Recommendations based on "The Winter of Our Lives"

Gripping, emotional and uplifting – a novel about the true power of friendship.’a tender, emotional and uplifting read … I loved it’ Lucy Diamond’A superb writer – the Irish Jojo Moyes’ Irish Examiner The simple fact of the matter is that Iris loves life. Maybe she’s forgotten that. Sometimes that happens, doesn’t it? To the best of us? All I have to do is remind her of that one simple fact.Monday morning starts like any other – until Terry discovers her best friend Iris has gone missing. Finding her takes Terry, Iris and Terry’s confused father Eugene, into an extraordinary journey – one that will change all of their lives. And, along the way, what should be the worst six days of Terry’s life turn into the best.Because friendship teaches us all to be brave. And, sometimes, the rules are made to be broken.

What happens when what you wish for is only half the story...?Three strangers and a funeral, that’s all it takes for these women’s lives and wishes to intersect. Death has a funny way of showing you what you really want out of life… or so they say, anyway.Jo is flirty and a little after thirty, but what she really wants is to get her business back on track and conquer her fear of heights. That’s what she’ll say when asked, anyway. She has things to prove and finding love can always wait…Sarah has the best of both worlds, baby in one hand and job in the other. All she wants is to get that promotion, then all those missed bath times will be worth it. So she says, anyway. She can’t stop to think about it too long or she might drop something…All Carrie wants is to shift the excess pounds and look good for summer. Wearing a bikini is all she has ever desired. So she has always said, anyway. But it’s not the only weight she’s carrying, dark secrets from her past are threatening to surface…So the three unlikely new friends set themselves a deadline to get their lives in order; juggling blokes, babies and bikini bottoms along the way. There’s nothing to stop them from achieving their dreams – except those little white lies we all tell…A feel-good romantic comedy that's guaranteed to make you smile - perfect for fans of Carole Matthews, Trisha Ashley and Katie Fforde.Your favourite authors have loved reading bestselling Cathy Bramley:‘Delightfully warm with plenty of twists and turns’ Trisha Ashley‘Engaging characters and a sweeping romance. This is delightful!’ Katie Fforde‘A witty, laugh-out-loud romantic comedy’ Miranda Dickinson‘The perfect romantic tale, to warm your heart and make you smile.’ Ali McNamara

Years of trying unsuccessfully to conceive a child have broken more than Angie DeSaria’s heart. Following a painful divorce, she moves back to her small Pacific Northwest hometown and takes over management of her family’s restaurant. In West End, where life rises and falls like the tides, Angie’s fortunes will drastically change yet again when she meets and befriends a troubled young woman.Angie hires Lauren Ribido because she sees something special in the seventeen-year-old. They quickly form a deep bond, and when Lauren is abandoned by her mother, Angie offers the girl a place to stay. But nothing could have prepared Angie for the far-reaching repercussions of this act of kindness. Together, these two women—one who longs for a child and the other who longs for a mother’s love—will be tested in ways that neither could have imagined.Praise for The Things We Do for Love“[Kristin] Hannah is superb at delving into her main characters’ psyches and delineating nuances of feeling.” —The Washington Post Book World“Wonderful . . . enormously touching . . . The warmth and complexities of these characters grab hold of the heartstrings.”—RT Book Reviews“Wrenching, convincing . . . bittersweet.”—Publishers Weekly

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

When Susannah Nelson turned eighteen, her parents sent her to school abroad. She said goodbye to her boyfriend, Jake -- and never saw him again. She never saw her brother again, either; Doug died in a car accident while she was away. Now, at fifty, she finds herself regretting the paths not taken. Especially the chance to be with Jake. Long married, a mother and a teacher, she should be happy. But she feels there's something missing, although she doesn't know exactly what. Not only that, she's balancing the demands of an aging mother and a temperamental twenty-year-old daughter. Because her mother, Vivian, a recent widow, is having difficulty coping and living alone, Susannah prepares to make some hard decisions. In returning to her hometown of Colville, Washington, to her parents' house, her girlhood friends and the garden she's always loved, she also returns to the past -- and the choices she made back then. What she discovers is that things are not always as they once seemed. Some paths are dead ends. But some gardens remain beautiful . .-Fifty-year-old Susannah Nelson returns to her childhood home and to the garden she has always loved, where she discovers that some paths were meant to be taken and others were meant to be buried forever.

