Fairytale of New York - Miranda Dickinson (2009)

Rosie Duncan came to the United States from England to start a new life. But when her new start goes horribly wrong, she moves from Boston to New York where she starts working at Kowalski's florist shop. Moving ahead six years, Rosie now owns Kowalski's and has two helpful assistants Marnie and Ed who also serve as two of her closest friends - both have been there for her from the start and have never asked her to divulge her past. The only person who knows what happened is Rosie's friend Celia, who is a New York Times columnist. Celia throws a party, asking Rosie to be the last-minute replacement florist. There Rosie is introduced to Mimi Sutton and Nate Amie. While Mimi instantly loves Rosie's floristry work - and recommends her as the florist of the moment to all her upper-crust friends - Nate seems to be more interested in Rosie than her flowers. Soon, Rosie and Nate have a blossoming friendship and the chemistry between them is undeniable. The only problem is that Nate is engaged to Mimi's daughter, Caitlin, and Rosie has sworn off men. Because of Mimi's recommendations, business has never been better. Kowalski's is getting jobs with all the top clients in the city and even booking major events like the Grand Winter Ball and weddings where money has no limits. Then Nate asks Rosie to take on a major commission - his friend's wedding. But Rosie is shocked to see who the client is - David Lithgow - the whole reason Rosie came to New York. Although the story flows nicely, it takes too long to find out what happened in Rosie's past. And with all the build-up, it was kind of a letdown when you actually find out what happened. Another thing that is sure to drive some readers crazy is the fact that Rosie has two suitors - Nate and her assistant Ed, with whom there is obvious chemistry. It takes the whole book for her to choose one of them and it would have been nicer if it was a little sooner so that we could see their story develop as a couple. However, despite all of this, the story still has a lot of heart. It has wonderful characters and is a compelling story of forgiveness, redemption and faith in the future. (AS)

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Falling is Like This - Kate Rockland

Twenty-three-year-old Harper Rostov is tired of her life. So she quits her job at a tabloid magazine, abruptly leaves her laidback boyfriend and heads out on her own with only her purse and no concrete plans. All she knows for certain is that she wants to be a music journalist. Before she can make it back to her parents' house in New Jersey, Harper meets her longtime crush Nick, who is the lead singer of her favourite punk band Hitchhikers Revenge, at a local coffee shop. Within a day, the two begin a whirlwind week-long liaison which shows Harper how much passion had been missing from her life with her boyfriend. However, as the week comes to a close she must make a decision whether to hang out with the band or start to get her old life back on track. Begrudgingly and despite her ill-conceived fantasies of how the rock star life should be, Harper must ask herself if being one of the band is really all it's hyped up to be. This debut novel has been receiving lots of praise but I just couldn't fall for it. Harper was a dull character and the flashbacks to her childhood were even more annoying than the storyline itself. Even Harper's unique parents and the backdrop of the New York City hipster scene couldn't save this uninteresting novel from being dead on arrival. (AS)

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Falling Out of Fashion - Karen Yampolsky (2007)

There's not denying this book's similarities to chick lit classic The Devil Wears Prada - especially with its tagline of "it's a devil of a business". But the heroine this time is a super glamorous, independently minded editor Jill White, the founder of Jill magazine. With her namesake magazine now owned by Nestrom Media, Jill enters into an intense power struggle with chief executive Ellen and new publisher Liz after being told that due to falling ad sales, Jill is about to undergo a major redesign. Concerned about selling out her readers, Jill fights back against attempts to make the magazine more mainstream. With an interesting back story about her upbringing on a Georgian commune and her start on teen magazine Cheeky, this definitely puts a new spin on stories set in the magazine publishing world. (Yampolsky obviously drew on her experiences as a former assistant to editor Jane Pratt of Jane magazine.)

