Book Review - Stuck On You by Portia MacIntosh

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Amazon UK

Title: Stuck On You

Author: Portia MacIntosh

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 17th September 2020

Rating: 5 Stars

Could a post-it note really lead to love...?

Sadie doesn't have time for finding love. She's too busy as PA for famous artist Damian Banks. When she's not arranging exhibitions, she's organising his dry cleaning or dumping his never ending stream of girlfriends.

But when she strikes up an unusual friendship with her desk share buddy, she finds a confidante and a new potential love interest. Problem is, they've never actually met...

With Christmas just around the corner, can Sadie put herself first for a change and find what she's been looking for all along?The brand new romantic comedy from top 10 bestseller Portia MacIntosh. Perfect for fans of Sophie Ranald, Mhairi McFarlane and Zara Stoneley.

Oh I do love a Portia MacIntosh Book and this was certainly no exception. 

I loved the post it note messages between Sadie and Adam, the man she shares a desk with, especially as they both seem to struggle with their demon boss Damian! 

And Damian initially is a complete and utter nightmare, and I don't blame Sadie in the slightest for wanting to get a new job.  

However things change and from the middle of the book onwards you see a different side to some of the characters, a real friendship start to develop and you also get a family Christmas with a family and community that absolutely adore the holiday and have various festive themed plans for the whole week in the lead up to the main day. 

Including Dickens Day which if you are a fan of Dickens would be just wonderful, also a smaller version of Winter Wonderland, a competition to post Christmas cards, a trip to the cinema in pjamas and all manner of other festivities.   And as a huge fan of Christmas this really made the book for me, and I was starting to feel quite festive, to the extent that I didn't even blink when I ended up watching the new Grinch film on TV in August!! 

I loved the character development in this story and just the whole vibe I got from the book. I was hooked really early on and it was painful tearing myself away from a fabulous story, just to do real life things like work! 

It was a joy to read Stuck On You,  another top rom-com from this author. 

Thank you to Boldwood and Netgalley for this copy which i have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - Christmas at Lock Keeper's Cottage by Lucy Coleman

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Amazon UK

Title: Christmas at Lock Keeper's Cottage

Author: Lucy Coleman

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 3rd September 

Rating: 4 Stars

Join us for Christmas in the Cotswolds in this perfect festive escape, from the bestselling Lucy Coleman.

Imogen Tolliman never knew her mother. And when an accident robs Immi of her father too, she goes to live with her grandfather, Tollie, in his picturesque lock-keeper’s cottage by the Aysbury marina.

Tollie is the star of the Santa Ahoy Special each Christmas – a festive boat ride along the canal that enthralls both children and adults alike. And as Immi grows up, she starts to appreciate the magical community she is lucky enough to live in.

When Immi meets Gray Adams, she instantly realises he’s someone special. And as their relationship gets serious, they start to plan for the Christmas to beat all Christmases.

But as the day approaches, and the romantic snow showers turn into blizzards, their dream of a Christmas to remember, looks set to be one they’ll never forget - for all the wrong reasons. Can they salvage the festivities, or will old secrets that are finally uncovered turn Immi’s life upside down forever?

Let Lucy Coleman transport you away to a dreamy Cotswolds Christmas full of snowflakes and secrets, log fires, mistletoe, friends and much-loved traditions. Perfect for all fans of Trisha Ashley, Holly Martin and Sue Moorcroft.

What an eventful Christmas that was, well nothing is ever smooth running in fiction! And this really had all manner of drama, revelations and even had me gasping in shock right towards the end of the story. 

Yet I also feel there are possibly some loose ends, to the extent I wonder if there will be a sequel, as I would happily read more from Immie, Gray and everyone in Aysbury, which have become like my family over the last few days while I have been reading this.

I absolutely adore the the idea of the Santa Ahoy Cruises on the the canal, especially the ones featuring rather special Little Stars.  Tollie makes a fabulous Santa, and Immie is a rather great elf. 

Immie is such a lovely and kind hearted character, she is happy to put everyone else first, even if it does end up with her putting on Christmas dinner for perhaps more than would have been anticipated, and she does panic quite rightly. 

There is also an unlikely friendship struck up with Mrs Price, who is such a revelation as the story progresses. 

