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BOOK REVIEW: New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

Like Amy I really enjoyed Stephenie Meyer's YA fantasy Twilight. New Moon is the follow up and it doesn't disappoint.

Bella Swan moved to rainy Forks to live with her dad. She fell in love with a vampire - Edward Cullens - who, luckily, is a 'good vampire' and has sworn off human blood. At the beginning of New Moon they are as in love as at the end of Twilight, but all that is about to change...

I really don't want to give any of the plot away - it's so brilliantly paced and inventive that I would hate to spoil it.

Still, I will say that New Moon is just as full of intrigue, adventure and heady, intense romance as Twilight. The wonderful character of Jacob Black is developed as he and Bella become best friends, and Meyer builds her world (a world in which mythical creatures live alongside us), layering it with more depth.

Yes, this is officially classed as a YA book - and it's (obviously) supernatural, but please don't let either of those facts put you off. This series (New Moon is followed by Eclipse) is just a good story, well told. Full stop.

Rating: 5/5

Like this? Try: The Accidental Vampire by Lynsay Sands

BOOK REVIEW: No Strings Attached by Clare Dowling

Reviewed by Angela Richardson

Claire Dowling is a scriptwriter for Ireland’s top soap (I’ll have to take their word for that as I haven’t seen it). This is her fourth venture into the novel writing world, so she’s not exactly a novice in this area either. I was understandably expecting great things from her new book, a romantic comedy called No Strings Attached, after hearing Dowling’s impressive CV.

No Strings Attached is based around Judy who is getting married on Saturday and it’s a military operation: the dress, the three-tiered wedding cake, the uncle that nobody will sit beside at reception. She’s determined it’s going to be the happiest day of her life. That is until her fiancé, Barry, mysteriously disappears wearing nothing but his pyjamas. However, when his credit card shows up two days later in the south of France, Judy has to admit that he’s walked out on her.

Fanning Judy’s fury is Lenny, Barry’s best man, who believes that you shouldn’t let commitment ruin a perfectly good relationship. With the love of her life romping around France, Judy might just be in the mood for a little romance – with no strings attached, of course…

This book started out great. It was fast and funny and showed just how well Dowling can write. Unfortunately, I found the middle of the book just concentrated on everyone’s unhappiness. The plot seemed to falter and all the energy and humour of the book was leeched out to a parallel universe.

It did recover itself for the last quarter and regained its star quality, however, I’m not sure that this was enough to save the book. There were a few subplots, which compounded the gloom, having several couples struggling with their relationships and generally being miserable doesn’t really fall into the genre of romantic comedy for me.

No Strings Attached ended up being a very average book in a genre that is already oversubscribed. If only someone had been brave with the editing then this would have been a great read.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try The Sleeping Beauty Proposal by Sarah Strohmeyer

BOOK REVIEW: Fifteen Minutes of Shame by Lisa Daily

Lisa Daily is a relationships expert and columnist and Fifteen Minutes of Shame is her first novel. I was strangely put off by her day job since I assumed - incorrectly as it turned out - that Daily would simply transmit her nonfiction knowledge to a novel. In fact, Fifteen Minutes of Shame is fun, funny, gripping and moving.

Darby Vaughn - "America's favourite TV dating expert" - is happily married to Will, the love of her life and father to the other loves of her life - his two children from a previous marriage, Lilly and Aidan. Of  course, when I say Darby is happily married, what I mean is that she thought she was happily married but, as the book begins, we learn that Will is not so happy. In fact, Darby suspects that he's cheating and learns that she was right ... on national TV.

Humiliated, heartbroken and at risk of losing everything - not just her husband, but her kids, her house and her career - Darby retreats to stay with a friend and employs a divorce lawyer. A gorgeous divorce lawyer named, Holt. Yes, Holt.

Glossing over the name (Holt?), I loved Fifteen Minutes of Shame. I felt for Darby every second - her shock at Will's betrayal, her attempts to rebuild her life and career, and the pain of being separated from the children she loved, was raising and had come to think of as her own.

(The book raised a serious, and heartbreaking, point I'd never even thought of before - that of step-parents' rights. They don't have any, so you could feasibly spend years raising and loving children, split from their "natural" parent and not even have any right of visitation, let alone hope of any kind of custody.)

Some bits of the book didn't ring entirely true - I could have done without Darby's foray into reality show dating - but that was more than made up for by the character of Darby, who I felt like I knew. And then there's Holt - name aside, the man's a fox.

Rating: 4/5

Like this? Try Marshmallows for Breakfast by Dorothy Koomson

SPOTLIGHT: Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Susan Elizabeth Phillips has written historical romance, contemporary women's fiction and romantic comedy.

She received the Romance Writers of America Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006 and has won numerous other awards including Borders Best, the American Library Association Genre Fiction Award,and a clutch of RITAs.

However, according to Susan's blog, she started to write "completely by accident".

Susan left her high school teaching job when her first son was born to stay at home. Her best friend lived nearby and the two used to swap books and talk about what they liked and didn't like.

One day, for a laugh, they decided to write a book together. They submitted the first half to Dell and got an offer. Just like that! Susan says: "I never tell this story at writers' luncheons for  fear I'll have to duck flying french rolls."

The book was historical romance, titled The Copeland Bride and published under the pen name Justine Cole.

Afterwards, Claire decided to follow her own ambition of attending law school.  However, Susan had well and truly been bitten by the writing bug and she set about learning how to write a book on her own.

The result was published under her real name - Susan Elizabeth Phillips - and she hasn't looked back since.

Susan lives in Illinois with her husband Bill. She has two grown up sons and is a keen walker.

Bibliography:

Risen, Glory (1984)
Glitter Baby (1987)
Fancy Pants (1989)
Hot Shot (1991)
Honey Moon (1993)
It Had To Be You (1994)
Heaven, Texas (1995)
Kiss an Angel (1996)
Nobody's Baby But Mine (1997)
Dream a Little Dream (1998)
Lady Be Good (1999)
First Lady (2000)
Just Imagine (2001)
This Heart of Mine (2001)
Breathing Room (2002)
Ain't She Sweet? (2005)
Match Me if You Can (2005)
Natural Born Charmer (2007)

Related posts: Spotlight archives

BOOK REVIEW: Strange Bedpersons by Jennifer Crusie

Strange Bedpersons is one of Jennifer Crusie's early books. It was published by the Harlequinn Temptation line back in 1994 and, as a category novel, it's shorter than her later stand-alone titles.

Nick Jamieson is the exact opposite of Tess Newhart. He's a straight-laced, conservative Republican lawyer and she's free-spirited, out-spoken and was brought up in a hippy commune.

After a short fling, the two are friends of a kind, and Tess agrees - as a favour and against her better instincts - to accompany Nick on a business trip.

It's a light romance, so you know exactly what you will be getting. Nick and Tess fall in love; getting to know each other properly and making compromises that let you know their happy ever after will last beyond the last page of the book.

