A Wedding in Cornwall (Books 7-12) - Laura Briggs (Blog Blitz)

Date of Reading: 19/08/2018

Author: Laura Briggs

Publication Year: 2018

Rating: 4/5

About the book:

The last six novellas in the UK bestselling series A WEDDING IN CORNWALL are now available in one collection! Join American event planner Julianne in her final set of adventures 'across the pond' in beautiful Cornwall. From celebrity sightings to a local talent show, from a charming village fete to a secret Cornish garden, there's never a dull moment for Julianne and her Poldark-esque true love Matthew in the quaint village of Ceffylgwyn. 

This collection contains A Romance in Cornwall, A Star in Cornwall, A Sewing Circle in Cornwall, A Talent Show in Cornwall, An American in Cornwall, and A Garden in Cornwall. Exclusive bonus materials include a sneak peek of the author's all-new 2019 Cornish romance series!

My Review:

      I wanted to read this series ever since the hype I witnessed after the publication of  'A Garden in Cornwall'. So when I got a chance to review the last half of them, there never was any thinking further. And they proved to be as beautiful and charming as everyone said.
      As the compilation of the latter part of the series, this anthology begins after the happy marriage of Julianne and Mathew. The story might be continuing through her perspective still, but these are not her stories except for 'A Sewing Circle in Cornwall' which brings her back to the front lines. But in all others, she is pretty much a third wheel albeit in a fairy godmother kind of way. I haven't read the books from 1-6 yet but from all the references it could be easily summarised to have a great deal of romance and adventure.
     This particular half, on the other hand, contains no heart throbbing occurrences and I was not that immersed in the love life of other characters since it is given through Julianne's viewpoint. What makes it lovely is the way Laura Briggs captures the essence and fragrance of Cornwall and the nuisance of village life.
     Each story covers a particular aspect of the life in Cornwall and it was almost like they are all living and breathing characters. I don't want to pick a favourite in this, but if I have to it will be 'A Star in Cornwall' as the only one which is highly unlikely to happen. All of these stories have in a way influenced my day to day life and while reading about the talent show, I was inspired to organise a programme for my students here in my college. In a way that has made me closer to the little group surrounding Julianne and the manor house. All in all an unforgettable collection of stories that I will recommend to anyone in need of a quiet, cosy read.

Meet the author:

Laura Briggs is the author of several lighthearted romance novels and novellas, including the bestselling Amazon UK series A Wedding in Cornwall. She has a fondness for vintage-style dresses (especially ones with polka dots) and reads everything from Jane Austen to modern-day mysteries. When she's not writing, she enjoys spending time with family, caring for her pets, going to movies and plays, and trying new restaurants.

Giveaway to Win A Wedding in Cornwall – 3 different prizes (Open Internationally) 

1st Name Drawn will win - A paperback copy of the anthology to be shipped to the winner by the author via Amazon 

2nd Name Drawn will win - A digital/eBook copy of the anthology to be sent via email

3rd Name Drawn will win - A Smashwords coupon code good for a free download of 1 ‘Surprise eBook’  from the Cornwall series of novellas

*Terms and Conditions – Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will be passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for the fulfilment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

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Leo's War - Patricia Murphy (Blog Tour)

About the book:

It’s 1943 and young Leo tries to protect his disabled sister Ruby as the Nazis invade Italy.  After his mother is arrested, he turns to Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty to save them.  But he is no ordinary priest.  Known as ‘The Pimpernel of the Vatican’, the Monsignor is the legendary organizer of the Rome Escape Line.  Soon Leo is helping out with this secret network dedicated to saving the lives of escaped prisoners of war, partisans and Jews.  

But as the sinister Nazi leader Kappler closes in on the network, can Leo and his sister stay out of his evil clutches?

Meet the author:

 Patricia Murphy is the bestselling author of The Easter Rising 1916 – Molly’s Diary and Dan’s Diary – the War of Independence 1920-22 published by Poolbeg.

