Birthday Bonanza 2017 - Giveaway!

It appears that once again my birthday has come around. Has it really been a whole year since last time, I'm not sure if feels like it.

I'm not really doing much at all for it this year, however mum has promised to take me out to dinner tonight, and I'm hoping unlike previous years she won't object to me ideally ordering cake for dessert, as if you can't have cake on your birthday, then when can you?

I'm not really one for reflecting on the past year, and if I do decide to, well I always have a blogiversary coming up soon!

I am though in the mood for a celebratory giveaway. For various reasons I failed to celebrate the huge milestone of 6k twitter followers, and I have recently hit the 7k twitter followers mark and want to celebrate everything!

Firstly let me thank every last one of you that already follows me on twitter which is the main social media platform I use. I really do appreciate every single follow and RT that I receieve, and probably don't say Thank you enough.

So Thank You!

I've decided for my Birthday Bonanza giveaway this year, to give away 7 books, one per thousand twitter followers!

This is going to be a lucky dip, from my lucky dip bag of books!

Giveaway to win one of 7 lucky dip books at random (Open to Europe only)

This bag contains 7 books that I am happy to giveaway. They are a mix of genres and could appeal to anyone, or could be great presents at some point! I will get my postage assistant (and hopefully supplier of birthday cake), to randomly draw your book from the bag as she sends out the prize, so no blaming me if you don't like it! 

Giveaway is open to Europe only, all options, with the exception of follow on twitter,  are voluntary, but please do what they ask, as I will be verifying the winner. Giveaway closes 23:59 7/3/2017. Winner will be announced on twitter and emailed, and they will need to reply within 7 days, or forfeit the prize, and I will re-draw for a new winner.  Good luck everyone.

Win one of 7 lucky dip books at random (Open to Europe only)

Reading Bingo - 2016

A couple of weeks ago, I spotted this bingo game on both CleopatraLovesBooks & Our Book Reviews Online and my imagination was sparked instantly.

So instead of a top X books of the year which I was never going to be able to write as I can never make those sorts of decisions, I thought we would look back at 2016, in a slightly more random way, which is only befitting a blog called Rachel's Random Reads!

This is the bingo board that I need to either produce a full house for, or see just how many squares I will be able to cross off!

All I have to do now, is scour my Goodreads account, see what I have read over the past 12 months, and hope I can match some books to the squares. Wherever possible I will link the book title to my review on here, if I wrote one.

A Book With More Than 500 Pages

I will admit that nowadays books with 500+ pages can scare me, as I know I can't read them as fast I I want to. However there are some authors that I am more than happy to read regardless of size of book, and Karen Swan is one of them. Christmas Under The Stars was a brilliant longer book for 2016 and one I am so happy I read. 

A Forgotten Classic

I don't really read classics ever, apart from those I had to years and years ago at school. However I did this year read A Cornish Christmas Carol by Liz Fenwick, which is a modern take on the Dickens classic A Christmas Carol 

A book with non human characters
Having done my #CuteChristmas event recently I have read quite a few books this year that included non human characters, even as the main characters. Bertie's Gift by Hannah Coates is one of the standouts, a book that was emotional and adorable too, just an all around impressive book. 

A funny book

I am very partial to a bit of humour, but when asked for a funny book of the year, I would have to say Bricking It by Nick Spalding, which had me laughing out loud in hysterics at one point. 

A book set on a different continent 

It is probably by now quite well documented that I love books with an element of travel in them or fabulous locations. The one that is coming to mind for this category Little Girl Lost by Janet Gover, which is set in the small outback town of Coorah Creek, in Australia, so about as removed from London as you can get. 

A book your friend loves 

As part of the book blogging community, I obviously see a lot of book recommendations, however when your best friend, the love Alison Drew from Ali - The Dragon Slayer, pops up and tells me I really need to read a Jill Shalvis book and doesn't stop telling me, I tend to listen. When she then tags me in a giveaway of a Jill Shalvis Christmas book, which I go on to enter and win, I realise it must be fated, so my pick for a book my friend loves has to be The Trouble With Mistletoe by Jill Shalvis. There are other authors she tells me to read and I do listen when I can! 

A book that is more than 10 years old

Since I tend to stick to newer books while I'm blogging its rare for me to read anything as old as 10 years, unless its from the back catalogue of an author that I love. I think I only had 1 eligible book for this category, which is Stately Pursuits by Katie Fforde which was first published in 2003 and had all the warmth of a typical book by this author.  

