Fans of Catherine Alliott's bestselling novels One Day in May and A Crowded Marriage, will love her latest gorgeously romantic novel A Rural Affair. 'If I'm being totally honest I had fantasized about Phil dying.' When Poppy Shilling's bike-besotted, Lycra-clad husband is killed in a freak accident, she can't help feeling a guilty sense of relief. For at long last she's released from a controlling and loveless marriage. Throwing herself wholeheartedly into village life, she's determined to start over. And sure enough, everyone from Luke the sexy church organist to Bob the resident oddball, is taking note. Yet the one man Poppy can't take her eyes off seems tantalizingly out of reach - why won't he let go of his glamorous ex-wife? But just as she's ready to dip her toes in the water, the discovery of a dark secret about her late husband shatters Poppy's confidence. Does she really have the courage to risk her heart again? Because Poppy wants a lot more than just a rural affair . . . Step into Alliott country with A Rural Affair. Praise for Catherine Alliott: 'I raced through it, completely gripped from start to finish' Daily Mail 'An entertaining read that's as light as the summer breeze' Daily Express

Newly widowed woman seeks fresh start and village scandals. Lycra wearing cyclists need not apply. Poppy Shilling may have fantasized about her boring husband slipping on ice on his way to get the paper or contracting malaria from a mosquito bite, but she never imagined Phil would leave her so suddenly. When a freak cycling accident takes out her Lycra-wearing husband, Poppy can't help but feel relieved rather than distraught. But when a mysterious visitor arrives after the funeral bearing secrets about her husband, Poppy quickly learns that Phil was not exactly the man she thought he was—and she might not be the woman she thought she was, either. International bestselling author Catherine Alliott crafts an endearing and quirky "what if" story that will make your heart sing as you follow Poppy on her unforgettable journey. Praise for Catherine Alliott: "Compulsively readable and highly entertaining." —Daily Mail "Possibly my favorite writer." —Marian Keyes ''A rip–roaring read." —Sun "Catherine Alliott has got it, that addictive blend of wit, frivolity, and madcap romance." —Time Out

Welcome to Barleybridge, a small village nestled in the Dorset hills of England, where sheep graze on the nearby slopes and everybody knows their neighbors. Young, inexperienced, and somewhat shy, Kate Howard arrives in this idyllic setting to embark on a new adventure and begin a job as a receptionist at the Barleybridge Veterinary Hospital. The busy practice sees creatures large and small, from pets to farm animals, and the staff she meets there is friendly and welcoming. As Kate learns the ins and outs of her job (from who to never let through on the phone to which dogs—and owners—need to be kept away from each other), handsome Australian vet Scott Spencer takes an interest in her and encourages Kate to pursue her dreams to become a vet herself. His advice is solid, and his charm is intoxicating, but Kate is well aware that she is hardly the only woman to fall under the dashing doctor’s spell. Add to this the pressure of her longtime but rather dull boyfriend, Adam, who is not at all happy about her newfound aspirations to return to school, and Kate has some decisions to make, decisions that are growing more complex at every turn. Tender, funny, and full of warmth and simple joys, A Country Affair is the perfect introduction to a delightful place and its witty and lovable inhabitants. Watch for the next two novels in Rebecca Shaw’s Barleybridge series coming soon. You will want to return to Barleybridge again and again.

Praise for Catherine Alliott "Compulsively readable and highly entertaining." —Daily Mail "Possibly my favorite writer." —Marian Keyes ''A rip–roaring read." —Sun "Catherine Alliott has got it, that addictive blend of wit, frivolity, and madcap romance." —Time Out WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE HUSBAND SHE'S LOATHED FOR YEARS SUDDENLY DIES? Poppy Shilling may have fantasized about her boring husband slipping on ice on his way to get the paper or contracting malaria from a mosquito bite, but she never imagined Phil would leave her so suddenly. When a freak cycling accident takes out her Lycra—wearing husband, Poppy can't help but feel relieved rather than distraught. But when a mysterious visitor arrives after the funeral bearing secrets about her husband, Poppy quickly learns that Phil was not exactly the man she thought he was—and she might not be the woman she thought she was, either. International bestselling author Catherine Alliott crafts an endearing and quirky "what if" story that will make your heart sing as you follow Poppy on her unforgettable journey.

A Delicious Recipe for Domestic Disaster: Take one small town where everyone thinks they know everyone else's business. Add three households: MP Mike Andrews, his wife Gill and two young children; Church of Scotland minister Tom Graham, his wife Ali, two teenage daughters and an afterthought; Sixty-something local businessman Jack Caldwell, and his childless wife Phyllis. Mix in several large dollops of scandal, some secrets and a tragedy. Turn up the heat and bring to the boil. Season with one eccentric old lady - Minty Oliver - and serve with the tabloid press and a big helping of local gossip.

Michael Burns charts the rural impact of the two political watersheds" of fin-de-siecle France--Boulangism and the Dreyfus Affair. Broadening our understanding of the early Third Republic, he investigates its intricate village life and shows how the deindustrialization of the countryside both upset and solidified rural cultures. Originally published in 1984. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

Step into Alliott country with the fabulously funny and wonderfully heartwarming story from the bestselling author of A Cornish Summer and Behind Closed Doors 'I raced through it, completely gripped from start to finish' DAILY MAIL 'An entertaining read that's as light as the summer breeze' DAILY EXPRESS _______ A modern marriage, or a big mistake? Ella was nineteen and madly in love when she married dashing young artist Sebastian Montclair. But that was a long time ago. Now Ella and the kids live in a ramshackle farmhouse while Sebastian and his paintings inhabit the outhouse next door - a family separated in every way but distance. Is it a marvellously modern relationship - or a disaster waiting to happen? When charming gardener Ludo arrives on the scene and Sebastian makes a sudden and surprising decision, Ella sees a chance at a fresh start. Yet with two teenagers and her parents on the verge of their own late-life crisis, will Ella be allowed to choose her own path? And how long can she hide from the truth which haunts her broken marriage? _______ 'A captivating and heartwarming tale' Closer