Guest Review: Beside the Turquoise Sea by Emma Burstall

Can one magical Crete villa change everything?

Now her children have moved out, Edie has begun to feel lonely in the home she shares with her husband. She hopes returning to Crete, where she and Ralph spent their honeymoon, will help heal the growing rift between them.

And when Edie stumbles upon the website for the Villa Ariadne, with its breathtaking views and peaceful surroundings, it feels like the perfect place to spend a week together, along with their closest friends Mac and Hannah. But then, Edie invites a fifth guest: her feisty, independent colleague Jessica, with unexpected consequences.

It's clear from the moment they arrive that the villa is special, and under the golden Greek sun, Edie hopes to rekindle the relationship she’s felt slipping away from her. But when conflict arises between two of her fellow guests, will Edie be prepared for revelations that could change her life forever?

Review: I have read, and thoroughly enjoyed, Emma Burstall’s books set in Cornwall and a few since. The amazing cover of this book, combined with the title, drew me to it, looking forward to a trip to a sunny Mediterranean beach - perfect for reading on these cold spring days. The storyline drew me in from the start and I found it a quick read.

In this summery tale, the reader first meets teacher Edie, who is feeling rather stale, the children having left home and her relationship with husband Ralph rather flat. She decides that a holiday somewhere warm and sunny is just what they need. An advert for a villa in Crete catches her eye; it looks lovely and the price is really reasonable. Edie and Ralph honeymooned on Crete, and she hopes to inject some sparkle back into their marriage. She invites their best friends Hannah and Mac to join them, then, on a whim, asks fellow teacher Jessica to come along as well. The Villa Ariadne proves just as luxurious as it looked, but there is something about the owner and some of the villagers that is a little strange. More serious for Edie are the heated arguments among the others in the group, and the devastating secret that is ultimately revealed. This is not at all the restful holiday that she had planned.

This book was not quite what I was expecting, but not in a bad way. The sun, sea and rugged but beautiful Cretan landscape were all there, but the happy travel party were anything but. The amicable relationship usually enjoyed by the two couples apparently could not withstand the addition of a fifth person. The atmosphere throughout the story was tense and brilliantly built up by the author until I was just waiting for an explosion. It certainly kept me coming back to the book every chance I got. I could definitely not foresee the twist that also caught many of the characters by surprise. I would have to say that, with the exception of Edie, I was not actually drawn to any of the characters in the story; they all had personality traits that were not altogether attractive. However, they stayed with me long after I had read the last page of the story. I can certainly recommend this entertaining and immersive book. Another book featuring the Villa Ariadne is to follow this one and I can’t wait to see what is in store for its visitors this time.

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Guest Review: Coming Home: Moments that Made Me By Freddie Flintoff

 In Coming Home, Freddie Flintoff zeroes-in on the crucial moments that made him - some highly celebrated, others less well-known, away from the cameras, but all pivotal in shaping the man he is.

As a boy, growing up in Preston, Fred fell in love with the game of cricket. It gave him his route through life; out on the pitch he felt at home. Through his eyes we see him picking up a bat for the first time, his early years on the field; that incredible performance to win the Ashes against the Aussies in 2005; face-downs with rivals; run-ins with the media; the doctors telling him he can't continue to play. On and off the pitch, in and out of the spotlight, Fred tells the whole story.

After retiring, Fred thought he'd left the game behind, relaunching himself in the world of entertainment, but following the car crash that turned his life upside down, it was cricket to which he returned.

Coming Home is a reflection on a unique life, a story like no other, and a love letter to the game that made him. Honest, open, reflective and funny, like the man himself, this is Freddie Flintoff, in full, in his own words.

Review: Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff (he was given the nickname at school because of the resemblance of his surname to the cartoon character Fred Flintstone) played cricket for Lancashire and England. Probably his greatest achievements came during the 2005 and 2009 Ashes-winning Test series against Australia. Following his retirement from playing professional cricket, he pursued a varied career in television, radio and on the stage. His television appearances include “A League of Their Own” and “Top Gear”. It was as a presenter in this latter programme that he was involved in a car accident in 2022 in which he was seriously injured. This, his latest book, is a reflective look back at his life and the decisions that shaped his career.

