Book Review - Escape to the Tuscan Vineyard by Carrie Walker - #HolidayReading Cyprus

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Title: Escape to the Tuscan Vineyard

Author: Carrie Walker

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Aria

Publication Date: 23rd May 2024

Rating: 4 Stars

Pack your bags and uncork the laughter in this delightful romantic escapade!

After getting her heart broken in her early twenties, Abi Mason vowed to live by a simple (but non-negotiable) rule: no second dates. Who needs a boyfriend, or anything else for that matter, when you have a career to think about?

But life has other plans: with some unexpected time on her hands, Abi finds herself on holiday in Tuscany. Among sun-dappled vineyards and olive groves, Abi meets dashing American Tony, and it seems the universe is conspiring to force her out of her comfort zone...

If Abi can break her own rules, could this unexpected Italian fling lead her to a happiness she never dared to dream of?

What a gloriously summery book this is, set of course in a Tuscan vineyard. 

Abi is given some unexpected time off work and is persuaded to visit her friend Holly out in Tuscany,. 

Just one problem Abi doesn't do relaxing, holidays, and tends to be set in her routines 

So she decides instead to write the ultimate Tuscany to do list and intends to knock it out i a few days, say she has done Italy and go home. 

Well until it becomes rather apparent that it is easier said than done, and that she may just have half an attraction to one of the other guests.

I enjoyed watching Abi slow down to the Tuscan way of life, and immerse herself in a new lifestyle, all the while wondering what will happen after this month off. 

It's a gorgeous summer read that I thoroughly enjoyed. 

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

Book Review - An Almost Perfect Summer by Jill Mansell - #BlogTour

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Title: An Almost Perfect Summer

Author: Jill Mansell

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Headline Review

Publication Date: 16th January 2025

Rating: 5 Stars

Nick is the most intriguing man Nella has met in a while. He's a 9 in the looks department (no one gets a 10), he makes her laugh, and he keeps her company when she ends up in A&E. But they live hundreds of miles apart.

Then Nella loses her job. There's a perfect role on offer at a Cotswolds holiday retreat. The catch is that her boss would be Nick. And that makes Nick the one man she can't risk falling in love with.

While Nella struggles with her feelings, a Hollywood star has found a haven at the retreat. Lizzie's sworn off people - especially men - until her friendly new neighbours entice her out of her shell. Maybe she needs a flirtation - with gorgeous Nick, perhaps? Not with taciturn local Matthew, though, who definitely isn't a member of her fan club. Then an astonishing secret revealed changes everything . . .

The scene is set for a fabulous new novel full of friendship, warmth and romance.

I think this could be summer's equivalent of Love Actually! There are so so many various characters and interlinking storylines, some connecting in ways you would never be able to guess to start with, with everything leaving me with a great big smile on my face. 

This is yet another stonkingly good read from Jill Mansell.  I loved the Cotswolds setting, and getting to know so many truly lovely characters. 

Even though possibly Nella and Lizzie are arguably the main characters of this book, I think it really is more of an ensemble piece.  It's a lovely community, and I loved all the ways everyone connects. 

There is so much more to all of our characters than first meets the eye and getting to know them over the course of the summer months that this book is set in, was a really enriching experience. 

There are many secrets to be uncovered, many very surprising indeed, and I was never sure what would happen next.  

This is what happens when mix so many different people together, including a famous actress, a ghost writer, a fixer / concierge, night club owners, some adorable dogs, and a whole lot more besides.  Just a fabulous example of brilliant character writing and development. 

Almost certainly one of my favourite books from this author (something I think I say every year with each new release - well I just love them all), this was absolutely brilliant and a joy to read. 

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

Book Review - Finding Love at Sunset Shore by Bella Osborne - #HolidayReading Gambia

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Title: Finding Love at Sunset Shore

Author: Bella Osborne

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Avon

Publication Date: 18th July 2024

Rating: 5 Stars

The brand new summer rom com from Bella Osborne full of love, sunshine and life's twists and turns!

Sometimes, you have to fake it until you make it…

Ros is too busy for a boyfriend; between work and looking after her poorly father, there’s no time left for a relationship. But when she overhears her dad's dying wish is for her to find love, Ros is determined to make it happen – or at least, make it look like it has.

Enter Cameron, a struggling mature student with a mountain of debt but a zest for life.

Ros, driven by love for her ailing dad, reluctantly agrees to the simple business transaction: paying Cameron to play the role of her boyfriend. Ros meticulously plans their fake relationship – but when Cameron decides to go off-script, chaos ensues.

