A Cup Of Friendship

Running a Kabul coffee shop that is patronized by ex-pats, American Sunny reaches out to a growing circle of new friends including a pregnant rape victim, a journalist with a painful secret, and a den mother who is engaged in a complicated affair.

New paintings from beloved artist Sandy Clough set a cozy scene for friends to gather and share their hearts while sipping a cup of tea and nibbling delicious scones. Readers will be delighted to find five sections dedicated to celebrating the friends of their lives—the oh-so-sweet one, the faithful one, the newfound one, the rain-day one, and that extra special one. With a loving invitation to spend time together, quotes to warm hearts, and recipes to bless the senses, readers step through these beautiful pages to discover a graceful setting where friendships flourish. When friends give this book, they celebrate the loving spirit of a shared friendship, as wonderful as it is unique. A beautiful gift for any occasion.

“[Deborah] Rodriguez paints a vivid picture of Afghan culture. . . . As if Maeve Binchy had written The Kite Runner.”—Kirkus Reviews After hard luck and heartbreak, Sunny finally finds a place to call home—in the middle of an Afghanistan war zone. There, the thirty-eight-year-old serves up her American hospitality to the expats who patronize her coffee shop, including a British journalist, a “danger pay” consultant, and a wealthy and well-connected woman. True to her name, Sunny also bonds with people whose language and landscape are unfamiliar to most Westerners, but whose hearts and souls are very much like our own: the maternal Halajan, who vividly recalls the days before the Taliban and now must hide a modern romance from her ultratraditional son; and Yazmina, a young Afghan villager with a secret that could put everyone’s life in jeopardy. In this gorgeous first novel, New York Times bestselling author Deborah Rodriguez paints a stirring portrait of a faraway place where—even in the fog of political and social conflict—friendship, passion, and hope still exist. Originally published as A Cup of Friendship. Praise for The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul “A superb debut novel . . . [Deborah] Rodriguez captures place and people wholeheartedly, unveiling the faces of Afghanistan’s women through a wealth of memorable characters who light up the page.”—Publishers Weekly “[A] fast-paced winner of a novel . . . the work of a serious artist with great powers of description at her disposal.”—The Kansas City Star “Readers will appreciate the in-depth, sensory descriptions of this oft-mentioned and faraway place that most have never seen.”—Booklist “Charming . . . [a book] to warm your heart.”—Good Housekeeping

Clara Tanner has lost it all. Her husband is accused in one of the biggest heists on the East Coast, and she relocates her family to Five Island Cove–the hometown she hates. Her mother and brother live there, though Clara never dreamed she'd be returning to the cove. Not only does she find them waiting for her with open arms, but all of the women in her mother's circle are welcoming too. Clara and Scott have bought Friendship Inn, a hulking, close-to-condemned building with one hundred fifteen rooms. Neither of them want to run an inn, but with limited options, Clara rolls up her sleeves and digs in. Alice and Robin are dealing with their oldest children going off to college while AJ is celebrating her son's first birthday. Jean enjoys her Seafaring Girls, and Eloise is having the summer of a lifetime with her new family and busy season at the inn. As Laurel's due date for her first baby approaches, Kelli learns something she never thought would happen to her, all while Kristen is becoming friendlier and friendlier with a new gentleman in her fifty-five-plus community. Clara needs all of their help and support in order to rebuild Friendship Inn, and as all the women pitch in, there's so much more getting fixed up, put in place, and restored. Then a single phone call changes everything. Will these women in Five Island Cove rally around one another as they've been doing? Or will this finally be the thing that breaks them?

We all expect our friendships from childhood to last forever... Libby and Kit have been best friends ever since the day 11-year-old Kit bounded up to Libby's bedroom window. They've seen each other through first kisses, bad break-ups and everything in-between. It's almost 20 years since Libby moved to Sydney, but they've remained close, despite the distance and the different paths their lives have taken. So when Libby announces she's moving back to Melbourne, Kit is overjoyed. They're best friends - practically family - so it doesn't matter that she and Libby now have different...well, different everything, actually, or so it seems when they're finally living in the same city again. Or does it? "STOP WHATEVER YOU ARE DOING AND READ THIS BOOK." Sally Hepworth, bestselling author of The Family Next Door "Lisa Ireland gets right to the heart of female friendship, exploring topics every woman can relate to." Rachael Johns, author of The Greatest Gift

It is virtually impossible to feel connected and supported in life when you don’t feel that way where you spend most of our time—at work. In The Business of Friendship, friendship expert Shasta Nelson unpacks the distinct ways we can make work relationships the healthiest they can be, both for the sake of the employee and the mission of the company. She inspires readers to see why friendship is crucial to our health and our careers, and teaches us exactly how to develop the supportive and meaningful connections we need. Our organizations benefit as friendships at work result in higher levels of workplace productivity, employee retention, safety, innovation, collaboration, and profitability. In having a best friend at work, we are seven times more engaged in our job, which translates to better customer service, less absenteeism, fewer workplace accidents, and more loyalty to our organizations. Through Shasta’s stories, research, and practical guidance, she: Breaks down what creates healthy bonds and reveals the 3 requirements necessary in all healthy relationships and teams. Helps managers and employees assess the health of their relationships and learn ways to repair and improve them. Provides advice for addressing some of the biggest fears around workplace friendships, such as increased drama, favoritism, confidentiality, gossip, toxic coworkers, relationship with bosses, and potential romantic attractions. The Business of Friendship is for those who are ready to maximize the two most significant factors of our wellbeing—career and relationships. Whether you are a leader or an employee, when you feel more connected and supported at work, everyone wins.

Celebrate the warmth and intimacy of friendship with the warmest and most intimate of celebrations -- a tea party! This collection of seasonal celebrations -- complete with easy recipes, doable decorating tips, and other imaginative ideas -- will inspire you to nurture your friendships through the seasons, through the year.

From the author of the "New York Times" bestseller "Kabul Beauty School" comes a fiction debut as compelling as real life: the story of a remarkable coffee shop in the heart of Kabul, and the women who meet there--each with a story and a secret.