Regular readers will know I’m a big fan of Ali’s books and I’m so excited about her next release which is a sequel to her debut From Notting Hill with Love … Actually. And the level of excitement and anticipation jumped a little higher when I saw the newly released cover image for From Notting Hill to New York … Actually and found the synopsis on the publisher website   Roll on November!

Scarlett O’Brien, utterly addicted to romantic films, has found her leading man. She’s convinced Sean is Mr Right, but the day-to-day reality of a relationship isn’t quite like the movies. With Sean constantly away on business, Scarlett and her new best friend Oscar decide to head to New York for the holiday of a lifetime.

From one famous landmark to the next, Scarlett and Oscar make many new friends during their adventure – including sailors in town for Fleet Week, a famous film star, and Jamie & Max, a TV reporter and cameraman. Scarlett finds herself strangely drawn to Jamie, they appear to have much in common: a love of films and Jamie’s search for a parent he never knew. But Scarlett has to ask herself why she is reacting like this to another man when she’s so in love with Sean . . .

Last year I chose my five most anticipated chick lit reads. This year I’ve gone for bigger and better with ten titles I can’t wait to read – there are so many great books coming out in 2012! Some of the later books don’t have much detail yet but I’ll update this post as and when more information becomes available.

I’ve Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella (Bantam February)

After reading all of the Shopaholic books as a blogging challenge a couple of years ago, I’m a big fan of Sophie’s books. I’m looking forward to meeting new characters in her latest standalone novel.

I’ve lost it. The only thing in the world I wasn’t supposed to lose. My engagement ring. It’s been in Magnus’s family for three generations. And now, the very same day his parents are coming, I’ve lost it. The very same day. Do not hyperventilate, Poppy. Stay positive!!

A couple of glasses of bubbly with the girls at a charity do and Poppy’s life has gone into meltdown. Not only has she lost her engagement ring, but in the panic that followed, she’s lost her phone too. As she paces shakily round the hotel foyer she spots an abandoned phone in a bin. Finders keepers! Now she can leave a number with the hotel staff. It was meant to be!

Except the phone’s owner, businessman Sam Roxton, doesn’t agree. He wants his phone back, and doesn’t appreciate Poppy reading all his messages and wading into his personal life. As Poppy juggles wedding preparations, phone messages and hiding her left hand from Magnus and his parents, can things get any more tangled?

The Out of Office Girl by Nicola Doherty (Headline, March)

This sounds like a fun debut and perfect summer read!

From London ….

Alice Roberts is having a rubbish summer. She’s terrified of her boss, her career is stalling, and she’s just been dumped – by text message. But things are about to change …

… to Italy

When her boss Olivia is taken ill, Alice is sent on the work trip of a lifetime: to a villa in Sicily, to edit the autobiography of Hollywood bad boy Luther Carson. But it’s not all yachts, nightclubs and Camparis. Luther’s arrogant agent Sam wants him to ditch the book. Luther himself is gorgeous, charming and impossible to read. There only seems to be one way to get his attention, and it definitely involves mixing business with pleasure. Alice is out of the office, and into deep trouble …

… with love

Welcome to Rosie Hopkins’ Sweetshop of Dreams by Jenny Colgan (Sphere March)

I love the cover for this book and it sounds like a lovely story.

Rosie Hopkins is about to face major upheaval. Her elderly aunt Lilian – feisty, independent Aunt Lily who never talked about her past – needs her help, so Rosie is moving to the depths of the countryside for a few months to look after her. Plus Rosie will be away from Gerard, the man she hopes to settle down with soon, and they’ll miss each other dreadfully . . . won’t they? Lilian Hopkins has spent her life running Lipton’s village sweetshop, through wartime and family feuds. As she struggles with the idea that it might finally be time to sell up, she also wrestles with the secret history hidden behind the jars of beautifully coloured sweets. And the longer Rosie and Lilian spend together, the more they realise they can learn from each other . . .

White Wedding by Milly Johnson (Simon and Schuster, April)

I read my first Milly Johnson book last year and loved it so am very much looking forward to her next offering!

It’s the day they’ve always dreamed about. But will it turn out to be a nightmare …?

Bel is in the midst of planning her perfect wedding when disaster strikes and everything she thought she knew is turned on its head. Can she hold it all together and, with the help of her friends, and a mysterious man she meets unexpectedly, turn disaster into triumph?

