Review of The Little French Guesthouse by Helen Pollard - Four **


Blurb:

Sun, croissants and fine wine. Nothing can spoil the perfect holiday. Or can it?

When Emmy Jamieson arrives at La Cour des Roses, a beautiful guesthouse in the French countryside, she can’t wait to spend two weeks relaxing with boyfriend Nathan. Their relationship needs a little TLC and Emmy is certain this holiday will do the trick. But they’ve barely unpacked before he scarpers with Gloria, the guesthouse owner’s cougar wife. 

Rupert, the ailing guesthouse owner, is shell-shocked. Feeling somewhat responsible, and rather generous after a bottle (or so) of wine, heartbroken Emmy offers to help. Changing sheets in the gîtes will help keep her mind off her misery. 

Thrust into the heart of the local community, Emmy suddenly finds herself surrounded by new friends. And with sizzling hot gardener Ryan and the infuriating (if gorgeous) accountant Alain providing welcome distractions, Nathan is fast becoming a distant memory. 

Fresh coffee and croissants for breakfast, feeding the hens in the warm evening light; Emmy starts to feel quite at home. But it would be madness to walk away from her friends, family, and everything she’s ever worked for, to take a chance on a place she fell for on holiday – wouldn’t it?

Review:

This book reeled me in immediately. The shock of the first incident kept me hooked and it was such a lovely book. It's all about friendship and new chances.

Emmy is a lovely person and I got to know her very well through the book. She is emotional and very honest - courageously so at times. Rupert is a wonderful man and his friendship with Emmy is the core of the book. They are both cheated on by their respective partners, leaving Rupert high and dry, but Emmy steps in to help. Later in the book, Emmy's Dad explains why perfectly.

The characters in France are very well crafted and all completely believable. The trip to the zoo was a classic - I'll remember that thunderstorm for a long time!

Very very happy to read that there will be a sequel, I wasn't ready to leave Emmy, Rupert, Alain, Sophie et al and look forward to meeting them all again.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Review of Summer at the Comfort Food Cafe by Debbie Johnson - Five **


Blurb:

‘My new favourite author’ – Holly Martin, bestselling author of ‘Christmas at Lilac Cottage’ & ‘Summer at Rose Island’

The brand new book from best-selling author Debbie Johnson will make you laugh, make you cry, and make you raid the pantry in the middle of the night…

The Comfort Food Cafe is perched on a windswept clifftop at what feels like the edge of the world, serving up the most delicious cream teas; beautifully baked breads, and carefully crafted cupcakes. For tourists and locals alike, the ramshackle cafe overlooking the beach is a beacon of laughter, companionship, and security – a place like no other; a place that offers friendship as a daily special, and where a hearty welcome is always on the menu.

For widowed mum-of-two Laura Walker, the decision to uproot her teenaged children and make the trek from Manchester to Dorset for the summer isn’t one she takes lightly, and it’s certainly not winning her any awards from her kids, Nate and Lizzie. Even her own parents think she’s gone mad.

But following the death of her beloved husband David two years earlier, Laura knows that it’s time to move on. To find a way to live without him, instead of just surviving. To find her new place in the world, and to fill the gap that he’s left in all their lives.

Her new job at the cafe, and the hilarious people she meets there, give Laura the chance she needs to make new friends; to learn to be herself again, and – just possibly – to learn to love again as well.

For her, the Comfort Food Cafe doesn’t just serve food – it serves a second chance to live her life to the full…

Review:

What an absolutely wonderful book! It was one of those that you really never want to end. It had me crying with laughter, crying with emotions, and crying with sorrow. If you don't laugh about the cow at the beginning then there is something wrong with you! 

It is one of the warmest, happiest books I have read in a long time, and I really wish it was a real cafe! I would give my right arm to meet Joe, Sam, Willow, Edie, and of course, Cherie. 

Watching the way Laura, Lizzie & Nate changed and blossomed in Dorset was a very happy experience. Everyone in the book had something sad in their past, but the patrons of the Comfort Food Cafe were all so positive in their different ways of dealing with the past. 

