NEW RELEASES: Hello Sunshine by Laura Dave

Sunshine is a vlogger who appears to have it all in life - that is, until her true identity is revealed. In Hello Sunshine, the newly-released novel by Laura Dave, author of The First Husband and Eight Hundred Grapes, Sunshine has to navigate life in the downfall of the identity she has built up online.

Sunshine Mackenzie truly is living the dream. A lifestyle guru for the modern age, Sunshine is beloved by millions of people who tune into her YouTube cooking show, and millions more scour her website for recipes, wisdom, and her enticing suggestions for how to curate a perfect life. She boasts a series of #1 New York Times bestselling cookbooks, a devoted architect husband, and a reputation for sincerity and kindness--Sunshine seems to have it all. But she's hiding who she really is. And when her secret is revealed, her fall from grace is catastrophic. What Sunshine does in the ashes of destruction will save her in more ways than she can imagine. 

In our modern world, where celebrity is a careful construct, Laura Dave's compelling, enticing novel explores the devastating effect of the secrets we keep in public...and in private. Hello, Sunshine is a fresh, provocative look at a woman teetering between a scrupulously assembled life and the redemptive power of revealing the truth.

BLOG TOUR: Skylarking by Kate Mildenhall - Q&A and Extract

This year has seen so many great debut novels - one being Skylarking by Kate Mildenhall. The book focuses on two best friends whose friendship is tested by the arrival of a newcomer to their small island.

Kate has stopped by for a Q&A on Skylarking, to tell about her new novel and the inspiration behind it.

Click here to read an extract of Skylarking!

Kate and Harriet are best friends growing up together on an isolated Australian cape. As the daughters of the lighthouse keepers, the two girls share everything, until a fisherman, McPhail, arrives in their small community.

When Kate witnesses the desire that flares between him and Harriet, she is torn by her feelings of envy and longing. An innocent moment in McPhail's hut then occurs that threatens to tear their peaceful community apart.

Inspired by a true story, Skylarking is a spellbinding tale of friendship and desire, memory and truth, which questions what it is to remember and how tempting it can be to forget.

Tell us about your latest novel in 15 words or less.
A remote lighthouse. Best friends growing up. A fisherman. A gun…

What inspired you to write Skylarking?
While on a camping trip with my family and best friends, I stumbled upon an old grave. It belonged to a young woman who had lived at a nearby lighthouse in the 1880s and I was immediately captivated by the information that hinted at a bigger story, including her friendship with the daughter of the Head Lighthouse Keeper, and a terrible event that occurred at a fisherman’s hut nearby. I began to dig into the history of the lighthouse and eventually became obsessed with imagining the lives of these two best friends and what became of them.

Where do you do most of your writing?
I occupied a corner of the lounge room by surrounding it with bookshelves so I have a little nook with a sunny window and a desk amid towering piles of books. But, as I have two young children, I also write wherever I can – on the train, in the car outside dancing class, dictating notes on my phone while waiting at traffic lights!

What is your favourite book?
This question is like asking which of my children is my favourite! As a child, Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery, as a student Cloudstreet by Tim Winton, as a writer The Writer’s Room: Conversations About Writing edited by Charlotte Wood.

Which part of Skylarking did you enjoy writing the most?
In the beginning I had no idea I was writing a novel, let alone that it would be published – so that was incredibly liberating. I avoided writing the climax of the novel for many, many months, and when I finally did, I sobbed all the way through. That part wasn’t enjoyable but it was certainly an experience I’ll never forget.

Who is your favourite literary heroine?
Again, so many! But Anne of Green Gables and Grace Marks from Margaret Attwood’s Alias Grace influenced me both in my life and writing.

Do you have any tips for readers who are looking to become published writers?
Keep reading widely and voraciously! And sit down and DO the writing. Your novel can sound wonderful in your mind but you’ve got to take the risk to actually put it down on paper. Be brave!

Are you working on anything else at the moment and if so, can you tell us?
I’m in the middle of writing my second novel. It’s a more contemporary story and as part of the research I’m hitching a ride on a yacht from Darwin to Indonesia. I’m enjoying pushing myself to take new risks in this work!

Thanks, Kate!

You can find out more about Kate Mildenhall by visiting her website, Facebook, or by following her on Twitter.

UNCOVERED PICKS: Five July Releases

Is it that time already?! July's here, and with it comes some great new novels! Read on for this month's selection from the Austen-inspired book from Brigid Coady to new releases from Rebecca Chance and Melissa Pimentel.

If you're specifically looking for holiday-themed reads, check out part one and part two of this year's summer picks!

Persuading Austen by Brigid Coady
It is a truth universally acknowledged that working with an ex is a terrible idea…

Annie Elliot never expected her life to turn out this way: living with her dad, working as an accountant – surely the least glamorous job in Hollywood?! – and dodging her family’s constant bickering.

Landing a job as a producer on a new adaptation of Pride and Prejudice seems like the piece of luck she’s been waiting for. Until the cast is announced, and Annie discovers that the actor playing Mr Darcy is Austen Wentworth: the man she’s spent nearly a decade trying to forget.

