" How to get a (love) life " by Rosie Blake

Thanks so much to the girls at http://www.noveliciousbooks.com/ for the ARC of this book........

Nicola is a creature of habit. Her flat is immaculately clean, her office desk organised to within an inch of it's life and her menu planned weeks in advance.  She desperately needs to get a life. And soon, as her work colleague, Caroline dares her to get herself a date for Valentine's Day.  Nicola accepts the challenge and here is where the fun starts....

Nicola tries many means of finding a man. This leads to some laugh out loud encounters that I could imagine  must be based on real life. A carpentry class, a date with a famous actor who she hates, a freezing kayak in a borrowed wet suit and a chance meeting with a Ferret Breeding, lute playing guy, are just some of the moments the reader can cringe along with Nicola.

This is such a funny book.  I have read a lot of  Chick Lit recently, but this is by far my favourite . I'm not the age demographic for this novel (I'm 41) but I could still picture the dire dates that I would have to go on, had I not met my soulmate 20 years ago.  This book is a great bit of fun and thank God Novelicious gave Rosie the chance to get this published. Can't wait to read the next one, Rosie!

Rosie can be contacted via Twitter @RosieBBooks and is great for a bit of banter :)

How to get a (love) life is published by NovelicousBooks 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Love-Life-Rosie-Blake-ebook/dp/B00I1OUFVG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1393619112&sr=8-1&keywords=how+to+get+a+love+life

" The Disciple " by Steven Dunne

Part 2 of The Reaper series, The Disciple sees the return of Detective Inspector Brook with all his quirkiness still intact.  Having witnessed the death of serial killer, The Reaper, he is then shocked to discover some cases which carry the signature of the dead killer. How can this be? Is it a copy cat or something more sinister? Why is DI Brook under suspicion in the drowning of a man who lives miles away? Why has an ex FBI agent moved next door? These are questions which the DI needs to find answers to quickly, before there are more murders.

I was a huge fan of the first Steven Dunne novel, The Reaper and still rave about it on Twitter and Facebook as well as to any crime fiction lovers I encounter.  This was obviously going to be a hard act to follow and I delayed reading the second installment for a while.  

This book has two stories; one is DI Brooks' workload and the other from the past, in USA. What is the link? You will have to read it to find out.......

I love Steven's writing, it's not too fast paced, has nicely structured chapters and great characters.  The only problem I had with this book was that there were so many characters that I was losing track and had to keep flicking back to see who was who.  The flashback sections were great and I loved the introduction of FBI agent Mike Drexler.  The gruesome stories from the past have a relevance to DI Brooks and his past dealings with The Reaper, which means you should really read The Reaper before this novel. As both books are great value on Amazon, this makes it like a 2 for 1 offer !

Steven Dunne is an author to be reckoned with in the world of Crime Fiction.  A refreshing change from all the Go-To authors who dominate bookshelves around the world.  Give this English author a chance. I think you will be glad you did. 

The Disciple is published by Avon, a division of Harper Collins 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Disciple-Reaper-Steven-Dunne-ebook/dp/B00413PIBS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1393616496&sr=8-1&keywords=the+disciple+steven+dunne

" The Amber Fury " by Natalie Haynes

Thanks to http://www.lovereading.co.uk/ for the review copy of this book.......

Alex Morris has escaped to Edinburgh in order to forget her past.  She finds herself helping a group of troubled teens who, for varied reasons, have been kicked out of mainstream schools.  Through her teaching of Greek Tragedies and her interest in these forgotten children, she inspires them to look at life from a different perspective. When her past seeps into her present, things get out of control and Alex is oblivious to it all.  Has the madness of the Greek Plays, with all their murder, mayhem and bizzare twists, inspired the class to change for the better or worse? And why does she now need a lawyer?