 She has also written the prize-winning “The Chingles” trilogy of children’s Celtic fantasy novels.   Patricia is also an award-winning

Producer/Director of documentaries including Children of Helen House, the BBC series on a children’s hospice and Born to Be Different Channel 4’s flagship series following children born with disabilities. Many of her groundbreaking programmes are about children’s rights and topics such as growing up in care, crime and the criminal justice system. She has also made a number of history programmes including Worst Jobs in History with Tony Robinson for Channel 4 and has produced and directed films for the Open University. 

Patricia grew up in Dublin and is a graduate in English and History from Trinity College Dublin and of Journalism at Dublin City University. She now lives in Oxford with her husband and young daughter.

Before you go . . .

Giveaway to win a £30 Amazon Gift Voucher (Open to UK Only)

*Terms and Conditions – Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will be passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for the fulfilment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

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Finding Felix - Jo Platt (Blog Tour)

Date of Reading: 17/08/2018

Author: Jo Platt

Publisher: Canelo

Place: United Kingdom

Source: NetGalley

Rating: 4.5/5

About the book:

Singleton Dot Riley’s grandmother, Nanny Flo, is on her deathbed, surrounded by family and distraught at the thought of Dot being all alone in the world.  Desperate to make Flo’s final moments happy ones, Dot invents a boyfriend – plumping in panic for her childhood friend, Felix, a firm favourite of Flo, but whom Dot hasn’t actually seen for 15 years.

But when Flo makes an unexpected recovery a few weeks before a family wedding, Dot is faced with a dilemma.  Should she tell her frail grandmother that she lied and risk causing heartache and a relapse?  Or should she find Felix and take him to the wedding?

Dot opts for finding Felix.  But it’s not long before she discovers that finding him is the easy bit: liking him is the real challenge.  

An uplifting romantic comedy about finding something you didn't even know you were looking for.   Finding Felix is perfect for fans of Anna Bell, Tracy Bloom and Debbie Viggiano.

My Review:

    Well, this year has given me a series of surprises when it comes to books. A not so appealing cover, a very dull beginning and how can one imagine that I have in my hands a gem of a book! But that was what 'Finding Felix' was. Dorothy (Dot) finds Felix and I have in turn found the perfect romantic comedy to turn my day a happy one.

     I never had the pleasure of reading Jo Platt before and her quirky, humorous language captivated me the moment the story shifted its perspective to Dot's. I am not against stories told through both the protagonists, but the highlight of having a single point of view is that it gives us a lot to imagine. I very much doubt 'Pride and Prejudice' will be this famous if it was using a double narrative including Darcy's take on things. 'Finding Felix' pursues a similar vein where it is Felix's actions and not his thoughts that reveals his character. It was fun imagining what could have been going through that charming, intelligent brain of his.
      The author introduces a plethora of characters including Dot's meddling but loving mother, caring grandmother, protective father, intuitive younger sister and a stern but supportive best friend and business partner. I loved reading about them all which added a certain depth to the novel apart from the romance.
      That being said, we can't ignore some of the loose ends in the plot, particularly the one concerning the missing letters. Even at the end, the readers are not enlightened as to what was there in the letters and how it got misdirected. And I can't help but wish to have more of Felix and Dot. 
   Thank you, NetGalley and Ellie Pilcher of Canelo for giving me a copy to review and for inviting me to this blog tour. I completely adored this book and it took a while to settle on the next one to read as I was not able to come out of the world of Dot and Felix.

Meet the author:

Jo Platt was born in Liverpool in 1968 and, via the extremely winding route of rural Wiltshire, London, Seattle and St Albans, she is now happily settled in Bristol with her husband and two daughters. She studied English at King's College London before going on to work in the City for ten years. In 2000 she escaped into motherhood and part-time employment, first as an assistant teacher in a Seattle pre-school and then was a Bristol-based secretary to her husband.

Have a look at the other stops in the tour:

Return to the Little Cottage on the Hill - Emma Davies

Date of Reading: 26/08/2018

Author: Emma Davies

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication Date: August 31, 2018

Source: NetGalley

Rating: 4/5

About the book:

The climb up the hill takes her past sweet-smelling pink roses in full bloom and leads her to an utterly breathtaking view. Megan is happy to be home at last, but will her relationship have survived the journey? 

