Sam's Fireside - Cosy Book Reviews & Recommendations

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐  I didn’t know what to expect when the authors approached me and asked if I’d read and review their book, #Rejected Goddesses. From what I can gather, they are relatively unknown authors and therefore I was somewhat surprised when Cat and Robyn, the two protagonists, tugged at my heartstrings from the outset.  I loved this novella. From beginning to end, I was dragged into Cat and Robyn’s worlds, and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough! Each of them is looking for love, even if they try to pretend that they’re not in the slightest bit bothered! Cat is a Personal Assistant to a seemingly tyrant of a business manager and Robyn has taken over the reins of her grandmother’s bakery, left to her when she passed away.  We journey along with them both, as they each edge forwards in their work and personal lives, meeting new, many lovable characters along the way. I was particularly taken with Darcy, Robyn’s rescue dog, who won’t let anyone hurt her new owner. I laug...

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐  Wow! This was such an awesome listen. Those of you who are regular readers of my reviews will know that I love a good Audiobook and often lose myself in someone else’s world for hours at a time! A Mother’s Secret was no exception, and I quickly fell in love with the characters (well, most of them)! Winnie is running The Battersea Tavern at the onset of the Second World War, and alongside her faithful barmaid, Rachel, they welcome their regulars in with pleasant conversation and the promise of a pint. Winnie’s lazy husband, Brian, spends most of his time in his armchair, whilst their son, David, doesn’t have an honest bone in his body. Kitty Neale introduces a wide variety of characters into the book, each with their own story to tell, many of which are sad and which will definitely tug at your heartstrings. Dealing with alcoholism and domestic abuse, these subjects are managed delicately and in keeping with the era in which the book is set. We need to remember that ba...

⭐⭐⭐⭐ A prequel to Charles Dickens’, A Christmas Carol, The Red Button is a delightful, Regency romance novel by Keith Eldred. Beautifully written, with familiar characters, Eldred provides us with a differing side to Mr. Ebenezer Scrooge, showing us he hasn’t always been the grumpy old miser that we are accustomed to. Indeed, he used to be in love with a young lady named Belle and they were all set to spend the rest of their lives together until business got in the way. Belle works alongside her father, in the family business, making buttons, hence the title of the book. Parts of the story are actually told from the Red Button’s perspective - weird I know, but strangely, it works! The Red Button isn’t my usual genre, and, as expected, is written in the style of Dickens. It is far from fast-paced but gives us insight into Ebenezer’s life, and business dealings from a young age. How he came to know Jacob Marley and how money changed his life and his priorities. The author delicatel...

⭐⭐⭐⭐ What better to listen to whilst tidying my garden for winter, than a twist and turn thriller. 😱 I’m surprised I didn’t cut back the wrong plants. I was so caught up in the revelations that continued to spiral throughout the story! Georgie, the protagonist of The New Wife was a fun character. As the story progressed, she turned into a proper little Miss Marple, wanting to solve the crime all by herself. I realised I was talking to her often, as I wandered around the garden, and telling her what she should and shouldn’t be doing! 🤣 I found The New Wife slow to begin with as we were introduced to all the characters and their backgrounds, however, once we knew their relevance to the story it soon sped up and I was excited to see what the next twist would be and how it would fit into the story. A quick read and listen if you’ve got a few hours to spare and fancy some surprises. I defy anyone to guess the ending. I certainly didn’t! Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the ...

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I loved this so, so, much! The Winter of Second Chances reminded me of an adult version of Enid Blyton’s Famous Five books with their smuggler’s coves and secret passageways under the sea, but without the ‘lashings and lashings of ginger beer’, and instead, lots of hot chocolate with marshmallows!  Annie needed to get away. From her husband, her restaurant, and her life in the city, and so she finds a nice little hideaway on the coast where she can begin to reset her life. However, her plans to relax and take some time out for herself soon embark on a different route, and soon Annie finds herself busier than ever.  The Winter of Second Chances is a beautiful, cosy read which will warm the cockles of your heart. Alfred reminded me of Tammylan in Enid Blyton’s, ‘Children of Cherry Tree Farm’, with his outdoor living and love of nature. I know that Enid Blyton’s books never became popular in the US, but those of you in the UK will understand completely!  This is a bril...

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The second book in Nicola May’s Ferry Lane Market series, Starry Skies in Ferry Lane Market, transports us once again to Hartmouth. Home to Steren (Star) Bligh and Kara Moon. This time around, Star is our protagonist and we learn how challenging life has been for her since she had her daughter, Skye, at age sixteen. Since then, Star has built herself a career and a home for them both. There is just one thing missing.... I love how the author brings all the characters together and somehow they all become intertwined. With such a close-knit community, it’s surprising that newcomers are made to feel welcome, but they really are. As long as they treat the current residents in the right way then they will soon become part of the furniture.  There are twists and turns as we learn the stories behind some of the characters' lives. Many of these aren’t expected and I’m sure you’ll be shocked at things you discover as you read on. However, as life in Ferry Lane Market continue...

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Angela Marsons sets her books in the Black Country, a part of the West Midlands in the UK, and so-called because of the black soot that emanated from the ironworking foundries and forges in the nineteenth century. My Grandad came from the Black Country and I can’t believe I have only discovered Angela’s books now. This is number 15 in the Kim Stone series and although I haven’t read any of the others, I was assured by the person who introduced me to them that I could read this as a stand-alone, but that I absolutely must go back and read the others! Stolen Ones has so many twists and turns, that I couldn’t keep up, and the ending just blew me away. I guarantee that you won’t see it coming! I was hooked from the start and I couldn’t turn those pages fast enough. Never having experienced any of these characters before, I guess I didn’t know what to expect. Some annoyed me, some I sympathised with and others I just wanted to punch in the face - well done to Angela here because I...

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I seem to be giving a lot of my reads/listens, 5 ⭐ reviews lately, but that’s just the way I feel about them. If I love it, then I want others to know and enjoy it too. The Flatshare is the second book by Beth O’Leary that I have listened to and it captured me all the way through. The unusual situation of sharing a flat and a bed, but not a life. As the front of the cover says, Tiffy and Leon have never met, yet they share so much. A lovely, happy, and romantic read, interspersed with a couple of serious topics. These are dealt with carefully and with compassion, and particularly with Tiffy. We begin to understand why she is perhaps the way she is around men. The post-it notes that Tiffy and Leon leave all over the place for each other is adorable and probably something I would have done too in my dim and distant youth! It’s a bit like old-fashioned letter writing with a twist and not as instantaneous as sending a text! All of Tiffy’s friends are so loyal to her, but above a...