My Review for Summer at the French Olive Grove by Sophie Claire

⭐⭐⭐⭐. Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of Summer at the French Olive Grove by Sophie Claire.

Sophie Claire’s book begins in Columbia where the protagonist, Lily, is making a film about the lives and careers of some Columbian women in a world where women don’t really have careers.  Lily is attacked and suffers a broken arm, returning to her home village in France to recover.  Moving back in with her elderly grandmother, Mamie, Lily catches up with her oldest friend Olivier and enjoys the slower pace of life in this peaceful place.  Torn between returning to her nomadic lifestyle and spending more time with Mamie, Lily has a decision to make.

I love a story set in sunny, seaside villages with idyllic views and villagers who all know each other and this is no exception,  The author takes us into the heart of the French village with her descriptions of the olive groves, the boats in the marina and the tantalising aromas of Mamie’s cooking, making us wish we were there.

Olivier and Lily both want very different things from life which seem to stem from their childhoods, and the author keeps us guessing throughout the novel how their past relates to their outlooks on the future,  Both characters frustrated me and at times I just wanted to bang their heads together and simply tell them to talk to each other!

If you enjoy a delightful novel with a happy ending, then you’ll enjoy Summer at the French Olive Grove.  Slip your sunhat on, grab a cold drink and settle under a shady tree. This is a lovely book for an afternoon in the sun.

Read More

My Review for The Vacation by M.M. Chouinard

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐  Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of The Vacation by M.M. Chouinard.

I have never really been a thriller reader, not because I don't enjoy them, it has just never been something I've picked up off the shelf, but wow - if thrillers are like this then I've seriously been missing out!

Six adults and four children are in Jamaica for Thanksgiving, but it is apparent from the outset that all is not as it should be.  When one of the children goes missing, the police have to find out what has happened, is someone perhaps more involved than they should be?

The author kept me guessing throughout the book, with each page turn she threw another spanner in the works, and when I was sure I knew what was going to happen, I was again left wondering.  With twists and turns at every opportunity, and characters that you could sympathise with at one moment yet become angry with, in another, The Vacation kept me hooked until the last page.

Don't miss out on this book if you're a thriller reader but even if you're not, try it, perhaps let it be your first one.  I would totally recommend this to everyone.  I loved it right from the start and will be reading more by M.M. Chouinard as soon as I can.

Read More

My Review for The Broken Hearts Honeymoon by Lucy Dickens

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐  Thank you to NetGalley, Random House UK, Cornerstone and Arrow Publishing for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of The Broken Hearts Honeymoon by Lucy Dickens before the release of the paperback.

Wow! I loved it and read it, in under 24 hours. Granted, it was pouring with rain in the UK and I had nothing else to do but it was such a wonderful book. Informative, educational, happy, sad, comical and slightly heart-breaking, I experienced such a wide range of emotions whilst reading it I didn’t want it to end.

Charlotte and Matt are the perfect couple, they’ve been together since they were 14, they stayed at sixth form together, went to the same university and were planning their perfect life together after their perfect wedding.... until Matt decided perhaps things weren’t so perfect after all. Their honeymoon was all booked and paid for, and Japan had been the one place Charlotte had always wanted to visit, so she bravely packs her bags and flies off to the other side of the world, on her own, and slowly begins to find herself.

The Broken Hearts Honeymoon is such a lovely book, Lucy Dickens writes with such passion and knowledge of Japan, you feel as though are travelling around the country with Charlotte. The author’s descriptive writing is addictive. I wanted to be hiking through the Japanese Alps with Charlotte, taking tea in the Japanese gardens and meditating with the monks.

Less of a love story and more of a story about self-love, Lucy Dickens shows us how often learning about different cultures can make us see things in a new light and encourages us to change our lives for the better.

I would recommend The Broken Hearts Honeymoon to anyone who needs some escapism, to live and enjoy someone else’s life for a while and you know what, you’ll learn some things whilst you’re reading it too.

Read More

My Review for The Wishing Tree Beside the Shore by Jaimie Admans

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐  Thank you to NetGalley and HQ Digital for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of The Wishing Tree Beside the Shore by Jaimie Admans.

