My Review for Wreck My Plans by Jillian Meadows, read by Samantha Brentmoor and Patrick Zeller

Lena and Gavin....at the beginning I just wanted to bang their heads together - a typical case of miscommunication, or rather a lack of communication! For heaven’s sake, just talk to each other! 

Samantha Brentmoor and Patrick Zeller were great narrators as Lena and Gavin, both of them throwing themselves into the characters, especially during the spicy scenes - you have been warned! Of course, it was pretty obvious how the story was going to pan out, but the excitement and the build-up to Christmas and beyond was so much fun. I loved that Gavin was having to eat a gluten-free diet. This resonated slightly with me as my husband has recently been diagnosed with coeliac, so that’s the route we’re going down right now!

Lena’s family is just a cuteness overload. From the smallest baby to the eldest Grandma, I was invested in them all as soon as I plugged my AirPods in. The bonus episodes were awesome, I don’t know whether these are included in the physical book, but I loved hearing what happened a few months on,

Thank you to HarperAudio and Libro.fm for the opportunity to listen to and review Wreck My Plans by Jillian Meadows.

About the Book

A sweet and spicy holiday romance between a spirited artist who returns to her small town for Christmas and her older brother’s best friend, a serious architect who pushes all her buttons—but whom she can’t seem to stay away from. Now with exclusive bonus content!

Lena’s plans are simple. Surprise her family for Christmas, don’t tell them she lost her job, and most importantly, spend the week relaxing with the people she cares about.

But when she arrives in Juniper, she discovers she’s not the only unexpected guest this year. Her older brother’s best friend, Gavin, is back after disappearing three years ago without a word. He has the kind of charm Lena has always been drawn to. But she knows he’s also the kind of temptation she needs to stay far away from.

Gavin has built his architecture career out of planning strategies for dealing with the unexpected—but he didn’t have a strategy for the possibility of seeing Lena again. Though he’s been dreaming of her since the day he left, he can’t risk giving in to his feelings when they could upend the only family and home he has ever known.

New plan: try to be friends again. Just friends.

But as the pieces fall into place about why Gavin left, staying friends is the last thing on his mind…and on Lena’s. All the plans they’ve made might end up completely wrecked. And for once, maybe they want it that way.

About Jillian - by Jillian

I love to write romance that feels like a warm, cozy hug. That makes you smile and laugh and blush. That gives you that heart-bursting, butterflies-in-your-stomach feeling that we’re all searching for in a love story.

​​If that’s your vibe, welcome! I’m so happy you’re here!!

​​I live thirty miles past The Middle of Nowhere with my husband, four wild daughters, two unruly dogs, and my sparkling water addiction. When I’m not writing, you can find me devouring a romance novel, playing board games, or enjoying the outdoors with my family.

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My Review for Escape to Polkerran Point by Cass Grafton

This week I took a second trip to Polkerran Point and this time I went along with Lauren for the ride. Pregnant, with no job and no home, Lauren seeks the comfort of her best friend Anna, who has already been living in Polkerran Point for a while and welcomes Lauren with open arms.

I loved Lauren; I loved how she really wasn’t sure about Polkerran Point, how she initially missed the hustle and bustle of city life and, most of all, I loved how the beauty of Cornwall grew on her until she almost didn’t want to leave.

Daniel and Lauren were cute, and much more suited to each other than with either of their exes, but boy their lack of communication was frustrating - for heaven’s sake, just tell each other how you feel!

Although this is the second book in the series, it can absolutely be read as a standalone, but don’t. Do yourself a favour and buy both books, or even treat yourselves and buy the third one too which has recently been released!

About the Book

Can fake dating turn into something more with a baby on the way? High-flying exec Lauren Kirkham is having a bad week. Unexpectedly pregnant, out of work and – when dumped by her boyfriend – with nowhere to live. She needs a respite, and so goes to visit her friend Anna in Polkerran for a short stay.

Polkerran’s local handyman Daniel Tremayne is busy building his own ‘grand design’ on one of the cove’s cliffs. When TV crews turn up to film, expecting a happily paired up couple, he urgently needs a fake live-in girlfriend, since he's also split with his ex.

Can Lauren and Daniel solve their mutual dilemmas by joining forces, and if so, will their hearts emerge unscathed?

About Cass - by Cass

I began my writing life in Regency England, enlisted Jane Austen's help to timetravel between then and the present day and am now happily ensconced in 21st century Cornwall.

Well, in my imagination and soul; my heart and physical presence reside in northern England with my ever-patient husband and Tig and Tag, our cute but exceptionally demanding moggies.

A bit of a nomad, I’ve called three countries home, as well as six different English counties, but my aspiration is to one day reunite with my beloved West Country.

