Chick Lit Part. 1

Here at SPL we love ourselves some chick lit! Don't know what chick lit is? Well... Chick lit is a genre of fiction which addresses issues of modern womanhood, often humorously and lightheartedly. In other words, books for girls that will make us laugh and carry on (which we do so well anyways). Check out some of the books below to be on your way to becoming a chick lit addict! 

Insatiable by Meg Cabot

Sick of hearing about vampires? So is Meena Harper. But her boss is making her write about them anyway, even though Meena doesn't believe in them. Not that Meena isn't familiar with the supernatural. See, Meena Harper knows how you're going to die (not that you're going to believe her. No one ever does). But not even Meena's precognition can prepare her for what happens when she meets - then makes the mistake of falling in love with - Lucien Antonescu, a modern-day prince with a bit of a dark side...a dark side a lot of people, like an ancient society of vampire-hunters, would prefer to see him dead for. The problem is, Lucien's already dead. Maybe that's why he's the first guy Meena's ever met that she could see herself having a future with. See, while Meena's always been able to see everyone else's future, she's never been able look into her own. And while Lucien seems like everything Meena has ever dreamed of in a boyfriend, he might turn out to be more like a nightmare. Now might be a good time for Meena to start learning to predict her own future... If she even has one.

The Girls Guide to Hunting and Fishing by Melissa Bank

Hailed by critics as the debut of a major literary voice, The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing has captivated readers and dominated bestseller lists. Generous-hearted and wickedly insightful, it maps the progress of Jane Rosenal as she sets out on a personal and spirited expedition through the perilous terrain of sex, love, relationships, and the treacherous waters of the workplace. With an unforgettable comic touch, Bank skillfully teases out universal issues, puts a clever, new spin on the mating dance, and captures in perfect pitch what it's like to be a young woman coming of age in America today.

The House on Willow Street by Kelly Cathy

The Irish seaside town of Avalon is a tourist’s dream of quaint shops and welcoming cafés. Avalon House, perched at the end of Willow Street, was in Tess Power’s family for generations. Now Tess ekes out a living from her antiques shop while the crumbling mansion awaits a new owner. Her marriage and business may be floundering, but her affection for Avalon is undimmed. The same can’t be said of her glamorous sister. Suki left without a backward glance and married into an American political dynasty. Only a muckraking biographer could send her slinking back to Ireland to escape a scandal. Postmistress Danae watches from the sidelines, doling out gentle advice while locking away her own secrets. Then her unconventional niece Mara comes to stay and draws her lonely aunt back into the world. As autumn gives way to winter, the four women encounter old loves, embrace new friendships, and begin to look beyond the past to the possibilities just beginning to unfold.

Girls' Poker Night: A Novel by Jill Davis

Dissatisfied both with writing a “Single Girl on the Edge/ Ledge/Verge” lifestyle column and with her boyfriend (who has a name for his car and compulsively collects plastic bread ties), Ruby Capote sends her best columns and a six-pack of beer to the editor of The New York News and lands herself a new job in a new city. In New York, Ruby undertakes the venerable tradition of Poker Night—a way (as men have always known) to eat, drink, smoke, analyze, interrupt one another, share stories, and, most of all, raise the stakes. There’s Skorka, model by profession, homewrecker by vocation; Jenn, willing to cross county lines for true love; Danielle, recently divorced, seducer of at least one father/son combo in her quest to make up for perceived “missed opportunities.” When Ruby falls for her boss, Michael, all bets are off. He’s a challenge. He’s her editor. And he wants her to stop being quippy and clever and become the writer—and the woman—he knows she can be. Adding to Ruby’s uncertainty is his amazing yet ambiguous kiss in the elevator, and the enjoyably torturous impasse of he-loves-me, he-loves-me-not.

Calendar Girl by Naomi Neale

Nan's career as a "Cheer Facilitator" for Seasonal Staffers, Inc., leaves something to be desired. Her previous boyfriend turned out to be a self-centered lothario, and the man she has worshiped from afar since college just announced his "pre-engagement" to another woman. Then Nan's friends and fellow members of the Elizabethan Failures Society, who have been listening to her for years, tell her to stop whining and do something about her unhappiness. So when Colm Iverson, artist and department-store heir, walks into her life, Nan realizes it really is up to her to keep him from walking back out.

