Rocks and Flowers in a Box by Cynthia Hilston

Today I am pleased to share with you my review of this release from Cynthia Hilston as part of the One day Blog Blitz. Thank you to Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to join and for my copy of the ebook in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. 

Book Description

The wedding bells for Lorna and Tristan Blake toll doom right as the honeymoon begins with an unexpected turn in Tristan’s health. While World War II winds down, Lorna receives a letter from the War Department informing her that the brother she thought killed in action is still alive. She is overjoyed, but his return will dredge up a devastating secret about their parents’ tragic death –a secret that could destroy her new marriage and threaten her husband’s physical and mental well-being. What unfolds is balancing act of keeping the faith and shattering the pieces of the life she’s worked so hard to put back together.

My Review

Having read some brilliant reviews of the first book in this series I was looking forward to reading the second part. I had not read the first part of their story and I was a little concerned that I would find it hard to follow but that as not the case as you do get good recaps of what happened in book one. This book had me engrossed from the first page to the last and was one I could not put down. 
Lorna and Tristan Blake are excited to now be married and looking forward to the next chapter of their lives to begin. 
Tristan is moving into Lorna's house which happens to be only next door to his home. The two of them are enjoying making room for him in the home they are now going to be sharing together and planning their future. 
It is while moving that disaster strikes for the two of them when Tristan is rushed to hospital having had a major health scare. Lorna is worried that their future together could be cut a lot shorter that either go them planned. 
World War 2 is still going on and Lorna was devastated when she found out that her brother had been killed in conflict and she has worn his tag ever since. Shock is in store for Lorna though as she receives some post to say her brother is still alive! Lorna is elated with this news as he is the only family that she has and it would be great to see him again. 
Seeing her brother again will also cause a huge amount of problems as she will have to explain that she has now married Tristan and all of the secrets that they have between them. Lorna and Tristan have a lot to explain and will her brother be alright with the relationship or will there news they need to reveal to him tear them all apart?
I really enjoyed reading this book. As I said it is the second book in the series however I do think you can read it is a standalone read as you are given plenty of information from the first book to understand the relationship between the two of them. The writing style flows well within the book and I found it a great easy read. I liked getting to know both Lorna and Tristan. They both have a difficult past that they share and its is interesting to read how they have built their relationship together. It also makes you understand why they have kept it so secret and why Lorna is struggling with telling her brother. 
This is a great read and one you will not be disappointed you purchased. 

Purchase Links

 UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07Y7N9G5N/

US - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Y7N9G5N/

About the Author

Cynthia Hilston is a thirty-something-year-old stay-at-home mom of three young kids, happily married. Writing has always been like another child to her. After twenty years of waltzing in the world of fan fiction, she finally stepped away to do her debut dance with original works of fiction. Visit her website at www.cynthiahilston.com for more information.

In her spare time - what spare time? - she devours books, watches Doctor Who and Game of Thrones, pets her orange kitty, looks at the stars, and dreams of what other stories she wishes to tell.

Social Media

http:/www.cynthiahilston.com

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/cynthiahilstonauthor

Goodreads -  http://www.goodreads.com/cynthiahilstonauthor

Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/cynthiahilston

Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/authorcynthiahilston

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/author/cynthiahilston

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

The Place we Call Home by Faith Hogan

Today I am pleased to share with you my review of this wonderful new family saga from Faith Hogan. 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

Set against the backdrop of the beautiful Irish countryside the famed mills have created the finest wool in all of Ireland. Run by the seemingly perfect Corrigan family, but every family has its secrets, and how the mills came to be the Corrigan's is one of them...

Miranda and her husband were never meant to own the mills, until one fateful day catapults them into a life they never thought they'd lead.

Ada has forever lived her life in her sister's shadow. Wanting only to please her mother and take her place as the new leader of the mill, Ada might just have to take a look at what her heart really wants.

Callie has a flourishing international career as a top designer and a man who loves her dearly, she appears to have it all. When a secret is revealed and she's unceremoniously turfed out of the design world, Callie might just get what's she's been yearning for. The chance to go home.

