The unputdownable, brilliant new novel from the Queen of Romcom.Bel’s joined the tiny Manchester office of a national paper from her indie podcast. Thirty-something Connor is going to back to the start as the new intern. The latest office news? They can’t stand each other. So of course Bel bumps into Connor when she’s working undercover on the biggest scoop of her career. And of course she’s forced to improvise, pretending they’re a couple. A couple deeply in love. Two rivals. One fake romance. The headline writes itself… ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐A five-star read!⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'This book is an absolute joy from start to finish. The chemistry between Bel and Connor is electric, and it’s impossible not to get sucked into their witty back-and-forth'⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Mhairi McFarlane has done it again. At this point I think I'd even love reading her shopping lists' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Cover Story is another winner'⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'The characters are so well written and true to life… a joy to read'⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Funny and gripping and, crucially, emotionally convincing. McFarlane's characters always feel like real people and this book is no exception'⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Dry humour, top friendships and a romantic story … loved it'⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cover Story

The intergalactic adventures of Arthur Dent begin in the first volume of the 'trilogy of five', Douglas Adams' comedy sci-fi classic The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, read by Stephen Fry. 'One of the greatest achievements in comedy. A work of staggering genius' - David Walliams 'By turns authoritative as the narrator, bemused as Arthur Dent, deadpan as Ford Prefect and manic as Zaphod Beeblebrox, he [Stephen Fry] makes an altogether appropriate reader' - The Times 'Master of comedy Stephen Fry delivers a brilliant audiobook narration' - Editor Review On 12 October 1979 the most remarkable book ever to come out of the great publishing corporations of Ursa Minor (and Earth) was made available to humanity – The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. It's an ordinary Thursday lunchtime for Arthur Dent until his house gets demolished. The Earth follows shortly afterwards to make way for a new hyperspace bypass and his best friend has just announced that he's an alien. At this moment, they're hurtling through space with nothing but their towels and an innocuous-looking book inscribed with the big, friendly words: DON'T PANIC. The weekend has only just begun . . . Follow Arthur Dent's galactic (mis)adventures in the rest of the trilogy with five parts: The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, Life, the Universe and Everything, So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish, and Mostly Harmless.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF ADULTS AND ANIMALS'Compulsive and hilarious, like a brilliant gossip with your best friend. Emma Jane Unsworth is my favourite' Sara Pascoe 'Her best yet – funny, gritty, delightfully feral and, as ever, painfully truthful' DOLLY ALDERTON ‘An amazing writer’ MARGOT ROBBIE Once a slag, always a slag?It’s the 1990s. Sarah is 15, obsessed with boy bands, sex and getting drunk on Malibu. Most of all, she’s hung up on her teacher, Mr Keaveney. Fast forward 26 years. Sarah is 41, the last of the party girls. But the mad nights out are losing their shine. And her teenage dreams are now distant, queasy memories. There’s only one thing for it: an adventure. So, Sarah sets off with her sister Juliette on a whisky-fuelled campervan trip across Scotland. The sisters have never been alike, but they know all the dark corners of each other’s history – and it’s time to dig up some demons, kicking and screaming. Because the things that once defined us shouldn’t define us forever, should they? Adults was the UK’s #6 bestselling hardback, The Sunday Times chart 9th February 2020 / Margot Robbie talking about Animals, as quoted in CHANEL’s short film segment, ‘In the library with Margot Robbie’

Slags

✨Sounds Like Love, the new magical rom-com from Ashley Poston is available to pre-order now!✨‘This is a beautiful story 🥰 Such a poignant portrayal of love, loss and finding oneself’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Ashley Poston writes really beautiful love stories with just a sprinkling of magic’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Ashley Poston knows how to write romance … if you’re a true, soulmate-believing, kitchen slow dancing, and lover of romance with a bit of magical a realism, this is the one for you’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ * * * Six months ago, Clementine West had the worst day of her life. So, she came up with a plan to keep her heart safe: stay busy, work hard, take no risks. And it’s been working. That is until one day she finds a strange man standing in her kitchen. A man with kind eyes, a crooked smile, and a recipe for the perfect lemon meringue pie. The kind of man that, before everything, she could have fallen for … He’s perfect but for one thing: he lives in the past. Seven years ago, to be exact. This should be impossible, but Clementine used to love impossible things. And maybe, just maybe, she will again. After all, love is never a matter of time – but a matter of timing. * * * Praise for Ashley Poston: 'I LOVED this book. A beautiful, poignant story … breathtaking, hopeful, and dreamy' ALI HAZELWOOD 'An absolute and unexpected delight' CHRISTINA LAUREN 'A gorgeous love story from one of the finest romance writers out there' CARLEY FORTUNE

The Seven Year Slip

*AS RECOMMENDED BY TAYLOR JENKINS REID ON TIME MAGAZINE* ‘A darkly funny riot’ The Times, Book of the Month A GOODREADS CHOICE AWARD FOR FICTION 2024 Would you want to know what your colleagues say behind your back? Jolene certainly doesn’t. She’s riddled with anxiety, depressed, and hates her coworkers. The less she knows about them, the better. So when a catastrophic IT f*ck up grants her access to all of their emails and private messages, she’s initially horrified. The last thing she wants is to be privy to their sad discussions about dying desk plants and marital troubles. That’s until, with job cuts looming, she realises the power this new-found knowledge gives her. But as she digs deeper and deeper into the private lives of her colleagues, Jolene uncovers a lot more than she bargained for… And the walls she’d so carefully built start crumbling down. For readers who loved The Office US and Really Good, Actually comes the awkward heroine you’re about to fall in love with 'I haven’t been a reader for a long time, however found this in the airport book shop before a recent trip and this had me glued to it. Would thoroughly recommend – had me chuckling away' READER REVIEW ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'This book caught me off guard! It made me laugh, it made me cry… it's truly incredible and the best book I've read so far this year' READER REVIEW ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Ever since I found out about this book on bookstagram I've become obsessed. Five months later, I FINALLY got my hands on a proof copy and OMG I loved this immensely!!' READER REVIEW ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Please make this into a TV series!' READER REVIEW ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I Hope This Finds You Well

'This is every woman’s dream revenge plot come to life.' Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Are you on a date that doesn’t feel right? Can’t shake that creepy guy at the bar?Worried you’re being followed home?Message M.After one too many terrifying encounters, Millie Masters sets up a hotline for women who feel unsafe walking home alone at night: Message M. But very quickly she realises that there’s much more to be done to help the women who call in. Because the men just do it again the next night, and the next, and the next… And when her own sister is assaulted on a night out, the temptation to take the law into her own hands becomes too much to resist. Because M can also stand for murder… A deliciously dark, hilariously twisted serial killer thriller with a villainous female lead. Perfect for fans of Bella Mackie’s How to Kill Your Family, Oyinkan Braithwaite’s My Sister, the Serial Killer, or anyone who enjoyed watching You. Readers are OBSESSED with How to Kill a Guy in Ten Ways!‘A masterclass in murder. Millie is the serial killer you never knew you needed in your life.’ LM Chilton ‘Deliriously dark and incredibly funny. How to Kill a Guy in Ten Ways is a wild revenge comedy that had me reading all night…Addictive and twisty, I loved it!’ Katie Marsh ‘We love the dark humour in this thriller.’ That’s Life Crime Scene ‘Eve Kellman – I applaud you. This was absolutely fantastic.’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I loved this book! Brilliant twists all the way through and so cleverly written. A must read!’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘This is … clever, quick-paced, and such a twist on the serial killer genre.’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I absolutely LOVED this book! I flew through it! The feminine rage and the witty banter was *chefs kiss*. I can't wait for this to come out so I can buy copies for all my friends!’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