And then there is Gray, who clearly loves Immie, and although I didn't feel like you got to know him that well, when we did see him, I really did like him, and they are well suited. 

This is heartwarming, festive, and just an all around good story to read, with plenty going on both with regards Christmas, and also the sense of community, and friendships.  I'd certainly welcome a return to Aysbury in the future. 

Thank you to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - Finding Love at the Christmas Market by Jo Thomas - Blog Tour - #HolidayReading Malta

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Amazon UK

Title: Finding Love at the Christmas Market

Author: Jo Thomas

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Transworld Digital

Publication Date: 24th September 

Rating: 5 Stars

Cosy up with the new Christmas book from best-selling author Jo Thomas

Residential-home caterer Connie has had one online-dating disaster too many. Hurt in the past and with her son to consider, now she's feeling hesitant. Then one of Connie's residents sets her up on a date at a beautiful German Christmas market - with the promise she'll take a mini-bus full of pensioners with her...

Amongst the twinkling lights and smell of warm gingerbread in the old market square, Connie heads off on her date with a check-list of potential partner must-haves. Baker Henrich ticks all the boxes, but when Connie meets Henrich's rival William, she starts to wonder if ticking boxes is the answer.

Will Connie's wish for love this Christmas come true, and if so - with who?

Now that is what I call a Christmas book. I've just devoured this wonderful festive story, in 33 degree heat in Malta, and now want to go around wishing everyone a merry Christmas.

This is a book that just oozes festive feeling,  and I love how it's also allowed a group of pensioners to rediscover their love of Christmas too.

Between two German Christmas markets, two very different German men, a deaf dog, Christmas jumpers, a donkey, gingerbread, singing, dancing and a big bake off between the two towns you have all the ingredients and more for a fabulous festive book. 

I had such a great sense of place from this story,  and I adored all the characters. This has all the heart and love I've come to expect from a Jo Thomas novel, and so much more besides.

This will easily be one of my favourite Christmas books of the year. I could have kept reading it for so much longer had i not run out of pages.

Read in one sitting over about 3 hours this transported me to the German Christmas markets, made me remember my own visit to them, and generally had me grinning like a loon throughout.

If you read one book this Christmas then make it this one!

Thank you to Transworld and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Please follow along with the other bloggers on this blog tour too. 

Book Review - That Night in Paris by Sandy Barker

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Amazon UK

Title: That Night in Paris

Author: Sandy Barker

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: One More Chapter

Publication Date: 15th April 2020

Rating: 4 Stars

Note to self: don’t sleep with your flatmate after a curry and three bottles of wine… especially if he’s secretly in love with you and wants you to meet his mum.

Cat Parsons is on the run. She doesn’t do relationships. After ten years of singlehood even the hint of the ‘L’ word is enough to get Cat packing her bags and booking herself onto a two-week holiday.

A European bus tour feels like a stroke of genius to dodge awkward conversations at home. But little does Cat realise that the first stop will be Paris, the city of love itself. 

Joined by new friends, Cat has got two weeks, eight countries and a hell of a lot of wine ahead of her. As they discover hidden treasures and the camaraderie of life on the road, will Cat find a new way of looking at love? 

Discover the beauty of Europe’s most romantic cities in this uplifting and laugh-out-loud novel for fans of Samantha Parks, Alex Brown and Mandy Baggot

If you want a whistle stop tour around part of Europe then this is certainly the book for you.  For me it has re-affirmed something I have always suspected I would not enjoy doing a coach tour for myself, if I'm going to fit in multiple cities in one trip, give me a cruise ship to travel by, but not a coach! 

However reading about someone else's coach trip starting in Paris, taking in the South of France, Florence, Rome, Switzerland and more over a short space of time is really entertaining. 

Especially given Cat had always sworn she would never take this sort of holiday, but books it last minute while fleeing from a love-struck flatmate.  

It doesn't take too long for Cat to make some wonderful new friends on this trip and with that we have her bus posse, 4 women all on the trip for different reasons and we get to know them all really well, as what else are you going to do on a coach of hours at end, than talk to people! 

The accommodations again would have put me off the trip and Cat didn't seem that impressed with them either, but past that we get wonderful descriptions of each place they visit.  There is the echoes of past loves, a blast from the past that becomes rather key,  

Let's just say there is a gorgeous Frenchman that really affects Cat's "lady bits" (the author's words not mine, and was a phrase used rather a lot), but the chemistry between them is amazing even if Cat is trying to delude herself. 

