The Backpacking Housewife by Janice Horton

Lorraine Anderson was meant to be making a Sunday roast, not swanning off to Thailand, backpack in hand! But when she finds her husband and her best friend in bed together there’s only one thing to do – grab her passport and never look back!

Now, with each mile travelled Lori sheds the woman she once was and finds the woman she was always meant to be. A woman of passion and spirit who deserves to explore the great unknown…and to indulge in the temptation she encounters along the way!

I have enjoyed previous novels by Janice Horton before and having seen pictures of the locations the author is travelling around I was looking forward to reading her new novel The Backpacking Housewife.

The book opens when Lorraine has discovered her Husband is having an affair with her bestfriend. Lorraine decides the best way for her to cope is to get as far away from everything as she can so she embarks on a backpacking adventure around Thailand.

The author has clearly visited some breath-taking places that has given her memories to treasure forever and her beautiful writing style made each of the places Lorraine visits so vivid I felt like I was with her soaking up the sights.

My favourite part of the book was when Lorraine headed to Koh Phi Tao to help on the Turtle conservation. This part of the book was not only an eye opener and very informative but it is also where the storyline really began for me. This novel was completely different from the authors previous novels. At the beginning of the book when we were introduced to Lorraine and we find out the devastating situation she was in I was instantly drawn to her story but the storyline then slipped and felt more like a travelogue than a fictional storyline but as she arrives at the turtle conservation the storyline picked up again.

I love how I learned so many things throughout this book especially to my husbands surprise when I told him about the f**k me Geko!

Lorraine was such a strong and courageous character who threw everything aside to go on the best adventure of her life. The romance that blossoms in the book was honest and beautiful to see develop. I really hope that we do see a sequel to this book as I think there is so much more to come for Lorraine.

If you are unable to jet off this year to sun, sea and sights then pick up this book as this will whisk you away to the most exotic location you can imagine.

Kindle                       Paperback

How do you Voodoo by Janice Horton

When I was sent How Do you Voodoo to review I was very nervous about reading this and had it not been written by Janice I probably would have overlooked it but I have really enjoyed the authors previous books so I decided to give it a try.

Plot
Loveless fashion model Nola Nichols thinks being beautiful is a curse; that is until she is cursed and her looks begin to fade just a week before the most important photo shoot of her career.Nola rejects all rational explanation on what might be causing her lost looks and decides she has to find a way to get uncursed. 

This imaginative quest takes her from the Caribbean to Glasgow’s own City of the Dead. Along the way, she finds herself taking part in a rather unconventional funeral, involved in a voodoo ritual, reveals one or two unrests in her own past and falls madly in love with a doctor. Erm, that would be a witch doctor, right…?

I do not usually read books about curses and dark magic but I trusted Janice and it seemed appropriate to read at this time of year with all these mini witches and pumpkins knocking on my door expecting me to share my sweets!

At just a mere 20,000 Words this was a perfect little read for me which came along at the right time as I had just finished a long in-depth emotional read and could do with something short and light hearted and that is exactly what I got with How Do you Voodoo. Our main character Nola is a very self-centred character so not one that we warm to but she plays the perfect roll.

For a short story it didn’t feel rushed and yet we are thrown straight into the storyline without having to wait for a big build up to the storyline.There is a romance storyline weaved into this book which was a big plus for me who is ever the romantic, and you never quite know if the two characters who are from completely different backgrounds would finally get it together.

If you are looking for something light hearted that can make you laugh and is fitting with tonight spooky feel then this is worth clicking for your kindle especially at the great price.

Kindle

Reaching For the Stars by Janice Horton

After reading Janice Horton’s book Bagpipes and Bullshot earlier in the year, which I thoroughly enjoyed with its descriptive writing and traditional feel to it I couldn’t wait to see what this talented author had up her sleeve for her next novel Reaching for the Stars.

Plot
Scottish celebrity chef Finn McDuff is media stalked and disillusioned after winning his third star and losing his third wife. He decides he’s had enough of all the food campaigns, the TV cookery shows, the constant frenzy surrounding his private life and, after giving up all his accolades and closing down his restaurant, he disappears.