Bel’s best friend, ice-cream parlour owner Violet, is engaged to Glyn, who is besotted by her although Violet fell out of love with him long ago. But however trapped she feels in the relationship, she can’t quite say the words, ‘I don’t want to marry you anymore.’ Then, just when she’s about to give up and resign herself to married life, she finds love in the most surprising of places. Will duty rule her heart or will she allow herself to be swept off her feet?

Their childhood friend Max was planning a quick registry office do with her fiance Stuart until she sees a TV programme about traveller brides and becomes determined to have the most extravagantly glitzy wedding ever. But in all the excitement has she lost sight of what’s really important? Does she want the wedding more than she wants the groom?

And as all three friends find the dress of their dreams at the White Wedding bridal shop, its owner, the lovely Freya, guarantees that her gowns will bring them happiness – though maybe not quite in the way they expected …

The Charm Bracelet by Melissa Hill (Hodder, May)

I have a charm bracelet that I add charms to, to mark important events in my life so I love the premise for this story – it sounds like another gripping read from Melissa.

Every charm bracelet tells a story and Holly O’Neill knows this better than most.

Years ago, at a difficult time in her life, a silver bracelet in a pretty wrapped box was delivered anonymously to her, a single charm attached. Some time later, another mysterious charm appeared, and the same thing happened many times over the years. Each charm proved to be significant in her life, as if her unnamed benefactor understood she needed some kind of talisman to help her through challenging times.

Since then, she has added her own charms – special reminders of the most important events in her life. Her bracelet makes memories tangible – spelling out the nuances of cherished moments through the shorthand of each tiny charm. For this reason, Holly’s charm bracelet is her most prized possession.

So when one day, she stumbles across a bracelet that somebody else has lost, she recognises a lifetime spelt out through the very different charms, and knows she must try to reunite it with its owner. In order to try and track this person down, she uses each charm to help discover more about them.

But as Holly gradually begins to piece together the details of this person’s life, her quest leads her somewhere she never expected.

One Perfect Summer by Paige Toon (Simon and Schuster May)

My favourite chick lit author – can’t wait to get my hands on this book!

‘Do you still love him?’ Every second of every minute of every hour of every day…Alice is18 and about to start university while Joe’s life is seemingly going nowhere. A Dorset summer, a chance meeting, and the two of them fall into step as if they have known each other forever. But their idyll is shattered, suddenly, unexpectedly. Alice heads off to Cambridge and slowly picks up the pieces of her broken heart. Joe is gone; she cannot find him. When she catches the attention of Lukas – gorgeous, gifted, rich boy Lukas – she is carried along by his charm, swept up in his ambitious plans for a future together. Then Joe is there, once more, but out of reach in a way that Alice could never have imagined. Life has moved on, the divide between them is now so great. Surely it is far too late to relive those perfect summer days of long ago?

Summer Daydreams by Carole Matthews (Sphere, May)

This really appeals to me as someone who is always trying to juggle family, work and a million other things!

What if you had always dreamed of something more…? Nell McNamara has a happy life: her boyfriend Olly adores her, their four-year-old daughter Petal is the centre of their world and Nell has a steady job in the local chip shop. When the chippy needs a makeover, Nell jumps at the chance to unleash the creativity fizzing inside her. Inspired by what she can achieve – and encouraged by the best friends a girl can have – Nell is determined to try something new and starts making her own line of must-have handbags, which are soon flying off the shelves! It seems Nell’s dreams are finally coming true, but her success doesn’t come without a price. Before too long, Nell has to ask herself if it’s really possible to have it all… Full of fun, love and laughter, soak up the sunshine with Summer Daydreams.

I Heart London by Lindsey Kelk (Harper, June)

The fifth in the I Heart Series sees Angela back in London!

Angela’s visa has expired and it looks as though she’s going to have to set foot again on home turf where further romantic trouble awaits. She has to face the ex-boyfriend she ran out on, her best friend’s new baby, and her mum. Is she now a New York girl through and through or can London win her heart again?

When I Fall in Love by Miranda Dickinson (Avon, November)

No synopsis for this one yet but I’ve loved all of Miranda’s book so far and am eagerly anticipating this one!

From Notting Hill to New York… Actually by Ali McNamara (Sphere, November)

Scarlett goes to New York – yay!!

