Review: Rescue Me by Sarra Manning

 Margot doesn't have time for love.

Will is afraid to love.

And neither of them are expecting to fall in love with Blossom: a gentle Staffy with a tragic past, a belly made for rubbing and a head the size of a football.

After their first meeting at the rescue centre, both Margot and Will want to adopt Blossom so reluctantly agree to share custody. But Will's obsession for micro-managing and clear-cut boundaries and Margot's need to smother Blossom with affection, means that soon they have a very confused and badly behaved dog on their hands.

Can they put their differences aside to become successful "co-pawrents" and maybe even friends? And meanwhile, does Blossom have plans of her own?

Review: Although it is right there in the tagline, this book was waaaaay more about dogs than I expected it to be. This book really is exactly as it says, two lonely people and one good dog and all three of them were truly wonderful, fully formed characters to read about. 

Will and Margot are so much more similar than they realise and the most important things about them that is truly key to this story is how strong and stubborn both of them are, just like their wonderful dog blossom. I really identified with Margot, not just because she is 36 and worried about her biological clock just like me. There are definite care warnings when it comes to being childless and reading this book, I did find it tough at times. But I also really identified with the fact that she has been living alone so long she sometimes cannot see that it is OK to ask for help with things. 

Will is such a cinnamon roll and so if you like your male leads like that you're going to love this book! He is so prickly and yet underneath it all he is such a family guy and Blossom really does help to melt that hard exterior shell. Speaking of loving male leads like this, there are some steamy moments in this book and when I say steamy I mean hot. I loved the romantic scenes in this novel, they were so well written and very female-centric and definitely got me hot under the collar-I loved that side of this book. 

Now if you're not a dog person, like me, and you're worried that there are going to be too many details about treats and dog bowls and picking up poo then fear not. There are a lot of details like that in this book but that is not the be all and end all of the storyline and each poo bag comes with a meaning behind it that moves the plot on or leads to a description of another wonderful midi dress or pair of fancy shoes! I love that this book shows that one can be a dog a person or one can be a fashionista and it isn't the be all and end all of your life, it is just a part of you. 

This book is also a love letter to London living. I so miss being able to walk out of my house or off a bus or a tube and get somewhere, I loved being able to get my steps in without having to walk on a treadmill and so I really enjoyed taking walks with these characters and exploring a part of my heritage at the same time. The description of their respective abodes and the changing weather was just stunning and so it was easy to immerse yourself in their world and just enjoy a really lovely story about some complex characters. Highly recommend!

To order your copy now, just click the link: UK or US

Review: The Other Passenger by Louise Candlish

It all happens so quickly. One day you're living the dream, commuting to work by riverbus with your charismatic neighbour Kit in the seat beside you. The next, Kit hasn't turned up for the boat and his wife Melia has reported him missing.

When you get off at your stop, the police are waiting. Another passenger saw you and Kit arguing on the boat home the night before and the police say that you had a reason to want him dead. You protest. You and Kit are friends - ask Melia, she'll vouch for you. And who exactly is this other passenger pointing the finger? What do they know about your lives?

No, whatever danger followed you home last night, you are innocent, totally innocent.

Review: Wow this book had so many twists and turns and revelations I felt like I was on a rollercoaster. And you never see any of them coming! I love Louise Candlish's writing and this book just solidified my love for it. I've been reading other, newer writers, and they just can't compete. Every single revelation is so intricately oven within the characters and within the plot that you really do gasp in surprise and what you thought you knew is thrown out the window at the end of every single chapter-so great!

Even main character Jamie is a massive conundrum who you never really get to the bottom of. I started off the book thinking they were one person and then the character development that takes place over the course of the novel is just extra ordinary. Jamie was intriguing but definitely someone you could meet in every day life, perhaps on your commute! The other 'Water Rats' the other passengers who commute with Jamie are also very true to life. I could picture them and their commute chatting, taking in the scenery. I also really liked the two main females in this book. They felt very like calculating villains in a movie and so they really came to life on the page for me. 

