The Accidental Bestseller - Wendy Wax (2009)

Author Kendall Aims has a problem - her publisher is dropping her due to lack of sales but her editor still expects the final book of her contract. Kendall, however, has been too busy dealing with the impending demise of her marriage to write that last book. With a looming deadline, and a serious case of writer's block, Kendall retreats to her mountain home. Her three best friends, Mallory St James, Faye Truett, and Tanya Mason, whom she met 10 years earlier at a writers' conference, agree to help Kendall out by collaborating on her book about four best friends who are all writers. Using their own lives as the basis for the characters in the book, they meet the deadline believing no one will discover that what they have each written is actually more autobiographical than fiction. Thanks to ambitious editorial assistant Lacy Samuels, the book becomes an instant bestseller ... and the secrets they have kept, even from one another, are finally revealed in a very public arena. As the women return to their families to face the fallout from their deceptions, they are left to wonder how well they really know each other and what these revelations will mean to the future of their friendship. With an insider's look into the world of publishing, this is an enjoyable read that tests the limits of friendship when secrets are kept and makes you wonder how well we really know those closest to us. (LEK)

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The Accidental Time Traveller - Sharon Griffiths (2008)

Have you ever dreamt about going back in time to a different era and lifestyle? News reporter Rosie Harford is about to get the shock of her life when after an argument with her journalist boyfriend Will, she snatches up an assignment to clear out her headspace. The assignment is to cover a housing estate's 50th anniversary which includes the staging of a reality TV show called The 1950s House. When Rosie steps through the front door, she finds herself transported back to the 50s. At first Rosie believes this is all part of her assignment. But after reporting back for duty at her workplace she is told that the male reporters are given all the good stories and the women are confined to weddings, cooking and parenting. Plus where on earth are all the computers and mobile phones? Rosie teams up with reporter Billy - who looks uncannily like her boyfriend Will, with a wife who resembles her best friend Caz. Thrown together at work, the pair become closer but of course this time Billy is out of bounds. Can Rosie return back to the year 2008 and tell Will that she loves him or will she be stuck in the 1950s? This will be right up the alley of readers who like being transported back in time to a different decade. (PP)

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The Accidental Wife - Rowan Coleman (2008)

aka Another Mother's Life

When Alison was 17, she ran off with her best friend Catherine's boyfriend. She later revealed to Marc that she was pregnant with their first child and together they built a life together. Meanwhile Catherine married musician Jimmy, the boy Alison always had a crush on at school. Now nearly half a lifetime later, Alison and Marc are moving back into town. And Alison can't help wondering if she ended up with the wrong man - and the wrong life. After several close calls - their daughters unwittingly become best friends - Alison and Catherine eventually meet up. Despite the pacing being a bit slow sometimes, this premise, with a few clever twists thrown in, will have you turning the pages to discover if the characters can forgive each other or will opt for a different life. Watch out for a brief appearance by Sophie Mills, the character from Coleman's The Accidental Mother and The Accidental Family series.

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The Adultery Diet - Eva Cassady (2007)

Home magazine writer Eva is asked by her publisher to contact Michael Foresman, a former boyfriend who is now an award-winning architect, for an interview. And so begins their flirtation by email, even though Eva realises that in person Michael would barely recognise her as the young girl he knew back then. She is now 44, overweight, and is married to book editor David with a college-age daughter Chloe living in France. Eva begins to prepare for the day when she'll meet up with Michael again. Through good old-fashioned dieting and exercise, the pounds drop away - but will she also transform herself into an adulteress? A Jemima J for middle-aged, married women.

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The Adultery Club - Tess Stimson (2007)

Divorce lawyer Nicholas Lyon is married to Mal, a cookery writer, and together they have an enviable life with three daughters. He knows he'd never cheat on his wife. Young lawyer Sara Kaplan joins his firm - she's never understood why a woman would go for a married man - she's watched her best friend Amy waste four years on Terry. But something sparks between Nicholas and Sara and when a terrorist attack on London forces them together, their affair starts. Meanwhile, Mal's old boyfriend Trace is back on the scene. Told from the viewpoint of the married man, his wife and his mistress. Whose side will you be on?

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The Agency - Ally O'Brien (2009)

Entertainment agent Tess Drake is ready to go out on her own. The head of her London company has just died in suspicious circumstances and her new boss is her sworn enemy, Cosima. But before she does the Jerry Maguire thing and call her clients to ask "who's coming with me", she needs to get her bestselling author Dorothy out of a legal mess, keep her affair with a married man under wraps - and get a book by her favourite client, the vulnerable Oliver, into the hands of Tom Cruise. Plus Tess has to stay one step ahead of everyone she's burnt in the past. This mix of chick lit and intrigue is a brash page-turner about ambition, treachery - and talking pandas. Expect a sequel.

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The Alphabet Sisters - Monica McInerney (2004)

Anna, Bett and Carrie Quinlan were childhood singing stars, The Alphabet Sisters. But they haven't spoken for years, not since Bett's fiancé, Matthew, left her for Carrie. Then their grandmother, Lola, calls them back to their parents' motel in South Australia's Clare Valley for her 80th birthday. Anna's marriage to Glenn is breaking up and she still hasn't got over the dog attack which has scarred her daughter Ellen's face. Bett returns from England and takes on a part-time job back at her former newspaper, while Carrie, who has been working at the hotel, finds the distance growing between her and Matthew. At her party, Lola has a surprise announcement for the sisters, but just as their rift begins to close, they face the biggest test yet.

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The Art of French Kissing - Kristin Harmel (2007)

What do you do when you are dumped by your fiancé and laid off from your job in the same week? Emma decides to take up friend Poppy's offer to head to Paris to handle publicity for French rock star Guillaume Riche. Life in Paris is wonderful - if only Guillaume wasn't getting himself into trouble all the time, such as being locked overnight inside the Eiffel Tower. As Poppy convinces Emma that the best way to forget fianc� Brett is to date lots of different French men, Emma finds herself drawn to journalist Gabe who is the only one not buying her excuses for Guillaume's crazy antics.

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The Art of Social War - Jodi Wing (2008)

Stacey has an upwardly mobile career working for the New York mayor. But when her fiance Jamey Makepeace is offered the opportunity to run a Hollywood studio they need to relocate to LA. The couple soon find themselves on enemy terrain as the other major players at the studio - Simon, Barb, Julia and Phil - engage in war tactics. So Stacey prepares for battle by grabbing a copy of ancient military strategist Sun Tzu's book The Art of War. Inspired by the author's own difficult transition from New York to LA, this all sounds very promising. But amid all the rivalry, espionage and social commentary about the Hollywood scene, the convoluted plot and myriad characters totally lost me. But for those who love it, a sequel (and possible movie) are in the works.

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The Baby Group - Rowan Coleman (2007)

Natalie Curzon, co-owner of a lingerie company, is drawn to stranger Jack Newhouse on the tube. She lets him whisk her away to Venice, where she conceives baby Freddie and then never hears from Jack again. Natalie faces up to single motherhood - pretty much alone, until her house wiring plays up, heralding the arrival of teenage mother Tiffany in the tradesman's van. Together they decide to form a baby group and soon meet some other parents, including stay-at-home dad Steve, over-anxious Jess, Meg who is on to her fourth child but still feels she has much to learn, and her sister-in-law Frances who is highly organised but lacking friends. Will Natalie ever find Jack to tell him he's a dad - and admit to her new friends that her work-away husband doesn't actually exist?

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The Babymoon - Melanie La'Brooy (2008)

Isabelle (from the novel Love Struck) is not the kind of girl who's always known she's wanted a baby. But now settled with Jack in Melbourne, the pair throw caution to the wind when Isabelle dons a Carlton footy jumper and little else. Panicked about being pregnant - I mean she doesn't even know the names of The Wiggles - she finds reading up about the next nine months is only making her morning sickness worse. With Jack busy as usual at the hospital, she turns to her fellow art gallerina Doug to accompany her to birth classes. Throw in an artist showing interest in her placenta, an ex-boyfriend back on the scene with his own pregnant girlfriend and her friend Cate showing her true anti-baby colours - and is it any wonder Isabelle's feeling out of her depth. But why is she pushing Jack away as the time for her to push out the baby nears? The funniest pregnancy novel out there - with lots of glorious Australian references. Just loved the idea of uber-trendy Doug turning up at birth classes after taking fashion inspiration not from cool dad David Beckham, but rather from dorky TV blokes like Martin from Hey Dad! and Kel from Kath & Kim.

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The Baby Trail - Sinead Moriarty (2005)

Thirty-three-year-old make-up artist Emma Hamilton decides it's time for her and husband James to start a family. But after months of post-coital handstands, ovulation testing and fertility drugs, she's still not pregnant. With everyone from her doctor to her mother telling her to just relax, Emma finds her life is turning into a roller-coaster of emotions which is starting to alienate those closest to her.