Are your favourite authors on my list? Which books are you looking forward to reading this year?

This year I read 76 books  – that’s two more than last year! To end the year, I’ve chosen my ten favourite books that were published in 2011 and have provided links to my reviews where possible. I found it really hard to narrow my choice down to just ten books this year and even more impossible to pick an absolute favourite as I enjoyed different novels at different times for very different reasons. This year I’ve expanded on the top ten with some ‘favourites’ categories and a ‘readers’ choice’ section for the most popular (most visited) reviews this year. So without further ado, my books of the year, in release date order are:

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness (published in January by Headline)

Vampires, witches and daemons; a magical manuscript, rich historical detail and fascinating characters. This was a brilliant paranormal romance to start the year with and  I can’t wait for the follow up Shadow of the Night to be released in July 2012.

The Taker by Alma Katsu (published by Century in April)

A dark and gripping paranormal romance with no vampires! The Taker is a very original take on the immortal love story with the driving force behind most of the action being unrequited love. I’m eagerly awaiting the sequel The Reckoning in June.

The Beauty Chorus by Kate Lord-Brown (published by Corvus in April)

I love the title for this book which was the nickname given by fighter pilots to the women who volunteered to fly planes like Spitfires from factories to British airfields during World War Two. In The Beauty Chorus Kate Lord Brown skillfully combines the true historical facts (166 women joined the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) risking their lives to ferry planes across the country) with the fictional story of three very different women to create a thoroughly enjoyable and thought provoking novel.

From London With Love by Jemma Forte (published by Penguin in July)

A fun summer chick lit read that had me gripped and one of my favourite covers of the year too. The Bond theme adds a touch of A-list glamour to the story and as Jessica ties herself in knots trying to keep her identity a secret, From London with Love has a great message about not judging a book by its over and being who you really are.

The Homecoming of Samuel Lake by Jenny Wingfield (published by Harper in July)

Jenny Wingfield’s debut is one of those books that stays with you long after you’ve read it and 11 year old Swan Lake is one of my favourite characters of the year. Set in 1950′s Arkansas, the story is heartbreaking and heartwarming in equal measures and beautifully written following the trials and tribulations of the wonderful Moses clan. My full review will be coming in January.

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline ( published in August by Century)

A suprise hit for me! Ernest Cline has created a brilliantly thought out and detailed future dystopian world; combined it with a fantastic virtual reality treasure hunt based on music, film and gaming nostalgia from the 1980′s and underlined it all with (the biggest surprise for me as I read) a really sweet coming of age love story.

Netherwood by Jane Sanderson (published in September by Sphere)

Netherwood is a thoroughly enjoyable historical saga and a fantastic debut from Jane Sanderson. I was completely drawn in to the world that Jane has created, loving both the historical detail and the variety and depth of characters that populate this book.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (published by Harvill Secker in September)

A gorgeous book and an amazing debut from Erin Morgenstern. I loved the story of the mysterious black and white Circus which only opens at night. The book is packed with magic and intrigue. I’ve only just finished reading this one but it shot straight into my top ten!

Miracle on Regent Street by Ali Harris (published in October by Simon and Schuster)

Another of my favourite covers of the year. A classy story filled with vintage glamour. Miracle on Regent Street is Ali Harris’s debut novel and what a debut. Heartfelt, warm, romantic and a lovely Christmassy story too.

It Started with a Kiss by Miranda Dickinson (published by Avon in November)

Last but by no means least, Miranda Dickinson’s third novel is Chick lit perfection from the sparkly pink cover to the brilliantly romantic ending and I thoroughly enjoyed every page in between as Romily Parker goes on a year long search for the handsome hero who kissed her and vanished!

2011 Favourites …

The whole package: The Night Circus

Although I love my Kindle, it will never replace physical books for me and books like this are the reason why. I splashed out on the gorgeous hard back when it was published and I love the book design as much as the story!

Cover love: Miracle on Regent Street by Ali Harris

The cover for this book is really striking and picks up the tone of the book perfectly.

Heroine: Gracie Flowers from (Un)like a Virgin by Lucy-Anne Holmes

Gracie had me smiling from the first page with her wry observations on her job, her boyfriend, friends and family and she’s one of my favourite leading chick it ladies of all time!

