Difference between revisions of "Newest Women's Fiction Reviews"

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[[Category:Women's Fiction|*]]
 
[[Category:Women's Fiction|*]]
[[Category:New Reviews|Women's Fiction]]
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[[Category:New Reviews|Women's Fiction]]__NOTOC__
==Women's Fiction==
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{{Frontpage
__NOTOC__
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|isbn=1471180158
 
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|title=Maybe Tomorrow
{{newreview
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|author=Penny Parkes
|author=Rosie Thomas
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|rating=4.5
|title=Lovers and Newcomers
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|genre=General Fiction
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|summary=Jamie Matson works in an upper-class grocery store, for a man who's a control freak with all the subtlety of a half brick.  Jamie's son, Bo, 'has his problems'.  He's asthmatic and the more you read, the more you'll suspect that he's on the autistic spectrum.  Sometimes Jamie needs to take time off at short notice - she's a frequent flier in the local A&E and sometimes Bo's not fit enough to go to school.  Missed shifts or the need to be away on time to pick Bo up from school are occasions when Jamie can be controlled and put in the wrong.  It was going to come to a head.
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{{Frontpage
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|author=Lauren Bravo
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|title=Preloved
 
|rating=4
 
|rating=4
 
|genre=Women's Fiction
 
|genre=Women's Fiction
|summary=Friendship is precious and in this book six middle-aged friends put it to the test as they go to live with each other in an old country house. Each of them is eager to escape the outside world and cover up the cracks of strained relationships and unsuccessful lives. Afraid of growing old and leaving dreams unfulfilled, they do their best to feel young and free once more. However, far from being the wonderful and perfect solution they desired, living together means only more difficulties and new tensions emerge. They must battle with forbidden desires, heartbreak, broken relationships and the fear of old age. To make matters worse their isolated retreat is soon interrupted by an unexpected discovery from the past and with it the unwelcome attention of the outside world. Friendships are challenged, new ones are made and some are lost forever.
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|summary= Gwen is pressing her middle-aged bosom on a big number that starts with a four and ends with an oh-my-God-I'm-nearly-forty. Having been made unexpectedly redundant - any HR officer worth their salt would argue the toss - Gwen finds herself having a bit of a mid-life crisis. Catharsis is key and Gwen has decided now is the time to take back her life'
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0007285949</amazonuk>
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|isbn=1398510629
 
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}}
 
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{{Frontpage
{{newreview
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|isbn=0008506337
|author=Susan Lewis
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|title=The Garnett Girls
|title=The Choice
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|author=Georgina Moore
 
|rating=5
 
|rating=5
|genre=Women's Fiction
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|genre=General Fiction
|summary=The book tells the story of Nikki Grant who at the age of twenty one discovers that she is pregnant. Although this is unplanned, Nikki and her partner Spencer welcome the news and look forward to being the best parents that they possibly can be. However Nikki's parents are not so happy especially as they disapprove of Nikki's somewhat bohemian lifestyle and her relationship with Spencer. They virtually turn their backs on their daughter and don't even visit baby Zak when he is born. Nikki enjoys being a mum though even without her parents' support and could not be happier. That is until one fateful day, with Zak only a few weeks old, when some devastating news turns her whole world upside down. Life is never going to be the same again and in fact things just seem to get worse and worse for Nikki as the story unfolds.
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|summary=The love affair between Margo Garnett and poet Richard O'Leary was all-consuming, apparently on both sides.  Margo was just sixteen when they fell in love.  Richard was twenty-one and described by Margo's mother as 'an older man'. Her parents worried that Richard's influence would take her away from what they felt she could achieve - going to Oxford and having a glittering career. In the event, they eloped and Richard took her away from the Isle of Wight. Margo did go to Oxford and went on to become a well-respected journalist. The couple had three children: Rachel, Imogen and Sasha.  Life was lived in London and holidays were spent at Sandcove, the family home on the Isle of Wight. Even then the doubts about Richard's drinking were never far from Margo's mind: ''she would never be able to leave him in charge''.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099525690</amazonuk>
 
}}
 
 
 
{{newreview
 
|author=Michele Gorman
 
|title=Single In The City
 
|rating=4.5
 
|genre=Women's Fiction
 
|summary=In a rather spontaneous decision to follow her dreams Right This Second, Hannah has left Connecticut behind and moved to London. She doesn't have a flat, she doesn't have a job, and she doesn't have any friends, but she has more important things to worry about on arrival. Like how to deal with potential lovers who are too posh to wash and how to get the guy in the sandwich shop to understand her order. As she navigates her way through the highlights and pitfalls of life on this side of the pond she chronicles all the little intricacies that we would never consider twice.
 
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0141048263</amazonuk>
 
}}
 
  
{{newreview
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Then Richard left them.
|author=Nell Dixon
 
|title=Just Look At Me Now
 
|rating=3.5
 
|genre=Women's Fiction
 
|summary=Big Barb, tub of lard, has turned her life around. No longer overweight with wonky teeth and frizzy hair she has transformed herself into Tia Carpenter, the stylish Beauty editor at Platinum magazine. She has always kept her previous life secret, even from her best friends, but then Juliet Gold, the girl who tormented her at school, joins the magazine as Fashion Editor and suddenly Tia's new life is threatened.
 
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0755354370</amazonuk>
 
 
}}
 
}}
  
{{newreview
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{{Frontpage
|author=Lorraine Jenkin
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|author=Hadeer Elsbai
|title=Cold Enough To Freeze Cows
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|title=The Daughters of Izdihar
|rating=4.5
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|rating=4
|genre=Women's Fiction
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|genre=Fantasy
|summary=Lorraine Jenkin is already well known for her wacky characters and outrageous plotlines. But taking on an archetypical boy next door romantic plot? I really thought that she would be forced onto the cliché-ridden path to a predictably happy ending. Well happy ending duly arrived, but via a completely unpredictable route, one that I could never have guessed in a month of Sundays, even by peeking at the last page before I started. And she ticked all the writing boxes along the way!
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|summary= Drawing inspiration from Egypt, ''The Daughters of Izdihar'' explores the lives of two women who could not be more different, yet find themselves fighting for the rights of women and weavers – those with magical abilities - in a society pitted against them. Nehal, born into the upper class, wishes to attend the Weaving Academy to learn to control her abilities and then join the military, but instead she is forced into an arranged marriage with Nico. Giorgina on the other hand did not have a privileged upbringing like Nehal and feels great pressure to provide for her family and maintain their reputation, whilst secretly attending meetings of the Daughters of Izdihar – a group campaigning for women's rights. Giorgina also happens to be in love with Nico. What follows is a story of an unjust society, filled with hypocrisy and cruelty, from which blossoms a group of admirable women fighting for their rights and overcoming their personal obstacles.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1906784175</amazonuk>
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|isbn=0356520471
 
}}
 
}}
 
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{{Frontpage
{{newreview
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|isbn=B0B575J99N
|author=Annie Sanders
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|title=Beneath the Porticoes
|title=Famous Last Words
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|author=Brooke Adams
|rating=4.5
 
|genre=Women's Fiction
 
|summary=The story centres on Lucy Streeter who is a very ordinary woman leading a very ordinary life. She is quite happy running her designer clothes shop and being mother to her grown up son Nat. However, one evening her life is thrown into turmoil after meeting Micah, a fortune teller, who kindly informs her that she only has a few more days to live. Normally, Lucy would dismiss this as absolute rubbish, but unfortunately too many of his other predictions seem to be coming true so she has to sit up and take notice. As she does, she comes to the sad realisation that she has not made the most of her life and there are many things that she should or could have done.
 
