- Hardcover:416 pages
- Publisher:Orion; Hardback edition (2 Feb 2012)
- ISBN-10:1409110966
- ISBN-13:978-1409110965
- Product Dimensions: 23.4 x 15.3 x 3.4 cm
Book Recommendation: A Dog Named Slugger
- Hardcover:287 pages
- Publisher:Center Point Large Print; Lrg edition (May 2011)
- LanguageEnglish
- ISBN-10:1611730384
- ISBN-13:978-1611730388
- Product Dimensions: 22.1 x 14.8 x 2.4 cm
Product Description
New Title: Clean And Lean Diet Cookbook
- Paperback:192 pages
- Publisher:Kyle Books (26 Jan 2012)
- LanguageEnglish
- ISBN-10:0857830074
- ISBN-13:978-0857830074
- Product Dimensions: 23.2 x 18.8 x 1.4 cm
Product Description
- Over 100 delicious, healthy and easy recipes
- Includes a 14-day Clean & Lean menu plan
- Nourishing food that is enjoyable to eat
Reminder from James:
A body can never be lean unless it’s clean. That s the first principle, and it’s toxins, which are stored in the fat cells, that you need to avoid. If you’re dieting, but toxic, your body will lose fat, but the toxins will have nowhere to go other than back into your system. This is why you often soon feel terrible after starting a diet tired, lethargic and headachey. Your body quickly decides it doesn’t like feeling this way and therefore holds on to fat in order to store toxins, and so the cycle continues. If you’re toxic, you ll always struggle to lose weight and, ironically, many diets make you more toxic with all their low-fat/high-sugar advice. However, if you stick to clean foods that are toxin-free, unprocessed and close to their natural state, you’ll lose weight easily and keep it off.
About the Author
Book Recommendation: Tarrificked
- Paperback:304 pages
- Publisher:HarperCollins (19 Jan 2012)
- LanguageEnglish
- ISBN-10:0007438885
- ISBN-13:978-0007438884
- Product Dimensions: 19.4 x 12.8 x 2.6 cm
Product Description
He’d been her friend for years. He said he loved her. Then she realised she didn’t know him at all…
When everything seemed to be falling apart in Sophie’s life, she was thankful for her friend Kas, who was always at the end of a phone, ready to listen and to offer comfort and advice.
Her father’s cold dislike of her and then her parents’ divorce had left her with a deep distrust of men. But, gradually, Kas made her believe there was at least one man who truly cared about her.
But she was wrong.
At first when Sophie went to stay for a few days with Kas in Italy, he was kind and caring, as he’d always been. But three days after she arrived, everything changed.
His eyes were cold as he described the things he expected her to do ‘for love’. But soon Sophie’s bewilderment turned to fear as he punched and shouted at her and threatened to kill her adored younger brothers if she didn’t do exactly as she was told…to sell her body on the streets to pay off Kas’s debts.
Terrified of Kas, the police and the men whose pleasures she was forced to satisfy, Sophie worked seven nights a week for the next six months on the dark and lonely streets of a town in northern Italy.
Subjected regularly to Kas’s verbal, mental and physical abuse, she knew she would never escape.
And then, one day, after she’d been admitted to hospital with stomach pains – and knowing that Kas would kill her if he found out – she dared to phone her mother.
But who would reach her first?
About the Author
Sophie Hayes was in her early twenties when she was forced into prostitution in Italy. Following her horrifying orders, Sophie is rebuilding her life in London. She is working with the charity STOP THE TRAFFIK and the William Wilberforce Trust to raise awareness of trafficking and to help other women life herself. To date she has worked with Cherie Blair, the Metropolitan Police and the UN.
See Also
New Title: The Capture Of The Earl Of Glencrae
- Paperback:448 pages
- Publisher:Piatkus (31 Jan 2012)
- ISBN-10:0749955090
- ISBN-13:978-0749955090
- Product Dimensions: 19.6 x 12.6 x 2.9 cm
Product Description
About the Author
See Also
Book Recommendation: Rosie’s War
- Hardcover:256 pages
- Publisher:Michael O’Mara Books Ltd (7 April 2011)
- LanguageEnglish
- ISBN-10:1843175576
- ISBN-13:978-1843175575
- Product Dimensions: 23.4 x 15.4 x 3.2 cm
Product Description
See
Noel Holland is the husband and wife writing team of Noel Fursman and Julia Holland. Originally from north London, they have lived for many years in a remote farmhouse on the Beara Peninsula, in the south-west of Ireland. They are currently at work on their second book.
