'Top Ten Tuesday' is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. I love making lists, so this feature fits me perfectly! If you also take part in this feature or have any additions to my lists, please get in touch; I'd love to hear from you!
Top 10 Books I Recently Added to My TBR-List
Another fun Top Ten Tuesday list with this week 10 books I recently added to my TBR-list. I can't wait to pick up these novels and would love to hear which reads you are most looking forward to reading within the next couple of weeks! :)
1. 'Catch Me If You Cannes' - Lisa Dickenson
The first part in this hilarious four-part romantic comedy, from the author of 'You Had Me at Merlot' and 'The Twelve Dates of Christmas' - winner of the Novelicious Debut of the Year award.
Jess has decided it's time to get out of her comfort zone and live a little. So when her best friend Bryony, a journalist on a gossip magazine, is sent to cover the Cannes Film Festival, Jess decides to seize the day and go along for the ride. Two weeks of glitz, glamour and exclusive entry into celeb-filled parties is just the kind of adventure Jess needs.
Reality soon bites though when Jess and Bryony find they're staying in a dingy hotel far away from all the action and Bryony's expenses budget barely covers a glass of local wine. Undeterred, the two women are determined to live like the elite and enjoy one fancy night out to begin their holiday. So what if they have to tell a few white lies along the way? It's just this once. No harm done . . . right?
2. 'Somewhere Only We Know' - Erin Lawless
Boy meets girl…
Alex Bradley can't help but feel that life is rather passing him by. And not just life – promotions, invitations, romance; the girl he loves only has eyes for his flatmate and his 9-5 job as the Immigration department skivvy is slowly numbing his soul. Until he meets Nadia.
Girl meets boy…
Nadia Osipova is running out of time. With no money, no lawyer and a totally fictitious boyfriend, she’s got one last summer and one last appeal before the British government deport her back to Russia.
Girl gets deported?
It's going to be a bumpy ride, one she's dragging her new friend Alex along for. As Nadia races through a list of all her favourite London adventures, for what may be the last time, Alex can’t help but start to see the city, and his life, through Nadia’s eyes.
From hazy summer days on the Common and heady nights in Soho’s basement bars, to twilight walks along the Southbank, will Alex realise what he’s got before it’s too late?
3. 'Sweet Girl' - Rachel Hollis
Max Jennings is in a bad mood. It’s not anything you did; it’s just that secrets from her past make it her natural state of being. But she’s not going to talk about it or share her feelings, so don’t bother asking.
Max’s bad mood means that very few people actually truly understand her or know that her secret dream is to be a pastry chef. When a rare opportunity to work for world-famous Avis Phillips presents itself, Max jumps at the chance. Avis and her staff aren’t stingy with the tough love, so Max spends every spare minute practicing her craft. As she bakes brownies and custards, cookies and galettes, she builds an unlikely friendship with a man she once loathed and finds herself falling into something she’s spent the last six years avoiding. Will she let her painful past stand in the way, or will she muster the strength to forgive herself and realize her full potential?
4. 'Always the Bridesmaid' - Lindsey Kelk
Maddie Fraser has never been anything other than the girl in the background: golden boy Dan’s little sister, crazy Shona’s minion, workaholic Sebastian’s ex and now she’s also the girl in the middle of her warring best friends.
Lauren has announced she’s getting married – just as Sarah’s husband asks her for a divorce. Nothing in Maddie’s career in event organising has prepared her for this particular combo of planning and real pain. The news that her ex is also tying the knot is the final straw. While the magazines say she should be leaning in, all she wants to do is sleep in. But whether she likes it or not, everything is about to change for Maddie. For better or worse, this grown-up bridesmaid is taking centre stage…
5. 'Those Secrets We Keep' - Emily Liebert
Three women. Three lives. Three secrets.
On the surface, Sloane has the perfect life—an adoring husband, a precocious daughter, and enough financial security to be a stay-at-home mom. Still, she can’t help but feel as though something—or someone—is missing....
Hillary has a successful career and a solid marriage. The only problem is her inability to conceive. And there’s a very specific reason why....
