LA Candy - Lauren Conrad (2009)

This novel by reality TV starlet Lauren Conrad chronicles the lives of Jane Roberts and her best friend Scarlett Harp as they move to LA and become the stars of a reality TV show. The book, which is based loosely on Conrad's own life, is a little slow in the beginning but picks up a little once Jane and Scarlett are discovered at a club by a TV producer. From that point on the two, though a little hesitant at first, decide to audition for the show and their lives change drastically. While Jane takes to the cameras being around easily, Scarlett is not so excited and wonders what she got herself into. Throw into the mix two other cast members, Gaby, a total ditz, and Madison, a total bitch with a nice girl facade, and things get even more complicated. When Jane starts dating Jesse, who happens to be the best friend of her friend-slash-major crush, Braden, things spiral out of control quickly and the jealousy of someone Jane thought she could trust ruins her life in an instant. With lots of run-of-the-mill Hollywood cliches (blondes, drugs, cosmetic surgery etc), LA Candy almost fails to deliver an original storyline. In addition, in pretty much every single chapter Jane and her friends are drinking (usually vodka soda for Jane) making it seem to the unknowing person who has never been to LA, that you can't have any fun in Tinseltown without being drunk. It is a quick and light read that would be great for the beach or a day when you don't need any actual depth in what you're reading. But the ending is a cliff-hanger and leaves you wanting to know what happens to Jane next. (AS)

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Ladies Who Lunch - Linda Francis Lee (2006)

Also known as The Devil in the Junior League

There's a rebel in the ranks of the twinsets and pearls of the Willow Creek Junior League. This elite Texas organisation only accepts new recruits who are nominated by six members who have been known them for five years. When Junior League stalwart Fredericka Hildebrand Ware's husband goes on the run, with all her money and a mistress, she turns to the socially inferior lawyer next door for help. But he'll only help if she gets his trashy wife Nikki into the Junior League.

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Lakeshore Christmas - Susan Wiggs (2009)

In the latest novel in the Lakeshore Chronicles series, Maureen Davenport is a quiet librarian in the small town of Avalon. This year she is directing the annual Christmas pageant. Maureen's co-director is Eddie Haven, the famous former child star turned bad boy. Maureen and Eddie appear to be complete opposites, however, they both have had their hearts broken by others in the past. As the two spend more time together, they find themselves falling in love. The storyline is completely predictable but the characters are so heartwarming and sincere that you can't help smiling throughout the book. (AO)

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Last Chance Saloon - Marian Keyes (1999)

Three Irish friends, Tara, Katherine and Fintan who now live in London, are out celebrating Tara's 30th birthday. Tara feels she's in the Last Chance Saloon because even though she is living with boyfriend Thomas, he is reluctant to commit. Having been burnt by another man she thought was her future, Tara is willing to put up with Thomas' cheapskate ways and criticisms about her weight - at least it's better than not having a relationship at all. Meanwhile, Katherine doesn't want a man to mess up her neatly ordered life and tries to ignore her attraction to colleague Joe. When Fintan is diagnosed with a life-threatening disease, he makes the girls promise to do something for him - that'll change their lives forever.

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Last Night at Chateau Marmont - Lauren Weisberger (2010)

Brooke Alter has been working two jobs to support herself and her husband, Julian, while he pursues a music career. It's been years and her friends and family have repeatedly told her to give up on him, but Brooke doesn't because she knows that Julian has what it takes to be a hit musician. And she's right. Julian gets a record deal with Sony and within days their lives change. Julian is whisked off to Los Angeles for meetings and Brooke gets to tag along and stay at the famed Chateau Marmont. They're soon having dinner with celebrities, attending glamorous parties and having a blast when Julian goes on tour with Maroon 5. Life has changed for the once-upon-a-time happy couple though. Their marriage is strained through Julian's constant absence and the perils of fame are getting to Brooke. Torn between her real life, which includes her responsibilities as a nutritionist, and her husband's budding music career proves difficult. But it's what she's been working for her since the beginning and it only seems right to support him now that he's attained his dream. This novel has just enough real life drama mixed with celebrity to make it interesting and fun. It takes you through the trials and tribulations of fame, while also adding in behind-the-scenes information. It's a perfect novel for the modern girl who is interested in fame and fortune but also wants to stay grounded. (AS)

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Last Resort - Rebecca L. Boschee (2011)

Lila Hayes is heartbroken as she has just found out her boyfriend Brody has stolen $3000 from her. She was planning on using that money to finish college. Dejected and hurt, she decides to transfer to a Florida resort called Encantadora to work in their day care section. She plans on licking her wounds and start saving her money so she could start college again after the resort season ends. What she hadn't planned on was Jackson Kobel, the gorgeous water ski instructor who has plenty of secrets. Amid all the staff dramatics, Lila finds a new place she can call home - and an enemy as well. Can Lila regain her trust in people, let alone Jackson, and will she figure out that sometimes things happen for a reason? (CG)

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Late Night Shopping - Carmen Reid (2008)

In this sequel to The Personal Shopper, mother of two Annie Valentine is still working as a personal shopper and image consultant at London's upmarket The Store. She also is building a thriving eBay company. But with a big tax bill looming, she still has higher ambitions - and when she discovers some fantastic shoes made by Timi Woo from Hong Kong, she decides to import them. Only problem is she hasn't told boyfriend Ed, a music teacher at her kids' school, about her plans - or that she's planning to refinance their house. Even a relaxing family getaway to Italy sees her occupied buying up handbags at factory stores. The story ends in a way that makes another follow-up book very likely.

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Late Night Talking - Leslie Schnur (2007)

Jeannie Sterling is a late-night New York radio show host, whose show Sterling Behavior targets everyday rude behaviour. She is trying to make the world a better place, one annoying person at a time. Everything from iPods at full volume, litterers, cutting in line or poor gym etiquette gets her talking turkey. In fact, she even calls a guy in a Hummer a 'turkey' when he splashes water on her while she's waiting for a cab. After she disses him on air, the Hummer driver, mogul Nicholas Moss, takes over her radio station. Pushed to increase ratings, Jeannie starts acting in ways that take her ranting much too far. With a best friend keeping a secret, a boyfriend keeping library books and a misbehaving dog keeping her panties, Jeannie looks like losing everything that's important to her.

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Laura's Handmade Life - Amanda Addison (2011)

If not for her architect husband Adi, Laura Lovegrove would never have agreed to move out of London. The idea of settling down in Norfolk did not seem promising, especially since it meant starting all over again. As Laura busies herself with her part-time teaching job at Town and Country College, juggling her roles of a working mum and a freelance textile designer, she slowly finds herself adapting to the village life, but her accident-prone nature soon gets in the way - and Laura ends up burning down the entire house. With her entire collection of vintage clothing destroyed, Laura takes up sewing classes. She falls in love with the art of stitching, inspiring her to take on a series of projects - which in turn pushes her closer to fulfilling her dreams, but at the same time, distancing her from the ones she loves. Sadly, the fun sewing ideas (found at the back of the book) could not compensate for the dull and hard-to-follow storyline. (XT)

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Learning Curves: A Novel of Sex, Suits and Business Affairs
- Gemma Townley (2006)

Recently separated from her eco-warrior boyfriend, environmental activist Jennifer Bell gets caught up in a feud between her divorced parents who are rival business consultants. Her mother Harriet, convinced her ex-husband George's firm is involved in shonky construction deals in post-tsunami Indonesia, talks Jennifer into infiltrating his firm by doing her MBA at Bell Consulting. Thinking she'll hate the corporate world, Jennifer is surprised to discover she has an aptitude for the business course and also falls for guest lecturer, Daniel Peterson. She begins to realise there's two sides to every story - in this case which side should she believe?