In the meantime, I write feel-good contemporary romances set in Cornwall and, in doing so, manage to live there vicariously through my characters and settings

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My Review for Summer at the Little French Cafe by Karen Clarke, read by Lucy Bromilow

A lovely listen from a first-time author to me with Karen Clarke’s Summer at the Little French Cafe. Elle Matheson is off to France to try to find her birth mother, but she doesn’t have a lot to go on. The book was full of humour, great characters, and intrigue! Elle immediately fit in with everyone and they all warm to her. Maybe this is the place she is destined to be! 

If you are a fan of a small-town romance with memorable characters, a cute cafe and some goats, then give this book a listen or a read. I didn’t realise until afterwards that this is part of a series, however; you don’t need to have read a previous book to enjoy this one. I will be going back and trying some more of Karen’s books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Saga Egmont Audio for the opportunity to listen to and review Summer at the Little French Cafe by Karen Clarke.

About the Book

In the beautiful village of Chamillon lies the Café Belle Vie, where you’ll always find croissants and friends when you need them the most – and where Elle is hoping to uncover the truth about her past…

Thirty-year-old Elle Matheson has decided it’s finally time to find the mother who gave her up as a baby. With a faded postcard from the Café Belle Vie in hand – one of the very few things she has from her mother – she heads straight to the Île de Ré to begin her search. 

With only the postcard and the ivory shawl she was wrapped in as clues, finding her mum is like trying to find a needle in a haystack, even with the help of friendly – and gorgeous – café-owner Charlie. And since Elle hasn’t exactly told her younger sister what she’s up to, the little white lies about where she is are starting to add up… 

But Elle is really starting to feel at home on the beautiful island. The locals are welcoming, the café is homely, and Charlie is always there with a helping hand, a listening ear, and a pain au chocolat. 

Is Elle about to discover not just where she came from – but where she belongs?

About Karen - by Karen

I was born in North Yorkshire in the UK but have lived in Buckinghamshire with my

husband and three children for many years.

​I've loved writing since childhood and when I was eleven had a poem published in 'Judy' comic, which I dined out on for years before deciding I had better move on and write something else.

After joining an online writing group, I began submitting short stories to women's magazines and have sold over 300 in the UK and abroad. 

I never let go of my dream to write a novel, inspired by some of my early favourite romantic comedy authors (and the Adrian Mole series by Sue Townsend) and was thrilled to be approached by award-winning publisher Bookouture to write my Beachside series. Writing 3 novels in a year was a challenge but one I enjoyed rising to, following that series with three more books, set in fictional Seashell Cove, while my third series features The Little French Cafe located in the beautiful Ile de Re in France. 

​Three previous romcoms, with a paranormal twist, can be downloaded from Amazon and are also available as audiobooks. I love listening to books in the car and have been known to prolong a journey so I can listen for longer!

​A step to the dark side in 2019 saw me switch to writing psychological thrillers for HarperCollins/HQ Stories, which I love, and all four are available in digital, paperback and audio format, with a fifth being published in 2023.

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My Review for New Dreams at Polkerran Point by Cass Grafton

New Dreams at Polkerran Point is the first book in the Polkerran Point series and the first I’ve read by the lovely Cass Grafton. Cass is fast becoming one of my auto-buy authors!

I loved this story so much. I’m a sucker for anything which includes a girl giving up city life for village life in Cornwall. Throw in some romance, attractive men and nosey neighbours full of village gossip, and you have the perfect combination. Anna is our protagonist and has inherited her Aunt Meg’s cottage, so why wouldn’t she up-sticks and move across several counties from Yorkshire to Cornwall? And there begins the stories in Polkerran Point, which can’t come fast enough!

I loved that the story isn’t just a plain old romance, there is plenty of mystery and intrigue throughout and Cass kept me guessing the entire way through about, well, absolutely everything! I loved Lauren, who is Anna’s bestie in Yorkshire and is always at the end of a FaceTime call when Anna needs her - and vice versa. I liked the broody, mysterious and grumpy Oliver, but I didn’t love Alex, who quite frankly is an ass!

Cass gives us a different quote from a classic novel at the start of every chapter and they all have some relevance to what’s coming up in the next few pages. I loved this and I couldn’t wait to see which one she came up with each time.

I’ve already bought the next book in the series, and I’ve started reading it. I’ll be along to share my thoughts on that one with you all very soon.

About the Book

When Aunt Meg leaves her cottage to Anna Redding in her will, Anna immediately packs up and heads to Polkerran, the Cornish fishing village where she was so happy as a child. With ambitions to turn the cottage into a B&B, a job working for the enigmatic historian, Oliver Seymour , and the return of her childhood crush, Alex Tremayne , it seems the stars have all aligned for Anna. But Aunt Meg left behind a mystery for her to solve, and a shock discovery reveals she may be living a dream that isn’t really hers to hold. Can Anna rescue the new life she’s made for herself? Who in Polkerran can she really count on in her time of need?

