Book Review- Difficult Husbands by Mary de Laszlo

 

Difficult Husbands by Mary de Laszlo

Published: 31st October 2014

Publisher: Bookouture

Pages: 366

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

 

Blurb

 

Three friends. One surprise inheritance. And the perfect plan to deal with troublesome husbands at Christmas time…

Newly divorced Lorna is struggling to adjust to life on her own. When she discovers that her beloved godfather has left her the grand (and crumbling) Ravenscourt House in the heart of Sussex, she soon has a project on her hands.

Nathan sells delicious goodies at Mulberry Farm. When he meets Lorna at a Christmas market, neither of them can ignore the chemistry. But as they get to know one another, Lorna wants to know one thing – is he after her or the house?

Together with Gloria – whose marriage to alcoholic Adrian has hit rock bottom, and Rosalind – struggling to deal with her womanising husband Ivan, the three friends hatch a plan. They’ll ditch their difficult husbands at Ravenscourt House and enjoy stress-free Christmases with their families. But nothing is ever that simple…

 

Review

 

Firstly I’d like to thank the lovely people at Bookouture for allowing me to read an arc copy of this through Netgalley. I was instantly drawn to this book because of its cover; it has such a beautiful wintery Christmas scene with a gorgeous looking house.  The premise for this book looked very interesting, three friends wanting to enjoy their Christmas without their tiresome husbands ruining things for their children.

Lorna, Gloria and Rosalind are three friends in their early forties who have all married men who are now in their sixties and struggling with their identities as they hit the dreaded old age. Lorna is newly divorced from husband Stephen, who has left her for a young foreign girl. She wants to enjoy her Christmas with children Flora and Marcus without having to deal with Stephen.  Gloria is hoping son Justin will come home for Christmas but with husband Adrian getting himself drunk and ending up in gutters it’s not looking likely. Rosalind is longing for husband Ivan to take more notice of her and girls Emma and Chloe rather than the young girls from his charity work who he claims need his help more.

When Lorna suddenly inherits Ravenscourt an old crumbling down country house, the three women dream up a plan to keep their husbands in the house over Christmas while they enjoy a peaceful day with just their children. However this Christmas the women get slightly more than they bargained for.

I didn’t really connect with any of the characters in this book; this could be because I’m younger than their ages and have not hit those life problems myself. I did sympathize with Lorna a little as she kind of seemed to have to deal with everyone’s problems and I’m glad that she seemed to find a little happiness from the budding romance with Nathan from the food business.

Although the plot was full of twists I felt the whole story could have been better, I think from the cover I was expecting more of the story to be based at the house. Some narrative from the men while they were at the house would have been added to the story as I felt they were dumped there, then picked up and there was no real explanation as to what exactly went on and how they felt about being abandoned at Christmas.

If you are looking for a gentle read  set around Christmas then I’d recommend this , it has some family dramas to add to the plot but for me it was missing a little of the sparkle of Christmas.

Rating 3/5

 

Book Review - Driving Home For Christmas by A L Michael

 

Driving Home For Christmas by A L Michael

Published: 28th October 2014

Publisher: Carina UK

Available on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

 

 

Blurb

Megan McAllister is home for Christmas…whether she likes it or not!

Christmas is about family…and for Megan family means two people: herself, and her daughter Skye. It doesn’t mean her parents who, ten years ago, saw her pregnancy as anything but a miracle. And it definitely doesn’t include her irresistible ex-boyfriend Lucas Bright.

So ‘Driving Home for Christmas’ has never been top of Megan’s festive playlist. But for Skye, she knows she needs to spend the holiday season with the people she’s left behind. She can do this. Even if the thought of meeting Lucas under the mistletoe still has her feeling like she’s drunk one-too-many Snowballs!

But somewhere between the hanging of stockings and the crackle of wrapping paper, Christmas starts to sparkle. And Megan begins to wonder if family could be bigger than her and Skye after all…

 

Review

Megan McAllister has been living with her estranged Aunt Anna and her lodger Jeremy ever since she ran away from her family when they found out she was pregnant.  Now ten years on she’s been persuaded to head home for Christmas and make amends with her family.  Arriving back home with daughter Skye evokes all kinds of memories for Megan and as Christmas day comes closer family secrets and old feelings which have been hidden for years start to surface, but will they bring this family close again.

After reading the blurb for this book I knew I had to read it, any book in which the characters have some kind of mystery in their past draws me in and A L Michael has done this brilliantly. It’s the type of story that slowly unravels and gives the reader questions:  Why did Megan leave? Why hasn’t she been back? How did she end up living with Anna? And probably the question we all want to know the answer to who is Skye’s father?

Luckily for us as we keep reading we find out the answers to these questions and also a couple of little surprises, some which I totally wasn’t expecting and some which you could guess.  This is done really well through the use of flashbacks in the narrative which help us build up a picture of Megan as a teenager and show the strained relationship she had back then with her mother.  These were slightly confusing to me at first as the flashbacks do chop and change years between 2001 and 2004 but once I had read a few chapters and had more knowledge of Megan I found they really helped build up a picture of Megan and what led her to run away.