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The Bachelorette Party - Karen McCullah Lutz (2005)

LA schoolteacher Zadie Roberts is left at the altar by soap star Jack. So she's not feeling particularly favourable towards weddings when her conservative cousin, Helen, and best friend Grey announce they are tying the knot. Helen's bachelorette party is destined to be a quiet affair, with a yoga class and herbal tonics on the agenda. Then Zadie convinces the teetotaller Helen to have some champagne. And from there, the night takes such a wild turn the wedding may well be off.

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The Bachelor and Spinster Ball - Janet Gover (2009)

Bec has returned from the big city to the outback town of Farwell Creek after her best friend, Hailey, loses her parents in a car crash. Her other best friend, Nick, no longer seems to have any romantic feelings towards her - he doesn't think he's got anything to offer now his family has lost the farm. And something is clearly upsetting her mother as relations between the pair have hit rock bottom. When the teacher's cottage burns down, Bec decides to fundraise for a fire truck by holding a B&S Ball, where country folk from all around come together for a dance under the stars, lots of booze and sleep out in a paddock. When construction worker Gordo takes Bec under his wing, showing her around all the balls in his hotted-up ute, it seems as if she and Nick will drift even further apart. This is an easy read that will give you a glimpse into the small-town camaraderie of the Australian outback without having to leave your armchair.

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The Balance Thing - Margaret Dumas (2006)

Life is about keeping a balance, isn't it? Well, for Becks Mansfield, the one and only thing she's passionate about is looking for a job. She's not exactly unemployed - she does have a voiceover job as the lead character of an internet-based animation, but that's not exactly the step up the corporate ladder the software marketer expected. On the personal side, Becks isn't trying hard enough in terms of relationships - the only thing that she's actively doing is dumping men. It's an honest read about modern woman learning to find a balance in her life - to somehow take a step back and discover that happiness isn't about getting what you want but what you need. (XT)

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The Ballroom Class - Lucy Dillon (2008)

Ballroom dancing champion Angelica has returned to her hometown and sets up a dancing class in the old town hall. Town planner Katie and stay-at-home dad Ross sign up as part of their marriage counselling while Katie's friend Jo and husband Greg are happy to come along for the ride. Lauren and her clumsy-footed fiance Chris want to learn a wedding dance; while Lauren's parents Bridget and Frank are old hands on the dancefloor. Trina and Chloe just want to meet some men. As secrets start to spill and their lives go into a spin, is it true that guilty feet have got no rhythm? Who will still be dancing together at the end?

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The Battle for Big School - Sarah Tucker (2007)

With only 50 places on offer for The Oaks, the best grammar school in Letchbury, parents are working hard to win their child one of the spots - hiring tutors, schmoozing at the golf club, selling a kidney. When Lily has her parent interview, she realises she may be letting down her son, Tim, by not being involved enough in community matters. So the former fashion editor of De Rigueur magazine ropes her friends Julie, Karen and Paul into organising a fashion show to raise money for their school library. But journalist Karen seems too preoccupied to help and it soon becomes clear that life - and the selection process - just isn't fair.

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The Beach House - Jane Green (2008)

As a fan of Jane Green's books, I was worried that this one wouldn't interest me because it centres around a 65-year-old widow. But I am happy to report that Green ensures Nan - the free-spirited woman who lives in a ramshackle house atop a bluff in Nantucket - shares the storyline with a number of other characters. When Nan finds her savings are running out, she decides to rent out rooms for the summer. Her guests include Daniel, who has finally worked up the courage to leave his wife Bee; and Daff, a divorced mother who's finding it hard to handle her attention-seeking teenage daughter Jess. Even Nan's son Michael, a jeweller, comes home to escape a risky love affair. But as they settle in, there is one more visitor to come who will really shake up the happy household.

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The Beautiful Game: A WAG's Tale (2008) - Claire Challis with Fabulous

Co-written with Fabulous, the pseudonym of an ex-WAG, this follows Louise, whose boyfriend Adam is signed up to premiership team Leeds City. She hooks up with some fellow WAGS, including the captain's wife Tara and Jodie, who is in a tumultuous relationship with bad boy Gary. Louise soon learns how to shop, deal with the paparazzi and party like a WAG. Problem is the footballers are forever going out on bonding nights together and the girls are rarely invited. Plus Adam is becoming increasingly moody and self-centred. Louise starts to wonder whether all the glamour of being a WAG is worth it. An entertaining read that will make you feel sorry for this glammed-up species.

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The Best Day of Someone Else's Life - Kerry Reichs (2008)

When Kevin "Vi" Connelly was six years old, she was a flower girl at her aunt's third wedding - and ever since she's been addicted to "marry-tales". Now in her late 20s and working as a wine buyer in Washington, Vi is about to be bridesmaid three times over - and then attend more than a dozen other weddings. Still stuck on her ex Caleb, Vi is wondering if she'll ever experience her own Best Day of Your Life. She's already discovering that weddings are an expensive business even when you're just a guest - Vi even resorts to signing up as a medical guinea-pig to fund her attendances. Read it for the sassy heroine and her mixed-up movie titles, to experience a range of different weddings (please don't leave us on the cash bar side of the fence) and an appealing Irish leading man.

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The Best Way You Know How - Christine Pountney (2005)

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

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The Big Love - Sarah Dunn (2004)

Newspaper columnist Alison Hopkins thought she and Tom were a happy couple until he went out for mustard just before a dinner party and didn't come back. Instead he rings to say he is in love with his college girlfriend. Alison then loses her job and a fling starts dating her arch-enemy. Will she ever find romantic and professional fulfilment?

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The Big Shuffle - Laura Pedersen (2006)

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

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The Birds and the Bees - Milly Johnson (2008)

Romance writer Stevie Honeywell is counting down to her wedding, when fiancé Matthew goes away on a business trip. Then Adam MacLean, a big, loud, red-haired Scot, turns up on her doorstep, with evidence that his love Jo and Matthew have actually gone away together to Majorca. Stevie, who's heard all about Adam's abuse from Jo, can now see why her friend could no longer stay with this psycho, while Adam takes one look at the flour-splattered wreck of a woman and can understand why any man would leave her for his lovely Jo. But together they team up to wage some psychological warfare on the new couple. Single mum Stevie decides to let Matthew go without a fuss and she pretends to date Adam to drive them both wild with jealousy. So like the Scottish jig The Birds and the Bees, they all swap partners. And it's a dance where all four will discover that love can either sting you or be oh so sweet.

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The Book of Jane - Anne Dayton and May Vanderbilt (2007)

Jane Williams seems to have it all - a dream PR job, the perfect Manhattan apartment and a guy she wants to marry - but she loses it all in a heartbeat and her life is suddenly worse than anything she could have ever imagined. Being down and out, Jane starts to wonder if God doesn't have something better planned for her. Maybe having it all isn't necessarily the best thing for her. This is a heart-warming tale of a girl who lost her way in the world and with a little help from above begins to find out what is really important in life. Based on the Book of Job in the Bible, its premise works really well and the book is filled with humor, heartache and self-reflection. (AS)

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The Book of Tomorrow - Cecelia Ahern (2009)

Teenager Tamara Goodwin has had to pack up her life after the death of her father, and move with her mother to her aunt and uncle's place in the shadow of Kilsaney castle. When a travelling library visits the village, Tamara finds a padlocked leather-bound book. It's only a blank journal but when she goes to write in it, discovers that it now contains a diary entry in her hand-writing all about tomorrow. When the events outlined in the book come true the next day, she realises she can use the book to help her grief-stricken mother and uncover what her aunt Rosaleen is hiding. A wonderfully written and mesmerising story with layers of mysteries to unravel.

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The Botox Diaries - Janice Kaplan and Lynn Schnurnberger (2004)

In a world where cosmetic surgery is a must for women of a certain age, single mother and charity fundraiser Jessica Taylor is just hoping she'll age gracefully past 40. Her glamorous best friend, TV producer Lucy Baldor, though is trying everything to make sure she doesn't look any older - including taking on a famous lover. Amid returning exes, unrequited love, reality dating shows and flirtations with a boss, the women rely on their friendship more than ever to weather their mid-life crises.

