Review: 'The Railwayman's Wife' by Ashley Hay (2013)

In a small town on the land's edge, in the strange space at a war's end, a widow, a poet and a doctor each try to find their own peace, and their own new story.
In Thirroul, in 1948, people chase their dreams through the books in the railway's library. Anikka Lachlan searches for solace after her life is destroyed by a single random act. Roy McKinnon, who found poetry in the mess of war, has lost his words and his hope. Frank McKinnon is trapped by the guilt of those his treatment and care failed on their first day of freedom. All three struggle with the same question: how now to be alive.
Written in clear, shining prose and with an eloquent understanding of the human heart, The Railwayman's Wife explores the power of beginnings and endings, and how hard it can be sometimes to tell them apart. It's a story of life, loss and what comes after; of connection and separation, longing and acceptance. Most of all, it celebrates love in all its forms, and the beauty of discovering that loving someone can be as extraordinary as being loved yourself.
Thanks to the lovely people at Allen & Unwin I was lucky enough to receive a review copy of Ashley Hay’s novel ‘The Railwayman’s Wife.’ The book was published in April 2013 in Australia (and received some amazing reviews) and has now, in January 2014, reached the UK as well. Ashley Hay has written four non-fiction books and her debut novel, ‘The Body in the Clouds’ was a hit and nominated for numerous awards within the literary world. Understandably, I was quite interested to discover some of Ashley Hay’s fictional work myself, and let’s be honest, who could not be intrigued by a gorgeous cover like the one of ‘The Railwayman’s Wife’?
The book is set in Thirroul, a city in Australia, a few years after the Second World War. Everyone is trying to find their own way after the war, including the three main characters of this novel. Anikka Lachlan is happily married to her husband Mac, with whom she has a ten-year-old daughter named Isabel, but an unexpected event forces her to find new meaning in her life. Roy McKinnon is a poet who experienced the war up close, but now can’t seem to find the words to describe even the simplest things anymore. Frank Draper is a doctor, desperately searching for a way to stop thinking about all the people he simply could not save during the war. Anikka, Roy and Frank are all looking for the same thing: a way to keep on living while the reason and meaning behind it all isn’t quite clear any longer. 
The first thing I have to say about this novel is that it is a really emotional read. The author really has her own way with words, describing events and the emotions at the core of particular situations, which really managed to move me. Tragedy intervenes in the lives of each of the three main characters in a different way and they have to overcome this and learn how to deal with it in their own individual ways. Each of the three characters has their own issues to deal with, but I found myself being particularly caught up in Anikka’s story. I really enjoyed how the author used flashbacks to describe other parts of Anikka’s life and how everything led to this point in her existence.
I wouldn’t call this book a page turner I simply couldn’t put down, but in this case that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s more a lyrical novel that has a specific power of words at its centre, captivating and taking over the reader with every page and the emotions it evokes. ‘The Railwayman’s Wife’ is a melancholic and captivating read, one with a story at its core that will break your heart, but in the most beautiful way that will stay with you for quite some time to come!    Rating:

8/10
For more information about this book: Amazon UK / Amazon US / Goodreads

Cover Reveal: 'The Guestbook' by Holly Martin

I'm excited to be part of the big cover reveal for Holly Martin's upcoming release 'The Guestbook' today!  

  Welcome to Willow Cottage – throw open the shutters, let in the sea breeze and make yourself completely at home. Oh, and please do leave a comment in the Guestbook!
As landlady of Willow Cottage, the young widow Annie Butterworth is always on hand with tea, sympathy or strong Norfolk cider - whatever her colourful array of guests require.  A flick through the messages in the leather-bound cottage guestbook gives a tantalizing glimpse into the lives of everyone who passes through her doors.
This includes Annie herself - especially now celebrity crime writer Oliver Black, is back in town. He might grace the covers of gossip magazines with a different glamorous supermodel draped on his arm every week, but to Annie, he’s always just been Olly, the man who Annie shared her first kiss with.
Through the pages of the Guestbook Annie and Olly, along with all the guests that arrive at the seaside retreat, struggle with love, loss, mystery, joy, happiness, guilt…and the odd spot of naked rambling! 
Forget sending postcards saying 'wish you were here' - one visit to Willow Cottage and you’ll wish you could stay forever.   'The Guestbook' will be released on Valentine's Day (the 14th of February), so be sure to pre-order your own copy now by clicking here!    

Review: 'Here's Looking At You' by Mhairi McFarlane (2013)

Anna Alessi – history expert, possessor of a lot of hair and an occasionally filthy mouth – seeks nice man for intelligent conversation and Mills & Boon moments.

Despite the oddballs that keep turning up on her dates, Anna couldn’t be happier. As a 30-something with a job she loves, life has turned out better than she dared dream. However, things weren’t always this way, and her years spent as the ‘Italian Galleon’ of an East London comprehensive are ones she’d rather forget.

So when James Fraser – the architect of Anna’s final humiliation at school – walks back into her life, her world is turned upside down. But James seems a changed man. Polite. Mature. Funny, even. People can change, right? So why does Anna feel like she’s a fool to trust him?

During the last days of 2013 I was in Manchester and while I was shopping I found a copy of Mhairi McFarlane's latest release, 'Here's Looking At You' in a supermarket. It was an absolute bargain, especially since I'd heard only positive things about Mhairi McFarlane's writing from other bloggers and on Twitter. I was quite curious to be introduced to this new author, so I decided it would be the perfect book to start 2014 with! 

Anna Alessi is a thirty-something academic within the field of history who is happy with her life, except for the absence of romance and a man to share it all with. She goes on numerous dates, but the only men that seem to show up are slightly odd, to say the least. Anna's life used to be very different; at school she was horribly bullied and it's a time she doesn't like to be reminded of. However, when all of a sudden the boy whom she had a massive crush on and who was also the one to humiliate her in front of the entire school comes back into her life, Anna doesn't know what to do. James Fraser doesn't recognise her and seems to be a changed man, but can people really change? Somehow, Anna can't let herself trust James, but at the same time she continues to bump into him... Once a bully, always a bully? Or do people like James also deserve a second chance?

