Book Review - Stuck On You by Portia MacIntosh

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Amazon UK

Title: Stuck On You

Author: Portia MacIntosh

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 17th September 2020

Rating: 5 Stars

Could a post-it note really lead to love...?

Sadie doesn't have time for finding love. She's too busy as PA for famous artist Damian Banks. When she's not arranging exhibitions, she's organising his dry cleaning or dumping his never ending stream of girlfriends.

But when she strikes up an unusual friendship with her desk share buddy, she finds a confidante and a new potential love interest. Problem is, they've never actually met...

With Christmas just around the corner, can Sadie put herself first for a change and find what she's been looking for all along?The brand new romantic comedy from top 10 bestseller Portia MacIntosh. Perfect for fans of Sophie Ranald, Mhairi McFarlane and Zara Stoneley.

Oh I do love a Portia MacIntosh Book and this was certainly no exception. 

I loved the post it note messages between Sadie and Adam, the man she shares a desk with, especially as they both seem to struggle with their demon boss Damian! 

And Damian initially is a complete and utter nightmare, and I don't blame Sadie in the slightest for wanting to get a new job.  

However things change and from the middle of the book onwards you see a different side to some of the characters, a real friendship start to develop and you also get a family Christmas with a family and community that absolutely adore the holiday and have various festive themed plans for the whole week in the lead up to the main day. 

Including Dickens Day which if you are a fan of Dickens would be just wonderful, also a smaller version of Winter Wonderland, a competition to post Christmas cards, a trip to the cinema in pjamas and all manner of other festivities.   And as a huge fan of Christmas this really made the book for me, and I was starting to feel quite festive, to the extent that I didn't even blink when I ended up watching the new Grinch film on TV in August!! 

I loved the character development in this story and just the whole vibe I got from the book. I was hooked really early on and it was painful tearing myself away from a fabulous story, just to do real life things like work! 

It was a joy to read Stuck On You,  another top rom-com from this author. 

Thank you to Boldwood and Netgalley for this copy which i have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - Christmas at Lock Keeper's Cottage by Lucy Coleman

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Title: Christmas at Lock Keeper's Cottage

Author: Lucy Coleman

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 3rd September 

Rating: 4 Stars

Join us for Christmas in the Cotswolds in this perfect festive escape, from the bestselling Lucy Coleman.

Imogen Tolliman never knew her mother. And when an accident robs Immi of her father too, she goes to live with her grandfather, Tollie, in his picturesque lock-keeper’s cottage by the Aysbury marina.

Tollie is the star of the Santa Ahoy Special each Christmas – a festive boat ride along the canal that enthralls both children and adults alike. And as Immi grows up, she starts to appreciate the magical community she is lucky enough to live in.

When Immi meets Gray Adams, she instantly realises he’s someone special. And as their relationship gets serious, they start to plan for the Christmas to beat all Christmases.

But as the day approaches, and the romantic snow showers turn into blizzards, their dream of a Christmas to remember, looks set to be one they’ll never forget - for all the wrong reasons. Can they salvage the festivities, or will old secrets that are finally uncovered turn Immi’s life upside down forever?

Let Lucy Coleman transport you away to a dreamy Cotswolds Christmas full of snowflakes and secrets, log fires, mistletoe, friends and much-loved traditions. Perfect for all fans of Trisha Ashley, Holly Martin and Sue Moorcroft.

What an eventful Christmas that was, well nothing is ever smooth running in fiction! And this really had all manner of drama, revelations and even had me gasping in shock right towards the end of the story. 

Yet I also feel there are possibly some loose ends, to the extent I wonder if there will be a sequel, as I would happily read more from Immie, Gray and everyone in Aysbury, which have become like my family over the last few days while I have been reading this.

I absolutely adore the the idea of the Santa Ahoy Cruises on the the canal, especially the ones featuring rather special Little Stars.  Tollie makes a fabulous Santa, and Immie is a rather great elf. 

Immie is such a lovely and kind hearted character, she is happy to put everyone else first, even if it does end up with her putting on Christmas dinner for perhaps more than would have been anticipated, and she does panic quite rightly. 

There is also an unlikely friendship struck up with Mrs Price, who is such a revelation as the story progresses. 

