Book Review - A Christmas Wish and a Cranberry Kiss at the Cosy Kettle by :Liz Eeles

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Amazon UK

Title: A Christmas Wish and a Cranberry Kiss at the Cosy Kettle

Author: Liz Eeles

Format reviewed: Ebook 

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication Date: 7th November 2019

Rating: 5 Stars 

Fans of Milly Johnson and Phillipa Ashley, the Cosy Kettle café is waiting for you to find a comfy spot by the fire and snuggle up with a steaming mug of hot chocolate. Amidst the twinkling lights and falling snowflakes, Becca has a wish to make this Christmas…

Running from heartbreak, twenty-five-year-old Becca has moved to the cosy village of Honeyford. Living with her best friend Zac in a little stone cottage, and serving mince pies and steaming gingerbread lattes at the Cosy Kettle, is the perfect escape from her past.

But starting over isn’t always plain sailing, and Becca’s shyness is holding her back from making her mark on the café. To make matters worse, her crush on blond-haired, blue-eyed local heartthrob Logan gets stronger by the day – but he can barely remember her name. So as the snow starts to fall in Honeyford, Becca has one big Christmas wish: to completely reinvent herself. Becca dreams of bringing the Cosy Kettle success and finding romance with Logan under the mistletoe.

As she gets a makeover, cosies up to Logan over mulled wine and plans the most festive celebration the café has ever seen, Becca wonders why she waited so long to step out of her comfort zone… Zac, on the other hand, thought she was perfect before – always caring for others – and he misses the quirky girl with the bright blue hair.

When Logan turns out to not be all he seems, Becca is left wondering if he’s really the one for her. With her party plans also going awry, can Becca save her beloved Cosy Kettle in time for Christmas? And has the key to her happiness been in front of her all along?

What a warm and cosy read this was, I was enchanted from the first few pages, and just didn't want to be parted from the book until the end. 

I absolutely adored being back in Honeyford, at the Cosy Kettle, and getting to know Becca a lot better. 

She is a rather quiet, un-confident sort of a character, but has made a Christmas Wish to change, and as realised she needs to set herself goals in order to accomplish this. 

With the help of the book club members, we see all manner of changes within Becca, some much better than others, and although as a reader you generally knew where the story would end up, the journey was so good that you just couldn't mind. 

We see Becca try to change her appearance, personality, become more assertive, get a date with a man who she fancies, but I knew deep down wasn't the right man for her, and to hopefully end up more like her twin sister. 

The actual journey of self discovery is gradual and I loved seeing how it all unfolded, all the while Becca is trying to please Logan with the Christmas party she is putting together for him. 

And its with the party that I'd argue the biggest transformation happens, of the Cosy Kettle becoming less cosy and homely and more elegant. 

I loved Becca's housemate Zac, he was adorable and just an ever present in Becca's life.   We learn why Becca is how she is, and also get to know her family too. 

There is a warmth of Christmas feeling throughout, but not over the top. It is the sort of book that would warm your heart at any point over the cold autumn  / winter months. 

I absolutely adored catching up with the regulars, and discovering every moment of this latest instalment of this fabulous series. 

Another wonderful book from Liz Eeles, and I can't wait to see what she writes next. 

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

Book Review - A Summer Escape and Strawberry Cake at the Cosy Kettle by Liz Eeles - #HolidayReading Madeira

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Amazon UK

Title: A Summer Escape and Strawberry Cake at the Cosy Kettle

Author: Liz Eeles 

Format reviewed: Ebook 

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication Date: 1st July 2019

Rating: 5 Stars

The Cosy Kettle café is the perfect place to escape this summer, for fans of Cathy Bramley, Jenny Colgan and Debbie Johnson. Guests can tuck in to fruit puddings and strawberry-studded ice cream, but for Flora, the warm summer breeze is blowing in big changes…

When Flora finds out about her husband’s secret fling, she escapes to the one place she feels safe: her beloved café, the Cosy Kettle, in the charming village of Honeyford. Serving up cream teas to her café regulars is the perfect way to soothe her broken heart, and although she’s never lived in the area, the little community welcome her with open arms.

She’s soon lodging with local eccentric Luna in her remote and beautiful Starlight Cottage, snuggled between rolling green hills. Luna’s handsome son Daniel lost his wife several years ago, and as Flora gets to know him, sharing walks through the blossom-scented woods, they both slowly begin to heal… and she realises that behind Daniel’s quiet exterior, there’s a passionate nature that makes her forget all about her ex-husband.

