My Review for We Three Kings by Kristen Bailey

Another belter from Kristen and once again I was laughing out loud, right from the very beginning! We Three Kings was hugely funny, with a fair amount of cuteness and a spritz of romance. I fell in love with the geeky Jasper, Frank, Leo and Maggie, along with all their families. The food made me so hungry, all of the time and in particular the Singaporean wedding food, including the lobster noodles and satay with peanut dipping sauce - yum yum!

I loved the IT aspect, how the four make up the IT Department with the company they work for and the banter they share about the rest of the building’s IT mishaps! They also reminded me so much of the amazing IT team that I had the pleasure of knowing when I worked for twenty-plus years in a hospital in the UK. The lads in the book each reminded me of different team members I knew! 

We Three Kings is a book full of cosiness, hugs, kindness and families and I loved it. Kristen has made her way to be one of my must-read authors and I can’t wait for the next one.

Thank you to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and Kristen Bailey for the opportunity to read We Three Kings.

About the Book

Maggie Field was looking forward to a solo Christmas in her cosy London flat – before her three workmates decided to liven things up for her.

Maggie loves her job as head of IT at a financial firm, and her three geeky but lovable work buddies. And when they invite her to stay with each of them for the holidays, she can’t resist the chance to get to know them better.

But then her boss tells her she has to make one of her beloved team redundant, and Maggie is distraught. Frank’s work is his world, Jasper’s sarcastic humour is everything, and Leo…well, he’s talented, professional, confusingly attractive, dependable, and funny… Maggie definitely doesn’t want to lose him.

With her career and her heart on the line, Maggie sets off on the Christmas adventure of a lifetime, from playing fake girlfriend at a lavish wedding, to rescuing baby foxes on a posh country estate, to chasing a very confused donkey on Christmas Day in the Lake District. She can’t ignore the sparks between her and Leo – but she also can’t avoid her dilemma.

Can she find a way to keep her work family together, and maybe even find true love under the mistletoe?

About Kristen

Mother-of-four, gin-drinker, binge-watcher, receipt hoarder, enthusiastic but terrible cook. Kristen also writes. She has had short fiction published in several publications including Mslexia & Riptide. Her first two novels, Souper Mum and Second Helpings were published in 2016. In 2019, she was long-listed in the Comedy Women in Print Prize and has since joined the Bookouture family. She writes women's fiction and she hopes her novels have fresh and funny things to say about modern life, love and family.

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My Review for the Unhoneymooners, written by Christina Lauren and read by Cynthia Farrell and Deacon Lee

Another audiobook listen for me; this time it was The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren, chosen as February’s read for one of my book clubs.

An easy listen, enemies-to-lovers romance, with two main characters who you can’t help but adore. Olive lacks in confidence, thinks the world is against her and can’t understand why Ethan, the best man at her sister’s wedding, hates her so much. Amy is Olive’s twin, and can’t see that the man she’s married is a prize knob. What will it take to show her just how disrespectful he actually is?

I loved that Amy paid for her entire wedding by entering, and winning competitions, from the disastrous catering to the incredible honeymoon in Hawaii which Amy never actually goes on!

The story was full of fun and humour, and listening to the audiobook probably made me fall in love with Hawaii even more so than if I had just read the book. The luxury hotel, picturesque setting and great characters definitely made this an enjoyable read.

Thank you to #bookstabritsbookclub for choosing The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren as February’s read/listen of the month.

About the Book

For two sworn enemies, anything can happen during the Hawaiian trip of a lifetime—even love—in this witty and swoonworthy romance from the New York Times bestselling duo who “hilariously depict modern dating” (Us Weekly) and authors of Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating and Roomies. 

Olive is always unlucky: in her career, in love, in…well, everything. Her identical twin sister Amy, on the other hand, is probably the luckiest person in the world. Her meet-cute with her fiancé is something out of a romantic comedy (gag) and she’s managed to finance her entire wedding by winning a series of Internet contests (double gag). Worst of all, she’s forcing Olive to spend the day with her sworn enemy, Ethan, who just happens to be the best man.

