Tuesday 27 October 2015

Every Time a Bell Rings by Carmel Harrington

An angel gets its wings…

Belle has taken all the Christmas decorations down. This year they won’t be celebrating. As foster parents, Belle and Jim have given many children the chance of a happier start in life. They’ve loved them as if they were their own. They shouldn’t have favourites but little Lauren has touched their hearts. And now her mother is well enough to take her back and Belle can’t bear the loss. Hence, Christmas is cancelled. So when Jim crashes his car one icy December night, after an argument about Lauren, Belle can only blame herself. Everything she loves is lost. And Belle finds herself standing on The Ha’Penny Bridge wishing she had never been born. But what happens to a Christmas wish when an angel is listening…

Will Belle realise, before it’s too late, that her life is the most wonderful life of all?


I have just finished reading Every Time a Bell Rings by Carmel Harrington and I can put my hand on my heart and say that this author has put her heart and soul into this beautiful storyline. She has created such warm, loving and caring characters that you can’t help but admire and hope for a happy ever after for them.

The storyline is told over three parts covering the back ground of our main character Belle in her early years progressing through to the current day and along the journey we meet a wonderful group of characters who have a strong influence on her life from the trusting Tess who is bursting with love and of course not forgetting Jim who has his own troubles but has a strong bond with Belle from their first meeting and to see their relationship blossom was wonderful to watch. There were a number of foster children who we also meet along the way all who touched my heart and brought something special to the storyline as well as to Belle’s life.

This time of year I love all the Christmas books coming out and as I pick each one up I am secretly hoping for that warm, sparkly and uplifting feel to flow through the pages but with this book it is so much more, Christmas is a time for friends and family and this book reminds us of the importance of family and that there are so many unfortunate people who do not have the happy Christmas we all know and love. Don’t get me wrong this isn’t a doom and gloom book that will depress you before the run up to Christmas as there is a beautiful touch of festivity in the book and there are new beginnings and at times giving children love and hope.

Carmel Harrington has such a delicate and stunning writing style that gets right to the heart of some very tender issues that I am aware of but she takes things deeper and usually ends up breaking my heart! Broken homes and Foster care is the main focus in this book and seeing how the events that happened in Belle’s past she carried with her all through her life and were actually holding her back in life and to see that she blamed herself just made my heart go out to her character.


This book sure is a captivating read that will bring a lump to your throat and will have you being more thankful for the life you live and sparing a thought for others. Well done Carmel on another thought provoking read that pulled at my heart strings.



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Sunday 25 October 2015

One Wish in Manhattan by Mandy Baggot


The temperature is dropping, snow is on its way and Hayley Walker is heading for New York with one wish … to start over. With her daughter Angel, Hayley is ready for adventure. But there’s more to New York than twinkly lights and breathtaking skyscrapers. Angel has her own Christmas wish – to find her real dad. While Hayley tries to fulfil her daughter’s wish, she crosses paths with billionaire Oliver Drummond. Restless and bored with fast living, there’s something intriguing about him that has Hayley hooked. Can Hayley dare to think her own dreams might come true – could A New York Christmas turn into a New York Forever? Travel to the Big Apple this Christmas and join Hayley and Oliver as they realise life isn’t just about filling the minutes … it’s about making every moment count.


I have read every one of Mandy Baggot’s books and her writing has blossomed over the years with this year’s Summer release Truly, Madly, Greekly being the best of them all but when I first laid eyes on the stunning festive cover Bookouture has produced for her new novel it looked like a promising read that could possibly knock it off of my top spot with the help of it being not only a Christmas book but set in Manhattan too.

We are introduced to some wonderful characters in this book, our little walking talking encyclopaedia,  Angel who was adorable and comical all at the same time and was a true credit to single mum Hayley who was a very grounded and warm character whose love for Angel shone through the pages and she was determined to make Angels wish come true and find her father whilst they were spending Christmas with her brother Dean in Manhattan.

American Billionaire Oliver was the perfect love interest, clearly hiding behind barriers he had built up so high and yet charming women and granting their wishes but not letting them close. He should be a character you sneer at and yet I loved him from the moment we were introduced as it was quite easy to see that this flawed character had a warm heart hidden away.

