Tags:fiction
The Ladies Rewrite the Rules
From the author of Mr. Malcolm's List comes a delightful romantic comedy set in Regency England about a widow who takes high society by storm.Diana Boyle, a wealthy young widow, has no desire to ever marry again. Particularly not to someone who merely wants her for her fortune. So when she discovers that she’s listed in a directory of rich, single women she is furious, and rightly so. She confronts Maxwell Dean, the man who published the Bachelor’s Directory, and is horrified to find he is far more attractive than his actions have led her to expect. However, Diana is unmoved by Max’s explanation that he authored the list to assist younger sons like himself who cannot afford to marry unless it’s to a woman of means. She gathers the ladies in the directory together to inform them of its existence, so they may circumvent fortune hunters’ efforts to trick them into marriage. Though outraged, the women decide to embrace their unique position of power and reverse the usual gender roles by making the men dance to their tune. And together…the ladies rewrite the rules.
Nemesis
THE INCREDIBLE TENTH BOOK IN THE ORPHAN-X SERIES - GUARANTEED TO THRILL YOU FROM PAGE ONE . . .'Outstanding in every way' LEE CHILD'Laughs as well as action. A thriller that makes the Jack Reacher books look quaint' Sun--NO GREATER FRIENDEvan Smoak is the guy you want on your side. A former government black ops assassin, he'll be there for you in your darkest hour - and he'll rain hell and thunder on those who caused your pain.NO WORSE ENEMYA lone wolf operator, Evan can't afford to lose any of the few people he likes and trusts. But when Tommy Stojack, Evan's loyal, long-time gunsmith and armourer, betrays him, it's war.Because a good assassin keeps his friends close, but his weapons closer . . .--'He is a weapon of mass entertainment and the action never stops' Daily Express'First-rate, deftly varied combat scenes' The TimesPraise for the Orphan X series'Feels like a missile launch' DAVID BALDACCI'Outstanding in every way' LEE CHILD'Weapons-grade thriller writing' GUARDIAN'An immensely entertaining adventure' THE TIMES
The Doll's House
The BRAND NEW psychological thriller from Natasha BoydellShe lives in my old home, she looks like me, she dresses like me... And now she wants my life.Naomi is devastated when the sale of the apartment falls through, her dreams of moving to an amazing ‘forever home’ nearby with her family are momentarily dashed.But then a sweet-natured single mother named Summer appears, announcing her intention to buy Naomi’s old apartment. And all of a sudden, it looks like Naomi might get her new house after all.At first, it feels like Summer’s saved her life. But as soon as the sale goes through, Summer starts turning up at Naomi’s new house. She’s enrolled her child in Naomi’s daughter’s class. She’s dressing like Naomi. She’s suddenly best friends with all her friends... And then Naomi discovers she’s got a pretty little doll’s house. One that looks just like Naomi’s new home.Naomi wants to believe she’s just imagining things. What could Summer possibly want? And how far will she go to take everything that Naomi has?A totally page-turning psychological thriller, that fans of Lisa Jewell, Sue Watson and Daniel Hurst will be unable to put down.Readers love Natasha Boydell:‘Wow! What a brilliant book!!... The suspense, the doubt, THE PLOT TWISTS!! I absolutely loved the characters, loved the story, loved everything about this book. This was my first by Natasha Boydell and now I am running to read more by her! 5 stars!!’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘This book blew me away. I love books that grab you from the beginning and hold on so tightly that you cannot put the book down... The ending was explosive and was not predictable at all. I love, love, love this author and cannot wait for more.’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Literally picked this book up in the morning and began to read it and before I knew it I was finishing it later that evening. It’s that addicting, honestly I found this so hard to put down. Every page that went past, I was frightened, I was dreading what was coming next. I could never have predicted the outcome. I’m still in shock, it’s crazy. The suspense oh my god!... This book is incredible... I would definitely say this has got to be one of my favourite books ever!!’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Amazing... it’s an addictive read, it has it all the shocks and twists... A page turner of a book... Who do you believe and who do you trust? I so recommend this book – a twisty read!’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘A gripping masterpiece that masterfully combines elements of mystery and suspense. Boydell’s narrative unfolds like a carefully crafted puzzle, keeping readers on the edge of their seats. The sense of suspense is palpable, making it nearly impossible to put the book down. As the intricate plot weaves its web of intrigue, the anticipation builds, creating a thrilling reading experience.’ Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Goddamn Attitude
Attitude: are you born with it or can you learn it?That was the question on a family Zoom call after mom’s passing. The follow-up question on everyone’s mind was then, “And if I wasn’t born with it and we can learn it, how do I do it?”For this book, I reached out to mom’s friends and family. The responses I got back make up the bulk of this book. “...it wasn't just because she was a very attractive girl---it was also because of the irrepressible energy that was such an appealing part of who she was.”Again, OK, attractive, maybe she’s born with that but then what’s really interesting for this guy? Her irrepressible energy. -- Attitude-- EnergyWe can learn and build and grow both of those. This book is how my mom did it--and how you can, too.
