Carole Matthews is a successful and popular British author, famous for her sense of humour and her romantic comedy novels.[1] Her books have sold over 6.8 million books worldwide and have been published in more than 31 countries. In 2011, Matthews was inducted into the Festival of Romance Hall of Fame for her outstanding contribution to romance writing.[2]
Matthews was born in St Helens, Merseyside in 1960 and was always an avid reader. She attended Champneys College where she studied Beauty Therapy. She has worked as a secretary, ice-cream lady, television presenter, beauty therapist and freelance writer. Her first book was Let's Meet on Platform Eight and was published in 1997.
Her latest book is Christmas for Beginners.[3]
In 2021 Carole won the Romantic Novelists' Association - Romantic Novel of the Year Award.[4] For Sunny days and Sea Breezes.
She has published 34 novels and has appeared on the Sunday Times and USA Today bestsellers lists and her books, Welcome To The Real World, Wrapped up in You, and Happiness for Beginners made the shortlist for the Romantic Novelists' Association - Romantic Novel of the Year Award.[5] [6]
Her 4th book For Better, For Worse, was picked in summer 2002 for a TV book club pick in America, Reading with Ripa, on the show Live with Regis and Kelly. She has sold over 6.8 million books worldwide and is published in more than 31 countries. She has had more than 4.5 million library lends in the United Kingdom since she started writing.[7] [8]
In 2011, she was inducted into the Festival of Romance Hall of Fame for her outstanding contribution to romance writing.[9] [10] She is also an Amazon number one bestseller.[11]
In 2015 Carole was presented with an Outstanding Achievement Award from the Romantic Novelists' Association for 25 novels which have consistently appeared in bestseller lists, and for her continued championing of the RNA and romantic fiction.[12]
As well as writing, Matthews has also been a television presenter and is a regular radio guest.
She lives in Milton Keynes with her husband, Kevin, whom she regularly refers to as 'Lovely Kev', a "minimalist home with no carpets, curtains, or ornaments. Matthews describes herself as a writer of romantic comedy, drinker of champagne, baker of cakes, and eater of chocolate".[13]
| Year | Title | |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Let's Meet on Platform 8 | |
| 1998 | A Whiff of Scandal | |
| 1999 | More to Life than this | |
| 2001 | For Better, For Worse | |
| 2002 | A Minor Indiscretion | |
| 2003 | A Compromising Position | |
| 2004 | The Sweetest Taboo | |
| 2005 | With or Without You | |
| 2006 | You Drive Me Crazy | |
| 2006 | Welcome to the Real World | |
| 2007 | The Chocolate Lovers' Club | |
| 2007 | The Chocolate Lovers' Diet | |
| 2008 | It's A Kind of Magic | |
| 2008 | All You Need Is Love | |
| 2009 | The Difference a Day Makes | |
| 2009 | That Loving Feeling | |
| 2010 | It's Now or Never | |
| 2010 | The Only Way is Up | |
| 2011 | Wrapped Up In You | |
| 2012 | Summer Daydreams | |
| 2012 | With Love at Christmas | |
| 2013 | A Cottage by the Sea | |
| 2013 | Calling Mrs Christmas | |
| 2014 | A Place to Call Home | |
| 2014 | The Christmas Party | |
| 2015 | The Cake Shop in the Garden | |
| 2015 | The Chocolate Lovers' Christmas | |
| 2016 | The Chocolate Lovers' Wedding | |
| 2016 | Paper Hearts and Summer Kisses | |
| 2017 | Christmas Cakes, and Mistletoe Nights | |
| 2018 | Million Love Songs | |
| 2019 | Happiness For Beginners | |
| 2020 | Sunny Days and Sea Breezes | |
| 2020 | Christmas for Beginners |