I've heard many positive things about Mhairi McFarlane's debut novel, 'You Had Me At Hello' from other readers, so I was looking forward to reading one of her works myself. It took me a bit of time to really get into the story, but as soon as I did I couldn't put the book down anymore. I fell in love with both Anna and James, from whose point of view the story is told (I always enjoy it when the author gives the reader the chance to look at everything from both a male and female perspective). I could personally relate to Anna and I just thought she was a fascinating and easily likeable main character, just like James, who I couldn't help but develop a small crush on. Next to the main characters, there also some other smaller roles like Anna's sister Aggy and her best friend Michelle, who definitely made the story even more enjoyable.

I really enjoyed the dialogue in the book; this is definitely one of Mhairi McFarlane's strengths, next to her sense of humour. The story made me laugh out loud multiple times and I think it's great how the author mixed humour with some more serious topics like bullying and believing in yourself. The plotline of the novel might perhaps sound a bit cliched at first, the author really managed to turn it into her own story which includes depth and is just really well done. 'Here's Looking At You' is a funny, sharp and engaging novel, and I personally look forward to Mhairi McFarlane's other work!

Rating: 8,5/10 

For more information about this book: Amazon UK / Amazon US / Goodreads
   

Blog Tour: 'Mums on Strike' by Laura Kemp (2014)

It was just a squashed grape on the kitchen floor. Hardly a reason to get upset, right?
But six years of motherhood has left Lisa Stratton feeling like a skivvy. Every morning before she's opened her eyes, she starts her mental inventory of jobs to do. And just like yesterday, the day before and every day since she became a mum, she's woken up knackered.
So when her husband deliberately steps over the grape because it's 'her responsibility' to run the house, it tips her over the edge. He wasn't always like this - they used to share everything. Then the kids came along and he saw it as an excuse to sit back. But this time things are going to change. Lisa has made a decision. She's going on strike.
Today I’m thrilled to be a part of the blog tour for Laura Kemp’s new novel ‘Mums on Strike’ which was released on the 16th of January! ‘Mums on Strike’ is Laura’s second novel and, just like her successful debut novel ‘Mums Like Us’, it focuses on the topic of motherhood. When I was contacted about a possible review copy of the book and the chance to do a Q&A with Laura, I couldn’t say ‘yes’ fast enough, because I straight away loved the sound of the blurb and couldn’t wait to start reading!
Lisa Stratton has been a mother for about six years and she could never have expected the big changes she would have to get used to after becoming a mum. Somehow, she has found herself in a marriage where it is solely her responsibility to keep the house clean, to make sure the kids get to and from birthday parties, and everyone has enough clean clothes to last them through the week. Before the arrival of the children, Lisa and her husband used to take it all on together, as a couple, and she sees no reason why it shouldn’t go back to the way it was. So, Lisa decides there’s only thing for her to do if she wants things to change: a strike. 
Even though I’m not (yet) a mum myself, I always love reading novels about motherhood and the challenges that come with it. ‘Mums on Strike’ has an original idea at its core which I thoroughly enjoyed; you often hear about mums who feel there is still a rather old-fashioned idea out there in the world that it is the woman who has to do the ironing and keeping the house clean, instead of this being a team-effort. Laura Kemp used this idea and managed to turn it into a funny and captivating read that focuses on a mum going on strike and forcing her husband to rethink the task division in their home, including the troubles and difficult moments that come with this decision.
Lisa is a lovely heroine and a true example to many female readers, I think. She is strong, ambitious (I really liked how she wants to be a great mother and a wonderful wife, but also an independent woman who has her own dreams and ambitions) and she stands up for her beliefs. Laura Kemp shows both sides of Lisa’s strike; the pro’s and con’s and how it influences everyone around her, including her young children, which is part of what makes this novel good. ‘Mums on Strike’ is an entertaining, funny and feminist read and I wouldn’t be surprised if this will put ideas in the heads of wives and mothers all around the world!
Rating:

8,5/10
For more information about this book: Amazon UK / Amazon US / Goodreads

---

Author interview with Laura Kemp!
I'm excited to have had the chance to interview Laura Kemp about her new release 'Mums on Strike' as a part of this blog tour!
1) Can you tell us something about your novel, ‘Mums on Strike’? It's about a working mum who is so sick of being taken for granted she goes on strike in a bid to get her husband to share the housework. But more than that, it's about love, marriage, friendships and the power of women!   2) Where did you find the inspiration for ‘Mums on Strike’? Is it based on your own personal experiences? The inspiration came from my mum, who decided to stop making my dad's sandwiches to take to the office when she got a job. The idea has bubbled away and then came to a head after I started writing when my son was a toddler - even though I was back working, my husband was very happy in his traditional breadwinner role and didn't think to help out with any of the chores. He is still spectacularly useless but when I went on 24-hour strike, he realised how much I do, how boring it is and why he should help out more!   3) There’s a great mix of characters in the novel. Which character did you most enjoy writing about and why? Oh, I loved the mother-in-law the best. She is a lovely woman but very dated, her heart's in the right place though, so it was interesting to explore her relationship with my heroine, Lisa, and see how they make things work when the strike progresses.   4) In your previous novel, ‘Mums Like Us’, you also tackled the subject of motherhood, just like in this new novel. Why did you decide to write about being a mum? Because I found it such a shock - going from being an independent working woman to being responsible for another life was utterly overwhelming. I was lucky enough to meet some like-minded mums but I heard plenty of tales about terrifying mother superiors who approached motherhood as a competition and so the book was born! 5) Can you perhaps tell us something about your future plans as an author? Are you already working on a next novel? I am working on my next novel - a sexy comedy but that's all I can say at the moment!    6) Do you have any tips for aspiring writers? Persistance is the main thing, be it sitting down to write or trying to get an agent. The knocks can be soul-destroying when you've put so much into a piece but they're inevitable. Have a cry and a glass of wine, then get back up again!   7) And last but not least, if you had to describe ‘Mums on Strike’ in just three words, which words would you pick? Funny, feminist and warm.