Simon has always wanted more. More money, more fame, more notoriety. The problem child. Simon has made more enemies than friends over the years, and when one of his latest schemes falls foul he'll have to return to the people who always believe in him.

Ballycove isn't just a town in the Irish countryside. It isn't just the base of the famous mills. It's a place to call home.

My Review

This is a wonderful family filled read that I thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish. 
This book is set in the beautiful Irish countryside and is based on the lives of the Corrigan Family who own and run the famous Corrigan Mills.
 This story explains how the family came to own the Mills and all of the secrets that all have been keeping to themselves. 
The story mainly revolves around the life of Miranda. You start with reading about the childhood of Miranda and how hard that was. You get a good insight into her humble beginnings and how her life was formed bringing her to where she is today. The book does go back and forth from her childhood to her present life. 
You get to meet her three children who between them all are having issues in their own lives that none of them want to face up to or burden their mother with. 
Ada is the oldest of the three siblings and works alongside her mother at the Mills. She is desperate for her mother to retire so that she can take over the running of the mills. Her life revolves around the mills and this is at a cost to her relationship with her husband. Miranda doesn't believe however that Ada is the right person for the job. 
Simon is the middle child and lives in Dublin. All his life has revolved around money and he has gone from failure to failure costing him and plenty of his friends vast sums of money over the years. This time things are at their worst and he is heading back home to lick his wounds and figure out his next move. 
Callie is the youngest child of Miranda and has made a huge success of herself as a fashion designer. Unfortunately one of her plans has backfired and she is now heading back home too. She is desperate to keep what has happened a secret while she is planning what she wants to do with her life. 
With all three of her children back in Ballycove, Miranda could not be happier and maybe now she can decide who to hand over the Mills to especially with her health beginning  to affect her. But which one of her children will be best suited to the job? and will all of the secrets that are being revealed will the family all be able to stay together?
I loved this family saga from start to finish. The writing style of this book is wonderful. it flows well and keeps you absorbed from the first page to the last. I enjoyed how the story went from the present day to the past and back again. This gave you. good insight into the past of Miranda and explained how ownership of the mills became the Corrigans. 
I found all of the characters very different and getting to know all of them was interesting especially with all the secrets they are all hiding too. 
This is a wonderful read and one you will enjoy from start to finish. 

Published by Aria Fiction 9th January 2020

Purchase Link

Amazon - https://amzn.to/2reRKDx

Kobo - https://bit.ly/2JZqjEn


Google Play - https://bit.ly/2X1zd9T

iBooks - https://apple.co/33oLQhm

About the Author

Faith lives in the west of Ireland with her husband, four children and two very fussy cats. She has an Hons Degree in English Literature and Psychology, has worked as a fashion model and in the intellectual disability and mental health sector. 

Social Media

Twitter - www.twitter.com/@GerHogan

Facebook - www.facebook.com/faithhoganauthor

Aria Fiction

Website -  www.ariafiction.com

Twitter - www.twitter.com/@aria_fiction

Facebook - www.facebook.com/ariafiction

Instagram - www.instagram.com/ariafiction

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

The Mothers by Sarah J Naughton

Today I am excited to share with you my review of this griping and highly addictive new release from Sarah J Norton. Thank you to Compulsive Readers for inviting me to join the tour and for my copy the ebook in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. 

Book Description

Five women meet at their local antenatal group. The only thing they really have in common is that they are all pregnant and live within the Chelsea area. Beyond that they all lead very different lives.

Five secrets. Three years later, they are all good friends and often meet up as a group, nick named ‘The Mothers Club’. They get along well enough. Don’t they?

One missing husband. When Bella’s husband goes missing the same night as one of their mothers club get togethers, the police come knocking. Each of the women clearly have secrets they’d like to hide. But the trouble with secrets is that someone always tells…

My Review

I was really looking forward to reading this book and I was not disappointed. This had me gripped from the first page to the last and I did not want to put it down. 

