Family life fiction / Stories about family
HarperCollins Publishers A Wedding In December
Book Synopsis ‘Sarah Morgan is back in style with a perfect snow-filled read’ Woman & Home ‘A sparkling winter romance with a lively family at the centre of it all’ Woman ‘As always, Sarah Morgan takes us to a glamorous setting and throws in a whole heap of drama. Such fun!’ Heat ‘An emotional, uplifting and heart-warming winter novel that’s perfect for those chilly nights in’ OK! * * * * * In the snowy perfection of Aspen, the White family gathers for youngest daughter Rosie's whirlwind Christmas wedding. First to arrive are the bride’s parents, Maggie and Nick. Their daughter’s marriage is a milestone they are determined to celebrate wholeheartedly, but they are hiding a huge secret about their own: they are on the brink of divorce. After living apart for the last six months, the last thing they need is to be trapped together in an irresistibly romantic winter wonderland. Rosie’s older sister Katie is also dreading the wedding. Worried that impulsive, sweet-hearted Rosie is making a mistake, Katie is determined to save her sister from herself. If only the irritatingly good-looking best man, Jordan, would stop interfering with her plans… Bride-to-be Rosie loves her fiance but is having serious second thoughts. Except everyone has arrived – how can she tell them she's not sure? As the big day gets closer, and emotions run even higher, this is one White family Christmas none of them will ever forget. * * * * * A Wedding in December is everyone’s favourite read this Christmas: ‘Blissful escapism, vicarious luxury and enough romance to warm your heart…a must-read item on your pre-festive To-Do list’ Penny Parkes, author of the bestselling Practice Makes Perfect ‘A Wedding in December was just the tonic needed . . . Put your feet up, relax and unwind in front of the fire with a glass of mulled wine and this gorgeous tale, you won't be disappointed’ Amazon 5* ‘It sucks you right in, leaving you desperate to see how everything comes together’ Amazon 5* ‘Best read this year’ Amazon 5*Trade Review PRAISE FOR A WEDDING IN DECEMBER ‘You can always rely on Sarah Morgan to deliver blissful escapism, vicarious luxury and enough romance to warm your heart no matter how frosty your winter. A Wedding in December has to be a must-read item on your pre-festive To Do list’ Penny Parkes, author of the bestselling Practice Makes Perfect ‘I raced through the wonderful A Wedding in December, unable to put down this deliriously romantic story of a family forced to confront its secrets amidst the snowy peaks and crackling frosts of Aspen, Colorado. This is escapist fiction at its absolute best, full of warmth, humour and heart – with everything a romantic reader could want. Irresistible, joyful and a celebration of family love’ Katie Marsh, author of My Everything ‘A sparkling winter romance with a lively family at the centre of it all’ Woman ‘Sarah Morgan is back in style with a perfect snow-filled read’Woman & Home ‘An emotional, uplifting and heart-warming winter novel that’s perfect for those chilly nights in’ OK! ‘As always, Sarah Morgan takes us to a glamorous setting and throws in a whole heap of drama. Such fun!’ Heat ‘The perfect light-hearted read for that Boxing Day food coma’Living North
£9.49
Headline Publishing Group Dangerous Lady A gritty thriller about the
Book Synopsis* Pre-order GUILTY, the brand new novel from Martina Cole. Coming October 2024. *In gangland London, Maura Ryan is queen... Martina Cole''s extraordinary first novel DANGEROUS LADY introduced a totally original genre of thriller, paving the way for her multiple No. 1 bestsellers, including BETRAYAL and GET EVEN. ''Right from the start [Cole] has enjoyed unqualified approval for her distinctive and powerfully written fiction'' [The Times]No one thinks a seventeen-year-old girl can take on the hard men of London''s gangland, but it''s a mistake to underestimate Maura Ryan: she''s tough, clever and beautiful - which makes her one very dangerous lady.Together, she and her brother Michael are unbeatable but notoriety has its price. The police are determined to put Maura away once and for all - and not everyone in the family think that''s such a bad idea. When it comes to the crunch, Maura has to face the pain of lTrade Review'Cole is brilliant at portraying the good among the bad, and vice versa, so until the very end we never quite know who to trust. This is the very stuff that makes her so compelling' Daily Mirror 'Right from the start [Cole] has enjoyed unqualified approval for her distinctive and powerfully written fiction' The Times Intensely readable Guardian 'Martina Cole explores the shady criminal underworld, a setting she is fast making her own' Sunday Express 'Utterly compelling' Mirror 'The story will grip you from the first pages' Best 'Gritty novel from an author who knows intimately the world she writes about' Express
£10.44
Pan Macmillan Sweet Temptation
Book SynopsisSweet Temptation is an incredibly funny and sharply observant novel, from bestselling author Lucy Diamond.Maddie's getting it from all sides. Her bitchy new boss at the radio station humiliates her live on air about her figure, her glamour-puss mum keeps dropping not-so-subtle hints that Maddie should lose weight and her kids are embarrassed to be seen with her after the disastrous Mums' race at their school sports day. Something's got to change . . .Maddie joins the local weight-watching group expecting more humiliation but instead finds two unlikely allies –bitter divorcee Lauren who, despite running a dating agency, has signed off romance for ever and shy Jess, the beautician, who's desperate to fit into a size ten wedding dress for her Big Day.
£7.99
Little, Brown Book Group The Bookshop on the Shore
Book Synopsis''Nobody does cosy, get-away-from-it-all romance like Jenny Colgan'' Sunday Express___________________________________In the Scottish Highlands, a tiny bookshop perches on the edge of a loch . . . Curl up and escape with Jenny Colgan ''A total joy'' Sophie Kinsella''An evocative, sweet treat'' Jojo Moyes''Gorgeous, glorious, uplifting'' Marian Keyes''Irresistible'' Jill Mansell''Just lovely'' Katie Fforde''Naturally funny, warm-hearted'' Lisa Jewell''A gobble-it-all-up-in-one-sitting kind of book'' Mike GayleZoe is a single mother, sinking beneath the waves trying to cope by herself in London. Hari, her gorgeous little boy is perfect in every way - except for the fact that he just doesn''t speak, at all. When her landlord raises the rent on her flat, Zoe doesn''t know where to turn. Then Hari''s aunt suggesTrade ReviewA wonderful story with a hint of magic about it. Just lovely. -- Katie FfordeGorgeous location, dancing dialogue and characters you'll fall in love with. Irresistible! -- Jill MansellA funny, warm book with fantastic characters... and books! -- Sophie KinsellaColgan does it again! The Bookshop on The Shore is a charming, heartwarming, gobble-it-all-up-in-one-sitting kind of book, a tale of new beginnings with characters you'll love and root for from the very first page. Colgan writes like a dream, using all of her skill as a consummate storyteller to build a world you'll relish getting to know and won't want to leave. -- Mike GayleJenny Colgan is a masterful storyteller. Such a sweet tale and beneath the surface she deals honestly and movingly with poverty, anxiety and loss. You read it quickly, but you won't forget it. -- Keith StuartAn absolute cracker of a romcom * Woman & Home *A witty, romantic read to lift your spirits * Best *Another charming read from Colgan - it's the perfect holiday companion * Heat *Summer wouldn't be summer without a new Jenny Colgan * Reader's Digest *Rippling through the pages - like the gently lapping waves of the loch itself - is the peace, calm and wholesomeness of the Highlands * The Sunday Post *The novel has the best of everything, be it quirky characters, glorious settings or the blossoming romance that dances through the pages. * Magic Radio Bookclub *A lovely, easy read * Closer *Another charmer from an author who never fails to lift the spirits * Best *
£8.99
Pan Macmillan The Strangers Child
Book SynopsisAlan Hollinghurst is the author of several novels including The Swimming-Pool Library, The Folding Star, The Spell, The Line of Beauty, The Stranger's Child and The Sparsholt Affair. He has received the Somerset Maugham Award, the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for Fiction and the 2004 Man Booker Prize. He lives in London.Trade ReviewWith The Stranger’s Child, an already remarkable talent unfurls into something spectacular * Sunday Times *I would compare the novel to Middlemarch . . . a remarkable, unmissable achievement * Independent *Elegant, seductive and extremely enjoyable . . . one of the best novels published this year * Guardian *Magnificent . . . universally acclaimed as the best novel of the year -- Philip HensherHollinghurst is a master storyteller . . . The Stranger’s Child is to be cherished -- John BanvilleDaring . . . Fresh and vital * New York Times Book Review *Brilliant . . . Hollinghurst [has] a truly Jamesian fineness of perception . . . [He is] one of the best novelists at work today * Wall Street Journal *Part social history, part social comedy and wholly absorbing, The Stranger’s Child does everything a novel should do and makes it look easy * Washington Post *Beautifully written, ambitious in its scope and structure, confident in its execution, The Stranger’s Child is a masterclass in the art of the novel * TLS *The Stranger’s Child is a comedy of manners, exuberantly funny, as well as a literary mystery * Esquire *Highly entertaining and, as always with Hollinghurst, the dialogue is immaculate and the characterization first class. . . . Every Alan Hollinghurst novel is a cause for celebration, and this spacious, elegant satire is no exception * Sunday Telegraph *Fabulously involving and rich. It’s also very funny . . . An extraordinary achievement * Spectator *Elegant . . . affecting, erudite [and written] with tenderness and sensuous immediacy * Observer *Delightful . . . Tremendously readable and engrossing * Daily Mail *Perfect . . . Elegant people partying on the edge of the abyss * Financial Times *Intricate, witty, playful . . . Comedy of manners, investigation of class, changing political and social landscape—all the reliable pleasures that Hollinghurst’s fiction offers are here * Times *Ambitious, epic and satisfying * Elle *
£10.44
Pan Macmillan A Window Breaks
Book SynopsisA Window Breaks is the nerve-shredding thriller from C. M. Ewan, the author of The Interview and Safe House.‘Fantastic’ - Lee Child‘Totally addictive’ - Ann Cleeves‘A thrill-a-minute page-turner’ - Simon KernickIt's 2 a.m. in a remote Scottish lodge.You are asleep when a noise wakes you.You stir, unsure why, and turn to your partner.Then you hear it.Glass. Crunching underfoot.Your worst fears are about to be realized.Someone is downstairs, intent on causing your family harm.You will do whatever it takes to protect them.But with only each other to rely on, can you escape?What authors are saying . . .‘If you only read one thriller this year read this’ - C. L. Taylor‘Smashed my way through this . . . NervTrade ReviewFantastic – Ewan is a genius at easing you in, and then keeping you there until the story is done with you. Which was 3 a.m. for me, but it’s probably safer to read this book in daylight -- Lee ChildAstoundingly paced and plotted, it left me breathless. Totally addictive -- Ann CleevesA thrill a minute page-turner with non-stop tension and real heart. I’d highly recommend it -- Simon KernickIf you only read one thriller this year read this -- C. L. TaylorSmashed my way through this . . . A nerve-shredding, lightning-paced home invasion thriller packed with twists and heart -- Tim WeaverStarts at full throttle and never lets up – A Window Breaks puts you right in the middle of the action and ratchets up the tension on every page. A real rollercoaster of a thriller -- T. M. LoganBrilliantly crafted, excruciatingly tense -- Sharon BoltonAn absolutely heart-stopping, pulse-racing, thrilling and intelligent read. A sure fire bestseller -- Jo SpainAn absolutely breakneck ride of a thriller and a masterclass in maintaining tension right up until its poignant end. I couldn't put it down -- Fiona CumminsAlmost unbearably tense and exciting, A Window Breaks is a nerve-shredding thriller -- Mark EdwardsA tense, fierce read, with heart, muscle and an out-of-sight twist -- Mick HerronA Window Breaks came between me and sleep, it's brilliant and almost impossible to put down -- Andrew TaylorTense, fast-paced thriller, brilliantly written with characters I was totally invested in -- Jenny QuintanaNerve-shredding tension that never lets up . . . fantastic -- Clare DonoghueA tense and frantic read and I can’t recommend it enough -- Merilyn DaviesThat rare thing: a heart-thumping thriller with an exquisite understanding of fear, grief and forgiveness. I loved it -- Sarah HilaryA fantastic thriller! The action is relentless, the situation terrifying, the writing excellent. But what makes it sing are the nuanced and complex family dynamics, and the themes of grief and guilt and love. -- Cath StaincliffeA breathtakingly perfect thriller. My heart rate is only just slowing down. Filled with tension, pace, and heart. Twisty as hell and guaranteed to put a lump in your throat. Brilliant! -- Luca VesteOne cracker of a book . . . an absolute masterclass in tension, plotting and characterisation, with emotional stakes so high it's hard to catch a breath -- Susi HollidayA terrific thriller that thrusts an average family into a high-stakes fight for survival . . . a tale that makes brilliant use of lies, secrets and universal fears to layer twist upon twist, ratcheting up the tension to a powerful and emotional conclusion -- Adam HamdyMy heart raced and knuckles whitened as Ewan ratcheted up the nearly unbearable tension in this unputdownable thriller. Wow! -- Alafair BurkeA propulsive, page-turning, breakneck set of twists -- Russel D McLean