A L Michael has created some really great characters in this book, Skye has to be my favourite, what a brilliant little girl she is, so intuitive and clever but not in that annoying know it all way that some kids can be.  She is hoping to be detective when she is older and I could just imagine her hiding under tables and writing down notes in a little book.  I loved the way she seemed to weigh people up and instantly get their measure and then just carried on with whatever she was doing. I think is she was my daughter I would be very proud of her.

I wasn’t sure about Megan; I did feel that she brought a lot of the problems with her mother on herself by not opening up to her at the time. I did like the way that she didn’t let having a baby so young stand in the way of her dreams and she was able to find a fulfilling career. The thing that stood out the most about Megan was that she was so focused on Skye’s happiness and making sure she was loved that I felt Megan herself might be a little lonely, so when she finally let her family into her daughter’s life I was hoping Megan would put herself first just once.  I loved Lucas, just the image of him with a Where’s Wally scarf round his neck was enough to melt my heart, he just seemed such a lovely guy and although I understand why Megan let him go when she was younger I don’t think I would have been able to.

Driving Home for Christmas is a wonderful story full of Christmas spirit which helps to bring a family closer once again. I laughed, I cried and I was left with that warm fuzzy feeling you get when you read something wonderful.  Add this to your Christmas reading shelf and you won’t regret it.

Rating 5/5

 

Book Review - High Heels and Bicycle Wheels by Jane Linfoot

 

High Heels and Bicycle Wheels by Jane Linfoot

Published: 23rd October 2014 (Paperback)

Publisher: Harper Impulse

Pages: 306

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order from amazon here.

 

Blurb

Meet Bryony: she’s a fun-loving, very single TV production assistant whose idea of sport is the Jimmy Choo sales scrum.

Meet Jackson: Cycling’s bad boy superstar. Injured and out of a certain race this summer, without his training, he’s looking for another distraction…

Bryony’s facing a triple whammy – her last single friend just named the day, her mother’s offering to have her eggs frozen, and the guy she’s loved from afar, forever, has just got hitched. So she’s more than happy to accept the offer of a totally out of character but seriously steamy one night of no-strings fun. Especially when the guy in question is so attractive he even looks good in Lycra!

Jackson’s on the lookout for a new career but if the opportunity to work on TV means a fortnight with the most uptight woman in the world, he’d rather not bother. He never goes in for seconds – and who in their right mind would head off in a campervan, with a woman who irons her knickers?

Add in a tandem (yes a tandem) and fast forward to double trouble for a summer neither of them will ever forget!

 

Review

 

I was kindly sent a copy of this to review by Jane after reading “The Right Side of Mr Wrong” back in July, which I adored. I have been saving this book to read for a while as I knew I was going to love it as Jane’s writing style is just brilliant. After a rough week I decided to pick this up and it has definitely put me in better mood.

In “High Heels and Bicycle Wheels” we meet Bryony Marshall, production assistant for the program “Sporting Chances” who featured briefly in Jane’s previous book as the sister of Brando Marshall. It was nice that she got her own story as I felt there was a lot more to Bryony than was mentioned previously.  She’s helped fix all her friends up with partners and even given brother Brando a nudge in the right direction with Shae. Now she’s feeling very single and determined to stay that way, until she finds her Mr Forever. Along comes Jackson Gale world famous cyclist intent on cleaning up his bad boy image. He’s taking part in a charity tandem bike race, filmed by bryony’s company. After his intended partner on the bike Annie is found throwing up Bryony has to step in and take her place. Initially thrown together in the tandem bike race these two have instant chemistry, which is obvious to everyone around. They meet later in the hotel and end up acting on the chemistry between them with the understanding it’s a one off. The sparks between them lead to a filming contract to tour Cornwall in a campervan filming scenic bike rides. Both are reluctant to revisit their one-night stand but as soon as the trip begins the chemistry between them is so hot that they can’t help giving in again, and again and again.

Through the narrative we get to experience both Bryony’s and Jackson’s feelings which I really enjoyed, it’s not often we get the male perspective in a chick lit novel and I think it really adds to the story. It’s obvious that Bryony and Jackson have fallen for each other big time but their histories and baggage make them both wary of commitment and unwilling to open up.  I’m glad they did eventually deal with these issues, Jackson probably more successfully than Bryony as it gave them a chance of a better future.

I absolutely loved this book; Jane has a real talent for writing some really hot and really believable chemistry between two people. I also loved the number of twists and turns in the plot, you want Bryony and Jackson to admit their feelings but something always seems to get in the way. I also found some scenes really funny, like Bryony ironing her knickers, I mean who does that really?

If you’re looking for a light-hearted read where the chemistry grows from tiny sparks to full on fireworks then this is the book for you. I loved it and hope it is not too long before we have another wonderful romance from Jane to devour.

Rating 5/5

 

Book Review - A Special Delivery by Clare Dowling

 

A Special Delivery by Clare Dowling

Published: 23rd October 2014

Publisher: Headline Review

Pages: 389

Available on kindle and in Paperback

Pre-Order a copy from Amazon here

 

Blurb

Every family has its ups and downs ...

Aisling Brady is miserable. So is her husband Mossy. The three kids are too. Yet nobody dares say a thing. Instead the Bradys keep their heads down and grimly look forward to another miserable Christmas in Dublin.

What Aisling doesn't know is that this year, they will get the most unexpected gift of all. One that will bring joy and heartbreak, hope and a string of sleepless nights.

