Confessions Of A Once Fashionable Mum

Successful hubbie? Tick. Facebook-worthy baby? Tick. Bikini-body six weeks after giving birth? Um … not so much. Fashion PR exec Ally Bloom got her happy ending. Okay, her marriage might be showing the odd crack, her battleaxe mother-in-law might have come to stay, and she might not be the yummy mummy she'd imagined, but it's nothing a decent night's sleep and a firm commitment to a no-carb diet won't fix. But when Ally returns to work and finds she'll be reporting to a 22-year-old airhead, she decides to turn her back on life as a professional fashionista and embrace her inner earth mama instead. So it's out with the Louboutins and champagne and in with the sensible flats and coffee mornings with the Mummy Mafia. From attending her first grown-up dinner party only to discover that placenta is top of the menu to controlling her monster crush on local playgroup hottie Cameron, Ally must find her feet in the brave new world of the stay-at-home mum.

If you could tell your mum anything, what would it be? Samuel Johnson, Amanda Keller, Vika and Linda Bull, Guy Pearce, Elizabeth Tan, Rebecca Gibney, Peter Helliar, Clare Wright, Hilde Hinton, Gillian O'Shaughnessy, Adam Spencer, Brooke Davis, Lawrence Mooney, Patti Newton, Shane Jacobson, Julie Koh, Susie Youssef, Lehmo, Favel Parrett, Matilda Brown and many more ... A heartfelt, honest and very human book of letters that will make you smile and make you cry. It is the perfect gift for the mum in your life. And a reminder to tell her how you feel before it is too late.

“Deep-diving, elegant + tough.” —Margaret Atwood via @MargaretAtwood “By turns lush, gritty, wry, gothic and compulsive, The Confessions of Frannie Langton is a dazzling page-turner. With as much psychological savvy as righteous wrath, Sara Collins twists together the slave narrative, bildungsroman, love story and crime novel to make something new.” —Emma Donoghue “A startling, compelling historical debut novel. . . . Should be on top of your vacation reading pile.” —The Washington Post “Reminiscent of Margaret Atwood’s Alias Grace. . . . [A] devious, richly detailed debut.” —O: The Oprah Magazine A servant and former slave is accused of murdering her employer and his wife in this astonishing historical thriller that moves from a Jamaican sugar plantation to the fetid streets of Georgian London—a remarkable literary debut with echoes of Alias Grace, The Underground Railroad and The Paying Guest All of London is abuzz with the scandalous case of Frannie Langton, accused of the brutal double murder of her employers, renowned scientist George Benham and his eccentric French wife, Marguerite. Crowds pack the courtroom, eagerly following every twist, while the newspapers print lurid theories about the killings and the mysterious woman being tried at the Old Bailey. The testimonies against Frannie are damning. She is a seductress, a witch, a master manipulator, a whore. But Frannie claims she cannot recall what happened that fateful evening, even if remembering could save her life. She doesn’t know how she came to be covered in the victims’ blood. But she does have a tale to tell: a story of her childhood on a Jamaican plantation, her apprenticeship under a debauched scientist who stretched all bounds of ethics, and the events that brought her into the Benhams’ London home—and into a passionate and forbidden relationship. Though Frannie’s testimony may seal her conviction, the truth will unmask the perpetrators of crimes far beyond murder and indict the whole of English society itself. The Confessions of Frannie Langton is a breathtaking debut: a murder mystery that travels across the Atlantic and through the darkest channels of history. A brilliant, searing depiction of race, class and oppression that penetrates the skin and sears the soul, it is the story of a woman of her own making in a world that would see her unmade.

