BOOK NEWS: Something Like Happy by Eva Woods

Something Like Happy is the new novel from Eva Woods (author of The Ex Factor and The Thirty List). Released in September, the novel is inspired by the popular #100HappyDays social media phenomenon.

"It's simple, really. You're just meant to do one thing every day that makes you happy. Could be little things. Could be big. In fact, we're doing one right now..."

Annie Hebden is stuck. Stuck in her boring job, with her irritating roommate, in a life no thirty-five-year-old would want. But deep down, Annie is still mourning the terrible loss that tore a hole through the perfect existence she'd once taken for granted--and hiding away is safer than remembering what used to be. Until she meets the eccentric Polly Leonard.

Bright, bubbly, intrusive Polly is everything Annie doesn't want in a friend. But Polly is determined to finally wake Annie up to life. Because if recent events have taught Polly anything, it's that your time is too short to waste a single day--which is why she wants Annie to join her on a mission...

One hundred days. One hundred new ways to be happy. Annie's convinced it's impossible, but so is saying no to Polly. And on an unforgettable journey that will force her to open herself to new experiences--and perhaps even new love with the unlikeliest of men--Annie will slowly begin to realize that maybe, just maybe, there's still joy to be found in the world. But then it becomes clear that Polly's about to need her new friend more than ever...and Annie will have to decide once and for all whether letting others in is a risk worth taking.

BOOK REVIEW: There's Something About Cornwall by Daisy James

There's Something About Cornwall is the latest book by Daisy James, author of If The Dress Fits and The Runaway Bridesmaid. With the summer swiftly approaching, I was looking for a novel to get me in that sunny kind of mood, and this one is just perfect.

When food photographer Emilie loses out on an all-expenses paid assignment to Venice (to none other than awful ex-boyfriend Brad), she soon finds herself landed with another opportunity - to shoot the photos for celebrity chef Lucinda Carlton-Rose as she travels around Cornwall for her latest book, Lucinda Loves...Desserts. At first, Emilie's apprehensive about the whole thing, especially as Lucinda is a well-known cookery diva referred to as the Devil in an apron. But when Emilie's more optimistic best pal Alice persuades her, there's no backing out.

After all, it's a trip around Cornwall, photographing gorgeous food, sampling delicious cakes, checking out some local delights, and meeting some of the coast's rather nice surfers...

Emilie and Alice set off together, hiring a bright orange VW camper as their vehicle-slash-hotel. But on day one of the shoot, disaster occurs, making Emilie doubt herself and her decision to take the trip. However, she soon meets Matt, a surfer from Northumberland who might just be the distraction Emilie needs.

When shoot organiser Alice is injured and forced to head back home, it's up to Emilie to take charge. She's never organised a shoot before, and the overbearing Lucinda could make her new mission the most challenging yet. Having already lost confidence in her abilities due to Brad, the Lucinda Loves shoot will make Emilie prove her worth. But on the plus side, there's Matt, who has agreed to be her driver for the rest of the tour.

There's Something About Cornwall is a lovely, feel-good book packed with romance, adventure, ambition and laughs. It's a wonderful summer ride through the Cornish coast, and with plenty of sweet desserts and drink too! I liked Emily from the beginning, and enjoyed seeing her grow as a character throughout the book, from self-doubts caused by her ex's emotional bullying to  a more confident, ambitious woman and friend. I don't want to go into too much here for fear of spoilers, but this is a wonderful story. If you're looking to get whisked away to sample the delights of Cornwall, this is the perfect read.

Rating: 5/5

Thank you to Netgalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

BOOK REVIEW: The Inheritance by Angie Coleman

The Inheritance is the new novel by Angie Coleman, published by Aria. I'll start by saying I'm not normally one for primarily romance-focused novels, but the premise of this one pulled me in.

Ashley Morgan has her life already planned out after graduation. She'll return to the family home and take the reins of the family business. However, things don't seem to go her way. Instead, her father hands over the management of Morgan & Hall to his protegee, Jamie Standley. Upset, Ashley storms out, tearing up a gift from her father in the process.

Three years later, after her father's death, Ashley is forced to return to the family home for the reading of his will. There, it's revealed that both Jamie and Ashley will receive a share in the business. That is, under one condition...that the pair work and live together for a year.

Faced with the prospect of losing to Jamie, Ashley reluctantly agrees. Even though it means she'll be forced to live under tha same roof as Jamie, the man who effectively ruined her future, for an entire year...

Ashley is convinced that Jamie has always had other motives. That he cannot be trusted. And now she's going to get her own back. If, of course, she can manage to ignore Jamie's charm...

Okay, so the plot of The Inheritance is rather exciting. Guy takes over girl's dream, girl gets angry, they're forced to live together, she vows to get revenge. Even though the romantic aspect sounded (and was) entirely predictable, the rest of the premise was what interested me. However, I felt a bit let down by this book.

