Book Review - The Wedding on Mistletoe Island by Sophie Pembroke

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Amazon UK

Title: The Wedding on Mistletoe Island

Author: Sophie Pembroke

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Orion

Publication Date: 31st October 2019 

Rating: 5 Stars

Welcome to Mistletoe Island, where dreams can come true...
The snow is falling and Fliss's friends have arrived to celebrate her wedding for a week at Holly Cottage. It's the perfect way to kick off her brand-new life, isn't it?

Except Ruth wishes she was anywhere other than a remote Scottish island, Caitlin is keeping a secret from her friends, Lara is suddenly facing her ex a decade after turning down his proposal and even the bride has something to hide...

But as the friends prepare for a week to remember, will Fliss's dream wedding go off without a hitch, or will the secrets they've been hiding change everything?

The perfect cosy Christmas romance to curl up with this holiday season about family, friendship and love. For fans of Jill Mansell, Sue Moorcroft and Heidi Swain.

It's been ages since I was last able to settle down to a new Sophie Pembroke book, and it was definitely worth the wait. This one was fabulous. 

It certainly has a fantastic setting of the remote Scottish Island of Mistletoe Island, which sounded incredibly picturesque, and there were some references to festive, but this is far more a Winter book set in the week before Christmas, than a full on festive feels sort of story. 

Equally its a book with romance, but it has so much more than that, specifically whether you can really be the same person you were 10 years ago. It looks at how when you have a long standing friendship group you end up cast in a role, and no matter how much you change as a person, the rest of the time, when you get together with that group, you revert back to your younger self. 

It is a theme and sentiment I could get on board with as I have often felt like I'm a different sort of person amongst different groups of people, and like Fliss I'm not entirely sure which one is the true me as such. 

10 years ago, Fliss and her 6 friends had a week away on Mistletoe Island after graduation and it changed the shape of the group forever.   Now they are all back ahead of Fliss's wedding to Ethan.  

Predominately we get chapters and sections focusing on three of the ladies in the group, Fliss, Lara and Ruth, and between them we get to know all of the friends, who are all easily separated once you know who they are, and as Ruth hasn't know them as long as the others, we see the group from her slightly distanced perspective too. 

Almost all of the group are hiding things from at least some of the others and its great fun to see what will be revealed.  

For extreme comic relief, or the feeling of wanting to throw things at someone, I'd introduce you to the mothers - who have taken over the wedding planning, and Fliss is struggling to stand up to them, 

There is a gentleness to the writing, its s style I really enjoy and I really got to grips with the story very quickly.  I was hooked and just thoroughly loving it   It was definitely a book that kept me on my toes and I really wasn't entirely sure who it would end up.   I would love to see a sequel, I want more from these friends! 

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

Book Review - Claude's Christmas Adventure by Sophie Pembroke - #CuteChristmas

Amazon UK

Title: Claude's Christmas Adventure

Author: Sophie Pembroke

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Avon

Publication Date: 20th October 2016

Rating: 5 Stars

This Christmas a little dog is in for a BIG adventure…

Meet Claude. He’s a loveable, big-eared, permanently hungry French Bulldog, who loves his humans – the McCawley family of number 11 Maple Drive to be precise.

When Daisy and Oliver McCawley start using new words like, ‘ferry’, ‘chateau’ and ‘France’, Claude realises they won’t be spending this Christmas at home. Only, when he finds himself on the street, as the family car pulls away, Claude realises he is ALONE. And more importantly, he is without all the yummy treats he knows the festive season brings…

Cue the start of Claude’s Christmas Adventure. It all begins with a belly-flop through next door’s catflap, where he finds newly single and craft-a-holic Holly, Jack the ex-army postman, his arch nemesis Perdita the cat … and serious amounts of gingerbread.

Maple Drive’s cutest resident is about to bring the street together for Christmas, in ways no-one could have imagined …

I would love to start a campaign to get this turned into a film, it already feels very movie-esque and would become a must watch over the festive season. In fact if I was in the habit of re-reading I would certainly be tempted to read this each year, as it sums up Christmas miracles and human nature at Christmas perfectly. 

Claude is a French Bulldog who is ruled by his stomach, he is constantly on the prowl for food, but when a series of slight errors mean he starts chasing arch nemesis, Perdita a cat that lives next door, he finds the family car is driving off without him on the day before Christmas Eve. 

Claude has no idea what that moment will mean in the end to not just him, but everyone on Maple Drive, in the run up to Christmas. Claude has this way about him that leads to various humans wanting to help, and in doing so they end up helping themselves. 