The second book in a series

I have read quite a few second books of series this year, a lot of them I think though will just be two book series, since they were a summer and Christmas release. Whereas my choice for this square is Rules: Things are Changing at the Little School by the Sea by Jenny Colgan which is the second book in a proposed six book series, and it really does feel like Mallory Towers for adults. 

A book with a number in the title

It appears I have read a few books that had the number one in the title, but I thought for this option, I would go for a less obvious number. As it so happens I love Michelle Gorman's books, and enjoy dogs, so her new release this year, Love is a Four-Legged Word was great for me.

A book with an author under thirty 

Well this is a tricky category, as really without looking up the age of every author I've read this year, I can't really produce a shortlist. I asked my best friend if she knew if any of the authors we both love are young, and the reply was Lynsey James. Quick check of her bio, and we have an under thirty author. This year I read two more of Lynsey's releases in her Luna Bay series, and I've opted for The Silver Bells Christmas Pantomime, as I love Christmas books so much, and still have a festive mindset! 

A book of short stories

As far as I can recall I've only attempted to read 3 short story compilations all year, there was the one that I gave up on that I won't name, there was Champagne and Lemonade by John Hickling, but I only read a few of the stories, as that was all that was required for the blog tour, I was taking part on. However I did read the whole of one book of short stories, and it was 4 in the Afternoon by Geralyn Corcillo, which I thoroughly enjoyed. 

The first book by a favourite author

This year I have read the first two books of the Starlight Diner series by Helen Cox. I was very impressed with the debut and the second book which I only just finished a few days ago (review in the new year), where I have realised that I definitely have a new favourite author in Helen Cox to add to my growing collection of must read, favourite authors. The first book is called Milkshakes and Heartbreak at the Starlight Diner, and I loved the 50s diner setting, as well as the turns the book took. 

A book with a one word title

I've read a few one word titled books this year, then again I've also read a few books with titles so long I wondered how on earth I would ever tweet about them! My pick for a book with a one word title is Chances by Ruth Saberton (review coming tomorrow), which is so much more than a simple YA book about horses and I was impressed by the amount of story in it. 

A book of non fiction 

Due to my Greek Week and Booklympics I have read a few more non-fiction books this year than I may have in other years. Although I have enjoyed them all, I am including Falling In Honey by Jennifer Barclay as my pick for this spot on the bingo board, mainly because of my feelings of wanting to move to Tilos after I had finished it. 

A book you heard about online 

I don't recall the specifics of which blogs I spotted Viral by Helen Fitzgerald, but I do remember the general feeling that the opening was scandalous and shocking, and that was what attracted me to the book. I wouldn't have heard about it at all if it wasn't for the rest of the blogging community. 

A book based on a true story 

Outside of travel and autobiographies, which aren't just based on a true story but usually are a true story, this isn't really a category I thought I had an entry for. However when thinking back properly, I remembered that Lantana Bleu, author of  Learning The Life (The Spicy Secrets of a Jet Set Temptress #1) made it quite clear in her intro to the book that it was all based on her experiences as a real life courtesan. 

A book that scares you 

One of the best psychological thrillers I read this year has to be Distress Signals by Catherine Ryan Howard, which was a book that drew me in completely and currently has had me far too scared to book another cruise, given if anything goes wrong at sea, the odds are nobody would ever know the truth, and frankly that does scare me! 

A book that became a Movie

I've not read any books that have since become movies, but I have read a few that have had TV/Movie rights secured so there is a chance that Behind Closed Doors by BA Paris, will become one in the future, which is a decision I can only applaud as it was a book that even as early as February last year I had down as a contender for book of the year, a statement I still stand behind. 

A book with a mystery

Having read a lot of crime and thrillers with lots of them featuring mysteries, I have decided to have my pick for this category from a completely different angle, as I recall being stumped by the mystery aspect of The Secret of Orchard Cottage by Alex Brown, which I feel is the best of the Tindledale series so far. 

A book at the bottom of the to be read pile

Arguably a lot of what comes up on my Rachel Reads Randomly votes could be counted at bottom of TBR pile books, as often I have had the books for many years, however the book that has jumped out at me, is one I reviewed for my newer Back Catalogue Books feature, and is one I bought in 2013 for Kindle, hence it had dropped to the bottom of my TBR not because I didn't want to read it, more because of quantity of books I appear to buy, means some good books just languish in the black hole of my kindle. Geli Voyante's Hot or Not by Elle Field is one of those books, and is one that has made me want to read other books by the author. 

