Family life fiction / Stories about family

Book SynopsisNew neighbour. Tale as old as time.Sixteen years ago, teenager Will Sterling saw – or rather, heard – the girl of his dreams. Now an unexpected inheritance has brought Will back to that same address, where he plans to offload his new property pronto and get back to his regular life as an overworked doctor.Bound by her loyalty to her adored grandmother, Nora Clarke won’t let Will’s plans ruin her quirky, close-knit building. With a little light sabotage, she sets out to foil his renovation efforts. But as their feud heats up, so does the attraction between them. A balcony, a star-crossed couple, a fateful meeting – maybe it’s the kind of story that can’t work out in the end. Or maybe, it’s the perfect second chance… A fun, tender and beautiful romance for fans of Mhairi McFarlane, Beth O’Leary and Sophie Kinsella.Praise for Love At First ‘The most delightful cast of characters I’ve met in ages…a modern romance masterpiece.’ Christina Lauren, New York Times bestseller‘I was left with that warm, glowing love for humanity that is always what I’m chasing when I read this genre: the sense of togetherness, of hope, of even unsolvable problems feeling less impossible’ The New York Times‘A Mary Balogh–style love story… The comforting rewrite of Romeo and Juliet you didn’t know you needed.’ Kirkus Reviews‘Will and Nora’s chemistry and the quirky side characters keep the pages turning. Clayborn’s fans will be pleased.’ Publishers WeeklyBuzzfeed Books to Add to Your TBR Goodreads Hottest Romances of 2021 Frolic Best Books of Winter 2021 BookRiot Books for Coping with A COVID-19 Winter

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Book SynopsisAmelia Riley and Ben Lawson have something in common – fathers who have kept secrets.On the day of his father’s funeral, Ben’s life changes forever when a woman he’s never met shows up claiming to be his sister. As he investigates the past, Ben is shaken to discover that much of his life has been built on a carefully constructed foundation of his father’s lies. Needing answers, he agrees to visit Juniper Meadows, the ancestral estate owned and run by his long-lost relatives, the Travers family.Arriving in the pretty Cotswolds countryside, the first person Ben meets is Amelia Riley. They are immediately drawn to one another, but Amelia has her own complicated ties to the Travers family. Her only goal is to set the past to rights so she can move on with a clean conscience.As Ben starts to see the events of his childhood more clearly, he allows the warmth and fun he finds at Juniper Meadows to draw him in from the cold. But just as he’s contemplating setting down roots, Amelia is making plans to leave…Bestseller Sarah Bennett is back with an irresistible, feel-good, page-turning escape, perfect for fans of Cathy Bramley, Katie Fforde and Phillipa Ashley.Praise for In From the Cold:'A perfect read to cosy up with at this time of year. Complex family relationships are explored with love and sensitivity and in a way that keeps you turning the pages. Full of friends and family and the meaning of love in all its different forms' Katie Ginger'In From The Cold is a cleverly woven tale of family in all its many meanings; emotional, heart-breaking but ultimately uplifting, I can’t wait to see where Sarah Bennett takes us next' Alexandra Walsh'In From the Cold is a joyful, intriguing story of intertwining relationships whose ripples spread throughout a community... Moving, witty and atmospheric, the story bowls along at a cracking pace, delivering a generous supply of romance along with the gin. I loved it! More, please.' Celia AndersonPraise for Sarah Bennett:'A gorgeous story packed with love, romance and heartfelt emotion. Will bring sunshine into your day!' Phillipa Ashley'An excellent read with a slow burning romance, family secrets, sabotage and some fascinating archeology details. Highly recommended.' Maddie Please'Sarah's ability to weave complex characters and idyllic settings you want to move to is astonishing! A fantastic read combining complex family dynamics, friendship and of course romance! An unputdownable read!' Katie Ginger'This is the perfect escapist read and I can't wait to follow the characters in what promises to be a wonderful series. Five sparkling stars!' Rachel Griffiths‘I inhaled this book in two days. Absolutely gorgeous. Sarah Bennett is back, and better than ever!’ Rachel Burton'A perfect heartwarming read full of family, romance and intrigue, set in a stunning location - what’s not to love?' Bella Osborne

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Book SynopsisEven the approach to Christmas fails to excite restless Agnes Conway, the twenty-two-year-old manager of the sweet and tobacconist shops owned by her feckless father. There are dark secrets in Arthur Conway's past, and these come tragically to light when Agnes's younger sister falls pregnant by one of the notorious Felton brothers. And Agnes herself has a secret, which she knows she must keep from her father: her relationship with Charles Farrier, son of a local landowner, who outrages his own wealthy, pious family by proposing marriage.However Charles is not the only man who could shape Agnes's furture, as his brother Reginald makes no secret of his admiration for her. But she could not have foreseen how significant a part he is to play in her destiny...The Wingless Bird is an absorbing story of love and the harsh realities of Britain's class system.

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Book Synopsis* FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF GIRL IN TRANSLATION * 'Kwok is an impressive talent' - KARIN SLAUGHTER 'A beautiful, propulsive story' - LAURA DAVE 'A hugely atmospheric and suspenseful mystery' - LUCY FOLEY 'I will find my daughter. No matter the cost...' Jasmine Yang thought her daughter was dead at birth. But five years after she was taken from her arms, she learns that her controlling husband sent the baby to America to be adopted, a casualty of China's one-child-policy. Fleeing her rural Chinese village, Jasmine arrives in New York City with nothing except a desperate need to find her daughter. But with her husband on her trail, the clock is ticking, and she's forced to make increasingly risky decisions if she ever hopes to be reunited with her child. Meanwhile, Rebecca Whitney seems to have it all: a high-powered career, a beautiful home, a handsome husband and an adopted Chinese daughter she adores. But when an industry scandal threatens to jeopardise not only Rebecca's job but her marriage, this perfect world begins to crumble. Two women in a divided city, separated by wealth and culture, yet bound together by their love for the same child. And when they finally meet, their lives will never be the same again...Trade ReviewA propulsive and engrossing narrative * Guardian *Two stories intertwine in this exciting tale... I was gripped and romped through it * Daily Mail *A compelling and moving mystery in which threads converge and dangers pile up * Observer *Two women on a collision course hurtle through twists and turns to an ending that will have you tearing through the last pages. A novel about identity and belonging, ambition and motherhood - it's a triumph * Woman's Weekly *Kwok is a skilled writer of suspenseful family drama * New York Times *Two women on a collision course hurtle through twists and turns to a high-octane ending that will have you tearing through the pages * Woman & Home *A heart-wrenching examination of transracial adoption and its influence... A suspenseful read, but also an introspective journey into the bonds of family, country, class, and race * Elle *Kwok writes with such compassion... An impressive, beautiful and atmospheric story, with a couple of twists that will shock the reader * Mature Times *Tautly plotted... Delicately delineated, raising uncomfortable questions about motherhood, race, class and white privilege * Prospect *A haunting, emotionally powerful story about motherhood, family, oppression, immigration, and power. Kwok is an impressive talent whose books resonate with deeply felt emotion and expertly crafted plotting -- Karin Slaughter, author of THE SILENT WIFEAt once a hugely atmospheric and suspenseful mystery and a compelling exploration of motherhood and belonging that packs a profound emotional punch. I couldn't stop thinking about this book long after I'd read the final page -- Lucy Foley, author of THE HUNTING PARTYJean Kwok delivers again with The Leftover Woman - a magnetic meditation on secret histories, motherhood, love and how we show up for each other in the most surprising of ways. A beautiful, propulsive story -- Laura Dave, author of THE LAST THING HE TOLD MEA heart-tugging exploration of love, belonging and the meaning of family -- Ruth Ware, author of IN A DARK, DARK WOODA thriller with danger and heartbreak at its centre -- Tina Baker, author of CALL ME MUMMYKwok has done it again. Her newest novel will make your heart race... As gorgeous as it is thrilling, The Leftover Woman tells a story of identity, ambition, and love that makes us look again at who we are and who we're forced to be -- Julia Phillips, author of DISAPPEARING EARTH

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Book SynopsisHeartbreaking and immersive, this powerful story of the strength of the human spirit will delight fans of Kristin Hannah, Fiona Valpy and Rhys Bowen1944 - When an air raid strikes the hospital she’s been working in, Carrie’s life irrevocably changes. But as a nurse in the middle of wartime, she has no time to grieve, as she has too many people relying on her.For resistance fighter, Vito, nothing is more important than seeking vengeance for the atrocities his fellow comrades have suffered. But when he liberates a convent, finding a group of Jewish children in hiding, he suddenly has even more to fight for.Little Mimi is injured, scared and alone. Together Carrie and Vito vow to find her parents, a loving home. But under the shadow of war, is it wise to make promises you’re not sure you can keep?Praise for Siobhan Daiko'A beautiful story with a compelling historical storyline that you won’t want to put down’ Ann Bennett’I was completely absorbed by … all the characters and intrigue’ Angela Petch

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Book SynopsisMum of one, Jess, has had enough of endless diaper-filled days, and her husband Chris has just the solution to vent her frustrations – a blog. Jess loves her daughter more than anything, but sometimes she just wants a little bit of freedom – some time for herself. Cue a laptop, a glass of wine and the beginning of a life-changing journey. Overnight Jess's inbox is full of notifications and before long she is officially a 'mummy blogger', but this new life comes with its own set of rules and regulations. With Queen of the Bloggers, Tiggy, blanking her in public, people recognizing her on the street and her life decisions suddenly judged by strangers, Jess's idea of 'me time' is slowly becoming a full-time job. Will Jess be able to find the right life/work balance? Or will she wish she'd never turned to a world online? From the award-winning blogger behind 'Mum of Boys & Mabel'. Praise for From Mum with Love: 'Catchy and engaging!' Macie Callewaert. 'Wonderful entertaining' Abby Siverman. 'I loved, loved, loved this book!' Petra Quelch. 'I loved the story as it followed the highs and lows of mothering' Natasha Brett. 'A relatable and hilarious read that I devoured in one sitting' Lindsie Gatto. 'I thought this was a beautiful and accurate representation of what it must feel like to be a mother' Whitney Meyer.