Each chapter is split into three perspectives, Claude's which is always great as I love seeing the world through the eyes of an animal, Daisy who is Claude's human and mother of 4, and then Jack or Holly. Jack is the Maple Drive postman who is a bit disappointed that Maple Drive doesn't have the sense of community that he thought it would, and Holly loves crafting, and baking and Christmas, but is alone this Christmas. 

We get to see the various ways a two day period play out from different points of view, and from what starts as reasonable paced sweet sounding story, turns into the most wonderful and heart warming of tales. 

There are laughs to be had, and not just from Claude's antics, but also incidents involving Daisy's trip to France and what happens in her parent's chateau, while from Holly and Jack we get two people who are starting up a fledgling friendship while they wait for Claude's family to return. 

Claude's Christmas Adventure is a big hearted, festive feast of a story, with all the gingerbread you could ever want, and with a gorgeous dog with unusual ears,  plus a whole cast of characters, including a meanie I just wanted to boo at, this is a fantastic story to read at Christmas. 

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

Guest Post & Giveaway - Sophie Pembroke shares a deleted scene from Claude's Christmas Adventure - #CuteChristmas

I snuggled deeper into Perdita’s cat basket, and tried to pretend it was as comfortable as my basket at home. 

“Move over.” Perdita swatted me with her paw until I made enough room for her beside me. “Just because I offered you shelter for the night doesn’t mean I was planning on giving up my own comfort.” 

I shuffled into the corner of the small, padded basket, and Perdita curled up at my side. The fairy lights wound up the bannister of Holly’s staircase twinkled, the only light in the darkness, shining through the open kitchen door. I liked them. They looked friendly. 

“Why do you think they only put up the lights at Christmas?” I asked, sleepily. “I mean, they’re so nice. Why not have them up all year?”

Perdita stretched out again, giving a giant yawn. “Because it’s darker at Christmas.  Idiot.”

She had a point, I supposed. Except… “It’s dark all winter, though. So what’s special about Christmas?”

Even Perdita didn’t have an immediate answer for that. It took her so long to reply that I thought she might have fallen asleep.  Until she said, softly, “Maybe it’s because it’s the darkest part of the year. The quietest and the loneliest and the blackest. Maybe that’s why they put up all the lights.”

I’d never imagined that Perdita might have thoughts like that. But the more I considered it, the more sure I was that she was right. 

“That might explain it. The lights, I mean, but the decorations too. The trees and the presents and the songs and everything.” Suddenly, Christmas made sense to me in a way it never had before. I might be locked out of my home, without my family, and only Perdita – my nemesis until this moment – for company. But the warmth of the lights, the smell of the gingerbread, and the cozy fleece of Perdita’s basket let me know that all was well with the world. 

After all, Christmas was here. 

“Go to sleep, you mutt,” Perdita grumbled, good naturedly. 

I dropped my head to my paws, and shut my eyes, breathing in deeply. The scent of spicy sweetness filled my nostrils. I opened my eyes again.

“What about the gingerbread?” I asked, and Perdita sighed. 

“I would have thought you, of all people, would understand why they have gingerbread.” 

“Of course!” It was delicious and sweet and wonderful. Who wouldn’t want gingerbread? It was just… “But why do they make it shaped like houses?”

Perdita tucked her head under her paw, and I settled down again. 

“Maybe you’ll find out tomorrow,” Perdita murmured, already half asleep. “ After all, it will be Christmas Day.”

Christmas Day. And even with my family away, I couldn’t wait. 

Thank you so much Sophie Pembroke for sharing with us Claude and Perdita's thoughts on Christmas. I loved reading the book, and my review is coming up shortly.

Giveaway to win 3 x signed hardback copies of Claude's Christmas Adventure (UK only)

Sophie Pembroke has sent me 3 lovely signed copies of Claude's Christmas Adventure which we are giving away to 3 lucky winners!

Giveaway open to UK only, all options are voluntary, but please do what they ask, as I will be verifying the winner. Giveaway closes 23:59 3/1/2017. Winner will be announced on twitter and emailed, and they will need to reply within 7 days, or forfeit the prize, and I will re-draw for a new winner.  Good luck everyone.

Win 3 x signed hardback copies of Claude's Christmas Adventure (UK only)

Bio and Links

Sophie Pembroke writes very British romance for Mills & Boon / Harlequin Romance, Avon and HQ.  She has been dreaming, reading and writing romance ever since she read her first Mills & Boon as part of her English Literature degree at Lancaster University, so getting to write romantic fiction for a living really is a dream come true!

Born in Abu Dhabi, Sophie grew up in Wales and now lives in a little Hertfordshire market town with her scientist husband, her incredibly imaginative seven-year-old daughter, and her adventurous, adorable baby boy.

