Blog Tour: Review of Kissing Lying Down by Kate Tough @lovebookstours

Today is my stop on the tour for Kissing Lying Down by Kate Tough. I have a review of this short story collection for you today and if you like the sound of that you can click here to order your copy now. Don't forget to check our the other stops on the tour for more exclusive content and reviews. 

Here's what it's all about...

Gordon knows what Gabby wants but he hates to do what he’s told; Chrissy stalks the internet to find what her fiance wouldn’t give her; three friends reunite during a heatwave and their evening gets better and better, until it doesn’t.

In these relationship tales, many are burned by their pasts while scanning their horizons... A woman wonders if passing strangers have a better sex-face than her boyfriend; a birthday meal goes sour at the offer of no-strings dessert.

Navigating the on and offline worlds of pairing up, this spiky collection of short stories delves deep, with dark humour, into what it takes to strap on a smile through thirty-something failure and make human connections in the modern age.

Review: What I loved most about this short story collection was the variety between each of the stories. I felt like I could relate to each of them on some level. Some I found disturbing on some levels which thrilled me and others I found amusing or touching. That's the great thing about a collection like this there really is something to connect to on every level. I definitely didn't connect with a couple of the stories as much as I did the others but I found enjoyment in each of them in some way. 

I was also truly envious of the way the writing style differed between each of the offerings in the book. Some are written in first person, some in third and some in a poetic almost staccato way. I loved this change between each one and really enjoyed the fact that the first story in this book is thoughts interspersed with snippets from online dating messages. I have always said that you could fill many humorous tomes with just online dating messages we've all received!

Another thing I really appreciated in this book was the variety of settings between the stories. Although many have a common theme of Glasgow (my favourite city in the world) many are set in other places as well and so not only are you meeting new characters with each story and experiencing a whole new narrative, you're also traveling to new homes, inside new minds and exploring new settings. 

On a final note. I also really enjoyed the different take on relationships be they casual or long term, new or old. No relationship fits the cookie cutter mould that we read about in romance novels and whilst that is often a nice escape I really enjoyed getting a taste of the real ways people experience their relationships or the journey to get there. Parts of one story were definitely hard to read (there are content warning included before that story) but it was also very really, totally believable and easy to empathise with. Overall I really enjoyed this collection and would definitely recommend giving it a go!

About The Author

 

Kate Tough is a fiction writer and visual poet.

Her novel, Keep Walking, Rhona Beech (Abacus, 2019) is available from all usual outlets. It’s the retitled second edition of, Head for the Edge, Keep Walking (Cargo) which has had five stars on Amazon since 2014. The book is a funny and moving account of how a thirty-something office worker in Glasgow, with a clumsy tendency to speak her mind, puts her life back together after it spectacularly falls apart.

Readers have noted that the novel reminds them of a book about someone called Eleanor Oliphant, although Kate’s novel appeared prior to that one, in 2014, when it got good attention in the Scottish media. It’s great that readers can enjoy both books and a bonus that people who like one character have an opportunity to discover the other one.

Kate’s poetry pamphlet, tilt-shift, was Runner Up in the Callum Macdonald Memorial Award, 2017 and her piece, 'People Made Glasgow’, was selected as a Best Scottish Poem 2016. Recently, her work was included in Makar/Unmakar: Twelve Contemporary Poets in Scotland and she’s an invited poet at STANZA in 2021. She has a Masters in Creative Writing from the University of Glasgow.

Last year Kate adopted a cat with very long tail who shares his name with the Prime Minister of Britain – the rescue centre gave him that name – but now that she knows him better (the cat, not the Prime Minister) she’d have chosen the name Rocket, because of the way he shoots from underneath furniture at unbelievable speeds.

Kate understands that life isn’t an easy ride and she lives in perpetual awe of her fellow humans; getting out of bed each day and getting involved. On a general basis, if she sees the sun rising and swims lengths in a tide pool, then its not a bad day.

For occasional updates from the author about new work, writing tips and audio clips, subscribe via the button on Kate’s website at www.katetough.com

Review: All The Acorns on the Forest Floor by Kim Hooper

For many women, becoming a mother is the strongest expression of love they know, for others the conscience choice to not have children empowers them to live their truth. Motherhood looks different for all of the women in Kim Hooper’s, All the Acorns On the Forest Floor.

