Chloe's Chick Lit Reviews

Book Review: The Great Escape by Fiona Gibson

2012-02-24T12:00:00.000Z

"Hannah’s getting married… and has serious pre-wedding jitters. She adores Ryan but can’t figure out how to fit into his grown-up, family-sized life. There’s that fridge, for starters. That, too, is family-sized, with a gadget on the front that spits ice in her face. More alarming still are Ryan’s children, Daisy, 10 and Josh, 13, who clearly don’t relish the prospect of Hannah, a free-spirited greetings card illustrator, becoming their step-mum.

So she fires off invitations to a hen weekend – just the ticket to get her into the marrying mood. Trouble is…

New mum Sadie is leaving her twin babies for the very first time with their terrified dad…

Lou is unaware that her long-term man Spike is desperate to bundle her onto that Glasgow-bound train so he can hot-foot it round to see his secret fling Miranda…

And, unbeknown to the girls, Johnny, their sexy upstairs neighbour from their art college days, is still frequenting those haunts, desperately in need of a little magic to happen."

Rating: 4/5

I have read a few of Fiona Gibson's novels now, and when I pick them up I am always guaranteed a laugh as I find her stories about motherhood very funny, and my favourite of her books so far has definitely been last year's release Mum On The Run. I loved the cover for this book straight away, it looks very fun with the bright colours and funny picture, but to be honest, that's a little bit deceiving as I felt this book was a little more hard reading than her previous novels, and certainly the subject matters are a bit more serious as well. The book deals with the issues of step-parenting, infidelity, finding yourself after having children amongst others, and I felt these topics made for good reading and I really enjoyed the story as a whole.

The book follows 3 close friends who have known each other since their university days. Hannah is marrying Ryan, but is struggling with the reality of being step mum to his children, and the everyday trials and tribulations that presents. So she decides to head back to Scotland for her hen do, where her and 2 best friends Sadie and Lou all went to University. Things aren't as easy as they seem though... Sadie is now mum to baby twin boys, and is nervous about leaving them alone with husband Barney for the first time. Lou is in a relationship with boyfriend Spike but would be the first to admit they're stuck in a rut. She's puzzled about why Spike sold his precious guitar to help fund her trip to Scotland as well. The characters are all a great group of friends, and I found myself liking them and their stories because they were all very realistic and readable.

My favourite character of the lot was probably new mum Sadie. I think every mum can relate to the nerves of leaving their baby for the first time, even if it is with their dad and I liked how Gibson wrote Sadie's trepidation and worry really well and believably. You could really feel for her and how lost she felt when she became a mum, left her old home and moved to a quiet village where she knew no-one except for hubby Barney. I loved Sadie, although I did find Hannah very likeable too. She is getting a bit unsure about her impending marriage but only because she's worried her fiance's children don't like her. I'm sure any step-mother can sympathise with Hannah and her problems, but Gibson writes it very well and I found these scenes quite awkward to read so think they must be realistic!! My least favourite was Lou, she was a bit blinded about Spike and his extra-curricular activites, letting him doss around at home while she works all hours, and I wanted her to grow a bit of a backbone and tell him to get lost and to get her life back!

While the book is mainly set in London with Lou and Hannah, I far more enjoyed it when the characters went up to Scotland. It isn't somewhere I have ever visited, but I could imagine it perfectly in my mind thanks to Gibson's writing bringing it alive. I loved all the scenes, from those in the daytime to the girls clubbing at night with their new friend that they met on the train, and I loved the twist that happened in this part of the book as well. The reappearance of a friend from their old Uni lives shakes up everything for the 3 women, and I enjoyed the way it went with them after he came back on the scene. It also caused ramifications for some people in the book, and it was a good way to kick start everything in the book to make it all right between these characters. Another thing I loved was the way Gibson didn't ignore the stories of the men being left behind when the women went to Scotland, instead their stories are continued, and I especially loved reading how Barney was coping with his twin boys, and it certainly made him realise how hard wife Sadie works

I found this to be very different to the other books by Fiona Gibson I have read before, not quite as funny and light-hearted, instead choosing to focus on the more serious side of these 3 relationships, and how friendship changes over the year as circumstances change. I loved the characters, and found myself really caring about them, which I always think is the sign of a really good book. Don't be fooled by the cover which I think will make people think it's a soft, comedy read because it's so much more than that, and I found myself really wound into the lives of Hannah, Sadie and Lou. If you've enjoyed Gibson's earlier books, then I'm sure you will like this one but if you haven't yet discovered her as an author, I would recommend this one as a good starting point, it's a well written, enjoyable and good novel about the trials and tribulations of parenthood, relationships and accepting change all around you! Recommended.

You can buy The Great Escape as a paperback or as an eBook now.

Book News: Hidden Treasures by Fern Britton

2012-02-24T09:00:00.000Z

Fern Britton's second novel Hidden Treasures is due out at the end of March, and sounds like it's going to be a good read. I have to confess I wasn't madly keen on Fern's debut novel New Beginnings, finding it a bit too safe for my liking, but I hope her second novel is going to be a bit more gritty! It's out on March 26th.

"Helen Merrifield has said goodbye to her philandering husband and her swish West London house, to live in an idyllic country cottage in the heart of a postcard-perfect village in Cornwall.

Putting the past behind her, Helen throws herself into country life and soon makes a new set of eccentric friends. To her surprise, Helen finds herself the love-interest of two very different men: the kind, gentle, desperate-for-love-and-sex Simon, and the darkly enigmatic local historian Piran.

Whilst Helen is getting to grips with her new life, her oldest and dearest friend, Penny, a hot-shot TV Producer, has decided that the village is the perfect setting for her new TV series. When the cast and crew descend, two worlds collide, and Helen is thrown headlong into 5am wake-up calls and temperamental celebrities.

In the midst of all this, Helen stumbles across a forgotten old tin chest full of Edwardian treasures. Who do they belong to? Will the unpleasant historian Piran help her to find out or will Simon have the key?

As Helen finds herself the focus of Simon and Piran’s attentions, it looks like her ex-husband is planning to put in an unscheduled appearance. Will Helen embrace the future, or is it too difficult to let go of the past?"

You can pre-order Hidden Treasures in hardback and as an eBook now!

Book Cover News: Adele Parks has cover redesign

2012-02-23T09:25:00.001Z

Adele Parks' book catalogue has had a huge cover makeover courtesy of her publishers Headline, and they really are very different from the old look! I have to say in a way they don't work because you can't read her name over some of the brighter background colours which is a bit of a flaw, but I think they have quite a serious look about them, the photographic style certainly makes them stand out from other chick lit covers. I've put some of Adele's older cover below - which do you prefer, the new covers or old? Leave a comment and let me know!

Book News: Unsuitable Men by Pippa Wright

2012-02-22T09:00:00.001Z

Pippa Wright's second novel Unsuitable Men is due out on 15th March, and I can't wait! I really enjoyed her debut Lizzy Harrison Loses Control, it was a really good book and had me laughing out loud, so I have high hopes for this one too!

"After eleven years of coupled-up domesticity, Rory Carmichael is single for the first time in her adult life. Even she would admit that her ex-boyfriend Martin wasn’t the most exciting man in the world – let’s face it, his idea of a rocking night was one spent updating his Excel spreadsheets – but Rory could rely on him and, having watched her mother rack up four turbulent marriages, that’s what matters. But when she discovers that her supposedly reliable Mr Right is a distinctly unreliable cheater, she’s forced to consider the possibility that everything she knows about relationships is wrong. In an effort to reinvigorate both her love life and her lacklustre career at posh magazine Country House, she sets herself a mission to date as many unsuitable men as possible. Toyboys. Sugar daddies. Fauxmosexuals. Maybe the bad boys she’s never dated can show her what she’s been missing in life. But if Mr Right can turn out to be so wrong, maybe one of her Mr Wrongs will turn out to be just right . . ."

You can pre-order Unsuitable Men as a paperback or as an eBook now.

Author Video: Marian Keyes talks about 'Saved By Cake'

2012-02-21T12:36:00.003Z

Thanks to Marian Keyes' publishers over at Penguin, I have a few videos to be sharing with you about Marian's new cook book Saved By Cake! The first video for you is Marian talking about her new book, and features some amazing images of the delicious looking cakes you can make using the book! I'll also be bringing you a great recipe soon, and more videos too! Let me know your thoughts!

Book Cover: Rumours by Freya North

2012-02-21T09:00:00.003Z

Here is the brand new cover of Freya North's summer release Rumours! I have to say I think it's absolutely gorgeous! Black/grey isn't a colour I'd ever associate with chick lit, but I think for the title of this book, it works really well in a sinister, secretive kind of way. I have read a few of Freya's books, both her older stuff and new ones too and enjoyed them all, so I'm really looking forward to this one. It's due out on June 21st!

"Single mother and ex-art historian Stella has had to become an estate agent. When she is sent to appraise a beautiful but crumbling old Georgian estate in a quirky Hertfordshire village, she little thinks she’ll meet a rather dishy woodworker, Xander.

But selling the big house is not as straightforward as it appears – with the sale of the house go the livelihoods of Xander and many other estate workers, along with their homes. Xander has lived in the village all his life and is desperate to preserve the unique dynamic of the village. Sparks fly..."

You can pre-order Rumours in both paperback and as an eBook now.

Book Review: Sweet Little Lies by Alison Bond

2012-02-20T12:30:00.001Z

What if your best friend tried to ruin your life?

Take two childhood friends: glamorous, rich Chrissie and clever, down to earth Anna. But what was once the perfect friendship - despite their differences - is now a web of lies and betrayal.

Years ago, Chrissie did something terrible to Anna and it caused more pain and heartbreak than she could ever have predicted. Anna must never find out.

But Chrissie's guilt is suffocating her - especially when the man they both loved walks back into their lives. When she starts to fall apart under the pressure, the one person she wants to confide in is the one person who must never know. But perhaps Anna isn't telling all she knows either . . .

Can a friendship made of a patchwork of lies endure? Will the truth end it completely? Or can Chrissie and Anna put their sweet little lies behind them?

Rating: 4/5

Sweet Little Lies is a book I have been interested in for quite some time. Since last year, and the cover disaster that was Alison Bond's last book A Reluctant Cinderella which had both a rubbish title and cover despite the fantastic story within, I have been keen to see what publishers Penguin would do with this new book, and luckily it seemed they have come to their senses and given the book a far more appropriate cover, although having read the book, I can't say it entirely relates because there isn't any beach scenes in the book, but I suppose it's a vast improvement on her last cover! Nonetheless, the story within is once again really good and here's why you should read Sweet Little Lies.

The main two characters of this book, Chrissie and Anna, are friends, although I use the word "friends" very lightly. Chrissie is a pretty spoilt girl, getting to do what she wants without worrying about the ramifications, and Anna is the polar opposite, works hard at school and wasn't born with a silver spoon in her mouth. However, Chrissie is desperately seeking attention from her money mogul father who is more interested in his bank account than his daughter, whereas Anna is very close to both her parents, and Chrissie is jealous. Then Chrissie does something unthinkable which breaks the relationship between the friends for good. But they somehow migrate back together, and aren't telling each other the whole truth. But why, and what did Chrissie do?

I really liked the main characters of this book, especially Anna. I felt she was very well written, and was just very likeable as a person. She had her head on straight, worked hard and then got a good job after school too, and was a very dutiful daughter. There are some important and emotional issues in the book involving Anna's father, and I have to say Bond covered these very well, and wrote this part of the book extremely well - it was very sad but it's nice to see these sort of issues written about. Chrissie on the other hand is quite a horrible person, very selfish and arrogant but that is what makes her so great in the book, she's a good contrast to the more sedate Anna. She's really a little girl craving attention from her daddy, but hides it behind bravado, shopping and a desperate need to not work for money. The thing she does to Anna is awful, and while I hated her for it, I was so curious to find out whether she'd keep it to herself or not.

The relationships that the women have are important too, especially that which they have with one character, Ben. Anna and he had a bit of a thing when they were at school, but of course Chrissie wouldn't take that and decides to make Ben hers later on in life. It causes some bones of contention for the friends, and I couldn't bring myself to like Ben, he seemed to weak and couldn't see what Chrissie was really doing with him. The book travelled around quite a bit, from London over to Japan, where Chrissie's dad was based. I found the scenes in Japan were brilliant, very realistically written and Bond has clearly put a lot of research into them. Japan is somewhere I'd love to visit, and Bond makes it sound fantastic.

I really enjoyed reading this book, and it was a really interesting look at friendships, and why we are drawn towards certain people in our lives, and why sometimes we can't let them go even when we know they aren't good for us. Anna and Chrissie are both very different as people, but for some reason have a strange friendship that they can't seem to shift. A lot of big things happen in their lives, mainly because of Chrissie but its how they deal with these things and the consequences that they have on them later in their life which make it fascinating reading, and I hated having to put it down as I wanted to see what the two women were going to do next. The book doesn't boast a huge cast, in fact I'd say there are only 4 or 5 main characters in total that we see, but it's a very well written look at the friendship between two women, and an enjoyable read from Alison Bond!

You can buy Sweet Little Lies as a paperback or an eBook now.

Book News: The House On Willow Street by Cathy Kelly

2012-02-20T09:00:00.000Z

Cathy Kelly's new book The House On Willow Street is due out on 1st March, and I'm really looking forward to reading it. Cathy's books are always very emotional stories about real people and real emotions, and I'm sure this one will be no different. I like the bright blue cover, and think it sounds like a wonderful book.

"Tess used to be happy with her lot: she lives in the idyllic Irish coastal village, Avalon, with her teenage son, Zach and nine-year-old Kitty, and works in the local antiques shop. Her only regret in life is that everything went so horribly wrong with her first love. Then her marriage falls apart and her first love returns to Avalon.

Suki, Tess’s sister, fled Ireland years ago to marry politician Kyle Richardon, but when Suki discovers that a biographer is planning to tell all, there is only one place she can go to ensure that her secrets stay hidden.

Danae is the village post mistress in Avalon and she’s worked very hard to make sure nobody knows where she came from or who she is… Her past is her business and that’s the way she would like to keep it.

In Galway, Mara sits with a smile glued to her face at a wedding; she only wants to ask the groom one thing: why did he tell her he loved her? Needing to put her past behind her, Mara packs up her life and gets ready for a fresh start.

Can these four women lay their pasts to rest? Or do they need to look back before they can begin to live for the future?"

You can pre-order The House On Willow Street as a hardback or an eBook now.

Book Cover: I Heart London by Lindsey Kelk

2012-02-19T09:00:00.000Z

I am a huge fan of Lindsey Kelk's "I Heart..." series, so imagine my excitement when I saw the cover for the latest installment I Heart London last night! It's beautiful, not on the scale of I Heart Vegas' purple spectacular last year, but it's very pretty and evocative of London and the Thames river! It's due out on 7th June (few days before my birthday, hurrah!), and I can't wait!

"Angela’s visa has expired and it looks as though she’s going to have to set foot again on home turf where further romantic trouble awaits. She has to face the ex-boyfriend she ran out on, her best friend’s new baby, and her mum. Is she now a New York girl through and through or can London win her heart again?"

You can pre-order I Heart London as a paperback or an eBook now.

Book Review: A Walk In The Park by Jill Mansell

2012-02-17T12:30:00.035Z

"It's been a while, but Lara Carson's back in Bath and lives are set to change as a result. Because Lara left her family and boyfriend Flynn eighteen years ago without a word to anyone. Why has no one heard from her since? Her childhood best friend Evie is thrilled Lara's back and able to share her happiness. Evie's about to walk down the aisle with her dream man, Joel. Or so she thinks... Then there's Flynn Erskine, even more attractive now and stunned to see Lara again. The spark between them is as strong as ever, but how's Flynn going to react when he discovers the secret she's been keeping from him? Oh yes, there's a lot of catching up to be done..."

Rating: 5/5

I love Jill Mansell's books. There's something very readable about them, and I just enjoy the stories, the characters and the way Jill unravels a story. Amazingly, this is Jill's 23rd book, and she seems to get better with each book. I love the cover of this one, it really suits the title of the book perfectly, and green isn't a very used colour in chick lit colours, so it'll certainly stand out on a bookshelf. Once I had read the blurb of this book, I knew that I wanted to read it and find out exactly why Lara had to run away all of those years ago, and I knew from previous experience with Jill's books that it wouldn't be all straight forward, and so I eagerly got stuck in!

The book begins with Lara returning to her hometown of Bath after 18 years away from it, for the funeral of her father. Don't feel too sorry for her though, because Lara isn't sad her dad has died, they never had a good relationship when she was young, which was why she ran away when she was 16. In the interim, she's had a daughter called Gigi, who she has brought up alone, and she's quite worried about returning home to her old life once more. Things are quite quickly revealed as to why Lara had to run away, but it's the fallout from this which makes up the rest of story, and Lara's determination to make things right and find out why her father hated her so much. I loved the character of Lara, she was really likeable and friendly, and the perfect heroine for the book. Yes, she was a little bit flawed and wouldn't admit her feelings for old boyfriend Flynn who makes a reappearance, but other than that, she's great and I was really wanting everything to work out for her.

I absolutely loved Gigi, Lara's young daughter who plays quite an important role in the book, especially as she's an older teenager rather than young child, and has her own mind and makes some important moves in the book. Mansell wrote the relationship between the pair perfectly, and it was lovely to read a positive mother/daughter relationship in chick lit as they can quite often be dysfunctional and not always easy to read. The other character I really liked was Flynn, the old boyfriend of Lara who turns out to be quite a major character in the book too. It annoyed me that neither of them would admit to their true feelings, and strung it out over the book, but he was very likeable, although I didn't like something he did near the end of the novel! He is a pretty good hero character, and I enjoyed reading the story between Lara and Flynn come about, and them facing up to their actions of years ago and how it still impacts on their lives now. Oh, and I have to mention the hilarious yet touching storyline between Lara's friend Harry and superstar rapper Enjay, it had me laughing out loud and was something totally unexpected in the book!

Mansell isn't afraid to write about some important issues, and she covers those with ease and grace in the book. I found the dynamic between Lara, Gigi and Flynn was extremely well written, and I feel Mansell has really done her research when it comes to the issues that these characters are facing. Not only that, but Lara has to find out some other things about her long-deceased mother too which she struggles to deal with, but I liked how the character approached these things, and it opened up other relationships in the book that were really touching, and I defy anyone not to shed a bit of a tear at the emotional ending of this book due to that storyline! I love Mansell's descriptions of Bath, she really brings it to life with her writing, and it is somewhere I definitely want to visit now! I love how Mansell manages to juggle several stories within the one book, without making them feel like one is more important than the other, from Lara's tale, to her best friend's relationship breakdown to Harry and Enjay too. I really enjoyed this book, and I read it relatively quickly as I didn't want to put it down, I was really involved in the lives of Lara and co. and didn't want to leave them behind! Mansell has another hit novel on her hands here, and rightly so, it's brilliant!

You can buy A Walk In The Park as a hardback or as an eBook now.

Author Interview: Jill Mansell

2012-02-17T09:25:00.000Z

The lovely Jill Mansell, author of new book A Walk In The Park, has kindly agreed to an author interview and to answer my questions about the book, how she manages to think of stories when she's already written 23(!) amazing books, and what she's up to next! My biggest thanks go to Jill for answering my questions.

Q1. Please tell me about your new book 'A Walk In The Park'.

Lara returns to Bath and her friends discover why she disappeared so suddenly, eighteen years before. It's about families and secrets and tangled relationships...ooh dear, sorry, I never know how to describe my books, it's my biggest failing. But this one is allegedly a good read!

Q2. I really liked the character of Lara - she gets on with things despite the bad start she was dealt in life, and has a great relationship with her daughter too. Did you enjoy writing her as a character and her relationship with Gigi too?
Thanks, I love her too. I really enjoy writing happy mother-daughter relationships - my own daughter types up my work for me and may bear some slight resemblance to Gigi in the book, ie she's quite bossy, always knows best and loves telling me off when I make a mistake!

Q3. 'A Walk In The Park' is set in the beautiful city of Bath. Why did you choose to set the book here and is it a place close to your heart?
I adore Bath - I grew up not far away and we used to visit most weekends. It has a lovely feel to it and the views over the city from the surrounding hills never fail to enthrall me. It's quirky and glamorous.

Q4. Amazingly, this is your 23rd novel - how do you keep managing to produce one novel a year, and how do you keep coming up with these brilliant story-lines?!
Oh crikey, I have no idea - in fact I'm currently struggling to think of ideas for the next book, as everything seems to have been used before. Hopefully I'll overhear a snippet of riveting gossip in a restaurant and that'll be enough to set me off again, like a greyhound after a hare...

Q5. As far as I'm aware, you've never done a sequel to any of your books? Is this something you'd ever consider?
It would probably make my life much easier, but I do kind of feel that once I've tied up the happy endings at the end of a book, those characters are done with. After spending a year with them, it's time to move on to some exciting new ones.

Q6. The cover for "A Walk In The Park" is gorgeous, I adore the green and image of Bath on the front, and it matches your latest few releases. Do you like your book covers, and could you choose one of your book covers as your all-time favourite?

I just ADORE my beautiful book covers and really couldn't choose a favourite.

Q7. Did you always want to be a writer? Can you tell me a bit about your road to being a published author?

I was working in a hospital when I picked up a magazine containing an article about four women whose lives had been transformed by them becoming best-selling novelists. I decided there and then that this was something I could try and do myself. It took a while but I got there in the end, and when I spoke about this at a writers' conference a couple of years ago, another best-selling author told me afterwards that the very same magazine article had inspired him to write too. And all these years later, we still both owned our original copies of the magazine. I do still wonder if that one article changed anyone else's life as well.

Q8. What sort of books do you like to read yourself, when you aren't writing them of course!

All sorts. Really, anything. Well, except for sci-fi. (Bleurgh, really hate sci-fi.)

Q9. I love asking authors what they think of the term "chick lit" - what's your take on it, and how do you feel about people labelling your novels 'chick lit'?

I'm used to it by now, so I don't really mind, but I wouldn't want people to think my books are only about young single girls obsessing about boys and diets and shoes. I have a wide range of characters in my books, all age groups are included and some serious issues are dealt with. As in life, comedy exists alongside tragedy.

Q10. Are you working on your 24th novel yet?! If so, can you tell me anything about it?

I've just finished it and haven't yet received my editor's notes, so am too superstitious to talk about the plot. But, as always, my main aim is to make my readers laugh and cry, so I hope it will end up doing that. Otherwise I shall have failed miserably!

Thank you, Jill!

Book Review: I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella

2012-02-15T12:30:00.000Z

"I've lost it. :( The only thing in the world I wasn't supposed to lose. My engagement ring. It's been in Magnus's family for three generations. And now, the very same day his parents are coming, I've lost it. The very same day. Do not hyperventilate, Poppy. Stay positive!! :)

A couple of glasses of bubbly with the girls at a charity do and Poppy's life has gone into meltdown. Not only has she lost her engagement ring, but in the panic that followed, she's lost her phone too. As she paces shakily round the hotel foyer she spots an abandoned phone in a bin. Finders keepers! Now she can leave a number with the hotel staff. It was meant to be!

Except the phone's owner, businessman Sam Roxton, doesn't agree. He wants his phone back, and doesn't appreciate Poppy reading all his messages and wading into his personal life. As Poppy juggles wedding preparations, phone messages and hiding her left hand from Magnus and his parents, can things get any more tangled?"