Not only is Austen her ex – but while Annie’s life has stalled, Austen is Hollywood’s hottest property…and has just been voted World’s Sexiest Man.

With nowhere to hide, there’s just one question. Now the one who got away has come back, should Annie stand by her pride? Or give into Austen’s powers of persuasion?

Fitness Junkie by Lucy Sykes and Jo Piazza
When Janey Sweet, CEO of a couture wedding dress company, is photographed in the front row of a fashion show eating a bruffin--the delicious lovechild of a brioche and a muffin--her best friend and business partner, Beau, gives her an ultimatum: Lose thirty pounds or lose your job. Sure, Janey has gained some weight since her divorce, and no, her beautifully cut trousers don't fit like they used to, so Janey throws herself headlong into the world of the fitness revolution, signing up for a shockingly expensive workout pass, baring it all for Free the Nipple yoga, sweating through boot camp classes run by Sri Lankan militants and spinning to the screams of a Lycra-clad instructor with rage issues. 

At a juice shop she meets Jacob, a cute young guy who takes her dumpster-diving outside Whole Foods on their first date. At a shaman's tea ceremony she meets Hugh, a silver fox who holds her hand through an ayahuasca hallucination And at a secret exercise studio Janey meets Sara Strong, the wildly popular workout guru whose special dance routine has starlets and wealthy women flocking to her for results that seem too good to be true. 

As Janey eschews delicious carbs, pays thousands of dollars to charlatans, and is harassed by her very own fitness bracelet, she can't help but wonder: Did she really need to lose weight in the first place? A hilarious send-up of the health and wellness industry, Fitness Junkie is a glorious romp through the absurd landscape of our weight-obsessed culture.

Killer Affair by Rebecca Chance
Stunning, charismatic Lexy O’Brien is the reigning queen of British reality TV. Her life in front of the camera is planned and manipulated as successfully as any military assault.

But success breeds jealousy. When you’re on top, the only way is down and there’s always someone standing by to give you a shove...

Dowdy Caroline Evans, a part-time blogger and writer of erotic fiction, is brought in to chronicle Lexy’s life. Being taken under Lexy’s wing is a dream come true for Caroline. But sampling the star’s lifestyle is like tasting the most addictive of drugs, and it’s not long before she is craving what she can’t possibly have – or can she?

And as Caroline and Lexy’s lives and loves become increasingly entwined, it’s only a matter of time before the hidden rivalry becomes a powder keg waiting to explode...

Jenny Sparrow Knows the Future by Melissa Pimentel
Jenny Sparrow can tell you her future:

1. Meet soulmate at 25 
2. Move in with him
3. Marry him this year...

According to the plan Jenny made at thirteen, it's time for her to get married. But when her boyfriend proposes a break instead of a wedding, a girls' weekend in Vegas is the only solution...until she wakes up in a stranger's bed, and discovers that this is the year she gets married - to the wrong man.

Jenny wants a quick divorce and her old boyfriend back. But what if her accidental husband has other ideas?

So Happy It Hurts by Anneliese Mackintosh
'I want to be a good person. And I want to be happy. So happy it hurts. I need you to help me with that.’

Ottila McGregor is thirty years old and has decided it’s time to sort her life out. She’s going to quit drinking, stop cheating and finally find true happiness. Easy, right?

Of course not.

For a start, there’s Grace, her best friend, who believes self-improvement is for people in their forties. Next there’s Mina, her sister, who is mentally ill, and it might be Ottila’s fault. And then there’s Thales, the Greek guy who works in the hospital cafeteria. He's probably the best, most dangerous person Ottila’s ever met.

To make sense of it all, Ottila keeps a scrapbook of everything: emails, receipts, tickets, letters, her therapy transcripts, a boyfriend's note rescued from the bin... The result is an infectious one-off of a novel that makes you wince and laugh in equal measure, and which asks the question: what does it take to be so happy it hurts?

UNCOVERED PICKS: Sunny Summer Reads (part two!)

Seeing as the sun is blazing outside, it's the perfect time to take a look at some more summer novels (did you see part one?). It doesn't matter whether you're away on an exotic holiday or sunning it up in the garden, these books will whisk you away on a summer adventure!

Just for the Holidays by Sue Moorcroft
In theory, nothing could be better than a summer spent basking in the French sun. That is, until you add in three teenagers, two love interests, one divorcing couple, and a very unexpected pregnancy.

Admittedly, this isn’t exactly the relaxing holiday Leah Beaumont was hoping for – but it’s the one she’s got. With her sister Michele’s family falling apart at the seams, it’s up to Leah to pick up the pieces and try to hold them all together.

But with a handsome helicopter pilot staying next door, Leah can’t help but think she might have a few distractions of her own to deal with...

The Gin Shack on the Beach by Catherine Miller
When octogenarian Olive Turner is persuaded by her son to move into a retirement home, she congratulates herself on finding the secret to an easy life: no washing up, cooking or cleaning. But Olive isn’t one for mindless bingo with her fellow residents, and before the first day is over she's already hatching a plan to escape back to her beloved beach hut and indulge in her secret passion for a very good gin & tonic.

