Reviews

• “Thoroughly enjoyable and full of deft, sparky humour” – Jill Mansell
• “Funny, realistic and full of insight. I couldn’t put it down…” – Katie Fforde
• “Poignant and hilarious in equal measure” – Daily Mail
• “Deliciously different” – The Bookseller
• “The story you’ve always wanted to read about infidelity” – Cosmopolitan
• “A perfect read” – OK
• “Frothy and funny” – Woman’s Own
• “Original and lots of fun” – B Magazine
• “Convincingly drawn” – Daily Mail
• “Great Fun” – Heat
• “A great read” – Best
• “A must-have book for every writer” – The New Writer
• “Practical & Funny…Packed with information and advice” – Woman’s Weekly
• “The ultimate how-to book” – Writing Magazine
• “Brilliant” – Sue Cook
• “The irrepressible Wenham-Jones has a sense of humour as well as a complete lack of inhibition…” – Daily Mail

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100 Ways to Fight the Flab, (ebook released 1st January 2013)

One hundred helpful and hilarious tips for fighting the flab and looking your best from Jane Wenham-Jones, best-selling author and columnist.

My BMI is 22, my hip to waist ratio passes muster with the medical profession and given the right light, when wearing the right underwear, I have even been referred to “slim”. A small miracle given my alcohol intake, addiction to crisps and erratic approach to exercise….”

So speaks Jane Wenham-Jones, the author who coined the term “Writer’s Bottom”. Here, she brings you her top 100 tips for keeping a spreading rear end at bay. Quirky, hilarious, uplifting, occasionally bizarre, every one of these tried-and-tested methods will have you looking and feeling slimmer and fitter – even with a glass in your hand…

100 Ways received its first review on 18th January 2013, its second on 8th February and third on 28th March. You can read about them on the 100 Ways to Fight the Flab book page.

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Prime Time (eBook released 13th December 2011 / paperback will be released on 5th July)

Laura Meredith never imagined herself appearing on TV– she’s too old, too flabby, too downright hormonal, and much too busy holding things together for her son, Stanley, after husband, Daniel, left her for a younger, thinner replacement. But best friend Charlotte is a determined woman and when Laura is persuaded on to a daytime show to talk about her PMT, everything changes. Suddenly there’s a camera crew tracking her every move and Laura finds herself an unlikely star. Wined, dined, and pampered, she begins to see the charms of a younger partner herself. But as things hot up between her and gorgeous TV director, Cal, they’re going downhill elsewhere. While Laura’s caught up in a heady whirlwind of beauty treatments, makeovers and glamorous film locations, Charlotte’s husband, Roger, is concealing a guilty secret, Stanley’s got problems at school, work’s piling up, and when Laura turns detective to protect Charlotte’s marriage, things go horribly wrong. The champagne’s flowing as Laura’s prime time TV debut looks set to be a hit. But in every month, there’s a Day Ten…

Some of Amazon reviews…

• Jane’s previous books have been great entertainment, but this is the best yet. Her characters are drawn so deftly that they become people you know within a few pages. Lots of her usual humour with dollops of real life we can all identify with. It’s a ‘must read’ so try it now. You’ll love it!
• Wow,well what can i say, what a wonderful read, so very funny, i can so see some of myself in Laura the main character. Its the 1st Jane Wenham Jones book i’ve read. I’m now about to download the others. I can’t wait to start reading. Well done Jane.
• Another fab offering from the pen of the mighty Jane Wenham-Jones. Fantastic characters, lot’s of laughs and an immensely satisfying read. Never get on the wrong side of this lady; the term ‘razor sharp wit’ was surely coined for her! The best one yet, looking forward to the next book already.
• Want a book thats funny but includes serious issues of real life we can all relate to, then grab this book and give it a try you seriously won’t regret it!!

