Contemporary fiction titles are those which focus on the present or near past. Stories rooted in the current cultural, social, and political landscape which feature characters we can all recognise.
Contemporary Fiction Books
Amazon Publishing Life Loss and Puffins
Book SynopsisAn exhilarating and emotional novel about grief, hope, friendship, and taking life one beautiful and spontaneous day at a time by New York Times bestselling author Catherine Ryan Hyde.Freakishly smart. That’s the unwelcome box Ru Evans is put into for life. After all, she taught herself Euclidean geometry at age seven, has an eidetic memory, and is about to enter college at thirteen years old.Boarding at a house near campus 150 miles from home, Ru meets seventeen-year-old Gabriel, an outsider himself who, like Ru, has trouble making friends—until they form a fast sibling-like bond. Finding a relatable someone in the world to talk to is a first for both of them.But when Ru’s mother dies and the threat of living with her miserable aunt looms, Ru hatches an escape. It’s an impulsive road trip that takes Ru and Gabriel from California to Canada, where Ru can fulfill her ultimate dream: to see Atlantic puffins in the glorious wil
£8.54
Amazon Publishing The Berlin Sisters
Book SynopsisFrom the bestselling author of The Secret Midwife comes a story of bravery, sacrifice and resilience in war-torn Berlin—and two sisters who will risk it all to make a difference.Berlin, 1943: Ava Müller is a proud supporter of the German war effort, working for Joseph Goebbels alongside her father, a high-ranking official in the Reich. With her sister Hanna, a nurse, braving bombing raids to save lives, they are a model Nazi family. Until Ava discovers her parents and Hanna are secretly working for the resistance…Returning to their country home, Ava is shocked to find her childhood friend Eliana Goldman and her family hidden in the attic. Suddenly she faces a stark choice: denounce her family, as she’s been taught, or betray her country. She knows only too well what happens to traitors—but as Eliana’s story of terror at the hands of the Nazis unravels, Ava realises her loyalty to the regime has blinded her to the
£8.54
Amazon Publishing Someplace Like Home
Book SynopsisA mother and daughter in Appalachia unpack the traumas of the past in a powerful and reflective novel about family, healing, and moving on by the author of A Woman in Time.Jenny Caudill grows up in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in a home that feels more like a trap. Shy, ignored by boys, and wearing her sisters’ hand-me-downs, Jenny spends her time lost in the promises of romantic pop songs and daydreaming in the back seat of her daddy’s junked Bel Air. There’s got to be more to life.When she catches the eye of the older Rob Lewis, a dangerous relationship begins. Her mother’s warnings go ignored. After a brush with death and an impulsive marriage in Tennessee, Jenny becomes a mother herself. But her love story is far from the one she envisioned. Trading one trap for another darker one, she is stuck between trying to avoid her husband’s violent moods and taking an unknown risk by grabbing her children, running, a
£16.99
Amazon Publishing The Last Time I Saw You
Book SynopsisShe’s waiting to become a mother—but first she has to find her own.Weeks away from the birth of her first child, Georgie should be enjoying the peace of her new life in the country, but boredom has settled in and nerves are running high. A viral news story about the rescue of a missing child warms her heart until she sees the photo: the woman who found the child is her own mother, Nancy, who disappeared twenty years ago.How could Nancy have abandoned her own children? Georgie needs to know before becoming a mother herself, even if it means calling on her estranged brother Dan for support. As the siblings set off on a road trip towards the Scottish island where Nancy was last seen, they don’t yet know that her side of the story has just as much heartache as their own.Caught between her new life and old secrets, Georgie must make peace with the past. Can she and Dan unite to uncover the truth? And can piecing together Nancy’s story f
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Amazon Publishing Summer Ever After
Book SynopsisCan love bloom again under the heat of the Spanish sun?Ten years ago, while travelling before starting a cookery apprenticeship, Alice fell head over heels for Barcelona: the food, the sun and the gorgeous Andy Hall…Family tragedy sent her back to London, but now, finally, she’s been given the chance to return. Only to find herself working alongside none other than Andy, the only man to ever break her heart.The decade apart has changed them both, though he still has his frustratingly good looks—and is Alice imagining it or does the spark that always existed between them still burn just as brightly? Not ready to risk getting hurt again, she focuses on exploring the culinary delights of the city, and begins to remember a life she once dreamed of…As Alice rediscovers a world of possibilities under the hot Spanish sun, could there be a second chance for Andy and the love they used to share? Perhaps the vibrant flavours of Barcelona mig
£8.54
Amazon Publishing The Light Over Lake Como
Book SynopsisTwo lovers separated in war-torn Italy struggle to reunite in a riveting and heartrending historical novel by the bestselling author of Once Night Falls and From These Broken Streets.It’s 1945. The Nazi occupation of Italy is in its closing days. But risk is ever present.It’s been nearly two years since Sarah Zinsi found tenuous sanctuary in Switzerland. Unmoored in a foreign land, she heeds a rumor that her village on the Lake Como shore has been liberated. Clutching her young daughter, Sarah navigates the arduous mountain trek back home to be with Luca Benedetto, the father of her child.A resister to the end, Luca has one last assignment: assassinate Mussolini, the man who destroyed everything Luca cherished and who forced the love of his life to flee. Sarah’s path crosses that of a charismatic and kindly black marketeer turned partisan spy. He vows to keep mother and child safe as Luca’s perilous mission escalates
£8.54
Amazon Publishing The Promise of Tomorrow
Book SynopsisFrom the author of The Brighter the Light comes the moving story about one woman’s reason for leaving home and the love that brings her back.When Olympia leaves her small Virginia town, she doesn’t expect to look back, much less ever come home. But after a year on the road, her sister’s engagement pulls Olympia into everything she left behind: her family, her husband, and the grief she’s been trying to forget.She’s determined to stay a few days, maybe a week—just enough time to visit gravestones and sign off on the divorce her husband, Spencer, asked for. But he’s reeling from their shared loss, as well as complications with his aging parents, leaving his heart just as fragile as Olympia’s. The more time they spend in each other’s orbit, the less sure they are they’ll be able to walk away for good.As family secrets come to light and family bonds stretch to the breaking point, Olympia must
£8.54
Amazon Publishing The Lost Letters of Aisling
