It Must Have Been the Mistletoe by Judy Astley

It Must Have Been the Mistletoe by Judy Astley

Published: 25th September 2014

Publisher: Transworld

Pages: 349

Available in Hardback, Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Blurb

Thea's parents decide to host a big family Christmas in a house by the sea. even though they are, in fact, about to split up. Thea herself is newly single - her sister and brother are both settled, with children, homes and a future. But Thea's boyfriend has ditched her in favour of his pedigree dogs, and Thea can't decide whether or not she minds.

There will be copious food and drink, holly and mistletoe, lots of bracing walks and a wintry barbecue on the beach. If it seems an odd way to celebrate the final break-up of a marriage and the Moving On to new partners, no- one is saying so. But then no-one had anticipated that the new partners might actually turn up to complicate the sleeping arrangements.

As Cornwall experiences the biggest snowstorm in living memory, the festive atmosphere comes under some strain. Will Thea manage to find some happiness for herself? Will the mistletoe work its magic on them all?

Review

It Must Have Been the Mistletoe is one of the most Christmassy books I’ve read this Christmas. It has a beautiful festive cover and unlike many “Christmas” books I’ve read it’s actually about Christmas which was wonderful to read in the middle of the festive season.

I really enjoyed the sound of this book, Anna and Mike are sixty-something parents who have chosen to divorce after forty years of marriage. They intend to remain friends with each other and decide to spend one last Christmas together as a family. They’ve booked a cottage on the Cornish coast and have ask their three children Thea, Jimi and Emily and their families to join them there over Christmas.  As with all large family gatherings some things are bound to go wrong including being snowed in with a couple of unexpected guests.

I did find that this book had a slow start and to be honest I was not totally comfortable by Mike and Anna’s decision to divorce and seek new partners, it just seemed a really odd thing to do after a  long and happy marriage. It took me a while to get these thoughts out of my head and focus more on the other characters. Thea, the eldest daughter has just broken up with fiancé Richard who decided he prefers his poodle and his sister to Thea. She’s not really in the mood for Christmas this year but tries to embrace it for the sake of her family, can the cottage’s owner give Thea her sparkle back? We don’t find out too much about the other family members other than Emily seems to be a bit moody. My favourite character had to be Charlotte, so was so brutally honest and put her foot in her mouth on more than one occasion!

After a few chapters I was hooked as the full on family Christmas got under way. There was tree-decorating, carols, snowmen, board games and of course the Christmas dinner. I just loved all the Christmas details and what made it all the more Christmassy was seeing the whole family together as one unit despite all the bickering, moaning and fall-out of normal family life.

Surprisingly given the number of previous novels listed at the back this is my first Judy Astley novel, it certainly won’t be my last I’m hooked. I loved the details of the scenery and am longing to visit a remote cottage for my own magical family Christmas. I also loved the way she brought her characters to life, the felt very real to me with their ordinary everyday problems and the way she wrote the romance in the book was just perfect. This is exactly the kind of book I enjoy reading at Christmas full of family, romance and a little touch of magic!

I’d rate this book 4/5 and am looking forward to reading the follow up book A Merry Mistletoe Wedding.

The Love Dectective by Alexandra Potter

The Love Detective by Alexandra Potter

Published: 2nd January 2014

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Pages: 359

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Blurb

"People always ask me what kind of books I write and I guess you'd call them love stories, but I also think of them as mysteries. After all, what makes two people fall in love? I've written three novels on the topic and I'm still looking for the answers.

In a way, I'm a bit of a love detective. Because what's a greater mystery than love?"

Ruby Miller has lost her faith in love. In an effort to forget her cheating ex and clear her writer's block, she joins her sister for a week's holiday in India... and embarks on an extraordinary adventure.

Swept up on a magical mystery tour, amid silks and spices, palaces and weddings, Ruby investigates different stories of love lost and found.

But will a romance of her own remain always out of reach? Or can she find her happy ever after?

Review

Alexandra Potter is an author whose previous books I have loved, they are full of romance and quirky female characters that you just can’t help but fall for and they all seem to have that added bit of sparkle which makes them special. The Love Detective is the first book in a new series, but it can be read completely as a stand-alone novel.

Ruby Miller a romance writer who puts sparkle and romance into her novels. Until now, she’s just found out her fiancé has been cheating on her and Ruby’s faith in love has been lost. So when little sister Amy invites Ruby to join her out in Goa Ruby packs her bags and heads to India. All is perfect at the blissful beachside yoga resort until Amy goes missing, on the day they are both due home. Ruby being the protective sensible older sister embarks on a journey across India to find Amy and bring her home. What starts as a journey to find Amy turns into a journey for Ruby to find herself again among the magic of India.

I have to confess I did nearly give up on reading this book after a few chapters, I just wasn’t engaging in the story for some reason. It wasn’t until after around page 100 that I became hooked. I think initially the story seemed a little flat as Ruby was predominantly by herself and the dialogue with other characters was very minimal. However when Ruby meets Jack on the train something caught my interest and I couldn’t put his down.

I loved Ruby as a character, she’s full of romance ideals, more than a little clumsy and is fiercely loyal to her sister Amy, who I actually found quite self-absorbed.

I loved the chemistry between Ruby and Jack, initially they don’t hit it off and their conversations are mostly bickering it was easy to see the spark between them, they made for an enjoyable and funny read.

India has never really been a country which I’ve longed to visit, but through the writing I can sense it must be a really special place. Every place visited Ruby’s visit has been brought to life perfectly and I really felt a sense of the colours and aromas of the county, well done Ms Potter for capturing the essence of India so completely.