Also
-

A Secret Kept by Tatiana de Rosnay
The Irish Economy 2011
The Irish Economy 2011 by Annette J Dunlea
Published In The Carrigdhoun Newspaper 28th Jan 2011 p.9
The Economic and Social Research Institute predicted an economic contraction of 14% by 2010. In the first quarter in 2009, GDP was down 8.5% from the same quarter the previous year, and GNP down 12%.Unemployment is up 8.75% to 11.4%. The economy exited recession in the third quarter of 2009, with GDP growing by 0.3% in the quarter, but GNP continued to contract, by 1.4%.The costs of the bank rescues, NAMA and government deficits over the period look set to push Irish National Debt up to a ratio of 125% of GDP by 2015.
National data for the third quarter of 2011 were published by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) on 16th December 2011. The data revealed that: on an annual basis, real GDP decreased by 0.1% in the third quarter, following 0.2% and 2.1% expansions in the first and second quarters respectively. Real GNP, by comparison, decreased by 4.2%. Focusing on the underlying growth components, domestic demand continued to decline as personal consumption, government expenditure and investment spending contracted once again. They stated that this negative contribution was partly compensated for by positive export growth of 2.4% and a fall in imports of 3.3%.On a quarterly basis, and using seasonally adjusted data, real GDP fell by 1.9% from the preceding quarter. This followed increases of 1.8% and 1.4% in the first and second quarters respectively. Real GNP decreased by 2.2% quarter-on-quarter, it stated. For the year 2010 as a whole Irish real GDP recorded a decline of 0.4%. This represented a sharp moderation in the pace of contraction when compared to the preceding years.GDP declined by 3.0% in 2008 and 7.0% in 2009 but over the period 2008 to 2010 real GDP contracted by a cumulative 10.2%.As in the case of the fourth quarter, very strong external demand provided a support to the growth rate in 2010, but this was outweighed by falling domestic demand. Exports increased by a rapid 6.3%, while private consumption and investment contracted by 0.8% and 24.9% respectively.
As part of Budget 2012, published on 6 December, the Department of Finance produced new economic forecasts.After three successive years of contraction, real GDP is expected to return to positive growth in 2011, increasing by 1.0%, with the pace of expansion strengthening over the forecast horizon; growth of 1.3% in 2012 is expected to be followed by an average increase of 2.8% per annum in the period 2013 to 2015. As is typical in a small open economy, the recovery is initially being driven by external demand.Strong export growth is being underpinned by the significant competitiveness improvements that the Irish economy has experienced in recent years. Given the impact of budgetary consolidation and the necessary unwinding of private sector imbalances, this strong export performance will take longer than normal to filter down into the domestic components. Nevertheless, by the end of the forecast horizon activity is expected to be broader based, with domestic demand making a positive contribution.It notes : retail sales volumes decreased by 0.8% year-on-year in November 2011. Retail sales excluding the motor trade also contracted by 0.8% in November year-on-year.The annual increase in Retail Sales volumes in 2010 as a whole was 1.4%, while the corresponding decrease excluding Motor Trades was -1.1%.The number of new vehicles licensed for the first time decreased by 20% in annual terms in November 2011.For 2011 as a whole, all new vehicles licensed were up 2.6% year-on-year, while used vehicles licensed decreased by 6.8% year-on year.Output prices in the manufacturing sector increased by 1.9% year-on-year in November. This was composed of a 3.8% annual rise in the home sales component and an increase of 1.5% in the export sales component of the index
Further data from the report reveals that nominal exports were flat in October, recording a year-on-year decrease of 0.2%.Data for exports in real terms (available up until September) show the volume of exports rose by 4.4% year-on-year in September.The trade balance in October was €3.6 billion, which is down 6.5% on the corresponding period last year. Manufacturing output rose by 13.4% year-on-year in October 2011. In the slightly wider industrial sector,output was up by 12.1% on an annual basis.Soft indicators suggest that exports growth could moderate in the coming quarters. The manufacturing and service sector PMIs averaged 49.1 and 50.9 respectively in the fourth quarter .Survey data show that the manufacturing index fell in December measuring 48.6 while the index for services in the same month also contracted measuring 48.4. Export orders were the main component of growth in the indices in 2011.
