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[[Category:New Reviews|Women's Fiction]]==Women's Fiction==__NOTOC__ {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Julia Williams1471180158|title=Last ChristmasMaybe Tomorrow|author=Penny Parkes

|genre=Women's General Fiction|summary=With Christmas fast approachingJamie Matson works in an upper-class grocery store, what better way of getting in for a man who's a control freak with all the spirit subtlety of things than by reading this excellent book that captures the joys a half brick. Jamie's son, Bo, 'has his problems'. He's asthmatic and stresses of the festive season so well? The reader follows four different people – Catherine Tinsall and her husband Noelmore you read, Marianne Moore and Gabriel Norththe more you'll suspect that he's on the autistic spectrum. Each of these characters have their own reasons for not really looking forward Sometimes Jamie needs to Christmas (mainly because of take time off at short notice - she's a frequent flier in the experience of last Christmas) local A&E and these reasons slowly become apparent sometimes Bo's not fit enough to go to school. Missed shifts or the reader as need to be away on time to pick Bo up from school are occasions when Jamie can be controlled and put in the story progresseswrong. It was going to come to a head.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847560865</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Camilla NoliLauren Bravo|title=The Mother's TalePreloved

|summary=''It Gwen is early evening. I am suckling my infant son… We are picture perfect. Madonna pressing her middle-aged bosom on a big number that starts with a four and child''.  No doubt about it: a new mother totally smitten ends with her son. Zach is adorable. Quiet. Undemanding. A happy, generally relaxed, child. Gorgeous.  But Zach isnan oh-my-God-I't her firstm-nearly-bornforty. First there was CassieHaving been made unexpectedly redundant - any HR officer worth their salt would argue the toss - Gwen finds herself having a bit of a mid-life crisis. A child who entered the world screaming Catharsis is key and Gwen has since learned exactly what power she can wring with such lungs. Not yet two years old, Cassie adores decided now is the time to take back her father, but even him she manipulates. Her mother she terrorises.life'|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1409101584</amazonuk>1398510629

{{newreview|author=Sue Moorcroft|title=Starting Over|rating=4|genre=Women's Fiction|summary=The story opens when Tess bumps her old reliable car into a breakdown truckThen Richard left them. That's rather convenient, since she isn't hurt, and the guy driving it is able to tow her to his garage, and then give her a lift to her new home. Naturally, since this is the 'chick-lit' genre, Tess and the truck-driver, who goes by the unlikely name of Ratty (an abbreviation of his surname) feel mutual antipathy of the sort that's clearly going to lead, sooner or later, to strong attraction.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1906931224</amazonuk>

{{newreviewFrontpage|author=Stella WhitelawHadeer Elsbai|title=Midsummer MadnessThe Daughters of Izdihar

|genre=Women's FictionFantasy|summary=YouDrawing inspiration from Egypt, ''ll like Sophie Gresham. She wanted to The Daughters of Izdihar'' explores the lives of two women who could not be an actress but suffers from paralysing stage fright and when the side effects became too much more different, yet find themselves fighting for her she worked behind the scenes. She's a very good prompt despite the fact that you need to wrap up very warmly to survive in the prompt corner she loves her job rights of women and most of the cast weavers – those with magical abilities - in the theatre companya society pitted against them. It's a bit of a shock though when she realises that Nehal, born into the guest producer from New York is Joe Harrisonupper class, the man she helped out when he had nothing wishes to eat and nowhere to sleep. Sophie was a little softer in those days – in attend the meantime she's had Weaving Academy to develop a protective shell.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0709089147</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Jennifer Bohnet|title=Follow Your Star|rating=3.5|genre=Women's Fiction|summary=It's three years since Nanette Weston left Monaco. She'd been engaged learn to a Formula 1 racing driver control her abilities and had lived then join the life of the wealthy military, but a serious car accident had ended all thatinstead she is forced into an arranged marriage with Nico. The accident could Giorgina on the other hand did not have killed a privileged upbringing like Nehal and feels great pressure to provide for her fiancé family and she lost her driving licence because maintain their reputation, whilst secretly attending meetings of the alcohol she'd consumed. Her slow recovery was hindered by the end Daughters of her engagement but sheIzdihar – a group campaigning for women's found some contentment rights. Giorgina also happens to be in being love with Nico. What follows is a nanny to two young children. When her friend story of an unjust society, filled with hypocrisy and employercruelty, Vanessa, remarries from which blossoms a group of admirable women fighting for their rights and takes an extended honeymoon in the Amazon Nanette is asked to take the children back to Monaco where overcoming their father livespersonal obstacles.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0709089090</amazonuk>0356520471

