Woman Walks into a Bar by Rowan Coleman

I am not a fan of short stories but when I heard than one of my favourite authors was releasing one and that all the money the book earns will be going to Charity I decided to give it a try.

I was surprised how much I actually enjoyed this novella, this is perfect to read on a train journey to work something quick and easy reading. The main character Sam in a very lovable, genuine character who works in a supermarket. She is a single mother and thanks to her daughter and her friends she is back in the dating scene. It soon becomes apparent that with internet dating it is a bit like a Disney film kiss the frogs and the hopefully prince charming will come along!

The book is fun but also touches on a darker situation which was a nice balance. I am surprised how much I loved Sam in such a short space of time. I was still left wanting more but then I find this with all of Rowan Colemans books, you never want them to end!

This is a great way to do your bit for charity and also have a little treat for yourself at the same time. Easily the best novella I have read.

Great Price,Great Treat, Great Cause !! xx

Competition Time

Yesterday was the release day for the paperback edition of The Honey Queen by Cathy Kelly. You can check out my review by clicking HERE.

I have not one but two copies of The Honey Queen up for grabs all you need to do is enter the rafflecopter giveaway below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Amelia Grey's Fireside Dream by Abby Clements

Amelia has a dream: toasting chestnuts by the fire with her husband Jack in their own cosy cottage. Their real life is another world - a cramped one-bedroom flat in Hackney. But when life takes a surprising turn, removal vans are soon heading to the Kent countryside. They soon realise the cottage makeover is a far bigger project than they'd anticipated. On top of that, there's Amelia's newly loved-up mum and her tearaway half-sister, Mirabel, to contend with - pushing Amelia and Jack's marriage to breaking point. Amelia begins to strip back the wallpaper and fittings in the cottage and discovers the story of the cottage's previous owner - and a hidden secret. As Amelia's ideas about love and family change, will her fireside dream finally come true?

Having read Abby Clements first two novels and thoroughly enjoyed them I didn't hesitate in adding her new release to my wish list.

Amelia is fast approaching 30 and one thing she wanted to do by this milestone was to be living in the country. When she convinces husband Jack to make the move, they soon start searching for properties and when Jack views a property that needs some work doing on it with out Amelia seeing the inside they put in an offer and before long the house is theirs. When the day of the move comes around Amelia's dream is far from perfect!

Having just finished this book it has left me with a lovely cosy, fuzzy feeling inside. I found this one of those books that you can't wait to see the end to see how it all pans out but at the same time I didn't want the book to end, I think I will have a case of book blues after this one!

Amelia is a very loveable, girl next door character with lots of ambition and so I found I could really warm and relate to her character. The storyline mostly centres on Amelia and Jacks relationship and also the restoration work on their new home. The attnetio to detail is fantastic surrounding the restoration, I could easily picture the rooms as they were being transformed and the garden sounded like a stunning focal point.
The auhor weaves a few extra storylines into the main story which just adds to an already perfect read.

One thing I have to say is that there is consistant enjoyment and quality through all three of Abby Clements books, if you love one you will love them all as they all have a similar feel but with a fresh storyline each time. Abby Clements has become one of my favourite authors. Grab your copy today xXx

Paperback               Kindle

Covet by Tracey Garvis Graves

When Daniel Rush falls for Claire Canton, there's only one slight problem: Claire's husband, Chris. Claire, Chris and their two children are a picture-perfect family, and Claire is a devoted mother and wife. But she and Chris have been at a crossroads in their marriage ever since Chris lost his job. He's coped by retreating to a dark place where no one can reach him, not even Claire, and she feels she has no one to talk to and nowhere to turn - until she meets Daniel. For her, Daniel fills a void and provides almost everything that is missing in her life. Daniel, meanwhile, knows that Claire is married, and convinces himself that friendship is all he's interested in. And Chris? Chris is under too much pressure to even notice that his marriage is floundering. As Claire and Daniel grow ever closer, and she and Chris drift further apart, Claire realises that she's going to have make a choice. But how do you choose when you want the best of both worlds - and can't bear to hurt either of the men in your life?

My two favourite books of 2012 where Me Before you by Jojo Moyes and On The Island by Tracey Garvis Graves who was actually a new author to me. I loved On The Island so much I actually read it twice which is something I very rarely do so when I saw that the author had a new book titled Covet coming out I knew I had to have this one and couldn’t wait to get started.

