Book Review - Once Upon A Leap Year by Anna Bell

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Title: Once Upon A Leap Year

Author: Anna Bell

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: HQ

Publication Date: 1st February 2024

Rating: 5 Stars

A gorgeous, high-concept romcom about finding love and daring to take a chance. After all, it’s all about timing. . .

29th February 2000. Lucy’s never met another leapling until she encounters Noah also spending his once-in-four-years birthday on a disappointing day trip to Calais. There’s a spark that Lucy is sure Noah must feel too, and their friends insist they have amazing chemistry, but they’re both with other people. It can never be more than platonic and that’s OK.

Over the next twenty years, they’re at each other’s side through all of life’s big moments – weddings, babies, new jobs, family illness – but Lucy can never shake the feeling that they were meant to meet. . .

If Lucy is to find a love that’s rarer than a leap year, she’s going to have to take a leap of faith.

Perfect if you love

❤️Friends to lovers

❤️Right person wrong time

❤️Second chance romance

Why on earth did I leave this a year to read, although I'm very glad I have now read it. 

I felt a fairly close affinity to Lucy and Noah, as I am literally only about 2 hours older than them. They are both leaplings, whereas I was born a few hours before the leap day in the same year, so each birthday they celebrated, I was the same age and have often thought about how cool it would have been had I had the 29th Feb birthday instead and how much more interesting that made me. 

So as I was reading I was remembering some of my own birthdays, while completely enjoying their story. 

And it all starts in 2000, with what Lucy was hoping to be a trip to Paris with Will, and turned out to be a booze cruise trip to Calais to raid the hypermarkets. And its on that trip she meets Paul and Noah who were also on the trip, and Noah and Lucy spend a bit of time having an adventure in Calais while not being too happy with who they came with (for vastly different reasons).

And that is the start of them all being in each others lives.  The book is structured that we get the day before, day after and the special day itself of each leap year, and then we get texts and emails etc between all of the friends to catch us up on what is happening in the in between years. 

It's a wonderful way of managing to get a book to span 20 years, and I really felt as though I knew all the characters.  I also knew what I was hoping would be the end result but I wasn't completely sure I'd get it - but wow that is a truly wonderful ending! 

I was absorbed into the lives of Lucy, Caz, Amy, Noah, Paul and Mags, and of course Lucy's mum (and that was a tough storyline to read) as they go from uni students, to full grown actual adults! 

And I've finished reading this just hours before I turn 41, so probably the most perfectly timed I could have for a book, other than reading it in a leap year, I was just enchanted by the whole book.  

Wonderful writing as I have come to expect from Anna Bell and characters that I have taken into my heart. 

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

Book Review - The Dubrovnik Book Club by Eva Glynn - #HolidayReading Cyprus

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Amazon UK

Title: The Dubrovnik Book Club

Author: Eva Glynn

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley 

Publisher: One More Chapter

Publication Date: 8th March 2024

Rating: 5 Stars

In a tiny bookshop in Dubrovnik’s historic Old Town, a book club begins…

Newly arrived on the sun-drenched shores of Croatia, Claire Thomson’s life is about to change forever when she starts working at a local bookshop. With her cousin Vedran, employee Luna and Karmela, a professor, they form an unlikely book club.

But when their first book club pick – an engrossing cosy crime – inspires them to embark upon an investigation that is close to the group’s heart, they quickly learn the value of keeping their new-found friends close as lives and stories begin to entwine…

I had absolutely no idea what to expect from The Dubrovnik Book Club, having not read an Eva Glyn book before, and I was delighted with what I found behind the covers. 

We have a fabulous book shop, we get great descriptions of Dubrovnik, there is a lot of background to the former Yugoslavian wars, both in  Croatia and also in Sarajevo, and a cast of realistic and wonderful characters. 

There are four main characters, and each of them has their own demons to overcome, be it coming out, a missing partner, trying to re-join the world after suffering badly with covid and long covid and a whole lot more.  Each of their struggles and situations is dealt with sensitively, and in between that we have various book club meetings, as well as a struggle to try to keep the bookshop alive. 

