The Yorkshire Pudding Club

Three South Yorkshire friends, all on the cusp of 40, fall pregnant at the same time following a visit to an ancient fertility symbol.

For Helen, it's a dream come true, although her husband is not as thrilled about it as she had hoped. Not only wrestling with painful ghosts of the past, Helen has to deal with the fact that her outwardly perfect marriage is crumbling before her eyes. For Janey, it is an unmitigated disaster as she has just been offered the career break of a life-time. And she has no idea either how it could possibly have happened, seeing as she and her ecstatic husband George were always so careful over contraception. For Elizabeth, it is mind-numbing, because she knows people like her shouldn't have children. Damaged by her dysfunctional childhood and emotionally lost, she not only has to contend with carrying a child she doubts she can ever love, but she also has to deal with the return to her life of a man whose love she must deny herself.

Heart-warming, up-lifting, tear-jerking and lovely, THE YORKSHIRE PUDDING CLUB is the story of how three women find themselves empowered by unexpected pregnancy. How it revitalises one woman's tired marriage, strengthens another's belief in herself and brings love and warmth to a cold and empty life.


My opinion: After loving Milly's latest book It's Raining Men I have been looking forward to reading another of her books as soon as I can. When The Yorkshire Pudding Club was reduced on the Kindle, I couldn't refuse a bargain and had to pick it up.

The Yorkshire Pudding Club follows the story of three best friends from Yorkshire, Helen, Janey and Elizabeth. Helen has been trying for a baby with her husband for a long time, but without luck. She manages to convince her best friends Janey and Elizabeth to visit an ancient fertility symbol with her as a last ditch attempt to change her luck and get pregnant. A few months later, she is not the only one who finds out that she is pregnant, although her friends aren't quite so pleased. Janey has just been promoted at work, and even though she loves her husband, has never been entirely sure about whether she wants a baby. Elizabeth has just lost her job, isn't in a relationship and hasn't come to terms with her own childhood, let alone feel able to be responsible for someone elses.

This book is written in Milly's lovely, friendly style and was brilliantly funny. I wasn't sure about whether this book would be a bit predictable as it progressed, but I was pleasantly surprised that as it unfolded, it became more complicated and the story became a lot deeper. Despite the cheery cover and seemingly predicatable start, the book deals with some really tough issues and I commend Milly for her tact in the way she has dealt with them, whilst still making it feel real.

I really enjoyed this book and would love to hear more about the friends' lives as their babies get older and how their love lifes have turned out. I'm already excited to read another book by Milly and expect to do so very soon!

My rating: Four stars

Guest post: Janey Fraser - Honeymoon Horrors

Today on Sheli Reads I am very pleased to welcome the lovely Janey Fraser, author of After the Honeymoon, with her guest post about honeymoon horrors! After the Honeymoon will be published on 22nd May 2014 by Arrow Books.

It was a night to remember for newly-weds Karen and Dave*. But for all the wrong reasons! Karen’s mum and dad had given them two nights at a swanky London hotel as a honeymoon. It had everything. An ensuite bathroom that was as big as their flat. An enormous bed which could have taken an entire family. And marble floors……Which proved to be their undoing.

When Karen and Dave got out of their wedding finery to celebrate their first night as a married couple, they found that confetti had got stuck in their clothes. Laughingly, they brushed them off but some of the petals were damp from champagne and sweat. (Great mixture, don’t you think?) To Karen and Dave’s horror, the petals fell on the floor and immediately left pink and blue stains.

“Quick,” said Karen. “We need to wipe them off or else we could be landed with a bill for damages.”

Grabbing the white hotel towels – they couldn’t find anything else – the pair rubbed away at the stains only to find it made the floor worse. It also stained the towels too!

So Dave dashed out to buy some cleaning materials: not an easy task since it was 2 in the morning and there weren’t any handy corner shops in this expensive part of London. Eventually, he returned and the couple spent all night rubbing away at the stains until they finally came off.

In the morning, they both looked exhausted. “Everyone thought we’d been up all night , doing what newly-weds are meant to do,” laughed Karen. “But in fact, we’d both got housemaid’s knee from kneeling on the cold floor.”

