ALISON PACE

Pug Hill (2006)

Pugs to Hope McNeil signify peacefulness, love, happiness - everything she desires the most in life. Due to many reasons, she can only enjoy the company of these dogs on Pug Hill. Her increased infatuation with co-worker Elliot, an erratic relationship with her squash-loving boyfriend, and a terrible fear of public speaking are the main problems in her life. When she gets a surprise call from her dad asking her to give a speech at their 40th wedding anniversary party, Hope is taken aback. Can she handle all the pressure? Will Pug Hill provide her with all the courage she needs to solve all her problems? (XT)

If Andy Warhol Had A Girlfriend (2005)

Holding an MA in Art History, Jane Laine works for the most influential artist of all time - Dick Reese - in his art gallery. However, her boss is as obnoxious as you can imagine. Jane thought that she could quit her job and "live happily ever after" when she marries her Mr Right - Jack Davis - right up until he ends their two-year relationship. Devastated about her love life, she commits the grave mistake of ordering the wrong size Reeses Peanut Butter Cups for an important art show. As a punishment, Jane is sent on a five-month international art fair tour with British artist Ian Rhys Fitzsimmons - whom she thinks is a big fraud. Will this trip be a total disaster? Or will it blossom into something better? (XT)

Also by author:

Through Thick and Thin; City Dog

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ANN PACKER

The Dive From Clausen's Pier (2002)

Carrie Bell's life is all planned out for her. She is supposed to stay in the small Wisconsin town she grew up in. She is supposed to marry her high school sweetheart, Mike, surrounded by her friends who have known her all her life. But Carrie is starting to feel trapped. Surely there is more out there for her. The only problem is, she is not sure how to leave. When Mike is paralysed after a diving accident, Carrie feels like she is suffocating. So she packs her bags and heads for New York where she is faced with a whole new set of challenges, including a new man in her life who is nothing like Mike. When Carrie returns home for a friend's wedding, she is confronted with everything she left behind: her friends she hasn't been there for and Mike. Will she stay in Wisconsin and try to put back what once was or will being back home make her want to run right back to New York? Throughout the story the reader can feel the very real emotions and moral complexity Carrie faces in making decisions that not only impact her life but the lives of those around her. (JE)

Also by author:

Songs Without Words

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FIONA PALMER

The Family Farm (2009)

Izzy Simpson drives a Holden ute, is most comfortable wearing jeans and a singlet, her best friend is a kelpie dog called Tom and her hands are rough with calluses. The story picks up as Izzy is returning to Gumlea, her family's sheep and wheat farm in Pingaring, in south-west Western Australia, after working for the past two years as a farmhand over east. She has always dreamt of running her family farm but she has to convince her father Bill, who doesn't believe that type of work is for women. He is especially protective after losing his oldest daughter Claire in a farm accident. When Bill is burnt in a header fire, he leaves the boy-next-door Will in charge - the guy Izzy still hasn't forgiven for upsetting Claire before her death. Amid the romance, Izzy's fight to be taken seriously offers an insight into the heart of Australian farming - from the long hot hours at harvest time and rescuing stranded rams in torrential rain, to sharing beers at the pub below a gum tree and the community spirit which rallies when one of their own is down.

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LIZA PALMER

A Field Guide to Burying Your Parents

Grace Hawkes has not spoken to her siblings in five years. The last time she saw them was after their mother died. When she is called on to visit her dying father after he suffers a stroke, she feels she has no choice but to go help her brothers and sister. Despite her dislike of their father - who up and left them when they were little without as much as a reason why - Grace senses that subconsciously she has done exactly the same thing to her siblings - she abandoned them after their mother's death. After much hyperventilating and an almost mini-breakdown, Grace makes the biggest leap of faith in her life and goes to see her estranged family. Now, seeing them all for the first time in five years in a sombre hospital room, Grace feels like there may be a chance, though it is a real long shot, that they could go back to being a family once again. Also present at the hospital is her father's sinister second wife (who has more of a hidden agenda than an actual love for their father) and Grace's stepbrother. Of course, to complicate things just a bit more, the love of Grace's life, John, whom she also ran away from five years earlier, is also in attendance. Forced to deal with a mirage of emotions that she thought she could bury forever, Grace feels overwhelmed. Full of family drama, complicated relationships and situations that anyone can relate to, this book captures them all with just the right amount of humour thrown in for good measure. (AS)

Seeing Me Naked (2008)

Elisabeth Page is having a hard time living up to her wealthy family's expectations. The daughter of a legendary novelist and well-bred socialite and the sister of a literary wunderkid, she's just a pastry chef - even though she works in the hottest French restaurant in LA. Her five-year plan to open her own patisserie hasn't eventuated after 11 years and she is still dating (if you can call it that) her family-approved childhood sweetheart Will, a globe-trotting journalist who's rarely home. Elisabeth's life is going nowhere - her routine takes her from the food markets, to the restaurant and back home to catch up on TiVoed shows. But then she meets basketball coach Daniel Sullivan, who bids on a cooking lesson with her, and he's everything that her family and Will are not. Her career also looks like taking on a different direction when she gets approached to host a Food Network TV show. Can she find success - and love - on her own terms? A fully flavoured book about food, family dynamics and finding your way.

