Ann Patchett's "52 All-time Favorite Books From The Year I Turned 52"

Kilala si Lucky bilang sikat na artista ng kanyang panahon. Matapos ang isang trahedya, malalaman niya ang pinakatatagong lihim ng kanilang pamilya.

I go deaf in an attempt to save James Duncan. He falls to his knees before my parents and begs them to let me marry him. He says he'll care for me for life. He finally passes his five-year test, but he sleeps with his lover before our wedding. He does it before my very eyes. He clamps a hand over her mouth and says, "Be quiet. Don't wake Layla up." His lover giggles and nibbles on his palm. "What's there to be afraid of? She's deaf; she can't hear us." James doesn't know that I've already regained my hearing. He and his lover are also unaware that their behavior is being livestreamed.

When Alex, a twenty-one year old girl from a poor family, made a financial decision that made her family almost poor. Now her mother suffers from a deadly stroke that leaves her paralyzed and her younger sister, Emily, has gotten admission into the prestigious university of Greenville. Alex is confused and scared. She doesn't want to loose her mom and she also doesn't want her sister to loose her admission slot. But when a job offer comes in as a house keeper in the billionaire Beverly's Mansion, Alex is relieved. Until she finds out the being a male is the main criteria for the job. Alex is desperate, so she agrees. Find out as Alex copes with tying her boobs every morning with a bandage and developing feelings for her boss,the Billionaire Logan Beverly. *** *Snippet* I shift my suspicion aside and continued watching. Alex removed the baggy jeans he wore and was left in a lacy panty I scoffed loudly. My male housekeeper wore panties? I shook my head in confusion. Was he one of those men that had a weird kind of sexual kink? The he stalked into the bathroom. I was tempted to stop. Why was I even bothering watching him undress? It felt weird. But I wanted to know more about that bandage around him. What if he brought in a weapon and concealed it underneath the bandage? I needed to find out. My jaws dropped at what I saw. Alex had boobs! I wiped my eyes to make sure I wasn't hallucinating. How is it possible for a man to have boobs? What's going on here? Alex finally removed the last piece of clothing he had on. And only then did it dawn on me that Alex was in fact, a 'she'.

Linguistics I. Interval. Linguistics II. From the beginning of the semester, she knew that this whole young and hot professor thing wouldn't work out so well. She was divided. Her heart went to one. Her hormones wouldn't let her stop thinking about the other. Did she really have to make a decision? All the time, libidinous thoughts invaded her mind, distracting her from her studies. Was keeping a secret but at the same time open relationship with both of them really that immoral? Isn't that how men behave? The big problem will be when the two professors meet and decide to clear up some gossip, right at break time.

Andrew Lloyd supported Christina Stevens for years and allowed her to achieve her dream. She had the money and status, even becoming the renowed female CEO in the city. Yet, on the day that marked the most important day for her company, Christina heartlessly broke their engagement, dismissing Andrew for being too ordinary.  Knowing his worth, Andrew walked away without a trace of regret. While everyone thought he was a failure, little did they know… As the old leaders stepped down, new ones would emerge. However, only one would truly rise above all!

Nova Scott is a 23 year old scientist. She's strong, beautiful and one of the best scientists you'll ever find. One mistake and she gets caught up in a time warp which takes her 5 centuries backwards. She's mistaken for the princess and forcefully betrothed to the most cold, ruthless and dangerous King in history. Will she fight back? Will she survive and get out of there before it's too late? Or will she follow her destiny?

The Nation of Gryaz has fallen, crushed under the foot and the flying cities of The Empire.Red_Two, a scientist forced to recreate the technologies that had failed him, learns about the Time Travel Project, and makes a vow to steal the device to save himself, and potentially undo the destruction of his home nation. But as he travels into the past, and meets the kindest man and scientist that he has ever known, will Red_Two be able to truly carry out his original goals, considering what is at stake if he does so?Will the spy that he meets let him, or will she simply destroy his world, as he once destroyed hers?

Charles Jansen's true love returns to the country in my seventh year with him. The first post on her social media after she lands is an intimate photo of them together. She captions it, "I'm glad we've come full circle." Only then do I find out the ring hidden in the living room isn't for me. Charles' proposal isn't for me, either. Suddenly, I feel exhausted.

Walang choice si Darine kundi tumakas. Dahil sa ipapakasal siya ng kanyang Lolo sa apo ng kanyang matalik na kaibigan. Handa niyang iwan ang lahat, pagod na rin siya lagi siyang kinokontrol ng kanyang Lolo. Ang mahalaga ay hindi siya makasal sa taong hindi niya kilala. Jasper Guillermo, 34 years old. Business Tycoon, wala sa kanyang vocabulary na mag-asawa mula ng niloko siya ng unang babaeng minahal. Kung hindi niya masunod ang kagustuhan ng kanyang Lolo ay mawawala sa kanya ang kumpanya na inaalagaan niya. Dahil labag kay Jasper ang kagustuhan ng kanyang magulang kaya gumawa siya ng sariling paraan. Hindi siya papayag kung ano gusto ng kanyang Lolo ay masusunod. Yes mahalaga sa kanya ang kumpanya pero hindi siya papayag pagdating sa sarili niyang buhay ay panghimasukan ng kanyang magulang lalo na ang kanyang Lolo. Pagkalipas ng isang linggo ay muling nagtagpo ang landas ni Jasper at Darine. Naglakas loob si Darine na kausapin ang binata kung pwede siya nitong tulungan. Hindi naman nagddalawang isip ang binata tinulungan niya si Darine. "Be my girlfriend sa harapan ng mga magulang ko," sabi niya kay Darine. Paano kung nasa kay Darine ang katangian na taglay na hinahanap ni Jasper sa babae? Kaya bang panindigan ni Jasper ang lumabas sa bibig niya na hindi niya kayang lumagay sa tahimik? Isip o puso ba ang susundin ni Jasper? Paano kung ang darating ang isang araw na ang lalaking pinakamamahal ni Darine ay bigla siya nitong hindi maalala. Kung sino ba si Darine sa buhay niya? Matatanggap ba ni Darine ang biglang pagbabago ni Jasper sa kanya? Lalo na ibang-iba na sa dati ang pakikitungo ni Jasper sa kanya.

My husband promises to go to my hometown with me for the New Year holidays this year after I go to his. But before the trip to my hometown is due, he suddenly tells me he doesn't want to go anymore. I argue with him about this, and he pummels me with a bat. Meanwhile, his family eggs him on, telling him to kill me. Intense pain shoots through me as the blows land. I try my best to fight back, but I can't win against the majority. As the sky darkens, everyone heads home for dinner after giving me a good beating. When I regain consciousness in a corner of the garden, I see sense.