Newest Women's Fiction Reviews
Women's Fiction
A Class Act by Kate Lace
Tilly de Liege (that's pronounced 'de Lee', by the way) met Ainsley Driver quite by accident and they just seemed to get on with each other really well. Both were about to do A levels and were hoping to go on to university, but there was a snag. Tilly was from the wrong side of the tracks. She wasn't in the least bit worried about the fact that Ainsley lived in a council house on quite the worst estate in town but when he found out that she lived in the local manor house and went to a private school something snapped. It didn't seem to be about money – as the de Lieges really didn't have any - more about the fact that she hadn't said. Full review...
Taking the Lead by Sarah Monk
Theodora English had left her home in London to move to a tiny Cornish village with her boyfriend Michael, only for him to dump her soon afterwards. You'd expect her to head straight back to London, but you'd be wrong. She buys the cottage next door, moves in and starts getting to know the locals. Full review...
Trade Winds by Christina Courtenay
It is 1731 and Killian Kinross, disgraced heir to the estate is making his way as best he can through the gambling dens of Edinburgh, trading on his skill, ability to hold his drink and the smiling fickle fortunes of lady luck. The Lady is smiling at the moment, although she hasn't always done so. Full review...
From Notting Hill with Love... Actually by Ali McNamara
Scarlett loves the movies; in fact that you could easily say that she is obsessed with them, much to the exasperation of her father, her fiancé David and her friends. She can't help dreaming and wishing that her life was more like the films that she loves. So, when the opportunity arises to house sit for a month in Notting Hill (the setting of her favourite film), she grabs it. It's a chance to prove to all those sceptics that life can be like the movies and also for her to examine her feelings about her forthcoming marriage to David. Full review...
Hothouse Flower by Lucinda Riley
In the London Season of 1939 Olivia met the Honourable Harry Crawford, heir to the Wharton country estate in Norfolk and he seemed like the perfect catch. It looked even better when his mother invited her to spend the summer at the estate and before long they were married. There were problems even before Harry went to fight in the Far East, but Olivia was determined that the marriage would work. Full review...
The One That Got Away by Lucy Dawson
Lucy Dawson's latest novel is a cut above run-of-the-mill chick-lit pap. Molly Greene is happily married to Dan, and they live a normal twenty-first century life in a small town. She is a successful salesperson for a medical supplier. The couple struggle with the bills and hope to buy their own place. She spends time with two old girlfriends whose situations are different from hers, but who know our heroine inside out and will always be there for her for long, boozy heart-to-hearts. So far, so predictable. Full review...
Turning the Tide by Christine Stovell
We're in the seaside location of Spitmarsh. It's seen better days, frankly. And that's putting it mildly. It has ' ... a local economy so depressed it was almost suicidal'. Ms Harry Watling loves her town in spite of the negative vibes. She wouldn't change a thing. You can tell that she's an optimist because even although she's having difficulty keeping her business afloat, she's still happy with her lot. She's not afraid of hard work and seems to work almost round the clock and in all weathers to carry out her boat-building and repairs business. But it's a constant battle. Full review...
Why DO We Have to Live with Men? by Bernadette Strachan
Cat and her friends often meet up for a drink and a chat, and regularly fantasise about giving up on men, sharing a house and looking after each other. Then one night Germaine calls their bluff – she’s found a house, and wants to know who is going to join her in it. Initially, the answer is no one. Shortly afterwards, though, Cat’s life as she has known it falls apart, as her landlord gives her notice to leave her flat and she loses her job. There is nothing now to keep her in London and moving into Germaine’s commune doesn’t seem like such a mad option. Full review...
Secrets to Happiness by Sarah Dunn
Holly Frick is 35, single and living in New York City. She still thinks she's in love with her ex husband, her career as a TV writer is on a steady downward spiral and she's had limited success as a novelist. She may be having amazing no strings sex with toy boy Lucas, but Holly is unfulfilled and unhappy. Plus, she's surrounded by equally dysfunctional friends, including best friend Amanda, who has no qualms embarking on an extramarital affair, and writing partner Leonard, who is more than happy to self-medicate and find his thrills through the Internet. Plus Spence, the ex before the ex husband has resurfaced in Holly's life and thanks to his new girlfriend Cathleen, Holly finds herself reliving their relationship as Cathleen interrogates her on Spence's past. Full review...
