Blog Tour Review: Love at the Northern Lights by Darcie Boleyn

Love at the Northern Lights by Darcie Boleyn

Published: 17th September 2018

Publisher: Canelo

Available on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Rating: 5/5

Blurb

‘Climbing out the window in her dress and tiara wasn’t exactly how Frankie imagined her wedding day…’

Runaway bride Frankie Ashford hops a plane to Norway with one goal in mind - find her estranged mother and make peace with the past. But when a slip on the ice in Oslo lands her directly in Jonas Thorsen’s viking-strong arms, her single-minded focus drifts away in the winter winds.

When it comes to romance Jonas knows that anything he and Frankie share has an expiration date - the British heiress has a life to return to in London that’s a world away from his own. But family is everything to Jonas and, as the one man who can help Frankie find the answers she’s seeking, he’ll do whatever it takes to help her reunite with her mother.

Now, as Christmas draws closer and the northern lights work their magic Frankie and Jonas will have to make a choice...play it safe or risk heartbreak to take a chance on love.

Review

Love at the Northern Lights is the first book I’ve read by Darcie Boleyn. I’ve always thought her books sound lovely but have never managed to pick them up, the cover of her latest one had me intrigued as its so beautiful and just seemed the perfect book to start my Christmas reading for 2018. It turned out to be the perfect book for this time too as it’s a story which for me oozed love and cosiness throughout.

I loved the way this book starts with Frankie running away from her wedding to stuffy sounding Rolo Bellamy. Frankie’s been surrounded by money her whole life and marrying Rolo would have meant wealth and security for the rest of her days but what Frankie is really craving is love. So when she rips her four thousand pound dress on her escape route and finds her would-be husband hiding in the bushes with possibly another woman she’s not bothered, on a whim she decided its time to find her mother and ask her why she left Frankie as a baby all those year ago.

Frankie finds herself alone in Oslo with a suitcase full of very precarious clothes she’s never felt freer and more in control in her whole life. Soon she falls quite literally into the arms of Jonas, who’s rugged and gentle and everything Frankie thought she didn’t want but can’t seem to stop thinking about. Jonas helps her unlock the secrets of the past and begins to show her what its like to really feel loved. Can he help her put her family back together?

Frankie and Jonas’s blossoming romance was a joy to read about despite a few bumps along the way, I love the way Jonas’ life way solely focused on his family and experiences and not on the material trappings that the men Frankie usually dated seemed to be interested in. I also love the other romance that develops in this book which shows sometimes there really only is one true love for some people.

This book has everything I love in a story, a lovely developing romance, family secrets uncovered, adventures to new places and most of all I loved the funny scenes which really brought the story alive for me. After reading Love at the Northern Lights I can’t wait to read more from Darcie Boleyn as her story-telling is magical.

Thank you so much to the publishers Canelo for sending me a copy to review and be part of this blog tour, Love at the Northern Lights gets a full five stars from me.

About the Author

Darcie Boleyn has a huge heart and is a real softy. She never fails to cry at books and movies, whether the ending is happy or not. Darcie is in possession of an overactive imagination that often keeps her awake at night. Her childhood dream was to become a Jedi but she hasn’t yet found suitable transport to take her to a galaxy far, far away. She also has reservations about how she’d look in a gold bikini, as she rather enjoys red wine, cheese and loves anything with ginger or cherries in it – especially chocolate. Darcie fell in love in New York, got married in the snow, rescues uncoordinated greyhounds and can usually be found reading or typing away on her laptop.

Author Social Media Links

Twitter: ‎@DarcieBoleyn

Website: https://darcieboleyn.wordpress.com/

Links to Book:

Amazon (UK)

Kobo (UK)

Google Books (UK)

Apple Books (UK)

Publication Day Review: Forgive Me Not by Samantha Tonge

Forgive Me Not by Samantha Tonge

Published: 23rd July 2018

Publisher: Canelo

Pages: 254

Available on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Rating: 5/5

Blurb

Forgiveness can be hard to come by… An unputdownable new novel from bestseller Samantha Tonge

 How far would you go to make amends?