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1409112764</amazonuk>
 
}}
 
 
 
{{newreview
 
|author=Elizabeth Buchan
 
|title=Separate Beds
 
 
|rating=4
 
|rating=4
 
|genre=Women's Fiction
 
|genre=Women's Fiction
|summary=Annie and Tom Nicholson looked like the sort of people you would envyBoth had rewarding jobs, Tom in the World Service and Annie in hospital management.  They had a lovely home and three grown-up childrenBut all is not as it seemsFor five years they have had separate existences after a family row when Tom caused his elder daughter to walk out of the house and never returnThere hasn't been a catalyst which would have caused them to separate but Tom moved into his daughter's vacated room and he and Annie have lived together - but apartIt could have gone on indefinitely but then Tom came home one day and dropped the bombshell which could well finish them off.
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|summary=Elizabeth Miller was thirty-four and a teacher at a prestigious girl's school in YorkIt was ''comfortable'' but she longed for something more in life.  She'd ''still not found the right vocation nor met the right man'' and now was the time to make a changeShe needed challengesThere was a little trepidation when she applied for the professoressa job in BolognaAfter a telephone interview, she was offered the position and it wasn't long before she was exploring the beautiful cityThere were some natural doubts before her first class but it went surprisingly well.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0141019891</amazonuk>
 
 
}}
 
}}
 
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{{Frontpage
{{newreview
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|isbn=0241542405
|author=Rebecca Farnworth
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|title=Meredith Alone
|title=A Funny Thing About Love
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|author=Claire Alexander
 
|rating=4.5
 
|rating=4.5
|genre=Women's Fiction
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|genre=General Fiction
|summary=When the reader first meets Carmen Miller she is struggling to cope with the breakup of her marriage whilst not really enjoying her job as a comedy agent. Her boss always seems to find fault with her and she soon discovers that her ex husband's girlfriend is pregnant which comes as quite devastating news. The only thing that lightens up her days is the flirtatious banter that takes place between herself and her colleague Will. The problem is though that she is afraid of taking things further and eventually being hurt as she knows too well what that is like.
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|summary=When we first meet Meredith Maggs it's Wednesday 14 November 2018 and she's not left her home for 1,214 days.  She'd ''like'' to: in fact, she so nearly does. Her outdoor clothes are on and she's even considered which shoes to wear if she's going to catch her train.  Then, she can't. She simply can't force herself to leave the safety of her home. She's fortunate that she has a good friend, Sadie, who visits regularly with her two children, James and Matilda.  Sadie's a cardiac nurse and full of sound common sense.  In fact it was Sadie who gave Meredith her cat, Fred.  Groceries are online deliveries and there's also an internet-based support group where you'll find Meredith as JIGSAWGIRL, so you can guess what she does in her spare time.  Then Tom McDermott arrives.  He's from Holding Hands, a charity which supports people with problems such as Meredith's.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099527189</amazonuk>
 
 
}}
 
}}
 
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{{Frontpage
{{newreview
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|isbn=0008441618
|author=Margaret Henderson Smith
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|title=Other Parents
|title=A Question of Answers
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|author=Sarah Stovell
|rating=3.5
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|rating=5
|genre=Women's Fiction
 
|summary=Harriet Glover lives with her partner who's reluctant to commit himself to marriage.  It's not that he hasn't had time to make up his mind – their two children are at the stage where they might produce grandchildren.  His excuse is that he can't see the point as they already share a surname through chance, so what difference would marriage make?  Mark's not ''entirely'' insensitive (well, some of the time…) but he can't understand Harriet's need for that reassuring piece of paper.  Until then she's going to be wondering if his eyes are wandering elsewhere.  Harriet's not entirely immune either: she finds the headmaster of the school where she teaches quite irresistible.
 
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1845493281</amazonuk>
 
}}
 
 
 
{{newreview
 
|author=Tasmina Perry
 
|title=Kiss Heaven Goodbye
 
|rating=4.5
 
 
|genre=Women's Fiction
 
|genre=Women's Fiction
|summary=A group of students were gathered on a private island in the Bahamas in 1990They'd just finished their exams – for some it was A Levels and for others it marked the end of university – but after a holiday of indulgence in drugs and alcohol and with lots of sexual tension four friends found themselves on the beach on the final dark nightIn front of them was a body, but they took the decision to let someone else make the discovery rather than getting involvedWhen they searched the beach the next day the body had gone – and they had no idea how.  They did have a suspicion that Miles might have been involved in the death.
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|summary=Jo Fairburn knew that she was under intense pressure as the new head of West Burntridge First School: if she didn't live up to her retired predecessor there could well be a house price slump in that part of the townThe school had an active Parent Teacher Association and the funds which they raised were a considerable benefit to the schoolThere was one difficulty, though - they were ''devastatingly shockable'', with two members, in particular, causing problems for the headLaura Spence and Kate Monroe objected to Jo's restrictions on the toys children could bring in on Toy Day but that was just a warm-up act for their real gripe: LGBTQ education.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0755358406</amazonuk>
 
 
}}
 
}}
 
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{{Frontpage
{{newreview
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|author=Giovanna Fletcher
|author=Rowan Coleman
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|title=Walking on Sunshine
|title=The Happy Home For Broken Hearts
 
 
|rating=4
 
|rating=4
 
|genre=Women's Fiction
 
|genre=Women's Fiction
|summary=Nearly a year on from the death of her beloved husband Nick in a car crash, Ellie is still not coping very well. She is overwhelmed by debts and because the accident was a result of Nick's own dangerous driving, the insurance company won't pay up. How can she keep the London house she lives in with her son Charlie? Her bossy sister Hannah comes up with a solution – three very different lodgers.
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|summary=Mike's wife, Pia, who he was with for seventeen years, has died. And whilst he is dealing with his grief, so are their best friends, Vicky and Zaza. But Pia left them all some 'rules' to follow, knowing that she was dying and that they would need help to carry on living. Whilst some of the rules are around practicalities such as clearing out her wardrobe, another one that Mike discovers one day encourages him to take one of their trips away, and Vicky and Zaza, struggling with their grief and their own life troubles, decide to drop everything in their own lives, and go along with him.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099525224</amazonuk>
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|isbn=140593560X
 
}}
 
}}
 
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{{Frontpage
{{newreview
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|isbn=B09FS89KX9
|author=Carole Matthews
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|title=Fall On Me
|title=The Only Way Is Up
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|author=Penelope Potts
 
|rating=3.5
 
|rating=3.5
 
|genre=Women's Fiction
 
|genre=Women's Fiction
|summary=Lily and Laurence Lamont-Jones were on holiday in Tuscany with their friendsLily had enjoyed it but she had a nagging suspicion that Laurence's mind was elsewhereQuite how bad his worries were didn't become apparent until they flew home to find that their house and car had been repossessed along with all their worldly goodsThey were left with the contents of their suitcases, the clothes they stood up in and a mountain of debts.  After a night in the cheapest motel they can find the family of four is moved into the only available accommodation – a very scruffy council house on a sink estate.
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|summary=Life should have been good for Hollie:  She was just going into the final year of her veterinary degree and - three years later - was still working at BB's diner.  Bob - the owner - regarded her fondly: he was a good bossHollie had moved in with her boyfriend, Marcus: her mother thought he was great and he was doing well in his careerHollie wasn't quite so certain though: Marcus wanted to control her and most of all he wanted her to leave her job at the dinerThen there was the fact that he would be violent, both to her and to other people.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0755373782</amazonuk>
 