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The Boy Next Door - Josie Lloyd & Emlyn Rees (2001)

This story is written from the alternating perspectives of both main characters, Fred and his girl next door Mickey. It details their lives from the early 1980s to 15 years later, when they are leading separate lives, having lost contact after the death of Fred's father. Other than the people she sees through her flower shop, Mickey's social life revolves around her nine-year-old son, Joe. Single-handedly bringing up Joe, since Dan left her for his music, Mickey has given up any hope of finding love again. Fred is just weeks away from marrying his gorgeous girlfriend Rebecca when he runs into Mickey and starts rethinking his plans.(XT)

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The Boys' Club - Wendy Squires (2009)

Swearing, drinking, sexual harassment, drug abuse, stress and backstabbing - we must have entered a commercial TV station . . . Single mum Rosie is director of publicity at Network Six, the same position the author held for a year at Channel 9. When newspaper journalist Rosie went along to interview the legendary network chief, Keith Norman, she never dreamed she'd walk away with what seemed like a dream job. But having to have two mobiles switched on 24/7 to deal with the network's scandals is starting to take its toll. Especially since newly appointed newsreader Graham Hunt can't keep his pants zipped or his nose clean. Besides coping the daily, soul-destroying abuse from the very un-PC boys' club of executives, Rosie is barely seeing her four-year-old son Leon. She drops him off sick at day-care, she misses his birthday party, and even when she seems to have a few moments to spare she's found out shopping or sharing a spliff with her best friend, Lou. Many insiders have tried over the past few years but we're still waiting for a decent book about network TV.

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The Break-Up Diet - Annette Fix (2008)

According to Californian-based Annette Fix, the break-up diet 'occurs when a woman discovers she has been dumped by a man she loves more than life and chocolate'. Annette was working as a topless dancer to support her son Josh and her writing career, when her boyfriend Kevin rang to tell her their two-year relationship was over. With candour and humour, Annette details through journal entries how she loses her appetite before she dives back into the dating pool to find a man ready for happily ever after. Tongue-in-cheek recipes such as Guilt Stew, Adrift Soup and Sexual Stir-Fry are scattered throughout to add extra flavour. Annette is one tough cookie, who is willing to bare all literally as she fights to ensure life doesn't get her down. A memoir for those who've lived through the emotional turmoil of a painful break-up. My only problem with the book was a personal one - I just didn't feel any affinity or sympathy for the writer, which meant I wasn't rooting for her or felt she'd earnt a happy ending. But Fix's writing indicates she'd have a strong chick lit voice if she chose to write fiction in future.

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The Bride Will Keep Her Name - Jan Goldstein (2009)

Madison Mandelbaum is about to marry the man of her dreams, British journalist Colin Wordsworth Darcy. However, five days before the wedding Madison receives an anonymous email saying "Do you really know the man whom you're saying I do to?" Armed with her two best friends, Kat (Katrina) and Abs (Abigail), her connections and a copy of Brides Weekly, Madison must do a bit of sleuthing and preparation to make sure that her wedding day goes smoothly as possible and that the man she is marrying is really who he says he is. A fun story filled with girlfriends, love and those up-and-down obstacles we love to read about - mixed with a mystery element. (PP)

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The Bride Hunter - Amy Appleton (2008)

Becca Orchard is known as the Bride Hunter, as she helps London's rich bachelors find the perfect wife. With psychology training behind her, she began her business after her boyfriend, Marcus, the boss of her head-hunting company, dumped then sacked her. Up to now she has a 100 per cent matchmaking record but her latest clients include Dwight, a divorced man looking for a sweet Scottish lass rather than a gold-digger; Edward, a shy banker who doesn't realise his boss has engaged her services; and Sam, her first female client who won't take no for an answer. Along the way she meets Adam. But is he a potential match for Sam or the man who will teach this love-shy Cupid to love again?

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The Brightest Star in the Sky - Marian Keyes (2009)

A mysterious presence has arrived at 66 Star Street in Dublin - a presence that is able to watch the lives of the residents unfold and determine whose hearts beat in synch. Music executive Katie lives on the top floor - she's about to turn 40 and is getting fed up with her boyfriend Conall's workaholic schedule. Taxi driver Lydia shares a flat with two Polish builders who have to suffer her abrasive personality and refusal to clean the house. It seems she has more pressing matters on her mind. Phone psychic Jemima lives on the first floor with her dog but her foster son Fionn soon moves in while he's filming a new TV gardening show. And the last residents are Matt and Maeve, who met at their software company and share their deep love with the wider world through their daily Act of Kindness. But they also share a secret that is slowly devastating their world. As usual, Keyes will entice you into the lives of her intriguing characters, revealing bit by bit their layers and history. While the mystery of the presence won't last until the end, this certainly won't stop you from speed-reading your way to the conclusion.

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The Bright Side of Disaster - Katherine Center (2007)

Jenny's fiance Dean walks out the day before she gives birth to their daughter Maxie. So Jenny is left to learn how to survive as a new parent on her own - including facing the sleepless nights, breastfeeding, explosive nappies and eating only foods that can be held in one hand. With her best friend Meredith also disappearing after admitting that she doesn't like babies, Jenny forges new friendships with a fellow new mum and the cute and helpful guy from next door. Will Dean ever come back - and does she want him if he does? A realistic, endearing portrayal of the early days of motherhood.

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The California Club - Belinda Jones (2003)

This is the story of four British friends and a fiancee who head to California to meet up with another friend. Lara, who has to confess that she's selling up her mother's beloved B&B, is finding it hard hiding her feelings for long-time friend Elliot. Especially since he has just got engaged to the annoying and smug Elise, who's also along for the trip. Wannabe actress Zoe has stars in her eyes and thinks heading to LA could be her big break while Sasha is adrift in the world after giving up modelling. In the US, they discover that their highly organised friend, Helen, has become a much more chilled-out surfer chick with a boyfriend and she reveals it was the California Club that changed her life. The others decide to see what the mysterious club can do for them, and have to spend a week living out their wishes. A humorous and uplifting story, perfect for your own holiday.

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The Carrie Diaries - Candace Bushnell (2010)

This prequel to Sex and the City follows Carrie Bradshaw during her senior year of high school in Castlebury, Connecticut. Castlebury is a small town and Carrie has known her group of friends her whole life. Carrie and her best friend, Lali, decide that they need to get boyfriends during senior year, but the only new boy is Sebastian Kydd, who lived in Castlebury years ago and whom Carrie fell in love with when she was 12. Now that he's back and every girl wants him, Carrie is sure she doesn't stand a chance. When Sebastian decides that he does in fact want Carrie, things change. For one thing, she's considered a boyfriend stealer because the most popular girl in school, Donna Ladonna, was dating Sebastian first. Even worse is the fact that Carrie is harassed by Donna and her clique while Sebastian revels in the girls fighting over him. Meanwhile, Carrie has issues at home - specifically with her younger sister, Dorritt, who has taken to colouring her hair blue and stealing things to get attention. Plus she has to deal with her dad telling her to go to Brown when all she wants to do is become a writer. While her father dismisses her writing as a hobby, Carrie meets a handsome tour guide at Brown who offers to help her with her writing. He also offers her the opportunity to spend the summer in NYC. Before she can take him up on the offer, she needs to perfect her writing and what better way than to write for her high school paper, The Nutmeg. Although, she decides to use a pen name, Carrie's articles are a hit and have the whole school talking. This book gives a real glimpse of Carrie as a teenager. She's vulnerable and a little rebellious but there are pieces of her youth that have had a telltale effect on her life as an adult. Even though there is no Mr Big in this novel, Carrie does find a relationship that is similar with Sebastian. It's fun, entertaining and you won't want to put it down until you find out who Carrie meets in New York. A definite must-read whether you're a Sex in the City fan or not. (AS)

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The Castaways - Elin Hilderbrand (2009)

The Castaways are a group of eight close-knit friends from Nantucket. When Tess and Grey McAvoy die in mysterious circumstances while celebrating their anniversary, each person left behind must deal with myriad emotions ranging from grief and shock to guilt and regrets. Andrea, Tess' closest cousin, finds it the hardest to deal with the tragedy and begins neglecting her own family and the two children Tess left behind. Meanwhile her policeman husband Ed, also known as The Chief, is determined to uncover the truth about their deaths. Addison, who's married to Phoebe, struggles with losing his future with Tess. This story is told from the perspectives of each Castaway member and revolves around the events preceding the deaths and the aftermath. It is a compelling read as you get to understand the complex and overlapping relationships of the characters and how they struggle to move on from their pain and loss. (XT)

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The Celebrity Mother - Deborah Wright (2010)

Karina is a washed-up girl band member whose love affair with bad boy rocker Liam is all over. Hoping to catapult herself back into A-list status, Karina decides to adopt an Indian orphan (Angelina's already covered Cambodia, Ethiopia and Vietnam; and Madonna's done Africa). Travelling to Delhi with a magazine journalist to capture the moment, she becomes guardian to 10-year-old Devika. As she helps Devika settle into English life - and survive bath time - Karina finds herself back in the limelight - scoring a reality TV show, a children's book deal and playing host to the celeb yummy mummy crowd. Even Liam is back. This is a lot less frothy than you'd imagine. Told from the viewpoints of both Karina and Devika, this delves into their emotional journey as they settle into their new roles. Will make you think twice, whichever side of the fence you sit regarding celebs adopting from poorer nations.