Olive braces herself to get through 24 hours of wedding hell before she can return to her comfortable, unlucky life. But when the entire wedding party gets food poisoning from eating bad shellfish, the only people who aren’t affected are Olive and Ethan. And now there’s an all-expenses-paid honeymoon in Hawaii up for grabs.

Putting their mutual hatred aside for the sake of a free vacation, Olive and Ethan head for paradise, determined to avoid each other at all costs. But when Olive runs into her future boss, the little white lie she tells him is suddenly at risk to become a whole lot bigger. She and Ethan now have to pretend to be loving newlyweds, and her luck seems worse than ever. But the weird thing is that she doesn’t mind playing pretend. In fact, she feels kind of...lucky.

About Christina & Lauren

Yes, there are two of them! Christina (on the left) and Lauren (on the right).

Lauren

Lauren Billings (but everyone calls her Lo) received her doctorate in neuroscience from UC Irvine, and before she started living the dream as a full-time writer, spent her days researching neurodegeneration in ageing. She lives in California with two cuddly dogs, two less-cuddly teenagers, and one mountain biking, homebrewing scientist husband.

Christina

Christina Hobbs (but you’ll always hear Lo call her PQ) used to spend her days in a junior high counseling office surrounded by teenagers. These days you can find her at her desk, writing, or watching BTS videos. She lives in Utah with her husband and daughter, thinks she’s the luckiest person in the world to write books with her best friend, and is an unapologetic lover of boy bands and glitter.

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My Review for The Love Interest by Victoria Walters

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.

About the Book

No man can be as good as the one in your imagination... Librarian Liv Thomas has always dreamed of writing a romance novel. But she’s stuck when it comes to creating a romantic hero – sadly – lacking anyone in real life to base him on.

When her brother suggests his best friend stay in their shared flat for a few weeks, she can’t believe her bad luck. Aiden Rivers is irritating and pushes all her buttons. Worst of all, he’s gorgeous, has a sexy accent and reminds her of her all-time favourite character Mr Darcy.

Liv finds herself unexpectedly inspired and the leading man in her novel begins to bear an uncanny resemblance to Aiden. He can never find out she’d never live it down. Because Aiden can only ever be her love interest in the pages of her book – and definitely not in real life… right?!

About Victoria

Victoria Walters is the author of both cosy crime and romantic novels, including the bestselling Glendale Hall series. She has been chosen for WHSmith Fresh Talent, shortlisted for two RNA novels and was picked as an Amazon Rising Star. Previously published by Hera, she is now writing romantic comedies for Boldwood.

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My Review for The Hotel Room Mix-Up by Kathy Jay

I really enjoyed this one, and it was escapism at its finest. It was funny, sad, and full of romance - at each page turn there was new, old, and second-chance romance. If you like your books with a romance overload, then this is for you. The Hotel Room Mix-Up allowed me time to escape into Callum and Ella’s Cornish world for a few days when my life is just busy and my head is a scrambled mess of lists and too many things to do!

The Hotel Room Mix-Up is predominantly told from alternating viewpoints, that of Callum and Ella, both of whom meet in Cornwall whilst attending separate weddings (not their own, I hasten to add)! There are a lot of ‘will they, won’t they’ moments - and I mean a lot! My head was spinning, wondering whether they were going to get their happily ever after!

Grab this book if you enjoy a story containing whirlwind romances, beaches, the ocean, puppies, laughter and lots of fun!

Thank you to NetGalley, One More Chapter and Rachel’s Random Resources for the opportunity to read The Hotel Room Mix-Up by Kathy Jay.

About the Book

When the similarities between Ella Swift and Callum Smith’s last names lead to a hotel room mix-up, they find themselves sharing a cramped cottage in Porthkara rather than the private luxury hotel suites they expected. Each in town for a different wedding – and carrying more baggage than just the suitcases in their hands – the reluctant roommates are forced to share a shelter from the storm surge that sweeps in off the Atlantic. But as the rain crashes down there’s a shift in more than just the atmosphere, and by the time the sun rises on a new day, Ella and Callum’s futures have already been forever changed.

