fantasy novels without romance Audiobooks

“It’s like the meanest, wildest monkey running around my head, constantly looking for ways to bite me.” That was how Kirsten Pagacz described her OCD to her therapist on their first session when she was well into her 30s she’d been following orders from this mean taskmaster for 20 years, without understanding why. Initially the tapping and counting and cleaning and ordering brought her comfort and structure, two things lacking in her family life. But it never lasted; the loathsome self-talk only intensified, and the rituals she had to perform got more bizarre. By high school she was anorexic and a substance abuser, common "shadow syndromes" of OCD. By adulthood, she could barely hide her problems and held on to jobs and friends through sheer grit. Help finally came in the form of a miraculously well-timed public service announcement on NPR about OCD -- at last her illness had an identity. Leaving the OCD Circus reveals the story of Pagacz’s traumatic childhood and the escalation of her disorder demonstrating how OCD works to misshape a life from a very young age and explains the various tools she used for healing including meditation, cognitive behavioral therapy, yoga, exposure therapy, and medication.

The first novel from award-winning author Gianfranco Calligarich to be published in English, Last Summer in the City is a witty and despairing classic of Italian literature. Biting, tragic, and endlessly quotable, this translated edition features an introductory appreciation from longtime fan New York Times bestselling author André Aciman. In a city smothering under the summer sun and an overdose of la dolce vita, Leo Gazarra spends his time in an alcoholic haze, bouncing between run-down hotels and the homes of his rich and well-educated friends, without whom he would probably starve. At thirty, he’s still drifting: between jobs that mean nothing to him, between human relationships both ephemeral and frayed. Everyone he knows wants to graduate, get married, get rich―but not him. He has no ambitions whatsoever. Rather than toil and spin, isn’t it better to submit to the alienation of the Eternal City, Rome, sometimes a cruel and indifferent mistress, sometimes sweet and sublime? There can be no half measures with her, either she’s the love of your life or you have to leave her. First discovered by Natalia Ginzburg, Last Summer in the City is a forgotten classic of Italian literature, a great novel of a stature similar to that of The Great Gatsby or The Catcher in the Rye. Gianfranco Calligarich’s enduring masterpiece has drawn comparisons to such writers as Truman Capote, Ernest Hemingway, and Jonathan Franzen and is here made available in English for the first time.

This e-book helps men get the tactics of gaining trust from the ladies they adore in their lives.<br><br>Tip number one. PUT YOURSELF IN HER SHOES You may have already heard of this. However, empathy is not an overrated thing at all. We are different, at least in some ways. So, if you’re not ready to see a situation from another perspective too, how can you really understand what’s going on? There is truly no doubt that men and women see relationships from varying angles, but a desire for trustful behavior isn't reserved for one gender. Indeed, you’ll find that if you look at the situation from her perspective, there are similarities to what you’re thinking yourself. Do you want her to be honest and trustworthy with you? Do you want to actively plan activities you'll do together? Do you want to know her circle of friends and see that she's letting you into her life? Do you want to know that she's showing trust? See, it all comes full circle! Your lady is in a similar situation. She wants you to show her that she's an essential component of your life, not that you want to keep her at arm's length. This involves restraining yourself without explaining why, not asking for “freedom” aggressively, not ghosting or gaslighting her (at all). After all, don’t you want the same things? Tip number two. BE HONEST WITH HER Honesty is the foundation that keeps everything else together in your relationship. If you don’t reinforce honesty daily, it’ll slowly disappear. Note that being sincere doesn’t imply being utterly frank. There’s a big difference between “you look better in other skirts, sweetie” and ”that skirt looks absolutely miserable on you.” You don't desire to be ruthlessly transparent unless you and your lady agree that it’s an essential part of your relationship. Otherwise, share your thoughts and opinions, although respectfully and neutrally. You want to formulate quality conversations without appearing like you're set on arguing. In other words, don’t treat her like she’s a fragile person who can't recognize the truth, but you shouldn't be downright mean with her either.

Finally the time to end an intense day of work, full of annoyances has arrived. An actual marathon to complete my part in the gearbox that is the company in which I work, a company where it is impossible to stop without damaging the rest. I was collecting some papers from my office when I heard the familiar sound that the computer makes when I receive a new email. At those hours, I usually don’t check them as I prefer to be fresh when I see them, and today had been an exhausting day. I’ll see it tomorrow when I come back. Generally, I don’t read them until the next morning, I don’t even do it at home with the intention of separating my professional and personal life.

He’s a fool for letting her go… Wyoming rancher Quinn McKay is biding his time until his wife comes to her senses and calls a halt to this trial separation—he’d never believed their marital rough patch could become permanent. Libby McKay knew when she married the gruff cowboy that he wasn’t one to blather on about his feelings. But three months have passed, and her stubborn-as-a-mule husband is still living by himself. Seems he’d rather hold onto his pride than hold onto her. When Quinn realizes Libby is determined to move on if he doesn’t change, he asks her for one weekend to rekindle their love life and to hash out their differences. Reigniting their passion is easy. The hard part comes when they open up to each other and sort through past mistakes, figuring out if what remains between them is strong enough to survive a new beginning.