Hero: Prince Richard from To Marry a Prince by Sophie Page

I thought this book was a real gem of a romantic comedy and I loved Prince Richard who comes across as a fab leading man – by no means perfect, he has some brilliantly funny and romantic scenes but never seems over the top.

Support: Uncle Dudley and Auntie Mags from It Started With a Kiss by Miranda Dickinson

Dispensers of love, wisdom and support from their narrow-boat home to Romily as she undertakes her quest. They are instrumental in keeping Romily going but are also responsible for much of the book’s warm humour and I loved Aunty Mags’ ‘Cake Therapy’!

The perfect ending: Breakfast At Darcy’s by Ali McNamara

Ali McNamara retains her crown for queen of the romantic ending with a beautiful finale to her latest novel that left me with a big smile on my face.

Readers’ choice: Top five most read reviews of 2011

1. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness

2. To the Moon and Back by Jill Mansell

3. The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks

4. The Taker by Alma Katsu

5. Beautiful Creatures by Lulu Taylor

So that’s my year in books; are your favourites on the list? I’m looking forward to sharing many more reviews with you during 2012 and wish you all a very happy and bookish New Year! x

Today I’m delighted to be hosting Ali McNamara as my Countdown to Christmas continues. Ali’s first novel, From Notting Hill with Love … Actually was released last year and her second, Breakfast at Darcy’s came out on 24th November. Both are excellent winter reads! Welcome Ali!

My Five Favourite Christmas movies by Ali McNamara

In the best X-Factor/ Strictly/ Big Brother tradition they are in “no particular order.” Because I couldn’t pick my favourite!

The Holiday: Starring: Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz. Jude Law & Jack Black.

Lovely, warm, gooey romantic comedy that if nothing else will make you want to try house-swapping just in case your new neighbour turns out to be Jude Law!

Love Actually: Starring all Richard Curtis’ usual crew of favourites including Hugh Grant and Colin Firth. Makes you want to start your Christmas countdown super early. Worth it for the doorstep scene between Keira Knightly and Andrew Lincoln alone!

Serendipity: Starring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale. I have to admit I only saw this movie for the first time this year! But it’s already high on my list of Christmas favourites. Just perfect for all those of us who believe in destiny and fate…  Plus much of it is set in New York at Christmastime, what more could you want?

Miracle on 34^th Street: Starring Richard Attenborough, Mara Wilson and Elizabeth Perkins. Remake of an original 1947 movie starring Maureen O’Hara.

I love both these versions of a story about a little girl who’s lost her faith and belief in both Christmas and Santa Claus, and how Santa – Kris Kringle, persuades her and the rest of New York he’s real…

Home Alone 1&2: Starring Macaulay Culkin. Everyone knows these movies don’t they? If you don’t, watch them this Christmas, pure Christmas (blue stilton) cheese at it’s best, that will make you laugh, cry and feel desperate to be with your nearest and dearest this festive season!

Happy Holidays!

Thanks Ali  – Serendipity is one of my all time favourite movies too!

Ali’s publisher Sphere have very kindly given me five copies of Breakfast at Darcy’s to give away! To enter just leave a comment in the box below saying what your favourite Christmas film is. Five winners will be drawn using random.org after the closing date.

UK entries only please. Entries will close at midnight on Saturday 10th December. Good luck!

You can find out more about Ali on her newly redesigned website at: http://www.alimcnamara.co.uk/

Read my review of From Notting Hill with Love … Actually

Read my review of Breakfast at Darcy’s

Read my interview with Ali McNamara

When Darcy McCall loses her beloved Aunt Molly, she doesn’t expect any sort of inheritance – let alone a small island. Located off the west coast of Ireland, Tara hasn’t been lived on for years, but according to Molly’s will Darcy must stay there for twelve months in order to fully inherit, and she needs to persuade a village full of people to settle there, too. Darcy has to leave behind her independent city life and swap stylish heels for muddy wellies. Between sorting everything from the plumbing to the pub, Darcy meets confident Conor and ever-grumpy Dermot – but who will make her feel really at home?

Breakfast at Darcy’s is Ali McNamara’s second novel, following her huge rom-com hit From Notting Hill with Love … Actually which was released last year. It is a completely stand-alone story although fans of FNHWLA will regognise some similarites; a lead charcter with a complex past searching for contentment, rival love interests, a hint of magic in the storytelling and a truly romantic ending!