The Consumer Price Index it says rose 2.9% in the twelve months to November 2011, up from 2.8% in October. Looking at the monthly developments, the main driver was the rise in education costs on foot of an increase in fees for PLC courses while increases in clothing costs also contributed.On a HICP6 (Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices) basis, prices rose by 1.7% in the year to November following a rise of 1.5% in October. This remains one of the lowest rates in the euro area and the inflation differential with our main trading partners represents an improvement in Ireland’s price competitiveness. Euro area annual inflation stood at 2.8% in December, down from 3.0% in November.The annual average rate of inflation for 2010 on a CPI basis was -1.0%. On a HICP basis inflation averaged -1.6%.Over the last year, upward price pressure has mainly come from mortgage interest costs, increased energy prices and the impact of insurance price hikes. Looking to the future, the year-on-year rate of inflation is likely to remain elevated in the coming months with the announced VAT increases coming into effect as well as continued increases in administered prices. However, general economic weakness is keeping a lid on the price of many other goods and services.In Budget 2012, published in early December 2011, the Department forecast HICP inflation to average 1.2% in 2011 and 1.9% in 2012.The annual rate of growth in Private Sector Credit advanced to Irish residents was -1.9% in November 2011,following a 0.1% increase in October 2011. The annual rate of change of residential mortgages was 2.7% lower in November 2011 than in the same month in 2010, having fallen at a similar rate in October 2011 (2.6%).
The CSO published the Quarterly National Household Survey (QNHS) for the third quarter of 2011 in December. The QNHS provides a definitive measure of labour market trends, including employment,unemployment and labour force participation rates.The key points from the release are:there were 1.806 million people in employment in Q3 2011, a decline of 2.5% from the same quarter of the preceding year.This compared to annual falls of 2.9% and 2.0% in the first and second quarters of 2011 respectively.On a quarterly basis and using seasonally adjusted data : employment was 1.1% lower than in the second quarter of the year. This followed a quarterly contraction of just 0.2% in Q2 2011.Since peaking in Q4 2007 employment has now fallen by almost 350,000 in seasonally adjusted terms.The labour force declined by 1.4 per cent on an annual basis, a broadly similar rate of decline to the previous three quarters.Around 55% of this decline in the labour force reflected a fall in participation; the seasonally adjusted participation rate declined to 60% from 60.7% a year earlier.The remainder reflected negative demographic effects against the backdrop of net outward migration.The CSO estimate that just over 34,000 people left the country in net terms in the year to April 2011.This reflected net outward movements in both Irish and non-Irish nationals. The labour force has declined by 145,000 since the final quarter of 2007 in seasonally adjusted terms.There were 315,000 people unemployed in the third quarter, an increase of around 16,000 from the same quarter of 2010. Compared to the previous quarter, and in seasonally adjusted terms, unemployment increased by 4,000, while the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 14.4% in Q3.Those in long term unemployment continued to increase in the third quarter of 2011. More than half of those unemployed are now long term unemployed. The long term unemployment rate increased to 8.4%, says the report.Sectoral Developments:On an annual basis, employment fell in ten of the fourteen economic sectors.For the first time since Q2 2008 the construction sector did not account for the largest annual employment decline. Employment in the sector did fall by almost 7,000.The largest declines occurred in the education (-12,000) and the accommodation and food services (-8,500) sectors. Employment increased in the administration and support services, transportation and storage, human health and social work and ICT sectors.Focusing on the period since employment peaked in Q4 2007, losses in the construction sector account for 45% of the total jobs lost. The industrial sector and wholesale and retail sector each account for additional 15%.
