Who are the BEST chic lit writers?

[poodlepusher]

And by best it could mean most compelling, or most artfully written, or most moving, or most funny, depending on how you'd define "best".

I've read 1 Marian Keyes and found it a bit too harsh / grim reality (does she fit the chic lit moniker?) for my taste, and I've read a Penny Vincenzi which was a huge rambling saga that worked through 6 generations of women - it was exhausting but not compelling enough for me. And I've seen the Bridget Jones films but not read the books. But that's it - so my knowledge is very limited.

I'd really like to know which writers other MNers would recommend?

Well said bran!

I also like Marian Keyes but others worth a try even if you don't enjoy them - and no need to spend £10 - try charity shops or the library - that I quite like are Rowan Coleman, Jenny Colgan, Anna Maxted, Emily Barr. I do think Emily Barr writes very commercial, popular fiction rather than literature, that it's clearly written by an intelligent author and deals with issues that an intelligent woman might want to read about even in a light way is no bad thing.

I also really like Julie Highmore.

yep well said Bran!

That's a really interesting point about Pride & Prejudice that you make, Bran.

Does Daniel Blythe count as chick lit?
I like Helen Fielding (Bridget Jones).

Jane Austen IS published as chick lit today - have you seen the sparkly covers on some editions? She doesn't need to be alive today for that to happen and is probably spinning quietly in her grave.

P & P romance? Please - comedy of manners! Irony. Satire.

I actually don't think that all writers could simply choose to write literary fiction and don't - really I prefer to believe that most authors write as well as they can. They may choose to write in a genre or to a formula (as Sophie Kinsella did when her previous books under another name didn't sell), but in my view an author who has the ability to write a more literary book but who chooses to write a genre novel produces something a bit different. It's a bit hard to tell though, for me, as I'm not that experienced in lit crit. I'd think of Restless by William Boyd (Oh God is it Reckless, I forget?) as something of a genre novel by a lit novelist, also No Country for Old Men.

Maeve Binchy (but not sure it's chick lit as such...)

can't think of any other ones I like right now, as at the moment I read mainly true story's/biographies...

Jane green,

Sophie Kinsella.

Love these books ....
'Rise and Fall of a Yummy mummy'
'The secret Life of a Slummy Mummy'
'Sisteria'
'mOTHERLAND'
'From here to Paternity'
'The Shopaholic' series of books.
'Getting Over it'
'Ralphs party' and others by Jane Green
'21 Dream street'
'A tale of 2 Sisters'
'Babyface'
'The Nanny'
Most of the Marian Keyes books.

Not sure of the authors without going upstairs!!

Not sure if these count as chick-lit:

Marian Keyes
Allison Pearson - I don't know how she does it
Alexander McCall Smith - No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, or
Rosamunde Pilcher - The Shell Seekers
Janet Street Porter - Life's too f*ing short

How does Alexander McCall Smith count as chick lit? Male author, and I'd call the genre whodunnit.

Stepford wife - are YOU Marian Keyes?

Ok, my personal favourites are:

Lisa Jewell - Ralphs Party, Thirty Nothing etc.

Sophie Kinsella - Pure froth but very funny. Like watching an episode of friends in the way that it just makes you laugh.

Lesley Pearse - Not sure if chick lit as such but she has written some amazing books, sometimes with a historical influence. Never Look Back, Remember Me are two of the most gripping books I have read

Adele Parkes - Her characters are usually well off and to an extent quite arrogant, but I really like her books anyway.

Cathy Kelly - her earlier ones tend to be better than her recent offerings.

Louise Bagshwawe - Tall Poppies, The Movie, Career Girls and a Kept Woman are fab.

Jane Green - another one with main characters who tend to be well off, well connected etc, but I still love her books regardless of the fact that they make me feel slightly inadequate.

I have only read two of hers but Jennifer Weiner is a good writer. In Her Shoes is fab (much better than the film, though aren't they always) and I really liked her Little Earthquakes, which is a story about three women who meet at a pre-natal yoga class and follows them through the first year of their babies lives - very good IMO. All the characters she writes about are really well rounded, nobody seems to be a page filler.

I have read all the Marian Keyes and I really like her style; she's probably one of my favourite authors. I especially love her stories about the Walsh family, they are so well written. Thats Rachel's Holiday, Watermelon, Is Anybody Out There, and Angels. I'm waiting for her to write a story about Helen

I also really like Louise Bagshaw, some of her stories are fab. Half of hers are written in the third person, half arent. I prefer the ones which are written in the third person to be honest, not sure why. Tall Poppies, A Kept Woman, When She Was Bad are good, I really liked her first which is Career Girls which I got free with a magazine and started me off reading her stuff!

Oh, try to read Marian Keyes "Last Chance Saloon", that's especially good.

I agree with ElfOnTheTopShelf that Jennifer Weiner's Little Earthquakes is a good book.

Elasticwoman, IMO 1st Ladies Detective Agency novels aren't purely about solving the crime. Alexander McCall Smith writes about Mma Ramotswe's own life too and I find they are well written feel-good stories. I always finish the book feeling less cynical about people in general. I've only read one of the Sunday Philosphy Club series and I'm looking forward to reading more as soon as I can reserve them at the library.

Oh, and I know JSP would go mental at being described as "chick-lit", please read her book it's brilliant.

I hate Alexander McCall Smith - he writes within lazy peoeple's comfort zones. I was shocked to read that Italians are dishonest apparently in one of his edinburgh books! I find his Africa books a bit patronising, and its irritating that they are so popular when genuine southern African writing is almost unknown in europe.