Nobody Said It Would Be Easy — Linda Berry

For women and men on the run up to Christmas romance can seem thin on the ground, with the stresses of family drama and British life working to test even the strongest of romantic relationships. Frayed at the edges is probably the best way to describe the life of Freda, a market trader with an annoying boyfriend, Ryan, who finds her life disappointingly empty of romance and sex. For her, urban love stories are a distant thing â€" she has everyday life to deal with. So, on the run-up to the Christmas holidays, Freda finds herself busy as ever, running her jewellery stall, organising the 1940s evening for her friends, and trying to get all the presents sorted in order to avoid the usual family drama. Concern about romantic relationships isn't high on her list of priorities but Ryan seems distant, quick to anger and irritable with the women and men around him. And when Freda wakes up on Christmas morning without the usual invitations for Christmas romance and sex, it becomes clear that something is terribly wrong. But what? Will she ever see Ryan again? A beautifully told romance up there with the best urban love stories, 'Nobody Said it would be Easy' tells a heart-warming tale about British life the extraordinary people who live ordinary lives.