Review: No One Ever Has Sex on Christmas Day by Tracy Bloom

Don’t you always plan the perfect Christmas? 
Don’t you always think it will be the best one ever? 
And doesn’t something always come along and screw it up? 

Katy’s been stuck in the office away from her family so she wants it all: snow (fake or real), the Michael Bublé Christmas album, whatever it takes. 

There’s only one thing missing as far as her husband Ben is concerned: another baby to complete their family. But Katy isn’t so sure she's ready yet…

Ben may be playing the role of Master Elf in the pre-school nativity but he is struggling to master his own family life. With romantically-challenged friends, an ex who refuses to go away and Katy's mum's 64-year-old toy boy thrown into the mix, Christmas looks like it could be going off the rails… Never mind family planning, can Katy and Ben even plan to make it to the end of Christmas Day? 

From the no. 1 bestselling author of No-one Ever Has Sex on a Tuesday, this book will make you cry with laughter, and then book your flights abroad for the festive season

Review: You must know by now that I am a massive fan of Tracy Bloom, her novels always have me in stitches and so I was very excited when I heard she was bringing out another festive novel-just what I need, laughs at Christmas time. But this novel gave me so much more than just laughs. This is the third in the no-one ever has sex series and so it was great to revisit these characters again. You don't need to have read the other books in the series to enjoy this festive offering, it definitely works as a stand alone but the other books are so great and you will learn so much more about the history of the characters that I definitely recommend doing that. 

The characters in this book are just funny in themselves. I love Katy as a character because she is a strong woman and so someone I love to read about and identify with. But she is no-one without Ben, he is definitely her comedy sidekick and he is just a real gem in terms of men in fiction. I'm not just being biased because he is a fellow teacher but he is just such a love a I love him to bits. Of course with the comedy couple, we need to the straight couple for them to bounce off and Annabelle and Katy's ex are definitely that, but they have their own storyline in this novel, which is great too, and so are just fab to read about. 

Now there is a nativity in this book and I really believe that, along with the one from the film Nativity! it may just be the greatest of all time. I want to steal it and do it with my future classes at this time of year because it had humour, it had songs and it had meaning and quite frankly I cried over it! I loved it and it was a major highlight of the book for me. 

I also loved the deeper meaning in this book. There are messages about the importance of family and about the idea of having it all and the fear of missing out. This is intertwined with the humour of the book beautifully and along with a festive nativity you really have it all. One last thing that I loved about this book was that it was set in Leeds and I am a northern girl so I could feel their northerness just leaping off the page. I really enjoyed this read and would definitely recommend picking it up!

Click the link to order your copy now: UK or US

Review: Chasing The Sun by Katy Colins

Georgia Green is on the conveyor belt to happiness.

Live-in boyfriend, perfect career and great friends, it seems like Georgia is only a Tiffany box away from her happily ever after. But when she arrives in Australia for her best friend’s wedding and is faced with the bridezilla from hell, she starts to realise that she might not want the cookie-cutter ending she thought.

What was meant to be a trip full of sunny days at the beach and wedding planning over cocktails, has turned into another problem for her to fix – just like the ones she’d left behind. With hardly any time for her boyfriend, let alone herself, it feels like there is just too much to juggle. It might be time for Georgia to step off the conveyor belt to find the balance in life and see if she really can have it all…

Review: Oh this was the prefect funny, romantic, summer read. I picked this up because I wanted something that would be a little escapist and would make me laugh and that was exactly what I got. I just loved the storyline of this novel. It had everything you could want. A little travel, a little drama, a little relationship trouble, and a lot of growing up. It was all balanced perfectly. There were interesting sub plots and just a lot of fun times. It was fast-paced and so I read it all in one day. It left me feeling warm inside and happy that not everyone has their lives together the way you think they do. 

Now I haven't read Katy Colins's other novels but I got into this one straight away and so I guess you don't have to have read the others in order to pick this one up. I do know that I have been spoiled for the others so let that be a warning to you! I loved getting to know Georgia. She is a character who i can easily identify with, she could be one of my own friendship group. She is great at looking like she has got it under control when really she's knackered and its all a bit much and I am sure there are plenty of us out there who can totally relate to that when it comes to juggling work, family, friendships and relationships. Her own friendships are also very easy to recognise as the friendships I have and issues I have. 

I loved the other characters in the novel as well. All of them are completely plausible and all of them felt very real. I enjoyed learning about who they are and reading their storylines though Georgia. Some of the other characters made for the funniest moments in the novel and I just loved the way they all fitted into the storyline. There were some seriously hilarious moments in this novel but I think I liked the fact that this all could have happened to me. I enjoyed the travel, I enjoyed the adventure and I enjoyed the friendships and relationships that were explored in this novel. This was a great read and definitely something to add to your suitcase or over sized handbag this summer!

To order your copy, just click here!

Review: The Best of Adam Sharp by Graeme Simsion

Would you risk everything for a second chance at first love?

At forty-nine-going-on-fifty, Adam Sharp likes his life. He works part-time in IT consulting, is a leading member of his local pub-quiz and has a stable relationship with his partner, Claire. But there's something he can't shake: a longing for the life he might have had with smart, strong-willed actress Angelina Brown.