'The Mothers Club' is a group of of five mums who all met through an antenatal class. They all come from different back grounds and different walks of life and the only thing they all have in common is the class they all attended, but they all have become firm friends and have built an amazing bond together. 

Bella's husband Ewan has gone missing and Bella reports it to the police. His clothes and passport are missing too. Has he just simply left his wife and their son or is there much more to it? Things begin to twist and turn the more the police delve into what has happened Where is Ewan and just what is going on?

This is such a thrilling read and one you will not want to put down. 

When reading the book you are able to read the perspective from each of the five mothers from the club and also the police detective investigating the disappearance of Ewan. I enjoyed getting to know each of the woman and you begin to understand the dynamics of their relationship. You also understand just how much they all need and rely on each other. 

The writing style of this book is excellent and will really keep you guessing until the end, even then there is still one surprise ahead of you. 

You will not be disappointed by purchasing this thrilling new read from Sarah J Naughton. 

Purchase Link

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mothers-women-secrets-missing-husband-ebook/dp/B07VRYW9YL/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3GHE8YZMYCE5O&keywords=sarah+j+naughton&qid=1579100808&sprefix=Sarah+j+n%2Caps%2C145&sr=8-1

About the Author

 Sarah J Naughton grew up in Dorset and is the bestselling author of The Other Couple and Tattletale. Her debut children's thriller, The Hanged Man Rises was shortlisted for the 2013 Costa Award. The Mothers is her third novel for adults. Sarah now lives with her family in Belgravia. 

Social Media

Twitter - www.twitter.com/@sarahjnaughton

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

The Cake Fairies by Isabella May

Today I am sharing with you my review of this delicious new release from Isabella May. 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

1960's Somerset is no fun for cousins Polly and Annabelle Williams. Mourning their non-existent love lives, and the mundanity of village life, their only pleasure is baking - until a chance encounter has them magically transported to the bright lights of London... in 2019!

Promised a chance of love, first they must teach the people of the future about the simpler pleasures of life by becoming Cake Fairies. Over the course of a year they set off on a delectable tour of the UK, dropping off cakes in the most unexpected of places and replacing the lure of technology with much sweeter temptations.

But will their philanthropical endeavours lead them to everlasting love? Or will they discover you can't have your cake and eat it?

My Review

I was really excited to be given the opportunity to read and review this wonderful new release from Isabella May as I have loved her previous releases. Once I saw the beautiful and bright book cover I could not wait to get started on it.

It is 1969 and cousins, Polly and Annabelle are living a quiet life in the countryside near to Glastonbury. The girls both share a love of baking and they run a bakery in the village. They both take part in baking for their local WI but they both feel like their lives are passing them by and they are both unlucky in love. 

The local fair is on so they both head there looking for some excitement. Neither of them were planning for quite the level of excitement they had ahead of them after entering the tent of Amber Magnolia. She explains to the girls why they have been so lucky in love. She tells the girls they have one more chance to find love but they will have a mission to complete before they find it. Their mission is to become the cake Fairies and secretly deliver a cake every day for a year to different locations within the UK.  Both Polly and Annabelle are sceptical about the plan especially when it involves time travel but they both reluctantly agree and they then find themselves thrown into life in 2019!

Things for the two of them are very confusing as they begin to explore their new surroundings  for the year. 

Things are so different for the girls as they try to get used to how different their lives now are. The fashion, the cars and the technology are all new to them and all take a lot of getting used to. 

The girls both seem to be having different experiences within their new lives and with the challenges they have to face. 

With their year of travelling the country Polly and Annabelle meet new people and make friends.

 As their year begins to come to end they both look at where there adventure has taken them and will love have blossomed for the pair. They also have a huge decision to make but what will the pair decide. 

I loved this book from start to finish and could not put it down.

The writing style of this is fun and quirky and I loved the different idea of time travel and cake. 

The setting in 1969 is very well described and gives you a good basis of why things will be so different for both of them when they travel ahead to 2019. 

It is great to read all of the differences and difficulties they both have in 2019 especially with the technology, this really did make me laugh. 