There is just a whole lot to love in this book and I thoroughly enjoyed every second of it.  It might be the first book I have read from this author but I'd certainly be tempted to read more in the future.  I felt transported to Dubrovnik (a place I've visited on cruises) and really felt I got to know the city a lot better too, as well as the values and attitudes of Croatia to various issues. 

A fabulous book. 

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

Book Review - The Stolen Child by Carmel Harrington

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Title: The Stolen Child

Author: Carmel Harrington

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Headline Review

Publication Date: 27th February 2025

Rating: 5 Stars

It's every parent's worst nightmare. But there's no waking up from this . . .

On board a cruise ship in the Mediterranean, Kimberly wakes to discover that her two-year-old son Robert has vanished from the cabin overnight. She and her husband Jason vow to do whatever it takes to bring Robert home.

But he is never found.

Forty years later, their therapist daughter Lily welcomes a new client into her home. Zach has a shocking theory about what happened to her brother Robert years before.

If Zach is to be believed, someone out there knows what happened on that ship. And they would do anything to stop the truth getting out.

But secrets always find a way to reveal themselves . . .

Wow! 

Wow-wee!

OMG!

Unputdownable! 

Shocking! 

Brilliant! 

Amazing! 

... no still can't come up with cohereent thoughts....

Addictive! 

Carmel Harrington's best book! 

Unpredictable! 

Couldn't Get Enough! 

All of these are my initial reactions on finishing this simply wonderful book.

There are multiple time lines in this story, each more compelling than the next and although you kind of know as a reader they are all connected, the exact details totally shocked me.   

There is so much going on, and so much depth to all the characters, it makes for totally compelling reading. 

I literally read this in two sittings, with my thoughts on the characters and just what would happen, when I wasn't reading.  It's everything that I would have wanted from a book from this author, and a whole lot more besides. 

And it starts on a cruise ship, which always attracts me.  

It will also leave you pondering what you might do in similar situations to well most of the cast to be honest, as there are some rather juicy decisions made all over the place. 

Clear your schedule, curl up and prepare for a wonderful ride, as you read this *insert all the superlatives here* book! 

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

Book Review - The Trip by Phoebe Morgan

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Amazon UK

Title: The Trip

Author: Phoebe Morgan

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: HQ

Publication Date: 9th May

Rating: 4 Stars

The perfect holiday. The perfect crime.

Four friends on the holiday of a lifetime. Until a vicious murder shatters their paradise.

Four friends who'd do anything for each other, until now.

Only one of them committed a crime.

But all four know how to keep a secret.

And they're all guilty of something…

I absolutely loved the setting of Thailand, and all of the descriptions of Bangkok made me feel as though  I was there. 

But I'm very glad I wasn't on this holiday of a life time as things started to go wrong almost immediately, at it was very hard to know who to trust. 

We mainly had the viewpoints of Saskia, Holly and Lucas and its clear they are all not being totally honest with each other, and as the days go by the trust they had seems to disintegrate. 

I wasn't really sure who to believe or trust myself, and I was definitely curious as to what Saskia was hiding, and also why Lucas was hiding what he was especially. 

Two of them are clearly rich, two of them are struggling financially, and between them they seem to be incredibly careless of their possessions which allows a stranger to enter their group as a hero. 

The tension certainly mounts as the action unfolds, but on the whole it's a gentle psychological suspense that does keep you on your toes, and certainly had me eager to discover the identity of the dead body in the prologue. 

I enjoyed the writing style, and would be eager to read more from this author. 

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

Book Review - Our Song by Bettina Hunt - #HolidayReading Gambia

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Amazon UK

Title: Our Song

Author: Bettina Hunt

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Author supplied copy

Publisher: Self Published

Publication Date: 19th January 2024

Rating: 4 Stars

Get ready to be swept away by a story of love, music, and the courage to sing your heart out.

