The Woman at Number 24


Juliet Ashton - 2017
    Under the roof of The Blue House, a now shabby but previously grand Georgian villa in West London, the subdivided space is home to five separate families and five very different lives. Sarah has just divorced her husband, Leo, and she's feeling bruised and lonely. And it's not helped by the fact he has moved in with his new girlfriend - Sarah's neighbour Helena who lives in the same house. Her loneliness is compounded by hearing their happiness floating up through the floorboards. Jane and Tom have just moved in to The Blue House, and there's an instant attraction between Tom and Sarah. But it's too soon for Sarah to jump into a new relationship, and she wouldn't dream of breaking up a marriage as Helena did to her. Mavis has lived in The Blue House for years. She's the oldest resident by several decades and she's not one for socialising. Then her sister comes to live with her, to spend her dying days under the same roof, and Mavis finds she cannot hide away forever. As the stories of the different residents intertwine, Juliet Ashton weaves a story of love and friendship and community that will move you to laughter and to tears.

Out on a Limb


Lynne Barrett-Lee - 2007
    Either slightly dramatic or seriously dramatic. That this is the latter means just the one thing. That my day is about to get worse...' And for single mum, Abbie, life is complex enough. So once her eldest son, Seb, has gone on his gap year, she's decided it's time to make changes. She's just left her old job and started a new one (to escape the gorgeous man-who-turned-out-to-be-married), and is planning some space for herself at long last. But fate seems to have something else in mind for Abbie, in the shape of her demanding and incorrigible mother, whose feckless fourth husband, Hugo, has just died. Temporarily in a wheelchair after a recent knee op, Diana - retired TV fitness icon and dancer - will need looking after, so will have to move in. Still, Abbie tells herself - gritting her teeth - it won't be for more than a few weeks... However, Abbie hasn't figured on the sudden arrival of Hugo's 20 years' estranged son.

Game Over


Adele Parks - 2001
    And why should she bother with relationships when she can manipulate just about any man for sex? The steely-hearted TV producer plays with other people's love lives and orchestrates unscripted fireworks on the edgy reality show Sex with an Ex -- a ratings blockbuster that is sending her already-hot career skyrocketing. Now, the woman who has all the answers meets the man who, for the first time, poses questions other than "buy you a drink?". Stunningly handsome Darren would be a sensation on Sex with an Ex -- and Cas needs him to ensure the show's success. So why is she wining and dining the sexiest man she's ever met -- and talking about family values, marriage, and fidelity? Darren's principles are changing the rules of attraction. And this may be one game Cas won't mind losing....

The Hopes and Dreams of Libby Quinn


Freya Kennedy - 2020
    Libby Quinn is sick and tired of being sensible.After years of slogging her guts out for nothing at a PR company, she finds herself redundant and about to plough every last penny of her savings into refurbishing a ramshackle shop and making her dream become a reality.She hopes the opening of the (name) bookshop on Ivy Lane will be the perfect tribute to her beloved grandfather who instilled a love of reading and books in her from an early age. When her love life and friendships become even morecomplicated – will Libby have the courage to follow her dreams? Or has she bitten off more than she can chew?

Sunshine and Second Chances


Kim Nash - 2020
    But honestly? She’s running on empty. Desperate for a break from her needy family, Liv is determined that as she and her three life-long friends turn fifty they will honour their promise to each other – made on a beach at sunrise twenty-nine years before – to celebrate this milestone together.And what better place to celebrate than a gorgeous villa in the Algarve? They’ll enjoy the stunning beaches, picturesque fishing towns and glorious climate, and maybe be spoiled by the gorgeous Eduardo, who’s making one particular heart unexpectedly flutter…Liv’s friends can’t wait to escape with her: Debs is newly single, Fiona is caring for her mum, and Samantha is grieving. But does time away make the heart grow fonder? Is the thought of returning to reality too hard to bear? Is what they have really all there is to life?It begins as a reunion in the sunshine, but little do the four friends know what life-changing decisions they’ll all be making before their flight home…

