Book picks similar to
Mum in the Middle by Jane Wenham-Jones
chick-lit
fiction
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The Single Dad's Handbook
Lynsey James - 2021
Gorgeous.’ Lia LouisIt’s been two years since cancer stole Evan Harper’s wife, Claire, from their lives. Although Evan’s doing everything he can to be Super Dad for his five year old, Violet, he can’t seem to get anything right. So he turns to the one person who gives the best advice – Claire herself.Before she died she wrote him a book of letters to see him through the ups and downs of raising their daughter and her words soon help him see that there is life after loss – and maybe even a second shot at love – when you find the courage to start living again…It’s time to start living again, Evan. Your new forever starts right here. Love always, ClaireAn emotional, uplifting story of life, loss and love perfect for fans of Cecelia Ahern and S.D. Robertson.
Behind Closed Doors
Catherine Alliott - 2021
With her parents growing older disgracefully, she can hardly keep up with their social life - especially when it throws her into the path of an old flame.Coming face-to-face with her mistakes, Lucy is forced to confront the secrets she's been keeping from herself and those she loves.Is she ready to let someone in? Or will she leave the door to her past firmly closed . . .
If Only
Angela Marsons - 2021
Have a baby. Ditch the mother-in-law from hell. Three best friends, each wishing for the one thing they want the most. But what if they’re searching for happiness in all the wrong places?Cher is head over heels for her new boss. He’s gorgeous, smart and funny but he barely even notices her except to ask for a coffee refill. How can she get him to see that she’s the perfect girl for him?Sarah is longing for a baby with the man she loves. The only trouble is David is already married. Will he finally leave his wife so they can be together?Deb should be looking forward to her wedding with lovely fiancé Mark but with her mother-in-law from hell Margie taking control of everything, will her dream day turn into her worst nightmare?So, when one summer evening, over several glasses of wine, Cher, Sarah and Deb stumble across an old book on Sarah’s shelf and drunkenly decide to cast a wishing spell, they don’t think for one minute that it will come true. It’s just three best friends having a laugh and throwing some herbs around the garden. Or is it?
Is This It?
Hannah Tovey - 2021
Ivy is skint, single, and scared that she isn't a 'hot mess' any more - she's a walking disaster.But one night, Ivy switches her phone off, peels last night's drunken pizza off the sofa, and makes a list. A list that changes everything . . .The new Ivy has a proper job. She goes on fancy dates in wine bars. She's starting to think: maybe 'faking it till you make it' is easy?But then she meets Scott.Curly-haired, sarcastic Scott.Sh*t.
Tea for Two at the Little Cornish Kitchen (The Little Cornish Kitchen, Book 2)
Jane Linfoot - 2022
Soon her quiet weeks in Cornwall are filled with chasing sheep, saving the local retirement village, taking The Little Cornish Kitchen into people’s homes for baking nights…and keeping vigilant guard against romance.The one and only time Cressy lost her head to love was over a decade ago while in St Aidan, and she won’t be making the same mistake again – a feat easier said than done when Ross Bradbury looks even better a decade on…and every step she takes seems to put him in her path!