The setting was described perfectly and created an idyllic winter and festive feel I would have loved to be there ice skating and falling on my bum with them! The storyline will bring so many emotions, laughing one minute and the characters antics, feeling hopeful that their wishes will come true and it will also bring a lump to your throat as true feelings and secrets are revealed.


This was a sparkly festive read that swept me away with the storyline, it didn’t quite knock Truly, Madly Greekly off of the top spot for me but it did come close.



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Saturday 24 October 2015

The Christmas Cafe by Amanda Prowse


Bea does not believe in second chances. 
A widow at fifty-three, Bea knows she must accept that she will be alone forever. She buries her grief in hard work, and soon the deli she runs in Surry Hills has a reputation for the best carrot cake in Sydney.
But then an email from a cafe-owner in Edinburgh leads her to take a trip to Scotland in the depths of winter. There, transported by the twinkling lights and falling snow of a traditional Christmas, Bea is drawn back to a secret past - and a secret love - that she has long ago tried to forget...



The Christmas Café by Amanda Prowse is my second Christmas book of 2015, the cover still has the authors signature style but with a little touch of festivity added. I have been making my way through each of the books by this author and with each one I find my love for this authors work growing.
After the death of her husband Bea is putting one foot in the other and trying to settle into life alone running their café. Loneliness is the hardest part of losing someone and so when her granddaughter comes to stay with her after she got into a spot of bother it feels nice to have someone else around. Bea receives a letter from the owner of The Christmas Café in Edinburgh inviting her to join a forum of Café owners and with her granddaughter help she strikes up a conversation with Alex the owner but little did she know that having a new e-penfriend was going to change her life.

This was such an endearing read which is what I have come to expect from Amanda Prowse books, the author has such a great talent in writing storylines that will melt the heart and then begin to try and rebuild it again with her wonderfully delicate writing style.

The main character Bea was instantly loveable so she was easy to connect with, her honesty about her love for her husband made me respect her too and I was really hoping that she was going to find a way of making her life wholesome again. Her granddaughter Flora was a breath of fresh air to Bea and to hear her problems which seem so small to an adult and yet to a teen feels like the world was on her shoulders brought back memories for me at her age.

I was caught unaware by the twist in this book, I could see that something was going to happen ahead in the book but I didn’t expect it to unfold in the way that it did which was a shock and a pleasant surprise.

I am pleased that the cover of the book hasn’t gone overly Christmassy as to me this book could easily be read and enjoyed any time of year as it wasn’t overly festive.


This book will pull at the heartstrings as it takes on a host of topics from grieving to seeking the past and uncovering a secret held for a long time. This was another beautiful read by Amanda Prowse.



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Friday 23 October 2015

The Chocolate Lover's Christmas by Carole Matthews


Christmas is just around the corner but the women of The Chocolate Lovers' Club have more to worry about than present shopping . . . Lucy loves running Chocolate Heaven but she hasn't spent time with her boyfriend, Aiden, in weeks. And then her ex-fiance turns up and things become even more complicated. 
Nadia hasn't let herself get close to a man in a long time, yet she can't help feeling drawn to Jacob. Will he be her last chance for a happy ending? 
Chantal and her husband, Ted, are besotted with their baby daughter Lana - but she's not sure that's enough to base a marriage on. 
Autumn is dealing with a tragedy that has hit too close to home. But when she doesn't get the support she needs from her fiance, will she look elsewhere for comfort?



My favourite books by Carole Matthews by far are her Chocolate Lover's Diet books and I have been longing for her to revisit the women in another book so you can imagine how thrilled I was when it was announced that she was releasing a third book in the series called The Chocolate Lover's Christmas, what more could you ask for Christmas+ Chocolate+ Carole= Heaven!

The ladies are back and as ever are facing various dilemma’s but they have each other and a large helping of chocolate goodies for support.

Lucy is running Chocolate Heaven but she is struggling to find a healthy work/life balance and she is really missing her boyfriend Crush. Lucy has always been my favourite character out of the girls as she is such a live wire who has some crazy ideas and her love of chocolate is something I easily relate to as I am sure most readers will! Autumn is in an emotional state after her brother dies and her relationship doesn’t seem to be going anywhere, we are then hit with a totally unexpected twist that really made my heart go out to her.

