Friday 23 August 2019

The Bistro by Watersmeet Bridge by Julie Stock


Today I am excited to share with you my review of this brilliant, feel good and romantic read from Julie Stock.
Thank you to Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to join this mini blog blitz and for my copy of the ebook in exchange form honest and unbiased review. 



Book Description
When Olivia goes to manage Finn's failing bistro, will they end up sharing a table for two, or will it be a recipe for disaster?

Olivia Fuller longs to manage one of the restaurants in her father’s chain and to break free to live the independent life she’s wanted for so long. When her father finally puts his trust in her and sends her to a failing restaurant in Devon, she’s confident she can prove herself capable of doing the job.
Finn Anderson is about to lose his beloved seaside bistro, unless the bank can find a buyer to dig him out. When George Fuller offers Finn a deal, he has no choice but to accept if he wants any chance of getting his bistro back one day. And then the new manager arrives…
Even after meeting the prickly chef and discovering his complete lack of business skills, 
Olivia is confident she can turn the struggling business round. But as Olivia and Finn start working together, a mutual attraction develops between them, and soon, nothing is going according to Olivia’s plan. 
When there’s a real chance that the bistro might be sold off, Olivia and Finn determine to fight for it, united by their hard work and their growing feelings for each other.
But can they save the bistro and be together, or does destiny have a different path in mind?
A feel-good contemporary romance set in a bistro beside the sea in Devon.



My Review
This is a brilliant read that had me hooked in from the first page to the last. 
Olivia Fuller is working for her father and is desperate to prove to him that she is capable of doing the job that she keeps getting overlooked for. 
When she is called to her fathers office she is ready to hand in her notice, when he offers her the chance she has been waiting for, the chance to prove she can do it and become a manager in one of his restaurants and make it a huge success. Olivia grabs the opportunity and is soon heading to the restaurant in Devon. Even though she finds out it is only temporary while her colleague is ill. Olivia is determined to make her father see just how much of a success she can be.
Finn Anderson has finally managed to sell his failing restaurant he is hugely disappointed with himself for not being able to make it the success he wanted it to be but he does still get to remain at the restaurant as the chef while a new manager will be put into place.
Olivia and Finn are soon working together to bring the The Bistro by Watersmeet Bridge back and make it a running business again. With the help of friends they are soon making it great again and the more time that Finn and Olivia spend together the more their relationship grows and soon there are sparks of romance between the two of them.
Then some bad news rocks them both. Can they stay strong and fight for the restaurant to stay open and keep their relationship together or will it tear apart the pair of them and leave them both devastated and without what they both want?
 I loved reading this book. The setting for the book sounds beautiful and the perfect place for a spot of romance. The book flowed really well and the characters within the book are very well written and I found them great fun to get to know. I really felt sorry for Olivia as she seemed to try so hard to prove how hard she worked and how much she deserved a chance. All she wanted was her father to realise all of this. Finn was also a great character that you could easily relate too he just wanted to succeed too.
This is the first book I have read from Julie Stock but it will definitely will not be the last.






Published by Clued Up Publishing on the 6th of August 2019


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About the Author

Julie Stock writes contemporary feel-good romance from around the world: novels, novellas and short stories. She published her debut novel, From Here to Nashville, in February 2015 and her second novel, The Vineyard in Alsace in March 2017. Over You (Sam's Story) and Finding You (Jenna's Story), her follow-up novellas to From Here to Nashville were published in 2018, making the From Here to You series complete. She has also published a boxed set of the From Here to You trilogy of books. Julie’s next novel, The Bistro by Watersmeet Bridge, will be out in summer 2019. If you'd like to sign up to her newsletter list, you can do so here: https://mailchi.mp/f3a7d28c0ab8/julie-stockcouk . As a thank you, you'll be able to download Before You, the prequel story to the From Here to You series, for free.
You can connect with Julie via her website - www.julie-stock.co.uk , on Twitter - @wood_beez48, via her Facebook Author Page - www.facebook.com/JulieStockAuthor , and on Instagram - @julie.stockauthor. Julie is a member of the Romantic Novelists' Association and The Society of Authors. 
When she is not writing, she works in communications. She is married and lives with her family in Bedfordshire in the UK.



