Hello Again by Isabelle Broom

Philippa Taylor (Pepper to her friends) has big dreams. When she closes her eyes, she can picture exactly who she ought to be. The problem is, it's about as far away from her real life in a small coastal town in Suffolk as she can imagine.

So when her elderly friend Josephine persuades Pepper to accompany her on a trip to Europe, she jumps at the chance to change her routine. And when Pepper bumps (literally) into the handsome Finn in Lisbon, it seems as though she might have finally found what she's been looking for.

But Pepper know all too well things are rarely as they seem. Her own quiet life hides a dark secret from the past. And even though she and Finn may have been destined to find each other, Pepper suspects life may have other plans as to how the story should end. 

With our current situation we can only look out our windows at the sky and dream of flying away to holiday in idyllic locations but I really felt like I needed a holiday fix and if I can’t leave my home I knew I could escape in another way through Isabelle Brooms impeccable ability to transport us through her vivid writing style to picturesque countries around the world.

Pepper has been existing not living after a devastating tragedy that happened to her family when she was younger has shaped her life but when her dear friend Josephine asks her to be her travel companion to revisit countries close to her heart she takes the leap and little does she know that this is going to put her life on a new path.

We escape along with Pepper to Lisbon, Hamburg and Barcelona each country so idyllic and inviting in their own little ways as we soak in the sites. Isabelle Broom has such a skill in writing about countries history, cuisines and hidden spots that intrigue me in each one of her books this one included. Lisbon has never been somewhere on my list of places to visit but it sure does appeal to me now and I long to walk the pretty little streets that Pepper and Josephine walked.

It was so lovely to see Pepper beginning to relax and enjoy her life as she tried new things along the way and this of course was helped by a certain meeting of the incredibly handsome Finn who she meets in Lisbon but there was always that black cloud of her past and the effect it has had on the relationship with her mum as well as the effect it has had on her own life which gives a more emotive feel to the storyline and as we get to know Pepper more throughout the storyline I longed for her to find confidence in herself and to start living the life she deserves.

I found myself racing through the pages keen to see where Pepper was going to travel to next and to watch a sweet romance blossoming, there were a number of parts in the book that were unexpected and this just made the storyline all the more captivating where it was unpredictable.

The characters were so well developed that I really cared for them all and found myself a little deflated having finished the book not wanting to leave Pepper, Finn and Josephine behind but this book was a great little tonic that I absolutely loved and have already found myself recommending this to friends and fellow bookworms.

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One Thousand Stars and You by Isabelle Broom

Alice is settling down. It might not be the adventurous life she once imagined, but more than anything she wants to make everyone happy - her steady boyfriend, her over-protective mother - even if it means a little part of her will always feel stifled.

Max is shaking things up. After a devastating injury, he is determined to prove himself. To find the man beyond the disability, to escape his smothering family and go on an adventure.

A trip to Sri Lanka is Alice's last hurrah - her chance to throw herself into the heat, chaos and colour of a place thousands of miles from home.

It's also the moment she meets Max.

Alice doesn't know it yet, but her whole life is about to change.

Max doesn't know it yet, but he's the one who's going to change it.

Isabelle Broom is back and this time she is showing us the sites of Sri Lanka in One Thousand Stars and You.

As best friends Alice, Maureen and Steph have their Big 30 looming they decide to spend their birthdays together in an unforgettable trip to Sri Lanka which Alice’s over protective partner Richard and her mum are not pleased about. Alice craves adventure and can not wait to discover what Sri Lanka has hidden but she finds more than she set out to find.

This was the first book by Isabelle Broom where I wasn’t chomping at the bit to get on a plane to the destination but I think this is because I felt more invested in the storyline and characters this time. It was almost a forbidden fruit romance that should have felt so wrong and yet was so right.

My favourite character was actually Max he was an admirable guy and I found his situation and daily challenges insightful (I don’t want to give anymore away). Alice was also a great character and I enjoyed watching her finally unravel and begin to find who she really is inside rather than who she is expected to be.

This is a beautiful written romance that is set in a stunning location following a journey of self discovery. Another whopper from Isabelle Broom.

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The Place We Met by Isabelle Broom

Lucy may have suffered her fair share of bad men, but now she has Pete. Finally, a man worth sharing her favourite place with, Lake Como. That's if she can put mysterious phone calls and glamorous ex-girlfriends out of her mind.

Taggie is rushed off her feet, but distraction is exactly what she needs to forget why she fled England and the sadness she left behind. She certainly doesn't have time for infuriating stranger Marco. A man is the last thing she needs right now.

