Category: 4-Stars

Posted on

Book Review: Escape To Giddywell Grange by Kim Nash

Escape To Giddywell Grange

by Kim Nash

Amazon  US / UK / AU / CA

Kobo / iBooks

Maddy Young thought she had it all.

Swanky city apartment? – yep. Fancy car? sorted. High-flying career? – tick.

Even if she’s lost most of her friends because of spending all her time at work, and can’t remember when she last had fun, it’s worth it.

Until she’s suddenly made redundant. Now she’s 37, jobless, and after the breakup with the former love of her life, unhappily single.

Enter Maddy’s childhood friend, Beth, the owner of Growlers, the doggy daycare centre at Giddywell Grange, on a mission to make Maddy see there’s more to life than work.

Soon, Maddy is swapping spreadsheets for volunteer duty at the library, daily Starbucks for cups of tea with elderly neighbours, and her Prada handbag for doggy poo bags… And with Beth’s gorgeous brother, Alex, back from the States, Maddy starts to think that Giddywell Grange might just be her happy place.

But when her old life – and her old boyfriend – comes calling, will Maddy go back to the job she loved so much? Or will she discover that the key to happiness lies in making others happy?

An uplifting romantic comedy that will warm your heart – perfect for fans of Cathy Bramley, Milly Johnson and Katie Fforde.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Celine is my idol. She’s elegant, dramatic, stunning and just amazing. She takes no crap from anyone. She’s a badass. If I could be anyone in life, I’d want to be her.

 

We all have twenty-four hours in a day, Mads, even Richard Branson and Beyoncé. It’s what we choose to do with it which makes all the difference.

 

I’m so looking forward to reading these books. I love a good murder, the more gruesome the better. And Lei loves all these bloody daft romances that you’ve brought her too. Hope there’s no saucy books in there. I don’t want her getting ideas and ravishing me. I don’t think my heart is up to it these days.

 

Seeing something pink and white heading towards my face, I reached out and realised, to my absolute horror, that I had caught a pair of false teeth in my hands. I looked over and one of the old ladies in the front row was laughing her head off! I screamed and dropped them, which made her cackle some more. Hayley came over and apologised, saying that she should perhaps have warned me that Betty had a habit of laughing so much that her teeth flew out.

 

My Review:

 

I enjoyed this insightful and amusing British women’s fiction tale told from the first person POV of a designer power suit and high heels wearing corporate workaholic named Madison, “Maddy” to her friends. When her boss told Maddy to come in early before work to talk, Maddy had believed herself to be in line for a big promotion as she had been slaving away by coming in early, staying late, and working weekends for many years. While looking at the desk she planned to be taking over and envisioning how she would organize her own possessions in the space, her boss quickly informed her she no longer had a job at all due to budget cuts or made “redundant” as the Brits say.   A stunned Maddy was immediately released to clean out her desk and informed to leave behind her laptop, phone, and that later the company car would be retrieved. Yikes.

 

Being at loose ends, Maddy found she time to spend with her long-neglected mother and tackle several lingering paternal questions and issues of her childhood, as well as pitch in to help her best friend, Beth, who required surgery. In a vast departure from her Louboutin wearing corporate days, Maddy took on partial duties at Beth’s doggy daycare business as well as several unusual obligations to community projects during Beth’s long recovery. Maddy began to realize she was happier than she had been in years and felt uplifted and fulfilled by completing tasks she would never have considered doing on her own, such as a singing engagement in a care home, delivering books to shut-ins, farm chores, and doggy wrangling – which included poo duty.

 

Maddy’s evolution and eventual life-changing transformation were pleasantly entertaining and cleverly amusing. I enjoyed Ms. Nash’s levity and wit as well as the strengths and skills she bestowed on her characters. The storylines were relatable, easy to follow, and laced with humor and perceptive observations, and populated with an endearing and quirky group of characters.

 

I addition to being delightfully entertained, Ms. Nash provided me with several new additions to my newly renamed “Brit List of Words and Sayings.” Mr. Google and the Urban Dictionary were dutifully consulted for definitions for 1) having it off – which is British informal for having sex which some may consider rather rude; 2) lairy – which is slang for showing a loud or aggressive attitude, picking a fight, or being argumentative; and 3) pull my finger out – which amounts to stop dithering and get busy or “any lack of activity when something needs doing,” and I don’t believe I need to point out where that finger is supposedly lodged… do I? 😉

About the Author

Kim Nash lives in Staffordshire with son Ollie and English Setter Roni, is PR & Social Media Manager for Bookouture and is a book blogger at www.kimthebookworm.co.uk. 

Kim won the Romantic Novelists Association’s Media Star of the Year in 2016, which she still can’t quite believe. She is now quite delighted to be a member of the RNA. 