After a wonderful journey with many twists and turns Ms. Potter’s signature magical element helps to bring this story to the perfect, if not predictable ending. Fans of Alexandra’s previous books will adore this book as it has her same magical, romantic style. If your pick this up and struggle a bit with the beginning, please don’t put this book down as you will miss out on a wonderful story. I give this book 4/5.

The Bookshop on the Corner by Rebecca Raisim

The Bookshop on the Corner by Rebecca Raisin

Published: 17th June 2014

Publisher: Carina UK

Available on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Blurb

Who said that only real heroes could be found in fiction?

Sarah Smith had an addiction – she was addicted to romance novels. The meet-cute, the passion, the drama and the gorgeous men! Now this wouldn’t have been such an issue if she hadn’t been the owner of the only bookshop in Ashford, Connecticut.

Ever since her close friend Lil, from The Gingerbread Café, had become engaged she had been yearning for a little love to turn up in her life. Except Sarah knew a good man was hard to find – especially in a tiny town like Ashford. That was until New York journalist, Ridge Warner stepped into her bookshop…

Love could be just around the corner for Sarah, but will she be able to truly believe that happy-ever-after can happen in real-life too!

Review

The Bookshop on the Corner is another perfect little novella by Rebecca Raisin. In this book we get to find out more about bookshop owner Sarah Smith who has been briefly mentioned in the Gingerbread Café books.

Sarah Smith is probably a character that many of us book bloggers can relate too. She’s slightly introverted and perhaps a little messy, preferring to spend every free minute lost in the pages of her latest book rather than tidy up. I instantly connected with her the way she sheltered herself from conflict and change by burrowing herself in books. Even though she feels she might be missing out of life a little by not having a boyfriend and rushing off to get married, she won’t settle for just anyone. Sarah’s looking for that perfect boyfriend who lives up to the dashing heroes in her romances novels. She wants him to be extremely hot but also kind and caring and someone who will not try and compete with her love of books. Sarah believes she’ll never find him but then one day her dream man walks straight into her bookshop and he seems to be quite keen on her too. Is he too good to be true, Sarah needs to take a risk to find out?

I read this as an introduction to The Little Bookshop on the Seine which is out October 16^th as a way of getting to know Sarah more. I adored The Bookshop Shop on the Corner and devoured it in one afternoon. It’s the perfect little romance story with the adorable Sarah and smoking hot Ridge and it was lovely to read about her letting him into her life and taking a risk.

As with previous books by Rebecca, The Bookshop on the Corner is set in Ashford and I find it so comforting to read about somewhere which is becoming very familiar to me. I also loved that previous characters CeeCee, Lil and Missy are mentioned as it just adds to that cosy feeling Rebecca’s writing seems to bring out in me. I have to give this book 5/5 as everything is just perfect and seamlessly written. Thank you Rebecca for bringing us another lovely read.

A Year in the Life of a Playground Mother by Christie Barlow

 

A Year in the Life of a Playground Mother by Christie Barlow

Published: 9th June 2014

Publisher: Bookouture

Pages: 336

Available on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

 

Blurb

A YEAR IN THE LIFE OF A PLAYGROUND MOTHER Ever had the pleasure of collecting your children from the school playground? Even if you haven't this is a hilarious must read. A month by month comical tale of a young mother fighting for her place in the world against the backdrop of the Playground Mafia. As her life unfolds and she takes us through from one amusing anecdote to another the characters come to life. There is Penelope who has a lot more going on in her life than she bargained for and Mrs Noland who has a lot less than she claims, not to mention Rupert who is a VERY busy man. With Mrs High School Musical, The International Sex God and The Frisky Pensioner, the characters are undeniably fascinating and leave you compelled to read more. Who knew that one false move in the playground, one step in the wrong direction or smile at the wrong person could lead to such complications? The witty one liners and side splitting stories will keep you amused from beginning to end. Lively and entertaining, a hilarious comedy that every playground mother can relate to.

 

Review

A Year in the Life of a Playground Mother follows life of Rachel Young as she leaves behind the bitchiness and competition of the suburban mothers and sets off for a quiet life in the county…or so she thought. Instantly Rachel is catapulted into the extreme madness of the playground mothers in Tattersfield, a small village and unwittingly she befriends probably the maddest and most competitive person of them all Penelope Kensington. As the school year progresses will Rachel make it out sane or will she succumb to the playground mafia.

I loved this book so much, it’s probably one of the funniest books I’ve ever read with the most annoying characters I’ve ever had the pleasure to read about: Penelope Kensington. Imagine every annoying thing that a primary school mother can do and this woman will do it and no one will stand in her way as she just doesn’t understand the word NO. Penelope is a woman who you just love to hate and throughout reading this book you will just want to shout NO PENELOPE!! Many, many times. Poor, poor Rachel being stuck with her, the woman deserves a medal!

This was a hilarious and quick read for me as the writing style is very easy flowing. It felt like Rachel was telling me the story herself over a coffee and it was very addictive. I also loved the way so much happened, there was constantly some drama taking place, usually with Penelope at the centre of it and dragging Rachel along for the ride.

I was lucky that I was able to read the follow on book for this straight after as there was a cliff-hanger ending that just made me desperate to find out what was going to happen. So I would definitely suggest you pick up this book and its sequel Misadventures of a Playground Mother and read them back to back.

I loved this book and rate it 5/5, one to share around the playground with your fellow mums.