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Left Neglected - Lisa Genova (2011)

Sarah has it all - a good job, a great house and three beautiful children. A moment of lapsed concentration while driving the car changes her life forever. She has to adjust to a new way of life after her accident leaves her with a brain condition called 'left neglect', where her brain does not process anything on her left side. Sarah re-evalutes her life and renews her relationship with her mother, which had been under strain for years following the death of her brother. Sarah realises, as she tries to rebuild her life, that her relationships with her husband and children also were suffering from neglect before her accident. I enjoyed this book, although I found it slightly repetitive in the middle. Lisa Genova, a neuroscientist, writes in a similar style to Jodi Picoult and will definitely be an author I will be watching out for in the future. (BS)

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Leftovers - Stella Newman (2013)

According to a magazine feature, at 36, single and plodding along in her career, Susie Rosen is a Leftover. But when she's given the project of launching a new brand of pizzas in a nationwide supermarket chain, it seems that her promotion is just around the corner. But to get there she has to make a success of it, which means meeting impossible deadlines, managing inflated egos and trying to ensure damage limitation. Then there's the matter of her love life. Despite her boyfriend cheating on her, Susie has never quite gotten over him and these days she is consigned to the role of wing-woman for her stunning friend Rebecca, meaning that she ends up chatting awkwardly to the hot guy's friend whilst Rebecca gets chatted up by the hot guy. The one thing that keeps her going throughout is food and her grandmother's philosophy that there is a pasta shape and sauce for every situation. And as soon as she gets this promotion she plans on quitting her job and turning her love for food into a career. There's just that small matter of the promotion. This is the first Stella Newman book I've read and I found her writing witty and engaging. Susie is a great, contemporary heroine and the situations that Newman puts her in both in her work and her personal life are hugely entertaining. I was a bit disappointed by the romance in the novel, and in particular the way her relationship with her old high school boyfriend just sort of fizzles out, but much of the novel is about the pitfalls and realities of being single in your mid-30s and the focus is more on Susie's career. This is a funny and honest story and I'll certainly be following the author's work from now on. (JC)

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Leopard Rock - Tarras Wilding (2009)

New Zealand magazine staffer Oriana "Roo" Beckett gets the chance of a lifetime when she wins a month-long trip to make a wildlife documentary in South Africa. She will be mentored by world-famous film-maker Wynand Kruger at Leopard Rock. Only problem is first she has to help her demanding boss Felice shoot a safari fashion spread on location. Despite dealing with storms, snakes and the Zulu dialect, Roo soon falls in love with much more than the mesmerising African landscape. The author obviously has a real affinity with Africa - this romance is one for nature lovers.

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Lessons in Heartbreak - Cathy Kelly (2008)

Three generations of an Irish family are affected by infidelity in different ways. Izzie Silver, who works for a modelling agency in New York, meets wealthy businessman Joe at a charity lunch. He tells her his marriage is over but he's still living in his family home for his children's sake. Back in her Irish hometown Tamarin, Izzie's aunt Anneliese discovers that her husband is moving in with her best friend. But before she is able to break the news to the family matriarch Lily, the elderly woman has a stroke and slips into a coma. It is Lily's slowly revealed story, about life as a nurse in London during World War II and a secret love affair, that makes up the most interesting chapters.

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Lessons in Laughing Out Loud - Rowan Coleman (2011)

Willow gets to see what her life could have been through her twin Holly's life. Unlike Holly who has the perfect figure, family and life, Willow lives alone and is scared on the inside of being loved. Ever dependable Willow has to coping with a movie star in crisis, when her ex-step daughter Chloe turns up on her doorstop as a full-grown teenager with her own problems. Along with Chloe comes reminders of Willow's past, and suddenly Willow realises she has to confront her own past and her own secrets so that she can move forward and for once start to laugh out loud. Willow as a chick lit character is great; she's down to earth and instantly likeable. There's also a few good men that seem to be taken with Willow, and it keeps you guessing as to who she is going to end up with. Willow's secrets are a little predictable, but they're really well done and make you warm to Willow even more. (AB)

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Less Than Perfect - Ber Carroll (2011)

Irish Catholic Caitlin O'Reilly was raised in a family where rules and knowing right from wrong meant everything. Her father raised her to believe that if she lived her life within the rules she world be safe and could achieve perfection. At 18 she meets her first love, Protestant, Josh McKinstry. A tragic event shatters her image of the perfect life she thought she had, and destroys forever her family and hometown. It also ruins her faith in her father. She flees Ireland to start a fresh life in Australia, where she tries to get away from all of the painful memories of her past and her fractured family. However, her past continues to haunt her in every aspect of her life - from her job, friends and love life. When she meets police officer Matthew, who always lives his life within the rules, her defences start to crumble and she is forced to confront the issues that she has long kept hidden. Will she lose someone close to her again or will she learn that being less than perfect is OK? This is one of those great books where I grew to care about the characters. I was touched by Caitlin's story and wanted to follow her on her journey. (LF)

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Let's Meet on Platform 8 - Carole Matthews (1997)

When Teri trips over on a train platform, Jamie comes to her rescue. They both travel on the same Milton Keynes-London commuter train. The vagrancies of the English weather often brings the rail system to a grinding halt which gives the pair - Teri works for a TV station and Jamie is in insurance - the opportunity to bond over meals and drinks. Jamie seems the perfect gent - except he is married. Jamie is torn - he doesn't want to betray his wife Pamela but he can't escape his growing attraction to Teri. This debut novel from Matthews is a tale of an affair with a difference and shows the promise she has lived up to ever since.

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Letters to a Love Rat - Niamh Greene (2009)

This is about three women who have all had their hearts stomped on by the same man, Charlie. Magazine writer Molly should be a radiant newly wed. But the honeymoon is certainly over when she finds Charlie's note saying he's left her - and reminding her to sort out the recycling. And now she's supposed to be writing a gushing feature on why she got married. Julie is writing a blog about the affair she's having with her newly married boss but she never expected him to leave his wife for her. And Eve still hasn't got over her break-up with Charlie a few years ago so her therapist is making her write him letters that she'll never send. A highlight was the amusing and varied ways the minor characters were linked to one another throughout the story.

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Let Them Eat Cake - Sandra Byrd (2007)

Francophile college graduate Lexi Stuart has just lost another office job and is back home living with her parents. So when she lands a job at a French cafe, run by flirty Frenchman Luc, she hopes to transform her low-paying counter job into the assistant manager's position. She begins enthusiastically learning all facets of the business, but things don't get off to a great start when she leaves a fridge open and messes up a big order placed by good-looking lawyer Dan. From the Christian lit stable, there's also a sub-plot about Lexi trying to find a home church.

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Liar Bird - Lisa Walker (2011)

Cassandra Daley is a glamorous Sydney PR guru. She has the fancy apartment, car and hairdresser boyfriend, but none of this can save her when bulldog journalist Simon McKechnie is on her tail. After sprawling her deception in a prestigious marketing campaign across the major papers, her stellar career unravels and she flees to the wildlife haven of Beechville in outback Queensland. She accepts a job in the wildlife office and takes her Sydney attitude and Ferrari car with her. She can do the job, no problem, but nothing can protect her from the frogs and snakes in her toilet or the strange noises heard outside her door in the isolated country. Her biggest challenge is Ranger Mac, cool and aloof and refusing to help her. What is his problem? When relations between them start to thaw, Cassandra's past comes back to haunt her when McKechnie tracks her down, stirring up trouble again. Can Cassandra keep her life on the straight and narrow and out of the papers for once? Can she figure out the town's secret and keep quiet or will the temptation to resort to her deceptive tactics for her own benefit prevail? Cassandra grows to love the small town and its people and no longer pines for the bright lights of Sydney. But is she prepared to live amongst the feral pigs, flying foxes and lyrebirds of the outback even if it is with sexy Mac? A quirky tale with delicious Australian flavour and a sting in the tail. (LF)

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Liar's Guide to True Love - Wendy Chen (2011)

Cassandra Hanley is the ultimate wedding planner, who is able to make any bride's dream come true. No matter how demanding or way out these dreams are Cassandra does her utmost to ensure the brides' wishes are met on their special day. Why then does she have so much difficulty with her own love life? When Cassandra meets Nick, she discovers he isn't into all the 'wedding palaver' and so she takes on her friend Mia's persona as an up-and-coming advertising executive. This in itself causes a few problems when Nick realises he works just near Cassandra's supposed office. Meeting for a morning coffee has never been so complicated but Cassandra manages it, providing a few laughs for the reader in the process. Enter Cassandra's ex, Kevin, who she has never quite cast out of her life and things start to get really complicated. There's also Cassandra's mother who wants her to settle down, a group of friends who are at different stages of the dating game and her sister Emma, who is supposedly settled but wants more from life than a picket fence in suburbia complete with children. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and have already recommended it to a friend who is about to get married as I know it will give her a giggle. (LM)