A best-selling book

I'm fairly sure I have read quite a few books that have been top of the Amazon best seller charts, potentially including a few other books on this post already. However one of the first books I read for 2016, is one that really stuck with me, and almost certainly was a best seller, and that is Another Love by Amanda Prowse, which follows the story of Romilly and her relationship with alcohol.  

A book with a blue cover

Just scroll this post and I'm sure you can tell I read books with blue covers. I recall at one point over the year that the entirety of my Netgalley shelf looked very blue. What book though am I going to include in this? Well I've gone with Mistletoe on 34th Street by Lisa Dickenson, which is one of my favourite Christmas books of the year, and really gave me a great sense of the festive feeling. 

Free Space

Free Space pretty much gives me a choice to name anything that I have read this year, and after a lot of thought, I have decided that since my second love is of musical theatre, I am going to use this space for my feel good book of the year, which is The Singalong Society for Singletons by Katey Lovell which I adored. 

A book published this year

I'm a book blogger, the majority of what I read is published the year I read it, and as a result this is a near impossible category, as I have no idea how to choose. One of the books that really resonated with me this was debut novel by Isabelle Broom, My Map of You, which transported me back to when I was working on Zakynthos and had a brilliant story to go with it. 

A book by a female author

This is also the other toughest category for me in terms of choice as I'd say probably about 75% of what I read is written by female authors. Which probably gives me an approx pool of 300 books to pick from for this year, which just seems ridiculous. I almost closed my eyes and picked one at random which would be in keeping with my blog, but no I have made a decision. My Husband's Wife  by Jane Corry was superb, it was easily one of the more epic books I have read this year, and for an author who has had a change in direction, and this being her first book of this genre, I was bowled over but just how good it is, and I'm already looking forward to her next book, which is out in May. 

Well with a bit of creative interpretation I have managed a full house on my first ever attempt at Reading Bingo! And what is my prize you may ask? Probably bragging rights, and the knowledge that if you see me attempting to narrow down a years reading ever again into just 25 books in assorted categories, that you have my permission to remind me how impossible that really is.

There are so many fantastic books I would have loved to include in these categories, but didn't really want to end up doing a top 3 or something for each one, so had to make decisions.

How well would you do at Reading Bingo for 2016? Would you be able to manipulate your way to a full house, or fall flat at the first hurdle?  What do you think of my choices?

And finally let me just wish everyone Happy New Year! I hope you all have a wonderful time celebrating the start of what will hopefully be a far improved 2017, and having already started reading some of the 2017 releases, I can say its already shaping up to be a great year for books 

Giveaways - Rachel's Birthday Blast

Well I'm another year older today and I must say I don't feel any different than I did yesterday. Went out last night to the theatre and saw In The Heights which amazing, and tonight mum is taking me out to dinner.

So as it's my birthday and I'm in a happy, generous sort of mood, I have a few giveaways for you to enjoy.

So all you have to do is put into the comments which book you would like to win (you can enter for each if you like, but please one book per comment), and I will draw the winners on Sunday 6th March, so get your entries in by midnight of 5th March.

All comments need to include either a twitter handle, or email address, so I can contact you. Failure to give me a way to find you to inform you of a win, will result in your entry being discounted.

However due to postage costs, I am only opening these up to the UK only. If I announce you as a winner and then discover you don't have a UK address, then I will re-draw I'm sorry. However I do have other giveaways coming up this week that will be open internationally.

So what are the books that I am giving away?


Behind Closed Doors by BA Paris (UK Only)

Everyone knows a couple like Jack and Grace. He has looks and wealth, she has charm and elegance. You might not want to like them, but you do.
You’d like to get to know Grace better.
But it’s difficult, because you realise Jack and Grace are never apart.
Some might call this true love. Others might ask why Grace never answers the phone. Or how she can never meet for coffee, even though she doesn’t work. How she can cook such elaborate meals but remain so slim. And why there are bars on one of the bedroom windows.

Sometimes, the perfect marriage is the perfect lie.

Maker of Footprints by Sheila Turner Johnston (UK Only)

Paul Shepherd is dangerous. He drops into Jenna’s mundane days and makes all those whose lives touch his, face up to the differences between want and need, selfishness and sacrifice, love and duty. Willful and exhausting, he stirs in Jenna feelings which make her begin to challenge the boundaries of her own beliefs. He needs her to calm the fears which torment him and leaves her no hiding place. 

