Recommendations based on "Summer People The captivating and page-turning poolside read you don’t want to miss this year!"

*THE TOP 10 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER*'One of this summer's most buzzed about books (and one that might just change your life)' Sunday TimesAfter years of feeling that love was always out of reach, journalist Natasha Lunn set out to understand how relationships work and evolve over a lifetime. She turned to authors and experts to learn about their experiences, as well as drawing on her own, asking: How do we find love? How do we sustain it? And how do we survive when we lose it?In Conversations on Love she began to find the answers:Philippa Perry on falling in love slowlyDolly Alderton on vulnerabilityStephen Grosz on accepting changeCandice Carty-Williams on friendshipLisa Taddeo on the loneliness of lossDiana Evans on parenthoodEmily Nagoski on the science of sexAlain de Botton on the psychology of being aloneEsther Perel on unrealistic expectationsRoxane Gay on redefining romanceand many more...'A gorgeous, richly layered book about all forms of love. You can pick it up and turn to any page - literally any - and find a gem to soothe and fortify your soul' Pandora Sykes, Sunday Times bestselling author of 'How Do We Know We're Doing It Right?''Hopeful and uplifting... this deep dive into the human heart will expand and enrich your perspective on love' Evening Standard'This eclectic and heartwarming collection explores love in all its forms, from romantic and parental love to friendship and loss'Observer'Conversations on Love is a glorious celebration of human vulnerability and connection. It has made me laugh, shed tears, think deeply. I want every person I love to read this book' Dr Kathryn Mannix, Sunday Times bestselling author of WITH THE END IN MIND

"I cannot remember the last book I loved as much... a luminous, heart-achingly beautiful love letter to friendship. Knockout!" — Josie Silver, New York Times bestselling authorInternational bestseller Mhairi McFarlane explores lifelong friendships, long-buried secrets, and unexpected love in a heartfelt, emotional new novel, perfect for fans of Evvie Drake Starts Over, The Two Lives of Lydia Bird, or In Five Years.Eve, Justin, Susie, and Ed have been friends since they were teenagers. Now in their thirties, the four are as close as ever, Thursday night bar trivia is sacred, and Eve is still secretly in love with Ed. Maybe she should have moved on by now, but she can’t stop thinking about what could have been. And she knows Ed still thinks about it, too.But then, in an instant, their lives are changed forever.In the aftermath, Eve’s world is upended. As stunning secrets are revealed, she begins to wonder if she really knew her friends as well as she thought. And when someone from the past comes back into her life, Eve’s future veers in a surprising new direction...They say every love story starts with a single moment. What if it was just last night?"[A] book I almost wish I’d written, except that would have robbed me of the intense joy of reading it... the kind of novel that will have you putting everything else on hold so you can keep turning pages until you reach its sparkling, brilliant end.” — Emily Henry, #1 New York Times bestselling author of People We Meet on Vacation

This Is A Story For Anyone Who Has Ever Felt Like They Don't Belong. 'i Really Enjoyed This Book ... Great Observational Comic Gems Within A Fast Moving Story Full Of The Reality Of Despair And Hope In Everyone's Lives' Miranda Hart 'keep The Tissues Close' Good Housekeeping 'a Beautifully Written Debut Novel With Unforgettable Characters And An Irresistible Message Of Redemption And Belonging' Red Magazine 'this Gem Of A Novel Entertains And Moves In Equal Measure' Daily Mail 'heartening And Hopeful' Jess Kidd, Author Of Things In Jars 'mesmerizingly Beautiful' Sarah Haywood, Author Of The Cactus 'an Extraordinary Masterpiece' Anstey Harris, Author Of The Truths And Triumphs Of Grace Atherton 'gutsy, Endearing And Entertaining' Deborah Orr 'absolutely Brilliant' Gavin Extence, Author Of The Universe Versus Alex Woods _____________________________________________________________ Augusta Hope Has Never Felt Like She Fits In. At Six, She's Memorising The Dictionary. At Seven, She's Correcting Her Teachers. At Eight, She Spins The Globe And Picks Her Favourite Country On The Sound Of Its Name: Burundi. And Now That She's An Adult, Augusta Has No Interest In The Goings-on Of The Small Town Where She Lives With Her Parents And Her Beloved Twin Sister, Julia. When An Unspeakable Tragedy Upends Everything In Augusta's Life, She's Propelled Headfirst Into The Unknown. She's Determined To Find Where She Belongs - But What If Her True Home, And Heart, Are Half A World Away? _____________________________________________________________ Augusta May Not Feel Like She Fits In, But Readers Have Fallen In Love With Her... 'what A Brilliant, Brave, Clever Book' Maddy P 'a Beautiful Tale Of Family, Of Loss, Of The Awkward Relationships We Build With Those We Love The Most...a Must Read!' Amelia D 'a Powerful Novel About Fitting In, Loss, & The People You Really Have Connections With' Siobhan D 'the Story Made Me Laugh & Cry In Equal Measure, And Now It's Finished I'm At A Slight Loss As What To Read Next' Laura W

