Gust Review: The Village of Lost and Found by Alison Sherlock

Scandal hit party girl Lucy Conway needs to leave London fast, so she packs her bags and escapes to the sleepy village of Cranbridge to take care of her beloved Uncle Frank.

But the country village isn’t quite as idyllic as she remembers. To make matters worse, her Uncle’s pride and joy, The Cranbridge Times, is close to going out of business.

Editor-at-Large Tom Addison is having a crisis of confidence and needs help if the newspaper is going to survive.

With time on her hands, can Lucy work some magic and together save the family newspaper?

Over a long, hot summer, friendships are made and hearts begin to heal.Nbr> And, with the help of a stray dog, perhaps Lucy and Tom can find their very own new beginning...

Review: This is book 2 in the Riverside Lane Series, following on from The Village Shop for Lonely Hearts by the same author. The series is set in the small, but sadly rundown, village of Cranbridge, with its little (or sometimes not so little) river running through the middle. I found the first book in the series quite captivating and looked forward to revisiting the village and its inhabitants in this sequel.

Lucy Conway has arrived in the village to escape the unwanted attention she is receiving from the press following the break up of a disastrous relationship in London. Her beloved uncle has suggested she should make a temporary move to Cranbridge, where he is sure that she can find work on the local paper, which he owns. Unfortunately, she finds both the Cranbridge Times and its editor Tom Addison in need of rescuing. Having not a great deal more to do with her time, Lucy decides to set about trying to reverse the fortunes of her uncle’s paper and at the same time help Tom regain his confidence. She quickly makes many friends in the village and begins to realise that it and its inhabitants have found a home in her heart.

I have very much enjoyed this story and would not hesitate to recommend it. It was easy to read but not so easy to put down. The characters are, in the main, ones that I have met before in the first book in the series, and it was good to learn a little more about some of them. They are all eminently likeable, and once again the reader feels a lovely warm sense of community in this little village that so deserves to be resurrected to its former glory. Of course, I would be remiss if I did not mention one of the big stars of the story - a shaggy dog called Keith! What a great character he was; I know I would have taken him in if Lucy hadn’t. This is definitely a series I would like to read more of, if indeed there are any more in the pipeline.

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

Blog Tour: Q & A With Jane Lythell Author of Behind Her Back

Today is my stop on the Behind Her back blog tour. Author Jane Lythell has very kindly stopped by the blog today to answer my burning questions!

Buy links and author information are further down, here's what the book is all about...

In a TV station run by men, how do the women make themselves heard?

Liz Lyon is a television producer at StoryWorld, the UK's favourite morning show. Her job is stressful and demanding, but she is determined to show her teenage daughter that women can succeed.

Then a new female colleague joins the station. In this predatory climate of toxic masculinity Liz and Lori should be helping each other. But when Lori starts secretly building her power base with the bosses, Liz is desperate to know what's going on behind her back...

You can click here to order your copy now. But on with the questions...

1. First question-bit of a cliché - how did you get into writing?
I always wanted to write but I had a large mortgage and was on my own with a small
daughter. This meant I had to secure high paying jobs for 25 years. Had my
mortgage been smaller I would have been able to start writing earlier. I freed myself
in May 2011 which was when I started to write in earnest.

2. Do you write full time & if so, have you always done this?
Now I am able to write full time.
Before 2011 I would squeeze in writing time around the margins of my very full-on
jobs. This was journals and short stories which no-one ever saw. But I did start to
draft The Lie of You and went on an Arvon Foundation week which helped me stay
focused on it.
My first fictional creation was when I was 7 or 8. I wrote a story for my younger sister
about Sally Dumpling, a fairy with curves who lived in a yellow rose and her best
friend was a robin.

3. Do you have a particular writing style or genre that you prefer?
Not really. I read widely and am drawn to character driven books and those which
have a strong sense of place like Annie Proulx’s The Shipping News. In my novels I
prefer to write in the First Person as it creates intensity.

4. How do you develop your characters as you write, are any of them based on real people?
All writers are magpies and we pull together inspiration from the people we know, the
things we have overheard and our own experiences. But we transform these so that
they become something different.
I think a lot about my characters before I start writing. I have to know what they look
like, what they love to eat and do and also what they fear in life. I draft a page for the
main characters with these details.

5. What was the inspiration for behind Behind Her Back?
My own life! I had been a TV producer and a single parent mum. I had felt horribly
conflicted by the pressures of trying to be a good mum and working in television. I
wanted to capture this turmoil so I created Liz Lyon. She is not me but she has a lot
of my feelings.

