This epic World War II tale of star-crossed lovers separated by class, circumstance, and tragedy—from the internationally bestselling author of the “gripping…filled with passion and hope” (Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author) The Girl They Left Behind—explores the impact of war on civilian life and the indestructible resilience of first love. Hungary, 1943: As war encroaches on the country’s borders, willful young Eva César arrives in the idyllic town of Sopron to spend her last summer as a single woman on her aristocratic family’s estate. Longing for freedom from her domineering father, she counts the days to her upcoming nuptials to a kind and dedicated Red Cross doctor whom she greatly admires. But Eva’s life changes when she meets Aleandro, a charming and passionate Romani fiddler with a love for painting. With time and profound class differences against them, Eva and Aleandro still fall deeply in love—only to be separated by a brutal act of hatred. As their lives diverge and they are each swept into the tides of war and its aftermath—they try to forget what they once shared. But as the years pass, the haunting memory of their romance will re-shape their destinies and drive them to decisions which are felt through generations. From the horrors of the Second World War to the tensions of the 1956 Hungarian uprising and beyond, When the Summer Was Ours is a sweeping story about the toll of secrets, the blurred lines between desire and loyalty, sacrifice and obsession, and the endurance of the human spirit.

A sweeping historical romance that is “gripping, tragic, yet filled with passion and hope” (Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author), offering a vivid and unique portrayal of life in war-torn 1941 Bucharest during World War II and its aftermath—perfect for fans of Lilac Girls and Sarah’s Key. On a freezing night in January 1941, a little Jewish girl is found on the steps of an apartment building in Bucharest. With Romania recently allied with the Nazis, the Jewish population is in grave danger so the girl is placed in an orphanage and eventually adopted by a wealthy childless couple who name her Natalia. As she assimilates into her new life, she all but forgets the parents who were forced to leave her behind. As a young woman in Soviet Romania, Natalia crosses paths with Victor—an important official in the Communist regime that she used to know as an impoverished young student. Now they are fatefully drawn into a passionate affair despite the obstacles swirling around them and Victor’s dark secrets. When Natalia is suddenly offered a one-time chance at freedom, Victor is determined to help her escape, even if it means losing her. Natalia must make an agonizing decision: remain in Bucharest with her beloved adoptive parents and the man she has come to love, or seize the chance to finally live life on her own terms, and to confront the painful enigma of her past. The Girl They Left Behind “is a vividly told, beautifully written, impossible-but-true story” (Helen Bryan, internationally bestselling author of War Brides) that you won’t soon forget.

"Roxanne's heartfelt experience reminds us of the sacred experience we all share." Mehmet C. Oz, M.D., coauthor of YOU: The Owner's Manual Beautifully drawn stories of hope, healing, and courage illuminate the unexpected blessings that lie beyond the hurdles in life. When Roxanne Black was only fifteen years old, she was diagnosed with lupus, a chronic inflammatory disease. As a teenager with a rare and potentially life- threatening illness, Roxanne yearned to connect firsthand with others who knew what she was experiencing. So she made the decision to turn her diagnosis into something positive. Working out of her hospital bedroom, she founded Friends' Health Connection, which is now a nationwide community that matches people with similar health conditions for friendship and mutual support. Unexpected Blessings brings to life Roxanne's moving personal story, as well as the wisdom and lessons of courage she has learned over the years from famous leaders and celebrities, as well as everyday heroes standing strong against adversity. We meet Sara, an eight-year-old mature beyond her years, who is struggling with AIDS and the loss of her mother, and Ruby, a chronically ill woman whose devoted husband eases her pain. We experience Roxanne's poignant encounter with Christopher Reeve before his death, and also see unbelievable kindness and acts of love-family members offering transplant organs to save loved ones, strangers supporting one another through crisis, and more. These powerful stories and reflections weave together a rich tapestry of hope, comfort, and inspiration, and serve as reminders of the incredible resilience of the human spirit in the face of overwhelming challenge. In this gorgeously written book, Roxanne Black reminds us of the courage we all possess.

The New York Times–bestselling author of Bad Feminist shares a collection of stories about hardscrabble lives, passionate loves and vexed human connection. The women in these stories live lives of privilege and of poverty, are in marriages both loving and haunted by past crimes or emotional blackmail. A pair of sisters, grown now, have been inseparable ever since they were abducted together as children, and must negotiate the elder sister’s marriage. A woman married to a twin pretends not to realize when her husband and his brother impersonate each other. A stripper putting herself through college fends off the advances of an overzealous customer. A black engineer moves to Upper Michigan for a job and faces the malign curiosity of her colleagues and the difficulty of leaving her past behind. From a girls’ fight club to a wealthy subdivision in Florida where neighbors conform, compete, and spy on each other, Roxanne Gay delivers a wry, beautiful, haunting vision of modern America with her “signature wry wit and piercing psychological depth” (Harper’s Bazaar).

Offering a radically compassionate, rare, and mature approach to personal change, Dr. Howe-Murphy integrates the ancient wisdom of the Enneagram with presence-based practices for everyday living and unexpected healing processes, to transform how people see and experience themselves and the world.

Love and death make strange bedfellows in this paranormal novel featuring a woman who can cheat death and the Reaper who's charged with ensuring her mortality. Original.

Every collage has a tale to tell. Tell your story in paper, fabric, and objects collected from your world. Storytelling With Collage will inspire you to capture your poetic thoughts, fond memories and passionate daydreams in a soft and simple style. Using simple tools and supplies that delight you, you'll learn to work with a variety of prompts and will discover how each element you select--from small shells collected on your last trip to the pretty paper you unwrapped from a recent gift--has its own part of a complete narrative. Nine collage prompts will walk you step-by-step through a collage creation as you work with textured papers, fabric, stitching, found objects, images, natural materials, color, wax and metal. In addition, inside you will find: • Numerous Tasks--ideas for combing your world for collage fodder • Beautiful photos to inspire you to customize your own worktable • Perspective on finding inspiration outside your window through the seasons • Extra inspiration in each chapter from the Collage Stories and works by 25 contributing artists Capture the textures and colors of your moments today through your own Storytelling With Collage!