UNCOVERED PICKS: Five new releases for the New Year

Now that the holiday season is over, we've been focusing on the new year. After all, new year - new reads! There are many exciting new novels due for release in January, and it's been difficult to select just five. But the reading list is certainly going to be full, with new releases from Jill Mansell, Fiona Gibson, and a haunting tale from Kate Riordan.

When I Met You by Jemma Forte
Marianne Baker is happy. Sort of. She's worked at the same job for years (nearly 15, but who's counting), she lives at home with her mum (who is driving her crazy) and sleeps in a single bed (yep, her love life is stalled). Playing the violin is her only real passion - but nobody like her does that for a living. Then one nighteverything changes. The father who abandoned Marianne over twenty years ago turns up on her doorstep, with a dark secret that changes her life forever. Suddenly Marianne's safe, comfortable world is shattered. If her father isn't the man she thought he was, then who is he? And, more to the point, who is she? It's time to find out who the real Marianne Baker is. 

The Girl in the Photograph by Kate Riordan
When Alice Eveleigh arrives at Fiercombe Manor during the long, languid summer of 1933, she finds a house steeped in mystery and brimming with secrets. Sadness permeates its empty rooms and the isolated valley seems crowded with ghosts, none more alluring than Elizabeth Stanton whose only traces remain in a few tantalisingly blurred photographs. Why will no one speak of her? What happened a generation ago to make her vanish? As the sun beats down relentlessly, Alice becomes ever more determined to unearth the truth about the girl in the photograph - and stop her own life from becoming an eerie echo of Elizabeth's...

As Good As It Gets? by Fiona Gibson
“Midlife crisis? WHAT midlife crisis?!”

Charlotte Bristow is worried about her husband Will. Their fourteen years of marriage have been rather lovely so far, but things have been a bit odd lately.

With their stunning 16-year-old daughter Rosie newly signed to a top modelling agency and Will recently out of a job, Charlotte can’t help but notice that things are changing in their household.
As Will dusts down his old leather trousers and starts partying with their new, fun neighbours, Charlotte begins to wonder what on earth is going on.

So when Fraser, Charlotte’s ex – and father of Rosie – suddenly arrives back on the scene, Charlotte starts to wonder what might have been…

Don't Mention the Rock Star by Bree Darcy
They fell in love in an instant … so why have they spent a lifetime apart? 

As a teenager Kellie dated an American boy but circumstances meant they went their separate ways. Now he’s back and she’s so tempted to see him again. But two decades have passed and they are both married with children. 

And the last thing a celebrity reporter like her needs is the world finding out about her past relationship with a rock star. Especially as Kellie’s husband doesn’t even know she once dated AJ Dangerfield, lead singer of legendary band Danger Game. And she has no intention of him finding out. EVER. 

As Kellie deals with a demanding boss, a bullied son, an infuriating mother-in-law and a best friend who won’t act her age, she finds herself playing a dangerous game. What will happen if her two worlds collide? And is it possible that first love never fades? 

Three Amazing Things About You by Jill Mansell

Hallie has a secret. She's in love. He's perfect for her in every way, but he's seriously out of bounds. And her friends aren't going to help her because what they do know is that Hallie doesn't have long to live. Time is running out...

Flo has a dilemma. She really likes Zander. But his scary sister won't be even faintly amused if she thinks Zander and Flo are becoming friends - let alone anything more. Tasha has a problem. Her new boyfriend is the adventurous type. And she's afraid one of his adventures will go badly wrong. THREE AMAZING THINGS ABOUT YOU begins as Hallie goes on a journey. A donor has been found and she's about to be given new lungs. But whose?

UNCOVERED INTERVIEWS: Amy Smolcic

Someone Like You is the recently-released, debut novel from Australian author Amy Smolcic. We wanted to find out more about student Amy and the inspiration behind Someone Like You - so on with the questions!

Tell us about your latest novel in 15 words or less.
A supermodel and aspiring rockstar are challenged whether their love grows when they’re living apart.