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Family Affair - Caprice Crane (2009)

High school sweethearts Layla and Brett Foster have been happily married for six years but something's wrong. Brett is beginning to feel Layla is more like a sister than a wife. And Layla starts to spend more and more of her free time with his family and Brett doesn't like it. When Brett announces he wants a divorce, Layla is heartbroken - she isn't going to let Brett take away the only family she knows. So she sues him for custody of his family. Witty dialogue and fights ensue as the novel questions what and who make a family. (MY)

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Family Matters - Cathy Woodman (2006)

Mother-of-two Lisa Baker runs a cleaning business with best friend Clare. They meet Jacqui when her Jeep crashes into a car at parenting class, and she tells them that she wants to trade in her husband. But who knew that it's Lisa's husband Tony that she has her eye on?

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Famous - Kate Langdon (2008)

This follows the life of SPG (Single and Professional Girl) Samantha who has everything going for her. She's about to make partner in a leading advertising agency in Auckland, she's free as a bird when it comes to relationships, she has lots of money and loves shopping at Karen Walker and Trelise Cooper, and has two awesome best friends Lizzie and Mands. Until one day she gets a phone call from her ex-boyfriend Jerry whom she hasn't spoken to in three years, telling her he has had a sex change. She ends up going out partying and having a one-night stand with the captain of New Zealand's rugby team. After the married sportsman is snapped coming out of Sam's house, she starts to live in paparazzi hell and is labelled in the media as "The Other Woman". Desperate to get away from it all, Sam is shipped off by her friends to the small rural town of Floodgate, where after meeting some wonderful locals her life turns around unexpectedly. Can Sam give up her city girl dreams and her label of SPG for the small-town farm life or will she come crawling back to the big city? (PP)

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Fashionably Late - Beth Kendrick (2005)

Becca has a passion for fashion but her design career hasn't really taken off and she works in a boutique that won't even carry her creations. Even her sister Claire blows off the wedding gown she designed for the big day. When her predictable boyfriend Kevin lands a wedding proposal on her, she says yes in a daze. But when he goes ahead without her and buys a plot of land and picks out the house design, she breaks it off with him and heads to LA for her last-chance shot at fashion and fortune.

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Fashionistas - Lynn Messina (2003)

Vig Morgan, associate editor at Fashionista magazine, is drawn into a plot to get rid of tyrant editor Jane McNeill. With the help of a reclusive social editor, an overambitious assistant and a controversial artist, the plan successfully unfolds but Vig may be better off with the devil she knows.

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Fat Chance - Lyndsay Russell (2008)

Sharon is overweight, lonely and miserable. When her best friend cracks on to the guy she likes, her self-esteem hits rock bottom. Seduced into trying a miracle weight cure, she goes to see the mysterious Dr Marvel. She soon finds herself in a reversed world where fat is in and thin is unattractive. Sharon becomes a supermodel and dates a variety of celebrities, including a rock star, polo player and actor. This book is definitely food for thought. Especially as this world where the media mocks skinny people seems to be no better.

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Fat Chance - Deborah Blumenthal (2004)

Maggie O'Leary has made a name for herself by embracing her plus-sized shape, writing a anti-diet column that shows Americans that being fat is not all bad. But when she gets a call from hot-shot Hollywood actor Mike Taylor to act as his consultant for his next role as a diet doctor, Maggie secretly starts trimming herself down.

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Fat Chick - Lorraine Duffy Merkl (2009)

Trish Collins is an advertising account executive in a high-profile firm in New York. She has unsuccessfully dieted in the past and after she loses a promotion to a thinner, much less capable colleague, she once again commits to a diet. As she finally loses weight, she becomes obsessed with her thin body and her growing ego. Trish struggles through her fat and thin stages, to like what she sees in the mirror and to get to the root of her eating issues. This is a great debut novel that handles dieting, body image and love with wit and compassion. (AO)

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Feng Shui Love - Joni Davis and Lisa Hyatt (2009)

Lily is on a flight to Barbados for a second honeymoon with husband Richard when her horoscope reveals "you'll see the true character of someone close to you, and it's not a pretty sight". Sure enough within days she's on a flight back home alone, after discovering that Richard has been having an affair with his legal assistant. Lily heads to New York to be with her best friend Brook, a music journalist who's chasing 80s has-beens. Soon Lily's mother arrives on the scene and begins applying the principles of feng shui to their apartment. And maybe she's on to something because as soon as the wealth corner is decluttered, Brook's assignment fortunes improve from Flock of Seagulls to Bon Jovi. So now Lily is creating a love corner and sending up her wishlist for the perfect mate tied to a red balloon. The girls try out all the modern methods to meet a man, from speed and internet dating to singles camps, with hilarious results. For those who get hooked on Lily and her mission to find the right fit for Sweater Arms (much like the prince did with Cinderella's shoe), the sequel Feng Shui Love Child is coming soon.

