Sam's Fireside - Cosy Book Reviews & Recommendations

I'm a bit late writing my review for this one, as I listened in October 2024 as a bookclub choice for  #BookstaBritsBookClub.  I always love a time slip novel and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this one. We flip between the 1960s and 2003, with Jennifer a young married woman in the 60s and Ellie, a similar age in 2003.  This was such a beautifully written, nostalgic book and is very poignant when we think that this generation probably won't be writing letters and so there won't be any letters to discover. Texts and emails don't quite have the same mystery! I loved Ellie's investigative streak as she sought to discover the history behind Jennifer's letters and her husband and lover and how Jennifer's story is similar to her own.  The Last Letter From Your Lover is a beautifully written book about missed chances and relationship consequences and I'm thankful it was one of our bookclub choices last year. About the Book When journalist Ellie looks through...

Jenny has just celebrated her 100th birthday and decides that now is the opportunity to revisit her past, and takes her carer, Candice, along for the ride. Written across dual timelines, 2019 and 1940s Wales and Italy, Jenny and Candice open up Jenny’s memory box and delve in to see where history will take them. The Memory Box is beautifully researched and written, and I adored the characters and the story. I can guarantee that this book will trigger every emotion within you and just goes to show that relationships are often similar, regardless of the era.  Historical fiction books, set during WWII, are one of my favourite genres, and this book is right up there among the top. Thank you to NetGalley and Headline for the opportunity to read and review The Memory Box by Kathryn Hughes. About the Book Some love stories can't be forgotten... Jenny Tanner opens the box she has cherished for decades. Contained within are her most precious mementoes, amongst them a pebble, a carving and a...

I love gardens and nature and anything even remotely related to that, so to read a book called The Butterfly Garden was an inevitable choice for me, especially as it’s set in Suffolk, England - I live on the Norfolk/Suffolk border, so I was keen to see if I recognised any places. A dual timeline novel split between 1963 and 2018, where our female protagonists are Clara and Meredith, respectively. I was hooked as the story and all the family secrets jumped from one decade to another. Life and love are brought together as we read about Butterfly Cottage and why it was left empty for fifty years. The Butterfly Garden is beautifully written, with so many gorgeous descriptions of the Suffolk countryside, the winding lanes and village life. I was invested from the very beginning. Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books and Rachel’s Random Resources for the opportunity to read and review The Butterfly Garden by Rachel Burton. About the Book 1963: When Clara Samuels buys Butterfly Cottage, she...