Blog Tour Review: A Country Rivalry by Sasha Morgan

A Country Rivalry by Sasha Morgan

Pubished: 19th March 2019 

Publisher: Aria

Pages: 267

Available on Kindle and in Paperback

Order now from Amazon

Rating: 4/5

Blurb

Life in the beautiful Cotswolds village of Treweham could never be described as boring, but the arrival of a documentary film crew means that things are even busier than normal.

For the ever-so dashing Lord of the Manor Tobias Cavendish-Blake and his new wife Megan, it’s a great advertising opportunity as they’ve recently opened up their home, Treweham Hall, to the public. And for the chef at the local pub The Templar, Finula, the arrival of the brooding director Marcus Devlin, means her love life is looking up.

Whilst at the racing stables, jockey and trainer Dylan Delaney is hoping the exposure will help him find new owners and horses for him and his partner Flora to train. But there is more to Marcus Devlin than meets the eye, and he has very personal reasons for heading to the Cotswolds.

And once his plans become clear, life in Treweham may never be the same again. 

Review

A Country Rivalry is Sasha Morgan’s second novel and follows on from A Country Scandal published last year. It can easily be read as a standalone as Ms. Morgan provides a brief background to each of the characters stories in the first few chapters. Just like her previous novel Ms. Morgan has managed to weave together the stories of eight characters to form this novel, something which I feel takes great skill as each character does have a distinctive voice so once you’ve worked out who’s who it’s an enjoyable read.

The main focus of A Country rivalry is the arrival of Marcus Devlin and his film crew stirs up daily life in Treweham. Centring his life around Treweham Hall and the Cavendish-Blake family does Marcus have his own reasons for portraying Tobias in a bad light and what will happen with his budding romance with Finula when the real reason he’s here comes to light. Along with this story we also find out more around Tobias’s brother Sebastian and see the development of the relationship between Dylan and Flora.

I did feel in this book there were perhaps too many characters and leaving some out for another book may have been a better option. The brief mentions of Gary and Tracy Belcher, lottery winners from the previous book didn’t add much too this story but made me remember I loved them in the previous book and would to know more about them.

This is an entertaining read which kept the drama going right until the last page. Sasha Morgan has really brought the village of Treweham and its inhabitants to life and I can’t wait to read more from her.

Thank you to Aria for sending me a copy to review and inviting me on the blog tour.

About the Author

Sasha lives in a rural, coastal village in Lancashire with her husband and Labrador dog. She has always written stories from a very young age and finds her fictional world so much more exciting than the real one.

Follow Sasha:  

Twitter: @SashaMorgan_

Facebook: @SashaMorganAuthor

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2TT9MEN

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2BGcKW5

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2Nbjj7K

iBooks: https://apple.co/2NcjNup

Follow Aria

Website: www.ariafiction.com

Twitter: @aria_fiction

Facebook: @ariafiction

Instagram: @ariafiction

Blog Tour Review: Magnolia House by Angela Barton

Magnolia House by Angela Barton

Published: 29th January 2019

Publisher: Choc Lit UK

Pages: 333

Available  on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Rating: 5/5 

Blurb

Rowan Forrester has it all – the happy marriage, the adorable dog, the good friends, the promising business and even the dream home after she and her husband Tom win a stunning but slightly dilapidated Georgian townhouse in London at auction. 

But in the blink of an eye, Rowan’s picture-perfect life comes crashing down around her and she is faced with the prospect of having to start again. 

To make ends meet she begins a search for housemates, and in doing so opens the door to new friends and new beginnings. But could she be opening the door to new heartbreak too?

Review

I loved Angela Barton’s previous novel Arlette’s Story so was really looking forward to reading Magnolia House, it may be a different genre but once again Ms. Barton has succeeded in creating a richly detailed and emotional story.

