Archive for August, 2011

Cosmo’s Sexiest Stories Ever: Three Naughty Tales by Jane Green, Jennifer Weiner and Meg Cabot
Release Date: August 23rd 2011
Rating: 5/5
Source: Open Road Media, thank you!
Publishers Summary:

The world’s best-selling magazine for young women asked three best-selling authors to each write a story steamy enough for the pages of Cosmo—a tall order, but these ladies so delivered. The trio of tantalizing tales was such a hit that they’ve been compiled into this must-have ebook. Now, readers can devour these naughty little nuggets whenever, wherever.
Here’s a taste of the deliciousness inside: “Sex Under the Stars” by Jane Green - Maggie’s marriage fell apart three years ago—and now she has her eyes set on her ex-hubby’s smoke-show of a best friend. “Birthday Sex She’ll Never Forget” by Jennifer Weiner - Daphne’s turning twenty-six, and the best damn gift she could have ever asked for comes in the form of a hot guy from her past—and his spine-tingling mattress moves. “Falling in Lust at the Jersey Shore” by Meg Cabot - When Gemma agrees to go in on a house at the Jersey Shore, she assumes every dude there will be a gorilla juicehead. So she is pleasantly surprised by the yummy piece of eye candy waiting for her when she arrives.

(more…)

Today I’m excited to share with our readers a little something you might find really fun and the perfect way to end out your summer months. Three of the biggest names in Chick Lit have come together to write a set of short stories to be published in an eBook for Cosmopolitan Magazine and Open Road Media. What happens in Cosmo’s Sexiest Stories Ever: Three Naughty Tales is something I’ll share in my review a little later today, but until then take a look at the story behind the partnership…

Cosmo’s Sexiest Stories Ever: Three Naughty Tales by Jane Green, Jennifer Weiner and Meg Cabot

The world’s bestselling magazine for young women asked three bestselling authors to each write a story steamy enough for the pages of Cosmo—a tall order, but these ladies so delivered. The trio of tantalizing tales was such a hit that they’ve been compiled into this must-have ebook. Now, readers can devour these naughty little nuggets whenever, wherever. Here’s a taste of the deliciousness inside.

“Sex Under the Stars” by Jane Green

Maggie’s marriage fell apart three years ago—and now she has her eyes set on her ex-hubby’s smoke-show of a best friend.

“Birthday Sex She’ll Never Forget” by Jennifer Weiner

Daphne’s turning twenty-six, and the best damn gift she could have ever asked for comes in the form of a hot guy from her past—and his spine-tingling mattress moves.

“Falling in Lust at the Jersey Shore” by Meg Cabot

When Gemma agrees to go in on a house at the Jersey Shore, she assumes every dude there will be a gorilla juicehead. So she is pleasantly surprised by the yummy piece of eye candy waiting for her when she arrives.

What I thought was fantastic was the piece they each did for The Kindle Daily Post. Each of them was interviewed about their experiences writing these short stories and it was hilarious to see how they were able to find the characters for these steamy scenes. Obviously this is going to be one for those of our readers who like their books a bit more on the naughty side, but at only .99 cents for the eBook its a steal!

Find it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and on iTunes.

So, what do you think? Will you be picking up this eBook for a glimpse into something different from some of your favorite authors?

Wrapped Up In You by Carole Matthews
Publisher: Sphere (An imprint of Little Brown Book Group UK)
Release Date: 25th August 2011 (Hardback)/27th October 2011 (Paperback)
Rating: 3/5
Source: Received from publisher for review
Amazon Summary:

A Christmas fling, or has Janie found the real thing? Thirty-something hairdresser Janie Johnson’s single status is a constant source of gossip for her friends and clients. So after too many nights in with her cat, a blind date disaster and news that her ex is getting married, Janie realises it’s time to do something dramatic with her life. It’s time for an adventure! Leaving winter behind, Janie takes the plunge and books an exotic trip to Africa. Her friends think she’s mad and Janie thinks they may very well be right …but then she falls head over heels for her tour guide - and fully fledged Maasai Warrior - Dominic. But can Janie now face spending a snowy Christmas back home without him? Packed with unforgettable characters, romance and laughter, Wrapped Up In You is your very own perfect Christmas Carole!

(more…)

Before Victoria Connelly got her book deal with Avon, she wrote three novels that were published in Germany (in German) but Victoria has made the three books available for Kindle now - in English! - and you can buy them from Amazon US and Amazon UK. They’re currently at a very low price, so snap them up soon!

Unmasking Elena Montella

Following your heart’s desire is much easier when you’re invisible … Elena Montella has some problems. Their names are Reuben, Mark and Prof and she’s engaged to all three of them. But it’s time she made her mind up because they’re all expecting a wedding by the end of the year. In her turmoil, she flees to her sister’s in Venice but she doesn’t expect that each of her fiancés will follow her there. And she certainly doesn’t expect to be given a magical mask which gives her the power of invisibility, and the rare opportunity to spy on her fiancés and find out who, if any, is the right one for her. But is her invisibility just masking the real fears she harbours from her past? The Unmasking of Elena Montella is a magical romantic comedy about falling in love, over and over again, and trying to discover just who is ‘The One’.

