Book Review - A Gift to Remember by Melissa Hill

 

Published: 2013

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Pages: 405

Source: Library

Available In: Hardback, Paperback and Kindle

 

Fall head over bicycle wheels in love with Melissa Hill’s A Gift to Remember. Darcy Archer loves books and surrounds herself with them all-day working in a bookshop called Chapters in Manhattan. She spends all her time dreaming about books and longing to find her own perfect Mr Darcy.  One day while cycling to work Darcy crashes into Aidan Harris and knocks him out cold. Racked with guilt Darcy takes his dog and the beautifully wrapped gift he drops and vows to reunite Aidan with his lost property.  At the hospital Darcy finds out Aidan has lost his memory and has no clue who he is or where he came from. Darcy decides to make it her mission to help him piece his life back together  building a picture in her mind of the man she knocked over, who is beginning to resemble Darcy’s dream man. Will Darcy find her happy ever after or will it all be just a dream?

This is the first Melissa Hill book which I have read and I loved it, the story had just enough mystery and plot twists to keep me guessing right until the end. I loved the character of Darcy, she’s just so sweet and helpful and would make a wonderful best friend as she seems incredibly loyal, plus she would probably always have the book you wanted to read in her pile. I loved how she bonds with Bailey the Dog and all the way through I was hoping if she didn’t get the man then maybe she would get the dog.

I thought this book flowed really well and I liked the chapters from Aidan’s point of view as I was able to build my own picture of him from the hints given, the picture I was building was similar to Darcy’s so the ending was a bit of a shock.

I loved this book it was a perfect read for me with a little mystery and romance and any book set in New York at Christmas is a winner with me as I’d love to experience this myself one day.

Rating 5/5

 

 

 

Book Review - Silver Bay by Jojo Moyes

 

Author: Jojo Moyes

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Published: 2007 (This Edition 2013)

Pages: 390

Available In: Paperback & Kindle

 

 

This is a beautifully evocative tale of three women living in the idyllic “Silver Bay” on Australia’s coast and how one man’s visit changes their lives forever.  Liza McCullen lives in the Silver Bay Hotel with her aunt Kathleen and her young daughter Hannah. The three women live a peaceful and sheltered life in the Bay, where Kathleen runs one of the only hotels and Liza spends her time conducting “Whale Watching” tours on her boat. Then Mike Dormer, the mild-mannered smart Englishman who is set to change everything arrives in the hotel.

This book is told through the eyes of the three women and Mike Dormer and although at first you are lead to believe they are all happy with their lives you can soon see they are all missing a little something which turns them from existing into living.  It is beautifully written and will immerse you totally in the lives of these characters.

My favourite character in this book is Mike. I love the way he changed from being very accepting of his circumstances and not really involving himself with decisions to being someone who decides what he wants and does everything he can to get it.

I love the way that both Liza and Mike begin to change their lives after they have been whale watching, it’s as if the whales bring a calm magic to the lives of people who see them. I think this happened to me also while reading, at first I couldn’t really get into the story but then about 100 pages in Liza takes Mike out to see the whales and something changed and I could not put this book down.

Jojo Moyes has once again turned a subject matter I’m not sure of into something utterly beautiful which will touch your heart as the story unfolds.

Rating: 4/5

 

"Waiting On" Wednesday - The Marriage Mender by Linda Green

 

 

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we share an upcoming release we can't wait for. My pick this week is:

 

 

 

The Marriage Mender

Author: Linda Green

Publisher: Quercus

Release Date: 28th August 2014

Format: Paperback

 

 

Taken from Goodreads:

 

Alison is a marriage mender. Her job is to help couples who fear they have reached the end of the line. But the trouble with spending your time sorting out other people’s problems is that you tend to take your eye off your own.

Even when her husband’s ex Lydia arrives on the doorstep demanding to see her son, Alison thinks she can handle it.

But what Alison doesn’t realise is that Lydia is the one person who has the ability to destroy their happy family. And sometimes the cracks can run so deep that even a marriage mender can’t repair them

 

I've not read anything by Linda Green yet but I think this might be the book to change that, I also would like to read The Mummyfesto and 10 Reasons Not to Fall in Love. Check out what everyone else is "Waiting On" this week here.



Top Ten Tuesday - Books I'd Recommend to People Who Haven't Read Chick Lit

This week at The Broke and the Bookish the Top Ten was books you would recommend to someone who had never read....so I chose Chick Lit , here is my list, in no particular order:

 

 

1. Sushi for Beginners by Marian Keyes

I love this book, it was one of the first adult books which I bought and I have re-read it many times. It tells the story of Lisa who moves over to Dublin from London to be the editor of the newly launching Colleen magazine, Ashling who applies to be assistant editor and her best friend Clodagh who is seems to have the domestic dream of house, husband and child. Its just a brilliant read about being female and dealing with life.

