Contemporary Fiction Books

Book SynopsisReaders have fallen in love with Paige and Noah:''Totally touched my heart''''I completely LOVED this book''''I''m now obsessed with this author and can''t wait to see what she does next!''''A hilarious and heartwarming novel ... a definite five star read''''If you''re a fan of rom-coms, you HAVE to pick this up!''''I adored this book and raced through it''---------------------------Two men to choose from. One fantastic mistake.Paige might bake wedding cakes for a living but that doesn''t mean shes dreaming about her own perfect day. Far from it.Trusting people is hard after she was badly let down by her family and boyfriend just when she needed them most. And to make things worse, her ex has just walked into her bakery with his new fiancée...Needing a little no-strings-attached fun, Paige goes to a party where her friend knows just the guy - the guy in the blaTrade ReviewThis is genuinely so funny and so moving. I could not stop reading. Paige and Noah are my new favourite rom com couple * Sophie Cousens *A gorgeous, uplifting read that packs a real emotional punch * Gillian Harvey, author of Perfect on Paper *A funny, relatable and life-affirming tale * CULTUREFLY *Funny, poignant and smart all at the same time. A life-affirming read that made me laugh and simultaneously broke my heart. I loved, loved, loved this book * Nicola Gill, author of We are Family *Holly strikes a perfect balance between raw and relatable, funny and heartwarming. I feel like pitching up in Paige's cake shop - I didn't want to leave her when the book ended! * Abigail Mann, author of The Lonely Fajita *I loved this book so much. You can't help but root for Paige and Noah. I laughed. I cried. I didn't want this book to end * Mary Hargreaves, author of This is Not a Love Story *A fresh, funny and achingly relatable read that celebrates the gift of life in all its messy, wonderful ways. It's perceptive, surprisingly steamy and so very touching * Hannah Tovey, author of The Education of Ivy Edwards *This heartwarming rom-com is the perfect summer read * Woman's Own *This star-crossed romance is a great holiday read * Peterborough Telegraph *

Read more less

Book Synopsis*NOW A MAJOR THREE-PART ITV1 DRAMA, STARRING EMILY WATSON AND DENISE GOUGH*''Too Close is a fantastically compelling, brilliantly scripted whydunnit'' Guardian''A gripping psychological thriller with a Killing Eve twist'' Radio Times''Seriously brilliant - quality writing, three dimensional characters and a sharp wit.'' Emma Curtis, author of the bestselling One Little Mistake*****Connie has woken up in a psychiatric hospital. She''s been accused of a terrible crime, but she says she can''t remember a thing. Forensic psychiatrist Dr Emma Robinson is assigned to the case. Her assessment will determine Connie''s fate: prison, life in hospital - or freedom.Emma hopes the high-profile case will make her career but their sessions quickly become a cat-and-mouse game of manipulation and exploitation. Emma must get close enough to her patient to uncover the t

Read more less

Book SynopsisJo Thomas worked for many years as a reporter and producer, including time at Radio 4's Woman's Hour and Radio 2's The Steve Wright Show.Jo's debut novel, The Oyster Catcher, was a runaway bestseller and won both the RNA Joan Hessayon Award and the Festival of Romance Best eBook Award. Her book Escape to the French Farmhouse was a #1 bestselling eBook. Jo loves to explore new countries and discover the food produced there, both of which she thoroughly enjoys researching. Jo lives in Pembrokeshire with her husband and three children, where cooking and gathering around the kitchen table are a hugely important and fun part of their family life.Trade ReviewHeart warming, moving and romantic, with a beautiful setting - what could be better? * Katie Fforde *A deliciously festive treat bursting with Icelandic flavour, adventure and romance. Curl up, get cosy, and immerse yourself in this magical, Christmassy world. * Ruth Jones *A delicious celebration of love and true friendship. Another winner from Jo! * Jill Mansell *The perfect cosy, Christmas read! * Cathy Bramley *Sparkling, romantic, magical - and delicious. * Milly Johnson *

Read more less

Book Synopsis''Full of love and warmth, tears and laughter, another gorgeous book from Jo Thomas'' Katie Fforde---A dream homeBeca Valentino is ready to escape the city. When she sees the perfect house for sale in her hometown, it seems like fate. Is this her chance to build the foster family she dreams of, on the beautiful Pembrokeshire coast?A big mistake?Returning home isn''t as easy as she thought, however. Her family''s beloved ice cream café is gone - turned into a soulless wine bar by her hateful ex-boyfriend. Reconnecting with her oldest friend, fisherman Griff, isn''t straightforward either. And when, instead of the children she expected to take in, two wary teenage boys appear on her doorstep, Beca fears she''s made a terrible mistake.A recipe for changeBut an old family recipe book is just the inspiration she needs. Soon, with a little help from friends old and new, Beca is selling mouth-watering homemade gelato from a pop-uTrade ReviewFull of love and warmth, tears and laughter, another gorgeous book from Jo Thomas * Katie Fforde *Another winner from Jo Thomas, gorgeously evocative, happy-making and full of love! * Jill Mansell *This story of friendship, family and community is guaranteed to lift your spirits. * Good Housekeeping *Delicious and delightful - Jo sweeps you away to a better place with every book, which are always filled with warmth, love and a big spoonful of happiness * Veronica Henry *The ultimate seaside escape story * Woman and Home *A delicious and touching summery read in a beautiful setting that Jo's fans will simply adore * Phillipa Ashley *We love the way Jo's glorious novels always transport you to somewhere beautiful, and [Summer at the Ice Cream Cafe] is no exception . . . This touching novel, full of love and hope, is an uplifting summer read. * My Weekly *A warm-hearted treat * Best magazine *Picking up a Jo Thomas book is a treat for the senses. With sumptuous food and a romantic outcome, Summer at the Ice Cream Cafe is another winner to satisfy your appetite this summer. * People's Friend *An uplifting, summery comfort read that will tug on your heartstrings and leave you with a big smile * Rebecca Raisin *

Read more less

Book SynopsisNow a Sky Original film starring Outlander''s Sam Heughan, Ruby Rose, and Andy Serkis ''One of the great all-action characters of recent times. Like his creator, the ex-SAS soldier turned uber agent is unstoppable.'' Daily Mirror''Authentic to the core'' Daily ExpressThe Channel Tunnel. Your worst fears are about to come true...____________________Deep beneath the English Channel, a small army of vicious terrorists has seized control of the Eurostar to Paris, taken 400 hostages at gunpoint - and declared war on a government that has more than its own fair share of secrets to keep.One man stands in their way. An off-duty SAS soldier is hiding somewhere inside the train. Alone and injured, he''s the only chance the passengers and crew have of getting out alive. Meet Andy McNab''s explosive new creation, Sergeant Tom Buckingham, as he unleashes a whirlwind of intrigue and retribution in his attempt to stop the terr

Read more less

Book Synopsis''Imagine a young man on his way to a less-than-thirty-second event - the loss of his left hand, long before he reached middle age.''While reporting a story from India, a New York television journalist has his left hand eaten by a lion; millions of TV viewers witness the accident. In Boston, a renowned hand surgeon awaits the opportunity to perform the nation''s first hand transplant. A married woman in Wisconsin wants to give the one-handed reporter her husband''s left hand, that is, after her husband dies. But the husband is alive, relatively young, and healthy...Trade ReviewA rich and deeply moving tale... Vintage Irving * Washington Post *A beguiling tale of love and redemption * Time Out *Peerless... Writing without a wasted second * Guardian *Articulate, clever, quirky, more than a touch profound and very funny * Mirror *Sharp and very, very funny, this is another of Irving's fiercely original meditations of life's inherent strangeness * Uncut *

