Review: Buzzing Easter Bunnies by Nick Spalding

The sequel to BLUE CHRISTMAS BALLS from Nick Spalding, the bestselling author of the smash hit romantic comedy Love... From Both Sides and its sequels Love... And Sleepless Nights & Love... Under Different Skies. 

Every story needs a decent climax... 

There are plenty of things Christina Barclay would like to do before she hits thirty at Easter. Having an orgasm with somebody else in the room is most definitely one of them.

Up to now, her love life has been sorely lacking in the toe-curling department - but luckily for Christina, she's just started dating Matthew Adrian Bunion, a man whose bedroom inexperience is more than made up for by his never-ending enthusiasm. Mr Bunion will not rest until his new girlfriend is satisfied - no matter what the cost in rechargeable batteries, physical injury or public embarrassment.

From the best-selling author of BLUE CHRISTMAS BALLS and LOVE... FROM BOTH SIDES, this is the story of one woman and one man on an epic quest to come together, and celebrate an Easter birthday in style.

This is a 24,000 word novella - about 115 pages in paperback.

Review: I was sent this book by the author for an honest review and saved it to read on Easter Sunday, when I would be able to sit down and read it all. I am really glad that I'd I'd this as this was the perfect light entertainment for Easter Sunday afternoon! I laughed so hard at this novella and yet it was a such a good storyline, I got really involved in it and in the characters. 

As a woman about to turn thirty myself, I really identified with main character Christina and found her quest for an orgasm really funny! She is a likeable character and morally realistic. I think she was straight talking, which I always admire in a character and her ideas for why she hasn't achieved the big O yet are also really insightful. Matthew is also a straight talking character and he reminded me of Leonard from Big Bang Theory, a loveable geek. I really like the fact that he owned up to his inexperience straight away, although it never really was explained how he ended up in A & E with something inserted into his rectum...

This novella is a wonderful break from reality and could definitely be read at any time of year, not just Easter Sunday! It was funny, it was insightful, it was real. I enjoyed it from start to finish and literally devoured it all in one go. If you've got an hour or so to kill this is definitely the way you should spend it, although be warned, there are plenty of comedy sex moments throughout! 

Cover Reveal: The Atlas of Us by Tracy Buchanan

I'm very lucky to have another fabulous cover reveal today. I'm very excited about this debut novel as it sounds really different and really captivating and just look at this gorgeous cover...

How far would you go for the one you love the most?

This powerful book from debut author Tracy Buchanan is a compelling and engaging story about mothers and daughters, lovers and secrets, and relationships that change everything. It’s about being true to yourself, following your heart, facing up to your mistakes and moving on.

The Atlas of Us takes you on a moving and involving journey, from Cornwall to Thailand, to Australia, Finland, Serbia and San Francisco in the company of characters you care for deeply (though you don’t always like them) and through the most special and tragic moments of lives lived to the full. It’s about family, loss, resilience, reconciliation and hope... 

When Louise Fenton flies to Thailand to find her mother, Nora, after the Boxing Day tsunami, she fears the worst when the only trace she can find is her mother’s distinctive bag. In the bag is a beautifully crafted atlas owned by travel journalist Claire Shreve, with her notes and mementos slipped in-between the pages. The journal tells the story of Claire’s struggle to find her place in the world following a life-altering revelation, and a tumultuous love affair.

Louise treks across Thailand's scarred landscape, exploring Claire’s atlas to try to make sense of the connection between this woman and the mother she is so desperate to find.

As devastated people are beginning to put their lives back together, Louise uncovers the secrets that nearly destroyed Claire and the man she loved – the same secrets her mother has been guarding all these years …

Look out for The Atlas of Us later on this year... 

Review: The French For Always by Fiona Valpy

Five Weddings. The perfect venue. One little hitch...

Leaving the grey skies of home behind to transform a crumbling French Château into a boutique wedding venue is a huge leap of faith for Sara. She and fiancé Gavin sink their life savings into the beautiful Château Bellevue – set under blue skies and surrounded by vineyards in the heart of Bordeaux.