 

 

Book Review - Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella

 

Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella

Published: 27th February 2014

Publisher: Black Swan

Pages: 460

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

 

 

 

Blurb

What do you do when you think your sister's about to marry the wrong man?

 

It's all gone wrong with the man Lottie thought was Mr Right. Then out of the blue she gets a call from her first love. She decides it must be Fate, and rushes off to marry him and rekindle their sizzling Greek island romance.

Lottie's older sister can't believe she's doing something so crazy. No more Ms Nice Sister, she's stopping this marriage. Right away! And she'll go to any lengths to do so...

 

 

Review

 

Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella is a book which has sat on my shelf for just over a year, I find her books hugely enjoyable and so was saving this one for something special, I chose to read this post honeymoon to extend that loved up glow I’ve got inside but sadly this book let me down a little. It is a good story with some very funny moments but I didn’t feel to truly engage with either of the two main characters Fliss and Lottie which left me struggling with this book at times.

Fliss and Lottie Graveney are sisters who couldn’t be in more different places on the romantic front. Lottie is loved up with Richard and is convinced he’s on the verge of proposing. While sister Fliss is very bitter from her impending divorce with husband Daniel. When Lottie’s dream proposal goes horribly wrong, she ends up splitting from Richard as he embarks on a three month job in San Francisco, leaving Lottie on the edge of a meltdown. Having being here before Fliss readies herself for her sisters next big “Unfortunate Choice”, however this time even she is unprepared for Lottie’s actions…she’s only got an married her teenage sweetheart Ben and is planning sizzling honeymoon back where they met on the Greek isle of Ikonos. Can Fliss save Lottie from herself and how far will she actually go to do so?

Wedding Night is told from a dual perspective of both sisters, this I did enjoy as it gave more insight into the events which were happening and we also saw both sisters’ weaknesses through the eyes of the other. However I just couldn’t seem to connect with either sister. I found Lottie to be impulsive and living in some kind of dream world where being married  and having amazing sex is the only thing that counts and to be honest a just wanted to slap her. Fliss I liked slightly better as its obvious Daniel has wrecked her heart and she doesn’t want her younger sister to feel the same pain. However I felt the measures she went to keep Ben and Lottie apart were extreme and bordering on lunacy. I wanted her to get a grip and just let Lottie get on with making her own mess.

This book does have some funny moments which I enjoyed, mostly centred on Fliss’s son Noah and his misunderstanding of the adult conversations. My favourite part is when Fliss has to produce a model balloon for Noah’s school out of the contents of her handbag and end up using condoms as the balloon! Loved it!

Despite finding the plotline of this novel a bit ridiculous and far-fetched I did enjoy it, however I wasn’t as hooked as I normally am with a Sophie Kinsella novel as usually I’m hooked from the first page, with this one it was about half way through when I began to enjoy it.  If you looking for a light-hearted fun read then this could be for you, if you’re a Kinsella fan you may feel a little disappointed as I feels it lacks the Kinsella magic in many of her other books.

I’d give this book a rating of 3/5.



Book Review - You Think You Know Me by Clare Chase

 

You Think You Know Me by Clare Chase

Published: 3rd December 2014

Publisher: Choc Lit

Pages: 263

Available on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

 

 

Blurb

Sometimes, it’s not easy to tell the good guys from the bad …

Freelance journalist, Anna Morris, is struggling to make a name for herself, so she’s delighted to attend a launch event for a hip, young artist at her friend Seb’s gallery.

But an exclusive interview isn’t all Anna comes away with. After an encounter with the enigmatic Darrick Farron, she is flung into the shady underground of the art scene – a world of underhand dealings, missing paintings and mysterious deaths …

Seb is intent on convincing Anna that Darrick is up to no good but, try as she might, she can’t seem to keep away from him. And as she becomes further embroiled, Anna begins to wonder – is Seb’s behaviour the well-intentioned concern of an old friend, or does he have something to hide?

 

Review

I was expecting You Think You Know Me to be good as the blurb sounded good, but I was not prepared for just how good this book would be and boy is it good! It is full of intense twists and mysterious characters and face paced writing full of suspense which make it a fabulous read.

Anna Morris is a freelance journalist wanting to make it big in the art scene like her fellow university friends. When she is invited to her friends Seb’s art gallery opening Anna is thrilled at the networking potential. Here she meets the dark and mysterious Darrick Fallon who claims he is the brother of a famous art dealer. Her friend Seb warns her Darrick is not who he says is and is no good for Anna. However Anna is unable to keep away from the sexy and mysterious Darrick and soon finds herself mixed up in some shady dealings within the art scene, with no idea who she can trust.

As Anna gets deeper involved with both Darrick and Seb and his gallery she begins to mistrust everyone around her and Claire Chase has written this book in such a way that we suspect almost every character to be hiding something, even her bossy cousin Alicia who she lives with. The way this is written about is truly brilliant, the mistrust she feels oozes off the page and the suspense gathers on every page. It built to a very dramatic ending which was just mind blowing as I totally didn’t expect the events to happen as they did. So who was the good guy and who was the bad guy? Well you will be left guessing until the very last page.

I thought Anna was a brilliant character, her inquiring mind may have led her right into trouble but she never seemed to accept lies when she was told them and used her journalist skills to go digging around for the truth. I also loved her relationship with her cousin Alicia, who was very bossy and condescending towards Anna but she just took it wholeheartedly and joked back at her.