Relationship: Hanging by a thread. Sex life: Dead on arrival. Alcohol: Essential. It’s normal to hate the man of your dreams, right? Once upon a time, Abbie and Matt had swoon-worthy mini breaks in Paris, and Abbie would cook him steak wearing nothing but an apron and high heels. These days, they’re experiencing the longest dry spell on record… And Abbie is keeping a very big secret. But she’s not ready to give up. Nobody knows Abbie like Matt does, and it helps that he’s tall, dark and handsome, with hazel eyes and dimples to die for. Determined to reignite the romance, Abbie initiates Operation Memory Lane and recreates their happiest memories. Maybe breakfast in bed, sexy lingerie, dirty martinis and a romantic weekend in the countryside will bring back Abbie’s butterflies and make her giddy with happiness… But revisiting the past is a risky business, and secrets always come out in the end. Will the truth ruin their second chance at love? This totally addictive second-chance romance will give you All. The. Feels! Perfect for fans of Emily Henry, Sophie Kinsella and Beth O’Leary. Readers love P.S. I Hate You: ‘I absolutely loved this book. It spoke to my soul. If you’ve ever been stuck in a rut or your life has felt stale, you’ll find something in here to identify with! Funny and uplifting.’ @beanie_bookworm, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘WOW! I honestly couldn’t put this book down, I absolutely am in love with it and I’m already wishing I could re-read it. The storyline, the characters and just everything was amazing!’ Goodreads reviewer ‘What a brilliant, *brilliant* romcom… I couldn't help but smile and laugh all the way through. Loved… I read it in just two days, I didn’t want to put it down. Snap this up… if you’re looking to laugh out loud.’ @sarahsreads, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I ate this book up in one sitting. I loved it, it was perfect. Witty, funny, and heartfelt, exactly what I’d expect from a romance like this… This was so genuine, I felt like my heart was in my hand the whole time.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Even days after I finished reading P.S. I Hate You, I still think about it… Fantastic… Outstanding writing… A perfect mix of comedy, drama and romance. It makes you FEEL. Big time.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Couldn’t put it down… It was a cracking read.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘One of the best romances I’ve read … It is a beautiful second chance romance that is so raw and emotional… I loved it.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Really really loved this book… Highly recommend!’ @mams.ie ‘Wow, what an absolute gem of a book!… A totally great romance book that I plan to re-read again!’ Goodreads reviewer ‘Absolutely loved this book. Highly recommend for a feel-good romance!’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Oh, I loved this story… Full of Ranald’s usual wit and humour… Read it. Enjoy it. It’s lovely.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Highly recommend!! This book is a definite page-turner! You’ll be left thinking about the story long after you put the book down. First book to read by this author but definitely not my last!’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I finished P.S. I Hate You with a big fat smile on my face.’ Goodreads reviewer ‘I AM A SUCKER FOR SECOND CHANCE ROMANCE! This book was raw, you guys!!… I FELT THE LOVE, GUYS… It made me swoon.’ Goodreads reviewer ‘I was really in the feels… Abbie and Matt’s love story is beautiful, heartbreaking, and hopeful.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I absolutely loved it… Definitely one of my new favourites!’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I was hooked from page one!’ Goodreads reviewer ‘Very entertaining… It’s not often that a book makes me laugh out loud… Made me chuckle.’ @PoweredByPepsi, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Sparks were flying… Touched my heart deeply. I loved it.’ B For Book Review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Shortlisted for the ABIA Award (Biography of the Year) 2015 A searingly honest memoir of family, cancer, love ... and unicycles by the founders of the Love your Sister charity, Connie and Samuel Johnson, that will inspire and they hope get people talking about boobs! Born a year apart, Connie and Samuel Johnson have always been close. Faced with the devastating news that they would soon be separated forever, they made a decision. After already surviving cancer twice in her young life, at 33 Connie was diagnosed with breast cancer. But this time it was a whole different ball game. This time she was told she will die, leaving behind her two sons. As a young mum faced with her own death, Connie wanted to make it all less meaningless, and she knew just the way to do it - send her brother, Sam, on a one-wheeled odyssey around Australia. The aims: to break the world record for the longest distance travelled on a unicycle. To raise $1 million for the Garvan Research Foundation. And, most importantly, to remind women to be breast aware and stop others having to say goodbye to those they love. Their message is simple: 'Don't fall into the booby trap.' Samuel has travelled through every state and ridden more than 150,000 kilometres to raise awareness and raise research dollars. But Connie had a secret fourth aim: to fix Samuel. And it worked. Sam cleared his diary, cleaned himself up and tenaciously kept his promise to his dying sister. For them the job isn't over. They are determined to raise more money for research. Connie vows to fight until her dying day and Sam says the fight will go on long after that. These two remarkable Australians share their tale, from childhood through to the finish line and beyond in this truly unique story. Part memoir, part travel diary, part conversation, Love your Sister is an inspiring and unforgettable story that shows just how far one man will go for his sister. The Johnsons' memoir is bracing and affecting. - Sunday Age, Sun Herald Part memoir, part diary, part conversation, this is an unforgettable story of how far a brother will go for his sister. - Brisbane News There are many joyous moments as brother and sister reflect, often wryly and honestly, on the power of their bond and the full catastrophe that is family life. - Sydney Morning Herald This book, like Connie and Samuel's lives, is much bigger than their experience of misfortune. - Canberra Times

Molly Clearwater had always wanted to escape the confines of her small-town upbringing to make a splash as a career woman in London. But somehow, working as a low-level assistant for the boorish Malcolm Figg wasn't nearly as fulfilling as she had hoped-until Malcolm offered her a "perk"-a free weekend business trip to Paris. She's ecstatic until she discovers that Malcolm's idea of "business" isn't exactly the same as hers. Horrified, Molly storms out of the office. With nothing else to lose, she impulsively boards a train to Paris, intent on treating herself to a long weekend in the City of Light. Within moments of stepping onto the cobblestoned streets of Paris, Molly is swept up in an adventure that defies her imagination. From infiltrating a conference in a Cleopatra wig to sharing her deepest secret with a complete stranger, Molly's weekend away from her troubles turns into a dizzying voyage of passion and self-discovery, transforming her absolutely...