But she will not fall for a married man … 


When do you stay within the safety of your cage? When do you open the door and step out into the exhilaration of the unknown? And just how much selfishness is it possible to forgive? 

The Woman Who Ran by Sam Baker (UK Only) (ARC) 

FYI - Good condition but may be a few corners that have been folded. Spine is fine

How do you escape what you can’t remember?

She can run.
But can she hide?

Helen Graham is a new arrival in a tiny Yorkshire village, renting dilapidated Wildfell Hall. The villagers are intensely curious – what makes her so jumpy and
why is she so evasive?

Their interest is Helen’s worst nightmare. Looking over her shoulder every day, she tries to piece together her past before it can catch up with her.

With everything she knows in fragments, from her marriage to her career as a war photographer, how can she work out who to trust and what to believe?

Most days she can barely remember who she is…

Freedom's Child by Jax Miller (UK Only) (ARC)
FYI - Good condition but may be a few corners that have been folded. Spine is fine.

A heart-stopping debut thriller about a woman named Freedom, who will stop at nothing to save the daughter she only knew for two minutes and seventeen seconds.

Call me what you will: a murderer, a cop killer, a fugitive, a drunk…

There's a lot people don't know about Freedom Oliver. They know she works at the local bar. They know she likes a drink or two.

What they don't know is that Freedom is not her real name. That she has spent the last eighteen years living under Witness Protection, after being arrested for her husband's murder. They don't know that she put her two children up for adoption, a decision that haunts her every day.

Then Freedom's daughter goes missing, and everything changes. Determined to find her, Freedom slips her handlers and heads to Kentucky where her kids were raised. No longer protected by the government, she is tracked by her husband's sadistic family, who are thirsty for revenge. But as she gets closer to the truth, Freedom faces an even more dangerous threat.

She just doesn't know it yet.

Wickham Hall by Cathy Bramley (UK Only)
FYI - There is a small amount of damage on the back cover, in the top right corner, but shouldn't affect your ability to read the book. Unfortunately it was the condition the book arrived to me in.

Holly Swift has just landed the job of her dreams: events co-ordinator at Wickham Hall, the beautiful manor home that sits proudly at the heart of the village where she grew up. Not only does she get to organise for a living and work in stunning surroundings, but it will also put a bit of distance between Holly and her problems at home.

As Holly falls in love with the busy world of Wickham Hall - from family weddings to summer festivals, firework displays and Christmas grottos - she also finds a place in her heart for her friendly (if unusual) colleagues.

But life isn’t as easily organised as an event at Wickham Hall (and even those have their complications…). Can Holly learn to let go and live in the moment? After all, that’s when the magic happens…

As I said above, if you are interested in winning any of these books, and are based in the UK, please put the name of the book in the comments below, along with your email or twitter handle. One book name per comment, you may happily enter all five giveaways.

I will draw the winners randomly after the giveaways close at midnight of the 5th March.  

Good luck

Promo Post - Goodnight Mister Tom – From The Book To The Big Stage

Since my main two hobbies are reading and going to the theatre, especially in London's West End, when I approached about if I wanted share with you all a guest post at Goodnight Mister Tom, I clearly couldn't resist. 

If there were any children’s books that just had to transition to the London stage, Goodnight Mister Tom is most definitely it.

A classic read for children and adults alike, Michelle Magorian’s heart-warming tale of love and contentment in the most unlikely of places has been delighting readers since it was first published in 1981. After a TV adaptation in 1998, it has taken some time for the West End stage to snap this up, but we’re glad it’s finally arrived!

The story centres around Tom Oakley, a somewhat disgruntled old man, and William Beech, a young WWII evacuee who is sent to live with Mr Oakley in the countryside. Both have suffered hardships and it is this that brings them together, with Mr Oakley soon becoming fiercely protective of young William as he learns more about the troubled family life he has left behind.
Now playing live in the West End for a strictly limited season, Goodnight Mister Tom is captivating audiences each night with a cast that effortlessly reproduces the tender moments of the book whilst adding tension and concern at all the right moments too.

