Sarah Strohmeyer

Bestselling author Sarah Strohmeyer offers up a timely (and recession-proof) treat about the things money can—and can’t—buy. Living in New Jersey—the state that boasts the most malls per capita—Kat’s favorite recreational activity is a no-brainer: shopping. But when she discovers that her husband, Griff, has been hiding a secret bank account, her joyful consumerism suddenly loses its appeal. Are their fights about money more serious than she understood? Is he, as her friends suggest, preparing for a divorce? Just in case, Kat decides it’s time to start saving.Drastic times call for drastic measures: Kat starts by canceling cable and kicking her $240-a-month Starbucks habit. But what starts out as a simple effort to cut costs becomes an over-the-top obsession when Kat joins an eclectic but lovable group of savers called the Penny Pinchers Club. Soon she is pumping her gas at dawn (when it is thicker) and serving dinner made from food she retrieved at the grocery store dumpster. Kat is saving money, to be sure, but what she’s really saving is time—time she spends with Griff, their two kids . . . and an old flame who resurfaces at precisely the wrong moment, offering Kat a life where money is no object.An irresistible and wonderfully warm-hearted novel about the unexpected ways hardship can lead to happiness, The Penny Pinchers Club is the perfect pick-me-up for these troubled times.

When Genie's "commitment-phobic" boyfriend proposes on national TV--not to Genie, but to a mystery woman--her friend Patty doesn't hesitate to give her some tough love: "You remind me of Sleeping Beauty, lying around waiting for your prince. Well, guess what, he rode right past your castle and now you have a choice--either go back to bed or wake up!" Genie chooses to wake up. Her first step is to allow everyone to believe she's Hugh's real fiancée. In a heartbeat, her parents are booking a reception hall while friends are showering her with gifts. Genie feels bad about the deception, but soon she realizes that she never needed a man to start her life--to buy a home or get a better job. And if Prince Charming wants to show up while she's at it, she just might teach him a thing or two.--From publisher description.

When Nola Devlin is turned down for her dream job because she's overweight, she decides to become thin-or, at least, pretend to be. The alter ego she creates-the thin, British, hip, and did we mention thin Belinda Apple-is a smashing success who is offered movie proposals, national television appearances and even dates...though no one's met her in person, of course.Then Nola takes Belinda a bit too far, and is forced to join "The Cinderella Pact" and drop the pounds. As the weight comes off, however, Nola's problems begin to mount.

The Agatha Award-winning series returns with a new tale of suspicions, steel-town secrets, and homicide by hair product. For years the local ladies of Lehigh, Pennsylvania, have wished aloud that Debbie Shatsky would meet an untimely end-so they could get their hands on Phil Shatsky, sports-hating, dinner-cooking, massage-giving husband extraordinaire. But when Debbie gets hair extensions at the House of Beauty and dies from a reaction to the glue, it's salon owner Sandy who gets the blame. Her best friend Bubbles Yablonsky, reporter and sleuth, is determined to investigate-despite distractions from the two men in her life. And from a mysterious Santa Claus, who warns Bubbles not to cry, not to pout and not to scream...when he tries to kill her.

Inadvertently landing in jail on her first day as a full-time reporter, Bubbles is granted an exclusive interview with a fellow inmate who has been charged with murder.

After a whirlwind overseas romance, down-home girl Claire Stark has moved to her new husband’s hometown, Hunting Hills, Ohio, where the men earn seven figures, the women wear size two, and if everything isn’t absolutely perfect, you’re expected to pretend it is.… But Claire’s having trouble pretending. For one thing, John’s previous girlfriend still lives here—and with all the bed-hopping in Hunting Hills, she may not be Claire’s only potential rival. For another, Claire’s constantly hearing vicious gossip—including rumors about herself. And though she also misses her reporting career, John isn’t thrilled with the idea of her working at the local paper. She might just have to be satisfied mingling with the Hunting Hills moms, who like to borrow their daughters’ Seven jeans and their sons’ Ritalin. That is, until scandal threatens to shatter the stylish facade of this exclusive gated community—and behind the salon highlights and sunlamp tans, true colors start shining through.

