Some of the world's earliest large-form fictional narratives--what would today be called novels-are found in ancient Greece. Dating back to the first century CE, these narratives contain many of the elements common to the novelistic genre, for instance, the joining, separation, and reunion of two lovers. These ancient works have often been heralded as the ancestors of the modern novel; but what can we say of the origins of the Greek novel itself? This book argues that whereas much of Greek literature was committed to a form of cultural purism, presenting itself as part of a continuous tradition reaching back to the founding fathers within the tradition, the novel reveled in cultural hybridity. The earliest Greek novelistic literature combined Greek and non-Greek traditions. More than this, however, it also often self-consciously explored its own hybridity by focusing on stories of cultural hybridization, or what we would now call "mixed-race" relations. This book is thus not a conventional account of the origins of the Greek novel: it is not an attempt to pinpoint the moment of invention, and to trace its subsequent development in a straight line. Rather, it makes a virtue of the murkiness, or "dirtiness," of the origins of the novel: there is no single point of creation, no pure tradition, only transgression and transformation. The novel thus emerges as an outlier within the Greek literary corpus: a form of literature written in Greek, but not always committing to Greek cultural identity. Dirty Love focuses particularly on the relationship between Persian, Egyptian, Jewish and Greek literature, and explores such texts as Ctesias' Persica, Joseph and Aseneth, the Alexander Romance, and the tale of Ninus and Semiramis. It will appeal not only to those interested in Greek literary history, but also to readers of near eastern and biblical literature.

Armie Jacobson is the hottest MMA fighter in the game, but Merissa Colter is ready to try out a few steamy moves of her own to win him.

From the moment I met Maddie, I wanted her. I can have any woman I want, but she’s all I can think of. She’s supposed to be my in-house cook, except for the fact that I rarely eat at home. So why do I have a cook at all? That’s Louis DeVille’s fault. I don’t know how he did it, but the owner of DeVille Staffing somehow convinced me to hire a cook, despite the fact that I don’t need or want one. What I do want is Maddie. From the moment I met her, I haven’t been able to think of anything but her. It’s like I’m under a spell and I won’t be normal again until I have her. NOTE: SWEET THINGS is all about instalove and sexy times between a woman and her boss. It couldn’t take place in today’s work environment because it’s pure fantasy, so read it with that in mind. Enjoy! Looking for more stories of instalove and hot times between a woman and her boss? Each Dirty Boss book delivers all that and more, and even better, since none of it could take place in today’s work environment, it’s pure fantasy. After Sweet Things, check out Private Secretary. The third Dirty Boss book, Play Date, is coming soon, and you're going to love this nanny and grumpy boss romance, the perfect distraction from everyday life! Topics: boss romance, boss romance books, instalove possessive alpha romance, instalove romance, possessive hero, possessive hero romance, New York Times bestselling author, USA Today bestselling author, workplace romance, K.M. Scott, chef, baking, Alpha male, New York City, erotic romance, contemporary romance, romance, top books in romance, top books in contemporary romance Perfect for fans of Helen Hardt, Meghan March, Kendall Ryan, Anna Zaires, J. Kenner, CD Reiss, Lauren Blakely, Skye Warren, Aleatha Romig, Lisa Renee Jones, Penelope Sky, E.L. James, Vi Keeland, Stella Gray, Penelope Ward, Meredith Wild, Chelle Bliss, Charlotte Byrd, Laurelin Paige, Jodi Ellen Malpas, Sylvia Day, Maya Banks, Louise Bay, Shayla Black, Natasha Knight, Carly Phillips, Erika Wilde, Amelia Wilde

Two seasoned operatives finally meet their match: each other. Cillian works for the mysterious Special Branch 20: an organization that runs black ops commissioned by the British government. His specialty is deep undercover assignments with virtually no support. He's been alone for so long that he no longer knows anything else. Mal's also used to being alone. Wanted in several states and even more countries, he's not allowed in the vicinity of any of his former Navy SEAL teammates. And his current assignment is to track Cillian in order to discover the spook's endgame. Except he's no longer sure which one of them is getting played. Cillian isn't about to let the mission that's consumed him for the past several years crumble because an outsider is poking around where he doesn't belong. But Mal forces his way through Cillian's defenses — and into his heart — exposing a devastating betrayal that could destroy them both.

