Book Review: Things I Want My Daughter to Know by Elizabeth Noble (CHLOE)

Barbara has been diagnosed with cancer, and realises she isn't going to be around for her family much longer. So she decides to write her four daughters a series of letters, each personal and individual for them, so that they have a little bit of their mother left after she has gone.

Her daughters are devastated at their loss, but will they manage to draw any comfort from their mothers letters?? Will they be able to come together as a family to miss their mother properly, and will the letters set them free from the lives they are living in?


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Book Review: The Ballroom Class by Lucy Dillon

Angelica loves to dance, so when she returns home to Longhampton, she decides she will teach a ballroom dancing class at the local dance hall. As a former World Class dancer, Angelica is sure she can turn the town's residents into the next Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. But are her class up for the challenge? And are all they all dancing to the same tune, or entirely different ones?

Lauren and Chris, engaged to be married, are finding preparing for their wedding harder than they thought. Lauren wants a fairytale, but Chris just wants it over with. Lauren's parents Bridget and Frank are very happily married and proud of their daughter, but Bridget is hiding a secret which is eating her up inside. Finally, Katie and Ross have marital woes, Katie resents going out to work while Ross gets all day with their two children, Hannah and Joe. Can the music bring all the couples closer together and heal the rifts, or is it too late for them all?

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Book Review: The Second Husband by Louise Candlish

Kate Easton is divorced, and lives with her 2 children, 17 year old Roxy and 9 year old Matthew. They are struggling financially so decide to split their house up and have a tenant.

Davis Calder decides to move in, and he and Kate strike up a friendship which soon becomes something more. But Kate is about to unleash a secret set to devastate the whole family, and rock it to its core.

Can relationships survive the fall out, and will Kate ever get over the betrayal?

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Book Review: A Crowded Marriage by Catherine Alliott

Review by Dot

I've never really taken the time to pick up a Catherine Alliott book for some reason, however this one found it's way into my basket and I'm extremely glad that it did. The story revolves round Imogen Cameron, her husband Alex and their son Rufus. The Camerons are experiencing financial troubles so they have to leave their house and life in London and accept Eleanor Latimer's offer of a rent-free cottage on her large country estate. The problem is that Eleanor is Alex's glamorous ex and Imogen already has her suspicions.

So they relocate to the country and settle into Shepherd's Cottage which comes complete with sheep, chickens and cows that Imogen is expected to look after. Life becomes very busy, Rufus has to be settled into a new school; Imogen has many encounters with the bossy but handsome vet and Alex and Eleanor seem to be spending far too much time together. Although Imogen had not welcomed the move to the country she does find that she is able to re-invigorate her painting career and begins to think that she could become very happy in the country. There are many twists and turns in the story as the situation finally comes to a head. I did not expect the ending at all which was a nice surprise really as books in this genre can sometimes be a little predictable.

A Crowded Marriage made me laugh out loud on several occasions and I think that Catherine Alliot creates extremely witty dialogue between her lovely characters. I will definitely be reading another Catherine Alliot book, I just hope the rest are as good as this one!

Rating 4/5

Book Review: None of My Affair by Fiona O'Brien

Carrie Armstrong and her family are going through some tough times at the moment. Carrie is coming to terms with the end of her long marriage to husband Rob, her daughter Hope is living alone in Spain and Carrie is worried about her well-being.

Supermodel daughter Ali seems to be settled with fiance Stuart and a wedding looming gives the whole family something to look forward to. But can they pull together to create Ali's dream day, or is it going to be ruined by family feuds and friends affairs?

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Book Review: Revenge of the Wedding Planner by Sharon Owens

'Revenge of the Wedding Planner' is the story of Mags Grimsdale, a 40-something woman who works at Dream Weddings, a small wedding planning business run by her best friend Julia Sultana.

But Mags isn't your average 40-something mother of four - she's a goth with long black hair, has gargoyles in her house and is keeping a secret or two.

Julia sends Mags' life into disarray when she dumps her latest boyfriend, can Mags keep it all together - her family, friendship and of course, Dream Weddings?

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Book Review: Wishful Thinking by Melissa Hill

Wishful Thinking follows the lives of 3 women, all about to make life-changing discoveries which will really rock their worlds.

Louise's life hasn't been the same since her horrid accident - she's constantly in pain, struggling to fit in at work and having problems with her massive debts. Dara has just married a wonderful man, but not The One. She's shocked when the real love of her life suddenly comes back into Ireland, and throws her feelings into complete disarray.

Finally, Rosie just wants to enjoy her old age and make her 2 children happy. But Rosie's children haven't turned out as she wanted them too, and she's forced to make some tough decisions. 3 women - 3 lives - 3 excellent stories in one.

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