Blog Tour: Review of The Book Lovers' Retreat by Heidi Swain

Today is my stop on the blog tour for The Book Lovers' Retreat by Heidi Swain. I have a review for you today and the book just came out on Thursday so you can order it by clicking here. Don't forget to check out the other stops on the tour for more reviews and other content. Here's what this new novel is all about:

One long summer. One perfect setting. Can fiction inspire real life…?
 
Sometimes a book grabs you by the heart and grows to mean everything to you. That’s what Hope Falls is to friends Emily, Rachel and Tori. So, when they get the chance to spend a whole summer at the cottage in Lakeside where the film adaptation was located, they know it is going to be the holiday of a lifetime.

Spending six weeks away will give them a chance to re-evaluate their life choices. For Emily to decide which way her career will go – the safe route, or the more risky creative option? And for Rachel to decide whether to move in with her partner Jeremy. Then Tori has to drop out at the last moment, and her space is offered to another Hope Falls afficionado, Alex. 

But when Alex turns out not to be who they expected, the holiday takes an unforeseen turn. And as the summer develops, so does their friendship. Could this be where they uncover their future selves, find love in all its forms and where their lives will change course forever…?

Review: A book about book lovers set in the lake district? Yes please! Even before I knew the setting of this one I knew it was going to be special. Heidi Swain is an autobuy author for me but I was extra excited about this book because this is her first standalone. Her Wynbridge series and her Nightingale Square series as well as her Wynmouth series all tie in together in some way and so I was excited what she would do with all new characters, a new setting and it doesn’;t hurt that one of those characters was named after me!

I loved getting to meet Emily, Rachel, Tori and Alex. They were all such well-rounded characters in themselves, I really hope we get to hear more from them in the future. I need a spin off to find out what happens next for Tori for sure! Emily is our main character and so we get to find out about her thoughts and feelings about her retreat as things progress and we get to see the other characters through her eyes too. Her best friends are Rachel and Tori and I had a special connection with Rachel because she is a tired teacher just starting her summer holidays. I will admit that I was jealous because it was already summer for her and just Easter holidays for me. Heidi always writes about people who work in education so well and as an educator I always appreciate that!

Tori was a really interesting character for me because I think she is the character who is hardest to empathise with because she comes from money. She reminded me a little of Sophie Kinsella’s Becky Bloomwood because she might like to spend but she always has her friends' best interests at heart. Then the wildcard in the group is Alex. Part of the story is getting to know Alex and finding out how this new person adds to the dynamic and mixes things up with the plot of the book. Now the premise behind this onel, going away for the summer to retrace the steps of a famous book and its movie adaptation might sound a little on the slow side but believe me there is plenty of action in this book, plenty to laugh at and plenty to keep you turning the pages.

The best thing about this book is that it takes our characters out of their routine, out of their comfort zones and places them somewhere with no wifi, somewhere that demands introspection and reflection and what better place to do that than the lake district? I adored the setting. It made for some wild weather, some unpredictable moments and of course some beautiful evernings around a fire with a glass of wine. I defy anyone to pick up this book and not come away wanting to jump right into the pages and snuggle up with their own book or watch a movie under a cosy blanket-such hygge vibes! I loved the story, I loved the characters and most of all I loved the setting. I flew through this latest release from Heidi Swain and I know you’re going to love it too!

To order your copy now, just click here!

February 2023 TBR

Well February is upon us and I have lots of reading plans. Lots of reading plans for the shortest month when I have a week of disruption thanks to half term, sounds like a great plan!

I have 1 hold over from January, a couple of february releases I want to read. A book vs movie I would like to read before the film comes out in cinemas, a non-fiction and of course a couple of audiobooks just to have on the go too!

February Releases

February 2nd

February 2nd

February 2nd

February 16th

February 16th

February 16th

Book vs Movie

A series I want to continue:

Another audiobook...

Guest Review: Happy Endings at Mermaids Point by Sarah Bennett

Music sensation Aurora Storm finally has her career back on track, but then she’s caught up in a media storm. Desperate to distract from the story, she enlists the one man she trusts to pretend to be her boyfriend.