As the wild-child daughter of old family money, Georgina has never had to accept responsibility for anything. So when she realizes an unexpected life change could tie her down forever, she does exactly what she’s always done: escape.
When these three women unite for a three-week-long summer vacation in beautiful Lake George, New York, even with the idyllic location as their backdrop, the tensions begin to mount. And they quickly discover that no secret can be kept forever....
6. 'Landline' - Rainbow Rowell
Georgie McCool knows her marriage is in trouble; it has been in trouble for a long time. She still loves her husband, Neal, and Neal still loves her, deeply — but that almost seems beside the point now.
Maybe that was always beside the point.
Two days before they’re supposed to visit Neal’s family in Omaha for Christmas, Georgie tells Neal that she can’t go. She’s a TV writer, and something’s come up on her show; she has to stay in Los Angeles. She knows that Neal will be upset with her — Neal is always a little upset with Georgie — but she doesn't expect him to pack up the kids and go home without her.
When her husband and the kids leave for the airport, Georgie wonders if she’s finally done it. If she’s ruined everything.
That night, Georgie discovers a way to communicate with Neal in the past. It’s not time travel, not exactly, but she feels like she’s been given an opportunity to fix her marriage before it starts...
Is that what she’s supposed to do? Or would Georgie and Neal be better off if their marriage never happened?
7. 'The Fault in Our Stars' - John Greene
Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.
8. 'Hello from the Gillespies' - Monica McInerney
For the last thirty years, Angela Gillespie's annual Christmas letter has been full of her family's triumphs. But this year Angela surprises everyone, including herself - she tells the truth. Angela's husband is in the throes of a mid-life crisis. Her grown-up daughters are more out of control than ever. And her youngest child spends all of his time talking to an imaginary friend.
With fantasy thoughts of a life before marriage and motherhood becoming more than just an innocent daydream, Angela's real life is slowly slipping out of focus. But, as the repercussions of her ruthlessly honest letter begin to pile up, a shocking event takes Angela from her family, and she realises she should have been more careful of what she wished for...
9. 'Ghostwritten' - Isabel Wolff
A childhood mistake. A lifetime of regrets.
Jenni is a 'ghost': she writes the lives of other people. It's a job that suits her well: still haunted by a childhood tragedy, she finds it easier to take refuge in the memories of others rather than dwell on her own.
Jenni has an exciting new commission, and is delighted to start working on the memoirs of a Dutchwoman, Klara. As a child in the Second World War, Klara was interned in a camp on Java during the Japanese occupation – she has an extraordinary story of survival to tell.
But as Jenni and Klara begin to get to know each other, Jenni begins to do much more than shed light on a neglected part of history. She is being forced to examine her own devastating memories, too. But with Klara's help, perhaps this is finally the moment where she will be able to lay the ghosts of her own past to rest?
10. 'The Lovely Bones' - Alice Sebold
My name was Salmon, like the fish; first name, Susie. I was fourteen when I was murdered on December 6, 1973. My murderer was a man from our neighborhood. My mother liked his border flowers, and my father talked to him once about fertilizer.
This is Susie Salmon. Watching from heaven, Susie sees her happy, suburban family devastated by her death, isolated even from one another as they each try to cope with their terrible loss alone. Over the years, her friends and siblings grow up, fall in love, do all the things she never had the chance to do herself. But life is not quite finished with Susie yet...
Yesterday I already shared some of the fabulous and exciting new releases that are coming up next month! We are really in for a treat in April, because there are just too many amazing books coming our way. Check out the list below, because I'm sure you will want to add some of these to your TBR-list!
Which releases are you excited about? I'd love to hear from you! If you'd like me to include your book release in this list, feel free to contact me via e-mail or Twitter! :)
Fern Britton - 'A Good Catch' (23 April)
Even happy families have their secrets…
Greer Clovelly seems to have it all, beautiful, chic and slender, she’s used to getting her own way. Greer has been in love with Jesse Behenna since her first day at school and she’s determined that one day, they’ll be married. After all, a marriage between them would join together two dynasties of Cornish fishing families to make one prosperous one.
For her friend, Loveday Carter – plump, freckled and unpretentious – living in the shadow of her friend has become a way of life. She loves Jesse too, but knows that what Greer wants, she usually gets.
