Allison Penny is an unattractive and overlooked office cleaner, who has to deal with a flatmate from hell, an alcoholic mother and an absent father. So what happens when one day she wakes up as a gorgeous blonde? Do blondes have more fun and is life better when you're beautiful?
5/10
Twice divorced, with no stable job and an unconcerned family, Dawn Tarnauer's life is a series of rejections and abandonment. When she thinks that her life can no longer get any better (after her latest relationship ended), she finds herself being able to communicate with her dog, Chuck. This is a light and easy read about a woman's search for love and her journey of growing up, and reveals that a dog's instincts are sometimes more reliable. (XT)
5/10
Tom Webster is an average, boring financial writer. He finds himself alone when his wife leaves him for his best friend, Jake. Tom is suddenly offered $100,000 by a trendy magazine if he can make himself famous within 30 days. At the end of that period, Tom must write a tell-all article describing his quick rise to fame. Tom convinces Alexandra West, a blonde bombshell actress, into meeting him publicly. Alexandra wants to be taken more seriously as an actress, so she uses Tom in order for the public to view her differently. The couple is stalked by the paparazzi and the tabloids nickname them the modern-day Marilyn Monroe and Arthur Miller. Tom's life changes drastically as he quickly rises to fame and adjusts to how differently people treat him. The author does a fantastic job writing on celebrity society and why certain people are famous for doing nothing. (AO)
7/10
Control freak Imogen rents a beachside cottage in Cornwall, which she shares with the families of easy-going friend Sophie and last-minute rope-in, single mother Jo. Amid rainy weather, tensions rise in the house until an incident forces them to club together.
6/10
Claire Walsh's husband, James, tells her he's leaving for another woman moments after she's given birth to their daughter, Kate. Claire returns to her family home in Dublin and takes to her room. At first she sinks into a depression, then a rage before she emerges ready to look after herself and Kate. Then James reappears, saying he made a mistake.
8/10
A tale of warring spouses, embarrassing parents and the battle of the hairdressing salons. When hairdresser Jane discovers another salon is opening up down the road, she enters a hairdressing competition to help woo customers. On the home front, her husband, Jim, has moved out so her mother moves in. Then an accident makes Jane and Jim relive a past tragic event and forces them to confront what drove them apart in the first place.
5/10
Green Goddess shop assistant Belle Craine is planning her wedding to local journalist Kieran when Australian model Mona - her father's unknown daughter - turns up on the doorstep. In disgrace, her father and mother have to move out of the vicarage and into a new parish in a very undesirable area. Then Kieran starts spending too much time with Mona and Belle starts thinking the worst.
6/10
Wedding planner Sarah gets involved in two of the biggest ceremonies of her life - her sister Lily's and celebrity Carrie's - on the same day. Lily, who's getting married before her bump shows, is looking to economise on her big day while Carrie's budget knows no limits. With dress designer Elsa and hairdresser Bron on hand to help, Sarah pulls together the weddings while pining for photographer Hugo. Sarah, like all wedding planners you read about, doesn't believe in love - in this case because a boyfriend once broke off with her sometime in her distant past. With the dialogue more painful than a pair of too-tight bridesmaid shoes (what Gen-Xer talks or flirts like these people?), I had to force myself to finish it.
4/10
Fern Kendal is a struggling bar singer who desperately needs a break. She takes on an extra job as personal assistant to opera star Evan David, but finds she can't let him know about her singing dream. So Fern throws away her chances on TV talent show Fame Game when she discovers Evan is one of the judges. Evan's every whim is catered for by his agent, trainer, chauffeur, chef and a cast of thousands, but memories of a childhood tragedy keep him from truly enjoying all he's achieved. Though Fern can't seem to master her assistant duties, she brings a rare smile to Evan's face so when she goes on the run, he finds he can't forget her.
6/10
Lizzie and Penny are twin sisters (but complete opposites) who live dowdy and unfulfilling lives. Penny dreams that one day she will be rescued from her unsatisfactory life while Lizzie is quite happy eating crisps on her mother's couch. When their grandmother, who had all but forgotten them, is admitted to hospital, the girls are given the task to house-sit her fancy West End apartment which provides the opportunity to start a new life. Life in the West End is harder than they thought and the boys are just as difficult. Set in Chelsea, England, this is a feel-good, entertaining novel that has all the favourite elements such as love, transformation and most importantly a happy ending with a twist. (GF)
6/10
Alice Love comes to after hitting her head in the gym - to discover that she's lost 10 years of memories. Instead of being 29 and pregnant with her first child, she finds she's a 39-year-old mother of three. Instead of being madly in love with her husband Nick, they are in the process of getting divorced and their do-me-up house is now all done up. And somewhere along the past decade it seems as if she's had a personality transplant - why is her relationship with her sister so strained, why is she the queen bee of school activities, and what on earth was she doing at the gym in the first place? As her memories slowly resurface, including the role a woman called Gina played in her life, Alice is wondering whether she took a wrong turn somewhere. With twists and turns that will bring out both the smiles and the tears, plus a totally satisfying ending, this is one book you won't forget in a hurry.