Alex is pregnant with her second child, fearful because her first pregnancy ended at 16 weeks. Deb is reckoning with the fact that she was abandoned as a newborn by her mother. Wendy is wrestling with her early feelings on having children. These stories are interwoven into the stories of other women who are intentionally childless, adults reckoning with adoptions, and unwed women who had to make difficult choices.

This novel-in-stories is designed to tug at the heart strings, but also provide hope, comfort, and insight into the true nature of women’s shared experiences with the narrative of motherhood and society’s expectations. We see the women at their most vulnerable, making decisions that will forever change the course of their lives. As each character’s narrative unfolds, the book illustrates how small and connected people’s lives really are, no one’s circumstances are as unique as they feel.

All the Acorns On the Forest Floor is a novel about mothers and daughters and the sometimes difficult relationships they have with those closest to them. These are stories of the deep, abiding love mothers and children have for one another, but also of how fragile those relationships can be when difficult decisions must be made.

Review: I really loved with this book and connected with it on a whole level that I didn't expect. This is a collection of short stories and so it fitted really well with my current lack of attention span for physical or eBooks because I could pick this beauty up, read a story or two and come back to in a couple of hours later. If you haven't tried short stories before this would be an excellent place to start because all the stories in this one are linked by a common theme and have characters in common with one another. 

This book does come with a care warning for baby loss and infertility but these issues are handled really well in the book through stories and characters that feel familiar and relatable. Some of these stories are definitely sad, some ever heart breaking but the connection that they all have of motherhood in one form or another is incredible uplifting. There are some funny moments and some really intriguing characters throughout this book. 

A short story collection like this one is great because if you don't gel with one of the stories, you can move on and even come back to it after reading the next. I didn't necessarily read them all in order either and their vary in length, This book came along at the perfect time for me and I really do recommend this novel. 

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

Review: Look Both Ways by Jason Reynolds

This story was going to begin like all the best stories. With a school bus falling from the sky. But no one saw it happen. They were all too busy—

Talking about boogers.

Stealing pocket change.

Skateboarding.

Wiping out.

Braving up.

Executing complicated handshakes.

Planning an escape.

Making jokes.

Lotioning up.

Finding comfort.

But mostly, too busy walking home.

Jason Reynolds conjures ten tales (one per block) about what happens after the dismissal bell rings, and brilliantly weaves them into one wickedly funny, piercingly poignant look at the detours we face on the walk home, and in life.

 

Review: This was such a great premise for a book and makes this one easy to pick up, rwad a story and put back down again. I love that these stories are not too long but also the fact that they are all linked because of their location. They don;t necessarily follow on from one another but you might spy a character from one story or an event from another story cropping up more than once. 

I could definitely recognise a lot of the characters in this book in children that I used to teach and I could picture the neighborhood very clearly so if you are an adult reading this book, fear not there is plenty for you here. So many of these stories managed to fit in so much character development in such a short space and also so much intrigue. I was definitely left wanting more from a few of the stories and hope that this setting might come up again in a future Jason Reynolds novel. 

I think my favourite stories were making jokes and lotioning up and you could definitely see Jason Reynolds poetry coming through in all ten of these stories. I really enjoyed this one, it would make and excellent gift or and excellent addition to your classroom. 

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

Guest Review: The Cosy Castle on the Loch: Summer (Book 2) by Alice Ross

Helen Sutherland can hardly believe her luck. Not only is she the proud manager of the gorgeous new tearoom at the magical Glenduff Castle, but her new venture means she can indulge her passion for baking – every day. 

But not everything in Helen’s life is running so smoothly. After years of supporting husband, Gordon, in his business endeavours, he doesn’t appear remotely interested in hers. 

Indeed, the only thing in which Gordon does appear remotely interested is himself. 

So, when Helen finds herself increasingly attracted to another man, it isn’t just cake mix she has on her hands, but a rather large dilemma. One that forces her to decide if her marriage is worth saving. Or if, like several of the ingredients in her fridge, it has reached its expiry date.

This is the second of two short stories in The Cosy Castle on the Loch series. 

This is the second of two short stories set in Aberboyne, a fictional Scottish highlands village on the shores of Loch Duff. The Glenduff estate there has recently had a makeover and the castle is now a luxury hotel, complete with artists’ workshops and stables tearoom.