Lucy and Taggie might not know it, but their lives are about to collide. The New Year might begin with fireworks - but how will it end?

I was given a copy of The Place We Met by Isabelle Broom by my Husband for Christmas this year and he couldn't have picked a better book for me. I have adored each of this authors previous books even if they have resulted in a pure determination for me to visit each location that her books have been set in and now having finished this book I have Lake Como to add to my list too!

The storyline is told by alternating chapters focusing on our two main characters Tiggie and Lucy. Both ladies are very vulnerable characters who are carrying emotional baggage but it isn't until the storyline progresses that we begin to see what has caused such emotional turmoil for them.

Tiggie has upsticks and moved to Lake Como a place of comfort to her where she hoped to rebuild herself away from all who know her. 

Lucy is heading off on holiday with her boyfriend Pete but after seeing a phone call from a name she doesn't know come through on his phone her insecurities come to the surface but she hopes the time together on holiday will bring them closer.

One thing I come to expect now from a book written by Isabelle Broom is that she will whisk me away to an idyllic location that will have me mesmerised by its natural beauty and hidden gems found off of the tourist track and once again this is what I found in this book so I was not disappointed other than that my bank balance will not let me venture their currently! Isabelle Broom has such a wonderful atmospheric writing style that brings everything to life so vividly that it is impossible not to get swept away in her books.

I liked how I was kept in the dark for the first half of the book as to what was going to join the two ladies together and when it all was revealed I then began to connect the pieces as to what was going to happen next but I still enjoyed reading the events unfold.

I loved the handsome Marco, whenever he seemed to be around there soon followed some unintentional humour too. I read the book at the perfect time with it being set between Christmas and New Year which was great but don't let this put you off reading it throughout the year as it isn't heavily festive so can still easily be enjoyed on the beach too.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it doesn't quite beat her previous books but I still enjoyed each and every chapter.

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Then. Now. Always by Isabelle Broom

Twenty-eight year old Hannah is ready for an adventure. She and her colleagues are in Spain for a month to film a documentary, and it's a dream come true. Not least because Hannah will get to spend long summer days with Theo, her boss (and gorgeous crush). It couldn't be a more perfect setting to fall in love...

If only Tom (Hannah's best friend and cameramen) and Claudette (the presenter) would stop getting in the way...

Then things become even more complicated when Nancy, Hannah's half-sister arrives. What on earth is she doing here?

For just once in her life, can't Hannah have one perfect summer, free of any drama?

I have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of Isabelle Broom’s new release Then.Now.Always after reading her previous two books that had me completely captivated by her idyllic settings. I was longing to see what breath-taking location she would whisk us away to in her new book.

Hannah spent her teen holiday with friend Rachel in the stunning Spanish village of Mojacar, it is a place that has always stayed with her so when she gets the chance to return for work with her Handsome boss Theo and best friend Tom and the diva French Claudette she jumps at the opportunity.

Finally Hannah is on Theo’s radar and she is keen to spend more time with her crush but Tom and Claudette doesn’t make this easy for her and with the added surprise arrival of her sister Nancy her chances of getting any closer to Theo are slim.

Mojacar was not somewhere I had ever heard of before reading this book but it is now a destination that has flown to the top of my wish list to visit now. Isabelle Broom has captured the true charm and beauty of this inviting paradise that had me googling holidays on Thomson straight away. There was no need to look up pictures of this stunning village as the authors attention to detail when writing about this place just brought it to life and I could vision it perfectly in my mind.

As well as the breath taking scenery Mojacar has to offer Isabelle Broom also educates us in an entertaining way on the various history and knowledge surrounding Mojacar too especially surrounding the Indalo man who is a frequent feature throughout the book.

Hannah is an easy character to love she is a friendly, loyal character even though there is a stubborn jealous side to her too. Her love for Mojacar is clear to see throughout the book just as much as her love for her her boss! She has a wonderful friendship with co-worker Tom and although his character had a messy situation caught in the middle at points through the book I still loved him. As for Nancy and Claudette I didn’t know who I wanted to slap more but one of these characters gradually redeemed herself later in the book.

As with Isabelle Broom’s previous books this is perfect holiday reading and if like me you won’t be getting a holiday this year then this book will whisk you away to a perfect location and will leave a lasting impression on you.

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A Year and a Day by Isabelle Broom

Today I am thrilled to be taking part in the blog tour for A Year and a Day by Isabelle Broom.

This book is a perfect winter read to get you in the festive spirit on the run up to Christmas.