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The Chalet Girl - Kate Lace (2007)

Millie Braythorpe is working the ski season as a chalet girl by day and a singer at night. Estranged from her family, she falls for one of the guests, Luke, but their path to love doesn't run smoothly after she believes he has betrayed her.

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The Chocolate Lovers' Club - Carole Matthews (2007)

Temp worker Lucy Lombard can't live without chocolate so she forms a group with three other addicts - Autumn, Nadia and Chantal - which meets regularly at a cafe called Chocolate Heaven. Chocolate helps the four women deal with life's problems, such as a crush on a boss, a drug-dealing brother, a gambling husband and guilt about infidelities. The sequel is The Chocolate Lovers' Diet.

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The Chocolate Lovers' Diet - Carole Matthews (2007)

The women of The Chocolate Lovers' Club are back. Lucy's boyfriend Aiden (aka Crush) has gone missing in Australia, and she thinks he's seeing another woman. Autumn's relationship with co-worker Addison is going well but her drug-dealing brother Richard is back from 'rehab' in the US, and is in trouble with some very unsavoury sorts. Nadia and her son are living with Chantal but thinking about giving her gambling husband, Toby, a second chance. And Chantal is trying to speak to her husband Ted - especially after she has some unexpected news - but he's avoiding her. Love the opening line: ìThere are two types of women, I've found. There are those who are addicted to chocolate and there are bitches.î But even though I am a chocoholic, even I found the chocolate references too frequent - these women would even self-medicate their leg falling off with a bite of chocolate-covered peanut brittle.

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The Chocolate Run - Dorothy Koomson (2004)

Deputy film festival director Amber Salpone doesn't like commitment. She's the type of person who works out what type of chocolate people are - in fact she's shown more commitment to chocolate than any man. So when she falls into bed with a friend, the womanising Greg - and he announces that she's the love of his life - Amber's wondering what she's got herself into. And she's definitely not letting their best friends Jen and Matt know about the relationship.

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The Christmas Cookie Club - Ann Pearlman (2009)

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

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The Cinderella Effect - Miriam Morrison (2009)

Wannabe artist Lila has just broken up with her latest fiance - there's been a few - when her family's dilapidated mansion is picked as the location for her famous godfather's next play. Hired as Julian's assistant, Lila is thrilled to hear that Hollywood heart-throb Mitch Clayton is set to star. But as rehearsals for A Midsummer Night's Dream get underway, Lila learns that Mitch is quite shallow and can't even remember her name, while his persecuted stepbrother Johnny is a far more attractive package. But anyway she's sworn off men for now as part of her life-changing Four-Point Plan. Meanwhile Johnny needs to overcome his stage fright and stop being his family's doormat. Told in alternate chapters from Lila and Johnny's viewpoints, save this for those days when you want a light read with a fairytale ending.

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The Cinderella Pact - Sarah Strohmeyer (2006)

Nola Devlin and her friends make a pact to lose weight and transform themselves after they are refused a window seat at a restaurant. They intend to follow the weight-loss tips offered by Sass magazine's advice columnist Belinda Apple. But Nola, an editor on the magazine, knows the tips are not the answer - because she has a secret identity as the trendy and thin British advice columnist and made them up herself. Now Belinda is taking over her life, with her sister making the agony aunt her maid of honour and eligible bachelors wanting to date her.

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The Control Freak Chronicles - Sarah Tucker (2009)

Helena Treadwell has worked hard to get her life sorted since divorcing her control freak husband Leonard and moving to her hometown of Castleford with her son Freddie. But things start to unravel when she loses her radio presenting job, her beloved father is seriously ill and Leonard announces he's moving to town, with the other woman that Helena has never met. Helena gets the opportunity to produce a TV documentary on why Castleford produces such well-rounded individuals and finds herself drawn to its director Will. The story examines control freaks in all guises from parents, bosses and spouses, as Helena deals with why her ex still yanks her chain.

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The Cougar Club - Susan McBride (2010)

Kat decides it's time to make a change. So in a spur-of-the-moment decision she leaves her boyfriend and New York and moves back home to St Louis where she finds out it is harder to start over at 40 than she thought. Elise is in a rut - she has just watched her son leave for college and she realises, too, that her life needs a change. Her husband, Michael, barely looks at her anymore and she feels like she has no life besides her son and her job as a dermatologist. Then one day at her office she runs into an old friend who is 10 years younger than her. Carla has it all - she is a top reporter and everyone knows her name but since she is pushing past 40 she is well aware that her ex-husband may be trying to get a younger person to take over her anchor spot. This is a great tale - amid all the sex, lust and deception these three women may find out all they have is each other to get through their mid-life crisis. (CG)

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The Cradle Snatcher - Tess Stimson (2009)

Sometimes you read a book which is nothing like what you expected from the back cover blurb. That is exactly what happened in this case but it made it a much stronger book as a result. Clare thought she would have her twins, spend six months at home with them and then return to her flourishing chain of boutique flower shops. But from the moment she gives birth on the street, nothing goes to plan and Clare, who didn't have the best role model for a mother, finds she can't cope. So she hires a nanny to look after her babies - even though younger husband Marc would prefer her to stay home. And nanny Jenna is looking for a live-in post in order to get away from her abusive boyfriend. Told in the Stimson style of multiple narrators who often overlap on events to give a different perspective - this riveting read is her best yet.

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The Cubicle Next Door - Siri L. Mitchell (2006)

Working as a computer administrator for the US Air Force Academy, Jackie Harrison has been leading a mundane life until her office is split into cubicles and new history instructor Lt Col Joseph Gallagher moves in next door. Despite Joe's friendly attempt to know more about her, Jackie finds it hard to trust him and starts to vent her frustrations and growing feelings about him on her online journal - The Cubicle Next Door. What she doesn't expect is to see her blog featured on television, which results in an increase in the number of hits and draws the attention of her cubicle mate. Will Joe realise that Jackie's the one who's writing the blog and will Jackie learn to let go of her past and let love in? (XT)

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The Cupid Effect - Dorothy Koomson (2003)

After departing London to follow her heart's desire to become a psychology lecturer, Ceri D'Altroy moves to Leeds vowing to leave her matchmaking ways behind her for good. Unfortunately, all she seems to do is inspire the new people she meets to change their lives and no one who comes into contact with Ceri is ever the same again. Is it possible that this unsuspecting young woman is a modern-day Cupid? With a plotline that initially shows huge potential, this book unfortunately fails to hit its mark. A disappointing read. (KC)

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The Dating Detox - Gemma Burgess (2009)

Sass, a nearly 30-something Londoner, likes to drink, party, flirt . . . But when she is dumped for the sixth time - after catching her boyfriend shagging a Pink Lady lookalike at a theme party - she decides to embark on a dating sabbatical. No dates, no flirting, no men. Meant to last three months, she instead finds her life going so well without the distraction of dating - her advertising career has never looked so good - that she decides to extend it. The only problem is she's since met Jake, who could very well tempt her to break her self-imposed man ban. This has been justifiably compared to a post-credit crunch Bridget Jones. With its amusing break-up stories, a collection of mad-cap friends who deal with work and relationship woes, and a romantically challenged heroine many will relate to, this one's worth well missing a date to stay home to read it.

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The Debutante Divorcee - Plum Sykes (2006)

Sylvia Mortimer is on her honeymoon in Careyes, Mexico, (unfortunately her husband Hunter had to return to work) when she meets Lauren Blount, who is celebrating her divorce. The two become fast friends and join in a whirlwind of parties and trips, including heading to Moscow to buy jewellery for the rich but unGoogleable Giles Monterey. With rumours swirling that Hunter is having an affair, Sylvia has to decide whether to subscribe to Lauren's 'Who needs a husband anyway?' philosophy - or stand and fight for her man.

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The Department of Lost & Found - Allison Winn Scotch (2007)

Natalie Miller is a workaholic political aide to the senator of New York. One day her boyfriend discovers a lump in her breast and it turns out to be stage 3 breast cancer. Her boyfriend leaves her and her life is turned upside down. While recovering from her chemotherapy rounds, Natalie becomes addicted to The Price is Right and decides to start tracking down all her past loves and assessing what went wrong. This is a fantastic book that reads like a memoir. The author handles the topic of a young woman with cancer with humour and hope. (AO)

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The Desperate Diary of a Country Housewife - Daisy Waugh (2007)

This book is based on the Country Mole column that ran in Britain's Sunday Times newspaper. Freelance journalist Martha Mole longs to bring up her children in fresh air and green fields. So they sell their London home and head for a village in England's south-west. With her husband Finley still working in the city, Martha discovers that the locals aren't really all that welcoming, the Dream House needs lots of repairs, and she's got a big crush on builder Darrell. She begins writing a newspaper column about her experiences - hoping the women at the school gate don't find out. A cautionary tale for cityslickers who are dreaming of a treechange.