In this insightful and compelling story from book club favorite Susan Mallery, three close friends test the boundaries of how much a woman can give before she has nothing left After five years as a stay-at-home mom, Gabby Schaefer can't wait to return to work. Oh, to use the bathroom in peace! No twins clamoring at the door, no husband barging in, no stepdaughter throwing a tantrum. But when her plans are derailed by some shocking news and her husband's crushing expectations, Gabby must fight for the right to have a life of her own. Getting pregnant is easy for Hayley Batchelor. Staying pregnant is the hard part. Her husband is worried about the expensive fertility treatments and frantic about the threat to her health. But to Hayley, a woman who was born to be a mom should risk everything to fulfill her destiny--no matter how high the cost. Nicole Lord is still shell-shocked by a divorce that wasn't as painful as it should've been. Other than the son they share, her ex-husband left barely a ripple in her life. A great new guy tempts her to believe maybe the second time's the charm...but how can she trust herself to recognize true love? As their bonds of friendship deepen against the beautiful backdrop of Mischief Bay, Gabby, Hayley and Nicole will rely on good food, good wine and especially each other to navigate life's toughest changes.

The grass is always greener on your sister's side of the fence... Divorce left Harper Szymanski with a name no one can spell, a house she can't afford and a teenage daughter who's pulling away. With her fledgling virtual-assistant business, she's scrambling to maintain her overbearing mother's ridiculous Susie Homemaker standards and still pay the bills, thanks to clients like Lucas, the annoying playboy cop who claims he hangs around for Harper's fresh-baked cookies. Spending half her life in school hasn't prepared Dr. Stacey Bloom for her most daunting challenge--motherhood. She didn't inherit the nurturing gene like Harper and is in deep denial that a baby is coming. Worse, her mother will be horrified to learn that Stacey's husband plans to be a stay-at-home dad...assuming Stacey can first find the courage to tell Mom she's already six months pregnant. Separately they may be a mess, but together Harper and Stacey can survive anything--their indomitable mother, overwhelming maternity stores and ex's weddings. Sisters Like Us is a delightful look at sisters, mothers and daughters in today's fast-paced world, told with Susan Mallery's trademark warmth and humor. Don't miss The Summer Getaway by Susan Mallery where one woman discovers the beauty in chaos in a poignant and heartwarming story about the threads that hold family together.

'A lovely story that celebrates books, family and kindness. Touching and beautiful.' Hazel Prior on The Memory Library ‘Beautiful and emotional’ Sue Moorcroft on The Forgotten Book Club –––––––––––––––––––––––––– Sometimes the last page is just the beginning... At fifty-four, Erin McRae feels like she’s been living in the margins of her own story. Ever since she inherited her late mother’s café, The Bookmark, she’s been stuck in a comfortable routine. Her greatest escape is the mismatched book club she founded, bound together by one unusual rule: they choose their next book based solely on the last page. But when the book club discusses what their own last pages might say, Erin and her fellow members begin to see their own lives in unexpected ways. As the club’s discussions grow deeper, long-buried secrets surface, old wounds start to heal, and romance leaps off the page. With The Bookmark under threat of closure, Erin must ask herself: can she write herself a happier story? A heartwarming novel about friendship, second chances, and the surprising ways stories shape our lives, perfect for lovers of Evie Woods, Sally Page, and Pip Williams. –––––––––––––––––––––––––– Readers and authors have fallen in love with Kate Storey: ‘A gorgeous story full of emotion and a very special library.’ Evie Woods, bestselling author of The Lost Bookshop 'An absolute joy to read. Uplifting, beautiful, and perfect for any book lovers!' Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'The Memory Library delivers on its promise of hope, friendship and second chances. It's a love letter to the written word.' Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'The Memory Library is so joyful. Kate Storey writes from the heart and the gut about mistakes and how we can learn from them. Great characters and a truly heartwarming story – I loved it!' Laura Pearson, author of #1 Kindle bestseller The Last List of Mabel Beaumont ‘A powerful and poignant story. There were tears shed.’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A gorgeous novel that pairs my (and many people’s) perennial love for books about books with themes of family – and just how complex they can be.' Platinum ‘I laughed out loud and had more than one glassy eye!’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'An utterly gorgeous page turner about the power of books, family and forgiveness.' Phaedra Patrick, The Library of Lost and Found ‘A real treasure for booklovers everywhere who completely appreciate the joy, knowledge and healing that books can bring.’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘The Memory Library is a magical story...It’s a magnificent celebration of the wonderful world of books and libraries – one to treasure and re-read over and over again!’ Celia Anderson, author of USA Today bestseller 59 Memory Lane ‘There’s page after page of wonderful wisdom in this novel.’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A beautiful, poignant tale of family, friendship and the power of books. I was completely swept away.’ Kindle bestseller Annie Lyons