This was a truly wonderful book to read, which I couldn’t stop reading as I had to find out the truth just like Anna. It is jam packed with suspense and intrigue and I was genuinely gutted when I’d finished as I could read Claire Chase’s words forever. I’m really hoping she’s working on another novel as she has a real talent.  I give this book 5/5 it was one of the best suspense novels I’ve ever read and if you haven’t read it then you need to!

 

Book Review - Fragile Lies by Laura Elliot

 

Fragile Lies by Laura Elliot

Published: 13th February 2015

Publisher: Bookouture

Pages: 424

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Pre-Order your copy from Amazon now

 

 

Blurb

His name is Michael Carmody.
He is a writer and a father.
His son is lying in a coma, fighting for his life.

Her name is Lorraine Cheevers.
She is an artist and mother.
An illicit affair has destroyed her marriage.

Michael is desperate to find the couple who left his son for dead, a victim of a hit and run.

Lorraine is desperate to start a new life for her and her daughter.

Michael and Lorraine are about to cross paths – damaged souls, drawn to one another.

They don’t know that their lives are already connected.

They don’t know the web of lies surrounding them.

They are each searching for the truth. But when they find it, it could destroy them both.

 

 

Review

Firstly I would to thank the publishers Bookouture for sending me a review copy through Netgalley. Fragile Lies is the story of adultery, tragedy, deception and secrets.

I thought the prologue to this book was just brilliant, I was totally sucked into the story of this adulterous couple and who they were.  How long had it been going? Were they married? How did it start? How could they leave the accident so quickly? How could they live with the guilt? I was full of questions and just had to keep reading to find out the answers.

Fragile Lies is the story of two people Lorraine and Michael and how they become drawn to each other, unaware just how connected their lives are before they even meet. Once all the secrets are out can these two ever recover from the damage?

Lorraine Cheevers, an artist has fled Dublin to the seaside town of Trabawn to recover from her the breakdown of her marriage. Out of the public eye Lorraine in the sanctuary of a house she knew from many happy summers spent in Trabawn as a child. Struggling to get through each day Lorraine is at a lost as to how to move her life on, until meeting Michael sparks something in her again.

Michael Carmody is after some answers. His son Killian was knocked down in a hit and run accident and Michael wants justice. He thinks he knows who is to blame, but is he right?

When these two meet there is an instant attraction between them, but can they form a relationship when they are both hiding so many secrets and are surrounded by lies. As Lorraine begins to learn what happened to Michaels son she begins to realise who is to blame for his accident and just how connected their two lives really are.

It took me a while to really get into this book, which surprised me after such a good prologue. After the first two parts I became really hooked and couldn’t wait to find out what happened next. This book is definitely a slow burner so stick with it.

I really liked the way the characters in this book were portrayed and particularly liked how we get to see them as they were as children through the flashbacks in part two of the book. I really didn’t like Adrian at all, he came across as weak and greedy and unable to really make a good go of things without being led by other people. Virginia was also not a nice character, I really wanted her to have some remorse or a little bit of sadness, but there just didn’t seem to be any feeling in her at all.

Fragile Lies was well written and after a slow start had a good ending which I didn’t expect. I found that with the characters I either loved them or hated them. I would give this book 4/5 and would love to read more by this author.

 

Book Review - Mr Miracle by Debbie Macomber

 

Mr Miracle by Debbie Macomber

Published:  20th November 2014

Publisher: Cornerstone

Pages: 272

Available in paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Blurb

Harry Mills is a guardian angel on a mission: help Addie Folsom to get her life back on track - and help her find love.

Creating a happy ending for Addie and her neighbour Erich doesn’t seem like much of a challenge. But soon after arriving in the town of Tacoma, Harry realises he might need some guidance. Addie and Erich can't stand each other; growing up he was popular and outgoing, while she was rebellious and headstrong. Addie would now rather avoid Erich entirely, especially at Christmas.

Harry is going to need all the help he can get, and a bit of divine inspiration, to help Addie and Erich find their Christmas miracle.

 

Review

 

I was sent a copy of this to review via NetGalley and after reading Mrs Miracle by Debbie Macomber I was expecting this book to have that same warm and cosy Christmas magic. Sadly this book didn’t live up to my expectations and left me wanting more from the story.

Mr Miracle is Harry Mills, an angel-in-training sent to earth to help Addie Folsom and her classmates to overcome difficulties in their lives. Having not experienced human emotions before Harry initially believes this will be a breeze. He is told he must help Addie form a relationship with her childhood next door neighbour Erich Simmons, piece of cake thinks Harry until he realises Addie and Erich have hated each other for years. Addie had a secret crush on Erich back when he was best friends with her brother Jeremy but sadly Erich just teased Addie, causing her to hate him. After Erich has a car accident Addie is left to care for him as their windowed mothers have left to go on a cruise over Christmas. With Harry’s help can Addie and Erich ever find a way to get along?

I loved this sound of this book and was expecting a magical sort of romance occurring between Addie and Erich with a little help from “Mr Miracle” however I felt the changes in their relationship happened just too quickly, one minute the hate each other and the next day they are declaring love for each other, hardly realistic! The whole book felt like it was really rushed even though the plotline is very thin. This book is only 272 pages and I feel if it were slightly longer and included more on the minor characters it might have been better.

Harry for me came across as a little smug, thinking his mission was easy and wasn’t nearly as lovely as his counterpart Mrs Miracle. He was very easily led by French teacher Michelle and he was often getting into trouble with the campus principal for not complying with college regulations.

I was intrigued by the minor characters in this book and wish that there had been more about them. Especially Elaina the canteen worker, Brady the Janitor, Danny and Andrew and his guardian angel dog. Maybe other stories will focus on these characters?