It is clear as you read the book that you realise the differences in Polly and Annabelle but you also understand why they have such a close relationship. They both understand each other so well and do a great job of trying to do what's best for each other even if it doesn't seem that way at the time. 

This is such a wonderful read that is fun and quirky and one I am sure you will love, just be warned this book is full of delicious sounding cakes that will definitely leave you feeling hungry and make you wish you could just jump into the book. 

  

Published 10th January 2020

Purchase Links

UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cake-Fairies-Because-century-having-ebook/dp/B07Z2S41TZ

US - https://www.amazon.com/Cake-Fairies-Because-century-having-ebook/dp/B07Z2S41TZ

About the Author

Isabella May lives in (mostly) sunny Andalusia, Spain with her husband, daughter and son, creatively inspired by the mountains and the sea. Having grown up on Glastonbury’s ley lines however, she’s unable to completely shake off her spiritual inner child, and is a Law of Attraction fanatic.

Cake, cocktail, churros, ice cream and travel obsessed, she also loves nothing more than to (quietly) break life’s rules.

The Cake Fairies is her fifth novel.

Social Media

Website - www.isabellamayauthor.com

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/IsabellaMayAuthor/

Twitter - www.twitter.com/@IsabellaMayBks

Instagram - www.instagram.com/isabella_may_author

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

Cover Reveal - The Cottage in a Cornish Cove by Cass Grafton

Today I have the absolute pleasure in taking part in the cover reveal for this new release from Cass Grafton. Thank You to Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to take part. 

Book Description

A heart-warming tale of discovering all you never wanted is exactly what you needed.

Orphaned as a baby and raised by indifferent relatives, much of Anna Redding’s happiness as a child came from the long summer holidays spent with an elderly family friend, Aunt Meg, in the quaint village of Polkerran. 

With Aunt Meg’s passing, Anna is drawn back to the West Country, relocating to the Cornish cove where she was once so happy. Filled with memories, she hopes to perhaps open a B&B—and perhaps cross paths with Alex Tremayne again, a local boy she used to have a major crush on and who only had to walk past Anna to make her heart flutter. 

Settling into her new life, and enjoying her work for the older, reclusive and—to be honest—often exasperating Oliver Seymour, Anna is delighted when Alex reappears in Polkerran and sweeps her off her feet. 

The stars are finally aligned, but just as Anna thinks all she’s ever wished for is within reach, a shock discovery brings everything under threat, and she finds herself living a dream that isn’t hers.

Can Anna rescue the new life she has made for herself and, when the testing moment comes, who will be there to hold her hand?

The Cottage in a Cornish Cove is the first in an uplifting series of romances from Cass Grafton. Get to know the locals, wallow in the quaintness of Polkerran, and fall in love with romance all over again.

Pre Order Links

UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B083H2Q5V9/

US - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083H2Q5V9

And now here is the cover .........

Wow. This is such a beautiful cover, giving you a glimpse into what could lay ahead in the story. It is full of bright and vivid colour that is perfect for a springtime read, and will make you want to jump straight in and start reading. 

 Publication Date 11th February 2020 

About the Author

An avid bookworm since childhood, Cass Grafton writes the sort of stories she loves to read – heart-warming, character driven and strong on location. Having moved around extensively and lived in three countries, she finds places inspiring and the setting of her novels often becomes as much a part of the story as her characters.

She leans heavily towards the upbeat and insists on a happy ever after. As one of her favourite authors, Jane Austen, once wrote, ‘let other pens dwell on guilt and misery’.

Cass loves travelling, words, cats and wine but never in the same glass. She has two grown up children and currently splits her time between Switzerland, where she lives with her husband and imaginary cats, and England, where she lives with her characters.

Social Media

Blogs 

www.cassandragrafton.com

www.tabbycow.com

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cassie.grafton

Twitter - www.twitter.com/@CassGrafton

Instagram - www.instagram.com/cassgraftonauthor

Thank you for taking the time to visit my Blog today and I hope you are looking forward to reading the new release from Cass Grafton as much as I am.

