UNCOVERED PICKS: Five travel-themed chick-lit novels

Seeing as summer is upon us, it has been fun to take a look at some of the holiday-themed chcik-lit releases that are available. From a dancing holiday in Spain, to a family cruise, the celebrity-filled Cannes and idyllic Greek villages, here are five summer books that would be perfect to transport you to a sun-filled, faraway location!

Summer Flings and Dancing Dreams by Sue Watson
Dance like nobody's watching. Love like you'll never get hurt... 

Laura Watkin's heart isn't broken, she's just forgotten how to use it.   After years on her own, the highlight of single mum Laura's week is watching Strictly Come Dancing with a glass of Pinot Grigio and a large helping of imagination.  With her daughter Sophie going travelling, Laura knows the time is right to do something for herself for a change.  One disastrous Zumba class later and Laura ends up at the feet (literally) of gorgeous dance instructor Tony Hernandez.

A natural dancer and inspiring teacher, Tony rekindles in Laura a passion she inherited from her ballroom dancer father - and with it comes a dream... to make him proud. But when Tony enters them to perform at the National Dance Festival, can Laura's new-found confidence survive the test?  And with a once-in-a-lifetime chance to learn Flamenco in Spain, could Laura truly learn to dance like nobody's watching... and love like she'll never get hurt?  

A laugh-out-loud, uplifting comedy about finding the courage to be yourself, the importance of dreams, and learning to grab life by the glitter balls.  

A Proper Family Adventure by Chrissie Manby
Could you spend two weeks at sea with your family?

Thanks to an unexpected windfall, the Bensons are treating themselves to a luxury cruise. With stop-offs in Barcelona, Rome and Marseilles, plus constant entertainment onboard, it's a dream come true...Or is it? Last time Chelsea Benson went on holiday with this lot she nearly went crazy.

Her mum and sister are convinced Chelsea's boyfriend Adam will propose on the ship. Chelsea's sure he won't, but she can't help feeling butterflies as they set sail. Is Adam going to pop the question, or will the only thing to pop be Chelsea's ego?

Onboard dramas, family upheavals, memories and sunshine . . . Fall in love with the Benson family, and treat yourself to a five-star family cruise, all without leaving your sofa.

Catch Me if You Cannes by Lisa Dickenson
Jess has decided it's time to get out of her comfort zone and live a little. So when her best friend Bryony, a journalist on a gossip magazine, is sent to cover the Cannes Film Festival, Jess decides to seize the day and go along for the ride. Two weeks of glitz, glamour and exclusive entry into celeb-filled parties is just the kind of adventure Jess needs.

Reality soon bites though when Jess and Bryony find they're staying in a dingy hotel far away from all the action and Bryony's expenses budget barely covers a glass of local wine. Undeterred, the two women are determined to live like the elite and enjoy one fancy night out to begin their holiday. So what if they have to tell a few white lies along the way? It's just this once. No harm done...right?

Truly Madly Greekly by Mandy Baggot
Sun, sea and a sexy stranger - a whole lot of fun just got a whole lot more complicated...  
Capable, confident and career-driven, Ellen had her dream job and a marriage proposal from boyfriend Ross.  Life was good, her future set. Until it wasn't and everything fell apart...  Whisked off to the beautiful island of Corfu to plan her sister Lacey's big, fat, Greek wedding, Ellen is hoping some time out will help clear her head and heal her heart.  But letting go of her past is not going to be easy.   

With Lacey in full on Bridezilla mode, Ellen is soon distracted from her own problems. And when the all-inclusive treats on offer at hotel Blue Vue include one gorgeous, brooding Adonis - Yan - Ellen finds him difficult to resist.  But Ellen isn't looking for love or lust, or anything involving too much ouzo...or is she?  