£8.54
HarperCollins Publishers Love Medicine
Book SynopsisBeautiful reissue of Louise Erdrich's most famous novel, from one of the most celebrated American writers of her generation and winner of the National Book Award 2012.Set on and around a North Dakota reservation, Love Medicine' tells the story of the Lamartines and the Kashpaws two extraordinary families whose fates are united and sustained in a harsh world by the strength and diversity of their love.We meet the sensual Lulu Lamartine, whose children have different fathers, but whose passionate tie to her first love, Nector Kashpaw, intensifies over the years; June Kashpaw, who froze to death in a snowstorm; and the philosophical Lipsha Morrissey, June''s abandoned son, who makes a love medicine to keep his grandparents together.Greeted with great critical acclaim when first published in 1984, ''Love Medicine'' won the US National Book Critics'' Circle Award. Louise Erdrich has now substantially revised and expanded the novel for this edition, to complement its companion novels, ''The Beet Queen, Tracks'' and ''The Bingo Palace''.Trade Review‘A masterpiece, written with spellbinding authenticity and animated by a spirited comic energy.’ Philip Roth 'The beauty of ‘Love Medicine’ saves us from being completely devastated by its power.' Toni Morrison 'A powerful piece of work … Louise Erdrich is the rarest kind of writer, as compassionate as she is sharp-sighted.' Anne Tyler 'The impression is of a river of memory bursting its banks and overflowing upon the page in an irresistible flood.' Angela Carter 'Erdrich presents a variety of voices: each forceful in its own way, each adding a different dimension – cruel, sombre, humorous – to what is cumulously a wondrous prose song … ‘Love Medicine’ is finally about the enduring verities of loving and surviving, and these truths are revealed in a narrative that is an invigorating mixture of the cosmic and the tragic.' New York Times
£11.69
HarperCollins Publishers Home Fires
Book SynopsisA stunning, delicate portrait of a family bookended by war, Home Fires explores the legacy of loss, the strictures of class and the long road to redemption.Max Weston, twenty-one, leaves for his first army posting in central Africa. What happens to him changes the lives of his family forever. At home, his parents struggle to cope. The overwhelming love Caroline has always felt for her only child is now matched by the intensity of Max''s absence. The silence is broken by the arrival of Caroline''s mother-in-law, Elsa, who at the age of ninety-eight can no longer look after herself. After years of living in fear of putting a foot wrong in front of this elegant, cuttingly courteous lady, finally, Caroline has the upper hand.Trade Review‘Elizabeth Day writes with unflinching, responsible honesty; I was inspired and enlightened by the deep humanity of Home Fires’ Sadie Jones ‘Day is an empathetic observer. She is meticulous in teaching and dissecting each sentence her characters experience … The prose is deliberate, precise and bone dry … Elizabeth Day pursues her study of characters attempting to keep the past at bay with a biblical intensity reminiscent of early Anita Brookner and a prose style closer to that of Pat Barker … Home Fires conveys a broader version of life with the claustrophobia of emotional repression’ Eileen Battersby, Irish Times ‘Day has created a compelling study of grief, not least the conflicting ways in which the bereaved may wish to remember the dead … A bold novel, shocking in what it confronts and also in its suggestion that love will, ultimately, survive trauma’ Daily Telegraph ‘Day's great strength is her insight … An elegant, addictive portrayal of a family at war with its past. A beautifully written novel whose quietly discomfiting tone stays with you for a long while afterwards’ Observer ‘Deeply moving’ Woman's Own ‘Very sad and very lovely’ Grazia ‘An elegant meditation … Elizabeth Day's lyrical Home Fires comes highly recommended’ Viv Groskop, Observer Book of the Year
£9.49
HarperCollins Publishers When Life Gives You Lemons the feelgood romantic
Book SynopsisCurl up with this hilarious, heartwarming read from the Top 5 bestselling author of The Mum Who Got Her Life BackSometimes life can be bittersweet . . . Between tending to the whims of her seven-year-old and the demands of her boss, Viv barely gets a moment to herself. It's not quite the life she wanted, but she hasn't run screaming for the hills yet.But then Viv's husband Andy makes his mid-life crisis her problem. He's having an affair with his (infuriatingly age-appropriate) colleague, a woman who unlike Viv doesn't put on weight when she so much as glances at a cream cake.Viv suddenly finds herself single, with zero desire to mingle. Should she be mourning the end of life as she knows it, or could this be the perfect chance to put herself first?When life gives you lemons, lemonade just won't cut it. Bring on the gin!Readers love When Life Gives You Lemons:A fun, wild and light-hearted read and a look inside what most women are faced with today!' *****Give me more stories like thiTrade Review‘A real “smiler” of a book … You’ll be cheering her on as she explores new endeavours, including an unexpected love interest’ WOMAN & HOME ‘A sharp, witty tale’ NORTHERN ECHO Praise for Fiona Gibson: ‘A terrifically entertaining, cheery romance, with an endearing heroine’ SUNDAY MIRROR ‘Warm, funny and poignant’ DAILY MAIL ‘Warm, witty and fun’ MY WEEKLY ‘The voice of modern woman’ MARIE CLAIRE ‘More than funny, it’s true’ ELLE ‘Warm, funny and endearing’ BEST
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HarperCollins Publishers A PERFECT CORNISH SUMMER The perfect summer read
Book SynopsisEscape to Cornwall with this gorgeous new series from Phillipa Ashley perfect for fans of Nicola May and Holly MartinSummer is on the horizon, and the people of Porthmellow are eagerly awaiting the annual food festival. At least, most of them areFor Sam Lovell, organising the summer festival in her hometown is one of the highlights of her year. It's not always smooth sailing, but she loves to see Porthmellow's harbour packed with happy visitors, and being on the committee has provided a much-needed distraction from the drama in her family life (and the distinct lack of it in her love life).When their star guest pulls out with only a few weeks to go, everyone's delighted when a London chef who grew up locally steps in at the last minute. But Gabe Matthias is the last person Sam was expecting to see, and his return to Porthmellow will change her quiet coastal life for ever.If you loved A Perfect Cornish Summer, don't miss A Perfect Cornish Christmas and A Perfect Cornish Escape!Authors Trade ReviewPraise for Phillipa Ashley’s books: ‘Sheer joy!’ Katie Fforde ‘A delicious festive treat with as many twists and turns as a Cornish country lane’ Jules Wake ‘Warm and funny and feel-good. The best sort of holiday read’ Katie Fforde ‘Filled with warm and likeable characters. Great fun!’ Jill Mansell ‘An utterly glorious, escapist read from a one of the freshest voices to emerge in women's fiction today. I loved every gorgeous page’ Claudia Carroll ‘Made me want to run away to the Cornish coast immediately! Loved it!’ Lorelei Mathias ‘Ashley's writing is deft, sexy, and full of humour ’ Trashionista.com ‘Readers will enjoy the breezy style and repartee’ Publishers Weekly (US) ‘Sexy, funny and wonderfully romantic’ SingleTitles.com ‘A deliciously entertaining twist on the Poldark tale’Liz Fenwick
£8.54
HarperCollins Publishers Lifesaving for Beginners
Book SynopsisHeart-warming and life-affirming, full of humour and compassion' ADELE PARKS, PLATINUMA beautifully warm-hearted tale of friendship and hope' MY WEEKLYI loved this incredibly touching book[it's] a life-belt that will help any reader through a tough patch' VERONICA HENRY***In life's stormy waters, it's your friends who keep you afloatMaddy Wolfe's life has just capsized. After her twenty-year marriage suddenly implodes, she heads to Brighton to search for her estranged son, Jamie. But he's nowhere to be found and for the first time, she's totally alone. That is, until she meets the Salty Sea-Gals, a group of feisty sea-swimmers.Seventy-two-year old Helga is determined not to slow down, while thirty-something Tor is still figuring out who she is. Bereaved Dominica is trying to find a reason to carry on, and busy mum Claire is learning to put herself first for a change.As their regular cold-water plunges become a lifeline for them all, Maddy starts to realise that these brave women might just help her find both Jamie and herself. Together, will they turn the tide?''Inspiring, heart-warming, utter joy'' TAMMY COHENA beautiful read. You'll love this one' LOUISE BEECHAn absolute delight of a book!' CELIA ANDERSONOh, this is such a wonderful read' BISHOP'S STORTFORD INDEPENDENT***Readers LOVE Josie Lloyd's heart-warming novels:''Inspiring and warm, heartfelt and real. I really loved this story''''I rarely cry when reading but I was so emotionally impacted by this read I had a few cries in the bath reading it a heart-warming portrayal of true friendship''''Expect tears, laughter and a lot of fist pump in the air moments!'''A bloody brilliant, inspirational book of friendship and hope''''Heartfelt and empowering''''Affirming and inspiring this book will give you all the feels!''''I loved this book from the very beginning to the very end; it is a story that will resonate with every woman''''Full of humour and compassion I laughed and I cried''''I absolutely loved this book. A testament to the power of friendship''Trade ReviewPraise for Lifesaving for Beginners: 'The uplifting new novel about female friendship shows that together, mates turn tides… I laughed out loud' Sun 'This heart-warming, life-affirming novel is full of humour and compassion' Adele Parks, Platinum 'A beautifully warm-hearted tale of friendship and hope' My Weekly Summer Special ‘An inspiring book about the power of female friendship.’My Weekly ‘I loved this incredibly touching book about courage, resilience and the power of friendship… A lifebelt of a book that will help any reader through a tough patch and encourage them to reach out, be bold and make a difference. And never give up. An absolute joy.’ Veronica Henry ‘A beautiful read. You’ll love this one by Josie Lloyd. An uplifting joyful book about friendship, cold-water swimming and searching for loved ones. An eclectic mix of characters jump off the page.’ Louise Beech 'Inspiring, heart-warming, deeply comforting. Lifesaving for Beginners is like a DryRobe in book form. Utter joy.' Tammy Cohen ‘Strong friendships, dry wit and a fabulously authentic setting make this a book to dive into. An absolute delight!’ Celia Anderson 'Oh, this is such a wonderful read' Bishop's Stortford Independent Praise for The Cancer Ladies’ Running Club: ‘Amazing, heartbreaking and inspiring’ Jenny Colgan ‘A love letter to the power of friendship, honest and uplifting’ Jill Mansell ‘A fiercely positive story, about the power of hope’ Mike Gayle ‘Uplifting and positive’ Prima ‘An honest read that, despite its heart-wrenching topic, will uplift and inspire you’ Heat ‘An amazing story that shows us all the strength of the human spirit and the power of friendship. An inspiration!’ Magic Radio ‘Uplifting… an inspiring read’ Good Housekeeping
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HarperCollins Publishers The Secret Keepers Daughter The most gripping and