And then there is Gray, who clearly loves Immie, and although I didn't feel like you got to know him that well, when we did see him, I really did like him, and they are well suited. 

This is heartwarming, festive, and just an all around good story to read, with plenty going on both with regards Christmas, and also the sense of community, and friendships.  I'd certainly welcome a return to Aysbury in the future. 

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

Book Review - Finding Love at the Christmas Market by Jo Thomas - Blog Tour - #HolidayReading Malta

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Title: Finding Love at the Christmas Market

Author: Jo Thomas

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Transworld Digital

Publication Date: 24th September 

Rating: 5 Stars

Cosy up with the new Christmas book from best-selling author Jo Thomas

Residential-home caterer Connie has had one online-dating disaster too many. Hurt in the past and with her son to consider, now she's feeling hesitant. Then one of Connie's residents sets her up on a date at a beautiful German Christmas market - with the promise she'll take a mini-bus full of pensioners with her...

Amongst the twinkling lights and smell of warm gingerbread in the old market square, Connie heads off on her date with a check-list of potential partner must-haves. Baker Henrich ticks all the boxes, but when Connie meets Henrich's rival William, she starts to wonder if ticking boxes is the answer.

Will Connie's wish for love this Christmas come true, and if so - with who?

Now that is what I call a Christmas book. I've just devoured this wonderful festive story, in 33 degree heat in Malta, and now want to go around wishing everyone a merry Christmas.

This is a book that just oozes festive feeling,  and I love how it's also allowed a group of pensioners to rediscover their love of Christmas too.

Between two German Christmas markets, two very different German men, a deaf dog, Christmas jumpers, a donkey, gingerbread, singing, dancing and a big bake off between the two towns you have all the ingredients and more for a fabulous festive book. 

I had such a great sense of place from this story,  and I adored all the characters. This has all the heart and love I've come to expect from a Jo Thomas novel, and so much more besides.

This will easily be one of my favourite Christmas books of the year. I could have kept reading it for so much longer had i not run out of pages.

Read in one sitting over about 3 hours this transported me to the German Christmas markets, made me remember my own visit to them, and generally had me grinning like a loon throughout.

If you read one book this Christmas then make it this one!

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

Please follow along with the other bloggers on this blog tour too. 

Book Review - The Last Charm by Ella Allbright

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Title: The Last Charm

Author: Ella Allbright

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: One More Chapter 

Publication Date: 21st August 2020

Rating: 5 Stars

Leila’s charm bracelet tells a story of love, a story of loss, a story of hope.

This is the story of her… and the story of Jake.

When Leila Jones loses her precious charm bracelet and a stranger finds it, she has to tell the story of how she got the charms to prove she’s the owner. Each and every one is a precious memory of her life with Jake.

So Leila starts at the beginning, recounting the charms and experiences that have led her to the present. A present she never could have expected when she met Jake nearly twenty years ago…

I had no pre-conceptions about this story, and even as I was reading, wasn't completely sure what direction it would ultimately take.  For which I'm delighted and think its the best way to go into this story - so that you can experience it fully, without any hints of the specifics in advance. 

And in saying that, it makes writing this review a whole lot harder!

This is the story of Leila and her charm bracelet.  She is recounting exactly how each charm came into her life,  and so we see her grow up from age 10, up to present day.  We go through highs and lows with her, and although we are only getting snapshots of her at various ages and points in her life, you feel like you get to know her incredibly well. 

I love how  this isn't flashbacks interspersed with present day - there is a short intro which is a valid way of explaining why we are getting the story of each charm, and then that isn't referred to again, until it is relevant towards the end. 

So it really is watching Leila and her friends and family grow up.  There are characters that appear in most chapters, and there is one particular person who is very present in this book besides Leila.  And it is the parallel of both of their stories and seeing how they both develop that fascinated me. 

I found this to be a really gentle read, it was a book I was always delighted when I could pick it back up, and lose myself within the next instalment of Leila's life.  I'm  very impressed that a book about a charm bracelet could develop the way it did, and I absolutely adored everything about this story. 

There are ups and downs, definitely some emotional bits but also some sections that will make you smile.  I don't want to say much more other than this book is very well written, it had me completely engaged with it, and I'm very much looking forward to Ella Allbright's next book as I know I need to read more by her.