Dan vowed never to perform again.

Ella vowed never to fall in love again.

Until music brought them together.

Dan was a member of one of the world's biggest boy bands when the unthinkable happened. Today, determined to avoid his past, Dan's carving a new career as a painter/decorator helping his clients transform their houses into homes.

Ella believed that marriage was forever until the day her husband walked out. Now divorced, Ella's working in a bridal boutique helping brides-to-be find their dream wedding dresses.

But when night falls, neither venture out, with Ella living life vicariously through others and Dan only leaving his flat for one of his mum’s famous Sunday roasts.

When they're both pushed to face their deepest fears, everything changes. Joining a singing app to rediscover their voices, Ella and Dan's isolated worlds collide. Through their shared love of music, heartfelt songs and soul-baring lyrics, their lives intertwine, forging a bond neither expected.

Will the power of music break the vows they made to themselves? Is it possible to fall in love with someone you’ve never met?

"Our Song" is an enchanting rockstar romance filled with laughter, love notes, and a soundtrack that just might lead Ella and Dan to their happily ever after.

Perfect for fans of the secret identity trope and books like The Flatshare, Hate Mail, Attachments, The Exception To The Rule and films like You've Got Mail and Music and Lyrics

What an enjoyable rom-com this turned out to be. 

It's got elements of You've Got Mail while at the centre of it is a singing app. 

And its this app that  both Ella and Dan find themselves signed up to and interacting through. 

While at the same time, we get to know them in person too, and their highs and lows, as well as when they meet each other. 

Both sets of interactions really warmed my heart and I I loved the concept of this app and of a social media form that actually has supportive people on it. 

An all round entertaining story and one that was my first, but surely not my last encounter with this author's writing. 

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

Book Review - Stuck in Second Gear by Carmen Reid

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Amazon UK

Title: Stuck In Second Gear

Author: Carmen Reid

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 7th December 2024

Rating: 5 Stars

He's got...

🦷 New teeth

✂️ New hair

💍 A new fiance

She's got...

🚙 An old Jag

👨‍👩‍👦 Her oddball family

🛣️ Miles of open road

Who is winning the divorce?😅

Lucie Marshal is absolutely furious! How did she go from being a successful wife and mother to divorced, teetering on bankruptcy, and barely speaking to her grown-up daughter? Worse, she’s just heard that her moronic ex-husband Miles is marrying a much younger woman in an influencer-style wedding in France #blessed #theone

Lucie will absolutely NOT be going. To hell with Miles, his new teeth, new hair and new wife! She’s perfectly fine...isn't she? Except, Lucie feels lost and angry almost all of the time. Just what happened to her younger, freer wild child self, who used to live life to the full?

But then pregnant daughter Zoe needs a lift... and eccentric nephew Deva does too and now Lucie has somehow agreed to drive her Dad’s beloved old Jag all the way across France to take them to her ex-husband’s wedding.

With a pitstop in Paris, a breakdown, unexpected passengers, and miles of open road, all set to Deva’s showtunes soundtrack – could this be the journey Lucie needs to find a way back to herself?

A hilarious and uplifitng book club pick, perfect for fans of Jill Mansell, Fiona Gibson and Milly Johnson.

I was hooked from the first few pages and once the road trip commenced especially I was totally enthralled by this book. 

We have Lucie who is adamant she isn't going to her ex-husband's wedding, but then her pregnant daughter, Zoe needs a lift at the last min, as does Deva who is a cousin and somehow she is roped into the drive. 

Deva is a breath of fresh air, I loved him from his first chapter as it turns out we both love musicals.  He is also a massive Coco Chanel fan, and is hoping that he can persuade Lucie into some Chanel related detours.  

Zoe and Lucie haven't been on the best of terms recently, so this drive is either going to make or break their mother / daughter relationship, and at times I really wasn't sure which way it would turn out. 

The threesome have some great adventures on this road trip, including meeting some people that not everyone would have agreed to help.  It's a fun and entertaining story that I totally whizzed through. 

