But when Kate befriends the spoilt and moody Mirabella, Maria must learn to play nicely with Mirabella's mother, Bea - the beguiling yet beastly queen of the toffee-nosed school mothers at Riverton.A series of social blunders and intentional snubs make Maria determined to ensure Kate's rightful position both at school and on the Saturday morning netball team, but as Maria works hard to negotiate the social hierarchy, her previously contented life with Joe falls far from view.With her mastery of dialogue and character, Australian author Deborah Disney skillfully balances keen and witty observations about daily life with the more serious issues of schoolyard bullying and social isolation.You will laugh, you will nod along, and you will want to take the increasingly neurotic Maria aside and point out that in all her desperate, gaffe-filled attempts to fit in with the well-heeled, champagne-swilling mummies of Riverton, she might just be risking all that she holds dear.'My stand-out fiction read for 2015' Rebecca Sparrow, author, Mammamia columnist and host of So What Are You Reading?'This story showcases a world where motherhood is a competitive sport ... highly recommended' Chicklit Club (High Raters)'While the book is satirical and clearly a mummy-mafia-on-speed version of events, it has so many nuggets of truth that Up and In is destined to become the next must-read for any mum navigating schoolyard politics' Kidspot Parenting Magazine'I am so excited that this is Deborah Disney's debut novel. It's accomplished, compelling and one of those novels that will tug at the heartstrings one minute and have you giggling the next. Warm, extremely well-written and a complete delight to read. If you're looking for a light, funny, yet insightful novel then congratulations - you've found it!' Bookaholic Holly

    . . until Dottie’s given a free trip to Las Vegas. Second-grade teacher Dottie Gale lives in the tiny town of Quandary, Kansas, which is pretty much smack dab in the middle of nowhere. No mountains. No ocean. No life. Her ex-boyfriend and current school board member, Corbin Lane, cheated on her, making school functions more than a little awkward. But worst of all, a tornado named Maxine Westward rips through Dottie’s school as the new principal and has made her life at work a living hell. When Dottie is chosen to go to a teacher’s conference in Las Vegas, she knows her life is going to change. Driving from Quandary to Vegas, three strangers enter her life. Through a string of situations involving poppies, flying monkeys, and a life-size sculpture of an iconic rock star the four soon become inseparable. So, when Westward arrives on her broom in Vegas, Dottie is ready for battle. Her boss black mails her with stories of incarceration, thievery, and a steamy relationship with her travel companion, but Dottie knows that those who hurl insults shouldn’t hold secrets of their own. Editorial Reviews "I had so much fun reading this and spotting all the clever twists, it was very entertaining. In fact I’m tempted to re-read it, to find more of the subtle hints. I’ve also been to a few of the places mentioned in the book which meant an extra thumbs up for me. I would definitely recommend to readers who enjoy a modern take on a good original oldie." Roses are Amber

    When she says yes to Arthur Carrington II’s marriage proposal, her life is suddenly turned upside down. Not only is Emily a target of an unrelenting paparazzi, but she feels the pressure to live up to the Carrington name and all of the expectations it carries with it, especially those set by her soon-to-be mother-in-law and renown socialite, Dolores Carrington. But when a disastrous turn of events causes her life to fall apart at the seams, Emily finds herself traveling to Lancaster, Pennsylvania to visit her long-lost Amish cousins and put some distance between herself and the life she thought she wanted. It is there among the Amish where Emily discovers what’s really important and the power of family, faith and following one’s dreams. With the help of a handsome stranger, Jonah Miller, Emily finds herself at a crossroads and knows she must make a decision that will ultimately change the course of her life.