Adapted for the stage by David Wood, the cast includes acclaimed thespian David Troughton as Mr Oakley and 3 young boys who alternate with the role of William Beech. The dynamics and chemistry on stage has earned the stage show some fantastic reviews, including The Mail on Sunday’s perfect summary: 

‘The production of Michelle Magorian’s tear jerking children’s classic lights up the West End.’

There is a moral theme running throughout the story of friendship first and foremost. Age is just a number as these two characters prove and both have experienced loss and loneliness which naturally serves to draw the two together. The stage show captures this theme well.

Goodnight Mister Tom in the West End is only running until 20th February 2016 so be sure to get your tickets whilst they are available. The production is staged at the Duke of York’s Theatre, London. Book tickets here.

If you have seen the show, then I would love to know your thoughts. Have you seen other shows in the theatre that you have read the book of? Which do you prefer the show or the book? Please do have your say, I'll be interested.

Happy Publication Day to... (22nd October 2015)

There was a lot of talk 2 weeks ago about the so called Super Thursday in publishing, for 8th October this year, with it being a large publication day. Well there were only a handful of books that day that caught my eye, however today, I am finding very impressive, and suspect today is Super Thursday - The Sequel!

I'm sure by the time I wake up and this post will have been live for a bit, I will find out what its really being called, but whatever its being dubbed, just take a look at all the books below that I am very interested in....

Christmas Ever After by Sarah Morgan

Amazon UK

Skylar Tempest has never understood Alec Hunter’s appeal. So what if he’s a world-renowned historian? He’s also cynical, aloof and determined to think the worst of her. So when a twist of fate finds her spending the lead-up to Christmas with Alec and his family, she’s not expecting the season to be either merry or bright.

Alec has learned the hard way not to trust beautiful women―and Skylar is the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen. But as he watches her throw herself into his family’s festive chaos, Alec realises there is far more to this blonde bombshell than meets the eye.


With Christmas around the corner, Alec and Skylar return to Puffin Island, a tentative bond forged between them. Neither intends to fall in love but as the nights become darker, and the fire between them grows hotter, could this be the chance for Alec and Skylar to find their own happy ending?

Take a look at my review here

Oliver The Cat Who Saved Christmas by Sheila Norton

Amazon UK

A friend who brings light at the darkest of times...

Oliver the cat is a timid little thing, and rarely ventures from his home in the Foresters’ Arms. 

Then his life changes dramatically when a fire breaks out in the pub kitchen and he is left homeless and afraid. But, with the kindness of the humans around him, he soon learns to trust again. And, in his own special way, he helps to heal those around him.

However, it isn’t until he meets a little girl in desperate need of a friend that he realises this village needs a Christmas miracle...

Take a look at my review here

The Christmas Cafe by Amanda Prowse

Amazon UK

Bea does not believe in second chances.

A widow at fifty-three, Bea knows she must accept that she will be alone forever. She buries her grief in hard work, and soon the deli she runs in Surry Hills has a reputation for the best carrot cake in Sydney.

But then an email from a cafe-owner in Edinburgh leads her to take a trip to Scotland in the depths of winter. There, transported by the twinkling lights and falling snow of a traditional Christmas, Bea is drawn back to a secret past - and a secret love - that she has long ago tried to forget...

My review is scheduled for Saturday 24th October.

The Chocolate Lover's Christmas by Carole Matthews 

Amazon UK

Christmas is just around the corner but the women of The Chocolate Lovers' Club have more to worry about than present shopping . . .

Lucy loves running Chocolate Heaven but she hasn't spent time with her boyfriend, Aiden, in weeks. And then her ex-fiance turns up and things become even more complicated.

Nadia hasn't let herself get close to a man in a long time, yet she can't help feeling drawn to Jacob. Will he be her last chance for a happy ending?

Chantal and her husband, Ted, are besotted with their baby daughter Lana - but she's not sure that's enough to base a marriage on.

Autumn is dealing with a tragedy that has hit too close to home. But when she doesn't get the support she needs from her fiance, will she look elsewhere for comfort?

Can friendship overcome all in . . . The Chocolate Lovers' Christmas.

My review is scheduled for Monday 26th October.

Bella's Christmas Bake Off by Sue Watson

Amazon UK

Two best friends. One big lie. The best bake off EVER.

Bella Bradley is the queen of television baking – a national treasure. Her Christmas specials have been topping the ratings for years and her marriage to Peter ‘Silver Fox’ Bradley is the stuff of Hello magazine specials. 

But this year things are going to be different. 

