Rachel's Holiday - Marian Keyes (1997)

Rachel Walsh has such a fondness for recreational drugs that she's even had her stomach pumped. Now her family's bought her back to Dublin for a spell in the Cloisters rehab clinic. She's only agreed because she needs a holiday and she's heard it is like a spa full of rock stars. What Rachel finds is a diverse group of characters fighting addictions to everything from alcohol to gambling - and not a massage table in sight. Lucky that Rachel doesn't actually have a problem like the rest of them - she's planning on checking herself out real soon. This book often tops the list of favourite novels for many chicklit authors and readers.

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Ralph's Party - Lisa Jewell (1999)

When Jem moves into a flat with the smooth Smith and his best friend Ralph, she is convinced one of the guys is her destiny since she's been having a dream about this flat since she was a teenager. Although Ralph, an artist, already has a girlfriend, he soon falls head over heels for Jem. But Jem has started dating Smith. Meanwhile Smith has spent years pining after the haughty Cheri who lives on the top floor of the apartment. But Cheri has been having an affair with neighbour Karl, who lives with Siobhan. And so the tangled web of relations begins. And it all comes to a head when Ralph throws a party. A great romantic comedy that will pull you in as soon as you read about the interconnected characters - and it's certainly not just for girls.

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Ready or Not - Chris Manby (2005)

Heidi is already having doubts about her upcoming nuptials even before her fiance Ed gets his eyebrows shaved off by his rugby mates. And her pre-wedding jitters are certainly not helped by the return of her significant ex, Steven - more gorgeous and grown-up than ever. Meanwhile her best friend, Kara, has found a new man via internet dating and is increasingly leaving Heidi and Ed to hold the baby. This is a fun read about a bride who is not sure if she's ready for marriage and family - or is simply with the wrong man.

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Real Life & Liars - Kristina Riggle (2009)

Mira and her husband, Max, are approaching their 35th wedding anniversary. Ten days before the party Mira is shocked to find out she has breast cancer but resolves not to enter treatment even though the doctor has told her she has options. Now she must tell her three adult children about her disease and her decision. Her three kids arrive on the scene with issues of their own - her oldest, Katya, thinks her husband is having an affair and struggles with trying to keep everything perfect. Her son, Ivan, is pursuing a music career and keeps falling in love with the wrong women. The youngest, Irina, has grown up battling everyone, thinking she was a mistake for her parents. When Irina finds out she is pregnant, she struggles with what options she has with her new husband who she has only just met and married. A great tale of the behind-the-scenes dynamics of families and how they react in stressful situations. (CG)

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Reality TV Bites- Shane Bolks (2006)

Allison Holloway is one of the few people who will openly admit to being a reality TV junkie. So she's very excited when her interior design firm is signed up for TV show Kamikaze Makeover, where they compete against a Japanese team to decorate a room, using one unorthodox item. Once the show premieres though, Allison's world comes crashing back to reality, as the episodes are edited to make her and her team look anything but professional - even when she makes a room work using vibrator art. And more trouble is afoot when she gets involved with show producer and Italian prince Nicola Parma.

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Recipe for Disaster - Miriam Morrison (2008)

Newspaper reporter Kate Walker needs a tasty new story, so she decides to do an expose on chefs and the restaurant industry. She goes undercover as a waitress at hot-tempered Jake Goldman's new restaurant Cuisine. Jake has put everything on the line, including every cent he's got. His wealthy rival since culinary school, Harry Hunter, has also just opened up a restaurant in town and he's intent on stealing away not only Jake's staff but his model girlfriend too. Through exhausting shifts, crazy colleagues, flooding and reality cooking shows, Kate finds a lot of the heat in the cooker-pressure environment is actually being generated between her and Jake. Just ignore the fact that no regional newspaper could spare a reporter for weeks and weeks on such a story - and enjoy this insight into a chef's domain. Dare we say it - this sweet debut is a recipe for success.

