A Private Affair (2011)

This delves into the lives of army wives and the hardships they face being shipped to bases all over the world while their men go off fighting. There's Meaghan, the runaway, who fell for Tom and the security he provides. He transfers from Australia to the British Army and rises quickly through the ranks. Capable Abby has learnt to be the perfect army wife from her parents and is more than happy to stand by her man, commanding officer Ralph. Dani runs a refuge for pregnant girls in Sierra Leone and knows only too well what it's like to be in their shoes. Sam is an entertainment lawyer who meets soldier Nick while on holiday in Morocco. He quickly claims her as his girlfriend but he's unlikely to be perfect boyfriend material. You need to be paying close attention as the time periods switch rapidly, from the early 1990s through to 2009, and the locations from Germany, Australia and England to Bosnia, Belize, Cyprus and Sierra Leone. Not for the faint-hearted.

Rich Girl Poor Girl (2009)

This follows a group of savvy, interesting and relatable girls who form an unexpected friendship early in life. Nic is a lonely heiress who has the world and daddy's credit cards at her fingertips but all she really wants is the love of her father. Tory, the fashionable florist, is living in the shadow of her murdered older sister and just can't seem to cut a break in life. Caryn is a quiet achiever who comes from nothing and works to get herself to the top, while the gorgeous, long-legged Estelle uses her looks and body to get what she wants. But Estelle has a vicious secret and will stop at nothing to tear all three girls apart but can she break the bond of true friendship? While this book is not the usual light and easy read of the chick lit genre it still has all the concepts we know and love such as romance, wealth, power, revenge and most importantly fashion! It's a clever and interesting novel which leaves you wanting more and is great for when you feel like a bit of a change in your reading preferences. (GF)

Bitter Chocolate (2008)

Three girls turn into women as they struggle to survive and learn to love and trust. Laure leaves exclusive circles in Haiti to explore the desolate haunts of Chicago. Cheated and taken as a fool so often, when she finally discovers love, will she ever find trust? Amelie, who has no family, creates a life away from the only home she knows, except it is in a passionless marriage in a strange new land. While she branches out on her own, will she ever learn the truth about her roots? Rich girl Melanie, after a series of disappointments, longs to be loved so badly. But will she learn to not be so selfish and shallow? Lesley Lokko's story spans continents (North and Central America, Europe, Middle East, Africa) and more than a decade as these women are thrown into uncertain circumstances that change the rest of their lives. Told in a fairly captivating pace, the novel leaves the reader feeling its poignant sentimentality. (SARI)

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