In Sophie’s world, happy is for ever after, everything stops for tea, and there’s always time for one more page…

Website: www.SophiePembroke.com

Goodreads  ~  Facebook  ~  Twitter

Book Review - The Last Days of Summer by Sophie Pembroke - Back Catalogue Books

Back Catalogue Books is my new regular Saturday feature, focusing on books that are not the latest releases. There is going to be a mix of Q&As and also reviews, depending on what I have the space for. 

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

I hope everyone enjoys this weekly look back at some of the slightly older books that are about but still great, and that I eventually make a dent in my TBRs as a result of it!

Amazon UK

Title: The Last Days of Summer

Author: Sophie Pembroke

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Purchased

Publisher: Carina

Publication Date: 9th June 2016

Rating: 5 Stars

Escape to the beautiful world of Rosewood this summer
The only feel good summer read you’ll need, The Last Days of Summer is perfect for fans of Harriet Evans, Debbie Johnson and Lucy Diamond.

Saskia has always loved Rosewood. It was her family home, her sanctuary and her memories of it are vividly alive even after two years of being absent. Never did she think she would be standing in the rose garden afraid to cross the threshold and own up to the past she had run away from.

So much about Rosewood hasn’t changed, everyone still dresses for dinner, sips cocktails on the terrace, her father cooks every delicious meal and her beloved grandfather still tells spellbinding stories. But the cold reception from her grandmother, Ellie’s complete avoidance of her and the judgmental gaze of Edward, her grandfather’s new assistant (who seems to know more than enough about her past), are all new to Kia.

All Kia needs to do is attend her grandparent’s Golden Wedding Party and make it to the train station without her secret coming out. What could possible go wrong in just one weekend?

It was the announcement of a book called Christmas at Rosewood which triggered me to buy and then read The Last Days of Summer. You see I love Sophie Pembroke's Christmas titles, so clearly want to read the newly announced book, but given its the sequel to The Last Days of Summer, and I had some time on my hands I thought I may as well play catch up and read this. 

All I can say is don't wait for your own trigger, just go out and read this book, it turns out that the author is not just a very accomplished festive story teller, but can write a big summer story too. I was shocked multiple times during the story at the way the plot was progressing. This is definitely an unpredictable book. 

I felt the story started off not slow, per se, but perhaps sedately while you learn just who Saskia is, why she hasn't been back to the family home for two years and why she still may not be entirely welcome. We also learn just who the full family is, all three generations of them. 

When Nathaniel, Saskia's beloved grandfather makes an announcement during the Gold Wedding Party the cat is thrown amongst the pigeons, but just what are all the members of the family hiding that will case them to react the ways they do. 

After the announcement, I found the book became utterly addictive and I just couldn't put it down. I couldn't wait to see how it would all work out and trust me when I say there are a lot of turns you probably won't see coming and a lot of nice touches. 

The Last Days of Summer is a fantastic story of family, or intrigue and of those skeletons in the family closet you generally wish had been forgotten about. There is a romance element in there too, as well as a strong storyline of forgiveness. It is the story of Kia's relationship of those around her, and how although having an imagination is fantastic, its great to be able to see "the truth in fiction". 

I will certainly be reading more books by the author, and not just at Christmas time, and I definitely can't wait to return to Rosewood, which is the marvellous family home, and all its lovely grounds, in the winter. 

Book Review & Giveaway - The Kiss Before Midnight by Sophie Pembroke - #HarperXmas

Amazon UK

Title: The Kiss Before Midnight

Author: Sophie Pembroke

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Purchased

Publisher: Harper Impulse

Publication Date: 13th November 2014

Rating: 5 Stars

Heading home to Liverpool for Christmas, Molly Mackenzie isn’t just looking forward to the mulled wine and mince pies – she’s got high hopes for who she’ll find under the mistletoe this year!

Unable to forget the delicious near miss with her brother’s best friend, Jake, last New Year’s Eve, Molly’s got a new resolution at the top of her list: seduce Jake and get this crazy chemistry out the way before it has serious repercussions on the rest of the Mackenzie family.

Only Molly has underestimated the magic of the holiday season… The more stolen moments in the snow that she shares with Jake, the more determined she is to make it a whole lot more than just a kiss before midnight.

It wouldn’t be Christmas without the festive warmth of a heart-meltingly romantic novella from Sophie Pembroke!

The Kiss Before Midnight is a warm, romantic story, full of sexual tension, and the love of a good family around you. 

