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

Amazon UK Title: Skating at Somerset House Author: Nikki Moore Format reviewed: Ebook Source: Purchased Publisher: Harper Impulse Publication Date: 4th December 2014 Rating: 5 Stars		There’s nothing Holly Winterlake loves more than Christmas and skating, so working as an Ice Marshall at London's Somerset House is a dream come true. Noel Summerford hates the festive season and is a disaster on the ice, so taking his godson to Somerset House is his idea of the nightmare before Christmas! Things are bound to get interesting when these two collide… With a forty foot Christmas tree, an assortment of well meaning friends and relatives, and a mad chocolate Labrador, will this festive season be one to remember … or forget? Holly is a huge fan of Christmas, and is working as an Ice Marshall at Somerset House this festive season. Noel is only at the ice-rink because of his godson Jasper, who shows some talent at skating.  Noel hates everything to do with Christmas, with a pretty good reason, but yet he seems to be attracted to Holly, even though they are opposites.  Over the course of 2 days, a few meetings, and some drinking games at a Christmas party the pair get to know each other a lot better.  The descriptions of Holly's family house and also of Christmas and Somerset House were brilliant. I haven't visited but could picture the scene perfectly. It may be summer, but its got me very wistful for Christmas to come! This is a wonderful introduction to the Love London short stories, and as my first Nikki Moore book, a fabulous start to me liking her books.

Amazon UK Title: New Year at the Ritz Author: Nikki Moore Format reviewed: Ebook Source: Purchased Publisher: Harper Impulse Publication Date: 22nd December 2014 Rating: 4 Stars		New Year, New Love… or Old Love, New Start? Everyone keeps telling Frankie Taylor that a new year is a time for new beginnings. She's not so sure. Single for a year, she's been more than happy on her own, thanks very much! At least, that's what she thinks until she receives a note on New Year’s Eve inviting her to follow the clues, and her heart, across Knightsbridge. But who's behind the romantic adventure? Old flame Christian who she loved for years and was always there for her, or new admirer and work colleague Zack, who has the habit of turning up in all sorts of unexpected places? There's only one way she's going to find out… Frankie didn't really have plans for New Years Eve, so when she gets a note inviting her to go to Knightsbridge, after some hesitation she decides to go for it. The note is written as a poem, and will be the first of a few as someone has gone to a lot of trouble to send Frankie on a romantic treasure hunt around London.  The question as you are reading this is, is who sent the note? Is it ex boyfriend Christian, who severely let her down when she needed him, or new co-worker Zach.  In between seeing what is going on with the notes, we get short flashbacks to scenes with Christian and Zach, which clearly get you rooting for one guy over the other.  I found this to be a very sweet romance, and a lovely gentle short story.

Amazon UK Title: Valentine's on Primrose Hill Author: Nikki Moore Format reviewed: Ebook Source: Purchased Publisher: Harper Impulse Publication Date: 9th February 2015 Rating: 5 Stars		For Georgiana Dunn, life changed forever in the devastating moment that the lorry hit her car. Scarred and scared, she's not left the house in months.Then her mum buys her a puppy, forcing her to face the world again, walking on London's beautiful Primrose Hill. But that doesn't mean she's looking forward to Valentine's Day. Leo devotes himself to working with children with special educational needs. In fact, he does very little else, and his friends are always telling him to get a (love) life. So when they challenge him to find a date for Valentine's Day, and he meets a lovely but lost girl who looks like she could use a friend, he thinks he's found the perfect solution. But life has a way of being less than perfect … Will he be left standing on his own on the most romantic day of the year? This is a story about the healing power of a good friendship.  Georgiana is recovering from an awful car accident where she lost an eye. She barely goes out and is very scared of life and of people staring. And then her mum buys her a puppy.  Buttons is a gorgeous puppy and its due to him that she has to start getting out of the house more, and  she starts walking him along Primrose Hill. It is there she meets Leo.  The fledgling friendship between Leo and Georgiana is incredibly sweet and if Georgiana doesn't want him, I will happily take Leo off her hands.  Although like all the books so far in this series, this is a short story, it has a lot of heart and good feeling about it, and made me smile a lot.

Amazon UK Title: Cocktails in Chelsea Author: Nikki Moore Format reviewed: Ebook Source: Purchased Publisher: Harper Impulse Publication Date: 19th March 2015 Rating: 3 Stars		Made in Chelsea? Nathan Black is on a mission to prove himself. His family may be upper class and his cousin Matt might be a famous music producer, but he's going to make it on his own. So as soon as he has enough money set aside, he's quitting his bar-tending job on the King's Road and opening up his own cocktail bar. He hasn't got time for love, and definitely not with the spoilt Chelsea Princesses who flirt with him shamelessly every night. But is there something a bit different about the pretty blonde who's just walked in? Bournemouth girl Sofia Gold is reluctantly visiting old childhood friends in London for Easter weekend. Keenly aware she's not part of their glamorous world, she's more comfortable riding a surfboard than wearing designer dresses and towering heels… although she's always had a soft spot for cocktails. It's never really bothered Sofia that she's 'one of the boys,' and that her romantic experiences have been amazingly unspectacular, so when she meets gorgeous Nathan, why does she find herself faking an accent and pretending to be a London socialite? It can't be anything to do with impressing him, can it? After all, she's only in the capital for a few days… But one impulsive kiss later, they both find themselves wishing for things they didn't know they wanted. Spring in Chelsea – will love blossom? I think this may be the weakest of the series. It was a perfectly nice story, but apart from the hot and sexy scene, I didn't really gel with either of the characters.  I liked the book, but I suspect that because I'm a Londoner that has never wanted to step foot in Chelsea as its so far out of my comfort and financial zone, I struggled to identify with the area.  I loved the interactions between Sofia and the two girls she is hanging around with in Chelsea, although I did have a feel a bit sorry for her.  Overall I found this to be a nice little romance.

Amazon UK Title: Strawberries at Wimbledon Author: Nikki Moore Format reviewed: Ebook Source: Purchased Publisher: Harper Impulse Publication Date: 14th May 2015 Rating: 4 Stars		The one that got away? Sipping Pimms and eating fresh strawberries at Wimbledon are the perfect start to the British summer for Rayne. Immersed in her career as a journalist in the City, she's been too busy and distracted to give men – or other outside interests – much of a chance lately. That's something her friend Lily thinks she should correct, coming up with the perfect ‘sex with an ex’ solution – much to the amusement of the crowd on Centre Court! When Rayne runs into old flame Adam, former good guy who is now all grown up with a hint of bad boy about him, it's a tempting thought. But is that such a good idea, when she knows that four years ago, she broke his heart? Back from travelling the world and settling into running the family business, Adam never expected to see his university girlfriend again. And he definitely didn't think he would still be angry with her for running away, or that she would still have the same stunning effect on him. But she does, so maybe the perfect way to get her out of his dreams and from under his skin, is to have a hot sex-filled night with her? The only trouble is, one night might not be enough… First love – can you ever go back? Beautiful summery story taking you back a few weeks to Wimbledon, with Pimms and Strawberries and Cream. It is the story of Adam and Rayne and how they were a couple at university, and whether or not 'sex with an ex' is a good idea or not.  It is reasonably clear they still have a connection between them, but there was a question on whether things would progress. The paragraphs set in the past show how a relationship can grow from a fledgling friendship.  I loved Rayne's vulnerability and Adam seemed to be quite eager to impress and please Rayne, which was lovely to see. This is a great addition to the Love London series and I can't wait to read the full length book in this series, Picnics in Hyde Park.

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