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Book Synopsis'A funny and touching insight into music, autism and motherhood' Dawn French'A truthful book that dives headfirst into the realities of motherhood that will make you laugh out loud and touch your heart in equal measure' Izzy Judd________________________________Your family doesn't fit the mould. So what?Lucy had it all: an exciting career, a rock-star husband, and pelvic floor muscles that could crack a walnut. And then, she had kids...Since giving birth to her second child, Lucy's life is totally unrecognisable: the romance in her marriage is officially dead and so is the career it took her years to build.Instead of playing the cello behind superstars at packed-out arenas, Lucy now spends most days mopping up broccoli vomit whilst listening to her four-year-old recite facts about the gallbladder. Something needs to change.With a little help from her friends, Lucy comes up with a plan to get her life on track, claw back her career and help her extraordinary son to find his place in an ordinary world.Trade ReviewA funny and touching insight into music, autism and motherhood * Dawn French *A truthful book that dives headfirst into the realities of motherhood that will make you laugh out loud and touch your heart in equal measure -- Izzy Judd, bestselling author of Dare to DreamA relatable yet original read you won't be able to put down ... will make you laugh out loud. Simply brilliant! * Vicki Broadbent (The Honest Mum) *Honest, heartfelt and frankly bloody hilarious * Rowan Coleman *Will make you snort with laughter, wince in recognition and then punch you in the heart - often all in one page * Laura Vaughan *

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Book SynopsisLove, money and children... Life is a risk, however much we try to protect ourselves...Unlike the Frants living their quiet ordered lives in the village of Appleford, Tess and Becky are of the generation that believes it can have everything. Highflyers in the high-octane world of London's high-finance, they move through the opportunists, the short-termists, the sharks, the bullies and the very, very rich to face many choices, not least the one presented by biology: children.As the different generations balance the challenges life throws at them, a tender and unexpected love story emerges alongside a journey to maturity in this bold and beautiful novel.'A modern day Vanity Fair ... brilliantly done' - Mail on SundayTrade ReviewThe pursuit of money, allied to the pursuit of love, is one of fiction's most dynamic themes... an absorbing tale and a salutary one -- Helen DunmoreSuperb writing, pacy, sharp, dramatic, utterly gripping -- Val Hennessy * Woman's Journal *A satisfyingly easy but never facile read * Daily Telegraph *Horribly well done * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisFROM THE BOOKER PRIZE-WINNING AUTHOR OF THE PROMISESHORTLISTED FOR THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE, 2003A year ago Patrick Winter was in Namibia completing his military service. Now, during the first free elections, Patrick has returned to the country he defended; the place where he fell in love for the first and only time. With the country poised to change forever, Patrick is forced to revisit his past and scale the wall that he has built around his painful memories of love, war and loss.'An astonishingly sensitive writer.' Irish Times'Engaging and enduring... devastating in the lucidity and austere assurance of its prose.' TLS'A work whose psychological observation is as subtle as its political analysis.' The Times'A beautifully written and thoughtful meditation on love, loss and longing.' AttitudeTrade ReviewAn astonishingly sensitive writer. * Irish Times *Engaging and enduring... devastating in the lucidity and austere assurance of its prose. * TLS *A work whose psychological observation is as subtle as its political analysis. * The Times *A beautifully written and thoughtful meditation on love, loss and longing. * Attitude *

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SHORTLISTED FOR 2003 THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE Shortlisted for the Dublin IMPAC Award 2003 'Dangor's writing, and the world he creates with it, exude a vibrant physicality... Dangor's vivid prose, narrative fluency and facility for literary experiment make Bitter Fruit a considerable achievement.'-- Shomit Dutta, Daily Telegraph The last time Silas Ali encountered the Lieutenant, Silas was locked in the back of a police van and the Lieutenant was conducting a vicious assault on Lydia, his wife.When Silas sees him again, by chance, twenty years later, crimes from the past erupt into the present, splintering the Ali's fragile family life. Bitter Fruitis the story of Silas and Lydia, their parents, friends and colleagues, as their lives take off in unexpected directions and relationships fracture under the weight of history.It is also the story of their son Mickey, a student and sexual adventurer, with an enquiring mind and a strong will.An unforgettably fine novel about a brittle family in a dysfunctional society.

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Book SynopsisA Radio 4 Book at Bedtime'The hottest young writer in US fiction' -- GuardianWhen Clarissa Iverton was fourteen years old, her mother disappeared leaving Clarissa to be raised by her father. Upon his death, Clarissa, now twenty-eight, discovers he wasn't her father at all. Abandoning her fiancé, Clarissa travels from New York to Helsinki, and then north of the Arctic Circle - to Lapland. There, under the northern lights, Clarissa not only unearths her family's secrets, but also the truth about herself.Trade ReviewVida's prose has the purity of the Lapland winter that it describes... the writing possesses the clarity of church bells or winter light. -- Neel Mukherjee * The Times *Beautifully written... The writing is deceptively light: you can skip through it, happily enjoying its spare, humorous style, but there are subtleties that call for slow reading... then the book really takes off, growing darker and deeper. -- Jonathan Gibbs * Daily Telegraph *Graceful and inventive. -- Peter Carty * Independent *The whole book [has] peculiarly biting charm, a narrative that manages to be both eerily surreal and fundamentally credible. -- Madison Smartt Bell * New York Times *

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Book SynopsisTHE BESTSELLING NOVEL BY NELL DUNN'Her art is ignited by voice . . . as you hear it, is unquestionable' ALI SMITH, GUARDIAN 'Touching, truthful and fresh' MARGARET DRABBLE 'Nell Dunn's hilarious, heartbreaking Poor Cow, about a single mother in sixties London' PARIS REVIEW Joy - also called Blossom, Sunshine and Blondie by the men in her life - walks down Fulham Broadway carrying her week-old baby, Jonny. She is twenty-one with bleached hair, high suede shoes and a head full of dreams. Her husband Tom is a thief and on the proceeds of a job they move to a luxury flat - 'the world was our oyster and we chose Ruislip'. Then Tom is sent to prison, leaving Joy and Jonny to move in with Auntie Emm. This is Joy's story: an exuberant, pink-lipsticked, tale of London life, love and young motherhood in the sixties . . . Poor Cow explores the life of a young working-class girl in the swinging sixties as she navigates the consequences of her decisions. Nell Dunn's 1967 novel was also made into a film directed by Ken Loach.Trade ReviewHer art is ignited by voice, especially by voice more usually given no societal, literary or aesthetic power or space but whose authority, as you hear it, is unquestionable -- Ali Smith * Guardian *It was Nell's interest in the women of the working class that made her work truly radical * Independent *Touching, truthful and fresh . . . written with an unselfconscious elegance that conceals its craft . . . A tour de force -- Margaret DrabbleNell Dunn's hilarious, heartbreaking Poor Cow, about a single mother in sixties London * Paris Review *

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Book SynopsisIt all starts with the death of Martijn van Vliet's wife. His grief-stricken young daughter, Lea, cuts herself off from the world, right up until the day that she hears a snatch of Bach being played on a violin by a busker. Transfixed by the sweet melody, she emerges from her mourning, vowing to learn the instrument. Lea's all-consuming passion is matched by talent, and she becomes one of the finest players in the country - but as her fame blossoms, her relationship with her father only withers. Desperate to hold on to Lea, Martijn is driven to commit an act that threatens to destroy both him and his daughter.Trade ReviewA perfect novel that you'll devour in a single night. -- BrigittePascal Mercier now takes his rightful place among our finest European novelists * Sunday Telegraph *Lea has it all... Sanity and madness, love and betrayal, self-preservation and self-destruction * Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung *Perfectly constructed, exciting, entertaining, enigmatic, memorable. * Buchkultur *

