Cirrus@Austlit

'Set over the twelve days of Christmas at a boutique Venice hotel, this deliciously twisty novel by acclaimed Australian author is ideal for fans of Nine Perfect Strangers and The White Lotus.

'When the lives of four very different women become entangled in a boutique Venice hotel, dark secrets unravel and not everyone who checked into the hotel will check out again.

'Signora Loretta Bianchi, the world famous cook at Venice’s Hotel Il Cuore, is forced to choose between once-in-a-lifetime passion and her devoted husband.

'Sophie, on assignment in Venice as a food writer, finds a lot more than Signora Bianchi’s secret recipes to love, but what is the charming Rocco hiding?

'Law graduate Elena is sinking just like the endangered city she’s returned home to, and she’ll stop at nothing to be free from her marriage.

'Grandmother Gayle’s dream Venetian holiday turns sinister as she finds herself embroiled in a life or death escape.

'Set against a backdrop of the romance and tragedy of magical Venice, The Venice Hotel explores the powerful bonds that develop between women in times of crisis, and the healing power of female connection.' (Publication summary)

'Three generations of women. Three heartbreaking choices. One unforgettable story.

'1969: Free-spirited hippie Jess James has no intention of falling for a soldier ... but perhaps some things are not in our power to stop.

'1989: Jess's daughter, Jamie, dreams of a simple life - marriage, children, stability - then she meets a struggling musician and suddenly the future becomes wilder and complex.

'2017: When Jamie's daughter, CJ, brings home trouble in the form of the coolest boy at school, the worlds of these three women turn upside down ... and the past returns to haunt them.

'Spanning the trauma of the Vietnam War to the bright lights of Nashville, the epidemic of teenage self-harm to the tragedy of incurable illness, Love and Other Battles is the heart-wrenching story of three generations of Australian women, who learn that true love is not always where you seek it.

'If you loved The Notebook, this is a novel for you.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'When football star Nick Harding hobbles into the Black Salt Cafe the morning after the night before, he is served by Anna, a waitress with haunted-looking eyes and no interest in footballers, famous or otherwise. Nick is instantly drawn to this exotic, intelligent girl. But a relationship between them risks shame for her conservative refugee family and backlash for Nick that could ruin his career.

'Meanwhile, Nick's sister, Lily, is struggling to finish her medical degree. When she meets Toby, it seems that for the first time she is following her heart, not the expectations of others. Yet what starts out as a passionate affair with a man still grieving after his wife's death slips quickly into dangerous dependency.

'Scarred by tragedy each in their own way, these warm, hopeful couples must overcome prejudice and heartbreak to prove just how much they will give for beautiful messy love.' (Publication summary)

'Hot sun, warm bodies, tight skin, electricity on the air ... four top romance authors give you their take on summer.

'From Carla Caruso - A chance meeting with a pro-surfer on an island getaway ...

'From Maria Lewis - The world of women's surfing throws two recent bedmates together ...

'From Alli Sinclair - A world-famous performer finds her heart and a way to fight her demons in Rio de Janeiro ...

'From Tess Woods - A Cornish beach retreat proves a full reawakening ...'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

'Looking back on it now, I can see it was instant. The second we locked eyes. Boom. Just like that. The me I had spent a lifetime perfecting began its disintegration from that moment. And despite the carnage it brought to all our lives, I still don't regret it.

'What would you risk to be with the love of your life? And what if your soul mate is the one who will destroy you?

'Mel is living the dream. She's a successful GP, married to a charming anaesthetist and raising a beautiful family in their plush home in Perth. But when she boards a flight to Melbourne, she meets Matt and her picture perfect Stepford life unravels as she falls in love for the first time ever.

'What begins as a flirty conversation between strangers quickly develops into a hot and obsessive affair with disastrous consequences neither Mel nor Matt could have ever seen coming. Mel's dream life turns into her worst nightmare.

'Love at First Flight will take everything you believe about what true love is and spin it on its head.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.