Sloantate

  An excellent 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Quickie   I enjoyed Always Been You after being woken up by my neighbours barking dog at 04:30. I love dogs, and Bruce stole my heart and the story for me :)  I won't say that the story should be longer, as that was never Ms Shea's intent, I would describe it as perfectly compact. I loved all the characters, except for Charlie, but that may have been because of how he is portrayed throughout the story, which seemed a little contradictory by the end of the story.  All in all, an excellent return for the author     Purchase Links:   Amazon UK:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Always-Been-You-Rebecca-Shea-ebook/dp/B09KGGD569/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=always+been+you&qid=1635518748&sr=8-3#customerReviews Amazon US:  https://www.amazon.com/Always-Been-You-Rebecca-Shea-ebook/dp/B09KGGD569/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=always+been+you&qid=1635518748&sr=8-3#customerReviews

  The perfect festive read.   I love Trisha Ashley’s writing, in particular her Christmas stories and her latest release does not disappoint.    I could not put this book down, it’s almost Agatha Christie vibe with the whole will get to inherit the castle leads to a wide variety of characters. But the bulk of the story revolves around Sabine, the current owner, who wants one last festive season, and is determined to relive Christmas traditions from her past   In comes Dido and the hilarious Henry, their job is to service and cater the castle and bring it back to life in time for a Christmas, none of the visitors will forget.    Mix in food, family secrets, simmering romantic tension and the most adorable dog (I’m a sucker for the pups) One More Christmas at the Castle is a must read for Christmas 2021.   My thanks, as always to @TrishaAshley, @Netgalley and @PenguinRandomHouse @TransworldPublishers for allowing me to read and review this 5 star fe...

A Delightfully Delicious Festive Read.   Alex Brown is cementing herself as one of the queens of festive romance.    A Cosy Christmas at Bridget’s Bicycle Bakery is the first instalment of the Carrington’s spin off series yet is perfect for someone who has not indulged in the Cupcakes at Carrington’s series.   I thoroughly enjoyed taking an hour or two each evening, as the nights are drawing in, travelling to Mulberry on Sea, following Bridget’s journey to finding her new normal, and a haven for her family as they learn to live with their grief.   Whilst there are some poignant moments which had me shedding a tear, there are are also some hilarious scenes, including the Christmas quiz, but for me it’s Bridget and Jack’s first meeting.   My thanks to @AlexBrownBooks, @Netgalley and @OneMoreChapter for allowing me to read and review this 5 star cosy festive read   Purchase Links:   Amazon UK:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=a+cosy+christmas+at+br...

  Love is more than just romance, it’s family   When the world was pulling me in all directions, reading Sarah Morgan’s latest release, The Christmas Escape was the perfect escape for a few hours a night.    From the outside looking in, both Christy and Alix have different but perfect lives. Christy, with her husband Seb and young daughter Holly, a home in the country and a Christmas holiday to look forward to in Lapland. Alix, Christy’s best friend, will be joining them after a prestigious award ceremony in New York for her work. But nothing is ever perfect and when Christy asks her friend to travel alone with her daughter cracks start to appear.   Sarah Morgan captures the fears and anxiety of both woman with her dual narrative story. As Alix, Holly and Zac, the man Alix has been actively avoiding for five years, leave for Christy’s long lost aunt’s Lapland resort, she is filled with doubts, she can’t be responsible for a young, rambunctious, yet utterly adora...

  I have read evert book that Julie Caplin has published, and The Cosy Cottage in Ireland is joint top with The Little Café in Copenhagen.   There are few authors that have inspired me to change my mindset/lifestyle (read the Copenhagen book to see why) but Julie Caplin’s writing just clicks with me. I was thrilled to hear that she was writing the eighth book in the Romantic Escape series in Ireland, not only do I have family there, but I fell in love with the country and its people as child (full disclosure, my father is Irish LOL)   Hannah’s story starts off in Dublin, like many who travel to the Emerald Isle, but after an intimate encounter with a stranger, Hannah travels onto her true destination, County Kerry, and the cookery school of the famed Adrienne Byrne family.    Together with a group of misfits, Hannah is tested in many ways, not just cooking, but letting go of the need to be perfect, having fun, living, and loving.    Hannah’s nerve and ...

  An enchanting story of a French chateau and village being brought back to life.   Following the death of their grandfather, Fliss and her sisters inherit a French chateau, which could be the answers to all their prayers, The reality is that the building and grounds have seen better days, the villagers are suspicious and hostile and there is an unexpected chatelaine.    Instead of making them money, they are at risk of losing the chateau if they cannot afford to pay the associated costs by January.    Fliss must work hard to overcome the chateau’s past, but thanks to a rogue horse, Pegasus and a herd of unrepentant cattle, the local mayor, Jacques soon warms to her and what she is trying to achieve, not just bring the chateau back to life, but the village too,    Naturally, there are problems, a wayward nephew, Lothario’s, dodgy boilers and pyro mother in laws, but will the plucky Fliss get what she really wants, A man who loves her for her, that...

