THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS!
Addition: Kindle e-book

Genre: Chick-lit

Rating: 4 out 5

Synopsis:

Sophie Apperly’s family has never taken her seriously. Fiercely academic, they see her more practical skills as frivolous whilst constantly taking advantage of her. So when her best friend Milly invites her over to New York, she jumps at the chance. It’ll do her ungrateful family good to do without her for a while. What s more, she’s on a quest America holds the key to solving her family’s financial woes, even if they don’t deserve her help.

From the moment Sophie hits the bright lights of Manhattan she’s determined to enjoy every minute of her big adventure. So when an evening at an art gallery throws her into the path of Matilda, a spirited old lady who invites her to Connecticut for Thanksgiving, Sophie willingly accepts, much to the dismay of Matilda’s grandson Luke. Undeniably attractive but infuriatingly arrogant, he is very protective of his grandmother and seems to doubt Sophie’s motives for befriending her. No match for the formidable Matilda, he eventually admits defeat, but first he has a proposal to make. He’ll help Sophie in her quest to save her family from financial ruin if she repays the favour. But just what does she have to do in return…?

I really enjoy Katie FForde books, and this one did not let me down. The story follows Sophie, a young woman who is bossed around and taken advantage of by her family. Although clever, she is the only member of her family that has not gone into further education so her family think less of her. She is expected to cook, clean and run around after them. Her family are gold-diggers, desperate to get their hands on more money. They have a rich uncle – an older man called Eric, affectionately known as “Evil Uncle Eric” to the family. They ship Sophie off to look after him in the hope to make it into his will, but when she gets there she discovers he isn’t evil at all. Before she goes makes the decision to go to New York afterwards, and while she is at Eric’s she discovers that the family might be intitled to money from drilling-rights, but that will mean she has to do some investigating in New York. When she gets to New York, she meets Matilda, an elderly lady originally from Cornwall. She befriends Matilda, who invites her to spend Thanksgiving with her and her family. The problem is her suspicious grandson Luke, who doesn’t trust Sophie as far as he can throw her. Yet Matilda has a little mission for Sophie when she gets back to England – to find a house she used to love as a child. Luke has to come across the Atlantic for some work so he helps Sophie look. sparks start to fly until Amy, Luke’s assistant turns up and whips him away with lies about Sophie’s love life. Sophie finds the house and spends several weeks emailing Matilda and trying to forget Luke, until she is summoned to Cornwall – along with him – to look at the house again. Matilda makes a surprise visit to Cornwall to ensure that her crafty plan of getting them together works!

This is a lovely book – well written and gripping. I couldn’t put this book down, and read most of it in a day! Katie Fforde is a brilliant author – she writes characters that you enjoy reading about, or get very angry at and she writes plots that keep you gripped. This is a typical chick-lit novel – the main characters start to fall for each other, something drives them apart, and then they make up and end up together. I didn’t mind that at all – once you have read enough chick-lit books I find it stops being about the fact they will end up together, it is more about how they get to that point. I like the lead up to the conclusion and this one was full of adventure and fun characters! Sometimes chick-lit can be bland, but this one had adventure – like flash floods and getting stranded in storms – events which increased the pace of the read to keep the reader on their toes and hooked to the story.

What I especially liked about this book is that I found myself getting emotionally involved. I liked Sophie – I felt for her as she pandered to her family’s demands and felt such sympathy when they were rude and condescending towards to her. I loved Uncle Eric! What a brilliant character! He was old and not politically correct – saying some outrageous things! He also had a soft side and loved Sophie, which was lovely to read. I loved Matilda as well – a strong-willed older lady, but so affectionate. I particularly loved that she was an old lady who used email! Luke had to grow on me, but by the end I liked him too. What I particularly liked about this book is that I found myself disliking some of the characters too! I really didn’t like Amy – I so wanted to shout at her!! I enjoy a book where I find myself involved and not always liking the characters – it feels more realistic.

I really enjoyed this book. I was gripped from the beginning and read this almost in one sitting. I was satisfied with the ending and liked the twists and turns that led up to it. I was surprised that the majority of the story was based in England, I was expecting it to mostly be in New York – but I didn’t mind that. This is a well written chick-lit novel – a really good read.