It's funny and quick-witted with great characters. I loved Tess's best friend, Gina, and marvelled (once again) at how good Crusie is at creating charasmatic, memorable people.

Okay, so it's not got the depth of her later novels - and it's probably got the flimsiest plot that I've seen in a Crusie - but for a short, fun read, you'd be hard pushed to find better.

Rating: 4/5

Like this? Try: The Fortune Quilt by Lani Diane Rich

Freya North's top ten romps and romances

Freya North reveals an (unsurprising) love of romance novels and lists her top ten favourites for the Guardian.

I have to say I agree with her inclusion of Jane Eyre, Maggie O'Farrell's After You'd Gone (although I would be tempted to list The Distance Between Us instead) and Mary Wesley. I haven't read Moll Flanders or Tom Jones, though, have you?

Related posts: Jenny Colgan's life in books | Freya North wins Romantic Novel of the Year

BOOK REVIEW: Stuck in the Middle by Virginia Smith

Reviewed by Jill Hart

Joan. Boring name for a boring life. Or so Joan believes until she meets her new next door neighbor. The handsome doctor her age make Joan realize that there may be more to life than settling for living at home, getting up every morning to go to an unfulfilling career and wishing she was living her one of her sisters' lives. But, Joan knows she can't make a change because no one would be there to care for her aging grandmother - a job that she has taken upon herself, but truly enjoys. Not to mention, the doctor may be adorable, but he's also a Christian. And Joan's not so sure that's what she needs right now. Her life is comfortable - why complicate it with thoughts of love and religion. Joan's not sure her life can handle either.

Stuck in the Middle is a picture of what life as like middle child. It seems most three daughter families have the smart, 'motherly' older sister; the sweet, carefree younger sister ... and the insecure, people-pleasing middle child. Joan is the epitome of a middle child and yet she's easy to love. I was rooting for her from the very beginning. The two other sisters frustrated me at first, but as the book progresses you learn how much they care about their sister and they endear themselves as well.

Stuck in the Middle is the first book in the Sister-to-Sister Series and Virginia Smith's sixth book. Smith's contemporary fiction is filled with humor as well as meaningful lessons for life. There is one specific section in the book that really made me pause and re-evaluate how I think about my life (I don't want to give it away, but look for the chocolate ice cream story). I love a book that sticks with me. Weeks after I put it down, it still comes to mind and continues to make me think.

Rating: 4/5

Like this? Try Hanging Up by Delia Ephron (non-inspirational)

BOOK NEWS: The Movie Girl

I enjoyed Kate Lace's The Chalet Girl, so I'm pleased to announce that she has a new Little Black Dress book coming out on 1 May.

Titled The Movie Girl (I sense a trend), it's about a wardrobe assistant called Gemma, who finds herself working on a big-time movie, complete with sexy A-list star, Jono. Life would be perfect if it wasn't  for Jono's terrifying wife...

Related post: Trashionista Recommends: Little Black Dress

BOOK REVIEW: Kiss Chase by Fiona Walker

Reviewed by Kirsty Greenwood

Often referred to as the "Jilly Cooper of the Cosmo generation", Fiona Walker is renowned for writing novels full of eccentric English characters, twisty plot lines and overt sex scenes. Having previously devoured a couple of her more recent offerings (Lots of Love and Tongue in Cheek), I bought one of her earlier novels, Kiss Chase, to see if it lived up to the others.

Kiss Chase follows the journey of Phoebe "Freddy" Fredericks, an awkward but beautiful twenty-something who is begged by old acquaintance Saskia Seaton to help get revenge on the man who broke her heart - misogynistic womaniser Felix Sylvian.

The plan is for Phoebe to do to Felix what Felix has done to Saskia. Seduce him, get him to fall head over heels in love with her and then maliciously and publicly humiliate and dump him in order to give him a taste of his own medicine.

Initially, I found it difficult to conceive how such a far-fetched scheme could possibly work. Why would shallow model Felix fall for normal girl Phoebe? And why on earth would someone with her head supposedly screwed on get herself embroiled within such a mess? However, Walker does a fantastic job of putting the implausible plot into context by delving into the characters psyche and creating a glamorous, dramatic world in which these sort of schemes are not so bizarre.

In true Fiona Walker fashion, there are numerous intricate sub-plots running alongside the main story, including affairs, celebrity parties and lots of very posh people saying things like "golly" and "shan’t". Each sub-plot twists, turns and ties in so well, that you barely notice the fact that the book is a massive 790 pages long.

Kiss Chase has a real escapist factor about it. It draws you into the kind of glamorous, hedonistic world you sometimes wish you were part of, and whether you love or hate each of the characters, you certainly care about what happens to them.

If you’re after some saucy, amusing and acutely observed story telling, then this one is a real find.

Rating: 5/5

Like this? Try Tongue in Cheek by Fiona Walker

BOOK NEWS: Not Another Bad Date

Yes, I know we told you that Rachel Gibson's next book was called 100 Bad Dates, but it seems to have had a title change since then... Out in May (US) and June (UK), it has been stuck with an unimaginative cover; yet another bottom-half-only female. Yuk.

The premise reminds me (a little bit) of Daisy's Back In Town. Listen: If only Adele could find a guy that made her heart flutter like her first love, Zach, the college quarterback who swept her off her feet senior year... before dumping her to marry someone else.

Okay, so he wasn't perfect. But when Adele heads back to Cedar Creek, Texas, for a family emergency, she discovers that her hometown heartthrob is still as sexy as ever - and now he's single.
It could be the end of Adele's streak. After all, forgiving Zach for breaking her heart years ago and learning to trust him again will take everything she's got, but Adele can handle anything... anything but another bad date.

Related posts: More book cover snap | Are butterflies the new feet?

FRIDAY FLICK: Something's Gotta Give

Okay, this film isn't adapted from a book, but it is about writing... The main character (played by the tremendous Diane Keaton) is a successful playwright.

Written and directed by Nancy Meyers (Private Benjamin, The Holiday), this is a romantic comedy with a difference; it's about middle-aged people (gasp!)

Harry Sanborn (Jack Nicholson) is a perennial bachelor who only dates women under the age of 30. He meets Erica because he is dating her daughter and they take an instant dislike to one another - and not just because of that.

Over enforced companionship (Harry suffers chest pains and Erica relunctantly agrees to let him stay at her beach house while he recovers enough to travel), the two discover that there is a mutual attraction.

There are complications from Harry's handsome young doctor (Keanu Reeves) who pursues Erica romantically, and from Harry's own set of expectations and prejudices.

The on-screen chemistry between Nicholson and Keaton is brilliant, the script witty and the drama refreshing. Plus, there's a great supporting cast in Frances McDormand, Amanda Peet and Jon Favreau.

