The Accidental Bestseller - Wendy Wax (2009)

Author Kendall Aims has a problem - her publisher is dropping her due to lack of sales but her editor still expects the final book of her contract. Kendall, however, has been too busy dealing with the impending demise of her marriage to write that last book. With a looming deadline, and a serious case of writer's block, Kendall retreats to her mountain home. Her three best friends, Mallory St James, Faye Truett, and Tanya Mason, whom she met 10 years earlier at a writers' conference, agree to help Kendall out by collaborating on her book about four best friends who are all writers. Using their own lives as the basis for the characters in the book, they meet the deadline believing no one will discover that what they have each written is actually more autobiographical than fiction. Thanks to ambitious editorial assistant Lacy Samuels, the book becomes an instant bestseller ... and the secrets they have kept, even from one another, are finally revealed in a very public arena. As the women return to their families to face the fallout from their deceptions, they are left to wonder how well they really know each other and what these revelations will mean to the future of their friendship. With an insider's look into the world of publishing, this is an enjoyable read that tests the limits of friendship when secrets are kept and makes you wonder how well we really know those closest to us. (LEK)

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The Accidental Family - Rowan Coleman (2009)

In this sequel to The Accidental Mother, Sophie Mills is in love with her life. She has a great guy, Louis, and two wonderful girls, Bella and Izzy. The only thing she would change is her ever-increasing waistline, caused by all the cream teas she eats with her new friend, Carmen, who owns a tea shop. Sophie has left her job to be in St Ives with the two girls and Louis and is staying at the local bed-and-breakfast while she and Louis sort out their wedding. Everything is perfect until one day, while she is out with Carmen looking at wedding dresses, when she sees a young man who looks so much like Louis. She asks the boy, Seth, who his mother is and that is when Wendy shows up. She and Louis had run into Wendy a few days ago where Sophie had learned that Wendy was Louis' first girlfriend. Sophie then realises that Seth is in fact Louis' son. Wendy warns Sophie not to tell Louis but how can Sophie keep such a big secret? A great follow-up story, which focuses on learning how to handle other people's baggage and discovering how much is too much to handle. (CG)

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The Accidental Husband - Jane Green (2013)

aka Family Pictures

Sylvie is facing empty-nest syndrome as her daughter, Eve, is about to head off to college. With her husband, Mark, travelling a lot with his business, Sylvie considers rediscovering her creative side. Maggie lives on the opposite coast, and has a charmed life, that is until a stranger comes into her home and reveals a secret that shatters everything. This is one of those stories where it is best if you don't know too much going in. You will no doubt work out what is coming but the story will keep you turning the pages to see what goes down when the shit hits the fan. With plenty of pathos, this is an engrossing read with most of the emotional punch delivered through the sad side story involving one of the daughters.

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The Accidental Mother - Rowan Coleman (2005)

Sophie Mills has worked hard on her career. Now she is at a point where she knows the next client will make her the director of her events-planning job. And she has no other outside distractions apart for her cat Artemis. One day she goes to work and is about to go on a date with Jake - the client who will make or break her career - when her whole life changes before her eyes. She finds out her best friend, Carrie, whom she has not spoken to for a couple of years has died in a car accident and has left her to care for her two children, Bella and Izzy. Sophie cannot believe this has happened to her. The social worker advises that it will only be temporary until they find the girls' father. So Sophie hires a private detective to find him as she tries hard to make sure her new charges do not disrupt her life too much. But once the girls' father comes back in their lives she starts to realise her not-so-complicated life really wasn't a life after all. This is a thoroughly enjoyable read about finding yourself through a life-changing event. (CG)

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The Accidental Socialite - Stephanie Wahlstrom (2014)

Paige Crawford wanted a change in her life, so decides to move from the comforts of Canada to England. Little did she know within a few days of being in London, her life was going to change so dramatically. All because of one clumsy incident, Paige finds herself going from being a nobody to becoming one of the most sought-after socialites in the city. Everyone wants a piece of her - especially the paparazzi, which is really starting to put a dampener on her life as they follow and record her every move. It turns out even though you get all the glamour, freebies and invites, being in the limelight isn't all it's cracked up to be. The Accidental Socialite is a fun and light-hearted read which reminds us to never believe what you read in the papers. (PP)

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The Accidental Life of Jessie Jefferson - Paige Toon (2014)

Jessie Pickerill has always wondered who her real dad is but her mom has always refused to tell her. When Jessie's mum dies unexpectedly, leaving her with stepdad Stu, not only does she mourn the loss of her mum but also any chance of finding out about her real dad. Despite Stu continuing to play the role of her guardian, Jessie feels alone and seeks comfort in a new group of friends, testing Stu to the limits. When Jessie confronts him about her real dad, she gets more than she bargained for. Her father is none other than rock star Johnny Jefferson (from Johnny Be Good and Baby Be Mine). But will Johnny be interested in getting to know the fifteen-year-old daughter he didn't know existed now he has a new family? A trip to LA will help answer those questions. Paige Toon's first foray into young adult territory proves to be a winner. Jessie is a real, believable character, struggling in the aftermath of her mother's death and, like any teen, there are times when she's frustrating and unlikeable. The story is fun and exciting, with the right amount of drama and attitude, the Hollywood kids' scene is toned down but nevertheless escapist and eye-opening, but it is Johnny's role as Jessie's father and the growing relationship between them that adds the charm to this novel. Although there were things I would have liked to have seen more of - Johnny and Meg's reactions to Jessie; father-daughter-stepmum bonding; the effect on Stu and Jessie's relationship - for teens it's a perfect read. And with plenty more left to explore, it's definitely exciting to see what Paige has in store for Jessie next. (JC)

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The Accidental Time Traveller - Sharon Griffiths (2008)

Have you ever dreamt about going back in time to a different era and lifestyle? News reporter Rosie Harford is about to get the shock of her life when after an argument with her journalist boyfriend Will, she snatches up an assignment to clear out her headspace. The assignment is to cover a housing estate's 50th anniversary which includes the staging of a reality TV show called The 1950s House. When Rosie steps through the front door, she finds herself transported back to the 50s. At first Rosie believes this is all part of her assignment. But after reporting back for duty at her workplace she is told that the male reporters are given all the good stories and the women are confined to weddings, cooking and parenting. Plus where on earth are all the computers and mobile phones? Rosie teams up with reporter Billy - who looks uncannily like her boyfriend Will, with a wife who resembles her best friend Caz. Thrown together at work, the pair become closer but of course this time Billy is out of bounds. Can Rosie return back to the year 2008 and tell Will that she loves him or will she be stuck in the 1950s? This will be right up the alley of readers who like being transported back in time to a different decade. (PP)

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The Accidental Virgin - Valerie Frankel (2003)

Stacey Temple is coming up to almost a whole year without sex and working in a business where sex toys and sexy lingerie are the rage, it's a wonder she hasn't managed to find somebody to do the deed with. After her friend Charlie forwards her an email from a sex columnist named Gigi, Stacey realises that if she doesn't have sex in the next couple of weeks - she will officially become a virgin once again. So begins a fun and laugh-filled novel as Stacey is determined to have sex in order to not become a virgin again. Stacey finds herself in some interesting positions with different men: from Jorge - the high-class escort her boss paid for, Jason - a guy she went on a few dates with, Charlie - her best friend, Brian - her ex-boyfriend whom she is about to discover has a secret, Tom - a co-worker's son who may or may not be able to get it up, and Oliver - the apartment secret note passer. This will have you both chuckling and cringing at some of the lengths Stacey is willing to go in order not to become "The Accidental Virgin". (PP)

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The Accidental Wife - Rowan Coleman (2008)

aka Another Mother's Life

When Alison was 17, she ran off with her best friend Catherine's boyfriend. She later revealed to Marc that she was pregnant with their first child and together they built a life together. Meanwhile Catherine married musician Jimmy, the boy Alison always had a crush on at school. Now nearly half a lifetime later, Alison and Marc are moving back into town. And Alison can't help wondering if she ended up with the wrong man - and the wrong life. After several close calls - their daughters unwittingly become best friends - Alison and Catherine eventually meet up. Despite the pacing being a bit slow sometimes, this premise, with a few clever twists thrown in, will have you turning the pages to discover if the characters can forgive each other or will opt for a different life. Watch out for a brief appearance by Sophie Mills, the character from Coleman's The Accidental Mother and The Accidental Family series.

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The Adultery Diet - Eva Cassady (2007)

Home magazine writer Eva is asked by her publisher to contact Michael Foresman, a former boyfriend who is now an award-winning architect, for an interview. And so begins their flirtation by email, even though Eva realises that in person Michael would barely recognise her as the young girl he knew back then. She is now 44, overweight, and is married to book editor David with a college-age daughter Chloe living in France. Eva begins to prepare for the day when she'll meet up with Michael again. Through good old-fashioned dieting and exercise, the pounds drop away - but will she also transform herself into an adulteress? A Jemima J for middle-aged, married women.

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The Adultery Club - Tess Stimson (2007)

Divorce lawyer Nicholas Lyon is married to Mal, a cookery writer, and together they have an enviable life with three daughters. He knows he'd never cheat on his wife. Young lawyer Sara Kaplan joins his firm - she's never understood why a woman would go for a married man - she's watched her best friend Amy waste four years on Terry. But something sparks between Nicholas and Sara and when a terrorist attack on London forces them together, their affair starts. Meanwhile, Mal's old boyfriend Trace is back on the scene. Told from the viewpoint of the married man, his wife and his mistress. Whose side will you be on?

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The Affair - Colette Freedman (2013)

The biggest lies are the ones we tell ourselves ... Kathy and Robert have been married for eighteen years, have two children and seem to be living a happy life. That is until Kathy finds a number on Robert's phone that brings back past memories that throw her future into jeopardy. Kathy must decide whether to trust her instincts or the man she lies next to in bed at night. Told through three stories, The Wife, The Husband and The Mistress, we discover the motivations behind an affair and begin to delve deeper into what it really means to be in love. This book will have you questioning what you would do for love whilst cleverly making you feel for each character in turn, leaving you questioning where your allegiance lies. An astonishingly good read. (LL)

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The After Wife - Gigi Levangie Grazer (2012)

Hannah Bernal is head over heels in love with her husband John and they have a gorgeous daughter named Ellie. But then tragedy strikes when John passes away and Hannah is left to pick up the pieces. It's not easy though as Hannah is about to discover that being a widow and a grieving one at that isn't the cool thing to be in LA. Thank goodness though that she has the support of her three friends who have been dubbed "The Grief Team". There's Aimee - an aspiring actress who is still looking for her big break in Hollywood, Jay - her gay best friend and Chloe - a single mother who runs a mommy blog. Then a strange visitor appears in Hannah's house and soon her life takes a spirited turn. This story will have you both laughing and tearing up. (PP)

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The Agency - Ally O'Brien (2009)

Entertainment agent Tess Drake is ready to go out on her own. The head of her London company has just died in suspicious circumstances and her new boss is her sworn enemy, Cosima. But before she does the Jerry Maguire thing and call her clients to ask "who's coming with me", she needs to get her bestselling author Dorothy out of a legal mess, keep her affair with a married man under wraps - and get a book by her favourite client, the vulnerable Oliver, into the hands of Tom Cruise. Plus Tess has to stay one step ahead of everyone she's burnt in the past. This mix of chick lit and intrigue is a brash page-turner about ambition, treachery - and talking pandas. Expect a sequel.

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The A-List Family - Christina Hopkinson (2014)

Twenty-three-year-old Anna's life hasn't exactly gone to plan. Despite a first-class degree from Oxford, she's struggled for employment, but then she's offered the opportunity to become a tutor to eight-year-old Antigone, super-bright daughter of A-list couple - actress Cally and director Sholto. Theirs is the picture-perfect family, or so it seems from the outside. But Anna soon learns that on the inside it's a very different story. I really enjoyed Hopkinson's approach with this story, which rather than focusing on the A-list couple themselves and the glamour and excess of their world, instead depicts their world as experienced by Anna, offering up a very different view. For me, however, the finale was rather absurd and the subplot with Janey - Cally and Sholto's PA - too distracting. It would have been nice to have seen more of Anna's love life and Antigone's story, too. But it is an undemanding and easy read nevertheless. (JC)

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The All You Can Dream Buffet - Barbara O'Neal (2014)

Four well-known food blogging friends finally meet in person. Lavender, the eldest of the four, is hosting the women at her beautiful farm known for its expansive lavender fields and honey for her 85th birthday bash. Ruby, a young vegan chef, has just had her heart shattered and is in need of a new beginning. Ginny, a famous unhappily married cake blogger, has never stepped foot out of Kansas and is ready for adventure. Valerie, a widowed wine blogger on hiatus, is on her first road trip with her difficult teenaged daughter, who is still mourning the loss of her dad and sisters. The four women are each at major turning points in their lives, and there are good surprises and some rough detours ahead of them - both on their journey to Lavender's farm, and once they arrive. An uplifting and well-written book about friendship, love, and finding yourself, Barbara O'Neal paints breathtaking landscapes and scenery with her writing. Though this book is told from three different points of view, you're never left confused or feeling like you're missing out on anything. This was my first Barbara O'Neal book but it won't be my last. (AV)

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The Alphabet Sisters - Monica McInerney (2004)

Anna, Bett and Carrie Quinlan were childhood singing stars, The Alphabet Sisters. But they haven't spoken for years, not since Bett's fiancé, Matthew, left her for Carrie. Then their grandmother, Lola, calls them back to their parents' motel in South Australia's Clare Valley for her 80th birthday. Anna's marriage to Glenn is breaking up and she still hasn't got over the dog attack which has scarred her daughter Ellen's face. Bett returns from England and takes on a part-time job back at her former newspaper, while Carrie, who has been working at the hotel, finds the distance growing between her and Matthew. At her party, Lola has a surprise announcement for the sisters, but just as their rift begins to close, they face the biggest test yet.

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The Angel at No.33 - Polly Williams (2011)

aka Afterwife

Sophie doesn't want to leave her husband Ollie and her son Freddie to cope by themselves, but after being hit by a bus she doesn't have any choice other than to watch over them. With Ollie hopeless without her and her lists, Sophie's friends launch Help Ollie Project. Meanwhile her best friend Jenny is planning her wedding and Sophie hopes she'll find out the secret she was never able to tell her. Polly's sharp and sassy writing style brings an amusing Sophie the ghost to life. The characters are brilliantly observed from the Muswell Hill mums swooning after the handsome widower to Jenny and Ollie caught up in pure grief at the loss of Sophie. Despite the difficult topic, it is written with sensitivity and humour and it is a really sweet love story. It was one of those books where the worst part is when it ends. (AB)

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The Art of French Kissing - Kristin Harmel (2007)

What do you do when you are dumped by your fiancé and laid off from your job in the same week? Emma decides to take up friend Poppy's offer to head to Paris to handle publicity for French rock star Guillaume Riche. Life in Paris is wonderful - if only Guillaume wasn't getting himself into trouble all the time, such as being locked overnight inside the Eiffel Tower. As Poppy convinces Emma that the best way to forget fianc� Brett is to date lots of different French men, Emma finds herself drawn to journalist Gabe who is the only one not buying her excuses for Guillaume's crazy antics.

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The Art of Friendship - Erin Kaye (2010)

"People say that time heals all wounds" but only Janice knew how much truth that statement carries. For the past 27 years, she has struggled to deal with the abuse she suffered in her younger years alone, while at the same time being a good mother to rebellious son Pete. Widowed Kirsty is back in the singles' market, as her friends try to fix her up on blind dates. But she instead finds a growing attraction to her gardener. Patsy is forced to cope with her husband's redundancy and teenage daughter's pregnancy. And Clare's decision to paint again becomes an igniting factor for the strain in her marriage. This is a great story exploring friendship between these four women from a small Irish town over the course of a year, with each character and issue covered in detail. (XT)

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The Art of Forgetting - Camille Noe Pagan (2011)

Marissa and Julia became best friends at high school. Their friendship is one marked by polar opposites, everything from their family background, personality and appearance - Marissa being the reserved and average-looking of the pair, while Julia, the alpha female, is rich, charming and beautiful, and always surrounded by admirers. When Marissa falls in love with Nathan, whom she meets during her job at the coffee shop downtown, she decides to keep their relationship a secret, until she realises Julia is also attracted to him as well - forcing Marissa to make a decision between romance and friendship. Fast forward 10 years, and both women are each crafting out a career for themselves in New York. Marissa is a senior editor at a health magazine and in a steady romance with Dave, while Julia has just been promoted to senior publicist at the New York City Ballet. As the two friends meet up to celebrate the latter's promotion, a car accident changes everything. With both memory loss and a distinct personality change, Julia becomes a changed person. Now Marissa has to assume the role of being the big sister, taking care of her best friend, with the hope there will be some sign of Julia acting like herself again. This debut novel is a poignant tale of friendship and love, with an amazing flow and great characters, one which you definitely have to read with your best friend. (XT)

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The Art of Saying Goodbye - Ellyn Bache (2011)

This is the story of five neighbours who couldn't be more different but who are best friends nonetheless. Brought together through their friendship with Paisley, Iona, Andrea, Julianne and Ginger are at different stages in their lives but find their differences melt away when they are all together. When Paisley is diagnosed with terminal cancer, they each rally around her, as she has done so many times for each of them, to help her, and her family, say goodbye. During the process, they must each come to terms with losing the one person who keeps their group together and who has always cheered each of them on towards their full potential, even when they weren't sure of it themselves. This is a wonderful story highlighting the friendships, challenges and personal transformations we all go through in our lives. It has been hard to let these characters go since finishing the book and more than once I've found myself wondering what the next chapter was for each of these women. (LEK)

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The Art of Social War - Jodi Wing (2008)

Stacey has an upwardly mobile career working for the New York mayor. But when her fiance Jamey Makepeace is offered the opportunity to run a Hollywood studio they need to relocate to LA. The couple soon find themselves on enemy terrain as the other major players at the studio - Simon, Barb, Julia and Phil - engage in war tactics. So Stacey prepares for battle by grabbing a copy of ancient military strategist Sun Tzu's book The Art of War. Inspired by the author's own difficult transition from New York to LA, this all sounds very promising. But amid all the rivalry, espionage and social commentary about the Hollywood scene, the convoluted plot and myriad characters totally lost me. But for those who love it, a sequel (and possible movie) are in the works.

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The Au Pair - Janey Fraser (2012)

Corrywood is a small village but its inhabitants have big issues and the biggest of all is to find perfect au pairs who can look after their kids and give them time out. Paula's au pair is a nightmare, while recently widowed Mathew is tired of dealing with weirder-than-weird au pairs for his daughter. Jilly needs to support her husband and desperately needs a job. One morning while listening to her best friend Paula's child-care plight, Jilly comes up with the idea of opening her own au pair agency - she could work from home and still look after her own boys. After placing French girl Marie-Frances, who is more interested in finding her father than being an au pair, Jilly starts to think that her business might work but little does she know that the agency is just not a business that can be run from the dining table. This definitely has enough laugh-out-loud moments and the characters are realistic but the number of them made it tough at times to keep track of the story. (SS)

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The Bad Boyfriends Boot Camp - Poppy Dolan (2012)

Molly has always been close to her brother Sam and can't help but give him some big sisterly advice from time to time. When yet another of Sam's romances ends, Molly decides to train Sam in how to be a good boyfriend. The outcome of her training is that Sam meets, falls in love with and gets engaged to the gorgeous Iris. Molly then prides herself on a job well done and as her current entrepreneurial escapade is stagnant and with debts to pay, especially to her highly successful businesswoman of a mother, Molly hits on the idea of marketing what she has done for Sam to a few other lonely hearts. Sam has several friends who are keen for advice and so with best friends Rachel and Josie on hand to provide wardrobe assistance and fitness conditioning, the concept of the Bad Boyfriends Bootcamp is born. This is a great debut novel which will keep you entertained and involved right to the last page. (LM)

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The Baby Diaries - Sam Binnie (2013)

Kiki and Thom are only just getting used to married life when they discover she is pregnant. Although they had hoped to have children, it was not something they had envisioned right now - well, apart from on the one night on their honeymoon when they had drunkenly decided to start trying for a baby. They quickly have to come to terms with being parents as their lives are about to change forever. From non-alcoholic cocktails to breast pumps, nightmare sonographers to explicit antenatal classes, Kiki charts the couple's journey to parenthood in a year-long journal, culminating in their baby's half-birthday. While the focus on pregnancy in the first half of the book was really candid and strong, I felt that the second part of the novel, after the baby's birth, loosened its focus and the child-rearing became less prominent. Although this will perhaps be taken up again in the next book of the series, I couldn't help but feel a little disappointed because the pregnancy had been handled so adeptly. Nevertheless this book is really funny and entertaining, and I loved the diary-style and script-like dialogue. (JC)

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The Baby Group - Rowan Coleman (2007)

Natalie Curzon, co-owner of a lingerie company, is drawn to stranger Jack Newhouse on the tube. She lets him whisk her away to Venice, where she conceives baby Freddie and then never hears from Jack again. Natalie faces up to single motherhood - pretty much alone, until her house wiring plays up, heralding the arrival of teenage mother Tiffany in the tradesman's van. Together they decide to form a baby group and soon meet some other parents, including stay-at-home dad Steve, over-anxious Jess, Meg who is on to her fourth child but still feels she has much to learn, and her sister-in-law Frances who is highly organised but lacking friends. Will Natalie ever find Jack to tell him he's a dad - and admit to her new friends that her work-away husband doesn't actually exist?

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The Babymoon - Melanie La'Brooy (2008)

Isabelle (from the novel Love Struck) is not the kind of girl who's always known she's wanted a baby. But now settled with Jack in Melbourne, the pair throw caution to the wind when Isabelle dons a Carlton footy jumper and little else. Panicked about being pregnant - I mean she doesn't even know the names of The Wiggles - she finds reading up about the next nine months is only making her morning sickness worse. With Jack busy as usual at the hospital, she turns to her fellow art gallerina Doug to accompany her to birth classes. Throw in an artist showing interest in her placenta, an ex-boyfriend back on the scene with his own pregnant girlfriend and her friend Cate showing her true anti-baby colours - and is it any wonder Isabelle's feeling out of her depth. But why is she pushing Jack away as the time for her to push out the baby nears? The funniest pregnancy novel out there - with lots of glorious Australian references. Just loved the idea of uber-trendy Doug turning up at birth classes after taking fashion inspiration not from cool dad David Beckham, but rather from dorky TV blokes like Martin from Hey Dad! and Kel from Kath & Kim.