 
}}
 
}}
 
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{{Frontpage
{{newreview
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|isbn=0008421714
|author=Leonie Fox
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|title=Mrs March
|title=Up Close and Personal
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|author=Virginia Feito
|rating=2.5
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|rating=4.5
|genre=Women's Fiction
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|genre=Literary Fiction
|summary=I had high hopes for a bright and breezy bonkbuster from Leonie Fox's third novel, having read some favourable reviews of her first two booksThe title, cover art and blurb suggest a frothy, fun, flirty and sexy read, so I was very disappointed to find this is anything but.
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|summary=The problem began just after the publication of George March's most successful novel to date.  Everyone but Mrs March (we know her first name only on the last page) seemed to either be reading it or had already done soEvery day Mrs March went to the local patisserie to buy olive bread but on that particular morning, Patricia asked, as she was wrapping the bread, ''but isn't this the first time he's based a character on you?''  She mentioned that Johanna, the principal character had 'her mannerisms''.  Perhaps this would not have mattered, except for the fact that Johanna is the whore of Nantes - ''a weak, plain, detestable, pathetic, unloved, unloveable wretch.''
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0141037059</amazonuk>
 
 
}}
 
}}
 
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{{Frontpage
{{newreview
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|isbn=1473685745
|author=Susan Wiggs
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|title=Unbreak Your Heart
|title=Just Breathe
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|author=Katie Marsh
 
|rating=4
 
|rating=4
 
|genre=Women's Fiction
 
|genre=Women's Fiction
|summary=Sarah may be struggling to make a living off it, but she does enjoy her job as a cartoonist. She's been through a lot recently, including her husband's battle with cancer, and her alter ego Shirl provides an outlet for a lot of the emotions and confusion she's feeling.
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|summary=When Beth Carlyle and Simon Withers first met they were on opposite ends of an angry exchange - well, Simon was angry and Beth was doing her best to apologise for having knocked Simon's son, Jake, off his bike.  He wasn't hurt but Jake has history. He has HLHS - that's Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome for those of you who are not ''au fait'' with your medical acronyms.  When he was born, the left side of his heart hadn't developed properly and he needed open-heart surgery when he was a few days old.  So, Simon has every right to be over-protective particularly when someone isn't looking where they're driving.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0778303543</amazonuk>
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}}  
}}
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{{Frontpage
 
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|author=C J Carey
{{newreview
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|title=Widowland
|author=Rachel Hore
 
|title=A Place Of Secrets
 
 
|rating=4
 
|rating=4
|genre=Women's Fiction
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|genre=General Fiction
|summary=A collection of 18th century books offers Jude an opportunity to combine work and a visit to her family in Norfolk. She works as a valuer at a London auction house, and it has been a while since she went home.
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|summary=It's April 1953, and Adolf Hitler's schedule includes going to Moscow to attend the state funeral of Joseph Stalin then within weeks coming to London, parading around a bit, and watching over the sanctioned return to the throne of Edward VIII with his wife, Queen Wallis.  For yes, Britain caved in the lead-up to the World War Two that certainly didn't happen as we know it, and we are now a protectorate – well, we share enough of the same blood as the Germanic peoples on ''the mainland''. But this is most certainly a different Britain, for Nazi-styled phrenology, and ideas of female purpose, has put all of that gender into a caste system, ranging from high-brow office bigwigs to the drudges, and beyond those, right on down to the childless, the husbandless and the widows.  Female literacy is actively discouraged.  And in this puritanical existence, our heroine, Rose Ransom, is employed with the task of bowdlerising classical literature to take all encouragement for female emancipation out of it – after all, not every book can be banned, and not every story excised immediately from British civilisation, and so they just get a hefty tweak towards the party line before they're stamped ready for reprint.  That is her job, at least, until the first emerging signs of female protest come to light, with their potential to spoil Hitler's visit.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847391427</amazonuk>
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|isbn=152941198X
 
}}
 
}}
 
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{{Frontpage
{{newreview
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|author=Ruth Hogan
|author=Sandra Heath
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|title=Madame Burova
|title=Counterfeit Kisses
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|rating=4.5
|rating=3
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|genre=General Fiction
|genre=Women's Fiction
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|summary=This book lets us discover several people in different stages of life in the early 1970s, all vaguely connectedSo we have a bullied half-cast boy (as he would have been called then), a girl in a humdrum job wanting to become a singer, and chiefly, Imelda, the third generation of Madame Burova, ''Tarot-Reader, Palmist and Clairvoyant'', to use her family's sea-front booth.  The singer, the scryer and the sufferer's mother will all become staff at a revamped holiday camp, but just before then we see Imelda fly solo for the first time in the family stall.  We also see her on her last day, fifty years later, in possession of a pair of letters that will change everything for a woman called BillieJust who is she, and who delivered the secrets about her to Imelda, and why did it have to remain a secret all this time?
|summary=Stephen Holland was gullible and certainly no match for the Duke of Exton who was a proficient cheat at cards when there was something which he wantedIn this instance what he wanted was the Holland Tiara and despite all that Sir Gareth Carew could do, Holland, in his cups to the point of being unable to get himself home, lost the tiara.  When Carew took the drunk home Holland blamed Carew for the loss and Susannah Holland swore that she would regain the tiara and have her revenge on CarewSuch is the fate of those who do good turns.
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|isbn=152937331X
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0709089961</amazonuk>
 
 
}}
 
}}
 
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{{Frontpage
{{newreview
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|author= Jennifer Saint
|author=Mary Carter
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|title= Ariadne
|title=My Sister's Voice
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|rating= 4.5
|rating=4
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|genre= Women's Fiction  
|genre=Women's Fiction
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|summary= This re-telling of the myth of Ariadne and the Minotaur is interesting and unusual. Jennifer Saint presents the story in a way that is sympathetic to its origins but also appealing to a modern audience. Saint's narrative is told predominantly through the viewpoint of Ariadne, spanning from her childhood to her death, allowing the reader to really connect with Ariadne as a character in her own right rather than just a prop in the heroics of Theseus.  
|summary=
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|isbn=1472273869
Twenty-eight year old Lacey Gears is a fiercely independent deaf artist living in Philadelphia with her boyfriend Alan and her puggle Rookie. Lacey is proud to be deaf and has no desire to become hearing. When she finds a note in her mailbox telling her she has an identical twin called Monica, Lacey dismisses it as a joke but curiosity gets the better of her when she sees a picture of Monica, and she soon finds herself confronting Margaret, her orphanage house mother who confirms Monica’s existence and their separation twenty-five years ago.
 
