Book Review - Summer at the Santorini Bookshop by Rebecca Raisin

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Amazon UK

Title: Summer at the Santorini Bookshop

Author: Rebecca Raisin

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: HQ

Publication Date: 11th April 2024

Rating: 4 Stars

☀️A Greek island holiday. A fake-dating pact. A chance at true love?☀️

After losing her job as a book scout, hopeless romantic Evie needs a fresh start. So when she hears that her eccentric grandmother has just taken on a small bookshop in Santorini, Evie jumps at the chance to visit her.

But life on the island is not as idyllic as it first seems. Gran has a tempestuous relationship with her landlord and he’s threatening to take the bookshop away from her. So when Gran asks Evie to fake date her landlord’s Greek God of a grandson, Georgios, to keep the family on side, she reluctantly agrees.

As the sun sets on Evie’s Greek holiday, can she save the bookshop – and fake date her way to love?

What an immensely enjoyable book.  

Easily one of my favourite characters for ages is Evie's gran.  She has ha such a varied life, is a real live wire and now in her 80s, she has opened a bookshop in Santorini that sounds totally divine, and and has married her 9th husband! 

Evie is after being made redundant, encouraged to go to Santorini to keep an eye on her gran, by the "fun police" - her sister and mother!  They don't trust that Gran knows what she is doing, and want a spy on the ground! 

Evie is not a natural spy but she is a keen book lover, and also catches the eye of a gorgeous Greek guy that her gran encourages her to fake date in an elaborate scheme! 

I do love a scheme, and this book has them galore!  It also have places that sound like absolute paradise for booklovers, and also allows Evie to really come into her own, and grow in confidence. 

Set against a sun drenched back drop, with some lovely trips around the island, I really felt transported to Greece, and this bookshop, and loved every second of the book. 

It was a joy to read. 

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

Truths, Tenerife and TBR!

 As you might recall last Friday I ran an edition of Funday Friday Truth or Lie with Sandy Barker as my guest author, and the idea was for you lovely people to guess which of her answers were lies. 

And I'm incredibly impressed to say that Ellen Stafford must really know Sandy Barker, as she got all three of her guesses spot on. 

Here are the relevant questions, the lies and the actual truth! 

4) What superpower would you love to have?

Invisibility. I’d love to be a fly on the wall and see what really goes on behind closed doors, especially where important decisions are being made.

LIE – I’d want to be able to teleport. I love travelling but hate transiting. 

10) Besides reading, which I am guessing is a given, what other hobbies do you have?

During the pandemic I got into cross stitch – the funnier the better, such as irreverent sayings or memes.

LIE – I hate doing that sort of thing. I am into fitness and travel. I love wine tasting and entertaining. And I am mad for board games with friends.

13) What is your guilty pleasure when it comes to music? 

I’m a tragic Swiftie. 

LIE – while I admire TayTay for being so formidable and an astute business person, I really don’t like her music. 

Impressively many of you did guess that Sandy was lying about being a Swiftie.  I can't say I'm one myself either! 

Ok so that covers the truths from the post title, now onto Tenerife. 

Well I'm sure you may have guessed, I'm off to Tenerife tomorrow! I'm staying in this gorgeous looking hotel, which just happens to be the one my sister works in, She is in charge of entertainment, and it will be highly amusing for me to see her work. 

I think this will be the sort of holiday where I will be attempting to take part in perhaps more activities than normal, just to see what my sister really does all day, as well as watching shows in evenings.  She has been taunting me with all the cool stuff this hotel offers in the past year since she started working there, so time will tell! 

I have no idea just how much reading I will get done, but I am hoping to relax and read as much as I can, while soaking up some heat! 

And if you are interested these are the book on my Netgalley shelf and other review copies, that will form the base of my holiday reading TBR - and I will most likely pick each book randomly from this assortment but if there are any you think I should definitely read please let me know! 

So which of these do I definitely need to prioritise reading? Which of these would you be keen to read on your own holiday? Are any of these completely stand out must read now books? And what on earth will I read on the plane / day 1 when I'm not asleep?!!! I'd love to hear from you. 

