Sisters Cleo and Robyn may be close in age but their attitudes to life could not be further apart. While Cleo's a fully-fledged adult with a family, a business and a signature scent, Robyn is still waiting for the instruction manual to Adult Life and success is keeping her houseplant alive. Skating by at her job as an estate agent, she's adept at avoiding housework, ignoring admin, and evading her mother's anxious questions about her love life. But then Robyn's fired in the most publicly humiliating way imaginable - and her chaos catches up with her.

Although Cleo steps in to give Robyn a temporary job in her cleaning firm, it comes with very firm instructions: Robyn must BEHAVE RESPONSIBLY. And that includes meeting the high standards of Jim, her enigmatic supervisor. But when Robyn learns to navigate the catastrophic kitchens and judgemental dogs of total strangers she learns some unexpected truths about her own messy world. No one's life is spotless...

Is it time - finally - for everyone to stop sweeping their secrets under the carpet?

Robyn Taylor's life is a mess. She's living out of boxes, can't find her unpaid bills, and has just lost her job. She knows she needs to clean up her act, but she doesn't know where to start. Fortunately for Robyn, her perfect older sister Cleo owns a cleaning company. Unfortunately, she's not offering to help - Cleo wants Robyn to work as one of her cleaners while she gets back on her feet. Robyn reluctantly agrees, but soon realises that it will take more than elbow grease to fix her own problems. Growing up is going to require dusting off all her secrets and sorting them out properly. And it turns out she's not the only one hiding things . . . ****** Your favourite authors love Lucy Dillon . . . 'A Hundred Pieces of Me is bittersweet, lovely and ultimately redemptive; the kind of book that makes you want to live your own life better' - Jojo Moyes 'Such a brilliant book. So satisfying and clever and deeply moving. I'll be passing it on to all my friends' - Sophie Kinsella 'This vibrant and uplifting novel has not only entertained me hugely, but made me change the way I look at life' - Katie Fforde 'I always find Lucy Dillon's books so overflowing with wit and wisdom' - Jenny Colgan A beautifully written story about friendship, trust and love. I adored it' - Milly Johnson

From the SUNDAY TIMES bestselling author of Where the Light Gets in and All I Ever Wanted

'Real, heart-breaking - I loved it' Katie Fforde

What happens when 'I do' turns into 'I don't know'?

Jeannie always wanted to fall in love, and now she’s finally got the whirlwind romance she dreamed of. Dan’s gorgeous, he’s a successful young vet, and he flew her to New York and proposed on Brooklyn Bridge. Jeannie has to remind herself this is actually her life. It seems too perfect, too magical, to be real. Yet it is.

But now she’s on her way to the wedding she can’t shake off the tight sensation crushing her chest. Is it just nerves . . . or is this all happening a bit too fast?

Jeannie has one last chance to shout, ‘Stop!’ But just as she grabs it, a twist of fate throws everything she knows into the air like confetti. What Jeannie learns about Dan, about her own heart, and about the power of love itself, will change her world for ever . . .

After the storm it's time for a fresh start. The powerful and heart-stirring new novel by the Sunday Times bestselling author of Unexpected Lessons in Love.

Tara Hunter is a therapist on a mission to restore Longhampton's community spirit after catastrophic flooding. But with her boyfriend AWOL, her family fragmented, and only a cat for company, Tara's own life is crumbling. On top of everything, Tara's father - last seen as he walked out on her when she was ten years old - is suddenly back, with a surprising offer that could change everything.

Dr David Dalloway is Longhampton Wellness Centre's new star counsellor. He's charming, caring and has a knack for reading people's minds - which is the last thing Tara needs right now.

Will having David and her dad around make for a bigger storm on the horizon? Or is this Tara's chance for a fresh start?

Reeling from her recent divorce, Gina Bellamy suddenly finds herself figuring out how to live on her own. Determined to make a fresh start--with her beloved rescue greyhound by her side--Gina knows drastic measures are in order.
First up: throwing away all her possessions except for the one hundred things that mean the most to her. But what items are worth saving? Letters from the only man she's ever loved? A keepsake of the father she never knew? Or a blue glass vase that perfectly captures the light?
As she lets go of the past, Gina begins to come to terms with what has happened in her life and discovers that seizing the day is sometimes the only thing to do. And when one decides to do just that...magic happens.
Includes an Author Q & A

An engaging account of women's travels in the early modern period. This book showcases three Frenchwomen who ventured far from home at a time when such traveling was rare. In 1639, Marie de l'Incarnation embarked for New France where she founded the first Ursuline monastery in present-day Canada. In 1750, Madame du Boccage set out at the age of forty on her first "grand tour." She visited England, the Netherlands, and Italy where she experienced firsthand the intellectual liberty offered there to educated women. As the Reign of Terror gripped France, the Marquise de la Tour du Pin fled to America with her husband and their two young children, where they ran a farm from 1794 to 1796. The writings these women left behind detailing their respective journeys abroad represent significant contributions to early modern travel literature. This book makes available to anglophone readers three texts that are rich in both historical and literary terms.