About Cass - by Cass

I began my writing life in Regency England, enlisted Jane Austen's help to timetravel between then and the present day and am now happily ensconced in 21st century Cornwall.

Well, in my imagination and soul; my heart and physical presence reside in northern England with my ever-patient husband and Tig and Tag, our cute but exceptionally demanding moggies.

A bit of a nomad, I’ve called three countries home, as well as six different English counties, but my aspiration is to one day reunite with my beloved West Country.

In the meantime, I write feel-good contemporary romances set in Cornwall and, in doing so, manage to live there vicariously through my characters and settings

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My Review for The Journey After the Crown by Andrew Mackie, read by Lisa McCune

I listened to The Journey After the Crown as an audiobook. It grew on me, but it was incredibly slow to begin with and it took me an age to get to grips with the characters. Daisie and Violet are nineteen-year-old identical twins who have the chance of a lifetime. They are to be maids to Queen Elizabeth II onboard the royal ship, as she and Prince Philip embark on a royal tour of Australia and the Commonwealth.

Whilst the story is long-winded and the characters are unlikable, I did enjoy the story. Some parts shocked me, whilst for much of it I was frustrated by the actions of several people. It was full of drama and interest and worth a read for anyone who enjoys historical fiction. Whilst based on a true event, the story is entirely fictional, maybe it would have been better if there were more elements of truth included.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK Audio for the opportunity to listen to and review The Journey After the Crown by Andrew Mackie.

About the Book

A young Queen. Two sisters. A voyage that will change their fates forever.

Nineteen-year-old identical twins Violet and Daisie Chettle can hardly believe their luck when they are recruited as maids on newly crowned Queen Elizabeth II’s royal ship.

It’s just the ticket they need away from cold, grey London and the tension that’s been brewing at home since the tragic loss of their parents.

But the 1954 royal tour to Australia, is a far cry from the glitz and glamour they had imagined. Life below deck is hard-work, and whilst Violet is prepared to keep her head down and be seen and not heard, Daisie has her sights on doing everything she can to hang up her apron and mingle above deck – even if it means leaving Violet behind.

But as Daisie begins to win royal favour, she receives a letter from London. The sisters can’t outrun their past any longer… Violet has committed an unspeakable act of betrayal that will change their relationship forever.

With their positions on the tour hanging in the balance, have the sisters ventured too far from home to ever find their way back?

Set against the stunning backdrop of Queen Elizabeth’s first royal tour with Prince Phillip prepare to be swept away with this upstairs-downstairs drama, perfect for fans of The Crown and Downton Abbey

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My Review for One of the Girls by Lucy Clarke, read by Natalie Simpson and Sofia Zervudachi

Full of twists, turns, alcohol and sunshine, this thriller audiobook kept my anxieties high as I listened. Told in turn, from each character’s viewpoint, it didn’t take me long to work out who was who, and their relationship to Lexi, the bride-to-be on her hen weekend in Greece. We all knew someone would die. What I didn’t work out, though, was who that was going to be and what was going to happen. That came as a complete surprise. All six women had their secrets and, of course, during the trip, all the secrets were going to come out, one way or another.

Lucy writes with intrigue, and suspense and I adored listening to this. A Greek island, female friendships (or not), sunshine, good food and alcohol. What’s not to love? 

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK Audio for the opportunity to listen to and review a copy of One of the Girls by Lucy Clarke.

About the Book

It was supposed to be the perfect weekend away. Six very different women travel to a sun-soaked Greek island for a bachelorette trip, to celebrate Lexi’s upcoming wedding. From the glorious ocean views to the quaint tavernas and whitewashed streets, the vacation seems too good to be true. But dangerous undercurrents run beneath the sunset swims and midnight cocktails – because each of the women is hiding a secret. Someone is determined to make sure that Lexi’s marriage never happens – and that one of them doesn’t leave the island alive.

Gripping, twisty, and full of sun-soaked suspense, this timely thriller examines the joys of female friendship…as well as the deadly consequences when a relationship goes wrong.

About Lucy

Sunday Times bestseller Lucy Clarke is the author of eight destination thrillers. They include Waterstones Thriller of the Month, The Castaways, Richard and Judy Book Club pick, One of the Girls, and most recently, The Hike. Lucy's novels have sold over a million copies and are published in more than 25 territories worldwide.

Lucy's thriller, No Escape (also published as The Blue) has been released as a major international show for Paramount+. Set in the Philippines, the seven-part series is directed by Hans Herbot (The Serpent) and stars Abigail Lawrie and Rhianne Barreto as best friends Lana and Kitty.