It has been a difficult few years for thirty-year-old Megan Forrester, completing her apprenticeship and trying to maintain a long-distance relationship with her gorgeous boyfriend, Liam. 

She’s returned home to compete in a local craft competition. The prize is the chance to design beautiful new gates for the estate at the bottom of the hill, a job which could secure her future in the village forever. 

As the contest gets underway, Megan is devastated when a rival design turns out to be almost identical to hers. Someone in the close-knit community must have leaked her sketches, but who? Is it the same person spreading heartbreaking rumours about Liam? 

Down to the last few left in the competition, Megan throws her heart and soul into a show-stopping final piece… but will winning even matter when the truth about Liam is finally revealed? 

My Review:

       This is the third book in the 'Little Cottage' series and the first one I have read. It is standalone and like me, you can start with the last story since the numerous references to the character's back stories will help you get along fabulously. I do have a problem with the cover blurb though. From the abstract, you will get the impression that this is Megan's story, but half of the book revolves around Clara, the cottage's gardener. Megan does have a voice in the beginning, but soon enough Clara takes over that part of the narration too.

      One of the major reasons I chose this book is because it features a female blacksmith. I have never seen women in this profession and was surely rooting for Megan throughout the competition. Having no background knowledge of the cottage and its amazing hosts, I was a bit peeved at Clara at the beginning for taking the major chunk of the story . . . but not for long. 

     Clara is a beautiful character, both inside and out. She is patient and caring which obviously creates a minor disadvantage as with all good-natured people. But the lucky girl has a steadfast protector in Maddie and a great friendship with Trixie. The problems between Clara and Trixie makes it all the more realistic. That shouting scene in the kitchen which shows that Clara can't be bullied is by far my favourite scene. As I have often witnessed and experienced, any problem with our close friends can be solved with a heart to heart talk even if it involves some shrieking and yelling and calling names (No need to panic, Clara didn't rely on the last one). And I haven't forgotten Declan who was an added bonus. But I will wait for you to find out more about him from the book itself.

      All in all, this is a delightful read with delicately balanced plot lines that will take you to the beauty and sunshine of the countryside and also to a heart throbbing competition where talents are revealed and unmade.

Meet the author:

After a varied career, Emma Davies once worked for a design studio where she was asked to provide a fun and humorous anecdote for their website. She wrote the following: 'I am a bestselling novelist currently masquerading as a thirty-something mother of three.' Well, the job in the design studio didn't work out but she's now a forty-something mother of three and is working on the rest.

Today she's a finance manager and looks at numbers a lot of the time, so at night she likes to throw them away and play with words, practising putting them together into sentences. Pop over to her website www.emmadaviesauthor.com where, amongst other things, you can read about her passion for Pringles and singing loudly in the car.

You can also Wave to her on twitter @Emdavies68 or find her on Facebook (a little too often than is good for her).

The False Men - Mhairead MacLeod (Blog Tour)

Date of Reading: 11/08/2018

Author: Mhairead MacLeod

Publisher: Thunder Point Publishing

Year: 2017

Rating: 4/5

(This review is part of the blog tour organised by Love Books Group)

About the book:

North Uist, Outer Hebrides, 1848

Jess MacKay has led a privileged life as the daughter of a local landowner, sheltered from the harsher aspects of life. Courted by the eligible Patrick Cooper, the Laird's new commissioner, Jess's future is mapped out, until Lachlan Macdonald arrives on North Uist, amid rumours of forced evictions on islands just to the south.

As the uncompromising brutality of the Clearances reaches the islands, and Jess sees her friends ripped from their homes, she must decide where her heart, and her loyalties, truly lie.

Set against the evocative backdrop of the Hebrides and inspired by the true story of Jessie Balranald, The False Men is a compelling tale of love in a turbulent past that resonates with the upheavals of the modern world. 

My Review:

       I approached this book with trepidation since it is based on a real story. Being not a firm believer of happily ever after in real life, I was dreading a tragic end and was much relieved by the turn of the story. Fortunately, this is not another 'Braveheart' where I will have to cry my heart out.