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Miss ReadB0B575J99N|title=Christmas at Thrush GreenBeneath the Porticoes|author=Brooke Adams

|summary=Set Elizabeth Miller was thirty-four and a teacher at a prestigious girl's school in York. It was ''comfortable'' but she longed for something more in life. She'd ''still not found the rural village of Thrush Green, this book is right vocation nor met the right man'' and now was the latest in time to make a series surrounding familiar characterschange. She needed challenges. There is was a little trepidation when she applied for the feisty Ella Bembridge, who is finally having to admit that old age is creeping up as her eyesight failsprofessoressa job in Bologna. Friends such as Dimity and Charles Henstock are concerned about her After a telephone interview, but she refuses to accept any help. Albert Piggott has decided was offered the position and itwasn's time to retire now that his wife, Nelly, is a successful cafe owner and can afford to take care of him! And relative newcomer Phil Hurst and her husband are arranging t long before she was exploring the local nativity play, despite a number of set-backsbeautiful city. Will everything be in place for Christmas? And will independent Ella make a decision about There were some natural doubts before her future?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1409101592</amazonuk>first class but it went surprisingly well.

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Maxine Barry0241542405|title=River DeepMeredith Alone|author=Claire Alexander|rating=34.5|genre=Women's General Fiction|summary=Two young women both have a love of the ThamesWhen we first meet Meredith Maggs it's Wednesday 14 November 2018 and she's not left her home for 1,214 days. She'd ''like'' to: in fact, she so nearly does. Melisande RayHer outdoor clothes are on and she's even considered which shoes to wear if she's beloved hotelgoing to catch her train. Then, she can't. She simply can't force herself to leave the Ray safety of Sunshine is on the river bankher home. ItShe's here fortunate that guests come she has a good friend, Sadie, who want to be pampered and looked after in the way that only the best hotels can do wellvisits regularly with her two children, but when Wendell James checks in to the hotel it's not pampering he's looking forand Matilda. HeSadie's buying a piece cardiac nurse and full of land not far from the Ray of Sunshine sound common sense. In fact it was Sadie who gave Meredith her cat, Fred. Groceries are online deliveries and hethere's sussing out the competitionalso an internet-based support group where you'll find Meredith as JIGSAWGIRL, so you can guess what she does in her spare time. There's something personal in there too – if his new hotel means that the Ray of Sunshine goes under then that would be an added bonusThen Tom McDermott arrives. ThereHe's just from Holding Hands, a slight doubt in his mind when a red-haired maid catches his eyecharity which supports people with problems such as Meredith's.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0709088930</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Leah Fleming0008441618|title=Remembrance DayOther Parents|author=Sarah Stovell|rating=45

|summary=In Jo Fairburn knew that she was under intense pressure as the year 2000 an old lady in a wheelchair watches the unveiling new head of the new war memorial in the village square. ThereWest Burntridge First School: if she didn's pride in what has been achieved, in the family who are gathered around t live up to her and retired predecessor there are memories too. Some are good but many are not.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847561039</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Abby McDonald|title=The Popularity Rules|rating=4.5|genre=Teens|summary=This book is labelled as Abby McDonald's first adult novel, but could well be a brief browse at house price slump in that part of the juvenile title, cover and formatted content bowls it straight down the teen read alleytown. The Americanised language, music scene setting school had an active Parent Teacher Association and media heroine are aspirational stuff when you're stuck in the pre-scene yearsfunds which they raised were a considerable benefit to the school. SoThere was one difficulty, despite its label, Ithough - they were ''devastatingly shockable''ve given it four and a half stars based on its appeal as a girlie book. That said, I'm well over eighteenwith two members, read the story avidlyin particular, and enjoyed causing problems for the ironyhead. So well done, Abby McDonald, Laura Spence and Kate Monroe objected to Jo's restrictions on the toys children could bring in on Toy Day but that was just a warm-up act for an entertaining story, cleverly toldtheir real gripe: LGBTQ education. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099533898</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Anne BakerGiovanna Fletcher|title=Through Rose-Coloured GlassesWalking on Sunshine

|summary=Dinah Radcliffe lived in one of the poorer parts of Liverpool Mike's wife, Pia, who he was with for seventeen years, has died. And whilst he is dealing with his grief, so are their best friends, Vicky and whilst there might not have been a lot of money Zaza. But Pia left them all some 'rules' to spare follow, knowing that she was happy in her job as an apprentice milliner dying and spent her free time nursing her mother, Sarahthat they would need help to carry on living. Her father had been killed in Whilst some of the Great Warrules are around practicalities such as clearing out her wardrobe, but it was the nineteen thirties and the Radcliffes were making the best of things. The son another one that Mike discovers one day encourages him to take one of their next door neighbour was a jockey trips away, and it was his free tickets which took Dinah Vicky and her friend to a race meeting at Aintree. It was there that she met Richard HaldaneZaza, a widowed businessman who swept Dinah off her feet struggling with their grief and introduced her their own life troubles, decide to a life of wealth and privilege beyond her wildest dreams. Within weeks they were married - drop everything in their own lives, and within hours Dinah discovered that her husband was not the man she thought he wasgo along with him.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0755356640</amazonuk>140593560X