Giveaway


Giveaway to Win Signed copy of The Bistro by Watersmeet Bridget and goodies (UK Only)
The prize will contain
  • Signed paperback, 
  • Notebook with front cover on 
  • Postcard magnet with front cover on 
  • Bookmark with front cover on 
  • Bag of Devon fudge 
*Terms and Conditions –UK 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 Rachel’s Random Resources reserves 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 Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

Enter here;





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




Sunday 11 August 2019

The Girl he used to know by Tracey Garvis Graves



Today I am sharing with you my review of the fantastic new release from Tracey Garvis Graves. Than you to Tracy Fenton from Compulsive Reader for inviting me to join the tour and for my copy of the ebook in exchange for the honest and unbiased review. 



Book Description
What if you had a second chance at first love?
Annika Rose likes being alone. 
She feels lost in social situations, saying the wrong thing or acting the wrong way. She just can't read people. She prefers the quiet solitude of books or playing chess to being around others. Apart from Jonathan. She liked being around him, but she hasn't seen him for ten years. Until now that is. And she's not sure he'll want to see her again after what happened all those years ago.

Annika Rose likes being alone. 
Except that, actually, she doesn't like being alone at all.

The Girl He Used to Know is an uplifting novel full of surprising revelations that keep you turning the page. Perfect for fans of Jojo Moyes, Gail Honeyman, Jill Santopolo and Sliding Doors.



My Review
This is a great slow paced read that I thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish and I couldn't put down. 
First you meet Annika Rose. She feels she is not the same as everybody else. She doesn't like being in social situations and very much prefers be alone reading. She does have a best friend, Janice who does give her a push at times to encourage her to do some different thing and try some new experiences. It is here that you see her meet Jonathan at chess club, a club that Annika has really enjoyed being part of. 
Annika and Jonathan build up relationship between them and Annika is happy to let him into her life as she feels he understands her. 
Ten years later Annika is out shopping and bumps into Jonathan again. They have not seen each other for ten years and Annika is not sure that Jonathan will want to see her again after what happened between them both all those years ago. 
What follows as you read the book is watching the two of them reconnect and will Annika realise that maybe she does not want to be alone after all. 
Really enjoyed reading this book. I loved how there were two time lines so you could read about the past of the two as well as what is currently happening between them both. The story is also told between both Jonathan and Annika so you get to see the story from both sides and see how each of them is feeling. 
I found Annika to be very relatable as we all have our own insecurities. 
I am looking forward to reading more books from Tracey Garvis Graves. 





Published by Trapeze on the 8th August 2019


Purchase Link



About the Author
Tracey Garvis-Graves lives in a suburb of Des Moines, Iowa, with her husband, two children, and dog Chloe. She blogs at www.traceygarvisgraves.com, and can also be found on Twitter @tgarvisgraves and Facebook at facebook.com/tgarvisgraves. This is her first novel.






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

Thursday 8 August 2019

Honeymoon for One by Frankie Collins



Today I am pleased to be able to share with you an extract of this fantastic, summer read from Frankie Collins. Thank you to Boldwood Books for inviting me to join the tour and for my copy of the ebook in exchange for this post. 




Book Description
As a published novelist, Lila Rose has been writing about fictional weddings all her life. But disaster strikes on her own big day when she hears her philandering fiancé, Daniel whispering sweet nothings to someone else.
With her dream day shattered, all Lila wants to do is run and hide, so she decides to fly solo on her own honeymoon.
When Daniel arrives in the resort with his new squeeze, Lila strikes up a ‘showmance’ with hot new movie star, Freddie Bianchi. Freddie is perfect for the part and Lila soon relaxes into her leading lady role.
But as truth starts to merge with fiction, could real love be in the air?


Extract
Chapter One
My Wedding Day
Your wedding day is the start of a life-long journey, and, like any other journey, it requires a lot of planning.
First, and most importantly, you need to know where you’re going and how you’re going to get there. Are you on a one-track path to growing old together or are you planning on making stops at pets, babies or house moves?
On a real trip you’re going to want insurance, but on the life-long journey of marriage, assurance is what you need. Are you doing this with the right person? Will they stand by you for better, for worse? For richer, for poorer? In sickness and in health?
When your plans are all in place and it’s time to set off on this wonderful, wild adventure, the only thing left to do is pack – but pack light.
Unfortunately, on this non-stop flight to a happy ever after, ex-boyfriends will not fit in the overhead storage, no matter how much you dissected the relationship. All baggage must be destroyed before boarding – you absolutely cannot bring your baggage into a marriage.
Before you tie the knot, customs will confiscate any and all contraband still on your person, not limited to, but including flirtatious WhatsApp threads and other miscellaneous weaponry.
I’m travelling light today. All I have with me is my something old (a necklace my grandma left me in her will), my something new (the sapphire studs in my ears), and my something borrowed (a handkerchief from my mum, which I’m going to keep in the pocket of my wedding dress, because you’d better believe I had my wedding dress made with sneaky pockets). My something blue is (apparently) my best friend, Ali, who is currently lying on the chaise longue at the bottom of my bed in my hotel room.
‘Oh, Lila,’ she says dramatically. ‘Are you sure you want to do this?’
I smile at myself in the mirror. Most best friends are supportive, attentive maids of honour. Ali is showing me her love and support by constantly questioning whether or not this is the right thing to do. I wouldn’t have her any other way though.
‘I’m pretty sure,’ I tell her. ‘I made sure I was sure before I spent thousands of pounds on a wedding and a honeymoon.’
‘Well, yeah, I figured,’ she replies. ‘But... I don’t know, I don’t think I thought you’d go through with it.’