Then, out of nowhere, Angelina walks back into his life. All the intensity of their affair twenty years ago resurfaces and Adam must make a decision.

Should he let her go again? Or does he dare to live dangerously? 

  

Review: I got stuck into this book straight away, it is definitely a very compelling read because you know the situation tat Adam is going to get himself into but you don't know how he got there or how he is going to resolve it in the end. The structure of this book is firstly that it is in two parts and the author said himself that those two parts are both very different. The first part is definitely very much Adam reminiscing about his time in Australia, about his music and his past love. And the second part is very much present day and what the consequences of Adam's actions, whatever they might be, are. The first part has flashbacks as well so sometimes we are with Adam in Australia and sometimes we are with him in his present day life pondering the meaning of life. I am a big fan of flashbacks and these work well in the physical copy of the book because you can track where you are, but don't work so well in the audiobook because you can't always tell you have shifted time periods. 

Adam himself is a great vehicle for this novel. He isn't always easy to like but he is very easy to relate to because he is just a normal guy, someone who has a very middle class, suburban life, thinking about what he could have made of his life and the adventures he had in his youth. Unless you are still very young, you will definitely be able to relate to this. Adam doesn't always say and do the things you expect him to, making this quite a challenging read sometimes, but because Adam is the way he is, he moves the book forward and makes it much more of a realistic story. 

There are other supporting characters in the book took, none of whom i particularly liked either but all add a sense of something else to the story, the characters who encourage risk, the characters who play devils advocate, the characters who offer safety and those that offer escapism. I thought the mix of characters was really well-written, even though I didn't like them! 

As I mentioned above, I listened to this book on audiobook and really didn't get on with the narrator. He was quite softly spoken and had little or not intonation. I found that the physical copy of the book I ended up reading was much more dramatic because I could hear more pitch change and excitement in my own head and I also didn't have to turn the volume right up to be able to hear the words! So my advice would be to get the ebook or the physical book of this one. 

If you are expecting a novel the same as the Rosie Project then you are definitely in for a shock but this is an incredibly well written novel. The music is great and I loved the fact that there is a play list to accompany this book, it really brings it alive. I laughed, i related, I cringed and I got angry. This book brought out all the feels and that's why I found it to be an enjoyable read!

Click here to get your copy now: UK or US

Review: Lobsters by Tom Ellen and Lucy Ivison

Sam and Hannah only have the holidays to find 'The One'. Their lobster. But instead of being epic, their summer is looking awkward. They must navigate social misunderstandings, the plotting of well-meaning friends, and their own fears of being virgins for ever to find happiness. But fate is at work to bring them together. And in the end, it all boils down to love.

Review: Why did I wait so long to read this book? I know I am always saying this but I bought this book when it first came out in the UK and so it has been sitting on my shelf that long waiting to entertain me. I loved this read right from the word go. It was entertaining, funny and relatable. I loved the fact that it is a YA novel but it is about grown up, British teenagers. Something which is often hard to find. This book is all about that summer between school and university when people are going off on group holidays, heading to festivals, travelling to their gap years, finding jobs and waiting for those exam results. Most people have gone through that time and so it is about time someone wrote a novel about how weird a time it is!

This is also a love story obviously. But, like all real relationships things aren't smooth and happy and jolly, there are some total cringe moments, as well as some hugely funny misunderstandings and I loved that about it. These characters of course, bring these situations to life and I loved spending time with Hannah and Sam and their groups of friends. Sam's group of friends felt just like watching an episode of the Inbetweeners and I think that's one of the reasons I found them so hilarious. Hannah's group is the usual frenemies situation and are always talking about sex and losing their virginity (remember when that's all you and your friends could talk about?). I really enjoyed the dynamic between them and any of them could have been the people I went to school with. 

I listened to this book on audiobook and because it is a dual narrative, this worked really well. The only aspect of the audiobook that let it down a little was the fact that the narrator gave Tilly a really squeaky voice so that she sounded 4 and not 18! The romantic aspect of the book isn't rammed down your throat, this is a funny story about growing up more than it is about relationships and so don;'t be put off by that. There are some very real relationship moments and I loved the bits that really were sweet in there, because that's real life isn't it? I just really loved this book, I loved what it stood for I loved the humour and I really want to know where these characters all are now!

To get your copy, just click the link UK or US

Review: The 12 Days of Dash and Lily by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

Dash and Lily have been dating for nearly a year, but when Lily’s beloved grandfather falls ill, the repercussions take their toll on everyone. Even though they are still together, somehow the magic has gone out of their relationship and it’s clear that Lily has fallen out of love with life.

Action must be taken! Dash teams up with Lily’s brother and a host of their friends, who have just twelve days to get Lily’s groove back in time for Christmas.

Review: Obviously this book is a sequel and so it is going to be hard to read without giving away any spoilers, but since the blurb of this book plainly states that Dash and Lily have been dating for nearly a year, I know I can mention that at least. For starters I have to say that it was wonderful being back in the world of Dash and Lily again. I read the two books fairly close together and would really recommend re-reading the first book in this duology before reading this one, it'll be great fun, i promise!