The main issue? Ashley. Ashley comes across as a spoiled, immature teenager throughout this novel, constantly throwing tantrums. At the beginning of the novel I was starting to warm to her, until she tore up her father's gift and stomped out. Whilst cohabiting with Jamie, she is incredibly stubborn and often quite nasty. I was expecting more from the 'revenge' aspect of this book, but instead, all I seemed to read was Ashley throwing another tantrum, or doing something incredibly childish. (For example, texting Jamie's staff and arranging for the lab to be closed for three days, thus risking lack of pay for the employees and risking missing an important deadline.) And why?

Because Jamie dared to sleep on her favourite sofa.

Due to this, halfway through the book I could see her father's point. And Jamie's, for that matter. I wouldn't trust Ashley to run a business either. So I found it hard to sympathise with her.

She came across as friendly to Jamie one minute, mean the next, constantly holding a grudge even when he was trying to be friendly. Thus, there were quite a few arguments throughout the novel that really weren't needed. I could have forgiven this had the characters been teenagers, but they were not. Ashley is a twenty-four-year-old woman, but acts like a spoilt thirteen-year-old. Her behaviour was a huge distraction from the plot, which I felt had a lot more potential.

That said, this is my own personal opinion, and other readers could think differently. (And like I mentioned before, I'm not a huge reader of romance). Angie Coleman has a nice writing style, and I'd love to read more from her in future. I certainly wouldn't let this one put me off reading her future novels, but this particular book just wasn't for me.

Rating:  3/5

Thank you to Netgalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

THROWBACK THURSDAY: The Second Assistant by Clare Naylor and Mimi Hare

Whilst going through some of my older books the other day, trying to find room for them on a new bookshelf, I came across some of the chick-lit reads I had loved years ago. I've been reading and reviewing women's fiction for quite some time, and in that time various trends have emerged and changed, making way for new stories, new heroines, and a whole host of new authors.

There are still a lot of older books I love; some I've read more than once. So I thought it'd be fun to start a new 'Throwback Thursday' here on the blog to revisit some older chick-lit novels. They don't necessarily have to be that old - just books that will remain on the list of favourites, or are significant in some way.

I'll kick things off this week with The Second Assistant by Clare Naylor and Mimi Hare. Okay, so this novel isn't a favourite as such, but it was, in fact, the first chick-lit novel I read, back in 2004. This is the book that got me interested in the genre, that made me seek out more. I've been a reader since I was able to pick up a book, and would read everything I could get my hands on (still do!), though I hadn't really discovered chick-lit until I picked up The Second Assistant. I took a liking to the Hollywood plot, enjoyed it, and then sought out similar books.

When you hit the lobby of the Hollywood's premier talent management company, The Agency, with its polished marble floor and a light so brilliant flooding through the vast windows that you reach for your Gucci sunglasses (before you remember they are last season's, and put them back swiftly), you realise that you are, arguably, in the most important place in Hollywood. And if you take a job there as second assistant, your life will never be the same again. So it is for Elizabeth, newly employed by Hollywood manager extraordinaire, Scott Wagner, and his side-kick, Lara, the woman who hates everyone and everything in Hollywood...

Elizabeth's first task is to separate the beige thumb tacks from the coloured ones on the notice board. And when Lara takes her out for her drink that night and gives her the first rule, Never to Date anyone in the Business, she thinks it'll be a doddle. Until the most gorgeous man rescues her after a fall, and she finds herself in a beautiful Malibu beach house...

Hilarious, sassy and utterly unputdownable, this is life in the Hollywood fast lane - with the top down.

The book is an insider story, along the same lines as The Nanny Diaries and The Devil Wears Prada (which also takes pride of place in my collection), which seemed to be a trend around that time. This particular novel focused on an assistant at a Hollywood agency.

So - what are your all-time favourite chick-lit reads? Are there any you've re-read numerous times? I'd love to know!

BOOK NEWS: Big Sexy Love by Kirsty Greenwood

Kirsty Greenwood, author of The Vintage Guide to Love and Romance and Yours Truly, is back with a new novel! Big Sexy Love will be released in June, and in it Olive Brewster sets out on a journey to Manhattan to try and track down a friend's lost love...

Olive Brewster is a scaredy cat. She doesn't do new or risky. She’s happy enough with her job at the local market, it’s cool that she has no boyfriend to fret over, she even likes that she still lives in her childhood home. No drama, no fuss, no problems. Everything is fine. Super duper fine.

Except … Olive's best friend in the world​, Birdie, is dying.

Birdie has one final wish. She wants to track down her first love, Chuck, and because she's stuck in the hospital she needs Olive's help to do it. But there’s a teeny problem: Chuck is somewhere in New York and Olive has never even left her home town, let alone roamed the crazy streets of Manhattan.

As if the big city isn't scary enough, Olive has to contend with Seth, a cocky comedy TV writer who thinks she’s a joke; Anders, a bored socialite who’s taken a shine to her; and the fact that no matter how hard she tries to track down Chuck, he doesn't seem to want to be found.

Can Olive learn to overcome her fears, abandon her old safe routine and fulfil her best friend’s last wish?  It's going to take extra bravery, one badass attitude and a whole lot of big sexy love to make this happen...