Meanwhile, in the small seaside village of Mermaids Point, Nick Morgan never expected to see Aurora again. When she calls out of the blue needing his help, he agrees at once. It feels like she’s back in his life for a reason, and he’s determined to make the most of it.

Aurora joins Nick and the rest of his family for their festive celebrations and, as the snow falls, Aurora finds herself caught up in the romance of Christmas. But having tasted worldwide fame, can she ever be content with village life?

Two weeks is all Nick has to prove to Aurora that there’s a happy ending for them both in Mermaids Point.

Review: This is the fifth, and last, book in this series set in the little seaside town of Mermaids Point. I have enjoyed this series of stories which centres on two of the families living in the town, with newcomers in each addition. Every book in the series has had a particularly pretty, colourful cover depicting the story within, this one showing a snowy Christmas scene. 

In this story, the reader is treated to the return of a familiar face from the first book in the series, singer Aurora Storm. She has been enjoying huge popularity, but is suddenly involved in a scandal whipped up by the media. Remembering a previous occasion when she sought shelter in the town, she contacts her friend Nick Morgan who agrees to help her. What starts out as a pretend romance between Aurora and Nick for the world to see quickly becomes real. As she becomes involved in family life and Christmas preparations in the town, Aurora wonders whether she might enjoy life in the slow lane after becoming jaded with the giddy world she has been living in.  

I found this a compelling story and quickly became absorbed in the lives of the characters. It was so well written that I found myself worrying what was going to happen to Aurora and what would be revealed next in the media with potential to hurt her further. She was very lucky to know such a sympathetic and understanding person as the handsome Nick. It was heart-warming to see the community rally around to help in any way they could; Mermaids Point certainly comes over as a place where residents look after each other and anyone would want to live. It has been wonderful reading all about the town and the people who live there. I can recommend the whole series. I am already looking forward to Sarah Bennet’s next book. 

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

Blog Tour: Review of The Reason by Catherine Bennetto

 

Today is my stop on the blog tour for The Reason by Catherine Bennetto. I have a review for you today but don't forget to stop by the other blogs on the tour for more reviews and exclusive content!

How much is the smile from the person you love worth to you?

 

Brooke’s life has derailed. Her social life and career have evaporated, her daughter is desperately unhappy and being bullied at school, and, for a 43-year-old, she probably spends way too many weekends at her parent’s. But the reason for all this is no mystery. A year and a half ago, Brooke’s husband died.

 

But Brooke does have one secret. Her husband’s death, the worst thing that has ever happened to her, has made her unbelievably rich.

 

Despite her despair, Brooke suddenly realises she has the power to make her daughter’s life, and the world a little brighter.

Review: A book about a mother and her teenage daughter getting ready to start a new school that’s released in autumn? Even the blurb alone gives me Gilmore Girl vibes and the relationship between Brooke and Hannah made sure that continued throughout the novel. 

Brooke is really struggling with grief and her daughter is too and so this book takes us on a journey of Brooke trying to help her daughter through her own trauma and grief responses whilst ignoring her own and the allout from that. I adored the love that Brooke has for her daughter, it is of course reciprocated, but the lengths that Brooke will go to to ensure that Hannah has a reason to smile and is living the best life possible is just wonderful to read about. 

I really liked getting to meet Hannah and discover more about what makes her tick. She is such a mature person and she really does know herself and what she wants. It’s been a while since I read a ‘secondary’ character who is so well rounded and who has stayed with me since finishing the book. Like a lot of children in their last year at school she has some friendship issues but her school is just so wholly unsupportive and clearly thinks it’s following policy when it really isn’t, it made me very very angry. 

Catherine Bennetto never fails to make me laugh with her writing, she has such a great sense of humour that she imparts on her characters. I laughed at so any points during the opening of this story and then there’s a moment where Brooke is shopping for a new bed that had me guffawing as I was reading it! The humour and the heart in this book is a great balance. 

