Sloantate

  A festive read which makes you feel warm and cozy.   Where do you go when your life is crumbling around you? A Norwegian island of course.   What you might not expect is a near-death experience, a chance meeting giant Viking and his cat with more character and attitude than most teenagers, after dark, it would be enough to send most visitors running for the boat but not Holly   Holly has a backbone, but she has been scarred. Tor (never to be called Thor, or you will be in for a lecture) is also licking his wounds, the island’s hermit, and Frøy his faithful, if not constant companion, is a safe haven for him until Holly’s arrival and then things get interesting.   This book at times is hilarious, the line about psychopathic cats led me to message a friend to pre-order the book as this is our kind of humour.    I cannot explain how much I adored this story, and I am so grateful to #Netgalley #OMCReads and @HarperCollinsUK, and especially @NatalieNorman...

  Love and Friendship under the sights and sounds of a Christmas Market   A lovely wee festive read, which transported me to a traditional German market as the descriptions had me imagining the sights and sounds as I walked along with the characters. Visiting for two very different reasons, Connie to meet up with the internet date and her motley crew of OAP’s who wants to (apparently illegally) scatter their recently departed neighbour’s ashes, in a happy place from her childhood.  Whilst Connie takes her dating seriously, being shown the very bright lights and sounds of the new town’s market, the pensioners are drawn in by the dwindling traditional Christmas market, acting out in the live Nativity, singing carols, and flying across the ice, they are almost like children again.    Though I did have issues with everything to do with the neighbouring town, including the love interest, I don’t see this as a negative as it is all part of the reading experience, but ...

  Christmas Wishes by Sue Moorcroft is the perfect Christmas escape, we begin in Stockholm where Hannah Anna Butik is working in her shop, the one which she has dreaming of opening and was finally able to do so with the help of her boyfriend. When she hears the words “How is Rob’s stupid sister?” Even after two decades, Hannah would know that smile everywhere Nico Pettersson, her childhood crush.   A devastating betrayal leads Hannah back to her childhood home, in the arms of her family, who need her more than ever. She starts to rebuild her life only to find that Nico and his daughter have unknowingly followed her home.   Nico’s life is by no means easy, raising not one but soon, two children on his own, working full time he relies on his childminder and cousin to get through the day unscathed. The stress has become too much and when Hannah mistakes him for a homeless person, he knows he needs to face his demons again.   From the snowy streets of Stockholm to the vi...

  Another 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 star read from Mrs. Christmas aka Sarah Morgan. For many people, myself included, family, is the heart of Christmas, bit it the Holy one or our own. No family is perfect, members come and go, we cut some out of our lives and cling to others like a life raft. It is this realism that Sarah Morgan entwines with her romance that makes me regret when I have to put her books down, to you know, go to work. There is no sugar-coating the relationship, between Samantha, Elle, and Gayle, each headstrong in their own unique way. It takes an accident to bring mother and daughters together for the first time in five years, have their voices been too quiet for too long? Will secrets and fears sever their connection completely?  A festive holiday in remote Scotland, maybe their last chance to mend bridges, make peace and open up, throw in a hot 'laird', a four-year-old, and a little Christmas magic and Sarah's latest book gives us a perfect escape from our everyday pro...

  Sometimes home is not a place but the people you share it with. In the third instalment of Jayne Rylon's sexy Powertools: The Original Crew Returns series, life has thrown a curveball for Kayla and Dave, not only has Kayla lost her business but a fire has destroyed their home of over twenty years. This story takes us on Kayla's emotional journey, along with the crew down a path that may have been expected by readers of the previous books, but not by the characters themselves.  There will be tears, arguments, and make-up sex in this 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 emotionally charged book. Purchase Links: Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Grind-Powertools-Original-Crew-Returns-ebook/dp/B089VQQWY3/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Grind+by+Jayne+Rylon&qid=1603230027&sr=8-1 Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/grind-jayne-rylon/1137154230?ean=2940162925248 Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/grind-24

