Tuesday, 11 February 2020

The Cottage in a Cornish Cove by Cass Grafton



Today I am pleased to share with you my review of this wonderful and heartwarming new release from Cass Grafton. 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
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.





My Review
I thoroughly enjoyed this engaging and heartwarming read from the first page to the last. 
Anna Redding spent her childhood being brought up be relatives that did not seem to care too much for her after being orphaned when she was a baby. Anna's main times of happiness where when she went to stay with a family friend, Aunt Meg. Anna spent her long summers there in the small village of Polkerran. 
Anna is shocked when she hears the news of her beloved Aunt passing away. What she did not expect was to be be told she has inherited the house that has so many memories for her.
Anna has been getting fed up of the life she is living and decides life is too short. So she breaks up with her boyfriend, packs her bags and returns to Polkerran where she was always happy. Who knows she may even get to bump into the gorgeous Alex Tremayne, the boy that Anna had a huge crush on.
It doesn't take Anna long to get settled into her new life and he is making plans for the future by turning the house into a B and B which means she will be her own boss. 
Anna is enjoying being back in her happy place and her happiness increases when Alex returns to the village and a relationship blossoms between the two of them. 
Life is good for Anna until a shock secret threatens this new life she has. Will she find out more about her past and more about herself. Will she get to the bottom of the mystery and will her relationship with Alex be strong enough to see her through. 
This is a wonderful and heartwarming read that I really loved. The writing style the book is very light and flows well. The description of the village sounds iddilic and the perfect setting for some romance. 
I enjoyed getting to know all of the characters in this book. I really felt sorry for Anna knowing she had grown up with people that didn't really care about her. I think her Aunt Meg sounded wonderful and definitely made a difference to the life of Anna. 
This is the first book I have read from Cass Grafton but I loved it so much I will definitely be looking for more. 

Published by Tabby Cow Press on 11th February 2020




Purchase Links








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.



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Giveaway

Giveaway to Win 3 x Paperback Copies of The Cottage in a Cornish Cove (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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Sunday, 9 February 2020

The Little Village Library by Helen Rolfe



Today is my stop on the Blog Tour for this intriguing read from Helen Rolfe. Thank you to Compulsive Readers 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 takes a village...
Cloverdale is known for its winding roads, undulating hills and colourful cottages, and more recently, its Library of Shared Things. Need a ladder, a hedge trimmer or a waffle-maker? You can borrow it from the Library of Shared Things.
Single dad Adam is doing a good job of raising his daughter, Zoe, whilst burying his past and moving forwards. When he agrees to run a mending workshop at the Library, new friendships start to blossom.
Jennifer is a volunteer at the Library. When her younger sister Isla moves back to Cloverdale after their mother dies, Jennifer finds herself wondering whether Isla is hiding something.
And when Adam's daughter Zoe makes a startling discovery, it's time for the people at the Library of Shared Things to pull together and help one family with its biggest challenge of all. 
This is a novel with community at its heart. It's about the kindness we can find when we least expect it and the bonds we can form when we're not even looking.

My Review
This is a wonderful, heart warming read that I enjoyed from start to finish. 
Cloverdale is a picturesque village and is full of all the things you would expect to find including the character filled community. You will also find within the village the Library of shared things. This is full of items that can be borrowed and shared within the community and help you complete most tasks.
The Library of shared things was set up by Jennifer. She is a volunteer at the village library and is really trying to bring the community together and hope people will get to know each other better.
Jennifer has some sadness in her life too as her mother has recently passed away. This means her sister Isla has moved back to Cloverdale and this is a worry for Jennifer as she believes Isla is hiding something from her. Jennifer is determined to find out what.
Adam is a single parent to Zoe and Zac and has recently moved to Cloverdale and is doing his best to parent and lee his life while the whole time keeping a huge secret from everyone.
What follows is the story of the village as they all come together and some of their secrets are revealed.
I really enjoyed reading this book from the first page to the last. There are some darker issues that come up within this book and I do believe they are written about and dealt with in a very sensitive manner. At times the story can be heavy a be full of emotion and at others times becomes fun and light.
I really enjoyed getting to know all of the characters within the book. At first it was difficult to keep up with so many of them but once you get into the story you do get to know them and understand all of the secrets and issues they all have.
This is a wonderful heartwarming and well written book that flows well and really keeps you absorbed as the story unfolds.  




