Sunday 30 June 2019

Foxglove Farm by Christie Barlow


Today I am so excited to share with yummy review of this brilliant, romantic comedy from Christie Barlow. I would like to thank Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to join the tour and for my copy of the ebook in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. 



Book Description
Return to Love Heart Lane for friendship, romance and a community who will be be there for you no matter what…
Isla and Drew Allaway appear to have the perfect life – a strong marriage, two beautiful children and their picture-perfect home, Foxglove Farm.

But, new mum Isla is struggling.  She loves her little family but with Drew working all hours on the farm, Isla’s lonely.

When she discovers that Drew has been keeping secrets from her, Isla has to face losing the home they all love.

Can the Love Heart Lane community pull together once more to help save Foxglove Farm?  And can Isla save her home…and her marriage?



My Review

I absolutely adored this book and I devoured it in one sitting, such a brilliant read. 
We return to Love Heart Lane to visit the fantastic community there that all stick together to support and help each other through the good times and the bad. 
Isla and Drew have a a wonderful life together. They have been blessed with two beautiful boys, a warm cosy home and a rock solid marriage. To others they really do seem to have it all. However things aren't always what they seem and things don't seem to be as perfect as Isla and Drew would like.
Isla loves being a mum to her boys but things don't seem to be as easy this second time around and Isla is finding herself felling incredibly lonely. This is not helped by Drew working harder and harder on their farm and with his working hours getting longer he is leaving Isla alone more and more. Luckily for Isla she has good friends in the Heartcross community to try and support her, especially when cracks start to appear in their marriage with Drew becoming increasingly more and more moody. These cracks only seem to widen especially when the secrets that Drew has been keeping from Isla come spilling out and she finds out that they are at risk of losing their beloved beautiful home.
Thankfully they have the Heartcross community that want to help them and they are soon doing everything they can to try and save Foxglove farm. But will it be enough to help Isla save her marriage too?
This is a brilliant follow on to Love Heart Lane and its great to revisit all of the characters we've already met. Although this is the second instalment from Heartcross it can be read as a standalone read.  I really enjoy the writing style of this book it flows really well and gives you such a good description of the community and setting of Heartcross. I  also like getting to know more about the lives of Isla and Drew after initially meeting them the first book. I did feel really sorry for Isla with all the news that is thrown at her and she just has to get on with things the bests can even when it feels like everything is crumbling around her.
Christie Barlow book are like a breath of fresh air and are so easy to get absorbed in. I am already looking forward to reading what Christie has in store for us in her next book.


Published by HarperImpulse on 28th June 2019




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About the Author

Christie Barlow is the author of A Year in the Life of a Playground Mother, The Misadventures of a Playground Mother, Kitty's Countryside Dream, Lizzie's Christmas Escape, Evie's Year of Taking Chances, The Cosy Canal Boat Dream, A Home at Honeysuckle Farm, Love Heart Lane and Foxglove Farm. Her writing career came as somewhat a surprise when she decided to write a book to teach her children a valuable life lesson and show them that they are capable of achieving their dreams. The book she wrote to prove a point is now a #1 bestseller in the UK, USA & Australia. 

Christie is an ambassador for @ZuriProject raising money/awareness and engaging with impoverished people in Uganda through organisations to improve their well-being.


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Saturday 29 June 2019

Le Tour de Love by Lilac Mills



Today I am excited to share with you my review of this brilliant read from Lilac Mills. I would like to thank Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to join the tour and for my copy of the ebook in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.



Book Description
“…the opportunity of a lifetime.”
When physiotherapist Molly Matthews is offered a dream job by a guy who shaves his legs and has an obsession with his bicycle, she has serious doubts about accepting. But, as she keeps telling herself, it’s the opportunity of a lifetime and she’ll never get another chance like this. So, she does what anyone in her position would do – she agrees to join a professional cycling team for the most prestigious race in the cycling world – The Tour de France.

The reality, though, isn’t exactly what she had anticipated; instead of eating out at restaurants in pretty French villages and spending her free time lounging around the hotel pool, Molly finds herself living out of a suitcase for three weeks, massaging eight pairs of sweaty legs, administering ice baths and treating saddle sores.

