Showing posts with label Nikki Moore. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nikki Moore. Show all posts

Friday, 13 November 2015

The Unexpected Thrill of Book Blogging

I can't even begin to imagination the thrill an author must get when their finished book is published and available on book shop shelves. As a book blogger that has no inclination to write her own book, I have discovered what I can only describe as an equivalent thrill, even if its not on the same scale. 

And that is of being quoted on a real life paperback book...and on the cover too. And that is what has happened. Little old me, who has only been blogging since April, has a quote on the back cover of Nikki Moore's fantastic new paperback Picnics in Hyde Park.

So imagine my delight today, when I had some post from Harper Impulse, and the first thing that caught my eye was this lovely note from Samantha Gale. 



And also included in the parcel, was a copy of the book and this lovely little notebook.



And after all that screaming and cheering and being very, very happy, here is the quote!


... and the review it came from can be found here and can be purchased from Amazon UK


Obviously being quoted is not the point of being a book blogger, however as a side effect, its probably the best one going. 

Apologies for the pure self indulgence of this post, I just couldn't resist! 

Thank you so much to Harper Impulse for all the support they are giving Rachel's Random Reads, and I can assure you my copies of this book (since I did have to buy a copy myself (I'm not big headed, I promise!)) will take pride of place on my book shelf.

Tuesday, 27 October 2015

Fabulous Freebies #1



It has come to my attention in the past few days that there are some brilliant books being offered for free at the moment, for the Kindle. So it only seems fair, that I share my findings with you.

Please note all books were FREE at time of writing this post. Please do double check the price of anything you click to look at, as prices do fluctuate. Equally, this is for my UK followers, that use Amazon, please do check your other e-book reader sites in case of price matching things going on.

I also urge you if you do like the look of these, to pick them up while they are free, for the best bargain, as if you come back later, who knows what will have happened to the price!

Some of these I have read, some have been reviewed on this blog, and others are ones I have picked up myself, but have heard from people I trust that they are good!

Prada and Prejudice (Dating Mr Darcy, Book 1) by Katie Oliver

Amazon UK
He’s a man in possession of a large fortune….but is he in want of a wife?!


It is a truth universally acknowledged that Natalie Dashwood loves to shop. After all, as the heiress to the renowned London department store Dashwood & James she’s been wearing designer shoes since she could walk! But a socialite’s life isn’t as perfect as you might imagine… Natalie’s spending is spiraling slightly out of control, her rock star boyfriend is engaged to someone else, and it seems the family business is in financial crisis. New high-flying business exec Rhys Gordon has been brought in to save the company from ruin, but what are his motives? And infuriatingly even a shoe-shopping spree can’t take her mind off his distracting and oh-so-charming smile… Couture and confetti mix with scandal and intrigue in this wonderful tale of retail, romance and redemption.

#PleaseRetweet by Emily Benet

Amazon UK
Social media whizz kid, May Sparks has landed her dream job. Well, not quite, but the salary is great and all May has to do is handle the online profiles of Z – list celebrities who have the tendency to say inappropriate things. Easy, right? #wrong

May’s clients include an ex big brother star (who she's definitely not going to sleep with #neversaynever), a disgraced TV presenter (who wants May to sort out his marriage as well as his Twitter account), and a woman who once flashed her boobs on X-factor. They're all relying on her to turn them into stars. But they're not going to make her job easy.

As May is sucked further and further into her job she begins to lose her grip on real life. Her friends don’t ‘like’ her Facebook posts anymore and even her gorgeous neighbour, who once seemed to be on the same wavelength, criticises her career choice. Worse, May’s clients start getting trolled by an annoying tweep, who May happens to agree with.

Then May’s secret online identity is leaked, causing her to start trending on Twitter. It looks like the status update is over. Unless May can leave the superficial social media word behind and find her own voice again…


‘One of my most enjoyed books this year’ – Rachel’s Random Reads

The Half Truth by Sue Fortin

Amazon UK
She thought she knew her past. She thought her past was the truth.

Tina Bolotnikov, widowed after her husband, Sasha, is killed in a car accident, relocates back to her hometown on the south coast of the UK, to bring up her young son. Her life back in London with her adored husband is now nothing but a memory; a history to pass onto her son.

DS John Nightingale saw his partner killed in the line of duty and has made it his personal and professional quest to bring to justice the Russian gang responsible. Five years on and the killer is still free but as reports come in of Sasha Bolotnikov’s brother returning to the UK, John is tasked with tracking him down and following him to the seaside town of Littlehampton.