As their world is turned upside down, questions have to be asked. But are the Bradys ready to face the truth about themselves? And what each of them has done?

 

Review

 

On the outside the Brady family looks like any other ordinary family about to celebrate Christmas, however on the inside this family is miserable.  Mother Aisling is at breaking point trying to hold everything together.  Two days before Christmas and the family are dreading another day spent trying to pretend everything is normal, son Anto and his dad are at each other’s throats and to top it all the dodgy collection of outdoor lighting has blown a fuse and left the family with no electricity.    In bursts daughter Louise with a baby she found in the crib in their nativity scene.  As the family begins to piece together who the baby is and where he came from things begin to change in the Brady household and one thing is certain, things will never be the same again.

I love Clare Dowling novels and this one is no exception, she has a real talent for creating heart-warming family dramas which draw you in and keep you wanting more.  In A Special Delivery she has created a family which represents a normal family dealing with issues some families will face, although maybe not all at the same time.  Although the Brady’s are unhappy there is still some sense of togetherness and the arrival of grandson Darren draws them closer than they’ve been for years.

I really felt for Aisling she’s trying so hard to cling to the family she loves even though deep down she knows some members need to be left on their own. As the book unfolds she has to face more and more drama and I’m glad she was tough enough to stand her ground. My favourite character in the book was Anto which surprised me as I don’t generally relate to teenage boys. I really liked the way he changed from a sulky lazy teenage boy to a one which was driven and had direction. I also liked the way he played with Darren and tried to teach him to crawl, so cute.

This is a novel about families which deals with a number of problems drug abuse, unwanted teenage pregnancies, post-traumatic stress disorder, sibling rivalry and growing up and taking responsibility.  It is a book full of twists and turns and will keep you guessing all the way through. The twist at the end totally shocked me and had me going “No!”

I really enjoyed this book and it’s made me realise how much I’ve missed reading Clare’s books, definitely time to pick up some more I think. Fans of Clare Dowling will love this, its jam packed with family drama and makes a brilliant read.

 

I would like to thank bookbridgr and Headline Review for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating 5/5

 

 

Book Review - Six Stories and An Essay by Andrea Levy

 

Six Stories and An Essay by Andrea Levy

Published: 23rd October 2014

Publisher: Tinder Press

Pages: 127

Available on Kindle and in Hardback

Pre-Order a copy from Amazon

 

Blurb

Andrea Levy, author of the Man Booker shortlisted novel THE LONG SONG and the prize-winning, million-copy bestseller SMALL ISLAND, draws together a remarkable collection of short stories from across her writing career, which began twenty years ago with the publication of her first novel, the semi-autobiographical EVERY LIGHT IN THE HOUSE BURNIN'.

"None of my books is just about race," Levy has said. "They're about people and history." Her novels have triumphantly given voice to the people and stories that might have slipped through the cracks in history. From Jamaican slave society in the nineteenth century, through post-war immigration into Britain, to the children of migrants growing up in '60s London, her books are acclaimed for skilful storytelling and vivid characters. And her unique voice, unflinching but filled with humour, compassion and wisdom, has made her one of the most significant and exciting contemporary authors.

This collection opens with an essay about how writing has helped Andrea Levy to explore and understand her heritage. She explains the context of each piece within the chronology of her career and finishes with a new story, written to mark the centenary of the outbreak of the Great War in 1914. As with her novels, these stories are at once moving and honest, deft and humane, filled with insight, anger at injustice and her trademark lightness of touch.

 

Review

This is not normally the type of book that I would read; I much prefer longer books where you really get to know the characters. However I have been interested in reading something by Andrea Levy for some time, so this seemed the ideal book to try.

I really enjoyed Andrea Levy’s writing style its light and flows really well, the stories were written in such a way that you could imagine her telling you the story herself. I was a little frustrated that as soon as the stories began they were over and we didn’t get chance to find out much about the characters and their situations.  Each story did have a point to make and I liked that, maybe if they had been longer the reasons behind them would have been lost. The stories were moving and humorous, my favourite story was “That Polite Way That English People Have” The essay at the beginning gave an interesting insight into Andrea’s life in 1960s London and her reasons for beginning to write.

I would recommend this book if you are a fan of Andrea Levy’s work or who want to have a taster before you read one of her longer novels.  For me it was lacking in the character development which comes with longer stories but I did find the writing style enjoyable so will probably read one of her longer works in the future.

Thank you to Georgina at Headline for sending me a copy to review. I rate this book 3/5

 

Book Review - Christmas Wedding at the Gingerbread Cafe by Rebecca Raisin

 

Christmas Wedding at the Gingerbread Café by Rebecca Raisin

Published: 15th October 2014

Publisher: Carina UK

Pages: 304

Available on Kindle

Order a copy now from Amazon

 

Blurb

You are invited to the wedding of the year!
Snow is falling thick and fast outside the Gingerbread Café and inside, its owner Lily is planning the wedding of the year. Her wedding! She never dreamt it would happen, but this Christmas, she’ll be marrying the man of her dreams - in a Christmas-card-perfect ceremony!

The gingerbread is baking, the dress is fitted and the mistletoe’s in place – for once, everything’s going to plan. That is until her mother-in-law arrives... Suddenly, Lily’s famous cool is being tested like never before and her dream wedding is crumbling before her eyes.