Read more less

Book SynopsisBecky thought being married to Luke Brandon would be one big Tiffany box of happiness. But to be honest, it''s not quite as dreamy as she''d hoped.The trouble started on honeymoon, when she told Luke the tiniest little fib, about the teeniest little purchase. Now she''s on a strict budget, she doesn''t have a job - and worst of all her beloved Suze has a new best friend. Then she receives some incredible news. She has a long-lost sister!Becky has never been more excited. Finally, a real sister! They''ll have so much in common! They can go shopping together... choose shoes together... have manicures together...Until she meets her - and gets the shock of her life. It can''t be true. Surely Becky Bloomwood''s long-lost sister can''t... hate shopping?Everybody loves Sophie Kinsella:I almost cried with laughter Daily MailHilarious . . . you''ll laugh and gasp on every page Jenny ColganProperly mood-altering . Trade Review"'The funniest so far'" Sunday Express "Kinsella is one of the funniest writers, male or female, working at the moment." The Times "Formulaic fun" Heat "Fans won't be disappointed. Kinsella has come up with the goods yet again." Closer "You'll be laughing all the way to the beach and back." Company

Read more less

Book SynopsisMonica Ali was born in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and grew up in England. She is the author of Untold Story, In The Kitchen and Alentejo Blue. Her Sunday Times bestselling first novel Brick Lane was shortlisted for the Booker Prize, the George Orwell Prize for political writing and the Commonwealth Writers' Prize and has been made into an acclaimed film. Her latest novel Love Marriage is published by Virago.Trade Review'Ali has an impressive command of her story, but her real gift is in the richness of the lives she has created, populating Nazneen's London with a very entertaining cast of comic characters' * The Times *'I was totally gripped by Brick Lane. A brilliant evocation of sensuality which might occur anywhere' * Daily Telegraph *'Written with a wisdom and skill that few authors attain in a lifetime' * The Sunday Times *'Comedy and poignancy abound...Brick Lane is a wonderful debut' * Sunday Telegraph *'Brick Lane has everything: richly complex characters, a gripping story and it's funny too' * Observer *'Monica Ali brings humour, grace and the special qualities of the best of Asian fiction to a narrative concerned with acceptance and denial...Wry and intelligent, subtle and graceful in its mix of formal prose, blackly despairing humour and fabulous characterization, this is a rich human novel' * Irish Times *'The kind of novel that surprises one with its depth and dash; it is a novel that will last' * Guardian *'A wonderful first novel. Ali's writing is stunning, almost poetic at times, and she has a beautifully inventive turn of phrase' * Mail on Sunday *'This highly evolved, accomplished book is a reminder of how exhilarating novels can be: it opened up a world whose contours I could recognize, but which I needed Monica Ali to make me understand' * Observer *'So uplifting as well as so important' * Daily Telegraph *'Ali's observations of Nazneen, her family and friends, is precise, true and can only emanate out of deep empathy, the quality that gives this first novel its warmth and humour...Ali writes with such confidence and with the kind of control a much more experienced novelist would envy' * Independent *'Written with effortless style and amazing aplomb for a first-timer. Believe the hype. Monica Ali really is the Next Big Thing. If you buy only one book this year, make it this one' * The Mirror *'Splendid...Daring...Brilliant...Refreshing...A great achievement of the subtlest storytelling' * New Republic *'The author's powers of observation are magnificent, placing Ali among Britain's greatest writers, never mind young or old' * Spectator *'Ali aims for the grandest themes of literature: of love, of individuality, of finding and risking the space to grow, of self-sufficiency, of negotiating co-existence...the biggest surprise about Brick Lane is that it works' * Sunday Express, India *'The joy of this book is its marriage of a wonderful writer with a fresh, rich and hidden world. Her achievement is huge. This is a book written with love and compassion' * Evening Standard *

Read more less

Book SynopsisBen Elton's multi-award winning career as both performer and writer encompasses some of the most memorable and incisive comedy of the past thirty-five years. In addition to his hugely influential work as a stand-up comic, he was co-writer of TV hits The Young Ones and Blackadder and sole creator of The Thin Blue Line and Upstart Crow. He has written fifteen major bestsellers, including Stark, Popcorn, Inconceivable, Dead Famous, High Society, Two Brothers and Time and Time Again, three West End plays and three musicals, including global phenomenon We Will Rock You. He has written and directed two feature films, Maybe Baby and Three Summers. He is married and has three children.Trade ReviewFans will love it * Heat *Engaging and smartly plotted * Observer *It's warm-hearted characterisation and deft pacing should make the paperback popular on next summer's beaches * The Sunday Times *Past Mortem confirms Elton as craftsmanlike, thoughtful and readable. Fans will find plenty to enjoy * Daily Mail *A writer who provokes almost as much as he entertains * Daily Mail *

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhy are we all so hostile? So quick to take offence? Truly we are living in the age of outrage. A series of apparently random murders draws amiable, old-school Detective Mick Matlock into a world of sex, politics, reality TV and a bewildering kaleidoscope of opposing identity groups. Lost in a blizzard of hashtags, his already complex investigation is further impeded by the fact that he simply doesn't get' a single thing about anything anymore.Meanwhile, each day another public figure confesses to having misspoken' and prostrates themselves before the judgement of Twitter. Begging for forgiveness, assuring the public that is not who I am.But if nobody is who they are anymore - then who the f##k are we?Ben Elton returns with a blistering satire of the world as it fractures around us. Get ready for a roller-coaster thriller, where nothing - and no one - is off limits.

Read more less

Book SynopsisJohn O'Farrell is the author of seven books. His first book, Things Can Only Get Better, was a number one bestseller and was dramatized for BBC Radio 4. The Best a Man Can Get was the bestselling debut novel of 2002. As well as being a bestselling author, John O'Farrell is a regular contributor to television and radio. For the past five years he has written a weekly humorous column for the Guardian, three collections of which have been published as Global Village Idiot, I Blame the Scapegoats and I Have a Bream.Trade ReviewAs hilarious as it is spot-on * Mail on Sunday *O'Farrell is a consistently humorous writer with an acute ear for the absurdities of middle class pretension. It's hard to fault his satire on competitive parenting or his conclusions regarding social inequalities * Mail on Sunday *O'Farrell is one of the best contemporary satirists in the business and he has middle class pushy mothers down to a tee in this latest toe-curling, hackle-rising chronicle of hyper-parenting... The one-liners are sublime and the comedic situations utterly hilarious. Don't miss this * Daily Record *O'Farrell has scored a bullseye with this satirical salvo... Taps into Middle England's neuroses with terrific wit * The Herald *

Read more less

Book SynopsisLots of husbands forget things: they forget that their wife had an important meeting that morning; they forget to pick up the dry cleaning; some of them even forget their wedding anniversary.But Vaughan has forgotten he even has a wife. Her name, her face, their history together, everything she has ever told him, everything he has said to her - it has all gone, mysteriously wiped in one catastrophic moment of memory loss. And now he has rediscovered her - only to find out that they are getting divorced. The Man Who Forgot His Wife is the funny, moving and poignant story of a man who has done just that. And who will try anything to turn back the clock and have one last chance to reclaim his life.Trade ReviewIt's a rare treat to come across a novel that is both comic and thoughtfully acute about love, and life, and stuff... Hilarious and heart-tugging, this is indeed a memorable comedy * Guardian *John O'Farrell has tapped the rich seam of domestic life in this fun new novel * Mirror *Exudes prime-time, feel-good gold... What's not to like? * Daily Mail *A brilliantly comic tale with some sharp observations on modern marriage from one of the funniest writers around * Bella *The jokes keep coming in this novel about an amnesiac family man, but the punchlines involve some serious philosophical thought * Independent on Sunday *