Rating: 5/5

Who doesn't know the name Sophie Kinsella? If you're a chick-lit fan, then it pretty much goes without saying you've heard of the Queen of Chick Lit, and have probably read all of her books too. I have to confess that while I love Sophie's 'Shopaholic' series, I've always been a bit unsure about her standalone novels as I've always felt they are missing a certain something that is always in her Shopaholic books, although I can't quite put my finger on what exactly that 'certain something' is. I have to confess I'm not crazy about the cover, it's a little too bland for me, and I'm not keen on cartoony-portrayed women, but since it was a Kinsella book, I'm willing to overlook that fact... it's miles better than the hideous US cover! When I received a copy of Sophie's latest book for review, I was so excited and began it that very day, and finished it the next, I just couldn't put it down. It had that spark in it that her previous standalones have lacked, and I adored every single page... possibly one of my favourite Sophie Kinsella novels to date and here's why!

Poppy is the lead character for this book, and I absolutely loved her. She's the perfect heroine in so many ways. She's funny, she's sweet, she's nice and best of all, she seems very normal! She works as a physiotherapist, and finds herself in a bit of a muddle when she manages to lose her rather expensive engagement ring, given to her by fiancé Magnus, a rather intelligent professor. She decides NOT to tell him, and has to find a way of getting the ring back without anyone in his family finding out since it's an heirloom. When her own mobile is stolen and she finds one in a bin, she decides it's fate and keeps it. Sam Foxton, however, the original owner of the phone, begs to differ and decides to find out what Poppy is up to with his phone and why she's so desperate to keep it. Poppy manages to get herself into some terrible scrapes and situations, but far from being unbelivable and silly, they're hilarious and utterly believable.

Sam Foxton is the male lead in the book, and he is fantastic! At first, we are meant to believe he's a hard hearted businessman who just wants his phone back, no matter what the consequences for Poppy. But as the book progresses, we and Poppy see a different side to him and soon I absolutely loved him, he was a great guy in many ways, but also had a more serious side he wasn't afraid to show! He's everything we want a romantic male lead to be, and perhaps this is the formula that Kinsella applies again and again to bring us these successful novels full of characters to fall in love with. Yes, we can all probably guess how it's going to end up, but it's the getting there that counts, and Kinsella makes every page readable, and leaves you wanting more for every page that you finish.

Curiously, there is an abundence of footnotes within the book used by Poppy. I have to admit that at first I did find these annoying and wondered if they were really going to continue right until the end of the book, which they did. However, once you get used to them, they're fine and are actually quite funny! Poppy uses them simply because she can, because Magnus and his family manage to make her feel intellectually inferior, and she's fed up of it. I hated how they came across, really patronising and actually quite rude, but I loved how Poppy handled these awkward situations, especially a rather funny scene involving Scrabble! Actually, I laughed out loud a lot when reading this book, it really was genuinely funny and it had that splash of Kinsella humour which works every time and without fail.

I've Got Your Number is one of the best Sophie Kinsella novels I've read, and that's saying something given how much I love her Shopaholic series. This book just has nothing dislikeable about it at all, from brilliant characters to really funny scenarios and a storyline that keeps you reading more and rooting for Poppy and Sam. The book is so much more than a tale about a missing engagement ring, and I love how Kinsella was able to progress the book, and bring different storylines into it too, and I enjoyed the different directions it took, in fact, the book was all the better for them and surprised me for it! I am sure that this book is going to be a hit amongst Sophie Kinsella fans as it has everything they will want, and it was certainly better than I had expected too! It's a really strong stand-alone book, and I only wish we could see Poppy and Sam Foxton again, they're fantastic!

You can order I've Got Your Number in both hardback and as an eBook now!

Book News: Babies in Waiting by Rosie Fiore

2012-02-15T09:00:00.000Z

I love books about motherhood and babies, and Rosie Fiore's new book is one I'm really looking forward to reading! From the blurb, it sounds right up my street, and I can't wait to read it. It's out on March 1st, so not too long to wait for it's release.

"Meet Louise, 38, Toni, 26 and Gemma, 18. They are all expecting babies in September. One of them conceived in a hurry because she was running out of time. One of them fell pregnant to keep a man and one got knocked up by mistake after a one-night-stand. But none of them realized what they would come up against as they face nine long months of pregnancy, and the reactions of friends, family and colleagues. Meeting through an online forum, they form an unlikely but powerful bond. When it seems that all they have is each other, their lives will be thrown into turmoil, as a blast from the past threatens to destroy everything. Babies in Waiting is a heart-warming novel about motherhood, friendship and finding love at the most surprising time in your life. It is also very funny, sexy and utterly compelling."

You can pre-order Babies in Waiting in both paperback and as an eBook now!

Book News: Putting Alice Back Together by Carol Marinelli

2012-02-14T09:00:00.000Z

Carol Marinelli has apparently written many books for Mills & Boon but this seems to be her first foray into more "serious" women's fiction, for want of a better word. Putting Alice Back Together is due out on 2nd March 2012 through Mira books, and sounds like an intriguing read. I especially like the recommendation that "if you like Jane Fallon, you'll love this"... as a Jane Fallon fan, I've now got high hopes for this one!

"There s only so much sex, valium and red wine you can take to paper over the cracks... Alice Lydia Jameson is the friend you wish you had. The girl who makes a party more fun, pulls a funny face to make you feel better, drinks wine out of a mug and makes you laugh while you re crying over an ex. Alice is totally happy, everything is amazing and there is nothing at all to worry about... except, well: Her job was really great 10 years ago; The sexiest guy alive doesn t want her...because he's gay; Her credit card bills are mounting up... But maybe the biggest problem for Alice is that she has a secret. A secret so big she can t tell anyone...but how do you keep a secret like that when everything is starting to fall apart? And once it s out there, how do you ever begin to put yourself back together again?"

You can pre-order Putting Alice Back Together in both paperback and as an eBook now.

Book Review: The Love Book by Fiona O'Brien

2012-02-13T12:30:00.000Z

In 1980, three schoolgirls visit St. Valentine's shrine in Dublin, to write their petitions for love. By 2010, these same women have discovered that finding love was the easy part - it's what you do with it once you've found it that's tricky.

When one of the women returns home unexpectedly from California, all three are forced to examine their choices, loves, and lives, which have proved surprising, and in some ways, precarious. So much for St. Valentine - if the saint has taught them anything about love - it's be careful what you wish for . . .

But real love is always a work in progress - and Vonnie, Abby and Diana must learn they need to open their eyes and more especially their hearts - because St. Valentine has some unfinished business with them . . .

Rating: 4.5/5

I've read a fair few of Fiona O'Brien's novels in the past and loved each of them. O'Brien had such a realistic way of writing that she brings her characters and storylines to life and you end up really absorbed in the book and time flies by as you're reading! I was sent a copy of The Love Book by Fiona for review as I mentioned on Twitter that I adored the soft pinks and purples of the cover, and to be honest, it's prettier in real life. I tend not to go for really pink covers but this one is really lovely. It's a large paperback, and a fairly long-ish one at that but once I got into the book, I really didn't want to put it down and was totally absorbed in the story!

The book tells the tale of 3 Irish women; Diana, Vonnie and Abby. Each of them pay a visit to a special church in Ireland when they're teenagers on a school trip, and make a wish in the book of St. Valentine for something special in their love lives when they're older. None of them know whether it'll come true, but promise to meet each other every ten years to see if their wishes were granted. Diana is a successful make-up artist, but is having problems with husband Greg at home and him not taking any responsibility right when Diana wants to start reclaiming her life back. Abby's relationship with husband Edward is also on the rocks, especially since the arrival of her mother into their home, and her suspicions of Edward having an affair. Finally, there's Vonnie who is now living in California, but finds herself back in Ireland for work for the first time in many years, and doesn't know what she's going to do about her family.

I have to confess straight off that there are quite a lot of characters in this book, and it does take quite a while to get your head around all the names and who they are attached to in the book. I found the men in particular hard to get right, but once you've got it in your head, you should be okay! The chapters are also told quite oddly as well, Diana's was written in the first person, Abby's in the third and Vonnie in the first person also. It chops and changes frequently in the book, and I have to confess that sometimes it was a bit hard to keep up with who was speaking and what was going on. There were also occasionally other chapters from other characters in there too, perhaps a little unnecessary for the book but they worked quite well. And finally, there are these parts of the book called The Affair which is an anonymous story told throughout the book, with no identities being revealed right up until the end of the book so you're left wondering who exactly that story is about.

The book covers some emotional topics for the characters, but I think these only draw you into the book more because you're wondering exactly how these women will be able to solve their problems between them, and be honest with their friends as well. I really liked Diana, she was a strong and positive woman who works hard but just needs a break, despite what her husband thinks. I felt really sorry for her as things unravelled for her in the book, and she's involved in quite a shocking part of the story near the end which made me root for her even more! Abby was a bit too annoying for me, I struggled to sympathise with her as I couldn't warm to her and wanted her to wake up and see what was going on underneath her nose, and to stop being led by her extremely annoying and nosey mother! As for Vonnie, I liked her too, especially as more of her past is revealed throughout the book, and it shapes her as a character and shows why she is how she is with people, especially her family. They're all quite different, yet are going through the same struggles and O'Brien writes their friendship really well, and they make for great leading characters in the book.

Things don't go as expected in a few of the tales, and that's what I liked about the book. O'Brien was tempted to go down the route of an easy ending, with everything tied up neatly in a bow, and while some things ended happily, others didn't and I actually felt the characters were all the more realistic for that. I was left guessing until the end whether the women would end up happy or if they'd carry on as they were, simply because that is what is expected of them by everyone. It's a tale that takes you over the time of the lives of these women, but also the people important to their lives and how the stories have affected them also. Yes, at parts the chopping and changing of narrative, setting and time can be a little confusing and perhaps frustrating, but if you bear with it, you'll be privvy to a wonderful story that slowly unravels itself and the mysteries within it to reveal a tale that will have you hooked until the last page. A beautifully written and highly enjoyable novel that I whole-heartedly recommend!

You can buy The Love Book in both paperback and as an eBook now. (links go to Amazon.co.uk)

Book Deals: The Round-Up

2012-02-13T09:00:00.000Z

Once again, there have been a few more pieces of news about various book deals going on in the publishing world, so I wanted to make a post to let you know about them, and I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on yet another celebrity getting a coveted book deal!

Tulisa signs three book deal with Headline publishers, including two fiction titles
Headline has secured world rights to an autobiography and two novels by N-Dubz and “X-Factor” star, Tulisa Contostavlos.

Deputy publishing director Sarah Emsley acquired the three books at auction through Jonathan Shalit of talent agency ROAR Management, with “stiff competition” from six other publishers. The publisher plans to release her autobiography in autumn 2012, with the two novels to follow consecutively in 2013 and 2014.

Twenty-three-year-old Contostavlos grew up in Camden, north London, and acted as the sole carer of her mother when she was sectioned under the Mental Health Act. She first rose to fame as the singer in hip-hop group N-Dubz, with the group winning four MOBO awards. She became a judge on ITV1 talent show “The X Factor” last year, mentoring girl group Little Mix to become the first group winners of the show. She is currently working on her first solo album.

Emsley said: “Tulisa is an incredibly talented writer and musician and is an inspiration for young women everywhere . . . Tulisa’s story has incredible breadth and depth for someone so young, and we are absolutely thrilled that she has chosen Headline to be her publisher.”

Headline m.d. Jane Morpeth added that Headline is “equally as thrilled to be publishing her novels” as her autobiography, and said: “As the early material shows, Tulisa has a wonderful grasp of plot and characterisation, and a clear, strong voice runs throughout her work.”

Pan Macmillan signs three book deal with Lucinda Riley
Pan Macmillan has acquired the latest novel by Hothouse Flower author Lucinda Riley, with the author
moving from Penguin after Pan Macmillan "beat off competition" from three other publishers.

Fiction publisher Jeremy Trevathan and assistant editor Catherine Richards bought UK and Commonwealth rights for three new novels by Riley from Jonathan Lloyd at Curtis Brown.

The first new title, The Light Behind the Window, is set in Provence and Paris between the present day and the Second World War, telling the story of a young woman who is the sole inheritor of her family's chateau, and that of her father, whose role in the Resistance has been kept secret for 50 years.

Trevathan said: "Lucinda is writing the sort of fiction that people want to read today, as evidenced from her current sales; we jumped at the chance to publish her. We're absolutely thrilled."

I can't say I'm madly happy about the news of Tulisa being signed when there are so many talented authors out there who will never get the opportunities she is being given, but there you go! Congratulations to Pan and Lucinda Riley for their new deal too! Articles are taken from The Bookseller.

Book Review: The Stag and Hen Weekend by Mike Gayle

2012-02-10T12:04:00.000Z

The Stag and Hen Weekend is the story of Phil and Helen, a couple in their thirties about to commit their lives to one another . . . that is of course if they can just manage to get through their respective stag and hen weekends (his: Amsterdam; hers: a country house and day spa in the Peak District) without falling apart. Told in the unique form of two separate stories that have common characters as well as themes and conclusion, The Stag and Hen Weekend can be read from front to back or from back to front putting the reader in the driver's seat as to which story they wish to read first...

Rating: 3/5

I've never actually read one of Mike Gayle's books before, but the concept of this book really interested me and I couldn't wait to get stuck in and see what it was all about. The idea of a novel being split in half was great, and I was curious how Gayle would be able to bring these two stories together and create a novel out them, without making them just 2 short stories that just happened to be linked by the fact the main characters were a couple. It's a really good looking book too, with 2 separate covers, a pink one for the Hen weekend story, and a navy blue for the Stag weekend one, and it's entirely up to you which you read first. I decided to go with ladies first, and after reading both can safely say you can start with either, but that the men's story was far more interesting!

As I said, I began with the girl's story so I will talk about that one first. Helen is marrying Phil, and to celebrate, she's going on a luxury spa weekend break with her nearest and dearest friends. However, Helen is starting to feel a bit wobbly about their impending nuptials, but doesn't want to disclose it to anyone. Moreover, when she meets someone at the hotel from her past, she's wondering if Phil really isn the man for her. While I liked reading the Hen Weekend story, I couldn't help but feel that it was a little bit dull and I found myself getting a bit too bored for my liking. Helen was okay, but I just didn't like her very much, and that didn't change as her story progressed and things occured. I wonder if Gayle being a man writing about a very girly weekend away hindered the story somewhat, as there was just something not quite right about it and I didn't find it all that readable!

However, I found the Stag Weekend story to be far more interesting and readable. It tells the tale of Phil and his mates on a weekend to Amsterdam to get ready for his wedding to Helen. Phil loves Helen and can't wait to marry her, but is worried she's having second thoughts. Therefore he decides to go to Amsterdam anyway, and try and enjoy the weekend. He doesn't, however, bank of meeting someone that is important to both him and Helen, and things spinning out of control. I liked Phil as a character, he was really well written and a believable male lead for the book. I was wanting to shout at him for some of his decisions because I knew he was making bad choices, but enjoyed the way the story progressed and things changed between Phil and the other characters in the book. The things the lads get up are typical Stag night things, and it was fun to read about, much more so than the Hen Weekend ones, again perhaps because Gayle just found it easier and more comfortable to write confidently about the male characters?

One thing that really did pull this book down for me was the ambiguous endings. I was wondering how Gayle would be able to pull off an ending because of the fact you could read either book first, and therefore the ending might be spoilt, but I'm someone who really likes things ended properly, all endings tied up in a bow and there being no real question marks. However, nothing is tied up here, it's left up in the air about what Phil and Helen are going to do and it left me frustrated. I wanted to know what Phil's decision would be and whether Helen would be disappointed, but nothing was clear. Also, there was no real interaction between the pair in the book due to the nature of the story, and therefore it was hard to root for them as a couple because we, as a reader, simply don't know how good they are together and whether they should be together. Therefore, it did end up feeling like 2 short stories that had been lumped together to create a novel, and I can't say it worked for me. Yes, I enjoyed the tales of the weekends, especially the Stag weekend, but other things just didn't work and I wouldn't personally go to read another book in this format, I'm much more a longer novel kinda gal!

You can buy The Stag and Hen Weekend in both hardback and as an eBook now!

RNA Awards Shortlist 2012 announced!

2012-02-10T09:00:00.002Z

The Romantic Novelist's Association have announced their shortlist for their 2012 awards ceremony, and here they are! I think there are some amazing books up for awards this year, and I don't envy the judges in having to choose between them! It's nice to see some debut novelists mixed in with the more established names too. The winning novel/author from each of the 5 categories will go through to be shortlisted for RNA Novel of the Year too, which is being announced on May 17th 2012. Who are you hoping will be victorious

Contemporary Romantic Novel of the Year

- It Started with a Kiss Miranda Dickinson (Avon)

- Summer of Love Katie Fforde (Arrow)

- The Untied Kingdom Kate Johnson (Choc Lit)

- To the Moon and Back Jill Mansell (Headline)

- Chances Freya North (HarperCollins)

- Christmas at Tiffany’s Karen Swan (Pan Macmillan)

Romantic Comedy Novel

- The Look of Love Judy Astley (Transworld)

- Please Don’t Stop the Music Jane Lovering (Choc Lit)

- Wrapped up in You Carole Matthews (Sphere)

- Who’s Afraid of Mr. Wolfe Hazel Osmond (Quercus)

- Lizzy Harrison Loses Control Pippa Wright (Pan Macmillan)
Historical Novel

- Highland Storms Christina Courtenay (Choc Lit)

- The Noble Assassin Christie Dickason (HarperCollins)

- Daughter of Siena Marina Foriato (John Murray)

- Perhaps Tomorrow Jean Fullerton (Orion)

- A Gathering Storm Rachel Hore (Simon & Schuster)

Epic Romantic Novel

- Jubilate Michael Arditti (Arcadia Books)

- That Liverpool Girl Ruth Hamilton (Pan Macmillan)

- The Lantern Deborah Lawrenson (Orion)

- The Kashmir Shawl Rosie Thomas (HarperCollins)

- Crimson China Betsy Tobin (Short Books)

Young Adult Romantic Novel

- Artichoke Hearts Sita Brahmachari (Pan Macmillan)

- Dark Ride Caroline Green (Piccadilly Press)

- My So-called Phantom Lovelife Tamsyn Murray (Piccadilly Press)

- Angel Fire L. A. Weatherley (Usborne)

Book News: Stranded by Emily Barr

2012-02-09T10:15:00.000Z

I've read a couple of Emily Barr's novels and really enjoyed them, they're great thriller-style books that really have you hooked in. I found the gorgeous cover for Emily's 2012 release Stranded on Amazon, and I think it's fantastic, it looks like a perfect beach read! It's out in hardback on 24th May 2012, and I'll definitely be reading it!

"A British woman, Esther, travels alone to a paradise beach resort in Malaysia to get away from a relationship break-up. When she and a group of fellow tourists, each with their own secrets, find themselves stranded on a remote island during a boat trip, sinister things start to happen. Esther soon realises someone doesn't want her to return from her travels - but who?"

You can pre-order Stranded in hardback now.

Book Review:The Playgroup by Janey Fraser

2012-02-08T12:00:00.000Z

"Puddleducks Playgroup has been run successfully for several years. Now, with an opportunity to prove herself Gemma Merryfield can't wait to take over running it in September. But the arrival of the new head of the infant school, Joe Balls soon tempers her enjoyment. Ex-banker Joe has been employed to bring the school back up to scratch, and that includes intefering with Gemma and her playgroup. Gemma adores her unruly group of children, and she can even find affection for the parents, but Joe's inteference is the last thing she needs.

Meanwhile, Nancy is in turmoil. Her only son has just started playgroup and her husband has taken a temporary posting to Vietnam. Even before he left, there hadn't been much hope of conceiving her much-wanted second child. And with Danny gone for most of the day, what on earth is she meant to do now? Does she have the strength to find herself again, and maybe make some friends along the way?

Little do any of them realise what a tumultuous term it is going to be..."

Rating: 5/5

As someone who works in a school, I love reading books set in the environment because I find it fun to see how accurately an author has portrayed the job and situation for being in a school, so when I heard about Janey Fraser's novel The Playgroup, I knew it would be one I would want to read! I think the cover is great, and really portrays what the book is about, and I think it looks cute too! In case you weren't aware, Janey Fraser is the real name of Sophie King, under which name she has published several (rather excellent) novels so if you enjoy this, then do check out Sophie King's novels too. I found the book to be very realistic, and found I could relate to a lot of the scenarios too which was fantastic, and while it has its laugh out loud moments, the main crux of the story is very serious and made for a fantastic read.

Gemma Merryfield is pleased to finally be able to be in charge of her beloved Puddleducks nursery group, and is loving her job. Yes, the children can sometimes be challenging, and the parents even more so. But when a new teacher, Joe, takes over the reception class at the primary school linked to the nursery, the pair quickly clash and Gemma can't understand why he seems to have a problem with her. Couple that with the serious illness of one her small charges, and Gemma's life is quickly becoming more and more stressful, and running the nursery isn't quite as simple as she had hoped! I have to say I LOVE the character of Gemma. She was very believable and sounds like such a great nursery teacher, and Fraser writes her as someone who is great with the children too. I really liked reading about her, and wanted her to be happy. She's got a secret that we don't learn about until quite a way through the book, and I really liked that because I was constantly wondering what it was that was holding Gemma back so much.

There are quite a few characters in the book, and at first it is a little daunting to try and remember who is who. However, most of these aren't vital to the book, and as it progresses, it becomes clear who the main players are. One of these is Joe, the new primary school teacher who used to be a banker. This is getting more and more common, people coming into teaching later in life and from varying professions, and I liked that Fraser covered this, and the struggles that Joe goes through as well. He wasn't instantly likeable, and there is again a bit of a mystery about him too, and we're led up the garden path a bit before all is revealed. Another main character is Nancy, the American neurotic mother of Danny, one of Gemma's students. I have to say she really did wind me up, talk about obsessive and over the top, but as her story with Danny went on, I sympathised with her and found her to be a bit more tolerable! A lot of the children are brilliantly written, the other parents must have been inspired by people Fraser has met in real life because they seem so utterly real, it's brilliant and funny to read.

Regarding the actual story of the playgroup itself, I think Fraser has clearly done a lot of research not only into a playgroup and the staff and children, but the EYFS curriculum too as a lot is mentioned that was right, and from the perspective of someone who is in that environment all the time, it was very realistic and factual. She balances this nicely with the games and fun the children have, and then with the story of the serious illness of one child, and how important community and friendship can be at these hard times. The story has a lot going on but I found it a joy to read, and loved the twists and turns along the way, and often I was surprised with what was happening, and it was very unpredictable which was great. I didn't want to finish the book because that meant leaving these great characters behind, and I really did love them because I was absorbed by the book. What might start of a light-hearted read soon turns into something deeper and more serious, and was all the better for it. The book was a wonderful read from start to finish, and is a brilliantly crafted and realistic tale of what really goes on in a nursery/playgroup! I can't wait for Janey Fraser's second offering, The Au Pair, which is due out this July!

You can buy The Playgroup in both paperback and as an eBook now.

Book News: The Saturday Supper Club by Amy Bratley

2012-02-08T09:00:00.002Z

I really enjoyed Amy Bratley's debut novel The Girls Guide to Home Making so when I read she signed a two book deal with Pan Macmillan, I was pleased. Her second novel, The Saturday Supper Club, is due out on 10th May 2012, and I'm looking forward to reading it, it sounds great, quite like the fab TV show "Come Dine With Me"!

"Wanted: four amateur cooks to compete in a supper club contest Rules: four strangers, four weeks, four houses, four dinner parties You might win: a cash prize You might lose: your heart Eve had her world torn apart three years ago, when the love of her life Ethan disappeared, and she never found out why. But now, her life is rosy. With a lovely new boyfriend, Joe, and a café opening on the cards, things finally seem to be falling into place. … until she agrees to take part in a supper club competition for a local newspaper. Eve is cooking the first dinner and who should turn up on her doorstep expecting a three-course meal, but her long lost love Ethan?"