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Book Synopsis'Trigiani is a wonderful storyteller... Readers will enjoy Big Cherry Holler immensely' USA TODAYHow do you move forward if you’ve already lost your way? It's been eight years since town pharmacist and self-proclaimed spinster Ave Maria Mulligan married Jack McChesney. Now they have a beautiful daughter, but for some reason Jack has never seemed so distant. In the old stone house nestled in the mountains, there’s an empty room where their son once slept, and a sadness that neither Ave nor Jack can discuss. But in Big Stone Gap itself, change is in the air, and not everyone feels it’s for the good. As Ave makes big decisions about the future of her family, will she and her husband be able to find their way back to each other before it’s too late?The extraordinary sequel to Big Stone Gap from the bestselling author of The Shoemaker's Wife, a Richard and Judy Book Club pick. Praise for the BIG STONE GAP series: 'Hilarious and romantic. I couldn’t put it down’ SARAH JESSICA PARKER 'One of my all-time favourite novels' WHOOPI GOLDBERG ‘If you love curling up with charming tales of small towns and quirky characters, switch off with this’ COSMOPOLITAN 'Delightfully quirky' PEOPLE 'As comforting as a mug of chamomile tea on a rainy Sunday' NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW 'Utterly addictive' GLAMOUR 'As quirky and charming as her first novel. If you are not a fan already, you will be after this' COMPANY 'Honest, wholesome entertainment with a spicy Deep South kick' DAILY MAIL 'As warm and sweet as Southern Comfort' ELLETrade ReviewPraise for Adriana Trigiani ‘A gorgeous piece of escapism’ The Times 'A comedy writer with a heart of gold' New York Times 'Trigiani is a master of palpable and visual detail' Washington Post 'One of my all-time favourite novels' Whoopi Goldberg 'Utterly addictive' Glamour 'Exquisite writing and a story enriched by the power of abiding love' USA Today 'Full of romance, drama and snappy dialogue' People 'Eminently readable and richly imagined' Publisher's Weekly 'Trigiani is a seemingly effortless storyteller' Boston Globe 'Hilarious and romantic. I couldn't put it down' Sarah Jessica Parker

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Book SynopsisA professional pianist searches for her sister, who disappeared when their parents died, aided by her childhood-care records and a single song that continues to haunt her … the exquisite new novel from the author of This Is How We Are Human‘Utterly beautiful … I couldn’t put it down’ Iona Gray‘Louise Beech has a rare talent … she doesn’t just move the reader, she breaks their heart and mends it again’ Fiona Cummins‘The best one yet … I’m still in tears of heartbreak and joy’ S E Lynes'Like the notes of a nocturne, Nothing Else will leave you profoundly touched by its beauty' Nydia Hetherington–––––––––––––––––––––––––––Heather Harris is a piano teacher and professional musician, whose quiet life revolves around music, whose memories centre on a single song that haunts her. A song she longs to perform again. A song she wrote as a child, to drown out the violence in their home. A song she played with her little sister, Harriet.But Harriet is gone … she disappeared when their parents died, and Heather never saw her again.When Heather is offered an opportunity to play piano on a cruise ship, she leaps at the chance. She’ll read her recently released childhood care records by day – searching for clues to her sister’s disappearance – and play piano by night … coming to terms with the truth about a past she’s done everything to forget.An exquisitely moving novel about surviving devastating trauma, about the unbreakable bond between sisters, Nothing Else is also a story of courage and love, and the power of music to transcend – and change – everything.–––––––––––––––––––––––––––‘One of the best writers of her generation’ John Marrs ‘A story of childhood trauma, survival, the fragility of memory, and of love that survives decades … I loved it’ Gill Paul‘A touching, beautifully written work of literary fiction ... pure perfection’
Michael Wood'A beautiful, heartbreaking, uplifting novel' Vikki Patis‘Another brilliant tale of love and hope’ Fionnuala Kearney'Powerful, mesmerising and honest … I loved every word' Carol Lovekin ‘A tender and beautiful story about the loving and unbreakable bond between sisters’ Madeleine Black ‘Wonderful prose’ Shelley’s Book Nook ‘Emotional, poignant, delightful’ Bobs and Books ‘A masterpiece of emotional artistry, as spectacularly tender as it is disquieting, this book will stay with you long after you finish it’ Bookly Matters ‘This is another beautiful, lyrically written story, made even more perfect with the musical themes throughout’ Karen Reads ‘Beautifully written, in that style that is so typical of this author, and which never fails to draw its reader in’ From Belgium with Booklove ‘Madame Beech has done it again ... both touching and heartbreaking’ Mrs Loves To Read ‘This is such a beautiful book – incredibly tender, it’s like an extended piece of the most beautiful classical music you ever heard’ Tea Leaves and Reads ‘This is a story, at its root, of love and loss, and lost time, but one that testifies to the power of truth and the endurance of love … her best yet’Blue Book Balloon

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Book SynopsisAll the Tiny Beauties follows five characters in California as their lives intertwine.All the Tiny Beauties begins with a kitchen fire that sends the reclusive Webster Jackson to the home of his new neighbor, Colleen, who discovers him on her doorstep wearing a lacy peignoir, his house in flames. Unwilling to take responsibility for the lonely eccentric, Colleen reaches out to Webb’s estranged daughter, Debra. She also helps him find a live-in companion, a young adult reeling from the loss of her childhood friend. Moving among perspectives and generations, we see the longings and vulnerabilities that drive and impede these characters as their stories intertwine—Webb’s first love clashing with his last; Colleen embarking on a secret affair with Debra; the older Webb and his young housemate, Hannah, forming a bond over tragedy, guilt, and his passion for baking. Confronting the many ways they’ve failed others as well as themselves, Webb, Colleen, Hannah, and Debra slowly find ways forward and ways out. While exploring the fragile nature of our connections to one another, All the Tiny Beauties asks larger questions about the constraints society imposes that warp and wound, leading us to deny those things that make us wholly ourselves.Trade Review“All the Tiny Beauties is a careful, beautiful literary novel that ponders the contents of happiness and the purpose with which people lead their lives. By questioning what it means to conform to gender and social roles, it makes a deep investment in the multiplicity of identities.” * Foreword Reviews *“The best books are the ones that fill holes—in our lives, in our hearts, in our bookshelves—we didn't even know we had until the books showed up to fill them. Jenn Scott's All the Tiny Beauties is one of those books. It is a time-traveling, mind-bending wonder, a novel about Oakland now and then, about the fluidity of gender, of family, of place. It reminds me of Jennifer Egan's A Visit from the Goon Squad in its wicked sense of humor; its intelligence; its patience; its careful, fond study of how love can drift into hate and then, if we're lucky, back into love again. A wonderful first novel by one of our most talented up-and-coming writers.” * Brock Clarke, author of 'Who Are You, Calvin Bledsoe?' *"All the Tiny Beauties is a wonder, an arrow-to-the-heart kind of a novel. At once compact and expansive, this book is part family reckoning, part love story, part grappling with notions of gender that both complete and confine us. Like Jenny Offill in Department of Speculation, Scott is a master at balancing the melancholic longing of her characters with moments of bristling hilarity and joy. All the Tiny Beauties is a wise and urgent novel that rewards you on every page." * Sarah Domet, author of 'The Guineveres' *

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Book SynopsisTwo sisters can''t quite believe what their mother has done. And now they have to decide what to do about it. As if their own personal lives aren''t complicated enough . . . Andie and her sister Jin have never seen eye to eye. Andie doesn''t envy Jin her marriage to a wealthy businessman, while Jin isn''t convinced that Andie''s happy with her man-free existence (if only she knew the truth!). But when their widowed mother Cora comes back from a Caribbean cruise with more than just a suntan, Andie and Jin are united in horror. Who is this gorgeous young man who''s swept their mother off her feet? What the women really need is a friend to set the world to rights with - but can they be friends with each other?Readers love Anyone But Him:''Beautifully written - a delight getting to know the characters'' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐''One of Sheila O''Flanagan''s best novels. It hooked meTrade Review'A must-read' * Women's Own *Sheila O'Flanagan is one of the blinding talents on the female fiction scene * Scottish Daily Record *

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Book SynopsisUNFINISHED BUSINESS focuses on an ordinary suburban office worker, fundamentally weak but always keeping his eyes fixed on some horizon where a heightened, romantic, better world must surely exist.  Faced with the regular stuff of life - work, aspiration, marriage, age, divorce, bereavement - his ordinary plight is sharpened, becoming increasingly urgent. Having lived in a modern condition, confusing pleasure with happiness, wanting the dream to deliver, what do you do when you notice the shadows begin to lengthen on the lawn?Trade ReviewUnfinished Business is humane, intimate and affecting because it explores universal themes - ageing, marriage, friendship, mortality - and celebrates beauty -- Max Liu * Financial Times *The tenor of Unfinished Business feels dreamlike, fragmentary, except that the writing is also exact and alert, anchored very particularly in time and place. Better known as a cultural critic, Bracewell hasn't published a novel in 21 years. This is quite the comeback . . . The overall tone is so measured that the tragic event at the novel's climax stuns like a concussion - worse than that, because it's not even the tragedy we thought we had seen coming -- Anthony Quinn * Guardian *This sense of innocence and wanting is what gives this eerie novel its power to move and frighten . . . Bracewell excels at this kind of shocked satire, of London's continuing grand delusions -- Gwendoline Riley * TLS *I was won over by this quietly reflective gem of a novel about regret, ageing, and the memory of lost love * Independent *I gave up on Proust to read this - there are similarities - and didn't regret it. Not for a moment -- Geoff DyerWhat a poignant, quietly devastating novel, a meditation of loss in all its flavours and pains of late middle age with a Prufrock for our times at its heart -- Travis ElboroughThere is an elegance and mystery to Bracewell's writing as well as a sumptuous, slightly chilly delight in the sensuality and texture of things; clothes, food, drink, interiors. His prose evokes a world that is at once unknowable, beautiful and sad -- Stuart MaconieMichael Bracewell's masterpiece was worth the wait. Awash with luxury and regret, suffused with the pent-up emotion of The Great Gatsby and the style of a post-modern dandy, Bracewell delivers something magical -- Philip HoareThis elegaic, understated story of a man cut adrift in London, haunted by the reality of his own decaying body, is an essay in fracturing memory, a compassionate and tender tale of searching for a better life as time runs short -- Philip ClarkThis book has the instantly recognisable feel of a minor classic. Melancholic, reflective, it quietly and elegantly asks the big questions: what is a life for, exactly? What does it all amount to? A devastating portrait of a once dazzling life fading to grey -- Keiran GoddardMichael Bracewell is an extraordinary stylist who's able to summon whole eras with a few deft phrases. In Unfinished Business, his prose mastery of cultural codes and aesthetic textures is put to work on the most intimate kinds of hope and loss. As a novelist he dazzles, then breaks your heart, and I wish I knew how he pulls it off -- Brian DillonFor me, Michael Bracewell, in edgy, elusive works, like Present Tense, Souvenir, and now Unfinished Business, has always been engaged in something very special. A spiritual adventure which embraces all things with huge curiosity, seems present throughout his work -- Alan Warner