And Happy Easter everyone, may the Easter bunny bring you loads of chocolate goodies!

Book Review - The Runaway Wives by Karen King

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Amazon UK

Title: The Runaway Wives

Author: Karen King

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 24th March 2025

Rating: 5 Stars

‘We’re leaving. And there’s nothing either of you can do about it!’

When the surprise holiday Dee thinks her husband has booked for her sixtieth birthday weekend turns out to be yet another solo golfing break – it’s the last straw.

Meanwhile her best friend Babs’s other half has decided to move to Spain and is acting like he doesn’t need to consult anyone. Not even Babs!

Well, if their husbands think they can do what they want, so can their wives. So, with that thought, the two best friends leap into Dee’s trusty car and head for the seaside, and an adventure they’ll never forget.

Back home their furious husbands want them to return immediately. But – as they begin to enjoy their newfound freedom – will either of the runaway wives ever want to come back home again?

An absolutely hilarious, uplifting, escapist story, perfect for fans of Maddie Please, Judy Leigh and Dawn French.

What a thoroughly enjoyable novel this was.  It's been absolutely ages since I last read something from Karen King, and she certainly hasn't lost her touch at writing a story that I thoroughly enjoyed. 

Babs and Dee both have marriages in various states of broken-ness, and I didn't really take to either of their husbands in the small bits we see of them first hand. 

For most of this book includes our ladies taking a short break in Devon, and in the case of Dee, it really is the making of her as she starts to get involved in the local community. 

This was a really gentle read, that got under my skin and I was delighted to get to know all of the characters. I was intrigued to see what Babs would eventually decide to do, and I also really enjoyed seeing Dee make new friends.

This was just an all around enjoyable read that I was definitely entertained by. 

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

Book Review - Ice Ice Maybe by Rich Amooi

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Amazon UK

Title: Ice Ice Maybe

Author: Rich Amooi

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Self Published

Publication Date: 24th September 2024

Rating: 5 Stars

“I want you to date my daughter.”

Those seven words hit Nolan Reid like a puck to the head.

Once destined for NHL stardom, a skiing accident left Nolan driving the Zamboni for the San Diego Sea Lions. But his humble life of maintaining the ice is about to get complicated.

The billionaire owner’s insane plan? Nolan fake-dates his daughter Zena to ignite her ex’s jealousy. The twist? Said ex is the team’s star player, and his green-eyed monster apparently fuels goals.

Suddenly, Nolan’s navigating a minefield of pretend kisses, all-too-real feelings, and death glares from a human sequoia oozing enough testosterone to give him secondhand chest hair.

With sparks flying, the playoffs looming, and her ex itching to use him as a toothpick, Nolan is playing a high-stakes game of Jealousy Jenga that could crumble any moment.

But for a shot at love with Zena? He might just risk it all.

Ice Ice Maybe is closed door, fake-dating, opposites attract, forced proximity, hockey romance with humor, heart, and loads of romantic comedy fun. No third-act breakup.

This is just the book I needed to read. It read it in one day, and it totally relieved my tension headache, while at the same time greatly amused and entertained me. 

It also reminded me how much I love an ice-hockey romcom and especially how much I love a Rich Amooi book. 

For this was fabulous, including fake dating, all sorts of highly amusing scenes, and some really memorable scenarios. 

Getting to know Zena and Nolan was a real joy. And their families are certainly entertaining too. 

This was just a real joy to read and I was really cheering on the San Diego Sea Lions like a fan by the end. There are lots of absolutely gorgeous romantic gestures, in addition some great food. And if you aren't an icehockey fan then don't worry the isn't much direction hockey action in the book,  but there is one key player, and some of the behind the scenes staff.

This was so light hearted, so funny and such a tonic that it is impossible not to feel cheered up while reading this. 

Just fabulous. 