About Kathy

I live in Cambridgeshire with my family which includes a large dog and a cute cat. I love the changing seasons. I like pyjama days and cosy log fires in winter. In summer, my top things are strawberries and walking on beautiful beaches in North Wales. I started writing my first romance on a vintage typewriter. Writing got put on hold while I studied for a degree in Drama and French. I've been an office temp and a bilingual PA in London. Now I'm a member of the Romantic Novelists' Association, and thrilled to write fun, flirty romance for One More Chapter.

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My Review for Five Gold Rings by Kristen Bailey

Think ‘Love Actually’, ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’ or ‘Notting Hill’, which sum up this fantastic Christmas book from the amazing Kristen Bailey. It’s hilarious, romantic, a bit mad and just that little bit sad. Don’t worry though, you won’t be crying, well not tears of sadness anyway. I laughed out loud a lot at this book.

Joe and Eve need to rectify a ring delivery which went to the wrong place. Five rings, five destinations and just a couple of days in which to ensure happy outcomes.

Our two protagonists tell their story in alternating chapters, and I promise you’ll be rooting for this couple until the very end, which comes all too quickly. I could have carried on reading about their adventures throughout London for a lot longer.

This would be amazing as a movie, and I honestly hope that someone picks this up for the big screen with some big-time actors. It would be good to see this out in time for Christmas 2024! I wonder if Richard Curtis is busy at the moment!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kristen Bailey for the opportunity to read and review Five Gold Rings.

About the Book

What does Christmas look like to you? A tree rammed with homemade decorations, a mantelpiece weighed down with cards, Mum telling Dad not to put the chocolate wrappers back in the tin, a festive film on television...

It should definitely not look like a naked woman on her knees noshing off your boyfriend of three years in the shower.

It’s Christmas Eve eve, and the holidays are not off to a good start for, er, Eve.

After the surprise and shock of catching her boyfriend cheating, Eve – totally devastated – reacts by throwing the gifts she’s selflessly bought and wrapped for HIS family out of the window. But while doing so she discovers her own present from Chris under the Christmas tree: an engagement ring, bought at the jeweller’s where she works. What the jingle bells is going on? And what was he thinking?

Confused and with her Christmas plans in tatters, Eve rocks up at the jeweller's for some tea and sympathy with her lovely employers, Mr and Mrs Caspar, who quietly put in a distress call to her colleague, Joe. Eve doesn’t know that Joe is secretly in love with her, but her bosses do, and they know he’s just the person Eve needs to comfort her in a crisis.

Joe gets the call while moonlighting as a buff butler at a Christmas-themed hen do and races across town to help console Eve. But as he learns about her heartbreak, the Caspars realise a crucial delivery has gone astray: five gold rings destined for Christmas proposals and weddings have been sent to the wrong address.

Can Eve and Joe retrieve the rings and get them to their rightful owners in time?

As they set off in Joe’s ancient mini – Joe still dressed as a sexy elf and Eve just a liiiittle bit tipsy – their adventure begins. With three proposals and two weddings to get to, it’s up to Eve and Joe to save Christmas.

An utterly hilarious novel for anyone looking for festive romance with all the feels. If you have a hot date with Love Actually every Christmas you will adore this gloriously funny and unmissable festive read.

About Kristen

Mother-of-four, gin-drinker, binge-watcher, receipt hoarder, enthusiastic but terrible cook. Kristen also writes. She has had short fiction published in several publications including Mslexia & Riptide. Her first two novels, Souper Mum and Second Helpings were published in 2016. In 2019, she was long-listed in the Comedy Women in Print Prize and has since joined the Bookouture family. She writes women's fiction and she hopes her novels have fresh and funny things to say about modern life, love and family.