The novel is narrated by Darcy herself and we meet her as she attends her Aunt Molly’s funeral where she learns that Molly has left her an inheritance with a challenge; a small island off the coast of Ireland which the locals know as Tara. In order to recieve the full (very valuable) inheritance, Darcy must live on Tara for a year with at least foutreen other people. As Darcy soon discovers, provisions on Tara are very basic and its up to her to make it liveable for the new community she hopes will live there. I wasn’t sure about Darcy at first; she seemed selfish and self absorbed but as the book progressed and Tara worked its magic on her I did grow to like her.

The setting up of the new island community makes for a good variety of characters in this book. The core story focusses on a five or six main charcters with Darcy in the lead but considering all of the action takes place on a very small island, Ali McNamara has packed a lot into the plot and I thought the story was fun and original. I loved Darcy’s best friend Roxi and I liked builder/project manager Dermot straight away too despite his grumpiness! The romantic side to the story is nicely set up and has some good twists and turns but one of the things I liked most about this nove was that the island of Tara was a character in itself and has a profound effect on Darcy and all of its new residents. Through the history and legends of Tara, Ali McNamara brings a feeling of fate and destiny to the story and there is something a little bit magical about the island. Personally I would have liked to have seen this aspect developed even more but overall I really enjoyed the story and there are a number of good twists as the book progresses.

Ali McNamara retains her crown for queen of the romantic ending, producing a beautiful finale to her novel that left me with a big smile on my face. With Breakfast at Darcy’s Ali has firmly taken up residence in my list of favourite rom-com authors and I’m already eagerly awaiting her third novel which will be a sequel to From Notting Hill with Love … Actually

4/5

Breakfast at Darcy’s is out now and I’d like to thank publisher Sphere for sending me a review copy.

You can find out more about Ali McNamara and her books on her website at: http://www.alimcnamara.co.uk/

I’m delighted to be interviewing Ali McNamara today as part of her ‘Breakfast With Ali’ blog tour to mark the launch of her second novel Breakfast at Darcy’s later this month.

Your second novel, Breakfast at Darcy’s is released on November 24th, please could you tell us a little about it?

Breakfast at Darcy’s is about a girl called Darcy who finds out at a funeral she’s the sole beneficiary of her Aunt’s wealthy estate. But the terms of her Aunt’s will state before Darcy can inherit any of her money she must go and live on a remote island off the west coast of Ireland for a whole year, and set up a new community of people to live there with her.

Being a city girl, Darcy doesn’t find the switch from high-heeled boots to wellington boots an easy one, or for that matter any of the other many changes that the island of Tara has in store for her…

How does it feel to have your second book published?

Fantastic! For a long time while I was being rejected by agents and publishers I wondered if I’d ever get one book published, let alone to have people wanting to read more of my stories!

The title and cover of Breakfast at Darcy’s give a nod to my favourite Audrey Hepburn film, Breakfast at Tiffany’s – are there other film links in the novel as there were in your first novel From Notting Hill with Love …. Actually?

An odd one or two, but not very many this time, Breakfast at Darcy’s is a stand alone novel, it just so happens the title is another twist on a very famous movie

Please could you describe lead character Darcy in five words?

Kind, trusting, determined, brave & inspired.

In the book, Darcy has to populate a remote island for a year; if you had to choose three celebrities to live on an island with you for a year, who would they be?!

Oh! I’ll keep it clean…

Jamie Oliver – so he could cook lovely things for me!

Michael McIntyre – To make me laugh.

I have to have one… Bradley Cooper – to look rather fantastic with his shirt off

How did you go about researching Breakfast at Darcy’s?

I got the idea when I was on a touring holiday of Ireland and my husband and myself were parked up one day overlooking the island of Great Blasket in County Kerry. When my initial spark of an idea began to turn into a plot for a fully formed novel, we later went over and visited the island with our children so I could do some proper research. My island of Tara is based very heavily on what I found on that trip and on Great Blasket’s own history.

Darcy gives up city life to live on the remote island of Tara; are you a city chick or country girl at heart?

Difficult one this; I’d like the best of both worlds, to live on the outskirts of a big city like London or New York, but close enough to the countryside so I could just step outside, grab some fresh air and walk my dog.

This is your second romantic comedy; what drew you to this genre?