Thank you to One More Chapter and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Book Review - One Step Behind by Lauren North

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Title: One Step Behind

Author: Lauren North

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Transworld Digital

Publication Date: 16th July 2020

Rating: 5 Stars

Jenna is a wife, a mother, a doctor. She’s also the victim of a stalker.

Every time she leaves her house, she sees him. Disturbing gifts are left at her door. Cruel emails are sent to her colleagues. She has no idea who this man is but she feels powerless against him.

Until the day he is brought into her hospital after a serious accident, and Jenna is given the chance to find out once and for all why this man is tormenting her. Now, the power is all hers.

But how many lines is she willing to cross to take back control of her life?

What a cleverly plotted and written psychological thriller. 

Starts off simply enough with Jenna clearly being stalked.  Those descriptions from her point of view were troubling,  and unsettling to read.

Then we discover the man she is sure is the stalker is brought into her a&e department and she realises there is a potential power shift and will she potentially break the Hippocratic oath?

At the same time we get chapters focusing on Sophie, and her not overly healthy looking relationship with Nick.

All of the writing points you in a certain direction but how much can you trust an author to not have some surprises up her sleeve.

This may only be Lauren North's second psychological thriller but it is incredible.  I was hooked on the words and devoured it predominantly in one sitting in the garden one afternoon.

Disturbing, well written and the culmination of the story lines was brilliant. Definitely a book I'd recommend 

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

Book Review - The Little Teashop in Tokyo by Julie Caplin

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Title: The Little Teashop in Tokyo

Author: Julie Caplin

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: One More Chapter

Publication Date: 11th June 2020

Rating: 5 Stars

Grab your passport and escape to a land of dazzling skyscrapers, steaming bowls of comforting noodles, and a page-turning love story that will make you swoon!

For travel blogger Fiona, Japan has always been top of her bucket list so when she wins an all-expenses paid trip, it looks like her dreams are coming true.

Until she arrives in vibrant, bustling Tokyo and comes face-to-face with the man who broke her heart ten years ago, gorgeous photographer Gabe.

Fiona can’t help but remember the heartache of their last meeting but amidst the temples and clouds of soft pink cherry blossoms, can Fiona and Gabe start to see life – and each other – differently?

How wonderful it was to be transported to Japan, at a time where there isn't really any international travel.   

I literally felt as though I was there alongside Fiona, as she takes in the sights, traditions, culture and way of life of Tokyo for the first time.  Although I've never been from what I do vaguely know of the country, this all seemed incredibly authentic, and very well researched. 

There were spatterings of Japanese words and their meanings, various practices, the Japanese tea ceremony and so much variation in the food that I was practically salivating at the descriptions.  I could totally identify with Fiona's issues with chopsticks to eat with! 

Yet between the clear love of Japan in this book, at its heart there is what could be a romance between Fiona, and her reluctant photography mentor Gabe. 

Gabe who appears to be tired of life, and only doing a half hearted job at anything, is supposed to be helping Fiona, but rather needs an initial attitude adjustment. 

I could completely sympathise with Fiona, about her mother, mine isn't quite as bad, but can be similarly frustrating, so I very much empathised with her there.  

And the host family Fiona stays with, three generations are fabulous, and teach us all so many wonderful things about life in Japan, and the blending of the traditional with the modern.   I would have loved to have gone to the digital art museum that the grand daughter takes Fiona too - it sounded amazing. 

Such a fabulous story, I was loving every single second of it, and it was a shame to then realise I was in my garden and not actually in such a different country.  Another top notch book in this romantic escapes series from one of my favourite authors, Julie Caplin. 

Thank you to One More Chapter and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily,. 

Book Review - The Beauty of Broken Things by Victoria Connelly

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Title: The Beauty of Broken Things

Author: Victoria Connelly

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing

Publication Date: 9th June 2020

Rating: 5 Stars

United by tragedy, can two broken souls make each other whole?

After the tragic loss of his wife, Helen, Luke Hansard is desperate to keep her memory alive. In an effort to stay close to her, he reaches out to an online friend Helen often mentioned: a reclusive photographer with a curious interest in beautiful but broken objects. But first he must find her—and she doesn’t want to be found.