Felicity works for a property development company and, with. a twist of fate, the latest proposal for hotel development is in Felicity's home town of Lemmon Cove on the Gower peninsula. Fliss's boss decides to send her undercover, to infiltrate the protesters who are delaying the signing of the paperwork and trying to save a 300-year-old Sycamore tree. However, as soon as she sets foot into the protesters' camp and realises her teenage crush, Ryan, is the man in charge, Fliss knows she wants to help the protesters and save the tree.

Although slow to begin with, The Wishing Tree Beside the Shore soon grabbed my attention, and I picked it up at every opportunity. The characters were so passionate about saving the Sycamore tree and the land around it that I found myself wishing it was a real protest and hoping I could get involved! The stories and memories that came from the carvings made in the trunk of the tree over the last few hundred years were romantic and magical and indicative that everyone needs some magic in their lives.

When I was younger, my favourite book was the Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton and The Wishing Tree reminded me so much of this I half expected fairies and goblins to appear up in the branches somewhere! There were often moments in the book that made me laugh, particularly when Ryan's pet sheep amused everyone with her comical antics.

This is the first book by Jaimie Adams that I have read and I really enjoyed it. I will definitely be adding her to my list of favourite authors.

This is a great feel-good read and I would recommend The Wishing Tree Beside the Shore to anyone who wants something to lose themselves in for a few hours.

Read More

My Review for Island of Secrets by Patricia Wilson

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐  I listened to Island of Secrets, by Patricia Wilson, as an Audiobook from Borrowbox. Read by Julie Maisey, it was another outstanding book from the author and once again, taught me so much about the Second World War that I wasn’t aware of.

‘The story started at dawn on the fourteenth of September 1943...’

Angelika (Angie) is planning her wedding to Nick and has decided that she wants her mother’s family to be involved. The problem is, is that her mother hasn’t spoken to her family in almost 40 years and they live in Crete! Cue a trip to the Greek island to see what she can find out. Her grandmother, Maria, is overjoyed to see her granddaughter and begins to tell her story of the massacre in 1943 when the Germans occupied Crete.

I imagine that often Greek village life is chaotic, very family-orientated and with everyone knowing each other’s business. Angie’s wedding day was very much like this. Nothing went to plan, and to say it was chaos was an understatement!

The story is told over the two timelines, present-day and 1943 and to be honest, I was much more interested in the stories of the past. Knowing the accounts were based on fact, horrific though it was, made me warm to the characters more, whilst learning about the horrors they were put through for seemingly no reason whatsoever.

Patricia Wilson is a master at descriptive writing, and I love how she draws you into the story, making you believe you could be experiencing every gunshot, yet also enjoy a coffee in the local cafe with the sun beating down.

I would recommend Island of Secrets to anyone interested in Greek history and would like to know a little bit more but with the ease of a ‘nice read’ behind it. I have enjoyed the three novels I have read or listened to by Patricia Wilson, and I will be on the lookout for more.

Read More

My Review for The Kew Gardener's Guide to Growing Roses

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐  Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group- White Lion for the opportunity to review 'The Kew Gardener's Guide to Growing Roses' before the publication date. 

Being an avid, albeit fairly new gardener I am interested in widening my knowledge to learn as much as I can about flora and fauna and how I can grow and nurture plants in my own garden. I do particularly love roses but know next to nothing about them and reading this lovely book was an ideal opportunity to understand a little bit more. 

 The book is set out beautifully, with a long introduction that covers everything you need to know about roses, different rose types, and how to grow them successfully. Following this, there are many sections on which roses are best for which part of your garden including growing roses in a container or training a rose against a wall. 

The photographs are stunning and each one draws you into the page as you eagerly read how to get a rose to 'perform' for you. I am on a mission to identify the roses I currently have in my garden and this delightful book will start me on my quest. 

The only thing I wasn't too keen on was the background of each page. It has a somewhat mottled effect, especially as I was reading it on an iPad I was constantly thinking there were marks on my screen. However, I am sure this wouldn't be the case with a physical copy of the book and indeed a physical copy would definitely be my recommended format. Ideal as a coffee table book and lovely to browse through whilst having a cuppa and learning just that little bit more about your roses.

Please note that I read this as an ebook on an iPad so I am unsure what the physical copy is like.

Read More

My Review for Villa of Secrets by Patricia Wilson

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I listened to Villa of Secrets, by Patricia Wilson, as an Audiobook from Borrowbox. Read by Lucy Paterson, I was so taken with the story that it only took me a couple of days to reach the end, listening as I went out for a long walk with my dog and then planting tomatoes in my greenhouse! Books and gardening - I couldn't have been happier.