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My Review for Snowed In by Catherine Walsh

Snowed In is a cute, fun, wintery read, set in Ireland. I read most of the book, snuggled up in front of a wood burner, whilst Storm Ciaran was battering the UK. The snow, a cabin in the woods and festive Christmas cheer were much more fun than what was going on outside the window at home, so I imagined myself there instead.

I loved Megan and Christian, our two protagonists, who bantered their way into my heart very quickly. They were so good together, right from the beginning I knew they’d hit it off. Megan made a rapid exit from her wedding four years ago and has never been back to her home village since - until now.

Full of love, romance and family loyalties, Snowed In is a beautiful read and will leave you wanting to spend some time on Christian’s family’s farm with the newborn lambs in knitted hats!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review Snowed In by Catherine Walsh.

About the Book 

Megan is dreading going home for the holidays. She’s the village pariah, the she-devil who left local golden boy Isaac at the altar four years ago and ran away to the big city. She could really do without the drama. Particularly as he’s engaged again, and she’s just been dumped for the fourth time this year.

Christian’s fed up of being on his own every Christmas. He doesn’t mind being alone, but he hates his family’s sad eyes and soft tones as they sit around coupled up. Because he’s actually, totally, fine.

So when Megan literally bumps into Christian in a Dublin pub, they come up with a pact to see them through the holiday season. They’re going to be the very best fake dates for each other, ever.

Rules are drawn up, a contract is signed on a wine-stained napkin. They will sit through each other’s family gatherings and be outrageously in love until freed from their annual obligations. After all, it’s only for a few weeks.

But with everyone home for the holidays, two big families to deal with alongside old friends, old flames and old feelings, things are bound to get messy. And when a snowed-in cabin and a little Christmas magic are added to the mix, anything could happen…

A swoonworthy and utterly gorgeous romantic comedy that will make you laugh out loud and fall completely in love. Fans of Emily Henry, Sophie Kinsella and Abby Jimenez won’t be able to put this down!

About Catherine

Catherine Walsh was born and raised in Ireland. She has a degree in Popular Literature and the only prize she ever won for writing was at the age of 14 in school (but she still cherishes it.)

She lived in London for a few years where she worked in Publishing and the non-profit sector before returning to Dublin where she now lives between the mountains and the sea. When not writing she is trying and failing to not kill her houseplants.

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My Review for A Holiday Romance in Ferry Lane Market by Nicola May

This weekend I headed off to Ferry Lane Market to mingle with my favourite bunch of market traders and the newcomer amongst them, Sabrina Swift. Or as she introduces herself, plain old Jilly Dickens. Sabrina, for good reason, is hiding from her real life in London and just wants to mingle with normal people and fit in with her new friends.

I love, love, love this series from Nicola May. Each book follows a different character, and with each story I read, I just fall more in love with everyone (well, almost everyone) who lives in Hartmouth. To be honest, I wasn’t sure about Sabrina at first, and it wasn’t until she decided to take on a Ferry Lane Market stall herself that I began to warm to her. But then she becomes another Nicola May character who fits in so well with all the others, and I was hooked. Of course, from that moment on, I wanted her to be happy, to find a man and a new life where she’s appreciated. Does all that happen? You’ll have to read it to find out.

This latest stunner from Nicola May can definitely be read as a standalone book, but I would recommend starting at the beginning and perhaps putting all of them on your wishlist!

Thank you to Nicola May for the opportunity to read and review A Holiday Romance in Ferry Lane Market.

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About the Book

When soap actor Sabrina Swift loses her way due to a public scandal, she packs up her life, heads to Cornwall and finds herself running a gift shop in the quaint and quirky Ferry Lane Market.

Changing her looks and identity to keep her anonymity, the newcomer starts to make friends and enemies as she walks a frosty path in the established marketplace community.

And as rumours start circling that the outside market is going to be shut down, Sabrina is not only ensconced in an unexpected love triangle but is also faced with a difficult decision that could alter both her life and those of the inhabitants of Hartmouth forever.