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The Devil Wears Prada - Lauren Weisberger (2003)

This is the quintessential boss-from-hell tale and became an international bestseller. Aspiring writer Andrea Sachs lands the job 'a million girls would die for' as a junior assistant to Miranda Priestley, the demanding editor-in-chief of fashion magazine Runway. Andrea's dream job is to write for The New Yorker but despite her lack of dress sense, a bout of dysentery in India and no time to eat on the job soon sees Andrea able to fit better into the magazine's world - and its designer samples. Andrea gets caught up working 14-hour days, trying to make sense of Miranda's usually unreasonable commands, from getting a yet-to-be-released Harry Potter book into the hands of her children to finding the name of a store where she once spotted a vintage dresser. Andrea barely sees boyfriend Alex or flatmate Lily but she's willing to stick at the job for a year so Miranda will recommend her for her dream job. It comes in as No. 1 on my list of Top Ten all-time favourites. A movie of the same name stars Anne Hathway as Andrea and Meryl Streep as Miranda. (Lauren Weisberger has a cameo appearance in the film and is briefly seen in the train scene with Miranda's twins.)

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The Devil You Know - Louise Bagshawe (2003)

Rose Fiorello grew up in New York and has a vendetta against Rothstein Realty, the company that years earlier forced her father out of business. Rose's situation is complicated when she starts to fall for the man who is the heir to the Rothstein fortune. Poppy Allen is a spoiled LA girl. She rebels against her parents and goes into the music business. She works from the bottom up and becomes a successful music manager. Her rock'n'roll lifestyle is threatened when she falls in love with a southern, conservative Senator. Daisy Markham was unhappy until she found herself through writing. She soon becomes an international best-selling author. She falls in love with her best friend, however, she doesn't tell him until he is happily married. This novel follows the life of these three women who, after discovering they are connected, unite for revenge against the person responsible for splitting them apart. (AO)

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The Difference a Day Makes - Carole Matthews (2009)

Amy and husband Will both work long hours for a TV company in London and their ever-reliable nanny helps raise their two children, Tom and Jessica. But one day, on the tube on the way to work, Will collapses and finds out he has a weak heart. It is enough of a near-death scare for him to pack in his job and pack off his family to the Yorkshire moors, where he buys a rundown farmhouse and starts filling the yard with unloved or past-their-prime animals, including a crazy hound called Hamish. Amy is not keen on this radical lifestyle change but is willing to stand by her husband as he follows his dream. And soon she finds herself really thrown into the deep end. Just don't leave the book lying around where Hamish could get it!

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The Dilemmas of Harriet Carew - Cristina Odone (2008)

Based on the Posh but Poor column in a British newspaper, Harriet Carew finds herself in one of the middle-class families affected by the economic downturn. The mother of three works part-time for a children's charity and is married to a travel writer, Guy. They don't own a car and are struggling to pay the private school fees and keep the au pair. Then Harriet bumps into James, the boyfriend she dumped at 18, and he's now a recently divorced millionaire ready to help out her charity. And he seems more than willing to rescue Harriet from her cash-strapped lifestyle. Meanwhile Guy is being seduced to host a TV documentary about safari hunters and is hardly bringing in any income. Yet another tale of a middle-aged mum tempted by infidelity.

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The Dirty Girls Social Club - Alisa Valdes Rodriguez (2003)

Six Latina women - all former journalism/communications students at college - meet up every six months. Newspaper columnist Lauren discovers her boyfriend is cheating on her; TV news anchorwoman Elisabeth is about to be outed with her lesbian lover; singer Amber is ready to sign a record deal that she hopes will make her famous; mother-of-two Sara is pregnant again; magazine editor Rebecca's marriage just isn't working; while Usnavys is trying to find a man who matches her earning power.

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The Disengagement Ring - Clodagh Murphy (2009)

Kate O'Neill has just got engaged to workshop facilitator Brian but her close-knit family are less than impressed that she's settling down with an unsociable, skinflint "tree-hugger". So led by her actress mother Grace, the O'Neills plot to send Kate to Tuscany for the summer, convincing family friend Will to hire her as his rock band's chef. And since Kate has had a crush on Will for years, they are hoping he can lure her away from Brian. From a stag party that lasts for three days and sees the groom lose his hair, to a publicity-mad girlfriend being locked up with a lesbian for a reality TV show, this has many laugh-out-loud moments. If you enjoyed reading about Marian Keyes' Walsh family, then here's another madcap but endearing Irish family for you to fall in love with.

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The Dive From Clausen's Pier - Ann Packer (2002)

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

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The Divorce Party - Laura Dave (2008)

This story is told from the point of view of two women, Gwyn Huntington and her soon-to-be daughter-in-law, Maggie. Gwyn and her husband, Thomas, have been married 35 years but are about to divorce. Gwyn is planning an elaborate divorce party to celebrate the impending end of her marriage. Maggie is engaged to Gwyn's son, Nate, and is meeting his family for the first time at the divorce party. As the family converges at their home in Montauk, secrets about Nate's past threaten to destroy his relationship with Maggie. Gwyn slowly lets the reader see the true reasons for the divorce party and the hope she is still holding on to. This is a powerful story about the beginning and ending of marriages. (AO)

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The Double Life of Anna Day - Louise Candlish (2006)

Anna Day's boyfriend, Charlie, won't introduce her to his highly cultured and recently widowed mother, Meredith. So when Charlie leaves for a study program in the US, Anna hatches a plan to meet Meredith and win her over. Swapping her black advertising industry clothing for Laura Ashley florals, and nights at the pub for art gallery openings and Sunday tennis, Anna moves in on Meredith's turf - but without telling her about her relationship with Charlie. Her ultimate goal is to score an invitation to her 60th birthday party, where she'll be introduced to her son as the ideal girlfriend.

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The Egg Race - Polly Williams (2007)

Also known as The Bad Bride's Tale

Thirty-four-year-old Stevie Jonson is not sure she's doing the right thing marrying Jez. But at least it will give her a chance to have babies before it's too late. As she lurches further along a doubt-ridden path, she runs into beautiful but shallow Katy Norris, who's desperate to get her boyfriend Seb to commit. To add to her confusion, Stevie feels there's still a spark with old flame Sam even though she's set him up with her best friend.

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The Embers - Hyatt Bass (2009)

Emily Ascher seems to have everything falling into place. As a successful public defender, she has not only found fulfilment in her job but also a man she truly loves. Yet the past continues to catch up with her as she struggles to deal with the emotional hurt and pain that follows her parents' divorce and the death of her brother, Thomas. Her mother Laura has since remarried but still grapples with mixed feelings about her ex-husband Joe. Once idolised by his daughter, Joe is no longer the famous playwright he used to be. Now he writes for a lifestyle magazine and spends his time listening to old tapes alone. When Emily decides to conduct her wedding ceremony on the site of their old home, the remaining members of the Ascher family are forced to revisit the tragic event that took place 15 years ago, hoping to find closure. This story of a broken family is an impressive read full of emotion. (XT)

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The Ex-Debutante - Linda Francis Lee (2008)

aka Tantrums and Tiaras

Lawyer Carlisle Wainwright Cushing has returned to her Texan hometown to deal with her socialite mother's latest divorce. Leaving behind her secret fianc� in Boston - he also doesn't know she's from an old-moneyed family - Carlisle is pressed into organising her family's 100th debutante ball. But with all the usual families snubbing the event, Carlisle (who still hasn't lived down the embarrassment of falling flat on her face during her own debut) has to recruit and train a band of unlikely candidates. And face her former crush, Jack Blair, across the negotiating table. Watch out for some mentions of the Willow Creek notables, from Lee's earlier novel The Devil in the Junior League.