Sisters, Naomi and Rebecca, were raised by their grandmother, Pandora Cohen and the story is told through Pandora's diaries which Naomi and Rebecca are given to read. Unbeknown to the girls, their grandmother was a Freedom Fighter for the Andartes during World War II and risked her life to help free the Greek island of Rhodes from German occupation. Rebecca and her family had a falling out, ten years previously, and we also learn how this affected Naomi and Dora and how Rebecca eventually comes back into their lives.

Although a work of fiction, Villa of Secrets is based on some fact, I wasn't aware of how affected Greece and her islands were by the second world war. Patricia Wilson's attention to detail, and descriptive ability, bring to life the often harrowing and heartwrenching times of this war on the Greek communities.

There were humorous moments coupled with often very sad moments in Villa of Secrets, I didn't want some of the characters' stories to end the way they did, but I guess life doesn't always pan out the way you want it to, and because some of this novel was based on fact, it does bring home the reality that sad things sometimes happen to good people.

I would recommend Villa of Secrets to anyone who enjoys reading about World War II, particularly the lesser-known aspects of the German invasion. However, this is by no means a historical war novel, yes there is an element of this, but it also brings together the importance of family and friends and love and romance.

Read More

My Review for Three Weddings and a Proposal by Sheila O'Flanagan

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐  Thank you to NetGalley and Headline Review for the opportunity to review Three Weddings and a Proposal by Sheila O'Flanagan before the publication date.

Delphine Martens is a thirty-something Executive Assistant to Conrad Morgan, a multi-millionaire businessman. Delphie has a great home by the sea, and, although single, she loves her life and her friends, everything is going well until she receives a phone call on the night of her brother's wedding, a phone call that turns her life upside down.

Once again Sheila O'Flanagan draws the reader into the story, bringing the characters to life and creating people that you would like to be friends with. Delphie has had a difficult few months but she has the strength of character to deal with each episode clearly and concisely, usually ending up with the best outcome for her.

Sheila O'Flanagan's books are enjoyable and heart-warming, a comfort read that you could easily digest in one sitting. Grab a cup of tea (or whatever takes your fancy) and curl up with Three Weddings and a Proposal and simply enjoy it.

Read More

Favourite Book Quotes

 Favourite Book Quotes

"Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again." This is the first line from 'Rebecca' by Daphne Du Maurier and is my most loved book ever. I can honestly say, that apart from Enid Blyton books when I was a child, it is the only book I have read more than once.

The novel begins in Monte Carlo, where our heroine is swept off her feet by the dashing widower Maxim de Winter and his sudden proposal of marriage. Orphaned and working as a lady's maid, she can barely believe her luck. It is only when they arrive at his massive country estate that she realizes how large a shadow his late wife will cast over their lives--presenting her with a lingering evil that threatens to destroy their marriage from beyond the grave.

I can't remember ever having read Anne of Green Gables but I love this quote so much. It brings fresh joy and hopes into your life and if you've had a bad day, then there is always tomorrow.

Anne Shirley is an eleven-year-old orphan who has hung on determinedly to an optimistic spirit and a wildly creative imagination through her early deprivations. She erupts into the lives of ageing brother and sister Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, a girl instead of the boy they had sent for. Thus begins a story of transformation for all three; indeed the whole rural community of Avonlea comes under Anne's influence in some way. We see her grow from a girl to a young woman of sixteen, making her mistakes, and not always learning from them. Intelligent, hot-headed as her own red hair, unwilling to take a moral truth as read until she works it out for herself, she must also face grief and loss and learn the true meaning of love.

Read More

Cover Reveal & Book Description for Beta's Bane by Liv James

Due for release on 11 June 2021, Beta's Bane by Liv James has just revealed its cover!  The description for the book is here and I will post my review on publication day.

When Wolf Shifters pass from this plane to the next, their souls make the journey along the Pathway, to reunite with their ancestors and hunt the eternal forests.

Without the Pathway, their souls can know no peace.

The Pathway must be protected; at all costs.

When Alpha Cameron Archer of the Ridgeway and Pathway Packs installed his new law, he had no idea of the repercussions it would bring for his twin brother and Beta, Brodie.

Brodie and Iris are destined by the Moon Goddess to be together. Torn apart by their Alpha, they find themselves fighting a sexual chemistry that threatens to consume them until one fateful night changes everything.