Chantal is a changed woman since having baby Lana and although I loved her character before I did find I cared for her more in this book. Nadia is trying to make ends meet and she hopes to find love again and have a safe and secure life for her and her son.

This could be read as a standalone book but there is no way you would want to miss out on the first two books especially because they help to build a strong picture of the girls friendships whilst entertaining you with their unbelievable antics!

Chocolate Heaven once again felt so comforting and inviting, there is a constant buzz in the shop and it is easy to see why. I really think Carole owes it to her readers to open her own Chocolate Heaven! Each chapter alternates between each of the women which works perfectly and allows us to get a better picture of the emotions and thoughts of each of them.

The book flows at a fast pace and there is a constant flow of events which leaves no low points in the book so no safe place to put the book down for a breather!

This book had a splash of festivity which is perfect for this time of year but in all honesty this book can easily be read anytime of year as the majority of the book doesn’t feature Christmas.


Without question this book gets the full five star rating from me as it was pure enjoyment on every page and I cannot wait to read  The Chocolate Lovers Wedding.


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Thursday 22 October 2015

See Me by Nicholas Sparks



Today I am delighted to be able to share my review for See Me which is the latest novel by Nicholas Sparks as part of the blog tour. This is by far my favourite book by Nicholas Sparks and is easily up there with my favourites of this year.


At twenty-eight, he's focused on getting his teaching degree and avoiding all the places and people that proved so destructive in his past. The last thing he's looking for is a serious relationship. But when he crosses paths with Maria Sanchez one rainswept night, his carefully structured life is turned upside down. And when Maria, a hardworking lawyer, meets Colin she begins to question every notion she has ever had about herself and her future - and what truly makes her happy. Before the couple has a chance to envision a life together, menacing reminders from events in Maria's past begin to surface. And as the threat of violence begins to shadow her every step, she and Colin will be pushed to breaking point.



Usually I will read 3-4 books a week but for the last two weeks I have been unable to settle into any books which is really not like me but last night I sat down to start See Me by Nicholas Sparks and I have finished it this morning and feel like my reading mojo is back so Nicholas Sparks if you ever see this review then thank you for rescuing me from my reading slump!

The storyline follows Colin Hancock and Maria Sanchez and the chapters alternate between both of the characters points of views which allows us so not only see what they really think of each other but also helps the reader to form a firm unbiased opinion of them both particularly Colin. We learn early on that Colin has had a colourful past but that he is trying to turn his life around which is why he is an older college student. Colin meets Maria late one evening when he drives by her at the side of the road struggling to change her tire in the pouring rain and as he approaches her to help it becomes clear that she is frightened of him. From that event the pair begin spending time with each other but before long something from Maria’s past comes back to wreak havoc.

I have now read a handful of books by Nicholas Sparks and as much as I loved them I can say with ease that this is my favourite, the storyline really appealed to me I have always enjoyed books with a male lead who is believable and has plenty of flaws rather than our typical squeaky clean prince charming and Colin has had a very reckless and troubled past and he is determined to make something of his life with the help of his wonderful friend Evan and fiancé Lily who is helping to keep him on the straight and narrow. Maria is polar opposite to Colin which proves opposites can attract! She is highly educated, has a successful career and is very shy.

I found the first half of this book when I was getting to know the characters whilst they were getting to know each other really easy reading with a little touch of flirtation going on but the second half of the book couldn’t have been more different it was tense and had me on the edge of my seat with anticipation with what was going to be revealed next. Having the soft build up at the beginning of the book gave the second grittier half more of an impact I was so gripped by the storyline and it the suspicions carried me right through to the last knockings when a light bulb moment went off to me and I had realised I had missed such an obvious clue earlier on in the book and so I could of kicked myself but praise where it was due the author planted some clever clues right under our noses and yet I still glanced over them.

The ending was shocking and adrenaline was running, I couldn’t wait to read the Epilogue just to find out how it was all going to play out. It is quite easy to see why so many of this author books are made into films because his storylines play out so vividly in your mind and I am really hoping this one is also made into a film too as I will be the one sitting there dribbling over Colin he can protect me any day!

This book shows that everyone deserves a second chance as sometimes people are driven and determined to turn their lives around. This book deserves nothing less than a gem rating as I was totally captivated by this book.