When she’s not working or writing, Kim can be found walking her dog, reading, standing on the sidelines of a football pitch cheering on Ollie and binge-watching box sets on the TV. She’s also quite partial to a spa day and a gin and tonic (not at the same time!) Kim also runs a book club in Cannock, Staffs. 

Amazing Grace was her debut novel with Hera Books and came out in April 2019.

Escape to Giddywell Grange is Kim’s second novel and will be published on September 18th, 2019.

Connect with Kim on Social Media here:
Twitter: (@KimTheBookworm) https://twitter.com/KimTheBookworm
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimTheBookWorm/
Instagram: @Kim_the_bookworm

 

Posted on

Book Review: Enchanting Sebastian by Kristen Proby

 
Enchanting Sebastian 
by Kristen Proby
A Big Sky Royal Novel
Release Date: September 24, 2019
The first in an all new stand-alone trilogy set in Kristen Proby’s Big Sky world, Enchanting Sebastian will take your breath away!

Turning thirty-five doesn’t mean much to most men. For Sebastian Wakefield, it’s the end of life as he knows it.
When your father is the King of England, thirty-five is the year that a marriage will be arranged, a suitable bride cementing a future you didn’t choose. The obvious solution for escaping the archaic laws of the throne is for Sebastian to leave the country. And where better to go than America?

Nina Wolfe has spent her career avoiding scandal. As a Hollywood publicist and minor celebrity in her own right, she knows exactly what it takes to keep the media at bay—and what will send them into a frenzy.

Prince Sebastian hiding out in Cunningham Falls, Montana is an unlikely story. Ending up in his bed, even more so. And keeping their arrangement out of the press might just be impossible. The ring on her finger is about to spark a firestorm that will change her life, and no professional spin will help Nina fit into the world of royalty.

Only love could write an enchanting new beginning—if they’ll let themselves fall.

Amazon.png
Kobo.png
Apple Books.png
B & N.png
Audible_1.png

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Just from her tone, I can tell this is going to be a doozy of a conversation. Pack your bags, we’re going on a guilt trip. “What are you up to, Mom?” “Oh, you know, just watching some television. I’m quite sure I have cancer, by the way.”

 

The women in Hollywood can be ruthless, but it seems these noble women are just plain savage. The mean-girl syndrome spans the globe.

 

It hasn’t been heaven. It’s heaven times a million. It’s like if heaven married chocolate and wine and they had spa babies. It’s the best ever.

 

His kiss is long and slow. Incredibly romantic. Is it possible to get pregnant from just a kiss? Because if so, I’m pretty sure I’m having triplets.

 

My Review:

 

I was a bit hesitant about picking this one up as the premise, cover, and title sounded a bit… I don’t want to say cheesy, but, yeah, that. But, on the other hand, I’ve read and thoroughly enjoyed this author a few times now so I took the gamble and am now feeling so smart and proud of myself for my excellent foresight ~ snort. Enchanting Sebastian was a sweet, sexy, and entertaining tale with a comfortable balance of insightful musings, witty humor, and observant narration. Written in my favorite dual POV, the storylines were interesting, easy to follow, well-paced, and cast with endearing and enticing characters from British bluebloods to small-town Montana.

 

Kristen was born and raised in a small resort town in her beloved Montana. In her mid-twenties, she decided to stretch her wings and move to the Pacific Northwest, where she made her home for more than a dozen years.

During that time, Kristen wrote many romance novels and joined organizations such as RWA and other small writing groups. She spent countless hours in workshops, and more mornings than she can count up before the dawn so she could write before going to work. She submitted many manuscripts to agents and editors alike, but was always told no. In the summer of 2012, the self-publishing scene was new and thriving, and Kristen had one goal: to publish just one book. It was something she longed to cross off of her bucket list.

Not only did she publish one book, she’s since published close to thirty titles, many of which have hit the USA Today, New York Times and Wall Street Journal Bestsellers lists. She continues to self publish, best known for her With Me In Seattle and Boudreaux series, and is also proud to work with William Morrow, a division of HarperCollins, with the Fusion Series. 

Kristen and her husband, John, make their home in her hometown of Whitefish, Montana. 

 

 

Posted on

Book Review: Snowfall on Cedar Trail (Sweetwater Springs #3) by Annie Rains

Snowfall on Cedar Trail

(Sweetwater Springs #3)

by Annie Rains

Amazon / B&N / iBooks / GP

 

From a USA Today bestselling author comes a heartwarming holiday romance between a small-town florist and the handsome chief of police.
Includes a bonus novel by Miranda Liasson!

Last Christmas was tough for Halona Locklear and her seven-year-old son Theo, who hasn’t spoken a word since his father’s death. This year, Halona wants nothing more than to give him a good holiday and to hear his sweet voice again. Enrolling him in the Mentor Match program might help, but when Theo gets matched with Sweetwater Springs Chief of Police, Alex Baker, Halona realizes that the handsome hero might know secrets about her past that she is determined to keep buried.