Charming characters and a beautifully written setting make for a delightful and uplifting tale that explores themes of self-discovery, belonging and the importance of following your heart.

About Nicola

Nicola May is a rom-com superstar. She is the author of seventeen romantic comedies, all of which have appeared in the Kindle bestseller charts. Two of them won awards at the Festival of Romance, and another was named ebook of the week in The Sun. The Corner Shop in Cockleberry Bay became the best-selling Kindle book in the UK, across all genres, in January 2019, and was Amazon’s third-bestselling novel in that year. Described by Winifred Robinson of BBC Radio 4’s You and Yours as ‘the invisible bestselling author’, Nicola campaigned successfully for the introduction of ebook charts in the publishing trade press.

She lives near Ascot racecourse with her black-and-white rescue cat, Stan.

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My Review for Meet Me At Christmas by Jenny Hale

Stella has come home for Christmas, not expecting to find that her sister has run off to get married and Henry, a man she once loved, has returned to Leiper’s Fork, but he’s a different man from the one she once knew.

I’m a sucker for a Christmas book, no matter the time of year. I mean, who doesn’t want to read about Christmas parades, snow falling, and cookies and hot chocolate, even if it’s sunny outside? (It wasn’t, by the way)! I really enjoyed this latest offering from Jenny Hale and immersed myself in the comings and goings in Leiper’s Fork. Jenny writes as though she’s right there, in the scenes she’s describing and I imagined myself being there too, soaking up the wonderful Christmas spirit under the cosy smell of the pine trees at the heart of a fun-filled, people-packed place which is actually called Christmas.

When Henry left Stella a message to say ‘Meet Me at Christmas’ I wanted to go along with her to get away from ‘Storm Babet’ which ripped its way through the UK this week and to find out just what Henry and Stella got up to.

I would definitely recommend that you buy this book for yourself or a friend, and buy it right now, even if it’s not Christmas!

Thank you to Harpeth Road Press for the opportunity to read and review a copy of Meet Me at Christmas by Jenny Hale.

About the book

From the USA Today bestselling author of the book-to-TV stories Coming Home for Christmas and Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses, with over one million copies of her books sold, comes a heartwarming holiday read that’s perfect for fans of Sheila Roberts, Debbie Macomber, and Jill Shalvis.

Traveling writer and researcher Stella Fisher is working in London when she's called home to her family’s farmhouse in Leiper’s Fork, Tennessee to help her mother through the first Christmas without her father. Compounding the situation, her younger sister Lily has run off to get married without telling anyone.

When Stella arrives home, she doesn’t expect to find Henry Dutton, the man she’d left behind. As she could guess, after her heartbreaking exit so many years ago, he isn’t speaking to her. What she doesn’t realize, however, is there’s a much bigger reason to blame for his unfriendly reception. She quickly becomes the one person he believes can fix everything, but she isn’t sure about that. She thought she’d buried her past, yet the look in his alluring blue eyes brings it all right back to the surface.

Under the glitter of the holiday trees at the local lot called Christmas, Stella uncovers more than she’d ever imagined. Will she be able to return to her old life? Or will the unexpected be the biggest Christmas gift of all?

A heartwarming holiday escape that will have you rushing to your loved ones this Christmas. If you enjoyed the Christmas movies based on Jenny’s books and are looking for more feel-good, small-town romance, look no further!

About Jenny

Jenny Hale is a USA Today and international bestselling author of romantic contemporary fiction. Her books have sold over a million copies worldwide, have been translated into multiple languages, and adapted for television. Her novels Coming Home for Christmas and Movie Guide Epiphany Award winner Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses are Hallmark Channel original movies. She was included in Oprah Magazine’s “19 Dreamy Summer Romances to Whisk You Away” and both Southern Living’s “30 Christmas Novels to Start Reading Now” as well as “Beach Reads Perfect for Summer” in 2020 as well as 2023. Her stories are chock-full of feel-good romance and overflowing with warm settings, great friends, and family. Jenny is at work on her next novel, delighted to be bringing even more heartwarming stories to her readers. When she isn’t writing or heading up her romantic fiction imprint Harpeth Road, she can be found running around her hometown of Nashville with her husband, two boys, and their labradoodle, taking pictures—her favorite pastime.

