Publication Day Review: Let It Snow by Sue Moorcroft

Let It Snow by Sue Moorcroft

Published: 26th September 2019

Publisher: Avon

Pages:  378

Available on Kindle

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Rating: 5/5 

Blurb

This Christmas, the villagers of Middledip are off on a very Swiss adventure…

Family means everything to Lily Cortez and her sister Zinnia, and growing up in their non-conventional family unit, they and their two mums couldn’t have been closer.

So it’s a bolt out of the blue when Lily finds her father wasn’t the anonymous one-night stand she’d always believed – and is in fact the result of her mum's reckless affair with a married man.

Confused, but determined to discover her true roots, Lily sets out to find the family she’s never known; an adventure that takes her from the frosted, thatched cottages of Middledip to the snow-capped mountains of Switzerland, via a memorable romantic encounter along the way…

Review

In my eyes its never too early to start the Christmas reading and what better way to start than with Sue Moorcroft’s latest festive release “Let It Snow”. A book with such an apt title, as snow features quite heavily in this book both as part of the setting and the Christmas carol “Let It Snow” is brought to life by the Middledip choir the Middletones.

Lily Cortez grew up in an unconventional but very loving family with her sister Zinnia and their two mums Roma and Patsie. Lily’s settled life is thrown into disarray when she learns her father was not a one-night stand she was led to believe but a married man her mother Roma had an affair with. Needing to find the missing pieces Lily heads to Middledip in the hope of connecting with her missing family. But two years on and Lily’s full identity remains hidden, she’s hoping her forthcoming trip to Switzerland will give her the chance to reveal who she really is and give her the happy ending she’s longing for.

Lily’s such a warm and loving character that you can’t help but instantly adore her, although I think that applies to most of the characters that Sue Moorcroft creates. I was longing for her to find happiness with both sides of her family and hopefully with the gorgeous Isaac who she just can’t but be drawn to. But poor Lily encounters more than one bout of turbulence as she heads out on her journey to Switzerland.

This is a gorgeous festive novel which has been brought alive for me through Sue’s wonderful realistic characters, Doggo being one of my favourites and her wonderful descriptive settings. I loved reading about the Swiss trip as I could really imagine what it was like from the glistening snow covered streets to the twinkling lights at the Christmas market.

This delightful festive read is sure to be a hit with Sue Moorcroft’s fans and it’s made me realise I need to go and read more of her books as I loved this one.

Thank you to Avon via Netgalley for providing me with a copy to review honestly.

The Christmas Promise by Sue Moorcroft

The Christmas Promise by Sue Moorcroft

Published: December 1st 2016

Publisher: Avon

Pages: 325

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Rating: 4/5

Blurb

For Ava Bliss, it’s going to be a Christmas to remember …

On a snowy December evening, Sam Jermyn steps into the life of bespoke hat maker Ava. Sparks fly, and not necessarily the good ones.

Times are tough for Ava – she’s struggling to make ends meet, her ex-boyfriend is a bully, and worst of all, it’s nearly Christmas.

So when Sam commissions Ava to make a hat for someone special, she makes a promise that will change her life. She just doesn’t know it yet…

Review

The Christmas Promise is the first book by Sue Moorcroft that I’ve read and is one which I really enjoyed.

Ava Blissham is having a rough time and with Christmas just round the corner she feels it’s only going to get worse.  When friend Izz drags her out for her work Christmas party Ava bumps into her ex Harvey who tries to blackmail her by saying if she doesn’t go back out with her he’ll spread illicit photos of her all over the internet. Upset Ava rushes homes but is followed by Izz’s boss Sam who wants to make sure she’s ok. Sam takes Ava home where she shows him her hat studio and he asks her is she will make a special hat for his mother who has recently been diagnosed with cancer. Desperate for some money Ava agrees, it’s only when she meets Sam’s mother and realises that she’s under the impression her and Sam are dating. Which makes it more complicated when Harvey comes to the same conclusion.

