Wed To The Wrong Wayne

Wed To The Wrong Wayne
Author: Maureen Reil
Publisher: Maureen Reil
Total Pages: 144
Release: 2015-05-10
Genre: Fiction
ISBN:

What do you do when you are in the private chapel of an Irish castle ready and willing to marry the man of your dreams, but the groom is missing? Well you do what any other reality star marrying a rock star does in those circumstances when the world is watching and waiting for you to fall from grace and him to fall on his arse, drunk. You fake it. This is what you do. It is the only way out of a bad situation if you do not want the humiliation of being ‘jilted at the altar’. Not to mention a potential lawsuit from the magazine deal and Callie Temples does not want any of it, so she is truly grateful when the perfect replacement is on hand to stand-in for her absent partner. At least this way, it buys them some time to find the real Rocco and switch the husbands on honeymoon before anyone outside of a select few is any the wiser. Sounds like a plan and it just might work a treat, if it were not for Callie having doubts that she wed the wrong Wayne. Callie later learns a secret that puts their very future in jeopardy. What makes it more upsetting is the fact that her long lost father wants to have his say and he will go to any lengths to make that happen. While her new hubby has a real life girlfriend that they are trying to keep in the dark so as not to hurt her, but will she hurt him if the truth comes out. Will Callie get the fairy-tale ending to her story? Even a psychic pet pig cannot predict that one. Why not read this British, heart-warming and humorous chick-lit novel to find out if it all turns to tears or cheers for the bride.

The Mystery of Right and Wrong

The Mystery of Right and Wrong
Author: Wayne Johnston
Publisher: Vintage Canada
Total Pages: 561
Release: 2023-05-16
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0735281653

NATIONAL BESTSELLER "An absolutely unforgettable novel."—Ian Williams A masterwork from one of the country’s most critically acclaimed and beloved writers that grapples with male violence, sexual abuse, and madness. Complusively readable and heartstopping. Wade Jackson, a young man from a Newfoundland outport, wants to be a writer. In the university library in St. John’s, where he goes every day to absorb the great books of the world, he en­counters the fascinating, South African-born Rachel van Hout, and soon they are lovers. Rachel is the youngest of four van Hout daugh­ters, each in their own way a wounded soul. The old­est, Gloria, has a string of broken marriages behind her. Carmen is addicted to every drug her Afrikaner dealer husband can lay his hands on. Betha­ny, the most sardonic of the sisters, is fighting a los­ing battle with anorexia. And then there is Rachel, who reads The Diary of Anne Frank obsessively, and diarizes her days in a secret language of her own invention, writing to the point of breakdown and beyond—an obsession that has deeper and more dis­turbing roots than Wade could ever have imagined. Confronting the central mystery of his character Rachel’s life—and his own—Wayne Johnston has created a brilliant and searing tour de force that pulls the reader toward a conclusion both inevitable and impossible to fore­see.

Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation

Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation
Author: Kristin Kobes Du Mez
Publisher: Liveright Publishing
Total Pages: 384
Release: 2020-06-23
Genre: History
ISBN: 1631495747

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER The “paradigm-influencing” book (Christianity Today) that is fundamentally transforming our understanding of white evangelicalism in America. Jesus and John Wayne is a sweeping, revisionist history of the last seventy-five years of white evangelicalism, revealing how evangelicals have worked to replace the Jesus of the Gospels with an idol of rugged masculinity and Christian nationalism—or in the words of one modern chaplain, with “a spiritual badass.” As acclaimed scholar Kristin Du Mez explains, the key to understanding this transformation is to recognize the centrality of popular culture in contemporary American evangelicalism. Many of today’s evangelicals might not be theologically astute, but they know their VeggieTales, they’ve read John Eldredge’s Wild at Heart, and they learned about purity before they learned about sex—and they have a silver ring to prove it. Evangelical books, films, music, clothing, and merchandise shape the beliefs of millions. And evangelical culture is teeming with muscular heroes—mythical warriors and rugged soldiers, men like Oliver North, Ronald Reagan, Mel Gibson, and the Duck Dynasty clan, who assert white masculine power in defense of “Christian America.” Chief among these evangelical legends is John Wayne, an icon of a lost time when men were uncowed by political correctness, unafraid to tell it like it was, and did what needed to be done. Challenging the commonly held assumption that the “moral majority” backed Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020 for purely pragmatic reasons, Du Mez reveals that Trump in fact represented the fulfillment, rather than the betrayal, of white evangelicals’ most deeply held values: patriarchy, authoritarian rule, aggressive foreign policy, fear of Islam, ambivalence toward #MeToo, and opposition to Black Lives Matter and the LGBTQ community. A much-needed reexamination of perhaps the most influential subculture in this country, Jesus and John Wayne shows that, far from adhering to biblical principles, modern white evangelicals have remade their faith, with enduring consequences for all Americans.