Addition: Review e-book from Netgalley

Genre: Young adult, fantasy

Rating: 4 out of 5

Synopsis:

Ash, former prince of the Winter Court, gave up everything. His title, his home, even his vow of loyalty. All for a girl… and all for nothing.

Unless he can earn a soul.

To cold, emotionless faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.
Then Meghan Chase—a half human, half fey slip of a girl— smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.
With the (unwelcome) company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end— a quest to find a way to honor his solemn vow to stand by Meghan’s side.
To survive in the Iron realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. At least, no one has ever passed to tell the tale.
And then Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that turns reality upside down, challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Review:

This is number four in the Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa – and although perhaps not as good as the others, still a great read. I have been waiting what seems like an age for this book, and squealed when I received an email telling me it was available from Netgalley. This time the book is written from Ash’s point of view, not Meghan’s and we follow his story – barely getting a glance at what was happening in the Iron Realm. At the end of book three Meghan banishes Ash for his own safety – as fey he can’t survive in the Iron Realm. Yet he made her a promise: to be her knight. He loves her and is determined to keep this promise and the only way to do that is to become human. There is only one way to do this – go to the End of the World and complete the tasks. With the aid of Puck, Grim, the Big Bad Wolf and a seer, Ash sets off; but will he succeed? And if he does, will Meghan still love him?

I really enjoyed this book – although I missed Meghan. She does feature in the story, but not heavily. We walk with Ash and only glimpse Meghan and her world occasionally. I found this book to be more graphic and gory than the others – there seems to be more bloodshed in this adventure. Yet the book was exciting and fast paced. There doesn’t seem to be a dull moment in this story – once one foe is defeated, another seems to come along quite quickly. There is a lot of energy in this book which kept me hooked.

All the way through this series I have been Team Ash – and that didn’t change in this book either. It was nice to get a better look at Ash, although at times that was a touch heartbreaking. One trial he has to go through is examining his conscience and relieving everything he had ever done – all the hurt he had caused people. There were a few incidents described and it was sad that Ash is not the perfect prince I imagined him to be. This was an honest portrayal though and we saw his struggle with the anger and hate that come from being part of the Unseelie Court.

I loved Puck as well. Although I was always rooting from Ash, I loved that Puck stuck around and was there to help Ash because he loved Meghan so much. He is funny and kept me entertained throughout the book. There were other characters I liked too – Grim is fabulous. He is sarcastic, clever and I love how when trouble arises he vanishes! The Big Bad Wolf was entertaining too – I enjoyed the attitude between him and Grim.

There is a big surprise halfway through the book that I wasn’t expecting. It added to the book and Ash’s torment and made for some great reading! I won’t add in a spoiler but suffice to say – it was good and added another dimension to the story.

There were a couple of things I didn’t like about the book – I missed Meghan – she is a key character and we didn’t see a lot of her – and Kagawa’s writing seemed different – simple and sometimes not completely engaging. However, the good completely overthrows the bad, and this is a great read and a great instalment to this series.

REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS

Addition: Library hard back

Genre: Chick-lit

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis:

Cleo Quinn doesn’t have a great track record when it comes to men, but now Will’s come along she’s optimistic. Handsome, attentive and an absolute gentleman when it comes to her questionable cooking skills, he could be her Mr Right. Things are definitely looking up for Cleo… apart from one small problem with a rather large ego. Johnny LaVenture, sculptor extraordinaire and her childhood adversary, is back in Channing’s Hill and tormenting Cleo as if he’d never been away.

But life never goes to plan, does it? Johnny isn’t the only one stirring up trouble and, for Cleo’s family and friends, all kinds of sparks are starting to fly. If you think you can put the past behind you, think again…

I read this book back at the beginning of the year, and really enjoyed it. It is a book that had me glued to it all day. I couldn’t put it down and I finished it in a day. I have read a couple of other novels by Jill Mansell, and really enjoyed those too.

