‘The perfect book to take on holiday!’ Pretty Little Book Reviews on Summer at 23 The Strand Escape to the seaside this summer! When Cara Howard’s husband passes away, she and her teenage daughter, Mae, are left with nothing except their beloved family home at Cove End.Overlooking the sparkling sea, Cara decides to renovate the house in time for the summer season, turning it into a gorgeous bed and breakfast for visiting tourists.But with the arrival of the B&B’s first guests and secrets tumbling out of the closets, it’s clear that everything could be about to change for Cara and Mae… Could this summer heal their hearts for good? A wonderfully uplifting holiday read, perfect for fans of Lilly Bartlett, Tilly Tennant and Eve Devon.

    Now if only she could keep Casey from sneaking into her heart. Excerpt His bright blue eyes pierced through me. I wasn't sure how long he had been looking at me. I ignored him at first, but found it impossible to concentrate on anything else. Eventually I met his gaze evenly, and watched as his lips turned up into a smirk. It took effort not to roll my eyes when he raised his eyebrows slowly. His eyes were burning through me; their intensity made me uncomfortable, but I wasn't going to let him know that. "Mr. Fitzgerald!" my new English teacher, Mr. Oldman, barked. "Could you please at least pretend to pay attention?" Mr. Oldman sounded so exasperated. There were still three months left before graduation, but most of the seniors were already acting as if they didn't need to be in school any longer. "Sure, Mr. Oldman," he said, never taking his eyes from me. I didn't back down even after realizing people were staring at us. "Casey, what do you find so fascinating about Ms. Fuller?" Mr. Oldman turned to him again a few minutes later after realizing he still wasn't paying attention. If it was the teacher's goal to embarrass him, it didn't work. His smirk just widened. "She's new," he said simply, his blue eyes sparkling. Casey's caramel brown hair was messy, his style trendy. He reminded me of every popular guy in high school, except for the confidence he exuded. It was as if he knew he was the shit and was daring anyone to say otherwise. "Casey, will you leave the poor girl alone?" Mr. Oldman sighed. "I've got your letter of recommendation done. Should I send it myself or does it need to go with yours?" Casey didn't respond. His eyes were still piercing through mine, a small smirk playing on his lips. "Casey!" Mr. Oldman yelled, causing both of us to look at him. He handed him a sealed envelope. "Get out of my classroom," he pointed at the door, defeated. "Don't you have friends to bother?" I let out a snicker, though I felt bad for Mr. Oldman. It was obvious he was at his wit's end. Casey seemed to be doing everything he could to push him over the edge. "I'm trying to make the new girl feel welcome," Casey explained, his eyes on me again. I picked up my book, finding my place with ease. "Thanks," I said shortly, "I feel welcome now." And I refused to pay him any more attention. He wouldn't stay with Mr. Oldman in the room, looking dangerously close to pelting him with dry erase markers. With the obvious dilemma before him, he backed down. He stared at me for a second longer, daring me to look at him and when I didn't, he left. I smiled to myself, turning the page leisurely. Mr. Oldman let out a chuckle, "Looks like he's finally met his match."

    well, almost. As Christmas rolls round once again, she longs for a child of her own to share it with. In a town where Christmas is big business all year round, it turns out Santa Claus isn’t the only one with mysterious powers. When a psychic reveals that the answer to her future will come in red and white, Kate follows this sign. It leads her to disastrous dating agencies and demoralising dead-ends until, finally, the answer seems to be revealed. But will her search for the missing piece of her family mean she doesn't recognise the one person who's loved her from the start? Or can Kate really have it all in time for the perfect Christmas?

     When summer arrives to Temple Muse in 1963, the big house Áine Quigley shares with her mother is brought to life with the arrival of her sister Charlotte, home from Italy with her two children and adoring husband. A free spirit, and fiercely protective of her little sister, Charlotte brings with her a sense of adventure which rubs off on Áine – setting off a chain of events which will frame the rest of their lives. From the fragrant flowerbeds of their luscious gardens to a sun-soaked terrace in Italy, Áine finds her life moving in a direction she had never thought possible. But in her older years, when dementia threatens to steal those memories and when, with the help of her carer Georgina, she looks back on all that has passed, will she regret her choices in life or will she realise that everything worked out just as it always should have?

    Not only did his twin sister and best friend move away, but he's also recovering from the wounds his ex-girlfriend caused.Olivia Paz is the mysterious new girl on campus everyone is talking about. But she only has two goals in her life: working through college, and taking care of her dad.When Olivia finds herself in trouble, Nico can't avoid helping her, even if it means jeopardizing his new status as captain of the soccer team. Nico's past unexpectedly catches up with him, and he must decide whether he's capable of letting Olivia go, or loving her.

