Family life fiction / Stories about family

Book SynopsisThis book was so emotional and had me feeling all the feels. It was romantic and heartwarming and such a lovely story and I couldn't get enough of it' Reader review?????This story is full of love, passion and romance' Reader review ?????Wonderful, funny, love story' Reader review ?????Just LOVE the Snow Crystal books! Those O'' Neil brothers must really be something!! I was completely hooked' Reader review ?????A fabulous read. I couldn''t put it down. Sarah Morgan has a flair for painting a great picture in your mind' Reader review ?????* * *There are some summers you'll remember foreverFiery chef Élise is determined to make this summer one of them but with the grand opening of her chic French café falling apart it looks like it might for all the wrong reasons.Until Sean O'Neill comes back to town.Last Summer Élise and Sean shared one hazy whirlwind night together and Elise is looking forward to repeating their last encounter.As long as she can stick to her one-night-only rule and Trade Review'Sarah Morgan continues to hang out on my autobuy list and each book of her that I discover is a treat' – Smart Bitches, Trashy Books 'Full of romance and sparkle' Lovereading 'Morgan's brilliant talent never ceases to amaze' – RT Book Reviews 'Dear Ms Morgan, I'm always on the lookout for a new book by you…' – Dear Author 'Morgan is a magician with words' – RT Book Reviews 'Definitely looking forward to more from Sarah Morgan' – –Smexy Books Full of romance and sparkle – Lovereading Full of romance and sparkle –Lovereading

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Book SynopsisA Richard & Judy Book Club Pick, Mum & Dad is a heartwarming family drama set in the vineyards of Spain. From the number one bestselling author of An Unsuitable Match, Joanna Trollope, and told with all her trademark wit and wisdom.'Trollope’s bestselling novel brings elegance and warmth to a painfully familiar dilemma' – Daily MailWhat happens when family roles are reversed and the children must look after mum and dad?It’s been twenty-five years since Gus and Monica left England to start a new life in Spain, building a wine business from the ground up. However, when Gus suffers a stroke and their idyllic Mediterranean life is thrown into upheaval, it’s left to their three grown-up children in London to step in . . .As the children descend on the vineyard, it becomes clear that each has their own idea of how best to handle their mum and dad, as well as the family business. But as long-simmering resentments rise to the surface and tensions reach breaking point, will the family finally fall apart?'No-one dissects the intricacies of family relationships quite like Joanna Trollope' - Good HousekeepingTrade ReviewNo-one dissects the intricacies of family relationships quite like her -- Good HousekeepingTrollope's mastery of the family saga means this tightly plotted tale makes for a thoughtful, absorbing read -- Daily MailA meticulous family drama, bristling with resentment and regret -- Mail on SundayTrollope is an extremely assured writer, with a brilliant eye for detail and a finely tuned emotional intelligence . . . she writes absorbing, wise stories that dramatize the dilemmas we face * Sunday Times *With her compassion for her characters, Trollope cuts to the quick of family life, and the difference between men and women -- Fanny Blake * Woman & Home *Joanna Trollope's novels address the issues and emotional journeys that face women today * Sunday Express *Trollope writes about family relationships with intelligence and clear-eyed sympathy * The Times *Nobody writes about family tensions better than Joanna Trollope * Good Housekeeping *Trollope’s bestselling novel brings elegance and warmth to a painfully familiar dilemma * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisThe Prank is a contemporary thriller examining the fallout from a single moment in a reality TV programme that has devastating and long-term consequences.El, a young woman, still grieving from the death of her father, follows a stranger home one night. There she chances on a missing piece of the puzzle over his unexplained death.This accidental encounter sets in motion an obsession for revenge asking how far would you go to right the wrongs of a long-forgotten past.Trade Review'Pacy, absorbing and brilliantly topical' -- T.M. Logan, bestselling author of The Holiday'Smart, sly, sophisticated suspense' -- C.M. Ewan'A claustrophobic revenge story with an original premise and a high octane ending' -- Egan Hughes'Innovative, original and supremely twisty’ -- Charlotte Duckworth'A completely unique premise . . . This is one not to miss for all thriller fans' -- Vicky Bradley'An OUTSTANDING debut novel, it completely blew me away' -- Diane Jeffrey'A belter of a debut' -- Emma Christie'I raced through this juicy page-turner – a refreshing new take on the psychological thriller' -- Emma Rowley

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Book SynopsisThe acclaimed international bestseller now a MAJOR MOTION PICTURE starring Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh and Gemma Chan!When Rachel Chu agrees to spend the summer in Singapore with her boyfriend, Nicholas Young, she envisions a humble family home and time with the man she might one day marry. What she doesn't know is that Nick's family home happens to look like a palace, that she'll ride in more private planes than cars and that she is about to encounter the strangest, craziest group of people in existence. Uproarious, addictive, and filled with jaw-dropping opulence, Crazy Rich Asians is an insider's look at the Asian jet set; a perfect depiction of the clash between old money and new money - and a fabulous novel about what it means to be young, in love, and gloriously, crazily rich.Trade ReviewOriginal and fun, Crazy Rich Asians is quite a roller coaster trip. I loved it! -- Jackie CollinsMordantly funny -- Anna WintourUnputdownably funny... a Chinese Dallas meets Pride and Prejudice -- Plum Sykes, bestselling author of BERGDORF BLONDESThis summer's Bergdorf Blondes, over-the-top funny and a novelty to boot. Mr. Kwan delivers nonstop hoots about a whole new breed of rich, vulgar, brand-name-dropping conspicuous consumers -- Janet Maslin, New York TimesIf your definition of a beach read is a book version of Vogue, then this is the book for you -- Emma G Keller, 'Best Beach Reads' 2013 * Guardian.co.uk *This is fun, superficial escapism that hooks and reels in even the reluctant reader: Dynasty among the filthy-rich Chinese community -- Independent

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Book SynopsisFrom the author of Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller Damaged, the gripping story of a woman caught in a horrific cycle of abuse - and the desperate lengths she must go to, to escape.When Aisha spots an ad for a ''personal introductory service for professionals'' in the newspaper, she could never have guessed it would lead to such a perfect marriage. But you should be careful what you wish forMark is sorry the first time he hits Aisha. His tears make her all the more determined to be a better wife; not to let herself down again. But however hard Aisha tries, she can''t live up to Mark''s impossible expectations or escape his terrifying, violent temper. Soon she is trapped in a cycle of horrific abuse and imprisonment. And with two young children to protect, Aisha must draw on what strength she has left to find an escape.What follows is something so devastating it plunges Aisha into her darkest days yet. Is the price she must pay for freedom too high?Trade ReviewReviews for The Girl in the Mirror ‘A moving read that Cathy Glass fans will devour.’ The Sun Reviews for Damaged 'Cannot fail to move those who read it.' Adoption-net 'Heartbreaking.' The Mirror 'A truly harrowing read that made me cry.' The Sun 'A true tale of hope. ****.' OK! 'Foster carers rarely get the praise they deserve, but Cathy Glass's book should change all that.****' First Magazine 'A hugely touching and emotional true tale.' Star Magazine

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Book SynopsisA poignant and brilliant sequel to Dandelion Wine from the author of Fahrenheit 451In Green Town Illinois, Douglas Spaulding is in the midst of a small civil war with the old pitted against the young in this, the second book in Bradbury's semi-fictionalised account of his childhood. As the school board's figure of authority Mr Calvin C. Quartermain attempts to outwit the boys at every turn, their antics increase and become ever more daring and mischevious. Once the shadow of winter draws across Green Town, the boys quickly realise that their enemy is not so much the senior members of their own community, but rather time itself which is ever ebbing away, just beyond the reach of their most daring trick yet: a bold attempt to sabotage the town's clock.Trade Review'It is impossible not to admire the vigour of his prose, similes and metaphors constantly cascading from his imagination.” Spectator "Almost no one can imagine a time or place without the fiction of Ray Bradbury…" The Washington Post 'Bradbury has a remarkable range of intensity and vision' Sunday Times 'The sheer velocity of his words is an apocalyptic torrent which sweeps the reader on' Independent ‘No other writer uses language with greater originality and zest. he seems to be a American Dylan Thomas – with dsicipline’ Sunday Telegraph

