A swanky new gym has opened in leafy south-west London. Four women bond over push-ups and Pilates and become firm friends. Percy likes sorting out other people's problems, but her own life is a shambles, with a terrible secret addiction. Can she kick it and win back the love of her husband? Patrice, wealthy but damaged, wants another baby, but husband Jonty isn't interested in sex. Is it her imagination, or is he getting too close to the husband of one of her new friends? Carmen is living dangerously, determined to get pregnant by her cold, treacherous boyfriend. She doesn't see what is under her nose until it's nearly too late. Suzanne adores her sexy second husband, but is she neglecting him for her job? And has she realised what is happening to her teenage daughter? New best friends. Their friendship is about to be tested to the limit.

Let best-selling novelist Sophie King guide you through the whole process of writing your first novel and getting it published. This revised edition takes aspiring novelists through the steps of writing a novel, from finding that initial idea, to keeping the plot going and crafting the perfect ending. With helpful exercises in each chapter you will learn how to: - Develop a brilliant idea for your first novel - Create characters that will make your novel come alive - Plot your novel so that your readers simply have to turn the page - Unravel the mysteries of viewpoint - Create realistic dialogue and settings so your readers feel they are there - Find your own voice. - Most importantly, the book includes tips and advice on how to get published. This new edition also includes a ten step guide to revision so that you can polish your novel to be the best it can be.

Escape to the Cornish coast with this irresistible summer read, perfect for fans of Jill Mansell and Philippa Ashley. The Cornish fishing village of Tremarnock seems to have it all. Charming houses cling to the hillside and cluster round the harbour where fishermen unload their catch each day. Everyone knows everyone, and mostly they look out for each other. But throw a stranger – a beautiful stranger – into the mix and all bets are off. Chabela Penhallow arrives for a holiday from Mexico to find out more about her Cornish ancestors. But no sooner has she arrived than rumours start to fly. Why has she really come? And what is she running from? Can the inhabitants of Tremarnock discover her secrets before their peaceful seaside village is thrown into turmoil? Reviews for the Tremarnock series: 'A charming, warm-hearted read... Pure escapism' Alice Peterson. 'Burstall is a great writer, and this is not your usual run-of-the-mill chick lit... I was gripped from the start' Daily Mail. 'The literary equivalent of a gin and tonic on a hot summer's day... A delicious, delightful and decadent tale' Bookish Jottings. 'Burstall has created a little sanctuary, which will have readers eager to book a Cornish holiday as soon as possible... A heart-warming, "feel-good" novel that makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside. I can't wait for the next book in the series so that I can return' Bookbag. 'Burstall has a true knack for transporting you to her world, amidst beautiful Cornish countryside' Jane Corry.

Three women, one man, and a tangle of lies. When the world famous music conductor Leo Bruck dies suddenly, the three women who loved him meet for the first time at his graveside. Victoria, his partner of twenty years and mother of two of his children; Maddy, mother of Leo's daughter Phoebe; and twenty-four year old Cat. Can these three very different women, whose lives become inextricably bound, break free from the masterful control Leo exerts – even from the grave – once and for all? THE DARLING GIRLS is a moving story of love, loss, and the prevailing power of female friendship.

Evie, Nic and Becca are wannabe writers. The three friends are members of a creative writing group and they decide to enter a national competition. But while they ponder their plots and agonise about their characters, their own lives are going far from smoothly. Evie's still pining for the husband who left her for a younger woman and is relying increasingly on clairvoyant Zelda. But who is Zelda really? Nic's battling a drink problem and is in despair about her workaholic husband who is addicted to his laptop. A shocking discovery shakes her to the core, but will she realise in time that she must stop protecting him? Becca's a City highflyer who seems to have everything - until a childhood friend turns up, threatening to expose the secret she's kept buried for nearly thirty years. How will her marriage, her children, her friendships survive it? And on top of that there's a deadline. The women have just eleven months to complete their manuscripts. Who will win the competition - and can there be any real-life happy endings?

'I loved it!' - Phillipa Ashley 'The perfect escape' - Veronica Henry A gripping tale of family secrets, sibling rivalry and summer romance, set against the backdrop of New York's sizzling urban beach. Sisters Sophie and Celia haven't been on speaking terms for years. So it's a huge shock when they discover their grandmother has left them her quirky old house on Rockaway Beach, New York. Just a stone's throw from the bright lights of Manhattan, they spent many idyllic summers there as children, swimming in the Atlantic ocean, playing in the sand and watching day trippers come and go. Then suddenly, the visits stopped. Sophie knows her mother and grandmother fell out, but has never found out why. Together, the sisters return to Rockaway, and can't agree on anything. Sophie wants to keep the house, Celia's determined to sell. It seems they'll never see eye to eye, until Sophie makes a shattering discovery that forces her to question everything... Why do she and Celia have such different memories of their grandmother? What caused the rift with their mother? Can Sophie trust the handsome stranger who seems to take such an interest in her? And who is the mysterious old woman watching them from afar? Praise for The House on Rockaway Beach: "A family rift and a tumbledown house by the sea is a winning combination for this gorgeous, windswept and romantic tale - the perfect escape.' Veronica Henry 'Superb! I loved it!' Phillipa Ashley 'A novel to lose yourself in' Faith Hogan 'Step into a world of pure escapism in this gripping tale of family secrets, sibling rivalry and summer romance' Chat Magazine Praise for Emma Burstall: 'A charming, warm-hearted read... Pure escapism' Alice Peterson 'Burstall is a great writer, and this is not your usual run-of-the-mill chick lit... I was gripped from the start' Daily Mail 'Burstall has a true knack for transporting you to her world' Jane Corry

Romantic fiction is one of the most competitive areas for a writer to crack. Whether you?re a beginner or an already-published writer, you?ll find something new here.This book will help you to write novels that both sizzle and sell. You'll learn how to dream up heroes and heroines who breathe (heavily) from the page, plan plots to keep the reader up all night, find a happy ending, which is both surprising and believable - and most importantly get published!

Two women in desperate circumstances find love where they least expect it in these two classic stories from a USA Today–bestselling author. The Italian’s Wife Holly Sansom has hit rock bottom. She has no way to care for herself or her eight-month-old son. Then a chance encounter with handsome CEO Rio Lombardi changes everything. Suddenly she’s living in luxury, and if she accepts Rio’s proposal, all her worries will be forever behind her. But is it really the perfect life if she doesn’t have his love? The Spanish Groom Dixie Robinson hasn’t been good at much. The one thing she’s done right is to befriend an elderly man. She’ll do anything for Jasper—except marry his godson. After all, Cesar Valverde doesn’t even like her. But as Jasper is rushed to the operating room, Dixie is rushed to the altar. Is this yet another mistake, or the smartest thing Dixie has ever done? Originally published in 2001 and 1999