This story focuses on the newly opened tearoom, and particularly on Helen Sutherland, a local lady who has taken over its running. Helen gave up her job as a pharmacist when she had son Ewan, but is now keen to get her teeth into her new project, much to the disapproval of husband Gordon. To add to her problems, Gordon has lumbered her with the surly teenage daughter of an acquaintance to ‘help her out’ in the tearoom. However, the arrival of emergency plumber Tom into Helen’s life makes her look at things a little differently. 

Like the first story in this series, this was an easy, light hearted and entertaining read. Although there is reference to characters and situations in the first story, this one can easily be read as a stand-alone. This tale can easily be read in one sitting when you have a couple of hours to spare. There are plenty of believable characters and even humorous situations in its pages to keep your interest.

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

Guest Review: The Cosy Castle on the Loch: Spring (Book 1) by Alice Ross

Nothing in Flora Hamilton’s twenty-two-year existence has ever gone to plan. But when she finds herself whipped up in a whirl of activity at Glenduff Castle to neatly tie up the rest of her life for her, she begins to panic. 

With pressure coming at her from all sides, the easiest option is for Flora to go along with it all. But will the appearance of a handsome stranger at Glenduff provide her with a more attractive alternative? 

This is the first of two short stories in The Cosy Castle on the Loch series. 

This is the first of two short stories by this author, set in the small Scottish highlands village of Aberboyne, and on the Glenduff estate in particular, where the new laird has developed the castle into a rather luxurious hotel.

In this story, we meet local girl Flora, hotel receptionist. She has recently become engaged to Joe, but is beginning to feel that she has lost control of her life. Her engagement, the wedding arrangements, her future home, even her wedding dress seem to have been decided by anyone but her. When a rather handsome young Australian photographer appears on the scene, Flora wonders if he might offer her an avenue of escape from her situation.

This story was a lovely quick and easy read. Considering it was a short story of around 100 pages, there were nonetheless plenty of interesting characters and lots going on to keep me reading avidly right up to the last page. Definitely an ebook I would recommend; the next part is waiting on my Kindle already.

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

Review: Black Enough: Stories of Being Young and Black in America Edited by Ibi Zoboi

Whether it’s New York Times bestselling author Jason Reynolds writing about #blackboyjoy or Newbery Honor-winning author Renee Watson talking about black girls at camp in Portland, or emerging author Jay Coles’s story about two cowboys kissing in the south—Black Enough is an essential collection full of captivating coming-of-age stories about what it’s like to be young and black in America.

Review: I absolutely loved this anthology of short stories and I really do feel like there is something for everyone hear. Each of these stories is so different from the last whilst still sharing that same thread of being young and black in America. You can read one story that might have a character who is black and struggling with grief then another about a character who is black and struggling with their privilege. Then there might be a story focusing on a character who lives in the 'wrong side of town followed by another who is black and struggling to come out to their family, this book really does have something everyone can identify with. 

I had read some of these authors' work before and a lot of the others were new to me, this is the great thing about a short story collection, I now have authors I want to pick up and others I want to explore more deeply. I think out of the whole collection, there were only two stories I really didn't get on with and that's not because they were awful, its just because they didn't click with me. I read this with someone else and we agreed on one of the stories I disliked, but the other they liked. This is yet another reason why short story collections are wonderful, they're short so it's not long before you're reading the next story you really love!

My favourite in this collection was probably Jason Reynolds story or Ibi Zoboi's. I really feel like Jason Reynolds captured something in his story that I have recognised in many young people I have worked with, they are discussing and dreaming about their perfect sandwich and then the ending is not something you;re expecting. Ibi Zoboi deals with a close knit religious community and what it feels like to be outside this community. This has strong links with feminism and also has links with the TV show Friends and so I loved this. The last story does feel a little like the beginnings of another book, however and I desperately want to read more, it has stuck with me long after finishing!

I definitely recommend picking up Black Enough. I really enjoyed reading this collection and I really feel I could identify with several of the characters in the stories. I really do think there is something for everyone here. 

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

Guest Review: Bittersweet by Veronica Henry

Curl up with a cup of tea and this delicious collection of short stories - a perfect slice of sweetness!

** Features an exclusive extract of her upcoming novel Christmas at the Beach Hut! **

A chance encounter on New Year's Eve brings one woman's dream alive; a woman begins her new life by the sea; and one strawberry tart can change everything...

From forgotten loves to second chances, new happiness and old friends, this is an uplifting and moving collection of short stories about how love changes, and how it changes us - from Sunday Times bestseller Veronica Henry.

