Sunday 29 January 2012

Mexico here I come!!!!

I am going to MEXICO!!!
I am going away on Tuesday for 2 weeks
but don't worry I haven't forgotten about you!
I have scheduled reviews to go up for you 
whilst I am away!
I have also finally decided on the books I am taking.....

On my kindle I have 
Pear Shaped by Stella Newman
Renovation,Renovation,Renovation by Nell Dixon
Anywhere But Here by Jenny Gardiner
Mad About The Boy by Suzan Battah



I hope this will be enough to keep me going!!! 
See you when I get back and remember to pop back to check for 
new reviews xxx

Only 99p at the moment on kindle HURRY!!

More Like Her by Liza Palmer



I had never read any books by Lisa Palmer so when I was given the chance to read More Like Her I wasn’t sure what to expect but I couldn’t wait to get started.

Plot
'I'm not the girl men choose. I'm the girl who's charming and funny and then drives home alone wondering what she did wrong. I'm the girl who meets someone half-way decent and then fills in the gaps in his character with my own imagination, only to be shocked when he's not the man I thought he was. I'm the girl who hides who she really is...'


Frannie has spent her life disguising who she really is for fear of falling short of other people's expectations. And when she meets her new boss, Frannie can't help but wish she was just a bit more like her. Because Emma has it all: the job, the lifestyle, the happy marriage... even the perfect dog.


But everything is not as it seems. And Frannie's about to find out - in the hardest way possible - that chasing perfection isn't necessarily the route to the happy life that she's always imagined it to be.


A heartbreaking and romantic story about love, life, friendship and the true importance of chasing your own dreams.


My Opinion.
I have to say I am not a fan of the cover of this book in my opinion it is a little bland, it wouldn’t be one that would catch my eye whilst searching the shelves for my next book. I found the storyline had a very slow start and I struggled to keep reading, it did reach a point where I was ready to give up but luckily it was just after this point where there was a shocking twist in the book which finally managed to grab my attention.

My favourite character in this book has to be Sam, I found that his character felt like he was developed more than the other characters in this book. I especially found it moving how Sam dealt with his situation in the big twist in this book. It was clear that Sam had feelings for Frannie but because of her past she seemed to constantly be putting barriers up after she had had a great time with Sam but I think this was to protect herself from getting hurt again. Frannie was an easy character to warm to at times you wanted to give her a big cuddle and at other times you wanted to give her a good shake!

I am surprised that the character of Emma wasn’t more developed because there is a situation involving her which really should have pulled at my heart strings but I didn’t really feel like I knew anything about her so although I was shocked I don’t feel like I experienced the emotions I should have been feeling at this point in the story.

For me the best part of this book was the shocking chapter which there is no way you can predict when this is about to happen in this book because there is no build up to it. It was a relatively quick read but I do feel it was hard to get through the first half of this book but it is worth persevering with.

Friday 20 January 2012

Love, Lies and Promises by Joanna Lambert


Love Lies and Promises is the second book in Joanna Lambert’s Behind Blue Eyes Trilogy. I read the first book last year which is When Tomorrow Comes which I thoroughly enjoyed and found it a real page turner I couldn’t wait to get back to the great mix of characters again to see what lies instore especially for Ella.

Plot
1968: With Christmas approaching, Ella Kendrick is looking forward to the return of Matt Benedict and his band, the Attitude, from their UK tour. She hopes to use the festive season to stir a little romance into what has been up to now just a friendship with the quiet, shy songwriter. But her plans run into trouble when the band is rerouted to Switzerland for special performances, keeping them out of the country until the New Year. Matt and Ella eventually get together in the Spring of '69. But the romantic reunion does not quite live up to her expectations and on returning home she discovers the reason - he is planning to marry someone he has met in London, where he now lives. Her dream finally over, Ella tries to put the pain and disappointment behind her. She gives all her concentration to setting up her business, unaware that behind the scenes her devious mother Mel is finalising her plans, pushing her towards a match with local rich bad boy Andy Macayne, the man she has always wanted her daughter to marry. A year later Ella is convinced she has it all - a handsome husband who loves her, a beautiful home and a thriving business. With all of this she finds it easy to forget the past and move on. But when 'happy ever after' goes wrong and Ella returns to the village where she grew up, looking for support from her grandparents, she has no idea her past is about to come back - with devastating consequences.


My Opinion.
This book really didn’t disappoint. The story slipped straight off to a great start by the end of the first chapter I was already hooked again and knew it wasn’t going to take long to finish. Once again the book mainly focuses around Ella’s story but often trails off into the lives of those around her. I couldn’t think of a better title as it really says it all, the books is full of lies and deceit some of which I found predictable and others had me gasping in shock.

I love that Joanna Lambert really teases you with the storyline when it comes to Ella and Matt’s relationship you are never quite sure if they are going to finally get together or not after all of these obstacles are put in their way. I still stand by what I said in my first review that I really get the feel of the Heart Beat programme when I read these books but in my opinion that is great as it brings something different from most romance saga’s out there at the moment. I cannot wait to get started on book 3 in the series.