Orla Kendrick lives alone in the ruins of a remote Suffolk castle, hiding from the haunting past that has left her physically and emotionally scarred. In her fortress, she can keep a safe distance from prying eyes, surrounded by her broken treasures and insulated from the world outside.

When Luke tracks Orla down, he is determined to help her in the way Helen wanted to: by encouraging her out of her isolation and back into the world. But Orla has never seen her refuge as a prison and, when painful secrets and dangerous threats begin to resurface, Luke’s good deed is turned on its head.

As they work through their grief for Helen in very different ways, will these two broken souls be able to heal?

Such a beautifully written story, that is ultimately heartwarming and uplifting, despite the incredibly sad and upsetting things that our two main characters have been through.  But since meeting and spending time together, Orla and Luke are both perhaps just starting to heal and help each other. 

Luke's world was turned upside when his wife suddenly denied incredibly unexpectedly.  Orla lives in a castle 3 hours away from Luke, and hides herself away from the world - she is the ultimate definition of self isolation - and the only connection between Luke and Orla is a social media site. 

For Luke's wife Helen loved the Galleria site (similar to instagram), and follows Orla's account and they have formed a friendship online without even knowing each others names. Helen sensed something about Orla and wanted to help, but then her life was tragically caught short. 

Once Luke tracks down Orla, and they somehow slowly get to know each other, the story really does take on a life of its own. 

Orla's account focuses on beautiful objects that have minor imperfections, she loves being able to find and highlight the beauty in broken things, and Helen (who although we only meet her briefly is a huge character in the book),  also has started to love finding that same beauty in the imperfect. 

What I found really moving, gripping and had real empathy for, was when Orla finally explains to Luke just what happened to make her the way she currently is. I won't tell you any details but its completely understandable that she would now live her life in the shadows as a result of what she went through. 

Victoria Connelly's writing seems to go from strength to strength, and as much as I love her lighter hearted Austen Addicts and Booklovers series, this is probably her best book to date.   Absolutely loved it! 

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily,. 

Book Review - Sunny Days and Sea Breezes by Carole Matthews

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Title: Sunny Days and Sea Breezes

Author: Carole Matthews

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Sphere

Publication Date: 25th June 2020 

Rating: 5 Stars

Jodie Jackson is all at sea, in every sense.

On a ferry bound for the Isle of Wight, she's leaving her London life, her career, and her husband behind. She'd like a chance to turn back the clocks, but she'll settle for some peace and quiet on her brother Bill's beautifully renovated houseboat, Sunny Days.

But from the moment Jodie steps aboard her new home, it's clear she'll struggle to keep herself to herself. If it isn't Marilyn, who cleans for Bill and is under strict instructions to look after Jodie, then it's Ned, the noisy sculptor on the next-door houseboat. Ned's wood carving is hard on the ears, but it's made up for by the fact that he's rather easy on the eyes.

Bustled out of the boat by Marilyn and encouraged to explore with Ned, Jodie soon delights in her newfound freedom. But out of mind isn't out of sight, and when her old life comes knocking Jodie is forced to face reality. Will she answer the call or choose a life filled with Sunny Days and Sea Breezes?

It is always a wonderful feeling to be able to sit down with a new Carole Matthews book, and it took less then the first chapter to be intrigued and keen to see just why Jodie is on a ferry across the Solent to the Isle of Wight. 

Strangely with the books I read I don't tend to see the Isle of Wight as a location, so this made a pleasant change, and reminded me of a childhood holiday to the island. 

Again it's not often I get to read a book where houseboats are featured, so this too made this story feel quite refreshingly different, and the people Jodie meets despite her quest for peace and quiet are fabulous. 

We have Marilyn who is larger than life, speaks common phrases wrongly, full of colour and one of life's nurturers who has been asked to come in and check on Jodie and clean each day, by Jodie's brother Bill, whose boat it is.   

Then there is next door neighbour Ned, who is a sculptor of wood with a chainsaw - so clearly what someone wanting peace needs.  Yet Ned is one of my favourite characters and you will see why rather quickly! 

Then there is the living statue George who always managed to raise a smile and Ida the owner of the local cafe.  Between them they somehow get under Jodie's skin and become friends and get her to change in various ways. 