Book SynopsisI flew through this book in a day! I loved it. It really had me desperate to know more' NetGalley Reviewer, ?????To unlock her secret, you must tell yours.Holly Mayhewhas the perfect family. But when she notices her seven-year-old daughter, Marley, becoming withdrawn and secretive, she sets up a solution. Holly creates a worry box, where Marley can post her innermost thoughts.But as the worry box fills up, Marley's notes threaten everything Holly thought she knew about her daughter.What is Marley not telling her, and why is she so scared?Holly's past is shrouded in a mystery of its own, and she must confront her own secrets secrets kept locked away for years if she's to help her daughter.Once the truth is out there's no going back.Would you keep a secret to protect the family you love? Discover family secrets, little white lies, and buried pasts in this utterly gripping and emotional page-turner! Fans of Susan Lewis, Kerry Fisher and Diane Chamberlain will love The Secret Keeper's DaTrade Review‘I loved The Secret Keeper’s Daughter and couldn’t put it down… A brilliantly compelling read to put on the top of your TBR!’ Sarah Pearse, author of The Sanatorium ‘Kept me guessing until the end. Tense and compelling with a brilliantly original narrative.’ B.A. Paris, best-selling author of Behind Closed Doors ‘An engaging and suspenseful domestic drama packed with skilfully revealed family secrets… A compelling page-turner!’ USA Today best-selling author Sam Carrington ‘It is, quite simply, brilliant. And deeply unsettling.’ Amanda Lees ‘Completely gripping and so tense I have to remember to breathe. Brilliant!’ Alex Brown, best-selling author of A Postcard from Italy ‘Evocative, engaging & gripping from the very first page.’ Cath Weeks, author of Friends Don’t Lie ‘A dizzying web of lies and secrets! A truly engrossing book. Loved it.’ Emma Curtis, author of One Little Mistake ‘A great family drama, full of secrets, twists and turns. All the right ingredients for a psychological thriller!’ Diane Jeffrey, author of The Silent Friend ‘I absolutely loved it. Gripping, pacy and full of suspense, I couldn’t put it down! Sam is so talented, she really knows how to weave a spell with her stories.’ Lisa Hall, author of Between You And Me ‘Gripping, heartbreaking, and powerfully insightful… Put The Secret Keeper’s Daughter at the top of your TBR list!’ Karen Dionne, author of The Marsh King’s Daughter
£8.99
HarperCollins Publishers The Forever House Escape with a heartwarming
Book Synopsis'What a lovely warm feeling this book gave me, I loved the storyline loved the characters would recommend.'NetGalley ReviewerEscape with a feel-good romance that will warm your heart this summer!Emily Hendrickson is tired of being the wedding guest and never the bride. Working at her local paper as a wedding columnist, she can't wait to write her own happy-ever-after.When she bumps into her childhood sweetheart Calvin Albright, her world is knocked off balance. Calvin has returned to the quiet town of Hebblestone desperate for a fresh start. After his wife tragically died two years ago, he wants nothing more than to find a new home and settle down with his son, Isaac.Isaac can see how lonely his dad is he's determined to help him find love again and complete their familyUploading a video to his blog in search of a new girlfriend for his dad, he convinces Emily to use the local paper to make the video viral and sift through the potential candidates.But as the letters to Calvin begin t
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HarperCollins Publishers No Worries If Not A relatable funny new feminist
Book SynopsisOne little word. One bad habit. One year to stop saying sorry.What happens when one woman resolves to break up' with saying sorry?Charlotte Thomas is polite. Manners cost nothing, her mother always said yet there's a fine line between diplomat and doormat.But every woman has their breaking point and Charlotte has just found hers. It wasn't because she said sorry to her boss for challenging his terrible idea for a staff social, or because she apologised to the drunk girl who spilled espresso martini all over her favourite top. And it wasn't because she agreed to go on a second date with the world's most boring man to avoid hurting his feelings. Maybe it was all of these, or maybe it was when she realised she ended every email with the fateful words: No Worries If Not.With the help of her best friend and housemate Mush, Charlotte declares she's apologising no more. No more saying sorry for just doing her job, or speaking her mind or simply taking up space.So when she finds her space beiTrade Review“Highly relatable.” Woman’s Own PRAISE FOR LUCY’S PREVIOUS WRITING “Warm, joyous and thought-provoking!” Stephie Chapman, author of Swipe Right “Full of warmth, wit and humour.” Yorkshire Post “Lucy Nichol is a stunning new voice in fiction." Guy Mankowski, author of Dead Rock Stars
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Vintage Publishing The Monarch of the Glen
Book SynopsisChester Royde, an American millionaire, travels to Scotland with his new bride Carrie and sister Myrtle, to find out more about Carrie''s Scottish ancestry. Their new ''relatives'' turn out to be a little more authentically Scottish than they bargained for. Ben Nevis, Laird of Glenbogle Castle, is fiercely protective of his lands and the Macdonald clan spirit, but being cash-strapped he''s not above attempts to marry heiress Myrtle to one of his many brawny sons. But then a group of hikers stumble onto his moor and spoil a day''s hunting, sparking all-out war between gentry and commoners.Trade ReviewRollicking comedy * Observer *A riotous piece of virtuosity...divinely funny -- Elizabeth Bowen * Tatler *
£9.49
Penguin Books Ltd The True Confessions of Adrian Albert Mole
Book Synopsis''Wonderfully funny and sharp as knives'' Sunday TimesIn the third instalment of the hilarious Adrian Mole series, 16-year-old Adrian navigates his way into adulthood . . . Monday June 13th I had a good, proper look at myself in the mirror tonight. I''ve always wanted to look clever, but at the age of twenty years and three months I have to admit that I look like a person who has never even heard of Jung or Updike. Adrian Mole is an adult. At least that''s what it says on his passport. But living at home, clinging to his threadbare cuddly rabbit ''Pinky'', working as a paper pusher for the DoE and pining for the love of his life, Pandora, has proved to him that adulthood isn''t quite what he expected. Still, without the slings and arrows of modern life what else would an intellectual poet have to write about . . .__________ ''Essential reading for Mole followers'' Times Educational SuTrade ReviewCelebrate Adrian Mole's 50th Birthday with this new edition of the third book in his diaries, as 16-year-old Adrian navigates his way into adulthood * from publisher's description *Wonderfully funny and sharp as knives * Sunday Times *Townsend has held a mirror up to the nation and made us happy to laugh at what we see in it * Sunday Telegraph *The funniest book of the year * Daily Mail *The funniest person in the world * Caitlin Moran *
£9.49
Penguin Books Ltd The Woman who Went to Bed for a Year
Book Synopsis''Hilarious and totally Townsend. There were parts where I laughed until I cried'' Daily Mail What happens when a duvet day turns into a duvet year?Sue Townsend, the bestselling author of the Adrian Mole series, returns with The Woman Who Went to Bed for a Year, a funny and touching novel about what happens when someone stops being the person everyone wants them to be. The day her twins leave home, Eva climbs into bed and stays there. For seventeen years she''s wanted to yell at the world, ''Stop! I want to get off''. Finally, this is her chance.Her husband Brian, an astronomer having an unsatisfactory affair, is upset. Who will cook his dinner? Eva, he complains, is attention seeking. But word of Eva''s defiance spreads.Legions of fans, believing she is protesting, gather in the street. While Alexander the white van man brings tea, toast and sympathy. And from this odd but comforting place Eva begins Trade ReviewWhat happens when a duvet day turns into a duvet year?Sue Townsend, the bestselling author of the Adrian Mole series, returns with The Woman Who Went to Bed for a Year, a funny and touching novel about what happens when someone stops being the person everyone wants them to be. * from publisher's description *Proof, once more, that Townsend is one of the funniest writers around * The Times *Townsend's wit is razor-sharp * Daily Mirror *Laugh-out-loud . . . a teeming world of characters whose foibles and misunderstandings provide glorious amusement. Something deeper and darker than comedy * Sunday Times *She fills the pages with turmoil, anger, passion, love and big helpings of wit. It's full of colour and glows with life * Independent *Hilarious and totally Townsend. There were parts where I laughed until I cried * Daily Mail *Touching and hilarious. Bursting with witty social commentary as well as humour * Women's Weekly *A funny, poignant look at modern family life * Daily Express *
£9.49
Penguin Books Ltd Undset S Kristin Lavransdatter
Book Synopsis''[Sigrid Undset] should be the next Elena Ferrante'' -SlateThe Nobel Prize-winning masterpiece by Norway''s literary masterKristin Lavransdatter is the epic story of one woman''s life in fourteenth-century Norway, from childhood to death. Sensitive and rebellious Kristin is sent to a convent as a girl, where she meets the charming but irresponsible Erlend. Defying her parents'' wishes to pursue her own desires, she marries and raises seven sons. However, her husband''s political ambitions threaten catastrophe for the family, and the couple become increasingly estranged as the world around them tumbles into uncertainty.With its captivating heroine and emotional potency, Kristin Lavransdatter is the masterwork of Norway''s most beloved author and, in Nunnally''s exquisite translation, a story that continues to enthral.Trade Review[Sigrid Undset] should be the next Elena Ferrante . . . If HBO is looking for its next miniseries, it should give Kristin Lavransdatter the proper adaptation it deserves. This trilogy includes illicit sex, affairs, a church fire, an attempted rape, ocean voyages, rebellious virgins cooped up in a convent, predatory priests, an attempted human sacrifice, floods, fights, murders, violent suicide, a gay king, drunken revelry, the Bubonic Plague, deathbed confessions, and sex that makes its heroine ache 'with astonishment - that this was the iniquity that all the songs were about' -- Ruth Graham * Slate *Tiina Nunnally's magnificent version revitalised Undset's epic in English: each page glows and sparkles like the landscapes she so wonderfully evokes -- Boyd Tonkin * The 100 Best Novels in Translation *[My favourite fictional hero or heroine is] probably Sigrid Undset's strong-willed, sensual, self-destructive and ultimately rock-solid Kristin Lavransdatter. . . . Right away one somehow identifies with this daughter of medieval Norway; soon one compassionates her in her sufferings. . . . Like Murasaki and Dos Passos, Undset tells the story of a whole life -- William T. Vollman * The New York Times Book Review *At certain points, Kristin Lavransdatter felt more real than the life I was living -- Lucia Tang * Electric Lit *The Nunnally translation is excellent - straightforward but also evocative, lyrical enough in places, but not, like earlier translations, overly romantic or archaic.... Every detail of Kristin Lavransdatter is significant, because the author knows what every detail means and how they all fit together. This makes the novel a rich and satisfying read -- Jane SmileyWe consider it the best book our judges have ever selected and it has been better received by our subscribers than any other book * Book-of-the-Month Club *The finest historical novel our 20th century has yet produced; indeed it dwarfs most of the fiction of any kind that Europe has produced in the last twenty years * Contemporary Movements in European Literature *As a novel it must be ranked with the greatest the world knows today * Montreal Star *Sigrid Undset's trilogy embodies more of life, seen understandingly and seriously . . . than any novel since Dostoevsky's Brothers Karamazov * Commonweal *The first great story founded upon the normal events of a normal woman's existence. It is as great and as rich, as simple and as profound, as such a story should be * Des Moines Register *No other novelist, past or present, has bodied forth the medieval world with such richness and fullness of indisputable genius. . . . One of the finest minds in European literature * New York Herald Tribune *A master . . . writing in a prose as vigorous, articulate and naturalistic as the novel it re-creates, Tiina Nunnally brilliantly captures a world both remote and strangely familiar -- Judges’ citation, PEN/Book-of-the-Month Club Translation Prize
£18.70
Penguin Random House Children's UK Danny the Champion of the World
Book SynopsisMy father, without the slightest doubt, was the most marvellous and exciting father any boy ever had.This beautiful edition of Danny the Champion of the World, part of The Roald Dahl Classic Collection, features official archive material from the Roald Dahl Museum and is perfect for Dahl fans old and new.So, enter a world where invention and mischief can be found on every page and where magic might be at the very tips of your fingers . . .The Roald Dahl Classic Collection reinstates the versions of Dahl's books that were published before the 2022 Puffin editions, aimed at newly independent young readers.
