How would you like it if people thought you were awkward? Awkward Annie--that's what Mom and Dad call me. I don't think I'm awkward. Not really. They soon had to change their minds though on the day that Awful Aunt Aggie took us to the park, didn't they? Brave Bella they call me now. Well, someone had to save the day.

It's the most wonderful time of year. Isn't it? Discover the true spirit of Christmas with this seasonal treat for fans of Love, Actually and The Holiday. Discover the true spirit of Christmas... Catherine Tinsall is dreading Christmas. As the 'Happy Homemaker' she is an online sensation, but the reality couldn't be more different. With Catherine's marriage in tatters, her children running wild and her mother increasingly forgetful, seasonal cheer is running low. Husband Noel also hides a secret: he's facing the axe at work. Until he chances upon the village of Hope Christmas, deep in the Shropshire countryside, which could be the second chance he's searching for. If he can save it from the developers... In Hope Christmas itself, schoolteacher Marianne Moore is trying to heal her battered heart. But Christmas is a time for families, and memories of what she's lost haunt her at every turn. Meanwhile, Gabriel North faces a lonely Christmas but hides his sadness for the sake of his son. Will his wife ever come home? Or does love lie elsewhere? All four need a Christmas miracle. And it might just happen - courtesy of a mysterious guardian angel ... Forced to reassess their lives, will Catherine, Noel, Marianne and Gabriel discover what the meaning of Christmas really is? An irresistible gift of a tale that will warm the hearts of Christmas-lovers and Scrooges alike...

Guilty feet have got plenty of rhythm ... Kick off your shoes and snuggle up with this warm and witty new novel from the author of the bestselling Pastures New Lawyer Emily promised her late father that she'd devote her life to good causes. So how comes she spends her days defending Z-listers, desperate to prolong their 15 minutes of fame? Katie is obsessed with being the perfect wife and mother - unlike her own one. In which case, why is husband Charlie permanently AWOL these days? Dentist Mark is licking his wounds after his wife walked out on him and desperately missing his kids. Can he cope with becoming a singleton again - on top of a devastating legal case against him? Meanwhile, happy-go-lucky Jack the Lad Rob is hiding a secret tragedy... Isabella's dance classe give the four the perfect opportunity to forget their troubles and re-invent themselves. They can be whoever they want to be - they'll just let their feet do the talking. Over the weeks, as they foxtrot, tango, waltz and cha-cha-cha their way into each other's lives, they discover the truth about each other - and themselves. But will they like what they learn?

'An enjoyable, heartfelt read.'CloserMagazine Amy Nicholson never expected to leave London for the Suffolk countryside... ... But she also never expected to be a 33-year-old widow, left alone with a young son. Fleeing her memories, she swaps her heels for wellies and embarks on a new rural life. The big-hearted community of Nevermorewell welcome them with open arms. There's old Harry, offering pearls of advice (fuelled by whisky from his hip flask), Saffron, juggling motherhood with business (whilst searching for her lost libido), and Caroline, the scheming local vamp, who tramples over lives as easily as the allotments backing onto Amy's cottage. But just when Amy thinks she's finally leaving the past behind, Ben Martin crashes into her life. Sexy and enigmatic, Ben is haunted by his own secrets. Will love blossom on the allotments? Or will it be once bitten, twice shy? Take yourself to Pastures New this festive season and curl up with a creamy hot chocolate and this deliciously heartwarming novel. A gorgeous, feel-good love story to warm your heart, perfect for fans of Holly Martin's The Gift of Happiness, Sarah Morgan's A Wedding In Decemberand Heidi Swain's The Christmas Wish List.

Winner of the 2021 ARCC Book Award Complex Housing introduces an architectural type called complex housing, common to the Netherlands and found in other Northern European countries. Eight fully illustrated case studies show successful approaches to designing for density, which reflect values such as long-term planning, a right to housing, and access to light and air. The case studies demonstrate a wide range of applications including a mixture of urban and suburban sites, various numbers of dwelling units, low- to high-density approaches, different architectural styles, and organizational strategies that can be adopted in projects elsewhere. More than 350 color images.