Before long Olive’s secret is out and turning into something wonderful and new. Only a select few are invited, but word spreads quickly about the weekly meetings of The Gin Shack Club. Soon everybody on the beach wants to become a gin connoisseur and join Olive on her journey to never being forced to grow older than you feel.

The Summer of Second Chances by Maddie Please
It takes time to build your life. To get into a long-term (OK, a bit boring) relationship. To find a job (you don’t completely hate). Lottie might not be thrilled with the life she’s put together, but it’s the one she’s got.

So when in the course of one terrible evening, it all comes crashing down around her, Lottie has a choice: give herself over to grief at being broke, single and completely lacking in prospects.

Or, brick by brick, build herself a new life. And this time, with a little help from friends, a crumbling cottage in Devon and a handsome stranger, maybe she can make it the one she always wanted.

Sunshine After the Rain by Daisy James
Frazzled workaholic Evie Johnson has finally had enough! When she’s blamed for a publicity disaster at the art gallery she loves, she decides to flee the bright lights of London for the sun-drenched shores of Corfu and turn her life upside-down.

Under the shade of the olive trees, she picks up her dusty paintbrushes and begins to chase the dreams she had put aside for so long. But she never expected to bump into drop-dead-gorgeous Sam Bradbury – and certainly not whilst wrapped only in a towel!

A summer fling is the last thing Evie wanted but a few stolen kisses under the stars might just begin to change her mind…

The Summer of Serendipity by Ali McNamara
One summer, property seeker, Serendipity Parker finds herself on the beautiful west coast of Ireland, hunting for a home for a wealthy Irish client. But when she finds the perfect house in the small town of Ballykiltara, there's a problem; nobody seems to know who owns it.

'The Welcome House' is a local legend. Its front door is always open for those in need of shelter, and there's always a plentiful supply of food in the cupboards for the hungry or poor.

While Ren desperately tries to find the owner to see if she can negotiate a sale, she begins to delve deeper into the history and legends that surround the old house and the town. But for a woman who has always been focussed on her work, she's remarkably distracted by Finn, the attractive manager of the local hotel.

But will she ever discover the real truth behind the mysterious 'Welcome House'? Or will the house cast its magical spell over Ren and help her to find true happiness?

The Sunshine and Biscotti Club by Jenny Oliver
The ovens are pre-heating, the Prosecco is chilling…and The Sunshine and Biscotti Club is nearly ready to open its doors.

But the guests have other things on their minds…

Libby: The Blogger
Life is Instagram-perfect for food blogger Libby…until she catches her husband cheating just weeks before her Italian cooking club’s grand opening.

Evie: The Mum
Eve’s marriage isn’t working, but she’s not dared admit it until now. A trip to Italy to help Libby open The Sunshine and Biscotti Club might be the perfect escape…

Jessica: In Love with her Best Friend
Jessica has thrown herself into her work to shut out the memory of the man who never loved her back. The same man who’s just turned up in Tuscany…

Welcome to Tuscany’s newest baking school – where your biscotti is served with a side of love, laughter and ice-cold limoncello!

BOOK NEWS: Amanda Wakes Up by Alisyn Camerota

Amanda Wakes Up is the debut novel from Alisyn Camerota, in which a young reporter lands a dream job at a cable news station which turns her life upside down. The novel is set for release in July.

When Amanda Gallo, fresh from the backwater of local TV, lands the job of her dreams at FAIR News—the coveted morning anchor slot—she’s finally made it: a six-figure salary, wardrobe allowance, plenty of on-air face time, and a chance to realize her dreams, not to mention buy herself lunch. Amanda Wakes Up takes off as Amanda feels for the first time that she can make her mom and her best friend proud and think about an actual future with her boyfriend, Charlie. But she finds her journalistic ideals shredded as she struggles to keep up with the issues in a ratings-crazed madhouse—battling for hair and makeup time, coping with her sexist (but scathingly handsome) coanchor, Rob, mixing up the headlines with pajama modeling on the street, and showing Benji Diggs, her media maestro boss, that she’s got what it takes.

As the news heats up in a hotly contested election season and a wild-card candidate, former Hollywood actor Victor Fluke, appears on the scene, Amanda’s pressure-cooker job gets hotter as her personal life unravels. Walking a knife’s edge between ambition and survival, and about to break the biggest story of her career, Amanda must decide what she’s willing to give up to get ahead—and what she needs to hold on to to save herself.

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.

BOOK NEWS: Magic by Danielle Steel

Magic is the new novel from renowned author Danielle Steel. Released in mid-July, the book focuses on a group of friends at the enchanting White Dinner, each dealing with decisions and issues that could potentially change their lives...

It starts on a summer evening, with the kind of magic found only in Paris. Once a year in the City of Light, a lavish dinner takes place outside a spectacular landmark. Selected by secret invitation, the guests arrive dressed in white, and when the night is over, hundreds of white paper lanterns bearing everyone’s fervent wishes are released into the sky. Amid this wondrous White Dinner, a group of close friends stand at the cusp of change.

