Sloantate

Snuggle down with a hot cuppa, a box of chocs and this year’s festive treat by Sarah Morgan and you will be whisked off to rural Scotland for a Christmas with the Miller family.    The Miller’s from the unreproachable Nanna Jean to workaholic Alice are the perfect mix of characters to help bring Lucy and Ross’s focus on what really matters.   Sarah Morgan’s ability to create sure eclectic characters and vivid settings that brings her fans back year after year and her latest 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟  rated release will ensure more readers fall in love with her stories.    As always, my thanks to @Netgalley, @HQStories and @SarahMorgan for allowing me to read and review #SnowedInForChristmas     Purchase Links: Amazon UK:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09W327MB8/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_50J4KSD6TJ2Y8K7ZA3VY   Amazon US:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09W327MB8/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_50J4KSD6TJ2Y8K7ZA3VY   Barnes & Noble:  https://www.barnesandn...

  There is something quintessentially festive about an English village in the snow and Middledip is the perfect Christmas escape.  As the dark nights draw it, Sue Moorcroft latest release lights up the Winter Street and the soul. From bossy neighbours to some environmentally friends lighting ideas Sky Terran is moved to Middledip to home her home and what she doesn’t expect is to gain a family.  A thoroughly enjoyable 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 festive read, which lightens the heart and warms even the coldest of spirits.  As always, my thanks to Netgalley, Avon and the author Sue Moorcroft for allowing me to read and review A White Christmas on Winter Street. Purchase Links: Amazon UK:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09WM5SRY8/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_dl_T2R74CYQ2THTA1NC6QT6   Amazon US:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09WM5SRY8/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_dl_T2R74CYQ2THTA1NC6QT6   Barnes and Noble:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-white-christmas-on-winter-street-sue-moo...

  A simply fantastic 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 read. I could sing the praises of the ninth instalment of the Romantic Escape series by saying it is ‘a hug in mug, cosy festive read’, which it absolutely is, but I’d rather say pure and simple that The Christmas Castle in Scotland is a fantastic read. If I could rate it more that 5 stars I would and more importantly, it is a book that I will return to time and time again, which is high praise for someone who reads as much as I do.  I cannot recommend more highly; it is as described a romantic escape.   As always, my thanks to Netgalley, One More Chapter and the author Julie Caplin for allowing me to read and review The Christmas Castle in Scotland.   Purchase Links:   Amazon UK:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09NZ5BRP9/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_JV6FC706AKR616B996SA   Amazon US:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09NZ5BRP9/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_JV6FC706AKR616B996SA   Barnes and Noble:  https://www.barnesandno...

  I fell in love with  Josh Hartman and Tempest Miller ’s story from the first line. It is no secret that I am a big fan of Lynne St James’s work and will read anything she publishes. Her plots are well thought out and executed but for me it’s her characters that capture me every time and Josh and Tempest are no different, their motives are not immediately clear but as you read the depths of their characters are unleashed. This is not your typical seal falling for woman he saves. Tempest is Josh’s equal, she has baggage, but she does not need Josh to save her. She is independent, courageous and not afraid to admit when she is wrong. It makes a refreshing change in this genre.  My thanks, as always, to Lynne for giving me the opportunity to review the 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rated Seal’s Tempest.   Purchase Links: Amazon UK:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09GML2J2X/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_ZHCM7CB44V0X0DJEKT6A Amazon US:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09GML2J2X/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt...

It is rare during these uncertain times that I would purchase a book in more than one format, let alone e-book- paperback and audiobook! Something hit me in the chest when I read the story of Freya, Meg and Joanna as they navigate the emotional roller-coaster of keeping a promise. Their promise lands them in deep snow, in a foreign country in the dark and only a grumpy local to offer them shelter. But what could end in disaster has the potential to change all their lives.  I am an emotional reader, and it is a sure sign of a good story when I laugh, cry, get frustrated and fall in love along with the characters. At a time of year when the market is flooded with festive romances, Keeping a Christmas Promise stood out as something different, yes there is romance, the will they won't they, but the is more, a sense of self-discovery for the friends who lost their way when they lost a part of their hearts.  My thanks, as always to #Transworld #Penguin #RandomHouse #Netgalley and Jo...

