Book picks similar to
The Diary of Madison Brown by S.J. Crabb


chick-lit
on-prime
3-chick-lit-contemporary-romance
adult-realistic-fiction

A Proper Family Christmas


Jane Gordon-Cumming - 2005
    He’d like to spend it alone in his vast old house with his cat. But Haseley House could be a goldmine in the right hands – and William’s relatives want to make sure it does end up in the right hands! Hilary intends to ignore Christmas. With Daniel away, she won’t have to conceal how desperately she still misses Ben. But widows aren’t allowed to spend Christmas alone, and it sounds as if William might need her support. Frances, the nanny, was hoping for a break from spoilt little Tobias, but now she’s told they’re to stay with his eccentric grandfather in some spooky old house. Can Hilary possibly be having feelings for another man? Will Frances overcome the snobbery threatening to separate her and Daniel? This particular family Christmas is going to change everybody’s lives.

Return To Me


Katie Winters - 2021
    The mother she's resented for over twenty years. A return to Martha's Vineyard, where healing can finally begin.Janine Potter grew up on the other side of the tracks. Her mother, Nancy, struggled with just about everything: alcohol, men, money -- and Janine made a pledge to herself that she would never be like her.At age nineteen, Janine met Jack Potter, the son of an oil tycoon, and never looked back. Her life became a series of cocktail parties and multi-million-dollar apartments all across the world and rubbing elbows with celebrities. Slowly, memory of her mother faded -- although the trauma never really did.Fast-forward to the present. Janine is forty-three, with two beautiful daughters, a perfect apartment, a handsome husband who betrays her beyond her wildest dreams.Soon, Janine is cast out from her picture-perfect life. She has nothing.Her mother, Nancy, who's gone through trials and triumphs of her own over the previous twenty years, sees Janine's very public devastation as an opportunity to reach out to the daughter she's missed so desperately over the years."Come to Martha's Vineyard. Return to me. Let's heal together, after the shared trauma of our past."Janine has nowhere else to turn. For the first time in twenty-five years, her mother is her only answer.But the world that awaits her on Martha's Vineyard is beyond her wildest dreams. There are new friends, two step-sisters, beautiful ocean waters, and even a potential love interest -- a summer she'll never forget.Can Janine and her mother find a way to heal the wounds of their past? Can Janine overcome the ultimate betrayal?Dive into book one of The Katama Bay Series -- a heartwarming journey of motherly and sisterly love, healing, and promise for better days, all on the island of Martha's Vineyard, with its gorgeous ocean views, its endless summer days, and its bubbly cast of islanders.For fans of Susan Mallery, Jill Shalvis, and Debbie Macomber.

A Beautiful Day for a Wedding


Charlotte Butterfield - 2018
    Katie Fforde meets Lucy Vine! What could possibly go wrong? Wedding journalist Eve is over the moon when her three best friends and her brother all decide to get married in the same summer. But when she finds out the man she once thought she’d be walking up the aisle with is back in the country and on all the guestlists, she can’t wait for wedding season to be over.As if Ben’s sudden reappearance isn’t enough, her bridezilla besties have her polishing floors, searching for giant flamingos and dog-sitting while they jet off on honeymoon. Her only release is writing an anonymous column full of her bitter bridesmaid tales – she just needs to make sure the happy couples never find out…Between facing her relationship demons and juggling her maid-of-honour duties, is Eve doomed to be left out of this summer of love? What readers are saying about Charlotte Butterfield: ‘Sigh-worthy… swoon-worthy and definitely worthy of your time!’ PK, Netgalley Reviewer‘My first Charlotte Butterfield book and I adored it…will have you laughing till you cry’ Jessica’s Book Biz‘Laugh out loud hilarious…a really easy, addictive read’ Bee Reader Books‘Every women should read this novel…This book showed readers how important it was to believe in yourself no matter what obstacles were put in the way, and to live your life for yourself’ Laurie, Goodreads Reviewer‘Fun, flirty, frustrating, deceptive and emotional…I could not put it down!’ Once Upon a Peach‘A laugh out loud, feel good kind of book!’ Sarah Hurley Book Club‘I've been feeling a little bored with the "chick lit" genre of late…Until this book came along. I absolutely loved it’ Mostly in Pyjamas‘The perfect poolside read…witty, fast paced and a joy to read’ Claire, Goodreads Reviewer

