UNCOVERED PICKS: Five March Releases

As we make our way into March, it's time for a peek at what's new in female fiction. This month sees new novels from Christie Barlow (author of Lizzie's Christmas Escape), Sophie Nicholls (The Dress) and Cathy Kelly (Between Sisters).

Finding Secrets by Lauren Westwood
Alex Hart loves her dream job as manager of Mallow Court, a historic Elizabethan house, even if her friends think she needs to get out more. But a discovery in the pocket of an old coat – a jewelled mechanical locket shaped like a bird – changes everything, and Alex discovers that things are not as they seem.

From an old diary, to a handsome barrister, a mysterious clockmaker, and the darkest hours of the London Blitz, Alex must follow the trail of the jewelled bird to uncover the truth about the things she holds dearest – and someone is determined not to let sleeping dogs lie!

Only by finding the secrets of the past can Alex find the keys to her future – and her heart.

The Difference Between You and Me by Celia Hayes
Trudy Watts has everything she's ever dreamed of: a job that she loves, a successful boyfriend and an ultra-modern apartment in one of the most fashionable parts of London. With a long-awaited promotion due to come her way and her wedding just around the corner, Trudy's life is just perfect...

That is until catastrophe strikes and her life is turned upside down. She's transferred to Turriff, a remote Scottish town to manage a small, struggling bank branch.

Her arrival is traumatic and she wishes she was anywhere but here... Until she sees him – Ethan, the charming pub landlord, who seems to enjoy nothing more than to tease her. And it's right there, in that pub, that her life will suddenly change...

Evie's Year of Taking Chances by Christie Barlow
Evie’s job has always been her safe haven. As a librarian in the little town of Becton she loses herself in books - after all it’s far easier to read about other people’s problems than set about solving her own.

Then, one birthday, everything is turned upside down. A mysterious parcel containing a beautiful book with a poignant inscription arrives for Evie. It’s the beginning of a new chapter for Evie and she’s inspired to try and find her real mother. 

Evie’s search leads her to meet handsome author Noah Jones. Charming and intelligent, Noah seems the perfect catch but what Evie doesn’t realise is that he is hiding something – a key to Evie’s past. 

As Evie gets closer to Noah and discovering her mother, she must take a giant leap of faith. Can she embrace the new and make this her year of taking chances? And if she does, will she get her heart broken? 

Miss Mary's Book of Dreams by Sophie Nicholls
In historic York, Ella seems to have the perfect life. She's a published author, her bookshop is thriving, she's married to the man of her dreams and they've started a family of their own. 

But Ella is struggling. Motherhood isn't quite everything she imagined it to be, and she's worried that there may be cracks in her marriage. 

On the other side of the Atlantic, despite endless blue skies and a stream of eager customers in her vintage dress shop, Ella's mother Fabia finds that life in San Diego is not enough for her. She misses York, and can sense that Ella needs her, so she flies home. 

And this is when they meet Bryony. With a complicated life and secrets of her own, Bryony may have some of the answers they're looking for. 

Can Ella and Fabia help her find her way, whilst also working out how to find their own happily ever after?

Secrets of a Happy Marriage by Cathy Kelly
Bess is hoping to show everyone just how happy her recent marriage is, but behind all the party-planning the cracks are beginning to show. Why is joining a family so difficult?

Jojo, Bess's stepdaughter, has a point to make. Bess is not her mother, and she won't replace the one she's been missing every day for the last two years. And will she ever get the chance to become a mum herself?

Cousin Cari is a fierce career-woman who isn't unnerved by anything - apart from facing the man who left her at the alter, and he's on the guestlist. Her job has been a safe place to hide ever since - but is it time to let love into her life again?

Thanks to laughter, tears and one surprise appearance, the Brannigans might just discover the secrets of a happy marriage...but will they find out before it's too late?

BOOK NEWS: Mystery at Maplemead Castle by Kitty French

I absolutely adored Melody Bittersweet and the Girls' Ghostbusting Agency, and now a sequel is about to be released!

Out next month, Mystery at Maplemead Castle is the second book starring Melody and her hilarious colleagues, in The Chapelwick Mysteries series. This time, Melody is investigating the haunting of a trapeze artist, whilst trying to fend off her annoying ex and an intrusive reporter...

Welcome to Chapelwick, a leafy English town in the hills of Shropshire, where chocolate pecan cookies come with a helping of sabotage.

Maplemead Castle is crawling with ghosts, and the new owners need them gone. When Melody Bittersweet and the Girls’ Ghostbusting Agency arrive on scene, they quickly identify the troublemakers swinging from the chandeliers...literally. 