How to Kill a Guy in Ten Ways

**Order the paperback of Bella Mackie's latest hilarious novel, WHAT A WAY TO GO, now** THE #1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER‘I loved this book’ RICHARD OSMAN ‘Funny, sharp, dark and twisted’ JOJO MOYES ‘Chilling, but also laugh-out-loud funny. Another corker’ SUNDAY TELEGRAPH They say you can’t choose your family. But you can kill them. Meet Grace Bernard. Daughter, sister, serial killer… Grace has lost everything. And she will stop at nothing to get revenge. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––- ‘Funny and furious and strangely uplifting. Grace is a bitter and beguiling anti-hero with a keen eye for social analysis – even in her most grisly deeds, you never stop rooting for her’ PANDORA SYKES ‘Deliciously addictive…brilliantly executed’ i PAPER ‘Addictive… Grace Bernard is one of the most intriguing and bewitching protagonists I've read in years’ EMMA GANNON ‘A funny, compulsive read about family dysfunction and the media’s obsession with murder’ SUNDAY TIMES STYLE ‘You’ll be gripped… Grace’s emotional detachment throughout will give you chills’ Rated 5 stars by COSMOPOLITAN ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Hilarious and dark’ ELLE ‘Ironic twists and caustic commentary on everything from liberal guilt to the consumerist con that is “selfcare” sharpen this debut novel’ OBSERVER ‘Brilliantly tongue-in-cheek stuff from the Vogue columnist’ IRISH INDEPENDENT ‘Witty, waspish satire of a murderer with no regrets’ GRAZIA ‘Original, funny, unique and such a refreshing read’ PRIMA ‘A deliciously dark debut novel’ RED ‘One very entertaining read’ WOMAN’S WAY How To Kill Your Family was number 1 in the Sunday Times paperback chart on 26/04/2022

How to Kill Your Family

Following the smash-hit sci-fi comedy The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe is the second part in Douglas Adams' multi-media phenomenon and cult classic series, read by Martin Freeman. If you've done six impossible things this morning, why not round it off with breakfast at Milliways, the Restaurant at the end of the Universe? Which is exactly what the crew of the Heart of Gold plan to do. There's just the small matter of escaping the Vogans, avoiding being taken to the most totally evil world in the Galaxy and teaching a spaceship how to make a proper cup of tea. And did anyone actually make a reservation? Follow Arthur Dent's galactic (mis)adventures in the rest of the trilogy with five parts: Life, the Universe and Everything, So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish, and Mostly Harmless.

The Restaurant at the End of the Universe

✨Sounds Like Love the new magical rom-com from Ashley Poston is available to pre-order now!✨*** ‘I LOVED this book! Funny, hopeful and dreamy’ ALI HAZELWOOD ‘An absolute delight’ CHRISTINA LAUREN *** Florence Day is a ghost-writer with one big problem. She’s supposed to be penning swoon-worthy novels for a famous romance author but, after a bad break-up, Florence no longer believes in love. And when her strict (but undeniably hot) new editor, Benji Andor, won’t give her an extension on her book deadline, Florence prepares to kiss her career goodbye. When tragedy strikes and Florence has to head home, the last thing she expects to see is a ghost at her front door. Not just any ghost, however, but the stern form of her still very hot – yet now unquestionably dead – new editor. As sparks start to fly between them, Florence tells herself she can’t be falling for a ghost – even an infuriatingly sexy one. But can Benji help Florence to realise love isn’t dead, after all? If you fell in love with Funny Story, This Spells Love and The Hating Game, this laugh-out-loud romance will sweep you away. *** Readers LOVE The Dead Romantics: ‘This book made me sob, wow. It made me feel so many feelings … Please prepare to have nonstop tears running down your face’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘This book destroyed my life but in a hot way’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Adorably romantic and an absolute pleasure to read’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Benji was a pure delight! Handsome, sexy and humble' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A bit quirky, funny, a bit sad at times but also makes you heart warm and romantic … couldn't put it down' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A must read … I have a book hangover' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Dead Romantics

The multi-million copy number one bestseller One of The Sunday Times's top 100 bestselling books of the past 50 years Welcome to Bridget's first diary: mercilessly funny, endlessly touching and utterly addictive. A dazzlingly urban satire on modern relationships? An ironic, tragic insight into the demise of the nuclear family? Or the confused ramblings of a pissed thirty-something? As Bridget documents her struggles through the social minefield of her thirties and tries to weigh up the eternal question (Daniel Cleaver or Mark Darcy?), she turns for support to four indispensable friends: Shazzer, Jude, Tom and a bottle of chardonnay. Helen Fielding's first Bridget Jones novel, Bridget Jones's Diary, sparked a phenomenon that has seen four books, newspaper columns and the smash-hit film series Bridget Jones's Diary, The Edge of Reason, Bridget Jones's Baby and Mad About the Boy. Bridget Jones's Diary was featured in 'The 100 bestselling books of the past 50 years' published by The Sunday Times on 18/08/2024

Picador Collection

Bridget Jones's Diary

The brand new hilarious, emotional and thought-provoking book club read about twin sisters who make a bet to switch lives for a week, for fans of David Nicholls, Sophie Kinsella and Cecelia Ahern. Two sisters. One Bet. And a lifetime of secrets uncovered… Morning TV’s favourite twin sisters, Alice and Edie, may share the screen, but that’s where their similarities end. Their viewpoints are far from identical, and whilst their on-air clashes keep viewers hooked, off-camera, their relationship is far from picture-perfect. After a heated argument on live television threatens their jobs, the fiery duo make a bet: neither could last a week in the other’s shoes. Determined to prove each other wrong, they secretly swap lives — without telling a soul. What starts as a battle of wills quickly spirals into chaos, as each sister discovers that the other's life is far more complicated than it seems. Between dodging awkward work situations, marital issues, and meddling in each other’s families, Alice and Edie’s rivalry turns from a competitive bet into an opportunity to help change each other’s lives for the better. But will their relationship survive? –––––––––––––––– AUTHORS LOVE THE SISTER SWITCH! 'The novel we've all been waiting for. Brimming with hilariously recognisable family dynamics, and characters you'll fall in love with… smart, fresh and funny – a brilliant read.' HOLLY MILLER 'You know it's good when you are snorting with laughter one minute and ugly crying the next!' AMANDA PROWSE ‘Funny, warm, poignant – totally brilliant… Another triumph.’ BECKY HUNTER 'Charlotte Butterfield is a Queen of Contemporary Women's Fiction. The Sister Switch is witty, touching, uncannily perceptive and so funny… An absolute must read.’ JENNY BAYLISS 'Funny, heartwarming and oh-so-relatable… a fabulously comforting and uplifting read!' FIONA LUCAS 'Funny, touching and uplifting… the perfect tonic to a stressful day.' CLARE SWATMAN ‘A refreshing take on the switcheroo storyline… filled with all of the warmth, love and laughs of family life.' JULIE MA 'What a treat! Charlotte has once again carried off a brilliant idea with pace, humour and enviable detail – what's not to love?’ NORIE CLARKE 'Equal parts hilarious and heartwarming, this twin-switch tale brilliantly captures the complexity of modern womanhood. You can’t choose your family, but you can choose to pick up this book!' KATHLEEN WHYMAN 'Charlotte’s best book yet… It isn’t just for sisters, it’s for everyone.' SHEILA MCCLURE 'A true laugh-out-loud story showing life through a different lens and filled with charm and wit.’ JESSICA RYN 'An absolutely stunning read that will make you laugh out loud.' HELGA JENSEN 'A funny and moving reminder that other people's lives are not always as they seem.' MELANIE ROSE READERS LOVE THE SISTER SWITCH! 'Such a great book… light-hearted, funny, and super emotional and touching as well!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ NetGalley Review 'What a treat… a real cracker of a book.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ NetGalley Review 'A super fun read' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ NetGalley Review

The Sister Switch

After a decade apart, childhood sweethearts reconnect by chance but how many words will it take for them to figure out where it all went wrong? From the New York Times bestselling authors of the “delightful” (Shelf Awareness) The Unhoneymooners. The story of the heart can never be unwritten. Macy Sorensen is settling into an ambitious if emotionally tepid routine: work hard as a new pediatrics resident, plan her wedding to an older, financially secure man, keep her head down and heart tucked away. But when she runs into Elliot Petropoulos—the first and only love of her life—the careful bubble she’s constructed begins to dissolve. Once upon a time, Elliot was Macy’s entire world—growing from her gangly bookish friend into the man who coaxed her heart open again after the loss of her mother...only to break it on the very night he declared his love for her. Told in alternating timelines between Then and Now, teenage Elliot and Macy grow from friends to much more—spending weekends and lazy summers together in a house outside of San Francisco devouring books, sharing favorite words, and talking through their growing pains and triumphs. As adults, they have become strangers to one another until their chance reunion. Although their memories are obscured by the agony of what happened that night so many years ago, Elliot will come to understand the truth behind Macy’s decade-long silence, and will have to overcome the past and himself to revive her faith in the possibility of an all-consuming love.