I loved the day trip to Alum Bay and the Needles, it reminded me of long forgotten memories of my trip there all those years ago, even down to the coloured sand being put into moulds and trying to get the lines neat! 

There is just such a warm vibe to this book, it really hit all the right notes with me, in these troubled times. It took me away from real life and I loved my time spent between the pages.  

It is Carole Matthews at her best, with a fabulous story, some nice directions it turns into, and just a great feel to the whole story. 

Thanks to Sphere and Netgalley and this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - The Perfect Couple by Jackie Kabler - #HolidayReading Mexico

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Title: The Perfect Couple

Author: Jackie Kabler

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: One More Chapter

Publication Date: 25th June 2020

Rating: 5 Stars

The perfect couple…or the perfect lie?
A year and a half ago, Gemma met the love of her life, Danny. Since then, their relationship has been like something out of a dream. But one Friday evening, Gemma returns home to find Danny is nowhere to be seen.

After two days with no word from her husband, Gemma turns to the police. She is horrified by what she discovers – a serial killer is on the loose in Bristol. When she sees the photos of the victims she is even more stunned…they all look just like Danny.

But, the police aren’t convinced by Gemma’s story. Why has no one apart from Gemma seen or heard from Danny in weeks? Why is there barely a trace of him in their flat? Is she telling them the truth, or are there more secrets and lies in this marriage than meets the eye?

Jackie Kabler is going from strength to strength with each book she writes. 

This is a story that kept throwing in mini OMG hooks to keep you turning the pages, and has me second guessing everything. 

In fact the book is written from two perspectives, Gemma who is reporting her husband missing, and the police, who are already looking into two murders of men that look quite similar, and have no idea what to think when it turns out Gemma's husband also looks like the two victims. 

As I was reading each point of view in alternating chapters, my thoughts as to what exactly was going on flip flopped continually.  Such was how convinced I was by both viewpoints that I couldn't really work out which may be accurate. 

Much less just how the murderer was or where the missing husband may be or why. 

The Perfect Couple screwed with my head, in a way that had me reading on, unable to put the book down, as I needed to know the truth!

Very addictive and compelling read. 

Thank you to One More Chapter on Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily 

Book Review - The New Guy by Kathryn Freeman - #HolidayReading Mexico

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Title: The New Guy

Author: Kathryn Freeman

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: One More Chapter

Publication Date: 11th June 2020

Rating: 5 Stars

Sam Huxton doesn’t do one-night stands, especially not with men she’s just met! But the hot guy at the bar was hard to resist and their one night together is one she’ll never forget.

But one night is all they share – no names, no numbers, just some much needed fun…

Until the same guy walks into Sam’s life the next day as her new employee.  Sam never mixes business with pleasure and makes it clear an office fling with Ryan is off-limits.  But after-hours…one thing can lead to another. Can Sam trust her heart and her business with the new guy?

Ever had a one night stand where no names were exchanged, only to come into work the next day, to discover the new guy, the one you didn't interview despite being the boss, due to a family emergency, is in fact the one you slept with the night before?

Honestly having seen how Sam and  Ryan react in that exact situation, I'm very glad it hasn't happened to me! 

Written with Kathryn Freeman's usual amounts of sexual chemistry, banter, amusing dialogue and just generally people that feel realistic, it is another gem of a book from this fabulous author. 

I loved the setting of a an app company, was different and I found quite interesting, and I loved all the others that work alongside Sam and Ryan. 

Ryan is a straight talking guy even if it gets him into trouble, while Sam has been hurt by work place relations before and is understandably cautious.  

I throughout enjoyed seeing how this story developed and was rooting for Sam and Ryan the whole time. 

Another wonderfully entertaining story from an author that I love. 

Thank you to One More Chapter and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - The Plus One Pact by Portia MacIntosh

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Title: The Plus One Pact

Author: Portia MacIntosh

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 21st May 2020

Rating: 5 Stars

What if your plus one could be the one...?

Cara has officially run out of men. Her most recent dates have gone from bad to worse, and when her dating app informs her there is no one left in her area to choose from, she is at a dead end.