Tina finds herself an unwitting connection to a world she knew nothing about. She thought she knew her husband. She thought their past was the truth. But now as the investigation draws her closer to DS Nightingale, professional lines are blurred and crossed, and only he holds the key to her future.

The Grand Reopening Of Dandelion Cafe (Cherry Pie Island, Book 1) by Jenny Oliver

Amazon UK
Home, Sweet Home….?

There’s nowhere more deliciously welcoming…

When Annie White steps back onto Cherry Pie Island, it’s safe to say her newly inherited Dandelion Café has seen better days! And while her childhood home on the Thames-side island idyll is exactly the same retreat from the urban bustle of London she remembers, Annie’s not convinced that Owner of The Dandelion Cafe is a title she’ll be keeping for long. Not that she can bear the idea of letting her dedicated, if endearingly disorganized staff lose their jobs. Plus café life does also have the added bonus of working a stone’s throw away from millionaire Matt and his disarmingly charming smile!


One (shoestring budget) café makeover, a few delightful additions to the somewhat retro menu and a lot of cherry pie tastings later, The Dandelion Café is ready for its grand reopening! But once she’s brought the dilapidated old café back to life, Annie finds herself wishing her stay on the island was just a bit longer. She always intended to go back to the big city…but could island living finally have lured her back home for good?

Picnics in Hyde Park by Nikki Moore

Amazon UK
‘Whoever said romance was dead has clearly never read a Nikki Moore book’ – Rachel’s Random Reads

The last story in the fun & flirty #LoveLondon series from exciting new chick lit author Nikki Moore! The perfect novel for reading in the sunshine … and falling in love with London.

Hot summer romance…or cold revenge?

Super nanny, Zoe Harper is mad! It was bad enough discovering her ex-fiancé Greg cheating on her just weeks before their wedding. But now she’s returned home to London to find her younger sister Melody has been left jobless, homeless, broke and dumped.

Zoe is determined to get revenge on the infamous Reilly brothers for her sister’s heartbreak. So when an unexpected opportunity gives Zoe a way in to uncaring—and dizzyingly gorgeous!—successful music producer Matt Reilly’s world, she jumps at the chance to make him pay.

But living with Matt as nanny to his two adorable, but complicated children, Zoe soon begins to suspect that not everything is as it seems… Matt insists on pushing everyone away including his children, but why? And if his delicious summer kisses are anything to go by, he can’t be that bad surely?


Can Zoe convince Matt to open up a little and help fix this family before she leaves…or worse, before Matt learns who she really is?

Survival of the Christmas Spirit by Aimee Horton

Amazon UK
“Cooking for nineteen people will be a cinch!” Ever-optimistic Dottie Harris is preparing for the biggest and best Christmas celebration ever, and nothing—not even unexpected guests or running out of gin—will get her down. 

But as always, things don't run smoothly for Dottie, and it's not long before her two energetic children, hapless husband and a nasty stomach bug wreak havoc on her carefully planned spreadsheets. 


Can Dottie throw the perfect family Christmas (without so much as a swig of gin to help her through) or will preparing for the festivities get the best of her? One thing's for sure: This will be a Christmas to remember! 

Room For Love by Sophie Pembroke

Amazon UK
Can she make room for love?

When wedding planner Carrie Archer inherits the crumbling Avalon Inn where she spent her childhood summers, she knows she’ll do whatever it takes to make it home. With no money for renovations, that means finding investors if she ever hopes to turn the Avalon into a dream wedding venue.

But Carrie has been left more than the inn—she’s also inherited its occupants, including three senior citizens, a single-father chef with childcare issues, a panicky receptionist, and one very gorgeous gardener.


So when her cousin Ruth declares her intention to get married at the Avalon on Christmas Eve, Carrie finds herself juggling decorating with dance nights, budgeting with bridge games…and sabotage with seduction.

A Very Country Christmas by Zara Stoneley 

Amazon UK
A short Christmas story of three courses.

Love is in the air in Tippermere as Lottie dreams of a white Christmas with no trimmings – other than her hot and hunky eventer, Rory. But things are never quite that simple on the Tipping House Estate.

Festive fervour takes over and it isn’t all seasonal peace and goodwill as expectations rise and it soon escalates from cosy dinner for two, to all the trimmings for ten!

With missing turkeys, loose horses, troublesome terriers and randy huntsmen, Lottie is hard pushed to find time for a kiss under the mistletoe, let alone find the opportunity to woo Rory with her sexy Santa costume.