Conversations with the Fat Girl (2005)

Maggie thought she and Olivia would be best friends forever. Now she's not so sure. After sharing hopes, dreams and being overweight since grade school, Olivia decides to get a gastric bypass and has become someone Maggie barely recognises, both inside and out. With her new body and life, Olivia has found the man of her dreams and maid-of-honour Maggie has been tasked with planning her best friend's wedding shower, and keeping Olivia's secret, overweight childhood from her new friends and fiance. As she navigates her way through her own insecurities with life and love, Maggie begins to examine her relationship with Olivia and wonders if they really have anything in common anymore. Honest, heart-warming and spot-on, if you love cheering for the underdog, you will love this debut novel. (LEK)

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ARIELLA PAPA

Up & Out (2003)

TV producer Rebecca Cole is left without a job when a corporate takeover sees new boss Delores assume creative control of her cartoon creation, Esme. Rebecca now has two months to work out what she wants to do with her life. She moves back into her ex-boyfriend's place as she tries to find a way to afford her love of fine dining.

Also by author:

Bundle of Joy; On the Verge

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BROOKE PARKHURST

Belle in the Big Apple (2008)

Belle Lee works on the family newspaper in Alabama but decides to try her luck in New York. On the recommendation of her media mogul grandfather, she scores an interview with a right-wing TV news network where she learns that the news must serve their political agenda and that real journalists should consider the Nielsen ratings before Pulitzer prizes. Soon anchorwoman Paige takes her under her wing and the Southern Belle lets her passion for good food set her dating agenda. Interspersed with recipes, this sounds like an interesting read - but after only a few chapters it enters the don't-care-about-the-story-or-the-character category. Then it took an even stupider turn with newcomer Belle set to make her on-air debut interviewing Jessica Clayton, the Democratic presidential candidate, the day before the election. As if? The author is a former Fox News Channel reporter who has become a food writer. With the book only about 225 pages long, perhaps this suggests that she also got fed up with the story.

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CAROLYN PARKHURST

Lost and Found (2006)

Seven teams have come together to play a new reality TV game, Lost and Found, which is strikingly similar to The Amazing Race, where they have to fly to different cities in search of clues and find the objects so as to stay in the game. The contestants include Laura and Cassie, who are trying to improve their estranged mother-daughter relationship after Cassie's pregnancy. Carl and Jeff are divorced brothers, one serious and the other more of a goofball, and each has joined the game for different reasons. Justin and Abby, a married couple, are both trying to convince themselves of their newly found sexual identity. And for Juliet and Dallas, both child stars, they are getting in the game for more media exposure. It's a refreshing read, very different from what I usually read, as it explores how these different characters interact and deal with their own personal problems. (XT)

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ADELE PARKS

Love Lies (2009)

Fern is turning 30 and feels her life is going nowhere - stuck in a dead-end relationship and a tiny apartment, she dreams of getting so much more from life. Once upon a time her relationship with Adam was amazing but Fern wants the fairytale, the ring, and all that comes with it. Then along comes Scottie Taylor, England's sexiest pop star, who whisks her into a life with glitz, glamour and envy and includes a big ring to go with it! Will Fern fall in love with her new-found charmed life or will she discover that her happily ever after was more close to home than she originally thought? Although at times a bit slow to get to the point, this is a witty and clever chick lit novel with a twist that you'll never expect. (GF)

Second Opinion

Tell Me Something (2008)

All Elizabeth ever wanted in life was an Italian husband and lots of bambinos. She has found her man, Roberto, but after six years of marriage she is still desperately trying to fall pregnant. When Roberto loses his job in London, they head to Italy to help out his family business. Elizabeth is hoping the change of scenery will boost her chances of conceiving. But her dreams about an idyllic Italian lifestyle are shattered by the mother-in-law from hell. And with Roberto's ex living nearby, and Elizabeth's growing friendship with American teacher Chuck, their marriage is placed under even more strain.

Young Wives' Tales (2007)

Lucy has stolen her friend Rose's husband, Peter, but is now finding life may have been better as a mistress. With barely a maternal bone in her body, she often escapes to her stockbroking job to get away from her four-year-old daughter Auriol. Meanwhile, Rose is making sure she's the best mum possible, making organic meals, volunteering on school committees, not showing her two sons that their father's betrayal has devastated her - even though it was more than six years ago. To avoid rocking the boat, she even allows her friends and family to sign her up to a night course and starts dating again. Their friend Connie, happily married to Luke and a working mother, has managed to stay friends with both women. But her world is rocked when the man she had an affair with, John Harding, turns up at the school gates. The story is expertly told from the varying viewpoints of Lucy, Rose and John. It is the sequel to Playing Away.

Husbands (2005)

Bella has never told anyone about her registry wedding to Stevie, an Elvis impersonator. Not even when city trader Philip proposed to her. Nor when best friend Laura introduces Stevie as her new man and invites Laura and Philip to join them on a trip to Las Vegas for an Elvis competition. Could things get any more complicated?

