Recommendations based on "It's Better This Way A Novel"

INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLERIn this utterly charming debut—perfect for fans of Cecelia Ahern’s P.S., I Love You andAllison Winn Scotch’s Time of My Life—one woman sets out to complete her old list of childhood goals, and finds that her lifelong dreams lead her down a path she never expects.1. Go to Paris2. Have a baby, maybe two3. Fall in loveBrett Bohlinger seems to have it all: a plum job, a spacious loft, an irresistibly handsome boyfriend. All in all, a charmed life. That is, until her beloved mother passes away, leaving behind a will with one big stipulation: In order to receive her inheritance, Brett must first complete the life list of goals she’d written when she was a naïve girl of fourteen. Grief-stricken, Brett can barely make sense of her mother’s decision—her childhood dreams don’t resemble her ambitions at age thirty-four in the slightest. Some seem impossible. How can she possibly have a relationship with a father who died seven years ago? Other goals (Be an awesome teacher!) would require her to reinvent her entire future. As Brett reluctantly embarks on a perplexing journey in search of her adolescent dreams, one thing becomes clear. Sometimes life’s sweetest gifts can be found in the most unexpected places.Praise for The Life List“A wonderful, touching story that reminds us to live life to its fullest.”—Cecelia Ahern, New York Times bestselling author of P.S., I Love You“Spielman’s debut charms.”—Kirkus Reviews“You won’t want to miss Lori Nelson Spielman’s remarkable debut, an intensely emotional novel of transformation and trust. It’s about how we let go, and how we never let go. The Life List has great heart, and even greater soul.”─Sarah Addison Allen, New York Times bestselling author of The Peach Keeper“Irresistible! Everything I love and look for in women’s fiction. A clever, funny, moving page-turner.”─Susan Elizabeth Phillips, New York Times bestselling author of The Great EscapeLook for special features inside. Join the Random House Reader’s Circle for author chats and more.

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

“All the world loves Kristin Hannah,” raves Newsday about this New York Times bestselling author. And it’s no wonder: She consistently writes compelling, beautifully told contemporary novels full of resilient characters and powerful emotion. Now for the first time, four of Hannah’s best-loved tales are together in one eBook bundle:   ON MYSTIC LAKE   “Superb . . . I’ll heartily recommend On Mystic Lake to any woman . . . who demands that a story leaves her with a satisfied glow.”—The Washington Post Book World   Annie Colwater’s husband has just confessed that he’s in love with a younger woman. Devastated, Annie retreats to the small town where she grew up. There, she is reunited with her first love, Nick Delacroix, a recent widower who is unable to cope with his silent, emotionally scarred young daughter. Together the three of them begin to heal. But just when Annie believes she’s been given a second chance at happiness, she is forced to make a choice that no woman in love should ever have to make.   SUMMER ISLAND   “Many a daughter will see something of herself in Ruby.”—People   Years ago, Nora Bridge walked out on her marriage and her family. Now she is a celebrity talk-show host. Her daughter Ruby is a struggling comedienne. The two haven’t spoken in more than a decade. Then a scandal from Nora’s past is exposed, and Ruby is offered a fortune to write a tell-all. Reluctantly she returns to the family house on Summer Island, with its frayed memories of joy and heartache. Confronting a mother who has harbored terrible secrets, Ruby finally begins to understand the complex ties that bind—and the healing that comes with forgiveness.   DISTANT SHORES   “There are real-life lessons here told with truth, humor, and courage. You will love this story.”—Adriana Trigiani   Elizabeth and Jackson Shore married young and weathered the storms as they built a family. From a distance their lives look picture perfect. But after their two girls leave home, Jack and Elizabeth quietly drift apart. Then tragedy turns Elizabeth’s world upside down. In the aftermath, she questions everything about her life—her choices, her marriage, even her long-forgotten dreams. In a move that shocks her husband, friends, and daughters, she lets go of the woman she has become—and reaches out for the woman she wants to be.   HOME AGAIN   “A tender, beautifully told story of emotional growth, forgiveness [and] the possibility of miracles.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)   Madelaine Hillyard may be a world-famous heart surgeon, but her personal life is less successful. Her teenage daughter, Lina, is fast becoming a stranger—a rebel desperate to find the father who walked away before she was born. Complicating matters are the vastly different DeMarco brothers: While priest Francis is always ready to lend a helping hand, Angel long ago took on the role of bad boy. Years earlier Angel abandoned Madelaine—and fatherhood—to seek fame and fortune, leaving her devastated. Now he needs help from the very people he betrayed—as a patient in dire need.

