Sunday 28 September 2014

To Catch a Star by Romy Summer

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To Catch a Star is the first book I have read by Romy Sommers I was drawn to the stunning magical looking cover, what I didn't realise is that this book was actually a third in a series I was to eager to get started on this book to check that out but I read this book easily as a standalone book and having read this one I would definitely go back and read the first two.


Teresa is an aristocrat who is getting married in a matter of weeks when her father asks her to carry out a very important job for him and she will need to work for Christian Taylor for this which she isn't looking forward to after there recent brief encounter.

Christian Taylor is a successful actor who has a way or should I say his way with the ladies! But is that all an act to cover up the hurt of his past as well as the amount of uncertainty from his past?

This was definitely a modern fairy tale and I really enjoyed it. I did find the first part of the book really slow and it did take a while to grip me but before long I was hooked and read the rest of the book in one sitting. Both of our main characters have hard exteriors but as the book moves along we begin to see both of the characters real personalities and they are not at all what they seem they have this persona for others and so when their true selves are shown I loved them rather than the frosty characters.

The ending was predictable but that really didn't matter it was fun reading the journey to the end. It was a light hearted read that was quite funny at times especially finding two men in an inconvenient position at a hotel! There is a lot of sexual tension and romance in this book as well as a search for family history so there is a lot to keep you entertained.


This has made me very intrigued to know what the previous two books were about so I will be downloading these shortly for sure.


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Saturday 27 September 2014

Shopaholic to the Stars by Sophie kinsella



Becky Brandon (nee Bloomwood) is in Hollywood!
It's as if all her life has been leading to this moment. She's hanging out with the stars … or at least she will be, when she finally gets to meet movie superstar Sage Seymour, whom husband Luke is now managing.

There's so much to see and do! And getting Minnie through the hurdles for her A-list Hollywood pre-school will require some…er…help. Becky sets her heart on a new career - she's going to be a celebrity stylist. Red carpet, here she comes! 

But Becky soon finds it's tough in Tinseltown. Luckily her best friend Suze comes over to keep her company, and together they embark on the Hollywood insider trail. But somehow...things aren't quite working out as they’d hoped.
Then Becky's big chance comes, and it's an opportunity that money can't buy.
 But will it cost her too much?

What a long wait we have had for our Sophie Kinsella fix! I always enjoy the shopaholic series but each time I finish one I usually think surely there is no more the author can do with Becky and then bang out comes another book to entertain us.

This time Becky, Luke and Minnie have temporarily moved to LA for Luke's work and Becky is determined to well and truly live the LA life, Minnie is in a top swish play school and Becky is off to make her big dream come true ( ok current big dream!) she wants to be a celebrity stylist and she is willing to do anything to brush arms with these celebs!

I finished this book last night and I had to calm down over night before I wrote my review! SOPHIE KINSELLA what are you doing to us you can't just end it there! I was so into Becky's world then all of a sudden it just ended on an almighty cliff hanger I had to check that there were no pages missing from my copy! On a good note we know that there will be another shopaholic book so I might MIGHT let the author off!

Ok now I have got that off my chest and have stopped rocking in the corner I can now tell you how much I loved this book because it is one of my favourites in the series. Becky is still in Lala land but this is why we love her so much because she is still such a scatty loon, she is so unpredictable you never know what on earth she will try to pull off next but when she does it really isn't a shock because that is just Becky.

The humour is back in this book and on a couple of times I found myself laughing out loud the hamster part particularly got me because she just continues to dig herself into a hole. The lovely Luke is back and unbelievably still with Becky, this guy surely needs a medal to still be able to put up with her antics and still be so forgiving. I still can't take to Minnie she is the best form of conception for me!

This book was well worth the wait, I was hooked all the way through and was highly amused. I do wonder what on earth will happen in the next book, I just can't believe we have got to wait! I could sulk and give this 4 star just for because the ending made me feel like someone took my sweets away ....... But I can't because it really is worthy of a 5 star!