This debut novel is a high grade, stunningly written drama that will have you turning pages at great speed.  Natalie has managed to link the infamous Greek Tragedies into everyday life, often without the reader being aware of it.  The characters are strong and the descriptions of Edinburgh are fantastic.  I could almost feel the dampness of the ground and feel the atmosphere as Alex walked familiar routes through the town.

The writing in this novel is beautiful. It almost glides off the page and reads like the work of an established author, with many awards under their belt.  Outstanding debut which would make a great movie!

The Amber Fury is published on 6th March by Corvus 

This title can be ordered via this link :

http://www.lovereading.co.uk/book/9781782392767/isbn/The-Amber-Fury-by-Natalie-Haynes.html

Zenith Hotel by Oscar Coop-Phane

I had heard rumour of this little book on the book blogger grapevine and was intrigued by the attention it was getting.  Knowing the author was of such a young age, and yet was winner of the Prix de Flore in 2012 it was definitely one that piqued my interest.

I started this at lunch time and, by the first page, I was completely immersed in the world of Nanou and her "customers".

Within an hour, I read some of the most amazing prose that I have ever encountered in modern literature. Each page contained sublime paragraphs, mostly short. There is something very special about this novel.  It is short, sharp, and strangely sweet despite the subject matter.  The author has found a way to bring the protagonist, and her 5 clients, to life on the page, without resorting to desperate measures to gain the reader's sympathy or approval.  The sentences are just perfect.  Each page contains so many perfect lines, that I couldn't begin to choose which ones to quote.  Quite simply, this character driven novel is writing at it's best.

Nanou is a prostitute, working out of the Zenith Hotel in Paris.  Seedy, and far from the hotels in Paris we are used to reading about, it is nevertheless her place of work and she deals with it, and the hand she has been dealt in life, with little dignity intact.  We are given sneak peeks of some of her clients and how different they are. Each character is assigned their own short chapter and these chapters work like interlinking short stories, giving the novel a wonderful feel of fluidity.

 Raw, intense and coated with bitter honey.  Every single page is a work of art. Oscar Coop-Phane has a natural talent,  making me think that if Oscar Wilde was alive today, he would be jealous of this book........

An amazing debut, an amazing voice, an amazing book! 

Zenith Hotel is published by Arcadia Books on 15 March 2014 and I'm even quoted on the cover!!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Zenith-Hotel-Oscar-Coop-Phane/dp/1909807508/ref=sr_1_1_bnp_1_har?ie=UTF8&qid=1392923832&sr=8-1&keywords=zenith+hotel

" Things We Set On Fire " by Deborah Reed

I received a copy of this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.........

Vivvie is woken in the middle of the night by a phone call from local police, asking her to come and collect her two grandaughters.  Her youngest daughter, Kate, is in the hospital and there is no one else to mind the little girls.  Vivvie is no stranger to heartbreak as we discover early on in this book.  She is a widow, with two estranged daughters and now is landed with two young girls she barely knows and she contacts her other daughter, Elin for some help.  All is not what it seems though and the two women discover that Kate's disappearance from their lives may have had a hidden agenda.  

The author blends parts of the past with the present and we can begin to form a picture of the girl's lives growing up with their widowed mother and all that it entailed.  Sisters can clash at the best of times, but the loss of their father at an early age, shaped their personalities for the future.  Both stubborn and self preserving,  they chose to remove themselves from their mother's life and try to be individuals in their own right.  When Kate is hospitalised, the women are forced to examine their current situations and assess their priorities.  

This is a novel of feeling.  Beautifully written with some wonderful prose, harrowing at times, but all with a view to exploring the meaning of family.  Split into four parts, it has short chapters, is very easy to read and it is over before you know it.  I loved the whole feel of a non- traditional family and how a moment of misery can sometimes bring change you could never expect.  Well worth reading.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Things-Set-Fire-Deborah-Reed-ebook/dp/B00D237QBS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1393088864&sr=8-1&keywords=the+things+we+set+on+fire

" Unravelling Oliver " by Liz Nugent

Thanks to Penguin Ireland for the ARC of this book......