Published by Orion on 6th February 2020



Purchase Link
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Little-Village-Library-Helen-Rolfe/dp/1409191370/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1FGE1BN9QN4G7&keywords=helen+rolfe&qid=1581096015&sprefix=Helen+r%2Caps%2C150&sr=8-2



About the Author
Helen J Rolfe writes romantic fiction and contemporary women's fiction and enjoys weaving stories about family, friendship, secrets, and community. 
Never miss a release date! Sign up for the newsletter to get new book alerts: www.helenjrolfe.com/newsletter
Location is a big part of the adventure in Helen's books and she enjoys setting stories in different cities and countries where she thinks her readers might like to escape to. 

Helen J Rolfe also writes for Orion Books under the name Helen Rolfe. 

Born and raised in the UK, Helen graduated from University with a business degree and began working in I.T. This job took her over to Australia and it was there that she finally turned to what she loved and studied writing and journalism. She spent a while freelancing for women's health and fitness magazines, volunteered with the PR department of a children's hospital where she wrote articles and media releases, and eventually began writing fiction in 2011. And now, she thinks she may just have found her dream job.  

Helen currently lives in Hertfordshire, UK, with her husband and their children. 




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Friday, 7 February 2020

A Dozen Second Chances by Kate Field



Today is my turn on the Blog Tour for this thoroughly engaging read from Kate Field. 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
What are the chances that twelve little tokens could change a life?
Seventeen years ago, Eve Roberts had the wonderful life she’d always dreamed of: a degree in archaeology, a gorgeous boyfriend, and exciting plans to travel the world with him, working on digs. But when her sister Faye died, the life Eve knew ended too. Faye’s daughter Caitlyn came to live with Eve, her boyfriend left, and she quickly gave up on her dreams.
Now approaching her fortieth birthday, Eve faces the prospect of an empty nest as Caitlyn is leaving home. Caitlyn gives Eve a set of twelve ‘Be Kind to Yourself’ vouchers, telling her that she has to start living for herself again, and that she should fill one in every time she does something to treat herself.
With her very first voucher, Eve’s life will change its course. But with eleven more vouchers to go, can Eve learn to put herself first and follow the dreams she’s kept secret for so long? Because life is for living – and as she well knows, it’s too short to waste even a moment…




My Review
This is such a wonderful read that I thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish. 
Eve is approaching her fortieth birthday and will be the first one she will be celebrating alone. For the last Seventeen years she has been the sole carer for her niece, Caitlyn. 
Seventeen years ago Eve was just finishing University and had big plans to travel the world as an archaeologist with her boyfriend. Things changed in an instant for Eve when her sister Faye dies and Eve takes on the role of mother to Caitlyn. With all this happening Eves's boyfriend leaves her too so it quickly just becomes Eve and Caitlyn. Eve does the best job she can with her niece  even takes on a job as a secretary in a local schools she can always be there for Caitlyn. The two of them have an amazing bond and totally adore each other. 
This is why Eve is finding it so hard that Caitlyn is leaving home for a year to work as an Au pair in Paris. 
Before she leaves Caitlyn gives Eve a gift. It is a book of twelve vouchers to be kind to yourself. She sets Eve the challenge to fill all of the vouchers and send them to Caitlyn as she completes them. Caitlyn is very aware of how much of her life she has given to her and is now encouraging Eve to have some time for herself. 
With the help of her friend, Eve is soon filling out the first voucher as she heads off to a talk on archaeology. What she had not expected was to see her ex boyfriend from the past. Paddy is determined to explain to Eve why he left all those years ago but Eve is not interested especially after he left her all alone when she needed him the most. 
 Eve was not expecting so much to happen after filling in just one voucher. 
What follows is the year ahead with Eve learning how to take care of herself and put herself first. This leads Eve to start thinking more about the secrets and dreams she has had for so long and if life can begin again for her. Maybe it could be time for second chances. 
I loved reading this book from start to finish. It is a highly engaging read that really draws you in. 
I thought that Eve was a really brave character who stepped in to help her niece and put her own life to one side. I really liked getting to know Eve and enjoyed reading as she learned to live her own life again. 
I adored the funny character of Phyllis the beloved Grandmother of Eve. She was incredibly blunt, she could see right through people but it was obvious just how much she loved Eve and always supported her.
The writing style of this book was very well thought out and the story flowed with ease. 
This book is about fresh starts and second chances and is one you will not want to put down. 