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Licensed For Trouble - Susan May Warren (2010)

Wanting a nice light-hearted, wholesome mystery series that's like Nancy Drew for adults? PJ Sugar's nickname has always been NBT - Nothing But Trouble. Being adopted, she has always known that she is unlike the rest of the Sugar family and seemingly destined for trouble. Trouble like the private-eye-in-training being outwitted by a bail jumper and being photographed with handcuffs on. PJ Sugar has just been announced as the sole heiress to the Kellogg estate. The Kellogg and Sugar families have shared a dark secret for many years but now that Allegra Kellogg has passed away, it's about to come to light. The mansion needs major work though and PJ is kept busy working on a case to uncover her new handyman Max's roots (he has amnesia). She also is dealing with a bit of a love triangle with two guys - Detective Boone Buckam and PI Jeremy Kane - interested in her. This third book in the PJ Sugar series is a fun mystery novel filled with investigating antics, family issues and relationship dilemmas as PJ tries desperately to stay out of mischief. (PP)

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Life After Yes - Aidan Donnelley Rowley (2010)

This debut novel starts off with a dream. A dream in which Quinn O'Malley is a bride with too many grooms. One of the grooms is Quinn's boyfriend who has just recently proposed to her in Paris. Quinn now finds herself not only questioning her relationship with her fiance but also reconsidering her law career. On top of all that, Quinn is still mourning the loss of her father who tragically died on 9/11. Written in an honest and witty way, the reader is swept into Quinn's world, feeling her pain, frustration and moral dilemmas. (MY)

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Life As I Know It - Melanie Rose (2010)

aka Love Struck/Could It Be Magic?/Being Lauren (first published 2007)

Jessica Taylor has just met her dream man. It's too bad that just as she's getting a chance to know him, she is struck by lightning. Waking up in a hospital room, Jessica vaguely remembers what happened to her but can't understand why there is a strange man saying he is her husband standing near her bed. Soon, Jessica learns that she has woken up as Lauren Richardson, a married mother of four, who was also struck by lightning. In Jessica's real life, her only responsibility is her dog Frankie, which makes things difficult as people swarm around, asking her questions that she can't answer. Assuming at first that the doctors have simply mistaken her for someone else, Jessica later realises something strange is going on when the children are so relieved to see her alive. Deciding to go along with it, since she doesn't want to be admitted to the ward for crazy people, Jessica acts as if she is Lauren even though she knows nothing at all about her. The really odd thing is that whenever she goes to sleep as Lauren, she wakes up as Jessica and goes about her normal life as it was before the fateful lightning strike. As she realises that Lauren has died from her injuries and her own soul has somehow been split into two bodies, Jessica takes on Lauren's life with a newfound strength and passion. But past indiscretions that Lauren had made come back to haunt the family and threaten to tear them all apart. Written so smoothly as Jessica transitions from herself to Lauren and back again, this book is an absolute delight with a lot of heart and soul - and ultimately leads to a tragic ending that no one could have expected. (AS)

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Life Begins - Amanda Brookfield (2008)

If life begins at 40, then 39-year-old Charlotte is so ready to start again. She has recently divorced her husband who has moved in with his new girlfriend. She is unsuccessfully trying to sell her house to move closer to her son Sam's school and she may well be out of a job when the bookshop she works in changes hands. Plus Amanda's attracting attention from all the wrong men, including her real estate agent and her close friend's husband. Although it jumps around a bit confusingly between characters' viewpoints, many will not need to walk in Charlotte's shoes to totally empathise with her.

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Life, Love, and a Polar Bear Tattoo - Heather Wardell (2009)

Ever since the accident, Candice and her husband, Ian, have both been living under extreme states of emotional stresses, carrying the burden of guilt and also the pain of losing the ones they love so dearly. Two years of marriage suddenly becomes a fragile state - where they can no longer find themselves talking about the simplest things, or even looking each other in the eyes. When Ian leaves for a one-month stay in Bangladesh for volunteer work, Candice tries to get her life back in order but yet another unexpected surprise awaits her. A fantastic story of love and second chances; one that got me hooked right from the beginning to the very end! (XT)

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Life on the Refrigerator Door - Alice Kuipers (2007)

Claire is a 15-year-old student and her mother is a single mum who works as an obstetrician. They rarely find themselves in the same room at the same time, so they leave each other notes on the refrigerator door. What they don't realise at first is they are literally running out of time. When the mother is diagnosed with breast cancer, the notes become more poignant, especially when they realise they are wasting time arguing about Claire's boyfriend and who hasn't cleaned the rabbit's cage. It is such a short book (took me less than half an hour to read), that you feel as if you never really had the chance to get to know the characters properly. But maybe that was entirely the message the author wanted to convey.

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Lifesaving for Beginners - Ciara Geraghty (2012)

When an accident turns Kat Kavanagh's world upside down, her life seems to spiral out of control as she tries to keep the two skeletons in her closet buried. When nine-year-old Milo's mum goes to Dublin and doesn't return, he tries to cling on to his sister Faith who seems to be slipping away. He struggles to understand what is going on in the adult world around him. A twist of fate brings Kat and Milo together and shows that secrets can't always be forgotten. The book alternates between the perspectives of Kat and Milo. The results are charming. Kat is a complex character, whose honesty makes you warm to her instantly. Milo's chapters transport you into the eyes of a child. Compelling and heartwarming: this a must-read. (AB)

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Life Skills - Katie Fforde (1999)

Julia Fairfax needs a change. She breaks up with her snooty fiance and answers an advertisement for a cook position on a rickety hotel boat. She immediately bonds with her new employer, Suzy, a flaky 24-year-old who is trying to become independent from her wealthy and controlling father. After the only other crewman quits, Suzy hires Fergus Grindley, a childhood rival of Julia's. When Julia's ex-fiance and his annoying mother book a trip on the boat, drama takes over the boat and Julia is forced to rethink her relationship with Fergus. The storyline is unique and the characters well developed, however, the author gives so many details about canals and boating that I felt myself skimming through many pages. If you have a special interest in canal boating, this is the perfect book for you. (AO)

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Life Swap - Jane Green (2005)

Vicky Townsley, features director of Poise magazine, is single, 35, lives in London and has fallen for a womanising TV star. She wants to try out a different life so in a competition she picks out Amber Winslow to swap lives with her. Amber is a married mother of two who lives in Connecticut and leads a competitive social life in the Women's League. Each will live in the other's shoes (including wearing their clothes) for a month. Is the grass really greener on the other side?

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Life's Too Short to Frost a Cupcake - Rosie Wilde (2008)

Alice met boyfriend Stephen at a group for anxiety sufferers and since then they have settled into a very routine home life with a tightly controlled budget. When Alice's boss at Carmichael Music is replaced by some Americans, she is offered the chance to leave London to work out of their New York office. Only problem is her first job is convincing country musician Wyatt Brown, a reformed alcoholic, to record a new album - and that means she's headed not for the bright lights of the Big Apple but a rural town in Ohio instead. Well that is if she can force herself to face her fear of flying first. As Alice starts settling into life in Barnsley - caring for a sick cow, speaking as an English child expert to the local mothers group, dating local businessman Gerry, even entering a cupcake competition against Heidi, the glamorous rival for Wyatt's affection - she wonders whether she really wants to return home - and to Stephen. With lots of quirky characters, this is one sweet book that may prove quite addictive. And it wins extra ratings points for being that bit different.