When Rowan and her husband first see Magnolia House its love at first sight, together they do a wonderful job of renovating it and bringing it back to its former glory. Everything is perfect for Rowan and husband Tom, until one frightful evening when Tom has a heart-attack and dies. Now Rowan’s facing life alone in the huge house it doesn’t seem so perfect, after months of soul-destroying heartache Rowan finally decides it time to move on and turn Magnolia House into three separate flats. The arrival of new flat-mates Mason and Nora, marks the start of a new beginning for Rowan but will it be a happy one?

Rowan is a lovely main character she’s fun, warm-hearted and creative about to start the next phase of her life when everything falls apart. Yes she grieves for a long time but then she decides its time to move on and build a future for herself, I really admired her resilience and determination to make her little business work. For me though the star of the book was Mason, he added some fun and humour back into Rowan’s life and with brother James the possibility of romance. He was there for Rowan when the story takes a darker turn and provides the ideal confidante.

Magnolia House was a wonderful emotional read. I cried along with Rowan at the beginning but also found myself laughing at some of the situations Rowan ends up in and I loved the intrigue and mystery behind the letters Rowan received. For me this was a perfect novel full of heartbreak, romance and mystery, Angela Barton really brought Magnolia House to life and I loved it.

I highly recommend Magnolia House, it’s a book I know I will read again for sure. I’d like to thank the publishers Choc Lit for sending me a copy to review and Rachel’s Random Resources for organising the blog tour. 

About the Author

Angela Barton was born in London and grew up in Nottingham. She is married with three grown up children and adorable four-year-old twin granddaughters. Angela is passionate about writing both contemporary and historical fiction and loves time spent researching facts for her novels. Having signed publishing contracts for three of her completed novels with Choc Lit’s new imprint, Ruby Fiction, Angela is excited to be working alongside such a lovely team.

Angela and her husband, Paul, recently moved to France and planted a lavender field. She’s looking forward to spending more time writing in the beautiful Charente countryside working from her new writing room, a beautiful shepherd hut. Angela is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and Nottingham Writers’ Studio.

Purchase Link  - smarturl.it/fttfc2

Website:  https://www.angelabarton.net  

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/angela.barton3

Twitter: https://twitter.com/angebarton

Blog Tour Review: A Little Christmas Charm by Kathryn Freeman

A Little Christmas Charm by Kathryn Freeman

Published: 16th October 2018

Publisher: Choc Lit UK

Pages: 267

Available on Kindle

Order now on Amazon

Rating: 4/5

Blurb

Would you swap sea and sunshine for tinsel and turkey?
Gabby Sanderson is used to being let down – even at Christmas. Which is why she’s happy to skip the festive season completely in favour of a plane ticket and sunnier climes.

But this Christmas could be different, because this time she might not be spending it alone. Can Owen Cooper charm Gabby into loving Christmas in the same way he’s charmed his way into her life, or is he just another person who’ll end up disappointing her?

Review

Gabby Sanderson has been used to spending Christmas alone, preferring to jet off somewhere exotic rather than drown herself in tinsel and turkey. So when she starts an office romance with Sales Director Owen Cooper it looks like Gabby is about to share her Christmas holiday with someone else. As the big day approaches more and more obstacles appear preventing Own from joining Gabby on the beach. But has he charmed her enough for her to consider spending Christmas with him, his elderly father and his wannabe daughter Zoe and have the full on Christmas experience or will she board that plane alone again.

This is the second book I’ve read by Kathryn Freeman and it was a joy to be back immersed in one of her stories. Gabby and Owen’s romance is full of chemistry despite Gabby’s reluctance to completely open herself up to her feelings. This additional storylines in this book gave it much greater depth than just a romance. These characters all felt very real to me and I love how Kathryn Freeman has portrayed the vulnerabilities of both Gabby and Owen perfectly.  Their concerns about elderly parents and trying not to disappoint young Zoe, while finding time for their own fun are issues facing most of us at Christmas time and it was good to read about the realistic solutions they came up with.