As she settles into her new life, hosting a baking competition for the village’s summer celebration seems like a great idea… but with Daniel’s mysterious silences leading Flora to believe he’s hiding secrets, she can’t help but wonder if she can really trust him. And when the race to bake the perfect Victoria sponge stirs up old rivalries between locals, Flora starts to feel like she’s bitten off more than she can chew.

After her new start, will Flora ever truly belong in Honeyford? And, this summer, can she risk opening up her heart again? 

This is the second standalone book in this marvellous Cosy Kettle series and this time we get to know Flora a lot better. 

I hated Flora's husband with a passion, and had everything crossed that she would come to the right decision. 

I love the combined cafe and bookshop, and catching up with the characters from the previous book, and seeing how they are all getting on. 

The town of Honeyford is rather special and I really loved Flora's story, involving Luna, Daniel, Caleb and a mystery author. 

There is a plot featuring a self published author which Flora as a bookseller was championing, which I could really identify with as a book blogger, as I love the idea of being able to promote a gem a book that you have found, including this one!

This was a delight to read, and I'm already looking forward to seeing Becca's story in the Christmas book. 

Thank you to Bookouture on Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily 

Book Review - New Starts and Cherry Tarts at the Cosy Kettle by Liz Eeles

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Amazon UK

Title: New Starts and Cherry Tarts at the Cosy Kettle

Author: Liz Eeles

Format reviewed: Ebook 

Source: Publisher supplied copy

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication Date: 12th March 2019

Rating: 5 Stars

Fans of Cathy Bramley, Debbie Johnson and Jenny Colgan will fall in love with the Cosy Kettle café, where slices of lemon meringue pie are served in the sun-dappled garden – and where Callie’s new beginning collides with an old flame…

After yet another failed romance, twenty-six-year-old Callie Fulbright is giving up on love. She’s determined to throw all her efforts into her very own, brand-new café: The Cosy Kettle. Serving hot tea, cherry tarts and a welcoming smile to the friendly locals proves to be the perfect distraction, and Callie feels a flush of pride at the fledging business she’s built.

But her new-found confidence is soon put to the test when her gorgeous ex reappears in the quaint little village. She’ll never forget the heartache Noah caused her years ago, but when they bump into each other on the cobbled streets of Honeyford she can’t help but feel a flutter in her chest…

As Callie and Noah share laughter and memories, she starts to wonder if this could be her second chance at happiness. But when Callie discovers that someone is mysteriously trying to ruin the café’s reputation… she has an awful suspicion that Noah knows who’s involved.

Was she wrong to ever trust him again? And can she find out who’s behind the lies and rumours, before it’s too late for the Cosy Kettle?

Completely delightful story that crept up alongside me and enveloped me with a huge hug.  It is warm, cosy and has one of my all time favourite characters in it. 

In fact lets start with Stanley, Callie's, 80 year old gramps. He is trying to be his true self, after all these years, and apparently that means he has become to the untrained eye a bit eccentric., He wants to jump out of planes, campaign against injustices, swimming in his underwear and is now rather straight talking. 

He is also a support to his granddaughter Callie, and without a doubt any chapter or scene he is in, is a lot brighter and more enjoyable as a result. 

Of course Callie is the main character and the Callie we see at the start of the book is quite different to the one at the end.  I adored Callie - she may be a bit of a people pleaser but does it in such a way you can't help but warm to her. 

She is working in the local bookshop, and trying to please her new boss Flora, when she suggests changing an old stock room into a cafe.  Flora puts Callie in charge of the project and The Cosy Kettle is born. 

There is a group of regulars in and around The Cosy Kettle, all with different reasons for being there,  but a real sense of community and friendship is growing between them all, and I loved seeing how it all developed. 

But while work is going well for Callie, its her personal life that is complicated, when the boy who broke her heart 8 years ago returns, with his brother and from then on Honeyford, is anything but sleepy and the story becomes even more fabulous. 

The Cosy Kettle really is just that, its very cosy and I loved the whole feel of the book.  Liz Eeles has written lovable and relatable to characters, a welcoming new location, and I'm delighted that I was able to spend time with Callie and her friends.    

This is an easy to read, enjoyable story, that had me smiling a lot, laughing at Stanley and all over gave me a warm fuzzy feeling.  I just hope this isn't the last we see of Honeyford and these wonderful people. 

Thank you to Noelle Holten and Bookouture for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - Annie's Summer By The Sea by Liz Eeles

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Amazon UK

Title: Annie's Summer by the Sea

Author: Liz Eeles

Format reviewed: Ebook 

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication Date: 27th March 2018

Rating: 5 Stars

When Annie Trebarwith unexpectedly inherits Tregavara House, her much-loved family home atop the cliffs of Salt Bay, she begins to wonder: with all the good friends and warm memories she’s made in the village, could it be her forever home? 