"Academic Connections" is a four-level integrated skills course designed for students preparing for academic study as well as for standardized tests such as the TOEFL(R)test. A systematic, step-by-step approach helps students develop and sharpen their language, academic, and test-taking abilities. "Academic Connections" was developed with the Educational Testing Service (ETS) and is based on extensive research into the actual language demands of higher education. "Academic Connections"is:

• Integrated."Academic Connections" integrates all four language skills and teaches students how to integrate skills and content in real-world academic contexts.
• Academic. Explicit, step-by-step academic skill development leads to student mastery. With careful instruction and engaging practice tasks, students learn how to organize information, make connections, and think critically.
• Authentic.High-interest and intellectually stimulating authentic material familiarizes students with academic content. Authentic tasks include listening to lectures, note-taking, participating in debates, preparing oral and written reports, and writing essays.
• Assessment-Based."Academic Connections" provides a variety of assessments and practice opportunities based upon individual needs.

The Audio CD is available separately. Online Component -- MyAcademicConnectionsLab MyAcademicConnectionsLab, an integral part of the "Academic Connections" series, is an easy-to-use online program for students and teachers that saves time and improves results.

• Students receive personalized instruction and practice. Reading and listening selections and test preparation are all in one place -- available anywhere, anytime.
• Teachers can take advantage of content and class management resources including online assessments, a flexible gradebook, and tools for monitoring student progress.

A HILARIOUS and JUST-A-LITTLE HEARTBREAKING FESTIVE TREAT for anyone who's looking for a little bit of MAGIC this CHRISTMAS TIME! Last Christmas, when Livvy was knocked down in the supermarket car park she certainly wasn't ready to actually be dead! For months now she's floated on the edge of the afterlife, generally making a nuisance of herself. And she's not ready to go just yet! She's furious about the new woman in her husband's life and she's worried about her beloved son who doesn't seem to be adjusting to life without her at all. This Christmas, Livvy is given one last magical chance to make everything right. Will she take it and give her family the perfect Christmas? Perfect for fans of CAROLE MATTHEWS, TRISHA ASHLEY and JENNY COLGAN.

An absorbing novel about family, love and friendship from the bestselling author of Last Christmas. With four children, a Christmas cookbook to write, and her mum suffering from dementia, Cat Tinsall has plenty to juggle. When her eldest daughter, Mel, starts going off the rails, Cat has even more on her plate. Pippa Holliday adores her family, although often finds her hands full. When Dan is involved in a terrible accident, Pippa's world is suddenly turned upside down. Balancing her job as a school teacher with twins and her step-son Steven isn't easy for Marianne North. With her husband's ex causing trouble, life is getting even trickier. As Cat, Pippa and Marianne help each other through a difficult year, they're all hoping for a much brighter Christmas.

Passions flare, secrets unravel and love blossoms in the heart of the summer season. As summertime flourishes, it's time for new beginnings... Heartsease House is in desperate need of renovation. Its owner, widower Joel, is struggling to come to terms with life as a single dad. His plans to refurbish the house and garden suddenly seem like one burden too many. Mum to twin girls, Lauren's life is a constant juggling act. When her ex Troy turns up she's determined to keep her distance while he gets to know his daughters. But it's a lot harder than she imagined ... Then erstwhile guerrilla gardener Kezzie bursts into their lives with her infectious enthusiasm to restore the gardens of Heartsease. But who is Kezzie? And what is she running away from? As the warm days of summer draw closer, Heartsease House and its beautiful love-knot garden are transformed. But will Joel, Kezzie and Lauren be able to restore their own hearts? Kick off your sandals, enjoy a glass of rose and escape into a gorgeous novel this summer with Julia Williams.