What goes on behind closed doors? Is there such thing as a perfect marriage?  Can a couple be equally respectful of each other? What causes a man to hit a woman he loves?  All these questions are ones that crossed my mind when reading this novel.

Oliver Ryan is a successful author, living a comfortable life with his wife, in their perfect house in Dublin.  To the outside world, and even to Oliver and Alice, their marriage seems to be one of contentment.  All that changes in one night.  Oliver beats his wife so badly she ends up comatose. How did this anger overtake him?  What could have happened to have caused such rage?  

The author takes us back to the beginning.  Each chapter features a range of characters, including Oliver, Alice, their neighbours, friends and family.  Each chapter has a thread that connects to another moment in Oliver's life and these threads weave together to create the complete story of his life leading up to the assault on his wife.  Tales of Oliver's childhood are stark, yet by comparison, his friends and the women in his life have all grown up loved and surrounded by family.  A trip to France in his college days is the catalyst for his future self, a man of secrets, lies and deception.  

I read this book over a 24 hour period.  I seriously could not put it down.  The writing is superb, the story is so real that you could almost see the newspaper coverage that would, no doubt ,follow such an event.  Oliver is an unlikable character when you can see into his thoughts and know what he is really about, but on the otherhand, you can see why he would be so attractive to others and have people drawn to him, like a moth to a flame.  A mixture of other amazing characters, woven through the book, lend to it's cleverness.  As a reader, we are sucked in to the world of Oliver, turning the pages with great haste to see why he has hurt Alice so badly.  I can't find any flaws in this novel; perfect protagonist, great supporting characters, (especially in France), and perfectly pitched chapters.  Liz Nugent is a novelist to watch out for.  Her writing is sassy and clever but still has a poetic tone,  well able to hold it's own in the world of modern fiction.  

Unravelling Oliver is published by Penguin Ireland on the 6th March 2014

http://www.amazon.co.uk/By-Liz-Nugent-Unravelling-Oliver/dp/B00I62AT8C/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1393087133&sr=8-2&keywords=unravelling+oliver

http://www.lovereading.co.uk/book/9781844883097/isbn/Unravelling-Oliver-by-Liz-Nugent.html

Cover Reveal - " A Girl Called Summer " by Lucy Lord

Thanks to Gosling Girls Book Tours for inviting me to join the team for this wonderful cover reveal.  How beautiful is this?  Sitting her by the fire, looking out at yet another gloomy spring day in Ireland,  I can almost feel the heat of the sun on my skin and smell that fabulous ocean! Scroll down for some more details.......

I'm off to find my bikini !!

Island life is just one step away…

A new start…
Bella and Andy have escaped the rat race for the sun-drenched, relaxed lifestyle on the island of Ibiza. But with a run-down house to make habitable and a distractingly gorgeous neighbour, is their island idyll all that it seems?

A holiday adventure…
Tamara Gold has been Hollywood’s most notorious car crash since she was a child star. Now clean and sober, and engaged to Tinseltown’s hottest leading man, it seems like she’s finally conquered her addictions, if not her bratty behaviour. But a summer in Europe with all the hedonistic lures of Ibiza beckons…

A girl called Summer…
Summer Larsson has always known Ibiza as home: a haven of hippies, yoga and healthy eating – and loneliness. But in Bella, she’s found the friend she always needed, and when Bella’s glamorous Hollywood friends come to visit, it looks like she might have found true love as well…

This could be the summer that everything changes…

Author Website:

http://www.lucylordauthor.com

Amazon link:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/0007441762/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1392755262&sr=8-1

Thanks again to the ladies at Gosling Girls Book Tours who can be contacted via twitter @GGBookTours

" The Legend of Frog " by Guy Bass - Blog Tour with Children's Q&A session with Frog !!