A Good Morning America Buzz Pick * A Marie Claire Book Club Pick for April * A Reader's Digest Book Club Pick for April * A LibraryReads Pick * One of Southern Living's Most Anticipated 2023 Releases * One of Today's Most Anticipated 2023 ReleasesAn unforgettable pairing of a college dropout and an eighty-four-year-old woman on the run from the law in this story full of tremendous heart, humor, and wit from the USA Today bestselling author of The Invisible Husband of Frick Island.Twenty-one-year-old Tanner Quimby needs a place to live. Preferably one where she can continue sitting around in sweatpants and playing video games nineteen hours a day. Since she has no credit or money to speak of, her options are limited, so when an opportunity to work as a live-in caregiver for an elderly woman falls into her lap, she takes it.One slip on the rug. That’s all it took for Louise Wilt’s daughter to demand that Louise have a full-time nanny living with her. Never mind that she can still walk fine, finish her daily crossword puzzle, and pour the two fingers of vodka she drinks every afternoon.Bottom line: Louise wants a caretaker even less than Tanner wants to be one.The two start off their living arrangement happily ignoring each other until Tanner starts to notice things—weird things. Like, why does Louise keep her garden shed locked up tighter than a prison? And why is the local news fixated on the suspect of one of the biggest jewelry heists in American history who looks eerily like Louise? And why does Louise suddenly appear in her room, with a packed bag at 1 a.m. insisting that they leave town immediately?Thus begins the story of a not-to-be-underestimated elderly woman and an aimless young woman who—if they can outrun the mistakes of their past—might just have the greatest adventure of their lives.

For readers of Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine and A Man Called Ove, a life-affirming, deeply moving "coming-of-old" story, a celebration of how ordinary days are made extraordinary through friendship, family, and the power of forgiving yourself--at any age."At a time when people are having to isolate, [this novel is] a balm, offering an expansive sense of love and possibility at a time when the main characters feel like those chances are gone." --Christian Science MonitorThe world has changed around seventy-nine-year-old librarian Millicent Carmichael, aka Missy. Though quick to admit that she often found her roles as a housewife and mother less than satisfying, Missy once led a bustling life driven by two children, an accomplished and celebrated husband, and a Classics degree from Cambridge. Now her husband is gone, her daughter is estranged after a shattering argument, and her son has moved to his wife's native Australia, taking Missy's beloved only grandchild half-a-world away. She spends her days sipping sherry, avoiding people, and rattling around in her oversized, under-decorated house waiting for...what exactly?The last thing Missy expects is for two perfect strangers and one spirited dog named Bob to break through her prickly exterior and show Missy just how much love she still has to give. In short order, Missy finds herself in the jarring embrace of an eclectic community that simply won't take no for an answer--including a rambunctious mutt-on-loan whose unconditional love gives Missy a reason to re-enter the world one muddy paw print at a time.Filled with wry laughter and deep insights, The Love Story of Missy Carmichael is a coming-of-old story that shows us it's never too late to forgive yourself and, just as important, it's never too late to love.

