The Cosy Tea Shop in the Castle by Caroline Roberts

The Cosy Tea Shop in the Castle by Caroline Roberts

Published: 25th February 2016

Publisher: Harper Impulse

Pages:  257

Available in paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Blurb

When Ellie Hall lands her dream job running the little teashop in the beautiful but crumbling Claverham Castle, it’s the perfect escape from her humdrum job in the city. Life is definitely on the rise as Ellie replaces spreadsheets for scones, and continues her Nanna’s brilliant baking legacy.
When Lord Henry, the stick-in-the-mud owner, threatens to burst her baking bubble with his old-fashioned ways, Ellie wonders if she might have bitten off more than she can chew. But cupcake by cupcake she wins the locals over, including teashop stalwart, Doris, and Ellie’s show-stopping bakes look set to go down in castle history!
Now all that’s missing in Ellie’s life is a slice of romance – can Joe, the brooding estate manager, be the one to put the cherry on the top of Ellie’s dream?

Review

After reading Caroline’s first novel The Torn Up Marriage last year I was very excited to read her new book The Cosy Teashop in the Castle. While her first book took me on an emotional rollercoaster I could tell just from the very pretty cover that this was going to be a more light-hearted and “cosy” read.

Ellie Hall is desperate for a change, in the last eighteen months she’s lost her beloved Nana and broken off her engagement to her fiancé. So when she spots the advert for someone to run the teashop at Claverham Castle in Northumberland she just has to go for despite having virtually no catering experience. Armed with her determination to succeed and her nana’s “Choffee” cake Ellie heads off for the interview. After landing her dream job Ellie soon realises that getting the job was the easy part and making the Teashop a success will be the hard bit.

I love all the characters in this book and Ellie makes a great main character. She’s determined to do her very best to succeed, she’s someone you can instantly warm to as she seems to be able to put people at ease and get them to open up…such as hunky Joe whose closed heart she manages to finally open. The other characters Deana, Lord Henry, Doris and Nicola and of course the lovely double act of Derek and Malcolm all added to life at the castle.

This is a lovely story to get lost in one cosy afternoon and the only downside I found was the ending. I was a little gutted the author finished the book the way she did as I would happily have read more from Ellie and Joe and how things worked out. This isn’t to say I didn’t enjoy the ending, I did I just wasn’t ready to let these characters go!

One of the things I loved most about this book was all the baking talk. I love all things cake so was extremely happy to find a recipe for a certain “Choffee” cake at the end of the book, definitely one I’ll be making soon as every time it was mentioned in the story I wanted some.

I’d like to thank the publishers and Netgalley for this copy to review and would like to rate The Cosy Teashop in the Castle by Caroline Roberts 4 out of 5.

The Silk Merchant's Daughter by Dinah Jeffries

The Silk Merchant's Daughter by Dinah Jeffries

Published: 25th February 2016

Publisher: Penguin UK

Pages: 400

Available in Hardback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Blurb

1952, French Indochina. Since her mother's death, eighteen-year-old half-French, half-Vietnamese Nicole has been living in the shadow of her beautiful older sister, Sylvie. When Sylvie is handed control of the family silk business, Nicole is given an abandoned silk shop in the Vietnamese quarter of Hanoi. But the area is teeming with militant rebels who want to end French rule, by any means possible. For the first time, Nicole is awakened to the corruption of colonial rule - and her own family's involvement shocks her to the core...

Tran, a notorious Vietnamese insurgent, seems to offer the perfect escape from her troubles, while Mark, a charming American trader, is the man she's always dreamed of. But who can she trust in this world where no one is what they seem?

The Silk Merchant's Daughter is a captivating tale of dark secrets, sisterly rivalry and love against the odds, enchantingly set in colonial era Vietnam.

Review

Last year I read The Tea Planter’s Wife by Dinah Jeffries and I loved it, it was probably one of my favourite reads of last year. So I was very excited to hear she had another novel out so soon. The Silk Merchant’s Daughter tells the tale of Nicole Duvall, a young woman who is half French and half Vietnamese.