Some of the cities we get more from than others, but I'd say we get a decent feel for each place, especially the ones where  Cat and her bus bestie Lou decided to fit in as much as humanly possibly in a tiny amount of time. 

I really enjoyed this story, and love Sandy Barker's way of writing about different places.  I'm already keen to see what the author will write next. 

Thank you to One More Chapter and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - First Blood by Angela Marsons

Amazon UK

Title: First Blood

Author: Angela Marsons

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication Date: 14th November 2019

Rating: 5 Stars

In the darkness of a cold December morning, Detective Kim Stone steps through the doors of Halesowen Police Station.  She’s about to meet her team for the first time.  The victim of her next case is about to meet his killer…

When the body of a young man is found beheaded and staked to the ground in a secluded area of the Clent Hills, Kim and her new squad rush to the crime scene.

Searching the victim’s home, Kim discovers a little girl’s bedroom and a hidden laptop.  Why is his sister relieved to hear he’s dead – and where is the rest of his family?  

As Kim begins to unearth the dark secrets at the heart of the case, D.C. Stacey Wood finds a disturbing resemblance to the recent murder of Lester Jackson.  But that’s not all Stacey finds …

She’s convinced there is a link between the victims and a women’s shelter run by Marianne Forbes, Lester’s niece. A child of the care system herself, Kim knows all too well what it means to be vulnerable. Could Marianne be the key to cracking this case?

With the killer about to strike again, Kim is in deep water with a rookie squad.  Inexperienced Stacey is showing signs of brilliance but struggling to hold her nerve and, while D.S. Bryant is reliable and calm, D.S. Dawson is a liability. With his home life in pieces, his volatile behaviour is already fracturing her fragile new team.

Can Kim bring Dawson in line and pull her crew together in time to catch the killer before another life is taken? This time, one of her own could be in terrible danger…

Discover where it all began for Kim and her team. An absolutely heart-stopping mystery thriller that will keep you glued to the pages, reading late into the night.  Perfect for Kim Stone fans and new readers to the million-copy bestselling series.

A detective hiding dark secrets, Kim Stone will stop at nothing to protect the innocent.

As a ginormous fan of the D. I. Kim Stone series, I was excited and privileged to be given an advance chance to read the latest book of the series, which unlike the others doesn't move the series on, but instead is a prequel. 

This is the story of how Stone, Stacey, Bryant, and Dawson and their first week as a new team.  We see how Kim's reputation preceded her, we get insights into all the officers personal lives,  and get to see them working together almost instantly. 

For fans of the series this is the book we didn't necessarily know we needed until well you have read it, I was completely hooked on seeing the roots of the series take hold, from a place earlier than Book 1. Would think work as an entry point to read before book 1 if you are new to the series, well I'm too hooked to know for sure, but I'd recommend you read them all as they are fabulous books. 

I completely devoured this book, I was almost upset that I had to pause reading to watch a musical, as I had started it on the tube on the way to the theatre, read more in the restaurant, then enjoyed the show, and read on the tube on the way home, and instead of then doing some work or arguably anything productive I did the only thing possible and finished this book.  Well I needed to see how it all turned out, and just who was behind the crimes. 

I did have my theories but they were wide of mark, and the level of detail at times for the bodies was sickening.  I was kept guessing throughout and enjoyed seeing just how all the different members of the team work. 

As a fan of the series and knowing what a well form partnership Bryant and Stone have, it was amusing to see their first week together, learning the base of each other quirks, and seeing if they could learn when the other was joking or not.  

And the other teaming of Stacey and Dawson, well that was rather interesting,  I got to see a whole new side to both of them, which may yet make me see them in a new light come the next book.  

I genuinely not sure what else I can realistically say without spoiling this book, or the series,  but what I can say is this is genius.  It's a wonderful thriller that kept me o my toes, is a very welcome addition to the series, and the sorts of victims well frankly I did't have too much sympathy with them. 

