Italy, 1946. “Estee, I bought this ring years ago and have kept it safe ever since. You’re the only woman I’ve ever loved.” She reached for Felix’s hand and gently closed it over the box. “No,” she whispered. “I want you to propose only when you’re truly free.”

London, present day: Lily clutches a faded piece of paper in her hands, knowing that her life will never be the same again. Whilst grieving for her late father, she is told that her grandmother was born at Hope’s House, a home for unmarried mothers, the only clues to her past contained on a handwritten Italian recipe and an old theatre programme.

Desperate for answers, Lily accepts a job on an Italian vineyard in the heart of picturesque Como – a dream her father once shared. Arriving at the palatial home of the Martinelli family, Lily is captivated by the acres of vines that surround her and instantly feels at home. She is also struck by their charming son Antonio and as they chat long into the night over a candlelit dinner, he offers to help Lily discover her family’s heritage.

As Lily unravels the truth of her own legacy, she begins to fall more in love with Italy and with Antonio. And tracing the recipe back to a bakery in a hilltop village, she soon unearths a tragic love story that changes everything… But when Lily discovers who her grandmother really was, can she too have the courage to follow her heart and leave her old life behind? Or will her family’s heart-wrenching story force her home?

An utterly enchanting and heartbreaking novel about lost loves, family secrets and enduring hope.

'A beautiful ode to the power of storytelling, this novel is steeped in the folklore of the Caribbean and weaves a powerful narrative of identity, trauma, resilience and hope' Eleanor Shearer, author of River Sing Me Home Zora and Sasha Porter don't know much of their Jamaican father Nigel's and Trinidadian mother Beatrice's pasts. What they do know: the mythic stories of Nigel's flight to America on the string of a purple balloon, the violent histories in Beatrice's book of Anansi Stories, that Nigel had a brother, once, and that Beatrice has a tangle of silvery scars on her back. With their parents' marriage falling apart, the pair navigate their own relationships and secrets - Zora has impure thoughts about a jock, and Sasha drinks cheap beer with a girl who binds her chest. A celebration of the power of stories, this startling debut presents a tale of slippery contradictions and an examination of the limits of resilience.

This volume explores the diverse applications of advanced tools and technologies of the emerging field of big data and their evidential value in business. It examines the role of analytics tools and methods of using big data in strengthening businesses to meet today’s information challenges and shows how businesses can adapt big data for effective businesses practices. This volume shows how big data and the use of data analytics is being effectively adopted more frequently, especially in companies that are looking for new methods to develop smarter capabilities and tackle challenges in dynamic processes. Many illustrative case studies are presented that highlight how companies in every sector are now focusing on harnessing data to create a new way of doing business.

The Fukushima disaster invites us to look back and probe how nuclear technology has shaped the world we live in, and how we have come to live with it. Since the first nuclear detonation (Trinity test) and the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, all in 1945, nuclear technology has profoundly affected world history and geopolitics, as well as our daily life and natural world. It has always been an instrument for national security, a marker of national sovereignty, a site of technological innovation and a promise of energy abundance. It has also introduced permanent pollution and the age of the Anthropocene. This volume presents a new perspective on nuclear history and politics by focusing on four interconnected themes–violence and survival; control and containment; normalizing through denial and presumptions; memories and futures–and exploring their relationships and consequences. It proposes an original reflection on nuclear technology from a long-term, comparative and transnational perspective. It brings together contributions from researchers from different disciplines (anthropology, history, STS) and countries (US, France, Japan) on a variety of local, national and transnational subjects. Finally, this book offers an important and valuable insight into other global and Anthropocene challenges such as climate change.

1944, Italy RAF nurse Maggie Jones and Captain Jim Howard meet and marry in wartime Rome. A blissful whirlwind romance settles into a workaday life back in post-war England. 1980, London Maggie and Jim's newly graduated daughter Vivien struggles in a dingy flat with her unplanned baby and distant difficult partner, wondering where her life is going. 2010 Surrey Granddaughter Sarah arrives in the Surrey countryside, planning an idyllic upbringing for her boys. Instead she finds herself deeply and illicitly attracted to Finn, a troubled local teenager. And then there is Flavia the Italian girl, who connects them all. Three generations united by family yet torn by a secret held tight for generations.

