The Cookbook Club

The Cookbook Club

Beth Harbison

Contemporary / Chick Lit / Cookbooks

New York Times bestselling author Beth Harbison whips together a witty and charming—and delicious—story about the secrets we keep, the friends we make, and the food we cook. MUST LOVE BUTTER: The Cookbook Club is now open to members. Foodies come join us! No diets! No skipping dessert! Margo Everson sees the call out for the cookbook club and knows she's found her people. Recently dumped by her self-absorbed husband, who frankly isn't much of a loss, she has little to show for her marriage but his 'parting gift'—a dilapidated old farm house—and a collection of well-loved cookbooks Aja Alexander just hopes her new-found friends won't notice that that every time she looks at food, she gets queasy. It's hard hiding a pregnancy, especially one she can't bring herself to share with her wealthy boyfriend and his snooty mother. Trista Walker left the cutthroat world of the law behind and decided her...
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Chose the Wrong Guy, Gave Him the Wrong Finger

Chose the Wrong Guy, Gave Him the Wrong Finger

Beth Harbison

Contemporary / Chick Lit / Cookbooks

From Beth Harbison, the New York Times bestselling author of When in Doubt, Add Butter and Shoe Addicts Anonymous, comes Chose the Wrong Guy, Gave Him the Wrong Finger, a delightful new novel that will make you look at second chances in a whole new way.Ten years ago, Quinn Barton was on her way to the altar to marry Burke Morrison, her high school sweetheart, when something derailed her. Rather, someone derailed her—the Best Man who at the last minute begged her to reconsider the marriage. He told her that Burke had been cheating on her. For a long time. Quinn, stunned, hurt, and confused, struggled with the obligation of fulfilling her guests’ expectations—providing a wedding—and running for her life.She chose running. With the Best Man. Who happened to be Burke’s brother, Frank.That relationship didn’t work either. How could it, when Quinn had been engaged to, in love with, Frank’s brother? Quinn opted for neither, and, instead, spends the next seventeen years working in her family’s Middleburg, Virginia, bridal shop, Talk of the Gown, where she subconsciously does penance for the disservice she did to marriage.But when the two men return to town for another wedding, old anger, hurt, and passion resurface. Just because you’ve traded the good guy for the bad guy for no guy doesn’t mean you have to stay away from love for the rest of your life, does it? Told with Beth Harbison's flair for humor and heart, Chose the Wrong Guy will keep you guessing and make you believe in the possibilities of love.  Review“Harbison dazzles in her latest, a perfect blend of chick lit and women’s fiction . . . Absolutely first-rate.” —Publishers Weekly (starred) on When in Doubt, Add Butter"Delicious, just like dessert."—People Magazine on When in Doubt, Add Butter"Touching, truthful, and profoundly satisfying, Harbison delivers her finest work yet." —Jen Lancaster, New York Times bestselling author of Jeneration X on Always Something There to Remind Me“Harbison continues to wow readers with her charm and genuine characters.”—Booklist on Hope in a Jar"Harbison serves up a deliciously light blend of 1980s nostalgia and women's fiction...Harbison raises the emotional stakes and gives this story a little more bite without losing her fun, breezy style." –Publishers Weekly on Always Something There To Remind Me "Harbison's writing is zingy and funny..." –Publishers Weekly on Secrets of a Shoe AddictAbout the AuthorBETH HARBISON is The New York Times bestselling author of When in Doubt, Add Butter; Always Something There To Remind Me; Thin, Rich, Pretty; Hope In A Jar; Secrets of a Shoe Addict and Shoe Addicts Anonymous. She grew up in Potomac, Maryland, outside Washington, D.C., and now shares her time between that suburb, New York City and a quiet home on the eastern shore.
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Every Time You Go Away