Thanks so much to Laura Kemp for taking the time to answer these questions! :)

Review & Interview: 'First Impressions: a Tale of Less Pride and Prejudice' by Alexa Adams (2013)

In Pride and Prejudice, Fitzwilliam Darcy begins his relationship with Elizabeth Bennet with the words: "She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me; I am in no humour at present togive consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men." What would have happened if Mr. Darcy had never spoken so disdainfully? First Impressions explores how the events of Jane Austen's beloved novel would have transpired if Darcy and Elizabeth had danced together at the Meryton Assembly. Jane and Bingley's relationship blossoms unimpeded, Mary makes a most fortunate match, and Lydia never sets a foot in Brighton. Austen's witty style is authentically invoked in this playful romp from Longbourn to Pemberley.
As some of you might know, I’m a big fan of Jane Austen and absolutely everything that is related to her or her work. So, when author Alexa Adams contacted me about possibly reviewing her three-part-series of books based on Austen’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’, I couldn’t possibly say no! It has been over 200 years since Austen’s first novel was published and since then the love story of Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy has been retold in numerous different voices and different ways. However, if I’m honest, I simply can’t get enough of the retellings of this classic romance tale, so I couldn’t wait to get started in ‘First Impressions’!
We all know what happened when one of the greatest couples of all time, Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy, first laid eyes on each other. While Mr. Darcy decided the young woman ‘not handsome enough’ to tempt him, Elizabeth immediately wrote Darcy off as too proud. But how would their love story have turned out if things had been different? In this novel the whole storyline of Austen’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’ is altered by a big change at the start of it all: Darcy and Elizabeth dance with one another at the Meryton assembly and slowly start to fall in love, which also alters the paths of almost all the people around them...
Over the years I’ve read many adaptations of Austen stories, and I have to say that this is definitely one of my favourites so far. I loved what Alexa Adams did with the plotline; changing almost everything by altering a detail at the beginning of it all. The novel still has Austen’s beloved basic storyline and keeps close to the events in the original and characters at its core, but with a fascinating twist. I especially loved the focus on characters like Mary Bennet, Kitty Bennet and Georgiana Darcy, who don’t play very big roles in the original, and how this focus gives them the attention they deserve and manages to answer questions readers might have about what could have happened to these characters. 
It is clear Alexa Adams treats Jane Austen’s writing and original novel with respect and I was surprised by how she managed to get close to Austen’s writing style and that authentic feel of her work. This adaptation has enjoyable dialogues and wittiness, and is a read I’d definitely recommend to lovers of Austen and/or ‘Pride and Prejudice.’ Alexa Adams’ ‘First Impressions’ is a wonderful debut novel; a charming and well-written retelling of a classic many of us can’t get enough of, and I personally am already excited about reading the two other sequels the author has written!
Rating:

9/10

For more information about this book: Amazon UK / Amazon US / Goodreads

---

Author interview with Alexa Adams!
I'm delighted to welcome author Alexa Adams to the blog today to tell us more about her novel 'First Impressions: a Tale of Less Pride and Prejudice'!   1) Can you tell us something about your novel, ‘First Impressions: a Tale of Less Pride and Prejudice’? First Impressions, the working title for which was simply A Tale of Less Pride & Prejudice, began more as a reaction to other Pride & Prejudice sequels and spin-offs than a novel in its own right. I had been devouring all the Austenesque I could get my hands on, but there were certain things that I always wanted to see happen in the story which I had yet to read, while other notions I felt I’d seen a great deal too much. This book was my way of demanding a share of the conversation.    2) Where did you find the inspiration for ‘First Impressions: a Tale of Less Pride and Prejudice’? Are you a fan of Jane Austen and her work? I am a massive and unabashed Janeite. I’ve loved Austen since I discovered her when eleven years old, and my relationship to her work has continued to grow and evolve since that time. When I wrote First Impressions, I was struggling to find my path in life. Reliable as always, Jane was there to show me the way. I’m eternally grateful.   3) There’s a great mix of characters in the novel. Which character did you most enjoy writing about and why? My favorite character in the novel is Lady Catherine. I can’t seem to get enough of her. I love playing with her imperiousness, and in this book I tried to endow her with rather better motives and instincts than Austen gave to her. This softening allowed me to bring her into the folds of the family, so to speak, and I can’t say how often I’ve relied on her to move my plots along. I think she’d be pleased to know herself so useful.   4) What is your personal favourite Jane Austen novel and why? Persuasion. I think Anne Elliot perhaps the most admirable heroine in literature. She has been an excellent role model, though no mere human could really achieve her excellence. My one quibble with the story is that Captain Wentworth can’t even begin to deserve her.   5) ‘First Impressions: a Tale of Less Pride and Prejudice’ is the first part of a series. Can you tell us a bit more about this series? The second book is entitled Second Glances: A Tale of Less Pride & Prejudice Continues, and it picks up the story a year after the Darcys get married. The novel provides romances for both Georgiana and Lydia, who never marries Mr. Wickham in my version of events, but Kitty is the primary heroine. Holidays at Pemberley, or Third Encounters: A Tale of Less Pride & Prejudice Concludes is the final book, and it goes back in time to tell the story of Charlotte Lucas, who like Lydia has been spared the horrors of her original spouse. By beginning the story at the end of First Impressions and continuing it on past Second Glances, I was able to wrap up the fates of all the characters in a way quite satisfying to myself. I can’t speak for others.    6) Can you perhaps tell us something about your future plans as an author? Are you already working on a next novel? I am currently working on a very different novel called The Madness of Mr. Darcy. It is far darker and a great deal more complex than anything I’ve previously written. It’s premised on Mr. Darcy’s inability to find Lydia after she runs away with Wickham, removing the entire happy ending Austen supplied. Twenty painful years go by before a shattered Mr. Darcy is pushed by his cousins to seek help from one Dr. Wilson, a move which results in his reunion with Elizabeth in the unlikely setting of a Victorian mad house. She is not the only familiar face he meets there, either. Though the primary focus is the Pride & Prejudice story, this novel is my first real attempt at integrating multiple Austen novels into one.   7) Do you have any tips for aspiring writers? Just be persistent. Write as much as you can, good or bad, and don’t let it hinder you when you get negative feedback. Feedback of any sort is valuable, as long as it’s thoughtful. Embrace it, learn from it, and keep plugging along. Who knows if you’re the next great literary voice or not if you don’t keep trying?    8) And last but not least, if you had to describe ‘First Impressions: a Tale of Less Pride and Prejudice’ in just three words, which words would you pick? A playful ode.  