 Thanks to Antonia for including Bleach House Library on Guy's Blog Tour......
 Read Collon National School's questions to the ever-so charming Frog, along with his amusing answers,  underneath the book details.

‘I must brave the scorched earth and the blackened skies and the catastrophe – to see what the End of the World is like. But fear not, I shall return!
And I’ll bring you back something nice.’ 

FEB 2014 sees the epic publication of a hilarious tale of a frog, a princess and an all-out alien invasion… 

When a frog-like prince armed with nothing more than a pair of Catastrophe Pants and his trusty stick, Basil Rathbone, ventures beyond the End of the World to claim his throne, he finds a plucky princess is already wearing his crown and discovers that the world isn’t quite as ended as he thought. A royal rivalry ensues, but when Frog discovers he is in fact a prince of an alien army, he realizes that he is not destined to rule…  but to destroy. Can he and the princess put aside their differences long enough to save the kingdom – and the world?

The first title in this action-packed adventure series for ages 8 years and over, The Legend of Frog by Guy Bass will have you on the edge of your seat. With explosive cover art by award-winning illustrator Jonny Duddle (The Pirates Next Door, The Pirate Cruncher), this book is a unique mash-up of fairy tale, fantasy and science fiction with a hearty helping of humour.

 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Guy Bass is an award-winning author whose children’s books include Secret Santa and the highly acclaimed Stitch Head series. In 2010, Dinkin Dings and the Frightening Things won a CBBC Blue Peter Book Award in the ‘Most Fun Story with Pictures’ category. He has written plays for both adults and children, been a theatre producer and illustrator. Guy lives in London with his wife.

NOW THE EXCITING BIT!!!!

Thanks to Mr. Garvey's 4th class for reading The Legend of Frog and coming up with some great questions for Frog himself :

Asking Frog (His Royal Majesty, Lord of all Kingdoms, Rightful Ruler of the World)

A few questions...

                                    

1. Why do you not have a proper name?

What the ... what? "Frog" is a proper name!

2. If you had a proper name, what would it be?

It is a proper-- Look, Frog the best, most princely name ever by a million. No other name would come close to describing my excellent royal greenness. Except maybe "Blammo B. Blastington."

3. What age are you?

I'm a whole year old - and I've got the mighty jumping legs to prove it. I'm also full on mighty and I can turn invisible like a magic ninja and I'm quite handsome.

4. How did you feel when you were in the storm on your way to The End Of The World?

You know when have a nice hot bath at the end of a hard day counting clouds? It was nothing like that. 

5. What were the Catastrophe pants like to wear?

It's not easy to combine extra-stylish comfort with apocalypse-busting usability. It feels like wearing a friend... but a proper skilled-up epic friend who happens to be made out of 100% pant.

6. Why did you leave Buttercup behind?

My best friend Buttercup raised me from an egg. She taught me rights from wrongs and made sure I was the best prince I could be, even though I couldn't be a prince because the World had Ended. I have a funny feeling Buttercup didn't want me to go to the End of the World. My first clue was when she said "DON'T EVER GO TO THE END OF THE WORLD!" … So I went without her.

7. Why did you name your stick Basil Rathbone?

What else would you call the most unbreakable and first rate sword in the whole world? And what do you mean, "stick"?

8. Where did you get Basil Rathbone?

My unbreakable sword was forged by the most skilled-up sword-maker that there's ever been in the whole world. I'm not too sure how it survived the End of the World, or ended up washing up on the shore of the Island at the Edge of the End of the World... but I'm glad it did. Now let's have no more talk about sticks.

9. How did you feel when Basil Rathbone broke?

I felt like ... like maybe it wasn't an unbreakable sword at all and had just been a stick all along. I see where you're going with this…

10. If you were any other animal in the story, what animal would you be?

The Rarewolf! The Rarewolf is as tall as horses. Yes, he spends too much time grumping about prophecies and doom but he can make it thunder and lighting, which is full-on impressive. If I was a Rarewolf I'd spend the whole time doing lighting-based tricks at birthday parties and such.

