From wronged wives to nosy neighbours, from distant dads to new-found family, from secrets to lies, fresh starts to false endings - and everything in between... A collection of brilliant short stories from the best writers around. This collections contains original stories from Fanny Blake, Louise Candlish, Mike Gayle, Mari Hannah, Sophie Kinsella, Jojo Moyes, Adele Parks, Ian Rankin, Mahsuda Snaith and Keith Stuart.

'A moving, relatable and heart-thumpingly good story about family secrets and the lengths we'll go to protect our loved ones.' CATHY BRAMLEY When Hope's only son Paul met and married Edie, Hope was delighted that he had found love and was settling down to make his own family. Hope has loved bringing up her own child, and is happy to step in and help out now and again - but is always worried about overstepping the line between grandmother and mother. Edie was hoping that having children with Paul would fulfil her as much as her busy job as a barrister has. But the reality is far from her dream. And with her mother-in-law Hope constantly poking her nose in where it's not wanted, she finds herself frustrated and alone. Both women could be each other's greatest ally, but both have secrets that could ruin their relationship. Secrets neither wants Paul to uncover... 'A delicious tangle of secrets and dilemmas . . . it will have you rooting for one side or the other - or maybe both! Immensely enjoyable' VERONICA HENRY 'Packed with secrets, shocks, shifting allegiances and surprising parallels between the lives of the two warring women... Propulsive and riveting' MATT CAIN 'Brilliant on the nuances of family dynamics . . . I was totally absorbed' KATE EBERLEN Praise for Fanny Blake and The Long Way Home: 'Fanny Blake knows how to pinpoint what goes on in families. She is warm but never sentimental and her stories take a grip on the reader' Elizabeth Buchan 'No-one does family and friendship better than Fanny . . . Warm, funny, wise and relatable' Veronica Henry 'Loved it . . . a beautiful story of coming back to life in middle age, full of love, joy and hope' Liz Fenwick 'A hopeful, warm, generous-hearted novel about how love transcends difference' Julie Cohen 'A warm, uplifting read' Rosanna Ley 'The plot reels you in until you have no choice but to devour every word' heat 'Absorbing, intelligent and an absolute joy to read' Daily Express 'A fantastic read from one of our favourite authors' Bella 'Fanny Blake is a master at leading us gently through the complexities of life' Woman & Home 'Blake writes fantastically about families and anyone who has ever despaired of a screen-addict teen will especially love this warm-hearted novel' Daily Mail 'Fanny Blake leads us gently and reassuringly through the complexities of everyday family life' Woman's Weekly? 'Just perfect - as a grandmother myself it made me smile' Dinah Jefferies 'Seamlessly moving from past to the present, this is a heart-warming read' Heat 'A heart-warming story of the importance of family bonds' People's Friend

OUR SUMMER TOGETHER is an uplifting story about family, friendship and the happy surprise of finding love later in life. Caro knows how to be a mother - advising her grown-up daughters on career and relationship worries. She knows how to be a grandmother - enjoying the hectic energy of her three-year-old grandson. She knows how to be a daughter - helping her aging mother retain her independence. She thought she knew everything about being a wife, but when her husband suddenly leaves her for another woman, everything is thrown in the air. So, when a chance meeting introduces her to Damir - younger, intriguing and attentive - she realises that opening up to a man so different from everyone else in her life, might also mean getting to know who she really is... Your favourite authors love Fanny Blake: 'Fanny Blake has the gift of creating wonderful page turners from very domestic situations; and then making them warm and funny as well' Penny Vincenzi 'I love the way Fanny Blake proves that women just become more and more fascinating' Adele Parks 'I love that she writes about women our age, and the painful and wise truths we know' Marian Keyes 'Warm, funny, wise and relatable. A perfect summer read' Veronica Henry