Thanks so much, Alexa! :)

Review & Interview: 'Goodness, Grace and Me' by Julie Houston (2013)

When Harriet’s husband, Nick, throws in his safe, but boring job in order to set up a new business during the current recession, Harriet is distraught. More so when she realises Amanda, her and best friend Grace's old enemy from school is back in their lives. Amanda, it turns out, is Nick’s new boss’s wife and, because of her legal and language skills, will be accompanying Nick on his business trips to Italy. How will Nick not succumb to the ruthless charms of the utterly gorgeous Amanda once he’s away from Yorkshire and in glamorous Milan? Knowing Nick is being seduced is bad enough, but when Grace falls madly in love with Sebastian, Amanda’s precious, much younger son, it can only mean trouble ahead...
At the end of 2013 I was contacted by author Julie Houston with the question whether I wanted to review her debut novel, ‘Goodness, Grace and Me.’ The cover straight away caught my interest (I love the Autumn feel of it) and the blurb also promised an enjoyable tale, described by the author as a ‘hilarious, laugh-out-loud romantic comedy.’ I was quite curious to start reading and discover whether the book would fit that promise!
Harriet is happily married to her husband Nick; they met in college and now lead a good life in a wonderful home with their three children. Harriet works as a teacher, but her safe life is suddenly turned upside down when Nick decides to quit his secure job and go into business with entrepreneur David Henderson. Suddenly, Nick is hardly at home anymore, and Harriet’s suspicions only get worse when she finds out how much time her husband is spending with Amanda, David’s wife and her old high school enemy. When Harriet’s best friend Grace, who has just split up with her husband, starts a steamy affair with David and Amanda’s son, everything starts to get even more chaotic and problematic in Harriet’s life...    ‘Goodness, Grace and Me’ is a fast-paced novel with a great heroine at its centre. After just a few pages I already really liked Harriet who is a character many female readers will be able to identify themselves with easily. She is trying to deal with various things in her life: her children, her relationship, her friendship with her best friend Grace; and the reader is taken on this journey with her. The novel is easy to read, includes relatable family and relationship issues, has a few twists and turns I did not see coming, and next to that, it managed to make me laugh out loud on several occasions.
I really enjoyed reading about Harriet’s life, most particularly her relationship with her best friend Grace. They have known each other for a really long time and they’ve been through a lot; in the book they are forced to deal with particular situations, and I loved seeing how their friendship evolved. As I said before, there’s quite a lot going on in this novel, but I personally quite liked that, because it made me want to keep on reading. ‘Goodness, Grace and Me’ is a quick-paced, thoroughly enjoyable read that will make you smile, and a book I recommend to any chick lit or romantic comedy fan. I look forward to reading more of Julie Houston’s work in the future!
Rating:

8/10
For more information about this book: Amazon UK / Amazon US / Goodreads

---

Author interview with Julie Houston!
I'm delighted to welcome author Julie Houston to the blog today!
1) Can you tell us something about your novel, ‘Goodness, Grace and Me’? I started writing “Goodness, Grace and Me” a couple of years  ago and was lucky enough to be taken on by agent Anne Williams at KHLA in Bristol and London. A RomCom/Women’s Contemporary Fiction, it was published this summer and has been constantly in the Amazon Top 100 for Humour over the last few months. The best bit was seeing it sitting next to the re-issue of Helen Fielding’s “Bridget Jones’ Diary” one Sunday morning in November, particularly as Ms Fielding is from my home town and, until recently, I taught at her old Junior school.    I wanted to write a book for women that, whilst essentially ‘Chicklit’, wouldn’t be pink, frothy and about women shopping! I wanted to make women - and men it turns out - laugh, but also for readers to feel that wonderful emotion of love/lust we have hopefully all felt when meeting the one you know really is ‘The One.’    2) Where did you find the inspiration for ‘Goodness, Grace and Me’? Is it in any way based on your own life experiences? After reading “Goodness, Grace and Me” someone said to me, ‘I know all about you and your love life now!’ I had to reply, ‘No you don’t!!’ Whilst Harriet does have quite a few off my characteristics, i.e. she is a teacher and, like me , can be a bit dippy at times, I do like to think that I am a lot more independent than she is. Of course there are lots of little stories within the book, particularly those tales about school, that I have based upon actual experiences. The ‘nun’ episode and the ‘fire in the garden’ episode were both based on actual things that happened to me. Nick is nothing like my husband, but I suspect Harriet’s children, and her sister, Diana, all resemble members of my own family!   3) There’s a great mix of characters in the novel. Which character did you most enjoy writing about and why? Oh golly, that’s a hard one. I loved writing about Harriet’s actual falling in love with husband, Nick, but I also enjoyed creating Amanda. Amanda is nothing like anyone I have ever met I don’t think, and it was great to have free reign and create this utterly gorgeous and yet totally ruthless woman who has always achieved, through foul means or otherwise, just what she has set out to achieve.   4) What made you start writing and when did you decide you wanted to become an author? I have always loved writing. I won my first writing competition when I was eight, writing in my local paper, and loved creative writing at school. I wasn’t too hot at maths - although funnily enough now I am and actually love teaching maths - and was always really pleased when I could get down to story-writing. When I was fourteen I started writing a diary and it was one of those huge page-a-day diaries. I poured out all my teenage angst into those diaries and wrote them well into my adult life. My sister has kept a diary for the last thirty years or so and, together with my fifteen years of diaries, it is my daughter who has been granted custody of them when we die!! I don’t think she is too impressed with the idea. I have written  many short stories but it is not a genre I really favour. I think I probably really decided I wanted to be a novelist once I discovered Jilly Cooper and Marian Keyes. Both, to my mind, are genius novelists.   5) Can you perhaps tell us something about your future plans as an author? Are you already working on a next novel? Absolutely! Once I’d finished ‘Goodness, Grace and Me’ I started a story about twins and drugs. Whilst it doesn’t sound as if it could possibly be a RomCom it was still essentially so. However, Harriet and Grace wouldn’t let me go and I knew I wanted to continue their story. The twins have been put on the back-burner and I will return to them once the sequel to Goodness, Grace and Me is completed and published hopefully in the Spring/Summer of 2014. All I will say is that Harriet is being a little bit naughty in the sequel -  I don’t seem to be able to control her at all!   6) Do you have any tips for aspiring writers? Basically don’t give up. If it’s something that you really want to do, you will achieve  your dream of becoming a writer. Try to write something every day even if it’s just going over what you wrote yesterday. It’s like anything in life - the more you do something, the easier it becomes. I started running again a few months ago after a break - something that I first took up when living in New Zealand - and it was jolly hard work. But you walk a bit, run a bit and before you know where you are you are a runner again. Writing is a bit the same: I remember how proud I was when I completed the first chapter of ‘Goodness, Grace and me.’ Small steps soon become very much bigger strides. Of course some days you think, ‘God, I can’t do this’ but I think it was author Lee Child who said there is no such thing as ‘writer’a block.’ Just get on with it even if you write a page of rubbish! At least you are writing.   7) And last but not least, if you had to describe ‘Goodness, Grace and Me’ in just three words, which words would you pick? Hilarious Romantic Comedy!!  (Hopefully anyway!!)  