But there is only one thing Lottie really wants for Christmas, and only one man can deliver it…

Gut Feeling by Victoria Browne

Amazon UK
Ashleigh Lands is a twenty six year old dental nurse, who after meeting Dave Croft, a gorgeous twin, finds herself in an impossible dilemma. Living in the heart of London, Ashleigh and her group of friends find themselves in numerous situations, parties, traumas and sexual experiences. With Ashleigh's love cheat lawyer ex-boyfriend Lee Preston pulling on her heart strings Ashleigh goes on holiday to Ibiza with the girls; Rachel a buyer for a large child's clothing company and also Ashleigh's best friend. Beautiful Jules who works for a well-known magazine company. And Gemma a house wife who has just found out her husband was sleeping with his personal trainer. Ibiza brings the girls new friends along with love and loss. Whilst the girls are away Dave has an unwanted sexual encounter. Ashleigh returns home only to have her life thrown into turmoil. "But I heard it with my own ears". Must be true then? ? ? "A gripping romantic chic-lit fiction novel at its best" - Independent quote "Laugh out loud best seller"

This Family Life by Jon Rance

Amazon UK
Things that might happen during your first year of parenthood: 

1. You’ll get covered in a ‘nuclear’ poo. 
2. You’ll be convinced your son is talking with a Japanese accent. 
3. You’ll worry that when your son waves, it looks like a Nazi salute. 

Of course, this might just be Harry Spencer. 

Taking up where 'This Thirtysomething Life' left off, Harry Spencer and is wife Emily are back and trying to survive their first year of parenthood. It has its ups and downs (and a few bits in the middle), but along the way they begin to understand the true meaning of family and what it takes to be a parent. 


Featuring a hilarious cast of extras including Harry’s father-in-law Derek, who has a unique problem with Scotch, Steve and Fiona, the parents from children’s entertainment hell, and a yoga instructor with a prominent camel-toe, 'This Family Life' is the ultimate comedy for anyone who is a parent, has a parent, or is thinking about becoming one. 

Thursday, 13 August 2015

Book Review - Picnics in Hyde Park by Nikki Moore - #HIReadathon

Amazon UK
Title: Picnics in Hyde Park
Author: Nikki Moore
Format reviewed: Ebook
Source: Netgalley
Publisher: Harper Impulse
Publication Date: 13th August 2015
Rating: 5 Stars


The last story in the fun & flirty #LoveLondon series from exciting new chick lit author Nikki Moore! The perfect novel for reading in the sunshine … and falling in love with London.

Hot summer romance…or cold revenge?

Super nanny, Zoe Harper is mad! It was bad enough discovering her ex-fiancé Greg cheating on her just weeks before their wedding. But now she’s returned home to London to find her younger sister Melody has been left jobless, homeless, broke and dumped.

Zoe is determined to get revenge on the infamous Reilly brothers for her sister’s heartbreak. So when an unexpected opportunity gives Zoe a way in to uncaring—and dizzyingly gorgeous!—successful music producer Matt Reilly’s world, she jumps at the chance to make him pay.

But living with Matt as nanny to his two adorable, but complicated children, Zoe soon begins to suspect that not everything is as it seems… Matt insists on pushing everyone away including his children, but why? And if his delicious summer kisses are anything to go by, he can’t be that bad surely?

Can Zoe convince Matt to open up a little and help fix this family before she leaves…or worse, before Matt learns who she really is?

Having now read the entirety of the Love London series, there is only one conclusion I can come to, and that is Nikki Moore is exceptionally talented at creating fantastic stories, that keep you interested and that are very romantic. Whoever said romance was dead, has clearly never read a Nikki Moore book. 

As you may be able to tell I loved Picnics in Hyde Park so much. Between two absolutely adorable children, who I am now sad I can't read anything else about, to the way Zoe and Matt interacted, and how she was making him become a better father and more involved in his children's lives, it was an absolute pleasure to read this book. 

Yes this may be the last of the 6 book Love London series, but they can all be read as standalones, including this one, although with Picnics in Hyde Park you do get to catch up with all the couples from the shorter stories, as they all have common link with either Matt or Zoe. So there is some familiarity, but I don't think you would feel as though you miss out if reading a bunch of short stories isn't really your thing. 

There is a strong theme of family running throughout this book, there is the relationship Matt had with his dead wife, how he is coping with his children, 3 years on, Zoe's relationship with her sister and aunt, as well as Matt;s relationship with his brother, These are all examines in various degrees of detail. 

Zoe only took the job as nanny to Matt's children, to try and get answers and perhaps revenge, after he sacks her sister, Melody, with no explanation at all. Zoe is hurting from discovering her fiancee had been cheating on her, and is determined to take Matt down a peg or two. What she doesn't count on is Matt being gorgeous and her falling in love with his children. 

