The Marriage Pact

Author: Michelle Richmond
Publisher: Bantam
ISBN: 0804179867
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 433

Book Description
How far is too far when it comes to protecting your marriage? Find out in this relentlessly paced novel of psychological suspense for anyone who loved The Couple Next Door. “Ranks with The Stepford Wives and Gone Girl as a terrifying look at what it really means to say ‘I do.’”—Joseph Finder, New York Times bestselling author of The Switch Newlyweds Alice and Jake are a picture-perfect couple. Alice, once a singer in a well-known rock band, is now a successful lawyer. Jake is a partner in an up-and-coming psychology practice. Their life together holds endless possibilities. After receiving an enticing wedding gift from one of Alice’s prominent clients, they decide to join an exclusive and mysterious group known only as The Pact. The goal of The Pact seems simple: to keep marriages happy and intact. And most of its rules make sense. Always answer the phone when your spouse calls. Exchange thoughtful gifts monthly. Plan a trip together once per quarter. . . . Never mention The Pact to anyone. Alice and Jake are initially seduced by the glamorous parties, the sense of community, their widening social circle of like-minded couples. And then one of them breaks the rules. The young lovers are about to discover that for adherents to The Pact, membership, like marriage, is for life. And The Pact will go to any lengths to enforce that rule. For Jake and Alice, the marriage of their dreams is about to become their worst nightmare. Praise for The Marriage Pact “This fast-paced nail-biter goes in unpredictable directions. . . . It also raises thoughtful questions about individual agency and marital commitment. With strong writing, intriguing characters, and a compelling conceit, this psychological thriller seems destined for the top of summer reading lists. Recommended as a fresh voice for readers of Gillian Flynn or Ruth Ware.”—Library Journal (starred review) “Creepy and engrossing . . . [The Marriage Pact takes] readers deep into the heart of a marriage and exposes some of the darker drives, such as possession and control, that can lurk within even the most harmonious of unions.”—Booklist “Gripping, thought-provoking, and irresistible.”—Dean Koontz “Riveting psychological suspense! This book will keep you up all night, while making you second-guess everything you know and everyone you’ve ever loved.”—Lisa Gardner, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Right Behind You

The Wedding Pact

Author: Katee Robert
Publisher: Hachette UK
ISBN: 0349409684
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 197

Book Description
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Katee Robert continues her smoking-hot series about the O'Malleys - wealthy, powerful, and full of scandalous family secrets. Carrigan O'Malley has always known her arranged marriage would be more about power and prestige than passion. But after one taste of the hard-bodied, whiskey-voiced James Halloran, she's ruined for anyone else. Too bad James and his family are enemy number 1. Hallorans vs. O'Malleys - that's how it's always been. James should be thinking more about how to expand his family's empire instead of how silky Carrigan's skin is against his and how he can next get her into his bed. Those are dangerous thoughts. But not nearly as dangerous as he'll be if he can't get what he wants: Carrigan by his side for the rest of their lives.

The Marriage Pact

Author: Linda Lael Miller
Publisher: HarperCollins Australia
ISBN: 1867224690
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 181

Book Description
The women of Bliss County are ready to meet the men of their dreams! Ten years ago, Hadleigh Stevens was eighteen and this close to saying ‘I do,’ when Tripp Galloway interrupted her walk down the aisle. Now with that disaster firmly behind her, Hadleigh and her single friends form a marriage pact. But she doesn’t expect Tripp to meddle with her new plan to find Mr Right — or to discover that she’s more attracted to him than ever! Divorced and eager to reconnect with his cowboy roots, Tripp returns to Bliss County to save his ailing father’s ranch. He’s not looking for another wife — certainly not his best friend’s little sister. But he’s never been able to forget Hadleigh. And this time, if she ends up in his arms, he’s not letting her go!

The Substitute

Author: Denise Grover Swank
Publisher: CreateSpace
ISBN: 9781500714321
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 372

Book Description
Megan Vandemeer meant to tell her parents about her broken engagement, but a month and a half later she finds herself boarding a plane home to her wedding. Having stretched avoidance to its limits, it's time to come clean--a terrifying prospect since her mother is sure to blame her rather than her cheating, emotionally frigid ex. A couple of drinks and two Dramamine later, Megan finds herself spilling her sob story to the tall, dark, and handsome stranger in the seat next to her. With only one week left to save his business, Josh McMillan boards a plane to Kansas City in a last-ditch effort, leaving the details to chance. An unexpected answer is delivered in the form of the beautiful brunette beside him. Though she's completely loopy, her honesty, openness, and humor charm him. So when she passes out before landing, he helps her off the plane--a good deed that leads to a colossal misunderstanding. Her parents assume he's her fiancé. In a twist of fate, the mix-up might help Josh save his business, so he plays along, figuring he can help Megan too. All he has to do is stage a public break up convincing enough to appease her mother. Josh is only supposed to be a substitute groom, but the more time he and Megan spend together, the more their pretend engagement starts to feel real...and the less they want to break it off. Can a relationship that began as a farce turn into happily ever after?