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

A new chapter is just beginning…*A finalist in the Goodreads Choice Awards for Fiction 2021!*‘The story is an absolute joy . . . A captivating and exquisitely crafted debut’Sunday Times bestseller, HEIDI SWAIN‘A love letter to books, reading and the power of connection – absolutely gorgeous’ Sunday Times bestseller, RUTH WAREWhen Aleisha discovers a crumpled reading list tucked into a tattered library book, it sparks an extraordinary journey.From timeless stories of love and friendship to an epic journey across the Pacific Ocean with a boy and a tiger in a boat, the list opens a gateway to new and wonderful worlds – just when Aleisha needs an escape from her troubles at home.And when widower Mukesh arrives at the library, desperate to connect with his bookworm granddaughter, Aleisha introduces him to the magic of the reading list. An anxious teenager and a lonely grandfather forming an unlikely book club of two.Inspiring and heartwarming, The Reading List is a love letter to storytelling – its power to transport us, connect us, and remind us that a new beginning is only a page away…A real heart-lifter . . . . A joyful, uplifting read’ Good Housekeeping‘A gorgeous debut novel about the power reading has to bring people together, no matter the barriers of age, culture and class’ Red

Shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction!"Brilliantly faceted and extremely funny. . . . While I was reading it, I was making a list of all the people I wanted to send it to, until I realized that I wanted to send it to everyone I know." — Ann PatchettThe internationally bestselling sensation, a compulsively readable novel—spiky, sharp, intriguingly dark, and tender—that Emma Straub has named one of her favorite books of the yearMartha Friel just turned forty. Once, she worked at Vogue and planned to write a novel. Now, she creates internet content. She used to live in a pied-à-terre in Paris. Now she lives in a gated community in Oxford, the only person she knows without a PhD, a baby or both, in a house she hates but cannot bear to leave. But she must leave, now that her husband Patrick—the kind who cooks, throws her birthday parties, who loves her and has only ever wanted her to be happy—has just moved out.Because there’s something wrong with Martha, and has been for a long time. When she was seventeen, a little bomb went off in her brain and she was never the same. But countless doctors, endless therapy, every kind of drug later, she still doesn’t know what’s wrong, why she spends days unable to get out of bed or alienates both strangers and her loved ones with casually cruel remarks.And she has nowhere to go except her childhood home: a bohemian (dilapidated) townhouse in a romantic (rundown) part of London—to live with her mother, a minorly important sculptor (and major drinker) and her father, a famous poet (though unpublished) and try to survive without the devoted, potty-mouthed sister who made all the chaos bearable back then, and is now too busy or too fed up to deal with her.But maybe, by starting over, Martha will get to write a better ending for herself—and she’ll find out that she’s not quite finished after all.