Jesse, caught in the middle, faces an agonising choice. Should he follow his heart or bow to his father’s wishes? And what about his best friend Mickey, who worships the ground that Loveday walks on?
Jesse’s decision will touch them all in ways that they could never foresee, and as the dark clouds start to gather the four friends find themselves weathering a storm – one that has the power to sink them all…
Why so excited? --> Another women's fiction author whose novels always an absolute joy to read. I already love the sound of this new one and I can't wait to read 'A Good Catch.'
Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads
Fiona Harper - 'The Doris Day Vintage Film Club' (23 April)
Claire Bixby grew up watching Doris Day films at her grandmother’s house and yearned to live in a world like the one on the screen – sunny, colourful and where happy endings with chiselled leading men were guaranteed. But recently Claire’s opportunities for a little ‘pillow talk’ have been thin on the ground.
Until she meets mysterious Dominic. Nic is full of secrets but their connection is instant. Could he help Claire finding the Hollywood ending she’s been searching for? Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps…
Why so excited? --> I just love the sound of this novel. The idea of a Doris Day vintage film club is fabulous; combine this with a love story and you can definitely count me in!
Wendy Holden - 'Wild and Free' (23 April)
Wild & Free is the festival du jour. Everyone piles through its gates - and Cupid lies in wait to sprinkle a little midsummer madness on them all.
Teacher Ginnie is desperate to forget her crush on headmaster Mark, and hopes glamping might do the trick. But Mark is also heading for Wild & Free to reform his college band ... desperate not to be seen by anyone he knows.
Mark's bandmate James dreams of a festival blow-out with his son, Guy ... until his wife Victoria's ambition kills the dream. Now she and Guy are en route to Wild & Free instead but when Guy meets Shanna-Mae and falls for her earthy charms, Victoria is determined to snap Cupid's arrow.
Will the magic of the festival send them wild? Or set them free to find peace and love?
Why so excited? --> Wendy Holden's novels are always great collections of several storylines with lovely characters that are brought together one way or another. 'Wild and Free' sounds like quite the intriguing read, so certainly one to look out for this April.
Jane Costello - 'The Love Shack' (23 April)
Life's great when you're 29 years old with a gorgeous girlfriend and fulfilling job. Until you have to move back in with your mum...
Dan and Gemma have found their dream first home, but the asking price is the stuff of nightmares. The only way they'll ever save enough for the deposit is by moving in, rent-free, with Dan's mum.
It's a desperate solution, but it's only for six months. And Gemma's determined to make it work, no matter how bad things get.
But between Dan's mum's kitchen karaoke, her constant innuendos, irrepressible argumentative streak and - worst of all - her ham and pineapple curries, life back at home would test the patience of two saints. Which Dan and Gemma most definitely are not.
Then, as they're trying to convince themselves it will all be worth it, Gemma's past comes back to haunt her. And suddenly the foundations of their entire relationship are shaken to their core…
Why so excited? --> Another name which I am sure almost all chick lit fans will be familiar with is Jane Costello. I love her novels; they never fail to make me smile and I am already in love with the cover of 'The Love Shack', it's stunning!
Iona Grey - 'Letters to the Lost' (23 April)
1943, in the ruins of Blitzed London...
Stella Thorne and Dan Rosinski meet by chance and fall in love by accident. Theirs is a reluctant, unstoppable affair in which all the odds are stacked against them: she is newly married, and he is an American bomber pilot whose chance of survival is just one in five...
... He promised to love her forever.
Seventy years later Dan makes one final attempt to find the girl he has never forgotten, and sends a letter to the house where they shared a brief yet perfect happiness. But Stella has gone, and the letter is opened by Jess, a young girl hiding from problems of her own. And as Jess reads Dan's words, she is captivated by the story of a love affair that burned so bright and dimmed too soon. Can she help Dan find Stella before it is too late? Now forever is finally running out.
Why so excited? --> I am lucky enough to already have a review copy of 'Letters to the Lost' waiting for me and I can't wait to start reading it. I've read some fantastic reviews of this book already and I have a feeling this is going to be one of the April 2015 releases everyone will be talking about!