It made a change to be watching a mature love story (in all senses of the word); highly recommended. 

Related posts: Friday Flick archives

SPOTLIGHT: Christina Jones

Christina Jones was born in Oxford and grew up in Berkshire. According to her website, she lived in a very happy, tight-knit, working class community, and has drawn on the idea of close community for her writing.

Christina wrote short stories and articles while working in a series of random jobs - everything from factory worker to night-club dancer. Apparently, she was sacked from nineteen of her twenty-seven jobs for writing at work!

Luckily, it all paid off. Christina joined the Romantic Novelists' Association (RWA) in 1993 and was voted runner-up in the New Writers' Scheme in 1995 with Dancing in the Moonlight - a 40,000 word novella. At the RWA Awards Lunch, an agent suggested to Christina that she try full-length fiction. She wrote Going The Distance, which was sold straight away and chosen for the 1997 WH Smith Fresh Talent Promotion.

Things you may not have known about Christina Jones...
Her father was a circus clown.
Not only is she an avid fan of horse racing, but her grandfather was a jockey.
She has seventeen rescue cats. You can read all about them here.

Bibliography
Dancing In The Moonlight (novella - originally published by My Weekly Story Library)
Going The Distance
Running The Risk
Stealing The Show
Jumping To Conclusions
Walking On Air
Nothing To Lose
Tickled Pink
Hubble Bubble
Seeing Stars
Love Potions
Heaven Sent

Related posts: Spotlight archives

BOOK REVIEW: Queen of Babble in the Big City by Meg Cabot

Queen of Babble is, I think, the only Meg Cabot book that actually disappointed me. Of course, it's Meg, so it was still funny and sweet, but it reminded me too much of Sophie Kinsella's Can You Keep A Secret (my favourite Kinsella book).

Queen of Babble in the Big City is the second book in the Lizzie Nicholls trilogy and I enjoyed it much more than the first.

Following their summer romance, Lizzie is staying with Luke in his mother's New York (Fifth Avenue, no less) apartment. She wants to find a job restoring wedding dresses, but, since the only job she can find is unpaid, she has to take a morning job as a receptionist in her friend Chaz's father's law firm.

Best friend Shari is staying with Chaz (her boyfriend) until she and Lizzie can get a place together, but it seems like things aren't going well in her relationship with Chaz. Her job, however, is fabulous. So fabulous, that she's spending all her time there (and with her new boss).

Can Lizzie find a job doing what she loves (and getting paid for it)? Can she get Luke to commit? Can she help Shari and Chaz sort out their problems? And can she cope when Luke's parents come to visit?

Queen of Babble in the Big City is charming, sweet and funny and Lizzie seemed much more mature than she did in the first book (although this time she reminded me of Becky Bloomwood!). She's still sweet and naive, but this time it was more endearing than irritating so I'll definitely be reading the final book (Queen of Babble Gets Hitched).

Rating: 4/5

Like this? Try The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

Now can we talk covers? The UK cover above is offensively boring, in my opinion. It's almost as if they just couldn't be bothered and so copied the pattern from some leftover wrapping paper... And what's with the back-to-front "B"? Disappointing.

The US covers (hardback, left, and paperback, right) are much nicer.

Which is your favourite?

 

BOOK REVIEW: Fast Women by Jennifer Crusie

Fast Women is the first Jennifer Crusie I ever read and as such it retains a very special place in my heart.

It's also a fantastic, fast-paced read with some of my Crusie favourite characters. In fact, I've read this book so many times, I have difficulty remembering that they're not real...

Recently divorced, Nell Dysart seeks work at a down-at-heel private investigation firm. Gabe McKenna, the owner, is in need of a secretary to organise his office and Nell is in need of a paycheck.

Nell is feeling decidedly grey after her divorce. She has been so focused on being controlled and grown-up about the break-down of her marriage, she has forgotten her own needs and desires.

Gabe works with his cousin, Riley, but is used to being the boss. He inherited the agency from his father and wants everything to stay exactly the same. Utterly in control, he also feels utterly miserable.

As Nell organises the hell out of the office sparks fly, and Nell, slowly, returns back to life.

Much as I love the romance between Nell and Gabe (and I do), I love the supporting cast and subplots in Fast Women even more. Nell's two best friends are also her ex-sisters-in-law. There's sweet Margie, who obsesses over her china collection, and Suze - a gorgeous blonde with an older-man husband who is continually searching for meaning in her life.

There is also a lovely subplot between Nell's son, Jase, and Gabe's daughter (from his previous marriage) Lu. They have fallen in love and the way they mirror and reinforce the mistakes their parents are making/have made in relationships is brilliantly poignant and funny.

It's a book full of spectacular arguments, dog-napping, mystery, Clarice Cliff pottery, astrology and strong, smart, funny women. What more do you need?

Rating: 5/5

Like this? Try: Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie

SPOTLIGHT: Jojo Moyes

I only heard about Jojo recently - her book Silver Bay was shortlisted for the RNA Romantic Novel of the Year Award (look out for the review coming tomorrow!) but when I did my research, I discovered she's been writing books since 2002 and Silver Bay is actually her fifth.

She won the RNA Novel of the Year Award in 2004 for Forbidden Fruit and was short-listed in 2006 for The Ship of Brides.

Jojo was born in 1969 in London. Prior to writing fiction, she worked at The Independent for ten years, including stints as Assistant News Editor and Arts and Media Correspondent.

Jojo now writes books full-time and lives on a farm in Essex with her journalist husband and three children, plus some "badly-behaved animals including an ex-racehorse and several rescued battery hens."

Jojo's third child, Lachlan, was born profoundly deaf. He had cochlear implant surgery and Jojo wrote about his (and her) experience of this for the Mail On Sunday.

Want more? Well, since it's you...Jojo has a blog and has just announced the title of her next book - Night Music. It's due out this summer and this is the blurb from Amazon:
The Spanish House has long been known as an architectural folly to locals, and is now nearly derelict to boot. When its reclusive owner dies intestate the Spanish House is left to his city-dwelling niece. For Isabel, recently widowed, the house is a potential lifeline -- the only hope she has of providing for her two children. But for neighbour Matt McCarthy, the house is revenge -- on the family who ruined his father. For his wife it's the key to the perfect family life, while a struggling property developer sees in it a whole new future. As desires clash and intertwine, lives and loves are demolished -- and the Spanish House becomes a true folly indeed...

Jojo's Bibliography:

Sheltering Rain
The Peacock Emporium
Foreign Fruit
The Ship of Brides
Silver Bay

Related posts: Spotlight archive

BOOK REVIEW: Daisy's Back In Town

When Daisy Lee Monroe walked out of Lovett, Texas fifteen years ago, she was a frightened eighteen-year-old with a secret.

Now she's back in town, forcing herself to confront the bad boy she left behind - Jackson Parrish.