  It is my understanding that this is the final instalment in Sandy Barker’s Holiday Romance series, and I am sad to have finish my journey with these characters. I have read each book in this series and whilst That Night in Paris remains my firm favourite, I enjoyed this little peek behind ‘The End”. Often with contemporary romance we are left wondering what next, after the leading lady has found her man. A Wedding in Tuscany shows the fears, joys and disasters that happen once the reader has closed the book.  In the interests of an honest review, but with no fault of the author, it took me a long time to finish reading this story. My apologies to Sandy, One More Chapter and Netgalley, but you see, I turned forty this summer and though I did not have some major life moment, no Ferrari's were purchased, I did not quit my job, it was very unsettling to read Sarah’s side of the story. When I read fiction, I fully immerse myself in a story and it’s to Sandy’s credit that Sarah’s ...

  From pups, pigs to new friendships and not so secret societies, this book as it all!   If there is a book written by Jo Thomas then I am going to read it without a second thought. Eliza leaves her house full of grown-up children to go to rural Spain to house sit and find peace and quiet to focus on her studies. The last thing she was expecting was to be a minder to a depressed pig and his offspring, friends with the quirky Spanish conversation class and falling in love.    This book is a wonderful breath of fresh air, the humour and, at times outlandish antics make this such an adorable read.   As always, many thanks to the author, #Netgalley and @OneMOreChapter for allowing me to read and review. It’s  🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟  from me!     Purchase Links: Amazon UK:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09PFJXRCW/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_RSXGAAGAGXRQGW2DG786 Amazon US:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09CKGPMHD/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_FGEPDXJ3NWGRWPMR05C5 Barn...

  I was gripped from the first page!   I can sometimes get confused when reading a story with multiple points of view, but Ashley, Joanna and Melanie’s personalities are so distinct.         Joanna is old enough to be Ashley’s mother and the fact that they were both young when they lost their own mother’s, this is not what brings them together, an unlikely alliance that sends Joanne back to her childhood home.    I adored this year’s summer read from Sarah Morgan; an absolute must beach read for 2022   My thanks, as always, to the author, #Netgalley and @HQStories for allowing me to read and review #BeachHouseSummer, it’s  🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟  from me.  Purchase Links: Amazon UK:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09DKBKWPG/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_dl_6RMKMDJN14JYXNY7ZB0P Amazon US:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09DKBKWPG/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_EDCK2M44P90DJHTPFGPA Barnes & Noble:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/b...

  There was something about this story that I didn’t get along with, it took me a month to read, and at times, I just wanted to give up, which is a rarity for me.  Don’t get me wrong there was part of the book I did enjoy, Angelique being the main part, but some there is a lot of negative characters, step mum, ex-boyfriend, woman scorned, coercive husband, absent father, untrustworthy friends. This is just a few too many negative tropes for me to get behind.   That being said, this may have been what the author was going for, and I was probably not in the right frame of mind for such a story, there are parts of the story I did enjoy, just I did have high expectations for a story centred around a coffee/book shop in a French park so it’s  🌟🌟🌟  from me. Regardless of my opinion of the story, many thanks to the author, #Netgalley and @AvonBooksUK for allowing me to read and review Summer at the French Café   Purchase Links: Amazon UK:  https://www.amaz...

  Jules Wake strikes again.   It is high praise when I say that I will put down whatever book I am currently reading to pick up the next delight from Jules Wake and her alter ego and The Wednesday Morning Wild Swim, book 2 in the Yorkshire Escape series, is no different.   The author’s voice and the tone of the story had me hooked from chapter one and I knew that life would be put on hold until I finished (much to the upset of family with food being late to the table.)   The tension between Ettie and Dominic is delicious and the counter balance offered by Ettie’s granddad and Gracie is the perfect contrast. The main story is perfectly complimented by sub characters swimmers, and as they and we learn more about them, it becomes clear that you shouldn’t judge someone by their first look.   Many thanks to #Netgalley and #OneMoreChapter for allowing me to read and review #TheWednesdayMorningWildSwim by @JulesWake, its  🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟  from me.   Purchase ...

  The perfect ending to the Meet Me In series. Tragedy bonded four friends for life and love brings them back together. It would be easy to think of Georgia Toffolo as another celebrity writing trying to get into the world of fiction, but the amount of work and research which would have been undertaken to write her debut series cannot be faked. There is a lot of depth to her characters and Lily is in my view the more complex of the four. Whilst the others left their childhood home to escape the trauma of the accident they were involved in, Lily remained, working at the Hawkesbury estate and planting her roots deep. The death of her friend and the estate owner, brings Henry Hawksbury and their painful past, back into her life. Meet me at the wedding is the perfect weekend read.  My thanks to #Netgalley and #MillsAndBoon for allowing me to read and review this  🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟  read.   Purchase links:   Amazon UK:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0008375941/ref=c...