So much of this book also involves family. Found family, family it’s easy to get along with and family it’s not so easy to get along with but there’s that bond that drives the whole thing and I really enjoyed exploring how different the idea of family can look to the same person in different contexts. I really enjoyed reading this book, it was so easy to come back to it the next day and I was always excited to pick it up. If you’re a GIlmore Girls fan, or if you’re not, I highly recommend No Reason by Catherine Bennetto.

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

Review: Girl Friends by Holly Bourne

 "Men see women in two separate categories. There are the women they sleep with, and the women they fall in love with. And they will treat you differently based on that."

From the day they first meet as teenagers Fern and Jessica are best friends. Despite their differences, they are there for each other throughout everything, navigating the difficulties of growing up and fitting in. That is, until Jessica crosses a line that Fern can't forgive.

But now, more than ten years later, Jessica has unexpectedly reappeared in Fern's life.

A lot has changed for them both - but can their relationship be different now they are older? Is it possible for either of them to rewrite the role that they have been cast in? Or will their shared history ultimately be doomed to repeat itself?

Set between the present day and the past, GIRL FRIENDS is a blisteringly funny and devastating novel: both a joyful celebration of female friendship and a razor-sharp look at the damage we can all cause to those we claim to love the most.

Review: I adored Holly Bourne’s last adult novel but I think I loved this one even more. You know when you want to stop doing other things or avoid other commitments in life because you want to stay home and read your book? Thatv was this book!

I think the main reason I connected with this book so much is because I related to it so hard. The main character in this book is one year younger than me and would have been rhe year below me at school so we had very similar experiences during our school years and beyond and just everything she was going through I could recognise and if it wasn’t happening directly to me the same way as it was to Fern, then I knew someone that it did happen to. I was quoting bits of the book outloud to friends and family as I was reading because I just felt like it was written about my own formative school years!

Fern is a great character to get to spend this book with because she is so beautifully imperfect, I feel like anyone could relate to her. She has her own mental health issues and her own self-esteem issues and there will definitely be millions of readers out there who can empathise with her as well as sympathies with her situation. She has a great career and a great relationship but she has this imposter syndrome because she still feels like the self that she was when she was a teenager. 

And then we have Jessica. She comes back into the picture and we know that this is not the most positive thing in the world but it takes until just about the very end of the book to find out why this is not such a positive thing. Jessica is wild and free and she seems to be good for Fern, in the beginning. I was always very anxious for Jessica, the choices that she made in the past and the choices that she makes in the current day thread of this story made me very concerned and I was always on the edge of my seat waiting for her to take things just one step too far. 

The structure of this story is also just perfect in every way. We flash back and forth between the present day storyline and the storyline of Ferns youth. Both timelines proceed in a chronological way but we switch back and forth just at the moment where we’re going to find out something juicy or see the consequences of someone's action. I think that is why this book gave me such anxiety as a reader, thankfully I read it over basically 2 days, because I was always worrying about what was going to happen next or what the fallout of something was going to be. I loved every minute of it though. 

The author's note at the end of this book really sums up why this book is important and why I connected with it so much. There are care warnings in that and at the start of the book so definitely have a look at this before picking this one up but if you’re ok with those then I highly recommend this book about growing up and friendship and having it all in the world that we live in today. Easily one of my top books of the year!

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

Guest Review: Chasing Dreams at Hedgehog Hollow by Jessica Redland

Samantha has a secret. Returning home from her dream honeymoon to the normality of running her beloved Hedgehog Hollow rescue centre, she's ready for the next chapter of her life with Josh. Or is she? Samantha is hiding something which could forever change the dreams they shared and bring their happy ever after crashing to the ground.

Lauren has given up on love. Twenty-six years ago the love of her life, Shaun, left her a note and was never seen again. Two painful divorces later she still can't face opening up to anyone. But little does Lauren know that the closure she's dreamt of for all these years may be closer than she thinks, and perhaps the only way to let new love in is to forgive and forget.

Samantha and Lauren will need the love and support from the Hedgehog Hollow family more than ever. After all, some dreams are worth chasing...

