BOOK REVIEW: Fudge Berries and Frogs' Knickers by Lynda Renham

What do you do when you're extremely rich and all of a sudden, your wealth disappears? London socialite Poppy Wellesley quickly find herself in a bit of a tricky situation in Lynda Renham's hilarious novel, Fudge Berries and Frogs' Knickers.

Lynda is the author of many romantic novels including Pink Wellies and Flat Caps, Coconuts and Wonderbras, and The Dog's Bollocks. Fudge Berries was recommended to me, and after two chapters I was already downloading more of Lynda's books, because frankly? This lady is hilarious.

Poppy Wellesley finds herself penniless within hours when her millionaire minister father is charged for fraud. With her bank account now frozen, Poppy has to fend for herself, without the help of her daddy and his vast amount of cash. Now an outsider to her usual crowd of equally rich It-girls, Poppy is forced to begin a new life. Very reluctantly. And with no money, there's no swanky penthouse apartment - she'll have to downsize. Though when she lays eyes on the slightly dishevelled houseboat on Regent's Canal that's now her new home, she wonders if she'll ever be able to get her old life back.

Especially as she doesn't immediately seem to get on with the neighbours...

Marrying her millionaire fiance is a possible solution to the cash-flow problem - though with her current predicament, will the marriage still be on the cards? With sly Pandora making a move on Poppy's only potential way to regain her status, Poppy realises that she's going to have to fight for it. With the help of fun (yet extremely ditzy) Chelsea, Poppy puts her plan into action, however there's juat a little setback; her handsome and quite mysterious neighbour on the next boat...

Fudge Berries has a wonderfully funny cast of characters (including gangster Jack Diamond and Lord Wyndham-Price - aka 'Balls') and Lynda's witty writing style just makes this book perfect. At first, I thought I would hate Poppy - after all, she's a socialite, reliant on her family's cash to get by. But I couldn't help but love her and root for her throughout. I found it impossible to put this book down until I had finished it. (I am now halfway through The Dog's Bollocks, which is just as funny!)
If you are looking for some witty, blunt humour, great characters and of course, some romance, then I highly suggest checking out Fudge Berries and Frogs' Knickers.

Rating: 5/5

BOOK NEWS: Bridget Jones's Baby: The Diaries

There's been some great news today for fans of Bridget Jones! Helen Fielding's much-loved heroine will be returning in October in Bridget Jones's Baby: The Diaries. The book is based on the original columns published in The Independent newspaper, and follow Bridget on her journey into motherhood.

The book will be released in October - one month after the Bridget Jones's Baby movie hits the screens. If you're not familiar with Bridget's next on-screen adventures, here's the synopsis from the official movie site:

Oscar® winners Renée Zellweger and Colin Firth are joined by Patrick Dempsey for the next chapter of the world’s favorite singleton in Bridget Jones’s Baby. Directed by Sharon Maguire (Bridget Jones’s Diary), the new film in the beloved comedy series based on creator Helen Fielding’s heroine finds Bridget unexpectedly expecting.

After breaking up with Mark Darcy (Firth), Bridget Jones’s (Zellweger) “happily ever after” hasn’t quite gone according to plan. Fortysomething and single again, she decides to focus on her job as top news producer and surround herself with old friends and new. For once, Bridget has everything completely under control. What could possibly go wrong?

Then her love life takes a turn and Bridget meets a dashing American named Jack (Dempsey), the suitor who is everything Mr. Darcy is not. In an unlikely twist she finds herself pregnant, but with one hitch…she can only be fifty percent sure of the identity of her baby’s father.

The much-anticipated third installment of the Bridget Jones franchise welcomes fellow Academy Award® winner Emma Thompson to the cast. Longtime collaborators Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner of Working Title Films produce alongside Debra Hayward. Universal Pictures will distribute Bridget Jones’s Baby in North America and select international territories.

BOOK NEWS: A Portrait of Emily Price by Katherine Reay

A Portrait of Emily Price is the upcoming novel from Katherine Reay, author of The Bronte Plot and Lizzy & Jane. Released in November, A Portrait of Emily Price focuses on determined artist Emily, who finds herself in Italy with chef Ben.

Art restorer Emily Price has never encountered anything she can’t fix—until she meets Ben, an Italian chef, who seems just right. When Emily follows Ben home to Italy, she learns that his family, however, is another matter...

