Book Review - Make Do and Mend a Broken Heart by Katey Lovell

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Amazon UK

Title: Make Do and Mend a Broken Heart

Author: Katey Lovell

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Quercus

Publication Date: 9th January 2020

Rating: 4 Stars

When you know how, you can make anything from scratch, including a new life after love...
When Leanne and Richard bought a dilapidated old seaside cottage to renovate together as their forever home, their future was full of hope and promise.

But heartbreak was just around the corner: fast forward a few months and Richard is gone. With his death, Leanne finds herself stony broke, faced with an uninhabitable home and lacking even the basic skills to do it up herself.

With the help of the friendly woman who runs the library and the reluctant assistance of the man who works in the local hardware shop, the cottage is lovingly restored. But broken hearts aren't so easy to fix... are they?

A really lovely heartwarming story, about moving on after becoming widowed. 

For Leanne didn't really have much choice, she needed to move into cottage that she had bought with Richard, believing it to be their forever home, just months after he dies, as circumstances meant she couldn't stay living where she was. 

On getting to Seaglass Cottage by herself it soon becomes apparent that although it will look fabulous once its done up properly, that its kind of a wreck, but with no money, she has to try to do something. 

Meeting the locals in the village and starting to feel some sense of community is great for her, and soon it becomes apparent that Leanne is far more resourceful than she thought, and really is able to make do, and learn new skills. 

I really enjoyed seeing how Leanne was able to turn things around, this is not a sad book mired in grief, rather a hopeful one of how you can turn your life around, from the most terrible of situations. 

It's just such a cosy story, I loved seeing how Leanne developed, how she coped and all the new friends she was making.  There are two special mentions I'd like make - Milo is utterly adorable and always a joy to see him in scenes,  and also I really really want to visit the ice cream parlour on the beach front, what delicious sounding flavours there are. 

I really enjoyed reading this, and am delighted to see that Katey Lovell had in fact released a new book. I just hope the wait isn't as long for her next one. 

Thank you to Quercus and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily, 

Book Review - Joe and Clara's Christmas Countdown by Katey Lovell

Amazon UK

Title:  Joe and Clara's Christmas Countdown

Author: Katey Lovell

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Harper Impulse

Publication Date: 13th October 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

This Christmas she’ll give her heart to someone special…

As Christmas approaches Joe Smith knows he should be celebrating with friends and family, making the most of the season. But for Joe, Christmas only holds painful memories. Ones he can feel crushing his heart, a reminder of a time he can never forget.

Clara O'Connell loves Christmas. For her it is the most magical time of the year. And she's determined to make Joe love it too! She knows he's hurting, but maybe she can help to ease his pain. Her plan: One special gift every day to remind Joe just how loved he is.

But the clock is ticking. Will the Christmas magic wear off at midnight or will Clara's Christmas countdown be the perfect gift to heal Joe's broken heart? And in doing so, maybe she will get a gift in return…Joe's love for Christmas and forever…?

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas, after reading easily the most festive book I've read so far this year!  This is just the sort of book I have been hoping to read, to make me think Christmas may be coming! 

It's not just that its clearly a festive read that has greatly pleased me, but it spoke to me on another level and has brought back so memories of my own time going to my local youth club, and then for a few years being a youth worker for the younger children, helping out, before on a Sunday night attending the club for my own age group. 

Ok my group was a bit different to this one but just from the scenes being described I found myself thinking of various people in my past, and events that were very similar. I just understood the main setting so well and was rooting for a Christmas miracle for The Club on the Corner. 

Now the Christmas Countdown was fantastic, both Clara and Joe are hoping to get different things out of their countdown. Joe is hoping to show Clara that men can be trusted, and that not every man is a nightmare.  Clara is hoping to remind Joe just how magical the Christmas season is. 

To do this every other day Clara gives Joe a gift to conjure up some festive feeling and on the other days Joe takes Clara out as friends to different Christmassy places and activities. All the while they are seeing each other continually at the youth club too. 

If you are the sort that likes to only read a short bit of book each day perhaps before bed, then start this just before December, and then each day just read 1 chapter, the next day of the countdown - each chapter is  day from either Joe or Clara's point of view. You could turn this into a advent calendar of a delightful book! 

Of course if you are like me and get completely hooked early on, then spreading out my enjoyment was never going to be an option, as I couldn't get enough of this book. The story just hit all the right notes for me, and the Christmas gifts and activities are spot on. 

Both Joe and Clara are also trying to heal from events in their pasts, and it was interesting to see just what was making them tick, once they opened up to each other.  