Purchase Link
https://amzn.to/2VCh3ce




About the Author

Kate Field writes contemporary women’s fiction, mainly set in her favourite county of Lancashire where she lives on the edge of the moors with her husband, daughter and cat. Her debut novel won the Romantic Novelists’ Association Joan Hessayon Award for new writers.



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B&Bers Behaving Badly at a Devon Seaside Guesthouse by Sharley Scott


Today I am pleased to share with you my review of this heartwarming and witty read from Sharley Scott. 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
Running a guesthouse is never plain sailing, as Katie can testify. Eccentric or challenging guests are the usual order of the day. But when a sinister man moves in across the road, the first ripples of unease appear.


Katie has learned the hard way that a seaside idyll is never what it seems. She and Jason have worked hard at their marriage, but now she has other issues to tackle.

While her new cleaner has proved to be a godsend, she comes with a complicated love life. Then there’s Katie and Jason’s daughters, Emily and Lucy, whose boomerang visits definitely have an ulterior motive.

And what about the threatening man opposite who has taken an intense dislike to Shona, the madcap owner of the adjoining B&B. Shona’s life has always been chaotic, but now it’s verging on disaster.

As the season moves on and guests come and go, Katie fears her daughters have been keeping secrets of their own, while Shona’s troubles come to a head.

When the B&Bers are behaving madly, anything can happen. Can Katie weather the storm?





My Review
Having read the first book in the series from The B&Bers I was really looking forward to reading this next instalment and I was not disappointed. 
Katie and Jason are just completing some repairs and updates to their guesthouse before their second busy summer season begins. The two of them are heading into their second year running the guesthouse and they are beginning to feel that they have a better idea of what to expect from the busy summer season. 
Katie and Jason found their first year quite a challenge as they are learning on the job and finding out just how difficult running a guesthouse could be. Both of them are hoping for a less stressful year. 
The start of the season goes well and they soon have a steady stream of guests booking in and checking out. They do however have some very argumentative guests who end up leaving separately. The season is also not without some quirky guests too. Like the man who appears to be creeping around the guesthouse at night and giving Katie the creeps. There is also the lovely Mandy who likes to leave hand written notes to Katie but there is something about her that worries Katie. And why does one room keep running out of hot water especially when they have installed a new bigger water tank.
The guesthouse next door to them is run by the very quirky and funny Shona and Kim whom Katie has built a good friendship with and they often visit each other for a gossip and chat. Things are not great for Shona though as there is something rather odd and sinister about the strange looking man who has moved into the house opposite and he is determined to intimidate Shona, but exactly what is he up to. 
With all of the fun and shenanigans going on between the two guesthouses and their guests it seems as if this season is going to be as much fun and stress as the previous season. Let the fun begin. 
I loved revisiting Devon and reading about more of the adventures of running a B and B. 
I really enjoy the writing style and I find it very witty. The characters in the book are written well and you really do get to know them.
It was a wonderful addition to the story to read more about the life of Shona and Kim too. It is great to see more of Katie and Jason's children getting involved with working the Guesthouse and see their relationships blossom too. 
This is the second part in the series but it can be read as a standalone book. 
I cannot wait to see what adventures and laughs lay ahead for Katie and Jason as guesthouse owners. 