This whole setting is so familiar, I've taken the river bus in London, I've commuted on a ferry in a couple of big cities and it is a really great way to travel, but what do we really know about the other people on that boat? Such a great premise for a book and because of this stellar writing, we get to experience it all as the plot progresses. 

I also really loved the structure of this one. The present day plot takes place in those weird days between Christmas and New Year, an excellent time to set a book with as many twists as this because everything is already upside down. And then we jump back in time to the start of 2019 and gradually flash back and forward until the two points meet. This gives the book its intense feeling and that urgent need to keep turning the pages. We also have some bonus time after the new year and that is just inspired. I loved it. 

Whether this is your first Louise Candlish novel or you are already a hardcore fan, you're going to love The Other Passenger. And sorry, not sorry that once you pick it up you won't be able to put it down again!

To order your copy now, just click the link: UK or US

Review: I Heart London by Lindsey Kelk

Angela’s back on home turf – and in her biggest romantic scrape yet…

Angela Clark has fallen in love with America – and it’s starting to love her back.

Throw one expired visa into the mix, and things quickly take a turn for the worse.

She might love her life as a Brit in New York, but now she has no choice but to return to London. Not only does she leave behind her gorgeous boyfriend Alex – she must also face unfinished business back on home turf.

There’s the ex-boyfriend – who she moved to New York to get away from.

Then there’s her best friend, with her perfect new baby.

And there’s her mum.

Now, there’s another wedding in the offing – and everyone remembers how well the last one went . . .

Review: Another fabulous book in the I Heart series by Lindsey Kelk. I just cannot get enough of these books! This book sees Angela return to London and I loved that fact that this book is set in both New York and London, both great cities. And we also have Angela staying back with her parents so we get the whole 'I've been away and now I'm back in small town England' type of thing too. This just mixed so well with the story line of these novels. I honestly think that the cities these books are set in contribute so well to the plot and the character development so of course London was going to be fabulous!

Obviously we have an amazing cast of characters in this novel. Angela's mum plays a much bigger part than she usually does and I loved her character in this book. I also loved the way Alex's character changes quite a lot during this novel compared to the previous novel. This is probably because Angela is in denial for a lot of this book, about a lot of things. She reverts back to childhood behaviors when she comes back home, thank goodness Jenny is there to sort her out, although Jenny may have a few issues of her own-I guess Alex to the rescue it is-I loved that!

There are some hilarious moments in this book, as there are in the others in this series, but I think it is made even more funny by the fact that we have some American's in England and some Brits trying to accommodate those Americans. There are also some hilarious moments of people jumping to conclusions they shouldn't. Obviously this is not always a good thing, but what would an I Heart book be without a little drama?

I loved this read and it was a great sequel and a great addition to the series. If you are a Brit who has been living in America too and knows what it is like to go back home, this is definitely the book for you! You don't HAVE to read the other books in the series to read this one, you will get to love the characters either way but I would definitely recommend reading them all-what are you waiting for?

To order your copy now, just click the link: UK or US

Review: My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella

Everywhere Katie Brenner looks, someone else is living the life she longs for, particularly her boss, Demeter Farlowe. Demeter is brilliant and creative, lives with her perfect family in a posh townhouse, and wears the coolest clothes. Katie’s life, meanwhile, is a daily struggle—from her dismal rental to her oddball flatmates to the tense office politics she’s trying to negotiate. No wonder Katie takes refuge in not-quite-true Instagram posts, especially as she's desperate to make her dad proud.
            
Then, just as she’s finding her feet—not to mention a possible new romance—the worst happens. Demeter fires Katie. Shattered but determined to stay positive, Katie retreats to her family’s farm in Somerset to help them set up a vacation business. London has never seemed so far away—until Demeter unexpectedly turns up as a guest. Secrets are spilled and relationships rejiggered, and as the stakes for Katie’s future get higher, she must question her own assumptions about what makes for a truly meaningful life.

Review: It just felt so good to be back in the happy place that is a Sophie Kinsella novel. I was hooked right into this book straight away and literally read it in 2 sittings. This books just had me drawn so into Cat/Katie's world that even when I was waiting in line at Starbucks, I had this out, devouring pages, wanting to stay in Sophie Kinsella's world for just a little longer. 

