BOOKSIMO

Description The Cotswolds: the perfect retreat for a stressed-out teacher. And Lucy has found just the right cottage for a bargain rent. All she has to do is keep an eye on Bunty, her extremely feisty ninety-something neighbour . . . With her West Highland terrier Hamish at her side, Lucy plans to relax and read up on the women of nearby Bletchley Park. But the villagers of Little Maudley have other ideas, and she finds herself caught up in the campaign to turn a dilapidated telephone box into a volunteer-run library. Along the way, she makes friends with treehouse designer Sam, and finds herself falling for the charms of village life. And it seems Bunty has a special connection to Bletchley and the telephone box, one that she's kept secret for decades . .  Review I was in seventh heaven reading this book! I just can't begin to tell you how much I enjoyed it. Probably aided by the fact that Lucy has a West Highland Terrier and I loved how very true to life all of

Description It’s Livia’s 40th birthday and she’s having the party of a lifetime to make up for the wedding she never had. Everyone she loves will be there except her daughter Marnie, who’s studying abroad. But although Livia loves Marnie, she’s secretly glad she won’t be at the party. She needs to tell Adam something about their daughter but she’s waiting until the party is over so they can have this last happy time together. Adam wants everything to be perfect for Livia so he’s secretly arranged for Marnie to come home and surprise her on her birthday. During the day, he hears some terrible news. He needs to tell Livia, because how can the party go on? But she’s so happy, so excited – and the guests are about to arrive. The Dilemma – how far would you go to give someone you love a last few hours of happiness? Review I found this book to be a very different read to previous B A Paris books which I loved so much. It wasn't a psychological  thriller to my way of thinkin

Description At sixteen years old, Irene ‘Reenie’ Calder is leaving school with little in the way of qualifications. She is delighted to land a seasonal job at Mackintosh’s Quality Street factory. Reenie feels like a kid let loose in a sweet shop, but trouble seems to follow her around and it isn’t long before she falls foul of the strict rules. Diana Moore runs the Toffee Penny line and has worked hard to secure her position. Beautiful and smart, the other girls in the factory are in awe of her, but Diana has a dark secret which if exposed, could cost her not only her job at the factory but her reputation as well. When a terrible accident puts supply of Quality Street at risk, Reenie has a chance to prove herself. The shops are full of Quality Street lovers who have saved up all year for their must-have Christmas treat. Reenie and Diana know that everything rests on them, if they are to give everyone a Christmas to remember… Review I was drawn to this book by the beautiful cov

Description In a small back alley in Tokyo, there is a café which has been serving carefully brewed coffee for more than one hundred years. But this coffee shop offers its customers a unique experience: the chance to travel back in time. In  Before the Coffee Gets Cold , we meet four visitors, each of whom is hoping to make use of the café’s time-travelling offer, in order to: confront the man who left them, receive a letter from their husband whose memory has been taken by early onset Alzheimer's, to see their sister one last time, and to meet the daughter they never got the chance to know. But the journey into the past does not come without risks: customers must sit in a particular seat, they cannot leave the café, and finally, they must return to the present before the coffee gets cold . . . Toshikazu Kawaguchi’s beautiful, moving story – translated from Japanese by Geoffrey Trousselot – explores the age-old question: what would you change if you could travel back i

Description The New York Times #1 Bestseller 'Millions of young women look to Marie Forleo as their inspiration for empowerment and achievement' Oprah Winfrey 'This book delivers a knockout punch to whatever is holding you back' Cheryl Strayed, author of Wild Do you ever have trouble finishing what you start? Do amazing ideas come to you all the time but after the initial excitement wanes you struggle to follow through? If you're creative and ambitious, the answer is likely yes. The problem isn't you. It's not that you're not hardworking, intelligent or deserving, but that you haven't yet installed the one key belief that will change everything: Everything is figureoutable. Whether you want to leave a dead-end job, heal a relationship, grow a business, master your money, or just find two free hours in your day, Everything is Figureoutable will train your brain to think more positively and help you break down any dream into manageable