I loved the addition of young Zoe who really added to the Christmas feel of this book and her interactions with Owen’s father were lovely to read about. Introducing Faith for A Little Christmas Faith was a great idea too as I now have this book on my Christmas reading wish-list.

This is a lovely Christmas romance which had me completely absorbed from the start with lovely characters and plenty of fun moments making it the perfect read for this time of year.

Thank you so much to Choc Lit for sending me a copy to review and Rachel’s Random Resources for organising this blog tour.

About the Author

A former pharmacist, I’m now a medical writer who also writes romance. Some days a racing heart is a medical condition, others it’s the reaction to a hunky hero.

With two teenage boys and a husband who asks every Valentine’s Day whether he has to buy a card (yes, he does), any romance is all in my head. Then again, his unstinting support of my career change proves love isn't always about hearts and flowers - and heroes come in many disguises.

Social Media Links –

Website:  http://kathrynfreeman.co.uk

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

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/KathrynFreeman1

Amazon UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Little-Christmas-Charm-Choc-Lit-ebook/dp/B07GNL7VN8

Giveaway

Win a paperback copy of A Little Christmas Faith by Kathryn Freeman (Open Internationally)

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

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Blog Tour Review: Belonging by Rhonda Baxter

Belonging by Rhoda Baxter

Published: 17th September 2018

Publisher; Rhonda Baxter

Pages: 140

Available on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Rating: 5/5

Blurb

She’s grieving her lost love. He’s searching for his lost niece. Can attraction overcome family loyalty in this enemies to lovers romance?

Hiding away in a tiny Yorkshire village, Harriet is grieving for her lost love. His family won’t talk to her and she can’t move on from from his death. All this changes when his daughter, Niamh, turns up on her doorstep, needing a sympathetic ear.

Tim thinks Harriet broke up his sister’s marriage all those years ago. His sister’s enemies are his enemies. When his niece runs away to Harriet’s house, he knows he has to get her back before his sister finds out. But that means talking with Harriet.

As they work together to console Niamh and get her home safely, Tim and Harriet become increasingly attracted to each other.

But with attraction comes guilt.

Can they overcome their respective loyalties and give in to love?

Review

Belonging is my first experience reading something written by Rhonda Baxter and it was very enjoyable read despite the main theme of the book and it fits quite a lot of story into its 140 pages.

Niamh is grieving for her father Richard and is finding it hard to comes to terms with his death because no one will talk about him no more. Her mother Mel didn’t have anything good to say about Richard when he was alive so Niamh’s feeling even further apart from her mother. When the opportunity strikes Niamh heads to Yorkshire to find Harriet, the only other person Niamh knows will be missing Richard.

There’s an instant bond between the two women and even Niamh’s uncle Tim who has come to bring her home can’t help but be attracted to Harriet and her soft easy-going caring nature. A complete contrast to his over-bearing selfish sister, Tim can see what his brother in law saw Harriet and that makes him feel incredibly guilty.

I think the title of this novella is so fitting as all three of our main characters are seemingly alone and searching for somewhere and something to belong to and the little town of Trewton Royd seems to work its magic and help them all find away to heal and move on with their lives.

Despite the grief running through both Harriet and Niamh I did find this quite an uplifting story which shows its best to open up and share your grief and deal with in head on rather than hiding away from everything hoping its not really happening.

I love that Rhonda Baxter has manged to fill this short book with so many details of the characters backgrounds which really added depth and colour to the story and I’m now on the hunt for more books in this series.

Thank you so much to Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me on this blog tour and sending me a copy of Belonging to review.

About the Author

Rhoda Baxter writes contemporary romances with heart and a touch of cynicism. She has had several novels published by the award winning publisher Choc Lit. Writing under her other pen name, Jeevani Charika, she has been published by Bonnier Zaffre. Her books have been shortlisted for awards such as the RoNA Romantic Comedy of the Year (in 2017), Love Stories Award (in 2015) and the Joan Hessayon Award (2012).