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Book SynopsisSunday Times bestseller April 2022Irish Times bestseller March 2022At the first wedding, there''s a shockThe second wedding is unexpected By the third, Delphie thinks nothing could surprise her. But she''s wrong . . . Delphie is enjoying her brother''s wedding. Her surprise last-minute Plus One has stunned her family - and it''s also stopped any of them asking again why she''s still single. But when she sees all the missed calls that evening, she knows it can''t be good news. And she''s right. Delphie has been living her best life, loving her job, her friends, her no-strings relationships and her dream house by the sea. Now she has to question everything she believed about who she is and what she wants. Is her mum right - is it time to settle down? Or does she want to keep on trying to have it all? Each wedding of a glorious summer brings a new surprise. And as everythiTrade ReviewA glamorous, blockbusting, empowering read with a glorious spin on the wedding scene. Sheila writes with such verve and positivity and emotional intelligence - she knows just what it is to be a woman * Veronica Henry *I really enjoyed Three Weddings and a Proposal . . . Reading a Sheila O'Flanagan novel always feels like sitting down for a cup of tea with a friend - she writes with such warmth and empathy * Beth O’Leary *One of my favourite authors * Marian Keyes *A novel which celebrates strong women who can carve out their own happy endings * Linda Green *Great characters and many twists and turns make this page-turner thoroughly enjoyable. A great read! * Katie Fforde *Sheila's books always make you feel as if you've spent time with a good friend * Carole Matthews *This book had me jumping this way and that, trying to decide which characters could be trusted . . . and then changing my mind. A highly enjoyable read * Imogen Clark *Insightful, pacy and authentic, this is a terrific read * Patrica Scanlan *Believable, warmly drawn characters, a perfectly paced story and a satisfying ending; just what I've come to expect from this accomplished writer. Do I rejoice when a new Sheila O'Flanagan book hits the shelves? I do. * Roisin Meaney *As a lover of all things Irish, how is it possible that I hadn't discovered Sheila O'Flanagan's books before Three Weddings and a Proposal? Thanks to this wonderful story of a woman's journey of self-discovery, I can't wait to read more by this very talented author * Sherryl Woods *The perfect summer escape . . . Engrossing, entertaining, and emotional - and featuring a protagonist you can't help but root for - this one will keep you turning the pages * Farrah Rochon *A fascinating story, full of twists and turns... Full of tension, honesty and compassion, Sheila's wonderful novel kept me guessing right until the end' * Gill Thompson *An involving, thought-provoking novel and a masterclass in storytelling. I was drawn in from page 1 * Sue Moorcroft *

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Book SynopsisTHE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER, JUNE 2021''Annie Macmanus is a writer whose understanding and capturing of human nature comes as easily to her as breathing'' CANDICE CARTY-WILLIAMS''A work of gilded melancholy that is going to take everyone by surprise'' UNA MULLALLY''Macmanus writes with flair and confidence rarely seen in a debut'' SINÉAD GLEESONOne Saturday morning, TJ McConnell wakes up to find his mother, Mary, gone. He doesn''t know where - or why - but he''s the only one who can help find her.Mary grew up longing for information about the mother she never knew. Her brother could barely remember her, and their father numbed his pain with drink.Now aged thirty-seven, Mary has lived in the same house her whole life. She''s never left Belfast. TJ, who''s about to turn eighteen, is itching to see more of the world.But when his mother disappears, TJ begins to realise what hTrade ReviewPrepare to fall in love with Mary, to want to reach right into the pages and hold her as a child and help her as an adult. MOTHER MOTHER is a brilliant book that takes you with it on a journey of struggle, friendship and forgiveness that explores the brutal legacy of addiction and the consequences of a deep grief left to stagnate -- Sara Cox, broadcaster and author of TILL THE COWS COME HOMEI loved it. Annie Macmanus is writer whose understanding and capturing of human nature comes as easily to her as breathing -- Candice Carty-Williams, author of QUEENIEMacmanus' immersive novel reminds us that the minutiae of daily struggles are always worth homing in on. Her meditative, considered writing constantly pulls us towards the messy experience of life itself, where there is hope to be found in the grind of intergenerational trauma, and beauty amongst the brokenness. This is a work of gilded melancholy that is going to take everyone by surprise -- Una Mullally, journalist and broadcasterA hugely entertaining and emotional story about intergenerational loss and love, trauma and acceptance. Macmanus writes with flair and confidence rarely seen in a debut -- Sinéad Gleeson, author of CONSTELLATIONSI adored it. I loved the characters and stories, and I became completely immersed in that world. It's so beautifully written... Moving and brilliant -- Emily Eavis, co-author of GLASTONBURY 50A brave and occasionally heartbreaking portrait of a family falling apart and the woman who's been holding them all together for far too long. Macmanus' debut novel is assured, evocative and, like her characters, full of gentle strength -- Jan Carson, author of THE FIRE STARTERSSuperb... [Macmanus is] brilliant at voice and motivation and the (historic and emotional) passage of time; at making households so vivid you know their smell. Can't recommend enough -- Laura Snapes, journalistI loved this book and felt powerfully connected to every character I met within its pages. Tender and deeply felt, it's a beautiful portrayal of the pain and beauty of normal life, told in hauntingly lyrical prose. Poignant and beautifully observed, it was a novel that stayed with me a long time, reminding me again and again of the secrets hidden within the most seemingly normal lives, and the awe-inspiring power and resilience of women everywhere -- Clover Stroud, author of MY WILD AND SLEEPLESS NIGHTS'A brilliant debut novel from an exciting new voice in literature . . . Macmanus makes weaving a decades-spanning, multiple- perspective narrative look easy in this highly accomplished debut' * Sunday Business Post *Melancholy, beautifully unadorned prose * Mail on Sunday *A study of grief, addiction and what it means to be a mother * Stylist Magazine *An incredible debut * Daily Mirror *A page-turning exploration of grief, addiction, young motherhood and unbreakable family ties * British Vogue *MOTHER MOTHER is a tender, surprising, occasionally bleak, moving and delicate book * The Irish Times *Unflinching and unsparing but also beautifully written * Daily Mail *Macmanus writes with flair and confidence rarely seen in a debut * The New European *Written with a poet's ear for language * Waitrose Weekend *

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Book SynopsisPerfect for fans of Cathy Kelly, Victoria Hislop and Lucinda Riley, The Godmothers is a heart-warming exploration of family, friendship and female bonds. ___________In order to find out who her father is, Eliza has to discover who her mother truly was . . . As the only daughter of a troubled young mother, Eliza Miller's life was kept on track by the constant support of her godmothers Olivia and Maxie – until a tragic event just before her eighteenth birthday changed everything.Thirteen years later, Eliza is cautious, lonely, and dedicated to her work in Melbourne. Out of the blue, an enticing invitation from Olivia, now based in the UK, prompts a leap into the unknown. Eliza is thrown back into the centre of a complicated family, and the busy hotel they run in Edinburgh's West End.Amidst the chaos, Eliza unexpectedly begins to explore her past. Her godmothers have long been waiting for her to ask about her mother's mysterious life – and the identity of the father she has never known.But even they are taken by surprise with all that she discovers . . .If you loved The Godmothers, don't miss Monica McInerney's The House of Memories, available now in paperback. ___________'Absolutely beautiful . . . Intriguing and uplifting' Marian Keyes 'The perfect read!' Patricia Scanlan'A feel-good read' The Sun'Warm, wise and witty' Woman & Home'You'll be laughing out loud one minute and crying the next' Cosmopolitan'Heart-warming . . . A lovely read' Hello! Magazine'McInerney is a must-read author for women's fiction fans around the world' Huffington Post'The sort of feel-good read you long to get back to' Hilary Boyd, bestselling author of Thursdays In The Park'Exploring universal family issues of loss, rivalry, ageing and grief, this is a warm, witty and moving novel' Woman's Day'McInerney's bewitching multigenerational saga lavishly and lovingly explores the resiliency and fragility of family bonds' Booklist'A world of family, love, warmth and heartbreaking secrets that will sweep you up . . . Superb' Books of all Kinds'You'll be laughing in one breath, crying in the next . . . If you haven't discovered McInerney yet, now is the time to do so' Better ReadingTrade Review'An absolutely beautiful book ... Intriguing and uplifting' -- Marian Keyes'You think she can't get any better, but she does! The perfect read' -- Patricia Scanlan

