Sam's Fireside - Cosy Book Reviews & Recommendations

"The house sighs, and eases, an overwhelming emptiness subsiding into a quiet melancholy." This quote! It instantly made me feel like I was the house and a great weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I loved it. And houses are alive, aren't they? You can just tell whether someone or something belongs there or not — or perhaps that's just my airy-fairy brain talking! ✨🏡 Such a gorgeous idea, that Nicole, our protagonist, is 'told' when to move an object and, equally as lovely, that she knows where it's meant to be 'relocated' to when the time is right. I wonder if there are people out there who are really like this? I'd like to think so. 🥰 With a large dose of magical realism, Other People's Things made my heart soften and my tummy flutter, and I really want to be able to have the ability to 'relocate' items! ✨📚 I chose this one for July's read for #kindlecrushchallenge. A very belated thank you to Lake Union Publishing an...

“To all the nerds out there, we think you look hot in your glasses” 🤓❤️ The sixth visit to Dream Harbor and I really enjoyed following Daisy and Elliot’s relationship, as they begin with fake-dating and inevitably end up falling in love. I don’t think that’s a spoiler — we all know it’s going to happen in Dream Harbor! 😂💕 Elliot is so sweet, kind and thoughtful, and always seems to be putting Daisy’s feelings first. Daisy was a bit naughty at times, and I did feel she was stringing him along a little because she didn’t know whether she wanted this relationship or not. Just as with all the other Dream Harbor relationships — which pop up every now and again in this one too — it’s all about the thoughts and feelings. Daisy and Elliot work well together, and their friends all love them. It’s cute, easy-to-read and a little bit spicy. 🌶️🥰 I loved it! Thank you to HarperCollins and Libro.fm for the opportunity to listen to and review The Daisy Chain Flower Shop by Laurie Gilmore. 💕📖 ...

“In her head, she always just referred to him as Grinchy Grincherson because he never smiled.” Hmm, listening to a Christmas book in one of the hottest summers the UK has ever had – only me?? 😂 Oh well, I don't really pay attention to what I'm reading or when! 🤷‍♀️ I loved Baking it Merry. Such a cute story and lovely characters (even Tristan)! 🥰 Daphne's dream of owning a bakery is starting small, with a pop-up shop in the entrance of the building where Tristan works, and he's not feeling very Christmassy. 🎄 He's definitely a grumpy old Grinch for a lot of the story! 😆 Cosy, cute and Christmassy. 🎄❤️ Baking it Merry is a predictable seasonal romance, with a happy ending (of course!) and lots of talk of mouth-watering bakes, loyal friends and family. 🧁☕️ Read this any time of year – you don't need to wait until Christmas! 😉 Thank you to Libro FM and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to listen to and review Baking it Merry by Samantha Chase. 🎧📚 About...

' "I have to get on you", I said. "So, you need to chill the hell out and let me get up." ' I listened to Courage right off the back of Pride. Jules and Pete need to try and make a spare bit of cash, and so for some of this book, the focus is on the pair of them exercising the ‘babies’ — the younger horses with no racetrack experience. It was fun to see a different side of the horsey world, and Jules in particular found herself with a new friend to boot. 🐴 She gets on well with Alex and they settle into an easy camaraderie, bantering off each other and sharing their experiences. 😊 Pete takes a bit of a backseat in this one, and it does seem to be more about Jules and how she can help and support him through all the money crap that’s happening at Briar Hill Farm. I love the honesty in these books. Natalie shows that the majority of people in the eventing world aren’t born into money. They work hard for their career and yep, living in trailers and eating wha...

“You don’t need a map, Jules. You got this. Keep the red flag on the right and the horse between your legs and you’ll be home in no time.” Pride is the second novel I've read (actually, listened to) by Natalie Keller Reinert and, as I said before, I'm addicted. 🐴❤️ It’s taken me so long to get around to this series. I used July’s #LetsEarItAudiobookChallenge for this one, but let’s be honest, the only challenge was actually getting around to listening! 😂 Jules has it tough! She catches a break and everything looks to be all rosy in horsey land, and then wham, it’s all called into question again. But Jules is a tough cookie, and this is what I like about her. She picks herself up and tries to be better, for herself and for her horses. 💪🐎 I enjoyed that, in this one, Jules went back to basics, working for another trainer for a few months and realising that actually, she might not know as much as she thinks she does — and that she can still be taught. It’s incredibly humbling ...

“Fine is a woman’s equivalent to a land mine because you have absolutely no idea when or where that shit will explode.” Throttled was the third choice for the July read for #thatbonkersbookclub and, unfortunately, my least favourite. Mainly because the author repeatedly uses ‘prix’ as a standalone term. It isn’t correct, it doesn’t make sense and I’ve never heard anyone in the history of F1 use it that way! Let me give you an example: “Pole position will always be the most ideal for the whole Prix, and pride fills me that I claimed it.” It’s a small thing, but when you’re reading a book so heavily centred around F1, the terminology really needs to be right. Now I’ve got that off my chest, I can say that the story was good, the characters were great and entertaining, and I did like it. But there were too many inaccuracies, and it really felt like not enough research had gone into the book. If you’re going to write about a sport, don’t just go on what you’ve seen on TV — it’s not going t...