Unfortunately, her sister is  acting even crazier than usual, her mum can still talk the hind legs off a donkey and Jackson still makes her stomach flip with one glance.

Jackson is (understandably) very upset with Daisy and wants nothing to do with her. She was his friend and lover, and when she left Lovett it was with his best friend, Stephen.

What Jackson doesn't know is that Daisy's betrayal was even worse than that; she was also pregmant with his child  and has waited until now to tell him.

All credit to Rachel Gibson for managing to make me care for a protagonist who has acted so badly. Although I couldn't help but like Daisy Lee, I did feel it was very out-of-character that she had waited fifteen years to tell Jack about his son.

Daisy has to chase Jackson all over town to try and deliver her news. To complicate things further, the lusty attraction that Jack and Daisy felt as teenagers is still alive and kicking.

The Texan setting is lots of fun - a real escapist treat for a Brit like me - and Jack is a very sexy, very alpha hero. Daisy's Back In Town is a raunchy romance from an accomplished writer. 

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try: The Men's Guide to the Women's Bathroom by Jo Barrett

Lani Diane Rich reads to you

You know I told you about Lani Diane Rich's new book, A Little Ray Of Sunshine, and how fabulous it sounded?

Well, the book is out now, but there's more... Lani has made a recording of herself reading the first chapter and it's available for download on her website. Thanks Lani!

Related posts: Lani Diane Rich interview | Jennifer Crusie, Lani Diane Rich and Anne Stewart podcast

Classic romance comic-book-covers

Yes, again this would've been better posted on Valentine's Day, but what can you do? Entertainment Weekly has a selection of 25 classic comic-book romance covers for your delight and delectation.

Chosen from the golden age of pulp romance, this retro treat harks back to a simpler time; when the only lipstick was red and lines like 'my scandal-smeared love' were just the beginning...

Related posts: Women in comics | Avril Lavigne Manga

BOOK REVIEW: Midori By Moonlight by Wendy Nelson Tokunaga

I know I'm shallow, but I was mainly attracted to Midori By Moonlight because of the cover: moonlight, cupcakes and a cute outfit on the illustration! Also I love the title and the book is set in San Francisco, one of my favourite cities.

Fortunately, the book is just as cute as its cover. Midori moves from Japan to marry Kevin, an American she met out there. Unfortunately, Kevin reignites an old flame at his and Midori's engagement party, leaving Midori both heart-broken and stuck in San Francisco without a visa.

Desperate not to return to Japan - obsessed with US culture, Midori had planned to stay in San Francisco forever - Midori calls a Japanese friend of Kevin's, Shinji/Sean, who, as luck would have it, needs a room-mate.

Midori still has the problem of finding a job without a visa. She wants to be a pastry chef, but soon resorts to working in a "hostess bar". And of course she can't tell her parents - not about the lack of a wedding, the living with a strange man, and certainly not her job - they never wanted her to go to the US in the first place (although they did want her to get married and had been in the process of arranging a marriage for her when she met Kevin).

I loved this book. More like a fairy story than a realistic portrayal of the illegal immigrant experience (I doubt many illegal immigrants have it as easy as Midori), it's charming, sweet, funny and gripping and Midori is lovely and I was rooting for her from page one. Plus there's San Francisco, cupcakes and moonlight. I can't wait to read Wendy Nelson Tokunaga's next book.

Rating: 5/5

Like this? Try The Perfectly True Tales of a Perfect Size 12 by Robin Gold

BOOK REVIEW: Earthly Pleasures by Karen Neches

Karen Neches' Earthly Pleasures begins in Heaven, where Skye Sebring is a hospitality greeter. She meets Ryan Blaine, who has a brush with death following a motorbike accident. Unbeknownst to him, Ryan is one of the stars of Heaven's soap opera, Earthly Pleasures, and, after meeting him, Skye is more than intrigued.

Is that not a completely brilliant idea? I love everything about it ... but there's more. When Skye starts training to return to earth, all of life's lessons are contained in the lyrics of Beatles songs. Fabulous, no? Oh yes, there's more...

Down on earth, Ryan is struggling with  his marriage. Following a near-fatal accident of her own, his wife Susan has changed almost beyond all recognition. He's not in love with her anymore, but how can he tell her?

Also on earth, care home resident Caroline gets a new roommate: Emily is in a coma she's never expected to recover from, but from which Caroline is determined to retrieve her.

I don't want to say much more because I'm scared of giving anything away. Not only is this book full of surprises (and some shocks), it's funny, moving, sad, thrilling and inspiring.

It would have been 5/5 but I was very slightly disappointed with the ending. If I could have given it 4.5/5 I would. I really, really loved it.

Rating: 4/5

Like this? Try If Only It Were True by Marc Levy, filmed as Just Like Heaven

Harlequin's Valentine Sony Reader

Harlequin have come up with a cunning plan for Valentine's Day - a Sony Reader, with a pink skin, loaded with 14 romances only available in e-book format.

Call me shallow, but now that I've seen the Sony Reader in pink, I really want one.

[via Galleycat]

Related posts: Kindle e-book reader | Ebooks: the future of reading? | Harlequin go e-book crazy

Chick Lit Heroine Grudge Match: Lula v Charity

In the last stand-off, Cranky Agnes (and her frying pan) beat Heartburn's Rachel Samstat.

I thought I'd mix it up a little for this week's match. It's true that the heroine's best mate/partner in crime/sister is often as kick-ass as the heroine herself, so I thought I'd put a couple in the ring.

Please put your hands together for Lula (Stephanie Plum's side kick) and Charity (the wise-cracking best friend in Anyone But You).

Lula

The books: The wildly successful Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich

The woman: Ex-ho, 'traditionally-built' woman with a penchant for lime-green spandex and tasers.

Loves: Tank. Works at RangerMan services and is built like one.

Kick ass?: In fairness, Lula does a great deal more falling on her ass than kicking some, but she gets a lot of the best lines. She could probably incapacitate her opponent by making them weak with laughter...

Charity

The book: Anyone But You by Jennifer Crusie

The woman: Leather-mini-skirt wearing, boutique-owning, dating book-writing, best friend of the heroine, Nina.

Loves: Amaretto milk shakes, high heels, Nina, and getting revenge on rat-fink men.

Kick ass?: I love Charity. She has great lines, great clothes and great attitude. She doesn't do anything action-hero-like in the book (it's a romance) but I get the distinct impression that she would do anything to protect or avenge Nina.

Conclusion: Although Lula is pretty handy with the wrestling moves (in other words, she sits on people), Charity is smart and feisty. What do you think?

BOOK REVIEW: The Chalet Girl by Kate Lace

We meet Millie at the end of the ski season. She is a chalet girl and damn good at her job. Plus, she's never been tempted to break the rules and fraternise with the tourist clients who come to stay. Until now.