This was one of many honeymoon stories which I came across when researching my new novel AFTER THE HONEYMOON. The story itself is fiction: two very different couples from the same small English town go to a small Greek island for their honeymoon. But the woman who runs the hotel, just happens to have known one of the grooms in the past…..

As I was writing my novel, I kept thinking about my own honeymoons. I first got married when I was 22 and my mother had given us a night in a modest bed and breakfast near our home in Harrow. In the morning, we couldn’t get out of our room – the lock had stuck! So we had to put our heads out of the window and yell for help. If I tell you that we were the butt of several jokes at breakfast, you get the picture!

In fact, my second husband and I didn’t have a second honeymoon when I got married again, some years later. I didn’t want to leave my then-14 year old son and he refused to come with us , even though we offered. That made me think. How would a stepfather without children manage if his step-kids turned up on honeymoon? I don’t want to give my plot away but trust me, it causes mayhem…..

When I told friends that my next novel was about a honeymoon, they kept telling me about their own honeymoon ups and downs. So I decided to include some real stories in between chapters. There was the bride whose American parents came with them (luckily the son in law got on with them). Then there was the friend whose new husband loved camping (the tent blew away just as they were reaching the pinnacle of passion). And then there was the couple who split up six months after the honeymoon because the bride realised she loved someone else.

In fact, the honeymoon is only the first part of my novel. The second tells us what happened to those two couples (and the taverna owner) after the honeymoon.

I hope you enjoy it. Meanwhile, please email me by May 30 with your honeymoon story. The top three will each receive a copy of one of my novels. janeyfraser@gmail.com

AFTER THE HONEYMOON BY JANEY FRASER. TO BE PUBLISHED BY ARROW (Random House) on May 22

http://www.amazon.co.uk/After-Honeymoon-Janey-Fraser/dp/0099580845/

www.janeyfraser.com

Bonkers: My Life in Laughs

'As the steady march of time takes its toll on my memory and the vultures circle, I thought I should have a stab at recollecting how it all happened. . .'

Jennifer Saunders' brilliant comic creations have brought joy to millions for three decades. From Comic Strip to Comic Relief, from Bolly-swilling Edina in Absolutely Fabulous to Meryl Streep in Mamma Mia, her characters are household names.

But it's Jennifer herself who has a place in all our hearts. This is her funny, touching and disarmingly honest memoir, filled with stories of friends, laughter and occasional heartache - but never misery.

From her childhood on RAF bases, where her father was a pilot, to her life-changing encounter with a young Dawn French, on to success and family, the book charts her extraordinary story, including the slip ups and battles along the way.

Prepare to chuckle, cry, and whoop with delight.

My opinion: I am a sucker for a good celeb autobiography, mainly if they have comedy links - I'm not really interested in the lives of reality "stars". When I spotted Jennifer Saunders' autobiography I was really tempted to give it a go, and I bought it after seeing her on Alan Carr's Chatty Man as she seemed so down to earth and lovely.

The book takes us right through Jennifer's life, from childhood to today, with special emphasis on how she became a comedienne, her TV and film career, and more recently, her experiences of breast cancer. If I'm honest, when I started, I wasn't really sure what to expect from this autobiography, but was totally hooked within pages. Jennifer is witty, funny and very honest in what she describes from her life. I loved her writing style and found it so easy to read.

Jennifer has undoubtedly had an amazing life, but seems very modest about it and I think she seems a genuinely lovely person. After reading autobiographies of more modern comedians and their experiences, it was fascinating to read about the career of one of the UK's greatest comediennes in her rise to fame in the 80s and 90s and the differences in the media requirements etc. I also loved reading Jennifer's anecdotes of her adventures with famous faces such as Ruby Wax, Goldie Hawn, husband Ade Edmondson and of course, Dawn French and Joanna Lumley.

A great, fun read and I'd recommend it for anyone who fancies to delve into the world of a comedienne and take a break from reading fiction.

My rating: An Absolutely Fabulous five stars!