I laugh.
‘And yet here we are,’ I say, smiling at her.
‘Daniel is... you know, he’s fine,’ she says.
‘Fine,’ I repeat back to her. Just what a bride wants to hear on her wedding day. ‘Yeah, he’s fine... he’s maybe just fine though?’
My best friend hasn’t waited until my wedding day to say this, she’s been telling

me for years that Daniel was just too boring to settle down with. I think this is a ‘speak now or forever hold your peace’ type conversation, not that the latter sounds remotely like something Ali would do.
‘I know you think he’s boring,’ I tell her. ‘But, maybe “boring guys” are the ones you settle down with? Take that playboy banker you met last weekend – you wouldn’t marry him, would you?’
‘Well, someone clearly did,’ she points out. ‘There was a wedding ring in his hotel bathroom.’
‘Was?’ I dare to ask.
‘Yeah, I flushed it down the lav,’ she says casually. ‘I really don’t appreciate being lied to.’
Ali is a real force to be reckoned with.
‘I know you’re only being semi-serious with the whole talking me out of getting married thing,’ I start. ‘But honestly, I’ve thought this through. I love him, we’re happy together – OK, things might not be wild, but I know in my heart that it’s time to put sexy playboy bankers behind me.’
‘Well, that’s what I do with them,’ Ali says with a wiggle of her eyebrows.
I know that Ali just wants me to be happy, but I did consider all of this before agreeing to marry my fiancé, Daniel Tyler, and when I say I considered it before agreeing, I mean I literally asked him for a moment, before I gave him my answer. The
reason for this is because marriage is something I take seriously. My parents, both sixty- five years of age, have been married since they were nineteen. I might be thirty-one, but I want to marry once, and for life. I had a blast in my twenties, Daniel and I moved in together when I was twenty-nine and now, comfortably accepting of the fact I am in my thirties, I finally feel ready to tie the knot.
When some women say they have been planning their wedding for years, what they really mean is they’ve been dressing up in net curtains as kids and trolling Pinterest for flower arrangements as adults. Well, I really have been planning weddings for years... sort of. Not my own wedding and I’m certainly not a wedding planner.
I’m a rom-com author and although the weddings I work with may be fictional, I haven’t just planned a lot of them – I’ve ruined a lot of them too. I’ve written ten books now, so it’s pretty safe to say I’ve considered every possible triumph, every little hiccup and every epic fail my romantic yet devious mind can conjure up.
So, yes, while I have researched flowers, cakes and dresses, and tweaked them accordingly (pockets! Honestly, this is going to be a game changer), I don’t just know what this wedding needs, I know what it doesn’t need too. Obsessing over what flavour frosting to have is rather silly – that’s just the icing on the cake. What you should be worrying about are the things that are out of your control.
I have essentially reverse-engineered every single wedding I’ve ever written, to make sure that my real wedding is perfect. It’s kind of a genius move.

What a great opening chapter. This had me hooked in and quickly made me want to read more. 



Published by Boldwood Books on 6th August 2019



Purchase Link




About the Author
Frankie Collins is the pseudonym of Portia MacIntosh, bestselling romantic comedy author of 12 novels, including It's Not You, It's Them and The Accidental Honeymoon. Previously a music journalist, Frankie writes hilarious stories, drawing on her real life experiences.

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you can also find out more information about Frankie on her Portia MacIntosh website






Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog today and I hope you enjoyed the extract I have shared for the brilliant new release. 







Tuesday 6 August 2019

The School Run by Helen Whitaker



Today I am pleased to be able to share with you my review of this fantastic, debut release from HelenWhitaker. Thank you to Tracy Fenton of Compulsive Reader for inviting me to join the tour and for my copy of the ebook in exchange form honest and unbiased review. 