Rhoda started off as a microbiologist and then drifted out of research and into technology transfer. When choosing a penname, she was hit by a fit of nostalgia and named herself after the bacterium she studied during her PhD. She has lived in a variety of places including Sri Lanka, Yap (it’s a real place), Halifax, Oxford and Didcot (also a real place). She tends to judge the standard of living by the quality and availability of tea and cake. She now lives with her young family in East Yorkshire, where the tea and cake provision is excellent.

You can find her wittering on about cake and science and other random things on her website (http://www.rhodabaxter.com), on Facebook, or on Twitter (@rhodabaxter). Please do say hello if you’re passing.

You can also follow her on Bookbub.

You can get a free copy of one of her books by joining her reader newsletter.

Social Media Links –

website http://www.rhodabaxter.com

Facebook: https://en-gb.facebook.com/RhodaBaxterAuthor/

Twitter (@rhodabaxter)

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/rhoda-baxter 

The universal buy link for the book is: www.books2read.com/u/bzPAZq

If you want the direct UK link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Belonging-small-romance-Trewton-Novellas-ebook/dp/B07H4PQKXC

Blog Tour Review: The Good Sister by Rachael Stewart

The Good Sister by Rachael Stewart

Published: 21st August 2018

Publisher: Deep Desire Press

Pages: 205

Available on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Rating: 5/5

Blurb

HE WASN’T HERS TO LOVE … BUT HER HEART DOESN’T CARE…

When Isla Evans agrees to switch lives with her rising star of a twin for three weeks, she has no idea the move will thrust her into the same bed as her teenage celebrity heartthrob, Bradley King. Trapped there at her sister’s request, she gives her desire free reign and finds herself falling hard and fast.

And she’s not alone. 

Bradley wants a wife to tick all the boxes, save for one: love. It’s not part of the deal, never was, never will be. But when he returns home early to find his hopeful-fiancée behaving all sorts of different, he likes it. A lot. Suddenly, he wants a real marriage, with all the trimmings, and he will stop at nothing until he gets it.

But this Hollywood HEA faces one big hurdle—she’s not who he thinks she is…

Review

The Good Sister by Rachael Stewart is a hot and steamy romance which also has some substance. Carrie has asked her twin Isla if she will swap lives with her for three weeks as being a famous Hollywood actress is taking its toll on her. Reluctantly Islas agrees and heads to L.A. all set to follow Carrie’s instructions about what she can and can’t do while she’s there. There’s just one small problem, Carrie has forgotten to mention that her latest boyfriend is Bradley King, Isla’s teen crush. So, when Isla wakes up in Carrie’s bed with Bradley naked beside her she’s not sure what she can do except carry on the pretence. As Isla continues with the charade she realises that lust isn’t the only feeling she has for Bradley. But how will he react when he finds out the truth?

This may be a short novel, but it really does make an impact. The chemistry between Isla and Brad is instant and makes for some steamy, passionate moments which leave them just a bit sweaty. I loved Isla’s innocence as she tries to do the right thing and keep her hands off her sister’s boyfriend, without much luck as Bradley is a man who makes her heart and her body sing.  

The steamy romance may be the big storyline in this book, but I also loved the back stories behind our main characters as it really added some depth to them which you don’t often see in this genre. With, The Good Sister Rachael Stewart has created a well-rounded story which flows well and was a joy to read. I can highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys an erotic contemporary romance. This may be a new to me author but I’m looking forward to reading more of her work.

Thank you to Rachael Stewart for sending me a copy to review and Rachel’s Random Resources for inviting me to be part of the blog tour.

About the Author

Rachael Stewart adores conjuring up stories for the readers of Harlequin Mills & Boon and Deep Desires Press, with tales varying from the heart-warmingly romantic to the wildly erotic.