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The Baby Planner - Josie Brown (2011)

Katie Johnson has just lost her government safety and product recall job. She makes a detailed step-by-step pregnancy book for her newly pregnant sister - including the safest products, furniture, and clothes on the market - and realises her talent could be profitable. Katie becomes an instant pregnancy guru in San Francisco. Her website becomes the "go-to" website for expectant mums, and Katie finally finds a career she loves. There's only one problem - Katie, 37, is longing for a child but her husband Adam doesn't want children. Each time Katie approaches the subject with him, he puts it off, and Katie isn't sure what's more important to her anymore - having a baby or being married to Adam. Things get a bit more complicated when Katie becomes attached to her most desperate client, Seth Harris' daughter Sadie. Katie has some serious decisions to make. When I started reading this book I was sure I knew the ending but I was so so wrong. I read it in one day and I loved every page. (AV)

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The Baby Trail - Sinead Moriarty (2005)

Thirty-three-year-old make-up artist Emma Hamilton decides it's time for her and husband James to start a family. But after months of post-coital handstands, ovulation testing and fertility drugs, she's still not pregnant. With everyone from her doctor to her mother telling her to just relax, Emma finds her life is turning into a roller-coaster of emotions which is starting to alienate those closest to her.

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The Bachelorette Party - Karen McCullah Lutz (2005)

LA schoolteacher Zadie Roberts is left at the altar by soap star Jack. So she's not feeling particularly favourable towards weddings when her conservative cousin, Helen, and best friend Grey announce they are tying the knot. Helen's bachelorette party is destined to be a quiet affair, with a yoga class and herbal tonics on the agenda. Then Zadie convinces the teetotaller Helen to have some champagne. And from there, the night takes such a wild turn the wedding may well be off.

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The Bachelor and Spinster Ball - Janet Gover (2009)

Bec has returned from the big city to the outback town of Farwell Creek after her best friend, Hailey, loses her parents in a car crash. Her other best friend, Nick, no longer seems to have any romantic feelings towards her - he doesn't think he's got anything to offer now his family has lost the farm. And something is clearly upsetting her mother as relations between the pair have hit rock bottom. When the teacher's cottage burns down, Bec decides to fundraise for a fire truck by holding a B&S Ball, where country folk from all around come together for a dance under the stars, lots of booze and sleep out in a paddock. When construction worker Gordo takes Bec under his wing, showing her around all the balls in his hotted-up ute, it seems as if she and Nick will drift even further apart. This is an easy read that will give you a glimpse into the small-town camaraderie of the Australian outback without having to leave your armchair.

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The Bake-Off - Beth Kendrick (2011)

Amy and Linnie are estranged sisters. Amy is a suburban mum to her two-year-old twins. Linnie, a former child prodigy, is now a leopard-print-bustier-wearing blackjack dealer in Vegas. Grammy Syl is determined to get her two granddaughters back together. So she concocts a plan and enters Amy and Linnie into a national duet dessert baking contest. The grand prize of $100,000 keeps both sisters motivated. Armed with their grandmother's recipe for apple pie, the two sisters head into a heated competition. As the two polar-opposite sisters get themselves in crazy situations, they begin to act more like sisters and less like strangers. I absolutely loved this book. It is laugh-out-loud funny and you can't help but love both sisters. Don't be surprised if you want to try out the yummy-sounding recipes the author includes in the beginning and end of the book. (AO)

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The Balance Thing - Margaret Dumas (2006)

Life is about keeping a balance, isn't it? Well, for Becks Mansfield, the one and only thing she's passionate about is looking for a job. She's not exactly unemployed - she does have a voiceover job as the lead character of an internet-based animation, but that's not exactly the step up the corporate ladder the software marketer expected. On the personal side, Becks isn't trying hard enough in terms of relationships - the only thing that she's actively doing is dumping men. It's an honest read about modern woman learning to find a balance in her life - to somehow take a step back and discover that happiness isn't about getting what you want but what you need. (XT)

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The Ballroom Class - Lucy Dillon (2008)

Ballroom dancing champion Angelica has returned to her hometown and sets up a dancing class in the old town hall. Town planner Katie and stay-at-home dad Ross sign up as part of their marriage counselling while Katie's friend Jo and husband Greg are happy to come along for the ride. Lauren and her clumsy-footed fiance Chris want to learn a wedding dance; while Lauren's parents Bridget and Frank are old hands on the dancefloor. Trina and Chloe just want to meet some men. As secrets start to spill and their lives go into a spin, is it true that guilty feet have got no rhythm? Who will still be dancing together at the end?

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The Battle for Big School - Sarah Tucker (2007)

With only 50 places on offer for The Oaks, the best grammar school in Letchbury, parents are working hard to win their child one of the spots - hiring tutors, schmoozing at the golf club, selling a kidney. When Lily has her parent interview, she realises she may be letting down her son, Tim, by not being involved enough in community matters. So the former fashion editor of De Rigueur magazine ropes her friends Julie, Karen and Paul into organising a fashion show to raise money for their school library. But journalist Karen seems too preoccupied to help and it soon becomes clear that life - and the selection process - just isn't fair.

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The Beach Cafe - Lucy Diamond (2011)

Evie has never really settled into a job. She's tried her hand at acting, photography ... and now she's working in the office temp job from hell. So when her aunt Jo dies and leaves her Cornwall beach cafe to her favourite niece, it may just provide the opportunity for Evie to prove herself - to her family and herself. But the staff have gone feral in Jo's absence and the locals aren't particularly welcoming. As Evie finds her feet and hires new staff - including her aunt's cake-baking friend Annie, chef Ed who seems to be hiding something, and Australian backpacker Rachel - she slowly becomes a vital part of village life. This is another delightful read from Diamond, about a woman without direction discovering her own inherited recipe for happiness.

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The Beach House - Jane Green (2008)

As a fan of Jane Green's books, I was worried that this one wouldn't interest me because it centres around a 65-year-old widow. But I am happy to report that Green ensures Nan - the free-spirited woman who lives in a ramshackle house atop a bluff in Nantucket - shares the storyline with a number of other characters. When Nan finds her savings are running out, she decides to rent out rooms for the summer. Her guests include Daniel, who has finally worked up the courage to leave his wife Bee; and Daff, a divorced mother who's finding it hard to handle her attention-seeking teenage daughter Jess. Even Nan's son Michael, a jeweller, comes home to escape a risky love affair. But as they settle in, there is one more visitor to come who will really shake up the happy household.

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The Beach House - Mary Alice Monroe (2002)

This is a wonderfully heart-warming story about the affirmation of the relationship between Cara and her mother. Cara had left home years ago in a cloud of teenage fury at her controlling, manipulative father, vowing never to return. Over the years she built a fulfilling lifestyle for herself in Chicago, but when she is unexpectedly sacked, her relationship collapses. Then her mother's letter arrives and she decides to honour her mother's wish to spend time with her at the beach house. She reunites with her school friends and begins to take an interest in her mother's passion for the endangered loggerhead turtle. She even begins a tender summer affair with the enigmatic and dashingly handsome Brett. After spending rewarding time together, her mother confides her innermost secrets and finally Cara grows to understand, respect and love her mother, realising she had been quick to judge and condemn. This story underlines that past mistakes can be forgiven, love and sacrifice are bedfellows and family is forever. It's a real gem of a book, a page-turner with a feel-good factor. (JH)

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The Beautiful Game: A WAG's Tale (2008) - Claire Challis with Fabulous

Co-written with Fabulous, the pseudonym of an ex-WAG, this follows Louise, whose boyfriend Adam is signed up to premiership team Leeds City. She hooks up with some fellow WAGS, including the captain's wife Tara and Jodie, who is in a tumultuous relationship with bad boy Gary. Louise soon learns how to shop, deal with the paparazzi and party like a WAG. Problem is the footballers are forever going out on bonding nights together and the girls are rarely invited. Plus Adam is becoming increasingly moody and self-centred. Louise starts to wonder whether all the glamour of being a WAG is worth it. An entertaining read that will make you feel sorry for this glammed-up species.

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The Best Day of Someone Else's Life - Kerry Reichs (2008)

When Kevin "Vi" Connelly was six years old, she was a flower girl at her aunt's third wedding - and ever since she's been addicted to "marry-tales". Now in her late 20s and working as a wine buyer in Washington, Vi is about to be bridesmaid three times over - and then attend more than a dozen other weddings. Still stuck on her ex Caleb, Vi is wondering if she'll ever experience her own Best Day of Your Life. She's already discovering that weddings are an expensive business even when you're just a guest - Vi even resorts to signing up as a medical guinea-pig to fund her attendances. Read it for the sassy heroine and her mixed-up movie titles, to experience a range of different weddings (please don't leave us on the cash bar side of the fence) and an appealing Irish leading man.

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The Best Man - Kristan Higgins (2013)

On a beautiful day in June, Faith Holland was set to marry her high school sweetheart. Jeremy was the perfect man - handsome, loving and he adored Faith. He had a future in the NFL but gave it all up to become a doctor and practise medicine in their small hometown in New York. Faith wore a gorgeous dress and carried perfect pink roses. They stood before the minister and everything was perfect until Jeremy announced he couldn't marry Faith. Years later, after living in Colorado, Faith finally returns to her hometown to be with her family and help out their winery. She is ready to put the past behind her and move on. Faith finds an apartment that is unfortunately next to Levi Cooper, the local police chief and best friend of Jeremy. While Jeremy was always gentle and loving, Levi was always difficult and rough around the edges. Faith has always blamed Levi for Jeremy cancelling the wedding and the harder she tries to avoid Levi, the more sparks fly between the two. This is a charming yet predictable read that is perfect for the beach. (AO)

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The Best Man - Dianne Blacklock (2013)

Publishing publicist Madeleine is getting married to American children's author Henry, who has moved to Sydney to be with her. His best man, Aiden, has come over ahead of the wedding and he certainly turns quite a few heads with his good looks and outgoing manner. In fact he is very different to the reclusive Henry, and Madeleine hits it off with him right away. But Aiden's presence is set to rock the boat. Meanwhile Madeleine's boss, Liv, meets a nice man called David on a flight - and considers whether it's time to start seeing someone again after the end of her marriage. Trouble is her philandering ex is making noises that it's time that he comes home to be with her and their teenage sons. This is an engaging read about commitment, cold feet and starting over.

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The Best of Me - Nicholas Sparks (2011)

When attorney Morgan Tanner calls Amanda and Dawson to tell them their friend and mentor Tuck Hostetler has passed away, they have to leave behind the separate lives they have carved out for themselves and return to their childhood home of Oriental and face each other again. Dawson, born into the notorious Cole family, tried to escape the abuse of his father and cousins Ted and Abee, finding shelter with Tuck, but it was Amanda who was his salvation. But Amanda was a Collier, and faced pressure from her parents to end the relationship and go to college. Not wanting to hold her back, selflessly Dawson gave her up. Whilst she moved away to university, Dawson was left in Oriental, where the events of one fateful night irrevocably shaped his life. In the years since, Amanda has married and had three children, while Dawson has settled down to a modest, single life in Louisiana. Now, it seems that Tuck has conspired to bring them back together to get them to confront the love they shared. As they rediscover the bond they once had, Dawson and Amanda are made to ask serious questions about their lives, but in true Nicholas Sparks' fashion the course of true love never does run smoothly. With an emergency in Amanda's family and Dawson's cousins Ted and Abee still wreaking havoc, Sparks sets up a dramatic conclusion. Although Sparks delivers another poignant narrative, the romance between Amanda and Dawson is somewhat lost in the other concerns of the novel and the ending felt a bit rushed and incomplete. (JC)

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The Best of Us - Sarah Pekkanen (2013)

On an all-expense paid trip of a lifetime to Jamaica, college friends Tina, Allie, Savannah and Dwight, along with their spouses, settle in for a week of luxury, relaxation and escape courtesy of Dwight and his wife, Pauline. No expense has been spared by Pauline to give her husband a grand birthday but when unforeseen circumstances, deep secrets and a potential hurricane muddle the plans, the women begin to evaluate exactly what the idea of paradise means to them. Sarah Pekkanen once again weaves a complex tale of friendships, marriages and expectations with distinct characters grappling with very relatable issues. Kudos to her for another superb outing. (LEK)

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The Best Thing I Never Had - Erin Lawless (2013)

The invitations for Nicky and Miles' wedding have gone out. Their special day will bring together their friends from their university days - Harriet, Leigha, Sukie, Adam and Johnny - for the first time in five years. The story then backtracks to the group of friends forming and the relationships that develop. Leigha has her eye on Adam, Johnny is mad keen on Leigha, and Adam can't help but fancy Harriet. And Harriet? While she is attracted to Adam, she would never go there out of respect for her best friend, Leigha. So what happens to force this close-knit group to splinter? While I was expecting more fireworks at the end, as the group confront each other at the wedding, this is a superb debut about complicated ties, betrayal and lies, and is one of my favourite books of the year.

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The Best Thing That Never Happened to Me - Jimmy Rice and Laura Tait (2014)

As teenagers Holly and Alex were inseparable as best friends. They were also each others' first love, except they never really got around to telling one another and messed up the whole happy-ever-after, going their separate ways - Holly to uni and a job as a PA in London while Alex stayed in their home town to become an English teacher at their former school. They haven't been in touch for eleven years but when Alex makes a move to an inner-city London school, he finds himself in contact with Holly again. And despite the years the best friends are as tight as ever. This is a quintessential romantic comedy - although with slightly more emphasis on the comedy than the romance. Although co-written, there's never any sense of disjunction in the narrative, with a seamless flow and style throughout, and both Alex's and Holly's chapters are equally brilliant. In fact if the two authors' names weren't on the cover it would be easy to assume this was a single-author novel. And the writing itself is really natural, fun and dynamic. Whilst Alex and Holly are at the centre of the story, there are some wonderful cameos not least by Alex's best mate, Kev, Holly's friend and work colleague, Jemma, and Holly's mom. I did expect a bit more of a finale to the story and although it's fairly obvious what happens after the story ends, it would have been nice to have an epilogue just to give us a glimpse into that reality. Nevertheless this is a great read, hugely enjoyable, uplifting and feel-good that delivers in all the ways you would expect. (JC)

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The Best Way You Know How - Christine Pountney (2005)

At the age of 25, Hannah Crowe decides to move from Canada to England - in part to improve herself and find a man to marry. But soon, she realises that her increasing inclination towards the communal life in bars and a fervent hunger for sensual pleasures is more than what it seems - it actually liberates her from loneliness. Then Daniel appears - it isn't love at first sight, it is more of a mutual connection between two lonely beings. "Love isn't something you can reason, but something inchoate, indescribable." Hannah finds herself loving Daniel more, even willing to embrace the coming changes in their relationship when they get married. As the couple's infrequent marital relations leave her feeling lonely and deprived, Hannah's incessant thirst starts to overwhelm her. A gloomy, intense yet honest story about love, responsibility, betrayal and loneliness, it goes deeper to explore the raw relationship between Hannah and Daniel - how a simple marriage is more than what it appears on the surface. (XT)

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The Better Half - Sarah Harte (2011)

Anita, married to brash property developer Frank, has been living the high life thanks to the Celtic Tiger. Endless shopping and pampering, restaurant catch-ups and exotic vacations are all part of the extravagant lifestyles of Anita and her friends. Their children have grown up feeling entitled; while the women have had an army of helpers to keep their mansions running. However, now with the Irish economy in freefall, Anita realises it's the rash actions of all their husbands that has helped bring the country to its knees. And each woman is about to find out what happens when their lavish - but rather empty - lives fall apart. With Frank letting her down on another front, Anita - who came from a working-class background - begins to wonder why she never did anything beyond marriage and motherhood. Harte, a former corporate lawyer who is married to a well-known Dublin businessman, offers up an authentic glimpse into Ireland's boom and bust. On the downside, the story jumps around perhaps a bit too much and readers may get lost sometimes with the lingo.

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The Better Woman - Ber Carroll (2009)

This is the story of two women, Irish Sarah Ryan and Australian Jodi Tyler who conquer personal adversity to climb the corporate ladder in the cut-throat and lucrative world of finance and banking. Sarah overcomes being orphaned as a young child. Jodi, raised on Sydney's North Shore, enjoys the family Sarah never had, but suffers her own personal trauma when she is young which ultimately tears her family apart. Shaped by their experiences they become driven, ambitious and determined. The book commences when the girls are 12 years old. The stories run parallel until they are 18 and alternates between their views until they are in their early 30s. Whilst living diverse lives on opposite sides of the globe, they suffer similar difficulties, experience grief and loss; abuse, search for real love and more importantly try to find themselves. Will they sacrifice the success of their careers for love? It's obvious that the lives of these women will entwine at some point but exactly how this happens is not obvious. It's a story about the strength of the female character and not just about the men they meet. (LF)

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The Big Love - Sarah Dunn (2004)

Newspaper columnist Alison Hopkins thought she and Tom were a happy couple until he went out for mustard just before a dinner party and didn't come back. Instead he rings to say he is in love with his college girlfriend. Alison then loses her job and a fling starts dating her arch-enemy. Will she ever find romantic and professional fulfilment?

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The Big Shuffle - Laura Pedersen (2006)

Hallie Palmer, the oldest of 10 children, leaves college to take over as temporary head of the family, after the sudden death of her father and her mother's nervous breakdown. Despite the help of her two friends, Bernard and Gil, Hallie struggles to deal with the various family dramas, including her sister Louise running away with her boyfriend, and her own break-up with long-distance boyfriend, Craig. This is the third book about card shark Hallie but little reference is made to the two previous books Beginner's Luck and Heart's Desire, so you can just read this book on its own. It's a surprisingly good story about how a family deals with a tragedy and the strong bonds between its members. (XT)

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The Birds and the Bees - Milly Johnson (2008)

Romance writer Stevie Honeywell is counting down to her wedding, when fiancé Matthew goes away on a business trip. Then Adam MacLean, a big, loud, red-haired Scot, turns up on her doorstep, with evidence that his love Jo and Matthew have actually gone away together to Majorca. Stevie, who's heard all about Adam's abuse from Jo, can now see why her friend could no longer stay with this psycho, while Adam takes one look at the flour-splattered wreck of a woman and can understand why any man would leave her for his lovely Jo. But together they team up to wage some psychological warfare on the new couple. Single mum Stevie decides to let Matthew go without a fuss and she pretends to date Adam to drive them both wild with jealousy. So like the Scottish jig The Birds and the Bees, they all swap partners. And it's a dance where all four will discover that love can either sting you or be oh so sweet.

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The Birthday - Julie Highmore (2010)

It's Fran's 60th birthday. Her out-of-work son, Ben, is depressed and bordering on drug addiction while her daughter, Emily, is embroiled in an affair. Fran's husband Duncan, recently retired, is acting strange, recalling holidays to Florence they've never been on and talking about Alexa, whoever she is. It's not a family recipe for a good birthday celebration - as they all gather to celebrate, secret after secret tumbles out causing irreparable damage. The novel tells the story by dipping in and out of the past, revealing the secrets which emerge at the birthday. I found myself turning pages quickly trying to put all the pieces of the puzzle together but there are lots of nice twists and turns to keep you on your toes. (AB)

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The Birthday Party - Veronica Henry (2010)

Celebrity chef Delilah is turning 50 later this year so begins planning a big bash. Her husband, Raf, an actor and recovering alcoholic, is about to get his first big break in a long time. But can he stay out of trouble on the movie set? Delilah is a master of media manipulation but sometimes even she is unable to keep her daughters out of the spotlight. Coco is about to make her name on a TV drama; singer Violet has a new secret partner and lingerie entrepreneur Tyger has just married a rising rock singer in Vegas. This actually has a misleading title as most of the book isn't about the birthday party at all. But if you love reading about a flamboyant family told from each member's viewpoint, then this story full of secrets, rivalries and family crises may appeal. Regular Henry readers may find it has a bit too much bonk for their tastes.

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The Book Lover - Maryann McFadden (2012)

After Lucinda Barrett's young son dies, she gives up on the dream of being a mother. She is distraught when her attorney husband is arrested for stealing funds from his clients to fund his gambling habit. Left with nothing but her one remaining dream, Lucinda sets out to fulfil her hope of becoming a writer. As a self-published author, Lucinda travels to bookstores hoping to sell her book. Ruth Hardaday has been devoted to her independent small bookstore, The Book Lover, for more than 30 years. Ruth has lived a life full of shattered dreams and she is trying to bury her past. When Ruth discovers Lucy, she takes her under her wing. In return, Lucy looks after Ruth's son, Colin, who is a paralysed veteran of the Iraq war. As Ruth and Lucinda become closer, a lie that Lucinda is keeping threatens their friendship. It's a truly inspiring novel about forgiveness and faith in love. (AO)

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The Book of Jane - Anne Dayton and May Vanderbilt (2007)

Jane Williams seems to have it all - a dream PR job, the perfect Manhattan apartment and a guy she wants to marry - but she loses it all in a heartbeat and her life is suddenly worse than anything she could have ever imagined. Being down and out, Jane starts to wonder if God doesn't have something better planned for her. Maybe having it all isn't necessarily the best thing for her. This is a heart-warming tale of a girl who lost her way in the world and with a little help from above begins to find out what is really important in life. Based on the Book of Job in the Bible, its premise works really well and the book is filled with humor, heartache and self-reflection. (AS)

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The Book Of Love - Phillipa Fioretti (2010)

Lily, a self-professed wearer of vintage clothing, and Robbie, her boyfriend, run a second-hand bookshop in Paddington, Sydney. In a recent purchase of old books from Nairobi, Robbie discovers a rare French book of ancient Roman erotica. With only four copies of the book in existence, and an estimated value of $20 million, Robbie is determined to sell it despite Lily wanting to return the book to the Naples Museum in Italy from whom it has been stolen. When William, an attractive Russian who is employed by fine arts firm Weston's from London, arrives at the shop to retrieve the stolen art works, Robbie refuses to hand over the book and consequently disappears, taking both Lily's and his life savings with him. What follows is an enjoyable adventure complete with a few twists, which take William and Lily from Australia to Italy in search of Robbie and the book. (LM)

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The Book of Someday - Dianne Dixon (2013)

Livvi, Micah and AnnaLee are all searching for the same thing - peace. After growing up with a distant father and an abusive step-mother, Livvi wants nothing more than a loving family of her own. Micah, who has just received devastating news, is attempting to make amends for past grievances with the people in her life. AnnaLee is trying to keep her family together by helping her husband find a stable career and helping their angry, teenaged niece, Persephone, who is staying with them for the summer, see her potential as a young woman and artist. While working towards their respective life goals, these three seemingly unconnected women are also each haunted by a mysterious stranger in a silvery dress with pearl-button shoes. How do their stories fit together and who is this woman none of them can place? Very well-plotted with strong, distinct characters and storylines, The Book of Someday is an emotional story of finding love in the most unexpected places, with a bit of intrigue thrown in to keep the reader on her toes. (LEK)

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The Book of Summers - Emylia Hall (2012)

This debut novels tells the story of Beth Lowe who receives a package from her estranged mother in Hungary. Beth's parents separated when she was nine years old so she lived with her father in England and spent the summers with her mother in Hungary . That is, until her summer escapes came to an end when she was 16. Upon opening the parcel she learns that her mother, Marika, has died.The parcel contains a book of those summer visits to Hungary, compiled by her mother and sent to her by her mother's partner. As the story develops, family secrets are revealed which change Beth's life forever. I was somewhat disappointed by this book. The excellent storyline was spoiled by the over-descriptive narrative which made it very difficult to keep track of the story. But if you enjoy evocative prose, you may well love it. (BS)

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The Book of Tomorrow - Cecelia Ahern (2009)

Teenager Tamara Goodwin has had to pack up her life after the death of her father, and move with her mother to her aunt and uncle's place in the shadow of Kilsaney castle. When a travelling library visits the village, Tamara finds a padlocked leather-bound book. It's only a blank journal but when she goes to write in it, discovers that it now contains a diary entry in her hand-writing all about tomorrow. When the events outlined in the book come true the next day, she realises she can use the book to help her grief-stricken mother and uncover what her aunt Rosaleen is hiding. A wonderfully written and mesmerising story with layers of mysteries to unravel.