Mansell writes really good chick-lit. Her books are fun and hard to put down. They always perk me up and I always enjoy them. In this novel, Cleo is the protagonist. She used to work hard at school but a bout of bullying put an end to that. As an adult she makes a living driving limos. She is happy and content with her job and her boyfriend Will. Then the man who made her life miserable at school comes back to town for his father’s funeral her world is shaken. Her sister’s world is also being shaken. She has just discovered that her husband has an eighteen year old daughter. Did he cheat? Why didn’t he tell her?

Mansell weaves a web that revolves around two sisters, Cleo and Abby. Cleo is settled, enjoying life, her man and her friends. Then Johnny returns. His attention is on her, and her head is being turned toward him. She tries to cling on to her current relationship – to discover Will is actually married with children. She feels awful and won’t forgive him. What she doesn’t expect is to become friends with his wife. And what about Abby? Whilst putting away her husband’s socks she discovers a photo of his daughter. How and when did this happen? She discovers that the mother is the surrogate they wanted to use when they discovered Abby wouldn’t be able to carry a baby to full term. The woman had claimed she didn’t get pregnant, but she had in fact lied and kept the baby – a little girl called Georgia. There are twists and turns throughout the book and it is so enjoyable.

Mansell writes a whole host of readable, realistic characters. I liked Cleo. She was caring and concerned about her family. She is sensitive and she is not easily wooed. I felt so much for Abby. She was a damaged woman, as she couldn’t have children. Then to discover her husband had a child, and then for Georgia to come and live with them was tough. She was sad and angry and lost. Her character was realistic and heart breaking. I liked Cleo’s best friend Ash. I found it fascinating how he was a radio DJ who really was very shy and not that good looking. However, he cared and was fun with Cleo. I liked Johnny as well. Once he realised how he had made Cleo feel he was apologetic and watching him chase Cleo was great!

There is a lot in this book – affairs, barrenness, family, surrogacy and love. There is so much to get your teeth in. I felt every story line was handled really well. I was sucked into this world and really enjoyed being there. The ending is fairly predictable, but who doesn’t like a happy ending?!

I can easily give this book 4/5 because it was so good. From start to finish, I was hooked. Really worth reading if you like chick-lit.

REVIEWS CONTAIN SPOILERS!

Addition: Review e-book from netGalley

Genre: Female fiction, romance

Rating: 4 out of 5

This is a collection of short stories, written by prolific chick-lit authors Debbie Macomber, Susan Mallery and Christina Skye.

Debbie Macomber

Knitting is a way of life: The Twenty-First Wish by Debbie Macomber

Anne Marie Roche and her adopted daughter, ten-year-old Ellen, have each written a list of twenty wishes – on which they included learning to knit. But Ellen has quietly added a twenty-first wish: that her mom will fall in love with Tim, Ellen’s birth father, who’s recently entered their lives…

This short story follows on from the Blossom Street stories. Anne Marie had recently adopted Ellen, a girl who had been bought up by her Grandma until her death. Ellen’s Dad – Tim, who didn’t know until he was a father until Ellen was adopted has been spending a lot of time with both his daughter and Anne Marie. Both adults developed feelings for each other but Tim had a fiancée. When she found out about Ellen, she went back to drinking, and Tim – a recovering alcohol left her. However, Anne Marie felt messed around Tim and decided to have nothing more to do with him. However, Ellen has one wish she has told no one – that Anne Marie and Tim fall in love. Will her wish come true?

I love Debbie Macomber, and I enjoyed this story. Sadly, it was too short! Macomber writes a lovely story about friendship, family and love. My favourite character was Ellen. She was cute and so likeable. She is passionate and just a delight to read. I think Macomber writes really warm, friendly characters and it is so easy to fall in love with them.

The ending was not a surprise – but it was so nice! I was satisfied and happy by the conclusion. The only problem with this story was it was too short. I love the Blossom Street series – the characters, the knitting and the friendship. I really hope Macomber writes another in this series.

Susan Mallery

Knitting is a passion: Coming Unraveled by Susan Mallery

When Robyn Mulligan’s dreams of becoming a Broadway star give way to longing for her childhood home, she returns to Texas, running her grandmother’s knitting store. But the handsome, hot-tempered T.J. Passman isn’t making it easy on her. If he can learn to trust Robyn, and overcome his tragic past, they just might discover a passion like no other. Susan’s story in this anthology is linked to her book ALREADY HOME (April 2011).