Bubbles, a quirky heroine in her second outing, goes undercover in an Amish colony to investigate a friend's disappearance, leaving her trusty makeup behind and trading her halter tops and hot pants for traditional garb.

"They stormed the beaches of Normandy and the islands of the South Pacific, but the exceptional generation of Americans that won World War II also produced the greatest group of business leaders of the post-war era. Harvard Business School's class of 1949 consisted mostly of military veterans who came to Cambridge thanks to the GI Bill. Molded by the hardships of depression and war, few 49ers sought fabulous wealth as an end in itself. Their conscientious leadership would forever change the course of American business." "By the standards of the go-go '80s and '90s, and today's corporate scandals, the values that defined the 49ers seem quaint; that wealth is created patiently, without cutting corners; that successful companies are those that make real things of real value; that integrity is an end in itself; and that greed is not good." "Those values guided the 49ers to the pinnacle of business success. Leading 49ers helped orchestrate a profound transformation of business in the decades after World War II: The rise of consumer products and services as a key engine of growth; the growing role of technology in spurring innovation and profits; and creative changes on Wall Street that leveraged wealth in extraordinary ways. From the heights of power - 28 percent of the class retired as CEO or president of his company - the 49ers shaped trends in nearly every sector of American business." "Among the legendary figures of the Class of '49 are Marvin Traub, who turned Bloomingdale's into a fashion trendsetter; James Burke, who built Johnson & Johnson into a household name; Peter McColough, whose Xerox Corporation spearheaded the personal computer revolution; and William Ruane, who helped bring "value investing" to Wall Street, creating one of the most successful mutual funds of all time."--Jacket.

With the intrigue of Pretty Little Liars and plenty of romance, bestselling author Sarah Strohmeyer weaves a story of secrets and lies—set in a funeral parlor. Growing up in a house of female morticians, Lily Graves knows all about buried secrets. She knows that perfect senior-class president Erin Donohue isn’t what she seems. She knows why Erin’s ex-boyfriend, hot football player Matt Houser, broke up with her. And she also knows that, even though she says she and Matt are just friends, there is something brewing between them—something Erin definitely did not like. But secrets, even ones that are long buried, have a way of returning to haunt their keeper. So when Erin is found dead the day after attacking Lily in a jealous rage, Lily's and Matt’s safe little lives, and the lives of everyone in their town of Potsdam, begin to unravel. And their relationship—which grew from innocent after-school tutoring sessions to late-night clandestine rendezvous—makes them both suspects. As her world crumbles around her, Lily must figure out the difference between truth and deception, genuine love and a web of lies. And she must do it quickly, before the killer claims another victim.

Addie Emerson doesn t believe in love, at least for herself. A straightlaced, brilliant girl, she s more interested in getting an A than falling in love. But Addie is determined to prove the science of love because Addie Emerson does believe in science. Science tells her that love is nothing more than the brain s state under the influence of certain chemicals. And by artificially stimulating those chemicals, the brain can totally be tricked into falling in love. So Addie decides to apply that knowledge and make her classmates fall in love to win the coveted Athenian Award for Science in her elite private school.

295, 13 pages ; 21 cm860L Lexile

Against all odds, Bubbles Yablonsky has returned to school, but while on her way to journalism school, she happens upon a crime scene and finds herself drawn into a murder investigation.

Three sophomore best friends use their brains--and their wits--to find happiness in high school.

Things aren't always what they seem... sometimes, they're better. Laura Bennett is bored. Divorced and grieving after the death of her mother, she takes the advice of her adventurous best friend and does the craziest thing she's ever done in her life. Sawyer Griffin is a country music superstar who has burned out and gone home to January Cove for a break. But when he meets the new woman in town - in the most unusual way - he decides to keep a big secret about himself that could put their friendship - and possible relationship - in jeopardy. Can opposites attract when neither person is who they seem to be? This is book 8 of the January Cove series. Although it's best to read the series in order, each book stands on its own and can be read out of order.

Lucky Bubbles. Just as she's trying to parlay her test run at the News-Times into a full-time reporting gig, a high-profile murder lands at her pretty feet.