      Set in the backdrop of Highland Clearances, MacLeod produces a fine specimen of historical fiction centred around a brave heroine who is endowed with a wisdom far beyond her age and time period. While the nobility and the clergy fail to empathise with the farmers, Jess takes a firm stand which according to my pragmatic brain was a foolish decision. But I was glad to see Jess following her heart to give the Highlanders a romantic tale to pass through generations.

       My only trouble was with the abrupt ending. The story had all the potential of being a historical saga otherwise. I could only hope that there will be a sequel wherein Jess reminiscence her struggles in the new found land. Leaving this aside, this was a wonderful tale, told with all the charm of a Scottish fairytale and will capture your attention from the outset.

Meet the Author:

Mhairead MacLeod was born in Inverness, Scotland and spent her early childhood on the Isle of South Uist in the Outer Hebrides.

She now lives in Brisbane, Australia where she worked as an ethics lawyer, investigator and university lecturer. She holds Masters degrees in both Law and in Creative Writing.

An earlier draft of The False Men was short-listed for a HarperCollins Varuna Award for Manuscript Development and also won a Hachette Manuscript Development Award. 

The Mistress of Pennington's - Rachel Brimble (Spotlight)

About the book:

1910 – A compelling tale of female empowerment in Bath's leading department store. Perfect for the fans of the TV series Mr Selfridge and The Paradise.

Elizabeth Pennington should be the rightful heir of Bath's premier department store through her enterprising schemes and dogged hard work. Her father, Edward Pennington believes his daughter lacks the business acumen to run his empire and is resolute a man will succeed him.

Determined to break from her father's iron-clad hold and prove she is worthy of inheriting the store, Elizabeth forms an unlikely alliance with ambitious and charismatic master glove-maker Joseph Carter. United they forge forward to bring Pennington's into a new decade, embracing woman's equality and progression whilst trying not to mix business and pleasure.

Can this dream team thwart Edward Pennington's plans for the store? Or will Edward prove himself an unshakeable force who will ultimately ruin both Elizabeth and Joseph?

Meet the author:

Rachel lives with her husband and two teenage daughters in a small town near Bath in the UK. Since 2007, she has had several novels published by small US presses, eight books published by Harlequin Superromance (Templeton Cove Stories) and four Victorian romances with eKensington/Lyrical.

In January 2018, she signed a four-book deal with Aria Fiction for a brand new Edwardian series set in Bath’s finest department store. The first book, The Mistress of Pennington’s released July 2018.

Rachel is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and Romance Writers of America and was selected to mentor the Superromance finalist of So You Think You Can Write 2014 contest. When she isn’t writing, you’ll find Rachel with her head in a book or walking the beautiful English countryside with her family. Her dream place to live is Bourton-on-the-Water in South West England.

Giveaway to win £20 / $20 Amazon Gift Card (Open Internationally)

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will be passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for the fulfilment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

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Martinis & Memories - A. L. Michael (Blog Tour)

Date of Reading: 22/08/2018

Author: A. L. Michael

Publisher: Canelo

Year: 2018

Source: NetGalley

Rating: 3.5/5

About the book:

Bel Hailstone has spent the past decade building her dream - Soho’s best burlesque club - from the ground up. But now The Martini Club is under threat and it will take everything in Bel’s power to resist encroaching developers and save her pride and joy.

Amidst the chaos, Bel’s past comes knocking with the unexpected arrivals of her still-not-quite-ex-husband, her estranged mother and Brodie Porter - the boy who got away all those years ago.

To keep her beloved club afloat – not to mention her sanity - Bel will have to accept help for the first time in a long time, put the past to rest and claim the happy ever after she once thought was lost for good.

My Review:

      'Martinis & Memories' is the third book in the Martini Club series which can be read as a standalone. I was not familiar with the first two but that was not a pleasure spoiler. Sure, some of the characters from the previous books appear towards the end and by the looks of it, they seemed to have some interesting stories. Well, that is two more books I need to add to my TBR pile :)
       The story revolves around Bel Hailstone, the owner of Martini Club who has reworked herself into a glittering personality. My first impression of her was nothing great. In fact, I had the very same opinion of the newspaper reviewer who slandered her and the club. She appeared shallow and artificial. But too soon, my feelings took a reverse gear once we are introduced into the not that pretty life of Bel. An insatiable and unfeeling mother, a broken heart and a good for nothing husband from whom she eventually ran away -- I was completely in awe of her gumption. 
   I loved her more because she took a step forward to forgive and to mend the ties with her mother. There were a bit too many coincidences in the story that was hard to accept, like all the unsolved problems of the past come knocking together. It is nothing short of a miracle. Nothing to be surprised though, if Paulo Coelho is to be believed because "when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it".       