But with a summer of events ahead of her, she needs to find a solution, fast; someone to keep her company at the never-ending weddings, family gatherings and gender reveal parties that she can’t face going to alone. So when she meets handsome, confident, Millsy on a night out she may be in luck. They could not be more different in personality, but he too has a summer of events ahead and is desperate to get his family off his back about finding a ‘nice girl’. What if they made a pact to help each other out and be a plus one for the summer? Just as friends of course...? A brand new romantic comedy from bestseller Portia MacIntosh, perfect for fans of Zara Stoneley, Sophie Ranald and Mhairi McFarlane.

Are you single, with a never ending series of family and friends events where you have been told you can bring a plus one? Ever get sick and tired of the expectation that you will have someone to drag to these events?

If so then you should be able to easily identify with both Cara and Millsy's situation and the pact they make as new friends to accompany each other to a whole host of gatherings.  

I loved how they were both adamant they weren't even pretending to be fake dates, and just purely a respectable plus one  for each other, and how a real friendship built up between them. 

With each event this pair goes to, something appears to go wrong, and it was great fun seeing how they got themselves out of various situations.   I also loved both Millsy and Cara's jobs - both quite different and in the case of Cara's especially not one I've come across in books before. 

This is a really amusing story that entertained me greatly in my garden in lockdown. Another joyous read from the always enjoyable Portia MacIntosh. 

Thanks to Boldwood Books and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - Up Close and Personal by Kathryn Freeman

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Title: Up Close and Personal

Author: Kathryn Freeman

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: One More Chapter 

Publication Date: 12th June 2020

Rating: 5 Stars

She can’t let him out of her sight…

Sizzling chemistry, a page-turning will they/won’t they romance and the hottest twist on one of your favourite movies…
British actor Zac Edwards is the latest heartthrob to hit the red carpets. Hot, talented and rich, he sends women wild…all except one.

Close protection officer Kat Parker hasn’t got time to play celebrity games.  She has one job: to protect Zac from the stalker that seems to be dogging his every move.

Zac might get her hot under her very starched collar, but Kat’s a professional – and sleeping with Zac is no way part of her remit…

From the moment that Zac and Kat met I was hooked.  Once again this author's fabulous ability to write humorous scenes, characters with clear chemistry and enjoyable conversation has shone through, to make this a ridiculously enjoyable book! 

It's not every day you read a book featuring a film star and a bodyguard, especially not when the bodyguard is female.  Kat is amazing, she is like a female superhero, and all the while she is looking after her 14 year old niece, in addition of doing her day job of protecting superstar Zac from what we assume to be a stalker. 

Although you may never in your life come up close and personal with a movie star actor yourself, or need a bodyguard, these are characters that are so lifelike and realistic that it feels as though you know them intimately.  They are both clearly hiding things from each other, which may or may not be relevant to Zac's protection. 

I loved seeing the various revelations and there is plenty of action in this book. I also really enjoyed seeing just what a nice guy Zac truly he, he made some gestures that were so lovely, including treating Kat and her niece to a memorable day out for them, even if he wasn't that into it.  I would have swapped places with any of the characters to have had the experience Kat had that day! 

This is just another top quality Kathryn Freeman book which is what makes her an auto must read author for me.  Thoroughly enjoyable the whole way through, I accidentally managed to read it one sitting (when I'm sure I was meant to be doing other things). 

Thank you to One More Chapter and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily, 

Book Review - A Cornish Summer Holiday by Rosie Green

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Title: A Cornish Summer Holiday (Little Duck Pond Cafe, Book 10)

Author: Rosie Green

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Author supplied 

Publisher: Self published

Publication Date: 8th May 2020

Rating: 5 Stars

Ellie’s plan to turn a neighbouring barn into a venue to teach bread-making skills is under way – but when the construction work interferes with the smooth running of the cafe, she comes up with a plan that lifts the hearts of all the Little Duck Pond Café crew. They’ll close for a month and take a well-earned break in the tiny Cornish village of Pengully Sands, where Sylvia’s sister, Agatha, owns a holiday home. With the glorious golden sands, sparkling azure sea and an ice cream parlour only yards away, it seems like the perfect location to relax and watch the surfers riding the waves (and maybe even having a go themselves).