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

Book Review - The Life-Changing Magic of Falling in Love by Eve Devon

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Amazon UK

Title: The Life-Changing Magic of Falling in Love

Author: Eve Devon

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: One More Chapter

Publication Date: 24th May 2024

Rating: 4 Stars

Ashleigh and George have never met. But they’re about to…

Ashleigh and George haven’t met yet, but Ashleigh knows a lot of things about George. She knows he loves soccer, that he likes his house to smell of the ocean breeze and that he’s a whizz at crosswords. All George knows about Ashleigh is that since she became his cleaner everything in his life is a little better.

Neither of them knows that their worlds are about to collide. Could they be just what the other one needs?

Such an enjoyable story, that really warmed my heart.

I loved getting to know both Ashleigh and George, in addition to the other people that Ash cleans for.

They may be different but they had various things in common including a love of crosswords. And even before they met they were exchanging puzzle clues.

And what a first meeting they had, definitely memorable and highly amusing. 

This was such a charming story that i thoroughly enjoyed, and that has a good level of depth to it too.

Was just so good to read a new Eve Devon book as it had been a while since my last one.  

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

Book Review - Vanished by M A Comley

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Amazon UK

Title: Vanished

Author: M A Comley

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Author supplied copy

Publisher: Jeamel Publishing Limited

Publication Date: 23rd January 2025

Rating: 5 Stars

When Jessica Harding mysteriously disappears, DI Sara Ramsey and DS Carla Jameson are thrust into a case filled with deceit and danger. As they dig deeper, they uncover secrets Jessica kept hidden—an affair, powerful enemies, and a dangerous criminal network desperate to cover its tracks.

After a second abduction occurs, it becomes clear that the danger is closer than they thought, with a mole inside the police force undermining their every move. With Jessica's life on the line and time running out, Sara must face betrayal from within and take down a powerful empire before Jessica vanishes for good.

I think I might say this with almost every book, but surely this is MA Comley's best book, or at least the best book in the DI Sara Ramsey series. 

I'm open mouthed with shock at how everything was resolved.  This feels like is a book that is potentially going to affect the dynamics of the series going forward, and I'm already eager to see just what the next book will bring. 

And this has to be by far one of the most complicated and high profile cases that Sara and Carla have ever dealt with and I was totally there for it. 

There is so much going on, and I was totally addicted. I was hooked on every last revelation and there were definitely gasps of shock at points too. 

Just utterly fabulous, I can't get enough of this author and this series! Bring on the next book! 

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

Book Review - How To Slay On Holiday by Sarah Bonner

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Amazon UK

Title: How To Slay On Holiday

Author: Sarah Bonner

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 27th February 2025

Rating: 5 Stars

You’d kill for a holiday like this one…

Chloe has spent months planning the murder of her husband, Scott. Everything is ready, but first she must create the perfect alibi to avoid any suggestion of her involvement in his death. And what better way to avoid suspicion than playing the loved-up wife on an extravagant holiday with their extended families?

A luxury villa on the Greek island of Mykonos should provide the ultimate setting for her week of make-believe married bliss. But as the sun sets on their first evening in paradise, the cracks in Chloe’s plan begin to show. Family rivalries bubble to the surface. Scott’s sister, Tori, begins to ask awkward questions, suggesting she might know more about Chloe’s plans than she should. Then there’s the villa concierge, Grace, who is watching her guests’ every moves.

As tensions rise, can Chloe manage to keep her murderous intentions hidden? And can she stop herself from adding a few more people to the body count along the way?

Fans of Katy Brent, Bella Mackie and Julie Mae Cohen won't be able to resist this twisty, darkly funny crime thriller.

Sarah Bonner is fast becoming an auto read author for me, two books read by her so far and both total winners in my book. 

I was completely addicted reading this story, which starts off as a nice simple story - all Chloe has to do is play the loving wife for a week's holiday in Mykonos and then no one will suspect her of being behind her husband's murder when he dies the following week. 

And the more I learnt about Scott, the more I agreed, he deserves to die and Chloe seems totally lovely. 