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Fifteen Minutes of Shame - Lisa Daily (2008)

Dating expert Darcy Vaughn may have had her suspicions about her husband, Will. But she hardly expected that her appearance on the Today show to promote her latest book would turn into her most humiliating experience to date. Questioned about Will's reconciliation with his celebrity ex-wife, Gigi, Darcy is so shocked she responds by throwing up into the nearest floral display. How will her blossoming empire based on relationship advice survive her being dumped by a cheater? Dating tips are interspersed with the story of how Darcy resurrects her career - and her love life.

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50 Ways to Find a Lover - Lucy-Anne Holmes (2009)

Aspiring actress/cafe waitress Sarah has been going through a particularly dry spell when it comes to men. But it's when she's turned down by a tubby, balding guy at the pub who instead opts to stay home and watch a Narnia DVD, that she decides to get proactive. Starting a blog called Fifty Ways to Find a Lover, she begins a quest to bag a man. Based on the author's own blog, this storyline weaves around so the ending is far from predictable. If you're after a very funny book about a noughties singleton, then this is for you. But if you are really seeking ingenuous hints on how to pick up a man, be warned that Sarah doesn't actually get very far through her list of 50 ways.

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Filthy Rich - Wendy Holden (2008)

Allsop's allotment project is one way for the villagers to come together - to forge community ties as they tend their vegetables and summer annuals. But eco-nazi Morag intends to run the allotment under her strict rules. Mary, who lives in a crumbling manor house, thinks the allotment will help keep her occupied while her aristocratic husband Monty is off exploring the North Pole. American yuppie Beth has finished decking out her country cottage in English florals and needs a new pursuit. The fame-seeking Alexandra, whose footballer boyfriend is getting transferred, has a huge new mansion with underground parking planned for the village - and is just happy to get her hands on more land. And headmistress Catherine and solicitor Philip are just plain lonely. But when the villagers dig up more than just carrots on the allotment, the dirt really starts flying. Has received mixed reviews but the good-for-a-laugh characters clinched it for me.

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Finding Monsieur Right - Muriel Zagha (2010)

Londoner Daisy has gotten a plum job writing about fashion for a year in Paris; Parisian Isabelle wants to go to London to do research on Meredith Quince for her university paper. So, it only makes sense for the two to swap homes for a year. At first, Daisy is a little overwhelmed by Paris and Isabelle's friends aren't too welcoming. They're all very put-together while fun-loving Daisy lives on the edge. To top it off, Isabelle's stuck-up boyfriend Clothaire is completely rude to her. But Daisy presses on and eventually makes friends with some of Isabelle's close circle. She soon becomes more than friends with Octave. Over in London, Isabelle starts out having trouble adjusting to Daisy's eccentric friends - Jules, a goth girl, and Chrissie, a gay fashionista. However, after a chance meeting at a bookshop, Isabelle joins the Quince society - where she hopes to find the information on Meredith she is looking for. She also meets a handsome gardener named Tom. Losing her practical self for a moment, Isabelle starts an affair with Tom, which really spices up this novel because it's good to see Isabelle escape from under the iron grip of Clothaire for once. He's controlling and rude while Tom is sweet and kind. From there, the two girls have more adventures and both are changed in ways they never expected. Though both storylines are good, they would have worked better in two separate books instead of all rolled into one. You don't get much depth from either character - Daisy just hops from one man to the next and Isabelle is slightly boring. (AS)

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Firefly Lane - Kristin Hannah (2008)