Book Description
Two mothers. Two daughters. One school place.
Imogen and Lily are old friends - they've shared hangovers, unsuitable boyfriends and wild nights out together. But now they're mums, and their partying days are behind them. 
When a place comes up at one of the best primary schools in the area, both women want it for their daughters. From faking religious beliefs to bogus break-ups, Imogen and Lily will go to any lengths to secure the perfect school for their children - and so will all the other mothers.
Will their friendship survive the strain? Will their marriages take the pressure? And when a sexy new vicar arrives on the scene, will the mothers' keep focus for long enough to keep their eyes on the prize?



My Review
This is an absolutely brilliant read that I couldn't put down and devoured in one sitting. 
First you meet Lily who is just doing the school run for the first time with her daughter Enid. Things are not going well, Enid is refusing to go into school and this is making Lily stressed as she is desperate to get to work too. 
Things start to pick up when a face from her past appears in the playground also with a child. Lily and Imogen have not been in touch with each other for over six years so Lily is shocked to see her in her home town in Walthamstow. 
The two women do start to chat and start to get to know each other all over again. Lily tells Imogen about the other mums on the school run too and warns her of how some of them behave. 
Imogen decides to make up her own mind and make friends with who she liked. 
What follows is the story of two women trying their hardest to be get the places they both need for their children in the outstanding primary school which is heavily over subscribed. 
There are many ups and downs for the pair. Will each of their relationships survive the struggles and stress, and will they both be able to rekindle and keep their friendship.  
I absolutely loved this book from start to finish. Being a parent myself I did understand the stresses and strains of doing the school run and also waiting to hear if my child got the place we needed. The relationships between all of the women in the story is interesting to read. There is plenty of competition between the mums as they all feel like they are doing the best for their child. But this doesn't always bring out the nice side to people and it can cause arguments and disagreements between them. 
I loved how the chapters rotate between both Lily and Imogen so you get the story from both sides. You get to know both of their personal lives and the struggles they are both going through.
I think this is a brilliant debut read and I am already looking forward to reading the adventures that Helen Whitaker will be taking us on next. 



Published by Trapeze on 8th August 2019



Purchase Link



About the Author
Helen Whitaker is a journalist and author living in London. Formerly the Entertainment Director of Glamour UK, her day job is currently Deputy Editor of High Life magazine and she writes books in her lunch hour, in the evenings and in any free time she has around parenting. She has been published in The Telegraph, Fabulous, Stella, Red and BBC Three. You can find her on Instagram: @itshelenwhitaker or Twitter: @helbobwhitaker. She lives in Walthamstow with her husband and son. The School Run is her first novel.

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


Monday 5 August 2019

Sunshine over Bluebell Castle by Sarah Bennett



Today I am excited to share with you my review of this perfect summer read from Sarah Bennett. Thank you to Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to join the tour and for copy of the ebook in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.



Book Description
The summer she will never forget…
Time’s running out for Iggy Ludworth to restore the wild gardens of Camland Castle in time for the Summer Fete, so she ropes in hotshot gardener Will Talbot…
But she regrets her decision as soon as he sets foot in the historic grounds – not only is Will arrogant and bossy, he’s totally gorgeous!
And very soon, sparks are flying amongst the bluebells. Yet with summer nearly over, will their summer fling convince Will and Iggy to go the distance?
Perfect for fans of Trisha Ashley, Rachael Lucas and Hilary Boyd.
Book 1: Spring Skies Over Bluebell Castle

Book 2: Sunshine Over Bluebell Castle
Book 3: Starlight Over Bluebell Castle




My Review
After reading the first book in the series I was so excited to read the sequel and I was not disappointed. It is the perfect summer read. 
This time the book tells the story of Iggy, full name Igraine. 
Iggy is trying her best to help with the revamp of Camland Castle, affectionately known as Bluebell Castle. She has decided to take on the job of transforming the gardens and restoring them back to how they looked many years ago.   
She soon finds out it is too big a task for her to do herself, so she is determined to try and get celebrity gardener Will Talbot to help her. 
Will Talbot is currently riding high on the success of his business and is trying to make the most of it. He is doing appearances on red carpets to raise his profiled is going from strength to strength on social media.
This however is not making Will happy as he really misses getting his hands dirty, when the opportunity for work comes up at Bluebell Castle it is perfect timing for him to escape.
There are sparks flying between the two from their first encounter but things are not plain sailing for the pair. Will they get the gardens done ready for the big event, and will love bloom between Iggy and Will?
I loved this book from start to finish. It was great to re visit some of the characters and meet a few new ones too. It is the second instalment in the series however I do feel that it could also be read as a standalone read.
I loved reading the story from Iggy's point of view. She is the oldest of the triplets, but being a girl she will never inherit Bluebell Castle, this is something that does not bother Iggy at all.
The spark of romance between Iggy and Will was fantastic to read and watch grow.
I really enjoy the writing style of Sarah Bennett, it flows well and the stories are written so well to keep you engrossed from the first page to the last.
I'm already looking forward to reading the next instalment of the trilogy. 