6. What is your writing process-do you map it out first? Write in chronological order?
I’m now writing my fifth book and have become more organised with each one. My
debut The Lie of You grew organically and was not planned out in advance. Now I do
a detailed treatment. I do not write in strict chronological order. I write scenes as they
occur to me. I know the beginning and the end but the middle of the novel emerges
as I write. This is an exciting process when it goes well.

7 How much of you is reflected in your writing?
 A lot. As I said above the two StoryWorld books (Woman of the Hour and Behind
Her Back) drew inspiration from my experience of being a working mum at a TV
station. However I never worked for a man like Julius Jones!
After The Storm charts a sail on an old wooden boat from Belize City to the island of
Roatan in the Caribbean Sea. I did that very same sail and kept a journal at the time,
but the four characters on the boat are fictional.

8. How much attention do you pay to the reviews that you get?
I read them with great interest and sometimes a theme emerges in the reviews and I
learn from this. I am hugely grateful to readers and book bloggers for taking the time
to review my novels. You have to accept that there will be 1* and 2* reviews as well
as 5* ones.

9. Are friends and family supportive of your writing? 
Very; especially my partner Barry who worked as a TV script writer for 30 years. He
gives me masterly feedback. My daughter Amelia works in fashion and she checks
anything I write that relates to fashion. My agent Gaia Banks is enormously
supportive, a true champion.

10. How do you feel leading up to your publication day?
A mixture of excitement and trepidation. Most writers feel self-doubt at times.
Holding the physical book in your hand and seeing it in bookshops is a wonderful
feeling that stays fresh.

11. Which other authors inspire you or are there any you particularly enjoy reading?
When I’m asked which writer influenced me the most I would have to say it is not a
writer but a film director: Alfred Hitchcock, the master of suspense. Film has been
very important in my life as I studied for a PHD in film theory at the Slade School of
Fine Art and worked at the British Film Institute. I didn't complete my thesis but my
study of cinema strongly influenced how I write scenes.
My favourite writers are Annie Proulx, Charles Dickens and John le Carre.

12. Finally...what are you working on right now?
I’m working on my fifth novel which is back in psychological thriller territory. This one
is entirely fictional. I feel I have written out the aspects of my life I wanted to explore
autobiographically in the other books. I am greatly enjoying letting my imagination fly.

Jane Lythell worked as a TV producer and commissioning editor before becoming Deputy Director of the BFI and Chief Executive of BAFTA (as Jane Clarke). She experienced first-hand the sexual and power politics of the TV industry which have hit the headlines recently.

This is her fourth novel, and the second title in the StoryWorld series. Jane lives in Brighton.

Review: Forever Geek (Geek Girl 6) by Holly Smale

My name is Harriet Manners and I’ll be a geek forever…

The FINAL book in the bestselling, award-winning GEEK GIRL series is here!

Harriet Manners knows almost every fact there is. Modelling isn’t a sure-fire route to popularity. Neither is making endless lists. The people you love don’t expect you to transform into someone else. Statistically you are more likely to not meet your Australian ex-boyfriend in Australia than bump into him there.

So on the trip of a lifetime Down Under Harriet’s to-do lists are gone and it’s Nat’s time to shine! Yet with nearly-not-quite-boyfriend Jasper back home, Harriet’s completely unprepared to see supermodel ex, Nick. Is the fashion world about to turn ugly for GEEK GIRL?

It’s time for Harriet to face the future. Time to work out where her heart lies. To learn how to let go…

Review: Ok you know I am a huge Geek Girl fan and so I went into this books with a heavy heart because it is the final book in the series. But I was also excited to see how Harriet was going to wrap things up, which of my favourite characters would be returning, and what trouble our Geek Girl was going to get herself into this time. This book has a fabulous storyline and features all our favourite characters returning, you name it they are there somewhere, and it totally had those laugh out loud moments that you expect from Holly Smale's writing, but I also cried more than once during this reading. Let me tell you one thing though, once you pick this book up, you won't be able to put it down! This is definitely a one sitting read!

Let's start with those characters. I loved that we had a healthy dose of Harriet in this story. She goes off to Australia with Nat and Bunty, therefore we don't have a lot of action with her friends of her family aside from emails and phone calls. I really liked that she kind of got most of the book to herself. It means that we have funny incidents involving Toby and Rin and Jasper and Harriet's Dad, but we get to see Harriet's fill reaction and her reaction to those people and how she strikes out on her own in this book really shows us how much she has grown over the course of the series. I also really loved the fact that it is best friend Nat who features with her on this journey. I loved Nat from the beginning and she and Harriet have had their ups and downs. It felt great to get a little bit of closure on Nat's storyline too, I really loved seeing them work together and grow together in this book and indeed the whole series. 