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Friday 26 September 2014

The Sunrise by Victoria Hislop


In the summer of 1972, Famagusta in Cyprus is the most desirable resort in the Mediterranean, a city bathed in the glow of good fortune. An ambitious couple are about to open the island's most spectacular hotel, where Greek and Turkish Cypriots work in harmony. Two neighbouring families, the Georgious and the Özkans, are among many who moved to Famagusta to escape the years of unrest and ethnic violence elsewhere on the island. But beneath the city's façade of glamour and success, tension is building. When a Greek coup plunges the island into chaos, Cyprus faces a disastrous conflict. Turkey invades to protect the Turkish Cypriot minority, and Famagusta is shelled. Forty thousand people seize their most precious possessions and flee from the advancing soldiers. In the deserted city, just two families remain. This is their story.



I read The Island when it was first released and I found it such a compelling read so I couldn’t wait to start The Sunrise which is set back in the 1970’s in the picturesque Famagusta in Cyprus. As Turkish and Greek Cypriots are enjoying life and seeing businesses going from strength to strength and an increase in tourism life is good until Turkey invades Famagusta leaving the Cypriots with no option but to flee, leaving their homes and possessions behind. The city is now like a ghost town but there are still two families in hiding.

This book was of great interest to me as I remember as a young girl on my family holiday to Cyprus standing at the border Famagusta where there were armed guards, I remember peering over into this ghost town and seeing this deserted town with bullet holes in the side of buildings and that image has stayed with me but I never quite understood the history behind it so this book really piqued my interest.

This was such an eventful and tense read that had me so immersed in the storyline that I couldn’t help keeping turning those pages to find out what was going to happen next.

The book was split in two, the first half which is before the invasion was more light hearted reading with romance, friendship and new beginnings and felt like an enjoyable holiday read then the second half saw a deeper darker side once the invasion occurs and this was where things got heart breaking and tense.

No matter what I write in my review I still won’t be able to express how captivated I was by this storyline, it was such a thought provoking read and it has made me really want to return to Cyprus to see the sights again with more knowledge.

Victoria Hislop has clearly under took extensive research for this book and I felt like a sponge soaking up all the historical content in this book as well as enjoying the storyline. The descriptive writing is remarkable I could visualise the settings and also feel the emotion of all of the characters.


This is an unbelievably compelling read that I am sure is going to give me book hangover now. This storyline will stay with me for a long time and as for my copy of The Sunrise it is staying firmly on my shelf this one is not for sharing!


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Thursday 25 September 2014

One Step Closer to You by Alice Peterson


After Polly ends her relationship with the father of her young son, Louis, she is determined to move on. All she wants is to focus on her job, her friends and to be a good mum. No more looking over her shoulder. No more complications . . . Then Polly meets Ben. Ben is guardian of his niece, Emily. They become close, with Polly teaching Ben how to plait Emily's hair, and Ben playing football with Louis. Their friendship is unexpected. Polly’s never been happier. But when Louis's dad reappears in their life, all Polly’s mistakes come back to haunt her and her resolve weakens when he swears he has changed. Will she give herself a second chance to love?


I am a massive Alice Peterson fan, to me her books can not be compared to another author that I have read. Although I was really looking forward to reading her new release One Step Closer To You I have to admit that I was a little hesitant only because her last book By My Side was just exceptional and really touched me and is a book that I still find myself recommending on a weekly basis so I was worried that I would be disappointed with this book because I just couldn't see it being anywhere near as good as my favourite book by Alice.

Polly wants to make a new start with her life for her and for her son Louis, she has left Louis's dad and is straightening herself out and things are falling into place. Ben soon comes into Polly's life and he needs help and Polly is there for him and a firm friendship forms between the couple. As happy as she is Polly constantly has the worry that her ex may suddenly appear which could make her new happy world crumble.

Alice Peterson has done it again with another flawless novel that I couldn't put down. The author has a style of writing that is effortless and from the first chapter you can't help but become immersed in this engaging storyline. 

The characters in this book were all so genuine and our main character Polly was such an inspiring woman who doesn't let her weakness control her she finds strength to pull herself together and has pure determination in getting her life where she wants it to be. She is a loving and caring character and I absolutely loved her. My favourite character by far though is Hugo he is such a protective and caring character who has such a wicked sense of humor he had me chuckling away. The author managed again to write about a character with a disability and yet not make the character one that you pity she has a way of showing the difficulties they face in day to day life but yet also show that just because they have a disability they are know different to us.

