The perfect romance and the story of self-empowerment every woman deserves

Comfort food in book form

Pure, romantic escapism

The Ex Talk delivers. This book is quick, spicy, and sweet

The Ex Talk is so many things: a banter-packed laugh-out-loud rom-com, a meditation on how grief shapes our lives and our love, an ode to the joys of public radio and podcasting, and an all-around exquisite romance . . . we'll call it a breath of fresh air

The Ex Talk is an expertly crafted contemporary romance as well as a passionate love letter to public radio. With a crisp and affectionate attention to detail, Rachel Lynn Solomon breaths life across her pages that's so relatable you could sink right in

Forget fake dating ... fake exes is where it's at! The Ex Talk has all the public radio nerdiness that you didn't know was missing from your life. An absolute delight of a read!

This book gave me genuine butterflies. I fell in love with Shay and Dominic falling in love

Delightfully romantic and emotionally uplifting

The transition from enemies to lovers is handled with wit and humour which puts an unexpected twist on the fake relationship trope

Solomon makes her adult debut with this sizzling rivals-to-lovers romcom, where the heat comes from both precise characterization and a focus on direct communication. Bursting with zest and deep emotion, this one's a winner

Smart, spirited and thoroughly entertaining . . . set against the backdrop of the toxic music industry, Dolly's fury at the way women are treated blazes off the page. A wish fulfilment fairytale grounded in grit . . . deserves to be a runaway success

An iconic singer and a master storyteller make for a sublime partnership in this fun and fast tale.

All the great country songs are about heartbreak, about gittin' back on your feet and startin' over. Ultimately, that is where this book scores. AnnieLee is an adorable firecracker of a heroine . . . Run Rose Run has a sweet moreishness that will keep millions happily turning its 409 pages (plus lyrics at the back). Parton and Patterson may have invented a new style; let's call it Dolly Mixtures . . . Seriously, is there anything this phenomenal 76-year-old cannot do?

The likable trio will have you rooting for them all the way

If you love Dolly (and let's be honest, who doesn't?), you'll enjoy the ride.

A deliciously hokey yarn about a young singer-songwriter (AnnieLee) struggling to shake off her murky past and make a career in Nashville.

Dreams, drama and danger, with a generous sprinkling of magic and wisdom at every turn, it makes for a super holiday or bedtime read

A perfect daily serving of soapy escapism

A big-hearted tale of music and perseverance from a living country legend is our top literary pick this month . . . Along the way, we get plenty of genuinely interesting information about the country-music world . . . Frankly bonkers fun

Sassy AnnieLee and the Nashville music scene come across as authentic, and the plot speeds along with good humour and energy

James Patterson is promiscuous with his charms. He has co-written thrillers with Bill Clinton, now he has snuggled up to another Southern institution, Dolly Parton. In this thriller a young singer-songwriter in Nashville is determined to make it big, but - surprise, surprise - she's on the run from her deadly past . . . It's going to be big.

America's master storyteller and much-loved performer join forces

Tells the story of a down-on-her-luck singer songwriter whose career is turbo-charged by a country music legend bearing more than a passing resemblance to the legendary Parton herself

Who doesn't love Dolly Parton? As well as being a wonderful singer, songwriter and actor, she has created a remarkable legacy as a philanthropist for children's literacy. Parton has now joined forces for a writing duet with bestselling author James Patterson.

We always knew Dolly Parton was a wit. ("It costs me a lot of money to look this cheap.") In Covid, funding vaccine research, she became a hero. For her next trick, she unveils herself as a novelist, co-writing her debut with prolific hit-machine James Patterson

It could be the literary year's shining jewel. Or more surely, simply sell by the shedload

Such a page-turner

Dolly doesn't miss!

I'd love to have been a fly on the wall when this was being written. There must have been such extraordinary energy and excitement in that room; the resulting thriller certainly suggests as much

Run Rose Run captivated me from the Prologue, you find yourself holding your breath as you get closer to untangling the web of secrets that each character holds . . . Whilst Patterson undoubtedly brings that suspense and mystery, Parton sets the scene well, the landscape is so beautifully painted. Her knowledge of the music industry really brings the characters and story to life as she references real musicians, events and controversies.

Run Rose Run is a story glittering with danger and desire