There are so many exciting debuts being released in 2012 and The Book of Summers by Emylia Hall is one that I’ve been seeing lots of buzz about. I was already in love with the beautiful cover and then I saw the book trailer below, released earlier this week and am completely intrigued!

Beth Lowe has been sent a parcel.

Inside is a letter informing her that her long-estranged mother has died, and a scrapbook Beth has never seen before. Entitled The Book of Summers, it’s stuffed with photographs and mementos complied by her mother to record the seven glorious childhood summers Beth spent in rural Hungary.

It was a time when she trod the tightrope between separated parents and two very different countries; her bewitching but imperfect Hungarian mother and her gentle, reticent English father; the dazzling house of a Hungarian artist and an empty-feeling cottage in deepest Devon. And it was a time that came to the most brutal of ends the year Beth turned sixteen.

Since then, Beth hasn’t allowed herself to think about those years of her childhood. But the arrival of The Book of Summers brings the past tumbling back into the present; as vivid, painful and vital as ever.

The Book of Summers is released in hardback on 1st March and in paperback in June. Find out more and read an extract at http://www.thebookofsummers.co.uk/

‘Am I dead? I don’t feel dead…’

Sophie cannot leave the people she loves. Her husband, Ollie – a man who once watered a houseplant for a year before realising it was plastic – is lost without her. Their son Freddie is so little. And her friend Jenny? There’s something she desperately needs to know before it’s too late.

Sophie is only thirty-five when she gets hit by a bus on Regent Street, leaving her husband Ollie, six year old son Freddie,  her best friend Jenny and the rest of her family and friends shocked and grieving. But Sophie hasn’t quite left them yet; she’s still floating around, watching over her nearest and dearest.  The Angel at No. 33 is the story of Sophie and her loved ones in the year following her death. You might be forgiven for thinking this would be a real tear-jerker of a novel and of course, in places it is (Sophie’s little boy Freddie got to me every time) but as well as being incredibly moving The Angel at No. 33 is also funny, insightful and ultimately uplifting.

Sophie tells us much of the story herself with heartfelt, often amusing commentary on her life and death that strikes just the right emotional balance. If I met someone like Sophie in real life I’d probably be quite intimidated (gorgeous, amazing husband, life and soul of every party, clever and funny) but as a ghostly presence, Sophie becomes more reflective about her life and what was actually important and I loved the observations that she came up with as she watched over the people she loves most.

Alternating with Sophie’s thoughts, the rest of the novel is told in the third person and focuses on key characters trying to cope without Sophie. Predominantly Ollie and Jenny but also the Muswell Hill mums; Sophie’s quirky, eclectic and slightly frightening local support network. The Muswell Hill mums cover a multitude of mummy categories with Tash, the hot divorcee, Lydia the emotional one and Suze, the ultimate organiser and as they launch into committee mode in a bid to rescue Ollie from self destruction and domestic neglect this storyline brings a lot of the humor to the book! Jenny is also roped into their plans as the person who knows Sophie, Freddie and Ollie best and the coming together of the different friends in Sophie’s life made me think about my own friends and the ways I mix them or don’t!

Jenny has her own set of problems in the form of fiance Sam who is reluctant to set a wedding date and Sophie’s death also makes her step back and evaluate her life. I liked Jenny a lot, perhaps because she seems to be the most ‘normal’ of the female characters in the book but also because she tries so hard to be there for everyone and genuinely cares without going overboard.

As Ollie and Freddie’s lives become open to scrutiny, Williams addresses issues of bereavement, grieving and moving on, truthfully and I only had one small gripe about one of Ollie’s actions as he tries to come to terms with Sophie’s death. I liked the way Sophie is used as the detached observer to bring wry observations and humor to sensitive issues without belittling them.

Well written with engaging characters, I liked Polly William’s style and found The Angel at No. 33 to be a real page turner. Thanks to a mysterious box of hidden letters and a cryptic ‘to do’ list left by Sophie there is also an element of mystery to the plot. Although the subject matter is sad and very moving, it’s not depressing and  The Angel at No. 33 is a bittersweet, romantic and enjoyable read.

4/5

The Angel at No. 33 is Polly’s sixth novel and is out now. You can find out more about Polly and her books at: http://www.pollywilliams.com/

Does every relationship deserve a second chance?

