Cafe Tropicana by Belinda Jones

Latte-lover Ava Langston knows exactly what she wants: her very own café in a vintage arcade in Bath and a life free of complicated relationships. But her plans go awry when her long-distance dad phones insisting she hop on the next plane to Costa Rica to meet his brand new wife.
Ava has no intention of jetting to Latin America to acquire a step-mother - until, that is, her father offers her head honcho status at a beachfront café. The lure of frothing cappuccinos in a land where the coffee beans grow proves irresistible.
But she hasn't planned on Santiago, her sexy-yet-stubborn business rival, or rugged Ryan whose idea of romance is swinging through the rainforest canopy at 6am.
Both men have the heartbreaker gene, but could one prove to be her very own star-crossed lover?
There's only one way to find out...

A holiday is never complete for me unless I have a Belinda Jones book to keep me entertained, having already read the authors recent release I decided to pick up one of her older books Cafe Tropicana.

Ava Langston has dreamed of opening her own cafe and she has finally found the perfect site. She puts her life on hold for this cafe giving up her job putting all her time and effort into her dream.
Her dream is shattered when a higher bidder comes in for the site. She then receives a call from her dad who wants her to fly out to him in Costa Rica to meet his new wife. Ava is reluctant to go especially since her father never has much to do with her  but when he then offers her the chance to help him open a coffee shop there she is soon jetting off to start her adventure!

What a great beach read this was, it was so easy to visualise the gorgeous setting in this book thanks to the authors impeccable descriptive writing style. Even the preparations for the cafe were all described in such detail so I really felt like I was there watching everything coming together. There was a  lot of humor in this book too along with a nice splash of romance.

Ava was a down to earth, determined main character who I loved from the first chapter. The handsome Santiago oozed sex appeal through the pages, he was a true gentleman who I wouldn't mind spending my holiday with! Kiki and Ryan both set alarm bells ringing for me from the moment we were introduced to them so I was wary of these two characters all the way through.

As with all of Belinda Jones books it is clear the author has done a lot of research for this book not only on the location but also surrounding coffee beans and blends as well as the nature side too, for me the turtle nesting really showed this and it is now something I would like to experience.

Belinda Jones has delivered another perfect enjoyable and adventurous read that I will be recommending to friends.

The Travelling Tea Shop by Belinda Jones

Laurie loves a challenge. Especially if it involves tea-time and travel. So when British baking treasure Pamela Lambert-Leigh needs a guide on a research trip for her new cookbook, she jumps at the chance.

The brief: Laurie and Pamela Ð along with Pamela's sassy mother and stroppy daughter Ð will board a vintage London bus for a deliciously unusual tour of the USA's East Coast, cruising from New York to Vermont. 

Their mission: To trade recipes for home-grown classics like Victoria Sponge and Battenburg for American favourites like Red Velvet Cake and Whoopie Pie. All the women have their secrets and heartaches to heal. As well cupcakes galore, there's also the chance for romance... But will making Whoopie lead to love?

Every year I await the release of the new Belinda Jones book and after enjoying Winter Wonderland so much (easily my favourite book by this author) I couldn’t wait for her new release The Travelling Tea Shop not only because it does feature characters from Winter Wonderland but also because it is a book (I love books!) about cakes ( I love cakes!) and travel ( I love to travel!) and romance ( yes you guessed it !) So all in all, this book just sounded like pure perfection to me!

Laurie is about to take on a new project at work and this could be her biggest challenge to date. Well known and loved baker Pamela Lambert-Leigh is working on a new cookbook but there is a tight schedule and lots to research so she hires Laurie to plan a tour of the USA’s East coast with stops on the way to trade classic American cake recipes with classic English recipes.

All sounds pretty exciting, now throw in a big double decker red bus, Pamela’s crazy mother who is the bus driver and a stroppy daughter, could this be a road trip from hell or a deliciously good tour?

This was so hard to read considering I am dieting for my Wedding! There are cakes galore in this book and they all sounded mouth-wateringly good, I even found myself wanting to bake especially how easy the “pound” cake sounded! 

I will be honest and say I didn’t feel like the story slash travel had the right balance in this book which is so unlike this author’s books. I found it was too much travel with only a little storyline verging onto a travel guide rather than a novel it seemed to lack the spark that is in each and every one of Belinda’s previous novels which I hate to say because I am a mahooooosive Belinda fan and just want to love everything about all of her books. The authors descriptive writing style that I always love is still strong in this book it was easy to picture the settings and it was nice to have some back ground history of the various places too, this book has been very well researched and this is clear in the authors writing.

I loved Laurie you could tell how much she loved her job and how excited she was about the tour, I wouldn’t say I related to her as she was uber organised and a very calm character who manages to come up with a quick solution to any problems without getting into a flap! I wanted to throttle Pamela’s daughter Ravenna she was such a spoilt little madam she played her part well. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was another book featuring Laurie and Harvey as well as Krista and Jacques and I would definitely be picking it up as I do think they are such wonderful character that they would make a great book if they could all be big roles in a book.

Although this wasn’t a favourite of mine by Belinda I still enjoyed it and will be eagerly awaiting her next read.

