Recommendations based on "Alice-Miranda 2014 Diary"

Snuggle up in your favourite armchair and take a trip across the Irish sea for comfort food, cosy cottage nights and a heart warming romance…Talented lawyer Hannah Campbell is after a change in her workaholic Manchester life – so on an uncharacteristic whim she books herself a place at the world-renowned Killorgally Cookery School in County Kerry. But on her first night In Ireland, sampling the delights of Dublin, Hannah can’t resist falling for the charms of handsome stranger Conor. It’s only when Hannah arrives at her postcard-pretty home at Killorgally for the next twelve weeks that she discovers what happens in Dublin doesn’t quite stay in Dublin…Nestled amongst rolling green hills and breath taking countryside, the cookery school throws Hannah and Conor together again–for better or worse.

“A beautiful debut, funny, tender, and animated by a willingness to confront life’s obstacles and find a way to survive. . . . It celebrates friendship, finds meaning in difficulty and lets the reader explore dark places while always allowing for the possibility of light. Lenni and Margot are fine companions for all our springtime journeys.”—Harper’s Bazaar, UKA charming, fiercely alive and disarmingly funny debut novel in the vein of John Green, Rachel Joyce, and Jojo Moyes—a brave testament to the power of living each day to the fullest, a tribute to the stories that we live, and a reminder of our unlimited capacity for friendship and love.An extraordinary friendship. A lifetime of stories.Seventeen-year-old Lenni Pettersson lives on the Terminal Ward at the Glasgow Princess Royal Hospital. Though the teenager has been told she’s dying, she still has plenty of living to do. Joining the hospital’s arts and crafts class, she meets the magnificent Margot, an 83-year-old, purple-pajama-wearing, fruitcake-eating rebel, who transforms Lenni in ways she never imagined.As their friendship blooms, a world of stories opens for these unlikely companions who, between them, have been alive for one hundred years. Though their days are dwindling, both are determined to leave their mark on the world. With the help of Lenni’s doting palliative care nurse and Father Arthur, the hospital’s patient chaplain, Lenni and Margot devise a plan to create one hundred paintings showcasing the stories of the century they have lived—stories of love and loss, of courage and kindness, of unexpected tenderness and pure joy.Though the end is near, life isn’t quite done with these unforgettable women just yet.Delightfully funny and bittersweet, heartbreaking yet ultimately uplifting, The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot reminds us of the preciousness of life as it considers the legacy we choose to leave, how we influence the lives of others even after we’re gone, and the wonder of a friendship that transcends time.From the beautiful cover to the heart-warming story, The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot is a book that will touch your soul and make you appreciate the beauty of life. This literary fiction novel is one of the best books of all time, and it's perfect for anyone who loves novels about love, grief, and friendship.

For readers of Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine and A Man Called Ove, a life-affirming, deeply moving "coming-of-old" story, a celebration of how ordinary days are made extraordinary through friendship, family, and the power of forgiving yourself--at any age."At a time when people are having to isolate, [this novel is] a balm, offering an expansive sense of love and possibility at a time when the main characters feel like those chances are gone." --Christian Science MonitorThe world has changed around seventy-nine-year-old librarian Millicent Carmichael, aka Missy. Though quick to admit that she often found her roles as a housewife and mother less than satisfying, Missy once led a bustling life driven by two children, an accomplished and celebrated husband, and a Classics degree from Cambridge. Now her husband is gone, her daughter is estranged after a shattering argument, and her son has moved to his wife's native Australia, taking Missy's beloved only grandchild half-a-world away. She spends her days sipping sherry, avoiding people, and rattling around in her oversized, under-decorated house waiting for...what exactly?The last thing Missy expects is for two perfect strangers and one spirited dog named Bob to break through her prickly exterior and show Missy just how much love she still has to give. In short order, Missy finds herself in the jarring embrace of an eclectic community that simply won't take no for an answer--including a rambunctious mutt-on-loan whose unconditional love gives Missy a reason to re-enter the world one muddy paw print at a time.Filled with wry laughter and deep insights, The Love Story of Missy Carmichael is a coming-of-old story that shows us it's never too late to forgive yourself and, just as important, it's never too late to love.

In 1960, fourteen-year-old Laura meets French exchange student, Leon. Her life will never be the same again. Things start to change for Laura - first her moods, and then her body. Laura isn't prepared for what she learns next - and doesn't even know how it could have happened. Sent away to save her family from shame, Laura meets girls just like her, whose families have given up on them - and they become a family for each other at the most difficult time in all their lives. Not suitable for younger readers, discover the brand-new young adult read from one of Britain's favourite authors. A heartbreaking, compelling and timely story for older readers about teen pregnancy, family trouble and unlikely friendships, set in 1960. "Jacqueline Wilson understands the complex interpersonal relationships of teenagers so well and writes with an unparalleled realness and rawness. I loved this book. It was heartbreaking but warm, unflinching yet somehow cosy. Nobody writes like Jacqueline Wilson. Long may she reign! I couldn't get the characters out of my head." - Holly Bourne

Step into the magical world of Cecelia Ahern with the perfect three-in-one gift for Christmas. Specially packaged for gift-giving, three of Cecelia's bestselling novels are nestled in an attractive box. Ideal as a gift item and perfect for the last-minute shopper, with a pretty, reusable box for the recipient