Chief of Police, Alex Baker, re-opens his father’s hit-and-run cold case every December, hoping to finally solve it. This year, his plate is full with being a Mentor Match to a young seven-year-old boy as well. His biggest obstacle, however, is fighting his attraction to the boy’s mother, Halona. As Alex gets close to solving his father’s cold case, he learns that those closest to him may be in danger — including Halona. Alex has already lost one of the most important people in his life; he isn’t about to lose her too, even if it means walking away to keep her safe.

 

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Why couldn’t he have a thing for someone uncomplicated like Emma? The only thing the beautiful café owner stirred for him, however, was his coffee.

 

I like to tell people I go so often because I’m secretly investigating her. Her coffee is too addictive to be legal.

 

Do you know Greta Merchant? Pushing eighty and walks with a cane even though she’s more physically fit than most twentysomethings… Well, she has a huge crush on Chief Baker… So a couple of months ago, Greta decided to go shoplifting… Don’t worry—Sophie was in on it. Alex had happened to come into the boutique looking for a gift for his grandmother’s birthday, and Greta and Sophie exchanged some conspiratorial whispers. Sophie knew Greta was going to be stuffing costume jewelry in her pockets. Then Sophie called Greta out on it loud enough for Alex to overhear… Being the dutiful chief of police Alex is, he headed over and spoke to Greta. He asked her to empty her pockets but she refused. She demanded that he frisk her instead. From the way Greta tells the story, it was the most action she’s had in decades.

 

My Review:

 

I have enjoyed all three books of Anne Rain’s Sweetwater Springs series, with a gentle and sweet small-town theme. Each of the books has been engaging, easy to follow, and entertaining; and while the characters carryover and the stories interconnect, each one has been strong enough to stand alone. Snowfall On Cedar Trail has a holiday-themed motif that features the blossoming romance during a tricky time between the stalwart and handsome Chief of Police, Alex, and his decades-long secret crush, Halona, the town florist and younger sister of his best friend. Their tale was sweetly written with a bit of peril, amusing humor, and unusual challenges to overcome.

 

About the Author

Annie Rains is a USA Today bestselling author who writes small-town love stories set in fictional towns on the coast of North Carolina. Raised in one of America’s largest military communities, Annie often features heroes who fight for their countries, while also fighting for a place to call home and a good woman to love. When Annie isn’t writing, she’s spending time with her husband and three children, or reading a book by one of her favorite authors.

Website /  Goodreads / Amazon / Facebook / Twitter

Posted on

Book Review: Pedalo Pandemonium (Scott Family Short Story, Book 4) by Amanda Paull

Pedalo Pandemonium

 (Scott Family Short Story, Book 4)

by Amanda Paull

 

Amazon US / UK / AU / CA  

Laura and Ben are still together, against all the odds. Laura’s Family the Scotts are adorable – but they wreak havoc wherever they go. The couple has survived first date silicon dog poo, Christmas mayhem, and even dodgy marshmallows.

Their future together may have looked doomed on more than one occasion, but here they are at the airport – eating bacon sandwiches and watching planes take off, as they wait to board their flight to Mallorca.

A whole week in an idyllic Spanish fishing village. Just the two of them. Away from their families and the usual chaos. Wonderful.

What could possibly go wrong…?

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quote:

 

She’d noticed that Ben had recently started calling Fenella, Mother, again in front of Laura. He seemed to have forgiven Laura for criticising him. Likening her wonderful boyfriend to Norman Bates in Psycho could have turned out to be the worst mistake of her life.

‘My brother has a pretty fierce wife.’ Ben gave Laura a wry smile. ‘Mother is no match for Millie.’ Laura felt uneasy. ‘Oh my. Ben, I really don’t think I could cope with ever meeting her.’ Ben laughed. ‘None of us can cope with Millie. Looks like a kitten, mauls like a tiger. My brother is a brave man.’

‘You looked quite stressed while you were chatting to your mam earlier,’ she said, trying not to laugh. ‘Shh, she’ll hear you and call me back,’ he said, looking around the room like a sniper and cackling.

Can you imagine being abandoned by your family?’ said Maureen, aghast. ‘Sometimes,’ said Laura.

 

 My Review:

 

This was a quick and amusing diversion with those meddlesome Scotts taking their intrusive natures on the road by inserting themselves in Laura and Ben’s Mallorcan vacation. Poor Ben, I think they would need to book an outer space mission to ever escape their parents’ interference. I picked up two new words for my Brit Word List with stotted – which is British for banged, and pedalo – British for paddle boat, something poor Ben will never want to ever see again.

 

About the Author

My name is Amanda Paull. Well, that’s my pen name, not my real one, which helps to keep my writing separate from my day job.

​I grew up in the North East of England and couldn’t wait to move away. However, after studying and then living both in England and abroad, I returned to the North East and wouldn’t dream of living anywhere else now.