Jean-Philippe and Valerie are high-flying, successful and devoted to their young family. But a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in China may lead to separation – and temptation.
Bernadetta and Gregorio run an Italian clothing empire in Milan, but Gregorio has a weakness that will ignite a crisis in their company, and their marriage.

Screenwriter Chantal and Indian tech entrepreneur Dharam arrive as friends, but their paths will be set on dramatically different courses before the night ends.

A transformative year of successes and heartbreaks is to come, until the next White Dinner...

BOOK NEWS: Falling by Jane Green

There are already plenty of great-looking books being released this summer, and one of them is the latest offering from Jane Green, author of Jemima J and Life Swap. Falling is released in July and follows Emma Montague, who leaves her life in New York in favour of a Connecticut beach cottage.

Eight years ago, Emma Montague left behind the strict confines of her upper-crust English life - and rather dull boyfriend - and moved to New York City, where she immediately found success in the world of finance. But her soulless, cut-throat, all-consuming job has only led to another life she didn't want. 

Answering an online ad, Emma finds a tiny beach cottage to rent in the small town of Westport, Connecticut. It needs work - lots of work. But it's the perfect project to satisfy Emma's passion for interior design and gardening, if her new landlord, Dominic, is agreeable to the small changes she yearns to make. 

To Emma, Dominic is also something of a fixer-upper. A local handyman with a six-year-old son, he's a world away from the men she should be interested in, but he's comfortable in his own skin, confident, quiet and kind. Slowly, over a shared garden, time spent with his son and late-night conversations, Emma finds herself falling for Dominic.

From friends to lovers happens as naturally as the changing seasons. But laying down roots doesn't come easily when two lives as different as theirs merge into one. And Emma will realize that the seeds of happiness must be nurtured and cherished to grow into something strong enough to shelter all their hopes and dreams...

UNCOVERED PICKS: Five new novels for July

Not only is it the start of a new month, but summer is also here! As usual, here's our monthly selection of some of the new chick-lit reads that will be available in July, including novels from Holly Martin and Lisa Jewell, and a wedding-themed read from Sophie Hart.

Fairytale Beginnings by Holly Martin
Hopeless romantic Milly Rose has had her fair share of heartbreak. Obsessed with all things Disney, she refuses to give up on finding her Prince Charming – he’s out there somewhere, isn’t he? 

When Milly is given a job to investigate the origins of a historical building in the village of Clover's Rest, she’s not sure what to expect. What she discovers takes her breath away - a beautiful real life Cinderella castle, complete with turrets, a magnificent drawbridge AND a very handsome owner…Cameron Heartstone. 

As Milly and Cameron begin to unearth the secrets of Clover Castle, they can’t ignore the intense chemistry building between them. But they’ve both been hurt badly before. Can they take a big leap of faith and find their own happily-ever-after? 

The Girls by Lisa Jewell
You live on a picturesque communal garden square, an oasis in urban London where your children run free, in and out of other people’s houses.

You’ve known your neighbours for years and you trust them. Implicitly.

You think your children are safe.

But are they really?

Midsummer night: a thirteen-year-old girl is found unconscious in a dark corner of the garden square. What really happened to her? And who is responsible?

All Together Now by Gill Hornby
The small town of Bridgeford is in crisis. The high street is half empty, businesses are closing and the idea of civic pride seems old-fashioned to the commuters rushing home from work. Somehow, it seems to have lost its heart.

But there is one thing that might just bring the town together: music. The Bridgeford Community Choir has a chance of winning the county championship. First though, the small band of singers must find a lot of new members and a whole new sound. 

Enter Tracey - one of life's soloists, and hiding a secret past; Bennett - a church choir refugee, baffled by the modern world. And Jazzy - who sees her voice as her passport straight out of town to a future of fame and fortune. Can they really fit in with dependable old regulars like Annie? Can they learn to work together, save their singing group and maybe even their community? 

The Girl's Guide to Getting Hitched by Sophie Hart
When new mum and events planner Julia Crawford is given the opportunity to plan three weddings, she jumps at the chance. What could possibly go wrong? … 

Forget bridezilla, Aimee’s future mother-in-law is the stuff of nightmares – hell bent on taking over the wedding entirely. Worse still, her fiancé, Jon, seems oblivious. Aimee’s starting to wonder if she and her groom-to-be are right for each other after all… 

Body shy Debbie is on a mission. She’s determined to shed a lot of pounds before the big day. As the wedding inches closer, will the new Debbie lose sight of what’s really important? 

Gill loves Mike and their blended family of five kids to bits, but with a house full of teenage hormones and her eldest, Kelly, struggling with so much change, Gill is feeling the pressure... 

As the women bond over cake and a cuppa, can they each resolve their wedding woes before the big day? 

