BOOK NEWS: The Mysterious Miss Mayhew by Hazel Osmond

The Mysterious Miss Mayhew by Hazel Osmond (author of Who's Afraid of Mr Wolfe and Playing Grace) is out in August. The novel focuses on Tom, who moves to a small village and becomes entranced by a certain mysterious woman...

When Tom Howard’s marriage broke down he fled London with his daughter Hattie for the small village where he grew up. Three years later he’s still there, editing a local magazine, resolutely single.

Then, whilst judging in a country baking show, he sees a mysterious girl who immediately captures his attention. When she turns up for an interview at the magazine, sparks fly.

But just as things start to seem promising, the ghosts of the past return to threaten all that Tom has worked so hard to achieve…

NEW RELEASES: You're the One That I Want by Giovanna Fletcher

Giovanna Fletcher, author of 2013 novel Billy and Me, has returned with her latest book You're The One That I Want - in which Maddy might just be making one big mistake...

Maddy, dressed in white, stands at the back of the church. At the end of the aisle is Rob - the man she's about to marry. Next to Rob is Ben - best man and the best friend any two people ever had.
And that's the problem.

Because if it wasn't Rob waiting for her at the altar, there's a strong chance it would be Ben. Loyal and sensitive Ben has always kept his feelings to himself, but if he turned round and told Maddy she was making a mistake, would she listen? And would he be right?

Best friends since childhood, Maddy, Ben and Rob thought their bond was unbreakable. But love changes everything. Maddy has a choice to make but will she choose wisely? Her heart, and the hearts of the two best men she knows, depend on it...

Taking a break!

Chick Lit Uncovered will be taking a short break. We'll be back in May to bring you more news, reviews and general bookish goodness from the female fiction world.

See you very soon!

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

UNCOVERED INTERVIEWS: Janey Lewis

The Sweetness of Liberty James is the newly-released novel from Janey Lewis, about chef's daughter Liberty, who almost has the perfect life, until an event changes it entirely. We wanted to be a bit nosy and ask Janey some questions, and she happily obliged!

Tell us about your book in 15 words or less.
Love, friendship, family, and laughter; bound together with inspirational food. A book to salivate over.

What inspired you to write The Sweetness of Liberty James?
Greed and escapism. Along with a huge pile of novels precariously balanced on my bedside table, cookbooks abound. I used to love reading chapters of each before bed, and the story unfolding in my mind morphed naturally into a combination of the two. Dreams are a good way to listen to the real 'you'

Where do you do most of your writing?
In my head.... Silly answer, but I 'write' the whole time. I am sure I should carry an app on my phone so that I can dictate, but if it's out loud, it somehow isn't writing... More conventionally, I take a pad of paper (old school, that's me) and sit, hopefully outside, either a cafe or garden, dogs on feet and write with steaming pot of coffee and cake. Wintertime, by my fire, dogs on feet, steaming pot of coffee, cake...

What is your favourite book?
Impossible question. Gun to head, dessert island choice? Aphrodite by Isabelle Allende. Inspirational woman who sees sensuality in everything.

Which part of The Sweetness of Liberty James did you like writing the most?
The part where Liberty is starting to heal and takes herself to a fabulous (and real) restaurant in Florence. The joy with which she observes the passionate, angry couple beside her and how they are soothed, softened and sweetened by the delicious, remarkable food gradually, and course by course, all came from the heart.

Who is your favourite literary heroine?
Again, impossible to be nailed down, but if pushed, and for her sheer believable goodness Taggie from Rivals. A soft, beautiful girl from the wonderful pen of Jilly Cooper. I cannot remember a day of my teens not wishing to be as good and pure of heart as she is.

Do you have any tips for readers who are looking to become published writers?
Persevere, believe in what you are doing, and be passionate about it. No one wants to read something written with half a heart. Write when you feel like it. And once done, send it off, and keep going. If you love it, chances are there will be someone out there in this horribly tricky industry who will enjoy it too.

Are you working on anything else at the moment and if so, can you tell us?
Liberty James has two more books that follow on from The Sweetness. Those, along with dragging myself into the 21C and trying to get a blog, website and find out what Twitter will do for me. Much more successful at writing books than anything on computer!

Thanks, Janey!

The Sweetness of Liberty James by Janey Lewis
The daughter of a Michelin-starred restaurateur and a celebrity TV chef, Liberty James is born into the world of fine food. But when her father announces he is leaving, the shock causes her to lose her sense of taste and smell.

Sweet-natured Liberty believes the recipe for her own happiness is making others happy, and she sets about gathering the ingredients for the perfect life. She does well at school, makes glamorous friends and marries her university sweetheart Percy, the heir to the Radley Bank fortune. Now all that’s missing is the icing on the cake – a baby.

When a traumatic event changes everything, she finds herself on a journey to rediscover her love of food that takes her from Florence to the French Riviera and finally back home to the Sussex village of Littlehurst, with a crazy plan to open her own patisserie. With flirtatious Fred the blacksmith and the dark, brooding Edmund on her doorstep, will she finally find that elusive ingredient – love?

NEW RELEASE: A Place to Call Home by Carole Matthews

A Place to Call Home, by bestselling author Carole Matthews (Summer Daydreams, Wrapped Up In You) was released today in paperback and e-book. Carole’s latest novel is about a home shared by four very different people who are about to become unlikely friends…

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. Uplifting and emotional, this is a novel of new beginnings, of discovering love and of finding A Place to Call Home.

BOOK REVIEW: The List by Joanna Bolouri

Joanna Bolouri’s novel The List hit the shelves today, and it’s a debut I've been particularly excited about. So when I was sent a copy for review, it made my day. New novelists are always intriguing and it seems as though Joanna is definitely going to be even more of a success.

The List focuses on twenty-something Phoebe, whose love life comes to an abrupt end when she catches her boyfriend in bed with another woman. A year later, Phoebe is still reluctantly single and at a loss for bedroom fun, and so with the help of best friend Lucy, she comes up with a way of ending her single days – the list.

Phoebe devises a list of ten things she would like to do in the bedroom, from her own basic desires to the downright kinky. With the intention of a year-long mission for fulfillment without the commitment, she sets out to tick every item off the list, starting with her rather handsome colleague…

The list is an adventure in itself, sending Phoebe on a variety of new, strange and, sometimes, amusing situations, such as arranging a threesome to having sex in the outdoors. First she has to gain the confidence to begin her various ‘tasks’, and of course, find willing participants…

The List is a new kind of read; an even mixture of amusing, light chick-lit and erotica which works exceptionally well. I enjoyed this new concept despite not being a fan of erotic fiction at all – Phoebe is a very real character with her own insecurities, own goals and a work life that I felt I could relate to, which made the novel feel very genuine and even more amusing at times. I liked that it’s fast-paced, fun and not overly-serious, and I wanted to see how Pheobe’s character grew throughout the book. Granted, the ending did feel quite rushed, but it’s still a fantastic read.

The List is a wonderful debut, and I’m looking forward to reading more from Joanna Bolouri in future!

Rating: 4/5