£7.99
Penguin Books Ltd Man at the Helm
Book SynopsisThe very start of Lizzie Vogel''s story. From the much-loved author of Love, Nina, discover a wildly comic, brilliantly sharp-eyed novel about one family''s fall from grace.''All hail a book that''s funny!'' Barbara Trapido***** Meet Lizzie Vogel, 9. Lizzie is concerned about her newly divorced mother; thirty-one years old and trapped in a hostile village in the English countryside with only three young children and a Labrador for company. It isn''t that having a husband is good, but in 1970s rural Leicestershire, not having one is bad. The women in the village think Lizzie''s mother is after their husbands - and no one will let the children into the Brownies!Worried about their mother''s drinking, her (bad) playwriting and social workers sending them off to the infamous Crescent Home for Children, Lizzie and her sister embark on a misguided campaign to find their mother a new husband.LIZZIETrade ReviewI can't remember a book that made me laugh more . . . Man at the Helm is a winner - it even trumps Love, Nina * Observer *A wicked anatomising of a dysfunctional family . . . Buoyantly comic: farcical yet tender, rude with a forgiving sweetness * Spectator *Read it and be charmed. Just the right mixture of childhood innocence and incredulity for the necessary deadpan delivery of Stibbe's particular brand of comedy * Independent *All hail a book that's funny! -- Barbara Trapido[A] joyous read, full of wit and charm . . . I am already longing for Nina Stibbe's next book * Express *A beguilingly comic blend of naivety and precociousness * Sunday Times *Within a few pages I was completely caught up in the lives of Lizzie and her family . . . I couldn't have loved it more -- Lisa JewellFantastic. Comical, moving and brilliantly evocative of British childhood * Glamour *This book is very, very funny. Stibbe has a fine eye for absurdity, and her writing has an unforced charm. [And] there is real darkness here, which makes the humour shimmer all the more * Independent on Sunday *Lizzie's voice is convincingly childlike but also confidently witty . . . What is most moving here - and what makes the book most similar to Love, Nina - is its celebration of the happiness possible within the family. Stibbe's feat is to remain unsentimentally barbed while subtly and triumphantly demonstrating the value of the kind of understated love found within the strangest and least obviously functional families * Telegraph *Fans of Love, Nina will not be disappointed. Amusing, the writing is never less than accomplished * Daily Mail *This densely populated coming-of-age story (for both mother and children) has retained and even expanded on Stibbe's signature antic charm ... The appeal of Stibbe's novel lies less in plotting than in the way she shades a sequence of comic vignettes with seriously sad undertones. It's not too much of a stretch to conclude that Man at the Helm, with its jauntily matter-of-fact social satire, wouldn't be out of place on the same shelf as Cold Comfort Farm and I Capture the Castle * New York Times *
£9.49
Penguin Books Ltd White Teeth
Book SynopsisOne of the most iconic fictional debuts of all time turns 25 this year!What's past is prologue'First published in the year 2000, Zadie Smith's White Teeth was one of the most celebrated novels of the new millennium. Adored by critics and readers alike, it remains a perennial bestseller, which still delights with the audacity of its scope and vision, its fresh-minted style, and the wit and warmth of its voice.Funny, generous and big-hearted, it deals among many other things with friendship, love, war, three cultures and three families over three generations, one brown mouse, and the tricky way the past has of coming back and biting you on the ankle.A life affirming, riotous must-read of a book, it won the Guardian First Book Award, the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for Fiction and the Whitbread First Novel Award.Curl up with it, savour every sentence, then turn around and reread' The TimesThe outstanding debut of the new millennium' ObserveTrade ReviewFunny, clever ... and a rollicking good read * Independent *Do believe the hype, buy into it, curl up with it, savour every sentence, then turn around and re-read * The Times *An impressive début, not only for its vitality and verve, but mainly for the sheer audacity of its scope and vision ... an epic tale ... swooping, funny ... it has ambition, wit and is unafraid -- Meera Syal * Express *Announces the debut of a preternaturally gifted new writer ... street-smart and learned, sassy and philosophical all at the same time * The New York Times *Relentlessly funny ... idiosyncratic, and deeply felt * Guardian *An astonishingly assured début, funny and serious ... I was delighted -- Salman RushdieShe is . . . a George Eliot of multi-culturalism * Daily Telegraph *[Zadie Smith] is one of the prominent voices of her generation * Sunday Times *Britain's finest young author * The List *[Zadie Smith] packs more intelligence, humour and sheer energy into any given scene than anyone else of her generation * Sunday Telegraph *[White Teeth] established a model for how to make sense-and art-out of the complexity, diversity and pluck that have defined the beginning of this century * Time *Funny, clever ... and a rollicking good read * Independent *Do believe the hype, buy into it, curl up with it, savour every sentence, then turn around and re-read * The Times *An impressive début, not only for its vitality and verve, but mainly for the sheer audacity of its scope and vision ... an epic tale ... swooping, funny ... it has ambition, wit and is unafraid -- Meera Syal * Express *Announces the debut of a preternaturally gifted new writer ... street-smart and learned, sassy and philosophical all at the same time * The New York Times *An astonishingly assured début, funny and serious ... I was delighted -- Salman RushdieRelentlessly funny ... idiosyncratic, and deeply felt * Guardian *
£9.49
Penguin Books Ltd Dirty Laundry
Book SynopsisSECRETS, DESIRE, BLOOD... It all comes out in the wash''A twisty tale of love gone wrong'' Joshilyn Jackson, Mother May I''Lethal, entertaining with characters you''ll love to hate'' Darby Kane, Pretty Little Wife-------------Keep your friends close and your neighbours closer...Ciara has it all - a loving husband, well-behaved children and an immaculate home. But behind the filters, her reality is far from what it seems.Mishti is stuck in a loveless marriage, raising her daughter in a country that is too cold, among children who look nothing like her.Lauren is mostly happy, despite being judged for letting her kids run naked, wild and free.Then Ciara is found murdered in her pristine home and suddenly everyone is a suspect.Hushed whispers, secret rendezvous and bloody betrayals . . .Everyone has their dirty laundry, but this goes beyond gossip.This is all-out war.A deliciously scandalous page-turner about the dark side of suburbia that peels back the layers of Ciara''s insta-perfect life to reveal friendships gone rotten, manipulation masquerading as love and families riddled with lies . . .-------------''Bose masterfully creates deeply drawn and utterly human characters in this powerful suspense debut'' Liv Constantine, The Last Mrs Parrish''A delicious take on people behaving badly'' Darby Kane, Pretty Little Wife''With deep dark secrets and twisted webs of lies, Dirty Laundry is everything I want in a book - Desperate Housewives in a small-town setting, each turn in the story even better than the last'' Andrea Mara, All Her Fault''A riveting debut, and Bose is a writer to watch'' Joshilyn Jackson, Mother May I''Extraordinary! Absolutely compelling, original and intriguing. Domestic noir at its very finest'' Liz Nugent, Unraveling Oliver''Disha writes stunning prose and her characters jump off the page. A devastating examination of what lies beneath, and how we can never truly leave our past behind'' Nikki Smith, Look What You Made Me Do''Real Housewives fans will devour this debut that simmers with discontent and deceit'' Liz Alterman, The Perfect NeighborhoodTrade ReviewA twisty tale of love gone wrong -- Joshilyn Jackson, Mother May ILethal, entertaining with characters you'll love to hate. A delicious take on people behaving badly -- Darby Kane, Pretty Little WifeBose masterfully creates deeply drawn and utterly human characters in this powerful suspense debut -- Liv Constantine, The Last Mrs ParrishWith characters that jump off the page, deep dark secrets and twisted webs of lies, Dirty Laundry is everything I want in a book - Desperate Housewives in a small-town setting, each turn in the story even better than the last -- Andrea Mara, All Her Fault
£9.49
Little, Brown Book Group Berties Guide to Life and Mothers
Book SynopsisAs summer blooms in Edinburgh''s gardens and Bertie Pollock''s birthday appears on the horizon, all at 44 Scotland Street is not cake and sunshine. Newlywed Angus Lordie has been booked by his bride into what he must not call the loony bin; Bruce''s first encounter with hot wax brings more anguish than he bargained for; and Bertie''s birthday dreams of scout camp and a penknife look set to be replaced by a game of Royal Weddings and a gender-neutral doll. But fate, an amorous Bedouin and the Dubai Tourist Authority conspire to transport Bertie''s mother Irene to a warmer - if not a better - place, and once again in Scotland Street the triumph of human kindness over adversity gives cause for celebration.Trade ReviewFor an author to entertain and instruct with such effortless simplicity is one thing, but to achieve this effect upon readers is remarkable. I can think of no author save Dickens who has achieved it, and no author now writing currently more deserving of an enormous audience * New Statesman *Bertie's Guide to Life and Mothers lets us immediately relax, secure in the knowledge that we are in a safe pair of hands as McCall Smith is an engaging and a witty guide to the goings on (and comings off) at fictional 44 Scotland Street * Sunday Express *
£9.49
Little, Brown Book Group This Child of Ours
Book SynopsisWhy people love This Child of Ours... ''Excellent... An important and moving story''CLARE MACKINTOSH***** ''This book broke my heart and gently pieced it back together''CATHY BRAMLEY***** ''Thought-provoking, moving and incredibly insightful'' AMANDA BROOKEIf you''ve been watching and enjoying Butterfly on ITV then this book is perfect for you. ---------------------You know what''s best for your child. Don''t you? Riley Pieterson is an adventurous girl with lots of questions. There''s plenty she doesn''t know yet; what a human brain looks like. All the constellations in the night sky. Why others can''t see her the way she sees herself. When Riley confides in her parents - Sally and Theo - that she feels uncomfortable in her own skin, a chain of events begins that changes their Trade ReviewExcellent read, perfect for book clubs... An important and moving story. -- Clare MackintoshSadie Pearse has written a truly sensitive and involving novel about gender, identity and family that has important things to say, but does so with warmth and great storytelling. It feels like a book that all modern parents should read -- Keith StuartBoth thought provoking and emotional, it will have you in cheers as well as tears * The Sun *This book broke my heart and gently pieced it back together. It is original, sensitive and intensely moving and I was constantly questioning myself: what would I do. An incredibly accomplished novel. -- Cathy BramleyHeart-wrenching * Fabulous Magazine *An important story that will prompt discussion * Good Housekeeping *The kind of book that everyone will have an opinion on. Thought-provoking, moving and incredibly insightful. -- Amanda BrookeA thoughtful and sensitive account of parenting a transgender child and the emotional and practical challenges it raises. -- Cath StaincliffeAbsolutely brilliant -- Rachel BurtonThere is nothing more I can say than I absolutely loved this book. What a sensitive issue, dealt with beautifully. -- 5* Netgalley reviewThought-provoking, nerve-wracking and poignantly relevant -- 5* Netgalley reviewA fantastic read with a sensitive subject at its heart -- 5* Netgalley reviewReally really enjoyed this book about a subject I'd not really thought of before. -- 5* Netgalley review
£10.49
Headline Publishing Group The Take
Book Synopsis* Pre-order GUILTY, the brand new novel from Martina Cole. Coming October 2024. *In this family, if you want something, you take it.THE TAKE by No.1 Sunday Times bestselling author Martina Cole won the British Book Award for best Crime Thriller of the Year and was adapted for television with an all-star cast including Tom Hardy, Brian Cox and Charlotte Riley. ''Martina tells it like it really is'' - Sun.Fresh out of prison, Freddie Jackson wants to rule the underworld. His wife Jackie wants her husband back and in her bed only. Jackie''s sister Maggie wants to be with Jimmy, Freddie''s cousin. And Jimmy has big gangland ambitions of his own.Everyone in the Jackson family wants something. And there''s no such thing as loyalty.You might have seen THE TAKE and THE RUNAWAY on TV - but that certainly doesn''t mean you know what happens in the books!