When Emma fled her home at Foxglove Farm, she’d let down and hurt those who cared for her most. But now, two years later, she’s ready to face up to her past; she’s ready to go back.

But Emma’s unannounced return causes more problems than she could have foreseen. The people she knew and loved aren’t ready to forget, let alone forgive. And the one person she wants to reconnect with the most, her mother, can’t remember who she is.

Just as Emma starts to rebuild trust, an uncovered family secret and a shocking past crime threaten her newly forged future...

Sometimes simply saying sorry isn’t enough.

Perfect for readers of Ruth Hogan or Amanda Prowse, this is an extraordinary and unforgettable novel about running away from yourself – and finding a way back.

Review

I’ve read and enjoyed a few of Samantha Tonge’s previous novels which have been predominantly light hearted romantic novels which are easy reads. Forgive Me Not is a much deeper story focusing more on family dramas which really made me think and question the characters motives while I was reading it.

It’s been two years since Emma fled her home at Foxglove Farm after causing trouble for all those around her when she was drunk.  After living on the streets and hitting rock bottom as an alcoholic she finally faced up to her demons and sought help. Now she’s been sober for almost a year and is ready to return home and seek forgiveness from all those around her. But what Emma learns when she returns home that its not easy for those to forgive you if you can’t forgive yourself.

I found this a very heavy and emotional read which was highly addictive as I was eager to know all about Emma and her problems and what she’d done in the past that was so bad. It’s a novel which takes some serious and often overlooked issues and creates a well-rounded, believable story which has been researched incredibly well. Despite its main themes covering alcoholism, dementia and homelessness I found this a very inspiring and uplifting read. 

The characters in this book are all realistic and its refreshing to read something where nearly everyone has flaws, it made the story feel more genuine. For me Emma was my favourite and for her Emma to turn her life around the way she did and change from being selfish and care-free to be an honest and compassionate person was a real inspiration to read about.

Forgive Me Not is fantastic read and I think Samantha Tonge has done a marvellous job going in this new direction, I’m really looking forward to what she comes up with next.  The best thing about this book, that ending wow, I totally didn’t see that coming.

Thank you so much to the Samantha Tonge, the publishers and Rachel’s Random Resources for sending me a copy to review.

About the Author

Samantha Tonge lives in Manchester UK and her passion, second to spending time with her husband and children, is writing. She studied German and French at university and has worked abroad, including a stint at Disneyland Paris. She has travelled widely.

When not writing she passes her days cycling, baking and drinking coffee. Samantha has sold many dozens of short stories to women’s magazines.

In 2013, she landed a publishing deal for romantic comedy fiction with HQDigital at HarperCollins and in 2014, her bestselling debut novel, Doubting Abbey, was shortlisted for the Festival of Romantic Fiction best Ebook award. In 2015 her summer novel, Game of Scones, hit #5 in the UK Kindle chart and won the Love Stories Awards Best Romantic Ebook category.

Links

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SamTongeWriter

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SamanthaTongeAuthor

Website: http://samanthatonge.co.uk/

Purchase Links

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07F6Z1GYC/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=6738&linkCode=ur2&tag=canelo-21

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/forgive-me-not

Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=D7liDwAAQBAJ

iBooks:https://geo.itunes.apple.com/gb/book/the-quantum-spy/id1406717966?mt=11&uo=8&at=1000l5Q7

Blog Tour Review and Extract: Confessions of a First Time Mum by Poppy Dolan

Confessions of a First Time Mum by Poppy Dolan

Published: 25th June 2018

Publisher: Canelo

Pages: 266

Available on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Rating: 5/5

Blurb

Stevie’s life has changed beyond recognition since having her first baby.

Stevie loves being a mum, but between the isolation and being vomited on five times a day, she really wishes she had someone to talk to.

With husband Ted working hard to keep the family afloat, Stevie really doesn’t want to burden him with her feelings. Turning to the internet, Stevie starts the anonymous First-Time Mum blog and blasts the rose-tinted glasses of parenthood right off her readers.