One of the things I loved about the first book in this series was the description of New York City. I loved being in the city with Dash and Lily and this book has exactly the same quality. Because of the wonderful writing, you can totally picture yourself wandering around Manhattan with these two, wishing that you were hanging out with them in The Strand bookstore and I think that was why I loved being back in their world so much. 

These authors have also been very clever when it comes to the character development. These two characters were so popular from their first outing, it would have been a safe choice to keep them the same and just have them go about the same kind of adventure once more. But people change. Especially people who are in the formative stages of their lives, and I loved seeing how much these characters had changed and grown. This brought up conflict in both of their lives and so made for a more interesting story and that was great, but I still love both of them!

This is definitely one of those books where you have to have read the first book in order to understand this sequel, there is just no getting around it. I really don't think that would be a problem though because both of the books in this series are wonderful reads and I'm sure that reading the two back to back would be a wonderful experience for you. I loved both these books and would definitely recommend picking up this one immediately!

To order your copy now, click here!

Review: Not Working by Lisa Owens

Now and again we all lie awake wondering what on earth we're doing with our lives . . . don't we? Claire Flannery has had more than a few sleepless nights lately. Maybe she shouldn't have walked out of her job with no idea what to do next. Maybe she should think before she speaks -- and maybe then her mother would start returning her calls. Maybe she should be spending more time going to art galleries, or reading up on current affairs, and less time in her pyjamas, entering competitions on the internet. Then again, maybe the perfect solution to life's problems only arises when you stop looking for it . . .

Review: This was an interesting read for me. Its definitely not exactly what I was expecting it to be. I was initially drawn in by the cover, you know I love a good coffee cup, and then by the title. I too am currently not working. Then I read the premise and the early praise his novel and thought, yes I will definitely like this but it didn't quite meet my expectations... A have heard a lot of people talking about the way the book is structured. Its not traditional prose and yet it isn't written in verse either. This book is written in little snippets of thought, kind of like a stream of consciousness, however each section has a heading so you know what each part is going to concern. Each section can range from one small paragraph to a few pages. I would like to be controversial and say that I liked this structure. It did make the story harder to follow but I feel like it made me identify with the character more. I felt a little like I was reading Tumblr posts or facebook updates and it really stuck a chord with me. 

Although I did feel like I could identify with the character more because of this structure, I didn't necessarily warm to her that easily. Obviously this character has chosen to leave her job, a move which I made too so I can feel what she is going through. She is also in a long term relationship and so is in the position of being the one at home while her partner goes off to work. I did think that she was somewhat self-centred though and so I found her difficult to like for those reasons. I did definitely agree with her reasons for doing most things but struggled to side with her on all things. 

There are is a range of supporting characters in this novel too. I really disliked Claire's family and her partners family too. I thought them to be seriously backward and really couldn't believe the way they were behaving sometimes. This did create drama for the storyline but I'm not sure people can be so narrow minded in this day and age. I really liked Luke, he too felt real and so I found him easy to identify with. he is not perfect at every moment throughout this story, but for a sleep-deprived trainee medic, he had a lot of patience. 

Its quite hard to sum up my thoughts on this book. I liked the premise of the story and I enjoyed the way it was written. In terms of the story arc itself and the characters involved in the story, I wasn't entirely convince and so I would say that it was a mixed bag for me. I would really like to find out if the author intended there to be a follow up to this book and that is why the story arc is the way that it is. But my best advice to you is to read it for yourself, especially if you enjoy books about women in their twenties trying to find their way in life, and see for yourself!

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

Review: The Singles Game by Lauren Weisberger

The new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Devil Wears Prada and Revenge Wears Prada—a dishy tell-all about a beautiful tennis prodigy who, after changing coaches, suddenly makes headlines on and off the court.

Charlotte “Charlie” Silver has always been a good girl. She excelled at tennis early, coached by her father, a former player himself, and soon became one of the top juniors in the world. When she leaves UCLA—and breaks her boyfriend’s heart—to turn pro, Charlie joins the world’s best athletes who travel eleven months a year, competing without mercy for Grand Slam titles and Page Six headlines.

After Charlie suffers a disastrous loss and injury on Wimbledon’s Centre Court, she fires her longtime coach and hires Todd Feltner, a legend of the men’s tour, who is famous for grooming champions. Charlie is his first-ever female player, and he will not let her forget it. He is determined to change her good-girl image—both on the court and off—and transform her into a ruthless competitor who will not only win matches and climb the rankings, but also score magazine covers and seven-figure endorsement deals. Her not-so-secret affair with the hottest male player in the world, sexy Spaniard Marco Vallejo, has people whispering, and it seems like only a matter of time before the tabloids and gossip blogs close in on all the juicy details. Charlie’s ascension to the social throne parallels her rising rank on the women’s tour—but at a major price.