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Book Synopsis''A wonderful book; rich, evocative, original. I loved it'' Joanne HarrisOne in ten trees comes up sweetIn the inhospitable Black Swamp of Ohio, the Goodenough family are barely scratching out a living. Life there is harsh, tempered only by the apples they grow for eating and for the cider that dulls their pain. Hot-headed Sadie and buttoned-up James are a poor match, and Robert and his sister Martha can only watch helplessly as their parents tear each other apart. One particularly vicious fight sends Robert out alone across America, far from his sister, to seek his fortune among the mighty redwoods and sequoias of Gold Rush California. But even across a continent, he can feel the pull of family loyaltiesTrade ReviewPraise for At the Edge of the Orchard: ‘Chevalier’s prose is by turns muscular, raw and sumptuous… a delight’ INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY ‘Chevalier has carved out a middle-point between writing literary fiction and its page-turning, commercial counterpart and this book will serve both those audiences’ INDEPENDENT ‘A rollicking yarn of 19-century America’ THE TIMES ‘A densely packed tale of fruit, roots, family and hardship’ FINANCIAL TIMES ‘A wonderful book; rich, evocative, original. I loved it’ Joanne Harris ‘A stunning read’ GOOD HOUSEKEEPING ‘A kind of arboreal love song … an absorbing depiction of the harshness of pioneer life and the impossibility of escaping familial ties’ MAIL ON SUNDAY ‘Dark, brutal, moving, powerful’ Jane Harris ‘Powerfully realised … [A] fine novel’ DAILY MAIL ‘It’s her best since Girl with a Pearl Earring, telling the story both of America and a pioneer family with acuity, freshness and zest. I was captivated by it’ Amanda Craig ‘Tracy Chevalier serves up a rollicking yarn of 19th-century America. What Deborah Moggach did for tulips, Chevalier may well do for apples’ THE TIMES ‘This novel of raw beauty touches themes Chevalier explored in her novel, The Last Runaway. It’s a richly rewarding read’ EXPRESS ‘With Chevalier’s excellent storytelling ability and gift for creating memorable characters, this novel paints a vivid picture of the hard and rough-hewn life of American pioneers on their Westward journey’ STARRED LIBRARY JOURNAL REVIEW ‘Wonderful descriptions of apple grafting and plant-hunting in a 19th century New World America. Chevalier weaves an enthralling, feverish narrative through a backdrop of exploratory horticulture’ TOAST

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Book SynopsisTwo classic stories from #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts' enchanting MacGregor family saga are collected in this volume.

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Book SynopsisWith his characteristic warmth, inventiveness and brilliant wit, Alexander McCall Smith gives us more of the gloriously entertaining comings and goings at 44 Scotland Street, the Edinburgh townhouse. Six-year-old prodigy Bertie perseveres in his heroic struggle for truth and balanced good sense against his insufferable mother and her crony, the psychotherapist Dr Fairbairn, going as far as to make a short-lived bid for freedom on a trip to Paris with the Edinburgh youth orchestra. Domenica sets off on an anthropological odyssey with pirates in the Malacca Straits, while Pat attracts several handsome admirers, including a toothsome suitor named Wolf. And Big Lou, eternal source of coffee and good advice to her friends, has love, heartbreak and erstwhile boyfriend Eddie''s misdemeanours on her own mind.Trade ReviewIt is McCall Smith's particular genius to be able to look on the brighter side of life, and he's seldom done so more enjoyably * THE SCOTSMAN *A master storyteller . . . as warm and enjoyable as a very good soap opera * SUNDAY TIMES *A master storyteller . . . as warm and enjoyable as a very good soap opera * SUNDAY TIMES *

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Book SynopsisIt's not about your first love, but the first love you fight for The fifth book in the scorching hot NEW YORK TIMES bestselling MARKED MEN New Adult series.After his first broken heart, Rowdy St. James decided he was going to do everything in his power to live up to his nickname:life was all about the good times. But when a ghost from the past appears, she makes him question everything he thought he knew about love.Salem Cruz grew up in a house with too many rules and no fun allowed. She left it all behind as soon as she could, but she never forgot the sweet, blue-eyed boy next door who'd been in love with her little sister. Now, Salem is determined to show Rowdy he picked the wrong sister all those years ago.As their relationship heats up, Rowdy starts to let his heart go until the one person who could drive them apart shows up again.Trade ReviewPraise for Jay Crownover: ‘A wildly addicting read!’ Cora Carmack, New York Times bestselling author of Losing It ‘Deliciously real, raw, and romantic. Jay Crownover is amazing!’ Monica Murphy, New York Times bestselling author ‘The characters of Crownover's Marked Men series are all outlandishly colorful and irresistibly passionate, while still being so genuine that their stories become unforgettable. This fifth installment, which reunites old friends and lovers, is no exception’ RT BOOK REVIEWS

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Book SynopsisDazzling novel from Carol Shields, author of The Stone Diaries', winner of the Pulitzer Prize, and Larry's Party', winner of the Orange Prize.Breathtakinga masterpiece.' Geoffrey Wansell, Daily MailReta Winters has a loving family, good friends, and growing success as a writer of light fiction. Then her eldest daughter suddenly withdraws from the world, abandoning university to sit on a street corner, wearing a sign that reads only Goodness'. As Reta seeks the causes of her daughter's retreat, her enquiry turns into an unflinching, often very funny meditation on society and where we find meaning and hope. Unless' is a dazzling and daring novel from the undisputed master of extraordinary fictions about so-called ordinary' lives.Trade ReviewPraise for Carol Shields: ‘Her perceptions are so quick, her style is so acute, that she can tack a breath to the page and skewer a thought on the wing. It is her speciality to isolate moments that remain distinct in the mind for years, perhaps for a lifetime.’ Hilary Mantel, Sunday Times ‘Few writers could make a book about what it means to be alone this charming.’ Observer ‘A wonderful, powerful book, written in a style which combines simplicity and elegance. Deeply moving.’ Joanne Harris ‘Shields writes like an angel, awesome in the intelligence of her observations and never less than elegant in expressing them.’ David Robson, Sunday Telegraph ‘It takes the vessel of fiction in its hands and hurls it to the floor…a masterpiece.’ Rachel Cusk, New Statesman ‘As poised and wise a novel as any you will read this year.’ Tim Adams, Observer ‘Our most intelligent and beguiling observer…”Unless” is her most raw and intentful novel yet.’ Penny Perrick, Sunday Times ‘Her wisdom and generosity of spirit are visible at every turn.’ Sunday Times

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Book Synopsis*Winner of the RNA Romantic Novel of the Year Award 2013*Jenny's new novel is full of warmth, humour and fun - an homage to Star Bars and spangles and refreshers and licorice allsorts and gobstoppers and Hubba Bubba and friendship, and all the best childhood memories of buying sweets in paper bags with your pocket money.Trade ReviewThis delightful, nostalgia-inducing story is utterly charming - and left us craving a paper bag stuffed with treats! * Closer *A fabulously sweet concoction of warmth, wit and lip-smacking childhood treats. Willy Wonka would be proud * Candis *A cute and cosy read . . . indulge your sweet tooth with this touching tale * Heat *Sweeter than a bag of jelly beans . . . had us eating up every page * Cosmopolitan *

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Book SynopsisFrom the international bestselling novelist Penny Vincenzi comes SOMETHING DANGEROUS, the second novel in her highly acclaimed SPOILS OF TIME trilogy. ''Reading her is an addictive experience'' Elizabeth BuchanThe dazzling Lytton twins, Adele and Venetia, are born into the great Lytton publishing empire. In 1928, on their eighteenth birthday, they are rich and admired, with a confidence verging on arrogance. But the spectre of Nazi Germany is growing...Gradually their privileged world darkens in unimaginable ways - but it is not just the twins whose lives have been irrevocably changed. Barty Miller, rescued from the London slums in babyhood by Celia Lytton, is clever, ambitious, and a complete contrast to the twins - and she faces temptation of the most unexpected kind...Trade ReviewPenny Vincenzi dazzlingly combines the old-fashioned virtues of gripping storytelling with the up-to-the-minute contemporary feel for emotional depth and insight into the lives of the characters. She is a supreme stylist and clever writer. -- Elizabeth BuchanHighly addictive * Daily Telegraph *Every Penny Vincenzi is a guaranteed bestseller * Grazia *Seductively readable * The Times *