To be honest, I didn’t enjoy this story too much. It follows Robyn, a girl who had always dreamt of becoming a Broadway star. She leaves Texas for New York, but her dreams don’t come to anything. She returns to Texas when her Gran needs to go in for an operation. When she walks into the knitting shop she is greeted by an angry stare from a guy she has never met – T.J. After a short, hostile chat with him, she discovers he thinks she is a fraud, lying to her Gran and living off her money. He is wrong, but will she change his mind?

The problem I had with this story was it seemed really sex-driven. Every time T.J. and Robyn look at each other, Mallery seems compelled to describe all emotions and longings. It just made me bored and uncomfortable.

This is another love story with knitting thrown in. Again, the ending was predictable – but who doesn’t like a happy ending?! I thought Robyn’s Gran and her friends were lovely characters. They were funny and so caring. They were really supportive of Robyn, even after her acting career didn’t work out.

This is a nice story, ruined by too much talk about sex, and the longing for it.

Christina Skye

Knitting is a comfort: Return to Summer Island by Christina Skye

After a devastating car accident, Caro McNeal is welcomed by a community of knitters on Oregon’s sleepy Summer Island. She also finds meaning and purpose in the letters she exchanges with a marine serving in Afghanistan. But when life takes another unexpected turn, will Caro pick up the threads of hope, opening her heart to wherever it takes her?

Meet Caro. She loves knitting. When she isn’t working, she knits. That is, until she is hit by a car and her right arm is mashed. She will face a long time in a cast, and then physiotherapy – with no guarantees that she will ever be able to knit again. She leaves Chicago to recover and goes back to the home she grew up in, with her Gran. A chance visit by Gage Greyson changes her mindset and her road to recovery. He is off to Afghanistan – leaving his pets in the care of the local vet. Caro and Gage stay in contact, will it lead to love?

This is a nice love story. It is love not just for another person, but for knitting and animals. It is a story of recovery, patience and art. I thought Caro was a lovely character. She was so gutted by her accident – and so frustrated that she couldn’t knit – or do much in fact. Her mindset is changed by one lovely picnic, and the need to look after Gage’s two animals.

To be honest, this is not a realistic story. It is about love at first sight and long-distance army relationship. Of course this book had a happy ending, I just didn’t think any of this would happen. Gage is involved in a military attack, yet someone Caro’s Gran knows was able to tell her confidential information and get her to the base where Gage was taken after the attack. It was lovely, just unrealistic.

This is a nice collection of stories, based around knitting. The stories and writings are different. It was a nice, quick read – very enjoyable.

Addition: Paperback

Genre: Chick-lit, fiction

Rating: 4 out of 5

Synopsis:

Eight years ago, Nova Kumalisi agreed to have a baby for Mal and Stephanie Wacken. Halfway through the pregnancy, the couple changed their minds and walked away, leaving Nova pregnant, scared and alone.

Eight years ago, Stephanie was overjoyed at the thought of becoming a mother – until she found a text from Mal to Nova saying, “Goodnight, beautiful”. Terrified of losing her husband to his closest friend, Stephanie asked him to cut all ties to Nova and their unborn child.

Now, Nova is anxiously waiting for her son, Leo, to wake up from a coma, while childless Stephanie is desperately trying to save her failing marriage. Although they live separate lives, both women have secrets that will bind them together for ever…

Dorothy Koomson is one of my favourite authors, and this book did not let me down. Koomson never shies away from reali life, hard hitting issues, and in Goodnight, Beautiful she looks at pregnancy, jealousy and the fear of having a child in a coma.

Mal and Stephanie can’t have children, so Mal asks his best friend, Nova to be a surrogate mother. Nova and Mal have been friends for so long that Nova can’t say no. During the pregnancy Stephanie finds a text Mal had sent Nova, simply saying “Goodnight, beautiful”. Jealously soars through her and she makes Mal give up the child. She gives a string of excuses as to why they can’t take the baby…leaving Nova pregnant and without a best friend. Eight years on Nova has fallen in love with her boy, Leo and has married. Yet the unthinkable has happened – Leo was in an accident and been in a coma for weeks. Supported by her family, and Mal’s family – but not Mal, Nova has to struggle through this, while Stephanie and Mal are trying to resolve their marital issues, ones that spout out of Stephanie’s jealousy and Mal’s hurt and anger. Will Leo wake up? Will Mal ever see his son? Will Stephanie and Mal resolve their problems?