This book deals with the effects of cyber bullying, financial hardship and tragically a cancer diagnosis which added a great deal of emotion and poignancy to be the story. Sam’s relationship with his ill mother brilliantly portrayed. He shows her he cares but doesn’t smoother her and make her feel “ill”.  Ava was a great character who I instantly liked, I wished she just forget about the whole “not dating” thing after Harvey and give lovely Sam a chance. I loved the wide mix of supporting characters in this book too from Ava best friend Izz, to Tod and Lindsay to the gem that is Auntie Val as they all added a little something to the story.

Some of my favourite scenes included when Ava first meets Sam’s mum, the charity fundraiser and the Christmas Day scenes all were very touching and they were moments when I did shed a few tears. Despite this being a serious book with real issues there are some light hearted and comical moments, the fancy dress party being ones of my favourites.

Harvey was an utterly horrible character and the plot to take revenge on him for his nastiness was genius and quite funny and I loved how it brought many of the sub character’s all together to help Ava and Ruby, a WAG who needed a little help with her media presence.

What I loved most about this book was that it was more than just a romance told at Christmas. It was a book which dealt with real issues, poverty, bullying and cancer may not be the cheeriest of topics but they are things which we are dealing with in today’s world and that made it a great read for me. This is a book which highlights that Christmas isn’t about how much money you spend on gifts and celebrations it’s about spending time with those we really care about and embracing life and making those special moments count because those are the things which are most important.

I’ve loved reading my first book by Sue Moorcroft and can’t wait to get started on my next. It’s the perfect book to read right now as we begin the final count down to the big day. Thank you to Avon and Netgalley for tis copy to review.

Sunshine on a Rainy Day by Bryony Fraser

Sunshine on a Rainy Day by Bryony Fraser

Published: 8th September 2016

Publisher: Avon

Pages: 400

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Rating: 4/5

Blurb

It’s Zoe and Jack’s first wedding anniversary party. They’ve got an announcement! They’re getting divorced.
Marriage isn’t for everyone – something that Zoe and Jack discovered only after they’d walked down the aisle. Bad timing, huh?
So now they’re stuck together in their once harmonious marital home, neither one of them willing to move out of their lovely house.
With Zoe’s three sisters always wanting a say, and Jack’s best friend trying his best to fix things between them, misunderstandings arise. Tempers flare. ‘Accidents’ happen…
Zoe and Jack are going to be lucky if they’re still alive when the twelve months are up. But maybe things aren’t quite as final as they seem?

Review

As soon as I read the blurb for this book I really wanted to read it as it sounded refreshingly different to the get married, live happily ever after storyline. In Sunshine on a Rainy Day Bryony Fraser as knocked this idea on its head and given us a story of matrimonial disaster.

Sunshine on a Rainy Day starts with Jack and Zoe announcing on their first wedding anniversary that they’re getting a divorce. We’re then taken back through the previous twelve months to relive their nightmare year of being married and find out exactly what went so wrong with these two people who were so in love. As we follow Jack and Zoe through their wedding and first year of marriage we are also given flashbacks of how these two met and how their relationship has developed over the last seven years, which was a brilliant way of storytelling as you could see those pivotal moments which had affected their feelings towards marriage.

Despite wanting to love this book I had one major problem with it, Zoe. I just didn’t like her at all. I really couldn’t get my head round why getting married changed her so much. Before the wedding she seemed a kind caring and devoted girlfriend who would do anything for Jack. After she became like a spoilt child when they don’t get their own way, moaning at Jack for everything, picking fights over silly things and always assuming he’s wrong without ever giving him chance to speak. I felt a bit like Jack and wondered where has his lovely Zoe gone and why. From the flashbacks I can kind of understand where she was coming from but I felt so sad for Jack that she never seemed to give their marriage a chance to work.

