After a doctor tells Peggy she needs to lose thirty or forty pounds, she thinks the easiest way to solve the problem is to ignore it and find another doctor. Peggy is a mother of twins and a widow. Mourning and staying at home have contributed to her obesity. Her days have been spent taking care of children, eating, and watching the show Messages from Beyond, hosted by a woman who claims she communicates with the dead.
Peggy wants to visit the show to talk to her deceased husband Patrick. She needs answers - has she done well with the kids?
Before they leave for college, the twins give her a gift certificate NO MORE EXCUSES for a boot camp-style exercise class. They want her to lose weight and feel better. At first offended, she later realises that she may need to get herself in shape so that Patrick will "recognise" her at the Messages from Beyond show.
Daughter Grace has a boyfriend, Julian, whose mother Carmen is everything that Peggy is not. When Peggy meets Carmen at the exercise class, her adventure begins. Will she be motivated enough, what will boot camp bring to her life, and will she get a message from beyond?
This is a story about strong women full of love, faith, fears and imperfection who are always there for their children. (MH)
Jill is 34 and is (finally) happily engaged after waiting for six years. But just weeks after proposing, Mr Right (Nico) moves out suddenly, only saying he has changed his mind about getting married. Jill can't bring herself to tell her friends, parents or her workmates - while the hosts of Nico's morning sport radio show take delight in publicly humiliating Jill by running a 'date our producer Nico' competition to lift ratings. Over the next few months they further hound Jill on air with claims of stalking, tennis match-fixing, and a website survey on whether she should return the ring.
Mixed in with crazy episodes with her over-bearing parents, a confused police officer, her work's HR department, straight-to-the-point friends and landlord, and Ben (her Bradley Cooper lookalike workmate) who may or nay not be hitting on her, Jill tries to deal with heartbreak while keeping her sanity and reputation in tact. She tries to move on from Nico by dating again - but at her age, can she afford to be picky and uphold her standards, or does she have to take whatever she can get?
This is an absolutely awesome story that had me in stitches, tears and disbelief throughout - I couldn't put it down! The characters and situations are completely relatable and so well written it leaves you wanting more. It's Diane Barnes' second book, and they keep getting better and better! (AT)
Would you spend your life waiting for your Mr Right when all a psychic has given you is a name when you were 14 years old? Gina Rossi is now 36 and has been searching for Ethan, her soulmate as predicted by her best friend's grandmother, Ajee.
When a guy called Ethan saves her from a snow storm, it seems all Ajee's predictions have come true. But is Gina just wanting him to be her Ethan, or is he really her Mr Right? When you've waited so long for your soulmate, how much longer do you have to wait for it to be right?
This is a great romantic read, packed full of fun characters and settings with lots of laughs as well as some sad moments. I loved how the author highlights Gina's personal growth and confidence in herself, as each prediction becomes true. (AT)