Emily Price—fix-it girl extraordinaire and would-be artist—finds herself in Atlanta, repairing objects damaged in a house fire. As she works to restore the home and dreams of one family, she strives to keep the pieces of her own life in perfect order and secure her own happy ending—a gallery show of her own. There is no time for distractions, especially not the ultimate distraction of falling in love.
But Chef Benito Vassallo’s relentless pursuit proves hard to resist. Visiting from Italy, Ben works to reconnect with his brother and breathe new life into his aunt and uncle’s faded restaurant, Piccolo. And soon after their first meeting, he works to win Emily as well—inviting her into his world and into his heart.

Emily astonishes everyone when she accepts Ben’s proposal and follows him home. Upon landing in Rome, she is enchanted with Italy. But instead of allowing the land, culture and people to transform her, Emily imposes her will upon everyone and everything around her, alienating Ben’s tightly knit family. Only Ben’s father, Lucio, gives Emily the understanding she needs to lay down her guard. Soon, Emily’s life and art begin to blossom, and Italy’s beauty and rhythm take hold of her spirit.
Yet when she unearths long-buried family secrets, Emily wonders if she really fits into Ben’s world. Will the joys of Italy become just a memory, or will Emily share in the freedom and grace that her life with Ben has shown her are possible?

BLOG TOUR: Danielle F White

Danielle F White joins us today for a Q&A as part of her blog tour for new novel Coco Chanel Saved My Life, which was released on Monday...

Tell us about your latest novel in 15 words or less.
Rebecca, thanks to Coco Chanel discovers that a fabulous life is not all about love.

What inspired you to write Coco Chanel Saved My Life?
I read a biography of Coco Chanel at a time when I suffered desperately for love and I began to realise that what was missing from my life was not a man but a bigger dream. So I invented Rebecca, a girl very different from me, but ready with her tweed sheath dresses to become a great woman.

Where do you do most of your writing?
I write at my desk at home at night. I'm not very comfortable in sharing my workplace with others, especially because I need complete silence to work.

What is your favourite book?
"Too Loud a Solitude" by Bohumil Hrabal. It's been my favourite since I was a little girl. I’ve read it at least 10 times.

Which part of Coco Chanel Saved My Life did you enjoy writing the most?
I really enjoyed writing the dialogues. I think they are the most fun part. And I also loved writing all of the biographic notes about Coco Chanel. There are so many things to tell about her unbelievable life.

Who is your favourite literary heroine?
Jo March, of course!

Do you have any tips for readers who are looking to become published writers?
Read a lot, write a lot and find someone you trust to edit your work (editing is really important!).

Are you working on anything else at the moment and if so, can you tell us?
I just finished a new novel that will be published in Italy in September. And for the UK readers...well, the story of Rebecca/Coco may continue...

Thanks, Danielle!

Be sure to check out the rest of the stops on Danielle's blog tour below.

Coco Chanel Saved my Life by Danielle F White
Rebecca is thirty-three years old, has a wardrobe full of tweed trouser suits and a boundless passion for the splendid Coco Chanel.

She is romantic, dreamy, and madly in love with Niccolò, whom she is about to join in Milan. On arrival, Niccolò confesses to have fallen in love with another woman.

After spending several days confined in her flat, Rebecca plunges herself into the intense Milanese social life with the stylishness of her heroine.

Will Rebecca remain an eternal Mademoiselle, like the ageless Coco? Or does destiny have an unexpected surprise in store for her?

NEW RELEASES: Strictly My Husband by Tracy Bloom

You may remember Tracy Bloom for her hilarious novels No-one Ever Has Sex on a Tuesday and Single Woman Seeks Revenge. Tracy's back with new offering Strictly My Husband (which I can only imagine was inspired by a certain TV show!) in which Laura's partner Tom brings home a professional dancer to rent the spare room...

Laura loves it when Tom takes her for a late night tango around the kitchen after their friends have gone home and they’re avoiding the washing up. She can’t dance but who cares when no one is watching?

All that changes when Tom arrives on the doorstep with Carly, a professional dancer, and announces he’s offered her the spare room to rent while she performs in a show that Tom is directing.

An outraged Laura doesn’t feel like dancing with Tom anymore but Carly does. It only takes two to tango, and given Tom’s history who knows where it could end? Will Laura be the one left watching from the sidelines whilst Carly waltzes off with her husband’s heart?

Couples who dance together stay together – or do they?

NEW RELEASES: Love Me Tinder by Nicola May

Love Me Tinder is the new novel from Nicola May (author of The School Gates, The SW19 Club and Working It Out), in which shy Carli embarks on a dating adventure with the help of a popular app...

Dull security or risky freedom - which would you choose? 