Review: This books drops you right in the middle of the action. We meet Charlie straight away and find out that she is about to go and play a match at Wimbledon, but there's a problem. This book therefore hooks you in right from the  word go and I defy anyone to be able to resist reading on after that start! I really loved the drama that this book contained, and there is a lot of it, there is never a dull moment and it makes for a real page turner because of that. IF you are familiar with this author's other books then you will know how well she writes drama but the storyline for this one has the potential to be a little duller, especially if you are not into tennis (like me) but she keeps you reading and gasping and then reading some more. 

I thought I might not be able to get along with Charlie as a character. She is young tennis superstar. I'm not that into reading about characters who are entitled in some way and I really don't know anything about tennis, but I really got to know her because she has strong morals and values and maintains strong relationships with her friends and family, despite her fame and hectic travel schedule. I rally enjoyed meeting the other characters in the book. They are all fairly extreme characters and so they were definitely easy to picture and easy to assign roles within the story. 

Obviously this story deals with tennis and I really don't know a lot about tennis and neither do I really care about it. This book, though, taught me a lot about it and about the dramas behind each and every grand slam. I didn't know I wanted to know those things about it but because it is all wrapped up so neatly within this storyline, you don't even realise you are following tennis at the same time-how great is that? This book is about so much more than tennis. It is about what happens when you grow up and change but your world doesn't. About relationships, about goals and ambitions. I love this author and so I knew I would probably like this book but I enjoyed every moment of this book and it is definitely one to add to your summer TBR!

To get your copy now, click on the link: US or UK

Review: Doing It! by Hannah Witton

Sexting. Virginity. Consent. The Big O ... Let's face it, doing it can be tricksy. I don't know anyone (including myself) who has sex all figured out. So I've written a book full of honest, hilarious (and sometimes awkward) anecdotes, confessions and revelations. And because none of us have all the answers, I've invited some friends and fellow YouTubers to talk about their sexuality, too.

We talk about doing it safely. Doing it joyfully. Doing it when you're ready. Not doing it. Basically, doing it the way you want, when you want. So. Let's do this ...

Review: I was so excited about reading this book so when my friend gave me her proof copy, I set about reading it straight away! I read this book from cover to cover on a plane journey over the Atlantic and broadcast the phrase 'Let's Talk About Sex' to anyone who passed me in my aisle seat! I can definitely say that this is fast paced read and as this author says at the beginning of the book, you can dip in and out of various parts of it and pick out things that apply to you at that moment or skip over things your don't want to read about right now for one reason or another. 

As someone who has taught Sex and Relationship education, I think that this is a really great reference for young people. You can tell it is pitched at a younger audience than myself and yet at no pint did I feel it was patronising or sugar-coating anything. There are some frank discussions about consent, rape and other subjects which might be considered taboo for a teenage audience such as kink and porn but i like that fact that it gave the facts, and sometimes diagrams and didn't tell the reader that this was something they should go away and further research for themselves, it laid it all out there. I thought the inclusion of diagrams and the inclusion of personal accounts from Hannah were really important and made the book more than just a reference book. 

This book also has contributions from other people, people who can give examples of real life experiences and how sex and relationships play out in today's world. There are accounts of what it is like to be pan sexual, what sex is like when you're deaf and even a couple of sections written by a law professional about sex and the law, the age of consent and what it means. I really liked the fact that there are some first hand accounts in here and that this author admitted that she didn't know anything when it comes to sex and relationships. 

Overall I found this to be a really enjoyable read. I didn't learn anything from it myself but it was reassuring as an educator that this book is now out there for young people to pick up. The book itself has a great structure with illustrations, accounts from other people, facts and figures and tweets and personal accounts from Hannah herself. I thought it was well-balanced, a good example for books of it kind and it even managed to make me laugh out loud on a full plane!

To order your copy now, click here!

Review: The Queen of Wishful Thinking by Milly Johnson

When Lewis Harley has a health scare in his early forties, he takes it as a wake-up call. So he and his wife Charlotte leave behind life in the fast lane and Lewis opens the antique shop he has dreamed of. Bonnie Brookland was brought up in the antiques trade and now works for the man who bought out her father’s business, but she isn’t happy there. So when she walks into Lew’s shop, she knows this is the place for her.

As Bonnie and Lew start to work together, they soon realise that there is more to their relationship than either thought. But Bonnie is trapped in an unhappy marriage, and Lew and Charlotte have more problems than they care to admit. Each has secrets in their past which are about to be uncovered. Can they find the happiness they both deserve?

Review: This was such a fabulous book to be absorbed in over a weekend and definitely one to banish those rainy springtime blues. Milly Johnson has a great gift of being able to weave serious issues and humour together with the help of characters you can easily relate to and relationships you can easily fall in love with and this book is a great example of that. This is a great book for die-hard Milly fans but also fabulous if this is your first foray into the wonderfully Yorkshire world that this author creates!

I was definitely hooked on this story right from the word go and found it really difficult to put down once I had picked it up. The story surrounds two people who are going through a great deal of changes in their lives and they each get a chapter at a time to deal with their own personal stories and then sometimes their tales overlap and we get to see the way they react to each other as well as the way they deal with their issues on their own, I loved this structure and it made for a very easy read. 