This book is so touching. I loved the characters and the storyline is gripping and realistic. Koomson is an amazing writer and her books always move me. This story isn’t just set in the present, we watch Leo grow up and the problems this pregnancy caused between Mal and Nova – and their friendship before Stephanie. We see a full picture of what happened and the story is told by different people.

In this book Koomson explores what jealously can do relationships, what effect surrogacy can have on the person carrying the baby and those around them, and how having a child in a coma can effect your whole world. This book seemed thoroughly researched and was very well written. I was gripped, I was almost in tears in many parts and as I reflect on the book I remember a beautiful book by a great author.

My favourite character was Leo. He was so cute! I was willing him to wake up all through the book. Nova was brave, strong, scared and a lovely character. Her relationship with Mal was gorgeous – friends forever. It was horrible reading the effect one jealous person could have on a friendship – although I found myself feeling sorry for Stephanie as she battled the jealousy. That said, she was manipulative and lied – so sad to see what insecurities can do to a person. I wanted Mal to man up and see Leo regardless of Stephanie. Nova was his friend and Leo his son – he needed to be bold. I think all the characters were well thought out and well written and made the story come alive.

I say this every time I write about Koomson: she writes female fiction – but it isn’t girly, easy-to-read chick-lit, it has meaning and substance. She writes about issues facing people these days and attacks them viciously. She writes really well and I am yet to read a book by her that I don’t like. I am so happy I read this book, and can easily give it 4 out of 5.

Addition: Review e-book from netGalley

Genre: Young adult, chick-lit

Rating: 3/5

Synopsis:

Ali Parker, a high school senior, plans to major in journalism at a prestigious college. Her Mr. Perfect boyfriend, Matt Ryan, is a talented artist. Their future possibilities seem endless. Then the inconceivable happens–Ali becomes pregnant. This compelling, inspiring, and enlightening story engages the heart as it shows the struggles of life and the endurance of hope.

This is the first Karen Hart novel I have read and I really enjoyed it. The story follows Ali, a girl with great potential, who has unprotected sex once and ends up pregnant. The plot follows her struggles – to tell her parents and Matt, to face school, the decision to have an abortion or to give up the baby for adoption.

This is a young adult book, but it addressed a serious, adult subject. I think Hart dealt with this issue very well. She explored how people would react to the news, the various phases of pregnancy – including the sickness and the weight gain and the options open to Ali. Hart explored adoption and abortion – weighing up the pros and cons. I felt this was really good. As a Christian I don’t believe in sex before marriage, but as many people do it and teenagers get pregnant, I felt it was important for Hart to deal with everything involved. Hart was clear and fair, looking at everything – even those anti-abortion.

I liked the characters in this story. Ali was lovely to read about. Although I have never been through what she faced, Hart wrote her character in such a way that I felt I could empathise with her. She was very likeable and I just wanted the best for her. I liked how her parents were written – it looked at the stress they would feel due to this, and I liked the hidden secret – although to be honest that wasn’t much of a shock. Ali’s best friend Monica is a sweetie. She is there all the way through, so supportive, and that was lovely. I loved her Aunt too. Even though she really wanted a child, she was supportive to Ali too.

I wasn’t surprised by the outcome but I really enjoyed this book. In a way it reminded me of Judy Blume’s Forever – another teen book that looks at sex. This book was well written and well thought out. I enjoyed reading it and think the issue of teen pregnancy was well addressed in this book.

It is also a love story – looking at first love and young adult romances. Again, this reminded me of Blume’s Forever, the the feeling that this is going to never end. I felt this was also dealt with really well.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and am happy to recommend this to anyone – young adult or not.

CONTAINS SPOILERS!

Addition: Library hardback

Genre: Romance

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis:

When a mysterious young woman named Katie appears in the small North Carolina town of Southport, her sudden arrival raises questions about her past. Beautiful yet self-effacing, Katie seems determined to avoid forming personal ties until a series of events draws her into two reluctant relationships: one with Alex, a widowed store owner with a kind heart and two young children; and another with her plainspoken single neighbor, Jo.