What inspired you to write Someone Like You?
I randomly stumbled across a documentary called Picture Me. It’s about the inner world of modeling, in particularly the dark stuff that happens. It was interesting to see the challenges models go through. We assume they live glamorous lives when in reality they get paid poorly, get little sleep, and get exploited by the people who created them.

Where do you do most of your writing?
This is going to sound naughty, but I wrote a lot of my book in class. In lectures I would find a seat in the corner in the back row of the room so I wouldn’t get caught writing.

What is your favourite book?
I love Paige Toon’s stuff, all her books are perfect! Chasing Daisy is my favourite though.

Which part of  Someone Like You did you enjoy writing the most?
I enjoyed writing my second draft and every draft after. The first draft is always the skeleton. The second draft is where all the details are added. Plus, I felt less pressure writing the second draft as I had a finished story, it just needed to be tweaked

Who is your favourite literary heroine?
I always thought Angela Clark from Lindsey Kelk’s I Heart… series was awesome. She’s Fiery, witty and funny – the perfect trio.

Do you have any tips for readers who are looking to become published writers?
Aspiring writers should always keep writing! It’s easy to stop when you run out of ideas, but you can’t. If you ever get stuck, leave it, and start writing something else.

Are you working on anything else at the moment and if so, can you tell us?
I’m currently working on my second novel, Playing the Game. It’s a standalone novel from Someone Like You. I’m having a lot of fun writing it and should be ready to be published in early 2015.

Thanks, Amy!

You can find out more about Amy Smolcic and Someone Like You on Twitter and Goodreads.

Someone Like You by Amy Smolcic
She has walked on the catwalks of every major designer and earned enough money to live comfortably for ten lifetimes. Country girl, Chloe Jackson, has hit it big. 

However, all that glitters isn't gold and beneath the lights and glamour is a dark world.

Jaeger Colton dreams of greatness. He and his band relocated to New York City with the hope of making it big. But with their record contract being cancelled, his dream has been put on hold. With the disappointment, will he chase the dream he desperately wants?

When their worlds collide, can Jaeger help Chloe pick up the pieces? Or, will it be up to Chloe to transform her broken life?

BOOK NEWS: The Day We Disappeared by Lucy Robinson

Lucy Robinson has brought us some wonderfully funny and beautifully written novels, including A Passionate Love Affair With a Total Stranger and The Unfinished Symphony of You and Me, so it was exciting to hear about her next novel which is due for release in April. The Day We Disappeared focuses on two friends, Annie and Kate, who hold secrets that might just cause their lives to collide.

It's springtime in London and everything is about to change for Annie Mulholland. From the moment she meets Stephen Flint, things seem too good to be true as Annie abandons her customary cautiousness for a wild love affair.

In Somerset, Kate Brady is starting a new job. Fresh air, new faces and good old fashioned hard work is just what she needs to put everything that happened in Dublin behind her.

But what are these two old friends hiding, and for how long can they run from the secrets of their past before they come crashing into their futures?

Chick Lit Uncovered Book Awards 2014!

As 2014 is coming to an end in a matter of hours, we decided to look back on some of the many great chick-lit novels of the year and show appreciation to some great authors.

There were so many much-loved books to choose from throughout the past twelve months; books from well-established authors and first-time novelists alike, with some wonderfully funny, addictive, inspiring and heartwarming books. As you can probably imagine, selecting just eight winners was a hugely difficult task.

Here are the Chick Lit Uncovered Book Award winners of 2014. And here's to a brand new year full of brand new reads! Congratulations to not just the below winners, but to all those who released books this year. It's been wonderful to get the chance to read so many great titles.

Happy New Year!

Book Cover of the Year

The New Mrs D by Heather Hill

There were many beautiful book covers in the running this year, but we fell in love with the colourful and wonderfully-designed cover image from Heather Hill's debut novel The New Mrs D, in which forty-something Bernice decides to leave her relationship and heads off on the trip of a lifetime alone, four days into her honeymoon.