Nicole looks Vietnamese just like her dead mother and is struggling to relate to her father and sister Sylvie who both look more French and keep her at a distance. When their father signs over the majority of his silk business to Sylvie when previously he mentioned the girls being equal partners Nicole feels even more left out and seeks solace in the small silk shop she is given in the Vietnamese quarter of Hanoi. As political unrest becomes more and more prominent in daily life Nicole must decide where her heart truly lies, with her French family battling for control or with the Vietnamese people battling for their county. Who can she trust her family, Vietnamese insurgent Tran who seems keen for her to join him or the handsome American trader Mark who is Nicole’s dream man.

Just like in Dinah’s previous novel I was blown away by her ability to capture the true essence of a place, I really felt like I was walking the streets of Hanoi along with Nicole. The sights, the sounds, the smells it has all being captured Dinah’s exquisite writing and this really brought the novel and Vietnam alive for me.

Included in the beginning of this novel is a couple of pages which explains the history of Vietnam around the time this novel was set which I suggest you read beforehand, especially if like me you know nothing  about this part of history, as it helped to gain a little understanding of events in the novel.  I felt this novel was initially much more focused on political events of time rather than the more personal story of Nicole and her family and I didn’t enjoy this as much because political differences in countries is not really my thing. I much preferred the last third of the book which focused more on Nicole’s relationship with her sister.

The Silk Merchant’s Daughter is a novel of conflicts, of sisterly rivalry, trust and above all flowing your heart. I did enjoy reading this but for me The Tea Planter’s Wife was better as I loved the mystery within it. I think Dinah Jeffries is an excellent writer and I’m very keen to go back and read her first novel The Separation and will also be eagerly awaiting her next novel.

Thank you so much to the publishers and Netgalley for this review copy in exchange for my review. I’d like to rate The Silk Merchant’s Daughter by Dinah Jeffries 4 out of 5.

Release Day Round-Up #20

So here we are the last week of February and finally some sunshine here in Yorkshire! Fingers crossed it lasts. So here are my top three for this week and surprisingly they are all authors whose previous books I also loved.

Kitty's Countryside Dream by Christie Barlow

Published: 25th February 2016

Publisher: Bookouture

Pages: 309

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

New home. New life. New beginning. Love affairs can blossom in the most unlikely places . . .
When Kitty inherits Bluebell Lodge from her grandmother, a farm in the beautiful Staffordshire countryside, it’s time for fresh air and a fresh start. Up to her elbows in chickens and ponies, Kitty soon realises there’s an awful lot to learn about farming. Still, at least the locals seem friendly, not least her handsome neighbour Tom…

But just as Kitty is beginning to find her feet, and the possibility of love, the discovery of a long-hidden diary, by a mysterious character called Violet changes everything. Who is Violet and what is her message for Kitty? As Kitty fills in the lost pieces of her family jigsaw and discovers some shocking revelations, will her countryside dream and blossoming relationship fall to pieces? When it comes to life in the country, nothing is ever quite as it seems …

Just like Christie's previous novels I loved this book. Its got more of a deeper plot than her other books with the mystery surrounding Kitty's grandma and who exactly Violet was. It still had Christie's wonderful comical moments and close-knit friendships which made it a really enjoyable book. Check out my review here.

The Silk Merchant's Daughter by Dinah Jeffries

Published: 25th February 2016

Publisher: Penguin UK

Pages: 400

Available in Hardback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

1952, French Indochina. Since her mother's death, eighteen-year-old half-French, half-Vietnamese Nicole has been living in the shadow of her beautiful older sister, Sylvie. When Sylvie is handed control of the family silk business, Nicole is given an abandoned silk shop in the Vietnamese quarter of Hanoi. But the area is teeming with militant rebels who want to end French rule, by any means possible. For the first time, Nicole is awakened to the corruption of colonial rule - and her own family's involvement shocks her to the core...

Tran, a notorious Vietnamese insurgent, seems to offer the perfect escape from her troubles, while Mark, a charming American trader, is the man she's always dreamed of. But who can she trust in this world where no one is what they seem?

