What started as a loveless contract marriage between a prestigious duke and the impoverished daughter of an earl grew into true love before they knew it. Now that Viola and Cercis have renewed their vows—and meant it, this time!—a new chapter begins in their life together. But as it turns out, they aren’t the only ones responsible for all that love in the air! While Cercis was on his quest to win over his wife, his longtime, long-suffering friend and partner-in-crime, Corydalis, was busy falling head over heels for a certain maid from the Fisalis manor! Will we see love blossom between yet another pair?

If you thought regular marriages were insane, wait until you see the contract Viola signed! Our heroine, the daughter of an earl, signed herself away in a marriage contract to an aloof duke, Cersis, in order to save her family from a lifetime of poverty. All of a sudden, Viola’s life is turned upside down when she moves into the Fisaris family’s manor and is left to negotiate her new life as a “show wife” in a world she had only ever caught glimpses of before. How will she shake things up at the Fisaris estate?

This powerful novel of a nation in social and moral crisis was first published by New Directions in 1956. Set in the early postwar years, it probes the destructive effects of war and the transition from a feudal Japan to an industrial society. Ozamu Dazai died, a suicide, in 1948. But the influence of his book has made "people of the setting sun" a permanent part of the Japanese language, and his heroine, Kazuko, a young aristocrat who deliberately abandons her class, a symbol of the anomie which pervades so much of the modern world.

When Anviet saves a mysterious little girl named Surya, the last thing he expected was for her to call him “Papa.” He denies the existence of a daughter, but the news about the discovery of a secret illegitimate child is spreading like wildfire. In the middle of the commotion, Saika appears in black clothes before Mushiki-but isn’t she supposed to be fused with him?

They say you only regret the things you don't do . . . Lizzie Kershaw is an independent spirit; ever since her father's death she has had to be a survivor. Home life is harsh, though, and desperate to escape it, she makes an ill-advised marriage. But she discovers all-too-quickly that she's married a selfish and violent man. His beatings never seem to stop and she soon comes to a decision: she must run far, far away. With the help of some suffragettes she escapes to Manchester, where she finds work in a munitions factory - she is finally the independent woman she has always longed to be. But her husband, whose cruelty knows no bounds, tracks her down and drag her back home to more beatings than ever. But when his violence causes her to lose the one thing she's always wanted, Lizzie knows she must find the strength to make the changes in her life that are so sorely needed. ******************* What readers are saying about OUR LIZZIE 'I'd recommend this book to all saga lovers' - 5 stars 'Another fantastic read . . . It made me laugh and it made me cry . . . Another page turner' - 5 stars 'Brilliant series of books. Lovely stories. Lovely characters' - 5 stars

In this warm, witty novel, the village of Eden Hill is full of family conflicts, marital misunderstandings, and small-town secrets . . . Musician Ben Wilde and his bride, Lisa, return from honeymoon, only to have their lives disrupted by Lisa’s demanding mum, who’s moving in while recuperating from a shoe-related injury—and Ben being summoned for a newly scheduled European tour. When Lisa befriends her neighbour, Rosemary, who’s also home alone while her husband travels for work, the women wonder if their men are faithful. But will their grim suspicions be confirmed, or has absence made the heart grow paranoid? Meanwhile, in the village, the coffee shop is under new management with the arrival of divorced mum Chloe and her troubled teen son, Jake. But serving flat whites leaves Chloe feeling empty until she meets Caleb, a widowed father of two. If only Jake and Caleb could get on . . . Then there’s Jan and Martin Bevan, who are new to Eden Hill—but a frosty reception leaves them wondering if they’ve made a huge mistake. As the little community struggles to sort out its problems, it becomes clear that Eden isn’t always paradise . . .

“I want you to marry me,” Rebecca says to Will, who is rumored to be a gold-digging con artist. She needs a husband for show because she is desperately trying to put a stop to the ongoing marriage offers brought upon her as a result of inheriting a massive estate. The sudden proposal by the “Ice Lady,” who is known to keep away from men, is quite a surprise for Will, but he is also grateful for her offer to pay off his late father’s debts. He could flourish in the elite class of London and wipe away the image of him before he was about to get arrested. The great marriage fraud has begun…

This is the first encyclopedia to focus exclusively on the many aspects of the American beauty industry, covering both its diverse origins and its global reach. The American Beauty Industry Encyclopedia is the first compilation to focus exclusively on this pervasive business, covering both its diverse origins and global reach. More than 100 entries were chosen specifically to illuminate the most iconic aspects of the industry's past and present, exploring the meaning of beauty practices and products, often while making analytical use of categories such as gender, race, sexuality, and stages of the lifecycle. Focusing primarily on the late-19th and 20th-century American beauty industry—an era of unprecedented expansion—the encyclopedia covers ancient practices and the latest trends and provides a historical examination of institutions, entrepreneurs, styles, and technological innovations. It covers, for example, the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, as well as how Asian women today are having muscle fiber removed from their calves to create a more "Western" look. Entries also explore how the industry reflects social movements and concerns that are inextricably bound to religion, feminism, the health and safety of consumers and workers, the treatment of animals, and environmental sustainability.