Welcome to My World by Miranda Dickinson
Light, romantic fiction (or that dreadful phrase but which is apt, chick-lit) is not, I have to say, my preferred genre. I wouldn't buy it from a bookshop nor borrow it from the local library. But, having said all that, would you believe the coincidence that chatting with two female friends recently (fortysomething and fiftysomething) they both told me that they wouldn't read anything else. So, it just goes to show, horses for courses and all that. Full review...
Harvest Nights by Pamela Evans
It is 1920 and London is struggling to deal with the consequences of the Great War. Unemployment is high and money is scarce. Clara Tripp, a former Land Girl has been forced to return to the city to work as a waitress, leaving behind the countryside which she loves so much. When Charlie Fenner, an acquaintance from Clara's Land Army days, comes in to the teashop where she works, Clara can't help but feel overjoyed. He offers her temporary work on his parents' orchard in Kent and she gladly accepts. Yet a serious accident forces Clara to stay longer than expected and it is then that she makes a shocking discovery which threatens to destroy the Fenner family. Back in London Clara struggles with her confused emotions and the looming prospect of her marriage to local boy Arnold. When devastating news comes from Kent, Clara realises she can no longer keep her discovery a secret. But coming face-to-face with Charlie again means Clara must acknowledge her buried feelings and make a decision between doing the right thing and following her heart. Full review...
Want to Know a Secret? by Sue Moorcroft
When you get a couple of policemen in your kitchen telling you that your husband has been badly injured in a helicopter crash you can be forgiven for being upset. On the other hand, if your family has the sort of income which means that your husband was as likely to be in a spaceship as a helicopter then it's quite permissible to say that the policemen have come to the wrong place and this is what Diane Jenner did. Unfortunately it also means that when they prove that it was your husband you've got quite a big adjustment to make. Full review...
All I Want For Christmas by Amy Silver
In Amy Silver's 'All I Want for Christmas', the reader meets three very different women. Bea, who runs the local delicatessen, The Honey Pot, is facing Christmas alone with her young son Luca but is determined to make it as good as she possibly can. Olivia has somewhat rashly offered to host all of her fiancé's family from Ireland and it looks like it will be chaotic. On the other hand, Chloe will be celebrating alone, as her boyfriend will be sitting down to Christmas dinner with his wife and family. Although on the surface, the three women appear to have little in common, as Christmas approaches they start to form a bond that is likely to last well beyond the festive season. Full review...
All That Mullarkey by Sue Moorcroft
Cleo and Gav seemed to have the perfect marriage. Neither of them wanted children and their lives seemed to be full of fun, enjoyment and love. But sometimes all is not as it seems as Cleo discovered the night that she'd made up her mind to go to a reunion and Gav said that she shouldn't go. She set off, but wondered if it really was worth causing so much heartache when she wasn't all that keen on going and turned back. When she got home she found that the writing was on the wall for their marriage – quite literally. It said, in marker pen on the bedroom wall 'This Marriage is Over' and Gav had gone. Full review...
Getting Away With It by Julie Cohen
Julie Cohen's latest book is a different creature to her previous novels. It's not just that it's longer, although the length allows for more characterisation and trickier, complex plots than her Little Black Dress books, but it also feels different in style. There's the same quirky side that Julie writes so well - the heroine this time is a stunt woman, some bizarre ice cream flavours and there's some interesting crop-circle action! But the book feels more serious - more grown up somehow - yet just as readable and compelling as her previous stories have been. Full review...
The Three Weissmanns of Westport by Cathleen Schine
The novel begins with Joseph Weissmann, or Josie as he is known, deciding at the age of 78 that he no longer wants to be married to Betty after 48 years together. In an attempt to save Betty's feelings he cites irreconcilable differences, but the truth is he has fallen head over heels in love. Betty is devastated, her life in tatters, with even the beautiful Central Park apartment she adores soon lost to her. Full review...
