Sweatpants Season

He has a big...smile. It was the first thing I noticed that day until he stood. His grey sweatpants hung off his hips and I didn't want to look. I really didn't. I'm a feminist. I don't believe in objectifying men. I don't catcall men. I don't ogle the bodies of men. I don't view men as objects of my affection rather than complex people with feelings, wants, and needs of their own. I don't treat men the way society often treats women. I treat men the way I want to be treated as a woman-with respect! So, when Carlos ran into me while I was reviewing my interview questions in the park, it surprised me to see my photography classmate out of context. I was also surprised to see as much of him as I did. It wasn't just that it caught my eye. It was the fact that it held my attention. It wasn't just that it was large. It was the fact that it was visibly large. It wasn't just that it was Carlos Richmond. It was the fact that I am Akila Bishara. And I am not seduced by anything other than intelligent conversation, witty rapport, and meaningful actions. I am not seduced by a dick print. I am not. Seriously, I'm not.

In the twenty-first century, the romance genre has gained a growing academic response, including the creation of the International Association for the Study of Popular Romance. Popular romance has long been so ignored and maligned that seemingly every scholarly work on it opens with a lengthy defense of the genre and its value for academic study. Even the early scholarly works on the genre approach it in ways that, while primarily respectful, make sweeping generalizations about popular romance, its texts, and its readers. This essay collection examines the position of the romance genre in the twenty-first century, and the ways in which romance responds to and influences the culture and community in which it exists. Essays are divided into six sections, which cover the genre's relationship with masculinity, the importance of consent, historical romance, representation, social status and web-based romance fiction.

We met. Our eyes locked. But I wasn’t free, and neither was she. I watched her walk away and her memory has haunted me ever since. We meet again in paradise. But my life has been destroyed. I’m a ruin of what I used to be, and I send her away. “Get out. You’re fired.” “Nanh,” she answers. “What do you mean, nanh?” “I mean I’m not leaving,” she answers. “I’m staying right here.” Little Brat. We look at each other. Her in cheap servant's clothes. Me in my wheelchair. Battle lines are drawn. And if you think this romance isn’t going to be epic, then you don’t know TT. READER WARNING: This one is a heartwarmer, but it's not for the pearl clutchers. If you can’t stand a boss who will put you over his knee, then skip that one-click. Because Rashid is a beast who knows how to punish. All. Night. Long.

It’s only been one week since the night of the gala—the night Harlowe and Cas finally submitted to the fire long-simmering between them…and their friends. Unsure of how to behave after a wild night of passion and an after-party no one would forget, Harlowe took off, heading halfway across the world to work out her all-too-complicated feelings. But now she’s back in the star-lit hills of Hollywood and the glamor, luxury, and decadence that pulled her in once before is difficult to resist. Especially since Cas is doing everything in his power to seduce her—and he’s not the only one. It may be Harlowe’s birthday, but a night under the stars, a surrender to the ultimate temptation, and an exploration of indulgence and intimacy means she’s not the only one celebrating. The only question is, will she run again come morning, or has she finally found someone—or someones—worth staying for?

6’5”. Gorgeous. Ripped with muscle. MD and PhD. Doctor Otto Och is proudly omega. Having it all is a curse. Alphas see him as only a decoration, a pretty body and face they can catcall, or take home and throw away in the morning. On his first day working at MPreg Hospital, Otto makes an intimate acquaintance: the very masculine, very single, and very alpha Doctor Alf Albertson. Alf doesn’t pursue anybody. He gets enough interest already. And Alf certainly doesn’t get into relationships. Though he does have a strong protective instinct toward omegas. Their steamy tryst brings a surprise, but Alf isn't the settling-down kind, and a scandal from the past makes Otto doubt everything. The New Omega Doctor Is Way Too Hot is a non-shifter male pregnancy romance with a masculine alpha protecting a gorgeous omega, salty caramel milk for a pregnant man, innovative ways to write the number 11, and a feel-good HEA.

What’s a girl have to do to lose her virginity around here? Quinn “Quinntastrophe” Mowery is a hot mess. Or possibly—probably?—cursed. Seriously. She's trying to cash in her V-card but apparently, she's the only woman in the history of ever who can't even get laid at a frat party, thanks to Cooper-the-cockblocking-jockhole-DeLaurentis. Yeah. That Cooper DeLaurentis. The one who's famous for being a player on and off the field. Cooper's carefully crafted reputation suits him just fine. As long as he’s pulling down passes and putting up touchdowns, no one looks too deep or expects too much. So, no one’s more surprised than he is when he cockblocks his frat brother’s younger sister. Quinn’s ridiculous virginity quest is none of his business, and the snarky, sexy redhead is exactly the kind of distraction he can’t afford. With his shot at being a first-round NFL draft pick drawing closer every day, Coop needs to stay focused. Because if he fumbles, his future isn’t the only one on the line.

This comprehensive and authorative sourcebook offers academics, researchers and students an introduction to and overview of current scholarship at the intersection of marketing and feminism. In the last five years there has been a resurrection of feminist voices in marketing and consumer research. This mirrors a wider public interest in feminism – particularly in the media as well as the academy - with younger women discovering that patriarchal structures and strictures still limit women’s development and life opportunities. The "F" word is back on the agenda – made high profile by campaigns such as #MeToo and #TimesUp. There is a noticeably renewed interest in feminist scholarship, especially amongst younger scholars, and significantly insightful interdisciplinary critiques of this new brand of feminism, including the identification of a neoliberal feminism that urges professional women to achieve a work/family balance on the back of other women’s exploitation. Consolidating existing scholarship while exploring emerging theories and ideas which will generate further feminist research, this volume will be of interest to researchers, academics and students in marketing and consumption studies, especially those studying or researching the complex inter-relationship of feminism and marketing.

Elijah Grove is the absolute worst. And he knows it too. Mainly because I’ve told him so every day since I’ve met him. I wish that I could just avoid him for the rest of my life but that’s hard to do when we live in this small town. I thought that we were on the same page about ignoring each other but then one night he shows up at my bakery and offers me a deal. One that I promptly reject but when he jams his foot in my door and refuses to leave until I hear him out, I relent. He wants me to be his girlfriend. It would be fake, obviously. We just need to make it look good and fool his family so that they don’t try to set him up while they’re in town. In exchange, he’ll help me get my bakery up and running. I would be an idiot to say yes, but there is a lot of work to be done and we’d only have to pretend for a few days. I can handle it. Or I thought that I could, but the more time that I spend around the grumpy giant, the more I start to see that he might not be as bad as I first thought. But this is all just a façade. Isn’t it?