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The generous team at Little Brown have offered a copy of See Me to giveaway, this is a UK only giveaway this time. GOOD LUCK!


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New Release Alert!

 Thrilling crime debut from top TV broadcaster Jackie Kabler

The Dead Dog Day is the debut novel from successful broadcaster and former GMTV reporter Jackie Kabler and it’s out TODAY!

  



It follows the story of breakfast TV journalist Cora Baxter, and a race against time to stop a killer from striking again.

“Jackie has real insider knowledge and it shows. A proper page-turning thriller. I couldn't put it down.” Lorraine Kelly

When your Monday morning begins with a dead dog at 4 a.m. and a dead boss by ten, you know it’s going to be one of those days. And breakfast TV reporter Cora Baxter has already had the weekend from hell, after the man she was planning a fabulous future with unceremoniously dumped her.

Now Cora’s much-hated boss has been murdered, and Cora is assigned to cover the story for the breakfast show – but as the murder enquiry continues, the trail of suspects leads frighteningly close to home. Why is Cora’s arch-rival, glamorous, bitchy newsreader Alice Lomas, so devastated by their boss’s death? What dark secret is one of her camera crew hiding? And why has her now-ex-boyfriend vanished? The race to stop the killer striking again is on...

Jackie’s novel is the first book in a new series, and she draws on her experiences of the glamourous world of television, as well as her long-standing love for crime fiction.  A popular broadcaster turned author, Jackie is now a presenter on QVC, and as well as a decade on GMTV, has also worked for BBC News, ITV News and Setanta Sports News.


“A twenty-year career in news during which I covered hundreds of major crime stories has given me a wealth of material to draw on for my novels. Aside from the actual murders, everything else that happens in this book actually happened to me as a breakfast TV reporter - with minor details changed to protect identities, of course...", says Jackie Kabler.

You can buy the book via Amazon UK by clicking here.



Wednesday 21 October 2015

The Good Neighbour by Beth Miller


After living next to the neighbours from hell, Minette is overjoyed when Cath and her two children move in next door. Cath soon becomes her confidante, a kindred spirit, even her daughter’s babysitter. But Cath keeps herself unusually guarded and is reluctant to speak of her past. And when Minette witnesses something unspeakable, she begins to question whether she really knows her new friend at all…



The Good Neighbour is the first book I have read by Beth Miller so I wasn’t sure what to expect but after reading the synopsis it sounded like it was going to be a gripping tense read full of secrets so I couldn’t wait to start.

Single mum Cath has just moved into the house next to Minette. After living next door to neighbours from hell Minette was relieved to meet her new neighbour and her children and before she knew it a firm friendship was starting to blossom.

But when Minette see’s something that shocks her to the core and she confronts Cath, cracks soon form in their friendship. Cath obviously has sinister secrets kept close to her chest but will Minette be able to get to the bottom of them?

Beth Miller has such an easy flow to her writing and she creates a remarkable air of suspicion that keeps the reader on their guard the whole way through. The book is told from multiple characters points of view which helped to hold my attention as we begin to build a picture of the characters and the situation through the snippets we see from each characters eyes.

The one problem I had with this book was the situation with Minette and Liam, I found it very strange, it was so easily accepted and quickly developed and just didn't seem to flow with the rest of the storyline. As the storyline progressed it did reveal that there was a reason to have this in the book but it just didn’t work for me and this was what lost the half star for me. Parts of the storyline were predictable but these were perfectly balanced by the amount of suspense that was also created.


Overall this was a good read full of secrets, lie, deceit and also covers mental health and infidelity too. I will definitely pick up another book by Beth Miller as I really enjoyed her writing style.