Thanks so much to Julie for taking the time to do this interview! :)

Upcoming Releases - January 2014

Happy 2014 everyone! The past year has been a wonderful one, filled with tons of amazing books. Obviously, the start of a new year can only mean one thing: lots and lots of fantastic releases that are coming our way! I can promise you that 2014 has numerous brilliant reads in store for all of us, and here are several January 2014 releases that will give you a taste of what is to come this upcoming year!

Katie Oliver - 'Prada and Prejudice' (2nd of January)
It is a truth universally acknowledged that Natalie Dashwood loves to shop. After all, as the heiress to the renowned London department store Dashwood & Jones she’s been wearing designer shoes since she could walk! But a socialite’s life isn’t as perfect as you might imagine… Natalie’s spending is spiraling slightly out of control, her rock star boyfriend is engaged to someone else, and it seems the family business is in financial crisis. 

New high-flying business exec Rhys Gordon has been brought in to save the company from ruin, but what are his motives? And infuriatingly even a shoe-shopping spree can’t take her mind off his distracting and oh-so-charming smile… 

Amazon UK / Amazon US / Goodreads

---

Lulu Taylor - 'The Winter Folly' (2nd of January)

In this house there are many secrets… It is 1960 and young Alexandra Crewe is obedient enough to marry the man her father has selected for her, but both she and her husband Laurence quickly realise that their marriage is a disaster. When real love comes to her, plucking her out of her old life and into a wonderful new existence, she is powerless to resist. Her home is now a beautiful Dorset castle, but there has been a price to pay and she fears that her punishment will one day be due. When tragedy strikes, it seems that it has come, and there is only one way she can atone for her sins… In the present day, Delilah Young is the second wife of John Stirling and the new chatelaine of Fort Stirling. The house is a sad one and Delilah hopes to fill it with life and happiness. But when she attempts to heal the wounds in John’s life, it seems that the forces of the past might be too strong for her. Why does John have such a hatred for the old folly on the hill, and what happened to his mother when she vanished from his life? As she searches for the truth, Delilah realises that perhaps some secrets are better left buried...

Amazon UK / Amazon US / Goodreads

---

Clodagh Murphy - 'Some Girls Do' (6th of January)

Claire Kennedy is NiceGirl, the anonymous author of steamy online blog 'Scenes of a Sexual Nature'. An internet sensation, she attracts the attention of Mark Bell, a hot London publisher. But when it becomes clear that Mark is interested in more than just a book deal, Claire has to act fast. Because little does Mark know that NiceGirl is a lot more experienced in the bedroom than real-life Claire Kennedy.

Mark is offering Claire the life she's always dreamed of - a steady relationship, the literary world of London and a posh Highgate apartment.

But when Claire hires the services of struggling artist and commitment-phobe Luca to brush up on her sex skills, things get more complicated...

Amazon UK / Amazon US / Goodreads

---

Carole Matthews - 'A Place to Call Home' (9th of January)

In the dead of night, Ayesha takes her daughter, Sabina, and slips quietly from her home, leaving behind a life of full of pain. Boarding a coach to London, all Ayesha wants is a fresh start. 

Hayden, a former popstar, has kept himself hidden away for years. He's only opened up his home to two people - Crystal, a professional dancer with a heart of gold, and Joy, an ill-tempered retiree with a soft spot for waifs and strays. 

When Crystal asks Hayden if Ayesha and Sabina can stay with them, he reluctantly agrees and, as different as they may be, they quickly form an unlikely bond. So when enemies threaten their peaceful home, they will do all they can to save it and each other.

Amazon UK / Amazon US / Goodreads 

---

Alexandra Potter - 'The Love Detective' (16th of January)

'In a way, I'm a bit of a love detective. Because what's a greater mystery than love?'

Meet Ruby Miller. A writer who makes happy-ever-afters happen. Until she discovers her fiance is a lying cheat and loses her faith in love. So when her sister invites her on a beach holiday to Goa to forget about him, Ruby jumps on a plane . . . and into an extraordinary adventure.