Purchase Link
UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Behaving-Madly-Devon-Seaside-Guesthouse-ebook/dp/B081VV5M3C

US - https://www.amazon.com/Behaving-Madly-Devon-Seaside-Guesthouse-ebook/dp/B081VV5M3C



About the Author
While 'Bedlam & Breakfast at a Devon Seaside Guesthouse' is fictional, I am a guesthouse owner. Thankfully, we have been blessed with lots of amazing and kind-hearted guests, who are nothing like some of the characters featured in this novel and the subsequent books currently being written in the series. I would be a lot greyer if they were.
Likewise, Jason is quite different to my husband, who I sometimes nickname Victor Meldrew. He is lovely though and has a fab sense of humour, although some of his dryness has rubbed off on Jason.
Bedlam & Breakfast is set in South Devon, in the fictional town of Torringham, which is loosely based on Brixham. If you've been to Brixham you may recognise some of the local features, including the seals, fishing industry and the fantastic lifeboat crew, but the businesses, people and a number of settings are fictionalised.
The same applies to the B&B owners featured. Many guesthouse owners undertake work when they move into a property and our current B&B was not an exception. While our previous owners were nothing like Jim and Maureen, this also means we don’t get to live next door to the fabulous Shona and Kim. But we do have many lovely B&B friends. B&Bers are a wonderful and hardworking bunch, although the ones we know have a penchant for parties in the low season. That's why I had to end Bedlam & Breakfast at a party. 
I hope you enjoy Bedlam & Breakfast. It's the fourth novel I've written, although the first in this genre. A second book in this series is being published in January 2020. B&Bers Behaving Madly can also be read as a standalone. It's great journeying with Katie and Jason as they enter their second year at the B&B, especially now that Katie is better equipped to deal with Shona. Or, so she thinks.




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Monday, 3 February 2020

Dreaming of Verona by T.A. Williams



Today I am sharing with you my review of this wonderful release from T.A. Williams. Thank you to Rachel's Random Resources for giving me the opportunity to read this book and for my copy of the ebook in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. 



Book Description 
Verona is the City of Love. But will Suzie find romance there or, like Romeo and Juliet, will it all end in tears?
When Suzie is hired to accompany spoiled, abrasive Lady Alexandra Tedburn on an all-expenses paid holiday to Italy, she fears the trip will be a disaster.
But she soon discovers there’s more to Alex than shopping and tantrums, and she’s determined to help her realise her potential – against Alex’s authoritarian father’s wishes.
As they settle in Verona, Suzie can’t stop thinking about local artist Michael, who is still mourning the tragic death of his wife. With Suzie’s future uncertain, and Michael’s past
holding him back, it seems there’s no hope for romance in the city of
star-crossed lovers… or is there?

A gorgeously uplifting and moving story, Dreaming of Verona is the perfect read for fans of Holly Martin, Tilly Tennant and Jenny Oliver.




My Review
This is the first book I have read from T.A. Williams and after reading the amazing reviews of his other books I could not wait to get started reading this. 
Suzie has found herself between jobs and is looking for something new so when she is offered the chance to head to Italy looking after the daughter of Lord Tedbury she accepts and is excited for what lays ahead of her. Suzie is shocked however when she finds out that the daughter is 26 years of age and not the child she was expecting. 
Heading to Verona in Italy is a dream come true for Suzie. It is love at first sight and Suzie is really making the most of the city. At first she struggles with Alex, The daughter of Lord Tedbury as she finds her spoilt and doesn't like how she is treated by her. Once the two begin to know more and more about each other Suzie warms to Alex and finds out why she behaves the way she does. 
Both Suzie and Alex are enjoying being in Verona they enjoy seeing the sights and even have a go at windsurfing. The two of them are also making friends there is even time for some romance for the pair of them too. 
Will the two of them get the men of their dreams or will the pressure from Lord Tedbury be too much for Alex and leave her broken hearted. 
I absolutely adored reading this book and I could not put it down. I enjoyed the light writing style and I felt it flowed well. The descriptions of the Verona sound delightful and have made this city one I would definitely love to visit. 
The characters in the book are all very relatable and I enjoyed getting to know them all. 
With the setting in the beautiful city of Verona, the sunshine and the delicious sounding Italian food this book is sure to brighten up the greyest of winter days. 
I am already looking forward to reading more from T.A. Williams. 