Wannabe a Writer We’ve Heard Of? (published 18th October 2010)

The entertaining follow-up to the successful Wannabe A Writer?, is an essential read for established authors, the newly-published or anyone chasing the limelight. In today’s celebrity-driven world, self-confessed media tart Jane Wenham-Jones, takes us on an uproarious ride along the publicity trail from getting the perfect promotional photo to choosing clothes to wear on TV. With anecdotes from Jane’s own numerous media exploits, Wannabe a Writer We’ve Heard Of? is packed with tips and tricks for getting maximum column inches and airtime for your books and projects. Offering insights from writers, publicists and celebrities who’ve been there and done that, this is the ultimate guide for anyone longing for fame…

Amazon reviews include…

• This is the second Wannabe book by Jane Wenham-Jones and the second Wannabe book to make me regularly burst out laughing while reading it – not something that’s ever happened to me while reading a book on writing before! It’s packed full of really useful advice which translates easily from the writing world to other professions, so I’ve been able to get hints and tips for my own small business as well – and the book has helped me work up a plan to expand my erotica writing so I can justify a boudoir shoot with a fabulous local photographer on business expenses. ;o)
• This is an excellent how-to for writers and would-be writers, with lots of advice, practical experience and inspiration. Anyone who thinks that writing a book ends with typing ‘The End’ may have a bit of a surprise at how much an author can do to influence their sales, and it is also heartening to realise how much Jane Wenham Jones has done to maximise her own career opportunities. Those who can’t afford to pay a professional PR will get the next best thing if they buy this.
• I’m not a huge reader of non-fiction books. Not because I don’t want to learn new things, but because I usually find them so dull and difficult to get into that I don’t absorb anything anyway. There’s absolutely no danger of this with Jane Wenham-Jones’ fab book, Wannabe a Writer We’ve Heard Of? A couple of years ago I read her first book in this series, entitled Wannabe a Writer? and thought it was awesome, so I was delighted to read this book, too. Jane Wenham-Jones is a lady with her fingers in many pies; fiction writer, non-fiction writer, newspaper and magazine columnist, and so on. She’s also in the public eye a great deal and therefore perfectly placed to be giving advice to people on such matters. In Wannabe a Writer We’ve Heard Of? she does it in her usual inimitable style: fun to read, easy to understand and full of humorous anecdotes. What’s great about this book is that every piece of information is broken up into small, easily read chunks, so you don’t feel overwhelmed by it. Add in Jane’s wicked sense of humour and sage advice, and you’re onto a winner here. As someone who’s in the PR game as well as writing, I still found lots of valuable advice in here. I would say this is mainly aimed at people with paperback books available in the shops, and the advice deals mainly with ‘real world’ stuff as opposed to online, but nevertheless it’s a brilliant book to add to your shelf.

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Perfect Alibis (published 2nd July 2007)

Stephanie – bored housewife and down-trodden mother – wants a job, and Madeleine’s recruitment company seems the obvious place to go. Except that PAs isn’t quite what it appears. Far from providing companies with Personal Assistants, the agency offers Perfect Alibis to unfaithful women. And as Stephanie soon discovers, there are lots of them about! Founder member Patsy, is a serial philanderer and there’s even a dark side to best friend, the blissfully-married Millie. For the well-heeled ladies of Edenhurst, PA’s is a ticket to risk-free adultery. When slacker Troy, Stephanie’s first love, returns unexpectedly, even she is tempted. But her life is soon in turmoil, and that’s before the tabloids get involved.

• “Deliciously different” – The Bookseller
• “The story you’ve always wanted to read about infidelity” – Cosmopolitan
• “A perfect read OK Original and lots of fun” – B Magazine
• “Convincingly drawn” – The Daily Mail
• “Great Fun” – Heat
• “A great read” – Best

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Wannabe a Writer? (published 1st May 2007)

Wannabe a Writer? has over 100 great contributors including Frederick Forsyth and Jilly Cooper, a heap of hacks from national newspapers and Amanda Ross, the producer of Richard & Judy. This is the first-ever tome to deal with the knotty problem of Writers’ Bottom (read the rave reviews from grateful readers on Amazon), offer tips on drying out a keyboard after spilling your red wine into it and to give an overview on the offside rule.

