Monday 28 October 2019

A Cosy Christmas in Cornwall by Jane Linfoot



Today I am excited to share with you my review of this fun and festive new release from Jane Linfoot. Thank you to Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to join the tour, and thank you to One More Chapter for my copy of the ebook in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. 



Book Description
Christmas in a Cornish castle? Sign Ivy Starforth up! Hired to kit out the holiday rental as the world’s most Instagramable festive dreamland, there’s only one thing standing in the way of her hefty paycheque – the lord of the manor.
Bill Markham could give Scrooge a run for his money but Ivy is firmly #TeamChristmas…even if her handsome host seems to be doing everything he can to sabotage her staging. Maybe she shouldn’t have stumbled in on him starkers in the hot tub?
As the temperature outside cools, things inside the castle heat up. It’s been a long time since Ivy allowed herself to give in to temptation…surely one little kiss under the mistletoe won’t hurt?




My Review
I am a big fan of all of the books written by Jane Linfoot and I could not wait to get started on this new release. Once I got started I was so drawn into the story and did not want to put it down. 
Ivy Starforth works as a window designer for a department store in London. She is good at her job and loves what she does. This is why she has been hired by her friend Libby to turn the Cornish Castle she has rented for the Christmas period in the perfect festive setting for all of her Instagram pictures and to show she is going to have the perfect Christmas. 
Christmas is a difficult time for Ivy after having an accident the year before which changed her life forever. Ivy is determined that by helping others and giving them the best Christmas they could possibly have imagined, she will stop having the flashbacks and this will help her forget what happened. 
What Ivy had not planned for on her arrival in Cornwall was to bump into the nearly naked, gorgeous Bill in the hot tub.
Bill is the owner of the castle and someone that knows Ivy from the past that now feels like a lifetime ago, and one person that Ivy never forgot. 
Ivy is shocked to find just how under prepared Bill is for their arrival with nothing ready and the castle looking sad and not ready for Christmas at all. Ivy sets about making arrangements to get the castle ready for all of the visitors that Libby has invited, much to they annoyance of the very grumpy Bill. 
Bill has decided, rather begrudgingly that Ivy is right and with some help from the Silver surfers they set about setting the castle up to look like perfect Christmas setting. 
With the two of them working together sparks of romance appear between them, but with them both having some much happen in their pasts are either of them ready to let each other in and fall in love. Who knows maybe the magic of Christmas will help them along their way. 
I really enjoyed the writing style of this book it flows well. The descriptions within the book sound amazing and the perfect place to spend Christmas with the ones you love. 
The character of Ivy in this book is great to get to know. You slowly learn about what happened to her over the last few years and find out why she never removes her hat. Ivy grows in confidence as the book moves forward and its great to see her finally letting people in.
You also get to know Libby and her four children, all of which are obsessed with technology. Libby is determined to make this Christmas perfect but how will this impact her family. 
Fliss is a mum of two young children. She finds parenting hard especially as she is comparing her life to Libby's who always seems to have everything under control. Fliss also is thinking that her beloved husband is having an affair.
Miranda is the mother of Libby and Fliss and has decided to arrive at the castle early. She is not alone either as she has her new man Ambie, he's her latest romance but with her track record he won't be around for long. 
There are a great bunch of supporting characters within the book who also help to bring Christmas to life in Cornwall. 
I adored this book from star to finish. The book is full of fun and romance and will keep you absorbed right up to the last page. 
A perfect Christmas read. 
  



Published by One More Chapter on the 19th October 2019



Purchase Links

UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cosy-Christmas-Cornwall-heartwarming-Cornish-ebook/dp/B07TVZ8VYV

US - https://www.amazon.com/Cosy-Christmas-Cornwall-heartwarming-Cornish-ebook/dp/B07TVZ8VYV




About the Author

Jane Linfoot is a best selling author, who lives in a cottage on a Derbyshire hillside with her family and their pets. Although she loves seeing cow noses over the garden wall, she’s happy she can walk to a supermarket. 

Jane grew up in North Yorkshire where she spent a lot of her childhood avoiding horizontal gales blowing off the sea and wrote her first book by accident. While she loves to write feel good books that let readers escape, she’s always surprised to hear her stories make people laugh, admits to (occasionally) crying as she writes, and credits her characters for creating their own story lines. 