8/10
Jennifer Bradley used to work at an auction house but is now a stay-at-home mum who is wondering if this is her lot in life. When her husband, Thom, announces he's off to Singapore on business for three months, things get even more difficult for her.
4/10
Married mother-of-two Kate is realising that somewhere along the way she has put her dreams of being an acclaimed photographer on hold. So when a friend rings with a temporary job offer on a food magazine, Kate decides to plunge back into the working world. As she spends her days dealing with the temperamental creative director Graeme Grafton - a former Cleo Bachelor of the Year, she also has to contend with her 13-year-old daughter Lexi going through a rebellious stage, her sister Robyn ringing up daily claiming she's in labour and her estranged father re-entering her life with a bang. Meanwhile Kate is harbouring fantasies about her son's well-fit soccer coach. Heidke's witty sophomore effort proves she's got the depiction of the domestic battleground down to a fine art. Will be very interested to see what she does next.
7/10
Photographer Alice meets kids TV presenter Gretchen on a photo shoot in Los Angeles. Now Alice has a new fun-loving, bubbly friend to hang out with - and she even comes with the added attraction of a cute brother, travel writer Bailey. But Gretchen has a secret which will drag Alice and her boyfriend Tom down. This is one book where it works not to know much about the plot before you begin. It is a real page-turner right from its explosive, dark start. But be warned: if you enjoy stories with a nice epilogue that wraps up all the characters' lives, Dawson seems to be developing a reputation as master of the hanging ending.
7/10
Jen, Meg, Georgina and Rowan became firm friends at school in the 1980s. But after an escapade went awry, they all went their separate ways. They had one tense reunion 12 years later, when Rowan - the shyest of them all - asked the girls to meet her one night but never showed up. Now in the present day, free-spirited single mum Meg has got back in touch, asking Jen and Georgina for help tracking down Rowan over a 'life or death' matter. Georgina now runs a successful fashion business with her husband, while Jen is in the midst of a divorce. But what ever happened to Rowan? As the three women join forces to find their old friend, all sorts of secrets from the past surface. You'll need to keep your wits about you as the first few chapters swing between the three time periods. But as it develops, the storyline will keep you guessing all the way through to one gripping confrontation.
7/10
Georgie may be happy with her dependable accountant boyfriend David but she still daydreams about bumping into her cad of an ex, Mike, looking gorgeous while on the arm of Brad Pitt. The record company exec was last seen leaving her two years ago, on the arm of an unidentified skinny blonde. Then one day, unfortunately while bedraggled and carrying a curtain rod, Georgie does bump into Mike, and he begins wooing her. When he invites her away for a weekend getaway to Rome, Georgie is torn - this is where David always planned to take her for an Audrey Hepburn-inspired Roman Holiday. But since he never has, Georgie decides to go with Mike - even though David has warned her to keep away from him. But things get complicated when she spies David at the airport and Mike is too caught up in his business dealings to see the sights.
6/10
Meg Miller has returned to Dublin with her two children, Dan and Lily, after becoming fed up with trailing around the globe after her partner Simon, a professional sailor. But life is far from smooth sailing at home, what with the home renovations, annoying in-laws and her own infuriating family. So Meg teams up with her neighbour Tina, whose banker husband works in London all week, and finds that sometimes life is easier without the men around. But as a secret from Simon's past is revealed, will Meg jump overboard?
7/10
Rosie Dunne and Alex Stewart have been friends since childhood. Just as they are reaching their final year at school, they are separated when Alex's family moves from Dublin to America. Rosie finds she's lost without him and applies to go to college in Boston so they can be reunited. Except on the eve of her departure, something happens that changes her life forever. Through marriages, divorces and work trials, Rosie and Alex are there for each other. But are they meant to be more than just good friends? One of my all-time favourite books.