Stolen bags, a runaway sister and a handsome American stranger sweep Ruby into a magical mystery tour across India. Amid fortresses and fortune tellers, and a whirlwind of weddings, she uncovers fascinating stories of love, lost and found.

But as the mysteries deepen, secrets are revealed that turn Ruby's life upside down. And what started as a journey to find her sister, becomes a journey to find herself - and love - again.

Amazon UK / Amazon US / Goodreads

---

Louise Mensch - 'Beauty' (16th of January)

Blend it. Sculpt it. Shape it. Use it...

There isn't a woman on earth who doesn't have her beauty secrets. But for Dina Kane, beauty is more than just business. It's power. And it is the secret. She's dragged herself up from poverty to Park Avenue. She's rolled with the punches. And she's learned how to win.

Now someone is out to destroy her, and all she's built. But they've underestimated Dina Kane. She's staying at the top - and she's happy to wait for the perfect moment to exact her revenge...

Amazon UK / Amazon US / Goodreads

---

Laura Kemp - 'Mums on Strike' (16th of January)

It was just a squashed grape on the kitchen floor. Hardly a reason to get upset, right? But six years of motherhood has left Lisa Stratton feeling like a skivvy. Every morning before she's opened her eyes, she starts her mental inventory of jobs to do. And just like yesterday, the day before and every day since she became a mum, she's woken up knackered.

So when her husband deliberately steps over the grape because it's 'her responsibility' to run the house, it tips her over the edge. He wasn't always like this - they used to share everything. Then the kids came along and he saw it as an excuse to sit back. But this time things are going to change. Lisa has made a decision. 

She's going on strike.

Amazon UK / Amazon US / Goodreads

---

Lucinda Riley - 'The Midnight Rose' (16th of January)

In the heyday of the British Raj, eleven-year-old Anahita, from a noble but impoverished family, forms a lifelong friendship with the headstrong Princess Indira, the privileged daughter of rich Indian royalty. Becoming the princess' official companion, Anahita accompanies her friend to England just before the outbreak of the Great War. There, she meets the young Donald Astbury, reluctant heir to the magnificent, remote Astbury Estate, and his scheming mother.

Eighty years later, Rebecca Bradley - a young American film star - has the world at her feet. But when her turbulent relationship with her equally famous boyfriend takes an unexpected turn, she's relieved that her latest role, playing a 1920s debutante, will take her away from the glare of publicity to the wilds of Dartmoor in England. Shortly after filming begins at the now-crumbling Astbury Hall, Ari Malik, Anahita's great-grandson, arrives unexpectedly, on a quest for his family's past. What he and Rebecca discover begins to unravel the dark secrets that haunt the Astbury dynasty...

Amazon UK / Amazon US / Goodreads

---

Lucie Whitehouse - 'Before We Met' (16th of January)

A whirlwind romance. A perfect marriage.

Hannah Reilly has seized her chance at happiness. Until the day her husband fails to come home... The more questions Hannah asks, the fewer answers she finds. But are the secrets that Mark has been keeping designed to protect him or protect her?

And can you ever really know what happened before you met?

Amazon UK / Amazon US / Goodreads

---

Linda Yellin - 'What Nora Knew' (21st of January)

Molly Hallberg is a thirty-nine-year-old divorced writer living in New York City who wants her own column, a Wikipedia entry, and to never end up in her family’s Long Island upholstery business. For the past four years Molly’s been on staff for an online magazine, covering all the wacky assignments. She’s snuck vibrators through security scanners, speed-dated undercover, danced with the Rockettes, and posed nude for a Soho art studio.

Fearless in everything except love, Molly is now dating a forty-four-yearold chiropractor. He’s comfortable, but safe. When Molly is assigned to write a piece about New York City romance “in the style of Nora Ephron,” she flunks out big-time. She can’t recognize romance. And she can’t recognize the one man who can go one-on-one with her, the one man who gets her. But with wit, charm, whip-smart humor, and Nora Ephron’s romantic comedies, Molly learns to open her heart and suppress her cynicism in this bright, achingly funny novel.

Amazon UK / Amazon US / Goodreads

---

Colette Freedman - 'The Consequences' (28th of January)

Over the course of one tumultuous Christmas Eve, Kathy Walker confirmed her suspicions about her husband's affair, confronted his mistress, Stephanie, and saved her marriage. She and Robert have eighteen years, two teenagers, and a film production business between them--plus a bond that Kathy has no intention of giving up on. Yet though Robert is contrite, Kathy can't quite silence her doubts.

While Robert reels from his wife's ultimatum and his mistress's rejection, Stephanie makes a discovery: she's pregnant. Her resolve to stay away from Robert wavers now that they could make a real family together. And in the days that follow, Stephanie, Robert, and Kathy must each reckon with the intricate realities of desire, the repercussions of betrayal, and the secrets that, once revealed, ripple through lives and relationships in thoroughly unexpected ways.

Amazon UK / Amazon US / Goodreads

---

Rosie Blake - 'How to Get a (Love) Life' (29th of January)

Some people book last-minute holidays, walk barefoot in the grass or party on a week night. Not Nicola Brown. Nicola is the kind of girl who double-locks the front door, leaves the plastic covering on new furniture, sticks to a super-strict diet and definitely, absolutely Does Not Date.

Her colleague Caroline – loopy, warm and exasperated by her, knows that Nicola's reluctance to lose control means she's living only half a life. And so she lays down the gauntlet: Nicola must cast aside her hang ups and go on as many dates as it takes to find true love in time for Valentine's Day.

The pick of local men is, quite frankly, a bit rubbish. And there are only three months until February 14th. Surely it's an impossible task? But, as Nicola is about to find out on her dodgy dates, letting go isn't quite as scary as she imagined. In fact, it's rather a lot of fun...