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Tuesday 20 October 2015

Bad Sisters by Rebecca Chance

Three ambitious, rivalrous sisters. And a deadly secret, which one of them is determined to keep buried at any cost ...
Deeley is the fake wife of a Hollywood TV hunk, who is secretly gay. But Deeley's five-year contract is up, and his cut-throat publicist wants Deeley out. So, dejected and penniless, Deeley wends her way home to London, hoping to re-establish links with her two estranged elder sisters ...
Devon is married to the nation's-favourite-rugby-hunk Matt, and has her own highly successful TV career, as the sexy hostess of her own cookery show. But behind her buxom facade, Devon is lonely and frustrated, and when a live celebrity cook-off shows her up as a fraud, she leaves sweet Matt and runs off to Tuscany, to learn a few lessons - not just in cookery - from an Italian master.
Lastly, there's Maxie: a politician's wife, Maxie is fiercely ambitious. She's furious when Deeley, hard on her luck, sells the sisters' childhood story to a tabloid newspaper, revealing their impoverished roots and unsavoury parentage. The story undermines Maxie's carefully cultivated image, and the fallout threatens to be devastating. But Maxie is only too aware that there is much more Deeley could yet reveal. 
What murderous secret lies in the sisters' past? 
And just how far will Maxie go to keep it buried?


I am a huge Rebecca Chance fan and for me she is an author who I can’t compare to any other and I have read and loved every one of her books other than Bad Sisters and I don’t know how on earth I missed this one because I have heard the title and seen the cover but when reading the synopsis it didn’t ring any bells so on my travels back from a week away I brought myself a copy and started on it as soon as I got home, that was 5 hours ago and I have just finished!

The storyline follows three sisters, Deeley, Devon and Maxie.The book opens in 1993 when they were only young girls faced with an unspeakable situation that could put the girls in a tremendous amount of trouble if anyone became aware of it so the girls swore never to speak of the events of that day again. Fast forward eight years and the sisters have left the past in the past and carved out a successful life for each of them, Devon is a presenter on her cooking show and married to the gorgeous Matt the rugby player, Deeley is living it up in LA and dating the famous Nicky even if all is not what it seems and Maxie is married to Olly who is a politician but it is Maxie who has control of everything. But can the past really stay hidden or are hidden secrets always going to end up coming back to haunt them?

This was such an addictive read that was impossible to put down. The chapters alternate between each of the sisters which helped me to build an accurate picture of each of them. Each of the women were so different they were easy to differentiate and they all intrigued me. I warmed more to Deeley as she had a slight vulnerability to her and she doesn’t seemed to have grown up and found her way in life not knowing what she really wants to do. Devon brought out mixed emotions in me in one instance I felt sorry for her and could relate to a part of her so I felt like I connected to her but then in the next instance I felt myself disliking her as she seemed very self-centred. Then we have Maxie who seemed like a very ambitious and controlling character that had a cold and suspicious feel to her I just seemed wary of her character from the first chapter and this intensified as the book progressed.

As ever there are some real steamy sex scenes and yet again Rebecca has written these scenes with such ease and they weave into the storyline perfectly.  Rebecca Chance has such a skill when it comes to descriptive writing from the saucy scenes to the various locations no matter how briefly the characters were there such as when Deeley jetted off to Jersey I felt like I was on the gorgeous Island luxuriating in the calm and idyllic spa!

This was another 5* read for me Rebecca Chance never disappoints.



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Monday 19 October 2015

The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Lisa Dickenson


At thirty, Claudia's life is stale and the romance with long-term boyfriend, Seth, has disappeared. Determined to inject some festive spark back into their love life, Claudia and Seth go on their first date in a very long time. But when the night ends in disaster, Claudia suddenly finds herself facing life - and Christmas - alone. Life alone is exciting, scary and full of soon-forgotten exercise regimes and ill-advised attempts at crafting sexy underwear. It's also filling up with dates, surprisingly. With best friends Penny and Nick at her side, a surplus of festive markets, mulled wine and Christmas tunes, Claudia attempts to face all this change with gusto. One thing's for certain: this year, Christmas is going to be very different . . .






Ok there is a part of me that feels a little mad starting my festive reads in October but there are so many sparkly Christmas books coming out so I am starting early to try and get through as many as I can and when The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Lisa Dickenson arrived through the door this beautiful cover didn't take much to convince me to make a start.

Claudia is not living the life she thought she would be living, her job pays the bills but isn't what she wants to be doing and her relationship has a total of 0% romance and after a last awful date night she finds herself single. With Christmas in sight Claudia begins her own adventure of having 12 dates before Christmas but will she still be single for the big day?