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0755348389</amazonuk>
 
 
}}
 
}}
 
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{{Frontpage
{{newreview
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|author=Lucy Holland
|author=Katie Flynn
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|title=Sistersong
|title=Heading Home
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|rating=5
|rating=4
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|genre=Literary Fiction
|genre=Women's Fiction
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|summary=Sistersong is part of a genre I particularly enjoy, the modern retelling of folk and fairy tales. These stories, for most of us, are a cornerstone of childhood and I relish seeing them retold with fresh eyes and a fresh perspective. If handled well these retellings give new life and new meaning to stories that are now becoming increasingly narrow and outdated, fleshing out characters, examining relationships and re-evaluating the role of women. Sistersong is a perfect example of a modern retelling done well, the plot is handled with care, keeping its archaic historical feel but allowing the characters to come to life, to feel real and human, most importantly they feel relatable in a modern world whilst still feeling appropriate for the pre-Saxon age they live in. This is a masterpiece of storytelling and I was captivated from beginning to end.
|summary=Claudia is seven when this book opens, in Liverpool in 1926. She's a careful girl, perhaps a little spoilt, although clearly not wealthy.  She enjoys the protection of thirteen-year-old Danny who comes from a poorer family, and evidently has something of a crush on Claudia.  Even in this first chapter, she comes across as somewhat self-centred, wanting people to think well of her, but not naturally generous or empathic.  
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|isbn=1529039037
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099520265</amazonuk>
 
 
}}
 
}}
 
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{{Frontpage
{{newreview
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|isbn=B08NF79QXT
|author=Samantha Scott-Jeffries
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|title=Cherry Blossom Boutique
|title=The Final Hitch
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|author=Brooke Adams
 
|rating=3
 
|rating=3
 
|genre=Women's Fiction
 
|genre=Women's Fiction
|summary=Following her first outing in Samantha Scott-Jeffries ''I Do I Do I Do'', Izzy Mistry is back and comfortably settled into her life in Majorca as a wedding plannerIzzy loves her job and certainly isn’t expecting to be planning her own wedding anytime soon, so is rather surprised when she finds herself being proposed to by two different men on the same nightOne of these men is her ex-boyfriend, Harrisson, and Izzy soon finds herself back in his arms, planning to start a new life together on the island. But as they start to renovate their beautiful new home in the mountain town of Soller, the sheen on their relationship starts to fade, and Izzy is left wondering whether she made the right decision.
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|summary=Thirty-one-year old Liberty Rossini has had her shop, the Cherry Blossom Boutique, for just six months when she's nominated for - and wins - the Retail Best Newcomer AwardShe's delighted and the two people she's brought with her to the event couldn't be more pleasedSonja, her mother, is an ex-model and Brazilian: you can see where Liberty got her looks from. Jessica's thirty-four and Liberty's best friend: they've known each other since university and Liberty adores Jessica's husband, Charles and their four-year-old daughter, Ava.  Life would be perfect for Liberty if it wasn't for one thing: she misses having a man in her life.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0755352831</amazonuk>
 
 
}}
 
}}
 
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{{Frontpage
{{newreview
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|isbn=B08GFSK2WZ
|author=Adele Parks
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|title=The Karma Trap
|title=Men I've Loved Before
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|author=Lisette Boyd
|rating=4.5
 
|genre=Women's Fiction
 
|summary=Natalie and Neil are an average thirty-something aspirational couple, living a comfortable life in West London.  Having agreed before they married five years ago that they never want children, a chance remark from one of Neil's friends quickly changes his mind.  Suddenly being a dad is all Neil can think about and meeting severe resistance from Natalie he tries many methods to persuade her.  Feeling under huge pressure, Natalie seeks refuge at her parents' house where she discovers her old address book, or little black book as it became known when she was single.  Inside are the old addresses of Natalie's ex-boyfriends and as she reminisces Natalie starts to wonder if Neil is indeed the one, or whether it was just good timing that resulted in them getting together.  As Natalie decides meeting up with her exes is the best way to see if indeed ''the'' one slipped through her fingers, Neil embarks on a seedy new hobby and the two practically stop speaking to each other.  Will they be able to save their marriage?
 
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0755371259</amazonuk>
 
}}
 
 
 
{{newreview
 
|author=Charlotte Moore
 
|title=Grandmother's Footsteps
 
 
|rating=4
 
|rating=4
 
|genre=Women's Fiction
 
|genre=Women's Fiction
|summary=Verity's husband has died suddenly and she decides to sell Knighton, the house she has lived in for large parts of her life, where she was born and brought up and where she has lived for thirty years with her husband and daughter. She must sort out all the possessions and papers stored there, and this prompts her reflections on the past, including her not so happy marriage. She also realises that now Simeon is dead, she can reveal a family secret to her daughter Hester.
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|summary=George Jackson is thirty-three years old, absolutely gorgeous to look at - and single.  She's not had sex for eight months and she's stuck in the karma trap: an awful lot of bad luck is being visited on her and she has a real talent for attracting drama.  Her life's chaotic: she dealt with the leak from the shower by putting something down at the bottom of the stairs to absorb the water - then the shower fell through the roof whilst she was in it and left her, stark naked, staring at the pervy postman. She only has to take her mother's dog out for a walk for her to end up with dog poo spattered across her face - and a photo being taken by someone who shares it around the office.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0140278311</amazonuk>
 
 
}}
 
}}
 
+
{{Frontpage
{{newreview
+
|isbn=B08CHJLNBS
|author=Rosy Thornton
+
|title=Capturing Emilia
|title=The Tapestry of Love
+
|author=Brooke Adams
|rating=4.5
 
|genre=Women's Fiction
 
|summary=Catherine Parkstone has sold her home in England and moved, lock, stock and tomato plants, to a tiny hamlet in the Cevennes mountains in France's Massif Central.  It's eight years since her divorce and her children are now grown and (reasonably) independent, so it's time for her to do what pleases her.  Her aim is to set up a sewing business in the hamlet – doing upholstery, soft furnishings and tapestry – but she has to come to terms with the extremes of the weather, French bureaucracy and the understandable reserve of her neighbours who are not keen to see more tourism taking over the area.  It's not long before Catherine falls in love – with the landscape and a way of life.
 
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0755345568</amazonuk>
 
}}
 
 
 
{{newreview
 
|author=Beverley Eikli
 
|title=Lady Farquhar's Butterfly
 
|rating=3
 
|genre=Women's Fiction
 
|summary=Olivia - Lady Farquhar - has recently been widowed.  This does not upset her in the least; indeed, as becomes clear through the novel, her husband was an unpleasant bully who subjected her to all kinds of abuse.  Unfortunately, however, the terms of his will have ensured that her beloved toddler Julian has been taken away to live with his uncle Max until such time as Olivia marries someone considered to be above reproach.  For that reason, she is seriously considering marrying Nathaniel, a clergyman who has helped her for many years.  The only problem with that is that she finds him increasingly repulsive...
 
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0709090579</amazonuk>
 
}}
 
 
 
{{newreview
 
|author=Wendy Kremer
 
|title=No Matter What
 
 
|rating=3
 
|rating=3
 
|genre=Women's Fiction
 
|genre=Women's Fiction
|summary=Wealthy American Jason Tyler needs a wife fast to stop his cousin Calvin from taking over the family oil businessAfter responding to his advert English girl Amy Courtland meets Jason in London to discuss his proposalAmy is desperate for the money Jason is offering her to be his wife so she can pay off the debts her father has left behindHer feet barely touch the ground in Los Angeles before Amy finds herself with a new surname and new life as Jason's fake wifeBut unlike the rest of Jason and Amy's families, Calvin is not convinced by the marriage and is determined to prove it is a shamWhen Jason decides to take Amy into the Venezuelan jungle with him on a business field trip Amy soon finds her life in danger on more than one occasion, leaving Jason to wonder if someone is behind these strange events.
+
|summary=He's Charles Devereaux, thirty-eight and a partner at Wickham Jones, the Mayfair letting agentsShe's Emilia, twenty-nine, librarian and archivist in the heritage library next doorEmilia has read [[The Secret by Rhonda Byrne|The Secret]] but she's moved on from new age books like that, which leave you dependent on someone else's philosophies, to something a little deeperCharles is more of a [[Personal by Lee Child|Jack Reacher]] man himself, but, above all, he's shocked that Emilia reads ''The Guardian''They're obviously not at all compatible, so why can Charles not get this woman out of his mind?  She's not his usual type at all: it's obvious to his friendsAnd given that Emilia regularly feels repulsed by Charles's superficiality, why does she feel drawn to him?  The relationship's obviously a non-starter, isn't it?
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0709090757</amazonuk>
 