“You are so full of rage for someone so small and cute.” 😂 Icebreaker was the second book choice for #thatbonkersbookclub for July and one I've been meaning to get around to for ages, so this was finally my chance! 📚🏒⛸️ I really enjoyed it — well, apart from Aaron, who is a narcissistic, gaslighting moron! 😤🙄 Honestly, I could have happily skated right over his arm! I loved the banter between Anastasia and Nate's teammates, once she finally realised that actually, yeah, she did like Nate just a little bit! 🥰 They opened their arms and gathered her into their little boy family with such affection, and it was so cute. 🥹💕 Icebreaker definitely focuses more on the figure skating than the hockey, which is a welcome breath of fresh air. Everything I seem to see these days is hockey, hockey, hockey! 🏒🏒🏒 Give me some figure skating! ⛸️✨ The spice — I can either take it or leave it, to be honest, but it will never not make me read a book! 😂🌶️ But yeah, it rarely leaves a l...

“There’s only so much oxygen on an airplane. I don’t want his ego to suffocate the rest of us. You know, safety and all that s**t.” #thatbonkersbookclub, for some reason, decided to read three books in July and Mile High was the first one I read. Now, I wouldn't consider myself a sports romance fanatic. I can take them or leave them, to be honest, and so I went into this one with no expectations or particular interest. It just goes to show that book clubs can open your eyes to things you wouldn't normally read! 📚 I enjoyed Mile High and listened to this rather than read it, which probably made it even more fun. The dual narration of the two main characters, Zanders and Stevie, was brilliantly portrayed and even though Zanders is initially an arrogant d**k, there's a reason for that. I guarantee that if you read the book, you'll come to love him, as of course, Stevie does. ❤️ While writing this review, I discovered that the author, Liz Tomforde, used to be a flight att...

 "I didn't trust anything anymore, except for Dynamo." I finally got around to listening to the first book for June's #LetsEarItAudiobookChallenge and I'm addicted! 🎧🐴 I was always a horsey person growing up and, instead of posters of pop stars and actors on my bedroom wall, I had posters of eventers, showjumpers and horses! Yep, I was one of those weird kids! 😂🐎 Ambition  threw me right back to the days when I would spend dawn to dusk at my grandparents' farm with the horses. 🥰 I am now thoroughly invested in Jules and Dynamo, along with the other horses in her stable. As I listened, I could hear every whinny, experience every nicker and imagine that soft, velvety muzzle just nestling on my shoulder. 🐴❤️ I was interested to read about the struggles of eventing life in Florida, how they manage the heat, the sudden changes in weather and the hurricanes. It's such a different scenario to the UK, where we can pretty much ride all year round and at most ...

"Never turn your back on the sea." 🌊 I always enjoy any book that is set in Cornwall. We nearly ended up moving there, but alas, it wasn't meant to be. So, reading a Phillipa Ashley book gives me my Cornwall fix whenever I need it! 😊 I love the beaches that only the locals know about, the Cornish folk singers, and any mention of a pasty! And Eric... poor Eric! 💔🕊️ I could almost imagine myself sitting on the balcony with a cup of coffee, chatting away to him. Phillipa never fails to immerse me in the stunning Cornish coastline, the often laid-back way of life, and the quirky inhabitants of its towns and villages. Sybil is definitely the quirky one in this book! 😄 I can imagine she'd be an absolute hoot to have as a friend, with plenty of wayward stories to share. Zennor is the female protagonist in this story. I thought it was a weird name at first until I realised it's actually a village in Cornwall, not far from St Ives—so that's kind of cool! I liked Z...

"You've been house hunting for a year Jess... Maybe it's time to trust your gut instead of your models and spreadsheets." I adored When in Dublin. 🍀 As a UK resident, I loved the little nuances between the US way of life and that of people living in Dublin. Things like how a proper cup of tea is made (which definitely  isn’t  putting the water in the microwave btw 😂☕️) really made me smile. I also enjoyed the comparisons between how many people in the UK have travelled to lots of different countries, while many people in the US often haven’t travelled outside of the States because there’s just so much to explore there. Considering we can drive from top to bottom of the UK in a couple of days, it’s no wonder we spread our wings a bit more. 🌍✈️ In my head, Jessie was always capable of so much more than the promotion she’s striving for. She really finds her feet in Dublin and seems to flourish in a completely different environment — albeit one with a  lot  of rain. ?...

“Instead of fearing a thing, try to understand it. Because understanding can change everything about the way that you feel.” 💙 I read this book for May's read for the #NeglectedFaithfulsReadingChallenge, which I actually received as an ARC quite a while back now. I have no excuse for not reading it sooner other than life just getting in the way! 📚✨ Joe Nuthin's Guide to Life is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. I love a neurodivergent read, and I can always see little parts of myself in every character I read about. Joe is adorable, brave, and nothing but honest as he learns to navigate life and all the complications it brings — especially when you throw other people into the mix! 🥹💛 The blue and yellow notebooks that Joe’s Mum has written for him are invaluable. But how can you possibly write about every eventuality that might happen in a person’s life? You can’t — and that’s where good friends who truly understand Joe come in. I loved how his friends guide...