You can pre-order The Saturday Supper Club in paperback now.

Author Interview: Tess Stimson

2012-02-07T12:17:00.001Z

Tess Stimson's latest book, The Wife Who Ran Away, was a fantastic read and I really enjoyed every page. I was lucky enough to get to ask Tess some questions about that, and a few other things as well! My thanks go to Sophie at MidasPR for sorting out the interview, and to Tess for answering my questions!

Q1. Please tell me about your new book 'The Wife Who Ran Away'.

The book does exactly what it says on the tin: it's about a wife who runs away from her life. Kate has a husband who never notices her, two stroppy teenagers, a mother driving her bonkers, and a career that's suddenly falling apart. On impulse, she boards a plane to Italy, and soon finds herself caught up in a totally new life - and the arms of a new man. But there are some things you can never leave behind, and Kate soon finds herself having to choose between the past and the future.

Q2. The idea of a woman running off and leaving her family is quite a controversial topic, although I know a lot of women get that feeling of wanting to get away from all the pressures of family life every now and then! What made you want to write a book about a woman actually acting on that impulse?
It's just so tempting, isn't it? We've all wanted to do it, but few of us actually dare. I wanted to look at what happened if someone did leave; how that first exciting impulse would become bogged down in the realities of carving a new life somewhere. There's a part of me in Kate; a part of many of us, if we're honest.

Q3. Despite her actions, I actually really liked Kate and felt quite sympathetic to her. Did you want to make her a sympathetic character and likeable, or did you not mind if readers hated her because of what she chose to do?
No, I wanted readers to understand Kate, and sympathize with her position, even if they don't agree with all her choices. I don't engage with heroines who're perfect - I find characters with flaws so much more interesting.

Q4. I found one of your sub-plots about Kate's son and his school bullying very interesting and actually quite hard-hitting to read - what made you include another emotive topic in the book, and did you find it hard to write this part of the book?
I think it's a really important topic, and so many children hide what's happening from their parents. I just wanted to say, 'This happens, even when you least suspect it: be alert to it.'

Q5. I've read most of your books now, and I think it's fair to say you like to write about more controversial topics in your books. Where do you get your ideas from, and why do you enjoy writing about topics we don't often find in women's fiction?

I write about what interests me, and I like covering subjects that haven't been hashed through quite as often. I'm interested in what comes after the happy-ever-after where so many other books end. As for where I get my ideas... that's a tricky one. I don't know. They're just there. You only have to open a newspaper or switch on the news to see that real life is stranger than fiction...

Q6. What do you do when you aren't writing books?

I have three children aged 17, 14 and 9, and a husband I love spending time with, so that takes up much of my so-called free time! I also ski a lot, and dance, and as the kids get older, I spend more time with friends too. But nothing beats curling up in front of the fire with a good book...

Q7. Would you be able to tell me your top three books of all time? Also, do you enjoy reading chick lit/women's fiction as well as writing it?

God, that's an impossible question! Just three books? Well, my favourite book as a child was The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, and the year I turned six I spent hours in the back of wardrobes looking for a snowy forest. The book that inspired me to write was Jean Plaidy's historical novel, The Sixth Wife, set in the Tudor court of Henry VIII; I was 12 when I read that, whilst helping my mother at a soup kitchen, and the first book I ever wrote (never published!) was historical. And then the book I read every year - Pride and Prejudice. Love love love it.

I love reading women's fiction too: I read my contemporaries, and I read 'above my pay grade' all the time.

Q8. Your book cover for this book has changed dramatically from your previous styles - how important do you think book covers are in helping readers to pick up books, and what do you think of your latest books cover?

Aargh! Sore point! You spend a year writing a book and send your child out into the world, and then someone else dresses it and everyone judges it on the frock. I love my latest book cover; I think it's a much better fit than my previous covers, and I'm thrilled we've moved in this direction.

Q9. What's your opinion of the term 'chick lit'? Do you find it a derogatory term, and how do you feel about your books being called 'chick lit'?

I think it's often used as a derogatory term, yes, especially by men. I can't see why women's fiction is considered inferior to books written for men, but there you are. Doesn't stop 'chick' books selling by the shedload, so I guess the laugh is on them....!

Q10. Finally, are you working on your next novel yet? If so, can you tell me anything about it?!

I am, yes; it's called SHE TAKES AFTER YOU, and it's about two women who discover their 15 year old daughters were switched at birth. One of them wants to switch back, but the other doesn't. It's about our views on motherhood, and whether the child we raise, or the child we gave birth to, is the one we love. It should be out in January 2013, so watch this space!

You can buy The Wife Who Ran Away as a paperback and as an eBook now!

Book Review: All The Single Ladies by Jane Costello

2012-02-06T12:00:00.000Z

"Samantha Brooks' boyfriend has made a mistake. One his friends, family,and Sam herself know he will live to regret. Jamie has announced he is leaving, out of the blue. He is loving, intelligent and, while he isn't perfect, he's perfect for her - in every way except one: he's a free spirit. And after six years in one place, doing a job he despises, he is compelled to do something that will tear apart his relationship with Sam: book a one-way flight to South America. But Sam isn't giving up without a fight. With Jamie still totally in love with her, and torn about whether to stay or go, she has three months to persuade him to do the right thing. With the help of her friends Ellie and Jen, she hatches a plan to make him realise what he's giving up. A plan that involves dirty tricks, plotting and a single aim: to win him back. But by the time the tortured Jamie finally wakes up to what he's lost, a gorgeous new pretender has entered Sam's life. Which begs the question ...does she still want him back?"

Rating: 4/5

I've read a few of Jane Costello's books in the past and have really enjoyed them - they're funny, like laugh-out-loud funny and have good plots as well. My little bugbear is the need to have a new chapter every 2 or 3 pages, something I've never liked but somehow I manage to ignore this and plough on anyway, because straight away I really liked this book. I have to say that the quote on the front of my proof copy, calling Jane Costello "the new Sophie Kinsella" is a little too ambitious for my liking and not entirely accurate since I find them similar but not actually all that alike as authors to be honest! Also, I defy you not to have Beyonce's song banging around in your head once you see the title of this book, a good job I quite like the song really! Let's see if Jane Costello's new title lives up to the hype and whether it's a good read or not!

Samantha Brooks is deeply in love with her boyfriend Jamie, so when he announces he is leaving her to go and live in South America, she's somewhat shocked and desperate to change his mind - and she's got three measly months in which to do so. She recruits the help of her best friends Ellie and Jen, the sometimes helpful advice from Jamie's sister, and a good deal of changing herself too. However, when a new man, Ben, makes an entrance, Samantha starts to wonder whether what she thinks she wants is what she really wants at all. I was a little worried that this was going to be too much along the same vein as other books I've read on this topic recently (Stella Newman's 'Pear Shaped' and Sarra Manning's 'Nine Uses For An Ex-Boyfriend) and while it had similar overtones, Costello delivered it in a very different way and made it stand out from the crowd somewhat.

Samantha was a really good character, and I liked reading her story throughout the book. It's told in the first person so we really feel like we get to know her really well, and as such I found myself rooting for her, and for her not to take Jamie back because it would all end in tears! It's another case of girl doesn't want to let go of her first boyfriend, even though he's a bit of a twit and everyone but her can see he isn't a good apple. I enjoyed the funny scenarios Samantha found herself in, but did feel a bit sorry for the man she was stringing along to make Jamie jealous, she was a bit blind with him as well I fear! Jamie on the other hand wasn't a nice man at all, giving up the woman he loved so much just to go travelling again?! Why can't these men commit?! I didn't like him at all, despite the gushing that Samantha did about him, and I'm glad he wasn't too prominent throughout the book, as I far preferred the lovely Ben!

The book was set in Liverpool, somewhere I've never been myself but Costello writes about it well and brings it to life for the reader. Samantha's job does come up quite a bit but it didn't capture my attention that much I have to say, and I was far more interested in Samantha's attempts to make Jamie jealous! I really enjoyed the fact that Costello covers a more serious issue in this book regarding one of Samantha's best friends. I don't want to spoil it by revealing the topic as I liked how it was gradually revealed, but I feel Costello covered this very realistically and while it wasn't a nice storyline to read, it was well done and I think the characters involved all handled it well and it felt realistic to read. It's nice to see issues like this coming out in chick lit too as they are far more frequently being seen in today's world.

This book is a really great read, and contains Costello's usual fantastic laugh-out-loud humour, and good characters that will have you hooked as well. While at times I felt it was a story that has been done before, and quite recently too, I enjoyed Costello's spin on it, and while it was a fairly long novel, it did pass by quickly and I was hoping for an ending that would make me happy and round off the book in a good way. As well as the funnier moments, there are more serious ones to balance these out and it certainly makes for a really good read. If you've loved Costello's previous novels then you are going to really like this one, and if you haven't yet picked up one of her books, this would be a good place to start! I'm not sure Jane Costello is the next Sophie Kinsella, but she's certainly marking out a niche for herself as a great comedy writer whose books I look forward to reading each year!

You can buy All The Single Ladies in both hardback and as an eBook now.

Book News: IOU by Helen Warner

2012-02-06T09:00:00.001Z

Out next month is Helen Warner's second novel, IOU. I can't say I'm madly keen on the cover, I do like the purple but it's a little bit bland for me and I don't think it'd stand out on a bookshelf! However, I think the novel itself sounds like a great read, and there's not too long to wait as it's out on 1st March!

"Amy has enjoyed a charmed life, shopping and lunching while the nanny looks after her children. Until her world is thrown into disarray when husband Ben's business collapses overnight, taking their house and savings with it. Suddenly Amy finds herself the breadwinner. Can she rise to the challenge? Will her marriage survive such an upheaval? Or is it a case of 'Till Debt Do Us Part'? Kate has always had to struggle by, juggling her job with two children and a husband, though she wouldn't have it any other way. But her safe little world is rocked when she meets enigmatic Jack in a chance encounter. Feeling increasingly estranged from husband Miles, Kate wonders if Jack can offer her a fresh start. But there's something about Jack that Kate doesn't know...Jennifer is only just beginning to recover from the death of her own husband. When Jennifer makes contact with old flame Hugh she unlocks a dangerous Pandora's box. She is desperate to find the answer to a question that has tormented her for decades. But will she be able to cope with the truth?"

You can pre-order IOU in paperback and as an eBook now.

Book Review: Nine Uses For An Ex-Boyfriend by Sarra Manning

2012-02-03T12:30:00.000Z

Hope Delafield hasn't always had an easy life.

She has red hair and a temper to match, as her mother is constantly reminding her. She can't wear heels, is terrified of heights and being a primary school teacher isn't exactly the job she dreamed of doing, especially when her class are stuck on the two times table.

At least Hope has Jack, and Jack is the God of boyfriends. He's sweet, kind, funny, has a killer smile, a cool job on a fashion magazine and he's pretty (but in a manly way). Hope knew that Jack was The One ever since their first kiss after the Youth Club Disco and thirteen years later, they're still totally in love. Totally. They're even officially pre-engaged. And then Hope catches Jack kissing her best friend Susie...

Does true love forgive and forget? Or does it get mad... and get even?

Rating: 4/5

I have to confess that while I didn't love Sarra Manning's 2011 release You Don't Have To Say You Love Me, I was really curious to read this one and see if it would be a better read than her previous book. I love the book cover, the purple is really striking and it's nice to see a cover that hasn't actually got any pictures on it but still looks fantastic. I really liked the sound of the story and liked the fact it is a big chunk of a book, something I could properly get into and I really enjoyed it. There will be a lot of women out there who will be able to relate to Hope and her story, and I think that's what I liked most about it, that it's realistic and was just a really good read.

Hope is in love with boyfriend Jack, after quite a few years together. They have a little house, and seem to be happy enough pottering along with their day to day lives. But Hope's reality is shattered when she catches Jack kissing her best friend in the whole world, Susie. Hope wonders how much more betrayal Jack has done to her, and struggles to get over the cheating, but knows in her heart she still loves Jack and is torn between wanting him back and kicking him to the kerb for good. Hope was a really good character, yes she was flawed but I think that's what I liked her, and I felt I could really relate to her. She still loves Jack despite his betrayal and although she knows she shouldn't take him back because she doesn't trust him, she's scared about facing life alone and without the man she's known most of her life.

Jack, on the other hand, is a pig. He really does want his cake and to eat it as well, and I loathed him for how he acted. Yes, he loves Hope but treats her like rubbish, and then expects both women to wait around while he makes his mind up, and stringing both of them along at the same time as well. Manning writes him so well that you can't help but wonder if she knows a Jack, as he seems far too realistic and believable for his own good! The other male character in the book I really liked was Wilson. He's Susie's boyfriend, and is coping with the betrayal of his girlfriend much like Hope is, yet she can't seem to befriend him as she finds him too weird. I really like Wilson, he was quite funny and seemed like a really nice bloke who was treated like rubbish, and I really did want Hope to be nice to him!

As I said, the book is fairly long but it seems to need the length to progress the story in a good enough way to give the reader enough detail about the relationships going on in the book, and to leave you wondering how things are going to work out for all of these characters. Things constantly change between Hope and Jack, and I genuinely wasn't sure if she'd take him back for good or not, and how the friendship between Hope and Susie would go as well, Manning was really good at making the ending a complete surprise and I loved that fact. One other thing I really liked was how Hope's job as a primary school teacher was written about in the book. Her job didn't happen to be something she just did, it was woven throughout the book and many of the scenes involving the school and kids were important in shaping her as a character, but also the story too. As someone who works in a school, I thought these scenes were really believable and think they definitely added something a bit different to the book!

Overall, I would definitely recommend Nine Uses For An Ex-Boyfriend to anyone who enjoys a really well written story that will keep you guessing to the last page how things are going to end up for these characters. Hope is a flawed byut brilliant character who is struggling with the demise of the only relationship she's ever been in and as such you can't help but love her for it, and how she struggles to deal with the big decisions she has to make. I found Manning's writing style very easy and enjoyable to read, and think she has crafted a brilliant story that will leave you wanting more as you turn the last page. The best thing about this book for me was the way Hope's emotions are written, you almost feel them along with her and are desperate for her to make the right decision, even though it might feel like the wrong one right now. I really enjoyed this book, and look forward to reading more from Sarra Manning.

You can buy Nine Uses For An Ex-Boyfriend in both paperback and as an eBook now!

Book News: The Undercover Cook by Katie Fforde

2012-02-03T09:15:00.001Z

Katie Fforde has been a busy lady, and yesterday unveiled her brand new exclusive to digital short story The Undercover Cook! This comes a few weeks before the release of Katie's new hardback book Recipe For Love which is out in March, but if you can't wait until then, you won't go far wrong with The Undercover Cook, I've been lucky enough to read it and it's fab!

A young journalist and her top-secret assignment. An exlusive straight to digital short story from the Sunday Times Top Ten Bestseller.Meet Emily, a young woman who dreams of being a prize-winning investigative journalist. Her first assignment is to a top restaurant where tempestuous chef Theo Milton reigns supreme. Very soon romance starts to sparkle amongs the pots and pans. And Emily finds there's more than cooking on her mind. Sunday Times bestselling author Katie Fforde is known for her wonderfully romantic stories, delicious heroes, and heroines we can all relate to. In The Undercover Cook her warmth and wit shine through in this enchanting short story which also gives readers the first chance to read the opening chapter of her captivating new novel, Recipe for Love, out in March.

You can buy The Undercover Cook as an eBook now!

Book Review: The Angel at No. 33 by Polly Williams

2012-02-02T12:00:00.001Z

'Am I dead? I don't feel dead...'

Sophie cannot leave the people she loves. Her husband, Ollie - a man who once watered a houseplant for a year before realising it was plastic - is lost without her. Their son Freddie is so little. And her friend Jenny? There's something she desperately needs to know before it's too late.

Some love stories never end.

Rating: 5/5

I am a real Polly Williams fan, I've read each of her books and loved all of them. Williams has a knack of writing real women's fiction, stories that women can really relate to and I think that's what draws me to them each time. Her sixth and latest book, The Angel at No. 33 has a gorgeous cover, turquoise and white which is quite eye-catching, but it's the inside which intrigued me most of all. Williams has chosen to abandon her very realistic stories, and write this from the point of view of a dead woman, Sophie. I was a little worried that it'd turn into something Cecelia Ahern-esque and have a magical element which I'm not keen on, but this book was compassionate, moving, emotional and beautifully written, and had me captivated at every page.

Sophie is pretty happy with her life. She's happily married to gorgeous husband Ollie, is mum to young son Freddie and has the best friend in the world in Jenny. However, when she's knocked over by a bus and killed, she wakes up staring at herself lying in the road, and then ends up following her family and friends as they adjust to life with Sophie, and watches events unfold in a way none of us would ever be privvy to. Ollie starts to fall apart, unsure of what to do with life without his wife, Freddie is missing his mum terribly, and Jenny is not only missing her friend, but struggling in her own relationship too. Sophie, however, can't commute with her nearest and dearest, and instead has to watch them muddle through as best they can. As I said, I was worried this plot really wouldn't work, but it more than did - it was a beautifully written and enjoyable, although at times upsetting tale.

As a mum, my worst nightmare is exactly what happened to Sophie, and leaving my little boy behind. Williams manages to perfectly capture Sophie's helplessness and desperation at leaving her young family, her feelings of loss and heartache are worded so that it hits you hard, and I found the scenes of her watching her son Freddie quite upsetting to read, imagining myself in Sophie's position all too often. As well as writing the pain from Sophie's point of view, Williams manages to convey the sorrow widower Ollie is feeling, how he struggles with the simplest tasks like cleaning the house to his emotional pain at losing his wife, Jenny's guilt and pain over Sophie's death, and how she has to deal with those Sophie left behind and the worry over the cracks in her own relationship. Each character is carved out perfectly, created to be a real person with real emotions and feelings that are portrayed perfectly by Williams.

Although it's a very emotional read, there are some funny moments as well, and those stop the book from becoming too maudlin and downbeat. Sophie makes some funny observations from her viewpoint of hovering over everyone, and a few things that happen along do have you smiling and giggling, even though you think you perhaps shouldn't be! They really lighten the mood, and are very necessary for the book. I have to say all of Sophie's "mum friends" are great characters too, and I like the way that they reveal a different side to Sophie's life that Jenny doesn't know about, and through getting to know each other, they all find out something new about their mutual friend, and it goes to show how we show different people different sides of ourselves as to how we want people to perceive us, and in that respect it's very on the money. It also shows how differently people deal with death, and I felt Williams covered this really well in the book.

Overall, I feel this book is incredibly well written and deals with a very emotive topic with sensitivity, compassion and heart. There were realistic characters in Ollie, Jenny and Freddie, and they each represent how we as humans are deeply affected by the sudden death of our loved ones. The inclusions of Sophie as a spirit type figure is intriguing but actually works really well, and provides (oddly) a little light relief to stop the story from being too bogged down in sadness. I loved every page, and enjoyed that there was plenty going on with stories about Ollie, Jenny and the dealing with Sophie's passing as well. If you've recently lost a loved one, this book might be a bit close to the bone for you, but even if you haven't, it's an emotive read that'll have you crying and laughing alongside each other. Really well written and incredibly enjoyable, this is one to definitely add to your list!

You can buy The Angel at No. 33 in both paperback and as an eBook now.

Author Interview: Polly Williams

2012-02-02T09:00:00.000Z

Polly Williams' latest book The Angel at No. 33 is out today, and to celebrate, I've been lucky enough to be able to ask Polly a few questions for my site! I loved the book (review coming this afternoon), and got to ask Polly all about it, amongst some other things as well! Thanks go to Caitlin at Headline for helping to organise this interview, and to Polly for answering my questions!

Q1. Please tell me about your new book, The Angel At No. 33. 

It’s a love story but an unusual one because it’s narrated by a recently deceased wife. It answers that question, ‘What if something happened to me?’ hopefully with lots of humanity and humour.

Q2. What happens to Sophie is probably any woman's worst nightmare, especially when you are leaving a young child behind. As a mum yourself, how hard did you find it to write Sophie's story, and did you get emotional writing it?  

I did sniff quite a bit while writing it. But equally I found it cathartic. I think lots of us go to those darker ‘what if’ places in our heads. Fiction is a safe place to explore them, both as a writer and a reader.

Q3. The Angel at No. 33 is very different from your other books, with your choosing to put it a perhaps magical element with Sophie narrating and watching over the action despite her death. What made you choose to write it like this, and did you find it fun to write Sophie as a character who couldn't actually interact with anyone else in the book?

I hugely enjoyed writing the playful afterlife twist – it was a lot of fun to write. But I did try very hard for the book not to feel too magical or whimsical which is why the dead heroine’s voice is gutsy – she’s still vivacious. No, she can't interact but it is her death and the legacy of her love that directs all the action.

Q4. This is your sixth book - do you find it easier to write each book as you go on, and do you have a favourite amongst your books?  

My favourite book is this one – I hope it’s both funny and sad, and it’s certainly excited heartfelt responses from its readers so far.

Q5. Your books involve women going through various issues in their lives - where do you draw inspiration from your stories, and are they ever based on things you've experienced in real life?  

I’m not wholly sure why I choose one idea over another, other than that something about one particular idea makes me want to write it. I wish I could give you a more intelligent answer! The stories are not always based on things I’ve experienced – not dead yet! – but they are based on scenarios that I’ve pondered and imagined and that I see friends of mine pondering too.

Q6. What is the most challenging thing about being an author?  

It’s an insecure profession, if one can call it that, capricious and unpredictable. It makes acting look like a steady job. This also makes it seductive too, of course. Anything is possible.

Q7. Who are some of your own favourite books and authors? Do you enjoy reading 'chick lit' yourself? 

I love so many authors I always find it impossible to list favourites but Oscar Wilde, Raymond Carver, Jane Austen are authors I return to again and again. The ‘chick lit’ authors I enjoy tackle big issues with a light touch: Miriam Keyes, Melissa Bank, Jojo Moyes to name a few.

Q8. How do you feel about the term 'chick lit' and your books being classified as such? Are people right to give the term such a slating?  

I’m not sure it’s fair to give such a diverse range of women’s fiction the same label, even if publishing needs a shorthand. There are women writers who might not be in that genre if they were male. That said, for me, the most important thing is that readers know about, read and enjoy my books. I'm just delighted if they find me: I don't mind how they get there.

Q9. Are you working on your next novel yet? If so, can you tell me anything about it?  

Yes, ploughing into my seventh book. I hate talking about them before they’re finished though as I think I’ll jinx it. Sorry!

Q10. Finally, what's the best piece of writing advice you've ever been given?      

‘A writer writes.’ Not sure who said that but it’s the ultimate advice. You’ve got to sit down, put one word in front of the other…the only way.

Book Review: The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey

2012-02-01T12:00:00.000Z

"Jack and Mabel have staked everything on making a fresh start for themselves in a homestead 'at the world's edge' in the raw Alaskan wilderness. But as the days grow shorter, Jack is losing his battle to clear the land, and Mabel can no longer contain her grief for the baby she lost many years before.

The evening the first snow falls, their mood unaccountably changes. In a moment of tenderness, the pair are surprised to find themselves building a snowman - or rather a snow girl - together. The next morning, all trace of her has disappeared, and Jack can't quite shake the notion that he glimpsed a small figure - a child? - running through the spruce trees in the dawn light. And how to explain the little but very human tracks Mabel finds at the edge of their property?