I am crossing all my fingers and toes that this is the start of a series based on the cafe and its regulars. Absolutely fabulous book - and one that everyone should read!

Thank you Debbie - this is the best so far by a mile! And I've loved all your books!!

I was given an ARC by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

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Review of When I Lost You by Kelly Rimmer - Four **


Blurb:

This book is very different. It deals with the marriage of Leo and Molly but from two very different angles. 

The book starts with Leo having had a serious accident and we see things from Molly's point of view. The next chapter covers their initial one to one meeting, several years earlier, but from Leo's point of view.

And so the book continues - one chapter each, dealing with the past and the present. Half way through, they angle switches and we see Molly's thoughts on the beginning and Leo on the present.

Very unusual and certainly not your traditional romance, but it drew me in and at times I felt like the 3rd member of the marriage. It made it so clear how little things can be blown out of all proportion and how huge problems can be ignored because the person involved doesn't want to acknowledge them!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC - I have given an honest review.

Review:

This book is very different. It deals with the marriage of Leo and Molly but from two very different angles. 

The book starts with Leo having had a serious accident and we see things from Molly's point of view. The next chapter covers their initial one to one meeting, several years earlier, but from Leo's point of view.

And so the book continues - one chapter each, dealing with the past and the present. Half way through, they angle switches and we see Molly's thoughts on the beginning and Leo on the present.

Very unusual and certainly not your traditional romance, but it drew me in and at times I felt like the 3rd member of the marriage. It made it so clear how little things can be blown out of all proportion and how huge problems can be ignored because the person involved doesn't want to acknowledge them!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC - I have given an honest review.

Amazon UK

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Review of The Chocolate Lovers' Wedding by Carole Matthews - Five **


Blurb:

The ladies of The Chocolate Lovers' Club should be gearing up for the wedding of the year but life keeps getting in the way . . .

Lucy is worried about her financial situation and it keeps distracting her. Should she accept an offer of help from an untrustworthy source?

Nadia may have a real chance at finding love but other areas of her life aren't so rosy. Something needs to change - but what?

Autumn can't wait to meet someone she hasn't seen in a very long time. She's full of hope for the future but then things don't exactly go to plan . . .

Chantal has been through so much and she's finally starting to feel settled. The last thing she needs is the kind of bad news that could change her life all over again.

And yet, despite all the ups and downs, the Chocolate Lovers' ladies know they can get through it all as long as they have each other. They're not going to let anything get in the way of their happy-ever-afters in . . . The Chocolate Lovers' Wedding.

Review:

I have loved the Chocolate Lovers' series from the first book and this was fabulous! It can be read as a stand alone, but for me, it was fantastic to get together with Lucy, Chantal. Nadia and Autumn once more. I've laughed with them, cried with them, got angry with them - but this book had me sobbing and howling with laughter! It is the peak of the series and I LOVED it! It is all about love as always - parental love, spousal love, friendship love, past love - and the conflicts that can develop as a result of this. And, of course, it's about chocolate! It's not all smooth sailing for them - Chantal faces an immense challenge with her health, Autumn attempts to connect with her daughter, Nadia is challenged with the new versus the old and Lucy is still trying to fix everyone at the expense of herself. Towards the end of the book, there are two stand out moments. One I've shared below, the other involves Marcus and had me in tears. No spoilers here though. I learned something about Carole as well - this quote is so very meaningful - I am convinced it is how she feels! No doubt, if I'm wrong, she'll tell me ;) Lucy, talking about her parents, "I don't want a love like theirs which seems to rely on mutual irritation and drama. I want Crush and I to be the best of friends and, when the passion has faded - as inevitably it will - that we still adore each other. That our love will deepen into care and respect. That our two lives will grow as one. That being apart will be inconceivable." How beautiful is that? And that is the book in a quote - loving, beautiful and enduring. I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.  Amazon UK Amazon US

Review of The Summer Flings Travel Club by Aimee Duffy - Four **


Blurb:

Armed with a degree that she doesn't have a clue what to do with, Ciara Bree convinces her two best friends, Elle and Gem to spend their first summer of freedom backpacking across the globe. Now it's time to shop, sunbathe, think about boys for a change, and party hard…

LA, Miami, Paris, Santorini, Ibiza, Florence and Dublin…these fabulous jet-setters are in for the summer of their lives.