The Silk Merchant's Daughter is a captivating tale of dark secrets, sisterly rivalry and love against the odds, enchantingly set in colonial era Vietnam.

Dinah Jeffries The Tea Planter's Wife was one of my favourite books of last year so I was really looking forward to her next book. In The Silk Merchant's Daughter we meet Nicole a young eighteen year old who is half French and half Vietnamese and is struggling to find where she belongs in the world. I really enjoyed reading about Nicole as she is pulled first one way then another by the various sides in her life, but can she really trust Tran who is offering her a way out of the family where she's never felt she belonged or Mark the my of her dreams who she longs to be with. Check out my full review on the blog tomorrow. 

The Cosy Teashop In The Castle by Caroline Roberts

Published: 25th February 2016

Publisher: Harper Impulse

Pages: 400

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

When Ellie Hall lands her dream job running the little teashop in the beautiful but crumbling Claverham Castle, it’s the perfect escape from her humdrum job in the city. Life is definitely on the rise as Ellie replaces spreadsheets for scones, and continues her Nanna’s brilliant baking legacy.

When Lord Henry, the stick-in-the-mud owner, threatens to burst her baking bubble with his old-fashioned ways, Ellie wonders if she might have bitten off more than she can chew. But cupcake by cupcake she wins the locals over, including teashop stalwart, Doris, and Ellie’s show stopping bakes look set to go down in castle history!

Now all that’s missing in Ellie’s life is a slice of romance – can Joe, the brooding estate manager, be the one to put the cherry on the top of Ellie’s dream?

I've only just started reading this but already I'm hooked. Ellie's determined to make the teashop work and I'm right behind her and rooting for her to succeed as she's such a lovely bubbly character. I love how this is much more light-hearted than Caroline's previous novel The Torn Up Marriage which for me was a real emotional rollercoaster. I can't wait for more time to continue on with Ellie's story. Look out for my review coming soon.

So that's my top three for this week but I'd also like to mention One Summer Night by Emily Bold which is a very emotional read and perfect for fans of Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. Checkout me review here. If your after something else then check out my releases page above to find other books published today.

Kitty's Countryside Dream by Christie Barlow

Kitty's Countryside Dream by Christie Barlow

Published: 25th February 2016

Publisher: Bookouture

Pages: 309

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Pre- Order now from Amazon

Blurb

New home. New life. New beginning. Love affairs can blossom in the most unlikely places . . .
When Kitty inherits Bluebell Lodge from her grandmother, a farm in the beautiful Staffordshire countryside, it’s time for fresh air and a fresh start. Up to her elbows in chickens and ponies, Kitty soon realises there’s an awful lot to learn about farming. Still, at least the locals seem friendly, not least her handsome neighbour Tom…

But just as Kitty is beginning to find her feet, and the possibility of love, the discovery of a long-hidden diary, by a mysterious character called Violet changes everything. Who is Violet and what is her message for Kitty? As Kitty fills in the lost pieces of her family jigsaw and discovers some shocking revelations, will her countryside dream and blossoming relationship fall to pieces? When it comes to life in the country, nothing is ever quite as it seems …

Review

Having read and adored Christie’s first two novels last year I was eager for her next novel and what a stunner Kitty’s Countryside Dream is. Just look at that cover it’s gorgeous and it just screams spring and sunshine to me which is what I think we’re all longing for.

In Kitty’s Countryside Dream we meet the lovely Kitty who has recently lost her mother and has inherited a small flat and Bluebell Lodge a farm from her late grandmother, whom Kitty knew nothing about. With nothing to lose Kitty embraces the challenge of life in the country and heads off to the farm.  Soon she is immersed in farm and village life and feels surprisingly at home around the farm and her new friends Jeannie, Tom, Lucinda and Robin. Everything is going well until Kitty discovers an old journal from someone called Violet, who is she and how does she link to Kitty? As Kitty reads the diary her whole world is turned upside down and everything she knew is questioned, will Kitty be able to make sense of it all?