Every Time You Go Away

Beth Harbison

Contemporary / Chick Lit / Cookbooks

Willa has never fully recovered from the sudden and unexpected death of her husband, Ben. She became an absent mother to her young son, Jamie, whom she was unable to comfort in her grief, and Willa's only support has come from her best friend, Kristin. Now, years after Ben's death, Willa finally decides to return to the beach house in Ocean City, Maryland where he passed. It's time to move on and put the house on the market. When Willa arrives, the house is worse than she imagined, and the memories of her time with Ben won't go away. They met at this house and she sees him around every corner. Literally. Ben's ghost keeps reappearing, trying to start conversations with Willa. And she can't help talking back. To protect her sanity, Willa enlists Jamie, Kristin, and Kristin's daughter Kelsey to stay with her for one last summer. The four of them spent many happy summers together in the house and those buried feelings come to the surface as they explore their...
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Driving With the Top Down

Driving With the Top Down

Beth Harbison

Contemporary / Chick Lit / Cookbooks

Three women, two weeks, one convertible: sometimes life doesn't take you in the direction you expect...Colleen Bradley is married with a teenage son, a modest business repurposing and reselling antiques, and longtime fear that she was not her husband’s first choice.  When she decides to take a road trip down the east coast to check out antique auctions for her business, she also has a secret ulterior motive.  Her one-woman mission for peace of mind is thrown slightly off course when sixteen year old Tamara becomes her co-pilot.  The daughter of Colleen’s brother-in-law, Tamara is aware that when people see her as a screw-up, but she knows in her heart that she’s so much more.  She just wishes her father could see it, too. The already bumpy trip takes another unexpected turn when they stop at the diner that served as Colleen’s college hangout and run into her old friend, Bitty Nolan Camalier.  Clearly distressed, Bitty gives them a story full of holes: angry with her husband, she took off on her own, only to have her car stolen.  Both Colleen and Tamara sense that there’s more that Bitty isn’t sharing, but Colleen offers to give Bitty a ride to Florida.So one becomes two becomes three as Colleen, Tamara, and Bitty make their way together down the coast.  It’s a road trip fraught with tension as Tamara’s poor choices come back to haunt her and Bitty’s secrets reach a boiling point.  With no one to turn to but each other, these three women might just discover that you can get lost in life but somehow, true friends provide a roadmap to finding what you’re really looking for.  ReviewPraise for Beth Harbison"Smart, funny, and unapologetically romantic." —Publisher's Weekly (starred) on *Chose the Wrong Guy, Gave Him the Wrong Finger "An easy, breezy read, funny and charming, and perfect for a lazy day in the hammock or at the beach." —New York Journal of Books on Chose the Wrong Guy, Gave Him the Wrong Finger "A lighthearted romantic romp." —USA Today on Chose the Wrong Guy, Gave Him the Wrong Finger"Harbison dazzles in her latest, a perfect blend of chick lit and women’s fiction . . . Absolutely first-rate." —Publishers Weekly (starred) on When in Doubt, Add Butter "Delicious, just like dessert." —People magazine on When in Doubt, Add Butter"Touching, truthful, and profoundly satisfying." —Jen Lancaster, New York Times bestselling author of Jeneration X on Always Something There to Remind Me "Harbison continues to wow readers with her charm and genuine characters." —Booklist on Hope in a Jar*About the AuthorBETH HARBISON is The New York Times bestselling author of Chose the Wrong Guy, Gave Him the Wrong Finger; When In Doubt, Add Butter; Always Something There To Remind Me; Thin, Rich, Pretty; Hope In A Jar; Secrets of a Shoe Addict; and Shoe Addicts Anonymous. She grew up in Potomac, Maryland, outside Washington, D.C., and now shares her time between that suburb, New York City, and a quiet home on the eastern shore.
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The Secret Princess