Despite her reservations, Katie slowly begins to let down her guard, putting down roots in the close-knit community and becoming increasingly attached to Alex and his family.

But even as Katie begins to fall in love, she struggles with the dark secret that still haunts and terrifies her . . . a past that set her on a fearful, shattering journey across the country, to the sheltered oasis of Southport. With Jo’s empathic and stubborn support, Katie eventually realizes that she must choose between a life of transient safety and one of riskier rewards . . . and that in the darkest hour, love is the only true safe haven.

I am really glad I noticed this in the library. This is the latest novel from Nicholas Sparks and it is up to his usual high standard. We see love, fear, friendship, family and a controversial issue of domestic abuse.

The story follows Katie, a new girl to the small town of Southport. She turns up hungry, thin and desperate. She catches the eye of Alex, not only because she is beautiful, but because she looks scared. Alex used to be in the CID department of the Army and had learnt to read people – he saw the fear, although he didn’t know what she was running from. Slowly Katie gets ingrained in the small town, working in the famous diner and regularly shopping at Alex’s store. When his son falls into the canal, Katie is there to comfort his daughter – which starts their friendship. Another person who befriends Katie is her new neighbour Jo. Between Jo and Alex they bring Katie out of her shell and eventually, as she falls in love with Alex, she reveals what she is running from. The story follows her and Alex as they fall in love and Katie slips into the family, spending time with Alex and his children. She is being hunted however, and life might not always be happy or safe.

The blurb hints at a dark secret , but it doesn’t take long to see this is domestic abuse and that she is running from her husband. Around halfway through the book Katie reveals her real name and tells the story of her marriage, and her husband Kevin. What I liked is that after that we then follow Kevin’s story as well. We see what happens to him once he realises Katie is gone, his thoughts and feelings and his actions. I was intrigued that he regularly quoted Bible verses, even when he was in the wrong – it showed a very confused man. However, this does not excuse his actions. I did like that both sides of the story were told, it added depth and meaning to the story.

I liked the characters, especially Katie and Alex. I loved how delicate they were at the beginning, Katie because of her husband and Alex because of the death of his wife. They were careful and I liked how they didn’t just jump into a relationship, especially as there were small children involved. I was impressed that even though Katie had left Kevin she refused to sleep with Alex because she was still married. I thought Sparks was right to do that – it added integrity to the book and characters.

The ending of the book was so exciting! Kevin came and chased Katie. I was hooked and couldn’t put the book down once he discovered where she was. The ending was tense, but really good. There was a twist that I didn’t see coming and I enjoyed the ending. I was satisfied and gripped until the end.

This is a great book. The ending was fast moving and the storyline was lovely. I think Sparks dealt with the issue of domestic abuse and death very well. The characters were so easy to like and I was hooked to this book. I can’t recommend this book enough.

Original Title: Keeping the Moon

Addition: Library Book

Genre: Young adult, romance

Rating: 5/5

Synopsis:

Never in one place long enough to make friends or put down roots, Colie doesn’t expect her trip to the North Carolina coast to change a thing. Always the outcast, she’s resigned to a holiday with only her eccentric aunt Mira for company. But when she finds a job waitressing at the Last Chance cafe, she also finds acceptance, new friends, and the beginnings of romance…

I am yet to read a Sarah Dessen book that I dislike – and again, I loved this one. The books are written for teenage girls and often look at the idea of growing up and everything that entails, including self-esteem, friendship and falling in love.

This book is no different. Colie has never fitted in at school. For a long time she was overweight, but even when she lost the weight she was still hated. Her mother has become a famous fitness instructor and has to travel over the summer, leaving Colie to stay with her eccentric sister. Her Aunt Mira is artistic and weird, and is often stared at or laughed at. She doesn’t seem to notice or care, but it angers Colie. With the help of the friends she makes at Last Chance, the cafe where she gets work, and Norman, Mira’s lodger, Colie has to work through her self-esteem issues, accept people for how they are, and learn to deal with how others see people.