In the real world, Stevie meets the formidable Nelle and gorgeous Will, along with their own little treasures, and starts to realise that being a ‘perfect mum’ isn’t everything. But when the secret blog goes viral, Stevie must make some tough choices about who she wants to be, and whether she’s ready for the world to know the truth…

A perfect laugh-out-loud read for fans of The Unmumsy Mum, Gill Sims and Emma Robinson.

Review

Poppy Dolan’s latest novel Confessions of a First-Time Mum is a book which has really resonated with me, she’s totally nailed the insecurities of motherhood and put them in a funny and inspiring read.

Stevie’s a first-time mum to Cherry, a baby who knows exactly what she wants, her mum all the time with added crying and bouts of milky sick for good measure. Stevie loves Cherry with all her heart but she’s finding motherhood hard and lonely as husband Ted doesn’t get a look in where Cherry is concerned. Feeling lonely Stevie clings to health visitors just so she can have an adult conversation as the mum-mums all around her are far too intimidating. Then one-day she strikes gold and meets Nelle and Will and the three form a solid bond.

One night the sleep deprivation gets too much for Stevie and she starts a blog and becomes First Time Mum, a blogger who becomes an overnight sensation, after speaking out about her true feelings about being a mum. The new-found confidence from blogging, along with her new friends slowly help Stevie to see she can do the parenting thing pretty well…until husband Ted drops a bombshell which leads to one blog-post too far.

I think every mum should read this book, as it’s a book any mum can relate to as we’ve all had moments of insecurity and worrying if we’re doing the right thing. In Stevie, Poppy Dolan has created a mum who is a hero and shown us that every mum is the hero of her own life. Being a mum is hard work, you’re responsible for another human being and you don’t get a manual so trial and error is the only way to go. Sometimes things will work out and sometimes they won’t, but that’s okay. Stevie has shown us its okay to have a meltdown every now and then, its okay not to be perfectly dressed, its okay to reach for the ready meals (it’s maybe not okay to leave your baby in the library) and it doesn’t make you any less a mum or love your baby any less.  I loved Stevie, in my eyes she’s the perfect mum. It’s obvious she adores Cherry and will do anything for her, including being caught on camera looking rough in the rush to get her to the doctor and being covered in sick at every social event going; but she also has her flaws, her main one being not expressing her emotions enough which leads her into trouble.

Confession of a First Time Mum is a realistic portrayal of the mum-life but written in a way which makes those stressful, insecure moments funny. Poppy Dolan has shown us there is a funny side to your baby being the one that has a poop explosion in the ball pool and shuts down the soft -play centre. We’ve all had those cringe-worthy moments where we want the ground to swallow us up but remember it happens to all of us and one-day it WILL be funny. I’ve read many “mum” books like this but this one is my favourite and I highly recommend it to any mum and every mum.

Extract

Chapter 7

From: Sarah Rimmer

To: Steviebutnotabloke@hotmail.co.uk

Subject: Hey yoooou

Hello lovely,

How are things? I realised I didn’t hear back from you on that other email and then that sent me into a shame spiral that I shouldn’t be sending you work stuff in your cuddly mummy bonding time. I’m sorry! Do you hate me? Have you dobbed me in? Dear IT guys: if you are monitoring my emails right now for a disciplinary, please know that I have photographic evidence of one of you pole dancing at the Christmas party. And I WILL fight dirty if it comes to it.

Anyway, I just wanted to say: I miss you. So much. Can I come out and see you soon, for a weekend lunch? Are you allowed to drink again these days? Shall I bring three bottles of cava or should I REALLY go to town?!

Can’t wait to see how life goes down in the sleepy burbs… Do you have a pinny? Do you make your own pastry? The mind boggles!