    She had every intention of putting the past behind her and starting again, but it turned out to be so much more difficult than she had imagined. Then Daniel announces he is getting married again and as Rebecca broods over how he has found it so easy to move on her daughter phones with good news - she’s getting married too! Determined not to be left behind Rebecca throws caution to the wind and finally meets someone who can give her the new start she so desperately wants. Now her ex-husband is back in her life, the future Mrs Miles wants to be her best friend, she has her daughter’s wedding to plan and a ramshackle old wedding venue to renovate to its former perfection in just a few months, if only she can find a builder who will take on the job. There are challenges, surprises, love and heartbreak ahead but at the end of a long, hot summer, will there be any weddings? ‘ a very enjoyable captivating romance which keeps you wondering what will happen next’ MoMoBook Diary I adored Did I Mention I Won the Lottery? and was thrilled when I saw there was a sequel. Did I Mention I Was Getting Married? is every bit and good. Funny, intelligent, covering all the emotions and with the absolutely perfect ending -Tina J Sequel to ' Did I mention I won the lottery?' & it's just as good. I want to read more from This author as it took me another place. Thank you’ Christine Davies ‘This is the third book I’ve read by this author and they are all as fantastic as each other.’ Sarah Devine Amusing, insightful, memorable. A delightful follow up to 'Did I Mention I Won the Lottery?' Netnoggin

    Her legion of fans who have helped make her a household name are a testament to her success. Now for the first time, St. Martin's Griffin is publishing two Jennifer Crusie romances in one book. In Crazy for You, Quinn MacKenzie's life spins out of control when she decides to adopt a stray dog. Now she's coping with dognapping, breaking and entering, seduction, sabotage, and two men who are suddenly crazy--for her.... Tell Me Lies tells the story of Maddie Faraday, whose life would be perfect--if it weren't for her cheating husband, her distrusting daughter, her gossipy mother, her secretive best friend, her nosy neighbors, and that sexy guy she lost her virginity to twenty years ago.... Pick up this special volume and discover the wonderful world of Jennifer Crusie!

    Simplest thing in the world to send for mail-order brides - minimum of fuss, only a marginal expense, and everyone's happy with the end result. Jack Milton agrees with Sully's reasoning and agrees to be one of the grooms. When he meets his prospective bride, he's more than pleased with the match - but that's short-lived when the girls arrive at the ranch. Wynonna Westcott and her friends agreed to become mail-order brides only after signing some very specific contracts and receiving guarantees of their happiness. When things turn out to be the exact opposite of what they've been promised, they must figure out their next step - or be stranded in Kansas forever. This is book one of a new comedic sweet Western romance series by popular author Amelia C. Adams.

    Make sure the caterers don't serve devil's food cake to the Christian Women's Alliance- check. Tell my mother that having a séance to get rid of any unwanted spirits in the kitchen during dinnertime is not okay- check. Send a friendly reminder to all staff that the pens are colour coded for everyone's enjoyment, and therefore it is not a good idea to put them all in one jar in order to spice things up as was anonymously suggested- check. But, when an acclaimed hotel critic dies at the Inn, just before she's about to publish a scathing review that would ruin the business, Kate's life and checklists are thrown into disarray. And it doesn't help matters that the detective assigned to the case is messy, unorganized, and too charming for his own good. Now Kate has to prove her innocence and save her Inn, or else the only thing that she'll be organizing is the prison's next bake sale.

    Go to this entry on GoodReads if you wish to add the book by Graeme Simsion.

    Could any novel be ruder than IS HARRY ON THE BOAT? Possibly this sequel to that brilliantly funny cult novel about holiday reps in Ibiza.

    And when she’s crying in the bridal room of the church, trying to figure out where it all went wrong, she has an epiphany. Ashley realizes that she’s been the consummate pushover her entire life, and now she’s living a life for everyone but herself. Jessie, Ashley’s carefree friend from college, tells Ashley that she can have any life she wants. All she has to do is manifest it. Ridiculous, Ashley thinks, and not understanding the power of manifestation, she blurts out her dream life to a couple of strangers in an elevator. Thinking nothing of it, Ashley carries on with the life she doesn’t want. But soon her checklist of wishes begins to come true, starting with her dream guy. Could manifestation really work? Could she have the life she’s always dreamed of having? Ashley begins to believe that she can, giving her the courage to take control of her life, but just as she does, her ex shows up and tries to ruin it all. Will she give up and remain the consummate pushover forever or will she stay strong and fight for her dreams and desires?

