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A Rural Affair by Catherine Alliott
Publisher: Michael Joseph
Release Date: 21st July 2011
Rating: 2/5
Source: Received from the publisher for review
Amazon Summary:

Newly widowed Poppy Shilling should be feeling distraught at the death of her husband, Phil. But, instead, she can’t help feeling relieved. No longer will she have to endure Phil’s iron fist ruling over her and their two young children, or his unfortunate penchant for lycra cycling wear.

What’s more, when a secret is revealed after his death, Poppy’s memories of their life together are turned upside down.

Freed from the shackles of her loveless marriage, Poppy is determined not to make the same mistakes again. Fully embracing village life, she becomes the object of the local menfolk’s affections- from Bob, the resident odd ball, to Luke, the sexy church organist. But it’s just her luck that the one man who catches her eye can’t seem to let go of his glamorous ex wife…

Will Poppy have the courage to follow her heart and refuse to settle for second best? It’s time for a new beginning, and a chance to discover what real love feels like…

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Back When You Were Easier to Love by Emily Wing Smith
Publisher: Penguin USA
Release Date: April 28, 2026
Rating: 2/5
Source: Author, thank you!
Publishers Summary:

What’s worse than getting dumped? Not even knowing if you’ve been dumped. Joy got no goodbye, and certainly no explanation when Zan - the love of her life and the only good thing about stifling, backward Haven, Utah - unceremoniously and unexpectedly left for college a year early. Joy needs closure almost as much as she needs Zan, so she heads for California, and Zan, riding shotgun beside Zan’s former-best-friend Noah.

Original and insightful, quirky and crushing, Joy’s story is told in surprising and artfully shifting flashbacks between her life then and now. Exquisite craft and wry, relatable humor signal the arrival of Emily Wing Smith as a breakout talent.

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There Goes The Bride by Holly McQueen
Release Date: 12th May 2011
Publisher: Arrow (an imprint of Random House UK)
Rating: 2/5
Source: Sent from the publisher to review
Amazon Summary:

Polly Atkins is getting married. And her older sister Bella couldn’t be more excited. Not only will Polly be home after five years in New York, but she’s coming back to marry the most perfect man on the planet, Dev. Dresses, cake, first dance … Bella’s looking forward to getting stuck into the arrangements. Polly’s best friend Grace is just as excited. She’s can’t wait to walk down the aisle behind her childhood ally, especially as the stylish Polly wouldn’t dream of dressing her bridesmaids in anything but the best, which will make a welcome change to the ‘mum-wear’ she’s adopted since her second child was born. The only person who doesn’t seem to be bursting with enthusiasm is Polly. Which is why, before things can get any more chaotic, she calls the whole thing off. And there’s no way she’s going to tell them why. Some secrets are best kept hidden. But she’s reckoned without Grace and Bella, who are determined to get Polly and Dev back together if it’s the last thing they do. After all, solving someone else’s problems has got to be better than dealing with their own …? 

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Laura Lovegrove has been left a little shell-shocked after her sudden upheaval from her lovely home in London to their run down cottage in Norfolk due to her husband’s job demands. Laura wasn’t expecting everything that comes with country life - nosy neighbours, the sudden inclusion of a pet into their home and a cottage that is falling apart around their ears. Not to mention the fact that Laura’s ex Chris is surprisingly on the scene, and looking pretty handsome too. When the cottage and Laura’s fashion collection is destroyed by a fire, she decides to set about making things out of the items she can save and quickly becomes a hit around the village. But while her job is becoming successful, her relationship with hubby Adi is dwindling. Will Laura be able to sew her family back together again, and make a success of her business too?

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Meet Vanessa, an almost thirty-something New Yorker who thinks she’s got it all: marriage-material boyfriend Ethan, her own bilingual preschool, a closet full of designer fashions, and daily diner dates with her best friend Emily. But when Ethan doesn’t turn out to be all he’s supposed to be, Vanessa’s world instantly unravels. Suddenly single, she stumbles upon a wealthy man and moves to Palm Beach to marry him, only to find the shocking truth behind the source of his wealth. Is having everything worth sacrificing who you really are? But what about the Shoe Salon at Bergdorf’s? The Louboutin collection? Vanessa finds herself at a crossroads, and the choices she makes might surprise everyone—even herself. Witty, insightful, and eminently relatable, Erica Negi’s story is a modern twist on the Cinderella tale—albeit in designer shoes. Reminiscent of the works of Jennifer Weiner and Candace Bushnell, My Life in Loubies is one woman’s uproarious journey to adulthood.

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When Kelly, Ana and Sera decide to take charge of their financial futures and go into business for themselves, anything and everything is possible. From door-to-door sales to bathing fancy pets, it’s a no holds barred adventure when the three best friends combine their talents and taste for success. But when secrets are exposed and friendship is on the line, it’s time to get serious. Will Kelly commit to doing what she is truly passionate about? Will Sera push past her pride when they need help? And is Ian “the one”?

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Every young girl dreams of meeting Prince Charming. But what if the prince turns into the frog instead of the other way around? Diana Kay is thirty years old, single and pregnant. A glamorous socialite, she has just landed her dream job on TV as a dating guru. But how can she advise women on their struggling love lives when she’s hiding a secret pregnancy? And why has the baby’s father, who swore he’d love her forever, decided instead to vanish off the face of the earth? Terrified of losing her television job, Diana watches her bump grow bigger by the day. How long can she keep pretending she’s developed a sudden fondness for jam doughnuts? When it all becomes too much she flees to the West of Ireland in search of peace and privacy. Instead she stumbles on a dark family secret. Diana soon forgets her own personal turmoil as she delves into the past. But is it really a good idea to resurrect a shocking scandal that has been so firmly swept under the family carpet?

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What do you do after you walk down the aisle in four weddings in a few months-none of them your own? What’s left after you’ve donned the must-have-not dresses of the season, forked over your cash, and fake-smiled your way through countless photos? After you’ve dealt with the smashed guest, the smooshed cake, the dashed hopes, and the missed bouquets? That’s what Cate Padgett is starting to wonder, as she embarks on stint after stint on the sidelines, watching friends swap bar-hopping for baby-naming…while her own love life goes nowhere fast. But is Cate unwilling to settle down-or just unwilling to settle? And can anyone really judge her if they haven’t walked in her dyed-to-match shoes? Wild, witty, and full of weddings to cry over, Always the Bridesmaid is an endearingly romantic comedy about standing out in the crowd even when everyone’s wearing the same celery-green dress…and daring to make every day The Happiest Day of Your Life.

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