This is a beautifully written piece of pure enjoyment of a book, and has cemented in my mind just how talented Katey Lovell is.  I adored this, and wonder if I will read another this year that makes me feel this festive - I'm actually confused that it isn't December already!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Harper Impulse for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - The Cafe in Fir Tree Park by Katey Lovell

Amazon UK

Title: The Cafe in Fir Tree Park

Author: Katey Lovell

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Harper Impulse

Publication Date: 26th May 2017

Rating: 4 Stars

Maggie’s café is at the very heart of Fir Tree Park. Business is booming, her lemon drizzle is the stuff of legend, her children are happy and life is good. But she hasn’t had it easy. When her husband Clint was sent to prison, she had to raise Josh and Kelly alone. But Clint can’t hurt them now, and there’s no denying that Paolo, the Italian football coach she spies every weekend out on the green, is more than easy on the eye.

It may be summer outside, but a new arrival in Fir Tree Park sends an icy chill through the café…

From its gorgeous cover, to the delicious sounding cakes inside the walls of Maggie's Cafe, every page is a delight, as  the lives of the four leading ladies weave in and around each other in a very clever tale. 

Regardless of which of the voices/chapters you are reading, you are generally not only learning more about their character, but also of some of the others, as the lives of all for women are interlinked, but its only as the months progress, you see the full extent of everything. 

We have Maggie, who can almost always be found in her cafe in the centre of Fir Tree Park, she is continually baking, and has her two children Josh and Kelly, and an ex-husband who is currently in prison. We see a lot more of Kelly than Josh, so it feels as though Kelly is the 5th lady of this book, ever present and lovely to get to know, plus a really strong support character. Maggie may have her eye on a certain football coach that is incredibly sexy sounding. 

Kelly is also best friends with Fern who works in Maggie's cafe, Fern has such a strong crush on someone that she barely notices a potential boyfriend who keeps coming into the cafe. She also has self confidence issues, and a storyline involving her brother scared me to my core, as it encompasses one of my biggest most recent fears. 

Pearl who is related to Kelly and her family, is still getting used to being by herself after the death of her husband. Luckily she has an adorable daschund that keeps her going. She also has a massive secret on her hands that is hinted at a lot, and then slowly revealed to the readers, before some incredibly shocking and emotional few scenes. 

Then there is Lacey, who is in training for a half marathon, despite not being a fan of running. She is doing it to raise money in honour of her late aunt, and is determined to do her proud. Both of her uncles and her other aunt are very supportive, but none as much as the young man she meets early on in her training. 

Over the course of a summer you  will see these ladies lives change in ways you probably could not have predicted at the start of the book. I loved seeing how the story evolved and found it be a gentle and easy to follow writing style. 

This is a story of friendships, of family and relationships, of which Maggie's Cafe is the centrepiece of the story. So much action takes place in the cafe and in Fir Tree Park, which proves itself as a hub for the community. 

I thoroughly enjoyed following the lives of Maggie, Fern, Pearl, Kelly & Lacey throughout the book, and was glad to see for a change in books that the main characters spanned a good age range, from student to a lady in the latter half of her life. All of them are relatable to, and I was so glad I had the chance to get to know them all. 

Thanks you much to Harper Impulse and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - The Singalong Society for Singletons by Katey Lovell

Amazon UK

Title: The Singalong Society for Singletons

Author: Katey Lovell

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Author supplied review copy

Publisher: Harper Impulse

Publication Date: 7th October 2016

Rating: 5 Stars

A charming, feel good novel about the healing powers of friendship…and Frozen!

Monique and Issy are teachers, housemates and lovers of musicals! Their Friday night routine consists of snacks, wine and the Frozen DVD. So when Monique’s boyfriend moves to America for a year and her sister Hope moves in because of her own relationship woes, Friday nights get a new name… ‘The Singalong Society for Singletons’!

It’s a chance to get together, sing along to their favourite tracks from the best-loved West End shows, and forget the worries of work, relationships and love (or lack of it). But when Issy shares the details of their little group further afield, they get some unexpected new members who might just change their opinions on singledom for good….

The Singalong Society for Singletons is the feel-good book of the year. I couldn't stop smiling from cover to cover, especially after seeing the list of musicals right at the start that were going to be featured. So many favourites of mine. 

If you are a fan of musicals, then you will without a doubt adore this book, if you aren't then don't worry as you aren't expected to know the shows inside out, and there is a fantastic story of friendship and romances within the singalong society. 