This is the fifth, and penultimate, book in this series, which follows the fortunes of Samantha and her hedgehog rescue centre, based at Hedgehog Hollow farm in the Yorkshire Wolds. I have been following the series from the start and eagerly looking forward to each new part. For those new to these stories, or as an aide memoir, this book begins with a list of recurring characters from previous parts, with details of where they fit into the series, and an explanation of the overall story so far. At the end of the book, there is information about hedgehogs and their care.

This book carries on from the last one, which culminated in the wedding of the two principal characters, Samantha and Josh. This story is told from the point of view of Samantha and Josh’s aunt, Lauren, different chapters being told from the perspective of one or other of them. Following the tragic breakdown of two marriages, Lauren shares her house with Samantha’s dad, who is now separated from his wife. As she begins to wonder if she might have feelings more than friendship for him, it looks as if he may be reuniting with Samantha’s mum. However, a chance for love appears from an unexpected direction, but is Lauren ready to trust another man? Samantha also has a decision to make. Is she ready to take the next step in her relationship with Josh; is there room in her life for the busy rescue centre and a family?

I have loved all the books in the Hedgehog Hollow series, and this one is no exception; I can highly recommend it to readers new to Jessica Redland as well as those familiar with these tales. The descriptions of the hedgehogs at Samantha’s rescue centre are amazing and make me realise how lucky I am to have these nightly spiky visitors to my garden. This story incorporated most of the characters from previous books in the series and I very much enjoyed catching up with them all. Samantha was, of course, one of the principal characters, but it was good to find Lauren coming to the fore. There were some painful and tear-jerking moments for her and some big surprises for the reader which had me, for one, gasping. I am looking forward to the next book in the series, but sad that it will be the last; knowing Jessica’s writing, I am sure that more than one character may appear in future books.

To order your copy now, just click here!

Guest Review: Retreat to the Spanish Sun by Jo Thomas

Eliza has a full house! When her three children grew up and moved out, she downsized to a smaller property... but now they're all back. Every room in the house is taken and Eliza finds herself sharing her bed with her eldest daughter and her daughter's pug. Combined with the online course she's trying to finish, plus her job to fit in, there just isn't the peace and quiet that Eliza needs.

So when an ad pops up on her laptop saying 'house-sitters wanted', Eliza can't resist the chance to escape. She ends up moving to a rural finca in southern Spain, looking after the owner's Iberico pigs, learning about secret gastronomic societies... and finding a new zest for life and love along the way.

Review: I am a big fan of Jo Thomas books and look forward to finding out where her latest release will be taking me. There is always an interesting setting, some delicious fare and at least one romance on the go. The title of this book gives away the general location for the action, but I didn’t suspect that I was going to be given a lesson in production of a very specific food item in sunny Spain. 

The main female character in this story is Eliza, divorced mother of three who finds herself once again sharing her accommodation with her grown-up children who have returned home for various reasons having previously fled the nest. Having downsized after they all left the first time, Eliza is finding conditions difficult when she is also working from home and trying to study for a qualification. An agency advertising for house sitters seems an ideal solution to her problem. Before she knows it, she finds herself in southern Spain looking after not just a house, but also a herd of Iberico pigs and two large dogs on a finca while the owner is away for two weeks. However, her plan to use the time to do some work for her course is interrupted by a series of events as she also gets involved with the local village and the people there. There is also the fact that the owner of the finca, Josep, arrives home unexpectedly and the pair gradually develop a friendship. 

I found this book truly compelling reading from start to finish and can certainly recommend it. I really felt for Eliza as she tried to cope with the crowded conditions at home; it was definitely not what she was expecting when she moved to a smaller place after her divorce. A 2-week stay in a warm climate with time and peace to finish her course seemed like a dream, but she hadn’t counted on the need to learn all the ins and outs of Iberico pig rearing and the guarding of the valuable hams, never mind being drawn into the problems of a local village being smothered by its secret and exclusive gastronomic society. I was absolutely fascinated to learn all about these special pigs which Eliza took to her heart. As well as the animals, the book contains an interesting cast of human characters, including a group of ex-patriots supposedly trying to learn Spanish and some locals trying to make ends meet. The finca owner Josep was initially a rather unfriendly individual, but mellowed with time and I came to like him also. I think it is the sign of a good story that I missed all the characters once I had finished and would love to go back to the village and find out what happened next.