The Other Woman's Shoes (2003)

Also known as Lust for Life

Martha has strived hard to create the perfect home with husband Michael and their two children, while sister Eliza lives with musician boyfriend Greg and enjoys a carefree life. When Michael announces that he's leaving after 10 years because he's not having any fun, Martha is shattered. Then Eliza leaves Greg, because she wants to settle down with a responsible man. Will each woman embrace their chance to walk in each other's shoes?

Playing Away (2000)

When happily married Connie meets John Harding at a work conference, she can't help flirting. He's just so confident, alluring and unscrupulous - so unlike her gentle husband Luke. This tells the tale of what happens when you've found Mr Right but can't help throwing caution to the wind with another man. The 2007 novel Young Wives' Tales is its sequel.

Also by author:

Men I've Loved Before; Happy Families; Still Thinking of You; Larger than Life; Game Over

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RACHEL PASTAN

This Side of Married (2004)

The three Rubin daughters from an affluent Philadelphian family have a domineering mother, an obstetrician, whose dearest wish is to see them happily married. And just like in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, there's an unsuitable suitor in the form of cardiologist Anthony Wolf who offers his hospitality when one daughter falls ill. There's his blunt friend, journalist Simon Goldenstern who seems to be interfering in the path of true love but is in fact saving their honour. There's even a long-lost cousin, Soren Zank, from a Swedish line of the family who comes to eye up the daughters, and a father, Judge Rubin, who largely stays out of the fray. The oldest daughter - dreamy Alice - falls into a speedy engagement with Anthony; the middle daughter - sensible Isabel - has already tied the knot with lawyer Theo but their marriage is under strain because of their inability to have children. And the youngest - beautiful Tina - has been planning her wedding for years.

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ANNA PASTERNAK

Daisy Dooley Does Divorce (2007)

'There's only one thing worse than being thirty-nine and single. Being thirty-nine and divorced.' And so begins the story of Daisy Dooley, who has just got divorced after a brief marriage to Jamie. Guided by friends Lucy, who's married with two children, and Jess, a single GP who has lots of one-night stands, Daisy embarks on dating again. She goes on a blind date with an older man, has a fling with a twenty-something guy, considers a relationship with her best male friend and even gets involved with her very rich former boyfriend and possible soulmate, who unfortunately is about to marry an heiress. Written by the author of the widely panned Princess in Love (about Princess Diana and her cad James Hewitt), I must admit I was very apprehensive about this book and after reading it I still can't say if I liked it or hated it. Inspired by Pasternak's own life, Daisy Dooley Does Divorce is based on her weekly column in the Daily Mail. It introduces a number of terms such as the sexual sorbet (first person you sleep with after a break-up; it removes the taste of a bad relationship) and PDD (post divorce date). A pilot TV show, produced by Ashton Kutcher's company Katalyst in the US, is in production for ABC.

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BETH PATTILLO

Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart (2010)

Claire Prescott doesn't see the appeal of Mr Darcy. Unlike many women who are continually searching for their own romantic hero, Claire is content in her relationship with her sports-loving boyfriend, Neil. But when Claire agrees to stand in for her sister, Missy, at a Jane Austen seminar in Oxford, England, she begins to wonder if there isn't something to this Mr Darcy myth after all. She meets James Beaufort, a handsome publisher, and Harriet Dalrymple, a strange old lady who claims to have the original manuscript of First Impressions, the story which evolved into what we now know as Pride and Prejudice. Between seminar meetings, and afternoons at Mrs Dalrymple's cottage, reading the scattered, hand-written pages, Claire becomes so enthralled by the story of Elizabeth and Darcy, she begins to question whether the elusive Mr Darcy really does exist in the form of James. This is an enjoyable read that will have even the most cynical wishing for a romantic, happy ending. (LEK)

Second Opinion

Jane Austen Ruined My Life (2009)

When Emma Grant loses her husband to her teaching assistant and her career to the scandal that follows, she does what any betrayed woman would do - she hops on the first plane to London to prove that all of the happy endings Jane Austen wrote about were complete and utter nonsense. Armed with the promise of a stack of long-lost Jane Austen letters, Emma sets off on a series of secret tasks from a peculiar old woman named Mrs Parrot. From London to Bath to Lyme Regis, Emma visits the locations of Jane Austen's England. Along the way, she meets up with her old friend, Adam, and begins to realise that there may just be something to those happy endings after all. This is a fun, fast read, combining fact and fiction to help the Austen enthusiast gain a little more insight into the life of one of the most beloved authors of all time. (LEK)

Also by author:

The Sweetgum Ladies Knit for Love; The Sweetgum Knit Lit Society; Earth to Betsy; Heavens to Betsy

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LISA PATTON

Whistlin' Dixie in a Nor'easter (2009)

