Friday 30 September 2016

Review of Sequins & Snowflakes - Christmas at the Little Wedding Shop by Jane Linfoot - Five **


Blurb:


‘Just like the perfect wedding cake…beautifully crafted and wrapped in romance’ Heidi Swain, bestselling author of The Cherry Tree CafĂ©
The snow is falling around Brides by the Sea, Cornwall’s cutest little wedding shop, and wedding dress designer Seraphina East is in her cosy studio designing exquisite dresses to make even the most demanding bride’s dreams come true.
Unless the bride is her big sister Alice of course. Saying that the two sisters don’t always see eye to eye is an understatement. Alice hasn’t even asked Sera to design her wedding dress. But when an absent groom and ill-fitting dress threaten to ruin Alice’s happiness let alone her big day, Sera’s determined to give her sister the winter wedding of her dreams – even if that means keeping not one but two irresistibly gorgeous best men under control…
Is Sera going to end up being the maid of dishonour…Or will repairing her frozen relationship with Alice be the icing on the wedding cake?
There’s sequins, snowflakes, and plenty of romance in this gorgeous love story. The perfect romance to curl up by the fire with this Christmas! Perfect for fans of Carole Matthews and Milly Johnson.







Review:

This is an amazing book! I loved the first one in the series and this one was even better!

It focuses on Sera, the wedding dress designer and her sister Alice. Alice is planning the wedding of the century and she is a true controlling Bridezilla! Sera is far more laid back - and of course everything possible goes wrong. Sera steps up to the challenge (albeit unwillingly) and does her best to solve all the problems.

She is aided and abetted by the best men, Quinn & Johnny. Johnny is a flame from the past and Quinn is - well Quinn! I love a book with 2 "heroes" and this is a great example of that! The two men are so different and yet Sera is attracted to both!

Lovely to see Rafe & Poppy again, as well as the others. Jane - you really need to sort Jess out!!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.



Tuesday 27 September 2016

Review of Girl Having a Ball by Rhoda Baxter - Five **


Blurb:

What if you had to learn to stand on your own feet?

Although Stevie lost her parents when she was very young, she’s always been able to rely on her brother, Marsh. But now Marsh is married and Stevie feels like she is losing him too. Determined to prove her independence, Stevie sets about transforming her life, giving up her dead-end job and following her passion for events management.


Her first assignment takes her to a stunning manor house in Oxford where she is tasked with organising a charity ball on a shoestring. Between canapĂ© worries, celebrity guests and trying to keep the hyper-critical Lady Beryl happy, Stevie’s teenage crush, Tom, resurfaces to confuse things even further.


But ‘poor needy little Stevie’ is now ‘Stevie the strong woman’ and she won’t let a man get in the way of her dreams – will she?







Review:

I was so happy to receive this ARC and I certainly wasn't disappointed! Stevie is introduced as a lost soul. Her brother (on whom she has always relied) is married and now off limits for her emotional support.

She wants to get into events and takes on a gamble. A huge ball in Oxfordshire. Nothing like starting small!!

As the book progresses we see weak Stevie slowly morph into strong Stevie and it is a fascinating study!
Tom is the love interest and the feelings grow as the independence does, making for a delicious conflict in Stevie. 

This is a lovely, fun read - everything I would expect from Rhoda and Choc Lit!



Friday 23 September 2016

My turn for the Blog Tour for Destination Chile by Katy Colins! 5**


Blurb:


Welcome to Paradise


Next on her bucket list Georgia Green is heading to Chile, but this time she’s not going alone…
The new favourite series for fans of Bridget Jones’s Diary, the Shopaholic series and Eat, Pray, Love.

Join Georgia Green for a romantic trip into the sunset…






Review:

I absolutely love this series and wasn't sure about Georgia going on a trip with Ben, but it worked so well! If you want a real belly-laugh then this is the book for you!

Ben & Georgia take part in a TV travel challenge in Chile, together with other couples. They have challenges to meet and cameras on helmets they have to wear at all times. The challenges are hard, and the spotlight is really on the relationships and how the couples cope together.

It's a sharp learning curve for Georgia, and not necessarily a good one. Despite the funny episodes, it becomes a struggle for her and Ben. I really felt for them both and worried how it would all resolve itself.

As I said, it is VERY funny though. The fish market will live long in my memory!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.




Review of Christmas at The Comfort Food Cafe by Debbie Johnson - Five **


Blurb:


Becca Fletcher hates Christmas so much, she’s considering getting ‘Bah Humbug!’ tattooed on her forehead. She has her reasons for being Little Miss Grinch; Reasons that make this the very worst time of year for her.
Now, though, she can’t avoid her version of ho-ho-hell – because she’s travelling to the Comfort Food Cafe to spend the festive season with her sister Laura, and her family. She’s expecting mulled wine, the smell of pine trees, 24-hour Christmas movie marathons and all kinds of very merry torture.
But little does Becca know that the Comfort Food Cafe is like no other place on earth. Perched on a snow-covered hill on a windswept bay, it’s a place full of friendship; a place where broken hearts can heal, and a place where new love can blossom. It’s a place where Becca’s Christmas miracle really could happen – if only she can let it…
Inviting readers new and old to pull up a cosy armchair, Christmas at the Comfort Food Cafe is the novella-length follow-up to the 2016 best-seller Summer at the Comfort Food Cafe.






