Sloantate

    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