Written in the Stars


Ali Harris - 2014
    Forget big life ones, even everyday choices seem to paralyse her. She's learned to live with this because experience has taught her that it doesn't matter what you do, no one has the power to control destiny. Anyone who believes they can is a fool. But as her wedding day approaches, her years of indecision are weighing heavily on her, and she can't help but wonder, 'What if, what if, what if….' What if she hadn't upped sticks and moved to London? What if she hadn't grabbed the first job that came along and settled down with the first guy who showed an interest? But all of her questions are silenced when she slips while walking down the aisle and is knocked unconscious. In this split second her life splits into two: in one existence, Bea flees back down the aisle and out of the church. In the other she glides blissfully towards her intended. But which story will lead to her happily ever after?

Want to Know a Secret?


Sue Moorcroft - 2010
    Which matters most?When Diane Jenner’s husband is hurt in a helicopter crash, she discovers a secret that changes her life. And it’s all about money, the kind of money the Jenners have never had.James North has money, and he knows it doesn’t buy happiness. He’s been a rock for his wayward wife and troubled daughter – but that doesn’t stop him wanting Diane.James and Diane have something in common: they always put family first. Which means that what happens in the back of James’s Mercedes is a really, really bad idea.Or is it?

The School Run


Sophie King - 2005
    Harriet is waiting for her husband to tell her if their marriage is on or off, while Pippa is about to receive some potentially devastating hospital results. Evie has one week to save her career, and Nick's wife died two years ago, leaving him with a troublesome teenage daughter. Martine, a French au pair, is about to run off with a married man while Kitty accepts a bet to find a man in a week. And Betty watches by the roadside, looking for the driver who killed her son. Little do any of them know that by the end of the week, the school run will have become a collision course, connecting their lives in more ways than one.

A Year of Chasing Love


Rosie Chambers - 2020
    One moment can change a lifetime…The last thing top divorce lawyer Olivia Hamilton ever expected was to be served her own divorce papers! To escape her marriage troubles, she agrees to go on a year-long trip to find the ultimate guide to love.Travelling the world, surrounded by stories of love and happiness, it’s not long before her thoughts turn to Nathan, her soon-to-be ex-husband, and she starts to take note of her own lessons in love…But with Nathan over a thousand miles away, will it be too late?Perfect for fans of Cathy Bramley, Philippa Ashley and Caroline Roberts.

Finding Felix


Jo Platt - 2018
    A fake boyfriend. A recipe for disaster! A funny, feel-good romantic comedy from bestseller Jo Platt Singleton Dot Riley’s grandmother, Nanny Flo, is on her deathbed, surrounded by family and distraught at the thought of Dot being all alone in the world.  Desperate to make Flo’s final moments happy ones, Dot invents a boyfriend – plumping in panic for her childhood friend, Felix, a firm favourite of Flo, but whom Dot hasn’t actually seen for 15 years.But when Flo makes an unexpected recovery a few weeks before a family wedding, Dot is faced with a dilemma.  Should she tell her frail grandmother that she lied and risk causing heartache and a relapse?  Or should she find Felix and take him to the wedding?Dot opts for finding Felix.  But it’s not long before she discovers that finding him is the easy bit: liking him is the real challenge.   An uplifting romantic comedy about finding something you didn't even know you were looking for.   Finding Felix is perfect for fans of Anna Bell, Tracy Bloom and Debbie Viggiano. Praise for Jo Platt ‘This book is fantastic. I read it in less than a day, I couldn't put it down. I would absolutely recommend this book to others, and I look forward to reading more by Jo Platt’ 5 star rating – NetGalley Reviewer – Adrienne Worrall'So easy to fall in love with... guaranteed to make you smile even when just thinking about the book. You can't go wrong with one of Jo Platt's stories. Wonderful, joyous and hilarious.'  5 star rating – NetGalley Reviewer – Sarah N'The top of my favourite authors list, her characters are completely believable, and people you actually want to befriend, and she is extremely funny!' 5 star rating – NetGalley Reviewer – Sara Clifford-Gray'I’m always in awe of authors who can put words down on paper which make the reader giggle with the mental image it conjures up, and Jo Platt has it nailed! I adored this one from start to finish. This is the kind of book which leaves you grinning like an idiot when you recall the hilarious moments – and there are many. If you enjoy a good, funny read with an entertaining story line and easy, polished writing then I would most definitely recommend this one to you.' 5 star rating – Blogger – Good and Read-y ‘I absolutely love jo Platt's books. They are a very relaxing easy read that you won't want to put down’ 5 star rating – Amazon Review – Nic