Festive Novel of the Year

The Christmas Party by Carole Matthews

There were plenty of festive novels to choose from this year, but we particularly loved The Christmas Party by Carole Matthews. The Christmas Party is Carole's second novel of 2014, following A Place to Call Home in January. This year's Christmassy tale focused on various characters, centred around a large oil company and its employee - mainly three women whose lives and secrets are at risk of colliding at the annual office Christmas party. The book had a great premise, very fun characters (and plenty of scandal!)

Series of the Year 

A Proper Family Holiday and A Proper Family Christmas by Chrissie Manby

Chrissie Manby's funny, loveable Bensons appeared in June in A Proper Family Holiday, as the family set off for a package holiday in Lanzarote, much to the dismay of daughter (and Society magazine writer) Chelsea. The end of the book implied an exciting sequel, and in November, A Proper Family Christmas arrived, introducing a few new (and rather unexpected!) new Bensons. The novels were a lot of fun and a treat to read.

Comedy of the Year

Mother of the Year by Karen Ross

Karen Ross's novel Mother of The Year was hilarious as well as heartwarming. Released in February, Karen's tale of Juliet, and  relationship with her overbearing celebrity mother who has a penchant for revealing all of life's details to her adoring public, was one of the best reads of 2014. Karen has a great, witty writing style that made this novel very hard to put down, along with the laugh-out-loud moments and great characters.

Most Inspiring Novel of the Year

Good Sam by Dete Meserve

Dete Meserve's Good Sam was published in June and every chapter was intriguing. What's more, it was Dete's debut, and it is now being developed into a film and TV series. A gripping, fast-paced romance, Good Sam is about Kate, an ambitious reporter for a TV news station who, though generally covering crime and tragedy in the area, is tasked with a story about random people who have each found $100,000 on their doorstep. Kate is determined to find out the identity of the mysterious 'Good Sam', even when the story is starting to interfere with her personal life. Dete Meserve's first book is an inspiring read and full of mystery.

Debut of the Year

The Anti-Ageing of Harmony Richards by Fiona Jane Collins

The Anti-Ageing of Harmony Richards was released in November, by new novelist Fiona Jane Collins, and after reading just a chapter it became clear that this book was going to be a great! The novel is about 40-something Harmony who, along with her dismay at her ageing face, discovers that her husband has a secret - in the form of a young, stunning former fiance who's back in town to reclaim him. Fiona has a brilliantly witty writing style similar to authors such as Fiona Gibson and Chrissie Manby, and her talent as a chick-lit writer is very clear in her debut.

Author of the Year

Sue Watson (Love, Lies and Lemon Cake and Snow Angels, Secrets and Christmas Cake)

Sue Watson is the author of Younger Thinner Blonder and Fat Girls and Fairy Cakes, and in 2014 released two more novels, both of which were fantastic reads. Love, Lies and Lemon Cake was published in June, and festive book Snow Angels, Secrets and Christmas Cake was released in October. Sue is highly talented, bringing us some wonderful stories that you can easily spend hours curled up reading, and her two new latest novels were both highly entertaining and rather hard to put down!

Book of the Year

Don't Tell the Boss by Anna Bell

There were so many fantastic releases throughout 2014 that it was hard to choose an overall winner. However, one read that specifically stood out this year was Anna Bell's latest book, Don't Tell The Boss. Following on from her 2013 novel Don't Tell The Groom, Don't Tell the Boss once again focuses on Penny; a former gambler who, after successfully planning her own low-cost wedding and writing a popular blog for brides on a budget, accidentally finds herself moonlighting as a wedding planner alongside her full-time job. Anna's first novel was brilliant, but Don't Tell The Boss even more so. It's such a well-written book, with relatable characters and a great story that I became lost in until I had finished it. Penny will be returning next year in the third book of the series, Don't Tell the Brides-to-Be.

Merry Christmas from Chick Lit Uncovered!

Merry Christmas, readers! It's Christmas Eve, so time to prepare for tomorrow (mulled wine at the ready!). Uncovered will be returning after the festive celebrations with more news and books galore - so do stop by. Hope you all have a wonderful time!