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Book SynopsisA powerful domestic drama, Shelter reveals the secrets and troubles of two generations of a Korean-American family.You never know what goes on behind closed doors. Kyung Cho owns a house that he can't afford. Despite his promising career as a tenure-track professor, he and his wife, Gillian, have always lived beyond their means. Now their bad decisions are catching up with them, and Kyung is anxious for his family's future.A few miles away, his parents, Jin and Mae, live in the town's most exclusive neighbourhood. Growing up, they gave Kyung every possible advantage – expensive hobbies, private tutors – but they never showed him kindness. Kyung can hardly bear to see them now, much less ask for their help. Yet when an act of violence leaves Jin and Mae unable to live on their own, the dynamic suddenly changes, and he decides to take them in. For the first time in years, the Chos find themselves under the same roof where tensions quickly mount and old resentments rise to the surface.As Shelter veers swiftly towards its startling conclusion, Jung Yun leads us through dark and violent territory, where, unexpectedly, the Chos discover hope. In the tradition of House of Sand and Fog and The Ice Storm, Shelter is a masterfully crafted first novel that asks what it means to provide for one's family and, in answer, delivers a story as riveting as it is profound.Trade ReviewGripping . . . Yun shows how, although shelter doesn't guarantee safety and blood doesn't guarantee love, there's something inextricable about the relationship between a child and a parent . . . We may each respond in our own way, but I'll go ahead and assume that a good amount of folks, regardless of the pain they may have experienced from bad mothers and fathers, and regardless of cultural traditions, will feel the pull to help save their parents. "Shelter" is captivating in chronicling this story. * New York Times *Yun's debut may be a family drama, but it has all the tension of a thriller. It's a sharp knife of a novel - powerful and damaging, and so structurally elegant that it slides right in . . . Yun has written the rare novel that starts with a strong premise and gets better and richer with every page, each scene perfectly selected, building on the last. The language, at first blush plain and functional, reveals itself as the right medium for a story of unusual urgency - not simple but bony, spare and precise . . . Shelter is a marvel of skill and execution, tautly constructed and played without mercy. * Los Angeles Times *A fluidly written debut novel that explores violence and its effects on one immigrant family . . . [A] layered, sometimes surprising debut . . . A diverse and nuanced cast of characters seeks shelter from pain and loneliness in this valiant portrayal of contemporary American life. * Kirkus Reviews *The combination of grisly James Patterson thriller and melancholic suburban drama shouldn't work at all. Yet Ms. Yun pulls it off. Kyung is petulant and unlikeable, but he's also psychologically unstable. The proximity of his parents and the atmosphere of grief and panic launch him on a spiral of self-destruction that's impossible to turn away from. The novel grows darker and darker, until all its internal contradictions are eclipsed by an ending as disturbing and bereft as anything you'll read this year. * Wall Street Journal *This work should find itself on best-of lists, among major award nominations, and in eager readers' hands everywhere. * Library Journal, Starred Review *In her intense debut, Yun explores the powerful legacy of familial violence and the difficulty of finding the strength and grace to forgive . . . This family drama [is] rife with tension and unexpected ironies. * Publishers Weekly *Jung Yun keeps it together through pitch-perfect but flawed narrator Kyung and a high-tension storyline. Such a thoughtful, emotional literary work is an unexpected page-turner. * Globe and Mail *A powerful debut, full of thrills, secrets waiting to be discovered, and lies unwrapped * Los Angeles Review of Books *It seems as though every year a novel - and its author - appears out of nowhere and gets readers everywhere talking. This year that book is Shelter, by Korean American writer Jung Yun. * South China Morning Post *A history of violence lurks behind the walls of the Korean-American family in Jung Yun's Shelter. Kyung Cho is a biology professor who lives in the suburbs with his wife Gillian and young child. Haunted by spiralling debt, the family risks losing their house. Meanwhile his ageing parents are rich beyond anything their son could hope for, but they cared more about money than love, and Kyung grew up desperately unhappy. When Kyung's mother turns up naked and battered in the backyard, and his parents are no longer able to live on their own, he reluctantly takes them in. The reversal of fortune leads to dramatic and surprising revelations, dissecting questions of familial duty, betrayal and forgiveness. Jung Yun's Shelter weaves an intricately plotted intergenerational drama, delivered in cool spare prose. * Sydney Morning Herald *This stunning literary novel is a page turner about family, belonging and making commitments you can live by * Reader's Digest *

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Book SynopsisFrom the bestselling author behind the addictive, EMMY and GOLDEN GLOBE-winning HBO sensation BIG LITTLE LIES comes a cocktail of family, friendship, and the fear of what could have been . . .''Perfect summer read'' REESE WITHERSPOON______________Six responsible adults. One day that changes everything.''This is a story which begins with a barbecue in the suburbs . . .''In just one evening, a lifelong friendship will be in tatters, a marriage on the rocks and an innocent bystander dead.In just one evening, six lives will change for ever.______________''Filled with so many twists and turns. Keeps you guessing until the very end. Perfect summer read'' Reese Witherspoon''You must clear a reading slot for this novel . . . Truly Madly Guilty is as brilliantly accomplished as it is dark, twisty and compulsive. No wonder Reese Witherspoon is such a huge Moriarty fan''Trade ReviewA drama that will keep you on your toes the whole time * Grazia *Every single one of her books is a great read * E! Online *** From the bestselling author of Big Little Lies, now a gripping HBO series, comes Liane Moriarty's new novel Truly Madly Guilty. Voted by Amazon reviewers as a 4 STAR read ** Truly, Madly, Guilty is a cocktail of friendship and modern love spiked with a little deception. * from the publisher's description *** From the bestselling author of Big Little Lies, now a gripping HBO series, comes Liane Moriarty's new novel Truly Madly Guilty. Voted by Amazon reviewers as a 4 STAR read **Six responsible adults, two best friends and one day that changes everything. Truly, Madly, Guilty is a cocktail of friendship and modern love spiked with a little deception. * from the publisher's description *Every single one of her books is a great read * E! Online *If, like us, you've been obsessively enjoying Big Little Lies, then you must clear a reading slot for this novel by the same author... Truly Madly Guilty is as brilliantly accomplished as it is dark, twisty and compulsive. No wonder Reese Witherspoon is such a huge Moriarty fan * Heat *Wise, honest, beautifully observed. One of the few writers I'll drop anything for * Me Before You *Straight-from-life characters, knife-sharp insight and almost unbearable suspense will have you racing through it * Good Housekeeping *If, like us, you've been obsessively enjoying Big Little Lies, then you must clear a reading slot for this novel by the same author . . . Truly Madly Guilty is as brilliantly accomplished as it is dark, twisty and compulsive. No wonder Reese Witherspoon is such a huge Moriarty fan * Heat *A riveting drama packed with suspense and secrets * Woman & Home *If you liked The Husband's Secret, or Big Little Lies, you will love Truly Madly GuiltySomething truly terrible goes down. By the time you find out exactly what, your nerves will have been shredded * Glamour *A friendly neighbourhood barbecue spirals out of control in Liane Moriarty's gripping domestic drama. This is an assured summer hit * Sunday Express *This book, about the tiny moments that can change your life, is perfect poolside fare * Hello Magazine *Liane Moriarty has done it again. Truly Madly Guilty has it all: suspense, drama, humour and a cracking story cleverly told * Fabulous *Moriarty is at her finest. . . You will not soon forget this cast of troubled yet very likable characters, and the relationships that both bind and nearly destroy them * Huffington Post *A masterclass in teasing, drip-feed storytelling, this tale of three recognizably flesh-and-blood couples navigating the fallout of a disastrous social gathering is another triumph for Liane Moriarty. I loved every line of itPraise for Liane Moriarty * - *Brilliant, stand-out, superbly clever. Moriarty writes vividly, wittily and wickedly * Sunday Express *A hell of a good book. Funny and scary * Stephen King *Reading one [of Liane Moriarty's novels] is a bit like drinking a pink cosmo laced with arsenic . . . a fun, engaging and sometimes disturbing read * USA Today *A staggeringly brilliant novel. It is literally unputdownable * Sophie Hannah *

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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 SynopsisThe fourth book in the scorching hot NEW YORK TIMES bestselling MARKED MEN New Adult series. What do you do when the one who defined your past becomes your future?Trade ReviewPraise for Jay Crownover: ‘A wildly addicting read!’ Cora Carmack, New York Times bestselling author of Losing It ‘Deliciously real, raw, and romantic. Jay Crownover is amazing!’ Monica Murphy, New York Times bestselling author ‘The characters of Crownover's Marked Men series are all outlandishly colorful and irresistibly passionate, while still being so genuine that their stories become unforgettable’ RT BOOK REVIEWS

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Book SynopsisGraham Greene was born in 1904. He worked as a journalist and critic, and in 1940 became literary editor of the Spectator. He was later employed by the Foreign Office. As well as his many novels, Graham Greene wrote several collections of short stories, four travel books, six plays, three books of autobiography, two of biography and four books for children. He also wrote hundreds of essays, and film and book reviews. Graham Greene was a member of the Order of Merit and a Companion of Honour. He died in April 1991.Trade ReviewThe most ingenious, inventive and exciting of our novelists - V S Pritchett, The TimesThe only book I have ever written just for the fun of it -- Graham GreeneNo serious writer of [the twentith century] has more thoroughly invaded and shaped the public imagination than Graham Greene - Time Rich in exactly etched and moving portraits of real human beings...the tragic and comic ironies of love, loyalty and belief * The Times *

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Book SynopsisTrade Review‘There are books we like well enough to recommend, but there are a very few – To Kill a Mockingbird, Catch-22, The Things They Carried – that we remember forever. To my own shortlist I can now add My Absolute Darling, by Gabriel Tallent … The word “masterpiece” has been cheapened by too many blurbs, but My Absolute Darling absolutely is one’ Stephen King ‘If you liked Hanya Yanagihara’s A Little Life, you’ll love this’ Daily Mail ‘A powerful tale with a howitzer of a heroine and a plethora of extraordinary scenes’ TLS ‘A heartrending debut that will shock, then shake, then inspire you’ Celeste Ng, author of Everything I Never Told You ‘An outstanding book that could be this year’s A Little Life’ Guardian ‘My Absolute Darling is an absolute triumph’ National ‘The writing is beautiful and vivid, while the story is brilliantly urgent, brutal and uncompromising’ Claire Fuller, author of Our Endless Numbered Days ‘Tallent’s breathtaking debut is a harrowing and at times psychologically difficult journey on the scale of A Little Life or The Goldfinch, but it’s worth it . . . a true inspiration’ Harper’s Bazaar ‘Once a year – certainly no more – along comes a special novel that turns its readers into literary holy rollers. A couple of years ago it was Hanya Yanagihara’s A Little Life. Before that Ferrante fever. This year, I suspect it will be My Absolute Darling’ The Times ‘This is a compelling and unsettling novel that sucks you into its darkly warped world and doesn’t let go until the last page … powerful, violent, savage and quite brilliant’ Daily Express ‘A gut wrenching, terrifying novel written so beautifully it sings off the page’ Kate Hamer, author of The Girl in the Red Coat ‘This is a bloody, brutal tale, but also an incredibly beautiful one’ Emerald Street

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Book SynopsisFranny Glass is a pretty, effervescent college student on a date with her intellectually confident boyfriend, Lane. They appear to be the perfect couple, but as they struggle to communicate with each other about the things they really care about, slowly their 1 feelings come to the surface. The second story in this book, 'Zooey', plunges us into the world of her ethereal, sophisticated family. When Franny's emotional and spiritual doubts reach new heights, her older brother Zooey, a misanthropic former child genius, offers her consolation and brotherly advice. Written in Salinger's typically irreverent style, these two stories offer a touching snapshot of the distraught mindset of early adulthood and are full of the insightful emotional observations and witty turns of phrase that have helped make Salinger's reputation what it is today.