Love you,

Sarah x

Sleepy burbs. If only Sarah knew. While I’ve been reading her email and simultaneously tickling Cherry under the chin to keep her happy in the Hobbycraft shopping trolley seat, I have had four more Facebook notifications ping through on my phone. Three friend requests for First-Time Mum, one more comment on my reply to Gin and Sippy Cups. And that’s just in the last twenty minutes. Since I created the profile three days ago, I’ve made 3,267 ‘friends’ and had a gazillion notifications of Likes, replies and mentions. I have that head-swimmy feeling that I’ve just resurfaced from a scuba dive the whole, entire time.

I should turn off the notifications, really, and just check them at healthy intervals – say, twice a day, rather than between every two mouthfuls of porridge, like I did this morning. But I can’t stop myself. It’s like the dream I keep trying to wake myself up from. I need proof. Proof that this is all real. That this is happening to Stevie Cameron and not someone with a flat stomach and yet also guts, and a winning social media presence as well as a killer business plan. How can it have happened to the bumbling reality that is me?! I can’t find the nous to answer back to a snarky cashier in Co-op but somehow the righteous things my alter ego has typed in the dim light of my bedroom at 4am have really hit home. And people want to hear more. I’ve copied all my old blogs over to the Facebook page now, but I’m aware I need to write something new. And whatever it is had better be bloody good.

When I was just writing for me, I didn’t have this melon-twisting notion. I just let all the mad, dark, stupid, silly, ungrateful, soppy things fall straight from my brain onto the screen. And that was that. I’d give it a cursory reread for typos or anything that could cause offence and away I would go, publishing without a backwards glance. But now I’m a bit… Well, to put it into terminology from my pregnant days, I’m constipated. I’m bunged up with ideas and half-ideas and thoughts I really want to get out, but I don’t seem to have the strength to just do it and commit. And no one has invented prune juice for blogs just yet. So my notes folder has a list with a baffling collection of middle-of-the-night thoughts running away with itself:

●      I have a theory that Sudocrem is impossible to wash off so the government can easily track the shuffling movements of new parents, in case they crack and hold up their local John Lewis with a sharpened butter knife. It’s like that ink that explodes over money when you rob a bank: there is NO getting it off again.

●      The world of Bing is MESSED UP. Where are the parents?! Why has an animated sock puppet the size and heft of a guinea pig been left in charge?! There’s a talking rabbit, panda and elephant, but mysteriously a tiny cat that is… just a cat. It’s too much.

●      Stephen King should set his next horror novel in the fetid neck folds of Big Baby.

●      I would kill for a really crisp Caesar salad that I don’t have to make myself and can eat in a silent room, totally alone. Over four hours.

●      Top tips for arguing in code over Big Baby’s head. It’s not enough to be passive-aggressive and speak in the third person about ‘What Daddy’s Done Now’. You have to whisper everything, too.

Blog Tour Review: Confetti and Confusion by Daisy James

Confetti and Confusion (Paradise Cookery School #2) by Daisy James

Published: 9th July 2018

Publisher: Canelo

Pages: 160

Available on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Rating: 4/5

Blurb

Stepping in for a celebrity chef, Millie Harper is feeling the pressure to make the first ever Paradise Cookery School classes a dazzling success and ensure that bride-to-be Imogen and friends have an unforgettable experience.
Meanwhile, Millie is trying to play it cool around handsome estate manager Zach Barker. But whenever he is near Millie cannot fail to notice the chemistry between them – until someone from Zach’s past arrives and any potential romance seems out of the question.
When disaster strikes and the wedding is in jeopardy, Millie realises she may have to go above and beyond to make sure the school is a success. Can Millie manage to create a day that dreams are made of, and will she find a way to tell Zach how she feels?
Allow yourself to be transported to the balmy St Lucian sunshine by his uplifting summer read – perfect for fans of Jenny Oliver and Sarah Morgan

Review

Confetti and Confusion is the second book in Daisy James’ Paradise Cookery School series, in this book we see Millie Harper all set to stand in for missing chef Camilla and deliver the school’s debut class Chocolate and Confetti to Imogen and her wedding party as they prepare for her big day.  When things start to go wrong with Imogen’s wedding plans its Millie to the rescue, but can she fix her blossoming relationship with estate manager Zach after his ex-girlfriend comes back and makes it clear she wants him back.

