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Playful by Design: Your Stress-Free Guide to Raising Confident, Creative Kids through Independent Play
by Myriam SandlerHelp your kids grow into confident, creative, and independent little people by creating spaces in your home that foster independent play.Myriam Sandler, creator and founder of Mothercould, helps you give your kids the tools they need to unlock their imaginations and encourage kid-directed, kid-executed, and ultimately kid-enriching independent play using the materials and spaces you already have. Not only will this system help your children grow, it will also help foster a more connected, more productive, and happier home for your entire family.Through colorful photography and vibrant illustration Playful by Design is your blueprint for effortlessly designing, installing, and maintaining your own upgraded play spaces. Myriam Sandler has created a resource to help you—easily and affordably—create spaces for independent play, no matter how big or small your home is.Myriam shares activities that:Build problem-solving skillsEncourage social and academic developmentEngage children while building moments of play and connectionNurture independence and self-expressionHelp work through emotions, andOffer parents important parenting wins that benefit the entire family As your kids engage with self-directed, open-ended play, you'll realize what a game-changer this new dynamic is for the entire household. For the parents, there's no more feeling overwhelmed and stretched thin by unrealistic expectations about how to entertain your kids. And for your kids, you're giving them the most beautiful gift: the ability to be independent self-starters who are in touch with their own creativity. In short: everyone will feel happier, more energized, more fulfilled, and more connected.Myriam will help you:Plan the spaceDeclutterOrganize by type (and customize for various age groups!)Set up a toy rotation systemMaintain (easily and efficiently!) In addition to the how, Myriam explains the why. This beautifully designed book will equip you to understand the importance of independent play, as well as set it into motion. You'll discover that boredom can be a good thing, and you'll see how it can make their imaginations blossom. This type of play creates more time for your kids to grow as creative and independent little people; more time for you to do the things you need and want to do; more peace of mind that you are, in fact, giving your kids important tools they'll thank you for one day; and more opportunities to feel the joy of all of the above.
Playful Parenting: An Exciting New Approach to Raising Children That Will Help You Nurture Close Connections, Solve Behavior Problems, and Encourage Confidence
by Lawrence J. CohenHave you ever stepped back to watch what really goes on when your children play? As psychologist Lawrence J. Cohen points out, play is children's way of exploring the world, communicating deep feelings, getting close to those they care about, working through stressful situations, and simply blowing off steam. That's why "playful parenting" is so important and so successful in building strong, close bonds between parents and children. Through play we join our kids in their world and help them to: * Express and understand complex emotions * Break through shyness, anger, and fear * Empower themselves and respect diversity * Play their way through sibling rivalry * Cooperate without power struggles. From eliciting a giggle during baby's first game of peekaboo to cracking jokes with a teenager while hanging out at the mall, Playful Parenting is a complete guide to using play to raise confident children. Written with love and humor, brimming with good advice and revealing anecdotes, and grounded in the latest research, this book will make you laugh even as it makes you wise in the ways of being an effective, enthusiastic parent.
Playful Writing: 150 Open-Ended Explorations in Emergent Literacy
by Rebecca Olien Laura WoodsideAdults and children write to communicate ideas, to share information, and to record events. Playful Writing builds on the cyclical nature of learning with open-ended play ideas that will inspire children to write. From the first marks of the youngest writers to ready writers who use their expanding vocabularies to express increasingly complex ideas, Authors Rebecca Olien and Laura Woodside offer teachers, caregivers, and parents of children ages three to eight, 150 ideas for inspiring and scaffolding children's writing explorations. Select the activities that best support specialized learning objectives as you help your young writers cultivate their creativity!