A Secret Scottish Escape
Julie Shackman - 2021
But an unexpected inheritance and love for her quiet corner of Scotland send her down a new path.Now Layla finds herself facing a whole new kind of drama. Rumours swirl that a celebrity has moved into Coorie Cottage and Layla is determined to have him headline her opening night at local music venue The Conch Club. But the reclusive star is equally determined to thwart Layla’s efforts. Rafe Buchanan is in hiding for a reason, and soon his past comes to Loch Harris to haunt him…
Summer of Love
Katie Fforde - 2011
It’s not that she doesn’t love the outcome of that wild night, but since then she has always taken the safer route. So when dependable, devoted Richard suggests a move to the beautiful English countryside, she leaves the hustle and bustle of the city behind, and she throws herself into the picture-postcard cottage garden, her furniture restoration business, and a new life in the country.Her good intentions are torpedoed on a glorious summer’s evening with the arrival of Gus Berresford. One-time explorer and full-time heartbreaker, Gus is ridiculously exciting, wonderfully glamorous and a completely inappropriate love interest for a single mum. But Gus and Sian have met before…Sian has no use for a fling, she simply mustn’t fall in love with the most unlikely suitor ever to cross her path – even if he has now crossed her path twice. But who knows what can happen in a summer of love…
The Happiness Project
Pippa James - 2019
1) Exercise more 2) Eat healthily 3) Learn how to live again… Forty-year-old Alison Lund has always carefully planned everything in her well-ordered life, from colour co-ordinating her beautiful house to persuading her excitable son Alexander that sticker charts are more fun than misbehaving. But Alison’s perfect world has just fallen apart… Her head is left spinning when her beloved larger than life mother-in-law, Maggie, passes away and Alison is left heartbroken. Every afternoon they’d talk and laugh over a pot of tea, she was the glue that kept Alison together through the first few tough years of motherhood. And now Alison is trying to figure out a future without her. With a little help from her two best friends, Alison resolves to be more Maggie. After an emotional New Year’s Eve get together, the three women create a happiness project, challenging themselves to step outside their comfort zones and make the most of every single day. Daring to do things differently, can Alison learn to live more spontaneously and find happiness along the way? Or will letting go be harder than she ever imagined? What readers are saying about Pippa James: ‘Brilliantly funny, entertaining and damn amazing… boy can she write a novel!... Loved it.’ The Cosiest Corner, 5 stars ‘Full of laugh out loud moments, many cry your eyes out moments as well… will touch your heart…’ Goodreads Reviewer ‘A brilliant, laugh out loud read… I loved the characters… it really is the perfect read… such a wonderful novel… I highly recommend this book’ Lead Reads Books ‘A true rollercoaster of emotions.’ Stardust Book Reviews ‘Absolutely fabulous, it is such a good read, I would recommend it to everyone.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars ‘One of the funniest book I’ve read in 2018… laughed a lot… Highly recommended!’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars ‘Made me laugh out loud with a big beamer of a smile on my face… A fabulous, fun-filled, gentle read which will make you laugh.’ The Writing Garnet ‘Entertaining… perfect for a relaxing time on the sofa, with lots of LOL moments.’ Simona’s Corner of Dreams
Life and Other Near-Death Experiences
Camille Pagán - 2015
Despite her new sunny locale, her plans go awry when she finds that she can’t quite outrun the past or bring herself to face an unknowable future. Every day of tropical bliss may be an invitation to disaster, but with her twin brother on her trail and a new relationship on the horizon, Libby is determined to forget about fate. Will she risk it all to live—and love—a little longer?From critically acclaimed author Camille Pagán comes a hilarious and hopeful story about a woman choosing between a “perfect” life and actually living.
The Man You Meet in Heaven
Debbie Viggiano - 2018
When Hattie Green pops to the shop one afternoon, she never expects her life to flash before her eyes between the tins of baked beans and a special offer on sliced white. One minute she’s loading her trolley and thinking about what to give her son for dinner, and the next she’s speaking to a gorgeous man in a glowing white suit about what her life could have been… If you had the chance to go back and relive it all, what would you do differently? Go on that date, take that promotion… eat that second biscuit? Hattie is about to discover where she went wrong, but will her mystery second chance reveal some STONKING secrets in her past that probably should have stayed hidden? A gorgeous romantic comedy with a few twists that will make you say OMG! Perfect for fans of Tracy Bloom, Marian Keyes and Dawn French.
A Very Lucky Christmas
Lilac Mills - 2018
can they? Christmas is meant to be the happiest time of year so why is absolutely everything going wrong for Daisy? Reeling from a bad breakup, moving back in with her parents and hounded by trouble at work she really shouldn’t be surprised when things go from bad to worse..and she ends up in A&E!Her great-grandmother persuaded her to plant a silver sixpence in the Christmas pud for luck but choking on the coin isn’t the ‘change’ she’d wished for. Yet when dashing Dr Noah Hartley saves the day things finally start to look up. With Christmas Day just around the corner Daisy’s determined to make her own luck...and hopefully bag herself a dishy doc in the process!