This book also deals with the antiques business and a little bit with the law, both of which I have limited knowledge of, but this wasn't a problem, as I was afraid it might be. I came away from the book feeling like a knew a little bit more about both and I really do look at the antiques industry in a completely different light now. I think if you have any interest in the business of antiques then this is definitely a must-read for you, but if you are new to that whole aspect of life, Milly will guide you through it, don't you worry. 

The issues of domestic violence, divorce, miscarriage and starting again from scratch are all covered in this book and yet you don't feel like this is a book about 'issues' and those things aren't forced down your throat at any point. Because this book has such strong main characters, these things are happening but are just a part of their lives and you get to deal with them alongside the characters so nothing seems to heavy or unnecessarily dramatic. 

Speaking of those characters, I loved those two main characters. Bonnie is a woman who is stronger than she realises and it was wonderful watching her grow and develop over the course of the book. She doesn't appreciate the sunshine that she brings into the lives of those around her and it is great seeing how she affects her friends and colleagues. Lew also doesn't seem to realise how strong he is. I loved how laid back he was throughout the whole of the book. I would love to have a boss like him and I really enjoyed seeing his transformation as the book went on. 

There were some seriously funny moments in this bit, particularly the misprinted newspaper headlines and captions that are interspersed throughout the pages. There were also a few moments when this book made me cry, sometimes through happiness and sometimes through sadness, but being able to laugh and cry at the same read is the sign of a truly good book and that's just what this is! I love how typically Yorkshire some of the phrases are and they were just the icing on the cake for me in what was a fantastic read and another win for Milly Johnson. 

To get your fabulously Yorkshire copy, 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!

Guest Review: The Unpredictable Consequences of Love

When Josh Strachan, newly returned to his home in north Cornwall from sunny California, first meets Sophie Wells, he's immediately smitten. Sophie's pretty, she's funny, she has lots of friends and she clearly loves her job as a photographer, despite the sometimes tricky clients. There's just one problem: Sophie has very firmly turned her back on love. It's nothing personal, she tells Josh, but she just doesn't do dates. And no one - even Sophie's scatty best friend Tula - will tell him why. Josh is sure Sophie likes him, though, and he's just got to find out what's put her off romance. And then put things right...

Review: Although she has written a large number of books, this was the first Jill Mansell story that I have read. I actually listened to it as an audiobook and found it a very entertaining companion on a long car journey. The storyline drew me in right from the start and kept my interest all the way through. 

The story has a really powerful cast of varied characters, all of them strong and interesting, with well-described back stories. Among the central characters, are: Sophie, a young professional photographer who has settled in the area; her friend, Tula, who moves from the city to join her; Josh, who has returned to the town to run a local hotel with his grandmother; and the apparently lazy and work-shy local boy, Riley, who lives with his writer aunt.

There are all sorts of storylines going on within the book. Sophie is struggling to overcome a tragedy in her past and trying hard to move on. Josh in particular, is puzzled by her attitude and is keen to help her. Tula's attitudes to men are also coloured by past experiences. Even the more minor characters are involved in dramatic situations. It's not plain sailing for anyone.

The action takes place in a small Cornish seaside town, lots of it in the hotel run by Josh and his grandmother. The hotel has a really picturesque setting overlooking the beach, with a path down to the sand. It sounds really idyllic. You can almost picture the beach, with its mixture of families playing in the sand and surfers taking advantage of the waves.

I thought that this story was really skilfully written. It has great depth to it and plenty going on to keep the reader's interest. It would make a great addition to anyone's pile of holiday reading. Having now read my first Jill Mansell book, I shall be looking out for her next one with anticipation. 

Review: We Were On a Break by Lindsey Kelk

‘You’ve just had a holiday,’ I pointed out, trying not to yawn. ‘Wasn’t that enough of a break?’
‘I don’t mean that kind of break.’

There’s nothing worse than the last day of holiday. Oh wait, there is. When what should have been a proposal turns into a break, Liv and Adam find themselves on opposite sides of the life they had mapped out.

Friends and family all think they’re crazy; Liv throws herself into work – animals are so much simpler than humans – and Adam tries to get himself out of the hole he’s dug. But as the short break becomes a chasm, can they find a way back to each other?

More importantly, do they want to?

Review: As always, I was very excited about this book coming out. I love the premise behind this one. Lindsey Kelk always writes about real things that can happen to real people. This book is a very realistic take on relationships, dating and settling down in society today. It focuses on what life is like as you hit your thirties and get more responsibility, what life is like when your friends are settling down and having children and what dating and relationships are like since the advent of social media and dating apps like Tindr. I love Lindsey Kelk's take on everything, I've said it before and I'll say it again, she just says it like it is. You know that nothing is hidden, nothing is sugar-coated and its like she's saying what we've all been thinking, but just haven't had the guts to put it out there!