The Playground: A Novel
by Jane Shemilt"Beautifully written and suffused with dread. Jane Shemilt's domestic settings are seductively vivid, and the final outcome is profoundly shocking and terrifying." — Gilly Macmillan, New York Times bestselling author of The NannyBig Little Lies meets Lord of The Flies in this electrifyingly twisty psychological thriller, follow-up to Jane Shemilt’s breakout debut The Daughter.Over the course of a long, hot summer in London, the lives of three very different married couples collide when their children join the same tutoring circle, resulting in illicit relationships, shocking violence, and unimaginable fallout. There’s Eve, a bougie earth mother with a well-stocked trust fund; she has three little ones, a blue-collar husband and is obsessed with her Instagrammable recipes and lifestyle. And Melissa, a successful interior designer whose casually cruel banker husband is careful not to leave visible bruises; she curates her perfectly thin body so closely she misses everything their teenage daughter is hiding. Then there’s Grace, a young Zimbabwean immigrant, who lives in high-rise housing project with her two children and their English father Martin, an award-winning but chronically broke novelist; she does far more for her family than she should have to. As the weeks go by, the couples become very close; there are barbecues, garden parties, a holiday at a country villa in Greece. Resentments flare. An affair begins. Unnoticed, the children run wild. The couples are busily watching each other, so distracted and self-absorbed that they forget to watch their children. No one sees the five children at their secret games or realize how much their family dynamics are changing until tragedy strikes.The story twists and then twists again while the three families desperately search for answers. It’s only as they begin to unravel the truth of what happened over the summer that they realize evil has crept quietly into their world. But has this knowledge come too late?"Countless psychological thrillers get compared to Big Little Lies; Shelmilt's is the real deal." — People
Playgroups and Prosecco: The (mis)adventures of a single mum
by Jo MiddletonA hilarious and totally relatable book about the adventures of a single mum, for fans of Catastrophe and Motherland. Readers of Why Mummy Drinks, Unmumsy Mum and The Single Mum's Wish List will love this debut novel from parenting blogger Slummy Single Mummy.'You'll end up warming to Frankie so much that you'll be wishing you could crack open a bottle of prosecco with her in real life!' MIKE GAYLE, bestselling author of The Man I Think I Know________________________________January 3rdJaffa Cakes - 7. Times I was forced to watch a small child do a dance involving a dusty piece of ribbon found under the sofa - 4. Inappropriate thoughts about Zac Efron - undisclosed. Single mum Frankie’s whole life revolves around her kids. But when your toddler has a more active social life, something has to change. Forget ‘me-time’, Frankie would settle for some adult conversation, and watching something other than the Disney channel. The local playgroup may be ruled by Instagram mums with perfect husbands but Frankie accidentally forms a splinter group of single parents. After all, Mummy really needs a playdate of her own. (Now pass the prosecco.)________________________________WHAT READERS ARE SAYING'As a mum of three I could totally relate to this novel on so many levels' - Titian'Hilarious - made me laugh out loud' - Dominique'Lots of funny anecdotes parents will recognise!' - Claire'With shades of Bridget Jones, Frankie stumbles through life as a single mum' - Ann'A very funny and realistic look at motherhood' - Katrina
The playHOORAY! Handbook: 100 Fun Activities for Busy Parents and Little Kids Who Want to Play
by Claire Russell'My go-to for fun ideas and activities with Marley and Indie. I'd be lost without it.' JOE WICKS Mum-of-two and founder of the playHOORAY community Claire Russell has helped thousands of families during lockdown discover the joy of play. Her first book The playHOORAY! Handbook is a lifesaver for busy parents juggling work and childcare looking for fun ideas for activities, crafts & games to entertain little kids.With 100 activities using items from around the house, you'll find everything you need to entertain babies, toddlers and younger school-age children. From £1 play, sibling play to no-guilt screentime, this is the perfect book for all the family. And best of all, you'll be learning valuable skills whilst having fun!
The playHOORAY! Handbook: 100 Fun Activities for Busy Parents and Little Kids Who Want to Play
by Claire RussellLooking for ways to entertain little kids this Summer? Mum and parenting play coach Claire Russell is here to help with The PlayHOORAY! Handbook - a lifesaver for busy parents. The book is packed with 100 ideas for activities, arts, crafts and games using items from the house and garden. Covering everything from Preparing for School, Garden Play and Sibling Play, this book offers a helping hand to parents and carers on the days you need it. Find the playHOORAY! community on social media for daily inspiration and L!VE play demonstrations from Claire's kitchen where viewing with a cup of tea is compulsory.
Playhouse: A novel
by Richard BauschFrom the prize-winning fiction writer Richard Bausch (&“A master of the novel as well as the story . . . Effortlessly engaging&” —Sven Birkerts, The New York Times), a sharp, affecting, masterly new novel about a close-knit theater community in Memphis and one turbulent, transformative production of King Lear.As renovations begin at the Shakespeare Theater of Memphis, life for the core members of the company seems to be falling into disarray. Their trusted director has just retired, and theater manager Thaddeus Deerforth—staring down forty and sensing a rift growing slowly between himself and his wife, Gina—dreads the arrival of an imperious, inscrutable visiting director. Claudette, struggling to make ends meet as an actor and destabilized by family troubles, is getting frequent calls from her ex-boyfriend—and also the narcissistic, lecherous television actor who has been recruited to play King Lear in their fall production.Also invited to the cast is Malcolm Ruark, a disgraced TV anchor muddling through the fallout of a scandal involving his underaged niece—and suddenly in an even more precarious situation when the same niece, now eighteen, is cast to play Cordelia. As tensions onstage and off build toward a breaking point, the bonds among the intimately drawn characters are put to extraordinary tests—and the fate of the theater itself may even be on the line.Deftly weaving together the points of view of Thaddeus, Claudette, and Malcolm, and utterly original in its incorporation of Shakespeare&’s timeless drama, Playhouse is an unforgettable story of men and women, human frailty, art, and redemption—a work of inimitable imaginative prowess by one of our most renowned storytellers.