After months of hard work, the dream starts to become a reality – until Gavin walks out halfway through their first season. Overnight, Sara is left very much alone with the prospect of losing everything.

With her own heart breaking, Sara has five weddings before the end of the season to

turn the business around and rescue her dreams. With the help of the locals and a little courage can she save Château Bellevue before the summer is over?

Review: having loved The French for Love by this author last year, I was keen to get my hands on a copy of this new novel and it proved to be just as much of a lovely read as the first! This was set in the gorgeous French countryside which, itself, was another character in the novel, I honestly felt like I was there drinking in the sunshine, the atmosphere and the wine! The description in this book was just beautiful full on wonderful metaphorical language and adjectives that tasted wonderful in the mouth! 

The character of Sara was likeable, if a little weak. I found myself really warming to her but at some point am asking her to pull herself together and ask for some help. The supporting characters really complimented her well and there are two leading men, one of whom we loved to hate and the other of whom we loved, of course. Sara really does do well at preserving her wedding business and is so calm and collected in front of her brides, where her personal life is concerned though, she really is a bit of a flounderer! 

The storyline left a little to be desired in my opinion. I felt a bit like nothing really happened. There was the danger of the business going under and the chateau being sold to someone else, but the weddings at the chateau seemed to be the main issue that was dealt with and I felt that this had been done before, and a little better, in other novels. There was one dramatic turn which had me seriously worried and brought a tear to my eye, but apart from this, nothing more dramatic. The lack of drama didn't really bother me because the writing was so beautiful and it was such a simple story, it proved to be a quick read, however if you are looking for something with lots of twists and turns, you won't find it here. 

Overall this novel would be a lovely summer read, you will feel the heat emanating off the page and so will definitely put you in the mood for barbecues and a glass of wine or too alfresco. This is a stand along novel, so if you haven't read anything from this author before, it would be a great introduction to her lovely writing! 

Review: Carry You by Beth Thomas

For anyone who has loved, lost or found it hard to let go, CARRY YOU will make you laugh, cry and celebrate your best friends. Perfect for fans of Marian Keyes and Jo Jo Moyes.

Daisy has lost her mum to breast cancer. She’s at rock bottom and doesn’t think she’ll ever get back up again. Her best friend Abi has other ideas – she tells it like it is and she’s determined to make Daisy remember the person she used to be.

What Daisy doesn’t know is that, thanks to Abi, her life is about to take an unexpected turn, when she signs them up to do a charity walk. Added to which, someone is about to burst into Daisy’s world in a riot of colour reminding her that life can be full of surprises.

Review: this book was quite different to anything I've ever read. There was something about the voice and the storyline that was entirely unique which is such a gem to find considering the amount of books that I read in this genre! The storyline was really really lovely because it all surrounded raising money for breast cancer and breast cancer awareness and raising awareness and dealing with mental health, something which again, is not dealt with that often in other books. Although the book deals with these thought subjects, it still manages to be light hearted and a lovely read and yet the subjects are dealt with in a sensitive way and covered comprehensively! 

The other major storyline here is one of friendships and the two friends in question are easy characters I get to know and to relate to, the reason for this being that the each have flaws. Daisy is dealing with depression and has to suddenly move in with best friend Abbey. She comes across as a fairly selfish character and also someone who is unaware when they are hurting other people around her. However, watching her grow and get her life back on track in this novel was really really special. I really liked her by the end of the novel, even if I didn't agree with some of the choices she had made. Abbey made some choices that I wasn't so sure about either but as a best friend, she is truly awesome. She supports Daisy without question and gives her space and her time freely, something which is such an endearing quality! I loved he ending that both of these characters got, even though they might not be what you would expect from the beginning of the book! 