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Carole Matthews B09FS89KX9|title=That Loving FeelingFall On Me|author=Penelope Potts

|summary=Have you ever wondered what successful authors write about? Life should have been good for Hollie: Since they no longer partake of She was just going into the everyday world final year of work, how do they her veterinary degree and - three years later - was still working at BB'write about what they know' while still sounding fresh and up to s diner. Bob - the minute? owner - regarded her fondly: he was a good boss. And how do they think up all those unique plots? WellHollie had moved in with her boyfriend, Carole Matthews has solved the problem Marcus: her mother thought he was great and he was doing well in his career. Hollie wasn'That Loving Feeling' by setting the book in a Public Library, cleverly utilising the hours she must have spent promoting t quite so certain though: Marcus wanted to control her and most of all he wanted her to leave her previous romantic comedies job at Libraries up and down the countrydiner. To Then there was the fact that he would be cruising towards twenty published novels suggests plenty of interest from library readers violent, both to her and it's a rather nice touch, isn't it, to set a book amongst your loyal fan baseother people.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0755354168</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Sharon Griffiths 0008421714|title=The Lost Guide to Life and LoveMrs March|author=Virginia Feito

|genre=Women's Literary Fiction|summary=Tilly Flint is a food journalist living in London and hankering for a more glamorous life than The problem began just after the one she has. She has a taste publication of this when her boyfriend Jake takes her George March's most successful novel to an upmarket nightclub frequented by top footballers and modelsdate. Little does she Everyone but Mrs March (we know at the time but some of her first name only on the people she only glimpses that night are about last page) seemed to become very important to hereither be reading it or had already done so. Just after, she agrees Every day Mrs March went to go on a working holiday with Jake and they book an isolated cottage in the Pennines. However, an almighty row leads local patisserie to Jake storming out and Tilly being left buy olive bread but on her own. Surprisingly thoughthat particular morning, Patricia asked, it is relief rather than fear that as she experienceswas wrapping the bread, particularly when she realises that where she is staying has very strong links with her family''but isn't this the first time he's history and based a character on you?'' She mentioned that everyone knows of Johanna, the principal character had 'her Great Granny Allen whomannerisms's sayings Tilly's mother . Perhaps this would not have mattered, except for the fact that Johanna is so fond the whore of quotingNantes - ''a weak, plain, detestable, pathetic, unloved, unloveable wretch.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847560911</amazonuk>''

 {{newreview|author=Freda Lightfoot |title=House of Angels|rating=4.5|genre=Historical Fiction|summary=The novel focuses on the Angel family who live in the Lake District in the late 1900s. Josiah Angel is the head of the family and appears to be a respectable business man, bringing up his three daughters after the death of his wife. The family live in a beautiful house and – to outsiders – the daughters seem to have everything – comfort, money, beauty and an easy life, in great contrast to the poverty around them. Not far from Josiah's department store are the workhouse with its brutality and the blocks of slum flats infested with rats.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0749007125</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Amy Silver |title=Confessions of a Reluctant Recessionista|rating=4.5|genre=Women's Fiction|summary=Cassie may be 'just' a PA and living and working in one of the most expensive cities on the planet, but thanks to a flair for fashion, and a generous banker boyfriend you'd never know it from looking at her. But, in the fickle world of fashion, friendships and fat-cat bonuses, things can change in an instant. Let go from her job, and from her relationship by her rhymes-with-banker now ex, she is forced to fend for herself and make some cut backs (*shudder*). Forget the Louboutins and the fancy, on-fashion belts, the only buckling she'll be doing any time soon is the buckling down to get a new job, reduce her outgoings, and maintain the smidge of self-respect she has left.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099543559</amazonuk>}} {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Emily Barr1473685745|title=The Life You Want|rating=4.5|genre=Women's Fiction|summary=Many good writers have a signature style and for me, Emily Barr's has always been the utterly authentic travel details all her books have been peppered with, whether it be the lazy life in a lush French farmhouse, or the excitement of backpacking across Asia. Her new title is no exception, and this time the destination is India.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0755335600</amazonuk>}} {{newreviewUnbreak Your Heart|author=Tatiana Boncompagni|title=Hedge Fund WivesKatie Marsh

