My top Summer Reads 2022

I’ve got the bug again - not the dreaded virus, but the reading bug. I went to Rhodes for a week at the start of June and enjoyed some wonderful novels I’d love to share - you can read more about all of them, and read ebook previews, in my Amazon shop here.
The newspapers mostly pick quite heavyweight books for their summer reads lists but mine is unashamedly all about page-turning, intelligent stories.

A double dose of my all-time favourite writer, Lisa Jewell!

Lisa’s books inspired me to write - she never puts a foot wrong, as far as I’m concerned, with sparkling writing, fascinating characters, and stories that stay with you a long time after you’ve closed the book. I had a preview of The Family Remains, the sequel to her brilliant The Family Upstairs, and had to ration myself as I enjoyed it so much.

And right after I’d finished, I read The Truth about Lisa Jewell, a non-fiction book detailing how author Will Brooker followed Lisa for a year as she wrote The Family Remains. I am endlessly intrigued by how other writers work, and though I do know Lisa socially, I had no idea that she goes into a book without knowing what’s really going to happen! As someone who plots carefully, that was scary for me to read, but it’s made me want to try! It was a really interesting book, and definitely one for big LJ fans, or people who want to know more about how she creates her novels!

Brighton Breezy - stories set in my favourite city!

Sue Teddern’s The Pre-Loved Club is only her second novel, but her years of experience as a TV and radio writer shine through in her witty dialogue and warm, recognisable characters. This book makes the most of our beloved Brighton setting. I raced through it!
And another novel with this irresistible coastal setting is Josie Lloyd’s Lifesaving for Beginners, which follows a group of brave and brilliant women sea-swimmers as they try to stay afloat through emotional drama and the difficulties of lockdown. I loved this - Josie really puts her characters through the mill, but it’s an incredibly uplifting story about friendship and love.

Trips through time - a memorable woman & a super-smart story

You might have heard about both these books, but in case you haven’t, I loved Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus, for the vibrant writing style and the stand-out central character, a courageous and uncompromising scientist trying to tackle the sexism of the 1960s with humour and determination. And I was astounded by the cleverness of Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister, a thriller with a Groundhog Day structure. It’s brain-scramblingly smart but also manages to have a real emotional hit. Brilliant.

One last summer read… by me!

Obviously I can’t say nice things about my own book, Owner of a Lonely Heart, but lots of authors have read it and said nice things instead! Out in the UK July 7.

Buy on Kindle

Buy the gorgeous hardback

Now over to you - what books are you reading this summer?

Unboxing my new book - with the dog's help!

It’s always a big treat to get the first finished copies of my latest book - and this time, I decided to get our little dog involved involved. She inspired one of the storylines, as the book features a border terrier who visits hospital patients - just as our fantastic little ‘canine therapist’ does! I buried some of her treats inside before I took a look at the books, so we were both very happy, as you can see in this video. It’s such a pretty cover, isn’t it?

The book is out on July 7 in the UK!

You can buy the hardback for delivery anywhere in the world on The Book Depository, or in the UK, at Bookshop.org or via Waterstones.com

Buy on Kindle or audiobook and check out my Amazon Bookshop link with all my top summer reads

PEACH & TOMATO PANZANELLA, 185 Calories

Simple but irresistible, the flavours of summer on a plate (I made it with our first tomatoes from the garden and it was perfection). Tomato and peach are a classic combination, and I’ve just added a little extra crunch with the bread to create a version of the traditional Italian panzanella salad.

Serves 1

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 3 minutes

• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, 41 calories

• 1 x 30g slice stale country/sourdough bread, 66

• 100g mixed ripe tomatoes, sliced or halved into bite-sized pieces, 20

• 1 ripe peach, cut into bite-sized pieces, 51

• 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar, 2

• Small handful of basil leaves, 5

• Freshly ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste

1. Heat a griddle and brush with a few drops of the oil (keep the rest for the dressing). Toast the bread on both sides, then tear into bite-sized chunks.

2. Arrange the tomatoes and peach pieces on a plate with the bread.

3. Mix together the remaining olive oil and vinegar in a bowl and drizzle over the salad, then scatter the basil leaves on top. Season well and serve at room temperature (ideally, wait for a few minutes to let the dressing soften the bread).