When chief romantic Rose Delaney scores her dream job at London’s quirkiest new attraction, The Museum of Broken Hearts, she thinks she’s got it made. Sure, it’s a little depressing dealing with relics of failed relationships each day, but Rose is determined not to let it break her ‘love conquers all’ spirit. After discovering the museum’s handsome curator is nursing a broken heart of his own, Rose steps in to fix it. Can Rose heal the rift, or will this happy ending go awry?

Regular readers will know that I’m a big fan of Talli Roland’s novels so whilst I’m waiting eagerly for her next book to be released, I thought I’d read her novella Miracle at the Museum of Broken Hearts. For those who haven’t read any of Talli’s writing yet, this novella is the perfect opportunity to get a feel for her books. The story is full of Talli’s trademark warmth, humour and romance and I thought the idea of a Museum of Broken Hearts was quirky and original.

Rose is a hopeless romantic and very much an optimist and was a girl after my own heart from the beginning. As we meet her she’s working in the basement of the British Museum and thoroughly fed up with her fossil cataloguing job so when she sees the advert for a job at The Museum of Broken Hearts she has to apply! Despite the protestations of her best friend Mel who tells it like it is, Rose heads into the job full of enthusiasm and quickly decides that she needs to help her new (and very handsome) boss mend his own broken heart. Talli has created two lovely characters in Rose and Heath and the story is a clever take on both relationships and love with a couple of fab twists in the tale.

Some short stories are just that – a nice quick read but not much to them but I was impressed by the substance of this one. It’s an excellent read and very much worth the pennies that it cost to download.

*STOP PRESS* Miracle at the Museum of Broken Hearts is FREE to download on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com today so grab it quick!

You can find out more abou Talli and her books at: http://talliroland.blogspot.com/

Thirty-something Elyse is happy with her life. That is to say, she’s not actively unhappy. She’s got a perfectly nice husband, child, home and life and knows she should be grateful. Returning home one day from a work trip, she meets an attractive married man on a plane who forces her to question her life – and ultimately find it wanting. There are consequences for Elyse, her husband, her child and her circle of close friends, all of whom have an investment in her life continuing as normal. But things will never be the same again – and is ‘normal’ what she really wants after all?

Love in Mid Air dives straight into the story with an opening chapter that triggers events for the rest of the book as Elyse meets a stranger on a plane and feels an instant attraction to him. Confessing her unhappy marriage, she returns to her husband and family and the remainder of the novel examines the change this encounter brings about in Elyse’s life and the knock on impacts on her family and friends.

I have really mixed feelings about this book. It’s well written and the story held my attention as I really wanted to know what the outcome would be for Elyse, but I really didn’t like her as a character and I disagreed with many of her actions throughout the book. Elyse came across to me as quite a selfish person who was very much caught up in her own issues, which is perhaps understandable in the context of her unhappiness with her marriage but it was her judgements and condemnation of her friends that I found difficut to understand, particularly poor Belinda who is pitied because her clothes aren’t fashionable and her children seem to get into a lot of accidents.

I expected Love in Mid Air to be a story of strong female friendship and support. On the surface Elyse has a close group of friends who meet regularly for walks and lunches, have a book group and are active church and community members, supporting each other with their lives and children. Under the surface though, none of the women in the book are happy in their relationships. Their dissatisfaction seems to go further than a good moan over a glass of wine and the implication for much of the story is that women are the ones that stay and the group are quite willing to just carry on in the bubble they have created. I’m a very optimistic person and while I understand that everyone can’t always be happy, I found the deptiction of suburban life in Love in Mid Air a little depressing.  In fairness, Elyse is the one to say that she doesn’t accept the status quo but as I’ve already said, I wasn’t keen on the ways that she went about making changes to her life and I mainly ended up feeling really sorry for her little girl whose reaction to events wasn’t really explored.

Love in Mid Air is very much Elyse’s story. It’s written in the first person so has a very immediate and intimate feel to it. Kim Wright has certainly given voice to Elyse warts and all and I admire her for creating a character that will challenge readers. This wasn’t the book for me but if you’re looking for a fresh voice and a thought provoking take on marriage, relationships and aspects of female friendship this could be the book for you.

3/5

I’d like to thank Sam at Allen and Unwin for sending me a copy of this book for review.

You can find out more about Kim Wright and Love in the Air on her website at: http://loveinmidair.com/

Joanne Kavanagh and best friend Suzie pack their bags and swap dreary, depressing Dublin for the cool Californian coast. Both are determined to start a new life in the land of opportunity, leaving behind the recession and their complicated families.