It might even be one of Carmen Reid's best standalone novels, although i still favour the Personal Shopper series over everything else!  Enjoyed every word, and couldn't get enough of this fabulous story. 

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

Book Review - It Started With a Book by Camilla Isley - #HolidayReading Cyprus

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Amazon UK

Title: It Started With A Book

Author: Camilla Isley

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Book

Publication Date: 5th July 2024

Rating: 4 Stars

Lose yourself in this gorgeous new romance from bestselling author Camilla Isley. Perfect for fans of Sarah Adams, Lynn Painter and Jo Watson.

Sometimes, life is stranger than fiction...

When she’s ghosted by yet another Tinder match, Leighton swears off dating for life. Who needs apps and blind dates when she has the perfect-in-every-way (apart from being fictional) heroes of her beloved romance novels?

That night, Leigh finds a second-hand book on her TBR pile that transports her to the small-town of Lakeville Hills, where the heroines wear shorty-shorts and the men drink bourbon. And as Leigh drifts off to sleep, she dreams of billionaire cowboy Killian St Clair, who could win a gold medal for smouldering and bicep flexing.

For a while, Leigh finds it easier to stomach misogynistic supervisors, newly coupled friends, and extravagant bridesmaid duties knowing she can return to Lakeville Hills each evening. Until one day she wakes up to find she’s brought a bit of Lakeville Hills back with her: the impossibly sexy and entirely implausible Killian St Clair is in her apartment.

Now Leigh must help Killian navigate the real world. But as she gets to know the man behind the trope, can she keep her heart safe, or does she risk falling in love with her book boyfriend in real life?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book once I worked out what was going on, and realised that I basically had to suspend reality in my mind, to fully fall into the pages of this story. 

I am not always a fan of reading dreams, or books within books but it was all vital, as Leighton starts dreaming of Killian the steamy cowboy of the book she found on her bookshelf, and then suddenly discovers him as a real person in her bed. 

See what I mean about suspending realty, but once you get into it, it's a lovely story, I loved getting to know Leighton and Killian.  He is a book boyfriend to end all book boyfriends, he knows tropes, he knows romance books, and he is incredibly hot and is willing to try to fit in with the real world too. 

And it's just a really enjoyable story, and leaves me wondering whether I'll ever wake up to a strange man from a vivid dream, in my bed! 

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

Book Review - Starting Over In Starshine Cove by Debbie Johnson

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Amazon UK

Title: Starting Over In Starshine Cove

Author: Debbie Johnson

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Storm Publishing

Publication Date: 19th February 2025

Rating: 5 Stars

The perfect feel-good read that will have you laughing, crying and everything in between.

Connie Llewelyn is the beating heart of the magical seaside village of Starshine Cove. She runs the local cafe, and is everybody's friend – always on hand with a kind smile, a listening ear and a freshly-baked scone.

Since losing her beloved husband five years ago, she's been busy raising her children, supporting her extended family and staying positive. Now, as her kids fly the nest, she finds herself wondering what her own future might look like.

When a face from the past unexpectedly arrives in Starshine, could meeting Zack again give her a second chance at love? Will Connie be brave enough to take a risk on living life for herself?

From the beloved bestselling author of the Comfort Food Café series, this is a heart-warming tale of second chances, self-discovery, and the extraordinary healing power of community. Perfect for fans of Jenny Colgan, Milly Johnson and Heidi Swain.

Four books into this fabulous series, and we finally get a book dedicated to Starshine Cove stalwart, who has been present in the previous books in a big way, and we now get to learn all about her. 

And I was delighted to see it, as I love Connie but I don't think even though it had been mentioned previously, just how much her backstory effected her.  And it was good to see it in a lot more detail. 

When there is a blast from the past that leads to her Starshine Cove life melding with someone she knew back in the day from London, it's interesting to see just how Connie will cope. 

There is a whole lot of great food in this book, leaving me to feel hungry a lot while reading, and it was a warm hug of a book to read. 

