wisdom plus a little courage can lead to new pathways and fewer regrets. Treat yourself to Five Golden Friends for a reminder that we can do more than survive. We can thrive. If you enjoy books by Hope Holloway, Fiona Baker, or Rebecca Regnier then join along in the fun with the Kaleidoscope Girls. THE KALEIDOSCOPE GIRLS series, in order Better with Friends Sunshine and Friends Five Golden Friends Gift of Friends (available 2024) with more to come Also by Kimberly Diede is the uplifting Celia’s Gifts women’s fiction series, where you will feel like part of an amazing family. CELIA’S GIFTS series in order Whispering Pines Tangled Beginnings Rebuilding Home Capturing Wishes Choosing Again Celia’s Gifts Celia’s Legacy First Summers at Whispering Pines (FREE novella, visit her website for more)
Living in Rome under Caligula and later a tutor to Nero, Seneca witnessed the extremes of human behaviour. His shocking and bloodthirsty plays not only reflect a brutal period of history but also show how guilt, sorrow, anger and desire lead individuals to violence. The hero of Hercules Insane saves his own family from slaughter, only to commit further atrocities when he goes mad. The horrifying death of Astyanax is recounted in Trojan Women, and Phaedra deals with forbidden love. In Oedipus a nervous man discovers himself, while Thyestes recounts the bitter family struggle for a crown. Of uncertain authorship, Octavia dramatizes Nero's divorce from his wife and her deportation. The only Latin tragedies to have survived complete, these plays are masterpieces of vibrant, muscular language and psychological insight.
Come along for an amazing girls' trip to Hawaii with a fun group of old friends as they continue to navigate the challenges of midlife together. Sunshine and friendship help chase away the shadows. Packing is the last thing Kit Robinson needs to cross off the to-do list before her long-anticipated girls’ trip. She can’t wait to enjoy an icy cocktail under a hot Hawaiian sun with old friends, where they’ll toast the keeping of a thirty-year promise. But when a terrifying tornado sends Kit racing through a dark night, her time in the sun is in jeopardy. Surprises await her back home. Has Kit’s estranged mother returned? If that dreadful woman is back, chaos isn’t far behind. Kit’s fiancé does his best to persuade her to stick with her original travel plans, but her grandmother needs her. Shouldn’t she stay? Then Kit stumbles across yet another secret and the wash of pain overshadows everything. How could the person she trusts more than anyone else in the world lie to her about something so important? Overwhelmed, Kit needs to escape the lies. Her lifelong friends know how deep her scars run and they’ll understand why these latest bombshells are rocking Kit’s carefully orchestrated world. Her friends will know what to do. Escape to the lush vistas of Hawaii in Sunshine and Friends, book two of The Kaleidoscope Girls women’s friendship series by Kimberly Diede. Life leaves scars. Will a wounded Kit retreat behind old walls, or can her best friends convince her that keeping an open heart is worth the risk? Grab your copy of Sunshine and Friends today, because everyone deserves a trip to the tropics and a reminder of the power of forgiveness. If you enjoy books by Hope Holloway, Fiona Baker, or Rebecca Regnier then join along in the fun with The Kaleidoscope Girls. THE KALEIDOSCOPE GIRLS series, in order Better with Friends Sunshine and Friends Five Golden Friends (available late summer 2023) with more to come Also by Kimberly Diede is the uplifting Celia’s Gifts women’s fiction series, where you will feel like part of an amazing family. CELIA’S GIFTS series in order Whispering Pines Tangled Beginnings Rebuilding Home Capturing Wishes Choosing Again Celia’s Gifts Celia’s Legacy First Summers at Whispering Pines (FREE novella, visit her website for more)
