Book Review - Bring Me Sunshine by Laura Kemp

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Amazon UK

Title: Bring Me Sunshine

Author: Laura Kemp

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Orion

Publication Date: 21st March 2019 

Rating: 5 Stars

Charlotte Bold is nothing like her name - she is shy and timid and just wants a quiet life. When her job doing the traffic news on the radio in London is relocated to Sunshine FM in Mumbles, she jumps at the chance for a new start in Wales.

But when she arrives she discovers that she's not there to do the travel news - she's there to front the graveyard evening show. And she's not sure she can do it.

Thrust into the limelight, she must find her voice and a way to cope. And soon she realises that she's not the only person who finds life hard - out there her listeners are lonely too. And her show is the one keeping them going.

Can Charlotte seize the day and make the most of her new home? And will she be able to breathe new life into the tiny radio station too...?

I loved this story of Charlie Bold, who needs to regain her confidence and kick start her life a bit. She had completely lost her confidence, and for someone working in radio, has stage fright and can't speak on a microphone. 

When her station forces her to relocate to Swansea, and aren't exactly honest about her new role, it is time for her to sink or swim.  With the help of Delme who she has only just met, things start happening for Charlie, slowly at first, and then wow she is one fabulous woman. 

I loved the ideas she had for her evening radio show and generally seeing how she fitted into her new life. I hated her current boyfriend Jonny and just prayed she would see sense with him.  

I loved getting to know Delme's story properly, he is a character I gelled with from the first instance and seeing how he developed over the book was wonderful.  As was Tina's story which kept giving us gasp worthy shocks, once you got to know her. 

It's a story of fresh starts, new beginnings, gains in confidence, the attempt to improve a small radio station, a lovely location, all manner to unexpected directions for the story and some wonderful advice too.  

It's a really great feel good story, that is guaranteed to bring some sunshine into your life. 

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

Book Review - Bring Me Sunshine by Janet Gover

Amazon UK

Title: Bring Me Sunshine

Author: Janet Gover

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Purchased

Publisher: Choc Lit Lite

Publication Date: 18th December 2013

Rating: 5 Stars

Sometimes, you’ve just got to take the plunge … 

When marine biologist, Jenny Payne, agrees to spend Christmas working on the Cape Adare cruise ship to escape a disastrous love affair, she envisions a few weeks of sunny climes, cocktails and bronzed men … 
What she gets is an Antarctic expedition, extreme weather, and a couple of close shaves with death. And then there’s her fellow passengers; Vera, the eccentric, elderly crime writer and Lian, a young runaway in pursuit of forbidden love … 

There’s also Kit Walker; the mysterious and handsome man who is renting the most luxurious cabin on the ship, but who nobody ever sees. 

As the expedition progresses, Jenny finds herself becoming increasingly obsessed with the enigmatic Kit and the secrets he hides. Will she crack the code before the return journey or is she bound for another disappointment?

After reading my first Janet Gover book a short while ago, I then realised I also had this on my kindle, and couldn't wait to get stuck in. What I can safely say is I will probably be first in line for her future releases, as yet again  I have no idea where the time went as I was absorbed in this enthralling, dramatic and frankly different romance. 

It starts relatively straight forwardly, with Jenny having had the worst day of her life so far. She loses all of that elusive trinity in one day, her job, her home and her boyfriend. She starts looking for a new job and applies to be a lecturer on the Cape Adare cruise ship. 

She is expecting, as would anyone that hasn't read this review or the blurb, that she is signing up for Christmas on a luxury cruise liner, cruising the tropics and allowing herself to have a nice relaxing break, with  a bit of work. 

What she gets is a 3 week cruise, on a brand new Antarctic expedition, still lecturing, but also leading excursions on the ice, and generally being on hand to help with passengers at all time. What Jenny definitely wasn't expecting was that she would become friends with the wide range of people she meets, and the few mysteries that are on board. 

For there is Vera is an elderly woman, on the cruise alone, and yet she is constantly asking questions and making notes in her notebook, and seems quite intrigued by death, There is Lian, who is a young girl, who is making the trip to let her boyfriend who works on an Antarctic research station, some life changing news. And then there is also the mysterious passenger in the Owner's suite, who is on board days before the rest of the passengers, and that noone really knows anything about. 

Yet we as the reader do get glimpses into that Owner's suite, and Jenny spots him a few times and becomes very intrigued into who the man is, and just why he is on board, but appearing to hiding. 

The scenery and wildlife described on this cruise, made me believe I was there alongside the passengers, and although I love cruising, I still think an Antarctic expedition would be far too cold for me in reality, but virtually I was warm and cosy, while reading and loving every second of it. 

There are some moments of really high drama, where you really didn't know what would happen, and it was moments like that, that added to the addictive nature of this story. There was so much to keep you reading continually. Even Christmas Day was eventful, and there really were some heart pounding moments. 

In amongst the voyage, scenery, dramatic rescues, inquisitive passengers there is also a slow building gentle romance too, which was lovely to watch grow. 

Bring Me Sunshine is a wonderful story, which I loved reading.