Book News: The Playgroup by Janey Fraser

Janey Fraser's debut novel The Playgroup is due out at the end of this week on February 2nd, and I think it sounds like a great read. Janey is the pen-name of Sophie King, whose books I have really enjoyed in the past, so I can't wait to get stuck into this one.

"Puddleducks Playgroup has been run successfully for several years. Now, with an opportunity to prove herself Gemma Merryfield can't wait to take over running it in September. But the arrival of the new head of the infant school, Joe Balls soon tempers her enjoyment. Ex-banker Joe has been employed to bring the school back up to scratch, and that includes intefering with Gemma and her playgroup. Gemma adores her unruly group of children, and she can even find affection for the parents, but Joe's inteference is the last thing she needs.


Meanwhile, Nancy is in turmoil. Her only son has just started playgroup and her husband has taken a temporary posting to Vietnam. Even before he left, there hadn't been much hope of conceiving her much-wanted second child. And with Danny gone for most of the day, what on earth is she meant to do now? Does she have the strength to find herself again, and maybe make some friends along the way?


Little do any of them realise what a tumultuous term it is going to be..."

You can pre-order The Playgroup in both paperback and as an eBook now.

Book Review: This Is A Love Story by Jessica Thompson

"This is a love story.

Boy meets girl and girl falls for boy - that much is true.

But when Sienna meets Nick it's not the way it happens in love stories. It's because of a squirrel on water skis...

She sees Nick's dangerous brown eyes and thinks,

Don't.

Fall.

Into.

Them.

Who will be there to catch Siena when she falls? She is so fragile. She has so many secrets, and he is not that serious.

Funny and sad, this is the story of two people destined never to come together in the great love affair they crave more than anything else."

I adore debut novels, there's something about the unknown and the anticipation of a brand new story experience that really excites me, and I'm always really keen to read them as soon as they arrive through my letterbox! This book was certainly one that caught my eye, not least because of the absolutely beautiful cover it has! It's a subtle light blue with pretty white detailing, but it's just so different from any other cover on my shelf that I loved it. Also, the title really draws you in and if you're a soppy soul (like me!), then it's the perfect book for you to snuggle up with in the evenings, or whenever you have 5 spare minutes. I loved every page of this book and didn't want it to end, and here's why!

It's simply the love story between two characters, Sienna and Nick. They are strangers who meet by chance on a London train, realise they are colleagues and proceed to love each other from afar for the next few years, without admitting it to each other. But behind their feelings are a few other secrets too... Sienna has more going on a home with her Dad than she cares to reveal to anyone, and Nick is too stubborn to tell Sienna he loves her so keeps heading into relationship after relationship, no matter how much it's killing Sienna inside. He just wants her to let him in, and let him help her. Will they be able to ever admit to each other how they? This is pretty much the crux of the storyline, and while it's simple, it's very effective and gives plenty of scope for the characters to develop, and I was completely sucked in from the first page.

Sienna is such a loveable character, and I loved her from the beginning. She's a young character, yet she's hiding a really serious secret from everyone who knows her. I don't want to say too much about her dad and what's going on there because it's best to read it as you progress in the book, but it was so beautifully written by Thompson. You can tell she has put so much research into it because it's written with real compassion and feeling, and I ended up so attached to both Sienna and her father in the end. The relationship between them is written so beautifully, it makes for very touching reading, and I love how it slowly unfolds. Sienna also has another important relationship in the book, with a man called Pete and again, this story was incredibly touching, and really showcases what a lovely person Sienna is, and perhaps how judgmental and cruel we cna be to those less fortunate than ourselves.

Nick is a different kettle of fish altogether. He's a lovely male character, and to be honest it's nice to read a male character in chick lit that isn't a pig, a cheat, a liar or just a complete pleb really! Nick is blatantly in love with Sienna, I'm  not sure how she doesn't wise up to that fact throughout the book, but the little things he does for her as his best friend is really sweet, and he's brilliant when Sienna comes up against some hard times. I was willing him on to tell her throughout the book how he feels, but the wrong moves he makes along the way had me cringing and wanting him to wake up to what a mistake he was making! However, together he and Sienna are the perfect characters to read about, and I really was consumed by their love story, and their will they, won't they ending.

It's set in London, and I felt Thompson writes the setting really well. She brings to life the place of work of Nick and Sienna, the house where Sienna lives with her dad, and even the parks that Sienna meets up with Pete in, with her vibrant writing. The characters feel so realistic that they almost feel like real people by the end of the book, and you don't want to leave them behind! From the extremely touching and emotional side of the book, to the funny moments which had me smiling along, I loved everything about this book. I was up until about 1.30am finishing this, because one I hit 3/4 of the way through, I couldn't stop and by the end, the tears were flowing, I'm not ashamed to admit! But I think the best thing of all is that this could be true. So many times, we don't want to/can't admit we love someone from afar and I'm sure a lot of people will be able to relate to Sienna or Nick! This is a stunning debut from Jessica Thompson, one which really pull at your heart-strings, and leave you wanting more. Brilliant.

You can buy This Is A Love Story in both paperback and as an eBook now.