Playing Atari with Saddam Hussein: Based on a True Story
by Jennifer RoyVideo game villains and real-life dictators dominate daily life for eleven-year-old Ali Ali Fadhil has very simple likes and dislikes. It is 1991 in Iraq and all Ali wants to do is read his comics and play football and video games. But President Saddam Hussein has other plans. After he invades neighbouring Kuwait, the U.S. and their allies launch Operation Desert Storm to force him out. Over the next forty-three days, Ali and his family would survive bombings, food shortages and constant fear. Cinematic and timely, this is the story of how war changed one boy&’s destiny forever and would one day bring him face to face with Saddam himself at the UN trial.
Playing Atari with Saddam Hussein: Based on a True Story
by Jennifer Roy Ali Fadhil"What strikes are the mundane aspects of the brief war: going out to play and explore a familiar but ruined neighborhood, the boredom and fear of awaiting scheduled airstrikes, living with uncertainty about loved ones returning home. Still, there&’s room for optimism and humor despite Fadhil&’s harrowing experience."—Booklist "Roy (Jars of Hope) and Fadhil, an interpreter during Hussein&’s trial, offer a window into what Ali calls &“the true Iraq&” and a disturbing but accessible portrait of a civilian child&’s perspective on war."-Publishers Weekly "This blending of biography, historical fiction, and realistic fiction paints a vivid portrait of daily family life in Iraq and the trials many faced."--School Library Journal —
Playing Away: The irresistible, trailblazing novel of an affair from the bestselling author of BOTH OF YOU
by Adele ParksIf you loved Adele Parks's No. 1 Sunday Times bestseller Just My Luck, you won't want to miss Connie's story in Playing Away.A special 20th anniversary edition of the unforgettable debut novel from Adele Parks.Don't miss Adele's gripping new novel, the Sunday Times bestseller Both of You, out now!Playing Away became an instant bestseller, is irresistible, unputdownable and the nearest thing you'll get to an affair without actually having one...SHE'S PLAYING WITH FIRE...Connie Green's life should be perfect. She's married to gentle, loving Luke, has a good job and really fabulous friends. She thinks she can't be happier.But she's just met John Harding. Spectacularly unsuitable and overwhelmingly sexy, he's about to destroy her peace of mind and her happily ever after, yet she just can't seem to resist.And to have any chance of clearing her head, Connie needs to get out of John's bed...What readers are saying about Playing Away:'A wonderful novel with characters that draw you right in and don't let go''Refreshingly honest...Totally engaging - I couldn't put it down!''I was amused, touched, romanced, saddened and thrilled by the story from start to finish. Totally unputdownable!''Warm, sexy and...wise'
Playing Away: The irresistible, trailblazing novel of an affair from the bestselling author of JUST MY LUCK
by Adele ParksIf you loved Adele Parks's No. 1 Sunday Times bestseller, Lies, Lies, Lies, you won't want to miss Connie's story in Playing Away.A special 20th anniversary edition of the unforgettable debut novel from Adele Parks.Don't miss Adele's gripping new novel, the No. 1 bestseller Just My Luck, out now!Playing Away became an instant bestseller, is irresistible, unputdownable and the nearest thing you'll get to an affair without actually having one...SHE'S PLAYING WITH FIRE...Connie Green's life should be perfect. She's married to gentle, loving Luke, has a good job and really fabulous friends. She thinks she can't be happier.But she's just met John Harding. Spectacularly unsuitable and overwhelmingly sexy, he's about to destroy her peace of mind and her happily ever after, yet she just can't seem to resist.And to have any chance of clearing her head, Connie needs to get out of John's bed...What readers are saying about Playing Away:'A wonderful novel with characters that draw you right in and don't let go''Refreshingly honest...Totally engaging - I couldn't put it down!''I was amused, touched, romanced, saddened and thrilled by the story from start to finish. Totally unputdownable!''Warm, sexy and...wise'
Playing Cupid: A Wish Novel (Scholastic Inc Pbk Novels Ser.)