Love and Other Words

An instant USA Today bestseller!'I'll never look at a cello quite the same way…' Jodi Picoult #1 New York Times bestseller'Sexual tension so palpable, it'll snag you by the chin and call you a good girl' Ashley Posten, The Dead RomanticsGwen Jackson is a musical prodigy – but she fought hard for everything she now has. Xander Thorne comes from musical royalty. He’s a genius – but it all fell in his lap. Already tensely opposed, when Gwen takes the spot of First Chair in the New York Pops Orchestra – a position Xander has coveted for years – their hostility goes up a notch… and their chemistry on stage goes off the scale. Forced to find a grudging respect for one another’s music, suddenly they are box office dynamite. And as the respect turns to admiration and then heated attraction, they must decide – will a note of discord ruin their perfect harmony or can this fragile romance reach its breathtaking climax? 'A phenomenal talent' Sarah Hawley, A Witch's Guide to Fake Dating a Demon 'Soto is a virtuoso at deploying swoons, spice and laughs' Sierra Simons, A Merry Little Meet Cute

Not Another Love Song

‘Dark and funny’ Jackie Kabler, author of The Murder List ‘Deliciously dark and hilariously witty’ Sunday Post Say hello to Sally. ​ This is the story of how I killed Harry Collins. Destined to be the great love of my life – until one day I wake up in the Big Apple with the world's worst hangover, an empty bank account, and the sinking feeling that my life just nosedived. How it happened is a blur, but one thing is clear: I’ve been swindled and I’m not happy about it.​ ​She’s the woman of your dreams.​ And it's all thanks to Harry – a total dreamboat and a devil in disguise. He’s got charm, secrets, and a smile that screams trouble. Little did I know, Harry's not just a pretty face – he's a liar and conman.​ Or is she your worst nightmare?​ ​When I discover I’m not the only victim, I decide it’s only right I take my revenge. And with a group of wronged women behind me, murder isn’t on the agenda yet because Harry’s in for a nightmare and I’m only just getting started…​ ​A wicked, whip-smart revenge thriller, perfect for fans of Katy Brent, Bella Mackie and anyone who wants to take their revenge on The Tinder Swindler or Sweet Bobby.​ Readers LOVE When Sally Killed Harry!‘Darkly funny’ i News ‘Witty and sharp’ Bella ‘Everything a romcom gone wrong should be’ BookTrib ‘Sharp, brilliantly written, addictive’ Cosy Moose ‘Incredibly pacy, funny, oh-so-dark, devious and dare I say, relatable… I loved everything about it!’ Noelle Holton, author of His Truth Her Truth ‘Wow! I loved it. Devoured it in two days. It was dark, delicious and deadly.’ Louise Swanson, author of End of Story ‘I couldn't put it down … I'll have what Lucy Roth is having’ L.M. Chilton, author of Don’t Swipe Right ‘A bold and clever coming-of-rage story that gives a razor sharp twist on the classic romcom’ Victoria Hawthorne, author of The Darkest Night ‘The characters leapt off the page, their back stories were compelling and drove the story well. The Sally and Harry names riff was also good fun.’ Kay Wilson, author of The Stand-Up Mam 'Whip-smart characters and a compelling story' Lucy Vine, author of Date with Destiny ‘Found family, found salvation and found mission – plus a few surprises along the way. And yep, you will root for all of them.’ Reader review ‘Sally is a compelling anti-heroine who reminds me of Jason Dean – Christian Slater’s character from Heathers. She’s unhinged… and watching her unravel is part of the glee.’ Reader review ‘A darkly funny and unhinged wish fulfilment tale about women pushed to the edge to get justice in a patriarchal society.’ Reader review ‘If you’re looking for a rom-com that’s anything but conventional When Sally Killed Harrywill have you laughing, gasping and rooting for Sally and her crew every step of the way.’ Reader review ‘Sardonic and sharply written… a fun, fast-paced read’ Reader review ‘A bold, unapologetic and raw exploration of frustration, fury, and the simmering rage women feel when the world constantly asks them to tiptoe around their own pain’ Reader review ‘Hilariously witty, sharp and unfiltered’ Reader review ‘A book that tackles toxic masculinity head-on, not with kid gloves, but with a sledgehammer’ Reader review ‘It’s about amplifying the voices that have been silenced and empowering women to claim their space, their stories and their anger.’ Reader review

When Sally Killed Harry

'This book had sex with my brain!' SARA PASCOE 'Hilarious. Intimate. Vital.' JAMEELA JAMIL 'I couldn't put the book down!' LAURA BATES Comedian Sofie Hagen has not had sex in 3,000 days (and counting). And it turns out, she's not the only one . . . In an attempt to find out why we're not having the sex we want, Sofie asks the questions: can we blame a lacking sex education? Is it all just sexual trauma? Where's the radical sexual liberation we were promised? What are we going to do about this? Should she have slept with that guy in that bush that one time? How do you overcome being a 35-year-old virgin (when it comes to queer sex, that is)? How do the socially awkward and the neurodiverse have sex? In Will I Ever Have Sex Again?, Sofie Hagen explores the quirks and difficulties of being an 'involuntary celibate' (but one of the feminist, progressive ones). With a blend of memoir and conversations with experts, therapists, sex workers, porn stars, comedians and public figures, this is a humorous and bold undertaking to gain a better understanding of how we can think, talk and feel about sex. The audiobook includes an exclusive bonus interview with fellow comedian, friend and author, Sara Pascoe. 'I was expecting a tad more tahini' YOTTAM OTTOLENGHI 'Refreshingly honest' ROSIE JONES 'Warm, Curious, Charming' AUBREY GORDON

Will I Ever Have Sex Again?

THE NO. 2 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER The Times Popular Fiction Book of the Year ‘A heartbreaker of a book’ THE TIMES 'Alarmingly relatable' MARIAN KEYES ‘Hilarious and profound’ DOLLY ALDERTON The hottest debut novel of 2023 from Schitt’s Creek and Smothered screenwriter and an Observer debut author of the year, Monica Heisey. Maggie’s marriage has ended just 608 days after it started, but she’s fine – she’s doing really good, actually. Sure, she’s alone for the first time and can’t afford her rent and her obscure PhD is going nowhere… but at the age of twenty-nine, Maggie is determined to embrace her new status as a Surprisingly Young Divorcée™. As Maggie throws herself headlong into the chaos of her first year of divorce, she soon finds herself questioning everything, including: Why do we still get married? Did I fail before I even got started? And how many 4am delivery burgers do I need to eat until I am happy? Really Good, Actually is an irresistible debut novel about the uncertainties of modern love, friendship and happiness. 'Hilarious, heart-warming, wise' PAULA HAWKINS ‘Heisey makes me laugh hard and often’ ROB DELANEY ‘A Sex and The City for social media-obsessed millennials … Irresistible’ METRO ‘Wry, modern, self-deprecating’ INDEPENDENT ‘One of the most talked-about releases for 2023’ EVENING STANDARD

Really Good, Actually

Read by Martin Freeman. In Life, the Universe and Everything – the third title in Douglas Adams' blockbusting sci-fi comedy series, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy – Arthur Dent finds himself enlisted to prevent a galactic war. In consequence of a number of stunning catastrophes, Arthur Dent is surprised to find himself living in a hideously miserable prehistoric Earth. However, just as he thinks that things cannot possibly get any worse, they suddenly do. He discovers that the galaxy is not only mind-bogglingly big and bewildering, but also that most of the things that happen in it are staggeringly unfair. Escaping the end of the world for a second time, Arthur, Ford, and their old friend Slartibartfast embark (reluctantly) on a mission to save the whole galaxy from fanatical robots. Not bad for a man in his dressing gown . . . Follow Arthur Dent's galactic (mis)adventures in the rest of the trilogy with five parts: So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish, and Mostly Harmless.