This is a book which does have a little Christmas spirit in it, like the Christmas tree lights scene and I also liked the details about the “pot luck” party which Harry hosted for his class. Because of this I’m glad I read this book even though the characters were a little flat and the plotline rushed. Hopefully the next Debbie Macomber book I read will have more of her usual magic.

Rating 3/5

 

 

Book Review - The King's Sister by Anne O'Brien

 

The King's Sister by Anne O'Brien

Published: 1st November 2014

Publisher: Mira

Pages: 560

Available in Hardback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

 

Blurb

1382. Daughter of John of Gaunt, sister to the future King Henry IV, Elizabeth of Lancaster has learned the shrewd tricks of the court from England’s most powerful men. In a time of political turmoil, allegiance to family is everything. A Plantagenet princess should never defy her father’s wishes. Yet headstrong Elizabeth refuses to bow to the fate of a strategic marriage. Rejecting her duty, Elizabeth weds the charming and ruthlessly ambitious Sir John Holland: Duke of Exeter, half-brother to King Richard II and the one man she has always wanted. But defiance can come at a price. 1399. Elizabeth’s brother Henry has seized the throne. Her husband, confident to the usurped Richard, masterminds a secret plot against the new King. Trapped in a dangerous web, Elizabeth must make a choice. Defy the King and betray her family. Or condemn her husband and send him to his death. Sister. Wife. Traitor. She holds the fate of England in her hands.  

 

Review

The King’s Sister tells the story of Elizabeth of Lancaster, sister to Henry IV. The story begins in 1380 in Elizabeth’s childhood home Kenilworth Castle on the day her marriage to the eight year old Duke of Pembroke is announced. Elizabeth is distraught with this news as he’s so much younger than her even though the match is politically a very strong one for her family. Elizabeth surrenders to her arranged marriage, until the day she meets John Holland, half-brother to King Richard and a man Elizabeth is instantly attracted to. They begin a love-hate relationship for a number of years until Elizabeth begs her father for an annulment to her marriage so she can marry her lover. Although she loves him deeply life with John Holland is not always an easy and happy one for Elizabeth, her husband has ambitions for himself alongside King Richard, which don’t always put his family first. As Elizabeth’s brother Henry gains favour for the crown Elizabeth has a difficult choice to make, betray her husband or her brother.

I have been a fan of historical fiction for a while but have tended to stick reading about the Tudors, mainly through the work of Philippa Gregory. The King’s Sister seemed the perfect book to discover a new historical fiction author and in Anne O’Brien I have found a wonderful writer. Her ability to create a realistic historically accurate and gripping read shows she has a real skill for storytelling in a period which has been well researched.

I really enjoyed reading The King’s Sister, I loved the romance that brewed between Elizabeth and John Holland over the years, starting so innocently and gradually became more passionate which I felt made the characters very real. Elizabeth was a really great character, she is determined and appears to have more guts than some men at the time. So has no problem barging in on political meetings if it means she’ll get her own way, which a lot of the time she does. She does come across as a little selfish, she decides she wants to end her marriage to the Duke of Pembroke, but she gives no consideration to how this will affect him, or indeed her father’s situation at court. When she decided to step in and make her betrayal, the choice she made must have been heart-breaking, knowing she was probably going to lose one of the men she loved, her husband or her brother.

The King’s Sister is a big book and not the easiest story to follow that I’ve ever read. I do think it is worth the time and effort though as it was an enjoyable read and one which gave me a real taste of life in England at that time. It’s a book I can see myself enjoying again in the future as I found Anne’s writing absorbing and I cannot wait to pick up her next book.

 

Thank to Mira for sending me a copy to review.

Rating 5/5

Book Review - A New York Christmas by Anne Perry

 

A New York Christmas by Anne Perry

Released: 23rd October 2014

Publisher: Headline

Pages: 154

Available in Hardback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

 

Blurb

December, 1904. Jemima Pitt, now twenty-two, agrees to act as a “suitable companion” to her friend Delphinia, who is traveling to New York to be married to Brent Albright, toast of New York high society. Jemima is excited about the prospect of a Christmas adventure in a strange big city, but little does she expect to be enlisted on a top secret mission by Brent’s brother Harley, to track down Delphinia’s estranged mother. After some detective work and a little luck, they manage to locate her lodgings—but to their horror, they find Maria dead. Truly her parents’ daughter, Jemima is determined to unmask the killer, and enlists the aid of handsome young police officer Patrick Flannery to do it. And along the way she comes to learn an important lesson about staying true to oneself, no matter the cost. Once again, as only she can, Perry delivers a darkly suspenseful, ultimately heart-warming novel that truly captures the essence of the holiday spirit.

 

Review

Jemima Pitt, I’m assuming the daughter of Inspector Pitt in one of Perry’s others series’ is heading to New York to accompany her wealthy young friend Delphinia Cardew to New York to marry into the Albright family, who are the cream of New York society. On arrival Jemima finds herself mixed up in the murder of Maria, a women believed to be Delphinia’s estranged mother. Jemima must use all her detective skills picked up from her father to help her out of trouble.

I really wanted to enjoy this story more than the previous Anne Perry novel which I read, but sadly I did not. I found the characters weak and the plotline bordering on ridiculous. The first thing that bothered me was that Jemima at twenty-three is considered past-it and only useful as a chaperone to nineteen year old Phinnie. Jemima herself came across very easily led, all Harley Albright had to do was smile at her and she followed him round New York on a silly quest, later on in the story she meets Patrick Flannery again who again pays her a little attention and she’s smitten, which made her seem a little desperate. I found Phinnie to be an incredibly annoying character; she was so smug about her fancy wedding, if I was Jemima I would have smacked her.