Southern belle Leelee Satterfield would do anything for her husband, Baker, the love of her life. Anything, it seems, including reluctantly leaving her life in Memphis and moving to Vermont so he can pursue his dream of running the Vermont Haus Inn. Leelee knows the move will mean complete culture shock but nothing can prepare her for the long winters, mud season, and the cast of characters that comes with life in Vermont. When Baker abruptly leaves her for another woman, Leelee must make a decision - return with her daughters to Memphis or try to make a go of running the inn on her own. With a little help from friends, old and new, and a lot of humour, Leelee learns just what she is made of. This is a humorous, fish-out-of-water tale that will have you rooting for the underdog. From the minute I started reading, Leelee's Tennessee twang and gumption came through loud and clear. (LEK)

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ANN PEARLMAN

The Christmas Cookie Club (2009)

aka The Cookie Club

Meet the Cookie Club: Every year on the first Monday of December, Marnie and her 12 closest friends get together for a wonderful night of sharing stories and enjoying homemade cookies. Taking a leaf out of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, The Cookie Club has a set of eight rules which each member must abide by and each year the opportunity arises to welcome into the group someone who will be named "The Cookie Virgin of the Year". This year some of the members have experienced huge changes in their lives. Marnie's daughter Sky is trying desperately for a baby while her youngest is pregnant to a rap singer called Speech Intent. Jeannie's father is having an affair and her best friend Rosie knew about it. Rosie wants to have a baby but her husband Ken says he's already Been There, Done That. And Laurie's finances have taken a turn for the worse after adopting a Chinese baby. Can these women get together once again and prove that no matter what may happen now or in the future, that they are all there for one another? With each chapter starting off with a recipe, this is a sweet read about bonding over cookies, stories and each other's sisterly love. It shows how one tiny ingredient, such as this annual get-together, can play a significant part in someone's life. (PP)

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ALLISON PEARSON

I Think I Love You (2010)

Back in 1974, Welsh teenager Petra was a mad-keen David Cassidy fan. She and her best friend, Sharon, devoured every photo and tidbit contained in The Essential David Cassidy Magazine. But, of course, The Partridge Family star and singer didn't have anything to do with the magazine. Instead his missives to the fans were penned by Bill, a frustrated music journalist. Twenty-four years later, Petra discovers that she had won the magazine's ultimate fan quiz and should have received tickets to meet her heart-throb on the set of his TV show. So she goes to belatedly claim her prize but will the moment live up to expectations? This will appeal to anyone who's lusted after a celebrity - no matter what generation your pin-up comes from. It's a funny but poignant story that was well worth the wait. And the book ends with an interview the author did with her own teen hero, and answers that most vital of questions: is brown really Cassidy's favourite colour?

I Don't Know How She Does It (2002)

This is a classic story about a woman who tries to juggle too much in an age where women are wondering about the myth of 'having it all'. Hedge-fund manager Kate Reddy is a frazzled mother of two who's trying to make store-bought mince pies look homemade for the school Christmas party. Married to architect Richard, Kate feels endless guilt about not being a good-enough mother, especially because she has to travel a lot for work. When one of her trips brings her into contact with attractive client Jack Abelhammer, her family life is tested even more.

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SARAH PEKKANEN

The Opposite of Me (2010)

Manhattan advertising exec Lindsay is on track for a promotion and just needs to nail her client presentation. But when things go from bad to worse, the over-achieving workaholic instead finds herself without a job. So she heads home, back to her parents' house and into her twin sister Alex's domain. Lindsay has always felt in the shadow of her twin - while Lindsay was the smart sister, Alex was the pretty, popular one. And now it seems Alex has become increasingly chummy with Bradley, the one guy in the world who has always preferred her to Alex. But then fate comes looking to mess with Alex's perfect life and Lindsay stumbles across a family secret. This is an amazingly impressive debut, with twists and turns to keep you enthralled and a story about sibling rivalry that is masterfully steered out of cliche territory.

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LAURA PEDERSEN

Also has written the memoir Buffalo Gal

The Big Shuffle (2006)

Hallie Palmer, the oldest of 10 children, leaves college to take over as temporary head of the family, after the sudden death of her father and her mother's nervous breakdown. Despite the help of her two friends, Bernard and Gil, Hallie struggles to deal with the various family dramas, including her sister Louise running away with her boyfriend, and her own break-up with long-distance boyfriend, Craig. This is the third book about card shark Hallie but little reference is made to the two previous books Beginner's Luck and Heart's Desire, so you can just read this book on its own. It's a surprisingly good story about how a family deals with a tragedy and the strong bonds between its members. (XT)

Also by author:

Heart's Desire; Beginner's Luck; Going Away Party

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J.L. PENN

Reunion (2009)

It's spring, the air is full of bright colours and floral patterns. Jess and her friends are getting ready to do a Sex and The City take-off girls night out. Out clubbing at the Peacock Club, Jess' friend Kelly decides it's time to play Do Him, Date Him or Dump Him. This game ends up taking off on a tangent with Jess reminiscing about her high-school crush David Miller. Fast forward to the present day: Jess is 37, married and her friend Michelle has finally convinced her it's time to venture on to Facebook. While searching around and adding friends, she decides to look David up. After the pair meet up for a reunion, Jess must decide whether to finally succumb to her crush or stay till the end with husband Kyle. A wonderfully written book that will have you laughing and imagining the amazing settings from Spring Collection at Macy's to the strutting of the patrons at the Peacock Bar, all dressed to the nines. (PP)