Of course I love hearing about all the other characters in the book too. I love how they all contribute to the humour and to Harriet's growth and success. Bunty was an absolute star in this book and so many good on-liners. there wasn't enough Wilbur for my liking though and I really began to dislike Jasper, I don't know why, he just annoyed me somewhat! There are of course some hilarious moments in this novel and of course, this book comes with the usual warning of not reading in public because of sudden loud laughter after you read some of the things that Harriet does and says-social media virgin Harriet discovering Instagram-hello?! But this also comes with a warning not to read in public because you will cry, at least once! Now of course you will cry because the series is coming to an end, but there are other emotional moments too!

Overall this was a great read. This book has many pages but I absolutely could not stop turning them and this book really will stick to you once you have picked this up. Because this is the final book in the series, I don't think it would be the ideal place to start in the Geek Girl series, of course I would recomend starting at the beginning and working your way through but there is probably enough background and recap that you could read this book as a standalone, if you really and truly honestly must but I wouldn't recommend it! This book and series has it all, humour, life lessons, actual lessons/facts, a great main character who is totally relatable;grows with each and every book and just excellent storylines that will allow you to explore the world and see exactly what it is like growing up as a Geek!

Farewell Harriet Manners-you will be missed!

To get your fabulous copy now, click here!

Blog Tour: Secrets and Fries at The Starlight Diner by Helen Cox

Today I am very excited to be part of the blog tour for Secrets and Fries at the Starlight Diner by Helen Cox. I reviewed the first book in the series on Wednesday on the blog, check that out here. And today I have a very exciting exclusive extract for you all. The extract is from a really pivotal part of the book, but I'll say no more. Scroll down for more of my thoughts on the second book in this series!

To my left, Jimmy cleared his throat and the sound sent a guilty chill through me. I turned to see that my friends had been watching the whole display, Jimmy included. Mona had her arms crossed while Esther had a vague smile on her face and one eyebrow raised. Bernie and Jack were pretending to start a conversation about baseball, perhaps to make out like they hadn’t been watching like everyone else, I don’t know. But there was no mistaking the fact that Jimmy had seen it all. He was looking all hot in the face. Way hotter than the stuttering old heater Bernie used in the winter months could ever hope to make him. The skin crinkled around his eyes and his forehead was locked in a tight frown. There was a sort of sting to his eyes that made my stomach churn.

            Looking back at Nick I said, ‘I’ll… I’ll see you when I get back, alright?’

‘Sure. I understand you can’t make any promises right now. We’ll talk when you get back.’

            ‘Alright,’ I said, turning back to Jimmy. ‘You ready?’

            ‘Am I ready?’ he said, looking down at the lino. ‘We could’ve been out of here a lot sooner if it was down to me.’ He picked up my suitcase and, without so much as a wave to anyone, stalked out of the door.

            ‘Oh boy, this is going to be a fun trip,’ I said, winking at Esther and Mona, and they both chuckled.

‘Bye, Bonnie.’ Jack smiled, stood from his seat at the counter and gave me a firm hug. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow and soon this will all be over, alright?’

‘Thanks, Jack,’ I said, wishing I could believe that everything would be alright, just like he said. I pulled back from his embrace, squeezing his arms as I did so. Then there was just time to give Nick one last nod and blow a kiss to Bernie before I waved to everyone and left, following after Jimmy.

Our rental car was parked just around the corner from the diner.     

As I approached it, I couldn’t quite believe what I was seeing. It was a Peugeot 405 in silver.

            I stared at it and put my hands on my hips. ‘Really? You’re going to make a woman from Detroit take what is possibly her last car ride for twenty years in a French vehicle? Haven’t you ever heard of “buy American”?’

            Jimmy, leaning against the other side of the car with his hands flat on the roof, glared at me. ‘I ain’t buying, I’m renting. Now stop being so argumentative and get in the car. I made us a mixtape for the journey.’

            ‘You made me a mixtape?’ I said, knowing this would rile him up even further. Well, if he was going to be so snippy all the time, what was the point in treading on eggshells?

            ‘Us. I made us a mixtape.’

            ‘Really. What’s the first track?’ I asked, raising an eyebrow.

            Jimmy went to open his mouth and then thought better of it. ‘You’ll find out soon enough, just get in.’

            Knowing better than to wind him up any further, even if it was a lot of fun, I climbed into the car and Jimmy started the ignition.

            Jimmy headed south on Clinton while I studied every brick and hydrant and hotdog vendor we passed. Winter still had the city in its icy grip but I rolled down the window anyway so I could breathe in the peculiar incense that could only be found in New York City: a blend of freshly baked bagels and stagnant sewers. I watched men with dogs chat up thin women out for mid-morning runs, and made a silent promise to a blind man playing the banjo on the corner of Broome Street that no matter how long it took, I’d come back to New York, someday. And when I did, I’d probably stay.

