Guest Review: A Place in the Sun by Jo Thomas

It's never too late to find where you belong...

Thea knew the holiday house her late husband Marco bought in Tuscany wasn't pristine. But when she relocates to Italy for the summer with her children, she's shocked by how much work Casa Luna needs. And she only has six weeks to fix it up ready to sell! Her only option is to ask the tight-knit Italian community for help.

In return, Thea and her children become involved in the community kitchen, working alongside handsome chef Giovanni and three very competitive nonnas. Gradually, Thea begins to open up to the people around her for the first time in a long while. But just as she's beginning to wonder whether this small Tuscan town could become a new place to call home, a surprise visitor turns everything on its head . . .

Review: I do love a book from Jo Thomas. I know when I pick one up to read I will find myself transported to a world of new characters and usually another country with interesting sights, sounds and smells. Often, I find myself keen to try out some new dishes that I have read about, because food always plays a big part in Jo’s stories. This latest book promised a trip to Tuscany, its bright cover giving a clue to a busy time for the characters.

The story centres on Thea and her young family, who have travelled from the UK to spend the summer in a small town in Tuscany where her late husband, Marco, bought a house as a surprise for the family. Thea learns that Marco bought the rundown house cheaply on the understanding that it would be renovated within a given time period, and that time has almost run out. There is so much to do to bring the house up to standard that Thea realises she must ask for help from the local community. She makes a deal with chef Giovanni, who runs a community kitchen in the town, that he and his friends will help with the house if she and the children will help run the kitchen, side by side with three elderly nonnas who have lived in the town most of their lives and pride themselves in their cooking skills. As the young family become immersed in the community, Thea finds herself relaxing more than she has been able to in a long time, and even wondering if this small town could become home to her and her children.

I very much enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it as an absorbing summer read. It has so much going for it, with its combination of drama, mystery, romance and comedy, combined with a cast of captivating characters and a wonderfully warm community feeling. I absolutely loved the three nonnas, who were at loggerheads for most of the story. I could almost picture them hanging out of their windows shouting at each other. On the other hand, Thea’s children were almost too good to be true; she was very lucky to have such compliant companions. Thea herself was a courageous woman grieving for her husband but always doing what she thought best for her young family. I hoped she would find time to examine her feelings for handsome Giovanni. All through the story, the reader and Thea are presented with mouthwatering dishes made using traditional Italian recipes. This is definitely one of those books liable to leave you hungry for some good food.

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Guest Review: One Cornish Summer With You by Phillipa Ashley

Tammy loved her childhood growing up in the harbour town of Porthmellow. But when her father went bankrupt and her mother abandoned them, she was quick to learn that nothing lasts forever.

Now, Tammy spends her days creating works of art in the golden Cornish sand, and is determined to protect herself from further heartache. But everything changes when she meets Ruan – a gorgeous solicitor who has moved to Cornwall for a fresh start.

Just as Tammy starts to question if Ruan could be the one to break down her walls, she discovers he has a secret – one that unravels everything she thought she knew about her past.

Can Tammy find the courage to trust again? Or will Ruan’s secret push her away forever?

Review: I have been an avid reader of Phillipa Ashley’s books for many years now. She obviously has a special passion for the Cornish coast, as is apparent from reading the list of her previous titles. This book promised a return to the coastal town of Porthmellow, a setting for some of her earlier stories. I loved its cover, with its invitation to step from a sandy beach into water warmed by the sun.

The story concerns 32-year-old Tammy who has lived in Porthmellow all of her life. Sadly, her happy younger years came to an abrupt end due to her father’s financial problems which also led to her mother leaving her and her home. Now that her father has died, Tammy is all on her own, making a living as a sand artist and helping out at a friend’s gallery. She is intrigued one day when she notices a young man in a suit watching her at work. He stands out because of his apparel and the fact that he is obviously too hot. Tammy learns that he is a solicitor by the name of Ruan, who is new to the area. Over the next few weeks they develop a friendship. Tammy is independent, but as she gets to know Ruan, she feels that he may be someone she could let into her heart. However, when she discovers that he has been hiding a secret from her, she thinks that she may have been wrong to trust him after all, especially because that secret has implications for what she believed about her past life.