As Ros and Cameron navigate the ups and downs of their faux romance, their differences drive each other crazy. But they may just need each other more than they think…

Full of romance, sunshine and a whole lot of fun, Finding Love at Sunset Shore is the perfect escapist rom com for summer 2024!

Another cracking book from Bella Osborne an author who always delivers a story that I am absorbed by. 

And this one has a fake dating trope too, which is one of my favourite romance tropes and done so well and for very good reasons .

Ros and Cameron though are total opposites and seeing them interact was fun. Ros is rather set in her ways, and opinionated, Cameron is a mature student and happy to earn extra money by agreeing to this arrangement. 

We also get chapters from Darla's viewpoint and she is Ros's best friend and amongst other things is a house and pet sitter and thus a fair bit of comedy comes from her too. 

Lovely characters with a Southampton setting that felt familiar from the small amount of time I have spent there. 

I loved each and every word of this book. 

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

Book Review - An Ethical Guide To Murder by Jenny Morris

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Title: An Ethical Guide to Murder

Author: Jenny Morris

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Publication Date: 16th January 2025

Rating: 5 Stars

How to Kill Your Family meets The Power in this entertaining and thought-provoking read, that asks:

 

If you had the power between life and death, what would you do?

 

Thea has a secret.

She can tell how long someone has left to live just by touching them.

Not only that, but she can transfer life from one person to another – something she finds out the hard way when her best friend Ruth suffers a fatal head injury on a night out.

Desperate to save her, Thea touches the arm of the man responsible when he comes to check if Ruth is all right. As Ruth comes to, the man quietly slumps to the ground, dead.

Thea realises that she has a godlike power: but despite deciding to use her ability for good, she can’t help but sometimes use it for her own benefit.

Boss annoying her at work? She can take some life from them and give it as a tip to her masseuse for a great job.

Creating an ‘Ethical Guide to Murder’ helps Thea to focus her new-found skills.

But as she embarks on her mission to punish the wicked and give the deserving more time, she finds that it isn’t as simple as she first thought.

How can she really know who deserves to die, and can she figure out her own rules before Ruth’s borrowed time runs out?

Woah, what on earth did I just read, just wow! This is a book that will absorb you, while also making you ponder big ethical dilemmas. 

And I am astounded to learn that this is a debut novel.  Makes me very excited for this author's writing career if this is the level of book she is writing as a starter. 

Ok you have to suspend your belief in reality to understand and totally believe Thea's power, I believe this is distinctly more paranormal than anything I tend to read, but I was drawn in from the title.  And after starting to read, I just had to keep reading to find out what would happen. 

And I never ever ever predicted that ending, although it makes total and utter sense. 

If you were able to kill people undetected, but also able to give additional life to others would you be able to decide who was deserving? That is what Thea is struggling with throughout this book, while also having to live a double life. 

There is her best friend who she is suddenly able to save from a very premature death, there are people she is completely convinced she should kill, and there is a man egging her on having discovered what she is able to do.  

This will certainly get you thinking, and I have no idea what I would do in Thea's position, besides attempt to avoid all physical contact with everyone for the rest of my life. 

Utterly brilliant and easily the best book I've read so far in 2025! 

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily. 

Book Review - Love Game by Emma Rae - #HolidayReading Cyprus

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Title: Love Game

Author: Emma Rae

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Hera

Publication Date: 16th May 2024

Rating: 5 Stars

Can a player on the court be a keeper at home?

Elle's love language is food. But finding the right kind of work in her industry is difficult. After multiple different stints and temporary work, she lands her dream role: a personal chef to huge tennis star, Nicky Salco. It's just a bonus that he's handsome and athletic...but totally off limits.

The pressure is on, and not just in the kitchen. As Nicky trains for hours on the court for Wimbledon, Elle treads carefully around his brutally judgemental fiancée, while also trying to ignore her own boyfriend's cheating habits.

But the temperature rises when Nicky's training leads him to get hungry late at night and Elle is the one tasked with keeping his belly full. Despite being worlds apart, their late night rendezvous seem to lead to more than they intended.

Should they risk the lives they have already built, for the lives they truly want?

A sizzling, forced-proximity sporting romance that fans of Hannah Grace and Ali Hazelwood will fall head over heels for.

This is hot, Hot, HOT! 

The sexual chemistry between Elle and Nicky is sizzling. 

And the scenes when they give into what they are clearly feeling are enough to get you all hot and bothered. 

In fact I was reading most of this sitting on the edge of a pool so that I could splash water on me when needed to cool myself down... although arguably reading this in private to full appreciate some of the scenes may have been a smarter move! 

A private chef and a top level Tennis player is a fabulous combination, and I loved rooting on Nicky as he attempts to re-gain his form on the court.