The Heavenly Italian Ice Cream Shop by Abby Clements
Anna and her husband Matteo are ready to embark a delicious Italian adventure. After a year and a half running their ice cream shop on Brighton beach and raising their baby Isabella, Matteo is starting to miss Italy. A shared passion for ices means it's easy to settle on a new business idea - they'll open a shop in Sorrento's cobbled square, a short walk from the sparkling blue sea. For a while, life is sweet; but then Matteo's overbearing family get involved …

Anna's younger sister Imogen feels like things are finally coming together - she's living with boyfriend Finn in a beach house in Brighton, and her photography is taking off. Then her career stalls, and the lure of Capri - and a man from her past - prove difficult to resist. 

BOOK NEWS: A Proper Family Adventure by Chrissie Manby

Chrissie Manby's hilarious Benson family will be returning in July for the next novel in the series, A Proper Family Adventure. In the latest installment, which follows on from A Proper Family Holiday and A Proper Family Christmas, the Bensons are off on a luxury cruise...

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 on board, 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?

BOOK NEWS: Summer Flings and Dancing Dreams by Sue Watson

Fans of Sue Watson, author of Love, Lies and Lemon Cake (and festive novel Snow Angels, Secrets and Christmas Cake), will be excited about her next book, Summer Flings and Dancing Dreams, which will be released in early July.

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? 

BOOK NEWS: If You Don't Know Me By Now by A L Michael

Barista Imogen has dreams of becoming a writer in the upcoming novel from A L Michael (author of The Last Word and My So-Called Love Life). Imogen starts an anonymous blog about her customers which starts to become particularly popular...

If You Don't Know Me By Now will be available from Carina in early July.

What’s the worst job you’ve ever had?

Imogen has come to London to make it as a writer. At least, that was the plan. Finding herself in a dead-end job serving coffee to hipsters was not on her to-do list. And even if gorgeous colleague Declan does give her more of a buzz than a triple-shot cappuccino, Imogen can feel her dreams evaporating faster than the steam from an extra-hot latte.

Until her anonymous tell-all blog about London’s rudest customers goes viral – and suddenly, Imogen realises that landing the worst job in the world might just be the best thing that’s ever happened to her! As long as she can keep her identity to herself...

UNCOVERED INTERVIEWS: Elizabeth Aaron

Elizabeth Aaron's fashion-focused debut Low Expectations hit the shelves last week. Elizabeth, who studied fashion design in London, interned at Alexander McQueen and Jonathan Sanders, and also worked on a freelance project for Givenchy. In 2012, she moved to Paris to work as a nanny and write Low Expectations - in which single Georgie, working in fashion for a boss who doesn't know her name, decides to change her life in a year...

Tell us about your latest novel in 15 words or less.
A comic love story about trying (mostly failing) to pull yourself together in your 20s!

What inspired you to write Low Expectations?
I had started writing comedy sketches in my final year at University but I didn’t have the self-confidence to preform them. It had always been my dream to write a book, so I decided to take a chance and create a narrative around the ‘voice’ that was emerging in the sketches. My goal was simply to write what I wanted to read on holiday - something smart but also fun, absurd and true to life (with all the dubious morality and griminess that can accompany this). I also had a wealth of hideous social gaffes and romantic disasters that were ripe for exploitation in fiction!

Where do you do most of your writing?
I wrote most of Low Expectations in cafés, but for a few months now I’ve had one of those bamboo bed-desk things that keep your laptop from overheating. Which is dangerous as I have become electively bed-ridden, moving only to walk two paces to the kitchen…

What is your favourite book?
Hard to say, there are so many! The last book I read where I fell utterly in love with one of the characters was East of Eden by John Steinbeck. I wanted to climb into it and marry Samuel Hamilton. Even though he’s about 70. The magic of fiction!

Which part of Low Expectations did you enjoy writing the most?
Probably the situations in which my lead character Georgie is most wild, uncontrolled and badly behaved! Of which there are quite a few. The fashion related scenes were the hardest - to make them feel true and fair while also acknowledging some of the problematic aspects of that world (it’s also pretty hard to describe designer togs in detail without sounding like a tool!).

Who is your favourite literary heroine?
Mae West. She’s unique in being both a writer and performer but also a sort of living, life-long literary creation herself. She never broke character. She just went ahead and did what she wanted, with incredible wit and verve. She was a trailblazer in so many ways (as well as a gloriously camp icon).

Do you have any tips for readers who are looking to become published writers?
Write what you would like to read! Trust your taste. Draw a line under the project and finish it after a set period of time. Even if it is imperfect, send it to agencies to see what response you get. That’s the only advice I feel qualified to give at this point, I am still a novice in many ways.  

Are you working on anything else at the moment and if so, can you tell us?
I am getting started on my second novel, though over the summer I’ll be concentrating on a one-woman stand-up comedy show I am putting on this summer at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Low Expectations: The Unpublishable Material is made up of material that was cut from Low Expectations for being too full-on, plus lots of new jokes! I’ll also be projecting my comic illustrations. It’s a terrifying prospect but in a weird way it feels natural, like things have come full circle.

Thanks, Elizabeth!

Low Expectations by Elizabeth Aaron
Georgie has a glamorous career in fashion.