Description Meet Ginny, 34, and Cassie, 55. Neighbours, and (very) unlikely friends. Some women have it all. Others are thirty-four and rent a tiny flat alone because they recently found their long-term boyfriend in bed with their boss. Ginny Taylor is certain her life can’t get any worse. But then she meets her downstairs neighbour…   Cassie Frost was once a beloved actress, but after a recent mishap she desperately needs a new publicist. And Ginny is a publicist who desperately needs a job – but can she be persuaded to work for the prickly woman who lives below her floorboards?   Ginny and Cassie are two very different women, but they have more in common than they’d care to imagine (or admit). And when their worlds collide, they realise that bad neighbours  could  become good friends… Review After a bit of a slow start to this book it turned out to be a great read.  I'm sure there will be comparisons with Bridget Jones and the narration by Ginny gives it a feel of tha

Description Escape to Notting Hill this Christmas… From the bestselling author of  Covent Garden in the Snow , this is the most romantic and charming book you’ll read this Christmas… A Notting Hill nativity… what could go wrong? Viola Smith plays the viola in an orchestra (yes really!) but this year she's been asked to stretch her musical talents to organising Notting Hill's local nativity. Nate Williams isn't looking forward to Christmas but as his small daughter, Grace, has the starring role in the show, he's forced to stop being a Grinch and volunteer with Viola. With the sparks between them hotter than the chestnuts roasting in Portobello market, Nate and Viola can't deny their feelings. And as the snow starts to fall over London, they find themselves trapped together in more ways than one… This is a gorgeously heartwarming and uplifting Christmas romance, perfect for fans of Sue Moorcroft, Isabelle Broom or any Hugh Grant romcom… From  Four Wedd

Description Rowena’s country is gone, squashed under a tide of tanks, bombs and Pale, immortal soldiers. But when her father returns from war as a hero, she discovers a new meaning of fear.  Join and Die. > Become one of them, take on the gray skin and yellow eyes of the Pale, and live forever in Sanguinia. With the the clock ticking on her family’s decision, Rowena’s forced into close quarters with Vincenzo, the handsome son of a powerful man and trendy social revolutionary, and then ambushed by Luka, a handsome, heavily armed criminal. Both want to recruit her for their causes, and Rowena, attracted to both, fears being discarded on serving her purpose. Can Rowena hold on to her family, her individuality, and even her life in Sanguinia, the city without a sun, or will the darkness of the world’s oldest empire, and the immortal Emperor Dominus, swallow her whole ? Review I know you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, but this one really hooked me and I'm gl

Description If faking love is this easy… how do you know when it’s real? The brand new novel from  Sunday Times  bestselling author Mhairi McFarlane Laurie and Jamie have the perfect office romance (They set the rules via email) Everyone can see they’re head over heels (They staged the photos) This must be true love (They’re faking it) When Laurie is dumped by her partner of eighteen years, she’s blindsided. Not only does she feel humiliated, they still have to work together. So when she gets stuck in the lift with handsome colleague Jamie, they hatch a plan to stage the perfect romance. Revenge will be sweet… But this fauxmance is about to get complicated. You can’t break your heart in a fake relationship – can you? Review I couldn't wait to get started with this the latest book from Mhairi McFarlane. I love her writing and I think this is maybe her best novel yet. To begin with I had forgotten how fast paced the dialogue in her books can be. I think s

Description An astonishing and evocative debut from a new voice in crime fiction. And now he knew what was wrong with the arrangement. It was the Ma… the negative space… There was only one thing beautiful enough to fill it and — finally — she was with him. Ready, if not willing, to play her role. Holly Blain wants to cover real news. The entertainment beat — pop stars and teen trends — was not why she moved to Tokyo. When she meets Inspector Tetsu Tanaka, head of Tokyo’s Metropolitan Police’s Gaikoku-jin unit, it might just be her big break. Tanaka isn’t so sure. Always one to do things by the book, he’s hesitant about bringing this headstrong reporter into his carefully controlled investigation. But young women keep disappearing and Tanaka is given no choice. He and Blain must trust each other if they are to stop a tormented killer from bringing his twisted plan to its shocking conclusion. Filled with twists and turns, this unforgettable thriller is JJ Ellis’ first nov