In the blink of a fairylight, the Gingerbread Café has been thrown into chaos! Lily thought she had this wedding wrapped up, but with so much to do before she says ‘I do’, can Lily get to the church on time – and make this Christmas sparkle after all?

 

Review

Christmas Wedding at the Gingerbread Café is the third and sadly final book in the Gingerbread Café series.  It’s a year since they’ve been together and Lily and Damon are busy planning their Christmas Eve wedding. Everything is all set out to be perfect, until Damon’s parents arrive earlier than expected and everything that can go wrong does, can Lily pull it all together before the big day?

After seeing the stunning cover for this book I couldn’t wait to read it and the book itself is every bit as beautiful as its cover. I loved the first two Gingerbread Café books and didn’t think they could be beaten, but Rebecca has done it again, it’s even more wonderful.

As well as Lily, Damon and CeeCee this book also has more background story from other characters such as both Lily and Damon’s parents and Lily’s friends Sarah and Missy as well as little Charlie joining them all just before the wedding. I think having theses extra characters really added depth to the story and made Ashford more of a real place and one I’d definitely want to live in. Sarah and Missy sounded like the perfect girlfriends to have around and share the joy of planning your wedding with.  I really liked the way Damon’s mum Olivia opened up to Lily, as at first when she was trying to meddle I really didn’t like her, I mean why couldn’t she see Lily and Damon are perfect for each other!

Again Rebecca has described some delicious food that just makes this book scrumptious, the description of the wedding cake that Lily and CeeCee was wonderful and I would love to have had a slice. I also think a recipe for butterscotch pie should have been included as this just sounds amazing.

The wedding was simply stunning and Rebecca’s writing really made you feel like you were experiencing it for yourself. The wedding dress sounded like a dream and I would love to wear the same one for my own wedding one day.  The best thing about the wedding was it was very emotional and touching, I was actually crying happy and sad tear as Lily and Damon exchanged vows.

Christmas Wedding at the Gingerbread Café was the perfect book to end a lovely trilogy. I will really miss Lily, CeeCee and the gang as I felt like I knew them and I’m sad that I have to say goodbye.  I hope there are more books from Rebecca on the horizon.  If you want to share a few hours with a lovely bunch of characters wrapped up in festive cheer than add this book to your collection this Christmas.

Rating 5/5

Book Review - Snow Angels, Secrets and Christmas Cake by Sue Watson

 

Snow Angels, Secrets and Christmas Cake by Sue Watson

Published: 17th October 2014

Publisher: Bookouture

Pages: 232

Available on Kindle

Order now from Amazon here

 

Blurb

For Tamsin Angel, Christmas is always the biggest and best… chic parties and a little showbiz sparkle are a must. This year though, things aren’t going quite as planned…

With bailiffs suddenly at the door and her husband nowhere to be found, it looks like Christmas just got downsized. Moving into her sister’s one-bedroom flat, she wonders whether things will ever be the same again.

After losing her husband on Christmas Eve, Sam Angel has rebuilt her life around her son Jacob and her new business – The White Angel Bakery. She’s also found herself a very handsome, loving boyfriend, but is struggling to let go of the past.

Review
Snow Angels, Secrets and Christmas Cake follows the story of the two Angel sisters Tamsin and Sam. Tamsin is living a glamourous life which involves spending her husband’s money and planning her next fabulous interior. She spends most of her time creating the most fabulous parties for her rich friends and neighbours.  Sam’s world is completely different she spends all her time making cakes for her White Angel bakery trying to scrape enough money together to meet her next rental payment. One night Tamsin’s perfect world comes crashing down on her when the bailiffs come knocking on the door and she finds out her husband has scarpered. Forced to move in with sister Sam the two sisters soon realise that deep down they are not as different as they first thought.

This is the first book by Sue Watson that I have read and I absolutely loved it, I was almost in stitches laughing at the comical exchanges between the two sisters. The chapters alternate between their viewpoints and for the first few chapters I found this a little repetitive as the same scenes were described by both sisters, but once I got my head around it I loved it, it was brilliant to see how they interpreted the same things in such different ways and this made for a very funny read.

Sue has created two really great characters in Tamsin and Sam and I loved the way they interacted with each other and did a little bit of subtle meddling to help their sister out. At first I thought I wouldn’t gel with Tamsin but she turned out to be such a sweetheart by the end I wanted to give her a great big Christmassy hug. Initially she comes across as someone who is just focused on having the best and being the best but as the story unfolds we learn that she is just looking to be accepted for who she is and to find somewhere to call home.  When disaster strikes and Sam needs her help she puts on her designer shoes, an old pair of jeans and dives right in to do what she can to help her little sister.  Sam’s still nursing a broken heart from the death of her husband and is unwilling to commit to boyfriend Richard, with some heart to heart’s with Tamsin she learns to leave her rose-tinted view of the past behind her and begin to focus on her future.  

I loved this book; it has some truly hilarious scenes and some wonderful characters each adding their own little bit of sparkle to a wonderful heart-warming tale. Its book which shows that the true meaning of Christmas is not who has the biggest turkey, the most decorated tree or the most glitter its about spending time with family, friends and those who love you for who you are not what you have.