But well best laid plans are only good if no one discovers them, and its turns out no one is quite what they seemed.  And the more we learn the more intrigued I was, and hooked on finding out what would happen next. 

There is a fabulous mix of characters on this extended family vacation, and with both families being involved in what sounded like not completely above board activities (to put it mildly), there are all sorts of interesting dynamics at play. 

And I would never have predicted how any of this would turn out. 

I couldn't get enough of this book, and I loved all the lies, deceit, good intentions and more,  even if I was left wondering who exactly I was meant to be able to trust. 

I just loved this book a lot and whizzed through the pages oblivious to the world around me. 

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

Book Review - A Greek Island Gift by Mandy Baggot - Rachel Reads Randomly #99

 Well under a handful of you noticed last Monday that I ran for the first time in many years a version of my vote feature where you got to pick which book I reviewed today. 

Well the results have been counted, and I can say that since there were only two votes in total - one for Something in The Air by Helen Rolfe, and one for A Greek Island Gift by Mandy Baggot -  that I have reviews of both of these today. 

So I hope they both pique your interest, and I have come to the conclusion that interactive blog posts in 2025 may no longer work! Ah well! 

 The Amazon Purchase link below is an Amazon Affiliate link.

Amazon UK

Title: A Greek Island Gift

Author: Mandy Baggot

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 28th April 2025

Rating: 5 Stars

Escape to the sunshine with the queen of Greek romance, Mandy Baggot!

An unexpected gift… A home in paradise?

When Molly Adams finds out she’s inherited an apartment in Kassiopi, Corfu, she’s left thinking there must be some mistake. She doesn’t know anyone in Greece at all.

But when she arrives there’s a shock. Molly hasn’t inherited a whole apartment, it’s only 50%. But there’s more - she’s also inherited 50% of a boat, 50% of an olive tree and… 25% of a cat.

Christos Baros is coming home to Corfu for the summer. A self-made entrepreneur, owning three gyms in Athens, he has no need for half an apartment, half a boat, half an olive tree or a quarter of a cat, but he knows these things are important to his mother.

Molly and Christos’s worlds collide in a whirlwind and the irresistible charm of the Greek island draws them even closer together. But as they uncover the secrets of their shared inheritance, will they discover that sometimes, sharing what you never wanted can lead to exactly what you need?

This summer, join Molly and Christos in Corfu as they try to work out if one shared Greek gift will turn into a shared future. Perfect for fans of Sue Moorcroft and Jenny Colgan.

I'm always a big sucker for and big fan of Mandy Baggot's books especially any set in her beloved Corfu. And this was no exception. 

There is an unexpected inheritance, family secrets, a fabulous Greek guy and there more we get to hear about the guy who left this inheritance, the more i loved him too. 

It's unusual to learn that you have been left amongst other things a quarter of a cat (and seeing the beneficiaries try to decide who owns which leg is amusing), half an olive tree, half a truck that may not work, half a boat that may or may not work and half an apartment that needs a lot of work - but that is exactly the situation for Christos and Molly. 

Molly has her own suspicions as to why she may have been left this, and her mother's responses are interesting.  Christos and his family reminded me of the vibe and family from A Big Fat Greek Wedding, and I loved their dynamics. 

There is a lot more to this than first meets the eye, and when you add in a recent family feud, what feels like a dare devil nature from Molly and you have an immensely enjoyable book. 

I read this in a rare dose of sunshine in the garden and totally felt transported to Corfu. I loved the spattering for Greek words for flavour within the pages and generally just loved every word of this.  Another winner from Mandy Baggot. 

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

Book Review - Something In The Air by Helen Rolfe - Rachel Reads Randomly #99

Well under a handful of you noticed last Monday that I ran for the first time in many years a version of my vote feature where you got to pick which book I reviewed today. 

Well the results have been counted, and I can say that since there were only two votes in total - one for Something in The Air by Helen Rolfe, and one for A Greek Island Gift by Mandy Baggot -  that I have reviews of both of these today. 

So I hope they both pique your interest, and I have come to the conclusion that interactive blog posts in 2025 may no longer work! Ah well! 