Comical Vacations Book 3

Comical Vacations Book 3
Author: Maureen Reil
Publisher: Maureen Reil
Total Pages: 435
Release: 2017-01-22
Genre: Travel
ISBN:

Comical Vacations 3 Three-Book Bundle Contents The Finch Family Easter Holiday 6 Let the good times roll since Kitty is excited to be going away for four fun filled days on their first (of many and hopefully not the last) Finch family holidays, together with her boyfriend for a short stay in a quaint B&B in Scotland. Where she hopes they will get to spend some time alone as well as with the rest of the clan. Well, she would be more excited if she could shake the damn stomach bug she seems to have picked up, probably from work. Only it will not stop her going for the Easter celebration up in the Highlands, where real men wear kilts and women wear a shoe size twelve if Moira is anything to go by. Whether it is a haunting by a ghost in the guesthouse or hunting for Nessie and the lost buried gold coins connected to Bonnie Prince Charlie or seeking the precious playing card belonging to her brother, then you can be sure that Kitty will give it her all even if it costs her more than her dignity in the end. There is also a secret to keep, a secret to reveal and a secret admirer to deal with. Not to forget there is also a beast on the prowl. As this mini vacation has plenty of cringe-worthy situations and surprises galore to cope with but Kitty has survived worse, believe you me. The Finch Family Bank Holiday 7 Now normally Kitty Finch loves a good wedding so she was happy to head down to Berkshire with the rest of the Finches to stay at a farm over the long bank holiday weekend. She saw it as a chance to be in a famously posh romantic setting with her ex, since Kitty wants to rekindle their relationship. I mean who does not fall in love with love when surrounded by so much joy, sentiment and happiness but not when she finds out he is bringing a ‘plus one’ and she is feeling fat or should that state be fatter than usual because of her pregnancy. If Kitty was under the impression that she could hide at the back to avoid not just the camera lens but also her exes then she had better think again. When an accident occurs and Kitty has to step into someone else’s shoes but not with her swollen feet so thankfully she gets to wear her own footwear in the end, however, it still doesn’t help her walk down that aisle any better. Joining Kitty and company in this hilarious mix of mayhem and merriment are a baby doll, naked butlers and a male escort. There are also a whole lot of laughs along the way so what more can anyone ask for from a British bank holiday. The Finch Family Christmas Holiday 8 This is it folks, the final Finch family holiday in the Comical Vacations series (nine books in total). It finds Kitty Finch heading off for a Christmas break with some of her family, past and present, plus picking up a friend or two along the way. This time they are going on a Nordic liner for a mini Christmas cruise, so they are all looking forward to this trip as long as it does not sink. Well knowing her luck, they could all end up at the bottom of the sea if this were any other kind of novel. Only that is not a very ‘happy ending’ so she feels confident that they will make it back to dry land and they do. Not before there is upset all round of course and a stupid bet to win first, whilst the pranks soon become the bane of her life. After which they embark on the next leg of their journey to travel up to the north of Norway for an ice-filled fun treat. When staying at the snow hotel and getting to see and try things that they have never tried or seen before. Will Kitty ever get the love she deserves? Should she even have attempted to win a silly wager? Can this British family ever have at least one lousy holiday without everything going tits-up for Kitty Finch? Would Kitty be able to claim she truly had the time of her life, or would she be lying through her gritted teeth?

Comical Vacations Book 2

Comical Vacations Book 2
Author: Maureen Reil
Publisher: Maureen Reil
Total Pages: 446
Release: 2017-01-21
Genre: Fiction
ISBN:

Comical Vacations 2 Three-Book Bundle Contents The Finch Family Holiday 3 It is that time of year again folks, yes summer is here so batten down the hatches because the Finch family are heading for Cornwall to stay in a holiday home by the sea with its own secluded beach. Sounds idyllic, sounds relaxing and sounds like a lot of fun in the sun so one out of three is not bad since all is not what it seems and how is Kitty Finch supposed to chill out when there are certain people winding her up from start to finish. As extra members of the clan are joining them for the ten-day humorous adventure, sparks could fly if someone lit a match to ignite the tension, sexual or otherwise. There are days out to look forward to in Cornwall where the Finch family discover new things, try out new stuff and resort to old tricks when needed. Will Kitty’s cousin get the better of her on this comical vacation? Will Kitty Finch be involved in any holiday romances or just watching from the sidelines, as per usual? Will a cardboard figure and a knitted scarecrow survive the vacation to go on another one? So come along and catch up with the funny Finches as they show you what having a British family holiday is about. The Finch Family Holiday 4 This year’s Finch family holiday finds them flying off to France for ten days in the rural French countryside. Only Kitty Finch seems to spend her vacation time searching for something whether it is a home for a pet, a handbag or a holiday romance. Not to mention the mystery man and his yellow socks that bring trouble her way. All whilst avoiding the unwanted advances of a certain somebody who does not know when to take no for an answer but should know better. As the Finch family comes across plenty of people to share their time with including German neighbours, English expats and even a French farmer to name a few. One of the men Kitty meets is special enough to take her fancy for a French fling, so start reading this funny French farce to see if she succeeds despite the exes who are hijacking her holiday fun. Whether it comes to randy rabbits, randy monkeys or randy men it is all part of the experience. The Finch Family Holiday 5 Who wants to go on holiday when they are ill in bed? Kitty Finch does not so she does her best to get out of the annual family holiday but no, her parents are having none of it so she is going to Turkey whether she likes it or not. Since they will probably kidnap her if she does not comply and come willingly while she never imagined part of that sentence actually coming true on this trip. Anyway, they are soon off to the airport where her nightmares begin and not for the only time on this holiday does Kitty wish that she had stayed in bed and had not bothered getting up. Not that she wants to appear ungrateful about going on a five-day all-inclusive package holiday in the sun during the school half-term in October, it is just that she will be face-to-face with her ex-husband who she hasn't seen since the wedding fiasco and the less said about that the better. Despite not feeling up to a holiday with the family, it is not all doom and gloom for poor old Kitty because she does get to experience things in Turkey that she never would have had she not gone there and some aspects of it she even enjoys. As this is what a British family holidaying abroad gets up to when left to their own devices. Only do not expect this laugh-out-loud saga to end there because the funny Finches will be back for yet more shenanigans in the next book.

Comical Vacations Book 1

Comical Vacations Book 1
Author: Maureen Reil
Publisher: Maureen Reil
Total Pages: 293
Release: 2015-03-05
Genre: Fiction
ISBN:

Comical Vacations 1 Three-Book Bundle Contents The Finch Family Short Break (Book 0 Prequel) This British funny fiction is the prequel in the Comical Vacations series that takes place the year of Kitty’s divorce and before the first Finch Family Holiday kicks off. We find Kitty Finch trying to get to grips with life without Mason after seeking a friend on-line to share her time and troubles with but he turns out to be more trouble than he is worth. When things get weird she tries to end their friendship, only he is not having it so she persuades her sister-in-law that she needs a short break. However, it does not remain just the three of them going on an Amsterdam adventure when other Finch family members also wangle a ticket to ride. How will she handle the fact that her ex-husband is coming along too and who is the mystery woman with him? It was not all fun and games for Kitty when she discovers that things are not going her way no matter how hard she tries to deal with stuff that could prevent her enjoyment and talk about unrequited love, for it is catching on. Especially when Kitty ends up gate-crashing a hen party and pretending to be someone else just so she can join in. There is also the Red Light District to contend with, where all her worst fears came true. Overall, it was a memorable stay in the end and to find out more just read this hilarious story of one woman’s quest to keep her sanity and her sanitary towels intact. The Finch Family Holiday 1 WISH YOU WERE HERE would be the words written on a dirty postcard from Blackpool that Kitty Finch would send home to the rest of her family, if only, they were not already there with her. The Finch family are going to a Blackpool campsite for a typically British seaside holiday. Will Kitty be able to enjoy the excursions, when plagued with the arthritis she suffers from? On the other hand, will she want to end it all off the top of The Blackpool Tower through embarrassment before their final day is done? Will everyone else survive the holiday, come to that? There are a couple of surprises joining them for the ride and plenty of comedic complications to overcome. Can Kitty really put her marriage to Mason behind her since the divorce and perhaps, have a holiday romance with someone new? Read this funny, feel good fiction to find out. The Finch Family Holiday 2 Fancy a fun British holiday with the wacky Finch family in The Lake District then you are very welcome to join them for another zany outing. In this laughter-filled story, Kitty has found herself a boyfriend that she met through the internet and she has invited the current man in her life to come along with them. Does her ex-husband approve of this new dude and does Kitty care if Mason cares? Will Kitty’s continuing battle with her health issues interfere somewhat with them having a good time, not to mention the mishaps, misunderstandings and general mayhem all round? Everyone tries their best to bond together on this exciting trip, only to rub each other up the wrong way. While a blast from the past manages to upset an excursion and causes Kitty yet more grief. Kitty wonders if the local myths truly exist and is there a monster lurking at the bottom of the lake. Moreover, can a witch really put a curse on Kitty when she is made of stone? This is the least of her woes when she suspects a real post office robbery has taken place. Is it a crime to want this ten-day stint away from home, not to end up a complete disaster? Go on; I dare you to crack open the cover of this holiday story to find out what they did on their vacation.