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The Bookstore - Deborah Meyler (2013)

Brit Esme Garland is studying art history at Columbia University. As she settles into school and her new life in Manhattan, she finds herself with a new boyfriend, Mitchell. Not soon after, she finds herself unexpectedly pregnant. The day she decides to tell Mitchell about the baby, he has some news of his own which leaves Esme reeling. As she tries to come to terms with being a single mother in a strange city, she begins working at The Owl, a small, quirky used bookstore on the West Side with an even quirkier staff and customer base. Esme begins to focus her energy on school and work, contemplating life with a baby, when Mitchell learns about the baby and charges back into her life. As they try to make a go of their relationship, Esme begins to feel more at home at The Owl and with its owner, George, and night manager Luke, whom she finds more and more interesting the more time she spends with him. Soon, doubt begins to cloud Esme's judgment on the path her life is headed with Mitchell. The Bookstore is a charming, delightful story with interesting characters and a real air of compassion and heart for books, bookstores and the people who frequent them. It's hard not to get swept up in Esme's world and her place in the new family she creates within the walls of The Owl. (LEK)

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The Boot Camp - Kate Harrison (2012)

The story centres around three women who could not be more different from each other who spend six days at boot camp using muscles they didn't know existed. Darcy joined boot camp after being a war reporter in Afghanistan. Her agent wants to show she's still got what it takes to be good at her job as a newsreader. Vicki is married to Dave and has two kids. She won her place after her sister entered her into a magazine competition because she thought she deserved some pampering time. She was expecting fluffy slippers and warm bathrobes. Then there is Steph who, after being dumped by her ex, feels she needs this boot camp to show him what he's missing out on. She is very clumsy and funny in all the things she gets up to but she can't help looking after everyone else. Of the ex-forces trainers, Staff Ryan is the sweet caring one while Staff Pepper takes no nonsense from anyone, particularly tardiness. This was a lighthearted read which has every funny moment spot on. (KD)

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The Botox Diaries - Janice Kaplan and Lynn Schnurnberger (2004)

In a world where cosmetic surgery is a must for women of a certain age, single mother and charity fundraiser Jessica Taylor is just hoping she'll age gracefully past 40. Her glamorous best friend, TV producer Lucy Baldor, though is trying everything to make sure she doesn't look any older - including taking on a famous lover. Amid returning exes, unrequited love, reality dating shows and flirtations with a boss, the women rely on their friendship more than ever to weather their mid-life crises.

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The Bow Wow Club - Nicola May (2013)

Ruby is recently widowed and doesn't think she can ever be happy again. That is until she meets Michael, who starts to fill the gap in Ruby's life. To try and come to terms with the death of her partner, Ruby volunteers at the BOWWOW (boyfriends of widows, wives of widowers) club. Here she meets a cast of characters who are all in the same boat. Over the course of the book she learns how to love again and learns that she will never be alone. This is an enjoyable sequel to Working It Out. (LL)

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The Boyfriend of the Month Club - Maria Geraci (2010)

Thirty-year-old Grace O'Bryan works at her parents' tourist shop in Daytona Beach. She has waited two months for Daytona's most eligible bachelor, Brandon Farrell, to ask her out. When he finally does, the date is a disaster and ends with Grace knocking over a pitcher of beer into Brandon's lap. Frustrated by her date, Grace and her girlfriends transform their boring book club into a boyfriend of the month club, where women come and review the men of Daytona Beach. Just as the boyfriend club takes off in popularity, Grace finds herself in the unfamiliar position of being pursued by two successful men. Brandon, her former date from hell, turns out to be a very nice guy who wants a second chance. And a fluke incident, that results in Grace having a chipped front tooth, lands her in the chair of sexy dentist Joe Rosenblum. Joe is perfect but Grace wonders if something is missing from their relationship. This is a hysterical novel about a woman trying to find the perfect man. Grace's close-knit family and friends serve as great secondary characters that add so much humour and love to this novel. (AO)

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The Boy Next Door - Josie Lloyd & Emlyn Rees (2001)

This story is written from the alternating perspectives of both main characters, Fred and his girl next door Mickey. It details their lives from the early 1980s to 15 years later, when they are leading separate lives, having lost contact after the death of Fred's father. Other than the people she sees through her flower shop, Mickey's social life revolves around her nine-year-old son, Joe. Single-handedly bringing up Joe, since Dan left her for his music, Mickey has given up any hope of finding love again. Fred is just weeks away from marrying his gorgeous girlfriend Rebecca when he runs into Mickey and starts rethinking his plans.(XT)

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The Boys' Club - Wendy Squires (2009)

Swearing, drinking, sexual harassment, drug abuse, stress and backstabbing - we must have entered a commercial TV station . . . Single mum Rosie is director of publicity at Network Six, the same position the author held for a year at Channel 9. When newspaper journalist Rosie went along to interview the legendary network chief, Keith Norman, she never dreamed she'd walk away with what seemed like a dream job. But having to have two mobiles switched on 24/7 to deal with the network's scandals is starting to take its toll. Especially since newly appointed newsreader Graham Hunt can't keep his pants zipped or his nose clean. Besides coping the daily, soul-destroying abuse from the very un-PC boys' club of executives, Rosie is barely seeing her four-year-old son Leon. She drops him off sick at day-care, she misses his birthday party, and even when she seems to have a few moments to spare she's found out shopping or sharing a spliff with her best friend, Lou. Many insiders have tried over the past few years but we're still waiting for a decent book about network TV.

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The Break-Up Diet - Annette Fix (2008)

According to Californian-based Annette Fix, the break-up diet 'occurs when a woman discovers she has been dumped by a man she loves more than life and chocolate'. Annette was working as a topless dancer to support her son Josh and her writing career, when her boyfriend Kevin rang to tell her their two-year relationship was over. With candour and humour, Annette details through journal entries how she loses her appetite before she dives back into the dating pool to find a man ready for happily ever after. Tongue-in-cheek recipes such as Guilt Stew, Adrift Soup and Sexual Stir-Fry are scattered throughout to add extra flavour. Annette is one tough cookie, who is willing to bare all literally as she fights to ensure life doesn't get her down. A memoir for those who've lived through the emotional turmoil of a painful break-up. My only problem with the book was a personal one - I just didn't feel any affinity or sympathy for the writer, which meant I wasn't rooting for her or felt she'd earnt a happy ending. But Fix's writing indicates she'd have a strong chick lit voice if she chose to write fiction in future.

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The Breakup Doctor - Phoebe Fox (2014)

Brook Ogden is living her life until everything blows up in her face. As a relationship coach she has worked hard on building up her client base. She arrives at work one day to find her building being demolished; her mother is leaving her dad; her latest relationship has ended with 'I can't do this anymore' and her newly purchased home is a rebuild nightmare. Step by step Brook must navigate all these obstacles to rebuild her life, including her friendships. Each step leads her closer to a different life and a lot of self-discovery. The authors takes you on a rollercoaster of ''oh no, don't do that' as Brook falls into a new job as the Breakup Doctor (a weekly news column) and new clients while recreating herself. Brook finds out a great deal about herself as she works with her clients and their messy break-ups. Each person she meets, she learns more about what she has done and this time she is ready to listen and learn. This is a funny novel that has the reader cheering Brook on the sidelines to make good decisions. However, to me the characters didn't come across as anything more than one-dimensional. Indeed the book felt like a screenplay that needed to be fleshed out by actors performing it on stage. (MS)

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The Brenda Diaries - Margo Candela (2011)

Brenda just finished college, and is indecisive about her future, but one thing she knows for sure is that she is an excellent temp. Outside of temping, she spends most of her time with her sort-of-boyfriend Jared and her mooching friend Maya. Unfortunately, there isn't much of a storyline here, more like daily diary entries (as depicted by the title) that sometimes bordered on mundane. The part that I didn't like was that the story was much shorter than I expected, because there are pages at the back of the book that depict tweets that mirror what you just read. (MD)

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The Bridesmaid Pact - Julia Williams (2010)

Around the time of Prince Charles and Diana's wedding, four young girls - Dorrie, Caz, Beth and Sarah - all promised to be each other's bridesmaids. All four one, and one four all. But they have never ended up fulfilling their pact. Caz, who vowed never to get married, somehow ended up in a Las Vegas chapel after a drunken night. She also fell out with both Sarah and Beth, and never ended up being their bridesmaids. Now it's Dorrie's turn to get married - and she's planning a Disney-princess-inspired affair. Will the girls be able to overcome their differences to all stand by her on her big day? And will she share with them her fears about her future? Meanwhile Sarah is wondering if her marriage has run its course and Beth is desperate for a baby. This is an enjoyable story about how friendship evolves through good times and bad. Readers will need to pay attention though as it does jump back and forth across time zones and from character to character.

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The Bride Hunter - Amy Appleton (2008)

Becca Orchard is known as the Bride Hunter, as she helps London's rich bachelors find the perfect wife. With psychology training behind her, she began her business after her boyfriend, Marcus, the boss of her head-hunting company, dumped then sacked her. Up to now she has a 100 per cent matchmaking record but her latest clients include Dwight, a divorced man looking for a sweet Scottish lass rather than a gold-digger; Edward, a shy banker who doesn't realise his boss has engaged her services; and Sam, her first female client who won't take no for an answer. Along the way she meets Adam. But is he a potential match for Sam or the man who will teach this love-shy Cupid to love again?

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The Bride Will Keep Her Name - Jan Goldstein (2009)

Madison Mandelbaum is about to marry the man of her dreams, British journalist Colin Wordsworth Darcy. However, five days before the wedding Madison receives an anonymous email saying "Do you really know the man whom you're saying I do to?" Armed with her two best friends, Kat (Katrina) and Abs (Abigail), her connections and a copy of Brides Weekly, Madison must do a bit of sleuthing and preparation to make sure that her wedding day goes smoothly as possible and that the man she is marrying is really who he says he is. A fun story filled with girlfriends, love and those up-and-down obstacles we love to read about - mixed with a mystery element. (PP)

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The Bride Wore Size 12 - Meg Cabot (2013)

Heather Wells is still working as an accommodation manager at a university and is stressing out about the new students moving in. There are still resident advisors to train, rooms to set up and not to mention a member of royalty is joining the university too. With so many things going on, it isn't long before something goes wrong. Something terribly wrong. A new student is found dead in the dorm room and now every single resident in the building is a suspect. And all at a time when Heather has her wedding coming up! Can Heather juggle her work and home life while trying to solve a murder? The only experience I've had with Meg Cabot is The Princess Diaries, which I read a long time ago, so I was interested to see how she wrote for adults. I have to say I enjoyed this book a lot but there were a couple of points where I thought things could have been a little better. Firstly, the build up to the solving of the murder was a little bit anti-climactic. There wasn't much of an explanation as to why what happened. Also, I found another resolution in the book to be a little confusing (that of the Prince) because it struck me as completely random and not explained enough. However, this could be, like always, down to reader interpretation. I enjoyed the writing style, it was easy to follow and nicely paced. Heather, as a character, was certainly strong and was more than happy to stand on her own two feet. My kinda girl! I often feel annoyed when authors portray women as weak and in need of a man to help them out but there was no danger of that happening in this book! But her fiance, Cooper, wasn't overly active in this book; the only times we met him were in the beginning and towards the end. The ending to this novel was sickly sweet (I loved it) and I'm sure that for fans of Heather they will be ecstatic by what happens in what is presumedly the last book in the series. (LL)

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The Brightest Star in the Sky - Marian Keyes (2009)

A mysterious presence has arrived at 66 Star Street in Dublin - a presence that is able to watch the lives of the residents unfold and determine whose hearts beat in synch. Music executive Katie lives on the top floor - she's about to turn 40 and is getting fed up with her boyfriend Conall's workaholic schedule. Taxi driver Lydia shares a flat with two Polish builders who have to suffer her abrasive personality and refusal to clean the house. It seems she has more pressing matters on her mind. Phone psychic Jemima lives on the first floor with her dog but her foster son Fionn soon moves in while he's filming a new TV gardening show. And the last residents are Matt and Maeve, who met at their software company and share their deep love with the wider world through their daily Act of Kindness. But they also share a secret that is slowly devastating their world. As usual, Keyes will entice you into the lives of her intriguing characters, revealing bit by bit their layers and history. While the mystery of the presence won't last until the end, this certainly won't stop you from speed-reading your way to the conclusion.

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The Bright Side of Disaster - Katherine Center (2007)

Jenny's fiance Dean walks out the day before she gives birth to their daughter Maxie. So Jenny is left to learn how to survive as a new parent on her own - including facing the sleepless nights, breastfeeding, explosive nappies and eating only foods that can be held in one hand. With her best friend Meredith also disappearing after admitting that she doesn't like babies, Jenny forges new friendships with a fellow new mum and the cute and helpful guy from next door. Will Dean ever come back - and does she want him if he does? A realistic, endearing portrayal of the early days of motherhood.

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The Bum Magnet - K.L. Brady (2009)

Have you ever been one of those girls who have been sat by yourself on New Year's Eve without anyone to kiss you when the clock chimes midnight? Or that you have more in common with Bridget Jones than you would wish? If so then you are in the same boat as Charisse Tyson. She has just hit the big 4-0 and has realised that her life in the love department is at a standstill and the only guys she has ever dated have turned out to be jerks, cheaters and liars. When Charisse, a real estate agent, receives a phone call from new client Dwayne Gibson, she accepts the job but what she didn't count on was the fact that he was single and yummy. Soon the two of them hit it off and they begin dating until she overhears a phone message on his answerphone - a woman saying "she's pregnant". Upset that she's attracted yet another player, Charisse soon finds herself on a mission to find "The One". Will Charisse find him or will she continue to bounce around her 40s trying to discover true love? This book spoke to me as we live in a society where more women aren't getting married until later in life and finding that you have to kiss a half-dozen frogs before finding Mr Right. (PP)

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The Butterfly's Daughter - Mary Alice Monroe (2011)

Abuela is desperate to make a road trip to Mexico to see her family for the last time because she fears she may not have another chance. Her granddaughter Luz, the more conservative one who pays the bills, wants Abuela to wait. When Abuela dies suddenly, Luz respects her last request of a road trip to Mexico in a VW bug to see the family and the monarch butterflies. Her first stop is not far from Milwaukee because the car breaks down. By chance she meets Ofelia, who is pregnant with her first child and has an abusive boyfriend. The pair make their way to Kansas City to stay with Ofelia's aunt who works at Hidden Ponds Nursery. While Ofelia is in the hospital giving birth, Luz stays with Margaret who also works at Hidden Ponds. With a new baby, Ofelia can't continue on the journey so Margaret instead becomes Luz's travelling companion. Will Luz be able to find her family? What will she learn from her journey? This is the first time I've read anything by Mary Alice Monroe - she is to be commended for the way she crafted the story about self-discovery around the migration of monarch butterflies. (JG)

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The California Club - Belinda Jones (2003)

This is the story of four British friends and a fiancee who head to California to meet up with another friend. Lara, who has to confess that she's selling up her mother's beloved B&B, is finding it hard hiding her feelings for long-time friend Elliot. Especially since he has just got engaged to the annoying and smug Elise, who's also along for the trip. Wannabe actress Zoe has stars in her eyes and thinks heading to LA could be her big break while Sasha is adrift in the world after giving up modelling. In the US, they discover that their highly organised friend, Helen, has become a much more chilled-out surfer chick with a boyfriend and she reveals it was the California Club that changed her life. The others decide to see what the mysterious club can do for them, and have to spend a week living out their wishes. A humorous and uplifting story, perfect for your own holiday.

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The Camera Never Lies - Tess Daly (2011)

British gal Britt Baxter is offered the opportunity of a lifetime, to star as the cover girl of a new label - the only catch is she has to sleep with the label's boss. But the strongly principled Britt, who has a boyfriend Alex, turns it down and soon finds herself in Japan. The one place on earth that models go when they can't get work. But even here things don't work out the way Britt hoped and when tragedy strikes at home, she hops on a plane back to the UK. While waitressing at a PR party, Britt is noticed by a news producer of breakfast TV show Rise and Shine. Has Britt's dreams finally come true or will she discover that being on camera isn't all it is cracked up to be as she lands herself deep in the world of celebrities, divas and nosy paparazzo. Written by the presenter of British TV show Strictly Come Dancing, this is a fun look at the behind-the-scenes life of a TV presenter and what it takes for some stars to make it to the top of their game. (PP)

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The Carrie Diaries - Candace Bushnell (2010)

This prequel to Sex and the City follows Carrie Bradshaw during her senior year of high school in Castlebury, Connecticut. Castlebury is a small town and Carrie has known her group of friends her whole life. Carrie and her best friend, Lali, decide that they need to get boyfriends during senior year, but the only new boy is Sebastian Kydd, who lived in Castlebury years ago and whom Carrie fell in love with when she was 12. Now that he's back and every girl wants him, Carrie is sure she doesn't stand a chance. When Sebastian decides that he does in fact want Carrie, things change. For one thing, she's considered a boyfriend stealer because the most popular girl in school, Donna Ladonna, was dating Sebastian first. Even worse is the fact that Carrie is harassed by Donna and her clique while Sebastian revels in the girls fighting over him. Meanwhile, Carrie has issues at home - specifically with her younger sister, Dorritt, who has taken to colouring her hair blue and stealing things to get attention. Plus she has to deal with her dad telling her to go to Brown when all she wants to do is become a writer. While her father dismisses her writing as a hobby, Carrie meets a handsome tour guide at Brown who offers to help her with her writing. He also offers her the opportunity to spend the summer in NYC. Before she can take him up on the offer, she needs to perfect her writing and what better way than to write for her high school paper, The Nutmeg. Although, she decides to use a pen name, Carrie's articles are a hit and have the whole school talking. This book gives a real glimpse of Carrie as a teenager. She's vulnerable and a little rebellious but there are pieces of her youth that have had a telltale effect on her life as an adult. Even though there is no Mr Big in this novel, Carrie does find a relationship that is similar with Sebastian. It's fun, entertaining and you won't want to put it down until you find out who Carrie meets in New York. A definite must-read whether you're a Sex in the City fan or not. (AS)

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The Castaways - Elin Hilderbrand (2009)

The Castaways are a group of eight close-knit friends from Nantucket. When Tess and Grey McAvoy die in mysterious circumstances while celebrating their anniversary, each person left behind must deal with myriad emotions ranging from grief and shock to guilt and regrets. Andrea, Tess' closest cousin, finds it the hardest to deal with the tragedy and begins neglecting her own family and the two children Tess left behind. Meanwhile her policeman husband Ed, also known as The Chief, is determined to uncover the truth about their deaths. Addison, who's married to Phoebe, struggles with losing his future with Tess. This story is told from the perspectives of each Castaway member and revolves around the events preceding the deaths and the aftermath. It is a compelling read as you get to understand the complex and overlapping relationships of the characters and how they struggle to move on from their pain and loss. (XT)

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The Celebrity Mother - Deborah Wright (2010)

Karina is a washed-up girl band member whose love affair with bad boy rocker Liam is all over. Hoping to catapult herself back into A-list status, Karina decides to adopt an Indian orphan (Angelina's already covered Cambodia, Ethiopia and Vietnam; and Madonna's done Africa). Travelling to Delhi with a magazine journalist to capture the moment, she becomes guardian to 10-year-old Devika. As she helps Devika settle into English life - and survive bath time - Karina finds herself back in the limelight - scoring a reality TV show, a children's book deal and playing host to the celeb yummy mummy crowd. Even Liam is back. This is a lot less frothy than you'd imagine. Told from the viewpoints of both Karina and Devika, this delves into their emotional journey as they settle into their new roles. Will make you think twice, whichever side of the fence you sit regarding celebs adopting from poorer nations.

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The Chalet Girl - Kate Lace (2007)

Millie Braythorpe is working the ski season as a chalet girl by day and a singer at night. Estranged from her family, she falls for one of the guests, Luke, but their path to love doesn't run smoothly after she believes he has betrayed her.

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The Charm Bracelet - Melissa Hill (2012)

Holly O'Neill's most prize possession is her charm bracelet. The charms have mysteriously always appeared when her life takes a significant turn. When she discovers someone else's charm bracelet in a Chanel jacket at the vintage store where she works, she embarks on a journey to reunite it with the owner. Using the charms as clues, she tries to unravel the life of the owner. At first you wonder how in a city as big as New York, it would ever be believable that Holly could track down the owner of a bracelet by just the charms. But the charms are cleverly so unique, that it is totally believable and you soon get sucked into Holly's magical quest. This is a charming and entertaining novel, and I couldn't put it down. And the ending is fantastic. (AB)

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The Chocolate Lovers' Club - Carole Matthews (2007)

Temp worker Lucy Lombard can't live without chocolate so she forms a group with three other addicts - Autumn, Nadia and Chantal - which meets regularly at a cafe called Chocolate Heaven. Chocolate helps the four women deal with life's problems, such as a crush on a boss, a drug-dealing brother, a gambling husband and guilt about infidelities. The sequel is The Chocolate Lovers' Diet.

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The Chocolate Lovers' Diet - Carole Matthews (2007)

The women of The Chocolate Lovers' Club are back. Lucy's boyfriend Aiden (aka Crush) has gone missing in Australia, and she thinks he's seeing another woman. Autumn's relationship with co-worker Addison is going well but her drug-dealing brother Richard is back from 'rehab' in the US, and is in trouble with some very unsavoury sorts. Nadia and her son are living with Chantal but thinking about giving her gambling husband, Toby, a second chance. And Chantal is trying to speak to her husband Ted - especially after she has some unexpected news - but he's avoiding her. Love the opening line: ìThere are two types of women, I've found. There are those who are addicted to chocolate and there are bitches.î But even though I am a chocoholic, even I found the chocolate references too frequent - these women would even self-medicate their leg falling off with a bite of chocolate-covered peanut brittle.

