Jenny Colgan
Little Beach Street Bakery

Little Beach Street Bakery

Polly’s life is in ruins: in one fell swoop, she’s lost her business, her boyfriend, and her flat. She can’t afford a place in town, so she’s forced to move out of the city—way out of the city, to a remote British island town, in a flat above an abandoned shop. (Everyone’s reaction to her new home: shouldn’t this place be condemned?) Polly turns to baking to cheer herself up, and before long her favorite hobby turns into something more substantial than she ever dared to dream. (Many readers will appreciate the lack of lascivious scenes. Her characters aren’t all chaste, but that action happens offscreen.) A sweet and multilayered story about starting over, with lots of heart, perfect for fans of Emily Giffin and Jojo Moyes.

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The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris
Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery

Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery

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Summer Reading Guide author Jenny Colgan (Cafe by the Sea) serves up another sweet read. From the publisher: "It's the most wonderful time of the year… and the perfect moment to escape to a charming English village! From the beloved author whose novels are 'sheer indulgence from start to finish' (Sophie Kinsella) comes a delightful holiday story — funny, heartfelt, romantic and packed with recipes — perfect for the winter months."

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Christmas on the Island

Christmas on the Island

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From the publisher: "On the remote Scottish island of Mure, the Christmas season is stark, windy, and icy—yet incredibly festive and beautiful... It's a time for getting cozy in front of whisky barrel wood fires, and enjoying a dram and a treacle pudding with the people you love—unless, of course, you've accidentally gotten pregnant by your ex-boss, and don't know how to tell him. Will her erstwhile co-parent Joel think she’s the bearer of glad tidings—or is this Christmas going to be as bleak as the Highlands in midwinter? Meanwhile Saif, a doctor and refugee from war-torn Syria is trying to enjoy his first western Christmas with his sons on this remote island where he’s been granted asylum. His wife, however, is still missing, and her absence hangs over what should be a joyful celebration. Travel to the beautiful northern edge of the world and join the welcoming community of Mure for a Highland Christmas you'll never forget!"

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The Christmas Surprise

The Christmas Surprise

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Summer Reading Guide author Jenny Colgan serves up another sweet read. From the publisher: "A delightful holiday tale full of sweetness, love, heartbreak, and happiness—perfect for fans of Debbie Macomber and Elin Hilderbrand. Rosie Hopkins, newly engaged, is looking forward to an exciting year in the little English sweetshop she owns. But when fate deals Rosie and her boyfriend Stephen a terrible blow, threatening everything they hold dear, it's going to take all their strength and the support of their families and their friends to hold them together."

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My Very ’90s Romance: A Novel

My Very ’90s Romance: A Novel

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By Summer Reading Guide author Jenny Colgan. From the publisher: "New York Times bestselling author Jenny Colgan's hilarious romantic comedy about a down-on-her-luck florist whose future begins to bloom when she takes on the challenge of helping to transform her nerdy roommate."

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500 Miles from You

500 Miles from You

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Jenny Colgan's novels have been described as "total joy" (Sophie Kinsella). From the publisher: "What happens when two medical professionals--ex Army medic from a village in the Scottish Highlands and an inner city nurse from inner-city London—switch jobs for three months and become unlikely pen pals? Lissa, is a nurse in a gritty, hectic London neighborhood. Always terribly competent and good at keeping it all together, her supervisor quietly arranges for Lissa to spend a few months doing a much less demanding job in the little town of Kirrinfeif in the Scottish Highlands, hoping that the change of scenery will help her. Lissa will be swapping places with Cormack, an Army veteran who’s Kirrinfeif's easygoing nurse/paramedic/all-purpose medical man. Lissa's never experienced small-town life, and Cormack’s never spent more than a day in a big city, but it seems like a swap that would do them both some good. In London, the gentle Cormack is a fish out of the water; in Kirrinfief, the dynamic Lissa finds it hard to adjust to the quiet. But these two strangers are now in constant contact, taking over each other's patients, endlessly emailing about anything and everything. But what will happen when Lissa and Cormack finally meet?"

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Christmas at the Island Hotel

Christmas at the Island Hotel

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From the publisher: "On the tiny, beautiful, and remote island of Mure, halfway between Scotland and Norway, a new hotel opening is a big event. New mother Flora MacKenzie and her brother Fintan are working themselves half to death to get it ready in time for Christmas. The new hotel’s impressive kitchens throw together two unlikely new friends: Isla Gregor is the hardworking young girl who has been a waitress in the island's cafe, dreaming of a bigger, better life now that she’s at a proper fancy hotel. Konstantin Pederson is working his way up in the hotel's kitchens too…but he is also, secretly, the only son of the Duke of Utsire. Konstantin has been sent to learn what it is to work hard for a living, before receiving his inheritance. Although he’s initially resentful, the place grows on him; he has never met anyone quite like Isla and her fellow Murians before. As the island’s residents and special VIP guests gather for the hotel’s grand opening gala, Christmas is in the air. But so are more than a few small-town secrets…"