The Year of Fog

Author: Michelle Richmond
Publisher: Delacorte Press
ISBN: 0440336554
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 383

Book Description
Life changes in an instant. On a foggy beach. In the seconds when Abby Mason—photographer, fiancée soon-to-be-stepmother—looks into her camera and commits her greatest error. Heartbreaking, uplifting, and beautifully told, here is the riveting tale of a family torn apart, of the search for the truth behind a child’s disappearance, and of one woman’s unwavering faith in the redemptive power of love—all made startlingly fresh through Michelle Richmond’s incandescent sensitivity and extraordinary insight. Six-year-old Emma vanished into the thick San Francisco fog. Or into the heaving Pacific. Or somewhere just beyond: to a parking lot, a stranger’s van, or a road with traffic flashing by. Devastated by guilt, haunted by her fears about becoming a stepmother, Abby refuses to believe that Emma is dead. And so she searches for clues about what happened that morning—and cannot stop the flood of memories reaching from her own childhood to illuminate that irreversible moment on the beach. Now, as the days drag into weeks, as the police lose interest and fliers fade on telephone poles, Emma’s father finds solace in religion and scientific probability—but Abby can only wander the beaches and city streets, attempting to recover the past and the little girl she lost. With her life at a crossroads, she will leave San Francisco for a country thousands of miles away. And there, by the side of another sea, on a journey that has led her to another man and into a strange subculture of wanderers and surfers, Abby will make the most astounding discovery of all—as the truth of Emma’s disappearance unravels with stunning force. A profoundly original novel of family, loss, and hope—of the choices we make and the choices made for us—The Year of Fog beguiles with the mysteries of time and memory even as it lays bare the deep and wondrous workings of the human heart. The result is a mesmerizing tour de force that will touch anyone who knows what it means to love a child. BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from Michelle Richmond's Golden State.

DANTE'S MARRIAGE PACT

Author: Day Leclaire
Publisher: Harlequin / SB Creative
ISBN: 4596286728
Category : Comics & Graphic Novels
Languages : en
Pages : 129

Book Description
I never thought I could fall for my rival after just one night. Shayla attended a party organized by the Dante clan…not to celebrate with them, but to find ways to exploit them. While there, she came across a marvelously beautiful man?Draco. In no time, he and Shayla were in bed together. Shayla fulfilled her wish of giving up her virginity to someone wonderful. However, she has yet to notice that she is falling in love…and Draco, her lover, is destined to lead her either to heaven or to hell.

Golden State

Author: Michelle Richmond
Publisher: Bantam
ISBN: 0345532406
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 306

Book Description
The state of California votes on secession in the wake of a divisive presidential election in this gripping, prescient novel of marriage, family, and the profound moments that shape our lives. Doctor Julie Walker has just signed her divorce papers when she receives news that her younger sister, Heather, has gone into labor. Though theirs is a strained relationship, Julie sets out for the hospital to be at her sister’s side—no easy task since the streets of San Francisco are filled with tension and strife. Today is also the day that Julie will find herself at the epicenter of a violent standoff in which she is forced to examine both the promising and the painful parts of her past—her Southern childhood; her romance with her husband, Tom; her estrangement from Heather; and the shattering incident that led to her greatest heartbreak. Infused with emotional depth and poignancy, Golden State takes readers on a journey over the course of a single, unforgettable day—through an extraordinary landscape of love, loss, and hope. Praise for Golden State “A stirring look at the ties that bind husband-wife, mother-child and even sisters, and what happens when they’re torn asunder. Set in a San Francisco chafing with unrest both political and personal, the world Richmond creates is exquisitely charged with regret and hope.”—Family Circle “[A] riveting read that can be recommended to fans of Jodi Picoult and Jacquelyn Mitchard . . . Mesmerizing and intricate, Richmond’s dissection of a California on the violent brink of secession from the nation provides the backdrop to her deeper inspection of the uneasy, fragile relationship between siblings.”—Booklist (starred review) “[An] amazing, turbulent novel woven of disparate threads . . . Nearly every feature of this mesmerizing novel is provocative, as Richmond explores the fragmented, hopeful lives of complex characters. This is gripping, multilayered must-read fiction.”—Library Journal (starred review) “An exciting premise . . . skillfully written . . . Julie’s past and her relationship with the other characters are scrutinized as the clock ticks. It’s an interesting and sometimes-disturbing study.”—Kirkus Reviews “Richmond takes readers through a bittersweet, heartwarming tale of a woman on the cusp of life-changing events in both her personal and professional lives. . . . Once invested, the reader is carried away by this action-packed, poignant story, making this a tale that will live in the heart of the reader once the last page is read.”—RT Book Reviews “This is a thoughtful book about how past circumstances change us into the people we are today, for the good or bad. Julie is a sympathetic and relatable character, and readers will definitely feel for her as she goes through her life-changing day.”—The Parkersburg News and Sentinel “Richmond . . . delivers a page-turner.”—San Jose Mercury News “A breathtaking read and one I’ll not soon forget.”—Melanie Benjamin, author of The Aviator’s Wife Look for special features inside. Join the Random House Reader’s Circle for author chats and more.