Jane’s garden would be less brambly if she wasn’t on Facebook and Twitter so often. On days when she wants to be really scared, she rides a tandem.

Her recent stand alone novels are all set in and around the (imaginary) seaside village of St Aidan in Cornwall. They are: Ivy’s Cornish Christmas, Edie’s Browne’s Cottage by the Sea, The Little Cornish Kitchen. Her four book Little Wedding Shop series are standalone stories, also set in St Aidan. They are: The Little Wedding Shop by the Sea, Christmas at the Little Wedding Shop, Summer at the Little Wedding Shop and Christmas Promises at the Little Wedding Shop. They are all published by the Harper Impulse and One More Chapter imprints of Harper Collins.




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Giveaway to Win a signed Jane Linfoot Book and some chocolate (Open INT)
*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 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.


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Friday 25 October 2019

Notting Hill in the Snow by Jules Wake



Today it is my stop on the Blog Tour for this festive, romantic and heart warming read from Jules Wake. 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
It's mayhem in Bethlehem…unless they can work together!
Viola Smith plays the viola in an orchestra (yes really!), but this year she's been asked to stretch her musical talents to organising Notting Hill's local nativity.
Nate Williams isn't looking forward to Christmas but as his small daughter, Grace, has the starring role in the show, he's forced to stop being a Grinch and volunteer with Viola.

With the sparks between them hotter than the chestnuts roasting in Portobello market, Nate and Viola can't deny their feelings. And as the snow starts to fall over London, they find themselves trapped together in more ways than one…




My Review
It is while Viola is travelling on a packed underground train to her job playing as part of the orchestra, that she bumps, quite literally into handsome stranger, Nate. The two of them leave the train together and walk together to where they both work. Viola believes this is the last time she will see him.
It is just after her orchestra rehearsal that Viola is surprised to see Nate again. He has asked to speak to her, and is requesting her help with his daughters school Nativity play. Viola shocks herself when she agrees to help after all how hard could it be?
Viola soon finds out at her first visit to the school what she has signed up to and is shocked with just how much work she will need to do to get they nativity done in time especially when the script isn't even finished. Viola is sure that Nate will be around to help her, he however has dramas going on in his own life that means he won't be able to help Viola with the play.
The two of them do start to spend more time together as Viola helps Nate with his daughter but then Viola's mother has a fall which then throws more work and drama towards Viola.
Viola is not sure just how she is going to get everything done to please everyone but she is determined that it will all work out.
Will she manage to keep to her word and get everything done and will the spark of romance happen between her and Nate. With it being Christmas and with the feel of good will in the air anything is possible.
What a brilliant festive treat this book is, perfect for snuggling down for the afternoon with a hot chocolate. I really like the style of writing it flows well and really draws you in from the first page to the last.
I found the character of Viola very like able. She tries hard to please her family and friends and does help and support them as much as she can. She has obviously been hurt in the past and is still getting over this. its great to see her getting over this as you read through the book.
Nate has had a lot to deal with in his life too and you find out more and more about this as you get to know him.
This book has a great cast of supporting characters who all play their part in the lives of Viola and Nate in the lead up to Christmas and really do add to the storyline.
I loved this book from Jules Wake and I am already looking forward to her next release. 






Published by One More Chapter on 11th October 2019



Purchase Links 
UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Notting-Hill-Snow-heartwarming-uplifting-ebook/dp/B07RNFF9Q1/

US - https://www.amazon.com/Notting-Hill-Snow-heartwarming-uplifting-ebook/dp/B07RNFF9Q1/



About the Author

Jules Wake announced at the age of ten that she planned to be a writer. Along the way she was diverted by the glamorous world of PR and worked on many luxury brands and not so luxury brands. This proved fabulous training for writing novels as it provided her with the opportunity to hone her writing and creative skills penning copy on a vast range of subjects from pig farming and watches, sunglasses and skincare through to beer and stationery.  
She writes best-selling warm-hearted contemporary fiction for One More Chapter as Jules Wake and under her pen name Julie Caplin, she writes the Romantic Escapes series.  
Between them, the two Js have written twelve novels, Notting Hill in the Snow being the latest. 