Obviously the concept of 'we were on a break' is a very famous part of the TV show Friends but this is nothing like that and so don't expect it to be. The concept of the 'break' as alluded to on the front cover was exactly as ambiguous and complicated as I hoped it would be. Obviously the structure of this novel is a little different for this author because this is the first time things have been told from both sides, we have Adam and we have Liv and both of them tell the story. I love a dual narrative and I love getting to hear what each person makes of a situation or indeed of the other person. The storyline is also interesting because Liv is a vet and Adam is a carpenter. I don't think I've read anything with such high-profile characters having these careers. It was incredibly well-researched though and so I was happy with that aspect of the novel. 

In terms of Liv and Adam themselves. I really liked the way they interacted with each other and with the other characters in the book (best friends Abi and Cass are seriously funny, and Chris is one of those love to hate brothers who ultimately means well, don't even get me started on David-love him!) its all very real and very naturally, you're not always going to get along with everyone are you? As characters themselves, I think the 'break' made me dislike them just a little bit, they were both somewhat indecisive and I think if i were their friend, I would have lost patience with them at some point...

This book isn't set in London or in New York, but in much more rural England and this was also a little different for this author. I enjoyed the fact that people couldn't just hop in a taxi or on a tube and be somewhere super-quick, it was nice that they had to drive for 2 hours to get home from the airport and get in the car to go and visit someone! The timeframe that the books takes place over is really rather short. I think for me, this made the book move a little slower, I'm used to a little more pace in Kelk's novels but, as you can see from above, it clearly didn't harm my opinion of this book. I wouldn't say this was my favourite Lindsey Kelk story but it had all of the features that I come to expect from her novels, which was great, and I absolutely loved the ending, made me laugh and cry. Defintiely pop this one on your TBR!

Click here to get your copy now-out today!

Review: The Duff by Kody Keplinger

Today I am going to review The Duff. The film is out in cinemas in the UK next week and I went to see a special preview this Tuesday. I will be doing a book vs film comparison on the blog soon but to celebrate the release of the film, here's my review of the book...

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is smart, cynical, loyal - and well aware that she's not the hot one in her group of friends. But when high-school jock and all round moron Wesley Rush tells her she's a DUFF - a Designated, Ugly Fat Friend - Bianca does not the see funny side. She may not be a beauty but she'd never stoop so low as to go anywhere near the likes of Wesley ... Or would she? Bianca is about to find out that attraction defies looks and that sometimes your sworn enemies can become your best friends ...

With a wry and tell-it-like-it-is voice, New York Times Bestselling novel The Duff is a witty and poignant story of a teenager struggling with the rules of high school attraction, along with the breaking down of her relationships with family and friends. It is a novel about what it means to be sexy, in a world where we feel we have to be perfect!

Review: Ok so I'm going to have to admit that I really wasn't terribly into this book in the first few pages, now usually that spells doom for me and not really enjoying the book, but as the story went on, I became more and more invested in the story and sat reading a great chunk of this all in one sitting! I laughed, I gasped, i even went oooo in a few places. i was a little shocked that there was so much sex and swearing in a YA book but reading it as an adult it didn't really bother me.  can't believe how young this author is either-am seriously jealous that such talent can be exhibited at such a young age-I need to get a move on clearly!

I really liked the characters in this book, in that they felt pretty real to me. Sometimes I didn't like the fact that they were such typical teenagers and therefore somewhat whiny and naive but then I always take against teenagers in books for that reasons so I'm totally not judging! Bianca was the least whiny of the bunch and so it was good that she was the main character. She seems strong on the outside, but many of her actions in this book are done through insecurity and through wanting to try and find herself or better herself and so she really isn't as strong as she makes out. She is practical though and understands what real life is like and so I liked her for that. 

The makes characters in the book are interesting and are kind of like your typical Jocks., I was, of course rooting for Bianca to get with one male character in partciular all the way through the book, I won't give the game away and tell you which one. The high school setting is typical of YA but I like the family aspect of this book too and theme of strong friendships throughout. 

Overall this book was a lot of fun. I think the reason I didn't connect with it straight away was that it felt it went a little too quickly in the beginning but as the story progressed, things slowed down and we were able to see the characters and the storyline in its fullest form and really explore what was going on. I really enjoyed the book and found it to be a really quick read. Its a fun read but i would definitely say that its something for older teens because of the sex, the swearing and the exploration of alcoholism. 

Review: The Beginner's Guide To The Birds And The Bees by Sophie Hart

What happens in the bedroom doesn’t have to stay in the bedroom
A refreshingly open and uplifting romantic comedy about friendship, love and sex. Sometimes you need to step out of your comfort zone in order to give a relationship a good dose of TLC…

Sex therapist Annie Hall helps couples put the fizz back into their relationships. It’s a shame her own love life is non-existent. When Jamie who works next door catches her eye, she can’t ignore the spark of chemistry.

Most men would jump at the chance to skive off work for an afternoon quickie with their gorgeous wife, but Nick knows Julia is after only one thing – a baby. Sex shouldn’t be a chore. Can Annie help Julia see that?

Newly engaged Zoe and Simon can’t keep their hands off each other. They’ve decided to take a vow of celibacy until their wedding night. Will Annie help them stick to it?