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The Chocolate Run - Dorothy Koomson (2004)

Deputy film festival director Amber Salpone doesn't like commitment. She's the type of person who works out what type of chocolate people are - in fact she's shown more commitment to chocolate than any man. So when she falls into bed with a friend, the womanising Greg - and he announces that she's the love of his life - Amber's wondering what she's got herself into. And she's definitely not letting their best friends Jen and Matt know about the relationship.

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The Christmas Cookie Club - Ann Pearlman (2009)

Meet the Cookie Club: Every year on the first Monday of December, Marnie and her 12 closest friends get together for a wonderful night of sharing stories and enjoying homemade cookies. Taking a leaf out of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, The Cookie Club has a set of eight rules which each member must abide by and each year the opportunity arises to welcome into the group someone who will be named "The Cookie Virgin of the Year". This year some of the members have experienced huge changes in their lives. Marnie's daughter Sky is trying desperately for a baby while her youngest is pregnant to a rap singer called Speech Intent. Jeannie's father is having an affair and her best friend Rosie knew about it. Rosie wants to have a baby but her husband Ken says he's already Been There, Done That. And Laurie's finances have taken a turn for the worse after adopting a Chinese baby. Can these women get together once again and prove that no matter what may happen now or in the future, that they are all there for one another? With each chapter starting off with a recipe, this is a sweet read about bonding over cookies, stories and each other's sisterly love. It shows how one tiny ingredient, such as this annual get-together, can play a significant part in someone's life. (PP)

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The Cinderella Deal - Jennifer Crusie (1996)

Daisy Flattery is a modern-day hippie. She barely scrapes by selling her paintings and spends her free time rescuing animals. Linc Blaise, her uptight neighbour, is finally close to attaining his dream job of history professor. The only hitch is a conservative member of the hiring team is highly suspicious of single men. Linc concocts a plan to bring Daisy along as his fiancee to his final interview. In exchange for Daisy's cooperation, Linc agrees to pay her back rent. The plan goes perfect until Linc is hired and shows up without Daisy. He is immediately informed that he will never make full professor without her. So a determined Linc shows up at Daisy's door and asks her to marry him. They only need to stay married for one year and Linc will pay all of her expenses so Daisy can concentrate on her painting. Daisy drinks a bottle of wine, shrugs her shoulders and they are suddenly pronounced man and wife. Daisy and Linc are excellent at the charade. Daisy spends her days painting and flirting with the local vet, while Linc teaches and writes. However, after months of pretence, they both realise that they might have feelings for each other. (AO)

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The Cinderella Effect - Miriam Morrison (2009)

Wannabe artist Lila has just broken up with her latest fiance - there's been a few - when her family's dilapidated mansion is picked as the location for her famous godfather's next play. Hired as Julian's assistant, Lila is thrilled to hear that Hollywood heart-throb Mitch Clayton is set to star. But as rehearsals for A Midsummer Night's Dream get underway, Lila learns that Mitch is quite shallow and can't even remember her name, while his persecuted stepbrother Johnny is a far more attractive package. But anyway she's sworn off men for now as part of her life-changing Four-Point Plan. Meanwhile Johnny needs to overcome his stage fright and stop being his family's doormat. Told in alternate chapters from Lila and Johnny's viewpoints, save this for those days when you want a light read with a fairytale ending.

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The Cinderella Moment - Gemma Fox (2006)

Single mother Cass is on her way to a job interview when she meets a charming guy on the train. She doesn't end up getting the position but her brief encounter with the other passenger certainly leads her into a lot of trouble. There's an embezzler on the run, an irate wife who thinks Cass is the mistress, a private investigator is on her tail and some burnt investors are more than keen to use some muscle to get their money back. From kidnappings, break-ins and other sinister activities, this may not sound like the stuff of a great chick lit read, but trust me it is.

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The Cinderella Pact - Sarah Strohmeyer (2006)

Nola Devlin and her friends make a pact to lose weight and transform themselves after they are refused a window seat at a restaurant. They intend to follow the weight-loss tips offered by Sass magazine's advice columnist Belinda Apple. But Nola, an editor on the magazine, knows the tips are not the answer - because she has a secret identity as the trendy and thin British advice columnist and made them up herself. Now Belinda is taking over her life, with her sister making the agony aunt her maid of honour and eligible bachelors wanting to date her.

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The Cinderella Rules - Donna Kauffman (2003)

Once upon a time there were three fairy godmothers who run Glass Slipper Inc. Their fun business is to help people discover who they really are and find them someone special to share their lives with. Darby is sent to the team by her sister for a makeover that she doesn't want. So far she has managed to avoid her father's world, comfortably living in Montana. But now she has to fit into the D.C. social scene. Throughout the story, Donna Kauffman keeps us on our toes as we cheer for Darby and fall in love with the godmothers. Meeting not one but two men, Darby is sent on a mission to discover the truth. The twists and turns of the plot keep you guessing until the end. This fun and exciting read, with loveable characters, is one you will not forget. (MS)

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The Coffeeholic and the Cafe - Elizabeth Martin (2010)

Claire's life in Melbourne is not going well. Her boyfriend has dumped her and she is between jobs again. On a dreary morning she has an epiphany after searching the job ads. She realises that she is a coffeeholic and her destiny is to set up her own coffee shop in Cairns! She moves her life to Far North Queensland and works for Maria on her isolated coffee plantation while making plans to open the best coffee shop in the area. She undertakes endless research by visiting the competition and drinks copious amounts of coffee. She lives in a dumpy, old caravan under the watchful eye of Maria, her son Daniel and the handsome farmhand, Bruce. But does she have the skills to make a success of her newly established cafe? Can she find love in the wilds of the Far North? This is a simple, uncomplicated story and if you enjoy coffee you'll want to sit down with a steaming cup while reading it. (LF)

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The Collector - Nora Roberts (2014)

Lila is a professional house-sitter living all over the world in a business she has built. She stays at high-end homes while their owners are away on vacation or travelling for work. She has always loved to people-watch in each new place. While in New York, she is watching the people in the building across the street. She begins to get to know their movements. One night she sees a woman hit before plunging out of the glass windows to her death. This sparks the beginning of a mystery for Lila as she comes forward to the police to share what she witnessed. A chance meeting with Archer in the police station begins an international chase with romance, heat, mystery and love. Nora Roberts hits another novel out of the park. It's a wonderful read and I could not put it down. (MS)

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The Comeback Girl - Katie Price (2011)

Eden's successful career as a pop star went off the rails after she repeatedly showed up late or not prepared. After not being there for her own mother's death, Eden falls off the radar and needs to work hard to get her career back on track. The only problem is she'd rather shop (above her budget) than go to meetings or into the studio. Enter Jack Steele, a scruffy yet sexy songwriter who is supposed to help Eden get to the top again. But Eden finds him infuriating. When she is asked to be a judge on the reality singing show Band Ambition (for Katie Price readers that's the competition singer Crystal was involved in), she jumps at the chance and even though getting involved with a contestant is completely wrong, Eden can't help but fall for Stevie. She's so smitten that she believes he is "The One", but is he really the right man for her? With a glittering pop princess as the main character and a great set of supporting characters, this novel is a must-read for any celebrity-addict. This is the first time I have read a Katie Price book. For a celebrity novel - admittedly written by a ghostwriter - it actually surpassed my expectations by hooking me in. (AS)

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The Compromise - Zoe Miller (2013)

Juliet, Rebecca and Rose have a close-knit friendship that spans decades. When Juliet dies under suspicious circumstances, Rebecca and Rose's lives are changed forever. Her death brings unwanted attention on Rose, who has secrets to hide, and her husband Matthew's fledgling political career has just gotten a lot more promising with Juliet out of the picture. Rebecca is worried about her troubled daughter Danielle, and as she discovers more about Juliet's death it becomes apparent that she didn't know her friend as well as she thought. This is a real page-turner, as you are thrust into the action from page one, when a passerby spots Juliet at the bottom of the cliff. As the story progresses, there is an underlying current of suspicion as there appear to be plenty of people with suitable motive for wanting Juliet out of the way, but I was kept guessing until the end. There are plenty of secrets revealed, fingers pointed and unpredictable twists which made this novel a very entertaining read. My only criticism is that the book is divided into two parts, with the first being from Juliet's point of view, and part two from Danielle's. I would have preferred part two to have been from Rose or Rebecca's point of view, since Danielle lived in Rome I felt she was a bit detached from the action and it would have been more interesting from a more central character's perspective. However that is just down to personal preference, and overall I really enjoyed this book. (LO)

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The Consequences - Colette Freedman (2014)

Following on from The Affair, this sequel tells the story of what happens after the end of an affair - from the perspectives of first the mistress, Stephanie; then the husband Robert; and finally the wife Kathy. The scene is set one snowy Christmas, when Kathy turns up on Stephanie's doorstep, having discovered her husband's betrayal. After the confrontation, Stephanie tells her lover to stay with his wife. Will he? And can Kathy ever trust him again? The three narrators generally go over the same scenes, which allows readers to see how each reacts to events. It is a hard narrative to pull off -but ultimately Freedman does - although the repetition of dialogue meant I often skipped passages. Overall it's the sort of book that will keep you up well past your bedtime, with a satisfying ending. Even though it's a sequel, it works as a stand-alone too (I hadn't read the first novel).

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The Control Freak Chronicles - Sarah Tucker (2009)

Helena Treadwell has worked hard to get her life sorted since divorcing her control freak husband Leonard and moving to her hometown of Castleford with her son Freddie. But things start to unravel when she loses her radio presenting job, her beloved father is seriously ill and Leonard announces he's moving to town, with the other woman that Helena has never met. Helena gets the opportunity to produce a TV documentary on why Castleford produces such well-rounded individuals and finds herself drawn to its director Will. The story examines control freaks in all guises from parents, bosses and spouses, as Helena deals with why her ex still yanks her chain.

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The Cougar Club - Susan McBride (2010)

Kat decides it's time to make a change. So in a spur-of-the-moment decision she leaves her boyfriend and New York and moves back home to St Louis where she finds out it is harder to start over at 40 than she thought. Elise is in a rut - she has just watched her son leave for college and she realises, too, that her life needs a change. Her husband, Michael, barely looks at her anymore and she feels like she has no life besides her son and her job as a dermatologist. Then one day at her office she runs into an old friend who is 10 years younger than her. Carla has it all - she is a top reporter and everyone knows her name but since she is pushing past 40 she is well aware that her ex-husband may be trying to get a younger person to take over her anchor spot. This is a great tale - amid all the sex, lust and deception these three women may find out all they have is each other to get through their mid-life crisis. (CG)

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The Country Escape - Fiona Walker (2014)

Kat is running from and for her life as she escapes to the country where she uses her nursing skills to assist an elderly woman, Constance, in her final years. Constance leaves her a broken-down part of the estate and the animals who live there in an air-tight will that the family cannot break. Kat takes the challenge and cares for the animals that were so much a part of her friend's life. As Kat struggles, famous film star Dougie is also struggling with his choices in life. Engaged to two Hollywood stars and unable to commit to them, afraid that his acting skills are not as solid as he thought, he turns to running Constance's estate for the new owner, Seth, a dotcom billionaire. He is wowed by the beauty of the estate and stunned by his attraction to Kat. Still nursing his mental wounds from Hollywood, he begins to heal as he runs the estate. Seth, meanwhile, is trying his best to find a wife and please his family. An arranged marriage is something he has been fighting for years. Determined to make a success out of the large estate by attracting people to hunt game and play cricket, Seth demands much of Dougie. Will Seth accept an arranged marriage? Will Dougie go back to being a film star? Will Kat complete her dare? I was disappointed in this book, having read The Summer Wedding and loved it. The Country Escape brought in a few characters from the previous book but that couldn't save it. It had too many storylines and not enough passion. The characters were not well developed so I didn't feel a solid connection with any of them. This disconnection made the book move slowly and my interest waned throughout. (MS)

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The Cradle Snatcher - Tess Stimson (2009)

Sometimes you read a book which is nothing like what you expected from the back cover blurb. That is exactly what happened in this case but it made it a much stronger book as a result. Clare thought she would have her twins, spend six months at home with them and then return to her flourishing chain of boutique flower shops. But from the moment she gives birth on the street, nothing goes to plan and Clare, who didn't have the best role model for a mother, finds she can't cope. So she hires a nanny to look after her babies - even though younger husband Marc would prefer her to stay home. And nanny Jenna is looking for a live-in post in order to get away from her abusive boyfriend. Told in the Stimson style of multiple narrators who often overlap on events to give a different perspective - this riveting read is her best yet.

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The Cubicle Next Door - Siri L. Mitchell (2006)

Working as a computer administrator for the US Air Force Academy, Jackie Harrison has been leading a mundane life until her office is split into cubicles and new history instructor Lt Col Joseph Gallagher moves in next door. Despite Joe's friendly attempt to know more about her, Jackie finds it hard to trust him and starts to vent her frustrations and growing feelings about him on her online journal - The Cubicle Next Door. What she doesn't expect is to see her blog featured on television, which results in an increase in the number of hits and draws the attention of her cubicle mate. Will Joe realise that Jackie's the one who's writing the blog and will Jackie learn to let go of her past and let love in? (XT)

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The Cupid Effect - Dorothy Koomson (2003)

After departing London to follow her heart's desire to become a psychology lecturer, Ceri D'Altroy moves to Leeds vowing to leave her matchmaking ways behind her for good. Unfortunately, all she seems to do is inspire the new people she meets to change their lives and no one who comes into contact with Ceri is ever the same again. Is it possible that this unsuspecting young woman is a modern-day Cupid? With a plotline that initially shows huge potential, this book unfortunately fails to hit its mark. A disappointing read. (KC)

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The Curvy Girls Club - Michele Gorman (2014)

When friends Katie, Pixie, Ellie and Jane decide to relish life instead of attend depressing Slimming Zone meetings each week, they do so by forming The Curvy Girls Club, a group devoted to enjoying life no matter what size you are. With Katie as its president, The Curvy Girls Club takes off and becomes a real enterprise, with paying members and widespread recognition. However, when Katie begins to drop weight and experience life as a thin person, Pixie, Ellie and Jane wonder if she is really the right person to represent a group devoted to larger-sized women. I really enjoyed this story. The characters are diverse, yet endearing and completely real; I know someone like each one of these women. Their struggle with weight and acceptance is universal and to read a story about great friends helping each other through their ups and downs is really heartwarming. (LEK)

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The Dashwood Sisters Tell All - Beth Pattillo (2011)

Ellen and Mimi Dodge recently lost their mother. Her dying wish was for her daughters to return her ashes to her native England. Before they can receive their inheritance they must complete a walking tour of Hampshire in the hopes that they will come to love Jane Austen the way she did. Neither is looking forward to spending a week together. They have never been close and their mother's illness made their relationship even more strained. Mimi wants to get this over with so she can get her inheritance while Ellen just wants to move on with her life. Once in England the girls receive a package from their mother containing what may be Cassandra Austen's diary which details all of her sister Jane Austen's secrets. While Ellen and Mimi try to authenticate the diary and solve the riddle within its pages they find that their mother may be doing some match-making for her daughters from the grave. They soon find that someone on the walking tour does not want the diary in their possession and will do whatever it takes to get the diary for themselves. As Ellen and Mimi read Cassandra's diary they learn that Jane may have based the Dashwood sisters on her own relationship with Cassandra. This modern-day telling of Sense and Sensibility is a nice departure from the typical Pride and Prejudice-inspired books. The Dodge sisters have romantic issues just like the Dashwoods and Austens before them. This book shows that the issues that Jane Austen wrote about and faced herself are still relevant 200 years later. (AR)

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The Darling Girls - Emma Burstall (2012)

When world-famous conductor Leo Bruck dies, he leaves behind three grieving women with a mass of unanswered questions. Victoria, the mother of his two children, sees herself as his rightful widow and is relying on a legacy to keep her children and herself comfortable. But when she begins to uncover some shocking secrets from Leo's past, she wonders if she ever really knew him at all. Maddy has been Leo's mistress for eight years, and they have a daughter together. She seems to be an independent woman, with her life sorted, until she gets involved with Victoria's teenage son, and her hard-earned security begins to fall apart. Cat had been Leo's lover for just a year, but as she is already coping with her sick mother and troubled childhood, she takes Leo's death quite hard. And when tragedy strikes her again, she finds it hard to hold it together. The three women are brought together by Leo's death, but can they move on with their lives or will they continue to be under Leo's control? This was an interesting take on adultery, viewing it from the perspective of wife (in all but name), mistresses and the children involved. It delved into how infidelity can affect so many lives in varying ways, and made for an interesting read. The three women involved with Leo are left to pick up the pieces of their lives after his death, and explore exactly what he meant to each of them. As we watch the story unfold, it is touching to see their friendships blossom even under impossible circumstances. An inspiring story of how unexpectedly good things can arise from bad situations. (LO)

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The Dating Detox - Gemma Burgess (2009)

Sass, a nearly 30-something Londoner, likes to drink, party, flirt . . . But when she is dumped for the sixth time - after catching her boyfriend shagging a Pink Lady lookalike at a theme party - she decides to embark on a dating sabbatical. No dates, no flirting, no men. Meant to last three months, she instead finds her life going so well without the distraction of dating - her advertising career has never looked so good - that she decides to extend it. The only problem is she's since met Jake, who could very well tempt her to break her self-imposed man ban. This has been justifiably compared to a post-credit crunch Bridget Jones. With its amusing break-up stories, a collection of mad-cap friends who deal with work and relationship woes, and a romantically challenged heroine many will relate to, this one's worth well missing a date to stay home to read it.

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The Day You Saved My Life - Louise Candlish (2012)

Alexa and James are in Paris for their fifth wedding anniversary. She is on a mission to put the spark back in their marriage. Joanna has won a trip to Paris and takes along her daughter Holly and two-year-old grandson Mikey. She hopes the trip will spark something in Holly who is suffering from severe post-natal depression. When Mikey falls overboard during a river cruise along the Seine, James jumps overboard to save him. This courageous act has repercussions for them all. Past histories are revealed as relationships unravel and reform. This is another gripping page-turner from Candlish with dark undercurrents.

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The Dead Wife's Handbook - Hannah Beckerman (2014)

When Rachel Myerson dies unexpectedly at the age of 36, she finds herself alone in a place beyond death, watching on as her husband, Max, and seven-year-old daughter Ellie try to carry on with their lives without her. And whilst these moments give her valuable access to the two dearest people in her life, as well as her other beloved family and friends, they also make her acutely aware of all that she's lost and is missing. But as Max and Ellie begin to move forward, Rachel must come to terms with them building a future without her. This book is an absolute cracker, but be warned, from the very first page through to the last you'll be fighting back the tears. Indeed, it is certainly an emotional journey, but one that is so adeptly delivered and that makes you feel more alive and grateful for having experienced it. And the wonderful perspective of hearing the heroine, not as the one left behind but the one leaving behind, and the poignancy of her predicament is truly exceptional and profound. This is one of those rare, special books that has the power to completely affect you. Surely destined to be an enormous hit. (JC)

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The Debutante - Kathleen Tessaro (2009)

When Cate arrives back in London, she's hoping to leave her New York life far behind by living with her aunt, Rachel, and doing some work in Rachel's antique appraisal business. New York was not good for Cate. She lost herself, her vision as an artist and everything she ever knew to be true. Rachel helps Cate by giving her an assignment which takes her to an old home in Devon called Endsleigh House, where the famous Blythe sisters lived. Lady Irene Avondale had recently passed away and her sister, Diana, disappeared in 1941. Cate and Rachel's sole employee, Jack, work tirelessly to catalogue all of the items in Endsleigh for sale. Cate stumbles on a beautiful locked room which contains a mystery. In the room, Cate finds a shoe box filled with mementos from a former life. There are a pair of delicate silver shoes, a stunning Tiffany bracelet and a photo of a handsome sailor. Did they belong to Lady Avondale, the sensible Blythe sister, or were they remnants of Diana "Baby" Blythe's short but wild life? Cate finds herself on a mission to find out the truth behind the items in the box and while doing so she also unravels some truths about herself as her life and the debutante's life in question seem to run parallel. Though there are some quite explicit sections, it's a book you don't want to put down. It's superbly written with letters from the Blythe sisters interspersed between each chapter. It takes you back to a time in the 1920s, 30s and 40s when life was so different yet so similar to life today. This is one novel that will surely leave a lasting impression. (AS)

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The Debutante Divorcee - Plum Sykes (2006)

Sylvia Mortimer is on her honeymoon in Careyes, Mexico, (unfortunately her husband Hunter had to return to work) when she meets Lauren Blount, who is celebrating her divorce. The two become fast friends and join in a whirlwind of parties and trips, including heading to Moscow to buy jewellery for the rich but unGoogleable Giles Monterey. With rumours swirling that Hunter is having an affair, Sylvia has to decide whether to subscribe to Lauren's 'Who needs a husband anyway?' philosophy - or stand and fight for her man.

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The Department of Lost & Found - Allison Winn Scotch (2007)

Natalie Miller is a workaholic political aide to the senator of New York. One day her boyfriend discovers a lump in her breast and it turns out to be stage 3 breast cancer. Her boyfriend leaves her and her life is turned upside down. While recovering from her chemotherapy rounds, Natalie becomes addicted to The Price is Right and decides to start tracking down all her past loves and assessing what went wrong. This is a fantastic book that reads like a memoir. The author handles the topic of a young woman with cancer with humour and hope. (AO)

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The Desperate Bride's Diet Club - Alison Sherlock (2012)

Violet's about to get married to the man of her dreams but she wishes she was the weight of her dreams, then she'd never have to worry about Sebastian running off and leaving her. Desperate to drop the clothes sizes before she becomes a bride, she joins a new diet club called New You. The only good thing about the diet club is that it comes with new friends, extrovert Kathy, mum and daughter Maggie and Lucy, and Edward the man who loves his pints and kebabs. With all of them tackling their own problems, as well as their waist lines, they soon start to help each other along. But will Violet reach the size of her dreams, and will losing weight magically solve all her problems? This book is almost like the reading equivalent of comfort eating. It's warm and cosy, you're drawn to the characters, and it's an easy read. I did feel bombarded with characters in the first few chapters but that isn't true of the rest of the book. It soon slows down and you start to keep track of everyone. If you've ever felt the strain of the diet then this book will probably having you laughing out loud. (AB)

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The Desperate Diary of a Country Housewife - Daisy Waugh (2007)

This book is based on the Country Mole column that ran in Britain's Sunday Times newspaper. Freelance journalist Martha Mole longs to bring up her children in fresh air and green fields. So they sell their London home and head for a village in England's south-west. With her husband Finley still working in the city, Martha discovers that the locals aren't really all that welcoming, the Dream House needs lots of repairs, and she's got a big crush on builder Darrell. She begins writing a newspaper column about her experiences - hoping the women at the school gate don't find out. A cautionary tale for cityslickers who are dreaming of a treechange.