 
}}
 
}}
 
+
{{Frontpage
{{newreview
+
|author= Helly Acton
|author=Sarah Duncan
+
|title= The Shelf
|title=Kissing Mr Wrong
+
|rating= 4
|rating=4.5
+
|genre= Women's Fiction
|genre=Women's Fiction
+
|summary= When we meet Amy, she's in a relationship with Jamie. You can't really call it a partnership, because things tend to get done on his terms, but she's sticking around because she hopes she can change him. Ah, yes. Haven't we all been there? Things are looking up when he tells her to pack for a surprise trip. Could this be it? Is he ''finally'' going to get down on one knee? Was the work (and the wait) worth it?
|summary=Kissing Mr Wrong is the first book I have read by Sarah Duncan and it has definitely given me an appetite to read more. It tells an absorbing tale with many different threads that bind together well and with a main character that I loved. Indeed, it has all of the ingredients for a riveting read – one that I didn't want to put down.
+
|isbn=1838770879
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0755345959</amazonuk>
 
 
}}
 
}}
 +
{{Frontpage
 +
|author= Alyssa Sheinmel
 +
|title= What Kind of Girl
 +
|rating= 4
 +
|genre= Women's Fiction
 +
|summary= '' Doing something when you're scared is braver than doing something when you're not''
  
{{newreview
+
When Mike Parker's girlfriend comes into school with a black eye, claiming he gave it to her, her whole world is tipped upside down. Her relationship has just ended and now she's the talk of the school. Mike was the most popular boy in school who was always so in love with her, everyone knew that, so why did he do what he did? Some people believe her and some don't, but one thing is for sure, this isn't going to blow over any time soon.
|author=Kirsty Robinson
+
|isbn=0349003297
|title=Grass Stains
 
|rating=4
 
|genre=Women's Fiction
 
|summary=Being the editor of a style magazine has its perks: free tickets, free gigs, endless parties, alcohol and drugs. And that is what Louisa's life consists of – one continuous binge. Louisa spends her life going from one party to another, but it's not all it's cracked up to be and her life is starting to fall apart.
 
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>009954119X</amazonuk>
 
 
}}
 
}}
 
+
{{Frontpage
{{newreview
+
|author= Katie Fforde
|author=Pamela Fudge
+
|title= A Springtime Affair
|title=A Change For The Better
+
|rating= 4
|rating=4
+
|genre= Women's Fiction
|genre=Women's Fiction
+
|summary= I've wanted to read author Katie Fforde for ages and this was pretty much exactly what I was expecting - a warm, cosy read focused on romance, family and friendshipsThis provided two romances for the price of one, but it was actually the family element as opposed to the romance that I really enjoyed.  
|summary=
+
|isbn=1780897561
Jo Farrell had spent all her life caring for other people. After she lost her alcoholic husband and her demanding, hypochondriac mother she had time for herself, but when she looked in the mirror she wasn't particularly impressed by what she saw.  The middle-aged, slightly plump woman with grey curls reminded her of her mother and the clothes she was wearing did little to help eitherIt was something odd which helped her to change.  The very scruffy man from downstairs (the sort you would cross the road to avoid) came to borrow a newspaper and somehow they got talking about what needed to be done to change her life.
 
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0709090609</amazonuk>
 
 
}}
 
}}
 
+
{{Frontpage
{{newreview
+
|isbn=B07W4MNBSG
|author=Cath Staincliffe
+
|title=Be Careful Who You Marry
|title=The Kindest Thing
+
|author=Lizzy Mumfrey
 
|rating=4
 
|rating=4
 
|genre=General Fiction
 
|genre=General Fiction
|summary=Imagine that your partner of twenty or so years discovers that they are dying from a terminal diseaseNow imagine that they've asked you to help them to die a little sooner, on their own termsWhat would you do?  This is the dilemma that faced Deborah and, after she went ahead and helped her husband Neil to die, she found herself charged and standing trial for murder with her own teenage daughter, Sophie, testifying against her.
+
|summary=It was coming up to Halloween in 1987 and a group of sixth-form schoolgirls wondered what they would be doing when they were fiftyWhen you're only seventeen that seems positively ancient, but Liz was convinced that ''your entire life depends on who you marry''The only eligible boys were the Young Farmers and the idea of living in a farmhouse and having a couple of children called Will and Olly appealed to Charlotte, or perhaps William and Oliver if you were Elizabeth who was determined to marry the rather superior Patrick Shepley-Botham.  The place to start their search was obviously the Young Farmers' Halloween disco that weekend.  There was just one problem - there were too many Elizabeths in the class.
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1849012083</amazonuk>
 
 
}}
 
}}
  
{{newreview
+
Move on to [[Features|the latest features]]
|author=Nicola Cornick
 
|title=Confessions of a Duchess
 
|rating=3
 
|genre=Historical Fiction
 
|summary=Dowager Duchess Laura Cole has come to the village of Fortune’s Folly to live a quiet life as a widow with her young daughter.  But when the village squire decides to invoke the Dames’ Tax, a law requiring every unmarried woman to give up half her wealth to him, the town becomes a hotbed of men searching for heiresses now desperate to marry.  Joining the men is Dexter Anstruther, sent to secure a rich wife and carry out a murder inquiry on behalf of Lord Liverpool.  The last thing Laura and Dexter expect is to see each other again after their steamy encounter four years ago.  But their passion for each other is reawakened and looks set to ruin them both.
 
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0778303802</amazonuk>
 
}}
 
 
 
{{newreview
 
|author=Julia Williams
 
|title=The Bridesmaid Pact
 
|rating=5
 
|genre=Women's Fiction
 
|summary=I recently read [[Last Christmas by Julia Williams]] and enjoyed it so much that I was determined to read more by this fabulous author. The opportunity presented itself in the shape of 'The Bridesmaid Pact', a truly wonderful book that not only met but also exceeded all my expectations. In fact it was so good that I read the last 200 pages in just one day, totally ignoring my family whilst doing so.
 
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847560873</amazonuk>
 
}}
 
 
 
{{newreview
 
|author=Abby McDonald
 
|title=The Liberation of Alice Love
 
|rating=4.5
 
|genre=Women's Fiction
 
|summary=You can just picture Alice Love standing before the panel on Britain's Got Talent.
 
 
'And what do you do?' they like to ask.<br>
 
'I work in the film industry...'<br>
 
'Oooh, really?'<br>
 
'...as a lawyer.'<br>
 
'Oh.'
 
 
Like all those accountants they're always showing, you can imagine that Alice too would receive a rather luke-warm welcome on the show. And Alice would concur that her job isn't all that glam, even if her industry itself is a bit swish. But it's an appropriate job for her, since Alice is very sensible and by-the-book. She's certainly not the type of person to go overdrawn, or run into any kind of trouble financially, so when her card is declined one day she's pretty sure it's just a computer error.
 
