Non-Fiction Reviews

Synopsis: Ah, gay Paris, city of light, the Eiffel Tower and stylish striped jumpers. It is here where loved-up couples come to cement their love with kisses beneath the Arc de Triomphe, where they wine and dine in candlelit cafes and then seal the deal afterwards beneath the high thread-count sheets of a glitzy hotel. As the capital of sophistication, elegance and glamour, it's not hard to see why so many fall head-over-designer-heels in love here. Do so in style with Hg2 Paris.

Fashion, food and all-round fabulousness abound in Paris, where designer is du jour, Michelin stars area a must and the Parisian people pout, pose and preen until they can peacock no more. All you need to fit right in is Hg2 Paris.

As with all Hg2's coveted guides, Hg2 Paris is broken down into easily navigable sections:

Sleep - 35 hotels ranging from the finest grande dame to the quaint little bed & breakfasts

Eat - 40 impressive restaurants to satisfy your hunger whatever your taste

Drink - 34 bars, from the most extravagant cocktail joints to the down'n'dirty dive bars

Snack - 25 cafes, coffee shops, restaurants for Parisian chic

Party - 38 of the hottest clubs, the buzzing nights and a selection of after-hours favourites

Culture - 19 landmarks, galleries and museums for both the art aficionado and the city stroller

Shop - the essential shops, the best shopping streets/areas - less commercial more boutique

Play - plenty of parks, spas, sports centres and beauty salons to choose from

http://www.hg2.com/stores/Paris-France-city-guide-book-travel

Hot Brands Verdict

Part of a series of ‘A Hedonist’s guide to...’ these ‘insider’s guides’ cover the best of where to sleep, eat, drink, snack, party and play in each city. They cover a range of cities from the established like New York and Paris to up and coming destinations such as Baku and Almaty & Astana.

We love the way Hg2 Paris is organised, described and photographed, delivering a taste of Paris for anyone looking for a stylish guide to this wonderful city. Hg2 guide’s are designed for people wanting to explore, shop and play away from the crowds of tourists and become part of the city’s many scenes. The look and feel of this little guide (snakeskin-like flexibound cover) is fabulous, and perfect for slipping into your handbag for an indulgent trip to Paris. We loved it! Highly recommended!

Available from mrandmrssmith.com
and bookshops from July 2010, £19.95.

Synopsis : For the latest in the bestselling guidebook series from the world’s leading boutique hotel experts, we’ve combed the country from Paris to Provence to bring you a highly curated selection of the most stylish stays…

33 hand-picked hotels
The French take pride in their sense of romance, their sophistication and their expertise on everything from lingerie to gastronomy. Now it’s our turn. It is with the greatest pleasure that we unveil our Gallic invitation au voyage for Monsieur and Madame Smiths everywhere.
From contemporary city boltholes and cool châteaux to coastal spa escapes, these glamorous newcomers and boutique-hotel classics all win the Smith stamp of approval for their looks, location, service and, of course, ambience.

In-the-know and independent
As well as entertaining reviews of our favourite hotels and guesthouses in France – from Brittany to Provence and all the prettiest bits in between – you’ll find concise Mr & Mrs Smith guides to 12 destinations.

Aquitaine • Brittany • Burgundy • Champagne-Ardenne Côte d’Azur • Languedoc-Roussillon • Normandy • Paris Poitou-Charentes • Provence • Rhone-Alpes • St Tropez

Up-to-date restaurant recommendations, advice on when to visit, where to go and what to pack, as well as insider tips on everything from gourmet delis to festivals and wineries. We’ll even enlighten you on the meandering urban art of flânerie.

Original content and photography
Perfectly partnered with evocative photography, Mr & Mrs Smith’s honest and style-savvy reviews bring you the kind of detail and atmosphere you’d expect from a well-travelled friend – entertaining French tales, courtesy of an illustrious panel of tastemakers from the worlds of design, fashion, food and travel.

Anonymous reviews
To glean the nitty-gritty on the best boutique boltholes, we dispatched some super-sharp reviewers from either side of the Channel, who visited anonymously and reported back. Experts on fashion (Valérie Abecassis), design (Ilse Crawford), restaurants (Mourad Mazouz, Anthony Demetre) and scent (Linda Pilkington) share their tales, alongside travel writers English and French, every one of them style-savvy and dedicated to footloose Francophilia.