  The perfect escape, three holidays in one book.   Sandy Barker’s latest release, The Christmas Swap follows the stories of three best friends who live thousands of miles apart, from the US, the UK, and Australia. When one of their group, tells her friends her parents are leaving her alone at Christmas they hatch a plan to live out their dream Christmas, little do they know the adventures they have in store.    The Christmas Swap is a little different from a lot of holiday fiction as it follows each of the May Ladies as they experience each other’s Christmas traditions. While I thought this might dilute the depth of each character’s story, this is not the case, we learn so much from Lucy, Jules, and Chloe’s friends and family.   I love this book and it will call to those, like me, who love love, and there is no better time than Christmas to fall in love.    My thanks to #Netgalley, #OneMOreChapter #OneMoreChapterReads, and @SandyBarker for allowing me...

  Secrets in the Snow by Emma Heatherington.   This book stole my weekend and my heart   Another wonderful, story by Emma Heatherington, this time set in the village of BallyBray where five years before a wind blew in a widow and her young son, both confused and lost, looking for a family they didn't know they had.   Mabel was not family in the traditional sense but with time the body between the young woman and her child to the batty American grew stronger than blood. Roisin O’Connor needed strength, love, and the occasional kick up the bum but soon she worked her way into the community with Mabel's gentle guidance and a swift kick if needed.   But when the young family is left without their dear friend, she did not leave them alone, but through a series of messages from the grave, Mabel is able to help her nephew and her friends grieve together and search for secrets that would change everything they knew to be true.    There is so much emotion packe...

A pleasure to read   When Victoria and Oliver met two worlds literally collide together and changes their fate forever. Victoria has suffered pain and guilt for years, she is almost content in her small corner of the world, with her close group of people, happy to avoid her ex and hide from the pain he caused her. Oliver is not able to hide, he is the son of a famous businessman, and ensuring the family name and reputation is upheld is his job, even if his cousin is determined to do his best to ruin it.  When the two characters meet cracks start to show in their lives and when Oliver hatches a plan to spare his father's pain and get his mother off his back, Victoria agrees. But as with all good love stories, the best-laid plans are often upturned, and the fun begins.   It’s Christmas time in London, love is in the air and one fall could be the making of a love that can heal many wounds.    I'm so glad Georgia was able to read the book for the audio version, I'm ...

  A wonderful read.   No one’s life is perfect and as I start reading my glut of Christmas fiction, I find it refreshing to come across a story that shows family life how it really is. That one relative who makes the grand claim on being a death's door, the mother who is afraid of being lone, an uncle who is less than perfect, a brother who is trying move one and our protagonist who is finding the idea of moving on a little overwhelming.    I love the quirky characters, the animals, and the feeling of what a family Christmas is really like, cutthroat, funny, and imperfect, behind the curtains and Christmas lights.    Definitely one of my favourite novels this year.   My thanks to #Netgalley, #Avon, and @BellaOsborne for allowing to review a copy of #OneFamilyChristmas   Purchase Link: Amazon:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B085XQXDB9/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i3 Barnes & Nobel:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/one-family-chr...

  I really enjoyed A Change in Tide by Freya Barker, mainly for the emotional reaction her words cause. To lose everything, almost overnight to a fear you never saw coming, to feel so vulnerable around others, even when buying groceries, I can only imagine.  For Mia, she has spent years hiding from those fears, until the day Jared arrives and makes splashing waves in the sea of tranquility. What starts as a perceived clash of personalities, slowly develops into a friendship and inevitably something more.  The dual narration of this story is perfect and I would recommend this 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 audiobook and ebook to anyone looking for something to while away the time on their daily commute, working from home, or escaping the same four walls. My thanks to the author and Spectrum Audio for allowing me to review this book. Purchase Links: Amazon UK:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Change-Tide-Northern-Lights-Book-ebook/dp/B06Y4C48TP/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=a+change+in+tide...