I don’t look on it as picking a genre. I just write in a way that comes naturally to me, what you read on the page is very much the way I am in real life.

When you’re not writing what do you like to read?

All sorts! Seriously, I can’t pick just one genre or author; it varies all the time depending on what I’m writing at the time or how busy I am…

And finally … what can we look forward to next from Ali McNamara?

A sequel to ‘From Notting Hill with Love…Actually’ due out in 2012! All I can tell you is Scarlett gets to go a bit further afield this time when she gets to visit New York …

I went there this year on a research trip and had a whale of a time. But Scarlett’s is even better…

Thanks Ali!

Breakfast at Darcy’s is released on November 24th. Please stop by on release day for my review and do check out the other stops on Ali’s blog tour.

You can find out more about Ali and her books at: http://www.alimcnamara.co.uk/

Breakfast at Darcy’s is available in paperback and for Kindle (links go to Amazon.co.uk)

October – another quick month and another six books read. Interestingly, I’m reading a lot more on my Kindle these days as I find it much easier to hold the Kindle than a book at the same time as holding baby! Four of the books I read were new releases for October.

The books I read were:

October book of the month

An Autumn Crush by Milly Johnson

The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks

Trade Winds by Christina Courtenay

Renovation, Renovation, Renovation by Nell Dixon

Wrapped up in You by Carole Matthews

Highland Storms by Christina Courtenay

My book of the month for October is An Autumn Crush by Milly Johnson because Autumn is my favourite season and I loved the emphasis on family. I found it to be a really emotional and enjoyable read perfect for this time of year.

The three most popular posts in October were:

My review of The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks; Carole Matthews’ guest post on researching her new book and my review of Netherwood by Jane Sanderson.

Searches bringing most people to the blog were:

1. A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
2. The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks
3. Fat Girls and Fairy Cakes by Sue Watson

In other October news, I took part in my first blog tour for Carole Matthews lovely Christmas book Wrapped up in You; gave my thoughts on my favourite books from the World Book Night 2012 list, hosted a fab Nicholas Sparks giveaway and made it to 900 followers on Twitter

I also began planning for my Countdown to Christmas in detail in October and am excited to say that I have some fantastic guest posts, guest reviews and giveaways lined up for December!  Countdown to Christmas is my book blogger version of an advent calendar with a Christmas-themed post every day from December 1st to 24th. I did the countdown last year and it was great fun but I’m making it bigger and better this year! There is still time to take part so if you are an author, publisher or fellow blogger and you’d like to contribute a post; be interviewed about Christmassy things, do a guest review or a giveaway or have another fab Christmassy idea, drop me an email at: onemorepageamanda@gmail.com

Coming up in November I’ve got a fab pile of wintry chick lit books lined up with reviews of Maria Duffy’s debut Any Dream Will Do, Miranda Dickinson’s It Started With a Kiss and One Minute to Midnight by Amy Silver. I’m taking part in Ali McNamara’s blog tour to celebrate the release of Breakfast at Darcy’s and I’m also looking forward to reviewing the first in a new paranormal series; Avenger’s Angel by Heather Killough-Walden.

Happy November reading!

I always love November for book releases as there are lots of lovely Christmas titles to choose from. I’ve narrowed the November releases down to five of my favourites that I’ll be adding to my shelves next month.

Highland Storms by Christina Courtenay
Released 1st November
Published by Choc Lit
Website: http://christinacourtenay.com/

Highland Storms is the sequel to the excellent Trade Winds. Trade Winds was short-listed for the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s Pure Passion Award for Best Historical Fiction 2011 and I’m really looking forward to finding out what happens next to the Kinross family. You can read the first two chapters on the Choc Lit website.

Betrayed by his brother and his childhood love, Brice Kinross needs a fresh start. So he welcomes the opportunity to leave Sweden for the Scottish Highlands to take over the family estate.

But there’s trouble afoot at Rosyth in 1754 and Brice finds himself unwelcome. The estate’s  in ruin and money is disappearing.  He discovers an ally in Marsaili Buchanan, the beautiful redheaded housekeeper, but can he trust her?

Marsaili is determined to build a good life. She works hard at being housekeeper and harder still at avoiding men who want to take advantage of her.  But she’s irresistibly drawn to the new clan chief, even though he’s made it plain he doesn’t want to be shackled to anyone.