Lucy Dillon - 'One Small Act of Kindness' (23 April)
What can you do to make the world a better place?
Libby helps a stranger, and transforms her life in the process.
Libby and her husband Jason have moved back to his hometown to turn the family B&B into a boutique hotel. They have left London behind and all the memories - good and bad - that went with it.
The injured woman Libby finds lying in the remote country road has lost her memory. She doesn't know why she came to be there, and no one seems to be looking for her.
When Libby offers to take her in, this one small act of kindness sets in motion a chain of events that will change many people's lives...
Why so excited? --> I'm almost ashamed to say out loud that I haven't personally been able to read any of Lucy Dillon's novels *hides under table*. I know I really have to pick up one of her books sometime soon, because I'm only hearing positive things about them. Luckily, April is bringing us a new Lucy Dillon read, so fingers crossed I'll be able to sit down with this one sooner rather than later!
Nicola Doherty - 'Girls on Tour' (23 April)
Four girls. One year. Five fabulous destinations.
Poppy is bound for Paris, the City of Love. Could this be her chance to end her epic dry spell?
Lily is en route to her cousin's wedding in LA, where she's willing to break a few rules to land her dream role.
Maggie can't wait for her romantic ski holiday in Meribel - until it goes seriously off-piste.
Rachel packs for a glamorous Roman holiday, but a blast from the past is about to sabotage la dolce vita.
The girls get together and fly to Manhattan. But someone's been hiding a big secret in the Big Apple...
Why so excited? --> The separate parts of Nicola Doherty's 'Girls on Tour' series have definitely caught my attention over the months and I'm really excited about the complete release of 'Girls on Tour.' The stories promise to be great for fans of Lindsey Kelk's 'I Heart...' series, so I have high hopes for this!
Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads
Nikki Moore - 'Strawberries at Wimbledon (Love London series)' (23 April)
The one that got away?
Sipping Pimms and eating fresh strawberries at Wimbledon are the perfect start to the British summer for Rayne. Immersed in her career as a journalist in the City, she's been too busy and distracted to give men – or other outside interests – much of a chance lately. That's something her friend Lily thinks she should correct, coming up with the perfect ‘sex with an ex’ solution – much to the amusement of the crowd on Centre Court!
When Rayne runs into old flame Adam, former good guy who is now all grown up with a hint of bad boy about him, it's a tempting thought. But is that such a good idea, when she knows that four years ago, she broke his heart?
Back from travelling the world and settling into running the family business, Adam never expected to see his university girlfriend again. And he definitely didn't think he would still be angry with her for running away, or that she would still have the same stunning effect on him. But she does, so maybe the perfect way to get her out of his dreams and from under his skin, is to have a hot sex-filled night with her? The only trouble is, one night might not be enough…
First love – can you ever go back?
Why so excited? --> This is the fifth part of Nikki Moore's 'Love London' series and I can't wait to read it! The series consists of fun and romantic short stories, all set in London, and I just love the whole idea of this series. Can't wait to read 'Strawberries at Wimbledon' (a fantastic title, I just love it)!
Ellie Campbell - 'Million Dollar Question' (25 April)
Just as a huge financial scandal throws New Yorker, Olivia Wheeler, from wealth and success to bankruptcy and shame, struggling impoverished single-mother Rosie Dixon wins an unexpected million pounds. Good luck? Bad luck? Who can tell? Both women have more in common than they realize. While Olivia struggles to survive her humiliations, fleeing broke and homeless to London, shy unassuming Rosie discovers sudden riches arrive with their own mega-load of problems.
Can workaholic career-obsessed Olivia find a passion for something earthier and warmer than power and prestige? And can Rosie sift through envy and greed to discover true friends, true family and even true love? Two strangers who’ve never met. Yet neither realises how each is affecting the other’s destiny or the places their paths touch and fates entwine.
But will they surmount the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune?
That is the million dollar question.
Why so excited? --> I've read some of Ellie Campbell's (pseudonym for writing sisters Pam and Lorraine) novels in the past and really enjoyed their stories, so I'm looking forward to reading 'Million Dollar Question' at the end of April. Fingers crossed for another entertaining read!
