Category: General Fiction

L’Auberge by Julia Stagg

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My Rating: 4/5

The nice thing about debut novels is that your expectation is set pretty low as you have nothing previously to base your opinion on. When I got this book I was quite surprised as it was a lot smaller than what I thought I would get for a debut novel at a mere 280 pages. However, undeterred I made a start on this book and soon found myself in the thick of things in Fogas.

I found it a little slow to start with but a few chapters in and I was beginning to get a feel for the characters living in this small French village. We meet all sorts of different people from Josette, the owner of a small shop and makeshift bar, to Serge Papon the Mayor, to the postmistress Veronique. In addition to these after a few chapters we meet the English couple, Lorna and Paul, who are unwittingly the talk of the village. The characters were all easy enough to get a grasp of but if ound it difficult to get a feel for a few of them and Josette the shop owner as well as Christian, the deputy mayor, was another. I persevered and let the story tell itself, hoping that the non-connection with a few characters wouldn’t matter.

Luckily overall it didn’t have that much of an impact but left me feeling a little bit like something was missing. From the point of view of the story itself, it is something I can imagine has happened many times in many different small villages across the world. There is nothing like new people trying something new to get villagers worried. In the case of L’Auberge it is no different. We see the Mayor and his plotting revenge on the English couple and the struggle they have against all the local anger and foreign red tape.

I enjoyed the setting and think Julia Stagg did a grand job of describing what sounded like a very quaint village in France. The ending was wrapped up nicely and there was a romantic element for a couple of characters thrown in too.

I certainly enjoyed this book but my main gripe was that I didn’t connect with a couple of the characters and ended up feeling like the story was just that tad too short. Having said that, I really liked the style of writing and it was certainly an enjoyable read. The great thing about debut novels is that if you enjoyed it you have a solid start. After all her books can only get better and for that reason I am really looking forward to reading the next one.

The Making of Us by Lisa Jewell

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My Rating: 5/5

Wow, what can I say? This was an absolutely brilliant book and not what I expected at all. This is a totally original story, with wonderful characters and as usual first class writing. Lisa Jewell is showing the world what she is made of that’s for sure!

When I received the book I was looking forward to reading it and the cover with it’s bright turquoise colours looked as usual very appealing. Lydia, Robyn and Dean are the glue that holds this story together along with their anonymous sperm donor father Daniel.

We are introduced to each of the characters in turn and learn their current situation as well as a little of each of their pasts. The story was unhurried but not slow, it gives the reader time to get a real feel for each of these people and how their lives have been affected by being the result of a sperm donor as a father.

The character Lydia was the first we meet and as we see her wealth and personal success we also see the downside to her life and the way in which she deals with the problems she faces. Lydia seems to be the catalyst for the others joining in the story and slowly we meet young Robyn who seems to have it all but knows there is something missing. Lastly we meet Dean whose life seems to be one big train wreck, and although he isn’t making smart choices I loved his character.

By the time you are over halfway through the book you are rooting for all of them involved as you feel like you are taking the journey that links their pasts with them. I read this book in a day and a half and though it was absolutely brilliant.

It isn’t your typical `chick lit’ story but Lisa Jewell’s brilliant writing style shines through as ever and she has an edge of humour even amongst the sadness. This certainly wasn’t what I expected but I have to say it equated to so much more in my eyes. Lisa Jewell has produced a very touching story with loveable characters and has introduced an original storyline to boot.

Even though this may not seem like her sort of book, trust me it’s even better and well worth picking up to read, highly recommended!!!

Fame by Tilly Bagshawe

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My Rating: 5/5

The first Tilly Bagshawe book I read was her last release entitled Scandalous. As a lover of all chick lit type books it was right up my street. I have to be honest and say that I was really looking forward to this latest release and was excited to receive it a few days ago.

At 560 pages it looked an average size book and the cover had a rather slender and glamorous woman posing on a sun lounger, it looked like just my kind of book. Thankfully as soon as you start reading you are drawn into the fabulous world of the stars in the book. Sabrina Leon is the first character we meet and she is sassy, strong and has a very big mouth. Of course I instantly liked her!

We also meet the rather handsome but slightly brooding Viorel who is also an actor looking for his next big part. Dorian Razmirez is the glue that bonds them all together. With his rival Director Harry Greene snapping at his ankles, Dorian is determined to get his new film off the ground with the stars he thinks will make or break his movie.

Tish Crewe is a woman that runs her own orphanage in Romania and is called back home to England to try and salvage the family home that her brother now owns. With her brother off gallivanting Tish decides to take her son Abel and stay the summer back at Loxley Hall and try to repair and salvage what is left of the beautiful stately home that has been in her family for many years.