Claire and Chris find their marriage under strain after the recession hits and means them having to make cutbacks and when Chris takes a new job it means he has to work all hours God sends, meaning that his presence at the family home is very rare and what time he is there is usually spent with the children.

Claire has never felt so alone and all she wants is for Chris to be around more and just to hold her. When she meets Daniel who is a police officer he fills that hole of loneliness and becomes a great friend but can her feelings stop there and what will this mean for her marriage?

I had really high hopes for this book which I think may have had some repercussions on my enjoyment of this book. Like I said before I LOVED On The Island but with Covet I didn't love it but I didn't hate it either it was an O.K  book that I would be happy to pick up from my local library and read once but unfortunately it will not leave a lasting impression on me.

The storyline is quite a realistic storyline it shows the pressures that the recession can have on relationships and family life which did interest me. What I also liked about the storyline is that it wasn't predictable, don’t get me wrong there were no dramatic twists or turns as it was quite a gentle read but what I was expecting to happen didn't actually happen.

I actually liked all of the characters they were all very genuine with no bad characters who you could love to hate or who you could blame for the situation. I was expecting to not like Chris because of being away so much but at the end of the day he was only trying to provide for his family. I loved Daniel he was my favourite character, he was very gentle and caring. We get to know Claire more than Daniel and Chris because the storyline is mostly told from her point of view although there are chapters every so often from both of the male characters.  

The book has a very slow pace and continues in this way all through the book. At a couple of points in the book I was unsure if to carry on or not but I was hoping for something to suddenly change in this book to get me gripped but I think you just have to take this book as a very gentle but meaningful read.

I will still be picking up another book by this author, I just hope her next read has a little edge to it again.

Kindle                       Paperback

Friday Fab Find

I am a huge fan of Alice Peterson and my favourite book so far this year is By My Side which is by this lovely author you can check out my review by clicking HERE.

I have read three books by this author and have loved each one so much that time and tome again I find myself recommending them. I have been eager to read more books by Alice and it seems today is a day that is going to make that happen! With my funds extremely low at the moment because of my up and coming Wedding that I am having to save for I was so glad to see that two books that I have not read before by Alice are at an amazing 98p ! I had to share these with you so I hope you enjoy them as much as I am hoping to.

A perfect little treat for the weekend :-)





Happy Weekend Reading Bookworms!!

Swimming Pool Summer by Rebecca Farnworth

Frankie hasn't had a proper relationship for years. But though she tells everyone this is how she wants it, but secretly she's in love with her best friend Patrick.

Tor didn't think she could have a baby, but now she is pregnant by her younger lover. Could this mean the end of a romance that has started to mean more to her than she expected?

Leila seems to have it all - a happy marriage, a beautiful daughter and a successful career. But Leila is harbouring a secret that could destroy her marriage forever. On an idyllic Greek island, the three women try to keep their secrets hidden.

But emotions are running high, and when an unexpected guest arrives, events start to spin out of control.


Although I am not a Katie Price fan I have enjoyed her novels, and when I found out that the author of Swimming Pool Summer is the same author who is Katie Price’s ghost writer, I was looking forward to reading a book by Rebecca Farnworth which is published under her own name.

The story follows three friends Frankie, Leila and Tor. Each have a completely different love life. Leila is married to husband Tom and has a beautiful daughter Gracie. From the outside Leila looks to have the perfect love life but there are cracks that her friends cannot see. Tor is dating the gorgeous Ed but he is a lot younger than her and age seems a big problem to Tor even if it means nothing to Ed, and if this wasn’t enough some big news puts Tor on edge too. Frankie is single, she has held a torch for their friend Patrick for a long time now but the feeling doesn’t seem to be mutual.
The friends all embark on a holiday in the sun together, but will this sort their problems out or will it only make things worse?

I couldn’t have read this book at a better time, looking out and seeing the wet and windy weather I needed something to cheer me up as I started my week holiday and this book sure done the trick. All three of our main characters were fantastic although Frankie was a little bit if a hard character to warm to at first! I loved them all equally and they seemed to have a nice bond between them. The chapters alternate between the women so we get to know each of them first hand and we get to know their thoughts and their problems even though their friends do not know so I felt like I was one of the girls having hidden knowledge!