From the bestselling author of The London Girls comes a story of courage and resilience amidst the horror of Auschwitz—and one woman’s last chance to share it with the world. London, 1995: When on the fiftieth anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz a news broadcast runs an appeal for information on the identity of a midwife who saved hundreds of lives, Emilia knows it is time to finally tell her story. Occupied Poland, 1942: Despite the constant presence of German soldiers in her village, Emilia is allowed certain freedoms as a midwife—the most precious is innocently cycling past Nazi checkpoints to the homes of expectant mothers on her rounds. But Emilia has a secret: for years she’s also been visiting the hidden Jewish mothers and working for the resistance…until she is betrayed. Suddenly a prisoner of Auschwitz, Emilia is surrounded by horror and despair. When she is put to work as a midwife in the camp, she realises that she has a chance to bring a small glimmer of hope to the pregnant women of Auschwitz. Alongside a brave imprisoned doctor, Aleksy, and an innocent outcast, Lena, she comes up with a dangerous plan. A plan that if discovered could mean a fate far worse than death, but if they act undetected, they could save countless lives… The Secret Midwife is a work of fiction, but inspired by many real-life accounts of the Polish resistance, the brave doctors, nurses and midwives imprisoned in the camps and those who fought to save as many lives as possible in Poland during World War II.

Mixed Methods Perspectives on Communication and Social Media Research addresses the need for a discipline-cum-methodology-tailored book that navigates the current research spectrum of communication and social media ("CommSocMed"). It examines contemporary and relevant issues that intertwine the expansive spheres of CommSocMed. Authored by professionals with extensive academic and in-depth research and industry experience, the book highlights research-based themes that mirror qualitative and quantitative methodologies vis-a-vis socio-cultural, political, educational, and organisational issues and challenges. The first two sections present the mutually interwoven disciplines of CommSocMed where research works cover a comprehensive range of designs such as narrative analysis, case study, recombinant memetics, discourse analysis, visual semiotics, ethnography, content analysis, feminist theory, descriptive-survey, descriptive-correlational, model-building/testing, experimental, and mixed methods. The third section is a concluding segment which synthesises all the scholarly contributions in this volume. This book will serve as an authoritative reference for mixed methods research in CommSocMed and will be highly relevant reading for academics, researchers, postgraduate students and undergraduates in communication (for example, instructional communication, marketing communication, organisational communication, political communication, strategic communication), social media, and social sciences.

The contributors present a coherent set of case studies of practices, technologies and strategies aimed at the isolation, investigation, manipulation, production, and uses of molecules including vitamins, hormones, blood products, antibiotics, and vaccines. These case studies examine how processes of molecularization were set in motion in the inter-war period, how they were used as a resource in the biomedical 'mobilization' of World War II, and how new alliances and strategies created as part of the war effort played a central role in the reorganisation of biomedicine in the post-war period.

From the bestselling author of The Last Correspondent comes a remarkable story of three young women who defy the bombs to do their bit for Britain. Will they survive the dark streets of London to see the Allies win the war? London, 1941. The Blitz. When a Royal Navy memo arrives at head office, requesting female recruits to sign up as motorcycle dispatch riders, delivering highly classified orders across the country, three women jump at the chance to sign up for the most dangerous jobs in London. Olivia grew up riding motorcycles with her brothers, and with them fighting abroad she feels it is her duty to join up. The thrill of adventure draws Ava, but with more enthusiasm than skill, will she learn to navigate the treacherous London streets safely? Having lost her family during one of the first air attacks, Florence knows how important it is to have help arrive on the scene-fast-and so she steps up, outmanoeuvring the men behind the wheel of an ambulance. When Olivia, Ava and Florence meet for the first time they know they have found something all of them need-family. As bombs fall, decimating the city they love, these three brave women build a sisterhood amid the rubble, facing down anyone-even their own families-who objects to their service. And while romances bloom and fade, their connection grows ever stronger. But none of them dare consider the terrifying reality that one night Florence's ambulance may be rescuing someone she loves...