Book SynopsisA woman faces the past she fled in a heart-stirring novel about unforgettable love and indomitable courage by the Amazon Charts bestselling author of The Lighthouse Keeper.Rainey’s grandmother makes a startling request: Take me home. To Ireland, the country she fled post-World War II. Though they’re inseparably close, Rainey knows few of her grandmother’s secrets. Until they arrive at Aisling—the majestic estate on the southern coast of Ireland where her grandmother was raised—and Rainey discovers a collection of seventy-year-old letters in a trunk.Dublin, 1945. The Germans surrender, celebrants crowd the streets, and fourteen-year-old Evie meets her best friend, the spirited Harding McGovern. Years on, they are more like sisters when rumors begin that Harding works in the black market trade—a source of wealth that could give her a dream life in America but could also cause great danger. Evie is uncertain of the
£8.54
Amazon Publishing The Waves Take You Home
Book SynopsisIn this heartfelt story about how the places we run from hold the answers to our deepest challenges, the death of her grandmother brings a young woman home, where she must face the past in order to become the heir of not just the family restaurant, but her own destiny. Violeta Sanoguera had always done what she was told. She left the man she loved in Colombia in pursuit of a better life for herself and because her mother and grandmother didn’t approve of him. Chasing dreams of education and art in New York City, and with a new love, twenty-eight-year-old Violeta establishes a new life for herself, on her terms. But when her grandmother suddenly dies, everything changes. After years of being on her own in NYC, Violeta finds herself on a plane back to Colombia, accompanied at all times by the ghost of her grandmother who is sending her messages and signs, to find she is the heir of the failing family restaurant, the very one Abuela told her to run from in t
£16.99
Amazon Publishing A Heart Like Home
Book SynopsisFinding family is a journey of love, risk, secrets, and healing in a powerful novel by the bestselling author of A Brighter Flame, The Passing Storm, and The Road She Left Behind.When Nova Doubeck is asked to foster two children, she can’t say no. With her own childhood wounds healed by adoptive parents, Nova understands the rewards of a caring guardian—even an impermanent one. But nine-year-old Henry and his seven-year-old sister, Bella, are more than Nova bargained for.Combative Henry is at risk of becoming like his abusive father, Egan Croy. Timid Bella, clutching a tin box of treasures, cowers at the slightest noise. Yet Nova gradually earns their trust and affection as they bring unexpected love and joy to her guarded life. Now she can’t help but wonder: How will she stop her heart from breaking when the time comes to say goodbye?As Egan aggressively battles to regain control over the children, Nova’s prot
£8.54
Amazon Publishing The Waves Take You Home
Book SynopsisIn this heartfelt story about how the places we run from hold the answers to our deepest challenges, the death of her grandmother brings a young woman home, where she must face the past in order to become the heir of not just the family restaurant, but her own destiny. Violeta Sanoguera had always done what she was told. She left the man she loved in Colombia in pursuit of a better life for herself and because her mother and grandmother didn’t approve of him. Chasing dreams of education and art in New York City, and with a new love, twenty-eight-year-old Violeta establishes a new life for herself, on her terms. But when her grandmother suddenly dies, everything changes. After years of being on her own in NYC, Violeta finds herself on a plane back to Colombia, accompanied at all times by the ghost of her grandmother who is sending her messages and signs, to find she is the heir of the failing family restaurant, the very one Abuela told her to run from in t
£8.54
Amazon Publishing Hypnotized by Love
Book SynopsisThe power of suggestion does wonders for the heart in an absolutely captivating romantic comedy by Sariah Wilson, the bestselling author of The Chemistry of Love.Hypnotist Savannah Sinclair is known for helping clients overcome their deep-rooted issues, from anxiety to addiction. But her nontraditional approach also attracts plenty of skeptics—including her high school nemesis and rival, Mason Beckett, who just so happens to be the boy who broke her heart.Mason’s life hasn’t gone according to plan. His latest novel was a flop, and the only gig he can land is writing a scathing exposé of his hometown hypnotist, Savannah. But in order to write an authentic article, he has to be a willing participant. Hypnosis is the last thing he expected: he’s shedding his negative nature and opening himself up to new experiences…and when a fire alarm interrupts their session, Mason walks out into the real world entranced and sporting a s
£8.54
Amazon Publishing Date Week
Book SynopsisFrom the author of Schooled comes a witty rom-com about one couple on the cusp of new beginnings who suddenly find themselves wrestling with the past while contemplating their future.Will Easterly leads a great life in Chicago. The postcollege uncertainty of his twenties behind him, he’s married to Rachel Armas, love of his life, and in just a few months he’ll become a father too. But instead of feeling excited, he finds himself doubting his ability to be a good parent. Probably because his own dad walked out when Will was only a kid.So the day Rachel comes home in tears, he jumps at the chance to bury his own insecurities and focus on her. Turns out she was just offered her dream job…in Los Angeles. Already overwhelmed by the prospect of motherhood, Rachel turns it down, leaving Will to worry she’ll come to regret the decision.Inspired by their binge-watching of the hit reality show Date Me Now!, Will plans a date we
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Amazon Publishing Find Me in California
Book SynopsisAn achingly romantic novel about chance meetings, buried secrets, and the multiple facets of love and family bonds by Wall Street Journal bestselling author Kerry Lonsdale.Raised by her fiercely passionate and free-spirited grandmother, Julia Hope has never gone without love. But as she tends to her only living relative during her final days, Julia struggles to overcome her fear of being alone.A thousand miles away, Matt Gatlin has managed to avoid the coldhearted grandmother with whom he once lived. But after twelve years of her being blessedly out of sight, she needs him. His resentments still raw, Matt packs up his car and reluctantly heads to California to confront a bitter past he thought was long gone.Over the next six days, Julia’s and Matt’s fates intersect. An old diary exposes the tragedy of a long-lost love. A history of secrets in two families comes to light. And on a lonely back road, Matt picks up an unusual yet captivatin
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Amazon Publishing The Lies Among Us
Book SynopsisFrom the award-winning author of The Bone Maker and The Lake House comes a haunting novel about sisterhood and grief, where difficult truths must contend with the corrosive power of unchecked lies.After her mother dies, Hannah doesn’t know how to exist without her. Literally. In fact, Hannah’s not even certain that she does exist. No one seems to see or hear her, and she finds herself utterly alone. Grief-stricken and confused, her sense of self slowly slipping away, Hannah sets out to find new purpose in life—and answers about who (and what) she really is.Hannah’s only remaining family is her older sister, Leah. Yet even Leah doesn’t seem to notice her. And while Hannah can see and hear her sister, she also sees beautiful and terrible things that don’t—or shouldn’t—exist. She learns there’s much more to this world than meets the eye and struggles to make sense of it all.