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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 SynopsisLONGLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2020LONGLISTED FOR THE RSL ONDAATJE PRIZE 2020A BBC RADIO 2 BOOK CLUB PICK* * *THE DEBUT NOVEL FROM THE COSTA SHORT STORY AWARD WINNERA sharp, funny, wonderful writer' Diana Evans, bestselling author of Ordinary PeopleA stunning debut that heralds a new and exciting voice in fiction' Mike Gayle, bestselling author of All The Lonely PeopleCompelling . . . finely crafted, compassionate'GuardianA warm, confident writer with the lightest of touches'Observer* * *On an ordinary Saturday morning in 1996, the residents of Nightingale Point wake up to their normal lives and worries.Mary has a secret life that no one knows about, not even Malachi and Tristan, the brothers she vowed to look after.Malachi had to grow up too quickly. Between looking after Tristan and nursing a broken heart, he feels older than his twenty-one years.Tristan wishes Malachi would stop pining for Pamela. No wonder he''s falling in with the wrong crowd, without Malachi to keepTrade Review PRAISE FOR NIGHTINGALE POINT ‘Luan Goldie is one to watch. Her writing is heartfelt and sublime’ Abir Mukherjee, author of A Necessary Evil and Smoke and Ashes ‘So much warmth in the description of a working class community .. . it’s not perfect or idealistic, but it’s warm and recognisable’ Jendella Benson, contributing editor for Black Ballad ‘Pacy, vivid and moving. I read it in two sittings and am still thinking about Tristan and Malachi, as if I knew them from school’ Katy Mahood, author of Entanglement ‘Costa prize-winning author Goldie compassionately explores the ways her characters’ lives are changed, and how they live with the aftermath’ Daily Mail ‘Pacey and powerful’ Mail on Sunday ‘The type of story that will stay with you long after you’ve read the last page’ Closer ‘Brilliant . . . touches on race, mental health and community in a fresh way’ Good Housekeeping ‘Heart-breaking, beautifully told book that really delineates between each character and each aftermath of the plane crash’ i ‘‘Goldie’s simple, journalistic writing drags you straight into these people’s lives before, during and after the disaster. It’s an approach that strips away artifice and puts you right there in the council estate as hell rains down on these ordinary lives. Brilliant and moving’ Metro ‘Flawlessly portrayed . . . A riveting read’ Candis ‘A story of hope, a cheer to the strength and importance of community and resilience. Beautiful, assured and sincere’ Platinum magazine ‘Gripping from the get-go…Goldie’s talent for writing with pace and creating flawed characters you really grow to care about, makes it all the more affecting…important’ Newcastle Evening Chronicle

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Book SynopsisRoddy Doyle's Booker Prize-winning novel describes the world of ten-year-old Paddy Clarke, growing up in Barrytown, north Dublin. From fun and adventure on the streets, boredom in the classroom to increasing isolation at home, Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha is the story of a boy who sees everything but understands less and less.Trade ReviewFunny, warm and enriching. -- Alan Davies * Daily Express *Gloriously triumphant...confirms Doyle as the best novelist of his generation -- Nick Hornby * Literary Review *Truthful, hilarious, painfully sad -- Tom Shone * Spectator *A superb recreation of childhood -- Dermot BolgerThis is one of the most compelling novels I've read in ages, a triumph of style and perception -- Joseph O' Connor * Irish Times *

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Book SynopsisIt's Always the Husband unless it's the best friend.The Top 10 Sunday Times bestsellerA page-turning whodunnit that will speak to anyone who''s ever had a frenemy'Ruth WareA gripping, tangled web of a novel it pulls you in and doesn't let you go. I loved it!'Shari LapenaKate, Aubrey and Jenny are inseparable at college friends who promised they'd always be there for each other.But twenty years later, their friendship is about to take a deadly turn.Kate married the gorgeous party boy, Aubrey married up, and Jenny married the boy next door, but when one of the friends dies in shocking circumstances, will everyone assume that it's always the husband? Or could it be the best friend?It's Always The Husband is the gripping debut which will keep you guessing until the very last page.Praise for It's Always the Husband:A gripping page-tunerwill suit fans of Liane Moriarty' HelloA page-turning whodunnit that will speak to anyone who''s ever had a frenemy'Ruth Ware, bestselling author of The WoTrade Review Praise for Michele Campbell: ‘An exceptionally suspenseful thriller’ A J Finn, bestselling author of The Woman in the Window ‘Darkly intriguing’ Woman’s Own ‘After all the twists and turns, you’ll want to start this book all over again, it’s that good!’ Woman’s Weekly ‘Gripping … a genuinely suspenseful thrill ride. It’s a whole lot of fun’ Heat ‘Taut, unpredictable and sensual, Campbell's writing provides the perfect escape’ Newsweek ‘Nonstop action… Fans of The Firm will devour this contemporary high-stakes combination of family pressures, legal machinations, and jaw-dropping twists. I could not turn the pages fast enough!’ Hank Phillippi Ryan, bestselling author of The House Guest

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Book SynopsisOne rainy afternoon in Istanbul, a woman walks into a doctor''s surgery. ''I need to have an abortion'', she announces. She is nineteen years old and unmarried. What happens that afternoon will change her life.Twenty years later, Asya Kazanci lives with her extended family in Istanbul. Due to a mysterious family curse, all the Kaznci men die in their early forties, so it is a house of women, among them Asya''s beautiful, rebellious mother Zeliha, who runs a tattoo parlour; Banu, who has newly discovered herself as clairvoyant; and Feride, a hypochondriac obsessed with impending disaster. And when Asya''s Armenian-American cousin Armanoush comes to stay, long hidden family secrets connected with Turkey''s turbulent past begin to emerge.''Wonderfully magical, incredible, breathtaking...will have you gasping with disbelief in the last few pages'' Sunday Express''A beautiful book, the finest I have read about Turkey'' Irish Times''Heartbreaking...the beauty of Islam pervades Shafak''s book'' VogueTrade ReviewA brave and passionate novel * Paul Theroux *Tremendous exuberance . . . I do like a writer with a purpose * Margaret Forster *An astonishingly rich and lively story … handled with an enchantingly light touch' Kirkus Reviews Overflows with a kitchen sink's worth of zany characters … an entertaining and insightful ensemble novel that posits the universality of family, culture and coincidence -- (starred review) * Publishers Weekly *

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Book SynopsisRichard Russo's new novel takes place in the decaying American town of North Bath over the course of a very busy weekend, ten years after the events of Nobody's Fool. Donald 'Sully' Sullivan is trying to ignore his cardiologist's estimate that he has only a year or two left. Ruth, his long-time lover, is increasingly distracted by her former son-in-law, fresh out of prison and intent on making trouble. Police chief Doug Raymer is tormented by the improbable death of his wife, while local wiseguy Carl Roebuck might finally be running out of luck. Filled with humour, heart and hard-luck characters you can't help but love, Everybody's Fool is a crowning achievement from one of the great storytellers of our time.Trade Review[T]he roguish, ragtag residents of North Bath, New York, still prove a diverting lot, even if you've not previously made their acquaintance...there's never a dull moment as the tragi-farcical events gradually snowball, with lightning strikes, an escaped cobra and attempted murder along the way. * Daily Mail *A delightful return . . . to a town where dishonesty abounds, everyone misapprehends everyone else and half the citizens are half-crazy. It's a great place for a reader to visit, and it seems to be Russo's spiritual home. * New York Times *The Fool books represent an enormous achievement, creating a world as richly detailed as the one we step into each day of our lives. . . . Sully in particular emerges as one of the most credible and engaging heroes in recent American fiction. -- T.C. Boyle * New York Times Book Review *A madcap romp, weaving mystery, suspense and comedy in a race to the final pages. * Wall Street Journal *Richard Russo can write like Edith Wharton leavened with a touch of David Lodge * The Economist *A writer of great comedy and warmth, Russo's living proof that a book can be profound and wise without aiming straight into darkness. * USA Today *