"My darling B, my heart, my soul. I only wish we'd had longer. Longer to search for the daughter that I should never have given up. The daughter that I should have been brave enough to keep, brave enough to tell you about, brave enough to tell the world about." London, Present day. As Ella looks down at a faded black-and-white photograph of an unknown woman and child alongside a yellowing piece of sheet music, she wonders how the two things can possibly relate to her own family. The items were left for Ella at Hope's House, a home for unmarried mothers whose babies were adopted. Soon Ella learns that the photograph was taken on the picturesque Greek island of Skopelos, nestled in the calming turquoise waters of the Aegean sea, and that the woman in the photo holds the key to her heritage. Ella's new flame, Gabriel, urges her to unravel the mystery. He will wait for her for as long as she is on the island. Though torn, Ella decides to go and, once there, she discovers a heart-wrenching story of a royal family forced to leave their country for a new life in London, and of a girl with a unique talent for music who captured the heart of a young violinist. When Ella uncovers the sacrifice made by the two young lovers and comes face to face with her forgotten Greek family, her life is turned upside down. Will their story give her the courage to follow her own heart back to London and Gabriel, or will the beauty of the island capture her heart and lead her to a new love altogether? A totally addictive and heart-breaking novel about the strength of family ties and never giving up on true love. Perfect for fans of Santa Montefiore, Lucinda Riley and Victoria Hislop. What everyone is saying about Soraya Lane: "Outstanding, I wanted to stay awake to read more and kept finding 5 minutes here and there to pick up the book!... Amazingly written" NetGalley reviewer "Amazing... I cried buckets, I laughed, and totally loved it" Goodreads reviewer "I started this book last night and finished it today... I couldn't stop reading... Heartfelt... I was moved to tears... touched my heart in every way imaginable" Goodreads reviewer

Shape your way in the world and overcome any challenge

Living on your own for the very first time can be exciting yet nerve-wracking--you'll search for roommates, interview for jobs, manage finances, and form relationships. But adjusting to this new life can seem especially difficult when you're on the Autism Spectrum. Drawing on her experiences, Lynne Soraya, one of ThAutcast.com's Most Inspiring Autistic People and author of "Psychology Today"'s Asperger's Diary, will provide you with valuable advice as she guides you through each step of your transition into adulthood. These real-life strategies will help you cope with the feelings brought on by this change as well as deal with common challenges, like:

• Budgeting and handling bills.
• Finding the right residence and/or roommates.
• Discovering a career path that complements your talents.
• Interacting with coworkers and clients.
• Building relationships with friends and potential partners.

With "Living Independently on the Autism Spectrum," you will gain the confidence, support, and guidance you need to finally experience life on your own.

Mixed Methods Perspectives on Communication and Social Media Research addresses the need for a discipline-cum-methodology-tailored book that navigates the current research spectrum of communication and social media ("CommSocMed"). It examines contemporary and relevant issues that intertwine the expansive spheres of CommSocMed. Authored by professionals with extensive academic and in-depth research and industry experience, the book highlights research-based themes that mirror qualitative and quantitative methodologies vis-a-vis socio-cultural, political, educational, and organisational issues and challenges. The first two sections present the mutually interwoven disciplines of CommSocMed where research works cover a comprehensive range of designs such as narrative analysis, case study, recombinant memetics, discourse analysis, visual semiotics, ethnography, content analysis, feminist theory, descriptive-survey, descriptive-correlational, model-building/testing, experimental, and mixed methods. The third section is a concluding segment which synthesises all the scholarly contributions in this volume. This book will serve as an authoritative reference for mixed methods research in CommSocMed and will be highly relevant reading for academics, researchers, postgraduate students and undergraduates in communication (for example, instructional communication, marketing communication, organisational communication, political communication, strategic communication), social media, and social sciences.

Sarah has given up her career and moved to the countryside to bring up her two young children, while her husband works long hours in London. Alone, she explores the fields and the woods near her home and discovers a lake, a memorial bench for a boy who drowned in mysterious circumstances, and Finn, a beautiful troubled teenager who plays truant from school. As Sarah pieces the mystery together, an uncomfortable attraction between her and Finn builds. She knows that this blossoming relationship is wrong but the chemistry between them is difficult to resist. Their relationship reaches a climax over one hot summer, threatening to destroy everything that she holds dear. Woven into Sarah's story are the voices of two other women connected to her family - Maggie, the RAF nurse and Flavia, the Italian girl. As their stories unfold, a secret is revealed, binding Sarah and Finn in a way that they would never guess.