A Game of Scones by Samantha Tonge
Growing up, Pippa Pattinson’s summers were spent in the idyllic Greek island fishing village of Taxos. There she spent many long hazy days determinedly ignoring thoughts of the life her parents had mapped out for her (a dreary-but-secure accounting job and obligatory sensible husband!) Instead she daydreamed of running her own tea shop – serving the perfect scones – with mocha-eyed childhood friend Niklaus by her side… 

Arriving back in Taxos for the first time in years, with suave boyfriend Henrik, Pippa barely recognises the tired little town – but is relieved to catch glimpses of the quaint, charming village she’s always loved. Together Niklaus and Pippa put together a proposal to save Taxos from tourist-tastic ruin, and at the heart of their plan is Pippa’s dream project: The Tastiest Little Tea Shop in Taxos. It’s time for Pippa to leave her London life behind and dust off her scone recipe that’s guaranteed to win over both locals and visitors. And amidst the rolling pins and raisins, it seems romance is blossoming where she’s least expecting it… 

UNCOVERED INTERVIEWS: Katie Kirby

Katie Kirby's novel Could It Be You is available now from Endeavor Press. The novel is about twenty-something entrepreneur Rachel Kane, who goes on a journey to claim back her life after a breakup. The lovely Katie has joined us for the Friday Q&A to tell us more about her writing and Could It Be You...

Tell us about your latest novel in 15 words or less.
A story about love, loss and love again, oh and the South of France!

What inspired you to write Could It Be You?
I hadn't written anything in a while and after I had my first child I wanted to get back into it but I wanted to develop something a little lighter and I really wanted to focus on a story about friendships.

Where do you do most of your writing?
In the evening time after my girls go to bed is when I sit down to write.

What is your favourite book?
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

Which part of Could It Be You did you enjoy writing the most?
I loved writing the party scenes at the wedding which incorporated a lot more characters some of which were very funny.

Who is your favourite literary heroine?
Jane Eyre.

Do you have any tips for readers who are looking to become published writers?
It's all about perseverance.

Are you working on anything else at the moment and if so, can you tell us?
I'm actually about to begin the follow up story to Could It Be You based around my lead character Rachel Kane.

Thanks, Katie!

You can find out more about Katie Kirby on her website and Twitter.

Could It Be You by Katie Kirby

Could It Be You centres around Rachel Kane, a woman in her late twenties and an entrepreneur who owns her own beauty range business. She is desperately trying to navigate her way through life since the very sudden and heart wrenching split from her husband.

The story begins the day before her first holiday to the South of France as a singleton where she is the maid of honour at her best friend's wedding and from there takes Rachel on a journey where she has to face who and what is most important to her.

NEW RELEASES: The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald

Katarina Bivald's book, The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend, has already reached the top ten lists in Sweden and France. The promising new book, which was released in late June, is said to be perfect for those who love contemporary fiction and romance, and is a tale of loneliness, fitting in, and the love of books.

Sara is twenty-eight and has never been anywhere in her life – except, that is, in the books she reads. So when she accepts an invitation by her bookish penfriend Amy to leave Sweden for the first time to visit her in the tiny town of Broken Wheel, Iowa, a new chapter begins. But when she arrives, it is to a twist even she could not have predicted – Amy has died. Finding herself utterly alone in a dead woman’s house in the middle of nowhere wasn’t exactly the holiday she has in mind. Adventure over. The End.

But she’s not exactly alone. For here in this town so broken it is almost beyond repair are all the loveable characters she has gotten to know through Amy’s letters. Sara soon find that the secrets and pasts, lives and loves of the residents of Broken Wheel are just as compelling as any good book. But it becomes clear that this town is in desperate need of some adventure, a smidgen of self-help and perhaps a little romance too. It needs, in short, a bookshop.

BOOK NEWS: The Curvy Girls' Baby Club by Michele Gorman

Fans of bestselling author Michele Gorman (whose books include Single in the City, Misfortune Cookie, Bella Summer Takes a Chance and fabulous novella Weightless) will be happy to hear that new novel, The Curvy Girls' Baby Club, is due for release in September. The body-positive novella follows on from The Curvy Girls' Club, and follows Ellie as she navigates new motherhood.

Ellie is fresh back from her honeymoon and can’t wait to share her news with her best friends Katie and Jane. To everyone’s surprise, mother-of-two Jane has news of her own… The women are due a day apart, on December 25th and 26th, and Katie can’t wait to be an honorary auntie to the babies. 

But it’s hard to keep your sense of humour, not to mention your self-esteem, in the face of haemorrhoids and elasticated waistbands. Add a clingy mother-in-law, a career in cardiac arrest and a sex life that makes Mother Theresa look lusty, and soon their lives are as out of control as their bodies.

As the co-founders of The Curvy Girls Club, where loving yourself is the only rule, will the friends be able to practice what they preach? 