Life, the Universe and Everything

‘A thrill for the sickos among us’ JIA TOLENTINO ‘Utterly inimitable’ RAVEN LEILANI ‘Unrelentingly brutal and gut-bustingly funny and spares no one’ CARMEN MARIA MACHADO 'Symbiotically serious and funny' MEGAN NOLAN 'The funniest, darkest thing' ST VINCENT LONGLISTED FOR THE 2024 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD IN FICTION An audacious, original and unforgettable novel-in-stories that follows a cast of intricately linked characters as rejection throws their lives and relationships into chaos. Sharply observant and outrageously funny, Rejection is a provocative plunge into the thorniest problems of modern life: sex, relationships, identity and the internet. We see a young man’s passionate allyship turn to a furious and debilitating nihilism as he realizes, over thirty lonely years, that his feminism isn’t getting him laid; a young woman’s unrequited crush spirals into borderline obsession and the systematic destruction of both her sense of self and her group chat; and witness a shy late bloomer’s flailing efforts at a first relationship lead to a life-upending mistake. As these characters pop up in each other’s dating apps and social media feeds, or meet in dimly lit bars and bedrooms, they reveal the ways that our delusions can warp our desire for connection. Written with the accomplished authority of a modern classic and the manic intensity of a losers’ manifesto, Rejection by Tony Tulathimutte radically redefines what it means to be rejected by lovers, friends, society and oneself. ‘A book of mad, madcap genius’ Garth Greenwell ‘He writes about these things in the way Anthony Bourdain wrote about restaurants… Tulathimutte is a big talent’ The New York Times Book Review ‘Blistering … takes a magnifying glass to the mind in the internet age’ Vogue ‘There’s a volatile thrill to the writing … snortingly funny’ Wall Street Journal ‘Obsessively readable, acerbic, Foster Wallace–inflected’ Vanity Fair ‘A master comedian with a virtuoso prose style … audacious, original and highly disturbing’ New York Times Magazine A Book of the Year in Wall Street Journal, New York Times, New Yorker, NPR, Time Magazine, Vanity Fair, Esquire, Kirkus Review and Electric Literature.

Rejection

*THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER and Richard & Judy summer book club pick*Funny, original, incredibly entertaining – and the perfect gift for the cat ladies in your life! _______________________________________________________________ WHAT IF THE LIFE YOU’RE LIVING . . . ISN’T THE ONE YOU WANT? Mia has made all the right choices. She’s married, she has the nice house, the good career. But life isn’t about fitting into a box. And there’s another woman inside her who’s just clawing to get out . . . PRAISE FOR CAT LADY: ‘Even speaking as a dog man, I thought Cat Lady was an absolute joy to read’ Matt Haig ‘My book of the year’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A reminder to live your life your way. Cat or no cat’ Fearne Cotton ‘Really gets the reader to think about what matters in life Unputdownable and completely wonderful!’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Witty, thought-provoking and hilarious, Cat Lady is a triumph’ The Unmumsy Mum ‘Dawn O’Porter challenges the stereotypes of the typical ‘cat lady’ with this beautiful and emotional read’ Reader review⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘An ode to finding your people and a celebration of the small things that bring us together’ Emma Gannon ‘I absolutely adored this book!’ Reader review⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Funny, heart-wrenching and full of warmth’ Sarah Morgan ‘A beautifully written book that I'd recommend to anyone’ Reader review⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A lovely onion of a book, layered with humour and emotion’ Daisy Haggard ‘A joyous, touching, funny, sharp story – I cannot praise it enough. Purr-fection’ Milly Johnson Dawn O’Porter's book 'Cat Lady' was a Sunday Times bestseller w/c 24-10-2022.

Cat Lady

THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER! Named a “Must-Read” by TODAY, Us Weekly, Bustle, BuzzFeed, Goodreads, Entertainment Weekly, Publishers Weekly, Southern Living, Book Riot, Woman’s Day, The Toronto Star, and more! For two sworn enemies, anything can happen during the Hawaiian trip of a lifetime—maybe even love—in this romantic comedy from the New York Times bestselling authors of Love and Other Words. Olive Torres is used to being the unlucky twin: from inexplicable mishaps to a recent layoff, her life seems to be almost comically jinxed. By contrast, her sister Ami is an eternal champion...she even managed to finance her entire wedding by winning a slew of contests. Unfortunately for Olive, the only thing worse than constant bad luck is having to spend the wedding day with the best man (and her nemesis), Ethan Thomas. Olive braces herself for wedding hell, determined to put on a brave face, but when the entire wedding party gets food poisoning, the only people who aren’t affected are Olive and Ethan. Suddenly there’s a free honeymoon up for grabs, and Olive will be damned if Ethan gets to enjoy paradise solo. Agreeing to a temporary truce, the pair head for Maui. After all, ten days of bliss is worth having to assume the role of loving newlyweds, right? But the weird thing is...Olive doesn’t mind playing pretend. In fact, the more she pretends to be the luckiest woman alive, the more it feels like she might be. With Christina Lauren’s “uniquely hilarious and touching voice” (Entertainment Weekly), The Unhoneymooners is a romance for anyone who has ever felt unlucky in love.

The Unhoneymooners

'American storytelling at its era-spanning best . . . An immersive, multi-layered portrait of a marriage, Nathan Hill’s follow-up to The Nix is a work of quiet genius' – The Observer An Oprah's Book Club Pick. Moving from the gritty 90s Chicago art scene to a suburbia of detox diets and home renovation hysteria, Wellness is a thought-provoking exploration of intimacy, identity, and the absurdities of our tech-obsessed health culture. When Jack and Elizabeth meet as college students in the 90s, the two quickly join forces and hold on tight, each eager to claim a place in Chicago’s thriving underground art scene with an appreciative kindred spirit. Fast-forward twenty years to married life, and the no-longer-youthful dreamers are forced to face their demons, from unfulfilled career ambitions to painful childhood memories of their own dysfunctional families. In the process, Jack and Elizabeth must undertake separate, personal excavations, or risk losing the best thing in their lives: each other. From the author of The Nix, Wellness mines the absurdities of modern technology and modern love to reveal profound, startling truths about intimacy and connection, reimagining the love story with healthy doses of insight, irony and heart. 'The incredible scope of this dazzlingly detailed state-of-the-nation satire almost defies description . . . Brilliant doesn’t begin to describe it, but I’ll say it anyway' – Daily Mail

Wellness

So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish, read by Martin Freeman, is the fourth instalment in Douglas Adams' bestselling Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy 'trilogy'. There is a knack to flying. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss. It's not an easy thing to do, and Arthur Dent thinks he's the only human who's been able to master this nifty little trick – until he meets Fenchurch, the woman of his dreams. Fenchurch once realized how the world could be made a good and happy place. Unfortunately, she's forgotten. Convinced that the secret lies within God's Final Message to His Creation, they go in search of it. And, in a dramatic break with tradition, actually find it . . . Follow Arthur Dent's galactic (mis)adventures in the last of the 'trilogy of five', Mostly Harmless.

So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish

'An absolute delight! I whizzed through it in a day' Janice Hallett, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Appeal 'A zany, madcap murder mystery' Nita Prose, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Maid Attending your best friend’s wedding should be a piece of (wedding) cake, but not for bestselling mystery author Eleanor Dash. Because murder seems to follow her every time she goes on holiday – and is her uninvited plus-one to this special occasion . . . Eleanor’s best friend, Emma, is starring in a movie alongside her co-star and fiancé, Fred. As filming wraps, they invite the whole cast and crew to their wedding at nearby Catalina Island. There may be a storm headed their way – because of course there is – but nothing will stop their nuptials. That is until Emma receives a note that says: Someone is going to die at the wedding. Eleanor is a professional at this point and she’ll do everything she can to uncover the murderer so true love can prevail. But will this be a destination wedding to die for in more ways than one? Praise for Catherine Mack: 'Gleefully pokes fun at genre tropes while evoking Eleanor’s zany world . . . hilarious' The New York Times Book Review 'Funny and smart and full of ginger' The Globe and Mail 'I couldn’t put this down and you won’t either. Take it on your next vacation!' Liv Constantine, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Mrs Parrish 'Wildly fun, completely addictive and an absolute must-read!' Jeneva Rose, New York Times bestselling author of The Perfect Marriage