If you aren't a massive tennis fan then don't worry there aren't too many sporty scenes of actual game play action - although there is plenty of other action if you catch my drift. 

For me this was a perfect summer read, and I couldn't get enough of the story, the characters, the settings, as we follow the Tennis tour around the world, including thanks to Sky Tennis launching this year, a whole bunch of tournaments that I've actually seen bits of this year. 

Tennis, good food, excellent sex what more could a girl ask for in a book! 

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

Book Review - Our Holiday by Louise Candlish - #HoldiayReview Gambia

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Title: Our Holiday

Author: Louise Candlish

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley 

Publisher: HQ

Publication Date: 4th July 2024

Rating: 3 Stars

Charlotte and Perry long for summers at Cliff View, their gorgeous holiday home overlooking the turquoise waters of Pine Ridge. And now that city friends Amy and Linus have bought a property nearby, they plan lazy weeks of sun, sea and sipping rosé on Charlotte’s summerhouse veranda.

But there’s trouble in paradise…

A rising tide of resentment towards second-home owners is heading their way and small acts of criminal damage are escalating into something more menacing. By the end of the summer, families and friendships will be torn apart and Pine Ridge will be known for more than its sun-drenched beaches.

It will be known for murder…

I'm a massive fan of Louise Candlish's books and thus it pains me to say that I just didn't gel with this one at all, which given I also tend to love books featuring holidays, has surprised me greatly. 

It is an interesting story, and the topic of second homes and tourism is something that is becoming more and more prevalent all over the world  I am constantly seeing articles with anti-tourism protests in various of the countries I like to holiday in. 

So this one being set in an idyllic resort near Bournemouth should have resonated (or maybe its because I'm not a fan of Bournemouth that increased my not so positive vibes towards this book). 

There is nothing wrong with the book and I strongly suspect it was all me - I just didn't really take to any of the characters and kept getting Perry and Linus muddled which didn't help. 

I suspect it was just a case of the wrong book at the wrong time for me,  as at time s I was definitely hooked and keen to see what would happen next. And I did enjoy it more and more as the parts progressed. 

It's a perfectly good book, I've just enjoyed the others the author has written more. 

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

Book Review - The Lonely Hearts' Quiz League by Lauren Farnsworth - #HolidayReading Gambia

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Title: The Lonely Hearts' Quiz League

Author: Lauren Farnsworth

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley 

Publisher: Review

Publication Date: 14th March 2024

Rating: 3 Stars

When Bryony, Harry and Jaime step into the Five Bells, each has their own motive for being drawn into the warm glow of the pub.

Harry, recently single, can't face his silent flat.

Jaime, new to London with her boyfriend, longs to find a fun crowd.

And Bryony is trying to locate the promising young woman she was, before a positive pregnancy test set her life on a different course.

When they spot the advert to join a quiz team and enter a tournament, each signs up, unaware that the organiser, Donna, has her own reason to avoid thinking about home.

After a few evenings, the strangers begin to see they have more in common than they realised.

But when everyone's secrets are finally out on the table, will it sabotage the team's chances of making it through?

I absolutely love a quiz, and was amazed at how few answers to the quiz questions that were featured that I actually knew. 

It's a story about a brand new quiz team, none of the members knew each other before hand, and yet, they seem to work as a team. 

We get to see through chapters featuring on member, just how their lives are going in between rounds of the big quiz competition they have entered. And slowly but surely friendships start to form. 

Although with plenty of drama too. 

I just didn't totally gel with any of the characters, they were all quite different, distinct, but also all so flawed in different ways and their flaws seemed more prominent than their good points. 

For me it was an encouraging debut novel that I did enjoy and I would be curious to see what the author writes next. 

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

Book Review - Murder in Portofino by T. A. Williams - #HolidayReading Cyprus

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Title: Murder in Portofino

Author: T. A. Williams

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 1st August 2024

Rating: 5 Stars

A much-needed holiday…

Dan Armstrong hasn’t done much retiring since moving to Tuscany, and with his new career as a successful private investigator taking off, it seems murder seems to follow him. He’s hoping a much-needed trip to beautiful Portofino will give him the break he needs and quality time with girlfriend Anna.

A gathering of celebrities…

Portofino is a celebrity paradise, and holidaying on a nearby superyacht is a group of British media stars, all famous for being infamous. Dan isn't impressed by their status or wealth, but when he overhears an argument between two of the group, he suspects something fishy could be going on…

A cold-blooded killer?