What a wonderful start to the Christmas reads. This book was very light hearted, full of romance and humour. From the opening chapter I found myself snorting away much to the disgust of my husband! The humour carried on throughout the book and it flowed so seamlessly without feeling false this is clearly one of the authors strong points in her writing being able to bring humour that will get the reader laughing out loud and it being weaved through out the storyline with ease.

The storyline did have a festive feel which I loved but I still feel that you could read this book outside of the festive season as it isn't overly festive.

I love The trio in this book they were all lovable, fun characters who had a great friendship.
At times I wanted to bump their heads together but ultimately I just wanted a happy ending for them all. The book was a little predictable but this is one of those books that it is about enjoying the journey and watching the amusing events unfold. The chemistry between Claudia and Nick was burning through the pages from early on but being in a tripod friendship group meant that I was a little worried if things developed how it would effect their friendship with the lovely Penny.

I can easily say I enjoyed this book even if it did make my cheeks ache from the smiling and laughing! This book will be a great gift for fans of Lindsey Kelk and Jane Costello.




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Friday 9 October 2015

Tremarnock by Emma Burstall

I have just returned from a much needed break to the Isle of Wight where we stayed in 
such a stunning Lodge at the Woodside Coastal Retreat which is one of the Darwin Escapes
Resorts and it was everything we could have hoped for and more. 
This was the perfect spot for a spot of R&R ( yes relax and reading of course!)
I arrived and swifty unpacked the most important part of my luggage, my books of course!


We will definitely be returning to Woodside Retreat and I have been recommending it to all my family, friends and clients so if any of you are looking for a get away especially any authors wanting peace and quiet in a gorgeous setting to write that book or any bookworms looking to conquer that TBR pile then check this place out!



I managed to read 5 books whilst I was away and I am going to share my review for one of those books with you now Tremarnock by Emma Burstall.




Tremarnock is a classic Cornish seaside village. Houses painted in yellow, pink and white cluster around the harbour, where fishermen still unload their daily catch. It has a pub and a sought-after little restaurant, whitewashed, with bright blue shutters. It is here that Liz has found sanctuary for herself and her young daughter, Rosie - far away from Rosie's cheating father. From early in the morning with her job as a cleaner, till late at night waitressing in the restaurant, Liz works all the hours God sends to provide for them both. But trouble is waiting just around the corner. As with all villages, there are tensions, secrets - and ambitions. Emma Burstall's wonderfully engaging first novel about Tremarnock is the story of what happens when one shocking turn of events sweeps a small community, carrying Liz and Rosie with it.


I am always drawn to books which are set around Cornish sea so was excited to see what Tremarnock held in store for me and as I sat down to read this hefty 407 page hardback I never dreamed it would capture my attention so much so that I finished the book in one complete sitting and now having finished the book I am really going to find it hard to leave the characters behind and I hope we don’t have too long to wait for the next in this series of books.

When I opened the book I was introduced to the village in the way of a beautiful little map of the village showing me where everyone lives and the various shops which I thought was a wonderful little addition to the book as it really helped to visualise where everything was located and brought the village to life.

Our main characters in this book are Liz and her beautiful daughter Rosie who are both very strong and courageous and warm characters whose story will melt your heart. They have made a new life together in Tremarnock and whilst Liz juggles jobs to keep a roof over their heads the wonderful community have been so welcoming and have all rallied around to help where they can and have sure taken them under their wings.

I was a little unsure when reading the first few chapters of this book how I was going to get on with this book as we are quickly introduced to a vast amount of characters and I was soon lost and didn’t know who was who but I persevered and before long the pace of the book began to settle and the more central characters became easy to recognise, I think the author was trying to introduce us to everyone getting us familiar with the village folk ready for the rest of the series but I think it  would have been better to introduce them throughout the book as I have quite forgotten who a few of them are.

That was my one and only little blip with this book because everything else was pure perfection for me ticking all of the boxes. The author manages to bring the characters alive with such ease and before long it felt like I was in the root of the community so comfortable that I didn’t want to leave. 

The storyline will bring out a number of emotions as the storyline begins quite uplifting and felt like a light Summery read and as the book progressed I found myself soon reaching for the Kleenex as the heartstrings were well and truly pulled as the story becomes a more emotive and deep taking on heartbreaking situations and see's a friendship threatened and a mother and daughters love, courage and pure determination shine through the pages. I don’t want to give too much away about the events that happen in this book because I think the shock of what happened was what made such and impact for me.