Fangirl

Cath and Wren are identical twins, and until recently they did absolutely everything together. Now they're off to university and Wren's decided she doesn't want to be one half of a pair any more - she wants to dance, meet boys, go to parties and let loose. It's not so easy for Cath. She's horribly shy and has always buried herself in the fan fiction she writes, where she always knows exactly what to say and can write a romance far more intense than anything she's experienced in real life. Without Wren Cath is completely on her own and totally outside her comfort zone. She's got a surly room-mate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words ...And she can't stop worrying about her dad, who's loving and fragile and has never really been alone. Now Cath has to decide whether she's ready to open her heart to new people and new experiences, and she's realizing that there's more to learn about love than she ever thought possible ...

My opinion: I was first attracted to this book by the cover. It's just so pretty! If you have read any of my recent reviews you will know that I am a bit shallow when it comes to a pretty cover. And recently I have been lucky that judging a book by its cover hasn't backfired on me!

Cather and Wren are identitical twin girls who are just about to go away to college. Despite having been inseparable all of their lives, things are about to change. Wren wants her own identity and has cut her hair and decided to live separately to Cath in the student halls. This is the worst thing Cath could imagine. She is introverted and shy and has always relied on Wren to be the social one of the two of them. Without Wren with her every step of the way, Cath needs to embrace who she is, make some friends and get on with what could be the beginning of the rest of her life.

I love a geeky girl. Cath is a prime example of a wonderfully geeky girl for me. She is socially awkward, loves a fictional world and is quite happy with her own company. I see many parallels with myself, even if (I think) I have hid it well over the years. Despite my confident exterior, inside I am still the same socially awkward girl of my childhood. I have just learnt to portray myself in a certain way because of the steps I have taken in my career. Cath is a brilliant character and she really flourishes and becomes comfortable with herself. She even makes friends with her scary room mate Reagan and her boyfriend Levi, as well as Nick from her fiction writing class.

As a book lover, I belive that there is nothing wrong with getting lost in a fictional world. In fact, it is something I actively promote. Cath loves the fictional Simon Snow series to a point I didn't believe was possible. This flagged up to me how much I actually fangirl for Harry Potter and also opened my eyes to the world of fanfiction! (I hope I just used the term "fangirl" in the right context. As I am spiralling towards my thirties, I am not as down with the kids as I once was. Who am I kidding?! I have never been cool....) I never knew that fanfiction was as big a thing as it is. Since reading about Cath's writing I have had a trawl of some HP fanfiction, but haven't actually read any yet as I'm a bit scared of it!

My final comment about Cath is that reading this book has made me realise how easy the internet makes it to be an introverted teenager these days. I never had the internet until I was 21 so find it's popularity with teenagers and children a little hard to get my head round to be honest. But this is another great thing about this book. It has given me access to worlds that I didn't know about or have never experienced.

I think you can tell that I loved this book. I can't think of anything that I didn't like about it.I honestly think that this is a great coming of age book for a modern generation which can be enjoyed by anyone of any age. It felt a bit like a modern fairytale with a certain element of innocence, but was still savvy and up to date. I will stop gushing in a second, but I think Cath is a great role model and I only wish I could have been more comfortable with myself and my geekiness at her age. Fortunately I get paid to be a geek now which is nice!

Oh and on a final note, I love Levi!

My rating: A fangirling five stars! Is it possible to fangirl Fangirl?!

The Three of Us

The Three of Us is an exclusive short story introducing Zara, the village midwife whose story you can read in Follow Me Home, and bringing us up to date with what's happened to Tessa and Jack from The Village Vet

Tessa and Jack live at the animal sanctuary in Talyton St George. They had been friends for years, but it wasn't until Jack interrupted Tessa's wedding that she discovered his feelings for her were stronger than she ever knew.

Now, a year on, they could not be happier. And when Tessa discovers she's pregnant, it's as if all their dreams have come true.

But a scan shows that there are complications, and suddenly Tessa realises that Jack has always had doubts about having a baby. Supported throughout by Zara, the village midwife, Tessa and Jack have some tough decisions to make.


However, as the baby's birth draws closer, Tessa and Jack grow further apart. Will he feel differently when the baby is born? Or will having her wonderful child mean losing the man of her dreams?

My opinion: I have only read Cathy Woodman's latest installment in the Talyton St George series, Country Loving, but have bought all of the others as a result of loving that book and jumped at the chance to read this novella.