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My Review for A Secret for the Lifeboat Sisters by Tilly Tennant

Tilly made me cry again! I don’t know how she does it, not many authors have this effect! I loved this third book in the series, and this time the story is Gaby’s, the eldest Morrow sister and perhaps the most serious.

Once again we return to Port Promise, a small town on the coast which revolves around the lifeboat station, its crew members and their families. All families have dramas, but right now, Killian, Gaby’s husband, is bringing his drama right into the middle of his family and who knows whether they can come back from it. Only time will tell.

I can’t express enough how addictive and warm these last three books from Tilly have been. I am considering myself a part of Port Promise life now and if I could up sticks and join them all tomorrow, I would do. Almost everyone tries to be warm and welcoming to an outsider, and I think I’d fit in pretty well there. I wonder if they have a bookshop? I could totally open a bookshop by the seaside, with maybe a small coffee shop at the back to replace Betty’s!

Although part of a series, this book could definitely be read as a standalone, but honestly, you need to read all of them. I don’t think anyone would ever have enough Port Promise in their lives.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review A Secret for the Lifeboat Sisters by Tilly Tennant.

Book Description

As the sun warms the sand of Port Promise bay and the sea is stained turquoise, Gaby Morrow is about to discover that her life is going to change forever…

As she looks through the window of Thistledown Cottage, her perfect home with its flower-filled garden and views of the sparkling, white-tipped waves, Gaby Morrow should feel like she has it all. She watches her two gorgeous children race down to the golden beach and waves goodbye to her husband Killian, his chestnut hair tousled as he heads off for another day working on the lifeboats. To her friends and family Gaby’s life looks wonderful, but deep down Gaby knows that this is a lie.

Recently Killian has grown distant, a terrible tragedy at sea causing him to withdraw. Try as she might, Gaby can’t get her beloved husband to open up, and she knows Killian has been lying about where he has been going. Gaby wants to believe she can trust him. But when she discovers that he has been keeping a secret that will change all their lives, will she ever be able to feel the same again?

Gaby’s sisters rally round in her hour of need and remind her of everything she has that is worth fighting for. But just as she makes her decision, she sees helicopters circling the sea and the call she has dreaded her whole life comes in. Killian’s rescue mission has gone wrong. Will Gaby’s life be turned upside down all over again? And has she only realised what is truly important when it’s too late?

A beautiful and emotional read about losing everything and piecing yourself back together. Fans of Nicola May, Jo Bartlett and Jessica Redland will lose their hearts to A Secret for The Lifeboat Sisters.

Author Bio

From a young age, Tilly Tennant was convinced that she was destined for the stage.  Once she realised she wasn’t actually very good at anything that would put her on the stage, she started to write stories instead. There were lots of terrible ones, like The Pet Rescue Gang (aged eight), which definitely should not see the light of day ever again. Thankfully, her debut novel, Hopelessly Devoted to Holden Finn was not one of those, and since it hit the Amazon best seller lists she hasn’t looked back. Born in Dorset, she currently lives in Staffordshire with her husband, two daughters, three guitars, four ukuleles, two violins and a kazoo.

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My Review for The Christmas Promise by Lindsay Gibson

I don’t live in the US, and I’ve never visited New England, but now I want to go and visit the fictional town of Seabreeze and stay at Cove Hill Inn. I want to watch the snow falling, make gingerbread cookies and curl up in front of a roaring fire.

The Christmas Promise is my second Christmassy read. It’s beautiful and warm and cosy and romantic and I thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself in Charlotte’s family’s lives for just 24 hours, because that’s how long it took me to read it. Granted, I was in the car for 6 of those hours (I wasn’t driving) and I read for the whole time!