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The Desperate Wife's Survival Plan - Alison Sherlock (2013)

Charley Summers lives in the most gorgeous house on the block with a husband who brings in oodles of money for Charley to buy anything she wants. Never in her worst nightmare did Charley imagine that one day they would be bankrupt, homeless and her husband would turn out to be a cheating bastard. Now there is only one way for her to survive - and that is to get a job. She starts working as a cleaning lady and the only thing which is keeping her from quitting is the support from her girlfriends. While Charley is working hard to repay her husband's debt, her best friends come out with a plan to give Charley a chance to use her skills at making the most scrumptious ice-cream and hopefully earn some extra money. Even after a disastrous start, Charley is confident she can pull off this new business. This is the first book I have read by Alison and I must say that her writing is delicious. I loved the way Charley's friends supported her through the rough phase while dealing with their own less-than-perfect lives. The protagonist has definitely come across as the strong and likable character who just doesn't know how to give up. (SS)

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The Devil Wears Prada - Lauren Weisberger (2003)

This is the quintessential boss-from-hell tale and became an international bestseller. Aspiring writer Andrea Sachs lands the job 'a million girls would die for' as a junior assistant to Miranda Priestley, the demanding editor-in-chief of fashion magazine Runway. Andrea's dream job is to write for The New Yorker but despite her lack of dress sense, a bout of dysentery in India and no time to eat on the job soon sees Andrea able to fit better into the magazine's world - and its designer samples. Andrea gets caught up working 14-hour days, trying to make sense of Miranda's usually unreasonable commands, from getting a yet-to-be-released Harry Potter book into the hands of her children to finding the name of a store where she once spotted a vintage dresser. Andrea barely sees boyfriend Alex or flatmate Lily but she's willing to stick at the job for a year so Miranda will recommend her for her dream job. It comes in as No. 1 on my list of Top Ten all-time favourites. A movie of the same name stars Anne Hathway as Andrea and Meryl Streep as Miranda. (Lauren Weisberger has a cameo appearance in the film and is briefly seen in the train scene with Miranda's twins.)

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The Devil You Know - Louise Bagshawe (2003)

Rose Fiorello grew up in New York and has a vendetta against Rothstein Realty, the company that years earlier forced her father out of business. Rose's situation is complicated when she starts to fall for the man who is the heir to the Rothstein fortune. Poppy Allen is a spoiled LA girl. She rebels against her parents and goes into the music business. She works from the bottom up and becomes a successful music manager. Her rock'n'roll lifestyle is threatened when she falls in love with a southern, conservative Senator. Daisy Markham was unhappy until she found herself through writing. She soon becomes an international best-selling author. She falls in love with her best friend, however, she doesn't tell him until he is happily married. This novel follows the life of these three women who, after discovering they are connected, unite for revenge against the person responsible for splitting them apart. (AO)

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The Diagnosis of Love - Maggie Leffler (2007)

American doctor Holly Campbell is at a crossroads in her life when she applies for a job in an English hospital. By leaving Pittsburgh and her potential boyfriend, fellow doctor Matthew, behind, she is following in her mother Sylvia's footsteps, who left her husband and small children behind when she went to medical school in Grenada. Holly still hasn't gotten over the recent death of her mother or the discovery of a letter from her Grenada lover. She's also hoping to figure out if she's still cut out for a medical calling. Then her twin brother's fiancee, Alecia, turns up unexpectedly on her doorstep, introducing her to a whole new quirky family. This traces one woman's journey to heal her past hurts. The author's own medical background ensures the medical scenes are realistically portrayed.

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The Difference a Day Makes - Carole Matthews (2009)

Amy and husband Will both work long hours for a TV company in London and their ever-reliable nanny helps raise their two children, Tom and Jessica. But one day, on the tube on the way to work, Will collapses and finds out he has a weak heart. It is enough of a near-death scare for him to pack in his job and pack off his family to the Yorkshire moors, where he buys a rundown farmhouse and starts filling the yard with unloved or past-their-prime animals, including a crazy hound called Hamish. Amy is not keen on this radical lifestyle change but is willing to stand by her husband as he follows his dream. And soon she finds herself really thrown into the deep end. Just don't leave the book lying around where Hamish could get it!

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The Dilemmas of Harriet Carew - Cristina Odone (2008)

Based on the Posh but Poor column in a British newspaper, Harriet Carew finds herself in one of the middle-class families affected by the economic downturn. The mother of three works part-time for a children's charity and is married to a travel writer, Guy. They don't own a car and are struggling to pay the private school fees and keep the au pair. Then Harriet bumps into James, the boyfriend she dumped at 18, and he's now a recently divorced millionaire ready to help out her charity. And he seems more than willing to rescue Harriet from her cash-strapped lifestyle. Meanwhile Guy is being seduced to host a TV documentary about safari hunters and is hardly bringing in any income. Yet another tale of a middle-aged mum tempted by infidelity.

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The Dinner Party - Jenny Ladner Brenner (2012)

Lanie and Miya have been best friends since middle school. Lanie is now 28, single, holding a steady job, and living in a rent-controlled New York City apartment. Miya is married to Jake - a successful, handsome chef - and has a glamorous career as a celebrity make-up artist. One night after a few too many drinks, Jake shows up at Lanie's apartment and they sleep together. Sure, Lanie met Jake first and later introduced him to Miya, but she never expected to sleep with him, she didn't like him - and the sex wasn't even good. Determined to keep their bad judgment a secret, Lanie takes a hard look at her life. She quits her job and quickly lands a new one - with a hot boss to boot, and starts dating a nice, simple, dependable guy. Will Lanie find her own happy - though guilty - ending, or will she clear her conscience and tell Miya what happened that night? A book full of betrayal, break-ups, make-ups, a surprise drug addiction, an unexpected pregnancy, and hot sex. I loved it, and want to read anything else Brenner can dish out. I'm waiting! (AV)

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The Dirty Girls Social Club - Alisa Valdes Rodriguez (2003)

Six Latina women - all former journalism/communications students at college - meet up every six months. Newspaper columnist Lauren discovers her boyfriend is cheating on her; TV news anchorwoman Elisabeth is about to be outed with her lesbian lover; singer Amber is ready to sign a record deal that she hopes will make her famous; mother-of-two Sara is pregnant again; magazine editor Rebecca's marriage just isn't working; while Usnavys is trying to find a man who matches her earning power.

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The Disappearance of Emily Marr - Louise Candlish (2013)

Tabby has arrived in a French coastal village, broken hearted and skint, with nowhere to stay for the night. After overhearing a woman's access code to her house, Tabby lets herself in. But the woman isn't heading off on holiday as Tabby suspected and instead returns to find Tabby asleep in a bed, like Goldilocks. Amazingly Emmie opens her house to the fellow Brit down on her luck and even finds her a job. But as time goes on Tabby begins to wonder what's up with the reclusive Emmie and starts investigating her background. With a slowly unravelling mystery told through parallel stories and a you'll-never-guess-it-in-a-fit twist, this gripping novel has such fascinating characters and masterful plotting, it will leave you musing long after you close the book. Just watch out for the abrupt ending.

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The Disengagement Ring - Clodagh Murphy (2009)

Kate O'Neill has just got engaged to workshop facilitator Brian but her close-knit family are less than impressed that she's settling down with an unsociable, skinflint "tree-hugger". So led by her actress mother Grace, the O'Neills plot to send Kate to Tuscany for the summer, convincing family friend Will to hire her as his rock band's chef. And since Kate has had a crush on Will for years, they are hoping he can lure her away from Brian. From a stag party that lasts for three days and sees the groom lose his hair, to a publicity-mad girlfriend being locked up with a lesbian for a reality TV show, this has many laugh-out-loud moments. If you enjoyed reading about Marian Keyes' Walsh family, then here's another madcap but endearing Irish family for you to fall in love with.

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The Dive From Clausen's Pier - Ann Packer (2002)

Carrie Bell's life is all planned out for her. She is supposed to stay in the small Wisconsin town she grew up in. She is supposed to marry her high school sweetheart, Mike, surrounded by her friends who have known her all her life. But Carrie is starting to feel trapped. Surely there is more out there for her. The only problem is, she is not sure how to leave. When Mike is paralysed after a diving accident, Carrie feels like she is suffocating. So she packs her bags and heads for New York where she is faced with a whole new set of challenges, including a new man in her life who is nothing like Mike. When Carrie returns home for a friend's wedding, she is confronted with everything she left behind: her friends she hasn't been there for and Mike. Will she stay in Wisconsin and try to put back what once was or will being back home make her want to run right back to New York? Throughout the story the reader can feel the very real emotions and moral complexity Carrie faces in making decisions that not only impact her life but the lives of those around her. (JE)

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The Divorced Lady's Companion to Living in Italy - Catherine McNamara (2012)

Marilyn's life falls apart when her husband leaves her. After a long married life together and two children, he trades her in for the younger, more gorgeous version of her former self. Marilyn's reaction is to flee - based on the memory of an old high school friend who travelled to Italy and married a stunning Italian man (allegedly) and lived happily ever after running an international English school. Marilyn has high expectations but experiences one disastrous event after another. This includes a number of sexual relationships upon arriving on Italian shores. Her association with Italy reads as a tawdry sex romp with one man after another and endless sexual references. She steals another person's clothes and part of her identity, has no job, and can't speak the language. She justifies her endless sexual encounters as making up for lost time and revenge on her husband who saw fit to screw everything with two legs whilet they were married. This story reads as if it is highly autobiographical; if not, it's great fiction. It is supposed to be a journey of one woman's self-discovery after the breakdown of a relationship, but really it is about running away, not taking responsibility and relying on sex and men to empower oneself. (LF)

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The Divorce Papers - Susan Rieger (2014)

Criminal lawyer Sophie stands in for a colleague to interview a woman seeking a divorce. She is reluctant to do so because she has no experience in matrimonial law, the case involves the daughter of an important client of her law firm and on a personal note she suffered through her parents' own divorce. Mia - humiliated when served her divorce papers at a high-profile restaurant - immediately warms to Sophie's no-nonsense approach and requests that she take on her case. With her husband Daniel, an eminent paediatric oncologist, having hired a notoriously ruthless law firm, Mia is willing to fight back hard to come out of the divorce with her head held high and win custody of their ten-year-old daughter, Jane. The story is told through a raft of documents, from emails and court documents to interview transcripts and case law. It also taps into Sophie's own life and experiences through emails to her actor friend Maggie and her work mentor David. But she doesn't actually have that exciting a life outside of work so it is Mia and her case that are the real interest here. Set in 1999 (not really sure why?), this book wins extra points for originality. But it loses them again for including far too many extraneous documents which I simply flicked straight past. All in all, it's an interesting case study into the divorce process of rich Americans, and will particularly appeal to aspiring lawyers, women looking for a guide on how to screw their husband, and those seeking a completely different read.

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The Divorce Party - Laura Dave (2008)

This story is told from the point of view of two women, Gwyn Huntington and her soon-to-be daughter-in-law, Maggie. Gwyn and her husband, Thomas, have been married 35 years but are about to divorce. Gwyn is planning an elaborate divorce party to celebrate the impending end of her marriage. Maggie is engaged to Gwyn's son, Nate, and is meeting his family for the first time at the divorce party. As the family converges at their home in Montauk, secrets about Nate's past threaten to destroy his relationship with Maggie. Gwyn slowly lets the reader see the true reasons for the divorce party and the hope she is still holding on to. This is a powerful story about the beginning and ending of marriages. (AO)

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The Double Life of Anna Day - Louise Candlish (2006)

Anna Day's boyfriend, Charlie, won't introduce her to his highly cultured and recently widowed mother, Meredith. So when Charlie leaves for a study program in the US, Anna hatches a plan to meet Meredith and win her over. Swapping her black advertising industry clothing for Laura Ashley florals, and nights at the pub for art gallery openings and Sunday tennis, Anna moves in on Meredith's turf - but without telling her about her relationship with Charlie. Her ultimate goal is to score an invitation to her 60th birthday party, where she'll be introduced to her son as the ideal girlfriend.

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The D Word - Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke (2011)

Jordan and Elle have both recently left relationships they felt were not working for them. Jordan divorced her husband, Kevin, with the hope of finding a more fulfilling life and Elle broke off her engagement to Chase feeling he was not the right person for her. When Elle starts dating Kevin, Jordan second-guesses her desire for their divorce and tries everything in her power to win him back. When Elle sees the lengths Jordan is willing to go to in order to put her family back together, she wonders whether dating a man with baggage is really worth it, and if Chase is, in fact, the one for her. Written from the points of view of both women, The D Word explores the conflict between what is comfortable and familiar and what you know in your heart to be true. (LEK)

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The Egg Race - Polly Williams (2007)

Also known as The Bad Bride's Tale

Thirty-four-year-old Stevie Jonson is not sure she's doing the right thing marrying Jez. But at least it will give her a chance to have babies before it's too late. As she lurches further along a doubt-ridden path, she runs into beautiful but shallow Katy Norris, who's desperate to get her boyfriend Seb to commit. To add to her confusion, Stevie feels there's still a spark with old flame Sam even though she's set him up with her best friend.

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The Embers - Hyatt Bass (2009)

Emily Ascher seems to have everything falling into place. As a successful public defender, she has not only found fulfilment in her job but also a man she truly loves. Yet the past continues to catch up with her as she struggles to deal with the emotional hurt and pain that follows her parents' divorce and the death of her brother, Thomas. Her mother Laura has since remarried but still grapples with mixed feelings about her ex-husband Joe. Once idolised by his daughter, Joe is no longer the famous playwright he used to be. Now he writes for a lifestyle magazine and spends his time listening to old tapes alone. When Emily decides to conduct her wedding ceremony on the site of their old home, the remaining members of the Ascher family are forced to revisit the tragic event that took place 15 years ago, hoping to find closure. This story of a broken family is an impressive read full of emotion. (XT)

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The Emergence of Judy Taylor - Angela Jackson (2013)

Judy thinks the worst when she finds a lump in her breast. But when she hears the word 'normal' as the doctor confirms her all-clear test results, rather than being relieved, she realises normal is the last thing she wants to be. So Judy makes plans to leave her music teaching job and her husband Oliver, to lead a more exciting existence in Edinburgh. Told in the third person, the viewpoint is mainly from Judy's perspective although occasionally another voice comes in, sometimes completely out of the blue. The wry observations are often spot on and her journey (some will call it inspiring and gutsy, others will call it plain foolish and selfish) is certainly not laced with sentimentality. While the theme of a woman being shocked into seeking a new beginning will resonate with many, this unfortunately did not emerge as a compelling read for me.

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The Engagements - J. Courtney Sullivan (2013)

This follows five central characters and spans the course of several decades. The common theme uniting these characters is marriage and everything it entails. We are first introduced to Frances Gerety, a young women working as a copywriter at an advertising agency in 1947. Frances penned the timeless phrase, "A Diamond is Forever", and her job is to convince women that a marriage proposal should include a sparkly diamond ring. Evelyn, a wife and mother living in the 1970s, is shaken to the core upon hearing the news that her son is leaving his wife and two children for another woman. James is struggling to make ends meet as an ambulance driver in the 1980s and fears that he will never be good enough for his wife. Delphine is beginning to realise that karma will indeed come back to haunt you after she leaves her husband for a young musician only to find herself betrayed and miserable years later. Finally there is Kate, who has never bought into the idea of marriage, but must set her beliefs aside to help her cousin plan the wedding of his dreams. The Engagements is beautifully written and truly draws the reader in. Each story stands on its own, and while some characters are more lovable than others, they are all fully developed and captured my attention. I enjoyed the fact that Sullivan was inspired by history and incorporated factual elements into the book. She also shed a different light on the wedding industry and tackled serious issues such as blood diamonds. As a result, The Engagements is not only entertaining but also thought-provoking. (LB)

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The Estrogen Posse - Sharon DeVita (2011)

When Ellie discovers her husband, Nicky, is having an affair, she confronts him. And ends up with no money, no car and no home for her son Joey. And when Nicky's mistress turns up dead, she becomes the prime suspect in a murder case. Ellie's best friend, Rina, is a high-flying businesswoman who has always put her career before her love life. So when she discovers she's pregnant, she has some hard decisions to make. Now that Ellie's life has been torn apart, all she has is her 'Estrogen Posse' to see her through - but will she be able to clear her name and get her life back on track? This is an interesting mix of chick lit and murder mystery. It took a few chapters to really get me hooked into the storyline, there were quite a few sex scenes in the beginning that put me off a bit. But once it got into the murder case, this was a very enjoyable book. There were some very enjoyable secondary characters like Gram Crackers and Nevins, and their humour really made the book for me. An inspiring story of a woman whose life has crumbled around her clawing her way back to the top. (LO)

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The Ex-Boyfriends Handbook - Matt Dunn (2006)

After 10 years of being in a relationship with Jane, Edward comes home to a letter from her saying she has packed up and gone to Tibet. He cannot believe that after 10 years he did not notice some sort of sign that his girlfriend was unhappy with him. She states in her letter that he is not the man she fell in love with and that he has let himself go. So Edward calls his best friend, Dan, to help sort himself out. He begins a rigorous workout routine to get him back into shape. He also starts calling another ex-girlfriend to see what she has to say about him after 10 years of not seeing each other. He has a couple of months to get himself together before Jane comes back to see him but will he want her after he goes through rediscovering himself? A great read from a man's prospective of a break-up. (CG)

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The Ex-Debutante - Linda Francis Lee (2008)

aka Tantrums and Tiaras

Lawyer Carlisle Wainwright Cushing has returned to her Texan hometown to deal with her socialite mother's latest divorce. Leaving behind her secret fianc� in Boston - he also doesn't know she's from an old-moneyed family - Carlisle is pressed into organising her family's 100th debutante ball. But with all the usual families snubbing the event, Carlisle (who still hasn't lived down the embarrassment of falling flat on her face during her own debut) has to recruit and train a band of unlikely candidates. And face her former crush, Jack Blair, across the negotiating table. Watch out for some mentions of the Willow Creek notables, from Lee's earlier novel The Devil in the Junior League.

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The Ex-Factor - Andrea Semple (2004)

Martha Seymore is a London relationship advice columnist whose boyfriend Luke tells her, while they are in bed together, that he has slept with another woman. So Martha dumps Luke and moves in with her new friend, Jacqui. Jacqui's partying ways introduces Martha to a whole new lifestyle of casual sex and drugs. She questions whether her new crazy lifestyle is as glamorous as she always imagined. As Martha answers her readers' letters, she starts to take her own relationship advice and re-examine some of her past relationships. Her relationship with an ex-boyfriend from high school gets particularly complicated when she learns that their love lives are more intertwined than she ever imagined. This novel is fast paced, however, the characters are annoying and forgettable. (AO)

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The Ex-Factor - Helena Frith Powell (2013)

When newspaper columnist Marina is asked to write about first love, she looks up her own first - and unrequited - love, Tom, from her college days. He is now a photographer based out of Rome. She writes a heart-felt piece about her infatuation, which is taken surprising well by her surgeon husband Mark, who was a part of the same circle of college friends. Meanwhile, famous designer Katie, who always had her eye on Mark, sets up a New Year's Eve reunion which brings old passions to the fore and Marina's friend, Ulrika, thinks a new set of boobs will free her from her unhappy marriage. This is a really entertaining story with lots of juicy insider media stuff, including a phone-tapping scandal thread. Warning: For those who may be sensitive to the type of language used in a newspaper office, passages of this book may offend.

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The Ex-Mrs. Hedgefund - Jill Kargman (2009)

Holly Talbott has it all - a great husband Tim and she feels blessed that she is able to stay at home with her son Miles and not feel pressured to work. She loves that her sister-in-law Kiki is her best friend and is able to confide in her. One day Kiki tells her that she is leaving her husband, Hal. So Holly is forbidden by Tim and her mother-in-law from speaking to Kiki ever again since she has betrayed the family. But Holly starts seeing Kiki secretly. One day when she is out with Kiki, Holly sees Tim in the arms of another woman. She is faced with a hard decision of living with his infidelities or divorcing him. At times the book is slow to get to the point and the diagrams are frustrating. But if you can get past that, the book does get better during the second half. (CG)

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The Ex-Wife's Survival Guide - Debby Holt (2006)

Artist Sarah Stagg's husband Andrew leaves her to be with his leading lady from the local dramatic society. Sarah finds one way to deal with the humiliations and trials of being a discarded wife is to keep busy. And so with her sons about to leave the nest on a trip to India, Sarah is roped into playing the lead in the Ambercross Players' next production. Will she fall for her leading man?

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The Fabulously Fashionable Life of Isabel Bookbinder - Holly McQueen (2009)

Having abandoned her book-writing dreams, Isabel Bookbinder is instead aspiring to be a top international fashion designer. Just as long as you don't need to actually know how to sew anything tricky - like a hem or sleeves. Still telling white lies and getting herself into all sorts of predicaments, Isabel tells her family that she's won a place at a prestigious design school. In fact she's working at a fashion magazine as personal assistant and general dogsbody to designer Lucien Black's famous muse, Nancy Tavistock. With her boss' fortunes on the decline, due to Lucien's disastrous Fashion Week collection, Isabel's busy dreaming up her signature look, deciding which celebrity will launch her perfume and wondering what her lawyer boyfriend Will is up to in the Cayman Islands. It's not all fair in love and fashion - and it seems someone is about to be stitched up. Even if you weren't impressed with Isabel Bookbinder last time, give this sequel a try, she's still as ditzy as ever but it's a much better book.