Three Graces

Carys Miller doesn’t believe in the aristocracy nor does she believe in the supernatural. So, when she finds herself married to Richard Bretton, 12th Duke of Cuthland, and living in his haunted house, she wonders if she’s going mad. As the new mistress of Amberley Court, Carys discovers she’s now in charge of a house the size of a small village. And, as if that isn’t enough to be getting on with, she finds herself in the most unpopular of roles: a stepmother to young Cecily and Evie. Carys desperately needs help but she doesn’t expect it to come from an eighteenth-century duchess who simply refuses to leave Amberley. Three Graces is a romantic fantasy about mothers, daughters, lovers and ghosts, and how the past always manages to find its way into the present.

Flight of Angels

Just when you think you’ve found true love, death gets in the way … What would you do if your husband died and you started seeing tiny angels on your desk at work? What would you do if your girlfriend left with your life savings, leaving only a broken heart and a goldfish behind? Claudie and Simon: two people battered and bruised by life. But can they learn to love again? Flights of Angels - a romantic comedy with a heavenly twist!

Headline has acquired two novels from debut Irish author Nicola Doherty, who currently works as a copywriter for The Folio Society.

Associate publisher Sherise Hobbs bought British Commonwealth rights for The Out of Office Girl and a second book from Rowan Lawton at PFD.

Hobbs said: “Headline has always specialised in finding and nurturing new talent in the area of women’s fiction and when we read Nicola’s novel, we all knew we had discovered someone very special. She has absolutely captured the hilarious highs and excruciating lows of a young woman just starting out in her publishing career in London, and The Out of Office Girl will be a major paperback launch for us next summer.”

Doherty began her publishing career working for Anne-Louise Fisher, before becoming an editor at Hodder and then joining The Folio Society.

Taken from The Bookseller

It’s always great to hear about publishers obtaining new and exciting authors in the chick lit world, and this sounds like no exception! I’ve had a little look on Amazon and it’s scheduled for a release date of 15th March 2012, and by the sound of synopsis, it’s going to be one to look out for!

Alice Roberts may work on celebrity autobiographies, but her life is anything but A-list. She’s stuck in the office in rainy London for the summer, overlooked by her terrifying boss Olivia and she’s just been dumped by text message. Things couldn’t really get much worse. But her life takes a dramatic u-turn when Olivia is suddenly taken ill and Alice finds herself on a plane to Sicily to work with Hollywood film star Luther Carson on his book. Luther is perfect pin-up material: he’s beautiful, brooding and looks fabulous without his shirt on. But he’s also secretive; what is he hiding about his past? And when will Luther’s arrogant, yet infuriatingly attractive, agent, Sam, let Alice get on with her job? Alice has just days to come up with the book, or Olivia will make sure her career is over before it’s begun. Suddenly summer in Sicily doesn’t seem so dreamy after all. But maybe Alice is due her own Hollywood ending?

The Look of Love by Judy Astley
Publisher: Bantam Press
Release Date: 7th July 2011
Rating: 4/5
Source: Received from the publisher for review.
Amazon Summary:

Bella has given up on men. Happily divorced, her latest boyfriend just omitted to tell her about his current wife, so she’s back on her own again. Then her ex-husband turns up, wanting to sell the family home in which she and their two teenage children are well settled.

But all their lives are changed when a television company rents the house for a reality TV fashion makeover programme. Against her better judgment Bella finds herself taking part in the programme, and while she learns a little bit too much about what really goes on behind the scenes, she also discovers that love can appear in the most unexpected places…

(more…)

Debut author Charity Norman released her first novel Freeing Grace this year, and I had the pleasure of reading this very enjoyable book. After reading it, I was given the opportunity to interview Charity and ask her some of my questions about her book. Our thanks go to Sam from Allen&Unwin for her help, and for Charity for taking part in the interview!

Q1. Tell us briefly about your book ‘Freeing Grace’.

Abandoned at birth, baby Grace Serenity is up for adoption. A childless couple delightedly await her arrival, but her young father has fallen for her during his contact visits and cannot bear to give her up. In a bid to keep their child, his family ask a friend – rootless New Zealander Jake Kelly – to trace Grace’s grandmother who has run away to Kenya. Simply by being born, this baby changes forever the lives of those around her. What is best for Grace – her troubled biological family or an adoptive couple?

Q2. Where did you get the idea for the story from?

I used to be a barrister in an earlier life, and often worked with families in danger of losing their children into the care system. The courts were faced with desperate dilemmas and sometimes there was no obvious solution. I met very young fathers who cared deeply for their children; they could seem sidelined in the process so I wanted to portray the feelings of a schoolboy father. Also my sister has two children who are adopted, so it’s something I’ve thought about a lot. (more…)

I absolutely adore Lucy Dillon’s novels, and was thrilled to see she is back this winter with another brand novel (and another gorgeous wintery cover!) on 10th November. The Secret of Happy Ever After sounds wonderful, and I can’t wait to read it. I have to say the cover is beautiful too. Here’s the synopsis:

When story-lover Anna takes over Longhampton’s bookshop, it’s her dream come true. And not just because it gets her away from her three rowdy stepchildren and their hyperactive Dalmatian.

Unpacking boxes filled with childhood classics, Anna can’t shake the feeling that maybe her own fairytale ending isn’t all that she’d hoped for. But, as the stories of love, adventure, secret gardens, lost dogs, wicked witches and giant peaches breathe new life into the neglected shop, Anna and her customers get swept up in the magic too.

Even Anna’s best friend Michelle - who categorically doesn’t believe in true love and handsome princes - isn’t immune.

But when secrets from Michelle’s own childhood come back to haunt her, and disaster threatens Anna’s home, will the wisdom and charm of the stories in the bookshop help the two friends - and those they love - find their own happy ever afters?