9/10
Veronica, a pre-med student at the University of Kansas, is struggling to find a balance in her disorientated life. She is juggling the stresses of her failing studies, her dorm assistant job and her parents' messy divorce. Then Veronica lands herself in a spiral of unfortunate events and bad decisions, including a terrible car accident, and her mother Natalie only adds to her problems. Realistically written from different perspectives of the family, it delves deeper into the complexity of the relationship between the characters and their hopes and fears in life, and how they resolve their conflicts and misunderstandings. However, the tone for the entire story was too melancholy and it became a little dry near the end. But overall, it was a compelling and deep read. (XT)
6/10
Southern belle Leelee Satterfield would do anything for her husband, Baker, the love of her life. Anything, it seems, including reluctantly leaving her life in Memphis and moving to Vermont so he can pursue his dream of running the Vermont Haus Inn. Leelee knows the move will mean complete culture shock but nothing can prepare her for the long winters, mud season, and the cast of characters that comes with life in Vermont. When Baker abruptly leaves her for another woman, Leelee must make a decision - return with her daughters to Memphis or try to make a go of running the inn on her own. With a little help from friends, old and new, and a lot of humour, Leelee learns just what she is made of. This is a humorous, fish-out-of-water tale that will have you rooting for the underdog. From the minute I started reading, Leelee's Tennessee twang and gumption came through loud and clear. (LEK)
7/10
It's not such a festive occasion when personal shopper Annie Curtis discovers on Christmas Day that husband Mark has been cheating on her again. As the main breadwinner, she is more than happy to offer him a very generous, amicable divorce settlement - until he demands custody of her pooch Fluffy. Flashbacks reveal how both boys came into Annie's life - she rescued the mongrel from a homeless man and then hired Mark to be her dog-walker. A hilarious, cleverly written and heart-warming tale about the lengths people will go for their furry best friend.
8/10
Niamh (pronounced Neev) O'Flaherty grew up in a proud Irish household in London - where the garden gnomes are leprechauns, the doorbell rings out Danny Boy and Irish dancing lessons are compulsory. When she becomes the first family member to get into university, she goes to Dublin where it was hoped she'd meet a nice Irish lad. So when she falls for Pierre, she knows her family are not going to be happy. Not only is he older, French, non-Catholic - he's also black. And Pierre, a professor, knows that his own cultured parents will need a bit of time to get used to his tabloid columnist girlfriend, especially since they're going to get married immediately and head to Vancouver for his job. With hilarious flashbacks to Niamh's childhood with her larger-than-life family members, it won't be just Irish eyes that'll be smiling.
7/10
Eloise Manfred is offered a $100,000 wedding in exchange for featuring in a bridal magazine. With her mother dead and her father's whereabouts unknown, she accepts the offer to be the Modern Bride. But when faced with a Bird Bird gown, a vegan menu and a Leap Year wedding date, Eloise soon learns there's no such thing as a free wedding.
5/10
Imagine if you could meet your younger self - what advice would you give her? That's exactly what happens to 31-year-old Charlotte Merryweather. Charlotte has come a long way over the past 10 years - she runs her own PR company, wears great clothes; is about to enter the property market with boyfriend Miles; and religiously follows all sorts of dietary advice. When Charlotte spots her 21-year-old self driving her VW Beetle around town, she follows herself and meets up with Lottie - a girl still dreaming of being a writer, who lives in a slobby apartment, parties hard - and worse smokes, suntans and wears PVC trousers. As Charlotte tries to stop her younger self from making all sorts of mistakes, such as having a one-night stand with rock singer Billy Romani, it seems Lottie has some advice that the 30-something should heed.
7/10
When political researcher Jess is propositioned by her Conservative MP boss Basil Asquith, she's got no better offers on the table and so launches into a secret affair with him. But he continues to drag his feet about leaving his wife. So along comes boyfriend no. 2, journalist Mike Chapman, who caused a media scandal when he outed the MP's extra-curricular activities. But when Mike leaves her pregnant and alone, Jess - together with her loyal band of girlfriends - sets about wreaking revenge on the pair of them.
5/10
It's time for Diane to move on - she's packing up her family home after breaking up with her gambling husband, Steve. Her home is bought by icy divorce lawyer Annette, who was married to a gay artist. Homecoming queen Bonnie went the white picket fence route when she married her high school sweetheart and football star Buck. Now in her early 20s and with two young kids, he's become an unbearable bully. The women are all brought together at a furniture shop where Lana works. She is a former actress who disappeared from the spotlight when she left her leading man Lucas after his on-set affair. The four women are all members of the divorce club - ready to face life happier ever after.