|summary=Chick lit is about finding a man in order When Beth Carlyle and Simon Withers first met they were on opposite ends of an angry exchange - well, Simon was angry and Beth was doing her best to live happily ever after: not just any manapologise for having knocked Simon's son, of courseJake, off his bike. He wasn't hurt but Mr Right himselfJake has history. He has HLHS - that's Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome for those of you who are not ''Hedge Fund Wivesau fait'' is as pink cotton-wooly as any self-respecting chick lit novel in search of a herowith your medical acronyms. But... it also flies in When he was born, the face left side of this conventionhis heart hadn't developed properly and he needed open-heart surgery when he was a few days old. In the storySo, marrying money does not secure the fairy tale ending. It's really amazing that Tatiana Boncompagni Simon has managed every right to deliver a ragsbe over-to-riches happy ending for her heroine while roundly denouncing the riches along the wayprotective particularly when someone isn't looking where they're driving.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>184756187X</amazonuk>}} {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Janette Jenkins C J Carey|title=Angel of BrooklynWidowland

|genre=Women's General Fiction|summary=On It's April 1953, and Adolf Hitler's schedule includes going to Moscow to attend the eve state funeral of Joseph Stalin then within weeks coming to London, parading around a bit, and watching over the Great War, Jonathan Crane arrives home sanctioned return to the unyielding grey throne of Edward VIII with his home town of Anglezarkewife, Queen Wallis. For yes, Britain caved in the lead-up to the World War Two that certainly didn't happen as we know it, Lancashire with and we are now a beautiful new bride protectorate – well, we share enough of the same blood as the Germanic peoples on his arm''the mainland''. Beatrice But this is not immediately warmly received most certainly a different Britain, for Nazi-styled phrenology, and ideas of female purpose, has put all of that gender into a caste system, ranging from high-brow office bigwigs to the drudges, and beyond those, right on down to the childless, the embrace of husbandless and the women of widows. Female literacy is actively discouraged. And in this alien place - her beauty puritanical existence, our heroine, Rose Ransom, is captivating and employed with the stories about where she grew uptask of bowdlerising classical literature to take all encouragement for female emancipation out of it – after all, enchanting; Jonathan Crane's new foreign wife is not ordinary among these folk every book can be banned, and they are suspicious of her and as sometimes only gritty, not every story excised immediately from British women know howcivilisation, and so they just get a hefty tweak towards the party line before they are openly and unashamedly hostile toward her're stamped ready for reprint. Who That is this stunning creature that is trying her job, at least, until the first emerging signs of female protest come to infiltrate light, with their lives?potential to spoil Hitler's visit.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0099516551</amazonuk>152941198X

 {{newreview|author=Santa Montefiore|title=The Italian Matchmaker|rating=4|genre=Women's Fiction|summary=Luca, a half-Italian, rich banker has been through a painful divorce and has decided to take stock of his life. He decides to leave the City behind and, at the suggestion of a friend (and, inevitably, ex-lover) he decides to take off for the summer to visit his parents who have, fortuitously, recently renovated an old palazzo in (the sadly fictitious) Incantellaria on the Amalfi coast. Here, his parents live with a rich assortment of eccentric friends in residence, including a pet pig.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0340840544</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Kate Harrison |title=The Secret Shopper Unwrapped|rating=4|genre=Women's Fiction|summary=Glamourous Grazia, sassy Sandie and enthusiastic Emily first got together in Harrison's earlier title, 'The Secret Shopper's Revenge'. Now they're back but this time there are many more hassles to deal with than just a bit of simple, secret shopping. Think toy boys and sugar daddies and the odd A-lister, a choice between aging gracefully or disgracefully, reformed criminals and criminal exes, long lost mothers and potential new mothers in law (in the same room! At the same time!) and the delight or dread that comes from finding yourself unexpectedly in the family way. Combine all these factors with the run up to Christmas and you have three good friends run off their feet in every direction but, because friendship is really all that matters, resolutely there for each other in a pinch.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1409107302</amazonuk>}} {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Sarra Manning Ruth Hogan|title=UnstickyMadame Burova