I love books that have a warm cosy feel that have a great welcoming community spirit and this was exactly what I found with this book and I cannot wait to revisit Tremarnock again in the next book of the series as this is one of my favourite books of 2015 and was a perfect book for my break away.




Thursday 8 October 2015

A Parcel for Anna Browne by Miranda Dickinson


There has been a huge blog tour for A Parcel for Anna Browne with so many bloggers wanting to show their support for this sparkly novel and today it is my stop on the tour bus and I am so pleased to finally be able to share my review for this exciting, uplifting and heartwarming book by the incredibly talented Miranda Dickinson.






Anna Browne is an ordinary woman living an ordinary life. Her day job as a receptionist in bustling London isn't exactly her dream, yet she has everything she wants. But someone thinks Anna Browne deserves more . . . 
When a parcel addressed to Anna Browne arrives, she has no idea who has sent it. Inside she finds a beautiful gift - one that is designed to be seen. And so begins a series of incredible deliveries, each one bringing Anna further out of the shadows and encouraging her to become the woman she was destined to be. As Anna grows in confidence, others begin to notice her - and her life starts to change. 
But who is sending the mysterious gifts, and why?


One of the books I have been looking forward to all year is A Parcel for Anna Browne by Miranda Dickinson, the synopsis won me over straight away and the delicate and sparkly cover seemed to seal the deal for me although the hefty size of the book at 511 pages was a bit of a shocker.

Anna Browne isn’t a woman who stands out from the crowd. She has a good heart and everyone she meets can’t help but warm to her but she is a normal woman who seems to fade into the background, that is until an unexpected parcel arrives for her at work with an exquisite gift inside but Anna has no idea who on earth would have sent such a thoughtful gift for her anonymously. As each parcel arrives everyone including Anna herself starts to notice a change in her as she starts to blossom but who is the mystery sender?

This is by far my favourite book by Miranda Dickinson, I was surprised how quick I read the book given the amount of pages and yet the storyline didn’t feel drawn out at all. The idea of the mystery gifts was something that really appealed to me, the thought of someone taking the time to pick such thoughtful gifts to give to someone and the consequences of the gift how it can really brighten someone’s day. I found this made the book such an uplifting and exciting read as with each parcel that arrives I was eager to find out what it would contain, and let me tell you sometimes I could have shook Anna she has such will power I would have been unwrapping that present the moment I had it in my hands!

There are such fantastic characters in this book and I was over the moon to see that the character Rea the gossiping journalist was inspired by me it is a surreal thing to read a book with a character with my unusual name! 

Anna was impossible not to love from the moment we meet her as she is such a genuine and lovable woman and the secret parcels couldn’t have gone to a more deserving character. There is some great office banter too especially from the theories that dear Ted came out with!

I had an idea at the start of the book who the mystery sender could be but half way through the book my suspicion completely changed and I guessed who it was but I don’t think it is a predictable book but having read so many thrillers and crime books recently I am looking more closely for hidden clues that may lead us down the wrong path and this was how I managed to pick up on something that made me change my mind on my original suspect!

This was a wonderful uplifting read that ticked all the boxes for me and this one will be staying on my shelf and I will definitely be recommending to friends and family and I may even attempt to send a few mysterious parcels to brighten someones day too.




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Sunday 4 October 2015

Cover Reveal!

Tonight I am thrilled to be able to share with you the cover to The Years of Loving You which is Ella Harper's upcoming release.



What if your first love was your only love?

When Molly is diagnosed with a life changing illness, it feels like her whole world has come crashing down. She hopes the news will make her marriage to Sam stronger. But why does Molly always call best friend Ed in a crisis?

Ed. The very same Ed that Molly fell in love with at a party when they were teenagers, underneath a star-filled sky. Then life took them in very different directions. They could only ever be friends.

Suddenly Molly starts to question every decision she’s ever made. What if they could turn back the clock? Back to the very beginning. When the only certainty they shared was each other …


I love the cover of this book and it sounds like a fab read so I will definitely be picking up a copy. 
What are your thoughts on the cover?

The e-book is due for release on Thursday 15th October and the paperback release on the 19th November.

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