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Like Sweet Potato Pie - Jennifer Rogers Spinola (2012)

In this second book in the Southern Fried Sushi series, Shiloh was living the fast life until one day she was fired after being accused of plagiarism. Now she's stocking shelves at the local Barnes and Noble. When her mother passes away, Shiloh inherits her house in Staunton, Virginia. Seeing this as an opportunity to escape, Shiloh high-tails it to Staunton with plans to re-vamp the house and sell it and then restart her former life in Japan. However, with Shiloh being away for the past seven years, she is about to get a culture shock as she goes from city life to redneckville. Can Shiloh keep to her original plan to renovate and sell the house and leave - or will she find herself attached to a local in the form of Adam? Meanwhile her half sister Ashley is contesting that half the profits should be hers and she's willing to play dirty to get her hands on the money. (PP)

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Lipstick Jungle - Candace Bushnell (2005)

It's a jungle out there but for three New York businesswomen - magazine editor-in-chief Nico O'Neilly, movie executive Wendy Healy and fashion designer Victory Ford - they have risen to the top of their fields. Nico has a stellar career but the passion has gone out of her marriage. Will her attraction to a younger man (underwear model Kirby) derail her ambition to become the first female CEO of Splatch-Verner? Wendy, the president of Parador Pictures and mother of three, heads to Romania to sort out set problems on a potential Oscar-winning movie, as her marriage to Shane dissolves. And Victory's Fashion Week collection doesn't go down too well so she is forced into looking at partnership deals to keep her company afloat. As she starts dating cosmetic entrepreneur Lyne Bennett, she also learns lessons about what she wants from love.

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Lisa Maria's Guide for the Perplexed - Susan Hubbard (2004)

After being burnt by yet another work love affair, 29-year-old Lisa Marie Marino leaves her New York advertising job and moves back into her parents' home. Wanting to work only for women, she becomes a household assistant, aka maid. Sometimes blurring the line between who's the boss, Lisa Maria's slack approach to cleaning soon improves as she helps her clients to have better-run homes and lives. But then she takes on her first male client, author Robert McAllister, and falls for him. But being his cleaner means he can't keep any secrets, including the presence of another woman in his home. Meanwhile, Lisa Maria becomes a newspaper advice columnist, consulting musty old etiquette books to give her own brand of witty, down-to-earth advice.

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Little Black Dress - Susan McBride (2011)

Antonia is living her dream - she has a thriving events business and a guy she is ready to settle down with. One night Greg is taking her to dinner and she thinks he's finally ready to propose - instead he's only asking her to move in with him. Upset by this turn of events, she then finds out her mother, Evie, has suffered a stroke and she needs to return to Blue Hills, Missouri, where she hasn't been since her father passed away two years earlier. As she waits to see if her mother will recover, Toni is drawn into her mother's past, including a magical black dress which can tell you the future - both good and bad. Evie was trying on the dress that had changed her life so many years ago when she sees herself dying before she has a chance to tell Toni the truth of the past and about her Aunt Anna whom she never has met. Will time give them the chance to have the mother-daughter relationship they were supposed to have or will all the secrets die with Evie? Alternating between past and present, this is a spellbinding and emotional tale which makes you wonder if you could know the future would you take the chance? Or just wait and see what life has in store for you. (CG)

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Little Black Everything - Alex Coleman (2009)

Holly Christmas is a no-nonsense 28-year-old teacher with a name that's entirely unsuited to her personality. She's also an obsessive wearer of black and has a track record of disastrous relationships. When her latest boyfriend dumps her for being too sarky, spiky and smart-arsey, she feels a terrible sense of deja vu. She's heard his complaints several times from other men. And while she tries to pretend she doesn't care, she can't ignore the shambles her love life is in. When a new teacher named James Bond joins Holly's school, Holly is faced with her antithesis. James is upbeat, affable and likeable. A conversation about their shared syndrome of attention-grabbing names is the beginning of an unlikely friendship, and as she gets to know James better, Holly can't help but be fascinated by his incessant cheeriness. But when fascination mutates into attraction, things start to get very messy. The male author presented a hugely convincing female narrative voice in The Bright Side, so I had high hopes for Little Black Everything. It didn't disappoint. I was pulled straight into the book by its easy-reading style and quick-fire dialogue. There's plenty of subtle, sophisticated humour too which is expertly embedded in each chapter. Holly's prickly nature doesn't make her an easy character to empathise with, but I found myself rooting for her nonetheless - something that I felt was a good achievement on the part of the author. If you're looking for an entertaining read with a quirky main character, this is one to keep an eye out for. (SBB)

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Little Earthquakes - Jennifer Weiner (2004)

One of my favourite all-time books, this is the story of three women who meet up at a prenatal yoga class. There's Becky, a plump chef who's at war with her mother-in-law; Kelly, an overachieving event planner who has to return to work after her husband loses his job; and Ayinde, who's married to basketball star Richard. Ayinde goes into labour after the class, so Kelly and Becky take her to hospital. Richard arrives just in time for the birth of Julian - smelling like perfume (. . . the things that make you go hmmm!)

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Little Stalker - Jennifer Belle (2007)

One-time wonder author Rebekah Kettle is neurotically obsessed. Not with her latest squeeze Isaac Myman who is a paparazzo or the quirky and annoying gossip columnist Ivy Vohles who wants to be her best bud. She is obsessed with cult filmmaker Arthur Weeman, whom funnily enough her boyfriend resembles. For more than two decades, Rebekah has religiously watched the release of Arthur's films each fall and tracked ever so carefully his movements around New York. While working part-time in her father's medical clinic, Rebekah comes across an elderly patient named Mrs Williams who lives in an Upper East Side apartment across from Arthur's and this offers her a voyeuristic glimpse into her idol's life. Rebekah creates a 13-year-old alter-ego Thalia who writes letters to Arthur detailing her days, thoughts and ideas. As Rebekah starts to discover a new side to her life, she decides to use the letter writing as a basis for her new book. This book has a mixture of sad and funny parts from her annoying and semi-stalking gossip columnist Ivy to her 35-year-old boyfriend wetting the bed. This book will keep you guessing the outcome and hooked to the very last page - and even then you will be surprised. (PP)

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Little Women and Me - Lauren Baratz-Logsted (2011)

Imagine one moment you are reading Little Women by Louisa May Alcott and the next you find yourself actually in the story. That's what happened to Emily March one day in 2011. Transported back to the year 1860, Emily must learn to live like the March clan. Will the March sisters realise something is up as a 21st century teen tries to fit into their world? And is Emily destined to remain the "Middle March" and not get back to her family back home? This is a fun novel that will take you right into the heart of Little Women. Although it's aimed at younger readers, it's a book that will be enjoyed by any lovers of this classic tale. (PP)

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Living La Vida Loca - Belinda Jones (2010)

Best friends Carmen and Beth are at a crossroads in their lives. The gorgeous Beth has been trying to get the lead in dance shows but always gets passed over and can only manage to get dodgy jobs in places she'd rather not be. The under-confident Carmen has a comfortable career as a costume designer but has just broken up with her abusive boyfriend Lee (again!) and really needs to break free of this unhealthy pattern. So, when the opportunity arises to try out for a reality TV show in which the leading lady (or ladies in this case) will dance their way through the troublesome tango in Argentina, the frisky flamenco in Spain and the scorching hot salsa in Cuba, the girls decide to try out. Making a few adjustments in order to land the role, the two girls find themselves whisked off on the adventure of a lifetime. Dancing their way through love, heartbreak and loads of gorgeous men, both Beth and Carmen find themselves being changed in ways they never expected. With an oppressive producer, a shy, lovelorn sound guy and a deceitful camera guy, the girls will return to London as changed women. Beth might finally lose some of her cynical attitude towards love and Carmen just may find that the true cure for heartbreak is closer than she ever thought. An essential read for those days when you need some inspiration or just want to enjoy a heart-warming story. (AS)

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Living Next Door to Alice - Marisa Mackle (2008)

Beautician Tanya is sure that boyfriend Eddie is about to propose - he's invited her out for a posh dinner with the view to asking her something important. So with her mum already ringing around venues and her missionary cousin booking his flight home to conduct the ceremony, it comes as a shock when Eddie actually just asks Tanya to move in with him . . . into his parents' house while they move to Spain. Meanwhile Irish model Alice finds that life and love in LA isn't all it's cracked up to be and heads home to her parents' house - next door to Eddie's. Now Alice wants to rekindle things with the guy next door and plays all sorts of dirty tricks to break up his relationship. A breezy light read - just a shame it all got wrapped up so quickly at the end.