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Book SynopsisTHE NO. 1 EBOOK BESTSELLER''A fabulous tale with refreshingly inspiring heroines'' ***** Heat WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT is an enchanting read by Sheila O''Flanagan, bestselling author of THE HIDEAWAY, perfect for fans of Marian Keyes and Lisa Jewell. ThenWhen Lola Fitzpatrick catches the eye of Philip Warren, she''s new to Dublin and loving it. He''s used to getting what he wants...and she can''t resist him. Until one night he forces her to make an impossible choice.If she''d known then what she knows now, everything might have been different.NowLola''s daughter Bey has inherited her mother''s impulsive streak and it takes her down dangerous paths.Then one night she too finds herself in front of a man she loves, with impossible choices of her own to make.For both women, what happened that night changes everything. For better. For worse. ForTrade Review'A fabulous tale with refreshingly inspiring heroines' ***** * Heat *'The mother/daughter relationship is particularly well evoked' * Sunday Express *This warm family story of mother and daughter * My Weekly *See the aftermath as this family tries to put right their mistakes. You'll be rooting for them. * Take a Break *Praise for Sheila's other novels: 'Smart and twisty' * Heat ***** *This GONE GIRL-esque novel will have you gripped until the very end * Look *Sheila O'Flanagan has written another first class bestseller. I read the book in one sitting as it was so enjoyable, full of romance and kept you riveted until the last page * Woman's Way *Escapist in every sense, this easy-to-read romance has a steely edge * Sunday Mirror *Must read * Saturday Express *An exciting love story with a deliciously romantic denouement * Sunday Express *A fabulous tale with refreshingly inspiring heroines * Heat ***** *A heartfelt tale, told with the sincerity and humour we've come to expect from Sheila O'Flanagan - this is a real page turner * Best *The perfect holiday companion... O'Flanagan is one of our best-known, best-loved and most prolific women's fiction authors. A thoroughly satisfying, well-paced plot from a sure and experienced pen * Irish Independent *Romantic and charming * Candis *

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Book SynopsisDramatic, emotional and romantic, if you love Lorna Cook, Tracy Rees and Jenny Ashcroft, you''ll love this gripping and heartrending novel from Cathy Mansell, author of A Place to Belong.''Glorious - a cross between Maeve Binchy and Catherine Cookson'' 5* early reader review''A superb saga'' PETERBOROUGH TELEGRAPH''A heart-warming story full of characters you''ll come to love'' ROSIE GOODWIN''Page-turning and compelling... Most highly recommended'' MARGARET KAINE''Rarely have I read a book where every character springs from the pages so authentically'' JEAN CHAPMAN''A warm-hearted, engaging story'' MARGARET JAMES, WRITING MAGAZINEIn 1950s Dublin, life is hard and jobs are like gold dust.Nineteen-year-old Nell Flynn is training to be a nurse and planning to marry her boyfriend, Liam Connor, when her mother dies, leaving

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Book Synopsis''I loved joining Koo, Lulu and Beth on their hen adventures - this is an uplifting and wonderful story about the power of female friendships, love and self-discovery'' DONNA ASHCROFT''Koo, Lulu and Beth, three very different women, wake up in a strange hotel room with no recollection of how they got there! . . . Warm, humorous and full of friendship; an ideal holiday read'' GEORGIA HILLIf you love Lucy Diamond, Phillipa Ashley, Sue Moorcroft and Holly Martin, you''ll LOVE Erin Green''s novels of love, life and laughter.''Wow! Where to start? I loved this from start to finish'' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐''[A] delightful, heartwarming story about friendship. It is funny, entertaining and is set in beautiful places I''d love to visit! It would make a great holiday read'' ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐''[W]ell thought out, well written, and very descriptive, and is full of humour, love, rom

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Book SynopsisPast Perfect is a heartwarming, magical story of an unexpected friendship spanning a century, from the world's favourite storyteller, Danielle Steel.Sybil and Blake Gregory live a well-ordered, predictable Manhattan life, she as a cutting-edge design authority and museum consultant, he in high-tech investments, raising their children. But when Blake is offered a dream job as CEO of a start-up in San Francisco, he accepts it, without consulting his wife, and buys a magnificent, historic mansion as their new home in Pacific Heights.Past and present collide at their elegant mansion, when they meet the large and lively family who lived there a century ago. All long dead but very much alive in spirit – visible to the Gregorys and no one else. Within these enchanted rooms, it is at once 1917 and a century later.The Gregorys been given a perfect gift; but does living in the past prevent them from embracing their future?

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Book SynopsisWomen's Prize for Fiction 2023 FinalistThe coming of age story of an award-winning translator, Homesick is about learning to love language in its many forms, healing through words and the promises and perils of empathy and sisterhood.Sisters Amy and Zoe grow up in Oklahoma where they are homeschooled for an unexpected reason: Zoe suffers from debilitating and mysterious seizures, spending her childhood in hospitals as she undergoes surgeries. Meanwhile, Amy flourishes intellectually, showing an innate ability to glean a world beyond the troubles in her home life, exploring that world through languages first. Amy's first love appears in the form of her Russian tutor Sasha, but when she enters university at the age of 15 her life changes drastically and with tragic results."Croft moves quickly between powerful scenes that made me think about my own sisters. I love how the language displays a child's consciousness. A haunting accomplishment." Kali Fajardo-AnstineTrade Review"Stunning and surprising." —New York Times"A Boundary-Expanding Story Of Devotion And Growing Up" —NPR.org"Poignant, creative, and unique" —Kirkus"A tribute to the deep bond of sisterhood: how, over years navigating life, it stretches apart and snaps back." —The Scotsman"HOMESICK is an incantatory and masterful work of art."" —Marisa Silver , author of MARY COIN and LITTLE NOTHING"A poignant and moving meditation on family, friendship and place."" —Thomas Chatterton Williams , author of LOSING MY COOL"A marvel: audacious and lyrical."" —Vu Tran , author of DRAGONFISH"Change is life, and Homesick is an exercise in conscious, delicate, joyful change." —LA Review of Books"[Croft] has created a memoir that is at once different from any other yet far more intimate." —Books and Bao"Astonishing in its emotional reach, its evocation of a child's discovery and a young adult's suffering and all the wonder of words." —Shelf Awareness"[A] marvel of a book that magically expresses the untranslatable." —Foreword Reviews

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Book SynopsisUnwind with the world's favourite storyteller Danielle Steel in Against All Odds, a powerful family story of a mother's unconditional love.Kate Madison’s stylish boutique has been a big success in New York, supporting her and her four children since her husband’s untimely death. Now, her children have grown up and are ready to forge lives of their own.Isabelle, a dedicated attorney, falls for a client in a criminal case. She tells herself she can make a life with him – but can she?Julie, a young designer, meets a man who seems too good to be true. She gives up her job and moves to LA to be at his side, ignoring the signs of danger.Justin is a struggling writer who pushes his partner for children, before they’re financially or emotionally ready.And Willie, the youngest, makes a choice that shocks them all . . .As life pulls her children in different directions, can Kate keep her family together – against all odds?