Winter Wonderland by Belinda Jones

I am a big fan of Christmas so other than my favourite authors turning up on Christmas day to play silly games and eat my Christmas dinner surely the next best thing is when one of your favourite authors release a Christmassy book!

I was so delighted when Winter Wonderland by Belinda Jones arrived on my doorstep as this is one writer who get s me in the holiday spirit with her writing so surely she can get me in the festive mood too!

Imagine waking up in a snow globe... That's how travel journalist Krista feels when she arrives in magical Quebec to report on Canada's glittering Winter Carnival. Over ten sub-zero days Krista's formerly frozen heart begins to melt as she discovers an enchanting world of ice palaces, husky dog-sledding and maple-syrup treats galore. And then she meets Jacques, a man as handsome and rugged as he is mysterious... The two share a secret that could bond them forever, but can they find a way to break through the protective layers around their hearts to warm up this winter wonderland? ...let the snow-spangled adventure begin.

Wow..... Although we don’t have the festive roast cooking or Santa popping down the chimney this book still brings the perfect backdrop, I am talking the cold chill with our friend snow, cute fluffy dogs pulling sledges..... oh I am in my element!
How does this author manage to wrap you up in the setting so much so that you feel like you have been to the location! Belinda Jones is back in full swing this year, she needs to be on commission because her beautiful and informative writing skill has sparked an interest in me to visit Quebec, now that is saying something for me because I only do Summer holidays!

The author also manages to give you a tour of Quebec and gives you a number of facts and many must see sights but all of this is weaved perfectly into a great storyline. I loved each and every character in this book, there were more than our fair share of tasty men to choose from. Our Heroine Krista took a little time to warm to but as the story progressed her character softened and became an enjoyable character to read and towards the end of the book when you find out her secret she becomes even more loveable. The ending was rather predictable to me but this didn't ruin it for me it was great to watch what you had a feeling was going to happen unfold. I am a hopeless romantic so this book was perfection for me with the gentle romance blossoming in this picturesque scene.

I am sure this book will be a hit this Christmas my one and only negative about this book is that I wasn't invited along to help with the research that Belinda clearly undertook for this book!

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Belinda Jones Interview

We have another great Christmas book being released this week, Winter Wonderland by Belinda Jones.

We have been lucky enough to catch up with Belinda to find out a little more about her new book and the adventure she undertook to help create this fantastic read.

1) Tell us a little about your new book.

Sparkling snow. A ye olde fairytale kingdom in the midst of a Winter Carnival. Maple syrup pie. Hundreds of Husky dogs. And a man called Jacques.

2) What research did you have to do for this book?

I think the most significant 'research' was sleeping on a bed of ice at the Hotel de Glace! I really felt I had to have first-hand experience to write about it, especially since it's the opening scene in the book, but oh my! Never again! All through the night I kept checking my nose was still there and hadn't snapped off like an icicle. Compared to that, the rest of the research was a breeze, or rather a sub-zero lacerating wind. But I've always loved big fluffy hats and fleecy mittens so it was actually fun to be thigh-deep in snow. I basically spent a week in Quebec during their fabulous Winter Carnival and a couple of days prior in Montreal. Plus I've been going to Cirque du Soleil shows for the past ten years (one of the characters is an extremely bendy aerialist) so that came in handy!

3) What was your favourite book of yours to write and why?

Until now it was I LOVE CAPRI because the idea for that literally came to me in a dream and it was heavenly to keep re-visiting Capri, even if it was just in my imagination after the first visit. But now, it's definitely WINTER WONDERLAND. I fell head-over-heels in love with Quebec, it's such a magical place and I've never written a book so fast, the words were pouring out of me (and it can be such a tortuous extraction process!) so it really was a pleasure, even the passages that had me streaming with tears as I wrote them! Not that it's a sad book but one of the themes is particularly poignant!

4) What was the last book you read and would you recommend it?

I'm still in the midst of reading The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner. It's a brilliantly funny and fascinating exploration of the 'happiest' countries in the world from a former foreign correspondent, who spent most of his career reporting from the most miserable, desperate places! There's even a chapter on the UK! I recently went to hear this author talk at a book festival in Charlottesville, Virginia... I was a bit early so I stopped into this cafe for a chai latte and to read one more chapter (on Bhutan!) and this man approached me and said, 'How are you enjoying the book?' and I went into this gushy rave and then he said, 'I wrote that.' It's always been a dream of mine to see a stranger reading my book and it was such a kick to have that reversed in this way. His talk was hilarious and of course I got him to sign my copy! "Follow your bliss!" Good advice for one and all!

5) What I love about your writing is the descriptive writing of various locations abroad, is there anywhere you havn't been that you would like to go? 

Thank you! And yes, so many places! Madagascar and Galapagos for the animal life. After visiting Quebec, I'd love to see more of Canada, particularly the polar bears of Manitoba. And then St Petersburg, Russia. For the vodka!

6) Are you currently working on your next book and if so is there anything you can tease us with!