 

 

2. Bookends by Jane Green

Bookends tells the story of four university friends Cat, Lucy, Josh and Si and what happens when Portia comes back into their lives. Bookends is the name of the café which Cat and Lucy start together, this is my idea of a dream place a bookshop with a café. A brilliant story of what can happen when you start to assume things about people.

 

 

3. Twelve Days of Christmas by Trisha Ashley

Perfect Christmas read. Holly Brown doesn't like Christmas, she agrees to house sit a remote manor in the moors of Lancashire, perfect as she just wants to be alone. When she arrives she finds she is not alone and the family have all arrived expecting a full on family Christmas. Even though the ending to this book is very predictable it is the perfect Christmas book for me as I love all the descriptions of the meals and the decorating which happens, best read by a lovely log fire with hot chocolate.

 

 
 

4. Simply Divine by Wendy Holden

 Socialite Champagne D'Vyne wants to write a magazine column so drags in journalist Jane to write it for her. Jane is also trying to help best friend Tally save a crumbling family home. This is a quick easy read which will make you laugh, although Champagne is probably one of the most annoying characters ever written.

 
 


5. Amanda's Wedding by Jenny Colgan
Fran and Mel have been invited to Amanda's wedding to Laird Fraser. They feel sorry for him marrying social-climbing Amanda who is only interested in his title. So the pair enlist Fraser's brother Angus to help sabotage the wedding. This is hilariously funny and I just love the schemes that the girls come up with to stop the wedding. 
 


6. The Undomesticated Goddess by Sophie Kinsella
Samantha Sweeting is a hotshot lawyer, until she makes a huge mistake. She packs her bags and heads out into the countryside where she is mistaken for a interviewee for a house-keeping job. She accepts the job but is completely clueless about anything found in a kitchen. As she finds her way round the kitchen she also finds love. But will her old life catch up with her? Another light-hearted funny read.
 

 
7. In Her Shoes by Adele Parks
Eliza and Martha are sisters. Each sister envy's the other Martha has the family and house and wants her freedom and Eliza longs for Martha's stability.
 


8. White Wedding by Milly Johnson
Bel, Max and Violet are all  planning their weddings and they each meet in the White Wedding shop. AS the story unfold each of their planned wedding goes slightly wrong. This is Milly Johnson at her best with a story of friendship, betrayal and a little romance.
 


9. Heiresses by Lulu Taylor
Three sisters Jemima, Tara and Poppy inherit their fathers failing perfume business, instead of selling it off they decide to try and make a go of it themselves. This is a story about wealth, lust and families and is gripping from the first page.
 

 
10. Daddy's Girls by Tasmina Perry
Four sisters Serena, Cate, Venetia and Camilla, one of them may have killed her father Sir Oswald Balcon. This is a dip into the lives of the rich and famous with an element of who done it mystery. It's perfect for pure escapism. 
 
So that's my list of beginner chick lit, what is on your list this week? Check out everyone else's list here.

Book Review - The Dress Thief by Natalie Meg Evans

 

Published: June 2014

Publisher: Quercus

Pages: 564

Source: Library Book

Available In: Paperback & Kindle

 

“The Dress Thief” tells the story of Alix Gower a young girl dreaming of working in Parisian haute couture.  Alix has a wonderful ability to be able to sketch copies of high end fashion items at just a moment’s glance. This skill gives her a chance at her dream job in one of the most prominent fashion houses in Paris; but also leads her into a world of danger and deception. After Alix meets the handsome young English journalist Verrian Haviland, Alix’s mysterious past begins to unravel itself and her life begins to fall apart.

I wanted to read this book as I am a huge “House of Elliot” fan which is set at a similar time but in London. However The Dress Thief goes way beyond a story of Parisian fashion. It is a story of mystery, romance, friendship and the everyday struggles of life.  Right from the start this book will grip hold of you and draw you into Alix’s story and it won’t let you go till the very last page.

Alix is a brilliant main character. She is obviously a talented and beautiful young woman whom the men around her find very captivating. I felt she came across as a little naïve when in some situations but I liked that because it made you like her, even though you didn’t always agree with what she was doing.  This book has many characters but they all add something to the story, making you feel like you are right there in Paris with them all.