A Winter's Wedding by Sharon Owens
Decluttering: it's a great thing to do, you know. You clear space and you give yourself emotional energy when you get rid of things which you don't need. Take stuff to a charity shop and it's an all-round winner for everyone. That's what Emily did when she began to clear out her flat. Her friend Augusta had given her quite a few gadgets which she knew that she would never use. And it was at the charity shop that she met Dylan. His sister ran a charity which rescued horses and Dylan was helping out between jobs. Now, there's something which you need to know about Dylan. He's perfect. He's thoughtful, considerate, loyal and honest. Yes – he's that perfect. Full review...
Trapped by Brooke Morgan
Ellie Walters is 36, divorced and keen to start a new life away from her cheating and control-freak ex-husband. Fulfilling a life-long dream, she decides to take her 15-year-old son, Tim, to live with her in the small town of Bourne. As she soon becomes good friends with her next-door neighbour, Louisa Amory, Ellie finally feels she is making a life of her own. She begins to feel a sense of freedom and independence but for how long? When strange events start occurring Ellie is forced to face some painful and guilty memories connected to a tragic accident nineteen years ago; memories which she would rather forget. It is clear that someone has discovered her well-kept secret and is reluctant to let her forget about it. As a campaign of terror against Ellie unfolds she must come to terms with what happened all those years ago and try to discover who her tormentor is. Vulnerable and afraid, she relies on Louisa's friendship to help her through the ordeal. However, when a misunderstanding causes a rift between Ellie and Louisa's son, Joe, the women's friendship is threatened. Alone and afraid, she suddenly finds herself trapped in a nightmare from which she must do all she can to escape. Full review...
Jane Austen Ruined My Life by Beth Pattillo
I blame Bridget Jones.
Jane Austen's six novels have inspired a huge number of novels about the romantic dilemmas facing bright, educated middle class women. Does adding literary references to chicklit somehow make for better novels? I don't think so, but I do find these books fun, escapist reading, and the title of this one was irresistible. Full review...
Ambition by Immodesty Blaize
Las Vegas Showgirl Sienna Starr has got it made. Her career is set to flourish when she lands her dream role in Vegas' top show, she has great friends, a fabulous home, and a red hot sex life with her rich and gorgeous boyfriend Max. But as Sienna starts her new job at the Follies Casino under the eyes of Vegas' most powerful showgirl Brandy Alexander, she soon becomes surrounded by people who are not only envious of her, but are more ruthless and ambitious than she could ever be. Full review...
Stand by Me by Sheila O'Flanagan
Many of us would love to be married to a successful, wealthy and attractive businessman and for Dominique Delahaye it becomes a reality. Not only does she get to live in luxurious houses, go on expensive holidays and wear glamorous clothes, she also gets to organise and attend wonderful charity events and has her photo in nearly every magazine and newspaper. Once a spotty and unpopular school girl, she is now the centre of everyone's attention. Her husband, Brendan Delahaye, starts out as a builder but soon has his own construction business, Delahaye Developments. The couple become known as the "Dazzling Delahayes" and whilst their lives seem perfect to the outside world, it hasn't always been that way. Brendan and Dominique, who gets given the nickname 'Domino' from her husband, are quite literally forced to marry through unforeseen circumstances. Their marriage suffers a number of problems and as the title "Stand by Me" suggests, both of them are faced with the decision of whether to stay or leave. However, their greatest challenge comes when the perfect life they've built is destroyed. Domino must face an uncertain future and take control of her life but first she has to make some heartbreaking decisions. Full review...
The Wrong Miss Richmond by Sandra Wilson
Mr Richmond had been married twice. From his first marriage he had a daughter, Christina and another daughter, Jane from his second marriage. Christina is quiet, sensible, bookish and, in her mid-twenties, with no expectations of matrimony. Jane, or the other hand, is the heiress of her mother's fortune, just a little wild and loves the bright, society life. That's probably not unreasonable as she's not yet twenty and whilst the girls are chalk and cheese they love each other dearly. Christina is pleased when Jane makes a good match – she's to marry Lord St Clement – until she meets her lordship, when she realises that her heart might not be quite so hardened to emotion as she thought. Full review...