Her boss doesn’t know her name, but working for a genius will pay off one day. She hopes.

She also has great friends. Granted, they’re sometimes a bit superficial, but who wants to discuss a global crisis on a Friday night? And she’s enjoying her single life. Eighteen months of celibacy, and not a hot prospect in sight. Perhaps life’s not quite what she was hoping for . . .

But how can she change it, and what does she really want? Stuck somewhere between a quarter-life crisis and self-fulfillment, Georgie is determined that this year, everything will be different. Armed only with her sense of humour, some black eyeliner and her best attempt at ‘charming’, she’s on the way. But just how long will the new improved Georgie last?

UPCOMING RELEASE: Little Lies by Liane Moriarty

Earlier this year, Uncovered reviewed Liane Moriarty's novel The Husband's Secret - an addictive, mysterious tale about a secret that, once revealed, is enough to tear an entire family apart. We were excited to find out about Liane's next novel, another mysterious novel titled Little Lies (Big Little Lies in the US), which is released at the end of July.

Jane hasn't lived anywhere longer than six months since her son was born five years ago. She keeps moving in an attempt to escape her past. Now the idyllic seaside town of Pirriwee has pulled her to its shores and Jane finally feels like she belongs. She has friends in the feisty Madeline and the incredibly beautiful Celeste - two women with seemingly perfect lives ...and their own secrets behind closed doors. 

But then a small incident involving the children of all three women occurs in the playground causing a rift between them and the other parents of the school. Minor at first but escalating fast, until whispers and rumours become vicious and spiteful. It was always going to end in tears, but no one thought it would end in murder...

NEW RELEASE: Poppy Does Paris by Nicola Doherty

Poppy Does Paris is the first novel in Nicola Doherty's Girls on Tour series and is said to be perfect for fans of Lindsey Kelk's bestselling I Heart series. Poppy is heading on a work trip with shallow yet handsome colleague Charlie. Lily Does LA, the next book in the series, is due for release in September.

Paris. City of love, city of romance. The last place you want to go to on a work trip when you're in the middle of an epic dry spell. But that's where Poppy is headed, along with her colleague Charlie, who's shallow and annoying but very, very good-looking. During a white-wine-fuelled session with her friend Alice, Poppy concocts the perfect plan: work by day, and have some no-strings fun with Charlie by night. Of course, it might prove a little more complicated than that, but it's nothing Poppy can't handle - or is it?

Girls on Tour is an irresistible series of interlinked stories about four friends, ordinary girls who have extraordinary fun in faraway places. Expect the unexpected, the utterly hilarious and unforgettable, on this rollercoaster ride of love, laughs, surprises and sparks. You have a VIP pass to join each girl's adventure, so pack your bags and buckle your seatbelts, because just about anything is possible...

BLOG TOUR: You Had Me at Merlot by Lisa Dickenson - Book Review

You Had Me at Merlot is the new four-part digital romantic comedy from Lisa Dickenson. Lisa's 2013 debut novel, The Twelve Dates of Christmas, scooped the Novelicious Debut of the Year award, which made this new release even more exciting. You Had Me at Merlot is being released in four parts (part one is available now, part two on 21st July, part three on 28th July and part four on 4th August), and I was lucky enough to be sent a review copy of this hilarious novel in which two friends head to Tuscany for a singles' holiday.

Elle and Laurie are best friends with totally different outlooks on romance. Elle is perfectly happy with the way her life is; she's single and independent with a job she enjoys, and the single life suits her just fine. Laurie, on the other hand, is desperate to find Mr Right. And the sooner, the better.

When Laurie asks Elle to accompany her on a 'group' holiday to Tuscany, Elle is reluctant. After all, as fun as Laurie is making it seem, it's a singles' holiday - and a rather cheesy-sounding one at that. However, after some contemplation, and time with their happily-settled friends who are hoping to get the two single ladies up the aisle and pregnant as soon as they can, Elle finally agrees to the 'You Had Me at Merlot' package. After all, it's a vineyard in Tuscany. Beautiful sights, potential romance, and of course, plenty of wine.

With the chance of Italian sun, wine aplenty and her (slightly mad!) best friend for company, Elle heads off for the Merlot experience. What follows is laughter, adventure, and romance for the adamantly independent Elle...

Lisa Dickenson is a talented author, and it shows in You Had Me at Merlot. For anyone looking for a witty, romantic tale, this is the perfect read. I instantly loved Elle and her funny yet serious manner, a contrast to that of Laurie. You Had Me at Merlot is a wonderful book; hard to put down and full of laughs, friendship and the setting of gorgeous Tuscany. It's a highly recommended summer read.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author
LISA DICKENSON was born in the wrong body. She was definitely meant to be Beyonce. Despite this hardship, she grew up in Devon attempting to write her own, completely copyright-infringing versions of Sweet Valley High, before giving Wales a go for university, and then London a go for the celeb-spotting potential. She's now back in Devon, living beside the seaside with her husband and forcing cream teas down the mouths of anyone who'll visit. She is sadly still not Beyonce.