​Going to Grammar school in the days when teachers wore black caps and gowns and walloped at will, wasn’t much fun for a shy, quiet child like myself. So, I just kept my head down, did my homework and tried to stay invisible.

​I used to love daydreaming and making up stories in my head, but I never thought about writing them down. In those days, the writing wasn’t an enjoyable pursuit, it was more of a time to tow the line and avoid being hit by a flying blackboard rubber. I was the type of pupil who would have been mortified to have ‘made’ a teacher launch one at me, so I would have shown respect by not ducking.

​A short career in teaching was a revelation, to put it mildly. After going back to University, I settled into my current post in the public sector, where I am very happy.

​It was Jim, a work colleague, who suggested around 12 years ago that I write a book. Apparently, my contribution to coffee break conversations always seemed to be either tragic or hilarious. But to me, it was just normal stuff. No-one would want to read about that.

​Then, a couple of years later, while sunbathing in Mallorca with my boyfriend, who is now my husband, and a glass of Cava, the idea of writing a humorous fiction novel came to me. I didn’t need to make it all up though as I had a plentiful supply of funny real-life snippets.

​To get started, I studied creative writing through the Open University, which fitted nicely around my job and, to my delight, was absolutely nothing like school. The Scott Family Short Stories started out as an assignment for this course. A Christmas Day Kerfuffle was the result of the fictional account of the first Christmas brunch my husband spent with my family. Of all the short stories, this one has more true snippets in it than the others. The taxi driver and bike box scene in Pedalo Pandemonium were pretty true to life, too. The driver looked different, but the airport to hotel transfer only required slight embellishment.

​​I also write Women’s Fiction. Pictures in the Sky was my debut novel, and I am currently writing my second, Painting Bananas.

Social Media Links –

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Apaullfiction

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Apaullfiction

Website: https://www.amandapaull.co.uk/

 

Posted on

Book Review, Giveaway: A Summer to Remember by Victoria Cooke

 

.

A Summer to Remember

by Victoria Cooke

Amazon / B&N

 

Sam lives by the mantra that it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.

After the tragic loss of her husband, Sam built a new life around friends, her cat Coco and a career she loves. Fending off frequent set-ups and well-meaning advice to ‘move on’, Sam is resolutely happy being single.

But when Sam gets seconded to her firm’s Boston office for the summer, it is more than her career that is in for a shake-up. A spur of the moment decision to visit the idyllic beaches of Cape Cod could end up changing her life forever.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

I try to ignore the fact he’s incredibly attractive, because beauty comes from within, and there’s a gargoyle residing inside him.

 

It’s as though his mother went to the gene-pool buffet when she was making him and had first dibs on all the good stuff.

 

‘You stand here.’ Absentmindedly, I place my hands on his shoulders to manoeuvre him, and the shock of their firmness and sheer size jolts me and I almost recoil. Touching a man is such uncharted territory for me. It’s been such a long time that I feel like I’ve reached out and grabbed a forbidden sculpture at the Louvre or something.

 

As much as I’d like to stay here forever, England is my home. I can’t just emigrate at the drop of a hat. Besides, don’t you need the blood of a fairy godmother, half a shooting star and the wispy hair of five baby pixies just to get a green card to live here in the States?

 

It can take people a lifetime to figure out what makes them happy. At least you’ve figured it out while your jowls are tight and you don’t have cataracts.

 

My Review:

 

I enjoyed Ms. Cooke’s wry wit and clever humor as well as many of her secondary characters and story threads, although I waffled in my opinion and enjoyment of this book during perusal as the main character of Samantha wasn’t as endearing to me as I would have preferred; I struggled with her selfishness and deceit. I was increasingly impatient for her to gain some self-awareness and pull on her big girl panties and was more than exasperated with her immature and avoidant behaviors by the time her epiphany finally came. But this is but one of my personal pet peeves; I probably need a trigger warning for extended angst.

Author Bio – Victoria Cooke grew up in the city of Manchester before crossing the Pennines in pursuit of a career in education. She now lives in Huddersfield with her husband and two young daughters and when she’s not at home writing by the fire with a cup of coffee in hand, she loves working out in the gym and traveling. Victoria was first published at the tender age of eight by her classroom teacher who saw potential in a six-page story about an invisible man. Since then she’s always had a passion for reading and writing, undertaking several writers’ courses before completing her first novel, ‘The Secret to Falling in Love,’ in 2016.

Her third novel, Who Needs Men Anyway? became a digital bestseller in 2018.

Social Media Links –

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16345710.Victoria_Cooke

https://www.facebook.com/VictoriaCookeAuthor/

https://twitter.com/VictoriaCooke10

https://www.instagram.com/victoriacookewriter/

Giveaway

 Win A Summer to Remember by Victoria Cooke and Chocolates (UK Only)

*Terms and Conditions –  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will be passed to the giveaway organizer and used only for the fulfillment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data.  I am not responsible for dispatch or delivery of the prize.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Posted on

Book Review: Silver Brewer (The Silver Foxes of Blue Ridge) by L.B. Dunbar 

Title: Silver Brewer: The Silver Foxes of Blue Ridge
Author: L.B. Dunbar 
Genre: Over 40 Romance Standalone

Release Date: September 12, 2019

Olivet Pierson needs his land. 