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Book SynopsisFrom her home on the California coast, Dalva hears the broad silence of the Nebraska prairie where she was born and longs for the son she gave up for adoption years before. Beautiful, fearless, tormented, at forty-five she has lived a life of lovers and adventures. Now, Dalva begins a journey that will take her back to the bosom of her family, to the half-Sioux lover of her youth and to a pioneering great-grandfather whose journals recount the bloody annihilation of the Plains Indians. On the way, she discovers a story that stretches from East to West, from the Civil War to Wounded Knee and Vietnam, and finds the balm to heal her wild and wounded soul.One of Harrison's most ambitious novels, Dalva explores an extraordinary family through the strong, engaging voice of an unforgettable woman, confirming Harrison as one of America's most memorable writers.Trade ReviewMonumental . . .There is no putting aside Dalva until the time bombs go off, the identities are revealed, and the skeletons almost literally tumble from the closets. . . . A book to read with trust and exuberance. -- Louise Erdrich * Chicago Tribune *Harrison's storytelling instincts are nearly flawless . . . The people in Dalva reemerge as full-blooded individuals who almost incidentally embody much of the innocence, carelessness, and urgency that played so large a part in the settling of this country. * New York Times Book Review *Moving, interesting, satisfying . . . Dalva is Harrison's most ambitious novel to date. * Washington Post *If the reader is in any doubt at all during the opening pages of Jim Harrison's 1988 novel Dalva as to whether they're in the hands of a master craftsman, then it is likely that these doubts will be put to bed not far into its opening chapter. . . . His subjects . . . are as violent and raw and strongly regional as those in any work of rural American fiction, but no less intellectually complex. -- Tom Cox * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“If her opening salvo is any indication, Allen promises to show the relentlessness of the trauma Black women deal with every day leavened with the solidarity of friends who can relate.” — New York Times Book Review “Emotional, funny, and heartbreakingly real.” — Popsugar “It’s a good thing that this is only the first book of a trilogy, because after getting to know Tabitha, you won’t want to leave her at the end…Written intimately as if you’re peering into the mind of a close friend, this book is a true testament to the stresses on women today and how great girlfriends (and grandmothers) are often the key to our sanity.” — Good Morning America “Black Girls Must Die Exhausted encapsulates the infinite expectations and challenges thrown in the direction of Black women while also confronting the ways women are gaslit and thrown into impossible situations that they have no choice but to overcome. This is a novel about female friendship, the weight of the future, and learning to accept that you can want what you truly want.” — Shondaland “The first in a series of three novels that follow Los Angeles–based reporter Tabitha Walker. The thirtysomething journalist is forced to reevaluate her priorities when life laughs at the checklist she has devised for being a perfect adult. Readers will find themselves deeply invested in her relatable quest to become a mother before her biological clock runs out—and will recognize their own relationships in her enduring bonds with her homegirls.” — Essence “This contemporary first book of a series focusing on modern womanhood will appeal to many readers.” — Ms. Magazine “An impossible-to-put-down novel chronicling Tabitha Walker’s extremely relatable journey through relationships – with men, friends, family, and most importantly, herself. With finely-drawn characterizations and touching life lessons, Jayne Allen paints Tabitha’s “adulting” journey with heartbreaking, heartwarming strokes that stayed with me long after I’d finished reading. (On a personal note, as a Black woman who struggles with infertility, it’s so refreshing that Allen sheds a light on this rarely-told story.) Sign me up for the trilogy!” — Tia Williams, award-winning author of The Perfect Find and Seven Days in June “Black Girls Must Die Exhausted is a smart, sophisticated portrait of three very different women, united in both their struggles and their joy. Allen seamlessly blends sharp social commentary with a heartwarming story of friendship between irresistibly complex characters. A fresh, punch-packing debut from an author to watch!” — Emily Henry, New York Times bestselling author of Beach Read "A a story for our times, dealing with urgent, important themes in an exhilaratingly entertaining way. Tabby, the gutsy heroine navigating her way through the challenges of life for a thirty-something, Black professional woman, is a wonderfully relatable character who had me rooting for her from the very first page. The choices Tabby has to make will resonate with anyone trying to stay true to themselves in balancing their personal and career aspirations. I was beguiled by the warmth and humanity that shine throughout the book, particularly in Tabby’s relationships with her beloved grandmother and her spirited friends. Jayne Allen has created a fresh, modern and uplifting book that left me wanting more. I adored it." — Sarah Haywood, New York Times bestselling author of The Cactus “Black Girls Must Die Exhausted follows the heartwarming journey of a young woman who is thrust out of survival mode and into living—really living. Love and magic jump off the pages, which are chock full of relatable moments that offer hope and encouragement along the way.” — Trisha R. Thomas, author of Nappily Ever After "Allen writes in a sharp, lively voice that is full of warmth and humor...Tabitha and her friends are well-drawn, and it is the dynamic between the protagonist and the women in her life that propels the story. Touching on issues of professional womanhood, race, and family, the author crafts a novel that is both timely and enjoyable." — Kirkus “A promising debut… Allen has the chops to become a terrific storyteller.” — Publishers Weekly “Allen's debut novel. . . captures the complexities of Black women coming into adulthood while learning to manage the disappointments and expectations placed on them by society.” — Booklist "Allen crafts an engaging and evenly plotted story of a woman who, after learning that she has only a limited window in which to have children, evaluates her relationships and personal aspirations....readers will readily connect with her search for fulfillment on her journey of self-discovery." — The BookLife Prize

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Book SynopsisMahmoud's passion for his wife Fereiba, a schoolteacher, is greater than any love she's ever known. But their happy, middle-class world—a life of education, work, and comfort—implodes when their country is engulfed in war, and the Taliban rises to power.Mahmoud, a civil engineer, becomes a target of the new fundamentalist regime and is murdered. Forced to flee Kabul with her three children, Fereiba has one hope to survive: she must find a way to cross Europe and reach her sister's family in England. With forged papers and help from kind strangers they meet along the way, Fereiba make a dangerous crossing into Iran under cover of darkness. Exhausted and brokenhearted but undefeated, Fereiba manages to smuggle them as far as Greece. But in a busy market square, their fate takes a frightening turn when her teenage son, Saleem, becomes separated from the rest of the family.Faced with an impossible choice, Fereiba pushes on with her daughter and baby, while Saleem falls into the shadowy underground network of undocumented Afghans who haunt the streets of Europe's capitals. Across the continent Fereiba and Saleem struggle to reunite, and ultimately find a place where they can begin to reconstruct their lives.Trade Review"Expertly depicting the anxiety and excitement that accompanies a new life, Hashimi's gripping page-turner is perfect for book clubs." -- Library Journal (starred review) "A must-read saga about borders, barriers, and the resolve of one courageous mother fighting to cross over." -- O, the Oprah Magazine

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Book SynopsisWinston Graham was the author of more than forty novels, including The Walking Stick, Angell, Pearl and Little God, Stephanie and Tremor. His novels have been widely translated and his famous Poldark series has been developed into two television series shown in twenty-four countries. Many of Winston Graham's books have been filmed for the big screen, the most notable being Marnie, directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Winston Graham was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and in 1983 was awarded the OBE. He died in July 2003.Trade ReviewRoss is one of literature's great heroes . . . [with] elements of Darcy, Heathcliff, Rhett Butler and Robin Hood -- Debbie HorsfieldFrom the incomparable Winston Graham . . . who has everything that everyone else has, then a whole lot more. * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisA classic tale about finding the man of your dreams right under your nose.Ex-model Zoe Fleming is now a hardworking single mom - and she wouldn''t have it any other way, though she would like a tenant to share household expenses. What she gets is confirmed bachelor J. Cooper McKinnon. Coop quickly befriends her son and in no time has the reluctant Zoe charmed, too. But she has zero room in her life for a man. Could this be a recipe for disaster, or the best mistake she''s ever made?This is a first-time regular print hardcover edition of a title previously available as a mass market paperback.

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Book SynopsisThe heart-warming and romantic SUNDAY TIMES bestseller: the perfect escapeOne little mistake and nothing will ever be the same again!On the one hand, if Essie hadn''t written that letter - the one that only her best friend was meant to see - then she''d still be living like an actual proper grown-up, tucked up with Paul in his picture-perfect cottage, maybe even planning their wedding...On the other hand (if her true feelings hadn''t accidentally taken the internet by storm, that is) she wouldn''t have moved into the attic flat on the square. She would never have met Conor. Or got to know Lucas...And she wouldn''t have found herself falling in love with someone she really, really shouldn''t fall in love with... ''One of my favourite writers'' Katie Fforde''The queen of witty, heart-warming, feel-good love stories'' Red ''Reading Jill is alwaTrade ReviewPraise for Jill Mansell's novels: 'Bursting with humour, brimming with intrigue and full of characters you'll adore' **** * Heat *The queen of witty, heart-warming, feel-good love stories * Red *One of my favourite writers -- Katie FfordeReading Jill is always such a joy! -- Veronica HenryA glorious, heartwarming, romantic read * Woman & Home *Jill Mansell's novels just keep getting better and better * Fabulous *Achingly romantic... we loved it! * Sun *Fans of PS, I LOVE YOU will enjoy this funny and heartwarming read * Bella *A warm, witty and romantic read that you won't be able to put down * Daily Mail *[A] must read...[A] heart-warming novel * Daily Express *