This is a stunning debut novel by Natalie Meg Evans which has been beautifully written and well thought out. I loved the plot and the way it unfolded just made you want more and more. I was sad to finish the book as the character of Alix really grew on me and I’d love to find out what happens to her next. This book is definitely worth the read and I cannot wait until next spring when her next novel The Milliner’s Secret is released.

Rating 5/5

 

 

Book Review - Destined to Play by Indigo Bloome

 

Author: Indigo Bloome

Publisher: Harper

Published: 2012

Pages: 275

Book 1of the Avalon Trilogy

 

“It’s Simple. No Sight. No Questions. 48 hours.”  This quote led me to pick this book as the part of the #SexMeUpReadathon as it seemed the perfect “dirty weekend away” storyline.

Dr Alexandra Burke a psychologist leaves her home to give some lectures across Australia, after the first one she meets up with her old lover from university, Dr Jeremey Quinn. He propositions her to stay for the weekend under the conditions of no sight and no questions.  Alexandra agrees as she knows Jeremy would not do anything to hurt her and she has enjoyed herself with him before.

I was disappointed by this book; it sounded so good but just did not live up to my expectations.  I think the main reason for this was I just didn’t believe in the attraction and passion between Jeremy and Alexandra, it felt very forced which put me off.  I didn’t really like either character; Alex annoyed me because she seems to forget she is a mother. Jeremy takes her phone off her for the weekend and I didn’t like this as we are told her children are away on a school trip. Now being a mother myself I know nothing would keep me from being reachable to my children and this bothered me. I was surprised to find the author also has two children, so maybe it’s just me that has issues with this. I also felt she was too submissive to Jeremy, she agrees to his suggestions almost straight away, even though you can tell she has doubts.  I wanted more from Jeremy’s character, we never really get to find out much about his thoughts and feelings and this left me feeling he was a little one-dimensional.

This book started off quite well and I did quite like the first half of the book. However it all became a little too much for me to get my head round and became very clinical and not very passionate, which is was I was expecting.  It did not leave me feeling hot and bothered which other erotic fiction books have done, I just felt confused and slightly disturbed.

The ending does answer some of the questions and issues I had with the book and the way it leads onto the second book in the trilogy was done well, if slightly predictable.  I have the second book in the trilogy on my to be read pile, so I may pick this up at some point.  I am giving this book a rating of three stars out of five. I’m giving one star because the book is well written, despite my issues with the content.  Another star because I did like the way it lead onto the second book , which if you enjoyed the first would make you want to read the second straight away and a third star because although I didn’t like it I’m still thinking about it, so obviously the author has done something right.  If you like erotic fiction which is challenging and possibly has  unique scenes then give this book a go, sadly it didn’t do it for me.

 

July Monthly Wrap-Up

As July was only the second month blogging I went a bit crazy and bought quite a few books and also was able to buy a Kindle which I've been wanting since Christmas. Here are the books I've bought and borrowed this month:

 

Books I've Bought:

            

 

 

Books I've Borrowed:

 

        

 

 

Books I've Received for Free:

 

      

 

Thank to my friend Jane for the signed copy of The Teashop on the Corner and thank you to Jane Linfoot for copies of her e-books for me to read and review.

 

This month I've managed to read the following seven books, click on the link for my review:

 

Appetite by Philip Kazan

The Teashop on the Corner by Milly Johnson

The Right Side of Mr Wrong by Jane Linfoot

The Wolf Bride by Elizabeth Moss

Destined to Play by Indigo Bloom

Never Google Heartbreak by Emma Garcia

Silver Bay by Jojo Moyes

I've just started The Dress Thief by Natalie Meg Evans which is proving to be a very intriguing read

so far.

 

Favourite Book of the Month: The Teashop on the Corner by Milly Johnson, absolutely loved this book, it had everything you need in a good book: romance, mystery, heartbreak and friendship and of course that special little bit of Milly magic.

 

Least Favourite Book of the Month: Destined to Play by Indigo Bloom, this book has left me with mixed feelings and I'm still writing a full review to appear next week.

Discovery of the Month: This month I could not decide which was my favourite new author so it is tied with Jane Linfoot and Emma Garcia


During August I hope to read the following:

A Gift to Remember by Melissa Hill
Dear Thing by Julie Cohen
The Wish List by Jane Costello
High Heels and Bicycle Wheels by Jane Linfoot
One Hundred Proposals by Holly Martin

I will hopefully read more than this as there have been a lot of amazing sounding books released recently wish I hope to read soon including What Would Mary Berry Do? by Claire Sandy which will probably be one of the few purchases I make this month.