I loved that this book was unpredictable there was one twist in particular that I was blinded by and yet looking back the clues were there but written in such a clever way that I wasn't suspicious.

This book is a very inspiring read that is heart wrenching at times and yet uplifting and sometimes humorous too. This is a beautiful read and I absolutely loved it so I had no need to worry, By My Side is still my favourite but in all honesty I think that book just had a massive impact on me. This is still an fabulous read that I can't praise enough, Alice Peterson strikes again.


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Wednesday 24 September 2014

Alice Peterson Interview

Today we are joined by the lovely award winning author ........ Alice Peterson.




Alice has kindly come to answer some questions that I have been longing to ask, so let's get to know this talented lady a little more.

1) One Step Closer to You is released tomorrow how will you be celebrating your publication day?
I am celebrating with my agent, Charlotte Robertson at United, along with my lovely publicist Margot Weale, and editors Jane Wood and Katie Gordon at Quercus. My friends are then taking me out in the evening for more fun. 

2) This book focuses on addiction what research did you take for this book?
I spoke to a number of recovering addicts, along with counsellors who specialised in addiction. It’s strange how things happen but when I write people suddenly turn up at the right time, as if I’m being helped along… I was at supper party and placed next to an old friend of my sister’s, Mark, who I hadn’t seen in about ten years. When he asked me what I was up to I mentioned by book and how it was a love story but I also wanted to make my two leading characters recovering addicts. He was quiet, before telling me he’d been to rehab. We then began to meet regularly. He was amazingly open and honest, funny and moving. I found his input invaluable. That’s what I mean; serendipity!

3) Hugo is my favourite character in this book. In your books there are usually characters with disabilities and you write about them with such insight, do you spend a lot of time with characters with these disabilities to be able to know all their daily struggles?
I love how Hugo is your favourite, he is the brother everyone wants, isn’t he! So gorgeous and huggable, loyal and intelligent, caring and funny – and oh yeah, he’s blind. He is in fact inspired by one of my greatest friend’s friends. I didn’t know him well, but was always curious to know how he skied down black runs, what school he’d gone to, how he’d get home from a night out or from the office in the pitch black, how he felt about being partially sighted and how it affected his friendships and relationships. I am drawn to characters with disability because of my own experiences living with rheumatoid arthritis. I also think it’s so important to represent people with disability in fiction since they are part of everyday life and they enrich everyday life – I mean, look at the Paralympics. Disability is all around us, just not many people write about it.

4) By My Side is my absolute favourite of your books, which has been your favourite to write?
I find that each book I write is my favourite. So, the book I’m writing now is! But when I was writing One Step Closer To You, I became so involved with the characters and the drama, that that was easily my favourite…

5) Another Alice tells your story of living with Rheumatoid Arthritis and we see that you actually dreamed of becoming a Tennis Player and was well on your way to fulfilling that dream. As a successful and well loved author do you still feel like you have missed out on your dream or has your love for writing changed your dreams?
When I was first diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis aged 18 I didn’t think anything could ever fill the void of my tennis days. I’m 40 now, and I still miss tennis, but not so much the competition - more the fun I’d had on court. I would die to play tennis with my niece and nephew, Emy and Billy. What I’d give never to be in pain again. But I don’t dream of Wimbledon. My goals have completely changed, and my sense of how fortunate I am has completely altered too. Having RA has deepened and strengthened relationships with friends and family. I have also been able to channel all the determination and ambition I had on the court to my writing. My writing, though it’s taken some time, (and I still have a long way to go!) has been my saviour. I love it and cannot now imagine a life without my laptop and stories. I have so enjoyed the success of being published and the feedback I get from readers and bloggers. I wouldn’t trade the life I have now for my old life.
6) How does your Rheumatoid Arthritis affect you in your writing and day to day life now and more importantly is your Magic Drug still doing its magic!
I bought Darcy, my Lucas Terrier, largely due to my RA. I knew it would be great exercise and that dog walking would take me away from sitting hunched at my computer all day that is not good for anyone, let alone someone like me! What a great decision to get Darcy, since he inspired Monday to Friday Man! I do have splints for my wrists, which I wear if they’re hurting; otherwise they remain in the bottom of my drawer. I do get tired, but, on the whole, with my magic drug, I am well, although occasionally I have very nasty episodes of pain.