The Wedding Dress (short stories)


Milly Johnson - 2012
    If you have not yet had the pleasure of reading White Wedding, beware that the title story, The Wedding Dress, is a mini sequel and contains spoilers!

Summer Sundaes


Georgina Troy - 2017
    Now he’s turned up in the seaside village where she lives, known locally as The Boardwalk by the Sea and is setting up a gelateria in direct competition to her retro Summer Sundaes Café.She's only been running her café for two years since taking over from her father and until now the only other shops on the boardwalk, a wool shop, an antique shop and a second-hand book shop have helped rather than hindered her custom. How will her creative sundaes made from fresh Jersey ice cream compete with his delicious Italian gelatos?Sacha is worried. Is there enough custom for both businesses to thrive? Who is behind the strange changes being made at night on the boardwalk? And when the oldest resident on the boardwalk is threatened with eviction can Sacha and Alessandro come together and find a way of helping her?For a peaceful little boardwalk overlooking one of the quieter beaches on the island, there's an awful lot going on and some of it is going to lead to big changes.

A Beginner's Guide To Salad


Jennifer Joyce - 2014
    She doesn’t do diets and she certainly doesn’t do exercise. But all that changes when she’s invited to her school reunion. Bullied at school for being overweight, Ruth’s first reaction is to rip the invitation into a million pieces. But then Ruth hatches a plan. She’ll lose the weight and arrive at the reunion looking gorgeous and glamorous, leaving her old classmates in awe. Especially her former crush, Zack O’Connell. With the help of her friends and a new, unbelievably hot colleague, Ruth begins her transformation. With six months until the reunion, losing weight will be a piece of cake, right?

A House to Mend a Broken Heart


Alison Sherlock - 2017
     Full of warmth, laughter, tears and heartache. Find out if there is a happy-ever-after at Willow Tree Hall. Perfect for the fans of Milly Johnson and Lucy Diamond. Willow Tree Hall has seen much better days and has been the proud ancestral home of the Earl and Countess of Cranley for centuries. With no qualifications and escaping her past Annie Rogers takes the job as housekeeper to widowed Arthur, the charming current Earl of Cranley. After a bad fall puts Arthur in hospital, it's up to his reluctant heir, Sam Harris, to lend a helping hand and try to find a sustainable future for the Estate. With the house requiring a full renovation, Annie suddenly finds herself completely out of her depth with a team of dodgy builders and Sam watching critically from the side-lines. With Sam running from his past and Annie hiding from hers, just maybe together they can bring Willow Tree Hall back to life. The start of a beautiful new series focussing on the lives and loves, trials and tribulations of all those who live and work at Willow Tree Hall.

The Look of Love


Judy Astley - 2011
    Happily divorced, her latest boyfriend just omitted to tell her about his current wife, so she's back on her own again. Then her ex-husband turns up, wanting to sell the family home in which she and their two teenage children are well settled.But all their lives are changed when a television company rents the house for a reality TV fashion makeover programme. Against her better judgment Bella finds herself taking part in the programme, and while she learns a little bit too much about what really goes on behind the scenes, she also discovers that love can appear in the most unexpected places...

Notes from the Northern Lights


Jo Thomas - 2016
    Notes from the Northern Lights is a sparkling short story available exclusively in ebook.Wardrobe mistress Ruby Knightly has been sent to Iceland on a very special mission that could save her opera company's opening night. And she's determined that her fear of the dark - and the incoming weather - won't stand in her way.But as Ruby follows her nose across Iceland's wild, volcanic landscape to the warmth of the smokehouses, she will soon discover that there is shelter to be found from even the most turbulent of storms. Particularly if there's romance around the corner...An irresistible winter tale that will melt the coldest of hearts.