As the movie Dorian is making coincides with Tish’s life, the fireworks really begin. I literally couldn’t put this book down. You could almost feel the tension, tantrums and inevitable upheaval between the characters coming. The characters were all written so well that I liked each of them for various reasons and although none of them were perfect they all had redeeming qualities.

The story itself flits back between the LA, the countryside of beautiful Derbyshire in England and Romania. That in itself always gave the reader a different setting to be absorbing yourself in. There is certainly no lack of drama in this book and although, as in most chick lit books, it can seem obvious who ends up with whom, there was an element of doubt until the final few chapters which made it much more enjoyable.

As usual you get the awful characters thrown in which readers will no doubt love to loathe such as Harry Greene and Dorian’s wife Chrissie. The story was well put together and flowed so easily, it truly was a very enjoyable read. I would highly recommend this to anybody that likes this genre and I am really looking forward to her next release.

Destiny by Louise Bagshawe

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My Rating: 3/5

I only recently started reading Louise Bagshawe. I know that she has written for many years but have not read any of her earlier books. The most recent book I read was named Desire and had a suspiciously similar cover to this one. I enjoyed the last one and felt that it was chick lit with an element of `thriller’ thrown in for good measure. I felt that this book was firmly rooted back to the solely chick lit genre which is not necessarily a bad thing.

The first thing that struck me in the first half of the book was how much I disliked the main character Kate Fox. As a main character I almost expect to instantly like them and this was not the case with this book. Although I didn’t warm to her the story was easy to absorb yourself in. Kate is a typical money-grabbing woman. The only difference with her to other stereo-typical gold-diggers was that she seemed to be a very independent and intelligent woman. It kind of made me wonder why she was choosing this path for her life.

Sure enough it becomes apparent that this life is not for her but to extract herself from it means a long and dirty fight with her husband Marcus Broder. Broder was a despicable character that had wealth and power and absolutely zero respect for women. The second half of the book we see Kate struggle with her decisions and then a major event impacts her life in a way that she is unsure how to deal with.

This particular event is one that I didn’t see coming so adds to the element of surprise which is a good thing. I can’t say that this book throws up anything particularly new in this genre (which is very hard to do anyway) but Bagshawe has created characters that you find easy to get to know which is always a plus for me. The story is paced pretty well and towards the latter part of the book it picks up pace.

The ending was a little predictable but written well and I enjoyed it. The one thing that threw me a little bit was the amount of sex in the book. Don’t get me wrong you see it countless times in this genre and it is par for the course, but I just don’t remember Louise Bagshawe writing this raunchily in the last book. If you are a little prudish then maybe this isn’t for you. However, this book was pretty readable but with the amount of competition out there, I’m not sure its at the top of the selections!

Dirty Tricks by Jo Carnegie

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My Rating: 5/5

Well, well, well…it seems Jo Carnegie is the new Jackie Collins. Wow, talk about a `bonk-buster’ of a book. I have read all of Jo’s books and enjoyed them all. This latest one was the best yet in my opinion. Her previous books introduce us to all different people living in the village and I must say that each book gives you another look into the lives of the villagers.

Although the books are set in and around the people that live or have lived in Churchminster you could read each one on their own and it wouldn’t make any difference. I like having a bit of background on all the various people we have seen in previous books especially when they pop up again in the current one.

This latest release takes us into the lives of Harriet and Saffy. Harriett is quite happy living in London, but with her mother having disappeared off to do charity work on the other side of the world, she realises she is missing something. Her mad idea of volunteering for a charity becomes a reality and before long she is signed up to help out at the Gatsby Community Centre.

The Community Centre introduces us to Zack the very sexy but mysterious man who runs the place, and Win the loud and lovable lady that everybody seems to go to for help. Win is a fabulous character and I could almost picture her in my head chatting to Harriet. Zack was also interesting although it took me longer to work out why he didn’t come across as well, however by the end of the book it all made sense.

Saffy meanwhile is set up in the country in her Mum’s house and is writing her first book. She is determined to make a go of it, but didn’t bank on Tom’s supermodel twin brother Rex popping up and becoming a temporary resident in the village. Zack and Tom may be twins and be identical in looks but as men they are polar opposites. Saffy finds herself drawn in to Rex and his world and before long her relationship with Tom is on rocky ground.

As ever the other village characters pop up and one on my absolute favourites is Harriet’s Dad Sir Ambrose. He made me laugh at his antics while Harriet’s mother was out of the country. We also see fleeting glimpses of Jed, Benedict and Caro as well as Clementine.

As usual Jo Carnegie has done a cracking job of bringing to life these weird and wonderful people of Churchminster. The book was so easy to read and had a brilliant ending that wrapped up things nicely. Don’t get me wrong this is not a book that is challenging, but myself personally, I don’t read `chick lit’ books for the challenge. In particular the one thing that stood out a mile for me with this book is the amount of sex in it! Now I love a good bonk buster with Jackie Collins being a favourite, but was shocked to see the change in JC’s books. I don’t recall Jo Carnegie writing like that before, although she certainly pulled the hat out of the bag with this book. In my eyes the perfect beach read, forget reality and get your teeth stuck into this glamorous, funny and trashy novel. Perfect!!!