From crashing celebrity parties in Tinseltown to grape-squishing in Florence, Ciara globetrots her way to happiness with her friends Elle and Gem by her side.

But Elle’s gorgeous cousin Zack keeps showing up, and while Ciara can think of a few ways to have fun with him, she starts to realise that her summer fling isn’t as uncomplicated as it should be…

Join the girls for a summer of fun, travel and romance. A summery treat perfect for fans of Holly Martin and Sarah Morgan.

Review:

This book is great fun! I thoroughly enjoyed following the summer vacation of Ciara, Elle & Gem. They have all finished uni and embark on a holiday staying in summer homes and 5* hotels. Ciara doesn't match her friends in income and is a little more guarded about her behaviour. She meets Elle's cousin - and sparks and items of clothing fly!

Loved the descriptions of the many places they stayed and the hang-ups that prevented them fully indulging in relationships. All different reasons, all leading to different behaviours.

I was egging them all on in the end and cheering and groaning in different places!

Great book - perfect poolside reading :)

I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Review of The Bucket List to Mend a Broken Heart by Anna Bell - Five**


Blurb:

A hilarious new romantic comedy for fans of Lindsey Kelk and Jane Costello from Anna Bell, the bestselling author of Don't Tell the Groom. 

Abi's barely left her bed since Joseph, the love of her life, dumped her, saying they were incompatible. 

When Joseph leaves a box of her possessions on her doorstep, she finds a bucket list of ten things she never knew he wanted to do. What better way to win him back than by completing the list, and proving they're a perfect match?

But there's just one problem - or rather, ten. Abi's not exactly the outdoorsy type, and she's absolutely terrified of heights - not ideal for a list that includes climbing a mountain, cycling around the Isle of Wight and, last but not least, abseiling down the tallest building in town . . . 

Completing the list is going to need all Abi's courage - and a lot of help from her friends. But as she heals her broken heart one task at a time, the newly confident Abi might just have a surprise in store . . 

Review:

This was one fab book! Lovely twist to the usual bucket list book.

I found Abi was a credible and interesting lead character. I admired the way she tackled the list, even if her reasons were a bit dubious! Her attempts at some of the things on the list were hilarious - particularly the windsurfing!

Ben was a lovely bloke and couldn't have been more different from Joseph if he's tried! Loved the day in Paris - and the sensitive side to him.

The best theme for me was the way everyone could see what was happening to Abi - except Abi! She was soooo stubborn!!

Thoroughly enjoyed it and thanks for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Review of What Happens in the Alps by T A Williams - Four **


Blurb:

Up in the magical, snow-kissed mountains…

Two years ago, Annie Brewer’s life was turned upside down when her adrenaline-junkie husband died in a tragic climbing accident. So she’s hoping that moving to the beautiful village of Santorso in the Italian Alps will finally put her life back on track!

…anything can happen!

She might be going into business with her oldest friend – notorious lady-charmer Matt Brown – but men are definitely out of the question for Annie! That is, until she bumps into tall, dark and delicious Alessandro Lago on the ski slopes…and spontaneously says ‘Yes’ to a date!

It must be the crisp, mountain air but suddenly, anything seems possible. The only trouble is, chivalrous Matt is looking more gorgeous than ever…

Review:

I love Trevor's books - there is always a little twist in them and they keep you guessing right the way through. This is no exception and Annie has a close friend and a good-looking Italian/Englishman both paying her attention in the ski resort. 

Matt and Alex appear to be quite different to start with, but then the similarities start to appear. Along with the cracks......

Annie is willing to move on after her husband's death, 2 years ago, but something either holds her back, or stops her from going too far into any relationship. She relies on her heart - wisely as it turns out.

The book seemed to be moving to the climax at the masked ball - but still kept us guessing afterwards! What would Annie do with her new found knowledge/feelings? 

The other characters were wonderfully drawn and Paolina's wardrobe is amazing! And then of course there is Leo. Black glossy hair, boundless energy and an uncanny knack of spoiling potentially romantic moments.......like most black labradors!