Written with the clarity and vividness of the Russian fairytale from which it takes its inspiration, The Snow Child is an instant classic - the story of a couple who take a child into their hearts, all the while knowing they can never truly call her their own."

Rating: 5/5

This book isn't chick lit by any means, so you may wonder why exactly I'm reviewing it on the site. I first heard about this book from another blogger, Vicki, and was blown away by her review of it. This book sounded so captivating and beautiful that I tweeted about how much I was looking forward to it and lo and behold, I was lucky enough to receive a copy on my doormat the next day! It is a beautiful royal blue hardback book, with white images etched into the cover - it's simple and sleek, much like the story and it works so perfectly, and is such a beautiful cover your eye is really drawn to it immediately. I didn't know anything about it's author, Eowyn Ivey, or the Russian fairytale from which it came, and I just absolutely loved this book, it's stunningly and hauntingly beautiful.

Jack and Mabel are living in the wilds of Alaska in the 1920's, and really struggling to cope with their lifestyle, finances, and lack of children together. They moved there in the hope of forgetting the pain of their past, but it's just followed them all the way to Alaska, and is eating away at their marriage. When a heavy snowfall occurs, Jack and Mabel bond over the creation a 'snow girl' they craft together, with Mabel dressing the girl also. The next morning, they see a young, blond girl running through the forest and across their land. Who is this mysterious girl, and how is she going to affect the lives of Jack and Mabel? As I mentioned, this book is based on a Russian fairytale, although I've never heard of it or read it, and this is referred to throughout the book by the characters, which was an interesting inclusion by Ivey, but also brings the book into the real world somehow.

Jack and Mabel are wonderful characters, and are written so beautifully by Eowyn Ivey. Anyone reading this will be able to sympathise with Mabel, she is suffering over the loss of her only baby and is struggling to bond with Jack as a result. However, her hope and and excitement over the arrival of the mysterious Faina is very uplifting but at the same time you want to warn her perhaps things aren't as they seem as you don't want to see her get hurt again. I liked how she adapted to her circumstances, changing as the book progressed, and the book was a realy development for Mabel. Jack was a quiet and brooding character, choosing to work hard instead of verbalise his feelings to his wife. You can feel the pain emanating from both of them, the scenes they share and those they do alone echoing their thoughts and feelings, and you can really feel their loneliness in the Alaskan wilderness despite having each other. I was really drawn into the story of this couple, and was really hooked into their story, both their past and the present of the book.

The mystery of Faina is a strange one, and I did struggle to get my head around her in the novel quite a bit. I had myself doubting whether or not she was real, and when I finally started to believe that she was, something else happened that made me doubt it again. I did like how Ivey was throwing us in different directions, and it constantly kept the book fresh as you didn't know what was going to happen with her, Jack and Mabel next. Faina is very much a fairytale character, one that Mabel and Jack desperately want to believe is real, and I feel this is really contrasted well with the stark wilderness of Alaska, and the desperate need for survival of the other characters in the book. Faina is perhaps their little ray of sunshine and bit of hope amongst darkness and despair, and for that reason alone, you are wishing for a happy ending for these people.

Ivey's descriptions of her native Alaska, albeit many years ago from the present day Alaska she is living in, are stunning and really take your breath away at times. She manages to use her words to convey perfectly the vast forests, the crisp, white snow and the bitter coldness of the weather and winds, as well as how hard it is for Jack and Mabel to survive amongst the adverse conditions, trying desperately to grow food to survive. This book is breath-taking and a real joy to read, and believe me when I say you'll be touched by the worlds of Jack and Mabel for a long time after turning the last page. I was captivated by this tale of love, hope and loss and found Ivey's writing draws in her reader and into the world of Alaska, and Jack and Mabel too. It is hauntingly beautiful and lets you get totally lost in the world of 1920's Alaska, and the fairytale that is Faina, the Snow Child.

You can buy The Snow Child in both hardback and as an eBook now. (links go to Amazon.co.uk)

February 2012 releases

2012-02-01T09:00:00.003Z

I really can't believe how many fantastic books are out this month, I've been reading like a mad woman o try and get as many of them reviewed this month as I can! Having put together all of the covers as well, I think there are some really great ones! There's a nice selection of debut authors mixed in with more established authors too, so do let me know which book(s) you're looking forward to most!

Author Interview: Jessica Thompson

2012-01-31T12:00:00.001Z

Yesterday I brought you a review of Jessica Thompson's fab new novel This Is A Love Story. Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing the author herself, Jessica Thompson, and asking her a few of my burning questions about the book, her plans for a second novel, and a few other things in between as well! My thanks go to Jessica for answering my questions, and to Lucy at Hodder for helping organise this. Please enjoy, and do take a minute to check out my review of this fantastic book too!

Q1. Please tell me about your new book This Is A Love Story.

This Is a Love Story is a modern 'will they won't they' tale with a twist. Set in London, the story begins when Nick and Sienna meet eyes over a copy of The Metro. Over a five year period the two share an unusual 'friendship' where they try to hide/fight their feelings for each other with sometimes hilarious effect. The humour is very British, the topics are wide ranging, and many people will be able to relate to this story and all the confusions that come with modern relationships.

Q2. Sienna and Nick are fantastic characters, and both equally loveable in their own ways. Could you pick a favourite between them?!

I couldn't pick a favourite between Nick and Sienna. I can obviously relate to Sienna more because she is a woman, but I thoroughly enjoyed writing Nick's chapters too. I became very attached to them in the writing process and they felt like real people in the end! I feel like I know them inside out. Who they were as characters was very clear in my head from the first line, and I think that's a good sign. I'm delighted that they turned out how they did and that I was able to bring them to life in this way.

Q3. There is a really serious storyline in the book involving Sienna and her father, and their relationship was perhaps my favourite in the book. How did you come about deciding to put this particular storyline in, and what research had to go into it to ensure you portrayed it accurately?

The narcolepsy thread in This is a Love Story was inspired by knowing a man who has the condition. A lot of the film and television depictions of narcolepsy can poke fun at it, and I had already been exposed to narcolepsy through the media before I met him. But when I did get to know him, my experience was totally different. All my expectations were turned upside down. I found myself unable to stop thinking about him and the life he lives, and I was keen to incorporate this kind of experience into my story by creating a character with narcolepsy. I was struck by how sad and debilitating the condition is, but also how positive and inspiring this man is, and how he always has a smile on his face. I respect him greatly for this. I carried out a lot of research, and consulted sites such as Narcolepsy UK (http://www.narcolepsy.org.uk/).

Q4. I think the cover of your book is gorgeous, and even better in real life than it looks on a computer screen! What was your reaction when you first saw it, and was it what you imagined for the book?

I am glad you love the cover as much as I do! The artist, Zeena Shah (http://www.zeenashah.com/) has done a wonderful job and I'm so thankful to her. When I first saw it I was delighted. I actually rang my friend Louise as I was opening the envelope and it was a moment I will never forget. My publisher's direction and guidance in creating the perfect cover has been invaluable. I have total trust in their ideas and judgement.

Q5. How did you feel when you got your publishing deal with Coronet, and how amazing has it been to be on the publishing journey with your book? What has been the most exciting part of your publication journey so far?

When I first got my publishing deal I was in shock in the best possible way. I still to this day can't believe it has happened, and I just feel so grateful to everyone who has been involved. The year before publication has gone so quickly and I just feel like I've been walking on air. The best bit so far (after the initial deal with Hodder) was finding out that there was such positive interest from publishers overseas. It will be published in Germany, Spain, Brazil and the Netherlands, and that for me is the biggest compliment I could have wished for, and the icing on the cake after getting a deal with Hodder. Getting to know staff at Hodder better has also be wonderful and of course, lunch meetings with my agent Sheila Crowley are something I very much look forward to.

Q6. This Is A Love Story has a pretty simple title which describes the book to a tee. How did you come about choosing this title for your book, and how long did it take you to write the book overall?

The title came to me one weekend while I was brainstorming ideas with my parents. It is simple, but I think I was attracted to it because there are several love stories in my book, whether or not they are conventional romantic ones. Sienna's relationship with her father and Pete are love stories in their own right, just of a different kind.

Q7. Chick Lit does take a bashing in the press and with other readers a lot - what are your thoughts on the term, and how do you feel about your books being classified as chick lit? Are you a proud chick lit author!?
I know that the chick lit term is a subject of hot debate in the book world and brings about a lot of strong feeling. I think it's natural for things to be put in boxes and categories. The same happens with music through titles like "pop", "rock" and "hip hop" even though it might encompass several different genres and styles. I feel that as long as people enjoy my work I don't mind what box it goes in. It's all so subjective and down to personal opinion. I don't think the term chick lit is damaging, but I do think it's a shame that women's writing is separated in this way and we do not see this with the work of male authors. I think that is one of the main issues with the term and why it stirs up so much debate.

Q8. What do you do when you aren't writing books? What inspired you to become an author?

When I'm not writing books I'm either at my full time job as a reporter, in the gym, running or seeing my friends. My life is pretty busy, but I like it that way. I have always been writing creatively, and I wrote a little novel when I was about 14. I think it was always there but I didn't necessarily realise it. I had focused on journalism for my studies in my late teens and then eventually that became my career. When I was contacted by Mark Booth from Hodder about my feature writing, I was so excited to send him some of my creative work and I'm so pleased it has worked out how it has.

Q9. Who are some of your favourite authors, and could you name your top three books of all time?

I love the work of so many writers, particularly Jojo Moyes, Lionel Shriver and James Frey. I also love the classics, such as Dickens and Austen among others. I find the writing styles of Caitlin Moran and Charlie Brooker hilarious, and I feel really inspired by their humour. Favourite books include Moyes' Last Letter from Your Lover, Lionel Shriver's We Need to talk about Kevin, and I was really impressed by Julian Barnes' The Sense of an Ending. I know there was a lot of controversy surrounding James Frey's A Million Little Pieces, but I thought the writing was fantastic and it evoked really strong feelings in me. I have also enjoyed a lot of the texts for my university course, including Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev and Alice Walker's The Colour Purple. My taste is very varied!

Q10. Finally are you working on another novel (please say yes!) and if so, can you tell me something about it?!

I am working on another novel. The first draft is complete, and I am now on the initial editing phase. I have loved writing this book as much as I did the first, and I hope I can write many more. The story is not a follow on from TIALS. It is a little more complex and involves a series of threads occurring separately and then overlapping. I am excited to be able to get some more feedback on it.

Thank you for interviewing me, and for your support.
Jess
x

Thank you so much, Jessica!

Book News: The Playgroup by Janey Fraser

2012-01-31T09:00:00.000Z

Janey Fraser's debut novel The Playgroup is due out at the end of this week on February 2nd, and I think it sounds like a great read. Janey is the pen-name of Sophie King, whose books I have really enjoyed in the past, so I can't wait to get stuck into this one.

"Puddleducks Playgroup has been run successfully for several years. Now, with an opportunity to prove herself Gemma Merryfield can't wait to take over running it in September. But the arrival of the new head of the infant school, Joe Balls soon tempers her enjoyment. Ex-banker Joe has been employed to bring the school back up to scratch, and that includes intefering with Gemma and her playgroup. Gemma adores her unruly group of children, and she can even find affection for the parents, but Joe's inteference is the last thing she needs.

Meanwhile, Nancy is in turmoil. Her only son has just started playgroup and her husband has taken a temporary posting to Vietnam. Even before he left, there hadn't been much hope of conceiving her much-wanted second child. And with Danny gone for most of the day, what on earth is she meant to do now? Does she have the strength to find herself again, and maybe make some friends along the way?

Little do any of them realise what a tumultuous term it is going to be..."

You can pre-order The Playgroup in both paperback and as an eBook now.

Book Review: This Is A Love Story by Jessica Thompson

2012-01-30T12:00:00.000Z

"This is a love story.

Boy meets girl and girl falls for boy - that much is true.

But when Sienna meets Nick it's not the way it happens in love stories. It's because of a squirrel on water skis...

She sees Nick's dangerous brown eyes and thinks,

Don't.

Fall.

Into.

Them.

Who will be there to catch Siena when she falls? She is so fragile. She has so many secrets, and he is not that serious.

Funny and sad, this is the story of two people destined never to come together in the great love affair they crave more than anything else."

I adore debut novels, there's something about the unknown and the anticipation of a brand new story experience that really excites me, and I'm always really keen to read them as soon as they arrive through my letterbox! This book was certainly one that caught my eye, not least because of the absolutely beautiful cover it has! It's a subtle light blue with pretty white detailing, but it's just so different from any other cover on my shelf that I loved it. Also, the title really draws you in and if you're a soppy soul (like me!), then it's the perfect book for you to snuggle up with in the evenings, or whenever you have 5 spare minutes. I loved every page of this book and didn't want it to end, and here's why!

It's simply the love story between two characters, Sienna and Nick. They are strangers who meet by chance on a London train, realise they are colleagues and proceed to love each other from afar for the next few years, without admitting it to each other. But behind their feelings are a few other secrets too... Sienna has more going on a home with her Dad than she cares to reveal to anyone, and Nick is too stubborn to tell Sienna he loves her so keeps heading into relationship after relationship, no matter how much it's killing Sienna inside. He just wants her to let him in, and let him help her. Will they be able to ever admit to each other how they? This is pretty much the crux of the storyline, and while it's simple, it's very effective and gives plenty of scope for the characters to develop, and I was completely sucked in from the first page.

Sienna is such a loveable character, and I loved her from the beginning. She's a young character, yet she's hiding a really serious secret from everyone who knows her. I don't want to say too much about her dad and what's going on there because it's best to read it as you progress in the book, but it was so beautifully written by Thompson. You can tell she has put so much research into it because it's written with real compassion and feeling, and I ended up so attached to both Sienna and her father in the end. The relationship between them is written so beautifully, it makes for very touching reading, and I love how it slowly unfolds. Sienna also has another important relationship in the book, with a man called Pete and again, this story was incredibly touching, and really showcases what a lovely person Sienna is, and perhaps how judgmental and cruel we cna be to those less fortunate than ourselves.

Nick is a different kettle of fish altogether. He's a lovely male character, and to be honest it's nice to read a male character in chick lit that isn't a pig, a cheat, a liar or just a complete pleb really! Nick is blatantly in love with Sienna, I'm not sure how she doesn't wise up to that fact throughout the book, but the little things he does for her as his best friend is really sweet, and he's brilliant when Sienna comes up against some hard times. I was willing him on to tell her throughout the book how he feels, but the wrong moves he makes along the way had me cringing and wanting him to wake up to what a mistake he was making! However, together he and Sienna are the perfect characters to read about, and I really was consumed by their love story, and their will they, won't they ending.

It's set in London, and I felt Thompson writes the setting really well. She brings to life the place of work of Nick and Sienna, the house where Sienna lives with her dad, and even the parks that Sienna meets up with Pete in, with her vibrant writing. The characters feel so realistic that they almost feel like real people by the end of the book, and you don't want to leave them behind! From the extremely touching and emotional side of the book, to the funny moments which had me smiling along, I loved everything about this book. I was up until about 1.30am finishing this, because one I hit 3/4 of the way through, I couldn't stop and by the end, the tears were flowing, I'm not ashamed to admit! But I think the best thing of all is that this could be true. So many times, we don't want to/can't admit we love someone from afar and I'm sure a lot of people will be able to relate to Sienna or Nick! This is a stunning debut from Jessica Thompson, one which really pull at your heart-strings, and leave you wanting more. Brilliant.

You can buy This Is A Love Story in both paperback and as an eBook now.

Book News: The Out of Office Girl by Nicola Doherty

2012-01-30T09:00:00.002Z

One debut I am really looking forward to this year is Nicola Doherty's new book, The Out of Office Girl! It's not out until July 6th, but Nicola revealed the cover last week, and I thought it was so amazing I wanted to share it with you! I love the orange font for the title and the summery scene behind, and the story sounds fantastic too! Are you looking forward to this one?

"From London ....

Alice Roberts is having a rubbish summer.

She's terrified of her boss, her career is stalling, and she's just been dumped - by text message. But things are about to change ...

... to Italy

When her boss Olivia is taken ill, Alice is sent on the work trip of a lifetime: to a villa in Sicily, to edit the autobiography of Hollywood bad boy Luther Carson. But it's not all yachts, nightclubs and Camparis. Luther's arrogant agent Sam wants him to ditch the book. Luther himself is gorgeous, charming and impossible to read. There only seems to be one way to get his attention, and it definitely involves mixing business with pleasure. Alice is out of the office, and into deep trouble ...

... with love"

You can pre-order The Out of Office in paperback now! (links go to Amazon.co.uk)

Book Deals: The Round-Up

2012-01-26T10:45:00.000Z

Here's a few more book deals I've seen on The Bookseller website, and thought I'd pass them on!

Fern Britton signs further two-book deal with HarperCollins
"HarperCollins has acquired two more novels from television presenter Fern Britton, with HarperFiction commissioning editor Kate Bradley acquiring world rights from Luigi Bonomi at LBA, on behalf of Lacey Associates.

The first title, The Holiday Home, will be published in hardback in spring 2013, with Britton also to write two short stories that will be available with the e-book editions. The Holiday Home will be the story of the Carew sisters, Ally and Dede, who are at war with each other over the inheritance of a Cornish holiday house.

Bradley said: “Fern is a natural storyteller and her writing is full of humour and warmth.”"

Linda Green moves to Quercus
"Quercus has acquired two novels by women's fiction author Linda Green, with the author moving from Headline, which published her previous four novels.

Paperback publisher Joanne Dickinson acquired world English language rights, excluding US and Philippines, in the two as-yet-untitled novels through Anthony Goff, managing director of David Higham Associates. Quercus will publish the first in 2013.

Dickinson said: "I am thrilled that Linda is joining the Quercus team. She is a very talented writer, incredibly skilled at combining warmth and humour with serious and very moving storylines. Linda has some fantastic ideas for future novels and I'm really excited to be working with her."

These sound like great deals, and congratulations to all the authors and publishers involved! All articles are taken from The Bookseller.

Book Review: More Like Her by Liza Palmer

2012-01-25T12:00:00.000Z

"'I'm not the girl men choose. I'm the girl who's charming and funny and then drives home alone wondering what she did wrong. I'm the girl who meets someone half-way decent and then fills in the gaps in his character with my own imagination, only to be shocked when he's not the man I thought he was. I'm the girl who hides who she really is...'

Frannie has spent her life disguising who she really is for fear of falling short of other people's expectations. And when she meets her new boss, Frannie can't help but wish she was just a bit more like her. Because Emma has it all: the job, the lifestyle, the happy marriage... even the perfect dog.

But everything is not as it seems. And Frannie's about to find out - in the hardest way possible - that chasing perfection isn't necessarily the route to the happy life that she's always imagined it to be.

A heartbreaking and romantic story about love, life, friendship and the true importance of chasing your own dreams."

Rating: 4/5

I haven't actually read any of Liza Palmer's books as of yet, so when I was sent a copy of her new book More Like Her for review, I was really determined to read it because it sounded really interesting and a few American reviews of it made it sound like a book not to be missed as well. I have to confess to not being mad on the cover, I find the (awful) coloured boots to be a strange choice as well as the odd flooring, I think the publishers could have made so much more than this, but really don't judge this book by the cover because it is so much that what I had expected from the cover. It is chick lit but with a difference - it's meaty, and its got a plot that you don't see coming without a doubt!

The main character is Frannie, a woman who is somewhat lucky in love after yet another break up with boyfriend Brad. She's fed up and is determined to find a guy who loves her for who she is not, and not who they want her to be. I really liked Frannie, even if she did frustrate me at times because of her woe-is-me attitude and constant bickering with the lovely Sam, the male lead in the book. Sam was lovely, very affected by what he had to do in the book but this made me feel even more sympathetic towards him. Frannie is a bit stand-offish towards him, you can understand why in some respects but at the same time, I wanted her to wake up and see what a good guy Sam was! Emma doesn't appear heavily in the book, but in some ways she's the most important person in the book. Her life isn't what she wants everyone to think it is, and it's going to have huge ramifications for everyone she knows.

I'm not going to go into any detail about the events in the book, because it's best to read them as they unfold, and be shocked by them as I was when I read the book. Palmer writes the surprising storyline really well, with great emotion, detail and a lot of compassion for the characters who are going through these issues. I felt the reactions of all involved to be very realistic, from Grady and Lisa's relationship twists and turns, to Sam and Frannie's upset and nightmare to Jill's denial as well. It isn't something I would expect to read in chick lit, yet it really made me think about things, and the issues involving Emma too, the woman Frannie wanted to be like her. It's a sad story, and one will certainly stay with you for a while.

I found it very easy to read, and get into, and Palmer's writing style was a joy to read too, slowly unfolding the story, and setting up a good amount of background for the main story to start being told as well. It's a very emotional book, that's perhaps more about the inner turmoil and struggle of the characters, and how they come about rescuing themselves from it than anything else, but it's compulsive reading that will have you wanting a happily ever after for these poor characters. If you want chick lit with a difference, something that packs a bit of a punch and is a meaty read, then look no further than a copy of More Like Her. It'll have you wondering whether everyone else's lives are the dream world that they outwardly appear to be.

You can buy More Like Her in both paperback and as an eBook now.

Book News: Sweet Little Lies by Alison Bond

2012-01-25T09:18:00.000Z

I really loved Alison Bond's 2010 release A Reluctant Cinderella despite the awful cover and misleading blurb, therefore I was really pleased to see her publishers have taken a totally different route with the book cover for her 2012 release, Sweet Little Lies, which is due for release on February 16th. It sounds like a great read, and I can't wait to read it!

"What if your best friend tried to ruin your life?

Take two childhood friends: glamorous, rich Chrissie and clever, down to earth Anna. But what was once the perfect friendship - despite their differences - is now a web of lies and betrayal.

Years ago, Chrissie did something terrible to Anna and it caused more pain and heartbreak than she could ever have predicted. Anna must never find out.

But Chrissie's guilt is suffocating her - especially when the man they both loved walks back into their lives. When she starts to fall apart under the pressure, the one person she wants to confide in is the one person who must never know. But perhaps Anna isn't telling all she knows either . . .

Can a friendship made of a patchwork of lies endure? Will the truth end it completely? Or can Chrissie and Anna put their sweet little lies behind them?"

You can pre-order Sweet Little Lies as both a paperback and an eBook now!

Author Article: Zoe Miller

2012-01-24T12:30:00.002Z

Yesterday, I reviewed Zoe Miller's latest book Rival Passions, a fantastic read set in a glamourous Irish hotel that I really enjoyed! Zoe was kind enough to write an article for the site for me, about how she juggles being an author and having a full time job as well! Thanks go to Zoe for taking the time to write this for me!

Novel Writing and the Day Job - How I Cope!

Sometimes I get my best ideas when I’m commuting to the day job in the morning. I’d be driving over Templeogue Bridge at 7.30am, listening to the radio, and a piece of dialogue would pop into my head. Or when I’m stuck in slow morning traffic, I might get an idea about how best to bring two characters together. (Or tear them apart!)

But all those ideas have to be left to simmer in the back of my mind when I reach the office around 8.15 am, and get caught up in plans for the day. I work in the field of training and development, mostly skills such as Customer Service, Communication, etc. On a typical day I could delivering a training course, or preparing for a course, meeting with managers and staff to discuss training needs, or handling a variety of admin queries.

Combining my life as a novelist with the day job is a challenge, but I’m finally fulfilling my lifelong dream. Once upon a time I was one of those book lovers cum writers who was passionate about the idea of writing a novel. But I never seemed to find the time to knuckle down, what with a busy day job, and a house to run, not to mention a husband and family.