Luckily her gorgeous Poldark-lookalike boyfriend, Josh Pasco, has exactly the same idea. High on the Cornish cliffs he gets down on one knee, and Annie has everything she’s ever dreamed of.

But when a summer storm causes catastrophic damage to the beautiful but aging house, Annie and Josh are faced with tumbling tiles and a massive repair bill – and a roof that’s leaked straight onto her wedding gown…

Can the Salt Bay community save Annie’s house and her wedding – and give Annie the happy-ever-after she’s always wanted?

Well I spent the last 20% or so of this book on the verge of tears, then again I was almost in tears near the beginning too for other reasons.  This is a story that took me on a trip through the emotions, and was a joy to read. 

I suspect that this may be the last book of this series, and I would definitely recommend reading them all in order for everything to make the most sense.  It took me a short amount of time to get back into the swing of the overall series having been a while since I read book 2, but once I remembered I found myself really enjoying this book. 

I can't really comment on the plot as I don't want to give any spoilers to something key near the start of the book that triggers most of the rest of the story, but suffice to say this is jam packed with story lines, sub plots, all the characters you know and love from the series are there. 

There is a new run in with Toby, Annie's father Barry is starting to grow on me, I love Annie and Josh's relationship and everything to do with Tregavara House and Salt Bay. 

Its a fabulous location with great writing that drew me in, and I just was another great book from the author, that I can't really explain why I enjoyed it other than as a fan of the series, I enjoyed seeing the next steps for all of the characters. 

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

Book Review - Annie's Christmas By The Sea by Liz Eeles - Blog Tour

Amazon UK

Title: Annie's Christmas by the Sea

Author: Liz Eeles

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication Date: 6th October 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

On the beautiful coast of Cornwall lies the idyllic Salt Bay, where Christmas is the perfect time for bringing family and friends together…

Annie Trebarwith is happily settled in Salt Bay with her beloved great-aunt Alice and gorgeous boyfriend Josh Pasco. Snow is in the air, and Christmas is just around the corner.

But when the father she’s never met, aging rock god Barry, turns up with the half-sister Annie didn’t know existed, life suddenly gets complicated. Barry and Storm are soon clashing with the entire village, and their antics are even driving a wedge between Annie and Josh.

Can Annie prevent her new family ruining the festivities and repair things with Josh in time for a cosy Christmas? Or will their relationship end up as frosty as the Salt Bay air?

What a fantastic sequel, and a highly enjoyable story in its own right. 

I thoroughly enjoyed my return to Salt Bay, and the book starts shortly after the previous one ended. Besides the choir and Annie still getting used to have family in Alice and Toby, and her boyfriend Josh, and  Salt Bay not being London, Annie has one more huge shock to deal with. 

Out of the blue her father and half sister show up, and decide to stay with Annie for a while. They are not exactly suited to life in Salt Bay and the early interactions are cringe worthy and hilarious. As the story progressed though you get to know them both a bit more and I ended up really liking them both. 

One of the secrets from the first book is expanded up on more this time, and in Annie doing her best to help everyone involved in it,  has to keep something rather large from he boyfriend which doesn't go down too well. 

IF you are planning on reading Annie's Holiday by the Sea, then I would suggest doing that before reading this one, partly so the events occur in chronological order and also as reading them the other way around would be to my mind confusing. This can be read as a standalone and all the key points from book 1 are mentioned enough so that you don't feel like you are missing out. 

Despite having Christmas in the title I feel this is a book that can be enjoyed all year around, as although its set in the winter months, Christmas doesn't play a massive part in the overall story. 

I am loving Liz Eeles writing style, she has a great way of describing her characters so that they feel so real. I could really picture the action. I loved also getting to know a bit more about other residents of Salt Bay, and really hope that there will be more Salt Bay books in the future. 

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this copy which I've reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Author Bio:

Liz began her writing career as a journalist and press officer before deciding that she’d rather have the freedom of making things up as a novelist. 

Being short-listed in the Corvus ‘Love at First Write’ competition and the Novelicious search for a new women's fiction star gave Liz the push she needed to keep putting pen to paper …. and ‘Annie’s Holiday by the Sea’ (her first published novel) is the result. 

Liz lives on the South Coast with her family and, when she’s not writing, likes to spend time walking by the sea, and trying to meditate. Her ambition is to be serene one day …. she’s still got a long way to go.

Author Social Media Links:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/lizeelesauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lizeelesauthor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lizeelesauthor/

Book Review - Annie's Lovely Choir by the Sea by Liz Eeles - Blog Tour - Fab Firsts

Fab Firsts is my new regular Sunday feature, that is going to be highlighting books that are firsts. When interviewing authors, it will be about their first book, as well as other firsts in their lives. When reviewing books for this feature, there will be a mix of debuts, first books in a series, the first time I read an author, and possibly other firsts depending on what I can think of!