Review: This ebook is a lovely collection of short stories from one of my favourite authors, Veronica Henry. In addition to the stories, there is a sizeable extract from Veronica's new festive offering, Christmas at the Beach Hut, which I have already read and can heartily recommend. 

The 7 short stories are each in some way related to Veronica's published novels, details of which are presented at the end of the individual story. The stories cover a range of situations, each showing the interaction between love and life. I enjoyed each and every one of them and I'm sure others will too, whether they are already familiar with the author or new to her work. An amazing bonus is that the collection is available to download free of charge. What a super Christmas present from Veronica. 

To order your free copy now, just click here!

Review: How The Light Gets in by Clare Fisher

The exciting new book from award winning short story writer and novelist, Clare Fisher. A book of very short stories that explores the spaces between light and dark and how we find our way from one to the other. From buffering Skype chats and the truth about beards, to fried chicken shops and the things smartphones make you less likely to do when alone in a public place, Fisher paints a complex, funny and moving portrait of contemporary British life.

Review: This short story collection was excellent. It entertained me in the same way that observational comedy does, because these short stories are born of real life observations. 

The stories are grouped together in themes so you know the kind of thing to expect from each section, I really liked that about the structure of this book. They also really vary in length, some being a page and a half or two pages and some being 5 or 6 pages so you get variety as you read. 

Due to the fact that each of these stories are different and can be told from different points of view, have different protagonists or are written in a different person, this book was really great for picking up when i had a few minutes to spare and reading through a few of the stories. I also found this book really great to read in between other novels because by the time I was a few stories in, it felt like a bit of a comfort to come back to it. 

These stories are all observations on real life so they all featured people and places I could recognise, the information person in Victoria coach station, the person working in Leeds train station. Some of the book also feature different dialects and accents and I love when authors are brave enough to do that and get it right. These stories are mainly set in Leeds or London and I have lived in and around both of those cities and so I could recognise aspects of both and aspects of the characters living there to. 

Not all of these stories have a happy ending, or an ending at all but that didn't take away any of my enjoyment of this collection at all. I really enjoyed this book, it was refreshingly honest and would be a really great introduction if you are looking to get into reading short stories or to expand your short story collection. 

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

Review: Snowy Nights at Castle Court by Holly Hepburn

Part one in the new series from bestselling author Holly Hepburn.

Sadie is a single mum, nursing a broken heart. Cat is burned out from working long hours as a chef. They decide to invest in their dream – running their own handmade biscuit shop in gorgeous Castle Court, a three-storey food court tucked away behind Chester's bustling streets.

They soon discover that Castle Court has its own community – a little haven of delight against the stresses of the outside world. But not everyone welcomes the new business; the patisserie owner is less than pleased by what she sees as direct competition and Greg, who runs the fancy bistro that dominates one end of the courtyard, doesn't think Sadie and Cat have the talent or business acumen to succeed. Luckily, there's support in the form of the delectable Jaren, who owns the Dutch waffle house opposite Smart Cookies, and Swiss chocolate-shop owner, Elin. And if all else fails, the friends can drown their sorrows in the cocktail bar that overlooks the court.

Review: This was the perfect start to this new series from Holly Hepburn. It was also great that this was released during a really busy time of year because it is short and so it means you can steal away from everything else going on around you and enjoy a full story without feeling guilty!

This instalment in the series was great for introducing the characters we are going to be spending the rest of the series with and also introducing the setting. I think the setting of this new series is going to be one of my favourites. The way it is described in the story makes it very easy to picture. I loved that it was set in Chester too, I can't remember reading another book set there and I'm glad its sightly further north than a lot of the books out there at the moment. It also makes for a very close knit community which I am sure is going to add some tension to future instalments in this series!

I loved meeting all the characters too of course. Cat and Sadie are great anchors for this story and I like the fact that we have two friends as the main characters as opposed to a couple or just one person on their own. The others characters in the court are all very interesting and I am sure we will unearth a few skeletons from their closet as the series progresses. They all seem very strong willed and so, as I am sure you can imagine, there have already been some tense moments, as well as some comedy misunderstandings. My favourite other characters so far are the guys who own the diner, they are great!

All in this was a great start to the series. I am glad that it has a wintry festive theme and as I have already mentioned, it was great to read at this time of year. I read this story in two sittings but it could definitely be read in one indulgent gulp. I can't wait for the next instalment to hit my Kindle now!