He talks candidly about his struggles with mental health and the eating disorder bulimia. He also discusses the problems he had with injuries during his playing career and also coming to terms with the after effects  following his car accident. He has latterly turned to coaching cricket, being part of the England coaching set-up and coaching one of the teams in the “Hundred” competition. He has also coached youngsters who hadn’t had the opportunity to play cricket before, this forming the basis for the television series “Field of Dreams”. It is this return to cricket in a coaching capacity that he refers to as “Coming Home”.

I found the book, with its short chapters, very readable. Although cricket features strongly, it is not just about cricket but is more a reflection of what opportunities and decisions can occur during one’s lifetime. As a candid account of a person’s life, I would recommend this book.

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Guest Review: The Harbour House by Rachael Lucas

Bestselling author Flora Douglas has the perfect life - or that's how it looks from the outside. Her grown-up children have flown the nest, her divorce is amicable (even if her ex still can't figure out the boiler) and she's ready for the second act of her life. The only problem is - she's stuck.

With her book deadline looming, one impulsive decison changes everything - and she finds herself booking a six month stay in the house she grew up in.

The Harbour House doesn't look like her childhood home. It's been renovated beautifully - erasing every trace of the place where she grew up in foster care.

She hasn't returned for thirty years, but the village hasn't forgotten her - and neither has Tor Wilson, the boy whose careless teasing was the final straw that sent her running.

Now Flora and Tor are forced to face the question they've both been avoiding - who are you when everything you've built falls away?

As Flora reluctantly teaches a creativity workshop and Tor builds a space for lonely men to find friendship and purpose, the two of them discover that healing the past might be the only way to move forward.

Review: This book is part of the Applemore Bay series written by this author. Applemore Bay is a fictional small fishing village in the Scottish highlands. The books in this series feature people or places in the village, with a growing list of recurring characters with each one. They can all be read as a standalone.

This story features successful author Flora Douglas, who is returning to Applemore Bay where she grew up after an absence of more than thirty years. Luckily, she is able to rent Harbour House, the very house where she grew up. She is suffering from writers’ block and hoping that a change of scene might help. Unfortunately, one of the first people she encounters in the village is Tor Wilson, whose teasing made her life a mystery when they were at school. Flora is not able to forgive him for ultimately driving her away from Applemore Bay all those years ago. Unable to come up with ideas for her book and with her publisher hounding her, she is persuaded to run a creativity workshop for local people which proves a great success and gives her ideas for taking her writing in a different direction. Meanwhile, Tor is facing the imminent departure of his son for university and looking for ideas to fill his spare time. He comes up with a notion that he might create a space where men like himself could meet and work on projects, sharing their skills. As Flora realises that she must move forward and forget the past, she hopes to be able to let Tor into her life and perhaps the pair can anticipate a happy future.

I very much enjoyed and confidently recommend this latest book in the Applemore Bay series. As always, the setting was so well described that I could well picture the village, typical of many in that part of Scotland. Although, like the other titles in the series, this story is complete in itself, I like to revisit the characters I have got to know in previous parts. I felt for Flora suffering from writers’ block, with her next book overdue and her agent and publisher nagging her. I’m sure many authors recognise that scenario. I thought that the other central character, Tor, was a great single dad, who brought his son up to be strong and independent. Tor’s idea to establish a place where men could pass a few hours together using their skills to help others was inspired. I was hoping that Flora and Tor could settle their differences and maybe some romance would follow. As anyone who has read any previous parts of the series will be aware, there are many eating establishments in Applemore Bay, so there was some delicious food throughout the story.

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Guest Review: Second Chances at the Hopeful Hearts Bookshop by Debbie Johnson

Single mother Jane can’t believe it when an invitation to Bonnie Bay falls from the pages of a book: the Scottish village she was supposed to run away to with her first love. Until he broke her heart, that is. But he’s far away now – and why shouldn’t she spend a summer there, daughter Beth in tow? They’ll snuggle up reading, stroll by the wild sea, and maybe even banish Beth’s teenage grumps.

But arriving in the charming village, Jane’s jaw drops when she sees a familiar pair of green eyes… it’s Rory Callaghan, her first love, and the boy who broke her heart. The problem? Rory is now very much a man. He’s taller, broader. His Irish lilt still makes her weak at the knees. And the sizzling spark between them crackles just like it used to.

Rory might be a long way from his Irish hometown, but he’s made a new home right here. The cozy bookshop is his refuge, and owner Moira his replacement family. So when Jane arrives it’s like an arrow through his heart. She’s still gorgeous, still his Jane. And the fierce look in her eye tells him she’s just as passionate as he remembers.