       A festive friend to lover’s story.   There is something to be said for the memory of your first love, it’s something to. Be look back fondly on (or not) with the rose-tinted shade of youth.   Whist as a rule I am not fond of jumping back in time, I think it was needed as a tool to show how Norah, our protagonist, became besotted with a boy she met in Italy ten years earlier and prompted a last-minute trip to Dublin to keep a promise made when they parted.   I did prefer the flashbacks of Norah and her friendship group going out on Christmas Eve, Norah’s late father hearing her sing and budding friendship with Joe.   It is Joe, who accompanies Norah to Dublin, after her mother cancels their Christmas plans at the last minute, to focus on herself. Joe was the most fascinating character in the story to me, how he behaved when they were younger, how his passion for design is allowed to show through, Their visit to Bewley’s Café in Dublin, broug...

  The Olive Grove by Eva Glyn   Completely unexpected story, exceptionally written 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟.   The Olive Grove is not my usual type of book, but something about the burb had me hooked, it might have something to do with growing up during the conflict that endeared the country to me.   Antonia is a protagonist who is very conflicted, in love with a married man, sharing her home with her adult daughter and her partner, the last straw is being belittled by her lover’s friend. Solace is found in Croatia, having taken a job as a housekeeper at an upmarket villa.    I enjoyed that the affair part of this story was minimal as I tend to steer away from such tropes, instead the focus is on Antonia’s and Damir’s friendship, the good and the bad. Damir’s experiences as a child have come back to haunt him after the death of his aunt.   The story follows both Antonia coming to grips with life in a foreign country, making friends, finding a lover, and treading car...

  A 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 festive read.   If you are like me and spend most of you summer days craving winter, when you can close the curtains and curl up with a festive romance guilt free, then this is the book for you.   I got Last Christmas vibes from reading this story. Belle, a little down on her look, works many part-time jobs, one being in a Christmas shop, whilst working hard to pursue her dream.   I know some readers have found Belle to be immature, many people are but this is a story of growth, in the space of one month, we follow her journey where persistence, luck and a support from someone who was on the periphery of her friendship circle when at university.   Enter Rory. The story starts with the last time Belle, and he were in the same room, the worst day of his life. Being comforted by his parents, in his deepest moment of despair, they didn’t know the other was there and Belle had more pressing things to focus on the inconsolable stranger.   Five year...

    Dear K L Kreig   It is a hazy summer morning here on the North-East coast of England, I am due to meet friends for brunch in two hours but I am finding hard to get ready. You see, I finished Time Stamps five minutes ago, and I feel like my world has stalled.   Death doesn’t come easy, whether it is out of the blue, over in seconds or a long, drawn out, weary process that takes years. The pain is insurmountable, the grief unbearable and the mourning eternal. I admit I am an emotional reader, I feel what the characters feel, the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. I started reading Time Stamps three weeks ago, and from the first chapter I knew I was lost, tears streaming, but not quite ugly crying.    I have read everything you have published and knew that s*#t was going to get real. Laurel and Roth they sucked me in, not the facts of their circumstances, death happens, none of us can escape it, but it was the way in which they lived that got me. The...

  It has all the ingredients for a lovely summer read, combined with a chilled beverage in hand it’s the perfect way to spend an afternoon or two.   They say that no man is an island, and I say nor is Kara Moon. It takes her a while to realise that she is being treated like a mug and has the catalyst to react, but when she does, she goes all out. Not easy to do on your own but Kara has the whole community behind her, family, friends and a handsome man who would fall at her feet, if only she would have him.    When grief hits home, an unexpected surprise takes Kara on the trip of her lifetime, where she reunites with friends, makes new discoveries and banishes old ghosts.   But having walked out on her job, when she returns home, how is she going to make it own her own?    I loved Welcome to Ferry Lane Market, Kara's journey and the cast of characters. I have not read anything by Nicola May before but am looking forward to discovering more of her work a...

  I thoroughly enjoyed The Hotel at Honeymoon Station, from the build-up in the city, where Emma's life and the way she views herself is so relatable to the move to Dorset where with hard work, new friends and a little faith make her dreams come true.    Emma and Aidan's slow brewing relationship was so refreshing, Emma being pragmatic and Aidan more romantic, there is no rush which is the polar opposite to their friend/brother Tia and Blake's burning desire.   I would have liked a little more detail at the end of the book, regarding Emma and Aidan, and hope they will show up in any future books from the area, just to see how they are getting on.   My thanks, as always to #Netgalley the publisher #Bookouture and the author Tilly Tennant for allowing me to read and review the 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rated #TheHotelAtHoneymoonStation available now on all good retail platforms.   Purchase links:   Amazon UK:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09232HPT8/ref=cm_sw_em_r_...

  🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Such a good read!   I loved this story, it had everything I look for in contemporary fictions, laughs, tears, family and love.    Our main character Lily is a conflicted soul, for as much as she loves her family in France, her past haunts her and she rarely returns, that is until she is injured whilst working. After years of burying herself in her job, she is like a fish out of water when she has to rely on others whilst she heals. Her discombobulation intensifies the moment she lands in France when her childhood best friend Olivier meets her and all the feelings, she has been avoiding return.   The pull and push between Lily and Olivier is magnetic, even when the stars look aligned, Olivier has history of his own.   It’s a problem that many of us can relate to, especially after the last 18 months but Lily needs a break to understand a work/life balance, which gives her time to learn to trust and grieve.   My thanks to Hodder & Stought...

  The Summer Seekers is a delightfully fresh 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 summer read. Sarah Morgan has the wonderful ability to bring characters to life with her recent standalone novels and her latest release The Summer Secrets is no exception. The plot is based around three women at different stages of life, Kathleen (I love it when I see characters with my name) still sharp as pin but feeling boxed in by her current situation and her well-meaning daughter. She is looking for excitement and what better than a road trip across America with a new companion, Martha. Their friendship blossoms along their journey and there are plenty of adventures to be had, and love to be found. Purchase links: Amazon UK:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Summer-Seekers-Sunday-Christmas-romantic-ebook/dp/B08KJ1XS6F/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+summer+seekers&qid=1622154506&sr=8-1 Waterstones:  https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-summer-seekers/sarah-morgan/9781848457966 Barnes and Noble:  https://www.barne...

    When we can’t travel anywhere, Jo Thomas provides yet another perfect 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 escape.   When the world seems to be out to get you, the one place you can find solace is with family and for Lucia that means escaping Wales for Southern Italy. The only problem is that the peace she hopes to find in the bosom of the family is shattered with the news that her ferociously traditional Nonno is retiring and selling his pizzeria.  Rocked to her core, Lucia tries to persuade him to let her become the first pizzaiola in the area, but he would rather give it to someone else in the family, someone that let her down when she needed him most.   One of the aspects I love most about Jo Thomas’s latest book is the female empowerment, taking on a male dominated industry but with the help of other women, women who were not given the same opportunities but who would have been more than capable of the task. I love how the men don’t even know it’s happening right in front of the...

The Perfect Summer Read What would you do when you find out that everything you thought was true was turned upside down? For Zia-Lucia, it means taking a trip to Italy, with her best friend for support, to find out the true that has been hidden her entire life.  Once under the Umbrian sun Zia learns the truth, not all of it pleasant, in her quest to find out who she is. She does not want to cause trouble with the locals, but even when she has the best of intentions, she manages end up in the middle of another family’s problems.  For Piero there is nothing more important than family, and sometimes doing what’s best for everyone means that you have to make the sacrifice. When Zia enters his life, she gives him hope that he might not lose everything, but instead stand to gain something much more important.  Sue Moorcroft has done it again, written engaging characters in the most idyllic of settings, leaving me envious of the warm summer surrounded by Umbrian mountains. It’s ...

  A Sparkling Read   It only seemed right to enjoy a cold glass of cider whilst reading Tilly Tennant’s latest book on an unseasonably warm Sunday in April.   I really enjoyed Posy and Lachlan’s characters, they are the perfect leads, their flaws laid bare, trying to find their place in the world. Posy is searching for answers from her past that has only just made itself know and Lachlan is hiding from his, determined to not let anyone close.   The sleepy, rural community is a breath of fresh air for Posy, who has lived her life thus far in the big smoke of London, she feels the pull of Somerset, even before she meets her family. A family who welcomes her cautiously,    The secondary characters are as interesting as our main duo and provide some light relief along the way.   Tilly Tennant’s ability to describe the sights and sounds, letting me imagine myself wondering down country lanes, across fields, and even spying on a very naked man in the water, ...

  I had high hopes as I have loved everything from Mel’s career, but sadly, this book was not for me.    This is not to say it would not be wonderful for other readers. It took me a long time to get into The Best Things and found it lacking to once I got there.    Whilst the main character Sally was funny, and the children insightful sub characters (the sole reason for the 3-star rating), the narrative was all over the place. Granted this could be due to the layout of the copy, but after seeing what other reviewers have noted, I think not.    Maybe I am old fashioned and like a story with a beginning middle and end, and they were there but the changes between the story beats were no significant enough.    Please note that as I was kindly given the opportunity by the publisher Headline, and Netgalley to review Mel’s debut novel    Purchase Links: Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1472256212/ref=nav_signin?ie=UTF8&cam...

  Holy Smokes, I couldn't put it down! If this is just the beginning of The Shield series, we are in for an epic ride.  There was nothing I did not love about Laurel, Jace and Nolan's story, it was a seamless tie into the previous Powertools: The original crew returns series Gripping, page-turning drama, with an emotional core, it's a definite 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 from me. Purchase Links: Amazon UK:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Found-Powertools-Shields-Book-1-ebook/dp/B08RY1Z4KG Amazon US:  https://www.amazon.com/Found-Powertools-Shields-Book-1-ebook/dp/B08RY1Z4KG Kobo:  https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/found-101?open=true Barnes & Noble:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/found-jayne-rylon/1138555918?ean=9781947093249