 

Name your price, Mr. Harrington. 

 

She has her reasons, and this muscular mountain of masculinity isn’t going to get in her way. However, her heart has a different plan after she accepts his crazy conditions: three nights up on the ridge.
George Harrington is a quiet, giant of a man.
No sale, Cricket.
He’s a war hero, a widower, and COO for the family brewing company, but his life lacks spontaneity. Then, she arrives, chirping away at him, roaming his body with those sky-blue eyes, and negotiating for something he won’t put a price on. Too bad his heart is immediately sold.
With the challenge accepted, this silver fox can no longer deny his desires for something a little different.
+++
Welcome to Blue Ridge where sexy silver foxes meet their match of feisty vixens.
The Harrington brothers are a spin-off from Second Chance, but don’t you worry, this over 40 romance can be enjoyed as a stand-alone.

 

 
.

 

PP’s Bookshelf – “Sexy. Emotional. Angsty. Real. Honest. Heartbreaking. Swoonworthy. Heartwarming.”

 

Bibliophile Chloe – “Ms. Dunbar doesn’t fail to amaze me with her writing of mature characters, still full of life, still wanting to find love and the holy hotness of the chemistry and smexy times!”

 

Cee Cee Houston – “L.B. Dunbar has found her niche. The over 40’s is definitely a trope she does extremely well.”

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

“Micro-penis? Poor guy.” “Wrong again. Poor me.”

 I’m content to have him kiss me like he is, like I’m the air he needs to breathe and the color in his wind.

 Hope is a dangerous emotion.

 I don’t think there needs to be a time limit on love or grief. Grief ends when you’re done. And love begins when you’re ready.

 

My Review:

 

She was his Cricket and forever chirping.

He was her Giant ax throwing, he-man, sex god, and part-time shampoo boy.

I always enjoy Ms. Dunbar’s clever and uniquely appealing character development as well as her use of witty banter and toe-curling sensual romance. This couple was a study of opposites and contradictions; which can be a good thing, although I found myself growing increasingly annoyed with the repetitive inner musings of angsty doubt and obtuse miscommunications.

I liked this book, but I didn’t love it, there was far too much contrived conflict just for drama’s sake for my taste, but that’s just me, angst and flighty flip-flopping characters are never going to reside on my list of favorite things. But, in the plus column – he washed her hair, there were freezer fairies, and did I mention the breath-stealing and volcanically hot and erotic sex scenes? I thought I might have 😉

.
.
“Before you try to steal my land, perhaps you should learn a thing or two about it.”

 

I stare up at him as his expression turns virile. 

 

“I know this piece of property could earn you millions.” I look beyond him, taking in the small bit of landscape I can see around his broad hips and crossed arms.
“I told you, I don’t want the money.” He scoffs. “I’m talking about dirt under your toes. Wind in your face. Stars in your eyes.” His eyes nearly dance as though he has undisclosed information he’s waiting to share with me, and strangely, I want to know his secret. And though dirt under my toes doesn’t sound pleasant, it doesn’t sound terrible either.
Still.

 

Tell me. Tell me all your wisdom and woes. I swallow with the intensity of his glare and rub a hand down the thigh of my jeans.

 

“Okay, so I’m not Pocahontas. How would I learn?” My voice cracks, sounding meek. Teach me, Yoda.
“From the land.” He pauses. His crossed arms bulge before me and lift with the heave of his frustrated inhale. What would those arms feel like around me?
“And your land will just teach me?” Oh God. Did my voice just drop? Did I exaggerate your land, implying something other than the greenery around us? Damn Marcus and his damnable innuendos, but if this man means I can hike his landscape, I volunteer as tribute. “How?”
“Camping.”
“What?” I stammer. My mouth falls open.
“Camping. Three nights of roughing it and then I’ll think about your proposition. You break before that and no deal.”

 

 
My proposition? Did I proposition him? Can he see the images racing through my mind? I want to do all kinds of things to him, starting with the body part closest to me. My heart races, and my sweaty palms…sweat more. My breath catches.

 

 

 

Anything whispers through my mind along with the song “Colors of the Wind.”

 

My eyes narrow. My heart thuds to a screeching halt.

 

This is crazy.

 

But I slowly rise, pressing up on my thigh as I stand. I come to my full height, which doesn’t quite match his, but with the help of the two step difference, I’m close. My gaze meets his fiery eyes. There’s one thing this man needs to learn about me. I like nothing more than to prove others wrong.
“Challenge accepted.”