One for all and all for one... As children, Sarah, Dorrie, Beth and Caz were inseparable and vowed to one day be each others bridesmaids. But life got complicated. Now they have one last chance to fulfil their promise. Dorrie is planning her ultimate Disney wedding to the delicious Darren and is determined to have her friends back together for the Big Day. But Dorrie's fairytale is not all that it seems... Beth is desperate for a baby and is starting to resent her more fertile friends. Is a mistake from her past about to destroy her future? Caz's wild streak has tested her friendships over the years. One by one she has let her friends down, not least when she commits the ultimate betrayal to Susan. Can she change her ways and more to the point, does she really want to? Married to Steve, Sarah is plagued by doubts that she went down the wrong path. Does Sarah have the strength to make a change and will she ever be able to forgive Caz? As Dorrie's big day dawns, all eyes are on whether the ultimate act of friendship will be honoured and obeyed...

Winner of the 2021 ARCC Book Award Complex Housing introduces an architectural type called complex housing, common to the Netherlands and found in other Northern European countries. Eight fully illustrated case studies show successful approaches to designing for density, which reflect values such as long-term planning, a right to housing, and access to light and air. The case studies demonstrate a wide range of applications including a mixture of urban and suburban sites, various numbers of dwelling units, low- to high-density approaches, different architectural styles, and organizational strategies that can be adopted in projects elsewhere. More than 350 color images.

'A gorgeous, heart-warming read which is perfect for Christmas,' PORTOBELLO BOOK BLOG Christmas with the family. Cosy, relaxing...and a total nightmare? Driving home for Christmas, Beth has everything she wants. The kids and the house, the career and the husband. So why is it that when the New Year comes, she can't stop thinking about her old college boyfriend? Her husband Daniel is tasked with bringing a struggling school up to scratch, but when family life catches up to him, can he be a good father and a good teacher at the same time? Beth's sister Lou has just been dumped...again. Single and childless, she can't help but be jealous of her sibling's success. But is the grass really always greener? It's a Wonderful Life is a heart-warming novel about the lives that could have been, and what happens when you start to question the choices you made...

Warm, humorous and completely irresistible. The perfect gift for all those unsung heroes of Christmas our multi-tasting mums.

Cat Tinsall is ably juggling her busy family life a quintessential sandwich generation woman, she s responsible for the care of her kids, her mother-in-law, and her baby granddaughter. Her TV career as The Happy Homemaker is looking rocky and she ll do anything to resist the whispers that, as a woman over 40, she s in danger of fading to grey . She s got an awful lot on her plate

Cat s good friend Pippa Holliday is finding life as a single mum a challenge, especially now the farm her family have called home for generations is in dire financial straits.

And schoolteacher Marianne North, with her young twins and teenage stepson, is dismayed to find her increasingly absent husband calling on her to take his damaged and delicate ex-wife into their home with no moving out date in sight.

As the close-knit village community of Hope Christmas pulls together to battle ruthless plans from local developers, it looks like each of these three women needs a miracle.

As Christmas approaches, bringing with it more than one surprising turn of events, it appears they might just find one

Just right for lovers of The Archers and the novels of Jill Mansell and Erica James."

In the vast literature on architectural theory and practice, the ways in which architectural knowledge is actually taught, debated, and understood are too often ignored. The essays collected in this groundbreaking volume address the current state of architecture as an academic and professional discipline. The issues considered range from the form and content of architectural education to the architect’s social and environmental obligations and the emergence of a new generation of architects. Often critical of the current paradigm, these essays offer a provocative challenge to accepted assumptions about the production, dissemination, and reception of architectural knowledge.  Contributors: Sherry Ahrentzen, U of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; Stanford Anderson, MIT; Carol Burns, Harvard U; Russell Ellis, UC Berkeley; Thomas Fisher, U of Minnesota; Linda Groat, U of Michigan; Kay Bea Jones, Ohio State U; David Leatherbarrow, U of Pennsylvania; A. G. Krishna Menon, TVB School of Habitat Studies, India; Garth Rockcastle, U of Minnesota; Michael Stanton, American U, Beirut; Sharon E. Sutton, U of Washington; David J. T. Vanderburgh, Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium; and Donald Watson, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

