Blog Tour: Extract From Christmas With The Teashop Girls by Elaine Everest @ElaineEverest #TeashopGirlsChristmas @ed_pr

Today is my stop on the blog tour for Christmas With The Teashop Girls by Elaine Everest. I have an extract to share with you today but don't forget to check out the other stops on the tour for more exclsive content and reviews. Christmas with the Teashop Girls by Elaine Everest is out now, published by Pan Macmillan, priced £7.99 as paperback original. You can click here to order your copy now!

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

The friends return in a moving story of love, bravery and hope set in 1940 – a guaranteed winter warmer full of festive spirit. 

Bestseller Elaine Everest is the author of the muchloved Woolworths Girls saga series. 

It’s late 1940 and the war feels closer to home than ever for Rose Neville and her staff at the Lyon’s Teashop in Margate. The worry of rationing hangs overhead as the Nippies do their best to provide a happy smile and a hot cup of tea for their customers. When a bombing raid targets the Kent coastline, Lyon’s is badly hit, throwing the future of the cafe into jeopardy. 

The light in Rose’s life is her dashing fiancé Captain Ben Hargreaves and she’s busy planning their Christmas Eve wedding. But she must also plan to take two new stepdaughters into her life and get on the right side of her wealthy mother-in-law, Lady Diana. Is Rose ready to become a mother? 

When Rose’s half-sister Eileen makes contact, it seems that Rose’s dreams of having a sibling are coming true at long last. But her friends begin to suspect that she’s hiding something… As the wedding draws near, the bombings intensify, putting everything and everyone Rose loves in danger. Only one thing is for sure: it will be a Christmas she never forgets . . .

Here's that extract for you...

‘Oh Miss Neville, I’m that thrilled for you,’ the young Nippy exclaimed as Rose walked into the staffroom of the Lyons teashop she managed in Margate. ‘Fancy being engaged to an army captain! Show us your engagement ring?’

Rose smiled at the girl standing in front of her. ‘Thank you, Edie. I’m afraid I don’t have the ring yet – my fiancé is having it altered. His grandmother’s fingers were larger than mine,’ she explained as she looked down at the slim fingers of her left hand, thinking back to the moment Ben had slipped the ring on after formally proposing.

‘You mean it’s second-hand, Miss? I’d have thought a posh bloke like him could have afforded to buy you something new,’ Edie said, giving her a pitying look. ‘When my sister got engaged to her chap, she had a new ring, and he’s only a corporal.’

‘You are a silly child,’ a familiar voice said from behind Rose. ‘Do you not know that Captain Benjamin is a man who comes from the landed gentry of England? What our Miss Neville is to be wearing on her finger will be an ancient heirloom,’ Anya Polinski reprimanded the girl. ‘Show some respect to our manageress,’ she added with a dismissive sniff, looking down her nose at the younger woman – something that was easily done, since Anya stood a head taller than most of the staff in the teashop.

The younger staff members were unsure of their Polish colleague, who always carried an air of authority even though she was just like them, albeit a ‘Sally’ who looked after the front counter of the Lyons teashop, where she served customers with all manner of goods. The older staff found her helpful and knowledgeable, although they too were in awe of the woman who’d left her homeland and come all the way to Thanet in search of her pilot husband, Henio. When the couple had been reunited, more than one Nippy had been heard to sigh at the romance of it, remarking that Anya’s life was straight out of an edition of The People’s Friend.

Rose clapped her hands together to gain the attention of the other Nippies and Sallys. ‘Ladies, we have but fifteen minutes before the doors open to our customers,’ she said with a smile, before taking a look at the notes in her hand. ‘I would like to inspect your uniforms first, and then I will give you some news about a few staff changes that will affect our work here at the Margate teashop while I’m away in London. I trust you all to carry on your hard work while I’m absent.’