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Book Synopsis*Dawn O'Porter's bold and buzzy new novel, HONEYBEE, is available to buy now! **The Sunday Times bestseller and Richard and Judy Book Club pick*A total joy' Matt HaigUnputdownable' Marian KeyesFearless, frank and for anyone who's ever doubted themselves,So Lucky is the straight-talking new novel from the Sunday Times bestseller.IS ANYONE'S LIFE . . .Beth shows that women really can have it all.Ruby lives life by her own rules.And then there's Lauren, living the dream.AS PERFECT AS IT LOOKS?Beth hasn't had sex in a year.Ruby feels like she's failing.Lauren's happiness is fake news.And it just takes one shocking event to make the truth come tumbling outTrade Review‘A total joy . . . Compulsively funny’ Matt Haig ‘The characters in So Lucky are lovely, very likeable. I enjoyed this book a lot, it really was unputdownable ’ Marian Keyes ‘Funny, thought-provoking and filthy’ Red ‘Thought-provoking . . . Beautifully drawn characters espouse the idea that you shouldn’t judge any book by its cover’ Daily Mail 'Couldn't put it down – it's wonderful' Pandora Sykes ‘Perceptive, poignant and proves that no one’s life is as perfect as it looks’ Sunday Express ‘Expect some raw realities of female life, but when these women come together, they go full-blown badass’ Heat ‘A relatable take on the struggle for perfection and a journey to accepting who we truly are’ Woman & Home ‘A binge read, was racing home from my day to cuddle up with it on the couch’ Aisling Bea ‘So Lucky is compulsively gripping and taps into the shame and self-hatred we *all* battle with. It is also very, very funny’ Sara Pascoe ‘Full of relevant issues’ Prima ‘In true Dawn style, she has created layered, interesting characters who rile you up but also make you fall in love with them. If you enjoyed The Cows, you are going to LOVE this book. Timely, funny and very very entertaining’ Emma Gannon ‘Funny and very honest’ Davina McCall ‘It’s an incredible and wonderful thing to read her painfully accurate, heart warming and hilarious analysis of our age of comparison in this wonderful, powerful novel!’ Scarlett Curtis ‘Perceptive, poignant and proves that no one’s life is as perfect as it looks’ Sunday Express ‘What a fabulous book. I read it, no DEVOURED it terribly fast and loved every minute’ Mel Giedroyc ‘A funny and relatable one-sitting read’ Carmel Harrington ‘‘Refreshingly raw . . . This is one to race through’ Sunday Mirror

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Book SynopsisBest Kept Secret is the third spellbinding novel in the epic Clifton Chronicles series, from master storyteller Jeffrey Archer.Trade ReviewProbably the greatest storyteller of our age * The Mail on Sunday *If there was a Nobel Prize for storytelling, Archer would win * The Daily Telegraph *

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Book Synopsis‘Hannah Richell's The Search Party is a compelling thriller told with real emotional insight and depth. An absolute page-turner!’ Lucy Clarke Five old friends.One glamping weekend.A storm that will change everything. Max and Annie Kingsley have left the London rat race to set up a glamping site in the wilds of Cornwall. They invite old university friends – TV star Dominic, doctor and new mum Kira, and free-spirited Jim and Suze – and their children for a trial weekend but the reunion quickly veers off-course. First, there’s The Incident around the campfire on the first night. The following afternoon, a storm quickly develops off the rugged North Coast. When one of their group goes missing, all hell breaks loose. And as the winds batter the bell-tents, emotions run high and tension mounts for all the characters. Who is lying in hospital, who has gone missing and who is the body onTrade Review'Fans of Lucy Foley’s The Guest List will love The Search Party. Meticulously crafted with suitably flawed characters and a terrific sense of placel. Compelling and atmospheric.' -- Sarah Hall

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Book SynopsisDon't miss the next utterly romantic historical saga from the No.1 Sunday Times bestselling author Dilly Court!She ran along the snow-covered cobbles, gripping her sewing box fate in her handsLiving hand to mouth ever since her mother's tragic death, Amelia sells the last of her treasured possessions to avoid being cast out of her home onto London's streets.Her estranged grandfather unexpectedly bequeaths a small, struggling factory making mourning dresses and Amelia dares to dream Drawing sketches by candlelight, she longs to sew elegant gowns from fine silks and beautiful ribbons for the rich.As the cold winter wind begins to bite, Amelia's future hangs by a thread can she keep her hopes alive?Readers LOVE A Thimble for Christmas!Love the author loved the book. Family saga at its best' ?????I loved it from cover to cover, and I didn''t want it to end' ?????A wonderful book by my favourite author Dilly Court, I absolutely adore her style of writing and the rich and warm characters that are interwoven into the story' ?????I''m a huge Dilly Court fan, and I''ve yet to read a book of hers that disappoints' ?????Really enjoyed it and read it right through on this windy and wet Sunday' ?????Heart-warming historical drama, full of ups and downs and full of lively and interesting characters' ?????Another great read from Dilly Court, I was unable to put it down' ?????Dilly's novel Sunday's Child hit #1 in the Sunday Times bestselling charts the w/e 25th June 2022Trade Review Praise for Dilly Court: ‘Feisty female characters to fall in love with in a spirited, adventurous novel’ Sunday Express ‘Dilly Court’s latest novel is another page-turner that will keep you gripped to the end – 5 stars’ The People’s Friend ‘As always Dilly keeps you absorbed right to the end’ Choice ‘A rollicking, fast-paced adventure with a hint of romance!’ My Weekly ‘Spellbinding . . . you just keep turning the pages’ Daily Mail ‘Perfect for Downton Abbey fans … heart-tugging’ Peterborough Telegraph

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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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Book SynopsisLonglisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2023A BBC Radio 2 Book Club Pick 2023'Not since Aravind Adiga's The White Tiger has the rotten core of modern India been exposed in quite such blackly antic fashion as Parini Shroff manages here in this intermittently absurd, feminist revenge caper about a group of snarky, much-abused, predominantly Hindu wives...sheer gutsy verve.' The Times'A darkly funny revenge drama rooted in the reality of rural India . . . [A] vivid, unsentimental story that succeeds in being both satirical and moving.' Guardian'A radically feel-good story about the murder of no-good husbands by a cast of unsinkable women' - New York Times'Mordantly humoured, pacey feminist revenge thriller' - The Sunday Times__________________________________For Geeta, life as a widow is more peaceful than life as a wife...Until the other women in her village decide they want to be widows, too.Geeta is believed to have killed her vanished husband - a rumour she hasn't bothered trying to correct, because a reputation like that can keep a single woman safe in rural India. But when she's approached for help in ridding another wife of her abusive drunk of a husband, her reluctant agreement sets in motion a chain of events that will change the lives of all the women in the village....A darkly irreverent and fresh take on a feminist revenge thriller, perfect for readers of My Sister the Serial Killer, How To Kidnap The Rich and the Sharon Horgan series Bad Sisters.'Tender, unpredictable, brimming with laugh-out-loud moments' Téa Obreht, author of THE TIGER'S WIFE'Original, memorable, and endearing' Charmaine Wilkerson, author of BLACK CAKE'A rollicking mash-up of adventure story, thriller, dark revenge, and comedy' Cristina García, author of DREAMING IN CUBANTrade ReviewNot since Aravind Adiga's The White Tiger has the rotten core of modern India been exposed in quite such blackly antic fashion as Parini Shroff manages here in this intermittently absurd, feminist revenge caper about a group of snarky, much-abused, predominantly Hindu wives...sheer gutsy verve. -- Claire Allfree * The Times *Shroff's debut is a darkly funny revenge drama rooted in the reality of rural India . . . Shroff doesn't pull any punches in this vivid, unsentimental story that succeeds in being both satirical and moving. -- Laura Wilson * Guardian *A radically feel-good story about the murder of no-good husbands by a cast of unsinkable women -- Chandler Baker * New York Times *This funny, feel-good read is a rollicking ride rife with memorable characters involved in ill-fated hijinks. It also serves up commentary on class, power dynamics and the role of women in society, with a feminist history lesson to boot. -- Good Housekeeping * Good Housekeeping *Shroff cleverly considers how women might achieve autonomy within rural India's patriarchal society through shrewd, if complicated, female friendships. -- Washington Post * Washington Post *The Bandit Queens is an original, memorable, and endearing story. At times deeply serious, at times laugh-out-loud funny...a sobering but hopeful exploration of womanhood, social injustices, and second chances. -- Charmaine Wilkerson, New York Times bestselling author of BLACK CAKEParini Shroff captures the complexity of female friendship with acuity, wit, and a certain kind of magic irreverence, turning on a dime from humor to horror, horror to heart, and then back again, exhilarating her reader until the very last line. Tender, unpredictable, brimming with laugh-out-loud moments, The Bandit Queens heralds a prodigious and sophisticated literary talent. -- Téa Obreht * Téa Obreht, Orange Prize-winning author of THE TIGER'S WIFE *Parini Shroff's splendid The Bandit Queens is a hilarious romp about serious things - as serious as a novel gets, and as funny, too, with characters who are dear and maddening and indelible and gorgeously drawn. Twisty, compulsive, bold, surprising, moving: it's a wonderful book. -- Elizabeth McCracken * Elizabeth McCracken *Parini Schroff's debut novel, The Bandit Queens, is a rollicking mash-up of adventure story, thriller, dark revenge, and comedy. Rooted in a rural village in India-and led by the pariah widow Geeta, who everyone believes to have killed her husband-a handful of women band together to take back their lives, and take down the patriarchy. An immensely enjoyable read! -- Cristina García, author of Dreaming in Cuban and The Lady Matador’s HotelAn extraordinary caper of a novel. I've never met a character like Geeta...it is dark - but also it's utterly compelling and funny. -- Louise Minchin * Louise Minchin, Women's Prize for Fiction 2023 Judge *This is the best book I've read in a while. THE BANDIT QUEENS is an original, memorable, and endearing story. At times deeply serious, at times laugh-out-loud funny, THE BANDIT QUEENS is a sobering but hopeful exploration of womanhood, social injustices, and second chances in an Indian village. -- Charmaine Wilkerson * Charmaine Wilkerson, author of BLACK CAKE *One of the most talked-about debut novels of the year lives up to the hype and then some. The story of Geetha, a tough-but-wounded young woman in a remote Indian village who, after her abusive husband disappears, gains a reputation as a black widow. These rumors prove somewhat beneficial to Geetha in her desire to be left alone...until other women start approaching her for help in disposing their own shitty husbands. Uproarious, tender, and at times quite harrowing, with razor-sharp dialogue and a truly magnificent cast of characters, The Bandit Queens is a darkly hilarious delight of a novel. -- Dan Sheehan, Book Marks Editor-in-Chief * LitHub *a dark yet uplifting story of village women who fight domestic violence and caste discrimination -- Susan Blumberg-Kason * Asian Review of Books *an audacious high-wire act of a novel that mingles the deadly serious with the highly comic, yet never loses its profound empathy for the women at its heart * Apple Books *Parini Shroff's colourful debut novel, The Bandit Queens, [is] an irreverent and unusual tale of struggle and sisterhood in rural India. -- Radio Times * Radio Times *This mordantly humoured, pacey revenge comedy succeeds in being both feelgood and gleefully nasty, tender and violent. -- Patricia Nicol * The Sunday Times *...a fast-paced, dark comedy of female friendship, revenge, murder and survival. * Mirror *