|genre=Women's General Fiction|summary=Low paid but with big dreams, talented fashionista Grace is This book lets us discover several people in different stages of life in the process of being dumped by early 1970s, all vaguely connected. So we have a bullied half-cast boy whom she was too good for anyway. If that's not bad enough(as he would have been called then), he's doing it on her birthdaya girl in a humdrum job wanting to become a singer, and if even chiefly, Imelda, the third generation of Madame Burova, ''that'sTarot-Reader, Palmist and Clairvoyant'' not bad enough, he's doing it in Libertyto use her family'ssea-front booth. Right by The singer, the scryer and the new season Marc Jacobs bags. Itsufferer's mother will all become staff at a revamped holiday camp, but just wrongbefore then we see Imelda fly solo for the first time in the family stall. And yet We also see her on her last day, as one door closesfifty years later, another opens right next to itin possession of a pair of letters that will change everything for a woman called Billie. And this one Just who is biggershe, older and a lot more expensive. The mysterious Vaughn rescues Grace as who delivered the tears begin secrets about her to fallImelda, whisking her off and why did it have to dry her eyes over four types of chocolate cake. There are worse things I can think of, that's for sure.remain a secret all this time?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0755347374</amazonuk>152937331X

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Sheila O'FlanaganJennifer Saint |title=The Perfect ManAriadne |rating=4.5|genre=Women's Fiction|summary=I've read many This re-telling of the myth of Sheila O'Flanagan's books Ariadne and have always found them light enjoyable reads with the Minotaur is interesting storylines and likeable charactersunusual. This Jennifer Saint presents the story in a way that is what I was expecting from ''The Perfect Man'', and I wasn't at all disappointedsympathetic to its origins but also appealing to a modern audience.  Unlike most of O'FlanaganSaint's books, this one narrative is not set in Dublin but mainly takes place on a romantic cruise ship in told predominantly through the Caribbean. Britt McDonaghviewpoint of Ariadne, spanning from her childhood to her death, allowing the successful author of reader to really connect with Ariadne as a novel also entitled ''The Perfect Man'', has been invited on board to present character in her own right rather than just a series prop in the heroics of talks and workshops about successful romantic writingTheseus.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0755343794</amazonuk>1472273869

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Meg Wolitzer Lucy Holland|title=The PositionSistersong

|genre=Women's Literary Fiction|summary=Paul Mellow loves his wifeSistersong is part of a genre I particularly enjoy, the modern retelling of folk and fairy tales. These stories, Rozfor most of us, seemingly like no other man has ever loved are a woman – his idolatry is boundlesscornerstone of childhood and I relish seeing them retold with fresh eyes and a fresh perspective. If handled well these retellings give new life and new meaning to stories that are now becoming increasingly narrow and outdated, bordering on theatrical and yet fleshing out of this worshipcharacters, Paul has examining relationships and re-evaluating the germ role of an ideawomen. Who would not want to know Sistersong is a perfect example of a modern retelling done well, the ways in which it plot is possible handled with care, keeping its archaic historical feel but allowing the characters to pleasure a wife as beautiful and perfect as his? How could everyone not want come to seelife, to ''share'' feel real and human, most importantly they feel relatable in a modern world whilst still feeling appropriate for the artistic renderings pre-Saxon age they live in. This is a masterpiece of this act of love?storytelling and I was captivated from beginning to end.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0099485052</amazonuk>1529039037

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Monica Carly B08NF79QXT|title=Fraser's LineCherry Blossom Boutique|author=Brooke Adams