I think one thing that I love about Sophie's writing is that she writes such great characters and so all of her novels are so character driven. Anyone who has read her shopaholic series will have Becky Bloomwood in their mind and once she's there, she's here to stay. And I think that the thing I loved so much about this particular read was that Katie is another character that really sticks with you. Katie is relatatble, because as you can see from the tittle, not everything in her life is going perfectly. I could so relate to Katy and her commute across London. Her fierce determination that she was going to live and work in a certain way, no matter what. I also really loved that we got to see aspects of her family life, her personal life and her work life, and that nothing was quite perfect in any of those aspects. 

The other characters in this book are great too. I loved Katie's dad and his attitude of bettering himself too, just in a very different way to Katie. I loved Katie's work friends and how they were just the kind of people I would imagine would work in an office that is all about branding and image. Of course there is the boss we love to hate, we've all worked for one of those after all and then there is the love interest. The love interest in this particular book is seriously swoon worthy, yet another thing that Sophie Kinsella creates so well!

I really liked that this book had multiple storylines and multiple settings. I like when I get to travel in the pages of a book and the setting descriptions are wonderful, whether you're in Chiswick or Somerset, you will b e transported there along with Katie. The storyline transports you as well and nothing about it is completely predictable. There is a level of familiarity that is just the right amount of comforting and yet there are definitely some unexpected events, for Katie and for you as a reader, along the way! 

If you're a fan of Sophie Kinsella then you definitely won't be disappointed by this standalone and if you are new to her writing then this is definitely one to pick up, welcome to the wonderful world full of fabulous characters. This is definitely something I would recommend adding to your TBR pile now!

To order your copy now, just click here!

Review: There is Always More to Say by Lynda Spiro Young

A heartfelt novel about the connections that bring people together.

Soho 1984: Two people meet and their worlds are changed forever. An unexpected meeting - a look that means their lives will never be the same again. 

In There Is Always More To Say Lynda Spiro chronicles the lives of the couple through friendships, marriage, fleeting moments and snatched time. It is a passionate account about a connection between two people that never dies even when tested by distance and when life throws the unexpected at their feet.

Review: This was a really interesting read for me. At only 160 pages, it was a quick read and I read it pretty much in one sitting, so it was a good read to pick up during the festive season, when time is of the essence. This isn't a Christmasey book, however and so was a nice break for me to read. 

This book is about love and friendship and identity without ever really explicitly saying so. This was a very different read because it is someone chronicling their thoughts to their long-term friend in the form of a sort of journal but it seems, at times, like it is a letter of sorts, to that friend. This meant that it was a very engaging read because, as a reader, i found myself constantly asking who was wring this text, and who the text was being written to. 

Interestingly, genders are not mentioned apart from at one point where the person being spoken to writes a post card to the narrator and refers to them as one particular gender. This gave me a clue that the narrator was, or at one time had been that gender. The narrator is also married and refers to their partner. I imagine that it would have been a conscious decision to leave out gender or any kind and it really does mean that this novella becomes even more engaging!

The story jumps from present time to 1984, to 2004 to 1994, and so it is not in any sort of chronological order. This could have been a little confusing, but each chapter is dated and so you always know where you are. In terms of location, I always knew where I was as well because this book is set in Soho and I could picture the streets and buildings that were being talked about. 

The chapters are generally pretty short, and so the length combined with the chapters made this a quick read. It was a very different read for me and almost left me with more questions than answers, but I found this to be a nice break from what I usually read and I would love to find out more about these characters, I hope that this isn't the last we have seen of them!

To get your copy now click here!

Review: A Parcel for Anna Browne by Miranda Dickinson

The gift of a lifetime?


Anna Browne is an ordinary woman living an ordinary life. Her day job as a receptionist in bustling London isn't exactly her dream, yet she has everything she wants. But someone thinks Anna Browne deserves more . . .