If you are looking for a good old fashioned romance story for a nice comfortable Sunday in then this is the real page turner you need.



Why not head over and get your hands on a copy of the first book in the series on the Amazon link below

Tuesday 10 January 2012

Monday to Friday Man by Alice Peterson



I brought Monday to Friday Man by Alice Peterson last year the day it came out as a treat to myself but due to the books which have been submitted to me for review I haven’t had the chance to read it and it has been sitting on my To Be Read pile waiting for me to finally pick it up! I have read all of the books which are being released for January and so now seemed a good time to pick my long awaited treat and start reading.

Plot
He proposed.
She accepted.
He changed his mind.
She was heartbroken.
Gilly Brown now finds herself alone in London with only her little dog Ruskin for company. It's time to move on.
On a friend's advice, she looks for a lodger, a Monday to Friday one, and eventually finds just the right man - Jack Baker, a handsome reality television producer. The extra cash is great, but she'd be lying if she said she didn't enjoy his company too.
Friends and family see Jack as the perfect tonic for Gilly, except for Guy, the newest recruit in her dog-walking group. What does he see and why does he feel it so strongly?
What exactly does Jack get up to at the weekends?

My Opinion
My first thoughts after finishing this book is I cannot believe it has taken me this long to finally read this beautiful book. From the moment we meet our main character Gilly (with a G!) I instantly warmed to her. Her character is very down to earth and like most people she has been through her fair share of heartache, her character comes across as very vulnerable but yet she seems to have a lovely sense of humour. I also loved the character of Guy who felt a little eccentric but yet a pure gentleman.

I am not a big fan of books which have lots of characters in as I find myself starting to lose track of who is who, but this was not the case in this book there were a lot of characters but each of the characters are developed well enough to be able to differentiate between each character. For me the beauty of this book is the fact that Peterson has managed to wind a story of Gilly’s background into her current story which allows us the chance to get to know a little more about Gilly’s past.

The storyline has everything you would need in a great read, humour, romance, loveable characters, suspense and the good old tear jerker scenario.

The pace of this book and also the realistic storyline made this book a real page turner and I for one will be looking forward to her new book which is due for release this year.

Post Box

I have just got home from the hospital from having my treatment. It was a bad day as I sat and finished reading Monday to Friday man (review to come) I decided to turn on my kindle and start another book only for the battery to be dead I felt like crying !!!

I soon cheered up when I got home to see the two parcels I had awaiting me in the post box check out what we have coming up!!


We have More Like Her by Liza Palmer and This is a Love Story by Jessica Thompson.
I am not sure which one to start first so help me out friendly followers which one would you like to hear about first. I have to say the cover of This is a Love Story is winking at me!! Any way here is a little about each book to help make up your minds.

More Like Her by Liza Palmer


'I'm not the girl men choose. I'm the girl who's charming and funny and then drives home alone wondering what she did wrong. I'm the girl who meets someone half-way decent and then fills in the gaps in his character with my own imagination, only to be shocked when he's not the man I thought he was. I'm the girl who hides who she really is...'

Frannie has spent her life disguising who she really is for fear of falling short of other people's expectations. And when she meets her new boss, Frannie can't help but wish she was just a bit more like her. Because Emma has it all: the job, the lifestyle, the happy marriage... even the perfect dog.

But everything is not as it seems. And Frannie's about to find out - in the hardest way possible - that chasing perfection isn't necessarily the route to the happy life that she's always imagined it to be.

A heartbreaking and romantic story about love, life, friendship and the true importance of chasing your own dreams.

This is a Love Story by Jessica Thompson.


This is a love story.

Boy meets girl and girl falls for boy - that much is true.

But when Sienna meets Nick it's not the way it happens in love stories. It's because of a squirrel on water skis...

She sees Nick's dangerous brown eyes and thinks,

Don't.

Fall.

Into.

Them.

Who will be there to catch Siena when she falls? She is so fragile. She has so many secrets, and he is not that serious.

Funny and sad, this is the story of two people destined never to come together in the great love affair they crave more than anything else.

There are your choices so come and help me out!!!

Sunday 8 January 2012

The Stag and Hen Weekend by Mike Gayle


Author: Mike Gayle
Publisher: Hodder and Stoughton
Pages: 401

Plot
The Stag and Hen Weekend is the story of Phil and Helen, a couple in their thirties about to commit their lives to one another . . . that is of course if they can just manage to get through their respective stag and hen weekends (his: Amsterdam; hers: a country house and day spa in the Peak District) without falling apart. Told in the unique form of two separate stories that have common characters as well as themes and conclusion, The Stag and Hen Weekend can be read from front to back or from back to front putting the reader in the driver's seat as to which story they wish to read first. Feisty, fun and thought provoking.

My Opinion
This is the first book I have read by Mike Gayle and also it is the first romance book I have read by a male author. I was looking forward to reading this book for two reasons firstly to see if a romance book by a male author compares to female authors and also to see how well the book comes together in this unique structure with it being two books in one as I have only ever read a handful of books which are set out in this way and I have to say I have never liked the books set out this way as there is usually a lot of repetition.