COVER NEWS: Bright Stars by Sophie Duffy

Legend Press have recently released the cover for upcoming novel Bright Stars, by Sophie Duffy. Released on 1st October, the book is about four friends who are involved in a life-changing tragedy, reunited twenty-five years later...

Cameron Spark's life is falling apart. 

He is separated from his wife, and awaiting a disciplinary following an incident in the underground vaults of Edinburgh where he works as a Ghost Tour guide. On the day he moves back home to live with his widowed dad, he receives a letter from Canada. It is from Christie.

Twenty-five years earlier, Cameron attends Lancaster University and despite his crippling shyness, makes three unlikely friends: Christie, the rich Canadian, Tommo, the wannabe rock star and Bex, the Feminist activist who has his heart. In a whirlwind of alcohol, music and late night fox raids, Cameron feels as though he’s finally living.

Until a horrific accident shatters their friendship and alters their futures forever.

Christie’s letter offers them a reunion after all these years. But has enough time passed to recover from the lies, the guilt and the mistakes made on that tragic night? Or is this one ghost too many for Cameron?

UNCOVERED PICKS: Five August Releases

August is here, and with it comes new books from women's fiction authors such as Rosie Millard and Jessica Thompson. There's also a sequel from Shari Shattuck, a social media-themed novel from Emily Benet and a new title from Choc Lit...

The Square by Rosie Millard
Jane has the ideal life: loving husband, beautiful house and delightful son. Her fashionable dinner parties are perfect - and so are her secret assignations with her neighbour's husband, Jay.

From Tracey and her New Money lottery winnings to eccentric artist Philip and his pornographic portraits, the residents of North London's most privileged enclave The Square are a very satisfied bunch. 

To raise money for communal fencing, the Residents' Association decides to hold a Talent Show, produced by Jane and hosted by TV celebrity Alan Makin. But when the show lurches into public disarray, reputations are shattered and everyone has to learn to live with a far less glossy reality than before.

Search for the Truth by Kathryn Freeman
Sometimes the truth hurts … 

When journalist Tess Johnson takes a job at Helix pharmaceuticals, she has a very specific motive. Tess has reason to believe the company are knowingly producing a potentially harmful drug and, if her suspicions are confirmed, she will stop at nothing to make sure the truth comes out. 

Jim Knight is the president of research and development at Helix and is a force to be reckoned with. After a disastrous office affair he’s determined that nothing else will distract him from his vision for the company. Failure is simply not an option. 

As Tess and Jim start working together, both have their reasons for wanting to ignore the sexual chemistry that fires between them. But chemistry, like most things in the world of science, isn’t always easy to control. 

Please Retweet by Emily Benet
Social media whizz kid May Sparks has landed her dream job. Well, not quite, but the salary is great and all May has to do is handle the online profiles of C-list celebrities who have the tendency to say inappropriate things. Easy, right? #wrong 

May's clients include an ex-Big Brother star (who she's definitely not going to sleep with #neversaynever), a disgraced TV presenter (who wants May to sort out his marriage as well as his Twitter account), and a woman who once flashed her boobs on X-Factor. They're all relying on her to turn them into stars. But they're not going to make her job easy. As May is sucked further and further into her job she begins to lose her grip on real life. Her friends don't 'like' her Facebook posts anymore and even her gorgeous neighbour, who once seemed to be on the same wavelength, criticises her career choice. Worse, May's clients start getting trolled by an annoying tweep, who May happens to agree with. 

Then May's secret online identity is leaked, causing her to start trending on Twitter. It looks like the status update is over. Unless May can leave the superficial social media word behind and find her own voice again...

Becoming Ellen by Shari Shattuck
Ellen Homes is done being invisible. Well, sort of. 

Living with her closest friends, Temerity and Justice, has helped her step out of the shell of invisibility she once hid away in. She still seeks refuge in solitary time and observing from afar, but she has pushed herself to open up to others in ways that bring her unexpected happiness.

But when a terrible bus crash upends her normal routine, Ellen finds herself on a whirlwind crusade for the unseen and downtrodden. Only this time, helping others—including two young children with no one else to turn to—will mean facing a pain from her past that she’s long tucked away.