I very much enjoyed this summery romantic story with its beautiful setting and likeable characters. As well as the main characters, Tammy had many friends who we met along the way. Despite her situation, she was obviously popular and a well-known figure in the town. Ruan was also a kind and considerate person. I liked that fact that the romance between him and Tammy was very gentle and gradual. It was sweet that he could be so caring of Tammy’s feelings, even if it got him into trouble. As well as the characters, I really liked the setting for the story. I could well imagine strolling along the beach with the waves lapping at my feet and I could hear the cries of the gulls. The town had a really strong feeling of community which added to its attraction. It was interesting to learn that so many people would commission sand art for a celebration or other special occasion. I think that this book will make a great summer read, presenting an escape for the reader, even when sat at home.

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Book Review: All Wrapped up by Heidi Swain

 In Wynbridge, the scent of autumn is on the breeze and love is in the air…

 

Clemmie Bennett has been renovating beautiful Rowan Cottage on the outskirts of the small town of Wynbridge, for eighteen months following a very public heartbreak back in her childhood hometown. The popular Instagram influencer, lost her husband, sold their home, and has been cosied up the Fens and living a very private life, but now she feels it’s time for a change.

 

A chance encounter with co-owner of The Cherry Tree Café, the bubbly Lizzie Dixon, pulls her into organizing Wynbridge’s first-ever Autumn Festival, and her once quiet life is soon a distant memory. With the whole town rallying behind the event, she discovers a new sense of purpose.

 

 And when local vet Ash falls hard for Clemmie, she begins to wonder if she’s ready to move even further on from her past and fall in love again…

Review: As usual, Heidi Swain brings us a wonderful seasonal read with a main character you instantly sympathise as well as empathise with and want to help save over the course of the novel. I love that this book is Autumn themed. Heidi references Milly Johnson’s autumn novel and until the recent popularity in pumpkin spice romances, it really was the only other book out there that I had read that was truly about the ‘new school year’ feel of autumn. As a teacher, autumn is the new year for me-January is just the day the numbers on the end of the date change and so I really appreciated the theme of change and renewal that this book held. 

Clemmie is a great main character to spend the novel with. She is a classic character who is strong on the outside, keeps herself to herself, has renovated her own house and has a mini online empire of her own but on the inside, she is broken and hurting and soft in all the right places. It was wonderful to see her be welcomed into the Wynbridge community, knowing everything that the cast of characters could do for her. Even if you hadn’t met this group of people in previous Heidi Swain novels, you would know almost straight away that this town would welcome Clemmie and be the best thing to support her on her healing journey. 

As well as the theme of autumn and renewal in this book, we also have some great festivities along with crafts, walks and autumn food going on. We have a canine character to get to know (and fall in love with) and of course some romance. This is the best kind of romance because is it low and slow and the kind that you feel like you might get to the end of the novel without ever having your own love for Ash requited. I love the way this author wrote the friendship and the love in this book and I definitely fell in love with Ash the vet for all the right reasons. 

I read this book on cold autumn mornings and cosy autumn evenings with a hot coffee or a big mug of tea and it was just the perfect gateway read to take me from summer to autumn. I highly recommend you do the same!

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Guest Review: Over the Sea to Skye by Sue Moorcroft

One summer on a beautiful island could change everything…

Valentina Taylor's life has been upended. With her marriage over, and unsure of what her future holds, she heads to the Isle of Skye for the summer with her young son, Barnaby.

But the journey there sets her on a new path, when she meets Xander Courage on the train – a charming American, running from problems of his own. After sparks fly, they go their separate ways. But on this small island, they’re never far from one another…

Skye offers Valentina the refuge she needs as she whiles away the long summer days at her beachside cottage, enjoying visits from her sisters, Thea and Ezzie. But when bad news from home throws her Scottish idyll into turmoil, Valentina finds herself pulled away from the place – and people – that she loves.

