The Champagne Slipper brings the reader into the world of transvestites and transsexuals. Meet Lita, the silicone body queen, who heaps revenge on all who cross her; Ms. Honey Babe, prostitute and streetwalker with a different plan; and the doctor who falls victim to his own greed and lust. Belinda, his young, beautiful, girlfriend, proves to be greedy, prejudiced, and devious. Jolena, his loyal, compassionate assistant, discovers her loyalty was mistaken for stupidity, while Marsha, whose only desire is to become a total man, is destroyed. These and many other unforgettable characters are both amusing and sad and will keep the pages turning.
So you got the guy on the big white horse, and the beautiful little mermaids, and the picket fence, and your life isn’ t . . . perfect in every imaginable way? You’re not alone. In 1997, Gabrielle Reece married the man of her dreams—professional surfer Laird Hamilton—in a flawless Hawaiian ceremony. Naturally, the couple filed for divorce four years later. In the end they worked it out, but not without the ups and downs, minor hiccups, and major setbacks that beset every modern family. With hilarious stories, wise insights, and concrete takeaways on topics ranging from navigating relationship issues to aging gracefully to getting smart about food, My Foot Is Too Big for the Glass Slipper is the brutally honest, wickedly funny, and deeply helpful portrait of the humor, grace, and humility it takes to survive the happily ever after.
"If the Shoe Fits encompasses everything I love about rom-coms. I laughed, I swooned, I smiled. Another hit for Julie Murphy!" —Colleen Hoover, #1 New York Times best-selling author of Hopeless If the shoe doesn’t fit, maybe it’s time to design your own. Cindy loves shoes. A well-placed bow or a chic stacked heel is her form of self-expression. As a fashion-obsessed plus-size woman, she can never find designer clothes that work on her body, but a special pair of shoes always fits just right. With a shiny new design degree but no job in sight, Cindy moves back in with her stepmother, Erica Tremaine, the executive producer of the world’s biggest dating reality show. When a contestant on Before Midnight bows out at the last minute, Cindy is thrust into the spotlight. Showcasing her killer shoe collection on network TV seems like a great way to jump-start her career. And, while she’s at it, why not go on a few lavish dates with an eligible suitor? But being the first and only fat contestant on Before Midnight turns her into a viral sensation—and a body-positivity icon—overnight. Even harder to believe? She can actually see herself falling for this Prince Charming. To make it to the end, despite the fans, the haters, and a house full of fellow contestants she’s not sure she can trust, Cindy will have to take a leap of faith and hope her heels— and her heart—don’t break in the process. Best-selling author Julie Murphy’s reimagining of a beloved fairy tale is an enchanting story of self-love and believing in the happy ending each and every one of us deserves.
Valerie Wagner lands popular advice guru Prince Charming as a cover model and monthly columnist at her trendsetting new magazine. When he confesses that he's looking for a Mr. Right of his own, will Valerie's newfound glory fade?
Ruthless Alexi Steele is determined, relentless, and driven to protect the innocent. She’s a top agent of the NSA’s clandestine Recovery Enforcement Division, specializing in human trafficking and sex crimes. Her current mission: To infiltrate the inner circle of Boston’s exclusive S&M clubs in order to save young women who are about to be auctioned off to the highest bidders. But Lexi’s only way in is under the control of her new partner in crime, Nick Donovan. Nick will do whatever it takes to bring down the billionaire sex-ring mastermind who’s kidnapped his sister. But the games he must play as Lexi’s dominant are burning away his icy control, and blurring the lines between partners. Meanwhile, their enemies are closing in as they enter a devastating race against time...bringing them dangerously close to a ruthless end. Fractured When an old nemesis resurfaces in New York City, girls from across the globe are recruited for a modeling competition, only to become enslaved prostitutes. It’s up to Lexi Steele, an undercover agent with the NSA’s Recovery Enforcement Division, and her partner, Nick Donovan, to infiltrate the operation and free the victims. Finding the mastermind, who slipped through their hands once before, is only half the challenge. Nick is keeping a shocking secret from his past that’s affecting their mission. Time is running out, and Lexi may be forced to do the unthinkable to see that the job is done. Vendetta Special Agent Lexi Steele, an operative with the NSA’s highly secretive Recovery Enforcement Division, and her partner, Nick Donovan, are on the trail of their nemesis, criminal mastermind Karl Bachmann. Lexi is shocked and furious when her team is ordered to stop their investigation. Why would the government let a vicious criminal who deals in sex trafficking get away? Bachmann is now out for revenge and bent on destroying Lexi. When a family member is kidnapped, it’s a race against time, but they soon find themselves caught in a web of deceit and betrayal that goes to the very core of the U.S. Government. Amid all the turmoil, Lexi fights her emotions for Nick, a distraction she can’t allow. He wants her trust and love—something she might never be able to give.
Alcohol consumption goes to the very roots of nearly all human societies. Different countries and regions have become associated with different sorts of alcohol, for instance, the “beer culture” of Germany, the “wine culture” of France, Japan and saki, Russia and vodka, the Caribbean and rum, or the “moonshine culture” of Appalachia. Wine is used in religious rituals, and toasts are used to seal business deals or to celebrate marriages and state dinners. However, our relation with alcohol is one of love/hate. We also regulate it and tax it, we pass laws about when and where it’s appropriate, we crack down severely on drunk driving, and the United States and other countries tried the failed “Noble Experiment” of Prohibition. While there are many encyclopedias on alcohol, nearly all approach it as a substance of abuse, taking a clinical, medical perspective (alcohol, alcoholism, and treatment). The SAGE Encyclopedia of Alcohol examines the history of alcohol worldwide and goes beyond the historical lens to examine alcohol as a cultural and social phenomenon, as well—both for good and for ill—from the earliest days of humankind.
‘A terrific blow for freedom. Richly comic’ Boris Johnson. 'Properly funny. I've put it in a seldom-used toilet.' Jeremy Clarkson We are forever being ordered around – 100 things to do before you're 30; 50 albums you must own; change your life in two weeks. Why – is this an increasingly desperate search for happiness? Perhaps you can in fact attain happiness not by going anywhere or doing anything but instead by actually reducing your ambitions. This is the philosophy behind '63 Things Not To Do Before You Die'. Each chapter begins with a diatribe, followed by a detailed look at the alternative side of the most frequently cited must do's, giving off-putting facts and statistics to quote at holier-than-thou thrillseekers. Wish-fulfillment lists take heed...
