Recommendations based on "The Curious Heart of Ailsa Rae Perfect for those who loved Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine"

**Josie Lloyd's heart-warming and joyful new novel, Lifesaving for Beginners, is available for pre-order now!** *** 'Amazing, heartbreaking and inspiring' Jenny Colgan 'A love letter to the power of friendship, honest and uplifting' Jill Mansell 'A fiercely positive story, about the power of hope' Mike Gayle *** Sometimes we need our friends to help us find our feet... When Keira first receives her breast cancer diagnosis, she doesn't want to have to tell her family, or step back from work. She doesn't want to sit in a hospital, or be part of a group of fellow cancer patients. Cancer is not her club. But as she accepts that her health is no longer something she can rely on, Keira finds herself embracing running. And running in the company of a group of brilliant, funny women each going through treatment unexpectedly gives Keira the hope she needs. Because the C-word is not going to define Keira's identity. And with the Cancer Ladies' Running Club cheering her on, she's going to reclaim her life. One step at a time. Life isn't always the race we expected to run but this moving and uplifting novel is full of hope and about love, family, friendship and the power of finding your tribe. ****** 'A wise, warm and wonderful novel ... an incredibly moving, uplifting and hopeful story that looks at the power of finding your tribe. It will make you smile and love life just a little bit more' Adele Parks, Platinum 'Uplifting and positive, you will be cheering them along' Prima 'An honest read that, despite its heart-wrenching topic, will uplift and inspire you' Heat 'Made me believe in life and in love. Hopeful and life-changing' Katie Marsh, author of The Rest of Me 'An amazing story that shows us all the strength of the human spirit and the power of friendship. An inspiration!' Magic Radio

Aisling Is 31, And She's Still A Complete Aisling. With Ballygobrunch Flying And The Door Firmly Closed On Her Relationship With John, Aisling Accepts An Unexpected Job Offer And Boards A Business-class Flight To New York In Her Best Wrap Dress And Heels. As She Finds Her Feet In The Big Apple, She Throws Herself Into The Dating Game, Grapples With 'always-on' Work Culture, Forges And Fights For New Friendships And Brings Her Good Wedges To A Party In The Hamptons, Much To Sadhbh's Dismay. But Catching Up With Family And Friends On Whatsapp And Email Is Not The Same As Sitting In Maguire's Putting The World To Rights Over Mini Bottles Of Pinot Greej And A Shared Bag Of Taytos. And Yet New York Has So Much To Offer, Not Least In The Ridey Fireman Department. When A Crisis In Ballygobard Makes Her Doubt Her Place In Manhattan, Can Aisling Retain Her New York State Of Mind, Or Will The Lure Of Home Be Too Much To Resist? 'emer Mclysaght And Sarah Breen Offer Their Many Readers A Safe, Convivial, Unceremonious Berth In Challenging Times.' The Irish Times 'aisling Is The Best Of Us; The Sort Of Person The World Needs.' The Irish Times 'a Fictional Creature Now As Beloved By Irish Women As Anyone Who Comes From The Pens Of Marian Keyes Or Maeve Binchy, Two Other Writers Whose Work Could Also Be Said To Sum Up The Essential Experience Of Being An Irish Woman.' Lia Hynes, Sunday Independent 'emer Mclysaght And Sarah Breen Can Look Into Their Hearts And Know Exactly What The Women Of Ireland Want.' Irish Independent 'the Literary Equivalent Of Lightning In A Bottle. Aisling Is A Tremendous Creation: Fun, Warm, Charming, Kind ... Breen And Mclysaght Have A Canny Knack Of Hitting On Emotional Truths. A Brilliantly Breezy, Companionable Read.' Tanya Sweeney, Irish Independent 'a Charming Creation. Aisling Seems On Course To Match The Longevity Of Her Masculine Polar Opposite Ross O'carroll Kelly.' Irish Mail On Sunday 'oh My God, Such A Warm Glow This Book Gave Me. In A Sometimes Sad World It Lifted My Heart.' Marian Keyes 'soul Soothing - L Laughed On Every Page.' Sophie White, Sunday Independent 'a Tribute To The Warmth, Charm And Resilience Of Modern Irish Women, Aisling Is Well On Her Way To Becoming One Of The Most Beloved Characters In Irish Literature.' Irish Independent

“ heart-warming, intelligent novel about finding your people.” —Becky Alexander, author of Someone Like You Edith has Alzheimer’s. The idea that she will someday forget her son, her life, even her self, plagues her constantly. So there is something important she must do beforehand: she has to find Sven, the love of her life she was supposed to meet on a bus bench twenty-seven years ago and run away with. Her son, Blade, is struggling to keep an eye on her. His mother’s full-time caregiver, he resents the fact that he gave up most of his life to look after her. But what wouldn’t he do for his mother? Track down her decades-old flame before her mind fails her? Sure, he can do that. Sophia is fiercely working to keep her business afloat. Her uncle left his flower shop to her and her brothers after he died, and she needs to show her family that the business is worth saving. So when an opportunity comes along that takes her all over Sweden, she can’t say no. While Edith is desperately trying to hold on to her memories, she discovers friendship as she sits daily at the bus stop. While Blade is out looking for Sven, he learns to embrace his relationship with his mother more fully. While Sophia is fighting to keep her dream alive, she comes to terms with the therapies that were forced upon her in response to her autism diagnosis. Life is happening all around them, and like in life, there’s always still good to be found.

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.