Read more less

Book Synopsis''Pacy, absorbing and compassionate'' Daily Mail''Brilliantly perceptive'' Daily Telegraph''An important novel'' Evening Standard_______________________________Will a journey into the past lose them more than they gain?Nathalie and David have been good and dutiful children to their parents, and now, grown-up, with their own families, they are still close to one another. Brother and sister.Except that they aren''t - brother and sister that is.They were both adopted, when their loving parents, found that they couldn''t have children themselves. And up until now it''s never mattered.But suddenly, Nathalie discovers a deep need to trace her birth parents and is insisting that David makes the same journey. And through this, both learn one of the hardest lessons of all, that sometimes, the answers to who we are and where we come from can be more difficult than the questions ...ThTrade ReviewPacy, absorbing and compassionate * Daily Mail *Brilliantly perceptive * Daily Telegraph *An important novel * Evening Standard *Her prodigious flair for illuminating emotional situations guarantees the appeal of Trollope's work... immediate and engrossing * The Good Book Guide *Deliciously readable * The Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisCarl Hiaasen was born and raised in Florida. He is the author of nine previous novels, including Sick Puppy, Lucky You, Stormy Weather and Basket Case. He also writes a twice weekly metropolitan column for the Miami Herald.Trade ReviewSlick, swift and gloriously funny * Sunday Telegraph *The undisputed master of organized chaos... His satire is a fierce unmuzzled snarl, swiftly followed by a painfully ironic bite. Quite simply, brilliant * The Sunday Times *America's finest satirical novelist... the blazing conscience of the sunshine state * Observer *Florida's poet laureate - the chronicler of its corruption, craziness and exploited ecology... a unique satirical talent * Financial Times *The funniest crime novelist to put pen to paper * Evening Standard *

Read more less

Book SynopsisSophie Kinsella is an internationally bestselling writer. She is the author of many number one bestsellers, including the hugely popular Shopaholic series. She has also written seven bestselling novels as Madeleine Wickham and several books for children. She lives in the UK with her husband and family.Visit her website at www.sophiekinsella.co.uk and find her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SophieKinsellaOfficial. You can also follow her on Twitter @KinsellaSophie and Instagram @sophiekinsellawriter.Trade ReviewKinsella's latest is a page-turner every bit as charming and absorbing as her previous Shopaholic instalments. * Daily Telegraph *Happily it's just like catching up with an old friend ... our favourite shopaholic is as entertaining as ever. * Heat *A delicious addition to the Shopaholic series. * Marie Claire *A great read ... expect to laugh. A lot. * Company *Hilarious - again! * OK magazine *

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhat are the French really like?Paul West, a young Englishman arriving in Paris to start a new job, is about to find out.Trade ReviewEdgier than Bryson, hits harder than Mayle * The Times *Must have comedy-of-errors diary about being a Brit abroad * Daily Mirror *This is the season's word-of-mouth must-have book for Francophiles and Francophobes alike... This comedy of errors has almost certainly done more for the Entente Cordiale than any of our politicians * Daily Mail *

Read more less

Book SynopsisA year after arriving in France, Englishman Paul West is still struggling with some fundamental questions:_________________What is the best way to scare a gendarme? Why are there no health warnings on French nudist beaches? And is it really polite to sleep with your boss''s mistress?In his second comedy of errors, Paul West opens an English tearoom, and mutates (temporarily) into a Parisian waiter.Meanwhile, he continues his search for the perfect French mademoiselle. But will Paul find l''amour éternel, or will it all end in merde?Author''s apology: ''I''d just like to say sorry to all the suppository fans out there, because in this book there are no suppositories. There are, however, lots of courgettes, and I see this as progress. Suppositories to courgettes - I think it proves that I''m developing as a writer.'' Stephen ClarkeTrade ReviewEdgier than Bryson, hits harder than Mayle * The Times *The season's word-of-mouth book * Daily Mail *Must-have comedy-of-errors diary of being a Brit abroad * Mirror *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis heart-warming and uplifting novel from multi-million copy bestselling author Joanna Trollope is perfect for fans of Elizabeth Noble, Erica James and Amanda Prowse. It''s a story of relationships in which everybody can find something to identify with, and even learn from. Perfect to settle down with!''The queen of the domestic dilemma...observant and empathetic'' - The Sunday Times''The ebb and flow of relationships is brilliantly handled'' - The Observer''One of the finest chroniclers of how we live now'' - Independent on Sunday''A highly readable, often un-put-down-able novel which I thoroughly enjoyed.'' -- ***** Reader review''Excellent, engaging novel. Like having a warm blanket around your shoulders!'' -- ***** Reader review''Trollope at her best again'' -- ***** Reader review*******************************************************************Trade ReviewThe author's witty manipulation of her characters recalls the other Trollope, although there is nothing Victorian about her style... perfectly pitched dialogue * The Times *One of the finest chroniclers of the way we live now * Independent on Sunday *Trollope has perfectly caught the angst of the empty nest... the ebb and flow of relationships is brilliantly handled * The Observer *The queen of the domestic dilemma... observant and empathetic * The Sunday Times *Trollope has always written well and convincingly about property. It's her refusal to divorce her characters' inner lives from the accumulated stuff of their outer ones that makes the best of it so compelling * The Daily Telegraph *

Read more less

Book SynopsisCaptivating, complex and compellingly intense, this psychological thriller from international multi-million copy seller Joanne Harris is perfect for fans of Ann Cleeves, Susan Hill, Nicci French and Val McDermid. Brilliantly written, expertly plotted and ingeniously structured...with its fair share of plot twists and unreliable narrators, this is one book that will not let you go...''Delivers an almighty twist in the tale late on...brilliantly atmospheric and at times heartbreaking'' -- The Times''An ingenious, gripping read...it terrified the living daylights out of me'' -- Daily Express''Engrossing psychological thriller...a novel of unusual complexity...Harris, best known for Chocolat, again shows her skill and versatility'' -- Mail on Sunday''Joanne Harris never fails to deliver'' -- ***** Reader rTrade ReviewDelivers an almighty twist in the tale late on...brilliantly atmospheric and at times heartbreaking * The Times *An ingenious, gripping read...it terrified the living daylights out of me * Daily Express *Brilliantly written, plotted and insightful...beware unreliable narrators along with a huge plot twist at the end * Mirror *Engrossing psychological thriller...a novel of unusual complexity...Harris, best known for Chocolat, again shows her skill and versatility * Mail on Sunday *Beautifully written...a rewarding read * Guardian *

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhile the Celtic Tiger rages, and greed becomes the norm, Johnsey Cunliffe desperately tries to hold on to the familiar, even as he loses those who all his life have protected him from a harsh world. Set over the course of one year of Johnsey's life, this book is about his grief, bewilderment, humour and agonizing self-doubt.Trade ReviewA force of nature ... a life-enhancing talent -- Sebastian BarryA force of nature ... a life-enhancing talent -- Sebastian BarryHis paragraphs are unnoticeably beautiful, his heart always on show, and he writes with a social accuracy that is devastating -- Anne EnrightHis paragraphs are unnoticeably beautiful, his heart always on show, and he writes with a social accuracy that is devastating -- Anne EnrightCompelling and heartbreaking . . beautiful, yet simple and utterly convincing * The Sunday Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisAnna McPartlin is a novelist and scriptwriter. Her previous incarnation as a stand-up comedian left an indelible mark. She describes herself as a slave to the joke and finds humour and humanity in even the darkest situations. Anna lives in Wicklow with her husband and animals.Trade ReviewWhat a beautiful book. I cried and smiled my way through * Jane Green *Heart-breaking yet blackly comic . . . echoing the style of Roddy Doyle. Impossible to put down. * Image *Beautiful, brave storytelling . . . Buy a packet (or box) of tissues and settle down with this wonderful story. One of our books of 2015 * Heat Magazaine *A bittersweet story of family, faith and love . . . both deeply affecting and life-affirming * Sunday Mirror *Enormously readable, funny and emotionally engaging * Irish Times *

