Playing At Love

‘LOVED it... Romantic, witty, insightful and engaging.’ Sue Moorcroft, Sunday Times bestselling author of A Home in the Sun ***Shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists’ Association Jane Wenham-Jones Award for Romantic Comedy!***

Playing At Love is a glam, globetrotting exploration of the complications of friend and love relationships that will leave you rooting for the rogue-ish heroes. Conor Quinn and Gavin McManus are mired deep in the wreckage of a betrayal that has damaged their friendship, ended Gavin's marriage, and threatens to break up their band. Conor's shaken by the mess he's made and no longer trusts his heart. Book smart but love dumb, he decides acting with more calculation in matters of the heart is the key to moving forward. He starts by wooing back his ex, Colette, and quickly ends up engaged-and in over his head. When Conor's old schoolmate, Felicity, unexpectedly returns to his world, he gravitates with increasing frequency toward their renewed friendship. Harmless flirting soon turns into real temptation and suddenly Conor's questioning whether his impetuous reunion with Colette means he's missed his chance with the right woman. Felicity is still stinging from a brutal divorce and wary of her old friend's rock star ways. She wants stability, not the boy who ran off to join the rock circus and never had a proper job or responsibilities. But that doesn't mean she's immune to his charms. At the same time, wounded, passionate singer Gavin has a song-writing epiphany that convinces him he can't stay stuck in the past. And he knows what matters most is his wife, since he refuses to believe their love story is over. As Conor's wedding rapidly approaches and Gavin attempts to reunite with his wife, both men must also find a way to keep their band together as they strive and stumble toward something resembling redemption-with each other and with the women they're meant to be with.Playing At Love is a novel with music, heart, and a splash of romance...

Drew Dawes’s life revolves around fantasy. She’s the geeky owner of a comic book store, cosplays at conventions, and loves her superheroes. Her life is a million miles away from the one her parents envisioned for her as a musical prodigy. They expected fame, fortune, and headlining the stages in Nashville. Drew never wanted the life they forced onto her as a child, and their deaths changed her world forever. Since then, the songs in Drew’s heart are silent. Wren Banderas has her career planned out in minute detail. Becoming head chef at a very popular restaurant is just another step closer to her biggest dream: a restaurant bearing her own name. Her star is rising, yet self-doubt plagues her. Drew and Wren couldn’t be more different, but each still carries wounds from the past. Falling in love was never part of the plan, but they just need each other to heal and make their dreams come true.

Treats, Play, Love is the collected wisdom of Patricia G. Burnham, the author of the highly successful Playtraining Your Dog, which has been in print for more than twenty-five years. Now, after fifty years in the business, she brings to this new book a focus on food training your dog with small treats, while still incorporating fun and games into teaching basic and advanced obedience. Burnham uses no compulsive training or punishment for incorrect or unwanted behaviors (such as barking, biting, urinating inside, or begging), but rather offers rewards for correct behavior, thus reinforcing it. Topics covered include: · Basic obedience training for puppies (exercises for sit, down, heel, and stay) · House manners for older puppies and adult dogs (no whining or barking) · Recipes for tasty dog treats that your four-legged friend will do anything for · Understanding your dog's personality · Preventing dog bites · Dealing with shy or fearful dogs · Advice and exercises for training and showing a dog in obedience trials in novice class, open class, and utility class · Reflections on the end of your dog's life There are more than 100 photos and line drawings throughout the book to illustrate movements and exercises, and for owners who want to show their dogs, there are detailed descriptions of what they can expect once they enter the ring. Although Burnham works almost exclusively with greyhounds (which are notoriously difficult to train), her wisdom and expertise apply to all breeds, and her warmth, sound advice, and personal tone make Treats, Play, Love a joy to use.

One hundred secrets of tail-wagging happiness, accompanied by delightful illustrations of dogs! Dogs know how to live. Every meal is a feast, every errand is an adventure, and every day is a chance to hang out with someone you love. In this inspiring book, artist Emma Block’s adorable pooches provide 100 important life lessons—from “Play every day” to “Don’t be afraid to get messy” to “Growl when you want some space.” “A book for all ages from toddlers to seniors . . . heartwarming illustrations that highlight how loving and easy-to-please a dog can be.” —Los Angeles Times

A practical, non-judgmental and honest guide to the first two years of a child’s life for a new generation of Australian parents. Practising GP, mother of two and Instagram’s popular doctor Preeya Alexander is a refreshing new voice in the parenting space. Her hands-on, inclusive and down-to-earth advice, combined with a big dose of fun, is the ultimate survival guide for the first two years of parenting. Preeya offers straightforward and trustworthy information about looking after both babies and new parents. From postpartum care and mastitis to feeding and sleep problems, nothing is off limits. Eat, Sleep, Play, Love demystifies this sleep-deprived time and breaks down complex topics with wisdom and humour to make them easily digestible and achievable. 'Eat, Sleep, Play, Love is a practical, non-judgemental and honest guide to the first two years of a child's life for a new generation of Australian parents. Alexander offers hands-on, inclusive and down-to-earth advice in this survival guide for the first two years of parenting for looking after both babies and new parents. From postpartum care and mastitis to feeding and sleep problems, nothing is off limits. It might be a good gift for new or soon-to-be parents.' The Canberra Times

“Christians make the Mass, and the Mass makes Christians.” So said the Martyrs of Abitina, North Africa, in A.D. 304. The Mass was the reality most essential to the life of believers, and it deeply affected everything they did. In Work Play Love popular author Mike Aquilina shows how the Eucharist shaped three basic dimensions of life for the early Christians. ​ Work. Christians brought the fruits of their labor to the altar—not only bread and wine, but also cheese, olives, honey, dried fish, and freshly pressed oil. As they worshiped, they consecrated the world itself to God. In turn, this affected the way they approached their work. It was not just toil. It was an act of love, undertaken for the Father. They labored in imitation of Jesus the laborer. Made one with Christians in the Eucharist, Jesus worked through them and in them. ​ Play. The Mass was a leisurely, contemplative act, but it was celebrated on a normal workday in the Roman world. It was useless by the standards of the city. And yet it called forth—gently, gradually—the most creative responses. The Mass inspired new forms of music, poetry, architecture, and painting. At liturgy Christians stood back and reconsidered the cosmos from God’s perspective. They saw their lives as part of a profoundly new and different narrative. This made for new and different art. ​ Love. Christian ritual demanded personal and communal acts of charity. The earliest descriptions of the Mass show the importance of the collection and its distribution to the poor, the imprisoned, and the home-bound sick. Deacons and deaconesses were dismissed to take Communion to the same people in need. The fruits of the Mass extended beyond the time of liturgy—and the bounds of Christian community. Christians took care even of their persecutors. This led to the establishment of institutions of universal charity, a first in human history. The story of the Mass is not simply a rehearsal of ancient texts. It’s a drama of personal and societal transformation. This book tells the story as much as possible in the lively words of the early Christians and draws from the most exciting discoveries of recent archaeology. It is a powerful imaginative encounter with the first generations of our Christian ancestry.

A female professor has been teaching a course on the literature of love with a younger male colleague.