Join our travel club for free
Inside is an exclusive BlackSmith membership card, entitling you to life-enhancing extras at every property featured, as well as exclusive offers at Smith’s worldwide collection of 650+ hotels. Members will benefit from lovely extra touches, such as a champagne breakfast or a spa treatment on the house, which gives this guidebook an added je ne sais quoi.

All you have to do now is pick your partner and pack your bags… Bon voyage!

http://shop.mrandmrssmith.com/products/france-english-version

Hot Brands Verdict
We have long been devoted followers of Mr & Mrs Smith and this book is another fabulous example of what they do best. Packed with helpful advice, detailed reviews, this guide takes you inside some of the most inspiring places to visit and stay in France. The photography is breath-taking, particularly of the locations in the different regions. This coupled with the BlackSmith membership card makes this the No.1 guide to France. We absolutely loved it! Highly Recommended!

Synopsis: Written by Elle Macpherson's personal trainer, 'Clean and Lean' is the only diet book guaranteed to give you the beach-beautiful body you've always wanted. Simple and effective, with no calorie counting or complicated rules, it shows you first how to get Clean and Lean by following a flexible 14-day meal plan endorsed by nutritionist Alice Sykes, PhD R.Nutr, and then how to get Lean by honing your body with maximum impact exercises. Includes delicious, quick and easy recipes, tips on avoiding the cravings that can lead you off track, advice on avoiding the toxic foods and drinks that prevent you losing weight, plus a maintenance plan for keeping the pounds off. Illustrated throughout with recipe and step-by-step exercise photography, it demonstrates that, like James Duigan's celebrity clients Rosie Huntingdon-Whitely and Hugh Grant, you too can be Clean and Lean for life.

Elle 'The Body' Macpherson credits James and his 'Clean and Lean' diet for her amazing appearance at the age of 47 "James is the only one I turn to when I want to get in shape fast!"--Elle Macpherson

"James has made me thin and lightly muscled and frankly irresistible." --Hugh Grant

Buy The Clean & Lean Diet from Amazon.co.uk

Hot Brands Verdict
Just looking at the cover of this book inspires us to take action! This is a really helpful book full of great ideas and sensible advice about what to eat and how to exercise. We Liked the ‘bad, better, best’ comparisons helping you to change your habits, and the approach of cleaning yourself from the inside by eating the right foods, coupled with the 14 day meal plan and recipe advice. We also liked the phased exercise plan, starting from the easiest and progressing to the hardest. This handy book is a great way of getting ready for your summer holidays. We loved it! Highly Recommended!

Photography by Debi Treloar

Synopsis:

Sharing a meal with family or friends is one of life's great pleasures, and a thoughtfully decorated table will heighten your guests' sense of occasion. However, modern entertaining doesn't require you to polish the silver spoons, starch the napkins or roll out the red carpet. In Table Style, Liz Belton and Rebecca Tanqueray will inspire you to rummage through your cupboards and creatively combine vintage pieces with high street finds to create an achievable, stylish and inviting table. The first section looks at the essential elements: cutlery, china, napkins, namecards, flowers and candles. The second section has suggestions for a variety of different occasions, ranging from an impromptu weekday supper with friends to the classic celebratory dinner. And the final section contains a useful visual dictionary of international place settings.

http://www.rylandpeters.com/books/

Hot Brands Verdict
We often review cookery books, but its not just food that graces a table, how you create the ambiance and the backdrop for the food is equally important and this beautiful book helps you to do exactly that. With stunning photography from Debi Treloar, this book is packed full of wonderful and creative ideas for entertaining. One of our favourites is The lazy brunch setting which is also on the front cover, creating a delightful and relaxed feeling for one of our favourite weekend meals. There are many more, including the deliciously romantic supper for two, and the magical vintage tea. With sections on the elements of creating your own table style, the occasions and the settings, as well as a very useful resource section this delightful book helps you to create stylish and chic settings for your guests. Highly Recommended! We loved it!