BOOK REVIEW: Wrong Number by Carys Jones

Wrong Number is the first in a series by Carys Jones (author of Prime Deception). The sequel to Wrong Number, titled Last Witness, is already out and receiving great reviews, so admittedly I'm a little late to the party here!

Amanda, a successful web designer, leads a happy  life with husband Will. Until one day, she receives a strange phone call, asking for a Jake Burton. The mysterious caller is adamant that Jake lives at the property. Amanda puts it down to a simple wrong number.

But then Will disappears.

Leaving without so much as a note or call is extremely out of character for her normally meticulous husband Will. Worried and frantic about his whereabouts, she contacts the police. Meanwhile, using her skills as a former hacker, Amanda starts to look into Will's online presence. And things just don't seem to add up...

When will is officially declared missing, the police officer on the case is none other than Amanda's ex boyfriend Shane. A man who knows everything about Amanda's past. Shane is now in a new relationship, but with the pair working closely on the investigation of Will's disappearance, will Shane and Amanda fall for one another again?

When I saw this book on Netgalley I had to request it, because I love a good thriller, and the premise of Wrong Number sounded gripping. It is...but not straight away. The action and suspense seems to pick up in the second half. It's quite slow at first, but I carried on, and was glad because the story does get better.

I particularly enjoyed the darkweb element of the book. It was original, and made for an interesting glimpse into the past of Amanda, who isn't the perfect wife that she initially seems. I liked that Amanda has a secret past, one she's not particularly proud of.

Wrong Number seems, to me anyway, to be less of a fast-paced thriller and more of a mystery with a bit of romance. I found this with Carys's previous novel, Prime Deception. Now, I am partial to a romantic sub-plot, however this book seems to be marketed as a thriller, which may mislead some readers who are looking for something more gripping and psychological. The ending was, in my opinion, a little bit hurried.

I don't want to spoil too much, but I enjoyed Wrong Number; Carys Jones is a great writer, and even though this book is slightly predictable and a bit slower than I had expected, it's still a good read overall!

Rating: 3/5

Thank you to Netgalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

UNCOVERED PICKS: Five new releases for May!

It's the start of a new month which, of course, means some fab new books! This month sees the release of new novels from Sian O'Gorman, Sue Watson and more, and so as the monthly tradition goes, here's the Uncovered selection of five!

Always and Forever by Sian O'Gorman
How can you find yourself again, when you can't face what you've lost?

Joanna Woulfe is looking to get her life back on track after her husband John leaves their family home. Once a high-flying PR Director, Jo now looks after her son Harry and seeks support only from her mother Marietta and her best friend Nicole. But Nicole's own marriage is facing its greatest ever crisis, and Marietta, too, is distracted by the reappearance of an old flame, ex-Showband-singer and lothario Patrick Realta.

Soon Jo enrols with a colourful local amateur dramatics group and begins a flirtation with the handsome young Ronan Forest. But is she really ready to move on from her old life – and from her years of marriage to John? And what was it that happened three years ago that sent the couple into free-fall?

Before long Jo will realise that is only by looking back that she will ever truly be able to move forward...

The Other Us by Fiona Harper
If you could turn back time, would you choose a different life?

Forty-something Maggie is facing some hard truths. Her only child has flown the nest for university and, without her daughter in the house, she’s realising her life, and her marriage to Dan, is more than a little stale.

When she spots an announcement on Facebook about a uni reunion, she can’t help wondering what happened to Jude Hanson. The same night Dan proposed, Jude asked Maggie to run away with him, and she starts to wonder how different her life might have been if she’d broken Dan’s heart and taken Jude up on his offer.

Wondering turns into fantasising, and then one morning fantasising turns into reality. Maggie wakes up and discovers she’s back in 1992 and twenty-one again. Is she brave enough to choose the future she really wants, and if she is, will the grass be any greener on the other side of the fence?

Two men. Two very different possible futures. But is there only once chance at happiness?

The Garden of Small Beginnings by Abbi Waxman
One moment Lili is arguing with Dan, her husband, the next he is killed in a terrible car accident right outside their family home.

Three years later and Lili has managed to resume her day-to-day life as a mother of two girls and a successful textbook illustrator. But despite her outward appearance, she feels an aching loss. 

However, when she is commissioned to illustrate a series of horticultural books, Lili is forced to take gardening class and the wilted roots of her life finally start to blossom. The class provides Lili with a new network of friends - friends with their own heartaches and problems - and, maybe, another chance at love...

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...

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
Eleanor Oliphant leads a simple life. She wears the same clothes to work every day, eats the same meal deal for lunch every day and buys the same two bottles of vodka to drink every weekend.

Eleanor Oliphant is happy. Nothing is missing from her carefully timetabled life. Except, sometimes, everything.

One simple act of kindness is about to shatter the walls Eleanor has built around herself. Now she must learn how to navigate the world that everyone else seems to take for granted – while searching for the courage to face the dark corners she’s avoided all her life.

Change can be good. Change can be bad. But surely any change is better than… fine?