Welcome to Rosie Hopkins' Sweetshop of Dreams (2012)

Rosie Hopkins was fairly happy with her life in London. She had a long-term boyfriend, a job and a place to call home. She never thought about leaving and was reluctant to do so, but her frail Aunt Lillian needs her help and since there is no other family in the area, Rosie must head off to the country to sort out Lillian's sweet shop. After a seemingly endless bus ride, Rosie arrives in a quaint town that looks as it if has been the same for generations. There are no signs of big department stores or grimy streets, just small family-run businesses. It's such a drastic difference from Rosie's London life. Lillian is a little frosty at first, not wanting to admit she needs any help. However, she does need it and Rosie can see it. What she can't see though, is how much the few weeks she is planning on spending in the country are going to change her and her outlook on life or how many mishaps she'll get into in the process. Written with flashbacks to Lillian's World War II childhood, where the sweet shop was bustling with children, this is a novel that will bring back memories and make you want to pop out and buy some nostalgic sweets (or better yet, you can make them yourself with the included recipes). Rosie and Lillian, along with the rest of the colourful characters they encounter throughout the story, are perfectly cast against each other. It's hard to imagine a better-written novel with its perfect blend of the past, the present and the future. As a result, it's definitely a story that will stay with you long after you've read the last page. (AS)

Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe (2011)

When Issy Randall is made redundant from her job - by her boss who she has been having an affair with no less! - she decides to start over and embark on a career that will make her happy. The fact that she was given a very good sum of money as part of her redundancy package helps Issy to see her dreams come true in the form of The Cupcake Cafe. Issy has a true gift and that is to bake amazing cakes like no one else. Though the cafe is her dream, Issy finds it isn't an easy road. She needs to file endless paperwork, get up at the crack of dawn every single day and not take home much money for herself after she pays all her suppliers and staff. Despite all of that, Issy finds she is happier than she has been in ages. So, when her old boyfriend and former boss comes swinging back into her life and says he wants to rekindle their relationship, she jumps at the chance even though he treats her horribly. By going back to Graeme, is Issy setting herself up for heartbreak again - and maybe even the loss of her beloved cafe? This is a wonderful novel, filled with decadent cupcake recipes that might make you want to stop reading and start baking. If you have always wanted to follow your dreams but thought it was impossible, then maybe you can get some inspiration from the spirited, fun heroine of this lovely novel. (AS)

The Good, the Bad and the Dumped (2010)

During a mountain hike, Posy's personal trainer boyfriend Matt pops the question. But not long after saying yes, Posy starts having doubts about her impending nuptials - and wondering whether she and Matt have enough in common to carry them through a lifetime together. With a psychotherapist mother vehemently opposed to marriage, Posy still carries baggage from her significant other relationships. So with the help of Facebook, Posy decides to track down her exes. As she secretly heads off to remote Scotland to see her college sweetheart Chris and catches up with the non-committal yet dashing Adam, Posy realises she really needs to find the guy who broke her heart - she still can't even bring herself to say his name. But as she spends time coming to terms with her past, it seems her future with Matt is on rocky ground. This is neither good nor bad. The plot didn't quite live up to expectations nor did Colgan's wit really shine through. But even though Posy is not a particularly memorable character, many readers may relate to the journey she is on.

Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend (2008)

Life changes drastically for rich party girl Sophie when her father dies and according to the terms of his will, her stepmother casts her out to survive on her own for six months. Sophie moves into a rundown house on Old Kent Road, sharing with four guys - artists Cal and Eck, soldier James and student Wolverine. Because she can't pay the full deposit or utilities bills, she becomes their cleaner "Cinders" and starts working as a photographer's assistant. A funny, sparkling tale of one girl's journey from riches to rags.

Operation Sunshine (2007)

Evie, a receptionist for Harley Street plastic surgeons, is just thinking that she needs a good holiday when her bosses invite her along to their medical conference in Cannes. What a perfect location for a glamorous holiday! Also coming along for the ride are her good friend Bailey, who's involved in her doctors' big secret project, another backstabbing receptionist, plus Evie's bullying brother and his gorgeous wife. Only problem is she's flying economy and staying in a fleapit of a motel while everyone else is living it up in luxury. With secret rendezvous and offshore shenanigans, it definitely turns into a holiday like no other. Unfortunately, it's not really a plot that would make you want to miss the inflight movie.

West End Girls (2006)

Lizzie and Penny are twin sisters (but complete opposites) who live dowdy and unfulfilling lives. Penny dreams that one day she will be rescued from her unsatisfactory life while Lizzie is quite happy eating crisps on her mother's couch. When their grandmother, who had all but forgotten them, is admitted to hospital, the girls are given the task to house-sit her fancy West End apartment which provides the opportunity to start a new life. Life in the West End is harder than they thought and the boys are just as difficult. Set in Chelsea, England, this is a feel-good, entertaining novel that has all the favourite elements such as love, transformation and most importantly a happy ending with a twist. (GF)

Do You Remember the First Time (2004)

also known as The Boy I Loved Before

As her best friend Tashy cuts into her wedding cake, 32-year-old Flora realises she's disillusioned with her life. So she wishes that she could go back to age 16 and do it all again. The next day, she wakes up in her childhood bedroom as a teenager. Can Flora get things right this time round, including preventing her parents' divorce, standing up to a bully and getting together with her high school crush? And will she want to resume her normal life?

Looking for Andrew McCarthy (2001)

Ellie is throwing herself an 80s-themed party for her 30th birthday and she wants to know why her life hasn't turned out to be like a John Hughes movie. She has just caught Billy, her saxophone-playing boyfriend, cheating on her (but he isn't as charismatic as Rob Lowe), she lives in a dingy flat with an appalling flatmate she calls Big Bastard (it looks nothing like Demi Moore's loft in St Elmo's Fire) and to top it all off she hates her job. Deciding that she really needs some answers from her Brat Pack crush Andrew McCarthy (remember Pretty in Pink, Mannequin and Weekend at Bernie's), Ellie pleads with her friends to join her on a quest across the Atlantic to find the low-key actor. A madcap adventure ensues, which begins with her telling her boss Mr Rooney (Ferris Bueller's Day Off, anyone, anyone?) to stick it, and sees her ringing all the A. McCarthys in the LA phone book. A must-read for Gen Xs who will love all the cultural references, from the Footloose-like highway near-miss to the Lost Boys-inspired policemen.

Amanda's Wedding (1999)

How would you behave if the best man is the groom - and you're not the bride? Mel, Fran and Amanda are old school friends but Amanda seems to lead a more charmed life - and she sure loves rubbing her friends' noses in her success. Now she's getting married to Fraser, a Scottish laird who Mel had a crush on during university. So the bridesmaids set out with the groom's brother to sabotage the wedding.

Back to Authors C