£8.54
Amazon Publishing The Curse of the Flores Women
Book SynopsisIn this haunting novel about the enduring bonds of womanhood, a young girl weaves together the truth behind her family history and the secrets that resonate through generations.Eighteen-year-old Alice Ribeiro is constantly fighting—against the status quo, female oppression in Brazil, and even her own mother. But when a family veil is passed down to her, Alice is compelled to fight for the rights of all womankind while also uncovering the hidden history of the women in her family.Seven generations ago, the small town of Bom Retiro shunned the Flores women because of a “curse” that rendered them unlucky in love. With no men on the horizon to take care of them, the women learned the art of lacemaking to build lives of their own. But their peace was soon threatened by forces beyond any woman’s control.As Alice begins piecing together the tapestry that is her history, she discovers revelations about the past, connections to the present,
£13.32
Amazon Publishing The Bootleggers Daughter
Book SynopsisIn Prohibition-era Los Angeles, two women on opposite sides of the law must take control of their lives, make their marks, and try to survive. Even if it means crossing the line.It’s 1927. Letty Hart’s father is long gone, but his old winery provides a meager wage and a legal livelihood for selling sacramental wine. But when that contract goes bust, Letty stumbles upon a desperate option: her father’s hidden cellar—and enough liquor to tempt Letty to bootleg the secret stash. In an underworld dominated by merciless men, Letty is building an empire.Officer Annabel Forman deserves to be the first female detective in the LAPD. But after two years on the force, she’s still consigned to clerical work and policing dance halls. When Annabel connects a series of unsolved murders to bootlegging, it’s a chance at a real investigation. Under the thumb of dismissive male superiors, Annabel is building her case.As their formerly unc
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Amazon Publishing Hurt Mountain
Book SynopsisAn estranged mother and father join forces to uncover the truth about their missing daughter in a haunting novel about trauma, loss, family, and hope.When patrolman Brandon Hall comes upon a broken-down car on a Colorado highway, he finds a young girl in a bloodied nightgown at the wheel. In the back seat, the brutalized body of a teenage boy. The girl will say only one word: Hurt.When the girl is admitted to the hospital, the doctor on call is Brandon’s ex-wife, Olivia Blake. For Olivia and Brandon, the traumatized Jane Doe opens a floodgate of memories. It’s been four years since they shared their own tragedy—the unsolved disappearance of their eight-year-old daughter, Carly, and the end of their marriage. As Olivia focuses on Jane Doe’s care, Brandon makes a startling discovery: a series of disappearances from across the country, over decades, that could finally lead to the truth about their missing daughter.But will unra
£8.54
Amazon Publishing What Is Love
Book SynopsisHead and heart collide in a story of polar-opposite rivals that’s anything but trivial in this game show romance from Midnight Duet author Jen Comfort.Answer: From the Latin word for crossroads, this is knowledge so common as to be obscure, the pursuit of which engages millions daily. Question: What is trivia?Trivia is the magic in the mundane, the connection in the commonplace, and Maxine Hart’s second-favorite pastime. A self-proclaimed Brooklyn street rat and a high school dropout, Maxine has never been a fan of formal education, but thanks to her ADHD “superpowers,” she’s a glutton for knowledge—and a good fight. And when Maxine enters the trivia game show Answers!, her brilliance, coupled with her penchant for big bets, devastates her competition. Even record-holding, 76-time-winner Teddy Ferguson.Or was it their kiss the night before they faced off that threw the buttoned-up professor o
£8.54
Amazon Publishing Blank
Book SynopsisA wife, mother, and frustrated writer faces an impossible deadline for turning her life around in a hilarious debut novel about family, friendship, success, and exhilarating self-(re)discovery.Pippa Jones is a fortyish former literary sensation who fears she will be a one-hit wonder. After the follow-up book she was almost done writing, Podlusters, had to be tossed (it ended up sharing a plot and title with superstar author Ella Rankin’s summer blockbuster!), she couldn’t write a thing. Months of staring at a blank page made her confidence vanish like a one-night stand. When she finds out that she has only five days left to finish (or rather, start) or repay an advance she’s already spent, Pippa has a brilliantly original idea. Okay, fine, her twelve-year-old son came up with it as a joke, but Pippa and her teenage daughter approved.Pippa’s not only going to make a bold statement, but she’ll change the book worl
£8.54
Amazon Publishing Mr. Wicked
Book SynopsisAn alpha billionaire dedicated to no-strings pleasure. A woman committed to changing his wicked mind. Together they ignite a steaming-hot romance by the USA Today bestselling author of Mr. Hook-up.Grayson Tanner has had better days. Coming off the successful international launch of Hooked, the hook-up app he cofounded with his two best friends, and a night with one of the sexiest women he’s ever met, he’s now in a PR nightmare. A video of him has gone viral—a toast to the indulgence of bachelorhood. It’s a bad look for the creator of the app’s marriage arm. As memberships plummet amid a media firestorm, his PR firm has a new narrative to quell the flames: Grayson has to get married. Fast.Hello, Jovana Winters—social media influencer and Grayson’s former one-night stand. The one-night stand he has yet to move on from mentally. Their immediate connection is undeniable. In front of the camera, they̵
£8.54
Amazon Publishing Blank
Book SynopsisA wife, mother, and frustrated writer faces an impossible deadline for turning her life around in a hilarious debut novel about family, friendship, success, and exhilarating self-(re)discovery.Pippa Jones is a fortyish former literary sensation who fears she will be a one-hit wonder. After the follow-up book she was almost done writing, Podlusters, had to be tossed (it ended up sharing a plot and title with superstar author Ella Rankin’s summer blockbuster!), she couldn’t write a thing. Months of staring at a blank page made her confidence vanish like a one-night stand. When she finds out that she has only five days left to finish (or rather, start) or repay an advance she’s already spent, Pippa has a brilliantly original idea. Okay, fine, her twelve-year-old son came up with it as a joke, but Pippa and her teenage daughter approved.Pippa’s not only going to make a bold statement, but she’ll change the book worl
£16.99
Amazon Publishing All Our Tomorrows