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Lizzy Harrison Loses Control - Pippa Wright (2011)

Lizzy always likes to be in control but her best friend, Lulu, challenges her to shake things up. The next thing, Lizzy is ensconced in a fake relationship with her boss' star client, comedian Randy (and he's definitely Randy by name, Randy by nature!). The aim is to show he's back on track after numerous stints in and out of rehab, before a showcase American tour. Lizzy tells the readers quite firmly at the start that she's hardly the dippy romantic heroine. She's focused and funny, career-minded but caring but like it or not, she's still flawed when it comes to her choice of men. This is a light-hearted, enjoyable read that plays by the rules of the chick lit formula - perhaps just a little bit too much.

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Lois Lane Tells All - Karen Hawkins (2010)

Meet Susan who has a healthy obsession with Lois Lane and Superman. She has taken care of her father since she was little and has called the town of Glory home all her life. Susan works as editor of the Glory Newspaper, where she meets Mark (Clark Kent perhaps?). Mark's job is to make the paper profitable so he presents a plan for how to improve the paper. Susan then counters with her own plan that he agrees to. Now let the mayhem begin! Susan creates controversy with her story about the Baptist Bake-Off and then mysterious events start occurring. Susan's brakes are cut on her jeep and someone drills a hole in her boat. This sees the Murder Mystery club- a group from the assisted living home - put on their CSI caps to figure out who did it. Will they be successful? Will Mark and Susan get together? This is the second book in the Talk of the Town series set in the North Carolina town (Mark is Roxie's sister). (JG)

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Lola Carlyle Reveals All - Rachel Gibson (2002)

After private photos of ex-lingerie model Lola Caryle flood the internet, Lola hides out with her dog Baby on a quiet yacht in Nassau Harbor. Max Zambora, an undercover secret agent for the government, narrowly escapes death after his mission to take down a drug cartel goes awry. Max commandeers Lola's yacht and Lola's efforts to stop Max result in them being stranded on the yacht during a storm. As they spent their days and nights arguing, the attraction between them is inevitable. When they are finally rescued, Max's commitment to his job threatens to jeopardise any future he has with Lola. This is a far-fetched storyline that borders on ridiculous.

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Lola's Secret - Monica McInerney (2011)

This novel picks up four years down the track from The Alphabet Sisters. Feisty matriarch Lola is now 84 and scheming to spend Christmas without her family at their motel in Clare Valley. Lola still dresses just as flamboyantly as ever and keeps busy, helping out at the local charity shop and learning how to surf the net. In fact Lola uses her newfound internet skills to unleash a plan to invite some mystery guests to the motel for the festive season - and the troubled lives of these different people are woven into the main plot. Meanwhile, her granddaughters Carrie and Bett are both busy with their families - and bickering as usual. And her great-granddaughter Ellen is having trouble coming to terms with her father's new girlfriend. As Christmas approaches, it seems nothing is going to plan - but what does fate have in store for Lola? Fans of The Alphabet Sisters will love this update but you don't need to have read the earlier novel to get caught up in the family dramas. Wouldn't life be great if everyone had a Lola in their lives?

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London Is The Best City In America - Laura Dave (2006)

Three years ago, on the night before Independence Day, Emmy Everett made a decision to leave her fiance Matt and New York City. Now living on Rhode Island, she works as an assistant manager at a bait and tackle shop and is shooting a documentary about fishermen's wives awaiting the return of their husbands. With the July 4th weekend around the corner, she braces herself to return home for her brother's wedding. When Josh suddenly confesses to her that he has doubts about getting married to his long-time girlfriend Meryl because he might be in love with another woman, Emmy goes with her brother to see the mystery woman Elizabeth to help him make the right choice. It's an engaging read, with a very strong and realistic plot. Reese Witherspoon's production company has optioned the film rights, with Witherspoon slated to play Emmy. (XT)

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Long Time Coming - Vanessa Miller (2010)

Are you wanting a book that will tug at your heartstrings? These two women are from two different worlds - one is a respected school principal, married but yearning for a child; the other is a 23-year-old single mother of three children under the age of seven. The young mother, Kenisha, has just been diagnosed with cervical cancer and is told that she has six months to live. One day Kenisha's sister Aisha forgets to pick up Kenisha's son Jamal, and she gets to meet principal Deidre Clark. As the story progresses, the pair develop a friendship, with Deidre soon becoming Kenisha's rock. So when Kenisha's time is up, it's up to Deidre to make the decision of a lifetime - whether to adopt Kenisha's children or put them into foster care. This is like the Christian version of similar themed books such as The Accidental Mother. (PP)

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Looking for Andrew McCarthy - Jenny Colgan (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.

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Looking for Fireworks - Holly Cavendish (2012)

Laney Barwell has been looking for her Mr Right in London after breaking up with her long-time boyfriend because he was too predictable. Though she hasn't found him in London, Laney is sure that he can't possibly be in her father's small village of the Cotswolds. But when her father becomes ill and needs someone to run his B&B, Laney has no choice but to move back home for a while. Not expecting to find any decent men in such a small village, Laney is pleasantly surprised to meet not one but two handsome men who set her heart aflutter. Of course, the more likely candidate, Martin, doesn't exactly cause fireworks when he's near her, but then again the fireworks Toby causes are not always pleasant and usually come complete with an attitude. Despite being a city girl, Laney attempts to make it in the country, but will she survive and find the love she's always wanted? Or should she return to London and to her ex - predictability and all? This was a great novel that kept me wanting to turn the page and find out what happened next. While some of it was very predictable, I still found it endearing and rooted for Laney. (AS)

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Looking for Leon - Shirley Benton (2011)

Andie, an Irish journalist and former model, has just returned to her home in Dublin, from a two-week Las Vegas holiday. On her last night in Vegas, Andie met a charming man called Leon who she thinks is her soul mate. There's just one problem: during a brief bathroom break (blame the heavenly cocktails), a fire drill separated them and she doesn't have his contact information or full name. When her boss hears the lengths Andie has gone to try to find Leon, she has Andie write a new column about it. The column skyrockets Andie into fame, and she is shipped off to Vegas with her own film crew to document her search for Leon. What was supposed to be a four-series show just for Dublin has turned into a national story and media frenzy. Where is Leon? If he is found, will he really be who Andie thinks he is? This story is easily one of the best I have ever read. Instead of rushing to find out the ending, I was excited to read through each chapter. Debut author Shirley Benton has an amazing talent. Andie's story was captivating, romantic, scary, mysterious, hilarious and sad. I cannot express in words how great this book is, it is 300+ pages of pure brilliance. (AV)

Note: Shirley Benton is a contributor to Chicklit Club but she does not personally know her reviewer.

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Looking for Mr Goodbunny - Kathleen O'Reilly (2006)

Elle Sheffield may have survived redundancy, recreating herself as a life coach but her life's still far from perfect. She's in financial strife, her father's ending a 20-year jail term - and her trusty vibrator has died. But an embarrassing reunion with an old school friend outside a sex shop may just be the jumpstart her business needs.

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Losing It - Lindsay Faith Rech (2003)

Everyone thinks Diana Christopher is losing it. Especially considering she's just driven her car into the front window of a cafe. Since the death of her father in a car crash two decades before, Diana has literally become a HUGE disappointment to her mother. She is overweight, works night shift in a cafe and has never had a boyfriend. But a friendship with her elderly neighbour helps her start to shed weight and find a reason to live.

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Lost and Found - Carolyn Parkhurst (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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Lost & Found - Jane Sigaloff (2003)

High-flying lawyer Sam Washington is on a flight back to London when she realises she's left her diary in a New York hotel room. As she fends off the unwanted advances of her firm's senior partner, she worries that not only could someone read her inner thoughts but there's a secret in there about her best friend EJ that the tabloids would love. When TV producer Ben Fisher turns up on her doorstep with her diary, she's suspicious that he's read it - after all he seems to know a lot about her. Does he want to get close to her because he's become smitten or does he want to reveal her embarrassing secrets?

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Lost and Found - Lucy Cavendish (2009)

The sequel to Samantha Smythe's Modern Family Journal, this book fleshes out the characters in the mother-of-three's life even more and proves to be a much stronger book. After Bennie nearly drowns while on holiday, Samantha decides that she wants to try for another baby - armed with a How to Get a Girl kit. But husband John is away building theatre sets and the schoolgate gossips believe she is having an affair with Ferrari-driving ex-footballer Gary. Meanwhile her Australian nanny Wendy seems to be shirking her responsibilities and her childhood friend Naomi turns up unexpectedly with her 10-year-old daughter Lexie in tow.