I'm so pleased to be on the book tour for this important book today. http://www.maturethinking.co.uk/ Description No one wants to think about getting older. It's true. At any age, when things are moving along normally day to day and everyone seems fit and well, there seems no reason to think about future problems that your friends and relatives might (and probably will) come across as they age. In fact, it might even seem a little morbid to think such thoughts, or possibly even tempting fate? Yet there will come a time when you must raise these issues and, ideally, this should be before any problems arise. The Essential Family Guide to Caring for Older People is the ultimate source of information and help for families with care responsibilities. Deborah Stone draws on her extensive experience working in elder care to offer practical advice on every aspect of the field indepth. Topics range from how to get help immediately, legal information, care funding options, a gu

Description An ex-con tracks down the men who have kidnapped her niece in this gritty and visceral thriller. Killian Delaney has a skewed moral compass, a high threshold for pain, and has just been released from prison to discover that someone has taken her niece. Killian does not hesitate. Loyalty is the most important thing in her life, and when she gets a call from her sister saying that her daughter is missing, Killian immediately begins hunting down the men responsible. She quickly discovers her niece was involved with a notorious biker gang who are engaged in everything from drugs to human trafficking. And to make it worse, the man who sent Killian to jail, the one she nearly beat to death, is at the center of it all. To save her niece, she'll need a plan. A smart, quick, and efficient one. Because she's going to do it right this time. She'll burn them to the ground. Review What a fantastic read this turned out to be. Killian Delaney is the star of the book, in

Description Maggie Moone is happily divorced. And with her talent for fixing things, she’s perfectly content with her mundane life in the sleepy English village of Saffron Sweeting. That is, until one humiliating March evening when she learns everyone else assumes she’d love to mend her broken marriage. Determined to prove them wrong, Maggie and her friends concoct a list of ten ways to assert her independence and live large. But her mission to move on leads to unexpected encounters, and Maggie soon finds herself mixing business with pleasure. Is the attractive young Irishman just another item on her list, or is he something more? Before long, unresolved issues from her past begin to clash, and Maggie is forced to wonder if antagonising her ex-husband was such a stellar idea. No sooner does she begin to understand what’s important to her, than she stands to lose everything that truly matters. This is the fourth in the collection of Saffron Sweeting romantic comedies, which can be

Description This long-awaited memoir from one of Britain's best-loved celebrities - a writer, broadcaster, activist, comic on stage, screen and radio for nearly forty years, presenter of QI and  Great British Bake Off  star - is an autobiography with a difference: as only Sandi Toksvig can tell it. ' Between the Stops  is a sort of a memoir, my sort. It's about a bus trip really, because it's my view from the Number 12 bus (mostly top deck, the seat at the front on the right), a double-decker that plies its way from Dulwich, in South East London, where I was living, to where I sometimes work - at the BBC, in the heart of the capital. It's not a sensible way to write a memoir at all, probably, but it's the way things pop into your head as you travel, so it's my way'. From London facts including where to find the blue plaque for Una Marson, 'The first black woman programme maker at the BBC', to discovering the best Spanish coffee under So

Description The Art of Looking Up  surveys 40 spectacular ceilings around the globe that have been graced by the brushes of great artists including Michelangelo, Marc Chagall and Cy Twombly. From the floating women and lotus flowers of the Senso-ji Temple in Japan, to the religious iconography that adorns places of worship from Vienna to Istanbul, all the way to bold displays like the Chihuly glass flora suspended from the lobby of the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas: this book takes you on a tour of the  extraordinary artworks that demand an alternative viewpoint .   History of art expert Catherine McCormack guides you through  the stories behind the artworks  – their conception, execution, and the artists that visualised them. In many cases, these artworks also make bold but controlled political, religious or cultural statements, revealing much about the society and times in which they were created. Divided by these social themes into four sections – Religion, Culture, Power and P

