Sloantate

  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...