Amazon UK / Amazon US / Goodreads

---

Sarra Manning - 'It Felt Like a Kiss' (30th of January)

Ellie Cohen is living her dream. A great job at an exclusive Mayfair art gallery, loyal mates, loving family, and really, really good hair. Well, there's the famous rock-star father who refuses to acknowledge her and a succession of 'challenging' boyfriends, but nobody's perfect.

But when a vengeful ex sells Ellie out to the press, she suddenly finds herself fighting to keep her job, her reputation and her sanity. Then David Gold - handsome, charming but ruthlessly ambitious - is sent in to manage the media crisis . . . and Ellie.

David thinks she's a gold-digger and Ellie thinks he's a shark in a Savile Row suit, so it's just as well that falling in love is the last thing on their minds...

Amazon UK / Amazon US / Goodreads

---

Jill Mansell - 'The Unpredictable Consequences of Love' (30th of January)

When Josh Strachan, newly returned to his home in north Cornwall from sunny California, first meets Sophie Wells, he's immediately smitten. Sophie's pretty, she's funny, she has lots of friends and she clearly loves her job as a photographer, despite the sometimes tricky clients. There's just one problem: Sophie has very firmly turned her back on love. It's nothing personal, she tells Josh, but she just doesn't do dates. And no one - even Sophie's scatty best friend Tula - will tell him why. Josh is sure Sophie likes him, though, and he's just got to find out what's put her off romance. And then put things right...

Amazon UK / Amazon US / Goodreads

---

Lucy-Anne Holmes - 'Just a Girl, Standing in Front of a Boy' (30th of January)

'My love story may not be the sort you read about in books or see in films . . . Love stories have glorious highs and ghastly lows. But when it comes to my own life, I'd have to say, you can keep your fabulous highs and I'll happily steer clear of the terrible lows.' 

After a rocky start in life, Jenny Taylor, 27, star receptionist at the local doctors surgery, has things all worked out thanks to 'The Smiling Fanny Manifesto' - a list of 10 daily things she must do to keep the blues at bay. But her life is turned upside down when she meets aspiring musician Joe King. And reliable boyfriend Matt proposes. And then her mum leaves her dad and moves into Jenny's flat determined to 'bond'. 

Amazon UK / Amazon US / Goodreads

---

Rowan Coleman - 'The Memory Book' (30th of January)

The name of your first-born. The face of your lover. Your age. Your address...

What would happen if your memory of these began to fade?

Is it possible to rebuild your life? Raise a family? Fall in love again?

When Claire starts to write her Memory Book, she already knows that this scrapbook of mementoes will soon be all her daughters and husband have of her. But how can she hold on to the past when her future is slipping through her fingers...?

Amazon UK / Amazon US / Goodreads

---

Helen Warner - 'With or Without You' (30th of January)

Martha Mills has it all: a high-profile, highly-paid job as a showbiz interviewer for a major national newspaper; a happy marriage to her childhood sweetheart, Jamie, who is a house-husband, looking after their two adorable, well-adjusted children; and a beautiful home. But when Martha makes the shocking discovery that Jamie has been having an affair, her whole life implodes. Despite Jamie's obvious regret and promises that it will never happen again, she feels too betrayed to stay with him; however, she is torn between telling him to leave and trying to salvage their marriage for their children. Then, during an interview with British acting star, Charlie Simmons, she breaks down and finds herself pouring her heart out to him. To her surprise, she finds him a sympathetic and supportive shoulder to cry on. And when Charlie invites her to escape her problems for a week and travel with him to LA, Martha accepts. They soon begin a friendship which quickly turns into an intense relationship... Jamie isn't going to give up on Martha that easily though and he embarks on a desperate campaign to win her back. Now Martha has to make a decision: where does her heart really lie?

Amazon UK / Amazon US / Goodreads

---

Paige Toon - 'The Accidental Life of Jessie Jefferson (30th of January)

Meet Jessie, the daughter of Johnny Jefferson, as featured in 'Johnny Be Good' and 'Baby Be Mine'… 

My fifteenth birthday was the worst day of my life, and it's inconceivable to think that any single day in my future will ever be as bad. My mum was killed in a freak accident on her way to pick up my cake. Even when there was still no sign of her after two hours later, and my friends started to arrive at our house, it never occurred to me that she wouldn't be coming back. That was six months ago. My mum died without telling me who my real dad was. And for a while I hated her for it. I thought she's taken the secret of my father's identity with her forever. But she didn't. Holy hell, she didn't. Because three weeks ago I found out the truth. And I'm still reeling from the shock of it. My dad is none other than Johnny Jefferson, mega famous rock star and one-time serial womaniser. And now I'm on my way to LA to meet him and his family. My tiny little world has just got a whole lot bigger…

Amazon UK / Amazon US / Goodreads

---

Giveaway: 'Mr. Perfect' by Joanna Davies

I'm really excited to host a giveaway of Joanna Davies' novel 'Mr. Perfect' (click here to read my review and an interview with author Joanna Davies)!

This is an international giveaway, so all of you are in with a chance to win a copy of this wonderful romantic comedy! All you have to do is send an e-mail to press@honno.co.uk with 'Mr. Perfect Giveaway' in the subject line by the 14th of January 2014. There will be three copies of the book available and the winners will be contacted after the 14th.

Good luck to all of you and a big thanks to Honno for organising this giveaway! :)

(Check out the exclusive book trailer for 'Mr. Perfect'!)

Review: 'Mr. Perfect' by Joanna Davies (2013)

Mari Wyn Roberts is 35, works for a TV company in Cardiff and just can't keep a relationship going for more than two years. She wants her Mr Perfect but after nearly 20 years of dating she's starting to worry that her ideal man doesn't exist. Worst of all, what if one of the 'duds' she was so happy to bin over the years was her 'perfect man' all along? On the other side of the city, Owen, also 35, is looking for love on his terms. There must be a girl out there that's single, intelligent and doesn't want to mother or stifle him?