A century ago, stunning trapeze artist Britannia Lovell plunged to her death, and has done every night since. But did she really just fall, or was there something more to her demise?

Forced to work with Leo Dark, her scoundrel ex, and infuriating, irresistible reporter Fletcher Gunn, Melody’s investigative powers are under strain (i.e. lost in a pink mist of lust and confusion). She needs her team on top form, but best friend Marina’s cake pipeline goes AWOL, assistant Artie’s distracted by a giant sausage roll, and the pug is scared witless by a lion.

Somewhere, hidden in the castle, is a heart-breaking secret, but what will it take to find it? And is there a chance it could set Britannia free, or is she doomed to repeat her last fateful act forever?

BOOK NEWS: Don't Stop Me Now by Colleen Coleman

Colleen Coleman is definitely one to watch, having signed with Bookouture last summer! Her novel Don't Stop Me Now will be released in March, and follows ambitious Poppy, who's forced to temporarily take a step back in life when things don't go to plan...

A hilarious feel good read about finding your feet when life pulls the rug out from under you.

Poppy Bloom planned to finish her PhD and walk straight into a job at her university. But here she is, unemployed, unceremoniously dumped by her boyfriend, and living back at her mum’s in her vampire-themed childhood bedroom.

Not exactly what she was hoping for.

But when Poppy sets her mind to something, nothing can stand in her way. She scores herself an internship at the hottest radio station in town, joins a netball team, and renews her friendship with her oldest friend Leanne. Spending time with Leanne’s gorgeous twin Tom is just a bonus…

But life has a way of tripping you up when you least expect it, and Poppy soon has to decide where her priorities lie… With new friends, a new career and a new romance, can Poppy keep everyone happy, or is everything about to tumble down around her? 

BOOK NEWS: Laura Lake and the Case of the Hipster Weddings by Wendy Holden

Wendy Holden, whose many novels include Honeymoon Suite, Marrying Up and Filthy Rich, is returning this year with a brand new series about a journalist called Laura Lake. The first book in the series, Laura Lake and the Case of the Hipster Weddings, will be published in March.

Laura Lake longs to be a journalist. Now she’s an unpaid intern at a glossy magazine – sleeping in the fashion cupboard and living on canapés. And she’s just got her first big break: infiltrate three society weddings and write a juicy exposé.

Security will be tighter than a Kardashian pencil skirt, but how hard can it be? She’ll don a ball-gown for the aristocrats, a festival headdress for the artisan jewellery makers, and a glitter moustache for the Shoreditch hipsters. But Laura hasn’t prepared for disappearing brides and secret royal orgies. Or the fact that her jealous office enemy will do anything to bring her down... 

UNCOVERED PICKS: Five March Releases

March is here and with it comes new books from Anna Bell, Fiona Walker, Sarah Morgan and more. Here's our pick of five romantic reads for the upcoming month.

The Bucket List to Mend a Broken Heart by Anna Bell
Abi's barely left her bed since Joseph, the love of her life, dumped her, saying they were incompatible. When Joseph leaves a box of her possessions on her doorstep, she finds a bucket list of ten things she never knew he wanted to do. What better way to win him back than by completing the list, and proving they're a perfect match? But there's just one problem - or rather, ten. Abi's not exactly the outdoorsy type, and she's absolutely terrified of heights - not ideal for a list that includes climbing a mountain, cycling around the Isle of Wight and, last but not least, abseiling down the tallest building in town ...

Completing the list is going to need all Abi's courage - and a lot of help from her friends. But as she heals her broken heart one task at a time, the newly confident Abi might just have a surprise in store... 

The Weekends of You and Me by Fiona Walker
Can your final fling become your Happy Ever After? When Jo Coulson finds herself single again in her late thirties, she finally resigns her membership to Last of the Hopeless Romantics, fully intending to tackle midlife and motherhood alone. First, she plans one legendary last fling...In walks Harry Inchbold, and the connection is electric. Passionate, unpredictable and messily divorced, Harry is the perfect antidote to cosy coupledom. Known as The Sinner, drama follows him around with a clapper board. Harry's favourite holiday hideaway in the wilds of South Shropshire puts the mud and fun into the perfect dirty weekend. But at the cottage Harry reveals a very different side, melting Jo's resolve. What better combination to face an uncertain future than two cynics who have learned from their mistakes?

Together they make a pact; 'same time next year'; they can promise no more than that. Through life's most stressful decade, Harry and Jo return to the Shropshire hills for one weekend each year to rediscover passion and make peace. As career, family and home crises all threaten to bring them unstuck, the cottage is their glue. Here, different rules apply: the day to day world is not allowed to intrude.With Harry and Jo, however, it's only a matter of time before rules get broken. As real life gets increasingly complicated, can they keep renewing their promise? 