Review:

Oh how I wish the Comfort Food Cafe was real! Becca travels to spend Christmas with her sister Laura. Becca hates Christmas with a vengeance and suffers from social anxiety as well, so she has to force herself to go.

How will she cope with the friendly people in and around the cafe? Can they work their magic and change her mind and allow herself to forgive and forget? 

It is a very funny book, (the wedding is wonderful!) but it has a deeper level too - cracking Becca's walls is a hard task, but a hot surfer dude helps a lot!

Debbie is a very talented writer and I always enjoy her books - if you haven't tried one, you have a real treat in store!

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.



Thursday 22 September 2016

Review of Christmas Under a Cranberry Christmas by Holly Martin - Five **


Blurb:

This year spend a wonderful Christmas on Juniper Island, where love can melt even the iciest of hearts… 

Piper Chesterfield lives a glamorous life travelling the world and reviewing the finest hotels. She calls nowhere home, she works alone and that’s how she likes it. For long ago Piper decided that to protect her heart she should lock it away. 

So when Piper’s next assignment brings her to the newly opened Stardust Lake Hotel for the festive season, the last person she expects to face is Gabe Whitaker, the man who broke her heart so completely she could never love again. 

But Piper isn’t the only one who has been frozen in time by heartbreak. Gabe hasn’t forgotten the golden-eyed girl who disappeared from his world without a trace. 

Now fate has reunited them on Juniper island, can the magic of Christmas heal old wounds? And can this enchanting town be the one place Piper can finally call home? 

Curl up with this gorgeously romantic tale and let the glistening snow and the roaring fires of Stardust Lake Hotel get you in the festive spirit this Christmas. 








Review:

I really wish I could give 10 stars!! This is one of the best Christmas books I've ever read!

If you like Nora Roberts then this is for you! It is family, scenery, history, second chances, lots of love and snow, snowmen and the Northern Lights. What more could you ask for? 

Pip & Gabe are wonderful characters and the supporting friends and family are brilliant as well - Holly puts such depth of character in even the lesser players in the book.

It's the sort of book you finish with a happy sigh - and want to read it all over again!

Thank you for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.



Wednesday 21 September 2016

Review of Angela Britnell's You're The One That I Want - Five **


Blurb:

What if you didn’t want to fake it any more? 

When Sarah, a teacher from Cornwall, and Matt, a businessman from Nashville, meet on a European coach tour, they soon find themselves in a relationship … 


Except it’s a fake relationship. Because Matt is too busy for romance, and Sarah is only trying to make her cheating ex-husband jealous … isn’t she? 


As Matt and Sarah complete their tour of Europe, they do all the things real couples are supposed to do – from visiting fairy-tale castles in Germany to recreating the scene from Romeo and Juliet in Verona. And, of course, for every picturesque destination there’s a loved-up selfie and Facebook post to match. 


But as their holiday comes to an end, Sarah and Matt realise that they’re not happy with their pretend relationship. They want the real thing.







Review:

How does Choc Lit do it? Every single book is a winner and this is no exception! Loved the characters, the descriptions of the places and the mothers!

What starts as a bit of a joke to show her friends and ex that she is moving on, slowly turns into something else. Matt goes along with Sarah's plan to put pictures of them both on Instagram but gradually realises that, to him, it is more than a joke.

I loved the way Angela handled the developing feelings and there was a lot of humour in the book as well!

Thanks to Choc Lit & NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest opinion.



Tuesday 20 September 2016

So excited to reveal the cover of Linn B Halton's new book, A Little Luck, A Lot of Fate! 

Isn't it gorgeous? Can't wait to read it!

It's designed by the wonderful Berni Stevens - such a talented lady!








When destiny calls, you need to pick up …

On the surface, Kristi Danielson has it all. She’s lifestyle coach to the rich and famous, has a bestselling book to her name and is described by her fans as “the veritable Queen of how to lead a fulfilling life”.

But the harsh truth is that Kristi has never practiced what she preaches. Her home life is a mess, her relationship with artist boyfriend, Tom, not much better – and now she has to redeem herself before all is lost.

At her wit’s end, Kristi is driven to seek out the help of Patrick Blakeslee, a tarot card reader and psychic medium, in an attempt to make sense of the mounting panic she’s feeling.

But Patrick’s visits have an unexpected effect on Kristi, leaving her with more questions than answers – and a life-changing decision to make.


A Little Luck, A Lot of Fate is published by Choc Lit and is now available to pre-order on iBooks! It will be officially released on 25th October 2016.