£10.44
Oneworld Publications The Weight of Loss
Book SynopsisHow do you find peace after a devastating loss?A search for solace takes a dark turn in this electrifying debut.Trade Review'It's hard to believe The Weight of Loss by Sally Oliver is a debut novel because the writing and pacing are so confident and assured. Compulsive and deeply unsettling. Don't start it if you have stuff to do!' -- Clare Chambers, author of Small Pleasures'I love Sally Oliver's writing... I found the whole thing addictive.' -- Helen Fisher, author of Space Hopper'Daring, unsettling and original, The Weight of Loss is a debut to savour. Sally Oliver writes with startling intensity.' -- Victoria Gosling, author of Before the Ruins'The Weight of Loss is a wrenching, viscerally weird novel of grief, longing and mortality. Perceptive, erudite and powerful, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about how much I loved it!' -- Leon Craig, author of Parallel Hells'Intelligent, addictive, and unsettling. Sally Oliver is a thoughtful, gorgeous writer, and this layered exploration of trauma, family, and selfhood will linger.' -- Julia Fine, author of What Should Be Wild'A deeply unsettling story, told at a brilliantly controlled pace and rendered in luminous prose. It's like the love child of early Ian McEwan and Nicola Barker.' -- Ali Millar, author of The Last Days'An affecting portrait of a young life shaped by grief, set against an unnerving, surreal medical backdrop, somewhere between My Year of Rest and Relaxation and A Cure for Wellness... A remarkable, thought-provoking, vivid book.' -- Will Wiles, author of Plume'The Weight of Loss is a beautifully written and intensely felt novel. Its subject matter – grief and mortality – is timeless, but its method, a startling combination of emotional realism and gothic horror, feels brand new.' -- Ian McGuire, author of The Abstainer'Strangely ethereal, yet entirely solid and compelling, this is a unique novel that talks with startling clarity and composure about the in-between spaces, the possibilities of being, and the connection between the living and the dead.' -- Alice Ash, author of Paradise Block'A...reflective but ultimately engrossing thriller with a strong emotional core.’ * Bookbag *'The Weight of Loss ripples with visceral language that conceals an ominous underbelly, ever threatening to burst free... Oliver’s prose is quite captivating. She writes with a poetic precision, deftly balancing sections with words charged with sexual and fatalistic tension in equal parts.' -- Chicago Review of Books'Gripping, gory and addictive... An exploration of grief and trauma in a weird health retreat where all is not as it seems.' -- Amanda Craig, author of The Golden Rule'I started reading The Weight of Loss without knowing what to expect. And I was delighted to be gripped from the very first page - a very curious and compelling opening scene - and I finished the novel in 3 days. It is addictive reading, carrying the reader along through a clever narrative structure and raising many intriguing questions. The last fifty pages are intense and I was swept along by the strangeness of the story. But it is both strange and somehow very real at the same time: I've never read anything quite like it. Beautiful!' -- Lucy Ashe, author of Clara & Olivia
£8.99
Headline Publishing Group Happy
Book Synopsis''A MIRACULOUS NOVEL'' MEGHA MAJUMDAR ''PLAYFUL AND PROFOUND . . . USING WRY HUMOUR TO DELIVER A DEAD SERIOUS MESSAGE'' MELISSA FU''A BONKERS STORY THAT READS LIKE A FINE TEN-COURSE MEAL'' GARY SHTEYNGARTA young cinephile leaves his rural village in India with big dreams, only to find himself trapped in menial jobs and forced to work off a debt he may never repay. In a small farming village in Punjab, India, a boy crouches over his brother''s phone in a rapeseed field watching clips of Godard''s Bande à part on YouTube. His name is Happy Singh Soni and when he''s not sleeping among the cabbages and eating sugary rotis, Happy dreams of becoming an actor, one who plays the melancholy roles; the sad, pretty boys, rare in Indian cinema. He plans a clandestine journey to Europe, where he''ll finally land a breakout role. After a nightmarish passage to Italy, Happy still manages to find relief in food and fantasyTrade ReviewPlayful, funny, and wildly free, Happy inhabits the seam between beauty and tragedy. A miraculous novel. -- MEGHA MAJUMDAR, author of A BurningA bonkers story that reads like a fine ten-course meal. -- GARY SHTEYNGART, author of Our Country FriendsWith an innovative form that is simultaneously playful and profound, Celina Baljeet Basra's HAPPY is outstanding! From the first to the final pages, I was completely charmed by Happy and his crew as they made their treacherous journey towards dreams of a better life. Using wry humour to deliver a dead serious message with laser-sharp lightness, Basra gives depth and definition to the unjust and inhumane conditions facing many migrants and undocumented workers. Read this book. -- MELISSA FU, author of Peach Blossom SpringRevealed in short snippets of imagined dialogue and interspersed with the perspectives of other characters and even inanimate objects, Happy's view of the world starts off as quirky and charming, but gains increasing pathos as the divide between his starry-eyed hopes and his increasingly hopeless reality grows. Happy's singular voice echoes long after the close to this striking story. * Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) *First-time novelist Basra delivers a damning indictment of capitalism, a system that swallows the global poor whole and spits out wasted humans. At the same time, Basra maintains a light touch; the novel wears its burdens with good humor. -- Poornima Apte * Booklist (Starred Review) *Happy presents: his world. A fragmented, kaleidoscopic whiz in-keeping with his dreamy, ever-optimistic outlook. Hardships are presented starkly but with humour, the worst of which we are spared in the moment by his glancing away, taking refuge in his own fantasies of superstardom. Immigration, drug abuse, gentrification, racism and death, Happy lives them fully until the book's surprising denoument. A fantastic little gem of a book. -- CHIKODILI EMELUMADU, author of Dazzling
£17.00
Simon & Schuster Ltd All You Ever Wanted
Book Synopsis'Sinister and compelling' My Weekly'An outstanding thriller with an ending we didn't see coming' BellaYou are inside. With your husband and baby. Your life warm and calm and untroubled. I am outside. Alone. Looking in. Watching you. You have all I ever wanted. Now it's time for you to share.'A gripping blend of creepy psychological suspense and powerful domestic drama. Elliot Wright uses her insight into human nature and her storytelling skills to thrilling effect.' T J Emerson, author of The Perfect HolidTrade ReviewPraise for Susan Elliot Wright ‘Dark and compelling, a slow-motion collapse; I read it in 24 hours with my heart in my mouth. So good!’ Julie Cohen, author of Together 'Passionate, intriguing and beautifully written... deserves to stand on the shelf next to Maggie O'Farrell's books. A powerful and talented new voice' Rachel Hore, bestselling author of The Love Child 'A brave and moving story about how much can be lost and what happens next' Alison Moore, author of Booker-shortlisted The Lighthouse 'Exquisite storytelling, full to the brim with authentic characters, family secrets and emotional weight' Isabel Ashdown ‘As heart-breaking as it is captivating, [...] you’re left with no choice but to put life on hold while you race to the end’ Woman and Home 'Dark, tragic … at once heartbreaking and compelling’ Daily Express
£8.54
Orion Publishing Co Merrily Ever After
Book Synopsis''Heartwarming and uplifting - a gorgeous festive treat.'' Sarah Morgan, author of SNOWED IN FOR CHRISTMAS''No-one does friendship better than Cathy'' Karen Swan, author of THE CHRISTMAS POSTCARDSIn a picturesque town in Derbyshire, Merry has always wanted a family to spend Christmas with, and this year her dream comes true as she says ''I do'' to father-of-two Cole. But as she juggles worries about her business, last-minute wedding planning and the two new children in her life, Merry is stretched to breaking point.Meanwhile, only a few miles away, Emily is desperately waiting for the New Year to begin. Her father Ray''s dementia is worsening, and she''s struggling to care for him alone while holding down a job. When Ray moves into a residential home, she discovers a photograph in his belongings that has the potential to change everything .As shocking secrets from Ray''s past finally come to light, will this Christmas maTrade ReviewSo heartwarming and uplifting - a gorgeous festive treat. * Sarah Morgan, author of SNOWED IN FOR CHRISTMAS *A wonderful tale of friendship, family, love, sprinkled with killer one-liners and Christmas spirit. I adored it. * Milly Johnson, author of TOGETHER, AGAIN *An emotional journey, written with love. * Jo Thomas, author of KEEPING A CHRISTMAS PROMISE *It feels like a proper warm hug of a novel, and I can imagine nothing better than curling up in front of the fire to lose yourself in Cathy's wonderful new story. * Clare Swatman, author of HOW TO SAVE A LIFE *The perfect book to warm up with on a winter's day - just lovely! * Emily Stone, author of ONE LAST GIFT *The perfect comfort read to warm your heart as the nights draw in and the festive season approaches. * Phillipa Ashley *A thought provoking story of love and complicated family relationships, guaranteed to warm every reader's heart * Sheila O'Flanagan *Brimming with seasonal secrets and festive feelgood - is Christmas even Christmas without Cathy Bramley? * Holly Hepburn *It's confirmed, the queen of the yuletide yarn has done it again - a feel good festive treat for readers - I adored it! * Faith Hogan *
£8.54
Orion Publishing Co The Witching Tide
Book Synopsis''Stylish and raw . . . seizes the reader''s sympathy and does not let go''Anne Enright, Booker Prize-winning author of The GatheringEast Anglia, 1645. Martha Hallybread, a midwife, healer and servant, has lived for more than four decades in her beloved coastal village of Cleftwater. Everyone knows Martha, but no one has ever heard her speak.One Autumn morning, the peaceful atmosphere of Cleftwater is shattered by a sinister arrival and Martha becomes a silent witness to a witch-hunt. As a trusted member of the community, she is enlisted to search the bodies of the accused women. But whilst Martha wants to help her friends, she also harbours a dark secret that could cost her own freedom. In desperation, she revives a wax witching doll that she inherited from her mother, in the hope that it will bring protection. But the doll''s true powers are unknowable, the tide is turning, and time is running out . . .An immersive and deeply movingTrade ReviewA beautiful, haunting and utterly transporting novel that takes the reader back to a terrifyingly real witching England: a paranoid society where women's lives are decided by gossip and grudges. Told from the perspective of a silent woman whose inner voice insistently pulls the reader along, The Witching Tide is atmospheric, moving and lyrical * Naomi Wood, author of MRS HEMINGWAY *I absolutely devoured The Witching Tide. Margaret Meyer evokes the uncanniness, the appalling cruelties of the witch trials in a way that is also thoroughly humane and shining. To read this book is to step inside time, to feel the bite of the sea air, to walk in the grime alongside Martha as she fights the tide of unspeakable cruelty and suspicion. It is a powerful, riveting read, each sentence pristine and haunting, and I can't wait to read what Margaret Meyer writes next * Elizabeth Macneal, author of THE DOLL FACTORY *A timely, visceral novel that hurls the reader into a claustrophobic rural community riddled with suspicion, fear and recrimination. Margaret Meyer expertly creates an atmosphere of creeping dread, where no one is safe, and women find themselves punished for their own misfortunes and those of their erstwhile friends and neighbours * Natalie Haynes, author of A Thousand Ships *A superb writer. The world Margaret Meyer conjures in The Witching Tide is elegant and haunting, utterly beguiling and so convincing of time and place. I was moved and gripped by Martha's plight, captivated by the gleaming details of the prose and horrified at the wider picture they revealed. As with all great historical fiction, The Witching Tide gives voice to the unspoken and brings light to dark places, drawing to the surface those stories that need to be told and need us to listen. I loved it * Emma Stonex, author of The Lamplighters *The Witching Tide is a beautiful, haunting and utterly transporting novel that takes the reader back to a terrifyingly real witching England: a paranoiac society where women's lives are decided by gossip and grudges. Told from the perspective of a silent woman whose inner voice insistently pulls the reader along, The Witching Tide is atmospheric, moving and lyrical * Naomi Wood, author of Mrs Hemingway *Both thematically and in the power of its storytelling, The Witching Tide puts me in mind of the very best of Hilary Mantel. But this is very much its own thing - a stunning novel * Nicholas Pearson, Hilary Mantel’s long-time editor *One of this year's notable debuts * Daily Mail *Bewitching . . . one to watch * Evening Standard *Utterly haunting and entirely riveting; this is an unflinching account of the horrors of witch trials, told in a mesmerising voice from an extraordinarily talented author. It sent shivers down my spine and brought me to tears * Jennifer Saint, author of Ariadne *The Witching Tide casts a spell that carries readers back to 17th century days of actual witch hunts, when fearmongers spread rumour and false accusations to wield power over women. In bewitching language, Margaret Meyer paints a portrait of a brave midwife determined to outwit the zealots who threaten her, and defeat a contagion of hysteria and violence * Kate Manning, author of Gilded Mountain *The Witching Tide is one of those rare novels that pulled me in and wouldn't let go. With diamond-cut prose, Meyer makes 17th century witch hunts feel vivid, new, and highly relevant to the current moment. The chaos, the twisted logic made me wonder if it was possible these historical events actually happened; the essential truths of human nature as seen in these characters made me worry they could happen again * Mary Beth Keane, author of The Half Moon *Bleak, beautiful and enraging, it's a haunting story of persecution and the abuse of power * Daily Mail *Admirably effective in thrusting readers into the midst of a community split by the accusation that it harbours witches * Sunday Times *Mesmerising and beautiful -- Daily MirrorA visceral, atmospheric addition to the witch genre * Good Housekeeping *An emotional and intensely immersive reading experience . . . haunting, harrowing and unflinching * Lancashire Post *