On The Live Register there were 434,784 people on in December, a decrease of 2,295 from the same month in 2010. On a seasonally adjusted basis the Register decreased by 3,300 to 443,200 from November (a decrease of 0.7%). Reflecting these developments the CSO estimate that the standardised unemployment rate (SUR) was 14.3% in December.The report says of Employment Targets:The June 2010 European Council adopted the Europe 2020 Strategy (EU2020) for jobs and smart,sustainable and inclusive growth. EU2020 is the successor to the Lisbon Strategy which expired in 2010. The EU employment target under EU2020 “aims to raise to 75% the employment rate for women and men aged 20-64, including through the greater participation of young people, older workers and low-skilled workers and the better integration of legal migrants”. Ireland’s own National Employment target under EU2020 which is contained in its National Reform Programme is “to raise to 69-71% the employment rate for women and men aged 20-64, including through the greater participation of young people, older workers and lowskilled workers, and the better integration of legal migrants, and to review the target level of ambition in 2014, in the context of a proposed mid-term review of the Europe 2020 Strategy”. In Q3 2011 Ireland’s employment rate for women and men aged 20-64 was 63.9%. On redundancies the report says that the latest figures from the Department of Social Protection show that the number of redundancies in December 2011 was 6,8508, while the total figure from end-December 2010 to end-December 2011 was 49,766, a decrease of 15.3% on the previous twelve month period.
The CSO published Earnings and Labour Costs data for the third quarter of 2011 in November. The release covers employees in all sectors with the exception of agriculture, fishing and forestry. The key points from the release are: average weekly earnings increased by 1.4% on an annual basis to €693.40. This was the first increase in weekly earnings for over two years. The average work week contracted by 0.3% to 32 hours. This was outweighed by an increase in average hourly pay rates, however. Average hourly earnings increased by 1.5% in annual terms to €21.64.Hourly earnings in the public sector increased by 1.1% on an annual basis, while average weekly paid hours fell from 32.3 to 31.8 hours. As a result, average weekly earnings were 0.5% lower year-on-year.Hourly earnings in the public sector had recorded a very sharp fall in 2010, declining by 4.4% for the year as a whole.Hourly earnings in the private increased by 1.6% from the previous year, while average weekly paid hours increased by 0.3% to 32.1 hours. Accordingly, average weekly earnings were 2.0% higher on an annual basis, according to the CSO. Hourly earnings in the private sector declined by 0.1% last year.The latest developments brought average weekly earnings to €906.81 and €617.45 in the public and private sectors respectively.
Across the economic sectors average hourly earnings increased in six of the 13 sectors. The largest increases were in administrative and support services (5.4%), education (4.1%) and accommodation and food services (3.2%) sectors;Contractions in hourly earnings occurred in the construction (-4.3%), professional, scientific and technical (-2.6%), transportation and storage (-1.4%) and arts, entertainment and other services (-1.2%) sectors.Hourly earnings were stable in the industry, ICT and human health sectors when compared to the same quarter of 2010.The data also revealed that employment in the public sector (including semi-state bodies) declined by 8.2% in annual terms in the year to Q3. These figures differ from those published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform which are based on full-time equivalents and do not include semi-state bodies. Nevertheless, the two indicators show a similar trend of declining numbers in the public sector.An Exchequer deficit of €14.5bn is forecast compared with €17.5bn this year; excluding bank bailouts, the deficit/GDP ratio in 2012 is expected to be 7.1% compared with 9.3% in 2011.The public debt is forecast to rise to 109% of GDP in 2012, down from the ESRI’s forecast of 116% last spring.
The End
New Title: The Soldier’s Wife
- Hardcover:320 pages
- Publisher:Doubleday (2 Feb 2012)
- ISBN-10:0385618034
- ISBN-13:978-0385618038
- Product Dimensions: 24 x 16.2 x 3 cm
Product Description
Dan Riley is a major in the British Army. After a six month tour of duty in Afghanistan, he is coming home to the wife and young daughters he adores. The outside world sees those reunions as a taste of heaven after months of hell.
But are they? Can a man trained to fight adjust again to family and domestic life? And how will the family cope, if he can’t? To what extent can Alexa, Dan’s wife, sacrifice her own needs and fulfilment to support his commitment to a way of life that demands everything not just of him, but of her and the children as well?
This novel takes a keen look at the home lives of the modern Army. What happens when love and a vocation collide, head on?
About the Author
Book Recommendation: The Girl Nobody Wanted
- Paperback:304 pages
- Publisher:Matador (28 Feb 2012)
- LanguageEnglish
- ISBN-10:1780880332
- ISBN-13:978-1780880334
- Product Dimensions: 21.2 x 13.8 x 2.2 cm
Product Description
New Title: The Prisoner
- Paperback:368 pages
- Publisher:Hodder Children’s Books (2 Feb 2012)
- LanguageEnglish
- ISBN-10:0340999179
- ISBN-13:978-0340999172
- Product Dimensions: 19.7 x 13.1 x 2.4 cm
Product Description
He was inspired to start writing by his nephews’ complaints about the lack of anything for them to read!