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

Review: A Mother's Heart by Carmel Harrington

 Before we dive into my review of this fabulous new book from Carmel Harrington, I have an interview with this author coming up on my channel on Thursday at 6pm BST. If you're reading this before then, you can set a reminder or if you're reading this after the interview I'll leave it below for you to watch!

Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand

While Rachel Butler likes her life in a pretty Dublin coastal village, her heart lies in Hawke’s Bay, where she grew up. Visiting for the first time since tragedy tore her family apart, she and her stepchildren fall for its beauty and outdoor lifestyle.

Malahide, Ireland

As Rachel picks up the threads of her life as a single parent, she can’t shake off the memories of her loving family in New Zealand – and her dream house, the villa on the bay. But it’s time to move forwards with their life in Ireland, close to the children’s grandparents, amid the familiar surroundings they all know well.

Until the children’s grandmother, still grieving, starts to interfere, questioning Rachel's position as stepmother.

Until Rachel’s attempts to strengthen the family she loves so dearly backfires, pitting everyone against each other.

And until her late husband’s parents mend the rift that has existed as long as she’s been married – bringing with them an explosive secret . . .

Review: I listened to this book on audio and the narration was excellent!

I just love the many meanings hidden in the title of this book. A Mother’s Heart. Rachel is a mother and she is our main mother that we follow in this book but then there is the mother of Olivia and Dylan whom Rachel has recently adopted. Then there are 3 grandmothers all with concern for their own children as well as their grandchildren. Finally we have Rachel’s sister who is yearning to be a mother too. The stories of all 6 of these mothers are woven together so beautifully in the way that Carmel Harrington knows how to do so cleverly.

The wonderful thing about this book is that we get to hear about and from all of the mothers in question over the course of this novel. We get to hear from them and therefore each and everyone of them gets our sympathy as a reader and probably if you are a mother yourself then your empathy too. I love a book with multiple narratives and this writer does that so well. Just when you think you’re about to make a breakthrough with a character or someone reveals something in their life, we switch direction and you hear from someone else. This makes for an excellent page turner though!

Not only does this book have multiple points of view but it also has multiple locations. This is another thing that I loved about Carmel Harrington’s previous novel. Switching between New Zealand and Ireland is quite a contrast but both settings are written so well they both feel like home. Switching settings also allowed some of the tension to diffuse between some of these mothers and I think I was as grateful as Rachel in some instances to get away from things and have a change of scenery. 

Rachel is definitely the star of the show in this book. She is instantly relatable and easy to empathise with because she goes about her life in such a considered and caring way. She loves her step children and she has done the very best for them the entire time she has been in their lives. Everything she does outs them first but she is so torn after tragedy has followed her and affected her so many times. Whilst this may not sound like the most appealing concept to deal with in a novel, it is the way that Rachel deals with this stress and the tragedies that face her that is the uplifting thing about this book and what endears her as a character. I am sure that she will touch many hearts and that this novel will bring hope and joy to many people.

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

Review: The Summer Fair by Heidi Swain

 Beth loves her job working in a care home, looking after its elderly residents, but she doesn’t love the cramped and dirty house-share she currently lives in. So, when she gets the opportunity to move to Nightingale Square, sharing a house with the lovely Eli, she jumps at the chance.

 

The community at Nightingale Square welcomes Beth with open arms, and when she needs help to organise a fundraiser for the care home they rally round. Then she discovers The Arches, a local creative arts centre, has closed and the venture to replace it needs their help too – but this opens old wounds and past secrets for Beth.

 

Music was always an important part of her life, but now she has closed the door on all that. Will her friends at the care home and the people of Nightingale Square help her find a way to learn to love it once more…?

Review: Another reliable treat from Heidi Swain. If you’re feeling despondent about the world, or anything else for that matter, this writer can be trusted to show you the light and make you feel just that little bit more positive again. I always love meeting a Heidi Swain main character because they always begin a book at a crossroads in their life, always need a little bit of a pick-me-up and a shove in the right direction again and Beth is no exception. But you know that Heidi Swain is going to look after her. 