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LANA PENROSE

To Hellas and Back (2007)

Imagine being offered the chance to move to sunny Greece with the love of your life, where you'd move into a great apartment and not need to work. Sounds like heaven? Well for Australian Lana Penrose, it was more a hell on earth. When her Greek-Australian boyfriend Dion gets the chance to run a radio station in Athens, she gives up her job as an MTV producer and leaves Sydney for a more ancient civilisation. But as Dion gets more and more caught up at work - even when the bureaucrats take the station off air - Lana is stuck at home without a working visa or an ability to speak Greek. Her days are spent trying to learn the language, ironing everything in sight, desperately seeking friends, plucking the hairs from her legs - and slowly getting sucked into a spiral of depression. Then Lana finally meets kindred spirits in her new gay pal, young New Zealander Tim, and American rocker Johnnie. But will her relationship with Dion survive the culture shock? This memoir about one woman's modern-day Greek tragedy takes a no-holds-barred approach in its display of raw emotion and self-deprecating wit.

Kickstart my Heart (2009)

This picks up where To Hellas and Back finishes, with Lana heading to London after her four years in Greece leaves her with a broken marriage and her self-confidence at an all-time low. Through a friend she joins the entourage of a nice-guy Australian pop star (despite him not being mentioned by name, it's not hard to work out it's Darren Hayes). As a woman at the tail-end of her 30s who has to dive back into the dating pool, Lana finds herself embracing her inner rock chick/cougar during her dalliances with a range of unsuitable men. She also takes to stalking an author, passing her number on to Russell Brand and getting up close (well, close enough to touch his arm, anyway) with Guns N Roses' Slash. Will she ever rediscover that crazy little thing called love?

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ALISON PENTON HARPER

Housewife Up (2006)

In this sequel to Housewife Down, widow Helen loses her $2 million windfall to a shonky investor, so she is forced to get a job. Her new boss, Rick, is a businessman who needs help handling his personal affairs. He keeps making huge demands of her but he may just come through for her in the end.

Also by author:

Housewife in Love; Housewife on Top; Housewife Down

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KAYLA PERRIN

How to Kill a Guy in 10 Days (with Brenda Mott) 2007

Hailey McGaw arrives back in Miami after her divorce and bumps into former best friend Lexie Muller at a bookshop. The pair hit the town to celebrate, and after a night at a male strippers club, they stumble across one of the hunks - dead in the car park. Discovering that the victim, Rafael, was the boyfriend of one of their school friends, Joey who has become transsexual entertainer Josephine, they start doing some sleuthing of their own. On impulse, they also agree to buy the bookstore from Josephine's aunt Gina, who seems very keen to leave town. As the case heats up, the women discover that stumbling across a dead body is becoming a nasty habit.

Also by author:


Single Mama's Got More Drama; Single Mama Drama; Love, Lies & Videotape; We'll Never Tell; Getting Some; The Sweet Spot; Getting Even; Gimme an O!; Fool for Love; In a Heartbeat

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TASMINA PERRY

Original Sin (2009)

Tess works for a tabloid newspaper when she uncovers a story about Sean Asgill who is a part of the famous Asgill Cosmetics company. She is approached by family matriarch Meredith with a proposition for her to keep quiet and help the Asgill family with public relations and prevent other secrets from coming out. Tess never imagined taking the position would uncover so many secrets, and starts to wonder if she made the right choice. Meanwhile, daughter Brooke is about to marry David Billington, America's most eligible bachelor who's destined to be the next big political player in Washington. The Asgills are ecstatic that she is the one David has fallen in love with. The wedding is set for the winter but the family knows that a scandal could derail David's political career and cause the wedding to be called off. Can the Asgills keep their lives in check long enough for Brooke to walk down the aisle or will all their secrets come out and ruin both families? Tasmina Perry did a great job with this book, the people were relatable and exciting and she keeps you guessing the whole way. (CG)

Guilty Pleasures (2008)

Cassandra, editor of Rive magazine, has been waiting for the chance to boost her fame and fortune for years. She has believed that her uncle Saul Milford would leave his luxury goods company to her. So when he dies and leaves it to her cousin Emma, she is furious and starts to scheme to have her fail. Emma left England long ago, and had no desire to inherit the company. But now she wants to prove her family wrong and make the business succeed. Or will she have to give the company to the one person she has been trying to live up to her whole life? Tasmina Perry really sucks you into the fictional lives she creates. (CG)

Gold Diggers (2007)

Every woman is out to get Adam Gold, a New York billionaire who has just moved to London. Glamorous Karin, one of the women vying for his affections, is a successful fashion entrepreneur who is trying to overcome speculation that she killed her husband. Erin has dreams of being the next literary star and soon finds that although working as Adam's PA has its downsides, the perks are something she may not be able to walk away from. Molly is a fading 80s fashion model who has been holding on to the past and is reluctant to give up her throne to her aspiring model daughter Summer. When Summer catches Adam's eye, will her mother step aside? A great book about sex, drugs and money with a twist at the end. (CG)

