All the exams have wrapped up and I am as free as a bird for the summer. A bird flying with her three chicks that is! Lets all pray for a lovely summer so we can sit outside and mammy can read while her little chicks are happily playing away.

There will be a lot happening here at After The Final Chapters in the coming weeks. The very next thing coming your way is an interview with the fabulous Lauren Blakely. Lauren is the author of Caught Up In US and Pretending He’s Mine. Today saw her publish her next novel Trophy Husband which I cannot wait to read. Unfortunately that will just have to wait a few days though. I have a more reviews and interviews coming your way.

I decided that I was going to have an Irish Chick Lit Month, so I will be reviewing Irish books that are being published by Penguin in paperback in the coming weeks. Which books? I hear you ask.

We will be starting with Pleasures of Summer. Do you remember Pleasures of Winter? Last summers sensation which sold over 50,000 copies. I will also be interviewing the author Evie Hunter. Evie Hunter is actually the coming together of two very talented ladies, Caroline McCall and Eileen Gormley. I am looking forward to interviewing these ladies.

I will also be reviewing Thick and Thin by Sarah Harte. After her debut novel The Better Half, Sarah was tagged as the latest sensation in women’s fiction. I will be sure to let you know if I agree!

Amy Huberman is next on my list. From the author of Hello Heartbreak comes I Wished For You. Described by Closer Magazine as “Witty, observant and very Bridget Jones like” it is sure to be a great read. I am looking forward to a change of pace as i am so used to (and love) books that are so full of angst and tension.

Also on my list of Irish fiction is The Herbalist by Niamh Boyce. Another new sensation for Irish fiction, Niamh Boyce is a recipient of the Hennessy Award. Set in 1930’s Ireland The Herbalist deals with serious issues, which are still surprisingly prominent in 21st Century Ireland. Scenery may change but the real issues stay the same. It is sure to be a compelling read.

Thanks to the lovely Cliona Lewis at Penguin Ireland, we will be giving away both The Pleasures of Winter and The Pleasures of Summer, so stay tuned for details of that competition. Who knows what other competitions may follow!