Let's Get Married

Let's Get Married
Author: Maureen Reil
Publisher: Maureen Reil
Total Pages: 92
Release: 2013-03-08
Genre: Fiction
ISBN:

Jasmine receives a message unexpectedly from an old university friend who she had made a marriage pact with in the past. Seriously, who in their right mind would have thought that he would want to marry her if Jasmine was not married by thirty? Surely, this is a joke because nobody does that kind of thing for real, right. With Jasmine being the nice person that she is, she decides to let him down gently by pretending that she is already married to someone else so there is no need for him to visit. Only he is coming to town on business anyway and would like to meet her new husband. There is one problem with this course of action. Jasmine doesn't have a hubby knocking about the place, when she comes up with a crazy plan to get herself a groom and fake a whole white wedding just to prove that she has indeed found her ‘happily ever after’. So with plenty of laughs along the way and even when it involves a horse head rubber mask being worn, it was all going so well. Until . . . it did not.

Kapitoil

Kapitoil
Author: Teddy Wayne
Publisher: Harper Collins
Total Pages: 302
Release: 2010-03-27
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0061989924

“A brilliant book. Karim Issar is one of the freshest, funniest heroes I’ve come across in a long time.” — Ben Fountain, bestselling author of Brief Encounters with Che Guevara “An innovative and incisive meditation on the wages of corporate greed, the fundamental darkness of its vision lit by the author’s great comic intelligence and wit.” — Kathryn Davis, author of The Thin Place, Hell: A Novel, and Versailles With a fresh and singular voice, Teddy Wayne marks his literary debut with the story of one 26 year old Middle Eastern man’s attempt to live the American Dream in New York City. Like the award-winning Netherland and The Reluctant Fundamentalist, Kapitoil provides an absorbing look into American culture and New York finance from an outsider’s perspective. "Sometimes you do not truly observe something until you study it in reverse," writes Karim Issar upon arrival to New York City from Qatar in 1999. Fluent in numbers, logic, and business jargon yet often baffled by human connection, the young financial wizard soon creates a computer program named Kapitoil that predicts oil futures and reaps record profits for his company. At first an introspective loner adrift in New York's social scenes, he anchors himself to his legendary boss Derek Schrub and Rebecca, a sensitive, disillusioned colleague who may understand him better than he does himself. Her influence, and his father's disapproval of Karim's Americanization, cause him to question the moral implications of Kapitoil, moving him toward a decision that will determine his future, his firm's, and to whom—and where—his loyalties lie.

Chick-Lit Stole My Life

Chick-Lit Stole My Life
Author: Maureen Reil
Publisher: Maureen Reil
Total Pages: 81
Release: 2012-08-21
Genre: Fiction
ISBN:

It should have been another ordinary month but when Kelly Stanford and her mates leave a nightclub, everything changes for good as they walk right into a feeding frenzy of global attention for cameras are suddenly in their faces from every angle. This all came about because of a Chick-Lit novel written by one of her friends, which depicted a relationship between Kelly and a real-life Prince Charming. Is it true or is it fiction? As the press and paparazzi turn Kelly’s world upside down and inside out but romance is still on the cards, despite this intrusion. Of course, none of it really matters at all if she cannot find her lost, late (adoptive) grandmother’s lucky brooch, with or without the help or hindrance of a certain paparazzo. Why does he seem strangely familiar to her? She can survive this with her dignity intact, can she not? Only, will one of the paparazzi live long enough to tell the tale? To discover the answers to these questions and more, read the funny and often farcical novella that is the second book in the trilogy. Chick-Lit Saved My Life is the title of the first one. Look out for book three; Chick-Lit Staged My Life as it is available now for purchase at a checkout near you.