Daddy's Girls (2006)

Lord Oswald Balcon may have it all but he is a nasty and bullying character. So when he turns up dead everyone is a suspect. Even his daughters. Venetia is an interior designer who is in a loveless marriage and desperately wants to have something else besides her career to fulfill her. Camilla is a rising political star who is destined for great things but has a long list of unworthy lovers. Then there is Cate who is launching a magazine and is looking for love. Serena is a famous actor and party girl who is constantly in the paparazzi's sights. When the sisters meet up after the death of their father, someone shows up and starts claiming that one of them killed their father and he knows who. A great book with a mysterious twist - you'll find it hard to put down. (CG)

Also by author:

Kiss Heaven Goodbye

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DIANA PETERFREUND

Secret Society Girl (2006)

Amy Haskel is in her Junior year at the prestigious Eli University, an editor for Eli's literary magazine and a self-proclaimed commitment-phobe. Amy's life takes a surprising turn when she is 'tapped' by the elite and mysterious secret society Rose & Grave, also known to only have male members. Amy thought initiation would be the hardest part of her Junior year but she isn't prepared for the backlash that comes from Rose & Grave's powerful alumni for letting women into their "boy's only" club. She soon finds her career, kind-of boyfriend, and her social life is on the line. I loved the way this book, the first in the Ivy League series, went into details of "initiation" and all of the rules a secret society brings. (AV)

Also by author:

Tap & Gown; Rites of Spring (Break); Under the Rose

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HOLLY PETERSON

The Manny (2007)

TV producer Jamie Whitfield is worried about how her husband's work-related absences are affecting her sensitive son, Dylan. So she decides to appoint a manny to help out - in addition to her nanny and cleaner. As Jamie's work life gets more hectic chasing a sex scandal story involving a right-wing politician, she finds Peter Bailey teaching kids to play chess in the park - the perfect guy to be a male role model for her son. Despite her husband's demands that she get rid of him, Peter develops a close bond with Dylan - and Jamie.

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SUSAN ELIZABETH PHILLIPS

Match Me If You Can (2005)

Annabelle Granger, who has inherited her grandmother's matchmaking business, runs late to her first appointment with Heath Champion, a wealthy, good-looking sports agent known as The Python. He already has the Power Matches agency working for him, but Annabelle's best friend, Molly, is married to his top client and convinces him to give Annabelle's business a go. Trouble is he demands that Annabelle sit in on all his matchmaking dates, and then they start falling for each other.

First Lady (2000)

Cornelia (Nealy) Case, widow of US President Dennis Case, is asked to stay on as First Lady beside the new president. Despite being raised for public service by her political adviser father, Nealy decides to break free of the White House regime. She goes on the run and hitches a ride in a campervan with Mat Jorik and his ex-wife's two daughters. As the Secret Service closes in, Mat uncovers her secret while she discovers he's a journalist.

Also by author:

What I Did For Love; Ain't She Sweet; Breathing Room; Glitter Baby

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RACHEL PINE

The Twins of Tribeca (2005)

Movie publicist Rachel Pine's tell-all novel is based on her time at Miramax Films and has very thinly veiled references to real-life movie stars. Anyone can't guess who Frederick 'Fly' Faccione, who rose to fame and fortune through his portrayal of an underdog boxer and Vietnam vet, or Ronald Ululater, a European bodybuilder who became an action hero, are based on? Former CNN researcher Karen Jacobs gets a job as publicity assistant at Glorious Pictures, run by twins Phil and Tony Waxman. From announcing VIP guests at the studio's Oscars party, to dodging a mysterious washed-up journalist writing a tell-all Waxman biography, flirting with a Page Six columnist and covering for her missing boss Allegra, Karen finds out that work at the studio isn't all that glorious.

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BERTA PLATAS

Lucky Chica (2009)

For anyone who has ever wondered what it would be like to win that big lottery prize, here's your chance to live vicariously through the story of Rosie Caballero. Cuban-American Rosie is having an awful time. She barely has enough money to buy dog food for her poodle, Tootsie, and within the next few days her utilities will be shut off. Sick and tired of being poor, Rosie uses part of a $5 bill that was blown under her foot to buy a lottery ticket for the biggest jackpot in Georgia's history - $600 million. The following day, late for work as always, Rosie takes an extra few minutes to return to the store to check the winning numbers. To her shock, Rosie has all six numbers. She's just become one of the richest people on the planet! Rosie shares her good fortune with her charming cousin Cheeto and her grandmother, deciding to split the prize with them. After taxes they will all receive a little over $100 million. The first thing they do is go shopping. Rosie gets a makeover, transforming from her drab self into a glamorous woman she doesn't recognise. While her grandmother is off on a series of cruises with her card-playing friends, and Cheeto is buying a huge house dubbed the Lotto Palace by the tabloids, Rosie is lonely and slightly sad that she has no one to share her life with. That all changes when she starts making donations to celebrity foundations and attending parties that are filled with the hottest stars. She even gets to meet her favourite movie star and the most handsome guy on earth, Brad Merritt. Rosie and Brad soon begin a whirlwind romance and everything seems so different from her old life of poverty and dateless nights. But when a predatory lawyer changes everything for the Caballeros, Rosie has to come to terms with the fact that her new life just may be over. Purely escapist and filled with every woman's fantasies, you won't want to put this book down until you reach the very last page - not even to duck out and buy your own lottery ticket. (AS)