P. S. For a gluten-free version, substitute 10g of pistachio nuts (59 calories), lightly crushed, for the bread.

Add half a ball of ‘light’ mozzarella (100–109 calories) for a more substantial meal – it’s not quite as creamy as the full fat version, but it works on a Fast Day if seasoned well and accompanied by a tasty dressing. Or try salty, savoury crumbled feta instead.

Recipe from 5:2 Veggie & Vegan

5:2 books

Introducing... Owner of a Lonely Heart

It’s time to reveal the BEAUTIFUL, joy-filled cover for my next Eva Carter novel which is called OWNER OF A LONELY HEART…

Isn’t it gorgeous? The book is set during a summer heatwave in Bristol, and the cover designer has recreated the Clifton Suspension Bridge in a balmy evening – I think it’s so upbeat and colourful.

Here’s more about the book:

What are you most afraid of . . . ?

Gemma is terrified of slowing down, because if she does, she’ll have to admit how lonely she’s felt since losing the love of her life. So she fills her days with work and taking her dog, Bear, to comfort young patients at the local hospital. That's enough, isn't it?

Dan is scared of anyone getting to know the real him. He’s the life and soul of every party, but he’s certain that if people find out what he’s done, everything will fall apart.

Casey is Dan’s twelve year old daughter – though they barely know each other. She’s starting four weeks of treatment for a benign tumour, and is scared this summer could be her last.

When Gemma, Dan and Casey meet one scorching July, the connection is instant. Yet they’re all used to protecting themselves from heartbreak by keeping their distance. Now that fate – and a small, scruffy terrier – have brought them together, can they find the courage to connect?

A story of bravery in all its guises, Eva Carter's Owner of A Lonely Heart is about taking the plunge even when it frightens you – because it's never too late to find the people who make your world make sense.

This is a book I was writing while I was caring for my dad last year and – reading it again – I realised how much the story is about fatherly love, as well as the romantic kind.

YOU CAN BUY THE HARDBACK FOR DELIVERY ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD ON THE BOOK DEPOSITORY, OR IN THE UK, AT BOOKSHOP.ORG OR VIA WATERSTONES.COM

BUY ON KINDLE OR AUDIOBOOK AND CHECK OUT MY AMAZON BOOKSHOP LINK WITH ALL MY TOP SUMMER READS

Coconut Vegetable Curry

Sri Lankan inspired Coconut Vegetable Curry

Vegetarian/vegan/gluten free

I recently recovered from Covid-19 and since then, I’ve been craving lighter and full-flavoured food, so I started with one of my favourites, inspired by my first ever trip to Asia. I loved Sri Lanka – and even though I’m not really a big coconut fan, I loved the sweet-sour taste of their veggie dishes, which comes from coconut milk. This simple dish is always a winner.

Don’t worry if you don’t have the tamarind or the curry leaves. You can also leave out the desiccated coconut, but the coconut milk is pretty essential for this delicious dish.  Choose a rainbow of seasonal vegetables for a beautiful bowlful!

Makes 2 servings

Calories per serving: 240–265

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 13 minutes

1 tsp coconut OR olive oil 45 cals

1 tsp black mustard seeds 5 cals

1 tsp turmeric 5 cals

few black peppercorns

1 red onion, chopped 38 cals

½–1 small, hot red chilli, seeded, finely chopped 2–4 cals

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 8 cals

1–2cm-piece ginger, peeled and grated, to taste 3–4 cals

400g mixed vegetables, diced or chopped into equal-size pieces, including 80g baby aubergines 16 cals, 150g mixed butternut squash and sweet potato 92 cals, 1 medium courgette 34 cals, 1 red pepper 30 cals (150–200 cals in total)

Optional: 10g desiccated coconut, plus a little extra for serving 62 cals

1 tsp tamarind paste 7 cals or juice of ½ lime 10 cals

80ml coconut milk made up to 200ml with cold water 140 cals

100g Chinese cabbage, pak choi, or other greens 17 cals

Optional: 4 dried curry leaves, a few fresh coriander leaves, chopped to garnish

1.     Heat the oil in a large non-stick saucepan over a medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and cook for 1 minute till they pop slightly. Reduce the heat and add the onion, chilli, garlic, ginger, turmeric, peppercorns and fry gently for 2 minutes.

2.     Add the chopped vegetables and desiccated coconut if using, and fry for 2 more minutes. Add the curry leaves, tamarind paste and coconut milk and water mixture and, bring to a simmer. Let it cook for 6 minutes.