And then a body is washed up on shore and Dan’s hopes for a holiday go overboard. Could this simply be a tragic accident or is there a killer amidst the assembled celebrity cast? Dan and Oscar have their work cut out before the tide turns…

It's another gripping case for Dan and Oscar to solve!

A gripping new murder mystery series by bestselling author T.A. Williams, perfect for fans of Death in Paradise, Lee Strauss and Beth Byers.

Poor Dan it seems like anywhere he goes in Italy, a murder and thus investigation is sure to follow, He really should stop cursing every destination with his presence! 

He and Anna are enjoying a holiday in Portofino and surrounding resorts when he overhears an alarming conversation, and then ends up drawn into once again helping the local police. 

This time the murder is connected most likely to a super yacht of TV comics and execs that is moored in Portofino.  Although the name of the yacht - Regal Princess had me thinking of the real life cruise ship of the same name every time I saw it written. 

There are some truly unlikable people on board this yacht, and i was never completely sure who I thought the main suspect was.  

i will say though that Oscar on a dinghy is a hilarious thought and really did make me laugh. 

Oscar, Dan's faithful partner in crime is just as wonderful as you have come to expect, and really should get top billing given how smart he is! 

Loved the descriptions of Portofino, which reminded me of my whistle stop visit there a few years ago, and once again T. A. Williams totally transported me to Italy. 

This is another wonderful addition to this fabulous series. I can't wait to see where the next murder might occur! 

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

Book Review - The Good Wife by Jacqui Rose - #HolidayReading Gambia

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Title: The Good Wife

Author: Jacqui Rose

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Macmillan

Publication Date: 2nd January 2025

Rating: 4 Stars

All Ava ever wanted was to be a good wife. But now, her father is taking her down a path more dangerous than she could have ever believed possible. Jacqui Rose's The Good Wife is a heart-pounding thriller perfect for fans of Martina Cole and Kimberley Chambers.

Psychologist Ava Barclay wants to be a good wife. The wife that she knows her cop husband, Tony, deserves.

Ava keeps a lot of her clients’ secrets, but no-one, especially Tony, has any idea how many secrets of her own she is hiding. Fuelled by the emptiness left by her absent mother, who walked out when Ava was just a baby, she is on a path to self-destruction: drinking too much, making bad choices - including lying to her husband about her whereabouts - and numbing her pain with one-night stands.

When her father, Billy, is attacked and left for dead, Ava learns that her problems are about to get a lot worse. Tony finds out that her father isn’t who he has told everyone he is, he doesn’t exist. Ava must now head into the dark streets of Soho and into a seedy world of hate, fear and mistrust if she is to find the truth about her father, and her family.

What would you do if you discovered your father is not the man you thought he was, to the extent that you are no longer sure what his name actually is?

Well Ava decided to investigate and that takes her to a dark seedy world, where violence seems second nature to many of the characters she encounters. 

Plus there are multiple layers of secrets going back many years and you are never really sure who to trust. 

And I was definitely surprised by many of the revelations, as they finally came out. 

Not completely convinced there was a likeable character within the book, although some definitely had more redeeming features than others. 

A gritty, fairly compulsive story that I was intrigued by. 

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

Book Review - The Takedown by Evie Hunter

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Title: The Takedown

Author: Evie Hunter

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 8th May 2024

Rating: 4 Stars

A woman scorned...

On board the superyacht Perseus, moored in the glamorous harbour in Antibes, Freya Addison is settling into her new role as hostess.

The other crew members all like Freya, she is calm and diligent and a hard worker, but what they don’t know is that Freya has a secret and an ulterior motive for being on board.

Revenge will be hers.

Because Freya isn’t here to travel the world in style. She has her sights set on one thing only, bringing down the owner of the yacht - the rich and arrogant Julian Falcon.

A man who ripped the heart out of Freya’s family.

And a man she will make pay…

A truly unforgettable read that will have you turning the pages long into the night...

Evie Hunter's revenge thrillers have been on my radar for a while as books that i would most likely enjoy if I actually sat down with one, and when I spotted The Takedown was set on a super yacht, I knew I had to give it a go. 

And I was right I thoroughly enjoyed this, even if at times I lost track of just who had it in for who. 

There were definitely plenty of twists and fabulous revelations, and although I can't see the biggest reveal totally shocked me, I also hadn't fully guessed it either, which is always a good sign. 

And its set to a stunning backdrop, and shows just how greed can be a powerful motivator, and that once you are rich that you really can't trust anyone. 

I loved Freya's motivations for wanting to bring down Falcon, and really felt for her, as she tried to work out who to trust. 

It was a gripping story that I could barely put the last quarter of it down.  It captured my intrigue and I strongly suspect I need to read more from this author in the future. 

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