EXTRACT: The Anti-Ageing of Harmony Richards by Fiona Jane Collins

Uncovered absolutely loved The Anti-Ageing of Harmony Richards, the debut novel from Fiona Jane Collins. Today, we have an excerpt of the novel to share with you!

The Anti-Ageing of Harmony Richards
What would you do if you discovered the real reason for your husband’s proposal…and she was younger than you, prettier than you and out to get him back? 

Harmony Richards is forty-five, swallowed whole by a marriage she’s insecure in and a chore-ridden motherhood she can’t escape from, and dismayed that her looks are beginning to fade. If all that isn’t bad enough, she finds out her husband of twelve years has a Lost Love. A one that got away. Except she’s not away; she’s back. And her arrival makes Harmony feel her life is in faster free-fall than her face. 

Surely stalking the lost love, flirting with a man young enough to know better and taking on an unexpected new challenge can’t possibly make things worse?

Excerpt

At last, Melissa put some bloody clothes on: skinny jeans that hugged that perfect bottom, a black polo neck (a complete no-no for Harmony; they accentuated jowls) and some gorgeous black, suede ankle boots with a chunky heel. She then shrugged on a lovely tan leather jacket that was far too flimsy for the time of year — although Harmony didn’t suppose Melissa cared about things like that — slung a foxy tan bag over her shoulder and flounced out.
     In Melissa’s fragrant wake, Harmony was left reeling. Melissa was back, from Singapore, if she’d been there that long, or wherever else, and was in Camford. At the gym.
     At Harmony’s gym. Harmony had that horrible floating feeling again. Melissa was here. She showered and dressed in a daze. Glancing in the mirror on her way out she noted that her hair looked awful and her face was tomato red with all its make-up worn off. Hardly up to Melissa’s post-workout standard. Still, perhaps Melissa was off somewhere glamorous. She was sure to have a glamorous life, looking like that. Harmony was getting straight in her car and going home to clean the windows.
     She walked out of the changing room and immediately bumped into Legs. He was holding a blue clipboard, which clonked her on the nose.
     ‘Ah, so sorry. Are you okay?’ said a deep, rumbling voice with an Australian accent.
     Harmony glanced up from rubbing her nose and found herself confronted with an outstandingly beautiful man. Close-up, he looked amazing. He had very dark brown eyes with ridiculously long eyelashes and looked Mediterranean, with that glorious, thick hair pushed back. She knew without question that if she was his age, and single, and had met him in a club she’d have snogged him within twenty minutes. The thought made her redden a deeper shade of ketchup.
     ‘Yes. I’m fine,’ she said. ‘Probably my fault. I never look where I’m going. Sorry.’
     ‘No, hey, it’s definitely my fault,’ said Legs. ‘It’s me who’s got the clipboard. Is your nose okay?’
     ‘Yes,’ she said, giving it a bit of a prod. ‘I think it’ll live.’
     ‘I’m just toting this around.’ He gestured to the clipboard that had an official looking form clamped to it. ‘We’ve got a new initiative. A well-being package?’ His sentence went up at the end, like a question. She usually found it irritating. Lily sometimes did it: it was obviously some new ‘yoof’ thing. On him it was cute. ‘For an extra ten pounds a month you can have two sessions with a personal trainer and a health MOT,’ he continued. ‘Would you like to sign up?’
     ‘Er... Okay,’ said Harmony. She’d been gazing at his mouth as he talked. She probably would have agreed to anything he’d said. Like, ‘Get your knickers off,’ or ‘Drive to the airport —  we’re flying to Barbados.’
     He walked towards the reception desk and she trotted behind him, stunned by his legs in motion. Before she knew it, she had signed up for two personal training sessions with him on consecutive Tuesdays, starting next week, and a health MOT with him on Monday.
     ‘My name’s Blake by the way,’ said Blake. He locked his eyes onto hers and she wanted to climb up a ladder and dive right in. They were like chocolate swimming pools. The eyes as pools thing was a cliché, she knew, but what wasn’t already totally clichéd? He was a hot, young Australian personal trainer. She was an embarrassing middle-aged woman. It was about as clichéd as it could get.
     ‘As in Carrington?’ she said. And there it was. Her flirting reflex had instantly kicked in. It seemed it was innate.
     ‘Hey?’
     ‘Blake Carrington. From Dynasty. Blue Rinse Blake?’ Oh dear. Show your age, dear, why don’t you? thought Harmony.
     ‘Nah, doesn’t ring any bells,’ said Blake. He looked amused. He pushed back his thick luscious hair with one hand. Bloody hell, he was sublime.
     ‘Oh never mind,’ said Harmony, trying to resist the urge to shake her own hair out of its sweaty pony tail. ‘Okay, well, I’ll see on Monday at ten, then, for the MOT thing.’
     ‘See you then,’ said Blake. ‘I’ll look forward to it.’ And he winked.
     She could feel his eyes on her as she walked towards the revolving door at the exit of the lobby. Don’t look back. Don’t look back, she told herself.
     She looked back. He was leaning against a pillar with his arms folded, amusement dancing in those heart-stopping eyes as he blatantly appraised her from top to bottom. Cheeky so-and-so, she thought. But she was grinning as she walked to her car.
     As she did up her seatbelt, Harmony made the terrible mistake of looking at herself in the mirror. Silly cow! she thought. How deluded! Did she actually think he was flirting with her? That he might fancy her? She was hideous: he was clearly taking the piss. She really must make a point of remembering how old she was, especially when talking to ridiculously handsome young men who were young enough to be her offspring. Harmony pulled a face at the thought and drove out of the car park.
     The only good thing, thought Harmony, was that Blake had provided her with a fifteen minute distraction from Melissa. It was Melissa who occupied her brain for the drive home, via the Tesco Metro to pick up some dishwasher tablets, and made her turn the radio down so she could think. Two big, clunking questions whirled round her head like satellites: why was Melissa back in town? And now she was, would she want anything from Tom?