Vacation Mysteries series

No one was Supposed to Die at this Wedding

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'Bea’s snark and Gibson’s charm made for some delicious banter, and the chemistry between them crackles like the Santorini sunsets. You can feel the heat in every glance and every argument'Rising star author Bea Williams needs a vacation. And her godmother’s snug Greek island retreat is the perfect place to use as an escape from her writer’s block. Until she finds she’s going to have to share her idyllic one bed cottage with him – Gibson Caddell, one time childhood friend and a great big, drop-dead-gorgeous red flag. As the sun sets on Santorini, Bea’s thoughts soon turn to something much more pressing – there’s two of them. And only one bed… Readers can't get enough of One Bed:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'If you’re into sun-soaked romance with plenty of tension and heart, this one is an absolute treat!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'Absolutely amazing…when I finally read the last page, the house was dark, I was hungry, thirsty, needed to pee and my neck was stiff. But damn, it was worth it!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐'This book made me laugh and my heart break…I love a good forced proximity, one bed, enemies to lovers story' ⭐⭐⭐⭐'Wildly entertaining! The whole book is over the top crazy…The characters are incredible' ⭐⭐⭐⭐'Sometimes you just need a funny, light hearted romance and this serves that purpose wholeheartedly' ⭐⭐⭐⭐'A book set in Santorini? Sign me up! I was hooked by the descriptions of the sunsets but stayed for the love felt by all of the characters. ⭐⭐⭐⭐'It hit all the right spots and I really enjoyed it' ⭐⭐⭐⭐'I would definitely recommend it to someone looking for a fun vacation read!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Funny and full of life…It would be a wonderful movie or TV series' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'I loved the banter and the little haters to lovers thing, without having too much drama' ⭐⭐⭐⭐'The romance was adorable and the characters were all a lot of fun to read' ⭐⭐⭐⭐'A fun book full of sunshine and spice'

One Bed

*Nominated for Best Book at the 2025 Chortle Awards* 'Outstanding, I want to press it into the hands of every newly diagnosed person' Fern Brady 'Like a Martian's guide to living on Earth. Funny, enlightening and gobsmacking' Frank Skinner 'A hilarious, crystal-clear guide to autism' Phil Wang 'An illuminating and joyously entertaining book' Daily Express Why were the other kids at school obsessed with Britney Spears instead of The Goon Show? Why don't people ever say what they mean? And... Why is everyone chewing so loudly? Comedian Pierre Novellie was on stage when a heckler suggested he was autistic. Usually, this disruption would be water off a duck's back but two things made this heckler different: first, he was himself autistic. Second, he turned out to be absolutely right. This random encounter led to a diagnosis of autism at the age of 31 that unravelled his world, explained his struggles and answered questions that had bothered him for his entire life. At once a hilarious and insightful journey through autism and neurodivergence, an entertaining explainer for the uninitiated and observational comedy for the neurodiverse, this is the perfect read for anyone who has ever asked themselves: why can't I just enjoy things? The audiobook includes an exclusive Q&A with comedian and BudPod co-host, Phil Wang.

Why Can't I Just Enjoy Things?

Brought to you by Penguin. A REESE WITHERSPOON BOOK CLUB PICK FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR & GLOBAL TIK TOK SENSATION, EMILY HENRY Two writers compete for the chance to tell the larger-than-life story of an heiress with more than a few plot twists up her sleeve in this dazzling and sweeping new novel from Emily Henry. When Margaret Ives, the famously reclusive heiress, invites eternal optimist Alice Scott to the balmy Little Crescent Island, Alice knows this is it: her big break. And even more rare: a chance to impress her family with a Serious Publication. The catch? Pulitzer-prize winning human thundercloud, Hayden Anderson, is sure of the same thing. The proposal? A one-month trial period to unearth the truth behind one of the most scandalous families of the 20th Century, after which she’ll choose who’ll tell her story. The problem? Margaret is only giving each of them tantalising pieces. Pieces they can’t put together because of an ironclad NDA and an inconvenient yearning pulsing between them every time they’re in the same room. And it’s becoming abundantly clear that their story – just like the tale Margaret’s spinning – could be a mystery, tragedy, or love ballad … depending on who’s telling it. 'Emily Knows how to craft a love story like the all time greats' - Taylor Jenkins Reid 'I've loved every single one of her books more than the previous' - Ali Hazelwood 'Great Big Beautiful Life has everything you love in a classic Emily Henry novel, plus so much more. Nobody writes chemistry like Emily Henry, and you're guaranteed to fall head over heels for Alice and Hayden.' - Beth O'Leary © Emily Henry 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025

Great Big Beautiful Life

Mostly Harmless is the fifth and final part in Douglas Adams' much-loved cult classic series, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, read by Martin Freeman. Arthur Dent hadn't had a day as bad as this since the Earth had been blown up. After years of galactic wanderings, Arthur finally settles on the small planet Lamuella and becomes a sandwich maker. Looking forward to a quiet life, his plans are thrown awry by the unexpected arrival of his daughter. There's nothing worse than a frustrated teenager with a copy of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy in their hands. When she runs away, Arthur goes after her determined to save her from the horrors of the universe. After all – he's encountered most of them before . . .

Mostly Harmless

‘The Hot Henry Effect reads like a classic rom-com movie; I laughed, I cried, I swooned. Perfect for fans of Ali Hazelwood's books, this book is full of laughs and heart.’ ﻿Laurie Gilmore, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Pumpkin Spice Cafe A spicy STEM romcom for fans of Ali Hazelwood and Tessa Bailey!When a mishap with a pain au chocolat ruins the most important presentation of Dr Clara Clancy’s career, the last person she expects to come to her rescue is the impossibly good-looking and all-round super-nice guy from her university days, Dr Henry Fraser.​ Back during their time together at Oxford, Clara was seemingly the only person immune to The Hot Henry Effect – a genuine scientific phenomenon whereby those around Henry fall instantly and helplessly in love with him, the outcomes of which he has remained entirely oblivious to.​ Now, reunited and back working together, it’s not long before they slip back into their easy friendship. But both Henry and Clara are keeping secrets – if they can’t be honest with themselves, what hope is there of them being honest with each other? And will Clara really be able to resist the Hot Henry Effect for long?​ Tropes WorkplaceSecond chanceHe falls firstSpicy 🌶️🌶️🌶️Readers have fallen for Hot Henry, will you?'Ali Hazelwood please take note, this is how you write a women of STEM romance… the perfect balance of banter and seriousness’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'In a world where STEM romances often tread familiar ground, this book shines with its slow-burning allure. Clara, with her intelligence and endearing quirks, feels like a breath of fresh air’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A sweet and light-hearted rom-com’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A great story and one you don't want to put down’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I loved this book so much!! I could feel the chemistry (pun intended) between them both’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'The love story was really sweet and the book was beautifully written’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'An utterly swoonworthy hero in the wonderful hot Henry and a delightfully deserving heroine in Clara’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Hot Henry Effect

I’m a curvy sports geek. Liam’s a hockey god. He’s way out of my league… My brother’s best friend is acting really weird. Flowers keep showing up. He sends me Cameos and concert tickets. Then, there’s the job offer… Well, first, there was the fact that he tracked me down to NYC. It’s really complicated, okay? But so are my feelings for him. I’ve been ignoring them for so long that they became a wall I’m comfortable hiding behind. Damn him and his sweet, hot, cute, dirty-talking self who has cherry-picked his way into every aspect of my life. I’m not complaining… but there’s a problem. Not that he’s my brother’s best friend. Oh, no. Liam Donnghal is a future Hall-of-Famer NHL star. He could have any girl he wants, so why would he want to make the wallflower his end game? END GAME, book one in the New York Stars' series, is a standalone hockey romance.

New York Stars

End Game

A Sunday Times Bestseller ‘I Love You, Byeee is poignant and properly funny; a bracing dip into nostalgia, but self-aware, too.’ Observer The long-awaited new memoir and follow-up to the bestselling Ramble Book. Hey, how you doing, casual browser? Adam Buxton here. Are you ready for some hot hyperbole about this book? Here we go … In I Love You, Byeee, the highly anticipated follow up to the bestselling Ramble Book, I reminisce with hilarious and heartwarming candour about the highs and lows of working with Joe Cornish and revolutionising the worlds of DIY TV and podcasting in the process. You’ll hear about my crazy times hanging out with notorious rock’ n’ roll hellraisers like Travis and Radiohead. I write with humour and heartbreaking poignancy about the challenges of parenting, losing my mother (to death, that is – we didn’t get separated in a shop) and the drug hell that led to me nearly dying in the arms of a comedy legend. There’s also a bit about arguing with my wife, getting instructions on edginess from Louis Theroux, going on Bake Off and much more that you didn’t ask for but definitely need. For all that, plus hours of bonus waffle and original music, why not download the audiobook, too? Phew! I think we both need a shower after that. Take care – I love you, byeee!