Unlike her best friends Mia and Lola, Harlow Vega has a reputation for always being up for a fling. Twelve drunk and wild hours in Sin City married to the ridiculously hot and rugged Canadian fisherman Finn Roberts, who (no surprise) is amazing with his muscular hands - and his lips and the rest of his body - was just her speed. But it was just a thing: dirty, rowdy, and easy... until Finn turns up in her hometown on business. Harlow's not ready to be tied down but when the whole crew is handing out together, there's just something about him. It may not be love (hell, it may not even be like), but their exciting, tension-filled hookups provide the perfect distraction from the scary life changes they're both facing - challenges neither is sure how to handle, let alone fix. One night together turns into two, and soon Finn's mysterious business trip has gone on for weeks. They agreed on the sex-wild, wet, kinky-but now their bordercrossing booty call is starting to feel like the real deal. And for two people used to being in control, taking the ultimate plunge by faling in love feels a lot more like flat-out falling.

A comedy of manners, a mystery thriller, and a sardonic satire whose deliciously unscrupulous narrator claims that everything he did regarding his victims was “market-led,” Dirty Tricks is pure entertainment from one of the most inventive writers around. When the nameless narrator embarks upon an affair with Karen, a seemingly vapid P.E. teacher married to a boring accountant, he does not know her fetish is for adultery while her husband is in the room or loitering nearby. But once he finds out, he doesn’t care. He has been abroad for twenty years, and since his return to merry old England he’s been startlingly uninhibited by morals or a conscience. Which is not only why he eventually gets involved with blackmail, a kidnapping, and two murders, but also how, with hilariously syllogistic logic, he’s able to justify his role in all of it.

‘Women should be obscene and not heard’ – John Lennon ‘The only unnatural act is that which you cannot perform' – Alfred Kinsey ‘Fat people are brilliant in bed: if I’m sitting on top of you, who’s going to argue?' – Jo Brand ‘What most women want is not a man who ties you to the bed but one who unstacks the dishes while you watch The Great British Bake Off’ – Harriet Harman Throughout the centuries, talk of sex has proved irresistible, producing wide-ranging responses, contradictory remarks, denouncements and appraisals; something seen as harmless by one is often condemned as damnable by another. Whatever your sexual preferences, Talking Dirty is a hugely entertaining treasury of wit on this endlessly entertaining and controversial topic.

First broadcast on HBO in 1998, Sex and the City quickly became a mainstream success. Following four women who navigate the promise and peril of social, political, and sexual relationships in New York, the series caused a stir in the popular media. Academia also responded with a remarkable body of criticism for such an apparently trivial program. But more than ten years after the show ended, there is still much more to say about this cultural phenomenon that spawned two film sequels. In Talking Dirty on Sex and the City: Romance, Intimacy, Friendship, Beatriz Oria explores the discourses surrounding the series from a sociological point of view. Specifically, this book focuses on the conventions of the romantic comedy genre and how its familiar fictional world articulates issues of intimacy, gender identity, and interpersonal relationships. Oria considers how generic conventions employed by the show affect discourses on intimacy and how interpersonal relationships at the turn of the century have not only been represented but also fashioned through a relevant popular-culture text. The author also explores such elements as romantic versus democratic love, the representation of female sexuality, and new family models. With an interdisciplinary approach, this book touches on many different areas, including sociology, psychology, gender studies, and media studies. Aimed at a broad academic audience, Talking Dirty on Sex and the City will also appeal to longtime fans, who are no doubt still gossiping about the show.

The Two Demon Spirits That All Demons Get Their Strength From Exposed is the secret strategy of Satan and the tools to defeat a dynamic duo so strong that they empower all other demons.

NO ONE IS TOO DIRTY FOR GOD'S LOVE! The church and modern Christianity has lost its authenticity! No one wants to tell their "dirty" stories of redemption anymore. We live in a broken world, full of fallen people who act as if they have no flaws once they have come to Jesus. There is not one perfect human being but Jesus Christ. Yet, Christians have hid behind the religious fallacy that we have to mask the past and act like we have been spotless since birth. People need to know that History changed our story. Were we not that "dirty" sinner before we found grace? Were we not the one who was in desperate need of saving? Were we not the one who felt unworthy to be loved by the God of the universe? Are we still not one who struggles with sin every now and then after coming to Jesus? So why have we forgotten our redemption story? Why are we afraid to reflect on where God brought us from? Dirty Christianity will challenge you on a prescriptive scriptural journey of transparency and authenticity to tell your redemption story and make the gospel relevant to those who desperately need the loving embrace of God the Father, the amazing grace through Jesus Christ and the refreshing filling of the Holy Spirit. In turn, this gospel that has changed your life just may grip you again.