Description 'Learn to love your gut with this jam-packed book from Dr Megan'  - Jamie Oliver 'I've learnt so much from Megan,  looking after my gut is now a priority and I feel so good for it.  She's a huge inspiration to us'  - Ella Mills, author and founder of  Deliciously Ella The go-to lifestyle guide for a happy gut that will transform your health and wellbeing. Drawing from the latest research and a decade of experience as a dietitian and consultant at The Gut Health Clinic, Dr Megan Rossi explains how to feed your gut for a happier, healthier you using simple, delicious and gut-boosting recipes. Eat Yourself Healthy  is packed with over 50 delicious, easy-to-make meal ideas from delicious breakfast options such as banana, fig and courgette breakfast loaf and chickpea crepes, to crowd-pleasing dinner recipes including creamy pistachio and spinach pesto pasta and mouth-watering satay tofu skewers. Alongside Dr Rossi's gut-friendly recipe

THE LAST EDITION OF TENSE CRIME THRILLER SERIES SET IN BIRMINGHAM RECEIVES CITY CENTRE LAUNCH Birmingham has well and truly been put on the crime thriller map with the success of the TV series Peaky Blinders  but for bookworms amongst us the popular Trail Series has long brought readers into the modern day  21 st  century with its tense storylines, murder and intrigue set in and around the city. The Trail  series features a vodka business, a cancer cure and  obsessive killers.  Every book is a good read in its own right – each is a great crime story with terrific twists to keep the tension mounting - but together, they follow  the same characters over several years. The Trail series author AA Abbott also known as Helen Blenkinsop , has been compared with the likes of Ruth Rendell, John Grisham and Jeffrey Archer.  She lived and studied in Birmingham for nearly 20 years and her passion and love for the city became the inspiration for the Trail series. Now, after fou

Description A poignant ode to love and the memories that make a well-lived life, from the author of THE SINGLE LADIES OF JACARANDA RETIREMENT VILLAGE As the wife of retired ship's doctor Dr Henry Parker, Evelyn is living out her twilight years aboard the  Golden Sunset . Every night she dresses for dinner - gown, tiara, runners - and regales her fellow passengers with stories of a glamorous life travelling the world in luxury, as well as showing off her superior knowledge of everything from ships' customs to biographical details of her heroine, Florence Nightingale. The crew treat her with deference. And forbearance. But when Henry goes missing, Evelyn sets off to search every part of the grand ocean liner to find him, casino, nightclub and off-limits areas included. Misadventures are had, new friends are made, scandalous behaviour noted - all news to Evelyn. If only she could remember the events of the night before as clearly as she can recall the first time she me

I'm so pleased to be on the #LoveBooksTours for this book today. Blurb From a former Guardian and BBC writer, and author of The Donated, comes a hilarious story of mid-life crisis, family, technology, and coping with the modern workplace. Jack Cooper is a depressed, analogue throwback; a cynical, alcoholic Gen-Xer whose glory days are behind him. He's unemployed, his marriage has broken down, he's addicted to internet hook-ups, and is deeply ashamed of his son Geronimo, who lives life dressed as a bear. When Jack's daughter engineers a job for him at totally-lit tech firm Sweet, he's confronted by a Millennial and Zoomer culture he can't relate to. He loathes every detail - every IM, gif and emoji - apart from Freya, twenty years his junior and addicted to broadcasting her life on social media. Can Jack evolve to fit in at Sweet, or will he remain a dinosaur stuck in the 1980s? And will he halt his slide into loneliness and repair his family relatio

Description Set in the 1950s against the backdrop of Grace Kelly’s whirlwind romance and glamourous wedding to Prince Rainier of Monaco, New York Times bestselling author Hazel Gaynor and Heather Webb take the reader on an evocative sun-drenched journey along the Côte d’Azur in this page-turning novel of passion, fate, and second-chances. Movie stars and paparazzi flock to Cannes for the glamorous film festival, but Grace Kelly, the biggest star of all, wants only to escape from the flash-bulbs. When struggling perfumer Sophie Duval shelters Miss Kelly in her boutique, fending off a persistent British press photographer, James Henderson, a bond is forged between the two women and sets in motion a chain of events that stretches across thirty years of friendship, love, and tragedy. James Henderson cannot forget his brief encounter with Sophie Duval. Despite his guilt at being away from his daughter, he takes an assignment to cover the wedding of the century, sailing with Grace Kelly’