I Love You, Byeee

Jacob: A friends to lovers, best friend's ex, Forbidden, working together contemporary billionaire romance.'VH Nicolson's characters will touch your heart and her storytelling will always leave you wanting more.' Sadie Kincaid'A fan-yourself billionaire romance you'll think about long after the last page.' Elle NicollPerfect for fans of Ana Huang, Catharina Maura and Meghan QuinnReaders LOVE VH Nicolson's books:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'If you haven't' a read this book you need to as it will blow your mind' reader review⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️'OMG, what a book! I LOVED IT😍' reader review⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'If you're thinking about reading this book, stop thinking and one click it! Definitely a new favorite author of mine!' reader review⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "All the feels and definitely a 5 star" Reader Review⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "100% totally recommend for a captivating steamy plot-twisting happily ever after!" Reader Review⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "This story strikes the perfect balance between steamy tension and heartfelt moments" Reader Review⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "Jacob is the BEST book boyfriend I've ever had the pleasure to read about!" Reader ReviewResisting temptation will test me to my limitsI've been in love with Skye since we were kids. But she's off-limits, not just because I'm her boss, but she's my best friend's ex. And, together we made a pact as teenagers. And unbreakable bro code. Never Touch each other's ex. Ever.But I'm forced to spend hour after hour, day after day, with her beauty. In meetings, conference calls, emails, business trips. Every. Single. Week. It's hideously torturous, and I shouldn't want her the way I do. But then I think she might feel the same way...Jacob is my boss. He's broad, toned, dripping in ink and it turns out the man I'm falling for has been under my nose this entire time and yet I can't have him. It's too complicated and he won't betray his best friend and my ex.So we resist. Although it's amazing how much naughtiness you can get up to without touching. But then it becomes clear this is more than just lust. This might be real. How can we ever make this work? I wanted a fairy tale, but right now I'd settle for a chance to at least kiss my prince.Love Jacob? Meet his gorgeous friend OWEN in the next book in The Billionaire Boys!

Jacob - A steamy, friends to lovers, forbidden, billionaire romance from VH Nicolson (Unabridged)

If Maggie is living her best life, why doesn’t it feel like she's in the right place? 'Great fun, delicious food, beautiful setting: excellent summer reading' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'Sophia's best book yet' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'The perfect read for a bright summer's day' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐☀️☀️☀️ From the outside, Maggie Lemon has a perfect life. But she and her husband have been trying for a baby for five years and she’s exhausted. She’s seen countless fertility experts and followed dozens of diets and homeopathic recommendations, and even gave up her dream restaurant in London when doctors suggested the stress might be too much. And now her estranged aunt has died, leaving her hotel in Provence to Maggie. It's been years since Maggie visited Le Figuier. There’s a lot of work to be done and she knows she should sell it. But when a disgraced Hollywood actor hiding out at the hotel lends a hand, the load feels a lot lighter. Is it just the chemistry with this handsome stranger, or is it starting to feel like Maggie might finally be in the right place? Perfect for fans of:💕Grumpy X Sunshine 💕Forced proximity 💕Celebrity romance Readers LOVE The Right Place:'A perfect summer read' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'An unexpected gem of a novel' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Funny, heartwarming but also poignant' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I couldn't put it down' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A sprinkling of magic throughout' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'A beautiful read with fantastic characters, and a stunning location' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Praise for Sophia Money-Coutts:‘As fun and fizzy as a chilled glass of prosecco…this is the perfect read for your holiday’ Daily Express ‘A beach cocktail in book form’ Metro ‘A laugh-a-minute page-turner, perfect for poolside reading’ HELLO! 'I'm a huge fan of all of Sophia's books but this is my new favourite…it helped me remember that the sun will come again. Summer holiday read simply doesn't do it justice!' Cleo Watson, author of Whips ‘Romcom writer extraordinaire’ OK 'Delightful, witty romcom' Red Magazine 'A lovely summer read' Bella Magazine

The Right Place

Read by the author, this is Louis Theroux's hilarious and thought-provoking journey through weird America. For 10 years, Louis Theroux has been making programmes about off-beat characters on the fringes of US society. Now he revisits America and the people who have most fascinated him to try to discover what motivates them, why they believe the things they believe, and to find out what has happened to them since he last saw them. Along the way, Louis thinks about what drives him to spend so much time among weird people and considers whether he's learned anything about himself in the course of ten years working with them. Has he manipulated the people he's interviewed, or have they manipulated him? From his Las Vegas base, Louis revisits the assorted dreamers and outlaws who have been his TV feeding ground. Attempting to understand a little about himself and the workings of his own mind, Louis considers questions such as: what is the difference between pathology and "normal" weirdness? Is there something particularly weird about Americans? What does it mean to be weird, or "to be yourself"? And do we choose our beliefs or do our beliefs choose us?

The Call of the Weird

Marina is a divorced mother of three preschoolers. Lilah is a shy and lonely librarian. Opal is a broke post-menopausal fitness guru. These three women have absolutely nothing in common - except for the charming, attractive man who's been lying to all of them. Now that he's tied up in a basement, they may just have something to bond over. But how far is each willing to go to get revenge? As this shared secret brings them closer together, other, deadlier problems come crashing into their lives. Can they put their differences aside to save themselves - and each other?

Eat Slay Love

'Crazy, sexy, cool: Caroline Kepnes gets better - and Joe Goldberg gets worse - with every book' ERIN KELLY Joe Goldberg is back. And he's going to start a family – even if it kills him . . . Joe Goldberg is done with cities, done with the muck and the posers, done with Love. Now, he's saying hello to nature, to simple pleasures on a cosy island in the Pacific Northwest. For the first time in a long time, he can just breathe. He gets a job at the local library – he does know a thing or two about books – and that's where he meets her: Mary Kay DiMarco. Librarian. Joe won't meddle, he will not obsess. He'll win her the old fashioned way . . . by providing a shoulder to cry on, a helping hand. Over time, they'll both heal their wounds and begin their happily ever after in this sleepy town. The trouble is . . . Mary Kay already has a life. She's a mother. She's a friend. She's . . . busy. True love can only triumph if both people are willing to make room for the real thing. Joe cleared his decks. He's ready. And hopefully, with his encouragement and undying support, Mary Kay will do the right thing and make room for him. 'An utterly unique character and an utterly unique writer, in a marriage made somewhere between heaven and hell' RICHARD OSMAN

You Love Me

Newly minted doctor Jane McGill is in hell. Not literally, of course. But between her drug addict patients, sleepless nights on call, and battling wits with the sadistic yet charming Sexy Surgeon, Jane can’t imagine an afterlife much worse than her first month of medical internship at County Hospital. And then there’s the devil herself: Jane’s senior resident Dr. Alyssa Morgan. When Alyssa becomes absolutely hell-bent on making her new interns pay tenfold for the deadly sin of incompetence, Jane starts to worry that she may not make it through the year with her soul or her sanity still intact.

Dr. Jane McGill

The Devil Wears Scrubs

A story of falling out of love from the winner of the Comedy Women in Print Award, for fans of Monica Heisey and Dolly Alderton'A thoughtful and tender take on the concept of "home"' Pandora Sykes MOVING IN. GROWING UP. FALLING OUT OF LOVE. Mara’s first year in London hasn’t gone to plan. A hostile housemate and endless tube journeys to see her elusive boyfriend, Tom, weren’t on her vision board. So when the chance to find her own place arises, Mara is hopeful. She’s desperate for somewhere to start her ‘real life’ – with linen bedding, fresh flowers on the table, and Tom. But between noisy new neighbours and Tom pushing her away, Mara is about to discover that things aren’t going to be quite so easy to fix. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––- Readers are already falling in love with Homesick … 'A beautifully crafted story … filled with memorable characters and relatable situations, making it a heartfelt exploration of first loves, found families, and the bittersweet experience of growing up'⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I couldn't have loved this more … It's a really accomplished and very funny commentary on urban living and twenty first century existence … I was wrapped up in the propulsive plot' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'What I appreciate about Homesick is the exploration of everyday issues … Mara's year of self-discovery is a great reminder that life is a complex journey' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'This novel offers a poignant exploration of love and self-discovery … With its mix of laugh-out-loud moments and genuine emotional depth, this book is a delightful read' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Homesick

"Like hanging with your funniest, sunniest, most sound, wise friend. " – Marian KeyesEverything good, bad and downright mad that has shaped Vogue’s life and career is laid bare in Big Mouth. So get ready for sharply observed, hilarious and very personal insights into divorce, anxiety, family life, and showbiz, alongside important life lessons, such as how to sellotape a bottle of vodka to your inner thigh on a night out and why you should never be friends with a celebrity. Growing up in her beloved Howth, a seaside town in Co Dublin, Vogue’s life had its ups and downs. Her parents separated when she was five, a time in Ireland when priests were still ranting against broken marriages from the pulpit. Bouncing between the routine of her mum Sandra’s house and the pub for a few years (her dad, Freddie, was ‘fond of the drink’), everything changed overnight when Sandra (a complete ride) met Scottish businessman Neil and they moved to the big house on the cliff. In the school halls of Santa Sabina, Vogue made friends for life and spent her teenage years hanging out around off-licences, playing Beat the Slapper and getting kicked out of home. After school, she was packed off to Aberdeen by Neil to begin her short career as a builder but soon jacked it in when she was cast in reality TV show Fade Street. What follows is a behind-the-scenes peek at a rollercoaster life full of highs, lows, marriages, mistakes, misdemeanors and triumphs. Loudly, Vogue tells her whole story, moles and all, for the first time in this candid and funny dive into her hyperactive life.