With her marriage in pieces, shy Cali Summers is faced with this decision and hits the world of fast love on an internet dating app. 

Using room 102 in the hotel where she works as her dating 'lair', she opens herself up to a world of sex, lies, deception, as well as personal discovery and passionate love. 

With a charming F1 engineer, a handsome army officer and her adulterous ex all on the scene, a predictable love match is far from on the cards.

Love Me Tinder is available now.

UNCOVERED PICKS: Five August Releases

Uncovered is back from a summer hiatus, and back into a month of great new reads! Here's a selection of five new and upcoming titles for the month of August...

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
NEMESIS (n) 
1) An opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome
2) A person's undoing
3) Joshua Templeman

Lucy Hutton has always been certain that the nice girl can get the corner office. She prides herself on being loved by everyone at work - except for imposing, impeccably attired Joshua Templeman.
Trapped in a shared office, they've become entrenched in an addictive, never-ending game of one-upmanship. There's the Staring Game, The Mirror Game, The HR Game. Lucy can't let Joshua beat her at anything - especially when a huge promotion is on offer.

If Lucy wins, she'll be Joshua's boss. If she loses, she'll resign. So why is she questioning herself? Maybe she doesn't hate him. And just maybe, he doesn't hate her either. Or maybe this is just another game...

Can I See You Again? by Allison Morgan
Matchmaker Bree Caxton has a 98% success rate, a book about to hit the stands, and an amazing boyfriend. Until, that is, he gets cold feet about their future and runs from their relationship.

Afraid no one will buy a book on love from a woman whose love life is a mess, Bree begs her one matchmaking failure, Nixon Voss, to pose as her boyfriend. But when they become a hit with readers, they must carry on their charade just a little longer. Fortunately, they’re both having fun...

But then Bree’s ex decides he wants her back and a newspaper presents a challenge that could expose the truth about her rocky love life. Now she must find the courage to embrace what is, or risk losing something much bigger than her reputation: her heart...

Results May Vary by Bethany Chase
She never saw it coming. Without even a shiver of suspicion to warn her, art curator Caroline Hammond discovers that her husband is having an affair with a man—a revelation that forces her to question their entire history together, from their early days as high school sweethearts through their ten years as a happily married couple. In her now upside-down world, Caroline begins envisioning her life without the relationship that has defined it: the loneliness of being an “I” instead of a “we”; the rekindled yet tenuous closeness with her younger sister; and the unexpected—and potentially disastrous—attraction she can’t get off her mind. Caroline always thought she knew her own love story, but as her husband’s other secrets emerge, she must decide whether that story’s ending will mean forgiving the man she’s loved for half her life, or facing her future without him.

Compassionate and uplifting, Results May Vary is a bittersweet celebration of the heart’s ability to turn unexpected troubles into extraordinary strength.

Coco Chanel Saved My Life by Danielle F White
Rebecca is thirty-three years old, has a wardrobe full of tweed trouser suits and a boundless passion for the splendid Coco Chanel.

She is romantic, dreamy, and madly in love with Niccolò, whom she is about to join in Milan. On arrival, Niccolò confesses to have fallen in love with another woman.

After spending several days confined in her flat, Rebecca plunges herself into the intense Milanese social life with the stylishness of her heroine.

Will Rebecca remain an eternal Mademoiselle, like the ageless Coco? Or does destiny have an unexpected surprise in store for her?

The House on Sunset Lake by Tasmina Perry
A family secret. A house in ruin. A mystery to unravel...

1995. Savannah, Georgia, where the sunsets are long and golden and the air is hot and heavy with promise. Student Jim Johnson isn't happy when he has to abandon his plans of a carefree month of inter-railing to spend the summer in the Deep South with his mother and his father, a down-on-his luck author who has been sent to Savannah to rediscover his muse. But when Jim meets the beguiling Jennifer Wyatt, the daughter of the owners of Casa D'Or, the mysterious plantation house on the shores of a lake, Jim knows he has made the right decision in coming along. Until an event happens that shatters Jim and Jennifer's lives for ever and sets both their lives on a different course. 2015. Twenty Years later Casa D'Or stands abandoned and neglected, a victim of tragic events that everyone wants to keep buried. But when Jim Johnson's boss buys it as the latest acquisition to his hotel chain, Jim is forced to return to the house and restore it to its former glory. Fate throws him back into the orbit of Jennifer Wyatt, the woman his heart has never truly got over, but as he tries to put the ghosts of the past behind him, he unearths a chilling secret that makes him wonder what he has ever really known about the people he loves.