 

.
.
L.B. Dunbar loves the sweeter things in life: cookies, Coca-Cola, and romance. Her reading journey began with a deep love of fairy tales and alpha males. She loves a deep belly laugh and a strong hug. Occasionally, she has the energy of a Jack Russell terrier. Accused—yes, that’s the correct word—of having an overactive imagination, to her benefit, such an imagination works well. Author of over two dozen novels, she’s created sexy rom-coms for the over 40; intrigue on an island; MMA chaos; rock star mayhem, and sweet small-town romance. In addition, she earned a title as the “myth and legend lady” for her modernizations of mythology as elda lore. Her other duties in life include mother to four children and wife to the one and only.

 

 

 


HOSTED BY:

Posted on

Book Review: Always the One (A Beloved Duet #2) by Kelly Collins

 Always the One 

(A Beloved Duet #2)

by Kelly Collins

 

Amazon  US / UK / AU / CA 

She watched him walk away. Now he’s back. Will he stay to fulfill her dreams?

Physical therapist and karaoke queen Aidy Smith would love to be in a relationship, but in the small town of Beloved, Colorado, it seems all the best ones are taken. The truth is, even if there were single men to choose from, the only one Aidy wants is the one who left years ago. When Jace Johnson comes back to town, Aidy’s heart comes to life again. But how long will he stay?

Jace Johnson had a tough life. He lost his parents when he was thirteen, but with the love of his devoted aunt and a talent for football he thrived. As a fullback for the New Jersey Knights, he has just about everything he could want until a car accident injures his daughter Maddie. Now he finds himself back in Beloved seeking the help of Aunt Sharon’s physical therapist who to his surprise, turns out to be Aidy Smith, his high school tutor. Without her help, he would have never graduated. Can she be the answer to his prayers again?

Football is all Jace knows. Beloved is where Aidy belongs. Will he give it all up for a second chance at love?

Find out in Always the One…

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

I’m going to be a cat lady for the rest of my life… It’s going to be me and Clawsome until I’m old and gray.

 

He was my client’s pool guy. I mean hello, he used pool metaphors for foreplay talk… I don’t have it in me to go into the dirty details but just think. He talked nonstop about his hose and how he liked certain strokes better than others, and if I wanted to jump into the deep end with him, he knew rescue breathing.

 

And the word fetish is a special word and shouldn’t be used more than once in a lifetime. You’ve used your quota.

 

I named our son Jack Russell. Who names their son after a breed of dog known to be stubborn?

 

My Review:

 

This was a sweet and fun small-town second chance romance with a lively bit of sizzle and snap. I always enjoy Kelly Collin’s uniquely appealing characters and amusing and witty observations and insights. Aidy fantasized taking a run at her oblivious high school crush ten years later – but was startled out of her secret stalking efforts when he returned to his hometown of Beloved to visit his aunt and carried in a small child from his car ~ needle scratch. Aidy was a quirky karaoke queen/physical therapist/town gossip.   Jace had been her first crush and the man she seemed to measure men against.

 

Jace was stunned to notice that Aidy was no longer the nerdy nondescript classmate who used to tutor him after school. Not only was she gorgeous, but she was also kind and patient with his family, and kind of perfect, so perfect he developed a yellow tinge and made me want to smack him with my kindle – repeatedly. Luckily for Jace, Aidy was more forgiving and less vindictive than I am. 😉

ABOUT KELLY COLLINS  

 

  Goodreads  / Website  / Amazon /

International bestselling author of over 30 novels, Kelly Collins writes with the intention of keeping the love alive. Always a romantic, she blends real-life events with her vivid imagination to create characters and stories that lovers of contemporary romance, new adult, and romantic suspense will return to again and again.

Posted on

Book Reviews: Let Your Hair Down (Almost Royal Book 3) by Rachel Lacey

Let Your Hair Down 

(Almost Royal Book 3)

by Rachel Lacey

Amazon  US / UK / AU / CA 

 BN ~ iBooks ~ Kobo ~ GP

THE ADVENTURE OF A LIFETIME

Ruby Keller is going rogue, or at least that’s the hashtag she’s using to document her vacation: #RubyGoesRogue. Illness kept her confined to her bedroom for much of her childhood, and as a result, she’s always played it safe, hiding behind her laptop and overanalyzing every decision. When a friend’s wedding takes her to London, she decides to push herself out of her comfort zone and take an uncharted adventure on her own…no laptop, no itinerary, and no one to get in her way. A chance run-in with a handsome British stranger was definitely not on the agenda…

Flynn Bowen travels the globe for his family’s chain of upscale hotels and resorts. He’s struggled to find his place within the business, so when his parents allow him to oversee the construction of a new location in Dubai, he’s determined not to let them down. When he meets Ruby, he’s enchanted by her passion and bravery, not to mention the chemistry between them. If circumstances were different, he could fall for this vivacious American beauty, but fate has only given them one magical day together. Can they find a way to grab their chance at love, or will geography—and their own inhibitions—tear them apart?

