Book Review - Island in the Sun by Katie Fforde - #HolidayReading Gambia

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Title: Island in the Sun

Author: Katie Fforde

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Penguin

Publication Date: 15th February 2024

Rating: 5 Stars

Dominica. A beautiful remote island where the sun shines and the living is easy.

And where Cass goes to photograph a rare stone carving as a favour to her father.

With her is Ranulph, a deeply attractive, much-travelled journalist, who offers to help Cass with her quest.

But Dominica has just been hit be a severe hurricane, and Cass and Ranulph are spending all of their time helping the local community.

Cass knows she must not fall in love with him… He is just looking out for her. He’s being kind.

There is no way he could be even the slightest bit interested in her. Could he?

I absolutely adored this book and read it from cover to cover over the course of an evening. 

I was hooked pretty much instantly and was enchanted initially by the descriptions of the Scottish Island that Cass's dad lives on. 

And then ultimately Dominica really got under my skin. Especially given it was a visit to a unique Caribbean island in the aftermath of a hurricane. 

Seeing Cass and Ranulph get stuck in with the relief efforts, before they even attempted to get on with the other reason they were on the island was lovely to see. 

We even have a real villain of the book in Austin - believe in Cass's initial bad feelings about him, she has great intuition. 

And I loved Cass starting to develop as her own persons and really come into herself as the story progressed. 

This is a really heartwarming and wonderful story, that had me totally absorbed and oblivious to the world around me.   Just brilliant. 

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

Book Review - Christmas Ever After by Jaimie Admans - #HolidayReading Gambia

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Title: Christmas Ever After

Author: Jaimie Admans

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 2nd September 2024

Rating: 5 Stars

A picture-perfect town, a place where dreams come true. Welcome to Ever After Street...

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, but Franca Andrews has never felt more miserable. With business far from bustling, she needs a Christmas miracle to keep her beloved nutcracker shop open... But there’s one man standing in her way - expert snow globe maker Raff Dardenne.

Dardenne Snow Globes have a magical reputation for bringing lovers together, a myth Raff continues to exploit. But this Christmas their shops are pitted against each other and only one gets to stay on Ever After Street. Franca doesn't know how her handmade nutcrackers are ever going to compete with Raff's snow globes, especially at the most magical time of the year!

As these two enemies get to know each other, Franca discovers another side to Raff – kind, caring and funny. But unless she can prove that his magical snow globes can’t really match true lovers together, she’s going to lose everything…

But maybe it's not too late for them to put aside their differences and find some Christmas magic of their own?

I think I saved my favourite Christmas book of 2024 until last. Just from the title and knowing how fab the author is at Christmas books, I suspected this might make me feel festive. 

And OMG how brilliant was it. Between being set on Christmas Ever After - the side bit to Ever After Street, where it is Christmas all year around, and featuring a Nutcracker shop and a magical snow globe shop I was in heaven. 

Franca's rivalry with Raff was amusing initially until the viral video where she breaks a few fingers, and Raff feels so guilty he offers to help her make nutcrackers. 

But they are in competitions with each other, and only one shop will survive the festive season. 

It didn't take long to discover that Raff is wonderful. I totally fell for him, and when we get to meet his family I fell even deeper.   His family are wonderful and they celebrate Christmas in a big way. 

They help Franca rediscover the magic of the season while she is trying to work out the magic behind the snow globes. 

This is such a gorgeously festive book that is truly wonderful and another brilliant book in this series. I can't get enough of the series and this author.  Just brilliant. 

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

Book Review - The Final Betrayal by M. A. Comley

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Title: The Final Betrayal

Author: M. A. Comley

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Author supplied copy

Publisher: Jeamel Publishing Limited

Publication Date: 20th March 2025

Rating: 5 Stars

When personal business turns deadly…

Lorne Warner thought her days of hunting monsters were behind her. But when personal matters call her back to London, she and her husband, Tony, find themselves caught in a web of secrets and lies they thought had been buried.