The Secret Princess

Beth Harbison

Contemporary / Chick Lit / Cookbooks

FROM PLAIN JANE TO PRINCESS?Amy Scott had been more at home sitting in her small-town bookshop than she'd ever be on the imperial throne of Lufthania. But according to heart-stoppingly-handsome Crown Prince Wilhelm, that is exactly where the striking redhead belonged, on his throne.Then just as Amy, uh, Princess Amelia, was getting the hang of the princess thing--and oh-so-much closer to her regal tutor-- Prince Will wanted to bow out of her life. It seemed he had a personal rule about falling in love, especially with his new sovereign.To win his heart, Amy would have to make some royal allowances. But could she keep her charming prince and also make this fairy tale come true?
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A Shoe Addict's Christmas

A Shoe Addict's Christmas

Beth Harbison

Contemporary / Chick Lit / Cookbooks

From the author of the beloved bestseller Shoe Addicts Anonymous comes a heartwarming twist on a classic tale filled with holiday cheer.Noelle is not a fan of the holidays and to make matters worse, she is at a crossroads in her life when it seems that love and adventure are no longer possible. When she stays late at her job in a department store on a snowy Christmas Eve she accidentally gets locked in after closing. She isn't too concerned about the prospect of spending the night in the store...until a woman appears out of nowhere and tells Noelle that she's her guardian angel. Soon Noelle finds herself camped out in the shoe department facing several "ghosts" of Christmases past, present, and future...Will visiting the holidays of yesterday and tomorrow help Noelle see the true spirit of Christmas? And will the love she has longed for all her life be the best surprise gift of all?
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If I Could Turn Back Time

If I Could Turn Back Time

Beth Harbison

Contemporary / Chick Lit / Cookbooks

Told with Beth Harbison's wit and warmth, If I Could Turn Back Time is the fantasy of every woman who has ever thought, "If I could go back in time, knowing what I know now, I'd do things so differently..."Thirty-seven year old Ramie Phillips has led a very successful life. She made her fortune and now she hob nobs with the very rich and occasionally the semi-famous, and she enjoys luxuries she only dreamed of as a middle-class kid growing up in Potomac, Maryland. But despite it all, she can't ignore the fact that she isn't necessarily happy. In fact, lately Ramie has begun to feel more than a little empty. On a boat with friends off the Florida coast, she tries to fight her feelings of discontent with steel will and hard liquor. No one even notices as she gets up and goes to the diving board and dives off...Suddenly Ramie is waking up, straining to understand a voice calling in the distance...It's her mother: "Wake up! You're going to be late...
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One Less Problem Without You

One Less Problem Without You

Beth Harbison

Contemporary / Chick Lit / Cookbooks

Meet Prinny, Chelsea and Diana. Prinny is the owner of Cosmos, a shop that sells crystals, potions, candles, and hope. It's also a place where no one turns down a little extra-special cocktail that can work as a romance potion or heal a broken heart. But Prinny is in love with her married lawyer and she'll need nothing short of magic to forget about him. Chelsea works as a living statue at tourist sites around Washington, DC. It's a thankless job, but it helps pay the rent. That, and her part-time job at Cosmos. As her dream of becoming a successful actress starts to seem more remote and the possibility of being a permanently struggling one seems more realistic, Chelsea begins to wonder: at one point do you give up on your dreams? And will love ever be in the cards for her?Diana Tiesman is married to Leif, a charismatic man who isn't faithful. But no matter how many times he lets her down, Diana just can't let him go. She knows the only way she can truly breakaway...
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Shoe Addicts Anonymous