Also by author:

Cinderella Lopez

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CYNTHIA POLANSKY

Remote Control (2007)

Judith McBride certainly did not anticipate how her life would end so abruptly. At 31, she is just leading an ordinary life working as a physical therapist and happily married to her one true love, Saul. But when her medical operation goes absurdly wrong, Judith ends up in heaven - in a brand-new environment with numerous rules. Still unable to get over her old life, she resorts to spying on Saul, and soon learns about her husband's involvement with another woman, who she deems as having ill intentions. Judith tries to interfere in their relationship, even at the expense of defying the laws of the spiritual world. Will she succeed? It's refreshing to see a light-hearted story based on a rather serious theme - the afterlife. The plot is not particularly heart-tugging but the message of letting go reverberates throughout the entire story, leaving one thinking about life, love and even probes deeper into the reader's stand on whether the character Judith made the right choice in the end. (XT)

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BELLA POLLEN

Daydream Girl (2005)

aka B Movies, Blue Love (1999)

"Sometimes life can be like a bad movie. You sit through it, hoping it will get better, suspecting that it won't and wondering at what point you can reasonably walk out..." Kit Audrey Butler is nothing like the Hepburn girls that she's named after. The manager of the Orange, a rundown cinema, Kit, 35, is also a writer but has had her third screenplay recently rejected. Her life is rather messed up - with her gorgeous actor boyfriend Luke drifting further away from her, an estranged relationship with her father and making the mistake of sleeping with her friend Johnny. I found this a disappointing read, because it lacked realistic characters and the ending was poor. (XT)

Also by author:

Hunting Unicorns; All About Men

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JANE PORTER

She's Gone Country - Jane Porter (2010)

Shey Darcy, a former supermodel, lived the perfect life in New York City with her dreamy photographer husband and three sons. Shey's life is shattered when one of her brothers passes away and her husband decides he is gay. Shey moves back with her sons to her mother's dilapidated ranch in Texas, where she struggles to find her old self. She soon comes face to face with Dane Kelly, the man who broke her heart years ago. The sparks still exist between the two, however, Dane is adamant not to move their relationship to the next level. This is a well-written novel about a woman who fights for her family and believes in second chances. (AO)

Odd Mom Out (2007)

Advertising executive Marta Zinsser has moved from New York to Seattle to start a new agency and be nearer her mother who has Alzheimers disease. Her nine-year-old daughter Eva, who she conceived through donor sperm, really wants to fit in with the popular crowd in their affluent suburb (where people will behave better at breakfast if the Gates are nearby). Eva believes it would help if Marta was a bit more like the other immaculately groomed mums who are so involved in their children's school. Marta, who feels more comfortable in jeans and combat boots, joins in some of the PTA activities but struggles to keep up as well as run her agency, Z Design. Marta also believes she doesn't need a man but she soon runs into the irresistible Luke Flynn on her morning jog. A very convincing story about a working mother's relationship with her daughter, the pitfalls in the pursuit of popularity and why you should be leader of your own pack.

The Frog Prince (2005)

Once upon a time, there was a girl by the name of Holly Bishop who married the man of her dreams, Jean-Marcus. Or so she thought. Ten months later Holly is divorced after her Prince Charming ended up being a toad. Now Holly is hoping to start with a clean slate and begin writing the next chapter of her life. She moves to San Francisco where she gets a job as an event planner. No matter how hard Holly has tried to steer away from the fairytales of life, in her job she is faced with a fairy godmother for a boss and wicked witches in the corporate world who are trying to sabotage her every move. When she is pushed back into the dating pond, Holly realises that in order to find her happily-ever after, she has to kiss a lot of frogs. (PP)

Also by author:

Easy on the Eyes; Mrs Perfect; Flirting with Forty

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ALEXANDRA POTTER

Who's That Girl? (2009)

Also known as The Two Lives of Miss Charlotte Merryweather

Imagine if you could meet your younger self - what advice would you give her? That's exactly what happens to 31-year-old Charlotte Merryweather. Charlotte has come a long way over the past 10 years - she runs her own PR company, wears great clothes; is about to enter the property market with boyfriend Miles; and religiously follows all sorts of dietary advice. When Charlotte spots her 21-year-old self driving her VW Beetle around town, she follows herself and meets up with Lottie - a girl still dreaming of being a writer, who lives in a slobby apartment, parties hard - and worse smokes, suntans and wears PVC trousers. As Charlotte tries to stop her younger self from making all sorts of mistakes, such as having a one-night stand with rock singer Billy Romani, it seems Lottie has some advice that the 30-something should heed.