Then the penny dropped. I was never going to ‘find’ time. If I wanted to follow my dream, I would have to carve out writing time and guard it with my life. So I had to learn to fit it in around my job, ignore the telly / the internet / the phone, and forget about leisure time. My family and friends had to get used to me slinking off to write. And they did. As for housework? One of my favourite sayings is by an American author Joy Held – ‘Women with clean houses do not have finished books’. I have pinned this to the wall of my writing room!

When I finally got my first 2-book deal, I reduced my day job to four days a week. I usually leave the office round 5.00 pm and as soon as I’m in the car I’m back with my characters and I start thinking of how I’m going to pull apart their lives, for better or worse. Once home, I get into my comfy jeans, catch up on stuff like emails and essential phone calls, and then it’s into my writing room, where no matter what kind of day I’ve had, I enter the world of romance, glamour and intrigue! I work for a couple of hours most weekday nights. I usually set a target word count to reach, but I don’t always get there! On my day ‘off’, it’s bliss to forget about the office and head straight into my writing room, where I’ll work a full day. I also work between eight – twelve hours at weekends, depending on deadlines and family life. My family and friends are very supportive and hubby has even discovered how to load (and empty) the dishwasher and washing machine - of his own volition!

The good thing about having a day job is that it gives you a regular income to help cover life’s little essentials, leaving your mind free to create. There’s also plenty of social interaction, which is a big plus, because writing can be a very solitary occupation. The hustle and bustle of the day job also helps to keep me on my toes and it broadens my horizons. At a deeper level, this feeds into my writing.

To combine the two, I have to be focussed and disciplined, and I always spend a little time on Sunday planning the week ahead, but I also know I have to be flexible and allow for occasional down time! My writing life is very important to me and time is precious, but family always comes first.

Most writers I know are juggling their writing careers with other commitments. If you think of it, most people have to juggle various aspects of their lives on a daily basis. I feel very grateful that I have a career as a novelist, even if I have to manage it alongside the day job!

You can buy Zoe's book Rival Passions in both paperback and as an eBook now! You can also read my review of the book here.

Book News: Infidelity by Tara Palmer-Tomkinson

2012-01-24T09:56:00.001Z

Tara Palmer-Tomkinson is back with her second novel Infidelity next month. It's a sequel to her first book, Inheritance, and I have to say I really don't like the cover... it's never good when the author's name comes above and beyond the title of the book, and it's too pink for me. I haven't read the first book either, but this does sound interesting. It's out on 16th February and here's the synopsis:

"The glamorous headline-grabbing Lyric Charlton has finally put her unhappy past behind her. She has her adoring family and a lover who worships her, but as Lyric has always known, life is a very uneven path, and things have a habit of tripping you up when you least expect it. When tragedy strikes at the heart of her family, Lyric’s world is once again thrown into turmoil. Before her very eyes everything she thought was safe now seems more fragile than ever. From the luxurious yachts on the Mediterranean to the super-charged atmosphere of the Melbourne Cup. From the brilliant white ski slopes of Klosters to the serenity of a Buddhist retreat, Infidelity is a tale of lovers and losers, cheaters and winners, as only Tara Palmer-Tomkinson can tell it."

You can pre-order Infidelity in both paperback and as an eBook now.

Book Review: Rival Passions by Zoe Miller

2012-01-23T12:18:00.000Z

Brother and sister Jack and Serena Devlin are the owners of Tamarisk Manor, a chic, luxury hotel, ranked as the ultimate retreat for socialites and celebrities. But behind the indulgent façade, the privileged Devlin family is in turmoil ... Serena's commitment to the hotel is taking a toll on her once-perfect marriage. She finds it easier to run a multi-million euro business than to be the kind of wife that her husband expects, or the mother that her daughter deserves. Jack, struggling to come to terms with the shocking death of his wife, takes refuge in La Mimosa, their sister hotel in France. Until a chance encounter forces him to re-evaluate his whole existence... Will Serena sacrifice her marriage for the sake of success? And will Jack give up his birthright for the sake of love?

Rating: 5/5

I have never yet read a Zoe Miller novel, but when I was sent this one to review by the publishers, my eye was really caught by the bright cover, and it sounded like the sort of book I would enjoy as well. Miller is an Irish author, and since I seem to really enjoy Irish penned fiction, it seemed a sure bet that I would like this one too. Luckily, I was right and Rival Passions was a fantastic book that I really didn't wany to put down in the evenings! It was an intriguing and fun story that had me guessing how things would end up for the characters up until the last page, and it's certainly made me want to pick up more of Zoe Miller's books!

The book is the story of twins Jack and Serena Devlin, who run a hotel called Tamarisk Manor. While Serena is dedicated to making the hotel a success at apparently any cost, Jack has recently been widowed and is struggling to put his life back together again. He's pretty much run out on the business and has left Serena to run it all alone, much to the annoyance of her husband Paul and their four year old daughter Harriet. But when it seems Jack might have other things on his mind, Serena is determined to make him step up to the plate and the legacy that their parents left them. Their mother is also suffering, watching her daughter struggle and her son not step up to his responsibilities but is powerless to act and help them out. This is really a family saga, involving lots of members of the Devlin family, and how they struggle to keep their relationships both personally and professionally, and this is for me what made it such a great read.

I did feel sorry for Serena, being left to run the business by herself and also struggling to cope with being Harriet's mum as well. As a reader, we could see what was going on with her yet her husband Paul seemed (understandably) a bit blinkered and just wanted her to be a wife and mother again. I did have a little dislike for Jack, he seemed very irresponsible and too quick to land his sister in trouble at work, and only cared about himself. Yes, he'd been in a tough situation but still that was no reason to abandon his responsibilites. I also liked the character of their mother, she was a feisty lady, who ran a hotel pretty much single handedly for years, and I enjoyed reading her develop as the story progressed. Overall, it was a great cast and Miller really brings them to life in her writing, creating these people and a fantastic setting too.

Miller writes the luxurious and beautiful resort of Tamarisk Manor perfectly, you can really imagine the setting in your mind as you read about the sumptuous rooms, the spa and beautiful grounds, and it really does sound amazing! Yes, we know there's a recession going on and that is mentioned in the book, with the hotel having to make cutbacks but there are a few mentions of luxury and splurging and why not? It's nice to read something a bit out of the ordinary and I loved it. The setting of Ireland is fantastic, and although it flits around a bit as well, it always comes back to Tamarisk and it always felt like coming home when the book returned here. The book contains a great cast of characters, a beautiful setting and a storyline that will keep you guessing. I loved that life wasn't all plain sailing for the Devlin family, yet they tried to help each other make it through the tough times like family should. I loved this book, and will certainly be looking out for more of Zoe Miller's books after reading this fantastic book!

You can buy Rival Passions in both paperback and as an eBook now. (links go to Amazon.co.uk)

Book Review: Just Another Manic Mum-Day by Mink Elliott

2012-01-20T12:00:00.000Z

Roxy, Jack and daughter Joey, three, are building a new life for themselves in sunny Sydney, Australia, but Roxy's finding it hard to settle down. When she discovers she's pregnant again, things become even more complicated - how will she cope with a second child?

Frustrated at the lack of places for stressed-out mums to go, Roxy and her new friend, Shoshanna, set up Just Another Manic Mum-Day - a café catering exclusively for parents. But when an opportunity arises for Roxy to return to England, she realises just how much she's missed home...

Rating: 4/5

I read Mink Elliott's debut novel The Pissed Off Parents Club a couple of years ago when it came out, and really enjoyed it. As a mum, I could relate to a lot of what the main character Roxy was going through as a new mother, and found it to be quite a funny and good read. Mink is back this year with a follow-up to that book, joining the character of Roxy and her husband Jack again in Australia this time, with a new addition on the way too. I was looking forward to finding out what these characters have been up to, and I have to confess that the cover is really good, and I love the bright yellow because it's really fun and bright, much like the story inside!

Roxy is now living in Australia with her husband Jack, and now three year old daughter Joey, and struggling to adjust to life in the sunshine, without her friends and family around her to help out. She's looking for a new job as they need money, and is shocked to find out she's expecting another baby, something she wasn't entirely sure she wanted. She then starts up a mums cafe with best friend Shoshanna, and is determined to make a success of it. I really liked Roxy from the beginning, she was just as I remembered her from the previous book and a bit of a disorganised mum, something I'm sure a lot of mum's reading it will be able to relate to! Roxy struggled to juggle her job, being a mum to Joey and being a good wife to Jack, as well as being herself and in that respect, I think Elliott has done a great job in creating a realistic and believable character in Roxy.

The setting of Australia was great, and it made a nice change from the hundreds of chick lit books I seem to read that are set in London at the moment as well! It was nice to be all cosy under my blanket reading about the beautiful sunshine of Australia, and the funny escapades Roxy and co manage to get themselves into. Her cafe was a great idea, yes it was a bit idealistic how quickly and easily Roxy and Shoshanna managed to set it up and get it running, whereas in real life it'd take ten time longer and be much more a struggle to become a success, but I guess that's the escapist fun of reading it in books! The cafe was a really good thing and made for a great storyline within the book. I have to say I really liked Roxy's best friend Shoshanna as well, and although I totally didn't agree with the actions that she had in the book, I felt it was realistically portrayed and well written.

I have to comment on the way Roxy and Jack handled their relationship, and I think a lot of parents of young children will be able to relate to the troubles that they went through. I was really willing them on and hoped that they'd get the happy ending that they both deserved. The book has a lot of light-hearted humour, especially relating to their precocious and adorable daughter Joey, who has some great one-liners in the book, and there is a lot to make the reader smile. Yes, some things happen too easily, but the obstacles Roxy comes up against and the way she works through them is great and I really loved her as a leading lady. I think the ending of the book was open enough to bring back these characters for a third time, so we'll just have to wait and see for now. I definitely recommend Just Another Manic Mum-Day to anyone who likes a light-hearted and happy read, and especially to mum's who want something to relate to as they're reading! It's a great book and I really enjoyed reading it.

You can buy Just Another Manic Mum-Day in both paperback and as an eBook now. (links go to Amazon.co.uk)

Author Article: Mink Elliott

2012-01-20T09:30:00.002Z

Mink Elliott's second book Just Another Manic Mum-Day, a follow-on from her debut novel The Pissed-off Parent's Club, was released yesterday and is a really fun look at life as a busy working Mum in Sydney, Australia as our main character Roxy decides to open a café with her new best friend. Mink kindly agreed to write an article on my site on the topic of cafe's, so here it is, please enjoy! My thanks go to Mink to for writing the article.

Why Cafes Are Great

I’ve spent an inordinate amount of time thinking about cafes - and not just lately, either, because my new book, Just Another Manic Mum-Day is about a cafe catering specifically for stressed-out and exhausted mums, dads and carers. No, I’ve always loved planning the decor, the location and the menu of my favourite fantasy cafe – ever since I was a nipper. Well, not quite a nipper, but a lot younger than I am today, that’s for sure.

The first time I went to a proper grown-up cafe (not just a chippy with some chairs in it) was with my mum, one stormy, wintry lunchtime in Adelaide, South Australia. I must’ve been about 12 or 13, on the brink of young womanhood (i.e. a stroppy teenaged nightmare – although Mum still says my adolescence began in earnest when I was about five years old) and we’d been shopping for an outfit for me to wear to a friend’s birthday sleepover.

We plumped (plump being the operative word for me, what with my penchant for all things sugary and an intolerance to exercise) for a claret red velvet pencil skirt and a black angora jumper in the end, I think. Although my memory’s not what it used to be, I freely admit. I mean, this happened a long time ago in the early 1980s – so, really you could tell us now that we actually purchased matching rah-rah skirts and a big box of XL shoulder pads and I bet neither of us would be surprised.

Mum, a teacher, and by now also a woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown after spending a few hours alone with mardy, mono-syllabic me, was desperate for her cappuccino fix. So we took shelter in a cafe above a hairdressers in the newly-built, swanky shopping mall, The Gallery.

As I recall, Mum asked for some pumpkin soup, doorstop slices of rustic, crusty bread (this was pre-Atkins/Zone/cutting out evil carbs for life) and I ordered the oh-so-sophisticated asparagus quiche and a Tab (which is what you had back in the Dark Ages, before they invented Diet Coke).

Anyway, we sat there, arms crossed, looking around at anything but each other in stony silence for a while until Mum eventually extended the olive branch by saying: ‘Tell you what. I’ll buy you that enormous piece of Black Forest cake over there on the dessert trolley if you can tell me, in 200 words or more why having a carpet in a cafe isn’t the smartest of ideas.’

My mouth started to water instinctively and I looked down at the royal blue and gold swirly carpeted floor.

‘Because it’s ugly?’ I offered, falling way, way short of her preferred word count and then adding for good measure, ‘So ugly it’ll put everyone off their food?’

‘Well, yes, maybe,’ Mum smiled. ‘Maybe that’s one very good reason...’

And that was it. We were off, banging on about the considerable merits of easy-to-clean, country kitchen-y cosy floor boards versus food trapping, eye-wateringly unpleasant carpets made out of nylon which give you electric shocks, whether you’ve ordered them or not; the fabric of the curtains and whether, indeed, Venetian blinds might not have been a better option; the layout of the tables and booths and whether red and white checked tablecloths would have been too much or simply a nice touch yada yada yada. Oh, and after I’d been to the loo, why asparagus makes your wee smell so weird and asparagus-y.

Unbeknownst to me, Mum had used the alien surroundings of an adult cafe (and the promise of cake) to trick me into talking to her. And I loved it! Safe from the storm outside, warm and close in the relative sanctuary of the cafe, we bonded again. There we were, sharing Mum’s Bic biro and drawing our Grand Designs on paper serviettes, oblivious to and no longer bothered by our usual every day annoyances (that would be me, if you asked Mum), injustices (that would be my mum, if you asked me) and daily distractions (Rubik’s cubes if you asked anyone in those days).

Eventually, though, I got bored and wanted to get back home so I could ring my mates to discuss what they were going to be wearing to the party and whether or not Anna Johnson really was going to bring cigarettes and Brandivino with her. Because really, there’s only so much one-on-one time with her mum a 13-year-old girl can take. Especially in public.

Years and years (and, ooh! What was that? Oh, only about 10 more years) have whizzed by and I still love spending hours sitting in cafes, drowning myself in Earl Grey and thinking about what I’d do to improve the place. Only difference is I drag my five and a half-year-old daughter along with me and bore her to tears with my cafe plans while she sips Baby-Cinos and scoffs gourmet goujons et frites. Now she’s the moody little madam who’s giving her mum grief with the old arms crossed, bottom lip dragging on the ground routine.

Like mother like daughter, eh?

Yes, indeed. And so, as family tradition tells me to, I’ve already started bribing my daughter with cream horns, banana bread and Smarties cookies in calorie-laden attempts to keep the lines of communication open. Now I just hope the reassuringly cosy nature of our favourite cafe can do the rest. Well, it worked for my mum. And they do say the mini cupcake never falls far from the cake stand, don’t they?

Book Review: Horse Play by Jo Carnegie

2012-01-19T12:30:00.000Z

Churchminster village - picturesque, quaint, sleepy - OR NOT...

A place where women know exactly what they want, and it's not cream tea with the vicar.

A place where anything can happen . . . so be careful what you wish for.

And a place where the men had better behave . . . because the ladies won't take it lying down (well, not unless they want to!)

Rating: 5/5

I've read all but one of Jo Carnegie's Churchminster series and really enjoyed them. I have to admit the last one wasn't the best, but when I received a copy of Horse Play for review, I was really hoping that it'd be back up to the standards of the other books, and luckily Jo Carnegie really didn't let me down! I also like her new cover look, with the bold photography making the book stand out far more and it has a bit of a fun look to it as well. Although it's book 5 of a series, you could also read this without having read the previous 4 novels, you just won't know some of the background although the important bits about the characters are explained as you go along! So why should you pick up a copy of Horse Play?

The book contains many characters as most of the Churchminster villagers make a comeback of sorts in this book, even if its just a brief mention. The main ones from previous books are sisters Caro and Calypso, both wildly different but equally fun to read about, Angie and Freddie who own a big house and horses, and of course the lovely Granny Clem. We are introduced to a few new characters in the book, Kizzy, a young girl who works for Angie and Freddie, and Javier, a former Olympic dressage rider and object of Kizzy's affections. These new characters blended in perfectly with those of old, and I really did like Kizzy, despite her naivety somewhat towards Javier and things like that. Kizzy and Javier's story, which does take some surprising twists and turns is one of the main focuses of the story, together with Kizzy's loves of horses. Caro had her own storyline too, to do with her hideous ex-husband and son Milo, I found it quite hard to read and get to grips with, I think every mum dreads being in Caro's position here but I felt Carnegie handled it very well and it moved with a good pace in the book too.

I'm not a massive fan of horses if I'm honest, they freak me out a bit as they're huge and you just don't know what they're thinking behind those eyes but since this book really focus on them, I had to put my dislike behind me and plough on. However, I found the horsey bits really enjoyable, and there wasn't anything too technical in there, in fact I really liked the detail about the horse riding and Kizzy's experience with the horse and Ed, the rider too. It was funny to see Carnegie write about the racecourse which my garden looks over too, I wish there was a little more about Newbury racecourse in there but it was fun reading it in a book for sure! You don't have to be a horsey person to understand these bits either, and what you don't understand obviously isn't hugely important anyway!

This book is full of fun, laughs, sex and living in the countryside, and it's a complete joy to read about from start to finish. Yes, there's lots of characters to keep track of, but once you've got them all down, it's easy peasy to follow as they are all so different. There are also lots of different stories going on too, from the fun horsey story involving Kizzy, the Fox-Titts and Javier, and then Caro's family dramas, and Calypso's life dramas too! There's some raunchy sex scenes, lots of laugh out loud funny moments and just a bit of everything for everyone really. You'll really love this if you've enjoyed the rest of the Churchminster series so far, but if you haven't yet experienced Churchminster, this would certainly be a great place to start! I enjoyed every page and didn't want to leave the residents of Churchminster once more... I can't wait for the next one!

You can order Horse Play as both a paperback and an eBook now.

Author Interview: Jo Carnegie

2012-01-19T09:00:00.001Z

Jo Carnegie's new book Horse Play is due out tomorrow, and I was lucky enough to get an early reading copy of it, and it was a fantastic read that I'll be reviewing shortly! Jo was kind enough to agree to answering a few questions I had for her, so many thanks to Jo for answering them, and please enjoy my interview with Jo!

Q1. Please tell me about your new book 'Horse Play'.

Horse Play sees the return of the feisty Calypso, along with sisters Caro and Camilla and a fab new character called Kizzy. The book has an exciting racing storyline, as well as some sizzling romances and lots of trials and tribulations facing the three sisters.... I've also introduced a GORGEOUS new topical character; the dark and brooding Javier Hamilton-Scott, who is training Britain's great dressage hope for the Olympics.

Q2. This is the fifth book in the Churchminster series. Did you always intend the books to be a series, and what made you continue writing Churchminster books rather than stand-alone novels?

I always saw the book as a series, I love the characters so much I could let them run forever! I also think my readers have built up real relationships with them and they want to know what happens in their lives. Plus I hear so much good gossip, it's a shame to let it go to waste! The village I grew up in in Bedfordshire and where my parents still live is completely outrageous. I love going home and heading down the local boozer to hear the latest scandal.

Q3. How do you keep track of all the characters in Churchminster?! Have you always had their stories planned out or does it change for them the more books you write about them?!

There are a lot of characters in my books, but I guess that goes with writing about a lively fun village. I do always have their endings planned out, but I think it's fun to veer off into different situations along the way. It keeps people guessing!

Q4. I have to confess to loving the sisters Camilla, Calypso and Caro - who are your favourite Churchminster residents?

I love Calypso and I also have a soft spot for Clementine and the relationship they have. I also LOVE the Fox-Titts, I want them to adopt me! Every woman needs a Freddie in their life, I think.

Q5. Where do you get the inspiration for your stories? Some of them are quite outlandish!

From real life! I grew up in the country and it's certainly never boring. I live in Wales now and the Welsh are also a lively lot, so I'm always getting fresh ideas. In fact I might do a series one day about a village by the sea. My in laws live in a beautiful place called Mumbles and there's always lots of shenanigans going on there…. Welsh men are buff!!

Q6. You used to work at Heat magazine - what made you leave there and decide to become an author? Is writing something you have always wanted to do?

I knew I wanted to write for a living as a six-year-old. I loved being a journalist and working in the crazy world of heat, but there was always a book inside me bursting to get out. I still do interviews for heat though, in fact I'm off to interview Daniel Radcliffe after this!

Q7. Who are some of your own favourite authors and books, and do you enjoy reading Chick Lit as well as writing it?

Weirdly, seeing as my books are so fun and lively, I really love dark Scandinavian fiction. The plots are so masterful and I love the sparse, clean writing. But I think it's important to read right across the board; Jilly Cooper is my heroine and I love the George McDonald Fraser Flashman books. I'm reading Sophie Kinsella's new one I've Got Your Number at the moment and really enjoying it.

Q8. What do you think of the term 'Chick Lit', and how do you feel about your books being called 'Chick Lit'?

I don't mind being called chick lit at all. I think some people can be a bit sniffy and think it's fluffy, but under the remit you have a fabulous array of women writers writing about a wide range of issues. Interesting how there's no 'Bloke Lit', isn't there?

Q9. Are you working on a sixth book, and if so can you tell me more about it?!

Yes and I'm SO excited. It's still set in the Cotswolds, but this time in a gorgeous market town called Beeversham. Catherine Connor, one of my lead characters from Naked Truths is in it and I've introduced a whole cast of new characters I'm really hoping people will love. There's a few mentions of the Churchminster lot as well, popping up when you least expect it.

Q10. Finally, what is the best writing tip or piece of advice you have ever received?

Just start writing! The more you write, the better you become. Trust me, there is no perfect first draft. I've spent hours in front of my laptop, only to delete the whole lot at the end of the day. It's not always right first time, but have the conviction you'll get there in the end.

Thanks so much, Jo!

You can order Horse Play in both paperback and as an eBook now.

Book Review: The Wife Who Ran Away by Tess Stimson

2012-01-18T12:15:00.000Z

"Kate Forrest is invisible… Ned, the husband she adores, doesn’t seem to know she’s alive, and her two charming children have grown into stroppy adolescents. Her boss is suddenly shunting her towards career Siberia, and her demanding mother is never off the phone. With her fortieth birthday fast approaching, all Kate wants to do is run away from the lot of them. And so she does. On impulse, Kate walks out of her job, her family and her life, and gets on a plane to Italy. With no ties and no responsibilities, she soon finds herself deliriously caught up in La Dolce Vita – and the arms of a man barely half her age. But when the unthinkable threatens her family, Kate is brutally forced to choose between her past and the future."

Rating: 5/5

The thing I love about Tess Stimson's books is the controversial stories she always manages to cover - you never quite know what you're going to get when you begin one of Tess' books and how it's all going to end up for the characters involved too. Therefore, when I received a copy of Tess' new book The Wife Who Ran Away, I was really excited as it sounded like a good concept for a book, and I was curious about whether I'd hate the main character for actually running away, and doing what is socially very unacceptable to most people. I quite like the cover, I really like the blue highlights against a more sepia toned background, and think it's quite pretty. So why did I love this book so much?

