After a two-year hiatus, Goldsboro’s Romance in the Court was due to make a triumphant return this month but unfortunately, it was not meant to be.
We were so excited to celebrate the best that romantic fiction had to offer, along with the genre’s loyal readers. It means the start of summer for us at Goldsboro, and we are so sad that it could not be done this year.
In absence of this brilliant event, we wanted to give a shout out to some of the fab books that are making waves in the literary romance world…
Below is a list of the fantastic authors that were due to make an appearance at this year’s RitC, to promote their new, or most recent, titles. Click on the link to buy or pre-order via either Goldsboro or Hive:
Phillipa Ashley - A Perfect Cornish Escape (Avon, June 2020)
Isabelle Broom - Hello, Again (Hodder & Stoughton, July 2020)
Rowan Coleman (as Bella Ellis) - The Vanished Bride (Hodder & Stoughton, October 2019)
Nicola Cornick - The Forgotten Sister (HQ, April 2020)
Liz Fenwick -The Path to the Sea(HQ, June 2019)
Katie Fforde - A Springtime Affair (Century, February 2020)
Jean Fullerton - A Ration Book Childhood (Corvus, May 2020)
Iona Grey - The Glittering Hour (Simon & Schuster, May 2019)
Veronica Henry - A Wedding at the Beach Hut (Orion, May 2020)
Milly Johnson - My One True North (Simon & Schuster, March 2020)
Carole Matthews - Sunny Days and Sea Breezes (Sphere, June 2020)
Mhairi McFarlane - If I Never Met You (HarperCollins, March 2020)
Janie Millman - Sky’s the Limit (Dome Press, August 2018)
Sarah Morgan - Family For Beginners (HQ, April 2020)
Bella Osborne - Meet Me At Pebble Beach (Avon, May 2020)
Jo Thomas - Escape to the French Farmhouse (Corgi, July 2020)
Jules Wake (as Julie Caplin) - The Little Teashop In Tokyo (One More Chapter, June 2020)
Jane Wenham-Jones - The Big Five-Oh (One More Chapter, September 2019)
Now we’ve got some books that are either out right now or forthcoming, that we at Goldsboro are very excited to be stocking. Have a gander and click on the title if any take your fancy:
1. The Phone Box at the Edge of the World by Laura Imai Messina (Manilla Press, June 2020)
Alright, so this one is already a big favourite of ours, as it is our forthcoming July Book of the Month, but even if you are not a BOTM member, we implore you to pre-order yourselves a copy of this heartbreaking & emotionally powerful novel about Yui, who has lost both her mother and daughter in the tsunami. When she hears about a man who has an old disused telephone box in his garden, where those who have lost loved ones can go to find the strength to speak to them, she makes her own pilgrimage there. With the help of Takeshi, a bereaved husband, Yui might just be able to put the past behind her and focus on her future. Get the tissues ready, you’re gonna need them…
2. The Damned by Renée Ahdieh (Hodder & Stoughton, July 2020)
This is the second in New York Times bestseller Ahdieh’s The Beautiful series, and is juicy, sultry and simply captivating. This is romance, cross-genred with fantasy thriller, and a proper page-turner. Following the events of The Beautiful, Sébastien Saint Germain is now cursed and forever changed. The price of loving Celine was costly – but Celine has also paid a high price for loving Bastien. Still recovering from injuries sustained during a night she can’t quite remember, her dreams are troubled, and what she doesn’t yet know is that she has set off a chain of events that could lead to her demise – forces hiding in the shadows have been patiently waiting for this moment for centuries. Just as Bastien and Celine begin to uncover the danger around them, they learn their love could tear them apart.
3. Us Three by Ruth Jones (Bantam Press, September 2020)
Ruth Jones’ debut novel, Never Greener, was a tour de force and a firm favourite amongst the Goldsboro staff, so we are delighted to be stocking her second novel, Us Three. Meet Lana, Judith and Catrin. Best friends since primary school when they swore an oath on a Curly Wurly wrapper that they would always be there for each other, come what may. After a trip of a lifetime, an unexpected events shakes the foundation of their friendship to its core, leaving their future – and once solid trifecta – in doubt. This is a funny, moving and ultimately uplifting novel about the power of friendship, how it defines us, and how to navigate it when good old life gets in the way. You will love this.
4. This Lovely City by Louise Hare (HarperCollins, March 2020)
Set just after WW2, Louise Hare’s debut verges on the edge of romance, with a healthy dose of thrilling drama. With the Blitz over and London reeling from war, jazz musician Lawrie Matthews has answered England’s call for help. Fresh off the Empire Windrush, he’s taken a tiny room in south London lodgings and has fallen in love with the girl next door. Lawrie has poured his heart out into his new home – until one morning he makes a terrible discovery. As the local community rallies, fingers of blame are pointed at this who had recently been welcomed with open arms. Before long, the newest arrivals become the prime suspects in a tragedy which threatens to tear the city apart.
5. Grown Ups by Marian Keyes (Michael Joseph, February 2020)
If you are yet to acquaint yourselves with Marian Keyes’ signature wit & humour then please do look no further than her latest novel, Grown Ups. You’re about to enter the world of the glamorous Casey family – Johnny Casey, his two brothers Ed and Liam, their talented, beautiful wives and all their kids. Under the surface though, conditions are murkier. While some people clash, other people like each other far too much. Everything stays under control until Ed’s wife, Cara, gets concussion and can’t keep her thoughts to herself. In the subsequent unravelling, every one of the adults finds themselves wondering if it’s time – finally – to grow up? We have yet to meet a Marian Keyes book we don’t like, and Grown Up sis no exception. Perfect for this Bank Holiday’s reading.
6. Looking For Eliza by Leaf Arbuthnot (Trapeze, May 2020)
Now, not a romance by the usual standards, but a book packed full of love nonetheless. Intergenerational friendship and the deep feelings that come along for the ride, are the order of the day in this beautiful story of connection and loss. A widow, Ada, puts up adverts to ‘Rent A Granny’ in an attempt to reconnect with people… it’s not until she finds Eliza, a student recently free of an abusive relationship, that she truly starts to feel less alone. With hard-to-ignore of the struggles some people are facing in the current climate, we could not be recommending this with a fuller heart.