7) Have you started writing your next book or do you have any ideas floating around that you can tease us with?
Oh Rea, I can’t tell you what it’s about although very tempting! All I can say is part of it is set in a beautiful house by the sea in Cornwall and it has all the Alice P themes: disability, plenty of romance, hardship, love, sacrifice, loyalty, joy, the feel good factor  – it will make you laugh and cry.

8) If you were approached for one of your books to be made into a film which one would you pick and who could you see playing your leading lady?

One Step Closer To You – Emily Blunt would make the perfect Polly. I think I’d choose this one because of the twist, which I think would make great drama on the big screen… plus it is so romantic.  

9) You have recently won an award for Best Romantic Read at the Festival of Romance, were you surprised and did you have a speech ready?
All the shortlisters were advised to have a speech ready along with a 3 minute reading. I was surprised, due to the competition being strong. I could hardly feel my legs when I went on to the stage to collect my trophy! It was an amazing moment, it felt like the Oscars, the way the envelope was opened, and then there was another pause, and then another announcement, ‘and the winner of the best romantic read is…’ PAUSE… ‘Alice Peterson’. Fireworks went off in my head. It is so lovely to have that kind of recognition. 

Thank you so much for coming over to chat with us Alice. One Step Closer To You is out tomorrow don't forget to grab your copy.



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You can follow Alice on twitter @AlicePeterson1
On Facebook Alice Peterson
Or check out her website http://www.alicepeterson.co.uk/

Tuesday 23 September 2014

Another Alice by Alice Peterson

We all have our favourite authors and we read all of their books and now with social media we get to interact with them too so some of us feel like we actually know these talented people. Alice Peterson is one of my top 5 authors and I have devoured each of her books and they each have been a joy to read. During some twitter conversations I knew that Alice had originally had dreams set on becoming a successful Tennis player but due to an illness this wasn't possible and now reading her book Another Alice I got to know the whole story.

Alice suffers with chronic Rheumatoid Arthritis which was what lead her to her dreams becoming shattered. She was such a talented player and her future was looking like it was beginning to look bright but then just as she was about to leave for America she was struck by pain that seemed to travel around her body and after tests were done her diagnosis was confirmed.

This is such a heartbreaking read, more so because this is our much loved author not a fictional character who we read about on a daily basis. Alice manages to make her emotions flow through the pages those of pain, devastation, and feeling at such a low point that the only option at time is one of giving up. It was so hard to read the thoughts of such a young lady and a lot of it I could relate to so I did find moments of reading this book that I was blubbering away.

Through her book Alice manages to give the reader an insight to the illness and how it is trying to live with it so this book definitely helps to raise awareness of this debilitating autoimmune disease.  For selfish reasons we all love that this inspirational woman keeps providing us with pure talent and enjoyment but the reasons as to why she is now in this career and not a world name on those courts is just so unfair. 

I read this book in 2 hours and I couldn't put it down I loved this author before reading this book and I love her more so now, not out of pity for what she went through and what she still faces in day to day life, but because she is such a strong inspirational woman who I admire greatly. It was a pleasure to find out more about this authors journey and as ever she writes beautifully.



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Monday 22 September 2014

Alice Peterson Week

KThis week I have a new feature on the blog which is Alice Peterson week. Alice is one of my favourite authors. I have loved every single one of her books and she has such unique storylines and a writing style that I can't compare to another author. I chose to do a special feature week with Alice because not only do I love her books but I also found her life story inspiring and Alice is always active on social media and really interacts with reviewers and readers so I thought it would be a great idea to hear a little more about Alice so we can get to kow the person behind the books we love so much.

So this week we have a review of Another Alice which is an amazing insightful read, an interview with the lovely lady herself and a review for her new book One Step Closer To You which is released on Thursday............... and of course it wouldn't be a special week if we didn't have prizes!

Our main Prize is a set of Alice Peterson books. We also have 5 copies of One Step Closer To You to giveaway. Unfortunately due to the weight of the main prize I am unable to offer this as a worldwide giveaway this time :-( Also because the lovely Margot over at Quercus has kindly offered the 5 copies of One Step Closer To You these are also only available to UK only. I will make it up to you all on my next giveaway I will make sure that one is international again!





