Recommendations based on "Once and Again a heart-breaking, unforgettable novel of love, family and second chances"

Trent Dalton, Australia's best-loved writer, goes out into the world and asks a simple, direct 'Can you please tell me a love story?'A blind man yearns to see the face of his wife of thirty years. A divorced mother has a secret love affair with a travelling priest. A widower miraculously finds a three-minute video recorded by his wife before she died. A tree lopper's heart falls in a forest. A working mum contemplates taking the photographs of her late husband down from the fridge. A girl writes her last letter to the man she loves, then sets it on fire. An ageing gigolo regrets the one that got away. A palliative care nurse helps a dying woman converse with the angel at the end of her bed. A renowned 100-year-old scientist ponders the one great earthly puzzle he was never able to 'What is love?'Endless stories. Human stories. Love stories.Inspired by a personal moment of profound love and generosity, bestselling author – and one of Australia's finest journalists – Trent Dalton spent two months in 2021 pounding city pavements, speaking to Australians from all walks of life and asking them one simple and direct 'Can you please tell me a love story?' For two straight weeks he sat at a desk with a sky-blue 1960s Olivetti typewriter, on the bustling corner of Adelaide and Albert streets, Brisbane, with a sign saying, 'Sentimental writer collecting love stories. Do you have one to share?'The result is Love Stories – a warm, wise, poignant, funny and moving book about love in all its guises, including stories, observations and reflections on lovers in parks; people in cemeteries, hospital wards, pubs and bingo halls; and newlyweds walking out of registry offices. There will be stories of people falling into love, falling out of love, and never letting go of the loved ones in their hearts. And woven through it all will be remembrances of Trent's own special moments, and of the people whose love stories have made him the man and writer he is today.A heartfelt, deep, funny, wise and tingly tribute to the greatest thing we will never understand and the only thing we will ever really love.

The long-awaited sequel to the international bestseller PS, I Love You!It's been seven years since Holly Kennedy's husband died six since she read his final letter, urging Holly to find the courage to forge a new life.She s proud of all the ways in which she has grown and evolved. But when a group inspired by Gerry's letters, calling themselves the PS, I Love You Club, approaches Holly asking for help, she finds herself drawn back into a world that she worked so hard to leave behind.Reluctantly, Holly begins a relationship with the club, even as their friendship threatens to destroy the peace she believes she has achieved. As each of these people calls upon Holly to help them leave something meaningful behind for their loved ones, Holly will embark on a remarkable journey one that will challenge her to ask whether embracing the future means betraying the past, and what it means to love someone forever...

‘an Intriguing Story About Family Life, Tenderly Told And Packing An Emotional Punch.’ Heidi Swain ‘love Comes In So Many Different Forms – You Just Don't Know When It Will Strike Or Where From. A Gloriously Romantic And Beautifully Written Novel!’ Phillipa Ashley Sometimes We Find Happiness Where We Least Expect It...

“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.

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Giver of Stars and the forthcoming Someone Else's Shoes, a novel about a lost girl and her horse, the enduring strength of friendship, and how even the smallest choices can change everythingWhen Sarah’s grandfather gives her a beautiful horse named Boo—hoping that one day she’ll follow in his footsteps to join an elite French riding school, away from their gritty London neighborhood—she quietly trains in city’s parks and alleys. But then her grandfather falls ill, and Sarah must juggle horsemanship with school and hospital visits.Natasha, a young lawyer, is reeling after her failed marriage: her professional judgment is being questioned, her new boyfriend is a let-down, and she’s forced to share her house with her charismatic ex-husband. Yet when the willful fourteen-year-old Sarah lands in her path, Natasha decides to take the girl under her wing.But Sarah is keeping a secret—a secret that will change the lives of everyone involved forever.

"Wreck is a delight. What an absolute joy to be reunited with Rocky and her family, the characters we all fell in love with in Sandwich. Newman's prose is laugh-out-loud funny. It's also profound. I couldn't stop reading, even though I didn't want it to end."--J. Courtney Sullivan, New York Times bestselling author of The Cliffs "Wreck is the kind of book that pulls up a chair, pours the wine, and dives deep--equal parts hilarious, sharp, and achingly sincere. I didn't just read it--I felt known by it. A luminous, laugh-out-loud triumph."--Alison Espach, New York Times bestselling author of The Wedding People The acclaimed bestselling author of Sandwich is back with a wonderful novel, full of laughter and heart, about marriage, family, and what happens when life doesn't go as planned. If you loved Rocky and her family on vacation on Cape Cod, wait until you join them at home two years later. (And if this is your first meeting with this crew, get ready to laugh and cry--and relate.) Rocky, still anxious, nostalgic, and funny, is living in Western Massachusetts with her husband Nick and their daughter Willa, who's back home after college. Their son, Jamie, has taken a new job in New York, and Mort, Rocky's widowed father, has moved in. It all couldn't be more ridiculously normal . . . until Rocky finds herself obsessed with a local accident that only tangentially affects them--and with a medical condition that, she hopes, won't affect them at all. With her signature wit and wisdom, Catherine Newman explores the hidden rules of family, the heavy weight of uncertainty, and the gnarly fact that people--no matter how much you love them--are not always exactly who you want them to be.