Read more less

Book Synopsis''Simply written and highly memorable'' Ireland on Sunday''A subtle, calculatedly simple and ultimately moving story'' Irish Times''Stays ahead of its readers before delivering its killer-punch final pages'' Independent''A small wonder of a book . . . A particular historical moment, one that cannot be told too often'' Guardian''An extraordinary tale of friendship and the horrors of war...Raw literary talent at its best'' Irish Independent______________What happens when innocence is confronted by monstrous evil?Nine-year-old Bruno knows nothing of the Final Solution and the Holocaust. He is oblivious to the appalling cruelties being inflicted on the people of Europe by his country.All he knows is that he has been moved from a comfortable home in Berlin to a house in a desolate area where there is nothing to do and no-one to play with. Until he meets Shmuel, aTrade ReviewA small wonder of a book . . . A particular historical moment, one that cannot be told too often * Guardian *The Holocaust as a subject insists on respect, precludes criticism, prefers silence. One thing is clear: this book will not go gently into any good night * Observer *An extraordinary tale of friendship and the horrors of war . . . Raw literary talent at its best * Irish Independent *A book that lingers in the mind for quite some time . . . A subtle, calculatedly simple and ultimately moving story * The Irish Times *Simply written and highly memorable. There are no monstrosities on the page but the true horror is all the more potent for being implicit * Ireland on Sunday *

Read more less

Book SynopsisFans of Erica James, Elizabeth Noble and Amanda Prowse will love this enthralling novel from the pen of multi-million copy bestselling author Joanna Trollope. With her customary acute observation and expert characterisation, Trollope makes her readers not only identify with her characters but also become deeply attached to them. You will not be able to put this book down!''Trollope, as ever, can be relied upon to deliver a good read'' -- Mail on Sunday''An entertaining novel'' -- Independent on Sunday''Hits a right and ringing note and keeps hitting it'' -- Independent''Excellent gripping to the end'' -- ***** Reader review''This, for me, was a can''t put down type of book!!'' -- ***** Reader review''Best Trollope book I have read so far!'' -- ***** Reader review''Pure pleasure'' -- ***** Reader review<Trade ReviewTrollope, as ever, can be relied upon to deliver a good read * Mail on Sunday *An entertaining novel * Independent on Sunday *With her customary acute observation, Joanna Trollope examines different attitudes to work, relationships and children...In this engrossing novel, Trollope makes her readers not only identify with her characters but also become deeply attached to them * Waterstones Books Quarterly *Hits a right and ringing note and keeps hitting it * Independent *Sharp observation of domestic detail -- Val Hennessy, Victoria Moore and Amber Pearson * Daily Mail *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe hilarious romantic comedy from NUMBER ONE BESTSELLING AUTHOR Sophie KinsellaIf you suddenly had a friend that only you could see or hear, what would you do?You could worry that your stressful life has tipped you over the edge and you have lost the plot, big time . . . you could hide under your duvet, hoping that they would go away . . .OrYou could have some fun . . .You could make your ex-boyfriend take you back . . .You could solve the mystery of the dragonfly necklace, make a fool of yourself many times, get your business back on its feet . . .You could dance with a gorgeous man who just can't resist you . . .And you could just discover the best friend you ever had.***** EVERYBODY LOVES SOPHIE KINSELLA: *****''Funny, fast and farcical. I loved it'' JOJO MOYES''I couldn't put it down.'' LOUISE PENTLAND (SprinkleofGlitter)''I almost cried with laughter'' DTrade ReviewA light, frothy and thoroughly entertaining novel * Daily Mail *Brilliant reading * Heat *An insightful and funny take on the pitfalls and pleasures of telling the truth * Cosmopolitan *Fluently written, extremely entertaining, Can You Keep A Secret? is an impressive follow up to Kinsella’s previous bestsellers * Marie Claire *An insanely chatty, fast-paced romantic comedy * Closer *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe hilarious romantic comedy from NUMBER ONE BESTSELLING AUTHOR Sophie KinsellaI've lost it :(The only thing in the world I wasn't supposed to lose. My engagement ring. It's been in Magnus's family for three generations. And now, the very same day his parents are coming, I've lost it. The very same day. Do not hyperventilate, Poppy.Stay positive!! :)A couple of glasses of bubbly with the girls and Poppy's life has gone into meltdown. Not only has she lost her engagement ring, but in the panic that followed, she's lost her phone too. When she spots an abandoned phone in a bin it seems it was meant to be . . . Finders Keepers!Except the phone's owner, elusive businessman Sam Roxton, doesn't agree. He wants his phone back, and doesn't appreciate Poppy reading all his messages and wading into his personal life. Can things get any more tangled?***** EVERYBODY LOVES SOPHIE KINSELLA: *****Trade ReviewA hilarious tale. * Good Housekeeping *Brilliant reading * Heat *An insightful and funny take on the pitfalls and pleasures of telling the truth * Cosmopolitan *

Read more less

Book SynopsisTessa has just a few months to live. Fighting back against hospital visits, endless tests, drugs with excruciating side-effects, Tessa compiles a list. It''s her Ten Things To Do Before I Die list. And Number One is sex.Released from the constraints of ''normal'' life, Tessa tastes new experiences to make her feel alive while her failing body struggles to keep up.Tessa''s feelings, her relationships with her father and brother, her estranged mother, her best friend, her new boyfriend, all are painfully crystallized in the precious weeks before Tessa''s time finally runs out.BEFORE I DIE is a brilliantly-crafted novel, heartbreaking yet astonishingly life-affirming. It will take you to the very edge.Trade ReviewDealing frankly with teenage life, Before I Die will be the year's most talked-about novel. * The Sunday Times *A novel that won't fail to touch those who read it...A book that will make you happy to be alive ***** * Heat *Fierce, bold and bright...Jenny Downham is capable of exquisite, almost fevered writing, but she's also a master of pace, slowly establishing a heroine so brimful of life that it is wrenching to endure the attritions of the final pages * Observer *Downham has not only eschewed mawkishness, but has managed to convey real feeling. Her heroine - angry, funny and occasionally irrational - positively leaps off the page...This is a thoughtful, and sometimes painful, exploration of what it feels like to say goodbye to life before you have had a chance to live it. * The Times *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis distinct group find themselves thrown together in the wilds of Norfolk to 'do their bit' on the latest propaganda film - a heart-warming tale of derring do, of two sisters who set out in a leaking old wooden boat to rescue the brave men trapped at Dunkirk.Trade Review"[Lissa Evans] displays a fine eye for detail and for the absurdities involved in filming. She also brilliantly evokes the disruption and dangers of wartime London. This funny, heart-warming and beautifully crafted novel is a must-read" Daily Mail "Beautifully written, minutely observed and researched, evocative and very funny tale" -- Michele Hanson Guardian "Comic, poignant and altogether delightful, raised spirits are guaranteed" Easy Living "This is a comic novel, but far warmer in tone and broader in scope than that label would suggest...Gloriously observed...Hilliard is a wonderful creation - and Evans's recreated propaganda scripts are a total joy. Delicious" The Times "Pitch-perfect in tone and populated by some unforgettable characters, Lissa Evans's blackly comic new novel is a delight" The Gloss Magazine

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen Noel Bostock - aged ten, no family - is evacuated from London to escape the Blitz, he winds up in St Albans with Vera Sedge - thiry-six, drowning in debts. Noel may have been moved to safety, but he isn't actually safe at all .Trade Review"Prepare to be charmed, amused and moved ... A complete delight" -- January Book Club Pick Mail on Sunday "Dazzling...a miniature masterpiece of serio-comic writing...A dark comedy, moving between drollery, pathos, farce and harrowing moments of tragic insight" Guardian "I loved this book - Lissa Evans is a wonderful writer; Vee and Noel are utter originals, and their journey made me laugh and cry" -- JoJo Moyes "Wonderfully vivid and eccentric...there's a good dash of sharp comedy to offset the heart-warming stuff" -- Kate Saunders The Times "A fabulous novel about the relationship between ten-year-old Noel and his unscrupulous but endearing foster mother, Vee Sedge" -- January Book Club Pick Woman & Home "Lissa Evans writes with tremendous wit as well as sensitivity, creating memorable characters with hearts of gold" Daily Express "Unmissable...Why is Lissa Evans not one of our best-known and best-loved authors?...The great joy of Lissa Evans's writing lies in her spirited, quirky characters and, as befits a former producer of Father Ted and director of Have I Got News For You, a devilish wit" Sunday Express "At Christmas you need a book that's going to make you want to curl up in an armchair while it's raining outside and that book is Crooked Heart. It is funny and warm and so insightful and moving. An instant classic" -- India Knight Sainsburys Magazine "Evans has a delightful tone, airy and bouncy, but with a perceptive irony and a spattering of caustic details. It recalls carefully constructed, deceptively light comic novels by the likes of Stella Gibbons and Nancy Mitford...And while the horror of war is tilted at, it's also often a source of laughter in the dark. It's a refreshingly crisp approach that allows moments of genuine pathos to be all the more resonant" -- Holly Williams Independent on Sunday "A wonderfully Dickensian novel with satisfying plot twists that invoke the flavour (and scams) of wartime London ... Evans has created a story both darkly funny and deeply touching, it's a crooked journey straight to the heart" -- Judith Newman New York Times Book Review