I am! In fact my deadline is January so I'd better get a bloomin' move on! It's a cake-themed caper around New England called THE TRAVELLING TEA SHOP. A group of British women (including Laurie who you will meet in WINTER WONDERLAND) take a scenic road trip across seven states to trade classic English recipes such as Battenburg and Victoria Sponge for American favourites such as New York Cheesecake, Red Velvet Cake, Boston Creme Pie and Whoopie Pie! (Both pies are in fact cakes!) Three of the women are related and there's a bit of family drama going on there, not to mention the fact that they are taking this trip in a red London bus! There are some great stops along the way, including Manhattan, Cape Cod, the Von Trapp Lodge in Vermont and my personal favourite, Newport, Rhode Island which has strong ties with Downton Abbey! All will be revealed, including a host of yummy recipes, autumn 2013!

7) You are stuck on a desert Island what are your 3 must have items?

1. A frozen yoghurt machine dispensing some refreshingly zingy flavour like lime. 

2. My dog Bodie. Watching him romp at the beach is one of my greatest pleasures in life! He's even learning to swim - albeit with chin in the air and a slightly panicked look on his face. Plus he could dig us a nice sleeping hole. 

3. A notebook and pen so I can write about the experience! 

Thank you Belinda for taking the time to talk and to tease us!

My review of Winter Wonderland will be on the blog on Thursday.

There will also be a chance to win your own copy of Winter Wonderland!

California Dreamers by Belinda Jones

Ever wished you could make-over your life?

Make-up artist Stella is an expert at helping other people change their images, but when it comes to transforming herself, she doesn't even know where to start.

So when her new friend, glamorous Hollywood actress Marina Ray, summons her a movie set in California, Stella can't resist the chance to start afresh - it is the land of sunshine and opportunity after all!

But are they really friends or does Marina have an ulterior motive? What is the secret that both women are hiding about the nautical (but nice) men in their lives? And what will it take to really make both of their California dreams come true?

In a Pacific Coast journey that takes in Los Angeles, the world's most romantic ranch and California's very own castle in the sky - this story of friendship, long-distance love, kissing (and making up) is the perfect escapist read.

My Opinion

When it comes to finding the perfect beach read the first author who always springs to mind is Belinda Jones. Her descriptive writing style has always made me feel as if I am abroad at the setting of the books so I saved California Dreamers for my holiday.

The main character in this book is make-up artist Stella. I loved Stella and feel like I connected with her, which I think could possibly be because she is in a similar industry to me although my life isn’t as exciting as Stella’s!

I enjoyed the storyline and the facts that were given I found interesting but one thing I didn’t find with California Dreamers was that the descriptive writing was lacking a little in this book compared with her previous books and I didn’t feel as though I was being transported anywhere where as usually after reading any of Belinda Jones books I get an urge to go on holiday to the location but I didn’t get this with this book and I genuinely missed this. I did enjoy the romance that the author creates between certain characters and I think this is what saved the book for me and helped me to finish the book.

Although I wasn’t blown away by this book I have loved all of the authors previous books so I will still be picking up her next book when it is released I just hope some of the authors old writing techniques are brought back in her next book as I really missed them here.

The Love Academy by Belinda Jones

I am sure many of you are chick lit lovers and I am sure that if you love chick lit then at some point you must have read Belinda Jones books! Belinda Jones has travelled to many different countries through her life due to her work and this shows in her books. She has a way of making you feel as if you are in the same country when you are reading any of her books and this book, The Love Academy is one of them. The book is set in Italy and after reading this book I feel a trip is in order for me!!

Kirsty Bailey is a reporter for Hot magazine, she has a new undercover report to do on The Love Academy. This is where all the single Brits who are unlucky in love and who I struggling to believe in that little thing called romance go to see romance first hand by the true romantics, the Italians!
The problem is for Kirsty is she is already in a relationship so she needs to put this aside in order to find out if The Love Academy is the real deal or if it is a glorified Brothel!!
Kirsty takes her newly broken hearted brother with her to get a brother/sister concept on The Love Academy. Unfortunately her brother is not overjoyed to be going back to Italy as this is where he had his heart broken question is will The Love Academy be able to mend his broken heart?

I love the character of Kirsty, she feels like your normal girl next door. She is in a relationship with Joe but like most of us the romance has sort of dwindled away leaving her wanting a little bit more. Her relationship with her brother comes into the story a lot which only helped to relate to her character making her feel real.

The book is very much romantic based which is to be expected from the title and from the location the book is set in but each part of the course at The Love Academy is also teaching them different aspects of romance which makes for a loving read. I didn't find that the book was predictable which helped to keep us as the reader gripped, I found myself closing the book at the end of a chapter only having to open it up again to read the next as I needed to know what was going to happen next!

I liked that the book was on an even keel from the first chapter we are brought straight into the story and even the ending was wrapped up nicely without it feeling rushed.
All in all I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The book is 400 pages long and it is defiantly a chick-lit, romance book but it does have a little more depth to the story than many other chick-lit books and I think this is due to the amount of information about Venice itself, the sights they see and the food they eat and even down to the little bits of Italian which is spoken.

I would recommend this book although I would put a warning with it as since reading this book I now have the urge to go to Venice!!