More Confessions of a Forty-Something F##k Up: the laugh-out-loud sequel to the hilarious, WTF AM I DOING NOW?! runaway bestseller!'The new Bridget Jones for our times' – Celia Walden, TelegraphReaders love More Confessions of a Forty-something F##k Up:'Full of humour, optimism, love, loss, friendship, reality and a little magic. Really lifted my spirits''So relatable''Laugh out loud moments with such thoughtful insights into real life''Loved this book''Obsessed''Inspiring, funny, emotional - I could not put it down'There is no magical land you finally arrive at where everything is figured out, fixed and sorted. Life, like us, is a sum of moving parts, and if we’re lucky, we get to keep f**king up, figuring it out and laughing in the face of it all.Nell’s back. Her life still isn’t going to plan. And she’s still asking the big questions and getting none of the answers. Like, for example:1. Why is falling in love so easy, but staying in love so hard?2. What do you do when your friendships are put to the ultimate test?3. Can we ever really live in the moment and leave the past behind?4. When everything goes tits up, do you fall apart or jump on a plane to LA with Cricket (an eighty-something widow and your BFF)?5. And when all else fails, will celebrity-scented candles, smashed avocados and Instagram filters save us?*In this hilarious, un-put-downable follow-up to the bestselling Confessions of a Forty-Something F##k Up, now the basis for the major TV series called Not Dead Yet, there are laugh-out-loud lessons to be learned, truths to be told, adventures to go on and joys to discover.But first, Nell has some more confessions . . .*#onlyjoking #sortof #LOLPraise for Alexandra Potter:'The story of Nell Stevens’ struggle through her imperfect, messy life doesn’t just make brilliant fiction, it’s turning into a cultural revolution!' – Matt Cain'Say hello to a book that will have you laughing with every page, whether you're 20, 40 or 80' – Heat'Brilliant! Laughing out loud' – Emma Gannon'Funny but layered, light-hearted but surprisingly deep, this is a perfect and inspiring new year read' – Red

‘Much more than a romance... I absolutely adored this story’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'This book isn’t just a summer read – it’s almost like a summer vacation. Highly recommended' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ In the little town of Greenley-on-Sea, summer has arrived. The turquoise waters of the sea sparkle in the sunlight and, along the beach’s promenade, holiday-makers spill from ice-cream parlours and vintage shops. For Sarah, summer brings the chance for a fresh start. As well as playing Miranda in the Greenley Players’ production of The Tempest (where she’ll get to spend loads of time with her best friends Lottie and Sid) she finally feels ready to find love again after surviving heartbreak. Could handsome colleague Dr Finn Macdonald be the very man she’s looking for? Famous actor Nate finds himself hiding out in Greenley whilst a potentially career-ruining scandal blows over. But when the Greenley Players get wind of his arrival, they draft him in to help out with their performance – and Nate certainly doesn’t bank on his instant connection with the beautiful woman in the lead role... As the temperature rises and the Players’ performance draws closer, can Sarah and Nate overcome their pasts and find love again? From the RNA Award-shortlisted author of The Little Theatre on the Seafront comes a gorgeous, feel-good summer romance. Prepare to laugh, cry and fall totally in love with Greenley-on-Sea and its wonderful cast of characters. Readers LOVE Summer Season on the Seafront! ‘Fantastic... I was quickly drawn into this book and was hooked from the first page to the last... A perfect summer read.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Five stars from me... Very highly recommended!!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A wonderful story... Had me smirking, laughing, and also wiping the odd stray tear... Highly recommended.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Faultlessly enjoyable.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Fun, funny, intelligent, heartwarming and heartfelt... Absolutely five stars from me.’ Belinda Missen ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