BOOK NEWS: The Dress by Jane L Rosen

The Dress is the gorgeous new novel by Jane L Rosen, which is due for release on 17th November. In the novel, the lives of nine women are transformed by the dress of the season...

Legend has it that every season there is one dress.

The dress that can make your career.

The dress to ignite a spark with that special someone,

The dress to utterly transform your life.

For Natalie who has sworn off men since her ex dumped her; for Sally Ann, the model who wears the dress for the first time on the catwalk, for Sophie who is creating her perfect imaginary life on social media to thousands of followers – for them and for others, life is about to change.

 And all because of their brush with the dress of the season, the perfect little black number that everyone wants to get their hands on…

COMING SOON: A Season of Ruin by Anna Bradley

Anna Bradley, author of A Wicked Way to Win an Earl, returns on 6th September with new regency romance, A Season of Ruin (which, I have to add, has a stunning cover!)

Lily Somerset's plan for the London season is simple: courtship, marriage to a respectable gentleman, then the comfortable existence of a proper Lady. That is, until one tiny misstep leaves Lily on the edge of social ruin, forcing her to depend on a wicked rogue to save her reputation.

Robyn Sutherland doesn't save reputations-he sullies them. He'd rather be drawn and quartered than find himself spending the season as Lily's escort. But he has no choice but to stay until her tattered standing is mended.

What begins as a ruse to deceive London soon flames into an uncontrollable passion. Robyn calls to the wild spirit that lurks beneath Lily's prim exterior, and Lily awakens the hero's heart within Robyn. But can these unlikely lovers trust themselves enough to let desire overrule reason?

CUTE COVERS: Molly Miranda: Thick as Thieves

Having absolutely loved Jillianne Hamilton's action-packed debut novel Molly Miranda: Thief for Hire (let's face it, Molly is my kind of heroine), it was highly exciting to find out about the upcoming sequel - Molly Miranda: Thick as Thieves. And after seeing the cover, I'm even more excited! The novel will follow professional thief Molly in a brand new adventure...

Molly Miranda has made a successful living from "acquiring" valuables and delivering them to clients who pay buckets of cash for her unique services. Things go astray when she knocks boots with her charming roommate right before taking off to Scotland with an untrustworthy wildcard on a job assignment that doesn't go quite as planned. 

Join Molly on her hilarious adventures as she dodges bullets, trespasses, wears disguises, and steals her way into trouble...

"How much fun is this? I'm loving the debut from Hamilton—now I need more about her sassy, sometimes awkward and always brave heroine, Molly Miranda. Stealing other people's stuff has never been so charming. Bravo!" - Patti Larsen, award-winning author of the Hayle Coven series.

COVER REVEAL: Reader, I Dumped Him by Lorelei Mathias

Lorelei Mathias is the author of romantic comedies Step On It Cupid and Lost for Words, and her latest novel - Reader, I Dumped Him - will be published in February. The 'anti-Valentines' novel follows a group of pals in their late twenties, all members of The Break-Up Club, as they each deal with their rather different relationship woes.

This story is a celebration of the people that bring you back to life when your world closes in: your mates. Relationships come and go, but the Break-up Club membership never truly expires.

Meet Holly, Olivia, Harry and Bella. Four Londoners at the fag-end of their twenties, thrown together by their different break-ups. Its unwitting founders are Olivia (a dumper) and Bella (a dumpee).

Wedged in the middle, Holly is in an increasingly dysfunctional relationship of her own with lovable loser, Lawrence. Soon the obvious cracks in their relationship can no longer be ignored and Holly finds herself saying ‘it’s not you, it’s me.’

In the shock aftermath of their break up, Holly finds unlikely companions in Olivia, Harry and Bella. Together, they form the Break-up Club, as they support each other through their mutual melancholy and find ways to love, laugh and function as human beings again.

Break-up Club meets every Sunday. Each week, as the comedy and drama unfolds, they discover a new BUC ‘rule’. And, one by one, the rules become vital markers on their journey to recovery...
Part romantic comedy, part self-help, this is a warm novel about friendship, for anyone who has ever had a break-up.

‘BREAK-UP CLUB’

To our members, we’re the first emergency service.

CUTE COVERS: She Just Can't Help Herself by Ollie Quain

Ollie Quain's 2014 novel How to Lose Weight and Alienate People was a fantastic, fun read that I could hardly put down, so hearing about this year's offering from Ollie made my day. (And to top it off, the cover of this novel is absolutely gorgeous.) She Just Can't Help Herself, in which two very different women reunite, is out in April.