When a parcel addressed to Anna Browne arrives, she has no idea who has sent it. Inside she finds a beautiful gift - one that is designed to be seen. And so begins a series of incredible deliveries, each one bringing Anna further out of the shadows and encouraging her to become the woman she was destined to be. As Anna grows in confidence, others begin to notice her - and her life starts to change.

But who is sending the mysterious gifts, and why?

Review: everyone knows that I am a massive Miranda Dickinson fan so I'm really not sure why it took me so long to read this book. I actually ended up dipping in and out of it for about 3 months! In the end, I abandoned my paperback and downloaded the audiobook so I could enjoy Miranda's beautiful writing on my commute to and from work. there were a couple of issues with the audiobook repeating chunks of text but apart from that, I loved having this story read to me, it actually felt all the better that the mornings and evenings are a bit dark and miserable at the moment because I was cosy in my car with Anna Browne and her mysterious parcels!

I really warmed to Anna as a character. I loved watching her transformation over the course of the book, this was the best bit for me. She starts off as a shy and retiring character, happy with her lot in life but then she becomes so much more than this. Where she was at the beginning of the book and where she was at the end of the book are both totally relatable and that is definitely one thing I love about Miranda's characters. There are some fab friendships in this book as well, the Yorkshire guy who lives in her building, the friend at work who she gossips with and many more, so definitely something for everyone here. I did love the little Yorkshire additions to the book because of the Yorkshire friend, I have to say, but then I am biased!

I liked the fact that this book was set in London but also featured details about other places in the UK. Sometimes when books focus on London, they miss out the rest of this diverse country entirely and so I really liked that. And on to the mystery of the parcels. I have to say, i wasn't entirely convinced by the parcels, I did try to put on my whimsical head but I kept having this feeling that if I were on the reception desk of a major building in London and i received a mysterious package, I would assume it was dangerous. If the parcels continued, I think I would be calling the police. As time went on, however, I did warm to the mystery sender, and when that sender was revealed, everything made sense. I did love the big reveal i have to say-you're in for a treat there! My favourite package was obviously the shoes!

All in all this was an enjoyable read. It is a hefty book and so it was much easier when i switched to the audiobook version! If you're looking for something to snuggle up with this winter, this is definitely a heart warming read. if you're a fan of a shorter books then this one may be a bit much for you but if you're a Miranda fan already then you definitely have to give this a go. Now I have an overwhelming desire to send some parcels and make someone happy!

To order your copy, click here!

Review: The Moment by Claire Dyer

Paddington station, nine a.m., rush hour. As the crowds ebb and flow, time suddenly stands still for two people: Fern and Elliott, ex-lovers who parted twenty-five years before and never expected to see each other again.

But here they are, face to face, and the connection is as powerful as it was the day they first met. Their lives have moved on – to marriage, children and divorce – yet neither has stopped regretting the day that drove them apart.

Fern gives Elliott her number and they tentatively arrange to meet again that evening when both will be travelling back through the station. And, as the day ticks on, and the memories resurface, both Fern and Elliott reflect on the past. As their emotions go round in circles, so does the Paddington clock, counting down the minutes to eight p.m. – and the moment the future is in their hands. 

Review: I was fairly disappointed in this book. It has been sitting on my shelf for quite some time now. I loved the premise behind it but I had never got round to reading it and so when I had some time the other week I downloaded the audiobook and began to listen. I just felt that the storyline was a little one dimensional and the pace of the novel in general slow and hard to stick with. 

I really enjoyed the characters in this book though, I thought they were very well-rounded and easy to get to know. I didn't necessarily like them as people, showing that they were so well written because for me to dislike them, I must have found something in their personality not to get along with. Eliot is a typical middle-aged man living with regrets and fern, the female equivalent of this. Both of them spend a lot of the novel wondering what if, as well all do and I really enjoyed the relationship that they had between them. 

The book jumps around quire a lot between the present, Fern's past, Eliot's past and the past they had together. I found this a little confusing and i wasn't always sure who or what we were talking about. I really liked the storyline that was in the present and the storyline that they had in the past but I found it a little hard to link them all together, perhaps if I had read this book in paperback instead, this would've been easier to follow. 