I instantly adored Kitty she seemed very determined and strong. Despite having no family support anymore she moves to a new location where she knows no-one and has no clue what will happen and throws herself wholeheartedly into everything she finds there, there is no way you would get me anywhere near a chicken! I also loved that she cares about her new friends and will instantly help them when they need her without them even asking. However I think the thing I loved most about her was her slight clumsiness. The scene where she first meets Tom and she falls over her bicycle not once but twice had me in stitches, I knew then I was going to love this book.

The other characters in this book are also lovely and I just longed to be part of their little gang. With hunky farmer Tom, the lovely Jeannie whom Kitty instantly feels close to, the lovely sweet shy Robin and Lucinda, I need her as a friend if she going to bring cake every time I see her. I also loved that despite their closeness there were a few hidden secrets among them which made for interesting reading and some comical misunderstandings along the way.

Although I loved Christie’s first two novels I think this one is my favourite. I loved that is had an element of mystery to it surrounding Kitty’s past and reading about how that unravelled was so intriguing and kept me wanting to read more.

This is a lovely novel full of friendship, funny mishaps and finding out the truth. I adored everything about it, the lovely characters, the intriguing plot and the lovely village of Rosefield. I’d recommend everyone reads this as it’s the perfect book to put you in the mood for spring and it will leave you with a warm and fuzzy glow at the end.

Thank you Christie for another fabulous read, they just keep getting better and thank you to the publishers Bookouture and Netgalley for the review copy. I give Kitty’s Countryside Dream a massive 5 stars! I just loved it!

One Summer Night by Emily Bold

One Summer Night by Emily Bold

Published: 25th February 2016

Publisher: Bonnier Publishing

Pages: 272

Available on Kindle

Pre- Order now from Amazon

Blurb

Living with her husband Tim and their two children in her polished little house in Vermont, Lauren's life seems perfect. But then tragedy strikes and she's diagnosed with a brain tumour. Lauren wants to fight: to survive, to not give up. But the illness is stronger than she is, and her condition worsens. Lauren feels powerless and struggles with her impending fate. But what if she could decide for herself? Decide when to die? Could that be an option? Piece by piece, Lauren realises that life is what you make of it - and so is death…

Review

In One Summer Night by Emily Bold we meet Lauren and Tim. After an uncertain start to their relationship Lauren and Tim become inseparable and are living out their dream life in Vermont. Where everything is perfect until the unthinkable happens and Lauren is diagnosed with a terminal illness which gives her just months to live. Faced with little time left Lauren decides to take control of her life and her death.

One Summer Night is told from Lauren’s point of view, as she reminisces with friends and family over her relationship with Tim and their life together. I found this to be a very effective way of telling the story as I really understood how Lauren was feeling as she started to feel ill and how she felt about the diagnosis and its eventual outcome. I found it a deeply moving story which at times had me in tears, especially when Lauren questions why this all had to happen to her. 

I found the reactions to the diagnosis from other characters to be a realistic portrayal of human emotions. Tim with his inability to believe the inevitable wanting desperately to find a cure for his beloved wife, to the anger in thirteen year old Mia and the confusion in little five year old Alyssa. Emily Bold has captured these emotions very effectively which made for an emotional and heart-breaking read.

One Summer Night is not a book which will leave you glowing with happiness but it is a book which will affect you emotionally. It is a book which has left me questioning what is really important in life and to really make the time to do those things which we keep putting off, after all you just never know how much time you have left.

I'd like to rate this book 4 out of 5 and also to thank the publishers and Netgalley for the review in exchange for an honest review.

Deadly Obsession by Nigel May

Deadly Obsession by Nigel May

Published: 19th February 2016

Publisher: Bookouture

Pages: 380

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Blurb

Sex, money and obsessive love – welcome to the marriage of millionaires Amy and Riley

Amy Barrowman grew up on the wrong side of the tracks. So when she marries millionaire Riley Hart, she can’t believe her luck. Not only does she have wealth and security for life, she has found true love. Or so she thinks…

Riley Hart is a Millionaire Man about Town. Men want to be him and women want to bed him. But to achieve Riley’s status, you have to tread on a lot of toes and make a lot of enemies.