Jayne Rylon does it again, I think my kindle is still smoking from the heat I have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of Brazen Powertools: The Shields, Book 3, Sola and Aarav’s story, but little did I know I would fall for Cash along with them. Jayne Rylon has done it again with her The Shield series, writing a page turning suspense where the steam rises from the pages. I’m not going to give anything away, but to say that these three characters deserve a happy ending is an understatement. I can’t wait for the next instalment.

  Romance in a winter wonderland   There is something about a romance that grows out of the worse possible moments in a character’s life that I enjoy. That ache that you get in the pit of your stomach, when you feel their shame, guilt and downfall of grace is almost crippling, but as the reader we are safe in the knowledge that there is always hope.    Hope for Lucy comes in the form of Tommi, gruff but sexy, Lucy soon learns that she is going to have to pull out all the stops to earn his trust. Under the northern lights, in freezing temperatures and trust issues of her own, Lucy shows that she won’t cower to threats.  I really enjoyed this story, with its colourful case of characters, who take Lucy in, and help her adjust to the way of life in the artic and as with all good stories, fun and games ensue.   My thanks to Netgalley, the publisher One More Chapter and the author Emily Kerr for allowing me to read and review the 5-star rated Meet Me Under the No...

       Another festive visit to Middledip     Under the Mistletoe is not the whimsical wonderland that you might expect from the festive fiction genre, but the reality of the serious undertones does not detract from the festivities. Laurel must face her fears, returning to her childhood home, to help her sister and niece whilst they work through their own issues. Determined to avoid her past and hide out to work on her art, it has other ideas popping up in all areas of her life.  In walks Grady, her childhood sweetheart she had to leave behind when she escaped the trauma of an event, believing it was the right thing to do.  I know some didn’t appreciate the ‘gritty reality’ of some topics, but I believe they brought an authenticity to the story. Having said this please understand that the timescales of certain things, such as a character overcoming agoraphobia have most likely been sped up to keep the story running, this is fiction, sometimes this...

  A delectable read.   Though Screwed Up is the second book in The Woolf Family series, I came into Eva LeNoir's world blind, yet I don't think I was bereft because of it. The depth of her characters, their humour, and their overall aura of togetherness, paints the perfect backdrop for Carla and Byron's story.   Carla a feisty, independent businesswoman who met her match at her best friend’s wedding, not just in the bedroom, but intellectually. Byron is smart, loyal, and protective, he might have all the bounce of a 'Tigger' (the most adorable pet name for a male character!) but Carla can sense that sometimes he is a boat lost in a storm.    The humour in Screwed Up had me, at times, snorting on my coffee with lines like…  '"Wait, does this mean... "Are you and Dad divorcing?' "Child please, I couldn't get rid of that man if I grew a dick and swung it like a horse.'"   I highly recommend the 5-star rated Screwed Up, now please exc...

  When opposites attract the results can be magical.   Flora is the embodiment of a Christmas elf, most people cringe at the thought of working in retail at Christmas, but for Flora it's her everything. The beginning of Flora's Travelling Christmas Shop reminds me of the film Last Christmas.   When fired for doing a good deed for a little girl, Flora finds out her friend is leaving her, before she goes, she helps Flora plan for big changes, swapping Central London for van life in Lapland. Along the way she makes friends, and enemies, but it's out of place Irishman, Connor who tilts her world on its axis.    This story is full of friendship, humour, and a little magical Christmas romance.   Unfortunately, due to personal reasons I am late unloading my review, this is in no way a reflection on the book itself.   My thanks to Netgalley, the publisher HQ Digital and the author Rebecca Raisin for allowing me to read and review this 🌟🌟🌟🌟 read.   ...

    🌟🌟🌟🌟 Review:   Loved the story but charmed by the Reindeers   An adorable read.   After a whirlwind beginning of losing her job, finding out her dad had a heart-attack and that he owned a reindeer sanctuary, Sasha flies to Norway on the understanding she was going to help her Dad wind things up and move him back to the UK. But nothing is that straightforward upon landing she is met by Tav, "a sexier version of the Michelin man", and a dog sled ride through the snow, arriving to a stereotypical Christmas village in the North Pole.    I love the undercurrent humour running through this story, I mean calling a reindeer Rudolph number 3 so that he didn't get confused, and Colin the perfect reindeer name cracked me up.    But at the heart of every story, I read is the blooming chemistry between two characters, who in the world of fiction are destined to fall for each other. However, will her father's meddling be the one thing that breaks h...