There was no mystery around the murder, it was obvious who has done it and why and I really couldn’t understand why Jemima was unable to see what was right in front of her nose. It lacked any kind a depth which makes a good crime novel. As for this being a Christmas novella, well the only link to Christmas throughout the whole book is the fact that New York is covered in snow, a very weak link to Christmas.

I’m glad that this was a short novella as it only took me an hour to read, any longer and I think I would have given up. I know Anne Perry has a huge following and has written a great number of books but they are not for me. I would like to thank bookbridgr for sending me a copy to review; sadly I can only give this book 1/5.

Book Review - The Great Christmas Knit-Off by Alexandra Brown

 

The Great Christmas Knit Off by Alexandra Brown

Published: 6th November 2014

Publisher: Harper

Pages: 400

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

 

Blurb

Heartbroken after being jilted at the altar, Sybil has been saved from despair by her knitting obsession and now her home is filled to bursting with tea cosies, bobble hats, and jumpers. But, after discovering that she may have perpetrated the cock-up of the century at work, Sybil decides to make a hasty exit and, just weeks before Christmas, runs away to the picturesque village of Tindledale.

There, Sybil discovers Hettie’s House of Haberdashery, an emporium dedicated to the world of knitting and needle craft. But Hettie, the outspoken octogenarian owner, is struggling and now the shop is due for closure. And when Hettie decides that Sybil’s wonderfully wacky Christmas jumpers are just the thing to add a bit of excitement to her window display, something miraculous starts to happen…

 

Review

Firstly I would like to thank Harper Collins for sending me a digital copy of The Great Christmas Knit Off by Alexandra Brown, I actually squealed when I saw this little beauty land on my kindle, for a fan of Christmas and all things crafty it’s perfect for me.  If any of you have read her Carrington’s series you will know that Alexandra has such a way of creating a magical heart-warming sense of community and characters that you just can’t help but adore her books.  With The Great Christmas Knit Off she has done it again, will an added bit of Christmas sparkle.

In The Great Christmas Knit Off we meet Sybil and she’s having a pretty rough year. First she was jilted at the alter by love rat Luke, who then ran off with twin sister Sasha. Then her mother keeps trying to set her up with the neighbour’s son, finally she makes a BIG mistake at work which has cost literally thousands. Exhausted and in need to somewhere to hide Sybil heads off to the small village of Tindledale, hidden deep in the countryside to visit her friend Cher. After a brief encounter with a dishy gentleman on the train Sybil arrives in Tindledale to discover snow and no taxis.  Eventually she arrives at the village pub to find to electricity, no room at the inn and no Cher.  After she’s given somewhere to stay by  B & B owner Lawrence, Sybil finds herself in Hettie’s House of Haberdashery, somewhere where she can indulge in her favourite past time KNITTING.  In Hettie, Sybil finds a kindered spirit and the pair pour their hearts out to each other over the click-clack of the knitting needles.  As Sybil begins to knit a Christmas jumper for Hettie, word of the knitting spreads round the village and one by one the villagers join Sybil and Hettie knitting and the Tindledale Tappers are born and soon they have an extra special project to complete.

I just adored all the characters in this book. Sybil is so lovely the way she wants to help Hettie get herself back on her feet after only just meeting her. She seems a little fragile when she first arrives in Tindledale but with Lawrence’s help she begins to blossom and feel complete herself, like she’s finally found where she belongs.  Lawrence, is just, well he reminded of a fairy-godmother for Sybil, giving her shelter and a shoulder to cry on when she needed someone to listen. I just loved him. Hettie reminded me  little of my grandma, the way the knitting just brought a smile to her face even though her heart was aching on the inside and I just wanted to give her a hug and make everything alright for her again.  The little budding romance between the adorable Dr Darcy and Sybil was so cute, I was just longing for them to find a little alone time to see if there was real chemistry between them. Other characters I liked were Ruby, Marigold and Taylor as they all added a little depth and more background to the story.

Tindledale sounds like the perfect place to live, everything is centred on village life and the community spirit in this places oozes off the pages. I really loved the little map at the beginning of the book as it really helped me picture this quaint little village in my mind.  My favourite place was Hettie’s House of Haberdashery as I love anything crafty and can imagine spending hours in here browsing and perhaps hoping someone will be able to finally teach me to knit if I stayed long enough!

This book is the perfect Christmas read is it brimming with everything Christmas described in a lovely whimsical, slightly old fashioned way and I adored it, another visit to Tindledale and its inhabitants cannot come quick enough.  Alexandra Brown has another winner with this book and the only downside to it is…I’ve finished it!!

Rating 5/5

Book Review - Cold Feet at Christmas by Debbie Johnson

 

Cold Feet at Christmas by Debbie Johnson

Released: 6th November 2014

Publisher: Harper Impulse

Pages: 222

Available on Kindle

Order from Amazon now

 

 

Blurb

Running out on your wedding shouldn’t be this much fun!

A remote Scottish castle on a snowy Christmas Eve. A handsome husband-to-be. A dress to die for. It should have been the happiest day of Leah Harvey’s life – but the fairytale wedding turns sour when she finds her fiancé halfway up the bridesmaid’s skirt just hours before the ceremony!