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Monday 21 October 2019

The Christmas Calendar Girls by Samantha Tonge



Today it is my stop on the Blog Tour for this festive new release from Samantha Tonge. Thank you to Aria Fiction for my copy of the ebook in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. 




Book Description
This Christmas fall in love with the town of Chesterwood...
Christmas is meant to be a time of giving, so with Chesterwood food bank under risk of closure Fern knows just what to do to save it. She's going to get the town to create a living advent calendar.
Fern, and her best friends, call for help from the local community to bring this calendar to life. When Kit, the new man in town, offers his assistance Fern's heart can't help but skip a beat (or two).
As they grow ever closer, Fern must admit that Kit's breaking down the barriers she built after the death of her husband. But his past is holding him back and Fern doesn't know how to reach him. No matter how hard she tries.
In this town, Kit's not the only one with secrets. Domestic goddess Cara is behaving oddly, burning meals in the oven and clothes whilst ironing, and Davina's perfect children are causing trouble at school leaving her son, Jasper, desperately unhappy.
Can the Christmas Calendar Girls find a way to bring the community together in time to save the food bank, while still supporting their families and each other? Can Fern find love again with Kit?
This is a story about kindness and letting go of the past. It's about looking out for your neighbours and about making every day feel like Christmas.




My Review
After reading all of the previous releases from Samantha Tonge, I was so excited to have been offered the opportunity to read and review this latest release, and I was not disappointed. It is Christmas feel good fiction at its best. It is highly addictive, will keep you absorbed until the very last page, and will leave you with a warm glow. 
Welcome to Christmas in the town of Chesterwood.
Three best friends, Fern, Cara and Davina are all looking forward to the festive season. They are making plans to make Christmas special for their children. 
It is while making plans that Fern finds out about the struggles their local food bank is having and is at risk of closure. Those within the local community who rely on this service for help could find themselves struggling even more. 
Fern decides as it is the season of giving, she needs to help and sets up the living advent calendar. With help from Cara and Davina fern gets the whole community involved in this venture and help bring them all together.
As the community all begin to get involved Fern starts to spend more time with her new friend Kit and there is a spark between the two of them, however is Fern ready to start dating someone else, or is she still grieving after the death of her beloved husband, Adam. Kit is also hiding secrets from Fern, secrets he believes will just lead to more hurt.  
Kit is not the only one with secrets though, as Cara, usually a domestic goddess is not keeping things together and is even beginning to burn food and even clothes whilst ironing. Davina is having problems too. Hers are with her twin boys who normally have impeccable behaviour but something has happened between the pair and it has left Jasper very unhappy. 
Can the three friends bring the community together and help save the local food bank whilst also supporting each other as all of the secrets are slowly revealed. and will Fern and Kit fall in love?
I loved this book from start to finish. It is written so well and will lift your spirits just in time for the beginning of the festive season. 
I loved the closeness of Cara, Davina and Fern. They all do their best to be there for each other and help each other out whenever its needed. Its great that all of their children get on too. 
Fern has had a lot of sadness in her past after the death of her beloved husband, Adam. She is doing all she can to help her daughter Lily get over the death of her father too. it is obvious that the two of them are very close. This is why she struggles with her feeling for Kit. 
Cara is really struggling with keeping on top of everything like she normally does and you will be shocked when you find out why. 
Davina is doing all she can to try and sort out the dispute and upset between her twin boys but all becomes clear on Christmas Eve. 
I can really understand once Kits secrets are revealed why he wanted to keep them to himself. 
I did enjoy reading about the spark of romance between Fern and Kit and I was really hoping that it would all work out for the pair. 
This is a brilliant festive read and one you will not be disappointed you purchased. 




Published by Aria on 3rd October 2019



Purchase Links
Amazon - https://amzn.to/2Z2u7NO

Kobo - https://bit.ly/2YgggEa

iBooks - https://apple.co/2yXpzJU

Google Play - https://bit.ly/2Z8YiTO


About the Author

Samantha Tonge lives in Manchester UK with her husband and children. She studied German and French at university and has worked abroad, including a stint at Disneyland Paris. She has travelled widely.