A heart-warming
christmas
romance perfect for fans of Holly Martin, Debbie Johnson and Daisy James
What readers are saying about A Very Lucky Christmas:"This book!!! I laughed so hard and loved these characters!" Reader review"This is a perfect Christmas read!" Reader review"This fun Christmas romance has it all" Reader review"This book is hilarious and the perfect Christmas season read" Reader review"It’s a fun and festive romance with some bite, perfect for Christmas" Reader review"A delight of a book... I couldn’t put it down. Absolutely hilarious... a relaxing read - but hard to get away from." Reader review"Great festive read." Reader review"I was so drawn into the storylines and the characters... Funny, full of laughs and... heart-warming." The Cosiest Corner"I really enjoyed this book... It was lovely to curl up on the sofa on a really wet day and forget about the world outside. I would definitely recommend this book." Reader review
Passion on Park Avenue
Lauren Layne - 2019
For as long as she can remember, Bronx-born Naomi Powell has had one goal: to prove her worth among the Upper East Side elite—the same people for which her mom worked as a housekeeper. Now, as the strongminded, sassy CEO of one of the biggest jewelry empires in the country, Naomi finally has exactly what she wants—but it’s going to take more than just the right address to make Manhattan’s upper class stop treating her like an outsider.The worst offender is her new neighbor, Oliver Cunningham—the grown son of the very family Naomi’s mother used to work for. Oliver used to torment Naomi when they were children, and as a ridiculously attractive adult, he’s tormenting her in entirely different ways. Now they find themselves engaged in a battle-of-wills that will either consume or destroy them…Filled with charm and heart and plenty of sex and snark, this entertaining series will hook you from the very first page.
The Fifth Letter
Nicola Moriarty - 2017
. .
Joni, Deb, Eden, and Trina have been best friends since high school, sharing a bond that has seen them through their teenage years and into adulthood. But now, time and circumstance is starting to pull them apart as careers, husbands, and babies get in the way. As their yearly vacation becomes less of a priority—at least for three of the women—how can Joni find a way to draw the four of them back together?
Four secrets . . .
During a laughter and wine-filled night, the women dare one another to write anonymous letters, spilling their deepest, darkest secrets. But the fun game turns devastating, exposing cracks in their lives and the friendships they share. Each letter is a dark confession revealing shocking information. A troubled marriage? A substance abuse problem? A secret pregnancy? A heartbreaking diagnosis?
Five letters . . .
Late on one of their last nights together, after the other three have gone to bed, Joni notices something in the fireplace—a burnt, crumpled, nearly destroyed, sheet of paper that holds the most shattering revelation of all. It is a fifth letter—a hate-filled rant that exposes a vicious, deeply hidden grudge that has festered for decades. But who wrote it? Which one of them has seethed with resentment all these years? What should Joni do?Best friends are supposed to keep your darkest secrets. But the revelations Joni, Deb, Eden and Trina have shared will ripple through their lives with unforeseen consequences . . . and things will never be the same.
The Forget-Me-Not Bakery
Caroline Flynn - 2020
So, when she’s given the chance to move to Port Landon to set up her own bakery, she’s ready to take a leap of faith and make her dreams a reality.When single dad and local veterinarian, Cohen Beckett, enters Paige’s bakery for her grand opening, there is an undeniable connection, and Paige can’t help but notice an unfamiliar feeling in her chest.But ever since his wife’s tragic death, Cohen has built his own defenses around his heart. The last thing he expects is for a stranger to ignite a spark he thought was lost forever.Yet Paige has a kindness the whole town finds infectious, and soon Cohen realizes that her gourmet cakes aren't the only thing impossible to distance himself from.Will Paige be able to fulfill her dreams and find love in her new home?
Just Friends
Jo Lovett - 2022
She wasn’t going to pass out from her now-galloping heart. She was thirty-three years old and way beyond having issues seeing an ex. Even the ex. She was going to just ignore Matt and enjoy her best friend’s wedding…Lily is fine. Really, truly, she’s ok. She might have to attend her best friend’s wedding with the ex-boyfriend she never got over, on a gorgeous Greek island that’s so small it’s impossible to avoid him, but she is determined to be friendly.And Matt, too, is completely and utterly fine. Lily may have broken his heart, but he moved on. And surely they can be amicable, as this week is about his best friend’s wedding too? So he will be civil, stay out of her way as much as he can, and get on with the celebrations.But then the wedding comes under threat, and Matt and Lily are thrown together in the efforts to save the day and – yet again – sparks fly. What happens when you try to repeat the past though? Can a holiday romance turn into a lasting love, for the second time? Or are Lily and Matt destined to remain just friends, forever?