Luke is enjoying a snowboarding break with his best mate (and fellow reporter) Archie, and he is equally drawn to Millie. She is so natural and sweet and pretty. Plus, she seems tinged with sadness which increases Luke's interest and attraction.

Of course, the path of true love cannot run  smooth (it would make for a very short book), so a  misunderstanding leads to Millie heading back to England without saying goodbye to Luke.

Gradually, Millie's past is revealed and we get to know the source of her unhappiness. We are also treated to more misunderstandings and slip-ups as Luke searches for Millie and Millie's life unfolds.

Although some of these were a wee bit contrived and Lace's style leans on a great deal of 'telling' rather than 'showing', I enjoyed The Chalet Girl. It's a good-natured read with warm characters, and a rags-to-riches plot complete with a ball at the end.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try: Decent Exposure by Phillipa Ashley

THURSDAY TRAILBLAZER: Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie (1890-1976) is known as the Queen of Crime. She was an extremely prolific writer with an impressive publishing record (although Meg Cabot is catching her up!)

Christie wrote 80 detective novels, six romance novels (under the name Mary Westmacott), successful stage plays, and an autobiography.

She has been called best-selling writer of all time with sales into the billions and her play, The Mouse Trap, holds the record for the longest inital run in the world.

Christie  created two of the most enduringly popular detectives ever - Miss Marple and Poirot - and many of her books have been adapted for film and television.

Her popularity continues unabated in the twenty-first century, with many new interpretations of her work. There are even comic book versions of some of her classics like Murder on the Orient Express.

Agatha didn't go to school. Her mother taught her at home until she was 16. Then she studied music in Paris.

Aged 24, Agatha married Archie Christie, a World War 1 fighter pilot. They had one daughter - Rosalind.

During the war, Agatha worked as a nurse and in a pharmacy. Her training in poisons came in very handy later for her books.

Archie asked for a divorce (because he had fallen in love with another woman), but Agatha found happiness in her second marriage. She met and fell in love with Max Mallowan, a young archaeologist she met during her many travels. They married in 1930.

Want to know more? Try her (rather swish) official website or autobiography.

Related posts: Thursday Trailblazer archives

BOOK NEWS: Alibi in High Heels

Alibi in High Heels is the fourth book in Gemma Halliday's 'high heels' series of romantic mysteries and it's out in March.

I have to admit I hadn't heard of the books (or of Halliday). Just in case you're in the same boat, here are the first three titles: Spying in High Heels, Killer in High Heels and Undercover in High Heels.

The series stars Maddie Springer: shoe designer, fashionista, and occasional sleuth. The mad-cap characters and plots remind me of Janet Evanovich, but we'll have to do a review to find out if they live up to that comparison.

My eagle-eyes have also noted that on the cover of Alibi, it says 'soon to be a TV series'. Interesting, no?

Related posts: Book news archive

BOOK REVIEW: Sea Fever by Sarah Mason

Reviewed by Helen Redfern

Sea Fever is a stonking great read of a novel showing the glamour, drama and sheer hard work of sailing and the renowned race the America’s Cup.

At this point I should stress I know nothing at all about sailing. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. But that doesn’t matter as you don’t have to in order to read this book.

We are introduced to the characters of Erica ‘Inky’ Pencarrow, Fabian Beaufort, John ‘Mack’ MacGregor and Rafe Louvel. With great supporting characters from Custard, Hattie, Milly, Bee, Saffron…infact the list is (almost) endless. There are also a few ‘baddies’ notably the ruthless billionaire Henry Luter and the callous Jason Bryant. It all makes for a superb cast list (which handily is included at the front of the book just in case you get a little confused!).

As with many sports, sailing is dominated by men. Inky is determined to become a world class sailor and pull herself out of the shadow of her older brothers and gain her father’s approval. Her ultimate dream is to represent Britain in the America’s Cup. Fabian is disgraced from the sport and has found his sailing friends have all disappeared. His sailing career looks decidedly bleak. Rafe, used to sailing around the world with his father, is spotted by Mack (a fantastic sailor who many believe has now ‘lost it’) and persuaded to come and work for him.

In a twist of fate an opportunity presents itself to Mack. He starts to put together a British crew. A woman, a former druggie and someone who has never raced before. Confirmation, if any more were needed, that he had finally lost the plot.

This was a thrilling, engaging read. It isn’t just about the romance. Yes there is plenty of that. But it is the heartache and the drama, the funny bits and the sheer emotion that jumps off every page.

I am racking my brains to find something I didn’t like about this book. But I can’t. At no point whilst reading did I feel anything was wrong. I was just swept away. Even the racing terminology didn’t put me off. I read through her descriptions of tacking and spinnakers as though I had been reading about them all my life.  My heart was in my mouth as I willed the crew on just as if I were a spectator watching the race on the shore.

I cared about each person on board the boat as their lives changed. Yes some of the plot was a little predictable. But other bits weren’t and there were enough twists and turns to keep me guessing.

One of my favourite bits was what becomes of Inky in the epilogue. A strong inspirational woman if I ever saw one.

Fabulous.

Rating: 5/5

Like this? Try Still Summer by Jacquelyn Mitchard

Buy book cover art

Look at that hunk of manhood! He could be yours. Yes, yours!

Artist Max Ginsburg has illustrated countless romance covers and he's set up a website selling limited edition prints of the cover art. [via Romantic Times]

The painting on the left graced the cover of Emma Merritt's Lady of Winter and can be yours for $300 (print on canvas - you can also get an oil painting, but the price for that is "on request", i.e. it's a lot).

Honestly, I could look at those moobs all day...

Related posts: Romance novel cover comedy | Romance archives

Mills & Boon's centenary

Mills & Boon, one of the most successful book publishers ever, is celebrating its centenary this year. Yep, 100 years of bodice-ripping, dashing doctors, rich sheiks, and smart modern romances.

Visit the website for special offers and competitions throughout 2008.

Related posts: Mills & Boon on your mobile | Harlequin/NASCAR romances

BOOK REVIEW: The Forever Summer by Suzanne Macpherson

I know it seems weird me reviewing a book called The Forever Summer in the depths of winter (well, I'm trying to pretend this is the depths and it's not going to get much worse...), but this book isn't really "summery". In fact, it's rather cosy.

When beautiful but bitchy Emily Ruth Griffin drops dead in the produce aisle of the supermarket where Lila works, Lila's immediate worry is that she's poisoned her with the Cheese Whiz and crackers Emily had just sampled.

But when Emily Ruth starts haunting both the produce aisle and Lila herself, Lila's got more to worry about. Like the kid in the Sixth Sense, Lila sees dead people. But not All The Time, just when they've got a beef. But what's Emily Ruth's beef? Lila doesn't know. It's got something to do with lemons and babies, but she's not making herself clear.