Reading Lists - Twelve Days of Christmas - Romance 2

An O’Brien Family Christmas by Sherryl Woods 
While celebrating the holidays in Dublin, Ireland, the O'Briens are in an uproar over matriarch Nell's rekindled romance with an old flame, while playboy Matthew O'Brien must convince Laila Riley, an older woman burned by love, to take a chance on him. You may also want to try A Chesapeake Shores Christmas.

An Outlaw’s Christmas by Linda Lael Miller 
Sawyer McKettrick goes to Texas to seek a job as marshal. He injured in a blinding snowstorm and ends up in the arms of Piper St James. As they wait out the storm, the handsome loner has Piper remembering long-ago dreams of marriage and motherhood. Also look for The Christmas Brides. 

The Promise in a Kiss by Stephanie Laurens 

As Helena prepares to enter London society, determined to marry the most eligible bachelor, Sebastian, Duke of Ives, she discovers that he is the same enigmatic Englishman who changed her life with one incredible kiss on a Christmas Eve long ago.

The Secret Life of Mrs. Claus by Carly Alexander

Last year, Olivia Todd was onstage in New York with the other fabulous Rockettes; this year, a broken ankle sends her home to Baltimore, where the only gig available is playing Mrs. Claus at a department store. Her ex-boyfriend has trashed Olivia's reputation all over town by making her the subject of a “fictional” TV show about a bad-news girlfriend named Olivia—and it's called The Nutcracker. So now her only Christmas wish is a second chance, and with a little help from her seventh-grade sweetheart—plus some of that wonderful Christmas magic—who knows?

Silver Bells by Luanne Rice

Troubled by haunting memories of the past, a rugged Christmas tree farmer from Nova Scotia and a reclusive young librarian from New York City come together amid the holiday magic of a glittering city.

Sleigh Belles by Beth Albright (new!)

This fun southern chick lit series continues as reporter Dallas Dubois is charged with taking over when the director of the Tuscaloosa children's Christmas play falls ill. Everyone is shocked—especially Cal Hollingsworth, who still remembers her as the Ice Queen from high school. When long-lost family members reenter her life, Dallas's icy veneer begins to melt,  and with Cal by her side, she soon realizes that it's what's under all the hair spray that counts. 

Starry Night by Debbie Macomber (new!)

Carrie Slayton, need to score an interview with Finn Dalton, the notoriously reclusive author, to launch her career. It is the holidays, but her career is at stake, so she forsakes her family celebrations and flies out to snowy Alaska. When she finally finds Finn, she’s soon torn between pursuing the story of a lifetime and following her heart. I can’t think of another author who’s written as many Christmas stories as Macomber. If you like this one, you can also read The Christmas Basket, The Snow Bride, When Christmas Comes, There’s Something about Christmas, Christmas Letters, The Snow Bride, 1225 Christmas Tree Lane, and Call Me Mrs. Miracle!

The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap by Donna Kauffman, Kate Angell, and Kimberly Kinkaid
Three friends try to find the right man before the season, and the Christmas cookie exchange, is over.

Tidings of Great Joy by Sandra Brown

At a Christmas Eve party, levelheaded architect Ria Lavender becomes dazzled by champagne, snow, and charming mayoral candidate Taylor MacKensie, and they impulsively spend the night together. Two months later, realizing she's pregnant, Ria demands that Taylor marry her. But what she intends will be a marriage in name only escalates into much more as the two begin sharing a house and, inevitably, a bed. Then tragedy strikes, threatening their tenuous union and leading to some new realizations about love.

Twas the Night after Christmas by Sabrina Jeffries

Summoned to visit the seriously ill mother from whom he has been estranged most of his life, Pierce Waverly, the Earl of Devonmont, learns that Camilla, his mother's beautiful companion, has tricked him to orchestrate a holiday reconciliation that progresses with conciliatory steps on both sides at the same time Pierce finds himself falling for Camilla.

Upon a Winter’s Night by Karen Harper (new!)

As Christmas approaches, Amish woman Lydia Brand begins to search for answers about her biological parents, but her pursuit of the truth has left her only with hints of a dark secret—and threats from an unseen adversary. While she does her best to stave off advances from her parents' preferred suitor, Lydia discovers that her heart truly belongs to her friend Josh Yoder.

What Happens at Christmas by Victoria Alexander

Hiring actors to pose as her "conventional" family to secure a proposal from a dashing prince, Camille, Lady Lydingham, finds her plans going awry when a man from her past crashes her party, determined to win her hand as well. You’ll also enjoy Alexander’s His Mistress by Christmas.