Picking up where Invisible Ellen left off, Becoming Ellen returns us to the touching, poignant, and compassionate world of Ellen Homes as she learns how to navigate the world she has decided to become a part of. 

The Waiting Game by Jessica Thompson
Nessa Bruce waits for her husband to come through the double doors. She'd waited for him to return home from Afghanistan for what felt like forever, and now the moment was finally here. But Jake isn't... Jake Bruce hasn't come home, and it looks like he never will. 

Nessa's life - and that of her daughter Poppy - is turned upside down in an instant. What has happened to the elusive man at the centre of their world? They hold onto the hope that he is still out there somewhere, alive... but as time passes by, Nessa is forced to look at her life, at the decisions she has made and the secrets she has kept. For maybe somewhere within it all lies the answer to the question she's desperate to answer - where is the man she loves?

UNCOVERED INTERVIEWS: Lynsey James

Just the Way You Are was published by UK Carina in May, and author Lynsey James has stopped by to share her inspiration behind the book, in which Ava falls for a mysterious letter-writer that she's never met...

Tell us about your latest novel in 15 words or less.
Ava Clements’ secret admirer starts writing to her again and that’s when things get complicated!

What inspired you to write Just The Way You Are?
I was writing a completely different story and ended up using the love letter element, just in a different way. It caught my imagination and the plot for Just the Way You Are kind of popped up and said hello! I started writing it that night; five drafts and a lot of tears later, here we are!

Where do you do most of your writing?
I do it either on the couch while I snack, cuddle my dog and binge-watch a boxset (Desperate Housewives is the current favourite) or in bed where I do much the same thing.

What is your favourite book?
I Remember You by Harriet Evans. It’s a beautiful story about love and loss, set in a beautiful English village called Langford. If I could live anywhere from a book it would be there. Or Hogwarts.

Which part of Just The Way You Are did you enjoy writing the most?
I enjoyed writing the love letters from Mr Writer to Ava the most. They were really different to the rest of the book and it let me really get into his head.

Who is your favourite literary heroine?
I love Rosie Duncan from Fairytale of New York by Miranda Dickinson. She’s really positive and makes things happen to her instead of waiting for her happy ending to come to her.

Do you have any tips for readers who are looking to become published writers?
I’d say the most important things are to never give up and to write. If you do those two things, it will happen for you one day. I didn’t believe dreams ever came true until mine did. It can happen!

Are you working on anything else at the moment and if so, can you tell us?
I’ve just finished writing my second novel The Broken Hearts Book Club, which will be out on 21st August. Now I’m dreaming up ideas for books 3 and 4!

Thanks, Lynsey!

About Lynsey

Lynsey James was born in Fife in 1991 and has been telling people how to spell her name ever since. She's an incurable bookworm who loves nothing more than getting lost in a good story with memorable characters. She started writing when she was really young and credits her lovely Grandad- and possibly a bump on the head from a Mr Frosty machine- with her love of telling stories. She used to write her own episodes of Friends and act them out in front of her family (in fact she's sure she put Ross and Rachel together first!)

A careers adviser at school once told Lynsey writing wasn't a "good option" and for a few years, she believed her. She tried a little bit of everything, including make-up artistry, teaching and doing admin for a chocolate fountain company. The free chocolate was brilliant. When Lynsey left her job a couple of years ago, she started writing full-time while she looked for another one. As soon as she started working on her story, Lynsey fell in love and decided to finally pursue her dream. She haven't looked back since.

When Lynsey's not writing, eating cake or drinking tea, she's daydreaming about the day Dylan O'Brien FINALLY realises they're meant to be together. It'll happen one day…

Just the Way You Are by Lynsey James

How do you start writing a letter to someone, six years after breaking their heart? 

Ava is unlucky in love as well as in life. The new office bitch has landed the dating column Ava wanted, and she can't remember the last time she had a second date. It's a good thing she has best friends Max and Gwen to pick up the pieces. 

Deep down, Ava knows the reason why one date never turns into two – she's in love with someone else. Someone she's never even met. 

It all started six years ago, with a letter from a secret admirer, Mr Writer... but then they suddenly stopped and Ava was heartbroken. 

Now the letters have started again and Ava knows it could mean winning back the dating column at work. This time she's determined to unmask Mr Writer... and find out once and for all if he's Mr Right or Mr Very Definitely Wrong!