When Riley is gunned down at the nightclub they own, Amy is determined to avenge his death. She receives a mysterious letter detailing a list of suspects including Riley’s sworn enemy, actor Grant Wilson. But with an obsessive passion brewing between her and Grant and a dangerous assassin trailing her every move it would seem Amy has opened a deadly and tempting Pandora’s Box. As Amy gives into temptation, the scene is set for a stunning climax.

Lose yourself where you don’t belong in the world of DEADLY OBSESSION.

Review

Deadly Obsession is the first book by Nigel May that I have read and it totally exceeded my expectations, it was gritty, sexy, and scandalous and an utterly brilliant read. I can totally see why he has been dubbed the “male Jackie Collins” as his writing has that glamorous and slightly dark style.

In Deadly Obsession we meet Amy who is still grieving for the loss of her husband, her nightclub and her perfect glamorous lifestyle. Six months after his death Amy receives a letter handwritten by Riley dated just two days earlier telling her not everything is not as is seems and someone needs to pay for his death. Confused and upset Amy heads back to Manchester and her old life to try and figure out exactly what happened on that fateful night and if Riley is actually alive after all.  As Amy begins to unravel events leading up to Riley’s death she realises her life wasn’t as perfect as she thought and she’s actually treading in quite dangerous circles. Can she find out what really happened to Riley and keep herself safe?

I was hooked on this book from the very start, the mysterious death of Riley had me intrigued and the more I read the more I enjoyed it as more characters became involved and the plot twists kept coming. It’s a book filled with shocks and an ending that you just won’t see coming, at least I didn’t!

I loved how this book was written taking us between the past and the present so we could build up a picture of Amy’s life with Riley and now as she searches for answers. I also loved that others characters are brought to life in their own chapters so we gained the feelings and actions of all the main players in the book, making the tangled web around Amy even more convincing.

Thank you to Bookouture and Netgalley for the review copy, I’ve found another great author and cannot wait to read Nigel’s other books. I rate Deadly Obsession 5 out of 5 I loved it!

The Silvered Heart by Katherine Clements

The Silvered Heart by Katherine Clements

Published: 11th February 2016

Publisher: Headline Review

Pages: 464

Available in Paperback and on Kindle

Order now from Amazon

Blurb

1648: Civil war is devastating England. The privileged world of Katherine Ferrers is crumbling under Cromwell's army and, as an orphaned heiress, she has no choice but to marry for the sake of family.
But as her marriage turns into a prison and her fortune is forfeit, Katherine becomes increasingly desperate. So when she meets a man who shows her a way out, she seizes the chance. It is dangerous and brutal, and she knows if they're caught, there's only one way it can end...

Review

The Silvered Heart by Katherine Clements is a historical novel loosely following the life of Lady Katherine Ferrers. Katherine was born a rich heiress who was orphaned at a young age and to save her fortune forced into a loveless marriage with Thomas Fanshaw. As the civil war forces the Fanshaws out of favour the family fortune soon dwindles and Katherine is forced to take drastic measures to find some money. Embarking on life of danger as highway robber Katherine eventually finds someone who she can truly love.

I loved Katherine’s character, her determination to not just sit back and let her husband ruin them but to put herself in danger to find some money to keep her household together was inspiring ass many woman in history seem to only do what their husbands tell them. She doesn’t seem to be a very happy character as she believes she’s in touch with the devil. So I was glad when she found some happiness with Rafe.

I loved all the uncertainties that were portrayed in this book, how fortunes changed overnight and how allies were made and lost just as frequently. It was a time when England’s future was uncertain and the author has captured this feeling brilliantly.

The authors writing style is very detailed which totally engrosses you in the time and place of this novel and it felt very real to read. The bleak gruesomeness of the time have been captured very well, a little too well in places as there were some moments which made me a little squeamish.

I think this was a very interesting portrayal of the legend of the “Wicked Lady” from a lady who has a talent for historical fiction. I’m intrigued to read what she writes next.

I’d like to thank the publishers and bookbridgr for this review copy and I would like to rate The Silvered Heart by Katherine Clements 4/5.