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The Fallback Plan - Leigh Stein (2012)

Esther has just completed a degree in film and after having no luck finding a job, she has done what many young adults do - she has gone back home to live while she decides what to do next with her life. Esther takes on a position as a babysitter to May - in the process becoming a friend to the mother Amy and a partner in crime with Amy's husband, Nate. But when her alliances crash, it will be the wake-up call that Esther needs to discover who she really is and what she wants out of life. The Fallback Plan is one girl's journey to self-discovery and along the way she tries her hands at many things as a fallback before the opportunity arises for the perfect job. This is an awesome and fast-paced novel which many teens and early 20-somethings will relate to, nodding and cringing at parts with Esther. (PP)

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The False Friend - Myla Goldberg (2010)

Best friends Celia and Djuna were the most popular fifth graders in their school. They were inseparable until one day during an argument they took a heated walk into the woods, and only Celia came out. Celia is now in her 30s and is still trying to piece together what happened to her friend. Was Djuna abducted like everyone in town thinks, or is there more to the story? Celia's boyfriend, Huck, wants to believe her but something about her version of the story doesn't add up. An interesting read but it had potential to be so much more. The book is more about friendship than mystery, and starts very slowly. (AV)

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The Fame Game - Lauren Conrad (2012)

Lauren Conrad is back with a spin-off from her L.A. Candy series. While there are some new faces and new twists, readers will recognise the main character, Madison, and her sidekick, Gaby, straightaway. However, the newbies include an extremely talented but struggling musician from Ohio named Kate, and a celebuspawn named Carmen. Between the four of them, there is enough drama to go around but reality TV producer Trevor Lord wants to create some drama of his own - and he doesn't care who gets hurt in the process. While Kate has met a great guy, Trevor wants it to look like Carmen is dating him, not Kate, and Madison's extremely dysfunctional family isn't off-limits either. The more drama that producers create, the better the ratings will be. But what about the girls' lives? Will they be able to withstand playing The Fame Game with a clever and manipulative producer such as Trevor? This is another great celebrity-related story but it seems a little bit too similar to the prior series. That being said, fans of reality TV (where nothing is really real) will get a thrill out of reading what really goes on behind the scenes - and coming from a reality TV veteran like Conrad, most likely what you're reading isn't too far from the truth. (AS)

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The Family Farm - Fiona Palmer (2009)

Izzy Simpson drives a Holden ute, is most comfortable wearing jeans and a singlet, her best friend is a kelpie dog called Tom and her hands are rough with calluses. The story picks up as Izzy is returning to Gumlea, her family's sheep and wheat farm in Pingaring, in south-west Western Australia, after working for the past two years as a farmhand over east. She has always dreamt of running her family farm but she has to convince her father Bill, who doesn't believe that type of work is for women. He is especially protective after losing his oldest daughter Claire in a farm accident. When Bill is burnt in a header fire, he leaves the boy-next-door Will in charge - the guy Izzy still hasn't forgiven for upsetting Claire before her death. Amid the romance, Izzy's fight to be taken seriously offers an insight into the heart of Australian farming - from the long hot hours at harvest time and rescuing stranded rams in torrential rain, to sharing beers at the pub below a gum tree and the community spirit which rallies when one of their own is down.

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The Family Fortune - Laurie Horowitz (2006)

Forever single is how Jane Fortune describes herself. Besides also being a perpetual daddy's girl, she notices herself aging quickly, with her 38 years seemingly meaningless. It seems the only thing which makes life worth living is being able to do what she loves - running her family's philanthropic institution since she has no need to worry about money. Until one day, when she does. At the drop of a hat, Jane Fortune loses her family home, her money and her first love. In this modern take on the classic Jane Austen tale of Persuasion, this story tells of a woman fighting for her identity when all that defines her has been lost. (SN)

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The Farmer Needs a Wife - Janet Gover (2009)

Magazine editor Helen Woodley is about to take Australian Life weekly and is pinning her hopes on a new series about bachelor farmers looking for love. Soon the replies from lovelorn men of the land come flooding in. There's Greg, who has had to take over the cane fields from his sick father but would prefer to be crafting jewellery. Cattleman Peter thinks the girl showing up on the mail plane is here to be a nanny to his two children. Winemaker Leigh is after a good man after her fiance dumped her. And horse breeder Matt is unaware that his daughter sent in his profile - but Helen may well keep him to herself. For those dreaming of hooking up with a rugged Australian bushman, read on for warnings about getting lost in the outback, raging bushfires and facing wild animals. A cute, easy read with perhaps just a little too much corn.

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The Fashion Pack - Marion Hume (2005)

English fashion reporter Red Harrison is sent to Sydney to launch the latest edition of top-selling fashion magazine Joy. Her two best friends, who she met in a stuck elevator after a New York fashion show, are also Joy editors - Brooke Lowell is in New York while Romily Ward helms Paris Joy. But Sydney isn't overly welcoming of Red, especially backstabbing colleague Sybilla who is after everything from her job to her husband. A very long read. British Marion Hume was fired from her post as Vogue Australia editor in the late 1990s after running foul of several Australian designers.

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The Fat Chance Guide to Dieting - Claudia Pattison (2011)

This introduces us to the world of weight loss, friendship and calorie counting. The three main characters are Holly, Naomi and Kate who are all prepared to work hard to cut out the tasty carbs just in time for the Slimmer of the Year awards. They all have more on their mind than just their waistlines - Holly craves more than carbs when newly engaged she gets hot and bothered when her boss is near by. Kate gets a surprise on her doorstep and a secret comes out, and Naomi finds herself giving in to an unusual fetish. Will the group meet their fate on the scales having achieved their targets or will temptation prove too much? I love books about losing weight and friendship so this fab book filled me up nicely. (KD)

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The Favours and Fortunes of Katie Castle - Rebecca Campbell (2002)

also known as Slave to Fashion

Katie Castle has worked her way into the job of her dreams, working for fashion designer Penny Moss. She snags not only a chic town house in London's Primrose Hill but also a fiancé in the form of the boss' son, Ludo. But a quick tumble with a delivery driver sees her lose her job, fiancé and flat in one foul swoop. Can Katie turn her fortunes around and manoeuvre her way back into the fashion world?

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The Fidelity Files - Jessica Brody (2008)

Who you gonna call if you suspect your partner is cheating? Still affected by her parents' divorce, Jennifer Hunter leads a double life. Her family and friends think she's an investment banker but she actually works as a "fidelity inspector" under the codename Ashlyn. That is she is hired by suspicious women to test if their partners will cheat or not. But it looks like her secret life will be exposed when a friend hires her to test her fiance and an angry husband is out for revenge. But perhaps with the arrival of potential boyfriend Jamie on the scene, Jen is ready to give up the business. With some unpredictable twists and intriguing cases, you'll be hooked. And the good news is the epilogue paves the way for a sequel.

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The Fidelity Project - Susan Conley (2009)

Creatives Max and Jax keep hearing rumours that their Dublin advertising agency is going to fold. So the girls come up with a plan to film a documentary based on the When Harry Met Sally couple interviews - to discover if long-term fidelity is possible. But sparks soon fly on the set as the pair have different opinions on the conclusion - American Max is the cynical one, while Jax is a hopeless romantic. But things get really interesting when their own romantic lives take centrestage - it is revealed Max has a husband Mike back in America and Jax, who has been engaged for years to Fergal who is working in Dubai, starts to fall for production man John Paul.

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The Finishing Touches - Hester Browne (2009)

Elizabeth (Betsy) is the little orphan Annie grown up, left in a marmalade carton on the steps of Lady Frances and Lord Pelham Phillimore's finishing school for girls in London. Fast forward 27 years, Betsy is working at a shoe shop when Frances passes away. Lord Phillimore invites her to come to the school and see if she can do something to save its fading fortunes. Horrified at the state of the school which is on the brink of bankruptcy, Betsy takes it upon herself to teach the remaining students the skills that may actually be helpful in life - from the essentials one must have in their handbag to how to look ab-fab for minimal costs. A perfect read for those wanting to see an old English finishing school being given a 21st century makeover. It's out with the table setting, white gloves and flower arrangements and in with eating sushi, managing budgets and mortgages and DIY manicures. (PP)

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The Fine Color of Rust - P.A O'Reilly (2012)

Loretta lives in the small Australian rural town of Gunapan, with her two kids Melissa and Jake, after husband Tony disappears from their lives. Three years later, Loretta is existing in a state between reality - a mother of two children - and her dream world where she meets a handsome man who will whisk her off to a better place after she drops the kids at an orphanage. The Fine Color of Rust tells the story of Loretta's up and down journey to save the local school from closure. In between writing letters to the government, Loretta tries hard to be a good mother. But what happens when her husband turns up with another lady in tow after years of no contact? Is this Loretta's time to get her revenge on Tony? This story shows readers what life can be like in a small town in the middle of nowhere - and demonstrates the importance of fighting for what you believe in. (PP)

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The First Affair - Nicola Kraus and Emma McLaughlin (2013)

Jamie has scored herself an internship at the White House. When the interns are called into action during a government crisis, Jamie seizes the opportunity to make her mark. And she also gets the opportunity to get up close and personal with the charismatic President Greg Rutland. And when we're talking up close and personal, we mean Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky up close and personal. When I first heard about this book, I presumed the authors would take inspiration from the late 1990s scandal and spin off into an entirely different story. But no. The story pretty much mirrors the ripped-from-the-headlines saga - from the stain on the blue dress, to the gifted tie, to the intern's past with another man. All that was left up in the air was wondering which of Jamie's confidantes would emerge as Linda Tripp. The pace picks up when Jamie finds herself hunted by the media and officials trying to bring down the president. It's an interesting enough read but no points for originality.

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The First Assistant - Clare Naylor and Mimi Hare (2007)

In the sequel to The Second Assistant, Lizzie Miller has now been promoted to first assistant to the head of a Hollywood talent agency. But it's not all smooth sailing as her replacement Amber can't be trusted and her boss Scott is more than happy to barter her services to a client for a Mercedes. Soon Lizzie finds herself with sunburn on location in Thailand, looking after teen actress Emerald. And her relationship with her producer boyfriend Luke seems to be suffering since he's on location in Prague filming with his predatory ex-girlfriend. Meanwhile her friend Jason, whose movie she helped get into production, is showing nerves as it readies for release. Is it time for Lizzie to step up again?

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The First Husband - Laura Dave (2011)

Annie Adams, a Los Angeles-based travel writer, has been happily living with her boyfriend Nick for five years. When Nick comes home and suddenly announces that they need a break, Annie is devastated. She makes a promise to become the opposite of how she's been. Days later, she wanders into a bar late one night and meets Griffin, a charming chef from Massachusetts. Griffin seems to offer Annie everything she was always looking for. Three months into their whirlwind romance, Annie is married to Griffin and living in Massachusetts. As she melts into Griffin's life, his family and his past, Annie begins to question her decision. When Nick reappears everything gets complicated. A wonderfully written story about how complex true love can be. Readers will love and applaud the couple standing at the end. (AO)

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The First Last Kiss - Ali Harris (2013)

This is the story of Molly Carter and Ryan Cooper's love. Told through a series of flashbacks to various moments in their past, as well as from Molly's present day life, it depicts all of the milestones in their relationship, linked to a kiss. Moving back and forward in time, we learn of how they fell in love and of the tragedy that tore them apart. This is a novel to gush over, both with praise and with tears. It is a truly amazing book that completely consumes you, but it should be said that this is far from the light and happy read of Ali Harris' first novel; rather it is emotionally tumultuous and heart-wrenching. Molly's actions sometimes frustrated me, making me wonder whether she deserved Ryan, but this is part of the story's wider message about making the most of love. The structure is hugely imaginative, original and dramatic and Harris' writing is really beautiful with lines whose force and brilliance resound beyond the page. At its heart it is a beautiful and powerful love story, something to savour and cherish. I have no hesitation in saying that this is the best book I've read in a long time, but also, I should add, the saddest. It is going to be a chick-lit classic. (JC)

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The First Wife - Emily Barr (2011)

Lily Button has been caring for her grandparents for years. Now they have both passed on, and she has to sell up their cottage. With no idea how to get on in the world by herself, she heads to the local Citizens' Advice Bureau, where she meets Al. He becomes a friend and Lily ends up moving in with a lovely family, and getting work as a cleaner. One of her clients is former TV star Harry Summer and his wife Sarah. They seem to have the perfect life but Harry returns from their holiday to Barcelona alone - Sarah ended it all by throwing herself into the sea. Lily's relationship with the grieving widower deepens but before she marries him she wants to find out what really happened to the first wife. This is a gripping read with wonderfully drawn characters in Lily - the naive girl who has been sheltered from life for years - and Jack, the New Zealander who has always wanted to travel to Spain. But many of the mysteries were too clearly signposted along the way, making most of the twists anti-climatic.

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The Fixer Upper - Mary Kay Andrews (2009)

Unwillingly and unwittingly embroiled in a political scandal, Dempsey Jo Killebrew is left broke and without a job. With few options, she decides to accept her father's offer to move to Guthrie, Georgia, to oversee the renovation of Birdsong, an old family mansion that he recently inherited. Arriving with the expectation of a quick and easy fix, she instead finds a run-down house that is still inhabited by a very stubborn and grumpy distant relative who refuses to leave. In addition to trying to fix up the house with minimal assistance due to the tight budget her father has given her, she is also spending her time trying to dodge FBI agents who are trying hard to pry information from her regarding her former boss. With the help of a southern lawyer and his very attractive son, she is trying to move on from her past and keep herself out of trouble. This is a great read full of humour and southern charm with a little bit of romance. (MF)

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The Flavours of Love - Dorothy Koomson (2013)

Saffron Mackleroy's husband, Joel, was murdered 18 months ago and, ever since, she has been struggling to deal with her grief in order to be there for her children, Phoebe, 14, and Zane, 10. But when Joel's murderer starts writing letters to Saffron and Phoebe becomes pregnant, Saffron's world threatens to implode. I've never read a Dorothy Koomson book and I must admit whilst the title and front cover are understandable having read the novel, for me they don't really portray the dark, foreboding, unsettling spirit of the book. Indeed, rather than a bright, light romance, this is a gripping, psychologically and emotionally intense novel that deals with murder, stalking and teen pregnancy. Koomson's writing is powerful and the way she gradually reveals the various pieces of the puzzle makes you want to read on. From the blurb and the title, I expected cooking to play a bigger role in the novel and whilst it did bring together elements of the story I felt at times it was a bit supercilious. I also felt that the outcome of Phoebe's pregnancy and the father of the child was slightly glossed over. But these are minor quibbles. Indeed this book is superb, and Koomson writes with particular accomplishment about Saffron's sense of loss and trying to hold together a family in the aftermath of such tragedy. And the pace and mood of the novel is wonderful: suspenseful and dramatic. It is a book that demands you to keep reading and holds you in its thrall until the very last page. (JC)

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The Flirt - Kathleen Tessaro (2008)

Olivia Bourgalt du Coudray and Leticia Vane are both disillusioned with love. Olivia is the second wife of playboy Arnaud who fills her days with meaningless social events. Leticia has remade herself from a plain Emily Ann into an elegant lingerie shop owner who eats only once a day and smokes the rest of the time. And she's very determined to keep any men in her life at a distance. This includes her latest lover, Hughie Armstrong Venables-Smythe, a struggling actor of aristocratic stock. Hughie answers an ad in Stage that asks for 'an attractive, well-mannered, morally flexible young man'. He becomes a professional flirt hired to charm women who feel neglected, unloved or unattractive. But things get out of hand when he employs his carefully honed skills on both Olivia and Leticia. It's the sort of story where you have to suspend belief in the characters and plot, but it may appeal to those who love classic old-fashioned romantic comedies.

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The Footballer's Wife - Kerry Katona 2008

Following on from Tough Love about glamour model Leanne Crompton, this book focuses on another model, Charly Metcalfe, who once dated Leanne's brother, Scott. She is now living with Manchester soccer star Joel Baldy. But amid all the wealthy trappings, Charly's life is hardly roses as Joel can't control his temper. Meanwhile Leanne's mother, Tracy, finds her sarky attitude comes in handy when she starts working as a debt collector for her son, Markie. A somewhat compulsive but trashy read about a bunch of rough nuts, with a mystery of the bleeding obvious variety thrown in. (Rumoured to have been ghostwritten by Anne-Marie O'Connor.)

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The Foster Husband - Pippa Wright (2013)

With Kate's marriage in tatters, she is back in Lyme Regis, living in her late grandmother's place. Her bossy younger sister, Prue, is getting married and since her fiance, Ben, needs somewhere to live - and she is certainly not going to live in sin - she demands that Kate lets him move in with her. The last thing Kate wants is someone leaving dirty dishes lying around and inviting his mates over to watch the game. So Kate decides to train Ben in the fine art of being a useful and caring husband. Meanwhile, Kate needs to work out what she will do next in life. The present-day story unfolds amid a series of flashbacks to Kate meeting husband Matt and working in the music industry. Indeed it is these flashbacks - with its clues as to why her marriage failed - that form the crux of the novel. The "foster husband" aspect seems more like a minor sub-plot. All in all, this is a solid story that may well be the author's best to date.

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The Fragment of Dreams - Phillipa Fioretti (2011)

In the sequel to The Book of Love, Lily and William are planning their new life together in Rome when Poppy, Lily's sister, discovers a letter sent to their deceased mother from a lady she later learns is her aunt. The letter leads to the two sisters locating an uncle and cousin living in Sydney that they never knew existed. Before William's departure to Rome, he and Lily visit her newly found uncle where William discovers a fragment of a valuable Italian frieze. Worth $4-5 million, William advises Stephen to arrange some insurance and a safety deposit box for the frieze. As William is about to depart at the airport, Lily's cousin Andy rushes in and accuses William of poisoning his father and stealing the frieze. Who should Lily believe? The man she loves or the cousin she is keen to get to know. In order to discover the truth for herself, Lily travels to Naples where more family secrets are uncovered. This was another enjoyable read which had me keen to read on, solve the crime and see whether romance would prevail. (LM)

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The French for Always - Fiona Valpy (2014)

Sara and her fiance, Gavin, made the decision to leave their comfortable life in the UK and are now making their dreams come true in France. They used their life savings to buy a wonderful chateau in a small French village in order to turn it into a thriving wedding venue. A lot of work needs to be done, but with enough weddings booked for their first season, Sara is excited and ready to turn their new business into a success. However, when Gavin suddenly decides to leave, Sara is left alone with no idea how to do it all on her own. And, without Gavin's financial help, Sara knows she will have to eventually sell her beloved Chateau Bellevue. The only thing left to do is try to make the absolute best of the five weddings still planned until the end of the season, to show everyone what she is capable of. The book has some amazing descriptions that immediately make it feel like summer: the descriptions of Chateau Bellevue, the surroundings, the small village and its inhabitants... The main character, Sara, was easily likeable, just like the supporting characters. The storyline, which revolves around Sara and her attempts to save Chateau Bellevue, was really enjoyable, especially because of the five weddings that are organised at the venue while the story enfolds. Each of the weddings featured a specific couple, all of them different from one another with their own background. Fiona Valpy's writing is great; well-paced, detailed and captivating. The French for Always is a wonderfully warm and thoroughly enjoyable read, and definitely the book to pick up if you are looking for a taste of summer. (JoH)

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The French for Love - Fiona Valpy (2013)

Francophiles will love this story of Gina, unexpectedly unemployed, suddenly single after her boyfriend cheats on her and the new owner of a ramshackle old cottage in France. After the death of her father and then her favourite aunt Liz, Gina decides to re-group and take a break from life whilst studying her Masters of Wine course. She anticipates after a break in France in her aunt's house, she'll sell it and move on with her life back in London. What she doesn't expect is to acquire quick knowledge about DIY, fall in love with Bordeaux, discover a family secret that has the potential to tear her mother apart or to meet the handsome Cedric. Whilst her grasp of French is good, there are some funny faux pas as she struggles to engage with the locals. Just when life has placed some unexpected obstacles in her path, it rewards her with the realisation that love is greater than work and family more important than anything else. Those who enjoy a tipple will like the detailed references to wine making. (LF)

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The Friday Night Knitting Club - Kate Jacobs (2007)

A club develops at Georgia Walker's yarn shop, as some of her regulars gather on Friday nights to knit and chat. They include Anita, who helps Georgia run the shop and look after her daughter Dakota; Peri, a pre-law student turned handbag designer; Darwin, a grad student in women's studies; and Lucie, a soon-to-be single mother who begins filming a video on knitting and the club. Georgia's world is rocked when first Dakota's father James returns into their lives, wanting to get to know his teen daughter; and then her former best friend Cat (now a rich but unhappy Park Avenue wife) hires her to make some clothes. But as it turns out, it is at this time of her life that Georgia needs her friends the most.

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The Frog Prince - Jane Porter (2005)

Once upon a time, there was a girl by the name of Holly Bishop who married the man of her dreams, Jean-Marcus. Or so she thought. Ten months later Holly is divorced after her Prince Charming ended up being a toad. Now Holly is hoping to start with a clean slate and begin writing the next chapter of her life. She moves to San Francisco where she gets a job as an event planner. No matter how hard Holly has tried to steer away from the fairytales of life, in her job she is faced with a fairy godmother for a boss and wicked witches in the corporate world who are trying to sabotage her every move. When she is pushed back into the dating pond, Holly realises that in order to find her happily-ever after, she has to kiss a lot of frogs. (PP)

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The Gap Year for Grown Ups - Annie Sanders (2008)

Music teacher Sarah has packed her children Tom and Claire off to university. And now she's feeling fed up with her marriage, her job - just everything staying the same. So she tells husband David that she needs time out, and heads to stay with her friend Nathalie in the south of France. There Sarah rediscovers her passion for the violin and starts dating a Frenchman. Meanwhile David is left coping with an empty house while Claire is having a hard time adjusting to uni life. With the pace picking up in the second half, this is a spirited tale about a mother who flew the nest.

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The Gatecrasher - Madeleine Wickham (1998)

Heard of Wedding Crashers? This book is the complete opposite - Fleur Daxney is a funeral crasher. Beautiful Fleur has a whole wardrobe dedicated to the colour black. Armed with a copy of The Times' obituaries and the help of her two gay friends Johnny and Felix, she gatecrashes the funerals and memorials of the rich and wealthy, preying on the rich men in their most vulnerable moment. When Fleur decides to attend the memorial service for Emily Favour, pretending to be a long-lost friend, she decides as usual to prey on the widower, Richard. However after spending a couple of weeks with him and his family, Fleur experiences something she hasn't felt before - is it love or guilt? As time wears on, Fleur is faced with the biggest decision of her life - is it her time to end her gatecrashing ways and settle down? (PP)

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The Gatecrasher - Madeleine Wickham (1998)

Heard of Wedding Crashers? This book is the complete opposite - Fleur Daxney is a funeral crasher. Beautiful Fleur has a whole wardrobe dedicated to the colour black. Armed with a copy of The Times' obituaries and the help of her two gay friends Johnny and Felix, she gatecrashes the funerals and memorials of the rich and wealthy, preying on the rich men in their most vulnerable moment. When Fleur decides to attend the memorial service for Emily Favour, pretending to be a long-lost friend, she decides as usual to prey on the widower, Richard. However after spending a couple of weeks with him and his family, Fleur experiences something she hasn't felt before - is it love or guilt? As time wears on, Fleur is faced with the biggest decision of her life - is it her time to end her gatecrashing ways and settle down? (PP)

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The Geography of You And Me - Jennifer E. Smith (2104)

When the lights go out in Manhattan and the elevator stops working, Lucy and Owen become stuck together in a very cramped space. Though they've seen each other before, they've never actually talked but now that it's pitch black and there's nowhere to go, they have a moment that will forever change the course of their lives. While Lucy comes from a rich family and has everything she needs in life, Owen doesn't. He has to care for his father after the death of his mother and most of the time he doesn't even know where he will live next. So when Lucy and Owen end up moving away from each other, they keep in touch via postcard. They're simple and sweet and a more intimate way to keep in touch than e-mail or text messaging which is too instant. But as time goes on, can they keep up the pretence that they are really meant to be together or should they just forget about each other and move on? From New York to Scotland to San Francisco, Lucy and Owen will take you on a journey of finding true love and finding yourself in the most amazing way possible. (AS)

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The Ghost of Greenwich Village - Lorna Graham (2011)

Eventual "Eve" Weldon may have a peculiar name but she's just your average woman trying to find her path in life. When she moves to New York in search of her mother's past, she doesn't know what she will find, but a ghost who wants her to write his life's work is not at all what she expected. Donald is annoying and sometimes bossy, but he's the only friend she has in the big city, so she puts up with him - even though he's only in her head. Then she gets a break as a writer for the morning TV show Smell the Coffee. The hours are gruelling and her work isn't appreciated by the show's hosts, but at least it's work and it pays her rent. Between her new job, Donald's persistent whining and her newfound fashion designer friend, Eve has her hands full. Somehow she still manages to wander the city and learn about her deceased mother. With a whimsical cast of characters, this story brings to life the iconic Greenwich Village in all its glory. It's a wonderful, spirited debut that shouldn't be missed. (AS)

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The Girlfriend Curse - Valerie Frankel (2005)

Peg Silver feels cursed because within six months of splitting up with her, all her exes have gone on to marry their next girlfriend. Thinking she needs a new start, the interior landscape designer leaves behind Manhattan to settle in the green fields of Vermont. But when her new peace on the range is shattered by a plague of mice, she heads for a retreat for people with relationship issues. At first embarking on a steamy and forbidden fling with fellow inmate Ray, Peg soon feels drawn to program leader Linus, who is definitely not available.