I liked the setting of the book because it deals with a lot of places I know well and a lot of the storyline is set in and around Paddington Station which I think was really fun! I enjoyed the book enough to finish it all the way through and it certainly wouldn't put me off reading the other Claire Dyer book that I have waiting on my kindle but I just wanted a little bit more from this book, a little more pace or a little more weaving together to turn a good story into a great story.

One Hundred Christmas Proposals Competition

One Hundred Christmas Proposals is out now, here’s the blurb

The eagerly anticipated follow-up to One Hundred Proposals.

If you thought Harry & Suzie’s life couldn't get anymore sweepingly romantic than Harry asking her to marry him at the end of One Hundred Proposals – think again!

It’s Christmas in a snow-kissed London, and the.PerfectProposal.com have vowed to carry out one hundred proposals in December. No easy task at the best of times - made even more complicated by Harry & Suzie trying to plan their first Christmas and a visit from the dreaded in-laws. But one hundred deliciously Christmassy proposals later they find themselves asking if everything is still perfect in their own relationship….

Welcome back to the divinely warm world of One Hundred Proposals – with a sprinkling of pure, joyful, festive magic.

Have yourself a very merry Christmas indeed with Holly Martin’s Christmas novella.

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I love this story and I’m so excited about you guys reading it too.  I never thought I would write a sequel for any of my novels, but catching up with Harry and Suzie, two of my favourite characters, in London at Christmas was a story that was begging to be told.  What I love about this story is instead of Harry proposing to Suzie, we get to see some of the amazing proposals they organise for their clients and we learn a little about their clients lives too.  One of my favourite proposals in this story is the sightseeing flight over London with the proposal written in flowers on a boat on the Thames.

Now you can win a sightseeing flight over London too and experience some incredible views of our capital.

 

This experience gives you a unique perspective on the sights of London. After a short pre-flight briefing, you'll board a Piper Seneca twin-engine plane for a fantastic half hour sightseeing trip.

After taking off in Essex you'll follow the Thames west into the heart of the city, getting a unique view of the capital. You'll see the O2 arena, Tower Bridge, HMS Belfast, the towers at Canary Wharf, The London Eye, The Shard and the Houses of Parliament. Then turn north to fly over Trafalgar Square and Buckingham Palace, before heading back east to land in Essex. You'll get an amazing perspective on the geography of the city and the beauty of its landmarks, so whether you're a tourist or a Londoner, you'll see the capital in a whole new way. And if flying isn’t your thing, this would make the perfect Christmas present for someone in your family.

All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning is copy one of the pre-prepared tweets below, tweet it and you’ll automatically be entered into the draw to win this prize bundle.  The more you tweet, the more times you’ll be entered.

The competition will run until midnight (UK time) on Sunday 14th December so plenty of time for tweeting.  Every time you tweet, you’ll be entered into the draw.

Good Luck

Tweets

One Hundred Christmas Proposals by@hollymartin00 is out now, a gorgeous, sparkly story to curl up with this winter
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Join Harry & Suzie as they celebrate Christmas in asnowkissed London,100 Christmas Proposals is 59p
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Celebrate Christmas in a sparkly,snowkissed London, a beautiful love story to curl up with this winter
@hollymartin00 http://amzn.to/1vwnL4e

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Christmas lights,overcooked turkey,plenty ofcake,glistening snow. 100 Christmas Proposals is only 59p
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What will Harry give Suzie this Christmas? 100 Christmas Proposals is only 59p, a sparkly,snowysequel
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Harry & Suzie are back celebrating their first Christmas in a snowy London,100 Christmas Proposals.59p
@hollymartin00 http://amzn.to/1vwnL4e

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Fairy lights, candles, snow, flowers and beautiful music, how to create the perfect Christmas proposal
@hollymartin00 http://amzn.to/1vwnL4e

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100 Christmas Proposals is only 59p,a gorgeously romantic snowkissed story to curl up with this winter
@hollymartin00 http://amzn.to/1vwnL4e