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe haunting first novel by international multi-million copy bestseller Joanne Harris - a captivating and compelling study of human desires and compulsions. Perfect for fans of Kate Atkinson, Kate Mosse, Eve Chase and Stacey Halls.''A dark, gothic romance filled with mystery, jealousy, and violence . . . an interesting and thrilling read'' - Style Magazine****************************************************************************It''s never easy to face the fact that a man you once loved passionately has found the girl of his dreams, as Alice discovers when Joe introduces her to his new girlfriend.Then Alice finds an old diary and reads about two men and the mysterious woman who bewitched them both, buried in Grantchester churchyard half a century ago.As the stories seem to intertwine, Alice comes to realize that her instinctive hatred of Joe''s new girlfriend may not just be due to jealTrade ReviewA dark, gothic romance filled with mystery, jealousy, and violence...an interesting and a thrilling read * Style Magazine *

Read more less

Book SynopsisBerlin 1920Two babies are born.Two brothers. United and indivisible, sharing everything. Twins in all but blood.As Germany marches into its Nazi Armageddon, the ties of family, friendship and love are tested to the very limits of endurance. And the brothers are faced with an unimaginable choice....Which one of them will survive?Ben Elton''s most personal novel to date,Two Brothers transports the reader to the time of history''s darkest hour.

Read more less

Book SynopsisSeptember 1919: Twenty-year-old Tristan Sadler takes a train from London to Norwich to deliver a clutch of letters to Marian Bancroft.Trade ReviewExtraordinary... The narrative is by turns surprising and tragic in equal measure while its troubling conclusion will stay with readers long after they've closed the book -- Carlo GeblerPowerful, poignant and beautifully written. This will become a classic war novel * Bookseller *Compulsive, stylish and gripping * Reader's Digest *A wonderful, sad, tender book -- Colm ToibinJohn Boyne brings a completely fresh eye to the most important stories. He guides us through the realm of history and makes the journey substantial, poignant and real. He is one of the great craftsmen in contemporary literature -- Colum McCann

Read more less

Book SynopsisFans of Elizabeth Noble, Erica James and Amanda Prowse will love this absorbing, emotionally charged and beautifully written novel from multi-million copy bestselling author Joanna Trollope. Our lives are not always as rock-solid as we think...''Inventive, surprising and fascinating'' - The Times''A page-turner that feels like sinking into a warm, deep bath. With Trollope you are always in safe hands. Highly recommended'' -- Sunday Express''Trollope is shrewdly observant of human interaction'' -- Daily Telegraph''Fascinating'' -- ***** Reader review''Absolutely gripping'' -- ***** Reader review''I could hardly bear to put it down'' -- ***** Reader review''Another unputdownable book from Joanna Trollope'' -- ***** Reader review******************************************************************Trade ReviewTrollope is brilliant at swooping in on a modern dilemma and showing it from every angle... Inventive, surprising and fascinating * The Times *She writes as observantly as ever. There are always those brilliant brief glimpses of some detail which ring wonderfully true * The Spectator *Trollope is shrewdly observant of human interaction * Daily Telegraph *Trollope really knows and understands how people think and behave and she paints them realistically and with love... A page-turner that feels like sinking into a warm, deep bath. With Trollope you are always in safe hands. Highly recommended * Sunday Express *Joanna Trollope is the most emotionally intelligent of contemporary British novelists -- Amanda Craig * Independent *

Read more less

Book SynopsisLife can change in an instant. A cold February morning . . . a snowy road . . . and suddenly all of Mia''s choices are gone. Except one. As alone as she''ll ever be, Mia must make the most difficult choice of all. Gripping, heartrending and ultimately life-affirming, If I Stay will make you appreciate all that you have, all that you''ve lost - and all that might be.Trade ReviewReminiscent of The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold - this is a beautiful book that will move you and make you question your own life * News of the World *This sensitively written story of the power of love and loss presses all the right buttons . . . the intensity of feelings and tragic suddenness with which life changes will strike a chord with teenagers and the young at heart. Read it, as they say, and weep * Daily Mail *This is a wonderful, beautiful book; so gripping, so wise and oh, so heart-breakingly painful -- Carmen ReidIt reminded me very much of The Lovely Bones. I found it uplifting and satisfying -- Anne CassidyThis is a haunting and heartbreaking novel reminiscent of The Lovely Bones . . . Impossible to put down * The Bookseller *

Read more less

Book SynopsisCurtis Sittenfeld is the author of the Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling Rodham. Other novels include American Wife and Prep, both bestsellers and longlisted for the Orange Prize, The Man of My Dreams, Sisterland, Eligible, and the acclaimed short story collections You Think It, I'll Say It and Help Yourself. Her stories have appeared in the New Yorker, Esquire, Oprah Magazine and the New York Times magazine. Sittenfeld was also the guest editor for the 2020 Best American Short Stories anthology. She lives with her family in the American Midwest. Follow her on Twitter @CSittenfeldTrade ReviewSuch an accomplished work of fiction... a thoughtful and compelling examination of the mechanics of family and marriage... Knowing and knowledgeable, yet also inventive and original, American Wife is a thrilling combination of history and surprises * Guardian *Superbly well-written - one of the most absorbing books of the year * Evening Standard *Thoroughly enjoyable. The plot is beautifully paced, the writing quick, clear, absorbing... A sweeping saga * The Times *A powerful, utterly compelling and strangely moving fictional account of a First Lady who bears more than a passing resemblance to Laura Bush * Daily Mirror *I was utterly absorbed in this story of a political marriage and a wife who has her own reasons. Curtis Sittenfeld has thrown a powerful light on small town America and its misunderstood valuesMy favourite book of the year * Kate Atkinson *A quietly riveting parable... thought-provoking, entertaining and full of subtle reflections on class and marriage * Daily Mail *A classic story, with a langorous pace and a fierce literary integrity... Sittenfeld has provided a plausible secret history of an American embarrassment - and a grand entertainmentAmerican Wife is easily one of the best books written so far this century. It is honest, wonderful and smart as hell, the kind of book that you try to eke out to make it last as long as possible * Guardian *This is one of the finest American novels of 2008 * New Statesman *Curtis Sittenfeld is an amazing writer, and American Wife is a brave and moving novel about the intersection of private and public life in America. Ambitious and humble at the same time, Sittenfeld refuses to trivialize or simplify people, whether real or imaginedThe scope and detail of American Wife are reminiscent of Richard Russo. Like Russo, she creates characters from the ground up, ancestry, neighborhood, culture and all... Her characters are carefully rendered and the story is well-constructed * Los Angeles Times *Vastly entertaining... It is an intelligent, well-crafted, psychologically astute novel * New York Sun *Weaves fate, family, marriage, wealth and power into an absorbing story * Mail on Sunday *Utterly brilliantThis engagingly candid First Lady is belssed with so many attractive qualities that her story grips from the very beginning. Full marks to Curtis Sittenfeld * Sunday Telegraph *Best book: I was on the beach in Croatia recently and it was the one book that quite a few women were lying there reading. It was surreal * Best *I truly can't believe what a great writer Sittenfeld is, she's fantastic * The Herald *A deft, funny and revealing story... This clever and convincing portrait of human frailty is a reminder that perhaps none of us is what we might seem. An honest and insightful story of a marriage, and a refreshing take on recent history * Psychologies *When people ask for book recommendations I often press Curtis Sittenfeld’s magnificent third novel, American Wife, into their hands. This loosely fictionalised life of former first lady Laura Bush has a rare and magical combination of accessibility, wit and serious thinking. * The Times *

