Release Day Round-Up #18

Today is a great day for me in publishing world as a few of my favourite authors are releasing new books today and it has been hard to pick my three favourites.

You and Me, Always

Published: 28th January 2016

Publisher: Headline

Pages: 368

Available in Hardcover and on Kindle

  Order now from Amazon

On the morning of Lily's twenty-fifth birthday, it's time to open the very last letter written to her by her beloved mother, who died when she was eight.

Learning more about the first and only real love of her mum's life is a revelation. On the same day, Lily also meets Eddie Tessler, a man fleeing fame who just might have the ability to change her world in unimaginable ways. But her childhood friend Dan has his own reasons for not wanting Lily to get too carried away by Eddie's attentions.

Before long, secrets begin to emerge and Lily's friends and family become involved. In the beautiful Cotswold village of Stanton Langley, nothing will ever be the same again...

I'm about 90% finished with this book and although I'm pretty certain how it will end I have loved it, the characters are all lovely...well mostly. The plot has enough twists to make it interesting and Jill's writing is humorous, light-hearted and comforting with an added sprinkle of romance which has made this a joy to read. I will have a full review of this book tomorrow so pop back if you like the sound of it.

The Secrets of Happiness by Lucy Diamond

Published: 28th January 2016

Publisher: Pan

Pages: 352

Available in Hardback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

The best things in life . . . can be just around the corner

Rachel and Becca aren't real sisters, or so they say. They are stepsisters, living far apart, with little in common. Rachel is the successful one: happily married with three children and a big house, plus an impressive career. Artistic Becca, meanwhile, lurches from one dead-end job to another, shares a titchy flat, and has given up on love.

The two of them have lost touch, but when Rachel doesn't come home one night, Becca is called in to help.
Once there, she quickly realizes that her stepsister's life is not so perfect after all: Rachel's handsome husband
has moved out, her children are rebelling, and her glamorous career has taken a nosedive. Worst of all,
nobody seems to have a clue where she might be.

As Becca begins to untangle Rachel's secrets, she is forced to confront some uncomfortable truths about
her own life, and the future seems uncertain.

But sometimes happiness can be found in the most unexpected places . . .

I'm a huge Lucy Diamond fan so any new release of hers automatically goes on the must read pile and this is no exception it sounds like another great read. I love how her characters always have really interesting background stories just waiting to be discovered and I can't wait to find out more about Rachel and Becca.

The Birthday That Changed Everything by Debbie Johnson

Published: 28th January 2016

Publisher: HarperImpulse

Pages: 400

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

She wanted a birthday surprise, just not the one she got…

The last thing Sally Summers expected from her husband on her special day was that he’d leave her for a Latvian lap dancer half her age. So with her world in tatters, Sally jets off to Turkey for some sun, sea and sanctuary.

The Blue Bay resort brings new friends and the perfect balm for Sally’s broken heart in gorgeous Dubliner James. He’s just the birthday present she needs. And when the chemistry between them continues to spark as the holiday ends, Sally wonders if this is more than just a summer fling.

But James has scars of his own and Sally isn’t quite ready to turn her back on her marriage. This birthday might have changed everything, but what will the next one bring?

Debbie's writing is always full of fun so I'm really looking forward to reading this one over the weekend, pop back next week for a full review.

So that's my top three for this week but there are loads of brilliant books being published today. A few more that sound good are: Three Wishes by Liane Moriarty,  Our Song by Dani Atkins, We Are All Made of Stars by Rowan Coleman . So I suggest you pop down to your local bookshop and treat yourself  to one of these lovely books.

Book Review - The Year of Taking Chances by Lucy Diamond

 

The Year of Taking Chances by Lucy Diamond

Published: 1st January 2015

Publisher: Pan

Pages: 454

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

 

Blurb

It's New Year's Eve, and Gemma and Spencer Bailey are throwing a house party. There's music, dancing, champagne and all their best friends under one roof. It's going to be a night to remember.

Also at the party is Caitlin, who has returned to the village to pack up her much-missed mum's house and to figure out what to do with her life; and Saffron, a PR executive who's keeping a secret which no amount of spin can change. The three women bond over Gemma's dodgy cocktails and fortune cookies, and vow to make this year their best one yet.

But as the following months unfold, Gemma, Saffron and Caitlin find themselves tested to their limits by shocking new developments. Family, love, work, home - all the things they've taken for granted - are thrown into disarray. Under pressure, they are each forced to rethink their lives and start over. But dare they take a chance on something new?  

 

Review

Having discovered and enjoyed Lucy Diamond’s books last year I was eager to read something else by her and The Year of Taking Chances seemed the perfect book being as we’re starting a new year. The Year of Taking Chances is based on the lives of Gemma, Caitlin and Saffron who all meet at Gemma’s New Year’s Eve party. The three instantly bond and agree to make the following year the best they’ve ever had, little do they know it’s a year that’s really going to test each of them.

I instantly warmed to all three of these women and was drawn into their story so much that the rest of the world just passed me by until I was finished. These are real women who have to deal with real issues and I loved how much I could relate to them and longed to be part of their little group.

Gemma is a stay at home mum and is beginning to question what to do with the rest of her live now her kids are both at school and see her as “just a mum”, she’s wanting to be more but not sure how to fit it in around her family. I can totally relate to Gemma in this situation as I’m sure many mothers do, we long to be home for our children but also long to belong back in the adult world of work and it’s not easy to find a balance. When Gemma’s world is turned upside down she takes a chance and follows a lifelong dream, but can she manage to keep her family together as well.

Caitlin is returning to her childhood home to pack up the house after the death of her beloved  mother, stuck in a rut with her career and single again after finding her boyfriend with her best friend she’s feeling alone and vulnerable and craving the life she lost. As she begins to pack up the house she begins to uncover a secret which has been hidden for years and her which turns her even more upside down.

Saffron has escaped her London flat to think about her future, escape from PR nightmare Bunty and work out exactly what she’s going to do about her big secret which will more than likely tear her sisters heart to shreds.

Although I loved all three of these women I think my favourite character was Bunty, I just loved the way that she changed from being an over bearing nightmare to an actually quite kind hearted and likable woman. I think her confrontation with Saffron was probably one of my favourite parts of the books as I felt it was a huge turning point for both of these characters, Saffron became stronger willed and more determined and Bunty softened and became less irritating.

The Year of Taking Chances is a book with many themes including friendship, marriage, heartbreak, hidden secrets, pregnancy, careers, lack of money, it’s about the real life dramas we all face, about releasing how lucky you are and that only you can really go out there and get the life you want, all you have to do is take a chance.

I adored this book and was gutted when I’d finished, which wasn’t long as I couldn’t put it down. It’s one of the few books I’ve read where I loved all the characters, even Gemma’s horrible mother! It’s the perfect book to start off the New Year and fans of Lucy Diamond will adore it, I know I did.