  A festive read and new beginnings   As a carer myself, Cathy’s situation hit home, when you dedicate years of your life, looking after a loved one come to the end of theirs, it takes its toll, they become your sole though, friends drift away, a work-life becomes harder and love life is non-existent. Many people can never understand unless they live it and it’s even harder to explain.   The way that Tilly dealt with the loneliness and loss is very sympathetic and refreshing to read, it’s rare for people to just move on. This is a slow burner of a story for Cathy, things happen slowly, even the baking. After attending a charity coffee morning, Cathy learns that she had a place in the village and friendships form through her baking classes in the church hall with a quirky bunch of characters. Throw in a dash of teen angst and a new love interest, it’s all I need to curl up with a warm cup of something and while the afternoon away in  Linnetford   My thanks to #Ne...

Who needs a knight in shining armour when you can have the wizard?  Gwen’s Delta (Delta Team Three) is up there as one of Lynne St. James’s best.  I t's 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 from me! I was hooked from the first page. I love the dynamic between the characters not just Guinevere, Gwen, and Luke aka Merlin; but their friends and family, even the odd ambivalent cat.    To describe this story as the bookworm and the Delta would be doing Merlin a disservice as he is both a bookworm and a Delta, it is his love of books that lands him in Gwen’s grandparents’ rare bookshop. Once he sets eyes on Gwen, he is reluctant to leave.   Gwen believes she is happy with her life, working in her grandparents’ shop, whilst her parents are jetting off on adventures to source new books and artifacts, little does she know that she is about to embark on a dangerous adventure of her own.   My life is so busy and filled with many things out of my control and it is through her talent of storytel...

  The Perfect 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟Read I went into this book blind, and like most of the best reads, I picked it for its cover and a quick glance at the blur to see if we would be a good fit. The Last Charm by Ella Allbright, is a story of first love, a slow burn over the years, of adolescent misconceptions and one family trying to hold it together as another fell apart.  The charms are a pointing reminder of the events in the main character, Leila's, life, made more so by the journey she and Jake take, both together and apart. Read this book, with a warm drink, a bar of chocolate, and a box of tissues, you will need them. I won't say any more as I don't want to do you the disservice of spoiling anything about this book, sit back and enjoy it. My thanks as always to Netgalley, the publisher #OneMoreChapter and the author Ella Allbright for allowing me to read and review #TheLastCharm Purchase Links: Amazon UK:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0843NJXJQ?pf_rd_r=HGQPCTZGC164BFHX...

Unexpectedly thought-provoking.    It took me a little wild to get into this new twist on A Christmas Carol, it took me even longer to review due to the visceral emotions this story evoked.  I found it hard to resonate with the protagonist, Ben, a down on his look writer/journalist who married his university sweetheart, his soulmate only for doubts to come creeping in as his wife’s career is progressing as he is stuck in a job he doesn’t like.    Don’t get me wrong, just because I didn’t like where Ben’s mind was going, did not mean it didn’t like the book, I loved it. Through a very odd evening, after a few too many drinks, Ben relives the key moments in his life, even going to what the future might have been. This series of events is what made the book for me. Our lives are so fast-paced, always looking for ways to improve, in our jobs, home life, love life, but how many of us stop to take the time to appreciate what we have? Take the slower route, so that we ...

  The angst is strong with this one.   Everyone says you should embrace change, it leads to new opportunities, but what about everything you are leaving behind? As the original crew returns, there are doubts creeping in that only the strongest of bonds can keep the crew's relationships together.  I love that Jayne Rylon, though has expanded families into different series, she intertwines all the Powertools, Hot Rods, and Hot Rides characters and their stories seamlessly.  It's a big 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 from me, and I can't wait to read the next instalment. My thanks to Ms. Rylon for allowing me the opportunity to read and review Drilled.   Purchase Links:   Amazon UK:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Drilled-Powertools-Original-Crew-Returns-ebook/dp/B086R2WQXK/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Drilled+Jayne+rylon&qid=1597184813&sr=8-1 Amazon US:  https://www.amazon.com/Drilled-Powertools-Original-Crew-Returns-ebook/dp/B086R2WQXK/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&key...