One of the things I loved about Beth was how independent she is. This is not necessarily through choice but she is on her own in this world and she has chosen to make the ost of it as opposed to turning it into a sob story. She can see that her home situation has to change and her job situation is not ideal but she takes those obstacles and decides to do something about it. And of course along come Nightingale Square and the residents within. 

Returning to a much-loved location from thai authors creations always feels like returning home and when we have a new character entering that setting you can’t help but find yourself saying ‘oh I can’t wait for them to meet…’ and ‘oh I hope they enjoy…’ because you feel a sense of ownership over that location, that’s the power that this writer gives her settings. It was great to catch ujp on the action in the square again although I feel like we might have been inside almost all of the houses now and that has me a little worried!

As well as helping someone back on the path to happiness, a Heidi Swain novel always has a romance element in it and I LOVED the meet cute in this one. You almost don’t see it coming and then it’s like that moment in The Office where you say “oh ok it’s happening, everyone stay calm’ its a wonder. Another aspect of this novel that I loved which I don’t think has been a highlight of a Heidi Swain book before was music. I loved the musical side of it and the power that music is given throughout the book. I know singing makes me happier and so it was great to see it in black and white on the page here. 

Summery and just lovely I highly recommend The Summer Fair from Heidi Swain. 

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

Guest Review: Summer at the French Cafe by Sue Moorcroft

As soon as Kat Jenson set foot in the idyllic French village of Kirchhoffen, she knew she’d found her home. Now she has a dreamy boyfriend, a delightful dog and the perfect job managing a bustling book café in the vibrant Parc Lemmel.

But when she learns her boyfriend isn’t all he seems, it’s the start of a difficult summer for Kat. Vindictive troublemakers, work woes and family heartache follow, and the clear blue sky that was her life suddenly seems full of clouds.

Then she gets to know the mysterious Noah, and her sun begins to shine brighter than ever. But Noah has problems of his own – ones that could scupper their new-found happiness. Together, can they overcome their many obstacles, and find love again?

Review: I am a firm fan of Sue Moorcroft’s books and know that I can sit down with them and be transported to another world. This book sounded absolutely ideal for a summer read, and I looked forward to being whisked off to a warm French location; I could almost smell the coffee even before I opened the cover. When I started to read, I found that the setting was not only a cafe, but a bookshop into the bargain - one of my favourite sorts of establishment. The story itself soon had me engaged and I finished it all too quickly.

The central character in the story is Kat, who is managing a popular bookshop-cafe by the lake in busy Parc Lemmel in the village of Kirchhoffen. Having left behind a complicated family situation in her native UK, she is happy with her life in the French village, where she has a job that she loves, a handsome boyfriend and an adorable dog who accompanies her to work every day. However, her peaceful existence is suddenly shattered by the discovery that her boyfriend is not the person she believed, and this revelation brings her into contact with someone who is super-vindictive, causing trouble for her and her shop. On a lighter side, she is delighted that her step-brother has also come to work in the parc, giving her a chance to get to know him better, a thing that seemed impossible in the home setting. Contact with him has also brought into her life newcomer Noah, a divorced father with a young daughter. A relationship soon blossoms between Kat and Noah, but his family life is also very complicated, and, although they try to work through their problems together, there seems no way forward for the pair.

The bright and breezy cover on this book suggests a light summer read in a beautiful setting, but it is so much more than that. Within the book’s pages, Sue Moorcroft has introduced and dealt ably with a number of serious topics which I will not list for fear of bringing in spoilers. I will just say that the main characters in the story have to deal with such a lot. There is romance here, but it is set around a strong storyline which twists and turns, keeping the reader guessing as to how it will all end. I very much liked both Noah and Kat and was amazed at how they were able to cope with what was continually coming their way. I can thoroughly recommend this book to Sue Moorcroft fans and those new to this author, but be ready to be confronted with some difficult topics.

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

Review: The Love of My Life by Rosie Walsh

 I was sent this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. 