Chance of a Lifetime
Did you see that?I didn't.But Charlie Holiday did.Are there more than the five senses?What if there were and the key to unlocking them was hidden in undercooked scrambled eggs on a Thai night train?Very unlikely.Wait. Which part?The eggs on the night train?Or unlocking a sixth sense?Charlie Holiday is about to find out.
The Secret of Kite Hill
Do you know every nook and cranny of your neighborhood? How about UNDER your neighborhood?Do you let your kids walk home from school? It's just a few blocks, right? What lurks in the shadows? In the bushes? Or scarier yet, under the bushes?Or is it all just happy-go-lucky Huckleberry Finn and exploring and adventuring in your own neighborhood? When do you know the difference? Maybe your kids know. Maybe they don't. How will you learn?It began as a simple walk home, the same one we did every day after school. But our dog's ball went into something of a hole, or was it a cave? Maybe a tunnel. But are there tunnels in the city? The ball was pretty close to the entrance, but just far enough to be a little spooky. Should we just forget it?WARNING TO PARENTS: there are some questionable parenting decisions in this book. It is not intended as a parenting handbook. There's a fine line between making the right decision and making the fun decision. When to choose which? How much do you involve your children in daily decisions? What if they involve danger? But what if your kids think it might be fun? You get the idea. Maybe I need a disclaimer ... ;-)You know in scary movies when you yell, "Don't go in there!" We went in. Yeah, I know. Ask your 8-year old why.
The Secret of Markree Castle
The babysitter flaked and four young boys have pretty much free reign of a castle. "Wait, what?" they ask. Yes, they heard it right. While one of their dad is getting married, the boys are free to explore the castle."They're old enough to be responsible, aren't they?" one dad asked the other. Ah, we soon shall see what the boys discover as they explore the castle, make new friends and learn of the secret of the Markree Castle.But what is the secret of the castle? What lurks behind all of those doors down in the cellar? Who's that scary old guy Killian? Is Alastar to be trusted?You see, dear reader, I don't know yet. These four boys are the creative behind the story. In many ways, I'm just the messenger. The story and magic and secrets of the castle are up to them. It's a collaborative effort and we talk, we imagine, we have Skype calls with poor WiFi connections while two boys are getting ready for bed in San Francisco, California and the other two are having breakfast in a restaurant in their hometown of Beijing, China.How is this going to work? How are two dads and four boys going to write a book together? Who knows! Has it been done before? Who knows! Who cares!What's happening is that we're all working on a project together. The kids are digging deeper into their creative minds and their dads are learning sides of their kids that they didn't even know existed. What would your child answer to the question, "If you could have any magical power, what would it be?" Do you know what your child would answer? Of course not. But you might have an idea. Do you know what's fun? Ask your child and guess (quietly) what they might say. Then listen to what they say and see how it differs from what you thought they would say. The answer might surprise you.That's how we're writing this book. It's a collaboration of these four boys and two dads (from different families). Three of us live in San Francisco and three of us live in Beijing. We're using shared online documents and Skype calls to communicate the story, the characters, and what's going to happen next.This first book (available April 1, 2015 in honor of Li & Lu's first adventure, The Secret of Kite Hill) has turned into more of a story that we had imagined and it's going to make this book only the first part of a series with the four boys at the castle.Oh, dear reader, I wish I could tell you what's going to happen in books two and three, but I don't know myself. We'll have to see what the boys come up with. But for now, enjoy The Secret of the Markree Castle and please leave us a note in the comments as to what you'd like to see in the upcoming books.Thanks for visiting. We hope you enjoy The Secret of Markree Castle.