Curl up and escape with Jenny Colgan 'A sheer delight from start to finish' Sophie Kinsella ___________________________________Little Beach Street BakeryPolly Waterford is recovering from a toxic relationship. Unable to afford their flat, she has to move miles away from everyone, to a sleepy little seaside resort in Cornwall, where she lives alone above an abandoned shop.And so Polly takes out her frustrations on her favourite hobby: making bread. With reserves of determination and creativity Polly never knew she had, she bakes and bakes and bakes . . . And people start to hear about it.Sometimes, bread really is life . . . And Polly is about to reclaim hers.___________________________________Summer at Little Beach Street BakerySummer has arrived in the Cornish town of Mount Polbearne and Polly Waterford couldn't be happier. Because Polly is in love: she's in love with the beautiful seaside town she calls home, she's in love with running the bakery on Beach Street, and she's in love with her boyfriend, Huckle. And yet there's something unsettling about the gentle summer breeze that's floating through town. Polly sifts flour, kneads dough and bakes bread, but nothing can calm the storm she knows is coming: is Polly about to lose everything she loves?_________________________________ Why readers ADORE Jenny Colgan 'Jenny Colgan has a way of writing that makes me melt inside' 'Her books are so good I want to start over as soon as I have finished' 'There's something so engaging about her characters and plots' 'Her books are like a big, warm blanket' 'Her stories are just so fabulous' 'She brings her settings and characters so vividly to life' 'The woman is just magic'

A kid walks into your bookstore and… Guess what? He’s your son. The one you put up for adoption eighteen years ago. The one you never told anyone about. Surprise!   And a huge surprise it is.   It’s a huge surprise to his adoptive mother, Monica, who thought she had a close relationship with Matthew, her nearly adult son. But apparently, he felt the need to secretly arrange a vacation to Cape Cod for the summer so he could meet his birth mother…without a word to either her or his dad.   It’s also a surprise— to say the least—to Harlow, the woman who secretly placed her baby for adoption so many years ago. She’s spent the years since then building a quiet life. She runs a bookstore with her grandfather, hangs out with her four younger siblings and is more or less happily single, though she can’t help gravitating toward Grady Byrne, her old friend from high school. He’s moved back to town, four-year-old daughter in tow, no wife in the picture. But she’s always figured her life had to be child-free, so that complicates things.   When Matthew walks into Harlow’s store, she faints. Monica panics. And all their assumptions—about what being a parent really means—explode. This summer will be full of more surprises as both their families are redefined…and as both women learn that for them, there’s no limit to a mother’s love.

The blossom is out in the little Cornish harbour town of St Felix But Poppy Carmichael's spirits aren't lifted by the pretty West Country spring. Inheriting her grandmother's flower shop has forced her to return to Cornwall, a place that holds too many memories. Poppy is determined to do her best for the sake of her adored grandmother, but she struggles with the responsibility of the more-shabby-than-chic shop. And with the added complication of Jake, the gruff but gorgeous local flower grower, Poppy is very tempted to run away... The pretty little town has a few surprises in store for Poppy. With new friends to help her and romance blooming, it's time for Poppy to open her heart to St Felix and to the special magic of a little flower shop by the sea! Let Ali McNamara, author of the much-loved From Notting Hill with Love...Actually, bring some sparkling sunshine into your life

Sinéad Moriarty's delicious tenth novel, The Secrets Sisters Keep, is the story of three sisters, three life-altering problems and one eternal truth: nobody knows you quite like a sister! Sinéad's writing mixes the worldly wit of Jane Green with the down-to-earth warmth and insight of Marian Keyes and will remind people just how important their sisters - and their friends-who-are-like-sisters - are to them. The Devlin sisters rely on each other - but some things are just too painful to share, even when your sisters are your best friends ... Mum-of-four Julie thought that if her family had more money, life would be easier. But now that they've inherited a fortune, her problems are only starting. Lawyer Louise is used to having life go exactly as she wants it to. So accepting that she cannot control everything in her world is beyond her. And former model Sophie can just about cope with getting older - that's until her ex-husband finds a younger model. All three women think that some battles are best fought alone. Maybe they need to think again ... Praise for Sinéad: 'Moving, disarmingly honest and at times laugh-out-loud funny' Sunday Times 'One of the brightest voices in modern women's fiction' Bella 'Sinead Moriarty can bring readers from hilarity to heartbreak with great deftness' Sunday Independent 'Touching, warm, funny and emotional. She has the gift of telling a very emotive story with grace and empathy' Woman's Way

'The perfect read to curl up with this autumn' Zara Stoneley, author of The Wedding DateWelcome to your new cottage in the country - complete with grumpy vet, village gossip and a very muddy dog . . .City girl Ella wants to take refuge in the country, lick her wounds and work out what she's going to do with the rest of her life. She certainly doesn't want to have a four-legged house guest or anything to do with village life. Unfortunately, the inhabitants of Wilsgrave have other ideas.Settling in to her godmother's house for a few months of R&R, Ella finds herself the reluctant babysitter of a badly behaved Labrador - and her plans of staying mainly indoors scuppered. But as she's forced into wellies and into the village's way of doing things, Ella meets people who make her think again about what she really wants out of life and love, starting with her new furry best friend . . .A gorgeously romantic tale set in an idyllic countryside village, from the author of ebook bestseller Covent Garden in the Snow. Perfect for fans of Trisha Ashley and Katie Fforde.---What everyone's saying about A Girl's Best Friend:'I love getting lost in a Jules Wake book . . . A heart-warming tale of finding yourself, and falling in love with life again' Debbie Johnson, author of Coming Home to the Comfort Food Cafe 'A lovely, touching, uplifting read with a very likeable heroine and a dishy vet - and delightful dogs' Phillipa Ashley, author of Summer on the Little Cornish Isles'Enjoyable and charming, and perfect for anyone who needs a quick escape to the country' Amazon Reviewer'It seems Wake can write the perfect Summer, Christmas and now, Springtime books . . . light-hearted, warm and witty - it made me just want to stick my own wellies on, get outside for a walk and appreciate the outdoor life!' NetGalley Reviewer'Packed full of lovely characters, wagging tails, and self re-discovery' Amazon Reviewer