The only slightly small niggle I had with the book was the amount of times I had to stop reading to double check I had a sound track on my ipod, or in the case of one DVD mentioned, rushing to Amazon to check it really existed - sorry didn't realise the Shrek Musical had, had a DVD release...may have to add that to my collection, since I love the show and soundtrack! 

The only other slight problem you may have with this wonderful book is if you are like me, you will end up with various songs running through your head as you read the story. For me its so refreshing for me to know the majority of what would be the soundtrack to a book. In fact I loved how occasionally the lyrics from some of the films would just make their way into the regular descriptions and dialogue - very clever by the author! 

The overwhelming feeling I had while reading this book was just how much Katey Lovell must have enjoyed researching this book, everything about it is spot on, and I loved the night out at Rocky Horror, which is one of my all time favourite shows to see live. The cult atmosphere of the show was summed up perfectly, complete with the dressing up...with the exception of Monique , I loved all the other's costumes, especially Liam. 

But what is a Singalong Society for Singletons you may be wondering at this point? Well after Monique, Issy and Hope were watching Frozen and belting out Let I t Go, they realised just how much better they felt just by singing along. They decide to meet each Friday evening and to watch musicals, catch up as friends and generally have a good time with the songs. They invite their other close friend Connie to join in and since they were all single at the time the society was born. 

Within a couple of weeks Ray and Liam are added to the group, and they provide a massive burst of energy to the rest of the book. Two straight guys with a love of musical theatre, and both appearing to have more to them than meets the eyes, and they are both single too, so fitted in brilliantly. 

The story is told as a series of weekly Friday meetings, and we catch up with what everyone has been up to during the week, as well as their chatter while they watch the chosen musical of the week. Always loads of snacks are available, and early on there are some fantastic conversations during The Lion King, sparking all manner of changes with one of the Singletons. 

I honestly didn't want this book to finish ever, there were so many more musicals that could have been incorporated but on the whole I think the majority of people will recognise a large amount of these shows, they are generally classics whether you have seen them on stage or screen. 

All that is left for me to say is that this book proves what I thought earlier in the year when reading other shorter works by the author, and that is Katey Lovell is a rising talent, and is one to watch in the upcoming years as she produces more hopefully wonderful escapist stories. 

Thank you so much to Katey Lovell for the opportunity to have an early review copy. This was my honest opinion. 

Happy Publication day Katey. The Singalong Society for Singletons is out now in ebook, and in paperback in December. 

Guest Post - Katey Lovell's love of Gymnastic - Booklympics

When Rachel invited me to write a blog about sport I wasn’t sure what to write.  I was tempted to take the easy route and write about Sheffield United as I’ve supported them for over twenty years and had a season ticket until I became a mum.  Supporting The Blades has been a bit of a rollercoaster so there’s plenty of material (some of it would make a brilliant football based fiction book, to be honest – ‘Battle of Bramall Lane’ ring any bells?  Losing a playoff final in the last minute?  Relegation influenced by West Ham’s Tevez irregularities?)

However, as it’s Olympics season it felt right to share some of my favourite Olympic memories and for me that always means gymnastics.  

My love for gymnastics began in 1992.  I watched the Barcelona games with an avid interest and the American team won my heart.  Shannon Miller’s floor routine had me spellbound from the terrific opening tumble sequence…in fact, it lead to my brief fling with attending a gymnastics club, which is a whole other story.  She performed with such poise and elegance and I wanted a piece of that.  It wasn’t forthcoming through my attempts at backflips, so instead I borrowed her style, tying large voile bows into my hair. How very early 90s!

The artistic gymnastics at the Rio Olympics has been an absolute delight.  From a British perspective to bring back such an astounding haul of medals is brilliant, and I’ve bounded around my living room with excitement as Whitlock, Wilson, Smith, Tinkler and co performed their hearts out.  Ellie Downie epitomised strength of body and character to perform in the vault after a fall during her floor routine in the team competition – another fabulous role model for young British gymnasts to aspire to emulate.

America’s newest sweetheart Simone Biles definitely brought the performance to go with the technique, especially in her gold-medal-winning floor routine.  The height on those tumbles – she’s poetry in motion.

I’ve also enjoyed watching the Brownlee brothers dominate in the triathlon, local heptathlete Jessica Ennis-Hill giving her all to bring a silver medal back to Sheffield and have been surprisingly glued to the track cycling.  I didn’t know what the omnium was before, but now I can’t get enough!

That said, gymnastics is the Olympic sport which captured my heart more than two decades ago.  And it’s still the one that makes my heart sing.