I have held you every night for ten years and I didn’t even know your name. We have a child together. A dog, a house.

Who are you?

Emma loves her husband Leo and their young daughter Ruby: she’d do anything for them. But almost everything she's told them about herself is a lie.

And she might just have got away with it, if it weren’t for her husband’s job. Leo is an obituary writer and Emma is a well-known marine biologist, so, when she suffers a serious illness, Leo copes by doing what he knows best – reading and writing about her life. But as he starts to unravel her past, he discovers the woman he loves doesn’t really exist. Even her name is fictitious.

When the very darkest moments of Emma’s past life finally emerge, she must somehow prove to Leo that she really is the woman he always thought she was . . .

But first, she must tell him about the love of her other life.

Review: Wow this book had me hooked in from the word go and I could not stop thinking about it as I was listening! Sometimes you have mega high expectations for a book or an author and those expectations are not met, you hype it up too much for yourself and you’ve only yourself to blame. I had high expectations going into this since Rosie Walsh is one of my favourite authors of all time and those expectations were not only met but exceeded. This is, without a doubt, one of my all time favourite books of the year!

I loved getting to meet Emma and Leo and even though this book is about Emma and who she actually is, we get to discover an equal amount about both characters. If you love a character driven novel then you will love this one. Emma is so complex, we know she has a hidden past and we know that we may discover some things about her we might not like but you find yourself really getting behind her and empathising with her all the way. At the same time we have Leo who is suddenly prying into his wife’s past and going through her things, we should hate this invasion of privacy and this breaking of trust and yet you find yourself totally backing him and his decisions too because he is helping us as readers find out about who Emma is too-such a surprise!

But it is the writing and the crafting of this book that really blew me away. This is a book that leaves you with more questions than answers at the end of every chapter. You jump around in time and you jump around between Leo and Emma’s story and so you’re always waiting and wanting to find out more. To drip feed information so painfully slowly to your reader is such an awesome skill and one that I am in total awe of. I listened to the audiobook and it was great aside from the way the narrator pronounced the station Leuchars which unfortunately Emma goes to quite a bit in this novel. It bothered me but it definitely didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the writing. 

This was the kind of audiobook that I stayed longer in my car to keep listening to, that I had to keep playing once I arrived somewhere just to see the fall out from a revelation that just happened. I loved every minute of it and although it wasn’t always a pain-free read in terms of the content, it was all worth it. I just loved the intricacies of these two characters and I adored the way this book was crafted and the story woven oh so carefully. I highly recommend it!

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

Guest Review: The Cafe at Marigold Marina by Tilly Tennant

Welcome to the café on Marigold Marina, where the smell of freshly baked cakes fills the air, the boats bob merrily in the mellow evening sun and an unexpected meeting means the chance to love again…

When Rosie inherits the café on Marigold Marina after her husband’s tragic death, she is determined to pour her heart into his dream. Nine months later, as she serves coffee and cakes to customers, she is all smiles and laughter. But when the sunshine-yellow doors of the café are closed, she allows her heart to break all over again.

Rosie doesn’t have much room in her life for anything but the café. But when Kit, the owner of a bookshop barge, starts to come by regularly for lunch, she finds it difficult to ignore his dark eyes, dishevelled curls and warm smile. As the pair grow closer, and Kit teaches Rosie how to swim in the sparkling marina waters, Rosie begins to hope that she might get a second chance at happiness.

But just as she is letting herself open her heart for a second time, she discovers the shocking secret that the husband she loved for so many years kept hidden from her. And when Kit disappears when she needs him the most, she closes her café for good and leaves the marina. But has she cut herself off too quickly? Will moving away allow her to move on? Or can she only find true happiness if she learns to trust again?

Review: Tilly Tennant is one of my must-read authors, so I was keen to get my hands on her new book asap. It sounded like I was really going to love it with its riverside setting and cafe full of gorgeous offerings. Unusually, I found it took me a while to get into this story, but once hooked I was eager to follow the fortunes of its characters.