Once Brodie finally tastes his fated mate, can he be parted from her again, or will he challenge his brother? And the safety of the World.

Read More

My Review for Into Thin Air by Phillip Jordan

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Thank you to the author, Phillip Jordan for the ARC of his new novella, 'Into Thin Air', a Detective Inspector Taylor thriller.

'Aido Quinn went for a run and didn't come back'. 'Into Thin Air' is part of the Belfast Crime Series and Detective Inspector Taylor and her team set out to uncover what or who is behind the disappearance of Adrian Quinn. On the surface, Adrian seemingly has a loving family and is the Company Director of a successful business, but all is not as it seems.

As the book progresses, Phillip Jordan introduces and describes the relevance of the characters to the reader. I had a soft spot for some, indifference for others and annoyance at many. There were many twists and turns throughout the story and there were times when I skipped down to the end of the page because I just needed to know what was coming! The outcome was a surprise and although I had an idea towards the end, there were still plenty of moments when anything could have happened.

Phillip Jordan is great at explaining Belfast police procedure which will be crucial for those reading outside the UK and I would recommend 'Into Thin Air' to anyone who likes a fast-paced crime thriller that will keep you guessing until the end.

Read More

My Review for Off-Road with Clarkson, Hammond & May by Phillipa Sage

⭐⭐⭐⭐  Thank you to NetGalley and Ad Lib Publishers for the opportunity to review 'Off-Road with Clarkson, Hammond & May' before its publication date. 

Now I've always loved watching 'the boys' on TV. When I still lived at home, it became a Sunday night ritual to all sit down together to watch Top Gear, and this continued when I moved out. I thankfully found a husband who was also into the boys' antics, and we continued my tradition of Sunday night viewing, so when I was given this opportunity to read all about their escapades on tour, I jumped at the chance.

Phillipa Sage, the author, became a piece of the furniture when Clarkson, Hammond & May were on tour, I can't remember what her official title was but she held everything together, dealing with Jeremy's diva moments (and yes, there were many), whilst organising hotels, restaurants and seemingly every little thing related to the tours. Phillipa reflects on her memories of the years she was with the boys, entertaining us with her stories of what went on behind (and not behind) the scenes! She shares with us the list of things that HAD to be available to them all at every venue, as well as the list of necessities they required before they even got to where they were going. Who knew that a Range Rover was 'that' important!

I really enjoyed reading Off-Road with Clarkson, Hammond & May, and I would recommend this to anyone with an interest in Top Gear, the three 'boys' and some degree, cars in general. However, there isn't actually a lot of time dedicated to cars in this book, it's more about the people and how they all lived and worked together in 'the bubble' and for this reason, it offers a greater appeal to a wider audience.

Read More

My Review for From Something Old by Nick Alexander

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the opportunity to review 'From Something Old by Nick Alexander as an Advance Reader Copy.

From Something Old is the first novel I have read by Nick Alexander, but it won't be the last. I loved it from beginning to end.

The lives of two couples, Ant and Heather and Joe and Amy, randomly begin to intertwine, with perhaps unforeseen consequences. Initially brought together by their children who are at the same school despite them barely knowing one another, they decide to holiday together in Spain, and there begins the sometimes distressing journey for them all.

The author creates his characters well, and I warmed to those who were endearing, whilst wanting to yell at the ones who were annoying and mean! Often in life, we are the way we are because of our parents and/or the way we have been brought up, and Nick Alexander explores this in detail with the characters he brings to life.

From Something Old is a lovely read, ideal if you have a few hours to spare and you can switch off, with your feet up and immerse yourself in the story.

Read More

My Review for The Dover Cafe at War by Ginny Bell Read by Bea Holland

⭐⭐⭐⭐ I listened to The Dover Cafe at War by Ginny Bell as an Audiobook from Borrowbox and loved it.  I find that a wartime saga always makes for easy listening or easy reading, and this was no exception.  Bea Holland narrated it beautifully and I enjoyed how she brought the characters to life.  Despite the sometimes heartwrenching circumstances, a good book, set in wartime, always makes me feel warm inside.

The Dover Cafe is set at the heart of Dover's market square and is run by Nellie Castle with the help of Marianne, her eldest daughter.  As Britain is on the brink of World War II, Marianne's scandalous past begins to catch up with her, and now that her son is 10 years old, there are things she can't keep from him any longer.