11. Did you have any friends apart from Buttercup in the island?

Nope ... except for my loyal subjects, of course. There's the Pebble People, Sir Painted Face on a Rock, Lord Limpington the One Legged Teddy, Duchess Drawing of a Duchess...

12. If you were related to Princess rainbow, would you like her as a sister?

No way! Princess Brain-Slow isn't sister material. Plus, she locked me in a cage and tried to make me her pet and so I owe her a proper stern glare. I'm going to glare at her prince-style ... then she'll be sorry.

13. Are you able to fit into Oldasdust's hat?

I wouldn't climb into that stinky old wizard's hat for all the polished sandwiches in Kingdomland.

14. Would you replace Basil Rathbone and if so, what would you replace it with?

Well, Basil Rathbone is one 100% irreplaceable. But if I had to, I'd have a special bow that shot arrows made of pure incredibleness, called Tyrone Power.

15. What is a Kronon?

A Kronon is a measure of alien space invader time, approximately equal to 2.5 months. Which I only know 'cause it turns out I'm actually the prince of a race of alien space invaders sent to destroy the whole world.

16. What species of frog are you?

I. AM. NOT. A FROG!

________________________________________________________________________

The Legend of Frog by Guy Bass

Paperback | 3^rd February 2014 | £5.99 | 9781847153883 | Stripes Publishing

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Legend-Frog-Guy-Bass/dp/1847153887/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1392921641&sr=1-1&keywords=legend+of+frog

Details of upcoming Blog Tour of The Legend of Frog by Guy Bass

Look what's coming!! 

Exciting Q&A session with Frog himself.  He is a mighty clever frog and all questions were supplied by 4th Class of Collon National School, Co. Louth who have been reading the book.

  Check back here on Friday 21st Feb to see the kids clever questions and Frog's witty answers!

Blogger's choice of best romantic reads on Valentine's Day

The fab Novelicious.com asked me to add to their list of romantic reads for their Valentine's Day Battle of the books.  Keeping away from my normal choice of classics, like Pride and Prejudice and Romeo and Juliet, made this even more fun.  See my choice along with other book bloggers below :

http://www.novelicious.com/2014/02/battle-of-the-books-the-most-romantic-book-ever-written.html#more

Battle of the Books – The Most Romantic Book Ever Written

Ah, Valentine’s Day. Supermarkets are awash with red balloons, rose-coloured confetti, sappy greeting cards and, you know, heart-shaped pizza. Everyone seems to have a table booked somewhere and TV is full of the same old, cheesy storylines.

If your inclination is to curl up with a box of chocs and a lovely romantic read this February 14th, you’re not alone. But which book should you go for?

Here, in this special Valentine’s Day Battle of the Books, some of our favourite book bloggers join members of Team Novelicious to argue for, what they think, is the best loved up literature ever written.

Do you agree? Feel free to join the conversation in the comments and let us know what YOU think the most romantic book of all time is.

1. The Princess Bride by William Goldman

Steph blogs at The London Diaries and says: “My absolute, hands down favourite romantic book of all time is The Princess Bride. Honestly, it has something for everyone – swashbuckling pirates, good guys, bad guys, giants, laughs abound and, of course, true love. I've read it so many times I've lost count, and will read it many times more. It's the book I turn to when I need a little positive reaffirmation about life. It's the book that taught me (at a young age) what real love was. It's the one book I would choose to take with me to a deserted island, too. It really is, simply put, lovely.”

2. One Day by David Nicholls

Carol of Dizzy C’s Little Book Blog had a hard time picking just one book, saying it was like choosing a favourite among her children. Eventually, she settled on One Day by David Nicholls with a rather familiar close second. “I read One Day by David Nicholls when it was first published in 2010, long before it went to the big screen. It was set in the late 80s when I was 19 years old and first finding romance myself. It’s such a beautiful story with a twist.” She continues: “I would also like to say that my favourite choice for Valentine's Day has to be Rosie Blake's How to Get a (Love) Life. I like my reads to be full of laughter as well as romance and this book really hit the spot. Nicola's quest to find love before Valentine's Day had me laughing out loud.”

3. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Emma Lou, who blogs at Emma Lou Author thinks The Great Gatsby is an excellent example of love in the classic sense. “This is one of the best classic literature books of all time. The narrative is endless, the plot is clever and most of all, the love is real. Jay Gatsby has been in love with Daisy Buchanan for quite some time, but he missed his chance. The reason I love this book so much is because of the fight that Gatsby goes through. Everything he does is for Daisy and that is classic love.”

4. The Pursuit of Happiness by Douglas Kennedy

Novelicious reviewer Susan explains: “Before I read this book I had shied away from historical epic romance, but right from the start I was swept away by the romance of a time gone by. A chance meeting between two strangers during a war leads to a lifetime of twists and turns, which kept me hooked. It is a heartbreaking look at one woman's life as she strives for happiness. The only thing that keeps her going is the memory of that one fateful night with her potential soulmate. What could have been a typical clichéd romance is actually a captivating and touching love story that is hard to put down. It is my favourite book of all time and I always recommend it to everyone!”

5. Kiss Chase by Fiona Walker

Charlotte Foreman from BestChickLit says Kiss Chase by Fiona Walker is by far her favourite romantic book. She declared: “It's rom-com gold! Felix Slyvian is the classic drop dead gorgeous bad boy who just needs the love of the right woman. With a sassy protagonist who, under emotional duress, is planning the ultimate honeytrap, a crazy childhood friend, an array of fantastic supporting characters and a few delightfully steamy scenes, it's a must-read over the Valentine’s season.”

6. The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks 

Melissa Amster runs popular chick lit loving website Chick Lit Central. “I've read many romantic stories over the years, but I chose this one because it was recent and still sticks out in my mind. It's all about the sacrifices we make for the ones we love and how we recognise true love. It parallels the relationships of a young couple with that of an older couple, where the wife has already passed away. It's just a beautifully written romantic story and I hope Nicholas Sparks' future novels follow along this path.”

7. The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer

Natalie of FlutterbyBooks reckons Twilight is about as romantic as it gets. “My favourite romance series is the Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer. Every time I read any of the Twilightbooks, I am swept away in the romance of Bella and Edward's love story. They love each other with such a strong passion, Bella is literally willing to die to be with Edward forever. Surely it doesn't get much more romantic than that? I love reading about the strength of their feelings and getting lost in the fantasy and total escapism of the vampire world. I'm Team Edward all the way!”

8. It Started With a Kiss by Miranda Dickinson

Named the Festival of Romantic Fiction’s Romance Blogger of the Year in 2013, Kirsty Maclennan of The Love of a Good Book knows a thing or two about love. Here, she explains her choice: “There's something incredibly beautiful about the idea of meeting someone and having such an intense connection that you can't get them out of your head. This is why I absolutely love It Started With A Kiss by Miranda Dickinson. When Romily meets a handsome stranger and shares a kiss with him, it sets off a year-long search for the man who ignited her passion and warmed her heart. There's something truly romantic to think, It Started With A Kiss!

9. Ralph's Party by Lisa Jewell

Laura blogs at Novel Kicks and thinks Ralph's Party by Lisa Jewell is one of the most romantic books of all time. She says: "My reason for loving this book is quite a personal one.Ralph's Party is about the residents of 31 Almanac Road. Ralph and Smith live in the basement flat and don't think they will find a suitable flatmate until Jem comes along. Smith and Jem quickly become an item. Ralph falls in love with her, but is too gentlemanly to do anything about it until it's almost too late. This book was my introduction to Lisa Jewell. I read it pretty much from cover to cover on a coach trip to visit my boyfriend (now my husband). We hadn't been together long, so this book will always remind me of the lovely day I spent with him and the excitement about what was to come in the future. The characters in the book were falling in love – as were my husband and I. Cheesy but true."