Tessa and Jack run an animal sanctuary and one day discover that she is pregnant. Despite their initial joy, when the going gets tough Jack finds it difficult to deal with. His behaviour changes and instead of sharing precious moments in the months leading up to the birth of their baby, Jack drifts further and further apart.

This book is a really quick read and we get to catch up with some of the characters from the series. I love the rural setting of these books and the interaction between the villagers is really lifelike and easy to follow. I really liked the character of Tessa, she is a tough old bird with a heart of gold and so brave too. Jack really wound me up with his behaviour in the book. It made me think whether I would put up with him and decided that Tessa must be a lot more patient than me!

Cathy's next novel Follow Me Home was published on 24th April and I can't wait to read it! I really must catch up on her earlier books too...

My rating: A fab four stars

I was provided with an advance review copy of this book by he publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Ivy Lane - Spring

Tilly Parker needs a fresh start, fresh air and a fresh attitude if she is ever to leave the past behind and move on with her life. As she settles in to a new town seeking peace and solitude, taking on her own plot at Ivy Lane allotments seems like the perfect solution. But the vibrant, friendly Ivy Lane community has other ideas and endeavour to entice Tilly into seedling swaps and Easter egg hunts. Can Tilly let new friends into her life, or will she stay a wallflower for good?

Ivy Lane is a serialized novel told in four parts - taking you from spring to summer, autumn to winter - which tell a charming, light-hearted and moving story you won't want to put down.

My opinion: I requested this book from Netgalley based on its beautiful cover. I know, how shallow?! But it paid off, so it only goes to show that sometimes it's ok to judge a book by its cover!

Tilly has made a new start. New home, new job and new hobby. She decides to take on an allotment at Ivy Lane as a way to help her pass the time and busy her mind. What she wasn't expecting was to make new friends at the allotments and become part of a tight knit community. She's not sure whether this is what she wants and something that has happened in her past makes her extremely wary of absolutely everyone around her. Unfortunately, she doesn't find the solace she was expecting at the allotment...

I was a little wary of the story when I first started as I wasn't sure whether Tilly was going to be a bit of a wet character who liked to wallow in her misery and feel sorry for herself. My fears didn't last long though and I soon got to know Tilly. We don't find out in this book what the mysterious thing is that has happened in her past to make her the person she is now, but I liked that. We know that this story is going to be in four parts and I like the fact that I am getting to know Tilly first without knowing her big secret.

There are some fantastic, colourful characters at the allotments and they really bring the story alive. All of the characters are well rounded and lifelike and I can't think of a single one that I hated. This was a very quick read and quite a feel good story. Definitely good for when you need a pick me up and brilliant writing. I've already pre-ordered the next installment and am looking forward to reading more about everyone at the allotments! It has even inspired me to sort my own garden out...

My rating: A fab five stars!

I received an advance copy of this book from the publishers via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

One Step too Far

An apparently happy marriage. A beautiful son. A lovely home. So what makes Emily Coleman get up one morning and walk right out of her life to start all over again? Has she had a breakdown? Was it to escape her dysfunctional family - especially her flawed twin sister Caroline who always seemed to hate her? And what is the date that looms, threatening to force her to confront her past? No-one has ever guessed her secret. Will you?

My opinion: Wow, just wow.

This story is a real keep you on the edge of your seat thriller that is that clever you aren't really sure why you are on the edge of your chair, but just know that something isn't right! It is fast paced, exciting and actually, for most of the story, is the picture of normality, with just a sense of what is to come.

Emily Coleman runs away to London. We don't know why, we just know she does and that she is leaving her family behind. When she gets there, she builds a new life for herself and makes new friends. The main story is intertwined with a number of stories explaining how we got to today, with one large piece missing until the last part of the book.

The book is separated into three parts with short chapters within each part. From about half way through the second part I was frantically trying to stay awake to keep reading because the twists just kept coming.

There is no way that you can guess how it ends. Or for that matter how it begins!

My rating: A fantastic five stars!!

One Step too Far is being relaunched today! I was provided with an advance review copy of the book prior to its original launch in 2013 in return for an honest review. My review was originally published on Reading in Progress.