Shoe Addicts Anonymous

Beth Harbison

Contemporary / Chick Lit / Cookbooks

Four different women. One common shoe size. And a shared lust for fabulous footwear.Helene Zaharis’s politician husband keeps her on a tight leash and cancels her credit cards as a way of controlling her. Lorna Rafferty is up to her eyeballs in debt and can’t stop her addiction to eBay. Sandra Vanderslice, battling agoraphobia, pays her shoe bills by working as a phone-sex operator. And Jocelyn Bowen is a nanny for the family from hell (who barely knows a sole from a heel but who will do anything to get out of the house.)On Tuesday nights, these women meet to trade shoes and, in the process, form friendships that will help them each triumph over their problems---from secret pasts to blackmail, bankruptcy, and dating. Funny, emotional, and powerful, Shoe Addicts Anonymous is a perfect read for any woman who has ever struggled to find the perfect fit.From Publishers WeeklyLight and breezy as a pair of summer sandals, this chick lit about four very different women drawn into friendship by their shared love of fine footwear makes for perfect beach listening. Orlagh Cassidy doesn't create actual character voices per se, but she does differentiate her voice to make it clear who is speaking: a cool, confident, well-spoken tone for political wife Helene; a timid, self-deprecating voice for shy Jocelyn; a snappish, demanding tone for Jocelyn's snobbish and unreasonable employer. Cassidy's warm and expressive narration brings out the likability of the characters and will have listeners hooked on their humorous ups and downs. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From BooklistIn this entertaining novel set in Washington, D.C., three very different women are brought together by a shared passion: shoes. They meet once a week to trade Manolos and Maglis, but soon they rely on each other for much more. Lorna, a debt-ridden waitress, founded the group to curb her destructive shopping sprees. Helene, a senator's trophy wife, attends to escape her loveless marriage and the banality of high-society life. Sandra, an overweight phone-sex operator, hopes the group can help cure her agoraphobia. They're joined by Joss, a young nanny, who doesn't care about shoes but needs a place to avoid her demanding boss. The four women become fast friends, trusted advisors, and eventually business partners. Readers will root for these four plucky women. Like the designer shoes that pepper its pages, this book is pleasing and stylish. This frothy confection is sure to fly off the shelves this summer. Aleksandra KostovskiCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
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When in Doubt, Add Butter

When in Doubt, Add Butter

Beth Harbison

Contemporary / Chick Lit / Cookbooks

A delicious new novel about the search for true love and all the ingredients that go into it. © 2012 by Beth Harbison As far as Gemma is concerned, her days of dating are over. In fact, it’s her job to cater other peoples’ dates, and that’s just fine by her. At thirty-seven, she has her own business, working as a private chef, and her life feels full and secure. She’s got six steady clients that keep her hands full. There’s Lex, the fussy but fabulous department store owner who loves Oysters Rockefeller and 1950s comfort food; Willa, who needs to lose weight under doctor’s orders but still believes butter makes everything better; a colorful family who may or may not be part of the Russian mob; an überwealthy Georgetown family; the picture-perfect Van Houghtens, whose matriarch is “allergic to everything”; and finally, a man she calls “Mr. Tuesday,” whom she has never met but who she is strangely drawn to. For Gemma, cooking is predictable. Recipes are certain. Use good ingredients, follow the directions, and you are assured success. Life, on the other hand, is full of variables. So when Gemma’s takes an unexpected turn on a road she always thought was straight and narrow, she must face her past and move on in ways she never would have imagined. Because sometimes in life, all you need is a little hope, a lot of courage, and---oh yes---butter.
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Hope in a Jar

Hope in a Jar

Beth Harbison

Contemporary / Chick Lit / Cookbooks

Twenty years ago, Allie Denty was the pretty one and her best friend Olivia Pelham was the smart one. Throughout high school, they were inseparable…until a vicious rumor about Olivia— a rumor too close to the truth—ended their friendship. Now, on the eve of their twentieth high school reunion, Allie, a temp worker, finds herself suddenly single, a little chubby, and feeling old. Olivia, a cool and successful magazine beauty editor in New York, realizes she’s lonely, and is finally ready to face her demons. Sometimes hope lives in the future; sometimes it comes from the past; and sometimes, when every stupid thing goes wrong, it comes from a prettily packaged jar filled with scented cream and promises. Beth Harbison has done it again. A hilarious and touching novel about friendship, Love’s Baby Soft perfume, Watermelon Lip Smackers, bad run-ins with Sun-In, and the healing power of “Gee Your Hair Smells Terrific.” Hope in a Jar: we all need it.
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