After promising to help Moira turn the bookshop into a community hub, and with Beth making friends, Jane can’t walk away. Soon, days at the bookshop turn into very late nights with Rory. And with them both spilling secrets, the real reason they broke up soon comes to light… but will this summer adventure turn into a second chance romance? Or will their hearts end up broken all over again?

Review: This is the second book in the Bonnie Bay series from Debbie Johnson. Bonnie Bay is a small fishing village in the north of Scotland with a wonderful community and, famously, the Edge of the World Bookshop, known locally as the Hopeful Hearts Bookshop with its reputation for bringing people together. Having read book 1, I couldn’t wait to dive into this sequel and reacquaint myself with some of the amazing characters I had got to know. As with the previous book, this one bears a highly colourful cover depicting components of the story.

This story concerns single mother Jane, who is surprised when a card falls from the book she is reading on which is written an invitation to visit Bonnie Bay, and particularly the bookshop there. By an amazing coincidence this is the very village where, as teenagers, she and her boyfriend, Rory, planned make a new start. All those years ago, he had broken Jane’s heart when he left her alone. Now, she and her teenage daughter, Beth, decide to take up the invitation and travel to Bonnie Bay. Jane gets a big surprise when one of the first people she meets in the village is Rory, who has settled there and is now a successful artist. Her first instinct is to leave the village, but she soon gets pulled into the community and involved in their plans for extending the bookshop into a hub and gallery. Even her grumpy daughter is happier there. When Jane finds out that Rory didn’t abandon her as she believed, she realises that she still has feelings for him and he for her. Could they have an opportunity for a second-chance romance?

I loved this compelling romance just as much as the first in the series. Once again, I was treated to a whole host of entertaining characters in an absolutely idyllic setting. I was truly invested in Jane’s story and willing her to make a home with the gorgeous Rory in this wonderful village. I really enjoyed meeting up with various characters from the first book and finding out what had happened in their lives in the intervening period. However, you wouldn’t have to have read the first book to follow events in this one. On the other hand, why not read both? I highly recommend these books to anybody who would enjoy escaping for a while to an absolutely marvellous and magical village. I’m hoping that there will be a Bonnie Bay book 3 soon!

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Review: Don't fall In Love With Me by Paige Toon

 What if the person you love the most is the one you can’t have?

Grace has loved Jackson since she was fifteen – when they spent every childhood summer exploring France's breathtaking Ardèche region together. They were best friends, until life took its course and Jackson married someone else.

Years later, Jackson re-enters Grace’s life with an irresistible offer: her dream job in the very town where their story began. And he’s newly single.

As memories from those idyllic summers flood back, Grace encounters an old friend Étienne, who proposes a plan to help make Jackson jealous. But as their scheme unfolds, Grace finds herself questioning if the sparks between them might not be so pretend after all…

Unbeknownst to Grace, Étienne is harbouring a secret that could shatter her world.

Will learning the truth finally set her heart free?

Or is this the beginning of a love story bigger than she ever imagined?

Review: Don't Fall in Love with Me was an absolute treat to read, and I loved getting to know Gracie from the very first chapter. She's such a driven, determined protagonist, and I was immediately invested in her journey after watching her heart get her heart broken right at the start of the story. Rather than letting that define her, Gracie's experiences become the catalyst for something much bigger, making her someone I couldn't help but root for from beginning to end.

Paige Toon has created two wonderfully realised love interests in Jackson and Etienne, and I genuinely found it impossible to choose between them. Both possobilities felt authentic and compelling in their own ways, so I never found myself firmly on one side. Alongside the romance, I adored being transported to the French countryside. The beautiful settings, delicious food and relaxed atmosphere made this the perfect escapist read. As always, Paige Toon's signature passion for cars is woven effortlessly into the story, which felt particularly fitting as I finished the book during the British Grand Prix weekend.

What I loved most, though, was that this never felt like a story that was solely about choosing between two people. At its heart, it felt like a journey of self-discovery, with Gracie learning who she was and what she truly wanted from life. I honestly think I would have been happy whichever way the romance ended—whether she chose Jackson, Etienne or even herself—because the emotional journey was so satisfying. I was completely swept along for the ride, and by the final page I didn't want to say goodbye to these characters.

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Guest Review: The Seaside Book Club by Helen Rolfe

Welcome to a very special book club – where stories are shared, secrets kept, and friendships found.