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The Girl in the Hard Hat - Loretta Hill (2013)

Wendy has arrived in the outback with one goal in mind - to find her biological father as she has just discovered that she was adopted. She finds herself work on a construction site as the safety and health manager and within her first week there, it seems she is getting on the wrong side of people since they need to buck up their ideas especially since the previous manager was a drunk who let a lot of things slide. Between her new job and trying to fit in and looking for a dad she doesn't really know anything about, there isn't much time for Wendy to have a social life. But that doesn't mean that love has given up on her as she captures the eye of Gavin - one of the engineers in Lena's department (the heroine from The Girl in Steel-Capped Boots). Gavin only tends to have one-night stands since he can't let anyone discover his secret but he finds himself falling hard and fast for Wendy. If you are looking for a strong female character, with a unique setting, then check out Loretta Hill's The Girl In The... series. (PP)

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The Girl in Steel-Capped Boots - Loretta Hill (2012)

Young engineer Lena has the chance to make her mark on a construction project in the Pilbara, in the remote north of Western Australia. Even though she is a city girl through and through, she finds herself on a dusty work site with 350 men and only a handful of other women, living in a dongar and wearing a bland uniform with work boots. She not only has to deal with sexist comments, wayward kangaroos and antagonistic co-workers, she is also fighting a growing attraction to the stand-offish client, Dan. But Lena is determined to show she's more than capable for the job. This debut novel was inspired by the author's own engineering experiences in the Pilbara - and offers readers an eye-opening insight into a scene that so few women will ever experience.

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The Girl Most Likely To - Susan Donovan (2008)

Kit returns to her West Virginian hometown of Persuasion, with her best friend Nola in tow, to berate the boy who broke her heart two decades earlier. Riley dumped her before she could tell him she was pregnant. So she hitchhiked out of town and brought up Aidan by herself. But now finding Riley on a construction site, she is shocked to discover that he already knows about his son. And he's just as angry with her. As the pair try to reconcile, they face several challenges - not least Riley's ex-fiancee, who just can't seem to take "I don't" for an answer, and Kit's abusive father Virgil.

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The Girl Next Door - Elizabeth Noble (2009)

The story revolves around a cast of characters who live in an apartment building in New York's Upper East Side. Eve and Ed Gallagher have moved over from England for his job and Eve's finding herself a bit lost without her friends, family and own job. But she finds some comfort in her friendship with elderly neighbour Violet and starts thinking now might be the time to have a baby. There's marriage problems lurking for some of the other residents, including Kimberley, who is an over-anxious mother to her IVF child Avery and is unaware her husband has his eye on the married woman across the hall, Rachael. But maybe there's also romance in the air as wealthy layabout Jackson Grayling III (aka Trip) finally gets off the couch to pursue fitness fanatic Emily. And shy librarian Charlotte is head over heels in love with one of the Cuban doormen. Warning: This one comes with a tearjerker alert.

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The Girls from the Revolutionary Cantina - M. Padilla (2010)

Julia Juarez, a Mexican-American sales rep at a security firm, is trying not to get distracted by her sexy co-worker Ilario, who caught her snooping around his office and hasn't made eye contact with her since. When Ilario and Julia's best friend, Ime, a real estate mogul, hit it off at a Cinco de Mayo party, Julia is inwardly crushed but wants Ime to be happy. When her working relationship with Ilario turns hostile, Julia starts to worry about the future of her career. Her closest friends are also under pressure: Nina, the most timid of them all, is preparing to marry a man she's not sure she loves; Concepcion, a rebel and a wild child, is developing an obsession for a handsome actor wanted for the murder of his wife; and Marta, elderly owner of the Revolutionary Cantina, is drawn into a wacky plot launched by Concepcion. I did not want to put this page-turner down, there is so much happening at once yet it all ties in brilliantly. (AV)

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The Girls' Guide to Homemaking - Amy Bratley (2011)

Juliet has always wanted nothing more than a home to call her own. As a child, Juliet grew up in a broken home, raised only by her grandmother Violet. When she finally moves into her perfect flat with her perfect boyfriend, things don't go as planned and soon she feels that her new home is also broken. When Juliet learns that her long-time boyfriend, Simon, has been having an affair with their roommate, Hannah, she throws herself into her grandmother's old homemaking books. This is the only thing that gives Juliet any solace as her life crumbles around her. When she meets Dylan, a TV worker, through work, she feels an instant connection with him. But does he feel the same? More importantly, will Juliet only end up with heartbreak once again? (AS)

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The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing - Melissa Bank (1999)

This book is a series of stories mostly taken from different times in narrator Jane Rosenal's life. It opens with her brother, Henry, bringing home an older girlfriend, who Jane watches for clues on how to fall in love. It follows Jane through several failed love affairs, including with a much older man Archie Knox; career crises in publishing and advertising; and the death of a loved one. The book has been critically acclaimed but it makes my Top 10 list of Most Disappointing books.

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The Girl Who Chased the Moon - Sarah Addison Allen (2010)

Upon her mother's death in a car accident, Emily Benedict returns to her mother's hometown of Mullaby, North Carolina, to meet her grandfather Vance Shelby, a reclusive giant. But Emily is immediately met with hostility and suspicion as her mother Dulcie left under a cloud after an ill-fated love affair with Logan Coffey. The do-gooding mother that Emily remembers is in stark contrast to the spiteful, spoilt teenager who caused so much hurt and misery. Emily finds that she has to overcome her mother's legacy and retrace her steps to gain the acceptance she needs and expose the secrets of the past to finally move forward in to the future. But all is not what it seems in Mullaby; against the guarded secrets, there is also magic afoot in the shape of ghostly lights, lost jewellery which is returned, and magical wallpaper which reflects the occupant's mood. Mullaby is a town with many skeletons; not just Dulcie Shelby's. Emily meets Julia; a troubled woman, who bakes magical cakes with the window open and Win Coffey, who feels a connection to Emily but whose wealthy family immediately take a dislike to Emily, because of the past actions of her mother. This was a stunning book. There were so many layers within it; the author uses magical elements to deal with very real subjects and shape the lives of the characters. Like the individuals within the story, the novel is quirky but delightful. It is a book about the past and how often the ghosts of those who have gone linger in the present, still colouring the opinions of those who remember them. It is a book of death and life both in terms of plot and metaphorically; dark and light, love and forgiveness. A highly imaginative, unusual and enchanting tale. (LP)

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The Girl You Left Behind - Jojo Moyes (2012)

Sophie Lefevre and Liv Halston are a lot alike, despite never knowing each other and being separated by a century. Sophie, a World War I victim of the German occupation in France, is willing to do anything at all to keep the things she loves as the Germans move in and take over her small town. As days turns to weeks, then months, Sophie realises that there isn't much she can do and her hopes of being reunited with her husband, Edouard, get slimmer by the day. The thought of never seeing her husband again causes Sophie to do a very dark and twisted thing that she may regret for the rest of her life. Fast forward to the current day, when Liv Halston finally meets the man of her dreams after her husband's death only to find out he wants to take the one thing that matters most to her: A painting called The Girl You Left Behind. The painting means more to Liv than anything else she possesses so to have it stripped from her is unbearable. However, the painting has a violent history that Liv is unaware of and as its history becomes known, Liv becomes public enemy number one. At the end of the day, Liv has to decide if fighting for the painting is worth losing everything else in life - including her second chance at love. This is a poignant novel that tells the story of a little-known piece of history. While I personally thought that Sophie's story was too long and involved in the beginning, I could see why it was so important to tell it in such detail as the story went on. Once again, Jojo Moyes has written a novel that will captivate you and make you laugh, cry and wonder how she makes writing such an amazing story seem so effortless. (AS)

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The Glamorous (Double) Life of Isabel Bookbinder - Holly McQueen (2008)

Isabel Bookbinder tells everyone she is assistant arts editor at the Saturday Mercury - even though her most responsible job is measuring how many column inches the big stories take up each week. But her real ambition in life is to be a best-selling novelist. She's got the swanky notebook, she's worked out the marketing plan for her bonkbuster, she's beginning to get her Look sorted - now all she needs is to actually sit down and write the story. When Isabel inadvertently triggers a political sex scandal, the paparazzi - and possibly MI5 operatives - are on her tail. Coming to her rescue is children's author Katriona de Montfort, who takes her on as her assistant. But it seems the plot that is Isabel's life is about to get even more twisted. A try-hard in the Shopaholic/Bridget Jones mould.

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The Glass Kitchen - Linda Francis Lee (2014)

Portia Cuthcart knows things. Like her grandmother before her, who ran The Glass Kitchen restaurant in Texas, she knows when something is about to happen by the images of a meal she is drawn to make. She doesn't always know if what's going to happen will be good or bad, just that she must make the food in order for the images to stop pestering her and the events to play out. This has not always been a good thing. In fact, Portia has tried to run from "the knowing" most of her life, most recently running to Manhattan after a painful divorce. Hoping to leave the knowing and cooking behind for good, she settles into the garden apartment of her aunt's brownstone and quickly becomes entangled in the lives of her upstairs neighbours, single-dad Gabriel, and his challenging daughters, Miranda and Ariel. With the knowing getting stronger, and the encouragement of her sisters, Cordelia and Olivia, Portia realises it's time to decide whether she has the strength to continue fighting the knowing or if it's time to follow it to her destiny. I loved this book. The richness of the writing, the magical story, and the diverse characters drew me in from the beginning. Although I had my doubts about the relationship between Portia and Gabriel at certain times throughout the story, I couldn't wait to find out how the story progressed and where all of these wonderful characters would end up. (LEK)

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The Glass Wives - Amy Sue Nathan (2013)

The sudden death of Richard Glass brings together his ex-wife, Evie, and his new wife, Nicole. Both women are struggling financially after Richard's death and Nicole suggests they should share a house. The new living arrangements cause a few difficulties though. The story is told from Evie's point of view and tells very poignantly how both families are forced to cope with such a life-changing situation. I was looking forward to reading this debut novel but I was somewhat disappointed as I found the plot slow and the characters difficult to get to know. (BS)

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The Glory of Green - Judy Christie (2011)

It seems that Lois may just be getting her happy ending as she and newcomer Chris enter into a three-month whirlwind engagement. As the date nears though, Lois is getting cold feet - not about the marriage but the division of her assets - what to keep, where to live. Is Lois really ready to take the plunge? As Lois and Chris make their way to the altar, chaos once again strikes the town of Green in the form of a nasty storm. Lois does what she knows best, heading to the local newspaper office to prepare for a special edition. It seems though, that even after all that has happened Lois can't escape from her past as old friends and enemies come back into her life. One of them offers Lois a big newspaper job. Is it time to move away from Green after all the trouble or will Lois realise that Green is now where her heart is? Be prepared to break out a box of tissues as this third book in the series has some weeping moments. (PP)

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The Goddess Rules - Clare Naylor (2005)

Artist Kate Disney is commissioned by legendary French actress Mirrabelle Moncur to paint a portrait of her pet cub. Mirri takes the opportunity to teach Kate some life lessons - such as how to dress properly, that there is no hope for her no-hoper boyfriend Jake, and that life is for flirting and adventure.

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The Goddess Village - Nuala Woulfe (2011)

A new eco-village in Ireland is attracting an eclectic mix of people to the town of Cloonsheeda. India has arrived with her Australian lover but things don't seem as rosy between them now that they've left the sun behind. Rita wants to reinvent herself but her traditional farmer husband thinks she's losing her mind. Anna has come to Little Cloonsheeda following a very public break-up, and Rebecca is finding life difficult juggling college and a pair of toddlers, so she enlists the help of au pair Liesel. As things go wrong for them, they are all drawn to seek help from the eccentric Demelza, who has opened the Goddess Sex Therapy clinic. As she guides them through their troubles, she changes them all in some way. But is it for the better? This was an interesting plot, focusing around the empowerment of women. I enjoyed Demelza and her eccentric ways, and Mossy the farmer added a splash of humour. As there were quite a few central characters there was always something interesting going on, and I found it hard to put down! Overall an enjoyable, feel-good read. (LO)

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The Godmother - Carrie Adams (2006)

Lawyer Tessa King has nothing tying her down - she's single, has just returned from a retreat in India and is without a job after quitting over her stalker boss. Even as godmother to four children, including teenager Caspar and twin babies Bobby and Tommy, she gets to play then hand them back. While her friends are envious that she can be a free spirit, Tessa finds herself brooding for their settled-down lives. Then her wish for domestic bliss is granted - motherhood could be hers if she wants it.

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The Good Divorce Guide - Cristina Odone (2009)

When Rosie discovers a suspicious message on her husband Jonathan's BlackBerry, he admits he has fallen for his blonde American colleague Linda. They opt for an amicable separation - for their kids' sake. Surely you can have a good divorce. Especially since Jonathan is more than willing to continue supporting Rosie and the kids, which means they don't have to uproot from their familiar surroundings. But with Linda looking to be friends, Rosie's lawyer looking for blood and Jonathan's baldness cure looking like a lawsuit in the making, perhaps a good divorce is too much to ask for.

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The Good Girl's Guide to Bad Men - Jessica Brody (2009)

aka Love Under Cover

In this sequel to The Fidelity Files, we are reunited with Jennifer Hunter aka Ashlyn, who is now running her own fidelity inspection agency. She may have retired as a field agent herself, but she oversees a team who go out undercover to see whether someone's partner is willing to cheat. Jennifer's handsome boyfriend, Jamie, has just asked her to marry him, on the condition that she promises not to go back to being Ashlyn. All is going well until one of her employee's assignments turns sour and Jennifer steps in to save the day. After completing the assignment, Jennifer feels a spark and she is left with the decision of turning her back on everything she has worked for or losing her husband-to-be for good. This is an edgy chick lit novel for those wanting that little more oomph. It's filled with courtroom divorce proceedings, adultery, fidelity and not to forget a wedding which isn't complete until you have encountered a bridezilla and a know-it-all, pushy wedding planner. (PP)

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The Good Luck Girl - Kerry Reichs (2009)

aka Leaving Unknown

Maeve Connelly believes she has rotten luck. It took her nearly eight years to graduate college and she still hasn't settled into a career. When she loses her job at the pub for running late yet again (her old banger of a car, Elsie, ran out of petrol), she decides to pack up and head across the country to Los Angeles to meet up with an old friend she reconnected with through Facebook. But her car breaks down in Unknown, Arizona, and the only mechanic for miles has just gone to try his luck in Vegas and no one knows when he'll be back. So Maeve moves into the local boarding house and gets a job in the bookstore. And so begins her fresh start at life, with a new cast of intriguing characters. A truly inspiring story that will entertain, captivate and bring on the tears. Watch out for the occasional appearance of her sister Vi, from Reichs' first novel The Best Day of Someone Else's Life.

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The Good, the Bad and the Dumped - Jenny Colgan (2010)

During a mountain hike, Posy's personal trainer boyfriend Matt pops the question. But not long after saying yes, Posy starts having doubts about her impending nuptials - and wondering whether she and Matt have enough in common to carry them through a lifetime together. With a psychotherapist mother vehemently opposed to marriage, Posy still carries baggage from her significant other relationships. So with the help of Facebook, Posy decides to track down her exes. As she secretly heads off to remote Scotland to see her college sweetheart Chris and catches up with the non-committal yet dashing Adam, Posy realises she really needs to find the guy who broke her heart - she still can't even bring herself to say his name. But as she spends time coming to terms with her past, it seems her future with Matt is on rocky ground. This is neither good nor bad. The plot didn't quite live up to expectations nor did Colgan's wit really shine through. But even though Posy is not a particularly memorable character, many readers may relate to the journey she is on.

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The Good, the Bad and the Ugly - Shane Bolks (2005)

When Rory Egglehoff's high school crush, Hunter Chase, turns up as a client at her firm, the Star Wars fan puts the Ultimate Jedi Plan into action to get him to notice her and take her to their school reunion. Trouble is she also has a boyfriend, Tedious Tom, who she just can't seem to break up with.

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The Go-to Girl - Louise Bagshawe (2004)

aka Monday's Child

Anna Brown is a self-described ugly girl living in London. She shares an apartment with two annoying models and works as an underpaid script reader. Anna's big break comes when Mark Swan, a sexy and powerful movie director, takes her under his wing. Anna is immediately attracted to Mark, however, her lack of self-esteem convinces her that he could never fall for a girl like her. So Anna starts dating Charles, a wealthy but unattractive man, who she feels no spark for. And when Charles proposes, Anna is torn whether to let Mark Swan know her true feelings or marry a man she feels nothing for. This novel has entertaining well-developed characters and the heroine reminds me of Bridget Jones. (AO)

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The Greeks of Beaubien Street - Suzanne Jenkins (2012)

Set in Detroit, this book tells the story of homicide detective Jill Zannos and her very close extended family living in Greektown. Extremely close to her father, Jill manages to combine daily meals with her dad in his shop with her busy life as a police officer. Jill's mother, Christina, died in a car accident when Jill was only eight on her way back home from visiting Jill's disabled brother who lives in a residential home. This book starts off with a homicide. Victim Gretchen Parker appears to have the perfect life - she was absolutely gorgeous and doted on by her parents. When she fails to return home from a date with boyfriend Mike, Gretchen's parents are rightfully concerned. Their daughter has never broken her curfew in all of her 26 years. Her father, a retired police officer, reports her as a missing person and both parents go in search of her. When Gretchen's naked body is found dead in an alley behind a hotel, Jill and her partner Albert Wong begin their investigation. At the same time as investigating Gretchen's murder, many secrets also come to light from within Jill's own family and from her relationship with her long-term boyfriend Alex. I couldn't put this book down - it had me hooked right from the first page. (LM)

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The Greatest Love Story of All Time - Lucy Robinson (2012)

Fran just knows that by the end of the night on her 30th birthday, her wonderful and talented boyfriend, Michael, is going to ask her to marry him. However, things don't go to plan and instead she finds herself in bed with a box of tissues and her cat, crying her eyes out for the foreseeable future because instead of getting engaged Fran has been dumped. Well, not technically "dumped" but instead told that she and Michael need a three-month break from each other. So after spending far too much time in bed crying over her lost love, Fran's friends decide it's time for her to start dating again. They propose the eight-date deal, which consists of Fran going on dates up until she meets Michael again in three months. She can meet the men in any way, but her wonderful friend, Stefania, thinks it's best if she starts online dating. In the meantime, Fran has taken to obsessively stalking a beautiful woman named Nellie and getting deeper and deeper into a hole of despair. Can Fran make it through eight dates -- some of which are so awful you'll want to shout at the men through the pages -- or will she only need one date to show her that Michael is still the man for her? With a hilarious cast of characters and some laugh-out-loud moments, this is a fun and escapist read. However, be aware that it's also rather crude in some parts. So if you like innocent, PG-rated novels, this one definitely isn't for you! (AS)

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The Guest Book - Marybeth Whalen (2012)

Macy is 24, a single mother (the baby daddy hit the road when daughter Emma was an infant), works as a clerk at a grocery store, and basically has her life's gear set on idle. She's in a perpetual state of waiting. She waits for Emma's father to come back (he does but is that what she wants?), she waits to get over her father's death 10 years ago, she waits for middle-of-the-night phone calls from her wayward older brother Max (he needs her to bail him out of one scrape after another), she waits for her mother to heal from grief, and she waits to find out the identity of The Artist, a boy with whom she began a correspondence of sorts in a beach cottage guest book when she was five. She drew a picture of some shells, and when she returned the following year, the boy had drawn her a picture. They exchange these drawings, along with photos of each other, for nine years. But with the death of Macy's father, going to the beach becomes too difficult for her mother, Max and her. Then Emma came along, and life sort of took off without Macy realising it. On the 10th anniversary of her father's death, Macy's mother announces that she has rented the cottage for two weeks. Macy greets the news with joy, if not a teensy bit of ambivalence. The baby daddy is back in her life, and she needs to decide what to do, and she's worried about the guest book. What happened to it? Can she find it? What happened to The Artist? This is a sweet, heartwarming book featuring rather chaste love scenes. Romance is almost beside the point here, anyway. What drives this book is Macy and her quest to be exceptional, even in a small way. (AP)

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The Guestbook - Holly Martin (2014)

Willow Cottage is situated in a gorgeous seaside village and is owned by the widowed Annie Butterworth. A multitude of eclectic guests walk through the front door and whether they stay for one night or seven, they all make an entry in the guestbook. Without any kind of formal narrative, we are able to learn about each of the characters through their comments in the guestbook. Annie's brother-in-law, Oliver, is a regular visitor and we see his and Annie's friendship blossom over the course of the novel. We are also privy to the thoughts of the cleaning lady, Sophia. The majority of guests who stay in Willow Cottage are using it as an escape from their problems and we get to find out all about the lives that they lead, whether they are ill, pregnant, on the verge of divorce and everything in-between! I haven't seen such a unique and well-executed idea in this genre for a very long time. The range of emotions I went through whilst reading this book was vast. I laughed, I smiled, I gasped and at points I even felt sad but the overall feeling of this book was one of joy. The main character Annie developed beautifully over the novel; she went from a seemingly lonely widow to a woman who didn't want to waste another moment of her life living in the past. Olly provided some fantastic comical moments and was also really protective over Annie and her cottage. The one thing I particularly loved about this book was the plethora of fonts used throughout. It made it instantly clear who was writing in the guestbook because each character had their individual font. This meant I didn't have to keep flicking to the end of each guestbook entry to see who was talking. The author managed to give rich descriptions of the location and characters without breaking the theme of the book. There were no added descriptions between entries; everything you learn about the location and characters is gathered through the guestbook entries. So very clever! (LL)

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The Guest House - Erika Marks (2013)

For many years the natives of a small Cape Cod town have watched wealthy vacationers take over their town in the summer. In 1966, wealthy southerner Tucker Moss broke the heart of hometown girl Edie Wright and started a feud between the two families. Lexi Wright, Edie's daughter, fell in love with Hudson Moss, only to also have her heart broken. Years later, Lexi returns to her hometown after studying architectural photography. Cooper Moss, Hudson's younger brother, hires Lexi to photograph his family's estate. Lexi's time with Cooper makes her question whether she fell in love with the wrong brother many years ago. The novel switches back and forth between Edie's and Lexi's stories, making it a beautifully written love story spanning generations. (AO)

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The Guest List - Melissa Hill (2013)

When Shane proposes to Cara, their happiness is short-lived when their families get involved in the wedding preparations. Everyone has different ideas of how the wedding should pan out, the when and where it seems isn't up to the bride and groom. Cara can see her dream wedding going pear-shaped as everyone lets her know what they want for her big day. When Cara and Shane announce their plans for a beach wedding, everything goes from bad to worse. Threats are made and secrets are revealed. One thing for sure is it's not going to be a plain-sailing wedding. Will Cara and Shane have their dream wedding? Or will their dream wedding turn into a wedding from hell? I have always enjoyed Melissa's books and this book continues that tradition. When you think you know what is going to happen, Melissa turns everything around and gives you a twist you don't see coming. Any reader that has been involved in a wedding will be able to relate to the arguments that can happen leading up to a wedding. I found both sets of parents to be quite stuck-up as well as stuck in getting their own way. With plenty of laughs along the way and an emotional twist, this book has something for everyone. (KD)

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The Guy Next Door - Meg Cabot (2002)

In this prequel to Boy Meets Girl, with the story told in email format, Melissa Fuller, social writer at the New York Journal, is almost on the brink of losing her job. One day she is late to work again (her 37th time this year) because she finds her elderly neighbour has been the victim of a violent intruder. She contacts the woman's nephew, Max Friedlander, to tell him to look after the cats and dog. Since Max doesn't want to end his vacation with a supermodel nor be written out of his aunt's will if she comes out of her coma, he asks a friend, John Trent, a crime reporter on a different New York newspaper, to pretend to be him and live at the apartment. What will happen when Mel finds out that the cute nephew isn't who she thinks he is?