A brand new cosy novel from best-selling author Debbie Johnson. Welcome to the cosy Comfort Food Café, where there's kindness in every cup of hot chocolate and the menu is sprinkled with love and happiness... Moving to the little village of Budbury, Zoe hopes the crisp Dorset sea breeze and gentle pace of life will be a fresh start for her and her goddaughter, Martha. Luckily for them both, the friendly community at the café provide listening ears, sage advice, shoulders to cry on, and some truly excellent carrot cake. And when Martha's enigmatic, absent father suddenly turns up, confusing not only Martha but Zoe too, the love and support of their new-found friends is the best present they could ask for. Have Zoe and Martha truly found their home at the Comfort Food Café? ‘As sweet and as satisfying as a mug of hot chocolate’ Sunday Times bestseller Milly Johnson ‘Full of comfort and cheer – the perfect antidote to cold winter nights’ Sunday Times bestseller Jane Costello Readers LOVE the Comfort Food Cafe! ‘Full of heart and delivers so much more than you expect...a real joy to read’ Alba in Bookland ‘I truly believe that Budbury, the Comfort Food Café and the characters that live there have magical healing powers. I want to live there. I want to be in the novel, in every book in this series’ Lisa Talks About ‘I urge you to pull up a chair, grab a bowl of your own comfort food and sit back and relax with a wonderful story’ Rachel’s Random Reads ‘Funny, touching, realistic and sweet’ Bananas Are Tricky ‘I simply adored it with all my heart and my whole little miserable life’ On My Bookshelf ‘Debbie's best yet’ Annie Cooper’s Book Corner ‘Such a heartfelt story’ Jane Hunt Book Reviews ‘The perfect story whatever the season. I adored it’ Rae Reads

The perfect London read for this summer! Angela's back on home turf - and in her biggest romantic scrape yet... Angela Clark has fallen in love with New York - and it's starting to love her back. But when she's summoned home to London, she's at risk of losing her shiny new life to never-ending English rain, warm beer and bad memories. Talk about stepping back in time There's Mark, the ex-boyfriend - who she ran to New York to get away from. There's Louisa, her best friend, with her terrifying new baby. And there's her mum, still talking to her as though she's fifteen. Now there's a wedding in the offing - and everyone remembers how well Angela behaved at the last one. . . Can the arrival of boyfriend Alex and best friend Jenny save her from a re-run of her old self?

Don't miss this very special standalone novel in the Love Heart Lane series. Previously published as Evie's Year of Taking Chances but now rewritten and improved by the author! Love, life, and libraries Growing up in foster care, Elle Cooper always felt a piece of herself was missing. Now, as her thirtieth birthday approaches, she's ready to find it. But when instigating the search for her birth mother leads to a whole host of unexpected events, this librarian's quiet life suddenly gets very loud! With new friends, old flames and surprising influences keeping Elle busy, she soon starts to see that there's more to life than where you came from - and that where you are right now, and who you have in your corner, is what might just matter most of all... Love Heart Lane - where friends are there for you no matter what

Another page-turning story of tragedy and triumph from the No.1 bestselling author of The Loner and The Journey. In the sleepy Lancashire village of Salmesbury, childhood sweethearts Emily and John are secretly planning a life together when they are cruelly forced apart. Already abandoned by her father, and unhappy at home, Emily is heartbroken when John leaves the village. Her life takes a devastating turn for the worse when she gives birth to a child. She dare not reveal the identity of the child's father or there will be a terrible price to pay. Many miles away, John is trying to forget Emily and forge a new life. Having carried her in his heart for years, a chance encounter leads him to believe she has forgotten him. Emily has never been able to banish thoughts of John. But when it looks as though history is about to repeat itself, Emily must put the past – and John – behind her and safeguard her daughter. But can she forget him?

Can they open their hearts to new beginnings? Summer in Cornwall is the perfect time for a fresh start... Seven years ago, Marina Hudson’s husband was lost at sea. She vowed to love him forever – but when kind-hearted Lachlan arrives in Porthmellow, should she deny herself another chance at happiness? Tiff Trescott was living life to the full as a journalist in London – until her boyfriend’s betrayal brought it all crashing down. Fleeing to her cousin Marina’s cottage, Tiff feels like a fish out of water. And when brooding local Dirk wins a day with her in a charity auction, she’s thrown headfirst into Cornish life. This summer promises new beginnings for both Tiff and Marina. But are they too good to be true? Escape to Cornwall with this emotional, uplifting read from the bestselling author, perfect for fans of Sarah Morgan, Sue Moorcroft and Heidi Swain. **Originally published in 2020** Authors LOVE A Perfect Cornish Escape! ‘Wonderful. A love story with a mystery at its heart, it will make you laugh, cry and yearn for Cornwall. I loved it!’ Miranda Dickinson ‘A slice of Cornish sunshine. Gorgeously romantic, with plenty of twists to keep me turning the pages. Absolutely loved it’ Holly Martin ‘Escapist and uplifting’ Woman & Home