Thank you to Sue Watson and Kim at Bookouture for sending me an arc copy to review, I truly enjoyed every page and recommend that everyone adds this little gem to their Christmas reading list.

Rating 5/5

Thrown together with a sprinkle of Christmas magic, Sam and Tamsin might just learn a little more about each other – and themselves. But when disaster strikes at the bakery, will they be able to save the day in time for Christmas?

 

 

Release Day Round Up #7

After last week's mega release there doesn't seem to be much going on this week, here is what I've picked for this week:

 

 

Christmas Wedding at the Gingerbread Café by Rebecca Raisin

Released: 15th October 2014

Publisher: Carina UK

Pages: 304

Available on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

You are invited to the wedding of the year!

Snow is falling thick and fast outside the Gingerbread Café and inside, its owner Lily is planning the wedding of the year. Her wedding! She never dreamt it would happen, but this Christmas, she’ll be marrying the man of her dreams - in a Christmas-card-perfect ceremony!

The gingerbread is baking, the dress is fitted and the mistletoe’s in place – for once, everything’s going to plan. That is until her mother-in-law arrives... Suddenly, Lily’s famous cool is being tested like never before and her dream wedding is crumbling before her eyes.

In the blink of a fairylight, the Gingerbread Café has been thrown into chaos! Lily thought she had this wedding wrapped up, but with so much to do before she says ‘I do’, can Lily get to the church on time – and make this Christmas sparkle after all?

 

I'm currently about a third of the way through this and it is brilliant, I really enjoyed the first two Gingerbread Café books but this is so much better, I love it! Also does this book just have the most beautiful cover, its truly gorgeous!

 

 

 

Forever His Darling by Sarah Randall

Released: 16th October 2014

Publisher: Carina UK

Available on Kindle

Order from Amazon now

 

A little Christmas love in the country
Anastacia Harper is at the top of her modelling career - famous simply for being beautiful. But as Christmas approaches Ana can't face another holiday alone in the fake celebrity world she inhabits. She's desperate for a change of scenery and desperate to find the girl she once used to be...

Brooding and gorgeous, all Matt Darling wants to do this Christmas is lock the doors of Melville House and keep the world at bay. The last thing he needs is a model flouncing about in sequins pretending to be a country girl, but it looks like he doesn’t have a choice.

When the snow falls suddenly Ana and Matt find themselves trapped at Melville House with only each other for company. But there is magic in the air at Christmas that might just help Ana and Matt find exactly what they are looking for under the tree…

 

This looks like a really cute festive read, I love stories where initially people don't tend to gel and then they magically fall in love.

 

 

Snow Angels, Secrets and Christmas Cake by Sue Watson

Released: 17th October 2014

Publisher: Bookouture

Pages: 254

Available on Kindle

Pre-Order from Amazon now

 

For Tamsin Angel, Christmas is always the biggest and best… chic parties and a little showbiz sparkle are a must. This year though, things aren’t going quite as planned…

With bailiffs suddenly at the door and her husband nowhere to be found, it looks like Christmas just got downsized. Moving into her sister’s one-bedroom flat, she wonders whether things will ever be the same again.

After losing her husband on Christmas Eve, Sam Angel has rebuilt her life around her son Jacob and her new business – The White Angel Bakery. She’s also found herself a very handsome, loving boyfriend, but is struggling to let go of the past.

Thrown together with a sprinkle of Christmas magic, Sam and Tamsin might just learn a little more about each other – and themselves. But when disaster strikes at the bakery, will they be able to save the day in time for Christmas?

 

I've almost finished reading this and when I have I will be sad, this book is brilliant, I've laughed all the way through and will be sad to leave Tamsin and Sam behind. I will have a full review of this book up on my blog tomorrow, so come back if you want to know more.

 

 

 

 

Beneath the Moon and Stars by Amelia Thorne

Released: 18th October 2014

Publisher: Carina UK

Available on Kindle

Pre-Order from Amazon here

 

Joy Cartier has been to some of the most beautiful places in the world – but none of them have ever felt like home. So moving into a tiny cottage in the idyllic village of Bramble Hill, walking distance from her childhood home, seems like the perfect plan.

That is, until she gets there. The surly inhabitants of Britain’s Friendliest Village are anything but welcoming. Even her neighbour, reclusive Hollywood star Finn Mackenzie, takes one look at her and walks in the other direction.

But when the village animosity steps up a gear, it is the infuriatingly brooding Finn who keeps coming to her rescue. Slowly Joy begins to realise that maybe a happy home isn’t about where you live, but who you’re with…

 

This looks like it has a little bit of mystery about it and I think it could be quite good, hopefully I will get a chance to read it at some point. So there are my picks for this week, what have you got your eye on this week?

Book Review - Chocolate Dreams at the Gingerbread Cafe by Rebecca Raisin

 

Chocolate Dreams at the Gingerbread Café by Rebecca Raisin

Published: 20th March 2014

Publisher: Carina UK

Pages: 72

Available on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

 

Blurb

 

Chocolate…the most irresistible temptation?The Gingerbread Café is all a buzz! This Easter, Lily and the rest of the town of Ashford, Connecticut are planning a truly decadent Chocolate Festival. Cooking up a storm, CeeCee and Lily are not just baking a batch of their sinfully delicious chocolate-dipped gingerbread men, but an excess of chocolate truffles, squidgy, cinnamony hot cross buns and melt in your mouth chocolate eggs. The Gingerbread Café staff have definitely enjoyed the tasting process!