Valentina knows she must confront her heart’s desires – but can she let go of the past and embrace the future she deserves?

Review: This is the third book in a trilogy featuring three sisters with different birth mothers adopted as babies or infants by the same couple. All the books are set primarily on Skye, an island off the west coast of Scotland. Each story has centred on a different sister, this one concerning the oldest of the three, Valentina. Although this book can be read as a standalone, I can highly recommend reading all three books in order since details in the later stories may act as spoilers for the earlier ones.

In this story, recently separated from her cheating husband, and having left her job as a corporate lawyer, Valentina has decided to spend the summer at her Skye holiday cottage with her seven-year-old son, Barnaby. On the journey from their home just outside Inverness to Skye, Valentina and Barnaby meet Xander and his teenage nephew Macdonald, Americans also intending spending the summer on the island. Valentina and Xander don’t see eye to eye initially, but as they keep crossing paths on the small island a friendship soon develops. The peaceful summer Valentina was envisaging, catching up with her sisters, Thea and Ezzie, and playing on the beach with her son, is interrupted by distressing news that has her hurrying back to Inverness. Suddenly, Valentina finds her future uncertain as she faces problems at home and at the same time a heart telling her that she has a chance to love again if she can overcome the obstacles in the way.

What an eventful and gripping story this was. Like Valentina, I was quite wrong in expecting to read about a peaceful family holiday in this beautiful setting so wonderfully described by the author. This book had so much going on from start to finish. I finished it really quickly because I didn’t want to put it down; I was never sure what would happen next. As well as the drama that had Valentina driving back and forth over the Skye bridge, there was an emerging romance, the warm friendship among the three sisters plus the bonus of Valentina’s chance to discover details about her origins. All of this with a cast of numerous interesting and thoroughly likeable (with a few exceptions) characters. I think others will agree with me that this is one of Sue Moorcroft’s best books so far, and definitely a recommended summer read.

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Guest Review: A Cornish Love Story by Cressida McLaughlin

The most romantic house in Cornwall has got a new owner…

Journalist Georgie Monroe has watched as it has been transformed into a high-tech glass palace, renovated by a mystery buyer.

When she’s invited to report on an event there, she comes face to face not only with her first love, architect Ethan Sparks, but also with their complicated past. Finding themselves trapped inside when the house malfunctions, Georgie realises that they — and the house — are still keeping secrets.

But have Georgie and Ethan left it too late to start again, or can they write the next chapter of their love story together?

Review: I have read and enjoyed a great number of Cressida McLaughlin’s books, many of which, like this latest release, are set in Cornwall. Unlike some of her books, such as the Cornish Cream Tea Bus series, this is a standalone story. I was drawn in by her characters right away and finished the entire book in no time.

The central characters of this story are journalist and aspiring novelist Georgie, architect Ethan and a beautiful old house described as the most romantic house in Cornwall. The narrative is split between two time periods - the present and the year when Georgie and Ethan fell in love as teenagers. Georgie still lives in her childhood home, but Ethan left the area. When the lovely old house is redeveloped, Georgie is sent to cover the open day for the local newspaper. She is surprised to discover that Ethan is the architect behind the transformation of the building. Not having seen him since they broke up all those years ago, she is not sure how to feel about coming face to face with him now. When they find themselves trapped inside the house, there is time to examine what happened to their relationship and whether they may have a second chance at romance.

As with all of Cressida McLaughlin’s books that I have read, this is a story full of romance. I loved the way in which the lives of the main characters were revealed gradually as the narrative swung between past and present times. The way in which Georgie and Ethan were parted was so dramatic. I was glad that they were getting a second chance and found myself hoping that they could rediscover the magic they once had. I wasn’t sure about the high-tech house that Ethan had designed and how it would fit into the lovely little Cornish village, but it was certainly intriguing. I’m sure that many readers will enjoy this summery story, whether or not they are familiar with this author’s books.

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