Crossed Wires by Rosy Thornton

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My Rating: 4/5

Rosy Thornton has written 4 books, and the first of her books I read was the most recent, Tapestry of Love. Having loved that, I went on and brought her other three.

This one is very different to the other two I have read so far and is more of your typical `chick lit’ with a dash of real life thrown in for good measure. The book introduces us to Mina who is working at the call centre that she doesn’t particularly like, but it pays the bills. Her next caller happens to be Peter who has had an accident in his car. For some reason the two of them click and they are eventually drawn into each others lives despite the geographical difference.

We get to see a bigger portion of Peter’s life that we do Mina’s but as the story progresses this makes sense. The two of them share common ground in that they are both single parents. The element of real life I mentioned in the story is that of the parent role of these two people. It is written really well and we get to see the trials and tribulations their kids put them through, which I am sure many parents could relate to.

Peter and Mina find themselves drawn over experience and as a reader we get to see how things pan out, and how mistakes can be made when you only have one version of events. The thing that really struck me is the fact that there is no real storyline that is the major thread of this book. I know that sounds strange, but that is what makes it so special. This is about two people facing every day things that many people will understand. We meet their children, friends and family who also made the book even better. Peter has twin girls and Mina has a daughter and they are very close in age making the subtle link and bond between Peter and Mina very real.

The children in this book, Cassie and Kim the twins and Sal, Mina’s daughter, all played a part in the story in their own way. We get to see their lives and how things affect them and how this in turn affects their parents.

We also see Mina’s mum and stepdad Dave as they tackle the issues surrounding Mina’s younger sister Jess. On the other side of the fence we see Peter’s friends and neighbours Jeremy and Martin (who I adored as characters) as well as Trish who occasionally babysits for him.

I can honestly say that I really, really enjoyed this. I was so shocked that such ordinary events could be structured into such a lovely book, as normally we have a main story to entertain us. In my opinion this just goes to show how good a writer Rosy Thornton is, a woman that can take every day, mundane stuff and turn it into a story. My only gripe was that I wanted it to last a little longer.

Don’t be put off if you read the back and think it’s a typical story revolving around a single parent woman who wants to be rescued. It’s truly the opposite and was an absolute pleasure to read.

Welcome To My World by Miranda Dickinson

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My Rating: 4/5

I never read Miranda Dickinson’s debut novel so this second book of hers left me with no expectations. The front cover is a pretty standard affair when it comes to Chick Lit novels and as I had no comparisons I set out to read and hopefully find another great Chick Lit author.

In the beginning of the story we meet Harriet (better known as Harri) who has locked herself in the cubicle of a toilet in the village hall. You as the reader have no clue what has happened to her, and we only get snippets of how she is feeling. You are then transported back to how it all began. Throughout the whole of the book we continually come back to Harri in the cubicle and get given another snippet of the story until finally at the end it is all revealed.

We meet Harri and the people that live in the local area. The story is helped massively by the setting in which Miranda Dickinson has set it. It is painted as the typical local village where everybody knows everyone else’s business. This meant that we meet a lot of the people living around the village who are part of Harri’s life including her friend Stella, her boss George, her friend Alex’s mum Viv amongst others.

We also meet Harri’s infamous best friend Alex. Alex spent the best part of ten years travelling and has finally settled back in the village opening his own coffee shop. He and Harri have a great friendship and this shows through with the writing and creates a great pair. I also liked Harri’s work colleagues George, Nus and Tom as they added a little bit of humour to the story.

This book was so easy to read it was untrue. The writing is good and I actually really liked the characters and the setting. Having said that there are elements of this that are a little too predictable, but to honest this didn’t stop me enjoying it at all! I think to sum this kind of book up is that it is enjoyable, lighthearted and easy to read. I would definitely read another Miranda Dickinson and would recommend this to people that want an enjoyable chick lit book.

To The Moon and Back by Jill Mansell

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My Rating: 4/5

I was so excited to get Jill Mansell’s new book. It seems like forever since her last one although in reality it has only been a year. Thankfully Jill Mansell has produced a book that every chick lit fan will enjoy. When I first received the book I was please to see that even the cover looked inviting in a lovely sea blue! The strength of this author is the characters she creates and in my opinion this is what has crated her huge following of fans. This book is no exception to that rule and the main character Ellie Kendall is a great girl and one that you can imagine living next door to.

Her tragedy is the catalyst for the next stage in her life. Thankfully there is the crazy neighbour Roo who comes in to her life and reminds her what it’s like to be a `normal’ girl. As per usual there is a stunningly handsome man in the story, meet Zach McLaren. I must say that this particular male lead was an absolute corker and he worked a treat in this story. The three characters all have their own life and part to play in this story but they also all cross paths which makes the book that little bit more interesting.

