The Woman Who Stole My Life

Synopsis

One day, sitting in traffic, married Dublin mum Stella Sweeney attempts a good deed. The resulting car crash changes her life.

For she meets a man who wants her telephone number (for the insurance, it turns out). That's okay. She doesn't really like him much anyway (his Range Rover totally banjaxed her car).

But in this meeting is born the seed of something which will take Stella thousands of miles from her old life, turning an ordinary woman into a superstar, and, along the way, wrenching her whole family apart.

Is this all because of one ill-advised act of goodwill? Was meeting Mr Range Rover destiny or karma? Should she be grateful or hopping mad?

For the first time real, honest-to-goodness happiness is just within her reach. But is Stella Sweeney, Dublin housewife, ready to grasp it?

The Girl On The Train

Synopsis

Rachel catches the same commuter train every morning. She knows it will wait at the same signal each time, overlooking a row of back gardens. She’s even started to feel like she knows the people who live in one of the houses. ‘Jess and Jason’, she calls them. Their life – as she sees it – is perfect. If only Rachel could be that happy.

And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough.

Now everything’s changed. Now Rachel has a chance to become a part of the lives she’s only watched from afar.

Now they’ll see; she’s much more than just the girl on the train…

The Peacock Emporium

Synopsis

Athene Forster embraced the Sixties like few others. Nicknamed the Last Deb, she was spoiled, beautiful, and out of control. And within two years of her marriage, the rumours had begun again.

Thirty-five years on, Suzanna Peacock finds refuge from her mother's shameful legacy in her shop, the Peacock Emporium. Within its magical walls she discovers not just friendship, and an escape from her troubled marriage, but the first real passion of her life.

But the spectre of her mother still haunts Suzanna, setting in place a series of dramatic events. Only by confronting the past will she finally be able to face the future

Thoughts

The Peacock Emporium has a very slow start and a mediocre ending. The writing is not very exciting and as far as characters go Susanna Peacock is as memorable as watching paint dry. I would not recommend this book, not because it's uninspiring and draining but because Jojo Moyes is a brilliant author and The Peacock Emporium does not showcase her wit, cynicism and class.

For a great read from Jojo Moyes try - Me Before You - http://herbooklist.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/review-me-before-you.html

The One Plus One

One single mum

With two jobs and two children, Jess Thomas does her best day after day. But it's hard on your own. And sometimes you take risks you shouldn't. Because you have to . . .

One chaotic family

Jess's gifted, quirky daughter Tanzie is brilliant with numbers, but without a helping hand she'll never get the chance to shine. And Nicky, Jess's teenage stepson, can't fight the bullies alone.

Sometimes Jess feels like they're sinking . . .

One handsome stranger

Into their lives comes Ed Nicholls, a man whose life is in chaos, and who is running from a deeply uncertain future. But he has time on his hands. He knows what it's like to be lonely. And he wants to help . . .

One unexpected love story

The One Plus One is a captivating and unconventional romance from Jojo Moyes about two lost souls meeting in the most unlikely circumstances.

Crikey Christmas is here already!!

Yikes! Christmas is nearly here. What on earth shall I do with myself? Presents, Puddings and of course Books! My favorite time of the year is upon us and I'm ready to make wish list starting with the two beauties below. Tali Roland never disappoints! I'm so excited *skips along the muddy, rainy wintry England roads* 

Marriage to Measure 

When Serenity Holland proposes to her long-time boyfriend Jeremy, she’s certain ‘forever’ is a perfect fit. As the wedding train steams forward, though, Serenity starts to wonder if they really are an ideal match. From a crusty old ring to a dilapidated house she’s left to renovate on her own – not to mention the appearance of Jeremy’s clingy ex-fiancée – engagement feels more like disengagement. 

Even worse, wedding planning’s like a bad hangover as Serenity juggles the wishes of family and friends with her bossy mother-in-law-to-be, resulting in a Frankenwedding nothing like the simple ceremony she envisioned. 

Can Serenity knit her relationship back together and fashion a celebration that suits, or will ‘I do’ become ‘I don’t’? 

Purchase

Married by Midnight 

Christmas is coming . . . and so is the biggest day of Kate’s life. 

While choosing a vintage dress for her Christmas Eve wedding, Kate finds a cryptic note pinned to the inside of a 1930s gown. As doubts about her own ceremony loom, Kate is determined to track down the dress’ owner and determine what became of her – and the marriage. 

Will Kate find the answers she’s seeking to propel her down the aisle, or will her discovery prompt her to call off the wedding for good? 

High Fidelity Quick Thoughts

Synopsos

Rob does. He keeps a list, in fact. But Laura isn't on it - even though she's just become his latest ex. He's got his life back, you see. He can just do what he wants when he wants: like listen to whatever music he likes, look up the girls that are on his list, and generally behave as if Laura never mattered. But Rob finds he can't move on. He's stuck in a really deep groove - and it's called Laura. Soon, he's asking himself some big questions: about love, about life - and about why we choose to share ours with the people we do.





Thoughts

So I finally read High Fidelity!! About time I hear you say. In my defense I started it a year ago but I couldn't get into it.  Nick Honby has never really been a favorite of mine, I'm a David Nichols kinda of "gurl", I find Nick Honby a bit too"guardian" too polished, like he's over thinking his jokes and failing miserably.  

But to my surprise once I picked this up again I couldn't stop! High Fidelity is brilliant. My opinion of Mr. Honby has improved, although I still find him a bit here and there, a Mike Gayle type of bloke with bits of funny escapism. 

I wont bother repeating the synopsis, that's a tedious exercise, read the synopsis above if you haven't already. What I would say however is that High Fidelity is funny, well written and not as self-obsessed as I originally thought.  This is one of his books I would recommend.  Now I'm off to eat crow. 

The Handmaid's Tale

Finally reading The Handmaid's Tale! It's getting me all excited about blogging again so here I am. Stay posted. I will try my best to Blog more..life willing.

Synopsis

The Republic of Gilead offers Offred only one option: to breed. If she deviates, she will, like all dissenters, be hanged at the wall or sent out to die slowly of radiation sickness. But even a repressive state cannot obliterate desire - neither Offred's nor that of the two men on which her future hangs. The Handmaid's Tale is a brilliant and astutely perceived evocation of twenty-first-century America.

It's Vintage's 21st birthday and we're celebrating by publishing twenty-one of our

most iconic books in a rainbow of beautiful colours. Treat yourself and make

your bookshelves happy.