Authors' Notes: Alexandra Potter on light-hearted reads for dark winter months

The author has given birth to a genius idea for a novel – faking a pregnancy in order to take off paid maternity leave – and I couldn’t wait to see where she was going to go with this brilliant, bold and bonkers plan. I love complicated female characters and Barri, our heroine, is both loveable and infuriating. Whilst you might not always agree with her, you will find yourself cheering her on in this humorous page-turner – as a huge fan of The Sound of Music I particularly loved the wonderfully named fake bumps – which also has a thought-provoking message at its core. 

I have adored this series and was sad to wave farewell to Emmy, one of my favourite fictional friends, who I first met in the highly enjoyable, Dear Mrs Bird. But if it’s true that all good things must come to an end, there is no better ending than this one. In this final instalment it’s 1944 and we reunite with Emmy and the rest of gang, as they relocate to the countryside to keep calm and carry on. Until disaster strikes and suddenly Emmy is faced with her biggest challenge yet. A heart-warming, emotional story about friendship and courage, this book is the perfect escape. 

If you loved Lessons in Chemistry, you will love this thought-provoking novel about America’s favourite TV family. After ruling the ratings for two decades, Del and Dinah and their two sons, Guy and Shep find themselves faced with failing sponsorship deals and the threat of being cancelled. . . and suddenly their perfect facade begins to crack. Set against the backdrop of the swinging sixties, this clever, witty novel is filled with social commentary and dialogue that leaps off the page. So, make yourself a cup of tea, pull up a chair and prepare to be entertained.  

An instant New York Times Bestseller, this darkly humorous novel is both a comedy and a thriller. First off, let me just say that I adored eighty-one-year-old Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick, our heroine. As an author who loves creating older characters – in my Confessions of a Forty-Something F##K Up series, Cricket is eighty-something – I was immediately drawn to this story about a little old lady who appears at first invisible, only for it to turn out she was once Mad Mabel, the youngest Australian in history to be convicted of murder more than sixty years ago. Packed with page-turning twists, I don’t want to give away anymore of the plot – just read it!

I adored Abigail Johnson’s debut novel, The Secret Collector so I couldn’t wait to read her follow-up novel and it didn’t disappoint. I love a mid-life heroine, so I was delighted to meet Gracie and cheer her on as she decides to take a stand against something that threatens everything she holds dear. It’s especially moving as Gracie has never stood up to anyone before and I loved watching her find her inner strength. Heartwarming and uplifting, this is a novel for anyone who has ever had to let go of the past and find the courage to start a new chapter.

Ever wished you could give your younger self some advice? This laugh-out-loud, heartwarming romantic comedy from Sunday Times bestselling author Alexandra Potter blends nostalgia, romance and second chances with a clever time-travel twist. Thirty-something Charlotte has a successful career and serious boyfriend, but life isn't quite the dream she imagined. When a cosmic glitch introduces her to Lottie, her carefree twenty-one-year-old self, she seizes the chance to rewrite her past. But could her younger self teach her more about love and happiness than she ever expected?