The previous News Year Eve, Jake and Molly shared a kiss, and it now seems as though it has been on both of their minds for the whole year. The problem is Molly then moved to London to try and be less flaky, and Jake doesn't want to upset Molly's family as they are as close to him as his own were. 

So when they find themselves sharing all sorts of moments this Christmas, it makes them think. Throw in the magic of the festive season, a very cozy family Christmas in the Mackenzie household, and various sibling's opinions on the situation, and you have this fabulous novella. 

I loved the writing in this story, and I really felt like I was a part of the Mackenzie's Christmas celebrations. I certainly want to read Sophie's other Christmas book A Kiss Before Christmas, as I think its the story of Dory's romance, who is Molly's older sister, and I hope there is a third book to focus on Tim's story (Molly's brother). 

If you are looking for a short heart warming Christmas story, then this is definitely worth checking out. 

Giveaway to win a paperback copy of The Kiss Before Midnight (Open Internationally)

Sophie is very kindly offering a copy of The Kiss Before Midnight to be won for #HarperXmas. 

Giveaway open internationally, all options are voluntary, but please do what they ask, as I will be verifying the winner. Giveaway closes 23:59 13/12/2015. Winner will be announced on twitter and emailed, and they will need to reply within 7 days, or forfeit the prize, and I will re-draw for a new winner.  Good luck everyone.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review - Room For Love by Sophie Pembroke - #CarinaChristmas

Amazon UK

Title: Room For Love

Author: Sophie Pembroke

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Purchased

Publisher: Carina

Publication Date: 15th May 2014

Rating: 4 Stars

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.

Room For Love is a lovely romance, and underdog story.

 Carrie inherits the Avalon Inn, from her gran, and is determined to revive its fortunes, despite her whole family trying to get involved and interfere. She is intending to do it alone. She isn't though counting on the grounds of the property, having been left to gorgeous gardener Nate, nor was she expecting on the band of Seniors that regard the Avalon Inn, as their second home, and don't really want anything to change. And that doesn't even take into account the existing members of staff, who all have very distinct personalities. 

Before Carrie has even finished her list of things that need doing at the Inn to make it into a wedding venue, like she has dreamed of running her whole life, Ruth, her cousin announces she is engaged and wants to have the wedding at Avalon Inn, that Christmas.

This is the start of a few months of renovations, money woes, simmering sexual tension, arguments, and family members trying to help, as well as an ex boss who is set on revenge, culminating in a wedding on Christmas Eve. 

I loved the group of Seniors who were trying their hardest to help Carrie, initially without her knowing, and the thought there could be a new relationship between a couple of them too. There is a lot of family connections at Avalon Inn, with Jacob, Nate and Muriel all being related. Which gives a feel to what the Avalon Inn has always been, a place that is at the hart of the local community. 

Carrie shows a quite a bit of character development throughout the story, as she learns to let others in. I really admired Carrie's determination, even if her dealings with Nate, made me want to knock their heads together at times. 

I found Room For Love to be a really enjoyable story, that is really uplifting and will leave you smiling. 

For more #CarinaChristmas click here

Guest Post - The 12 Signs of Christmas by Sophie Pembroke - #CarinaChristmas

As a lover of all things festive, I like to keep an eye out, starting around late October, for signs that it is almost time to get excited about Christmas again. Over the years, I’ve refined my list of signposts to festive-ness, leading all the way up to the big day itself, and I thought I’d share them with you all.

1: Christmas magazines appear in the shops

This is definitely the moment I feel that first little bubble of excitement. Every year I buy each and every Christmas magazine that appears on the shelves, and every year I complain that it’s exactly the same as last year’s. It’s practically a tradition at this point. But that doesn’t change the fact that there is little I enjoy more as the weather turns colder than curling up on a lazy afternoon with a cup of hot chocolate and a Christmas magazine. It’s just the way to get into the festive spirit!

2: Christmas books begin to be released

Of course, once I’ve passed the ‘anticipating Christmas’ threshold, I want to share that festive feeling. Since my husband refuses to hear the ‘C’ word before December 1st, I often find festive companionship in Christmas books. This year, I had an eagerly anticipated list of Christmas books I was waiting to be released. 

Once they’re downloaded to my kindle, they’re usually devoured in a day (or night, depending on how many times the baby needs feeding between bedtime and sunrise).  

3: The Christmas barn opens! (Also, Mince Pie Cravings)

As soon as Halloween is out of the way, the shops start loading up the aisles with Christmas cards, wrap, chocolates and other goodies. Traditionally, people walking past shake their heads and complain about it being too early. I nod along while trying to scope out the advent calendars. 