by Jenny MeyerhoffNow a Hallmark Channel Original Movie!A modern-day matchmaking story! Clara Martinez knows what it takes to make a good match. So when her school assigns a project to create a business, Clara starts a matchmaking service. But things get complicated when Clara starts receiving mysterious notes and sweet gifts in her locker. Clara has a secret admirer! But she has no clue who it could be...Despite being a love expert for her friends, Clara's a total novice when it comes to her own love life, and truth be told, it all sort of scares her. Can Cupid Clara gather the courage to fall in crush?
Playing Games
by Lauren Klementz-Harte Donna Jo Napoli Doron Ben-AmiImagine being a little angel... The Little Angel of Imagination loves to do creative things, like paint pictures and make up stories. And he always comes up with creative ways to help other people. But it will take a lot more than just imagination to help Louie.... Louie's little brother always wants to make up silly games, like pretending the family dog is actually a racehorse. But Louie won't play along -- he thinks make-up games are for babies. Besides, he'd rather watch TV after school than play outside. Is there a cure for this couch potato? The Little Angel of Imagination has a plan that just might work. Use your imagination!
Playing Games
by Huma Qureshi'A gem of a novel' i'A beautifully written debut' RedThe remarkable debut novel from critically acclaimed writer Huma Qureshi: a poignant story of art and sisterhood, family, marriage and betrayalHana has a perfect job, a perfect home, a perfect marriage. It is her younger sister Mira who is a mess. But Hana wants children and her husband is hesitating, and perhaps her control is slipping.Mira dreams of a creative life but she's stuck working at a local café. She hates her flatmate and Hana's dismissal of her writing but she can't find the right inspiration.One night, a fight between Hana and her husband sparks something in Mira: the words ring in her head and she starts typing. But what can you borrow from your sister? And what can be forgiven?'Warm and moving . . . Playing Games thoughtfully and elegantly considers what it means to be a sister, a mother and a writer' Chloë Ashby, author of Wet Paint'A riveting and evocative tale of two sisters navigating love, loss and desires' Zeba Talkhani, author of My Past is a Foreign Country'Reading Qureshi's crystal prose is a rare pleasure. I found Playing Games unputdownable' Molly Aitken, author of The Island Child
Playing Games
by Huma QureshiHuma Qureshi's gorgeous first novel: a tender and intimate story of two sisters caught up in the joys and pains of art and family---'Warm and moving . . . Playing Games thoughtfully and elegantly considers what it means to be a sister, a mother and a writer'Chloë Ashby, author of Wet Paint'A riveting and evocative tale of two sisters navigating love, loss and desires'Zeba Talkhani, author of My Past is a Foreign Country---The remarkable debut novel from critically acclaimed writer Huma Qureshi: a poignant story of art and sisterhood, family, marriage and betrayalHana has a perfect job, a perfect home, a perfect marriage. It is her younger sister Mira who is a mess. But Hana wants children and her husband is hesitating, and perhaps her control is slipping.Mira dreams of a creative life but she's stuck working at a local café. She hates her flatmate and Hana's dismissal of her writing but she can't find the right inspiration.One night, a fight between Hana and her husband sparks something in Mira: the words ring in her head and she starts typing. But what can you borrow from your sister? And what can be forgiven?Praise for Things We Do Not Tell the People We Love'Impressive' Sunday Times'Intimate and incredibly insightful' Stylist'A deft, satisfying and poignant collection of stories . . . I loved it' Pandora Sykes'Huma Qureshi is a writer I know I'll be reading for years and years and years' Natasha Lunn(P)2023 Hodder & Stoughton Limited
Playing Grace
by Hazel OsmondA romantic comedy about love and learning to let go. Perfect for fans of Sarra Manning, Ellie Adams and Rosie Blake.Grace Surtees has everything carefully under control - her work life, her home life and her love life -especially her love life. But then her boss hires Tate Saunders, a brash American, to spice up the gallery tours his company provides. Messy and fond of breaking rules, Tate explodes into her tidy existence like a paintball, and Grace hates everything about him... doesn't she? Because, for Grace, the alternative would be simply too terrifying to contemplate: to love Tate rather than hate him would mean leaping out of her comfort zone, and Grace's devotion to order hides some long-kept secrets... secrets she's sure someone like Tate Saunders could never accept or understand.Discover Hazel Osmond's other novels, Who's Afraid of Mr Wolfe?, The Mysterious Miss Mayhew and The First Time I Saw Your Face.