For Megan, a winter escape to Prague with her friend Ollie is a chance to find some inspiration for her upcoming photography exhibition. But she's determined to keep their friendship from becoming anything more. Because if Megan lets Ollie find out about her past, she risks losing everything - and she won't let that happen again . . . 

 For Hope, the trip is a surprise treat from Charlie, her new partner. But she's struggling to enjoy the beauty of the city when she knows how angry her daughter is back home. And that it's all her fault . . . 

 For Sophie, the city has always been a magical place. This time she can't stop counting down the moments until her boyfriend Robin joins her. But in historic Prague you can never escape the past . .

I was won over earlier in the year by My Map of You by Isabelle Broom so when I saw that she was releasing a festive read with a breathtakingly gorgeous cover I couldn’t wait to start.

This book is set in Prague which is not somewhere that has ever really appealed to me but Isabelle Broom captures the true beauty of Prague and has brought the Old Town to life teasing me with all the deviously good food, plentiful wine and iconic historical sights. I don’t think I have ever googled the location of a book so much whilst reading a book and by a quart of the way through I was already pricing up a getaway to see the beauty that this author has dangled before me.

To add to an idyllic setting we are also introduced to a wonderful set of engaging characters Hope and Charlie are enjoying a romantic break, Sophie is returning to where she first met fiancé Robin who she is waiting to join her later in her trip, whilst friends Megan and Ollie are soaking in the sights for their jobs as a teacher and a photographer but can the magical and festive surroundings work its magic on the pair?

I am an avid reader but my favourite time of year to read is around Christmas wrapped up with a hot chocolate and a festive read but over the last few years I have struggled to find a book that really captures the festivity that ticks all the boxes and yet finally I have found it all in this book (other than poor Father Christmas he must have been busy!) This book has all the feels, the cosy festive setting, the romance, the delicious food and drink and the quaint little Christmas market stalls.

This storyline will pull you in from the first chapter and not let you go. The characters strike up a friendship which brings the storyline together as they reveal events from their past as well as the difficulty and apprehension in moving forward.

This is an utterly perfect wintry read that will leave a lasting impression on me and I wouldn’t be surprised if this hits the top spot on my Christmas 2016 book list this year.

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My Map of You by Isabelle Broom

Holly Wright has had a difficult few years. After her mother's death, she's become expert at keeping people at a distance - including her boyfriend, Rupert. 

But when Holly receives an unexpected letter explaining that an aunt she never met has left her a house on the Greek island of Zakynthos, the walls she has built begin to crumble. Arriving on the island, Holly meets the handsome Aidan and slowly begins to uncover the truth about the secret which tore her family apart. 

But is the island where Holly really belongs? 

Or will her real life catch up with her first?

I have desperately been waiting for Isabelle Broom’s My Map of You to be released and having now just finished reading this atmospheric read I can say the story it holds inside is as beautiful as the cover.

Holly has not had an ideal upbringing which has had an effect on her and her relationships as she can’t let anyone close including boyfriend Rupert. But Holly is about to have her life turned upside down when an unexpected letter arrives informing her that she has inherited a house on the Greek Island of Zakynthos from her Aunt, but as far as Holly is concerned she was the only member of her family still alive.

Holly was a character who really touched my heart and who I found a connection with early on in the book. Holly didn’t actually know who she was, she has spent so long being a chameleon trying to fit around people and she doesn’t let anyone in, she had to learn to be friends and learn to love, nothing came naturally and trust didn’t appear to come at all. As Holly spends more time in Zakynthos there was something comforting and calming about the Island that slowly managed to get Holly to take a step back and start to really figure out who she is and what she wants and I loved watching her character blossom.

The supporting characters were all really well developed, some I didn’t warm to such as Rupert others I loved just as much as Holly like our charming Aiden.

The Island of Zakynthos was so enchanting and inviting thanks to the authors skilled and detailed descriptions, I think the author needs to be on commission for this book as holidays to the Island are sure to take a rise once readers have had a taste of the Island through these pages, I for one was straight online having a look on Thomson! 

The author has obviously spent a lot of time researching the Islands little hideaways and quirks it was like a little guided tour alongside the storyline.

The storyline had me engrossed the whole way through with some unexpected surprises along the way to keep me on my toes. The Greek charm of the locals, the sizzling romance and the idyllic setting all come together to make this a truly perfect holiday read this Summer but be warned closing this book and leaving the characters and Zakynthos behind is like boarding that dreaded flight home!

I really enjoyed this book and Holly’s journey of self-discovery as well as my own discovery of the stunning Island of Zakynthos, this is the first book of the year that I have read that I want to scream at everyone to pop in their suitcases as this one is perfect holiday reading that will not disappoint. 

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