Vintage Magic by Sally Anne Morris
With the life she thought was before her ruined by her fiancé's cheating ways, Rose Taylor swiftly leaves her life in London and seeks refuge with her mother Mimi and her sister Lily in the beautiful city of Bath. Reeling from her fiancé's deceptions, now is as good a time as any for Rose to reinvent herself, although she is determined to win her fiancé back. Having always had an eye for clothes, starting a vintage dress shop seems like a perfect idea and soon 'Vintage Magic' is opened. Full review...
Ne Obliviscaris: Do Not Forget by Margaret Henderson Smith
Poor Harriet Glover. She's caught between her attraction to two men. There's Mark (coincidentally he's a Glover too), her long-term partner and father of her two children. The girls are grown up now but he still hasn't made up his mind about whether or not he and Hat should get married - and truth to tell Hat isn't that certain either. In theory it sounds like a good idea and would regularise matters but she's utterly smitten by Joris Sanderson, the headmaster of the school where she's a teacher. There are times when she thinks that, joy of joys, he's attracted to her, but then there are so many other women in his life that she's far from certain whether he's going to seduce her or sack her. Full review...
Lovers and Newcomers by Rosie Thomas
Friendship is precious and in this book six middle-aged friends put it to the test as they go to live with each other in an old country house. Each of them is eager to escape the outside world and cover up the cracks of strained relationships and unsuccessful lives. Afraid of growing old and leaving dreams unfulfilled, they do their best to feel young and free once more. However, far from being the wonderful and perfect solution they desired, living together means only more difficulties and new tensions emerge. They must battle with forbidden desires, heartbreak, broken relationships and the fear of old age. To make matters worse their isolated retreat is soon interrupted by an unexpected discovery from the past and with it the unwelcome attention of the outside world. Friendships are challenged, new ones are made and some are lost forever. Full review...
The Choice by Susan Lewis
The book tells the story of Nikki Grant who at the age of twenty one discovers that she is pregnant. Although this is unplanned, Nikki and her partner Spencer welcome the news and look forward to being the best parents that they possibly can be. However Nikki's parents are not so happy especially as they disapprove of Nikki's somewhat bohemian lifestyle and her relationship with Spencer. They virtually turn their backs on their daughter and don't even visit baby Zak when he is born. Nikki enjoys being a mum though even without her parents' support and could not be happier. That is until one fateful day, with Zak only a few weeks old, when some devastating news turns her whole world upside down. Life is never going to be the same again and in fact things just seem to get worse and worse for Nikki as the story unfolds. Full review...
Single In The City by Michele Gorman
In a rather spontaneous decision to follow her dreams Right This Second, Hannah has left Connecticut behind and moved to London. She doesn't have a flat, she doesn't have a job, and she doesn't have any friends, but she has more important things to worry about on arrival. Like how to deal with potential lovers who are too posh to wash and how to get the guy in the sandwich shop to understand her order. As she navigates her way through the highlights and pitfalls of life on this side of the pond she chronicles all the little intricacies that we would never consider twice. Full review...
Just Look At Me Now by Nell Dixon
Big Barb, tub of lard, has turned her life around. No longer overweight with wonky teeth and frizzy hair she has transformed herself into Tia Carpenter, the stylish Beauty editor at Platinum magazine. She has always kept her previous life secret, even from her best friends, but then Juliet Gold, the girl who tormented her at school, joins the magazine as Fashion Editor and suddenly Tia's new life is threatened. Full review...
Cold Enough To Freeze Cows by Lorraine Jenkin
Lorraine Jenkin is already well known for her wacky characters and outrageous plotlines. But taking on an archetypical boy next door romantic plot? I really thought that she would be forced onto the cliché-ridden path to a predictably happy ending. Well happy ending duly arrived, but via a completely unpredictable route, one that I could never have guessed in a month of Sundays, even by peeking at the last page before I started. And she ticked all the writing boxes along the way! Full review...