A few minutes later, a sign flew up overhead for the Garden State Parkway and a switch flicked in my head. My shoulders tensed and I felt real thirsty all of a sudden.

            I was on my way back to Atlantic City.

            Back to the sickly scent of saltwater taffy. Back to the revving and grunting of the Jitney vans that shuttled tourists between the hotels and the slot machines. And back to that strip of glitzy casinos that lit up at night with a hellish orange glow.

            My stomach tightened. I knew right then I’d go nuts if I spent the whole two-hour journey to Atlantic City thinking about all the memories waiting for me there. Not to mention the people. The people that, if I had it my way, I’d never see again.

            ‘Jimmy, can we listen to the tape now please?’

            ‘No,’ Jimmy scowled. ‘I don’t want to, it was a stupid idea.’

            ‘Jimmy, come on, stop being a jerk and just let me play the tape. You know I love music. If I go to prison I’m not going to hear much music.’ I thought back to when Karen and I used to beg Dad for stuff on long car journeys as kids, back when he’d take us out for Sunday drives in his 1969 Dodge Charger. He was always in a good mood when he was driving that car, and almost always caved into our requests. I made my voice as similar to the one I’d used back then as possible. ‘Please?’

            ‘Fine,’ Jimmy said, glancing at me out of the corner of his eye. He sighed, fumbled in his jeans pocked and chucked the tape at me while changing lanes.

Ignoring his attitude, I opened the cassette case and pushed the tape into the deck. There was a brief crackling sound and then the music began. I tried not to let my eyes widen as the opening chords to ‘Take My Breath Away’ by Berlin played out. Surely one of the most romantic songs ever written? Well, at least in the last decade. And then I tried not to think about Tom Cruise and Kelly McGillis making out in that scene from Top Gun, or me and Jimmy making out, right now. I looked across at Jimmy, who was pretending to check his rear-view mirror in a bid to avoid my eyes.

If he’d really made this mixtape for us, surely he would’ve just picked out standard road-trip tunes. Like ‘On the Road Again’ or something. It couldn’t be a coincidence that he’d started off with something this romantic, could it?

            Staring at him, I said, ‘I love this song.’

            He looked at me out of the corner of his eye again. ‘I love it too,’ he said. The corners of his mouth were definitely slanting upwards. And something about that, something I couldn’t explain and didn’t want to analyse, made me smile.

To get your copy of the book, click here!

Review: I really enjoyed this sequel! I loved the fact that I got to revisit the characters from the first novel in this series. If anything, this second novel made me appreciate the characters from the starlight diner even more, I got to see how they tick and learnt a lot more about Bernie in this novel than I did the first novel which was great. We got to see a lot more of Esther in this novel too, and I loved the kind of motherly figure that she took on for Bonnie! It was lovely to catch up with Jack and Jimmy and Walt as well. Jimmy really comes into his own in this instalment and I really warmed to him!

Although I've spoken a lot about the deeper appreciation you get for the characters because this is the second book in the series, this book also works well on its own. I know this because I accidentally started reading this book before I read the first book in the series and I was totally caught up in the story even though I hadn't met all of the characters before, so if you like what you've read in the extract above, you can definitely read this on its own! The other reason you can read this book as a standalone is because this book centres around a new character, Bonnie, who we don't even meet until the very very end of book one.... 

I really liked Bonnie because she is so fiercely independent. I really liked that fact that she had got herself to New York and spent xmas alone there. I also really like her ability to read people, just like Jimmy! She really comes into her own in this book, in a way that we can tell she hasn't before coming across the characters she meets in the diner! This book is set partly in Atlantic City too because it is somewhere I've been close to but never visited! There's also a whole bit about Lucy the Elephant, who resides at the seafront in Margate. I loved learning about her in the book and went on to read up about her online, I'll be visiting her next time I'm in New Jersey, that's for sure!

Overall, this was a really strong sequel. Like the first book in the series, this was a romantic comedy with a dark edge and there is a court case in this book that brings in all the great aspects of  a crime novel too. You would definitely enjoy this book if you like your rom coms a little meatier and whether or not you've read the first in the series, you'll be able to pick up with this great group of characters and love them just as much as I did!

Guest Review: Christmas At The Little Village Bakery by Tilly Tennant

It’s time to get toasty by the fire with a glass of mulled wine and a slice of chocolate yule log sprinkled with a little romance. Welcome to Christmas at the Little Village Bakery.

Snow is falling in Honeybourne and Spencer is bringing home his American fiancée Tori for a traditional English Christmas with all the trimmings. But when his hippie mum and dad meet her high-maintenance parents, sparks of the wrong sort start to fly. Then Spencer bumps into his first love Jasmine and unexpected feelings come flooding back.