The central character in the story is recently-widowed Rosie. She finds herself living above the cafe at Marigold Marina, a river basin near to the town of Stratford-upon-Avon. Renovating the rundown cafe and opening it once again was her husband, Fergus’s, dream and she is doing her best to succeed in his memory. When it is up and running again, Rosie finds she has little time for anything else, but a distraction comes along in the shape of Kit, who owns a book barge which he ties up nearby, and his sister Tabitha, who agrees to help in the cafe. Just as Rosie is beginning to believe that she might find happiness again, she learns a shocking secret that rocks her whole world and makes her want to turn and flee. She is faced with a terrible dilemma - should she give up all that she has achieved or should she stay at Marigold Marina and perhaps find love once more?

Although I, personally, found it took me longer than I expected to get into this book, I was glad that I did and can recommend it to other readers. It has such a lovely setting right on the river and I could certainly envy Rosie waking up to that view every morning. Rosie herself was an interesting character; on one hand strong and determined in relation to her business but incredibly naive in other ways, particularly in respect to the qualities of her late husband. I certainly didn’t like the sound of Fergus. Most of the other characters at the marina were warm and welcoming, in particular Kit and his sister. I would love to catch up with them all and find out what transpired in their lives - surely the sign of a good book.

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

Guest Review: Spring Tides at the Starfish Cafe by Jessica Redland

Welcome back to the Starfish Café - where you will find stunning views, delicious food and lifelong friendships.

A new season...

As winter turns to spring, Hollie - owner of The Starfish Café - is feeling content as she settles into her new life with her loving boyfriend, Jake, and their adorable dog Pickle.

But when an unwelcome visitor threatens the future of her café, Hollie must stay strong to protect her family's legacy...

A leap of faith...

Emerging from an unhappy relationship, Tori finds herself with nowhere to stay and nobody to talk to. The long-hidden secrets of her past weigh heavily on her until a chance encounter with Finley, struggling to come to terms with his own secrets, provides an opportunity to open up.

Can she find the strength to stop hiding from her past and face up to her family? Especially when that would mean letting her guard down and learning to trust again...

A fresh start...?

Little do Hollie and Tori know that their lives are about to collide at The Starfish Café and they may be able to help each other with a fresh start. After all, with good friends in your life, nothing is impossible...

Review: This is the second book in the Starfish Cafe series, following on from Snowflakes Over the Starfish Cafe. In common with many of Jessica Redland’s books, the story is set on the Yorkshire coast, in and around the fictional seaside town of Whitsborough Bay. There are many recurring characters in her books, which give them a warm feel that I very much enjoy. This book begins with a list of characters returning from the last book in the series, with details of their places in the story. It could be read as a standalone, but I feel it would be much better to read the books one after the other as the storylines are very much interlinked. 

In this book, the author continues the story of Hollie and Jake. Hollie owns and manages the Starfish Cafe in addition to running a craft business and training with the RNLI. Jake is a nurse at the local hospital, aspiring photographer and RNLI crew member. After an emotional start, they are now happy with their life together. However, their peaceful existence is suddenly threatened by an unscrupulous local businessman who it seems will go to any lengths to buy the cafe. In the meantime, Hollie has met and befriended a new customer, interior designer Tori, who has her own troubles with a relationship that has turned sour and family problems. However, when Tori meets Jake’s friend Finley, also emerging from a failed romantic partnership, it seems that they may be able to help each other. 

I really enjoyed this continuing saga of the Starfish Cafe and the people involved with the business  It was great to catch up with Hollie and Jake and find out how their relationship had developed. They are both such likeable characters who are bound to have any reader cheering them on to succeed. The introduction of a dangerous man who is bent on having the cafe for himself gave the story an unusually edgy feel and had me, along with Hollie and Jake, trying to work out his motive. I found myself worried about just how far he would go before he was stopped. Once again, the wonderful community spirit of Whitsborough Bay shone through as friends rallied around to help. I was intrigued by Tori’s story; she is from a very unorthodox family to say the least and has fought hard to establish her own identity. I am looking forward to discovering if there is more about her and Finley in the next book in the series. I can recommend this series of books to other readers; it would be a marvellous introduction for those unfamiliar with Jessica Redland’s work.  

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