The storyline and the situations the women found themselves in were very believable which I loved, and the author creates a great mix of holiday fun along with the problems that the women have so the book still keeps a light hearted feel to it. The authors writing style makes this book a very easy fast paced read perfect for holiday reading. The small descriptions of the villa were enough to want to whisk me away, I only wish there were more descriptions like this to set a perfect scene.

I really enjoyed this book and it is nice to be able to give Rebecca Farnworth the credit she deserves as an author. I love forward to reading more books under her own name in the future.

Kindle                       Paperback

Wicked Wives by Anna-Lou Weatherley

Playboy Casino owner and serial gambler, Tom Black, leaves a trail of broken hearts behind him wherever he goes. So when he disappears, it’s no surprise that foul-play is suspected. The finger of suspicion points to three women from his past; Eleanor, the beautiful socialite with a dubious past, Loretta, the fame-seeking gold-digger, and Victoria, the glamorous, bestselling author. Bound together by one man and his mayhem, it’s not long before secrets begin to surface, forcing the three women to take the biggest gamble of all. But in the game of love there can only be one winner – and the winner takes it all….

Wicked Wives is the first book I have read by Anna-Lou Weatherley and it sure will not be the last after what this book had to offer. It did take a little while to warm to this book as there are a wide variety of characters which took along time to get to know who was who, I was a little confused at the start of the book getting a few of the characters mixed up but it is definitely worth sticking with this book because it was a compelling read.

The story and the characters all center around one man, Tom Black who is a gorgeous man who seems to be a hit with the ladies but where Tom and ladies are, there is a trail of devastation left behind. I actually really liked his character although you could tell that he was a player you also got to see the softer caring side to him. There were many characters in this book who all have their own storylines running but that all connect to Tom. From reading the Prologue we find that Tom has been shot but we are left with a who did it scenario, and all the way through the book my mind kept chopping and changing as to who it was that had shot him.

This is far from an easy read this is a great indepth read that needs your full attention. It is full of glamour and scandal which made for pure escapism which was what I was hoping for with this book. After the initial confusion with the characters the author then really managed to develop the characters so well having four main female characters to write about is hard enough but they were all balanced well with their stories. I found Tess’s story really put me on edge and interested me the most. I loved Ellie she was my favourite female character, although her part was a little predictable she still was a fantastic character and it was nice to see how she managed to turn her life around.

I don’t often like to compare authors but I am going to on this occasion. If there are any Tasmina Perry fans out there then make sure you pick this book up because you will love it, it has the glitz, glamour and scandal that you find in her books and other than the slow start in getting o know the characters ( which I also find with Tasmina’s books) this book was faultless.

I thoroughly enjoyed this compelling and scandalous read.

Kindle                        Paperback

Tempting Fate by Jane Green

When Gabby first met Elliott she knew he was the man for her. In twenty years of marriage she has never doubted her love for him - even when he refused to give her the one thing she still wants most of all. But now their two daughters are growing up Gabby feels that time and her youth are slipping away. For the first time in her life she is restless. And then she meets Matt . . . Intoxicated by the way this young, handsome and successful man makes her feel, Gabby is momentarily blind to what she stands to lose on this dangerous path. And in one reckless moment she destroys all that she holds dear. Consumed by regret, Gabby does everything she can to repair the home she has broken. But are some betrayals too great to forgive?

I always look forward to a new Jane Green book and she is back in true form with Tempting Fate which is a fantastic read and really doesn’t disappoint.

Gabby loves her husband Elliott even after all these years but when her head is turned by another man she feels as though she is missing out on something and could that something be passion, or the way that a younger man makes her feel sexy and youthful and exciting? In one night Gabby’s safe and loving world comes crashing down around her because of one awful mistake that she regrets.  Can she put right her wrongs or has too much hurt been caused?

I literally couldn’t put this book down, I stayed up until early hours of the morning to see how this book ends. It is a very thought provoking read and I found I had conflicting emotions whilst reading this. One thing I can never usually sympathise with is adultery so I had part of me screaming at Gabby for what she had done and thinking there is no way I am going to warm to this character and yet the other part of me loved her and really sympathised with her character.

The storyline was a little predictable at the beginning but it was still an interesting story so this didn’t bother me at all, then as the book moved on I wasn’t sure what the outcome was going to be and this is what kept me hooked.