With the enfant terrible of the kitchen missing, two rival newspapers, having lost their media meal ticket, compete against each other to whip up further public curiosity in the missing chef. Love him or hate him, everyone is out looking for Chef McDuff. Who will find him first and whose side will you be on...?

My opinion
I have to admit after reading the synopsis of Reaching for the Stars I was a little shocked as it sounded like a completely different read, I was a little nervous about reading this book because I really didn’t want to be disappointed I was hoping that Janice Horton still worked her charm in this book.

I found the characters in this book compelling to read mainly because yet again Janice uses her descriptive writing skill in bringing the characters to life as you meet each one. I did find it a little hard to believe how young Raine was she came across a lot older than her early 20’s but I loved both her and Finn’s characters.
For me the story came into its own when Finn disappears as this is where we see Janice Horton’s writing at its best in this book. There was still the element of suspense in this book I couldn’t predict the ending to it at all which was a nice little surprise.

I really enjoyed this book it did have a different feel to it I think it is because it felt more modernised compared to Bagpipes and Bullshot which has more of a traditional feel.

Janice Horton really is a star when it comes to compelling reading. Reach for Janice Horton, Reaching for the Stars! Grap your copy by clicking below for an unbeatable price of 95p !!!



To keep up with Janice Horton follow her on  www.janicehortonwriter.blogspot.com
Janice is also on twitter @JaniceHorton

Bagpipes & Bullshot by Janice Horton

I have just finished Bagpipes and Bullshot by Janice Horton. I think this is a record for me as I have finished reading it in less than a day!

Plot

When Innes Buchanan inherits the title of Laird, he is entrusted with the Scottish family estate, the ancestral home, and centuries of noble tradition. Sadly, he also inherits the family bank balance which, after death duty, is crumbling faster than the walls of their ancient castle. After exhausting even the most unlikely of cash generating alternatives and with bankruptcy on the horizon, Innes stumbles across one last initiative, a research scholarship in Texas to establish a new herd of cattle. With a lifetime of sheep farming and no room for failure, Innes's luck returns on a chance encounter with Orley MacKenna, a born and raised Texan cowgirl who needs little convincing to leave her past behind. Though a likely couple, the two settle for an unlikely business partnership, and return to Scotland to try and save the Buchanan fortune. Told with timeless Scottish romanticism and a knowing sense of humour, Bagpipes and Bullshot twists an everyday love story with a whole cast of village eccentrics who integrate seamlessly into a fantastic play on rural life.

My Opinion

The first thing I have to say about this book is I absolutely loved the relationship between our two main characters Orley and Innes. Although they are two worlds apart the  relationship between the two of them is so delicate which helped to make the whole book such a “cosy” read. Both Orley and Innes are two worlds apart and it is lovely to read about their relationship blossom throughout the book as they face some challenging times.

 I was so gripped from the first page of this book and I felt like I had been reading for so long and when I clicked the page it then said chapter 1 !! All I could think was if I am this gripped on just the Prologue I can see that this is going to be a hard book to put down. The story is a great romantic read that has a light hearted humour to it.

 What stuck out to me was the creative writing style that Janice Horton uses to set the scene in Scotland. I for one have never visited Scotland but after reading this book I feel as if I know the place already. Clearly Janice Horton is in love with her home town and that shows in this book.

I loved each and every character in this novel apart from Davina who is a spoilt little minx! As the book flowed along I was unsure what she was going to get upto next each time you think her actions cannot get any worse they soon do!

The one thing that I always look for in a book is the suspense factor. I do not like to know at the beginning of the book what is going to happen in the end. A book will only ever get a 5 star from me if the book is not predictable...... Well done Janice Horton you have got the 5 star from me. What more can I ask for in a book, romance, light humour, descriptive writing and the suspense.

This is definatley worth a read on a Sunday afternoon with a nice cuppa as this is my little “cosy” read.

Bagpipes and Bullshot is available at a VERY reasonable price on Amazon so headover to the link below.

http://loveahappyending.com/janice-horton/

Janice Horton is a part of the loveahappyending page so head over and check it out