Kate and Tully were exactly what each other needed in their lives. Kate was a lonely teenager whose only friends were her books. Tully, abandoned by her hippy mother Cloud, grew up with her grandmother and anxiously awaited the day her mother would come back. One day Cloud does show up and takes Tully with her to live in Seattle. When Kate's mum makes her take over a dish to welcome the new neighbours, she and Tully instantly connect and become inseparable. Kate finds a confidante in Tully and Tully becomes a member of Kate's family. The story follows Kate and Tully through three decades - from teenagers to women who find themselves struggling with careers, family, love and each other. Kristin Hannah does an excellent job of highlighting how the political and social conditions of the times impact their decisions. Though this book is centred on the girls' friendship, there is also a beautiful side story of Kate and her daughter Marah which will have you remembering all the doors you slammed as a teenager and aching to call your mum and say sorry. This is a beautiful story with so many twists, turns and complexities that a reader cannot help but identity with. (JE)

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First Comes Love - Whitney Lyles (2007)

First comes love, then comes marriage ... then comes a baby in a baby carriage? As Cate Padgett is no longer a perennial bridesmaid but a happily married wife to Ethan, she is no longer feeling the pressure of getting married but is instead feeling the pressure to have a baby. Just settling into married life with Ethan, Cate is surrounded by friends who have had babies or who are about to, and all the kid talk has her wondering, does she want to be a mother? With their catering business taking off and Denise (yes the crazy cousin from Here Comes the Bride) getting married, Cate wonders when all the madness will end. But Cate and Ethan will soon be faced with their own little surprise and new challenges. The last book in the Cate Padgett series allows the reader to see Ethan and Cate's relationship come full circle and ends with a new addition to their family. Like the previous two novels in the series, the relate-able characters and circumstances have the reader emotionally involved the whole read and this wonderfully wraps up a beautiful love story. (JE)

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First Lady - Susan Elizabeth Phillips (2000)

Cornelia (Nealy) Case, widow of US President Dennis Case, is asked to stay on as First Lady beside the new president. Despite being raised for public service by her political adviser father, Nealy decides to break free of the White House regime. She goes on the run and hitches a ride in a campervan with Mat Jorik and his ex-wife's two daughters. As the Secret Service closes in, Mat uncovers her secret while she discovers he's a journalist.

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Fishbowl - Sarah Mlynowski (2002)

The tale of three flatmates, Allison, Jodine and Emma, who accidentally set fire to their kitchen, find themselves uninsured and have to find ways to pay off the repair bill, such as throwing theme parties and running 'how to pick up women' seminars for men.

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Fivestar - Mardi McConnochie (2005)

Five girls are picked for a girl group destined for the top of the pop charts. There's Jules, who has longed to be a star even when working in Japan as a hostess; Claudia, a manipulative former cover girl who dates the band manager to get ahead; Ellie, a former gymnast; Suzy, the optimist who grew up on ABBA; and Sam, a singer/songwriter who replaces another girl who dropped out. Fivestar become huge but then things start to go wrong. Shades of the Spice Girls, anyone?

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Fly Me to the Moon - Alyson Noel (2006)

When American flight attendant Hailey Lane's trip is cancelled, she heads home early to spend her birthday with her pilot boyfriend Michael, thinking tonight will be the night he'll propose. But instead she's confronted with him getting some personal attention from a male flight attendant. With the help of her friend Kat's penthouse, the companionship of her gay best friend Clay and lots of free flights around the world (including Puerto Rico, France and Greece), Hailey begins to get her life off the ground again. But when her airline threatens layoffs and the manuscript she's been working hard on keeps getting rejected, it seems there's more turbulence ahead. Especially when the cute guy who returned her lost manuscript keeps turning up on every corner.