They make a pact at the airport to stick religiously to the ‘LA Commandments’, a list of ten ‘Thou Shalt Nots’ for their new life in LA, including ‘Thou Shall Not Fall in Love,’ but when Jo befriends sexy, shy musician Marc, and Suzie falls for womanizing bar-man Chris, not only are the commandments at risk of being broken, but also the girls’ hearts…

With all California has to offer —sunshine, shopping, killer nightlife, and drop-dead-gorgeous men, will the girls stay faithful to the LA Commandments?

The LA Commandments was a surprising read. Having read the synopsis, I was expecting a lighthearted chick lit novel about two friends jetting off for fun and sun in California; what I found was a gripping story with lighthearted moments but also a much more serious side than I expected. Once I started reading I couldn’t put this book down and the final twist really surprised me.

The story begins on the day that Jo and Suzie leave for LA and is told in the first person from Jo’s point of view. I enjoyed the excitement as the two girls headed off for their new beginning and I thought the idea of the LA Commandments (a set of rules that the girls would follow as they enjoyed their trip) was fun but I was surprised to find that the book mainly just focuses on one of the commandments “Thou shalt not fall in love”. To say that the pair don’t stick to that commandment is a bit of an understatement with Suzie especially having an eye for the men from the off and soon developing a major crush on bar-man Chris. Jo’s romance is more slow burning and both girls encounter their fair share of romantic drama as the story progresses and the ups and downs of their relationships had me hooked!

I thought Jo and Suzie were both interesting characters and the relationship between them as best friends was realistic and well developed. My only minor criticism is that they both came across to me as a bit too fixated on their weight/looks at times despite it being clear that neither of them had anything to worry about! The supporting cast are also interesting and varied and between them raise a number of more serious issues including cancer, depression and alcoholism. Duffy certainly isn’t afraid to tackle some hard hitting issues and their repercussions on loved ones, family and friends and does so in a sensitive and thought provoking way.

The story ambles along quite gently to begin with as the girls get to know their new surroundings, find somewhere to live and try to find jobs but it really picks up pace as Jo and Marc’s relationship develops and this was my favourite part of the book. I thought Marc was a lovely character and his up and coming star status added a fab touch of LA cool to the story. The sunny California setting is vividly described and Duffy certainly knows her locations.

Overall, The LA Commandments is a romantic and bittersweet novel that I really enjoyed.  This is a story of love, friendship and family and the ending in particular is one that I won’t forget. A strong debut from Gillian Duffy and I’m already looking forward to reading her next novel which should be out later in the year.

4/5

I’d like to thank Gillian and her publisher for sending me a copy of this book for review.

You can find out more about Gillian and her writing at: http://theduffydiary.wordpress.com/

The paperback of Lisa Jewell’s The Making of Us is out in May with a lovely new cover. It’s a complete change from Lisa’s previous covers and gives a very different impression to, not only to her other books, but also the original cover release.  I loved the original striking turquoise cover, which is the edition I have, but I also think the new cover is beautiful. What do you think?

Either way, I’ve had this one on my ‘to read’ pile for far too long so plan to read it very soon!

They say friends are the new family. But what happens when you can no longer ignore the invisible ties that bind us all, in the end, to our biological family?

Lydia, secure in her controlled, successful and organised London life, thinks that she’s better off alone. But a mysterious letter is about to change everything…

Dean thinks his life is going nowhere, until a terrible tragedy forces him to reassess everything and turn his life around.

And there’s Robin – young, ambitious and independent, but starting to question who she really is and what she wants from life.

Lydia, Robyn and Dean don’t know each other – yet.

But they are bound together by a secret. A secret that will bring them together, turn their lives upside down and show them what friendship, love and familyreally mean …

What if the thing you most longed for was resting on a two week wait?

After a health scare, Brighton-based Lou is forced to confront the fact that her time to have a baby is running out. She can’t imagine a future without children, but it seems her partner doesn’t feel the same way, and she’s not sure whether she could go it alone.

Meanwhile, up in Yorkshire, Cath is longing to start a family with her husband, Rich. No one would be happier to have a child than Rich, but Cath is infertile.

Could these strangers help one another out?

