"It was mid-December 1610 in Mexico City. The Church was in its preparatory season of Advent, leading up to the celebration of Christ's birth at Christmas. The nuns of the Encarnacion convent had just celebrated the feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, on 8 December. But now, in this time usually filled with joy, some of the nuns were nervous. Their choirbooks were missing. Without them, the nuns would not be able to celebrate the anniversary of Christ's birth adequately. A musician priest of the metropolitan cathedral, located just three blocks from the convent, had caused the nuns' alarm: Antonio Rodríguez Mata (d. 1643) had all five of the missing books. He had borrowed them from Sister Flor de Santa Clara, the convent "vicaria de coro" (choir vicar) but had failed to return them despite the convent's repeated requests. The diocesan vicar general and the attorney general were summoned. The nuns of the Encarnación demanded that Mata be imprisoned if he failed to return the books immediately following the denunciation. The threat of jail time was serious, but so too was the alleged offense: Mata was impeding the nuns from performing their liturgical music for Christmas"--

The Big Sick meets Dad is Fat in this funny and heartfelt New York Times bestselling memoir from writer, director, wife, and mother, Jeannie Gaffigan, as she reflects on the life-changing impact of her battle with a pear-sized brain tumor. In 2017, Jeannie's life came to a crashing halt when she was diagnosed with a life-threatening brain tumor. As the mother of 5 kids -- 6 if you include her husband -- sat in the neurosurgery department in star-covered sweats too whimsical for the seriousness of the situation, all she could think was "Am I going to die?" Thankfully, Jeannie and her family were able to survive their time of crisis, and now she is sharing her deeply personal journey through this miraculous story: the challenging conversations she had with her children; how she came to terms with feeling powerless and ferociously crabby while bedridden and unable to eat for a month; and how she ultimately learned, re-learned and re re-learned to be more present in life. With sincerity and hilarity, Jeannie invites you into her heart (and brain) during this trying time, emphasizing the importance of family, faith and humor as keys to her recovery and leading a more fulfilling life.

Harlequin Medical Romance brings you three full-length stories in one collection! Escape to the world where life and love play out against a high-pressured medical backdrop. This box set includes: CINDERELLA AND THE SURGEON (A London Hospital Midwives novel) By Scarlet Wilson Independent midwife Esther’s life has never been a fairy tale. Until infuriatingly charming neonatal surgeon—and duke—Harry sweeps into it… MIRACLE BABY FOR THE MIDWIFE (A London Hospital Midwives novel) By Tina Beckett Charismatic neurosurgeon Adem challenges midwife Carly to let her hair down. One night of amazing passion later, they’re in for a miraculous surprise! SURPRISE BABY FOR THE BILLIONAIRE By Charlotte Hawkes Whisking her away to his Tuscan villa, billionaire Malachi demands they wed for the sake of their one-night baby—only pediatrician Saskia’s secretly hoping for more. Look for more stories about life and love in the world of modern medicine in Harlequin Medical Romance February 2020 Box Set — 2 of 2