For more information, go to www.muchamore.com.
Book Recommendation: Call The Midwife: A True Story Of The East End In The 1950s
- Paperback:368 pages
- Publisher:Phoenix; MMP TV Tie-In edition (5 Jan 2012)
- ISBN-10:0753827875
- ISBN-13:978-0753827871
- Product Dimensions: 19.4 x 12.8 x 2.8 cm
Product Description
About the Author
New Title: The Crew
- Format:Kindle Edition
- File Size:403 KB
- Print Length:292 pages
- Page Numbers Source ISBN:0747263043
- Simultaneous Device Usage:Unlimited
- Publisher:Category C Publishing (1 Aug 2011)
- Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
- LanguageEnglish
- ASIN:B005GHM820
- Text-to-Speech: Enabled
Product Description
So when Jarvis discovers that Evans is putting together a hooligan ‘Super Crew’ to follow England to Italy, he feels sure he can finally put Evans behind bars – if only someone can infiltrate the Crew and get him the proof he needs.
But nothing is ever that simple. The Crew believe Evans is just out for a full-on riot. Jarvis thinks he’s trafficking drugs. But Billy Evans is always one step ahead. He has another plan. And it will be catastrophic for everyone concerned.
About the Author
Book Recommendation: My Boyfriend’s Back
Title: My Boyfriend’s Back
Author: Chrissy Olinger
Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 126 KB
Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
Language English
ASIN: B004NIFNM0
Text-to-Speech: Enabled
Product Description
“I bring you tidings of… DAMMIT!”
With those few words, Jack Lynch’s world would change forever. The nerdy guy from Hammond High has returned for his twentieth reunion. He’s rich, successful, and ready to re-claim the girl who got away: Rori McLeary.
There’s just one small problem… Jack is also dead. But with the help of an angel in training, his mom, and the rockin’ body of his former arch-nemesis, Jack is still going to get the girl.
He has three days to convince Rori to love him. He’s got the body he never had, the brains he always had, and Norman the geek angel on his side.
What could possibly go wrong?
*NOTE: This is a short, sweet romance of 15,826 words.
NPR Paperback Bestsellers Jan 2012
Paperback Fiction
| Pos. | Title | Author | Weeks on List |
|---|---|---|---|
denotes NPR coverage |
|||
| 1 | The Tiger’s Wife |
Tea Obreht | 11 |
| 2 | Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close |
Jonathan Safran Foer | 3 |
| 3 | Swamplandia! |
Karen Russell | 14 |
| 4 | The Help |
Kathryn Stockett | 41 |
| 5 | Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy |
John Le Carre | 3 |
| 6 | A Visit From The Goon Squad |
Jennifer Egan | 43 |
| 7 | The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo |
Stieg Larsson | 9 |
| 8 | Cutting for Stone |
Abraham Verghese | 103 |
| 9 | The Girl Who Played With Fire |
Stieg Larsson | 52 |
| 10 | A Discovery of Witches |
Deborah Harkness | 3 |
| 11 | Room |
Emma Donoghue | 36 |
| 12 | The House at Tyneford | Natasha Solomons | 2 |
| 13 | The Art Of Racing In The Rain | Garth Stein | 135 |
| 14 | Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand |
Helen Simonson | 59 |
| 15 | Sarah’s Key |
Tatiana De Rosnay | 126 |
Paperback Nonfiction
| Pos. | Title | Author | Weeks on List |
|---|---|---|---|
denotes NPR coverage |
|||
| 1 | Bossypants |
Tina Fey | 2 |
| 2 | The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks |
Rebecca Skloot | 45 |
| 3 | Heaven Is for Real |
Todd Burpo and Lynn Vincent | 53 |
| 4 | Unlikely Friendships | Jennifer S. Holland | 31 |
| 5 | Cleopatra |
Stacy Schiff | 19 |
| 6 | The Happiness Project |
Gretchen Rubin | 38 |
| 7 | The Social Animal |
David Brooks | 2 |
| 8 | The Hare With Amber Eyes |
Edmund De Waal | 21 |
| 9 | Empire of the Summer Moon |
S. C. Gwynne | 36 |
| 10 | The World Almanac and Book of Facts 2012 | World Almanac and Book of Facts | 7 |
| 11 | Just Kids |
Patti Smith | 63 |
| 12 | Outliers |
Malcolm Gladwell | 29 |
| 13 | Born To Run |
Christopher McDougall | 42 |
| 14 | At Home |
Bill Bryson | 15 |
| 15 | Kayak Morning | Roger Rosenblatt | 1 |
Bestsellers HardBack Fiction Jan 2012 NPR USA
List:
1.