Vanessa Greene - 'The Beachside Guest House' (28 April)
When Rosa and Bee get together in the run-up to Bee's wedding, they reminisce about the holiday they took together as teenagers to the beautiful Greek island of Paros. They remember the sandy coves, the guest house in the converted windmill where they stayed with their friend Iona, and the gorgeous local men. As memories of that long-forgotten holiday resurface, they are forced to confront the turns their lives have taken - and the guilt they both feel about letting Iona slip away from them.
When they learn that the windmill guest house is going bust they form a plan: why not go back to the island and take it over themselves? And so begins a life-changing journey - because it turns out that opening a guest house and reliving their teenage dreams isn't that easy...
Why so excited? --> The Kindle edition of Vanessa Greene's newest novel 'The Beachside Guest House' will be released on the 28th of April and this looks like the perfect story to sit down with to get into a summery mood!
Susie Orman Schnall - 'The Balance Project' (28 April)
Katherine Whitney has it all. She’s married, has two daughters, is the COO of Green Goddess & Co., a multi-billion dollar health and wellness lifestyle company, and with the release of her book on work-life balance, she is not only a media darling but she is a hero to working moms everywhere. In reality, though, Katherine’s life is starting to fall apart, and her loyal assistant Lucy Cooper is the one holding most things together.
But when Katherine does something unthinkable to Lucy, Lucy is faced with a difficult decision. Will she choose to change Katherine’s life forever or continue being her main champion. Her decision could change the trajectory of both of their lives. The Balance Project is a story of loyalty, choices, and most of all balance as it explores the hot-button issue that all women struggle with.
Why so excited? --> I'm already intrigued by the synopsis of 'The Balance Project' and I really look forward to picking up this book and discovering more about the characters and storyline. Definitely adding it to my TBR-list!
Spring has finally arrived, yay! Even though it doesn't quite look like it just yet, I'm positive those lovely warm Spring days are just around the corner and I can't wait to enjoy them with a good book! Luckily, we are almost at the start of April, which means a new month filled with tons of exciting book releases. April has so much amazingness in store for us, I don't have just one, but two posts filled with fabulous titles to keep an eye on in the upcoming few weeks!
Which releases are you excited about? I'd love to hear from you! If you'd like me to include your book release in this list, feel free to contact me via e-mail or Twitter! :)
Tess Woods - 'Love at First Flight' (1 April)
Looking back on it now, I can see it was instant. The second we locked eyes. Boom. Just like that. The me I had spent a lifetime perfecting began its disintegration from that moment. And despite the carnage it brought to all our lives, I still don't regret it.
What would you risk to be with the love of your life? And what if your soul mate is the one who will destroy you?
Mel is living the dream. She's a successful GP, married to a charming anaesthetist and raising a beautiful family in their plush home in Perth. But when she boards a flight to Melbourne, she meets Matt and her picture perfect Stepford life unravels as she falls in love for the first time ever.
What begins as a flirty conversation between strangers quickly develops into a hot and obsessive affair with disastrous consequences neither Mel nor Matt could have ever seen coming. Mel's dream life turns into her worst nightmare.
Why so excited? --> 'Love at First Flight' (what a great title, by the way) is Tess Woods' debut novel and I'm quite excited about it! I have a feeling this will be quite the gripping women's fiction read and I'm curious to check it out this April!
Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads
Cathy Bramley - 'Appleby Farm - Where the Heart Is (Part 3)' (2 April)
Life is a whirlwind of hard work and fun at Appleby Farm, just the way Freya likes it. As her plans for the vintage tea rooms come together, the old timber barn is filled with a merry jumble of teacups and the smell of Auntie Sue’s freshly baked scones.
After a visit from Tilly Parker, Freya is beginning to feel like she’s finally found her home. And a surprise birthday treat makes Freya wonder – has love has been under her nose this whole time?
As the grand opening of the tea rooms arrives, the pressure is on – especially with greedy property developers sniffing around. Then a secret request poses a new challenge, but it might just be the answer to Freya’s prayers…
Why so excited? --> I love Cathy Bramley's writing; her stories never disappoint, so I'm already looking forward to reading the third part of her serialised novel 'Appleby Farm', which will be released on the 2nd of April!
Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads
Tess Woods Kathryn Cushman - 'Finding Me' (7 April)
What would you do if you learned your life was a lie?
All her life, Kelli Huddleston has been told the story of a fire--a fire that killed her mother and two siblings when she was an infant. After her father's death though, she uncovers evidence of a different story, including clippings about a boat accident that killed a young father and his infant daughter. And Kelli quietly realizes the story of her life has been a fiction.
How far would you go to discover the truth?
Armed with only a few pictures of what she thinks might be her family, Kelli crosses the country to Tennessee, determined to uncover the truth about what happened over twenty years ago in a small southern town. When the trip threatens to open doors to the past better left shut, and her plans for the future are jeopardized, Kelli is faced with an agonizing choice that will change her life forever.
Why so excited? --> Another exciting release which already sounds like a really gripping read. I definitely look forward to picking this up and getting to know more about Kelli and her story!
Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan - 'The Royal We' (7 April)
American Rebecca Porter was never one for fairy tales. Her twin sister, Lacey, has always been the romantic who fantasized about glamour and royalty, fame and fortune. Yet it's Bex who seeks adventure at Oxford and finds herself living down the hall from Prince Nicholas, Great Britain's future king. And when Bex can't resist falling for Nick, the person behind the prince, it propels her into a world she did not expect to inhabit, under a spotlight she is not prepared to face.
Dating Nick immerses Bex in ritzy society, dazzling ski trips, and dinners at Kensington Palace with him and his charming, troublesome brother, Freddie. But the relationship also comes with unimaginable baggage: hysterical tabloids, Nick's sparkling and far more suitable ex-girlfriends, and a royal family whose private life is much thornier and more tragic than anyone on the outside knows. The pressures are almost too much to bear, as Bex struggles to reconcile the man she loves with the monarch he's fated to become.
Which is how she gets into trouble.
Now, on the eve of the wedding of the century, Bex is faced with whether everything she's sacrificed for love-her career, her home, her family, maybe even herself-will have been for nothing.
Why so excited? --> Oh, there's nothing like a good and fun royalty love story! I love the sound of 'The Royal We' and am 100% sure I'll enjoy this from start to finish!
Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads
Elle Field - 'Lost' (7 April)
Arielle is back! OK, she’s not on her way to becoming the next Coco Chanel, her childhood dream, but she is one way step closer to running her very own shop with business partner Felicity.
She’s also planning her perfect romantic wedding to fiancé, Piers, and Arielle is starting to think that she’s finally found her place in the world... Of course life is never that straightforward.
With a new-found foe interfering with her shop decisions, not to mention haughty wedding planners and loved ones facing personal struggles, will Arielle figure out what's important before all is lost?
Why so excited? --> I read and reviewed Elle Field's novel 'Kept' last year and really enjoyed it. This April, the sequel 'Lost' will be released and I'm really excited to be part of the blog tour for the novel that's coming up!
Dorothy Koomson - 'That Girl From Nowhere' (9 April)
‘Where are you coming from with that accent of yours?' he asks.
‘Nowhere,' I reply. ‘I'm from nowhere.'
‘Everyone's from somewhere,' he says.
‘Not me,' I reply silently.
Clemency Smittson was adopted as a baby and the only connection she has to her birth mother is a cardboard box hand-decorated with butterflies. Now an adult, Clem decides to make a drastic life change and move to Brighton, where she was born. Clem has no idea that while there she'll meet someone who knows all about her butterfly box and what happened to her birth parents.
As the tangled truths about her adoption and childhood start to unravel, a series of shocking events cause Clem to reassess whether the price of having contact with her birth family could be too high to pay...
Why so excited? --> Dorothy Koomson is known and widely praised for her captivating and compelling women's fiction reads. The whole book community is excited about her newest release coming up and I personally also can't wait to get my hands on a copy of 'That Girl From Nowhere'!
Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads
Fiona Neill - 'The Good Girl' (9 April)
When Ailsa Field uproots her family to Norfolk, she's determined a change of scene will fix all their problems. Then the Fairports move in next door. Lively, free-spirited and open, Ailsa is terrified their influence will damage her own fragile family's new start.