Famous Last Words by Annie Sanders
The story centres on Lucy Streeter who is a very ordinary woman leading a very ordinary life. She is quite happy running her designer clothes shop and being mother to her grown up son Nat. However, one evening her life is thrown into turmoil after meeting Micah, a fortune teller, who kindly informs her that she only has a few more days to live. Normally, Lucy would dismiss this as absolute rubbish, but unfortunately too many of his other predictions seem to be coming true so she has to sit up and take notice. As she does, she comes to the sad realisation that she has not made the most of her life and there are many things that she should or could have done. Full review...
Separate Beds by Elizabeth Buchan
Annie and Tom Nicholson looked like the sort of people you would envy. Both had rewarding jobs, Tom in the World Service and Annie in hospital management. They had a lovely home and three grown-up children. But all is not as it seems. For five years they have had separate existences after a family row when Tom caused his elder daughter to walk out of the house and never return. There hasn't been a catalyst which would have caused them to separate but Tom moved into his daughter's vacated room and he and Annie have lived together - but apart. It could have gone on indefinitely but then Tom came home one day and dropped the bombshell which could well finish them off. Full review...
A Funny Thing About Love by Rebecca Farnworth
When the reader first meets Carmen Miller she is struggling to cope with the breakup of her marriage whilst not really enjoying her job as a comedy agent. Her boss always seems to find fault with her and she soon discovers that her ex husband's girlfriend is pregnant which comes as quite devastating news. The only thing that lightens up her days is the flirtatious banter that takes place between herself and her colleague Will. The problem is though that she is afraid of taking things further and eventually being hurt as she knows too well what that is like. Full review...
A Question of Answers by Margaret Henderson Smith
Harriet Glover lives with her partner who's reluctant to commit himself to marriage. It's not that he hasn't had time to make up his mind – their two children are at the stage where they might produce grandchildren. His excuse is that he can't see the point as they already share a surname through chance, so what difference would marriage make? Mark's not entirely insensitive (well, some of the time…) but he can't understand Harriet's need for that reassuring piece of paper. Until then she's going to be wondering if his eyes are wandering elsewhere. Harriet's not entirely immune either: she finds the headmaster of the school where she teaches quite irresistible. Full review...
Kiss Heaven Goodbye by Tasmina Perry
A group of students were gathered on a private island in the Bahamas in 1990. They'd just finished their exams – for some it was A Levels and for others it marked the end of university – but after a holiday of indulgence in drugs and alcohol and with lots of sexual tension four friends found themselves on the beach on the final dark night. In front of them was a body, but they took the decision to let someone else make the discovery rather than getting involved. When they searched the beach the next day the body had gone – and they had no idea how. They did have a suspicion that Miles might have been involved in the death. Full review...
The Happy Home For Broken Hearts by Rowan Coleman
Nearly a year on from the death of her beloved husband Nick in a car crash, Ellie is still not coping very well. She is overwhelmed by debts and because the accident was a result of Nick's own dangerous driving, the insurance company won't pay up. How can she keep the London house she lives in with her son Charlie? Her bossy sister Hannah comes up with a solution – three very different lodgers. Full review...
The Only Way Is Up by Carole Matthews
Lily and Laurence Lamont-Jones were on holiday in Tuscany with their friends. Lily had enjoyed it but she had a nagging suspicion that Laurence's mind was elsewhere. Quite how bad his worries were didn't become apparent until they flew home to find that their house and car had been repossessed along with all their worldly goods. They were left with the contents of their suitcases, the clothes they stood up in and a mountain of debts. After a night in the cheapest motel they can find the family of four is moved into the only available accommodation – a very scruffy council house on a sink estate. Full review...
Up Close and Personal by Leonie Fox
I had high hopes for a bright and breezy bonkbuster from Leonie Fox's third novel, having read some favourable reviews of her first two books. The title, cover art and blurb suggest a frothy, fun, flirty and sexy read, so I was very disappointed to find this is anything but. Full review...
