world best romantic novels Audiobooks

Part memoir, part cultural exploration, this book covers the author’s journey as she grows up in an evangelical Christian home, leaves religion behind as a young adult, and goes on to raise children in a family outside of religious belief. Maria Polonchek weaves a personal story with up-to-date studies and philosophic exploration of what it means to raise secular children in an otherwise religious world. Offering careful and respectful advice for other parents who are raising their children outside of a particular religious belief system, she explores the many other ways of instilling identity, belonging, and meaning into our lives and the lives of children. Honest and irreverent, the author admits to her religious “baggage” and searches for better understanding of such topics as religious education, morality, awe, death, purpose, and meaning, and tradition from secular perspectives. She interviews experts, looks at various studies, and turns to a variety of sources for answers, while maintaining a casual and personal tone. While she ultimately argues for parents to let their children shape their own beliefs, she encourages families to tend to existential and social needs that sometimes go unnoticed or unconsidered in life outside religion.

Imagined by one of the world's leading experts on Buddhism, this fictionalised conversation presents the essential biography of its famously wise founder. A relaxed chat with the Buddha tells us what he thought about impermanence, karma, mindfulness, compassion, love, and everything else that leads us toward a true understanding of ourselves and the cosmos. We know him as the Buddha, the "Awakened One". Born Siddhartha Gautama 2,500 years ago in northern India, he became one of the world's greatest spiritual leaders. He suffered as we do, then by his own efforts found the key to liberation from the bonds of desire, hatred and ignorance. As Westerners living in relative prosperity, we can identify with this man who had it all - love, success, money, talent, privilege - but set these things aside to search for something deeper and more enduring. This book presents an account of the Buddha's life followed by a series of plausible and illuminating but imagined conversations, which probe all aspects of his philosophy for living. The insights he conveys here offer us practical wisdom for a better life.

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?

After being secretly married for three years, Holly Sinclair's husband suddenly asks for a divorce. She hides the pain and leaves after taking the money he gives her. From that day on, her life goes uphill. She restores precious masterpieces and determines their authenticity. The world of vintage pieces is her oyster.After the divorce, a certain ex-husband is filled with regret when he sees Holly on TV, showing off her skills. He turns into her loyal fan and chases her around the world. "I'll give you my heart and soul, babe. Please, come back to me."Holly says, "Sorry, but I'm busy. I have too much to do!"Later, she meets the man who saved her when she was younger. On the day of her wedding, she receives some horrible news. She leaves her groom at the altar and mourns her ex-husband's supposed death. Pain is all she feels.Then, her ex-husband suddenly shows up, wounded but alive, and gets on one knee before her while holding out a diamond ring. "Let's remarry, babe!"

Timely, compelling, and certain to be controversial—a deeply researched study that reveals how companies and policy makers are hindering innovation-led growth Conventional wisdom holds that Western economies are on the threshold of fast-and-furious technological development. Fredrik Erixon and Bjorn Weigel refute this idea, bringing together a vast array of data and case studies to tell a very different story. With expertise spanning academia and the business world, Erixon and Weigel illustrate how innovation is being hampered by existing government regulations and corporate practices. Capitalism, they argue, has lost its mojo. Assessing the experiences of global companies, including Nokia, Uber, IBM, and Apple, the authors explore three key themes: declining economic dynamism in Western economies; growing corporate reluctance to contest markets and innovate; and excessive regulation limiting the diffusion of innovation. At a time of low growth, high unemployment, and increasing income inequality, innovation-led growth is more necessary than ever. This book unequivocally details the obstacles hindering our future prosperity.

Before their marriage, he said, “Our marriage is just an agreement on a piece of paper. Privately, we have nothing to do with each other.” After their marriage, whenever she ran into trouble, he would help her. When she was bullied, he would protect her. She obeyed the agreement and hid the fact that they were married but he announced to the world that she was his wife. When he secretly slipped into bed again, Susan got agitated. “What do you actually want?” He wore an innocent look as he begged, “Please hug me. Please kiss me. Please…” Facing the rogue CEO, Susan could only admit defeat. It was only many years later that she realized that he had loved her for a very long time.

"Let go of me! Hey—" "You want me to let go of you? Not until you satisfy me!"In order to save the child in her womb, Yvette Ortega puts on a show and feigns her own suicide. From that day onward, she ceases to exist in Alexander Crawford's world, and the mention of "Yvette" becomes taboo to him.Beyond anyone's expectation, the two meet again four years later. She finds him cold, merciless, and absolutely hating her guts. But as time goes on, he finds that he's once again, utterly and hopelessly intoxicated with her and desperately needs her, both in his life and in his bed …

Once upon a time, she had a happy family and lived a comfortable life. But because she fell for the wrong guy, everything was ruined.The man she'd fallen for gets together with her best friend.She shows up for their wedding, looking awkward. All she wants is an explanation and some closure, but she's subjected to humiliation. Then, everything changes when another man appears and saves her from that hellhole.How will a marriage that's related to a family's survival turn out?In this marriage, they clash and butt heads while getting to know each other. Will the hint of love that sprouts over time wilt and die after all the hardships they go through, or will it grow into a proper plant? And where will she go from here?

She doesn't know this yet, but he is the richest man in the entire world.Marcus Coleman is the matrilocal live-in husband of Vivian Lorimer, the belle of Cromford City and a member of one of Cromford City's upper-middle-class families. However, he is also the Pantheon's Drakon—a position that enables him to shower anyone with luxuries unimaginable to humankind.As Marcus and Vivian's wedding anniversary draws closer, the taunts directed toward them are vicious as ever. However, unlike all the previous disappointing years, this year, Vivian is in for a surprise. A mysterious supreme billionaire appears, showering her with gifts one could only gaze at in envy. As the tensions in the Lorimer family reach an all-time high, can Vivian simultaneously save her family and find out the identity of the billionaire before her world comes crashing down around her?

Injured and amnesic, Mable's life was saved by Blair, and later she pledged herself to marry him. However, throughout their two years of marriage, Blair had always despised her."You don't even deserve to love me!" He often said. After Blair divorced her, Mable finally came to her senses and decided it was time to start over, to be herself again.Much to his surprise, Blair found out there was a lot more to Mable than meets the eye, only after he cast her aside like she was a pair of torn up shoes. This is not the Mable he thought he knew - Wealthy families revere her as their queen, mysterious families respect her as their lady, top-notch mercenaries worship her as a mentor, and medical geniuses regard her as a legend.Even the deep pockets would profess their love for her with various romantic gestures on live stream…"Mr…. Mr. Fowler, Madam—""Wants to see me?""No, the prince of Fargen, the richest man in Tolfiend, and major-general of Sorolen are all on their way to propose to Madam!""What... but how?" It barely took Blair a moment before he dialed her number and said, "Mabes, let's remarry…""Remarry? You're not worthy!"