 The Amazon Purchase link below is an Amazon Affiliate link.

Amazon UK

Title: Something In The Air

Author: Helen Rolfe

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Boldwood Books

Publication Date: 17th January 2025

Rating: 5 Stars

A surprise arrival

Working with the Whistlestop River air ambulance is Nadia's whole world. She adores her job and the team – they’re family. But when a baby is abandoned on the steps of the base, Nadia is forced to confront events from her past she’d rather forget.

A difficult change

Hudson is trying to get his life back on track after his divorce. It’s not easy juggling his work as a patient and family liaison officer and being the primary parent for his children. He wouldn’t change it for the world. But when his teenage son’s behaviour spirals out of control, Hudson begins to wonder if he can really be there for everyone who needs him…

A chance for something special?

Nadia and Hudson have always been friends, but the arrival of baby Lena pushes them closer than ever, and as their feelings start to grow, they’ll have to decide – do they have space for love when their families need them? And could they put themselves and each other first, just this once?

The Skylarks return in this gorgeous new story, perfect for fans of Jo Bartlett and Heidi Swain.

Helen Rolfe has knocked it out of the park with yet another unputdownable instalment of her fabulous Skylarks series. 

I am just loving everything to do with this Whistlestop River air ambulance team and all those who support it. This time we are focusing on Nadia and Hudson. 

Nadia has been lying to everyone and no one really knows anything about her past, whereas Hudson has been keeping his recent divorce to himself, while trying to single parent a teen and a 3 year old. 

I loved the scenes with Hudson and his family, he comes across as a wonderful father and one that I could certainly see why Nadia might be attracted too. 

The book starts with a rather surprising opening and one that really engrossed me and had a bit of a mystery to it, while also having me saying aww a fair bit! 

I loved getting to know our leads even more, as well as catching up with the latest from other team members. 

I couldn't get enough of this book and devoured it in under a day. I can't wait for the next book in this glorious series.

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

Back Catalogue Books - Q&A with Susan Buchanan - #RRR10thBirthdayCelebrationWeek #Giveaway

Back in 2016-2017, I had this semi regular feature called Back Catalogue Books, focusing on books that are not the latest releases.  As so often everyone and everything is about the newest shiniest books that are released, that it's easy to forget there are some hidden gems, in amongst an author's back catalogue.

So this was an obvious choice when I was looking at what features to bring back as one offs for my 10th blog birthday celebrations. 

Without further ado, I present today's guest...

Thanks for inviting me on, Rachel. Great to be here. We’ve been working together for a long time now! Hello, everyone, I’m Susan Buchanan, a contemporary romance, romantic comedy and women’s fiction author from Scotland.

1) Please tell me about your first book, and what started you writing in the first place

 – My first book came out in 2012 and is called Sign of the Times. It has an underlying theme relating to the zodiac and features 12 characters, all related in some way to the central character, Holly, a travel writer. It’s set in Italy, Scotland and Switzerland. It has often been compared to the TV series, Cold Feet (the original – I haven’t seen the new version!) as it interweaves so many different lives. It was probably the most difficult book I’ll ever write as a result! Tropes (not that I knew what a trope was back then) include found family, only one bed, love triangle, best friend’s brother and forced proximity. I’d always loved writing and remember writing my first story about a smuggler, age 7. I rushed the ending though as I wanted to go out and play hide and seek with my friends, so I wrote ‘and then I died.’ Hopefully, my endings are a little better these days! I started writing ‘properly’ around 2009, as prior to that I only wrote when I went on holiday as I was too busy with work.

2) How many books have you written and what are they? 

I’ve written 12 books and have three significant work in progress, which will actually be my next three books, as well as a further four books that may or may not see the light of day! Some are different genres. My current published books are Sign of the Times, The Dating Game, The Christmas Spirit series (The Christmas Spirit, Return of the Christmas Spirit, A Little Christmas Spirit), the Just One Day series (Just One Day – Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn) and The Leap Year Proposal. 