 

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

I think you look like a woman who waited around for her letter from Hogwarts once upon a time, but I would hate to make a snap judgment.

 

Ruby was a gem in every sense of the word.

 

I’ve learned is that life can be short and fragile, and when you find something great, you should grab ahold of it, even if it’s not what you were expecting. And I definitely wasn’t expecting you, but here we are.

 

She was stabbing at her salad like it had personally offended her. Her expression betrayed nothing, but she was uncharacteristically quiet, which seemed somehow harder to take than if she’d just started yelling at him.

 

 My Review:

 

I have enjoyed this pleasurable series of supportive, animal-loving, and spunky friends and am sad to see it end. This installment featured a major turn-about for Ruby. The cautious and highly organized Ruby left her spreadsheets and laptop at home and set off for her friend’s wedding in London with a mission to go off on her own and experience an unplanned, unscheduled, no reservations made, grand adventure. She was off to a good start with a sexy new acquaintance she met at the wedding acting as her London tour guide then he became a good slice more before they wistfully parted with no hope of seeing each other again.

 

But of course, that couldn’t be as then there would be no story. Ruby and Flynn’s tale was a sweet and gentle low-conflict tale with a bit of sightseeing, illness, and a bit of steamy goodness, then a devastating disappointment for Ruby until Flynn finally pulled his cranium from his colon and gave us our HEA. As we all know, I must have my HEA or I will be stamping my little foot in pique and turning the air blue with invectives. Thank ALL our lucky stars that I didn’t need to pull my boots on. 😉

 

 

About the Author

Rachel Lacey is a contemporary romance author and semi-reformed travel junkie. She’s been climbed by a monkey on a mountain in Japan, gone scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef, and camped out overnight in New York City for a chance to be an extra in a movie. These days, the majority of her adventures take place on the pages of the books she writes. She lives in warm and sunny North Carolina with her husband, son, and a variety of rescue pets.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads 

Posted on

Book Review: Balls Up (Ball Games #8) by Andie M. Long

Balls Up

(Ball Games #8)

by Andie M. Long

Amazon US / UK / CA / AU  

 

Will this double wedding go without a hitch?

It’s the final visit to the Turner family and time for Camille and Dylan, plus Miranda and Vic to tie the knot.

But no one anticipated grandma’s interference. She did give birth to Dora after all…

Plans are changed, and a surprise appearance from three bridesmaids looks like being a complete ‘cat-astophe’.

Will the family get their happy-ever-afters, or is it going to be a complete balls up?

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Now anyone who knew my other half, knew that at the best of times she lived up to her surname of Cross; but post-birth, whoa! It was like being in a live performance of The Exorcist.

 

She began pulling her top down a little showing some crinkly cleavage, “is it getting hot in here? I think we need a fireman, and oh look,” she waved a guy over. “I think this one wants us to look at his pole.” She’d organised a bloody stripper. My seventy-year-old gran.

 

My Review:

 

Andie M. Long closes out her irreverently humorous Balls series with one final misadventure with those crazy Turners. This time the entire clan was beyond stressed with pregnancies and a double wedding in the works. Oddly enough, Cam’s flamboyant and meddlesome grandmother was causing the most trouble with her bizarre add-ons and upstaging of the brides’ plans, while an exhausted Dora kept the fire department busy with her inattentive attempts at cooking.   I hope we haven’t seen the last of the Turners, they are a ridiculously outrageous family, one I wouldn’t want to live anywhere near, but I’ve enjoyed watching them from afar.

 

I picked up two new slang words for my Brit word list with whip-round – a collection of money made by a group of people that is then given to a particular person or used to buy a present for them, and narky – being cranky or irritable. I’d get narky if no one bothered to do a whip-round for my birthday – hint, hint.

 

About The Author

After twenty+ years of thinking about it, at the age of forty, I decided it was time to finally WRITE THE BOOK or forget about it. I studied two Open University Courses in Creative Writing and finally wrote my first novel. I’ve now written a ton of novels and have the ideas for so many more!

I live in Sheffield with my son and long-suffering partner. We now have a beautiful fur-baby called Bella. When not being a partner, mother, employee (I also work for the NHS) or writer I can usually be found on Facebook or Pinterest.
I’ll be signing in Newcastle 2017 and York 2018.

Stalk Andie Here:

 

Posted on

Book Review: The Oysterville Sewing Circle by Susan Wiggs

The Oysterville Sewing Circle

by Susan Wiggs

Amazon US / UK / CA / AU

 B&N / HarperCollins

 384 pages
William Morrow; First Edition edition (August 13, 2019)

“Stitched together with love, this is a story just waiting for your favorite reading chair. With her signature style and skill, Susan Wiggs delivers an intricate patchwork of old wounds and new beginnings, romance and the healing power of friendship, wrapped in a lovely little community that’s hiding a few secrets of its own.”
— Lisa Wingate, New York Times Bestselling author of Before We Were Yours

The #1 New York Times bestselling author brings us her most ambitious and provocative work yet—a searing and timely novel that explores the most volatile issue of our time—domestic violence.