Purchase Links
UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07Z4MCCJ5

US - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Z4MCCJ5



About the Author


I’m a man. And a pretty old man as well. I did languages at university a long time ago and then lived and worked in France and Switzerland before going to Italy for seven years as a teacher of English. My Italian wife and I then came back to the UK with our little daughter (now long-since grown up) where I ran a big English language school for many years. We now live in a sleepy little village in Devonshire. I’ve been writing almost all my life but it was only seven years ago that I finally managed to find a publisher who liked my work enough to offer me my first contract.
The fact that I am now writing romantic comedy is something I still find hard to explain. My early books were thrillers and historical novels. Maybe it’s because there are so many horrible things happening in the world today that I feel I need to do my best to provide something to cheer my readers up. My books provide escapism to some gorgeous locations and, as a writer, I obviously have to go there in person and check them out first. I love my job…



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Saturday, 1 February 2020

Getting Dirty by Rachael Stewart



Today I am excited to take part in this Publication Day Push for the brilliant Rachael Stewart. Thank you to Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to take part and for my copy of the ebook in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. 




Book Description
Sometimes digging up the dirt
Means getting deliciously dirty…
I always work for the good guys. My job was simple: get the dirt on Coco Lauren, a princess of a socialite who talks—and plays—dirty. But I kissed her. I tasted her. Uncovered the tantalising woman beneath the polished façade. And she undid me in every way. Now I'm the bad guy. But how do I tell Coco the truth…when coming clean means losing her?




My Review 
I am a big fan of Rachael Stewart and I could not wait to get started reading this steamy new release and I was not disappointed.  
Ash works as a Private Investigator and has been hired to track down all the dirt on Coco Lauren by her devious brother. Ash enjoys his work as a PI but what he hadn't prepared for was just how much he would be interested in Coco. 
Coco is part of a high up, socialite family and is bound by the rules they set and how she should live her life. She needs to be upstanding and polished and do nothing to bring her beloved family in to disrepute. She does throw her all into this and spends her days at charity events and galas to help within her community. Coco finds all of this too hard at times and will often end her days at Blacks, which is a private members club where anything goes and will all be kept quiet for you. 
Ash and Coco meet at Blacks and the chemistry between them both is positively sizzling from the first time they lay eyes on each other. What happens is a very erotic meeting of the two and them both parting ways. 
Ash is so disappointed with himself for letting her get to him and he decides to keep her at arms length and carry on with the job in hand. This proves difficult as it would appear that Coco has really got under his skin. 
Coco feels the same about Ash and tries to meet up. They both then decide to keep away from each other as Ash can't tell Coco the real reason he was at the club. 
The two of them cannot stay away from each other though and Ash is determined to protect Coco they are both filled with desire  and the two begin a hot, wild and steamy relationship.
  It soon becomes that Ash is falling for Coco but what will happen when she finds out his secret?
Will she be able to trust him or will the truth tear them both apart?
Wow the is a hot a steamy read from the first page to the last. I loved getting to know both Ash and Coco. They both have trouble in their lives they are trying to hide and that makes both of them alike. 
As you read through the book you are shown how strong the two of them are but you also get an insight into the weaknesses they both have too. I though it was very well written and it was great to read the story from both aspects of Ash and Coco. 
Rachael Stewart has done it again. You can feel the heat and sizzle coming off the book and you will certainly not want to put it down. 








Purchase Link
https://mybook.to/gettingdirty



About the Author

Rachael Stewart adores conjuring up stories for the readers of Harlequin Mills & Boon and Deep Desires Press, with tales varying from the heart-warmingly romantic to the wildly erotic.


Despite a degree in Business Studies and spending many years in the corporate world, the desire to become an author never waned and it's now her full-time pleasure, a dream come true. 

A Welsh lass at heart, she now lives in Yorkshire with her husband and three children, and if she's not glued to her laptop, she's wrapped up in them or enjoying the great outdoors seeking out inspiration.



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Giveaway

Giveaway to Win an e-copy of Getting Dirty by Rachael
Stewart (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 I reserve 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 I will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.


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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...