The Love Shack


Jane Costello - 2015
    Until you have to move back in with your mum . . . Dan and Gemma have found their dream first home, but the asking price is the stuff of nightmares. The only way they'll ever save enough for the deposit is by moving in, rent-free, with Dan's mum. It's a desperate solution, but it's only for six months. And Gemma's determined to make it work, no matter how bad things get. But between Dan's mum's kitchen karaoke, her constant innuendos, irrepressible argumentative streak and - worst of all - her ham and pineapple curries, life back at home would test the patience of two saints. Which Dan and Gemma most definitely are not. Then, as they're trying to convince themselves it will all be worth it, Gemma's past comes back to haunt her. And suddenly the foundations of their entire relationship are shaken to their core… Praise for The Time of Our Lives:'Funny, sexy and moving - a hilarious holiday romp with a heart. I loved it' Sophie Kinsella Praise for Jane Costello:'Jane Costello is one of our favourite authors' Cosmopolitan'Close the doors, open a bottle of wine, get out the chocs and enjoy this wonderfully witty read. Jane Costello at her best' Milly Johnson'Packed with likeable characters and witty one-liners' Sunday Mirror'Riotous … thoroughly enjoyable and laugh-out-loud hilarious' Heat

A Piece Of Normal


Maddie Dawson - 2017
    . . . Like Anne Tyler, Shelton seems to possess a nearly boundless capacity for empathy. She has the ability to make us love her characters for their faults, not in spite of them.” —Connecticut Post Warmhearted, insightful, funny and poignant, bestselling author Maddie Dawson takes the unfathomable ways of love and family, and celebrates [the joys of] the ordinary craziness of being human. “You know what people really need? Somebody who will listen hard and then find a way to tell them, ‘It’s not all your fault. It’s going to work out fine. Don’t give up.’” So advice columnist ‘Dear Lily’ Brown deeply believes. But Lily could write a letter to herself, asking what to do about an ex-husband who still wants her dating advice, how to redecorate the family home she’s kept exactly the same since her parents died tragically young, and how to move on with her strangely becalmed life…And oh, yes, what to do when your wild-child estranged sister storms back into town, blowing your nicely arranged life into disarray. “As her protagonist tries to learn that she cannot and does not have to control everyone around her and tries to enjoy the "fun" of a dysfunctional family life, Dawson delves into family relationships with humor and empathy, making this a pleasurable read.” –Booklist “Shelton’s greatest talent is a gift for juxtaposing comedy and tragedy to the pulsing beat of the modern-day mating dance.” —BookPage **This book was originally published under the pen name, Sandi Kahn Shelton ***

The First Guests


Cathy Bramley - 2018
    Unsurprisingly, her career isn’t quite going as planned and the work seems to have temporarily dried up… But the bright lights of showbiz have always called for Nina and she won’t be giving up that easily – even if the reality of it is actually bit-parts and the small bedroom in her friend’s London flat.But the next drama is never far away and after a series of very public blunders Nina is soon donning dark shades and a different hair colour - fleeing from the suddenly interested paparazzi. Although she was planning to lay low in Devon with her brother, Nina won’t be taking it easy -- fate has very different plans.An old pal is desperately in need of some assistance setting up his holiday home business. Always one to help a friend, Nina decides to stay at beautiful Brightside Cove – where new characters, inspiration and possibly love are waiting for her…