£15.29
HarperCollins Focus The Other Year
Book Synopsis2023 Target Book of the Year FinalistPerfect for fans of Rebecca Serle''s One Italian Summer and Josie Silver''s The Two Lives of Lydia Bird.Can the entire course of a life be traced back to a single instant? And can hope be found in every moment after?On a coveted two-week beach vacation, working mom Kate Baker''s nine-year-old daughter, Olivia, vanishes suddenly among the waves--a heart-dropping incident that threatens to uproot her entire reality. But in the next moment, Olivia resurfaces, joyously splashing.What would I do if she didn''t come up? Kate wonders. How would I live without her?In another set of circumstances that hold a different fate, Kate doesn''t have to wonder. Because in that other world, in the pulse-pounding seconds after Olivia goes under, she doesn''t come back up.Told in parallel timelines, Kate begins to live two lives--one in whTrade ReviewIntriguing, thought-provoking . . . Rea Frey breathes life into universal themes concerning love, family, parenthood, forgiveness, grief, and second chances. * The New York Journal of Books *
£9.89
Penguin Books Ltd My Lovely Wife
Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER AND RICHARD & JUDY PICKHOW WELL DO YOU REALLY KNOW THE PERSON YOU LOVE MOST? Their life was just like yours. Nice house, great kids, the perfect life.But they have a very dark secret.You might think you''ve read stories like this before.You''re wrong.______________SHORTLISTED FOR ITW THRILLER AWARD FOR BEST FIRST NOVEL, THE EDGAR AWARD AND THE GOODREADS AWARDS. WINNER OF THE DEAD GOOD READER AWARDS.''The twist at the end of the first chapter made me read through the night'' Jane Corry, bestselling author of The Dead Ex''The most gripping psychological thriller of 2019'' Stylist''The next Gone Girl'' Marie Claire''A twisty, audacious, Gone Girl-y psychological thriller. The book that everyone is going to be talking about'' Red''Wow! My Lovely Wife is a Trade ReviewWe're calling it: My Lovely Wife is the most gripping psychological thriller of 2019... this book will keep you reading late into the night * Stylist *One of my favourite thrillers of the year - I couldn't stop reading but didn't want it to end. Dark, chilling and compelling ... My Lovely Wife is a brilliant debutWow! My Lovely Wife is a stunner - full of twists, well-drawn characters, and riveting suspenseDexter meets Gone Girl - I loved this this brilliantly dark and twisted novel. One of the best books I've read this year!The twist at the end of the first chapter made me read through the night. Clever. Manipulative. Dark. Disturbing. What more can you ask for?Brilliant - I was enthralled by the premise and it totally delivered. Five star entertainment!Dark, shocking and very witty, this wickedly good read will make you run screaming from the suburbs * Heat *We're calling it now: Samantha Downing's creepy, sexy debut thriller is going to be the next Gone Girl. * Marie Claire *So beautifully and elegantly written . . . the ending is amazing and there is a great twist. I loved it. -- Sophie HannahAn assured and deliciously engrossing debut. You'll surely devour My Lovely Wife, but it will linger long after you've reached the last pageI pretty much inhaled this twisty, audacious, Gone Girl-y psychological thriller. This is the book that everyone is going to be talking about this summer. I can't shut up about it! * Red, The best Spring crime novels and thrillers *A genuinely fresh take on the psychological thriller genre. Expect dark humour and more loop-the-loops than a roller coaster * Good Housekeeping *A dark and irresistible debut * People *My Lovely Wife is a knockout. It's an effortless page-turner * Publishers Weekly *My Lovely Wife is dark, twisted-and impossible to put down. Samantha Downing has written a wickedly plotted and suspenseful psychological thrillerA fantastic foray into what we know-and what we do not-about those closest to us. Intricately plotted, fascinating characters - I loved it!Domestic noir has rarely been darker . . . it's a psychological shocker * i *Utterly gripping . . . Expect more twists and turns than a bowl of spaghetti and block out a whole day to read this, because you won't want to sleep until you're done * Red Online *This gripping page-turner offers a new take on the psychological thriller genre - the ideal beach read * Evening Standard *A dark and clever debut thriller * Prima *Suspenseful, shocking thriller. Deliciously dark * Best *Totally engrossing and I kept on thinking, one more chapter... an intelligent page-turner that makes you question everythingTruly horrifying in the most delicious way. Samantha Downing sucks you in with a great story, pitch-perfect prose and disturbingly dead-on insights into the dark side of human nature. I hope I never meet her in a dark alley....I couldn't pull myself away from this story - a terrifying and riveting window into the mind of the perfect suburban mother with a taste for murder. Make sure you clear your schedule before you pick it up. Absolutely unputdownableIt's no mean feat to find something fresh in the crowded thriller field, but Downing pulls off an indisputable triumph with My Lovely Wife. Exemplary writing and outstanding pacing confirm Downing's talent, but it's her deliciously depraved characters that kept me flying through the pages. Couldn't get enough of this subversive love-gone-sideways tale!Deliciously dark and twisted... It's a remarkable achievement, full stop. * Shelf Awareness *Best new books to read this March * Cosmopolitan *A highly original and dark look at the shifting power structure in a modern marriage. . . A funny, smart book * Daily Mail *Darkly witty and strangely plausible, it's a read-in-one-sitting firecracker of a thriller, laced with explosive twists * The People *A marital, psychological thriller with darkly comedic undertones * The Wrap *Bold and brilliant * Big Issue *This is a ringer of a yarn, shot through with enough tooth-clenching moments to make you have your dentist on speed dial * Connaught Telegraph *With a twisty plot that will leave you gasping, this deliciously dark thriller is on a par with Gone Girl * That's Life Monthly *One of the best thrillers I've ever read -- Judy Finnigan
£10.44
Penguin Books Ltd Amazing Grace Adams
Book Synopsis**A READ WITH JENNA BOOK CLUB PICK!****THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER**''Littlewood writes with ferocity and compassion. Read it and weep (then cheer)'' THE TIMES''I just adored this . . . An unforgettable read'' LIANE MORIARTY''Compelling, funny and poignant. I devoured it'' PAULA HAWKINS''A rip-roaring, empowering story. Glorious'' DAILY EXPRESS''An absolute gut punch of a book'' RED________Is this the best worst day of her life?Once, Grace Adams was poised for great things. Now, she barely attracts a second glance as she strides down the street carrying her daughter''s sixteenth birthday cake.But behind the scenes, Grace''s life is in freefall. Her husband is divorcing her. Her daughter has banned her from her birthday party. And Grace has just abandoned her car in bumper-to-bumper traffic.Because Grace Adams has finally had enough. She''s sick of being overlooked and undeTrade ReviewA tragicomic character that middle-aged women can celebrate . . . It's a tale of giddy love, thwarted ambitions, devastating loss, the dangers of 21st-century adolescence, the horrors of the menopause and how badly language can let us down . . . Littlewood writes with ferocity and compassion about Grace's all-too-believable agonies and the impossibility of spinning all the plates that modern life expects us to manage. Read it and weep (then cheer) * THE TIMES *An exhilarating roar of rage, loss and redemption * Daily Mail *Hugely enjoyable. Compelling, funny and poignant. I devoured it -- Paula Hawkins, bestselling author of The Girl on the TrainAll hail Fran Littlewood and the truly amazing Grace Adams -- Sam BakerAn absolute gut punch of a book that throbs with all the rage of a middle-aged woman who refuses to go quietly * Red *I just adored this beautiful debut novel! Funny, moving and at times absolutely heart-breaking, it had me captivated until the very last page. An unforgettable read -- Liane MoriartyAmazing Grace Adams takes readers on a rollercoaster ride of female rage, loss and resilience. A rip-roaring, empowering story of redemption, discovery and starting over. And the more emotional moments are peppered with so much humour, you find yourself laughing and crying at the same sentence. Amazing Grace Adams is a glorious tragicomedy. The characters are wonderfully drawn and you'll applaud Grace for her amazing fortitude, compassion and warmth. Littlewood flips the stereotypes of menopause and middle age into something women can aspire to * Daily Express *I loved it. Vivid, visceral and incredibly emotional. I laughed and sobbed -- Tim MinchinRarely have I felt more seen than by this book * Good Housekeeping *Readers will relish the letting loose of one woman's long-suppressed righteous rage . . . Spectacular * Mail on Sunday *Explores motherhood with wit, warmth and wisdom. Extraordinary * Grazia BOOK CLUB *An exacting and brilliantly structured novel about love, grief, hope lost and then found again. I rooted for Grace from the first sentence -- Mary Beth Keane, New York Times bestselling author of Ask Again, YesWomen in their 40s everywhere will be wondering 'how did she get into our heads?' Funny and moving * The Midulthood *The 10 Best Feel Good Books of 2023 * Washington Post *Fran Littlewood has written a magnificent novel. Grace Adams is everywoman-filled with promise, trepidatious in love and eventually, a besotted mother. Amazing Grace Adams is a fully realized story of catastrophe and joy, grief and love, and the hidden chambers of the human heart that carry the best and worst of our experience. A stunning debut -- Adriana Trigiani, New York Times bestselling author of The Good Left UndoneFull of depth and honesty * Prima *From the first hot minute when Grace Adams, stalled in traffic, stuck in her car, simply opens the door and walks away from it all-into her day, the single day that gathers all her days up to this tipping point at the middle, she had me. How Life in the middle of our lives breaks us open-and apart-and then open again. I finished her story on a plane above the country, so full, and in tears. "Ma'am?" my seat-mate asked, "are you ok?" "Oh, yes," I answered. And gave him this book' -- Sarah Blake, New York Times bestselling author of The Postmistress and The Guest BookA redemptive story of womanhood, motherhood and marriage. You won't forget Grace Adams in a hurry * Culturefly *Brilliant . . . a story of a midlife heroine seeking redemption and so much more * Woman & Home, Book of the Month *I can't remember the last time I read a novel with such unbridled enthusiasm. Amazing Grace Adams is a raw, uproariously hilarious portrait of parenthood, love, and family; it's also a profound examination of the way language can both save us and fail us when we need it the most. I'd walk across London on the hottest day of the year with Fran Littlewood-hell, I'd walk anywhere with her. I'm begging you: read this book -- Grant Ginder, author of The People We Hate at the WeddingI laughed, I cried ugly tears, I rooted for Grace Adams. It broke my heart then reassembled it - as only a fabulous novel can -- Emily Koch, author of Keep Him CloseAn incredible debut. Grace Adams is fighting back and her story is both powerful and heartbreaking. I recommend. -- Julie Owen Moylan, author of That Green Eyed GirlHugely accomplished. You'll laugh, cry and nod in recognition. Properly amazing * Sun *This is a redemptive narrative, conveying the complex midlife crisis, with humour and hope * Take a Break 'Book Club' *Family dynamics are well observed in a Falling Down-inspired tale of a mother's menopausal rage. Grace Adams is certainly a fighter * Guardian *Grace and her family feel brilliantly, dramatically real and believable, and she becomes a heroine to take to heart * Apple Books *Honest and relatable * Sun 'Pick of the Week' *An uplifting tour de force with a heartfelt message that will make you laugh and cry. It's the perfect January read. In her amazing Grace, Fran Littlewood has created an unforgettable heroine * Irish Independent *A surefire literary hit . . . destined to be a Hot for 2023 phenomenon * Hot Press *Hotly anticipated * Hello! *We promise you'll rage, cry and laugh * Sunday Post *
£8.54
Simon & Schuster Ltd A Time For Friends
Book Synopsis*** THE NUMBER ONE BESTSELLING AUTHOR *** When are the boundaries of friendship pushed too far, and when is it time to stop flying over oceans for someone who wouldn't jump over a puddle for you? There comes a time when Hilary Hammond has to make that call. Hilary and Colette O'Mahony have been friends since childhood. But when irrepressible Jonathan Harpur breezes into Hilary's life and goes into business with her, Colette is not best pleased. After their first encounter, Colette thinks he's a 'pushy upstart' while he thinks she's 'a snobby little diva'. And so the battle lines are drawn, and Hilary is bang in the middle. But as the years roll by and each of them is faced with difficult times and tough decisions, one thing is clear...to have a friend you must be a friend. And that's when Hilary discovers that sometimes your best friend can be your greatest enemy....Warmth, wisdom and love on every page - if you treasured Maeve
£8.54
Headline Publishing Group Super Host