Marriage on Madison Avenue

Author: Lauren Layne
Publisher: Gallery Books
ISBN: 1501191632
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 288

Book Description
A USA TODAY bestseller! One of O, The Oprah Magazine’s “22 Romance Novels That Are Set to Be the Best of 2020” and one of Goodreads’s “28 of the Hottest Romances of 2020” From New York Times bestselling author Lauren Layne, the “queen of witty dialogue” (Rachel Van Dyken, New York Times bestselling author), comes the final installment of the Central Park Pact series, a heartfelt and laugh-out-loud romantic comedy that’s perfect for fans of Sally Thorne and Christina Lauren. Can guys and girls ever be just friends? According to Audrey Tate and Clarke West, absolutely. After all, they’ve been best friends since childhood without a single romantic entanglement. Clarke is the charming playboy Audrey can always count on, and he knows that the ever-loyal Audrey will never not play along with his strategy for dodging his matchmaking mother—announcing he’s already engaged…to Audrey. But what starts out as a playful game between two best friends turns into something infinitely more complicated, as just-for-show kisses begin to stir up forbidden feelings. As the faux wedding date looms closer, Audrey and Clarke realize that they can never go back to the way things were, but deep down, do they really want to?

Deranged Marriage

Author: Faith Bleasdale
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780340818626
Category : Humorous stories
Languages : en
Pages : 439

Book Description
Would you ever consider a marriage pact? Holly did. In a heartbroken and drunken haze, it all seemed to make perfect sense. George was her best friend, would always be her best friend and, if they both found themselves single at the age of thirty, well, why not? But when, a decade later, a man Holly hasn't seen for years says she's signed a contract and has to marry him, she realises exactly why not. Forget the fact that her career is going places, forget that she's head-over-heels in love with a gorgeous boyfriend, George wants the pact fulfilled and will stop at nothing to get his way. Can I do become I don't? Or will it all end horribly ever after? Watch the confetti fly in this fabulous new novel from the bitingly funny Faith Bleasdale.

The Wedding Pact

Author: Isla Gordon
Publisher: Hachette UK
ISBN: 0751574511
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 464

Book Description
Would you marry a stranger to live the life of your dreams? 'A fun and refreshing read! I couldn't put it down!' HEIDI SWAIN 'The best book I've read in 2021. I LOVED it, it made me smile so much. Fresh, funny and utterly wonderful' HOLLY MARTIN 'Original, funny and so, so romantic, The Wedding Pact is a breath of fresh air that you should add to your summer reading list immediately' CRESSIDA MCLAUGHLIN August Anderson needs somewhere to live. Dumped by her boyfriend who would rather be alone than move in with her, she has almost given up on happiness. Until she notices that the beautiful Georgian townhouse she's long admired (ahem, *obsessed over*) is looking for a new tenant, and suddenly it seems like things might be looking up . . . There's just one catch - the traditional, buttoned-up landlord is only willing to rent to a stable, married couple and August, quite frankly, is neither. Competition for the house is fierce and August knows she'll have to come up with a plan or risk losing her last shot at her happy ending. Enter Flynn, the handsome, charming and somewhat unsuspecting gentleman who August accidentally spills her coffee over. Flynn is new to the area and is looking for somewhere to live, and August thinks she knows just the place, but only if he's willing to tell a little white lie . . . The perfect feel-good summer read from reader favourite Lisa Dickenson, writing as Isla Gordon. Perfect for fans of Heidi Swain, Sarah Morgan and Anna Bell Praise for ISLA GORDON: 'Heart-warming and full of hope. I loved it' HEIDI SWAIN 'The most beautiful, heart-warming story. Gorgeously cosy, uplifting . . . utterly lovely book' HOLLY MARTIN 'Sunday afternoon bliss!' FABULOUS magazine