The Wake-Up Call by Beth O'Leary

 

Two sworn enemies. One failing hotel. Love is the last thing they need . . .

It's the busiest time of the year, and Forest Manor Hotel is quite literally falling apart. So when sworn enemies Izzy and Lucas are given the same shift on the hotel's front desk, they have no choice but to put their differences aside.

The hotel won't stay afloat without some sort of miracle. But when Izzy returns a guest's lost wedding ring, the reward convinces management this might fix everything. With four rings still sitting in lost property, the race is on for Izzy and Lucas to save their beloved hotel - and their jobs.

As their bitter rivalry turns into something much more complicated, Izzy and Lucas begin to wonder if there's more at stake here than the hotel's future. Can the two of them make it through the season with their hearts intact?

The Wake-up Call by Beth O’Leary follows two colleagues Izzy and Lucas as they try to help save the hotel they work in from collapse but this means working together and yet the pair can’t be in the same room without arguing or winding each other up.

With each chapter alternating between both characters POV we get an insight into how they are both thinking and feeling in each situation and also see how the other is interpreting things differently too and this worked really well for this book. The author writes from both the male and female perspective perfectly and this helped to really connect with each of them.

There is a love hate romance burning through the middle of this storyline that at times had me laughing away and at others wanting me to bash their heads together but there are also many tender heartfelt personal moments too which added more depth to this uplifting story.

There is  a wonderful sense of support in this novel with everyone trying to chip in and do what they can to try and help each other in this very odd set up and it brings a comforting feeling and one of hope.

This was one of my favourites by this author it was easy reading, witty and sparkling with romance the perfect book at the perfect time for me.

Hardback                Kindle

The Road Trip by Beth O'Leary

 

Beth O’Leary blew me away with her debut novel The Flatshare as it was a completely new concept that was written in a unique way. She then released The Switch which was another wonderful read which didn’t disappoint so I was excited for her new release The Road Trip.

Addie and her sister are about to embark on an epic road trip to a friend's wedding in rural Scotland. The playlist is all planned and the snacks are packed.

But, not long after setting off, a car slams into the back of theirs. The driver is none other than Addie's ex, Dylan, who she's avoided since their traumatic break-up two years earlier.

Dylan and his best mate are heading to the wedding too, and they've totalled their car, so Addie has no choice but to offer them a ride. The car is soon jam-packed full of luggage and secrets, and with four-hundred miles ahead of them, Dylan and Addie can't avoid confronting the very messy history of their relationship...

Will they make it to the wedding on time? And, more importantly, is this really the end of the road for Addie and Dylan?

 

This was a modern witty read with a bumpy romance along the way. With each chapter alternating between Addie and Dylan’s points of view we begin to build a true picture of their romance and I could see the chemistry between them was intense and that they were meant to be together so I was wracking my mind trying to work out what had happened to put an end to their relationship but what was revealed was not something I had expected at all and it really touched my heart for them both.

Addie and Dylan were both friendly, caring and honest characters who were both from very different backgrounds. Dylan’s friend Marcus was a live wire and I certainly had an air of caution around him as much as he helped to provide some of the humour along the way.

The storyline is uplifting and full of energy flowing at a fast paced with no dull moments for your mind to wander which is surprising considering some of the issues that are touched upon in the storyline. The author has made both her lead characters so life like with both Addie and Dylan having flaws that they both take ownership of and this was quite refreshing to have and made it feel like a more realistic storyline even if it was a huge coincidence that they happened to have a crash on the way to the same place!

I loved The Road Trip just as much has her debut The Flatshare and after three flawless novels I think I can now safely say I am a Beth O’Leary fan and will definitely be pre-ordering her next novel as soon as we are able to do so as her books are definitely ones not to be missed.

The Switch by Beth O'Leary

When overachiever Leena Cotton is ordered to take a two-month sabbatical after blowing a big presentation at work, she escapes to her grandmother Eileen's house for some overdue rest. Eileen is newly single and about to turn eighty. She'd like a second chance at love, but her tiny Yorkshire village doesn't offer many eligible gentlemen.

Once Leena learns of Eileen's romantic predicament, she proposes a solution: a two-month swap. Eileen can live in London and look for love. Meanwhile Leena will look after everything in rural Yorkshire. But with gossiping neighbours and difficult family dynamics to navigate up north, and trendy London flatmates and online dating to contend with in the city, stepping into one another's shoes proves more difficult than either of them expected.

Leena learns that a long-distance relationship isn't as romantic as she hoped it would be, and then there is the annoyingly perfect - and distractingly handsome - school teacher, who keeps showing up to outdo her efforts to impress the local villagers. Back in London, Eileen is a huge hit with her new neighbours, but is her perfect match nearer home than she first thought?