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Recipe for Scandal - Debby Holt (2010)

Alberta (Bertie) Granger seems to have her life all worked out in a thoroughly modern way. She shares a home with her partner Tony, his parents and teenage son while running a successful catering business. Bertie has a loving if complicated relationship with her parents and her daughter Hannah has just moved to London to start a new life. But things are about to get messy as Bertie's foundation is rocked by revelations in the tabloids. Everything she thought she knew about the people she loves seems to be wrong and with the entrance of a new potential love interest, her life could be about to change for good. A great read which reminds you that while family sometimes can make life very difficult, they still are the most important part of who we are. (NR)

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Redneck Cinderella - LuAnn McLane (2009)

Jolie Russell and her widowed father are redneck farmers in Kentucky. Cody Dean, son of a wealthy real estate developer, buys their farm for $3.5 million. The developers turn their farm into an upscale gated community with one of the homes built for Jolie and her father. Jolie has had a crush on Cody since high school but she believes that he would never fall for her redneck ways. As Jolie and her father try to fit into their new county club lifestyle, they find themselves being looked down upon by their new neighbours. Can Jolie keep true to herself and win the heart of Cody? While the storyline is predicable, it is still a humorous and entertaining read. (AO)

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Remember Me? - Sophie Kinsella (2008)

Lexi Smart is having a crappy night. Her date is a no-show, she's the only staff member at her flooring company to miss out on the annual bonus and her new boots are too small - oh and tomorrow is her father's funeral. While trying to hail a taxi, she slips and bumps her head. But when she wakes up in a hospital bed, she actually discovers it's 2007 and she's got amnesia after a car accident. But in the three missing years of her life she's gained a millionaire husband, a glamorous wardrobe, a luxurious apartment and has become boss of her department. How on earth did she land this dream life? And why do her friends hate her and why does her husband's colleague insist they were having an affair? Kinsella has delivered another failsafe chick lit comedy - maybe not her most memorable but you'll still devour it as fast as you can.

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Remote Control - Cynthia Polansky (2007)

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

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Replacing Barnie - Patrice Wilson (2009)

Divorce lawyer Lydia O'Reilley has had enough of failed romances and heartbreaks in her life, and has since come to the conclusion that relationships don't last. Desperate to replace her bedroom toy Barnie, she ends up having a one-night stand. And if sleeping with a supposedly married man wasn't enough to add on to her bad experiences with men, Lydia soon learns that Jed Harrison is also her client's husband. Despite her attempts to avoid Jed, she ends up meeting him frequently and discovers that she might be falling in love with him. Worse still, Lydia finds out that she's pregnant with Jed's child, but he seems apprehensive about getting into another marriage. (XT)

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Return to Sender - Zoe Barnes (2009)

The death of her adoptive mother and the double christening of her sisters' children gets Holly Bennett wondering about motherhood for herself. She's been with steady boyfriend Murdo for a few years but isn't sure he's the one. The advertising exec is also taking a break from her real life, living in her family home and working with her best friend at the post office. Holly hires a private investigator, ex-cop Phil, to look for her biological mother. All she knows is she was left on the steps of a hospital 30 years ago. A blanket, a confirmation necklace and an envelope are clues enough to take the pair to the Isle of Man - and perhaps into their own romance. Every so often I read a book where I think the last few pages must have fallen out. This ending certainly leaves you hanging - and if you're hoping to find out all about Holly's origins you will be disappointed. (And since Holly shares the surname of the main character in Barnes' previous novel Special Delivery, I even began wondering if there was a link I missed that would explain all.)

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Reunion - J.L. Penn (2009)

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

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Revenge - Sharon Osbourne (2010)