Meet the author:

A. L. Michael is a writer, currently living in Watford. She has a BA in English Literature with creative writing, and an MA in Creative Entrepreneurship, both from UEA. She also has an MSc in Creative Writing for Therapeutic Purposes, where she researched the use of therapeutic writing with those in recovery from eating disorders.

She writes books about women who are trying to figure out their place in the world, and who aren't afraid to make mistakes.


When she's not writing novels, she's working as a content writer, practising yoga, looking at puppy videos or drinking too much red wine.

Have a look at the other stops on the blog tour:

Now That You Mention It - Kristan Higgins

Date of Reading: 29/7/2018

Author: Kristan Higgins

Publisher: Harlequin

Place: Ontario

Year: 2017

Rating: 4.5/5

About the book:

One step forward. Two steps back. The Tufts scholarship that put Nora Stuart on the path to becoming a Boston medical specialist was a step forward. Being hit by a car and then overhearing her boyfriend hit on another doctor when she thought she was dying? Two major steps back.

Injured in more ways than one, Nora feels her carefully built life cracking at the edges. There's only one place to land: home. But the tiny Maine community she left fifteen years ago doesn't necessarily want her. At every turn, someone holds the prodigal daughter of Scupper Island responsible for small-town drama and big-time disappointments.

With a tough islander mother who's always been distant and a wild-child sister in jail, unable to raise her daughter--a withdrawn teen as eager to ditch the island as Nora once was--Nora has her work cut out for her if she's going to take what might be her last chance to mend the family.

But as some relationships crumble around her, others unexpectedly strengthen. Balancing loss and opportunity, a dark event from her past with hope for the future, Nora will discover that tackling old pain makes room for promise...and the chance to begin again.

My Review:

      This was my book club read and I am so glad we selected it. My first Kristan Higgins book couldn't have been any better. With a fast-paced narrative, mixed with a splendid amount of humour, the novel will win over any reader's heart just like the pet dog featured inside. And the regular Harry Potter comments . . . I was a goner with the first reference itself. I may have to revisit my Potter books again; reading this has made me nostalgic for my Hogwarts days (I am a muggle, still . . .)

         Don't get me wrong here. This is no laugh out loud romantic comedy, but a tale on the complexities of familial relationships and societal bonds. As a woman, I am proud of what you have achieved Dr. Nora Stuart, irrespective of the hard school days you have endured. If I were a few years younger, I would have joined with Audrey in commenting, "I want to be you when I grow up".

        All in all an inspiring read that gave me the boost I so needed these days. I have been so immersed in the emotional turmoil towards the end that my cheeks were practically drenched. Who knew that I had this catharsis thing going on!!!

Summary:

      Dr. Nora Stuart is a gastroenterologist in Boston City Hospital, New England's biggest and busiest hospital. Her life may not be the most glamorous one - since she is not part of the ER department where lies all the excitement - but she has an almost content life with a handsome boyfriend. That is until she is hit by a van and almost died. While on emergency care, she heard her boyfriend Bobby flirting with Jabrielle, a girl who had a crush on him and that was the end of their relationship. 
       They were already drifting apart as Nora was constantly haunted by another near-death experience happened a few months ago. She was nearly raped and killed at her own home and the guy was never captured. She took self-defence classes, bought a dog - Boomer - and also a gun for protection. Still, the insecurity remained. And Bobby was getting tired of the greyness surrounding their life.