“I wish it had been on the shelves when I started out.” Bestselling novelist Katie Fforde

“A must-have book for every writer.” The New Writer

“Practical & funny…Packed with information and advice.” Woman’s Weekly

“The ultimate how-to book.” Writing Magazine

Amazon reviews include…

• I’ve just finished reading this book – literally couldn’t put it down. As well as being a really good book about writing, this is also very funny. I woke my husband by snorting out loud at her descriptions of genres. I loved the fact that the book is broken in to short sections so you can dip in and out if you want to.
• Like many authors, the path to publication has been a long one for me. I only wish Jane’s book had been around when I first started out – it would have made the whole process quicker, easier and less angst-ridden! Wannabe a Writer is packed with information – and unlike many books in this field it’s honest and up-to-date rather than vague and waffley. From getting started to getting an agent, this book will be like having an experienced, funny, helpful friend at your side. Buy it!
• It is packed with advice and tips from the moment you decide to write to the aftermath of your book being published. A number of well known experts, journalists, novelists, agents and publishers have also offered their view and encouraged the reader to read and write persistently. It is very inspiring and anyone seriously thinking about writing shouldn’t be without this fascinating book. I was motivated to the extent that wrote my very first short story and entered a competition well before finishing the book. I am now fully prepared for the results thanks to Jane Wenham-jones remarks throughout the book: it is very likely that I would be rejected and crucially I have to start all over again and again and again learning from the feedback received. A glass of wine is in hand in either case! She has made the whole seemingly dreadful business of writing something enjoyable and fun.
• I have a new friend. Although we may probably never meet, anyone who can make me laugh so much it made me wish I had overcome self-denial and secreted a packet of Tena Ladies under the weekly Tesco shop, at the same time as inspiring and educating, will always be a friend. The woman is a genius. She even `told’ me drinking is good for me before, during and after writing and backed it up with scientific fact! I am now off to buy said protective aid, a crate of cheap red (still a struggling nobody) and an assortment of choccy – sod writer’s bottom, I’m writing a best seller – before I get stuck into `Wanna be a Writer We’ve Heard Of’.

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One Glass is Never Enough (published 1st October 2005)

Three women, one bar and three different reasons for buying it. Single mother Sarah needs a home for her children, Claire’s an ambitious business woman. For wealthy Gaynor, Greens Wine Bar is just one more amusement. Or is it? On the surface, Gaynor has it all – money, looks, a beautiful home in the picturesque seaside town of Broadstairs, and Victor – her generous, successful husband. But while Sarah longs for love and Claire is making money, Gaynor wants answers. Why is Victor behaving strangely and who does he see on his frequent trips away? What’s behind the threatening phone-calls? As the bar takes off, Gaynor’s life starts to fall apart. Into her turmoil comes Sam – strong and silent with a hidden past. Theirs is an unlikely friendship but then nobody is quite what they seem in this tale of love, loss and betrayal set against the middle-class dream of owning a wine bar. As Gaynor’s confusion grows, events unfold that will change all of their lives forever.

“Funny, realistic and full of insight. I couldn’t put it down…” Katie Fforde

Some of Amazon’s reviews…

• Another fabulous read from the fantastic Jane Wenham-Jones. This woman’s writing just keeps getting better and better. More of the same, please.
• It is a brave writer who has mental health issues running through what can be classed as chick lit, or romantic fiction. But in the hands of Jane Wenham-Jones this is done with respect and understanding. Ms Wenham-Jones also has that rare skill in her genre of making the romance sensuous without graphic description – the growing attraction between Sam and Gaynor in this novel is a case in point. One Glass is Never Enough is a page-turner of story-telling excellence – more please.
• My first Ms Wenham-Jones, and won’t be the last, loved it loved it loved it… very funny, touching, sensitive, and unputdownable, read it in 2 days. Covers all emotions and feelings, buy this book!
• To quote the book blurb this latest novel from Jane Wenham-Jones is sparkling like champagne! A tale of three women and their differing reasons for owning Greens Wine Bar will have you turning the pages to the end. Personally, I think it’s her best novel yet. Written with her usual sparky humour but this time with a deeper backplot of unlikely friendships, love, loss and betrayal.
• This story may froth like champagne but it’s a very deep and satisfying glass. As in real life, all the characters hide behind facades destined to crumble and I loved the way the author skilfully exposes their inner needs. Gaynor is the star of the whole show – complex, loving, lonely, and swamping her fears with a carefully constructed gloss. She is so human I wanted to hug her! This is Jane Wenham-Jones’ best book yet. It has more depth than is first apparent, a pace that makes it impossible to put down, and all the characters pull the reader right in to share both triumphs and problems. And the end? Perfect.
• This book is a rollercoaster ride through the lives of three women who own a wine bar. The central, and very sensitive, love story casts light and shade on the main character, Gaynor, whose emotions only this author could bring to life so well. This book surpasses the author’s first two novels, Raising the Roof and Perfect Alibis. A terrific read.