Death Comes to Pemberley by P. D. James
NPR NonFiction Bestsellers (Hardback) Jan 2012 -USA
The NPR Bestseller Lists are produced in collaboration with the American Booksellers Association. The lists are compiled from weekly surveys of close to 500 independent bookstores nationwide.
List:
1.Steve Jobs A Biography by Walter Isaacson
Hardcover, 630 pages, Simon & Schuster, $35, published October 24 2011 |
Hardcover, 473 pages, Random House Inc, $27, published November 16 2010
Hardcover, 499 pages, Farrar Straus & Giroux, $30, published October 25 2011
In the Garden Of Beasts
Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler’s Berlin
by Erik Larson
7.
Killing Lincoln The Shocking Assassination That Changed America Forever by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard
8.
Goodnight iPad A Parody for the Next Generation by Ann Droyd
9.
Go the F- – - to Sleep by Adam Mansbach
10.
Elizabeth the Queen The Life of a Modern Monarch by Sally Bedell Smith
A tribute to the life and enduring reign of Elizabeth II draws on numerous interviews and previously undisclosed documents to juxtapose the queen’s public and private lives.
Annette J Dunlea Irish Author On Facebook
New Title: Killing Faith
- Format:Kindle Edition
- File Size:322 KB
- Simultaneous Device Usage:Unlimited
- Publisher:Swordworks (20 Sep 2011)
- Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
- LanguageEnglish
- ASIN:B005OKSBKM
- Text-to-Speech: Enabled
Product Description
The FBI is also involved in the pursuit for the serial killer. Their evidence points to a Russian Mafiya baron. The chase leads Gabriel to Moscow with an FBI partner, Special Agent Faith Ward. Facing political interference from both American and Russian governments, they ask for help from the Moscow Militia, only to find them both corrupt and on the Mafiya payroll.
Assistance comes from an unexpected quarter, a Russian Orthodox Bishop. With his help, de Sade reaches the heart of the Mafiya operations. Aided only by a discredited Militia detective, he is forced to confront the Moscow Mafiya in a brutal, head on clash. De Sade must use every bit of his skill and training to survive in what is a shattering and extraordinary thriller.
The thrilling Gabriel De Sade series consists of:
Killing Faith
Loss of Faith
Book Recommendation: Deadline
- Paperback:560 pages
- Publisher:Orbit (2 Jun 2011)
- LanguageEnglish
- ISBN-10:1841498998
- ISBN-13:978-1841498997
- Product Dimensions: 12.6 x 3.7 x 19.8 cm
Product Description
About the Author
New Title: Dating A Cougar
- Publisher:Createspace (28 Oct 2011)
- LanguageEnglish
- ISBN-10:1461119847
- ISBN-13:978-1461119845
- Product Dimensions: 21.6 x 14 x 1.5 cm
Product Description
For a couple of years, 38 yr old, medically retired Marine, Casey Carter, believed his military injury had made him impotent. Having lost his wife to cancer, he hadn’t exactly been worried about the problem. Most days walking with cane was enough challenge for him. But now that he was ready to move on with his life, he had become more worried when none of the females his cousin brought around held any interest for him. So the last woman in the world he expected to start his engine revving again was the mother of his cousin’s girlfriend. Even at fifty, Alexa is drop-dead gorgeous, and his libido certainly keeps reminding him she is the first woman he has wanted in a long, long time. Ironically, the more Casey gets to know and like Alexa, he finds out desiring the older woman is the easiest part. Jaded and cynical about love, Alexa is a difficult woman to convince of anything, but her kisses are all the proof he needs that they belong together. The former Marine decides his next mission is figuring out how to fit himself into her life.

















denotes NPR coverage


