Book SynopsisFrom New York Times bestselling author Catherine Bybee comes the story of a reluctant billionaire who takes on his father’s empire, its dark secrets, and a fiery assistant he can’t get out of his head.When Chase Stone’s estranged father dies, leaving his multibillion-dollar business to his children, no one is more surprised than Chase. Growing up outside of the high-stakes world filled with human vultures, Chase and his sister, Alex, are less than enthusiastic about stepping into their father’s shoes. That is until they learn of a half brother they didn’t know existed and must find to share their inheritance with.Piper Maddox was the elder Mr. Stone’s übercapable assistant—abruptly fired two weeks before his death. She knows everything about Stone Enterprises and the man who built it. But Piper has no desire to work for another member of the Stone family. Even one as down-to-earth as Chase.Desperately
£8.54
Amazon Publishing Rich Justice
Book SynopsisIn this twisty thriller from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Robert Bailey, a disgraced attorney’s mistakes come back to haunt him when he’s tried for a murder he didn’t commit.Once the flashy, successful lawyer known for his in-your-face billboards—IN AN ACCIDENT? GET RICH—Jason Rich has fallen from grace, his reputation scrubbed of its glitz and his life stripped of the people he cares about. All thanks to meth kingpin Tyson Cade.But when Cade is shot and killed in the heart of his territory, things go from bad to worse for Jason as he is charged with his murder.To clear his name, Jason seeks help from an unlikely source: Shay Lankford, an old adversary and attorney almost as disgraced as Jason himself. Now Jason and Shay have even more to lose—their lives—as they dig into the dangerous truth behind Tyson Cade’s murder.Neither time nor evidence is on their side, but after everything he
£8.54
Amazon Publishing The Promise of Tomorrow
Book SynopsisFrom the author of The Brighter the Light comes the moving story about one woman’s reason for leaving home and the love that brings her back.When Olympia leaves her small Virginia town, she doesn’t expect to look back, much less ever come home. But after a year on the road, her sister’s engagement pulls Olympia into everything she left behind: her family, her husband, and the grief she’s been trying to forget.She’s determined to stay a few days, maybe a week—just enough time to visit gravestones and sign off on the divorce her husband, Spencer, asked for. But he’s reeling from their shared loss, as well as complications with his aging parents, leaving his heart just as fragile as Olympia’s. The more time they spend in each other’s orbit, the less sure they are they’ll be able to walk away for good.As family secrets come to light and family bonds stretch to the breaking point, Olympia must
£16.99
Amazon Publishing Prickly Company
Book SynopsisFriendships, feuds, romance, and unexpected secrets shake up a small community in this sharply funny and compassionate novel by the author of Five Winters.Frances Mathews doesn’t get out much since her husband died, but that doesn’t stop her from jump-starting a campaign to create a hedgehog highway in Hilltop Place—feeding stations, holes at the bottoms of gates and fences, and wild garden areas for hibernation. To Frances’s delight, her neighbours are on board. Mostly.There are Jess and Michael, whose marriage is cracking under the unanticipated strain of a recent adoption. And Ryan, a wounded war reporter struggling to connect with his son after a divorce and forced to return to an exasperating parental fold. Plus, a very forthright single mum new to the neighbourhood and an exceedingly proper couple not about to upend their picture-perfect garden for prickly nuisances.As relationships—from the romantic to the nerve
£8.54
Amazon Publishing The Pelican Tide
Book SynopsisAfter disaster strikes, a Louisiana family and their community need to prove to each other and the world that their bond is thicker than the oil threatening their shores in Sharon J. Wishnow’s stunning debut novel.It’s taken Chef Josie Babineaux six months to reconcile the debts left from her husband Brian’s gambling along with her broken heart. But now with a promising tourist season heating up and a travel magazine declaring her the spice queen of the bayou, she may be able to save her family’s historic Cajun restaurant. Repairing her relationship with her daughter, Minnow, while hiding the true reason she left her husband is a bigger issue.Just as the first tourists arrive, an explosion on an oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico shatters their fragile plans. With her island community at the epicenter of the oil spill, everything is endangered, including the restaurant’s beloved mascot—a brown pelican dear to the family’
£8.54
Amazon Publishing When the World Goes Quiet
Book SynopsisIn the final days of World War I, an aspiring artist’s courageous journey is just beginning in a powerful novel about love, danger, and survival by the author of Take What You Can Carry.It’s 1918 in German-occupied Bruges, Belgium. With luck, Evelien will make it to the end of the war and be given what she was promised: a prized painting in exchange for safeguarding her employer’s possessions. Until then, Evelien knows to keep her head down and stay out of trouble. But life never goes to plan, especially in war.A member of the Resistance approaches Evelien: steal a list of names hidden in her employer’s home. In return, she’ll get a letter from her long-missing husband, Emiel. She’d lost hope of Emiel’s survival, but the promised letter puts her certainty of his death in question. Evelien begins her mission and soon forms a friendship with a soldier who is struggling with the devastating demands of battle. Their s
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Amazon Publishing If We Ever Get There
Book SynopsisFrom the author of Call the Canaries Home comes the heartwarming tale of two generations of women struggling to find their way…until the voice of Patsy Cline shines a light.When her nineteen-year marriage ends, stay-at-home mom Effie Baker takes the first step into her new life with an extreme makeover. She assumes she’ll wake up with a renewed sense of confidence, not a vision of country music icon Patsy Cline telling her she needs to “set things right.” But like everything else lately, the last thing Effie expected is exactly what she gets.Although the message is cryptic, Effie is certain it must have something to do with her grandmother, Lolly, who idolized the singer. While Lolly’s past may hold the key to her granddaughter’s future, it’s up to Effie to figure out what these connections mean on her own.In the whirlwind of a new job, a mysterious stranger, and the ups and downs of everyday life, Effie wi
£8.54
Amazon Publishing The DM Diaries