Lisa's first novel, The Twelve Dates of Christmas, winner of the Novelicious Debut of the Year Award, was an instant hit with readers who were won over by her wit, charm and naughty sense of humour - she's got her fingers crossed that everyone feels the same about You Had Me at Merlot. Follow her on Twitter for all her book news and Beyonce-related chatter: @LisaWritesStuff

You can read more about Lisa Dickenson and You Had Me at Merlot on Lisa's blog tour! Check the dates and blogs below for Lisa's daily stops.

UNCOVERED INTERVIEWS: Lisa Joy

It's publication day for Lisa Joy, and her new book novel Yes, Chef!, which follows Becca; a London foodie who is given the once in a lifetime opportunity to work for a celebrity chef. We were intrigued by this debut novel and couldn't wait to put our weekly questions to Lisa!

Tell us about your latest novel in 15 words or less.
Deliciously funny and romantic, Yes, Chef! reveals a tantalising glimpse of the trendy restaurant scene.

What inspired you to write Yes, Chef?
I attended a commercial fiction masterclass in April 2013 with the inspiring author Fiona McIntosh. When I arrived on day one I was a wannabe fantasy writer. The final night of the masterclass I was telling stories around the dinner table of my days in the restaurant business and I realised my new writer friends were fascinated. I discovered that what seemed ordinary for me was interesting to others. I had a lightbulb moment, as they say, and Fiona encouraged it. I went back to my hotel room and began writing Yes, Chef! that very night. One year later I had shelved my fantasy novel, changed genres, finished Yes, Chef! and was offered a contract with Destiny Romance an imprint of Penguin Random House.

Where do you do most of your writing?
My fiance and I have recently moved from a one bedroom flat in the city to a nine acre property about an hour outside Melbourne in the picturesque Dandenong Ranges. It’s so beautiful and quiet here and the sky is so expansive. I do all my writing from a desk overlooking our vegetable patch and citrus orchard.

What is your favourite book?
Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding. I’ve lost count how many times I’ve read it. A writer friend of mine told me she thought Yes, Chef! was for the next generation of Bridget Jones fans. It was probably the highest compliment anyone could have paid me - ever.

Which part of Yes, Chef! did you enjoy writing the most?
I enjoyed developing the friendships most. I feel like Yes, Chef! has a great cast of warm, sparkly characters (if I do say so myself). As I wrote this story the relationships between Becca and her work mates often made me laugh out loud at my computer screen.

Who is your favourite literary heroine?
I’m not sure if this counts as she was the heroine of her own memoir, but I very much admire Frances Mayes, author of Under the Tuscan Sun. The first time I visited Italy I promised myself I would live there some day. Restoring a house full of history in a beautiful region like Tuscany and cooking from produce grown in my own garden is a dream of mine. I’m fortunate that part of that dream has already come true. I live on an organic vegetable farm, but even though I travel to Italy as often as I can, I do wonder if I will ever live there.

Do you have any tips for readers who are looking to become published writers?
Don’t write because you want to get published or because you think it will make you a lot of money so you can quit your day job. Write because you love it, because it makes you happy and keeps you sane. I used to put so much pressure on myself to become a published author that the fear held me back from even finishing a novel. When I stopped the angst my writing freed up. I had so much fun writing Yes, Chef! that I believe it came across in the voice and story and that was enough to catch the attention of a major global publisher.

Are you working on anything else at the moment and if so, can you tell us?
Absolutely I can tell you! I’m working on a new novel, although I won’t tell you the title as I’m a little superstitious in the same way people don’t like to tell others the name they have chosen for their unborn child. I can say it will be a lush foodie adventure-romance set in the UK and Italy about realising what you truly want from life and then doing everything you can to achieve it.

Thanks, Lisa!

You can find out more about Lisa Joy and Yes, Chef! by visiting her website or Facebook (and the Facebook page for Yes, Chef!) You can also follow Lisa on Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.

Yes, Chef! by Lisa Joy
Sassy foodie Becca Stone is over her job taking reservations in one of London's most successful restaurant empires. So when she is unexpectedly catapulted into working as PA to celebrity chef, Damien Malone, it seems like the opportunity of a lifetime.

Becca is quickly caught up in an exciting whirlwind of travel, reality TV and opening nights, and even her usually abysmal love life takes a turn for the better. But as Becca is slowly consumed by the chaos of life in the spotlight, she begins to lose touch with her friends, her heart and even with reality. Working with Damien has its challenges and she is soon struggling with his increasingly outrageous demands and sleazy advances, all while managing the ridiculous requests of his self-centered wife. It takes a disastrous trip to Italy for Becca to realize that she may have thrown away exactly what she's been looking for all along.

Inspired by real-life adventures, this deliciously funny and romantic story reveals a tantalizing glimpse of the trendy restaurant scene: a world where chefs are treated like rock stars, and cooking isn't all that goes on in the kitchen.