  When I was given the opportunity to read and review Faking It by Rebecca Smith, I was completely unaware of what I was in for. From the front cover, I was laughing at and along with Hannah, the main character, who has, unbeknown to almost everyone, just published her debut erotic novel.  Hannah is at that turning point in life where her eldest child is flying the coup, her husband seems more interested in his motorised love interest and her other children know exactly the right moment to drop a bombshell for maximum impact I mean there is only so much one woman can cope with. But throw in the president of the PTA, Sex Con, and her mother, things take a hilarious turn.  My favourite part is the get together with other teachers from the school, organised by Hannah's best friend, my eyes were leaking with laughter.  I highly recommend this uplifting read to everyone who needs to know that when our world is constantly changing, we are not alone.  My thanks to #Net...

I loved A Sunset in Sydney, the characters are engaging and the flow is perfect. It's a cruel world where you've sworn of men and then two come at once, both holiday romances and both with the potential for something more. Sarah's conflict is evident from the very beginning as is her humor via her internal monologue making this 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 story a joy to read. My thanks to the author, #OneMoreChapter and #Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review #ASunsetInSydney Purchase Links: Amazon uk:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sunset-Sydney-totally-uplifting-holiday-ebook/dp/B081MSC5S3/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_pdt_img_top?ie=UTF8 Amazon US:  https://www.amazon.com/Sunset-Sydney-totally-uplifting-holiday-ebook/dp/B081MSC5S3/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_pdt_img_top?ie=UTF8 B&N:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-sunset-in-sydney-sandy-barker/1136385613?ean=9780008390013 KoBo:  https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/a-sunset-in-sydney-the-holiday-romance-boo...

From sheds to Snazzlechuff, I loved it all In Case You missed It was the perfect read to get me through a particularly trying time during the Corona virus pandemic. It has everything I needed, best friends, dodgy parental antics, a handsome man, and a guy who thinks he’s God’s gift to the written word. Oh and let’s not forget the shed. Had I been in Ros’s shoes, I would have   myself in the bottom of the garden, but with the help of a technological mishap or maybe the ignorance of a technophobe Rox learns that there is life after the USA. There was not a character in this book that I didn’t enjoy, even an ex can have his uses. The authors humour portrayed in Ros meant my phone falling on my face as i drifted off to sleep was the only way I could put this book down. My continued thanks to #Netgalley and #HarperCollins for allowing me to review an advanced copy of #InCaseYouMissedIt Purchase Links: Amazon UK:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Case-You-Missed-Hilarious...

I am a big advocate of the Writers Helping Writers Thesaurus series, The Occupation Thesaurus being the eighth book brought to us by the curators of The One Stop for Writers website. It follows a similar format to the previous books, with the first 10-15% of the book giving an in-depth on how the thesaurus works with regards to the psychology and motivation of your characters. Now Angela and Becca are clear that to list all occupations would be endless but those referenced in the Occupation Thesaurus are from a wide spectrum, covering something in most employment sectors. Even if your character's specific job is not listed, the needs, traits ideally suited to, sources of friction, even twisting the fictional stereotypes section provoke questions that will lead to your own character's motivations and will help to develop your characters back story. For many people, their job defines them, it may not be the only thing to define them, but when asked people normally l...

Sink into a  🌟🌟🌟🌟  summer read. Tilly Tennant’s newest release, had me passing a lazy afternoon in Sea Salt Bay, smelling the salty sweetness in the air and hearing the sounds of the seaside arcades, excited children and the taste of fish and chips. Sadie’s story is a complex one, thinking that leaving her home will bring her everything she wants but with the sudden death of a loved one she is force to confront the truth she is not happy. This is the turning point in what becomes a new adventure, being knocked unconscious by a canoe, being locked in the family Waffle House on the pier, a new arrival in the village and an old flame are just some of the challenges Sadie faces as she fights friend and family over keeping her grandparents legacy open.  I enjoyed the multiple facets of this story, and though points I didn’t get on with, that is personal for me and not a reflection of the author nor her writing. I fully recommend this book to anyone who wants t...