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Fools Rush In - Kristan Higgins (2006)

For 15 years, Millie Barnes has never, for a single moment, stopped thinking about her high school crush Joe Carpenter, despite trading nothing more than a few polite nods. Now 29 years old, with her medical residency finally coming to an end, Millie is moving back to the Cape and one step closer to the man of her dreams. All she has to do now is to shed some of her excess weight, get a cute dog, and have a complete makeover so as to attract the ever-perfect Joe. Will her plan work? Or will her all-too-nice former brother-in-law get in her way? This book is a light read but it gets all too predictable. (XT)

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For All the Wrong Reasons - Louise Bagshawe (2000)

aka A Kept Woman

Diana Foxton is British, beautiful and married to publishing powerhouse Ernie Foxton. When the Foxtons move to New York City, Diana's days as a trophy wife are filled with shopping and hosting glamorous parties. But her life comes to a sudden halt when she catches her husband in bed with another woman. She is suddenly poor, on the brink of divorce, and shunned by New York society. Diana finds herself joining forces with Michael Cicero, a womanising blue-collar publisher, who has also been the victim of Ernie Foxton's unscrupulous behaviour. The two start a company and fight to make it a success. Along the way, Mike and Diana heat up the book with plenty of steamy sex scenes. (AO)

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For Better or Worse - Jill Amy Rosenblatt (2009)

Emily is marrying ambitious money manager Parker at a big summer wedding in New York. She is hoping her best friends Elizabeth and Karen will soon follow her down the aisle. But Elizabeth, who is still carrying the humiliation of being left at the altar, isn't so sure that boyfriend Nick is the one for her. As a painter who abandoned that world to become a money manager, she is instead drawn to one of the wedding guests, Ian, a Scottish artist. Playwrights Karen and Robert are planning on getting married but her divorced parents are proving to be a big problem. Meanwhile Emily finds that married life isn't the happily-ever-after she dreamt of.

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Forever Friends - Kate McCabe (2008)

This chronicles the friendship of Maddy, Rosie and Sophie. Firm friends since their schooldays, the three girls promise each other over their regular drinks in the Pink Parrot bar that they'll always remain friends, no matter what. The novel begins in the 1980s, with Maddy working as an estate agent in the competitive and male-dominated property business. She proves to be so good at her job that it's not long before she builds up her own property portfolio, and Rosie and Sophie move into one of her houses with her. Things get even better for Maddy when she falls in love with Greg Delaney. Her life appears to be perfect - but all is not as it seems. Are her friendships as strong as she thinks they are? Is her relationship with Greg the real thing? And is her success at work making her enemies who will stop at nothing to pull the rug from under her feet? As for Rosie and Sophie, they begin to despair of ever meeting a man like Greg. Can the girls' friendship survive Maddy's success? And as the years roll by and the women celebrate their 50th birthdays in a joint celebration, has the Forever Friends mantra of their youth rung true? While this was an easy book to roll along with, I found that I never felt an emotional connection with any of the characters. The author did a good job of depicting each character's personality clearly, but it wasn't enough to make me feel anything for them, or remember them when I'd finished the book. Nonetheless, it was an easy read that kept me turning the pages, even if the ending was far too predictable. (SBB)

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Forget About It - Caprice Crane (2007)

Jordan Landau has an uncaring mother, an evil half-sister, a cheating boyfriend and a boss who steals her ideas. When she sustains head injuries in a bike accident, it gives her the perfect opportunity to start over. Faking amnesia, she can stop being such a pushover and start living a truly memorable life - and be with a guy who really cares about her. With only one of her best friends - Todd, the boy she �married� at age seven - in the know, Jordan weaves a web of deception as she takes revenge on those who have wronged her. But then karma hits Jordan and she has to start over for real.

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Forget Me Knot - Sue Margolis (2009)

When Abby gets stuck in a lift in Covent Gardens with a sexy stranger her life changes forever. Her fear of lifts sees her downing the stranger's bottle of wine and blabbing some serious secrets about her fiance. Abby's engagement to Toby seems a little too good to be true and Abby uncovers a secret that could ruin their relationship. One area in her life that's not going down the drain is her successful florist shop Fabulous Flowers that has scored some serious publicity after being picked as a location in an upcoming romantic comedy. And the film director turns out to be Dan, the sexy stranger from the lift whom she blabbed her most intimate details to. This book takes you along for the rollercoaster ride that is Abby's life, with a gay best friend and loving best girlfriend at her side. It's a funny and clever book that is easy to read, with a few words to make you blush and a few unexpected and hilarious twists along the way. (GF)