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Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend

Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend

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From the publisher: "From beloved New York Times bestselling author Jenny Colgan, a heartwarming and hilarious comedy about a pampered London socialite forced to live life among the common folk. Sophie Chesterton is London’s 'It Girl'. She knows all the right people, goes to all the right parties, and wears all the right clothes…and her rich parents pay for everything. But deep down she suspects that her best 'friends'—and her posh lifestyle--are nothing but shallow fakes. Then one evening Sophie’s life takes a shocking, drastic turn, and her father decides it's high time for the party girl to make her own way in the world. Forced to earn a meager living as a lowly assistant to a 'glamour' photographer, live in a shabby flat with four smelly boys, and eat baked beans from the can—Sophie is desperate to get her old life back, at any cost. But does a girl really need diamonds to be happy? Full of warmth and sparkle, Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend is a surprisingly winning tale about luxury, life lessons, and the surprisingly low cost of true happiness."

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The Bookshop on the Shore

The Bookshop on the Shore

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From the publisher: "Desperate to escape from London, single mother Zoe wants to build a new life for herself and her four year old son Hari. She can barely afford the crammed studio apartment on a busy street where shouting football fans keep them awake all night. Hari’s dad, Jaz, a charismatic but perpetually broke DJ, is no help at all. But his sister Surinder comes to Zoe’s aid, hooking her up with a job as far away from the urban crush as possible: a bookshop on the banks of Loch Ness. But while Scotland is everything Zoe dreamed of—clear skies, brisk fresh air, blessed quiet—everything else is a bit of a mess. Zoe has her work cut out for her, and is determined to rise to the challenge, especially when she sees how happily Hari has taken to their new home. With the help of Nina, the friendly local bookseller, Zoe begins to put down roots in the community. Are books, fresh air, and kindness enough to heal this broken family?"

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Summer at Little Beach Street Bakery

Summer at Little Beach Street Bakery

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From the publisher: "For fans of Elin Hilderbrand, Jojo Moyes, and Jane Green, Summer at Little Beach Street Bakery is an irresistible novel—moving and funny, soulful and sweet—about happiness, heartache, and hope. And recipes.”

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The Bookshop on the Corner

The Bookshop on the Corner

I read the publisher's description on this and almost died: "Nina Redmond is a literary matchmaker. Pairing a reader with that perfect book is her passion… and also her job. Or at least it was. Until yesterday, she was a librarian in the hectic city. But now the job she loved is no more." When Nina's job as a British librarian is cut due to budget deficits, she takes a leap of faith and opens a bookmobile in a tiny Scottish town. Though it's not a bargain basement price, I couldn't resist reading this again just before my trip to Scotland. The bookmobile and its treasures transforms one townsperson at a time and Nina's life is revitalized as well. Now that's the power of a good book!

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Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe: A Novel in Recipes

Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe: A Novel in Recipes

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From Summer Reading Guide author Jenny Colgan. Booklist calls this "a hilarious, fast-paced fantasy about starting over, perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella. Absolutely adorable."

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Christmas at the Cupcake Cafe

Christmas at the Cupcake Cafe

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From the publisher: "For fans of Jojo Moyes and Sophie Kinsella (the Shopaholic series) comes the perfect holiday story. How many times can your life change? Once upon a time, Issy Randall was the girl nobody wanted. But when she opened the Cupcake Café, her life changed—and now Issy is happy, confident, and in love with a wonderful man. Is life about to change again? With the holidays approaching, cracks show in Issy's perfect world. Her boyfriend Austin has been scouted for a possible move to New York City. Her colleagues at the Cupcake Café are suffering heartbreak. And as Christmas looms ever closer, Issy finds forced to decide what she holds most dear."

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The Café by the Sea

The Café by the Sea

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Series: Beach Novels

Flora was determined not to become trapped on the tiny Scottish island where she grew up, like her mother was. She fled years ago and made a life for herself in London, never looking back. Her job could be better, and she's such a cliché, hopelessly in love with her oblivious boss, but at least she got out. But then fate intervenes, and her firm's most important client needs her hometown knowledge for an important deal, so she reluctantly returns to face the family she left under terrible circumstances. A story of small town life, second chances, and family—the kind you get, and the kind you make. If you loved The Bookshop on the Corner or My Not So Perfect Life, you will LOVE this book. Publication date: June 27.

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Sweetshop of Dreams

Sweetshop of Dreams

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Another fun title from Summer Reading Guide author Colgan. From RT Book Reviews: "Colgan's sweet tale is filled with humor, family, friendship and love. The novel is a delight to read and Rosie is a character most will relate to on one level or another ...a fun, heartwarming book."

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