|summary=When Edie died Fraser was devastated. They'd been married for thirty Thirty-one years and he'd been devoted to her. Nothing -year old Liberty Rossini has had been too much trouble and he'd been quite prepared to watch her flirt with other menshop, to shine in any company. He wasthe Cherry Blossom Boutique, after all, the man for just six months when she went home with. Her death had come suddenly 's nominated for - and weeks later he was still in a state of shock, but he knew that he would have to sort out her affairs and he enlisted wins - the help of a casual acquaintance to support himRetail Best Newcomer Award. He was in for some painful shocks.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1438960069</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Lucy Dillon|title=Lost Dogs and Lonely Hearts|rating=4.5|genre=WomenShe's Fiction|summary=Lucy Dillon's previous novel, [[The Ballroom Class by Lucy Dillon|The Ballroom Class]], featured three couples whose individual stories end up muddled when they start the same dancing lessons. In ''Lost dogs delighted and Lonely Hearts'' we have three very different families whose lives end up intertwined when they suddenly become involved with the local rescue kennels. Sound familiar? While the premise for the two is similar, the stories share only one common theme: they're both great reads.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0340919205</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Louise Candlish |title=Before We Say Goodbye|rating=4.5|genre=Womenpeople she's Fiction|summary=Olivia suffered a great deal in brought with her childhood and teenage yearsto the event couldn't be more pleased. Her mother Maggie would disappearSonja, often for months at a time, leaving Olivia and her brother disorientatedmother, upset is an ex-model and - eventually - very angry. But when her mother lies dying, there's a big question Olivia wants to ask. Did her mother deliberately keep Brazilian: you can see where Liberty got her away looks from Richie, the young man she fell in love with when she was sixteen?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0751540382</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Lorraine Jenkin |title=Eating Blackbirds|rating=4.5|genre=WomenJessica's Fiction|summary=thirty-four and Liberty'Delightful', 'unsophisticateds best friend: they' ve known each other since university and Liberty adores Jessica'funny' tags jump to mind for ''Eating Blackbirds''s husband, one of several books published this Charles and their four-year-old daughter, aimed at the women's mainstream market from Welsh publishers HonnoAva. I read Life would be perfect for Liberty if it wasn't for one thing: she misses having a man in a couple of sittings, not wanting to put it downher life.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>190678406X</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Laura Elliott B08GFSK2WZ|title=The Prodigal Sister|rating=5|genre=Women's Fiction|summary=Sisters Rebecca, Julie and Lauren are travelling from Ireland to attend their younger sister's wedding in New Zealand. This is unlikely to be just any family reunion though as no one had heard from Cathy since she fled from their home fifteen years ago. There are many unresolved issues but Cathy has invited them all with the hope that they can achieve some closure and hopefully move on with their lives.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847561470</amazonuk>}} {{newreviewKarma Trap|author=Ellie Campbell |title=When Good Friends Go BadLisette Boyd

|summary=A famous designer, a cleanlinessGeorge Jackson is thirty-obsessed stay at home mum and a slightly kooky Yank who talks to angels might not be three people you'd pick years old, absolutely gorgeous to be friends in a normal story, but these women haven't met now, as pushinglook at -40 year olds. No, they were good friends, great friends even, all through high school, and though life has evidently taken then in different directions, you can understand how something like surviving their teen years together would form an everlasting bondsingle. Except it didn She't, really. They've barely talked in years, s not had sex for eight months and even the reunion organised ten years ago went wrong. So how is it that theyshe've ended up back s stuck in each others' lives? What's happened? Why now?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099519992</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Melissa Hill |title=Before I Forget|rating=4.5|genre=Women's Fiction|summary=At the start karma trap: an awful lot of the book, Abby's partner of four years has just left bad luck is being visited on her and, in dealing with her misery, she is becoming has a bit of a workaholic and a social reclusereal talent for attracting drama. One morning, on her way to work Her life's chaotic: she becomes dealt with the leak from the victim shower by putting something down at the bottom of a freak accident and suffers a brain injury that is going the stairs to affect her long term memory. Faced with absorb the prospect of forgetting all that she holds dear, Abby rewater -evaluates then the shower fell through the way roof whilst she has been living was in it and makes a list of all left her, stark naked, staring at the memorable experiences she hopes to createpervy postman. She also sets about capturing all the memories in only has to take her mother's dog out for a 'memory chest' on walk for her computer so that she will be able to remember all the wonderful experiences. Suddenly she is enjoying life end up with dog poo spattered across her face - and a lot more especially when she meets the handsome and thoughtful Finn. Unexpectedly, Abby's life has never looked better except, of course, for photo being taken by someone who shares it around the fact that she keeps forgetting thingsoffice.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0340952997</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Lindsey Kelk B08CHJLNBS|title=I Heart New York|rating=3.5|genre=Women's Fiction|summary=Holed up in a New York hotel room, Angela is getting a New York make over from her NY NBF, Jenny. And how, we ask ourselves, did our heroine end up in The City That Never Sleeps? Well, if you had caught your boyfriend of ten years having sex with a skinny (grrr!) blonde on the back seat of your car (where the car seats of your future children were supposed to go), during the wedding reception of your best friends, and that everyone – including your best friends - apart from you had known what he had been up to for some considerable time, you may very well have kicked off your Louboutins, hitched up your bridesmaids dress and headed for the nearest airport too!|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0007288387</amazonuk>}} {{newreviewCapturing Emilia|author=Jaishree Misra |title=Secrets and LiesBrooke Adams