7/10
Former Olympic runner Christy Hayes has built up her Baby G sports shoe label into a multi-million-dollar company. But her business partner, Katherine, leaks some negative stories about Christy and the company to the media and forces the board into making her CEO. So Christy decides to throw herself into being a wife and mother, with the new motto 'Marriage, children, career - pick two.' She falls for successful businessman Michael Drummond, who comes with a ready-made daughter, Ali. And so Christy enters the cruel competitive world of the yummy mummy mafia at Colby Girls' School.
7/10
Despite working for a sex research institute, Julia Flanagan has always played by the rules and put her family first, so her best friends dare her to live a little dangerously. But did they ever expect her to take up with Evan, a university poetry tutor; try to uncover whether husband Michael is having an affair with his band's singer; and worse yet - lie to her family that their pet rat is actually a dwarf Norwegian flat-coated guinea pig?
5/10
Three women are facing some personal trials - and somehow are connected through a fatal train crash in Dublin. Widow Rosie finds her two grown-up children are taking advantage of her. Daughter Sophie only seems to want her around to support her ridiculous mortgage, while son David's marriage has broken up so he wants to move back home. Lawyer Dara has just recently married a sweet man called Mark but knows her heart really belongs to the one that got away, Noah. And Louise is drowning in debt but is under pressure from her friends to maintain her expensive social life. She's hoping a looming court case will help her clear her debts. With Hill's trademark twists, some slowly revealed connections between the characters and the story building towards the train crash climax, it'll be wishful thinking for you to think you can put this book down before you reach the end.
7/10
When Beth Allen applies for a job with specialist travel company Big Outdoors, she's unaware she's about to face its new CEO, Jack Thornfield - a man she'd had a holiday romance with eight years earlier. He'd proposed but then disappeared. Although she doesn't want to spend time with the man who broke her heart, Beth takes the job, relieved she is able to help out her injured father and aspiring drama student sister Louise. She heads to London, leaving behind boyfriend Marcus. Will she find out what made Jack disappear and could they finally be in the right place at the right time? With the dialogue in this book so forced and the plot lacking any surprises, it was really a case of 'wish I'd never heard of this book'. But if you can't get enough of lines like: 'Why? Is the boss a prick?' 'Lou!' exclaimed Beth. She swore herself, but couldn't really complain. It was the thought of Jack and that part of his anatomy together that had shocked her . . . then throw this in your suitcase for a holiday read.
3/10
Angel may look like she's got the dream life, married to rugby league star Drew but behind closed doors their marriage is in trouble. Drew has become moody and withdrawn, secretly indulging in the sex, drugs and alcohol lifestyle that accompanies these feted football players. But Angel is also hiding a secret - an affair with one of Drew's Gladiators teammates which may have lead to the conception of her son Charlie. Written amid real-life football scandals, Shireen Lolesi has said she wrote the book as self-therapy after her marriage breakdown to an NRL rugby league player. While the writing won't score extra points, this story tackles how easily the fame, money and groupies can convert the scrum into scum. It will appeal to those after a sizzling insider's view into the life of a WAG.
5/10
Glamour model Jasmine has risen from an unfortunate background - and is now getting married to premiership soccer player Jimmy. But Jimmy is having trouble controlling himself when he drinks, someone is blackmailing her about a shameful secret from her past and her godfather Charlie has his own troubles running from his ex's powerful underworld father. Meanwhile her next-door neighbour, actress Lila, is worried that her age and fading beauty is making her Oscar-nominated husband Brett play away. Lila's friend, Maxi, is three times divorced but still desperate to get another ring on her finger - this time courtesy of her older Latin lover, singer Carlos. Then there is Grace, who as a journalist, wants to get to the bottom of all their stories. Set between London and Marbella in Spain, this mixes glamour with a dark plot that will keep you guessing to the end.
7/10
When Pelham jewellery store salesgirl Julia Pearce delivers a necklace to Lell, the store's heiress, on her wedding day, it gives her a pass into a different world. Lell and her friends, bitchy Polly and sweet Hope, adopt natural beauty Julia like modern day Henry Higgins. Lell gives the aspiring jewellery maker a job as her assistant and introduces her into Park Avenue society. But then Lell's new husband Will lets his roving eye land on Julia and the pack turn on her.
6/10
Best friends Aisling Moran and Jo Ryan think they have it all. Then Aisling discovers a lingerie receipt in her husband's pocket and Jo watches a blue line appear on a pregnancy test.
6/10
When Jesse's best friend dies after a car accident, she finds the only person who understands her pain is Cecile's widower, Zach. Is their friendship turning to romance, and if it does, will Jesse lose all her other friends in the process?
5/10