Book News: The Out of Office Girl by Nicola Doherty

One debut I am really looking forward to this year is Nicola Doherty's new book, The Out of Office Girl! It's not out until July 6th, but Nicola revealed the cover last week, and I thought it was so amazing I wanted to share it with you! I love the orange font for the title and the summery scene behind, and the story sounds fantastic too! Are you looking forward to this one?

"From London ....

Alice Roberts is having a rubbish summer.

She's terrified of her boss, her career is stalling, and she's just been dumped - by text message. But things are about to change ...

... to Italy

When her boss Olivia is taken ill, Alice is sent on the work trip of a lifetime: to a villa in Sicily, to edit the autobiography of Hollywood bad boy Luther Carson. But it's not all yachts, nightclubs and Camparis. Luther's arrogant agent Sam wants him to ditch the book. Luther himself is gorgeous, charming and impossible to read. There only seems to be one way to get his attention, and it definitely involves mixing business with pleasure. Alice is out of the office, and into deep trouble ...

... with love"

You can pre-order The Out of Office in paperback now! (links go to Amazon.co.uk)

Book Deals: The Round-Up

Here's a few more book deals I've seen on The Bookseller website, and thought I'd pass them on!

Fern Britton signs further two-book deal with HarperCollins
"HarperCollins has acquired two more novels from television presenter Fern Britton, with HarperFiction ­commissioning editor Kate Bradley acquiring world rights from Luigi Bonomi at LBA, on behalf of Lacey Associates.

The first title, The Holiday Home, will be published in hardback in spring 2013, with Britton also to write two short stories that will be available with the e-book editions. The Holiday Home will be the story of the Carew sisters, Ally and Dede, who are at war with each other over the inheritance of a Cornish holiday house.  

Bradley said: “Fern is a natural storyteller and her writing is full of humour and warmth.”"

Linda Green moves to Quercus
"Quercus has acquired two novels by women's fiction author Linda Green, with the author moving from Headline, which published her previous four novels.

Paperback publisher Joanne Dickinson acquired world English language rights, excluding US and Philippines, in the two as-yet-untitled novels through Anthony Goff, managing director of David Higham Associates. Quercus will publish the first in 2013.

Dickinson said: "I am thrilled that Linda is joining the Quercus team. She is a very talented writer, incredibly skilled at combining warmth and humour with serious and very moving storylines. Linda has some fantastic ideas for future novels and I'm really excited to be working with her."

These sound like great deals, and congratulations to all the authors and publishers involved! All articles are taken from The Bookseller. 

Book Review: More Like Her by Liza Palmer

"'I'm not the girl men choose. I'm the girl who's charming and funny and then drives home alone wondering what she did wrong. I'm the girl who meets someone half-way decent and then fills in the gaps in his character with my own imagination, only to be shocked when he's not the man I thought he was. I'm the girl who hides who she really is...'

Frannie has spent her life disguising who she really is for fear of falling short of other people's expectations. And when she meets her new boss, Frannie can't help but wish she was just a bit more like her. Because Emma has it all: the job, the lifestyle, the happy marriage... even the perfect dog.

But everything is not as it seems. And Frannie's about to find out - in the hardest way possible - that chasing perfection isn't necessarily the route to the happy life that she's always imagined it to be.

A heartbreaking and romantic story about love, life, friendship and the true importance of chasing your own dreams."

Rating: 4/5

I haven't actually read any of Liza Palmer's books as of yet, so when I was sent a copy of her new book More Like Her for review, I was really determined to read it because it sounded really interesting and a few American reviews of it made it sound like a book not to be missed as well. I have to confess to not being mad on the cover, I find the (awful) coloured boots to be a strange choice as well as the odd flooring, I think the publishers could have made so much more than this, but really don't judge this book by the cover because it is so much that what I had expected from the cover. It is chick lit but with a difference - it's meaty, and its got a plot that you don't see coming without a doubt!

The main character is Frannie, a woman who is somewhat lucky in love after yet another break up with boyfriend Brad. She's fed up and is determined to find a guy who loves her for who she is not, and not who they want her to be. I really liked Frannie, even if she did frustrate me at times because of her woe-is-me attitude and constant bickering with the lovely Sam, the male lead in the book. Sam was lovely, very affected by what he had to do in the book but this made me feel even more sympathetic towards him. Frannie is a bit stand-offish towards him, you can understand why in some respects but at the same time, I wanted her to wake up and see what a good guy Sam was! Emma doesn't appear heavily in the book, but in some ways she's the most important person in the book. Her life isn't what she wants everyone to think it is, and it's going to have huge ramifications for everyone she knows.

I'm not going to go into any detail about the events in the book, because it's best to read them as they unfold, and be shocked by them as I was when I read the book. Palmer writes the surprising storyline really well, with great emotion, detail and a lot of compassion for the characters who are going through these issues. I felt the reactions of all involved to  be very realistic, from Grady and Lisa's relationship twists and turns, to Sam and Frannie's upset and nightmare to Jill's denial as well. It isn't something I would expect to read in chick lit, yet it really made me think about things, and the issues involving Emma too, the woman Frannie wanted to be like her. It's a sad story, and one will certainly stay with you for a while.