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Book SynopsisTHE TIMES ''100 BEST SUMMER READS''NEW YORK TIMES TOP 10 BESTSELLERLONGLISTED FOR THE WOMEN''S PRIZE 2020''Sublime'' Candice Carty-Williams''An epic in miniature'' Tayari Jones ''A banger'' Ta-Nehisi Coates''Generous and big-hearted'' Brit Bennett ''A true spell of a book'' Ocean Vuong ''A proclamation'' R.O. Kwon''A little masterpiece'' Paula Hawkins''I adored this book'' Elizabeth MacNeal''Pure poetry'' Observer''A sharply focused gem'' Sunday Times''Will remind you why you love reading'' Stylist''Haunting'' Guardian''A wonderful, tragic, inspiring story'' Metro''Prose that sings off the page... Gorgeous'' Mail on Sunday''A nuanced portrait of shifting family relationships'' FinancTrade ReviewONE OF THE BOOKS OF THE YEAR FOR:New York TimesWashington PostTimeUSA TodayO, The Oprah MagazineElleGood HousekeepingEsquireNPRNew York Public Library Library Journal Kirkus BookRiot She Reads The Undefeated Completely sublime and immersive, Red at the Bone will strike you in the heart. Woodson writes the beautiful complication that can be intergenerational relationships with love, and a richness that is breathtaking. * Candice Carty-Williams, bestselling author of QUEENIE *An epic in miniature... As moody, spare, and intense as a Picasso line drawing... This poignant tale of choices and their aftermath, history and its legacy, will resonate with mothers and daughters. * Tayari Jones, Women's Prize-winning author of AN AMERICAN MARRIAGE *Red at the Bone is a beautiful portrait of two families bonded through a teenage pregnancy and later fractured as its members follow their diverging paths. It's a generous, big-hearted novel that explores the pressures ambition and desire place on two young parents, as well as the histories they inherit that continue to shape the family for generations. * Brit Bennett, author of THE VANISHING HALF *A banger -- Ta-Nehisi Coates, author of THE WATER DANCERRed at the Bone glistens with sheer beauty. * Courttia Newland *Profound, moving and consistently unexpected... A book that embraces class, desire, race, gender, ambition and tragedy, all with exemplary subtlety... Red at the Bone is pure poetry. * Observer *Red at the Bone should be on everyone's to-read list. * Stylist (Best New Books for 2020) *A nuanced portrait of shifting family relationships... With passionate precision Woodson paints the aches and pleasures of all kinds of love: parental love, the love of friendship, sexual love... By the end of the novel the nature of [the characters'] wealth seems different than it did at the beginning of the book: as we have come to know its characters and their lives, it is their stories, not their gold, that gleam out from the darkness all around. -- Erica Wagner * Financial Times *Haunting... There is an abundance of angst over class, gender and race subtly woven into this beguilingly slim novel. Woodson frames each chapter from the point of view of a different character, and the result is a narrative about an individual family that takes on communal urgency and power. She shows her readers how elliptical and obsessive human memory is... Black women and their sexuality - what is projected on to it; its weight, beauty and ease - are at the heart of Red at the Bone. Woodson seems to understand that there has never been a way for youth or love or desire to play it safe. A young girl's sexuality is hers to discover, and not her parents', nor her lovers', to assume or take away. It is the mystery that keeps unravelling, like blood, truth and memory. * Guardian *Red at the Bone is less than 200 pages long but manages to cram in the story of one black American family from the start of the 21st century to the end - and from six viewpoints too... The writing is so sensuous and deft, Woodson's characterisation so instantly wrought, that perspective changes and propulsive tumble of years become a cinch to follow... A wonderful, tragic, inspiring story. Sublime. * Metro *A sharply focused gem * Sunday Times *Dazzling... Profoundly moving... with urgent, vital insights into questions of class, gender, race, history, queerness and sex in America. * New York Times Book Review *In prose that sings off the page, Woodson tells their stories and the stories of Iris's parents [...] weaving a spare family saga that marries joy with sadness. Gorgeous. * Mail on Sunday *It is rare to read an American novel that talks so unsqueamishly about class, and the systems - from the well-intentioned to the malignantly racist - that stymie upward mobility in black communities. It is rarer still to read a novel of unpunished maternal reluctance... It is in telling Iris's story - not as one of callous abandonment but of self-protection and queer desire - that Woodson's novel shows its red-raw heart. * TLS *As seductive as a Prince bop, Woodson's follow-up to Another Brooklyn is a move-to-its-own-groove multigenerational saga of racism and an unplanned teen pregnancy that throws together two disparate families. This deceptively slim novel pulses with yearning-for more, for better, for love, and for the chance to write our own stories. * O, The Oprah Magazine *This book is full of passion, pain and the ripples left by the past, all told in a rich language that fizzes off the page. * Good Housekeeping *A beast of a book; a masterclass on pace, characterisation and how a writer can be flexible. You'll find yourself rooting for every character, and hurting for them as well. * Elizabeth Acevedo, Observer *Author Jacqueline Woodson knows how to articulate aches that, for most of us, remain locked in inarticulateness - particularly that very human craving for validation. * Elle *Red at the Bone showed me something I didn't realize I needed in a book: home. Because throughout their trials, tribulations and triumphs, the people in this book were my people... Red at the Bone is a narrative steeped in truth - and, yes, it's painful. But it's also one of healing and hope. * Washington Post *She interrogates class, race and the meaning of family with ease and beauty. * Red *This gorgeous, moving novel is a celebration of three generations of a Black family in Brooklyn, and is a story of love-romantic and familial-and alienation, grief and triumph, disaster and survival... Woodson's language is never less than stunning and powerfully conveys the complications and love present within this family to great, compassionate effect. * Nylon *Jacqueline Woodson begins her powerful new novel audaciously, with the word "But." Well, there are no buts about this writer's talent... There isn't a character in this book you don't come to care about, even when you question their choices... Readers mourning the death of Toni Morrison will find comfort in Sabe's magnificent cadences as she rues her daughter's teen pregnancy, which flies in the face of the lessons her mama ingrained in her from the Tulsa race riots of 1921... With Red at the Bone, Jacqueline Woodson has indeed risen even further into the ranks of great literature. * NPR *One of our most empathetic writers... Lyrical, dreamy, and brimming with compassion for her characters, Woodson explores the forces that divide us and the ties that bind with her signature extremity of feeling. * Esquire *Jacqueline Woodson's Red at the Bone delivers an emotional wallop... Sublime. * Entertainment Weekly *A remarkable, intergenerational harmony of voices. * USA Today *A spectacular novel, one that wrenches us to confront the life-altering and life-pulling and life-subsuming facts of history, of love, of expectations, of status, of parenthood, as only a teenage pregnancy can. * Atlantic *Razor-sharp. * Vanity Fair *It would be tough to find a novel this year as enchanting as Red at the Bone. Woodson takes us through decades of generational dreams in this glistening charm of a book. * Sainsbury's Magazine *Exploring issues of gentrification, sexual identity and class, Red at the Bone is a novel you won't soon forget, one that begs to be discussed. * Popsugar *A remarkable and moving portrait of a family in a changing Brooklyn . . . There's not a single unnecessary word. * Refinery29 *A slim novel with tremendous emotional power. * Real Simple *Woodson interweaves Melody's touching narrative brilliantly with generational stories from her mother Iris, who was pregnant with Melody at the age of 16; her father Aubrey, still remembering the first flush of love; her grandmother Sabe, whose own grandmother survived the historic 1921 Tulsa, Oklahoma massacre in which "white folks tried to kill every living brown body", and her grandfather Po'Boy, who is wasting away from cancer. Their memories and loving glimpses of Melody create a family portrait that transcends the bounds of time. Woodson, a National Book Award winner, writes with fluidity, grace and finesse, pulling the plot tight in the final word. * BBC.com *The latest novel by Jacqueline Woodson is a beautifully written examination not just of the bonds of family, but also of how alone one can feel within it... Woodson paints a portrait of people who can barely remember who they once were, yet live with the echoes of their past selves every day. This lyrical novel makes the reader feel like they are present at a moment both they, and the characters, are attempting to unpack together. * Bust *Woodson famously nails the adolescent voice. But so, too, she burnishes all her characters' perspectives . . . In Woodson, at the height of her powers, readers hear the blues. * Kirkus (starred) *Jacqueline Woodson writes right along the border of poetry and prose: her language is as elliptical and dreamy as poetry, but it's always grounded in story and character, like prose. * Vox *Woodson's beautifully imagined novel explores the ways an unplanned pregnancy changes two families... Woodson's nuanced voice evokes the complexities of race, class, religion, and sexuality in fluid prose and a series of telling details. This is a wise, powerful, and compassionate novel. * Publishers Weekly (starred) *Woodson channels deeply true-feeling characters, all of whom readers will empathize with in turn. In spare, lean prose, she reveals rich histories and moments in swirling eddies, while also leaving many fateful details for readers to divine. * Booklist *The fall's hottest novel. * Town & Country *[Jacqueline Woodson's] books combine unique details of her characters' lives with the sounds, sights and especially music of their surroundings, creating stories that are both deeply personal and remarkably universal....this lyrical, lightly told coming-of-age story is bound to satisfy. * BookPage *Jacqueline Woodson has a gift for finding the perfect sets of details and poetic turns of phrase to make her novels feel epic and expansive. * Pacific Standard *A true spell of a book, Woodson is one of those rare writers who make you feel like you can do anything, should do anything. The story of family and young love are timeless human stories, but through Woodson's sentences, this novel offers us new ways to think and embody our burning world and, perhaps most mercifully, permission to dream - and to change. * Ocean Vuong, author of ON EARTH WE ARE BRIEFLY GORGEOUS *With its abiding interest in the miracle of everyday love, Red at the Bone is a proclamation. * R.O. Kwon, author of The Incendiaries *A little masterpiece, so slight and spare and yet containing so much. Poetic and compassionate and beautifully crafted. * Paula Hawkins *I adored this book. It felt like I was holding my breath the whole way through it. * Elizabeth MacNeal, author of THE DOLL FACTORY *It deals with ambition, desire, race, class and the difficulty of mother-daughter relationships with an impressive lightness of touch. * Louise O' Neill *PRAISE FOR JACQUELINE WOODSONJacqueline Woodson has such an original vision, such a singular voice. * Ann Patchett *Woodson brings the reader so close to her young characters that you can smell the bubble gum on their breath and feel their lips as they brush against your ear. * Tayari Jones, Women's Prize-winning author of AN AMERICAN MARRIAGE *Intense, moving . . . reading more like prose poetry than traditional narrative, the novel unfolds as memory does, in burning flashes, thick with detail. * New York Times *Woodson explores class, race and death with unflinching honesty and emotional depth... She manages to remember what cannot be documented, to suggest what cannot be said. * Washington Post *Woodson writes lyrically about what it means to be a girl in America, and what it means to be black in America. * Huffington Post *One of the quietly great masters of our time. * Kirkus *Woodson does for young black girls what short story master Alice Munro does for poor rural ones: she imbues their everyday lives with significance. * Elle *Woodson makes us want to reach into the mirror she holds up and make the words and the worlds she explores our own. * New York Times Book Review *A gorgeous writer... Lyrical prose, really, really beautiful. * Emma Straub *A master storyteller. * Angela Flournoy *Jacqueline Woodson has a poet's soul and a poet's eye for image and ear for lyrical language... I'll go anywhere she leads me. * Naomi Jackson *Jackie gets how class works for black people - how most of us ar never truly out of the hood. This is the wealth gap as literature. But it never says that. Never didactic. On the contrary, joint goes down smooth and easy . . . [and then] you realise there was nothing easy about it -- Ta-Nehisi Coates