WINNER OF THE ROMANTIC NOVELISTS' ASSOCIATION CONTEMPORARY ROMANTIC NOVEL AWARD, 2015. As heart wrenching and life-affirming as One Day or Me Before You, A HUNDRED PIECES OF ME is a story about what it means to finally live life to the full. Letters from the only man she's ever truly loved. A keepsake of the father she never really knew. A blue glass vase that catches the light on a grey day. Gina Bellamy is starting again, after a few years she'd rather forget. But the belongings she's treasured for so long don't seem to fit who she is now. So Gina makes a resolution. She'll keep just a hundred special items - the rest can go. But that means coming to terms with her past and learning to embrace the future, whatever it might bring . . . 'Bittersweet, lovely and ultimately redemptive; the kind of book that makes you want to live your own life better.' Jojo Moyes 'Such a brilliant book. So satisfying and clever and deeply moving. I'll be passing it on to all my friends.' Sophie Kinsella 'This vibrant and uplifting novel has not only entertained me hugely, but made me change the way I look at life.' Katie Fforde

Bestselling author Lucy Dillon's heartwarming tale of unconditional love. Perfect for fans of Jojo Moyes and Katie Fforde. ROMANTIC NOVEL OF THE YEAR 2010. 'Heart-warming, fun and romantic. Marley and Me fans will love it.' - Closer When the abandoned strays from a local dogs' home are matched with brand new owners, it turns out it might not just be the dogs who need rescuing. Rachel's aunt has left her a house, a Border Collie and, despite knowing nothing about dogs, a crowded kennel. But since her life has collapsed she's not sure she can deal with any more lost souls. Zoe's ex-husband has given their children a puppy. The kids are in love, but she's the one stuck training Toffee the impossible Labrador. She's nearly at the end of her tether - until Toffee leads her to a handsome doctor . . . Meanwhile Natalie and Johnny's marriage hasn't been easy since they started trying for a baby. But is a fridge-raiding, sofa-stealing Basset hound like Bertie really the child substitute they're looking for? As the new owners' paths cross on the town's dog-walking circuits, their lives become interwoven. And they - and their dogs - learn some important lessons about loyalty, companionship and unconditional love . . .

What can you do to make the world a better place? Libby and her husband Jason have moved back to his hometown to turn the family B&B into a boutique hotel. They have left London behind and all the memories - good and bad - that went with it. The injured woman Libby finds lying in the remote country road has lost her memory. She doesn't know why she came to be there, and no one seems to be looking for her. When Libby offers to take her in, this one small act of kindness sets in motion a chain of events that will change many people's lives . . . 'A beautifully written story about friendship, trust and love. I adored it.' - Milly Johnson A perfect summer read for fans of Jojo Moyes and Katie Fforde.

When story-lover Anna takes over Longhampton's bookshop, it's her dream come true. And not just because it gets her away from her three rowdy stepchildren and their hyperactive Dalmatian... Unpacking boxes filled with childhood classics, Anna can't shake the feeling that maybe her own fairytale ending isn't all that she'd hoped for. But, as the stories of love, adventure, secret gardens, lost dogs, wicked witches and giant peaches breathe new life into the neglected shop, Anna and her customers get swept up in the magic too. Even Anna's best friend Michelle - who categorically doesn't believe in true love and handsome princes - isn't immune. But when secrets from Michelle's own childhood come back to haunt her, and disaster threatens Anna's home, will the wisdom and charm of the stories in the bookshop help the two friends - and those they love - find their own happy ever afters? 'Lucy Dillon's voice is gentle and kind throughout...perceptive and well handled. A heart-warming piece of escapism for long winter nights.' - Red A perfect escapism for fans of Jojo Moyes and Katie Fforde.

When three couples join a new ballroom class, they're all looking for some magic in their lives. Lauren and Chris are getting married, and Lauren's dreaming of a fairytale wedding with a first dance to make Cinderella proud. Not wanting to be shown up on the dancefloor, her parents Bridget and Frank have come along too. They normally never put a foot wrong, but Bridget's got a secret that could trip them up unexpectedly. Meanwhile Katie and Ross are looking for a quick-fix solution to their failing marriage even though neither is quite sure who's leading who anymore. As friendships form over the foxtrot, the rumba rocks relationships, and the tango leads to true love, all the students in the Ballroom Class are about to face the music and dance...