Roy and Linda have been married for over thirty years but she’s more interested in the family business than getting intimate with him. Can Annie convince Linda to rediscover her passion for Roy after all this time?

While Annie begins to work her magic with the three couples, she soon discovers that she’ll need to take some of her own advice if she’s going to let a new man into her life.

Review: this book will have you hooked for the first page and keep your attention right until the very last page! I love an original storyline and this book definitely had that. This author just writes things which are incredibly compelling to read because of the storyline but also because of her writing style, its like she knows how you want to read a novel and makes it easier for you! Each chapter of this book begins with a quote about sex from a famous name and then leads into the stories of its various characters. The structure means that it is fast paced and that naughtiness and sex appeal runs through ti without it being overly explicit or erotic. Yes, its a book about sex and a sex therapist, but there is actually very little sex that explicitly goes on in the story!

The characters in this novel are just so cute you want to wrap them up and take them home, you root for each and every one of them, especially sex therapist Annie. You want her to sort her own love life out and have a fulfilling relationship and at the same time you admire her for the work that she does with others and the ideas that she has to help the clients that she sees! The other couples in the book are equally as likeable. Zoe and Simon are just so young and carefree, Simon has some fairly surprising moment in the book but you love him all the same. Ray and Linda are just desperate to get their spark back and although Linda comes off as a bit of a cold fish initially, she soon warms to Annie and the other characters as well! and Julia and Nick have a similar balance in that Julia is reluctant to begin with but soon comes round to Nick's way of thinking, and that's just the beginning of the book, this storyline swoops and twists its way to the grand finale. 

The structure of the novel also means that you get to spend time with each set of couples individually as well as en mass and it means that you really get to know them all and feel as if you actually know them in real life. Even Annie's family get to play a part! Fear not, there really is no explicit sex on this novel though, there are some incredibly steamy moments because, let's face it, Annie is a sex therapist, but these are tasteful and hopeful and brilliant! I loved the ending of this novel, the whole thing was just everything I wanted it to be, the pace, the structure, the characters and then this lovely author threw in an epilogue-I love an epilogue, and although it wrapped everything up nicely-I still miss the characters, I want to know how they're getting on and what they're doing! This is just an lovely warm hug of a novel that is perfect for reading at this time of year and will definitely put a smile on your face!

Review: Love Me Or Leave Me by Claudia Carroll

Welcome to the Hope Street Hotel – where you check in married, and check out single.’

Two years ago Chloe Townsend was dumped at the altar and had to leave behind everything that mattered to her. Even now she’s finding it hard to move forward. That is until she lands an incredible job, running a brand new boutique hotel. Suddenly she’s starting to put her life back together, and, apart from the fact that her hard-to-please new boss is breathing down her neck, things are looking good.

But what goes on in the Hope Street Hotel is a far cry from anything she’s ever dealt with before. This is a pioneering ‘divorce hotel’ designed to make every aspect of breaking up efficient and pain-free. In one single weekend, Chloe’s team promises to take care of everything – legal, technical, emotional – and guests check out carefree and single.

No one is better qualified than Chloe to understand what couples need when their relationship is at breaking point, but she soon finds herself having to tackle the heartbreak she’s tried to bury. In particular three couples need her help – Jo and Dave, Lucy and Andrew, and Kirk and Dawn – and the opening weekend is full of revelation, trouble, memories happy and sad, facts that need facing, and some very big surprises.

It’s time to move on. And it soon becomes clear that some endings are, in fact, very exciting new beginnings …

Review: what a fabulously original storyline! I love when a book throws up something completely different, but the idea of a divorce hotel? Amazing! I really liked the structure of the book as well. Each couple is dealt with from an individual perspective but then we get to see everything through the eyes of manager Chloe as well, and boy does she see more that goes on than the guests really think. She can't seem to see what's right in front of her nose though and this is a whole other storyline-just wonderful. 

The different couples in the book mean that there are plenty of people to root for. Some to love, some to hate and its interesting how this wonderful author changes your opinion of characters as the book goes on. I really felt for couple Jo and Dave, their story really saddened me. The story of Dawn and Kirk was really relatable and Andrew and Lucy were just so sweet and trying  so hard with everything that was against them. I really felt for all of these couple but that didn't mean that I didn't want them to get divorced, that's the beauty of this writing. 

Chloe is a fab character too. She is such a strong person and has really made it for herself. I really admired her and she seemed to do everything with a smile. But then big boss Rob comes along an throws somewhat of a spanner into the works, this provides a whole other storyline as I've said, something to distract the reader from all the bickering couples. 

The writing in this novel is beautiful, everything is described with opulent vocabulary and you really feel that you are right there in the hotel with the characters! The plot keeps you guessing every second page and the structure makes it very clear exactly what is going on! Overall I think fans of Claudia Carroll won't be disappointed with her latest offering and if you've not read anything by this author before, this would be an excellent starting point. It is warm and fuzzy but at the same time very realistic and very relatable. I really enjoyed its originality and would definitely add this to your reading list now!

Review: The Third Wife by Lisa Jewell

In the early hours of an April morning, Maya stumbles into the path of an oncoming bus.