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Book SynopsisLottie Hazell is a writer, contemporary literature scholar, and board game designer living in Warwickshire. She holds a PhD in Creative Writing from Loughborough University and her research considers food writing in twenty-first century fiction. Piglet is her first novel.Trade ReviewVery wise, and so wonderful on food and cooking it should probably come with a hunger trigger-warning. I loved it. * Daily Mail *A best debut novel of 2024 * Stylist *A cunning critique of the expectations that society continues to heap on young women. * Financial Times *A deliciously dark tour de force * Red *Some novels just get food right ... Hazell understands just how connected culinary and literary pleasures are ... [There is] much to devour in Piglet: set scenes of stomach-churning awkwardness, razor-sharp analysis of class, even an unforgettable description of food on the verge of rot. * Sunday Times *An insightful, stomach-churning debut novel about the corrosive power of secrets. * Mail on Sunday *Sublime descriptions of food... a quirky story of class, appetite and body image * Good Housekeeping *A debut that needs to be on your radar... A rich, vibrant, visceral book, that is brimming with acerbic wit and mouth-watering food, this is dark, witty and explores societal pressure and body image in an unforgettable way. * Glamour *A dark, weird, satisfying tale about greed and desire. * i News *Lottie Hazell has managed to create a style, and a character, instantly relatable and readable—while being stunningly original and fully-formed * Foyles, Top Ten Reads for January *Piglet is a darkly compelling exploration of what makes a delicious life, and the vitality of hungering for more. * Sophie Mackintosh, author of The Water Cure *This book! Visceral, brilliantly dark, and so smart. An object lesson in how our relentless pursuit of a tickbox life will never make us happy. Characters that pop, writing you could eat. * Fran Littlewood, author of Amazing Grace Adams *Intriguing, propulsive, delicious and ultimately satisfying: I devoured it in two days, and suffice to say, it’s a book you’ll want on your 2024 reading list. * Claire Daverley, author of Talking at Night *Piglet is luscious and disturbing and propulsive, and I completely devoured it. It's a book about hunger and secrecy and women made small by convention. And it's a book that tears at the surface of things to reveal the vast, messy truth of a body with a beating heart. * Catherine Newman, author of We All Want Impossible Things *It takes audacity and all kinds of courage to produce a novel as ferocious and weird as Piglet. The narrative accelerates like nothing else I've read, opening onto dead-end domestic conformity and then driving us all the way out into the wildernesses, where the possibility for liberation, the fulfilment of desires might be discovered. It made me so hungry. * Lamorna Ash, author of Dark, Salt, Clear *Piglet is a compelling, entertaining novel about wanting - and deserving, and learning to deserve - more. I was particularly taken with the way in which Hazell writes about food, which is described in luxurious and dynamic detail throughout the novel, as central to the story as Piglet herself, and its place in shaping women's inner lives and identities. * Cathy Thomas, author of Islanders *Appropriately, I inhaled it. Piglet is an engrossing novel about who and what we crave in life. Rich and tender, moving and rousing, hunger-inducing and inspired. A high-wire exploration of control, pleasure and desire that left me feeling well and truly satisfied. * Chloë Ashby, author of Wet Paint *I read this book in a single gulp, thrilling and horrifying at once. Lottie Hazell takes a butcher’s knife to the pleasure principle, and serves up a deliriously amusing, wanton portrait of self-destruction. A visceral insight into the damage a patriarchal class society can wreak on the stomach. A tale without redemption, but with many troubled pleasures. * Amber Husain, author of Meat Love *Ambitious prose Nora Ephron would be proud of. Hazell captures the subtle class divide in contemporary British life with precision—all while serving the reader a bacchanal of delicious food writing that will have you craving more * Marlowe Granados, author of Happy Hour *Such an interesting, clever read. * Belfast Telegraph *[A] sharp, dark, must-read story about appetite, ambition, secrecy and shame * Daily Mail *A food-filled debut of class and ambition * Guardian *Compulsively readable... Delicious, in every sense of the word. * Elle US *Dark and disturbing * Heat *Satirical and funny… Hazell has much to say about our food-obsessed snobbery and she plates up a deliciously-written narrative, generously peppered with lethal ground glass. * Irish Independent *Hazell’s deft characterisation has enough light and shade to bring Piglet into high definition. The same is true for the side characters, which are commendably vivid for a debut * Irish Times *This smart, unique debut about class and the hunger we all feel for a perfect life is so good. * Fabulous *One of the most hotly anticipated books of 2024... Delicious, dark and thought-provoking. * Hello! *This a doozy of a debut. It oozes dark humour, appetites, anger and read-it-through-your-fingers self destruction. -- Natasha Poliszczuk * Book(ish) *A dark story of insecurity and control * Best *

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewA beautifully observed, tender love story with characters you really care about...a bit like Normal People. I devoured it -- JOJO MOYESStunning, tender and true * GOOD HOUSEKEEPING SUMMER READING *With shades of Sally Rooney, this is a lyrical, tender love story * Good Housekeeping, 'The books we're looking forward to in 2023' *Deeply romantic . . . Reminded me of just how all-consuming and transformative first love can be. The more I read, the more I was completely immersed in the story of Rosie and Will and how life, and tragedy, conspire to keep them apart -- LAURA BARNETT, author of THE VERSIONS OF USA passionate, page-turning debut * Daily Mail *Quietly devastating, entirely beautiful, bruising and hopeful. In a world of compromise, Claire Daverley has created a perfect thing. Talking at Night takes its place amongst my all time favourites. I implore you to read it. I'll never forget it -- CHRIS WHITAKER, author of WE BEGIN AT THE ENDTalking at Night is a masterful and authentic depiction of true love in all its messy, complicated and gut-wrenching glory. Will and Rosie are the perfect, imperfect star-crossed lovers - their story had me enthralled from the start -- RUTH HOGAN, author of THE KEEPER OF LOST THINGSSpellbinding, beautiful, lyrical and tender, Talking at Night is a dazzling debut. I loved every word and was left longing for more -- ROSIE WALSH, bestselling author of THE MAN WHO DIDN'T CALLA stunning debut about the complicated nature of love. Like the very best of Sally Rooney with added lashings of heart - I loved it. Claire Daverley has become an automatic must-read for me. A captivating, nuanced and beautiful debut. -- ISABELLE BROOMSo incredibly beautiful -- HARRIET EVANSThis exquisitely woven tale of friendship, tragedy and modern romance captures readers right from its opening passages. Captivating . . . Reminiscent of David Nicholls' wonderful One Day. Enchanting. One of the book's real strengths is the beautiful, understated quality of Daverley's writing. Her prose shines and she nails every detail of this spellbinding love story without ever resorting to melodrama. Fans of Sally Rooney's Normal People will absolutely adore this tender, utterly charming and heart-wrenching tale * The Scots Magazine *Included in 'Best Romantic Summer Reads' * INDEPENDENT *The story of Will and Rosie is a classic love story in every sense, and yet, in Claire Daverley's hands, it felt entirely new. The characters are completely alive from the very first page, and how I rooted for them! Talking at Night could be titled Reading at Night, because I was awake through the night, turning these pages -- MARY BETH KEANE, author of ASK AGAIN, YESWriting that is laced with the quiet devastation of Sally Rooney. One of the very best literary love stories I've read. Utterly spellbinding -- JULIE OWEN MOYLAN, author of THAT GREEN EYED GIRLA classic will-they-won't-they in the vein of David Nicholls, this novel is impossible to put down. A story of secret night meetings and calls, sunrises and bonfires, quiet moments and heartbreaking missed opportunities. Impeccable dialogue and wonderful characters that will stay with you for a long time -- CONSTANZA CASATI, author of CLYTEMNESTRAThis book kept me up all night! It's everything I want from a love story, the will they won't they, the romance, but also, there is the truthfulness of reality woven into it. This isn't just escapism, it is also full of heartbreak and human failings and mistakes. I loved it -- KATE SAWYERI absolutely adored Talking at Night - it should be on everyone's must-read list. Beautiful, poignant and heart-wrenching -- CARLEY FORTUNE, author of EVERY SUMMER AFTERTalking at Night is a love story, certainly, but it's much more than that. I was rapt. I highly recommend this wonderful novel -- ANN NAPOLITANO, author of DEAR EDWARDIf this isn't on your radar it should be. The chemistry. The longing. The gorgeous prose. An utterly captivating love story. Books like this don't come along often. Pre-order it now and thank me later -- CARON MCKINLAY, author of THE STORYTELLERSAn achingly beautiful novel about the people who change us irrevocably. This novel will consume you -- JILL SANTOPOLO, bestselling author of THE LIGHT WE LOSTTalking at Night is a transcendent marvel. Daverley's debut is aching and tender. . . the lush, complex characters reminded me of Sally Rooney's work. -- AMANDA EYRE WARD, bestselling author of THE JETSETTERSA beautifully written tale of the messily imperfect course that love takes -- MIKE GAYLEClever, beautiful and romantic. An absolute gem -- RACHEL MARKS, author of HELLO, STRANGEREvocative, intoxicating and basically impossible to put down. Like Normal People, it's a love story which feels so achingly real that you miss the characters when you stop reading -- BOBBY PALMER, author of ISAAC AND THE EGGI absolutely loved this book and I'm so jealous of everyone who's getting to read it for the first time. A summer read for the die-hard romantics. The characters in this book feel so real that you'll cry tears right alongside them. It's a 10/10 from me * 17 Degrees *This book is so gorgeously harrowing and romantic -- CATHERINE NEWMANA delicious treat. Prepare yourself to sink into this one, to be torn between reading fast and slow. -- LOTTIE HAZELLMoving and beautifully told...gave me One Day vibes -- LIBBY PAGE