3) Which book are you most proud of writing? 

In the past I couldn’t answer this question as I’m proud of all of them for different reasons; however The Christmas Spirit is the book (and series) that seems to really impact readers and warm their hearts, sometimes even helping people not looking forward to Christmas to embrace the spirit of the season – and that’s the whole premise of the book!

4) Which book was your favourite to write? 

Hmm. This is a toughie. If I can sneak in my upcoming release, You Can’t Hurry Love, as it features a sloth sanctuary, based on one I visited in Costa Rica. And, well, I love sloths and adored finding out more about them. And it was great to focus on a much warmer climate than here! Plus, I researched the food to within an inch of its life!

5) Who are your favourite characters from your books and why? 

Probably Louisa from the Just One Day series; Natalie and Stanley from The Christmas Spirit, Dario from Sign of the Times, as well as Holly; Anton from The Dating Game; Lara from A Little Christmas Spirit; and Zach and Anouska from The Leap Year Proposal. 

6) If you could go back and change anything from any of your books, what would it be, and why?

Hmm, I’m trying to avoid spoilers here, but there is one decision that was unpopular with some readers in one of my earlier books, because it didn’t exactly give the happy ever after they expected; it was a happy for now, but of a different type. I think it’s important to meet reader expectation, and although I made the decision intentionally for the character, they may get a novella at some point to explain what happened afterwards!

7) Which of your covers if your favourite and why? 

Oh, now this is REALLY hard! I have had 3 covers for Sign of the Times, 2 for The Dating Game, The Christmas Spirit and Return of the Christmas Spirit, and the current covers were all made for me by Claire Ball of Jaboof Design Studio, who makes all my covers and graphics now. I love aspects of several of those covers the most: the fact Claire brought to life a villa in Tuscany I stayed in, purely from my description as I had no photos of it, in Sign of the Times; the fact she put gingerbread men in the display case of The Christmas Spirit because she knows my son loves them; and my latest cover for You Can’t Hurry Love, because I love sloths! 

8) Have you ever thought about changing genres, if so what else would you like to write? 

I don’t want to change genre, but I have started working on a middle grade fantasy novel and also a psychological thriller, I would also like to write a screenplay one day.

9) Looking forward can you let us know what you are working on next? 

I’m already working on my Christmas release, A Taste of Christmas Spirit, out on 23 Sep, and I have a contemporary romance set in Toulouse, France, which will come out in Jan 26. It is already written, whereas the Christmas book isn’t! The Toulouse book is part of a new travel-themed series. And of course, first in the Dream Destinations series, You Can’t Hurry Love, is out on 6 May 25.

10) I dare not ask for a favourite author, but is there any author’s back catalogue you admire and why?

Milly Johnson, but also Leonie Mack  Julie Caplin, Victoria Springfield and Rosanna Ley. Milly’s just amazing at showcasing family life, warts and all, and she does it with such wit and joy. The others are because I love travelling all over with them – I love revisiting through their books places I’ve visited and putting places I haven’t on my bucket list! I also love learning about the places and the culture.

11) Finally, is there anything else you would like to say about your back catalogue of books? 

I think my back catalogue is quite varied – there’s romance in all of them, but Sign of the Times also has a major travel theme and is more drama/women’s fiction; The Dating Game is a romcom with aspects of sisterhood and friendship; The Christmas Spirit series has a sense of community, goodness, hope and the human condition at its heart as well as a touch of magic; The Just One Day series is the year in a life of a mum, her extended family, friends, their ups and downs and what holds it all together; The Leap Year Proposal again has a travel theme to an extent, but is more women’s fiction than pure romance as the friendship between the three women who propose is even more central than the proposals. And food features heavily in all my books, so take snacks when you’re reading them – you’ll need them!

Thank you so much Susan, what a great set of answers and I am loving absolutely everything I'm hearing so far about your Dream Destinations series, I also can't resist a sloth on a cover! 

And if you are now loving the sound of Susan's books and would like the chance to win a copy of one of them, then keep on reading... 