Charlotte is on a mission to discover the history behind a painting she’s recently purchased for the art gallery she works at and the answers will hopefully lie in the small coastal town on Seabreeze.

If you’re ready for a Christmas read then I’d thoroughly recommend that you get yourself a copy of this, make yourself a hot chocolate, pretend that it’s already snowing outside and lose yourself in this snuggly story.

Thank you to Harpeth Road Press for the opportunity to read and review a copy of The Christmas Promise by Lindsay Gibson.

Book Description

Art buyer Charlotte Moore is given the chance of a lifetime to be head buyer for the esteemed Wallace Gallery’s Christmas charity gala. But when she arrives at auction, after the most prominent pieces are all bought up, in a panic, she bids on the final painting—an unsigned sunset landscape she’s nearly sure her boss will despise.

To save her job, she finds herself in the beautifully festive New England coastal town of Seabreeze, the setting of the painting. When a nor’easter blows through, she’s stuck at the adorable Cove Hill Inn, all decorated for the holiday and brimming with Christmas magic. While it’s not an awful place to be snowed in, her ability to work is at a standstill, with the gala looming closer.

And she isn’t expecting to meet the innkeeper’s soon, ruggedly handsome Aiden Bennett, a distraction she definitely doesn’t need. Even the inn’s cherry scones and the town’s Christmas fair are no match for Aiden’s charm.

However, when she uncovers a family secret that could impact everyone, including herself and Aiden, it might shake up more than just the holiday. Under the shimmer of the town twinkle lights and the snow-covered Christmas trees, will Charlotte find the answers she’s looking for? Or has she unearthed something else entirely?

A heartwarming, holiday love story that will have you on the edge of your seat, reaching for the gingerbread cookies and hot cocoa.

Author Bio

Lindsay’s first book, her memoir, Just Be: How my Stillborn Son Taught Me to Surrender, won the Book Excellence finalist award in 2018. She has been featured in Elephant Journal, Green Child Magazine, and Self Magazine.

Lindsay now writes emotional romantic fiction, full of heartfelt love, good friends, and family, sprinkled with humor and tender warmth, where her characters discover that love is the reason for everything. Her debut romantic fiction novel The Christmas Promise with Harpeth Road Press set in a charming New England town at the holidays is now available.

When not writing fiction, she is working on her exclusive weekly newsletter Love is the Reason about all things love, food and healthy living. She spends the rest of her days chasing her three daughters around their hometown in Connecticut and hanging out with her Irish husband whose brogue still makes her blush.

Lindsay is available for book talks, speaking engagements and interviews both online and in person

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My Review for I'll Miss You This Christmas by Lucy Mitchell

I cried, I laughed, and I talked aloud to the characters. I’ll Miss You This Christmas is my first seasonal read for 2023 and it’s set the bar high for the others on my TBR.

I had to shout at Emily and Rory often throughout the book. They were frustrating and neither of them was admitting to what they wanted, which was ultimately each other. Felix was adorable, and I loved how he was communicating with his Mum. Such an awesome thing to do to keep her memory alive. Baxter was a sweetie but I have to admit, I was a little worried that he’d get squished somewhere on all those long train journeys!

Lucy Mitchell writes sensitively about some heart-crushing subjects and she does so with love and compassion.

If you want a book for Christmas, then I’d definitely recommend asking Santa for this or just buy it for yourself at any time of year. Hell, I read it in 30 degree heat in the garden in September!

Thank you to Bloodhound Books for the opportunity to read and review I’ll Miss You This Christmas by Lucy Mitchell.

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My Review for A Secret Cornish Summer by Phillipa Ashley

I adore the cover of A Secret Cornish Summer, pastels and sea and cliffs and blue skies. Add this together with a beautifully written story and you’ve got a summer winner right here.

