AAR

[janet w]

There is more than one contemporary British author that I enjoy. It's not just the fabulous E L James, the behemoth in the corner who is crushing the competition. I actually rely on a trio of British authors when I've had enough Dukes, Regency and sex sex sex (not that I have any complaints with that list!).

Jill Mansell is one of them: http://www.likesbooks.com/cgi-bin/bookReview.pl?BookReviewId=9012 I liked Leigh's review, and the grade: it gives me just enough to go on. Almost every British author's books are multi-generational, and I like that. Change to one member of the family affects everyone ... that ole ripple effect. I'm not great with titles but Mansell has been reviewed here before -- check the older reviews: she's perfect summer reading.

Two other authors, Elizabeth Buchan -- tending more in the direction of women's fiction but shot through with wry humour -- and the very popular Sophie Kinsella. I like all of these authors better than American favourite Jennifer Weiner because reality always trumps the ridiculous in these books set in the UK and sometimes Weiner awkwardly* vears in the direction of a mixture of Nicholas Sparks and "I'm a SERIOUS author so there has to be great unexpected SADNESS in my books". It's not that sad or reality is missing in the books of Buchan/Mansell/Kinsella, it's that the optimism and daring to try again aspect of life always triumphs.

* posting on the fly, hope that word is spelled correctly

[NoirFemme]

Marian Keyes is my go-to British author. I also like Jane Green.

[Cora]

There are several good British/Irish authors of contemporary romance and chick lit. In addition to Jill Mansell and Marian Keyes (who's actuall Irish), I also like Julie Cohen (American, but lives in the UK and writes books set there), Lisa Jewell, Phillippa Ashley, Susan Conley (also Irish), Suzanne Macpherson, Zoe Barnes and Sarah Webb.
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