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Forgive And Forget - Patricia Scanlan (2008)

There's nothing like a good wedding to start world war III! And that's exactly what's going to happen if Connie Adams, the mother of the bride, can't smooth things over between Debbie and her dad. Debbie's never quite forgiven her dad for walking out on her and her mother when she was a child and with him hell bent on bringing his stuck-up second wife and their sulky teenage daughter along to the big day it can only lead to one thing - fireworks! Plus on top of having to deal with the dreaded step-family, Debbie's also having to put up with the boss from hell and a fiance who's getting cold feet. Written with Scanlan's usual warmth and humour this is a really enjoyable and engrossing read that sucked me in right from the word go. The sequel is Happy Ever After. (KC)

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4% Famous - Deborah Schoeneman (2006)

Kate Simon gets a job as the 'new legs' covering the New York scene on the Examiner's gossip column. She befriends two other gossip columnists, Blake Bradley who has to protect his wealthy father after he's implicated in a tax scandal, and Tim Mack, from Column A, a heavy drinking guy whose affair with a mattress (model/actress) sees her falling pregnant. Kate is told that the secret, when it comes to being a boldfaced name, is to be only 4% famous where you get invites and perks, without the invasive media and public attention. And she's also warned to never date a source, which becomes tricky when she falls for the latest celebrity chef Marco Mancini. He loves courting the media but has a past he's desperate to keep out of the gossip columns.

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Four Play - Fiona Walker (2007)

Recently dumped Dilly Gently gets lured into joining the band Entwined with Magnus who appears to be her soulmate. Fellow band mate and new best friend Nell falls for Magnus, and Dilly steps aside. Nell tries to return the favour and encourages Dilly to get together with the fourth member of the band, Nell's twin brother Flipper. Talk about entwined! All four band members struggle with overcoming their past and falling in love. This is the third in the Lode Chronicles series, set against a backdrop of idyllic Cotswolds villages and the hunting scene. It can be quite confusing at first to follow all the characters as they all have eccentric names and nicknames. The storyline is also not particularly gripping and is in places quite bizarre. The only saving grace is that it seems well written in its prose. Fans of Fiona Walker have admitted this is nowhere near her best. (AB)

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Foursome - Jane Fallon (2010)

Rebecca has always revelled in the cosy friendship formed when she and Isabel married best friends Dan and Alex. Now 20 years down the track, Alex has just left Isabel, telling Rebecca that he's always actually loved her. So as well as worrying about how her best friend is coping and making sure no one finds out about Alex's declaration, Rebecca's also stressing about how the break-up is going to wreck her tight social circle. Things get even more strained when Alex starts dating Lorna, her nightmare colleague at the talent agency, who really needs to spend less time chatting about herself and more time eating. Even though this is essentially a story about the breakdown of the bond between two couples, the rivalry between Rebecca and Lorna is far more compelling.

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Four Wives - Wendy Walker (2008)

This is the cleverly written story of four women who live in the picture-perfect estate of Hunting Ridge and examines the consequences of their choices to be stay-at-home mothers. The four are brought together to plan a charity gala. But of course where there are affluent suburban wives there must also be discontent. Perfectly made-up Janie may have a body which belies the fact that she's had four children but will a steaming affair be her undoing? Sleep-deprived mother Love, who is married to a doctor, receives a letter from her estranged famous father, which dredges up a secret from the past - and brings with it a whole new level of pain. Gayle is from a moneyed family and is heavily influential in the community. But she is hiding a secret about her husband and only gets herself through the day with the help of an array of prescription pills. Marie is a lawyer whose husband Anthony is addicted to golf. As she works on a puzzling custody case, she is drawn to her young intern Randy.