10. Sally by Freya North

Novelicious columnist Helen could relate to the romance in Freya North's Sally. She says: "Sally by Freya North is a romantic novel written just for me – I’m certain of it. I first read it when I too was a young career woman about (London) town. Sally’s circumstances were similar to mine when she met her future husband and experienced that heady and exciting, yet confusing, time while falling in love with The One.  It felt like a romance that could happen to me. And, as it happened, it did. But that’s another story..."

11. PS, I Love You by Cecelia Ahern

Fiction Dreams blogger Suzy Turner says: "I'm a sucker for a romantic tale that transcends time and space – anything that's a little supernatural does it for me. So one of my all time favourite romance books has got to be PS, I Love You. I mean, the love that this couple has for each other is so intense, it makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. It's so beautifully written too. That Cecelia Ahern is one awesome author! PS – The fact that the movie version has Gerard Butler certainly didn't sway me at all..."

12. Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin

Leah blogs at Chick Lit Reviews and News and reckons Something Borrowed is the most romantic book ever. “My favourite romantic book of all time has got to be Something Borrowedby Emily Giffin. It's my favourite book, ever, so it stands to reason that it must be my favourite romantic book, because I read chick lit for that very reason! For the romance. Sure, Dex and Rachel don't have it exactly easy – they're both cheating on Rachel's best friend Darcy for starters, but it's those types of relationships that you know are built to last, despite the auspicious beginnings. (And you know, Darcy deserved it.) I hate cheating in chick lit (and in real life), but this is the only story where I've ever felt it was deserved, and Dex and Rachel's relationship is simply beautiful;. They’re truly soul mates – together forever.

13. Thirty Nothing by Lisa Jewell

Me, Bookshelf and I blogger, Melanie, loves Thirty Nothing by Lisa Jewell. “What do you get if you take a rough around the edges yet devilishly handsome man, his best friend who just happens to be a girl and in love with him, and his first ever girlfriend from school, who has just walked back into his life 12 years later? Why, a classic love triangle, of course! Laugh out loud funny, beautifully reminiscent and ever so romantic ... a brilliant reminder that sometimes you don't need to look any further than right in front of you."

14. The First Time I Said Goodbye by Claire Allan

Bleach House Library blogger Margaret’s pick is The First Time I Said Goodbye by Claire Allan: “An amazing story of first love and how, even years later, the feelings can still exist. Based on a true story, this was my favourite tale of true love in recent years. Sweet, warm and endearing, it stayed with me for weeks after I had finished it. For all of us that believe there is a soulmate out there for everyone.”

15. Nightingale Wood by Stella Gibbons

Finally, Novelicious writer Cressida raves about a little-known book by the author of Cold Comfort Farm. She says: "My mum urged me to read this relatively little known book. It's by Stella Gibbons of Cold Comfort Farm fame, and follows Viola, who is widowed at a young age and ends up living with her dead husband's family. Viola is miserable when she arrives, but she soon discovers that there's a handsome, eligible bachelor living in a manor house nearby, a young, ambitious chauffeur and a charity ball on the horizon. It is warm-hearted, hilarious and captivating, with two strong, unpredictable love stories, at least four heroines, smouldering heroes and shaded, mysterious Nightingale Wood at its centre. It made me cry with laughter and sob happy tears. Nightingale Wood is the most romantic book I have ever read. If you read it – and I think you should – I hope you fall in love with it as much as I did."

So, what do you think, book nerds? Is your favourite here? Time for you to weigh in and tell us what YOU think the most romantic book of all time is.

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 POSTED BY NOVELICIOUS IN CRESSIDA MCLAUGHLIN, HELEN REDFERN, SUSAN LOBBAN, TOP TENS |PERMALINK

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