As a part of the Chick Lit Club review team, I received a review copy of Joanna Davies’ novel ‘Mr. Perfect.’ I instantly knew I wanted to give this book a chance. Not just because I really liked the sound of the blurb and the cute cover, but also because of the origin of the publisher and author, namely Wales. I’m part Welsh myself, so when I found out this novel is actually set in Wales I immediately wanted to learn more about it. I hadn’t read anything by Joanna Davies before, but I had read positive things online and was quite curious to start ‘Mr. Perfect.’

Mari Wyn Roberts is a 35-year old single woman who is still looking for her perfect man after approximately 20 years of dating various different but all slightly unsuitable men. Ideally, she’d get together with a man who is a combination of actors Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt and George Clooney, but she hasn’t found him yet. Owen, also a 35-year old living in Cardiff, has been looking for his perfect woman at the same time. For him, Mrs. Perfect has Dawn French’s humour, Carol Vorderman’s brains, and Kelly Brook’s body. Both Mari and Owen continue their dating adventures, not knowing that that one person might be closer by than they think...   

The basic plotline of this novel was great. The reader is taken through time, starting in the 1990’s, and we meet all the different people both Mari and Owen end up dating from their teenage years until the present time. Together they meet and date all kinds of people, often ending up in some laugh-out-loud situations. I just loved that Joanna Davies picked this slightly basic but classic storyline and turned it into something I personally really enjoyed. I loved reading about Mari and Owen’s dates, the specific types they ended up with, and hoping they would eventually find that Mr. and Mrs. Perfect they are both looking for. I think this is something many readers will be able to relate to; don’t we all have that specific actor or character we want to accidentally bump into on the street, knowing it will be love at first sight?!  

I really liked Mari. I thought she was an interesting character, and I also instantly liked Owen. As I already mentioned, I also loved the fact that this novel is set in Wales. It somehow really gave the novel that little bit extra for me. Overall, I thought ‘Mr. Perfect’ is a light-hearted and funny read that is perfect for anyone who loves a romantic comedy. I honestly have nothing bad to say about this novel and applaud Joanna Davies for writing such a lovely book!

Rating: 8,5/10  

***

I'm delighted to have had the chance to interview Joanna Davies about her book 'Mr. Perfect'; you can find her answers underneath! 

1) Can you tell us something about your novel, ‘Mr. Perfect’?

I'm a big fan of romantic movies like 'When Harry Met Sally,' 'Dirty Dancing' and 'The Princess Bride' and when I was younger and dating, these films did influence me, as I tried unsuccessfully to experience my own 'epic' love story. This inspired me to write a story about two characters, Mari and Owen, who are also too influenced by popular culture and finding the 'perfect' romance. The obsession with finding a dream partner can stop you from finding a more real and satisfying relationship which is the main theme of the novel.

 I also love Director and Writer, John Hughes's 1980s American high school films like 'Pretty in Pink' and 'Sixteen Candles'. So I was keen to start the story in a high school in the early 1990s to show the characters' first 'romantic' experiences as teenagers before moving on to their equally angst-ridden 20s and 30s. It's good fun to write about this period when I was a teenager and poke fun at the pop culture and fashion of the time.

Each chapter deals with the characters' unfortunate dating experiences and in 'Mr Men' style, each date is given an illustrative name -from Mr Bad Voice to Ms Red Light. Both Owen and Mari, the main characters, keep meeting up over a period of 20 years, sometimes when on a bad date. They unwittingly play out a 'movie' like comedy romance, from their first 'meet cute' meeting to the dramatic declaration of love at the end. The main message is like in the film, 'Some Like it Hot', that nobody's perfect and you don't need perfection to have a loving and long lasting relationship. And your story can be just as good as the one in a film!

2) Where did you find the inspiration for ‘Mr. Perfect’? Is it in any way based on your own life experiences?

'Mr Perfect' is loosely based on my real life dating experiences and those of some of my friends but they've been hugely embellished. It's surprising how varied bad dates can be and I did enjoy conjuring up even more extreme imaginary ones for the book!

3) There’s a great mix of characters in the novel. Which character did you most enjoy writing about and why?

I think my favourite character is Owen as he's very loveable and a bit of an everyman. His banter with his best friend, Huw was also good fun to write.  I also enjoy writing 'baddies' so had a great time writing scenes for Lucy, the stalker too.

4) Who would be your own Mr. Perfect?

When I was younger I had a definite idea of a Mr Perfect -a cross between Mr Darcy and Johnny Depp with Alan Rickman's voice!  However, like Mari and Owen finally realise, I also realised that this mythical 'perfect' partner doesn't exist. So I'm happy with my lovely imperfect husband -we've been together for 12 years.

5) Can you perhaps tell us something about your future plans as an author? Are you already working on a next novel?

I also write in the Welsh language. (Mr Perfect was originally Mr Perffaith published by Gomer Press in 2011.) I have another Welsh language book out next summer, Cario Mlaen (Carrying On) which is a sequel to my first novel, 'Freshers' (also available in English!) My next project is to translate my novel, 'Ieuan Bythwyrdd', or 'Erotomania' into English which is quite a surreal dark comedy about a fantasist stalker and an egotistical young famous actor.  I really enjoyed writing this as it satirises celebrity culture and social media and has some quite ridiculous over the top scenes, which are also film homages, such as a chase scene where the main character drives off the Severn Bridge!

6) Do you have any tips for aspiring writers?

I think the most obvious tip is to write about what you know. It's much easier to do and the authenticity shines through for the reader. Don't be too influenced by the highbrow or 'what's popular' lists and do your own thing. It's a labour of love for most of us though as there's not much money in it but the satisfaction is immense when you see the finished work. You also need a very thick skin when looking at reviews -remember even the greats get criticised sometimes!  Self publishing is also a route to explore if you find it hard (like many) to get a publisher or agent. 

7) And last but not least, if you had to describe ‘Mr. Perfect’ in just three words, which words would you pick?

Quirky, funny, wry.

Thanks so much to Joanna Davies for taking the time to do this interview! Be sure to get your own copy of 'Mr. Perfect' via Amazon by clicking here!