This is a quick summery read which will have you longing for some chocolate or to be in St. Lucia (or in my case both) as the book is filled with beautiful descriptions of both, the Confetti and Chocolate course is my idea of heaven. Throw in handsome Zach and you have to perfect set-up.

 Once again Millie finds herself surrounded by mishaps and mayhem as the wedding plans start to go wrong. While I enjoyed the storyline, I felt this plotline was all a little too predictable and lacked the little bit of mystery which the previous book had.

This is the perfect story for a holiday read, it’s a fun and quick read with some likable characters set in a gorgeous location. I’m eager to read the next instalment to see where Millie ends up, so hurry up September when Mistletoe and Mystery is out.

Thank you to Canelo and Netgalley for sending me a copy to review and inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

About the Author

Daisy James is a Yorkshire girl transplanted to the north east of England. She loves writing stories with strong heroines and swift-flowing plotlines. When not scribbling away in her summerhouse, she spends her time sifting flour and sprinkling sugar and edible glitter. She loves gossiping with friends over a glass of something pink and fizzy or indulging in a spot of afternoon tea – china plates and teacups are a must.

Twitter: @daisyjamesbooks

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/daisyjamesbooks/

Blog Tour Review: Sunshine and Secrets by Daisy James

Sunshine & Secrets (The Paradise Cookery School #1) by Daisy James

Published: March 19th 2018

Publisher: Canelo

Pages: 165

Available on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Rating: 4/5

Blurb

When newly heartbroken, michelin-starred chef Millie Harper is offered a job overseeing the setup of The Paradise Cookery School she jumps at the opportunity. Leaving London and her memories of heartbreak behind she hops on a plane to the hilltop cocoa plantation in St Lucia.

But this beautiful island break might be more work than she’d expected….  With only two weeks to have the kitchen installed, cocoa pods going missing from the plantation and the notoriously relaxed island workmen to contend with, she’s going to need some help. Gruff but charming estate manager Zach Baxter, is only too happy to offer his opinions. As the two clash heads can they remain focussed on the job in hand and get the cookery school finished in time?

Review

Heartbroken Millie Harper is about to set off to France for a  holiday with her mum, when sister Jen asks if she’ll fly to St. Lucia and oversee the installation and recipe testing for new cookery school for famous chef Claudia Croft instead. Being a Michelin-starred chef Millie is keen to develop her skills and jumps at the chance to spend time learning about a different cuisine and in such a fabulous location, what could be more perfect.

Millie’s idea of a tropical paradise is soon ruined when she’s left in the pouring rain on arrival and then met by grumpy estate manager Zach Baxter who doesn’t offer her the warmest of welcomes. With kitchen fitters that have a much more laid-back way of working than Millie is used too, missing cocoa pods and disastrous dates can Millie get the cookery school up and running in time.

Sunshine and Secrets is a book filled to the brim with delicious food descriptions, in fact 70% of the story probably revolves around food so if you’re not a fan then this is maybe not the book for you. I love food so really enjoyed all the food descriptions, especially those relating to chocolate, only problem was it left me very hungry. I also loved all the descriptions of St. Lucia, Daisy James has done an excellent job bringing this part of the world alive for me.

Millie was the perfect main character for this story as her passion for food is so contagious that she had everyone around her excited to be involved with the school and the chocolate recipes. This passion helps Millie to gain confidence and with more than one handsome man showing her some interest it’s the perfect place for her to forget about her heartbreak from ex-boyfriend Luke.

This was quite a short read with many characters being introduced, perhaps too many as most of the book is spent getting to know the characters and the main action in the story takes place quite near the end and felt very rushed. I was also a little disappointed with the ending as the story just kind of stopped. I think if the book had been a little longer with the ending drawn out a bit more it would have made the book more enjoyable for me. It does leave the story open for a follow-on book though which I would like to read.

Sunshine and Secrets is the perfect escapist read to a tropical paradise where food, flirting and fun are part of everyday life and is a great book to welcome summer into your life.