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Book SynopsisHeavy is the head that wears the crown.'Immersive and visceral, I loved every word' Christian Cameron'Another excellent historical adventure from Steven McKay. A captivating thrill ride' Tim HodkinsonNorthumbria, AD 864. Viking warlord Ragnar Lothbrok is captured and killed in brutal fashion, an event that will shape the future of the nation for decades to come.Mercia, AD 868. Alfred, son of Wessex and heir to the throne, draws his first blood on the battlefield. It will not be his last.A devastating scourge from the north is coming to Britain, one that will bring armies and entire kingdoms to their knees. Travelling along the whale road in their feared longships, the Great Heathen Army move fast, striking with a savagery unmatched, in a seemingly unstoppable tide of blood and iron.One inexperienced warrior will prove the difference, a young man who will lead from the front and, in time, aspire to become the saviour of the Saxons… Alfred the Great.A totally enrapturing historical adventure following the life of one of Britain’s most important ever kings, perfect for fans of Bernard Cornwell and Simon Scarrow.Praise for The Heathen Horde 'Dark Age fiction has a new master' Gordon Doherty'Packed with high drama and pulse-quickening battle scenes, The Heathen Horde is a superbly researched tale of a kingdom at bay and a young man thrust unexpectedly to the epicentre of power. A brilliant start to the series' Douglas Jackson'Highly recommended for anyone who is a fan of Viking fiction, historical fiction, or just loves a rip-roaring read' Peter Gibbons'The Heathen Horde brings Alfred vividly to life and left me anxiously anticipating its sequel' Damion Hunter'An enthralling tale of one of England's greatest kings!' Donovan Cook

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Aimie K. Runyan whips up a feast of a novel, full of the warmth and heart characters give each other during two despairing periods of French history. Recipes for boulangerie classics remind us of the power of simple ingredients, artfully assembled. Lisette and Micheline walk their own unique paths to happiness, fighting for their independence and finding loves that support their true selves. As delicious and satisfying as a perfect cup of chocolat chaud." — Kerri Maher, international bestselling author of THE PARIS BOOKSELLER "This captivating story is a tantalizing blend of history and culinary inspiration, weaving a poignant dual narrative that links two women to one Paris Bakery. From the pivotal moment of the Commune of Paris uprising to life in the aftermath of the world wars, Runyan provides a mouth-watering journey through French history with delicious baking recipes sprinkled throughout the narrative. This book is sure to satisfy your senses so don't miss out on this delicious read!" — Stephanie Dray, New York Times bestselling author "Two remarkably strong women—one under siege during the War of 1870 and the other struggling in the aftermath of WWII—both find strength and hope within the walls of a tiny Parisian bakery. With meticulous attention to rich historical detail, heartfelt characters and a page-turn tale that's peppered with recipes, Aimie Runyan has the perfect ingredients for a most satisfying work of historical fiction. " — Renee Rosen, USA Today bestselling author of The Social Graces "An often heart-wrenching and always heartfelt exploration of two difficult periods in French history and two courageous women who exemplify the lasting legacy of the human spirit. Baking is a science, literature is an art, and Aimie K. Runyan's A Bakery in Paris is an absolute treat for historical fiction fans!" — Gabriella Saab, author of Daughters of Victory “A Bakery in Paris is a delicious novel that will have you hungering not only for French confections but to turn the next page. Set in two tumultuous wartime periods in Paris, Aimie K. Runyan weaves a spellbinding story of family, friendship, love, self-discovery, and power of healing through cooking. Connected through time by family recipes, Runyan will delight the senses of every reader, as they follow along the emotionally charged journeys of each endearing character.” — Eliza Knight, USA Today bestselling author of STARRING ADELE ASTAIRE “The School for German Brides is a fascinating deep-dive into the German home front during World War II. Aimie K. Runyan deftly paints the details of Nazi-run Berlin through the eyes of two lovable heroines destined to cross paths at one of the Fuhrer’s sinister Bride Schools: independent Hanna, fighting her engagement to a high-profile SS officer tooth and nail; and Tilde, a resourceful Jewish dressmaker struggling simply to survive. Moving, unsettling, unforgettable!” — Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Diamond Eye on The School for German Brides “In The School for German Brides, Aimie Runyan has penned the thoughtful and original story of an SS officer’s bride and a young Jewish mother, whose lives collide in unexpected ways in World War II Germany. This is a moving and memorable tale of sisterhood, strength and survival, which will resonate deeply with readers of historical fiction.” — Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Woman with the Blue Star on The School for German Brides “The Stepford Wives meets The Alice Network in The School for German Brides. Aimie Runyan brilliantly evokes the sinister, gilded world of 1930’s Berlin—a world where young women are forcibly groomed to become perfect mates to men who hide their brutality behind toothy grins and perfectly pressed uniforms. It’s also a world where secret acts of feminine resistance flare beneath the surface, along with heart-tugging compassion and daring bravery. You won’t be able to put this one down.” — Kris Waldherr, author of The Lost History of Dreams and Unnatural Creatures on The School for German Brides “Equal parts fascinating and horrifying, Runyan offers a riveting tale of love, loss, and survival not only of life but of the human spirit. Readers are dipped into a genteel world of young ladies, wooing suitors, satin dresses, and proper etiquette, but this world is a thin veneer for hatred and intolerance for anything less than perfect. Compelling from start to finish, this is Runyan's finest work yet.” — J’nell Ciesielski, author of The Ice Swan on The School for German Brides “Tense and compelling, The School for German Brides tells the story of courageous young Hanna who becomes an unwilling pawn in a game of political chess when forced to marry a high-ranking Nazi official, and also of Rachel, a Jewish woman fleeing to save herself and the life of her unborn baby. Both characters are endearing and well-drawn, and the narrative is beautifully crafted—readers will need a tissue for the deeply moving end! In Runyan’s latest, she proves she’s at the top of her game.” — Heather Webb, USA Today bestselling author of The Next Ship Home and Last Christmas in Paris on The School for German Brides

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Book SynopsisGet ready for small towns stirred by mystery and desire in the heart-pumping sixth story in the Eden series . . .For four years Vera Gallagher''s life was anything but normal and she refused to remember the years before that. The past is a painful wound and life is fragile . . . Her mother taught her that. Now, she's determined not to waste a moment of her newfound freedom.Mateo Eden's handsome. Charming. Witty. And he loves his family the way Vera loves-with her whole heart.Some could consider her crush on Mateo Eden wasted time. Or call her a fool for loving a man who hasn''t shown her a crumb of interest. Still, to Vera, it''s Mateo or nothing.Maybe he''ll never notice her. Maybe she''s just too damaged to find that normal life she desperately craves. Maybe her secrets will always keep them apart. But Vera will love him anyway. Whether Mateo realizes it or not.