Reading Lists - Twelve Days of Christmas - Romance

All Through the Night by Suzanne Brockmann 
The 12th Troubleshooter thriller opens with FBI agent Jules Cassidy's marriage proposal to movie star Robin Chadwick. The two men's Boston wedding shower is crashed by a reporter, and the revealing interview tape ends up online. Jules's angry friends from private security firm Troubleshooter Inc. move to shut him down. With the wedding set for December 15, Jules is sent to Kandahar (ruining Thanksgiving), and an insane celebrity stalker believes Jules and Robin are robots who need to be eliminated.

Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor by Lisa Kleypas 
Mark Nolan's happy-go-lucky bachelorhood is interrupted by the death of his sister and his subsequent guardianship of her six-year-old daughter, Holly, who is traumatized into muteness and desperately seeking a maternal figure. Enter Maggie Collins, a toy shop owner who lost her own husband to cancer. As the holiday season draws closer, Maggie, Mark, and Holly begin to spend more time together, and Maggie and Mark's attraction becomes too powerful to ignore. 

Christmas Revels by Mary Jo Putney 
Fan favorite Mary Jo Putney presents a collection of holiday tales in which five very different couples receive a valuable lesson in love. 

The Christmas Wedding by James Patterson 
Since her husband died three years ago, Gaby's four children have drifted apart and haven't celebrated Christmas together. When Gaby announces that she's getting married—and that the groom will remain a secret until the wedding day—she may finally be able to bring them home for the holidays. 

The Delaney Christmas Carol by Kay Hooper, Iris Johansen, and Fayrene Preston 
Three romance novelists capture the Christmas spirit—past, present, and future—in the story of three generations of Delaneys who find love and passion in the revelry of the holiday season. A family heirloom links one generation of the Arizona family to the next. 

The Gift by Nora Roberts 
Christmas romance is the theme that links these three novellas by bestseller Nora Roberts. In Home for Christmas, a reporter returns after years abroad to win the heart of the girl he left behind. In All I Want for Christmas, identical twins boys want one gift from Santa—a new mom. Will their music teacher fall in love with their love-wary father? In Gabriel's Angel, a very pregnant woman on the run appears at Gabriel’s remote cabin during a blizzard, and the modern-day Scrooge can’t turn her away. Also First Impressions by Roberts. 

Home in Time for Christmas by Heather Graham 
When she rescues a man claiming to be a patriot soldier, sentenced to death by British authorities, Melody Tarleton takes the stranger to her parent's house where a little Christmas magic, some enchanted petals, and ancient potions take them on an unimaginable adventure. If you’re looking for more holiday tales by Graham, try A Magical Christmas, The Last Noel, and A Season of Miracles. 

I’ll be Home for Christmas by Fern Michaels 
This is a collection of four stories about the Christmas season by Fern Michaels, including a businessman planning to buy a woman's family property out from under her, and a gift wrap business owner and her manager at odds during the holiday season. Michaels loves to write about Christmas—also try Christmas at Timberwoods, Coming Home for Christmas, Comfort and Joy, and No Place Like Home. 

Lakeshore Christmas by Susan Wiggs 
Librarian Maureen Davenport finally gets to direct Avalon's annual holiday pageant. Former child star Eddie Haven is turning out to be a tattooed lump of coal in her stocking, because he can't stand Christmas, but a judge's court order has landed him right in the middle of the merrymaking. Also look for Candelight Christmas, new this year! 

Merry Christmas, Cowboy by Janet Dailey 
Hoping to give back to the community, Denver police officer Paula Lewis volunteers at the Christmas House to help local children, where she is drawn to local rancher Zach Bennett, as they work together to help a young boy. You might also like Dailey’s A Cowboy Under My Christmas Tree. 

The Mischief of the Mistletoe by Lauren Willig 
Despite her dear friend Jane Austen's warning against teaching, Arabella Dempsey accepts a position at a girls' school in Bath, just before Christmas. She hardly imagines coming face-to-face with French aristocrats and international spies. Reginald "Turnip" Fitzhugh-often mistaken for the elusive spy known as the Pink Carnation—has blundered into danger before. When Turnip and Arabella find their Christmas pudding yielding a cryptic message, they are launched on a Yuletide adventure.

More holiday romance to come on December 18!

Reading lists - Mommy Lit

Mommy Lit = Chick Lit for moms!