And the young laird has more than romance on his mind. His investigations are stirring up an enemy.  Someone who will stop at nothing to get what he wants – including Marsaili – even if that means destroying Brice’s life forever …

Any Dream Will Do by Maria Duffy
Released 3rd November
Published by Hachette Books Ireland
Website: http://writenowmom.wordpress.com/

As a bit of a Twitter addict myself, I love the sound of the plot for Maria Duffy’s debut novel.

‘Tis the season to be jolly, except single Dubliner Jenny Breslin is feeling something a little closer to gloomy. Everything about her life – her boring job at the bank, the complete lack of romance – has been untouched by holiday magic, and she dreads the thought of spending yet another festive season with her larger-than-life mother and her new boyfriend.

Thank God for Twitter, a place where there are always people ready and waiting to have a chat. She’s even managed to make a couple of genuine friends there, even though she’s never met them IRL (that’s ‘In Real Life’ by the way).

‘So who’s on for a few days in Dublin? Would love to meet you all in person. I have a spare room in my house’ – this drunken tweet to her Twitter pals changes Jenny’s life forever. Before she knows it, she’s counting down to a Christmas visit from London-native Zahra Burns, make-up artist to the stars; Fiona Lee, a stay-at-home mum from Galway, and nurse Kerry (the Twitter buddy Jenny feels closest to).

Suddenly, Jenny becomes aware of how her life will appear to these strangers. In a word: Boring. It’s easy enough to pretend that you’re an exciting and sophisticated person when nobody can see you, but now Jenny’s worried about being caught out in the occasional lies that she’s told. All the more incentive to change her life for the better! But once her pals arrive, Jenny finds herself pining for the past and wondering if people are ever who they claim to be.

It Started With a Kiss by Miranda Dickinson
Released 10th November
Published by Avon
Website: http://www.miranda-dickinson.com/

This is the final book from my ‘Top Five Most Anticipated Chick Lit Books of 2011‘ I’m so excited that the wait is almost over and can’t wait to read it!

As the singer in a wedding band, Romily Parker has seen her fair share of happy endings, even though her own love life isn’t quite as simple.

On the last Saturday before Christmas, (shortly after disastrously declaring her love for best friend Charlie), Romily has a brief encounter with a handsome stranger whose heart-stopping kiss changes everything.

Determined to find him again, Romily embarks on a yearlong quest, helped (and sometimes hindered) by enthusiastic Uncle Dudley, cake-making Auntie Mags and flamboyant Wren. Will she find the man of her dreams? Or could true love be closer than she thinks?

Breakfast at Darcy’s by Ali McNamara
Released 24th November
Published by Sphere
Website: http://www.alimcnamara.co.uk/

I’m a big fan of Ali’s debut From Notting Hill with Love … Actually so this is another book that I’ve been looking forward to for a long time!

When Darcy McCall loses her beloved Aunt Molly, she doesn’t expect any sort of inheritance – let alone a small island! Located off the west coast of Ireland, Tara hasn’t been lived on for years, but according to Molly’s will Darcy must stay there for twelve months in order to fully inherit. It’s a big shock. And she’s even more shocked to hear she needs to persuade a village full of people to settle there, too. Darcy must leave behind her independent city life and swap stylish heels for muddy wellies. Between sorting everything from the plumbing to the pub, she meets confident, charming Conor and sensible, stubborn Dermot – but who will make her feel really at home?

One Minute to Midnight by Amy Silver
Released 24th November
Published by Arrow
Website: http://www.rbooks.co.uk/author.aspx?id=64028

Another gorgeous cover and fab sounding plot!

Nicole Blake’s New Year Resolutions, 1990: 1 Start keeping a journal; 2. Lose half a stone; 3. Kiss Julian Symonds. If there are two things Nicole can guarantee about New Years Eve it’s that there are always fireworks and Julian Symonds is always there. Since she was thirteen, no New Year has been complete without Jules. Through school, university and beyond, as friends come and go, Nic and Jules are at the centre of every party. Until one year everything changes…

Now, as another New Year approaches, Nicole has ghosts to lay and bridges to build – with her husband Dom, with her best friend Alex, and with Aidan, the man who broke her heart. Life is about to change again for Nicole, and once the fireworks are over and the dust has settled, this time she is determined it will be for the better.