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GOOD LUCK!

Sunday 21 September 2014

Trouble in Tinsel Town by Aimee Duffy

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I am not big on short stories but so many of my blogger friends seem to be reading and raving about this series at the moment so I decided to give it a try.

Trouble in Tinsel Town is the first in the Summer Flings series which follows three friends as they go on a round the world trip and first stop for them is LA.

Obviously because it is a short story there isn't much I can tell you about this novella without giving the whole storyline away but it was a modern fun read that I did enjoy.

The author does have a great writing style so I would like to read a full length novel by her. I didn't connect with any of the characters but at such a short read this is understandable and when reading the rest of the series the characters may develop more. 

Overall this was a good light read ideal for a commute as it is quick and not challenging but entertaining I will be giving the next in a series a go.


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Friday 19 September 2014

Beautiful Ever After by Katie Piper

Although I read so many books I very rarely read biographies but I couldn't resist reading Katie Piper's new book Beautiful Ever After not because of her callous attack but because of her story of bravery.

After reading this book I am full of admiration for this wonderful courageous woman she has really opened her heart and told us each raw emotion and it is impossible as the reader not to connect with her and feel for her but I have to say I didn't pity her I found her utterly inspiring, rather than sit away and give up on life Katie Piper has well and truly picked herself up and started to build an amazing fulfilling life but it is quite clear that a lot of this was thanks to her amazing support network from her family, close friends and her ray oh hope in her own new little family with James and Belle.

I was so shocked at some of the dating parts in this book, I can not believe how sick and cowardice some people can be and although it upset Katie I was seething and would have loved to have got my hands on them. Katie talks a lot about her charity and it shows how passionate she is about her work, it was an insight into what the chairty involves.

I loved how we got to see Katie find her confidence more in this book and progress with a natural life that she so longed for. I still found it hard that this amazing woman still is unable to see how beautiful she is not just inside but outside too and this is one of the reasons why those disgusting men should never be allowed out why should they have the chance of a nice new life when they will always hold a part of Katie's.

This book was written with pure heartfelt honesty and must have been very difficult to write but I am so glad that Katie did because this is a story of recovery, determination and hope and this little gem has found a light at the end of her tunnel with the best gift she can be given with Belle.

This is not a book you want to miss it is wonderfully written and a captivating read so I highly recommend this book.


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Friday 12 September 2014

The Honeymoon Hotel by Hester Browne


The Bonneville Hotel is the best-kept secret in Mayfair: its art deco suites and glittering ballrooms a former home-away-from-home for royalty and movie stars alike. Recent years haven’t been kind, but thanks to events manager Rosie, the Bonneville is reclaiming some of its old cachet as a chic retro-glam wedding venue. While Rosie’s weddings are the ultimate in romance, Rosie herself isn’t; she’s focused on the details, not the dramas. But when the hotel owner appoints his eccentric son Joe to the Bonneville staff, Rosie finds herself up against an unprecedented challenge: a rival whose predilection for the unconventional could derail not only Rosie’s own career, but the most elaborate, high-profile wedding the Bonneville has ever seen.



I recently discovered author Hester Browne when I read The Vintage Girl which I loved I was pleased to find a new great author and I couldn't wait to read her new release The Honeymoon Hotel after not long being back from our Honeymoon ourselves!

Ambitious Rosie is the events manager at The Bonneville Hotel in Mayfair, she is so passionate about her weddings that she arranges but she is determined to be appointed manager of the hotel which she rightfully deserves but there is something or rather someone in her way, the hotel owners son!

This book was a complete joy to read. It was a great mix of romance, humour and drama and bridezilla's!! I was a little surprised by the storyline as I thought it would be more about brides and grooms on their honeymoons rather than the actual weddings but I loved the storyline none the less.

I loved Rosie's character she is very determined, ambitious, and is a perfectionist that also has been unlucky in love and I couldn't help but hope that she got where she wanted to be. The Bonneville Hotel sounded like a fun place to work with a great bunch of workers and the hotel itself sounded very grand and inviting. Yes the storyline was predictable but this didn't matter as it was fun to watch the events unfold.

This was a charming, delightful read that I thoroughly enjoyed.