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The Happy Home for Broken Hearts - Rowan Coleman (2010)

When Ellen Woods' husband, Nick, is killed in a car accident, she discovers he has left their financial affairs in a real state. Facing big debts, Ellen needs to find ways to save the house so she and son Charlie can continue to live in the home they shared. Her sister Hannah suggests she bring in boarders to help meet the mortgage payments. Her first lodger, Sabine, works with Hannah and is separating from her two-timing husband. Next comes Matt, a sexy writer for a men's magazine who details his exploits with women. And her third lodger is Allegra Howard, Ellen's favourite romantic novelist. Because Allegra has been struggling to finish her latest novel, Ellen takes on the position as assistant. Ellen learns that what she thought was a happy marriage and a perfect life wasn't at all and through the new people that come into her home she realises life can start over and she can become the woman she was always meant to be. (CG)

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The Hating Game - Talli Roland (2011)

Mattie Johns is a confident woman who prides herself on her tell-it-like-it-is personality. With her recruitment business on the verge of bankruptcy, Mattie jumps at the opportunity to star on a dating show in the hope of winning 200,000 pounds. During the first taping, it is revealed that the male contestants are actually former flames of Mattie. Mattie is especially horrified to learn that her ex-boyfriend Kyle, who she believes cheated on her and then stole her business clients, is one of the contestants. As Mattie steers her way through some ridiculous dates, she begins to wonder about her decisions in the past. If you sometimes question the authenticity of reality television, you will enjoy how the author portrays the behind-the-scene planning of the show's producers. (AO)

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The Heart Whisperer - Ella Griffin (2013)

Claire is turning 33 - the age her mother was when she died - and realises she hasn't really achieved much. She vows to spend the next year sorting out the mess of her life, being more like her mum, who was a doctor with a husband and two children. Claire is an actress who has been relegated to playing extra parts, she drives a clapped-out car and lives downstairs from her friend Ray, who was once in a well-known band but now writes jingles. Claire's love life isn't faring much better and she isn't close to her brother Nick, a marriage counsellor who appears on TV and radio, or her father, who dropped out of circulation when his wife died. Claire had always blamed herself for her mother's death and as the story evolves we find out why. This is a touching story as Claire realises her life isn't as big a mess as she thought - and her mother's wasn't so perfect.

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The Hidden Cottage - Erica James (2013)

Embroiled in family problems between her youngest daughter and her husband, disclosed at a birthday party for her oldest son, Mia Channing is once again the acting peacemaker. She longs to escape from what appears to be an idyllic lifestyle with three grown-up children that she adores and a successful husband. She realises that she needs to do something for herself at long last. When Owen Fletcher realises his boyhood dream of buying the neighbouring Hidden Cottage, gradually a friendship builds up and Mia's life changes in a way that she does not want to give up. She realises her life of compromise is deeply unsatisfying. This is a tender love story with family, relationships and responsibility at its heart. It's the tried-and-tested Erica James formula with characters that are endearing and believable and there are more than a few surprises and twists and turns that make you want to keep on turning the pages. (JH)

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The Hive - Gill Hornby (2013)

This story centres around the mothers of St Ambrose primary school, which this year has welcomed a handsome new principal, Tom Orchard. But the real power lies in the hands of Beatrice, the queen bee of the school mums and chair of the fundraising committee. Rachel finds she's on the outer, cast aside after her husband left her for another woman. Heather is desperate to belong and is willing to volunteer for anything; Georgie really can't be bothered getting involved, Jo is dealing with a depressed, out-of-work husband and new arrival Bubba is happy to throw her money around. With a real sting in its tale, this novel - by the sister of Nick - offers a satirical look at the power plays of playground politics, a sort of Mean Girls as mums. Bea is cast as the truly despicable villain, complete with bullying child, and it was her ridiculous antics that I enjoyed the most. The writing seemed disjointed at times, which caused my interest to wane, and some might find the bee motif overdone. But still worth a read if you enjoy stories about women behaving badly.

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The Hole in the Middle - Kate Hilton (2013)

Sophie Whelan is having a bit of a mid-life crisis. In addition to dealing with the normal issues facing working mothers, Sophie is also struggling with the reappearance of her former flame, Will. When he offers her the job of a lifetime, she begins to question the life she has chosen since moving on from Will and tries to figure out what really happened between them all those years ago. It took a while to get to the point of the book but once there, it was easy to become invested in what choices Sophie was going to make for her life. The Hole in the Middle will resonate with working mothers and anyone who's ever tried to figure out if she's on the right life path. (LEK)

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The Honeymoon Hotel - Hester Browne (2014)

The Bonneville Hotel is all Rosie McDonald has ever known. She's worked there since she was sixteen and thrives on her role as events manager, arranging the perfect wedding for her clients down to the tiniest detail. And after all the work she's put in, Rosie finally hopes to land the coveted general manager job, she just needs a few more weddings to reach her target. Unfortunately, when Joe, the free-thinking son of the Bonneville's owners, turns up unexpectedly, he's forced upon Rosie to shadow her, to learn the ins and outs of the hotel. Joe, however, can't help but put his twopennies worth in and suddenly Rosie's meticulous, ordered system is coming under attack. In the Bonneville hotel, Hester Browne has created a great setting, a central focus for the novel and a place you can really imagine. The writing is assured, with plenty of great one-liners and one of my favourite lines ever in: 'I never realized how like The Hunger Games weddings are.' At times the narrative jumps quite quickly and some of the climaxes are a bit underwhelming, so too to some extent is the central romance. But it's a solid chick lit read that you can relax with. (JC)

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The Honey Queen - Cathy Kelly (2013)

Lillie is feeling lost without her late husband, Sam. So her sons encourage her to travel to Ireland to meet her step-brother Seth, and find out about the woman who adopted her out all those years ago. Lillie's arrival in Redstone couldn't come at a more needy time. Seth is reeling from losing his job just after they bought a money-pit of a house. And his wife, Frankie, is feeling overwhelmed by life and can't work out how to handle her husband's despondency. Meanwhile, another new arrival to Redstone - Peggy - sets up a knitting store and meets a wonderful man in David. But things from her past have got her running scared of a serious relationship. With these and other characters' stories weaving together, this is a very satisfying read. All the storylines are equally enjoyable and this novel again shows why Cathy Kelly is considered royalty in her genre.

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The Horse Dancer - Jojo Moyes (2009)

Sarah's grandfather, Henri, was a former horseman at the prestigious Le Cadre Noir. Henri trained Sarah, thinking entry to the academy would give her a bright future. But an unfortunate incident left Sarah to fend for herself. During this time, she meets Natasha, a successful lawyer being groomed as a partner in her firm. However, Natasha is not as successful in her relationship with her husband Mac. Mac decides to come back home while they put their house on the market, and they both decide to foster Sarah in their home. The three play house with the awkwardness of lies and omissions. Bad turns to worse when Sarah runs away to France with her horse Boo in tow, and the frantic, almost ex-couple cross the channel to take her back home. The troublesome journey forces communication between Natasha and Mac, opening wounds easily healed with love thought lost, bringing about hope and a future of happiness yet to be discovered. Jojo Moyes' light descriptive prose brings her reader the visceral experience of compassion and hope for the flaws and grace of humanity. (SARI)

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The Household Guide to Dying - Debra Adelaide (2008)

Delia Bennet is a domestic advice columnist who is about to write her last household guide . . . on dying. Diagnosed with breast cancer two years earlier, the prognosis now is not good. The idea for the final guide came to her as she was writing lists to help her husband and two young daughters cope after her death. The highly organised, ever-efficient Delia prepares by teaching her daughters how to make the perfect cup of tea, writing out a cake recipe for their weddings, ordering her coffin and choosing the last book to read. But Delia also needs to put some issues from her past to rest so she heads back to the town where she lived as a teenage mother. Told with humour, gutsiness and emotion, it is a gripping book. And the impending death of the main character isn't even the part that will have you sobbing the most. Don't let the drab cover, grim title or even the details about chickens, pegs and blood sausages put you off, this is one book you won't regret reading.

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The House of Memories - Monica McInerney (2012)

From the start of this book, I just fell in love with the wonderful main character Ella. We meet her as a curious young girl, travelling with her parents to visit her uncle Lucas in England. He is an eccentric scholar and his house is filled with talented universtity students, who have their accommodation free in exchange for tutoring local students. He loves foxes, as does Ella, and they have an instant connection. What child wouldn't really? He is young at heart, understanding, thoughtful and loving. I found myself wishing I had an uncle like that too! As the years go on, Ella's parents separate and her mother remarries, and Ella's relationship with Lucas continues via her stepdad's fax machine. She sends her uncle many faxes as a child to which he responds quickly. This beatiful little interaction makes the bond between the two even stronger, and Lucas becomes the unofficial "father figure" in her life. The faxes are of great comfort to Ella as she adapts to life with a new dad and a new stepbrother Charlie but most importantly when her sister is born - the "whole" child as her and Charlie call her - they are the halves, one from each parent. We see the bond grow between Charlie and Ella in their childhood, and then meet Ella again after she has grown up, fallen in love, and has a child. It's here that we get to the core of the story... the hint of pain and sadness of an event that has somehow changed the curious little girl we meet at the start of the story. We take the journey with Ella and learn of not just her own, but her family's, personal recollections and emotions to the event as she uncovers them. This is a lovely story about family, life, loss, forgiveness and love. I highly recommend it, just make sure you have a box of tissues handy... the tears can creep up on you suddenly. (VF)

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The House on Mermaid Point - Wendy Wax (2014)

Maddie, Avery and Nikki have become good friends since they started working on the restoration of houses together. They have managed to turn their love for makeovers into an actual reality show called Do Over and they are ready for their next challenge. At least, they think they are, until they meet ageing rock legend William Hightower, who just got out of rehab and is not in the mood for company as he is busy trying to come to terms with his troubled past. His home, a beach house on a small island called Mermaid Point in the Florida Keys, desperately needs a makeover, which is where Maddie, Avery and Nikki come in. While dealing with their own individual troubles at the same time, the ladies try to take on this new challenge with a positive attitude, but it seems both William Hightower and the producer of the TV show aren't planning on making things easy for them... This book is the third part of a series (with Ocean Beach and Ten Beach Road), but it can definitely be read as a stand-alone. Wendy Wax is a fabulous author with a captivating writing style and a true talent for storytelling. I easily warmed to all three leading female characters and loved that each of them had their own story to tell and their own individual issues to deal with while working on the same project. There's a great group of characters at the core of the novel, mainly consisting of strong and intriguing women. I really liked reading the different storylines and seeing how it was all brought together in the main storyline, namely the makeover of William Hightower's house. The novel had me interested from beginning to end, and I was even quite shocked by some of the things that happened near the end. The House on Mermaid Point is a thoroughly enjoyable and well-written novel, perfect for a day at the beach, and part of a book series that is definitely worth giving a chance! (JoH)

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The House on Willow Street - Cathy Kelly (2012)

Set in the quaint coastal town of Avalon, Ireland, this novel tells the story of four women, each with their own challenges to overcome. Tess Powers, a mother of two, is faced with the fact that her trial separation will in fact be permanent given that her husband's new girlfriend is pregnant. Tess's sister, Suki, is struggling with both her career as a feminist writer and her penchant for relying too heavily on men, all while trying to fend off a biographer who is threatening to disclose things she would rather not reveal. Danae is the town's quiet postmistress whose heart-breaking secret has caused her to keep others at arms-length, while her niece, Mara, retreats to Avalon in an effort to forget about her ex-boyfriend, who has just married their co-worker. In addition to the four women, we are introduced to Cashel, Tess' former love, who, having returned to the small town as a successful businessman, decides to purchase and restore Avalon House, a derelict mansion previously owned by the Powers family. The House on Willow Street invites us into the lives of these very well-developed, warm characters and I thoroughly enjoyed following them along on their journeys. Kelly manages to touch upon some very serious issues in a way that does not weigh down the story or take away from the sense of escapism it provides. I really enjoyed how the author revealed tidbits of information throughout the book but does not disclose all of the characters' secrets until the end. I would love to revisit Avalon and its residents; I believe their stories are well-deserving of a sequel! (LB)

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The House We Grew Up In - Lisa Jewell (2013)

Meg has returned to her family home after the death of her mother, Lorelei. The place is a mess, and with her siblings and father scattered around the globe, this may be the first time they have seen each other for quite a while. The story then backtracks to the early 1980s when the free-spirited Lorelei was giving her four children a wholesome and creative upbringing. This is the sort of book that works best when you don't know much about the characters going in. As the story unfolds, it is revealed how the family slowly fell apart after a tragedy one Easter Sunday. Each and every revelation builds to make a very powerful novel with compelling, complicated characters. It's a superb read.

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The Hunchback of Neiman Marcus - Sonya Sones (2011)

A story written entirely in verse, The Hunchback of Neiman Marcus takes us on a journey of Holly's struggles - from turning 50 to her daughter heading off to college. Holly is an author who is being pressured to finish her book by an editor who acts like she is barely 12. Holly discovers that she is going through menopause as her doctor tells her she no longer has to wear a diaphragm. When her cousin Alice comes over for a "I've got a broken heart" sob, it ends up with the pair proclaiming rights for women - but instead of burning their bras, they burn Holly's diaphragms. This is the perfect companion guide for any woman entering the menopause and/or empty nest syndrome stages of live. (PP)

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The Husband's Secret - Liane Moriarty (2013)

Cecelia stumbles across a letter in the attic from her husband - addressed to her in the event of his death. When she tells John-Paul about her find and he comes home early from his business trip, her suspicions are raised. But she was not prepared for the devastating secret that the letter revealed. Meanwhile, Tess finds out from her husband, Will, that he has fallen in love with someone else and Rachel's son, Rob, and daughter-in-law, Lauren, announce they are moving to New York, taking her only grandchild away. The stories of the three women meld together, building to a heart-wrenching climax. Then just when you don't think you can be blown away any more, the story finishes with a fantastic epilogue which makes you rethink several of the events yet again. It is no secret that Liane Moriarty is a brilliant storyteller and this novel about the repercussions of guilt and dark secrets is one of her best.

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The Hypnotist's Love Story - Liane Moriarty (2011)

Ellen is a hypnotherapist who works out of her home near the beach, helping people give up their addictions or face their phobias. So she is actually fascinated, rather than frightened, when her new boyfriend, Patrick, a widower with a young son, admits that he is being stalked by his former girlfriend Saskia. But what Ellen doesn't realise is she's already meet the stalker, who's been posing as a client. And Saskia is willing to risk more and more to get even closer to the love of her life. The story - partly inspired by the author's own experiences - swings between Ellen and Saskia's points of view and examines the nature of love amid obsession and grief. There is much intrigue - first as you try to work out which client is really Saskia and then as you wonder how things are going to come to a head.

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The Ice Cream Girls - Dorothy Koomson (2010)

Back in the late 80s, two schoolgirls fall in love with their history teacher Marcus but later discover he was cheating with each of them and harassing his ex-wife Marlene at the same time. Both are witnesses to his death and are tried for his murder - dubbed the "ice cream girls" by the press. One gets off scot-free and the other is sentenced to life in jail. Fast-forward 20 years and Serena (the one who went scot-free) is married with two children while Poppy has just been released from prison and is desperate to find out the truth of what really happened from Serena. As Poppy works to clear her name, Serena tries to stop the past resurfacing. Can Poppy and Serena get what they want - or will the truth not be as straightforward as they both believe. With lots of flashbacks, this is a compelling tale with a very interesting twist and an ending that was so not expected. (PP)

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The Icing on the Cupcake - Jennifer Ross (2010)

Ansley Wallen has been publicly dumped by her fiance, who may have never loved her. Growing up in Dallas, where marriage and children seem more important than a woman's career, Ansley expected to have married and started a family after graduating college. Now, she's obviously not going to be doing either of those things, so what's a girl to do? The only option seems to be for Ansley to start over by leaving Dallas. Moving to New York seems like a good idea. But the only contact Ansley has in the city is her grandmother, Vivian, who she has never met. Deciding on a whim to send a letter asking if she can go and live with her grandmother is risky - it's very possible she won't even get a response. And her grandmother is apparently a horrible person who abandoned her daughter and husband 46 years earlier. But her newly widowed grandmother, Vivian, does reply, and when she arrives in New York she is surprised by how much they have in common - especially their love of baking. But Vivian dishes up some tough love, telling her she needs to get a job within eight weeks or she can't stay. This leads Ansley on a quest that sees her opening her own business and finally letting go of her past. This is a great story about family, secrets and especially baking. The end of each chapter has a delicious cupcake recipe with a name that reflects the sentiment of that chapter - it's a book not to be missed, especially if you are an avid baker. (AS)

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The (Im)Perfect Girlfriend - Lucy-Anne Holmes (2010)

In this follow-up to 50 Ways to Find a Lover, actress Sarah Sargent has it all - a great boyfriend Simon who she believes is the love of her life and now she has just got a part in a movie for a well-known director. Just as she is about to head off to LA, Simon's ex-girlfriend Ruth shows up, claiming she is pregnant and Simon is the father. Simon, being the responsible guy he is, says he has to leave Sarah to be with Ruth and try to make a life with their child. So it's a heartbroken Sarah who goes to LA to at least fulfil her dream of being an actress. But she can't get over Simon and refuses to believe that this is it for them. Meanwhile as she has crazy adventures with her friend Rachael, Sarah learns that things will not always happen the way she thinks they will and she ends up helping a friend in need. I enjoyed this book tremendously and will look forward to more from this author. (CG)

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The Importance of Being Married - Gemma Townley (2008)

The first in a trilogy, Jessica Wild befriends Grace, one of the residents at her grandmother's retirement village. To keep Grace happy she entertains her with stories about a fictional boyfriend, her gorgeous boss Anthony Milton. She even starts wearing a shiny engagement ring and "elopes" when the wedding date nears. Then Grace dies, leaving her multi-million-pound inheritance to her in the name of Mrs Jessica Milton. So now, to score the fortune, Jess needs to start dating her boss - and get him to marry her - all within 50 days. With the help of her flatmate Helen and Russian escort Ivana, Jessica transforms into a wilder, sexier woman who cares more about having fun than her advertising job. And while it seems that Anthony's head is being turned, his business partner Max is not impressed. This story about a woman who decides to marry for money - not love - is a fun read if you are willing to surrender to the farcical plot.

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The Infidelity Chain - Tess Stimson (2008)

An affair is never just between two people. In this case, Ella and William have been secretly seeing each other for eight years. Ella, a paediatrician, is married to Jackson and is happy with her decision not to have children. William is not-so-happily married to artist Beth who suffers from manic depression. Their 17-year-old daughter Cate is seeing Dan, who actually has his eye on Beth. When Jackson dies, it suddenly changes the dynamics. These characters and their connections are intriguing enough to keep you turning the pages. But showing the different perspectives of the main players sometimes meant scenes were replayed a tad too much.

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The Inheritance - Nina Bell (2008)

The day after Bramble has an argument about her horse-riding future with her father Edward, he dies of a heart attack. Bramble had been running the Lorenden horse-training property with her father - and was expected to inherit it. But her father's will instead shares the assets among his three daughters, including self-centred soapie actress Helena and Felicity, a globetrotting journalist who had never healed a rift with her father. With Helena insistent on selling up to developers, Bramble wants time to turn their fortunes around, with the help of mysterious nagsman Jez, who turned up on the doorstep straight after her father's death. Even if you don't enjoy all the equestrian details, stick with it as it's a gripping story about family secrets - all set amid an ominous atmosphere.

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The Inner Gentleman - Alli Kincaid (2008)

What happens when a London soccer club wants its star striker to clean up his act so it can cash in on his sponsorship dollars and charity kudos? It hires The Inner Gentleman, an etiquette company run by the aristocratic Sebastian Clementine. He in turn calls his cousin Mia away from her father's deathbed in Tasmania to deal with the £150 million player Josh Watkins. After looking through his tabloid clippings - with details of his drunken nights out, sexual escapades and arrests - she meets him for afternoon tea at the Savoy - and finds that underneath it all he may not be such a bad boy at heart. But rather than being focused on the sportsman being taught to mind his Ps and Qs, the story centres on Mia's attempts to save her ancestral home - Clementine Castle. And as personal and family secrets are revealed, can Mia and Josh bring out the best in each other?

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The Interruption of Everything - Terry McMillan (2005)

Marilyn Grimes' three kids have left home, her husband Leon needs to escape to Costa Rica to find himself and her live-in mother-in-law has found love. At 44, maybe now she finally has time to go to art college. But a trip to the doctor's to determine if she is going through menopause reveals that she's actually pregnant. As her concerns about her foster sister's children and her own mother's health escalate, it seems Marilyn still doesn't have a life to call her own.

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