Ther IS a love story in this novel but it is such a slow burn and such sweet beginning that's you will literally find yourself squealing out loud when it finally surfaces. Of course other relationships are dealt with as you would expect from this genre but the little love story that runs underneath everything else is just delicious. The pace of this book is definitely slower than you might expect and that for me was really the only thing that stopped it from being a five star read. It didn't stop me from reading it in 2 days however which considering its substantial size, is pretty impressive. This is definitely something to read this summer and something which will definitely take a good look at your best friends with a renewed sense of appreciation!  

Guest Post From No-One Ever Has Sex on A Tuesday Author Tracy Bloom!(plus giveaway eep!)

I'm very lucky to have the fabulous Tracy Bloom back on the blog this week. You might remember I reviewed this fabulous novel last year and also brought you an interview with Tracy here on the blog. Well to celebrate the release of he paperback of this fab debut, I have Tracy back on the blog, telling us about the characters in the novel. If you scroll to the bottom and leave me a comment as well, you can win a copy of this super duper novel for yourselves. You have until Monday night to enter, I'll announce winners on Tuesday! 

Without further ado I'll hand you over to Tracy Bloom! 

Meet the characters of NO-ONE EVER HAS SEX ON A TUESDAY by Tracy Bloom

KATY – 36yrs old with an irrational hatred of Mickey Mouse, Katy thinks she has life under control. So fareverything has gone pretty much to plan leading to agreat career at a Leeds advertising agency along with a stylish riverside flat. Her love-life however is much lesssussed. Left broken hearted by her childhood sweetheart at eighteen she struggles to commit, getting rid of anyboyfriend the minute she starts to get attached. But then she meets Ben…

BEN – is a school PE teacher and eight years younger than Katy. It’s the perfect relationship. He’s too young to take life seriously so always up for a laugh and not old enough to want to settle down which suits commitment phobic Katy. In fact she wonders why she didn’t choose to date a younger guy before. Then she attends a school re-union and bumps into her teenage boyfriendMatthew...

MATTHEW – since school Matthew has become success in a suit. He is very proud of his career in finance as well as his sleek company car and expense account. Howevermeeting Katy at the school re-union reminds him of hisyounger carefree days that were totally unlike the micromanaged life he now leads. Somehow he ends up in bed with Katy. Next morning they agree to never see each other again and he returns home to his wife Alison…

ALISON – having worked in HR, Alison is used to organizing everyone’s life as well as her own. Her exceptional planning skills however are no use when her body fails her as she struggles to get pregnant. Fertility treatment banishes all the joy and spontaneity out of hermarriage to Matthew as she obsesses over having the children she always dreamed of.

Also staring….

DANIEL – Katy’s gay best friend who is also Creative Director at the Advertising Agency where she works. He’s the only one who knows about Katy’s indiscretion and so is under pressure to offer advice and support, something that doesn’t come to him naturally especially when it involves pregnancy!

BRAINDEAD – one of Ben’s mates whose unique take on life is by parts hilarious and very worrying. His ability to reduce big problems down to his level however can sometimes prove very constructive

IAN – divorced with teenage kids, Ian is doing his best to comfort the forty something single females of Leeds in is own inimitable style. A colleague of Matthew, he thinks it’s hilarious that Matthew has got himself into such a pickle when he hears that a blooming Katy has turned up at an antenatal class attended by Matthew and his finally pregnant wife.

Review! Amelia Grey's Fireside Dream by Abby Clements

Amelia has a dream: toasting chestnuts by the fire with her husband Jack in their own cosy cottage. Their real life is another world - a cramped one-bedroom flat in Hackney. But when life takes a surprising turn, removal vans are soon heading to the Kent countryside.

They soon realise the cottage makeover is a far bigger project than they'd anticipated. On top of that, there's Amelia's newly loved-up mum and her tearaway half-sister, Mirabel, to contend with - pushing Amelia and Jack's marriage to breaking point.

Amelia begins to strip back the wallpaper and fittings in the cottage and discovers the story of the cottage's previous owner - and a hidden secret. As Amelia's ideas about love and family change, will her fireside dream finally come true?