Ashley lives in London and writes for a leading fashion magazine. Her life is sorted. Or at least, that's what it looks like to Tanya, who started out on as an intern with Ashley on a regional newspaper…and has remained there.

Tanya – who wears her heart on her sleeve - is panicky and frustrated. The man of her dreams is backtracking with her baby plans, she can do her job in her sleep.

But Ashley's life isn’t as sorted as it appears. She's dissatisfied at work and is dealing with a double whammy of death and divorce. Or rather, thanks to the mental barbed wire fence she constantly has up, not dealing with it.

The two women haven't seen one another for years, but a chance meeting at a party brings their worlds together. They both discover that while neither can help being themselves, they might be able to help each other.

BOOK REVIEW: The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Lisa Dickenson

I've been a fan of Lisa Dickenson since reading You Had Me at Merlot. Her summer novel, Catch Me if You Cannes, was an excellent read, so naturally, I was excited to receive a copy of Lisa's Christmas tale, The Twelve Dates of Christmas.

Readers of Lisa Dickenson's books may already be aware that Twelve Dates was previously released as a six-part series, though the complete novel has now been published by Sphere (with a gorgeous cover to boot!) And if you're looking for a feel-good, romantic tale with a festive theme, then here's your book.

When Claudia's long-awaited 'date night' with boyfriend Seth goes horribly wrong, she soon finds herself single and about to face Christmas on her own - not exactly a predicament that thirty-year-old Claudia is particularly keen on.  But after a chance meeting with a hot barista in a coffee shop (whilst trying to get over the Seth fiasco!), Claudia finds herself determined not to let her lost love get to her, and so decides to try dating. A Christmas full of dates - what could go wrong?

In fact, quite a few things can. And granted, some of those dates aren't exactly planned. Claudia's Christmas seems to be filling up with nice surprises, along with interesting date experiences.

Together with her best friends, ballerina Penny and the lovely Nick, Claudia's twelve dates are proving to be working when it comes to changing her life, even if some of them aren't exactly pleasant! It's going to be a Christmas that Claudia certainly won't forget.

The Twelve Dates of Christmas is full of comedic moments (trying not to spoil anything here, but I loved the underwear chapter!) but also full of heart and Christmas magic. It's a genuinely lovely festive tale of looking for something that you don't quite realise is there all along. My only complaint? It was rather predictable, and I had guessed how the book would end very early on. However, the story itself, along with the comedy and Lisa's charm, far outweigh this, and so if you want a feel-good tale to add some sparkle to a wintry night, The Twelve Dates of Christmas is absolutely perfect.

Rating: 5/5

BOOK NEWS: The Vintage Guide to Love and Romance by Kirsty Greenwood

The Vintage Guide to Love and Romance is the next novel from Kirsty Greenwood, author of Yours Truly, and the founder of fab chick-lit website Novelicious.com. (And isn't the cover gorgeous?) Party girl Jess is forced to get help from her grandmother Matilda, who's also having a hard time. Until Matilda's 1950s life-guides give them both the opportunity they need...

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 . . .

COVER NEWS: The Happy Ever Afterlife of Rosie Potter by Kate Winter

Kate Winter's debut novel The Happy Ever Afterlife of Rosie Potter will be released in paperback in late May, and here is the beautiful cover! Being a fan of paranormal chick-lit (Twenties Girl and Heaven Can Wait are firm favourites), this novel is particularly exciting. In this ghostly, romantic tale, newly deceased Rosie has to uncover the mystery of her death. And quite possibly fall in love...

When Rosie Potter wakes up one morning with what she assumes is the world's worst hangover, the last thing she expects is to discover that she's actually dead. With a frustrating case of amnesia, suspicious circumstances surrounding her untimely demise, and stuck wearing her ugliest flannel PJs, Rosie must figure out not only what happened last night, but why on earth she's still here. Slowly the mystery unravels, but there are many other secrets buried in the quiet Irish village of Ballycarragh, and nobody is as innocent as they first appear. Aided by the unlikeliest of allies in her investigation, Rosie discovers that life after death isn't all it's cracked up to be, particularly when you might just be falling in love...

CUTE COVERS: Kate & Alf by Carrie Stone

We're in love with the cover for Kate & Alf, the upcoming novel by Carrie Stone. Published on 5th February by Harper Impulse, the book focuses on Kate, who's thirty-two and hoping for a proposal from long-term boyfriend Alf.