3.     Add the Chinese cabbage or greens and cook for a further 2 minutes.

4.     Serve sprinkled with the reserved coconut and chopped coriander. Delicious served with 50g basmati or jasmine rice per person (dry weight: 166-175 calories per serving).

More ideas from the 5:2 Kitchen For more protein, add tofu, cooked prawns or cooked chicken at the same stage as the coconut milk.

To freeze Simply allow the second portion to cool before freezing in an airtight plastic container. Defrost the curry before reheating in a pan or the microwave. 

For more delicious, healthy recipes like this, read my book,

5:2 Good Food Kitchen

Dear Kate: I get cold on Fast Days

DEAR KATE,

I’ve started fasting and find it easier than I expected except for one thing: I get so cold on fast days! Is this normal, and is there anything I can do?

MEL

DEAR MEL,

I’m writing my reply with a throw on my lap, a pair of my thickest socks on my feet, and a mug of hot coffee at my side. Yes, it’s a Fast Day, it’s -2 degrees and there’s freezing fog outside, and it doesn’t feel much warmer inside either.

Brrrr...

Feeling colder than usual on a fast day is really common: some people get used to it while others (like me) just take steps to make it feel better.There are different reasons why you might feel colder. Firstly, your body creates heat when it digests food. So on a Fast Day when you’re eating less, you’re not generating that ‘central heating.’ Also, your body is very good at protecting your vital organs, which means if you’re not eating as much, it may sense that and prioritise them, so your extremities (hands and feet) cool down.

The good news about being cool...

The good news, is that your body actually burns calories maintaining a stable temperature, so you’re likely to be using energy that way. This fascinating Dutch research even suggests that turning down the central heating could help us stay slim.

Down with cold - tips to warm you up again

Stick on the kettle

Hot drinks warm your hands and your insides too.

Black coffee, herb teas, or especially a lump of fresh ginger and a slice of lemon in boiling water will soon make you toastier.

Pull on the socks (and the gloves) 

Your extremities are left to fend for themselves, so help them out with warm socks and, if you do a desk-based job, even fingerless gloves can help (I use these if I don’t want to stick the heating on as I work from home).

PS: a warm pet helps too…

Eat for heat…

When you do eat, plan meals with warming spices - a big pot of curry or chilli will be perfect and can be made fast day friendly so easily.

A bowl of soup always saves my life on a Fast Day, too. Chili peppers can raise the metabolism to warm you up and possibly burn a few more calories…

Jump around!

Being active helps get the circulation moving again. Getting up from your desk every hour and walking for a few minutes will help, or dancing to the radio. Better still, a walk outside (wrapped up warm) will energise you too. 

Want more tips and down to earth advice? 

You can read much more about my journey, fasting tips and weight loss science, in The 5:2 Diet Book.

With my VERY warmest wishes,
Kate x

After the miracle…

October is Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month - so I wanted to share the stories of six amazing survivors whose portraits I took, showcasing the items that reflect the amazing second chances they’ve had since beating the odds and surviving cardiac arrest. You can see their portraits below.

I took the photos as part of my research for How to Save a Life which was itself inspired by my experience of giving CPR to my partner. This is the perfect time to discover how quick and simple it is for you to learn CPR, with options for online or face-to-face.

Plus you can read the stories below and do visit the SCA UK Facebook page to discover even more inspiring examples of survival!

Charlie

‘Oscar’s drawing represents my family, including my granddaughter Tallulah. To be here watching one growing up and another born is literally the most miraculous thing about surviving.’

Helen

‘My necklace signifies that I will continue living and growing for years to come. It was bought by my husband after my cardiac arrest. The heart shape reminds me of what happened in a good way, how far I have come and how much I am loved.’

Ann

The bracelet she’s holding was a gift from her two grandsons. ‘Five years on I feel good in myself, mentally and emotionally. A day at a time, I don't look too far ahead, and that's quite sufficient for me.’

Charlotte

‘I have placed 13 defibrillators with my husband in our local area. We are now “heartsafe” meaning we have a defibrillator every 700 metres in my town. So the defibrillator signifies our achievement in saving other potential lives for many years to come.’

Chris

‘The mug was a present from my granddaughters just after my 50th, so it’s very special for that reason. I should not have been here for my 50th, but here I am. You hear about people not wanting to reach 50, but in my case, I was over the moon.’

Willem

‘The wooden cutting board was a gift from my son and it’s my reminder of what I could have missed had I not survived my arrest. Seeing my son grow up and having the time to spend with him is priceless.’