    They are all in their 40s and wondering the same thing: “Now what?” Zoe, the mother of 17 year-old twins about to abandon her for college, misses the romance of her twenties, and desperately wants just one last first kiss. Thinking outside the box, she convinces her husband Carlos to embark on an open marriage. Which leads to a new set of problems and questions: How does she pick a “non-skeevy” swinger’s club, do men of a certain age even want sex with no strings attached, and does ordering a glass of Syrah these days really signal to would be suitors that you just want to f*@# them in their car? Most importantly, will getting to be with someone else help or hurt her marriage? And if that someone else is an ex who effortlessly morphs into a fantasy man who after all these years finally says and does all the right things, how does Zoe choose between the life she has and the road not taken? Michelle has made it her routine on her way home to stop one block from her house, park, stare into space, and dread the next few hours of her life. She’s tired of juggling her very full time job as a real estate agent with the full time job of parenting two kids without much help from her husband, Steve. She's also tired of not having sex and the daily silence that has replaced their fighting. Michelle doesn’t have a road not taken, but she’s at a fork in that road. Does she take the easy path, and spend the rest of her life with a man she loves but no longer likes? Or go the hard route: Divorce. Living life with one income, single parenting, lonely Thanksgivings, and kids who may never forgive you. And how does somebody start dating again when all the rules have changed since she took herself off the market years ago? Alexis is the self-made multi-millionaire we all aspire to be. She’s the creator of a slew of hit TV shows and the head of a wildly successful production company. She’s got the dream car, the stunning house on the beach in Malibu, the black AmEx. Everything is going exactly according to plan, and there’s a lot to be happy about. But she also has Connor, her on-again/off-again boyfriend of twelve years. Plus she’s going through early menopause, and now wonders how she forgot to have kids. Her life plan is suddenly thrown into further disarray when Connor shows up with a stray dog, which he leaves with her. Which is just the beginning, as that mangy mutt leads to a teenaged dog walker, a middle-aged widower, and her Sunday morning brunches possibly being replaced by church. So what do you do when nothing in your life is working the way you saw it in your head, and the unplanned life might make you happier? Knowing their girlfriends will always have their backs, Michelle, Zoe and Alexis confront their new realities with honesty and humor, while trying to find happiness amidst hangovers and hot flashes.

    Actually, that‘s a lie – she doesn't like the men I choose. Jennie Meadows has convinced herself she has everything she could ever need: a dog grooming business - ‘Telling Tails’ - going from strength to strength at Cherry Tree Farm and her trusty four-legged soulmate Millie.After a series of bad break-ups Jennie has learned that Millie’s judgement (when it comes to men, at least) is sounder than her own. So when the pup takes a sudden liking to the local vet Jennie’s interest is piqued. Though she’s sworn off dating, they do say cupid works in mysterious ways so perhaps it’s time for Jennie and Millie to take a leap of faith. Because happy ever after may be just a tail wag away… Sunshine at Cherry Tree Farm is a tail of love, grief and trusting in those you hold most dear...What readers are saying about Sunshine at Chery Tree Farm: 'Brilliant book… it is hard to put down' Reader review'This book deserves more stars. Great storyline and for any animal lover have the tissues at the ready… Brilliant book.' Reader review'Wonderful! I could go on all day about how much I loved it. I will be reading all this author’s books from now on. Can’t recommend it enough' Reader review'Loved this book so much… it was a fantastic read, made me laugh & cry.' Reader review'As a newcomer to owning dogs, this book touched my heart. Lots of wonderful imagery, romance… not to mention furry, four-footed friends. Brilliant.' Reader review'This is the best book I have read in ages! Happy, sad, exciting, interesting and the author really understands the relationships humans have with dogs. Loved it!' Reader review'A wonderful story of love and loss I can definitely relate to. Will definitely read more books from this author.' Reader review'Couldn't put this book down, laughed, shed a few tears and walked around with a soppy smile on my face. So many emotions in one book. I'm off to find another Lilac Mills book as I really enjoyed this one.' Reader review'Omg this was an absolute brilliant story. Funny and incredibly sad in parts, I bawled my eyes out! Thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and would highly recommend.' Reader review

    Though the rest of her adoptive family scorned her as an outsider, Gram and her grandson Ian always loved Laina like she was one of their own. Now Laina is all grown up and a foster parent in her own right, to a little girl named Jada whose upcoming adoption by strangers is sure to break Laina’s heart. But Laina faces the prospect of another devastating loss when Gram’s health begins to fail. As she has so many times before, Laina turns to Ian for advice, only to find that her feelings for her handsome, warm-hearted friend have changed, deepening into a love that could transform her life...or ruin her dearest friendship.When Laina and Ian come together at the family summer home on the windswept shores of Hatteras Island, the sparks igniting between them cannot be ignored. But with stakes as high as these, can they overcome their fear of heartbreak to claim the promise of love?