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The Ex-Factor - Andrea Semple (2004)

Martha Seymore is a London relationship advice columnist whose boyfriend Luke tells her, while they are in bed together, that he has slept with another woman. So Martha dumps Luke and moves in with her new friend, Jacqui. Jacqui's partying ways introduces Martha to a whole new lifestyle of casual sex and drugs. She questions whether her new crazy lifestyle is as glamorous as she always imagined. As Martha answers her readers' letters, she starts to take her own relationship advice and re-examine some of her past relationships. Her relationship with an ex-boyfriend from high school gets particularly complicated when she learns that their love lives are more intertwined than she ever imagined. This novel is fast paced, however, the characters are annoying and forgettable. (AO)

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The Ex-Mrs. Hedgefund - Jill Kargman (2009)

Holly Talbott has it all - a great husband Tim and she feels blessed that she is able to stay at home with her son Miles and not feel pressured to work. She loves that her sister-in-law Kiki is her best friend and is able to confide in her. One day Kiki tells her that she is leaving her husband, Hal. So Holly is forbidden by Tim and her mother-in-law from speaking to Kiki ever again since she has betrayed the family. But Holly starts seeing Kiki secretly. One day when she is out with Kiki, Holly sees Tim in the arms of another woman. She is faced with a hard decision of living with his infidelities or divorcing him. At times the book is slow to get to the point and the diagrams are frustrating. But if you can get past that, the book does get better during the second half. (CG)

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The Ex-Wife's Survival Guide - Debby Holt (2006)

Artist Sarah Stagg's husband Andrew leaves her to be with his leading lady from the local dramatic society. Sarah finds one way to deal with the humiliations and trials of being a discarded wife is to keep busy. And so with her sons about to leave the nest on a trip to India, Sarah is roped into playing the lead in the Ambercross Players' next production. Will she fall for her leading man?

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The Fabulously Fashionable Life of Isabel Bookbinder - Holly McQueen (2009)

Having abandoned her book-writing dreams, Isabel Bookbinder is instead aspiring to be a top international fashion designer. Just as long as you don't need to actually know how to sew anything tricky - like a hem or sleeves. Still telling white lies and getting herself into all sorts of predicaments, Isabel tells her family that she's won a place at a prestigious design school. In fact she's working at a fashion magazine as personal assistant and general dogsbody to designer Lucien Black's famous muse, Nancy Tavistock. With her boss' fortunes on the decline, due to Lucien's disastrous Fashion Week collection, Isabel's busy dreaming up her signature look, deciding which celebrity will launch her perfume and wondering what her lawyer boyfriend Will is up to in the Cayman Islands. It's not all fair in love and fashion - and it seems someone is about to be stitched up. Even if you weren't impressed with Isabel Bookbinder last time, give this sequel a try, she's still as ditzy as ever but it's a much better book.

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The Family Farm - Fiona Palmer (2009)

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

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The Family Fortune - Laurie Horowitz (2006)

Forever single is how Jane Fortune describes herself. Besides also being a perpetual daddy's girl, she notices herself aging quickly, with her 38 years seemingly meaningless. It seems the only thing which makes life worth living is being able to do what she loves - running her family's philanthropic institution since she has no need to worry about money. Until one day, when she does. At the drop of a hat, Jane Fortune loses her family home, her money and her first love. In this modern take on the classic Jane Austen tale of Persuasion, this story tells of a woman fighting for her identity when all that defines her has been lost. (SN)

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The Farmer Needs a Wife - Janet Gover (2009)

Magazine editor Helen Woodley is about to take Australian Life weekly and is pinning her hopes on a new series about bachelor farmers looking for love. Soon the replies from lovelorn men of the land come flooding in. There's Greg, who has had to take over the cane fields from his sick father but would prefer to be crafting jewellery. Cattleman Peter thinks the girl showing up on the mail plane is here to be a nanny to his two children. Winemaker Leigh is after a good man after her fiance dumped her. And horse breeder Matt is unaware that his daughter sent in his profile - but Helen may well keep him to herself. For those dreaming of hooking up with a rugged Australian bushman, read on for warnings about getting lost in the outback, raging bushfires and facing wild animals. A cute, easy read with perhaps just a little too much corn.

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The Fashion Pack - Marion Hume (2005)

English fashion reporter Red Harrison is sent to Sydney to launch the latest edition of top-selling fashion magazine Joy. Her two best friends, who she met in a stuck elevator after a New York fashion show, are also Joy editors - Brooke Lowell is in New York while Romily Ward helms Paris Joy. But Sydney isn't overly welcoming of Red, especially backstabbing colleague Sybilla who is after everything from her job to her husband. A very long read. British Marion Hume was fired from her post as Vogue Australia editor in the late 1990s after running foul of several Australian designers.

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The Favours and Fortunes of Katie Castle - Rebecca Campbell (2002)

also known as Slave to Fashion

Katie Castle has worked her way into the job of her dreams, working for fashion designer Penny Moss. She snags not only a chic town house in London's Primrose Hill but also a fiancé in the form of the boss' son, Ludo. But a quick tumble with a delivery driver sees her lose her job, fiancé and flat in one foul swoop. Can Katie turn her fortunes around and manoeuvre her way back into the fashion world?

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The Fidelity Files - Jessica Brody (2008)

Who you gonna call if you suspect your partner is cheating? Still affected by her parents' divorce, Jennifer Hunter leads a double life. Her family and friends think she's an investment banker but she actually works as a "fidelity inspector" under the codename Ashlyn. That is she is hired by suspicious women to test if their partners will cheat or not. But it looks like her secret life will be exposed when a friend hires her to test her fiance and an angry husband is out for revenge. But perhaps with the arrival of potential boyfriend Jamie on the scene, Jen is ready to give up the business. With some unpredictable twists and intriguing cases, you'll be hooked. And the good news is the epilogue paves the way for a sequel.

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The Fidelity Project - Susan Conley (2009)

Creatives Max and Jax keep hearing rumours that their Dublin advertising agency is going to fold. So the girls come up with a plan to film a documentary based on the When Harry Met Sally couple interviews - to discover if long-term fidelity is possible. But sparks soon fly on the set as the pair have different opinions on the conclusion - American Max is the cynical one, while Jax is a hopeless romantic. But things get really interesting when their own romantic lives take centrestage - it is revealed Max has a husband Mike back in America and Jax, who has been engaged for years to Fergal who is working in Dubai, starts to fall for production man John Paul.

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The Finishing Touches - Hester Browne (2009)

Elizabeth (Betsy) is the little orphan Annie grown up, left in a marmalade carton on the steps of Lady Frances and Lord Pelham Phillimore's finishing school for girls in London. Fast forward 27 years, Betsy is working at a shoe shop when Frances passes away. Lord Phillimore invites her to come to the school and see if she can do something to save its fading fortunes. Horrified at the state of the school which is on the brink of bankruptcy, Betsy takes it upon herself to teach the remaining students the skills that may actually be helpful in life - from the essentials one must have in their handbag to how to look ab-fab for minimal costs. A perfect read for those wanting to see an old English finishing school being given a 21st century makeover. It's out with the table setting, white gloves and flower arrangements and in with eating sushi, managing budgets and mortgages and DIY manicures. (PP)

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The First Assistant - Clare Naylor and Mimi Hare (2007)

In the sequel to The Second Assistant, Lizzie Miller has now been promoted to first assistant to the head of a Hollywood talent agency. But it's not all smooth sailing as her replacement Amber can't be trusted and her boss Scott is more than happy to barter her services to a client for a Mercedes. Soon Lizzie finds herself with sunburn on location in Thailand, looking after teen actress Emerald. And her relationship with her producer boyfriend Luke seems to be suffering since he's on location in Prague filming with his predatory ex-girlfriend. Meanwhile her friend Jason, whose movie she helped get into production, is showing nerves as it readies for release. Is it time for Lizzie to step up again?

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The Fixer Upper - Mary Kay Andrews (2009)

Unwillingly and unwittingly embroiled in a political scandal, Dempsey Jo Killebrew is left broke and without a job. With few options, she decides to accept her father's offer to move to Guthrie, Georgia, to oversee the renovation of Birdsong, an old family mansion that he recently inherited. Arriving with the expectation of a quick and easy fix, she instead finds a run-down house that is still inhabited by a very stubborn and grumpy distant relative who refuses to leave. In addition to trying to fix up the house with minimal assistance due to the tight budget her father has given her, she is also spending her time trying to dodge FBI agents who are trying hard to pry information from her regarding her former boss. With the help of a southern lawyer and his very attractive son, she is trying to move on from her past and keep herself out of trouble. This is a great read full of humour and southern charm with a little bit of romance. (MF)

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The Flirt - Kathleen Tessaro (2008)

Olivia Bourgalt du Coudray and Leticia Vane are both disillusioned with love. Olivia is the second wife of playboy Arnaud who fills her days with meaningless social events. Leticia has remade herself from a plain Emily Ann into an elegant lingerie shop owner who eats only once a day and smokes the rest of the time. And she's very determined to keep any men in her life at a distance. This includes her latest lover, Hughie Armstrong Venables-Smythe, a struggling actor of aristocratic stock. Hughie answers an ad in Stage that asks for 'an attractive, well-mannered, morally flexible young man'. He becomes a professional flirt hired to charm women who feel neglected, unloved or unattractive. But things get out of hand when he employs his carefully honed skills on both Olivia and Leticia. It's the sort of story where you have to suspend belief in the characters and plot, but it may appeal to those who love classic old-fashioned romantic comedies.