Kate loves Alf. And Alf loves Kate… Doesn’t he?

Kate can’t wait for her long-term boyfriend Alf to propose. So he might be a bit of a control freak who’s obsessed with his career … and he also seems to have conveniently forgotten their two-year plan to get married, buy a bigger house and have children. But Kate’s sure that ring will be on her finger soon.

When her thirty-second birthday ends in humiliating, proposal-less disaster, even Kate is left wondering if Alf really is The One. Then Alf’s friend, Marco, needs a place to stay. With his dark eyes, easygoing manner and kind concern for Kate, Marco is everything Alf is not - and it's not long before Kate begins to wonder if there’s more to life than diamonds.

UNCOVERED INTERVIEWS: KT Valentine

Today we're joined by KT Valentine, author of romantic comedy Dispatches From the Dating Zone, for the weekly Q&A! In the novel, Fleur Summers is on a quest to find Mr Right, with the help of her friends and family.

Tell us about your latest novel in 15 words or less.
One woman's fight to find love the hard (and very funny) way! Raunchy, raucous, relatable.

What inspired you to write Dispatches from the Dating Zone?
Along time ago someone told me that some of the best writers are the ones that write about what they know. Whether that was the case or not, it got me thinking about everything I’d been through over the years and how I could draw on it for inspiration.  After turning my life around and spurred on by my family and young son, I finally put pen to paper again and ‘Dispatches from the Dating Zone’ was born.

Where do you do most of your writing?
As a single mum, working full time and raising my 12-year old (who’s going through a phase of thinking he’s 16) whilst trying to write a full length novel  the only time I was really able to write was in the evenings. Where I wrote it varied, from the dining room table to lying on my bed, basically it was wherever I got the urge. Writing day in and day out was something I had to be really disciplined about so the location of where the writing took place didn't really worry me.

What is your favourite book?
I have lots. Too many to mention. But I'm currently enjoying JoJo Moyes' One Plus One.

Which part of Dispatches from the Dating Zone did you enjoy writing the most?
I loved writing the humour and the interactions between Fleur and her son Tobey. Being a mum myself, it seemed to flow easily and it was important to me that Tobey played a prominent part in this story as our children do in all of our lives.

Who is your favourite literary heroine?
It would have to be a coin flip between Jo March from Little Women and Bridget Jones. Jo March, because I remember reading Little women as a young girl and I really related to Jo. Like Jo, I loved reading and writing and my three siblings and I were always putting on endless plays for my poor parents. As for Bridget, I'd be lying if I said there wasn't something about Bridget I relate too.

Do you have any tips for readers who are looking to become published writers?
Just go for it. Self confidence isn’t one of my strong points and putting my writing out there for people to read and ultimately judge was scary, but the thought of looking back on my life as an old woman wondering ‘what if?’ was the motivation I needed to get myself into gear. At the end of the day, if you have a passion for writing and work hard at it, anything is possible. Look at me.

Are you working on anything else at the moment and if so, can you tell us?
Yes, I have started work on the sequel to Dispatches from the Dating Zone which will be out next year. So watch this space.

Thanks, KT!

You can find out more about KT Valentine over at her website, Facebook (KT Valentine), or Twitter.

Dispatches from the Dating Zone by KT Valentine
Having exhausted all the conventional ways to meet her ‘Mr Right’ (and because now she really is a little bit desperate), Fleur Summers turns to her well-meaning, but eccentric friends and family for help.

From ‘Man Mountain’; an engineer who eats everything in sight and tall dark handsome Tom with big hands but no idea how to use them, to the mysterious and brooding Henry Austin. Follow the trials and tribulations of Fleur’s journey as she works her way through a number of eventful blind dates, all in the name of finding true love. 

COMING SOON: Perfect Girl by Michele Gorman

Next month sees the release of Perfect Girl, the exciting new book by Weightless and Single in the City author Michele Gorman. Perfect Girl is a modern-day fairytale focusing on trader Carol, whose seemingly perfect life is about to unravel.

Carol is perfect… at least that’s what everyone thinks. In reality she’s sinking fast – her family treats her like their personal assistant and her boyfriend is so busy with work that he’s got her single-handedly running their relationship. Not that her job is any easier. As the only woman on the bank’s trading floor she spends twelve-hour days trying not to get sworn at or felt up by colleagues who put the "W" in banker.

How long can she go on pleasing everyone else before she snaps and loses it all?