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Lost In Manhattan - Moreen Littrell (2011)

After losing her job, having her car totalled by a drunk driver, and facing the end of her relationship, all in the same day, Eve decides there is no better time to move to New York City and focus on her acting career. Unfortunately the path to her new life is filled with a number of uncertain twists and turns, questionable places to stay, a couple of elderly male admirers, and the very Greek family of her ex-boyfriend. We follow Eve on a rollercoaster ride all over Manhattan as she finds a place to live, lands a decent job, and meets some fairly interesting characters along the way. Once I got over my initial anxiety of all of the miss-steps Eve has just getting from Los Angeles to New York City, I relaxed into the story and found it both charming and funny. Eve is completely fearless and treats her move as an adventure, which I found endearing. Although the end of the book felt a bit rushed, it did leave the door open for the possibility of more Eve in Manhattan. (LEK)

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Lost for Words - Lorelei Mathias (2007)

Daisy Allen is a sweet-natured assistant at a publishing house who is hoping to find a literary gem in the slush pile. She is also hoping her boyfriend, the smarmy Miles, will finally commit. After becoming friends with Elliot, who comes in to do work experience, she stumbles upon a partly finished manuscript from a mystery author, William. Will this book be her big break and why is the author being so secretive? Only other thing to say is I'm a bit lost for words as to why the plot was so damn predictable.

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Love Always - Harriet Evans (2011)

Natasha returns to Summercove, the family home in Cornwall, for the funeral of her grandmother Frances. When she finds a diary kept by her aunt Cecily, who died in tragic circumstances when she was only 15, it spurs Natasha to uncover the rest of the story about Cecily's last summer. It was 1963, a time when the Profumo affair dominated the headlines, and the Beatles dominated the turntables. Frances was a well-known artist, her Indian husband Arvind an academic writer. Natasha's mother, Miranda, and her twin brother, Archie, had just finished school. Their cousin Louisa was also staying, and had invited along her boyfriend Frank and his brother Guy. As the story of what happened is slowly revealed to her, Natasha may well find the inspiration she needs to revive her struggling jewellery business - and move on from her broken marriage. The story from 1963 may be the most powerful element of this cleverly plotted book but as a total package it was completely unputdownable.

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Love & Freedom - Sue Moorcroft (2011)

Honor's life in America has fallen apart. Taking her redundancy money, she heads over the pond to England to find the mother who abandoned her as a baby. She soon meets the Mayfair family, and she seems drawn to the mysterious Martyn. His seemingly carefree playboy lifestyle keeps Honor at bay, and she is only starting to get close to him when her past gets in the way. The identity of her mother is revealed with agonising results and Honor has a big decision to make - will she go back to her old life in America? Written from both Honor and Martyn's perspective, this gives you a great insight into the characters, with a good supporting cast of the Mayfair sisters and the workers of The Teapot. The secrets of the characters are drip fed through the book, to keep you turning the pages, and there are few twists to catch you out when you think you've guessed the plot. Set in a seaside suburb of Brighton, this makes a great summer beach read. (AB)

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Love: A User's Guide - Clare Naylor (1997)

Vogue fashion assistant Amy often gets caught up in daydreams about the romantic heroes of literature. Then she meets film star Orlando Rock, who has played lots of these heroes on stage and screen. While she swoons, he decides she's just the non-celebrity kind of girl he's after. But Amy soon begins to get seduced by fame. Will stepping into the limelight, and into the pages of Hello, lose Amy her dream man?

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Love Bug - Zoe Barnes (2002)

Laurel Page has swapped cyberspace for managing an old-fashioned dating agency. And she's got an uphill battle ahead of her; because the agency owner refuses to change anything, Laurel can't introduce computers or even an orange filing cabinet. With a bad relationship behind her (boyfriend Jason slept with best friend Steph), Lauren has sworn off dating herself. But she soon finds herself attracted to client Gabriel. But then Steph turns up on the agency's books and gets set up with Gabriel.

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Love in a Nutshell - Janet Evanovich and Dorien Kelly (2012)

Love in A Nutshell takes us into the world of Kate Appleton who has lost everything - job, husband, home, even her pet dog Stella. With nowhere else to go, Kate heads to the family's summer Lake House in Keene's Harbor, Michigan - also known as "The Nutshell". Here Kate dreams of turning her old family home into a bed and breakfast. But of course with the dreams comes the desperate need for money which lands her at the local microbrewery where she is hired as a undercover PI. Someone is targeting the brewery and owner Matt wants the case solved before they sabotage his business so bad that it will be the end of it. He also hopes to open a new restaurant in the summer and has his eye on Kate's family home. When sparks fly and the truth comes out about Matt's intentions, will Kate - who is wary of guys to begin with - lump him in the same boat as her ex-husband or will he prove to be a different kettle of fish? Find out in this light-hearted humorous mystery/ chick-lit/ romance novel by an amazing duo. (PP)

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Love in Mid Air - Kim Wright (2010)

Elyse realises that her marriage has failed - it's just she needs to let her perfectly nice husband Phil know. She meets Gerry on a flight and after he leaves her with a passionate kiss and his business card, they embark on an intense affair. But as Elyse's friends tell her: "In novels women run off with their lovers. In real life women stay." As Elyse contemplates ending her marriage - she only earns a bit of money from her pottery; she's got their daughter Tory to consider - the couple end up in counselling. This is one sharp debut about a wife in a stale marriage trying to let some fresh air into her life.

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Love in the Making - Roisin Meaney (2010)

aka Semi-Sweet

Hannah is just heading off for a celebratory dinner when boyfriend Patrick announces he's leaving her for another woman. Luckily she's kept busy opening her new shop, Cupcakes on the Corner, and getting up early to bake and ice her stock. Meanwhile a friend of her mother's, Alice, is growing increasingly concerned that her husband Tom's drinking is getting out of hand. Read it for the delightful way the characters' lives intertwine - from the way Hannah inadvertently introduces her boyfriend to his new love; to her best friend Adam's pursuit of a shy musician; and the way a taxi driver comes in and out of all their lives.

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Love In Translation - Wendy Nelson Tokunaga (2009)

Meet Celeste Duncan, she has no family, a dead-end career and a boyfriend who won't do anything due to a perfection complex. Out of the blue, Celeste receives a phone call telling her that an aunt has passed away, which Celeste thinks is odd since she has been in foster care since the age of 10 when the system couldn't find any living relatives. Over the next few days, she receives a box of heirlooms that might just lead her to the question she's been asking all her life - who is my father? On an impulse, Celeste catches a plane to Japan where she meets a mixture of characters including the Kubotas, her homestay family; Mariko, her crazy Japanese language instructor; and Sakuri Santora, the host of a TV show and the ex-girlfriend of Takuya (the guy Celeste accidentally asked to marry). (PP)

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Love is on the Air - Jane Moore (2010)

Hairdresser Cam is feeling dissatisfied with her boyfriend of six years, Dean. Everything's gotten all too predictable, especially Dean's impression of a couch potato during the football season. Cam heads off to Tenerife for a girly break with her friends Ella, who keeps getting phone calls from her married boyfriend, and Saira, who as the mother of a young child just wants to catch up on some sleep. When Cam meets fellow Brit and single dad Tom, she feels an instant spark. Back home her holiday fling is exposed when Tom puts out a message to her over the radio - overheard by Dean. Cam's turmoil over whether to end it with Dean is deftly handled by the author - her dilemma is heightened by what is happening in the relationships of those around her.