If the Dress Fits by Daisy James
She might be the most famous person in the country…but no one knows her name!

Celebrity actress Lilac Verbois is holding a competition to design her dress for the Wedding of the Year…and Callie’s exquisite, glittering silk gown has been shortlisted. But just as all her dreams are coming true, disaster strikes and she rushes home – forgetting to submit the forms!

Years ago, when Callie left sleepy Althorpe for the bright lights of London, she never expected to return. And there’s one man in particular she’d hoped never to see again, Theo, the childhood-sweetheart-turned-rock-God who turned her life upside down. But now she’s back, she realises it’s finally time to stop running…and face her past.

Yet, little does Callie know, Lilac Verbois has begun a Cinderella-like hunt for that perfect, pearl-embroidered wedding dress, mysteriously submitted without a name…

Sleepless in Manhattan by Sarah Morgan
What if the person who broke your heart, is the only one who can help you find your future? What if the person who broke your heart, is the only one who can help you find your future? 

Great friends. Amazing Apartment. An incredible job. Paige has ticked off every box on perfect New York life checklist. Until disaster strikes and instead of shimming further up the career ladder, Paige is packing up her desk. Her brother's best friend Jake might be the only person who can help her put her life back together. He also happens to be the boy she spent her teen years pining after, and Paige is determined not repeat her past mistakes. But the more time she spends with Jake, the more Paige realises the one thing that was missing from her world all along. The perfect New York love story... 

Nice Work (If You Can Get It) by Celia Imrie
Somewhere on the French Riviera, tucked between glitzy Monte Carlo and Cannes' red carpets, lies the pretty town of Bellevue-Sur-Mer. Sheltered from the glittering melee, it is home to many an expat – including an enterprising team who plan to open a new restaurant.

Snapping up a local property and throwing themselves into preparations, Theresa, Carol, William and Benjamin's plans are proceeding unnervingly well. But when Theresa encounters a mysterious intruder, she begins to wonder what secrets the building is concealing.

Meanwhile Sally, an actress who gave up the stage to live in quiet anonymity, has decided not to be involved. The famous Cannes Film Festival is on and she is far too busy entertaining unexpected visitors from her past, and an intriguingly handsome Russian.

As the razzmatazz of the festival begins to spill over into Bellevue-Sur-Mer, its inhabitants become entangled in complex love triangles and conflicting business interests. With the race on to get the restaurant open in time, the gang find themselves knee-deep in skulduggery, and realise they can no longer tell who's nasty...and who's nice.

BOOK NEWS: The Bucket List to Mend a Broken Heart by Anna Bell

The latest novel from Anna Bell (author of Don't Tell the Groom and Millie and the American Wedding) will be out in March. The Bucket List to Mend a Broken Heart follows Abi, whose broken relationship leads her to try a whole host of new and daring things...

Abseiling, wind-surfing, climbing a mountain - the things the terrified Abi Martin will do for love.

Abi's barely left her bed since Joseph, the love of her life, dumped her, saying they were incompatible.

When Joseph leaves a box of her possessions on her doorstep, she finds a bucket list of ten things she never knew he wanted to do. What better way to win him back than by completing the list, and proving they're a perfect match? But there's just one problem - or rather, ten. Abi's not exactly the outdoorsy type, and she's absolutely terrified of heights - not ideal for a list that includes climbing a mountain, cycling around the Isle of Wight and, last but not least, abseiling down the tallest building in town.

Completing the list is going to need all Abi's courage - and a lot of help from her friends. But as she heals her broken heart one task at a time, the newly confident Abi might just have a surprise in store.

CELEB READS: Walk on By by Stacey Solomon

UK Romance publisher Totally Bound has launched a new imprint called Celebritease, which will feature romatic tales penned by celebrities. The first in the series is Walk on By, by singer Stacey Solomon, who is currently working on a new album.

Walk on By is the first in Stacey's Best Things in Life series, and focuses on overnight singing sensation Charlotte Taylor, aka Lola.

Ever since Charlotte Taylor was a little girl she’s wanted fame and fortune. She sings with the voice of an angel and is soon plucked out of obscurity and launched into the limelight as the overnight sensation ‘Lola’.

Charlotte attends wild celebrity parties and moves in circles with the rich and famous, but the people living the life of celebrity aren’t all she imagined them to be and neither is her life. Struggling to find the real Charlotte again she battles against the crazy life she’s thrust into, desperately trying to swim to the surface.

Blake Hudson is a self-made man. Successful in his own right, he’s busy making his own mark on the world. Self-assured, strong and determined, he’s not looking for a permanent relationship. But when he meets the sweet and charming Charlotte, he’s captivated. But the world of celebrity and business collide and commitments, half-truths and unintentional deception don’t make for smooth sailing.