What are you looking forward to reading next month?

September has to be the quickest month to pass of the year so far. It was all a bit of a blur of sleepless nights and nappy changes for me but I did find time to read six books and post the odd review I also took part in Talli Roland’s If I Could Be Anyone, I’d Be…’ online launch party! and ran three giveaways!

The books I read were:

Book of the Month September

Star Struck by Jane Lovering

Fat Girls and Fairy Cakes by Sue Watson

Watching Willow Watts by Talli Roland

(Un)like A Virgin by Lucy-Anne Holmes

Persuade Me by Juliet Archer

Netherwood by Jane Sanderson

My book of the month for September is (Un)like a Virgin by Lucy-Anne Holmes because I absolutely loved lead character Gracie Flowers and her story left me with a big smile on my face!

The three most popular reviews in September were:

(Un)like A Virgin by Lucy-Anne Holmes, Fat Girls and Fairy Cakes by Sue Watson, Watching Willow Watts by Talli Roland

Searches bringing most people to One More Page were for Bad Sisters by Rebecca Chance, From Notting Hill With Love …Actually by Ali McNamara and A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness which came out in paperback this month.

October is already flying by and I have a brilliant pile of books lined up to be read and reviewed including the latest and penultimate installment in the Blue Bloods series, Lost in Time by Melissa de la Cruz; the highly anticipated new novel from Jeffrey Eugenides The Marriage Plot and two gorgeous Christmas stories; The Night Before Christmas by debut author Scarlett Bailey and Wrapped up in You by Carole Matthews. I’m really excited to be taking part in the blog tour for Wrapped Up In You at the end of the month so look out for that!

Though it’s only October, I’m also starting to plan posts for my Countdown to Christmas which is my book blogger version of an advent calendar with a Christmas-themed post every day from December 1st to 24th. I did the countdown last year and it was great fun but I’m hoping to make it bigger and better this year. As well as reviews of Christmassy books I’ll have book-inspired gift suggestions, Christmas-themed interviews, giveaways and guest posts. I’m looking for contributors so if you are an author, publisher or fellow blogger and you’d like to take part, drop me an email at: onemorepageamanda@gmail.com

Happy autumn reading!

This week’s book news has a New York theme …

Free e-book by Lindsey Kelk!

Focusing on Jenny, Angela’s best friend in the ‘I Heart …’ series, Lindsey Kelk has published a short story called Jenny Lopez has a Bad Week and the even better news is that it’s free to download until May 23rd! You can find it on Amazon or iBooks. I’ve downloaded my copy and will hopefully have a review up later this week.

Jenny Lopez is miserable. Having spent the summer working in LA, she’s back home in New York, and missing the three key elements in a girl’s life – a roommate, a job and a boyfriend. Jenny formulates a plan; surely someone must need a roommate and surely someone must need a girlfriend? By the end of the day, she has arranged a viewing for a potential roommate, the gay blond aka the Sex God,secured two dates, and work looking after a top supermodel. Things look like they are back on track; everything is going to work out great. If only life was so easy…

From Notting Hill with Love… Actually … the sequel!!!!

I’m so excited about this snippet of news from Ali McNamara. I loved From Notting Hill with Love …Actually and I’m even more excited that the sequel is going to be set in my favourite city, New York. Just thinking about the huge number of brilliant films set there, I cannot wait to find out what Scarlett gets up to! Ali announced the news on her new website which looks great and the lucky lady is going to New York for a research trip soon. Have a fab time Ali!

Cover Love: Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? By Claudia Carroll

I was browsing Amazon earlier and this cover caught my eye. The plot has me intrigued so this is another book added to the summer reading wish list. Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? is released on August 18th.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder…doesn’t it?

What happens when two people decide to give themselves the year off…from each other?

Annie and Dan were the perfect couple. But now the not-so-newly weds feel more like flatmates than soul mates and wonder where all the fun and fireworks went …

When Annie lands her big break in a smash-hit show that’s heading for the bright lights of Broadway, she’s over the moon. Goodbye remote Irish village of Stickens, hello fabulous Big Apple! But with their relationship already on the rocks, how will Annie and Dan survive the distance?

They’re hitting the pause button on their marriage. One year off from each other – no strings attached, except a date to meet in twelve months at the Rockefeller Centre to decide their fate.

Will they both turn up? Or is it too late for love?