Thank you so much Katey for sharing your love of Olympic gymnastics with us, and very glad I didn't have to host a post about Sheffield United, given they aren't my team! I also love watching Gymnastics, and have been astounded by our success this year. Huge congratulations to all of our team, and Bryony Page getting her surprise silver in the Trampolining.

Also loved watching the Brownlee brothers, although I promise if my boss is reading, I was working more than watching Thursday afternoon, I promise! And also agree the Omnium cycling is oddly addictive.

About Katey Lovell

Katey Lovell is fanatical about words. An avid reader, writer and poet, she once auditioned for Countdown and still tapes the show every night. Getting the conundrum before the contestants is her ultimate thrill.

She loves love and strives to write feel-good romance that'll make you laugh and cry in equal measure. 

Originally from South Wales, Katey now lives in Yorkshire with her husband and son.

Twitter - @katey5678

Instagram - @katey5678

Facebook - www.facebook.com/kateylovell

Blog - http://www.kateylovell.blogspot.co.uk/

Katey's latest book is out on 7th October and looks like it will be a must for all musical lovers, and is a book I am really looking forward to reading. 

Monique and Issy are teachers, housemates and lovers of musicals! Their Friday night routine consists of snacks, wine and the Frozen DVD. So when Monique’s boyfriend moves to America for a year and her sister Grace moves in because of her own relationship woes, Friday nights get a new name… ‘The Singalong Society for Singletons’!

It’s a chance to get together, sing along to their favourite tracks from the best-loved West End shows, and forget the worries of work, relationships and love (or lack of it). But when Issy shares the details of their little group further afield, they get some unexpected new members who might just change their opinions on singledom for good….

Pre-order now on Amazon UK

Guest Post - BBQs and Katey Lovell

When Rachel kindly invited me to write a guest post for her gorgeous blog on BBQs, I had a bit of a panic. Although The Boy at the BBQ is (as the title suggests!) set at a BBQ, my own experience of outdoor cooking is less than successful.  

My family love to eat outside when it’s warm enough to do so, but we’ve never splashed out on a barbecue, instead using the disposable ones that I’ve found to be a bit rubbish – our food tends to be black on the outside and raw on the inside, which leaves us all feeling a bit sorry for ourselves when there’s nothing on our plate but a pile of salad leaves!

However, I have been to some great BBQs at other people’s houses.  These tend to have someone keeping a watchful eye over the grill and making sure nothing ‘catches’, which is perhaps where we go wrong at our house.  We’re just not attentive enough!

Here are some of my favourite BBQ foods…

1) Quorn sausages
I’m a vegetarian and although there’s plenty of choice of meat substitutes in the supermarkets and health food shops, these are my favourites.  Slathered with mayonnaise, this would be my ideal hot dog filling.

2) Vegetable kebabs
Peppers, onions, mushrooms and tomatoes – these all actually taste pretty good even if they ARE slightly blackened.  And if they’re underdone there’s no risk of food poisoning.  So these are pretty perfect.

3) Bananas with Nutella
This gooey delight tastes best straight off the barbeque and eaten straight out of the tinfoil it was cooked in.  Yum!

4) Salad with pickles
I’m a big fan of pickles.  Gherkins are my favourite but I also love beetroot and onion – they give even the most bland salad a kick.  I’ve always got a few jars stashed in the cupboard.

5) Ice cream
Not just for BBQs, ice cream is my favourite food to eat outdoors.  It’s one of my favourite foods full stop, to be honest.  I love some of the more unusual flavours such as pistachio and coffee, but a whippy ice cream from the ice cream van is the epitome of summer to me.

Thank you so much to Rachel for inviting me onto her blog today, and I hope you all have a lovely summer full of fabulous BBQs that are more like Betsy and Seb’s than mine!!

Amazon UK

The Boy at the BBQ is a Meet Cute short story published by Harper Impulse.  It is available in ebook format from May 19th 2016.

Pinterest board for The Boy at the BBQ - https://uk.pinterest.com/kateylovell/the-boy-at-the-bbq/

Follow Katey Lovell on Twitter - https://twitter.com/Katey5678

Thank you so much Katey for sharing with us your thoughts on BBQs. I am the complete opposite when it comes to a BBQ, I like my meat, chargrilled and noone has ever done BBQ chicken as well as my dad did. It's been years since I had a decent BBQ, so any invitations are welcome!

Book Review - One Night in Los Angeles by Katey Lovell

Amazon UK

Title: One Night in Los Angeles

Author: Katey Lovell

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Author supplied review copy

Publisher: Tirgearr Publishing

Publication Date: 27th January 2016

Rating: 4 Stars

Abbi Devine never expected Hollywood to be like this... 