Fleeing the scene in a blizzard, Leah ends up stranded at the nearest cottage, where she collapses into the arms of its inhabitant – a man so handsome she thinks she must have died and gone to heaven!

And when Rob Cavelli suddenly finds himself with an armful of soaking wet, freezing cold, and absolutely gorgeous bride on the run, he’s more than happy to welcome her into his snowbound cottage this Christmas…

 

 

I received a copy of this through Net Galley from Harper Impulse in exchange for an honest review.

 Cold Feet at Christmas has a lovely festive cover and a plot which sounded a whole bundle of fun and I couldn’t wait to get stuck in. Leah, the main character is having the worse Christmas Eve ever; she’s run away from her own wedding after catching groom Doug in the arms of her bridesmaid, the car she runs away in then breaks down in the middle of a snow drift. With no phone signal her only hope is walk across a snow filled field to the only light she can see.  So is it any wonder when she arrives at the cottage, bedraggled, worn out and soaking wet that when the door opens she falls straight into the arms of the extremely handsome Rob Cavelli.

Rob’s come to Scotland to escape Christmas and some demons from his past, the last thing he wants is to be disturbed but when he opens the door to a dishevelled but still beautiful Leah, something stirs in him and he can’t help but let her stay.  These two are instantly drawn to each other and it isn’t long at all before the temperature in the cottage rises and they end up in bed together.  So begins some very hot scenes as these two make the most of being snowed in at Christmas. Rob asks Leah to come back to Chicago with him and as she’s lost her husband to be, her home and her job she agrees.  Back on his home turf Rob decides he should maybe have left Leah back in Scotland as being around her is causing his emotions to go into overdrive and the guilt from his past flares up. As the two can’t handle their feelings and unable to just be friends, they start to have petty little arguments whenever they are around each other. Will they ever be able to admit their true feelings and live happily ever after?

After reading the first couple of chapters  I wasn’t sure if I was going to enjoy this book as it just all seemed a bit ridiculous and over the top. How many people would jump into bed with a total stranger the day after their supposed wedding, not many I’m sure? I had a real issue with Leah just totally forgetting about Doug, okay he was a total idiot for sleeping with her bridesmaid but if I’d found my man messing about on our wedding day I would be DEVESTATED and probably uncontrollable with tears, not to mention angry, I would NOT jump into bed with next man I saw, no matter how hot he was.  I also had issues with Leah jumping on a plane and moving to a whole other country without telling anyone. I get that she doesn’t have much of a family but there must have been someone other than Doug who she cared about enough to talk to about leaving.

I wanted to hate Leah, but despite her man-eating tendencies and her extremely childish behaviour I couldn’t help but like her.  She seemed to always look on the bright side of things and nothing seemed to really bother her and I’m glad she was able to make a go of her life in Chicago. I didn’t like Rob, he might be gorgeous but I thought he was incredibly selfish taking Leah to Chicago as some kind of play thing and then abandoning her and being rude to her when her realised he actually had feelings for her, what a jerk! I really think his mother should have given him a good talking too and told him to grow up and stop letting his past guilt give him an excuse to be so arrogant.

I’m not exactly sure what this book has to do with Christmas, apart from the fact that Rob and Leah meet at on Christmas Eve there is nothing festive about it. No family togetherness, no forgiveness, no gift giving or anything related to Christmas, so if you looking for a book full of Christmas cheer this is not the book for you.  I think the title is very misleading, a better title might have been “Craziness in Chicago” because that about sums it up.

This book did make me laugh at the lengths Leah went to to try and get Rob to notice her.  Although I did have a number of issues with the plot and the characters I did still enjoy it.  If you are looking for a read which is light-hearted and you don’t want to take it too seriously then this could be the book for you, if you’re looking for your next Christmassy read then maybe not.

Rating 3/5

 

Book Review - Mistletoe Mansion by Samantha Tonge

 

Mistletoe Mansion by Samantha Tonge

Published: 10th November 2014

Publisher: Carina UK

Pages: 384

Available on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

 

Blurb

Kimmy Jones has three loves: cupcakes, gossip magazines and dreaming of getting fit just by owning celeb workouts.
When Kimmy’s Sensible Boyfriend told her he didn’t approve of her longing for the high life or her dream of starting a cupcake company Kimmy thought she could compromise – after all, she did return those five-inch Paris Hilton heels! But asking her to trade in cake-making for a job sorting potatoes is a step too far.

So, newly single - and newly homeless – Kimmy needs a dusting of Christmas luck. And, masquerading as a professional house sitter, her new temporary home is the stunning Mistletoe Mansion. Soon she’s best buds with glamorous next door golf WAG Melissa, and orders are pouring in for her fabulous Merry Berry cupcakes! The only thorn in her side is handsome handyman Luke, a distraction she definitely doesn’t need. And talking of distractions, something very odd is going on at night…

Kimmy is finally living the life she’s always wanted. But will her glimpse into the glittering lifestyle of the rich and famous be as glamorous as she’s always imagined…?

 

Review

 

Firstly I would like to thank Samatha Tonge for sending me an advanced copy to review. I’d never read anything by her before but the cover of this book was so lovely I couldn’t resist.  I have to say I think I’ve found another favourite author as this book was jam packed with lovely characters and I just loved the plot, it was hilarious.

The story begins with Kimmy being thrown out of her shared flat by boyfriend Adam because she won’t give up her dreams of a baking business and go and work in a potato factory with him. Kimmy is a baking whizz and is hoping to build her own cupcake business, she’s had a few jobs through friends but not enough to give Adam the confidence to believe in her.  Kimmy begs him to give her more time to allow her to make her business work, but Adam’s having none of it and out she goes.