Book SynopsisFalling in love with a guy like this is easy. Finally meeting him is a different story in a funny, flirty, and emotional romantic comedy about celebrity, secrets, and plus-sized dreams.Olive O’Brien is a plus-size influencer with half a million followers and big dreams. And she’s feeling the pressure to stand out while staying true to herself. To cope, Olive finds solace in an unexpected place: the DMs of Jasper Rafferty, the world’s hottest movie star, where she feels safe to share her hopes, fears, and secrets because it’s not like he’ll read them. Until he does. Kind of.Career-wise, Jasper’s younger brother, Jude, is in free fall. After an interview gone wrong, Jude now has the thankless job of managing his brother’s social media accounts to help reboot his own image. Olive’s messages are unexpected, and her wit and vulnerability catch his interest. How can “Jasper” not respond? And how long can Jude
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Amazon Publishing Dry Spells
Book SynopsisA beautiful, vivid and atmospheric ... story of loss and redemption - Fiona ValpyA devastating drought. A city ripe with secrets. A family with a past just waiting to be discovered.Recently, Shyamala Mehta’s life in LA feels stagnant: she’s undervalued at work, newly single, and constantly clashing with her marriage-obsessed mother. So when she’s offered a transfer to Mumbai, she travels halfway around the world to the now drought-stricken city her parents left behind.Staying with her mother’s sister Vini, Shyamala is struck by the contrast between them. How did Vini become such a joyful, unconventional soul while Pramila drifted quietly into traditional life? Far from home and surrounded by echoes of the past, Shyamala finally has a chance to learn more about the mother she barely knows. With Arjun, the neighbor’s wild-haired son whose love for India pierces through the oppressive heat, she starts to see the ci
£8.54
Amazon Publishing The False Flat
Book SynopsisIn this uplifting story about friendship, love, and growth, one woman must untangle herself from a past that’s holding her back in order to move forward into the life that will set her free.Penelope Auberge is at her breaking point. With an overbearing mother, a married boyfriend, and a boss who gives Pen’s high-profile finance clients to male colleagues, it feels like nothing she’s accomplished in her thirty-two years belongs to her.Determined to build a life entirely her own, Pen moves from Minnesota to Tennessee to open a solo financial business. There, she meets siblings Deanna and Grant, who attempt to coax Pen out of her socially anxious shell. Hesitant to open up so she doesn’t get hurt (again), Pen is slow to develop a friendship with Deanna, and she’s determined to ignore her feelings for Grant, which is difficult given she’s joined his cycling group and a clear something begins blossoming between them.P
£8.54
Amazon Publishing In the Midnight Rain
Book SynopsisTwo converging mysteries compel a woman’s search for the truth in a captivating novel about loss, love, family, and healing by the USA Today bestselling author of When We Believed in Mermaids.Biographer Ellie Connor is in Gideon, Texas, to research blues singer Mabel Beauvais who, on the verge of fame, mysteriously disappeared more than forty years ago. Gideon holds another mystery for Ellie. It’s the truth about her parents—a restless mother who died young and a father she never knew. They are an unsettled piece of Ellie’s own past. Somewhere in this town is the answer to both of her quests.No one is more accommodating than charismatic Laurence “Blue” Reynard, a local with deep roots in Gideon. Sexy and charming, he’s also getting under Ellie’s skin like a smooth jazz rhythm. Yet beneath his seductive facade is a soul damaged by loss. Tragic, wanting, and beautiful. So wrong for a woman just passing
£8.54
Amazon Publishing A Piece of Heaven
Book SynopsisAgainst the sunbaked hills of New Mexico, two broken hearts come together in a poignant novel about family, love, and healing by the USA Today bestselling author of When We Believed in Mermaids.Luna McGraw struggles to conquer the addictions that destroyed her marriage and caused her to lose custody of her beloved daughter, Joy. After eight years, Joy is back and Luna aims to rebuild everything that fell apart. She has a therapeutic job as a florist, a loving mother’s support, and a new man in her life who makes Luna feel things she’s been afraid to feel since forever.Thomas Coyote is a gentle soul who has built a little piece of heaven against the beautiful backdrop of the Taos mountains. With an ex-wife married to his brother, Coyote knows a thing or two himself about betrayal and tattered dreams. When he meets Luna, his guard is coming down. But as strong as the attraction is between them, Luna doesn’t want to make another mist
£8.54
Amazon Publishing The Scent of Hours
Book SynopsisA divorced perfumer navigates an uncertain but fresh new start in life in a poignant and witty novel about self-discovery by the USA Today bestselling author of When We Believed in Mermaids.Nikki Bridges has it good. An enviable home in an upscale neighborhood, a heavenly-scented hobby making personal-blend perfumes, a cherished daughter, and comfortable rituals with a husband she loves. How was she to know it would all blow up with her husband’s affair, a blindsiding divorce, and an identity crisis she never saw coming?With little money, less work experience, and a modest apartment, Nikki is tentatively moving on. Along the way: a waitressing job, a bond with an empathetic group of friends, and reentering the dating game at fortysomething. Luring her out of her funk is Niraj, an ex-Londoner with twinkling eyes and a hint of cinnamon and ginger. For the first time in a long time, Nikki feels a warm summer flush—and with it, a spark of i
£8.54
The New York Review of Books, Inc The Hive
Book Synopsis
£15.29
OR Books Something in the Water: Fictions
Book SynopsisA Creature Wanting Form is a bleakly funny work of fiction from a journalist widely celebrated for his wry, mordant take on life. Filtered through the lens of a writer and characters who are horrified by the earth’s looming mortality, and their own, but still compelled to carry on, O’Neil interweaves science fiction, allegory, fables, poetry, and reflections on the deeply grounded indignities of modern life. In these pages, climate catastrophe lurks on the horizon; animals voraciously devour each other; your parents only call to tell you who from home has just died; and you want to go for a swim, but there’s a shark in the pool. In short, A Creature Wanting Form is a book for anyone trying to survive with a shred of humanity in the bleak alienation of America, 2023.Trade Review"In these stories, Luke O'Neil tears the heart out of the dying world and makes us give a fuck that it's still beating. ” —Rax King, author of Tacky: Love Letters to the Worst Culture We Have to Offer"Gorgeous, unsettling, infuriating.”