Five new books to read this week

This week's new releases cover frothy romances and gripping crime novels…

Fiction

1. Love In Translation by Joss Wood is published in paperback by Afterglow Books. Available December 19

Love In Translation is a romance that is sure to touch your heart. Rheo Whitlock, reeling from a mistake that ended her career as a UN interpreter, flees to her grandmother's isolated retreat. When adventurer Fletcher Wright ends up sharing the same rental, an instant connection is formed between them. This pushes them to confront their deepest fears: Rheo's need for control and Fletcher's fear of commitment. The novel shines through its contrasting characters, providing an engaging push and pull dynamic that keeps readers hooked. Although seasoned romance fans may anticipate the twists and turns and find the resolution predictable, the charm of the story lies in its heartwarming nature and emotional depth. Love In Translation is a great read that will leave you smiling long after the last page.
7/10
(Review by Molly Powell)

2. Accused by Lynda La Plante is published in paperback by Zaffre. Available now

In Accused, Lynda La Plante doesn't reinvent the wheel the way detective fiction does, but the crime writer provides a satisfying plot. The novel begins with the heavily drawn character of Cassie Booth, who disappears after a newspaper run, and detectives Pat North and Michael “Mike” Walker (who you may recognize from the TV series Trial & Retribution) are soon called to understand what is happening. has arrived. The investigation takes several turns and includes a moment where North finds himself under extreme pressure when two suspects, persistent complainant Stephen Warrington and boathouse owner Karl Wilding, enter the frame. The third book in the Trial And Retribution series, just like the TV show, wraps up the details with a trial and also provides insight into how legal issues can impact a case. Hopefully, La Plante leans more towards the return of its TV characters – it leaves the reader eager to see more of the series.
7/10
(Review by Charlotte McLaughlin)

3. Beating Heart by Laura Pavlov is published in paperback by HQ. Available now

Light and fluffy is the name of the game with the latest installment in the Magnolia Falls series – books that all take place in the same small American town, but can be read as standalone novels. This time, the perspectives change between Nash, a gruff single father who devotes himself to his asthmatic son; and Emerson, a big city doctor who moves to town, fleeing a heartbreak. There's just about every cliché you can think of – the two don't like each other at first, but then something deeper develops between them (and it can't hurt that Laura Pavlov gives a lot of herself to emphasize how attractive they are). If you like predictable romances, this will tick all the boxes – those looking for a lot more will probably want to avoid.
5/10
(Review by Lily Rose)

Non-fiction

4. Trauma Proof: Healing, Attachment And The Science Of Prevention by Benjamin Perks is published in hardback by Ithaka. Available December 19

In Trauma Proof, Benjamin Perks – head of advocacy at UNICEF – skillfully weaves together the personal and the educational. He has intimate experience of childhood trauma, after a chaotic upbringing often spent in violent nursing homes, and is then honest about the time it took him until adulthood to heal these deep wounds . Perks writes in an open and engaging way, but it's not just about his story: he gives a comprehensive and varied picture of childhood trauma through the lens of different children, parents, teachers and more, also exploring survivors and descendants of historical traumas like the Holocaust. This is a fascinating new look at childhood trauma, considering what its impacts really are – and what needs to be done. An important read.
8/10
(Review by Prudence Wade)

Children's book of the week

5. When The Stammer Came To Stay by Maggie O'Farrell, illustrated by Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini, is published in hardback by Walker Books. Available now

This sweet story of sisterly support and the power of learning from personal challenges is based on Women's Prize winner Maggie O'Farrell's own experiences with stuttering. Min is too talkative and her sister Bea is too neat; then one day, Min can't pronounce her words. She sees a gray orb – a “dibbuk” – resting on her shoulder, stuffing them into her own mouth. But with the help of Bea, a librarian and mycologist (O'Farrell is not stupid at all), Min learns to accept, and even cherish, his stutter. Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini's soft, intricate illustrations are particularly nostalgic – even as an adult reader, you find yourself lost in the double-page drawing of the sisters' dilapidated house, filled with fascinating tenants, and the girls' magnificent attic bedroom. At times it's a little slow and lacks gripping drama, but its reassuring tone will bring comfort to anyone struggling to find their voice.
7/10
(Review by Ella Walker)

RESERVE THE PAINTINGS FOR THE WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 14

hardback (fiction)
1. We Solve Murders by Richard Osman
2. Too Deep by Lee Child and Andrew Child
3. Orbital by Samantha Harvey
4. Killing time by Alan Bennett
5. Intermezzo by Sally Rooney
6. Murder Under the Mistletoe of Reverend Richard Coles
7. The Avocado Hotel by Bob Mortimer
8. Quicksilver by Callie Hart
9. We will prescribe a chat for you by Syou Ishida
10. Wind and Truth by Brandon Sanderson
(Compiled by Waterstones)

hardback (non-fiction)
1. Private Eye Annual 2024 by Ian Hislop
2. A Pawtobiography of Ted the Dog
3. I Haven't Been Completely Honest With You by Miranda Hart
4. Guinness World Records 2025
5. Diddly Squat by Jeremy Clarkson
6. Simply Jamie by Jamie Oliver
7. Unchained by Boris Johnson
8. All That Matters by Sir Chris Hoy
9. Raising a Hare by Chloé Dalton
10. The Book of Gifts by Lucy Claire Dunbar
(Compiled by Waterstones)

AUDIOBOOKS (FICTION AND NON-FICTION)
1. Wind and Truth by Brandon Sanderson
2. We Solve Murders by Richard Osman
3. I Haven't Been Completely Honest With You by Miranda Hart
4. The hidden life of trees by Peter Wohlleben
5. The Avocado Hotel by Bob Mortimer
6. Atomic Habits by James Clear
7. Here for a moment by Liane Moriarty
8. Lights Out by Navessa Allen
9. Absolute Power by David Baldacci
10. Odyssey by Stephen Fry
(Compiled by Audible)