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Book SynopsisThe brand new psychological thriller from the Sunday Times bestselling author of It's Always The HusbandWe were drawn in from the first page' BellaA young Harvard law student falls under the spell of a charismatic judge in this timely and thrilling novel about class, ambition, family and murder.Madison Rivera lands the internship of a lifetime working for Judge Kathryn Conroy. But Madison has a secret that could destroy her career. Her troubled younger brother Danny has been arrested, and Conroy is the judge on his case.When Danny goes missing after accusing the judge of corruption, Madison's quest for answers brings her deep into the judge's glamorous world. Is Kathryn Conroy a mentor, a victim, or a criminal? Is she trying to help Madison or use her as a pawn? And why is somebody trying to kill her?As the two women circle each other in a dangerous cat-and-mouse game, will they save each other, or will betrayal leave one of them dead?Praise for The Intern:Campbell keeps the twists comTrade Review Praise for Michele Campbell: ‘Fans of Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng will love the untangling of these seemingly perfect lives’i News ‘You’ll be desperate to know what went down at the lake’ The Sun ‘Gripping … a genuinely suspenseful thrill ride. It’s a whole lot of fun’Heat ‘A gripping page-tuner…will suit fans of Liane Moriarty’ Hello ‘The narrative powers through to a gripping conclusion’ Press Association ‘Skilful characterisation… shocking final twist’Booklist ‘Readers will… be drawn in to the novel’s intricate exploration of divided loyalties and the brittleness of trust’Publishers Weekly ‘After all the twists and turns, you’ll want to start this book all over again, it’s that good!’Woman’s Weekly ‘A cracking whodunit that will keep you guessing’ Woman’s Own ‘A page-turning whodunnit that will speak to anyone who's ever had a frenemy’Ruth Ware, bestselling author of The Woman in Cabin Ten ‘A gripping, tangled web of a novel—it pulls you in and doesn’t let you go. I loved it!’Shari Lapena, author of The Couple Next Door ‘Skilful and addictive’ B A Paris, bestselling author of Behind Closed Doors ‘Utterly compelling… Twisted, shocking and sharply observed’ Samantha King ‘Rides its rising tide of terror to a finale that blanched my knuckles. An exceptionally suspenseful thriller’A J Finn

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Book Synopsis'Totally addictive' JUNO DAWSON'Completely riveting' FABULOUS'Glamorous, surprising' MARIAN KEYES'Utterly gripping. Unsettling' LUCY FOLEY'An absolute page turner' CECILIA AHERN******Samantha Miller is everything her fans want to be. Her three million followers hang on her every word - she's an oracle, telling them how to be their best, true selves.To promote her new number-one bestseller, she's written an essay about her sexual awakening as a teenager with her best friend, Lisa. She's never told a soul, now she's telling the world.But Lisa's memory of that night is far darker.It's Sam's word against Lisa's - so whose 'truth' is really a lie?******'Darkly delicious' ELIZABETH DAY'Compulsive, brilliant' ABIGAIL DEAN'Utterly compelling' HOLLY BOURNE'Clever and beautifully crafted' OBSERVERTrade ReviewAn absolute page turner; addictive and refreshingly twisted. * Cecelia Ahern *By turns utterly gripping and unsettling, this gorgeously written novel is a fascinating look at the ills of influencer culture. A book for our times. * Lucy Foley *IDOL is darkly delicious and asks important questions of fame, influence, self-help and what it really means when we click "follow". Louise O'Neill is one of those rare authors whose writing grips you from the first page, but who also makes you think. I will read anything she writes. * Elizabeth Day *Louise O'Neill steps into areas that lesser writers are daunted by. She is a pioneer. * Marian Keyes *O'Neill continues to push at the murk around contemporary taboos, shining a compassionate and compelling light on what drives our appearance-obsessed society, marking us all as complicit. IDOL is a gripping, shocking read I could not put down. * Kiran Millwood Hargrave *

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Book Synopsis'One of the greats' - Lucy Caldwell, author of Intimacies'Comic brilliance' - Sinéad Gleeson, author of Constellations'Ingenious' - The Irish Times'Daring, funny, heartbreaking' - ObserverFollowing the prize-winning Sweet Home, Wendy Erskine's Belfast is once again illuminated. Meet Drew Lord Haig, called on to sing an obscure hit from his youth at a paramilitary event. Meet Max as he recalls an eventful journey to a Christian film festival. And Mrs Dallesandro who dreams of being a teenager again as she sits in a tanning salon on her wedding anniversary. In these stories, Erskine's characters' wishes and hopes often fall short of their grasp. Brilliantly drawn, Dance Move is about the hugeness of life as seen through glimpses of the everyday.'A masterpiece' - David Keenan, author of Monument Maker'Wendy Erskine's debut, Sweet Home, was pitch perfect . . . Dance Move is equally brilliant' - The Daily Mail'Erskine's stories open slight, but they contain more than it seems possible for short stories to contain' - Keith Ridgway, author of Hawthorn & Child'She isn’t just one of the leading writers of short fiction at work today but one of the leading writers, period.' - Matt Rowland Hill, author of Original SinsAs Read on BBC Radio 4Shortlisted for the Edge Hill PrizeShortlisted for the An Post Irish Book Awards Short Story of the YearThe Irish Times Books of the Year 2022Trade ReviewComic brilliance -- Sinéad Gleeson * Guardian *Erskine is less interested in dispensing wisdom than in evoking the ambient pathos of ordinary lives. The understated yet distinctive sensibility first showcased in her 2018 debut collection, Sweet Home, is well honed in this impressive follow-up. * FT *Wendy Erskine has the rarest and most precious of a fiction writer’s gifts: the ability to unveil all the passion, pathos, comedy and beauty just beneath the surface of the most seemingly ordinary lives. She isn’t just one of the leading writers of short fiction at work today but one of the leading writers, period. -- Matt Rowland Hill, author of Original SinsWendy Erskine is the greatest short story writer of her generation. Dance Move is a masterpiece. -- David KeenanNo one writes the bare-knuckle crossroads of sex and class like Wendy Erskine! -- Joanna WalshThe stories are never sentimental, nor do they strain credulity. What grounds them is Erskine’s distinctive style: she is a great noticer, with an eye for microscopic detail, and pays close attention to the syntax and cadences of ordinary conversation. . . She is also extremely funny. * Spectator *A spectacular feat in the short story form . . . Erskine’s Dance Move has such a beautiful deftness of touch that in writing the intricacies and intimacies between people in their most vulnerable moments, there is a tenderness felt by the reader which surpasses words.' * Caught By The River *The people that inhabit Wendy Erskine’s stories are not merely ‘characters’, but instead are living, breathing entities whose lives, you feel, continue beyond the page. Few writers achieve this depth of human understanding so succinctly, and to read Dance Move is to step into their shadowed worlds. It also cements her status as simply one of the very best short story writers around. -- Benjamin MyersDance Move is a triumph, each story so perfectly formed, each character vividly set and startling. I could not put this book down and loved every page. Wendy Erskine is a profound and ingenious story teller, a magnificent writer of the highest calibre. -- Salena GoddenErskine's stories open slight, but they contain more than it seems possible for short stories to contain. Their warmth and depth - even in their depictions of lives that are cold, or shallow, or hopelessly adrift - is testament not only to Erskine's unparalleled skill as a writer of short stories, but also to her humanity. Her characters are astonishingly alive. They rise off the pages of Dance Move and they lodge in the heart, and stay there. -- Keith RidgwayThere are few short story writers I look forward to reading as much as Wendy Erskine. Humane, funny, surprising, profound; in Dance Move she does it all. -- Chris PowerDaring, funny, heartbreaking . . . not to be missed * Observer *So funny and so moving. Erskine's writing is like gentle razor blades, carving blissfully through to the real. -- Ruby CowlingDance Move is the most consummate book of short stories I know. -- Tom Conaghan * Irish Times *No one is writing better stories than Wendy Erskine. -- John MitchinsonI wondered if Dance Move . . . could possibly surpass Erskine’s debut Sweet Home. It does. -- Matt Rowland Hill, author of Original Sins: A MemoirWendy Erskine is like Vermeer, I think. In the same way that supposedly ordinary people and places are illuminated by Vermeer in a way that is technically flawless, but also imbued with something extra that can’t be extracted from the whole. I do think it is genius really, in the both of them. -- Ben Pester, author of Am I In The Right Place?Wendy Erskine’s debut, Sweet Home, was pitch perfect . . . Dance Move is equally brilliant; set in Belfast and brimful of well drawn, compelling characters, these spare, spacious stories pack an emotional punch * Daily Mail *Erskine’s pitch is close to perfect, and as a chronicler of the human condition, she has the most penetrating gaze. * iNews *If there’s a sharper, brighter, truer, funnier, more compelling, more intensely and rewardingly attentive storyteller around I’d like to know who. -- David HaydenExhilarating . . . a vivacious sweep of characters . . . the turn of events ingenious . . . * Irish Times *A remarkable revelation of the everyday extraordinary. Erskine has shown us how the banal can also be epic in its compassion and understated raw beauty. This is a book that carries with it a quiet joy, a reminder of the intensity of life, even at its most quotidian. * Totally Dublin *Superb * Hot Press *Storytelling that is both compelling and original . . . Dance Move is the work of a writer of immense skill * Sunday Independent *A propulsive and unmissable collection of tales full of piercing details and observations. * nb. Magazine *

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