—Kim Kelly, author of Fight Like Hell: The Untold History of American Labor"Rendered with a lyricism that seems to be in awe of the world even as they describe its greatest pains and profound injustices."—Megan Nolan, author of Acts of Desperation"A beautiful disaster.” —Dave Wedge, New York Times bestselling author and journalist"One of the few writers who I'll read for the prose alone. " —Ryan Cooper, editor at The American Prospect and author of How Are You Going to Pay for That?"I always wanted to know what goes on inside Luke's brain. Then I read this…, and, well, be careful what you wish for.” —Dan Ozzi, author of Sellout: The Major-Label Feeding Frenzy That Swept Punk, Emo, and Hardcore"Luke O’Neil is like no other journalist working today, fusing original reporting with memoir and frequently-profane observational humor to create what feels like a new type of truth-telling: precise, fucked-up, infuriating, and, somehow, beautiful. ...This is what it looks like when a gifted writer finds his voice.”—Hamish McKenzie, co-founder of Substack PRAISE FOR LUKE O'NEIL'S WELCOME TO HELL WORLD "A vital and despairing collection of essays on modern American life.”—Longreads "Reading ...Hell World is a lot like staring deep into O'Neil's soul, and it's often a pretty dark place."—Boston Magazine "Stream-of-consciousness reports that detail the many reasons reasonable people have to be angry right now.” —New York Magazine "A fever dream ... It's a lot to handle, but it's great." —InsideHook "Tells it like it is. ... It's that honesty, along with pure writing ability, creativity, and a heavy helping of empathy, that makes Luke's writing so special.” —The Alternative "At once scathingly ironic and disarmingly sincere...” —Full Stop Magazine "Writings on contemporary matters, from politics to music ... should be beautiful but hideous at the same time-and O'Neil scratches that itch for a remarkable 538 pages.” —Dig Boston
£14.24
Turner Publishing Company Speak for the Dead: A Dominion Archives Mystery
Book Synopsis“A literary joyride.” —Louise Penny, New York Times bestselling author of the Chief Inspector Gamache novelsMore than ten years after The Foulest Things, murder and mayhem return to Ottawa in the highly-anticipated next installment of Amy Tector’s acclaimed Dominion Archives Mystery series.It’s a stormy summer day when Ottawa coroner Dr. Cate Spencer is called to the scene of an alleged suicide. Inside a narrow vault in the Dominion Archives’ nitrate film storage facility—kept separate from the rest of the collection due to its dangerous combustibility—officers pressure Cate to rule the death a suicide. When parts of the scene don’t add up and a deliberately set spark threatens her life, Cate suspects that this death might be a murder. Cate’s tough façade masks a deep compassion for the victims she examines. Whether she’s looking for answers because of her dedication to justice or to distract herself from anguish over her brother’s recent death, her inquiries plunge her into a world of military secrets, contentious Indigenous protests, and a seventy-year-old mystery with deadly implications. Will Cate manage to pull herself away from her scotch and grief to expose an explosive historic secret and solve a murder the police doubt even exists?Trade Review“Richly drawn characters, delicious twist and turns, and a propulsive plot that will keep you turning pages . . . Speak for the Dead is the must-read second installment in Tector’s engaging Dominion Archives Mystery series.” —Bianca Marais, author of Hum If You Don’t Know the Words“[A] strong sequel to 2022’s The Foulest Things . . . Tector smoothly balances her lead’s struggles with alcohol in the wake of her brother’s death with developments in this well-crafted mystery. Temperance Brennan fans will be pleased.” —Publishers Weekly“Speak for the Dead offers a rich, textured setting dotted with instantly familiar characters, carefully unspooling a tightly-wound mystery. I love being in the hands of a confident writer, and Amy Tector knows exactly where this story is going and how to get there, teasing out details and wrinkles with precision timing. Our protagonist is as flawed as they come, yet so persistent in her pursuit of the truth we end up rooting for her to solve the case in spite of her pain, or perhaps because of it.” —Jeremy Scott, author of When the Corn is Waist High and creator of CinemaSins“With its intricately layered plot and fiercely dogged protagonist, Speak for the Dead is the perfect book to curl up with on a long winter’s night. Louise Penny fans will devour Amy Tector’s creepy and intricately-crafted new novel.” —Katie Tallo, award-winning screenwriter and bestselling author of Dark August“Military secrets, explosive artifacts, and hard liquor make the perfect combination in this captivating mystery.” —Carolyne Topdijan, author of The Hitman’s Daughter“Told with Tector’s superb eye for detail and her rare ability to convey humor, Speak for the Dead is a perfect read for fans of Kathy Reichs’s protagonist Temperance Brennan—and for everyone else!” —Daco Auffenorde, award-winning author of Cover Your Tracks“Amy Tector’s Speak for the Dead is a complex, intricate whodunit with rich characters that never lets up. Cate Spencer, the maverick coroner with a hypnotic prickly, self-destructive bent, will both exasperate and charm you with her vulnerability and sharp edges. These are tempered by her humanity and an unrelenting pursuit of truth and justice for the dead. Thankfully, we can look forward to more in this series.” —Wayne Ng, award-winning author of Letters from Johnny
£10.19
Turner Publishing Company All the Ways We Lied
Book SynopsisMeet the Manoukians—a dysfunctional Armenian family—and the fraying rope that binds them.Set in Queens, New York, while a father deteriorates from terminal illness, three sisters contend with one another, their self-destructive pasts, and their indomitable mother as they face the loss of the one person holding their unstable family together.Kohar, the oldest sister, is happily married, yet grapples with fertility issues and, in turn, her own self-worth. Lucine, the middle child, is trapped in a loveless marriage and haunted by memories of her estranged father. Azad, the beloved youngest child, is burdened by an inescapable cycle of failed relationships.By turns heartfelt and heart-wrenching, All the Ways We Lied introduces a cast of tragically flawed but lovable characters on the brink of unraveling. With humor and compassion, this spellbinding tale explores the fraught and contradictory landscape of sisterhood, introducing four
£12.34
SparkPress Will's Surreal Period: A Novel