Read more less

Book Synopsis1918. Boston. A city in turmoil as soldiers return home from World War One, bringing with them an epidemic of Spanish influenza.Danny Coughlin is the son of one of Boston''s most powerful police captains. An undercover cop, he is hunting for revolutionaries and anarchists who, in the aftermath of war, are pledged to overthrow the city''s ruling classes. But Danny soon finds his ideals compromised as, drawn into the conflict, his family starts to question where his loyalties really lie.Luther Lawrence is on the run. Having survived a murderous confrontation with a crime boss, he lands a job in the Coughlin household. But it isn''t long before his dangerous past and his tenuous present are on a life-threatening collision course. As the city goes into meltdown, Danny and Luther must confront the storm of violence that threatens to engulf them if each is to survive...Trade ReviewThis is a sprawling, enthralling novel... every sentence is a treat, every image vivid... an extraordinary freshness and vitality * Sunday Telegraph *This is a book with Big Ambition written all over it: a thick, doorstopping, compulsively readable epic * The Times *Wrenchingly suspenseful... A majestic, fiery epic [with] a rich, intricate story * The New York Times *The acclaimed author of Mystic River has produced a contender for the Big American Novel... not only a powerful, beautifully written novel, but the best kind of history lesson * Daily Mail *The Given Day stands in the great tradition of the American novel, setting an enthralling personal story against a great sweep of history. The result is epic, romantic and intelligent. I loved it -- KATE ATKINSON

Read more less

Book Synopsis1980s Syria, our young narrator is living a secluded life behind the veil in the vast and perfumed house of her grandparents in Aleppo. Her three aunts, Maryam the pious one; Safaa, the liberal; and the free-spirited Marwa, bring her up with the aid of their ever-devoted blind servant. Soon the high walls of the family home are unable to protect her from the social and political changes outside. Witnessing the crackdowns of the ruling dictatorship against Muslims, she is filled with hatred for her oppressors, and becomes increasingly fundamentalist. In the footsteps of her beloved uncle Bakr, she takes on the party, launching herself into a fight for her religion, her country, and ultimately, her own future.On a backdrop of real-life events that occurred during the Syrian regime's ruthless suppression of the Muslim Brotherhood in the 1980s, IN PRAISE OF HATRED is a stirring, sensual story. Its elegant use of traditional, layered storytelling is a powerful echo ofTrade ReviewThe novel is at once startling, creative and bold because of its tight construction and well-drawn characters -- Dr Khaled Hroub, Cambridge UniversityA Balzacian tale full of romance and murder that ranges from Afghanistan to Yemen to Syria * New York Times *Chillingly true to life * Financial Times *That Khalifa has chosen to profile fanaticism from a feminine perspective, rather than the more predictable 'male martyr', is this book's great innovation ... courageous * Independent *Gloriously vivacious and nuanced * Guardian *

Read more less

Book SynopsisWelcome to Mount Misery psychiatric hospital, home of the crazed, the suicidal, the Machiavellian and the wicked. And that''s just the doctors. For Dr Roy Basch, proudly starting his residency there, it is a bewildering and nightmarish experience. The different disciplines appear to compete with one another to find the best ways to reduce the patients to gibbering wrecks. As he immerses himself in the system, he discovers that the process of treating the patients has less to do with making them better and more with maintaining the flow of insurance company money. Basch believes that he can find meaning here, but in an enclosed world which has lost its head, he soon finds that survival, not meaning, is the most valuable lesson he will learn.Mount Misery is hilarious, provocative and terrifying. Filled with biting irony and a wonderful sense of the absurd, it is an absorbing and authentic report from within the crumbling fortress of psychiatry and tells you everything you''ll never learn in therapy. And it''s a hell of a sight funnier too.Trade Review'An engrossing read...darkly entertaining...One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest for the 90s' * San Diego Union Tribune *'Provocative, complex and disturbing...[Shem] writes with enough passion that we care and enough wisdom that we are able to understand' * American Oxonian *'Outrageously funny...a sage and important book' * The Boston Globe *

Read more less

Book SynopsisJohn Irving has been nominated for a National Book Award three times, winning it in 1980 for The World According to Garp. In 1992, he was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma. In 2000, he won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for The Cider House Rules - a film with seven Academy Award nominations. Last Night in Twisted River is his twelfth novel.Trade ReviewLast Night in Twisted River is a big, old-fashioned novel in the best sense; Irving has created in painstaking, loving detail a whole and complete world, a record of momentous social changes, but, above all a testament to the enduring power of love and fiction * Observer *Irving fans will relish this action-packed tale of father-and-son runaways * The Sunday Times *The most poetic and powerful of Irving's work to date * Independent on Sunday *Last Night in Twisted River is a big, old-fashioned novel in the best sense; Irving has created in painstaking, loving detail a whole and complete world, a record of momentous social changes, but, above all a testament to the enduring power of love and fiction * Observer *Nothing less than show-stopping * Guardian *

Read more less

Book SynopsisBY THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF ROMANTIC COMEDY, AMERICAN WIFE and PREP''This addictive novel is the SLIDING DOORS of American politics. Gripping'' Stylist''Startlingly good. One of my favourite writers'' KATE ATKINSON----------------------''Awfully opinionated for a girl'' is what they call Hillary as she grows up in her Chicago suburb.Smart, diligent, and a bit plain, that''s the general consensus. Then Hillary goes to college, and her star rises. At Yale Law School, she continues to be a leader - and catches the eye of driven, handsome and charismatic Bill. But when he asks her to marry him, Hillary gives him a firm No.How might things have turned out for them, for America, for the world itself, if Hillary Rodham had really turned down Bill Clinton?With her sharp but always compassionate eye, Sittenfeld explores the loneliness, moral ambivalence and iron determTrade ReviewThis addictive novel is the SLIDING DOORS of American politics. Gripping * STYLIST *A lot of fun. A wonderful, sad dream of what might have happened * GUARDIAN *An explosive new book * GRAZIA *Sittenfeld's RODHAM offers the catharsis of uncomplicated regret * THE NEW YORKER *While telling a compelling story, RODHAM provides an insightful analysis of the function of sexim in our political discourse. Sittenfeld is at her wittiest when recreating the men who dominate American politics * WASHINGTON POST *A nauseating, moving, morally suggestive, technically brilliant book that made me think more than any in recent memory about the aims and limits of fiction * NPR *Hugely enjoyable * WALL STREET JOURNAL *This isn't just fiction as fantasy, this is fiction as therapy. A serious work of literary fiction designed to rally the spirits of liberal readers * SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE *‘An ingenious yet plausible glimpse of an alternative reality, and so involving that it occasionally comes as a shock to realise that there is a different reality, and we are living in it’ * THE SPECTATOR *‘By tilting history on its side, Sittenfeld makes Hillary seem a fresh character and remarkably sympathetic’ * EVENING STANDARD *‘RODHAM explores the mysterious territory between the inner and outer lives of a person who has long been a source of fascination, adulation and loathing’ * FINANCIAL TIMES *‘Getting inside a living person’s head sounds like a colossally bad idea, but Sittenfeld makes it convincing here, just as she did with a character based on First Lady Laura Bush in her 2008 novel, AMERICAN WIFE’ * BBC CULTURE *Deviously clever . . . Sittenfeld’s Hillary is both a player in the Game of Thrones and a romance novel heroine. She’s a brilliant badass who has found her voice and knows how to use it. She’s whoever she wants to be * THE OPRAH MAGAZINE *As Hillary finds her groove, so the momentum and entertainment builds, as does your admiration for how ingeniously and plausibly Sittenfeld has re-written the script * DAILY MAIL *A counterfactual novel ... throbs with energy * TLS *A fascinating glimpse into an alternative future * DAILY MIRROR *Pacy... plenty of sex and gossip - and a cameo from a certain yellow-haired, orange-faced president-to-be... ripe for TV adaptation * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH *A brilliantly smart re-imagining * WOMAN AND HOME *Sittenfeld's writing is so fine, her characters so vivid, her empathy so profound that she manages to absorb the reader on a level that transcends partisanship. In 2020, that was a remarkable achievement and an enormous gift to her readers * THE NEW YORKER *It ends up being a love letter to a type: the female intellectual, who is given none of the licence of her less talented male peers. At the end, i found myself saying Oh My God * OBSERVER *A triumphant feminist reinvention. Sittenfeld is the bard of presidential female adjacents * VOGUE *RODHAM is wide- ranging political anthropology, concerned not so much with what makes Hillary tick as it is with the culture around her and how she might have shaped events, and been shaped by them, if the pieces of reality's jigsaw were rearranged just so. It's stippled with clever mischief * NEW YORK TIMES *A smartly structured character study and a stay- up- all- night plot . . . A captivating and durable story containing rooms within rooms. RODHAM turns into a high- speed bildungsroman about a woman of formidable intellect and self- insight. * THE LOS ANGELES TIMES *It's the genius of Sittenfeld's prose that we come to understand this ambivalence,as well as the deep conflicts in this complicated character. In the longing and loneliness, the anger as well as ambition, this Hillary makes RODHAM a compelling portrait of a future that might have been. * THE BOSTON GLOBE *Tantalizing . . . part thought experiment, part wish- fulfillment fantasy . . . delectably discussable, a book tailor- made for book clubs. * USA TODAY *Wildly compelling . . . What RODHAM is interested in is examining what feminine ambition looks like when it is untethered from a man. . . . Sittenfeld is free to invent, and the reality she builds is deliciously dishy. * VOX *Thought-provoking and compelling * SUNDAY EXPRESS *A moving feat of feminist and novelistic imagination * THE TABLET *