Book SynopsisWhat do you do when you're left with a large house? Fill it of course... A wry, warm novel of life, love and loneliness - perfect for readers of Nina Stibbe, Katherine Heiny and Andrew Sean GreerTrade ReviewExploring identity, creativity and second chances, Russo's midlife drama is wise, tender and surprising * Mail on Sunday *Brimming with...pure affection * The New York Times Book Review *Funny, sharp, and artistic...A wonderful book flanked with irony, perversity, Rear Window voyeurism, and women who understand the task of reinvention, Super Host is a case study of what we talk about when we talk about success * Lit Hub *In Russo's charming and poignant debut...the author writes with warm sympathy and humour. A treat for fans of Nick Hornby and Tom Perrotta * Kirkus *This is the compulsively readable story of Bennett, a once-famous artist now divorced and impoverished, who lives in his garden studio and spies on his tenants through the windows. Super Host is hilarious, and touching, too; Kate Russo is a terrific storyteller. * Claire Messud *I gobbled up Super Host, Kate Russo's smart, funny, and surprising first novel. She writes with such a generous and insightful eye about love, loneliness and artistic ambition, and has redrawn the lines that connect people in fiction through the most modern and unlikely of settings, the home share. * Jess Walter *Kate Russo's debut Super Host is pure delight-smart, fun, poignant, and deeply satisfying. I loved it * Lily King *Super Host isn't just a charming, compulsively readable, romantically suspenseful novel about a lonely man who gets himself emotionally enmeshed with a series of short-term tenants. Kate Russo's wise and funny debut also has a lot to say about the courage it takes to start over in the middle of your life. It's a joy from start to finish. * Tom Perrotta *
£9.49
Headline Publishing Group The Wide World
Book SynopsisONE OF THE TIMES'' FAVOURITE NOVELS OF 2023The first epic novel in THE GLORIOUS YEARS series from the two times winner of the prestigious Prix-Goncourt''You have the ingredients Balzac would have cooked with. And it is exactly those great 19th century novels that Lemaitre will remind you of'' Sunday TimesThe Pelletiers are a prominent French family living in Beirut, dominated by Louis, who has built a hugely successful business manufacturing artisanal soaps. Louis has three sons, but none seems to have the aptitude for commerce he desires.There''s Jean, the eldest, a feckless man who is both lazy and weak. When his ambitious wife suggests a move to France, he jumps at the chance for escape - for Jean has a secret that no-one must ever uncover. Etienne is the youngest son, who travels to Saigon looking for love, and there uncovers financial corruption and violence linked to the very highest officials - evidenTrade ReviewThe Wide World is one of his best . . . Compellingly plotted, stuffed with great characters, thought-provokingly situated in history * The Times *Pierre Lemaitre skilfully captivates and stuns the reader * Le Figaro Litteraire *Storytelling with never a dull moment * Le Figaro *Lemaitre casts his net wide, skilfully contrasting the vibrancy, exoticism and dangerous excitement of Saigon and Beirut in the years after the second world war with the drab, careworn city that Paris has become * Financial Times *
£10.99
Pan Macmillan The Girl from the Tanner's Yard
Book SynopsisSet on the wild moors of West Yorkshire, The Girl from the Tanner's Yard by Diane Allen is a moving family drama about a girl who rises to prosperity from humble beginnings.After facing the horrors of the Crimean War, Adam Brooksbank returns to Black Moss Farm filled with regret over the path in life he has chosen. Starting anew, he decides to focus on rebuilding his family’s rundown farm and make it a home again.Lucy Bancroft lives with her parents on Prospect Terrace which backs onto the local tannery, and is the most beautiful girl in the village. But unfortunately her wealth doesn’t match her looks, and she soon realizes that nobody wants to court a girl from the filthy Flay Pits, let alone marry her.Yet when Lucy comes to work for Adam as his maid she finds herself falling in love with the farm set high upon the wild Moors of Haworth. Furthermore she begins to imagine a life with her new employer that goes beyond just being his maid. As they spend more time together, their feelings develop for one another despite her parents warning her nothing good will come of it. As rumours swirl around the village igniting jealousies and unearthing deeply buried secrets, will love find a way?Trade ReviewAn enthralling tale packed with emotion, drama and the harsh realities of life in nineteenth-century northern England * Lancashire Post *If you are a lover of historical sagas and the sweep of the northern hills and their romance, then this novel is definitely for you * Historical Novel Society *
£7.59
Pan Macmillan How To Find Your Way Home
Book SynopsisWhat if the person you thought you’d lost forever walked back into your life?On a sunny morning in March 1987, four-year-old Stephen Nelson welcomes his new baby sister, Emily. Holding her for the first time, he vows to love and protect her, and to keep her safe forever.Nearly thirty years later, the two have lost touch and Stephen is homeless.Emily, however, has never given up hope of finding her brother again and when he arrives at the council office where she works, her wish comes true. But they say you should be careful what you wish for – and perhaps they’re right, because there is a reason the two were estranged . . .As the two embark on a birding trip together, Emily is haunted by long-buried memories of a single June day, fifteen years earlier; a day that changed everything. Will confronting the secrets that tore them apart finally enable Emily and Stephen to make their peace – not just with their shared past and each other, but also themselves?Haunting, beautiful and uplifting, Katy Regan's How to Find Your Way Home is about sibling love, the restorative power of nature and how home, ultimately, is found within us.Trade ReviewA luminous novel about the power of love and how to find your place as part of natural world once again. It's beautiful, fascinating, perfectly crafted and life affirming. I adored it -- Rowan Coleman, Sunday Times Bestselling author of The Brontë Mysteries series, The Vanished Bride, The Diabolical Bones and The Red MonarchBeautiful, heartbreaking and life-affirming -- Rosie Walsh, author of The Man Who Didn't CallA gorgeous book with characters that walk off the page and into your heart. I loved it -- Eva Chase, author of The Glass HouseTender and perceptive -- Lucy Diamond, author of Anything Could HappenPowerful and tender, with characters I loved so much that I didn’t want to say goodbye to them . . . Sublime -- Catherine Isaac, author of The World at My FeetA truly touching story about love, hope, belonging and memory -- Araminta Hall, author of Perfect StrangersGorgeously written, emotional and moving, How To Find Your Way Home brought a tear to my eye. It's life-affirming and simply wonderful -- Sarah J Harris, author of One Ordinary Day At A TimeGorgeous * Good Housekeeping *
£15.29
Pan Macmillan Kololo Hill
Book Synopsis'A novel about home, about belonging and exile; a compelling and complex insight into a recent past that still resonates' - Irish TimesUganda, 1972. A devastating decree is issued: all Ugandan Asians must leave the country in ninety days. They must take only what they can carry, give up their money and never return.For Asha and Pran, married a matter of months, it means abandoning the family business that Pran has worked so hard to save. For his mother, Jaya, it means saying goodbye to the house that has been her home for decades. But violence is escalating in Kampala, and people are disappearing. Will they all make it to safety in Britain and will they be given refuge if they do?And all the while, a terrible secret about the expulsion hangs over them, threatening to tear the family apart.From the green hilltops of Kampala, to the terraced houses of London, Neema Shah’s extraordinarily moving debut Kololo Hill explores what it means to leave your home behind, what it takes to start again, and the lengths some will go to protect their loved ones.‘[An] incredible debut’ - StylistTrade ReviewAn impressive, confident debut about family and survival, against the backdrop of a history that is not written about often enough. -- Nikesh ShuklaDevastatingly beautiful . . . every sentence is a revelation. -- Nikita Gill, author of The Girl and the GoddessShah is excellent on the theme of home . . . an absorbing storyteller. * Daily Mail *This is a novel about home, about belonging and exile; a compelling and complex insight into a recent past that still resonates. * Irish Times *Shah explores the chaos and fear of ordinary people’s lives during Amin’s rule, weaving personal stories of love and betrayal into heightening tension and violence . . . nail-biting. * Independent *Utterly heartbreaking and so moving . . . a thoughtful reflection on what home and belonging mean. -- Haleh Agar, author of Out of TouchA moving portrayal of a family uprooted from a life they have worked so hard for. At times devastating, I found myself gripped to this story rooted in our history yet scarily still relevant. -- Louise Hare, author of This Lovely CityKololo Hill offers a glimpse into a terrifying and fascinating period of history. Neema Shah evokes Amin’s Uganda and early 1970s suburban England with both nuance and a fresh and wonderful vivacity. This is a book with a huge amount of heart; I was entirely captured by the stories of Asha, Jaya and Vijay. Their dreams and dilemmas resonate with many of today’s key questions around culture, identity and the places – and people – we can each call ‘home’. -- Joanne Sefton, author of The Guilty FriendA searing, timely, and beautifully written tale of displacement, the meaning of home, and developing identity across generations. I loved it. -- Stephanie Scott, author of What’s Left Of Me Is Yours
£8.54
Pan Macmillan Mercy
Book SynopsisSpecial Agent Atlee Pine’s quest to find her missing sister reaches an explosive climax in Mercy, the gripping follow up to Long Road to Mercy and Daylight, from one of the world’s most favourite thriller writers, David Baldacci.The hunt is finally over. FBI agent Atlee Pine is at the end of her long journey to discover what happened to her twin sister, Mercy, who was abducted when the girls were just six years old – an incident which destroyed her family and left Atlee physically and mentally scarred.She knew her sister and parents were out there somewhere. And she had to find them. Dead or alive.Atlee and her assistant, Carol Blum, discover the truth. But the truth hurts. And hurt makes you tough. So how tough do you have to be to forgive?As they uncover a shocking trail of lies, greed, fear and revenge, they must face one final challenge. A challenge more deadly and dangerous than they could ever have imagined . . .Trade ReviewMultilayered and brutal, this is a fitting conclusion to Pine’s quest – but hopefully not the last we’ll see of her * Observer *A riveting brain-teaser as well as serving up vivid action scenes -- Sunday Times on DaylightA fabulous new character from a master storyteller. Readers will love Atlee Pine -- Jane Harper on Long Road to Mercy
£8.54
Transworld Publishers Ltd Three Women and a Boat: A BBC Radio 2 Book Club
Book SynopsisTender and humorous novel of second chances and life-changing new friendship for fans of Rachel Joyce, Clare Chambers and Barbara Pym'Life-affirming and funny' GOOD HOUSEKEEPING'Anne Youngson's witty and elegant novel is a celebration of friendship and a timely reminder that it is never too late to take on a life-changing new challenge' DAILY MAILMeet Eve, who has departed from her thirty-year career to become a Free Spirit; Sally, who has waved goodbye to her indifferent husband and two grown-up children; and Anastasia, a defiantly independent narrowboat-dweller, suddenly vulnerable as she awaits a life-saving operation.Inexperienced and ill-equipped, Sally and Eve embark upon a journey through the canals of England, guided by the remote and unsympathetic Anastasia. As they glide gently - and not so gently - through the countryside, the eccentricities and challenges of canalboat life draw them inexorably together, and a tender and unforgettable story unfolds. Disarmingly truthful and narrated with a rare wit, THREE WOMEN AND A BOAT is a journey over the glorious waterways of England and into the unfathomable depths of the human heart by an inspirational new talent now in her seventies.**********What customers are saying:'Moving, tender and just a balm for the soul' *****'Perfect for those in need of an uplifting read' ****'A warm and enjoyable read' *****Trade ReviewA gentle meander down England's waterways with bittersweet charm * Mail on Sunday *Life-affirming and funny * Good Housekeeping *A tender story of friendship amidst the challenges and glory of canal-boat life * Woman's Weekly *A joy to read * CultureFly *Gentle and charming. A chance to think about what really matters * Reader's Digest *
£8.54
Vintage Publishing The End of the Day
Book Synopsis'A writer with a profound comprehension of emotional destruction, loss and redemption' Sunday TimesA retired widow in rural Connecticut wakes to an unexpected visit from her childhood best friend whom she hasn't seen in forty-nine years. A man arrives at a Bethlehem, Pennsylvania hotel to introduce his estranged father to his newborn daughter and finds him collapsed on the floor of the lobby.A sixty-seven-year-old taxi driver in Kauai receives a phone call from the mainland that jars her back to a traumatic past. These seemingly disconnected lives come together as half-century-old secrets begin to surface over the course of one fateful day...Trade ReviewQuietly devastating... A finely-wrought masterpiece... -- Francesca Carington * Sunday Telegraph *Novel of the Week* *Reading The End of the Day is like studying a stained-glass window up close...a large, beautiful, mysterious work of art. -- David Ebershoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Danish Girl and The 19th WifeA writer with a profound comprehension of emotional destruction, loss and redemption... -- Francesca Angelini * Sunday Times *Fabulously rich and compelling. * Daily Mail *[A] glorious novel. -- Helen Macdonald * Guardian *