Maggie Michaels always wanted to make it big. When she was 16 she moved from her small town to London where she discovers she needs more than a pretty face to become a star. She ends up falling for Derek Stone, a con artist who leaves her for her roommate Camilla when he finds out she is pregnant. Derek's brother, George, is used to cleaning up Derek's messes but when he shows up to pay off another woman in trouble he realises he may have found the perfect girl for him. Years later, Maggie has pushed her daughter, Amber, into the world of acting and singing. All Amber wanted to do is sing - she didn't care if it is only in front of two people. But thanks to their mother, her relationship with older sister Chelsea has been strained for years. And the rivalry begins when Chelsea finds fame by fluke - Amber was auditioning for an acting role but Chelsea ended up with the part. She enjoyed five years of being on top as Roxy, a troubled teen. When the TV series comes to an end, Chelsea has a hard time getting her life together to figure out what is next. Between drugs, alcohol and sex, her life is one whirlwind of chaos. Then one night she shows up at her parents' house where she catches her father in a precarious position that will change her life forever. This is a great, racy and fast-paced read about fame, sibling rivalry and, of course, revenge. (CG)

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Revenge of the Wedding Planner - Sharon Owens (2007)

aka The Trouble with Weddings

Mags Grimsdale finds it difficult to say no to people. As a result she is looking after a Belfast wedding planning business while her boss Julie takes off with a young stud, Jay. She's also left to organise her dad's send-off and set up a home within her home for one of her sons, Alexander, and his anorexic girlfriend Emma. And while juggling these mini crises, Dream Weddings is dealing with its biggest clients to date - an ageing rock star and his model girlfriend - and they want the works: fireworks and ice sculptures, castles and bats. Don't let the title mislead you, this is more about the characters and less about wedding hi-jinks.

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Rich Girl Poor Girl - Lesley Lokko (2009)

This follows a group of savvy, interesting and relatable girls who form an unexpected friendship early in life. Nic is a lonely heiress who has the world and daddy's credit cards at her fingertips but all she really wants is the love of her father. Tory, the fashionable florist, is living in the shadow of her murdered older sister and just can't seem to cut a break in life. Caryn is a quiet achiever who comes from nothing and works to get herself to the top, while the gorgeous, long-legged Estelle uses her looks and body to get what she wants. But Estelle has a vicious secret and will stop at nothing to tear all three girls apart but can she break the bond of true friendship? While this book is not the usual light and easy read of the chick lit genre it still has all the concepts we know and love such as romance, wealth, power, revenge and most importantly fashion! It's a clever and interesting novel which leaves you wanting more and is great for when you feel like a bit of a change in your reading preferences. (GF)

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Roadside Sisters - Wendy Harmer (2009)

Twenty years ago, Nina, Meredith and Annie were part of a feminist gospel choir. Now the trio are hitting the road again, travelling north from Melbourne to Byron Bay to attend the wedding of Meredith's daughter. Their home for the next two weeks is a motorhome, with Elvis emblazoned on the side. Nina, the overweight wife of a footy legend and mother of three sons, is desperate for some female bonding - if only she could stop acting like a mother hen. Divorced homewares shop owner Meredith is wondering if her perfectly elegant life is perhaps a bit empty; while single real estate agent Annie has been drowning her sorrows in drink. With a catty choirmate, hairy union officials and feral pigs to contend with, their unforgettable roadtrip makes for one feel-good read.

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Rock Chicks - Ronni Cooper (2010)

Rock Chicks is a tangle of love stories set against the backdrop of pure sex, drugs and rock'n'roll. Set in the late 80s and early 90s it follows the meteoric rise of rock band The Spikes and tells the story of the three powerful women behind the band. The girlfriend, Marni, the groupie, Coco, and the manager, Lori. All three women are running from their past, clinging to the band, yet they seem to be the glue that stop the band from spiralling out of control. It lives up to the hype of being 'raw, shocking and downright sexy'. Just be careful where you read this one, with explicit content all the way through, it might make you blush! (AB)

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Room for Improvement - Stacey Ballis (2006)

Interior decorator Lily Allen gets a job on Swap/Meet, a TV DIY show that does up two singles' homes then lets them meet at a party of friends. What Lily didn't count on when she took the dream job was fussy contestants, a ditzy host, warring fashion consultants, and a competitive fellow designer. Nor that her schedule would leave her without time to see her friends, more or less date.