For Amy Lane, Bella’s best friend from school, life hasn’t held quite the same sparkle. And when Amy’s husband walks out three weeks from Christmas, it seems their lives are further apart than ever. 

Amy has watched Bella’s rise to fame fondly, despite the fact Bella was always a terrible cook. But when she realises that Bella’s latest Christmas book is made up entirely of Amy’s mother’s recipes, the gloves are off… 

After winning a competition to appear on Bella’s TV show, Amy is going to make sure that for Bella and her viewers, this will definitely be a Christmas to remember… 

A hilarious, heart-breaking and feel good read about best friends, baking and the magic of Christmas. 

My review is scheduled for Tuesday 27th October as part of #BookoutureChristmas I also have an extract on Monday 26th October. 

The Dead Dog Day (The Cora Baxter Mysteries Book 1) by Jackie Kabler

Amazon UK

When your Monday morning begins with a dead dog and ends with a dead boss, you know it's going to be one of those days. And breakfast TV reporter Cora Baxter has already had the weekend from hell, after the man she'd planned a fabulous future with unceremoniously dumped her. Now Cora's much-hated boss has been murdered - the list of suspects isn't exactly short, but as the enquiry continues the trail leads frighteningly close to home. Why is Cora's rival, glamorous, bitchy newsreader Alice Lomas, so devastated by their boss's death? What dark secrets are Cora's camera crew hiding? And why has her now ex-boyfriend vanished? The race to stop the killer striking again is on...

My review is scheduled for Thursday 29th October as part of the blog tour

A Christmas Cracker by Trisha Ashley

Amazon UK

This Christmas is about to go off with a bang!

Things can’t possibly get worse for Tabby. Framed for a crime she didn’t commit, she suddenly finds herself without a job. Then to make matters worse, Tabby’s boyfriend dumps her and gives her cat away to a shelter.

But rescue comes in the form of kindly Mercy. A master of saving waifs and strays, Mercy wants Tabby to breathe new flair into her ailing cracker business. Together, they’ll save Marwood’s Magical Christmas Crackers.


But someone has other ideas. Mercy’s nephew Randal thinks Tabby’s a fraudster. Stubborn, difficult and very attractive, her future depends upon winning him round. But it’s that time of the year when miracles really can happen. Standing under the mistletoe, Tabby’s Christmas is set to be one that she will never forget . . .

My review is scheduled for Friday 30th October

What Happens at Christmas... by T.A. Williams

Amazon UK

For the perfect Christmas…

When career-girl Holly Brice learns that her estranged father has died, she decides to take a trip down memory lane and find out about the man she never knew.

Arriving in the sleepy little Dartmoor village, she’s shocked to discover that she’s inherited the cosy little cottage she remembers so fondly, a whole load of money – and her father’s adorable dog, too!

Head to snow-covered Devon!


And as the first snowflakes begin to fall and Holly bumps into her gorgeous neighbour, Jack Nelson, life gets even more complicated! Men have always been off the cards for high-flying Holly, but there’s something about mysterious writer Jack that has her re-thinking her three-date rule…

My review is scheduled for Friday 27th November, as part of my #CarinaChristmas event. 

Shopaholic to the Rescue by Sophie Kinsella

Amazon UK

Hotel Barcelo Fuerteventura Thalasso Spa   - Wed Standsted Flights - 1263

To Las Vegas . . . and beyond!

Becky Brandon (née Bloomwood) is on a major rescue mission! Hollywood was full of surprises, and now she's on a road trip to Las Vegas to help her friends and family.

She's determined to get to the bottom of why her dad has mysteriously disappeared, help her best friend Suze and even bond with long-time enemy Alicia Bitch Long-legs (maybe...).


As Becky discovers just how much her friends and family need help, she comes up with her biggest, boldest, most brilliant plan yet! So can she save the day just when they need her most?

Published today in Ebook and Hardcover. Paperback release is 10th March 2016. 

A Christmas Kiss by Vicky Pattison

Amazon UK

Amber Raey is working all the hours God sends as assistant to one of the country's top fashion designers, and her boss is a complete nightmare. Amber's dream is to launch her own fashion line one day so, for the time being, she just has to grin and bear it. And then opportunity comes knocking and Amber's suddenly on the fast track to the top.


The parties, the glamour, a whirlwind romance - Amber loves every second of her new life. But there's more to this world than its glossy exterior suggests, and when a face from Amber's past reappears, she finds herself in real trouble. With Christmas fast approaching, Amber is drifting further and further away from her family and friends. Can she get her life back on track before it's too late for a merry Christmas?

