Weekly Feature - Once Upon a Story...

 'Once Upon a Story' is a weekly feature in which we go back in time and focus on a specific novel that was released in the same month we're in right now (in this case April), but a few years back! It can be a women's fiction classic from the 1990's or perhaps a great chick lit read from 2011. I thought it would be nice to not just focus on recent releases, but also take the chance to jump back in time once a week and look back at wonderful reads that have been released over the years!
This week, we're travelling back to April 2010 to look back at...

At 28, Lucy is doing well for herself. She's got a great job in PR, her boss loves her, and her best girlfriends Dominique and Erin think she's great. More important than anyone's opinion is that of her flatmate, and oldest friend in the world, Henry. For twenty years they've been inseparable: beauty and the geek. Henry thinks the world of Lucy. So why does she feel the need to lie outrageously on dates? 
From rock-climbing to Chekov: when it comes to prospective boyfriends, Lucy is compelled to embellish her C.V. with unlikely porkies that always backfire - with hilarious results. Henry can't understand it. Lucy is so loveable: why can't she just be herself? But when Lucy turns the spotlight on Henry, he wishes he'd never brought it up. With a penchant for jumpers and NHS-style specs, Lucy decides that Henry is in need of a makeover - big time. 
Enlisting the help of Dom and Erin, it's not long before the girls have Henry out of the flat, and into the Topman changing rooms. A new haircut, contact lenses, a flirting master-class from Dom . . . poor Henry doesn't know what's hit him. But nothing can prepare them for the surprise results! Before long, Lucy realises that their lives will never be the same again.
Fans of chick lit will be familiar with Jane Costello's name and most importantly, her amazing novels! 'My Single Friend' was the third of Jane's novels that was published and tells the story of best friends Lucy and Henry. It's a great romantic comedy and a must-read for any chick lit fans or people looking for a comfortable and entertaining read. Talking about it has made me want to search for my own copy and re-read it all over again!  
Be sure to visit the blog next week for another blast from chick lit past with 'Once Upon a Story...'!

Blog Tour: 'No-One Ever Has Sex On a Tuesday' by Tracy Bloom (2014)

  Never has a late-night stand led to such chaos!
Childhood sweethearts Matthew and Katy agree they must never see each other ever again after they end up in bed together following a school re-union.
So all is forgotten...until eight months later when a shock meeting at an antenatal class forces them to confront the fact that Matthew could be the father of Katy's baby. Oblivious to the mayhem unfolding, Matthews highly strung wife frets over giving birth to twins and Katy's much younger boyfriend refuses to take fatherhood seriously.
Love and life are messy but Katy and Matthew take things to a whole new level as deep emotions begin to resurface and hormones run riot. How will they navigate their way through this almighty pick-up?
Every once in a while you come across a novel everyone else seems to have read or to be reading at that particular moment, and you can almost taste the excitement. Well, that’s exactly what happened to me with Tracy Bloom’s novel ‘No-One Ever Has Sex On a Tuesday.’ The book was named Best Author Published Read at the Festival of Romance in 2013, became a best-seller and has already been published in six countries. Needless to say, I couldn’t say ‘yes!’ quickly enough when I was asked to be a part of the blog tour for the paperback release of ‘No-One Ever Has Sex On a Tuesday’ (21st of April). I also got the chance to give away one copy of the book, so be sure to scroll down to be in with a chance of winning a copy of Tracy Bloom’s novel!
Katy is a thirty-six-year-old successful businesswoman living together with her slightly younger boyfriend Ben, who is a PE teacher. They have fun together and don’t talk too much about their future as a couple, which is fine by both of them. Until Katy discovers she is pregnant. Besides the fact that she and Ben have never even discussed having kids together, there’s another tiny problem: Katy doesn’t know 100% sure who the father is. During a school reunion a few months earlier, Katy bumped into her teenage sweetheart Matthew, who broke her heart back in the day. Somehow they end up in bed together, and go their separate ways the next morning. However, when they meet again a few months later, but this time at antenatal classes, where Matthew is together with his pregnant wife Alice and Katy with her boyfriend Ben, things start to get a bit tricky...
This was such a fun and enjoyable read! I fell in love with the story after having read the first chapter (the jokes about Fanny made me laugh out loud) and I just wanted to keep on reading, which resulted in me finishing the book within two days. The characters are a brilliant mix: Katy is a great protagonist but not your average chick lit heroine, Ben was laugh-out-loud funny, and Matthew is the handsome guy I couldn’t help but develop a small crush on. I also particularly want to mention Daniel, Katy’s gay best friend, who is such a vibrant and absolutely hilarious character; I wouldn’t mind an entire book just about him and his adventures!
What I particularly enjoyed is that the book focuses on Katy’s pregnancy, both the positive and negative sides, but also deals with other aspects, such as friendship and the difficult of being in a relationship. I couldn’t predict what was going to happen which also made me curious to see how the story would eventually enfold. Tracy Bloom has a great talent; her writing is so easy to get through and she really knows what a romantic comedy entails. ‘No-One Ever Has Sex On a Tuesday’ is an incredibly funny, addictive, and thoroughly enjoyable read that will leave you with a large smile on your face. I already can’t wait for the sequel that’s coming up in 2015! Rating:

     8,5/10   For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads       Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.  

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International giveaway of 'No-One Ever Has Sex On a Tuesday'!

Can't wait to read this wonderful novel yourself? Well, here's your chance to win a copy of 'No-One Ever Has Sex On a Tuesday'! Thanks to the lovely publisher I have a special giveaway, open internationally! Just follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter giveaway below; you have until Friday the 9th of May. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Top Ten Tuesday - Top 10 Books If You Like 'Love Actually'

'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 Ten Books If You Like 'Love Actually'
I didn't have time for last week's Top Ten Tuesday, so I'm really excited to be back with a new top 10 this week! The assignment for this Tuesday was to think of 10 books you will like if you like a specific film, comic, TV show, play, etc. I didn't have to think too long about this, because I absolutely love any kind of feel-good story filled with tons of romance, just like the film 'Love Actually.' I tried to come up with 10 books I think you will definitely enjoy if you enjoyed 'Love Actually', so definitely be sure to give them a try if you're a romantic comedy fan like me!   

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1. Ali McNamara - 'From Notting Hill With Love... Actually'

I think the title of this book already says enough, right? Ali McNamara's novels are absolutely amazing, and if you're a fan of romantic comedies you will absolutely adore this book, no doubt about it! All the film references are brilliant, and the story is just a great feel-good tale that will definitely make you smile!

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2. Jimmy Rice and Laura Tait - 'The Best Thing That Never Happened To Me'

I'm reading this lovely book at the moment and it's one of my favourite reads of 2014 so far! It tells the story of best friends Holly and Alex and is a classic tale of best friends I am sure anyone who loves a bit of romance will enjoy!

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3. Miranda Dickinson - 'Fairytale of New York'

When I think of romantic comedies, I automatically think of Miranda Dickinson. She's one of my favourite authors and her stories are sparkling, captivating, thoroughly enjoyable tales of romance and making your dreams come true!

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4. Paige Toon - 'Pictures of Lilly'

Another amazing chick lit author and another wonderful love story! 'Pictures of Lily' is a book that has stayed with me over the years and I love re-reading it.

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5. Giovanna Fletcher - 'Billy and Me'

This fabulous novel tells the story of girl-next-door Sophie May who falls in love with famous actor Billy. Trust me, the story inside is just as gorgeous as the cover! 

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6. Cecelia Ahern - 'Where Rainbows End'

An enchanting tale of two best friends told only in the form of e-mails, letters, notes, and text messages. One of those books you don't want to put down and makes you continue to keep your fingers crossed it will have the happy ending you are longing for!

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7. Lucy Diamond - 'Me and Mr. Jones'

A wonderful Lucy Diamond novel which tells the stories of four different women, each of them dealing with her own Mr. Jones. Such a great read and a book that will leave you with a smile on your face!

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8. Ali McNamara - 'From Notting Hill to New York... Actually'

Okay, perhaps I'm cheating just a bit here, but I couldn't possibly leave out the second part of Ali McNamara's book series! This novel is just as amazing as the first one, and once again a brilliant read if you're a lover of romantic comedies like 'Love Actually'!

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9. Niamh Greene - 'A Message To Your Heart'

This was one of the first novels I reviewed for this blog and a story I immediately fell in love with! Set in San Francisco, it's a great tale with tons of romance at its core.

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10. Alexandra Potter - 'You're the One That I Don't Want'

Alexandra Potter is another author who has to be a part of this list, because her romantic comedy novels always manage to make me smile! This is just one of many amazing reads, so if you love this one be sure to check out her other books as well!