Book SynopsisA novel about a family even more dysfunctional than the one you grew up in. Will’s Surreal Period is a richly satisfying tale—at times laugh-out-loud hilarious and at times deeply moving—that features a rollickingly dysfunctional family, a seemingly endless array of succulent foodstuffs, and a brain tumor that transforms a mediocre painter into a virtuoso. Now toss in a smidgen of BDSM and a few beguiling tidbits exploring brain chemistry and human evolution, and you have a story that will hook you fast and captivate you till the end. “Will’s Surreal Period proves why works of fiction are high art. . . . Robert Steven Goldstein deftly converts our raw human foibles into emotive entertainment and, as he does, reminds us, sometimes painfully, sometimes hilariously, who we are.” —MICHAEL J. COFFINO, award-winning author of Truth Is in the House Trade Review“Will’s Surreal Period is a novel in which two brothers work to discover what might give them a true sense of purpose in their lives.”—Foreword Reviews“Goldstein’s prose is crisp and smooth, particularly in his descriptions of William’s art and artistic process . . . . an engaging work about the tension between artistic pursuits and the demands of marriage and family.” —Kirkus Reviews“Robert Steven Goldstein, takes inspiration from his own dysfunctional family in his forthcoming novel, Will’s Surreal Period, to examine the intersections of familial bonds, art, and spirituality. Through a story that unflinchingly explores the most intrinsic human desires, Goldstein cracks open the internal struggles of a family divided.”—The Book Bag “This is a conventional story of redemption in many ways, although Goldstein inserts several other themes to liven up the text. The conflicts presented in the novel are intriguing"...offers many different characters who will be relatable to a wide audience.”—Booklife Critics“With snappy dialog and a fast-paced storyline, this is a perfect beach read . . . . Will’s Surreal Period offers a good dose of humor while exploring the antics of a dysfunctional family amidst a backdrop of food, drinks, and fine art.”—Novels Alive “At times hilarious and at times deeply moving, Will’s Surreal Period is a richly satisfying novel, featuring a rollickingly dysfunctional family, a seemingly endless array of succulent foodstuffs, and a brain tumor that transforms a mediocre painter into a virtuoso. The book’s characters are alluring, its ideas are seductive, and its plot is irresistible—this is a story that will hook you fast and captivate you till the end.”—Ken Jakobs, librettist, director, and producer of opera in the San Francisco Bay Area“Families—can’t live with them, can’t live without them. Will’s Surreal Period delves into the personal agendas that undermine, glue, and motivate families. Robert Steven Goldstein deftly explores the subtle yet combustible mix. Which will prevail: manipulation, serendipity, self-preservation, or a modicum of love?”—Michael Miller, retired professor and author of the forthcoming High Bridge“What a wonderful read! It’s a fascinating premise that proves a beautiful canvas for musings on creativity, sexual politics, and food. It makes you want to drop what you’re doing and listen more closely to what the universe is trying to tell you. And even if you took everything out of the novel other than the descriptions of food and drink, you’d still have a tremendous read—in fact, after finishing Will’s Surreal Period, all I wanted to do was cook!”—Glenn German, screenwriter and producer of films including At Middleton and Racing for Time“A Jiu-Jitsu master of literary plotting, Robert Steven Goldstein flips the script on a dysfunctional family comprised of two emasculated adult sons and their cantankerous wealthy father, who, with petulant vagary, reallocates their respective inheritances at the fulcrum of his paternal control. Marvel and chuckle as these fraught men each succumb to the grace of separate lovers, the serendipity of which amalgamates into a late-in-life chance to rebind the strands of their frayed familial relationships.”—Michael Rose, author of The Sorting Room“Will’s Surreal Period proves why works of fiction are high art, hitching us to a wild ride with an ensemble of engaging and eccentric characters brought together by a maladjusted family—some we may love and others we may scorn—but all seductively propel us into their psyches. Robert Steven Goldstein deftly converts our raw human foibles into emotive entertainment and, as he does, reminds us, sometimes painfully, sometimes hilariously, who we are.”—Michael J. Coffino, award winning author of Truth Is in the House“The ups and downs of dysfunctional family life are on full, fascinating display in Robert Steven Goldstein's well-imagined novel, Will's Surreal Period. Full of twists, turns, and the familiar boorish behavior that we seem to reserve specially for family, follow protagonist Will Wozniak as he grapples with a brain tumor, infidelity, and an unexpected career shift, a journey that is at times both hilarious and deeply poignant. Strap in for a ripping good ride with this entertaining read.”—Madeleine Jones, author of the forthcoming novel The Witchhammer“Will's Surreal Period is a witty, engaging romp. Cantankerous Arthur Wozniak wants to control his adult sons who are each struggling to find their place in the world. Hidden passions ignite, suppressed talents emerge, and the Wozniaks reluctantly evolve into the family they were meant to be.”—Carla Damron, author of the forthcoming novel The Orchid Tattoo, The Stone Necklace (winner of the WFWA Star award) and the Caleb Knowles mystery series“In a sly take on Ovid’s Metamorphosis, Will, a mediocre painter, suffers a brain tumour that transmogrifies him into an uninhibited creative genius. His quarrelsome family members are deftly portrayed with considerable literary merit. There is an unerring eye for multi-ethnic mores (especially involving food) and American material culture, as well as a strong sense of time and locality. A well-crafted and provocative read.”—David Jenkins, Formerly Professor of Arts Education, University of Warwick, UK, and author of the satirical chess-themed novel Spurious GamesPast Praise for the author:For Enemy Queen: “Each paragraph of the story is as unpredictably peculiar as the next—the plot is a tantalizingly original puzzle, dramatically gripping, erotically electric, and satisfyingly weird. A hilarious dark comedy that explores the nature of friendship through the lens of sexual licentiousness.” —Kirkus Reviews
£12.34
Austin Macauley Publishers LLC Yes Doctor We Have Sixteen Dogs
Book Synopsis
£6.99
Austin Macauley Publishers LLC Undone A Novel of Betrayal
Book Synopsis
£12.34
Sourcebooks, Inc The Ones We Keep: A Novel