Could it be that Lila has started dating Emily Ruth's sexy ex-husband, Lucas? Probably not since Emily Ruth cheated on him with his own brother... And what about the man Emily Ruth was preparing to have dinner with on the day he died? And what's with all the dead wives in this town, anyway?

So many questions... And, actually, not so many answers. I really enjoyed this book, but that's mainly because the characters are so good rather than the plot. I didn't guess what Emily Ruth was after, but I worked out whodunnit very early on. It didn't matter though, because Lila and Lucas (along with the minor characters) are very entertaining and I was happy to join them for the ride.

The other thing I loved about this book was the setting. It's a small town in either Ontario or Washington State (apologies if this is clear in the book; if so, I missed it) and it reminded me a bit of Stars Hollow from Gilmore Girls and you know how much I love Gilmore Girls.

This is the first of Suzanne Macpherson's books I've read, but I'll definitely look out for more.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try The Fortune Quilt by Lani Diane Rich

BOOK REVIEW: Agnes & The Hitman by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer

A new Jennifer Crusie novel is always a treat, but lately, you don't just get Jennifer Crusie - her last three novels have been collaborations. First Don't Look Down, the first "romantic adventure" written with Bob Mayer, then The Unfortunate Miss Fortunes, written with Eileen Dreyer and Anne Stuart and now another Bob Mayer partnership: Agnes & The Hitman. I've read so much about Agnes & The Hitman on Crusie's blog that I've been desperate to read it almost from the time they started writing it ... I finally got the chance and I wasn't disappointed.

"Cranky" Agnes Crandall is a food writer, who has just had moderate success with a book called Mob Food. She's also recently bought her dream house, in partnership with her fiance, Taylor, but part of the property agreement was that she host a wedding for the previous owner's granddaughter. Unfortunately, Brenda (the previous owner), will get the house back if the wedding doesn't happen and, since that's what she wants, she's going all out to sabotage the wedding.

When a man with a gun turns up in Agnes's kitchen (ostensibly to kidnap her dog), her friend Joey calls a hitman named Shane to come and protect Agnes. But Shane's got problem's of his own. His boss is retiring and wants Shane to take over ... and it appears before long that someone's trying to kill him too.

My head hurts from trying to explain any aspect of this story without giving something away, but it's not so complicated when you read it, honest (okay, it's a little bit complicated, but, like Janet Evanovich's books, if you don't struggle to place everyone and just let it all wash over you instead, it all becomes clear in the end). Plus - and you'll know this if you read Crusie's blog - there are flamingoes.

I liked Agnes & the Hitman even better than Don't Look Down (and I liked Don't Look Down a lot). Agnes now joins the (long) list of my favourite Crusie characters and Shane is sex on legs. The minor characters are charming, hilarious and completely barmy and it's so skillfully done that you can't see the join between Crusie and Mayer's writing (even though you know that if there's any "YEC - Yucky Emotional Crap", it's unlikely to be Bob). Still, the YEC (which is neither yucky nor crap), the guns, bombs, boats, dogs and flamingoes all come together perfectly to create a gripping, romantic and fun read.

Rating: 4/5

Like this? Try Don't Look Down by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer or any of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum books, starting with One for the Money

BOOK REVIEW: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (Insight Edition)

Reviewed by Jill Hart

I must admit, though somewhat shyly, that though I am a huge fan of Jane Austen I had never read Pride and Prejudice. I attempted to read it once during my high school years, but the language seemed confusing and I gave up. So, when Bethany House announced their new “Insight Edition” of Pride and Prejudice I jumped at the chance to read it.

This new printing of Austen’s beloved classic includes the original text, but also adds side notes giving the reader a brief definition of certain terms, customs and history behind Austen’s words. The book also includes movie facts and other entertaining tidbits that highlight that many works of art that Pride and Prejudice has inspired such as the 2005 movie starring Kiera Knightley.

The editors at Bethany house did a fantastic job at selecting passages to expound on. For example, Austen speaks of Mrs. Bennet saying, “The business of her life was to get her daughters married; its solace was visiting and news.” In today’s culture this seems a bit, well, shallow, and yet the editors include a note that explains why this would have been so important a job for Mrs Bennet.

I can freely say that I loved the book even more than the movie and I felt the Insight Edition added a whole new dimension to Austen’s work. Jane Austen’s speaks for itself and yet the editors did a wonderful job of adding information that enriched the book and made it even more appealing.

Rating: 5/5

Like this? Try Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding (ha ha!)

BOOK NEWS: What Looks Like Crazy by Charlotte Hughes

I know Charlotte Hughes as Janet Evanovich's friend and co-author on the Full series, but apparently she's written over 30 romance books, too.

She's got a shiny new website (Charlotte's Web) and a new book coming out in February 2008. What Looks Like Crazy is the first of a series featuring psychologist Kate Holly.

Kate is divorcing Jay, her firefighter husband, who is perfect except for his tendency to put his life on the line. She is trying to deal with her mother, eccentric secretary and psychiatrist ex-boyfriend. The latter refers clients to her in return for news on the colour of her underwear.

As if things aren't nuts enough, Kate starts getting mysterious threats that could be from just about any lunatic in Atlanta. She's treated them all...

Related posts: Book News archive

BOOK REVIEW: Kiss My Book by Jamie Michaels

I was so excited when I read the premise for young adult novel, Kiss My Book. It's the story of Ruby Crane, who sold her first book and got a movie deal at the age of 15, but is then accused of plagiarism.

The clear parallels with the Kaavya Viswanathan scandal appealed to me - in case you missed it, Viswanathan was 19 when her debut novel, How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got a Life was published and was subsequently found to contain sections bearing startling similarities to various other books - and to begin with I thought Kiss My Book was going to be great, but it then went off at a tangent and, I felt, lost the plot.

After the plagiarism accusation, Ruby runs away to her aunt's house in a small town in Upstate New York. She calls herself Georgie and decides she's never going to have anything to do with books again. She immediately makes friends with a girl named Rabbit and falls for Rabbit's cousin, Jacob, who is not only a hottie, but a big reader.

After a while, Ruby realises that she misses books and can't live without them after all, and so starts a book club in her aunt's shop. The book then becomes a sort of parable (or maybe a parody of a parable) and I found it both unrealistic and patronising. Despite the fact that the teens are all fully conversant with a range of poetry, the rest of the dimwit residents of this small town appear to have never even heard of books before and get completely overexcited. Rabbit's mother is reading romance novels and so she and Rabbit's dad start having sex again. The Single Moms Club becomes the Reading Moms Club. When Ruby's aunt's store is threatened with closure the town's residents take to the streets in protest.

Yes, Ruby has to admit that she plagiarised, but it's okay because at least, through her time in Whispering Oaks, she's learned to be honest with herself, and brought literature to the unwashed masses. I think you can tell, it irritated me no end.