After meeting up with friend Jess, who has just been thrown out by her brother, they manage to blag themselves the position of house sitters for Mistletoe Mansion. The girls can’t believe their luck, set in a quiet cul de sac Mistletoe Mansion is everything Kimmy has dreamed of but is everything exactly as it seems? Hot handyman Luke seems initially very standoffish and neighbour Terry can’t wait to leave as soon as its gets dark, so what is going on?

Kimmy meets celebrity WAG Melissa from next door and gets her first job catering for one of her coffee mornings, as Kimmy makes a new friend she realises the celebrity lifestyle isn’t as glossy as the magazines make out.

Mistletoe mansion is full of great characters and I loved that they all seemed just slightly over the top. There’s Kimmy with her gold parka jacket that you just can’t help but like and who are longing to see succeed with her business, just to prove Adam wrong.  Jess, her  vegetarian best friend who is gardening mad, handsome handyman Luke with his sexy cords, who Kimmy might have a little crush on, Melissa the stylish but kind celebrity wife who’s longing for a baby and Terry the eccentric, celebrity gossip loving,  next door neighbour  with his micro-pig, yes you read that right PIG, Frazzle.

The thing I loved most about this book was the relationships. Especially the little love triangle between Kimmy, Adam and Luke. Kimmy’s so focused on proving to Adam that she’s worthy of his love and support by making her business a success. Initially she can’t stand how arrogant he is around her, but when she gets to know him she realises that he believes in her and gives her encouragement and support without question. Will she pick solid, reliable, sensible Adam or sexy, cheeky, risk-taking, Luke?

With the delicious descriptions of cupcakes, the slightly spooky goings on and the misbehaving celebrities this book is the perfect treat for a cozy Christmas read and I loved every single page.  I give this book 5/5 and think everyone should add it to their reading list this year.

 

 

Book Review - Hello From The Gillespies by Monica McInerney

 

Hello From The Gillespies by Monica McInerney

Published: 6th November 2014

Publisher: Penguin

Pages: 528

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

 

Blurb

For the last thirty years, Angela Gillespie's annual Christmas letter has been full of her family's triumphs. But this year Angela surprises everyone, including herself - she tells the truth.

Angela's husband is in the throes of a mid-life crisis. Her grown-up daughters are more out of control than ever. And her youngest child spends all of his time talking to an imaginary friend.

With fantasy thoughts of a life before marriage and motherhood becoming more than just an innocent daydream, Angela's real life is slowly slipping out of focus.

But, as the repercussions of her ruthlessly honest letter begin to pile up, a shocking event takes Angela from her family, and she realises she should have been more careful of what she wished for. .

 

Review

I was instantly drawn to the cover of this book; I have a real love of all things postal so a book based on a letter has my interest straight away .Thank you to Penguin for allowing me to read an arc copy of this through Net Galley.  Hello from the Gillespie’s is set in the outback of Southern Australia on the sheep station of Errigal. Every year since her marriage to Nick, Angela has written a Christmas letter highlighting all the good things her and family have done throughout the year, she sends this letter on December 1st to over a hundred people across the world.

 This year things haven’t being going so well for the family. Twins Genevieve and Victoria are living away from home and having their own problems, Victoria having come out of a nasty affair which ended her Sydney radio career and Genevieve being caught up in celebrity gossip, her other daughter Lindy has returned home after a failed attempt at running her own business and son Ig has run away from boarding school and is spending all his time talking to imaginary friend Robbie. As for Nick, he’s spending all his time researching family history, shutting himself away from everyone. He and Angela are barley speaking and Angela feels more distant from her family than she ever has been.

So Angela is not sure what to write in her letter, friend Joan suggests she writes how she really feels instead of just the glossy things Angela usually writes. So Angela does just that, she lets all her emotions flow into the letter and even describes her fantasy life.  Angela saves the letter, intending to edit it later with what she ought to say, but as it usually does with a big family, life gets in the ways and Angela never gets a chance to change the letter before it accidentally gets sent out.

The aftermath of the letter send the family into complete disarray and push Angela and Nick even further apart. Angela becomes more and more withdrawn spending most of her time dreaming about her fantasy family, until eventually a tragic event leaves Angela more apart from her family than any of them could imagine.

I found this book a truly wonderful read, in the beginning I wasn’t exactly sure what would happen as we were introduced to each of member of the Gillespie family and found out what life was like for them.  As the family became reunited in a geographical sense at least I found I was totally absorbed by the everyday life of this family.  Monica has a real talent for being able to give you the viewpoints of the six main members of the family and make them all distinguishable so the story was easy to follow and flowed at just the right pace to keep you wanting to read just a little bit more.

I loved every character in the Gillespie family, although they seemed to have their differences and their squabbles the love they had for each other just flowed off the page and I really felt like I was a part of that too.  I loved the way that all the children seemed to grow up a little and help, their mother when she really needed them all.  My favourite character was Joan, she was just so brutally honest with all of them but at times they needed it to pull themselves together.

This book is full of the drama of family life and some slightly more shocking events, which made for an incredible read as you weren’t sure what exactly was going to happen next.  It’s a book which makes you truly value your family and makes you really think about what you wish for, because sometimes you might just get it and not in the way you expect.

If you are looking for a read which is incredibly emotional, has characters you will fall in love with and plot that will keep you hooked until then end then I recommend this book, it’s perfect.

Rating 5/5