I also loved the teams first meeting with the pathologist Keats, and even the journalist who occasionally pops up in the regular books had a fleeting conversation with Kim.  Plus I got to understand more about the various rivalries in the different Midlands Police forces.  And as someone who at this time of year does love a Christmas book, there were mentions of Christmas, and I got an understanding of D.I. Kim Stone's feelings towards the holiday season (not relevant to  the story perhaps, but I liked finding out anyway). 

This really is the book where is all begins, and I know I for one am delighted to have read it. 

Thank you to Kim Nash at Bookouture for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - The Little Bakery of Hopes and Dreams by Kellie Hailes

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Amazon UK

Title: The Little Bakery of Hopes and Dream

Author: Kellie Hailes

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: HQ Digital

Publication Date: 8th November 2019

Rating: 5 Stars

The most magical time of the year…
Josie Donnelly spends most years pretending that Christmas doesn’t even happen! So, she hopes that the sleepy village of Sunnycombe will be the perfect place to escape the festivities…

Or so she thought! Spending time with (far too handsome) bakery owner Callan Stewart and his young daughter, Mia, makes her long for the family Christmas she’s missed out on.

Could the little bakery on the hill be her own recipe for a happy ever after this year…?

Well if there was ever a book to make you crave all your favourite festive treats then its certainly this one. I was permanently hungry while reading this delicious book, and some of the cakes sounded Bake Off worthy! 

I was hooked pretty much from the first few pages, I completely and utterly fell in love with Mia.  She is the four year old daughter of widowed bakery owner Callan and some of what she comes out with had me laughing. Literally "out of the mouth of babes" moments! 

And then there is Josie who has just moved to Sunnycombe, who has applied for the job in the bakery, and little does she know how much its about to change her life. She is wary of Christmas but Sunnycombe's traditions soon eek their way into her and may just start healing her too. 

Both Callan and Josie are broken for different reasons,  and it really is a bakery of hopes and dreams as the story progresses, I loved seeing how both of them developed as characters, and also a few of the other residents of the village. 

It is a book full of warmth and heart, that will give you a festive fuzzy feeling, and wow the finale section, was just wonderful.  Took me by surprise but really did have me believing in the magic of the season. 

I loved every second of this book, just a bit upset that I read it so quickly, that I ran out of pages. I would have loved more.  Well I console myself with the fact I still haven't quite got around to Kellie Hailes previous book, so still have another to look forward.. although one Kellie Hailes book to look forward to is never enough so I can't wait for the next release too... I really do love this author. 

Easily one of my favourite Christmas books for 2019 (and I have read many so far), this one was pure magic! 

Thank you to HQ Digital and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - Confetti & Confusion by Daisy James

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Amazon UK

Title: Confetti & Confusion

Author: Daisy James

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Canelo

Publication Date: 9th July 2018

Rating: 4 Stars

The Paradise Cookery School is officially open!
Stepping in for a celebrity chef, Millie Harper is feeling the pressure to make the first ever Paradise Cookery School classes a dazzling success and ensure that bride-to-be Imogen and friends have an unforgettable experience.

Meanwhile, Millie is trying to play it cool around handsome estate manager Zach Barker. But whenever he is near Millie cannot fail to notice the chemistry between them – until someone from Zach’s past arrives and any potential romance seems out of the question.

When disaster strikes and the wedding is in jeopardy, Millie realises she may have to go above and beyond to make sure the school is a success. Can Millie manage to create a day that dreams are made of, and will she find a way to tell Zach how she feels?

What a lovely burst of sunshine this story is, after all it is set in the caribbean paradise of St. Lucia and features a great deal of delicious sounding chocolate creations. 

This has all the trademarks of a Daisy James book - romance, a fabulous setting, beautiful descriptions and tasty food, with a great selection of characters. 

I loved that the Paradise Cookery School was set on a cocoa plantation, and despite not reading the first book of this series, I felt like I was meeting up with old friend with this books. There is enough references to the first book catch you up with the story so far and I do think this can be read as a standalone. 

I loved the guests on the Chocolate course that Millie was running, and really go caught up in their situations as well as Millie's life.  There is a bit of sight seeing on the island, and the local market sounded like a chefs dream! 

This was a very enjoyable way to while a couple of hours and I am looking forward to the next book. 

Thank you to Canelo and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Guest Book Review - Lucy V Hay reviews FEAR by Dirk Kurbjuweit - Bookish World Cup - Germany

Today I am handing over to the lovely Lucy V Hay, who has reviewed a book set in Germany.