BOOK REVIEW: The Anti-Ageing of Harmony Richards by Fiona Jane Collins

What happens when your husband's ex-fiancee is back in town, and all set to reclaim her lost love? In The Anti-Ageing of Harmony Richards, the debut novel by Fiona Jane Collins, Harmony is about to find out.

Housewife Harmony Richards, forty-five and insecure about her fading looks and how quickly time has flown by. Married to successful Tom and mother to three children, Harmony appears to have it all in life - however, despite trying to count her blessings, there's still the issue of her apparently ageing face to contend with, having recently realised she's now one of 'those women' in the nightclub, the kind of women Harmony and best friend Julia would look upon with disdain (and amusement) during their student years in Bath.

There's also the fact that Tom never tells her that he loves her. Oh, and the newly-announced Melissa - the one that got away.

When Harmony's bitchy sister-in-law casually announces Melissa, Harmony's in shock. Having never known about Tom's first love, the revelation begins to constantly occupy Harmony's mind. And when Harmony realises that Melissa is back in town (and that she's young and beautiful) she decides there's only one thing to do - stalk her, and make sure she doesn't get her hands on Tom again...

With her plan wielding some hilarious results, Harmony's determined to keep the ex-fiancee away. Although difficulty arises when she meets the handsome Australian personal trainer, Blake, who begins to make her feel just that little bit younger.

But Harmony's out to do whatever it takes. Even terrible fake tanning...

When I was first sent the news of The Anti-Ageing of Harmony Richards, I checked it out immediately and instantly fell in love with Fiona's writing style. She is witty, clever, and each character is equally funny, such as the determined Harmony, best friend and partner in clubbing, Julia, and loving 'earth mother' Dee. Even though I'm not yet in my forties, I found that it was easy to relate to Harmony and her feelings, and the way that she sees herself and life - sometimes with a slightly cynical approach! There are some great moments in the novel, especially when it came to Melissa. I became hooked as soon as I began reading, and rooted for the lovable Harmony from the start.

Fiona Collins is certainly a talented writer - it's very clear from this novel, which is her first. I'll definitely be reading her future books, and am already looking forward to them!

Rating: 5/5

Stop by tomorrow to read an extract of The Anti-Ageing of Harmony Richards!