Leaving her small town in northern Maine for Hollywood was always going to be a gamble, but she's finally got her chance- a speaking part as a burlesque dancer in a movie starring A list actor Aaron Halliday. 

However, when she's thrown off her stride and ends up in a heap on the floor, Aaron's the one to come to her rescue. There's an undeniable attraction between them which comes as a surprise to Abbi, who has sworn off men following a bad experience. 

Is Aaron really the unfeeling playboy the press make him out to be? And can Abbi let go of her past to enjoy her present?

It may be slightly odd to be completely jealous of a fictional character, but I can't believe Abbi Devine managed to attract the gorgeous sex god of Aaron Halliday. Even though I wasn't in the book I wish I was, as Aaron just oozes sex appeal. 

The amount of chemistry between Abbi and Aaron is evident from their first meeting, after the funniest moment of the book. From the second they meet you can feel the sexual tension, and the intimate scenes really do get your heart racing. 

This is the second book I have read by Katey Lovell, and they are both quite different. This one is a lot racier than her Meet Cute series, but what I can tell between the two books is that she is a new and talented at creating romantic situations, and really cares about having characters have the romance they deserve in their lives. 

One Night in Los Angeles is a steamy, pleasurable short novella, that I really enjoyed. 

Thank you to Katey Lovell for this review copy. This was my honest opinion. 

Book Review - The Boy Under The Mistletoe by Katey Lovell - #HarperXmas

Amazon UK

Title:  The Boy Under The Mistletoe 

Author: Katey Lovell

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Author supplied copy

Publisher: Harper Impulse

Publication Date: 17th December 2015

Rating:  5 Stars

A gorgeously romantic short story, part of The Meet Cute series.

Every Happily Ever After began with a Once Upon a Time…

After working a busy Christmas Eve shift at her family's flower shop, Chelsea can barely keep her eyes open for her Gran's annual festive get-together. Can her Christmas dreams come true under the mistletoe?

The Boy Under The Mistletoe is the Christmas release belonging to Katey Lovell's Meet Cute series. All the books in this series are stand alone, snap shots as a couples first romantic meeting. 

This is a bite sized, coffee break book. I started it as I started dinner, and still had food left when I finished it. If you are looking to get a quick fix of romance, then I would recommend this. 

You get a bit of a family Christmas party, and a great idea of  Katey's talent, while being able to enjoy a festive fairytale.  

Although I would happily read others in the Meet Cute series, if I needed a very fast read, I am eagerly looking forward to seeing what this author can do in a longer setting. 

Thank you to Katey Lovell for this review copy. This was my honest opinion. 

Guest Post - Katey Lovell talking about The Boy at the Bakery

I don’t think I’m alone here, but I really like cake. 

Not just pretty, delicate cupcakes or generous slices of carrot cakes laden with frosting.  I like nutmeg sprinkled custard tarts and Belgian buns topped with wonky cherries.  I like chocolate gateau that sticks to my fingers and flapjack that gets caught between my teeth.  I like biscuits too, especially those squidgy cookies which seem to bend forever before breaking in half.

But my absolute favourite cake has always been the Chelsea bun.  I love how it looks, the coiled swirl wrapped tightly like a snail shell, but it’s the flavour that gets me every time.  The sweet sugar grains dancing on my tongue, the sharp hit of the raisins and the unmistakable cinnamon kick.  And of course, the outside of the wheel is golden, yet the centre remains deliciously soft, almost gooey.  

Lily, the protagonist in The Boy at the Bakery, loves the rich creamy taste of a vanilla slice.  And I can see why.

But for me, the Chelsea bun wins hands down, every single time.

The Boy at the Bakery is the latest release in Katey Lovell’s Meet Cute series.  Available to buy now in ebook format, published by Harper Impulse.

Amazon UK | Amazon US | Nook | Kobo 

About the Author

Katey Lovell is fanatical about words. An avid reader, writer and poet, she once auditioned for Countdown and still tapes the show every night. Getting the conundrum before the contestants is her ultimate thrill.

She loves love and strives to write feel-good romance that'll make you laugh and cry in equal measure. 

Originally from South Wales, Katey now lives in Yorkshire with her husband and their seven year old son.

Find Katey on twitter, @katey5678 or Facebook www.facebook.com/kateylovell.

Thanks so much to Katey for taking the time out to... well make me very hungry to be honest! I have a feeling I may not be able to resist taking a look at The Boy at the Bakery myself.