Source:http://time.com/4552201/doctor-physician-voting-election-day/

      The near-death experience made Nora realise certain things. She decides to go back to her home at Scupper Island to mend the broken bonds with her family. Her mother was a highly competent and a woman of few words. The children were therefore close to their father. He instilled life-threatening adventurous spirit in his two daughters, Nora and Lily. In spite of their one year difference, both girls were really close though both of them favoured quite different looks. Lily, the youngest, was the beauty.
       Their childhood bliss was vaporised when their father left home suddenly. Lily drifted apart from her sister and her mother as a consequence. She became a part of the beautiful girls' group while Nora started overeating and made herself chubby. But she was a studious student and won the prestigious Perez scholarship beating everyone's favourite, Luke Fletcher. A despaired Luke met with an accident while driving in a drunken fit. His twin brother, Sullivan, who was also there with him, suffered a brain injury and went into a coma.
      Isolated and bearing the blame of this incident, Nora left for college and there after to medical school. She never returned home again. While years were kind to her, Lily's life was taking a downhill. Becoming a single mother at a young age, Lily's dealings in drugs culminated in a prison sentence. Now her daughter Poe lives with her grandmother.
       Back in the island Nora takes a job in the local clinic and manages to get close with Poe after several failed attempts. She tries to find out about her father from his friends but to no avail. Luke had destroyed his life due to drug addiction and he still resents her. But, Sully, who has been losing his hearing due to the brain injury welcomes her warmly. He is a divorced father now with his daughter Aubrey staying with him. Aubrey and Poe become thick friends. Nora finds out the presence of a tumour in Aubrey which was the cause of her abnormal physical growth. The surgery saves her from the humiliation of teenage years.
       Sully and Nora start dating and she also learns that her mother is in a lesbian relationship. She finally gets to know that her father suffered from bipolar disorder, but he refused to take medicines. This caused the rift in the family that ended in his leaving. Her mother took all the blame so that her daughters can keep the fond memories of their father. He had died a few years back in a car accident.

Kristan Higgins

      Lily is also afflicted with the same disorder. A quarrel in the prison results in her stabbing a jail mate and a few more years are added to her imprisonment. Nora understood that Lily's act was deliberate so that her daughter can have a comfortable life with her aunt. Nora accepted Poe's custody and decided to stay on the island as she is in love with Sullivan. 
      In between, Luke makes an attempt on Nora, but this time her self-defence classes and her protective dog come to the rescue. Luke is sent away from the island and his mother finally accepts Nora as her potential daughter-in-law.

A Recipe for Disaster - Belinda Missen (Blog Tour)

Date of Reading: 03/07/2018

Author: Belinda Missen

Publisher: HQ Digital

Publication Date: Aug. 7, 2018

Source: NetGalley 

Rating: 4.5/5

(This review is part of the blog tour organised by Rachel's Random Resources)

About the book:

Life’s not always a piece of cake… 

Meet Lucy, master wedding cake baker, idealistic school canteen crusader, and someone whose broken heart just won’t seem to mend…

Lucy is quietly confident that she has made the right choices in life. Surrounded by friends and family in a small town by the sea, Lucy can easily suppress the feeling that something is missing from her life.

But when a blast from the past arrives in the form of her estranged husband, international celebrity chef Oliver Murray, Lucy’s carefully constructed life begins to crumble beneath her like overbaked meringue.

Is Oliver’s return all business or is it motivated by something more?

A Recipe for Disaster starts long after most love stories would have ended, proving it is never too late to offer someone a second slice of cake or a second chance.

Perfect for fans of Carole Mathews, Mhairi McFarlane and Carrie Hope Fletcher. 

My Review:

        I don't have a sweet tooth, but I am definitely up for cakes and no way I was going to pass a book on a master cake baker. The story revolves around Lucy and Oliver and it begins long after the end of their happily ever after. Choosing his career over marriage, Oliver has reached to the stars while his wife is left in the hometown picking up the pieces. Now Oliver is back to reclaim his not yet divorced ex-wife, Lucy.

        The plot, as you can see, showcases so much potential and Belinda doesn't disappoint you a bit. Lucy and Oliver have a bumpy ride ahead of them and until the very end, we are made to guess what might happen. What I liked most about both these characters is that they are not perfect and they remain imperfect to the last page of the book. I am happy that the author chose to portray them so; perfection is something that exists only in an ideal world. It is the flaws in our characters that make our lives special and different. 