I enjoyed seeing the tables turned on Connie, as her friends and children attempt to matchmake her, after years of her doing that to them! It's a lovely story about the community in Starshine Cove which is fast becoming a favourite fictional location of mine.  I hope there are many more books to come in this series that I am so thoroughly enjoying. 

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

Book Review - Pole Position by Rebecca J Caffery - #HolidayReading Cyprus

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Title: Pole Position

Author: Rebecca J Caffery

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: One More Chapter

Publication Date: 30th May 2024

Rating: 4 Stars

Red, White and Royal Blue meets Formula 1!

Kian Walker has always been the golden boy of motorsport. The four-time Championship winner has racing in his DNA – his father was a legend on the track, just don’t let him catch you comparing the two. As reckless and unreliable at home as he was behind the wheel, there’s nothing Kian wants less than to be just like his dad.

Enter Harper James. This year’s rookie called up to compete with the big boys – and Kian’s new teammate. Cocky, hot-headed and with a reputation for breaking as many hearts as he does new track records, Harper’s the opposite of Kian in every way. But when the season starts, there’s no getting away from him.

This might be one of the most dangerous sports in the world, so why then does Kian’s heart feel safer flying around the track at 220mph than when he's anywhere near his teammate?

Opposites attract in this high speed romance. 

I'm a huge fan of F1, so basically didn't really get past the cover before deciding I was going to read this, so had absolutely no expectations. 

And I loved every second of it. 

The F1 racing and calendar seemed accurate which is always a good starting point, and it was full of adrenalin. 

Told in alternating view points of Kian, the reigning world champion and veteran of the team, and Harper who has just been called up to F1 last min, and has a bit of a reputation. 

There is a massive difference in the voices so it was easy to tell who was how, as Kian is more serious, whereas Harper is a lot cruder, and seemingly doesn't take anything seriously. 

Until we discover just why Harper he is way he is at which point my heart just melted. 

These are two fiery drivers who will stop at nothing to get exactly what they want.  And I was totally there for it. 

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

Book Review - A New Arrival at Duck Pond Cottage by Della Galton

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Amazon UK

Title: A New Arrival at Duck Pond Cottage

Author: Della Galton

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 15th September 2024

Rating: 4 Stars

It's not just animals who need to be rescued...

Following the unexpected death of her mother, and the breakdown of her relationship, animal loving idealist Jade Foster, uses her inheritance to buy a smallholding in the beautiful Wiltshire countryside hoping to realise her dream of providing a sanctuary for unloved animals in need of a new home.

Jade employs the enigmatic Finn McTaggart to help out at Duck Pond Lane Rescue and forms a friendship with both Finn and her local Vet, Aiden Southerland. But Finn is running from his own demons and Aiden longs for a more romantic relationship with broken-hearted Jade.

Romance is not on the cards for Jade, but as both men fall for her natural beauty, the rivalry between them hots up. But can any of them heal enough to find lasting love?

What none of them realise is that a devastating secret from the past has the power to destroy the present and that love, however wonderful, isn’t always enough.

Perfect for romantics and animals lovers alike - If you love Jessica Redland, Alison Sherlock and Sarah Hope you'll adore Della...

Previously published as Passing Shadows by Della Galton

I seem to be on a Della Galton binge at the moment, as this is the third book I've read of hers in the past few days. 

And this is a solid start to a new series, and once again Della Galton has show she is a massive fan of animals and this animal rescue is incredibly charming. 

Jade is running the rescue and has three key men in her life, local vet Aiden, new handyman Finn, and Ben who is her best friend's son (ok he's a kid but he is vital to the plot).

I loved getting to know all the various animals at the rescue, especially Diesel, Tiny and Fang. 

It is a really great book to get you used to all the new characters as well as with plenty of secrets, misunderstandings and I really enjoyed it.  I'm already keen to read the next book in the series, and seeing just what will happen to all the characters next. 