Thank you so much to Canelo and Netgalley for sending me a copy to review and inviting me to be part of the blog-tour.

About the Author

Daisy James is a Yorkshire girl transplanted to the north east of England. She loves writing stories with strong heroines and swift-flowing plotlines. When not scribbling away in her summerhouse, she spends her time sifting flour and sprinkling sugar and edible glitter. She loves gossiping with friends over a glass of something pink and fizzy or indulging in a spot of afternoon tea – china plates and teacups are a must.

Author Social Media Links

Twitter: @daisyjamesbooks

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/daisyjamesbooks/

Links to Book:

Amazon (UK)

Kobo (UK)

Google Books (UK)

Apple Books (UK)

Blog Tour Extract: Tell No Lies by Lisa Hartley

Tell No Lies by Lisa Hartley

Published: 19th February 2018

Publisher: Canelo

Pages: 331

Available on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Blurb

A tortured body is found in a basement. Drug dealing and people smuggling is on the rise. Then police start going missing.

There seems to be no connection between the crimes, but Detective Caelan Small senses something isn’t right.

Plunged into a new investigation, lives are on the line. And in the web of gangs, brothels and nerve-shattering undercover work, Caelan must get to the truth – or be killed trying.

And then there’s Nicky...

Extract

Ninety minutes later, Caelan stepped off the train at Northolt and hitched her rucksack onto her shoulder. As she left the station and crossed the road, she didn’t allow her eyes to stray towards the entrance to the underpass where the man she had been following, the man she should have kept safe, had been killed only a few days before. Standing at the bus stop, she kept her head turned away as though looking out for a bus approaching. She had done her best to keep him alive, her hands and clothes stained with his blood when the paramedics arrived, but it had been futile. He had died on the operating table as the surgeons fought to save him. She blinked away the memory of the blood, and his mother’s devastated face. She was here to speak to another grieving family, and they deserved her full attention.

A bus took her close to Radcliffe Way, where PC Ben Rainey had lived with his parents and younger brother and sister. Large blocks of flats and maisonettes dominated the area. The Rainey family’s home stood at the edge of an expanse of concrete, facing a row of garages. There were ten properties, and Caelan found the number she was looking for on the door of the house on the bottom left of the block. Drifting from the property above through an open window came beautiful, haunting music and a voice singing in a language Caelan couldn’t understand. She stood and listened, the sounds of the street, of busy modern London, fading into the background.

‘Any reason you’re waiting outside our house?’

The question came from behind her. Caelan turned to see two teenagers. They wore black blazers and trousers, white shirts, blue-and-black-striped ties and quizzical expressions. Joseph and Miriam, Ben Rainey’s siblings. She smiled.

‘Yeah, sorry. I’m a police officer.’ She remembered her outfit – the jeans, the gaudy trainers. ‘Though I might not look like one today.’

Joseph inclined his head. ‘You got ID?’

Caelan unzipped her jacket and reached into the inside pocket. Usually, being undercover meant leaving your warrant card at home. Since she’d had to pack as much as she could carry at Nicky’s flat with no idea when she might be able to collect the rest of her belongings, her warrant card had been the first item she grabbed. She’d just have to be careful, or give it to Achebe or Beckett to lock away safely.

The boy took it, and he and his sister peered at it. Miriam looked Caelan up and down.

‘Why are you here?’ she asked.

‘I need to speak to your parents, and the two of you.’

‘About…’ She stumbled over the name, was unable to say it. ‘About my brother?’

‘I’m afraid so.’

Miriam screwed up her face. ‘More questions?’

‘Why haven’t you caught this…’ Joseph frowned, his mouth working. ‘Why haven’t you found him?’

Caelan took back the warrant card, pushed it into her pocket. ‘Honestly? I don’t know. I’ve only just been drafted onto the case.’

