Sex. Yes. She remembered that. Wasn't that the thing that happened somewhere between the talking-and-going-out-to-dinner bit and the sobbing-and-eating-too-many-biscuits bit? Still, Bella was sure she could handle some -preferably before her as yet unopened packet of condoms reached their expiry date. She must be practically a virgin again by now, all sealed over like pierced ears if you don't wear earrings for too long. But the 'L' word? Uh-huh. No way. She never wanted to hear it again. There were things in her past which needed to be put well away, like the 27 boxes of clutter she'd brought from her old flat. And having changed her job, her town, her entire life - the one thing she wasn't about to change was her mind. What readers are saying about Love is a Four-Letter Word 'After I finished, I immediately flipped it over and started reading parts of it again.' 'The shock within the book was a complete tearjerker and I thoroughly sympathised.' 'Like all the best comic novelists, Calman crams her perky narrative with a host of highly diverting characters to surround her beleaguered heroine.'

With her parents splitting up, 16-year-old Sammie Davis may not want to feel a thing, but feelings happen. For starters, she’s plenty angry. Her dad’s leaving their upstate New York home and moving clear across the country. Her mother—well, she’s packing up and relocating to New York City with Sammie, who has no say about any of it. Overnight Sammie is forced to deal with change. And one change spawns another: Roles get reversed, old and new friendships tested, and sexual feelings awakened. It’s a scary time. But as Sammie realizes that things can’t stay the same forever, that even the people she loves and trusts the most can disappoint her, she begins to accept that change isn’t always bad. It’s how you cope, jumbled feelings and all, that counts. And as she copes, Sammie’s sense of self emerges proud and strong.

An inspired collection of new fiction from some of today’s most celebrated writers, exploring the charm, potency and seductive powers of a classic genre . . . the love letter. When did you last receive a love letter? Have emails and text messages taken over from this romantic form of communication? Would a love letter by a novelist or poet be better than one written by you or me? How would the literary traits of a writer shape the love letters he or she writes? And might a love letter tell us something about its author their other writing could not? Editors Joshua Knelman and Rosalind Porter have assembled an exciting and unique collection of new fiction: they’ve asked some of our most celebrated contemporary writers to explore the distinctive form of the love letter to remind us how enticing words can be and perhaps even to resurrect a dying custom. Each of the pieces in this anthology is radically different from the others, each is a testimony to the creative powers of our leading writers today, and each is guaranteed to seduce. Four Letter Word brings us work from 35 of today’s best writers, including Margaret Atwood, Miriam Toews, David Bezmozgis, Douglas Coupland, Michel Faber, A.L. Kennedy, Audrey Niffenegger, Lionel Shriver, Jan Morris, Jeanette Winterson, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Joseph Boyden, Panos Karnezis, Jonathan Lethem, Graham Roumieu, M.G. Vassanji and Neil Gaiman.

Where love and friendship are concerned, if you don't move forward, you'll get left behind. Love: little word, big consequences. Clarissa has never given much thought to the word herself; she has other things to worry about. Her mother is still recovering from breast cancer, and until Clarissa hears that magical word "remission," she doesn't think she'll ever be able to relax. As a distraction, she and best friend Benji try out for a community production of The Wizard of Oz. But sadly only he makes the cut, leaving her disappointed and best-friendless, and forced to spend her time with other people, like boy-crazy Mattie. When Mattie becomes distracted by a new crush, and Clarissa's mother starts spending far too much time with her personal trainer, Clarissa wonders when she stopped being enough for all the people in her life. Enter Michael, who seems to be interested in more than just friendship. But is that what Clarissa wants?

"A sweet story of finding love where you least expected to. A romp through New York City with fresh immigrant eyes. Kiran and Nash's journey to learning to see themselves and others across boundaries and preconceived notions will warm your heart."—Sonali Dev, author of Recipe for Persuasion She's determined to be the perfect daughter, until she meets the perfect guy... Kiran Mathur knows firsthand how dangerous love can be. After all, her sister's marriage in India nearly destroyed Kiran's family. So she's decided to redeem romance herself—by not falling for anyone who might disappoint her parents. That is, until she meets her new neighbor Nash Hawthorne. Nash is a dedicated doctor and committed to being alone. His family life has taught him the inevitability of abandonment, and he isn't ready to question his beliefs. But in spending time with Kiran, he starts to experience emotion he's never felt before. For both, love feels like a risk. But when the future only starts to make sense with each other, it might be time to follow their hearts... Praise for Love, Chai, and Other Four-Letter Words: "LOVE, CHAI, AND OTHER FOUR LETTER WORDS is a delight... As warm and comforting as perfect masala chai."—Farah Heron, author of Accidentally Engaged "Captivating."—Library Journal, STARRED Review "Not-to-be-missed."—Booklist, STARRED Review

From Junot Díaz, Lynda Barry, Gary Shteyngart, and Kate Christensen to popular up-and-comers like Dan Kennedy, Wendy McClure, and Brock Clarke, Love Is a Four-Letter Word is a dead-on contemporary collection of true stories of seduction, heartbreak, and regret. Fearlessly revealing their shattered hearts and crushed egos; their indiscretions and indignities; their delusions, desperation, and disappointments, these talented writers capture the dark side of love in prose ranging from comic to poetic, poignant to cringe-inducing. Also featuring three cartoon/ graphic essays as a sixteen-page color insert, this anthology is perfect for anyone who’s ever loved and lost.

Instant Wall Street Journal bestseller! From the first female real estate broker on Million Dollar Listing LA, a no-nonsense guide to analyzing big egos, deflecting power plays, and taking control of any room. Behind Tracy Tutor's on-screen persona is an uncanny knack for projecting confidence in the most intimidating of circumstances. The breezy, tough-talking, utterly inimitable businesswoman has rivaled her male co-stars to land increasingly high-profile deals in the world of LA real estate. Now, Tracy is leveraging her years of experience to write the go-to manual for any woman struggling to convince people she's in charge. If you get thrown off course by narcissistic personalities or freaked out by high-stakes situations, don't assume you're weak. When fear is running the show, you get wrapped up in your head and start missing important cues. Yes, the people you're dealing with seem scary, but they're more predictable than you think. Once you understand them, it's easy to push the right levers of influence to get what you want. Through candid, hilarious stories of her rise through a world of misogyny and cutthroat business dealings (text message screen shots from creeps included!), Tracy offers a crash course in the psychology of power dynamics and social signaling. You'll learn: What five things you should always find out about someone before you meet them How to choose the perfect outfit for an important meeting, even when dressing on a budget When and how to use humor strategically to lighten the mood and command authority This book is a must-read for any ambitious woman who wants to win her next business confrontation before she even walks into the room.