Hilarious consequences ensue through this romantic comedy, but can Lola and Blake overcome the challenges that life and fame throw their way to find their own happy-ever-after, or will Lola just have to Walk on By?

UNCOVERED INTERVIEWS: Sarah Bannan

Sarah Bannan's new novel Weightless, which is published on 12th March, is a young adult tale focusing on the realities of cyber bullying. Weightless is gripping and emotional novel set in an American high school, and after hearing of this novel I just had to put the weekly questions to Sarah, who is Head of Literature at The Arts Council Ireland.

Tell us about your latest novel in 15 words or less.
15 year-old Carolyn Lessing moves to Adamsville, Alabama, unsettling the conservative and monotonous status quo.

What inspired you to write Weightless?
I moved a lot growing up and, when I was thirteen, my family relocated to a small town in Alabama. I was one of only a few kids who hadn’t grown up there and I stuck out, or at least I thought I did. I made great friends in high school, but the school and the town were conservative, with rigid social hierarchies.

In 2011 when I started a writing course, I was doing a lot of reading about the Phoebe Prince case on Slate. It struck me that teenage life had become more complex with the prevalence of social media. I started re-imagining my high school life but with access to iphones, Facebook, twitter and instagram.

I suppose I put these two areas of interest together when writing the book – which is, of course, completely fictional.

Where do you do most of your writing?
My husband, daughter and I live in a tiny house, so my options are pretty limited at home!

We have a tiny fold-out desk outside of our bathroom and I write there a lot. The good thing about it: I have to crawl in to work there, which means it’s a pain to get out. That keeps me working longer than I might otherwise.

Lately, I’ve been getting up before my daughter and husband, at around 4.30, and I’ll work in my daughter’s toddler bed. (She wakes most nights at 1 am and wants to get into ours, so we do a swap!) I find it comforting to be there and I love that time on my own before the world has started. I sometimes get so lost in my writing that I forget what time it is. (If I get up too early, though, all my characters do is talk about sleep deprivation.)

During the days, if I have a day off for writing, I usually go to a coffee shop and work there. I like the noise and I’m less likely to doss if I’m in public. Plus, you can’t get up and do other things cause you’d be worried someone would take your stuff! For me, it’s about finding a place that’s hard to get out of. Staying with the work is the hardest, and most important, thing for me.

What is your favourite book?
For me, that’s an impossible question! I’m always reading and pronouncing a new title as my favourite book ever. Apparently, this makes me unreliable. But here we go:

The last thing that I read and loved was Anne Enright’s new novel THE GREEN ROAD, which is out in May. Like all of Enright’s work, it’s sharp and wise and witty and beautifully written, sentence by sentence.

Curtis Sittenfeld is a real hero of mine and I think all of her books are remarkable. SISTERLAND was a joy to read, as was AMERICAN WIFE and, obviously, PREP. Paul Murray’s SKIPPY DIES is a masterpiece and I feel like I’m always pressing it into people’s hands with urgency. I loved Colum McCann’s LET THE GREAT WORLD SPIN and TRANSATLANTIC. I think that Lorrie Moore is a genius, which is stating the blindingly obvious. Same goes for Alice Munro. I read Tom Perotta’s THE LEFTOVERS last summer and was totally blown away. Then I read LITTLE CHILDREN and was equally wowed. He’s terrific.

I loved Roddy Doyle's BARRYTOWN TRILOGY before I emigrated to Ireland (nay to Dublin!) and I am a big fan of everything he publishes. His children's writing is wonderful and his last collection of short stories BULLFIGHTING are magnificent.

Through my work at the Arts Council, I get to read lot of writers when they’re just starting out, so I was lucky enough to see work by writers like Colin Barrett and Mary Costello at a really early stage. I admire their work hugely, along with this whole new generation of Irish writers.

During college, I was obsessed with the 19th century Russian novelists and I reread ANNA KARENINA last year, along with THE BROTHERS KARAMAZOV. I still loved them but found myself identifying with different characters than I had in college. There are so many amazing new books out every WEEK that it can be hard to get back to reading classics, or even the books that were big last year. But it’s so enjoyable and revelatory.

Which part of Weightless did you enjoy writing the most?
There’s a scene near the middle of the book that’s probably considered the mid-point, and it almost wrote itself. It’s chapter 17 and starts with ‘We knew that Carolyn and Shane had had sex.’ I guess because it felt easier to write, I enjoyed writing it!

Who is your favourite literary heroine?
I think, years ago, I would have said Jane Eyre. But now I’d say Tassie from THE GATE AT THE STAIRS by Lorrie Moore.