This was met with excited chatter and nods of agreement before a hush fell as Rose walked along the line of Nippies, checking their black uniform dresses, white cuffs and collars were clean. ‘Annie, your hem is coming down. You will find thread and needles in the drawer,’ she instructed a newer Nippy, nodding towards the large table where the staff sat while taking breaks for their meals. ‘There is also red thread, for any of you who have loose pearl buttons,’ she added as many of the women ran their hands down the fronts of their dresses, where two neat rows of white pearl buttons ran from their collars to the waistbands of their crisp white aprons.

‘Please, Miss Neville, I have a ladder in my stocking. If there is time, may I change it? I didn’t notice until I was on my way to work,’ an older Nippy asked. ‘Most certainly you may.’ Rose smiled, pleased that her team took such pride in their appearance. She’d not found one dirty fingernail, and each worker had clean, shiny hair underneath the white starched caps bearing the Lyons badge.

About The Author

Elaine Everest is from North West Kent and she grew up listening to stories of the war years in her home town of Erith, which features in her bestselling Woolworths Girls series. A former journalist, and author of nonfiction books for dog owners, Elaine has written over sixty short stories for the women's magazine market. When she isn't writing, Elaine runs The Write Place creative writing school in Hextable, Kent. She lives with her husband, Michael and sheepdog Henry. You can find out more about Elaine on Twitter @ElaineEverest or Facebook /elaine.everest

Guest Review: A Surprise Christmas Wedding by Phillipa Ashley

It’s been a year since Lottie’s fiancé walked out, leaving her heartbroken. But things start to look up when she lands her dream job at a beautiful Lake District estate, with a handsome groundskeeper for a neighbour.

 

So when Lottie is asked to organise a last minute Christmas wedding at Firholme, she can’t wait to get started. Until she meets the couple, and discovers that Connor, the man who broke her heart, is the groom-to-be.

 

As snow falls on the hills, can Lottie put aside her past to organise the perfect winter wedding? And will there be any festive magic left to bring Lottie the perfect Christmas she deserves?

Review: As a big fan of all things Christmassy, this is an exciting time of year for me as all the festive reads begin to emerge. I always look out for my favourite authors in particular, these including Phillipa Ashley. Having read a good many of her books, I wasn’t surprised when this one began in Cornwall, but was equally pleased when the action then shifted for the main part of the story to the Lake District, an area I know well and enjoy visiting when I can. I was soon absorbed in the story and found it a quick and easy read.

The central character in the book is Lottie, an events planner working in Firholme, a country house standing on the shores of Derwentwater in the Lake District. She loves her job and the little cottage that comes with it. However, she’s not sure about her new neighbour, estates manager Jay, who is initially not very sociable, unlike his gorgeous black labrador. Lottie’s boss is keen to net a big event to showcase the house and its facilities, and is delighted when a couple show up desperate to have their wedding there the week before Christmas, only a few weeks away. Lottie knows she can pull it off, but the drawback is that she knows the groom, having been engaged to him briefly just a year before, his desertion having left her heartbroken. As the wedding and Christmas approach, Lottie has the additional worry of her ill sister and helping look after her young twin nieces who are increasingly excited amidst the festive preparations. Readying the house for the wedding means she has to work closely with Jay and she begins to get to know him better and understand his dislike of the festive season.

I have really enjoyed this festive and heartwarming story and can heartily recommend it. There are some lovely characters, a marvellous location and just the right amount of snow. The wedding is, of course, central to the plot, but there is plenty of other activity as well. Lottie’s sister and Jay have interesting storylines of their own that emerge as the story progresses. I didn’t take to the bride or groom; some of their demands at such short notice were incredible. Lottie, however, was amazing, getting everything done while caring for her immediate family and sorting out Jay’s problems too; I would definitely want her organising my event.

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

Top Ten Tuesday: Super Long Book Titles 13/10/20

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together.

Review: One Family Christmas by Bella Osborne

A big family. A whole lot of secrets. A Christmas to remember…

This year, Lottie is hosting one last big family Christmas at the home she grew up in – just like her Nana would have wanted.

But when her relatives descend on the old manor house, Lottie gets more than she bargained for. Every family has its secrets, but in this family, everybody has one!

So, between cooking a Christmas dinner, keeping tensions at bay and a stray dog out of mischief, she has plenty on her plate (and not just misshapen sausage rolls and a frozen turkey). And then her first love shows up – nine years after he walked out of her life.