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The Friday Night Knitting Club - Kate Jacobs (2007)

A club develops at Georgia Walker's yarn shop, as some of her regulars gather on Friday nights to knit and chat. They include Anita, who helps Georgia run the shop and look after her daughter Dakota; Peri, a pre-law student turned handbag designer; Darwin, a grad student in women's studies; and Lucie, a soon-to-be single mother who begins filming a video on knitting and the club. Georgia's world is rocked when first Dakota's father James returns into their lives, wanting to get to know his teen daughter; and then her former best friend Cat (now a rich but unhappy Park Avenue wife) hires her to make some clothes. But as it turns out, it is at this time of her life that Georgia needs her friends the most.

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The Frog Prince - Jane Porter (2005)

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

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The Gap Year for Grown Ups - Annie Sanders (2008)

Music teacher Sarah has packed her children Tom and Claire off to university. And now she's feeling fed up with her marriage, her job - just everything staying the same. So she tells husband David that she needs time out, and heads to stay with her friend Nathalie in the south of France. There Sarah rediscovers her passion for the violin and starts dating a Frenchman. Meanwhile David is left coping with an empty house while Claire is having a hard time adjusting to uni life. With the pace picking up in the second half, this is a spirited tale about a mother who flew the nest.

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The Gatecrasher - Madeleine Wickham (1998)

Heard of Wedding Crashers? This book is the complete opposite - Fleur Daxney is a funeral crasher. Beautiful Fleur has a whole wardrobe dedicated to the colour black. Armed with a copy of The Times' obituaries and the help of her two gay friends Johnny and Felix, she gatecrashes the funerals and memorials of the rich and wealthy, preying on the rich men in their most vulnerable moment. When Fleur decides to attend the memorial service for Emily Favour, pretending to be a long-lost friend, she decides as usual to prey on the widower, Richard. However after spending a couple of weeks with him and his family, Fleur experiences something she hasn't felt before - is it love or guilt? As time wears on, Fleur is faced with the biggest decision of her life - is it her time to end her gatecrashing ways and settle down? (PP)

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The Gift Bag Chronicles - Hilary De Vries (2005)

The sequel to So 5 Minutes Ago, Alex Davidson is now head of publicity for one of LA's top publicity firms. But the rift in her relationship with colleague and boyfriend Charles, who lives in New York, is growing wider and she's got a big magazine party to organise but she just can't see eye-to-eye with its editorial director. Maybe time out with her family is what she needs. But her holiday back home keeps getting interrupted by calls from a TV star about her wedding gift bags. Will Alex, and her gift bags, measure up?

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The Girlfriend Curse - Valerie Frankel (2005)

Peg Silver feels cursed because within six months of splitting up with her, all her exes have gone on to marry their next girlfriend. Thinking she needs a new start, the interior landscape designer leaves behind Manhattan to settle in the green fields of Vermont. But when her new peace on the range is shattered by a plague of mice, she heads for a retreat for people with relationship issues. At first embarking on a steamy and forbidden fling with fellow inmate Ray, Peg soon feels drawn to program leader Linus, who is definitely not available.

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The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing - Melissa Bank (1999)

This book is a series of stories mostly taken from different times in narrator Jane Rosenal's life. It opens with her brother, Henry, bringing home an older girlfriend, who Jane watches for clues on how to fall in love. It follows Jane through several failed love affairs, including with a much older man Archie Knox; career crises in publishing and advertising; and the death of a loved one. The book has been critically acclaimed but it makes my Top 10 list of Most Disappointing books.

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The Girl Most Likely To - Susan Donovan (2008)

Kit returns to her West Virginian hometown of Persuasion, with her best friend Nola in tow, to berate the boy who broke her heart two decades earlier. Riley dumped her before she could tell him she was pregnant. So she hitchhiked out of town and brought up Aidan by herself. But now finding Riley on a construction site, she is shocked to discover that he already knows about his son. And he's just as angry with her. As the pair try to reconcile, they face several challenges - not least Riley's ex-fiancee, who just can't seem to take "I don't" for an answer, and Kit's abusive father Virgil.

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The Girl Next Door - Elizabeth Noble (2009)

The story revolves around a cast of characters who live in an apartment building in New York's Upper East Side. Eve and Ed Gallagher have moved over from England for his job and Eve's finding herself a bit lost without her friends, family and own job. But she finds some comfort in her friendship with elderly neighbour Violet and starts thinking now might be the time to have a baby. There's marriage problems lurking for some of the other residents, including Kimberley, who is an over-anxious mother to her IVF child Avery and is unaware her husband has his eye on the married woman across the hall, Rachael. But maybe there's also romance in the air as wealthy layabout Jackson Grayling III (aka Trip) finally gets off the couch to pursue fitness fanatic Emily. And shy librarian Charlotte is head over heels in love with one of the Cuban doormen. Warning: This one comes with a tearjerker alert.

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The Girls from the Revolutionary Cantina - M. Padilla (2010)

Julia Juarez, a Mexican-American sales rep at a security firm, is trying not to get distracted by her sexy co-worker Ilario, who caught her snooping around his office and hasn't made eye contact with her since. When Ilario and Julia's best friend, Ime, a real estate mogul, hit it off at a Cinco de Mayo party, Julia is inwardly crushed but wants Ime to be happy. When her working relationship with Ilario turns hostile, Julia starts to worry about the future of her career. Her closest friends are also under pressure: Nina, the most timid of them all, is preparing to marry a man she's not sure she loves; Concepcion, a rebel and a wild child, is developing an obsession for a handsome actor wanted for the murder of his wife; and Marta, elderly owner of the Revolutionary Cantina, is drawn into a wacky plot launched by Concepcion. I did not want to put this page-turner down, there is so much happening at once yet it all ties in brilliantly. (AV)

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The Glamorous (Double) Life of Isabel Bookbinder - Holly McQueen (2008)

Isabel Bookbinder tells everyone she is assistant arts editor at the Saturday Mercury - even though her most responsible job is measuring how many column inches the big stories take up each week. But her real ambition in life is to be a best-selling novelist. She's got the swanky notebook, she's worked out the marketing plan for her bonkbuster, she's beginning to get her Look sorted - now all she needs is to actually sit down and write the story. When Isabel inadvertently triggers a political sex scandal, the paparazzi - and possibly MI5 operatives - are on her tail. Coming to her rescue is children's author Katriona de Montfort, who takes her on as her assistant. But it seems the plot that is Isabel's life is about to get even more twisted. A try-hard in the Shopaholic/Bridget Jones mould.

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The Goddess Rules - Clare Naylor (2005)

Artist Kate Disney is commissioned by legendary French actress Mirrabelle Moncur to paint a portrait of her pet cub. Mirri takes the opportunity to teach Kate some life lessons - such as how to dress properly, that there is no hope for her no-hoper boyfriend Jake, and that life is for flirting and adventure.

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The Godmother - Carrie Adams (2006)

Lawyer Tessa King has nothing tying her down - she's single, has just returned from a retreat in India and is without a job after quitting over her stalker boss. Even as godmother to four children, including teenager Caspar and twin babies Bobby and Tommy, she gets to play then hand them back. While her friends are envious that she can be a free spirit, Tessa finds herself brooding for their settled-down lives. Then her wish for domestic bliss is granted - motherhood could be hers if she wants it.

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The Good Divorce Guide - Cristina Odone (2009)

When Rosie discovers a suspicious message on her husband Jonathan's BlackBerry, he admits he has fallen for his blonde American colleague Linda. They opt for an amicable separation - for their kids' sake. Surely you can have a good divorce. Especially since Jonathan is more than willing to continue supporting Rosie and the kids, which means they don't have to uproot from their familiar surroundings. But with Linda looking to be friends, Rosie's lawyer looking for blood and Jonathan's baldness cure looking like a lawsuit in the making, perhaps a good divorce is too much to ask for.