Do you have any tips for readers who are looking to become published writers?
Read lots.
Get back to the desk.
Write a little every day.
Even an hour at the desk is better than nothing.
If weighing up laundry versus writing: choose writing.

Are you working on anything else at the moment and if so, can you tell us?
I’m working on a new novel and I’m about 50,000 words in. This is a terrifying place to be, because there’s no going back now! As a new-ish mother, I was drawn to very different ideas when writing this book, but I'm a little superstitious about saying too much about it. And it's possible I could hit a problem (or idea!) and change things entirely... The main thing, though, is that  I’m really enjoying writing it at the moment. Hoping to finish this year.

Thanks, Sarah!

Weightless by Sarah Bannan
Adamsville wasn't a place that people came to. It was a place you were from, where you were born, where you were raised, where you stayed. Before Carolyn Lessing arrived, nothing much had ever happened in Adamsville, Alabama. Each week, at dinner tables and in the high school assembly, everyone would pray for the football team to win. Each year, the Adams High hotlist would be updated, and girls would rise and fall within its ranks. Each day, everyone lived by the unwritten rules that cheerleaders did not hang out with the swim team, seniors did not date freshmen and the blistering heat was something that should never be remarked upon. But then the new girl came. All Carolyn's social media could reveal was that she had moved from New Jersey, she had 1075 friends - and she didn't have a relationship status. In beach photos with boys who looked like Abercrombie models she seemed beautiful, but in real life she was so much more. She was perfect. This was all before the camera crews arrived, before it became impossible to see where rumour ended and truth began, and before the Annual Adamsville Balloon Festival, when someone swore they saw the captain of the football team with his arm around Carolyn, and cracks began to appear in the dry earth.

UPCOMING RELEASE: The Life Intended by Kristin Harmel

The Life Intended is the beautiful new book by Kristin Harmel, which arrived in the mail today. It's due for release on March 12th, and follows Kate, who is about to marry her new love after losing first husband Patrick.

After her husband's sudden death over ten years ago, Kate Westhoven never expected to be lucky enough to find another love of her life. But now she's planning her second walk down the aisle to a perfectly nice man. So why isn't she more excited?

At first, Kate blames her pre-wedding jitters on stress. But when she starts seeing Patrick, her late husband, in her dreams, she begins to wonder if she's really ready to move on. Is Patrick trying to tell her something about his death and is there a chance his nighttime visits could be more than just wishful thinking?

UNCOVERED PICKS: Five new releases for March

March is here, and so are some great new books! Among the new releases this month are Rowan Coleman's latest novel, an intriguing read from Beth Thomas and the newest addition to Nikki Moore's #LoveLondon short story series...

Cocktails in Chelsea by Nikki Moore
Nathan Black is on a mission to prove himself. His family may be upper class and his cousin Matt might be a famous music producer, but he's going to make it on his own. So as soon as he has enough money set aside, he's quitting his bar-tending job on the King's Road and opening up his own cocktail bar. He hasn't got time for love, and definitely not with the spoilt Chelsea Princesses who flirt with him shamelessly every night. But is there something a bit different about the pretty blonde who's just walked in?

Bournemouth girl Sofia Gold is reluctantly visiting old childhood friends in London for Easter weekend. Keenly aware she's not part of their glamorous world, she's more comfortable riding a surfboard than wearing designer dresses and towering heels… although she's always had a soft spot for cocktails.

It's never really bothered Sofia that she's 'one of the boys,' and that her romantic experiences have been amazingly unspectacular, so when she meets gorgeous Nathan, why does she find herself faking an accent and pretending to be a London socialite? It can't be anything to do with impressing him, can it? After all, she's only in the capital for a few days…

But one impulsive kiss later, they both find themselves wishing for things they didn't know they wanted.

Spring in Chelsea – will love blossom?

The One That Got Away by Bethany Chase
Sarina Mahler thinks she has her life all nailed down: a growing architecture practice in Austin, Texas, and an any-day-now proposal from her loving boyfriend, Noah. She's well on her way to having the family she's hoped for since her mother's death ten years ago. But with Noah on a temporary assignment abroad and retired Olympic swimmer—and former flame—Eamon Roy back in town asking her to renovate his new fixer-upper, Sarina's life takes an unexpected turn. Eamon proves to be Sarina's dream client, someone who instinctively trusts every one of her choices—and Sarina is reminded of all the reasons she was first drawn to him back in the day. Suddenly her carefully planned future with Noah seems a little less than perfect. And when tragedy strikes, Sarina is left reeling. With her world completely upended, she is forced to question what she truly wants in life—and in love.