Seeing how the interactions change as the novel progresses between Zoe and Matt is lovely to see and he goes from someone set in his ways, and emotionally withdrawn with his children to a far more loveable man. 

There is one newspaper article in the book that gave me a lump in my throat, and that wasn't the only time the story affected me like that. There so many nice touches in this book, it is great to see. 

Jasper (who is the child the featured in Skating at Somerset House) and his sister Aimee are as different as can be. Aimee is a quiet child who is never happier than with her head in her book, and she reads some very advanced books for only seven years old, and then Jasper is a loveable bundle of energy. 

Hyde Park and picnics are central to the healing processes with this family, and I don't want to say much about them as would prefer not to spoil the plot, but lets just say there is a very good reason this lovely story is called Picnics in Hyde Park. 

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Harper Impulse for this review copy. This was my honest opinion. 

Picnics in Hyde Park is out today. Happy publication day Nikki!

Wednesday, 12 August 2015

Book Review - Love London Series by Nikki Moore - #HIReadathon


Amazon UK
Title: Skating at Somerset House
Author: Nikki Moore
Format reviewed: Ebook
Source: Purchased
Publisher: Harper Impulse
Publication Date: 4th December 2014
Rating: 5 Stars
  There’s nothing Holly Winterlake loves more than Christmas and skating, so working as an Ice Marshall at London's Somerset House is a dream come true.

Noel Summerford hates the festive season and is a disaster on the ice, so taking his godson to Somerset House is his idea of the nightmare before Christmas!

Things are bound to get interesting when these two collide…

With a forty foot Christmas tree, an assortment of well meaning friends and relatives, and a mad chocolate Labrador, will this festive season be one to remember … or forget?

Holly is a huge fan of Christmas, and is working as an Ice Marshall at Somerset House this festive season. Noel is only at the ice-rink because of his godson Jasper, who shows some talent at skating. 

Noel hates everything to do with Christmas, with a pretty good reason, but yet he seems to be attracted to Holly, even though they are opposites. 

Over the course of 2 days, a few meetings, and some drinking games at a Christmas party the pair get to know each other a lot better. 

The descriptions of Holly's family house and also of Christmas and Somerset House were brilliant. I haven't visited but could picture the scene perfectly. It may be summer, but its got me very wistful for Christmas to come!

This is a wonderful introduction to the Love London short stories, and as my first Nikki Moore book, a fabulous start to me liking her books. 



Amazon UK
Title: New Year at the Ritz
Author: Nikki Moore
Format reviewed: Ebook
Source: Purchased
Publisher: Harper Impulse
Publication Date: 22nd December 2014
Rating: 4 Stars
  New Year, New Love… or Old Love, New Start?

Everyone keeps telling Frankie Taylor that a new year is a time for new beginnings. She's not so sure. Single for a year, she's been more than happy on her own, thanks very much!

At least, that's what she thinks until she receives a note on New Year’s Eve inviting her to follow the clues, and her heart, across Knightsbridge.

But who's behind the romantic adventure? Old flame Christian who she loved for years and was always there for her, or new admirer and work colleague Zack, who has the habit of turning up in all sorts of unexpected places?

There's only one way she's going to find out…

Frankie didn't really have plans for New Years Eve, so when she gets a note inviting her to go to Knightsbridge, after some hesitation she decides to go for it. The note is written as a poem, and will be the first of a few as someone has gone to a lot of trouble to send Frankie on a romantic treasure hunt around London. 

The question as you are reading this is, is who sent the note? Is it ex boyfriend Christian, who severely let her down when she needed him, or new co-worker Zach. 

In between seeing what is going on with the notes, we get short flashbacks to scenes with Christian and Zach, which clearly get you rooting for one guy over the other. 

I found this to be a very sweet romance, and a lovely gentle short story. 




Amazon UK
Title: Valentine's on Primrose Hill
Author: Nikki Moore
Format reviewed: Ebook
Source: Purchased
Publisher: Harper Impulse
Publication Date: 9th February 2015
Rating: 5 Stars
  For Georgiana Dunn, life changed forever in the devastating moment that the lorry hit her car.

Scarred and scared, she's not left the house in months.Then her mum buys her a puppy, forcing her to face the world again, walking on London's beautiful Primrose Hill. But that doesn't mean she's looking forward to Valentine's Day.