Babes in Captivity by Pamela Redmond Satran

Satran weaves together the stories of four women who have been friends since their children were infants.  When one of the women announces her intention to revive her dream of becoming a singer, the rest of the group admits to feeling trapped by the confines of motherhood.  Together they decide to give in to the impulses they’ve long held in check, and the results are totally unpredictable.

Babyville by Jane Green

Julia thinks a baby will restore her flagging relationship with her boyfriend.  Maeve is a successful television producer with no intentions of starting a family.  Sam is a happily married homemaker who is thrilled at the prospects of having a baby.  See how their lives are changed in unexpected ways once they become mothers.       

Everyone Is Beautiful by Katherine Center

Uprooted from Texas to Massachusetts so that her husband can attend grad school, Lanie feels the pressure of raising her three sons in a strange new environment.  As a respite from housekeeping she enrolls in a photography class and finds much needed fulfillment, but sparks fly when her husband disapproves of her new hobby. 

The Hazards of Sleeping Alone by Elise Juska

Divorced mother Charlotte must adjust to an empty nest when her daughter goes off to college.  After dedicating the last fifteen years to raising Emily, Charlotte now feels adrift and purposeless because of her daughter’s absence.  A great Mommy Lit title for readers with grown children. 

  

I Don’t Know How She Does It by Allison Pearson

Wickedly funny and unflinchingly honest, I Don’t Know How She Does It is a wonderful portrait of the working mother in the 21st century. Heroine Kate Reddy attempts to balance her career as a fund manager with her duties as a wife and mother of two children. A perfect introduction to the genre of Mommy Lit.    

Julia’s Child by Sarah Pinneo

Pinneo’s first novel is a heartwarming and humorous narrative about the difficulties of juggling family and career.  Julia starts an organic toddler food business from her home because she wants to provide the best for her children, but as the business grows in popularity she seems to have less time to spend with her husband and two sons.  Fun Mommy lit with a culinary twist.

Little Earthquakes by Jennifer Weiner

Little Earthquakes follows the budding friendship of a group of women who meet at a yoga class in Philadelphia.  Becky, Kelly, and Ayinde at first seem to have little in common, yet the women are able to bond over their struggles as new mothers.  With relatable characters and realistic situations, Little Earthquakes is a masterful depiction of motherhood and its many challenges.

Mrs. Perfect by Jane Porter

Taylor Young appears to have everything— a charming husband, three outstanding children, a beautiful home, and all the other symbols of suburban achievement.  She’s the envy of all the mothers in Bellevue, but little do they know that Taylor’s carefully manufactured image hides a life that is on the brink of falling apart.

Momzillas by Jill Kargman

This clever satire of elite upper-class mothers tells the story of Hannah Allen, who moves from San Francisco to Manhattan when her husband receives a lucrative job offer.  Despite feeling wildly out of place amongst all the designer clothing, private preschools, and maternal one-upmanship, Hannah initially attempts to play the game, only to find the flaws beneath the façade.

Multiple Choice by Claire Cook

Cook comes up with a clever conceit for this novel: a mother who is returning to college after 20 years and a daughter who is beginning her first semester at a different university in the same town both become interns for the local radio station.  Cook imbues this story of intergenerational conflict with a winning sweetness.

Piece of Work by Laura Zigman

Zigman puts a different spin on the Mommy Lit genre with her delightful tale of a contented housewife who must return to the workplace when her husband loses his job.  As Julie restarts her career as a publicist, she must overcome her longings to be at home again with her son and her slight jealousy at her husband’s natural talent for homemaking.

What Do You Do All Day? by Amy Scheibe

Jennifer is a SAHM— Stay At Home Mom— who is left to care for her two children while her husband is gone for three months on a business trip to Singapore.  Scheibe’s characters are a combustible combination of sass, style, and wit, and the novel reads like a mix of Desperate Housewives and Sex in the City. 

The Yummy Mummy by Polly Williams

Amy is suffering an identity crisis after having her first child.  She’s not sure if she wants to return to work, she suspects her boyfriend of cheating, and she feels chubby and unattractive.  Enter the confident and sexy Alice, a ‘yummy mummy,’ who leads Amy on a whirlwind ride of Pilates classes, makeovers, and shopping sprees.  Will she find happiness with her new life?