Millie is run off her feet with Christmas orders at the Little Village Bakery and new baby Oscar. Thank goodness her cousin Darcie is here to help her. Although she does seem to be rather flirty with Millie’s boyfriend Dylan.

Will Darcie ever find true love of her own? And is marrying Tori a terrible mistake for Spencer if his heart is with someone else? 

Review: This is the second book by Tilly Tennant in her Honeybourne series, based in the village of the same name. It is described as 'A feel good festive romance to curl up by the fire with' and it think that it lives up to that representation. Even had I not read and enjoyed the first book in the series, just the cover of this one would have drawn me to it, filled as it is with a wonderful snowy scene displaying all the festive goodies that might be conjured up in the Little Bakery at this time of year. 

While the first book about Honeybourne dealt primarily with Millie Hopkin, a newcomer who reopened the once thriving village bakery, this one focuses mainly on another of the villagers, Spencer, who is returning to the village for Christmas. Spencer has been working in Boulder, Colorado, on a teaching exchange, and is bringing his American fiancée, Tori, home with him. Both sets of parents are also going to travel to the village for Christmas, where they will meet for the first time. A quaint little village, lots of snow and delicious baked goods; what could possibly go wrong? 

Although the story does revolve predominantly around Spencer and Tori and their trials and tribulations, all the players from the previous book are there. As with any small village, there are some real characters, from the incredibly nosy Ruth who pops up just when she's not needed, to the rather zany Jasmine and her handsome brother Dylan. I don't want to give away any spoilers for the first book, so I will just say that there is plenty of drama going on for each of the characters in this instalment too. 

I enjoyed this book just as much as the previous part. The fact that it is set around Christmas added an interesting extra dimension, and rewarded the reader with some mouthwatering descriptions of festive fare cooked up in the bakery. It could possibly be read as a standalone, but it might be a struggle to place all the characters and figure out what had happened before. With Tilly's nice, easy to read style of writing, I would suggest just simply reading them both! I hope that there will be more from her about this village, as I'd love to find out what happens with Spencer and Tori in particular. 

Guest Review: Christmas At The Comfort Food Cafe by Debbie Johnson

Becca Fletcher hates Christmas so much, she’s considering getting ‘Bah Humbug!’ tattooed on her forehead. She has her reasons for being Little Miss Grinch; Reasons that make this the very worst time of year for her.

Now, though, she can’t avoid her version of ho-ho-hell – because she’s travelling to the Comfort Food Cafe to spend the festive season with her sister Laura, and her family. She’s expecting mulled wine, the smell of pine trees, 24-hour Christmas movie marathons and all kinds of very merry torture.

But little does Becca know that the Comfort Food Cafe is like no other place on earth. Perched on a snow-covered hill on a windswept bay, it’s a place full of friendship; a place where broken hearts can heal, and a place where new love can blossom. It’s a place where Becca’s Christmas miracle really could happen – if only she can let it…

Inviting readers new and old to pull up a cosy armchair, Christmas at the Comfort Food Cafe is the novella-length follow-up to the 2016 best-seller Summer at the Comfort Food Cafe.

Review: This book follows on from the brilliant Summer at the Comfort Food Cafe, which I read earlier in the year and absolutely loved. I was looking forward to reading this one and meeting up with all the lovely characters in the first book again. Even if I hadn't read the other book, I would have been drawn to this one not only by its theme, being a lover of all things Christmas, but by its cover - that's definitely one to stop you in your tracks. 

The earlier book in the series dealt mainly with Laura and her family when they first encounter The Comfort Food Cafe. This story, on the other hand, revolves around Laura's sister, Becca, who comes to spend Christmas and the preceding few weeks with her sister in the pretty little Dorset seaside town which is the setting for the cafe. Becca has always been the difficult sister growing up, and particularly hates Christmas for a reason that becomes apparent as the story unfolds. However, she is willing to try to join in the festivities this year to please her sister, who she loves very much. She is soon drawn into the community surrounding the cafe as she meets all the charming people who Laura has got to know through working at the cafe and living in the town. It was great to find all the zany characters from the earlier book, including the cafe's slightly eccentric owner, Cherie, her pink-haired helper, Willow, Edie, the elderly lady who is living partly in the past, the dishy local vet and Laura's boyfriend, Matt, and the hunky Surfer Sam.

I enjoyed this book just as much as I had its predecessor. It is a truly heart-warming tale, perfect for a Christmas story, and I loved all of the characters without exception.  At first, I thought it wasn't as amusing as the first story, but Debbie's humour came through as the book progressed. Having said that, the story doesn't lack depth and deals with some serious issues as we discover more about Becca's past. Although this is a sequel to an earlier book, it stands alone nicely, although if you haven't read the first one, you will almost certainly want to once you finish this. 