The book begins with Kate, a self-confessed workaholic who literally works to pay the bills and provide for her family. She made the choice with husband Ned for him to be the stay-at-home parent and take care of their 2 children while she progressed in her career and made a good salary to look after the family. However, when their marriage starts to fall apart, and her career is on shaky ground, Kate has had enough and runs off to her friend's house in Italy, at first only intending an overnight stay. But it quickly snowballs and before she knows it, it looks like Kate's run out on her life, her marriage and her children, leaving them wondering where Kate has gone to. As I was reading, I was almost egging Kate on to respond to her feelings of guilt and return back home, and as she made decisions not to go, I was cringing and wondering how as a mother she could leave her children in the lurch like that.

Kate is a controversial character, but I think it is this fact that makes the book such compulsive reading. As a woman and a mum, I couldn't quite believe Kate actually did run away, not only that but she didn't tell anyone she was leaving or where was going, something I found quite shocking. I'm sure all mum's out there have feelings of wanting to escape and run away from the day to day drudgery that can be our lives, but I'm sure most of us would never act on it, yet Kate chooses to do this. The book portrays Kate's marriage as falling apart, and I found that I couldn't have much sympathy for her husband because of his attitude, and I felt as a house-husband he was actually a bit crap and needed a kick up the bum! However, there are issues here that we don't initially know about and as the book progresses, these become clear to the reader and things start to make a bit more sense. Kate's actions in Italy are still quite shocking as well, and I was surprised at the things she got up to myself, but it just serves to create Kate as a person, rather than just a mother and wife although I didn't agree with what she was doing.

As well as the main story of Kate's running away, there is the minor sub-plot of their son Guy and the terrible time he is having at school at the hands of bullies. This is quite a shocking story-line, and some of the things that occur did make me gasp, and it might be a bit hard to read for some. However, it's clear that Stimson has done her research and the story does take some surprising twists and turns along the way, almost eclipsing the main storylines in part, and I found myself really engrossed in this story. I found all the characters in the book were well written, from the young daughter to the adults all in awkward situations themselves. Each of them really does bring something to the book, and I enjoyed how Stimson chose to write it in alternating narratives, so we hear not only from Kate but also from her husband and son's points of view as well. It's a gripping book that will have you glued until the last page, and wondering exactly where life is going to go for Kate and her family now. I loved it!

You can buy The Wife Who Ran Away in both paperback and as an eBook now.

Book News: The Stag and Hen Weekend by Mike Gayle

2012-01-18T09:25:00.000Z

Mike Gayle is back next month with an interesting concept for his new book, The Stag and Hen Weekend. It's not exactly a traditional book - there are two sides of it, the pink Hen weekend side and the blue Stag weekend side, and it's up to you which you read first! I think it's a great idea, and I can't wait to read this one! It's out on 2nd February and here's the synopsis:

"The Stag and Hen Weekend is the story of Phil and Helen, a couple in their thirties about to commit their lives to one another . . . that is of course if they can just manage to get through their respective stag and hen weekends (his: Amsterdam; hers: a country house and day spa in the Peak District) without falling apart. Told in the unique form of two separate stories that have common characters as well as themes and conclusion, The Stag and Hen Weekend can be read from front to back or from back to front putting the reader in the driver's seat as to which story they wish to read first."

You can pre-order The Stag and Hen Weekend in both hardback and as an eBook now.

Book News: Between A Mother And Her Child by Elizabeth Noble

2012-01-17T09:00:00.000Z

I really love Elizabeth Noble's books, even though they more often than not make me cry due to the emotional tales she alwasy weaves! After a little bit of a break, Elizabeth is back next month with a brand new book, Between A Mother and Her Child. I can't wait to read this one, and it's out on 16th February so not long to wait! Here's the synopsis:

"For Maggie and Bill it was love at first sight . . .

One impulsive wedding later and with the arrival of three perfect children, Jake, Aly and Stan, the Barrett family seem to have it all. Until the day their world stops turning.

When Jake dies suddenly, they're swept away on a tide of grief that fractures Maggie and Bill's marriage. She and the children are left clinging to the wreckage of their family. And they need help, because in her grief Maggie is in danger of losing Aly and Stan too.

Enter Kate, housekeeper, companion and shoulder to cry on. She's here to pick up the pieces and fix what isn't completely broken. But can Maggie trust Kate? And why is Kate so keen to help?

When Bill falls for another woman, Maggie realizes she will have to fight to put her family back together - but will they still want her?"

You can pre-order Between A Mother and Her Child in paperback now. (link goes to Amazon.co.uk)

Book Review: Happily Ever After by Harriet Evans

2012-01-16T12:00:00.000Z

"At twenty-two, Eleanor Bee is sure about three things: she wants to move to London and become a literary superstar, she wants to be able to afford to buy a coffee and croissant every morning, and she doesn’t believe in happy endings. She saw what divorce did to her parents, especially her mum: happily ever after’s fine on the last page of a book, but it just doesn’t happen in real life.

Elle moves to London. She gets a job at Bluebird Books, a charmingly old-fashioned publishers. She falls out of pubs, wears too-short skirts, makes lots of mistakes and feels like she’s learning nothing and everything at the same time. And then, out of the blue, she falls in love, and that’s when she realises just how much growing up she has to do…

Ten years on, and Elle’s life has changed in ways she could never have predicted. Because no matter where you go and how much you try to run away, the past has a funny way of catching up with you, and Happily Ever After comes in all shapes and sizes…"

It's weird to me that Harriet Evans has written quite a few books and yet I've somehow only managed to only read a few of her books. I was glad to be sent a copy of her latest book Happily Ever After for review because I think the story sounded great, and I always have a soft spot for books which feature characters that have something to do with books (other than featuring in one of course!). I think the cover is really gorgeous as well, the white works really well with the red and green highlights, and is certainly enticing. It's quite a large book at nearly 500 pages, but I found it a very enjoyable that whizzed past as I read, and here's why.

Eleanor Bee, or Elle as she prefers to be called, was always a bit of a shy child, probably not helped by the awful relationship had by her parents as well. Elle loves books, and when she grows up, she manages to get a job working for an independent publishers Bluebird Books. Elle takes a while to settle in, and when things happen that she doesn't expect, Elle's life begins to suddenly change. Her relationship with her mother disintegrates as the alcohol problem plaguing their lives comes to the forefront again, and her job takes her in unexpected directions. Put this together with her poor relationships with men and Elle is starting to feel a bit lost with everything.

Doesn't sound too jolly so far does it? While the book isn't packed with laughs, it does cover some serious topics, most importantly Elle's mothers struggle with alcohol and how this impacts on not only her life, but Elle's, and the rest of her family too, and not just when they are young children. Some of the scenes are harder to read about than others, but they all play an important part in setting up the books, and the consequences the actions of all the characters have on each other. I found Elle's story quite sad really, she constantly blames herself for her mother's condition and as a reader, we're really wanting her to realise she isn't to blame. It does however highlight how hard it can be for children of alcoholic parents dealing with the responsibility, and the knock on effect it had for Elle with her brother and her father also was hard to read about.

I liked how Elle changed as a character as the moves on in time, and we can see the difference in her as her home life changes, and her role at work changes. Probably the only consistent thing about Elle in the book is her love of books, and I really loved her passion for the best stories she could find, and her job in publishing was really enjoyable to read about. Elle is determined to never give up on succeeding in publishing, and this was definitely my favourite part of the book. Overall, I felt it was a really good read that had me intrigued from start to finish, wondering how things would end up for Elle, both for her family life and in her relationships as well. Her mother's alcohol problems affects every part of her life, and it's fascinating to read about her learning to put that behind her a bit to try and move on with her life. I found Evans' writing style easy to read, and I enjoyed that the book spanned a good portion of Elle's life, not just a few months as is usually the case in books. I'd definitely recommend this, but don't expect a light-hearted and fluffy read - Happily Ever After certainly delivers a lot more than that.

Rating: 4/5

You can buy Happily Ever After as a paperback or as an eBook. (Links go to Amazon.co.uk).

Giveaway: Win a copy of 'The Wife Who Ran Away' by Tess Stimson

2012-01-16T09:00:00.000Z

Thanks to the lovely Chloe at publishers Pan Macmillan, I have 5 copies of Tess Stimson's fab new book The Wife Who Ran Away to give away! I've read it already and it's a brilliant read, so if you want to bag yourself a copy, all you have to do is fill in the Google form below, and I'll pick 5 winners using random.org.

The competition is open to UK residents only, and it closes on Sunday 22nd January 2012 at midnight. Only one entry per household. Good luck!

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Book News: The Darker Side of Love by Jessica Ruston

2012-01-13T09:49:00.000Z

Jessica Ruston is back next month with a new book, and it's one I've been looking forward to for a long time! I loved her previous book To Touch The Stars and think this sounds like it's going to be a great read. I love the cover as well, it's a really unusual look! It's due out on 16th February and here's the synopsis:

"Lies: we all tell them.

To protect those we love, to disguise failure, to hide disappointment. To mask betrayal, or deceit. But what happens when those lies start to catch up with us? When our lives begin to be shaped by the lies of others?

The late 'noughties'. A global recession looms. A group of old friends, all leading outwardly successful, interesting lives. All in apparently loving, secure relationships. Yet all, in some way, lying to those closest to them, concealing secret worries, jealousies, desires. This group of friends is about to discover that the truth won't stay buried for ever...

Welcome to the darker side of love."

You can pre-order The Darker Side of Love as a paperback now.

Book News: A Walk In The Park by Jill Mansell

2012-01-12T09:17:00.001Z

The lovely Jill Mansell is back next month with (amazingly) her 23rd novel, A Walk In The Park! Jill's books are always wonderful, heart-warming novels and I really can't wait to read this one! I think the green cover really suits the book and the title as well! It's due out on 16th February and here's the synopsis:

"It's been a while, but Lara Carson's back in Bath and lives are set to change as a result. Because Lara left her family and boyfriend Flynn eighteen years ago without a word to anyone. Why has no one heard from her since? Her childhood best friend Evie is thrilled Lara's back and able to share her happiness. Evie's about to walk down the aisle with her dream man, Joel. Or so she thinks... Then there's Flynn Erskine, even more attractive now and stunned to see Lara again. The spark between them is as strong as ever, but how's Flynn going to react when he discovers the secret she's been keeping from him? Oh yes, there's a lot of catching up to be done..."

You can pre-order A Walk In The Park in both paperback and as an eBook now!

Book Review: Pear Shaped by Stella Newman

2012-01-11T12:00:00.001Z

"If you found yourself glued to David Nicholls’s One Day or belting out the lyrics to Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black then you’ll love this book.

Girl meets boy.

Girl loses boy.

Girl loses mind.

Sophie Klein walks into a bar one Friday night and her life changes. She meets James Stephens: charismatic, elusive, and with a hosiery model ex who casts a long, thin shadow over their burgeoning relationship. He’s clever, funny and shares her greatest pleasure in life – to eat and drink slightly too much and then have a little lie down. Sophie’s instinct tells her James is too good to be true – and he is."

As I've mentioned before, I love reading debut novels, and I especially love it when I see people say "It's brilliant!" and "it had me laughing out loud!" about a debut novel before I read it. Therefore, when I received a proof copy of the debut from Stella Newman, I was really excited because I'd heard really good things about it, and the blurb sounded really good. Imagine my disappointment when by the end, I found myself really annoyed the drippiness (is that even a word?!) of the main character Sophie, her apparent inability to keep away from her emotionally abusive boyfriend and thinking that the book doesn't really send out a good message to its readers?! I really did want to like this book but despite it having its good moments, I felt it was let down a lot by the character and her actions which was such a shame!

Sophie Klein is happy when she meets older man, James Stephens. He seems to have a great personality, has plenty of money to treat Sophie and make her feel like a Princess but the fact is that he's a pig. He's an awful, hideous human being and possibly one of the worst male characters I have EVER read in chick lit before. Now, I read 119 books last year, and I didn't read a character as awful and horrible as James Stephens, he would most definitely get the award for "Worst Male Character EVER" and I really don't quite know what Newman was thinking as she was writing him. He was nasty to Sophie, put her down, made her feel too fat when she was skinny and was constantly indecisive. Why oh why would you want to stay with someone who makes you feel like that? I just couldn't understand Sophie's obsession, especially when you see her fall apart as a character in front of your eyes.

Sophie has a fabulous job working for a supermarket producing yummy deserts, and I have to say the scenes set at her workplace were the best in the book without a doubt. It was great reading Sophie's different relationships with her colleagues, in particular her awful boss (again another awful male character) and also the funny taste testing events that she goes on are brilliant. The descriptions of the desserts are amazing, and they sound so scrummy! Despite all of this, she puts her job at risk because of this stupid man and her inability to get over him, however badly he treats her again and again, and how many times her friends have to tell her he isn't good news. I found it hard work in places to keep reading on because I was getting angry at Sophie and the way she behaves. No, she doesn't care that James is a rich guy and can buy her anything she wants, can build her a dream kitchen but at the end of the day, anyone who speaks to her like he speaks to Sophie doesn't deserve a woman like her but she can't see it.

Overall, I have to say I was disappointed with Stella Newman's debut - perhaps it's just me finding her relationship with James to be a complete sham and that he is an absolutely awful character, but I did find it hard to enjoy. It felt a bit too long to me, it dragged in places and Sophie seemed to keep doing the same things over and over when she's moping over awful James, and it was a struggle to plough on at times. There was a lot of dialogue as well, and it did feel a bit heavy at times with it. The good parts of the book were good, although certainly not really funny in the way I hoped, and I don't think it really gives out a good message that going back to emotionally abusive men is a good idea. I loved the cover and had expected so much so it kills me to write a negative review of it, but the problems I had with it just really outweighed my enjoyment of the good bits. It's meant to be a look at people's relationships with food, and their self-image, of which Sophie seems to have none, but for me these more important elements are over-shadowed by the sotyr of her ridiculous relationship with James. Fully expect to hate James, and want to give Sophie a good talking to as you're reading. Bit of a shame for me! :(

Rating: 2.5/5

You can pre-order Pear Shaped as both a paperback and as an eBook now (links go to Amazon.co.uk)

Book Deals: The Round-Up

2012-01-11T09:16:00.000Z

New Year, new book deals! Here are the some of the latest book deals about chick lit with the major publishers!

Headline acquires new Jennifer. E. Smith title
"Headline Review has acquired a new title by the author of The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight.

Headline senior commissioning editor Hannah Sheppard bought This is What Happy Looks Like, the fifth novel by YA author Jennifer E Smith, for publication in spring 2013.

The title begins with a misdirected email which sparks an "unlikely and irresistible romance" between two 17-year-olds on opposite sides of the US.

Sheppard said: "It has been fantastic to watch the love pour in from readers of The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight so I'm thrilled that Jennifer is writing another gorgeous contemporary romance. Jennifer's skill at developing the romantic relationship through dialogue and banter make her books an absolute joy and a luxury to read. I know her fans will love This is What Happy Looks Like."

Avon acquires three books from debut author Olivia Luck
"Avon has acquired three books by debut novelist Olivia Luck, with the first novel in the series set to follow lead character Kiki Carlow as she plans her wedding.

Editorial director Claire Bord bought UK and Commonwealth, including translation, rights in the trio of books from Claudia Webb at WME, with plans to publish the first title, The Wedding Diaries, in August 2012. The second, The Baby Diaries, will be released in February 2013, with the third, The Home Maker Diaries, to come in autumn 2013.

Bord said: "[The trilogy is] terrifically entertaining, with a sharp knowing humour that had me literally snorting with laughter in places. Olivia also writes with great warmth and in Kiki, has created an authentic female character that women will connect with immediately."

Pan Macmillan sign two more books from Karen Swan
"Pan Macmillan has purchased two more novels from the author of Christmas at Tiffany's.

Editorial director for fiction at Pan Macmillan, Jenny Geras, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights for a further two Karen Swan novels to follow her next release, The Perfect Present, which will be published later this year.

A former fashion journalist, Swan topped The Bookseller Heatseekers' chart in 2010.

Geras said: "Christmas at Tiffany's worked so well because it took Karen's trademark themes of love, glamour and friendship, and wrapped them up in a gorgeous Christmas package. Her new book for next Christmas, The Perfect Present, will build on this success, and I am thrilled to have signed up two more books by Karen for 2013 and 2014."

I think these all sound like amazing book deals, I'm especially happy with the idea of another Christmas novel from Karen Swan, and another super love story from Jennifer E. Smith! I'm also excited to read the trilogy from Olivia Luck, they sound great! Congrats to all publishers and authors involved in the deals.

All articles taken from The Bookseller.

Author Video: Martina Reilly chats about 'Even Better Than The Real Thing?'

2012-01-10T12:30:00.000Z

Author Martina Reilly's latest book 'Even Better Than The Real Thing?' is due out next week on January 19th, and to add a bit of information in for the book launch, Martina has a video on YouTube of her discussing her new book! Take a look at the video below :)

You can pre-order Even Better Than The Real Thing? in both paperback and as an eBook now!

Book News: The Great Escape by Fiona Gibson

2012-01-10T09:00:00.000Z

I love Fiona Gibson's books - they're laugh out loud funny and a lot of mum's out there will certainly be able to relate to the escapades of the characters! Her latest book, The Great Escape, is due out on 16th February and sounds like it's going to be another great read! Here's the synopsis:

"Can any woman ever grab back a piece of her younger self? For one weekend only, Hannah, Sadie and Lou are determined to give it their best shot.

Hannah’s getting married… and has serious pre-wedding jitters. She adores Ryan but can’t figure out how to fit into his grown-up, family-sized life. There’s that fridge, for starters. That, too, is family-sized, with a gadget on the front that spits ice in her face. More alarming still are Ryan’s children, Daisy, 10 and Josh, 13, who clearly don’t relish the prospect of Hannah, a free-spirited greetings card illustrator, becoming their step-mum.

So she fires off invitations to a hen weekend – just the ticket to get her into the marrying mood. Trouble is…

New mum Sadie is leaving her twin babies for the very first time with their terrified dad…

Lou is unaware that her long-term man Spike is desperate to bundle her onto that Glasgow-bound train so he can hot-foot it round to see his secret fling Miranda…

And, unbeknown to the girls, Johnny, their sexy upstairs neighbour from their art college days, is still frequenting those haunts, desperately in need of a little magic to happen."

You can pre-order The Great Escape in paperback and as an eBook now!

Book Review: Any Dream Will Do by Maria Duffy

2012-01-09T12:00:00.000Z

"'Tis the season to be jolly, except single Dubliner Jenny Breslin is feeling something a little closer to gloomy. Everything about her life - her boring job at the bank, the complete lack of romance - has been untouched by holiday magic, and she dreads the thought of spending yet another festive season with her larger-than-life mother and her new boyfriend.

Thank God for Twitter, a place where there are always people ready and waiting to have a chat. She's even managed to make a couple of genuine friends there, even though she's never met them IRL (that's 'In Real Life' by the way).

'So who's on for a few days in Dublin? Would love to meet you all in person. I have a spare room in my house' - this drunken tweet to her Twitter pals changes Jenny's life forever. Before she knows it, she's counting down to a Christmas visit from London-native Zahra Burns, make-up artist to the stars; Fiona Lee, a stay-at-home mum from Galway, and nurse Kerry (the Twitter buddy Jenny feels closest to).

Suddenly, Jenny becomes aware of how her life will appear to these strangers. In a word: Boring. It's easy enough to pretend that you're an exciting and sophisticated person when nobody can see you, but now Jenny's worried about being caught out in the occasional lies that she's told. All the more incentive to change her life for the better! But once her pals arrive, Jenny finds herself pining for the past and wondering if people are ever who they claim to be."

I do love a good debut novel, and when I was offered the opportunity to review Maria Duffy's new book Any Dream Will Do, I of course jumped at the chance. I think the cover is absolutely beautiful and really stands out, and it looks wonderfully wintery as well which is always a bonus in my book! I knew that the book is about Twitter as well, which sounded interesting as Twitter is getting ever-popular and I don't think anybody has actually written a book based around it before so I was curious to see how Duffy would deal with it and how easily it would be woven into the story.

The main character is a lady called Jenny, and I have to be honest and say from the off that I really didn't like her at all. I found her hard to warm to from the start and annoyingly my feelings towards her didn't change at all as the book progressed, something which I often find can be the case to be honest. Jenny seemed weirdly obsessed with Twitter - no reason was given for this obsession and her constant 'embellishing of the truth' shall we say, and I found it a bit odd. When she suggests a meet-up between her and her 3 online "friends", I think I could immediately see where it was going and was almost cringing because I knew Jenny was making an awful decision in meeting up with 3 total strangers. Jenny also had a strange relationship with her mother, and her new boyfriend, another thing that I disliked about her! It was clear that the man she was dating wasn't right for her yet she doesn't give it up, and I couldn't really understand her decisions with things like that! She seemed a very immature grown-up, very odd!

The three people Jenny meets on Twitter aren't exactly what they claimed to be when they finally descend of Dublin as per Jenny's instructions. I don't want to say too much but it went exactly as I thought it would go, and I found some of the scenes were just awful and I wanted to skip them because I felt so awkward reading them. It wasn't the writing style or anything to do with that, but it was just characters, their interactions and the general way that they were which didn't sit right with me, and as I said, I struggled to plough on through some scenes as they just felt like hard work. Jenny managed quite well considering the awful circumstances I suppose but I couldn't really sympathise with her as all I could think was that she had brought it on herself! I guess it goes to show the perils of a site like Twitter as well and how people can become anyone they want to be, and nobody on there is going to know any different.

Overall, this was a good book but it didn't blow me away like I was hoping for it too. I found the constant tweets throughout the book somewhat annoying as they broke up the flow of the rest of the novel, and I just hated the main character Jenny, never a good thing really! Duffy does weave a good story, and I can see she has the talent to write something amazing but this one just felt a bit clunky and awkward to me which was a shame. With dislikeable characters and a plot that's a bit far-fetched but does have it's funny moments, Any Dream Will Do is a strange kind of book that you might not completely love but there's something very readable about it which will make you want to keep reading until you've finished it, if only to find out how it'll all end for Jenny! Will she still be as obsessed with Twitter as ever or will her bad experience put an end to that?! Read it and find out!

Rating: 3/5

You can buy 'Any Dream Will Do' in both paperback and as an eBook now!

Book News: Nine Uses For An Ex-Boyfriend by Sarra Manning

2012-01-09T09:00:00.001Z

Sarra Manning is back next month with her brand new novel Nine Uses For An Ex-Boyfriend. I have to say I absolutely love the cover, I think it's really striking and certainly will stand out in bookshops! I think the plot sounds really good as well, I can't wait to find out what these 'nine uses' are going to be! It's out on 2nd February 2012, and here's the synopsis:

"Hope Delafield hasn't always had an easy life.

She has red hair and a temper to match, as her mother is constantly reminding her. She can't wear heels, is terrified of heights and being a primary school teacher isn't exactly the job she dreamed of doing, especially when her class are stuck on the two times table.

At least Hope has Jack, and Jack is the God of boyfriends. He's sweet, kind, funny, has a killer smile, a cool job on a fashion magazine and he's pretty (but in a manly way). Hope knew that Jack was The One ever since their first kiss after the Youth Club Disco and thirteen years later, they're still totally in love. Totally. They're even officially pre-engaged. And then Hope catches Jack kissing her best friend Susie...

Does true love forgive and forget? Or does it get mad... and get even? "

You can pre-order Nine Uses For An Ex-Boyfriend in paperback now.

Book News: The Angel At No. 33 by Polly Williams

2012-01-06T09:32:00.000Z

Polly Williams' new paperback release, The Angel at No. 33, has had a bit of a cover makeover before it's publication on 2nd February. I've read all of Polly's books and loved them, her last book It Happened One Summer was excellent and I can't wait to read this one too, it sounds utterly charming!

"Some love stories never end...