When not writing she passes her days cycling, baking and drinking coffee. Samantha has sold many dozens of short stories to women's magazines. 
She is represented by the Darley Anderson literary agency. In 2013, she landed a publishing deal for romantic comedy fiction with HQDigital at HarperCollins and in 2014, her bestselling debut, Doubting Abbey, was shortlisted for the Festival of Romantic Fiction best Ebook award. In 2015 her summer novel, Game of Scones, hit #5 in the UK Kindle chart and won the Love Stories Awards Best Romantic Ebook category. In 2018 Forgive Me Not, heralded a new direction into darker women's fiction with publisher Canelo. In 2019 she was shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists' Association romantic comedy award.



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Friday 18 October 2019

Reach for a Star by Kathryn Freeman


Today I am on the blog tour for this romantic read from the brilliant Kathryn Freeman. Thank you to Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to join the tour, and to Choc Lit for my copy of the ebook in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. 



Book Description
What if your dreams were so close you could reach out and touch them? 
How could anyone resist Michael Tennant, with his hypnotic blue eyes and voice like molten chocolate? Jessie Simmons certainly can’t. But Jessie’s a single mum who can’t sing to save her life – there’s no way she’ll ever cross paths with the star tenor. 


At least that’s what she thinks until she’s unexpectedly invited to take part in a new reality TV show. The premise? Professional singers teach hopeless amateurs how to sing. The surprise? Jessie’s partner is none other than Michael Tennant!

As she becomes better acquainted with the man behind the voice, will Jessie find out the hard way that you should never meet your idols? Or will she get more than she bargained for?






My Review
This is a brilliant read that I loved from start to finish.
Jessie is a single parent to two boys, who is busy just getting on with her life. She has a huge crush on the singing sensation Michael Tennant and has big dreams to meet him. This is highly unlikely as Jessie really can't sing. 
Jessie is shocked when the post comes through telling her she has won a place in the new TV show pairing stars with people who can't sing and see if they can help them improve. The shock continues for Jessie when she finds out it is her two sons that have applied for the contest in her name as they know how much of a crush she has on the singing star, and the know she really can't sing either. 
With persuasion from the boys and her best friend Annabelle, Jessie finds herself taking up the position and is isn't long before she is heading to London to meet the star.
Michael Tennant is really regretting saying he would take part in the show. It is just for publicity for his upcoming world tour and time in his life he doesn't want to waste on the contest. 
When they two of them both meet things do not go swimmingly and Jessie almost walks out on their first meeting. Michael thinks Jessie is a tough nut to crack, and Jessie thinks that Michael is not keen to share anything with her at all. 
As the two of them spend more and more time together preparing for the contest they begin to become closer and sparks of romance and passion begin to fly between the two of them. Will romance blossom between the pair of them or are there just too many differences between the two of them for love to happen and a relationship to survive. 
This is a fantastic read, full of love, laughs and a will they won't they romance. 
The writing style of the book is fantastic and does give you small glimpses of cities throughout Europe as we follow Michael on tour. 
I really liked the character of Jessie I think she is very brave to make the decisions that she does. although at times you do see just how fragile she can be too. 
Getting to know Michael Tennant was really interesting. He travels the world and has plenty of money to buy himself the best of everything. He does also have some secrets from his past though that he is still hurting from, which as the book goes on you do understand.
I loved how much support that Annabelle gave to Jessie to, even when, Jessie was adamant that she didn't need the help at all. 
I really enjoy reading Kathryn Freeman's books and I'm already looking forward to reading what comes next.




Published by Choc Lit on 24th September 2019



Purchase Links 

UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07VQJH4TH

US - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VQJH4TH




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.


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Giveaway

Giveaway to Win a PB copy of Oh Crumbs by Kathryn Freeman (Open INT)

*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 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.


