Review of One Christmas in Paris by Mandy Baggot - Five **


Blurb:

How many croissants does it take to mend a broken heart?

Ava and her best friend Debs arrive in Paris just as the snow starts to fall. The Eiffel Tower glitters gold, but all Ava can think about is Leo, her no-good, cheating ex.

Debs is on a mission to make Ava smile again, and as they tour the Christmas markets, and eat their body weight in pain-au-chocolat, Ava remembers there’s more to life than men... Until they cross paths with sizzling hot, oh-so-mysterious photographer Julien, with his French accent and hazelnut eyes that seem to see right inside her.

Ava can’t ignore the intense chemistry between them, but she can’t help but feel he’s hiding something. Her fingers have been burned before and she can’t forget it, especially when her ex, Leo, starts texting again. Can Ava really trust Julien – and what exactly is his secret?

Will Ava go home with a broken heart, or will she find true love in Paris?

Join Ava and Julien in the most romantic city in the world this Christmas, as they discover the importance of being true to themselves, and learn how to follow their hearts.

One Christmas in Paris is a gorgeous, laugh-out-loud romantic comedy – perfect for fans of Jane Costello, Miranda Dickinson and Lucy Diamond.

Review:

I've read several Christmas books this year - ok - quite a lot! Some were good. some were very good and one or two were absolutely amazing.....and this is one of them!

Set in Paris (as you may have guessed from the title!) and featuring Ava and her friend Debs. Debs is on a mission to cheer Ava up following her break up from her cheating ex Leo. Ava is determined not to find romance in the most romantic city in the world at Christmas. Then she meets Julien. And he is one sexy beast!

Of course the path of true love never runs smooth, even in Paris and there are several bumps in the road that they have to get over.

Funny, Christmassy, very romantic and one of my favourite Christmas books ever! Thank you Mandy!

Thanks to Bookouture & NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Amazon UK - £1.99

Amazon US - $2.99

Review of The Velvet Cloak of Moonlight by Christina Courtenay - Five **


Blurb:

"As the velvet cloak of moonlight settled over the ruined towers of Raglan Castle, the shadows beneath them stirred ..."

When newly widowed Tess visits Raglan Castle, she experiences an extraordinary vision that transports her to seventeenth-century Wales and a castle on the brink of a siege.



Even when Tess leaves Raglan to return to Merrick Court, her late husband’s home, the strange dreams continue as her life becomes increasingly intertwined with the past. And when the new owner of the estate arrives - New Zealander Josh Owens - the parallels become even more obvious.



But perhaps the visions aren’t just trying to tell their own story, maybe they’re also giving a warning …

Review:

One of my favourite genres is timeshift and this is an amazing example of it. Usually only 1 person experiences it, but in this case 2 people do - Tess and Josh. Tess actually experiences the siege of Raglan Castle in the Civil War, and Josh can see spirits from the time..

Wonderfully romantic and incredibly evocative of the period. I was transported to a world of fear and danger where even your friends and family could not be trusted. 

The modern day story was equally complex and I enjoyed the way the story developed around who was going to end up owning/living in Merrick Court. Great characters in both time periods and I adored the title!!

Thanks to Choc Lit & NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Amazon UK - £2.99

Amazon US - $2.99

Review of the Belle Haven Unicorn series by Kathleen Phythian - 5**


Blurb:

To dreamers everywhere. 

To those who believe in magic and know how to allow your imagination to take you to wonderful lands where everything is possible. 

To a place where wizards sit with unicorns and grey herons and dangle their feet in the lake of charms listening to the mellifluous song of the phoenix bird, while the visiting cows cook picnic food on a griddle near the candy-floss tree. 

Just close by is the mystical grove in the magic forest where fairies guard a treasure trove and meditate for hours in their enchanted trees. 

If you are lucky you might get to see the caterpillars doing their nails and the ostrich putting on her lipstick, pink of course! Welcome to the enchanted world of life on Belles Haven.

Review:

I don't usually review children's books (my son is 25 and we are long past those days!) but when Kathleen asked me to look at her books, I happily accepted.

And I am so glad I did! I sat down and read the whole lot back to back! What an absolutely wonderful world she has created. The poetry is simple but beautiful - easily understood by children - and the drawings are sublime!

Belles Haven is the most magical place and the unicorns and the other creatures are adorable. I so wish this series had been around 20 years' ago!

Each book stands alone but I think any child would love the whole series as a real boost to reading/pre-reading. I'm going to buy them for a friend's daughter for Christmas - Ruby needs to be read!!

Thank you Kathleen for allowing me to dip into this magical world!

Amazon UK

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 Café

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.

Amazon UK - £1.99

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 canapé 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!

Amazon UK - £1.99

Amazon US - $2.99

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.

Amazon UK - £2.99

Amazon US - £5.19 (paperback)

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.

Amazon UK - £1.99

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.

Amazon UK - £1.99

Amazon US - $2.99

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.

Amazon UK - £0.99

Amazon US - $2.99

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 25^th October 2016.