|summary=Four girls became friendly He's Charles Devereaux, thirty-eight and a partner at school in DelhiWickham Jones, the Mayfair letting agents. Fifteen years later three of them are in LondonShe's Emilia, twenty-nine, but Zeba is still librarian and archivist in Indiathe heritage library next door. She was a promising actress (on and off the stage) at school Emilia has read [[The Secret by Rhonda Byrne|The Secret]] but in 2008 she's the reigning queen of Bollywood. Let no one say moved on from new age books like that she hasn't earned her position; some of those producers can be quite demanding – , which leave you dependent on and off the stage. Back in London Bubbles is the wife of a millionaire Indian businessman. It was an arranged marriage and although itsomeone else's never been close Bubbles isn't too unhappy. Sam is the trophy wife and her marriage seems to have ground to a haltphilosophies, whilst Anita, always the brainiest of the group, seems to have difficulty in keeping something a relationship goinglittle deeper. There was another girl who had an influence on the girls, but they hated Lily D'Souza – and then she died.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847561683</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Margot Berwin|title=Hot House Flower|rating=4.5|genre=General Fiction|summary=Themed fiction, where there Charles is more of a clear obsession with a specific topic can be a bit hit or miss, but in the past I have enjoyed ones that focus on [[Book Lover by Jennifer Kaufman and Karen Mack|books]] and [[Clicking Her Heels Personal by Lucy HepburnLee Child|shoesJack Reacher]] and especially [[The Food of Love by Anthony Capella|food]]. The key in my mind has always been to write about something other people obsess over, establishing an immediate bond between reader and writer. This title falls into this category but with a rather unusual and specific fixation: tropical plants. I know little about these, and have never really wanted to change that factman himself, but though I didn't share the author's fascination initially, by the end of the book I was hooked.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0091926122</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Chika Unigwe|title=On Black Sisters' Street|rating=4.5|genre=General Fiction|summary=Sisi, Ama, Efe and Joyce are prostitutesabove all, working in Antwerphe's red-light district. They arrived in Belgium through the auspices of Dele, a grasping, shocked that Emilia reads ''talent-spottingThe Guardian'' Lagos pimp, who arranges illegal entry into Europe for young women in return for a large percentage of their earnings for many years.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0224085301</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Penny Jordan |title=Sins|rating=2|genre=Women's Fiction |summary=''Sins'' is set in the 1950s and follows the turbulent love lives of four girls — Emerald, Rose, Janey and Ella. Scheming Emerald is determined to bag herself a royal husband, outsider Rose just wants to fit in, wild child Janey puts her heart and soul into becoming the next Mary Quant, and sensible Ella concentrates on avoiding the mistakes of her parents. As the years pass, the girls reach for their dreams and come to terms with issues that have haunted them from childhood.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847560741</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Lauren Willig |title=The Secret History of the Pink Carnation|rating=4.5|genre=Historical Fiction|summary=I used to have months when I would gorge on chick lit before I got married. I lived in London and would wile away the tedium of the tube by escaping into easy, comforting reads of twenty-somethings who worried about shoes and shopping and men. It was reassuring to know that the girl, albeit after a series of highs and lows, would ultimately get the guy. IThey'm a different kind of person now, a stay re obviously not at home mum more likely to be found playing in the park than shoe-shopping in Londonall compatible, and so it's been a while since I've felt like picking up a chick lit book. Something about why can Charles not get this one intrigued me though. woman out of his mind? From the back cover blurb itShe's hard to tell if not his usual type at all: it's a historical novel, or contemporary chick lit, or perhaps some kind of mysteryobvious to his friends. I have a feeling And given that if you come Emilia regularly feels repulsed by Charles's superficiality, why does she feel drawn to it with any particular expectations of it fulfilling one of these genres you might be disappointed. him? But if you see it as a fun, exciting, genre-less read then, hopefully, you won't be able to put it down.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0749007613</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Meg Wolitzer|title=The Wife|rating=5|genre=Womenrelationship's Fiction|summary=The fact that Joan Castleman is the wife of one of the 20th Century's most lauded and acclaimed authors has not escaped her notice and certainly there are people obviously anon-plenty to remind her how amazing her entire existence must surely be. The role of the supportive significant other is a part that Joan has played for almost her entire lifestarter, watching her husband Joeisn's steady rise to the top of his professional tree, whilst suppressing her own career aspirations and talents to be the silent stanchion of her marriage, in every conceivable way.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099478196</amazonuk>t it?