With humour and empathy, Perfect Girl lays bare the balancing act that working women face in a man's world.

CUTE COVERS: I'll Take New York by Miranda Dickinson

One of the many lovely things about a Miranda Dickinson novel is the cover - they're always so perfect! (Check out Fairytale of New York, It Started With a Kiss and When I Fall in Love!) Miranda's latest book looks just as gorgeous. I'll Take New York is released in December, and focuses on two city singletons, Bea and Jake.

Have you ever given up on love? When her boyfriend lets her down for the last time, Brooklyn bookshop owner Bea James makes a decision - no more. No more men, no more heartbreak, and no more pain. Psychiatrist Jake Steinmann is making a new start too, leaving his broken marriage behind in San Francisco. From now on there'll just be one love in his life: New York. At a party where they seem to be the only two singletons, Bea and Jake meet, and decide there's just one thing for it. They will make a pact: no more relationships. But the city has other plans ...

CUTE COVERS: The Dress Shop of Dreams by Menna Van Praag

We're in love with the cover for The Dress Shop of Dreams, the new novel by Menna Van Praag. Released in December, the novel is said to be a charming tale perfect for fans of Sarah Addison Allen and Adriana Trigiani.

Since her parents’ mysterious deaths many years ago, scientist Cora Sparks has spent her days in the safety of her university lab or at her grandmother Etta’s dress shop. Tucked away on a winding Cambridge street, Etta’s charming tiny store appears quite ordinary to passersby, but the colorfully vibrant racks of beaded silks, delicate laces, and jewel-toned velvets hold bewitching secrets: With just a few stitches from Etta’s needle, these gorgeous gowns have the power to free a woman’s deepest desires.

Etta’s dearest wish is to work her magic on her granddaughter. Cora’s studious, unromantic eye has overlooked Walt, the shy bookseller who has been in love with her forever. Determined not to allow Cora to miss her chance at happiness, Etta sews a tiny stitch into Walt’s collar, hoping to give him the courage to confess his feelings to Cora. But magic spells—like true love—can go awry. After Walt is spurred into action, Etta realizes she’s set in motion a series of astonishing events that will transform Cora’s life in extraordinary and unexpected ways.

BOOK REVIEW: Don't Tell the Boss by Anna Bell

Following on from 2013 novel Don't Tell the Groom is Anna Bell's sequel Don't Tell the Boss, in which Penny Robinson is back for more wedding planning - though this time, not hers.

Don't Tell the Groom saw Penny plan the wedding of her dreams on a strict budget after a gambling habit wiped out the majority of her savings, leaving her to arrange the happiest day of her life under the elaborate guise of a TV-inspired 'surprise'.

Now Penny's back, happily married to husband Mark and, after successfully planning a wedding for pal Lara, lands herself the opportunity to plan the budget wedding of Henri Scott. Despite vowing not to plan anymore weddings, Henri refuses to back down until Penny agrees, and pretty soon Penny finds herself tasked with the nuptials of a potential bridezilla who thinks 'budget' is a dirty word.

But there's a reason why the seemingly affluent Henri Scott is having to plan her wedding so cheaply - and it's a reason, Penny soon discovers when she meets husband-to-be Nick,  that's particularly close to home...

Meanwhile, Penny's day job in HR is looking up when new boss Giles announces the possibility of promotion. The downside? Penny must compete for the position with 'frenemy' Shelly. But with her great organisation skills, and her new assignment - plan the army-themed company team-building event - Penny's set on success. That is, until she discovers her new boss's view on secondary jobs. And when Henri becomes more demanding, it's only a matter of time before Penny's two jobs collide...

Juggling the team-building weekend and a fight for promotion, reluctantly embarking on a second job as a wedding planner and being the budget-bride guru on popular blog 'Princess on a Shoestring', things are soon proving to be tough for Penny, especially with husband Mark and their plans for a baby.

Can Penny successfully send Henri down the aisle of her dream wedding, bag the promotion and keep it all from her stern new boss?

Don't Tell the Groom is a wonderfully-written novel that I was unable to put down. Granted, having loved Anna Bell's previous book Don't Tell the Groom, I had already expected a fantastic read. I loved Penny and her busy life (I could definitely relate!), and the story was so well-paced and made me continue reading. Anna writes in a such a funny way that you instantly fall in love with the characters - well, maybe not Henri (not first of all, anyway!), and the comedy moments make this novel perfect. I'm hoping there's more from Penny in future! If you enjoy books by Sophie Kinsella, Kirsty Greenwood and Tracy Bloom, then I would definitely recommend Anna Bell.