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Love is the Reason - Mary Malone (2010)

Losing a lifetime of memories is most people's worst nightmare - but for Lucy and Danny Ardle, that nightmare becomes a reality when a fire obliterates their beautiful home and leaves Danny in a critical condition in hospital. The nightmare intensifies when the police deem the fire to be an arson case - and they believe they have reason to suspect Danny of starting the fire as an insurance scam. But neither the police nor Danny know that Lucy forgot to renew the house insurance premium and their home is uninsured. Trapped in a devastating situation that is becoming ever more unbearable, Lucy turns to her neighbour Carol Black for support, only to find that the wealthy Blacks are mired in problems of their own. Carol's husband, Eric, has done one dodgy property deal too many and is finally about to suffer the consequences - as Carol learns that Lucy won't be the only one to lose her house. Can Carol's family find a way to save themselves? And will the person behind the fire come to light, or will an innocent party have to shoulder the blame? A pervading sense of underlying menace is embedded through this book, causing the reader to question each and every character and their intentions. As the fast-paced narrative moves towards its well-crafted conclusion, you'll find the pages turning by themselves. This is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a plot-driven story with an inherent mystery to solve. (SBB)

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Love Letters - Katie Fforde (2009)

Laura is at a crossroads in her life. Her beloved bookshop, which is the only employment she has known, is closing and she needs to find a new purpose in her life. When she is asked by the larger-than-life literary agent, Eleanora, to run a literature festival in Ireland, Laura is rather reluctant at first. Her mind changes quickly, though, when she finds out her favourite author, Dermot Flynn, may be taking part - if Laura can persuade him that is. Dermot is known to be a recluse, never coming out of his little Irish town or wanting anything to do with the press. However, when Laura convinces him to attend, she wonders if he agreed because he really wants to be a part of the festival or because he wants to see more of her. But as the festival gets underway, Laura finds herself backing off from Dermot, even though she wants nothing more than to be in his embrace. As she learns, love is not always easy and what is real is worth fighting for. This is an engrossing read by an author who knows just what it takes to create a wonderful novel filled with characters who feel like friends. It's fun to watch Laura blossom - in her confidence and her love life - from an innocent girl to a woman of the world. (AS)

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Love Lies - Adele Parks (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)

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Love, Life and Linguine - Melissa Jacobs (2006)

Mimi Louis is a restaurant consultant who has opened several restaurants in Philadelphia and recently turned her nobody chef boyfriend into a celebrity chef. However, when she finds out that her beloved boyfriend, Nick, is not the man she thought he was, she returns home to Jersey to stay with her mum and throw herself into rescuing her late father's cafe. Two men emerge as love interests, as her diva (err libido) talks to her about which man is worth "boinking". Mimi's diva is not the only thing speaking to her throughout the story, as she has constant conversations with Olga, her suitcase, and Sally, her father's Mustang that she now drives. While Mimi seems to have a lot of chatter going on in her head, the book lacks some excitement and strong connection with the characters. There is also a lack of food chatter overall, making the title a bit misleading. It should be called, Love, Life and Listening to Your Diva. (CC)

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Love Nest - Julia Llewellyn (2010)

Grace is heartbroken at the thought of having to sell her childhood home Chadlicote Manor but after nursing her dearly departed mother for the last few years and having the house fall into disrepair, how can she possibly afford to keep it? Karen's husband falls in love with the manor house and starts making plans to move to the country but is Karen's heart really in it? Gemma and Alex are hoping to start a family and move out of their swanky pad into a more family-orientated home but will their dream of having a baby ever come true? Meanwhile, rock star Nick is on the search for a bachelor pad and sets his sights firmly on both his real estate agent Lucinda and the gorgeous apartment she shows him but what exactly are they both hiding? Although this book has a number of main characters, the story flows effortlessly between them and makes it the perfect book for snuggling up on the sofa with. (KC)

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Love Or Something Like It - Deirdre Shaw (2009)

"When I get to my thirties, I'll know what I'm doing." Lacey Brennan has been questioning her impulsive decision to give up her job and life in New York to move to Hollywood with her talented comedian boyfriend, Toby. But this uncertainty recedes when Toby proposes on her 30th birthday - suddenly everything seems to fall in place. However, her happiness is short-lived when Toby can't get a job and their marriage starts to crack. Lacey also struggles with the negative atmosphere in her new TV job and her own family dramas, including her brother suddenly taking off. Lacey starts to wonder if being 30 will really make her mature enough to make the right decisions in life. This is an edgy, bittersweet story about growing up and learning that sometimes letting go is perhaps the best way. (XT)

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Love Potions - Christina Jones (2006)

Things start going amiss in Bagley-cum-Russet when beauty therapist Sukie Ambrose finds a naked man in her bed and discovers her aromatherapy oils are jetting off on someone else's honeymoon. So she ignores the warnings of a village old-timer and uses the plants in her cottage garden to supply her massage oils. Suddenly her clients start falling in love with the most unlikely characters. But should Sukie use the potions in her own love spell or should she leave her flatmate's boyfriend well alone?

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Love Remains - Kaye Dacus (2010)

Are you in the mood for a little romance, arguments and matchmaking? When a group of old high school friends get talking one day after church, they decide it's high time that their grandchildren should get married, so this group of 80-year-old women strike up a bet - to see who can get their grandchildren married off first. It seems that Kiki and Melinda may be in the lead as Melinda's grandson Bobby and Kiki's grandaughter Zarah are reunited for a possible second chance at love. But it appears criminal investigator Bobby may have a motive to spend time with Zarah. Will Zarah be able to move beyond past hurts and does Bobby have a contender in the race for Zarah's affections in his new friend Patrick? Who will win Zarah's heart and will Kiki and Melinda win the bet? This is the first book in The Matchmakers series. (PP)

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Lovers and Liars - Nina Bell (2010)

When Sophie walks in on her property developer father Bill with his accountant Anthea, she suspects they are having an affair. But should she tell her rather fragile mother Paige, who never seems capable of dealing with anything? Paige, Sophie and youngest daughter Jess all attribute Bill's temper to the stress of running a business that is always on the brink of bankruptcy. Jess has always stayed somewhat removed from her dysfunctional family and is now dating charismatic business journalist Jake. She wouldn't make the same mistake as her mother though, would she? This is a very powerful, sensitively written story centred around an emotionally abusive bully. It highlights the insidious damage that words can inflict on a person's self-esteem - and how an abusive home environment can affect the next generation.

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Love Struck - Chantel Simmons (2010)

This takes a classic chick lit story and twists it into its own unpredictable saga of love, betrayal, forgiveness, self-discovery, respect and growth. I was hooked after page one. Poppy Ross seems to have it all; the perfect marriage, the perfect job; the perfect life. She and her husband, Parker, are both very successful in business. They live in a fabulous home and share a relaxing lifestyle without being weighed down by kids or pets. Their only real sin may be that they both work too much. Overall, they are in love and couldn't be happier ... until one day at the nail salon, Poppy overhears a few women next to her gossiping about their friend, Sienna, who's been having an affair with a married man. Poppy learns the cheater's name is none other than Parker Ross! Poppy is sure her life is over but before she has a chance to confront Parker, he is involved in a major accident, getting struck by lightning while walking arm-in-arm with his mistress. Poppy immediately runs to be by Parker's side at the hospital and soon realises that he has no recollection of the past few months, including his sordid affair. Terrified of confronting Parker about the affair now, not wanting to plant the idea of straying into his mind, Poppy decides instead to undergo a major makeover, transforming herself into the other woman, in theory giving Parker what she thinks he wants without ever having to leave home. As you might imagine, Poppy's plan is wrought with strange slip-ups, silly screw-ups and side-splitting surprises. Ultimately, Poppy finds that maybe perfect wasn't really so perfect after all. Love Struck has a little something for everyone, taking readers on a roller-coaster of emotions right up until the end. For all that was funny and light about this book, it also had a more serious, thought-provoking level to it, broaching on the topics of intimate relationships, how we project ourselves to others and how so much can change in a flash - quite literally. (CH)

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Love the One You're With - Emily Giffin (2008)

Ellen is still in her first year of marriage to lawyer Andy when she bumps into her ex-boyfriend Leo on a busy New York street. It's the first time she's seen him since he left her heartbroken without explanation. And despite her best intentions that it's safer to keep Leo out of her life, he sets her up with a photographer's assignment of a lifetime - shooting a magazine cover of superstar Drake Watters in LA. As Ellen becomes increasingly preoccupied with the one that got away, she wonders whether she is meant to settle for a privileged yet suburban life in Atlanta with Andy, her best friend's brother.