But for teenagers Romy and Jay, none of that matters. There's no mistaking the intense attraction that draws them together, yet all too soon their relationship is tested by Jay's dark secret.
Ever the diligent student, Romy decides to help Jay, but in doing so sets into motion a chain of events beyond her control. And what started as an innocent plan quickly becomes the catalyst that threatens to destroy the Field family forever...
Why so excited? --> I'm not familiar with author Fiona Neill's work, but I have a feeling that 'The Good Girl' is going to be an incredibly intriguing title I do not want to miss. The synopsis has definitely caught my attention and I'm adding it to my TBR-list as we speak!
Emma Hannigan - 'The Secrets We Share' (9 April)
Clara Conway is a woman with secrets.
But consequently, Clara's family is falling apart. Her son Max emigrated to the US years ago and she has yet to meet her teenage granddaughter, Nathalie...because Max and his mother no longer speak.
Meanwhile Clara's daughter Ava is fighting for a piece of happiness. When Clara unexpectedly reaches out to Nathalie and her niece comes to visit, Ava's thoughts turn to Max, the brother she loved and lost. The brother whose abrupt disappearance left the Conway family heartbroken.
When Nathalie finds a pile of torn, faded letters, she unlocks the door to Clara's past. Can Nathalie's time with her grandmother start to right some very old wrongs? And can Clara find a way to reach out to Max and thereby begin to heal the whole family once more?
After all, some secrets are meant to be shared...
Why so excited? --> I'm a big fan of Emma Hannigan's work. I always enjoy her novels and can't get enough of her stories. I'm excited about 'The Secrets We Share', which promises to be another entertaining read!
Kate Forster - 'Picture Perfect' (9 April)
Zoe Greene manages the careers of Hollywood’s biggest stars. She’ll do anything to help them – and herself – get ahead.
Actress Maggie Hall has been America’s sweetheart for nearly twenty years. And she’s about to learn that there are two things in life you just can’t fight: growing older and falling in love.
Dylan Mercer – young, beautiful and defiant – has run away from New York to try her luck in Hollywood. She’s not after fame and fortune, though. Dylan’s on a quest to find her birth mother.
All three women are swept up in the search for the actress who will score the role of a lifetime. But ambition and desire can bring out the worst in people. And in a town built on illusions, believing you can escape your past might just be the biggest deception of all.
Why so excited? --> I really enjoy women's fiction novels that focus on several characters and several storylines, that are brought together one way or another. Kate Forster's 'Picture Perfect' already sounds like a novel I will definitely enjoy, so I look forward to also picking up this one in April!
Kirsty Greenwood - 'The Vintage Guide to Love and Romance' (9 April)
Jessica Beam is a girl who knows how to party. Only lately she's been forgetting to turn up for work on time. Or in clean clothes. Down on her luck, out of a job and homeless, Jess seeks the help of her long-lost grandmother.
Things aren't going well for Matilda Beam, either. Her 1950s Good Woman guide books are out of print, her mortgage repayments are staggering and her granddaughter wears neon Wonderbras!
When a lifeline from a London publisher arrives, the pair have an opportunity to secure the roof over their heads – by invigorating the Good Woman guides and transforming modern, rebellious Jess into a demure vintage lady.
The true test of their make-over will be to capture the heart of notorious London playboy Leo Frost and prove that Matilda’s guides still work. It's going to take commitment, nerves of steel and one seriously pointy bra to pull this off...
Why so excited? --> I can't believe how many amazing novels are being released on the 9th of April, and one I will 100% pick up as soon as I can get my hands on it is Kirsty Greenwood's second novel 'The Vintage Guide to Love and Romance.' I loved Kirsty's debut novel 'Yours Truly' and already know this one will be just as amazing!
Lucy Robinson - 'The Day We Disappeared' (9 April)
Annie has a secret. But if she's not going to tell, we won't either. It's a heart-breaking secret she wishes she didn't have - yet Annie isn't broken, not quite yet. Especially now there's someone out there who seems determined to fix her.