Howard, newly retired to Dorset, joins because he can’t sleep; the weekly sessions give him an opportunity to connect. Margot logs in only after her husband’s fallen asleep – her life has grown small, and the club is the one place she can still be herself. And on the other side of the world, Faye joins to escape her sister’s latest crisis and feel, for an hour, that she belongs somewhere.

For each of them, the book club is more than a hobby – it’s a lifeline.

So when Howard suddenly disappears from the meetings, everything changes. Determined to be there for their friend, Faye and Margot must step out of their own troubled lives and travel to Dorset – where the truth behind Howard’s silence may turn out to be the most unexpected story of all…

Review: I’m sure I am like most readers in being pleased to find a new book by a favourite author. So I was delighted to see this new release from Helen Rolfe. The cover as well as the title made me anticipate a good story in a lovely setting. I listened to the audio version of the book and found it compelling from start to finish.

The story, as the title suggests, concerns members of a rather special book club. It is actually known by its members as the midnight book club, since that is the time it convenes in the UK. It is an international book club held over zoom, with contributors from Australia as well as England. Originally started by Faye, who lives in Australia, members include Howard, an elderly man who runs a bookshop in Dorset, and Margot, a wife and mother who is trapped in an unhappy marriage. Each of them relies on the club as an escape from the reality of life. However, when Howard suddenly stops attending their sessions, the others become concerned, and turn up at his bookshop to investigate. What they find is disturbing, but it turns out to have far reaching consequences for their lives.

I very much enjoyed this heart-warming story about a slightly unusual book club and some determined women. As well as a strong storyline and some interesting characters, the author introduces readers to some beautiful coastal scenery and a marvellous community. The main characters each had their own back story and were certainly not without their problems, including bereavement, coercive control within a marriage and family disruption, but acted together to change their lives. I would have loved to meet them all and visit Howard’s bookshop. I can definitely recommend this summery read.

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Top 10 Tuesday: Books on My Sumer 2026 To-Read List

 

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

I love summer reading and to be honest, I've already kicked it off even though there's 2 weeks left of term...

Review: It Could Have Been Her by Lisa Jewell

It was the night she almost died.

Jane Trevally, newly divorced and feeling a little lost, agrees to accompany a man she doesn't know to his house in the darkest corner of Hampstead Heath. She's offered a drink, goes in, and then - a scream and the sound of something falling upstairs - Jane senses she's in a bad place. She runs.

Twenty five years later, Jane finds herself outside the same house, this time to return a small white dog who's been found near her home in the country; a dog whose owner has just been reported missing.

A fleeting glimpse of a haunted looking woman through the window sends Jane on a mission to uncover the house's secrets - secrets more terrifying than she could have ever imagined, especially when she realises it could have been her. . .

Review: It Could Have Been Her is another gripping thriller from Lisa Jewell, and I raced through it in just one day because I simply couldn't put it down. Although it isn't quite as fast-paced as some of her previous novels, the slower burn only made me more invested. I kept turning the pages, desperate to uncover the truth, and by around the 60% mark I was completely hooked. From then on, I couldn't stop reading until I reached the final page.

The story follows Jane for much of the novel, an amateur sleuth who, alongside her stepson, finds herself drawn into an intriguing mystery. After discovering a lovely Westie named Hugo, her quiet country life with her dogs takes an unexpected turn when she becomes suspicious of a house in Hampstead Village. Jane was such an enjoyable character to follow, and I loved watching her reinvent herself as the investigation unfolded. We also spend plenty of time with Stuart, whose story constantly had me questioning where my sympathies lay. Lisa Jewell does a brilliant job of making you second-guess every character, and I genuinely didn't know who to trust.

Be warned, this book features clowns, family tragedy, and enough twists and turns to keep you suspicious of absolutely everyone. The tension builds beautifully, rewarding patient readers with a satisfying and compelling mystery that refuses to let go. If you're looking for a thriller that will completely consume your weekend, It Could Have Been Her is exactly that kind of book. I couldn't put it down, and I have a feeling you won't be able to either.

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Review: The One Day You Were by Husband by Rosie Walsh

 HE PROMISED HER A LIFETIME. HE GAVE HER FOUR HOURS.

Twelve years ago, Carrie said 'I do' on a sun-drenched beach in Thailand. Four hours later, her world shattered when her husband, Johan, was snatched away in a violent abduction. He was never seen again.

Today, Carrie is a working mum, navigating the beautiful chaos of raising premature twins and rebuilding her life with a man who truly loves her. She has finally found peace. The past is a closed book.