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Love Unscripted - Tina Reber (2010)

Remember back to the days of plastering your walls with teen heart-throbs - how you would react if one walked into your life? For pub owner Taryn Mitchell, she never was the sort of girl to fall head over heels for Hollywood stars - and reality has provided enough heartache in her life anyway. When it is revealed that the filming of the Seaside 2 movie is to take place in the small town of Seaport, Rhode Island - all hell breaks loose as women flock to get a look at leading man Ryan Christansen (think Robert Pattinson in Twilight). After being chased by stalker fans and paparazzi, Ryan finds a safe haven in Taryn's pub. Soon these two find themselves being drawn closer together, however Taryn can't let herself get hurt again and has sworn off dating. Can Ryan prove to Taryn that he is not the player the gossip rags make him out to be or for Taryn, will this end up being "the one" who got away? This is a real can't-put-down novel about celebrity, love - and poker. (PP)

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Love Walked In - Marisa de los Santos (2005)

From the moment I started reading this book, I was hooked. Thinking this was going to be your typical fun, light chick lit read where a "30-something girl meets the man of her dreams," I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was so much more than I expected. Cornelia Brown is a romantic. Her idea of the perfect man is Cary Grant. When he walks into her cafe in the form of Martin Grace, she feels her life is about to change. What she doesn't realise is just how much your life can change once you open your heart to love. But Cornelia's romance with Martin doesn't last. However, her relationship with his estranged daughter, Clare, goes above and beyond her expectations. Through life's ups and downs, beautifully written in alternating chapters, Cornelia and Clare discover they have a special bond and try to figure out how their love can exist in today's highly categorised world. I finished the book wanting more; to know what happens with these wonderful characters after our brief glance into their lives. A must-read for anyone who likes a well-written story and characters you can't stop thinking about long after you've finished the book. (LEK)

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Loving David - Gina Hummer (2011)

Ever heard the phrase 'Don't judge a book by its cover'? Well, that's the case with Loving David. The cover does nothing for the incredibly moving and poignant story held within its pages. It tells the story of Charlotte, a 43-year-old widow, who finds an unexpected visitor in the form of a major movie star in the backseat of her car one day. Not knowing what to do when the actor, named David King, says he needs somewhere to hide, Charlotte instinctively says he can stay with her at a retreat she's attending in the California woods. However, seeing as the retreat consists of a bunch of women who are there to discuss divorce and the loss of their husbands, David isn't exactly a welcome addition. Luckily for him, he's the sexiest man any of the women have seen in years and he's so charming that no one can say no to him. When he and Charlotte start to form a bond, however, some of the women get worried that David, 30, is taking advantage of the closed-off Charlotte and sees her only as an older woman to have a fling with before he returns to his life of premieres and jet-setting around the globe like the A-list actor he is. But what develops is a real, pure love that neither of them can fight. Even with the dilemma of David's ex, the beautiful - and young - actress Olivia, threatening to tear them apart, it seems like they were meant for this moment. But can Charlotte finally have her fairytale ending? Can it all be as perfect as it seems? This story is guaranteed to have you lusting after that movie star you see on the front of every tabloid and questioning every story you read on gossip sites. It will also have you crying by the end so make sure you have your tissues handy. To recap : You do not want to miss this gem of a novel. Don't let the cover or the fact that it's not published by a large publisher scare you off because this just could be the best novel you've read in a long, long time. (AS)

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Lucky Chica - Berta Platas (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)

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Lucky Girl - Fiona Gibson (2006)

Music teacher and flute player Stella Moon's childhood was overshadowed by her famous and absent father and marred by the death of the mother she adored. She chooses to live a safe and non-chaotic grown-up life, trying to remove herself as much as possible from her upbringing and where possible, from her father, who continues to be a has-been TV star who makes infrequent comebacks. Stella's static existence is shattered by the introduction of two noisy, nosy, young neighbours who feel free to drop in at anytime, eat her food, mess her tidy house and generally bother her. Her attachment to the girls takes her by surprise. These girls make her less stuffy, more fun and less dull. It's a coming-of-age story where Stella accepts perhaps she is the lucky girl that everyone has called her since childhood. However, the journey is so uneventful, you lose interest along the way. (LF)

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Lucky Stiff - Deborah Coonts (2011)

Lucky O'Toole is the director of customer relations for The Babylon, a premier hotel in Las Vegas. The story begins with a truckload of bees overturning in front of her hotel and a well-known Las Vegas personality being found dead in a shark tank. When one of Lucky's friends becomes the prime suspect in the murder, Lucky attempts to solve the mystery and find the true killer. Secondary characters such as Lucky's mom, who is madam of a brothel, and Lucky's lounge singer boyfriend Teddie, a former female impersonator, add drama and zaniness to this story. Part comedy and part mystery, this novel, the second in a series, will appeal to people who love the drama and glamour of Las Vegas. (AO)

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Lucy Blue, Where Are You? - Louise Harwood (2005)

Lucy Blue is not the sort of girl to pick up a handsome stranger at a snow-bound airport and she's certainly not the sort to leap into bed with him at a motorway motel . . . but this is a special day and in any case they'll never meet again. But after Lucy and Jude part after the long road trip from Scotland to London, she sees signs at her local tube station, asking Lucy Blue, where are you? There was something charming about Lucy Blue and her story.

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Lucy Springer Gets Even - Lisa Heidke (2009)

When Lucy Springer's husband Max tells her he's had enough, she thinks he's talking about his Thai takeaway. But then he walks out, with his surfboard under his arm, and the next thing she hears from him is a postcard from Bali. And it soon becomes apparent that he has not taken off alone. Nor could Max have picked a worse time to walk out, with their house resembling a dustbowl during major renovations and Lucy, a former soap actress, trying to get a role - any role - with the help of her overly pushy agent Gloria. Lucy decides to take matters into her own hands, and follows Max to Bali with their two children. Join Lucy on her two-month journey from disbelief and despair - to so much more.

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Lucy in the Sky - Paige Toon (2007)

Lucy is heading back to Sydney for the wedding of her best friend Molly and Sam, a guy Lucy has always had a crush on. As Lucy gets on a flight from Heathrow, she's gets a text message, supposedly from another woman claiming she's slept with Lucy's boyfriend James. After an excruciatingly long flight, James' excuses just don't add up - after all he's a lawyer who has a habit of stretching the truth. Enjoying herself back in her hometown, Lucy finds herself drawn to Sam's younger brother, Nathan, a laidback surfer. A first-class read with lots of humour.

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Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married - Marian Keyes (1997)

Lucy and some of her friends visit a fortune teller and the tarot cards tell her that she is getting married. Without an eligible man in sight, Lucy writes it off until other predictions made about her friends start coming true.

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Lulu Meets God and Doubts Him - Danielle Ganek (2007)

Mia McMurray is one of the gallery girls in the New York City art scene. From her post behind her desk at the Simon Pryce Gallery, she watches as the world goes by and as everyone realises their dreams but her, or so it seems. Mia is an aspiring painter and by taking this job she expected for her life to change. And it does, just not the way she expected. She is in the gallery for one of the new showings when the artist of the hour is suddenly killed by a taxi right outside the gallery. Soon the artist's works are an absolute necessity for any serious collector. And in the competitive art world, there are no rules. In a novel which sparkles with wit, humour, love and lust, Danielle Ganek masterfully explores the inner workings of the art world and what some people will do to be included in it. (SN)

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Lush - Vanessa Johnson (2010)

As the cliche goes, Lydia Kyriacos has it all - the gorgeous, stylish flat situated in Notting Hill Gate (like the movie), a long-term banker boyfriend called Marcus, a great job as an account director at an advertising firm and awesome friends who really know how to party. But her perfect life is about to start crumbling. On the night of their fifth anniversary, Lydia arrives home to find a note from Marcus saying he's leaving her. Also her company is making people redundant due to the recession and if Lydia doesn't pull up her socks then she's top on their list. If that wasn't stressful enough, she has bouquets of flowers coming out of ears, her friend is in love with a Swedish children's entertainer whose band is the equivalent to The Wiggles and her competition is trying to stop her from succeeding on the account that could save her career and boost her rep. To top it off Lydia realises that "yes, I'm an alcoholic". Can she stop drinking and turn her life around for the better or is it too late? This shows readers that no matter how hard or terrible life can become, there is always an open window of opportunity where you can see the light and come out of the experience for the better. An excellent read of love, holiday flings and those surprises round every corner. (PP)

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