UNCOVERED INTERVIEWS: CeCe Osgood

CeCe Osgood's novel, The Divorced Not Dead Workshop, has recently been released (and we love the cover!). Divorcee Dorsey decides to set up a workshop for the divorced, only to find herself with plenty of problems in the form of ex-husband Theo and a group of rebellious attendees. We put our weekly questions to CeCe in order to find out more about the novel, and what inspired her to write it.

Tell us about your latest novel in 15 words or less.
It’s about the self-discovery you need to get back into the dating world after divorce. .

What inspired you to write The Divorced Not Dead Workshop?
I had a chat with a newly divorced friend, and I remember the terror I’d felt about dating again. Divorce is so scary, and you really do have to discover a lot about yourself during that time and later on, when you begin to even think about finding love again. Then one morning I woke up with the title, the main character, the setting (a cruise ship for the most part) and a smidgen of the plot. So….I just had to write it.

Where do you do most of your writing?
I used to work on a desktop (seems like century ago now, oops it was…in the ‘90s!) but with my laptop I can go where ever there’s wifi, like my hometown’s lovely library. But really my favorite place is in bed. I take a lot of breaks though, for circulation, since I’ve heard sitting for long periods can be hard on the old bod. Plus, I have two bossy little cats who demand things, like food and attention, so…again, more breaks.

What is your favourite book?
Oh, so many!  That’s impossible to answer. For romantic comedy/chick-lit, I’m a big fan of Sophie Kinsella’s Can You Keep A Secret. It really inspired me to write in that genre. I like most of her standalones, especially Wedding Night and I’ve Got Your Number.

Other favorites are The Help, Nora Roberts’ The Witness, Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, The Thorn Birds...The list goes on and on.

Which part of  The Divorced Not  Dead Workshop did you enjoy writing the most? 
I loved the interaction of Dorsey with her BFFs, Pilar and Mimi, and their antics during the dating workshop on the cruise ship.  And I love the ending too. It made me sigh with happiness for that wonderful moment of realizing you’re opening your life to “whole new world.”  

Who is your favourite literary heroine? 
I guess it would be Jo March of Little Women. She was the first female character I remember as child who seemed like me, or the  me I wished to be. She’s a tomboy. She’s outspoken and independent. She loves reading and writing, and she’s more than willing to break the stereotype of the taciturn, reserved, frilly female who was the norm then and, I’d venture to say, in some places still today.

Do you have any tips for readers who are looking to become published writers?
First, is to remember that the first draft is only one of many. Next, is to search for unnecessary repetition in dialogue, plot and action. Read as much as you can, of course, and also remember, as Nora Roberts said, “You can fix anything but a blank page.” (I have to remind myself of this all the time.)

Are you working on anything else at the moment and if so, can you tell us? 
I’m on a first draft of a mystery. At the moment, it seems to be a “chick-lit mystery” which I hope will become the first in a series.  I also have another wee idea but I’m not at all certain what it will be. A novel? A short story? It’s too soon to tell.

Thanks, CeCe!

You can find out more about CeCe Osgood and her books by visiting her website, Facebook, or by following her on Twitter.

The Divorced Not Dead Workshop by CeCe Osgood
Divorced five years and recently dumped by Theo, Dorsey Bing brainstorms about a dating workshop for divorced people. Too bad she’s an idea person with zero follow-through. That changes when her pal, Pilar, sets up the workshop, puts herself in charge and gets Dorsey to be her “gofer.” Dorsey’s widowed stepfather Ralph, and his bride-to-be, Audrey, ask Dorsey to join their wedding cruise to Cabo, which will be held on the same weekend. Dorsey and Pilar nip that problem by holding the workshop during the cruise. But do things ever work out as planned? No. No, they don’t. 

Everything goes topsy-turvy with a startling mishap, rebellious workshop attendees and the arrival of Audrey’s good-looking but wily nephew Finn. More trouble comes with the unexpected re-appearance of Theo. Will Dorsey and Theo revive their relationship? Will she discover Finn just might be a back-stabbing rat bastard? Facing failure and heartbreak, Dorsey must tackle her biggest challenge if she’s to win the love, and life, she’s always desired.

NEW RELEASE: After I Do by Taylor Jenkins-Reid

After I Do by Taylor Jenkins-Reid was released last week, and is about Lauren and Ryan, a couple whose failing marriage prompts them to make a plan to save it. And the plan? One contact-free year, in which anything can happen...

When Lauren and Ryan’s marriage reaches the breaking point, they come up with an unconventional plan. They decide to take a year off in the hopes of finding a way to fall in love again. One year apart, and only one rule: they cannot contact each other. Aside from that, anything goes.

Lauren embarks on a journey of self-discovery, quickly finding that her friends and family have their own ideas about the meaning of marriage. These influences, as well as her own healing process and the challenges of living apart from Ryan, begin to change Lauren’s ideas about monogamy and marriage. She starts to question: When you can have romance without loyalty and commitment without marriage, when love and lust are no longer tied together, what do you value? What are you willing to fight for?

This is a love story about what happens when the love fades. It’s about staying in love, seizing love, forsaking love, and committing to love with everything you’ve got. And above all, After I Do is the story of a couple caught up in an old game—and searching for a new road to happily ever after.