If you are an author wanting to take part in Fab Firsts then please do email on gilbster at gmail dot com and I'll whizz the questions over to you.

I hope you enjoy this look at a variety of hopefully fabulous firsts, while making some sort of dent in my review and paperback TBRs which are my current main focus!

This is Liz Eeles debut novel. 

Amazon UK

Title: Annie's Lovely Choir by the Sea

Author: Liz Eeles

Format reviewed: Ebook 

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Bookouture

Publication Date: 18th May 2017

Rating: 5 Stars

When twenty-nine-year-old Annie Trebarwith receives an unexpected letter from a great-aunt she’s never known, she leaves her shoebox-sized flat in London and catches a train to the rugged Cornish coast.

Salt Bay is beautiful and Annie begins to kindle a bond with her great-aunt Alice. Even though there is zero phone signal and the locals – including the gorgeous but brooding Josh Pasco – can be decidedly grumpy at times, Annie starts to feel at home in Salt Bay.

Soon Annie’s love of music leads her to relaunch the Salt Bay Choral Society, and she’s surprised to see how just much the choir means to the community – and she even starts to break through Josh’s surly exterior…

But London is calling Annie back, and she has to make a decision. Give up her old life completely, or leave Salt Bay, her new-found family – and the choir – behind?

Annie’s Lovely Choir by the Sea is a heart-warming story about family, belonging and the healing power of music, perfect for fans of Jo Thomas, Holly Martin and Carole Matthews.

If you are looking for a story including long lost relatives, deep family secrets, a lovely older woman,  one villainous man, one gorgeous guy, an Aussie barmaid, a lovely Cornish coastal location, and a choir, then you have come to the right place, as Annie's Lovely Choir by the Sea has all that and more. 

Long lost relatives - Annie recieves a letter out of the blue from her Great Aunt Alice who she didnt even know existed, inviting her down to Cornwall, to spend some time with her. Since Alice's mum died she ha had no family and until now has lived a nomadic life in London, temping and moving from flat to flat.  She really isn't sure how to deal with unexpected family but curiosity trumps nervousness. 

Deep family secrets - ah well if I told you about these in any detail, I would spoil elements of the book. However by virtue of the fact that Alice herself was a surprise to Annie, anything Alice says about the big family rift will be a revelation. 

A lovely older woman - great aunt Alice is exactly that, she is in frail health and is determined to have Annie live in Salt Bay with her on a more permanent basis, whereas Annie isn't as sure. 

One villainous man - within the first few mentions of this character, my hackles were well and truly raised and it turns out with good reason.  There is just something about the way he acts and his attitude in general towards Salt Bay that really annoyed me. 

Whereas my one gorgeous guy - well he is a typical Cornish hunk, quite moody and is determined to hate Annie due to the family she is a part of. He and Annie don't get off the smoothest of starts, and I loved seeing their dynamic. He also seems to be an arch rival of the villainous man! 

An Aussie barmaid - Kayla who takes Annie under her wing to show her the sights of Salt Bay. She is a breath of fresh air, and I  loved any scene she was part of. 

A lovely Cornish coastal location - welcome to Salt Bay, where is seems to rain a lot, but on the nice days it has stunning views, and beaches, a cream tea shop, the local pub and a whole group of inhabitants that would be best described as salt of the earth people.  I love reading books set in Cornwall, and this definitely matched in with my previous fictional trips to the county. 

And last but not least there is the Choral Society, which Kayla and Annie decide to resurrect. Although you don't really see much in the way of the practices, you can't help but get a good feel for just what it is doing for the community in Salt Bay, and how it will continue to affect people's lives. 

Ultimately Annie's Lovely Choir by the Sea is an all around entertaining story with various threads running through it. I loved the reasoning behind the Choral Society's reformation, and found the whole book to be a pleasurable reading experience.  Brilliant debut and I'm already looking forward to the next installment in the series. 

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

About the author

Liz began her writing career as a journalist for newspapers and magazines before moving into the health sector as a communications manager and press officer. The low point of her career was abandoning an interview with Cliff Richard after two questions because she was about to faint – her excuse is that she was newly pregnant at the time.

Liz is from Gloucestershire but now lives by the sea in West Sussex with her husband and grown-up daughter. She spends a lot of time meaning to meditate, avoiding exercise, and missing her son who lives in London.

https://www.facebook.com/lizeelesauthor/

https://twitter.com/lizeelesauthor

Follow along with the rest of the blog tour for more about Annie's Lovely Choir by the Sea