Read-alike Guides - Bridget Jones's Diary

If you liked Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding, you might like one of these books:

Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison
At 14, Bridget Jones was probably a lot like Georgia Nicholson. In her journal, Georgia records a year of side-splitting tales as she tries to reduce the size of her nose, stop her mad cat Angus from terrorizing the neighborhood pets, and win the love of hunky Robbie. Adults will love this YA book, a fun reminder of the light side of being a teen. (YAF Ren)

The Goddess Rules by Clare Naylor
Kate Disney is content with her cramped garage studio and her convenient, part-time boyfriend. Then screen legend Mirabelle Moncur commissions Kate, a painter of animal portraits, to immortalize her pet lion cub, and the two become friends. Mirri teaches Kate how to dress properly, stand up for herself, and enjoy a man's attentions in this light, fun, and authentically touching tale.

The Go-To Girl by Louise Bagshawe
Tired of being overlooked among the glamorous, gorgeous women who surround her, lowly script-reader Anna Brown sets out to turn her life around and win the man of her dreams—Mark Swan, Britain's hottest director. Snappy dialogue, deliciously shallow characters, and unusual plot devices (like an arranged marriage) put a new spin on chick lit.

Highland Fling by Katie Fforde
Taking a business trip to Scotland after a fight with her boyfriend, financial assistant Jenny Porter works to save a troubled textile mill and helps in a variety of local causes. Will feisty, independent Jenny find true love and save the town? Light-hearted and witty, Fforde’s book is perfect for readers who like their chick lit with a Scottish twist.

Jemima J by Jane Green
Plus-sized Jemina Jones struggles with weight, dating, and work issues as she navigates a treacherous world dominated by thinner women. Although the technical detail of online dating is outdated (the book was written in 1999), the results of Jemima’s efforts still ring true. This is a feel-good modern fairy tale—with the apt subtitle ”A Novel of Ugly Ducklings and Swans.”

Original Cyn by Sue Margolis
When a coworker steals her idea for an ad campaign, Cynthia Fishbein, the quintessential good girl, reaches her breaking point, taking the other woman's identity and embarking on a double life. With this unusual twist on the chick lit genre, Margolis includes something for everyone—humor, good dialogue, hot love scenes, and lots of dilemmas.

Simply Divine by Wendy Holden
Jane, a struggling young writer for a popular women's magazine, gets the nightmarish assignment of becoming the ghostwriter for Champagne D'Vyne, a stereotypical socialite. Distractions in Jane’s life complicate the task in this clever, pun-filled book populated with vivid characters. Simply put, it’s simply divine.

Sushi for Beginners by Marian Keyes
Though most chick lit seems to be London-based, Irish novelist Keyes could be called the founder of the genre. Three women in the fashion magazine industry rely on each other’s support as they try to navigate the fast-paced worlds of love and career. This is a fun read for those who enjoyed the dynamic between Bridget Jones and her friends.

A Tale of Two Sisters by Anna Maxted
Professional differences, new loves, and mistakes threaten to separate two very different sisters—Cassandra, a charismatic, and successful woman caught in a bad marriage, and Lizbet, a plump dreamer striving to succeed as a journalist. Cliff-hanger chapter endings make this a page-turner, while clever plotting and truly interesting characters make the novel stand out in the genre.

Twenty Something by Iain Hollingshead
In this Bridget Jones for lads, 25-year-old Jack is having a quarter-life crisis—he hates his job, he's upset about his receding hairline and expanding waistline, and he's stuck in a disastrous relationship. In his diary, Jack records, as he puts it, why he has become such a "tosspot," and he formulates a plan to free himself from the grindstone. Hollingshead has a flair for comedy and characterization.

Also by Helen Fielding:

Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason
Four weeks after the end of her first diary, Bridget’s honeymoon period with Mark Darcy is over. Bridget is feeling uncomfortable with the realities of sharing bed and board with another person, especially one who votes conservative and folds his boxers before bed. Then there’s Rebecca, a sexy woman intent on stealing Bridget’s man. Poor Bridget seems doomed to singlehood forever!

Cause Celeb
Disillusioned with London's glittering celebrity world, Rosie Richardson escapes to a refugee camp in the African desert, where she is forced to draw on her media savvy to aid the starving victims of a devastating famine. The juxtaposition of chattering socialites and silently suffering refugees in Fielding’s first book creates satire that is both humorous and sobering.

Olivia Joules and the Overactive Imagination
Journalist-turned-spy Olivia Joules finds herself drawn to Pierre Ferramo, a man of impeccable taste and extraordinary wealth, until she begins to worry that he is an international terrorist. Fielding has written another endearing, hilarious heroine in a laugh-out-loud meeting of romance and espionage—a kind of Bridget Jones meets James Bond.