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Susan Wooldridge Helly Acton|title=The Hidden DanceShelf|rating=3.54|genre=Women's Fiction|summary=It is 1933When we meet Amy, and the SS Etoile has just left Southampton harbour en route for New Yorkshe's in a relationship with Jamie. On board is Lily Sutton, You can't really call it a timidpartnership, disturbed woman whose posh accent seems unsuited because things tend to her situation of travelling in steerageget done on his terms, but she's sticking around because she hopes she can change him. Ah, yes. Through a series of flashbacks to various years in LilyHaven's life t we learn why she is so frightened and what has brought all been there? Things are looking up when he tells her to make pack for a surprise trip. Could this secretive journey be it? Is he ''finally'' going to New York. As well as learning about her romantic aspirations through the story we also see her stumble into a difficult situation get down on board ship that lends a crime mystery feel to one knee? Was the latter half of work (and the book.wait) worth it?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0749007419</amazonuk>1838770879

{{newreview|author=Meg Wolitzer |title=The Ten-year Nap|rating=5|genre=WomenWhen Mike Parker's Fiction|summary=Amy couldn't remember the last time girlfriend comes into school with a black eye, claiming he gave it to her husband Leo had gotten terribly excited by , herwhole world is tipped upside down. Jill could not understand why Her relationship has just ended and now she did not really feel like much 's the talk of a mother to her adopted daughter, Nadiathe school. It had been four years, but still Mike was the quiet little girl that she and most popular boy in school who was always so in love with her husband, Donaldeveryone knew that, had 'rescued' from a Siberian orphanage seemed like a stranger to so why did he do what he did? Some people believe her. Roberta didnand some don't seem to know how she had come to give up on her dream to be an artist, but somehow amidst her marriageone thing is for sure, the childrenthis isn's craft projects and the part t going to blow over any time work as a puppeteer, it had simply faded away until she could barely remember what it was like to hold a brush in her handssoon.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0099523485</amazonuk>0349003297

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Katie Fforde |title=Love LettersA Springtime Affair|rating=4.5|genre=Women's Fiction|summary=Love Letters is one of those enjoyable and satisfying reads that is so perfect I've wanted to read author Katie Fforde for these hot lazy summer days. It's gentle pace ages and intriguing characters draw you in as you want to find out this was pretty much exactly what happens nextI was expecting - a warm, cosy read focused on romance, family and friendships. What's more This provided two romances for the price of one, but it was actually the family element as opposed to the storyline is based around a literary festival which makes fascinating reading for any book lover like meromance that I really enjoyed.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1846054478</amazonuk>1780897561

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Jane Elmor B07W4MNBSG|title=Pictures of Be Careful Who YouMarry|author=Lizzy Mumfrey

|genre=Women's General Fiction |summary=This is the story of Luna, who is an artist. It's also the story of Angie, her mother, was coming up to Halloween in 1987 and - to a lesser degree group of sixth- itform schoolgirls wondered what they would be doing when they were fifty. When you's about Natre only seventeen that seems positively ancient, a teenage single mother in horrendous circumstances. It begins when Luna and Angie attend the funeral of Lunabut Liz was convinced that ''your entire life depends on who you marry''s long-estranged father in 2003. Or rather, The only eligible boys were the story actually begins when Luna Young Farmers and her boyfriend Pierre are making love the idea of living in a cupboard under the stairs just after the funeral. And the book itself starts with farmhouse and having a prologue, set six years later, when an unnamed man (with wife couple of children called Will and two children in tow) spots an unnamed woman in an art galleryOlly appealed to Charlotte, or perhaps William and thinks back Oliver if you were Elizabeth who was determined to a lifetime of loving hermarry the rather superior Patrick Shepley-Botham. Confused? Yes, I The place to start their search was tooobviously the Young Farmers' Halloween disco that weekend. And not at all sure what to expectThere was just one problem - there were too many Elizabeths in the class.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0230014569</amazonuk>

{{newreview|author=Maggie Dana|title=Beachcombing|rating=4|genre=Women's Fiction |summary=You'll like Jill Hunter. She's smart, independent and likes to have fun. Her business is one that she's built up from scratch and she's brought up two sons Move on her own since her divorce many years ago and to her credit they're both splendid young men. Money's a little tight but she's managed to restore a dilapidated beach cottage in Connecticut where it sits amongst some rather more expensive neighbours.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0230742688</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Eloisa James |title=Duchess by Night[[Features|rating=4.5|genre=Historical Fiction |summary=In this third instalment of the ''Desperate Duchesses'' series the focus is on Harriet, the Duchess of Berrow. A widow of two years, Harriet manages her vast estate, makes judgements in the local court (where the judge is only a drunken figurehead) and is generally settled into her life. But she feels unattractive, old and boring; ready to find another husband but doesn't attract too many dancers, never mind suitors, when she turns up at a costume ball dressed as a dumpy Mother Goose (complete with a stuffed bird). When her friend sets off on a visit to a permanent house party at a residence of a certain very disreputable Lord Strange (in order to create a scandal and entice a husband she never met back to the country), Harriet decides to go with her, but worried about the debauchery, she goes as a young man, a nephew of Duke Villiers who also accompanies the ladies.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0340961082</amazonuk>}}latest features]]