And neither did she anticipate falling for a gorgeous, passionate, professional rider by the name of Alexander Duvall…



My Review
I throughly enjoyed this book from the first page to the last and I could not put it down. It is the perfect summer read.
Molly Matthews is a physiotherapist who really enjoys her job. It is while she is at work that she meets a new patient named Alexander Duvall who is a professional cyclist determined to get fit again after an accident so that he can be part of a team heading to The Tour De France. Alex believes that Molly is fantastic at her job and starts to have treatment from her every day. With Molly's help he is sure he will be fit to ride and then he makes an offer to Molly he feels she will be unable to resist. 
Molly is shocked by the offer from Alex to become part of the professional Cycling team as the team physiotherapist. The offer seems to be fantastic and one that Molly would jump at taking but she does hesitate at first as it will mean such a big change for her. After much persuasion from Alex, Molly does accept his offer and with only two days before she has to leave for France Molly rushes to pack for her new job and is soon heading off to France. 
Molly was hoping the trip would be full of chances to relax, soak up some culture and enjoy some sunshine. What really happens is life becomes so full on for her and she barely has time to herself and she starts living out of her suitcase and really only seeing the team truck and the inside of hotel room after hotel room. 
What really surprises Molly is just how much of an effect that Alex is having on her could she be falling for him? 
what follows is the story of Molly's adventure through France.
I thought this book was brilliant and great fun to read. I loved getting to know Molly and read about her adventure with the racing team. I loved getting to know more about the Tour de France too and Lilac Mills has obviously done plenty of research into this subject. 
This is the first book I have read from Lilac Mills but  I will definitely be adding more of her titles to my kindle library. 






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About the Author

Lilac spends all her time writing, or reading, or thinking about writing or reading, often to the detriment of her day job, her family, and the housework. She apologises to her employer and her loved ones, but the house will simply have to deal with it!

She calls Worcester home, though she would prefer to call somewhere hot and sunny home, somewhere with a beach and cocktails and endless opportunities for snoozing in the sun...

When she isn't hunched over a computer or dreaming about foreign shores, she enjoys creating strange, inedible dishes in the kitchen, accusing her daughter of stealing (she meant to say "borrowing") her clothes, and fighting with her husband over whose turn it is to empty the dishwasher.



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Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog today and I hope you enjoyed my review. 

Friday 28 June 2019

Another Shot by Stephen Anthony Brotherton



Today I am pleased to be able to share my review of this fantastic read from Stephen Anthony Brotherton. Thank you to Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to join the tour and for my ebook in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. 



Book Description
“It used to make me feel special, the fact that they knew me, knew what I wanted, but it had soured with repetition. I’d become my drink order – that’s what it felt like. But it was okay. People watching in this place made me feel part of the world, got me away from the house for a few hours. And it was here she came back to me. I hadn’t seen her for three decades and suddenly there she was, standing next to my table. 
‘Hello, Freddie’.”


Another Shot tells the story of Freddie and Jo-Jo, who are reunited in a coffee shop thirty-five years after the end of their teenage romance. Jo-Jo finds Freddie through a mutual friend, and tells him that she is emigrating following the death of her husband. She gives him a photograph of the two of them on their first weekend away, a trip to Blackpool.



How they originally met, why they parted, what happens in their lives apart is all told through a series of flashbacks. These memories feed into events when they meet up again and explain why, despite the passage of time and the intensity of their still simmering love, there is no future for their relationship.



My Review
I really enjoyed this highly addictive, debut read from Stephen Anthony Brotherton.
This book tells the story of the lives of Freddie and Jo-Jo. They were teenage sweethearts but things happened between the two which meant they didn't see other for thirty five years until a meeting in a coffee shop.
The book is great as you get to go back in time to read about how Freddie and Jo-Jo met and fell in love as teenagers. You get to read all of the events that lead up to them not seeing each other for so many years and what has made them become the people they are today. 
The two of them meet in a coffee shop after Jo-Jo finds out some information from a friend of Freddie's and decides to meet up with him to tell him she is emigrating to New Zealand she hands him a photo at their meeting that was taken back when they were teenagers this results in them both reminiscing through their lives and each of them telling their story.
I really enjoyed how this book went from the present to the past and back again. It told both the story of Freddie's and Jo-Jo lives and seamlessly went between them both. I enjoyed getting an insight to the history they both have together and what has happening in their lives to bring them to where they are today. 
I like the style of writing from Stephen Anthony Brotherson and I am looking forward to Reading the next instalment of Freddie and Jo-Jo. 