Broken Hearts at Brightwater Bay


Holly Hepburn - 2020
    But Merry has a secret: the magic has stopped flowing from her fingers. Try as she might, she can’t summon up the sparkle that makes her stories shine. And as her deadline whooshes by, her personal life falls apart too. Alex tells her he wants something other than the future she’d always imagined for them and Merry finds herself single for the first time since – well, ever. Desperate to get her life back on track, Merry leaves London and escapes to the windswept Orkney Islands, locking herself away in a secluded clifftop cottage to try to heal her heart and rediscover her passion for writing. But can the beauty of the islands and the kindness of strangers help Merry to fool herself into believing in love again, if only long enough to finish her book? Or is it time for her to give up the career she’s always adored and find something new to set her soul alight??The brand new series from Holly Hepburn, author of A Year at the Star and Sixpence. Parts one to four in the new series are available to pre-order now: BROKEN HEARTS AT BRIGHTWATER BAY, SEA BREEZES AT BRIGHTWATER BAY, DANGEROUS TIDES AT BRIGHTWATER BAY and SUNSET OVER BRIGHTWATER BAY ~*~Praise for Holly Hepburn~*~ 'A fresh new voice, brings wit and warmth to this charming tale of two sisters' Rowan Coleman 'Warm, witty and laced with intriguing secrets! I want to pull up a bar stool, order a large G&T and soak up all the gossip at the Star and Sixpence!' Cathy Bramley 'You'll fall in love with this fantastic new series from  star of women's fiction, Holly Hepburn. Filled to the brim with captivating characters and fantastic storylines in a gorgeous setting ... simply wonderful. I want to read more!' Miranda Dickinson 'The Star and Sixpence sparkles with fun, romance, mystery, and a hunky blacksmith. It's a real delight' Julie Cohen 'Like the dream pub landlady who always knows exactly what you want, Holly Hepburn has created the most delightful welcome to what promises to be a brilliant series, in the first Star and Sixpence. The sisters are warm and intriguing, the neighbours are (mostly!) friendly and the gossip is utterly addictive. I was very sad when it was time for last orders, and am already looking forward to the next round. Especially if a certain blacksmith happens to be at the bar...' Kate Harrison 'Warm, witty and utterly charming, Snowdrops at the Star and Sixpence is the perfect book to curl up with on a cold winter's day.

The Keeper of Lost Things


Ruth Hogan - 2017
    Forty years ago, he carelessly lost a keepsake from his beloved fiancée, Therese. That very same day, she died unexpectedly. Brokenhearted, Anthony sought consolation in rescuing lost objects—the things others have dropped, misplaced, or accidentally left behind—and writing stories about them. Now, in the twilight of his life, Anthony worries that he has not fully discharged his duty to reconcile all the lost things with their owners. As the end nears, he bequeaths his secret life’s mission to his unsuspecting assistant, Laura, leaving her his house and all its lost treasures, including an irritable ghost.Recovering from a bad divorce, Laura, in some ways, is one of Anthony’s lost things. But when the lonely woman moves into his mansion, her life begins to change. She finds a new friend in the neighbor’s quirky daughter, Sunshine, and a welcome distraction in Freddy, the rugged gardener. As the dark cloud engulfing her lifts, Laura, accompanied by her new companions, sets out to realize Anthony’s last wish: reuniting his cherished lost objects with their owners.Long ago, Eunice found a trinket on the London pavement and kept it through the years. Now, with her own end drawing near, she has lost something precious—a tragic twist of fate that forces her to break a promise she once made.As the Keeper of Lost Objects, Laura holds the key to Anthony and Eunice’s redemption. But can she unlock the past and make the connections that will lay their spirits to rest?Full of character, wit, and wisdom, The Keeper of Lost Things is heartwarming tale that will enchant fans of The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake, Garden Spells, Mrs Queen Takes the Train, and The Silver Linings Playbook.

Verdugo Dawn


Blake Banner - 2019
    You stalk your prey, and you discover it is one special prey you are after, one special prey you want to track down and execute. It’s the guy with the black shades and the beemer, the guy at the club with the two gorillas and the six girls, the guy with soulless eyes they all come to see for their fix. It’s the dealer. The dealers have to die.And when the executions start, they finally give you a name, an identity. They call you, The Verdugo.The Executioner.