Playing Grace
by Hazel OsmondA romantic comedy about love and learning to let go. Perfect for fans of Sarra Manning, Ellie Adams and Rosie Blake.Grace Surtees has everything carefully under control - her work life, her home life and her love life -especially her love life. But then her boss hires Tate Saunders, a brash American, to spice up the gallery tours his company provides. Messy and fond of breaking rules, Tate explodes into her tidy existence like a paintball, and Grace hates everything about him... doesn't she? Because, for Grace, the alternative would be simply too terrifying to contemplate: to love Tate rather than hate him would mean leaping out of her comfort zone, and Grace's devotion to order hides some long-kept secrets... secrets she's sure someone like Tate Saunders could never accept or understand.Discover Hazel Osmond's other novels, Who's Afraid of Mr Wolfe?, The Mysterious Miss Mayhew and The First Time I Saw Your Face.
Playing It Cool
by Joaquin Dorfman"I always know what I'm doing." So says 18-year-old Sebastian Montero, who is famous around town as a problem solver of the subtlest kind. Want a date with the girl of your dreams? Bastian can make it happen. Have a friend threatening suicide? Baz can talk him off the ledge. But as popular as Sebastian is, no one really knows him. Thanks to his intricate network of favors and debts Sebastian controls the world, manipulates it--and hides from it. It isn't until his best friend asks him to track down his long-missing father that Sebastian is forced to face the most challenging problem of all, the solution to which will change his life forever.
Playing, Laughing and Learning with Children on the Autism Spectrum: A Practical Resource of Play Ideas for Parents and Carers Second Edition
by Julia MoorePraise for the first edition: `An approachable and practical edition that will be welcomed by parents and carers alike. I know how hard it can be to find 'How to' resources for parents. Well here is a gem.' - Children, Young People and Families Parents of young children newly diagnosed as on the autism spectrum are often at a loss for ideas about how best to help their child. Playing, Laughing and Learning with Children on the Autism Spectrum is not just a collection of play ideas; it shows how to break down activities into manageable stages, and looks at ways to gain a child's attention and motivation and to build on small achievements. Each chapter covers a collection of ideas around a theme, including music, art, physical activities, playing outdoors, puzzles, turn-taking and using existing toys to create play sequences. There are also chapters on introducing reading and making the most of television. This updated second edition contains an extensive chapter on how to use the computer, the internet and the digital camera to find and make resources and activities, and suggests many suitable websites to help parents through the internet maze. The ideas are useful both for toddlers and primary age children who are still struggling with play.
Playing Like Pa
by Pam BachorzStella listens to her grandpa play piano at the Tulip Café for the final time before he retires.
Playing Nice: The addictive and chilling new thriller and a must-read for 2021
by JP DelaneyTHE SENSATIONAL NEW PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER FROM THE INTERNATIONALLY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE GIRL BEFORE'The kind of book that keeps you up at night' My Weekly'Utterly terrifying and compelling' Stephanie Wrobel 'JP Delaney is King of Thrillers and Playing Nice is his best book yet' Fiona Cummins'There is a precision about Delaney's characters that propels his twisty plots into unexpected and utterly convincing scenarios' Daily MailPete Riley answers the door one morning to a parent's worst nightmare. On his doorstep is Miles Lambert, who breaks the devastating news that Pete's two-year-old, Theo, isn't Pete's real son - their babies got mixed up at birth. The two families - Pete, his partner Maddie, and Miles and his wife Lucy - agree that, rather than swap the boys back, they'll try to find a more flexible way to share their children's lives. But a plan to sue the hospital triggers an investigation that unearths disturbing questions about just what happened the day the babies were switched.And when Theo is thrown out of nursery for hitting other children, Maddie and Pete have to ask themselves: how far do they want this arrangement to go? What secrets lie hidden behind the Lamberts' smart front door? How much can they trust the real parents of their child - or even each other?An addictive psychological thriller, perfect for fans of The Silent Patient and Shari Lapena's The Couple Next Door.See what everyone is saying about JP Delaney, the hottest name in psychological thrillers:'DAZZLING' - Lee Child'ADDICTIVE' - Daily Express 'DEVASTATING' - Daily Mail 'INGENIOUS' - New York Times'COMPULSIVE' - Glamour Magazine 'ELEGANT' - Peter James 'SEXY' - Mail on Sunday'ENTHRALLING' - Woman and Home'ORIGINAL' - The Times'RIVETING' - Lisa Gardner'CREEPY' - Heat 'SATISFYING' - Reader's Digest 'SUPERIOR' - The Bookseller'MORE THAN A MATCH FOR PAULA HAWKINS' - Sunday Times