Can Lottie make their last family Christmas one to remember… for the right reasons?

Review: Ah this was one of those books that you can totally see playing out in front of you like a movie-this would make such a fabulous film. Terribly British and hilariously funny-everything that could go wrong with this Christmas, every soap opera cliches that could happen happened in this book and I loved every moment of it. I picked this novel up on Monday morning and didn't put it down again until I had finished it on Monday night!

Lottie was such a great character to spend this novel with because she is so easy to relate to and you will find yourself on her side 100% right from the word go. I love that she is trying so hard to make Christmas perfect for everyone but as the synopsis says, everybody in this family has secrets and so poor Lottie has a really hard time of it. I also really related to Emily.  have been the new person at a table at a bigger family Christmas than I am used so and so I could really sympathise with her and the position that she found herself in. I loved getting to know these women and I loved the bond that they formed. 

There are some absolutely hilarious moments in this novel. If you can think of something that could go awry whilst cooking or decorating for Christmas you will probably find it here. You want some ghostly presences? You got it! A cute relationship between a dog and a cat? Check! A blast from the past suddenly appearing again? Bella Osborne has got you sorted. 

There is some serious family drama in this book, some romantic moments and some good old fashioned family bonding. Overall though this book has a lot of heart in the relationships it explores and the humour found in every situation. I love that these characters take everything this authors throws at them and more and I am sure you will too!

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

Movie Reviews: I Couldn't Finish Watching These New To Streaming Movies?!

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Blog Tour: Extract From Coming Home to Penvennan Cove by Linn B Halton

Today is my stop on the blog tour for Coming Home to Penvennan Cove by Linn B Halton. I have an extract to share with you today and if you like the sound of that, you can click here to order your copy now. Don't forget to check out the other stops on the tour for more exclusive content and reviews. 

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

Can Kerra's Cornish hometown offer the fresh start she needs?

When Kerra left the quiet Cornish town of Penvennan Cove for the bright lights of London she didn't look back. But after the death of her mother, she's decided it's time to face her past and return to the place she called home. Her father needs her, and perhaps she needs him more than she's willing to admit?

Tackling town gossip, home renovations and a flame from her past, it's not quite smooth sailing for Kerra. Ross is the bad boy she was meant to forget, not a man who still sets her heart aflutter. As he helps bring her dream home to life, they begin to break down the barriers that have been holding them back and in the process learn things about themselves they never thought possible.

As friends old and new come together, the future in Penvennan looks bright.

Here's that extract for you...

There are tears in my eyes as I drive away from my London life, but there is also a huge sense of relief. Dad is trying his best to keep Mum’s dog-sitting business—Home from Home—going, but he was only ever a weekend helper before he gave up work. While there are perfectly good kennels in the garden, on my last trip home every available seat in the house had a dog curled up on it. He told me they only howl if he tries to use the bespoke accommodation. The truth is that they, too, miss my lovely mum and are pining for her. They don’t understand what’s happening and, sadly, neither does Dad. Mum would be horrified at his total lack of control and expect me to sort him out, which I will. But he needs time to adjust and I can’t just wade in; it would only add to his anxiety.

People came from miles around to entrust their beloved fur babies into Mum’s care, because she was a professional and had a true affinity with animals. They would return home better behaved because she was a nurturing woman, able to dispense tough love when it was required. Dad, on the other hand, is a pushover. If there was something I really wanted, I’d ask him first, then break the news to Mum. She would usually look at me, narrowing her eyes admonishingly. I’d keep my head down and stay out of her bad books for a while, until she eventually forgave me.

But running a business requires a multitude of skills. The fact that Dad isn’t good with paperwork or using the computer to figure out the electronic booking system, was a growing problem. However, it took a phone call about six months ago to alert me to that fact. My old school friend, Tegan Richards, rang me one day to give me an update and I realised that while Dad was telling me everything was fine, it wasn’t.