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Thursday 11 September 2014

Love Me or Leave Me by Claudia Carroll

Chloe Townsend was dumped at the altar.
But now she's landed an incredible new job. She’s running a pioneering boutique ‘divorce hotel’. It will make every aspect of breaking-up pain-free – all in a single weekend. No one is better qualified than Chloe to deal with relationships at crisis point, but, with three unhappy couples needing her help, she's forced to tackle her own secret heartbreak. 

Can she hold it together and prove that she's over it and up to the job?

The opening weekend approaches, and it soon becomes clear that some endings can be VERY exciting new beginnings…


When I read the synopsis for this book I was instantly intrigued as this sounded like a fresh original idea for a storyline and I assumed this book would be full of flawed characters, thunderous rows and heartache, I mean a divorce hotel that is just asking for trouble!

Chloe was jilted at the alter and in her bid to start a fresh she gets a job that couldn't suit her more, she will be running a new hotel but this isn't your standard hotel, this is a divorce hotel! As the hotel is about to open for its first weekend of guests Chloe hopes that she has got what it takes to pull this job off.

This was such a fantastic idea for a plot. There was total mayhem at this hotel that it actual felt comical as you keep thinking what drama is going to occur next.

Each of our main divorce couples have completely different characteristics as well as their reasons for wanting a divorce so I enjoyed getting to know each of the characters as well as their relationships.

Although the whole book was quite predictable it really didn't put a downer on this storyline as there was so much going on in this book so every chapter had me entertained. Although the characters were dealing with very emotional problems it didn't make the book fell deep it kept a lighthearted humorous feel to it.

Our main character Chloe was a little sweetie she was very sympathetic to the guests and was very loving, supportive and extrememly hard working you couldn't help but hope that she would get her happy ending.

Claudia Caroll is a fabulous author and she has won me over with this storyline, I loved this book and finished it in one sitting so I had a numb bum so I won't forget this book in a hurry!



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Wednesday 10 September 2014

All Fall Down by Jennifer Weiner


Allison Weiss is a typical working mother, trying to balance a business, ageing parents, a demanding daughter and a marriage. But when the website she develops becomes a huge success, she finds herself challenged to the point of being completely overwhelmed. As she struggles to hold her life together and meet the needs of all the people around her, Allison finds that the painkillers she was prescribed for a back injury help her deal with more than just physical discomfort - they make her feel calm and get her through the increasingly hectic days. Sure, she worries that the bottles seem to empty a bit faster each week, but it's not like she's some Hollywood starlet partying all night. It's not as if she has an actual problem. Until she ends up in a world she never thought she'd experience outside of a movie theatre: rehab. And as Allison struggles to get her life back on track, she learns a few life lessons along the way.



All Fall Down is not my typical kind of read but having finished it I found it to be a real eye opener. The storyline follows Allison who is married, has a job she enjoys and a gifted little daughter Ellie. Sounds like a normal successful woman who has everything under control but she has one big secret that she has managed to keep from everyone around her, she is consuming more and more painkillers just to get her through the day. As the prescription drugs begin to run out where will she turn next or will she confide in her loved ones?

This was a very intriguing read and I for one don’t like stereotypes but I am guilty of one that is for sure, when you hear of an addict you get a stereotypical image in your head and so it was a slap in the face for me to see a successful ordinary woman next door become an addict. This book really gave the reader an insight into an addict’s day to day life and thought process and I found this very intriguing.

I have to admit that I began to read this book but just didn’t find it gripping me so I put it to one side but after reading a couple of other books I came back to it and I am so glad that I did because after the slow start to the book I did find the storyline gradually began to get me hooked as the pace of the book picked up.

I just really wish we got to know Allison’s husband more so we can also see how it effects the family and his thoughts on the matter but we are only given small parts from Allison’s POV about him, I just think this would have been a great bonus to this book.


This isn’t an enjoyable light read it is a deep, meaningful informative read that will make you question your own judgments when it comes to this topic. It scarily is a really realistic read as we are hearing more and more people who are dying from prescriptive drugs who are not considered addicts so this was a great idea to a storyline that will help to raise awareness as well as bringing us a great read. This book is wonderfully written and is a very touching, sad read and having been my first read by this author I look forward to reading more.