I found this latest offering from Phillipa Ashley, full of thrills, spills and romance, and it was all set amongst an amazing backdrop in Cornwall, at the very bottom tip of the UK. I loved Eden, and I so much wanted her life to continue on the upward spiral she has found for herself, after a failed marriage to a complete and utter git! Iris is just a legend amongst all Granny’s, and who can’t love a cat called Sardine!

Phillipa pulled it out of the bag again with this one. Her writing is incredibly addictive and I could almost smell the coffee in Eden’s roastery and the tang of the salt in the sea air. I found the history of the lighthouse keepers fascinating. I have always wanted to stay in a lighthouse which has been converted into a holiday cottage - maybe I should make it happen!

Grab yourself a copy of A Secret Cornish Summer if you need something to read by the pool this summer. Or, if you’re currently in the middle of winter, snuggle up by the fire with a cup of cocoa and dream of warmer days!

Thank you to Avon Books UK for the opportunity to read and review a copy of A Secret Cornish Summer by Phillipa Ashley.

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My Review for The Lonely Hearts Beach Club by Amy Miller

The publication of The Lonely Hearts Beach Club, came at the same time as I was watching ‘Britain’s Best Beach Huts’ and I found myself comparing the ones they highlighted on TV, with Hattie’s beach hut in the book. Hattie’s won every time. Who wants a beach hut that is actually a sauna, or one that costs half a million pounds?! Nope, give me a proper, old-fashioned hut on a promenade any day of the week!

After her husband passes away, Hattie needs some company, despite protesting that she wants to be left alone, and her daughter Olivia has the best idea! Let’s rent out the deckchair in the beach hut, which has been left behind by Jesse, Hattie’s husband. However, advertising the deckchair opens more cans of worms, both for Hattie, Olivia and Olivia’s daughter Beau. Can past secrets stay in the past or not?

The Lonely Hearts Beach Club is a beautiful story, sad and touching, but also funny. The characters that Hattie meets will make you smile, I promise. I would love to sit and chat with Hattie on the beachfront, and this is making me wonder whether there are people like her where I live. Just whiling away the time on their deckchairs, waiting for someone to talk to. I might have to investigate!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review The Lonely Hearts Beach Club.

Book Description

Hattie gazes at her husband’s empty green-and-white-striped deckchair, the fabric blowing in the breeze. Blinking away tears, she clutches her own chair’s wooden frame with trembling hands. ‘What will I do without him?’

Olivia’s heart breaks watching her mother Hattie withdraw after her husband’s sudden death. Without him, she’s never been lonelier. Every morning, Hattie places a pair of tired old deckchairs looking out to sea. Staring at the empty chair beside Hattie, Olivia comes up with a plan: One deckchair for hire! Must bring good conversation and have own flask.

Posting the advert in a beachfront café, responses from other lonely locals start flooding in. There’s psychic medium Miriam who, besides talking to the dead, finds it therapeutic to belt songs from musicals. Glamorous Glenda has a penchant for teapot wine and skinny dipping. And even a reluctant Hattie can’t resist the endearing quirkiness of Jacob, walking the south-west coastal path in memory of his wife.

Everyone who sits in Hattie’s deckchair has a little pearl of wisdom to share, each bringing a tiny bit of the familiar sparkle back to Hattie’s eyes.

But as more and more visitors take up residence in Hattie’s deckchair – and her heart – will Hattie ever find a way to return to the woman she once was? And in the process, can Olivia also learn a lesson or two about reopening her own heart to love?

The Lonely Hearts Beach Club is an absolutely heart-warming story about the power of the mother-daughter bond, family secrets and second chances, perfect for readers who love Jojo Moyes, Faith Hogan and Sheila O’Flanagan.

Author Bio

Amy Miller is the pseudonym of Amy Bratley, who started her writing life working on magazines and newspapers. She has previously written three women’s fiction novels published by Pan Macmillan, the first of which was a bestseller in Italy. Her day job is being a freelance managing editor of both a vintage interiors magazine and a food magazine, two subjects she’s passionate about. Amy lives in Dorset with her husband and two children.

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