A hilarious and heartwarming novel about the complicated, messy, delightful struggles of modern life, for all fans of Marian Keyes, Holly Wainwright and Zoe Foster Blake. Going from one child to two is never all that easy for a family, but when Emma's husband simultaneously fathers a third child three doors up the street, things get very tricky, very fast. No longer is it enough for Emma to be the best wife and mother - now she's trying to be the best ex-wife, and the best part-time parent to her ex's love child, and that's before she even thinks about adding a new bloke to the mix. Set in an upwardly mobile, ultra-competitive suburb, this is a funny, biting, heartwarming modern comedy that looks at the roles we play, how we compete, and what happens when we dare to strive for second-best. 'Hilarious, heartwarming [and] all too relatable ... Ultimate summer read' Herald Sun 'Sharp and crisp and funny. I was dazzled.' Mia Freedman 'A refreshing and honest depiction of the delirium of modern family life ... while it is undeniably laugh-out-loud funny, it is also incredibly heartwarming and real' Better Reading 'Heartwarming yet biting' Sunday Telegraph 'Full of funny moments, this debut takes a wry look at parenthood, divorce and the messy reality of blended families. ****' Who Weekly 'Jessica Dettmann is a fine comic writer. She has an eye for the small details, irritations and inspirations of life which coupled with a truly original turn of phrase and great way with a gag makes for sparkling and heartwarming reading.' Ben Elton

The vice president of the United States is perhaps the most overlooked officer of the American government. The vice presidency, however, has been on the ascent for many years and the form and function of the institution today is of considerably more significance than the office the Framers envisioned at the Federal Convention of 1787. "Second Best: The Rise of the American Vice Presidency" traces the historical trajectory of the vice-presidential institution, telling the story of the vice presidency, and those who have held the office. It is an infinitely more colorful narrative than most would imagine; and yet, the vice presidency continues to be an enigma to most of the public. James E. Hite is a faculty member of Portland State University s Extended Campus program, and also teaches as an adjunct faculty member of political science at Mt. Hood Community College and Clackamas Community College. Professor Hite lives with his family in Oregon, where they divide their time between Neskowin and Portland.

Younger brother to a rock star joins a survival reality show to step out from behind his brother's shadows. A small town girl falls in love with him on the spot but he has no idea.

We meet every other Wednesday night in a downtown hotel. No dates. No commitments. No hearts or flowers. Just his body and mine. Maybe I’m his second best. He’s definitely mine. But second best has never felt so good. Second Best is a sexy, standalone contemporary romance.

Sometimes being first isn’t what you expected. Seventeen-year-old ballerina Emilia Moretti is tired of always being second best. And she’s going to prove the world she deserves to be first. In her upcoming School of the Performing Arts showcase. In the eyes of her birth parents. And in the heart of the guy she loves. She spends hours rehearsing, hours dreaming about becoming number one, hours imagining how her entire life is about to change. But when nothing goes the way she planned, she’ll need to realize what it really means to be first. Eighteen-year-old Nick Grawski doesn’t want to follow Daddy Dearest’s rules any longer. He's going to prove he's meant to be a dancer—not a lawyer—and he is not going to stay away from Em just because his father demands it. He needs to show Em that—this time around—he’s there to stay and that he won’t break her heart again. Even when her world goes down to shit, even when he finds out his dad may have been trying to protect him all along, even if being there for one another is harder than falling in love. ALWAYS SECOND BEST is a novel of hope and heartbreak and broken dreams. It’s a YA romance novel about falling in love and discovering that being first isn’t always what matters.

Graham Holt is 37 and an unmarried sub-postmaster. For many years he has stood behind a reinforced screen selling stamps to the locals. But what he really wants is to adopt a son. Graham needs a son and James Lennards, aged 10, needs a father but to James, Graham is second best.

David Mitchell's 2014 bestseller Thinking About It Only Makes It Worse must really have made people think - because everything's got worse. We've gone from UKIP surge to Brexit shambles, from horsemeat in lasagne to Donald Trump in the White House, from Woolworths going under to all the other shops going under. It's probably socially irresponsible even to try to cheer up. But if you're determined to give it a go, you might enjoy this eclectic collection (or eclection) of David Mitchell's attempts to make light of all that darkness. Scampi, politics, the Olympics, terrorism, exercise, rude street names, inheritance tax, salad cream, proportional representation and farts are all touched upon by Mitchell's unremitting laser of chit-chat, as he negotiates a path between the commercialisation of Christmas and the true spirit of Halloween. Read this book and slightly change your life!

Another stunning novella by a hot new talent in YA, in a gorgeous collectable edition. Two best friends are pushed to breaking point as a dark secret is revealed and the pressures of excellence threaten to destroy their friendship forever.

Sara had been in love with her colleague Ian for the past ten years…until the day he introduced her to his new fianc?e. Heartbroken, Sara ran away, back to her hometown, only to discover that her parents are no longer there. Instead she finds a rugged young man, covered in dirt, named Stuart. He’s recently moved in down the street, and to Sara’s surprise, he treats her like a princess, taking care of her in her time of distress. She falls instantly in love with this tall, muscular, kind stranger, but can he heal the years of loneliness and heartbreak she carries deep inside?

History is always written by the winners and about the winners. But what about the poor souls lurking in the shadows of history, the ones who were just as remarkable but perhaps didn't stick their chests out as they crossed the line? In Second Best, Australia's foremost historian and comedian Ben Pobjie celebrates the nobility and altogether more fascinating stories of the silver-medal getters. What drove them on their incredible feats, why did they just miss out, and how did they cope with the oblivion of finishing second? From the Second Fleet, the second man on the moon and Australia's second prime minister whose name we consistently forget, Second Best shines a light on those plucky men and women who, through no fault of their own - or at least only a little bit of fault of their own - didn't quite get there before everyone else, but did get there before almost everyone else.