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099533928</amazonuk>
 
}}
 
 
 
{{newreview
 
|author=Lulu Taylor
 
|title=Midnight Girls
 
|rating=4
 
|genre=Women's Fiction
 
|summary=Best friends Allegra McCorquodale, Imogen Heath and Romily de Lisle, known as the Midnight Girls, spend their nights at the exclusive Westfield Boarding School for Girls up in the attic rooms smoking and bitching.  But when the girls are witness to a tragic accident, they become bound together forever by what they have seen and vow never to tell.
 
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099524929</amazonuk>
 
}}
 
 
 
{{newreview
 
|author=Holly McQueen
 
|title=Confetti Confidential
 
|rating=4
 
|genre=Women's Fiction
 
|summary=''Confetti Confidential'' is the third book in the Isabel series, but the first one I've read. Even without that grand claim on the front, you couldn't help but draw comparisons between Kinsella's series and this one from the very first page. The writing style is virtually identical – to the point where you do actually wonder if this is just a pseudonym – and while the chatty, chummy, conversational approach is not for everyone, if it's the sort of thing you like then this is the sort of book you'll love.
 
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099545756</amazonuk>
 
}}
 
SS
 
{{newreview
 
|author=Sabrina Broadbent
 
|title=You Don't Have To Be Good
 
|rating=4.5
 
|genre=Women's Fiction
 
|summary=Bea Kemp has reached a crisis point in her life. She is in her forties, childless, enjoying a tedious job and a lacklustre marriage with Frank. She seems to have spent her entire life 'being good' and it really does not seem to have got her anywhere. Her only pleasure seems to come from the time she spends with her niece and nephew, Laura and Adrian, and as her successful sister Katharine has no qualms about using her as an unpaid childminder, that's quite a lot! However, all that looks set to change when Katharine announces that she is moving away with the children so she does not need Bea to look after them.
 
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099535556</amazonuk>
 
}}
 
 
 
{{newreview
 
|author=Rekha Waheed
 
|title=Saris and the City
 
|rating=4
 
|genre=Women's Fiction
 
|summary=Yasmin Yusuf is a likeable main character with a group of Sex-and-the-City-style friends. The story begins with Yasmin splitting up with the man she was convinced was going to propose, rapidly followed by losing her job. We then follow her as she determines to become successful and make her mark in her new job, whilst holding out for ''the package'' in her personal life.  I particularly liked the way each chapter is a lesson and lets the reader know what Yasmin will be learning or proving through events played out in that chapter. For example, chapter one is ''Lesson One: If he's the bad boy and you're the good girl, you will get burnt'', hence the resulting ex-boyfriend.
 
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0755356136</amazonuk>
 
}}
 
 
 
{{newreview
 
|author=Joan M Moules
 
|title=Fragile Memories
 
|rating=3
 
|genre=Women's Fiction
 
|summary=Maura was surprised when she inherited the manor house at Picton near Salisbury.  She hadn't been close to her Uncle Tom for many years and he had a stepson, Jim, whom she thought would have inherited in preference to her.  It was five years since she's been back to Picton and when she returned to put the property on the market she was surprised by the extent of her longing to return there.  Money was going to be a problem though.  She worked as a model and couldn't really to this from the manor – and she didn't have the money for the property's upkeep.  Her boyfriend, Nick, had an answer.  He already had three successful restaurants and was looking to extend into the countryside – what better place could there be for his new restaurant?
 
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0709090587</amazonuk>
 
}}
 
 
 
{{newreview
 
|author=Anne O'Brien
 
|title=Virgin Widow
 
|rating=4.5
 
|genre=Historical Fiction
 
|summary=The mighty Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, is famous throughout England as one of King Edward IV’s most trusted advisors. But as Edward is lured towards another influential family when he falls in love with Elizabeth Woodville, Warwick responds by backing the alliance between Margaret of Anjou and King Louis XI of France, aiming to put Margaret’s husband Henry VI back on the English throne. A helpless pawn, Anne is torn away from the man she loves, who will grow up to become Richard III, to be used as political capital by her father and his allies as they try to regain the kingdom of England.
 
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0778303756</amazonuk>
 
}}
 
 
 
{{newreview
 
|author=Sally Wragg
 
|title=Playing for Keeps
 
|rating=3
 
|genre=Women's Fiction
 
|summary=The Vernon family have been involved with Rislington Rovers Football Club – The Rogues - for generations.  Presently there are three generations actively involved with the Club, although Eleanor Vernon, the matriarch of the family, wishes that husband Landon would spend a little more time with her.  As the Rogues are facing relegation and a police investigation into their finances, stalwart Landon isn’t likely to be doing that any time soon and when the Club needs a new Chief Executive the appointment is one which divides the Vernon family and it seems that there’s not one of them whose personal life isn't in turmoil.
 
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0709089880</amazonuk>
 
}}
 
 
 
{{newreview
 
|author=Debbie Macomber
 
|title=Hannah's List
 
|rating=3.5
 
|genre=Women's Fiction
 
|summary=It was a year since Dr Michael Everett's wife Hannah died from ovarian cancer and his grief was still as painful as ever. He certainly wasn't ready for what his brother-in-law, Hannah's brother, handed him.  It was a letter which Hannah had written some time before her death and not only did she suggest that he should remarry, she went on to name three women she thought would make a good wife for him.  Winter Adams was the chef who owned the café on blossom Street, Leanne Lancaster had been Hannah's nurse, but who was Macy Roth?
 
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0778303799</amazonuk>
 
}}
 
 
 
{{newreview
 
|author=Hester Browne
 
|title=The Finishing Touches
 
|rating=4.5
 
|genre=Women's Fiction
 
|summary=As the daughter of its owner, and a highly experience management consultant to boot, Betsy is the obvious choice to call for help in turning around a finishing school failing to make the grade in 21st century London. Except... Betsy never attended the school as a student, and she's not so much 'management consultant' as she is 'shop assistant' – a distinction many a proud parent could be forgiven for missing. With the Tallimore Academy facing financial ruin, however, Betsy isn't so much their best hope as she is their only hope.
 
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0340937807</amazonuk>
 
}}
 
 
 
{{newreview
 
|author=Allie Spencer
 
|title=The Not-So Secret Diary of a City Girl
 
|rating=3.5
 
|genre=Women's Fiction
 
|summary=Banking analyst, Laura McGregor has her secret diary accidentally uploaded to the Internet. The diary contains her thoughts about her lacklustre relationship with a
 
trader, her attraction towards a “dirt-digging journalist” and massive discrepancies in the accounts of her new manager.
 
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0755352947</amazonuk>
 
}}
 
 
 
{{newreview
 
|author=Katie Fforde
 
|title=A Perfect Proposal
 
|rating=4.5
 
|genre=Women's Fiction
 
|summary=I have read most of Katie Fforde's books and each and every one has proved to be enjoyable and entertaining. A Perfect Proposal comes up to the same high standard and, having just finished reading it, it has left me wanting more! Her style is very relaxed and easy going and she always creates believable characters that you can't help caring about.
 
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1846054494</amazonuk>
 
}}
 
 
 
{{newreview
 
|author=Sandra Wilson
 
|title=A Change of Fortune
 
|rating=3
 
|genre=Women's Fiction
 
|summary=Leonie Conyngham seemed to have everything going for her.  She was beautiful and set to be the belle of the forthcoming season, but a family disaster stripped her of her position as the most important pupil in her school and placed her there as the lowliest teacher, there to do the bidding of those above her.  Her possessions stolen and in debt she had little choice in the matter.  Her physical attractions have not left her though, but now the young rakes of London are not looking at her as a possible wife, but to see who can be the first to deprive her of her virtue.
 