Book SynopsisAn emotional debut for fans of Elizabeth Strout and Diane Chamberlain, The Ones We Keep follows the splintered lives of four family members in the years following an unthinkable tragedy, and the choices they must make to find their way back to each other.One family. One tragedy. One incredible decision to change their fate.A quiet lakeside resort in Vermont seems like the perfect summer getaway for Olivia and Harry Somerville and their three young boys. But in a single moment, their idyllic family retreat becomes a mother's worst nightmare. Returning from a solo hike one afternoon, Olivia learns from a passing stranger that one of her sons has drowned—but not which one.In that moment, Olivia makes a panicked decision that will change her family forever.If she never knows which son has drowned, can Olivia convince herself that none of them have? By shielding herself from reality, can she continue to live in a world where all three boys are still alive?An emotional and heartfelt meditation on the nature of loss, the gift of recovery, and the bonds of love, The Ones We Keep tells the story of one family as they learn to face their grief and fight for hope.Your next gripping book club read exploring the depths of a mother's love, the endurance of family, and the mind-bending paths we take to shield ourselves from heartache.Trade Review"An elegantly written examination of our ability to control our memories and our grief for the sake of survival." - Jamie Harrison, award-winning author of The Widow Nash and The Center of Everything"In one calamitous moment of loss and denial, Olivia Somerville walks out the back door of grief into a life untethered but far from free. The Ones We Keep tracks her journey, interspersed with the journeys of those she left behind, until a second momentous calamity cracks opens the door to a possibility of return. Bobbie Jean Huff thinks us through the unthinkable with grace and unwavering confidence in this riveting story that is wrenching and tender in equal parts, and in the end so deeply satisfying." - Tim Wynne-Jones, author of The Emperor of Any Place"Bobbie Jean Huff leads the reader sure-footedly through three decades in the life of a family torn apart by a tragic accident, to a moving and uplifting ending." - Jane Rogers, author of Mr. Wroe's Virgins
£11.69
Milkweed Editions Copper Nickel Issue 38
Book SynopsisCopper Nickel is the national literary journal housed at the University of Colorado Denver. It is edited by poet, editor, and translator Wayne Miller (author of five collections, including We the Jury and Post-, coeditor of Literary Publishing in the Twenty-First Century, and co-translator of Moikom Zeqo’s Zodiac) and co-editor Joanna Luloff (author of Remind Me Again What Happened and The Beach at Galle Road)—along with poetry editors Brian Barker (author of Vanishing Acts, The Black Ocean, and The Animal Gospels) and Nicky Beer (author of Real Phonies and Genuine Fakes, The Octopus Game and The Diminishing House), and fiction editors Teague Bohlen (author of The Pull of the Earth), Christopher Merkner (author of The Rise & Fall of the Scandamerican Domestic), and
£8.99
Selkies House Limited FROM SAVAGERY
Book SynopsisEnglish PEN Award-winning stories set in Barcelona. Hustle, dodge, pedal, breathe; love, bury, don't look back. In this fast-paced collection of stories from Venezuelan debut authorAlejandra Banca, a lost generation of young refugees accelerates into the light with breathtaking rhythm and shimmeringauthenticity. These are the Savages.
£17.00
Heloise Press Thirsty Sea
Book SynopsisMaria owns an eccentric business: her clients pay her to come up with ideas for presents. She spends her days thinking about how best to wrap up love. Nicola, her boyfriend, a wealthy pilot ready to settle down, seemed the perfect catch. But in this book, what is left unsaid is uncannily prominent. In fact, Nicola's anxiety turns into sharp body aches at night and a constant need to check Maria's phone messages. Maria never finds the keys to enter their apartment, nor the courage to leave it. After she killed her sister, 25 years ago, reproach in her mother's eyes is ever-present. But in 24 hours, an unexpected event turns everything upside down. Maria realises that she has a job she does not want, a partner she does not manage to leave and the power to decide who she wants to be. Thirsty Sea is a psychological portrait of all the insecurities and challenges of a young woman in a restless search for her own place in life.Trade Review"Thirsty Sea displays Mou's flair for smartly subversive and musical prose, highly original characters and distinctive metaphors." Anna Katharina Schaffner, The Times Literary Supplement "Thirsty Sea continues a tradition of simultaneously confessional and elliptical writing by women that streches from Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar to the fourth-wall busting, televisual crise de coeur Fleabag."; Laura Allsop;"Thirsty Sea is a deep dive into the female psyche. It is also a linguist's paradise." The Publishing Post;"Thirsty Sea is a total triumph of cognizance, a haunting presence in its own right." Asymptote;"A poetic, rhythmic and powerful tale of guilt, Thirsty Sea is a magnificient, compelling debut." Nataliya Deleva, author of Arrival;"Mou joins the ranks of contemporary female authors unafraid to delve into the uncomfortable and unsettling... a visceral exploration of trauma, relationships, family, grief and healing" Lunate
£11.66
Heloise Press The The Memory of the Air
Book SynopsisA young dead woman in a dream triggers a memory in our unnamed narrator. Through an intimate monologue, we learn of her past fascination for a man inherently violent that made her constantly feel guilty of his failures and insecurities. A damaged, unhappy and destructive lover that in a brutal scene, brings back yet another memory: a surprise rape in a public park 25 years ago. The narrator's superb approach to these events will not leave anyone indifferent. With a refreshing female perspective, The Memory of the Air challenges common notions of victimhood. Leaving no room for stereotypes and expectations, this book explores a universal experience of gender and sexual violence from a distinctive and unique approach. Sophisticated, poetic and permeated with irony, The Memory of the Air is an extremely elegant piece that navigates emotional abuse and rape in a way that empowers the female reader like never before.
£10.40
Heloise Press What Concerns Us
Book SynopsisRahel and Fenna grew up in an all-female household with their mother and her female partner. Now Rahel strives to reproduce the traditional family unit but she is haunted by an unsettling pregnancy, postnatal depression, while having mixed feelings about her singing career. Meanwhile, Fenna wonders whether she consented to the intercourse with Luc which left her pregnant. What Concerns Us is a punchy contemporary read that scrutinises gender roles within our society, examining what it means to be a mother and the nature of femininity, as well as how to remain independent in a variety of different types of relationship.Trade Review'A beautiful examination of female interiority. Vogt is not afraid to ask difficult questions. In what ways does motherhood bring us to our limits? What are the consequences of believing a child doesn’t need a father? ' Elizabeth McNeill, Chicago Review of Books
£11.66