Until she sees his face on a computer screen.

Johan is alive. He has a new life. And he never tried to find her.

Driven by a desperate need for answers, Carrie risks the stability of her marriage and the safety of her family to uncover the truth of what happened that day in Thailand. But as she peels back the layers of Johan’s double life, she is forced to face a devastating question:

Is the truth worth the destruction of her second chance at happiness?

Review: Rosie Walsh has such a talent for creating layered, emotionally intelligent stories, and The One Day You Were My Husband is no exception. I loved getting to know Carrie, who was a refreshing protagonist. She is clever, capable and resilient, and it was wonderful to read about a woman who has managed to find love not once, but twice. Even more moving was watching her build a support network through the most difficult moments of her life. Those family connections gave the novel so much warmth and heart.

One of my favourite aspects of the book was its structure. The dual timeline, paired with the story of Carrie's two partners, pulled me further into the mystery with every chapter. Each shift in time revealed just enough to keep me questioning everything. Interestingly, I found myself suspicious of both men throughout the novel. Carrie is such an incredible person that I felt protective of her, and because of that I never fully warmed to either of them. That uncertainty made the emotional stakes even higher and kept me completely invested in discovering the truth.

The reveals and plot twists unfolded at exactly the right pace, arriving slowly but surely until everything finally clicked into place. The payoff was absolutely worth the wait, and even after finishing the book I still can't quite fathom how Rosie Walsh managed to weave together such an intricate, satisfying story. It's a beautifully crafted novel that balances mystery, romance and emotion so effortlessly, and one that stayed with me long after I turned the final page.

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Q2 Reading Wrap Up

 Q2 was a pretty good 3 months of reading. I think it really helped that MOST of my anticipated reads for the year came our this quarter. It also helps that the quick reads were released at the start of April, meaning I got a great start to Q2!

Guest Review: Summer at the French Bakery by Jo Thomas

A new adventure is on the menu . . .

Juliet has learnt that life is too short not to chase your dreams. But when she buys an old watermill in France, her tranquil new start is quickly kneaded into something far more ambitious when the local mayor offers her a deal she can’t refuse: reopen the village’s derelict boulangerie.

With a formidable rival – the owner of the local bread vending machine – determined to crush her, Juliet faces disgruntled villagers, her own lack of baking skills, and hidden secrets within the mill itself.

But with help from her outspoken neighbour and the charming Tabac owner, Juliet battles to bring back the aroma of freshly baked bread – and with it, the heart of the community.

Can she prove that even the biggest dreams start with just a little pinch of courage?

Review: I do love Jo Thomas’s books. They always whisk me off to captivating locations where there are interesting characters and always plenty of delicious food. I was attracted by the sound of a French bakery and could almost smell the bread cooking as I opened the book.

This story centres on forty-eight year old Juliet, who has recovered from a battle with illness and decides that life is too short not to follow your dreams. She returns to a village in Brittany where she spent a holiday with her husband and buys the old deserted watermill intending to turn it into a cafe, or salon de thé. However, her plans are blocked by the mayor, who offers her an alternative deal. She can open her tea shop if first she renovates the derelict boulangerie and starts to produce bread once more for the village. She has no choice but to agree, but is then faced with an uphill battle. There is competition from the owner of the bread vending machines situated in every local village, as well as opposition from the suspicious villagers, the large stumbling block of her lack of bread-making skills and difficulties in sourcing the necessary materials and good quality ingredients. Finally, she is able to enlist the help of a once hostile neighbour and local tabac owner, Laurent. Can she start to produce the baguettes that will appeal to the local people and break through the barriers to her success in starting a new life in this community?

I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to Brittany and I am currently longing for a nice fresh baguette. This was a charming story of a woman stepping out of her comfort zone and going for what she wanted, showing determination and courage in the face of adversity from every direction. Juliet surprised everyone by her actions, but her serious health problems had been a real wake up call and she was no longer happy to settle into a quiet retirement. I loved the way in which she dealt with all the setbacks that came her way, not least the difficulties in making an acceptable baguette, until the once unhelpful and unfriendly Laurent stepped up to help her. The setting for the story was lovely. I could easily imagine the quiet little village with the menfolk sitting around chatting in the sun when their wives sent them out for the morning. The description of the watermill and the lake beside it made it sound quite idyllic. I think this would make a great summer read and would recommend it. Thanks to the author for the French onion soup recipe at the end of the book.

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