A Springtime to Remember by Lucy Coleman

Happy New Year and welcome to my first review of 2020. Today I am taking part in the Blog Tour for this fantastic new, sunshine filled release from Lucy Coleman that is perfect for chasing away the January blues. 

Thank you to the team at Boldwood Books for my copy of the ebook in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. 

Book Description

Let Lucy Coleman transport you to glorious, sun-drenched France, for the perfect feel-good read.Paris and the Palace of Versailles have always meant a lot to TV producer Lexie. Her grandma Viv spent a year there, but her adventures and memories were never discussed, and Lexie has long wondered why they were a family secret. 

When work presents the perfect excuse to spend Springtime in Versailles, Lexie delves into Viv’s old diaries and scrapbooks, and with the help of handsome interpreter Ronan, she is soon learning more about the characters that tend to the magnificent gardens, now and in the past.

In amongst the beauty and splendour of the French countryside, a story of lost love, rivalry and tragedy unfolds. Can Lexie and Ronan right the wrongs of the past, and will France play its tricks on them both before Lexie has to go home? Will this truly be a Springtime to Remember…?

Let Lucy Coleman sweep you away with this perfect feel-good love story. Perfect for fans of Holly Martin, Sue Moorcroft and Heidi Swain.

My Review

After reading the previous release, Magic Under the Mistletoe from Lucy Coleman I was excited to be given the opportunity to read and review, A springtime to Remember and I could not wait to start reading it.
Lexie is working hard to develop her career as a film producer and the opportunity to travel to Paris and the Palace of Versailles is something she cannot miss. Her grandmother Viv worked at the palace for a year before she married her grandfather many years ago. Lexie is looking forward to finding out more about Viv's year in Paris. 
Lexie is soon settled in the Capital. She has rented herself a small house in a beautiful courtyard to stay in while she is there and is soon making friends with her new neighbours. 
It is springtime in Paris and it is the perfect time to visit the Palace or Versailles. Lexie is looking forward to learning more about the past of the palace and all of the secrets that it holds. She is also looking forward to see if she can find out more about the year her grandmother had in the city. 
While filming is taking place Lexie is working alongside Roman who is her interpreter for the duration of her trip. The two of them strike up a good relationship from day one and they both enjoy each others company. The amount of time they spend together increases after Lexie's camera man Elliott has to rush back to England as his girlfriend is ill. So Ronan steps in to become her new camera man. 
Romance does begin to blossom between the two of them as they both begin to explore the Palace and it the history it contains. They also have the diaries that Viv wrote while spending a year the palace. 
But the more time the pair spend together the more they reveal the secrets that have been hidden for many years. Could they be strong enough to deal with what happened in the past to both of their families or will it tear them apart before their romance has chance to grow?
I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish.  The story flows well through the pages and will keep you wanting to read more. The description of the Palace of Versailles and its gardens sound absolutely stunning and are described so well you can almost feel like you are there too. 
I really liked getting to know Lexie. She is a strong character that has faced troubles in both her home life with her and with her career both at the hands of her brother, but is trying to move her life forwards. The relationship she has with her mother, sister and her Niece is lovely and is also strong. 
Ronan is also trying to find out more about his past as he believes a different story to the one he has been told about his grandfather. 
I loved this book from start to finish and I could not put it down. It is the perfect choice for this time of year as it will add the sunshine even to the dullest of days. 

Published by Boldwood Books on 26th December 2019

Purchase Link

https://amzn.to/2M2gecv

About the Author

Lucy Coleman is a #1 bestselling romance writer, whose recent novels include Snowflakes over Holly Cove. She also writes under the name Linn B. Halton. She won the 2013 UK Festival of Romance: Innovation in Romantic Fiction award and lives in the Welsh Valleys.

Social Media

Twitter - www.twitter.com/@LucyColemanauth

Facebook - www.facebook.com/LucyColemanAuthor

Instagram - www.instagram.com/lucycolemanauthor

Website - www.lucycolemanromance.com

Boldwood Books

Twitter - www.twitter.com/BoldwoodBooks

Facebook - www.facebook.com/BoldwoodBooks

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