Ginny Bell can draw the reader into the story and keep them there for the entirety.  Each character becomes a friend, and with each turn of the page, you're waiting to see what happens next.  Of course, there are some rogues, aren't there always in a good saga?  However, even they have their endearing qualities and helped to keep me gripped throughout.

I've just realised that The Dover Cafe at War is the first in a series so I am looking forward to discovering the next book soon, along with any more of Ginny Bell's books I can find.

I would recommend The Dover Cafe at War to anyone who enjoys a wartime saga, something with a bit of romance and just a lovely feel to it.

Read More

My Review for Til Death We Do Part by Bruno Beaches

⭐⭐⭐⭐ I was kindly offered Til Death We Do Part as an Advance Reader Copy by the author, Bruno Beaches. Pablo Pinkerton has spent his career in the police force, carrying out a variety of different roles, but his life begins to unravel, as he has to deal with a complaint against him from a former 'client' at work, and there quickly follows the disintegration of a seemingly happy and successful marriage. The story takes place over a few years, and Pablo has a lot to deal with and many decisions to make during this time.

The author carried me through many different emotions throughout his story, there was sadness, anger, frustration (a lot of that), some tears and some laughter, but a lot of the time I was annoyed. I was annoyed at Pablo - often! How he tried to deal with his wife, his conflicts, his friends and his work situation. I wanted to pick him up, shake him by the shoulders and tell him to pull himself together!

I'm not sure I actually liked any of the characters, apart from perhaps Henry who was a good friend to Pablo during the turmoil he was going through. Deliah, Pablo's wife, initially appeared to be a simpering woman who just didn't stand up for herself. As the book developed, however, I think she developed as a person, knowing what was the right thing for her and not settling for less than she could get. Pablo, well Pablo just tried too hard but failed to realise that at any point during the story.

The only thing I disliked about the book was the ending and whilst I appreciate that there is a sequel, for me, it just ended too abruptly. However, this didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book and I look forward to reading Pablo's next instalment.

I would recommend Til Death We Do Part to anyone who enjoys a thriller, with perhaps a hint of mystery, and for someone who doesn't mind being left wondering...

Read More

My Review for Worldlines by Adam Guest

⭐⭐⭐⭐   I reviewed Worldlines by Adam Guest for Online Book Club, and although I thoroughly enjoyed it, I often found myself trying to follow the ‘worlds’ too closely, trying to understand whether there really was the possibility of us occupying several dimensions at once, and this detracted from the flow of the novel.

Worldlines is a sci-fi/fantasy novel about a multiverse rather than a universe, where the protagonist, Gary, gradually realises, with the help of his university professor, that he might be actually existing in more than one world at any given moment. Events are happening around him that he has no memory of and which he cannot explain. With the help of his friends and family, he attempts to discover the scientific background behind what’s going on and whether it could be real.

Wordlines seems to have some sort of science behind them and whether this is based on evidence or just in the author’s imagination is unclear. Regardless of this, it is a well-thought-out and entertaining novel and kept me turning those pages.

It’s difficult to describe the characters due to the nature of the story. For instance, in one worldline, Gary has a girlfriend called Siobhan, however, in another worldline, Siobhan is his best friend, and he has a different girlfriend. I found that the majority of the characters were likeable and added substance to the story. The author’s descriptive writing enables the reader to form a bond with many of them.

The novel focuses a lot on lucid dreaming, and the author does a great job in explaining what this is, whilst still involving the reader in the story. Lucid dreaming enables you to essentially control your dreams, with them playing out the way you want them to. I’m pretty sure that many people who read this novel will have an interest in how they can control their dreams and will research further into this.

I enjoyed trying to work out how worldlines could work whilst I was reading this book and whether living in a multiverse could be a possibility. However, my mind is far from being a scientific one, so I think I just need to accept what I’m reading and enjoy the novel!

For me, the book ended too suddenly. There was no real finality to the last chapter, and I think the author could perhaps have added another chapter to close things down with the main character. In essence, I was left wondering, but perhaps this is the author’s intention and is writing a sequel.

The book would appeal to readers who are interested in sci-fi and fantasy and to those who are curious about the world we occupy. I would recommend Worldlines to Young Adults and upwards. There is no profanity or erotic content and therefore is suitable for all ages.

Read More