Add in Damon’s cute-as-a-button seven year old daughter, Charlie, up for a visit and Lily’s perfect Easter may just be around the corner. Until her ex-husband Joel turns up demanding twenty thousand dollars… Suddenly the future of the Gingerbread Café is not so clear…and Lily finds herself eating far more of The Gingerbread Café’s treats than her skinny jeans allow…

Can Lily concoct a brilliant plan to save her beloved café, convince Damon she has no feelings for Joel and still throw a Chocolate Festival the town will be talking about for years? There’s only one way to find out...

 

Review

 

Chocolate Dreams at the Gingerbread Café is the second book in the Gingerbread Café trilogy and it is just as scrumptious as the first.

This time its Easter and Lil and CeeCee are preparing for Ashford’s first Chocolate Festival so they are creating all kinds of yummy chocolate treats including hundreds of chocolate eggs for an Easter egg hunt. In this book Lil’s ex Joel turns up demanding money which Lil just doesn’t have, how will she find a way to pay him off and rid herself of him for good?

I loved this book even more than the first, for me it had more of a background plot and more characters.  I loved CeeCee even more in this book, she had me laughing one minute and then crying the next. I want this woman as my grandma!

The only thing I didn’t like in this book was Joel, he’s a really nasty piece of works and I’m not sure what Lil ever saw in him, glad she moved on and found someone better.  Just hoping he doesn’t come back in the third book.

The ending to this was perfect; it tied things up in this book brilliantly but left the reader wanting more. 

If you liked the first Gingerbread Café book you will love this, be warned though you will want to eat chocolate while reading it!

Rating 5/5

 

 

 

 

Book Review - A Christmas to Remember by Jenny Hale

 

A Christmas to Remember by Jenny Hale

Published: 10th October 2014

Publisher: Bookoture

Pages: 249

Available on Kindle

Order from Amazon here

 

Blurb

A beautiful story about the magic of childhood Christmas memories, the strength of family and falling in love when you least expect it.

Everyone loves Christmas – don’t they?

Carrie Blake loves her job as a nanny but, while her friends are settling down, all of Carrie’s spare time is spent with other people’s families. Though it breaks her heart, her New Year’s resolution is to embark on a new career and fix her love life.

As Carrie starts her last job, she’s sure she’ll be going out on a high – the house is amazing , the kids are adorable, and she’s in charge of decorating the tree!

The only problem could be her boss… single-dad Adam Fletcher might be both handsome and successful, but he’s always working. Doesn’t he realise he’s missing out on precious moments with his son and daughter?

As Adam’s family arrive for Christmas including his sensitive sister, Sharon, and his fun-loving elderly Grandpa, Walter, Carrie realises that she might just have found the perfect allies in her quest to persuade Adam to loosen up. There’s still time for Carrie to make this the best Christmas ever… after all, Christmas is the time for miracles, isn’t it? Let the festivities begin! 

 

Review

 

Carrie Blake is a full-time live in nanny who spends all her time helping other  people’s families, she has finally decided that the job she is about to start at the Fletcher household will be her last and then she will take control and live her own life.  As soon as Carrie sets eyes on Adam Fletcher she is struck with butterflies in her stomach, something she’s never felt before. She’s also struck with how reserved and formal Adam and his children are with each other. She vows before she leaves to inject some fun and love into the household. With the help of Adam’s family she begins to help Adam see that work isn’t the most important thing in the world.

I instantly fell in love with this book and its characters, especially Carrie. She reminded me a bit of Mary Poppins with her bag and tricks, like the food colouring for snow volcanoes. I loved the way that she injected fun and Christmas spirit into the children and eventually Adam. The way she was with Adam was just lovely to read about, I loved the way he made her nervous whenever he was around and she really wanted him to work less and see what wonderful children her had. The romance was perfect for the story as it was so innocent and gradual that you were just hoping that Adam would have feelings for Carrie too. She was also so caring with other members of the family I really loved the way she played cards with Walter and how she wanted to help Sharon but she was unsure about whether that would be interfering as she wasn’t part of the family.

Adam is also a great character too; obviously he’s extremely good-looking and very successful as he lives in a huge house. I think the most adorable thing about him is that he’s kind of shy of his children, it’s like he doesn’t want to get too close in case he hurts them.  The scene where he takes Olivia up to bed and reads her a story and she falls asleep on his shoulder is probably my favourite in the book, Adam was just so cute!

This is the first Jenny Hale book which I have read but I will definitely be picking up her other Christmas story Coming home for Christmas as I believe that it will be just as good and features two characters mentioned in this book Robert and Allie Marley, so reading more about them would be good. Her writing is easy flowing and very comforting and makes you feel like you’re living the story yourself.

This is a book that made me feel warm  and cosy inside and I know I will want to read it every Christmas, it has the perfect mix of elements for a Christmas story including family visiting, Christmas decorating, old wounds being healed, love and friendship blossoming and of course plenty of snow.  So get on your big Christmas jumper, make yourself some hot cocoa, curl up by the fire and read it too!