“One of the sharpest and most emotionally vulnerable novels on the complicated dynamic of dating cisgender straight men as a trans woman.”—Autostraddle (7 New Trans Novels to Read this Summer) “Dinan writes like some kind of demigod. Her fictions make thinkable new realities for how we live and what we might expect from each other.”—Torrey Peters, bestselling author of Detransition, Baby ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR (SO FAR): Elle, Vogue, BookRiot You can fall in love with an outline, you can even make a home with one, but there will come a time where you can’t deny the bones their flesh. A person is no fewer than two things. Thirty years old with a lifetime of dysphoria and irritating exes rattling around in her head, Max is plagued by a deep dissatisfaction. Shouldn't these be the best years of her life? Why doesn't it feel that way? After taking a spill down the stairs at a New Year’s Eve party, she decides to make some changes. First: a stab at good old-fashioned heteronormativity. Max thinks she’s found the answer in Vincent. While his corporate colleagues, trad friends, and Chinese parents never pictured their son dating a trans woman, he cares for Max in a way she’d always dismissed as a foolish fantasy. But he is also carrying baggage of his own. When the fall-out of a decades-old entanglement resurfaces, Max must decide what forgiveness really means. Can we be more than our worst mistakes? Is it possible to make peace with the past? Funny, sharp, and poignant, Disappoint Me is a sweeping exploration of love, loss, trans panic, race, millennial angst, and the relationships—familial and romantic—that make us who we are.

You will adore this heartwarming, laugh-out-loud romantic comedy from bestelling author Christie Barlow! ‘Full of warmth, fun and feel-good factor’ Sunday Times bestseller Katie Fforde Welcome to the Little Rock marina – where hearts are healed and dreams are made... For the last two years Nell Andrews has been struggling to stay afloat. As her life tumbled down around her, the only safety net has been her cosy canal boat, The Nollie. Tucked away inside, Nell has found a place to heal her broken heart. And now she’s ready to move on and follow her dream... Gorgeous Guy Cornish, with his easy Irish charm, makes him an instant hit with everyone at the marina, and the perfect person to help Nell with her project. But Guy has his own reasons for being at the marina, and a past that threatens to sink Nell’s dream... What readers are saying about The Cosy Canal Boat Dream: ‘The queen of heartwarming fiction’ Bella Osborne ‘What a gorgeous romance – fun, poignant and surprising’ Sunday Times bestseller Michele Gorman ‘My favourite Christie Barlow book of all time...perfect for when you want to be lost in a cuddle of a book’ Rachel’s Random Reads ‘Christie Barlow's best book yet...Phenomenal’ The Writing Garnet ‘Delightfully warm with plenty of twists and turns’ Mama Life Magazine ‘An absolute joy to read and full of surprises...one of the best writers in this genre’ The Book Review Cafe

After the death of his mother, Michael Keddington finds employment at the Arcadia nursing home where he befriends Esther, a reclusive but beautiful elderly woman who lives in mourning for her youth and lost love. Michael faces his own challenges when he loses his greatest love, Faye. When Michael is falsely accused of abusing one of the Arcadia's residents, he learns important lessons about faith and forgiveness from Ester -- and her gift to him of a locket, once symbolic of one person's missed opportuninites, becomes another's second chance. Richard Paul Evans, author of the beloved #1 bestselling classic The Christmas Box, begins a wonderful new series with this stunning New York Times bestseller -- a bittersweet reminder of life's most precious gifts....

One summer on a beautiful island could change everything... LOSE YOURSELF FOR THE HOLIDAYS IN THIS ESCAPIST, ROMANTIC READ ABOUT FAMILY, LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP, FROM THE MILLION-COPY AND SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR. One summer on a beautiful island could change everything... Valentina Taylor's life has been upended. With her marriage over, and unsure of what her future holds, she heads to the Isle of Skye for the summer with her young son, Barnaby.But the journey there sets her on a new path, when she meets Xander Courage on the train - a charming American, running from problems of his own. After sparks fly, they go their separate ways. But on this small island, they're never far from one another...Skye offers Valentina the refuge she needs as she whiles away the long summer days at her beachside cottage, enjoying visits from her sisters, Thea and Ezzie. But when bad news from home throws her Scottish idyll into turmoil, Valentina finds herself pulled away from the place - and people - that she loves.Valentina knows she must confront her heart's desires - but can she let go of the past and embrace the future she deserves? Lose yourself in a heartfelt story of second chances, love, and self-discovery, set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Isle of Skye. Perfect for fans of Sarah Morgan and Karen Swan.

'McArthur . . . has great skill in telling a story.' Sydney Morning Herald 'Reading Fiona McArthur is like wrapping yourself in a warm blanket and sitting under the stars.' Rachael Johns 'A book that you just have to devour in one day.' Newcastle Herald When the father she barely knew dies suddenly, midwife Eve Wilson decides she owes it to him to go to the funeral and meet her stepfamily in Red Sand. She doesn't expect to be so completely charmed by the beautiful remote township in far west Queensland - or by local station owner, Lex McKay. After disappointment and heartbreak in Sydney, Dr Callie Wilson doesn't hesitate to move home and spend some time with her grieving mother. The chance to establish the area's first medical clinic seems a perfect opportunity, and Callie is keen to involve Eve, who she's just getting to know. Melbourne-based obstetrician Sienna Wilson can't understand why anyone would want to bury themselves in the outback, but when her hospital sends her north to research the medical mystery affecting women in Red Sand, it seems fate is intent on bringing the three sisters together. And when disaster strikes, they must each decide if being true to themselves means being there for each other . . . PRAISE FOR FIONA MCARTHUR 'I never miss one of Fiona McArthur's books.' Sam Still Reading 'An uplifting story of friendship and romance.' Book'd Out 'Whenever I feel like journeying to the ochre and brown glory of the outback with its special brand of people, I know Fiona McArthur will take me there ...' Book Muster Down Under