Leo devotes himself to working with children with special educational needs. In fact, he does very little else, and his friends are always telling him to get a (love) life. So when they challenge him to find a date for Valentine's Day, and he meets a lovely but lost girl who looks like she could use a friend, he thinks he's found the perfect solution.

But life has a way of being less than perfect … Will he be left standing on his own on the most romantic day of the year?

This is a story about the healing power of a good friendship. 

Georgiana is recovering from an awful car accident where she lost an eye. She barely goes out and is very scared of life and of people staring. And then her mum buys her a puppy. 

Buttons is a gorgeous puppy and its due to him that she has to start getting out of the house more, and  she starts walking him along Primrose Hill. It is there she meets Leo. 

The fledgling friendship between Leo and Georgiana is incredibly sweet and if Georgiana doesn't want him, I will happily take Leo off her hands. 

Although like all the books so far in this series, this is a short story, it has a lot of heart and good feeling about it, and made me smile a lot. 



Amazon UK
Title: Cocktails in Chelsea
Author: Nikki Moore
Format reviewed: Ebook
Source: Purchased
Publisher: Harper Impulse
Publication Date: 19th March 2015
Rating: 3 Stars
  Made in Chelsea?

Nathan Black is on a mission to prove himself. His family may be upper class and his cousin Matt might be a famous music producer, but he's going to make it on his own. So as soon as he has enough money set aside, he's quitting his bar-tending job on the King's Road and opening up his own cocktail bar. He hasn't got time for love, and definitely not with the spoilt Chelsea Princesses who flirt with him shamelessly every night. But is there something a bit different about the pretty blonde who's just walked in?

Bournemouth girl Sofia Gold is reluctantly visiting old childhood friends in London for Easter weekend. Keenly aware she's not part of their glamorous world, she's more comfortable riding a surfboard than wearing designer dresses and towering heels… although she's always had a soft spot for cocktails.

It's never really bothered Sofia that she's 'one of the boys,' and that her romantic experiences have been amazingly unspectacular, so when she meets gorgeous Nathan, why does she find herself faking an accent and pretending to be a London socialite? It can't be anything to do with impressing him, can it? After all, she's only in the capital for a few days…

But one impulsive kiss later, they both find themselves wishing for things they didn't know they wanted.

Spring in Chelsea – will love blossom?


I think this may be the weakest of the series. It was a perfectly nice story, but apart from the hot and sexy scene, I didn't really gel with either of the characters. 

I liked the book, but I suspect that because I'm a Londoner that has never wanted to step foot in Chelsea as its so far out of my comfort and financial zone, I struggled to identify with the area. 

I loved the interactions between Sofia and the two girls she is hanging around with in Chelsea, although I did have a feel a bit sorry for her. 

Overall I found this to be a nice little romance. 



Amazon UK
Title: Strawberries at Wimbledon
Author: Nikki Moore
Format reviewed: Ebook
Source: Purchased
Publisher: Harper Impulse
Publication Date: 14th May 2015
Rating: 4 Stars
  The one that got away?

Sipping Pimms and eating fresh strawberries at Wimbledon are the perfect start to the British summer for Rayne. Immersed in her career as a journalist in the City, she's been too busy and distracted to give men – or other outside interests – much of a chance lately. That's something her friend Lily thinks she should correct, coming up with the perfect ‘sex with an ex’ solution – much to the amusement of the crowd on Centre Court!

When Rayne runs into old flame Adam, former good guy who is now all grown up with a hint of bad boy about him, it's a tempting thought. But is that such a good idea, when she knows that four years ago, she broke his heart?

Back from travelling the world and settling into running the family business, Adam never expected to see his university girlfriend again. And he definitely didn't think he would still be angry with her for running away, or that she would still have the same stunning effect on him. But she does, so maybe the perfect way to get her out of his dreams and from under his skin, is to have a hot sex-filled night with her? The only trouble is, one night might not be enough…

First love – can you ever go back?

Beautiful summery story taking you back a few weeks to Wimbledon, with Pimms and Strawberries and Cream. It is the story of Adam and Rayne and how they were a couple at university, and whether or not 'sex with an ex' is a good idea or not. 

It is reasonably clear they still have a connection between them, but there was a question on whether things would progress. The paragraphs set in the past show how a relationship can grow from a fledgling friendship. 

I loved Rayne's vulnerability and Adam seemed to be quite eager to impress and please Rayne, which was lovely to see.

This is a great addition to the Love London series and I can't wait to read the full length book in this series, Picnics in Hyde Park. 

If you like the sound of the Love London books, then please do check out my review tomorrow of Picnics in Hyde Park, which is the final book. 
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