Big Mouth

'A gorgeous, wildly seductive novel, shimmering with intelligence, humour and joy' - Sarah Waters Longlisted for the Dylan Thomas Prize In 1838 Frédéric Chopin, George Sand and her children travel to a monastery in Mallorca. They are there to create and to convalesce, to live a simple life after the wildness of their Paris days. Witness to this tumultuous arrival is Blanca, the ghost of a teenage girl who has been at the monastery for over three hundred years. Blanca’s was a life cut short and she is outraged. Having lived in a world full, according to her mother, of ‘beautiful men’, she has found that in death it is the women she falls for, their beauty she cannot turn away from, and it is the women and girls who, over her centuries in the village and at the monastery, she has sought to protect from the attentions of men with what little power she has. And then George Sand arrives, this beautiful woman in a man’s clothes, and Blanca is in love. But the rest of the village is suspicious of the newcomers, and as winter sets in, as George tries to keep her family and herself from falling apart, as Chopin writes prelude after prelude in despair on his tuneless piano, their stay looks likely to end in disaster . . . Heady with the delicious scent of the Mediterranean, richly witty, and utterly compulsive, Briefly, A Delicious Life is a story about convention and breaking convention, about love – yearning, secret, forbidden, unrequited – and about men and women and the cruelty they mete out to one another. 'Exquisite' - New York Times 'Deeply enjoyable' - Telegraph 'Electrifyingly beautiful, exhilaratingly clever . . . sensual, original, intelligent and brimming with love' - Imogen Hermes Gowar

Briefly, A Delicious Life

'A modern twist on a detective story, which totally captures this strange digital age we live in' OENONE FORBAT, author of Bad Influence An influencer, a dead body and a live stream . . . Mona Hendricks may have just met her match. Detective Sergeant Mona Hendricks has a lot on her plate. Divorce, bills, an obnoxious teenager. But she has no idea what's coming . . . 'Mum, I need to show you something' A video. Big red letters in the corner. @MaybeKylie is LIVE Alerts slide over the screen. One after another after another. The viewing numbers soar. Her daughter's favourite influencer, Kylie May, has just found a dead body and is streaming it to the world. Two duelling investigations begin as a rivalry between seasoned detective and ambitious influencer grows: one using good old-fashioned police work whilst the other's sensational tactics hog the spotlight. Nine years later and the murder remains unsolved. But comment sections never forget, forcing the notoriously self-interested Kylie to make Detective Hendricks an offer she can't refuse . . . A brilliant and pacy debut featuring a fantastically crotchety female detective reminiscent of shows like Happy Valley contrasted with the sassy ingenuity of Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, all mixed with the modern and slick black comedy of Killing Eve.

I Found a Body

There are only three things in this world that are certain: death, taxes, and babies. Nobody knows this truth better than Emily McCoy, a third year resident working in Baby City, the affectionate nickname for the busy Labor and Delivery unit at a New York City hospital. On a typical day in Baby City, Emily delivers more babies than the number of hours of sleep she manages to squeeze in that night. And definitely more than the number of dates she's been on since she started her training in OB/GYN two years earlier. As Emily works tirelessly to safely herald baby after baby after baby (after baby) into the world, she becomes well acquainted with the three hard facts of Baby City: Babies never come when you want them to. Babies always come when you don't want them to. You don't know who your true friends are until your baby is sliding down the birth canal.

Baby City

The top 10 Sunday Times bestsellerNOW A MAJOR TV SERIES starring Samantha Bond, Jo Martin, and Cara Horgan. Season 3 coming in 2026!‘I love the audacity of the Marlow gang, those ladies sure know how to live’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Fiendishly clever and a satisfying puzzle to try and solve’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A brilliant whodunnit mystery that keeps you guessing’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ * * * Who killed the Mayor? It’s up to the Marlow Murder Club to find out … Geoffrey Lushington, Mayor of Marlow, dies suddenly during a Town Council meeting. When traces of aconite – also known as the queen of poisons – are found in his coffee cup, the police realise he was murdered. But who did it? And why? The police bring Judith, Suzie and Becks in to investigate as Civilian Advisors right from the start, so they have free rein to interview suspects and follow the evidence to their heart’s content, which is perfect because Judith has no time for rules and standard procedure. But this case has the Marlow Murder Club stumped. Who would want to kill the affable Mayor? How did they even get the poison into his coffee? And is anyone else in danger? The Marlow Murder Club are about to face their most difficult case yet … * * * Praise for The Marlow Murder Club Mysteries: ‘I love Robert Thorogood’s writing’ Peter James ‘Cosy crime at its best’ Crime Monthly ‘Cleverly plotted and laugh-out-loud funny’ Yours magazine ‘The perfect cosy crime to curl up with’ Heat

The Marlow Murder Club Mysteries

The Queen of Poisons

Winner of the Comedy Women In Print Prize 2021‘Whip-smart, original and so funny. I found it impossible to put down and lost count of the number of times I laughed out loud’ Beth O’Leary, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Road Trip Your family would kill to see you happy‘ARE YOU…DEAD?’ OH MY GOD. I THINK HE IS. When Meddy Chan accidentally kills her blind date, she turns to her aunties for help. Their meddling set her up on the date so they kind of owe her. WELL, THAT DIDN’T QUITE GO TO PLAN. Although hiding this goddamn dead body is going to be harder than they thought especially when her family’s wedding business has THE biggest wedding of the year happening right now. IT’S PRETTY BAD TIMING REALLY. It turns out the wedding venue just happens to be managed by Meddy’s ex, aka the one who got away. It’s the worst time to see him again, or…is it? Can Meddy finally find love and make her overbearing family happy? –––––––––––––––––––––––––– Readers LOVE Dial A For Aunties!‘Its dark humour and hilarious family dynamics had me in stitches from start to finish’ ‘I loved every second of reading it and couldn’t predict what was going to happen next’ ‘I couldn’t stop laughing throughout’ ‘The characters felt so relatable’ ‘What a great book this is – a really fun read’ ‘A hilariously funny rom-com’ ‘Escapist fun that’ll keep you turning the pages and giggling throughout’

Aunties

Dial A For Aunties

NOW A MAJOR TV SERIES starring Samantha Bond, Jo Martin, and Cara Horgan. Season 3 coming in 2026!‘I was hooked from the first page, wonderful’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A perfect locked room mystery’ My Weekly ‘Cosy crime at its best’ Crime Monthly ‘Satisfying locked-room mystery’ Saga ‘Cleverly plotted and laugh-out-loud funny’ Yours magazine ‘The perfect cosy crime to curl up with’ Heat * * * It’s been an enjoyable and murder-free time for Judith, Suzie and Becks – AKA the Marlow Murder Club – since the events of last year. The most exciting thing on the horizon is the upcoming wedding of Marlow grandee, Sir Peter Bailey, to his nurse, Jenny Page. Sir Peter is having a party at his grand mansion on the river Thames the day before the wedding, and Judith and Co. are looking forward to a bit of free champagne. But during the soiree, there’s a crash from inside the house, and when the Marlow Murder Club rush to investigate, they are shocked to find the groom-to-be crushed to death in his study. The study was locked from the inside, so the police don’t consider the death suspicious. But Judith disagrees. As far as she's concerned, Peter was murdered! And it’s up to the Marlow Murder Club to find the killer before he or she strikes again… * * * Readers are GRIPPED by Death Comes to Marlow: ‘Thoroughly enjoyable locked-room murder mystery. Judith, Suzie and Becks are a formidable trio . . . . I highly recommend this book, and can’t wait for the next in the series’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Cozy crime at its best’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Brilliant, brilliant book. Catchy, funny, witty, well written . . . this was one of the best books I’ve read in a long time’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘[A] wholly entertaining, engaging and thoroughly enjoyable romp in Marlow, with a glorious protagonist and a colourful cast of supporting characters. Wonderful escapism’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Never a dull moment, lots of red herrings, plenty of humour and a plot worthy of Agatha!!!’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Death Comes to Marlow