Happiness for Beginners by Katherine Center
A year after getting divorced, Helen Carpenter, thirty-two, lets her annoying, ten years younger brother talk her into signing up for a wilderness survival course. It's supposed to be a chance for her to pull herself together again, but when she discovers that her brother's even-more-annoying best friend is also coming on the trip, she can't imagine how it will be anything other than a disaster. Thus begins the strangest adventure of Helen's well-behaved life: three weeks in the remotest wilderness of a mountain range in Wyoming where she will survive mosquito infestations, a surprise summer blizzard, and a group of sorority girls. Yet, despite everything, the vast wilderness has a way of making Helen's own little life seem bigger, too. And, somehow the people who annoy her the most start teaching her the very things she needs to learn. Like how to stand up for herself. And how being scared can make you brave. And how sometimes you just have to get really, really lost before you can even have a hope of being found.

The Day We Met by Rowan Coleman
A gorgeous husband, two beautiful children, a job she loves—Claire's got it all. And then some. But lately, her mother hovers more than a helicopter, her husband Greg seems like a stranger, and her kids are like characters in a movie. Three-year-old Esther's growing up in the blink of an eye, and twenty-year-old Caitlin, with her jet-black hair and clothes to match, looks like she's about to join a punk band—and seems to be hiding something. Most concerning, however, is the fact that Claire is losing her memory, including that of the day she met Greg.

When Claire meets a handsome stranger on a rainy day, she starts to wonder if Greg still belongs in her life. She knows she should love him, but she can't always remember why. When Greg gives her a blank book, Claire fills its pages with private memories and keepsakes, jotting down beginnings and endings and everything in between. The book becomes the story of Claire—her passions, her sorrows, her joys, her adventures in a life that refuses to surrender to a fate worse than dying: disappearing.

His Other Life by Beth Thomas
He was hiding a terrible secret...

Grace’s new husband Adam seems like the perfect package. Good looking, great job, completely charming – almost too good to be true...

So when Adam suddenly disappears from Grace’s life, she is left bewildered and heartbroken. And with a lot of unanswered questions.

As she tries desperately to find him, Grace opens a Pandora’s Box of secrets and lies – and starts to learn that Adam wasn’t so perfect after all.

What shameful secrets was her husband hiding? Is Grace in danger? And can she survive the truth? However terrible it may be...

BOOK NEWS: The Gospel According to Drew Barrymore by Pippa Wright

Being a fan of Pippa Wright's novels (which include Lizzy Harrison Loses Control and The Foster Husband), it was exciting to find out about her newest book, The Gospel According to Drew Barrymore, which is out in March. Read on for the blurb!

Friendship is like a shark: it has to keep moving forwards to survive.

Esther and Laura have been best friends since they were seven, when Esther was chubby and Laura was already perfect. So much has changed since then - school, boyfriends, drink, experimental hair-dye, university, jobs, London, babies - and their friendship has changed just as much, but they are still close, still inextricably linked to one another.

So when Esther is told that Laura has gone missing, she leaves everything behind - including her husband and small child - to fly to San Francisco and trace her friend's last movements. All she has is an email from Laura: 'I'm channelling Drew Barrymore, as ever. The Gospel, right?'

In trying to understand why Laura has disappeared, and what on earth Drew Barrymore has to do with it, Esther needs to look back. Back at the secrets woven into their friendship and the truths she's avoided facing for so long.

BLOG TOUR: Skeletons by Jane Fallon (plus giveaway!)

Thursday saw the release of Skeletons, the latest novel by Getting Rid of Matthew author Jane Fallon. We thoroughly enjoyed this book, and courtesy of publishers Michael Joseph, have two copies to give away!

To be in with a chance of winning, simply email the editor with 'Skeletons' as the subject header by April 5th.

BOOK REVIEW

Jen Masterson has always adored her husband Jason's family - his large, loving, home with his happily-married, proud parents has always been a welcoming fixture in her life. Jason's siblings are her best friends; a huge difference to the family she was brought up in. And with the couple's two children having grown up and ventured away to university, the extended Masterson family unit with their weekly visits and family dinners keeps Jen involved.

However, Jen accidentally discovers a secret. And a rather big secret, at that.

A secret that has the potential to tear the entire Masterson family apart.

Letting Jason know what she's found out would only upset him and possibly drive a wedge between Jen and the family. So she decides to keep it quiet, continuing with life as normal and trying remarkably hard to keep up the pretence in the presence of the Mastertons.

Though it can only last for so long. Soon, the secret is catching up with Jen; following her, demanding that she comes clean about what she knows.

And if she doesn't confess, then someone else will...