Always with Love by Giovanna Fletcher

Sophie's got used to being the girlfriend of Billy Buskin, the biggest movie star in the world. Sort of. 

But when she and Billy take a trip to visit his family in Los Angeles, she quickly discovers she's totally unprepared for the chaos of Hollywood, the paparazzi and Billy's controlling mother.

And when Billy extends his stay in LA, leaving Sophie to fly home to Rosefont Hill alone, it seems there's more than just miles between them. 

Now Sophie must decide if they can overcome their differences for good. Because not every love story lasts the distance . . .



Review: This was a nice, cosy read that I listened to on a long car journey and finished off sitting in the garden in the sunshine, it is the perfect time of year for this book to be resealed because it really is a lovely one to read in the sunshine, wherever you are! This book is a sequel but you definitely don';t have to have read the first book in order to enjoy this one, there are lots of little catch-ups along the way, meaning that you find out what has gone before for Sophie and Billy and you don't have to have insider knowledge from the first book, or indeed the Xmas special! It is also good if, like me, you read a lot of books and you need your memory jogging of what happened with an event in the previous novel. I will say that I feel that I had a bit more depth of knowledge of the characters, having read Billy and Me, but my mum (who was listening with me) hadn't read Billy and Me and knew what was going on just fine!

I really liked catching up with these characters again, I found Sophie just as relatable as before. Billy of course was as charming as ever, although I did get quite a selfish edge to him during this reading, I don't think I liked him quite as much as I did in the previous novel... The real gem of this book for me was new addition Lauren, Billy's sister. She is a real breath of fresh air and is a massive fan of Sophie's. She becomes a real key player in this book and I really enjoyed getting to know here. We also see newcomers Rachel and Peter who really mix things up, along with the other members of Billy's family, It was interesting to see how these new characters fitted in with the characters we already know and love.

Although the storyline was somewhat predictable, I took comfort in that. I enjoyed the fact that I could see where it was going. There was a similar pattern to the previous novel and plenty of drama and emotion all of the way through. Thankfully there weren't too many weepy moments and definitely some laugh out loud moments. I'm not sure how young Sophie is meant to be portrayed but the way she deals with some of the things that are thrown at her she seems to be less worldly than I would imagine her to be. The storyline as a whole had a particular resonance for me because of the fact that it deals with a relationship which must survive the distance of the Atlantic, I was just jealous because Billy obviously has enough money to fly whenever he wants and I don't!

All in all this was a nice read, I enjoyed the audiobook and I would definitely recommend it being on your TBR this summer!

Guest Post: Tracy Bloom on writing No-One a Ever Has Sex in The Suburbs

It's very exciting for me today because, to celebrate the release of her latest novel, I have Tracy Bloom on the blog. She has written about writing No-One Ever Has Sex in The Suburbs, which is the sequel to No-One Ever Has Sex on A Tuesday. This is a great book and Tracy has written a great post as well. The Book came out yesterday and you can read my review from Monday (I loved it!)

When I wrote NO-ONE EVER HAS SEX ON A TUESDAY, I had no idea if it would get published let alone become a no1 bestselling e-book so to be writing a follow up because readers have asked for it is quite frankly an unbelievably amazing outcome.

However I was very aware that with that comes enormous responsibility. People have bought into these characters I’ve created so whatever happens next has to be true to them whilst just as gripping as what happened in the first book.

Fortunately when I started writing I discovered I had two things on my side. Ben and Katy’s relationship wasalways complex from the start, what with the age difference and with neither of them overly keen oncommitment. The likelihood was always going to be thatlife wasn’t going to run smoothly post the arrival of a baby and their decision to get married.  I soon realised it was obvious what they would do next. They would have to swap roles given the difference in their earning power but this relatively unusual situation would create as many problems as it would solve.

Then I discovered something else. Katy and Ben’s best mates, Daniel and Braindead just wrote themselves.Perhaps subconsciously I’d developed two characters that infact I would like to be friends with. Both entirely different but both very funny and brutally honest in their own way. Writing them was truly like catching up with the long lost pals where you just slip into your old ways and carry on where you left off. It was a revelation and really drove home the importance of developing strong characters from the outset.

My other concern was making sure that you could enjoy this book without having to read the first one. I found that actually it was fun working out how to introduce these people in a way that would grab new readers whilst reminding existing readers what was it about them that appealed to them in the first place.

Of course as with any book it didn’t always run smoothly.  Always about half way through a book I have a crisis of confidence, especially with this one given it had to live up to high expectations. But I battled past that and now it’s out there and so far it’s getting a great reaction. If all goes well then I’d very much like to find out what happens next and maybe write another one. But I think I’ll write about someone else first. Leave them all be. I think they’ve all been through enough for for a while!