'Thoroughly enjoyable, with endearing, believable characters and long-held secrets' Katie Fforde 'The plot reels you in until you have no choice but to devour every word' Heat 'Absorbing, intelligent and an absolute joy to read' Daily Express 'A fantastic read from one of our favourite authors' Bella 'Fanny Blake is a master at leading us gently through the complexities of life' Woman & Home 'Blake writes fantastically about families and anyone who has ever despaired of a screen-addict teen will especially love this warm-hearted novel' Daily Mail 'Fanny Blake leads us gently and reassuringly through the complexities of everyday family life' Woman's Weekly 'Just perfect - as a grandmother myself it made me smile' Dinah Jefferies 'Seamlessly moving from past to the present, this is a heart-warming read' Heat 'A heart-warming story of the importance of family bonds' People's Friend A family secret, a mysterious legacy, and a journey that will change everything... When Isla, a 65-year-old grandmother, is left nothing but an old painting in her mother's will, while her sisters and aunt inherit the estate, she is devastated. Close to retirement, getting ready to live on her own terms, the last thing she expects at this time of her life is such turmoil. So, to find an explanation for her mother's rejection, she embarks on a road-trip. But, right at the last moment, she's forced to take her sullen - and, in her view, impossible - 14-year-old granddaughter Charlie with her. Cramped together in Isla's car with her smelly old dog, these ill-assorted travelling companions set off to uncover some shattering and life-changing family truths at the same time as learning to love each other... The Long Way Home is set in the UK and 1950s Paris where the story really begins, spanning four generations of women and the secrets that get passed down through them. Praise for Fanny Blake and The Long Way Home: 'Fanny Blake knows how to pinpoint what goes on in families. She is warm but never sentimental and her stories take a grip on the reader' Elizabeth Buchan 'No-one does family and friendship better than Fanny . . . Warm, funny, wise and relatable' Veronica Henry 'Loved it . . . a beautiful story of coming back to life in middle age, full of love, joy and hope' Liz Fenwick 'A hopeful, warm, generous-hearted novel about how love transcends difference' Julie Cohen 'A warm, uplifting read' Rosanna Ley

Rose waits for her family to arrive at their villa in Tuscany when a casual glance at her husband's phone tips her world upside down. The text reads simply: 'Miss you. Love you. Come back soon.' Daniel has always been popular with women, she knows that. But until this moment she has had no cause for worry. Has something shifted within their marriage without her realising? As the family gathers for the summer break, Rose's faith in Daniel is shaken. How well does she really know him? She fears that, after decades of marriage and children, the man who lies beside her at night is lying in other ways too. Then events take a tragic turn. Wise, wry and richly entertaining, THE SECRETS WOMEN KEEP celebrates the passionate, emotional lives women lead as wives, mothers and grandmothers.

'A glorious jaunt around Italy with characters I didn't want to leave' CLARE MACKINTOSH A compelling novel about friendship, family secrets and second chances, set against the backdrop of southern Italy. Sandy is in her fifties, and at a crossroads in her life: she's a teacher and respected by her pupils, but she feels she is being sidelined in favour of younger colleagues. So when her mother dies, leaving her a sealed envelope addressed to an unknown woman living in Naples, Sandy decides to head to Italy to resolve the mystery by delivering the letter herself. She books herself on to a small sightseeing trip from Rome to Naples and the Amalfi Coast, hoping to meet some like-minded people along the way. Who is the mysterious woman she is searching for? And will Sandy find friendship, or even love, along the way...? Your favourite authors love An Italian Summer: 'I adored An Italian Summer... Fanny not only writes beautifully about relationships, but the descriptions of Rome and Naples are so ravishing, that you not only marvel at the scenery but also taste the delectable food and feel the hot sun on your back. A most beguiling read' JILLY COOPER 'Intelligent, grown-up and cheering, Fanny has cornered the market in "real" stories told well' FERN BRITTON 'A lovely, absorbing read, gently told, but with a intriguingly dark edge' HILARY BOYD 'Likeable and realistic characters in a glorious Italian setting, this is the perfect summer read' MAEVE HARAN 'I loved this book. Fanny Blake excels at exploring the intricate detail of relationships' SARAH MORGAN 'As themes of friendship and love intertwine with mystery, the plot reels you in until you have no choice but to devour every word. 5 stars' Heat 'Fanny Blake's writing is absorbing, intelligent and an absolute joy to read... Building to an unexpected and clever twist, this heart-warming and compelling novel is the perfect summer read' Daily Express

'A lovely holiday read about female friendships past and present. Warm and engaging' Catherine Alliott One perfect villa, four old friends, and a holiday that will change everything... Amy, Linda, Kate and Jane were best friends at school. Now, years later, they have grown apart. When Amy discovers her husband has been stealing from her successful interiors business, and with a milestone birthday looming, she decides it is the time to reach out to her old friends once again. So, she decides to invite the other three to her beautiful villa in Mallorca for a reunion weekend. As the four friends gather, secrets are unearthed, old scores settled and new friendships forged. Will this holiday bring them together or tear them apart? And will each of them grasp their second chance for happiness...? 'A warm and uplifting read. I really enjoyed it' Rosanna Ley, author of The Lemon Tree Hotel 'A skilfully woven story of old friendships, secrets and lies set against the sun-soaked backdrop of Mallorca. The ideal summer read' Sarah Morgan, author of One Summer in Paris 'A fantastic read from one of our favourite authors' Bella 'An insightful look at female friendship with a beautiful sunny backdrop' Sunday Express 'A great summer read, with relatable characters, an engaging plot and a satisfying ending' WI Life