‘And what, you couldn’t read up on what we’ve told you people already? You had to come here to upset everyone all over again?’ Miriam’s voice was harsh, but Caelan could see tears in her eyes. Her brother stepped closer to her, the two of them moving towards their front door, blocking it from Caelan’s view. ‘We don’t want you to come in. Our mum and dad…’

‘They’re devastated.’ Caelan made it a statement, not a question.

Joseph scrubbed his eyes with his knuckles. ‘Can you blame them?’ He folded his arms across his chest. ‘They won’t want to see you, or talk to you. Can’t you leave us alone?’

Caelan paused. ‘I want to find the person who killed your brother, who did this to your family. I wouldn’t be here disturbing you if it wasn’t important, if I didn’t believe you can help me.’

About the Author

Lisa Hartley lives with her partner, son, two dogs and several cats. She graduated with a BA (Hons) in English Studies, then had a variety of jobs but kept writing in her spare time. She is currently working on the next DS Catherine Bishop novel, as well as a new series with Canelo.

Author Social Media Links

Twitter: @rainedonparade

The Woolly Hat Knitting Club by Poppy Dolan

The Woolly Hat Knitting Club by Poppy Dolan

Published: 25th September 2017

Publisher: Canelo

Pages: 300

Available on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Rating: 4/5

Blurb

When Dee Blackthorn’s brother, JP, breaks both wrists not only is he in need of a helping hand – or two – but the knitting shop he owns can’t function. Sisterly duties take Dee away from her demanding job and she is unceremoniously fired amidst scandalous office rumours. Dee is certain that her hot-shot nemesis, Ben, is behind it all.

Back in the village of Fenwild where JP's shop resides, Dee bumps into Becky, an old friend who is new mum to a premature baby. Desperate to help Becky, Dee convinces JP to enlist his knitting pals to make tiny woolly hats to keep the little one warm. Seeing how grateful her friend is, Dee makes it her mission to help lots of other premature babies. When Ben turns up denying involvement in Dee’s sacking she is initially furious, but hears him out before roping him into helping the knitting cause.

But before long Dee’s good intentions backfire and she risks losing her friends, her family and Ben, who’s turned out to be not so bad after all…

Review

Being someone who loves all things crafty The Woolly Hat Knitting Club was a book which really appealed to me. It’s a wonderful story of family, friendship and full on knitting fun and one which I found to be deeper than your average chick-lit novel.

Dee and her brother Julian (JP) co-own Blackthorn’s Haberdashery. Dee who works in advertising in London is more of a silent partner in the business until JP calls her and says he needs a hand…literally as he’s broken both of his wrists and can’t keep his shop or his blog About a (Knitting) Boy running without Dee’s help.

Dee steps into help JP but her absence from the office starts scandalous rumours leaving Dee being given instant dismissal on her return. Fuming Dee places all the blame on co-worker Ben and with nothing keeping her in London heads back to Fenwild to lick her wounds.

 Back in the village Dee bumps into old friend Becky and when she learns she’s given birth to a premature little boy Dee decides to make it her mission to help. What starts off as one woolly hat being knit turns into hundreds as Dee and JP set up a campaign to help as many babies as they can.

Dee is one of those characters who you’ll either love or hate. She very quick to judge things based on very few facts and always believes she knows the best for everybody which does land her in trouble with almost everyone she knows. But I believe her hearts in the right the place and she’s doing the best that she can, she may make many mistakes, but she also knew when its time to admit she’s wrong and apologise and for that I loved her. I also loved that she never gave up learning to knit despite being rubbish at it, I feel her pain, I still can’t master this craft and it annoys me greatly…knitting is harder than it looks.

I found this a lovely heart-warming novel which highlights that working twenty-four seven is not always the best way to life, the things outside of work such as family, friends, romance and even hobbies all add things to make our lives better and I loved reading Dee’s journey as she learns this.

I also loved that this showed the crafting community in such a positive light, being part of it myself its nice to read something where knitting isn’t just for the older generations but something which everyone can embrace.

This was my first novel by Poppy Dolan but I’m really looking forward to reading more of her stories in the future.

Thank you to Canelo for sending me a copy to review in exchange for my honest opinions.