In this #1 bestselling page-turner from "the queen of beach reads" (New York Magazine), a Nantucket novelist has one final summer to protect her secrets while her loved ones on earth learn to live without their golden girl. On a perfect June day, Vivian Howe, author of thirteen beach novels and mother of three nearly grown children, is killed in a hit-and-run car accident while jogging near her home on Nantucket. She ascends to the Beyond where she's assigned to a Person named Martha, who allows Vivi to watch what happens below for one last summer. Vivi also is granted three “nudges” to change the outcome of events on earth, and with her daughter Willa on her third miscarriage, Carson partying until all hours, and Leo currently “off again” with his high-maintenance girlfriend, she’ll have to think carefully where to use them. From the Beyond, Vivi watches “The Chief” Ed Kapenash investigate her death, but her greatest worry is her final book, which contains a secret from her own youth that could be disastrous for her reputation. But when hidden truths come to light, Vivi’s family will have to sort out their past and present mistakes—with or without a nudge of help from above—while Vivi finally lets them grow without her. With all of Elin’s trademark beach scenes, mouth-watering meals, and picture-perfect homes, plus a heartfelt message—the people we lose never really leave us—Golden Girl is a beach book unlike any other.

Discover the secrets and surprises that the scenic Scottish town of Briar Glen has to offer... ‘A warm beautiful read’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐NetGalley Reviewer ‘A great story . . . a happy feel good read’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐NetGalley Reviewer The feel-good Scottish romance from the bestselling author of A Secret Scottish Escape When wedding planner Sophie Harkness refuses to move a friend’s wedding to accommodate a spoilt bridezilla, she finds herself out of a job. That is until she discovers her late grandma has purchased a local shop for her in the pretty Scottish town of Briar Glen. Surprised and delighted, Sophie opens her own porcelain shop in honour of her grandmother. But when an unusual tea set is left with Sophie, along with a mysterious letter, she can’t help but be intrigued by the story behind the antique. And when the handsome but aloof art critic Xander North comes knocking on her door, Sophie is about to find out the true colourful past of her latest treasure. The perfect feel-good romance for fans of Jo Thomas, Katie Fforde and Trisha Ashley. NetGalley readers are falling for A Scottish Highland Surprise ‘[I] adored this feel good, fun, emotional and life affirming book’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A great read... highly recommend’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A great holiday read’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Charming characters, mystery and romance’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘An easy and lovely read’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Uplifting’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Well written with a cute and funny storyline and well developed characters’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Uplifting and enjoyable’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘This author is amazing, she knows how to get you hooked straight away’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A great story and a perfect ending’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'This book is a beautiful, heartwarming read. It's a story of love, friendship and secrets and I devoured every page' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Full of warmth, fun and feel-good factor' #1 Sunday Times Bestseller Katie Fforde When travel writer Jack Hartwell arrives on Puffin Island amidst a terrible storm, he stumbles into The Story Shop, the island's quaint bookshop. Seeking refuge, he finds himself immersed in Amelia Brown's enchanting world of books, puffins, and an eccentric group of book club regulars. So when the enigmatic Amelia challenges Jack to read a mysterious novel The Temptation Bucket List - and to complete its challenges with her - he can't resist. But with Jack's time on Puffin Island ticking away, the stakes rise. The final item on the list? To share a secret that no one else knows... Praise for The Story Shop: 'This book is a work of art and I think Christie's best one yet!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'There is something magical about Christie's Puffin Island. I just adore this series' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'Full of love, friendship and wonderful adventures ... a real page turner' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'I fall more in love with Puffin Island and its inhabitants with each book! The Story Shop will get under your skin and stay with you long after you have finished reading it! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'If I could give this more than 5 stars I would! Well done Christie Barlow for writing such a stunning romantic, mystery masterpiece! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'Christie Barlow has the knack of transporting you and making you want to be part of the community she writes about ... highly recommend' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'Another brilliant read about Puffin Island. Christie Barlow never disappoints. Can't wait for the next one' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'I loved returning to Puffin Island and it's people. They feel like family to me. I hope this series never ends!' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The perfect summer holiday read for fans of Cathy Bramley and Phillipa Ashley Return to Love Heart Lane for friendship, romance and a community who will be be there for you no matter what... Isla and Drew Allaway appear to have the perfect life - a strong marriage, two beautiful children and their picture-perfect home, Foxglove Farm. But, new mum Isla is struggling. She loves her little family but with Drew working all hours on the farm, Isla's lonely. When she discovers that Drew has been keeping secrets from her, Isla has to face losing the home they all love. Can the Love Heart Lane community pull together once more to help save Foxglove Farm? And can Isla save her home...and her marriage?