Rating: 5/5

BOOK NEWS: Virgin by Radhika Sanghani

Virgin by Radhika Sanghani is due for release on August 5th. Radhika's debut novel focuses on 21-year-old Ellie who is determined to lose her virginity before graduation...

Okay, I admit it…I didn’t do it.

Yet.

This is normal, right? I mean, just because everyone I know has talked like they’ve already done it doesn’t mean that they’re telling the truth…right?

It’s not like I’m asking for that much. I don’t need the perfect guy. I don’t need candlelight or roses. Honestly, I don’t even need a real bed.

The guys I know complain that girls are always looking for Mr. Right—do I have to wear a sign that says I’m only looking for Mr. Right Now?

Sooooo…anyone out there want sex? Anyone? Hello? Just for fun?

I am not going to die a virgin. One way or another I am going to make this happen.

Hey, what have I got to lose? Besides the obvious. 

COVER NEWS: A Proper Family Christmas by Chrissie Manby

Having loved Chrissie Manby's latest book, hilarious and heartwarming summer read A Proper Family Holiday, we were thrilled to discover that the Benson family will return in November for A Proper Family Christmas. (And the cover is just perfect!) Read on for the synopsis...

Annabel Buchanan has it all. A privileged life. Pots of cash. Looks and manners born of generations of fabulous breeding. At least, that's what she likes people to think. But Annabel's carefully created image is about to come crashing down. 

With her beloved daughter Izzy in need of a kidney transplant, Annabel is desperate to find a suitable donor. That's how she comes to admit that before Annabel Buchanan there was Daisy Benson, given up for adoption by her teenage mum and dad. 

Hoping her biological family will be able to help, Annabel traces the Bensons and is horrified by the embarrassing, chavvy bunch she discovers. They're definitely not her kind of people. And she is equally baffling to them. 

But as Christmas approaches and Izzy's situation brings the Benson and the Buchanan families closer, will Annabel discover at last that blood is thicker than water?

BOOK REVIEW: The Man from Perfect by Andrea Semple

Having first discovered - and very much loved - Andrea Semple's novels back in 2004, I was excited that publishers Piatkus were re-releasing the novels this year with fantastic new covers (seriously, they're awesome). So after rediscovering much-loved book The Man From Perfect, I decided to review it for those who have yet to read.

When teacher Ella Holt finally ditches lazy, inattentive boyfriend, not so affectionately nicknamed Rob the Slob, her crazy friend and housemate Maddie tries desperately to get Ella back in the dating game. When a speed-dating event turns out to be a disaster (for Ella, anyway…), she’s about to give up. That is, until she’s sent a mysterious letter from The Perfect Agency, claiming to provide Ella with the prize of a lifetime - the man of her dreams.

It seems rather far-fetched, until Maddie reveals that she posted a love questionnaire that Ella completed some time ago – a questionnaire that was in fact a competition entry. Being Perfect’s prize winner, Ella is entitled to attend the agency for testing – testing that will lead her to her scientific love match – a real-life Mr Perfect.

The Perfect Agency is adamant that their latest project will revolutionize dating. After all, it’s science. So how can Ella refuse?

Soon she’s acquainted with James Masters, who seems far too good to be real. A handsome, romantic airline pilot, James possesses the qualities that boring Rob the Slob could never match up to. James is seemingly everything she could ever want in a boyfriend, and he’s already whisking her away on holidays, meeting her friends and being the partner every girl can dream of. It doesn’t help that the pair are turning out to be the Perfect Agency’s PR guinea-pigs, but it’s a small price to pay for happy coupledom.

However, when things are too good to be true, they usually aren’t…and Ella’s soon having doubts about the wonderful man who’s walked into her life. A man that’s slowly turning out to be not so perfect after all…

Andrea Semple was one of the first authors I read when I started getting into chick-lit. and I’ve been hoping for some time that she would write more, but at least I can now own the lovely new editions! I really liked Ella – and of course, her crazy housemate and their hilarious speed-dating experience. The only complaint about The Man From Perfect is that it’s over too soon – like previous novels The Make-Up Girl and The Ex-Factor, the short chapters and fast-paced writing mean that ‘just one more chapter!’ ends up with finishing the whole book. But other than that? It’s a great read, and if you like light, romantic comedies (Sophie Kinsella, Tracy Bloom) then The Man From Perfect is very much recommended.

Rating: 5/5