Showing results by narrator "Kate Rudd" in All Categories

To have, to be, and to appear: that is the topic of 24-year-old Vivian’s master’s thesis, an ambitious work that explores the role of gender in social, artistic, and intellectual pursuits. To gather her research, Vivian peppers her friends and classmates with a series of increasingly provocative questions guaranteed to spark the curiosity of anyone who has ever questioned why things are the way they are, particularly regarding the perception of gender between individuals and in society. Adventurous listeners are subsequently led through the same questions by a diverse quintet of characters....

After taking a break from pop stardom to turn his musical hand to composing — earning both a Tony and an Oscar for his efforts — Rex Brody is making a triumphant return to performing with a sold-out, coast-to-coast tour. But he has one crucial stop to make first: his aunt’s home in New Hampshire.

Being popular in the college music scene doesn’t solve all your problems; at least that’s what the hot musicians of indie band Luminescent Juliet discover. In this compelling novel, trouble begins when 18-year-old Riley, trying to regain her rhythm after throwing away her percussion scholarship to a top school, wins an audition to become the band’s new drummer. This sets her on a collision course with Romeo, the band’s sexy dark-haired guitarist, whose ambitions do not include performing with a girl.

Dark, sexy, and dangerous, young Ben Powell could steal kisses as deep and stormy as Whitefire Lake. But when he cruelly accused Carlie Surrett of unthinkable sins, he left her in the dust of her shattered dreams. Now, steelier than ever after his stint in the army, Ben is back - making Carlie curse the love that all but destroyed her...and the volcanic passion that still sears her soul.

Araminta Palomer, the oversheltered child of a wealthy family, enlivens her life by imagining a near-invisible animal playmate: Willbe. But "Minta" possesses an unsuspected psychic talent, and so she unwittingly creates a tulpa, an envisioned being that gradually becomes tangible, first to herself and then to others. Willbe seems a loving companion at first, but as Minta matures, he changes into an increasingly perilous and unreliable friend.

Here are 34 stories of self-esteem, dating and doing the right thing for older teens, including "Happy to Be Me", "Dating, Crushes, and Just Friends", "Doing the Right Thing" and "Love Gone Bad".

Lisa Hawley is perfectly satisfied living on her own. Having fully recovered from a brutal divorce nearly two decades earlier, she has successfully raised her kids, Juliet and Theo, seeing them off to college and beyond. As the owner of a popular boutique on Nantucket, she’s built a fulfilling life for herself on the island where she grew up.

Marrying Glenn Lambert was either the smartest thing Maggie Kingsbury has ever done or the craziest mistake of her life. Best friends as children, they went their separate ways until a chance encounter at a wedding inspires this spontaneous leap of faith. How could she resist the sweet spell of a moonlit night and whispers of devotion guaranteed to melt her heart? But past disappointments and unhealed emotions soon start to wreak havoc with their vows.

After Caroline Myers gets her heart broken, her beloved great-aunts send her on a spur-of-the-moment northern adventure, equipped with little more than a batch of their special spiked tea. But soon after hopping a plane to Gold River, Alaska, a still loopy Caroline takes part in an odd ceremony that ends with a kiss from her personal tour guide. The next thing she knows, she wakes up with a ring on her finger.

Lily Morrissey knows exactly what she wants in a husband: a big bank account. Not that she’s greedy or shallow; she just needs the security for herself and her beloved grandmother. But husband-hunting is harder than she expected, especially with her best friend Jake in the way. In fact, Jake - who would be perfect for her if he weren’t so committed to everything money can’t buy - is becoming downright distracting, with those jade eyes and that disarming grin.

Carly Grieves is made of strong stuff. Tough and adventurous, she journeys to the wilds of Alaska looking for a new beginning. She finds more than she bargained for in Brand St. Clair, a rugged bush pilot who stirs something primal inside Carly that shocks her with its intensity. But he’s also a man with wounds, a widower stuck in the past. Carly desires him deeply, but she can’t compete with a dead woman for a place in his heart.

November 13, 2015. It was a Paris night that began like so many others - until a series of terrorist attacks brought darkness to the City of Light. Stirred by the tragic events at the Bataclan music club, One Night in November locks into the hearts and minds of all those whose paths crossed that fateful fall evening...

It sucks being with Grandpa in this new town. It sucks that they left the old place without finding Rosco. Travis doesn’t want to do anything, especially try to get by in his classes, which never seems possible, anyway. He’s a Bluefish - stupid, angry, alone. Then, suddenly, there’s a girl. Velveeta. She’s up in his face and she’s not backing down. She is as loud as he is quiet, as outgoing as he is shut in. She’s pretty, in a funky, scarf-wearing sort of way, and she’s smart - way smart - smart enough to figure out that Travis has a secret.

Ketilsey Island, 1960. Near this deserted island off the western coast of Iceland, the dawning of spring brings with it new life for the local wildlife. But for the decaying body discovered by three seal hunters, winter is a matter of permanence. After it is found to be a Danish cryptographer missing for months, the ensuing investigation uncovers a mysterious link between him and a medieval manuscript known as the Book of Flatey. Before long another body is found on Flatey, another tiny island off the western coast.

The small town of North Harbor, Michigan, is just not big enough for the two of them: flamboyant phony Maria Romanov and feisty Nana Jo. The insufferable Maria claims she's descended from Russian royalty and even had a fling with King Edward VIII back in the day. She’s not just a lousy liar, she's a bad actress, so when she nabs the lead in the Shady Acres Senior Follies—a part Nana Jo plays every year in their retirement village production—Nana Jo blows a gasket and reads her the riot act in front of everyone.

To the town of North Harbor, Michigan, MISU quarterback Dawson Alexander is a local hero. To Samantha Washington, owner of the Market Street Mysteries Bookstore, Dawson is more than a tenant—he’s like an adopted son. But to the police, he is their prime suspect after his ex-girlfriend is found murdered. It’s more than enough real-life drama for Sam to tackle, but her role as a mystery writer also calls. Returning to the English countryside between the wars, she finds Lady Daphne Marsh in quite the quandary.

Finding love was not on the agenda for John-Michael, but he knew there was no harm in taking a second to enjoy these warm, fuzzy feelings. As a single father, he ultimately had to put his son first, and a fleeting romance was simply not an option. Still, his heart raced as his gaze reached Sadie's mouth. He would never act on it, but he would love to kiss her. He was definitely attracted to this woman, there was no denying it.

The first time I met Daniel King, he had a busted nose. He was also a couple of years younger than me, which seemed like a lot back then. I had always thought of him as more of a little brother or friend.

Ozzy Abramson had made a name for himself as a photographer. His specialty was portraiture, and he built beautiful scenes around the people he photographed. He had a gift for saying just the right things to get his subjects to look their best. Ozzy worked with famous actors, models, and musicians all the time. He was extremely talented and easygoing, and that only served to increase his popularity. He was obsessed with finding ways to make people look even better in photographs than they did in real life. But then he met the woman who made that task impossible.

My mother wrote a young adult novel that eventually became a Hollywood blockbuster hit. Somehow, during production of the movie, I became friends with the star. Heath Vick was Hollywood's favorite leading man—a heartthrob, for sure. We instantly hit it off, but he was in a long-term relationship, so we ended up being friends. Then, out of the blue, Heath decided to leave her and set his sights on me. He was rich and famous, and he assumed he would have my undivided attention the second he wanted it.