The Castaways has also been adapted for screen and was The Guardian Pick of the Week. BAFTA award-winner Sheridan Smith stars as Lori, and Celine Buckens plays her sister, Erin. The five-part thriller is available to stream on Paramount+.

When Lucy isn't away on research trips (the real reason she loves being an author!), she can be found writing from a beach hut on the south coast of England. She lives with her husband and their two children.

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My Review for The Memory Box by Kathryn Hughes

Jenny has just celebrated her 100th birthday and decides that now is the opportunity to revisit her past, and takes her carer, Candice, along for the ride. Written across dual timelines, 2019 and 1940s Wales and Italy, Jenny and Candice open up Jenny’s memory box and delve in to see where history will take them.

The Memory Box is beautifully researched and written, and I adored the characters and the story. I can guarantee that this book will trigger every emotion within you and just goes to show that relationships are often similar, regardless of the era. 

Historical fiction books, set during WWII, are one of my favourite genres, and this book is right up there among the top.

Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for the opportunity to read and review The Memory Box by Kathryn Hughes.

About the Book

Some love stories can't be forgotten...

Jenny Tanner opens the box she has cherished for decades. Contained within are her most precious mementoes, amongst them a pebble, a carving and a newspaper cutting she can hardly bear to read. But Jenny knows the time is finally here. After the war, in a mountainside village in Italy, she left behind a piece of her heart. However painful, she must return to Cinque Alberi. And lay the past to rest.

After a troubled upbringing, Candice Barnes dreams of a future with the love of her life - but is he the man she believes him to be? When Candice is given the opportunity to travel to Italy with Jenny, she is unaware the trip will open her eyes to the truth she's been too afraid to face. Could a place of goodbyes help her make a brave new beginning?

About Kathryn - by Kathryn

The question I am most often asked is this: have you always wanted to be a writer? Looking back over my life I can see that writing has played a fairly significant role, but I can’t remember having a burning desire to be an author. I have enjoyed writing short stories but would not say I was prolific. I don’t have a back catalogue of work like some writers do. In my twenties, I wrote around 50,000 words of a Mills & Boon novel. I have no idea what happened to that manuscript and sincerely hope it never surfaces. It was probably terrible!

Back in 2007, I had an idea for another book. It would centre around the mystery of an old unposted letter. Who wrote this letter? Who found it? Why was it never posted? And what happened to the person who should have received it but didn’t? I had so many questions and not enough answers. I did have a brilliant title though. It would be called – wait for it – The Letter! All I had to do was expand this idea to 90,000 words. How hard could that be? Hmm … very is the answer to that question. Perhaps that’s why it took six years to see the light of day. In my defence, I was still working fulltime, had two children to look after and writing a book is like filling a swimming pool with a syringe. I could also deliver a masterclass in procrastination.

By 2012 though, I had managed to complete the entire novel and my mum said it was really good, so I banged it out to a few agents and waited for the offers to come flooding in. I didn’t have to wait long. Just a few days later the first rejection letter arrived, and then another … and another, until I had about a dozen of them. It was so difficult not to become disheartened in the face of all that negativity, but I’ve since learnt that agents reject manuscripts for all sorts of reasons and it often has nothing to do with the quality of your work. And anyway, it’s all subjective; F Scott Fitzgerald was once told by an editor: ‘You’d have a decent book if only you’d get rid of that Gatsby character.’

Undeterred, in 2013, I decided to self-publish. I had worked for too long on my novel to just leave it festering in the back of a filing cabinet. With the rise in popularity of e-readers, self-publishing was a realistic and cost effective way forward. Alarmingly, though, there are over 2 million books in the Kindle store alone. How on earth was anybody going to find my book? I didn’t have a publicity machine. I didn’t even have a contraption. I had a Twitter account with four followers, all of whom I was related to. Friends were kind enough to download the book and post positive reviews and a few lovely book bloggers read their free copy and did the same. Fast forward ten months and I’d sold a few hundred copies, and then even this torrent of sales dried up. I made the book free for 5 days on a Kindle countdown deal and during that period nearly 10,000 people downloaded it. As those people read their copy, reviewed it and recommended it to friends, so it began to climb the charts, until, unbelievably, it reached No 1. Being so visible in the charts, The Letter came to the attention of Mari Evans at Headline, who asked one of her editors, Sherise Hobbs, to read it. Fortunately for me, Sherise loved it and Headline agreed to publish it in paperback. It has now been translated into 25 languages and has sold close to 1 million copies. Six years from the initial idea to publication can hardly be described as an overnight success, but I’m truly grateful to everybody at Headline for their support and belief in me as a writer.

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