Me and Mr Darcy (2007)

New York book shop assistant Emily Albright finds that no modern man can live up to Pride and Prejudice's Mr Darcy. So when her friend Stella invites her on an 18-30s trip to Mexico, she instead books a guided tour of Jane Austen country in England. But she's hardly going to find her dream partner on a coach full of pensioners. The only eligible man is a prickly journalist called Spike Hargreaves who's purely along for the ride because he's writing an article about why women love Mr Darcy. And he wins no favour with Emily when he describes her as 'pretty dull, average looking.' Then during a visit to one of Austen's homes, Emily finds herself face-to-face with a handsome stranger wearing beeches and a frock coat who calls himself Mr Darcy. What happens when her fantasy man comes to life? OK, so many critics hated it, the plot's totally predictable and you may get annoyed that the character is so slow picking up on the Pride and Prejudice parallels in her own story but I read it with a smile on my face.

Be Careful What You Wish For (2006)

When wedding photographer Heather Hamilton buys some lucky heather from a gypsy, all her wishes start coming true. She finds an elusive parking spot, scores a date with her hunky neighbour - she even wins a lottery. But as time goes on, are these wishes-come-true a blessing or a curse?

Calling Romeo - Alexandra Potter (2002)

Juliet's relationship with live-in boyfriend Will is in a rut after two and a half years together. When he forgets to meet her for their Valentine's Day dinner, she finds herself drawn to rival ad man, Sykes, who is over from Italy to pitch for the same account. He whisks her off to fair Verona - but can romantic gestures (or lack thereof) make or break a relationship?

Also by author:

You're the One That I Don't Want; Do You Come Here Often; Going La La; What's New Pussycat?

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CHRISTINE POUNTNEY

The Best Way You Know How (2005)

At the age of 25, Hannah Crowe decides to move from Canada to England - in part to improve herself and find a man to marry. But soon, she realises that her increasing inclination towards the communal life in bars and a fervent hunger for sensual pleasures is more than what it seems - it actually liberates her from loneliness. Then Daniel appears - it isn't love at first sight, it is more of a mutual connection between two lonely beings. "Love isn't something you can reason, but something inchoate, indescribable." Hannah finds herself loving Daniel more, even willing to embrace the coming changes in their relationship when they get married. As the couple's infrequent marital relations leave her feeling lonely and deprived, Hannah's incessant thirst starts to overwhelm her. A gloomy, intense yet honest story about love, responsibility, betrayal and loneliness, it goes deeper to explore the raw relationship between Hannah and Daniel - how a simple marriage is more than what it appears on the surface. (XT)

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KATIE PRICE

Sapphire (2009)

Sapphire is happy to be an independent businesswoman - she runs a lingerie boutique and hens weekend company. Divorced from the philandering Alfie, she doesn't want another serious relationship and is dating younger personal trainer Jay. But with Jay wanting to settle down, Sapphire's eye is drawn to Alfie's smooth business partner, Ryan. When a hens weekend for a soapie star goes awry, Sapphire begins to lose control of her business and personal life. Watch out for appearances by her friend Cal, the footballer from Price's novels about glamour model Angel.

Angel Uncovered (2008)

This sequel to Angel sees the glamour model struggle with a life that is far from perfect as it appears on the outside. Angel has to cope with both post-natal depression after the birth of daughter Honey and a move to Milan to follow her footballer husband Cal. With Angel and Cal growing further apart, the temptation of infidelity arises. This has lots of tabloid scandals and plot twists that makes it very readable. (AB)

Crystal (2007)

Crystal is hoping a reality TV band competition will launch her singing career. Paired with her best friend, Tahlia, and bitchy upstart Belle, the Lost Angels begin to soar in the audience polling. But when Crystal falls for Belle's boyfriend, Max, their illicit relationship could spell the end for the band. And the tabloids haven't even begun spilling all the band members' secrets yet. Watch out for the guest appearance from one of Price's other characters, glamour model Angel, who shares the same hairdresser. For those who want a juicy plot without having to think too hard. And the biggest surprise - the heroine isn't big-busted!

Angel (2006)

Angel gets drawn into the glitzy world of celebrity fame and riches after becoming a Page 3 glamour model. She meets boy band singer Mickey but with their relationship clouded by infidelity and drug-taking, Angel discovers a rising star can fall just as quickly. Written by glamour model Jordan, who is married to singer Peter Andre.

Also by author:

Paradise

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MORAG PRUNTY

Dancing with Mules (2001)

Also known as Wild Cats & Colleens

Irish-American billionaire Xavier Big has advertised for an Irish wife, and is on his way to Ireland to choose from the finalists. PR queen Lorna, whose firm looks shaky after her accountant failed to pay her clients' taxes, is hoping this will save her day. Journalist Sandy isn't looking for a husband - she just wants to do a documentary on Mr Big's search. Gloria's hairdressing salon would be quite profitable if her ex-husband Frank stopped dipping his hand in the till - she's determined never to live in poverty again.

Also by author:

Recipes for a Perfect Marriage; Superstar Lovers; Poison Arrows; Disco Daddy

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