Kate has run away. But she's not going to tell us why - that would defeat the point of running, wouldn't it? It's proving difficult to reinvent herself, however, with one person always on her mind.
Scratch beneath the surface and nobody is really who they seem. Even Annie and Kate, two old friends, aren't entirely sure who they are any more. Perhaps you can work it out, before their pasts catch up with them for good...
Why so excited? --> Another fabulous novel which I can't wait to read! I've only heard amazing things about Lucy Robinson's writing and I really think it is time for me to check out what everyone is talking about!
Zoe Miller - 'A Question of Betrayal' (16 April)
Ever since the tragic death of her parents, Carrie Cassidy has drifted on the surface of life - unwilling to commit to anything or anyone, and constantly running away from risk of any kind.
She found herself unable to promise lifelong commitment to the gorgeous Mark, now her ex-fiancé, because her greatest fear is to put her heart on the line and have it broken.
Neither can she fully dedicate herself to her challenging job at Jade, a leading luxury fashion brand, and is now in danger of losing it.
Then, out of the blue, Carrie is contacted by a woman whose husband claims to have known Carrie's mother. Luis Meyer is terminally ill and his dying wish is that Carrie comes to visit him at his home in Lake Lucerne, Switzerland.
Intrigued and uneasy at the thought of unearthing secrets from the past, Carrie decides to finally take a risk and discover the truth about Luis's relationship with her mother. But little does Carrie realise that she is about to unravel a dangerous web of deceit and betrayal...
Why so excited? --> I'm not familiar with Zoe Miller's work, but 'A Question of Betrayal' sounds like quite the intriguing women's fiction read. Definitely another release to be excited about!
Kamy Wicoff - 'Wishful Thinking' (21 April)
Jennifer Sharpe is a divorced mother of two with a problem just about any working parent can relate to: her boss expects her to work as though she doesn’t have children, and her children want her to care for them as though she doesn’t have a boss.
But when, through a fateful coincidence, a brilliant physicist comes into possession of Jennifer’s phone and decides to play fairy godmother, installing a miraculous time-travel app called Wishful Thinking, Jennifer suddenly finds herself in possession of what seems like the answer to the impossible dream of having it all: an app that lets her be in more than one place at the same time.
With the app, Jennifer goes quickly from zero to hero in every part of her life: she is super-worker, the last to leave her office every night; she is super-mom, the first to arrive at pickup every afternoon; and she even becomes super-girlfriend, dating a musician who thinks she has unlimited childcare and a flexible job. But Jennifer soon finds herself facing questions that adding more hours to her day can’t answer. Why does she feel busier and more harried than ever? Is she aging faster than everyone around her? How can she be a good worker, mother, and partner when she can’t be honest with anybody in her life?
And most important, when choosing to be with your children, at work, or with your partner doesn’t involve sacrifice, do those choices lose their meaning? Wishful Thinking is a modern-day fairy tale in which one woman learns to overcome the challenges—and appreciate the joys—of living life in real time.
Why so excited? --> I love love love the sound of this novel! The idea of an app that makes it possible to time-travel... Brilliant! I honestly can't wait to read this and am almost certain I will end up loving it!
Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads
Carole Matthews - 'The Cake Shop in the Garden' (23 April)
Fay Merryweather runs her cake shop from her beautiful garden. She whips up airy sponges and scrumptious scones, while her customers enjoy the lovely blossoms and gorgeous blooms. Looking after the cake shop, the garden and her cantankerous mother means Fay is always busy but she accepts her responsibilities because if she doesn't do all this, who will?
Then Danny Wilde walks into her life and makes Fay question every decision she's ever made. When a sudden tragedy strikes, Fay's entire world is thrown off balance even further and she doesn't know which way to turn. Can Fay find the strength to make a life-changing decision - even if it means giving up the thing she loves the most?
Why so excited? --> There's nothing like a Carole Matthews book to cheer me up! I love Carole's work; her novels never disappoint and I've been meaning to read this gem for quite some time now. On the 23rd of April the paperback version of the book will be released and I hope to get a copy as soon as possible!
Be sure to check back tomorrow for more exciting upcoming April 2015 releases!