The Two Week Wait is Sarah Rayner’s fourth novel. Her last book, One Moment, One Morning has sold over 200,000 copies in the UK and I’d been hearing lots of good things about The Two Week Wait so when I was offered a review copy, I jumped at the chance. I haven’t read any of Sarah’s previous novels so approached the book with an open mind but expecting an emotional read based on the synopsis. What I found was a fantastic read that absorbed me more than any book has in a long time. I read it in two days because I just couldn’t put it down; I just had to know what happened to Lou and Cath and their hopes for becoming mothers.

I became totally involved in both Lou and Cath’s stories from almost the first page. The narrative doesn’t hang around and events move swiftly as Lou’s health scare prompts her to consider parenthood sooner than she thought and Cath is determined to explore all of the options for having children despite her own infertility. Rayner has clearly done her research and the novel gives a very clear insight into the practicalities of the IVF and egg donation process which combined with the emotional exploration of the subject taking in Cath and Lou’s experiences and the thoughts and feelings of their partners, friends and families gave me as a reader much to think about as the story progressed.

Rayner explores the topic of IVF treatment and egg donation from a myriad of angles and I was impressed by just how many varied viewpoints she wove into the novel whilst maintaining the personal and emotional connection with Lou and Cath. I loved that the book wasn’t black and white about parenthood and raising children and I’d highly recommend this book to book groups as I imagine there could be some really lively discussions arising from it.

For fans of Rayner’s previous novel, One Moment, One Morning, a number of the characters from that novel are present in this one, including Lou but there are also new characters including Cath, her partner Rich and their families. You don’t need to have read one book to enjoy the other although, having enjoyed Rayner’s writing so much, I do plan to read her other novels now.

It fascinated me that the two key characters never meet yet are so intimately involved in each others’ lives and the book is cleverly written to maintain the two stories in separation. Rayner’s writing and style reminded me of one of my favourite authors, Maggie O’Farrell in the way that she gets to the heart of her characters emotions and puts them on the page beautifully. As a mum, I think I would have had a strong emotional connection to the book anyway but Rayner took that connection to another level through the depth of feeling that she provoked in me for her characters.

The story is told in alternating ‘snapshopts’ featuring Lou and Cath which makes for great pace and gripping reading. I was so wrapped up in events that I was telling my husband about them as though they were happening to friends of mine. Rayner held my attention right to the last page with an epilogue that made me cry. This book is absolutely deserving of my first 5/5 for a 2012 release and I highly recommend it to readers looking for a sensitive, warm and absorbing read.

5/5

The Two Week Wait is available exclusively from Waterstons now and will be available on general release on March 1st.

You can find out more about Sarah Rayner and her novels on her website at: http://www.thecreativepumpkin.com/

With thanks to Emma at ed public relations for sending me a review copy.

Dara Flood always says the most interesting thing about her life happened before she was born. Thirteen days before she came into the world, her father walked up the road and never came back.

Now in her twenties, Dara’s life has a careful routine. She lives in Dublin with her mother and sister Angel. She has pizza with friends every Wednesday, salsa class every Friday, and sees her boyfriend every Saturday. It’s safe and that’s the way she likes it.

Then Angel gets desperately sick and Dara’s ordered life falls apart. Neither she nor her mother is a compatible match for the kidney Angel needs. So Dara sets out to find the father who could be their last hope. But on the path to uncovering the truth about her father, Dara learns that to let life – and love – in, sometimes you just have to let go . . .

Finding Mr Flood is Ciara Geraghty’s third novel, but the first book of hers that I’ve read. As regular readers of this blog will know, I love discovering new authors and Ciara is now high on my list of ‘finds’. Ciara’s writing style in Finding Mr Flood is individual and different and gives the story, told in the third person, a quirky air which I really enjoyed.

This is a large book at over 500 pages and there is a huge amount of detail and complexity in the characters and plot. At times I felt that the amount of detail made for slow (but still enjoyable) reading but there are also parts of the book that are fast paced and had me racing through the pages, particularly in the final part of the story.

As the novel begins we are introduced to a number of key characters in quick succession; the Flood family, consisting of Dara, her sister Angel and their Mother who is referred to for the majority of the novel as ‘Mrs Flood’, their neighbor Mrs Pettigrew, Dara’s lover Ian, her colleagues (Tintin and Anya) at the dog pound where she works and in a seemingly unrelated plot-line, Stanley Flinter, his five brothers and family. Stanley is the youngest of six brothers and having a rough time of things, particularly in his love life and career.

I was impressed by the depth that both key characters and minor ones display; Geraghty has really got inside the heads of all of her subjects and the story is peppered with intimate facts and feelings which really made me connect with Dara and Stanley and although she only has a small role, I loved Mrs Pettigrew.