Rating 5/5

Book Review - The Heart of Winter by Emma Hannigan

 

The Heart of Winter by Emma Hannigan

Released: 9th October 2014

Publisher: Headline Review

Pages: 439

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

 

Blurb

Holly Craig's family have lived happily in Huntersbrook for generations but when times grow hard, even she must admit defeat and sell off their once-successful stables.
The three Craig children, Lainey, Joey and Pippa find themselves locked in a fight to keep their beloved Huntersbrook; dare they transform it into one of Ireland's most sought after countryside venues?
Renovation work is well underway when life rears its ugly head and everything stops in its tracks. The Craig family is forced to reassess what matters and although they no longer live at Huntersbrook, can the house work its magic even so ... and lead them into the light once more?

 

Review

 

The Heart of Winter is set in the county house of Huntersbrook which has been owned by the Craig family for three generations, now Holly Craig and her children must pull together to save the family home they adore.  Although none of the children currently live at home they are drawn back to help transform the home they love into a house that can host upmarket country events. 

Lainey the eldest lives with husband Matt and young son Ely in a farmhouse on the edge of the estate she is longing to expand her family and her home to fulfil her dreams. Joey is on the verge of being made a partner at his Dublin accountancy firm, is he on the edge of great things or about to lose what is most important to him? Pippa the youngest has no intentions of settling down like her sister, she’s living life in the fast lane, living a very fine line between work and too much play, will she slow down before it’s too late?

The Heart of Winter is told mainly from the perspectives of the three Craig children in alternating chapters.  Initially I found it hard to get my head round who was who and how they fitted into the story, once I had it worked out the story flowed at a good pace and kept my interest. I found the characters not very likeable at the start. Lainey comes across very angry and bitter towards her mother because she feels she was unloved as a child, this made me feel sorry for Holly as she clearly loved all her children. Joey seems to be letting his new role in the firm go to his head and I didn’t like the way he kept breaking promises and becoming too busy for his family. At the beginning  I really struggled to find anything likeable in Pippa, she comes across as selfish, silly and easily led into things which are bad and I just wanted her to stand up for herself and be strong.

As the story progressed and unfortunate events start to happen the family did start to unite and come together and support each other and by the end I did enjoy the family spirit in the story and this was highlighted most in the family Christmas scenes. I really liked the way each of the children overcame their difficulties and were able to become in my opinion better, stronger more likeable characters. I also like the way that there were enough hints at the end of the book that I could see another book with these characters being written, I don’t know if that was intentional or not.

The Heart of Winter is essentially a family saga that will warm your heart and make you want to let your own family know you love them. With a Christmassy ending it is a good book to start your festive reading. I would give this book a rating of 4/5 as it took me awhile to relate to the characters.

Thank you to Headline Review and bookbrigr for my review copy.

 

 

Book Review - A Week in Paris by Rachel Hore

 

A Week in Paris by Rachel Hore

Released: 9th October 2014

Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK

Pages: 480

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order from Amazon here.

 

 

Blurb

The streets of Paris hide a dark past...September, 1937. Kitty Travers enrols at the Conservatoire on the banks of the Seine to pursue her dream of becoming a concert pianist. But then war breaks out and the city of light falls into shadow. Nearly twenty-five years later, Fay Knox, a talented young violinist, visits Paris on tour with her orchestra. She barely knows the city, so why does it feel so familiar? Soon touches of memory become something stronger, and she realises her connection with these streets runs deeper than she ever expected. As Fay traces the past, with only an address in an old rucksack to help her, she discovers dark secrets hidden years ago, secrets that cause her to question who she is and where she belongs...A compelling story of war, secrets, family and enduring love.

 

Review

A Week in Paris tells the story of Fay Knox a 21 year old violinist with no recollection of her early childhood.  The story starts when Fay in 1956 when Fay is sixteen and she travels to Paris on a school trip, while she is there everything feels familiar to her although when she returns her mother assures her she has never been. When Fay reaches 21 she is accepted to play in an orchestra on tour in Paris.  Before she goes her mother has a mental breakdown and is admitted to hospital, while Fay visits her she tells her daughter to look in the linen chest before she goes on her trip. Fay finds an old child’s rucksack which feels familiar to her, with just a label saying St Cecile’s, Paris. Confused Fay heads to Paris where she again has feelings of familiarity, after finding a convent named St Cecile’s Fay begins to unravel a past life which makes her question everything she believes to be true.

Although the majority of this story is set in the present day 1961 we also learn about Kitty’s early life through the narrative of Nathalie Raymond a lady who Fay meets after being lead to the convent of St Cecile’s by the luggage ticket.  Kitty’s story takes place during the war years and it was just so haunting and really conveyed the uncertainty and fear people must have had at the time.

I loved the way that Fay’s life in Paris began to reflect that of her mother’s years earlier and like the parallels between Kitty and Eugene and Fay and Adam. In a way I think it helped to tie the two stories together. I also loved the way that both Fay and Kitty rely on their gut instinct when they are unsure about things and when knowing who to trust.  After the story had unfolded it was easier to see why Kitty had had her breakdown and ended up in the hospital, I’m sure many who have kept so much hidden for so long would crumble eventually too.