Also around this time, my favourite shop of all time opens: The Christmas Barn. It is packed to the gills with decorations, table accessories, lights, wreaths, stockings and other festive goodness. As soon as it opens I’m plan a trip with friends. This has resulted in us all showing up at the school gates in Christmas jumpers in October, in the past. 

(They also serve excellent hot chocolate and mince pies, which tends to get the cravings going. From here on in, it’s mince pie time straight through until January.)

4: Shops start playing Christmas music

Once they’ve got the decorations in it’s only a matter of time before the music starts too. At the first sign of Wham! singing Last Christmas I am transported to my happy Christmas place. I start scowling at any shop not playing carols or Now That’s What I Call Christmas at top volume. (My husband tends to have the exact opposite response.) 

5: Mum sends out the Secret Santa email

I have a ridiculously large family, and we’re all very fond of each other. However, to make things easier (and less financially crippling) we decided some years ago to do a Secret Santa between all the adults for gifts. The children (all ten of them as of writing, might be eleven by Christmas…) all get presents from everyone, however, because none of us can resist buying prezzies for little people. 

Mum is currently in charge of the Secret Santa system, and will normally send out her first email requesting sign ups and wish lists in mid November. 

It is also around this time that I realise I haven’t actually thought about buying any presents as I was too busy eating mince pies and reading Christmas magazines. 

6: Holly starts singing Christmas songs. Over and over and over. 

It’s always briefly exciting when my daughter (the very festively named Holly) arrives home from school humming the first of the songs they’re learning for their Christmas play. The excitement tends to fade a little around the seventy fifth repeat of the same three lines, though. 

7: Christmas Tree Saturday

This is another family specific tradition, with its roots (literally, I suppose, in the case of the trees) in the hills of Llan Degla, Wales. 

When I was younger (well, a teenager), we used to drive up into the hills to choose the perfect tree. I’d flirt with the young guy playing Santa, and we’d all pray the tree wouldn’t fall off the roof of the car on the way home.

Now I’ve relocated down south, I try to recreate this as best as I can. 

What this actually means is, the first weekend in December, I make my parents and a sibling or two show up to buy a tree at the local garden centre, then feed them mince pies and wine while they help me decorate it. Then we go out for dinner! 

8: Amazon Overload

Having failed to be organised and start early, as I always swear I’m going to every year, mid to late December is usually the point at which the postman starts glaring at me as parcel after parcel arrives from Amazon. Everyone likes books, right?

9: Christingle Service

I took Holly to her first Christingle service last year; somehow, we’ve always had something else on every other year. Anyway, she loved it. Mostly because it involved getting sweets in church and playing with fire. It was like Bonfire Night and Easter all rolled in to one. 

10: Driving Home For Christmas

The minute the schools break up for the holidays, I load up the car ready for the long drive home. 

It’s about a three and a half hour journey to Wales, if you don’t include stops. This is, I’ve found, almost the perfect length to listen to the entire of The Best Christmas Album In The World… Ever AND all three CDs of Now That’s What I Call Christmas. 

Holly loves this. My husband does not. 

11: Boat Sunday

The Sunday before Christmas is always Boat Sunday in my family. It’s the day where we all go out for a fancy Christmas lunch at a local hotel, since we might not all be together on the day itself. There’s usually about 32 of us, including children. We eat, drink, then make merry by getting the guitars out and having a good old Christmas sing song. It is, I think, my favourite day of the whole year. 

12: Christmas Eve 

Come Christmas Eve I’m vibrating with excitement - far more than the children. I make a point of always wearing red on Christmas Eve, and it’s usually a day of last minute wrapping, more mince pies, visiting friends and hanging stockings. In years gone by I’d have been down the pub that evening with friends, staggering back up the hill for the midnight mass service. These days, I’m usually in bed half an hour after the children are asleep, conserving my energy for the big day ahead. 

After all, I want to be up at 5am to open my stocking!

Biography:

Sophie Pembroke writes very British romance for Mills & Boon / Harlequin Romance, Carina UK and Harper Impulse. She’s been nominated for a number of awards, and is starting to get an ‘always the bridesmaid’ feeling about them, so plans to be the bridesmaid who runs off the with the best man. 

Born in Abu Dhabi, Sophie grew up in Wales and now lives in Hertfordshire with her husband and two children. She blogs about books, writing, and her home and family at www.SophiePembroke.com.

Sophie believes in happy ever afters, taking tea at three and always having time for one more page. 

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.

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1Mcl6Tz

Nook: http://www.nook.com/gb/ebooks/room-for-love-the-love-trilogy-book-1-by-sophie-pembroke/9781472096296 

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/room-for-love-the-love-trilogy-book-1

For more #CarinaChristmas click here

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.