Read more less

Book SynopsisDuring a snowstorm in England in 1910, the same baby is born and lives to tell the tale. What if there were second chances? And third chances? In fact an infinite number of chances to live your life? Would you eventually be able to save the world from its own inevitable destiny? And would you even want to?Trade ReviewKate Atkinson’s new novel is a box of delights. Ingenious in construction, indefatigably entertaining, it grips the reader’s imagination on the first page and never lets go. If you wish to be moved and astonished, read it. And if you want to give a dazzling present, buy it for your friends. * Hilary Mantel *There aren't enough breathless adjectives to describe Life After Life: Dazzling, witty, moving, joyful, mournful, profound. Wildly inventive, deeply felt. Hilarious. Humane. Simply put: it's ONE OF THE BEST NOVELS I'VE READ THIS CENTURY. * Gillian Flynn, no1 New York Times bestselling author of Gone Girl and Sharp Objects *Truly brilliant...Think of Audrey Niffenegger's The TimeTraveler's Wife or David Nicholl's One Day...[or] Martin Amis's Times Arrow...This is a rare book that you want, Ursula-like, to start again the minute you have finished. * The Times *Absolutely brilliant...it reminded me a bit of her first book Behind the Scenes at the Museum, which is one of my most favourite books ever. * Marian Keyes (newsletter) *What makes Atkinson an exceptional writer...is that she does so with an emotional delicacy and understanding that transcend experiment or playfulness. Life After Life gives us a heroine whose fictional underpinning is permanently exposed, whose artificial status is never in doubt; and yet one who feels painfully, horribly real to us. * Guardian *Merging family saga with a fluid sense of time and an extraordinarily vivid sense of history at its most human level. A dizzying and dazzling tour de force. * Daily Mail *Deliriously inventive, sharply imagined and ultimately affecting...Atkinson has written something that amounts to so much more than the sum of its (very many) parts. It almost seems to imply that there are new and mysterious things to feel and say about the nature of life and death, the passing of time, fate and possibility.. . [a]magnificently tender and humane novel. * Observer *Brilliant...more than just a terrific story about the impact of one existence on another. Atkinson can knock the socks off any rival in terms of skill and style...The tour de force of the book, though, is Atkinson's recreation of the Blitz...unputdownable * Evening Standard *Stunned with tiredness thanks to Kate Atkinson's LIFE AFTER LIFE. Couldn't stop reading. Terrific novel, may be her best yet. So enthralling, so well written, so beautifully constructed. Really, I can't fault it. Will be one of my books of the year. * Val McDermid (Twitter) *World events, reimagined characters and second chances told with warmth, wit and consummate skill. -- Fanny Blake * Woman & Home *Startlingly brilliant...endlessly rich -- James Walton * Reader's Digest *Life After Life is to be applauded for its inventiveness, and for reminding us of lives vanished without trace or memory in the waste and monstrosity of war. * Literary Review *Atkinson, like Audrey Niffenegger before her with the similarly ambitious The Time Traveller's Wife, is a confident enough writer to bear her high concept along well above water level * Scotsman *Atkinson's great skill is in portraying the exquisite tapestry of [life] with warmth, humour and immense humanity. * Yorkshire Post *one of the most innovative, pacy plots of any recent novel * Psychologies Magazine *Kate Atkinson’s new novel is a box of delights. Ingenious in construction, indefatigably entertaining, it grips the reader’s imagination on the first page and never lets go. If you wish to be moved and astonished, read it. And if you want to give a dazzling present, buy it for your friends. * Hilary Mantel *There aren't enough breathless adjectives to describe Life After Life: Dazzling, witty, moving, joyful, mournful, profound. Wildly inventive, deeply felt. Hilarious. Humane. Simply put: it's ONE OF THE BEST NOVELS I'VE READ THIS CENTURY. -- Gillian Flynn,no1 New York Times author of Gone Girl, and Sharp ObjectsTruly brilliant...Think of Audrey Niffenegger's The TimeTraveler's Wife or David Nicholl's One Day...[or] Martin Amis's Times Arrow, his rewinding of the Holocaust that was shortlisted for the Booker. Life After Life should have the popular success of the former and deserves to win prizes, too. It has that kind of thrill to it, of an already much-loved novelist taking a leap, and breaking through to the next level...This is a rare book that you want, Ursula-like, to start again the minute you have finished. -- Helen Rumbelow * The Times *What makes Atkinson an exceptional writer – and this is her most ambitious and most gripping work to date – is that she does so with an emotional delicacy and understanding that transcend experiment or playfulness. Life After Life gives us a heroine whose fictional underpinning is permanently exposed, whose artificial status is never in doubt; and yet one who feels painfully, horribly real to us. -- Alex Clark * Guardian *Merging family saga with a fluid sense of time and an extraordinarily vivid sense of history at its most human level. A dizzying and dazzling tour de force. -- Amber Pearson * Daily Mail *