The longer Jen keeps the secret, the harder it becomes. With family events looming, there's only so much time before she has to come clean about what she knows, And when it happens, she tells not only Jason, but the entire Masterson family.

Jen is soon forced to deal with the consequences of confessing all to the family that's trusted her, enveloped her in love and let her be one of them. And when her world comes crashing down around her, Jen has to decide what to do next in order to pick up the pieces.

It's quite hard to write a review without giving too much away - after all, one of the things I enjoyed most about this book was discovering the secret, and I really don't want to post any spoilers! Sometimes in life, we come across things that could be kept to ourselves; secrets that could cause harm when revealed. But is it best to keep these secrets? What would happen if we told? Jane Fallon explores this concept wonderfully, and tells a fantastic, highly addictive story about a woman placed in terribly predicament - one that could potentially break up a family.

Skeletons is a very intriguing novel of secrets, scandal and family dilemma, which Jane handles brilliantly (her novels Getting Rid of Matthew and The Ugly Sister are some of my favourites), and I was very excited about the release of Skeletons. Such a great book - I'm already looking forward to Jane Fallon's next offering!

Rating: 5/5

Check out The Friendly Shelf for tomorrow's stop on Jane's blog tour!

NEW RELEASE: Ghostwritten by Isabel Wolff

Ghostwritten, the latest novel from Isabel Wolff (author of Rescuing Rose and A Vintage Affair), was released today, and follows ghostwriter Jenni, whose latest project is about to reveal elements of her own past...
A childhood mistake. A lifetime of regrets.

Jenni is a ‘ghost’: she writes the lives of other people. It’s a job that suits her well: still haunted by a childhood tragedy, she finds it easier to take refuge in the memories of others rather than dwell on her own.

Jenni has an exciting new commission, and is delighted to start working on the memoirs of a Dutchwoman, Klara. As a child in the Second World War, Klara was interned in a camp on Java during the Japanese occupation – she has an extraordinary story of survival to tell.

But as Jenni and Klara begin to get to know each other, Jenni begins to do much more than shed light on a neglected part of history. She is being forced to examine her own devastating memories, too. But with Klara’s help, perhaps this is finally the moment where she will be able to lay the ghosts of her own past to rest?

Gripping, poignant and beautifully researched, Ghostwritten is a story of survival and love, of memory and hope.

BOOK REVIEW: Take Mum Out by Fiona Gibson

Having read (and loved!) Fiona Gibson's previous novels, including Mummy Said the F Word and Mum On the Run, I was rather excited about her latest book, Take Mum Out. Released next week, Take Mum Out focuses on busy single mother Alice Sweet - meringue maker, school secretary and mum of two teenage boys.

With her successful meringue business, Sugar Mummy, having recently taken off,  Alice hasn't had much time for finding a love life. And after one particularly bad date, she realises that she's perfectly happy staying single. Though Alice's three best friends disagree - and with that, set out on a mission to find Alice her Mr Right.

Three dates. Three men, set up by perfectly responsible friends. What could possibly go wrong?

Well, Alice is about to find out. And trying to get time alone away from teenage sons Logan and Fergus is proving a challenge in itself - though she's helped by her often annoying mother and her ex, who has taken on a new catalogue-perfect country life with sugar-fearing wife Patsy.

From doting to downright disastrous, Alice's new suitors give her friends a lot to answer for. However, I don't want to reveal any more and spoil the fun!

One of the reasons why I'm such a fan of Fiona Gibson is her fun writing style; her 'real' heroines and the hilarious scrapes that they - that we all, sometimes - get into. Admittedly, I wouldn't usually be so excited about a book that focuses mainly on dating, given that I've read so many. Though having loved Fiona's previous novels, I knew that this would be a great book. Despite not being a parent myself, I have thoroughly enjoyed her amusing tales of life as a mum, and Take Mum Out is no exception. It's the perfect book to curl up with; a brilliantly funny and heartwarming read.

Rating: 5/5

UNCOVERED PICKS: Five new novels for March

There are plenty of great new chick-lit novels heading our way in March, from authors including Jane Costello, Fiona Gibson, Collete Caddle and Rebecca Chance. Here are our five picks for the month - what are yours?

Take Mum Out by Fiona Gibson
“What do you need a boyfriend for? You’re a mum.”

Fiona Gibson’s eagerly awaited new novel is full of dating disasters. Sharply observed and laugh-out-loud funny, its perfect for fans of Tracy Bloom, Kate Long and Tess Stimson.

Three blind dates
Two teenage boys messing up her plans
And one man who'll melt Alice's heart.

'You need to get back in the saddle…' Alice despises that phrase. She's fine being single – with two slothful teenage boys and a meringue business to run, she has enough on her plate without negotiating the troublesome world of modern dating.