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Wednesday 3 September 2014

Written in the Stars by Ali Harris



Have you ever wondered 'What if…?' What if you'd taken that other job, gone on a date with that sweet guy, moved to a different city? Would an alternative life path have led to a happier ending? Now imagine if you could have taken both paths… When Bea Bishop slips while walking down the aisle on her wedding day, she is momentarily knocked unconscious. And in a flash, her world splits and two separate parallel lives take her on two very different journeys. In one, Bea flees back down the aisle and out of the church. In the other, she glides blissfully towards Adam, her intended. Each path will take her on a very different journey. And each will see her life change for better and for worse. But which story will lead to her happy-ever-after?


The First Last Kiss was such a beautiful read and I have been long awaiting a new release by Ali Harris and after reading the synopsis for Written in the Stars I knew this would be another wonderful read.

Bea Bishop takes a tumble on her wedding day as she walks down the aisle and a blow to the head knocks her unconscious, she sees her life split into two both taking completely different paths one where she gets married to Adam and one where she runs from the church unable to marry Adam. We see Bea in both of her paths but what decision was the right one?

This must have been such a hard book to write and the author isn't shy at taking a risk. It took me a few chapters to get used to the flow of this book as it is set in a Sliding Doors style read with each chapter alternating between the different path of Bea's life and once I got used to the flow of this book it actually turned out to be a very clever and skilled structure to this book and definitely gave this book an edge over a lot of chart books.

The storyline was unpredictable all the way through which made this a compelling read, I just couldn't put it down. The subject matter of the book is one I am sure we can all relate to as at some point in our lives when we are faced in making a huge decision and part of us wonder what would happen if we chose a different path, would the outcome be the same but just on a different journey? This was a real thought provoking read for me and so it is not a book that I will forget anytime soon.

Bea was a brilliant character who is flawed but seems to go on a journey of self discovery and it is great for us to get to know her at the same time as she is getting to know herself.

Ali Harris has such a unique style to her writing as well as the story lines she creates, she is unlike any author I have read before and she become a firm favourite of mine as her books are very unpredictable, emotional and yet uplifting and just pure perfection. I definitely recommend this book but I would say remember to have patience at the beginning of this book as a few people I have spoken to have given up at chapter 3-4 but I assure you that you will get into the flow of the book and you will not be disappointed.




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Monday 1 September 2014

A Gift To Remember by Melissa Hill


Darcy Archer works in a small bookstore in Manhattan. A daydream believer, she refuses to settle for anything less than being swept off her feet by the perfect man… literally. One day, when cycling to work, Darcy accidentally crashes into a sharply dressed gentleman walking his dog. He is knocked out cold, rushed to hospital and the poor pup gets left behind. Wracked with guilt, Darcy takes the dog and makes plans to reunite him with owner, Aidan. As she discovers the mysterious stranger's world of books, travel, adventure and all the wonderful things she's ever dreamt about, Darcy builds a picture of this man and wonders if he could be THE ONE… But does fantasy match reality? What happens when Prince Charming wakes up? Will Aidan be the happy ever after she's always imagined?


When I read the synopsis of this book I was sure I was going to enjoy it as Darcy Archer also sounds like a book geek like me!

Darcy has my dream job and works in a bookshop in Manhattan. By day she is fingering the pages of her favourite world and by night she is dreaming of the handsome, perfect characters hoping hers will come along one day, never would she imagine that she would have her own fairytale and actually knock Mr Perfect out on her bike!

This was a really enjoyable read. I loved our main character Darcy Archer she was a very quirky soft natured woman who was easy to relate to. There was a light witty feel to this book too which I loved. As Darcy started her journey to try and help Aiden, who she knocked out with her bike try to get his memory back I was totally absorbed by her findings that I never see the twist coming and I do love a hidden twist in a book.

As much as I loved this book I did find around the halfway point my attention started to drift as the pace of the book seemed to slow and it seemed like nothing was really happening other than poor Darcy just darting around on her bike!  Luckily the storyline did pick back up and was well and truly recovered by the twist.


This is a beautifully written romance with a little twist of mystery and as usual the author has brought us characters who you can’t help but adore I just want to pull Darcy out the pages to be my friend! This is a nice light easy read that will have you flying through the pages to discover the mystery surrounding the lovely Aiden. I definitely recommend this as a perfect little holiday read.


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