A tragic accident? Or suicide?

Her grief-stricken husband, Adrian, is determined to find out.

Maya had a job she enjoyed; she had friends. They’d been in love.

She even got on with his two previous wives and their children. In fact, they’d all been one big happy family. 

But before long Adrian starts to identify the dark cracks in his perfect life.

Because everyone has secrets.

And secrets have consequences.

Some of which can be devastating…

Review: first of all can I say how much I love the cover of this book, I actually began reading this book on kindle and then the lovely people at Random House gave me a hardback copy and I just couldn't stop stroking it, and the wonderful thing is that it gives absolutely nothing away about what is in the book-fantastic! 

I honestly don't know how Lisa Jewell manages to come up with so many different and original ideas for novels, it's amazing, just when you are looking for something different, that will challenge your ideas, something entirely unpredictable, along she comes with something fantastically different...just like this book! The moment I began reading this book I was hooked right in and couldn't put it down. I read it before work at my desk, in bed at night, in the garden when I should've been unpacking, over lunch, whenever I could grab a spare minute. It has drama and intrigue and mystery and yet not too much of any one of these things just the perfect amount of balance. Now I am not normally a fan of too much mystery in a book but I found myself so drawn into the case of Maya and the questions surrounding her death that I was willing to book to give me more, just enough to keep me satisfied for now, not enough to spoil the mystery altogether, and that is exactly what it did. 

Adrian is the main character in this novel, he is the guy with the three wives, his children play an integral part in the novel too, as do his wives and another mystery woman. As a main character, I wouldn't say he is entirely likeable. He wants to be liked and thinks he is liked and is making everybody happy when Infact he is not. I found him very hard to get on with, but that didn't take away anything from the story for me. He spends a lot of time contemplating his own existence when really, he has five kids, he should be more involved in all of their lives. He should be able to see how he has affected each of his three wives and he should be moving on with his life with due care and attention to those around him. He is an interesting character though and the lynchpin that holds the whole book together.

The other characters in this novel are a lovely mismatch of children and wives and yet somehow they all fit together and the story wouldn't not be the same if even one of them were removed. I really like the fact that each of the other characters have their own secret as well and all their secrets come to fruition in some beautiful, quite heartbreaking letters at the end if the novel. The settings covered I this novel provide additional characters to the storyline. Maya and Adrian's flat, Caroline's Islington Townhouse and Susie's cottage in hove. They are all beautifully described and as a reader, you felt like you yourself were moving between each of the dwellings with Adrian and his children. I loved the sound of all of them to be honest.

One of the best things about this novel is that I think it will appeal to such a wide audience. It isn't overly romantic or sentimental and so those who aren't normally fans of 'women's fiction' would be able to take a great deal from this book. There is enough mystery for fans of that genre and yet not so much that it puts people like me off. The writing is beautiful and the storyline so well constructed that you will be able to loose yourself in this world. If this is your first Lisa Jewell novel then you are in for a treat and if you are already a fan of this fabulous author then you definitely won't be disappointed, this needs to be your next read! 

Review: The Arcade Year 2 Episode 5 Revelations by Kitty Charles

May sees the return of Vlad to the arcade,much to the distress of the tenants. But he seems different to before. Together with Jason, Joan hatches a plan to ensure Vlad isn't a threat to her arcade ever again. But will everyone agree to play along?

Marilyn can't shake her suspicion that Jason was somehow involved in last month's accident. Should she confront him and risk their shaky relationship further or let sleeping ex-soldiers lie? And is she prepared to hear the truth?

Review: wow, the funniest episode of the arcade yet! Just so ridiculous and silly and yet totally fitting for The Arcade at the same time. This months episode surrounds some very interesting relationships indeed. There are those you'd expect and those that you totally wouldn't expect. We learn a lot more about some of the characters love lives and some of the feelings they harbour. 

There are some really unexpected twists in this novel and we get to know Vlad an awful lot more. We also have some burning questions about Joan answered and hear much more from wedding dress designer Leandro. It's great to be able to get to know these characters even more and I think that this is what having another year of the arcade has enabled readers to be able to do. 

I would love to know which kitty wrote this installment, I have had a guess as there are some elements that are indicative of this particular writers other tales. There are some real aww moments in this serving of arcade delight as I think overall Marilyn is coming into her own in year two, something which I am really pleased to see. Put is very hard to say much more about what happens in this months installment without giving you major spoilers so basically you should just read this now and be prepared as always to gasp, but also to laugh an awful lot! 

The #1 Amazon bestselling serial! Like your favourite soap, The Arcade brings you characters you love to hate – and to love. Each bite-sized episode is perfect for your journey to work, your lunch-break – or a quiet night of escapism. And it’ll leave you wanting more – with a teaser of next month’s storyline! 

Or if you want all twelve of the previous Arcade episodes in one book, why not try 'Where Dreams Come True: A Year in the Arcade' - only on Amazon! 

So what are you waiting for? Time to give into your dreams and sample the delights of Angell’s Arcade. Go on, take a look inside!