Published today in Ebook and Hardcover.

A Merry Mistletoe Wedding by Judy Astley

Amazon UK

It is almost a year since Sean and Thea met and it's been a roller-coaster ride: they're getting married on Christmas Day!


Neither Thea or Sean want a big fuss - a simple wedding, with Christmas lights and just a few sprigs of mistletoe for decoration is all they need. But before they know it, things begin to get complicated. Trying to manage a long-distance relationship in the build-up to their Christmas wedding is one thing, but as one challenge after another comes their way, the happy couple begin to wonder if they'll ever make it down the aisle . . .

Published today in Ebook and Hardcover. Paperback release is 3rd December 2015 



The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Lisa Dickenson

Amazon UK

At thirty, Claudia's life is stale and the romance with long-term boyfriend, Seth, has disappeared. Determined to inject some festive spark back into their love life, Claudia and Seth go on their first date in a very long time. But when the night ends in disaster, Claudia suddenly finds herself facing life - and Christmas - alone.

Life alone is exciting, scary and full of soon-forgotten exercise regimes and ill-advised attempts at crafting sexy underwear. It's also filling up with dates, surprisingly. With best friends Penny and Nick at her side, a surplus of festive markets, mulled wine and Christmas tunes, Claudia attempts to face all this change with gusto. One thing's for certain: this year, Christmas is going to be very different . . .


This is the story of Claudia and her twelve dates of Christmas. Hilarious, uplifting and romantic, it's a story about losing love, finding love, and discovering what's been there all along. Expect Christmas sparkle, butterflies-in-your-stomach romance and a lot of very funny moments in The Twelve Dates of Christmas.

I really enjoyed reading this year, when the Ebook was released. As it was before I had the bog, I don't have  review, but its definitely an entertaining story. 

A Gingerbread Cafe Christmas by Rebecca Raisin

Amazon UK

Enjoy the warmth, cupcakes and hot chocolate at The Gingerbread Café…

Christmas is the season the Gingerbread Café was made for and Lil has every recipe down, from gingerbread men to cinnamon muffins. So when gorgeous outsider Damon opens a shop opposite The Gingerbread Café in the lead up to Christmas, Lil refuses to let him steal her customers without a fight – no matter how much he makes her heart flutter.

When it comes to love, Lil’s never quite got the method right! But as the snow begins to fall, it looks like this time deviating from the recipe might just lead Lil to the magic ingredient she’s been missing all along…

This Christmas, curl up with three delicious stories from best-selling author Rebecca Raisin - the ultimate romantic indulgence.

I read the three books comprising this paperback release last year in Ebook format, and can't recommend them highly enough. 

The Hotel on Mulberry Bay by Melissa Hill

Amazon UK

Mulberry Hotel, perched on a clifftop above a sweeping bay, was once the heart and soul of pretty seaside town Mulberry Bay. Run by the Harte family for years, the place itself is almost as beloved as cheery landlady Anna. 

The hotel was also once home to thirty-something sisters Eleanor and Penny, and while youngest sister Penny still lives close by, it's been some time since Elle has visited. But following a family tragedy, Elle is forced to return from her busy London life and reassess her past. 

When it becomes apparent that the hotel is in dire straits, Elle and Penny are unprepared for the reaction of their father, Ned, He steadfastly refuses to give up the family legacy, revealing that he's given up something equally precious once before. Startled by their father's surprising revelation, the sisters unite, with the local community behind them, in their efforts to save the hotel - and, in the process, heal the fractures in the Harte family.

You'll Find Me In Manhattan by Jill Knapp

Amazon UK

The third and final book in Jill Knapp’s series about love and romance in New York City. Follow Amalia Hastings as she dates her way around the city that never sleeps…

Amalia and Olivia have found themselves at a crossroads. Their last year in their Master's program at NYU is proving to be a trying one, and on top of that, Olivia has to balance planning a wedding AND managing the unwanted input of her estranged mother – who doesn’t even like her fiancé!

Meanwhile, Amalia finds herself feeling more lost than ever as graduation approaches and her classmates begin making plans for next year. Still torn between Michael and Hayden, she finally makes a decision – but one that that will either box her in, leaving her always wanting more out of life, or finally breaking free to find the happiness and stability she's always needed.