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About the Author

‘I was born in Walsall, grew up in the West Midlands and now live in Telford with my two cats, Boris and Tai. After working in the health and social care sector for over thirty years, I have now taken early retirement to write the trilogy that has been rooted in my head for most of my life. 

Another Shot is the first book in the Shots trilogy, which is based on a first love relationship I had as a teenager. It tells the story of Freddie and Jo-Jo, who are reunited in a coffee shop three decades after the end of their teenage romance. How they originally met, why they parted, what happens in their lives apart, and what happens when they reunite is all told through a series of first person vignettes. The second book, An Extra Shot, will be published in July 2019. I am currently working on the final instalment. 
Getting these stories down on paper has been a cathartic process. I hope you enjoy them. 


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Tuesday 25 June 2019

One Summer in Santorini by Sandy Barker





Today I am excited to share with you my review of this brilliant, feel good, sunshine debut read from Sandy Barker.  Thank you to Lina Langlee for inviting me to join this blog tour and to Avon books for my copy of the ebook in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. 



Book Description

There was something in the air that night. . .

Sarah has had enough of men. It’s time to rekindle her first true love – travel – so she books a sailing trip around the Greek islands with a group of strangers.
The very last thing Sarah wants is to meet someone new, but then a gorgeous American man boards her yacht… And when she also encounters a handsome silver fox who promises her the world, she realises that trouble really does come in twos.
 
Will Sarah dive into a holiday fling or stick to her plan to steer clear of men, continue her love affair with feta and find her own way after all?

The perfect holiday read to escape with this summer, for fans of Annie Robertson’s My Mamma Mia Summer and Mandy Baggot’s One Last Greek Summer.


My Review
I was so excited to be invited to join this tour for Sandy Barker. As soon as my copy of the book landed on my Kindle I dived straight in and wow what a treat this book was.
In the book you first meet Sarah who having just had her relationship end has sworn off men and decided to go on her travels. Travelling is a huge passion for Sarah but is not something she has been able to do for a while. She decides to book a sailing trip around the Greek Islands with a group of people she doesn't know but Sarah enjoys meeting new people so this is not a worry for her. 
She starts her adventure in London visiting her sister and then soon heads off on her travels. It isn't long before Sarah spots the very handsome Silver Fox who immediately offers to take Sarah out for lunch. Sarah hesitates on this decision, however she decides to not meet him and carry on with her travels. 
She is soon aboard the boat and is soaking up all of the sites and sounds of the Islands around her. She starts getting to know her fellow passengers which include the rather handsome American stranger she met on the coach. sparks fly between the two but with Sarah sworn off men she is just trying to make the most of her Greek experience and decides to just be friends. But will romance blossom between the two of them or will they remain just good friends. 
I really enjoyed getting to know all of the characters within this book. Sarah is travelling with some very interesting people and it is wonderful reading about their lives and what led them to this sailing tour. I liked getting to know Sarah as you read through the story and I loved how much of an adventure this holiday became for her.
This is such a fantastic book. The setting within the Greek islands sound exquisite and is so well described by Sandy it is also the perfect setting for a spot of romance. 
The food that is described in the book will have your mouth watering as all of the dishes sound so delicious and will leave you feeling rather hungry. 
I thoroughly enjoyed this book it made me want to grab my passport, fill a suitcase and head to the Greek Islands for an adventure of my own. 
What a fantastic debut novel and I cannot wait to see what adventure that sandy Barker will take us on next. 



Published by Avon on the 24th June 2019

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Monday 24 June 2019

A Year of Second of Second Chances by Kendra Smith


Today it is my stop on the blog tour for this amazing read from Kendra Smith. Thank you to Aria fiction for inviting me to join the tour and for my copy of the ebook in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. 



Book Description
Three women. Three very different lives. One life changing adventure.

Charlie is a single mum unlucky in life. Her multiple jobs make barely enough to feed the family cat, never mind being able to give her son the life he deserves. So when an opportunity to make a lot of cash comes along, she simply has to take it.

Suzie has always wanted to be a mother. But fate has been cruel and now time is running out. Soon her final frozen egg will be destroyed and her last chance of having a baby will go with it. With her husband resolved to their childless life Suzie takes matters into her own hands.

Dawn is about to turn fifty and seems to have misplaced her mojo along with the car keys. But with an interfering mother-in-law and a gaggle of judgemental mums at her children’s school, it’s proving harder to find than a decent fitting bra. Especially after a series of highly embarrassing incidents...