    Her mother, who never travelled abroad, was going to Sicily without telling a soul. Why was she keeping her trip to Sicily a secret and who is the mysterious woman who wrote the journal? Josie travels to Sicily and follows in the footsteps of two young women in the journal, sisters who visited the Italian island in the nineteen sixties. What secrets will Josie uncover and why does she feel she is being followed at every turn?Josie soon discovers there was more to their trip than a just a holiday. Amongst the stunning sites and scenery of Sicily, an unimaginable tale of love, loss and tragedy unfolds. The tentacles of their story reach down the generations.Josie and Michael, a young American on the tour, soon realise their part in this story is only just beginning…Can they right the wrongs of the past before

    She has been in love in love with Alec Evans, the unnatainably popular football quarterback and her next door neighbour forever. She thinks she's in for a quiet senior year until Jake Henderson arrives. Bad boy extraordinaire, he's arrogant, rude, undeniably gorgeous and shares a past with Clara that she wants to do nothing more than to forget. Caught between two boys, her life is turned upside down in the most ridiculous of ways. But maybe in the midst of all the confusion and chaos she finds not only love but also herself. .

    When she ran over his most prized possession, her world changed. She had to pay him back for every dime of damages, and the favors he called in weren't just about money. She had to pay him back, and everyone knows how payback is a... This is a love story. Hot boys like Luke Dawson never pay attention to nobodies like Millie. But here they were, two kids from opposite ends of the chain, set to turn the whole hierarchy upside down. Because no one can stop attraction. When opposites attract, the spontaneous reaction can be combustion or a downright explosion. With Luke, my money's on the explosion. We're talking public humiliation, roller-coaster emotions, drama among cliques, prissy sisters, crazy mothers, and a whole lot of hotness from resident bad boy and neighbor, Luke Dawson.

    "Baby girl, trouble is my middle name." - - - - - - - - - - - - - - When the season's biggest snow storm is brewing outside, and you somehow end up locked inside school, saying that you are freaking out is an understatement. Who knew that printing out her biology paper after school would cost Ella Collins to spend the night trapped inside her own personal hell-hole with none other than her arch-nemesis. Who knew that putting an ex-cheerleader and a bad boy together could be such a disastrous combo? Certainly not the big man upstairs. A model student, Ella Collins is the perfect definition of a good girl. Cade Brown just so happens to be every parents worst nightmare. Oh, and let me tell you something: They hate each other with a burning passionso strong that it could put flames to shame. The thought of spending more than five minutes in each others presences makes them want to strangle each other to death. Oh, and there's also the fact that they have an interesting past. Yeah, one they would never, ever dare to talk about. So now what ? Join these two teens as they dodge the obstacles thrown their way and try to make it trough one crazy night packed with secrets, truths, and lies. This is a short tale about forgiving and forgetting. Are these two willing to forget every grudge they've held and finally come to an understanding?

    

    Almost.In a couple of years, she’ll be the CEO of the company she’s spent most of her adult life working in. For now, though, she’s still busy shimmying up the greasy pole of corporate business. She’s single, carefree, and independent, and nothing can stop her getting what she wants and deserves.Until she discovers she’s pregnant.Determined to have her cake and eat it, she’s convinced that having a baby will make little difference to her life, and that she will be one of those women who can hold down an incredibly demanding job and also be a perfect mother.But as her pregnancy progresses and her life slowly falls apart, she has the sneaking suspicion that Max Oakland, the new guy on the block, is out to steal her dream job. That she’s terribly attracted to him doesn’t help, nor does the fact that he’s devilishly handsome, appears to be a really nice fella, and is good in a crisis.When she gradually comes to realise that something has got to give, what she doesn’t want it to be is her heart

    She rejects the outside world and embarks on a contented existence of isolated self-indulgence. But when her nice neighbours Fred and Geraldine introduce her to the roguishly desirable actor Finbar Flynn the walls of the citadel begin to crack . . .