The Fukushima disaster invites us to look back and probe how nuclear technology has shaped the world we live in, and how we have come to live with it. Since the first nuclear detonation (Trinity test) and the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, all in 1945, nuclear technology has profoundly affected world history and geopolitics, as well as our daily life and natural world. It has always been an instrument for national security, a marker of national sovereignty, a site of technological innovation and a promise of energy abundance. It has also introduced permanent pollution and the age of the Anthropocene. This volume presents a new perspective on nuclear history and politics by focusing on four interconnected themes-violence and survival; control and containment; normalizing through denial and presumptions; memories and futures-and exploring their relationships and consequences. It proposes an original reflection on nuclear technology from a long-term, comparative and transnational perspective. It brings together contributions from researchers from different disciplines (anthropology, history, STS) and countries (US, France, Japan) on a variety of local, national and transnational subjects. Finally, this book offers an important and valuable insight into other global and Anthropocene challenges such as climate change.

This volume explores the diverse applications of advanced tools and technologies of the emerging field of big data and their evidential value in business. It examines the role of analytics tools and methods of using big data in strengthening businesses to meet today's information challenges and shows how businesses can adapt big data for effective businesses practices. This volume shows how big data and the use of data analytics is being effectively adopted more frequently, especially in companies that are looking for new methods to develop smarter capabilities and tackle challenges in dynamic processes. Many illustrative case studies are presented that highlight how companies in every sector are now focusing on harnessing data to create a new way of doing business.

Pomegranate Sky is an evocative story of love and lies set against the turmoil of post-revolutionary Tehran. An impressive debut novel, Pomegranate Sky won the inaugural Virginia Prize for Fiction (2009).

"Estee, I bought this ring the day after I saw you on stage at La Scala, all those years ago. You're the only woman I've ever loved." Estee wanted to see it so badly, but instead she reached for Felix's hand and gently closed it over the box. "No," she whispered. "I want you to propose only when you're truly free." When Lily is called to a lawyer's office in London, she has no idea that her life is about to change forever. There, she is told that her grandmother was born at Hope House, a home for unmarried mothers, and is given a box containing the only clues to her true heritage. Peeling back the delicate layers of paper she finds an Italian recipe and a theatre programme. Travelling to Italy and taking a job on a vineyard, Lily is determined to unravel the mystery of her past. The vineyard owners, in particular their charming son Antonio, offer to help. They tell Lily that the recipe belongs to the wealthy Rossi family, known for their famous bakeries which opened after the Second World War. Antonio offers to drive Lily to the Rossis' village and deep down, Lily is delighted to have him as her guide. When Lily arrives and shows the recipe to the surviving members of the family, it is clear that she has unearthed a tragic love story: of a young girl named Estee and a boy named Felix. Of a childhood friendship which developed into a passionate love affair. Of a family torn apart by wealth and of two young people who were prepared to sacrifice everything for love. But when Lily finds out the truth about her family and who she really is, will she too be able to follow her heart? An utterly enchanting and heartbreaking novel about lost loves, family secrets and enduring hope. Perfect for fans of Lucinda Riley, Santa Montefiore and Victoria Hislop.

An exciting new approach to flower painting with step-by-step demonstrations for creating contemporary flower portraits and landscapes that are truly unique.This is more than a 'how-to' on flower painting. It is a guide encouraging artists to explore new and exciting ways to create flower paintings bursting with individuality and moving towards a contemporary and impressionist style.Mixed-media artist Soraya French, well known for her gloriously vibrant flower paintings, shares the secrets of her work, with expert advice on all aspects of this endlessly rewarding subject. The book covers: *Colours, shapes, patterns and textures particular to various flowers through the seasons, from fresh green foliage in the spring to rich red and gold hues in the autumn. *How to incorporate flowers in both still life and landscape paintings, pictured in woodlands, seascapes, meadows and hedgerows as well as vases. *How to assemble the perfect palette for flower painting and how to mix vibrant secondary colours, subtle tints and natural greens. *The huge range of painting materials available today, from traditional watercolour to vividly coloured wax pastels to innovative textural mediums such as crackle paste and glass bead gel. *The secrets of good composition and how to lead the eye around a painting, giving a sense of rhythm and movement while maintaining unity and harmony.Packed with exciting new ideas and illustrated with stunning examples of Soraya's own work, this book will take your flower painting to a new level and help you find your unique visual voice.

The number of substances potentially dangerous to our health and environment is constantly increasing. The papers in this volume examine the concurrent rise of pollutants and the regulations designed to police their use.

The number of substances potentially dangerous to our health and environment is constantly increasing. Though governments have introduced measures to protect us from this rising threat, the growth in industry and new developments in science and technology mean that we are at greater risk of exposure to toxic materials than at any other time in history. The papers in this volume examine the concurrent rise of pollutants and the regulations designed to police their use.