Apart from Zoe this is a really good read. Jack is such a lovely guy and totally someone I think most of us would enjoy being married to as he was so kind and considerate to Zoe even when she was being ridiculous. I also loved the other characters in the book, Zoe’s sisters and their own little dramas, but my favourite had to be Liz and her plan of dating a guy she hated so she’d appreciate the next guy more was so funny.

The pace of this book is quite fast and even though I kept putting it down as Zoe irritated me I found myself sneaking a couple of chapters when I got a chance as I kept wanting to see  what would happen next and after a couple of days I was finished.

With this book I felt a wide range of emotions, I laughed, I cried and I got mad. It is a book of love, friendship, family and above all following your instincts when something doesn’t feel right. I enjoyed it and am looking forward to seeing what Bryony Fraser comes up with next.

Thank you to Avon and Netgalley for this review copy.

Release Day Round-Up #19

Welcome to a bumper release week, there is something for everyone this week:

A Home in Sunset Bay by Rebecca Pugh

Published: 9th February 2016

Publisher: Carina UK

Available on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

There’s no place like home…

Enough is enough! The always perfect Laurie Chapman had jumped in her car and raced as fast as she could from London heading to Sunset Bay and (she hopes!) the open arms of her estranged sister…

Mia Chapman loves running Dolly’s Diner in the picture-perfect coastal Cornish town of Sunset Bay. Now that her and Grandma Dolly’s dream is finally a reality Mia has never been prouder! Until Laurie suddenly turns up on her doorstep… How can she forgive the sister who walked away?

Once upon a time Mia and Laurie were best friends. Back together after so long, the time has come for the sisters to figure out what went so wrong all those years ago – and whether they can ever put it right!

I love the sound of this book, I just love uncovering family mysteries. This is Rebecca's second novel, sadly I haven't yet read her first one Return to Bluebell Hill but its on my list. If her writing is anything like her lovely book reviews it will be a delight to read.

Time to Say Goodbye by S. D. Robertson

Published: 11th February 2016

Publisher: Avon

Pages: 352

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Is there ever a right time to let go?

HOW DO YOU LEAVE THE PERSON YOU LOVE THE MOST?

Will Curtis’s six-year-old daughter, Ella, knows her father will never leave her. After all, he promised her so when her mother died. And he’s going to do everything he can to keep his word.

What Will doesn’t know is that the promise he made to his little girl might be harder to keep than he imagined. When he’s faced with an impossible decision, Will finds that the most obvious choice might not be the right one.

But the future is full of unexpected surprises. And father and daughter are about to embark on an unforgettable journey together . . .

I just finished reading this last night and it was stunning. It has some incredibly heart-wrenching moments in it which will make you cry. I found it a very original read as I've not read anything like it before and it really made me think about  life in a new way. This is going to be one of those books that stays with you long after you've finished it as I know it will me. Thank you S. D. Robertson for such a wonderful book. This is a must-read 2016.

Song of the Sea Maid by Rebecca Mascull

Published: 11th February 2016

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Pages:  312

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

As a child living on the streets of London, then in an orphanage, Dawnay Price grows up determined not to let her background stand in the way of her ambitions.

In an era where women rarely travel alone, especially for scientific study, Dawnay sets sail aboard The Prospect to the beautiful Iberian Peninsula. Amid rumours of mermaids in the sparkling waters, she makes some unexpected discoveries, including what it means to fall in love.

Having fought hard against convention, Dawnay is determined to put her career above all else. Yet as war approaches she finds herself divided by feelings she cannot control. 

I'm about a third of the way through this book and so far I'm enjoying it. Dawney may be a character who has not had the best start in life but she is on a constant mission to improve herself and I love that. The writing is very detailed and delivers a real sense of place which is a joy to read. Looking forward to following Dawnay's journey more.

So that's my three favourites from this week, are you going to read any of them? Check out my release dates page for links to other books released this week.