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Review of The Second Chance Shoe Shop by Mel Sherratt writing as Marcie Steele - Four**



Blurb: 

All Riley Flynn wants is to meet someone who makes her happy. But attracting the right kind of man is not easy, and with her heart still hurting from her last break-up, Riley believes she’ll never find love again. 

A year ago, Sadie Stewart’s whole world was shattered when her husband, Ross, died. She has struggled to keep herself together for the sake of their young daughter, but with the anniversary of his death approaching, Sadie finds herself overwhelmed by grief. 

Sadie and Riley work at Chandlers shoe shop, in the charming town of Hedworth. But when Chandlers is threatened with closure, the friends are confronted with the loss of not only their jobs, but also their support network - the glue that holds them together when they are close to breaking. 

As they put together a plan to save their beloved shop, Sadie realises that she might just be learning to live again. Could it be that new beginnings are just round the corner? The campaign also finds Riley unexpectedly crossing paths with charming photographer, Ethan. Maybe her second chance at love is right under her feet …

Review:

This was unexpectedly emotional. I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover but I was expecting light, fluffy romance. Maybe if I'd read the title properly I would realised - but I kept waiting for second HAND shoes!

As a consequence, once I'd realised my error, I was astonished at how deep this book can go with the characters, particularly Sadie. I found myself almost holding my breath whenever Suzanne appeared and wondering how Riley, who is kind, clever and funny, could miss obvious clues.

The three main characters all have such different stories that my interest was held throughout. For me, the main theme was all about forgiveness and second chances - some worked, some didn't.

Really enjoyed it and look forward to the next one out :)

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Review of Where Dragonflies Hover by AnneMarie Brear - Four **


Blurb:

Sometimes a glimpse into the past can help make sense of the future … 
Everyone thinks Lexi is crazy when she falls in love with Hollingsworth House – a crumbling old Georgian mansion in Yorkshire – and nobody more so than her husband, Dylan. But there’s something very special about the place, and Lexi can sense it. 

Whilst exploring the grounds she stumbles across an old diary and, within its pages, she meets Allie – an Australian nurse working in France during the First World War. 

Lexi finally realises her dream of buying Hollingsworth but her obsession with the house leaves her marriage in tatters. In the lonely nights that follow, Allie’s diary becomes Lexi’s companion, comforting her in moments of darkness and pain. And as Lexi reads, the nurse’s scandalous connection to the house is revealed …

Review:

I do love a good time slip story and this is an excellent one!

The story of Lexi, her house, and Dylan is very up to date and resonant of many marriages today. Life gets in the way and they start to follow different paths. I suspect it was Lexi's unhappiness that made her obsess about the house.

This contrasts beautifully with Allie & Danny's story, set in France and England during the Great War. Their behaviour was not common in those days - except for those involved in the actual fighting and care of the soldiers. They seized every opportunity to be happy, never knowing when they might meet again, or even if. The diary was a fascinating insight into the frontline hospitals of France and Belgium.

I loved that Allie's diary helped Dylan see things more clearly and understand Lexi a bit more. 

What would be really nice is that this is the first of a series, following the women of the legal firm. They all have stories.

Overall, the feeling I got from the book was, "Follow your heart". Both Lexi and Allie did, and they both ultimately found happiness.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Review of The Summer We Danced by Fiona Harper - Five **


Blurb: 

After a humiliating divorce and watching her former rock star husband leave her for a model live on reality TV, Pippa is determined to disappear. So she returns to the small Kent village where she grew up to make a fresh start. Little did she know that would mean saving her beloved childhood dance school or falling for her old school crush Tom too!

Review:

Oh what a lovely book! Being a Strictly fan, but with 2 left feet, I love watching and reading about dance.

The story of Pippa's return to her home village, Miss Mimi's dance classes and the lovely Tom's crazy ideas about himself, is a lovely, warm, feel-good read.

Lots of misunderstandings, tentative reachings out and some fabulous secondary characters all make for an interesting story. 

Sometimes it does take other people to point out the obvious about ourselves!

Fab book, wish I hadn't finished it so quickly!

I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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