Sam's Fireside - Cosy Book Reviews & Recommendations

Full of twists and turns, and a million and one loop-the-loops, The Perfect Parents is a rollercoaster of a book with so many plot angles I didn’t see coming - and just a few that I did! This was such a good read, and I devoured it in only a couple of days. There is so much I want to say, so much I want to tell you about, but that would just spoil it, so you will just have to trust me and read it yourself. Written primarily from two viewpoints, that of Flo and Jess - two of the Hemsworth children, the story alternates from one to the other with the odd curveball thrown in every now and again. There are lots of secrets, and lots of hushed whispers and gossip throughout the village, but is there anyone at all that knows the whole truth? Maybe, or maybe not? If you like a good thriller, that will keep you turning the pages and get your brain cells working overtime that I would recommend you go out and buy yourself a copy of The Perfect Parent. Thank you to Netgalley, Boldwood Books and ...

I began reading this book without knowing it was the fourth in a series.  I don't think it matters though and I think they can all be read as a standalone.  Will I be reading the others? Absolutely! I loved it and the fact that Foyles bookshop is a real place, with seven shops throughout the UK is just brilliant.  I loved Ellen and the friends she made at Foyles but I hated some of the characters she met working at the newspaper office. The author did a great job of helping us hate the villains and love Ellen and her friends and family.  Even though it's wartime, these types of books always make me feel like curling up with a cuppa and immersing myself into the character's lives for a few hours. With a bit of mystery, lots of friendship and some great writing, I would definitely recommend this book. Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books and Rachel's Random Resources for the opportunity to read and review A Wartime Welcome From the Foyles Bookshop Girls by Elaine Rob...

If I’m honest, I’ve always loved the idea of upping sticks and moving to a different country. In reality, probably not so much, but I admire the people who do just that. A French Adventure follows the stories of three women, Vivienne, Maxine and Olivia, and how their lives progress over the space of a few months as they discover new and old friends and go through some life-changing circumstances. I loved all three women and, of course, I was willing for their journeys to take them in the direction in which they wanted to go. Jennifer Bohnet shows us how we can overcome the challenges that life can throw at us and how very often we will come out better and stronger on the other side.  I’ve never visited the French Riviera, but after immersing myself in the lives of these three women, I think I could quite happily live there, in a small cottage with the Mediterranean sparkling in the distance. Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books and Rachel’s Random Resources for the opportunity t...

Letters for Lucien is one of the most beautifully written novels I have ever read. It’s heart-wrenching, tragic and sad, but we see glimmers of hope too, as the story progresses. We begin the story as Mathew and Sunny are trying to come to terms with the loss of their new baby. The novel then takes us straight back to the time just before Sunny found herself pregnant and from there, Suzy England takes us on the pregnancy journey through a series of letters written to the unborn child. These letters are so delicately and honestly written, I found myself thinking what a beautiful idea it would be for a child to read something like this as he grew up. I really enjoyed Letters for Lucien. I loved how the author shows that even in the darkest of days, there will often be a glimmer of light peeking through. Thank you to Suzy England for the opportunity to read and review Letters for Lucien. About the Book The elite of the Houston society scene are shocked when confirmed bachelor, Mathew Elli...

The perfect enemies-to-lovers romance and perfect for anyone who is a diehard romantic. The Love Interest just oozes romance from beginning to end, whether within the pages of the novel Liv is writing or on her perfect date - which has yet to happen! The Love Interest is another brilliant novel by Victoria Walters and as soon as I got wind of it, I knew I had to read it. Liv is working in the university library and to her horror, her brother’s best friend and her arch-enemy, is coming to work at the university too, and even worse, he’s moving in with her and her brother, albeit temporarily.  Any book that has books as one of its subject matters is always a win for me and this doesn’t disappoint. With lots of Mr Darcy and Pride and Prejudice references, The Love Interest kept me entertained during the first drab few days of February. Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books and Rachel’s Random Resources for the opportunity to read and review The Love Interest by Victoria Walters. Abou...

"It reminds me that as long as the lemon trees grow, hope will never die". I have seen this book reviewed many times over on Bookstagram and I love a story that educates and entertains me, and As Long As The Lemon Trees Grow, certainly did this. I listened to it as an audiobook, read by Rasha Zamamiri and it was haunting. Whilst the majority of us are living free lives, enjoying vacations and being able to travel anywhere we want to, there is still a war continuing in Syria that has been going on for 13 years! I cannot even begin to imagine what that must be like to live through. As Long As The Lemon Trees Grow is an absolutely incredible story with beautiful imagery, but it’s so sad. I’m sure the war in Syria is something that many people will be aware of, yet many won’t know to what extent it has affected and is affecting the people of that country. No one actually wants to leave all that they know and get on a boat to sail to who knows where. They do it because they have ...

I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about this book when I read the Author’s Note at the beginning, but I absolutely loved it from start to finish. You won’t find any spoilers in my review because personally, I think knowing how this ends would make it less enjoyable.  The Girl She Left Behind was sensitively written, with obvious research having gone into how police procedures deal with a missing person and the information which they can and can’t share with relatives. I loved Phoebe, Jamie and Darcy. Darcy is an amazing little girl who seemingly deals with things the way only children know how to, and with the love and support of those closest to her. Unfortunately, I could relate to the behaviour of Phoebe and Lucy’s Mum, in the fact that I had to work with someone who showed that sort of behaviour and it did bring up painful memories as I was reading but it did make me realise that I did the right thing by taking myself out of the situation. The Girl She Left Behind is so muc...