One of the my most memorable books last year was The Flatshare by debut author Beth O’leary, it really was a remarkable debut with such skill and an original concept that worked perfectly. I was looking forward to see what this author would have in store for us with book number two and having now read The Switch I can confirm that this is definitely a talented author who just keeps giving!


The Switch follows Eileen and Leena, a Grandmother and Granddaughter who make a drastic decision to swap lives, Eileen is heading of to live the London life as a singleton jumping into the world of online dating whilst Leena is taking over her Grandmothers day to day roles whilst giving her time away from work and to take time to heal after grieving for her sister was masked by just throwing herself into work.


I have recently found it hard to find novels that have a genuine, easy humour weaved into the storyline and this is something that I think we could all do with at the moment to give us pure escapism from what is going on around us so it was a breath of fresh air to find that the wit that this author had in her debut book flows through in this book. It was lovely to find myself chuckling at the small mishaps that happened to the ladies in this book.


It was great to see what both generations managed to bring to the other, Eileen took Leena’s friends under her wing and got them to actually open their eyes and put down the phone and start enjoying life and look at those around them. The younger generation have lost their way and struggle to communicate away from technology and I blind to those living around them. Whereas we see technology is not all bad when Eileen realises that there are ways to meet people whose paths would never usually cross, and at a time when you are lonely or unable to go out it is a wonderful aid to be able to talk online and purchase online too.


As I mentioned there is a touch of humour and also a light enjoyable feel to the storyline but there are a couple of more sensitive topics that are covered in this novel too which the author tackles with such care whilst bringing awareness too and this added more depth and emotion to the storyline.

I absolutely love Beth O’Leary’s writing style and she is definitely an author to watch and it is great to see her brining something completely new to our bookshelves as I would not be able to recommend another author similar to her. I am excited to see what this author comes up with for her next release but one thing I can guarantee is that as soon as it is ready to pre-order I will be the first one there.


Kindle                        Hardback

The Flat Share by Beth O'Leary

Tiffy Moore needs a cheap flat, and fast. Leon Twomey works nights and needs cash. Their friends think they’re crazy, but it’s the perfect solution: Leon occupies the one-bed flat while Tiffy’s at work in the day, and she has the run of the place the rest of the time.
But with obsessive ex-boyfriends, demanding clients at work, wrongly imprisoned brothers and, of course, the fact that they still haven’t met yet, they’re about to discover that if you want the perfect home you need to throw the rulebook out the window…


I always have my favourite go to authors whose books I look forward to each year, but I also love to find new debut authors who offer something original to enjoy and that was exactly what I was expecting when I saw The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary appear on my social media timeline.


After Tiffy breaks up with her partner Justin she is desperate to find somewhere affordable to live but with prices so high her options are slim.

Leon is in desperate need of cash, he works nights as a nurse so he comes up with a perfect plan of renting out his flat and his bed!

Can Tiffy and Leon make the situation work even with the words of warning from friends and loved ones?


I thoroughly enjoyed this storyline, it was the perfect book at the right time as I had read a lot of deep dark storylines so I needed something uplifting, romantic and witty and that was exactly what this book had instore for me. I can say that this is the first book I have ever read ( and I wouldn’t mind betting there are no others out there) that features a bed rental and it surprisingly worked incredibly well even if I did have SO many things going through my head regarding the logistics of how they were going to make this work.


Although this was a witty and uplifting read the author does also touch on a couple of issues that both Leon and Tiffy are both facing and both were weaved into the storyline perfectly to create awareness and give a bit more depth to the storyline without it dulling the mood.


The storyline is told from both Tiffy and Leon’s points of view which worked really well in this book considering they do not meet for a large part of the book. I found Tiffy’s chapters easy to read from the start but it did take a little getting used to with Leon’s point of view as the dialogue didn’t flow as well but after a few chapters I got used to his narrative.


What I loved most in this book was the post it note conversations, they were humorous and I loved watching the friendship between Tiffy and Leon blossom through their words. I was routing for both of our characters as they both had such an honest, loyal friendly personalities who only deserve the best and it wasn’t long before Tiffy’s quirkiness draws Leon out of his shell and rather than finding her quirks annoying he soon finds them comforting and somewhat endearing.


This is a praiseworthy debut as Beth has developed such loving and memorable characters and her storytelling is one that sweeps you up and doesn’t let you go. I was quite sad to leave these characters behind but I am excited to see what else this author brings us in the future. I do think that fans of Lindsey Kelk and Jane Costello will definitely enjoy The Flatshare.

The Flat Share is out TODAY on Kindle and is due for release in Hardback on 18th April.

Kindle                     Hardback