Over the course of a year three lives are about to collide and as they do be prepared to laugh, cry and fall in love with these women as they discover how life can give you a second chance.



My Review
This is a thoroughly heartfelt read that I adored from start to finish and did not want to put down. 
Charlie is a single parent who is finding life and providing for her son Tyler very difficult. She has bills to pay, is working two jobs and trying to get rid of her debts. She is trying her best but she feels like she is getting nowhere. Where she finds a chance to make her life better she decides to grab hold of it and as she thinks it will fix everything for her.
Dawn is panicking about turning fifty and is determined to try and stay young.  With the help of a website Dawn is picking up tips on how to spice up her relationship with her beloved husband Eric, which have some very embarrassing and hilarious consequences. 
Suzi's dream has always been to become a mother and time is running out for her and Rex, After years of failed IVF attempts they have just one chance left but Suzi has come up with a different plan this time she just needs to break the news to Rex but will he approve of her idea. 
What follows is the year in the lives of these fantastic three woman and how their relationships grow and develop with each other, and how the bond between them becomes unbreakable no matter what is thrown at them all. 
I really enjoyed this book. I loved getting to know all of the characters and with as their relationships changed and as they got to know each other better and find that they can depend on each other.  You do get to know them well and you feel every emotion with them. There are plenty of ups and downs within the year for the ladies and you are there with them every step of the way. 
Loved this book from Kendra Smith and I'm excited to read what adventure she will take us on next.  








Purchase Links


Google Play - http://bit.ly/2HwKB7e



About the Author



Kendra Smith has been a journalist, wife, mother, aerobics teacher, qualified diver and very bad cake baker. She started her career in Sydney selling advertising space but quickly made the leap to editorial - and went on to work on several women’s magazines in both Sydney and London. With dual Australian-British nationality, she currently lives in Surrey with her husband and three children. 


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Sunday 23 June 2019

Confetti at the Little Duck Pond Cafe by Rosie Green


Today I am excited to share with you my review of the latest adventure from The Little Duck Pond Cafe by Rosie Green. Thank you to Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to join the tour and for my copy of the ebook in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. 



Book Description
Wedding fever is in the air in the village of Sunnybrook. With Ellie and Zak's Big Day on the horizon, the sun is shining brightly on the Little Duck Pond Cafe community. But when dark clouds begin to roll in from more than one direction, several close relationships look to be under threat. Will the wedding of the year actually take place at all?

My Review
I loved revisiting the village of Sunnybrook for this latest instalment of this fantastic series that I have  enjoyed reading from the start. 
The Little Duck Pond Cafe is all wrapped up in wedding fever as Ellie and Zak are preparing for their  big day. The only issue they have is trying to find a venue at such short notice as Ellie is determined to tie the knot before her mum becomes too ill to be part of her big day.
Things however do not go to plan as her mums illness sees to be getting worse and it is getting harder for Ellie to help her, especially when she seems to keep disappearing and has become increasingly more secretive. Things go from bad to worse with their plans and then when disaster strikes it is looking like the wedding may never happened all. Can Ellie and Zak overcome all of the the hurdles in their way and will the wedding of Ellie's dreams ever take place.
This is a brilliant instalment to the series. It was great to meet up with all of the characters we know and love with a few new additions to Sunnybrook. The focus on this book was on the wedding plans of Ellie and Zak and all of the stress that comes with it. You do understand why Ellie wants the wedding to take pale so quickly after their engagement especially with her mother being ill, it does mean though that Ellie is adding to her stress levels. and making life hard for herself. This does take its toll on her relationship with Zak but they are both strong people and know what they both want in life.
This was a wonderful instalment to the series and I'm really looking forward to reading the next chapter in the lives of those at the Little Duck Pond Cafe. 





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About the Author

Rosie Green has been scribbling stories ever since she was little. Back then they were rip-roaring adventure tales with a young heroine in perilous danger of falling off a cliff or being tied up by ‘the baddies’. Thankfully, Rosie has moved on somewhat, and now much prefers to write romantic comedies that melt your heart and make you smile, with really not much perilous danger involved at all, unless you count the heroine losing her heart in love.
​Rosie’s brand new series of novellas is centred on life in a village cafĂ©. Confetti at the Little Duck Pond Cafe will be the sixth in the series


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Summer at Blue Sands Cove by CP Ward

Today is my stop on the Blog Tour for this uplifting summer release from CP Ward. Thank you to Rachel's  Random Resources for inviting m...