£8.54
Vintage Publishing Cutting Teeth: No parent could have expected
Book SynopsisISN'T PARENTHOOD ALL ABOUT SACRIFICE?'Sharp, original, wickedly astute' Ashley Audrain, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Push'Deliciously dark, Baker's novel exposes all the little horrors of motherhood.' Kirsten Miller, author of The Change Darby, Mary Beth, and Rhea are on personal quests to reclaim aspects of their identities subsumed by motherhood - their careers, their sex lives, their bodies. Their children, though, disrupt these plans when an unsettling medical condition begins to go around the Little Academy preschool: the kids are craving blood. Then a young teacher is found murdered, and the only witnesses are ten adorable four-year-olds. But as the police draw closer to the truth, it soon becomes clear that the children aren't just witnesses, they're suspects . . . and so are their mothers.Part murder mystery, part motherhood manifesto, CUTTING TEETH explores the standards society holds mothers to - along with the ones to which we hold ourselves - and the things no one tells you about becoming a parent.***READERS LOVE CUTTING TEETH'The plot is insanely genius and the descriptions are riveting' 'Original and unexpected' 'This story has real BITE to it' Trade ReviewWith devourable writing and pitch-perfect humor, Cutting Teeth is a sharp, original, wickedly astute look at the sting of modern motherhood. -- Ashley Audrain, author of THE PUSHDeliciously dark, Baker's novel exposes all the little horrors of motherhood. Cutting Teeth will make you question what's expected of the "perfect" mom-and have you wondering just how much you're willing to give. -- Kirsten Miller, author of Good Morning America Book Club pick THE CHANGEBestseller Baker takes readers on a stomach-dropping emotional roller coaster in this suspenseful and darkly comic tale of motherhood and murder... Baker's descriptions of the joys and trials of raising children bolster the mystery at the book's core. With winning cynicism, she delivers a wicked thriller that doubles as a glimpse at motherhood's dark underbelly. * Publishers Weekly *Cutting Teeth may be Chandler Baker's boldest book yet. A razor-sharp, biting social commentary on motherhood that is equal parts scary and satirical, thrilling and thought-provoking, that begs the question: how far is too far when it comes to taking care of your kids? You'll sink your teeth into it * Stacy Willingham, New York Times bestselling author of A Flicker in the Dark *As brutal in its honesty as it is in its deceptions, Cutting Teeth is a viciously sinuous whodunnit . . . an incisive and fearless exploration of motherhood and the self-inflicted wounds we hide up our sleeves as we each struggle to survive it * Elle Cosimano, USA Today bestselling author of Finlay Donovan Is Killing It *
£15.29
Headline Publishing Group Find Her First: The breathlessly twisty new
Book Synopsis'An emotional, fast-paced thriller' Heat'One of the freshest and most exciting writers' The Sun'Exceptional' Catherine Cooper, author of The ChaletA pulse-pounding and gripping crime thriller, for fans of B A Paris and Fiona Barton ___________WHERE IS STEF CAMPBELL? AND WHO CAN BE TRUSTED TO BRING HER HOME? Paramedic Andy Campbell has a secret he can't tell anyone, not least the police. But when his missing wife's image is found at the home of a suspected killer, detectives start asking questions, and they're not the only ones . . .The race for the truth leads them far from their Edinburgh home.But who will find her first, and will they save her life or take it? ___________PRAISE FOR FIND HER FIRST: 'She's done it again! Emma Christie is a magician' – Trevor Wood'You'll be hooked from the very first page' – My Weekly'Clever and compelling' – Bella'Compelling, captivating and so clever' – Marion Todd'Christie is a master storyteller' – Penny Jenkins'A shocking end. Highly recommend!' – Andrew Greig'Clever, intriguing and full of twists' – Lauren North'Another triumph from one of the UK's brightest, freshest voices' – Jonathan Whitelaw'I became instantly obsessed with this book' – Victoria Dowd'Pulse-pounding and heartbreaking' – Phillippa East'I was utterly immersed' – L.V. Matthews'A fresh and original thriller. Emma Christie is a great new talent' – Lesley Kara'A rollercoaster of a psychological thriller' – G.R. HallidayTrade Review'She's done it again! Emma Christie is a magician' -- Trevor Wood'Exceptional' -- Catherine Cooper'You'll be hooked from the very first page' * My Weekly *'Compelling, captivarting and so clever' -- Marion Todd'Christie is a master storyteller' -- Penny Jenkins'A shocking end. Highly recommend!' -- Andrew Greig'Clever, intriguing and full of twists' -- Lauren North'Another triumph from one of the UK's brightest, freshest voices' -- Jonathan Whitelaw'I became instantly obsessed with this book' -- Victoria Dowd'Pulse-pounding and heartbreaking' -- Philippa East'I was utterly immersed' -- L.V. Matthews'A fresh and original thriller. Emma Christie is a great new talent' -- Lesley Kara'A rollercoaster of a psychological thriller' -- G.R. Halliday
£11.07
Canelo The Other Son: A compelling and emotional
Book SynopsisShe saved her son once. Would she do the same again?Sara and her family needed a fresh start after a tragedy that ruined many lives. They have found peace since arriving at their new home in the Kielder Forest National Park twelve months ago. That is, unless you count the dark cloud that has settled over them, and the crippling tension behind closed doors. Sara tries to pretend everything is normal, but in reality she is haunted by a devastating truth about one of her children.Travis has a reputation as a counsellor skilled at helping troubled teens. He has been watching Sara. He sees her fragility, and believes that he can fix her and her eldest son. Like his mother, Scott barely speaks, and has a look in his eye that hints at unimaginable trauma. If Travis could only get close to Sara she would see that he can protect her, and put an end to their suffering.Yet below the surface, Sara is anything but weak. No matter what, she won’t give up on her child. And when she is cornered, she will go to extreme lengths to protect her most precious boy.A compulsive tale of family secrets with twists you won’t see coming. Perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, Shalini Boland and K.L. Slater.Praise for The Other Son 'This was such a good read that I finished in one sitting... It was fast paced, twisty and unpredictable. I really enjoyed it.' NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'Draws you in from the start. I enjoyed it immensely' NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'A really well written book. I thought that it was gripping and also original' NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐I loved this one. Very fast paced, had me turning pages as I tore through it – I had to see how it would end. The characters were well rounded and the narrative felt believable. Gave me chills. Solid five. NetGalley reviewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
£8.54
Boldwood Books Ltd One Summer Sunrise: An uplifting escapist read
Book SynopsisThe Top 10 Bestseller 'A perfect book for summer' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️'I laughed, cried and loved every word' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️As the sun rises on a hot summer’s day, four lives are about to be changed forever...Brand new from the bestselling author of What If? and One Day In Summer. Today, Maisie McTeer decides to track down the ex who jilted her at the altar. Today, she’ll find out that revisiting the past can also rewrite her future.After losing her husband, Harriet Bassett can no longer bear her lonely life. Today, a familiar face in a crowd will spark a quest to discover if there’s something and someone worth living for.Scott and Kelly Bassett’s daughter is leaving home. Today, Scott plans to tell Kelly that he’s ending their marriage to pursue his rock and roll dreams.However, Kelly, has a bombshell of her own. How will Scott react to the news that a new arrival is on the way to fill their empty nest?Between sunrise and sunset, there’s love, heartbreak, laughter and tears, but who will find happiness at the end of the day?Readers are loving One Summer Sunrise: 'A perfect book for summer' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'I laughed, cried and loved every word' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'What an absolute joy to read!' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️'Loved this book!... What a rollercoaster of emotions' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'Wonderfully uplifting' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Praise for Shari Low:‘I’d forgotten how enjoyable it is to read a Shari Low book but My One Month Marriage reminded me of the fun to be had in her words...funny, warm and insightful.’ Dorothy Koomson'Great fun from start to finish.' Jenny Colgan'There are only two words for Shari Low: utterly hilarious. I laughed like a drain.' Carmen Reid'One of the funniest books I've ever read!' Marisa Mackle'More fun than a girl’s night out!' OK! magazine'A brilliant, light comical read with some fabulous twists and turns' Bookbag'A thrilling page turner that grabs your attention from the off. Highly recommended' The Sun'Totally captivating and it felt like I'd lost a new best friend when it came to the end' CloserMagazine'Touching stuff' Heat
£17.24
Boldwood Books Ltd The World Outside My Window: A beautiful
Book Synopsis'Unputdownable - Swatman's story weaving is perfection. Loved every minute of this heartfelt read!' Rachel Dove Laura is watching the world go by without her.Unable to leave her house since suffering a trauma, Laura is stuck gazing out of her window at Willow Crescent, relying on husband Jim and best friend Debbie for help.Then one day, Jim doesn’t come home.A day becomes two, days become a week, and still no sign of Jim. And with the police half-hearted in their efforts to look for him, Laura is forced into a decision. She’s going to have to face the world outside and find her husband herself.But what Laura hasn’t realised is that Willow Crescent is a community, eager to help. From Arthur and Carol next door ready to rally the neighbours, to Marjorie and her daughter Faye at number nine looking for their own reasons to engage with the world. From Sonja at number seven who thinks she may have seen Jim in London, to widower Ben at number four who understands all about being lonely. Laura has a world ready to embrace her if she can just find the nerve.And when it slowly dawns on them all, that the Jim they thought they knew, may have been hiding some unfathomable secrets, Laura has a choice – retreat back behind her window, or start living the life that was waiting for her all along.This is Clare Swatman's tour de force. At the same time emotional, uplifting, page-turning and breath-taking, Laura is a character you will never forget.Praise for Clare Swatman:'A sensitive, touching story with emotional depth and page-turning quality' Helen Rolfe'I loved The Night We First Met by Clare Swatman. Warm, romantic and wonderfully written, it's an emotional and thought-provoking read with such relatable characters.' Debbie Howells'The Night We First Met** is a beautiful love story that vividly evokes time and place, transporting the reader… and leaves you rooting for everyone who is brave enough to follow their heart and not their head.' Victoria Scott'Heart-breaking and life-affirming in equal measures, Before We Grow Old is the tender story of a chance meeting between former childhood sweethearts Fran and Will, and is packed with secrets and revelations. Through her beautiful writing, Clare Swatman delivers a powerful lesson in learning to love with your whole heart and accepting the same, no matter what life throws at you.' Sarah Bennett'Irresistible . . . A delightfully bittersweet story that will appeal to fans of One Day' - Sunday Mirror 'The Night We First Met is a breathless story of enduring love that will fill your heart and give you hope.' Laura Kemp'The Night We First Met is such a special book, filled with broken and relatable characters, who you can't help but love. Just Gorgeous!' Emma Cooper'The Night We First Met is a gorgeously romantic, sliding doors love story about how The One will find you in the end.' Katy Regan
£17.24
Boldwood Books Ltd Christmas Miracles at the Little Log Cabin: A
Book SynopsisPerfect for fans of Sarah Morgan, Jessica Redland and Kate Forster.Do you believe in Christmas miracles?Holly is looking for a change. There has to be more to life than the long hours she works as an editor in New York City, despite what everyone says. What she doesn’t expect when she leaves the city behind is to meet Mitch, a recluse who’s hiding more than she realises.Mitch spends his days hidden away in a little log cabin in Inglenook Falls, where he owns a Christmas tree farm. He speaks to people only when necessary, so when Holly falls into his life, he’s not sure how to react. All he knows is that something needs to change if he wants to get his life back on track.Along with friends Cleo and Darcy, Holly is determined to bring joy back to Mitch’s life, but will he appreciate their interference? And when a business proposition throws everything up in the air, will it do more harm than good?Curl up this festive season in a snow-covered log cabin surrounded by Christmas trees and find out whether miracles and second chances really do happen.*Please note this is a re-release of Christmas Miracles at the Little Log Cabin, previously published by Helen J Rolfe*Praise for Helen Rolfe’s heartwarming stories:'Beautiful, magical and incredibly moving’ The Writing Garnet‘It's a book version of a Hallmark movie’ Amazon Reviewer‘A warm romantic feel-good read’ Goodreads Reviewer‘The perfect festive romance’ Jessica's Book Biz‘What a wonderful festive read!’ Goodreads Reviewer
£20.69