I found it very easy to read, and get into, and Palmer's writing style was a joy to read too, slowly unfolding the story, and setting up a good amount of background for the main story to start being told as well. It's a very emotional book, that's perhaps more about the inner turmoil and struggle of the characters, and how they come about rescuing themselves from it than anything else, but it's compulsive reading that will have you wanting a happily ever after for these poor characters. If you want chick lit with a difference, something that packs a bit of a punch and is a meaty read, then look no further than a copy of More Like Her. It'll have you wondering whether everyone else's lives are the dream world that they outwardly appear to be.

You can buy More Like Her in both paperback and as an eBook now.

Book News: Sweet Little Lies by Alison Bond

I really loved Alison Bond's 2010 release A Reluctant Cinderella despite the awful cover and misleading blurb, therefore I was really pleased to see her publishers have taken a totally different route with the book cover for her 2012 release, Sweet Little Lies, which is due for release on February 16th. It sounds like a great read, and I can't wait to read it!

"What if your best friend tried to ruin your life?

Take two childhood friends: glamorous, rich Chrissie and clever, down to earth Anna. But what was once the perfect friendship - despite their differences - is now a web of lies and betrayal.

Years ago, Chrissie did something terrible to Anna and it caused more pain and heartbreak than she could ever have predicted. Anna must never find out.

But Chrissie's guilt is suffocating her - especially when the man they both loved walks back into their lives. When she starts to fall apart under the pressure, the one person she wants to confide in is the one person who must never know. But perhaps Anna isn't telling all she knows either . . .

Can a friendship made of a patchwork of lies endure? Will the truth end it completely? Or can Chrissie and Anna put their sweet little lies behind them?"

You can pre-order Sweet Little Lies as both a paperback and an eBook now!

Author Article: Zoe Miller

Yesterday, I reviewed Zoe Miller's latest book Rival Passions, a fantastic read set in a glamourous Irish hotel that I really enjoyed! Zoe was kind enough to write an article for the site for me, about how she juggles being an author and having a full time job as well! Thanks go to Zoe for taking the time to write this for me!

Novel Writing and the Day Job - How I Cope!

Sometimes I get my best ideas when I’m commuting to the day job in the morning. I’d be driving over Templeogue Bridge at 7.30am, listening to the radio, and a piece of dialogue would pop into my head. Or when I’m stuck in slow morning traffic, I might get an idea about how best to bring two characters together. (Or tear them apart!)

But all those ideas have to be left to simmer in the back of my mind when I reach the office around 8.15 am, and get caught up in plans for the day. I work in the field of training and development, mostly skills such as Customer Service, Communication, etc.  On a typical day I could delivering a training course, or preparing for a course, meeting with managers and staff to discuss training needs, or handling a variety of admin queries.

Combining my life as a novelist with the day job is a challenge, but I’m finally fulfilling my lifelong dream. Once upon a time I was one of those book lovers cum writers who was passionate about the idea of writing a novel. But I never seemed to find the time to knuckle down, what with a busy day job, and a house to run, not to mention a husband and family.

Then the penny dropped.  I was never going to ‘find’ time. If I wanted to follow my dream, I would have to carve out writing time and guard it with my life. So I had to learn to fit it in around my job, ignore the telly / the internet / the phone, and forget about leisure time. My family and friends had to get used to me slinking off to write. And they did. As for housework? One of my favourite sayings is by an American author Joy Held – ‘Women with clean houses do not have finished books’. I have pinned this to the wall of my writing room!

When I finally got my first 2-book deal, I reduced my day job to four days a week.  I usually leave the office round 5.00 pm and as soon as I’m in the car I’m back with my characters and I start thinking of how I’m going to pull apart their lives, for better or worse. Once home, I get into my comfy jeans, catch up on stuff like emails and essential phone calls, and then it’s into my writing room, where no matter what kind of day I’ve had, I enter the world of romance, glamour and intrigue! I work for a couple of hours most weekday nights. I usually set a target word count to reach, but I don’t always get there! On my day ‘off’, it’s bliss to forget about the office and head straight into my writing room, where I’ll work a full day. I also work between eight – twelve hours at weekends, depending on deadlines and family life. My family and friends are very supportive and hubby has even discovered how to load (and empty) the dishwasher and washing machine - of his own volition!

The good thing about having a day job is that it gives you a regular income to help cover life’s little essentials, leaving your mind free to create. There’s also plenty of social interaction, which is a big plus, because writing can be a very solitary occupation. The hustle and bustle of the day job also helps to keep me on my toes and it broadens my horizons. At a deeper level, this feeds into my writing.

To combine the two, I have to be focussed and disciplined, and I always spend a little time on Sunday planning the week ahead, but I also know I have to be flexible and allow for occasional down time! My writing life is very important to me and time is precious, but family always comes first.

Most writers I know are juggling their writing careers with other commitments. If you think of it, most people have to juggle various aspects of their lives on a daily basis. I feel very grateful that I have a career as a novelist, even if I have to manage it alongside the day job!

You can buy Zoe's book Rival Passions in both paperback and as an eBook now! You can also read my review of the book here.