'Derry Girls meets David Sedaris' Elske Rahill 'The writing is full of energy and originality' Irish Times Growing up on the Falls Road in 1990s Belfast, Alix O'Neill has seen it all - burnt-out buses blocking the route to school, the police mistaking her father for a leading terrorist and a classmate playing hide and seek with her dad's prosthetic hand (blown off making a device for the IRA). Not that she or her friends are up to speed with the goings-on of the resistance. They're too preoccupied with the obsessions of every teenage girl - booze, boys and Boyzone - to worry about the violence on their doorstep. Besides, the odd coffee jar bomb is nothing compared to the drama about to explode in Alix's personal life. Desperate to leave Northern Ireland and the trials of her mother's unorthodox family - a loving yet eccentric band of misfits - behind, she makes grand plans for the next stage. But it's through these relationships and their gradual unravelling that Alix begins to appreciate not only the troubled history of where she comes from, but the strength of its women. Warm, embarrassing and full of love and insight, The Troubles with Us is a hilarious and moving account of the madness and mundanities of life in Northern Ireland during the thirty-year conflict. It's a story of mothers and daughters, the fallout from things left unsaid and the lengths a girl will go to for fake tan.

This summer, escape to the Seaside Cottages in the Scottish isles with this delightful mother-daughter story about second chances in love, life, and home renovations, by New York Times bestselling author Jenny Colgan. EVERYONE IS SEARCHING FOR THEIR PERFECT HOUSE. BUT HOME IS REALLY WHERE THE HEART IS... Janey Carter has a lot to be grateful for--a home by the sea in the Scottish isles, a job that she loves, two kids who have successfully launched, and a network of kind and supportive friends. But since her husband left, her confidence has taken a nosedive. And then, out of the blue, her thirty-year-old daughter Essie announces she's moving back home. Janey loves Essie dearly, but she was never the easiest to live with, and Janie has been enjoying the empty nest life. Yes, Essie Carter has just lost her job, can't afford her rent in Edinburgh, and her boyfriend isn't ready to commit. She hates to admit defeat and isn't wild about moving back to the remote island community where she was raised. But maybe the sea air will clear her head? No sooner is Essie back under her mother's roof than an unusual opportunity pops up: the shabby and unloved Seaside Cottages next door come up for sale. Janey has some experience renovating the island's famous stone fisherman's cottages, Essie needs something to do, and they could both use a little Air B&B income to warm their pockets. Mother and daughter slowly bond over the shared challenge, which delivers some much-needed revelations for Essie, and offers Janey a surprise second chance at love as well. "If I could live in a Jenny Colgan novel, I'd be happy forever." -- bestselling author Jill Mansell

'A wonderful, witty escapist read . . . fabulous [and] feel-good' Kitty Wilson, author of Every Day in December 'A delightful, heart-warming story of romance, friendship and family' Lynne Shelby, author of Love on Location 'A truly wonderful sunshine infused book' Reader Review 'A beautifully romantic read with all the drama you'd expect' Katie Ginger 'A heartfelt, witty tale . . . recommended for anyone who loves travel, romance and laughter' Fiona Leitch *** Love is in the air . . . Sarah has everything she ever wished for; she lives with her gorgeous boyfriend and their cat in Sydney and life couldn't be better. If only she wasn't so anxious about turning the big 4 0. Meanwhile Cat is happily loved-up with Jean-Luc, except she lives in London, and he lives in Paris. She loves their long-distance relationship so why is she worrying about their future. But a surprise wedding proposal is about to change everything for these sisters. And with all their family and friends gathering at a vineyard in Tuscany to celebrate, love, laughter and mayhem are about to ensue. Reunite with your favourite characters from The Holiday Romance series as they gather together for love, laughter and a party they'll never forget. Perfect for fans of Jo Thomas and Mandy Baggot. Readers love A Wedding in Tuscany 'Wonderfully sweet [and] sprinkled with plenty of Sandy Barker steaminess to raise the temperatures' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I feel in love with the characters and found it hard to put down' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A delightful book . . . full of love, laughter, friendships and so much more' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'An enjoyable book with its stunning location and overall themes of love in all its guises . . . a must-read author for me' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'What could be more romantic than Tuscany' ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'This book was really good, highly recommend' ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Escapism at its best' ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Escape to the beautiful Scottish Highlands for the perfect heartwarming and feel good cosy romance! When Scotland’s sleepiest hamlet becomes the centre of hot gossip, Layla Devlin finds herself caught in a mystery... When Layla’s fiancé has an unexpected heart attack and dies – in another woman’s arms, no less – Layla is determined to pack up and leave Loch Harris, the village she’s always called home. But an unexpected inheritance and love for her quiet corner of Scotland send her down a new path. Now Layla finds herself facing a whole new kind of drama. Rumours swirl that a celebrity has moved into Coorie Cottage and Layla is determined to have him headline her opening night at local music venue The Conch Club. But the reclusive star is equally determined to thwart Layla’s efforts. Rafe Buchanan is in hiding for a reason, and soon his past comes to Loch Harris to haunt him... ‘[a] cosy feel-good romance’ That’s Life! magazine Readers can’t get enough of A Secret Scottish Escape: ‘I loved the escape to the Scottish cottage, I truly felt like I was there!’ Maggie ‘A lovely book to add to your summer reading list’ Gea ‘Beautiful story with a beautiful cover...A new author for me and I cant wait to read more of her books’ Karen ‘Good to curl up with on a rainy afternoon’ Susan ‘This was such a cute book! I love the Scottish setting and the characters are so fun’ Cacie ‘The perfect escape...Lots of secrets come out that leave you wanting to read more’ Zoe ‘I loved traveling to Scotland in this book and reading about the small town life’ Arletta ‘I honestly enjoyed this book from the first page...we all love a happy ending’ Tracy ‘What a lovely story. Twists and turns all the way...You just have to read it’ Rosamond