One evening Sophie Brady kisses her husband, Ollie, and young son Freddie goodbye, closing the door on number thirty-three. At ten pm she's with her best friend Jenny, polishing off a second bottle of wine. By midnight, she's dead. Except she doesn't feel dead...

How can she leave the people she loves? Ollie is a man who once watered a houseplant for a year before realising it was plastic. Freddie is so little. And Jenny? There's something she desperately needs to know..."

You can pre-order The Angel at No. 33 in paperback now! (Link goes to Amazon.co.uk)

Book Review: The Statistical Probability of Love At First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

2012-01-05T12:08:00.000Z

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Imagine if she hadn't forgotten the book. Or if there hadn't been traffic on the expressway. Or if she hadn't fumbled the coins for the toll. What if she'd run just that little bit faster and caught the flight she was supposed to be on. Would it have been something else - the weather over the Atlantic or a fault with the plane?

Hadley isn't sure if she believes in destiny or fate but, on what is potentially the worst day of each of their lives, it's the quirks of timing and chance events that mean Hadley meets Oliver...

Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.

I have to confess that I was actually sent this book last summer to read, as a special pre-release and I was really surprised by the size of the book that I received. It was small, only around 240 pages long, and I thought it was actually a Young Adult book rather than women's fiction. I started it one evening and quickly found myself hooked, and managed to finish the whole thing in one sitting, I was that captivated by it. There was something about it that was utterly charming and it was a beautiful love story too, something I'm always a bit of a sucker for. Interestingly, the publishers have decided to go with the American cover rather than the more cartoony style UK one which I loved, and although I like the colours and images used, I really don't like the title font as I think it looks a little young for the book but there you go! Anyway, here is why you really should read this book!

This is a book about fate, and it's a sweet love story between two characters, Hadley and Oliver. They meet by chance at the airport. Hadley is flying to London for her father's wedding, and manages to miss her flight by minutes. However, she then meets young Englishman Oliver, who helps her look after her suitcase, and then ends up sitting next to her on their long flight to England. The pair find they have a spark that is something special, and quickly strike up a friendship. Even when they get to London and Hadley has to go off to the wedding, and Oliver has his own commitments to fulfill, Hadley finds she can't get Oliver off her mind and makes a bold decision.Will fate be able to help her out again... well Hadley is sure that it will. I loved both of these characters, but especially Hadley who was just a joy to read about, and you really find both her and Oliver to be really genuine, just like their new-found friendship.

As I mentioned, a lot of the story in this book revolved around fate, and if you aren't a believer in that, then you may struggle to like this book. I, however, found it really sweet and am very much a believer in things like "love at first sight", much like Hadley and Oliver seem to believe they may be experiencing with each other. I really enjoyed reading all about their flight over to England, the easy conversations the pair were having and having them open up to both each other and the reader of the book as well. Things get better in London, and I loved the twists and turns, really hoping for a ahppy ending amongst everything else that was going on for the pair. These characters are only young, but I didn't think this was a bad thing at all, and for me made the book a little bit more believable and sweet.

There is something about this book which really draws you in and makes your heart all warm as you read the unfolding story between these wonderful characters. I think the setting of the airport, the plane and finally London is a great place for the book to be setting, representing the changes that the characters are going through and how each of them cope with their different circumstances. It is a bit of a fairytale, boy meets girl, boy and girl have friendship and hopefully boy and girl live happily ever after but sometimes you just need to read something like that to keep your belief in love alive! The book is set over a 24 hour period, making the book and its progress very believable, and allows the reader to get really absorbed into these precious few hours of Hadley and Oliver's lives. There's no massive twists, nothing to shock or surprise you but it's just a pure and simple love story. I was swept away by this book, and the fabulous writing style of Jennifer E. Smith - what a debut.

Rating: 5/5

You can buy The Statistical Probability of Love At First Sight as both a hardback and an eBook now. (links go to Amazon.co.uk)

Book Deal: Colette Caddle signs 2 book deal with Simon & Schuster

2012-01-05T09:00:00.001Z

"Simon & Schuster has signed a two-book deal with Always On My Mind author Colette Caddle. S&S publishing director Suzanne Baboneau signed the deal with Sheila Crowley of Curtis Brown.

Both books are as yet untitled but the publisher has UK and Commonwealth rights to each.

Baboneau said: “Colette writes with irrepressible, instinctive warmth and heart about real people facing real-life dilemmas. She is writing at the top of her game and we are truly delighted to have two new novels on board to add to her wonderful backlist."

I think this is great news as I've read quite a few of Colette Caddle's novels and loved them, so I'll be looking forward to reading her new titles with Simon & Schuster soon! Congratulations Colette!

Taken from The Bookseller

Book News: This Is A Love Story by Jessica Thompson

2012-01-04T09:06:00.000Z

2012 is seeing the release of some fantastic debut novels, and one I am really looking forward to is Jessica Thompson's book This Is A Love Story. I actually really love the cover - it's plain and simple but really pretty, and I can't wait to read the story inside because it sound fantastic! It's out on February 2nd, so not long to wait!

"This is a love story.

Boy meets girl and girl falls for boy - that much is true.

But when Sienna meets Nick it's not the way it happens in love stories. It's because of a squirrel on water skis...

She sees Nick's dangerous brown eyes and thinks,

Don't.

Fall.

Into.

Them.

Who will be there to catch Siena when she falls? She is so fragile. She has so many secrets, and he is not that serious.

Funny and sad, this is the story of two people destined never to come together in the great love affair they crave more than anything else."

You can pre-order This Is A Love Story in both paperback and as an eBook now!

Book Review: Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

2012-01-03T12:00:00.001Z

Lou Clark knows lots of things. She knows how many footsteps there are between the bus stop and home. She knows she likes working in The Buttered Bun tea shop and she knows she might not love her boyfriend Patrick.

What Lou doesn't know is she's about to lose her job or that knowing what's coming is what keeps her sane.

Will Traynor knows his motorcycle accident took away his desire to live. He knows everything feels very small and rather joyless now and he knows exactly how he's going to put a stop to that.

What Will doesn't know is that Lou is about to burst into his world in a riot of colour. And neither of them knows they're going to change the other for all time.

I read my first Jojo Moyes novel last year, The Last Letter From Your Lover, and thought it was absolutely fantastic and stunning book. Therefore when I found out Jojo Moyes had another book coming out this year, complete with a gorgeously stunning cover, I was so excited to read it and thrilled when I received a big proof copy to review. As soon as I could, I started to read the book and found myself utterly hooked into the lives of Lou Clark and Will Traynor. I shed tears with the characters, felt both the pain of Will and Lou and even now, a few weeks after finishing it, I can't stop thinking about it and I know it's one of the best and most moving novels I have ever read. Before I review any further, I just want to say that you MUST read this book. It's stunning.

Even though the blurb on the book cover contains no real spoilers about the story between Lou and Will, I am going to speak about the issue between them as it's too hard to review it without being able to discuss the topics, and I don't think it's a major spoiler to mention them at all. Lou is someone who potters along in life, and is happy with her job at a cafe as it helps to pay her parents bills. However, when that unexpectedly comes to an end, she finds herself applying for a job as Will Traynor's carer. Will is a quadraplegic, unable to move anything below his neck after an accident. He hates life being stuck in a chair, he hates being looked after by nurse Nathan, and now Lou too. However, Will has made a decision. He wants to end his life at an assisted suicide clinic in Switzerland. And Lou has just 6 months to make him change his mind and want to live life.

Now, you might be reading this thinking that it sounds really depressing, and not a topic you would want to read about but believe it, it's a very uplifting and positive look at what is a controversial topic that everyone will have formed their own opinions on prior to reading this book. However, what really got me is the way Moyes has written this book, mainly from Lou's perspective and her determination to make Will want to stay alive despite his circumstances, but also you can feel Will's pain as well, his hatred of being stuck in a wheelchair and his hatred of the way people treat him because of it. It actually made me think about how we perceive people in Will's circumstances, and how damaging it can be when we act wrongly towards them. Will is a man cut down in the prime of his life, and you can understand his despair at being reliant on others and wanting to make it all stop once and for all. Moyes manages to cover the topic of the rights of disabled people to choose how to run their lives sensitively, and I found myself torn between siding with both Lou and Will as the book progressed.

This book is incredibly moving, and I often found myself tearing up at things that happen throughout the book. Lou is an amazing character, determined to make Will's life as good as she possibly can, and goes way beyong the call of duty to help him out. The verbal sparring between the pair throughout the book is fantastic, and certainly lightens the mood a lot as it is funny to read, especially as the book goes on and the pair become fonder of each other. However, it was quite hard to read the more practical aspects of Will's care at times, and it really does make you think about what it must be like to be in his position, and how hard it must be to live your life like that, knowing it isn't going to get any better. I loved Will though, and although I thought I knew what was coming at the end, I didn't want it to and didn't want the book to end simply because I was so involved in the world created by Moyes and didn't want it to end.

This is a very bitter sweet book about a hard-hitting topic yet it still manages to make you smile, and certainly think about issues many of us will (luckily) not have to deal with in our lifetimes. Moyes has brought to us a pair of characters that will stay with me for a long time, and I think Will may be my favourite male character of all time in Chick Lit, he's brilliant, and certainly very inspirational. There are hard-hitting descriptions of Will's life and care, mixed in with Lou's (sometimes hopeless) attempts at making his life better, and the irony that although Will's family are very well off financially, no amount of money can heal their son and make them all happy once more... money can't buy you everything. With a superb cast, a thought-provoking topic and a storyline that will surely stay around in your head long after you've finished it, Me Before You is one of the best books I have ever had the fortune to read, and I really can't recommend it highly enough. You are missing out if you don't read this. Amazing.

Rating: 5/5

Publisher: Michael Joseph
Pages: 496.

You can buy Me Before You in paperback or as an eBook now. (Links go to Amazon.co.uk)

Book News: All The Single Ladies by Jane Costello

2012-01-03T09:00:00.001Z

Jane Costello is back with her brand new book next month, and I can't wait! It's called All The Single Ladies and has a release date of 2nd February 2012. Jane's books are always a funny and brilliant read, and I know this one will be no different!

"Samantha Brooks' boyfriend has made a mistake. One his friends, family,and Sam herself know he will live to regret. Jamie has announced he is leaving, out of the blue. He is loving, intelligent and, while he isn't perfect, he's perfect for her - in every way except one: he's a free spirit. And after six years in one place, doing a job he despises, he is compelled to do something that will tear apart his relationship with Sam: book a one-way flight to South America. But Sam isn't giving up without a fight. With Jamie still totally in love with her, and torn about whether to stay or go, she has three months to persuade him to do the right thing. With the help of her friends Ellie and Jen, she hatches a plan to make him realise what he's giving up. A plan that involves dirty tricks, plotting and a single aim: to win him back. But by the time the tortured Jamie finally wakes up to what he's lost, a gorgeous new pretender has entered Sam's life. Which begs the question ...does she still want him back?"

You can pre-order All The Single Ladies in hardback now! (Link goes to Amazon.co.uk)

January 2012 releases

2012-01-01T09:00:00.002Z

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you have all had a great Christmas, and some fantastic New Years' celebrations too. I'm now back with the January 2012 releases, and there are quite a lot of them, and some great books in there too! Click on the book covers to be taken to the book's Amazon.co.uk page for more details, and do let me know which ones you are looking forward to! (Books are listed in release date order)

My Favourite Christmas... by Ali Harris

2011-12-24T09:30:00.002Z

Welcome back to my Christmas 2011 feature! As you know, I've asked lots of authors to write something about their favourite Christmas, and I've been lucky to have a great response. Today, I have the pleasure of welcoming the winner of my Chick Lit Book of the Year Award, Ali Harris!

Until recently, my favourite Christmases were all about the past, not just my childhood but the romantic past, the ‘olden days’, if you will. Just like Evie, my main character in Miracle on Regent Street, I’m a sucker for old-fashioned values and I’m such a romantic that I desperately want Christmas to feel like it does in the great old American movies, or even better, when I was a child.

But ever since I discovered that Father Christmas didn’t actually exist (I KNOW, it really ruined my festivities last year!) I’ve enjoyed the anticipation of the day much more than the day itself. But whilst I adore the breathless preparations, watching magical Christmas films like It’s a Wonderful Life and walking through the frosty, fairy-lit streets doing my late night shopping and then wrapping the presents in front of a roaring fire, I can’t help but hanker after those bygone days when Christmas was truly magical.

But then I remind myself that even for those of us who doubt that an overweight old man in a red suit delivers our presents, this time of year can still be magical because it makes you feel like anything is possible. For us, Christmas is about believing in ourselves, in our family, our friends, in our dreams and life decisions. It’s about reminiscing without regret and looking ahead with anticipation. And that’s what I’ve been doing…until now.

Because this year with two children of my own – a 9 month baby girl and a nearly-3-year-old boy who understands Christmas for the first time – I’m blessed with the honour of being Santa Claus myself. I’m giving the magic, not receiving it. I can’t wait to put my little boy to bed on Christmas Eve, to tiptoe into his room when he’s asleep and fill his stocking with presents, then watching him wake on Christmas morning when he discovers with all the joy, innocence and wonder that only a child who believes can have that Santa Claus has been.

And I can tell you that this year, there’ll be no more hankering after Christmases past, or wondering what the future will bring. Instead, I’ll be concentrating on putting this Christmas in a little box for me to hold on to forever. And for that reason, this Christmas – the Christmas present – is my favourite of all.

You can read my review of Ali's brilliant book Miracle on Regent Street here. You can also buy the book in paperback or as an eBook!

Merry Christmas Eve!

My Favourite Christmas... by Sasha Wagstaff

2011-12-23T09:00:00.000Z

I LOVE Christmas and everything about it, so this is going to be an absolute pleasure for me to write about!

On the 1^st of December (or as close to it as possible), I like to get the Christmas decorations down from the loft and set about transforming the house into a glittery, twinkly wonderland. (When I say ‘I’ here, I do, of course mean that my husband climbs up into the loft and does much of the pinning up of tinsel and lights). We carry this out whilst drinking homemade mulled wine (a la Nigella – hers is the best recipe I have found to date – very boozy with the addition of dark rum) and bowls of nuts and crisps.

I always watch Christmas films whilst wrapping presents – Love Actually, The Holiday, It’s a Wonderful Life are an absolute must (and for my husband ‘White Christmas as it reminds him of his youth). Again, present-wrapping should be accompanied by mulled wine, Baileys or champagne, ideally. I’m quite anally-retentive about present-buying – I have a spreadsheet (eek, I can’t help it – I’m a Virgo!) but I have a lot of people to buy for and otherwise, I’d be ditzy and buy the same things again. People often refuse to give me lists, saying ‘just buy whatever you think I’d like – you buy such lovely things’ – little do they realise that I stress and agonise about this level of pressure! (I love it really). Christmas Day is always spent with my parents and until all the children arrived, we would sit in the same place to open our presents and insist that my mother put up the same decorations year in, year out but these days, new decorations have replaced the old and we sit wherever we can find a pew these days as the children jostle to open all their gifts!

Christmas Day dinner must be eaten with the Top of the Pops Christmas special on in the background (or at very least, Christmassy music) and it’s a long affair, taking place over several hours, with cheese courses, liqueurs and chocolates, coffee and anything else we can cram in. Traditionally, we do a brisk walk around the block after the meal, to work off some of the calories and get some fresh air. It’s also fun nosing into people’s house as it gets dark and seeing them enjoying their Christmas Day afternoon or watching children trying out their new bikes in the street. We then have a picnic tea of cold meats, pickles and bread – delicious!

As much as I love doing the same things every year, I also like the idea of starting up some new traditions, especially since my eldest daughter is almost three. So, it’s new winter pyjamas for everyone to open / wear on Christmas Eve and the Christmas morning muffins I usually bake will have chocolate chunks added to them. I may even replace the champagne with hot chocolate – for the girls, anyway! I also love the sound of Jill Mansell’s glittery roast potatoes, so I might just have to try that one out and Veronica Henry’s mince pies with orange pastry and brandy butter sound divine….see, I love this whole Christmas lark!

All that’s left to say is: have a wonderful Christmas everyone…and enjoy your traditions, new and old x

You can read my review of Sasha's book Wicked Games here. You can buy the book as a paperback and an eBook now.

Giveaway: Win a copy of 'Confessions of a Karaoke Queen' by Ella Kingsley

2011-12-22T13:00:00.000Z

Thanks again to the lovely Hannah at Little,Brown, I have another amazing giveaway for you today! I have 5 copies of Ella Kingsley's fab new novel Confessions of a Karaoke Queen to give away, and all you have to do is fill in the Google form below to enter.

It closes on January 2nd 2012 at midnight, and is open to UK residents only. One entry per household. Good luck!

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My Favourite Christmas... by Scarlett Bailey

2011-12-22T09:00:00.004Z

My favourite Christmas was when I was a little girl, I must have been about six because my mum and dad were still married. I had a very seventies and eighties childhood, never really saw much of my dad because he got in from work after I went to bed and always seemed to be locked up in his shed every spare minute. And to make matters worse he wouldn't let me see what he was doing! I remember feeling very dejected and let down. And then that Christmas, as I crept downstairs early that morning to see what Santa had left me, I found out what Dad had been up to. My dad had been building me a dolls house in secret for all of these months! It was beautiful, a perfect Georgian mansion, almost as tall as me and decorated with wallpaper, carpet and lights that worked, as well as furniture that he had made himself. It was a gift full of love and care, and even at that young age, I think I sensed that, which made me treasure it all the more. I have never been so delighted and surprised by a gift since, and remembering lying on the floor playing with that dolls house is still my fondest memory of Christmas.

Nowadays I still love to recreate that particular retro Seventies Christmas vibe! No fashionable or tasteful decorations for me, unlike Katy in The Night Before Christmas, who is fond of gingham and wicker, I love tinsel, sparkles, lots of lights, and all the colours all at once. I even still have some of the decorations that went on the tree when I was a child.

I adore Christmas carols, and Christmas songs, so I will have Bing on the i-pod crooning 'White Christmas' in the morning, while I'm preparing Christmas lunch, and then, after eating as much Christmas food as I can (without bursting) I will settle down on the sofa with my friends and loved ones, a very large glass of Bailey's and get ready for a movie. You can't go wrong with The Sound of Music, Miracle on 34th Street or It's a Wonderful Life, but my very most favourite film to watch on Christmas day is Gone With the Wind. Three hours of a girl called Scarlett kicking butt and snogging Rhett Butler. What better to round off a perfect day?

This year I'll be with the people I love, mostly burning or undercooking stuff, while my mum tells me where I'm going wrong, and I'm looking forward to having a house full of all my best people, after all, that's what Christmas is really all about, isn't it? Being with the people you love. Oh and lots and lots of lovely presents, too. Obviously.

You can read my review of Scarlett's debut novel The Night Before Christmas here. You can buy the book as a paperback or as an eBook now!

Chick Lit Chloe's 2011 Awards!!

2011-12-21T12:00:00.010Z

Welcome to my very first Chick Lit Chloe Awards for 2011! I've copiously examined each and every one of the 118 books I have read this year, and chosen what I think are the best of the best. Not all books could make it onto this list, but I think I've made the right choices! There have been so many fantastic books this year, and it wasn't easy to cut it down to just the few mentioned on the lists! Congratulations to all the winners, and also those who made it onto my shortlists as well! Enjoy!

Chick Lit Chloe's 'Book Of The Year '2011
WINNER:
- Miracle on Regent Street by Ali Harris

Nominees:
- The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
- Fallen Angels by Tara Hyland
- The Secret of Happy Ever After by Lucy Dillon
- Lessons In Laughing Out Loud by Rowan Coleman
- Me And My Sisters by Sinead Moriartt

Christmas Book Of The Year 2011
WINNER:
- The Night Before Christmas by Scarlett Bailey AND Miracle On Regent Street by Ali Harris

Nominees:
- Home For Christmas by Cally Taylor
- The Perfect Christmas by Georgie Carter
- Wrapped Up In You by Carole Matthews

Female Character Of The Year 2011
WINNER:
- Willow from Lessons In Laughing Out Loud by Rowan Coleman

Nominees:
- Romily from 'It Started With A Kiss' by Miranda Dickinson
- Evie from 'Miracle On Regent Street' by Ali Harris
- Gracie from 'Unlike A Virgin' by Lucy-Anne Holmes
- Issy from 'Meet Me At The Cupcake Cafe' by Jenny Colgan
- Alice from 'Instructions For Bringing Up Scarlett' by Annie Sanders
- Stella from 'Fat Girls and Fairy Cakes' by Sue Watson

Male Character Of The Year 2011
WINNER:
- Steve from 'An Autumn Crush' by Milly Johnson

Nominees:
- Dermot from 'Breakfast At Darcy's' by Ali McNamara
- Jack Wolfe from 'Who's Afraid Of Mr Wolfe?' by Hazel Osmond
- Prince Richard from 'To Marry A Prince' by Sophie Page
- Guy from 'Monday To Friday Man' by Alice Petersen
- Rory from 'The Secret of Happy Ever After' by Lucy Dillon

Book Cover Of The Year 2011
WINNER:
I Heart Vegas by Lindsey Kelk

Nominees:
- Miracle on Regent Street by Ali Harris
- (Un)Like A Virgin by Lucy-Anne Holmes
- One Minute to Midnight by Amy Silver
- Something From Tiffany's by Melissa Hill (original blue cover)
- The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
- Private Lives by Tasmina Perry

Celebrity Novel Of The Year 2011
WINNER:
- Denial by Coleen Nolan

Nominees:
- The Camera Never Lies by Tess Daly
- New Begininngs by Fern Britton
- The Importance Of Being Myrtle by Ulrika Jonsson

Tear-jerker Of The Year 2011
WINNER:
Lessons In Laughing Out Loud by Rowan Coleman

Nominees:
- The Secret of Happy Ever After by Lucy Dillon
- Pictures of You by Caroline Leavitt
- The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

Debut Novel and Author Of The Year 2011
WINNER:
- The Night Before Christmas by Scarlett Bailey

Nominees:
- Monday To Friday Man by Alice Petersen
- RSVP by Helen Warne
- Fat Girls and Fairy Cakes by Sue Watson
- Who's Afraid of Mr Wolfe? by Hazel Osmond
- It Happened in Paris by Molly Hopkins
- Lizzy Harrison Loses Control by Pippa Wright

Women's Fiction Book Of The Year 2011
WINNER:
The Secrets Between Us by Louise Douglas

Nominees:
- The Look of Love by Judy Astley
- The House By The Sea by Santa Montefiore
- What The Nanny Saw by Fiona Neill
- Ophelia in Pieces by Clare Jacob
- The Mistresses Revenge by Tamar Cohen
- The First Wife by Emily Barr

My Favourite Christmas... by Ali McNamara

2011-12-21T09:00:00.000Z

My favourite Christmas…

Movie: I’ve always loved Miracle on 34th Street – who hasn’t wanted to prove Santa is real! And my new favourite would be Serendipity, (a lovely movie I only discovered this year!) because of events in my own life throughout 2011...

Food: Cold left overs on Boxing Day. I much prefer this to the actual Christmas day lunch, so much more relaxed… Or my homemade Mince pies – which are pretty special I have to say ;-)

TV: The TV in recent years has been pretty rubbish in my opinion. But it always used to be a comedy special like Only Fools & Horses.

Present: As a child I can still remember the wonder of trying to figure out just how Santa got all the way around the world in one night…. As an adult it was my first computer. And look where that led…

Decoration: The glitter covered pinecones my children decorated and brought home from playgroup. They still come out and adorn our tree even now they’re both teenagers.