This was a fresh new storyline for me as I have not read a book featuring both a hen and stag weekend. I enjoyed the storyline and the humorous touches that are added her and there throughout the book. Because of the layout of the book both of our main characters are very well developed because we get to see both of the characters thoughts and feelings first hand.

I have to say if I didn’t already know this book was written by a male author I wouldn’t know any different in my opinion Mike Gayle’s style of writing is similar to the likes of Paige Toon who is another favourite author of mine. Gayle manages to create the element of suspense as I couldn’t predict what the outcome was going to be right up to the last chapter.

You can read the book either way around but I decided to start with the Stag week end and I am glad I did and I would recommend you to start this way around. I didn't find with this book that there was any repetition once you switch over to the  next book which I was glad about!

I will definitely be looking out for more books by Mike Gayle.

Tuesday 3 January 2012

Sleeping With Paris by Juliette Sobanet

I have just finished Sleeping with Paris which was kindly sent to me by the author of this book Juliette Sobanet ( Thank you Juliette!) I have to say I have read many great reviews on this book and it seems to be the talk of twitter recently so I couldn’t wait to get started with this one to see if my opinion was the same as everyone elses.

Plot
Charlotte Summers is a sassy, young French teacher who is two days away from moving to Paris with the love of her life and from fulfilling her dream of studying at the prestigious Sorbonne University in France. But when she discovers her fiancĂ©’s online dating profile and has a little chat with the busty red-head he’s been sleeping with on the side, she gives up on committed relationships altogether and decides to navigate Paris on her own.


Determined to stop other women from finding themselves in her shoes, Charlotte creates an anonymous blog on how to date like a man in the City of Love—that is, how to jump from bed to bed without ever falling in love. But, with a slew of Parisian men beating down her door, a hot new neighbor who feeds her chocolate in bed, and an appearance by her sleazy ex-fiancĂ©, she isn’t so sure she can keep her promise to remain commitment-free. And, when Charlotte agrees to write an article for a popular women’s magazine about her Parisian dating adventures—or disasters, rather—will she risk losing the one man who’s swept her off her feet and her dream job in one fell swoop?

My Opinion
I really enjoyed this book it was kind of a naughty pleasure as I found everything I loved about this book I really shouldn’t be enjoying! Our main character is Charlotte and this kind of character I usually would turn my nose up at with the way she jumps in and out of bed with various men the minute she arrives in Paris she seems to become a true man eater, but the character is saved in my opinion by the opening 3 chapters of the book as this is where we first meet Charlotte and she is likeable from the first time we meet her and you can’t help but feel for her character when she has given up everything to up and move to Paris with the love of her life only to find out that he is a big cheat.

The book really grabs you from the first chapter and continues at a great pace with something exciting happening on each page. It is a fun read with some charming and gorgeous Parisians for great eye candy. It feels like a light hearted read but there are some deep emotional situations which occur in this book which really bring the book into its own.

If you are looking for a fun romantic read with a hint of chocolate and a big splash of a Half-Naked French Hottie then this is definitely the book for you!



Sunday 1 January 2012

The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen


The Peach Keeper is Sarah Addison Allen’s fourth novel but is the first book by her that I have read.


Plot
Welcome to Walls of Water, North Carolina, a place where secrets run thicker than the town's famous fog.


Once upon a time, Willa Jackson's family owned the beautiful house on the top of the ridge. Now it symbolises her family's ruin and a legacy Willa longs to escape from.


Paxton Osgood also yearns to break free, especially from her parents' expectations, and the heartbreak of unrequited love. Desperate for a distraction, she decides to restore the empty mansion to its former glory.


But the discovery of a long-buried secret, a friendship that defies time, and a touch of magic, will transform both women's lives in ways they would never have expected.

My Opinion
Having been the first book I have read by Sarah Addison Allen I was unsure what to expect from her book by looking at the cover it gave the impression of a very gentle and fresh read. Based on the cover it wouldn't be one of the books that would shout out to me from the shelves but I was about to learn the age old lesson again of not judging a book by its cover.

The author manages to create a charming if somewhat quirky town which made for a great setting for the book. The book centre’s around two main characters, Paxton and Willa whose personalities are two worlds apart. I found I connected with Willa right from the start of the book but it took a while for some of Paxton’s barriers to come down and to get to know her a little more before she became a likeable character. What I loved about the book is seeing relationships and friendships slowly developing, it was quite different to most romance books to not feel the rush of a relationship developing everything was set at a beautiful pace.

I loved the mystical feel to the book it is very carefully written without being over done which gave a real enchanting feel to the storyline. I did find the book was overly predictable but I did still enjoy the storyline I just think with a little bit of suspense it would have made the perfect book. I found it a very quick and easy read with it only being 273 pages long and each chapter short enough to be able to pick up and put down easily without losing the flow of the book. Any of you who were lucky enough to get a kindle for Christmas you will be happy to know this book will also be available as an e-book.

I would like to read the authors first book Garden Spells to see if the suspense element is in this book. This book is well worth a read if you are looking for a laidback easy read with a mystical feel for a fresh change.

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