The Bright Side of Going Dark


Kelly Harms - 2020
    With her celebrity dog and gorgeous fiancé, she is planning the ultimate virtual wedding—expensive, elaborate, and entirely paid for by sponsors. But off-camera, her world is far from picture perfect. After being jilted by her fiancé and faking her nuptials to please her sponsors, Mia finally has had enough. She heaves her phone off a cliff, ready to live—and maybe find love—offline for a change.Mia’s sudden absence doesn’t go unnoticed, especially by techie loner Paige Miller, who hacks Mia’s account and begins impersonating the internet celebrity. Paige has her reasons. Her half sister, Jessica, idolizes Mia and desperately needs something to believe in. If taking over Mia’s online persona is Paige’s only means of connecting to her sister, so be it.Creating a like-worthy life is more fun than Paige expected. But when she grows too bold and is caught in the act, a fiasco ensues that could forever change Mia, Paige, and the people who love them. Because somewhere amid the chaos is an invaluable lesson—one that only real life can teach.

Year of the Chick


Romi Moondi - 2011
    It's the sort of thing that would turn almost anyone into a man-crazy freak with romance tunnel-vision, and that's exactly what happens to her. All the while, a lack of inspiration in her corporate job leads Romi to her love of writing, in what quickly becomes a man-quest play-by-play.From whiskey-breath scum bags to uni-brow creeps and everything in between, Romi and her wingmen come up empty time after time. And that's when she meets a fellow writer.On the Internet.So will it be arranged marriage doom, or an Internet affair that's not as creepy as "To Catch a Predator"?Time will tell in the "year of the chick," a twelve-month quest to find love.Tick-tock.

Three Days in Florence


Chrissie Manby - 2019
    Unfortunately, with Neil's constant complaining and his teenage children in tow, it's not exactly the romantic break Kathy was hoping for.But when a mix-up with her flights leaves Kathy stranded in the city, she decides to embrace the unexpected and stay on alone.What follows is a life-changing few days in the Tuscan sun, as Kathy begins to question the choices that have led her here. With the help of the colourful Innocenti family, who offer Kathy a place to stay, she gradually begins to realise that there's a much bigger world out there, if only she can be brave enough to explore it.Could Italy hold the answers to her future happiness? Or is Kathy destined to return to her old life?

Trouble in Tinseltown


Aimee Duffy - 2014
    Now it’s time to shop, sunbathe, think about boys for a change, and party hard…First stop: LA!The girls hit Tinseltown for a few days of shopping, star spotting, and even a movie premiere!But their plan to sneak into an exclusive celeb party in West Hollywood backfires. Elle’s gorgeous older cousin, Zack, is called to the rescue and despite knowing she should stay away, Ciara just can’t seem to resist him.The ideal summer treat for those relaxing days soaking up the sun!

The Sister Swap


Fiona Collins - 2018
    Two very different lives…Meg simply doesn’t have time for men in her life. Instead, she has a strictly one-date rule, survives on caffeine and runs one of the biggest model agencies from her smart office in London. That is, until she collapses one day at work and the doctor orders her to take some R&R in the country…Sarah is used to being stuck behind tractors and the slow pace of her cosy village life. But now her children are all grown-up (and her ex-husband long forgotten) she’s ready to change things up a bit – starting with taking back her old job in the city!After a devastating falling out, the sisters haven’t spoken in years. Swapping houses, cars, everything is the only option – surely they’ll be able to avoid bumping into each other?