Review: aww what a lovely book. I knew this book would be lovely because of the whole concept of it, a comforting fireside, a cosy cottage, a dream come true, but it was even more comforting and warm and lovely than expected. I actually got this book on audiobook from the library and, whilst I had it in paperback too, I would really recommend it in this format because it was a truly lovely listen-well narrated and true justice was given to the writing. I was into the story right from the get go and loved the fact that it was about a teacher. I have to say that the teaching side of it was excellently researched, this author captured what life as a teacher is like, the stresses and the emotional side of it as well as the frustrations that you can feel in terms of your career developing! 

The rest of the storyline was also excellent. I loved the way that it was structured into different rooms and though the doing up a house aspect as well as the relationship aspect of the storyline were just as realistic as the teaching side. The structure meant that this was a fast laced read and there was some new twist and turn with every single chapter-just perfect. The characters in this novel were all extremely likeable and relatable. Obviously, being a teacher (and one who is trying to move house right now at that) I related to Amelia and the emotions that she felt with her job, the cottage and her relationship with her husband. I though Jack was very well-written as well, he was a proper man and someone who felt things and expressed his emotions as a. Modern man does. Amelia's mum really added colour to the story, as did her dad and his daughter (Amelia's half sister).

The setting was, of course, described beautifully and I really felt like I lived in that cottage for the duration of the novel, seeing every lick of paint, every new piece of furniture and every memory that was going to be made there. The village it was set in felt like it could have been any village near to me and really came to life on the page. Overall this was a really great read and something I've recommended to lots of people to read again. I have other novels by this author and they are definitely being bumped up the TBR to be read soon!  A comforting, lovely, realistic story to snuggle up with at any time of year! 

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Characters Who Inspire Me 22/4/14

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!

Wow, this is a dell one this week. There are a lot of ways characters in books can inspire you, they can be inspirational be user they've overcome something, they can inspire you to do something, or they can inspire you to change who you are. I've come across all of these kinds of characters and I'm going to try and include a balance of all of them for you. 

1. Nell from Take a Look at Me Now. She made a change in her life and really went for her goals-so inspirational! 

2. Gina from A hundred Pieces of Me. I doubt anyone would be able to read this book without feeling inspired by this survivor who is determined to sort out her life and move on. 

3. Cass from By My Side. She is another character who has something awful happen to her and yet she carries on and gets on with her life, love her, love ticket. 

4. Jo from Little Women. This inspiration goes way way back, i become obsessed with this book in early secondary school and wanted to be just like Jo, a tomboy who wrote great stories! 

5. Claire from the Memory Book. Even though she is losing her memory rapidly, she still wants to be a good wife, a good mother and a good daughter. I found her struggle and her remaining zest for life so inspirational! 

6. Emma from The Wish List by Jane Costello. I'm going to be thirty at the end of this year and this book inspired me to make my own wish list. 

7. Miss Honey from Matilada by Roald Dahl. She inspired me to be a good teacher, one who cared about her children and wanted the best for them. I am still striving to be a Miss Honey! 

8. Matilda from Matilda (can you tell this book had a big influence on me early on?) she loved reading and visiting her library. I wanted to be her and to have read all of the books in the library. I succeeded in listening to all of the audiobooks in my local library (how brilliant is it that children's audiobooks are still freed to borrow?) but I'm still trying to read all the books! 

9. Jo Bettany from The Chalet School Series by Elinor M Brent-Dyer. Another Jo, another tomboy and another one who was very independent and had a massive influence on me when I was younger! 

10. Hazel from The Fault in Our stars by John Green. She was inspirational because she was a teenager battling this massive disease. She had to lug an oxygen tank around and she had that relationship with Augustus Waters *sigh*

So there you have my list, a nice balance, but you'll notice they're all women! I didn't consciously do that, I just find women in fiction very inspirational clearly! Let me know what you put on your list. 

Happy reading!