Tradition: Making my children wait until after breakfast to open their presents. I always had to, so now they do too! But they have a stocking of little gifts they’re allowed beforehand just to keep them going…

Song: This year I’m really enjoying Michael Buble’s Christmas album. He has the perfect voice for Christmas songs.

But my all time favourite would have to be Fairytale of New York by The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl.

Ever: I’m hoping might be this year… We’re going to New York just before Christmas. I’ve always wanted to go and stand under the big Rockefeller Christmas tree and make a wish! & this year I’m going to do just that .

Merry Christmas & a healthy happy 2012 to all!

Ali :)

You can read my review of Ali's latest book Breakfast at Darcy's here. You can buy the book in paperback and as an eBook now!

Author Article: Ronni Cooper

2011-12-20T12:30:00.002Z

The Life of the Bonkbuster - by Ronni Cooper

The eighties are remembered for many things. Leg Warmers. Shoulder pads. Live Aid. Bananarama. Hair that was the approximate size of a herbaceous bush and sprayed to the consistency of steel.

But for me, one thing defined the eighties more than any other (yes, even more than my definite plans to marry the lead singer of Wham). The eighties were all about the bonkbuster.

Women like Jackie Collins, Judith Krantz, Jilly Cooper and Shirley Conran were writing about characters so glamorous they made Pamela Ewing on Dallas seem dowdy. These books oozed sex, scandal and glamour. But most of all, they featured strong, sassy women who weren’t afraid to go after what they wanted, or to fight for what they believed was theirs.

For a teenager on a council estate in the Scottish sticks, it sure beat the monotony of watching soaps on one of our four television channels.

I became a permanent fixture at our local library, thirsty for another date with Sidney Sheldon. I found myself dreaming about New York, Los Angeles, the avenues of Paris and Rome. I’d read late into the night, using the light of my electric blanket so my parents wouldn’t find out that I was skipping sleep in favour of a bitchy boardroom battle or an explosive act of deadly revenge. Looking back, it’s a wonder I didn’t get caught or suffer chronic heat exhaustion.

It wasn’t long before the books had a dramatic effect.

While my friends were planning careers, I was dreaming of travelling, of riches and of meeting sex-Gods called Lance. While my family was suggesting suitable university options, I was working out an entry strategy for a life of adventure. I’d been shown another world and somehow I was going to live in it.
Two decades later, all those dreams pretty much worked out.

I’ve lived in New York, Los Angeles, London, Hong Kong and Shanghai. I’ve met sexy, glamorous people that would be right at home on the pages of Miss Collins. I’ve danced with scandal and had my share of wild adventures. And every moment of this life was inspired and shaped by those eighties bonkbusters.

Now I’ve come full circle and I’m the one who is writing those epic, sexy tales that send the temperature soaring (with or without the aid of the electric blanket). Thanks to Jackie, Judith, Jilly, Shirley and Sidney, I can honestly say that the stories are based on experiences that were inspired by the lessons they taught me.

Well, most of them.

I’m still holding out for a sex-God called Lance.

You can read my review of Ronni's new book Manhattan, due out on 22nd December 2011, here. You can buy the book on Amazon.co.uk as a paperback or as an eBook. You can follow Ronni on Twitter and on Facebook.

My Favourite Christmas... by Talli Roland

2011-12-20T09:00:00.000Z

Christmas. Well, what’s not to like? You’ve got food, you’ve got wine, you’ve got live greenery indoors . . . it’s all good, as far as I’m concerned.

Growing up in Canada, one of my favourite parts of the festive season was going into the forest to cut down the Christmas tree. Wrapped up so tightly we could hardly move, my family would tramp through knee-deep snow in an effort to find the perfect one. However, I quickly learned that Nova Scotia woods usually produce lopsided, scraggly specimens that are so packed together, they must fight for light. Needless to say, our trees were never ideal, but that was all part of the fun. After loading it with tinsel and decorations, it was just about passable.

It’s never a real Canadian Christmas without snow. Although I’m a firm snow-hater, I can’t deny its magical impact at Christmastime. One Christmas Eve, the snow started drifting down from the sky in those big, fat flakes that look like they’ve been sculpted. Soon, everything was covered in a white blanket. It was a wonderful prelude to Christmas.

My favourite Christmas Day activity is curling up in front of the fire with a brand new book to read. As the scent of roasting turkey drifts through the air, there’s really nothing better than that cozy, warm feeling. Ahhhh . . . I can’t wait.

And, of course, it wouldn’t be Christmas without mulled wine. Spicy, steamy and oh-so-easy to drink. It just adds to the warm glow inside!

Talli Roland has three loves in her life: chick lit, coffee and wine. Born and raised in Canada, Talli now lives in London, where she savours the great cultural life (coffee and wine). Her debut novel, The Hating Game, was an Amazon Top 100 bestseller and shortlisted for Best Romantic Read at the UK’s Festival of Romance, and her second, Watching Willow Watts, was selected as a 2011 Amazon Customer Favourite. Build A Man is her latest release. Talli blogs here and can be found on Twitter here.

Book Review: The Fat Chance Guide to Dieting by Claudia Pattison

2011-12-19T14:08:00.000Z

Think nothing tastes as good as slim feels? You're obviously not eating the right food . . .

Holly, Naomi and Kate are determined to win the battle of the bulge. So it's down to the local slimming club, where carbs are strictly off the menu and there's no escaping the scales. But calorie-counting isn't the only thing on their minds.

Newly engaged Holly should be over the moon. So why does she blush every time her sexy boss walks into the room? Curvaceous Naomi finds herself the object of a very unusual fetish and a shocking secret is revealed when an unexpected visitor arrives on Kate's doorstep.

Yet with a little group support (and a particularly brutal weight loss boot camp) the women manage to stick to their regime, in time for the glamorous Slimmer of the Year Awards. But with tempting buffet tables, highly competitive contestants and even the odd fat fetishist lurking, it's anyone's guess as to what will happen . . .

This is a book that immediately caught my eye when I was sent a copy for review, mainly because of the cover if I'm honest! It made the book look really fun, and certainly like something I would enjoy reading! Claudia Pattison hasn't released a book for a while, but has also published under the pen name of Leonie Fox, so you may have read some of her novels under that name too. Weirdly, I tried reading her books under this name but couldn't get into them, yet this one had me hooked from the start and I really enjoyed every single page of this book. It probably isn't the sort of thing you *need* to read after stuffing your face at Christmas with god knows how many calories, but it is a fun and fantastic read that will have you laughing along as you turn the pages!

There are three main characters in this book; Kate, Naomi and Holly. Each of them are very different, and have major things going on in their lives, as well as their desperate need to lose weight. Each of them joins Fat Chance, a slimming club to lose a few pounds but didn't expect to make some great friends too. Kate is a bit of a workaholic, a widow after losing her husband in an accident, and is about to get a huge surprise that will turn her world upside down. Meanwhile, Naomi is a talented photographer but her relationships with men leave much to be desired, and the other girls aren't sure about their friends' ideas either. Finally, Holly is happy as a PA and in her relationship but soon begins to question where she is going with her life. They were three great characters, I have to confess to liking Holly and Kate a lot more than Naomi, I just couldn't agree with her choices, but it certainly made for interesting reading, especially when things about Kate's relationship come to light, it does shed a whole new light on it! However, each of the women seem very real and I liked that as I read about them, I could imagine myself thinking like them, and worrying about things like they did, they were really great characters, and I like that the book chopped and changed who it followed so each of the women got equal time in the book.

Fat Chance isn't a slimming club based on any particular one that is out there, it seems to be a bit of a mix of all of them, but it's done in a really funny way! The club leader is hilariously awful, patronising and cruel rather than friendly and inspiring, but it does make for some very funny reading I have to say! However, despite the book's title, I found that the weight loss idea seemed to be secondary to the main story which were the life events of the three main ladies and I liked this, that they didn't make the weight loss the be all and end all of everything. The boot camp scenes are rather funny, and provide a good change of scenery towards the end of the book to keep your attention piqued. There is a lot going on throughout to keep you entertained and I found Pattison's writing was really easy to read, and really gets you interested in the characters and wanting to know what they are going to do next.

Overall, I thought this was a really great book that I thoroughly enjoyed reading, and will certainly look out for more books by Claudia Pattison after reading this! It's a fun and light-hearted look at weight loss, yet she manages to throw in some more serious issues there too, ones that really make you think and I thought they added a deeper element to the book that I really enjoyed. There are three main characters that a lot of women will be able to relate to in some way, and the funny moments at the 'Fat Chance' slimming club are worth reading it for alone! I think the publishers have done a really good job with the cover too, it really suits the book and I'm sure a lot of people would be tempted to pick it up and find out more! I really enjoyed every page of this book, and definitely recommend it to anyone who loves a really great read full of fun and great characters.

Rating: 5/5

You can pre-order The Fat Chance Guide to Dieting in both paperback and as an eBook now. (links go to Amazon.co.uk)

My Favourite Christmas... by Lindsey Kelk

2011-12-19T09:00:00.001Z

Hi.

My name is Lindsey and I’m a Christmas-a-holic.

I suppose I first realised I had a problem with the season of goodwill when I took custody of my nana’s two foot silver glitter Christmas tree to go in my bedroom when I was nine. Then, when I was twelve, I had to buy three Sweet Valley High books to read overnight since I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep. At nineteen, I risked the wrath of my make uni roommates by waiting up until midnight on November 30th to put up the decorations. After that, it only got worse. Now, at the age of thirty-one, things are more dangerous than they’ve ever been because I’ve found the most terrifying enabler on the planet – New York City.

I mean, let’s face it, Christmas is pretty brilliant anywhere but for me, New York just takes it up to the next level. I want to see the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Musical Hall, I want to skate in Central Park, see the tree at the Rockefeller Centre and generally walk around listening to Christmas Wrapping on my iPod and gurning like a mental at everyone who walks by. Something wonderful happens in NYC as soon as Thanksgiving hits. I do my bit by wearing nothing but sequins and glitter from Thanksgiving to New Years Eve and my friends do their bit by not drawing attention to it. I occasionally burst out into ‘All I Want for Christmas’ at happy hour and my apartment looks like Santa got wasted, had a house party and then threw up tinsel everywhere. But it isn’t just me, it’s everyone. From Central Park to Coney Island, people have a hint of a smile, you can feel spirits lifting and chestnuts really are roasting on an open fire, on every street corner. It’s a miracle not just on 34th Street but all over the city.

Of course, there are some home comforts that are sadly missing. Cadbury advent calendars, After Eights and Terry’s Chocolate Oranges (we’re a classy bunch, my family) amongst other things. Last year, I hosted a Boxing Day get together at my apartment and had to pay through the nose for a tin of Quality Street and a pork pie. It was painful. But when it skies opened at five pm and New York gave me the Christmas gift of a foot of snow, I knew it was worth it. It’s been said before but I really do heart New York and never more than at Christmas time.

You can read my review of Lindsey's fab new book I Heart Vegas here. You can buy the book in paperback or as an eBook now!

My Favourite Christmas... by Clodagh Murphy

2011-12-18T10:00:00.000Z

I love Christmas – what's not to love about a long, lazy holiday dedicated to eating, drinking and making merry with your friends and family, with no need to pack and nothing more demanding expected of you than lazing around watching TV and eating chocolates? Plus – presents!

Here are some of my favourite Christmas things.

Favourite Christmas song: Sleigh Ride by The Ronettes. It's got bells jingling, it's got a horse whinnying, and best of all it's got Ronnie Spector's gorgeous voice. What more could you wish for?

Favourite Christmas movie: There are so many that I love, but it's got to be It's A Wonderful Life. What would Christmas be like if George Bailey had never existed? Okay, it would still be great – but maybe not quite as great.

Favourite Christmas TV: Miss Marple with Joan Hickson. Because nothing says 'Christmas' like murder ... strange, but true. My idea of a perfect Christmas afternoon involves a roaring fire, Miss Marple on the TV, a glass of hot port (see below) and a big slice of Christmas cake.

Midnight Mass – I'm not religious, but sometimes for nostalgia's sake I'm tempted back to midnight mass on Christmas Eve, and nothing else can evoke childhood Christmases quite like the smell of frankincense and candle wax, and the choir singing 'Adeste Fideles'.

Favourite Christmas food: All of it – mince pies, turkey with all the trimmings, leftover sandwiches (I love them almost more than the dinner itself), smoked salmon, plum pudding (even better the next day, fried in butter) ... I can feel the weight piling on just thinking about it.

Favourite Christmas drink: Hot port – stud a slice of lemon with cloves and put it in a glass, followed by a teaspoon of sugar and a generous measure of port. I microwave the port a little at this stage so it's not too cold. Top up with boiling water and stir. Slurp and enjoy. Yum!

Happy Christmas!

You can buy Clodagh's latest book Girl In A Spin as both paperback and on eBook now!

My Favourite Christmas... by Shari Low

2011-12-17T14:08:00.000Z

It’s impossible for me to choose a favourite Christmas day because they’ve all been spectacular. Every one has been filled with love, laughter and … erm, more laughter. But our yuletide celebration is about as far away from picture-perfect as it can possibly be.

Researchers claim that the most common time for a Christmas Day family dispute is 4.17pm. They’re pulling my cracker – my family has never made it past lunchtime.

I have two brothers that I love dearly, but break out the Monopoly and they immediately go from being my flesh and blood to enemies number one and two.

We can’t help ourselves. Normal people hear the phrase, “Want to play a game?” But for our brood the message somehow translates to “Come ahead and prepare to meet thy doom.”

Honestly, we don’t need the spirit of Christmas; we need a referee and someone to hold the coats.

When we were children my parents had to stop us playing together because a game of Snap required pre-emptive body search for blunt objects.

Now? Forget rampant consumerism and society’s shift away from true meaning of the festive season.

The real scourge of Christmas comes in a box of pure evil called Pictionary.

It should be banned. Outlawed.

Describing a dodgy movie that a pre-sofa Tom Cruise made in 1984 results in strops, huffs and more fixing allegations than a week in a dodgy betting shop. And in the case of my younger brother, it once also resulted in a scud across the back of the head delivered by a furious team-mate who overheard him calling her a liability. Our granny is fierce when provoked.

And much as I’ll only admit under extreme torture - After Eight depravation, Coldplay CDs – I’m the worst out of the three of us. If I say it’s Professor Plum in the library with the lead pipe then his mug shot better be on Crimewatch or I’ll sulk until Hogmaney. Yes, I know it should be spelt Hogmanay but in 1992 I bet my brother ten pounds that it was spelt with an ‘e’ and I’m still refusing to concede defeat.

Sadly, however, the competition doesn’t extend to the kitchen. It would be fabulous if we were all in there chopping up a storm to see who could whip up the most delicious gastronomic treat.

I give you last year’s Christmas day debacle. We started well with a jolly festive Bucks Fizz over breakfast. Did that conjure up a Marks & Spencers advert-type image of a posh yuletide morning?

Em, not quite.

Shove over Twiggy ‘cause mine is the true face of Christmas: a tinsel headband, Pat Butcher’s flashing earrings, singing Westlife songs while sipping on the cultured delight of Lambrusco topped up with Sunny D.

Anyway, I then got distracted caught up in a battle to the death - I believe the official name is Ker Plunk – and two hours later realised that I’d forgotten to put the turkey in the oven.

Christmas lunch became Christmas dinner. By which time, the soup had gone off, you could grout tiles with the gravy and a game of Operation had resulted in the removal of two kidneys, a spleen and my oldest brother who’d been sent to another room for disorderly conduct.

But those turkey sandwiches were delicious and we worked them off with a game of Twister that ended with a pulled hamstring and tears of laughter.

As I said, we’ll never be picture perfect…. but we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Merry Christmas!

Love, Shari xx

You can buy Shari's latest book The Friday Night Girls as a paperback or on eBook now!

Book Review: Confessions of A Karaoke Queen by Ella Kingsley

2011-12-16T12:30:00.001Z

Maddie Mulhern is suddenly in charge. Her parents - former 80s pop duo Pineapple Mist - have left for the summer on a nostalgia tour, entrusting her to manage their struggling karaoke bar, Sing It Back. Panicking over the dodgy finances, Maddie takes a gamble: she signs up for a fly-on-the-wall reality TV series. With her faithful staff (divalicious drag queen Ruby, shy barman Simon and wannabe actress Jasmine) she'll transform the bar into a huge success. Simple. Right? Executive Producer Evan Bergman knows that scandal sells. It's no coincidence that he hires cool, attractive Nick Craven as director. Evan wants drama on screen - and he'll do anything to get it. As the series builds to a live finale, will Maddie see the truth in a Careless Whisper? Will Nick be able to keep his Poker Face? One thing's for sure: we all do things at karaoke that we regret ...

This is another debut novel for 2011 that I've really been looking forward to. Ella Kingsley hasn't hidden the fact that the name is a pseudonym for another women's fiction writer, but it's apparently a hugely kept secret who that is, but I am very curious about it! I'm not sure about the need for all the secrecy but it seems to be a popular thing to do at the moment, writing under a pseudonym, so I do wonder if eventually it'll be revealed or we'll be forever guessing about exactly who it is! Anyway, I thought the idea for the book was great, and the cover is fantastic as well, a perfect girly cover that certainly jumps out at you. I loved the sound of it from the minute I read the synopsis, so I had really hoped that it would live up to my expectations!

The book centres around the character of Maddie, daughter of 80's popstars Pineapple Mist, and someone who is a bit embarrassed about that fact as well. Her parents own a karaoke bar, but she tends not to set foot in there because she doesn't do Karaoke, and it's her idea of a bad nightmare. However, when her parents run away on holiday and Maddie is left in charge of the karaoke bar, she takes it upon herself to sign it up to a reality TV show. Of course, some consequences occur and Maddie finds herself having to make a few hard decisions. I really did like her as a main character, and found she led the book really well. She doubts her decisions a lot of the time, but her heart is in the right place and I think she does well with her problems throughout the book, although she is a bit too naive about her ex-boyfriend for my liking!

I thought the setting for the karaoke bar was really great. I could imagine in my head Maddie's parents dancing around and loving every minute of it, and I felt Kingsley wrote those characters really well, even if they don't appear that much in the book. In fact, it was the other characters of the bar that were the best people. Drag Queen Ruby was fantastic, very camp and hilarious, fab American character Jasmine and even the awful TV producer Evan (the book's baddy!) were brilliantly written, and all came to life on the pages as I read. In fact, Evan is certainly the pantomime villain of the piece, and you can certainly work out what he's up to long before poor old Maddie does! The other character I liked who I felt we didn't see enough of was Nick, the director. I enjoyed his friendship with Maddie but wanted things to move faster than they did if I'm honest!

Overall, this was a really enjoyable and funny read that had me laughing in places, and cringing in others! Yes, perhaps Maddie was a bit blinkered and naive with certain things but other than that, it was really enjoyable and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. It's one of those books you can pick up after a busy and stressful day and just sit and enjoy reading because you know you're going to like it. It's funny to read about all the old songs that come up throughout, and Maddie's real name as well... seriously?! Ella Kingsley has a great writing style whose first person narrative flows really well and immediately gets you hooked into the story to see how things will work out for Maddie and Pineapple Mist too! A great book to get stuck into, especially over the festive period where I'm sure we'll all be having an ill-advised go on the karaoke ourselves! Fab!

Rating: 4/5

You can buy Confessions of A Karaoke Queen in paperback or as an eBook now.

My Favourite Christmas... by Claire Allan

2011-12-16T09:23:00.001Z

Christmas is simple pleasures. Each year as a child there would be much anticipation of the putting up of the Christmas tree. There were no fancy themed decorated, no colour schemes, no twinkling multi function lights. The collection of baubles my mother had - and still has - were a mish mash of pieces collected over the years. Bright coloured glass trinkets, wooden figures, home made angels with wool for hair, Santas who looked more than a little camp. The one string of coloured, flower lights was draped over the tree. And our highlight was the ceremonial placing of our Christmas fair, a plastic figure wearing a tutu on top who we christened Matilda. (Indeed in my second novel Feels Like Maybe, the angel in 'Instant Karma' was named in her honour.)

All this would be done to the soundtrack of John Denver and the Muppets 'A Christmas Together' and we would go from singing sweeting along with Silent Night to jumping up and down in our new pyjamas to 'Little Saint Nick' - fighting to do the Animal solo.

Ceiling decorations were hung. Paper chains were made from sticky paper. Balloons were blown up and tacked to the ceiling. One or more of us (me having two sisters and a brother) would have no doubt made a crib in school from a shoe box, with a tin foil covered star and some plaster moulded figures. The fire was lit, the lights always seemed dimmed, and we would smell the soup cooking in the kitchen and the aroma of mammy's home made apple pies baking in the oven.

Christmas was perfect. It was simple. There was no rush and no fuss. There was a quiet anticipation to all and if I close my eyes I can still hear the late great John Denver singing Silent Night.

You can read my review of Claire's latest book If Only You Knew right here. You can buy the book in paperback at Amazon too!

My Favourite Christmas... by Milly Johnson

2011-12-15T12:30:00.000Z

"I’m a ridiculous traditionalist at Christmas. I like that it varies little from year to year. It’s relatively quiet, the same people come for dinner, we eat more or less the same food, the day follows the same pattern, but to me it’s that dear familiarity that makes Christmas so special. Once, I decided to rebel against the routine and we booked a 3 week cruise in the Caribbean. No cooking, no Christmas shopping, no standing in queues at supermarkets beckoned. We cancelled it because the kids didn’t want to spend Christmas away from their grandparents –and neither did I really. So once again, I was there in Morrisons with my trolley full of pickled onions, booze and veg and when the big day came, I was so glad that I was there, pinney on, peeling spuds, roasting the turkey.

There are so many things I love about Christmas Day. I love the look on the kids’ faces when they get something they’ve wanted (after I’ve told them there is ABSOLUTELY no chance they’re going to get it). I love the fact there are magically no calories so a Baileys and Thorntons breakfast isn’t going to make a blind bit of difference to my figure. I love to see my parents relaxing on my sofa and doing absolutely nothing all day that taxes them. I love the dog falling asleep on my dad’s foot whilst we’re watching Morecambe and Wise (The Andre Previn sketch – Christmas is not the same without it). I love that last year the snow was so bad that my mum and dad – who only live across the road – stayed over. I love that for a few days we are in a big warm messy cocoon with sleepy cats playing with tinsel and family and lovely things to eat and drink and new slippers and dressing gowns.

It’s the simple things I used to enjoy most myself about Christmas when I was little. I remember when we got our first house with central heating in it and just for Christmas Eve dad used to keep the heating on all night. I remember the Post Office set I wanted (and got) every year. A new Enid Blyton book, turkey (we only ever had it at Christmas), my Nana’s home made Christmas cake and mince pies, lying in bed on Christmas Eve with my hot water bottle willing myself to get to sleep and then finding a huge pillowcase full of parcels at the bottom of my bed in the morning. I loved watching the Sooty and Sweep Christmas special on the black and white TV whilst having a special breakfast of Ritz crackers and ‘squirty cheese’ (we still do this). Every Christmas I’ve had has been 90% the same, 10% ring in the changes – some wanted, some unavoidable. Alas ‘big school’ doesn’t have a carol service so this is the first year I won’t be sobbing in church with the other mums at ‘Little Donkey’ and watching a teacher trying to stop Joseph from picking his nose.

It’s a time for making memories and I just hope that my boys take some lovely ones through to adulthood of Christmas with their grandparents lit up like the Christmas tree on brandy, the dog with a reindeer headdress on, the cats scoffing turkey and their mam enjoying every minute of it."

You can read my review of Milly's latest book An Autumn Crush here. It's available to buy in paperback or as an eBook now!