The story itself is one tinged with sadness but is still not too dreary. We get to see Ellie try and re-build her life in the best way possible (that’s all I can say without spoiling the main plot too much). Roo was a brilliant girl and by the time I had read just a few chapters I had a real feel for the girls and Zach. This book was so pleasurable to read. It was light hearted and easy to read with a sprinkling of romance. Chick Lit in general is never going to throw many surprises up but shockingly this one did. We meet Tony Weston who is Ellie’s father-in-law and he brought a great thread to the story with a bit of a surprise at the end.

All in all as ever I have absolutely nothing but praise for Jill Mansell. She continues to produce great books that are a joy to read, I can only cross my fingers and hope that the next one is just as good.

The Woman He Loved Before by Dorothy Koomson

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My Rating: 5/5

As always with Dorothy Koomson, I am unsure that she falls into the Chick Lit genre as her books always have an element of drama about them. Her books always seem to radiate true emotion and I always finish one of her books feeling sad that I have to wait for another. This book was no different and as I write my review I can’t help but be annoyed that I will again have to wait what seems like forever for another one of her books.

This particular story seems at first glance to be a straight cut story about Jack’s wife who died Eve. However, things are far from straightforward and as soon as you pick up the book and start to read you are drawn into the current life of Libby who is struggling with things, as well as Eve’s past life and the secrets she holds.

The story is told cleverly and although towards the latter part of the book I thought I had it all figured out, I was shocked to realise I was wrong. Libby is a lovely character who has her own insecurities about her husband Jack and the things he hides. Although it’s clear that Jack has a troubled past you can’t help but warm to him as a reader. He may not be perfect but you can’t help but feel that his heart truly belongs to Libby.

Dorothy Koomson has again written a book that is not only powerful but one that is quite heart wrenching. When the past of Jack and Eve begin to come out you begin to realise that things are quite as black and white as they seem. I found myself desperately wanting everything to be okay.

I loved the fact that story had two very separate threads, one in the past and one in the current, but the two stories would intertwine magically. I also loved the setting being mainly in Brighton as well as London. The main topics that are dealt with in the book are always the easiest for an author to deal with well but this book truly relays the situations in a great way. That may sound slightly strange as I haven’t revealed the topics but to do so would be a real plot spoiler.

As ever DK has produced an outstanding book that I literally couldn’t (or wouldn’t as my husband kindly pointed out) put down. I cannot recommend this book, or for that matter this author highly enough. I have yet to find fault with her writing or any of her books. An absolute joy to read and one I suggest that you put on your list to read!

Love Always by Harriet Evans

My Rating: 4/5

Natasha Kapoor’s life seems to be on a downward spiral. Her business and marriage are failing and her beloved Grandmother who lived in Cornwall has passed away. She travels back to Summercove, the family home in Cornwall, for her Grandmother’s funeral. Whilst there, she discovers the diary of her aunt Cecily who died as a teenager. Natasha starts to read the diary and soon discovers that her family are hiding secrets. She is determined to find out what happened in the summer of 1963, but when she finds the truth, will she like what she hears?

This book when it landed on my doorstep shocked me a little as it is certainly a hefty read at just over 500 pages. If I am being totally honest I wondered why this book would be different to any other Chick Lit book I had read and whether I could handle such a long read. Thankfully, I was pleasantly surprised.

The first thing that struck me as odd once I had finished the book was the front cover. When you first see it, you imagine it is no different and will be your typical `girl meets boy’ scenario book. The cover is at odds with the type of story this book tells.

At first I found the book a little slow going as we get to meet Natasha and her family. It all seemed a little stilted and hard work. At around the chapter 5 mark I was beginning to wonder whether I should bother reading on, however I don’t give up easily. By around chapter 10 there was absolutely no turning back and I had engrossed myself in the story.

The book is told over two time periods. We see Natasha and her current life, dealing with all her troubles and the discovery of her aunt Cecily’s diary. The second time period is that of the summer of 1963 as we too read Cecily’s diary. If I am being completely honest, I preferred the 1963 part of the story as there were a lot more secrets being made cleared the more you read. Having said that I didn’t dislike Natasha’s story, it was just a little duller in comparison to that of Cecily’s.

The story itself has real heart and we see all of Natasha’s family in this story, some of them nice and some of them not so nice. All of the characters were really believable and by the end I really felt for everybody involved. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and although it wasn’t the best I have read recently it was certainly enjoyable. It is a story that goes against the normal grain of romance and has characters that are quite memorable. I will certainly be reading more of Harriet Evans in the future and would recommend if you want something not too heavy, but a little more serious than the usual Chick Lit stuff.