Out of all of the simple pleasures in life, reading a book has to be right at the top and reading about the trials and tribulations of love is usually the thing to lose yourself in. The Next Best Thing is this kind of book. It is not only a good old-fashioned love story, albeit a sad one. Lucy finds the love of her life and then he dies. Leaving her a childless young widow. 5 years later she decides she doesn’t want to lose her chance at motherhood. To start her journey she stops her friends with benefits arrangement with Ethan, her former brother-in-law.

The Next Best Thing is a highly enjoyable book. Romance with substance. It is wonderful to lose yourself in Lucy’s Hungarian family and her Italian in-laws.

I don’t want to give too much away but this is lose-yourself escapism at it’s best. Worth a read.

New York Times bestseller Kristan Higgins’ latest book The Next Best Thing is the hottest new read from romance giant Mills & Boon. Two-time award winner Higgins has penned a witty, sassy and romantic novel that follows recently widowed Lucy as she searches for Mr Perfectly Boring.

Unwilling to risk a second broken heart, Lucy wants a decent man to fall in like – not love – with. She vows to move on from the hot but highly inappropriate Ethan but he isn’t going anywhere. As far as he’s concerned, what she needs might be right under her nose. But can he convince her that the next best thing really can be forever?

Fans of Jenny Colgan and Jennifer Weiner will relish this romantic read that will bring both tears and laughter in equal measures

The Next Best Thing by Kristan Higgins