As they dig deeper, the trail leads to a dangerous figure with ties to the notorious Unicorn—a criminal whose evil empire Lorne dismantled years ago. With corruption seeping into the highest levels of power and lives hanging in the balance, Lorne must rely on her instincts, her team, and her resolve to bring justice to those who thought they could escape it.

But in the shadows of London’s gritty underworld, the price of justice may be higher than Lorne ever imagined.

OMG!

Wow!

Breathless!

Speechless! 

Literally just this minute finished reading and all I can think is that if you have ever read any of the Justice series, Justice Again series or DI Sally Parker series, or if like me you are fan of all of these series - that you have to drop everything and go and read this book 

Having a case that involves Sally, Katy, Lorne, Tony, Charlie Carol, Pete, Sean and relates back to the biggest supervillain this author has ever created makes this a must read book for all fans of the author. 

I think this book has had me feeling all the emotions.  I've had tears pricking every time Pete was mentioned (it was the way he was mentioned that was setting me off, as I've not had that reaction before), there is fear, exhilaration and a whole lot more besides over the course of this book. 

And I literally had to read this book in one sitting, it was totally impossible to put down, and I couldn't read it fast enough. I was more than hooked.   I don't think you could have got my attention while I was reading it if you had tried. 

I just couldn't get enough of it.  It starts after an immediate panic with a more gentle story than you might initially expect, but the complexity and sinister nature of everything ramps up as we get to know very very key info. And by the end I was buzzing, and could see the action play out so so clearly.   Surely its about time that some of this author's series were turned into TV shows. 

This is tightly plotted, everything mentioned is there for a reason, and I had an inkling as to who might be trouble quite early on, but I couldn't have guessed the escalation, or just how it all connected. 

I have been reading about some of these characters for possibly over 10 years, they are now part of me, and I feel like I know them so well, and thus what they were put through in this was actually painful - but it made for an incredibly gripping read. 

This is definitely a book for the MA Comley super fan, and if you haven't read the author before then you have been missing out on many excellent series that are ridiculously readable. 

And if you thought that was too long to read - in short - this is amazing, buy this book! 

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

Book Review - Someone Like You by Sandy Barker - #HolidayReading Gambia

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Title: Someone Like You

Author: Sandy Barker

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 12th November 2024

Rating: 5 Stars

What do you do when you realise you've fallen for your best friend, but he sees you as the sister he never had? And to make things worse, you're stuck in the middle of a matchmaking scheme to find him someone else!

Best friends Gaby and Raff are inseparable and know each other inside out. But with Raff's string of disastrous relationships and his newfound fame as Britain’s Best Baker, it's time to enlist the Ever After Agency to help him find true love.

At first, Gaby is all in – Raff is a catch, after all. But as she secretly helps to find his perfect match, she’s hit with unexpected pangs of jealousy. And before she can act on her feelings, Raff falls for one of his dates.

Can Gaby keep her emotions in check, or will she risk ruining their friendship to find out if Raff feels the same way?

Set in London and Seattle, this romantic and festive romcom is perfect for fans of Emily Henry, Mhairi McFarlane and Lindsey Kelk.

Words can't express how much I am loving this series from Sandy Barker.  And this is yet another fabulous addition to it. 

While still featuring Poppy as our main matchmaker, and being able to catch up with everyone else at the agency, this is the story of Raff's match. 

Raff who has just won a TV Baking competition is best friends with matchmaker Freya, and Gaby, and is unlucky in love. 

He sort of agrees to let himself be matched so long as he doesn't have to go on dates. 

So Freya and Gaby between them with Poppy start putting potential women in his path. 

Just one teeny tiny thing, one of the best friends appears to have caught feelings for Raff, but has to stay quiet. 

I really loved Raff and Gaby, and seeing their dynamics. 