Michelle doesn't believe in fairy tales. She's a hard-headed businesswoman, making a fresh start in a new town. And when she decides to take over a neglected book shop, she knows the perfect manager.
For book-loving Anna, it's a dream come true--and not just because it gives her an escape from her three demanding step-children and their adorable but hyperactive Dalmatian. Although she's been thinking that her own fairytale ending hasn't really turned out the way she hoped, Anna's passion for the classics is transforming the shop. The customers, and even Michelle, are falling under the spell of the magical stories of romance, adventure, and lost dogs.
But when secrets from her past threaten Michelle's new beginnings, and trouble strikes at the heart of Anna's household, can the wisdom and courage of the stories in the bookshop help the two friends--and those they love--find their happy ever after?

A delightful new novel from the author of "Lost Dogs and Lonely Hearts."

Juliet's hiding from her feelings about the recent loss of Ben, the love of her life. If it weren't for having to walk Ben's loyal dog, Minton, she'd never leave their half-finished house. Then her mother asks her to take her elderly lab, Coco, along. One dog leads to another, and soon Juliet's the unofficial town pet-sitter. And when she takes on a lonely spaniel, and gets to know its attractive owner, she realizes that her emotions aren't as easy to handle as her canine charges...

From the bestselling author of A Hundred Pieces of Me and One Small Act of Kindness comes a heartwarming, bittersweet and uplifting story of missed chances and unexpected opportunities. 'Lucy Dillon's books make the world a better place' - Heat Caitlin's life is a mess. Her marriage to a man everyone else thinks is perfect has collapsed, along with her self-esteem, and breaking free seems the only option. Nancy, her four-year-old daughter, used to talk all the time; in the car, at nursery, to her brother Joel. Then her parents split up. Her daddy moves out. And Nancy stops speaking. Nancy's Auntie Eva, recently widowed and feeling alone, apart from the companionship of two bewildered pugs, is facing a future without her husband or the dreams she gave up for him. But when Eva agrees to host her niece and nephew once a fortnight, Caitlin and Eva are made to face the different truths about their marriages - and about what they both really want . . . 'Bittersweet, lovely and ultimately redemptitive; the kind of book that makes you want to live your own life better' - Jojo Moyes 'So satisfying and clever and deeply moving' - Sophie Kinsella

'Lucy Dillon's books never fail to make me happy' Jenny Colgan 'Deeply moving' Sophie Kinsella Sometimes the cracks in your heart can be mended in unexpected ways . . . If Lorna's learned one thing, it's that courage is something you paint on like red lipstick, even when you're panicking inside. And right now, with the keys to the town's gallery in her hand, Lorna feels about as courageous as the anxious little dachshund trembling beside her. Sick of life in the big city, Lorna's come home to fulfil her dream of running a successful art gallery. Desperate for change, Lorna just wants a fresh start but can she find it in Longhampton? This is where her tight-knit family shattered into pieces. It's where her doubts about herself took root and where she first fell in love and had her heart broken. It's everything she was running away from. But life and love can surprise you and all Lorna has to do to let the light in is open her heart . . . An uplifting and inspiring novel about second chances and soon to be realised dreams. Perfect for fans of Jojo Moyes, Veronica Henry and Lucy Diamond. ____________________ AUTHORS AND READERS LOVE THIS BOOK: 'Full of love, truth, art and dogs. I absolutely loved it.' Katie Fforde 'Heart-gripping narrative' 'A beautiful, insightful and tender story. I felt bereft for having finished it' Milly Johnson 'Could not put it down' ____________________ Lucy Dillon's latest heartwarming novel After the Rain is out now in paperback and ebook.

Award winning author Lucy Dillon's charming tale of friendships and relationships. Is Juliet ready to fall in love again? Juliet's been in hiding. From her family, from her life, but most of all from the fact that Ben's not around anymore. Her mother Diane has run out of advice. But then she insists Juliet look after her elderly Labrador and it becomes apparent that Coco the dog might actually be the one who can rescue her daughter. Especially when it leads to her walking dogs for a few other locals too, including a spaniel, Damson, who belongs to a very attractive man... Before she knows it, Juliet realises she has somehow become the town's unofficial pet-sitter. A job which makes her privy to the lives and secrets of everyone whose animals she's caring for. But as her first winter alone approaches, she finally begins to wonder if it's time to face up to her own secrets? To start rebuilding her own life? And maybe - just maybe - to fall in love again? '...witty, heart-warming and a very real tale of loss and redemption' - Stylist A perfect read for fans of Jojo Moyes and Katie Fforde.

Juliet's been in hiding. From her family, from her life, but most of all from the fact that Ben's not around anymore. Her mother Diane has run out of advice. But then she insists Juliet look after her elderly Labrador and it becomes apparent that Coco the dog might actually be the one who can rescue her daughter. Especially when it leads to her walking dogs for a few other locals too, including a spaniel, Damson, who belongs to a very attractive man...Before she knows it, Juliet realises she has somehow become the town's unofficial pet-sitter. A job which makes her privy to the lives and secrets of everyone whose animals she's caring for. But as her first winter alone approaches, she finally begins to wonder if it's time to face up to her own secrets? To start rebuilding her own life? And maybe - just maybe - to fall in love again?