About Susan Buchanan 

Susan Buchanan writes romantic comedy, contemporary romance and women’s fiction, usually featuring travel, food, family, friendship, community – also Christmas!

Her books are Sign of the Times, The Dating Game, The Christmas Spirit, Return of the Christmas Spirit, A Little Christmas Spirit and Just One Day – Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn and The Leap Year Proposal.

As a freelance developmental editor, copyeditor and proofreader, if she’s not reading, editing or writing, she’s thinking about it.  

She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, the Society of Authors and the Alliance of Independent Authors.

She lives near Glasgow with her husband, two children and a crazy Labrador.

When she’s not editing, writing, reading or caring for her two delightful cherubs, she likes going to the theatre, playing board games, watching quiz shows and eating out, and she has recently discovered a love of writing retreats.

Social Media Links – 

Website – www.susanbuchananauthor.com

Instagram – authorSusanBuchanan

Facebook – www.facebook.com/susancbuchanauthor

Twitter – susan_buchanan

Threads - authorSusanBuchanan

Giveaway to Win a signed and dedicated copy of The Leap Year Proposal (Open to UK Only)

Three women. One crazy hen weekend. A life-changing decision.

When three women meet on a mutual friend’s hen weekend on the Scottish island of Arran, they get more than they bargained for when one of them has the genius idea of proposing on 29 February, like the age-old Irish tradition.

High-flying businesswoman Anouska and boyfriend Zach are deliriously happy and madly in love. If only they had more time together. But now she’s pregnant and doesn’t know how to tell him since having kids hadn’t featured in their plans.

Dog walker Jess lives with her childhood sweetheart, but they’re already like an old married couple, without the romance, or the wedding, or the ring. When Mark doesn’t propose on New Year’s Eve, Jess is gutted and decides to take matters into her own hands.

Ellie and Scott still live apart after six years, and his lack of commitment is a sore point. She’s up for a huge promotion which involves moving country. It’s make-or-break time. She needs to know he’s worth turning down the job for.

The women meet weekly, helping each other with decisions big and small, becoming each other’s support system in the run-up to ‘the big ask’.

Will love conquer all or will their hopes and dreams come crashing down around them?

Giveaway open to UK, all options are voluntary, but please do what they ask, as I will be verifying the winner. Giveaway closes 23:59 16/4/2025. 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!

Funday Friday - Truth or Lie? - Special Edition with Sandy Barker - #RRR10thBirthdayCelebrationWeek #Giveaway

 

Welcome to the latest edition of Truth of Lie. My name is Rachel and I will be your host, for this exciting new game show.  Well it was new back in 2016 when I ran this for 6 months and it was a lot of fun.  So I've brought it back for one Friday only as part of my 10th Blog birthday celebrations.. 

Today I will have one contestant, and they will be answering at least 14 questions. There is of course one small twist...

For three of the answers, they have to lie. It is your task as the viewer to guess which three answers are lies. You are allowed 3 guesses and I want them posted into the comments field. 

There is a giveaway too, also supplied by today's guest, and anyone who wants to guess the lies and fills in the gleam widget below, will be entered, regardless of whether you are correct or not. 

So without further ado, let's meet today's contestant. 

Good morning contestant, please can you tell me your name and a little bit about yourself?

I’m a writer, traveller and hopeful romantic, and have lived and worked across the world.

My first novel, One Summer in Santorini, a romantic comedy set in Greece and inspired by our real-life love story, was published in 2019 by One More Chapter (HarperCollins), sparking the 5-book Holiday Romance series. Also with One More Chapter are my Christmas Romance series, celebrating my favourite time of year, and The Dating Game, a stand-alone romcom set in the world of Reality TV.

My 5-book romcom series with Boldwood Books is about the Ever After Agency, a bespoke matchmaking agency based in London, with a brilliant cast of characters and settings around the world. And I've signed with Boldwood for 5 new standalone romcoms – the first coming late 2025.

Thankfully from that intro, I do know who it is having read all their books, if you haven't guessed its Sandy Barker! 