Charlie Holiday Box Set
We all have a little magic in us.It's usually just a matter of perspective as to how to find it.
Driehoek
Li & Lu are BACK.They’ve been busy. Moving to Holland, enrolling in new schools, gathering paranormal powers, new basketball teams.Apparently, Lu has been working on his paranormal abilities (who knew!? … that’s a paranormal joke) while Li has been studying … math.I know. I know.Both seem preposterous. But which one sounds more feasible? Both defy conventional wisdom and I personally have no idea.Remember:I’m just the messenger.I wish I could say that I came up with the storylines and weaved them into the perilous suspense thrillers that they have become. But alas, I just “download” the information and it comes through my fingers and onto the page.A few words from Lu.A comment from Li.And we’re off to the races.You see, they are boys. They don’t communicate. Well, not in the way girls do. Most boys use two syllables and call that dialogue. Others, like Lu, can’t be quieted even with an acoustic foam cube.I digress.Li & Lu are back.They’re ready for action.And yet again, the dog. The poor dog. He means well. But he just manages to get into trouble. Then again, he’s a dog.And they are boys. It’s a mathematical certainty that there will be adventure.Li & Lu are going to work together like never before. They’re almost friends. They almost like each other.Almost.Welcome to book number five of Li & Lu.
The Key to Markree Castle
4 boys, 3 days, 1 castle.You do the math.It adds up to adventure, trouble and ... fries.In "The Secret of Markree Castle," 4 young boys find themselves in a 1 castle for 3 days and the nanny who was supposed to watch over them ... flaked. "That's OK," their parents said, "They're old enough now and responsible, right?"You can practically hear the boys' voices, "Sure, dad, we're responsible ... !" Then queue the evil background laugh and kids boiling pots of parents deep in the dungeon and ... I have to stop. It doesn't get that bad, I swear.But you see, dear reader, this book was written together with these 4 real life boys. We had Skype calls together (2 of the boys live in Beijing, China), we shared emails and asked lots of questions (for example, "If you could have any magical power, what would it be?"). I think it's fair to say that I learned more about my boys and their 2 friends writing this book together with them than I did hanging out with them all together.The Secret was the first book in the Markree Castle series and got the boys through the first night. This is the second book in the series and in "The Key to Markree Castle," the boys are in deeper than they thought possible, with the future of the castle in their hands.Here is a list of bullet points of takeaways from the book.-- 9-year old references no adult could possibly understand (or want to).-- Soccer, fries, and a castle. What else could a few boys dream of?-- Useless phrases in Dutch and Mandarin you can use at school to impress your friends!-- Written with the help of real 9- and 11-year olds.-- Parenting strategies so questionable your kids will be begging you to adopt them (the strategies, not the kids).-- Rarely before witnessed insight into the minds of young boys on their own with no parents.-- Study guides included on medieval castle architecture. (OK, not really.)-- Fun for the whole family! (Depending on your family, of course.)-- Bonus: learn the names of Donald Duck’s nephews in Dutch and Mandarin!
Now Is Your Chance
He knew his life was missing some magic. This isn’t what he wished for.Charlie Holiday likes to pretend he is totally fine with just being a regular guy. So as far as he’s concerned, a family vacation to Florence is nothing more than an opportunity for some starry-eyed sight-seeing. But when an odd woman takes him into a café’s basement, he slips into a place he’s not sure is a dream… or a nightmare.Struggling to determine whether he’s suffering delusions or suddenly inherited paranormal powers, Charlie enters a world he’d always refused to admit exists. But any chance of a return to normalcy flies out the Italian window when Charlie discovers he might have checked in, but he can never leave.Can Charlie unravel his magical new existence and still reconcile with reality?Now Is Your Chance is the brain-bending first short story in the Charlie Holiday literary supernatural fiction series. If you like mentally twisting moments, humorous asides, and a dash of paranormal possibilities, then you’ll love Bradley Charbonneau’s thought-provoking trip.Buy Now Is Your Chance to lift the veil on the mysteries around us all today!
The Gift of Markree Castle
4 boys, 3 days, 1 castle. What could possibly go wrong?This is the final book in the 3-book Markree Castle series (and the 4th book in the Li & Lu series). You think that's confusing, wait until you learn how to say Donald Duck's nephews in Chinese.That kind of extremely useful knowledge (and more) awaits you throughout the pages of the Markree Castle series. So jump on in and enjoy!