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Freeing Grace - Charity Norman (2010)

Matt Hamilton has just become a teenage dad. He bonds with his baby daughter Grace but realises - like the young mother already had - that he can't bring her up. Meanwhile, Leila Edmunds and her husband David, a church curate, are struggling with their own inability to have children. It looks as if they are about to receive a miracle. But then Jake, a New Zealander at a loose end, is welcomed into the Hamilton fold and is sent to Africa to track down Matt's mother, who may be able to convince the authorities that Grace belongs with her birth family. This compelling, accomplished and often dark debut takes lots of twists and turns as it explores the dilemma of what's in the child's best interests. Don't pass this one by.

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Free to a Good Home - Eve Marie Mont (2010)

Recently divorced, Noelle Ryan is not over her ex-husband. Just like when they were married, she finds it hard to say no to him and lets him talk her into looking after his ailing mother, who has always treated her horribly, so he can move away and move on with his life. Things start to look up when she meets a musician who seems like he could be the perfect man for her if only she could let her guard down and let him into her heart. It begins to look as though her Great Dane, Zeke, and her job as a veterinary technician at an animal shelter are the only things in her life she can depend on. This is a good read for dog lovers and anyone who has ever had a hard time walking away from a past love. (MF)

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French Kissing - Catherine Sanderson (2009)

Sally, a 30-something single mother, is English but has been living in Paris for the past 10 years. Having left Nicolas, the father of her four-year-old daughter Lila, because he had an affair with his secretary, Sally is now ready to start dating again. She signs up for online dating site Rendez-Vous but wonders whether the men will be put off by the fact she has a child. Meanwhile her boss Kate has a secret to confess, while new friend Anna gets to enjoy being single again without the hassles of being a mother. This book takes us through Sally's series of dates - from the rude and obnoxious, to the pleasing and promising. And for those who want to practise their French language skills, there's lots of French phrases thrown in (which even non-speakers will be able to understand as the author always explains through the context).

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Friends, Lovers and Other Indiscretions - Fiona Neill (2009)

This is like The Big Chill but set in the credit crunch noughties and without the funeral. A group of friends who first met in their 20s are now approaching their 40s. TV scriptwriter Sam is feeling insecure about his professional future - and his relationship with wife Laura is suffering because he doesn't want another child. Lawyer Janey has left behind the love of her life, photographer Patrick, and instead settled down with hedge fund manager Steve. Meanwhile restaurant owner Jonathan is fast becoming the latest British food wunderkid, while his wife Hannah is happier embracing her country roots. When the friends all go away on holiday for Jonathan's 40th birthday, the deceptions and misconceptions - many of them decades old - can't stay hidden for long.

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Friendship Cake - Lynne Hinton (2000)

In this first book in a series, busybody and funeral director Beatrice Newgarden decides that it is time to get the Woman Guild's committee at Hope Springs Church together to complete another fundraising project. This year they will create a cookbook. Each of the commitee members reluctantly get involved, bringing along their favourite recipes from Margaret's Sweet Potato Casserole to Louise's Old-fashioned Egg Custard. This book not only offers yummy recipes but also tales of family, loneliness, Alzheimer's and sexuality. As they create their recipe books they soon realise that what started as a resentful project has become more meaningful than anyone imagined. It's ideal for anyone who loves a good laugh and cry. (PP)

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Friday Mornings at Nine - Marilyn Brant (2010)

Long-time friends Bridget, Jennifer and Tamara meet at the Indigo Moon Cafe every Friday morning to catch up over mocha lattes and grilled chocolate chip muffins. One September morning, Jennifer reveals she has been in contact with her college boyfriend, David. Although their communication has been innocent enough, she admits to a growing flirtation and has recently started to wonder how life might have been different had she married him instead of her husband, Michael. Sparked by the discussion that follows, Bridget and Tamara also begin to examine their relationships and wonder if they, too, may have married the wrong man. Fuelled by what-ifs, each woman embarks on her own journey in an effort to figure out whether the life she has is really the life meant for her. When their situations come to a head all at once during the annual Halloween costume party, each woman must stop musing about her life and take action to change it. Brant's sophomore effort is a brilliant character study of three very different women each asking the question we all wonder about sooner or later: did we make the right choices during our journey and if not, what steps do we need to take in order to live our best life? (LEK)

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