Playing Nice: The addictive and chilling new thriller from the bestselling author of The Girl Before and The Perfect Wife
by JP DelaneyTHE SENSATIONAL NEW PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER FROM THE INTERNATIONALLY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE GIRL BEFORE'The kind of book that keeps you up at night' My Weekly'Utterly terrifying and compelling' Stephanie Wrobel'JP Delaney is King of Thrillers and Playing Nice is his best book yet' Fiona Cummins'There is a precision about Delaney's characters that propels his twisty plots into unexpected and utterly convincing scenarios' Daily MailPete Riley answers the door one morning to a parent's worst nightmare. On his doorstep is Miles Lambert, who breaks the devastating news that Pete's two-year-old, Theo, isn't Pete's real son - their babies got mixed up at birth.The two families - Pete, his partner Maddie, and Miles and his wife Lucy - agree that, rather than swap the boys back, they'll try to find a more flexible way to share their children's lives. But a plan to sue the hospital triggers an investigation that unearths disturbing questions about just what happened the day the babies were switched.And when Theo is thrown out of nursery for hitting other children, Maddie and Pete have to ask themselves: how far do they want this arrangement to go? What secrets lie hidden behind the Lamberts' smart front door? How much can they trust the real parents of their child - or even each other?An addictive psychological thriller, perfect for fans of The Silent Patient and Shari Lapena's The Couple Next Door.See what everyone is saying about JP Delaney, the hottest name in psychological thrillers:'DAZZLING' - Lee Child'ADDICTIVE' - Daily Express'DEVASTATING' - Daily Mail'INGENIOUS' - New York Times'COMPULSIVE' - Glamour Magazine'ELEGANT' - Peter James'SEXY' - Mail on Sunday'ENTHRALLING' - Woman and Home'ORIGINAL' - The Times'RIVETING' - Lisa Gardner'CREEPY' - Heat'SATISFYING' - Reader's Digest'SUPERIOR' - The Bookseller'MORE THAN A MATCH FOR PAULA HAWKINS' - Sunday Times(P)2020 Penguin Random House Audio
Playing the Cards You're Dealt
by Varian Johnson“With a deft hand, Johnson shows us there's no such thing as "too young" when it comes to questioning big ideas like manhood, or even family.” –Jason Reynolds, New York Times bestselling author of Look Both Ways and StampedLiterary powerhouse and Coretta Scott King Honor- and Boston Globe / Horn Book Honor-winning author of The Parker Inheritance Varian Johnson explores themes of toxic masculinity and family legacy in this heartfelt, hopeful story of one boy discovering what it really means to be a man.SECRETS ARE ALWAYS A GAMBLETen-year-old Anthony Joplin has made it to double digits! Which means he's finally old enough to play in the spades tournament every Joplin Man before him seems to have won. So while Ant's friends are stressing about fifth grade homework and girls, Ant only has one thing on his mind: how he'll measure up to his father's expectations at the card table.Then Ant's best friend gets grounded, and he's forced to find another spades partner. And Shirley, the new girl in his class, isn't exactly who he has in mind. She talks a whole lot of trash -- way more than his old partner. Plus, he's not sure that his father wants him playing with a girl. But she's smart and tough and pretty, and knows every card trick in the book. So Ant decides to join forces with Shirley -- and keep his plans a secret.Only it turns out secrets are another Joplin Man tradition. And his father is hiding one so big it may tear their family apart...
Playing the Duke's Mistress: Printer In Petticoats The Blacksmith's Wife Playing The Duke's Mistress (Mills And Boon Historical Ser.)
by Eliza RedgoldA gentlemen’s wager leads an actress to the role of a lifetime in this Victorian era romance.“Every actress wants to marry a duke!” Every actress, it seems, apart from leading lady Miss Calista Fairmont. And for Darius Carlyle, the Duke of Albury, that poses a challenge he can’t resist. So, to prove to his hapless cousin that all actresses are title-hunters, Darius will persuade Calista to assent to his marriage proposal!Calista wants nothing to do with Darius, but when she discovers the compassionate man behind the arrogant duke, she also uncovers an attraction that addles her senses . . . Before long she’s considering her own proposal—to become his mistress!