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Book SynopsisFrom the author of the Richard & Judy bestseller THE GOOD FATHER and the writer of the television series, Fargo.Trade Review[Hawley's] portrait of a dysfunctional family is at once insane, tender and hilarious. * People *Like an American Martin Amis, Noah Hawley expertly rides the line between hilarity and horror. * Tom Barbash *Brotherly love never hurt so good. * Kirkus Reviews *

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Book SynopsisThe first novel from the bestselling author of The Dutch House, Commonwealth and Bel Canto, Winner of The Women’s Prize for Fiction and the Pen/Faulkner Award. It is 1968. Rose Clinton arrives at St Elizabeth’s, a Roman Catholic home for unwed mothers in Habit, Kentucky. Rose has fled her dull but loving husband without telling him she is pregnant and has decided to be ‘a liar for the rest of my life’. As penance, she has also abandoned her widowed and much loved mother, with no mention of her condition. Rose plans to give her baby up because she knows she cannot be the mother it needs. But St. Elizabeth’s is home to a healing spring, and when Rose's time draws near, she realises that she cannot go through with her plans. Nor can she remain untouched by those she has left behind; by the ever-watchful Sister Evangeline; by the love of Son, the handyman at St. Elizabeth; or later by the birth of her daughter Cecilia. Enchantingly graceful, Ann Patchett’s first novel is about sanctuary and pilgrimage, pain and healing and the helping hand of chance.Trade Review‘A fairy tale. A delight’ New York Times Book Review ‘Beautifully written…a first novel that second and third time novelists would envy for its grace, insight and compassion’ Boston Herald ‘Patchett is unique; a generous, fearless and startlingly wise young writer’ New York Times

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Book Synopsis*Previously published in hardback as Where the Grass is Green*The escapist new novel from the global bestselling author of The Devil Wears Prada_________________________________________________________________LAST SUMMER'S SECRETIt was one harmless little lie, that was all.You were only looking out for your daughter, like any mother would.IS THIS SUMMER'S HOTTEST SCANDAL . . .But secrets always surface.Now yours is suddenly the talk of the town. And everything you tried to protect your family, your career, your picture-perfect life is about to come crashing down . . .And when it all explodes, when the truth finally catches up who can you really trust?Go behind closed doors in this deliciously gripping novel of perfect marriages, perfect families and perfect lies . . .(Previously published in hardback as Where the Grass is Green)Trade Review‘I love Lauren's writing, so tart and witty and refreshing’ Jenny Colgan ‘Sharp and well observed . . . the perfect summer read’ Daily Mail ‘Clever, astute and thoroughly enjoyable’ Jane Green ‘A juicy, escapist page-turner with a scandal at its heart. Fellow fans of Desperate Housewives, The Morning Show and Big Little Lies will adore it’ Tasmina Perry ‘Read of the Week’ Heat ‘Thought-provoking, entertaining and pure escapism’ My Weekly ‘Weisberger’s newest novel is just as stylish as her iconic one . . . there’s drama in spades’ Stella ‘Weisberger never loses her trademark beach-read breeziness as she tackles weighty problems of familial trust with a pitch-perfect blend of humor and poignancy’ Booklist ‘Gripping’ Bella ‘Goes down like an ice-cold guilty pleasure on a hot beach-reading day’ USA Today ‘Guilty-pleasure reading at its very best’ IMAGE magazine ‘An easy to race through novel’ Belfast Telegraph

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Book SynopsisA woman searching for a different futureA man desperate to escape his pastCan they find what they are looking for on the beautiful island of Korcula? ''I was fascinated, invested in each character, and I couldn''t put it down.'' Angela Petch, bestselling author of The Tuscan SecretAntonia Butler is on the brink of a life-changing decision and a job advert looking for a multilingual housekeeper at a beautifully renovated Croatian farmhouse, Vila Maslina, is one she can't ignore.Arriving on the tiny picturesque island of Korcula, Antonia feels a spark of hope for the first time in a long time. This is a chance to leave the past behind.But this island, and its inhabitants, have secrets of their own and a not-too-distant past steeped in tragedy and war. None more so than Vila Maslina's enigmatic owner Damir Maric. A young man with nothing to lose but everything to gain''An unexpected delight'' Catherine Miller, bestselling author of The Day That Changed EverythingReaders are LOVING The OliTrade Review'This is the kind of book that's hard to put away, and I didn't want it to end' Natalie Normann 'Eva Glyn writes with empathy and compassion… a fabulous book' Kitty Wilson. 'I could feel the heat of the sun on my skin, taste the food and hold the warmth of the olives in my hands' Novelist and poet, Claire Dyer ‘Absorbing, compelling and well-crafted. Thoroughly researched…. everything melts into the narrative in an entirely natural way’ Maisie Thomas

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Book SynopsisIt's the last place she wants to be. It's the only place left to go . . .Hugely entertainingan instantly engaging read, what you might get if you mixed Jojo Moyes with Marian Keyes' Sunday IndependentA fabulous readyou're immediately immersed' Sheila O'Flanagan, bestselling author of The Women Who Ran Away'A superb writer the Irish Jojo Moyes' Irish ExaminerCiara Geraghty is a wonderful writer' Hazel Gaynor, author of the Irish Times bestseller, The Bird in the Bamboo CageMarianne left home when she was fifteen following a family tragedy, one that changed all their lives. She never planned to return.But when her carefully controlled life falls apart, she has no choice but to return to Ancaire, the ramshackle house overlooking the Irish Sea, where her mother, Rita, a flamboyant artist and recovering alcoholic still lives.As her mother invites her to pull up a chair and make herself at home, alongside the friends, family and neighbours who wander its rooms. Marianne discovers that sometTrade Review Praise for Make Yourself at Home ‘A fabulous read … [the] characters are so real … you’re immediately immersed in their stories’ Sheila O’Flanagan ‘Written with Geraghty’s trademark humour and keen sense of observation, we go on a rollercoaster journey … A deeply satisfying read’ Patricia Scanlan Acclaim for Ciara Geraghty: ‘Tender, emotional and uplifting…I loved it’ Lucy Diamond ‘Rules of the Road had me laughing and crying on the same page…such a talented writer.’ Patricia Scanlan ‘Very funny, very moving and utterly unsentimental…as Terry discovers what makes life worth living.’ Irish Times ‘A genuine feel-good hit […]Geraghty's tightly wound adventure is as touching as it is entertaining’ Independent ‘A book to be shared, a book to be cherished … an homage to the strength of friendship and a celebration of life in all its colours’ Mairead Hearne, Swirl and Thread ‘Tender, funny, and heartbreaking… Ciara Geraghty is a wonderful writer’ Hazel Gaynor ‘Infused with warmth, humour and human understanding. An homage to life and fantastic friendships, this book will warm the cockles of your heart.’ Justine Carberry, Sunday Independent ‘Funny, gentle, compassionate and wise’ Anne Cunningham, Meath Chronicle ‘A superb writer… the Irish Jojo Moyes. Her books are beautifully written, and infused with warmth, humour and human understanding.’ Irish Examiner ‘A touching, tender, often funny story about love in all its messy, uncertain glory . . . with a hero who will find a place in your heart. Julie Cohen ‘You will feel all the feelings – we can't remember the last time we rooted for two characters quite as much.’ Heat

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Book SynopsisDon't miss this utterly gripping and emotional thriller from Sunday Times bestselling author Susan Lewis!Secrets lie at the heart of every familyWhen the unthinkable happensHanna's world is crumbling.An unimaginable crime has been committed, and everyone's looking for someone to blame. Her loved ones are under suspicion.Now Hanna must work out who is threatening her family before it's too late.No one could have seen this comingReal readers love No One Saw It ComingMaster storyteller Susan Lewis blends emotional family drama, heart-stopping tension and nail-biting suspense' Reader review ?????A mesmerizing, immersive and emotional tale that is a struggle to put down' Reader review ?????Had me hooked from the start' Reader review ?????Best book I've had the pleasure to read in a very long time' Reader review ?????Trade Review.Acclaim for Susan Lewis: ‘Lewis’s book has you by the collar from page one. You just don’t want it to stop. Relatable characters and an unusual, intriguing plot, she kept me guessing to the last’ Hilary Boyd ‘An intriguing read that drew me in from the very beginning. It combines heartfelt family drama with a gripping plot. The characters are expertly drawn … Susan has done a brilliant job of weaving her research seamlessly into the novel’ Julie Corbin ‘I was hooked by the suspenseful plotting, depth of character and legal backdrop. This is a deep book which I greatly enjoyed. Rather like an appetite-wetting five course meal with a surprise menu’ Jane Corry ‘Rich, seamless and masterful storytelling with so many ‘oh my god’ twisty moments… Absolute genius. I was totally gripped’ Rebecca Thornton ‘Susan Lewis has a gift for telling warm family stories that also take you by surprise’ Jane Corry‘A gripping read’ Bella ‘A gripping and compelling tale of justice and forgiveness’ The Courier ‘A compelling, timely mystery’ Lisa Ballantyne ‘My Lies, Your Lies has gone straight to the top of my favourite Susan reads. Full of drama, intrigue with so many twists and turns, I promise you'll be surprised and captivated right to the end’ Carmel Harrington ‘A master storyteller’ Diane Chamberlain ‘Utterly compelling’ Sun

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