And once the action moved to Seattle for Christmas, this book steps up another gear.  There is romance, entertaining family dramas, festive fun and a whole lot more. It's just what you want in a Christmassy book and more. 

A pure delight to read, I was loving every single word of this. 

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

Book Review - A Change Of Heart at the Vintage Dress Shop by Annie Darling

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Title: A Change of Heart at the Vintage Dress Shop

Author: Annie Darling

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Publication Date: 27th June 2024

Rating: 4 Stars

Cressida Collins is the queen of makeovers. With a well-placed stitch, button or seam, she can transform any frock in The Vintage Dress Shop and give customers their Cinderella moment.

Like her beautifully organised workroom under the eaves, Cress's life away from the shop is just as orderly and mapped out. But when her boyfriend of fifteen years drops a bombshell, it explodes all the carefully laid plans Cress had for her future.

It's going to take more than needle and thread to put Cress's own life back together. Will she ever be brave enough to say goodbye to her old dreams and start over?

But after designing a dress for a customer and transforming her into the woman she always wanted to be, Cress realises that it can be fun not to follow a pattern. Then there's her blossoming friendship with Miles, a very handsome and very sexy film director...

Cress is about to discover that leaving a few loose threads might be the best way to mend her broken heart...

A wonderfully uplifting, funny and heartfelt summer romance that will whisk you away to the haven of The Vintage Dress Shop. Perfect for fans of Sarah Morgan, Heidi Swain and Phillipa Ashley.

I don't know how I managed to miss out on the first book in this Vintage Dress Shop series, but I'm very glad I have joined the series at book two, as this was so enjoyable.  And it can definitely be read as a standalone novel.

I loved this shop in Primrose Hill, and the group of people who work there, who are all totally mad about vintage clothing, and vintage dresses in particular.  And Cressida is the seamstress, who typically deals with alterations and repairs. 

But when a customer comes into the shop having a body image crisis, Cressida feels for her and offers to make her a bespoke dress.  And that starts to give Cressida some ambition and ideas of other things she can do. 

At the same time she is having doubts over her 15 year relationship with her boyfriend. They were school day sweethearts and both still live with their parents, and seem to spend very little time together by themselves.  I really didn't take to him at all. 

I enjoyed getting to know all the girls in the shop, and their various dynamics. And this was just a really gentle and highly entertaining book.   I'm already looking up to catching up with the The Vintage Dress Shop crew in their next book. 

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

Book Review - Eat Slay Love by Julie Mae Cohen - #HolidayReading Gambia

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Title: Eat Slay Love

Author: Julie Mae Cohen

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Zaffre

Publication Date: 24th October 2024 

Rating: 5 Stars

The razor-sharp, hilarious new 2024 black comedy thriller from the bestselling author of Bad Men - now available to pre-order in hardback, eBook and audiobook.

Marina is a divorced mother of three preschoolers.

Lilah is a shy and lonely librarian.

Opal is a broke post-menopausal fitness guru.

These three women have absolutely nothing in common - except for the charming, attractive man who's been

lying to all of them. Now that he's tied up in a basement, they may just have something to bond over.

But how far is each willing to go to get revenge? As this shared secret brings them closer together, other, deadlier problems come crashing into their lives. Can they put their differences aside to save themselves - and each other?

Warning: There are scenes in this book that you definitely shouldn't read while eating, especially if you have a sensitive stomach. 

I mean one rather specific scene with very vivid descriptions made me feel slightly ill, and rather relieved that for once I wasn't eating and reading at the same time. 

I was totally invested in this story from the first few chapters as we meet Opal, Lilah and Marina, three rather different women who soon discover they have one rather pesky, conniving conman in common. 

And well you should always fear a trio of scorned women, and I loved how the three of them despite being near strangers, manage to work so well together even in the face of well iffy decisions. 

It's a wonderful thriller featuring empowered women, that I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know. 

I found I was so engrossed in this book that the pages where just whizzing by, as I keep needing to know what would happen next. 