Thanks to Tracy for the great post and now you should all go and get yourself better aquatinted with Ben and Katy and Braindead! 

Review: A Christmas Surprise by Jenny Colgan

Rosie Hopkins, newly engaged, is looking forward to an exciting year in the little sweetshop she owns and runs. But when fate strikes Rosie and her boyfriend, Stephen, a terrible blow, threatening everything they hold dear, it's going to take all their strength and the support of their families and their Lipton friends to hold them together.

After all, don't they say it takes a village to raise a child? 

Review: wow-everything that could possibly happen in this novel did! Seriously, if you're looking for new drama every few pages this book has it all. I have to admit, it was a little too much drama for me in this case but I still enjoyed the novel overall. I wasn't a massive fan of the second book in this trilogy but I preserved and gave this one a go but I really think this serious would have been better remaining as just one book. Rosie Hopkins Sweetshop of Dreams was one of the my favourite novels but the subsequent sequels just didn't really do it for me and I'm not sure they really add anything to the whole Rosie Hopkins story...

The events in this book were all believable in themselves but altogether I'm not sure they could've happened to Rosie Hopkins. I love the storyline with Rosie and Stephen and their little family but the other events in this story really didn't grab me at all.  Rosie is a lovely character and I really admired her strength in the first novel but I felt in this novel she lost herself somewhat, bowing down to what others and Stephen wanted her to be. Stephen also goes back to being the sullen character that he began as in the first novel when he had come so far and I just felt that this was a shame for him! 

There is the issue in this novel of Rosie possibly having to move house and away from the village that has made her so happy and I think that this really took some of the magic out of the whole Rosie Hopkins story because this was the village that really changed her life. There were some real magical moments in the book, like Tina and her impending marriage and some bridges built with Stephen and his family, there are others that were truly lovely but I don't want to include any spoilers! 

Overall I wasn't overwhelmed by this novel but it was still an enjoyable read. It has a great catch-up section at the beginning that means even if you haven't read the other novels in the trilogy, you should be able to jump right into this one and it will work as a standalone, there is certainly enough going on that it could be a trilogy in its own right, I would definitely recommend giving the original novel a go first though if you get the chance! I enjoyed this book but it wasn't particularly Christmasy and it didn't live up the expectations that I have for a Jenny Colgan novel. This won't out me off other books by this author, but if another Rosie Hopkins sequel comes along, I won't be buying it. 

Review: I'll Take New York by Miranda Dickinson

Have you ever given up on love?

When her boyfriend lets her down for the last time, Brooklyn bookshop owner Bea James makes a decision – no more. No more men, no more heartbreak, and no more pain.

Psychiatrist Jake Steinmann is making a new start too, leaving his broken marriage behind in San Francisco. From now on there'll just be one love in his life: New York.

At a party where they seem to be the only two singletons, Bea and Jake meet, and decide there’s just one thing for it. They will make a pact: no more relationships.

But the city has other plans . . .

Review: this book was everything I hoped it would be and more. I am a massive fan of Miranda's first novel, Fairytale of New York and so when I found out there was going to be a spin off novel/sequel to that I could barely contain my excitement, then when it popped through my letterbox, even more excitement and then to know that I'm actually in a scene in the book-wow, heaven! But seriously, this is an awesome book and I read it cover to cover in one sitting because I was so caught up in the world, the characters, the storyline and the the places that it took me to! 

It was really great visiting New York with this same bunch of characters again but this time having some fabulous new characters lead the way. I love Bea and I love the fact that she works in a book shop. Like a lot of Miranda's characters she is incredibly optimistic and just someone you would want to hang out with and have a coffee with. Jake is also a lovely lovely person. He turned out to be more grown up than I initially expected him to be, having really strong family values, despite going through a marriage break-up and having to relocate his business. 

Of course the usual Kawolski's gang return which was awesome and it was lovely to catch up with all the old faces and see what was going on. You definitely don't have to have read the first novel to enjoy this one (although the 2 make for a perfect weekend of reading together) the characters stand on their own, as does the storyline. There is a fab hen party scene with some lovely characters too, just saying! 

I was very impressed that this book has a different voice to Fairytale. The same characters as were in Fairytale of New York are featured in this novel and yet they are not the stars, so it must have been very difficult not to write using Rosie's voice and stick to Bea's voice, or write as Jake and not as Ed, even harder considering the fact that they are cousins! This book is written a chapter at a time from Ed or Rosie's perspective and i think that this worked really well for telling the story, seeing things from both their points of view. It also meant that the novel flowed incredibly easily, making it a pacy read which is saying something for a book that weighs in at nearly 500 pages! Definitely don't let the size put you off, I read this in hours! 