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0709089996</amazonuk>
 
}}
 
 
 
{{newreview
 
|author=Gillian Morgan
 
|title=Salt Blue
 
|rating=3
 
|genre=Women's Fiction
 
|summary=I always judge a book by its cover.  The eyes in the pretty face on the cover of ''Salt Blue'' are arresting, but difficult to assign to a period, though it’s clearly women’s or teen fiction.  I imagine that the cover might attract fiction readers of mainstream women’s magazines such as Women’s Weekly or Woman’s Own, so it’s spot on for the story inside.
 
|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1906784159</amazonuk>
 
}}
 

Latest revision as of 11:49, 13 November 2023

1471180158.jpg

Review of

Maybe Tomorrow by Penny Parkes

4.5star.jpg General Fiction

Jamie Matson works in an upper-class grocery store, for a man who's a control freak with all the subtlety of a half brick. Jamie's son, Bo, 'has his problems'. He's asthmatic and the more you read, the more you'll suspect that he's on the autistic spectrum. Sometimes Jamie needs to take time off at short notice - she's a frequent flier in the local A&E and sometimes Bo's not fit enough to go to school. Missed shifts or the need to be away on time to pick Bo up from school are occasions when Jamie can be controlled and put in the wrong. It was going to come to a head. Full Review

1398510629.jpg

Review of

Preloved by Lauren Bravo

4star.jpg Women's Fiction

Gwen is pressing her middle-aged bosom on a big number that starts with a four and ends with an oh-my-God-I'm-nearly-forty. Having been made unexpectedly redundant - any HR officer worth their salt would argue the toss - Gwen finds herself having a bit of a mid-life crisis. Catharsis is key and Gwen has decided now is the time to take back her life' Full Review

0008506337.jpg

Review of

The Garnett Girls by Georgina Moore

5star.jpg General Fiction

The love affair between Margo Garnett and poet Richard O'Leary was all-consuming, apparently on both sides. Margo was just sixteen when they fell in love. Richard was twenty-one and described by Margo's mother as 'an older man'. Her parents worried that Richard's influence would take her away from what they felt she could achieve - going to Oxford and having a glittering career. In the event, they eloped and Richard took her away from the Isle of Wight. Margo did go to Oxford and went on to become a well-respected journalist. The couple had three children: Rachel, Imogen and Sasha. Life was lived in London and holidays were spent at Sandcove, the family home on the Isle of Wight. Even then the doubts about Richard's drinking were never far from Margo's mind: she would never be able to leave him in charge.

Then Richard left them. Full Review

0356520471.jpg

Review of

The Daughters of Izdihar by Hadeer Elsbai

4star.jpg Fantasy

Drawing inspiration from Egypt, The Daughters of Izdihar explores the lives of two women who could not be more different, yet find themselves fighting for the rights of women and weavers – those with magical abilities - in a society pitted against them. Nehal, born into the upper class, wishes to attend the Weaving Academy to learn to control her abilities and then join the military, but instead she is forced into an arranged marriage with Nico. Giorgina on the other hand did not have a privileged upbringing like Nehal and feels great pressure to provide for her family and maintain their reputation, whilst secretly attending meetings of the Daughters of Izdihar – a group campaigning for women's rights. Giorgina also happens to be in love with Nico. What follows is a story of an unjust society, filled with hypocrisy and cruelty, from which blossoms a group of admirable women fighting for their rights and overcoming their personal obstacles. Full Review

B0B575J99N.jpg

Review of

Beneath the Porticoes by Brooke Adams

4star.jpg Women's Fiction

Elizabeth Miller was thirty-four and a teacher at a prestigious girl's school in York. It was comfortable but she longed for something more in life. She'd still not found the right vocation nor met the right man and now was the time to make a change. She needed challenges. There was a little trepidation when she applied for the professoressa job in Bologna. After a telephone interview, she was offered the position and it wasn't long before she was exploring the beautiful city. There were some natural doubts before her first class but it went surprisingly well. Full Review

0241542405.jpg

Review of

Meredith Alone by Claire Alexander

4.5star.jpg General Fiction

When we first meet Meredith Maggs it's Wednesday 14 November 2018 and she's not left her home for 1,214 days. She'd like to: in fact, she so nearly does. Her outdoor clothes are on and she's even considered which shoes to wear if she's going to catch her train. Then, she can't. She simply can't force herself to leave the safety of her home. She's fortunate that she has a good friend, Sadie, who visits regularly with her two children, James and Matilda. Sadie's a cardiac nurse and full of sound common sense. In fact it was Sadie who gave Meredith her cat, Fred. Groceries are online deliveries and there's also an internet-based support group where you'll find Meredith as JIGSAWGIRL, so you can guess what she does in her spare time. Then Tom McDermott arrives. He's from Holding Hands, a charity which supports people with problems such as Meredith's. Full Review

0008441618.jpg

Review of

Other Parents by Sarah Stovell

5star.jpg Women's Fiction

Jo Fairburn knew that she was under intense pressure as the new head of West Burntridge First School: if she didn't live up to her retired predecessor there could well be a house price slump in that part of the town. The school had an active Parent Teacher Association and the funds which they raised were a considerable benefit to the school. There was one difficulty, though - they were devastatingly shockable, with two members, in particular, causing problems for the head. Laura Spence and Kate Monroe objected to Jo's restrictions on the toys children could bring in on Toy Day but that was just a warm-up act for their real gripe: LGBTQ education. Full Review

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Review of

Walking on Sunshine by Giovanna Fletcher

4star.jpg Women's Fiction

Mike's wife, Pia, who he was with for seventeen years, has died. And whilst he is dealing with his grief, so are their best friends, Vicky and Zaza. But Pia left them all some 'rules' to follow, knowing that she was dying and that they would need help to carry on living. Whilst some of the rules are around practicalities such as clearing out her wardrobe, another one that Mike discovers one day encourages him to take one of their trips away, and Vicky and Zaza, struggling with their grief and their own life troubles, decide to drop everything in their own lives, and go along with him. Full Review

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Review of

Fall On Me by Penelope Potts

3.5star.jpg Women's Fiction

Life should have been good for Hollie: She was just going into the final year of her veterinary degree and - three years later - was still working at BB's diner. Bob - the owner - regarded her fondly: he was a good boss. Hollie had moved in with her boyfriend, Marcus: her mother thought he was great and he was doing well in his career. Hollie wasn't quite so certain though: Marcus wanted to control her and most of all he wanted her to leave her job at the diner. Then there was the fact that he would be violent, both to her and to other people. Full Review

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Review of

Mrs March by Virginia Feito

4.5star.jpg Literary Fiction

The problem began just after the publication of George March's most successful novel to date. Everyone but Mrs March (we know her first name only on the last page) seemed to either be reading it or had already done so. Every day Mrs March went to the local patisserie to buy olive bread but on that particular morning, Patricia asked, as she was wrapping the bread, but isn't this the first time he's based a character on you? She mentioned that Johanna, the principal character had 'her mannerisms. Perhaps this would not have mattered, except for the fact that Johanna is the whore of Nantes - a weak, plain, detestable, pathetic, unloved, unloveable wretch. Full Review