I am absolutely loving this author's darker side, and can't wait to see what her next release is. 

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

Book Review - Reunited at the Lakeside Cottage by Erin Green - #HolidayReading Gambia

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Title: Reunited at the Lakeside Cottage

Author: Erin Green

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Headline Review

Publication Date: 5th December 2024

Rating: 5 Stars

Welcome back to the Lakeside Cottage . . .a place to come together, or be driven further apart?

It's that week between Christmas and New Year, and sisters Kate and Selena, and their friend Paisley, are meeting for an all-girls mini-break - no men allowed. But Affie, Carlos and Joseph have a similar idea, involving a sports channel, plenty of beer, and absolutely no women.

Somehow, there's been a double booking.

Paisley just wants to escape her worries, to recharge and reset for the coming year. The last thing she needs is complications.

Kate, the elder sister, is a people pleaser, used to making things run smoothly for her CEO boss, but even she can't fix this, can she?

Selena, meanwhile, may have a hugely successful career and be about to turn thirty, but she's her own worst enemy, and, as per usual, this mess may well be her fault...

To make matters worse, Paisley and Joseph have history.

Can the six of them find a way to navigate nearly a week together? Can the past be left behind and a new future found?

What a total joy this book was to read. From a double booking at Lakeside cottage meaning that a trio of women and trio of men end up sharing for a week, to the inevitably romantic entanglements that may start to form... this is fabulous. 

Add in the history that Paisley and Joseph have (divorced), and there are fireworks. 

Not only that the chocolate making workshop that both groups just happen to be attending is utterly hilarious. 

And there is tension, and arguments galore between all combinations of characters. 

Not to mention a rescue, group activities, and a thawing in hostilities, plus some good times and you have what was a really enjoyable reading experience.

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

Book Review - Here One Minute by Alex Lake

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Title: Here One Minute

Author: Alex Lake

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: HarperCollins

Publication Date: 24th October 2024

Rating: 5 Stars

Now you see her…

Julia Miller puts her teenage daughter on a plane, secure in the knowledge that she will see her again in a few days.

Now you don’t…

But when the plane lands, Anna is nowhere to be seen. She definitely got on the flight, but then she just…vanished.

Is she gone forever?

Julia’s world is about to be rocked. Because when the truth comes about what’s really happened to Anna, nothing will ever be the same again. And time is running out to save her daughter…

Fans of Alex Lake are in for a treat – although Here One Minute is a fully standalone story, devotees might recognise Anna from the author’s smash hit Top 10 Sunday Times bestseller After Anna!

Wow.  As I have come to expect from Alex Lake this was unputdownable.  I literally could barely be parted from my kindle as I was reading this. 

And although I had half a suspicion about one bit of this, the overall picture totally shocked me. 

To say there is a whole lot more to this than the blurb implies is an understatement.  It's layer on layer of deviousness, and shocks. 

And it's only just now as I'm writing this review I've realised that this is a follow on story from the only one of Alex Lake's books that I haven't read (although I do have a copy sitting in my bedroom), but it does mean I can safely say this is definitely a standalone and I didn't even get the feeling while reading that I was missing out on what I'm guessing is another cracking book. 

Back to Here One Minute and that is literally the case with 15 year old Anna - she definitely gets onto a plane, footage sees her getting off, but then she disappears into thin air from Manchester airport.  I mean with all the security at an airport how can someone just disappear. 

The writing style was fabulous. Lots of short chapters with a quick headline of sorts as to whet your appetite of just one more chapter syndrome, and these chapters were often separated into two or three sub parts all related.  It made it incredibly easy to read, and impossibly to put down. 

This was addictive, compelling and shocking and just totally brilliant. I couldn't have enjoyed it more. Just wow! 