Click here to order your copy now: UK

Blog Tour: Stories For Homes Volume 2 in Support of Shelter

I am very excited to be on the blog tour for a very important book today. Today I spotlight Stories For Homes Volume 2. 

Published and unpublished writers come together to create an anthology of stories about what ‘home’ means.

55 writers are included in a second charity anthology that brings issues around housing, poverty and crisis to life through the power of storytelling. Volume One of the Stories for Homes Project raised over £3K for housing charity Shelter and raised awareness of housing issues.  Volume Two of the anthology includes stories, poems and flash fiction and again all proceeds will be donated to the charity.

Further Stories

A dedicated website includes a further collection of flash fiction and poetry, real life experiences from people who have had housing problems or have experienced homelessness, as well as a series of articles from a professional working with homeless people. 

www.storiesforhomes.wordpress.com

Information about the Book

Release Date: 28^th September 2017

In Support of: Shelter Charity

In Response to: Grenfell Tower

Format: Ebook

Buy Link: http://amzn.to/2yrpiwC 

Advance Praise for the Book

Emma Darwin, author of The Mathematics of Love, commented on the quality of writing in the anthology as: “A cornucopia of witty, tragic, elegant, raw, heart-warming and terrifying stories that take the idea of Home, play with it as only truly talented writers can, and all to help those who have no home at all."

Joanne Harris, author of Chocolat, said: “Stories give our imaginations a home. It's good to see them helping to give people shelter in the real world, too...” reflecting the connection between the immediacy of housing crisis and the stories people tell about their lives around and within it.

Sally Swingewood, who also edited the collections, commented: “The Stories for Homes collections would not be possible without the generosity of a huge number of volunteers. By working together we have produced a book which will not only delight but also help address one of the biggest humanitarian crises facing modern society. In a world where migration, identity and belonging are in the news daily we have a duty to help everyone have a home in which they feel safe and settled. Stories for Homes is one way we can be part of the solution”

Review: Happily Ever After by Kiera Cass

A companion volume to the bestselling The Selection series – extra stories and never-before-seen material. Fans should prepare to swoon!

The achingly romantic and stylish four The Selection enovellas – The Prince, The Guard, The Queen and The Favorite – together in one irresistible volume. Plus exclusive extra content – Art for each of the novellas, a new intro for each of the novellas and 3 brand new scenes from each of the first 3 novels.

Review: I really enjoyed being back in this world. Having read the five novels in the series back to back, I decided to take a break and came back to this one a month later, but immediately I started reading it, I was transported back to a royal kingdom with characters I knew and loved. I read a story a day and binged the bonus materials almost as soon as I opened the book and would really recommend reading it this way!

My favourite story of the four was The Queen, it gave great insight into the character of The Queen but it also gave me a great insight into the whole selection competition! The only one I wasn't as keen on was The Guard (I left it until last) but this wasn't because of the plot or the writing, it was just because I wasn't as big of a fan of Aspen throughout the books and although the author puts a forward about how this story will get you to see Aspen in a new light, I still wasn't sold on him-sorry!

One of my favourite things about this book was the illustrations. I loved the fact that there were drawings spread throughout the book, some before a short story and some throughout the novellas too. They really brought the stories to life and made me think back to when I was reading illustrated books when I was younger, bring back pictures in all books I say! I also really loved the 'Where are they now' section, although I had forgotten about a few of the characters mentioned!

Overall I really enjoyed this read and would love some more selection stories to tie in with the final two books, if that could be arranged please? I think I would recommend reading these in the order they were intended, so if you haven't started the selection series yet, grab yourself a copy of this to read alongside!

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

Review: Dead Simple, a Quick Reads Crime Anthology

A woman reports a crime to the police, with unexpected results
The grieving widow who finds that she's about to lose more than just her husband
When a man attempts the perfect murder, it's not quite as easy as he thinks
Two men in prison play a deadly game of Scrabble
A young woman tries to trick an old man and gets more than she bargained for
Sometimes crimes are solved in ways you can't explain
A murderer about to be hanged finds that's not the worst thing that can happen
You never know who's going to turn up at your door

Original stories from Mark Billingham, Clare Mackintosh, James Oswald, Jane Casey, Angela Marsons, Harry Bingham, Antonia Hodgson and CL Taylor - specially written for Quick Reads.