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

Book Review - Thank You, Next by Kathryn Freeman - #HolidayReading Gambia

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Amazon UK

Title: Thank You, Next

Author: Kathryn Freeman

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: One More Chapter

Publication Date: 30th June 2024

Rating: 5 Stars

In this game of hearts, the stakes have never been higher…

Molly Harris is used to being left. Parents, boyfriends – she’s the queen of rejection. Her latest boyfriend, gym-fanatic Duncan, dumps her to go on reality dating show The One which sets up hot singletons to date for four weeks before meeting at the altar to say, ‘I do’.

But Duncan was the one who picked Molly up and put her back together the last time her heart got broken, so, determined not to let ‘The One’ get away, she follows Duncan onto the show. If she can prove that they’re meant to be, she might just get the happily ever after of her dreams…

But on the first day of filming, another reminder of her painful history walks into Happily Ever After Towers: Ben Knight, her it’s-not-you-it’s-me heartbreaker. The one she loved before Duncan.

In four weeks’ time, who will she meet at the altar? Duncan, the first person who ever made her feel loved, or Ben, the first person who made her feel?

Hilarious as I have come to expect from Kathryn Freeman. 

Although I'm not an avid watcher of dating reality shows, I am very aware of the various concepts of them, and just entertaining they can be. 

So add a dating show into a book from a favourite author and well this was brilliant fun. 

I took to Molly instantly, whereas Duncan the bloke she is with at the start who dumps her to be on the show, I'm not overly keen on, and less so each time we encounter him. 

Whereas the second ex that Molly discovers is on this game show, that she has been invited onto to surprise Duncan, is Ben and omg I love him. 

Two totally different men, one woman's heart and will there be a marriage at the end of the 4 weeks of the show.  Add in a cast of other contestants, some totally brilliant challenges that had me entertained and you get one highly enjoyable book. 

What a joy to read this and although I knew who I wanted Molly to end with, I was never completely positive what her decision would be. 

Many memorable moments, and a whole lot of fun. I loved this book. 

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

Book Review - Surprises on the Scottish Isle by Lilac Mills

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Title: Surprises on the Scottish Isle

Author: Lilac Mills

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Canelo

Publication Date: 23rd January 2025

Rating: 5 Stars

Will they get a second chance at first love?

When newly divorced Tara McTaigh spots an advert for a studio to let in Coorie Castle's craft centre, she packs up her Edinburgh life and moves to the Isle of Skye, eager for a fresh start.

Little does she know that the castle’s estate manager, single dad Calan Fraser, is the man who broke her heart back at university.

Thoroughly done with romance, Tara decides to ignore Cal and focus on building her business – creating dollhouses to commission. But Duncoorie is a small community, and the two keep bumping into each other…

Just as she is starting to open her heart once more to Cal, a change in his life puts everything on the line. When a surprise storm threatens Tara's safety, will Cal realise in time that love is worth the risk?

An uplifting and feel-good crafty romance for fans of Holly Martin, Sue Moorcroft and Julie Shackman.

I felt totally at home in this story right from the start. It just had such a lovely feel to it especially once we get to Coorie Castle and the craft centre. 

I'm excited to learn that this is the first book in a series set at the craft centre. 

Easily one of my favourite characters was Bonnie, Cal's daughter. She is inquisitive, and loved by all the crafters, and is going through a bit of a tough time at the moment adjusting to various changes. 

I loved the descriptions of the dollhouses that Tara makes, they were exquisite and the first commission she takes on from the craft centre was a hilarious conversation to observe.  The loch the castle is on sounded very picturesque and Cal and Tara certainly seemed to enjoy taking a boat out onto it. 

There is a lovely community at Duncoorie Castle and Tara fits in right away, and seeing how her reactions to Cal (her long lost first love) change was enjoyable to see. 

I really enjoyed every word of this book which i whizzed through thoroughly enjoying the story. And the more books that I'm reading on the Isle of Skye, the more I think I should potentially add it to my list of places to actually visit, as it once again sounds like a gorgeous place to live (in summer at least). 

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