Of course I loved the setting of the novel, back in NYC, with a bit of Brooklyn thrown in for some diversity, again I can't get my head around the fact that this author has never been to the big apple, it's as if she lives there everything is so vividly and beutifully described! Bea's bookstore is a great setting in itself, who wouldn't want to read about books and working in a bookstore and they have coffee in the bookshop too? What more could you possibly want? The coffee does come with a small warning though-coffee products and coffee shops are mentioned over 100 times in this book and so if you're as suggestible as I am, and love coffee as much as I do, you may just have the shakes when you finish drinking your coffee along with this novel! 

This book is just such a lovely read for this time of year, it's not particularly Christmasey, although there is a winter wedding and some lovely frosted scenes but it's just so heart-warming and lovely and cosy! it couldn't be better to snuggle up with at this time of year and enjoy with a gingerbread latte! It's got great characters, a compelling storyline and a gorgeous gorgeous setting. There are twists and turns along the way that will keep you turning those page and whether this is your first Miranda novel, or you're a fan, like me, I'm sure you're going to love this book. Make it your next read! 

Review: Christmas with Billy and Me by Giovanna Fletcher

Join Billy and Sophie for the next chapter of their story by bestselling author Giovanna Fletcher.

Christmas has come to Rosefont Hill and it's destined to be a particularly special festive season for Sophie May.

When a smitten stranger emails Sophie to ask her if he can propose to the woman he loves in her little teashop, the romantic in her finds it impossible to refuse. Even though Christmas is her busiest time of year she has her own sweetheart, Hollywood actor Billy Buskin, to lend a helping hand. How could she say no to making someone's dream come true?

As Sophie and Billy work together to plan the perfect fairytale proposal for this couple, excitement in Rosefont Hill is mounting. Who is this mysterious man? And who is the lucky lady he's about to get down on one knee for?



Review: this book made me aww out loud just like I did when I read Billy and Me, that's what kind of book it is! This gorgeous little novella catches up on the characters we met during Billy and me which came out last year (I only just read it this summer!) So it will definitely have spoilers for those of you who haven't read that but want to. It is set in the same setting as the first book but is about six months on and obviously set at Christmas time,. The festive spirit is strong in this book,. The description of the smells and the tastes of Christmas as well as the sights and sounds is top notch and so it will definitely have you craving a mince pie or too-wonderful!

The characters are just as lovely and Sophie is getting on with life with just as much gusto as she did in the first novel. She is making Christmas happen and happen in a big way. You really feel the weariness and exhaustion that she feels getting ready for the festive period, but at the same time, you can see how her optimism gets her through. Billy is of course, gorgeous as ever and he really takes a back seat in this novella, more than he did in the first novel. Sophie's mum is still very much around as is the spirit of the former tea shop owner.

There is a wonderful twists at the end of this novella, something which i think is pretty unusual for a story set over  so few pages. You really won't see it coming, i didn't and i was thrilled and exhilarated by the whole thing,. I would've loved this book to be a full-length novel and really think that there was scope there to do that but that is my only minor criticism. As I say, if you haven't yet read Billy and me but are planning on doing so then wait and read that before this otherwise you'll be spoiled, but if you';re just looking for some festive romance in novella form then  definitely give this one a go. be warned though, this is not for the skeptics and the cold-hearted among you, this is full on gushy lovely sickly-sweet romance!

Top Ten Tuesday: Sequels I can't Wait To Get 18/11/14

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because they are particularly fond of lists over there at The Broke and the Bookish. I'd love to share my lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

I love a sequel, I love finding out what has happened to characters between when i left them and when I'm picking up a new book about them and there are certainly some exciting sequels coming out nhext year. 

1. Geek Girl 4 by Holly Smale. I love reading about Harriet Manners and so I can't wait for this one!

2. Darcy Burdock 4 by Laura Dockrill. This is basically the same reason as the one above!

3. Summer At The Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan. I can't wait to be reunited with Neil the Puffin! 

4. A Christmas surprise also by Jenny Colgan. This is the third in the Rosie Hopkins series and I'm looking forward to getting stuck into this one in a couple of weeks! 

5. I'll Take New York by Miran Dickinson, this is the sort of sequel to Fairytale of New York and it's a fab release coming out in December! 

6. Jenny Lopez Saves Christmas by Lindsey Kelk. We love Jenny Lopez, we Love Christmas, who could possibly wait for this one?

7. Christmas with Billy and Me by Giovanna Feltcher. A cute little novella sequel to Billy and Me.

8. One Hundred Christmas Proposals by Holly Martin. Another novella style sequel to the previous novel with the same name but no Chritmas. 

9. I was here by Gayle Forman, not a sequel but still very excited about this 2015 release. 

10. Love Hurts by Malorie Blackman, a collection of short stories to wrap up with!