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The Good Girl's Guide to Bad Men - Jessica Brody (2009)

aka Love Under Cover

In this sequel to The Fidelity Files, we are reunited with Jennifer Hunter aka Ashlyn, who is now running her own fidelity inspection agency. She may have retired as a field agent herself, but she oversees a team who go out undercover to see whether someone's partner is willing to cheat. Jennifer's handsome boyfriend, Jamie, has just asked her to marry him, on the condition that she promises not to go back to being Ashlyn. All is going well until one of her employee's assignments turns sour and Jennifer steps in to save the day. After completing the assignment, Jennifer feels a spark and she is left with the decision of turning her back on everything she has worked for or losing her husband-to-be for good. This is an edgy chick lit novel for those wanting that little more oomph. It's filled with courtroom divorce proceedings, adultery, fidelity and not to forget a wedding which isn't complete until you have encountered a bridezilla and a know-it-all, pushy wedding planner. (PP)

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The Good Luck Girl - Kerry Reichs (2009)

aka Leaving Unknown

Maeve Connelly believes she has rotten luck. It took her nearly eight years to graduate college and she still hasn't settled into a career. When she loses her job at the pub for running late yet again (her old banger of a car, Elsie, ran out of petrol), she decides to pack up and head across the country to Los Angeles to meet up with an old friend she reconnected with through Facebook. But her car breaks down in Unknown, Arizona, and the only mechanic for miles has just gone to try his luck in Vegas and no one knows when he'll be back. So Maeve moves into the local boarding house and gets a job in the bookstore. And so begins her fresh start at life, with a new cast of intriguing characters. A truly inspiring story that will entertain, captivate and bring on the tears. Watch out for the occasional appearance of her sister Vi, from Reichs' first novel The Best Day of Someone Else's Life.

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The Good, the Bad and the Dumped - Jenny Colgan (2010)

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

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The Good, the Bad and the Ugly - Shane Bolks (2005)

When Rory Egglehoff's high school crush, Hunter Chase, turns up as a client at her firm, the Star Wars fan puts the Ultimate Jedi Plan into action to get him to notice her and take her to their school reunion. Trouble is she also has a boyfriend, Tedious Tom, who she just can't seem to break up with.

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The Go-to Girl - Louise Bagshawe (2004)

aka Monday's Child

Anna Brown is a self-described ugly girl living in London. She shares an apartment with two annoying models and works as an underpaid script reader. Anna's big break comes when Mark Swan, a sexy and powerful movie director, takes her under his wing. Anna is immediately attracted to Mark, however, her lack of self-esteem convinces her that he could never fall for a girl like her. So Anna starts dating Charles, a wealthy but unattractive man, who she feels no spark for. And when Charles proposes, Anna is torn whether to let Mark Swan know her true feelings or marry a man she feels nothing for. This novel has entertaining well-developed characters and the heroine reminds me of Bridget Jones. (AO)

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The Guy Next Door - Meg Cabot (2002)

In this prequel to Boy Meets Girl, with the story told in email format, Melissa Fuller, social writer at the New York Journal, is almost on the brink of losing her job. One day she is late to work again (her 37th time this year) because she finds her elderly neighbour has been the victim of a violent intruder. She contacts the woman's nephew, Max Friedlander, to tell him to look after the cats and dog. Since Max doesn't want to end his vacation with a supermodel nor be written out of his aunt's will if she comes out of her coma, he asks a friend, John Trent, a crime reporter on a different New York newspaper, to pretend to be him and live at the apartment. What will happen when Mel finds out that the cute nephew isn't who she thinks he is?

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The Household Guide to Dying - Debra Adelaide (2008)

Delia Bennet is a domestic advice columnist who is about to write her last household guide . . . on dying. Diagnosed with breast cancer two years earlier, the prognosis now is not good. The idea for the final guide came to her as she was writing lists to help her husband and two young daughters cope after her death. The highly organised, ever-efficient Delia prepares by teaching her daughters how to make the perfect cup of tea, writing out a cake recipe for their weddings, ordering her coffin and choosing the last book to read. But Delia also needs to put some issues from her past to rest so she heads back to the town where she lived as a teenage mother. Told with humour, gutsiness and emotion, it is a gripping book. And the impending death of the main character isn't even the part that will have you sobbing the most. Don't let the drab cover, grim title or even the details about chickens, pegs and blood sausages put you off, this is one book you won't regret reading.

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The Ice Cream Girls - Dorothy Koomson (2010)

Back in the late 80s, two schoolgirls fall in love with their history teacher Marcus but later discover he was cheating with each of them and harassing his ex-wife Marlene at the same time. Both are witnesses to his death and are tried for his murder - dubbed the "ice cream girls" by the press. One gets off scot-free and the other is sentenced to life in jail. Fast-forward 20 years and Serena (the one who went scot-free) is married with two children while Poppy has just been released from prison and is desperate to find out the truth of what really happened from Serena. As Poppy works to clear her name, Serena tries to stop the past resurfacing. Can Poppy and Serena get what they want - or will the truth not be as straightforward as they both believe. With lots of flashbacks, this is a compelling tale with a very interesting twist and an ending that was so not expected. (PP)

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The Icing on the Cupcake - Jennifer Ross (2010)

Ansley Wallen has been publicly dumped by her fiance, who may have never loved her. Growing up in Dallas, where marriage and children seem more important than a woman's career, Ansley expected to have married and started a family after graduating college. Now, she's obviously not going to be doing either of those things, so what's a girl to do? The only option seems to be for Ansley to start over by leaving Dallas. Moving to New York seems like a good idea. But the only contact Ansley has in the city is her grandmother, Vivian, who she has never met. Deciding on a whim to send a letter asking if she can go and live with her grandmother is risky - it's very possible she won't even get a response. And her grandmother is apparently a horrible person who abandoned her daughter and husband 46 years earlier. But her newly widowed grandmother, Vivian, does reply, and when she arrives in New York she is surprised by how much they have in common - especially their love of baking. But Vivian dishes up some tough love, telling her she needs to get a job within eight weeks or she can't stay. This leads Ansley on a quest that sees her opening her own business and finally letting go of her past. This is a great story about family, secrets and especially baking. The end of each chapter has a delicious cupcake recipe with a name that reflects the sentiment of that chapter - it's a book not to be missed, especially if you are an avid baker. (AS)

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The Importance of Being Married - Gemma Townley (2008)

The first in a trilogy, Jessica Wild befriends Grace, one of the residents at her grandmother's retirement village. To keep Grace happy she entertains her with stories about a fictional boyfriend, her gorgeous boss Anthony Milton. She even starts wearing a shiny engagement ring and "elopes" when the wedding date nears. Then Grace dies, leaving her multi-million-pound inheritance to her in the name of Mrs Jessica Milton. So now, to score the fortune, Jess needs to start dating her boss - and get him to marry her - all within 50 days. With the help of her flatmate Helen and Russian escort Ivana, Jessica transforms into a wilder, sexier woman who cares more about having fun than her advertising job. And while it seems that Anthony's head is being turned, his business partner Max is not impressed. This story about a woman who decides to marry for money - not love - is a fun read if you are willing to surrender to the farcical plot.

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The Infidelity Chain - Tess Stimson (2008)

An affair is never just between two people. In this case, Ella and William have been secretly seeing each other for eight years. Ella, a paediatrician, is married to Jackson and is happy with her decision not to have children. William is not-so-happily married to artist Beth who suffers from manic depression. Their 17-year-old daughter Cate is seeing Dan, who actually has his eye on Beth. When Jackson dies, it suddenly changes the dynamics. These characters and their connections are intriguing enough to keep you turning the pages. But showing the different perspectives of the main players sometimes meant scenes were replayed a tad too much.

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The Inheritance - Nina Bell (2008)

The day after Bramble has an argument about her horse-riding future with her father Edward, he dies of a heart attack. Bramble had been running the Lorenden horse-training property with her father - and was expected to inherit it. But her father's will instead shares the assets among his three daughters, including self-centred soapie actress Helena and Felicity, a globetrotting journalist who had never healed a rift with her father. With Helena insistent on selling up to developers, Bramble wants time to turn their fortunes around, with the help of mysterious nagsman Jez, who turned up on the doorstep straight after her father's death. Even if you don't enjoy all the equestrian details, stick with it as it's a gripping story about family secrets - all set amid an ominous atmosphere.

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The Inner Gentleman - Alli Kincaid (2008)

What happens when a London soccer club wants its star striker to clean up his act so it can cash in on his sponsorship dollars and charity kudos? It hires The Inner Gentleman, an etiquette company run by the aristocratic Sebastian Clementine. He in turn calls his cousin Mia away from her father's deathbed in Tasmania to deal with the £150 million player Josh Watkins. After looking through his tabloid clippings - with details of his drunken nights out, sexual escapades and arrests - she meets him for afternoon tea at the Savoy - and finds that underneath it all he may not be such a bad boy at heart. But rather than being focused on the sportsman being taught to mind his Ps and Qs, the story centres on Mia's attempts to save her ancestral home - Clementine Castle. And as personal and family secrets are revealed, can Mia and Josh bring out the best in each other?

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The Interruption of Everything - Terry McMillan (2005)

Marilyn Grimes' three kids have left home, her husband Leon needs to escape to Costa Rica to find himself and her live-in mother-in-law has found love. At 44, maybe now she finally has time to go to art college. But a trip to the doctor's to determine if she is going through menopause reveals that she's actually pregnant. As her concerns about her foster sister's children and her own mother's health escalate, it seems Marilyn still doesn't have a life to call her own.

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