There's also a subplot about what may be behind the whispering of Whispering Oaks, but this felt like it had been slotted in from an entirely different book. All in all - and despite the fact that Ruby is, most of the time, an entertaining and intelligent heroine and Jacob is a hot hero - Kiss My Book didn't live up to my expectations. A shame.

Rating: 2/5

Like this? Try The Boyfriend List by E Lockhart

Book News: Sorcery and the Single Girl by Mindy Klasky

Paranormal chick lit is still going from strength to strength - in the US, at any rate - and here's the proof; another witchy-heroine from Red Dress Ink.

Newly-fledged witch, Jane Madison, is struggling to find her feet. She feels like a magical misfit, and her powers aren't much help with her everyday-problems, either.

Then the exclusive Washington Coven invites her to join up. It could be a whole new start for Jane - or the most humiliating experience of her life.

We loved Mindy Klasky's debut, Girl's Guide to Witchcraft, which introduced Jane Madison, so I have high hopes for this one.

Related posts: Book News archive

Book Review: Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie

Gentle reader, I have a spot of advice...

The next time you have one of those days. When you feel uncomfortable so you reach for your 'fat' jeans only to discover you're already wearing them, when you forget bin day for the third week running,  when you have a dentist's appointment and you collect a parking ticket while you're there, when, in short, fate spits in your eye and doesn't offer you a hanky, may I make a suggestion?

Read this book. Bet Me is pure escapist loveliness with typically-wonderful Crusie characters and a hero yummier than ten bars of Galaxy.

Minnerva Dobbs is a no-nonsense woman who believes in risk management over fairy-tale happy-endings. Calvin Morrisey is a gorgeous businessman who never makes a bet he won't win. But Min and Cal are meant for each other and Fate will go to any lengths to make them see it.

Bet Me is an unapologetic traditional romance, but it's also a Crusie. Hence the Krispy Kremes, chaos theory, intelligent cat, off-balance psychologist, snarky-best-friend, and outrageous shoes.

This book is balm for the soul and I love it. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've had a rough day...

Like this? Try: Faking It by Jennifer Crusie

BOOK REVIEW: A Hopeless Romantic by Harriet Evans

I was so in love with the cover of Harriet Evans's second novel, A Hopeless Romantic, that I was almost afraid to read it in case the book itself was disappointing.

It's the story of Laura Foster - a hopeless romantic, obviously - she loves chick flicks, romance novels, and is continually falling head over heels for inappropriate men.

But after her heart is broken by the gorgeous, but duplicitous Dan, she decides to give up on romance once and for all. Her videos and paperbacks all go in the bin and she is determined to be pragmatic. Until, on a visit to a stately home with her parents, she meets Nick and finds herself falling again. But the newly down to earth Laura decides it can't possibly work, vows to forget all about Nick and returns to her life in London.

Of course it's not that easy...

With a charming casts of supporting characters, A Hopeless Romantic is, thankfully, incredibly romantic. I really loved it. I warmed to Laura immediately, despite her being the "other woman" at the beginning of the book. I loved her flatmate, her friends, her family and, of course, Nick, who was completely gorgeous. (Plus it made me nostalgic for London, which is quite a feat since, after leaving there 10 years ago, I really can't abide the place.)

I now can't wait to read Evans's debut, Going Home. Luckily I bought it ages ago so I won't have to wait too long.

Rating: 5/5

Like this? Try The Little Lady Agency by Hester Brown

GIVEAWAY: I Married A Pirate

A few weeks ago we featured an interview with journalist and debut novelist Samantha David, as part of our Summer Special.

Today: the chance to win not just a copy of her book, I Married a Pirate, but a signed copy! (UK only I'm afraid)

Carry on over the cut to find out how to be in with a chance to win...

Entries should be sent to our usual address - subject line: PIRATE - and please include your name and address (so we can send you the book if you're picked at random). Closing date is midnight GMT next Friday, 14 September. Good luck!

BOOK REVIEW: Pillow Talk by Freya North

Reviewed by Helen Redfern

I should start this review by admitting I’m a big fan of Freya North. Her books have seen me through my years as a career girl, helping me to rediscover the art of reading for pleasure after three dry years at university. They were also there for me when I met my lovely boyfriend whom, as the years passed, became my husband. I could therefore completely identify with the boy meets girl formula of a Freya North novel.

At some point during the last ten years, like me, Freya’s books have grown up.

That’s not to say they are no longer a fun, sexy and quirky read. They haven’t become staid or boring (as, one hopes, I haven’t either!). But it is no longer just about the sexiness of boy meeting girl. She also explores some deeper issues, and nowhere is this more apparent than with her latest novel ‘Pillow Talk’.

Pillow Talk is about a boy and a girl, childhood (almost) sweethearts, who lose touch, then one day find themselves standing next to each other in an ice-cream shop. The girl, Petra Flint, is a jeweller who also happens to sleepwalk. The boy, Arlo Savidge, is a music teacher at a private school, who has insomnia. We follow them on their inevitable journey towards being together.

Yes the classic Freya North formula is there. Unfortunately this means there are parts where I could guess the plot and I got slightly frustrated with Freya for being so predictable.

North, however, hasn’t finished yet. Just as her readers have matured, so has her writing. As the story reveals our hero and heroine’s secrets she gives us more than the usual ‘girl meets boy, have misunderstanding, get back together and live happily ever after’ scenario. Once they are together we uncover a past that neither of them can forget, and which is the real reason behind their sleep problems.

We are also invited into the fascinating world of jewellery design, discovering, with vivid and enthusiastic descriptions, tanzanite (which Freya describes with the same relish she used about sculpture in her earlier novels) and also into the life of a music teacher who has an eclectic taste in music and whom I would have liked to have teaching me at school.

In terms of ranking this novel I am torn. I feel I should mark Pillow Talk down for being the tiniest bit predictable but at the same time this is part of Freya’s charm – the formula I have enjoyed reading again and again over the years. Pillow Talk is a fabulously sassy, grown up, chick lit read, but my exasperation over the slight predictability is only allowing me a high 4 out of 5.

Rating: 4/5

Like this? Try Vince & Joy by Lisa Jewell

BOOK REVIEW: Forget About It by Caprice Crane

Caprice Crane's debut novel, Stupid & Contagious was one of our favourite books of last year so Diane and I have both been desperate to get our hands on her new novel, Forget About It and I was first. (Ha! In your face, Diane!) (Sorry about that.)

Forget About It is the story of Jordan Landau whose life sucks. Her boyfriend Dirk is a cheating scumbag who treats Jordan like dirt; her family - mum, younger sister and stepfather - are disappointed, disinterested or downright hostile and her boss has been blatantly stealing her creative ideas. The only good things in Jordan's life are her best friends Todd and Cat.