Stuck together on a writing retreat, a fake marriage goes awry when two people fall in love for real! From the author of When Grumpy Met Sunshine, Charlotte Stein's My Big Fat Fake Marriage is a sexy, laugh-out-loud romcom. Connie Evans has always distrusted nice guys. In her experience, they’re just waiting to reveal some horrible secret. And then she meets big, adorable Henry Samuel Beckett: sweet, a lover of bow ties and so cheery that Connie struggles to believe he’s real. Until Beck – as he’s known to most – tells Connie the secret beneath his sunny surface. He’s been single all his life, but somehow seems to have told everyone he works with that he’s married. And, when Connie can’t help but defend him, she ends up being the wife he doesn’t have. And now they’re on a writing retreat together, surrounded by people convinced they can’t be for real, with both of them sure that those people are right. Until they have to share their first kiss, their first touch, their first time in only one bed. Side by side, every night, as the simmering tension builds . . . Something has to give. Could it be her heart? Readers love My Big Fat Fake Marriage . . . ‘My heart. I have no words. Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. I laughed, I smiled, I cried’ ‘So funny from start to ending’ ‘Not only hot but beautiful’ ‘Beck is this nerdy, awkward cinnamon roll of an addiction that I could not get enough of’ ‘This book had me giggling, swooning, and feeling ALL the emotions. And yes, the spice? It delivers’

My Big Fat Fake Marriage

A 2022 Audie Award Finalist A MOST ANTICIPATED ROM-COM SELECTED BY * BUZZFEED * LGBTQ READS * BUSTLE * THE NERD DAILY * ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT * FROLIC MEDIA * AND MORE! A BEST BOOK PICK BY * HARPER’​S BAZAAR * ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY “The Charm Offensive will sweep you off your feet.” —PopSugar ​​​​In this witty and heartwarming romantic comedy—reminiscent of Red, White & Royal Blue and One to Watch—an awkward tech wunderkind on a reality dating show goes off-script when sparks fly with his producer. Dev Deshpande has always believed in fairy tales. So it’s no wonder then that he’s spent his career crafting them on the long-running reality dating show Ever After. As the most successful producer in the franchise’s history, Dev always scripts the perfect love story for his contestants, even as his own love life crashes and burns. But then the show casts disgraced tech wunderkind Charlie Winshaw as its star. Charlie is far from the romantic Prince Charming Ever After expects. He doesn’t believe in true love, and only agreed to the show as a last-ditch effort to rehabilitate his image. In front of the cameras, he’s a stiff, anxious mess with no idea how to date twenty women on national television. Behind the scenes, he’s cold, awkward, and emotionally closed-off. As Dev fights to get Charlie to connect with the contestants on a whirlwind, worldwide tour, they begin to open up to each other, and Charlie realizes he has better chemistry with Dev than with any of his female co-stars. But even reality TV has a script, and in order to find to happily ever after, they’ll have to reconsider whose love story gets told.

The Charm Offensive

In Boyfriend Material, Luc and Oliver met, pretended to fall in love, fell in love for real, dealt with heartbreak and disappointment and family and friends...and somehow figured out a way to make it work. Now it seems like everyone around them is getting married, and Luc's feeling the social pressure to propose. But it'll take more than four weddings, a funeral, and a bowl full of special curry to get these two from I don't know what I'm doing to I do. Good thing Oliver is such perfect Husband Material.

London Calling

Husband Material

A hilarious, emotional and thought-provoking book club read for fans of David Nicholls and Cecelia Ahern. –––––––––––––––––-﻿ Nell has always known the date she's going to die. After a psychic predicted her death date twenty years ago, she has lived life accepting she would never see forty – embracing adventure and travelling the world, choosing fun over commitment and laying down roots. So, when the fateful day comes, Nell feels ready. She sends five excruciatingly honest confessions to her sister, parents and past loves, knowing she won’t be around to face the consequences. Then, with her heart laid bare, all that's left to do is check into a glamorous hotel and wait for the inevitable… But when Nell unexpectedly wakes up the next morning broke, single and very much alive, she must figure out exactly how to seize this second chance at life. And then it also hits her: What on earth happens now that everyone knows how she really feels? This is the perfect book club read for fans of David Nicholls, Holly Smale and Beth O’Leary, asking what it is that makes for a life well lived. –––––––––––––––––-﻿ ‘A thought-provoking, funny, delight of a book, I couldn't put it down!’ SOPHIE COUSENS

The Second Chance

Don't miss this second chance rom-com from million copy bestseller Portia MacIntosh!'Loved this hilariously chaotic rom com.' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I laughed non stop. Brilliantly written. I actually couldn’t put it down.' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Will it be love at second sight? Luca is used to being ‘the single one’ – which is partly why she dreaded going to the wedding of an old university friend. Surrounded by faces she hasn’t seen in 10 years, Luca can feel herself being sucked back into the immature, decade-old gossip that no one seems to have forgotten. But when Tom walks in, Luca’s heart stops. He was her ‘almost boyfriend’, and she had been completely swept off her feet by him… but he’s currently standing next to the girl he broke her heart with at a party all those years ago. As the evening draws on and the champagne continues to flow, it’s clear that Tom can’t take his eyes off her. Will Luca’s luck in love finally take a turn? Praise for Portia MacIntosh'Smart, funny and always brilliantly entertaining, every book from Portia becomes my new favourite rom com.' Shari Low 'I laughed, I cried – I loved it.’ Holly Martin 'The queen of rom com!' Rebecca Raisin ‘This book made me laugh and kept me turning the pages.' Mandy Baggot 'A fun, fabulous 5-star rom com!' Sandy Barker 'Loved the book, it's everything you expect from the force that is Portia! A must read' Rachel Dove 'A heartwarming, fun story, perfect for several hours of pure escapism.' Jessica Redland Previously published as The Time of Our Lives.

Here Comes the Ex

UNROMANCE: A story in which two characters absolutely, categorically do not fall in love … right?💛💛💛 It's the ultimate rom-com for rom-com fans!!!‘A millennial love letter to romance books. Swifties, fans of Grey’s and Jane Austen – this one is for you’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘This book … this BOOK! It was deliciously perfect! … A love letter to the Romance genre both across print and the screen’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Intriguing plot, humour and loveable main characters. If you’re a sucker for tropes, this one has them all. No, I mean, literally, all of them’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I totally got How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days vibes not only from the cover but the cool modern storyline as well! … So soooo good!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Honestly one of the best romcom novels I have read in a long time … I can’t wait to read more from the author!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 💛💛💛 Sawyer Greene is done with romance. Once a bestselling author of the genre, she’s been left with nothing but heartbreak and bitterness. Mason West is a hopeless romantic. He has a habit of falling in love with all the wrong people. So when the two find themselves stuck in a lift together, Sawyer is determined this will not be their meet cute. But the universe has other plans. Sawyer and Mason make a plan to cure him of his hopeless romanticism, her of her writer’s block. It’s simple. Sawyer will become the romcom love interest of Mason’s dreams and ruin romance for him one trope at a time… There’s just one rule: do not fall in love. What could go wrong? 💛💛💛 Perfect for fans of:❤️ Classic rom-com tropes ☀️ Grumpy X Sunshine 👩‍❤️‍👨 Meet-cutes 👫 Fake dating 🌶️ Spicy romances 💞 Happy Ever After Erin Connor is your favourite rom-com writer's favourite rom-com writer:'Sparkles with classic Hollywood rom-com magic' Andie Burke 'Erin Connor is my favourite new voice in romance' Alison Cochrun 'The chemistry between Sawyer and Mason is electric, and this book is properly funny and deeply charming. A real love letter to romance fans' Laura Wood 'Filled with razor-sharp banter and a happily-ever-after that will make every reader swoon in the most epic way, Unromance is written for those of us utterly obsessed with romcoms' Chip Pons 'Erin Connor delivers sharp wit, deliciously steamy moments, and so much charm that I was kicking my feet from the first page to the very last' Jessica Joyce 'A love letter to romance and its readers, Unromance is an impossibly charming love story … a sexy, delightful read!' Anita Kelly

Unromance

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