At the break of dawn, Caroline Shelby rolls into Oysterville, Washington, a tiny hamlet at the edge of the raging Pacific.

She’s come home.

Home to a place she thought she’d left forever, home of her heart and memories, but not her future. Ten years ago, Caroline launched a career in the glamorous fashion world of Manhattan. But her success in New York imploded on a wave of scandal and tragedy, forcing her to flee to the only safe place she knows.

And in the backseat of Caroline’s car are two children who were orphaned in a single chilling moment—five-year-old Addie and six-year-old Flick. She’s now their legal guardian—a role she’s not sure she’s ready for.

But the Oysterville she left behind has changed. Her siblings have their own complicated lives and her aging parents are hoping to pass on their thriving seafood restaurant to the next generation. And there’s Will Jensen, a decorated Navy SEAL who’s also returned home after being wounded overseas. Will and Caroline were forever friends as children, with the promise of something more . . . until he fell in love with Sierra, Caroline’s best friend, and the most beautiful girl in town. With her modeling jobs drying up, Sierra, too, is on the cusp of reinventing herself.

Caroline returns to her favorite place: the sewing shop owned by Mrs. Lindy Bloom, the woman who inspired her and taught her to sew. There she discovers that even in an idyllic beach town, there are women living with the deepest of secrets. Thus begins the Oysterville Sewing Circle—where women can join forces to support each other through the troubles they keep hidden.

Yet just as Caroline regains her creativity and fighting spirit, and the children begin to heal from their loss, an unexpected challenge tests her courage and her heart. This time, though, Caroline is not going to run away. She’s going to stand and fight for everything—and everyone—she loves.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Since she had left home right out of high school, she had dutifully visited a few times at Christmas… That seemed to satisfy the family and also preserved her status as the official black sheep. Every family needed a pet, her brother Jackson used to joke.

 

I’ve had my heart broken so many times, it’s all scar tissue…

 

“Turns out my ‘perfect’ husband pulled the oldest trick in the book. He took up with an associate at the law firm, plotted a slick exit, and brought my life to a screeching halt. She’s awful, too— one of those phony Christians who claimed she was ‘saving herself for marriage.’” “I guess you should have asked whose marriage,”

 

His eyes were as blue as her favorite color of gumball… As a general rule, she didn’t like boys. With two younger brothers, she was well aware of their shortcomings. Boys were noisy, and they smelled like hamsters, and they had an incomprehensible habit of wearing the same dirty shirt day in and day out until someone made them change.

  

My Review:

 

This was a slowly evolving, relatable, and thoughtfully written story in which every woman from most any culture will find something that resonates for her. While predominantly fitting the genre of women’s fiction, it could also be considered a second chance and small-town romance. The realistic storylines were easy to follow, highly assessable, relevant, and cast with a wide variety of unique and endearing yet flawed characters. The writing was engaging and easy to follow yet slyly emotive and stung my eye sockets several times. Susan Wiggs has earned a permanent spot on my list of favorite authors.

I was provided with a review copy of this stealthily emotive book by TLC Book Tours and HarperCollins. 

About Susan Wiggs

Susan Wiggs’s life is all about family, friends…and fiction. She lives at the water’s edge on an island in Puget Sound, and in good weather, she commutes to her writers’ group in a 21-foot motorboat. She’s been featured in the national media, including NPR, PRI, and USA Today, has given programs for the US Embassies in Buenos Aires and Montevideo, and is a popular speaker locally, nationally, internationally, and on the high seas.

From the very start, her writings have illuminated the everyday dramas of ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances. Her books celebrate the power of love, the timeless bonds of family and the fascinating nuances of human nature. Today, she is an international best-selling, award-winning author, with millions of copies of her books in print in numerous countries and languages. According to Publishers Weekly, Wiggs writes with “refreshingly honest emotion,” and the Salem Statesman Journal adds that she is “one of our best observers of stories of the heart [who] knows how to capture emotion on virtually every page of every book.” Booklist characterizes her books as “real and true and unforgettable.”

Her novels have appeared in the #1 spot on the New York Times Bestseller List, and have captured readers’ hearts around the globe with translations into more than 20 languages and 30 countries. She is a three-time winner of the RITA Award,. Her recent novel, The Apple Orchard, is currently being made into a film, and The Lakeshore Chronicles has been optioned for adaptation into a series.

The author is a former teacher, a Harvard graduate, an avid hiker, an amateur photographer, a good skier, and terrible golfer, yet her favorite form of exercise is curling up with a good book. She lives on an island in Puget Sound, where she divides her time between sleeping and waking.

Visit her website at www.SusanWiggs.com, and connect with Susan on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.