Read more less

Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE 2015 COSTA NOVEL AWARD AND BESTSELLING LITERARY PAPERBACK OF THE YEAR''Atkinson''s finest work, and confirmation that her genre-defying writing continues to surprise and dazzle'' ObserverA God in Ruins relates the life of Teddy Todd would-be poet, heroic World War II bomber pilot, husband, father, and grandfather as he navigates the perils and progress of the 20th century. For all Teddy endures in battle, his greatest challenge will be to face living in a future he never expected to have. This gripping, often deliriously funny yet emotionally devastating book looks at war that great fall of Man from grace and the effect it has, not only on those who live through it, but on the lives of the subsequent generations. It is also about the infinite magic of fiction. Few will dispute that it proves once again that Kate Atkinson is one of the most exceptional novelists of our age.''A dazzling read...ends on one of the most devastating twists in recent fiction'' DAILY TELEGRAPHTrade ReviewTriumphant...such a dazzling read...Atkinson gives Teddy's wartime experiences the full treatment in a series of thrilling set pieces. Even more impressive,though, is her ability to invest the more everday events with a similar grandeur...almost as innovative as Atkinson's technique in Life After Life - a possibly more authentic as an expression of how it feels to be alive...it ends on one of the most devastating twists in recent fiction...it adds a further level of overwhelming poignancy to an already extraordinarily affecting book. * Daily Telegraph *There are glimpses of Sebastian Faulks' Birdsong and Ian McEwan's Atonement...But most poignantly, this is a sweeping, all-consuming novel that finds its way into your bloodstream and writes off your Sunday afternoon...truly extraordinary. * Stylist *Engrossing...convincing and moving...I doubt that Atkinson's readers will be disappointed. * Sunday Times *Subtly fine new novel…Ms Atkinson’s artistry…is marvellously delicate and varied…devastating. * New York Times *This book is particularly lovely and melancholy...one of those writers that really can make you weep on one page and laugh on the next... She just has such a vast humanity for her characters. * NPR *Heartbreaking...an ambitious, sensitive and beautifully written novel by one of our most gifted storytellers. * Daily Express *The tender exploration of themes of family, love and loss contribute to the impact of this story that, like Life After Life, is beautifully written, stunningly constructed, and will linger long in the memory. Superb. * Sunday Mirror *As ever, Kate Atkinson is adept at ferreting her way into the minds of unlovely characters until you feel you know and understand them...While this is a tale of a life spared, the tone is one of elegy. * Daily Mail *Magnificent...In A God in Ruins, she's written not only a companion to her earlier book, but a novel that takes its place in the line of powerful works about young men and war, stretching from Stephen Crane's Red Badge of Courage to Kevin Powers' The Yellow Birds and Ben Fountain's Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk. * Washington Post *Kate Atkinson just keeps getting better…A God in Ruins is a stunner…I laughed out loud…this bleak and beautiful book…Atkinson’s genre-bending novels have garnered critical praise, but nothing on the order of a Rushdie, or even an Ian McEwan. A God in Ruins should change that. * Chicago Tribune *A sprawling, unapologetically ambitious saga that tells the story of postwar Britain through the microcosm of a single family, and you remember what a big, old-school novel can do...especially impressive. * New York Times Book Review *Atkinson follows up her Costa Award-winning Life After Life with a dazzling novel about the genteel Todd family… The narrative is less slippery, but no less compelling. * People *A riveting exploration of the complexities of family life * Psychologies *Kate Atkinson's understanding of how we work is off the scale * Sainsbury's Magazine *If you were blown away by Life After Life, you'll be dazzled by this companion piece...an extraordinary tour de force. * Woman and Home *

Read more less

Book SynopsisSophie Kinsella is an international bestselling writer and former financial journalist. She is the author of the number one bestsellers Can You Keep A Secret?, The Undomestic Goddess, Remember Me? and Twenties Girl, as well as the hugely popular Shopaholic novels, the first of which is now the hit Hollywood movie Confessions of a Shopaholic.As Madeleine Wickham she has written seven bestselling novels. She lives in London with her husband and children.Trade ReviewHugely enjoyable * Daily Mail *

Read more less

Book SynopsisAt eighteen, Milly was up for anything. So when a friend asked her to marry him just so that he could stay in England, she didn''t hesitate. To make it seem real she dressed up in wedding finery and posed on the steps of the registry office for photographs.Now, ten years later, Milly is a very different person. Engaged to Simon - who is good-looking, wealthy and adores her - she is about to have the biggest and most elaborate wedding imaginable, all masterminded by her mother. Nobody knows about her first marriage, so it''s almost as though it never happened - isn''t it?But with only four days to go, it looks as though Milly''s past is going to catch up with her. Can she sort things out before her fairytale wedding collapses around her? How can she tell Simon? And worse still, how can she tell her mother ...?Trade ReviewGutsy prose and an excellent ear for social comedy * Independent *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThree women, smart and successful, working in the fast and furious world of magazines, meet for cocktails and gossip once a month.Roxanne: glamorous, self-confident, with a secret lover - and hoping that one day he will leave his wife and marry her.Maggie:capable and high-achieving, until she finds the one thing she can''t cope with - motherhood.Candice:honest, decent, or so she believes - until a ghost from her past turns up, and almost ruins her life.A chance encounter in the cocktail bar sets in train an extraordinary set of events which upsets all their lives and almost destroys their friendship...Trade ReviewThese three women fairly sashay - or should that be stagger - off the page * Marie Claire *

Read more less

Book Synopsis_____________From the bestselling author of ROMANTIC COMEDY, RODHAM, AMERICAN WIFE and YOU THINK IT, I''LL SAY IT.''Sittenfeld writes girls and women as they truly are, with shades of light and dark, with and without grace, apologetic as well as fearless'' GUARDIAN''PREP might just be my favourite book'' PANDORA SYKES''Sittenfeld shares with Salinger a knack of capturing, in effortless prose, a teenager mindset'' THE TIMES_____________Lee Fiora is a shy fourteen-year-old when she leaves small-town Indiana for a scholarship at Ault, an exclusive boarding school in Massachusetts. Her head is filled with images from the school brochure of handsome boys in sweaters leaning against old brick buildings, girls running with lacrosse sticks across pristine athletics fields, everyone singing hymns in chapel. But as she soon learns, Ault is a minefield of unstated rules and incomprehensible social rituaTrade ReviewThe OC meets Donna Tartt's The Secret History with flashes of Clueless... Sittenfeld's strength is in making the experience feel universal...Everyone will wince with recognition at the horror of being a teenager. It's great to relive it all, now that it is happening to someone else. * Observer *Straightforward, serious, funny...There is so much that is right about this book. Sittenfeld captures the hothouse atmosphere of boarding-school, the way you see even people you don't like in their underwear...Mostly, however, it's Lee's voice that makes all this worthwhile. * London Review of Books *Curtis Sittenfeld shares with Salinger a knack of capturing, in effortless prose, a teenager mindset...It feels important...Most vitally of all, it feels like adolescence. * The Times *You don't have to have attended an elite Massachusetts boarding school to find yourself reliving your adolescence in Curtis Sittenfeld's Prep...Even the Cross Sugarmans (major crush) and Aspeth Montgomerys (long legs, super popular) of this world will cringe with recognition at the book's fine-knit accuracy and detail. * Vogue *Sweet Valley High as written by George Eliot. Sittenfeld is a pin-sharp observer, and in Prep she needles away at class, race and character...Prep will appeal to any age...A highly accomplished novel. * Independent on Sunday *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe eighth novel in the beloved Tales of the City series, Armistead Maupin's best-selling San Francisco saga.''Perhaps the most sublime piece of popular literature America has ever produced' Salon____________________A touching portrait of friendship, family, and fresh starts, the City by the Bay welcomes back Mary Ann Singleton, the beloved Tales of the City heroine who started it all. A new chapter begins in the lives of both Mary Ann and Michael Mouse' Tolliver when she returns to San Francisco to rejoin her oldest friend after years in New York City the reunion that fans of Maupin's beloved Tales of the City series have been awaiting for years.Hurdling barriers both social and sexual, Maupin leads the eccentric tenants of Barbary Lane through heartbreak and triumph, through nail-biting terrors and gleeful coincidences in a sexually-liberated San Francisco. The result is a glittering and addictive Trade ReviewOld friends, good times and a powerful conclusion: Maupin feels the love and shares it with his readers * Financial Times *The cultural references are still fresh... The characters still compelling * Independent on Sunday *The kind of writer who doesn't have readers so much as devotees... Maupin at his rapturous best * Guardian *Like slipping into a warm, scented bath. Maupin's back, with an eighth instalment of his lovely Tales of the City series... Lie back and enjoy * The Times *Those who loved the last book will rejoice in the fact that Maupin hasn't finished with these much-loved characters yet. More please * Time Out *

Read more less