This was my first time reading a novel by Rachel Hore and I think she has done an incredible job in creating a very realistic feeling historical novel, I actually felt like I was living Kitty’s story and the writing was so gripping that I could just not stop reading.  I loved this book as I really enjoy historical fiction, especially when there is a hidden mystery to unfold which this book did brilliantly. It is a book which will make you question whether the truth is sometimes best left hidden or if it should be told despite the repercussions. 

I’m sure fans of Rachel Hore will adore her new book and I highly recommend it to those of you who are fans of historical fiction, it’s a book that will totally absorb you.

Rating 5/5

 

 

Book Review - Fool's Gold by Zana Bell

 

Fool's Gold by Zana Bell

Released: 7th October 2014

Publisher: Choc Lit

Pages: 320

Available on Kindle and Paperback (on 7th)

Order from Amazon here

 

Blurb

It’s 1866 and the gold rush is on. Left to fend for herself in the wilds of New Zealand’s west coast, Lady Guinevere Stanhope is determined to do whatever it takes to rescue her ancestral home and restore her father’s good name.

Forced out of his native Ireland, Quinn O’Donnell dreams of striking gold. His fiercely held prejudices make him loath to help any English person, let alone a lady as haughty and obstinate as Guinevere. But when a flash flood hits, Quinn is compelled to rescue her, and pass. But and their paths become entwined in this uncharted new world.

Though an intense attraction forms between them, both remain single-minded in pursuit of their dreams. Will they realize in time that all that glitters in not gold?

 

Review

 

Fool’s Gold is a book which is completely different from anything I’ve read in a long time,  it is essentially a story of one woman’s journey from dependent rich daughter to headstrong independent woman which takes place on a gripping and enthralling adventure across New Zealand’ beautiful backdrop,  with a sprinkling of romance. It is written in such a way that the reader will be hooked from the very first page.

The story is based around Lady Guinevere Stanhope and Doctor Quinn O’Donnell. They first meet in the depths of the forest, Guinevere looking to photograph the long lost Moa bird and Quinn looking to find gold. Initially there is hostility between the two as Guinevere is looking to be self-reliant after the loss of her father and Quinn being a doctor wants to play the rescuer and keep her safe. So begins their adventure, sometimes together, sometimes apart until the eventually find the dreams they have been searching for.

Both Quinn and Guinevere are very likable characters and all the way through I wanted them to find the happiness and peace they were seeking. Guinevere first comes across as stubborn, fragile and a little self-important but as her adventure unravels we see her grow into a strong and feisty woman who carves her own way in the world. Quinn is perfect handsome hero who just can’t stop helping people in need, even though he keeps claiming he no longer wants to be a doctor. He does seem a little blinded by his need to have land and build a big house but I was glad when he was able to leave his past behind him.

Fool’s Gold is a book which captivated me right from the start and I was sad when it was finished. It was so good, one of my top reads of the year. I recommend this book to everyone; it’s an incredible read which captures the true essence of human spirit in the face of adversity.

Rating 5/5

 

Book Review - The Love List by Eve Devon

 

The Love List by Eve Devon

Published: 2nd October 2014

Publisher: Harper Impulse

Pages: 182

Available on Kindle

Order now from Amazon here.

 

 

Blurb

 

Falling in love is just not on Nora King’s To Do List…
Neither is accidentally super-gluing her shoe to her hand right before the biggest presentation of her life!
With all the hard work she’d put into securing the family business after her father’s death, Nora has no choice but to accept help from a knight in shining armour.
Disaster relief worker Ethan Love is still haunted by his last deployment, and desperate for distraction. He’s in town to ask Nora for a major favour, and swooping in to save her presentation is a sure way to get her on side.
As Ethan sticks around and helps Nora through her grief, her barriers tumble down…but will she dare to swap her To Do lists for a How to Fall in Love list?


Review

Firstly I would like to thank Harper Impulse for allowing me to read this via NetGalley.

Meet Nora King, CEO of King Property Consultancy and workaholic with a to-do list as long as your arm with absolutely no room for distraction. Meet Ethan Love tall, sexy and impossible to resist, put the two together and watch the sparks fly.

This book begins with a really funny scene, Nora is getting ready for a make or break deal when she finds she has accidentally super-glued her best shoe to her hand, imagine her embarrassment when she goes to find her assistant for help and instead bumps into the hottest guy ever,  Mr Ethan Love, absolutely brilliant.

Ethan has come to ask workaholic Nora to help him with his brother Ryan, who just happens to be her sister’s love rat ex. He offers to help Nora out of her sticky situation, initially Nora who is burying her grief for her father in her work resists help from Ethan as she doesn’t want any distractions from keeping her company going, but eventually she gives in lets herself be helped and then  begins to let her attraction for Ethan show.   

I loved both the main characters in this book, both appear strong, confident and in control but underneath their exteriors their both quite vulnerable and I loved how as they got to know each other better they let their barriers down and show their insecurities, which I gave them a stronger bond and added to the romance in this book as it made them more realistic for me.

I thought the ending was really good and I was really glad that we got to find out what was in the letter from Nora’s father.  I would love a sequel to find out what happens between these two and also if the passion ever becomes reignited with Ethan’s brother Ryan and Nora’s sister Sephy.

I really enjoyed The Love List, for me it was a perfect mix of romance, lust and emotion to make a really great love story.

Rating 5/5