I loved each and every one of the characters in this book other than Gabby’s best friend Claire, I don’t want to elaborate on why but when you read this book you will understand why she disappointed me as a character as well as a friend. There are many characters in this book but they were all developed so well so I never found that I got confused with who was who. Elliott was such a little darling and I loved him and although the majority of the book is told from Gabbys point of view there were a few chapters that were told from Elliott’s point of view and he made my heart melt.

A compelling read that had me hooked from start to finish. 

Kindle                      Paperback

The Guest List by Melissa Hill

When funny, kind and gorgeous Shane proposes, Cara is over the moon, and can't wait to share the news of their engagement with all their friends and family. Excitement, however, quickly turns to apprehension when it seems that everyone has a fixed idea of the perfect wedding and offers to 'help' with the planning. With tussles over the ceremony and the size of the guest list, sibling rivalry and insistent in-laws-to-be, Cara can see her vision of the big day being ripped to shreds. So she and Shane determine to make a stand and do things their way. But when they announce their plans for a beach wedding on a beautiful Caribbean island, there is uproar. Threats are made, family secrets are revealed, and things turn decidedly stormy. Will Cara and Shane manage to overcome all obstacles? Or will their dream wedding turn into a nightmare?

I only read my first Melissa Hill book last year and I thoroughly enjoyed it so I couldn’t wait to get my hands on her new release especially when I heard it was Wedding related.

When Shane proposes to Cara she is over the moon, but when their friends and family begin to “help” with the wedding plans things become more than a little stressful. Determined to have the Wedding they want they book their dream wedding but not everyone is pleased.

I absolutely loved this book and I devoured it in one sitting! All of the characters are very down to earth and the storyline is believable and because I am planning my wedding I could really relate to the story. It is nice to know even fictional characters have friends and family who like to take over when it comes to weddings!

I loved Kim who is Cara’s sister in-law she was a very friendly, genuine and supportive character which is more than can be said for her spoilt sister Heidi, every time she appeared in the book she got my back up!

As the book moved along I couldn’t put this book down I needed to see what on earth the families were going to say or do next and whether or not they would actually end up tying the knot!

I was pretty sure in my mind that I was going to be rating this an easy 4 star review but that all changed. Any of you who follow my reviews will know that I love unpredictable twists, well there is a shocking one in this book (I will be saying no more otherwise it will be a big spoiler alert) I really didn’t see this one coming and so this blew the 4 star out the window and made this a 5 star read.

This is a fantastic light hearted, entertaining read that has family battles and I nice little hidden twist. 

Kindle                      Paperback

Woman Walks into a Bar

 Woman Walks into a Bar

Help Rowan Coleman raise £10,000 for Refuge

On September 10^th Rowan is publishing her novella Woman Walks into a Bar as an ebook for the first time. And 100% of her proceeds will be donated to Refuge. 

Her goal is to raise £10,000 and you can help. All you have to do is buy a book, or two, and get your friends to buy one too. You’ll get a funny, romantic and touching summer read and you’ll be helping women you’ve never even met at the same time and all for the price of £1.59!

The story behind the story

Every book Rowan have ever written has meant a lot to her, but with her latest book ‘Dearest Rose,’ something really special happened when the real world and the fiction she loves to write collided.  It changed her as a person and a writer, forever.

She was getting ready to research her tenth novel, which with the help of her Facebook readers she decided should pivot around the theme of domestic abuse. It was a subject she’d touched on briefly once before, when she wrote a short novella as one of the first Quick Reads called Woman Walks into a Bar, which to this day remains one of the pieces of work of which she is most proud.

 So she posted on her Facebook page asking if anyone had any personal experiences of domestic abuse, and any stories they might share with her in confidence.

She was shocked and amazed by the response; there were more than 200 emails waiting in her inbox the next day. Each story she read was horrific and frightening in its own way, giving her an insight into the secret lives of many women; lives that all too often remain hidden. Domestic abuse can happen to anyone - well educated wealthy women are just as likely to suffer as women from a working class background - but the one thing all those women had in common was that they were survivors. After years of being mentally and physically beaten down, they had managed to find the emotional strength, somehow, to break free and start again. 

Now Rowan wants to do something that will help other women find that inner courage, and change their lives.

 ‘Woman Walks into a Bar’ is the story of 28-year-old single mother Sam spends her days working in the local supermarket and her Friday nights out with her friends letting her hair down at the White Horse. Life hasn’t been easy for Sam and her daughter, Beth (who always looks on the bright side) but she’s always hoped that one day she’ll break free from her past and meet The One.