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Snowflakes at Mistletoe Cottage by Katie Ginger



Today it is my stop on the Blog Tour for this cosy and romantic festive read from Katie Ginger. 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
On a grey, London day, Esme’s world crumbles around her when she loses her glitzy job on a top TV programme, her gorgeous, city-slicker boyfriend and her stunning apartment, all in one fell swoop just before Christmas.
Esme is forced suddenly to move back to her sleepy hometown of Sandchester, and despite the snow blanketing the roof and the fairy lights that twinkle in her rustic little cottage, everything is looking bleak. That is until she reconnects with an old crush and finds herself unexpectedly getting swept away.
But Joe, handsome and charming as he is, is not all he seems. Esme soon realises that he has a tragic past which he just might not be able to overcome…
Surrounded by her loving, if harebrained, family and with the support of her hilarious friends, Esme is determined to have a go at forging her own path, even if it all comes to nothing. But one question still lingers in her mind: will she find someone to kiss under the mistletoe this Christmas?





My Review
This such a brilliant and romantic read that is perfect to get cosy with in the lead up to the festive season, and one you will not want to put down. 
Esme loves her job as a food technologist as she loves cooking and trying to share her skills.  Esme has plucked up the courage to share her beloved Grandmothers recipe for a delicious chocolate cake with her boss, its once the conversation begins that Esme realises that the star of the TV show has actually stolen her idea and is saying the recipe is one of her own. Esme is shocked and pleads with her boss that the recipe is hers but without the evidence of the recipe book with her she is not believed and when put on the spot she is then fired. 
With a great sense of betrayal Esme heads home to hope for some comfort from her boyfriend only for him to drop another bombshell that he has been seeing someone else and he wants to break up with her and for her to move out. 
With her heart broken and now homeless Esme heads to the small town of Sandchester to her parents house where she grew up. 
Esme's parents have some money saved and they offer Esme help to rent a property so she can get herself back on her feet and work out what she wants to do with her future. 
The property she is shown by the handsome estate agent Joe, Is Mistletoe Cottage. Esme immediately falls in love with the dilapidated cottage and begins to make it her new home. 
It is while setting up the cottage that Esme's friends from London suggest and idea to her that maybe she could set up a blog and share the recipes from her grandmothers recipe book. 
Esme thinks this is a great plan and so she sets up Grandmas Kitchen. Things are slow at first and Esme suffers plenty of set backs when she begins. Luckily for Esme the lovely Joe is often around and popping in to help her. The two them do have a past together as they both grew up in the same area and went to school together. The two begin to spend more and more time together and they both enjoy each others company. But as the two get to know each other and begin to share secrets Esme begins to realise that the past is really hurting Joe and he is not keen to share the information with anyone.
Will Mistletoe Cottage weave its magic and help the two of them get over everything that has happened in their past and will it bring them together and let romance blossom or will it all be too much for the pair of them to deal with.
I loved this book from the first page to the last and I didn't wan to put it down. The writing style flows well and really does draw you into the story. 
I loved getting to know Esme as she starts trying to rebuild her life again. You see her grow in strength and deal with all of the knocks that come her way with the help of her close group of friends and Joe. 
Joe is a fantastic character to read about and you really get to see him blossom as you read through the book and his secrets are revealed. 
There is a brilliant cast of characters within the book that support both Esme and Joe who at times will really make you giggle especially Esme's Mum and Dad, who often share too much information with Esme. 
This is a brilliant five star festive treat that I'm sure you will all enjoy as much as I did. 
 





Published by HQ Digital on 11th October 2019




Purchase links 

Amazon UK ebook - https://amzn.to/2NL7fhq

Amazon UK paperback - https://amzn.to/2Y51uPP

Amazon US ebook - https://amzn.to/2XHxFR1

Kobo - https://bit.ly/2LP8Ujm




About the Author

KATIE GINGER lives in the South East of England, by the sea, and apart from holidays to very hot places where you can sit by a pool and drink cocktails as big your head, she wouldn't really want to be anywhere else. Snowflakes at Mistletoe Cottage is her third novel. She is also author of the Seafront series - The Little Theatre on the Seafront, shortlisted for the Katie Fforde Debut Novel of the Year award, and Summer Season on the Seafront.
When she's not writing, Katie spends her time drinking gin, or with her husband, trying to keep alive her two children: Ellie, who believes everything in life should be performed like a musical number from a West End show; and Sam, who is basically a monkey with a boy's face. And there's also their adorable King Charles Spaniel, Wotsit (yes, he is named after the crisps!). 



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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...