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RSVP - Tara Moore (2010)

Set in the heart of Ireland, the wealthy Granville family has gathered for the engagement of Rossa Granville and Ashling Morrison. But like many powerful families, this one has many dark secrets and scandals - and the feuding is about to get even worse. There's matriarch Honoria, whose relationship with Rajesh, her Indian servant, goes a little beyond the bounds of servant-boss partnership. Jasper, Honoria's only surviving son, is the outcast, gay and living in Africa. Then there's Carrick, the oldest grandson and heir to Carrickhouse, who realises he's about to be disinherited unless he pulls out all stops to expose his brother Rossa, who is living a double life. And more scandal is threatened since Ashling and her stepmother Coppelia are more connected to the family than both realise. What happens when the truth starts to worm its way out? It becomes every man or woman for themselves as this pacy, racy story of murder, deceit, revenge and romance unfolds. (PP)

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Rubber Gloves or Jimmy Choos? - Faith Bleasdale (2000)

University graduate Ruth is facing a tough year after her boyfriend dumped her on graduation day and then left for Australia. Now she doesn't know what to do with herself - she's never wanted a career, she's only ever wanted a husband. Moving in with some uni friends, Ruth starts to forge herself a new life.

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Rubbish Boyfriends - Jessie Jones (2008)

Beauty therapist Dayna is in hospital, about to give birth. Her best friend Emily is there with her candles and whale song CDs but the father is conspicuous by his absence. And so the book journeys into Dayna's boyfriends past to determine who the father is. First up is Simon, her first love who can't stop at one woman. Then there's Chris, a serious university student who wants to be a rock star, and rough-and-tumble Archie with his own particular views of the world. Mark seems the perfect boyfriend - but there has to be a catch and then there's her boss' son Cristian, who wants to settle down. With the author's trademark humour and loads of hilarious cultural references, this is the polar opposite of rubbish. Oh - and one of the truths about one of the boyfriends turns out to rate among the funniest passages I've ever read. Sequel please.

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Rumour Has It - Jill Mansell (2009)

Tilly Cole comes home to find her boyfriend has packed up his stuff and left. So she quits her London life for a fresh start in the small town of Roxborough where her friend Erin lives. Tilly fits right into her new role as a Girl Friday for divorced father Max and his teenage daughter Louisa. And, despite her best intentions, she finds herself drawn to Max's friend Jack who has a terrible reputation around town for bedding every woman in sight. An easy-reading story filled with engaging characters including Lou's US-based soapie actress mum Kaye, who is run out of Hollywood after an unfortunate incident with a pampered pooch, and town gossip Stella who is bitter about her husband Fergus moving on. Just a shame about the rushed ending.

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Run Catch Kiss: A Gratifying Novel - Amy Sohn (2000)

Ariel Steiner, a 22-year-old graduate from Brown University, heads back to New York to jump-start her acting career that she left as a child. According to her agent, college didn't just leave her with a degree but with an extra 15 pounds that she needs to lose immediately before she can even consider getting any decent acting gigs. Reluctantly, Ariel settles for a temp job to make some money and uses her lunch break to head out to auditions for purely "fat girl parts". Besides feeling down about her absent acting career, she writes about her sexual frustrations which are taken to a weekly paper, City Week, where she is offered a sex column, Run Catch Kiss. After weeks of getting hate mail from her readers about her lack of an exciting sex life, she reinvents herself and makes up sex stories that are based on her fantasies and some actual dates that are abnormal but tantalising. While Ariel can come across as crass, self-absorbed and even trashy, she is really just a normal girl looking to find both love and success. Indulge in this hilarious tailspin of erotic stories that has clever humour, and unrated scenes with a character as snarky and sex-obsessed as the story itself. Sohn herself wrote a similar newspaper column. (CC)

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Running Away From Richard - Chris Manby (2001)

In this sequel to Lizzie Jordan's Secret Life, the wannabe actress is dumped by her boyfriend of four years, Richard, a week before her best friend Mary's wedding. Fat Joe, her former flatmate and now a transvestite living in Los Angeles, lets Lizzie move into his Venice Beach home. Soon Lizzie is working as a waitress and pretending to be the fiancee of a hot movie director, who just happens to be gay.

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