Despite a degree in Business Studies and spending many years in the corporate world, the desire to become an author never waned and it's now her full-time pleasure, a dream come true.

A Welsh lass at heart, she now lives in Yorkshire with her husband and three children, and if she's not glued to her laptop, she's wrapped up in them or enjoying the great outdoors seeking out inspiration.

Social Media Links –

Website: www.rachaelstewartauthor.com

Twitter: @rach_b52

Facebook: www.facebook.com/rachaelstewartauthor/

Purchase Links

Amazon.com https://www.amazon.com/Good-Sister-Rachael-Stewart-ebook/dp/B07FYDT2J9

Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/Good-Sister-Rachael-Stewart-ebook/dp/B07FYDT2J9

Giveaway – Win an e-copy of The Good Sister by Rachael Stewart (Open Internationally)

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

To enter the giveaway click on the link below

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/33c69494119/?

Blog Tour Review: A Place to Remember by Jenn J. McLeod

A Place to Remember by Jenn J. McLeod

Published: 1st March 2018

Publisher: Head of Zeus

Pages: 452

Available on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Rating: 5/5

Blurb

A multi-generational contemporary romantic saga set in a cattle ranch in Central Queensland, Australia.

A man loses five years of his life. Two women are desperate for him to remember.

Running away for the second time in her life, twenty-seven-year old Ava believes the cook's job at a country B&B is perfect, until she meets the owner's son, John Tate.

 The young fifth-generation grazier is a beguiling blend of both man, boy and a terrible flirt. With their connection immediate and intense, they begin a clandestine affair right under the noses of John's formidable parents.

 Thirty years later, Ava returns to Candlebark Creek with her daughter, Nina, who is determined to meet her mother's lost love for herself. While struggling to find her own place in the world, Nina discovers an urban myth about a love-struck man, a forgotten engagement ring, and a dinner reservation back in the eighties. Now she must decide if revealing the truth will hurt more than it heals...

Review

When Ava Marchette takes a job as cook at the Ivy-May Cattle Ranch in after running away for the second time in her life things don’t work out quite as Ava imagined. Self- reliant Ava has been by herself for the last ten years, so the last thing Ava expected was to fall in love with John Tate the owner’s son. Being seven years younger than Ava and destined to marry local girl Katie O’Brien, Ava and John relationship is frowned upon from the start. When tragedy strikes, Ava makes the heart-breaking decision to leave and start a new life. Now thirty years on and fate has brought Ava back to Ivy-May, along with daughter Nina who longs to learn the mysteries of the man her mother has loved for over three decades.

Set in the countryside of Queensland and spanning over thirty years this is a beautiful novel of two generations of families battling to find their place in the world. McLeod has created some realistic and likable characters, even controlling Marjorie might get a little sympathy when you know the full story.

Ava and John’s romance will lead you to believe there is that one special someone for all of us and to never give up hope of finding them. Nina will make you smile with her joy of life and her willingness to try anything once, her determination to solve the mystery of the pearl ring in the painting have you intrigued.

A Place to Remember is a beautifully written novel combining vivid descriptions weaving together a story of love, loss and keeping secrets which will have you totally engrossed. It might be a longer read but this book is definitely worth taking the time to read and I would recommend it to anyone.

Thank you so much to Head of Zeus for sending me a copy to review and inviting me to be part of the blog tour, I’m looking forward to reading more from this author.

About the Author

After leaving the corporate working world, Jenn J. McLeod decided to travel Australia in a fifth-wheeler caravan and fulfil her lifelong ambition to write. She has since published four novels.

Links to buy

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2GuGNjy

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2EJp6Ag

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2HyCS6U

iBooks: https://apple.co/2odYDRn

Follow Jenn J. McLeod

Website: https://www.jennjmcleod.com/

Twitter: @jennjmcleod

Facebook: JennJMcLeod.books

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Website: www.ariafiction.com

Facebook: @ariafiction

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