For me, this book is primarily about self-esteem. Mira comes across as crazy and people judge her for that, and Colie was hated and picked on because she was once fat. Mira doesn’t seem to care what others think, but Colie does, and this book works through the pain of accepting how people see you, and liking yourself anyway. I think this is great, as lots of teens do suffer with issues such as self-esteem, and it is really good that this is addressed in a book that is easy to read, sensible and realistic, and really enjoyable.

There were other themes in the book, like friendship and love, and I enjoyed reading how Colie come out of her shell and made some real friends. I liked Colie – she had it rough; being concerned about how people saw her and her weight etc, but she was a good kid at heart, and watching her open up was lovely. My favourite character was Aunt Mira however. She made me chuckle, with her eccentric, arty ways, and the little notes on things to remind her what was broken! She was a solid character, secure in who she was, and encouraging to read.

This is a really good book. I love Sarah Dessen and recommend her to everyone. Even though this is teen-lit, I really enjoyed it. Top marks from me!

Book Type: Paperback – own copy

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis:

Holly Macintosh is sitting round her kitchen table with her oldest friends – friends she hasn’t seen since school – now reunited by an unexpected tragedy and catching up on the past 20 years.

On the surface, they are all successful and happy. But scratch a little deeper after that extra glass of wine and it’s not quite so straightforward: Paul and Anna are struggling to have a baby, Saffron the actress is still waiting for that really big break that – at 39 – is looking less and less likely, and Olivia, always the wallflower of the group, is newly single and mourning her lost love.

And what about Holly Mac? Can she and her husband Marcus get their marriage back on track for the sake of the children? Or has someone just come back into her life who will change everything forever?

This is the first Jane Green novel I have read and I really enjoyed it. This is grown up chick-literature, and it was entertaining and a quick read. I was gripped from the beginning. This really is a roller coaster of emotions. It was easy to fall in love with the characters and I found myself cheering them on and sharing their pain.

The main character is Holly Mac. She has not seen her oldest friends in nearly twenty years – and it is an awful tragedy that has brought them back together – one of the group has been killed in a terrorist attack on a train in America. Tom was the centre of the group, the one who kept in contact with everyone, and his death has drawn them all together. They sit at Holly’s house and catch-up and grieve. From there they go on to Tom’s memorial service. There they run into his younger brother Will, who joins their circle of friends. During this time they all experience other pain. Olivia has a fling, that has consequences; Paul and his wife Anna are struggling to have children; Saffron is a recovering alcoholic and Holly’s marriage is in trouble. They group together and help each other through every crisis. Tom’s death has reformed the group but they still feel the pain of his absence.

The way Green deals with the issues of death, old friends and marriage is wonderful. I thought she was sensible with her outcomes – although I personally would of liked Holly’s story to end differently. Green is sensitive and delicate. Her writing is humorous and gripping. I found the story easy to follow and engaging.

I found the characters realistic and wonderful. The friendship is gorgeous – the way they will drop everything for each other. I was so happy when they all ended up in Gloucestershire for Saffron. Her Hollywood life is not all that glamorous but they are all there for her. I liked Holly but some of her choices I didn’t like. My favourite character was probably Anna – Paul’s wife. She wasn’t part of the original circle of friends but she slipped into the group with ease. She felt pain but still looked out for others. She makes crisis calls, works hard, and is just easy to like. She was a realistic character and someone I would have picked as a friend in real life.

I enjoyed this book and it did not take long to read. It is easy to see why Jane Green is such a popular author and I will be reading more of her novels.

I love my friends! I love their parents too – one of whom has given me a box of books

The ones I have decided to keep are:

• Anthony Trollope: Barchester Towers
• Patrick Redmond: The Wishing Game
• Leslie Marshall: A Girl Could Stand Up
• Joanna Trollope: The Choir
• Susan Hill: Mrs de Winter
• Barbara Michaels: Switches in Time
• John Boyne: The House of Special Purpose
• Nigel Williams: Hatchett and Lycett
• Susan Hill: The Risk of Darkness
• Arturo Perez-Reverte: The Flanders Panel
• Shona MacLean: The Redemption of Alexander Seaton

A nice bunch there, I’m a very lucky girl!