     Consequently, Oliver is an egotistical, business-minded but talented chef and Lucy is a stubborn woman with excellent baking skills. Will they make it? I think it entirely depends on them. Here in the book, we can give them a happy ending, but they are so alive one could clearly believe them to be real. That makes this work stands out from the typical fairy tale romances and for this sole reason, I loved it to the core.

       More than a month has passed since I finished this one. But even now, while writing this review my mind is crowded with beautiful scenes from the story making me smile. Thank you Rachel and NetGalley for this review copy, this was a delicious read :)

Meet the author:

Belinda Missen is an award-winning and best-selling author, screenwriter, and freelance writer from Geelong, Australia. 

A reader from an early age, Belinda began writing her own stories shortly after her love affair with Steven Spielberg’s film Jurassic Park began. What began as fan-fiction soon took deeper root, and she was scribbling out strange little stories in empty notebooks she found laying around the house. 

With qualifications in transport and office administration and a combined career of fifteen years in these industries, Belinda decided to uproot everything in 2013 and return to her first love of writing. She now writes full-time, between cups of coffee, binge watching television, and feeding her cats and husband. 

In April 2016, she was awarded the JOLT Courthouse Youth Arts Award in the Inspire 26+ Category for her piece Obsession. 

In February 2017, her book Love And Other Midnight Theories clawed its way to the top of the Amazon charts in its category of Performing Arts, beating JK Rowling’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. True story – she has the screenshots to prove it. 

When not dabbling in the written word, Belinda can be found mentoring other writers, beta-reading, reviewing, helping others to ready books for publication, and sleeping. 

Before you go, have a look at other stops on the tour . . .

 

Come Away With Me - Maddie Please

Date of Reading: 12/08/2018

Author: Maddie Please

Publisher: Avon

Publication Date: August 13, 2018

Source: NetGalley 

Rating: 4.5/5

About the book:

When Alexa Fisher finds herself trapped on a twelve-day cruise to celebrate her younger sister’s hen-do – just the two of them – she wishes she’d jumped overboard.

Despite the age difference, India has always been the judgemental sibling, and there’s been even more friction than usual since ‘the big engagement’. With India constantly obsessing over wedding plans, Alexa has never felt more single, or more of a failure.

If only she could find a man who was funny, handsome and faithful. But when she meets the enigmatic (and *gorgeous*) Gabriel Frost on the cruise, he is as cold as his name suggests… Isn’t he?

Set sail for an adventure on the high seas, it’s time for Alexa to discover that sometimes romance can surprise you! 

My Review:

       To be honest, I just picked this book only because I didn't find anything of interest in NetGalley at that time. Oh, there is nothing wrong with the theme. It is just . . . being not a daughter of Poseidon I am quite unnerved by the so-called magnificence of the sea or should I say its destructive power? I tend to avoid anything related to the sea, movies included. So if I say I completely loved this book, you can fairly imagine the rest.
       As the cover blurb informs you, this is the story of two sisters, Alexa (for Alexandria) and India. Their wanderlust parents named them after the two places they loved most. Alexa is the responsible eldest with no boyfriend, while India is endowed with good looks and is about to get married. Yesss, it is '27 Dresses' all over again, but in a cruise ship. The novel traces the twelve days of their travel where their old bond and comradeship return.
      The readers are taken along with their beautiful journey and while closing the book, I felt I just finished a very rewarding and comforting cruise adventure.  Why can't they write travel books in this mode? There is, of course, a love story but that only makes a mere twenty percentage of the book. And the amazing thing is, I really didn't mind it at all. I was so immersed in Alexa and India that not even once I fast forwarded to check when Gabriel Frost will make his next appearance.
        Thank you, Avon and NetGalley for giving me this review copy. It has captivated me so much that I won't mind going on a ship anymore. 

Meet the author:

Maddie Please was born in Dorset, brought up in Worcestershire and went to university in Cardiff. Following a career as a dentist, Maddie now writes full-time and lives in Devon with her exceptionally handsome and supportive husband.

The Summer of Second Chances was Maddie’s debut novel, and it was the result of Chris Manby’s brilliant plotting workshop in beautiful Cornwall.
Maddie’s second book The Year of New Adventures was published by Avon Maze in February 2018.