    Her eccentric, free-spirited Aunt Greta wholeheartedly disagrees and dishes out unsolicited dating advice based on her five marriages. But when a jaw-dropping gorgeous architect waltzes into town to build a resort on Abby’s favorite hiking spot, she will do anything to stop him, including befriending him. Though Abby and James are at odds property-wise, things spice up in this fast-paced romantic comedy over late night Scrabble games and hotter-than-hell Chinese food, leaving Abby to wonder if the property that really needs protecting is the one around her heart.

    Her two friends Faith and Jill could flirt with the tanned and gorgeous men on the beaches all they wanted. She wasn't going to do anything but try to get over her anger and enjoy a perfect summer... one with no men allowed in her heart. Not even the good looking T-shirt painter who employed her right after he accused her of shop lifting.Boone Callahan spent all his summers in Florida, painting and selling T-shirts to the tourists. How was he supposed to know the woman running out of his shop with three tee shirts tucked under her arm wasn't trying to steal them? Or that when he hired her as part-time help she would wind up stealing his heart?Dixie and her friends, all school teachers from Arkansas, have endured wars and rumors of wars, true PMS, men problems, school problems, and shared the joys and sorrows of life for five years. Nothing could possibly destroy their friendship. But during the wonderfully hot summer, the very roots of the Sisterhood are shaken. Will it survive? Can Dixie and Boone find a future together? Is "happily ever after" a myth or does it really happen?

    Set in the 1980s, she endures a sub-zero marriage to Mike, Assistant Manager of Friendly Finance, as well as the impossible role of mother to fifteen-and-a-half-year-old Kim and fourteen-year-old Molly. Adding to her misery, is the job she loathes at Big Brother Insurance Company. Life in the San Fernando Valley in Southern California is a soap opera. Kim and Molly skip school, smoke pot, and call each other bitch, while Mike loan sharks by day and guzzles Coors by night. Eventually a line is drawn across the matted shag carpet when Mike sides with the girls.Pushed to her limit when Kim's truancy draws the attention of the State Attorney's Office, Margie flees to San Francisco and a new life.

    Four wishes. One wild adventure.When Sylvie’s husband passed away, she’d barely hung her black dress back in the closet when three widows on Wilder Lane showed up on her doorstep. Who had time to properly mourn when an adventure spanning the globe awaited her?After putting their own needs on the back burner to raise their families, Sylvie, Doris, Alice, and Marge struggle to find purpose now that their children are grown, and their husbands are gone. Loneliness pushes them together while they knit away the rest of their days. Then one night, a whiskey-filled pact catapults these ladies onto the adventure of a lifetime.Each widow gets one wish, one wild adventure, she’s dreamed of doing her whole life. With their wishes tucked away on notes inside their knitting basket, they pull them out, one at a time, vowing to do whatever it takes to help each other fulfill their wildest desires.Hilarity ensues as these four diverse women stretch their boundaries to go where no widows have gone before. They stare death in the face, have cops hot on their tail, and shed away the responsibilities they’ve shouldered their whole lives. The Wilder Widows soon find out their lives aren’t over... in fact, in this second act, their lives are just beginning.

    She planned, weighed her options and made careful choices based on calculated outcomes. Through all of her efforts, she had come pretty close to perfection, if she didn’t say so herself. She had fled the cold winters in New York for sunny California, found a job that she loved and lived in the same town as her sister, and best friend, Kate. The one area of perfection that had always eluded her was her love life. No matter how hard she tried, she always ended up with a broken heart. After a particularly traumatic breakup, Sydney vowed that she was done with love. Just as Sydney threw herself into her new plan to forget about men, a handsome Frenchman tossed all of her intentions out the window as he swept her off of her feet. Louis Durand had lived a life filled with excitement and adventure. He was impetuous, intelligent and incredibly charming. So naturally, he scared Sydney half to death. From the moment they met, Louis and Sydney’s romance progressed at warp speed. Sydney did her best not to run, but her deep rooted relationship anxiety threatened to provide an easy exit. When Louis mentioned marriage before Sydney even knew his favorite color, she was more than tempted to reach for her running shoes. Will she be able to put her fears aside to follow her heart? The one thing that Sydney will learn is that sometimes perfection comes with a twist...