But after a series of terrible dates with men she’s met through an internet dating site, that have all been as awful as her daughter’s terrible jokes, she’s starting to lose heart - until her friends tell her they’ve set her up on a blind date. Sam’s horrified but finally she agrees to go. After all you never know when you might meet the man of your dreams; maybe Sam’s happy ending is just about to begin….

£1.59 Amazon Kindle

So, come on and join Rowan, and help to #supportafriend on September 10^th. Every time you buy or pre-order ‘Woman Walks into a Bar’ you’ll be entered into a prize draw for fabulous prizes every week, while the #supportafriend #womanwalks campaign is running. On 10^th September, tweet Rowan photos of you and your friends, tell her your ideas to support a friend, and why your friends mean so much to you.

You can be a best friend to someone you have never even met. You can help someone out there find the support they need to change their lives.

If you are a blogger or tweeter, spread the word using #supportafriend #womawalks. If you are a company who could offer a prize to drive book sales and thereby money for Refuge, please get in touch. If you are a woman in an abusive relationship, or if you have a friend about whom you are worried, please get in touch with Refuge and ask for help today. 

About Rowan

Rowan Coleman grew up in Hertfordshire secretly longing to be a writer despite battling with dyslexia.  After graduating from university she worked in bookselling and publishing for seven years before winning Company Magazine Young Writer of the Year in 2001.  Her first novel ‘Growing Up Twice’ was published in 2002.

Rowan has gone on to write eight novels for women including the bestseller ‘The Accidental Mother, The Baby Group’ and ‘The Accidental Wife‘ and eight novels for children and teens including the paranormal adventure novels Nearly Departed and Immortal Remains under the name Rook Hasting. Her books are published around the world. She now lives in Hertfordshire with her family.

Woman Walks into a Bar website

Rowan’s website

Twitter @rowancoleman

Rowan’s Facebook Author Page

Rowan’s Amazon Author Page

Rowan’s Goodreads Author Page

Coco's Secret by Niamh Greene

Coco Swan has always been embarrassed by her name. With a name like Coco, she thinks people expect her to be as exotic and glamorous as the famous designer, not an ordinary-looking small-town antiques dealer who could win an award for living cautiously. But when a vintage Chanel handbag turns up in a box of worthless bric-a-brac, Coco's quiet world is turned upside down. Where did it come from? And is it just coincidence that it's the same bag Coco's late mother always wanted for her? When Coco discovers a mysterious, decades-old letter hidden in the bag's lining, she sets off on a quest to piece together the story behind it, stumbling across secrets that span three generations as she goes. Could the beautiful Chanel bag be about to teach Coco more than she wants to learn? Or will it show her just where her heart can take her if she lets it lead the way?

Coco’s Secret is the first book I have read by author Niamh Green and after reading this one it won’t be my last.

Coco Swan bids on an auction lot and finds a rare gem at the bottom of the box, a genuine Chanel handbag. Coco is momentarily unsure what to do with the bag, her mum had always wanted Coco to have her very own Chanel bag, but when she finds a hidden letter inside she has second thoughts about keeping it and decides to try and find out more about the owner.

I loved the mystery surrounding this storyline, all the way through you never knew if Coco would solve her little mystery and this is what kept me gripped. Coco was a very down to earth, loveable character and it was great to see such a homely woman push herself out of her comfort zone to follow the trail, along the way she begins to live her life rather than just plodding along with every day routines.  The supporting characters in this book were all a great addition to this book, both Cat and Ruth provided a little entertainment. The romance in this book was teasingly short but it meant the storyline really focused on the history of the bag and its owner rather than being overshadowed by romance. I enjoyed the supporting characters storylines, they brought a nice little addition to a what was already a great storyline.

I did feel as though the ending was a little rushed, I think an extra chapter or two would have been great just to see how certain things panned out I know we have all got an imagination so we can make up our own Happy Ever After but I just think this would of finished off what is a fantastic book perfectly.

I think this is a heart-warming, easy read with a nice air of mystery, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and cannot wait to get my hands on more of this authors work.

Paperback                Kindle

September Releases

This month I am hoping to catch up with the back log of review books from the previous two months but there are still a few fab releases I am looking forward to this month, here are my September picks.

Kindle                       Paperback

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Which new releases will you all be picking up this month?