Review: This crime anthology contains 8 stories. I'm not going to cover each one but look at the Quick Reads book as a whole. Last year Quick reads released an anthology of short stories as part of its anniversary and I really enjoyed that particular read so I was pleased to see that they had done it again this year. i was even more excited to see that it was a collection of crime stories because that is a genre i read very little of but when I do pick something up, I tend to enjoy it. I was excited to discover new authors!

Of course I didn't love every single story, but there really is something for everyone here. I definitely preferred reading more of the psychological thriller stories than the police procedural, but there was even one which covered the historical crime genre, not entirely my cup of tea but it was great to have it included. I think my favorites were the stories by Clare Makintosh and James Oswold!

I did read this book in one sitting, but this would be great to dip in an out of, a story for each day of a commute, or a story before bed, although with the genre type, perhaps reading before bed wouldn't be the best idea. I think this book is great for people like me who read little to no crime novels and want to get into that genre or discover new authors. I would highly recommend this book and it is definitely something that would appeal to a wide range of audiences!

To get your copy, just click here!

Review: The Wedding Speech (Short Story) by Isabelle Broom

Ed waited until all the eyes in the room were on him before he began. He took a deep breath, inhaling as he did so the sweet scent from the lilies, which were arranged extravagantly in front of him. 'Ladies and gents, I promise to try and keep this short and sweet…' 

When Billy asked his best mate Ed to be his best man, Ed knew he would have to make a speech and he was dreading it. But he also knew how important it was to Billy - and to his soul mate and wife-to-be, Amelia. So Ed is determined to do them proud. But little does he know that it will be the most important speech he will ever make, and his toast - 'To Billy and Amelia - together forever' - will mean more than he ever thought. 

A beautiful short story to remind you of the importance of love.

Review: This was a short story and it was just such a lovely read, I don't know why it took me so long to read it!

We start at the beginning of the book hearing Billy's best man Ed reading a speech. We know there are friends and family around and we get to see their reactions. Although it sounds rather odd that this whole short story is just one speech, we get to learn so much about these people in the speech and it just feels so right!

I loved what a compassionate man Ed was, I liked that he wasn't afraid to share his feelings, to shed a tear and I liked that he thought of others. We can see him mentioning people in his speech and then checking their reactions. There are moments of laughter but also times to cry. 

This was definitely an emotional read, and for a short story, it is something that has stayed with me. I loved this little insight into these people and hope that I will get to hear more from them soon in this future. You will love this story and I definitely recommend downloading this one now!

To grab your copy now click here!

Series Review: The Meet Cute Series by Katey Lovell

Katey Lovell is a wonderful author who I discovered in 2016. She has one paperback novel currently in the charts. I posted a review of The Singalong Society for Singletons in October. You can find that here.

But she first came to my attention for her short stories. The meet cute series! Here's a link to Katy's blog so you can find out more about her!

The Meet Cute Series are short stories that cover just that, girl meets boy, something amazing could happen. The way each story differs is that they meet in several different scenarios. You can tell from each title, where they're going to meet and that's the wonderful thing about this series. Each story is about 20 pages long and so that's why I'm reviewing these as a series rather than individual short stories.

Review: I just love these short stories because each one is a full story in itself with a beginning, a middle and an end. You see things from our main character's perspective and therefore get to live out her feelings when she first spots the person she is about to meet. Sometimes she has been watching them from afar for a while, sometimes she has seen them on more than one occasion and sometimes we get to see their interaction the first time they met. This series has got variety I tell you!

The great thing about the fact this this is a series is that it isn't a series! When I first began reading them, I thought I was going to have to read them in order but each one is a stand alone meet cute and so you get a new experience every time. You will therefore definitely find yourself downloading more than one at a time because you will find yourself drawn into the irresistibly romantic world of the meet cute!

I think my favorite of these was the Boy in The Bookshop, and not just because it was set in a bookshop, but I also really liked the Boy Under the Mistletoe. These are the two that have stayed with me longest and you can definitely go and read both of these just not because the description of 'the boy' the description of the meeting and the pure romance is just such high quality and that's part of what makes these so readable. 

I would say that each of these short stories takes me less than 15 minutes to read and so trey are perfect for bedtime reading, for reading when you are early to an appointment or for reading on a shorter commute. They are also very easy to binge read and you may find yourself reading three or four of these at once. Each one is its own story and I am sure that you will love them all!