Published by HQ Digital 5th August 2019

Purchase Links





About the Author

Sarah Bennett has been reading for as long as she can remember. Raised in a family of bookworms, her love affair with books of all genres has culminated in the ultimate Happy Ever After – getting to write her own stories to share with others.
Born and raised in a military family, she is happily married to her own Officer (who is sometimes even A Gentleman). Home is wherever he lays his hat, and life has taught them both that the best family is the one you create from friends as well as relatives.
When not reading or writing, Sarah is a devotee of afternoon naps and sailing the high seas, but only on vessels large enough to accommodate a casino and a choice of restaurants.
Sarah is the author of the Butterfly Cove, Lavender Bay and Bluebell Castle trilogies, published by HQ Digital UK.



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



Saturday 3 August 2019

The Postcard by Zoe Folbigg


Today  am excited to share with you this fantastic new release from Zoe Folbigg. Thank you to Aria Fiction for inviting me to join the touring for my copy of the ebook in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. 



Book Description
A year after the kiss that brought them together in a snowy train-station doorway, Maya and James are embarking on another journey - this time around the world. The trip starts promisingly, with an opulent and romantic Indian wedding. But as their travels continue, Maya fears that ‘love at first sight’ might not survive trains, planes and tuk tuks, especially when she realises that what she really wants is a baby, and James doesn’t feel the same.  Can Maya and James navigate their different hopes and dreams to stay together? Or is love at first sight just a myth after all… Perfect for fans of One Day in December, Our Stop and Marian Keyes. The Postcard continues the once-in-a-lifetime love story that readers so took to their hearts. 




My Review
I was really excited to read this book and it did not disappoint. I was hooked from the first page to the last and I did not want to put it down. 
Maya and James are about to head off on their travels for a year together just the two of them. They have both left their jobs and are looking forward to what lays ahead of them both. 
James works a photographer and has been asked to become the forth photographer at a huge wedding for a friend of his in India and this is where they will start their travels. James is hoping to be able to add plenty of photos from their time away to his portfolio and Maya will be writing a travel column while they travel too. 
Things start well for the couple as they enjoy the luxurious surrounds around the wedding but their first stop on their travels brings them straight back down to earth. 
What follows in their story is the ups and downs of travelling together. Things are not all plain sailing  and things begin to unravel slightly for the pair as a lack of communication becomes clear, and there are further problems with the appearance of Maya's Ex.
 Will their travelling adventure end in happily ever after or will the travelling see them both go their separate ways. 
Alongside the story of Maya and James is the story of Maya's friend Nena and her newborn baby Ava. Nena is struggling with coming to terms with becoming a new mum as it is such a change for her from her life before Ava and she loves her daughter but is struggling with everything that goes with becoming a mum. 
There is also another thread to the story with regards to the missing Manon Junot. She has gone missing in Thailand and you get to see her life too.
I really enjoyed reading this book. It really draws you in and keeps you hooked in with all of the cliff hangers at the end of each chapter. The characters within the book are all very relatable and as a parent I did find that I understood the feelings of Nena with her newborn baby. 
The way the settings and countries that Maya and James visit are described sound amazing and and such fantastic places to visit. 
This book is a sequel to 'The Note' but I did feel like it could be read as a standalone read. 





Published by Aria on 1st August 2019


Purchase Links 



Google Play - http://bit.ly/2LMMxLs



About the Author

Zoë Folbigg is a magazine journalist and digital editor, starting at Cosmopolitan in 2001 and since freelancing for titles including Glamour, Fabulous, Daily Mail, Healthy, LOOK, Top Santé, Mother & Baby, ELLE, Sunday Times Style and Style.com. In 2008 she had a weekly column in Fabulous magazine documenting her year-long round-the-world trip with ‘Train Man’ – a man she had met on her daily commute. She since married Train Man and lives in Hertfordshire with him and their two young sons. 


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Website - www.zoefolbigg.com




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





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...