The ‘Mr Flood’ of the book title vanished just before Dara was born and the majority of the book charts Dara’s quest to find him in the hope of securing a kidney match for Angel. But as much as the book focuses on Dara’s search for her father, the real story is that of Dara’s development as she faces her fears and takes control of her life. I felt for Dara straight away; she has a difficult relationship with her mother, blames herself for her father leaving and the sister she relies upon for security and warmth has an uncertain future. There are a number of twists and turns to the plot which make for an engaging story and I thought the romantic element was excellent and very well developed.

Overall this is a bittersweet and emotionally charged novel which tackles some heartbreaking topics. But despite the sad themes running through the book there is also a lot of humor, much of it very subtly observed and Ciara Geraghty’s writing is warm and sensitive. I really enjoyed this involving read and if you are looking for a novel with emotional depth, an element of mystery, great storytelling and a lovely romance then this could be the book for you!

4/5

I’d like to thank Katy at Hodder for sending me a copy of this book for review.

You can find out more about Ciara Geraghty and her novels at: http://www.ciarageraghty.com/

When tabloid allegations see Anna Lloyd rejected by her husband, Leader of the Opposition Richard Williams, the betrayal ignites terrible memories of her abused childhood. However, when Anna reveals her suffering to the press she quickly becomes a national heroine, and her husband’s ratings plummet. With their fortunes reversed, can Anna forgive the man she loves – or will Richard’s raw ambition cost him the most powerful job in the land?

Polls Apart is the debut novel from Clare Stephen-Johnson and a gripping piece of contemporary fiction focusing on the lives of the key characters involved in a British General Election campaign. At the centre of the story are Anna Lloyd and her husband Richard Williams. As the novel opens, Richard is leader of the SDP, the main opposing parliamentary party and Anna, an actress is causing controversy with her latest choice of acting role. Polls Apart follows the couple through the election campaign, ending shortly after the election has been decided, charting the ups and downs of the campaign and the couple’s personal life and the effects of the two factors on each other.

The novel reads like an inside view of the political, press and public relations worlds and is entirely and often shockingly believable. Each chapter is titled with a press headline and begins with an extract from the UK Newswire on a particular day. This simple format sets up a brilliant contrast between the reported ‘facts’ and the actual events that are described in the story and emphasises just how manipulative both the political and press machines can be. The story is set over a very short period; March-May 2009 and is quite a short novel at under 300 pages but Clare Stephen-Johnston certainly packs a punch with a dramatic and fast-paced storyline and numerous twists to the tale. I found myself completely caught up in Anna and Richard’s lives and couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to see how both the election campaign and their personal lives would turn out in the end.

Anna is an intriguing character; a mix of confidence, ambition and vulnerability as we first meet her but as the story progressed and more of her past and background are revealed, I found myself liking her more and more and really rooting for her. I was less taken by Richard immediately but he did grow on me as the book progressed and I found the tension between their political and personal lives fascinating. Clare really has got inside the heads of her characters and their reactions to events and feelings are very well captured making this an emotional read. But it’s not just the main characters whose emotions are experty detailed; the supporting cast are excellent too and I loved the way Clare used the characters to make me think about the many sides to every story. I particularly liked young tabloid journalist Marie – her story had me almost as gripped as the main one!

This is an excellent debut and I’d highly recommend it to readers looking for a fresh, contemporary and gripping read to start the New Year with. I can’t wait to see what Clare Stephen-Johnson produces next!

5/5

Polls Apart is out now, published by Thames River Press and I’d like to thank Clare for sending me a review copy.

US readers are in for a treat in June when Fanny Blake’s debut novel What Women Want is released with this gorgeous cover. I thought the UK cover was fab but I love this version!

(Synopsis from Amazon.com) Bea, Kate and Ellen have always known that they can depend on each other no matter what. But when Ellen, a widow who has devoted herself to her children and her art gallery for the last ten years, falls head over heels in love with Oliver, the long-term bonds of these three friends is put to the test.  Bea and Kate are driven away from their friend and from each other as they react differently to this unfamiliar stranger in their midst.  What Women Want is a novel about love and life and the challenges of female friendship that face women as they try to decide what they want—and come to realize what they really need.

You can read my review here and for UK readers, Fanny’s second novel, Women of a Dangerous Age will be out in March.