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Review of

Unbreak Your Heart by Katie Marsh

4star.jpg Women's Fiction

When Beth Carlyle and Simon Withers first met they were on opposite ends of an angry exchange - well, Simon was angry and Beth was doing her best to apologise for having knocked Simon's son, Jake, off his bike. He wasn't hurt but Jake has history. He has HLHS - that's Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome for those of you who are not au fait with your medical acronyms. When he was born, the left side of his heart hadn't developed properly and he needed open-heart surgery when he was a few days old. So, Simon has every right to be over-protective particularly when someone isn't looking where they're driving. Full Review

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Review of

Widowland by C J Carey

4star.jpg General Fiction

It's April 1953, and Adolf Hitler's schedule includes going to Moscow to attend the state funeral of Joseph Stalin then within weeks coming to London, parading around a bit, and watching over the sanctioned return to the throne of Edward VIII with his wife, Queen Wallis. For yes, Britain caved in the lead-up to the World War Two that certainly didn't happen as we know it, and we are now a protectorate – well, we share enough of the same blood as the Germanic peoples on the mainland. But this is most certainly a different Britain, for Nazi-styled phrenology, and ideas of female purpose, has put all of that gender into a caste system, ranging from high-brow office bigwigs to the drudges, and beyond those, right on down to the childless, the husbandless and the widows. Female literacy is actively discouraged. And in this puritanical existence, our heroine, Rose Ransom, is employed with the task of bowdlerising classical literature to take all encouragement for female emancipation out of it – after all, not every book can be banned, and not every story excised immediately from British civilisation, and so they just get a hefty tweak towards the party line before they're stamped ready for reprint. That is her job, at least, until the first emerging signs of female protest come to light, with their potential to spoil Hitler's visit. Full Review

152937331X.jpg

Review of

Madame Burova by Ruth Hogan

4.5star.jpg General Fiction

This book lets us discover several people in different stages of life in the early 1970s, all vaguely connected. So we have a bullied half-cast boy (as he would have been called then), a girl in a humdrum job wanting to become a singer, and chiefly, Imelda, the third generation of Madame Burova, Tarot-Reader, Palmist and Clairvoyant, to use her family's sea-front booth. The singer, the scryer and the sufferer's mother will all become staff at a revamped holiday camp, but just before then we see Imelda fly solo for the first time in the family stall. We also see her on her last day, fifty years later, in possession of a pair of letters that will change everything for a woman called Billie. Just who is she, and who delivered the secrets about her to Imelda, and why did it have to remain a secret all this time? Full Review

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Review of

Ariadne by Jennifer Saint

4.5star.jpg Women's Fiction

This re-telling of the myth of Ariadne and the Minotaur is interesting and unusual. Jennifer Saint presents the story in a way that is sympathetic to its origins but also appealing to a modern audience. Saint's narrative is told predominantly through the viewpoint of Ariadne, spanning from her childhood to her death, allowing the reader to really connect with Ariadne as a character in her own right rather than just a prop in the heroics of Theseus. Full Review

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Review of

Sistersong by Lucy Holland

5star.jpg Literary Fiction

Sistersong is part of a genre I particularly enjoy, the modern retelling of folk and fairy tales. These stories, for most of us, are a cornerstone of childhood and I relish seeing them retold with fresh eyes and a fresh perspective. If handled well these retellings give new life and new meaning to stories that are now becoming increasingly narrow and outdated, fleshing out characters, examining relationships and re-evaluating the role of women. Sistersong is a perfect example of a modern retelling done well, the plot is handled with care, keeping its archaic historical feel but allowing the characters to come to life, to feel real and human, most importantly they feel relatable in a modern world whilst still feeling appropriate for the pre-Saxon age they live in. This is a masterpiece of storytelling and I was captivated from beginning to end. Full Review

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Review of

Cherry Blossom Boutique by Brooke Adams

3star.jpg Women's Fiction

Thirty-one-year old Liberty Rossini has had her shop, the Cherry Blossom Boutique, for just six months when she's nominated for - and wins - the Retail Best Newcomer Award. She's delighted and the two people she's brought with her to the event couldn't be more pleased. Sonja, her mother, is an ex-model and Brazilian: you can see where Liberty got her looks from. Jessica's thirty-four and Liberty's best friend: they've known each other since university and Liberty adores Jessica's husband, Charles and their four-year-old daughter, Ava. Life would be perfect for Liberty if it wasn't for one thing: she misses having a man in her life. Full Review

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Review of

The Karma Trap by Lisette Boyd

4star.jpg Women's Fiction

George Jackson is thirty-three years old, absolutely gorgeous to look at - and single. She's not had sex for eight months and she's stuck in the karma trap: an awful lot of bad luck is being visited on her and she has a real talent for attracting drama. Her life's chaotic: she dealt with the leak from the shower by putting something down at the bottom of the stairs to absorb the water - then the shower fell through the roof whilst she was in it and left her, stark naked, staring at the pervy postman. She only has to take her mother's dog out for a walk for her to end up with dog poo spattered across her face - and a photo being taken by someone who shares it around the office. Full Review

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Review of

Capturing Emilia by Brooke Adams

3star.jpg Women's Fiction

He's Charles Devereaux, thirty-eight and a partner at Wickham Jones, the Mayfair letting agents. She's Emilia, twenty-nine, librarian and archivist in the heritage library next door. Emilia has read The Secret but she's moved on from new age books like that, which leave you dependent on someone else's philosophies, to something a little deeper. Charles is more of a Jack Reacher man himself, but, above all, he's shocked that Emilia reads The Guardian. They're obviously not at all compatible, so why can Charles not get this woman out of his mind? She's not his usual type at all: it's obvious to his friends. And given that Emilia regularly feels repulsed by Charles's superficiality, why does she feel drawn to him? The relationship's obviously a non-starter, isn't it? Full Review

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Review of

The Shelf by Helly Acton

4star.jpg Women's Fiction

When we meet Amy, she's in a relationship with Jamie. You can't really call it a partnership, because things tend to get done on his terms, but she's sticking around because she hopes she can change him. Ah, yes. Haven't we all been there? Things are looking up when he tells her to pack for a surprise trip. Could this be it? Is he finally going to get down on one knee? Was the work (and the wait) worth it? Full Review

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Review of

What Kind of Girl by Alyssa Sheinmel

4star.jpg Women's Fiction

Doing something when you're scared is braver than doing something when you're not

When Mike Parker's girlfriend comes into school with a black eye, claiming he gave it to her, her whole world is tipped upside down. Her relationship has just ended and now she's the talk of the school. Mike was the most popular boy in school who was always so in love with her, everyone knew that, so why did he do what he did? Some people believe her and some don't, but one thing is for sure, this isn't going to blow over any time soon. Full Review

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Review of

A Springtime Affair by Katie Fforde

4star.jpg Women's Fiction

I've wanted to read author Katie Fforde for ages and this was pretty much exactly what I was expecting - a warm, cosy read focused on romance, family and friendships. This provided two romances for the price of one, but it was actually the family element as opposed to the romance that I really enjoyed. Full Review

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Review of

Be Careful Who You Marry by Lizzy Mumfrey

4star.jpg General Fiction

It was coming up to Halloween in 1987 and a group of sixth-form schoolgirls wondered what they would be doing when they were fifty. When you're only seventeen that seems positively ancient, but Liz was convinced that your entire life depends on who you marry. The only eligible boys were the Young Farmers and the idea of living in a farmhouse and having a couple of children called Will and Olly appealed to Charlotte, or perhaps William and Oliver if you were Elizabeth who was determined to marry the rather superior Patrick Shepley-Botham. The place to start their search was obviously the Young Farmers' Halloween disco that weekend. There was just one problem - there were too many Elizabeths in the class. Full Review

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