When riding her bike one day Jordan has an accident and hits her head. Waking up in hospital, she decides it offers her the perfect opportunity - fake amnesia and get a do-over. Stop being a doormat and start her life - relationships, work and family - from scratch. So she does it. The only person in on it is Todd and it goes surprisingly well - Jordan gets to see just how awful people are, to recognise just how badly they've been treating her and to teach them all a lesson without actually having to take any responsibility for it. And, as the icing on the cake, she finds herself falling for the lovely Travis, the man who actually caused her accident.

And then things go horribly wrong and Jordan realises that to avoid losing everything, she's got to get her memory back. And then there's another accident...

Girlier than Stupid & Contagious, Forget About It is fun, inspiring, hilarious and audacious (I found myself doing that "Oh, no she didn't!" thing). Jordan's family, boss and boyfriend are so awful I couldn't wait for them to get their comeuppance. Her friends Todd and Cat are lovely and Travis now makes it onto my list of favourite chick lit heroes of all time.

Forget Me Not* Forget About It has cemented Caprice Crane as one of my favourite authors. I can't wait to see what she does next.

(Look out for our interview with Caprice later today.)

Rating: 5/5

Like this? Try Me Vs Me by Sarah Mlynowski

*Doh! Forget Me Not is *my* book... LOL (Good catch, Luisa!)

The picture above is the US version, which I love. Forget About It is out in the UK (4 October) with Little Black Dress and this cover:

I prefer the US version, how about you?

BOOK REVIEW: Behind Every Great Woman There's a Fabulous Gay Man by Dave Singleton

Is it just me? Does everyone in the world have a fabulous GBF (Gay Best Friend) except me... And if so, where can I get one?

Dave Singleton argues that every woman needs a GBF - that's why his book is called Behind Every Great Woman There's a Fabulous Gay Man. But luckily for those of us who don't have our very own Stanford Blatch, Dave is happy to advise us on how to "avoid the pitfalls of the dating game, live stylishly and be even more fabulous than you already are." Which is nice.

The book is essentially a love and style guide for women from a gay man's perspective, divided into two parts: Dating, Men and Relationships and Style, Straight Talk and Self-Esteem.

Dave begins by talking about the importance of a male gay best friend for every straight woman, and about how wonderful his female friends are. Which is lovely for them, but doesn't help those of us without a GBF, now does it?!

There are some really interesting ideas in the first part of the book, such as looking at the part you play in your unsuccessful relationships - finding out where your love insecurities come from, and breaking self-destructive patterns. There are also useful and more light-hearted tips on checking if a man 'plays for your team' or not... The second part of the book is about appearance, plastic surgery and the like and is more superficial - although Singleton advises thinking about whether you're having a procedure done for your looks or your self-esteem, which is certainly good advice.

But a lot of the advice in the book seemed to be stretched a bit thin - I felt it was a bit repetitive and could probably have been squashed into a long feature article as I'm not sure there was enough here to build a book on. Some of the chapters in the second half of the book in particular just seemed there to make up the numbers, and didn't provide much useful insight - why it's okay to wear a short skirt to work, for instance. (Do we need to be told? And I'm still not gonna...) Plus, I couldn't help feeling that perhaps the idea for the book was a bit outdated - I mean, SATC is over and GBFs aren't exactly news. This book was only published in the UK this year, but in the US in 2005, which explains a lot.

It's witty, if not particularly original, and does contain some useful ideas, but may be one to skim rather than use as your style and dating 'bible'.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Jane Austen's Guide to Dating by Lauren Henderson.

(Quite a lot of) Caprice Crane news

Caprice Crane has been a big fave of ours since her fabulous debut Stupid and Contagious (it wasn't the former, but definitely was the latter!)

Next Wednesday, in honour of the release of her new book Forget About It (which Keris is reading at the moment - jealous!) Caprice will be the star of our author interview. (Buy the book from 27th August in the US/on Amazon or from 4th October in the UK).

In the meantime, you can watch a short film, Passing the Time, created as a sort-of trailer for the book (which will be turned into a feature film by Disney, starring Scarlett Johansson - and which meant Crane couldn't make an actual trailer proper for copyright reasons. Or something.)

Finally, if you're quick and in the Santa Monica area, you might be able to catch Miss Crane at a Barnes and Noble signing today. [Via Galleycat].

Romance authors, Mills and Boon... and more unoriginal chick lit insults

Australia's Sydney Morning Herald recently featured this interesting article on romance novels, the popularity of Mills and Boon and why romance authors just can't get no... respect.

I learned about the article from a begrdging Bookninja - I love that site, but *wow* they don't love us...

"Romance as the cougar to chick lit’s fox? I think of it more like the laundry lady to chick lit’s halfwit yuppy."

Oooh - zing!

BOOK REVIEW: The Pursuit of Alice Thrift by Elinor Lipman

Have I mentioned I'm a big Elinor Lipman fan (just three hundred times or so)?

The Pursuit of Alice Thrift was released before My Latest Grievance, Lipman's most recent novel, and I must admit, I liked it a touch more. The main character, Alice Thrift, is fairly unsympathetic: as a surgeon, she's used to science and cold hard facts, and finds interacting with people when they're not under anesthetic to be quite a challenge. But when Ray Russo waltzes into her consulting room looking for a nose job (and maybe more...) Alice and he fall in love. Or Alice thinks they do...

A reviewer on Amazon described this book as being about the poor decisions people sometimes make to alleviate loneliness, and that's true to some extent: we learn early on in the book that Ray turns out not to be the man of Alice's dreams - if she'd ever do anything so romantic as indulge in daydreams about love, that is. Alice's formerly very boring, flat lifestyle becomes a lot more interesting - but not always in the ways she would have wanted. She does, however, begin to loosen up a little and make some friends.

At first, I wasn't sure I could read a whole book about a lonely, socially inept middle-aged woman. (Doesn't exactly scream 'fun!' does it?) But I loved this book. Where Elinor Lipman is so talented is that she can turn Alice into a sympathetic character that we care about by the end of the book - without actually changing Alice's personality too much! I found this a page-turner of a read, and only wish the author could churn her books out a little bit faster...

Rating: 5/5

Like this? Try Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson.

BOOK REVIEW: Wish You Were Here by Phillipa Ashley

I had to review a book called Wish You Were Here as part of our Summer Special celebrations, didn't I?

Phillipa Ashley's second novel features Beth, who fell in love with Jack on holiday in Corsica eight years ago. It had certainly been a whirlwind romance, but Beth was devastated when, after proposing, Jack walked out on her with no explanation. When Beth gets a fabulous job in a travel company, she's horrified to find that Jack's just been made CEO.

Beth needs the job to help support her family back in the Lake District - her father had an accident and can't work and her sister needs money to go to drama school - so she accepts it on the condition that she and Jack never speak of the past and keep their relationship strictly professional. But, of course, it's not as easy as they imagine.

The longer they work together the more they're reminded of their previous relationship and the more the old feelings reoccur. And then Beth arranges a research trip to Corsica and Jack decides to