However, Alice's three best friends have other ideas. Each one will present her with an utterly delicious, eligible man – all Alice has to do is pick her favourite.

Skeletons by Jane Fallon
Jen has discovered a secret.

It's not hers to share, but is it hers to keep?

If she tells her husband Jason, he might get over the shock but will he forgive her for telling the truth? She might drive a wedge through their marriage.

If she tells someone else in Jason's family - the family she's come to love more than her own - she'd not only tear them apart but could also find herself on the outside: she's never really been one of them, after all.

But if she keeps this dirty little secret to herself, how long can she pretend nothing is wrong? How long can she live a lie?

Jen knows the truth - but is she ready for the consequences?

Ghostwritten by Isabel Wolff
A childhood mistake. A lifetime of regrets.

Jenni is a ‘ghost’: she writes the lives of other people. It’s a job that suits her well: still haunted by a childhood tragedy, she finds it easier to take refuge in the memories of others rather than dwell on her own.
Jenni has an exciting new commission, and is delighted to start working on the memoirs of a Dutchwoman, Klara. As a child in the Second World War, Klara was interned in a camp on Java during the Japanese occupation – she has an extraordinary story of survival to tell.

But as Jenni and Klara begin to get to know each other, Jenni begins to do much more than shed light on a neglected part of history. She is being forced to examine her own devastating memories, too. But with Klara’s help, perhaps this is finally the moment where she will be able to lay the ghosts of her own past to rest?

Gripping, poignant and beautifully researched, Ghostwritten is a story of survival and love, of memory and hope.

The Divorce Papers by Susan Rieger
Twenty-nine-year-old Sophie Diehl is happy toiling away as a criminal law associate at an old line New England firm where she very much appreciates that most of her clients are behind bars. Everyone at Traynor, Hand knows she abhors face-to-face contact, but one weekend, with all the big partners away, Sophie must handle the intake interview for the daughter of the firm’s most important client. After eighteen years of marriage, Mayflower descendant Mia Meiklejohn Durkheim has just been served divorce papers in a humiliating scene at the popular local restaurant, Golightly’s. She is locked and loaded to fight her eminent and ambitious husband, Dr. Daniel Durkheim, Chief of the Department of Pediatric Oncology, for custody of their ten-year-old daughter Jane—and she also burns to take him down a peg. Sophie warns Mia that she’s never handled a divorce case before, but Mia can’t be put off. As she so disarmingly puts it: It’s her first divorce, too.

The Time of Our Lives by Jane Costello
Three best friends. One five-star hotel. Will it be the holiday of a lifetime ...? Imogen and her friends Meredith and Nicola have had their fill of budget holidays, cattle-class flights and 6 a.m. offensives for a space by the pool. So when Meredith wins a VIP holiday at Barcelona's hippest new hotel, they plan to sip champagne with the jet set, party with the glitterati and switch off in unapologetic luxury. But when the worst crisis of her working life erupts back home, Imogen has to juggle her BlackBerry with a Manhattan, while soothing a hysterical boss and hunting down an AWOL assistant. Between a robbery, a run-in with hotel security staff and an encounter on a nudist beach that they'd all rather forget, the friends stumble from one disaster to the next. At least Imogen has a distraction in the form of the gorgeous guy who's always in the right place at the very worst time. Until, that is, his motives start to arouse a few suspicions ...

BOOK NEWS: The Sweetness of Liberty James by Janey Lewis

Late March sees the release of The Sweetness of Liberty James by Janey Lewis, in which Liberty, who seemingly has the perfect life, sets out to rediscover it when things don't go to plan...

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?

You can pre-order The Sweetness of Liberty James on Amazon.

BOOK NEWS: Ghostwritten by Isabel Wolff

Not only have we fallen in love with the cover of Isabel Wolff's upcoming novel, but we're very excited about reading historic tale Ghostwritten, which will be released in late March.

A lifetime of regrets. Jenni is a 'ghost': she writes the lives of other people. It's a job that suits her well: still haunted by a childhood tragedy, she finds it easier to take refuge in the memories of others rather than dwell on her own. Jenni has an exciting new commission, and is delighted to start working on the memoirs of a Dutchwoman, Klara. As a child in the Second World War, Klara was interned in a camp on Java during the Japanese occupation - she has an extraordinary story of survival to tell. But as Jenni and Klara begin to get to know each other, Jenni begins to do much more than shed light on a neglected part of history. She is being forced to examine her own devastating memories, too. But with Klara's help, perhaps this is finally the moment where she will be able to lay the ghosts of her own past to rest? Gripping, poignant and beautifully researched, Ghostwritten is a story of survival and love, of memory and hope.