and then in August 2012…

• 5 out of 5 stars BRILLIANT novel, I enjoyed every glass!, August 1, 2012 by Ruby Beach-Siegel “Auntie Roux” (Beaverton, OR USA): I really loved this book. Of course, it DID make me want to have a glass of wine – or two – lol! Three women with different backgrounds go in together to purchase a wine bar/restaurant on the eastern coast of England. I could FEEL being in that place! There were several twists and turns, one of which I figured out very shortly into the novel, and others that were a surprise. Lovely, lovely book. I was so smitten with the characters – Sarah was a delight and reminded me very much of my own life. Having quite a bit of experience in the restaurant world, I really enjoyed the authenticity of the scenes and the anxieties, challenges and the rewards experienced by the three women owners.

You can also read Chris High’s review of this novel here.

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Raising the Roof (published 1st October 2001)

Cari is jobless and has an overdraft the size of the national debt. She’ll be homeless too if she can’t come up with some cash to buy out Martin, her ex-husband – he who cut up her Barclaycard before he moved in with another woman. No wonder she’s desperate enough to fall for dodgy entrepreneur Nigel’s get-rich-quick scheme, buying the worst house in town to convert into flats. All she has to do – he tells her – is get a bank loan and the money will roll in! But it doesn’t work out quite like that. Cari’s lumbered with a bank manager on the warpath, a sister on the verge of a nervous breakdown, a friend who’s permanently pregnant, a friend who may be pregnant – but not by the right man – and a tenant who won’t pay the rent. It’s not long before there are bailiffs at the front door and Cari finds herself in the back of a police van. And Nigel’s mysteriously disappeared.There is a knight in shining armour on the horizon, but naturally he’s married to someone else. Whatever happened to Cari’s Action List? Make some money, lose some weight, find someone to have a grand passion with, and become so rich and successful that Martin is consumed with jealousy. Will any of her wishes ever come true?

“Thoroughly enjoyable and full of deft, sparky humour” – Jill Mansell

Reviews on Amazon include…

• More than a hilarious romp, but not in the least depressing, ‘Raising the Roof’ is a witty and wry look at women at the beginning of the twentieth century. And what would we do without Cadbury’s chocolate fingers?
• Like Lynne Barrett-Lee’s Julia Gets A Life, Raising The Roof bounces along with wit and insight into the lives of 21st Century Woman. We suffer with Cari as she struggles to lose weight, keep the bank manager out of her hair and fails to say no to the temptation of getting-rich-quick. She’s dippy and delightful, beautiful and self-deprecating.
  Will she ever rid herself of the tenants from hell, find the love of her life and persuade her indomitable mother to stop leaving messages on the answering machine?
  Read and enjoy!
• A very funny book, best taken with a glass of good wine.
• …and from the very first page, Raising the Roof is a captivating blend of pin-prick sharp, intelligent humour, hilarious calamities, and a diet that even a derr brain like me could stick to, if it wasn’t for my empathy with Cari’s main lifestyle philosophy of going to bed and drinking wine – by the bucket, if possible – once the going gets tough. And quite right too – when you’ve got a irritating mother, a barking mad sister and a dubious character like Nigel in your life. What’s really special about this book however, is that it’s different. Not a trendy London wine bar or Manolo in sight. Instead we’re taken down the highways and byways of property renovation, ably guided by a cast of non-stereotpical chrcters, from Ben, the opera loving builder to hapless Henry, manager of the gloriously named Broadrange foods. But it isn’t just high jinks on the scaffolding; Jane Wenham-Jones’ handling of mental illness is both sensitive and thought provoking. A delight. Can’t wait for her next.
• Chick Lit? One for the girls? Don’t you believe it! This is a funny, intelligent and very moving novel. The dialogue crackles and the characters live. And while turning the pages, because you must, you also learn about buying-to-rent and doing up old property. The most enjoyable lesson I ever took. Give it a go, guys, you won’t regret it.

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Sexy Shorts is the brand name for a range of charity books produced by Accent Press Ltd.