She’s a runner, but the campus star quaterback runs faster than she does! Rocky has had a chaotic life from which she concluded three fundamental things: life is a succession of problems to be solved, men are assholes to be avoided and promises are only binding on fools who want to believe in them. So, unlike the other girls on campus, boys are not a priority for her. Worse, she sees them as an obstacle to her success! But during a student party, she meets Jude. Freshly transferred from Harvard to play on Brown’s soccer team, Jude is the new star on campus. Handsome and inaccessible, he is the type not to get attached: the perfect candidate for a one-night stand. But the chemistry is too strong. And though Rocky is determined to run away from him, he is determined to conquer her heart.

ONE OF QUEER FORTY'S BEST PRIDE READS FOR SUMMER 2023! Three gay men in pre-Stonewall New York City find their fates thrown together in the police raid of a Village bar. Roger Moorhouse is a Wall Street banker and Westchester family man with a preciously guarded secret. As the shouting begins and flashlights blaze in his face, the life he’s carefully curated over the years―a fancy new office overlooking lower Broadway, a house in Beechmont Woods, his wife and children―is about to come crashing down around him. Columbia literature professor Julian Prince lives a comparatively uncloseted life when he finds his first committed relationship tested to its limits. How could he explain to Gus, a fearless young artist, that he couldn’t stay with him that weekend because the woman who was still technically Julian’s fiancée would be visiting? But when Gus is struck unconscious by a police baton, Julian comes out of hiding to protect him, even if exposure means losing everything. For Danny Duffy, an Irish kid from the Bronx with a sassy mouth and a diverse group of friends, the raid is a galvanizing, Spartacus moment. Danny doesn’t have too much left to lose; his family has just disowned him. But once his name appears in the newspaper, he’ll be fired from his job at Sloan’s Supermarket, where he’s risen to assistant manager of produce, and begin a journey that veers between political enlightenment and violent revenge. The three men find themselves in a police wagon together, their hidden lives threatened to be revealed to the world. Blackmail, a private investigator, Gus’s disappearance, and Danny’s quest for retribution propel Disorderly Men to its piercing conclusion, as each man meets the boundaries of his own fear, love, and shame. The stakes for each are different, but all of them confront a fundamental question: How much happiness is he allowed to have . . . and what share of it will he lay claim to?

BOOK 1 She needs money. He needs a wife. The situation is a win-win for Anastasia and Caleb. To save her family, Anastasia signed a contract to marry Caleb for a year. Starting from a contract marriage, will it end up in a real marriage? Amidst the challenges, will they break a rule from the contract to survive in this marriage? or will they end up losing each other? ********************** BOOK 2 To gain freedom from her overprotective parents' hands, the sunshine Thalia Carter refused to have her internship at her family's company. In the end, she got accepted into a company she didn't expect.  As soon as he saw her resume, the grumpy Damon Kane immediately approved her internship. Not because he was fond of her but because he literally hated her surname. He plans to make her life a living hell. Hate filled the office, but what happens if love blooms without their knowing? Despite the 11 years between them, will this office age gap romance be possible for these two? ********************* This book combines Book 1 and Book 2 in the series. Book 2 starts after Chapter 130.

After years of violent battles, Kalliopee agrees to sacrifice her freedom by marrying the prince of the enemy kingdom in order to bring peace. In a world where women are treated as slaves rather than wives, she is still delighted to be reunited with her first love, Karel. However, life is unpredictable, and the horrors of war have transformed Karel into a tough and ruthless heir to the throne, who despises the Viridians more than anything. While he has no qualms about mistreating Kalliopee, his determination wavers when confronted with her striking eyes. In the midst of desire and animosity, schemes and plots, dreams and disillusionment, will the princess’s heart endure the price of her liberty?

The Coyote Cowboys each made a vow to a fallen comrade and have one year to carry out their task… Local hero Remington Cross has only painful memories of Marietta, Montana. He may want ranch work, but he’ll take it anywhere but here. Still, loyalty brings Remy to Marietta determined to locate Jace’s godchild, ensure his physical and financial security, then close this chapter for good. But a smoldering encounter with a beautiful bartender threatens his timeline and heart, and when he discovers Jace’s godchild is at risk, he enlists the aid of the enigmatic beauty who’s more no-strings than he is. Shane Knight is no stranger to secrets, and she can tell the haunted ex-soldier is hiding plenty. She’s finished trying to fix wounded bad boys, and after her broken engagement, her heart’s permanently off-limits. When Shane jumps boots first into a red-hot one-night stand, she never anticipates getting tangled up with a sexy cowboy and a child who needs them. It’s a chance for love, family, and a fresh start for them both, but will secrets break the fragile thread of their new beginning?