Now onto the show, and remember everyone, Sandy hasn't been entirely truthful with three of these answers, so it is up to you to guess which ones they are (only 3 guesses per person though). 

1) Who is your favourite author?

Michael Connelly – he writes detective thrillers set in LA. As a reader, I enjoy reading out of my genre and his books are as far from the romcoms I write as I can get. I’ve met him – and he signed a copy of his latest release for me.

2) What book do you wish you had written?

The Women by Kristin Hannah is one of the most extraordinary books I’ve ever read. I don’t know that I wish I had written it specifically, but I aspire to write with that level of depth and intensity.

3) What was your most memorable holiday ever?

A sailing trip in the Greek Islands where I met my partner Ben.

4) What superpower would you love to have?

Invisibility. I’d love to be a fly on the wall and see what really goes on behind closed doors, especially where important decisions are being made.

5) What is the most annoying interview question you have ever been asked?

Do you ever want to write ‘proper’ books? As a romance author this is beyond insulting. 

6) What is your dream job, and have you tried to achieve it?

I’m doing it – I’ve wanted to be an author for decades.

7) Can you describe for me what your perfect day would involve?

Waking up somewhere tropical, going on a sailboat, eating seafood and basking in the sun while reading, swimming off the boat, exploring the coastline – with Ben and close friends and family.

8) Which cocktail describes you perfectly, and what’s in it?

A French 75 – gin (for my don’t-mess-with-me, straight up approach), Champagne (because I like to be a little fancy sometimes), sugar (because I’m mostly a sweetheart), a twist of lemon (because when provoked, I can be tart).

9) If you could only read one author for the rest of your life (and I’m aware that’s a very scary question), who would you choose and why?

Probably Liane Moriarty. She’s among my faves and I’ve only ever disliked one of her books. She’s a terrific storyteller.

10) Besides reading, which I am guessing is a given, what other hobbies do you have?

During the pandemic I got into cross stitch – the funnier the better, such as irreverent sayings or memes.

11) What is your best childhood memory?

The trip we did when I was seven – we spent 2 weeks in the UK meeting family and my great-grandad took me and my sister into ever shop on the high street to introduce us. Then we spent a month in the US, including the most American Christmas in the snow, then we went to Disney World!

12) What would your ideal pet be?

A cat and a dog who are best friends.

13) What is your guilty pleasure when it comes to music? 

I’m a tragic Swiftie. 

14) Can you let us in on an embarrassing secret?

If you’ve read my books, you already know them all. Bahahaha.

15) If you won the lottery, how would you spend the money?

I’d buy a house with room for guests somewhere beautiful then pay for my loved ones to come visit whenever possible.

Thank you so much Sandy for these great answers, and I can safely say you 100% do write proper books, they are all fabulous. And I'm very excited to hear you have more books coming with Boldwood Books! 

For this week only if you have a guess at the lies, whether right or wrongly you will be entered into a draw to win this lovely prize:

Giveaway to Win a paperback copy of One Summer in Santorini (Open INT)

There was something in the air that night. . .

Sarah has had enough of men. It’s time to rekindle her first true love – travel – so she books a sailing trip around the Greek islands with a group of strangers.

The very last thing Sarah wants is to meet someone new, but then a gorgeous American man boards her yacht… And when she also encounters a handsome silver fox who promises her the world, she realises that trouble really does come in twos.

Will Sarah dive into a holiday fling or stick to her plan to steer clear of men, continue her love affair with feta and find her own way after all?

The perfect holiday read to escape with this summer, for fans of Annie Robertson’s My Mamma Mia Summer and Mandy Baggot’s One Last Greek Summer.

Giveaway open internationally, all options are voluntary, but please do what they ask, as I will be verifying the winner. Giveaway closes 23:59 15/4/25. 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!

I hope you have enjoyed this edition of Truth or Lie? I will be back next week with the answer reveal (so long as I remember!). 

Don't forget to guess the lies, to be in with a chance of a prize!