But when they arrive, the girls find it isn’t quite the seaside idyll they were expecting. The house is less ‘holiday home’ and more ‘creepy, dilapidated haunted house’. And the ice cream parlour is sad and run down. Gracie, who runs it, is battling problems of her own, and the last thing she needs is a group of high-spirited girls arriving to disturb the peace and isolation she has so carefully cultivated for herself. And when a handsome stranger threatens her livelihood, it seems like the last straw. Can Gracie find her happy ever after - and even make friends with the Little Duck Pond Cafe girls next door?

This definitely won't be the relaxing break the girls had planned. But that doesn't mean it won't turn out to be the holiday of a lifetime!

I can't believe this is the 10th instalment of The Little Duck Pond Cafe series already, where does the time go?  

I will start by saying that it can easily be read as a standalone as for the the first time the duck Pond Cafe girls have gone on holiday together and this is the first book not set in Sunnybrook.

Rather we have a brand new location of Pengully, in Cornwall and the book is written from two focal points - The Little Duck Pond  Cafe girls and also local ice cream pop parlour owner Gracie.

Gracie is a fresh voice to the series and as fans may come to expect from new leading ladies of the series she has a whole lot of stuff to work through and some wonderful plot points that had me slightly emotional.

I loved seeing the girls make a new friend but also seeing how they turned their holiday around since their holiday cottage wasn't exactly in the condition they expected.

It was great to catch up with Ellie, Jaz, Fen, Katya and Maddison in a new situation,  but don't worry there is still plenty of great good and tasty bakes featured. 

Already looking forward to book 11 just hope I don't need to wait too long as I will never tire of this series, and its great array of characters.

Thank you to the author for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - Meet Me At Pebble Beach by Bella Osborne

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Amazon UK

Title: Meet Me At Pebble Beach

Author: Bella Osborne

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Avon

Publication Date: 28th May 2020

Rating: 5 Stars

Meet Me at Pebble Beach was originally published as a four-part serial. This is the complete story in one package.

Regan is holding a winning lottery ticket.

Goodbye to the boyfriend who never had her back, and so long to the job she can’t stand!

Except it’s all a bit too good to be true…

When Regan gets pranked, she finds herself jobless, homeless and boyfriendless in one fell swoop.

Luckily her friendly seaside community provides a beacon of hope, proving to Regan that sometimes you really can rely on the kindness of others – and one local in particular, a handsome fireman called Charlie, helps Regan realise that this could be her chance for a fresh start.

Armed with a list of ways to change her life, Regan decides it’s time to step out of her comfort zone. Because – as Charlie knows all too well – life is for living . . .

A feel-good summer read, perfect for fans of Jill Mansell, Veronica Henry and Cressida McLaughlin.

Oh I do love a Bella Osborne book, and this is no exception! 

Within a chapter or two I was very interested in Regan's story and wow does she go on a journey in this book, including hitting rock bottom after a prank leads her to quitting her job, dumping her boyfriend and as a result losing her home all within a few mins. 

Seeing how she deals with that, and how she pulls herself back together and the steps taken to make a wish list written in haste ,to come true!   With the help of new and old friends, Regan has a lot of support even if she doesn't always seem to make the best decisions. 

This is definitely a book you will enjoy if you love Jam or Hedgohogs - but I promise not hedgehog jam! I won't say why both of these feature quite a bit, but trust me there are all manner of wacky flavoured jams which sounded rather interesting, and amongst other things some incredibly cute hoglets.   Oh and Elvis, he's fabulous and is gorgeous,, and a gentle giant, and so mischievous too! 

Then there is Kevins' story, which may have you shedding a tear, and the story involving him brings in an important issue, that faces not just Brighton but most places around the world.  Oh and Charlie, he is fabulous, I loved Charlie. He's a fireman, he is a rock for Regan, but he also has his own issue and I honestly had no idea how the book was going to turn out, although I'm delighted with the ending. 

This is just a really engaging read, it's deep in places, its very lighthearted in places, if best friend Cleo's subject matter for her paintings doesn't raise a smile at least I'd be shocked, and generally its a very well written book that I couldn't get enough of. 

Another gem of a book from this talented author. 

Thank you to Avon and Netgalley for this copy, which i have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.