So, as part of Rachel’s World Cup tour, I am now kicking that ball (?!? I have no clue about sport, can you tell!!) in favour of Germany via the brilliant FEAR by Dirk Kurbjuweit.

A psychological thriller about stalking, the narrative loosely resembles the author’s own experience. You can tell. FEAR feels as authentic as it is dark. Apparently, German opinion was split on the book – and if you like to read others’ reviews (I do!), you can see that has been replicated on Goodreads with the English version. It’s not hard to see why, because it mines a VERY contentious question as its source: is there such a thing as ‘justifiable homicide’?

I adore a good ‘Marmite’ book, so FEAR ticks all the boxes for me. I was lucky enough to get my grubby paws on an ARC last summer. I found it to be an enthralling read, with three-dimensional characterisation and thought-provoking themes with NO easy answers.

I’m also a script editor for movies, so plotting and structure has to keep me engaged. This book does not disappoint: the pace of the tale rockets along, without ever once becoming convoluted or meandering. I loved how all the layers of the stories were exposed, one by one – it’s agonising!!!

But it’s the thematic element that really grabbed me and keeps me thinking about it, nearly a year after reading it. The author poses questions on the nature of culpability; class; mental health; abuse; marriage breakdown and more. Even amidst these weighty issues, the story is never overpowered.

For me, I think this book is something special because it takes our own assumptions, prejudices and expectations and not only turns them upside down, but inside out!

Be warned … If you’re not keen on stories about the true nature of violence, then this book is not for you. If you like cathartic tales of revenge, then again this is not for you. FEAR is much more about what lead to the crime, plus its aftermath and the consequences everyone must deal with because of it.

But if you like intelligent crime fiction that will grab in the gut and keep you thinking MONTHS after reading, then FEAR by Dirk Kurbjuweit is a SCORE!

Thank you so much Lucy, for this great review of Fear.  If you love the sound of it you can purchase from Amazon UK. 

BIO: Lucy V. Hay is a novelist, script editor and blogger who helps writers via her Bang2write consultancy. Her crime novel with Orenda Books, THE OTHER TWIN debuted in 2017 and featured in The Sun and Sunday Express Newspapers, plus Heatworld and Closer Magazine. Her YA novel, PROOF POSITIVE, came out on May 28^th with Littwitz Press. Check out all her books, HERE. 

Guest Book Review - Lucy V Hay reviews Rupture by Ragnar Jonasson - Bookish World Cup - Iceland

Today I am handing over to the lovely Lucy V Hay, who has reviewed a book set in Iceland.

Growing up near Exmoor in Devon, I feel like I have an affinity with the wilds of Iceland, even though I've never been there (yet!). So, I’ll be leading the football charge for Rachel’s world cup series today with Iceland’s finest, Ragnar Jonasson and RUPTURE.

Taking in a missing child; the murder of a politician's son; a town in quarantine AND a mysterious poisoning dating back fifty years, RUPTURE is one of those rare beasts: a convoluted plot that never once becomes complicated or unwieldy. Taking his cue from greats like Agatha Christie, Jonasson weaves a story that is full of intrigue, keeping us on our toes throughout, bringing us towards a satisfying denouement that is full of juicy - not to mention tragic - revelations. 

I loved the story world here, especially the abandoned fjord. It’s such a creepy and visual setting that really stays in your mind. What's more, the characters really come to life on the page: everyone feels three dimensional and authentic, so even the (potential) bad guys' motivations are understandable, even if we don't condone them. 

This is a uniquely Iceland Noir look at 'classic' crime fiction and by jiminy it works for me. This was my first outing in the Ari Thor series, but it certainly won't be my last!

Thank you to Lucy V Hay for reviewing Rupture.  If you like the sound of it be sure to purchase it from Amazon UK

BIO: Lucy V. Hay is a novelist, script editor and blogger who helps writers via her Bang2write consultancy. Her crime novel with Orenda Books, THE OTHER TWIN debuted in 2017 and featured in The Sun and Sunday Express Newspapers, plus Heatworld and Closer Magazine. Her YA novel, PROOF POSITIVE, came out on May 28^th with Littwitz Press. Check out all her books, HERE. 

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