Review: The Anniversary a Quick Reads Anthology Edited by Veronica Henry

Original stories from Fanny Blake, Elizabeth Buchan, Rowan Coleman, Jenny Colgan, Philippa Gregory, Matt Haig, Veronica Henry, Andy McNab, Richard Madeley and John O'Farrell - with special anniversary recipes from The Hairy Bikers.

A young woman with memories of D-Day and a life both dangerous and exciting
A father and son with a shared birthday and deeply held secrets
A single mum taxi driver, whose envy for the rich couple on their way to the Ritz soon changes
The unlikely marriage, born in the depths of war
The Tudor wife receives the ghostly message, 'Never marry a dangerous man'
An agoraphobic widower, unable to visit his wife's grave
The Elvis impersonator who finds hope for a new romance with Marilyn Monroe
The ex soldiers burdened with the consequences of one bad decision
The long-held memories of a wartime tragedy
The anniversary supper which changed the world...

THE ANNIVERSARY - a collection of the very best short fiction around.

Review: Oh I so enjoyed this collection of short stories for Quick Reads tenth anniversary! This anthology included some of my favourite authors as well as some new to me authors. That was one of the best things about this book, it gave me a chance to read something a little bit different from some of my favourite authors, or other authors I have read before, as well as introducing me to new authors and allowing me to sample what they had to offer. Every short story was a tale in itself, complete, compelling and entertaining and each story was different from the last. 

I would like to share a few of my favourites with you. I really loved Rowan Coleman's story about a father and son and their shared birthday. It contained a lot of mystery and i gasped more than once when I read this on the tube on the way home after the Quick Reads event! I also really enjoyed really Philippa Gregory's story because it concerns Tudor England and I love reading about that time period. I also really enjoyed this one because I've always fancied reading a Phillipa Gregory novel, but have felt a little intimidated so this was a nice easy introduction to her writing for me. 

There are also recipes in this Quick Read. I can't say that I've made any of them but they are certainly intriguing and I think, give the book another level, another aspect. This book would be great to read on a commute or treat yourself to a short story before bed every night. You'll get something different, yet entertaining with each one and you'll find each of them quick and easy to read-a real treat!

To grab your copy now click here!

Review: A Gift For You by Patricia Scanlan

A warm, wise, funny and heartfelt collection of short stories from bestselling novelist Patricia Scanlan - the perfect gift and the perfect treat! 

Collected to celebrate Christmas, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day and birthdays, as well as offering wise words on how to deal with difficult days, these stories will entertain and delight readers. Meet Magdalena as she prepares for the birth of her first child, knowing her family are in another country - but will her fiancé surprise her for Christmas? Share memories of treasured tree decorations and the stories they hold. Delight as Irene remembers her husband on Valentine's Day and fate finds a way to remind her of the love they shared. Cheer along with Sophie as she finally finds the courage to deal with a fairweather friend, and laugh as a grandmother receives a visit from her granddaughter - only to turn the tables on her and show her who is boss! 

Lose yourself in sublime storytelling - the perfect gift for readers everywhere.

Review: I really enjoyed making my way through these short stories. They're all very similar in length and so make for [perfect bedtime reading or reading whilst you're waiting for someone or something. I did find myself finishing one story and then saying 'oh just one more' and so they do make for compelling reading, that's for sure. All the stories are complete in themselves but all seem to have a similar theme of allowing time for yourself or completing something you always wanted to do, hence the title, a gift for you. After reading this I did feel like I should be kinder to myself and treat myself the way I treat others!

The book is split into sections for various holidays. Christmas, valentines, birthday, mothers days and difficult days. My favourite section by far was the birthday section. The stories in this section were all funny and the final story of the book made me laugh so much that I had to re-read it! I really enjoyed the Christmas stories and will probably read these again next Christmas!

Overall I think the book was a really good idea. The fact that the Christmas stories are first shows that it is perfect for the festive season, but I loved that that stories had so much more to give than just that! I really liked the length of the stories. Many of them were set in Ireland, a couple in London and so they had a familiar setting too, which helped. I liked the fact that I got to meet so many new characters and got to complete a whole story before having to put the book back down again . I would definitely recommend this book to read at any time or year and I really recommend allowing one of these stories a day to really spread out the pleasure!

To grab your copy now click here!