The course of true love never did run smooth! Josie is taking planning her wedding a little too seriously. Harry, her fiance, is starting to feel left-out and overwhelmed... Josie decides a trip to her beautiful family home in Cornwall will be just the thing to get him in the mood, and Harry reluctantly agrees. It's going to be the first perfect opportunity for chief bridesmaid Diane and best man Ant to meet, too. But they've hardly been in the car five minutes before they've declared all out war on one another. As friendships are tested to the limit, Ant tries to lighten the mood. He suggests the four agree to a dare put forward by Freddie Puck, a famous TV hypnotist. On Midsummer's Eve they must go to the spooky standing stones on the cliff and agree to be hypnotised. Local mythology says that true love and lasting happiness belong to those who plight their troth at midnight on Midsummer's Eve at the standing stones. But as night falls and Freddie Puck begins to play his mind games Josie, Harry, Diane and Ant discover much more about themselves, those they care about and their destinies than anyone could have imagined ... Inspired by Shakespeare's A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM and packed with surprises and hugely enjoyable twists and turns this is a hilarious, fast-paced and absolutely magical read. If you like Katie Fforde and Veronica Henry, you'll love this!

This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone

The role of the gastrointestinal (GI) nurse has changed considerably over recent years. The development of endoscopic equipment has resulted in a demand for skilled nurses to perform procedures which, in the past, were carried out by doctors. In addition, nurses now commonly perform diagnostic tests and prescribe specific drugs in gastroenterology, and the widespread recognition of the need for psychosocial support for gastrointestinal patients, in areas such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), has seen a large increase in the number of GI nurse consultants, nurse specialists, and nurse practitioners. GI nurses work with a wide range of patients from those suffering from minor and acute gastrointestinal disorders, through chronic conditions, to those requiring major surgery and treatment for malignant disease.
The Oxford Handbook of Gastrointestinal Nursing summarizes the current state of knowledge in gastrointestinal nursing and provides user-friendly, evidence-based guidelines on the management of patietns with gastrointestinal disorders. Organized into three sections covering the principles of gastrointestinal nursing, the sections of the gut, and specific disorders of the digestive system, this handbook offers a wealth of information on how to plan, implement, manage, and evaluate nursing care for gastrointestinal patients, whether in the pediatric or adult setting. Topics featured include nutrition, pain management, complementary therapies, prescribing in GI nursing and emergencies.
So you can find the information you need without delay, the book is clearly laid out with one topic per double page spread, and written in an easily readable note-based style. Blank pages forwriting notes, observations and local protocols allow your handbook to be customised to meet your specific needs. All this is available at your fingertips, in a pocket-sized handbook with hard-wearing plastic covers.
Written by practicing nurses and subject experts, the Oxford Handbook of Gastrointestinal Nursing is a unique and invaluable companion for practicing nurses, and for all health care professionals who are involved in the care of patients with gastrointestinal disorders.

Home is where the heart is, or, in the case of The Sink House, home is what the heart is. Sequestered on a sleepy street in a dry Calgary suburb, our heroine, the House, finds herself embroiled in a stalled love affair with an elusive and alluring Oxfordshire riverbank. In a series of self-contained poems both prosy and lyrical, we follow this curious and engaging affair, which mysteriously coincides with a slow and gradual flood. Everything succumbs to the persistent rise of water: the street becomes a creek bed, wallpaper comes away in the night, sandbags melt, kitchen utensils become silt. Here, the furniture floats, flowers become fish that feed in the garden on vegetables that explode with damp. Through it all, our lovers persist, salvaging soap boats and flushing toilets for amusement. Intelligent, enigmatic, sometimes humorous, and always enticing, The Sink House is a long, eccentric love poem that will immerse you in the flood of its own desire. 'If only the imagination were real. Story seems to think so. And so does Julia Williams. Here, image (hear the image) beautifully choreographs the story into a readable imagination that is a measure of syllabic and rhythmic particulars, a language, thankfully, balanced, open and with surprise. In other words, a poetry that makes seeming so.' -- Fred Wah