‘Your dad needs rescuing, Kerra. He really does. We’re all worried about Eddie. I don’t think the word “no” is in his vocabulary and it’s getting ridiculous. It was pouring down the other day and I caught up with him on what was obviously not his first walk of the day. He had three large and extremely energetic canines straining on their leashes wanting to get on. We spoke briefly and he apologised for having to rush off. He was already soaking wet at that point and admitted to me that he had another three lots of dogs to walk.’ I’d heard a real sense of concern in her voice and guilt had hit me squarely in the gut. ‘It’s too much for him without Meryn,’ she’d added sadly.

The mention of Mum’s name had instantly made my eyes prickle with tears and a trip down the following weekend turned them into tears of despair. However, slow and steady is the required approach with Dad and there was little I could do from a distance. I was heavily caught up in contract negotiations for the sale of the business at that point—something I didn’t want to bother him with, as I knew he’d worry. I wasn’t in a position to go anywhere until that was done and dusted. There was also the matter of getting my loft-style apartment in London ready to rent out. And serving notice to the tenant living in the little cottage I’d inherited from Grandma Rosenwyn, or Rose as we called her, in Penvennan Cove.

About the Author

From interior designer to author, when Linn B. Halton's not writing, or spending time with the family, she's either upcycling furniture or working in the garden. Linn won the 2013 UK Festival of Romance: Innovation in Romantic Fiction award; her novels have been short-listed in the UK's Festival of Romance and the eFestival of Words Book Awards. Living in Coed Duon in the Welsh Valleys with her 'rock', Lawrence, and gorgeous Bengal cat Ziggy, she freely admits she's an eternal romantic. Linn is a member of the Romantic Novelists' Association and the Society of Authors. Linn writes feel-good, uplifting novels about life, love and relationships.

Follow The Author

Twitter: @LinnBHalton

Facebook: @LinnBHaltonAuthor

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Review: Ghosts by Dolly Alderton

Nina Dean has arrived at her early thirties as a successful food writer with loving friends and family, plus a new home and neighbourhood. When she meets Max, a beguiling romantic hero who tells her on date one that he's going to marry her, it feels like all is going to plan.

A new relationship couldn't have come at a better time - her thirties have not been the liberating, uncomplicated experience she was sold. Everywhere she turns, she is reminded of time passing and opportunities dwindling. Friendships are fading, ex-boyfriends are moving on and, worse, everyone's moving to the suburbs. There's no solace to be found in her family, with a mum who's caught in a baffling mid-life makeover and a beloved dad who is vanishing in slow-motion into dementia.

Dolly Alderton's debut novel is funny and tender, filled with whip-smart observations about relationships, family, memory, and how we live now.

Review: Oh I loved this book right from the word go. I loved the double meaning of the title and I really felt like I could relate to Nina and her struggles in life in general and in particular in the online dating world. 

This book highlights the importance of having a support network around you. Whether that group is made up of family, or chose family or even a combination of both having someone you can call when a date goes badly, having someone there to be your plus one at a disastrous hen do or having someone there when you have to be there for your family is so important. 

Nina also really makes me very very happy that I am not currently involved in the world on online dating. Her dating life is seriously complex and it takes her and her friends to decipher what the hell they should do next after a move has been made. It made me exhausted just reading about it and also reminded me of how infuriating it is to be ghosted in any way shape or form. 

This book also touches on the issues of dementia and Alzheimers in a loved on. I think this writer did and incredible job of building that into Nina's story and this gives us the other side of ghosts, when a loved one's memories and your shared history becomes a ghosts. It comes and goes and you never know when you're going to see their true self from one minute to the next. This is an incredibly painful experience and reading about it through Nina and her life was so easy to relate to and I think Dolly Alderton really does highlight the helplessness one feels in that situation. 

Aside from the pain in the book and the drama there is also a whole lot of heart and humour. I loved the shared jokes that Nina has with her friends. A particularly hilarious scene for me was where Nina is at a hen do and references the fact that fizz is only called fizz in a room full of women who secretly hate each other. I need that on a travel champagne flute now! I love the way Dolly Alderton has with words. Her writing is truly inspiring and this novel really does have it all!

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