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

Book Review - The Promise of Tomorrow by Samantha Tonge - #HolidayReading Gambia

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Title: The Promise of Tomorrow

Author: Samantha Tonge

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 8th October 2024

Rating: 5 Stars

Discover the emotional, heart-wrenching book club pick from the bestselling author of A Single Act of Kindness. Perfect for fans of Jojo Moyes, David Nicholls and Faith Hogan.

When is the right time to start to live a life you love?

Elena Swan hasn’t done everything yet. She’s not brave like her daredevil friend Rory. She’s never been to Paris. She always wanted to skydive too. She hasn’t even fallen in love.

She always hoped she had her whole lifetime to fulfil these dreams. But then a series of events happen, each putting her life in terrible danger, and Elena remembers…

The promise she made – all those years ago, when her mother was so ill – when she spoke to a stranger in the woods. A promise that would keep her mother safe, but put Elena’s own life at risk, instead, when she grew up and turned thirty.

Elena had put the promise to the back of her mind, over the years. But she’s twenty-nine now, and suddenly she’s realising the possibility that her days could be numbered.

Without the promise of tomorrow, can Elena fulfil all her dreams before fate comes for her? Even her dream of falling in love…?

A completely powerful, uplifting and romantic story, about friendship, love and fate; guaranteed to have readers reaching for the tissues!

What a totally impossible book to review, as no matter what I'd love to say or highlight is almost certainly a spoiler. 

But rest assured that this is one of Samantha Tonge's best books - its uplifting, it kept me guessing and it makes you think. 

Oh and its totally brilliant. 

Set in the run up to Christmas and Elena's all important 30th birthday, this is a wonderful story. 

There are even unusual pets as its not every day you come across stick insects as the animal interest in the book In fact I had totally forgotten they were a pet type of species until I read this, let alone that they even existed! 

Definitely the most attention I've ever given stick insects. 

I devoured this gloriously compulsive read.  Just brilliant. 

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

Book Review - An Island Promise by Kate Frost

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Title: An Island Promise

Author: Kate Frost

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 7th August 2024

Rating: 4 Stars

Three friends, one Balearic promise and a summer that could change their lives forever…

For twenty-one-year-old Belle Madden her first holiday to Ibiza with best friends Gem and Laurie was memorable for all the right reasons: partying the night away, planning a future filled with big dreams and making a promise to return in ten years to celebrate living their best lives – hopefully…

Fast forward a decade and Belle is desperate for a change. Eager to escape her relationship troubles, she jumps at a job opportunity that takes her back to the White Isle.

Despite loving island life and her new job, Belle realises something is missing. With their busy lives the three friends have drifted apart, their friendship fractured. Remembering their promise to return, Belle seizes the opportunity to organise a reunion holiday.

After the initial excitement of being back together in Ibiza, cracks start to appear. A lot can change in ten years. Dreams can be shattered, love lost and hope destroyed. And when secrets are revealed, long suppressed emotions begin to unravel…

Will Belle repeat her past mistakes or can a second chance summer be the beginning of a happy-ever-after for friendship as well as love?

What a lovely sun-drenched novel, set on the Balearic Island that I haven't actually visited, Ibiza. 

Ten years ago Belle, Gem and Laurie had a wonderful time on a post uni girls holiday to Ibiza, partying the way only 21 year olds can.  And it's a holiday that changed them  all, and they promised they would return 10 years later. 

Well life moves on and they perhaps aren't as close as they were, but then Belle gets a job in a hotel in Ibiza and she persuades the others to join her for a week.  It's in a far prettier most sedate part of Ibiza and this is a novel that shows off all sides of this infamous party Island. 

I absolutely loved getting to know the island of Ibiza, in addition tot our leading ladies.  I also really enjoyed the flashback scenes to their first holiday from all perspectives, especially their last night. 

Once of the secrets to come out of that I guessed incredibly early on but I was happy to discover if I was right and if it would ever come out. 

And Caleb who Bella is now working for, is a great guy, but going through a tough time. Seeing how he interacts with his extended family was really heartwarming. 

This was a really enjoyable story that I really liked. 

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